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Gupta D, Singh PK, Yadav PK, Narender T, Patil UK, Jain SK, Chourasia MK. Emerging strategies and challenges of molecular therapeutics in antileishmanial drug development. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 115:109649. [PMID: 36603357 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.109649] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Molecular therapy refers to targeted therapies based on molecules which have been intelligently directed towards specific biomolecular structures and include small molecule drugs, monoclonal antibodies, proteins and peptides, DNA or RNA-based strategies, targeted chemotherapy and nanomedicines. Molecular therapy is emerging as the most effective strategy to combat the present challenges of life-threatening visceral leishmaniasis, where the successful human vaccine is currently unavailable. Moreover, current chemotherapy-based strategies are associated with the issues of ineffective targeting, unavoidable toxicities, invasive therapies, prolonged treatment, high treatment costs and the development of drug-resistant strains. Thus, the rational approach to antileishmanial drug development primarily demands critical exploration and exploitation of biochemical differences between host and parasite biology, immunocharacteristics of parasite homing, and host-parasite interactions at the molecular/cellular level. Following this, the novel technology-based designing and development of host and/or parasite-targeted therapeutics having leishmanicidal and immunomodulatory activity is utmost essential to improve treatment efficacy. Thus, the present review is focused on immunological and molecular checkpoint targets in host-pathogen interaction, and molecular therapeutic prospects for Leishmania intervention, and the challenges ahead.
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Affiliation(s)
- Deepak Gupta
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya (A Central University), Sagar 470003, M.P., India; Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, U.P., India
| | - Pankaj K Singh
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, U.P., India; Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad 500037, Telangana, India
| | - Pavan K Yadav
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, U.P., India
| | - Tadigoppula Narender
- Division of Medicinal and Process Chemistry, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, U.P., India
| | - Umesh K Patil
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya (A Central University), Sagar 470003, M.P., India
| | - Sanjay K Jain
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya (A Central University), Sagar 470003, M.P., India
| | - Manish K Chourasia
- Division of Pharmaceutics and Pharmacokinetics, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Lucknow 226031, U.P., India.
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New Insights on Heme Uptake in Leishmania spp. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810501. [PMID: 36142411 PMCID: PMC9504327 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The protozoan parasite Leishmania, responsible for leishmaniasis, is one of the few aerobic organisms that cannot synthesize the essential molecule heme. Therefore, it has developed specialized pathways to scavenge it from its host. In recent years, some proteins involved in the import of heme, such as LHR1 and LFLVCRB, have been identified, but relevant aspects regarding the process remain unknown. Here, we characterized the kinetics of the uptake of the heme analogue Zn(II) Mesoporphyrin IX (ZnMP) in Leishmania major promastigotes as a model of a parasite causing cutaneous leishmaniasis with special focus on the force that drives the process. We found that ZnMP uptake is an active, inducible, and pH-dependent process that does not require a plasma membrane proton gradient but requires the presence of the monovalent cations Na+ and/or K+. In addition, we demonstrated that this parasite can efflux this porphyrin against a concentration gradient. We also found that ZnMP uptake differs among different dermotropic or viscerotropic Leishmania species and does not correlate with LHR1 or LFLVCRB expression levels. Finally, we showed that these transporters have only partially overlapping functions. Altogether, these findings contribute to a deeper understanding of an important process in the biology of this parasite.
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Carter NS, Kawasaki Y, Nahata SS, Elikaee S, Rajab S, Salam L, Alabdulal MY, Broessel KK, Foroghi F, Abbas A, Poormohamadian R, Roberts SC. Polyamine Metabolism in Leishmania Parasites: A Promising Therapeutic Target. Med Sci (Basel) 2022; 10:24. [PMID: 35645240 PMCID: PMC9149861 DOI: 10.3390/medsci10020024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasites of the genus Leishmania cause a variety of devastating and often fatal diseases in humans and domestic animals worldwide. The need for new therapeutic strategies is urgent because no vaccine is available, and treatment options are limited due to a lack of specificity and the emergence of drug resistance. Polyamines are metabolites that play a central role in rapidly proliferating cells, and recent studies have highlighted their critical nature in Leishmania. Numerous studies using a variety of inhibitors as well as gene deletion mutants have elucidated the pathway and routes of transport, revealing unique aspects of polyamine metabolism in Leishmania parasites. These studies have also shed light on the significance of polyamines for parasite proliferation, infectivity, and host-parasite interactions. This comprehensive review article focuses on the main polyamine biosynthetic enzymes: ornithine decarboxylase, S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase, and spermidine synthase, and it emphasizes recent discoveries that advance these enzymes as potential therapeutic targets against Leishmania parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Sigrid C. Roberts
- School of Pharmacy, Pacific University Oregon, Hillsboro, OR 97123, USA; (N.S.C.); (Y.K.); (S.S.N.); (S.E.); (S.R.); (L.S.); (M.Y.A.); (K.K.B.); (F.F.); (A.A.); (R.P.)
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Mazire P, Agarwal V, Roy A. Road-map of pre-clinical treatment for Visceral Leishmaniasis. Drug Dev Res 2021; 83:317-327. [PMID: 34962315 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.21907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2021] [Revised: 12/03/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or Kala-azar, is the most lethal form of leishmaniasis, is still prevalent in many countries where it is endemic. It is a threat to human life caused by protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani. The severity of the disease is further increased as the treated individuals might have a chance of developing Post Kala-azar Dermal Leishmaniasis (PKDL) in the long run. Moreover, several countries have reported high number of HIV-VL co-infected patients. Therefore, there is a dire need for the development of efficient diagnostic methods and drugs in order to combat the disease and to control the spread of disease. At present, the treatment for VL entirely relies on therapeutic drugs as no vaccine is available yet. Ever since 1900s a series of drugs have been invented and used for treatment of VL; but the need for one such cost-effective treatment that would completely cure the disease with minimal side-effects, low relapse rate with high efficacy and less toxicity remains yet to be fulfilled. Therefore, identifying novel compounds is very crucial to develop potent antileishmanial agents. Thus, this review enlists several instances of drug development, including the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of antileishmanial drugs, different experimental animal models used to investigate the disease progression and to analyze treatment dosage and pharmacological aspect of drugs. Furthermore, the existing gap in drug development and future measures to improve the process are also discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priyanka Mazire
- Department of Biotechnology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India
| | - Vartika Agarwal
- Department of Biotechnology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India
| | - Amit Roy
- Department of Biotechnology, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Pune, India
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Kannan S, Harel Y, Israel LL, Lellouche E, Varvak A, Tsubery MN, Lellouche JP, Michaeli S. Novel Nanocarrier Platform for Effective Treatment of Visceral Leishmaniasis. Bioconjug Chem 2021; 32:2327-2341. [PMID: 34664934 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.1c00381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is among the five parasitic diseases that still require the development of new drugs. Ultrasmall cerium (Ce3/4+) cation-doped maghemite (γ-Fe2O3) nanoparticles (NPs) were tested as a potential drug to treat visceral leishmaniasis, a disease affecting millions of people worldwide. The NPs were engineered for binding a polycationic branched polyethylenimine (PEI) polymer, thereby rupturing the single lysosome of these parasites and enabling entry of the anti-Leishmania drug, pentamidine. Exploiting the known lanthanide cation/complex-based coordinative chemical reactivity enabled the binding of both active agents onto the surface of the NPs. To optimize the fabrication of the cytotoxic NPs, optimization via a DoE (Design of Experiments) process was used to identify the optimal NP with toxicity against the two stages of the parasite, promastigotes, which propagate in the insect, and amastigotes, which infect the mammalian host. The screen identified a single optimized NP (DoE Opt) that was further examined in a mouse model of visceral leishmaniasis. Intravenous injection of the NPs had no adverse effects on the cellular composition or biochemical parameters of the blood, demonstrating no signs of systemic toxicity. The optimized NP was able to eradicate visceral disease caused by Leishmania donovani infection. The study demonstrates the versatile ability of the cerium-doped NPs to bind at least two cytotoxic ligands. This approach could be used for optimizing the binding of different drugs for the treatment of other diseases, including cancer. Since resistance to treatment with nanocarriers was not reported to date, such an approach could potentially overcome drug resistance that emerges when using soluble small molecule drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriram Kannan
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
- Institute of Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Yifat Harel
- Department of Chemistry Faculty of Exact Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
- Institute of Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Liron Limor Israel
- Department of Chemistry Faculty of Exact Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
- Institute of Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Emmanuel Lellouche
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
- Institute of Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Alexander Varvak
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
- Institute of Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Merav Nadav Tsubery
- Department of Chemistry Faculty of Exact Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Jean-Paul Lellouche
- Department of Chemistry Faculty of Exact Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
- Institute of Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
| | - Shulamit Michaeli
- The Mina and Everard Goodman Faculty of Life Sciences, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
- Institute of Nanotechnology & Advanced Materials, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 5290002, Israel
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Spermine-NBD as fluorescent probe for studies of the polyamine transport system in Leishmania donovani. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2019; 29:1710-1713. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2019.05.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2019] [Revised: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Gatreddi S, Pillalamarri V, Vasudevan D, Addlagatta A, Qureshi IA. Unraveling structural insights of ribokinase from Leishmania donovani. Int J Biol Macromol 2019; 136:253-265. [PMID: 31170491 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2019.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Ribokinase (RK) is an ATP dependent sugar kinase that enables the entry of ribose in the metabolism. Leishmania accumulates ribose into the cytosol through hydrolysis of nucleosides and by transport from the extracellular environment. Activation by RK is critical to mobilize the ribose into the metabolism of Leishmania. To understand the catalytic role, the crystal structure of RK (LdRK) from L. donovani was determined in the apo and complex forms with several nucleotides (ATP, AMPPCP and ADP) in the presence of Na+ ion. The dual insertion of five amino acid stretches makes LdRK structurally unique from other reported structures of RKs. The structure of LdRK-ATP provided the basis for positioning of γ-phosphate of ATP by conserved -GAGD- motif. Liganded and unliganded structures of LdRK exists in similar conformation, which suggests binding of nucleotides does not make any significant conformational changes in nucleotide-bound structures. Substitution of a conserved asparagine with phenylalanine in ribose binding pocket differentiates the LdRK from other RKs. Glycerol molecule bound in the substrate binding pocket mimics the enzyme-substrate interactions but in turn, hampers the binding of ribose to LdRK. Comparative structural analysis revealed the flexibility of γ-phosphate, which adopts multiple conformations in the absence of divalent metal ion and ribose. Similar to other RKs, LdRK is also dependent on monovalent as well as divalent cations for its catalytic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santhosh Gatreddi
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500 046, Telangana, India
| | - Vijaykumar Pillalamarri
- CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Applied Biology, Hyderabad 500 007, Telangana, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Rafi Marg, New Delhi 110001, India
| | | | - Anthony Addlagatta
- CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Applied Biology, Hyderabad 500 007, Telangana, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Rafi Marg, New Delhi 110001, India
| | - Insaf Ahmed Qureshi
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad 500 046, Telangana, India.
