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Mahapatra B, Singh A, Banerjee A, Sirohi S, Singh S, Dubey VK, Singh RK. A squalene oil emulsified MPL-A and anti-CD200/CD300a antibodies adjuvanted whole-killed Leishmania vaccine provides durable immunity against L. donovani parasites. Vaccine 2024; 42:126373. [PMID: 39288578 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2024.126373] [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: 06/19/2024] [Revised: 09/11/2024] [Accepted: 09/11/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024]
Abstract
Antigenic inefficacy to induce robust immune responses and durable memory are major causes of constantly failing prophylactic approaches in leishmaniasis. Here, we determine the potential of a standardized whole-killed Leishmania vaccine (Leishvacc) adjuvanted with anti-CD200 and anti-CD300a antibodies, either alone or with monophosphoryl lipid A (MPL-SE) emulsified in squalene oil, in restoring the compromised antigen presenting abilities of dendritic cells (DCs), effector properties of CD4+T cells and providing protection against Leishmania donovani parasites. In animals vaccinated with antibodies adjuvanted vaccines, either alone or with MPL-SE, the antigen presenting abilities of CD11c+ DCs against Leishmania antigens, measured in terms of CD80, CD86, MHC-I, and MHC-II surface receptors and intracellular IL-12 were found enhanced than non-adjuvanted vaccine. We observed more proliferative and pro-inflammatory cytokines i.e. IL-2, IFN-γ, IL-23, and IL-12 producing CD4+T cells in antibodies/MPL-SE adjuvanted vaccinated animals further suggesting that this approach helps antigen activated CD4+T cells to acquire pro-inflammatory cytokines producing abilities. In antibodies, either alone or with MPL-SE, vaccinated animals, the number of CD4+ central memory T cells and their longevity were found significantly enhanced that further evidenced the impact of this vaccination approach in inducing long term protective immunity. The animals, receiving antibodies adjuvanted vaccines, either alone or with MPL-SE, exhibited excellent protection against virulent parasites by restricting their growth, which correlated with the significantly reduced parasitemia, splenomegaly, and hepatomegaly, along with fewer numbers of liver granulomas. Our findings provide an insight to a new immunoprophylactic approach against visceral leishmaniasis, which not only satisfies the safety criteria, but also provides a robust immunogenic response with remarkable potential for parasites control. However, further in-depth investigations are needed to ascertain its ability in inducing long-lasting immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baishakhi Mahapatra
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Abhishek Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Arpita Banerjee
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Shruti Sirohi
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Samer Singh
- Centre of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Medical Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Vikash K Dubey
- Department of Biochemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Rakesh K Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India.
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Kumari S, Vijaykumar S, Kumar V, Ranjan R, Alti D, Singh V, Ahmed G, Sahoo GC, Pandey K, Kumar A. In silico and in vitro evaluation of the immunogenic potential of Leishmania donovani ascorbate peroxidase and its derived peptides. Acta Trop 2024:107381. [PMID: 39244139 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107381] [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: 06/19/2024] [Revised: 08/13/2024] [Accepted: 09/04/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
The control and eradication of any infectious disease is only possible with a potential vaccine, which has not been accomplished for human visceral leishmaniasis (VL). The lack of vaccines may increase the risk of VL outbreaks periodically in endemic zones. Identifying a reliable vaccine candidate for Leishmania is a major challenge. Here, we considered Leishmania donovani ascorbate peroxidase (LdAPx) for its in vitro evaluation with the hope of future vaccine candidates for VL. LdAPx was selected based on its unique presence in Leishmania and virulence in VL pathogenesis. Initially, we found antibodies against recombinant LdAPx (rLdAPx) in the serum of VL patients. Therefore, using bioinformatics, we predicted and selected ten (MHC class I and II) peptides. These peptides, evaluated in vitro with PBMCs from healthy, active VL, and treated VL individuals induced PBMC proliferation, IFN-γ secretion, and Nitric Oxide (NO) production, indicating host-protective immune responses. Among them, three peptides (PEP6, PEP8, and PEP9) consistently elicited a Th1-type immune response in PBMCs. Treated VL individuals showed a stronger Th1 response compared to active VL patients and healthy subjects, highlighting these peptides' potential as vaccine candidates. Further studies are on the way toward evaluating the LdAPx-derived peptides or sub-unit vaccine in animal models against the L. donovani challenge.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shobha Kumari
- Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna, 800007, Bihar, India
| | - Saravanan Vijaykumar
- Statistics/Bioinformatics, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna, 800007, Bihar, India; National Center for Diseases Informatics and Research, Bengaluru, 562110, Karnataka, India
| | - Vikash Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna, 800007, Bihar, India
| | - Ravi Ranjan
- Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna, 800007, Bihar, India
| | - Dayakar Alti
- Department of Immunology, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna, 800007, Bihar, India
| | - Veer Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna, 800007, Bihar, India
| | - Ghufran Ahmed
- Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna, 800007, Bihar, India
| | - Ganesh Chandra Sahoo
- Department of Virology, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna, 800007, Bihar, India
| | - Krishna Pandey
- Department of Clinical Medicine, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna, 800007, Bihar, India
| | - Ashish Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna, 800007, Bihar, India.
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Avishek K, Beg MA, Vats K, Singh AK, Dey R, Singh KP, Singh RK, Gannavaram S, Ramesh V, Mulla MSA, Bhatnagar U, Singh S, Nakhasi HL, Salotra P, Selvapandiyan A. Manufacturing and preclinical toxicity of GLP grade gene deleted attenuated Leishmania donovani parasite vaccine. Sci Rep 2024; 14:14636. [PMID: 38918456 PMCID: PMC11199483 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-64592-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2023] [Accepted: 06/11/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Centrin1 gene deleted Leishmania donovani parasite (LdCen1-/-) was developed and extensively tested experimentally as an intracellular stage-specific attenuated and immunoprotective live parasite vaccine candidate ex vivo using human PBMCs and in vivo in animals. Here we report manufacturing and pre-clinical evaluation of current Good-Laboratory Practice (cGLP) grade LdCen1-/- parasites, as a prerequisite before proceeding with clinical trials. We screened three batches of LdCen1-/- parasites manufactured in bioreactors under cGLP conditions, for their consistency in genetic stability, attenuation, and safety. One such batch was preclinically tested using human PBMCs and animals (hamsters and dogs) for its safety and protective immunogenicity. The immunogenicity of the CGLP grade LdCen1-/- parasites was similar to one grown under laboratory conditions. The cGLP grade LdCen1-/- parasites were found to be safe and non-toxic in hamsters and dogs even at 3 times the anticipated vaccine dose. When PBMCs from healed visceral leishmaniasis (VL) cases were infected with cGLP LdCen1-/-, there was a significant increase in the stimulation of cytokines that contribute to protective responses against VL. This effect, measured by multiplex ELISA, was greater than that observed in PBMCs from healthy individuals. These results suggest that cGLP grade LdCen1-/- manufactured under cGMP complaint conditions can be suitable for future clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kumar Avishek
- ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Mirza A Beg
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110062, India
| | - Kavita Vats
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110062, India
| | - Avinash Kumar Singh
- Gennova Biopharmaceuticals, Hinjewadi Phase II, Pune, Maharashtra, 411057, India
| | - Ranadhir Dey
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, CBER, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Kamaleshwar P Singh
- Gennova Biopharmaceuticals, Hinjewadi Phase II, Pune, Maharashtra, 411057, India
| | - Rajesh Kumar Singh
- Gennova Biopharmaceuticals, Hinjewadi Phase II, Pune, Maharashtra, 411057, India
| | - Sreenivas Gannavaram
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, CBER, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - V Ramesh
- Department of Dermatology and STD, ESIC Medical College, Faridabad, Haryana, 121001, India
| | | | - Upendra Bhatnagar
- Vimta Laboratories, Cherlapally, Hyderabad, Telangana, 500051, India
| | - Sanjay Singh
- Gennova Biopharmaceuticals, Hinjewadi Phase II, Pune, Maharashtra, 411057, India
| | - Hira L Nakhasi
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, CBER, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, 20993, USA
| | - Poonam Salotra
- ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, New Delhi, 110029, India
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Saini I, Joshi J, Kaur S. Leishmania vaccine development: A comprehensive review. Cell Immunol 2024; 399-400:104826. [PMID: 38669897 DOI: 10.1016/j.cellimm.2024.104826] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/21/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Infectious diseases like leishmaniasis, malaria, HIV, tuberculosis, leprosy and filariasis are responsible for an immense burden on public health systems. Among these, leishmaniasis is under the category I diseases as it is selected by WHO (World Health Organization) on the ground of diversity and complexity. High cost, resistance and toxic effects of Leishmania traditional drugs entail identification and development of therapeutic alternative. Since the natural infection elicits robust immunity, consistence efforts are going on to develop a successful vaccine. Clinical trials have been conducted on vaccines like Leish-F1, F2, and F3 formulated using specific Leishmania antigen epitopes. Current strategies utilize individual or combined antigens from the parasite or its insect vector's salivary gland extract, with or without adjuvant formulation for enhanced efficacy. Promising animal data supports multiple vaccine candidates (Lmcen-/-, LmexCen-/-), with some already in or heading for clinical trials. The crucial challenge in Leishmania vaccine development is to translate the research knowledge into affordable and accessible control tools that refines the outcome for those who are susceptible to infection. This review focuses on recent findings in Leishmania vaccines and highlights difficulties facing vaccine development and implementation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isha Saini
- Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Jyoti Joshi
- Goswami Ganesh Dutta Sanatan Dharma College, Sector-32C, Chandigarh, India
| | - Sukhbir Kaur
- Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Zoology, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India.
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Moreira G, Maia R, Soares N, Ostolin T, Coura-Vital W, Aguiar-Soares R, Ruiz J, Resende D, de Brito R, Reis A, Roatt B. Synthetic Peptides Selected by Immunoinformatics as Potential Tools for the Specific Diagnosis of Canine Visceral Leishmaniasis. Microorganisms 2024; 12:906. [PMID: 38792746 PMCID: PMC11123790 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms12050906] [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: 04/13/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/28/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Diagnosing canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in Brazil faces challenges due to the limitations regarding the sensitivity and specificity of the current diagnostic protocol. Therefore, it is urgent to map new antigens or enhance the existing ones for future diagnostic techniques. Immunoinformatic tools are promising in the identification of new potential epitopes or antigen candidates. In this study, we evaluated peptides selected by epitope prediction for CVL serodiagnosis in ELISA assays. Ten B-cell epitopes were immunogenic in silico, but two peptides (peptides No. 45 and No. 48) showed the best performance in vitro. The selected peptides, both individually and in combination, were highly diagnostically accurate, with sensitivities ranging from 86.4% to 100% and with a specificity of approximately 90%. We observed that the combination of peptides showed better performance when compared to peptide alone, by detecting all asymptomatic dogs, showing lower cross-reactivity in sera from dogs with other canine infections, and did not detect vaccinated animals. Moreover, our data indicate the potential use of immunoinformatic tools associated with ELISA assays for the selection and evaluation of potential new targets, such as peptides, applied to the diagnosis of CVL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel Moreira
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil; (G.M.); (R.M.); (N.S.); (T.O.); (R.A.-S.); (R.d.B.); (A.R.)
| | - Rodrigo Maia
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil; (G.M.); (R.M.); (N.S.); (T.O.); (R.A.-S.); (R.d.B.); (A.R.)
| | - Nathália Soares
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil; (G.M.); (R.M.); (N.S.); (T.O.); (R.A.-S.); (R.d.B.); (A.R.)
| | - Thais Ostolin
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil; (G.M.); (R.M.); (N.S.); (T.O.); (R.A.-S.); (R.d.B.); (A.R.)
| | - Wendel Coura-Vital
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Escola de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil;
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Aguiar-Soares
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil; (G.M.); (R.M.); (N.S.); (T.O.); (R.A.-S.); (R.d.B.); (A.R.)
