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Krombauer GC, Guedes KDS, Banfi FF, Nunes RR, Fonseca ALD, Siqueira EPD, Bellei JCB, Scopel KKG, Varotti FDP, Sanchez BAM. In vitro and in silico assessment of new beta amino ketones with antiplasmodial activity. Rev Soc Bras Med Trop 2022; 55:e0590. [PMID: 36169491 PMCID: PMC9549944 DOI: 10.1590/0037-8682-0590-2022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Based on the current need for new drugs against malaria, our study evaluated eight beta amino ketones in silico and in vitro for potential antimalarial activity. METHODS Using the Brazilian Malaria Molecular Targets (BraMMT) and OCTOPUS® software programs, the pattern of interactions of beta-amino ketones was described against different proteins of P. falciparum and screened to evaluate their physicochemical properties. The in vitro antiplasmodial activities of the compounds were evaluated using a SYBR Green-based assay. In parallel, in vitro cytotoxic data were obtained using the MTT assay. RESULTS Among the eight compounds, compound 1 was the most active and selective against P. falciparum (IC50 = 0.98 µM; SI > 60). Six targets were identified in BraMMT that interact with compounds exhibiting a stronger binding energy than the crystallographic ligand: P. falciparum triophosphate phosphoglycolate complex (1LYX), P. falciparum reductase (2OK8), PfPK7 (2PML), P. falciparum glutaredoxin (4N0Z), PfATP6, and PfHT. CONCLUSIONS The physicochemical properties of compound 1 were compatible with the set of criteria established by the Lipinski rule and demonstrated its potential as a drug prototype for antiplasmodial activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriela Camila Krombauer
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Núcleo de Pesquisa e Apoio Didático em Saúde, Laboratório de Imunopatologia e Doenças Tropicais, Sinop, MT, Brasil
| | - Karla de Sena Guedes
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Núcleo de Pesquisa e Apoio Didático em Saúde, Laboratório de Imunopatologia e Doenças Tropicais, Sinop, MT, Brasil
| | - Felipe Fingir Banfi
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Núcleo de Pesquisa e Apoio Didático em Saúde, Laboratório de Imunopatologia e Doenças Tropicais, Sinop, MT, Brasil
| | - Renata Rachide Nunes
- Universidade Federal de São João Del Rei, Campus Centro Oeste, Núcleo de Pesquisa em Química Biológica (NQBio), Divinópolis, MG, Brasil
| | - Amanda Luisa da Fonseca
- Universidade Federal de São João Del Rei, Campus Centro Oeste, Núcleo de Pesquisa em Química Biológica (NQBio), Divinópolis, MG, Brasil
| | | | - Jéssica Côrrea Bezerra Bellei
- Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Centro de Pesquisas em Parasitologia, Departamento de Parasitologia, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil
| | - Kézia Katiani Gorza Scopel
- Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Centro de Pesquisas em Parasitologia, Departamento de Parasitologia, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brasil
| | - Fernando de Pilla Varotti
- Universidade Federal de São João Del Rei, Campus Centro Oeste, Núcleo de Pesquisa em Química Biológica (NQBio), Divinópolis, MG, Brasil
| | - Bruno Antônio Marinho Sanchez
- Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Núcleo de Pesquisa e Apoio Didático em Saúde, Laboratório de Imunopatologia e Doenças Tropicais, Sinop, MT, Brasil
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Belete TM. Recent Progress in the Development of New Antimalarial Drugs with Novel Targets. Drug Des Devel Ther 2020; 14:3875-3889. [PMID: 33061294 PMCID: PMC7519860 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s265602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a major global health problem that causes significant mortality and morbidity annually. The therapeutic options are scarce and massively challenged by the emergence of resistant parasite strains, which causes a major obstacle to malaria control. To prevent a potential public health emergency, there is an urgent need for new antimalarial drugs, with single-dose cures, broad therapeutic potential, and novel mechanism of action. Antimalarial drug development can follow several approaches ranging from modifications of existing agents to the design of novel agents that act against novel targets. Modern advancement in the biology of the parasite and the availability of the different genomic techniques provide a wide range of novel targets in