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Lykins J, Moschitto MJ, Zhou Y, Filippova EV, Le HV, Tomita T, Fox BA, Bzik DJ, Su C, Rajagopala SV, Flores K, Spano F, Woods S, Roberts CW, Hua C, El Bissati K, Wheeler KM, Dovgin S, Muench SP, McPhillie M, Fishwick CW, Anderson WF, Lee PJ, Hickman M, Weiss LM, Dubey JP, Lorenzi HA, Silverman RB, McLeod RL. From TgO/GABA-AT, GABA, and T-263 Mutant to Conception of Toxoplasma. iScience 2024; 27:108477. [PMID: 38205261 PMCID: PMC10776954 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2021] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii causes morbidity, mortality, and disseminates widely via cat sexual stages. Here, we find T. gondii ornithine aminotransferase (OAT) is conserved across phyla. We solve TgO/GABA-AT structures with bound inactivators at 1.55 Å and identify an inactivator selective for TgO/GABA-AT over human OAT and GABA-AT. However, abrogating TgO/GABA-AT genetically does not diminish replication, virulence, cyst-formation, or eliminate cat's oocyst shedding. Increased sporozoite/merozoite TgO/GABA-AT expression led to our study of a mutagenized clone with oocyst formation blocked, arresting after forming male and female gametes, with "Rosetta stone"-like mutations in genes expressed in merozoites. Mutations are similar to those in organisms from plants to mammals, causing defects in conception and zygote formation, affecting merozoite capacitation, pH/ionicity/sodium-GABA concentrations, drawing attention to cyclic AMP/PKA, and genes enhancing energy or substrate formation in TgO/GABA-AT-related-pathways. These candidates potentially influence merozoite's capacity to make gametes that fuse to become zygotes, thereby contaminating environments and causing disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Lykins
- Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Matthew J. Moschitto
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, and Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-3113, USA
| | - Ying Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Ekaterina V. Filippova
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Hoang V. Le
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, and Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-3113, USA
| | - Tadakimi Tomita
- Division of Parasitology, Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Barbara A. Fox
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
| | - David J. Bzik
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH 03756, USA
| | - Chunlei Su
- Department of Microbiology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA
| | - Seesandra V. Rajagopala
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The J. Craig Venter Institute, 9704 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Kristin Flores
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Furio Spano
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy
| | - Stuart Woods
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow Scotland, UK
| | - Craig W. Roberts
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Glasgow Scotland, UK
| | - Cong Hua
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Kamal El Bissati
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Kelsey M. Wheeler
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Sarah Dovgin
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
| | - Stephen P. Muench
- School of Biomedical Sciences and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, The University of Leeds, Leeds, West York LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Martin McPhillie
- School of Chemistry and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Colin W.G. Fishwick
- School of Chemistry and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Leeds, UK
| | - Wayne F. Anderson
- Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases and the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Patricia J. Lee
- Division of Experimental Therapeutics, Military Malaria Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Mark Hickman
- Division of Experimental Therapeutics, Military Malaria Research Program, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910, USA
| | - Louis M. Weiss
- Division of Parasitology, Department of Pathology, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Jitender P. Dubey
- Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA
| | - Hernan A. Lorenzi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The J. Craig Venter Institute, 9704 Medical Center Drive, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Richard B. Silverman
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Molecular Biosciences, Chemistry of Life Processes Institute, Center for Molecular Innovation and Drug Discovery, and Center for Developmental Therapeutics, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL 60208-3113, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL 60611, USA
| | - Rima L. McLeod
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
- Department of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases), Institute of Genomics, Genetics, and Systems Biology, Global Health Center, Toxoplasmosis Center, CHeSS, The College, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Kelsen A, Kent RS, Snyder AK, Wehri E, Bishop SJ, Stadler RV, Powell C, Martorelli di Genova B, Rompikuntal PK, Boulanger MJ, Warshaw DM, Westwood NJ, Schaletzky J, Ward GE. MyosinA is a druggable target in the widespread protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii. PLoS Biol 2023; 21:e3002110. [PMID: 37155705 PMCID: PMC10185354 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002110] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2023] [Revised: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a widespread apicomplexan parasite that can cause severe disease in its human hosts. The ability of T. gondii and other apicomplexan parasites to invade into, egress from, and move between cells of the hosts they infect is critical to parasite virulence and disease progression. An unusual and highly conserved parasite myosin motor (TgMyoA) plays a central role in T. gondii motility. The goal of this work was to determine whether the parasite's motility and lytic cycle can be disrupted through pharmacological inhibition of TgMyoA, as an approach to altering disease progression in vivo. To this end, we first sought to identify inhibitors of TgMyoA by screening a collection of 50,000 structurally diverse small molecules for inhibitors of the recombinant motor's actin-activated ATPase activity. The top hit to emerge from the screen, KNX-002, inhibited TgMyoA with little to no effect on any of the vertebrate myosins tested. KNX-002 was also active against parasites, inhibiting parasite motility and growth in culture in a dose-dependent manner. We used chemical mutagenesis, selection in KNX-002, and targeted sequencing to identify a mutation in TgMyoA (T130A) that renders the recombinant motor less sensitive to compound. Compared to wild-type parasites, parasites expressing the T130A mutation showed reduced sensitivity to KNX-002 in motility and growth assays, confirming TgMyoA as a biologically relevant target of KNX-002. Finally, we present evidence that KNX-002 can slow disease progression in mice infected with wild-type parasites, but not parasites expressing the resistance-conferring TgMyoA T130A mutation. Taken together, these data demonstrate the specificity of KNX-002 for TgMyoA, both in vitro and in vivo, and validate TgMyoA as a druggable target in infections with T. gondii. Since TgMyoA is essential for virulence, conserved in apicomplexan parasites, and distinctly different from the myosins found in humans, pharmacological inhibition of MyoA offers a promising new approach to treating the devastating diseases caused by T. gondii and other apicomplexan parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Kelsen
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Robyn S. Kent
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Anne K. Snyder
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Eddie Wehri
- Center for Emerging and Neglected Diseases, University of California Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Stephen J. Bishop
- School of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St. Andrews and EaStCHEM, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel V. Stadler
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Cameron Powell
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - Bruno Martorelli di Genova
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Pramod K. Rompikuntal
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Martin J. Boulanger
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, University of Victoria, Victoria, BC, Canada
| | - David M. Warshaw
- Department of Molecular Physiology and Biophysics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Nicholas J. Westwood
- School of Chemistry and Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St. Andrews and EaStCHEM, St Andrews, Fife, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Julia Schaletzky
- Center for Emerging and Neglected Diseases, University of California Berkeley, California, United States of America
| | - Gary E. Ward
- Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
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Abstract
Purpose of Review Review building of programs to eliminate Toxoplasma infections. Recent Findings
Morbidity and mortality from toxoplasmosis led to programs in USA, Panama, and Colombia to facilitate understanding, treatment, prevention, and regional resources, incorporating student work. Summary Studies foundational for building recent, regional approaches/programs are reviewed. Introduction provides an overview/review of programs in Panamá, the United States, and other countries. High prevalence/risk of exposure led to laws mandating testing in gestation, reporting, and development of broad-based teaching materials about Toxoplasma. These were tested for efficacy as learning tools for high-school students, pregnant women, medical students, physicians, scientists, public health officials and general public. Digitized, free, smart phone application effectively taught pregnant women about toxoplasmosis prevention. Perinatal infection care programs, identifying true regional risk factors, and point-of-care gestational screening facilitate prevention and care. When implemented fully across all demographics, such programs present opportunities to save lives, sight, and cognition with considerable spillover benefits for individuals and societies. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40124-022-00269-w.
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Building Programs to Eradicate Toxoplasmosis Part IV: Understanding and Development of Public Health Strategies and Advances “Take a Village”. CURRENT PEDIATRICS REPORTS 2022; 10:125-154. [PMID: 35991908 PMCID: PMC9379243 DOI: 10.1007/s40124-022-00268-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of Review Review international efforts to build a global public health initiative focused on toxoplasmosis with spillover benefits to save lives, sight, cognition and motor function benefiting maternal and child health. Recent Findings Multiple countries’ efforts to eliminate toxoplasmosis demonstrate progress and context for this review and new work. Summary Problems with potential solutions proposed include accessibility of accurate, inexpensive diagnostic testing, pre-natal screening and facilitating tools, missed and delayed neonatal diagnosis, restricted access, high costs, delays in obtaining medicines emergently, delayed insurance pre-approvals and high medicare copays taking considerable physician time and effort, harmful shortcuts being taken in methods to prepare medicines in settings where access is restricted, reluctance to perform ventriculoperitoneal shunts promptly when needed without recognition of potential benefit, access to resources for care, especially for marginalized populations, and limited use of recent advances in management of neurologic and retinal disease which can lead to good outcomes. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40124-022-00268-x.