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil
| | - Jeronimo Ruiz
- Grupo de Informática de Biossistemas e Genômica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte 30190-002, MG, Brazil; (J.R.); (D.R.)
| | - Daniela Resende
- Grupo de Informática de Biossistemas e Genômica, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte 30190-002, MG, Brazil; (J.R.); (D.R.)
| | - Rory de Brito
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil; (G.M.); (R.M.); (N.S.); (T.O.); (R.A.-S.); (R.d.B.); (A.R.)
| | - Alexandre Reis
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil; (G.M.); (R.M.); (N.S.); (T.O.); (R.A.-S.); (R.d.B.); (A.R.)
- Departamento de Análises Clínicas, Escola de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil;
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Doenças Tropicais, INCT-DT, Salvador 40296-710, BA, Brazil
| | - Bruno Roatt
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil; (G.M.); (R.M.); (N.S.); (T.O.); (R.A.-S.); (R.d.B.); (A.R.)
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil
- Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil
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Hafezi Ahmadi MR, Mamizadeh M, Siamian D, Touyeh MAA, Shams M, Rashidi Y. Immunoinformatic Analysis of Leishmania Major gp46 Protein and Potential Targets for Vaccination against Leishmaniasis. RECENT ADVANCES IN INFLAMMATION & ALLERGY DRUG DISCOVERY 2024; 18:129-139. [PMID: 38318831 DOI: 10.2174/0127722708283588240124095057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 01/02/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a parasitic disease with a significant burden in the Old World countries. OBJECTIVE In the current study, some of the primary biochemical properties and IFN-γ inducing epitopes with specific binding capacity to human and mouse MHC alleles were predicted for Leishmania major gp46 antigenic protein. METHODS Several online servers were used to predict physico-chemical traits, allergenicity, antigenicity, transmembrane domain and signal peptide, subcellular localization, post-translational modifications (PTMs), secondary and tertiary structures, tertiary model refining with validations. Also, IEDB web server was used to predict mouse/human cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) and helper T-lymphocyte (HTL) epitopes. RESULTS The 33.25 kDa protein was stable, hydrophilic, antigenic, while non-allergenic, with enhanced thermotolerance and 45 PTM sites. The secondary structure encompassed a random coil, followed by extended strands and helices. Ramachandran-based analysis of the refined model showed 73.1%, 21.6%, 3.4% and 1.9% of residues in the most favored, additional allowed, generously-allowed and disallowed regions, respectively. Epitope screening demonstrated 4 HTL epitopes against seemingly protective HLA alleles, 5 HTL epitopes against the HLA reference set, 3 human CTL epitopes and a number of mouse MHC-restricted epitopes. CONCLUSION This paper provides insights into the bioinformatics characteristics of the L. major gp46 protein as a promising vaccine candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mina Mamizadeh
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
- Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
| | - Davood Siamian
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Basic Science, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon Branch, Mazandaran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Ali Asghari Touyeh
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Basic Science, Sari Branch, Islamic Azad University, Sari, Iran
| | - Morteza Shams
- Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
| | - Yasaman Rashidi
- Veterinary Student, Islamic Azad University, Garmsar Branch, Garmsar, Iran
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Singh R, Anand A, Mahapatra B, Saini S, Singh A, Singh S, Kumar V, Das P, Singh S, Singh RK. Adjuvantation of whole-killed Leishmania vaccine with anti-CD200 and anti-CD300a antibodies potentiates its efficacy and provides protection against wild-type parasites. Mol Immunol 2023; 163:136-146. [PMID: 37778149 DOI: 10.1016/j.molimm.2023.09.014] [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: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
One of the major reasons behind the limited success of vaccine candidates against all forms of leishmaniasis is the inability of parasitic antigens to induce robust cell-mediated immunity and immunological memory. Here we find, for the first time, that the adjuvantation of whole-killed Leishmania vaccine (Leishvacc) with anti-CD200 and anti-CD300a antibodies enhances CD4+ T cells mediated immunity in vaccinated mice and provides protection against wild-type parasites. The antibody adjuvantation, either alone or with a TLR4 agonist monophosphoryl A (MPL-A), induced the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines viz., IFN-γ, TNF-α, and IL-2 by antigen experienced CD4+ T cells, and also enhanced their rate of conversion into their memory phenotypes against Leishvacc antigens. The antibody adjuvanted vaccine also promoted the generation of IgG2a-mediated protective humoral immunity in vaccinated mice. Further, the mice vaccinated with antibodies adjuvanted vaccine showed strong resilience against metacyclic forms of L. donovani parasites as we observed reduced clinical features such as splenomegaly, hepatomegaly, granulomatous tissues in the liver, and parasitic load in their spleen. The findings of this study demonstrate that the anti-CD200 and anti-CD300a antibodies have potential to increase the protective efficacy of the whole-killed Leishmania vaccine, and opens up a new gateway to diversify the roles of immune checkpoints in vaccine development against leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajan Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Anshul Anand
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Baishakhi Mahapatra
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Shashi Saini
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Abhishek Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Samer Singh
- Centre of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Medical Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Vinod Kumar
- Department of Molecular Biology, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute, Patna 800007, Bihar, India
| | - Pradeep Das
- ICMR-National Institute of Cholera and Enteric Diseases, Kolkata 700010, WB, India
| | - Sangram Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Dr. RMLA University, Ayodhya 224001, India
| | - Rakesh K Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India.
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Kim CL, Agampodi S, Marks F, Kim JH, Excler JL. Mitigating the effects of climate change on human health with vaccines and vaccinations. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1252910. [PMID: 37900033 PMCID: PMC10602790 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1252910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change represents an unprecedented threat to humanity and will be the ultimate challenge of the 21st century. As a public health consequence, the World Health Organization estimates an additional 250,000 deaths annually by 2030, with resource-poor countries being predominantly affected. Although climate change's direct and indirect consequences on human health are manifold and far from fully explored, a growing body of evidence demonstrates its potential to exacerbate the frequency and spread of transmissible infectious diseases. Effective, high-impact mitigation measures are critical in combating this global crisis. While vaccines and vaccination are among the most cost-effective public health interventions, they have yet to be established as a major strategy in climate change-related health effect mitigation. In this narrative review, we synthesize the available evidence on the effect of climate change on vaccine-preventable diseases. This review examines the direct effect of climate change on water-related diseases such as cholera and other enteropathogens, helminthic infections and leptospirosis. It also explores the effects of rising temperatures on vector-borne diseases like dengue, chikungunya, and malaria, as well as the impact of temperature and humidity on airborne diseases like influenza and respiratory syncytial virus infection. Recent advances in global vaccine development facilitate the use of vaccines and vaccination as a mitigation strategy in the agenda against climate change consequences. A focused evaluation of vaccine research and development, funding, and distribution related to climate change is required.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cara Lynn Kim
- International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Suneth Agampodi
- International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Section of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, United States
| | - Florian Marks
- International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- Cambridge Institute of Therapeutic Immunology and Infectious Disease, University of Cambridge School of Clinical Medicine, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Madagascar Institute for Vaccine Research, University of Antananarivo, Antananarivo, Madagascar
- Heidelberg Institute of Global Health, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jerome H. Kim
- International Vaccine Institute, Seoul, Republic of Korea
- College of Natural Sciences, Seoul National University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
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Bhowmik D, Bhuyan A, Gunalan S, Kothandan G, Kumar D. In silico and immunoinformatics based multiepitope subunit vaccine design for protection against visceral leishmaniasis. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-22. [PMID: 37655736 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2252901] [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: 02/12/2023] [Accepted: 08/22/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a vector-borne neglected tropical protozoan disease with high fatality and no certified vaccine. Conventional vaccine preparation is challenging and tedious. Here in this work, we created a global multiepitope subunit vaccination against VL utilizing innovative immunoinformatics technique based on the extensively conserved epitopic regions of the PrimPol protein of Leishmania donovani consisting of four subunits which were analyzed and studied, out of which DNA primase large subunit and DNA polymerase α subunit B were evaluated as antigens by Vaxijen 2.0. The multiepitope vaccine design includes a single adjuvant β-defensins, eight CTL epitopes, eight HTL epitopes, seven linear BCL epitopes and one discontinuous BCL epitope to induce innate, cellular and humoral immune responses against VL. The Expasy ProtParam tool characterized the physiochemical parameters of the vaccine. At the same time, SOLpro evaluated our vaccine constructs to be soluble upon expression. We also modeled the stable tertiary structure of our vaccine construct through Robetta modeling for molecular docking studies with toll-like receptor proteins through HADDOCK 2.4. Simulations based on molecular dynamics revealed an intact vaccine and TLR8 complex, supporting our vaccine design's immunogenicity. Also, the immune simulation of our vaccine by the C-ImmSim server demonstrated the potency of the multiepitope vaccine construct to induce proper immune response for host defense. Codon optimization and in silico cloning of our vaccine further assured high expression. The outcomes of our study on multiepitope vaccine design significantly produced a potential candidate against VL and can potentially eradicate the disease in the future after clinical investigations.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deep Bhowmik
- Deparment of Microbiology, Assam University, Silchar, Assam, India
| | - Achyut Bhuyan
- Deparment of Microbiology, Assam University, Silchar, Assam, India
| | - Seshan Gunalan
- Biopolymer Modelling Laboratory, Centre of Advanced Study in Crystallography and Biophysics, Guindy Campus, University of Madras, Chennai, India
| | - Gugan Kothandan
- Biopolymer Modelling Laboratory, Centre of Advanced Study in Crystallography and Biophysics, Guindy Campus, University of Madras, Chennai, India
| | - Diwakar Kumar
- Deparment of Microbiology, Assam University, Silchar, Assam, India
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Zhang P, Gong J, Jiang Y, Long Y, Lei W, Gao X, Guo D. Application of Silver Nanoparticles in Parasite Treatment. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:1783. [PMID: 37513969 PMCID: PMC10384186 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15071783] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) are ultra-small silver particles with a size from 1 to 100 nanometers. Unlike bulk silver, they have unique physical and chemical properties. Numerous studies have shown that AgNPs have beneficial biological effects on various diseases, including antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antiparasitic, and antiviruses. One of the most well-known applications is in the field of antibacterial applications, where AgNPs have strong abilities to kill multi-drug resistant bacteria, making them a potential candidate as an antibacterial drug. Recently, AgNPs synthesized from plant extracts have exhibited outstanding antiparasitic effects, with a shorter duration of use and enhanced ability to inhibit parasite multiplication compared to traditional antiparasitic drugs. This review summarizes the types, characteristics, and the mechanism of action of AgNPs in anti-parasitism, mainly focusing on their effects in leishmaniasis, flukes, cryptosporidiosis, toxoplasmosis, Haemonchus, Blastocystis hominis, and Strongylides. The aim is to provide a reference for the application of AgNPs in the prevention and control of parasitic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ping Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Food Engineering, Jinling Institute of Technology, 99 Hongjing Road, Nanjing 211169, China
| | - Jiahao Gong
- Engineering Center of Innovative Veterinary Drugs, MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Yan Jiang
- Animal, Plant and Food Inspection Center of Nanjing Customs District, 39 Chuangzhi Road, Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Yunfeng Long
- Animal, Plant and Food Inspection Center of Nanjing Customs District, 39 Chuangzhi Road, Nanjing 210000, China
| | - Weiqiang Lei
- College of Animal Science and Food Engineering, Jinling Institute of Technology, 99 Hongjing Road, Nanjing 211169, China
| | - Xiuge Gao
- Engineering Center of Innovative Veterinary Drugs, MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, China
| | - Dawei Guo
- Engineering Center of Innovative Veterinary Drugs, MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, 1 Weigang, Nanjing 210095, China
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11