the development of new therapy. Several promising targets for drug intervention have been revealed in recent years. Therefore, this review focuses on the progress made on the latest scientific and technological advances in the discovery and development of novel antimalarial agents. Among the most interesting antimalarial target proteins currently studied are proteases, protein kinases, Plasmodium sugar transporter inhibitor, aquaporin-3 inhibitor, choline transport inhibitor, dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitor, isoprenoid biosynthesis inhibitor, farnesyltransferase inhibitor and enzymes are involved in lipid metabolism and DNA replication. This review summarizes the novel molecular targets and their inhibitors for antimalarial drug development approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tafere Mulaw Belete
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Gondar, Gondar, Ethiopia
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3
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Jiang X, Yuan Y, Huang J, Zhang S, Luo S, Wang N, Pu D, Zhao N, Tang Q, Hirata K, Yang X, Jiao Y, Sakata-Kato T, Wu JW, Yan C, Kato N, Yin H, Yan N. Structural Basis for Blocking Sugar Uptake into the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Cell 2020; 183:258-268.e12. [PMID: 32860739 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2020.08.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium species, the causative agent of malaria, rely on glucose for energy supply during blood stage. Inhibition of glucose uptake thus represents a potential strategy for the development of antimalarial drugs. Here, we present the crystal structures of PfHT1, the sole hexose transporter in the genome of Plasmodium species, at resolutions of 2.6 Å in complex with D-glucose and 3.7 Å with a moderately selective inhibitor, C3361. Although both structures exhibit occluded conformations, binding of C3361 induces marked rearrangements that result in an additional pocket. This inhibitor-binding-induced pocket presents an opportunity for the rational design of PfHT1-specific inhibitors. Among our designed C3361 derivatives, several exhibited improved inhibition of PfHT1 and cellular potency against P. falciparum, with excellent selectivity to human GLUT1. These findings serve as a proof of concept for the development of the next-generation antimalarial chemotherapeutics by simultaneously targeting the orthosteric and allosteric sites of PfHT1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yafei Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jian Huang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Shuo Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Shuchen Luo
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Nan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Debing Pu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Na Zhao
- Global Health Drug Discovery Institute, Zhongguancun Dongsheng International Science Park, 1 North Yongtaizhuang Road, Beijing 100192, China
| | - Qingxuan Tang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Kunio Hirata
- Advanced Photon Technology Division, Research Infrastructure Group, SR Life Science Instrumentation Unit, RIKEN/SPring-8 Center, Hyogo 679-5148, Japan
| | - Xikang Yang
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yaqing Jiao
- Global Health Drug Discovery Institute, Zhongguancun Dongsheng International Science Park, 1 North Yongtaizhuang Road, Beijing 100192, China
| | - Tomoyo Sakata-Kato
- Global Health Drug Discovery Institute, Zhongguancun Dongsheng International Science Park, 1 North Yongtaizhuang Road, Beijing 100192, China
| | - Jia-Wei Wu
- Institute of Molecular Enzymology, Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu 215123, China
| | - Chuangye Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Nobutaka Kato
- Global Health Drug Discovery Institute, Zhongguancun Dongsheng International Science Park, 1 North Yongtaizhuang Road, Beijing 100192, China
| | - Hang Yin
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