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Activity of (1-benzyl-4-triazolyl)-indole-2-carboxamides against Toxoplasma gondii and Cryptosporidium parvum. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2022; 19:6-20. [PMID: 35462232 PMCID: PMC9046076 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2022.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Parasitic diseases such as toxoplasmosis and cryptosporidiosis remain serious global health challenges, not only to humans but also to domestic animals and wildlife. With only limited treatment options available, Toxoplasma gondii and Cryptosporidium parvum (the causative agents of toxoplasmosis and cryptosporidiosis, respectively) constitute a substantial health threat especially to young children and immunocompromised individuals. Herein, we report the synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of novel (1-benzyl-4-triazolyl)-indole-2-carboxamides and related compounds that show efficacy against T. gondii and C. parvum. Closely related analogs 7c (JS-2-30) and 7e (JS-2-44) showed low micromolar activity with IC50 indices ranging between 2.95 μM and 7.63 μM against both T. gondii and C. parvum, whereas the compound representing (1-adamantyl)-4-phenyl-triazole, 11b (JS-2-41), showed very good activity with an IC50 of 1.94 μM, and good selectivity against T. gondii in vitro. Importantly, compounds JS-2-41 and JS-2-44 showed appreciable in vivo efficacy in decreasing the number of T. gondii cysts in the brains of Brown Norway rats. Together, these results indicate that (1-benzyl-4-triazolyl)-indole-2-carboxamides and (1-adamantyl)-4-phenyl-triazoles are potential hits for medicinal chemistry explorations in search for novel antiparasitic agents for effective treatment of cryptosporidiosis and toxoplasmosis. (1-Benzyl-4-triazolyl)-indole-2-carboxamide show interesting antiparasitic activity. Compounds' concentrations of 1.94–7.63 μM inhibited growth of T. gondii & C. parvum. The best hits displayed in vivo efficacy comparable to the standard drug atovaquone. Those compounds show good potential for further development as antiparasitic agents.
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6
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Dubey JP, Murata FHA, Cerqueira-Cézar CK, Kwok OCH, Villena I. Congenital toxoplasmosis in humans: an update of worldwide rate of congenital infections. Parasitology 2021; 148:1406-1416. [PMID: 34254575 PMCID: PMC11010219 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182021001013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2021] [Revised: 06/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The morbidity due to congenital toxoplasmosis in humans is very high. Most of these infected children are likely to develop symptoms of clinical toxoplasmosis. Sequelae in fetus resulting from Toxoplasma gondii infections in women who become infected with this parasite during pregnancy can be devastating and enormous efforts are directed in some countries to prevent these consequences. Here, an update on congenital toxoplasmosis in humans, especially the rate of congenital infections in humans worldwide, is provided. Although several countries have surveillance programmes, most information on the rate of congenital transmission is from France and Brazil. Because of compulsory national screening programme in France to detect and treat women with recently acquired T. gondii infection with anti-toxoplasma therapy, the rate of congenital transmission and the severity of disease in children are declining. Infections by this parasite are widely prevalent in Brazil. The severity of clinical toxoplasmosis in Brazilian children is very high and may be associated with the genetic characteristics of T. gondii isolates prevailing in animals and humans in Brazil. Virtually little or no information is available on this topic from China, India and other countries in Asia.
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Affiliation(s)
- J. P. Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD20705-2350, USA
| | - F. H. A. Murata
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD20705-2350, USA
| | - C. K. Cerqueira-Cézar
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD20705-2350, USA
| | - O. C. H. Kwok
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville Agricultural Research Center, Building 1001, Beltsville, MD20705-2350, USA
| | - I. Villena
- Parasitology, Mycology Laboratory, National Reference Centre for Toxoplasmosis, Toxoplasma Biological Resources Centre, CHU Reims and University Reims Champagne Ardenne ESCAPE EA7510, 51097, Reims, France
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7
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Del Valle Mojica C, Montoya JG, McGuire J, Palma KL, Shekdar KV, McLeod R, Contopoulos-Ioannidis DG. Late Diagnosis of Congenital Toxoplasmosis with Macrocephaly in Dizygotic Twins after Incidental Detection of Leukocoria: A Case Report. J Pediatr 2021; 236:301-306. [PMID: 34023345 PMCID: PMC9642312 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2021.05.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Untreated congenital toxoplasmosis remains an important cause of neurologic and ocular disease worldwide. However, congenitally infected infants may not have signs and symptoms their physicians recognize, leading to delayed diagnosis and missed opportunities for treatment. We describe a pair of twins diagnosed with congenital toxoplasmosis at 11 months of age following incidental detection of leukocoria in one twin.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Jose G. Montoya
- Dr. Jack S. Remington Laboratory for Specialty Diagnostics, National Reference Center for the Study and Diagnosis of Toxoplasmosis Palo Alto Medical Foundation, Palo Alto, California
| | - Jennifer McGuire
- Department of Neurology and Pediatrics, Division of Neurology, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
| | - Krisha L. Palma
- Department of Specialty Pharmacy, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia
| | | | - Rima McLeod
- Toxoplasmosis Center, Departments of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Pediatric (Infectious Diseases), Global Health Center, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
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8
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Sulfadiazine Hypersensitivity and Desensitization in Children With Congenital Toxoplasmosis: A Report on Two Cases. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2021; 40:324-326. [PMID: 33181786 DOI: 10.1097/inf.0000000000002972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Combination therapy for toxoplasmosis consists of sulfadiazine, pyrimethamine and leucovorin. Although sulfadiazine can cause hypersensitivity reactions, such as fever, rash and liver dysfunction, there is no consensus on an effective therapy for congenital toxoplasmosis (CTox) without sulfadiazine. We attempted desensitization to sulfadiazine in 2 patients with CTox and sulfadiazine hypersensitivity. Desensitization was achieved for 1 patient.
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Jafarpour Azami S, Mohammad Rahimi H, Mirjalali H, Zali MR. Unravelling Toxoplasma treatment: conventional drugs toward nanomedicine. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2021; 37:48. [PMID: 33566198 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-021-03000-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2020] [Accepted: 01/08/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a worldwide protozoan parasite that infects almost all warm-blooded animals. Although human toxoplasmosis is mostly latent, pregnant women and immunocompromised patients need effective treatment. There are drugs of choice for treatment of toxoplasmosis; however, due to their side effects and/or their disease stage-specificity, prescription of them is limited. During recent years, nanomedicine has been employed to overcome limitations of conventional drugs. Here, we provided a state-of-the-art review of experimental toxoplasmosis treatment using nanotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanaz Jafarpour Azami
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hanieh Mohammad Rahimi
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hamed Mirjalali
- Foodborne and Waterborne Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mohammad Reza Zali
- Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases Research Center, Research Institute for Gastroenterology and Liver Diseases, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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10
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Smith NC, Goulart C, Hayward JA, Kupz A, Miller CM, van Dooren GG. Control of human toxoplasmosis. Int J Parasitol 2020; 51:95-121. [PMID: 33347832 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2020.11.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2020] [Revised: 11/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is caused by Toxoplasma gondii, an apicomplexan parasite that is able to infect any nucleated cell in any warm-blooded animal. Toxoplasma gondii infects around 2 billion people and, whilst only a small percentage of infected people will suffer serious disease, the prevalence of the parasite makes it one of the most damaging zoonotic diseases in the world. Toxoplasmosis is a disease with multiple manifestations: it can cause a fatal encephalitis in immunosuppressed people; if first contracted during pregnancy, it can cause miscarriage or congenital defects in the neonate; and it can cause serious ocular disease, even in immunocompetent people. The disease has a complex epidemiology, being transmitted by ingestion of oocysts that are shed in the faeces of definitive feline hosts and contaminate water, soil and crops, or by consumption of intracellular cysts in undercooked meat from intermediate hosts. In this review we examine current and future approaches to control toxoplasmosis, which encompass a variety of measures that target different components of the life cycle of T. gondii. These include: education programs about the parasite and avoidance of contact with infectious stages; biosecurity and sanitation to ensure food and water safety; chemo- and immunotherapeutics to control active infections and disease; prophylactic options to prevent acquisition of infection by livestock and cyst formation in meat; and vaccines to prevent shedding of oocysts by definitive feline hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas C Smith
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia; Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia.
