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Torres V, Contreras V, Gutiérrez B, San Francisco J, Catalán A, Vega JL, Moon KM, Foster LJ, de Almeida RF, Kalergis AM, González J. Oral infectivity through carnivorism in murine model of Trypanosoma cruzi infection. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1297099. [PMID: 38495650 PMCID: PMC10941204 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1297099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Oral transmission of T. cruzi is probably the most frequent transmission mechanism in wild animals. This observation led to the hypothesis that consuming raw or undercooked meat from animals infected with T. cruzi may be responsible for transmitting the infection. Therefore, the general objective of this study was to investigate host-pathogen interactions between the parasite and gastric mucosa and the role of meat consumption from infected animals in the oral transmission of T. cruzi. Methods Cell infectivity assays were performed on AGS cells in the presence or absence of mucin, and the roles of pepsin and acidic pH were determined. Moreover, groups of five female Balb/c mice were fed with muscle tissue obtained from mice in the acute phase of infection by the clone H510 C8C3hvir of T. cruzi, and the infection of the fed mice was monitored by a parasitemia curve. Similarly, we assessed the infective capacity of T. cruzi trypomastigotes and amastigotes by infecting groups of five mice Balb/c females, which were infected orally using a nasogastric probe, and the infection was monitored by a parasitemia curve. Finally, different trypomastigote and amastigote inoculums were used to determine their infective capacities. Adhesion assays of T. cruzi proteins to AGS stomach cells were performed, and the adhered proteins were detected by western blotting using monoclonal or polyclonal antibodies and by LC-MS/MS and bioinformatics analysis. Results Trypomastigote migration in the presence of mucin was reduced by approximately 30%, whereas in the presence of mucin and pepsin at pH 3.5, only a small proportion of parasites were able to migrate (∼6%). Similarly, the ability of TCTs to infect AGS cells in the presence of mucin is reduced by approximately 20%. In all cases, 60-100% of the animals were fed meat from mice infected in the acute phase or infected with trypomastigotes or amastigotes developed high parasitemia, and 80% died around day 40 post-infection. The adhesion assay showed that cruzipain is a molecule of trypomastigotes and amastigotes that binds to AGS cells. LC-MS/MS and bioinformatics analysis, also confirmed that transialidase, cysteine proteinases, and gp63 may be involved in TCTs attachment or invasion of human stomach cells because they can potentially interact with different proteins in the human stomach mucosa. In addition, several human gastric mucins have cysteine protease cleavage sites. Discussion Then, under our experimental conditions, consuming meat from infected animals in the acute phase allows the T. cruzi infection. Similarly, trypomastigotes and amastigotes could infect mice when administered orally, whereas cysteinyl proteinases and trans-sialidase appear to be relevant molecules in this infective process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Víctor Torres
- Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | | | - Bessy Gutiérrez
- Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Juan San Francisco
- Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Alejandro Catalán
- Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - José Luis Vega
- Departamento de Fisiologia, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Kyung-Mee Moon
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Leonard J. Foster
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Rafael F. de Almeida
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Sistêmica de Tripanossomatídeos (Labtryp), Instituto Carlos Chagas Fiocruz (ICC-Fiocruz), Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Alexis M. Kalergis
- Millennium Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Departamento de Endocrinología, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jorge González
- Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
- Millennium Institute of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile
- Research Center in Immunology and Biomedical Biotechnology of Antofagasta, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
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Barakat AZ, Abdel-Aty AM, Ibrahim MK, Salah HA, Hegazy UM, Azouz RAM, Bassuiny RI, Shaapan RM, Mohamed SA. Purification and characterization of cysteine protease of Sarcocystis fusiformis from infected Egyptian water buffaloes. Sci Rep 2023; 13:16123. [PMID: 37752241 PMCID: PMC10522634 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43147-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Sarcocystis spp. infects water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) causing sarcocystosis. In the present study, Sarcocystis fusiformis was recognized in Egyptian water buffaloes based on histological observation and molecular analysis of internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1), 18S ribosomal RNA (18S rRNA) and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COX-1) gene fragments. Chemotherapy and vaccines against Sarcocystis spp. could potentially target proteases because they may play a crucial role in the infection. Cysteine proteases are multifunctional enzymes involved in vital metabolic processes. However, the involvement of proteases in S. fusiform infection has not yet been characterized. Here, the purification and study on some biochemical properties of protease isolated from cysts of S. fusiform were carried out. Protease with a molecular weight of 100 kDa was purified. LC-MS/MS analyzed the protein sequence of purified protease and the data suggested that the enzyme might be related to the cysteine protease. The purified protease exhibited maximum activity at pH 6 and a temperature of 50 °C. The Michaelis-Menten constant (Km), the maximum velocity (Vmax), and the turnover number (Kcat) were determined. The complete inhibition effect of cysteine inhibitors indicated that the purified enzyme is a cysteine protease. The results suggested that S. fusiform proteolytic enzyme may be necessary for parasite survival in water buffaloes by digesting host tissues. Therefore, cysteine protease could be a suitable target for vaccinations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amal Z Barakat
- Molecular Biology Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt.
| | - Azza M Abdel-Aty
- Molecular Biology Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Marwa K Ibrahim
- Department of Microbial Biotechnology, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Hala A Salah
- Molecular Biology Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Usama M Hegazy
- Molecular Biology Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Rasha A M Azouz
- Molecular Biology Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Roqaya I Bassuiny
- Molecular Biology Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Raafat M Shaapan
- Zoonotic Disease Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Saleh A Mohamed
- Molecular Biology Department, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo, Egypt.
