1
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Manen-Freixa L, Moliner-Cubel S, Gamo FJ, Crespo B, Borrell JI, Teixidó J, Estrada-Tejedor R. Exploring the unexplored chemical space: Rational identification of new Tafenoquine analogs with antimalarial properties. Bioorg Chem 2024; 148:107472. [PMID: 38788364 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107472] [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: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Patents tend to define a huge chemical space described by the combinatorial nature of Markush structures. However, the optimization of new principal active ingredient is frequently driven by a simple Free Wilson approach. This procedure leads to a highly focused study on the chemical space near a hit compound leaving many unexplored regions that may present highly biological active reservoirs. This study aims to demonstrate that this unveiled chemical space can hide compounds with interesting potential biological activity that would be worth pursuing. This underlines the value and necessity of broadening an approach beyond conventional strategies. Hence, we advocate for an alternative methodology that may be more efficient in the early drug discovery stages. We have selected the case of Tafenoquine, a single-dose treatment for the radical cure of P. vivax malaria approved by the FDA in 2018, as an example to illustrate the process. Through the deep exploration of the Tafenoquine chemical space, seven compounds with potential antimalarial activity have been rationally identified and synthesized. This small set is representative of the chemical diversity unexplored by the 58 analogs reported to date. After biological assessment, results evidence that our approach for rational design has proven to be a very efficient exploratory methodology suitable for the early drug discovery stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leticia Manen-Freixa
- IQS School of Engineering, Universitat Ramon Llull, Via Augusta, 390, 08017 Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Benigno Crespo
- Global Health Medicines R&D, GSK, Severo Ochoa, 2, 28760 Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - José I Borrell
- IQS School of Engineering, Universitat Ramon Llull, Via Augusta, 390, 08017 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jordi Teixidó
- IQS School of Engineering, Universitat Ramon Llull, Via Augusta, 390, 08017 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Roger Estrada-Tejedor
- IQS School of Engineering, Universitat Ramon Llull, Via Augusta, 390, 08017 Barcelona, Spain.
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2
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Maher SP, Bakowski MA, Vantaux A, Flannery EL, Andolina C, Gupta M, Antonova-Koch Y, Argomaniz M, Cabrera-Mora M, Campo B, Chao AT, Chatterjee AK, Cheng WT, Chuenchob E, Cooper CA, Cottier K, Galinski MR, Harupa-Chung A, Ji H, Joseph SB, Lenz T, Lonardi S, Matheson J, Mikolajczak SA, Moeller T, Orban A, Padín-Irizarry V, Pan K, Péneau J, Prudhomme J, Roesch C, Ruberto AA, Sabnis SS, Saney CL, Sattabongkot J, Sereshki S, Suriyakan S, Ubalee R, Wang Y, Wasisakun P, Yin J, Popovici J, McNamara CW, Joyner CJ, Nosten F, Witkowski B, Le Roch KG, Kyle DE. A Drug Repurposing Approach Reveals Targetable Epigenetic Pathways in Plasmodium vivax Hypnozoites. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.01.31.526483. [PMID: 36778461 PMCID: PMC9915689 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.31.526483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Radical cure of Plasmodium vivax malaria must include elimination of quiescent 'hypnozoite' forms in the liver; however, the only FDA-approved treatments are contraindicated in many vulnerable populations. To identify new drugs and drug targets for hypnozoites, we screened the Repurposing, Focused Rescue, and Accelerated Medchem (ReFRAME) library and a collection of epigenetic inhibitors against P. vivax liver stages. From both libraries, we identified inhibitors targeting epigenetics pathways as selectively active against P. vivax and P. cynomolgi hypnozoites. These include DNA methyltransferase (DNMT) inhibitors as well as several inhibitors targeting histone post-translational modifications. Immunofluorescence staining of Plasmodium liver forms showed strong nuclear 5-methylcystosine signal, indicating liver stage parasite DNA is methylated. Using bisulfite sequencing, we mapped genomic DNA methylation in sporozoites, revealing DNA methylation signals in most coding genes. We also demonstrated that methylation level in proximal promoter regions as well as in the first exon of the genes may affect, at least partially, gene expression in P. vivax. The importance of selective inhibitors targeting epigenetic features on hypnozoites was validated using MMV019721, an acetyl-CoA synthetase inhibitor that affects histone acetylation and was previously reported as active against P. falciparum blood stages. In summary, our data indicate that several epigenetic mechanisms are likely modulating hypnozoite formation or persistence and provide an avenue for the discovery and development of improved radical cure antimalarials.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. P. Maher
- Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Disease, University of Georgia; Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - M. A. Bakowski
- Calibr, a division of The Scripps Research Institute; La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - A. Vantaux
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institute Pasteur of Cambodia; Phnom Penh, 120 210, Cambodia
| | - E. L. Flannery
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research; Emeryville, CA, 94608, USA
| | - C. Andolina
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit; Mae Sot, Tak, 63110, Thailand
| | - M. Gupta
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California; Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - Y. Antonova-Koch
- Calibr, a division of The Scripps Research Institute; La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - M. Argomaniz