| | - Cibelly Goulart
- School of Life Sciences, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo, NSW 2007, Australia; Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
| | - Jenni A Hayward
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
| | - Andreas Kupz
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4878, Australia
| | - Catherine M Miller
- College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Science, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD 4878, Australia
| | - Giel G van Dooren
- Research School of Biology, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia
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11
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Li K, Grooms GM, Khan SM, Hernandez AG, Witola WH, Stec J. Novel acyl carbamates and acyl / diacyl ureas show in vitro efficacy against Toxoplasma gondii and Cryptosporidium parvum. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2020; 14:80-90. [PMID: 33011650 PMCID: PMC7529613 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2020.08.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii and Cryptosporidium parvum are protozoan parasites that are highly prevalent and opportunistically infect humans worldwide, but for which completely effective and safe medications are lacking. Herein, we synthesized a series of novel small molecules bearing the diacyl urea scaffold and related structures, and screened them for in vitro cytotoxicity and antiparasitic activity against T. gondii and C. parvum. We identified one compound (GMG-1-09), and four compounds (JS-1-09, JS-2-20, JS-2-35 and JS-2-49) with efficacy against C. parvum and T. gondii, respectively, at low micromolar concentrations and showed appreciable selectivity in human host cells. Among the four compounds with efficacy against T. gondii, JS-1-09 representing the diacyl urea scaffold was the most effective, with an anti-Toxoplasma IC50 concentration (1.21 μM) that was nearly 53-fold lower than its cytotoxicity IC50 concentration, indicating that this compound has a good selectivity index. The other three compounds (JS-2-20, JS-2-35 and JS-2-49) were structurally more divergent from JS-1-09 as they represent the acyl urea and acyl carbamate scaffold. This appeared to correlate with their anti-Toxoplasma activity, suggesting that these compounds' potency can likely be enhanced by selective structural modifications. One compound, GMG-1-09 representing acyl carbamate scaffold, depicted in vitro efficacy against C. parvum with an IC50 concentration (32.24 μM) that was 14-fold lower than its cytotoxicity IC50 concentration in a human intestinal cell line. Together, our studies unveil a series of novel synthetic acyl/diacyl urea and acyl carbamate scaffold-based small molecule compounds with micromolar activity against T. gondii and C. parvum that can be explored further for the development of the much-needed novel anti-protozoal drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kun Li
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802, USA
| | - Gregory M Grooms
- Chicago State University, College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 9501 S. King Drive, Chicago, IL 60628, USA
| | - Shahbaz M Khan
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802, USA
| | - Anolan Garcia Hernandez
- Chicago State University, College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 9501 S. King Drive, Chicago, IL 60628, USA
| | - William H Witola
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802, USA.
| | - Jozef Stec
- Chicago State University, College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 9501 S. King Drive, Chicago, IL 60628, USA; Marshall B. Ketchum University, College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2575 Yorba Linda Blvd., Fullerton, CA 82831, USA.
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12
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Kim GY, Anderson KR, Davis DM, Hand JL, Tollefson MM. Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS) in the pediatric population: A systematic review of the literature. J Am Acad Dermatol 2020; 83:1323-1330. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jaad.2020.03.081] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2019] [Revised: 03/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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13
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El-Shafey AAM, Hegab MHA, Seliem MME, Barakat AMA, Mostafa NE, Abdel-Maksoud HA, Abdelhameed RM. Curcumin@metal organic frameworks nano-composite for treatment of chronic toxoplasmosis. JOURNAL OF MATERIALS SCIENCE. MATERIALS IN MEDICINE 2020; 31:90. [PMID: 33089411 DOI: 10.1007/s10856-020-06429-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Accepted: 09/24/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic protozoal disease caused by Toxoplasma gondii, an intracellular opportunistic protozoan parasite that can infect any warm-blooded vertebrate cell. In this study, zirconium, and iron-based metal-organic framework was prepared according to the solvothermal method. New nanocomposite (Curcumin@MOFs) was prepared by reacting curcumin with amino-functionalized metal-organic frameworks (Fe-MOF and UiO-66-NH2). Besides characterizations of the composite by powder X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscope, nano-Curcumin@MOFs was used as a new novel structure as atrial for treatment of chronic toxoplasmosis. Results showed a reduced number of brain cysts, high levels of serum Toxo IgG, and normal histo-morphology with preserved parenchymal, and stromal tissues in rats groups treated with curcumin and Curcumin@MOFs nanocomposite.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Mohammed H A Hegab
- Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | | | - Ashraf M A Barakat
- Zoonotic Diseases Department, National Research Centre, 33 Bohouth str. Dokki, Giza, Egypt
| | - Nahed E Mostafa
- Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Hanem A Abdel-Maksoud
- Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Reda M Abdelhameed
- Applied Organic Chemistry Department, Chemical Industries Research Division, National Research Centre, 33 Bohouth str. Dokki, Giza, Egypt.
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14
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Hatton O, Stitzlein L, Dudley RW, Charvat RA. Evaluating the Antiparasitic Activity of Novel BPZ Derivatives Against Toxoplasma gondii. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8081159. [PMID: 32751616 PMCID: PMC7466062 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8081159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 07/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Prevalence studies revealed that one-third of the human population is chronically infected with Toxoplasma gondii. Presently, such infections are without medical treatment that effectively eradicates the parasite once it is in its latent form. Moreover, the therapeutics used to treat acute infections are poorly tolerated by patients and also cause the parasite to convert into long-lasting tissue cysts. Hence, there is a dire need for compounds with antiparasitic activity against all forms of T. gondii. This study examines the antiparasitic capacity of nine novel bisphenol Z (BPZ) derivatives to determine whether they possessed any activity that prevented T. gondii replication. To begin assessing the efficacy of the novel derivatives, parasites were treated with increasing concentrations of the compounds, then doubling assays and MitoTracker staining were performed. Three of the nine compounds demonstrated strong inhibitory activity, i.e., parasite replication significantly decreased with higher concentrations. Additionally, many of the treated parasites exhibited decreases in fluorescent signaling and disruption of mitochondrial morphology. These findings suggest that bisphenol Z compounds disrupt mitochondrial function to inhibit parasite replication and may provide a foundation for the development of new and effective treatment modalities against T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Hatton
- Department of Biology, University of Findlay, Findlay, OH 45840, USA;
| | - Lea Stitzlein
- College of Pharmacy, University of Findlay, Findlay, OH 45840, USA; (L.S.); (R.W.D.)
| | - Richard W. Dudley
- College of Pharmacy, University of Findlay, Findlay, OH 45840, USA; (L.S.); (R.W.D.)
| | - Robert A. Charvat
- Department of Biology, University of Findlay, Findlay, OH 45840, USA;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-419-434-5746
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15
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McPhillie MJ, Zhou Y, Hickman MR, Gordon JA, Weber CR, Li Q, Lee PJ, Amporndanai K, Johnson RM, Darby H, Woods S, Li ZH, Priestley RS, Ristroph KD, Biering SB, El Bissati K, Hwang S, Hakim FE, Dovgin SM, Lykins JD, Roberts L, Hargrave K, Cong H, Sinai AP, Muench SP, Dubey JP, Prud'homme RK, Lorenzi HA, Biagini GA, Moreno SN, Roberts CW, Antonyuk SV, Fishwick CWG, McLeod R. Potent Tetrahydroquinolone Eliminates Apicomplexan Parasites. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2020; 10:203. [PMID: 32626661 PMCID: PMC7311950 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2020.00203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Apicomplexan infections cause substantial morbidity and mortality, worldwide. New, improved therapies are needed. Herein, we create a next generation anti-apicomplexan lead compound, JAG21, a tetrahydroquinolone, with increased sp3-character to improve parasite selectivity. Relative to other cytochrome b inhibitors, JAG21 has improved solubility and ADMET properties, without need for pro-drug. JAG21 significantly reduces Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites and encysted bradyzoites in vitro, and in primary and established chronic murine infections. Moreover, JAG21 treatment leads to 100% survival. Further, JAG21 is efficacious against drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum in vitro. Causal prophylaxis and radical cure are achieved after P. berghei sporozoite infection with oral administration of a single dose (2.5 mg/kg) or 3 days treatment at reduced dose (0.625 mg/kg/day), eliminating parasitemia, and leading to 100% survival. Enzymatic, binding, and co-crystallography/pharmacophore studies demonstrate selectivity for apicomplexan relative to mammalian enzymes. JAG21 has significant promise as a pre-clinical candidate for prevention, treatment, and cure of toxoplasmosis and malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ying Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Mark R. Hickman
- Experimental Therapeutics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - James A. Gordon
- School of Chemistry, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | | | - Qigui Li
- Experimental Therapeutics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Patty J. Lee
- Experimental Therapeutics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, MD, United States
| | - Kangsa Amporndanai
- Department of Biochemistry and Systems Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Rachel M. Johnson
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Heather Darby
- School of Chemistry, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Stuart Woods
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Zhu-hong Li
- Department of Cellular Biology, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Richard S. Priestley
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Research Center for Drugs and Diagnostics, The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Kurt D. Ristroph
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
| | - Scott B. Biering
- Department of Pathology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Kamal El Bissati
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Seungmin Hwang
- Department of Pathology, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Farida Esaa Hakim
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Sarah M. Dovgin
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Joseph D. Lykins
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
| | - Lucy Roberts
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Kerrie Hargrave
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Hua Cong
- School of Chemistry, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Anthony P. Sinai
- Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, The University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY, United States
| | - Stephen P. Muench
- School of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Biological Sciences, and Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, The University of Leeds, Leeds, United Kingdom
| | - Jitender P. Dubey
- Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory (APDL), USDA-ARS, Beltsville, MD, United States
| | - Robert K. Prud'homme
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ, United States
| | - Hernan A. Lorenzi
- Department of Infectious Diseases, J Craig Venter Institute, Rockville, MD, United States
| | - Giancarlo A. Biagini
- Department of Tropical Disease Biology, Research Center for Drugs and Diagnostics, The Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - Silvia N. Moreno
- Department of Cellular Biology, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Craig W. Roberts
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, The University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Svetlana V. Antonyuk
- Department of Biochemistry and Systems Biology, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | | | - Rima McLeod
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
- Department of Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases), Institute of Genomics, Genetics, and Systems Biology, Global Health Center, Toxoplasmosis Center, CHeSS, The College, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL, United States
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16
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Abugri DA, Jaynes JM, Witola WH. Anti-Toxoplasma activity of Sorghum bicolor-derived lipophilic fractions. BMC Res Notes 2019; 12:688. [PMID: 31651353 PMCID: PMC6814109 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-019-4732-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2019] [Accepted: 10/14/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Objective Toxoplasma gondii, an intracellular zoonotic parasite, infects approximately a third of the world population. Current drugs for treatment of T. gondii infection have been challenged with ineffectiveness and adverse side effects. This necessitates development of new anti-Toxoplasma drugs. Sorghum bicolor [Moench] leaf extract has been used in African traditional medicine for the management of anemia and treatment of infectious diseases. We tested the in vitro anti-Toxoplasma inhibitory activity of S. bicolor’s oil-like crude extracts and fractions against T. gondii and determined their cytotoxic effects on human host cells. Results Significant inhibitory activities against the growth of T. gondii tachyzoites were observed for the crude extract (IC50 = 3.65 µg/mL), the hexane-methanol fraction (IC50 = 2.74 µg/mL), and the hexane fraction (IC50 = 3.55 µg/mL) after 48 h of culture. The minimum cytotoxicity concentrations against HFF were 34.41, 16.92 and 7.23 µg/mL for crude extract, hexane-methanol and hexane fractions, respectively. The crude extract and fractions showed high antiparasitic effects with low cytotoxic effects. Further studies to determine synergistic activities and modes of action would provide impetus for the development of new toxoplasmosis drugs or nutraceuticals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Abugri
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Biology, Laboratory of Ethnomedicine, Parasitology and Drug Discovery, College of Arts and Sciences, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, USA.