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Carvalho A, Domingues I, Carvalho C, Silva AMS, Soares AMVM, Marques CR. In Vitro Antiprotozoal Activity of Hibiscus sabdariffa Extract against a Ciliate Causing High Mortalities in Turbot Aquaculture. BIOLOGY 2023; 12:912. [PMID: 37508344 PMCID: PMC10376481 DOI: 10.3390/biology12070912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023]
Abstract
Philasterides dicentrarchi is an histophagous parasite that infects flatfish, namely turbot (Scophthalmus maximus), and cause significant losses in aquaculture units. The available measures for P. dicentrarchi control have limited efficiency, and some cause harm to fish. Hence, sustainable and natural control strategies are urgently needed. This study evaluated the in vitro bioactivity of the ethanol extract of Hibiscus sabdariffa calyces on P. dicentrarchi population growth rate (PGR), oxidative stress biomarkers (glutathione-S-transferases (GST), glutathione reductase (GR), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), total glutathione (TG) and catalase (CAT), neurotoxicity (acetylcholinesterase, AChE), activity and gene expression of proteases as major virulence factors. H. sabdariffa extract inhibited parasite PGR (IC50 = 1.57 mg mL-1), and caused significant changes in the activity of antioxidant enzymes (LOEC = 0.22 mg mL-1), especially GPx, TG, and CAT. The activity of proteases was also severely inhibited (IC50 = 0.76 mg mL-1), and gene expression of catepsin 90 and leishmanolysin proteases was downregulated. Organic acids and phenolic phytochemicals in hibiscus extract are potentially responsible for the antiprotozoal bioactivity herein determined. Therefore, H. sabdariffa extract can be a promising disease-control alternative against the ciliate proliferation, cellular defense mechanisms and pathogenicity. Still, its applicability in aquaculture settings, and potential effects on farmed fish, should be further elucidated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Carvalho
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Santiago University Campus, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Inês Domingues
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Santiago University Campus, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Carla Carvalho
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Santiago University Campus, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Artur M S Silva
- Laboratório Associado para a Química Verde (LAQV)-REQUIMTE, Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Santiago University Campus, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Amadeu M V M Soares
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Santiago University Campus, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Catarina R Marques
- Centre for Environmental and Marine Studies (CESAM), Department of Biology, University of Aveiro, Santiago University Campus, 3810-193 Aveiro, Portugal
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Nisa N, Rasmita B, Arati C, Uditraj C, Siddhartha R, Dinata R, Bhanushree B, Bidanchi RM, Manikandan B, Laskar SA, Abinash G, Pori B, Roy VK, Gurusubramanian G. Repurposing of phyto-ligand molecules from the honey bee products for Alzheimer's disease as novel inhibitors of BACE-1: small molecule bioinformatics strategies as amyloid-based therapy. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2023; 30:51143-51169. [PMID: 36808033 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-023-25943-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the neurodegenerative diseases, manifesting dementia, spatial disorientation, language, cognitive, and functional impairment, mainly affects the elderly population with a growing concern about the financial burden on society. Repurposing can improve the traditional progress of drug design applications and could speed up the identification of innovative remedies for AD. The pursuit of potent anti-BACE-1 drugs for AD treatment has become a pot boiler topic in the recent past and to instigate the design of novel improved inhibitors from the bee products. Drug-likeness characteristics (ADMET: absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity), docking (AutoDock Vina), simulation (GROMACS), and free energy interaction (MM-PBSA, molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area) analyses were performed to identify the lead candidates from the bee products (500 bioactives from the honey, royal jelly, propolis, bee bread, bee wax, and bee venom) for Alzheimer's disease as novel inhibitors of BACE-1 (beta-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme (1) receptor using appropriate bioinformatics tools. Forty-four bioactive lead compounds were screened from the bee products through high throughput virtual screening on the basis of their pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamics characteristics, showing favorable intestinal and oral absorption, bioavailability, blood brain barrier penetration, less skin permeability, and no inhibition of cytochrome P450 inhibitors. The docking score of the forty-four ligand molecules was found to be between -4 and -10.3 kcal/mol, respectively, exhibiting strong binding affinity to BACE1 receptor. The highest binding affinity was observed in the rutin (-10.3 kcal/mol), 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid (-9.5 kcal/mol), nemorosone (-9.5 kcal/mol), and luteolin (-8.9 kcal/mol). Furthermore, these compounds demonstrated high total binding energy -73.20 to -105.85 kJ/mol), and low root mean square deviation (0.194-0.202 nm), root mean square fluctuation (0.0985-0.1136 nm), radius of gyration (2.12 nm), number of H-bonds (0.778-5.436), and eigenvector values (2.39-3.54 nm2) in the molecular dynamic simulation, signifying restricted motion of Cα atoms, proper folding and flexibility, and highly stable with compact of the BACE1 receptor with the ligands. Docking and simulation studies concluded that rutin, 3,4-dicaffeoylquinic acid, nemorosone, and luteolin are plausibly used as novel inhibitors of BACE1 to combat AD, but further in-depth experimental investigations are warranted to prove these in silico findings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisekhoto Nisa
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, 796004, India
| | - Borgohain Rasmita
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, 796004, India
| | - Chettri Arati
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, 796004, India
| | - Chetia Uditraj
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, 796004, India
| | | | - Roy Dinata
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, 796004, India
| | - Baishya Bhanushree
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, 796004, India