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia; Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - M. Cabrera-Mora
- International Center for Malaria Research, Education and Development, Emory Vaccine Center, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University; Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - B. Campo
- Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV); Geneva, 1215, Switzerland
| | - A. T. Chao
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research; Emeryville, CA, 94608, USA
| | - A. K. Chatterjee
- Calibr, a division of The Scripps Research Institute; La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - W. T. Cheng
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia; Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - E. Chuenchob
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research; Emeryville, CA, 94608, USA
| | - C. A. Cooper
- Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Disease, University of Georgia; Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | | | - M. R. Galinski
- International Center for Malaria Research, Education and Development, Emory Vaccine Center, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University; Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University; Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - A. Harupa-Chung
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research; Emeryville, CA, 94608, USA
| | - H. Ji
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia; Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - S. B. Joseph
- Calibr, a division of The Scripps Research Institute; La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - T. Lenz
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California; Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - S. Lonardi
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California; Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - J. Matheson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago; Dunedin, 9016, New Zealand
| | - S. A. Mikolajczak
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research; Emeryville, CA, 94608, USA
| | | | - A. Orban
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institute Pasteur of Cambodia; Phnom Penh, 120 210, Cambodia
| | - V. Padín-Irizarry
- Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Disease, University of Georgia; Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- School of Sciences, Clayton State University; Morrow, GA, 30260, USA
| | - K. Pan
- Calibr, a division of The Scripps Research Institute; La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - J. Péneau
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institute Pasteur of Cambodia; Phnom Penh, 120 210, Cambodia
| | - J. Prudhomme
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California; Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - C. Roesch
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institute Pasteur of Cambodia; Phnom Penh, 120 210, Cambodia
| | - A. A. Ruberto
- Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Disease, University of Georgia; Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - S. S. Sabnis
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia; Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - C. L. Saney
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia; Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - J. Sattabongkot
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Mahidol University; Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - S. Sereshki
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of California; Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - S. Suriyakan
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit; Mae Sot, Tak, 63110, Thailand
| | - R. Ubalee
- Department of Entomology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS); Bangkok, 10400, Thailand
| | - Y. Wang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California; Riverside, CA, 92521
- Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program, University of California; Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - P. Wasisakun
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit; Mae Sot, Tak, 63110, Thailand
| | - J. Yin
- Environmental Toxicology Graduate Program, University of California; Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - J. Popovici
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institute Pasteur of Cambodia; Phnom Penh, 120 210, Cambodia
| | - C. W. McNamara
- Calibr, a division of The Scripps Research Institute; La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - C. J. Joyner
- Center for Vaccines and Immunology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia; Athens, GA, 30602, USA
- International Center for Malaria Research, Education and Development, Emory Vaccine Center, Emory National Primate Research Center, Emory University; Atlanta, GA, 30329, USA
| | - F. Nosten
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit; Mae Sot, Tak, 63110, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford; Oxford, OX3 7LG, UK
| | - B. Witkowski
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institute Pasteur of Cambodia; Phnom Penh, 120 210, Cambodia
| | - K. G. Le Roch
- Department of Molecular, Cell, and Systems Biology, University of California; Riverside, CA, 92521, USA
| | - D. E. Kyle
- Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Disease, University of Georgia; Athens, GA, 30602, USA
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3
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Parvatkar P, Maher SP, Zhao Y, Cooper CA, de Castro ST, Péneau J, Vantaux A, Witkowski B, Kyle DE, Manetsch R. In Vitro Antimalarial Activity of Trichothecenes against Liver and Blood Stages of Plasmodium Species. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2024; 87:315-321. [PMID: 38262446 PMCID: PMC10897926 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.3c01019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Revised: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2024]
