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Fall F, Mamede L, Schioppa L, Ledoux A, De Tullio P, Michels P, Frédérich M, Quetin-Leclercq J. Trypanosoma brucei: Metabolomics for analysis of cellular metabolism and drug discovery. Metabolomics 2022; 18:20. [PMID: 35305174 DOI: 10.1007/s11306-022-01880-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2021] [Accepted: 03/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Trypanosoma brucei is the causative agent of Human African Trypanosomiasis (also known as sleeping sickness), a disease causing serious neurological disorders and fatal if left untreated. Due to its lethal pathogenicity, a variety of treatments have been developed over the years, but which have some important limitations such as acute toxicity and parasite resistance. Metabolomics is an innovative tool used to better understand the parasite's cellular metabolism, and identify new potential targets, modes of action and resistance mechanisms. The metabolomic approach is mainly associated with robust analytical techniques, such as NMR and Mass Spectrometry. Applying these tools to the trypanosome parasite is, thus, useful for providing new insights into the sleeping sickness pathology and guidance towards innovative treatments. AIM OF REVIEW The present review aims to comprehensively describe the T. brucei biology and identify targets for new or commercialized antitrypanosomal drugs. Recent metabolomic applications to provide a deeper knowledge about the mechanisms of action of drugs or potential drugs against T. brucei are highlighted. Additionally, the advantages of metabolomics, alone or combined with other methods, are discussed. KEY SCIENTIFIC CONCEPTS OF REVIEW Compared to other parasites, only few studies employing metabolomics have to date been reported on Trypanosoma brucei. Published metabolic studies, treatments and modes of action are discussed. The main interest is to evaluate the metabolomics contribution to the understanding of T. brucei's metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanta Fall
- Pharmacognosy Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute (LDRI), UCLouvain, Avenue E. Mounier B1 72.03, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium.
| | - Lucia Mamede
- Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, Center of Interdisciplinary Research On Medicines (CIRM), University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Laura Schioppa
- Pharmacognosy Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute (LDRI), UCLouvain, Avenue E. Mounier B1 72.03, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Allison Ledoux
- Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, Center of Interdisciplinary Research On Medicines (CIRM), University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Pascal De Tullio
- Metabolomics Group, Center of Interdisciplinary Research On Medicines (CIRM), University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Paul Michels
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution (CIIE) and Centre for Translational and Chemical Biology (CTCB), School of Biological Sciences, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland
| | - Michel Frédérich
- Laboratory of Pharmacognosy, Center of Interdisciplinary Research On Medicines (CIRM), University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Joëlle Quetin-Leclercq
- Pharmacognosy Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute (LDRI), UCLouvain, Avenue E. Mounier B1 72.03, B-1200, Brussels, Belgium
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Multi Platforms Strategies and Metabolomics Approaches for the Investigation of Comprehensive Metabolite Profile in Dogs with Babesia canis Infection. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23031575. [PMID: 35163517 PMCID: PMC8835742 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23031575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Canine babesiosis is an important tick-borne disease worldwide, caused by parasites of the Babesia genus. Although the disease process primarily affects erythrocytes, it may also have multisystemic consequences. The goal of this study was to explore and characterize the serum metabolome, by identifying potential metabolites and metabolic pathways in dogs naturally infected with Babesia canis using liquid and gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry. The study included 12 dogs naturally infected with B. canis and 12 healthy dogs. By combining three different analytical platforms using untargeted and targeted approaches, 295 metabolites were detected. The untargeted ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) metabolomics approach identified 64 metabolites, the targeted UHPLC-MS/MS metabolomics approach identified 205 metabolites, and the GC-MS metabolomics approach identified 26 metabolites. Biological functions of differentially abundant metabolites indicate the involvement of various pathways in canine babesiosis including the following: glutathione metabolism; alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism; glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism; cysteine and methionine metabolism; and phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis. This study confirmed that host–pathogen interactions could be studied by metabolomics to assess chemical changes in the host, such that the differences in serum metabolome between dogs with B. canis infection and healthy dogs can be detected with liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) methods. Our study provides novel insight into pathophysiological mechanisms of B. canis infection.