| | - Jesse M Jaynes
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, 36088, USA
| | - William H Witola
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, IL, 61802, USA
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17
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Azami SJ, Amani A, Keshavarz H, Najafi-Taher R, Mohebali M, Faramarzi MA, Mahmoudi M, Shojaee S. Nanoemulsion of atovaquone as a promising approach for treatment of acute and chronic toxoplasmosis. Eur J Pharm Sci 2018; 117:138-146. [PMID: 29452213 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2018.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2017] [Revised: 01/13/2018] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Treatment of toxoplasmosis is necessary in congenital form and immunocompromised patients. Atovaquone is a powerful suppressor of protozoan parasites with a broad-spectrum activity, but an extremely low water solubility and bioavailability. In this study, nanoemulsion of this drug was prepared with grape seed oil using spontaneous emulsification method to increase bioavailability and efficacy of atovaquone for treatment of toxoplasmosis. In vitro activity of atovaquone nanoemulsion against T. gondii, RH and Tehran strains, was assessed in HeLa cell culture. For in vivo assessment, BALB/c mice were infected with RH and Tehran strains and then treated with nanoemulsion of atovaquone, compared to that treated with free atovaquone. Concentration of atovaquone nanoemulsion showed in vitro anti-parasitic effects in both strains of T. gondii. Furthermore, oral administration of atovaquone nanoemulsion increased oral bioavailability, tissue distribution and mice survival time and reduced parasitemia and number and size of the brain cysts. Decrease of cyst numbers was verified by down regulation of BAG1 using real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) assay. Effective therapeutic activity of atovaquone at a reduced dose is the major achievement of this study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanaz Jafarpour Azami
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Amir Amani
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Medical Biomaterials Research Center, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hossein Keshavarz
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Roqya Najafi-Taher
- Department of Medical Nanotechnology, School of Advanced Technologies in Medicine, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mehdi Mohebali
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Ali Faramarzi
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mahmood Mahmoudi
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Saeedeh Shojaee
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
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18
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Abugri DA, Witola WH, Jaynes JM. In vitro antagonistic and indifferent activity of combination of 3-deoxyanthocyanidins against Toxoplasma gondii. Parasitol Res 2017; 116:3387-3400. [PMID: 29086004 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-017-5661-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 10/18/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous intracellular zoonotic parasite estimated to affect about 30-90% of the world's human population. The most affected are immunocompromised individuals such as HIV-AIDS and cancer patients, organ and tissue transplant recipients, and congenitally infected children. No effective and safe drugs and vaccines are available against all forms of the parasite. We report here the antagonistic and indifferent activity of the combination of five different formulations of pure synthetic 3-deoxyanthocyaninidin (3-DA) chloride compounds against T. gondii tachyzoites and the synergistic and additive interaction against a human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) cell line in vitro using fluorescence microscopy, trypan blue assay, and fractional inhibitory concentration index. The individual and the combined pure 3-DA compounds were observed to have effective inhibition against T. gondii parasites with less cytotoxic effect in a ratio of 1:1. The IC50 values for parasite inhibition ranged from 1.88 μg/mL (1.51-2.32 μg/mL) for luteolinindin plus 7-methoxyapigeninindin (LU/7-MAP) and 2.23 μg/mL (1.66-2.97 μg/mL) for apigeninindin plus 7-methoxyapigeninindin (AP/7-MAP) combinations at 95% confidence interval (CI) after 48 h of culture. We found LU/7-MAP to be antagonistic and AP/7-MAP to be indifferent in interaction against T. gondii growth. Both individual and combination 3-DA compounds not only depicted very strong inhibitory activity against T. gondii, but also had synergistic and additive cytotoxic effects against HFF cells. These synthetic 3-DAs have potential as antiparasitic agents for the treatment of human toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Abugri
- Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, Laboratory of Ethnomedicine, Parasitology and Drug Discovery, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, USA. .,Department of Biology, College of Arts and Sciences, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, USA.
| | - William H Witola
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, 2001 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL, 61802, USA
| | - Jesse M Jaynes
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, USA
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19
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Wang ZX, Zhou CX, Elsheikha HM, He S, Zhou DH, Zhu XQ. Proteomic Differences between Developmental Stages of Toxoplasma gondii Revealed by iTRAQ-Based Quantitative Proteomics. Front Microbiol 2017. [PMID: 28626452 PMCID: PMC5454076 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2017.00985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii has a complex two-host life-cycle between intermediate host and definitive host. Understanding proteomic variations across the life-cycle stages of T. gondii may improve the understanding of molecular adaption mechanism of T. gondii across life-cycle stages, and should have implications for the development of new treatment and prevention interventions against T. gondii infection. Here, we utilized LC–MS/MS coupled with iTRAQ labeling technology to identify differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) specific to tachyzoite (T), bradyzoites-containing cyst (C) and sporulated oocyst (O) stages of the cyst-forming T. gondii Prugniuad (Pru) strain. A total of 6285 proteins were identified in the three developmental stages of T. gondii. Our analysis also revealed 875, 656, and 538 DEPs in O vs. T, T vs. C, and C vs. O, respectively. The up- and down-regulated proteins were analyzed by Gene Ontology enrichment, KEGG pathway and STRING analyses. Some virulence-related factors and ribosomal proteins exhibited distinct expression patterns across the life-cycle stages. The virulence factors expressed in sporulated oocysts and the number of up-regulated virulence factors in the cyst stage were about twice as many as in tachyzoites. Of the 79 ribosomal proteins identified in T. gondii, the number of up-regulated ribosomal proteins was 33 and 46 in sporulated oocysts and cysts, respectively, compared with tachyzoites. These results support the hypothesis that oocyst and cystic stages are able to adapt to adverse environmental conditions and selection pressures induced by the host's immune response, respectively. These findings have important implications for understanding of the developmental biology of T. gondii, which may facilitate the discovery of novel therapeutic targets to better control toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ze-Xiang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesLanzhou, China
| | - Chun-Xue Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesLanzhou, China.,National Animal Protozoa Laboratory and College of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural UniversityBeijing, China
| | - Hany M Elsheikha
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine and Science, University of NottinghamLoughborough, United Kingdom
| | - Shuai He
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesLanzhou, China.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Anhui Agricultural UniversityHefei, China
| | - Dong-Hui Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesLanzhou, China
| | - Xing-Quan Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology, Key Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology of Gansu Province, Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural SciencesLanzhou, China.,Jiangsu Co-innovation Center for Prevention and Control of Important Animal Infectious Diseases and ZoonosesYangzhou, China
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20
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Welsch ME, Zhou J, Gao Y, Yan Y, Porter G, Agnihotri G, Li Y, Lu H, Chen Z, Thomas SB. Discovery of Potent and Selective Leads against Toxoplasma gondii Dihydrofolate Reductase via Structure-Based Design. ACS Med Chem Lett 2016; 7:1124-1129. [PMID: 27994750 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.6b00328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2016] [Accepted: 09/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Current treatment of toxoplasmosis targets the parasite's folate metabolism through inhibition of dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR). The most widely used DHFR antagonist, pyrimethamine, was introduced over 60 years ago and is associated with toxicity that can be largely attributed to a similar affinity for parasite and human DHFR. Computational analysis of biochemical differences between Toxoplasma gondii and human DHFR enabled the design of inhibitors with both improved potency and selectivity. The approach described herein yielded TRC-19, a promising lead with an IC50 of 9 nM and 89-fold selectivity in favor of Toxoplasma gondii DHFR, as well as crystallographic data to substantiate in silico methodology. Overall, 50% of synthesized in silico designs met hit threshold criteria of IC50 < 10 μM and >2-fold selectivity favoring Toxoplasma gondii, further demonstrating the efficiency of our structure-based drug design approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew E. Welsch
- Turing Pharmaceuticals AG, Research & Development, 1177 Avenue of the Americas, 39th Floor, New York, New York 10036, United States
| | - Jian Zhou
- WuXi AppTec, International Discovery Service Unit & Research Service Division, 288 Fute Zhong Road, Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Yueqiang Gao
- WuXi AppTec, International Discovery Service Unit & Research Service Division, 288 Fute Zhong Road, Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Yunqing Yan
- WuXi AppTec, International Discovery Service Unit & Research Service Division, 288 Fute Zhong Road, Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Gene Porter
- WuXi AppTec, In Vitro Biology US, 107 Morgan Lane, Plainsborough, New Jersey 08536, United States
| | - Gautam Agnihotri
- WuXi AppTec, In Vitro Biology US, 107 Morgan Lane, Plainsborough, New Jersey 08536, United States
| | - Yingjie Li
- WuXi AppTec, International Discovery Service Unit & Research Service Division, 288 Fute Zhong Road, Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Henry Lu
- WuXi AppTec, International Discovery Service Unit & Research Service Division, 288 Fute Zhong Road, Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Zhongguo Chen