Abstract
Trichothecenes (TCNs) are a large group of tricyclic sesquiterpenoid mycotoxins that have intriguing structural features and remarkable biological activities. Herein, we focused on three TCNs (anguidine, verrucarin A, and verrucarol) and their ability to target both the blood and liver stages of Plasmodium species, the parasite responsible for malaria. Anguidine and verrucarin A were found to be highly effective against the blood and liver stages of malaria, while verrucarol had no effect at the highest concentration tested. However, these compounds were also found to be cytotoxic and, thus, not selective, making them unsuitable for drug development. Nonetheless, they could be useful as chemical probes for protein synthesis inhibitors due to their direct impact on parasite synthesis processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakash
T. Parvatkar
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Steven P. Maher
- Center
for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Yingzhao Zhao
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Caitlin A. Cooper
- Center
for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Sagan T. de Castro
- Center
for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Julie Péneau
- Malaria
Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur
du Cambodge, 5 Boulevard Monivong, PO Box 983, Phnom Penh, 120 210, Cambodia
| | - Amélie Vantaux
- Malaria
Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur
du Cambodge, 5 Boulevard Monivong, PO Box 983, Phnom Penh, 120 210, Cambodia
| | - Benoît Witkowski
- Malaria
Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur
du Cambodge, 5 Boulevard Monivong, PO Box 983, Phnom Penh, 120 210, Cambodia
| | - Dennis E. Kyle
- Center
for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Roman Manetsch
- Department
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern
University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Center
for Drug Discovery, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
- Barnett
Institute
of Chemical and Biological Analysis, Northeastern
University, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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4
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McLellan JL, Sausman W, Reers AB, Bunnik EM, Hanson KK. Single-cell quantitative bioimaging of P. berghei liver stage translation. mSphere 2023; 8:e0054423. [PMID: 37909773 PMCID: PMC10732057 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00544-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Plasmodium parasites cause malaria in humans. New multistage active antimalarial drugs are needed, and a promising class of drugs targets the core cellular process of translation, which has many potential molecular targets. During the obligate liver stage, Plasmodium parasites grow in metabolically active hepatocytes, making it challenging to study core cellular processes common to both host cells and parasites, as the signal from the host typically overwhelms that of the parasite. Here, we present and validate a flexible assay to quantify Plasmodium liver stage translation using a technique to fluorescently label the newly synthesized proteins of both host and parasite followed by computational separation of their respective nascent proteomes in confocal image sets. We use the assay to determine whether a test set of known compounds are direct or indirect liver stage translation inhibitors and show that the assay can also predict the mode of action for novel antimalarial compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- James L. McLellan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - William Sausman
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Ashley B. Reers
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Evelien M. Bunnik
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Kirsten K. Hanson
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
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5
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Siqueira-Neto JL, Wicht KJ, Chibale K, Burrows JN, Fidock DA, Winzeler EA. Antimalarial drug discovery: progress and approaches. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:807-826. [PMID: 37652975 PMCID: PMC10543600 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00772-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Recent antimalarial drug discovery has been a race to produce new medicines that overcome emerging drug resistance, whilst considering safety and improving dosing convenience. Discovery efforts have yielded a variety of new molecules, many with novel modes of action, and the most advanced are in late-stage clinical development. These discoveries have led to a deeper understanding of how antimalarial drugs act, the identification of a new generation of drug targets, and multiple structure-based chemistry initiatives. The limited pool of funding means it is vital to prioritize new drug candidates. They should exhibit high potency, a low propensity for resistance, a pharmacokinetic profile that favours infrequent dosing, low cost, preclinical results that demonstrate safety and tolerability in women and infants, and preferably the ability to block Plasmodium transmission to Anopheles mosquito vectors. In this Review, we describe the approaches that have been successful, progress in preclinical and clinical development, and existing challenges. We illustrate how antimalarial drug discovery can serve as a model for drug discovery in diseases of poverty.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kathryn J Wicht
- Holistic Drug Discovery and Development (H3D) Centre, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
- South African Medical Research Council Drug Discovery and Development Research Unit, Department of Chemistry and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Kelly Chibale
- Holistic Drug Discovery and Development (H3D) Centre, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