| | - Nieng Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Membrane Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Structural Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; Tsinghua-Peking Joint Center for Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China; School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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Qureshi AA, Suades A, Matsuoka R, Brock J, McComas SE, Nji E, Orellana L, Claesson M, Delemotte L, Drew D. The molecular basis for sugar import in malaria parasites. Nature 2020; 578:321-325. [PMID: 31996846 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-1963-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Elucidating the mechanism of sugar import requires a molecular understanding of how transporters couple sugar binding and gating events. Whereas mammalian glucose transporters (GLUTs) are specialists1, the hexose transporter from the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum PfHT12,3 has acquired the ability to transport both glucose and fructose sugars as efficiently as the dedicated glucose (GLUT3) and fructose (GLUT5) transporters. Here, to establish the molecular basis of sugar promiscuity in malaria parasites, we determined the crystal structure of PfHT1 in complex with D-glucose at a resolution of 3.6 Å. We found that the sugar-binding site in PfHT1 is very similar to those of the distantly related GLUT3 and GLUT5 structures4,5. Nevertheless, engineered PfHT1 mutations made to match GLUT sugar-binding sites did not shift sugar preferences. The extracellular substrate-gating helix TM7b in PfHT1 was positioned in a fully occluded conformation, providing a unique glimpse into how sugar binding and gating are coupled. We determined that polar contacts between TM7b and TM1 (located about 15 Å from D-glucose) are just as critical for transport as the residues that directly coordinate D-glucose, which demonstrates a strong allosteric coupling between sugar binding and gating. We conclude that PfHT1 has achieved substrate promiscuity not by modifying its sugar-binding site, but instead by evolving substrate-gating dynamics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdul Aziz Qureshi
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Albert Suades
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Rei Matsuoka
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Joseph Brock
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sarah E McComas
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Applied Physics, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Emmanuel Nji
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Laura Orellana
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Magnus Claesson
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lucie Delemotte
- Department of Applied Physics, Science for Life Laboratory, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - David Drew
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden.
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Aquaglyceroporin PbAQP is required for efficient progression through the liver stage of Plasmodium infection. Sci Rep 2018; 8:655. [PMID: 29330527 PMCID: PMC5766620 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-18987-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2017] [Accepted: 12/19/2017] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of aquaglyceroporins (AQP) has highlighted a new mechanism of membrane solute transport that may hold therapeutic potential for controlling parasitic infections, including malaria. Plasmodium parasites express a single AQP at the plasma membrane that functions as a channel for water, nutrients and waste into and out cells. We previously demonstrated that Plasmodium berghei targeted for PbAQP deletion are deficient in glycerol import and less virulent than wild-type parasites during the blood developmental stage. Here, we have examined the contribution of PbAQP to the infectivity of P. berghei in the liver. PbAQP is expressed in the sporozoite mosquito stage and is detected at low levels in intrahepatic parasites at the onset of hepatocyte infection. As the parasites progress to late hepatic stages, PbAQP transcription increases and PbAQP localizes to the plasma membrane of hepatic merozoites. Compared to wild-type parasites, PbAQP-null sporozoites exhibit a delay in blood stage infection due to slower replication in hepatocytes, resulting in retardation of merosome production. Furthermore, PbAQP disruption results in a significant reduction in erythrocyte infectivity by hepatocyte-derived merozoites. Hepatic merozoites incorporate exogenous glycerol into glycerophospholipids and PbAQP-null merozoites contain less phosphatidylcholine than wild-type merozoites, underlining the contribution of Plasmodium AQP to phospholipid syntheses.