- WuXi AppTec, International Discovery Service Unit & Research Service Division, 288 Fute Zhong Road, Waigaoqiao Free Trade Zone, Shanghai 200131, China
| | - Stephen B. Thomas
- Turing Pharmaceuticals AG, Research & Development, 1177 Avenue of the Americas, 39th Floor, New York, New York 10036, United States
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21
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McPhillie M, Zhou Y, El Bissati K, Dubey J, Lorenzi H, Capper M, Lukens AK, Hickman M, Muench S, Verma SK, Weber CR, Wheeler K, Gordon J, Sanders J, Moulton H, Wang K, Kim TK, He Y, Santos T, Woods S, Lee P, Donkin D, Kim E, Fraczek L, Lykins J, Esaa F, Alibana-Clouser F, Dovgin S, Weiss L, Brasseur G, Wirth D, Kent M, Hood L, Meunieur B, Roberts CW, Hasnain SS, Antonyuk SV, Fishwick C, McLeod R. New paradigms for understanding and step changes in treating active and chronic, persistent apicomplexan infections. Sci Rep 2016; 6:29179. [PMID: 27412848 PMCID: PMC4944145 DOI: 10.1038/srep29179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2016] [Accepted: 05/31/2016] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii, the most common parasitic infection of human brain and eye, persists across lifetimes, can progressively damage sight, and is currently incurable. New, curative medicines are needed urgently. Herein, we develop novel models to facilitate drug development: EGS strain T. gondii forms cysts in vitro that induce oocysts in cats, the gold standard criterion for cysts. These cysts highly express cytochrome b. Using these models, we envisioned, and then created, novel 4-(1H)-quinolone scaffolds that target the cytochrome bc1 complex Qi site, of which, a substituted 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinolin-4-one inhibits active infection (IC50, 30 nM) and cysts (IC50, 4 μM) in vitro, and in vivo (25 mg/kg), and drug resistant Plasmodium falciparum (IC50, <30 nM), with clinically relevant synergy. Mutant yeast and co-crystallographic studies demonstrate binding to the bc1 complex Qi site. Our results have direct impact on improving outcomes for those with toxoplasmosis, malaria, and ~2 billion persons chronically infected with encysted bradyzoites.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Amanda K Lukens
- Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- The Broad Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Mark Hickman
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Kai Wang
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Taek-Kyun Kim
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Yuqing He
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Tatiana Santos
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | | | - Patty Lee
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - David Donkin
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Eric Kim
- Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Louis Weiss
- Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, New York, USA
| | | | - Dyann Wirth
- Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- The Broad Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | | | - Leroy Hood
- Institute for Systems Biology, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Brigitte Meunieur
- Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (12BC), Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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Treatment of Congenital Toxoplasmosis: Safety of the Sulfadoxine-Pyrimethamine Combination in Children Based on a Method of Causality Assessment. Pediatr Infect Dis J 2016; 35:634-8. [PMID: 26906163 DOI: 10.1097/inf.0000000000001120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The treatment of newborns and infants with congenital toxoplasmosis is standard practice. Some observational studies have examined safety in newborns, but most of these failed to provide sufficient details for a provisional assessment of causality. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical and biological adverse effects of the combination of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine. METHODS Sixty-five children treated for 1 year with a combination of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (1 dose every 10 days) for congenital toxoplasmosis were followed up to evaluate abnormal hematological values and potential adverse events using a standardized method of causality assessment. RESULTS Nine patients (13.8%) presented at least 1 adverse clinical event that was nonspecific, such as diarrhea on the day of drug administration, vomiting and agitation. In 1 patient, erythema appeared at the end of the treatment and resolved within 10 days. None of these events was attributed to the treatment. Six patients (9.2%) developed an adverse hematological event (neutropenia, n = 3; eosinophilia, n = 2 and both anemia and eosinophilia, n = 1) that was considered to be possibly related to the sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine combination. Four treatments were temporarily interrupted, and toxicity was observed after readministration of treatment in 1 case only. However, none of these adverse events was life threatening. CONCLUSIONS According to our results and previously published data, the combination of sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine seems to be well tolerated. However, the sample size of our study was too small to rule out the risk of less frequent, but nevertheless severe, reactions and, in particular, of hypersensitivity reactions.
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Abugri DA, Witola WH, Jaynes JM, Toufic N. In vitro activity of Sorghum bicolor extracts, 3-deoxyanthocyanidins, against Toxoplasma gondii. Exp Parasitol 2016; 164:12-9. [PMID: 26855040 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2016.02.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2015] [Revised: 01/29/2016] [Accepted: 02/03/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
We investigated dried red leaf extracts of Sorghum bicolor for activity against Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites. S. bicolor red leaf extracts were obtained by bioassay-guided fractionation using ethanol and ethyl acetate as solvents. Analysis of the crude and fractionated extracts from S. bicolor using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) showed that they contained significant amounts of apigeninidin, luteolinidin, 7-methoxyapigeninidin, 5-methoxyapigeninidin, 5-methoxyluteolinidin, 7-methoxyluteolinidin 5,7-dimethoxyapigeninidin or 5,7-dimethoxyluteolinidin, based on mass per charge (m/z). When tested in vitro, the IC50s for inhibitory activity against T. gondii tachyzoites' growth of the ethanol and ethyl acetate extracts were 2.3- and 4-fold, respectively, lower than their cytotoxic IC50s in mammalian cells. Ethyl acetate extracts fractionated in chloroform-methanol and chloroform had IC50s against T. gondii that were 56.1- and 3-fold lower than their respective cytotoxic IC50s in mammalian cells. These antiparasitic activities were found to be consistent with those of the respective pure 3-deoxyanthocyanidin compounds identified to be contained in the fractions in significant amounts. Further, we observed that, the position and number of methoxy groups possessed by the 3-deoyanthocyanidins influenced their antiparasitic activity. Together, our findings indicate that S. bicolor red-leaf 3-deoxyanthocyanidins-rich extracts have potent in vitro inhibitory activity against the proliferative stage of T. gondii parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Abugri
- Department of Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, USA; Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, USA
| | - William H Witola
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, USA.
| | - Jesse M Jaynes
- Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, College of Agriculture, Environment and Nutrition Sciences, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, USA
| | - Nashar Toufic
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nursing & Allied Health, Tuskegee University, Tuskegee, AL, USA
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Eissa MM, Barakat AMA, Amer EI, Younis LK. Could miltefosine be used as a therapy for toxoplasmosis? Exp Parasitol 2015; 157:12-22. [PMID: 26112396 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2015.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2014] [Revised: 06/05/2015] [Accepted: 06/14/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic protozoal disease affecting more than a billion people worldwide. The shortfalls of the current treatment options necessitate the development of non-toxic and well-tolerated, efficient alternatives especially against the cyst form. The current study was undertaken to investigate, for the first time, the potential potency of miltefosine against Toxoplasma gondii infection in acute and chronic experimental toxoplasmosis. Results showed that there is no evidence of anti-parasitic activity of miltefosine against T. gondii tachyzoites in acute experimental toxoplasmosis. However, anti-parasitic activity of miltefosine against T. gondii cyst stage in chronic experimental toxoplasmosis could not be excluded as demonstrated by significant reduction in brain cyst burden. Moreover, considerable morphological changes in the cysts were revealed by light and electron microscopy study and also by amelioration of pathological changes in the brain. Future studies should focus on enhancement of anti-toxoplasma activity of miltefosine against chronic toxoplasmosis using formulation based nanotechnology. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study highlighting efficacy of miltefosine against chronic toxoplasmosis, thus, increasing the list of diseases that can be targeted by this drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maha M Eissa
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | | | - Eglal I Amer
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
| | - Layla K Younis
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
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Dzitko K, Paneth A, Plech T, Pawełczyk J, Stączek P, Stefańska J, Paneth P. 1,4-Disubstituted thiosemicarbazide derivatives are potent inhibitors of Toxoplasma gondii proliferation. Molecules 2014; 19:9926-43. [PMID: 25010466 PMCID: PMC6290556 DOI: 10.3390/molecules19079926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2014] [Revised: 06/27/2014] [Accepted: 06/27/2014] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
A series of 4-arylthiosemicarbazides substituted at the N1 position with a 5-membered heteroaryl ring was synthesized and evaluated in vitro for T. gondii inhibition proliferation and host cell cytotoxicity. At non-toxic concentrations for the host cells all studied compounds displayed excellent anti-parasitic effects when compared to sulfadiazine, indicating a high selectivity of their anti-T. gondii activity. The differences in bioactivity investigated by DFT calculations suggest that the inhibitory activity of 4-aryl-thiosemicarbazides towards T. gondii proliferation is connected with the electronic structure of the molecule. Further, these compounds were tested as potential antibacterial agents. No growth-inhibiting effect on any of the test microorganisms was observed for all the compounds, even at high concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarzyna Dzitko
- Department of Immunoparasitology, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Lodz, Poland.