| | | | - Bose Manikandan
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, 796004, India
| | - Saeed Ahmed Laskar
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, 796004, India
| | - Giri Abinash
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, 796004, India
| | - Buragohain Pori
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, 796004, India
| | - Vikas Kumar Roy
- Department of Zoology, Mizoram University, Aizawl, Mizoram, 796004, India
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Adao DEV, Rivera WL. Variations in active proteases of Blastocystis sp. obtained from water and animal isolates from the Philippines. J Parasit Dis 2022; 46:627-636. [PMID: 36091281 PMCID: PMC9458825 DOI: 10.1007/s12639-022-01472-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Blastocystis sp. is a commonly encountered gut protozoan with unclear pathogenicity. The presence of proteases in this organism may be related to its potential pathogenicity or other physiological differences. This study aimed to identify the various proteases that may be present in different subtypes (STs) of Blastocystis sp. using azocasein assay and gelatin zymography. In this study, cysteine, serine, aspartic protease, metalloproteases, and unknown proteases were identified in Blastocystis sp. cultures obtained from animal and water samples belonging to ST1-ST5 and ST7. Azocasein assay and gelatin zymography were conducted on different batches of protease extracts, which showed varying results. Cysteine protease was the most commonly encountered. Protease activity in general is not associated with ST or source (animal or water). However, the presence of cysteine protease alone was associated with animal samples, whereas the presence of more than two protease types was associated with water samples. Azocasein assay and gelatin zymography were conducted on different batches of protease extracts, which showed varying results. Protease activity and the types present may change over time. Blastocystis sp. shows high protease diversity, including possible novel types.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davin Edric V. Adao
- Pathogen-Host-Environment Interactions Research Laboratory, Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, 1101 Quezon City, Philippines
| | - Windell L. Rivera
- Pathogen-Host-Environment Interactions Research Laboratory, Institute of Biology, College of Science, University of the Philippines Diliman, 1101 Quezon City, Philippines
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An Overview of NRF2-Activating Compounds Bearing α,β-Unsaturated Moiety and Their Antioxidant Effects. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23158466. [PMID: 35955599 PMCID: PMC9369284 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23158466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 07/27/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The surge of scientific interest in the discovery of Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2 (NFE2)-Related Factor 2 (NRF2)-activating molecules underscores the importance of NRF2 as a therapeutic target especially for oxidative stress. The chemical reactivity and biological activities of several bioactive compounds have been linked to the presence of α,β-unsaturated structural systems. The α,β-unsaturated carbonyl, sulfonyl and sulfinyl functional groups are reportedly the major α,β-unsaturated moieties involved in the activation of the NRF2 signaling pathway. The carbonyl, sulfonyl and sulfinyl groups are generally electron-withdrawing groups, and the presence of the α,β-unsaturated structure qualifies them as suitable electrophiles for Michael addition reaction with nucleophilic thiols of cysteine residues within the proximal negative regulator of NRF2, Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1). The physicochemical property such as good lipophilicity of these moieties is also an advantage because it ensures solubility and membrane permeability required for the activation of the cytosolic NRF2/KEAP1 system. This review provides an overview of the reaction mechanism of α,β-unsaturated moiety-bearing compounds with the NRF2/KEAP1 complex, their pharmacological properties, structural activity-relationship and their effect on antioxidant and anti-inflammatory responses. As the first of its kind, this review article offers collective and comprehensive information on NRF2-activators containing α,β-unsaturated moiety with the aim of broadening their therapeutic prospects in a wide range of oxidative stress-related diseases.
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Machado PDA, Gomes PS, Carneiro MPD, Midlej V, Coimbra ES, de Matos Guedes HL. Effects of a Serine Protease Inhibitor N-p-Tosyl-L-phenylalanine Chloromethyl Ketone (TPCK) on Leishmania amazonensis and Leishmania infantum. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14071373. [PMID: 35890269 PMCID: PMC9320531 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14071373] [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: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies have previously demonstrated the importance of serine proteases in Leishmania. A well-known serine protease inhibitor, TPCK, was used in the present study to evaluate its in vitro and in vivo antileishmanial effects and determine its mechanism of action. Despite slight toxicity against mammalian cells (CC50 = 138.8 µM), TPCK was selective for the parasite due to significant activity against L. amazonensis and L. infantum promastigote forms (IC50 = 14.6 and 31.7 µM for L. amazonensis PH8 and Josefa strains, respectively, and 11.3 µM for L. infantum) and intracellular amastigotes (IC50 values = 14.2 and 16.6 µM for PH8 and Josefa strains, respectively, and 21.7 µM for L. infantum). Leishmania parasites treated with TPCK presented mitochondrial alterations, oxidative stress, modifications in lipid content, flagellar alterations, and cytoplasmic vacuoles, all of which are factors that could be considered as contributing to the death of the parasites. Furthermore, BALB/c mice infected with L. amazonensis and treated with TPCK had a reduction in lesion size and parasite loads in the footpad and spleen. In BALB/c mice infected with L. infantum, TPCK also caused a reduction in the parasite loads in the liver and spleen. Therefore, we highlight the antileishmanial effect of the assessed serine protease inhibitor, proposing a potential therapeutic target in Leishmania as well as a possible new alternative treatment for leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia de A. Machado
- Laboratório de Imunologia Clínica, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz—Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, RJ, Brazil; (P.d.A.M.); (P.S.G.)