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Hubin TJ, Walker AN, Davilla DJ, Freeman TNC, Epley BM, Hasley TR, Amoyaw PNA, Jain S, Archibald SJ, Prior TJ, Krause JA, Oliver AG, Tekwani BL, Khan MOF. Tetraazamacrocyclic derivatives and their metal complexes as antileishmanial leads. Polyhedron 2019; 163:42-53. [PMID: 30976133 PMCID: PMC6452907 DOI: 10.1016/j.poly.2019.02.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
A total of 44 bis-aryl-monocyclic polyamines, monoaryl-monocyclic polyamines and their transition metal complexes were prepared, chemically characterized, and screened in vitro against the Leishmania donovani promastigotes, axenic amastigotes and intracellular amastigotes in THP1 cells. The IC50 and/or IC90 values showed that 10 compounds were similarly active at about 2-fold less potent than known drug pentamidine against promastigotes. The most potent compound had an IC50 of 2.82 μM (compared to 2.93 μM for pentamidine). Nine compounds were 1.1-13.6-fold more potent than pentamidine against axenic amastigotes, the most potent one being about 2-fold less potent than amphotericin B. Fourteen compounds were about 2-10 fold more potent than pentamidine, the most potent one is about 2-fold less potent than amphotericin B against intracellular amastigotes in THP1 cells. The 2 most promising compounds (FeL7Cl2 and MnL7Cl2), with strong activity against both promastigotes and amastigotes and no observable toxicity against the THP1 cells are the Fe2+- and Mn2+- complexes of a dibenzyl cyclen derivative. Only 2 of the 44 compounds showed observable cytotoxicity against THP1 cells. Tetraazamacrocyclic monocyclic polyamines represent a new class of antileishmanial lead structures that warrant follow up studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy J. Hubin
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, Southwestern Oklahoma State University. 100 Campus Drive, Weatherford, OK 73096
| | - Ashlie N. Walker
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, Southwestern Oklahoma State University. 100 Campus Drive, Weatherford, OK 73096
| | - Dustin J. Davilla
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, Southwestern Oklahoma State University. 100 Campus Drive, Weatherford, OK 73096
| | - TaRynn N. Carder Freeman
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, Southwestern Oklahoma State University. 100 Campus Drive, Weatherford, OK 73096
| | - Brittany M. Epley
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, Southwestern Oklahoma State University. 100 Campus Drive, Weatherford, OK 73096
| | - Travis R. Hasley
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, Southwestern Oklahoma State University. 100 Campus Drive, Weatherford, OK 73096
| | - Prince N. A. Amoyaw
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Southwestern Oklahoma State University. 100 Campus Drive, Weatherford, Ok 73096
| | - Surendra Jain
- National Center for Natural Products Research and Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677
| | | | - Timothy J. Prior
- Department of Chemistry, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX
| | - Jeanette A. Krause
- Department of Chemistry, University of Cincinnati, 301 Clifton Ct., Cincinnati, OH 45221-0172
| | - Allen G. Oliver
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556
| | - Babu L. Tekwani
- National Center for Natural Products Research and Department of BioMolecular Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677
- (Present address) Southern Research, Division of Drug Discovery, 2000 9th Avenue South Birmingham, AL 35205
| | - M. Omar F. Khan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Southwestern Oklahoma State University. 100 Campus Drive, Weatherford, Ok 73096
- (Present address) University of Charleston School of Pharmacy, 2300 MacCorkle Ave SE Charleston, WV 25304
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Leishmania treatment and prevention: Natural and synthesized drugs. Eur J Med Chem 2018; 160:229-244. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2018.10.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2018] [Revised: 10/08/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Parasitic diseases that pose a threat to human life include leishmaniasis - caused by protozoan parasite Leishmania species. Existing drugs have limitations due to deleterious side effects like teratogenicity, high cost and drug resistance. This calls for the need to have an insight into therapeutic aspects of disease. Areas covered: We have identified different drug targets via. molecular, imuunological, metabolic as well as by system biology approaches. We bring these promising drug targets into light so that they can be explored to their maximum. In an effort to bridge the gaps between existing knowledge and prospects of drug discovery, we have compiled interesting studies on drug targets, thereby paving the way for establishment of better therapeutic aspects. Expert opinion: Advancements in technology shed light on many unexplored pathways. Further probing of well established pathways led to the discovery of new drug targets. This review is a comprehensive report on current and emerging drug targets, with emphasis on several metabolic targets, organellar biochemistry, salvage pathways, epigenetics, kinome and more. Identification of new targets can contribute significantly towards strengthening the pipeline for disease elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shyam Sundar
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221 005, UP, India
| | - Bhawana Singh
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221 005, UP, India
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Gatreddi S, Are S, Qureshi IA. Ribokinase from Leishmania donovani: purification, characterization and X-ray crystallographic analysis. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION F-STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY COMMUNICATIONS 2018; 74:99-104. [PMID: 29400319 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x18000109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2017] [Accepted: 01/02/2018] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Leishmania is an auxotrophic protozoan parasite which acquires D-ribose by transporting it from the host cell and also by the hydrolysis of nucleosides. The enzyme ribokinase (RK) catalyzes the first step of ribose metabolism by phosphorylating D-ribose using ATP to produce D-ribose-5-phosphate. To understand its structure and function, the gene encoding RK from L. donovani was cloned, expressed and purified using affinity and size-exclusion chromatography. Circular-dichroism spectroscopy of the purified protein showed comparatively more α-helix in the secondary-structure content, and thermal unfolding revealed the Tm to be 317.2 K. Kinetic parameters were obtained by functional characterization of L. donovani RK, and the Km values for ribose and ATP were found to be 296 ± 36 and 116 ± 9.0 µM, respectively. Crystals obtained by the hanging-drop vapour-diffusion method diffracted to 1.95 Å resolution and belonged to the hexagonal space group P61, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 100.25, c = 126.77 Å. Analysis of the crystal content indicated the presence of two protomers in the asymmetric unit, with a Matthews coefficient (VM) of 2.45 Å3 Da-1 and 49.8% solvent content. Further study revealed that human counterpart of this protein could be used as a template to determine the first three-dimensional structure of the RK from trypanosomatid parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Santhosh Gatreddi
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Professor C. R. Rao Road, Hyderabad 500 046, India
| | - Sayanna Are
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Professor C. R. Rao Road, Hyderabad 500 046, India
| | - Insaf Ahmed Qureshi
- Department of Biotechnology and Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, University of Hyderabad, Professor C. R. Rao Road, Hyderabad 500 046, India
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Muxel SM, Aoki JI, Fernandes JCR, Laranjeira-Silva MF, Zampieri RA, Acuña SM, Müller KE, Vanderlinde RH, Floeter-Winter LM. Arginine and Polyamines Fate in Leishmania Infection. Front Microbiol 2018; 8:2682. [PMID: 29379478 PMCID: PMC5775291 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.02682] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2017] [Accepted: 12/22/2017] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmania is a protozoan parasite that alternates its life cycle between the sand fly and the mammalian host macrophages, involving several environmental changes. The parasite responds to these changes by promoting a rapid metabolic adaptation through cellular signaling modifications that lead to transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene expression regulation and morphological modifications. Molecular approaches such as gene expression regulation, next-generation sequencing (NGS), microRNA (miRNA) expression profiling, in cell Western blot analyses and enzymatic activity profiling, have been used to characterize the infection of murine BALB/c and C57BL/6 macrophages, as well as the human monocytic cell-lineage THP-1, with Leishmania amazonensis wild type (La-WT) or arginase knockout (La-arg-). These models are being used to elucidate physiological roles of arginine and polyamines pathways and the importance of arginase for the establishment of the infection. In this review, we will describe the main aspects of Leishmania-host interaction, focusing on the arginine and polyamines pathways and pointing to possible targets to be used for prognosis and/or in the control of the infection. The parasite enzymes, arginase and nitric oxide synthase-like, have essential roles in the parasite survival and in the maintenance of infection. On the other hand, in mammalian macrophages, defense mechanisms are activated inducing alterations in the mRNA, miRNA and enzymatic profiles that lead to the control of infection. Furthermore, the genetic background of both parasite and host are also important to define the fate of infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra M Muxel
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Juliana I Aoki
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Juliane C R Fernandes
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Ricardo A Zampieri
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Stephanie M Acuña
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Karl E Müller
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway
| | - Rubia H Vanderlinde
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Lucile M Floeter-Winter
- Department of Physiology, Institute of Biosciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