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Fonseca ALD, Nunes RR, Braga VML, Comar M, Alves RJ, Varotti FDP, Taranto AG. Docking, QM/MM, and molecular dynamics simulations of the hexose transporter from Plasmodium falciparum (PfHT). J Mol Graph Model 2016; 66:174-86. [PMID: 27131282 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2016.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2015] [Revised: 03/14/2016] [Accepted: 03/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is the most prevalent parasitic disease in the world. Currently, an effective vaccine for malaria does not exist, and chemotherapy must be used to treat the disease. Because of increasing resistance to current antimalarial drugs, new treatments must be developed. Among the many potential molecular targets, the hexose transporter of Plasmodium falciparum (PfHT) is particularly promising because it plays a vital role in glucose transport for the parasite. Thus, this study aims to determine the three-dimensional structure of PfHT and to describe the intermolecular interactions between active glycoside derivatives and PfHT. Such information should aid in the development of new antimalarial drugs. The receptor PfHT was constructed from primary sequences deposited in the SWISS MODEL database. Next, molecular docking simulations between O-(undec-10-en)-l-D-glucose and the constructed active site models were performed using Autodock Vina. The glycoside derivative-PfHT complexes were then refined using the hybrid QM/MM (PM3/ff03) method within the AMBER package. The models were then evaluated using Ramachandran plots, which indicated that 93.2% of the residues in the refined PfHT models (P5) were present in favorable regions. Furthermore, graphical plots using ANOLEA showed that the potential energies of interaction for atoms unbonded to P5 were negative. Finally, the O-(undec-10-en)-l-D-glucose-PfHT complex was evaluated using 20-ns Molecular Dynamics simulations with an ff03 force field. Docking and QM/MM studies revealed the amino acids essential for molecular recognition of and activity on glycosides. Inhibition of glucose transporters may prevent the development and metabolism of P. falciparum, so a description of the receptor's structure is a critical step towards rational drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Luisa da Fonseca
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Química Biológica, Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei, Divinópolis, MG, Brazil; Laboratório de Modelagem Molecular, Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei, Divinópolis, MG, Brazil; Laboratório de Química Medicinal Farmacêutica, Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei, Divinópolis, MG, Brazil
| | - Renata Rachide Nunes
- Laboratório de Química Medicinal Farmacêutica, Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei, Divinópolis, MG, Brazil
| | - Vanildo Martins Lima Braga
- Laboratório de Química Medicinal Farmacêutica, Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei, Divinópolis, MG, Brazil
| | - Moacyr Comar
- Laboratório de Modelagem Molecular, Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei, Divinópolis, MG, Brazil
| | - Ricardo José Alves
- Laboratório de Química, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Fernando de Pilla Varotti
- Núcleo de Pesquisa em Química Biológica, Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei, Divinópolis, MG, Brazil
| | - Alex Gutterres Taranto
- Laboratório de Química Medicinal Farmacêutica, Universidade Federal de São João del-Rei, Divinópolis, MG, Brazil.
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Desgrouas C, Chapus C, Desplans J, Travaille C, Pascual A, Baghdikian B, Ollivier E, Parzy D, Taudon N. In vitro antiplasmodial activity of cepharanthine. Malar J 2014; 13:327. [PMID: 25145413 PMCID: PMC4152577 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-13-327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [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: 05/01/2014] [Accepted: 08/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND New classes of anti-malarial drugs are needed to control the alarming Plasmodium falciparum resistance toward current anti-malarial therapy. The ethnopharmacological approach allows the discovery of original chemical structures from the vegetable biodiversity. Previous studies led to the selection of a bisbenzylisoquinoline, called cepharanthine and isolated from a Cambodian plant: Stephania rotunda. Cepharanthine could exert a mechanism of action different from commonly used