- Laboratório de Imunobiotecnologia, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil;
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Parasitologia (NUPEP), Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora 36036-900, MG, Brazil
| | - Pollyanna S. Gomes
- Laboratório de Imunologia Clínica, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz—Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, RJ, Brazil; (P.d.A.M.); (P.S.G.)
- Laboratório de Imunobiotecnologia, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil;
| | - Monique P. D. Carneiro
- Laboratório de Imunobiotecnologia, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil;
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho (IBCCF), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil
| | - Victor Midlej
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz—Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, RJ, Brazil;
| | - Elaine S. Coimbra
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Parasitologia (NUPEP), Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora 36036-900, MG, Brazil
- Correspondence: (E.S.C.); or (H.L.d.M.G.)
| | - Herbert L. de Matos Guedes
- Laboratório de Imunologia Clínica, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz—Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, RJ, Brazil; (P.d.A.M.); (P.S.G.)
- Laboratório de Imunobiotecnologia, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil;
- Laboratório de Imunofarmacologia, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho (IBCCF), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil
- Correspondence: (E.S.C.); or (H.L.d.M.G.)
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Rivero CV, Martínez SJ, Novick P, Cueto JA, Salassa BN, Vanrell MC, Li X, Labriola CA, Polo LM, Engman DM, Clos J, Romano PS. Repurposing Carvedilol as a Novel Inhibitor of the Trypanosoma cruzi Autophagy Flux That Affects Parasite Replication and Survival. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:657257. [PMID: 34476220 PMCID: PMC8406938 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.657257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
T. cruzi, the causal agent of Chagas disease, is a parasite able to infect different types of host cells and to persist chronically in the tissues of human and animal hosts. These qualities and the lack of an effective treatment for the chronic stage of the disease have contributed to the durability and the spread of the disease around the world. There is an urgent necessity to find new therapies for Chagas disease. Drug repurposing is a promising and cost-saving strategy for finding new drugs for different illnesses. In this work we describe the effect of carvedilol on T. cruzi. This compound, selected by virtual screening, increased the accumulation of immature autophagosomes characterized by lower acidity and hydrolytic properties. As a consequence of this action, the survival of trypomastigotes and the replication of epimastigotes and amastigotes were impaired, resulting in a significant reduction of infection and parasite load. Furthermore, carvedilol reduced the whole-body parasite burden peak in infected mice. In summary, in this work we present a repurposed drug with a significant in vitro and in vivo activity against T. cruzi. These data in addition to other pharmacological properties make carvedilol an attractive lead for Chagas disease treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Vanesa Rivero
- Laboratorio de Biología de Trypanosoma cruzi y la célula hospedadora - Instituto de Histología y Embriología "Dr. Mario H. Burgos", IHEM-CONICET- Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.,Leishmaniasis Group, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Santiago José Martínez
- Laboratorio de Biología de Trypanosoma cruzi y la célula hospedadora - Instituto de Histología y Embriología "Dr. Mario H. Burgos", IHEM-CONICET- Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Paul Novick
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Juan Agustín Cueto
- Laboratorio de Biología de Trypanosoma cruzi y la célula hospedadora - Instituto de Histología y Embriología "Dr. Mario H. Burgos", IHEM-CONICET- Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Betiana Nebaí Salassa
- Laboratorio de Biología de Trypanosoma cruzi y la célula hospedadora - Instituto de Histología y Embriología "Dr. Mario H. Burgos", IHEM-CONICET- Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - María Cristina Vanrell
- Laboratorio de Biología de Trypanosoma cruzi y la célula hospedadora - Instituto de Histología y Embriología "Dr. Mario H. Burgos", IHEM-CONICET- Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Xiaomo Li
- Leishmaniasis Group, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Carlos Alberto Labriola
- Laboratorio de Biología estructural y celular, Fundación Instituto Leloir (FIL-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luis Mariano Polo
- Instituto de Histología y Embriología "Dr. Mario H. Burgos", IHEM-CONICET- Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - David M Engman
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Joachim Clos
- Leishmaniasis Group, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Patricia Silvia Romano
- Laboratorio de Biología de Trypanosoma cruzi y la célula hospedadora - Instituto de Histología y Embriología "Dr. Mario H. Burgos", IHEM-CONICET- Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