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Aoki JI, Muxel SM, Zampieri RA, Acuña SM, Fernandes JCR, Vanderlinde RH, Sales MCODP, Floeter-Winter LM. L-arginine availability and arginase activity: Characterization of amino acid permease 3 in Leishmania amazonensis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0006025. [PMID: 29073150 PMCID: PMC5693463 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2017] [Revised: 11/17/2017] [Accepted: 10/09/2017] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leishmania uses the amino acid L-arginine as a substrate for arginase, enzyme that produces urea and ornithine, last precursor of polyamine pathway. This pathway is used by the parasite to replicate and it is essential to establish the infection in the mammalian host. L-arginine is not synthesized by the parasite, so its uptake occurs through the amino acid permease 3 (AAP3). AAP3 is codified by two copies genes (5.1 and 4.7 copies), organized in tandem in the parasite genome. One copy presents the expression regulated by L-arginine availability. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS RNA-seq data revealed 14 amino acid transporters differentially expressed in the comparison of La-WT vs. La-arg- promastigotes and axenic amastigotes. The 5.1 and 4.7 aap3 transcripts were down-regulated in La-WT promastigotes vs. axenic amastigotes, and in La-WT vs. La-arg- promastigotes. In contrast, transcripts of other transporters were up-regulated in the same comparisons. The amount of 5.1 and 4.7 aap3 mRNA of intracellular amastigotes was also determined in sample preparations from macrophages, obtained from BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice and the human THP-1 lineage infected with La-WT or La-arg-, revealing that the genetic host background is also important. We also determined the aap3 mRNA and AAP3 protein amounts of promastigotes and axenic amastigotes in different environmental growth conditions, varying pH, temperature and L-arginine availability. Interestingly, the increase of temperature increased the AAP3 level in plasma membrane and consequently the L-arginine uptake, independently of pH and L-arginine availability. In addition, we demonstrated that besides the plasma membrane localization, AAP3 was also localized in the glycosome of L. amazonensis promastigotes and axenic amastigotes. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE In this report, we described the differential transcriptional profiling of amino acids transporters from La-WT and La-arg- promastigotes and axenic amastigotes. We also showed the increased AAP3 levels under amino acid starvation or its decrease in L-arginine supplementation. The differential AAP3 expression was determined in the differentiation of promastigotes to amastigotes conditions, as well as the detection of AAP3 in the plasma membrane reflecting in the L-arginine uptake. Our data suggest that depending on the amino acid pool and arginase activity, Leishmania senses and could use an alternative route for the amino acid transport in response to stress signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Ide Aoki
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail: (JIA); (LMFW)
| | - Sandra Marcia Muxel
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Andrade Zampieri
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Stephanie Maia Acuña
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Lucile Maria Floeter-Winter
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- * E-mail: (JIA); (LMFW)
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Bruni N, Stella B, Giraudo L, Della Pepa C, Gastaldi D, Dosio F. Nanostructured delivery systems with improved leishmanicidal activity: a critical review. Int J Nanomedicine 2017; 12:5289-5311. [PMID: 28794624 PMCID: PMC5536235 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s140363] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne zoonotic disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania, which are responsible for numerous clinical manifestations, such as cutaneous, visceral, and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, depending on the site of infection for particular species. These complexities threaten 350 million people in 98 countries worldwide. Amastigotes living within macrophage phagolysosomes are the principal target of antileishmanial treatment, but these are not an easy target as drugs must overcome major structural barriers. Furthermore, limitations on current therapy are related to efficacy, toxicity, and cost, as well as the length of treatment, which can increase parasitic resistance. Nanotechnology has emerged as an attractive alternative as conventional drugs delivered by nanosized carriers have improved bioavailability and reduced toxicity, together with other characteristics that help to relieve the burden of this disease. The significance of using colloidal carriers loaded with active agents derives from the physiological uptake route of intravenous administered nanosystems (the phagocyte system). Nanosystems are thus able to promote a high drug concentration in intracellular mononuclear phagocyte system (MPS)-infected cells. Moreover, the versatility of nanometric drug delivery systems for the deliberate transport of a range of molecules plays a pivotal role in the design of therapeutic strategies against leishmaniasis. This review discusses studies on nanocarriers that have greatly contributed to improving the efficacy of antileishmaniasis drugs, presenting a critical review and some suggestions for improving drug delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Barbara Stella
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | | | - Carlo Della Pepa
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Daniela Gastaldi
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
| | - Franco Dosio
- Department of Drug Science and Technology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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15
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Catharina L, Lima CR, Franca A, Guimarães ACR, Alves-Ferreira M, Tuffery P, Derreumaux P, Carels N. A Computational Methodology to Overcome the Challenges Associated With the Search for Specific Enzyme Targets to Develop Drugs Against Leishmania major. Bioinform Biol Insights 2017. [PMID: 28638238 PMCID: PMC5470852 DOI: 10.1177/1177932217712471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
We present an approach for detecting enzymes that are specific of Leishmania major compared with Homo sapiens and provide targets that may assist research in drug development. This approach is based on traditional techniques of sequence homology comparison by similarity search and Markov modeling; it integrates the characterization of enzymatic functionality, secondary and tertiary protein structures, protein domain architecture, and metabolic environment. From 67 enzymes represented by 42 enzymatic activities classified by AnEnPi (Analogous Enzymes Pipeline) as specific for L major compared with H sapiens, only 40 (23 Enzyme Commission [EC] numbers) could actually be considered as strictly specific of L major and 27 enzymes (19 EC numbers) were disregarded for having ambiguous homologies or analogies with H sapiens. Among the 40 strictly specific enzymes, we identified sterol 24-C-methyltransferase, pyruvate phosphate dikinase, trypanothione synthetase, and RNA-editing ligase as 4 essential enzymes for L major that may serve as targets for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Larissa Catharina
- Laboratório de Modelagem de Sistemas Biológicos, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Inovação em Doenças de Populações Negligenciadas (INCT-IDPN), Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde (CDTS), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carlyle Ribeiro Lima
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique (UPR 9080), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paris 7, Paris, France.,Molécules Thérapeutiques in silico (UMR-S 973), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Alexander Franca
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Bioinformática, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana Carolina Ramos Guimarães
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Bioinformática, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Alves-Ferreira
- Laboratório de Modelagem de Sistemas Biológicos, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Inovação em Doenças de Populações Negligenciadas (INCT-IDPN), Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde (CDTS), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Pierre Tuffery
- Molécules Thérapeutiques in silico (UMR-S 973), Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), Université Paris Diderot, Sorbonne Paris Cité, Paris, France
| | - Philippe Derreumaux
- Laboratoire de Biochimie Théorique, Institut de Biologie Physico-Chimique (UPR 9080), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Paris 7, Paris, France
| | - Nicolas Carels
- Laboratório de Modelagem de Sistemas Biológicos, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Inovação em Doenças de Populações Negligenciadas (INCT-IDPN), Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde (CDTS), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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16
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Fonseca MS, Comini MA, Resende BV, Santi AMM, Zoboli AP, Moreira DS, Murta SMF. Ornithine decarboxylase or gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase overexpression protects Leishmania (Vianna) guyanensis against antimony. Exp Parasitol 2017; 175:36-43. [PMID: 28167207 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2017.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2016] [Revised: 12/16/2016] [Accepted: 02/01/2017] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosomatids present a unique mechanism for detoxification of peroxides that is dependent on trypanothione (bisglutathionylspermidine). Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase (GSH1) produce molecules that are direct precursors of trypanothione. In this study, Leishmania guyanensis odc and gsh1 overexpressor cell lines were generated to investigate the contribution of these genes to the trivalent antimony (SbIII)-resistance phenotype. The ODC- or GSH1-overexpressors parasites presented an increase of two and four-fold in SbIII-resistance index, respectively, when compared with the wild-type line. Pharmacological inhibition of ODC and GSH1 with the specific inhibitors α-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), respectively, increased the antileishmanial effect of SbIII in all cell lines. However, the ODC- and GSH1-overexpressor were still more resistant to SbIII than the parental cell line. Together, our data shows that modulation of ODC and GSH1 levels and activity is sufficient to affect L. guyanensis susceptibility to SbIII, and confirms a role of these genes in the SbIII-resistance phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maisa S Fonseca
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou CPqRR/Fiocruz, Av. Augusto de Lima 1715 301190-002, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Marcelo A Comini
- Laboratorio de Biología Redox de Tripanosomátidos, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Mataojo 2020 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Bethânia V Resende
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou CPqRR/Fiocruz, Av. Augusto de Lima 1715 301190-002, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Ana Maria M Santi
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou CPqRR/Fiocruz, Av. Augusto de Lima 1715 301190-002, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Antônio P Zoboli
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou CPqRR/Fiocruz, Av. Augusto de Lima 1715 301190-002, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Douglas S Moreira
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou CPqRR/Fiocruz, Av. Augusto de Lima 1715 301190-002, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Silvane M F Murta
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou CPqRR/Fiocruz, Av. Augusto de Lima 1715 301190-002, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.