- South African Medical Research Council Drug Discovery and Development Research Unit, Department of Chemistry and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | | | - David A Fidock
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Center for Malaria Therapeutics and Antimicrobial Resistance, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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6
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Rosenthal MR, Ng CL. High-content imaging as a tool to quantify and characterize malaria parasites. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2023; 3:100516. [PMID: 37533635 PMCID: PMC10391350 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
In 2021, Plasmodium falciparum was responsible for 619,000 reported malaria-related deaths. Resistance has been detected to every clinically used antimalarial, urging the development of novel antimalarials with uncompromised mechanisms of actions. High-content imaging allows researchers to collect and quantify numerous phenotypic properties at the single-cell level, and machine learning-based approaches enable automated classification and clustering of cell populations. By combining these technologies, we developed a method capable of robustly differentiating and quantifying P. falciparum asexual blood stages. These phenotypic properties also allow for the quantification of changes in parasite morphology. Here, we demonstrate that our analysis can be used to quantify schizont nuclei, a phenotype that previously had to be enumerated manually. By monitoring stage progression and quantifying parasite phenotypes, our method can discern stage specificity of new compounds, thus providing insight into the compound's mode of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa R. Rosenthal
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Caroline L. Ng
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
- Global Center for Health Security, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Omaha, Omaha, NE 68182, USA
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7
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McLellan JL, Sausman W, Reers AB, Bunnik EM, Hanson KK. Single-cell quantitative bioimaging of P. berghei liver stage translation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.05.547872. [PMID: 37461595 PMCID: PMC10350035 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.05.547872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Plasmodium parasite resistance to existing antimalarial drugs poses a devastating threat to the lives of many who depend on their efficacy. New antimalarial drugs and novel drug targets are in critical need, along with novel assays to accelerate their identification. Given the essentiality of protein synthesis throughout the complex parasite lifecycle, translation inhibitors are a promising drug class, capable of targeting the disease-causing blood stage of infection, as well as the asymptomatic liver stage, a crucial target for prophylaxis. To identify compounds capable of inhibiting liver stage parasite translation, we developed an assay to visualize and quantify translation in the P. berghei-HepG2 infection model. After labeling infected monolayers with o-propargyl puromycin (OPP), a functionalized analog of puromycin permitting subsequent bioorthogonal addition of a fluorophore to each OPP-terminated nascent polypetide, we use automated confocal feedback microscopy followed by batch image segmentation and feature extraction to visualize and quantify the nascent proteome in individual P. berghei liver stage parasites and host cells simultaneously. After validation, we demonstrate specific, concentration-dependent liver stage translation inhibition by both parasite-selective and pan-eukaryotic active compounds, and further show that acute pre-treatment and competition modes of the OPP assay can distinguish between direct and indirect translation inhibitors. We identify a Malaria Box compound, MMV019266, as a direct translation inhibitor in P. berghei liver stages and confirm this potential mode of action in P. falciparum asexual blood stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- James L McLellan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - William Sausman
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Ashley B Reers
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Evelien M Bunnik
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Kirsten K Hanson
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
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8
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Cryopreservation of Plasmodium Sporozoites. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11121487. [PMID: 36558821 PMCID: PMC9784981 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11121487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a deadly disease caused by the parasite, Plasmodium, and impacts the lives of millions of people around the world. Following inoculation into mammalian hosts by infected mosquitoes, the sporozoite stage of Plasmodium undergoes obligate development in the liver before infecting erythrocytes and causing clinical malaria. The most promising vaccine candidates for malaria rely on the use of attenuated live sporozoites to induce protective immune responses. The scope of widespread testing or clinical use of such vaccines is limited by the absence of efficient, reliable, or transparent strategies for the long-term preservation of live sporozoites. Here we outline a method to cryopreserve the sporozoites of various human and murine Plasmodium species. We found that the structural integrity, viability, and in vivo or in vitro infectiousness were conserved in the recovered cryopreserved sporozoites. Cryopreservation using our approach also retained the transgenic properties of sporozoites and immunization with cryopreserved radiation attenuated sporozoites (RAS) elicited strong immune responses. Our work offers a reliable protocol for the long-term storage and recovery of human and murine Plasmodium sporozoites and lays the groundwork for the widespread use of live sporozoites for research and clinical applications.