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Rodríguez-Bejarano OH, Avendaño C, Patarroyo MA. Mechanisms Associated with Trypanosoma cruzi Host Target Cell Adhesion, Recognition and Internalization. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:534. [PMID: 34207491 PMCID: PMC8227291 DOI: 10.3390/life11060534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is caused by the kinetoplastid parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which is mainly transmitted by hematophagous insect bites. The parasite's lifecycle has an obligate intracellular phase (amastigotes), while metacyclic and bloodstream-trypomastigotes are its infective forms. Mammalian host cell recognition of the parasite involves the interaction of numerous parasite and host cell plasma membrane molecules and domains (known as lipid rafts), thereby ensuring internalization by activating endocytosis mechanisms triggered by various signaling cascades in both host cells and the parasite. This increases cytoplasmatic Ca2+ and cAMP levels; cytoskeleton remodeling and endosome and lysosome intracellular system association are triggered, leading to parasitophorous vacuole formation. Its membrane becomes modified by containing the parasite's infectious form within it. Once it has become internalized, the parasite seeks parasitophorous vacuole lysis for continuing its intracellular lifecycle, fragmenting such a vacuole's membrane. This review covers the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in T. cruzi adhesion to, recognition of and internalization in host target cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Hernán Rodríguez-Bejarano
- Health Sciences Faculty, Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales (U.D.C.A), Calle 222#55-37, Bogotá 111166, Colombia;
| | - Catalina Avendaño
- Animal Science Faculty, Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales (U.D.C.A), Calle 222#55-37, Bogotá 111166, Colombia;
| | - Manuel Alfonso Patarroyo
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Carrera 50#26-20, Bogotá 111321, Colombia
- Health Sciences Division, Main Campus, Universidad Santo Tomás, Carrera 9#51-11, Bogotá 110231, Colombia
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 45#26-85, Bogotá 111321, Colombia
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Plasmodium falciparum Atg18 localizes to the food vacuole via interaction with the multi-drug resistance protein 1 and phosphatidylinositol 3-phosphate. Biochem J 2021; 478:1705-1732. [PMID: 33843972 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20210001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Autophagy, a lysosome-dependent degradative process, does not appear to be a major degradative process in malaria parasites and has a limited repertoire of genes. To better understand the autophagy process, we investigated Plasmodium falciparum Atg18 (PfAtg18), a PROPPIN family protein, whose members like S. cerevisiae Atg18 (ScAtg18) and human WIPI2 bind PI3P and play an essential role in autophagosome formation. Wild type and mutant PfAtg18 were expressed in P. falciparum and assessed for localization, the effect of various inhibitors and antimalarials on PfAtg18 localization, and identification of PfAtg18-interacting proteins. PfAtg18 is expressed in asexual erythrocytic stages and localized to the food vacuole, which was also observed with other Plasmodium Atg18 proteins, indicating that food vacuole localization is likely a shared feature. Interaction of PfAtg18 with the food vacuole-associated PI3P is essential for localization, as PfAtg18 mutants of PI3P-binding motifs neither bound PI3P nor localized to the food vacuole. Interestingly, wild type ScAtg18 interacted with PI3P, but its expression in P. falciparum showed complete cytoplasmic localization, indicating additional requirement for food vacuole localization. The food vacuole multi-drug resistance protein 1 (MDR1) was consistently identified in the immunoprecipitates of PfAtg18 and P. berghei Atg18, and also interacted with PfAtg18. In contrast with PfAtg18, ScAtg18 did not interact with MDR1, which, in addition to PI3P, could play a critical role in localization of PfAtg18. Chloroquine and amodiaquine caused cytoplasmic localization of PfAtg18, suggesting that these target PfAtg18 transport pathway. Thus, PI3P and MDR1 are critical mediators of PfAtg18 localization.
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11
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Mossallam SF, El- Mansoury SA, Tolba MM, Kohla AA, Khedr SI. In vitro susceptibility of human Blastocystis subtypes to simeprevir. Saudi J Biol Sci 2021; 28:2491-2501. [PMID: 33935570 PMCID: PMC8071969 DOI: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2021.01.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 01/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Introduction and aim Blastocystis is a common enteric parasite, having a worldwide distribution. Many antimicrobial agents are effective against it, yet side effects and drug resistance have been reported. Thus, ongoing trials are being conducted for exploring anti-Blastocystis alternatives. Proteases are attractive anti-protozoal drug targets, having documented roles in Blastocystis. Serine proteases are present in both hepatitis C virus and Blastocystis. Since drug repositioning is quite trendy, the in vitro efficacy of simeprevir (SMV), an anti-hepatitis serine protease inhibitor, against Blastocystis was investigated in the current study. Methods Stool samples were collected from patients, Alexandria, Egypt. Concentrated stools were screened using direct smears, trichrome, and modified Ziehl-Neelsen stains to exclude parasitic co-infections. Positive stool isolates were cultivated, molecularly subtyped for assessing the efficacy of three SMV doses (100,150, and 200 μg/ml) along 72 hours (h), on the most common subtype, through monitoring parasite growth, viability, re-culture, and also via ultrastructure verification. The most efficient dose and duration were later tested on other subtypes. Results Results revealed that Blastocystis was detected in 54.17% of examined samples. Molecularly, ST3 predominated (62%), followed by ST1 (8.6%) and ST2 (3.4%). Ascending concentrations of SMV progressively inhibited growth, viability, and re-culture of treated Blastocystis, with a non-statistically significant difference when compared to the therapeutic control metronidazole (MTZ). The most efficient dose and duration against ST3 was 150 µg/ml for 72 h. This dose inhibited the growth of ST3, ST1, and ST2 with percentages of 95.19%, 94.83%, and 94.74%, successively and viability with percentages of 98.30%, 98.09%, and 97.96%, successively. This dose abolished Blastocystis upon re-culturing. Ultra-structurally, SMV induced rupture of Blastocystis cell membrane leading to necrotic death, versus the reported apoptotic death caused by MTZ. In conclusion, 150 µg/ml SMV for 72 h proved its efficacy against ST1, ST2, and ST3 Blastocystis, thus sparing the need for pre-treatment molecular subtyping in developing countries.