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17
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Jagu E, Pomel S, Diez-Martinez A, Ramiandrasoa F, Krauth-Siegel RL, Pethe S, Blonski C, Labruère R, Loiseau PM. Synthesis and in vitro antikinetoplastid activity of polyamine–hydroxybenzotriazole conjugates. Bioorg Med Chem 2017; 25:84-90. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2016.10.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2016] [Revised: 09/20/2016] [Accepted: 10/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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18
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Arginase Is Essential for Survival of Leishmania donovani Promastigotes but Not Intracellular Amastigotes. Infect Immun 2016; 85:IAI.00554-16. [PMID: 27795357 PMCID: PMC5203656 DOI: 10.1128/iai.00554-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2016] [Accepted: 10/16/2016] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies of Leishmania donovani have shown that both ornithine decarboxylase and spermidine synthase, two enzymes of the polyamine biosynthetic pathway, are critical for promastigote proliferation and required for maximum infection in mice. However, the importance of arginase (ARG), the first enzyme of the polyamine pathway in Leishmania, has not been analyzed in L. donovani. To test ARG function in intact parasites, we generated Δarg null mutants in L. donovani and evaluated their ability to proliferate in vitro and trigger infections in mice. The Δarg knockout was incapable of growth in the absence of polyamine supplementation, but the auxotrophic phenotype could be bypassed by addition of either millimolar concentrations of ornithine or micromolar concentrations of putrescine or by complementation with either glycosomal or cytosolic versions of ARG. Spermidine supplementation of the medium did not circumvent the polyamine auxotrophy of the Δarg line. Although ARG was found to be essential for ornithine and polyamine synthesis, ornithine decarboxylase appeared to be the rate-limiting enzyme for polyamine production. Mouse infectivity studies revealed that the Δarg lesion reduced parasite burdens in livers by an order of magnitude but had little impact on the numbers of parasites recovered from spleens. Thus, ARG is essential for proliferation of promastigotes but not intracellular amastigotes. Coupled with previous studies, these data support a model in which L. donovani amastigotes readily salvage ornithine and have some access to host spermidine pools, while host putrescine appears to be unavailable for salvage by the parasite.
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19
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Garcia-Salcedo JA, Unciti-Broceta JD, Valverde-Pozo J, Soriano M. New Approaches to Overcome Transport Related Drug Resistance in Trypanosomatid Parasites. Front Pharmacol 2016; 7:351. [PMID: 27733833 PMCID: PMC5039210 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2016.00351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2016] [Accepted: 09/16/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmania and Trypanosoma are members of the Trypanosomatidae family that cause severe human infections such as leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, and sleeping sickness affecting millions of people worldwide. Despite efforts to eradicate them, migrations are expanding these infections to developing countries. There are no vaccines available and current treatments depend only on chemotherapy. Drug resistance is a major obstacle for the treatment of these diseases given that existing drugs are old and limited, with some having severe side effects. Most resistance mechanisms developed by these parasites are related with a decreased uptake or increased efflux of the drug due to mutations or altered expression of membrane transporters. Different new approaches have been elaborated that can overcome these mechanisms of resistance including the use of inhibitors of efflux pumps and drug carriers for both active and passive targeting. Here we review new formulations that have been successfully applied to circumvent resistance related to drug transporters, opening alternative ways to solve drug resistance in protozoan parasitic diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jose A Garcia-Salcedo
- Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria, ibs.GRANADA, Hospitales Universitarios de Granada - Universidad de Granada, GranadaSpain; Centro de Genómica e Investigación Oncológica - Pfizer/Universidad de Granada/Junta de Andalucía, GranadaSpain
| | - Juan D Unciti-Broceta
- Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria, ibs.GRANADA, Hospitales Universitarios de Granada - Universidad de Granada, Granada Spain
| | - Javier Valverde-Pozo
- Unidad de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología, Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria, ibs.GRANADA, Hospitales Universitarios de Granada - Universidad de Granada, GranadaSpain; Centro de Genómica e Investigación Oncológica - Pfizer/Universidad de Granada/Junta de Andalucía, GranadaSpain
| | - Miguel Soriano
- Centro de Genómica e Investigación Oncológica - Pfizer/Universidad de Granada/Junta de Andalucía, GranadaSpain; Departamento de Agronomía, Universidad de Almería, AlmeríaSpain
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20
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Diniz EMLP, Tomich de Paula da Silva CH, Gómez-Perez V, Federico LB, Campos Rosa JM. GRIND2-based 3D-QSAR and prediction of activity spectra for symmetrical bis-pyridinium salts with promastigote antileishmanial activity. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2016; 35:2430-2440. [DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2016.1221364] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Verónica Gómez-Perez
- Facultad de Farmacia, Departamento de Química Farmacéutica y Orgánica, Universidad de Granada, c/ Campus de Cartuja s/n, Granada 18071, Spain
| | - Leonardo Bruno Federico
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas de Ribeirão Preto, USP, Av. do Café S/N, CEP: 14040-903, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil
- Facultad de Farmacia, Departamento de Química Farmacéutica y Orgánica, Universidad de Granada, c/ Campus de Cartuja s/n, Granada 18071, Spain
| | - Joaquín María Campos Rosa
- Facultad de Farmacia, Departamento de Química Farmacéutica y Orgánica, Universidad de Granada, c/ Campus de Cartuja s/n, Granada 18071, Spain
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21
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Nishikawa H, Sakagami T, Yamada E, Fukuda Y, Hayakawa H, Nomura N, Mitsuyama J, Miyazaki T, Mukae H, Kohno S. T-2307, a novel arylamidine, is transported into Candida albicans by a high-affinity spermine and spermidine carrier regulated by Agp2. J Antimicrob Chemother 2016; 71:1845-55. [PMID: 27090633 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkw095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2015] [Accepted: 02/29/2016] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES T-2307, a novel arylamidine, exhibits potent broad-spectrum activities against pathogenic fungi, particularly Candida albicans. We previously reported that T-2307 uptake was mainly mediated by a saturable high-affinity carrier at the MIC for C. albicans. Since we hypothesized that the potent anticandidal activity arose from accumulation via the high-affinity carrier, we characterized the specificity and kinetic features of the carrier. METHODS The MICs of T-2307 for C. albicans strains were evaluated in the presence and absence of potential competitive substrates. The cells were exposed to [(14)C]T-2307, [(14)C]spermine or [(14)C]spermidine in the presence of unlabelled T-2307, pentamidine, propamidine, or competitive substrates if necessary, and the radioactivity in the cells was measured. C. albicans gene deletion was performed using a one-step PCR-based technique. RESULTS Coapplication with exogenous spermine or spermidine decreased the antifungal activity and uptake of T-2307 in C. albicans strains. T-2307 competitively inhibited spermine and spermidine uptake with inhibition constants similar to its Km for the high-affinity carrier. The comparison of MICs and kinetic values between T-2307 and other diamidine compounds suggested that the different antifungal properties could be partially attributable to the variations in their affinity with the carrier. Studies of gene deletion mutants revealed that T-2307 was transported into C. albicans by a high-affinity spermine and spermidine carrier regulated by Agp2. CONCLUSIONS Uptake of T-2307 via the high-affinity spermine and spermidine carrier regulated by Agp2 could contribute to its potent antifungal activity. Further investigation is required to identify the high-affinity carrier for potential targeting with novel therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Nishikawa
- Research Laboratories, Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd, 2-4-1 Shimookui, Toyama, Japan Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Toru Sakagami
- Research Laboratories, Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd, 2-4-1 Shimookui, Toyama, Japan
| | - Eio Yamada
- Research Laboratories, Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd, 2-4-1 Shimookui, Toyama, Japan
| | - Yoshiko Fukuda
- Research Laboratories, Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd, 2-4-1 Shimookui, Toyama, Japan
| | - Hiroyoshi Hayakawa
- Research Laboratories, Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd, 2-4-1 Shimookui, Toyama, Japan
| | - Nobuhiko Nomura
- Research Laboratories, Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd, 2-4-1 Shimookui, Toyama, Japan
| | - Junichi Mitsuyama
- Research Laboratories, Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd, 2-4-1 Shimookui, Toyama, Japan
| | - Taiga Miyazaki
- Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Nagasaki University Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Mukae
- Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Shigeru Kohno
- Second Department of Internal Medicine, Nagasaki University, Nagasaki, Japan
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No JH. Visceral leishmaniasis: Revisiting current treatments and approaches for future discoveries. Acta Trop 2016; 155:113-23. [PMID: 26748356 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2015.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2015] [Revised: 12/24/2015] [Accepted: 12/25/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The current treatments for visceral leishmaniasis are old and toxic with limited routes of administration. The emergence of drug-resistant Leishmania threatens the efficacy of the existing reservoir of antileishmanials, leading to an urgent need to develop new treatments. It is particularly important to review and understand how the current treatments act against Leishmania in order to identify valid drug targets or essential pathways for next-generation antileishmanials. It is equally important to adapt newly emerging biotechnologies to facilitate the current research on the development of novel antileishmanials in an efficient fashion. This review covers the basic background of the current visceral leishmaniasis treatments with an emphasis on the modes of action. It briefly discusses the role of the immune system in aiding the chemotherapy of leishmaniasis, describes potential new antileishmanial drug targets and pathways, and introduces recent progress on the utilization of high-throughput phenotypic screening assays to identify novel antileishmanial compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joo Hwan No
- Institut Pasteur Korea, Leishmania Research Laboratory, 696 Sampyeong-dong, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.