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9
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How does primaquine prevent Plasmodium vivax malarial recurrences? Trends Parasitol 2022; 38:924-925. [PMID: 36180306 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2022.09.006] [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: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Flannery et al. and Luiza-Batista et al. recently reported on liver and blood stages of Plasmodium vivax in humanized mice. The biology of P. vivax can be investigated using the mouse models, which will also facilitate drug research. This could lead to better treatment and control of P. vivax malaria.
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10
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Vantaux A, Péneau J, Cooper CA, Kyle DE, Witkowski B, Maher SP. Liver-stage fate determination in Plasmodium vivax parasites: Characterization of schizont growth and hypnozoite fating from patient isolates. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:976606. [PMID: 36212849 PMCID: PMC9539820 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.976606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax, one species of parasite causing human malaria, forms a dormant liver stage, termed the hypnozoite, which activate weeks, months or years after the primary infection, causing relapse episodes. Relapses significantly contribute to the vivax malaria burden and are only killed with drugs of the 8-aminoquinoline class, which are contraindicated in many vulnerable populations. Development of new therapies targeting hypnozoites is hindered, in part, by the lack of robust methods to continuously culture and characterize this parasite. As a result, the determinants of relapse periodicity and the molecular processes that drive hypnozoite formation, persistence, and activation are largely unknown. While previous reports have described vastly different liver-stage growth metrics attributable to which hepatocyte donor lot is used to initiate culture, a comprehensive assessment of how different P. vivax patient isolates behave in the same lots at the same time is logistically challenging. Using our primary human hepatocyte-based P. vivax liver-stage culture platform, we aimed to simultaneously test the effects of how hepatocyte donor lot and P. vivax patient isolate influence the fate of sporozoites and growth of liver schizonts. We found that, while environmental factors such as hepatocyte donor lot can modulate hypnozoite formation rate, the P. vivax case is also an important determinant of the proportion of hypnozoites observed in culture. In addition, we found schizont growth to be mostly influenced by hepatocyte donor lot. These results suggest that, while host hepatocytes harbor characteristics making them more- or less-supportive of a quiescent versus growing intracellular parasite, sporozoite fating toward hypnozoites is isolate-specific. Future studies involving these host–parasite interactions, including characterization of individual P. vivax strains, should consider the impact of culture conditions on hypnozoite formation, in order to better understand this important part of the parasite’s lifecycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amélie Vantaux
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- *Correspondence: Amélie Vantaux,
| | - Julie Péneau
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Caitlin A. Cooper
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Dennis E. Kyle
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Benoit Witkowski
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Steven P. Maher
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Steven P. Maher,
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11
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Valenciano AL, Gomez-Lorenzo MG, Vega-Rodríguez J, Adams JH, Roth A. In vitro models for human malaria: targeting the liver stage. Trends Parasitol 2022; 38:758-774. [PMID: 35780012 PMCID: PMC9378454 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2022.05.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The Plasmodium liver stage represents a vulnerable therapeutic target to prevent disease progression as the parasite resides in the liver before clinical representation caused by intraerythrocytic development. However, most antimalarial drugs target the blood stage of the parasite's life cycle, and the few drugs that target the liver stage are lethal to patients with a glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency. Furthermore, implementation of in vitro liver models to study and develop novel therapeutics against the liver stage of human Plasmodium species remains challenging. In this review, we focus on the progression of in vitro liver models developed for human Plasmodium spp. parasites, provide a brief review on important assay requirements, and lastly present recommendations to improve models to enhance the discovery process of novel preclinical therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Lisa Valenciano
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA; Global Health Medicines R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, Severo Ochoa 2, Tres Cantos 28760, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maria G Gomez-Lorenzo
- Global Health Medicines R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, Severo Ochoa 2, Tres Cantos 28760, Madrid, Spain
| | - Joel Vega-Rodríguez
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD 20852, USA
| | - John H Adams
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Alison Roth
- Department of Drug Discovery, Experimental Therapeutics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA.