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Kordi B, Basmenj ER, Majidiani H, Basati G, Sargazi D, Nazari N, Shams M. In Silico Characterization of an Important Metacyclogenesis Marker in Leishmania donovani, HASPB1, as a Potential Vaccine Candidate. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 2023:3763634. [PMID: 37323936 PMCID: PMC10266922 DOI: 10.1155/2023/3763634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis is a life-threatening infectious disease worldwide. Extensive experiments have been done to introduce potential vaccine candidates to combat leishmaniasis. The present study was done to evaluate Leishmania donovani hydrophilic acylated surface protein B1 as a potential vaccine candidate using in silico methods. For this aim, server-based predictions were performed regarding physicochemical characteristics, solubility, antigenicity, allergenicity, signal peptide, transmembrane domain, and posttranslational modifications (PTMs). Also, secondary and tertiary structures were predicted using NetSurfP-3.0 and I-TASSER, respectively. The 3D model was further subjected to refinement and validation, and promising B-cell, cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL; human, dog), and helper T-lymphocyte (HTL; human) epitopes were predicted. The protein had a molecular weight of 42.19 kDa, with high solubility (0.749), stability (instability index: 21.34), and hydrophilicity (GRAVY: -2.322). No signal peptide or transmembrane domain was predicted, and the most abundant PTMs were phosphorylation, O-glycosylation, and acetylation. Many coils and disordered regions existed in the secondary structure analysis, and the tertiary model had a good confidence score (-0.79). Next, the ProSA-web and PROCHECK tools showed adequate improvements in the refined model compared to the crude model. Only 4 shared B-cell epitopes among three web servers (ABCpred, BepiPred 2.0, and SVMTriP) were shown to be antigenic, nonallergenic, and with good water solubility. Also, five potent CTL epitopes in dogs and five in humans were predicted. Notably, two HTL epitopes were found to be potential IFN-γ inducers. In conclusion, our results demonstrated several immunogenic epitopes in this protein, which could be directed towards multiepitope vaccine design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bahareh Kordi
- Department of Agricultural Science, Technical and Vocational University (TVU), Tehran, Iran
| | | | - Hamidreza Majidiani
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran
- Healthy Aging Research Centre, Neyshabur University of Medical Sciences, Neyshabur, Iran
| | - Gholam Basati
- Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
| | - Dariush Sargazi
- Veterinary Medicine, Zabol Veterinary Network, Zabol, Sistan and Baluchistan, Iran
| | - Naser Nazari
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences, Kermanshah, Iran
| | - Morteza Shams
- Zoonotic Diseases Research Center, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
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van der Ende J, Schallig HDFH. Leishmania Animal Models Used in Drug Discovery: A Systematic Review. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13101650. [PMID: 37238080 DOI: 10.3390/ani13101650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2023] [Revised: 05/11/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Many different animal models are in use for drug development for leishmaniasis, but a universal model does not exist. There is a plethora of models, and this review assesses their design, quality, and limitations, including the attention paid to animal welfare in the study design and execution. A systematic review was performed following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines of available literature after the year 2000 describing animal models for leishmaniasis. The risk of bias was determined using the SYstematic Review Centre for Laboratory animal Experimentation (SYRCLE) risk of bias assessment tool. A total of 10,980 records were initially identified after searching the databases PubMed, EMBASE, LILACS, and SciELO. Based on the application of predetermined exclusion and inclusion criteria, a total of 203 papers describing 216 animal experiments were available for full analysis. Major reasons for exclusion were a lack of essential study information or appropriate ethical review and approval. Mice (82.8%; an average of 35.9 animals per study) and hamsters (17.1%; an average of 7.4 animals per study) were the most frequently used animals, mostly commercially sourced, in the included studies. All studies lacked a formal sample size analysis. The promastigote stages of L. amazonensis or L. major were most frequently used to establish experimental infections (single inoculum). Animal welfare was poorly addressed in all included studies, as the definition of a human end-point or consideration of the 3Rs (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) was hardly addressed. Most animals were euthanized at the termination of the experiment. The majority of the studies had an unknown or high risk of bias. Animal experiments for drug development for leishmaniasis mainly poorly designed and of low quality, lack appropriate ethical review, and are deficient in essential information needed to replicate and interpret the study. Importantly, aspects of animal welfare are hardly considered. This underpins the need to better consider and record the details of the study design and animal welfare.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob van der Ende
- Fundación Quina Care Ecuador, Puerto el Carmen de Putumayo 210350, Sucumbíos, Ecuador
| | - Henk D F H Schallig
- Experimental Parasitology Unit, Amsterdam University Medical Centres, Department of Medical Microbiology and Infection Prevention, Academic Medical Centre at the University of Amsterdam, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Amsterdam Institute for Infection and Immunity, Meibergdreef 9, 1105 AZ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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13
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Moreira POL, Nogueira PM, Monte-Neto RL. Next-Generation Leishmanization: Revisiting Molecular Targets for Selecting Genetically Engineered Live-Attenuated Leishmania. Microorganisms 2023; 11:microorganisms11041043. [PMID: 37110466 PMCID: PMC10145799 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11041043] [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: 03/18/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite decades of research devoted to finding a vaccine against leishmaniasis, we are still lacking a safe and effective vaccine for humans. Given this scenario, the search for a new prophylaxis alternative for controlling leishmaniasis should be a global priority. Inspired by leishmanization-a first generation vaccine strategy where live L. major parasites are inoculated in the skin to protect against reinfection-live-attenuated Leishmania vaccine candidates are promising alternatives due to their robust elicited protective immune response. In addition, they do not cause disease and could provide long-term protection upon challenge with a virulent strain. The discovery of a precise and easy way to perform CRISPR/Cas-based gene editing allowed the selection of safer null mutant live-attenuated Leishmania parasites obtained by gene disruption. Here, we revisited molecular targets associated with the selection of live-attenuated vaccinal strains, discussing their function, their limiting factors and the ideal candidate for the next generation of genetically engineered live-attenuated Leishmania vaccines to control leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paulo O L Moreira
- Biotechnology Applied to Pathogens (BAP), Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte 30190-009, Brazil
| | - Paula M Nogueira
- Biotechnology Applied to Pathogens (BAP), Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte 30190-009, Brazil
| | - Rubens L Monte-Neto
- Biotechnology Applied to Pathogens (BAP), Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte 30190-009, Brazil
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14
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Bhattacharjee M, Banerjee M, Mukherjee A. In silico designing of a novel polyvalent multi-subunit peptide vaccine leveraging cross-immunity against human visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis: an immunoinformatics-based approach. J Mol Model 2023; 29:99. [PMID: 36928431 PMCID: PMC10018593 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-023-05503-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023]
Abstract
CONTEXT Leishmaniasis is a group of vector-borne infectious diseases caused by over 20 pathogenic Leishmania species that are endemic in many tropical and subtropical countries. The emergence of drug-resistant strains, the adverse side effects of anti-Leishmania drugs, and the absence of a preventative vaccination strategy threaten the sensitive population. Recently, many groups of researchers have exploited the field of reverse vaccinology to develop vaccines, focusing chiefly on inducing immunity against either visceral or cutaneous leishmaniasis. METHODS This present work involves retrieving twelve experimentally validated leishmanial antigenic protein sequences from the UniProt database, followed by their antigenicity profiling employing ANTIGENpro and Vaxijen 2.0 servers. MHC-binding epitopes for the same were predicted using both NetCTL 1.2 and SYFPEITHI servers, while epitopes for B cell were computed using ABCpred and BepiPred 2.0 servers. The screened epitopes with significantly higher scores were utilized for designing the vaccine construct with appropriate linkers and natural adjuvant. The secondary and tertiary structures of the synthetic peptide were determined by conditional random fields, shallow neural networks, and profile-profile threading alignment with iterative structure assembly simulations, respectively. The 3-D vaccine model was validated through CASP10-tested refinement and the MolProbity web server. Molecular docking and multi-scale normal mode analysis simulation were performed to analyze the best vaccine-TLR complex. Finally, computational immune simulation findings revealed promising cellular and humoral immune responses, suggesting that the engineered chimeric peptide is a potential broad-spectrum vaccine against visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mainak Bhattacharjee
- Department of Biotechnology, Heritage Institute of Technology, 994, Madurdaha, Kolkata, 700107, India
| | - Monojit Banerjee
- Department of Zoology, Triveni Devi Bhalotia College, Raniganj, 713347, India
| | - Arun Mukherjee
- Department of Zoology, Triveni Devi Bhalotia College, Raniganj, 713347, India.
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15
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Knight CA, Harris DR, Alshammari SO, Gugssa A, Young T, Lee CM. Leishmaniasis: Recent epidemiological studies in the Middle East. Front Microbiol 2023; 13:1052478. [PMID: 36817103 PMCID: PMC9932337 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.1052478] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis, one of the most neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), is the third most important vector-borne disease worldwide. This disease has a global impact and severity of the infection and is greatest in the Middle East. The agent of infection is a protozoan parasite of the genus, Leishmania, and is generally transmitted by blood-sucking female sandflies. In humans, there are three clinical forms of infection: (1) cutaneous (CL), (2) mucocutaneous (ML), and (3) visceral leishmaniasis (VL). This review aims to discuss the current epidemiological status of leishmaniasis in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Syria, and Yemen with a consideration of treatment options. The elevated risk of leishmaniasis is influenced by the transmission of the disease across endemic countries into neighboring non-infected regions.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - David R. Harris
- Department of Biology, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, United States
| | | | - Ayele Gugssa
- Department of Biology, Howard University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Todd Young
- Department of Biology, Howard University, Washington, DC, United States
| | - Clarence M. Lee
- Department of Biology, Howard University, Washington, DC, United States
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16
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Central and Effector Memory Human CD4+ and CD8+ T Cells during Cutaneous Leishmaniasis and after In Vitro Stimulation with Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis Epitopes. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11010158. [PMID: 36680003 PMCID: PMC9861845 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11010158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2022] [Revised: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is a Neglected Tropical Disease characterized by skin ulcers caused by Leishmania spp. protozoans and there is no safe and effective vaccine to reduce its negative consequences. In a previous work by our group, we identified T cell epitopes of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis which stimulated patients' T cells in vitro. In the present work, the peptides were tested as two pools for their ability to rescue memory T cells during natural infection by Leishmania. We analyzed the frequency of central memory (TCM, CD45RA-CD62L+) and effector memory (TEM, CD45RA + CD62L-) cells during active CL and post-treatment. In parallel, we investigated cell proliferation levels and the cytokines produced after stimulation. Interestingly, we observed higher frequencies (%) in CD4+ TEM during CL, and CD8+ TEM and CD8+ TCM during CL and post-treatment. Cell proliferation was increased, and a significant difference in expression was observed on T-bet and RORγT. Besides that, IFN-γ, IL-2, and IL-10 were detected in patient samples. Collectively, this dataset suggests that during CL there is an increase in the frequency of TCM and TEM, especially in the CD8 compartment. These results indicate a potentially immunogenic profile of the peptide pools, which can support the development of anti-Leishmania formulations.
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Ortiz-Joya LJ, Contreras Rodríguez LE, Ochoa R, Ramírez Hernández MH. In vitro and in silico study of an exclusive insertion in the nicotinamide/nicotinate mononucleotide adenylyltransferase from Leishmania braziliensis. Heliyon 2022; 8:e12203. [PMID: 36590501 PMCID: PMC9800193 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e12203] [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: 05/31/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 11/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The intracellular parasite Leishmania braziliensis is the causal agent of cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, a group of endemic diseases in tropical regions, including Latin America. New therapeutic targets are required to inhibit the pathogen without affecting the host. The enzyme nicotinamide/nicotinate mononucleotide adenylyltransferase (NMNAT; EC: 2.7.7.1/18) is a potential target, since it catalyzes the final step in the biosynthesis of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+), which is an essential metabolite in multiple cellular processes. In this work, we produced and evaluated the catalytic activity of the recombinant protein 6HisΔ241-249LbNMNAT to study the functional relevance of the exclusive insertion present in the enzyme of L. braziliensis (LbNMNAT), but absent in the primary structure of human NMNATs. Our results indicate that the 241-249 insertion constitutes a structural element that connects the protein structure Rossmann topology with the carboxyl-terminal domain of the enzyme. The removal of this region drastically decreases the solubility, and enzymatic activity of the recombinant, causing its inactivation. Molecular dynamics simulations were carried out with the wild-type and truncated enzymes to verify additional changes in their stability, which indicated a better stability in the wild-type protein. These findings constitute an initial step to identify a new inhibition mechanism for the development of focused pharmacological strategies on exclusive insertions from the LbNMNAT protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lesly Johanna Ortiz-Joya
- Laboratory of Basic Research in Biochemistry. Faculty of Sciences, National University of Colombia, 111321, Bogota, Colombia
| | | | - Rodrigo Ochoa
- Biophysics of Tropical Diseases, Max Planck Tandem Group, University of Antioquia, 050010, Medellin, Colombia
| | - María Helena Ramírez Hernández
- Laboratory of Basic Research in Biochemistry. Faculty of Sciences, National University of Colombia, 111321, Bogota, Colombia,Corresponding author.