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Yadav A, Amit A, Chaudhary R, Chandel AS, Mahantesh V, Suman SS, Singh SK, Dikhit MR, Ali V, Rabidas V, Pandey K, Kumar A, Das P, Bimal S. Leishmania donovani: impairment of the cellular immune response against recombinant ornithine decarboxylase protein as a possible evasion strategy of Leishmania in visceral leishmaniasis. Int J Parasitol 2015; 45:33-42. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2014.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2014] [Revised: 08/05/2014] [Accepted: 08/07/2014] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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Probing the molecular mechanism of hypericin-induced parasite death provides insight into the role of spermidine beyond redox metabolism in Leishmania donovani. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2014; 59:15-24. [PMID: 25313212 DOI: 10.1128/aac.04169-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Hypericin, a natural compound from Hypericum perforatum (St. John's wort), has been identified as a specific inhibitor of Leishmania donovani spermidine synthase (LdSS) using integrated computational and biochemical approaches. Hypericin showed in vitro inhibition of recombinant LdSS enzyme activity. The in vivo estimation of spermidine levels in Leishmania promastigotes after hypericin treatment showed significant decreases in the spermidine pools of the parasites, indicating target specificity of the inhibitor molecule. The inhibitor, hypericin, showed significant antileishmanial activity, and the mode of death showed necrosis-like features. Further, decreased trypanothione levels and increased glutathione levels with elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were observed after hypericin treatment. Supplementation with trypanothione in the medium with hypericin treatment restored in vivo trypanothione levels and ROS levels but could not prevent necrosis-like death of the parasites. However, supplementation with spermidine in the medium with hypericin treatment restored in vivo spermidine levels and parasite death was prevented to a large extent. The data overall suggest that the parasite death due to spermidine starvation as a result of LdSS inhibition is not related to elevated levels of reactive oxygen species. This suggests the involvement of spermidine in processes other than redox metabolism in Leishmania parasites. Moreover, the work provides a novel scaffold, i.e., hypericin, as a potent antileishmanial molecule.
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4-amino bis-pyridinium derivatives as novel antileishmanial agents. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2014; 58:4103-12. [PMID: 24798287 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02481-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The antileishmanial activity of a series of bis-pyridinium derivatives that are analogues of pentamidine have been investigated, and all compounds assayed were found to display activity against promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes of Leishmania donovani and Leishmania major, with 50% effective concentrations (EC50s) lower than 1 μM in most cases. The majority of compounds showed similar behavior in both Leishmania species, being slightly more active against L. major amastigotes. However, compound VGP-106 {1,1'-(biphenyl-4,4'-diylmethylene)bis[4-(4-bromo-N-methylanilino)pyridinium] dibromide} exhibited significantly higher activity against L. donovani amastigotes (EC50, 0.86 ± 0.46 μM) with a lower toxicity in THP-1 cells (EC50, 206.54 ± 9.89 μM). As such, VGP-106 was chosen as a representative compound to further elucidate the mode of action of this family of inhibitors in promastigote forms of L. donovani. We have determined that uptake of VGP-106 in Leishmania is a temperature-independent process, suggesting that the compound crosses the parasite membrane by diffusion. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed a severe mitochondrial swelling in parasites treated with compound VGP-106, which induces hyperpolarization of the mitochondrial membrane potential and a significant decrease of intracellular free ATP levels due to the inhibition of ATP synthesis. Additionally, we have confirmed that VGP-106 induces mitochondrial ROS production and an increase in intracellular Ca(2+) levels. All these molecular events can activate the apoptotic process in Leishmania; however, propidium iodide assays gave no indication of DNA fragmentation. These results underline the potency of compound VGP-106, which may represent a new avenue for the development of novel antileishmanial compounds.
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Singh N, Mishra BB, Bajpai S, Singh RK, Tiwari VK. Natural product based leads to fight against leishmaniasis. Bioorg Med Chem 2013; 22:18-45. [PMID: 24355247 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2013.11.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2013] [Revised: 11/18/2013] [Accepted: 11/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The growing incidence of parasitic resistance against generic pentavalent antimonials, specifically for visceral disease in Indian subcontinent, is a serious issue in Leishmania control. Notwithstanding the two treatment alternatives, that is amphotericin B and miltefosine are being effectively used but their high cost and therapeutic complications limit their use in endemic areas. In the absence of a vaccine candidate, identification, and characterization of novel drugs and targets is a major requirement of leishmanial research. This review describes current drug regimens, putative drug targets, numerous natural products that have shown promising antileishmanial activity alongwith some key issues and strategies for future research to control leishmaniasis worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Singh
- Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Bhuwan B Mishra
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Surabhi Bajpai
- Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Rakesh K Singh
- Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India.
| | - Vinod K Tiwari
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India.
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Ejazi SA, Ali N. Developments in diagnosis and treatment of visceral leishmaniasis during the last decade and future prospects. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2013; 11:79-98. [PMID: 23428104 DOI: 10.1586/eri.12.148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) continues to be a life-threatening neglected tropical disease, with close to 200 million people at risk of infection globally. Epidemics and resurgence of VL are associated with negligence by the policy makers, economic decline and population movements. Control of the disease is hampered by the lack of proficient vaccination, rapid diagnosis in a field setting and severe side effects of current drug therapies. The diagnosis of VL relied largely on invasive techniques of detecting parasites in splenic and bone marrow aspirates. rK39 and PCR, despite problems related to varying sensitivities and specificities and field adaptability, respectively, are considered the best options for VL diagnosis today. No single therapy of VL currently offers satisfactory efficacy along with safety. The field of VL research only recently shifted toward actively identifying new drugs for safe and affordable treatment. Oral miltefosine and safe AmBisome along with better use of amphotericin B have been rapidly implemented in the last decade. A combination therapy will substantially reduce the required dose and duration of drug administration and reduce the chance of the development of resistance. In addition, identification of asymptomatic cases, vector control and treatment of post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis would allow new perspectives in VL control and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarfaraz Ahmad Ejazi
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S.C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, India
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Singh SP, Agnihotri P, Pratap JV. Characterization of a Novel Putative S-Adenosylmethionine Decarboxylase-Like Protein from Leishmania donovani. PLoS One 2013; 8:e65912. [PMID: 23840377 PMCID: PMC3686867 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0065912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2012] [Accepted: 05/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
In addition to the S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AD) present in all organisms, trypanosomatids including Leishmania spp. possess an additional copy, annotated as the putative S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase-like proenzyme (ADL). Phylogenetic analysis confirms that ADL is unique to trypanosomatids and has several unique features such as lack of autocatalytic cleavage and a distinct evolutionary lineage, even from trypanosomatid ADs. In Trypanosoma ADL was found to be enzymaticaly dead but plays an essential regulatory role by forming a heterodimer complex with AD. However, no structural or functional information is available about ADL from Leishmania spp. Here, in this study, we report the cloning, expression, purification, structural and functional characterization of Leishmania donovani (L. donovani) ADL using biophysical, biochemical and computational techniques. Biophysical studies show that, L. donovani ADL binds S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and putrescine which are natural substrates of AD. Computational modeling and docking studies showed that in comparison to the ADs of other organisms including human, residues involved in putrescine binding are partially conserved while the SAM binding residues are significantly different. In silico protein-protein interaction study reveals that L. donovani ADL can interact with AD. These results indicate that L. donovani ADL posses a novel substrate binding property and may play an essential role in polyamine biosynthesis with a different mode of function from known proteins of the S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase super family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saurabh Pratap Singh
- Molecular & Structural Biology Division, Central Drug Research Institute, Chattar Manzil, Mahatma Gandhi Marg, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, India
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Abstract
SIGNIFICANCE Parasitic infections continue to be a major problem for global human health. Vaccines are practically not available and chemotherapy is highly unsatisfactory. One approach toward a novel antiparasitic drug development is to unravel pathways that may be suited as future targets. Parasitic organisms show a remarkable diversity with respect to the nature and functions of their main low-molecular-mass antioxidants and many of them developed pathways that do not have a counterpart in their mammalian hosts. RECENT ADVANCES Work of the last years disclosed the individual antioxidants employed by parasites and their distinct pathways. Entamoeba, Trichomonas, and Giardia directly use cysteine as main low-molecular-mass thiol but have divergent cysteine metabolisms. Malarial parasites rely exclusively on cysteine uptake and generate glutathione (GSH) as main free thiol as do metazoan parasites. Trypanosomes and Leishmania have a unique trypanothione-based thiol metabolism but employ individual mechanisms for their cysteine supply. In addition, some trypanosomatids synthesize ovothiol A and/or ascorbate. Various essential parasite enzymes such as trypanothione synthetase and trypanothione reductase in Trypanosomatids and the Schistosoma thioredoxin GSH reductase are currently intensively explored as drug target molecules. CRITICAL ISSUES Essentiality is a prerequisite but not a sufficient property of an enzyme to become a suited drug target. The availability of an appropriate in vivo screening system and many other factors are equally important. FUTURE DIRECTIONS The current organism-wide RNA-interference and proteome analyses are supposed to reveal many more interesting candidates for future drug development approaches directed against the parasite antioxidant defense systems.