drugs. Potential plasmodial targets are reported here. METHODS To study the mechanism of action of cepharanthine, a combined approach using phenotypic and transcriptomic techniques was undertaken. RESULTS Cepharanthine blocked P. falciparum development in ring stage. On a culture of synchronized ring stage, the comparisons of expression profiles showed that the samples treated with 5 μM of cepharanthine (IC90) were significantly closer to the initial controls than to the final ones. After a two-way ANOVA (p-value < 0.05) on the microarray results, 1,141 probes among 9,722 presented a significant differential expression.A gene ontology analysis showed that the Maurer's clefts seem particularly down-regulated by cepharanthine. The analysis of metabolic pathways showed an impact on cell-cell interactions (cytoadherence and rosetting), glycolysis and isoprenoid pathways. Organellar functions, more particularly constituted by apicoplast and mitochondrion, are targeted too. CONCLUSION The blockage at the ring stage by cepharanthine is described for the first time. Transcriptomic approach confirmed that cepharanthine might have a potential innovative antiplasmodial mechanism of action. Thus, cepharanthine might play an ongoing role in the progress on anti-malarial drug discovery efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camille Desgrouas
- />UMR-MD3, Institut de recherche biomédicale des armées, Faculté de Pharmacie, Aix-Marseille Université, 27 Bd Jean Moulin CS30064 13385 Marseille cedex 5, Marseille, France
| | - Charles Chapus
- />UMR-MD3, Institut de recherche biomédicale des armées, BP73 91223 Brétigny-sur-Orge, France
| | - Jérôme Desplans
- />UMR-MD3, Institut de recherche biomédicale des armées, Faculté de Pharmacie, Aix-Marseille Université, 27 Bd Jean Moulin CS30064 13385 Marseille cedex 5, Marseille, France
| | - Christelle Travaille
- />Trypanosome Cell Biology Unit, CNRS URA2581 and Parasitology Department, Institut Pasteur, 25 rue du Docteur Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Aurélie Pascual
- />Département d’Infectiologie de Terrain, Unité de Parasitologie, Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, Marseille, France
| | - Béatrice Baghdikian
- />UMR-MD3, Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie et Ethnopharmacologie, Faculté de Pharmacie, Aix-Marseille Université, 27 Bd Jean Moulin 13385 Marseille Cedex 5, Marseille, France
| | - Evelyne Ollivier
- />UMR-MD3, Laboratoire de Pharmacognosie et Ethnopharmacologie, Faculté de Pharmacie, Aix-Marseille Université, 27 Bd Jean Moulin 13385 Marseille Cedex 5, Marseille, France
| | - Daniel Parzy
- />UMR-MD3, Institut de recherche biomédicale des armées, Faculté de Pharmacie, Aix-Marseille Université, 27 Bd Jean Moulin CS30064 13385 Marseille cedex 5, Marseille, France
| | - Nicolas Taudon
- />UMR-MD3, Institut de recherche biomédicale des armées, BP73 91223 Brétigny-sur-Orge, France
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Slavic K, Krishna S, Derbyshire ET, Staines HM. Plasmodial sugar transporters as anti-malarial drug targets and comparisons with other protozoa. Malar J 2011; 10:165. [PMID: 21676209 PMCID: PMC3135577 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-10-165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2011] [Accepted: 06/15/2011] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Glucose is the primary source of energy and a key substrate for most cells. Inhibition of cellular glucose uptake (the first step in its utilization) has, therefore, received attention as a potential therapeutic strategy to treat various unrelated diseases including malaria and cancers. For malaria, blood forms of parasites rely almost entirely on glycolysis for energy production and, without energy stores, they are dependent on the constant uptake of glucose. Plasmodium falciparum is the most dangerous human malarial parasite and its hexose transporter has been identified as being the major glucose transporter. In this review, recent progress regarding the validation and development of the P. falciparum hexose transporter as a drug target is described, highlighting the importance of robust target validation through both chemical and genetic methods. Therapeutic targeting potential of hexose transporters of other protozoan pathogens is also reviewed and discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ksenija Slavic
- Centre for Infection, Division of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, St. George's, University of London, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 0RE, UK.