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Polylactide Nanoparticles as a Biodegradable Vaccine Adjuvant: A Study on Safety, Protective Immunity and Efficacy against Human Leishmaniasis Caused by Leishmania Major. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27248677. [PMID: 36557812 PMCID: PMC9783570 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27248677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Revised: 11/18/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is the 3rd most challenging vector-borne disease after malaria and lymphatic filariasis. Currently, no vaccine candidate is approved or marketed against leishmaniasis due to difficulties in eliciting broad immune responses when using sub-unit vaccines. The aim of this work was the design of a particulate sub-unit vaccine for vaccination against leishmaniasis. The poly (D,L-lactide) nanoparticles (PLA-NPs) were developed in order to efficiently adsorb a recombinant L. major histone H2B (L. major H2B) and to boost its immunogenicity. Firstly, a study was focused on the production of well-formed nanoparticles by the nanoprecipitation method without using a surfactant and on the antigen adsorption process under mild conditions. The set-up preparation method permitted to obtain H2B-adsorbed nanoparticles H2B/PLA (adsorption capacity of about 2.8% (w/w)) with a narrow size distribution (287 nm) and a positive zeta potential (30.9 mV). Secondly, an in vitro release assay performed at 37 °C, pH 7.4, showed a continuous release of the adsorbed H2B for almost 21 days (30%) from day 7. The immune response of H2B/PLA was investigated and compared to H2B + CpG7909 as a standard adjuvant. The humoral response intensity (IgG) was substantially similar between both formulations. Interestingly, when challenged with the standard parasite strain (GLC94) isolated from a human lesion of cutaneous leishmaniasis, mice showed a significant reduction in footpad swelling compared to unvaccinated ones, and no deaths occurred until week 17th. Taken together, these results demonstrate that PLA-NPs represent a stable, cost-effective delivery system adjuvant for use in vaccination against leishmaniasis.
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de Lucio H, Revuelto A, Carriles AA, de Castro S, García-González S, García-Soriano JC, Alcón-Calderón M, Sánchez-Murcia PA, Hermoso JA, Gago F, Camarasa MJ, Jiménez-Ruiz A, Velázquez S. Identification of 1,2,3-triazolium salt-based inhibitors of Leishmania infantum trypanothione disulfide reductase with enhanced antileishmanial potency in cellulo and increased selectivity. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 244:114878. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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Dinc R. Leishmania Vaccines: the Current Situation with Its Promising Aspect for the Future. THE KOREAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2022; 60:379-391. [PMID: 36588414 PMCID: PMC9806502 DOI: 10.3347/kjp.2022.60.6.379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a serious parasitic disease caused by Leishmania spp. transmitted through sandfly bites. This disease is a major public health concern worldwide. It can occur in 3 different clinical forms: cutaneous, mucocutaneous, and visceral Leishmaniasis (CL, MCL, and VL, respectively), caused by different Leishmania spp. Currently, licensed vaccines are unavailable for the treatment of human Leishmaniasis. The treatment and prevention of this disease rely mainly on chemotherapeutics, which are highly toxic and have an increasing resistance problem. The development of a safe, effective, and affordable vaccine for all forms of vector-borne disease is urgently needed to block transmission of the parasite between the host and vector. Immunological mechanisms in the pathogenesis of Leishmaniasis are complex. IL-12-driven Th1-type immune response plays a crucial role in host protection. The essential purpose of vaccination is to establish a protective immune response. To date, numerous vaccine studies have been conducted using live/attenuated/killed parasites, fractionated parasites, subunits, recombinant or DNA technology, delivery systems, and chimeric peptides. Most of these studies were limited to animals. In addition, standardization has not been achieved in these studies due to the differences in the virulence dynamics of the Leishmania spp. and the feasibility of the adjuvants. More studies are needed to develop a safe and effective vaccine, which is the most promising approach against Leishmania infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasit Dinc
- INVAMED RD Global, Mutlukent Mah, 1961 Cd. No.27 Cankaya, Ankara 06810,
Turkey
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21
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dos Santos DB, Lemos JA, Miranda SEM, Di Filippo LD, Duarte JL, Ferreira LAM, Barros ALB, Oliveira AEMFM. Current Applications of Plant-Based Drug Delivery Nano Systems for Leishmaniasis Treatment. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:2339. [PMID: 36365157 PMCID: PMC9695113 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14112339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2022] [Revised: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 10/26/2022] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmania is a trypanosomatid that causes leishmaniasis. It is transmitted to vertebrate hosts during the blood meal of phlebotomine sandflies. The clinical manifestations of the disease are associated with several factors, such as the Leishmania species, virulence and pathogenicity, the host-parasite relationship, and the host's immune system. Although its causative agents have been known and studied for decades, there have been few advances in the chemotherapy of leishmaniasis. The urgency of more selective and less toxic alternatives for the treatment of leishmaniasis leads to research focused on the study of new pharmaceuticals, improvement of existing drugs, and new routes of drug administration. Natural resources of plant origin are promising sources of bioactive substances, and the use of ethnopharmacology and folk medicine leads to interest in studying new medications from phytocomplexes. However, the intrinsic low water solubility of plant derivatives is an obstacle to developing a therapeutic product. Nanotechnology could help overcome these obstacles by improving the availability of common substances in water. To contribute to this scenario, this article provides a review of nanocarriers developed for delivering plant-extracted compounds to treat clinical forms of leishmaniasis and critically analyzing them and pointing out the future perspectives for their application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darline B. dos Santos
- Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Rodovia Juscelino Kubitisheck, km 02, Macapá 68902-280, AP, Brazil
| | - Janaina A. Lemos
- Department of Pharmaceutical Products, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Avenida Antonio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil
| | - Sued E. M. Miranda
- Department of Pharmaceutical Products, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Avenida Antonio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil
| | - Leonardo D. Di Filippo
- Department of Drugs and Medicines, Sao Paulo State University, Rodovia Araraquara/Jaú, Km 01, Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil
| | - Jonatas L. Duarte
- Department of Drugs and Medicines, Sao Paulo State University, Rodovia Araraquara/Jaú, Km 01, Araraquara 14800-903, SP, Brazil
| | - Lucas A. M. Ferreira
- Department of Pharmaceutical Products, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Avenida Antonio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil
| | - Andre L. B. Barros
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Avenida Antonio Carlos, 6627, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil
| | - Anna E. M. F. M. Oliveira
- Department of Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapá, Rodovia Juscelino Kubitisheck, km 02, Macapá 68902-280, AP, Brazil
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22
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Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: A 2022 Updated Narrative Review into Diagnosis and Management Developments. Am J Clin Dermatol 2022; 23:823-840. [PMID: 36103050 PMCID: PMC9472198 DOI: 10.1007/s40257-022-00726-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
This review is an update of an earlier narrative review published in 2015 on developments in the clinical management of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) including diagnosis, treatment, prevention and control measurements. CL is a vector-borne infection caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania. The vector is the female sandfly. Globally, CL affects 12 million cases and annually 2 million new cases occur. CL is endemic in almost 100 countries and the total risk population is approximately 350 million people. WHO lists CL an emerging and uncontrolled disease and a neglected tropical disease. Local experience-based evidence remains the mainstay for the management of CL. Whereas intralesional therapeutic options are the first treatment option for most CL patients, those with mucocutaneous and disseminated involvement require a systemic therapeutic approach. Moreover, different Leishmania species can vary in their treatment outcomes. Therefore, species determination is critical for optimal CL clinical management. New DNA techniques allow for relatively easy Leishmania species determination, yet they are not easily implemented in resource-limited settings. There is a desperate need for novel, less toxic, and less painful treatment options, especially for children with CL. Yet, the large and well conducted studies required to provide the necessary evidence are lacking. To further control and potentially eliminate CL, we urgently need to improve vector control, and diagnostics, and we require efficient and safe vaccines. Alas, since CL primarily affects poor people, biotechnical companies dedicate little investment into the research programs that could lead to diagnostic, pharmaceutical, and vaccine innovations.
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23
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Evaluation of calpain T-cell epitopes as vaccine candidates against experimental Leishmania major infection: a pilot study. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:3275-3285. [PMID: 36102970 PMCID: PMC9471026 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07657-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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24
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Ghosh S, Kumar V, Verma A, Sharma T, Pradhan D, Selvapandiyan A, Salotra P, Singh R. Genome-wide analysis reveals allelic variation and chromosome copy number variation in paromomycin-resistant Leishmania donovani. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:3121-3132. [PMID: 36056959 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07645-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In the absence of adequate diagnosis and treatment, leishmaniasis remains a major public health concern on a global scale. Drug resistance remains a key obstacle in controlling and eliminating visceral leishmaniasis. The therapeutic gap due to lack of target-specific medicine and vaccine can be minimized by obtaining parasite's genomic information. This study compared whole-genome sequence of paromomycin-resistant parasite (K133PMM) developed through in vitro adaptation and selection with sensitive Leishmania clinical isolate (K133WT). We found a large number of upstream and intergenic gene variations in K133PMM. There were 259 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 187 insertion-deletion (InDels), and 546 copy number variations (CNVs) identified. Most of the genomic variations were found in the gene's upstream and non-coding regions. Ploidy estimation revealed chromosome 5 in tetrasomy and 6, 9, and 12 in trisomy, uniquely in K133PMM. These contain the genes for protein degradation, parasite motility, autophagy, cell cycle maintenance, and drug efflux membrane transporters. Furthermore, we also observed reduction in ploidy of chromosomes 15, 20, and 23, in the resistant parasite containing mostly the genes for hypothetical proteins and membrane transporters. We chronicled correlated genomic conversion and aneuploidy in parasites and hypothesize that this led to rapid evolutionary changes in response to drug induced pressure, which causes them to become resistant.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sushmita Ghosh
- ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, New Delhi, 110029, India.,Department of Molecular Medicine, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110062, India
| | - Vinay Kumar
- ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Aditya Verma
- ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Tanya Sharma
- ICMR-AIIMS Computational Genomics Centre, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Dibyabhaba Pradhan
- ICMR-AIIMS Computational Genomics Centre, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | | | - Poonam Salotra
- ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, New Delhi, 110029, India
| | - Ruchi Singh
- ICMR-National Institute of Pathology, Safdarjung Hospital Campus, New Delhi, 110029, India.
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25
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Saha S, Vashishtha S, Kundu B, Ghosh M. In-silico design of an immunoinformatics based multi-epitope vaccine against Leishmania donovani. BMC Bioinformatics 2022; 23:319. [PMID: 35931960 PMCID: PMC9354309 DOI: 10.1186/s12859-022-04816-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL) is a fatal vector-borne parasitic disorder occurring mainly in tropical and subtropical regions. VL falls under the category of neglected tropical diseases with growing drug resistance and lacking a licensed vaccine. Conventional vaccine synthesis techniques are often very laborious and challenging. With the advancement of bioinformatics and its application in immunology, it is now more convenient to design multi-epitope vaccines comprising predicted immuno-dominant epitopes of multiple antigenic proteins. We have chosen four antigenic proteins of Leishmania donovani and identified their T-cell and B-cell epitopes, utilizing those for in-silico chimeric vaccine designing. The various physicochemical characteristics of the vaccine have been explored and the tertiary structure of the chimeric construct is predicted to perform docking studies and molecular dynamics simulations. RESULTS The vaccine construct is generated by joining the epitopes with specific linkers. The predicted tertiary structure of the vaccine has been found to be valid and docking studies reveal the construct shows a high affinity towards the TLR-4 receptor. Population coverage analysis shows the vaccine can be effective on the majority of the world population. In-silico immune simulation studies confirms the vaccine to raise a pro-inflammatory response with the proliferation of activated T and B cells. In-silico codon optimization and cloning of the vaccine nucleic acid sequence have also been achieved in the pET28a vector. CONCLUSION The above bioinformatics data support that the construct may act as a potential vaccine. Further wet lab synthesis of the vaccine and in vivo works has to be undertaken in animal model to confirm vaccine potency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Subhadip Saha
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Durgapur, Durgapur, 713209, India
| | - Shubham Vashishtha
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India
| | - Bishwajit Kundu
- Kusuma School of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India
| | - Monidipa Ghosh
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Technology Durgapur, Durgapur, 713209, India.