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Niemand J, Louw AI, Birkholtz L, Kirk K. Polyamine uptake by the intraerythrocytic malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. Int J Parasitol 2012; 42:921-9. [PMID: 22878129 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2012.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2012] [Revised: 07/21/2012] [Accepted: 07/23/2012] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Polyamines and the enzymes involved in their biosynthesis are present at high levels in rapidly proliferating cells, including cancer cells and protozoan parasites. Inhibition of polyamine biosynthesis in asexual blood-stage malaria parasites causes cytostatic arrest of parasite development under in vitro conditions, but does not cure infections in vivo. This may be due to replenishment of the parasite's intracellular polyamine pool via salvage of exogenous polyamines from the host. However, the mechanism(s) of polyamine uptake by the intraerythrocytic parasite are not well understood. In this study, the uptake of the polyamines, putrescine and spermidine, into Plasmodium falciparum parasites functionally isolated from their host erythrocyte was investigated using radioisotope flux techniques. Both putrescine and spermidine were taken up into isolated parasites via a temperature-dependent process that showed cross-competition between different polyamines. There was also some inhibition of polyamine uptake by basic amino acids. Inhibition of polyamine biosynthesis led to an increase in the total amount of putrescine and spermidine taken up from the extracellular medium. The uptake of putrescine and spermidine by isolated parasites was independent of extracellular Na(+) but increased with increasing external pH. Uptake also showed a marked dependence on the parasite's membrane potential, decreasing with membrane depolarization and increasing with membrane hyperpolarization. The data are consistent with polyamines being taken up into the parasite via an electrogenic uptake process, energised by the parasite's inwardly negative membrane potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Niemand
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
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Singh N, Kumar M, Singh RK. Leishmaniasis: current status of available drugs and new potential drug targets. ASIAN PAC J TROP MED 2012; 5:485-97. [PMID: 22575984 DOI: 10.1016/s1995-7645(12)60084-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 259] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2012] [Revised: 03/15/2012] [Accepted: 04/15/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The control of Leishmania infection relies primarily on chemotherapy till date. Resistance to pentavalent antimonials, which have been the recommended drugs to treat cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis, is now widespread in Indian subcontinents. New drug formulations like amphotericin B, its lipid formulations, and miltefosine have shown great efficacy to treat leishmaniasis but their high cost and therapeutic complications limit their usefulness. In addition, irregular and inappropriate uses of these second line drugs in endemic regions like state of Bihar, India threaten resistance development in the parasite. In context to the limited drug options and unavailability of either preventive or prophylactic candidates, there is a pressing need to develop true antileishmanial drugs to reduce the disease burden of this debilitating endemic disease. Notwithstanding significant progress of leishmanial research during last few decades, identification and characterization of novel drugs and drug targets are far from satisfactory. This review will initially describe current drug regimens and later will provide an overview on few important biochemical and enzymatic machineries that could be utilized as putative drug targets for generation of true antileishmanial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Singh
- Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
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Olin-Sandoval V, González-Chávez Z, Berzunza-Cruz M, Martínez I, Jasso-Chávez R, Becker I, Espinoza B, Moreno-Sánchez R, Saavedra E. Drug target validation of the trypanothione pathway enzymes through metabolic modelling. FEBS J 2012; 279:1811-33. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1742-4658.2012.08557.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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Visceral leishmaniasis treatment: What do we have, what do we need and how to deliver it? INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-DRUGS AND DRUG RESISTANCE 2012; 2:11-9. [PMID: 24533267 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2012.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 166] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2011] [Revised: 01/12/2012] [Accepted: 01/14/2012] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is one of the most neglected tropical disease in terms of drug discovery and development. Most antileishmanial drugs are highly toxic, present resistance issues or require hospitalization, being therefore not adequate to the field. Recently improvements have been achieved by combination therapy, reducing the time and cost of treatment. Nonetheless, new drugs are still urgently needed. In this review, we describe the current visceral leishmaniasis (VL) treatments and their limitations. We also discuss the new strategies in the drug discovery field including the development and implementation of high-throughput screening (HTS) assays and the joint efforts of international teams to deliver clinical candidates.
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Abstract
New drugs are urgently needed for the treatment of tropical and subtropical parasitic diseases, such as African sleeping sickness, Chagas' disease, leishmaniasis and malaria. Enzymes in polyamine biosynthesis and thiol metabolism, as well as polyamine transporters, are potential drug targets within these organisms. In the present review, the current knowledge of unique properties of polyamine metabolism in these parasites is outlined. These properties include prozyme regulation of AdoMetDC (S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase) activity in trypanosomatids, co-expression of ODC (ornithine decarboxylase) and AdoMetDC activities in a single protein in plasmodia, and formation of trypanothione, a unique compound linking polyamine and thiol metabolism in trypanosomatids. Particularly interesting features within polyamine metabolism in these parasites are highlighted for their potential in selective therapeutic strategies.
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Abstract
Genetic lesions in the polyamine biosynthetic pathway of Leishmania donovani, the causal agent of visceral leishmaniasis, are conditionally lethal mutations that render the insect vector form of the parasite auxotrophic for polyamines. Recently, we have demonstrated that a Δodc L. donovani null mutant lacking ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, was profoundly compromised in its ability to infect mice, indicating that ODC is essential for the infectious mammalian stage of the parasite and further validating the enzyme as a possible drug target. To assess whether other components of the polyamine biosynthetic pathway were also essential for parasite virulence, a cell line deficient in spermidine synthase (SPDSYN), the enzyme that converts putrescine to spermidine, was created by double-targeted gene replacement within a virulent L. donovani background. This Δspdsyn strain was auxotrophic for polyamines, required spermidine for growth in its insect vector form, and was adversely impacted in its ability to infect mice. These findings establish that SPDSYN, like ODC, is essential for maintaining a robust infection in mammals and indicate that pharmacologic inhibition of SPDSYN, and perhaps all components of the polyamine biosynthetic pathway, is a valid therapeutic strategy for the treatment of visceral and, potentially, other forms of leishmaniasis.
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Vince JE, Tull D, Landfear S, McConville MJ. Lysosomal degradation of Leishmania hexose and inositol transporters is regulated in a stage-, nutrient- and ubiquitin-dependent manner. Int J Parasitol 2011; 41:791-800. [PMID: 21447343 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2011.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2010] [Revised: 02/07/2011] [Accepted: 02/09/2011] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Leishmania parasites experience variable nutrient levels as they cycle between the extracellular promastigote stage in the sandfly vector and the obligate intracellular amastigote stage in the mammalian host. Here we show that the surface expression of three Leishmania mexicana hexose and myo-inositol transporters is regulated in both a stage-specific and nutrient-dependent manner. GFP-chimeras of functionally active hexose transporters, LmGT2 and LmGT3, and the myo-inositol transporter, MIT, were primarily expressed in the cell body plasma membrane in rapidly dividing promastigote stages. However MIT-GFP was mostly rerouted to the multivesicular tubule (MVT)-lysosome when promastigotes reached stationary phase growth and all three nutrient transporters were targeted to the amastigote lysosome following transformation to in vitro differentiated or in vivo imaged amastigote stages. This stage-specific decrease in surface expression of GFP-tagged transporters correlated with decreased hexose or myo-inositol uptake in stationary phase promastigotes and amastigotes. The MVT-lysosme targeting of the MIT-GFP protein was reversed when promastigotes were deprived of myo-inositol, indicating that nutrient signals can override stage-specific changes in transporter distribution. The surface expression of the hexose and myo-inositol transporters was not regulated by interactions with the subpellicular cytoskeleton, as both classes of transporters associated with detergent-resistant membranes. LmGT3-GFP and MIT-GFP proteins C-terminally modified with mono-ubiquitin were constitutively transported to the MVT-lysosome, suggesting that ubiquitination may play a key role in regulating the subcellular distribution of these transporters and parasite adaptation to different nutrient conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- James E Vince
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, University of Melbourne, Flemington Rd, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
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Nishikawa H, Yamada E, Shibata T, Uchihashi S, Fan H, Hayakawa H, Nomura N, Mitsuyama J. Uptake of T-2307, a novel arylamidine, in Candida albicans. J Antimicrob Chemother 2010; 65:1681-7. [PMID: 20513704 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkq177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES T-2307, a novel arylamidine synthesized at Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd, has in vitro and in vivo broad-spectrum activities against pathogenic fungi. T-2307 particularly exhibits potent in vitro and in vivo activity against Candida albicans, suggesting that its uptake might be mediated by a transport system. In this report, we studied the uptake of T-2307 in C. albicans. METHODS C. albicans cells and rat hepatocytes were exposed to 0.02 microM [(14)C]T-2307. After incubation, the reaction mixture was concentrated and layered on a silicon layer (mixture of silicon oil and liquid paraffin) inside a tube. The tube was then centrifuged to transfer cells into the bottom layer (sodium hydroxide) for solubilization. The bottom layer was neutralized and measured for radioactivity. RESULTS T-2307 was concentrated from the extracellular medium by C. albicans cells in 10 mM phosphate buffer solution supplemented with 1% glucose by 3200- to 5100-fold. The accumulation was approximately two orders of magnitude greater than that achieved with a rat hepatocyte preparation. T-2307 uptake was sensitive to temperature and extracellular pH, and was reduced in the presence of inhibitors of mitochondrial respiration, oxidative phosphorylation and plasma membrane proton pump, and by an uncoupler. Furthermore, T-2307 uptake was concentration dependent and an Eadie-Hofstee plot suggested the involvement of two transport systems. CONCLUSIONS The considerably higher concentrations of T-2307 were selectively accumulated in C. albicans via transporter-mediated systems, as compared with the concentrations in rat hepatocytes. This transporter-mediated uptake of T-2307 contributes to its potent anticandidal activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hiroshi Nishikawa
- Research Laboratories, Toyama Chemical Co., Ltd, 2-4-1 Shimookui, Toyama, Japan.