| | - Agata Paneth
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Medical University, Chodźki 4a, 20-093 Lublin, Poland.
| | - Tomasz Plech
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Medical University, Chodźki 4a, 20-093 Lublin, Poland.
| | - Jakub Pawełczyk
- Institute for Medical Biology of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Lodowa 106, 93-232 Łódź, Poland.
| | - Paweł Stączek
- Department of Genetics of Microorganisms, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Lodz, Poland.
| | - Joanna Stefańska
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Medical University of Warsaw, Oczki 3, 02-007 Warszawa, Poland.
| | - Piotr Paneth
- Institute of Applied Radiation Chemistry, Technical University of Lodz, Zeromskiego 116, 90-924 Lodz, Poland.
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Spiroindolone that inhibits PfATPase4 is a potent, cidal inhibitor of Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites in vitro and in vivo. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2013; 58:1789-92. [PMID: 24366743 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02225-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Here, we show that spiroindolone, an effective treatment for plasmodia, is also active against Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites. In vitro, spiroindolone NITD609 is cidal for tachyzoites (50% inhibitory concentration [IC50], 1μM) and not toxic to human cells at ≥10μM. Two daily oral doses of 100 mg/kg of body weight reduced the parasite burden in mice by 90% (P=0.002), measured 3 days after the last dose. This inhibition of T. gondii tachyzoites in vitro and in vivo indicates that spiroindolone is a promising lead candidate for further medicine development.
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Afanador GA, Muench SP, McPhillie M, Fomovska A, Schön A, Zhou Y, Cheng G, Stec J, Freundlich JS, Shieh HM, Anderson JW, Jacobus DP, Fidock DA, Kozikowski AP, Fishwick CW, Rice DW, Freire E, McLeod R, Prigge ST. Discrimination of potent inhibitors of Toxoplasma gondii enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase by a thermal shift assay. Biochemistry 2013; 52:9155-66. [PMID: 24295325 DOI: 10.1021/bi400945y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Many microbial pathogens rely on a type II fatty acid synthesis (FASII) pathway that is distinct from the type I pathway found in humans. Enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (ENR) is an essential FASII pathway enzyme and the target of a number of antimicrobial drug discovery efforts. The biocide triclosan is established as a potent inhibitor of ENR and has been the starting point for medicinal chemistry studies. We evaluated a series of triclosan analogues for their ability to inhibit the growth of Toxoplasma gondii, a pervasive human pathogen, and its ENR enzyme (TgENR). Several compounds that inhibited TgENR at low nanomolar concentrations were identified but could not be further differentiated because of the limited dynamic range of the TgENR activity assay. Thus, we adapted a thermal shift assay (TSA) to directly measure the dissociation constant (Kd) of the most potent inhibitors identified in this study as well as inhibitors from previous studies. Furthermore, the TSA allowed us to determine the mode of action of these compounds in the presence of the reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) or nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD⁺) cofactor. We found that all of the inhibitors bind to a TgENR-NAD⁺ complex but that they differed in their dependence on NAD⁺ concentration. Ultimately, we were able to identify compounds that bind to the TgENR-NAD⁺ complex in the low femtomolar range. This shows how TSA data combined with enzyme inhibition, parasite growth inhibition data, and ADMET predictions allow for better discrimination between potent ENR inhibitors for the future development of medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo A Afanador
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health , Baltimore, Maryland 21205, United States
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Cheng G, Muench SP, Zhou Y, Afanador GA, Mui EJ, Fomovska A, Lai BS, Prigge ST, Woods S, Roberts CW, Hickman MR, Lee PJ, Leed SE, Auschwitz JM, Rice DW, McLeod R. Design, synthesis, and biological activity of diaryl ether inhibitors of Toxoplasma gondii enoyl reductase. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2013; 23:2035-43. [PMID: 23453069 PMCID: PMC3625046 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2013.02.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2012] [Revised: 01/24/2013] [Accepted: 02/01/2013] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Triclosan is a potent inhibitor of Toxoplasma gondii enoyl reductase (TgENR), which is an essential enzyme for parasite survival. In view of triclosan's poor druggability, which limits its therapeutic use, a new set of B-ring modified analogs were designed to optimize its physico-chemical properties. These derivatives were synthesized and evaluated by in vitro assay and TgENR enzyme assay. Some analogs display improved solubility, permeability and a comparable MIC50 value to that of triclosan. Modeling of these inhibitors revealed the same overall binding mode with the enzyme as triclosan, but the B-ring modifications have additional interactions with the strongly conserved Asn130.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gang Cheng
- Drug Discovery Program, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, University of Illinois at Chicago, 833 South Wood Street, Chicago, Illinois, 60612, United States
| | | | - Ying Zhou
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases), Committees on Genetics, Immunology, and Molecular Medicine, Institute of Genomics and Systems Biology, and The College, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Gustavo A. Afanador
- Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Rm. E5132, 615 N. Wolfe St. Baltimore MD 21205, United States
| | - Ernest J. Mui
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases), Committees on Genetics, Immunology, and Molecular Medicine, Institute of Genomics and Systems Biology, and The College, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Alina Fomovska
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases), Committees on Genetics, Immunology, and Molecular Medicine, Institute of Genomics and Systems Biology, and The College, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Bo Shiun Lai
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases), Committees on Genetics, Immunology, and Molecular Medicine, Institute of Genomics and Systems Biology, and The College, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
| | - Sean T. Prigge
- Johns Hopkins School of Public Health Rm. E5132, 615 N. Wolfe St. Baltimore MD 21205, United States
| | - Stuart Woods
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow, G4 0RE, U.K
| | - Craig W. Roberts
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, 161 Cathedral Street, Glasgow, G4 0RE, U.K
| | - Mark R. Hickman
- Department of Discovery, Division of Experimental Therapeutics Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Rm 2N61 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910
| | - Patty J. Lee
- Department of Discovery, Division of Experimental Therapeutics Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Rm 2N61 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910
| | - Susan E. Leed
- Department of Discovery, Division of Experimental Therapeutics Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Rm 2N61 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910
| | - Jennifer M. Auschwitz
- Department of Discovery, Division of Experimental Therapeutics Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Rm 2N61 503 Robert Grant Avenue, Silver Spring, MD 20910
| | - David W. Rice
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, U.K
| | - Rima McLeod
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases), Committees on Genetics, Immunology, and Molecular Medicine, Institute of Genomics and Systems Biology, and The College, The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, United States
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Wang L, Chen H, Liu D, Huo X, Gao J, Song X, Xu X, Huang K, Liu W, Wang Y, Lu F, Lun ZR, Luo Q, Wang X, Shen J. Genotypes and mouse virulence of Toxoplasma gondii isolates from animals and humans in China. PLoS One 2013; 8:e53483. [PMID: 23308233 PMCID: PMC3538538 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0053483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2012] [Accepted: 11/30/2012] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Recent population structure studies of T. gondii revealed that a few major clonal lineages predominated in different geographical regions. T. gondii in South America is genetically and biologically divergent, whereas this parasite is remarkably clonal in North America and Europe with a few major lineages including Types I, II and III. Information on genotypes and mouse virulence of T. gondii isolates from China is scarce and insufficient to investigate its population structure, evolution, and transmission. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Genotyping of 23 T. gondii isolates from different hosts using 10 markers for PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses (SAG1, SAG2, SAG3, BTUB, GRA6, c22-8, c29-2, L358, PK1 and Apico) revealed five genotypes; among them three genotypes were atypical and two were archetypal. Fifteen strains belong to the Chinese 1 lineage, which has been previously reported as a widespread lineage from swine, cats, and humans in China. Two human isolates fall into the type I and II lineages and the remaining isolates belong to two new atypical genotypes (ToxoDB#204 and #205) which has never been reported in China. Our results show that these genotypes of T. gondii isolates are intermediately or highly virulent in mice except for the strain TgCtwh6, which maintained parasitemia in mice for 35 days post infection although it possesses the uniform genotype of Chinese 1. Additionally, phylogenetic network analyses of all isolates of genotype Chinese 1 are identical, and there is no variation based on the sequence data generated for four introns (EF1, HP2, UPRT1 and UPRT7) and two dense granule proteins (GRA6 and GRA7). CONCLUSION/SIGNIFICANCE A limited genetic diversity was found and genotype Chinese 1 (ToxoDB#9) is dominantly circulating in mainland China. The results will provide a useful profile for deep insight to the population structure, epidemiology and biological characteristics of T. gondii in China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Wang
- Department of Parasitology, Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology & Parasitology and the Key Laboratory of Zoonoses Anhui, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Clinical Laboratory, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - He Chen
- Clinical Laboratory, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Daohua Liu
- Provincial Institute of Parasitic Diseases Control Anhui, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xingxing Huo
- Clinical Laboratory, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Jiangmei Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, the Key laboratory of Tropical Diseases Control, the Ministry of Education, and the Department of Parasitology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Xiaorong Song
- Department of Parasitology, Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology & Parasitology and the Key Laboratory of Zoonoses Anhui, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xiucai Xu
- Department of Parasitology, Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology & Parasitology and the Key Laboratory of Zoonoses Anhui, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Kaiquan Huang
- Clinical Laboratory, the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Wenqi Liu
- Department of Parasitology, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yong Wang
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Fangli Lu
- Department of Parasitology, and the Key Laboratory of Tropical Disease Control, Ministry of Education, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhao-Rong Lun
- State Key Laboratory of Biocontrol, School of Life Sciences, the Key laboratory of Tropical Diseases Control, the Ministry of Education, and the Department of Parasitology, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China
| | - Qingli Luo
- Department of Parasitology, Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology & Parasitology and the Key Laboratory of Zoonoses Anhui, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xuelong Wang
- Department of Parasitology, Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology & Parasitology and the Key Laboratory of Zoonoses Anhui, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Jilong Shen
- Department of Parasitology, Provincial Laboratory of Microbiology & Parasitology and the Key Laboratory of Zoonoses Anhui, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
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Tryptanthrin derivatives as Toxoplasma gondii inhibitors--structure-activity-relationship of the 6-position. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2012; 23:1032-5. [PMID: 23321561 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2012.12.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2012] [Revised: 12/07/2012] [Accepted: 12/10/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
A panel of derivatives of the natural product tryptanthrin was synthesized and screened for its in vitro activity against the intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii. We concentrated on the modification of the 6-keto group of tryptanthrin and prepared a series of oximes, hydrazones and alcohols based on tryptanthrin. We evaluated parasite growth inhibition and host cell cytotoxicity. Our results indicate that in particular alcohol analogs are promising candidates for further investigation.