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26
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Uwishema O, Sapkota S, Wellington J, Onyeaka CVP, Onyeaka H. Leishmaniasis control in the light of the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa. Ann Med Surg (Lond) 2022; 80:104263. [PMID: 35936565 PMCID: PMC9339101 DOI: 10.1016/j.amsu.2022.104263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 07/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease, endemic to Africa, Asia, and South America due to inadequate access to medication and underreporting of leishmaniasis cases. Leishmaniasis has two forms: cutaneous and visceral. The fight against leishmaniasis has been greatly affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that impacted resource distribution and access to medication. Continuous effort in vaccine development and affordable therapeutics are necessary to eliminate leishmaniasis in low-income countries. Further research is necessary to determine molecular drug resistance markers in leishmaniasis patients. In this analysis, we focus on the effect of COVID-19 on leishmaniasis in Africa.
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27
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Identification of L. infantum trypanothione synthetase inhibitors with leishmanicidal activity from a (non-biased) in-house chemical library. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 243:114675. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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28
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Augusto Sanches Roque G, Esteves Zorgi N, Janaína Soares Rocha F, Flóro E Silva M, Fernanda Araújo T, Ruiz Abánades D, Giorgio S. Evaluation of prime and prime-boost immunization strategies in BALB/c mice inoculated with Leishmania infantum transfected with toxic plasmids. Vaccine 2022; 40:4105-4115. [PMID: 35660330 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2022.05.063] [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: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The etiologic agents of visceral leishmaniasis are Leishmania infantum and Leishmania donovani. Despite the variety of drugs available to treat leishmaniasis, most lead to serious adverse effects, and resistance to these drugs has been reported. Currently, no leishmaniasis vaccine is available for humans. That is why the group developed transgenic L. infantum promastigote lines, which express toxic proteins after differentiation into amastigotes. That is why group developed the pFL-AMA plasmid and transfected it into L. Infantum promastigotes. This plasmid was expressed only in the amastigote form of the parasite. Sequences encoding toxic proteins (active bovine trypsin and egg avidin) were inserted in this plasmid, and the transfected parasites died after the differentiation process. In this study, two immunization protocols were performed in BALB/c mice: prime and prime-boost immunization prior to challenge with the wild-type L. infantum (WT). The parasite burdens in the spleen, liver, and bone marrow were evaluated to verify immunological protection. Histopathological analysis of the spleen and liver and the humoral immune response were also performed. The data showed that the parasite burden was reduced in prime-boosted mice in the spleen, liver, and bone marrow, indicating that mice immunized with two doses of the transfected parasites were satisfactorily protected. High levels of IgG, IgG1, and IgG2a antibodies were observed, as well as the presence of anti-inflammatory cytokine Interleukine-10 and pro-inflammatory cytokine Tumor Necrosis Factor-α (TNF-α) and Interferon-γ (IFN - γ) suggesting a Th1/Th2 mix response, in addition to the presence of multinucleated giant cells in the spleen and lymphocyte infiltration in the liver. Therefore, L. infantum transfected with a toxic plasmid is an excellent vaccine candidate against visceral leishmaniasis and the application of a boost before the challenge promotes greater protection against WT L. infantum infection.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nahiara Esteves Zorgi
- Animal Biology Department, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Marina Flóro E Silva
- Animal Biology Department, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Thalita Fernanda Araújo
- Animal Biology Department, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daniel Ruiz Abánades
- Animal Biology Department, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Selma Giorgio
- Animal Biology Department, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil.
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29
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Lima ML, Abengózar MA, Torres-Santos EC, Borborema SET, Godzien J, López-Gonzálvez Á, Barbas C, Rivas L, Tempone AG. Energy metabolism as a target for cyclobenzaprine: A drug candidate against Visceral Leishmaniasis. Bioorg Chem 2022; 127:106009. [PMID: 35841672 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.106009] [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: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 07/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniases have a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations, ranging from a cutaneous to a progressive and fatal visceral disease. Chemotherapy is nowadays the almost exclusive way to fight the disease but limited by its scarce therapeutic arsenal, on its own compromised by adverse side effects and clinical resistance. Cyclobenzaprine (CBP), an FDA-approved oral muscle relaxant drug has previously demonstrated in vitro and in vivo activity against Leishmania sp., but its targets were not fully unveiled. This study aimed to define the role of energy metabolism as a target for the leishmanicidal mechanisms of CBP. Methodology to assess CBP leishmanicidal mechanism variation of intracellular ATP levels using living Leishmania transfected with a cytoplasmic luciferase. Induction of plasma membrane permeability by assessing depolarization with DiSBAC(2)3 and entrance of the vital dye SYTOX® Green. Mitochondrial depolarization by rhodamine 123 accumulation. Mapping target site within the respiratory chain by oxygen consumption rate. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) production using MitoSOX. Morphological changes by transmission electron microscopy. CBP caused on L. infantum promastigotes a decrease of intracellular ATP levels, with irreversible depolarization of plasma membrane, the collapse of the mitochondrial electrochemical potential, mild uncoupling of the respiratory chain, and ROS production, with ensuing intracellular Ca2+ imbalance and DNA fragmentation. Electron microscopy supported autophagic features but not a massive plasma membrane disruption. The severe and irreversible mitochondrial damage induced by CBP endorsed the bioenergetics metabolism as a relevant target within the lethal programme induced by CBP in Leishmania. This, together with the mild-side effects of this oral drug, endorses CBP as an appealing novel candidate as a leishmanicidal drug under a drug repurposing strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Lopes Lima
- Centre for Parasitology and Mycology, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Maria A Abengózar
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | | | | | - Joanna Godzien
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad CEU San Pablo, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ángeles López-Gonzálvez
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad CEU San Pablo, Madrid, Spain
| | - Coral Barbas
- Centre for Metabolomics and Bioanalysis (CEMBIO), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad CEU San Pablo, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Luis Rivas
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CSIC), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Andre Gustavo Tempone
- Centre for Parasitology and Mycology, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
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30
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Estimating the global demand curve for a leishmaniasis vaccine: A generalisable approach based on global burden of disease estimates. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010471. [PMID: 35696433 PMCID: PMC9232160 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Revised: 06/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
A pressing need exists to develop vaccines for neglected diseases, including leishmaniasis. However, the development of new vaccines is dependent on their value to two key players–vaccine developers and manufacturers who need to have confidence in the global demand in order to commit to research and production; and governments (or other international funders) who need to signal demand based on the potential public health benefits of the vaccine in their local context, as well as its affordability. A detailed global epidemiological analysis is rarely available before a vaccine enters a market due to lack of resources as well as insufficient global data necessary for such an analysis. Our study seeks to bridge this information gap by providing a generalisable approach to estimating the commercial and public health value of a vaccine in development relying primarily on publicly available Global Burden of Disease (GBD) data. This simplified approach is easily replicable and can be used to guide discussions and investments into vaccines and other health technologies where evidence constraints exist. The approach is demonstrated through the estimation of the demand curve for a future leishmaniasis vaccine.
Methodology/Principal findings
We project the ability to pay over the period 2030–2040 for a vaccine preventing cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis (CL / VL), using an illustrative set of countries which account for most of the global disease burden. First, based on previous work on vaccine demand projections in these countries and CL / VL GBD-reported incidence rates, we project the potential long-term impact of the vaccine on disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) averted as a result of reduced incidence. Then, we apply an economic framework to our estimates to determine vaccine affordability based on the abilities to pay of governments and global funders, leading to estimates of the demand and market size. Based on our estimates, the maximum ability-to-pay of a leishmaniasis vaccine (per course, including delivery costs), given the current estimates of incidence and population at risk, is higher than $5 for 25–30% of the countries considered, with the average value-based maximum price, weighted by quantity demanded, being $5.7–6 [$0.3 - $34.5], and total demand of over 560 million courses.
Conclusion/Significance
Our results demonstrate that both the quantity of vaccines estimated to be required by the countries considered as well as their ability-to-pay could make a vaccine for leishmaniasis commercially attractive to potential manufacturers. The methodology used can be equally applied to other technology developments targeting health in developing countries.
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31
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The History of Live Attenuated Centrin Gene-Deleted Leishmania Vaccine Candidates. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11040431. [PMID: 35456106 PMCID: PMC9025045 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11040431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis, caused by an infection of the Leishmania protozoa, is a neglected tropical disease and a major health problem in tropical and subtropical regions of the world, with approximately 350 million people worldwide at risk and 2 million new cases occurring annually. Current treatments for leishmaniasis are not highly efficacious and are associated with high costs, especially in low- and middle-income endemic countries, and high toxicity. Due to a surge in the incidence of leishmaniases worldwide, the development of new strategies such as a prophylactic vaccine has become a high priority. However, the ability of Leishmania to undermine immune recognition has limited our efforts to design safe and efficacious vaccines against leishmaniasis. Numerous antileishmanial vaccine preparations based on DNA, subunit, and heat-killed parasites with or without adjuvants have been tried in several animal models but very few have progressed beyond the experimental stage. However, it is known that people who recover from Leishmania infection can be protected lifelong against future infection, suggesting that a successful vaccine requires a controlled infection to develop immunologic memory and subsequent long-term immunity. Live attenuated Leishmania parasites that are non-pathogenic and provide a complete range of antigens similarly to their wild-type counterparts could evoke such memory and, thus, would be effective vaccine candidates. Our laboratory has developed several live attenuated Leishmania vaccines by targeted centrin gene disruptions either by homologous recombination or, more recently, by using genome editing technologies involving CRISPR-Cas9. In this review, we focused on the sequential history of centrin gene-deleted Leishmania vaccine development, along with the characterization of its safety and efficacy. Further, we discussed other major considerations regarding the transition of dermotropic live attenuated centrin gene-deleted parasites from the laboratory to human clinical trials.
