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Memedovski R, Preza M, Müller J, Kämpfer T, Rufener R, de Souza MVN, da Silva ET, de Andrade GF, Braga S, Uldry AC, Buchs N, Heller M, Lundström-Stadelmann B. Investigation of the mechanism of action of mefloquine and derivatives against the parasite Echinococcus multilocularis. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2023; 21:114-124. [PMID: 36921443 PMCID: PMC10025029 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2023.03.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Alveolar echinococcosis (AE) is caused by infection with the fox tapeworm E. multilocularis. The disease affects humans, dogs, captive monkeys, and other mammals, and it is caused by the metacestode stage of the parasite growing invasively in the liver. The current drug treatment is based on non-parasiticidal benzimidazoles. Thus, they are only limitedly curative and can cause severe side effects. Therefore, novel and improved treatment options for AE are needed. Mefloquine (MEF), an antimalarial agent, was previously shown to be effective against E. multilocularis in vitro and in experimentally infected mice. However, MEF is not parasiticidal and needs improvement for successful treatment of patients, and it can induce strong neuropsychiatric side-effects. In this study, the structure-activity relationship and mode of action of MEF was investigated by comparative analysis of 14 MEF derivatives. None of them showed higher activity against E. multilocularis metacestodes compared to MEF, but four compounds caused limited damage. In order to identify molecular targets of MEF and effective derivatives, differential affinity chromatography combined with mass spectrometry was performed with two effective compounds (MEF, MEF-3) and two ineffective compounds (MEF-13, MEF-22). 1'681 proteins were identified that bound specifically to MEF or derivatives. 216 proteins were identified as binding only to MEF and MEF-3. GO term enrichment analysis of these proteins and functional grouping of the 25 most abundant MEF and MEF-3 specific binding proteins revealed the key processes energy metabolism and cellular transport and structure, as well as stress responses and nucleic acid binding to be involved. The previously described ferritin was confirmed as an exclusively MEF-binding protein that could be relevant for its efficacy against E. multilocularis. The here identified potential targets of MEF will be further investigated in the future for a clear understanding of the pleiotropic effects of MEF, and improved therapeutic options against AE.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roman Memedovski
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Matías Preza
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Joachim Müller
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Tobias Kämpfer
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Reto Rufener
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | | | - Emerson Teixeira da Silva
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto de Tecnologia em Fármacos - Far Manguinhos, 21041-250, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Sophie Braga
- Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Anne-Christine Uldry
- Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Natasha Buchs
- Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Manfred Heller
- Proteomics and Mass Spectrometry Core Facility, Department for BioMedical Research (DBMR), University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Britta Lundström-Stadelmann
- Institute of Parasitology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland; Multidisciplinary Center for Infectious Diseases, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland.
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Udupa P, Kumar A, Parit R, Ghosh DK. Acyl-CoA binding protein regulates nutrient-dependent autophagy. Metabolism 2022:155338. [PMID: 36280213 DOI: 10.1016/j.metabol.2022.155338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Homeostasis of autophagy under normal conditions and nutrient stress is maintained by adaptive activation of regulatory proteins. However, the protein-lipid crosstalk that modulates the switch from suppression to activation of autophagy initiation is largely unknown. RESULTS Here, we show that human diazepam-binding inhibitor (DBI), also known as acyl-CoA binding protein (ACBP), binds to phosphatidylethanolamine of the phagophore membrane under nutrient-rich growth conditions, leading to inhibition of LC3 lipidation and suppression of autophagy initiation. Specific residues, including the conserved tyrosine residues of DBI, interact with phosphatidylethanolamine to stabilize the later molecule in the acyl-CoA binding cavity of the protein. Under starvation, phosphorylation of serine-21 of DBI mediated by the AMP-activated protein kinase results in a drastic reduction in the affinity of the protein for phosphatidylethanolamine. The release of serine-21 phosphorylated DBI from the phagophore upon nutrient starvation restores the high LC3 lipidation flux and maturation of the phagophore to autophagosome. CONCLUSION DBI acts as a strategic barrier against overactivation of phagophore maturation under nutrient-rich conditions, while triggering autophagy under nutrient-deficient conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prajna Udupa
- Departmentof Medical Genetics, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka 576104, India
| | - Abhishek Kumar
- School of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, United States of America
| | - Rahul Parit
- Departmentof Medical Genetics, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka 576104, India
| | - Debasish Kumar Ghosh
- Departmentof Medical Genetics, Kasturba Medical College, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka 576104, India.
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Cellular targets of mefloquine. Toxicology 2021; 464:152995. [PMID: 34678321 DOI: 10.1016/j.tox.2021.152995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Mefloquine is a quinoline-based compound widely used as an antimalarial drug, particularly in chemoprophylaxis. Although decades of research have identified various aspects of mefloquine's anti-Plasmodium properties, toxic effects offset its robust use in humans. Mefloquine exerts harmful effects in several types of human cells by targeting many of the cellular lipids, proteins, and complexes, thereby blocking a number of downstream signaling cascades. In general, mefloquine modulates several cellular phenomena, such as alteration of membrane potential, induction of oxidative stress, imbalance of ion homeostasis, disruption of metabolism, failure of organelle function, etc., leading to cell cycle arrest and programmed cell death. This review aims to summarize the information on functional and mechanistic findings related to the cytotoxic effects of mefloquine.
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