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Colotti G, Ilari A. Polyamine metabolism in Leishmania: from arginine to trypanothione. Amino Acids 2010; 40:269-85. [PMID: 20512387 DOI: 10.1007/s00726-010-0630-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2010] [Accepted: 05/13/2010] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Polyamines (PAs) are essential metabolites in eukaryotes, participating in a variety of proliferative processes, and in trypanosomatid protozoa play an additional role in the synthesis of the critical thiol trypanothione. The PAs are synthesized by a metabolic process which involves arginase (ARG), which catalyzes the enzymatic hydrolysis of L-arginine (L-Arg) to L-ornithine and urea, and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), which catalyzes the enzymatic decarboxylation of L-ornithine in putrescine. The S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (AdoMetDC) catalyzes the irreversible decarboxylation of S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet), generating the decarboxylated S-adenosylmethionine (dAdoMet), which is a substrate, together with putrescine, for spermidine synthase (SpdS). Leishmania parasites and all the other members of the trypanosomatid family depend on spermidine for growth and survival. They can synthesize PAs and polyamine precursors, and also scavenge them from the microenvironment, using specific transporters. In addition, Trypanosomatids have a unique thiol-based metabolism, in which trypanothione (N1-N8-bis(glutathionyl)spermidine, T(SH)(2)) and trypanothione reductase (TR) replace many of the antioxidant and metabolic functions of the glutathione/glutathione reductase (GR) and thioredoxin/thioredoxin reductase (TrxR) systems present in the host. Trypanothione synthetase (TryS) and TR are necessary for the protozoa survival. Consequently, enzymes involved in spermidine synthesis and its utilization, i.e. ARG, ODC, AdoMetDC, SpdS and, in particular, TryS and TR, are promising targets for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianni Colotti
- Institute of Biology and Molecular Pathology, CNR, c/o Department of Biochemical Sciences, University Sapienza, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185, Rome, Italy.
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Wong ILK, Chan KF, Zhao Y, Chan TH, Chow LMC. Quinacrine and a novel apigenin dimer can synergistically increase the pentamidine susceptibility of the protozoan parasite Leishmania. J Antimicrob Chemother 2009; 63:1179-90. [DOI: 10.1093/jac/dkp130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
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Reguera RM, Balaña-Fouce R, Showalter M, Hickerson S, Beverley SM. Leishmania major lacking arginase (ARG) are auxotrophic for polyamines but retain infectivity to susceptible BALB/c mice. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2009; 165:48-56. [PMID: 19393161 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2009.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2008] [Revised: 01/05/2009] [Accepted: 01/12/2009] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Polyamines are essential metabolites in eukaryotes participating in a variety of proliferative processes, and in trypanosomatid protozoa play an additional role in the synthesis of the critical thiol trypanothione. Whereas the polyamine biosynthesis arising from L-ornithine has been well studied in protozoa, the metabolic origin(s) of L-ornithine have received less attention. Arginase (EC 3.5.3.1) catalyzes the enzymatic hydrolysis of L-arginine to L-ornithine and urea, and we tested the role of arginase in polyamine synthesis by the generation of an arg(?) knockout in Leishmania major by double targeted gene replacement. This mutant lacked arginase activity and required the nutritional provision of polyamines or L-ornithine for growth. A complemented line (arg(?)/+ARG) expressing arginase from a multi-copy expression vector showed 30-fold elevation of arginase activity, similar polyamine and ornithine levels as the wild-type, and resistance to the inhibitors ?-difluoromethylornithine (DFMO) and N(?)-hydroxy-l-arginine (NOHA). This established that arginase is the major route of polyamine synthesis in promastigotes cultured in vitro. The arg(?) parasites retained the ability to differentiate normally to the infective metacyclic stage, and were able to induce progressive disease following inoculation into susceptible BALB/c mice, albeit less efficiently than WT parasites. These data suggest that the infective amastigote form of Leishmania, which normally resides within an acidified parasitophorous vacuole, can survive in vivo through salvage of host polyamines and/or other molecules, aided by the tendency of acidic compartments to concentrate basic metabolites. This may thus contribute to the relative resistance of Leishmania to ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) inhibitors. The availability of infective, viable, arginase-deficient parasites should prove useful in dissecting the role of l-arginine metabolism in both pro- and anti-parasitic responses involving host nitric oxide synthase, which requires L-arginine to generate NO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosa M Reguera
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León. Campus de Vegazana s/n 24071-León, Spain
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Leishmania donovani ornithine decarboxylase is indispensable for parasite survival in the mammalian host. Infect Immun 2008; 77:756-63. [PMID: 19064633 DOI: 10.1128/iai.01236-08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations within the polyamine biosynthetic pathway of Leishmania donovani, the etiological agent of visceral leishmaniasis, confer polyamine auxotrophy to the insect vector or promastigote form of the parasite. However, whether the infectious or amastigote form of the parasite requires an intact polyamine pathway has remained an open question. To address this issue, conditionally lethal Deltaodc mutants lacking ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), the rate-limiting enzyme in polyamine biosynthesis, were created by double targeted gene replacement within a virulent strain of L. donovani. ODC-deficient promastigotes and axenic amastigotes were auxotrophic for polyamines and capable of robust growth only when exogenous putrescine was supplied in the culture medium, confirming that polyamine biosynthesis is an essential nutritional pathway for L. donovani promastigotes. To assess whether the Deltaodc lesion also affected the ability of amastigotes to sustain a robust infection, macrophage and mouse infectivity experiments were performed. Parasite loads in murine macrophages infected with each of two independent Deltaodc knockout lines were decreased approximately 80% compared to their wild-type counterpart. Furthermore, alpha-difluoromethylornithine, a suicide inhibitor of ODC, inhibited growth of wild-type L. donovani amastigotes and effectively cured macrophages of parasites, thereby preventing host cell destruction. Strikingly, however, parasitemias of both Deltaodc null mutants were reduced by 6 and 3 orders of magnitude, respectively, in livers and spleens of BALB/c mice. The compromised infectivity phenotypes of the Deltaodc knockouts in both macrophages and mice were rescued by episomal complementation of the genetic lesion. These genetic and pharmacological studies strongly implicate ODC as an essential cellular determinant that is necessary for the viability and growth of both L. donovani promastigotes and amastigotes and intimate that pharmacological inhibition of ODC is a promising therapeutic paradigm for the treatment of visceral and perhaps other forms of leishmaniasis.
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Vannier-Santos MA, Menezes D, Oliveira MF, de Mello FG. The putrescine analogue 1,4-diamino-2-butanone affects polyamine synthesis, transport, ultrastructure and intracellular survival in Leishmania amazonensis. Microbiology (Reading) 2008; 154:3104-3111. [DOI: 10.1099/mic.0.2007/013896-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Diego Menezes
- Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil
| | - Marcus F. Oliveira
- Instituto de Bioquímica Médica, Programa de Biologia Molecular e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Cidade Universitária, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Fernando G. de Mello
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Novel agmatine analogue, γ-guanidinooxypropylamine (GAPA) efficiently inhibits proliferation of Leishmania donovani by depletion of intracellular polyamine levels. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2008; 375:168-72. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2008.07.143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2008] [Accepted: 07/31/2008] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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44
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Antimony resistance and trypanothione in experimentally selected and clinical strains of Leishmania panamensis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2008; 52:4503-6. [PMID: 18824610 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01075-08] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The participation of trypanothione in clinical and experimental antimony (Sb) resistance in Leishmania panamensis was examined by using specific inhibitors. Buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) significantly reversed the resistance to trivalent Sb (Sb(III)) of promastigotes of experimentally derived Sb-resistant lines, supporting the participation of a trypanothione-mediated mechanism of resistance. In contrast, promastigotes of strains isolated at the time of clinical treatment failure and resistant to pentavalent Sb (Sb(V)) as intracellular amastigotes were not cross resistant to Sb(III), and BSO had little or no effect on susceptibility. Difluoromethylornithine did not alter the Sb(III) susceptibilities of experimentally selected lines or clinical strains. The mechanisms of acquired resistance emerging in clinical settings may differ from those selected by in vitro exposure to Sb.