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32
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Exploration of 6-methyl-7-(Hetero)Aryl-7-Deazapurine ribonucleosides as antileishmanial agents. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 237:114367. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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33
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Lage DP, Machado AS, Vale DL, Freitas CS, Linhares FP, Cardoso JMO, Pereira IAG, Ramos FF, Tavares GSV, Ludolf F, Oliveira-da-Silva JA, Bandeira RS, Silva AM, Simões LC, Reis TAR, Oliveira JS, Christodoulides M, Chávez-Fumagalli MA, Roatt BM, Martins VT, Coelho EAF. Recombinant guanosine-5'-triphosphate (GTP)-binding protein associated with Poloxamer 407-based polymeric micelles protects against Leishmania infantum infection. Cytokine 2022; 153:155865. [PMID: 35339043 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2022.155865] [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: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Leishmania virulence proteins should be considered as vaccine candidates against disease, since they are involved in developing infection in mammalian hosts. In a previous study, a Leishmania guanosine-5'-triphosphate (GTP)-binding protein was identified as a potential parasite virulence factor. In the present work, the gene encoding GTP was cloned and the recombinant protein (rGTP) was evaluated as a vaccine candidate against Leishmania infantum infection. The protein was associated with saponin (rGTP/Sap) or Poloxamer 407-based micelles (rGTP/Mic) as adjuvants, and protective efficacy was investigated in BALB/c mice after parasite challenge. Both rGTP/Sap and rGTP/Mic compositions induced a Th1-type immune response in vaccinated animals, with significantly higher levels of IFN-γ, IL-12, IL-2, TNF-α, GM-CSF, nitrite, specific IgG2a isotype antibody and positive lymphoproliferation, when compared to the control groups. This response was accompanied by significantly lower parasite load in the spleens, livers, bone marrows and draining lymph nodes of the animals. Immunological and parasitological evaluations indicated that rGTP/Mic induced a more polarized Th1-type response and higher reduction in the organ parasitism, and with lower hepatotoxicity, when compared to the use of rGTP/Sap. In conclusion, our preliminary data suggest that rGTP could be considered for further development as a vaccine candidate to protect against VL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela P Lage
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Amanda S Machado
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Danniele L Vale
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Camila S Freitas
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Flávia P Linhares
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Jamille M O Cardoso
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Insituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Isabela A G Pereira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Fernanda F Ramos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Grasiele S V Tavares
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Ludolf
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - João A Oliveira-da-Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Raquel S Bandeira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Alessandra M Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Luciana C Simões
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Thiago A R Reis
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Jamil S Oliveira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, 31270-901 Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Myron Christodoulides
- Neisseria Research Group, Molecular Microbiology, School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton SO16 6YD, England
| | | | - Bruno M Roatt
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Insituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Vívian T Martins
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Eduardo A F Coelho
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Prof. Alfredo Balena, 190, 30130-100, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Departamento de Patologia Clínica, COLTEC, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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Chang KP, Reynolds JM, Liu Y, He JJ. Leishmaniac Quest for Developing a Novel Vaccine Platform. Is a Roadmap for Its Advances Provided by the Mad Dash to Produce Vaccines for COVID-19? Vaccines (Basel) 2022; 10:vaccines10020248. [PMID: 35214706 PMCID: PMC8874365 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines10020248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Revised: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 01/31/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
“Bugs as drugs” in medicine encompasses the use of microbes to enhance the efficacy of vaccination, such as the delivery of vaccines by Leishmania—the protozoan etiological agent of leishmaniasis. This novel approach is appraised in light of the successful development of vaccines for Covid-19. All relevant aspects of this pandemic are summarized to provide the necessary framework in contrast to leishmaniasis. The presentation is in a side-by-side matching format with particular emphasis on vaccines. The comparative approach makes it possible to highlight the timeframe of the vaccine workflows condensed by the caveats of pandemic urgency and, at the same time, provides the background of Leishmania behind its use as a vaccine carrier. Previous studies in support of the latter are summarized as follows. Leishmaniasis confers life-long immunity on patients after cure, suggesting the effective vaccination is achievable with whole-cell Leishmania. A new strategy was developed to inactivate these cells in vitro, rendering them non-viable, hence non-disease causing, albeit retaining their immunogenicity and adjuvanticity. This was achieved by installing a dual suicidal mechanism in Leishmania for singlet oxygen (1O2)-initiated inactivation. In vitro cultured Leishmania were genetically engineered for cytosolic accumulation of UV-sensitive uroporphyrin I and further loaded endosomally with a red light-sensitive cationic phthalocyanine. Exposing these doubly dye-loaded Leishmania to light triggers intracellular production of highly reactive but extremely short-lived 1O2, resulting in their rapid and complete inactivation. Immunization of susceptible animals with such inactivated Leishmania elicited immunity to protect them against experimental leishmaniasis. Significantly, the inactivated Leishmania was shown to effectively deliver transgenically add-on ovalbumin (OVA) to antigen-presenting cells (APC), wherein OVA epitopes were processed appropriately for presentation with MHC molecules to activate epitope-specific CD8+ T cells. Application of this approach to deliver cancer vaccine candidates, e.g., enolase-1, was shown to suppress tumor development in mouse models. A similar approach is predicted to elicit lasting immunity against infectious diseases, including complementation of the spike protein-based vaccines in use for COVID-19. This pandemic is devastating, but brings to light the necessity of considering many facets of the disease in developing vaccination programs. Closer collaboration is essential among those in diverse disciplinary areas to provide the roadmap toward greater success in the future. Highlighted herein are several specific issues of vaccinology and new approaches worthy of consideration due to the pandemic.
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Effects of terpenes in the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis: a systematic review of preclinical evidence. Pharmacol Res 2022; 177:106117. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Borkar MR, Martis EAF, Nandan S, Patil RH, Shelar A, Iyer KR, Raikuvar K, Desle D, Coutinho EC. Identification of potential antileishmanial 1,3-disubstituted-4-hydroxy-6-methylpyridin-2(1H)-ones, in vitro metabolic stability, cytotoxicity and molecular modeling studies. Chem Biol Interact 2022; 351:109758. [PMID: 34826397 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2021.109758] [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: 08/14/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
We report the synthesis and in vitro evaluation of 1,3-disubstituted-4-hydroxy-6-methylpyridin-2(1H)-one derivatives against Leishmania donovani. Amongst the compound library synthesized, molecules 3d, 3f, 3h, 3i, 3l, and 3m demonstrated substantial dose-dependent killing of the promastigotes. Their IC50 values range from 55.0 to 77.0 μg/ml, with 3m (IC50 55.75 μg/ml) being equipotent with amphotericin B (IC50 50.0 μg/ml, used as standard). The most active compound 3m, is metabolically stable in rat liver microsomes. Furthermore, the molecules are highly specific against leishmania as shown by their weak antibacterial and antifungal activity. In vitro cytotoxicity studies show the compounds lack any cytotoxicity. Furthermore, molecular modeling studies show plausibility of binding to Leishmania donovani topoisomerase 1 (LdTop1). Structure activity relationships reveal bulky substitutions on the pyridone nitrogen are well-tolerated, and such compounds have better binding affinity. Intramolecular hydrogen bonds confer some rigidity to the molecules, rendering a degree of planarity akin to topotecan. Taken together, we emphasis the merits of molecules possessing the 1,3-disubstituted-4-hydroxy-6-methylpyridin-2(1H)-one skeleton as potential antileishmanial agents warranting further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maheshkumar R Borkar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, SVKM's Dr. Bhanuben Nanavati College of Pharmacy, Vile Parle (W), Mumbai, 400 056, India; Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Bombay College of Pharmacy, Sunder Nagar, Kalina, Santacruz (E), Mumbai, 400 098, India.
| | - Elvis A F Martis
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Bombay College of Pharmacy, Sunder Nagar, Kalina, Santacruz (E), Mumbai, 400 098, India
| | - Santosh Nandan
- Ambernath Organics Pvt. Ltd., 222, The Summit Business Bay, Andheri (E), Mumbai, 400 093, India
| | - Rajendra H Patil
- Department of Biotechnology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, 411 007, India
| | - Amruta Shelar
- Department of Technology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, 4110 007, India
| | - Krishna R Iyer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Bombay College of Pharmacy, Sunder Nagar, Kalina, Santacruz (E), Mumbai, 400 098, India
| | - Kavita Raikuvar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Bombay College of Pharmacy, Sunder Nagar, Kalina, Santacruz (E), Mumbai, 400 098, India
| | - Deepali Desle
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Bombay College of Pharmacy, Sunder Nagar, Kalina, Santacruz (E), Mumbai, 400 098, India
| | - Evans C Coutinho
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Bombay College of Pharmacy, Sunder Nagar, Kalina, Santacruz (E), Mumbai, 400 098, India
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Abstract
Leishmaniasis is caused by protozoan Leishmania parasites that are transmitted through female sandfly bites. The disease is predominantly endemic to the tropics and semi-tropics and has been reported in more than 98 countries. Due to the side effects of anti-Leishmania drugs and the emergence of drug-resistant isolates, there is currently no encouraging prospect of introducing an effective therapy for the disease. Hence, it seems that the key to disease control management is the introduction of an effective vaccine, particularly against its cutaneous form. Advances in understanding underlying immune mechanisms are feasibale using a variety of candidate antigens, including attenuated live parasites, crude antigens, pure or recombinant Leishmania proteins, Leishmania genes encoding protective proteins, as well as immune system activators from the saliva of parasite vectors. However, there is still no vaccine against different types of human leishmaniasis. In this study, we review the works conducted or being performed in this field.
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Sádlová J, Podešvová L, Bečvář T, Bianchi C, Gerasimov ES, Saura A, Glanzová K, Leštinová T, Matveeva NS, Chmelová Ľ, Mlacovská D, Spitzová T, Vojtková B, Volf P, Yurchenko V, Kraeva N. Catalase impairs Leishmania mexicana development and virulence. Virulence 2021; 12:852-867. [PMID: 33724149 PMCID: PMC7971327 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2021.1896830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Catalase is one of the most abundant enzymes on Earth. It decomposes hydrogen peroxide, thus protecting cells from dangerous reactive oxygen species. The catalase-encoding gene is conspicuously absent from the genome of most representatives of the family Trypanosomatidae. Here, we expressed this protein from the Leishmania mexicana Β-TUBULIN locus using a novel bicistronic expression system, which relies on the 2A peptide of Teschovirus A. We demonstrated that catalase-expressing parasites are severely compromised in their ability to develop in insects, to be transmitted and to infect mice, and to cause clinical manifestation in their mammalian host. Taken together, our data support the hypothesis that the presence of catalase is not compatible with the dixenous life cycle of Leishmania, resulting in loss of this gene from the genome during the evolution of these parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jovana Sádlová
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Lucie Podešvová
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Bečvář
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Claretta Bianchi
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | | | - Andreu Saura
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Kristýna Glanzová
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Leštinová
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Nadezhda S. Matveeva
- Faculty of Biology, M. V. Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Ľubomíra Chmelová
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Denisa Mlacovská
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
| | - Tatiana Spitzová
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Vojtková
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Science, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Vyacheslav Yurchenko
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
- Martsinovsky Institute of Medical Parasitology, Tropical and Vector Borne Diseases, Sechenov University, Moscow, Russia
| | - Natalya Kraeva
- Life Science Research Centre, Faculty of Science, University of Ostrava, Ostrava, Czech Republic
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Khatonier R, Ahmed G, Sarmah P, Narain K, Khan AM. Immunomodulatory role of Th17 pathway in experimental visceral leishmaniasis. Immunobiology 2021; 226:152148. [PMID: 34773853 DOI: 10.1016/j.imbio.2021.152148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2021] [Revised: 09/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or Kala-azar is a vector borne protozoan infection caused by Leishmania donovani in the Indian subcontinent mainly India, Nepal and Bangladesh. It is a major public health problem in these countries mostly affecting the socio-economically poor population. Leishmaniasis ranks the third most important disease after malaria and filariasis but is still considered as one of the neglected tropical diseases of the world. For development of better therapeutic agents and effective vaccine against VL, there is a need to understand host immunological changes that play a vital role during course of infection. Therefore, we investigated the role of Th17 pathway in Balb/c mice during Leishmania donovani infection and treatment with amphotericin B. Mice were divided in four groups i.e. Control, Infected, Uninfected treated and Infected treated. The cytokine levels were estimated in the spleen of Balb/c mice on days 1, 3, 7, 14, 17, 21, 28, 35, 45 and 60 post infection and during course of treatment. The mRNA levels of the Th17 pathway during active Leishmania donovani infection and after treatment were determined by real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and protein levels by flow cytometry and ELISA. Results of our study revealed that active infection was associated with low levels of Th17 cytokines IL-17, IL-22 and IL-23 and elevated levels of IL-6, IL-1β and TGF-β. Amphotericin B treatment restored production of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-17 and IL-22. The levels of transcription factor RORγt were found to correlate with the levels of IL-17 during infection and also after chemotherapy whereas STAT3 levels were elevated during infection and vice versa after treatment. The findings of this study suggest that Th17 cytokines IL-17 and IL-22 are associated with protection against VL infection and development of any interventions or chemotherapeutic agents targeting Th17 pathway could be an important approach for VL treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasmita Khatonier
- ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, North-eastern Region, Post Box No-105, Dibrugarh 786001, Assam, India
| | - Giasuddin Ahmed
- Department of Biotechnology, Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Pallab Sarmah
- ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, North-eastern Region, Post Box No-105, Dibrugarh 786001, Assam, India
| | - Kanwar Narain
- ICMR-Regional Medical Research Centre, North-eastern Region, Post Box No-105, Dibrugarh 786001, Assam, India
| | - Abdul Mabood Khan
- Division of Epidemiology and Communicable Diseases (ECD), Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India.