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Key Words
- Blastocystis subtypes
- CV, central vacuole
- DMSO, Dimethyl Sulfoxide
- IBS, irritable bowel syndrome
- In vitro
- MLO, Mitochondrion-like organelle
- MTZ, Metronidazole
- PCR, Polymerase chain reaction
- Re-culture
- SEM, Scanning electron microscopy
- SMV, Simeprevir
- ST, subtypes
- Simeprevir
- TEM, Transmission electron microscopy
- Ultrastructure
- Viability
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Affiliation(s)
- Shereen F. Mossallam
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
- Corresponding author at: Medical Parasitology Department, El Mowasah Medical and Educational Complex, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
| | - Salwa A.T. El- Mansoury
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Mona M. Tolba
- Department of Parasitology, Medical Research Institute, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Asmaa A. Kohla
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Safaa I. Khedr
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
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Losinno AD, Martínez SJ, Labriola CA, Carrillo C, Romano PS. Induction of autophagy increases the proteolytic activity of reservosomes during Trypanosoma cruzi metacyclogenesis. Autophagy 2021; 17:439-456. [PMID: 31983275 PMCID: PMC8007142 DOI: 10.1080/15548627.2020.1720428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cruzipain, the major cysteine protease of the pathogenic protozoa Trypanosoma cruzi, is an important virulence factor that plays a key role in the parasite nutrition, differentiation and host cell infection. Cruzipain is synthesized as a zymogen, matured, and delivered to reservosomes. These organelles that store proteins and lipids ingested by endocytosis undergo a dramatic decrease in number during the metacyclogenesis of T. cruzi. Autophagy is a process that digests the own cell components to supply energy under starvation or different stress situations. This pathway is important during cell growth, differentiation and death. Previously, we showed that the autophagy pathway of T. cruzi is induced during metacyclogenesis. This work aimed to evaluate the participation of macroautophagy/autophagy in the distribution and function of reservosomes and cruzipain during this process. We found that parasite starvation promotes the cruzipain delivery to reservosomes. Enhanced autophagy increases acidity and hydrolytic activity in these compartments resulting in cruzipain enzymatic activation and self- processing. Inhibition of autophagy similarly impairs cruzipain traffic and activity than protease inhibitors, whereas mutant parasites that exhibit increased basal autophagy, also display increased cruzipain processing under control conditions. Further experiments showed that autophagy induced cruzipain activation and self-processing promote T. cruzi differentiation and host cell infection. These findings highlight the key role of T. cruzi autophagy in these processes and reveal a potential new target for Chagas disease therapy.Abbreviations: Baf: bafilomycin A1; CTE: C-terminal extension; Cz: cruzipain; IIF: indirect immunofluorescence; K777: vinyl sulfone with specific Cz inhibitory activity; Prot Inh: broad-spectrum protease inhibitor; Spa1: spautin-1; Wort: wortmannin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Denise Losinno
- Laboratorio de Biología de Trypanosoma Cruzi y la célula hospedadora, Instituto de Histología y Embriología (IHEM-CONICET), Mendoza, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (FCM-UNCUYO), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Santiago José Martínez
- Laboratorio de Biología de Trypanosoma Cruzi y la célula hospedadora, Instituto de Histología y Embriología (IHEM-CONICET), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Carlos Alberto Labriola
- Laboratorio de Biología estructural y celular, Fundación Instituto Leloir (FIL-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carolina Carrillo
- Laboratorio de Parasitología molecular y bioquímica, Instituto de Ciencias y Tecnología Dr. César Milstein (ICT—CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Patricia Silvia Romano
- Laboratorio de Biología de Trypanosoma Cruzi y la célula hospedadora, Instituto de Histología y Embriología (IHEM-CONICET), Mendoza, Argentina
- Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (FCM-UNCUYO), Mendoza, Argentina
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Lechuga GC, Napoleão-Pêgo P, Bottino CCG, Pinho RT, Provance-Jr DW, De-Simone SG. Trypanosoma cruzi Presenilin-Like Transmembrane Aspartyl Protease: Characterization and Cellular Localization. Biomolecules 2020; 10:biom10111564. [PMID: 33212923 PMCID: PMC7698364 DOI: 10.3390/biom10111564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The increasing detection of infections of Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, in non-endemic regions beyond Latin America has risen to be a major public health issue. With an impact in the millions of people, current treatments rely on antiquated drugs that produce severe side effects and are considered nearly ineffective for the chronic phase. The minimal progress in the development of new drugs highlights the need for advances in basic research on crucial biochemical pathways in T. cruzi to identify new targets. Here, we report on the T. cruzi presenilin-like transmembrane aspartyl enzyme, a protease of the aspartic class in a unique phylogenetic subgroup with T. vivax separate from protozoans. Computational analyses suggest it contains nine transmembrane domains and an active site with the characteristic PALP motif of the A22 family. Multiple linear B-cell epitopes were identified by SPOT-synthesis analysis with Chagasic patient sera. Two were chosen to generate rabbit antisera, whose signal was primarily localized to the flagellar pocket, intracellular vesicles, and endoplasmic reticulum in parasites by whole-cell immunofluorescence. The results suggest that the parasitic presenilin-like enzyme could have a role in the secretory pathway and serve as a target for the generation of new therapeutics specific to the T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guilherme C. Lechuga
- Center for Technological Development in Health/National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation on Diseases of Neglected Population (INCT-IDPN), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (G.C.L.); (P.N.-P.); (C.C.G.B.); (D.W.P.-J.)