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Study the Mechanism of Antileishmanial Action of Xanthium strumarium Against Amastigotes Stages in Leishmania major: A Metabolomics Approach. Jundishapur J Nat Pharm Prod 2021. [DOI: 10.5812/jjnpp.106431] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Leishmaniasis is among the most important neglected tropical infections, affecting millions of people worldwide. Since 1945, chemotherapy has been the primary treatment for leishmaniasis; however, lengthy and costly treatments associated with various side effects and strains resistant to the conventional therapy have dramatically reduced chemotherapy compounds’ efficacy. Objectives: The antileishmanial activity of the leaf extract of Xanthium strumarium (Asteraceae) was studied. New insights into its mechanism of action toward Leishmania major were provided through a metabolomics-based study. Methods: J774 macrophages were cultured, infected with stationary promastigotes, and treated with different leaf extract concentrations for three days. Antileishmanial activity was assayed by the MTT colorimetric method, and cell metabolites were extracted. 1HNMR spectroscopy was applied, and outliers were analyzed using multivariate statistical analysis. Results: Xanthium strumarium extract (0.15 µg/mL) showed the best activity against L. major amastigotes with the infection rate (IR) and multiplication index (MI) values of 51% and 57%, respectively. The action of X. strumarium extract on amastigotes was comparable with amphotericin B as the positive control (0.015 µg/mL). According to the obtained P-values, pentanoate and coenzyme A biosynthesis, pentose and glucuronate metabolism, valine, leucine and isoleucine biosynthesis, galactose metabolism, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism were the most important metabolic pathways affected by the plant extract in the amastigote stage of L. major. Conclusions: Our finding demonstrated that X. strumarium leaf extract could be used for discovering and producing novel leishmanicidal medicines. Moreover, the affected metabolic pathways observed in this study could be potential candidates for drug targeting against leishmaniasis.
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Kabra R, Chauhan N, Kumar A, Ingale P, Singh S. Efflux pumps and antimicrobial resistance: Paradoxical components in systems genomics. PROGRESS IN BIOPHYSICS AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2019; 141:15-24. [PMID: 30031023 PMCID: PMC7173168 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbiomolbio.2018.07.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 07/10/2018] [Accepted: 07/15/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Efflux pumps play a major role in the increasing antimicrobial resistance rendering a large number of drugs of no use. Large numbers of pathogens are becoming multidrug resistant due to inadequate dosage and use of the existing antimicrobials. This leads to the need for identifying new efflux pump inhibitors. Design of novel targeted therapies using inherent complexity involved in the biological network modeling has gained increasing importance in recent times. The predictive approaches should be used to determine antimicrobial activities with high pathogen specificity and microbicidal potency. Antimicrobial peptides, which are part of our innate immune system, have the ability to respond to infections and have gained much attention in making resistant strain sensitive to existing drugs. In this review paper, we outline evidences linking host-directed therapy with the efflux pump activity to infectious disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ritika Kabra
- National Centre for Cell Science, NCCS Complex, Ganeshkhind, SP Pune University Campus, Pune 411007, India
| | - Nutan Chauhan
- National Centre for Cell Science, NCCS Complex, Ganeshkhind, SP Pune University Campus, Pune 411007, India
| | - Anurag Kumar
- National Centre for Cell Science, NCCS Complex, Ganeshkhind, SP Pune University Campus, Pune 411007, India
| | - Prajakta Ingale
- National Centre for Cell Science, NCCS Complex, Ganeshkhind, SP Pune University Campus, Pune 411007, India
| | - Shailza Singh
- National Centre for Cell Science, NCCS Complex, Ganeshkhind, SP Pune University Campus, Pune 411007, India.