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Kaye PM, Mohan S, Mantel C, Malhame M, Revill P, Le Rutte E, Parkash V, Layton AM, Lacey CJ, Malvolti S. Overcoming roadblocks in the development of vaccines for leishmaniasis. Expert Rev Vaccines 2021; 20:1419-1430. [PMID: 34727814 PMCID: PMC9844205 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2021.1990043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 10/04/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The leishmaniases represent a group of parasitic diseases caused by infection with one of several species of Leishmania parasites. Disease presentation varies because of differences in parasite and host genetics and may be influenced by additional factors such as host nutritional status or co-infection. Studies in experimental models of Leishmania infection, vaccination of companion animals and human epidemiological data suggest that many forms of leishmaniasis could be prevented by vaccination, but no vaccines are currently available for human use. AREAS COVERED We describe some of the existing roadblocks to the development and implementation of an effective leishmaniasis vaccine, based on a review of recent literature found on PubMed, BioRxiv and MedRxiv. In addition to discussing scientific unknowns that hinder vaccine candidate identification and selection, we explore gaps in knowledge regarding the commercial and public health value propositions underpinning vaccine development and provide a route map for future research and advocacy. EXPERT OPINION Despite significant progress, leishmaniasis vaccine development remains hindered by significant gaps in understanding that span the vaccine development pipeline. Increased coordination and adoption of a more holistic view to vaccine development will be required to ensure more rapid progress in the years ahead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul M. Kaye
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, Heslington, York, UK
| | - Sakshi Mohan
- Centre for Health Economics, University of York, Heslington, York, UK
| | | | | | - Paul Revill
- Centre for Health Economics, University of York, Heslington, York, UK
| | - Epke Le Rutte
- Department of Epidemiology and Public Health, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Basel, Switzerland
- Department of Public Health, Erasmus MC, University Medical Center Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Vivak Parkash
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, Heslington, York, UK
| | - Alison M. Layton
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, Heslington, York, UK
| | - Charles J.N. Lacey
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, Heslington, York, UK
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Volpedo G, Huston RH, Holcomb EA, Pacheco-Fernandez T, Gannavaram S, Bhattacharya P, Nakhasi HL, Satoskar AR. From infection to vaccination: reviewing the global burden, history of vaccine development, and recurring challenges in global leishmaniasis protection. Expert Rev Vaccines 2021; 20:1431-1446. [PMID: 34511000 DOI: 10.1080/14760584.2021.1969231] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Leishmaniasis is a major public health problem and the second most lethal parasitic disease in the world due to the lack of effective treatments and vaccines. Even when not lethal, leishmaniasis significantly affects individuals and communities through life-long disabilities, psycho-sociological trauma, poverty, and gender disparity in treatment. AREAS COVERED This review discusses the most relevant and recent research available on Pubmed and GoogleScholar highlighting leishmaniasis' global impact, pathogenesis, treatment options, and lack of effective control strategies. An effective vaccine is necessary to prevent morbidity and mortality, lower health care costs, and reduce the economic burden of leishmaniasis for endemic low- and middle-income countries. Since there are several forms of leishmaniasis, a pan-Leishmania vaccine without geographical restrictions is needed. This review also focuses on recent advances and common challenges in developing prophylactic strategies against leishmaniasis. EXPERT OPINION Despite advances in pre-clinical vaccine research, approval of a human leishmaniasis vaccine still faces major challenges - including manufacturing of candidate vaccines under Good Manufacturing Practices, developing well-designed clinical trials suitable in endemic countries, and defined correlates of protection. In addition, there is a need to explore Challenge Human Infection Model to avoid large trials because of fluctuating incidence and prevalence of leishmanasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greta Volpedo
- Departments of Pathology and Microbiology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Ryan H Huston
- Departments of Pathology and Microbiology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Erin A Holcomb
- Departments of Pathology and Microbiology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Thalia Pacheco-Fernandez
- Departments of Pathology and Microbiology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
| | - Sreenivas Gannavaram
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Parna Bhattacharya
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Hira L Nakhasi
- Division of Emerging and Transfusion Transmitted Diseases, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD, USA
| | - Abhay R Satoskar
- Departments of Pathology and Microbiology, Wexner Medical Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA
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Prasanna P, Kumar P, Kumar S, Rajana VK, Kant V, Prasad SR, Mohan U, Ravichandiran V, Mandal D. Current status of nanoscale drug delivery and the future of nano-vaccine development for leishmaniasis - A review. Biomed Pharmacother 2021; 141:111920. [PMID: 34328115 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2021.111920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 07/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The study of tropical diseases like leishmaniasis, a parasitic disease, has not received much attention even though it is the second-largest infectious disease after malaria. As per the WHO report, a total of 0.7-1.0 million new leishmaniasis cases, which are spread by 23 Leishmania species in more than 98 countries, are estimated with an alarming 26,000-65,000 death toll every year. Lack of potential vaccines along with the cost and toxicity of amphotericin B (AmB), the most common drug for the treatment of leishmaniasis, has raised the interest significantly for new formulations and drug delivery systems including nanoparticle-based delivery as anti-leishmanial agents. The size, shape, and high surface area to volume ratio of different NPs make them ideal for many biological applications. The delivery of drugs through liposome, polymeric, and solid-lipid NPs provides the advantage of high biocomatibilty of the carrier with reduced toxicity. Importantly, NP-based delivery has shown improved efficacy due to targeted delivery of the payload and synergistic action of NP and payload on the target. This review analyses the advantage of NP-based delivery over standard chemotherapy and natural product-based delivery system. The role of different physicochemical properties of a nanoscale delivery system is discussed. Further, different ways of nanoformulation delivery ranging from liposome, niosomes, polymeric, metallic, solid-lipid NPs were updated along with the possible mechanisms of action against the parasite. The status of current nano-vaccines and the future potential of NP-based vaccine are elaborated here.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pragya Prasanna
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur 844102, India.
| | - Prakash Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur 844102, India.
| | - Saurabh Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur 844102, India.
| | - Vinod Kumar Rajana
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur 844102, India.
| | - Vishnu Kant
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur 844102, India.
| | - Surendra Rajit Prasad
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur 844102, India.
| | - Utpal Mohan
- National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata 700054, India.
| | - V Ravichandiran
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur 844102, India; National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata 700054, India.
| | - Debabrata Mandal
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur 844102, India.
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Revuelto A, López-Martín I, de Lucio H, García-Soriano JC, Zanda N, de Castro S, Gago F, Jiménez-Ruiz A, Velázquez S, Camarasa MJ. Small Molecule-Peptide Conjugates as Dimerization Inhibitors of Leishmania infantum Trypanothione Disulfide Reductase. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14070689. [PMID: 34358115 PMCID: PMC8308777 DOI: 10.3390/ph14070689] [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: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 07/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Trypanothione disulfide reductase (TryR) is an essential homodimeric enzyme of trypanosomatid parasites that has been validated as a drug target to fight human infections. Using peptides and peptidomimetics, we previously obtained proof of concept that disrupting protein-protein interactions at the dimer interface of Leishmania infantum TryR (LiTryR) offered an innovative and so far unexploited opportunity for the development of novel antileishmanial agents. Now, we show that linking our previous peptide prototype TRL38 to selected hydrophobic moieties provides a novel series of small-molecule-peptide conjugates that behave as good inhibitors of both LiTryR activity and dimerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Revuelto
- Instituto de Química Médica (IQM-CSIC), E-28006 Madrid, Spain; (A.R.); (I.L.-M.); (N.Z.); (S.d.C.)
| | - Isabel López-Martín
- Instituto de Química Médica (IQM-CSIC), E-28006 Madrid, Spain; (A.R.); (I.L.-M.); (N.Z.); (S.d.C.)
| | - Héctor de Lucio
- Departamento de Biología de Sistemas, Universidad de Alcalá, E-28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain; (H.d.L.); (J.C.G.-S.); (A.J.-R.)
| | - Juan Carlos García-Soriano
- Departamento de Biología de Sistemas, Universidad de Alcalá, E-28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain; (H.d.L.); (J.C.G.-S.); (A.J.-R.)
| | - Nicola Zanda
- Instituto de Química Médica (IQM-CSIC), E-28006 Madrid, Spain; (A.R.); (I.L.-M.); (N.Z.); (S.d.C.)
| | - Sonia de Castro
- Instituto de Química Médica (IQM-CSIC), E-28006 Madrid, Spain; (A.R.); (I.L.-M.); (N.Z.); (S.d.C.)
| | - Federico Gago
- Unidad Asociada al IQM-CSIC, Área de Farmacología, Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad de Alcalá, E-28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain;
| | - Antonio Jiménez-Ruiz
- Departamento de Biología de Sistemas, Universidad de Alcalá, E-28805 Alcalá de Henares, Spain; (H.d.L.); (J.C.G.-S.); (A.J.-R.)
| | - Sonsoles Velázquez
- Instituto de Química Médica (IQM-CSIC), E-28006 Madrid, Spain; (A.R.); (I.L.-M.); (N.Z.); (S.d.C.)
- Correspondence: (S.V.); (M.-J.C.); Tel.: +34-912-587-458 (M.-J.C.)
| | - María-José Camarasa
- Instituto de Química Médica (IQM-CSIC), E-28006 Madrid, Spain; (A.R.); (I.L.-M.); (N.Z.); (S.d.C.)
- Correspondence: (S.V.); (M.-J.C.); Tel.: +34-912-587-458 (M.-J.C.)
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Parkash V, Ashwin H, Sadlova J, Vojtkova B, Jones G, Martin N, Greensted E, Allgar V, Kamhawi S, Valenzuela JG, Layton AM, Jaffe CL, Volf P, Kaye PM, Lacey CJN. A clinical study to optimise a sand fly biting protocol for use in a controlled human infection model of cutaneous leishmaniasis (the FLYBITE study). Wellcome Open Res 2021; 6:168. [PMID: 34693027 PMCID: PMC8506224 DOI: 10.12688/wellcomeopenres.16870.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Background: Leishmaniasis is a globally important yet neglected parasitic disease transmitted by phlebotomine sand flies. With new candidate vaccines in or near the clinic, a controlled human challenge model (CHIM) using natural sand fly challenge would provide a method for early evaluation of prophylactic efficacy. Methods : We evaluated the biting frequency and adverse effects resulting from exposure of human volunteers to bites of either Phlebotomus papatasi or P. duboscqi, two natural vectors of Leishmania major. 12 healthy participants were recruited (mean age 40.2 ± 11.8 years) with no history of significant travel to regions where L. major-transmitting sand flies are prevalent. Participants were assigned to either vector by 1:1 allocation and exposed to five female sand flies for 30 minutes in a custom biting chamber. Bite frequency was recorded to confirm a bloodmeal was taken. Participant responses and safety outcomes were monitored using a visual analogue scale (VAS), clinical examination, and blood biochemistry. Focus groups were subsequently conducted to explore participant acceptability. Results: All participants had at least one successful sand fly bite with none reporting any serious adverse events, with median VAS scores of 0-1/10 out to day 21 post-sand fly bite. Corresponding assessment of sand flies confirmed that for each participant at least 1/5 sand flies had successfully taken a bloodmeal (overall mean 3.67±1.03 bites per participant). There was no significant difference between P. papatasi and P. duboscqi in the number of bites resulting from 5 sand flies applied to human participants (3.3±0.81 vs 3.00±1.27 bites per participant; p=0.56) . In the two focus groups (n=5 per group), themes relating to positive participant-reported experiences of being bitten and the overall study, were identified. Conclusions: These results validate a protocol for achieving successful sand fly bites in humans that is safe, well-tolerated and acceptable for participants. Clinicaltrials.gov registration: NCT03999970 (27/06/2019).