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Fomovska A, Wood RD, Mui E, Dubey JP, Ferreira LR, Hickman MR, Lee PJ, Leed SE, Auschwitz JM, Welsh WJ, Sommerville C, Woods S, Roberts C, McLeod R. Salicylanilide inhibitors of Toxoplasma gondii. J Med Chem 2012; 55:8375-91. [PMID: 22970937 DOI: 10.1021/jm3007596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii (T. gondii) is an apicomplexan parasite that can cause eye disease, brain disease, and death, especially in congenitally infected and immune-compromised people. Novel medicines effective against both active and latent forms of the parasite are greatly needed. The current study focused on the discovery of such medicines by exploring a family of potential inhibitors whose antiapicomplexan activity has not been previously reported. Initial screening efforts revealed that niclosamide, a drug approved for anthelmintic use, possessed promising activity in vitro against T. gondii. This observation inspired the evaluation of the activity of a series of salicylanilides and derivatives. Several inhibitors with activities in the nanomolar range with no appreciable in vitro toxicity to human cells were identified. An initial structure-activity relationship was explored. Four compounds were selected for evaluation in an in vivo model of infection, and two derivatives with potentially enhanced pharmacological parameters demonstrated the best activity profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alina Fomovska
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Pediatrics (Infectious Diseases), Committees on Genetics, Immunology, and Molecular Medicine, Institute of Genomics and Systems Biology, and The College, The University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA
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Structure–activity studies of some berberine analogs as inhibitors of Toxoplasma gondii. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2012; 22:2980-2. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2012.02.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2011] [Revised: 02/11/2012] [Accepted: 02/13/2012] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Novel N-benzoyl-2-hydroxybenzamide disrupts unique parasite secretory pathway. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2012; 56:2666-82. [PMID: 22354304 DOI: 10.1128/aac.06450-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that can damage the human brain and eyes. There are no curative medicines. Herein, we describe our discovery of N-benzoyl-2-hydroxybenzamides as a class of compounds effective in the low nanomolar range against T. gondii in vitro and in vivo. Our lead compound, QQ-437, displays robust activity against the parasite and could be useful as a new scaffold for development of novel and improved inhibitors of T. gondii. Our genome-wide investigations reveal a specific mechanism of resistance to N-benzoyl-2-hydroxybenzamides mediated by adaptin-3β, a large protein from the secretory protein complex. N-Benzoyl-2-hydroxybenzamide-resistant clones have alterations of their secretory pathway, which traffics proteins to micronemes, rhoptries, dense granules, and acidocalcisomes/plant-like vacuole (PLVs). N-Benzoyl-2-hydroxybenzamide treatment also alters micronemes, rhoptries, the contents of dense granules, and, most markedly, acidocalcisomes/PLVs. Furthermore, QQ-437 is active against chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum. Our studies reveal a novel class of compounds that disrupts a unique secretory pathway of T. gondii, with the potential to be used as scaffolds in the search for improved compounds to treat the devastating diseases caused by apicomplexan parasites.
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Rapid discovery of inhibitors of Toxoplasma gondii using hybrid structure-based computational approach. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2011; 25:403-11. [DOI: 10.1007/s10822-011-9420-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2010] [Accepted: 02/16/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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Tipparaju SK, Muench SP, Mui EJ, Ruzheinikov SN, Lu JZ, Hutson SL, Kirisits MJ, Prigge ST, Roberts CW, Henriquez FL, Kozikowski AP, Rice DW, McLeod RL. Identification and development of novel inhibitors of Toxoplasma gondii enoyl reductase. J Med Chem 2010; 53:6287-300. [PMID: 20698542 DOI: 10.1021/jm9017724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis causes significant morbidity and mortality, and yet available medicines are limited by toxicities and hypersensitivity. Because improved medicines are needed urgently, rational approaches were used to identify novel lead compounds effective against Toxoplasma gondii enoyl reductase (TgENR), a type II fatty acid synthase enzyme essential in parasites but not present in animals. Fifty-three compounds, including three classes that inhibit ENRs, were tested. Six compounds have antiparasite MIC(90)s < or = 6 microM without toxicity to host cells, three compounds have IC(90)s < 45 nM against recombinant TgENR, and two protect mice. To further understand the mode of inhibition, the cocrystal structure of one of the most promising candidate compounds in complex with TgENR has been determined to 2.7 A. The crystal structure reveals that the aliphatic side chain of compound 19 occupies, as predicted, space made available by replacement of a bulky hydrophobic residue in homologous bacterial ENRs by Ala in TgENR. This provides a paradigm, conceptual foundation, reagents, and lead compounds for future rational development and discovery of improved inhibitors of T. gondii.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suresh K Tipparaju
- Drug Discovery Program, Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA
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Castrejon JL, Lavergne SN, El-Sheikh A, Farrell J, Maggs JL, Sabbani S, O’Neill PM, Park BK, Naisbitt DJ. Metabolic and Chemical Origins of Cross-Reactive Immunological Reactions to Arylamine Benzenesulfonamides: T-Cell Responses to Hydroxylamine and Nitroso Derivatives. Chem Res Toxicol 2009; 23:184-92. [DOI: 10.1021/tx900329b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- J. Luis Castrejon
- MRC Centre for Drug Safety Science, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, United Kingdom, and Department of Chemistry, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United Kingdom
| | - Sidonie N. Lavergne
- MRC Centre for Drug Safety Science, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, United Kingdom, and Department of Chemistry, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United Kingdom
| | - Ayman El-Sheikh
- MRC Centre for Drug Safety Science, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, United Kingdom, and Department of Chemistry, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United Kingdom
| | - John Farrell
- MRC Centre for Drug Safety Science, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, United Kingdom, and Department of Chemistry, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United Kingdom
| | - James L. Maggs
- MRC Centre for Drug Safety Science, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, United Kingdom, and Department of Chemistry, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United Kingdom
| | - Sunil Sabbani
- MRC Centre for Drug Safety Science, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, United Kingdom, and Department of Chemistry, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United Kingdom
| | - Paul M. O’Neill
- MRC Centre for Drug Safety Science, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, United Kingdom, and Department of Chemistry, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United Kingdom
| | - B. Kevin Park
- MRC Centre for Drug Safety Science, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, United Kingdom, and Department of Chemistry, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United Kingdom
| | - Dean J. Naisbitt
- MRC Centre for Drug Safety Science, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3GE, United Kingdom, and Department of Chemistry, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZD, United Kingdom
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McLeod R, Kieffer F, Sautter M, Hosten T, Pelloux H. Why prevent, diagnose and treat congenital toxoplasmosis? Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2009; 104:320-44. [PMID: 19430661 PMCID: PMC2735102 DOI: 10.1590/s0074-02762009000200029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2008] [Accepted: 10/20/2008] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Evidence that prevention, diagnosis and treatment of toxoplasmosis is beneficial developed as follows: anti-parasitic agents abrogate Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoite growth, preventing destruction of infected, cultured, mammalian cells and cure active infections in experimental animals, including primates. They treat active infections in persons who are immune-compromised, limit destruction of retina by replicating parasites and thereby treat ocular toxoplasmosis and treat active infection in the fetus and infant. Outcomes of untreated congenital toxoplasmosis include adverse ocular and neurologic sequelae described in different countries and decades. Better outcomes are associated with treatment of infected infants throughout their first year of life. Shorter intervals between diagnosis and treatment in utero improve outcomes. A French approach for diagnosis and treatment of congenital toxoplasmosis in the fetus and infant can prevent toxoplasmosis and limit adverse sequelae. In addition, new data demonstrate that this French approach results in favorable outcomes with some early gestation infections. A standardized approach to diagnosis and treatment during gestation has not yet been applied generally in the USA. Nonetheless, a small, similar experience confirms that this French approach is feasible, safe, and results in favorable outcomes in the National Collaborative Chicago-based Congenital Toxoplasmosis Study cohort. Prompt diagnosis, prevention and treatment reduce adverse sequelae of congenital toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rima McLeod
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, Committees on Immunology, Genetics, Molecular Medicine, The College, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA.