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12
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Ruberto AA, Maher SP, Vantaux A, Joyner CJ, Bourke C, Balan B, Jex A, Mueller I, Witkowski B, Kyle DE. Single-cell RNA profiling of Plasmodium vivax-infected hepatocytes reveals parasite- and host- specific transcriptomic signatures and therapeutic targets. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:986314. [PMID: 36093191 PMCID: PMC9453201 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.986314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The resilience of Plasmodium vivax, the most widely-distributed malaria-causing parasite in humans, is attributed to its ability to produce dormant liver forms known as hypnozoites, which can activate weeks, months, or even years after an initial mosquito bite. The factors underlying hypnozoite formation and activation are poorly understood, as is the parasite's influence on the host hepatocyte. Here, we shed light on transcriptome-wide signatures of both the parasite and the infected host cell by sequencing over 1,000 P. vivax-infected hepatocytes at single-cell resolution. We distinguish between replicating schizonts and hypnozoites at the transcriptional level, identifying key differences in transcripts encoding for RNA-binding proteins associated with cell fate. In infected hepatocytes, we show that genes associated with energy metabolism and antioxidant stress response are upregulated, and those involved in the host immune response downregulated, suggesting both schizonts and hypnozoites alter the host intracellular environment. The transcriptional markers in schizonts, hypnozoites, and infected hepatocytes revealed here pinpoint potential factors underlying dormancy and can inform therapeutic targets against P. vivax liver-stage infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anthony A. Ruberto
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Steven P. Maher
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Amélie Vantaux
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Chester J. Joyner
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
- Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Caitlin Bourke
- Population Health & Immunity Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Balu Balan
- Population Health & Immunity Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Aaron Jex
- Population Health & Immunity Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Ivo Mueller
- Population Health & Immunity Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, Parkville, VIC, Australia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Benoit Witkowski
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Dennis E. Kyle
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
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13
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A Hybrid of Amodiaquine and Primaquine Linked by Gold(I) Is a Multistage Antimalarial Agent Targeting Heme Detoxification and Thiol Redox Homeostasis. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14061251. [PMID: 35745823 PMCID: PMC9229949 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14061251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Hybrid-based drugs linked through a transition metal constitute an emerging concept for Plasmodium intervention. To advance the drug design concept and enhance the therapeutic potential of this class of drugs, we developed a novel hybrid composed of quinolinic ligands amodiaquine (AQ) and primaquine (PQ) linked by gold(I), named [AuAQPQ]PF6. This compound demonstrated potent and efficacious antiplasmodial activity against multiple stages of the Plasmodium life cycle. The source of this activity was thoroughly investigated by comparing parasite susceptibility to the hybrid's components, the annotation of structure-activity relationships and studies of the mechanism of action. The activity of [AuAQPQ]PF6 for the parasite's asexual blood stages was influenced by the presence of AQ, while its activity against gametocytes and pre-erythrocytic parasites was influenced by both quinolinic components. Moreover, the coordination of ligands to gold(I) was found to be essential for the enhancement of potency, as suggested by the observation that a combination of quinolinic ligands does not reproduce the antimalarial potency and efficacy as observed for the metallic hybrid. Our results indicate that this gold(I) hybrid compound presents a dual mechanism of action by inhibiting the beta-hematin formation and enzymatic activity of thioredoxin reductases. Overall, our findings support the potential of transition metals as a dual chemical linker and an antiplasmodial payload for the development of hybrid-based drugs.
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14
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Mancio-Silva L, Gural N, Real E, Wadsworth MH, Butty VL, March S, Nerurkar N, Hughes TK, Roobsoong W, Fleming HE, Whittaker CA, Levine SS, Sattabongkot J, Shalek AK, Bhatia SN. A single-cell liver atlas of Plasmodium vivax infection. Cell Host Microbe 2022; 30:1048-1060.e5. [PMID: 35443155 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2022.03.034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Malaria-causing Plasmodium vivax parasites can linger in the human liver for weeks to years and reactivate to cause recurrent blood-stage infection. Although they are an important target for malaria eradication, little is known about the molecular features of replicative and non-replicative intracellular liver-stage parasites and their host cell dependence. Here, we leverage a bioengineered human microliver platform to culture patient-derived P. vivax parasites for transcriptional profiling. Coupling enrichment strategies with bulk and single-cell analyses, we capture both parasite and host transcripts in individual hepatocytes throughout the course of infection. We define host- and state-dependent transcriptional signatures and identify unappreciated populations of replicative and non-replicative parasites that share features with sexual transmissive forms. We find that infection suppresses the transcription of key hepatocyte function genes and elicits an anti-parasite innate immune response. Our work provides a foundation for understanding host-parasite interactions and reveals insights into the biology of P. vivax dormancy and transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Mancio-Silva
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Inserm U1201, CNRS EMR9195, Unité de Biologie des Interactions Hôte-Parasite, 75015 Paris, France.