- Cellular Ultrastructure Laboratory, FIOCRUZ, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Paloma Napoleão-Pêgo
- Center for Technological Development in Health/National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation on Diseases of Neglected Population (INCT-IDPN), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (G.C.L.); (P.N.-P.); (C.C.G.B.); (D.W.P.-J.)
| | - Carolina C. G. Bottino
- Center for Technological Development in Health/National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation on Diseases of Neglected Population (INCT-IDPN), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (G.C.L.); (P.N.-P.); (C.C.G.B.); (D.W.P.-J.)
| | - Rosa T. Pinho
- Clinical Immunology Laboratory, FIOCRUZ, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil;
| | - David W. Provance-Jr
- Center for Technological Development in Health/National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation on Diseases of Neglected Population (INCT-IDPN), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (G.C.L.); (P.N.-P.); (C.C.G.B.); (D.W.P.-J.)
- Interdisciplinary Medical Research Laboratory, FIOCRUZ, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Salvatore G. De-Simone
- Center for Technological Development in Health/National Institute of Science and Technology for Innovation on Diseases of Neglected Population (INCT-IDPN), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (G.C.L.); (P.N.-P.); (C.C.G.B.); (D.W.P.-J.)
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Federal Fluminense University, Niterói 24220-008, Brazil
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-21-3865-8183
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Mena-Rejón G, Pérez-Navarro Y, Torres-Romero JC, Vázquez-Carrillo L, Carballo RM, Arreola R, Herrera-España Á, Arana-Argáez V, Quijano-Quiñones R, Fernández-Sánchez JM, Alvarez-Sánchez ME. Antitrichomonal activity and docking analysis of thiazole derivatives as TvMP50 protease inhibitors. Parasitol Res 2020; 120:233-241. [PMID: 33073325 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06931-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2020] [Accepted: 10/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Trichomoniasis, caused by the protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis, is the most prevalent non-viral sexually transmitted infection that affects over 170 million people worldwide. The only type of drug recommended for the therapeutic control of trichomoniasis is the 5-nitroimidazoles, although there have been reports of some undesirable side effects and clinical resistance. Hence, the need for the search for new tricomonicidal agents is necessary. In a previous work, we demonstrated that two 2-amino-4-aryl thiazole derivatives (ATZ-1 and ATZ-2) possess a portent antigiardial effect. In the current paper, we investigated the in vitro antitrichomonal activity of these thiazole compounds. Both ATZ-1 and ATZ-2 reduced the viability and growth of parasites in a dose-dependent manner, with an IC50 value of 0.15 μg/mL and 0.18 μg/mL, respectively. Furthermore, both thiazole compounds were able to decrease the proteolytic activity in T. vaginalis trophozoites compared with untreated parasites. Interestingly, a full proteolytic inhibition profile was observed in the 50-kDa region which was associated with the decreased expression of the gene that codes for the trichomonad protease TvMP50. The docking simulations predicted strong interactions of the thiazole compounds in the TvMP50 protease's active site, suggesting a possible role as protease inhibitors. Our results demonstrate the potential of 2-amino-4-aryl thiazole derivatives as trichomonicidal compounds and could be, mechanistically, involved in the inhibition of key trichomonad proteases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gonzalo Mena-Rejón
- Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (UADY), Calle 43 S/N entre calle 96 y calle 40, Colonia Inalámbrica, C.P. 97069, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Yussel Pérez-Navarro
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México (UACM), San Lorenzo # 290, Col. Del Valle, CP 03100, México City, México
| | - Julio César Torres-Romero
- Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (UADY), Calle 43 S/N entre calle 96 y calle 40, Colonia Inalámbrica, C.P. 97069, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Laura Vázquez-Carrillo
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México (UACM), San Lorenzo # 290, Col. Del Valle, CP 03100, México City, México
| | - Rubén M Carballo
- Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (UADY), Calle 43 S/N entre calle 96 y calle 40, Colonia Inalámbrica, C.P. 97069, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Rodrigo Arreola
- Psychiatric Genetics Department, Clinical Research Branch, National Institute of Psychiatry, Ramón de la Fuente, Calzada México-Xochimilco 101, Colonia San Lorenzo Huipulco, Tlalpan, 14370, México City, DF, México
| | - Ángel Herrera-España
- Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (UADY), Calle 43 S/N entre calle 96 y calle 40, Colonia Inalámbrica, C.P. 97069, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Victor Arana-Argáez
- Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (UADY), Calle 43 S/N entre calle 96 y calle 40, Colonia Inalámbrica, C.P. 97069, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Ramiro Quijano-Quiñones
- Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (UADY), Calle 43 S/N entre calle 96 y calle 40, Colonia Inalámbrica, C.P. 97069, Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Jose Manuel Fernández-Sánchez
- División de Ingeniería en Gestión Empresarial, Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Ecatepec, Avenida Tecnológico S/N, Colonia Valle de Anahuac, Ecatepec de Morelos, Estado de México, Mexico
| | - María Elizbeth Alvarez-Sánchez
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México (UACM), San Lorenzo # 290, Col. Del Valle, CP 03100, México City, México.