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Mui EJ, Schiehser GA, Milhous WK, Hsu H, Roberts CW, Kirisits M, Muench S, Rice D, Dubey JP, Fowble JW, Rathod PK, Queener SF, Liu SR, Jacobus DP, McLeod R. Novel triazine JPC-2067-B inhibits Toxoplasma gondii in vitro and in vivo. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2008; 2:e190. [PMID: 18320016 PMCID: PMC2254147 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0000190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2007] [Accepted: 01/16/2008] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND METHODOLOGY Toxoplasma gondii causes substantial morbidity, mortality, and costs for healthcare in the developed and developing world. Current medicines are not well tolerated and cause hypersensitivity reactions. The dihydrotriazine JPC-2067-B (4, 6-diamino-1, 2-dihydro-2, 2-dimethyl-1-(3'(2-chloro-, 4-trifluoromethoxyphenoxy)propyloxy)-1, 3, 5-triazine), which inhibits dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR), is highly effective against Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, and apicomplexans related to T. gondii. JPC-2067-B is the primary metabolite of the orally active biguanide JPC-2056 1-(3'-(2-chloro-4-trifluoromethoxyphenyloxy)propyl oxy)- 5-isopropylbiguanide, which is being advanced to clinical trials for malaria. Efficacy of the prodrug JPC-2056 and the active metabolite JPC-2067-B against T. gondii and T. gondii DHFR as well as toxicity toward mammalian cells were tested. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS AND CONCLUSIONS Herein, we found that JPC-2067-B is highly effective against T. gondii. We demonstrate that JPC-2067-B inhibits T. gondii growth in culture (IC50 20 nM), inhibits the purified enzyme (IC50 6.5 nM), is more efficacious than pyrimethamine, and is cidal in vitro. JPC-2067-B administered parenterally and the orally administered pro-drug (JPC-2056) are also effective against T. gondii tachyzoites in vivo. A molecular model of T. gondii DHFR-TS complexed with JPC-2067-B was developed. We found that the three main parasite clonal types and isolates from South and Central America, the United States, Canada, China, and Sri Lanka have the same amino acid sequences preserving key binding sites for the triazine. SIGNIFICANCE JPC-2056/JPC-2067-B have potential to be more effective and possibly less toxic treatments for toxoplasmosis than currently available medicines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ernest J. Mui
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Guy A. Schiehser
- Jacobus Pharmaceutical Company, Inc., Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Wilbur K. Milhous
- Walter Reed Army Institute for Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Honghue Hsu
- Jacobus Pharmaceutical Company, Inc., Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Craig W. Roberts
- Department of Immunology, Strathclyde Institute for Biomedical Sciences, University of Strathclyde, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Kirisits
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - Stephen Muench
- Krebs Institute for Biomolecular Research, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, England, United Kingdom
| | - David Rice
- Krebs Institute for Biomolecular Research, Department of Molecular Biology and Biotechnology, The University of Sheffield, Sheffield, England, United Kingdom
| | - J. P. Dubey
- United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Services, Animal and Natural Resources Institute, Animal Parasitic Diseases Laboratory, Beltsville, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Joseph W. Fowble
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Pradipsinh K. Rathod
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America
| | - Sherry F. Queener
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, United States of America
| | - Susan R. Liu
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
| | - David P. Jacobus
- Jacobus Pharmaceutical Company, Inc., Princeton, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Rima McLeod
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
- Department of Pediatrics, Committee on Molecular Medicines, Genetics, and Immunology and The College, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States of America
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Phan L, Kasza K, Jalbrzikowski J, Noble AG, Latkany P, Kuo A, Mieler W, Meyers S, Rabiah P, Boyer K, Swisher C, Mets M, Roizen N, Cezar S, Remington J, Meier P, McLeod R. Longitudinal study of new eye lesions in treated congenital toxoplasmosis. Ophthalmology 2007; 115:553-559.e8. [PMID: 17825418 DOI: 10.1016/j.ophtha.2007.06.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2006] [Revised: 06/06/2007] [Accepted: 06/09/2007] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To determine the incidence of new chorioretinal lesions in patients with congenital toxoplasmosis who were treated throughout their first year of life. DESIGN Prospective longitudinal observation of a cohort. PARTICIPANTS One hundred thirty-two children were studied as part of the longitudinal observation. METHODS One hundred thirty-two children were treated during their first year of life with pyrimethamine, sulfadiazine, and leucovorin. They had eye examinations at prespecified intervals. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES New chorioretinal lesions on fundus examination and fundus photographs. RESULTS The mean age (+/- standard deviation) is 10.8+/-5.1 years (range, 0.2-23). One hundred eight children have been evaluated for new chorioretinal lesions. Thirty-four (31%; 95% confidence interval, 23%-41%) of 108 children developed at least one chorioretinal lesion that was previously undetected. These occurred at varying times during their follow-up course. Fifteen children (14%) developed new central lesions, and 27 (25%) had newly detected lesions peripherally. Ten (9%) had more than one occurrence of new lesions developing, and 13 (12%) had new lesions in both eyes. Of those who developed new lesions, 14 children (41%) did so at age 10 or later. CONCLUSION New central chorioretinal lesions are uncommon in children with congenital toxoplasmosis who are treated during their first year of life. This finding contrasts markedly with earlier reports in the literature for untreated children or those treated for only 1 month near birth, in whom new lesions were much more prevalent (>/=82%). Our observation that 14 (41%) of the 34 children with new chorioretinal lesions had occurrences when they were 10 years or older indicates that long-term follow-up into the second decade of life is important in assessing the efficacy of treating toxoplasmosis during infancy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Phan
- University of Chicago School of Medicine, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA
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McLeod R, Boyer K, Karrison T, Kasza K, Swisher C, Roizen N, Jalbrzikowski J, Remington J, Heydemann P, Noble AG, Mets M, Holfels E, Withers S, Latkany P, Meier P. Outcome of treatment for congenital toxoplasmosis, 1981-2004: the National Collaborative Chicago-Based, Congenital Toxoplasmosis Study. Clin Infect Dis 2006; 42:1383-94. [PMID: 16619149 DOI: 10.1086/501360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 188] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2005] [Accepted: 12/19/2005] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Without treatment, congenital toxoplasmosis has recurrent, recrudescent, adverse outcomes. Long-term follow-up of infants with congenital toxoplasmosis treated throughout their first year of life with pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine has not been reported. METHODS Between 1981 and 2004, one hundred twenty infants (current mean age +/- standard deviation, 10.5 +/- 4.8 years) with congenital toxoplasmosis were treated with 1 of 2 doses of pyrimethamine plus sulfadiazine; therapy was initiated shortly after birth and continued for 12 months. Children who received treatment were evaluated at birth and at predetermined intervals; the focus of the evaluations was on prespecified end points: motor abnormalities, cognitive outcome, vision impairment, formation of new eye lesions, and hearing loss. RESULTS Treatment of infants without substantial neurologic disease at birth with pyrimethamine and sulfadiazine for 1 year resulted in normal cognitive, neurologic, and auditory outcomes for all patients. Treatment of infants who had moderate or severe neurologic disease (as defined in this article in the Treatments subsection of Methods) at birth resulted in normal neurologic and/or cognitive outcomes for >72% of the patients, and none had sensorineural hearing loss. Ninety-one percent of children without substantial neurologic disease and 64% of those with moderate or severe neurologic disease at birth did not develop new eye lesions. Almost all of these outcomes are markedly better than outcomes reported for children who were untreated or treated for 1 month in earlier decades (P<.01 to P<.001). Sex and severity of disease were comparable in our 2 treatment groups, and no significant differences in efficacy or toxicity were noted between the 2 treatment groups (P > .05). CONCLUSIONS Although not all children did well with treatment, the favorable outcomes we noted indicate the importance of diagnosis and treatment of infants with congenital toxoplasmosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rima McLeod
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60637, USA.
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