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Canuto GAB, da Cruz PLR, Faccio AT, Klassen A, Tavares MFM. Neglected diseases prioritized in Brazil under the perspective of metabolomics: A review. Electrophoresis 2015; 36:2336-2347. [PMID: 26095472 DOI: 10.1002/elps.201500102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2015] [Revised: 05/15/2015] [Accepted: 05/18/2015] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
This review article compiles in a critical manner literature publications regarding seven neglected diseases (ND) prioritized in Brazil (Chagas disease, dengue, leishmaniasis, leprosy, malaria, schistosomiasis, and tuberculosis) under the perspective of metabolomics. Both strategies, targeted and untargeted metabolomics, were considered in the compilation. The majority of studies focused on biomarker discovery for diagnostic purposes, and on the search of novel or alternative therapies against the ND under consideration, although temporal progression of the infection at metabolic level was also addressed. Tuberculosis, followed by schistosomiasis, malaria and leishmaniasis are the diseases that received larger attention in terms of number of publications. Dengue and leprosy were the least studied and Chagas disease received intermediate attention. NMR and HPLC-MS technologies continue to predominate among the analytical platforms of choice in the metabolomic studies of ND. A plethora of metabolites were identified in the compiled studies, with expressive predominancy of amino acids, organic acids, carbohydrates, nucleosides, lipids, fatty acids, and derivatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gisele A B Canuto
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Pedro L R da Cruz
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Andrea T Faccio
- Institute of Chemistry, University of Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Aline Klassen
- Federal University of Sao Paulo, Diadema, SP, Brazil
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Matthews KR. 25 years of African trypanosome research: From description to molecular dissection and new drug discovery. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2015; 200:30-40. [PMID: 25736427 PMCID: PMC4509711 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2015.01.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2014] [Revised: 01/09/2015] [Accepted: 01/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The Molecular Parasitology conference was first held at the Marine Biological laboratory, Woods Hole, USA 25 years ago. Since that first meeting, the conference has evolved and expanded but has remained the showcase for the latest research developments in molecular parasitology. In this perspective, I reflect on the scientific discoveries focussed on African trypanosomes (Trypanosoma brucei spp.) that have occurred since the inaugural MPM meeting and discuss the current and future status of research on these parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith R Matthews
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, Institute for Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JT, UK.
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Achcar F, Fadda A, Haanstra JR, Kerkhoven EJ, Kim DH, Leroux AE, Papamarkou T, Rojas F, Bakker BM, Barrett MP, Clayton C, Girolami M, Krauth-Siegel RL, Matthews KR, Breitling R. The silicon trypanosome: a test case of iterative model extension in systems biology. Adv Microb Physiol 2014; 64:115-43. [PMID: 24797926 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-800143-1.00003-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The African trypanosome, Trypanosoma brucei, is a unicellular parasite causing African Trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness in humans and nagana in animals). Due to some of its unique properties, it has emerged as a popular model organism in systems biology. A predictive quantitative model of glycolysis in the bloodstream form of the parasite has been constructed and updated several times. The Silicon Trypanosome is a project that brings together modellers and experimentalists to improve and extend this core model with new pathways and additional levels of regulation. These new extensions and analyses use computational methods that explicitly take different levels of uncertainty into account. During this project, numerous tools and techniques have been developed for this purpose, which can now be used for a wide range of different studies in systems biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fiona Achcar
- Institute of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Abeer Fadda
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Jurgen R Haanstra
- Department of Pediatrics, Centre for Liver Digestive and Metabolic Diseases, and Systems Biology Centre for Energy Metabolism and Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands; Department of Molecular Cell Physiology, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Eduard J Kerkhoven
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, and Glasgow Polyomics, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom; Systems and Synthetic Biology Group, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Dong-Hyun Kim
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, and Glasgow Polyomics, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | | | - Theodore Papamarkou
- The Department of Statistical Science and The Centre for Computational Statistics and Machine Learning University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Federico Rojas
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, Institute for Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, Ashworth Laboratories, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Barbara M Bakker
- Department of Pediatrics, Centre for Liver Digestive and Metabolic Diseases, and Systems Biology Centre for Energy Metabolism and Ageing, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Michael P Barrett
- Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, and Glasgow Polyomics, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Christine Clayton
- Zentrum für Molekulare Biologie der Universität Heidelberg, DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Mark Girolami
- The Department of Statistical Science and The Centre for Computational Statistics and Machine Learning University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | | | - Keith R Matthews
- Centre for Immunity, Infection and Evolution, Institute for Immunology and Infection Research, School of Biological Sciences, Ashworth Laboratories, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - Rainer Breitling
- Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Manchester, Manchester, United Kingdom.