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Kumar A, Sen A, Das P. Microarray based gene expression: a novel approach for identification and development of potential drug and effective vaccine against visceral Leishmaniasis. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2010. [DOI: 10.5138/ijaps.2010.0976.1055.01001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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10
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Natalang O, Bischoff E, Deplaine G, Proux C, Dillies MA, Sismeiro O, Guigon G, Bonnefoy S, Patarapotikul J, Mercereau-Puijalon O, Coppée JY, David PH. Dynamic RNA profiling in Plasmodium falciparum synchronized blood stages exposed to lethal doses of artesunate. BMC Genomics 2008; 9:388. [PMID: 18706115 PMCID: PMC2536677 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-9-388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2008] [Accepted: 08/18/2008] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Translation of the genome sequence of Plasmodium sp. into biologically relevant information relies on high through-put genomics technology which includes transcriptome analysis. However, few studies to date have used this powerful approach to explore transcriptome alterations of P. falciparum parasites exposed to antimalarial drugs. Results The rapid action of artesunate allowed us to study dynamic changes of the parasite transcriptome in synchronous parasite cultures exposed to the drug for 90 minutes and 3 hours. Developmentally regulated genes were filtered out, leaving 398 genes which presented altered transcript levels reflecting drug-exposure. Few genes related to metabolic pathways, most encoded chaperones, transporters, kinases, Zn-finger proteins, transcription activating proteins, proteins involved in proteasome degradation, in oxidative stress and in cell cycle regulation. A positive bias was observed for over-expressed genes presenting a subtelomeric location, allelic polymorphism and encoding proteins with potential export sequences, which often belonged to subtelomeric multi-gene families. This pointed to the mobilization of processes shaping the interface between the parasite and its environment. In parallel, pathways were engaged which could lead to parasite death, such as interference with purine/pyrimidine metabolism, the mitochondrial electron transport chain, proteasome-dependent protein degradation or the integrity of the food vacuole. Conclusion The high proportion of over-expressed genes encoding proteins exported from the parasite highlight the importance of extra-parasitic compartments as fields for exploration in drug research which, to date, has mostly focused on the parasite itself rather than on its intra and extra erythrocytic environment. Further work is needed to clarify which transcriptome alterations observed reflect a specific response to overcome artesunate toxicity or more general perturbations on the path to cellular death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Onguma Natalang
- Institut Pasteur, Unité d'Immunologie Moléculaire des Parasites, CNRS URA 2581, 28 Rue du Docteur Roux, F-75724, Paris, Cedex 15, France.
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Wiwanitkit V. IDENTIFICATION OF TRANSMEMBRANE REGION AND ORIENTATION OF AQUAGLYCEROPORIN OF PLASMODIUM FALCIPARUM. Indian J Med Microbiol 2008. [DOI: 10.1016/s0255-0857(21)01872-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
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12
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Sahu NK, Sahu S, Kohli DV. Novel Molecular Targets for Antimalarial Drug Development. Chem Biol Drug Des 2008; 71:287-97. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1747-0285.2008.00640.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Abstract
With the sequencing of the Plasmodium falciparum genome now complete, increasing attention is turning to the function of gene products and to cell-regulatory processes. The combination of in silico analyses with modern molecular and biophysical methods is leading to rapid advances in our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the biochemistry and physiology of the parasite and its host cell. In this brief review, we present a "snap shot" of recent work in this area, with particular emphasis on aspects relevant to the development of new antimalarial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katja Becker
- Department of Biochemistry, Interdisciplinary Research Center, Justus-Liebig University Giessen, Heinrich-Buff-Ring 26-32, 35392 Giessen, Germany
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JOëT T, Chotivanich K, Silamut K, Patel A, Morin C, Krishna S. Analysis of Plasmodium vivax hexose transporters and effects of a parasitocidal inhibitor. Biochem J 2004; 381:905-9. [PMID: 15107012 PMCID: PMC1133902 DOI: 10.1042/bj20040433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2004] [Revised: 04/19/2004] [Accepted: 04/23/2004] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax is the second most common species of malaria parasite and causes up to 80 million episodes of infection each year. New drug targets are urgently needed because of emerging resistance to current treatments. To study new potential targets, we have functionally characterized two natural variants of the hexose transporter of P. vivax (PvHT) after heterologous expression in Xenopus oocytes. We show that PvHT transports both glucose and fructose. Differences in the