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivak Parkash
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, N.Yorks, YO10 5DD, UK
- Department of Infection and Tropical Medicine, Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Sheffield, UK
| | - Helen Ashwin
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, N.Yorks, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Jovana Sadlova
- Department of Parasitology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Barbora Vojtkova
- Department of Parasitology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Georgina Jones
- School of Social Sciences, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK
| | - Nina Martin
- School of Social Sciences, Leeds Beckett University, Leeds, UK
| | - Elizabeth Greensted
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, N.Yorks, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Victoria Allgar
- Peninsula Medical School, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, UK
| | - Shaden Kamhawi
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Jesus G. Valenzuela
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Alison M. Layton
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, N.Yorks, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Charles L. Jaffe
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, The Hebrew University – Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem, Israel
| | - Petr Volf
- Department of Parasitology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Paul M. Kaye
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, N.Yorks, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Charles J. N. Lacey
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York, N.Yorks, YO10 5DD, UK
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Feiz Haddad MH, Lomei J, Shokri A, Habibpour H, Rezvan H, Nourian A, Mahmoudi MR. Review of Development of Live Vaccines against Leishmaniasis. JOURNAL OF CHILD SCIENCE 2021. [DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1731336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
AbstractLeishmaniasis is a serious public health problem in both tropical and temperate regions, caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. Cutaneous leishmaniasis is the most common form of leishmaniasis worldwide. After recovery from the initial infection in most of the patients, a long-lasting natural immunity will be established. In individuals with HIV infection or in immune deficient patients, the more dangerous forms can occur. Despite many attempts, there is no efficient vaccine for leishmaniasis. The main concern for live-attenuated vaccines is the possibility of returning to the virulent form. Therefore, the safety is an important point in designing a successful vaccine. Nonvirulent parasites as vaccine candidates are achievable through gamma-irradiation, long-term culture, random mutations induced by chemical agents, and temperature-sensitive mutations. The type of change(s) in such parasites is not known well and drawbacks such as reversion to virulent forms was soon realized. Leishmania tarentolae with capacity of adaptation to mammalian system has a potential to be used as nonpathogenic vector in vaccine programs. Due to its nonpathogenic intrinsic property, it does not have the ability to replace with the pathogen form. Moreover, the main problems are associated with the production of live vaccines, including lyophilization, storage, standards, and quality control that must be considered. In this review, we focused on the importance of different approaches concerning the development of a live vaccine against leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Hossein Feiz Haddad
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Jalal Lomei
- Division of Integrative Physiology, Department of Medical Cell Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
| | - Azar Shokri
- Vector-borne Disease Research Center, North Khorasan University of Medical Sciences, Bojnurd, Iran
| | - Habib Habibpour
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, Ahvaz, Iran
| | - Hossein Rezvan
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
| | - Alireza Nourian
- Department of Pathobiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Bu-Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Mahmoudi
- Cellular and Molecular Research Center, School of Medicine, Guilan University of Medical Sciences, Rasht, Iran
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Bordbar A, Parvizi P. Species diversity and spatial distribution of CL/VL vectors: assessing bioclimatic effect on expression plasticity of genes possessing vaccine properties isolated from wild-collected sand flies in endemic areas of Iran. BMC Infect Dis 2021; 21:455. [PMID: 34011276 PMCID: PMC8136226 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-021-06129-0] [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: 04/03/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Leishmaniasis is one of the ten most important neglected tropical diseases worldwide. Understanding the distribution of vectors of visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis (VL/CL) is one of the significant strategic frameworks to control leishmaniasis. In this study, the extent of the bioclimatic variability was investigated to recognize a rigorous cartographic of the spatial distribution of VL/CL vectors as risk-maps using ArcGIS modeling system. Moreover, the effect of bioclimatic diversity on the fold change expression of genes possessing vaccine traits (SP15 and LeIF) was evaluated in each bioclimatic region using real-time PCR analysis. Methods The Inverse Distance Weighting interpolation method was used to obtain accurate geography map in closely-related distances. Bioclimatic indices were computed and vectors spatial distribution was analyzed in ArcGIS10.3.1 system. Species biodiversity was calculated based on Shannon diversity index using Rv.3.5.3. Expression fold change of SP15 and LeIF genes was evaluated using cDNA synthesis and RT-qPCR analysis. Results Frequency of Phlebotomus papatasi was predominant in plains areas of Mountainous bioclimate covering the CL hot spots. Mediterranean region was recognized as an important bioclimate harboring prevalent patterns of VL vectors. Semi-arid bioclimate was identified as a major contributing factor to up-regulate salivary-SP15 gene expression (P = 0.0050, P < 0.05). Also, Mediterranean bioclimate had considerable effect on up-regulation of Leishmania-LeIF gene in gravid and semi-gravid P. papatasi population (P = 0.0109, P < 0.05). Conclusions The diversity and spatial distribution of CL/VL vectors associated with bioclimatic regionalization obtained in our research provide epidemiological risk maps and establish more effectively control measures against leishmaniasis. Oscillations in gene expression indicate that each gene has its own features, which are profoundly affected by bioclimatic characteristics and physiological status of sand flies. Given the efficacy of species-specific antigens for vaccine production, it is essential to consider bioclimatic factors that have a fundamental role in affecting the regulatory regions of environmentally responsive loci for genes used in vaccine design. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12879-021-06129-0.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Bordbar
- Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Parasitology Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, 69 Pasteur Ave, Tehran, Iran
| | - Parviz Parvizi
- Molecular Systematics Laboratory, Parasitology Department, Pasteur Institute of Iran, 69 Pasteur Ave, Tehran, Iran.
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Gurbanov R. Synthetic Polysaccharide‐Based Vaccines: Progress and Achievements. POLYSACCHARIDES 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/9781119711414.ch31] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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Revuelto A, de Lucio H, García-Soriano JC, Sánchez-Murcia PA, Gago F, Jiménez-Ruiz A, Camarasa MJ, Velázquez S. Efficient Dimerization Disruption of Leishmania infantum Trypanothione Reductase by Triazole-phenyl-thiazoles. J Med Chem 2021; 64:6137-6160. [PMID: 33945281 PMCID: PMC8480782 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Inhibition of Leishmania infantum trypanothione disulfide reductase (LiTryR) by disruption of its homodimeric interface has proved to be an alternative and unexploited strategy in the search for novel antileishmanial agents. Proof of concept was first obtained by peptides and peptidomimetics. Building on previously reported dimerization disruptors containing an imidazole-phenyl-thiazole scaffold, we now report a new 1,2,3-triazole-based chemotype that yields noncompetitive, slow-binding inhibitors of LiTryR. Several compounds bearing (poly)aromatic substituents dramatically improve the ability to disrupt LiTryR dimerization relative to reference imidazoles. Molecular modeling studies identified an almost unexplored hydrophobic region at the interfacial domain as the putative binding site for these compounds. A subsequent structure-based design led to a symmetrical triazole analogue that displayed even more potent inhibitory activity over LiTryR and enhanced leishmanicidal activity. Remarkably, several of these novel triazole-bearing compounds were able to kill both extracellular and intracellular parasites in cell cultures.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alejandro Revuelto
- Instituto
de Química Médica (IQM-CSIC), c/ Juan de la Cierva 3, E-28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Héctor de Lucio
- Departamento
de Biología de Sistemas, Universidad
de Alcalá, E-28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Pedro A. Sánchez-Murcia
- Área
de Farmacología, Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas,
Unidad Asociada al IQM-CSIC, Universidad
de Alcalá, E-28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Federico Gago
- Área
de Farmacología, Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas,
Unidad Asociada al IQM-CSIC, Universidad
de Alcalá, E-28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Antonio Jiménez-Ruiz
- Departamento
de Biología de Sistemas, Universidad
de Alcalá, E-28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - María-José Camarasa
- Instituto
de Química Médica (IQM-CSIC), c/ Juan de la Cierva 3, E-28006 Madrid, Spain
| | - Sonsoles Velázquez
- Instituto
de Química Médica (IQM-CSIC), c/ Juan de la Cierva 3, E-28006 Madrid, Spain
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Zutshi S, Sarode AY, Ghosh SK, Jha MK, Sudan R, Kumar S, Sadhale LP, Roy S, Saha B. LmjF.36.3850, a novel hypothetical Leishmania major protein, contributes to the infection. Immunology 2021; 163:460-477. [PMID: 33764520 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmania is a protozoan parasite that resides in mammalian macrophages and inflicts the disease known as leishmaniasis. Although prevalent in 88 countries, an anti-leishmanial vaccine remains elusive. While comparing the virulent and avirulent L. major transcriptomes by microarray, PCR and functional analyses for identifying a novel virulence-associated gene, we identified LmjF.36.3850, a hypothetical protein significantly less expressed in the avirulent parasite and without any known function. Motif search revealed that LmjF.36.3850 protein shared phosphorylation sites and other structural features with sucrose non-fermenting protein (Snf7) that shuttles virulence factors. LmjF.36.3850 was predicted to bind diacylglycerol (DAG) with energy value similar to PKCα and PKCβ, to which DAG is a cofactor. Indeed, 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol (OAG), a DAG analogue, enhanced the phosphorylation of PKCα and PKCβI. We cloned LmjF.36.3850 gene in a mammalian expression vector and primed susceptible BALB/c mice followed by challenge infection. We observed a higher parasite load, comparable antibody response and higher anti-inflammatory cytokines such as IL-4 and IL-10, while expression of major anti-leishmanial cytokine, IFN-γ, remained unchanged in LmjF.36.3850-vaccinated mice. CSA restimulated LN cells from vaccinated mice after challenge infection secreted comparable IL-4 and IL-10 but reduced IFN-γ, as compared to controls. These observations suggest a skewed Th2 response, diminished IFN-γ secreting Th1-TEM cells and increased central and effector memory subtype of Th2, Th17 and Treg cells in the vaccinated mice. These data indicate that LmjF.36.3850 is a plausible virulence factor that enhances disease-promoting response, possibly by interfering with PKC activation and by eliciting disease-promoting T cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Raki Sudan
- National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, India
| | - Sunil Kumar
- National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, India
| | | | - Somenath Roy
- Department of Human Physiology, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, India
| | - Bhaskar Saha
- National Centre for Cell Science, Pune, India.,Trident Academy of Creative Technology, Chandrasekharpur, India
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Delgado-Altamirano R, García-Aguilera ME, Delgado-Domínguez J, Becker I, Rodríguez de San Miguel E, Rojas-Molina A, Esturau-Escofet N. 1H NMR profiling and chemometric analysis as an approach to predict the leishmanicidal activity of dichloromethane extracts from Lantana camara (L.). J Pharm Biomed Anal 2021; 199:114060. [PMID: 33848915 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2021.114060] [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: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 04/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The application of 1H NMR spectroscopy and chemometrics for the analysis of extracts of Lantana camara is described. This approach allowed to predict the leishmanicidal activity of samples obtained at different harvest times from their 1H NMR spectra. The anti-leishmanial activity of dichloromethane extracts obtained from the aerial parts of L. camara was measured using an in vitro assay. As the extracts displayed differences in their activity according to a one-way ANOVA analysis, their 1H NMR spectra were subjected to multivariate analysis using exploratory (Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Anova Simultaneous Component Analysis (ASCA)) and regression, (Partial Least Squares Regression to Latent Structures (PLS)) chemometrics methods. These analyses allowed to establish and characterize a predictive model capable of determining the anti-leishmanial activity of Lantana camara dichloromethane extracts from their 1H NMR spectra. Figures of merit of the developed method are given as well. The identified chemical signals responsible for the iPLS calibration model corresponded to the presence of eicosane, caryophyllene oxide, β-ionone, tiglic acid, lantanilic acid, camaric acid, and lantadene B; the chemical markers. This study proposed a fast and simple method that avoids the need of using complex biological assays to predict the leishmanicidal activity of L. camara dichloromethane extracts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronna Delgado-Altamirano
- Posgrado en Ciencias Químico Biológicas, Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, 76010 Querétaro, Mexico; Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro, 76010 Querétaro, Mexico
| | | | - José Delgado-Domínguez
- Unidad de Investigación en Medicina Experimental, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Hospital General de México, 06720 Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Ingeborg Becker
- Unidad de Investigación en Medicina Experimental, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Hospital General de México, 06720 Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | | | | | - Nuria Esturau-Escofet
- Instituto de Química, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, 04510 Ciudad de México, Mexico.
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