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45
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Huang TL, Vanden Eynde JJ, Mayence A, Donkor IO, Khan SI, Tekwani BL. Anti-plasmodial and anti-leishmanial activity of conformationally restricted pentamidine congeners. J Pharm Pharmacol 2006; 58:1033-42. [PMID: 16872549 DOI: 10.1211/jpp.58.8.0003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
A library of 52 pentamidine congeners in which the flexible pentyldioxy linker in pentamidine was replaced with various restricted linkers was tested for in-vitro activity against two Plasmodium falciparum strains and Leishmania donovani. The tested compounds were generally more effective against P. falciparum than L. donovani. The most active compounds against the chloroquine-sensitive (D6, Sierra Leone) and -resistant (W2, Indochina) strains of P. falciparum were bisbenzamidines linked with a 1,4-piperazinediyl or 1, 4-homopiperazinediyl moiety, with IC50 values (50% inhibitory concentration, inhibiting parasite growth by 50% in relation to drug-free control) as low as 7 nM based on the parasite lactate dehydrogenase assay. Seven piperazine-linked bisbenzamidines substituted at the amidinium nitrogens with a linear alkyl group of 3-6 carbons (22, 25, 27, 31) or cycloalkyl group of 4, 6 or 7 carbons (26, 32, 34) were more potent (IC50<40 nM) than chloroquine or pentamidine as anti-plasmodial agents. The most active anti-leishmanial agents were 4,4'-[1,4-phenylenebis(methyleneoxy)]bisbenzenecarboximidamide (2, IC50 approximately 0.290 microM) and 1,4-bis[4-(1H-benzimidazol-2-yl)phenyl] piperazine (44, IC50 approximately 0.410 microM), which were 10- and 7-fold more potent than pentamidine (IC50 approximately 2.90 microM). Several of the more active anti-plasmodial agents (e.g. 2, 31, 33, 36-38) were also potent anti-leishmanial agents, indicating broad antiprotozoal properties. However, a number of analogues that showed potent anti-plasmodial activity (1, 18, 21, 22, 25-28, 32, 43, 45) were not significantly active against the Leishmania parasite. This indicates differential modes of anti-plasmodial and anti-leishmanial actions for this class of compounds. These compounds provide important structure-activity relationship data for the design of improved chemotherapeutic agents against parasitic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tien L Huang
- Division of Basic Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Xavier University of Louisiana, New Orleans, 70125, USA.
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46
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Roberts SC, Jiang Y, Gasteier J, Frydman B, Marton LJ, Heby O, Ullman B. Leishmania donovani polyamine biosynthetic enzyme overproducers as tools to investigate the mode of action of cytotoxic polyamine analogs. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2006; 51:438-45. [PMID: 17116678 PMCID: PMC1797743 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01193-06] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A number of anticancer and antiparasitic drugs are postulated to target the polyamine biosynthetic pathway and polyamine function, but the exact mode of action of these compounds is still being elucidated. To establish whether polyamine analogs specifically target enzymes of the polyamine pathway, a model was developed using strains of the protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani that overproduce each of the polyamine biosynthetic enzymes. Promastigotes overexpressing episomal constructs encoding ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (ADOMETDC), or spermidine synthase (SPDSYN) revealed robust overproduction of the corresponding polyamine biosynthetic enzyme. Polyamine pools, however, were either unchanged or only marginally affected, implying that regulatory mechanisms must exist. The ODC, ADOMETDC, and SPDSYN overproducer strains exhibited a high level of resistance to difluoromethylornithine, 5'-{[(Z)-4-amino-2-butenyl]methylamino}-5'-deoxyadenosine, and n-butylamine, respectively, confirming previous observations that these agents specifically target polyamine enzymes. Conversely, augmented levels of polyamine biosynthetic enzymes did not affect the sensitivity of L. donovani promastigotes to pentamidine, berenil, and mitoguazone, drugs that were postulated to target the polyamine pathway, implying alternative and/or additional targets for these agents. The sensitivities of wild-type and overproducing parasites to a variety of polyamine analogs were also tested. The polyamine enzyme-overproducing lines offer a rapid cell-based screen for assessing whether synthetic polyamine analogs exert their mechanism of action predominantly on the polyamine biosynthetic pathway in L. donovani. Furthermore, the drug resistance engendered by the amplification of target genes and the overproduction of the encoded protein offers a general strategy for evaluating and developing therapeutic agents that target specific proteins in Leishmania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sigrid C Roberts
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239-3098, USA
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47
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Huynh C, Sacks DL, Andrews NW. A Leishmania amazonensis ZIP family iron transporter is essential for parasite replication within macrophage phagolysosomes. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2006; 203:2363-75. [PMID: 17000865 PMCID: PMC2118100 DOI: 10.1084/jem.20060559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 116] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Infection of mammalian hosts with Leishmania amazonensis depends on the remarkable ability of these parasites to replicate within macrophage phagolysosomes. A critical adaptation for survival in this harsh environment is an efficient mechanism for gaining access to iron. In this study, we identify and characterize LIT1, a novel L. amazonensis membrane protein with extensive similarity to IRT1, a ZIP family ferrous iron transporter from Arabidopsis thaliana. The ability of LIT1 to promote iron transport was demonstrated after expression in yeast and in L. amazonensis LIT1-null amastigotes. Endogenous LIT1 was only detectable in amastigotes replicating intracellularly, and its intracellular expression was accelerated under conditions predicted to result in iron deprivation. Although L. amazonensis lacking LIT1 grew normally in axenic culture and had no defects differentiating into infective forms, replication within macrophages was abolished. Consistent with an essential role for LIT1 in intracellular growth as amastigotes, Δlit1 parasites were avirulent. After inoculation into highly susceptible mice, no lesions were detected, even after extensive periods of time. Despite the absence of pathology, viable Δlit1 parasites were recovered from the original sites of inoculation, indicating that L. amazonensis can persist in vivo independently of the ability to grow in macrophages. Our findings highlight the essential role played by intracellular iron acquisition in Leishmania virulence and identify this pathway as a promising target for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chau Huynh
- Section of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06510, USA
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48
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Raksajit W, Mäenpää P, Incharoensakdi A. Putrescine transport in a cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. BMB Rep 2006; 39:394-9. [PMID: 16889682 DOI: 10.5483/bmbrep.2006.39.4.394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The transport of putrescine into a moderately salt tolerant cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 was characterized by measuring the uptake of radioactively-labeled putrescine. Putrescine transport showed saturation kinetics with an apparent K(m) of 92 +/- 10 microM and V(max) of 0.33 +/- 0.05 nmol/min/mg protein. The transport of putrescine was pH-dependent with highest activity at pH 7.0. Strong inhibition of putrescine transport was caused by spermine and spermidine whereas only slight inhibition was observed by the addition of various amino acids. These results suggest that the transport system in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 is highly specific for polyamines. Putrescine transport is energy-dependent as evidenced by the inhibition by various metabolic inhibitors and ionophores. Slow growth was observed in cells grown under salt stress. Addition of low concentration of putrescine could restore growth almost to the level observed in the absence of salt stress. Upshift of the external osmolality generated by either NaCl or sorbitol caused an increased putrescine transport with an optimum 2-fold increase at 20 mosmol/kg. The stimulation of putrescine transport mediated by osmotic upshift was abolished in chloramphenicol-treated cells, suggesting possible involvement of an inducible transport system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wuttinun Raksajit
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok 10330, Thailand
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49
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Chibucos MC, Morris PF. Levels of polyamines and kinetic characterization of their uptake in the soybean pathogen Phytophthora sojae. Appl Environ Microbiol 2006; 72:3350-6. [PMID: 16672477 PMCID: PMC1472313 DOI: 10.1128/aem.72.5.3350-3356.2006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2005] [Accepted: 03/02/2006] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Polyamines are ubiquitous biologically active aliphatic cations that are at least transiently available in the soil from decaying organic matter. Our objectives in this study were to characterize polyamine uptake kinetics in Phytophthora sojae zoospores and to quantify endogenous polyamines in hyphae, zoospores, and soybean roots. Zoospores contained 10 times more free putrescine than spermidine, while hyphae contained only 4 times as much free putrescine as spermidine. Zoospores contained no conjugated putrescine, but conjugated spermidine was present. Hyphae contained both conjugated putrescine and spermidine at levels comparable to the hyphal free putrescine and spermidine levels. In soybean roots, cadaverine was the most abundant polyamine, but only putrescine efflux was detected. The selective efflux of putrescine suggests that the regulation of polyamine availability is part of the overall plant strategy to influence microbial growth in the rhizosphere. In zoospores, uptake experiments with [1,4-(14)C]putrescine and [1,4-(14)C]spermidine confirmed the existence of high-affinity polyamine transport for both polyamines. Putrescine uptake was reduced by high levels of exogenous spermidine, but spermidine uptake was not reduced by exogenous putrescine. These observations suggest that P. sojae zoospores express at least two high-affinity polyamine transporters, one that is spermidine specific and a second that is putrescine specific or putrescine preferential. Disruption of polyamine uptake or metabolism has major effects on a wide range of cellular activities in other organisms and has been proposed as a potential control strategy for Phytophthora. Inhibition of polyamine uptake may be a means of reducing the fitness of the zoospore along with subsequent developmental stages that precede infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Constantine Chibucos
- Department of Biological Sciences, Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, OH 43403, USA
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50
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Ravaschino EL, Docampo R, Rodriguez JB. Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of phosphinopeptides against Trypanosoma cruzi targeting trypanothione biosynthesis. J Med Chem 2006; 49:426-35. [PMID: 16392828 DOI: 10.1021/jm050922i] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
As a part of our project aimed at the search for new safe chemotherapeutic and chemoprophylactic agents against American trypanosomiasis (Chagas's disease), a series of phosphinopeptides structurally related to glutathione was designed, synthesized, and evaluated as antiproliferative agents against the parasite responsible for this disease, the hemoflagellated protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. The rationale for the synthesis of these compounds was supported on the basis that the presence of the phosphinic acid moiety would mimic the tetrahedral transition state of trypanothione synthase (TryS), a typical C:N ligase, and the molecular target of these drugs. Of the designed compounds, 53 and 54 were potent growth inhibitors against the clinically more relevant form of T. cruzi (amastigotes) growing in myoblasts. The efficacy for these drugs was comparable to that exhibited by the well-known antiparasitic agent WC-9. The simple phosphinopeptide structure found as a pharmacophore in the present study constitutes a starting point for the development of straightforward optimized drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esteban L Ravaschino
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
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