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Jeelani G, Nozaki T. Metabolomic analysis of Entamoeba: applications and implications. Curr Opin Microbiol 2014; 20:118-24. [PMID: 24950028 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2014.05.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2014] [Revised: 04/18/2014] [Accepted: 05/23/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Entamoeba histolytica is an enteric protozoan parasite that causes hemorrhagic dysentery and extraintestinal abscesses in millions of inhabitants of endemic areas. The genome of E. histolytica has already been sequenced and used to predict the metabolic potential of the organism. Since nearly 56% of the E. histolytica genes remain unannotated, correlative 'omics' analyses of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and biochemical metabolic profiling are essential in uncovering new, or poorly understood metabolic pathways. Metabolomics aims at understanding biology by comprehensive metabolite profiling. In this review, we discuss recent metabolomics approaches to elucidate unidentified metabolic systems of this pathogen and also discuss future applications of metabolomics to understand the biology and pathogenesis of E. histolytica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghulam Jeelani
- Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan
| | - Tomoyoshi Nozaki
- Department of Parasitology, National Institute of Infectious Diseases, 1-23-1 Toyama, Shinjuku, Tokyo 162-8640, Japan; Graduate School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8572, Japan.
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Benznidazole biotransformation and multiple targets in Trypanosoma cruzi revealed by metabolomics. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2014; 8:e2844. [PMID: 24853684 PMCID: PMC4031082 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0002844] [Citation(s) in RCA: 83] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2013] [Accepted: 03/24/2014] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The first line treatment for Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, involves administration of benznidazole (Bzn). Bzn is a 2-nitroimidazole pro-drug which requires nitroreduction to become active, although its mode of action is not fully understood. In the present work we used a non-targeted MS-based metabolomics approach to study the metabolic response of T. cruzi to Bzn. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Parasites treated with Bzn were minimally altered compared to untreated trypanosomes, although the redox active thiols trypanothione, homotrypanothione and cysteine were significantly diminished in abundance post-treatment. In addition, multiple Bzn-derived metabolites were detected after treatment. These metabolites included reduction products, fragments and covalent adducts of reduced Bzn linked to each of the major low molecular weight thiols: trypanothione, glutathione, γ-glutamylcysteine, glutathionylspermidine, cysteine and ovothiol A. Bzn products known to be generated in vitro by the unusual trypanosomal nitroreductase, TcNTRI, were found within the parasites, but low molecular weight adducts of glyoxal, a proposed toxic end-product of NTRI Bzn metabolism, were not detected. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Our data is indicative of a major role of the thiol binding capacity of Bzn reduction products in the mechanism of Bzn toxicity against T. cruzi.
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Folate metabolism in human malaria parasites—75 years on. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2013; 188:63-77. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2013.02.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2012] [Revised: 02/15/2013] [Accepted: 02/19/2013] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Mass conserved elementary kinetics is sufficient for the existence of a non-equilibrium steady state concentration. J Theor Biol 2012; 314:173-81. [PMID: 22947275 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2012.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2012] [Revised: 08/02/2012] [Accepted: 08/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Living systems are forced away from thermodynamic equilibrium by exchange of mass and energy with their environment. In order to model a biochemical reaction network in a non-equilibrium state one requires a mathematical formulation to mimic this forcing. We provide a general formulation to force an arbitrary large kinetic model in a manner that is still consistent with the existence of a non-equilibrium steady state. We can guarantee the existence of a non-equilibrium steady state assuming only two conditions; that every reaction is mass balanced and that continuous kinetic reaction rate laws never lead to a negative molecule concentration. These conditions can be verified in polynomial time and are flexible enough to permit one to force a system away from equilibrium. With expository biochemical examples we show how reversible, mass balanced perpetual reaction(s), with thermodynamically infeasible kinetic parameters, can be used to perpetually force various kinetic models in a manner consistent with the existence of a steady state. Easily testable existence conditions are foundational for efforts to reliably compute non-equilibrium steady states in genome-scale biochemical kinetic models.