| | - Nil Gural
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Eliana Real
- Institut Pasteur, Université Paris Cité, Inserm U1201, CNRS EMR9195, Unité de Biologie des Interactions Hôte-Parasite, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Marc H Wadsworth
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Chemistry, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Vincent L Butty
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; BioMicro Center, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Sandra March
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - Niketa Nerurkar
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Travis K Hughes
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Chemistry, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Wanlapa Roobsoong
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Heather E Fleming
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Charlie A Whittaker
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; BioMicro Center, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Stuart S Levine
- David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; BioMicro Center, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jetsumon Sattabongkot
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Alex K Shalek
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Department of Chemistry, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Ragon Institute of Massachusetts General Hospital, MIT, and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
| | - Sangeeta N Bhatia
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; David H. Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, MIT, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA; The Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering Harvard University Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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15
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Dong Y, Sonawane Y, Maher SP, Zeeman AM, Chaumeau V, Vantaux A, Cooper CA, Chiu FCK, Ryan E, McLaren J, Chen G, Wittlin S, Witkowski B, Nosten F, Sriraghavan K, Kyle DE, Kocken CHM, Charman SA, Vennerstrom JL. Metabolic, Pharmacokinetic, and Activity Profile of the Liver Stage Antimalarial (RC-12). ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:12401-12411. [PMID: 35449901 PMCID: PMC9016807 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c01099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The catechol derivative RC-12 (WR 27653) (1) is one of the few non-8-aminoquinolines with good activity against hypnozoites in the gold-standard Plasmodium cynomolgi-rhesus monkey (Macaca mulatta) model, but in a small clinical trial, it had no efficacy against Plasmodium vivax hypnozoites. In an attempt to better understand the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile of 1 and to identify potential active metabolites, we now describe the phase I metabolism, rat pharmacokinetics, and in vitro liver-stage activity of 1 and its metabolites. Compound 1 had a distinct metabolic profile in human vs monkey liver microsomes, and the data suggested that the O-desmethyl, combined O-desmethyl/N-desethyl, and N,N-didesethyl metabolites (or a combination thereof) could potentially account for the superior liver stage antimalarial efficacy of 1 in rhesus monkeys vs that seen in humans. Indeed, the rate of metabolism was considerably lower in human liver microsomes in comparison to rhesus monkey microsomes, as was the formation of the combined O-desmethyl/N-desethyl metabolite, which was the only metabolite tested that had any activity against liver-stage P. vivax; however, it was not consistently active against liver-stage P. cynomolgi. As 1 and all but one of its identified Phase I metabolites had no in vitro activity against P. vivax or P. cynomolgi liver-stage malaria parasites, we suggest that there may be additional unidentified active metabolites of 1 or that the exposure of 1 achieved in the reported unsuccessful clinical trial of this drug candidate was insufficient to kill the P. vivax hypnozoites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxiang Dong
- College
of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical
Center, 986125 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Yogesh Sonawane
- College
of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical
Center, 986125 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Steven P. Maher
- Center
for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, 370 Coverdell
Center, 500 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Anne-Marie Zeeman
- Department
of Parasitology, Biomedical Primate Research
Centre, P.O. Box 3306, 2280 GH Rijswijk, The Netherlands
| | - Victor Chaumeau
- Shoklo
Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit,
Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 68/30 Bantung Road, Mae Sot, Tak 63110, Thailand
- Centre for
Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine
Research building, University of Oxford
Old Road Campus, Oxford OX3 7DQ, U.K.