affinity for fructose between the two variants of PvHT establishes that sequence variation is associated with phenotypic plasticity. Mutation of a single glutamine residue, Gln(167), predicted to lie in transmembrane helix 5, abolishes fructose transport by PvHT, although glucose uptake is preserved. In contrast, the exofacial site located between predicted helices 5 and 6 of PvHT is not an important determinant of substrate specificity, despite exhibiting sequence polymorphisms between hexose transporters of different Plasmodium spp. Indeed, replacement of twelve residues located within this region of PvHT by those found in the orthologous Plasmodium falciparum sequence (PfHT) is functionally silent with respect to affinity for hexoses. All PvHT variants are inhibited by compound 3361, a long-chain O-3 derivative of D-glucose effective against PfHT. Furthermore, compound 3361 kills short term cultures of P. vivax isolated from patients. These data provide unique insights into the function of hexose transporters of Plasmodium spp. as well as further evidence that they could be targeted by drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thierry JOëT
- *Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine – Infectious Diseases, St. George's Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 ORE, U.K
| | - Kesinee Chotivanich
- †Wellcome Trust Research Laboratories, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Rajvithi Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Kamolrat Silamut
- †Wellcome Trust Research Laboratories, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Rajvithi Road, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Asha P. Patel
- *Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine – Infectious Diseases, St. George's Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 ORE, U.K
| | - Christophe Morin
- ‡Laboratoire d'Etudes Dynamiques et Structurales de la Sélectivité, UMR CNRS/UJF 5616, ICMGFR-2607, Université Joseph Fourier Grenoble 1, BP 53, 38041, Grenoble, Cedex 9, France
| | - Sanjeev Krishna
- *Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine – Infectious Diseases, St. George's Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 ORE, U.K
- To whom correspondence should be addressed (e-mail )
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Biagini GA, Pasini EM, Hughes R, De Koning HP, Vial HJ, O'Neill PM, Ward SA, Bray PG. Characterization of the choline carrier of Plasmodium falciparum: a route for the selective delivery of novel antimalarial drugs. Blood 2004; 104:3372-7. [PMID: 15205262 DOI: 10.1182/blood-2004-03-1084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract
New drugs are urgently needed to combat the growing problem of drug resistance in Plasmodium falciparum malaria. The infected erythrocyte is a multicompartmental system, and its transporters are of interest as drug targets in their own right and as potential routes for the delivery of antimalarial drugs. Choline is an important nutrient that penetrates infected erythrocyte membranes through the endogenous carrier and through parasite-induced permeability pathways, but nothing is known about its transport into the intracellular parasite. Here we present the first characterization of choline transport across the parasite membrane. Transport exhibits Michaelis-Menten kinetics with an apparent Km of 25.0 ± 3.5 μM for choline. The carrier is inhibitor-sensitive, temperature-dependent, and Na+-independent, and it is driven by the proton-motive force. Highly active bis-amidine and bis-quaternary ammonium compounds are also known to penetrate the host erythrocyte membrane through parasite-induced permeability pathways. Here, we demonstrate that the parasite choline transporter mediates the delivery of these compounds to the intracellular parasite. Thus, the induced permeability pathways in the host erythrocyte membrane and the parasite choline transporter described here form a cooperative transport system that shows great promise for the selective targeting of new agents for the chemotherapy of malaria. (Blood. 2004;104: 3372-3377)
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Affiliation(s)
- Giancarlo A Biagini
- Molecular and Biochemical Parasitology Group, Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, England
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Staines HM, Powell T, Thomas SLY, Ellory JC. Plasmodium falciparum-induced channels. Int J Parasitol 2004; 34:665-73. [PMID: 15111088 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2004.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2003] [Revised: 01/24/2004] [Accepted: 02/05/2004] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
To survive within a red blood cell, the malaria parasite alters dramatically the permeability of the host's plasma membrane (allowing the uptake of essential nutrients and the removal of potentially hazardous metabolites). The pathway(s) responsible for the increased permeability have been proposed as putative chemotherapeutic targets and/or selective routes for antimalarial agents that target the internal parasite. This review covers our current understanding of this parasite-induced phenomenon in Plasmodium falciparum-infected human red blood cells. In particular, recent electrophysiological studies, using the patch-clamp technique, are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henry M Staines
- University Laboratory of Physiology, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PT, UK.