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Abstract
The decoding of the Tritryp reference genomes nearly 7 years ago provided a first peek into the biology of pathogenic trypanosomatids and a blueprint that has paved the way for genome-wide studies. Although 60-70% of the predicted protein coding genes in Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania major remain unannotated, the functional genomics landscape is rapidly changing. Facilitated by the advent of next-generation sequencing technologies, improved structural and functional annotation and genes and their products are emerging. Information is also growing for the interactions between cellular components as transcriptomes, regulatory networks and metabolomes are characterized, ushering in a new era of systems biology. Simultaneously, the launch of comparative sequencing of multiple strains of kinetoplastids will finally lead to the investigation of a vast, yet to be explored, evolutionary and pathogenomic space.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Choi
- Department of Cell Biology and Molecular Genetics, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA
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Vincent IM, Creek DJ, Burgess K, Woods DJ, Burchmore RJS, Barrett MP. Untargeted metabolomics reveals a lack of synergy between nifurtimox and eflornithine against Trypanosoma brucei. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2012; 6:e1618. [PMID: 22563508 PMCID: PMC3341325 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0001618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 77] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2012] [Accepted: 03/05/2012] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
A non-targeted metabolomics-based approach is presented that enables the study of pathways in response to drug action with the aim of defining the mode of action of trypanocides. Eflornithine, a polyamine pathway inhibitor, and nifurtimox, whose mode of action involves its metabolic activation, are currently used in combination as first line treatment against stage 2, CNS-involved, human African trypanosomiasis (HAT). Drug action was assessed using an LC-MS based non-targeted metabolomics approach. Eflornithine revealed the expected changes to the polyamine pathway as well as several unexpected changes that point to pathways and metabolites not previously described in bloodstream form trypanosomes, including a lack of arginase activity and N-acetylated ornithine and putrescine. Nifurtimox was shown to be converted to a trinitrile metabolite indicative of metabolic activation, as well as inducing changes in levels of metabolites involved in carbohydrate and nucleotide metabolism. However, eflornithine and nifurtimox failed to synergise anti-trypanosomal activity in vitro, and the metabolomic changes associated with the combination are the sum of those found in each monotherapy with no indication of additional effects. The study reveals how untargeted metabolomics can yield rapid information on drug targets that could be adapted to any pharmacological situation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabel M. Vincent
- The Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Darren J. Creek
- The Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Glasgow Polyomics Facility, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Karl Burgess
- The Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Glasgow Polyomics Facility, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Debra J. Woods
- Pfizer Animal Health, Pfizer Inc, Kalamazoo, Michigan, United States of America
| | - Richard J. S. Burchmore
- The Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Glasgow Polyomics Facility, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Michael P. Barrett
- The Wellcome Trust Centre for Molecular Parasitology, Institute for Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Glasgow Polyomics Facility, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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Systems biology from micro-organisms to human metabolic diseases: the role of detailed kinetic models. Biochem Soc Trans 2011; 38:1294-301. [PMID: 20863302 DOI: 10.1042/bst0381294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Human metabolic diseases are typically network diseases. This holds not only for multifactorial diseases, such as metabolic syndrome or Type 2 diabetes, but even when a single gene defect is the primary cause, where the adaptive response of the entire network determines the severity of disease. The latter may differ between individuals carrying the same mutation. Understanding the adaptive responses of human metabolism naturally requires a systems biology approach. Modelling of metabolic pathways in micro-organisms and some mammalian tissues has yielded many insights, qualitative as well as quantitative, into their control and regulation. Yet, even for a well-known pathway such as glycolysis, precise predictions of metabolite dynamics from experimentally determined enzyme kinetics have been only moderately successful. In the present review, we compare kinetic models of glycolysis in three cell types (African trypanosomes, yeast and skeletal muscle), evaluate their predictive power and identify limitations in our understanding. Although each of these models has its own merits and shortcomings, they also share common features. For example, in each case independently measured enzyme kinetic parameters were used as input. Based on these 'lessons from glycolysis', we will discuss how to make best use of kinetic computer models to advance our understanding of human metabolic diseases.
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