| | - Amélie Vantaux
- Malaria
Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur
du Cambodge, 5 Boulevard Monivong, P.O. Box 983, Phnom
Penh 120 210, Cambodia
| | - Caitlin A. Cooper
- Center
for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, 370 Coverdell
Center, 500 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Francis C. K. Chiu
- Centre
for Drug Candidate Optimisation, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Eileen Ryan
- Centre
for Drug Candidate Optimisation, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Jenna McLaren
- Centre
for Drug Candidate Optimisation, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Gong Chen
- Centre
for Drug Candidate Optimisation, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Sergio Wittlin
- Department
of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Benoît Witkowski
- Malaria
Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur
du Cambodge, 5 Boulevard Monivong, P.O. Box 983, Phnom
Penh 120 210, Cambodia
| | - François Nosten
- Shoklo
Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit,
Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 68/30 Bantung Road, Mae Sot, Tak 63110, Thailand
- Centre for
Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine
Research building, University of Oxford
Old Road Campus, Oxford OX3 7DQ, U.K.
| | - Kamaraj Sriraghavan
- College
of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical
Center, 986125 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
| | - Dennis E. Kyle
- Center
for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, 370 Coverdell
Center, 500 D.W. Brooks Drive, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Clemens H. M. Kocken
- Department
of Parasitology, Biomedical Primate Research
Centre, P.O. Box 3306, 2280 GH Rijswijk, The Netherlands
| | - Susan A. Charman
- Centre
for Drug Candidate Optimisation, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Jonathan L. Vennerstrom
- College
of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical
Center, 986125 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
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16
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Maher SP, Vantaux A, Cooper CA, Chasen NM, Cheng WT, Joyner CJ, Manetsch R, Witkowski B, Kyle D. A Phenotypic Screen for the Liver Stages of Plasmodium vivax. Bio Protoc 2021; 11:e4253. [PMID: 35005096 DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.4253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Revised: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 09/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Control of malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax can be improved by the discovery and development of novel drugs against the parasite's liver stage, which includes relapse-causing hypnozoites. Several recent reports describe breakthroughs in the culture of the P. vivax liver stage in 384-well microtiter plates, with the goal of enabling a hypnozoite-focused drug screen. Herein we describe assay details, protocol developments, and different assay formats to interrogate the chemical sensitivity of the P. vivax liver stage in one such medium-throughput platform. The general assay protocol includes seeding of primary human hepatocytes which are infected with P. vivax sporozoites generated from the feeding of Anopheles dirus mosquitoes on patient isolate bloodmeals. This protocol is unique in that, after source drug plates are supplied, all culture-work steps have been optimized to preclude the need for automated liquid handling, thereby allowing the assay to be performed within resource-limited laboratories in malaria-endemic countries. Throughput is enhanced as complex culture methods, such as extracellular matrix overlays, multiple cell types in co-culture, or hepatic spheroids, are excluded as the workflow consists entirely of routine culture methods for adherent cells. Furthermore, installation of a high-content imager at the study site enables assay data to be read and transmitted with minimal logistical delays. Herein we detail distinct assay improvements which increase data quality, provide a means to limit the confounding effect of hepatic metabolism on assay data, and detect activity of compounds with a slow-clearance phenotype. Graphical abstract: Overview of P. vivax liver stage screening assay performed at the Institute Pasteur of Cambodia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven P Maher
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Disease, University of Georgia, 500 DW Brooks Dr. Suite 370, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Amélie Vantaux
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, 5 Boulevard Monivong, PO Box 983, Phnom Penh, 120 210, Cambodia
| | - Caitlin A Cooper
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Disease, University of Georgia, 500 DW Brooks Dr. Suite 370, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Nathan M Chasen
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Disease, University of Georgia, 500 DW Brooks Dr. Suite 370, Athens, GA 30602, USA
| | - Wayne T Cheng
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Disease, University of Georgia, 500 DW Brooks Dr. Suite 370, Athens, GA 30602, USA.,Center for Vaccines and Immunology, Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 DW Brooks Dr., Athens, GA, USA 30602
| | - Chester J Joyner
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Disease, University of Georgia, 500 DW Brooks Dr. Suite 370, Athens, GA 30602, USA.,Center for Vaccines and Immunology, Department of Infectious Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, 501 DW Brooks Dr., Athens, GA, USA 30602
| | - Roman Manetsch
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Northeastern University, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Benoît Witkowski
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, 5 Boulevard Monivong, PO Box 983, Phnom Penh, 120 210, Cambodia
| | - Dennis Kyle
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Disease, University of Georgia, 500 DW Brooks Dr. Suite 370, Athens, GA 30602, USA
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