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Abstract
Throughout the intraerythrocytic phase of its lifecycle the malaria parasite is separated from the extracellular medium by the plasma membrane of its host erythrocyte and by the parasitophorous vacuole in which the parasite is enclosed. The intracellular parasite itself has, at its surface, a plasma membrane, and has a variety of membrane-bound organelles which carry out a range of biochemical functions. Each of the various membranes of the infected cell have in them proteins that facilitate the movement of molecules and ions from one side of the membrane to the other. These 'channels' and 'transporters' play a central role in the physiology of the parasitised cell. From a clinical viewpoint they are of interest both as potential targets in their own right, and as potential drug targeting routes capable of mediating the entry of cytotoxic drugs into the appropriate compartment of the infected cell. In this review both of these aspects are considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kiaran Kirk
- School of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Australian National University, Faculty of Science, 0200 ACT, Canberra, Australia.
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Abstract
Despite substantial efforts at control over several decades, malaria is still a major global health problem as chemotherapy of malaria parasites is limited by established drug resistance and lack of novel treatment options. Intraerythrocytic stages of these parasites are wholly dependent upon host glucose for energy and malarial proteins involved in hexose permeation are therefore attractive new drug targets. For Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of severe malaria, a facilitative hexose transporter (PfHT), encoded by a single-copy gene mediates glucose uptake. We first established heterologous expression in Xenopus laevis to allow functional characterisation of PfHT. This review describes the value of using Xenopus oocytes in heterologous studies of P. falciparum-encoded proteins and summarises the properties of PfHT. Comparisons between Gluts (mammalian facilitative hexose transporters) and PfHT using this expression system have highlighted important mechanistic and structural differences between parasite and host proteins. Certain O-methyl derivatives of glucose proved particularly useful discriminators between mammalian transporters and PfHT. We exploited this selectivity and synthesised a long-chain O-3-hexose derivative (compound 3361) that potently inhibits PfHT expressed in oocytes and also kills P. falciparum when it is cultured in medium containing either glucose or fructose as a carbon source. To extend our observations to the second most important human malarial pathogen, we have cloned and expressed the Plasmodium vivax orthologue of PfHT, and demonstrate inhibition of glucose uptake by compound 3361. These findings validate malarial hexose transporters as a novel target. We now aim to design a new class of antimalarials by the discovery of highly specific inhibitors which could act with a broad spectrum of action on different Plasmodium spp. infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thierry Joët
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Infectious Diseases, St. George's Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 ORE, UK
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Joet T, Eckstein-Ludwig U, Morin C, Krishna S. Validation of the hexose transporter of Plasmodium falciparum as a novel drug target. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2003; 100:7476-9. [PMID: 12792024 PMCID: PMC164611 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1330865100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chemotherapy of malaria parasites is limited by established drug resistance and lack of novel targets. Intraerythrocytic stages of Plasmodium falciparum are wholly dependent on host glucose for energy. Glucose uptake is mediated by a parasite-encoded facilitative hexose transporter (PfHT). We report that O-3 hexose derivatives inhibit uptake of glucose and fructose by PfHT when expressed in Xenopus oocytes. Selectivity of these derivatives for PfHT is confirmed by lack of inhibition of hexose transport by the major mammalian glucose and fructose transporters (Gluts) 1 and 5. A long chain O-3 hexose derivative is the most effective inhibitor of PfHT and also kills P. falciparum when it is cultured in medium containing either glucose or fructose as a carbon source. To extend our observations to the second most important human malarial pathogen, we have cloned and expressed the Plasmodium vivax orthologue of PfHT, and demonstrate inhibition of glucose uptake by the long chain O-3 hexose derivative. Furthermore, multiplication of Plasmodium berghei in a mouse model is significantly reduced by the O-3 derivative. Our robust expression system conclusively validates PfHT as a novel drug target and is an important step in the development of novel antimalarials directed against membrane transport proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thierry Joet
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Infectious Diseases, St. George's Hospital Medical School, Cranmer Terrace, London SW17 ORE, United Kingdom
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Chapter 21. New therapies for malaria. ANNUAL REPORTS IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY 2003. [DOI: 10.1016/s0065-7743(03)38022-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2023]
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