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Elkerdany ED, Elnassery SM, Arafa FM, Zaki SAF, Mady RF. In vitro effect of a novel protease inhibitor cocktail on Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites. Exp Parasitol 2020; 219:108010. [PMID: 33007297 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2020.108010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis is a zoonotic disease and a global food and water-borne infection. The disease is caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii, which is a highly successful and remarkable pathogen because of its ability to infect almost any nucleated cell in warm-blooded animals. The present study was done to demonstrate the effect of protease inhibitors cocktail (PIC), which inhibit both cysteine and serine proteases, on in vitro cultured T. gondii tachyzoites on HepG2 cell line. This was achieved by assessing its effect on the invasion of the host cells and the intracellular development of T.gondii tachyzoites through measuring their number and viability after their incubation with PIC. Based on the results of the study, it was evident that the inhibitory action of the PIC was effective when applied to tachyzoites before their cultivation on HepG2 cells. Pre-treatment of T.gondii tachyzoites with PIC resulted in failure of the invasion of most of the tachyzoites and decreased the intracellular multiplication and viability of the tachyzoites that succeeded in the initial invasion process. Ultrastructural studies showed morphological alteration in tachyzoites and disruption in their organelles. This effect was irreversible till the complete lysis of cell monolayer in cultures. It can be concluded that PIC, at in vitro levels, could prevent invasion and intracellular multiplication of Toxoplasma tachyzoites. In addition, it is cost effective compared to individual protease inhibitors. It also had the benefit of combined therapy as it lowered the concentration of each protease inhibitor used in the cocktail. Other in vivo experiments are required to validate the cocktail efficacy against toxoplasmosis. Further studies may be needed to establish the exact mechanism by which the PIC exerts its effect on Toxoplasma tachyzoites behavior and its secretory pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eman D Elkerdany
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt.
| | - Suzanne M Elnassery
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt.
| | - Fadwa M Arafa
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt.
| | - Sahar Abdel-Fattah Zaki
- Department of Environmental Biotechnology, Genetic Engineering Biotechnology Institute, City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications, Egypt.
| | - Rasha F Mady
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt.
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Eyssen LEA, Coetzer TH. Validation of ligands targeting metacaspase-2 (MCA2) from Trypanosoma brucei brucei and their application to MCA5 from T. congolense as possible trypanocides. J Mol Graph Model 2020; 97:107579. [PMID: 32197135 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2020.107579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 03/01/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Metacaspases (MCAs) are ideal drug and diagnostic targets for animal and human African trypanosomiasis, as these cysteine peptidases are absent from the metazoan kingdom and have been implicated in the parasite cell cycle and cell death. Tsetse fly-transmitted trypanosomes that live free in the bloodstream and/or cerebrospinal fluid of the mammalian host cause animal and human African trypanosomiasis (nagana or sleeping sickness respectively). Chemotherapy and chemoprophylaxis are the main forms of control, but in contrast to human trypanocides, the veterinary drugs are old and drug resistance is on the increase. A peptidomimetic library targeting the MCA2 from Trypanosoma brucei brucei has ligands with low IC50 values, some of which were antiparasitic. This study validates the inhibitory activity of these ligands using the protein structure solved by X-ray diffraction after the ligand library was published. Water molecules were shown to be important in substrate binding and strategies to improve the efficacy of these ligands are highlighted. These ligands appear to be pan-specific as they were docked into the active site of the homology modelled MCA5 of animal infective Trypanosoma congolense with similar binding energies and conformations.
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Affiliation(s)
- L E-A Eyssen
- Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal (Pietermaritzburg Campus), Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa
| | - Theresa Ht Coetzer
- Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal (Pietermaritzburg Campus), Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa.
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Vieira RP, Santos VC, Ferreira RS. Structure-based Approaches Targeting Parasite Cysteine Proteases. Curr Med Chem 2019; 26:4435-4453. [PMID: 28799498 DOI: 10.2174/0929867324666170810165302] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2017] [Revised: 07/18/2017] [Accepted: 07/18/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Cysteine proteases are essential hydrolytic enzymes present in the majority of organisms, including viruses and unicellular parasites. Despite the high sequence identity displayed among these proteins, specific structural features across different species grant distinct functions to these biomolecules, frequently related to pathological conditions. Consequently, their relevance as promising targets for potential specific inhibitors has been highlighted and occasionally validated in recent decades. In this review, we discuss the recent outcomes of structure-based campaigns aiming the discovery of new inhibitor prototypes against cruzain and falcipain, as alternative therapeutic tools for Chagas disease and malaria treatments, respectively. Computational and synthetic approaches have been combined on hit optimization strategies and are also discussed herein. These rationales are extended to additional tropical infectious and neglected pathologies, such as schistosomiasis, leishmaniasis and babesiosis, and also to Alzheimer's Disease, a widespread neurodegenerative disease poorly managed by currently available drugs and recently linked to particular physiopathological roles of human cysteine proteases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rafael Pinto Vieira
- Departamento de Bioquimica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil.,CAPES Foundation, Ministry of Education of Brazil, 70040-020 Brasília, DF, Brazil
| | - Viviane Corrêa Santos
- Departamento de Bioquimica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Rafaela Salgado Ferreira
- Departamento de Bioquimica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciencias Biologicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
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Herrera-Mayorga V, Lara-Ramírez EE, Chacón-Vargas KF, Aguirre-Alvarado C, Rodríguez-Páez L, Alcántara-Farfán V, Cordero-Martínez J, Nogueda-Torres B, Reyes-Espinosa F, Bocanegra-García V, Rivera G. Structure-Based Virtual Screening and In Vitro Evaluation of New Trypanosoma cruzi Cruzain Inhibitors. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20071742. [PMID: 30970549 PMCID: PMC6479639 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20071742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2019] [Revised: 04/05/2019] [Accepted: 04/05/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD), or American trypanosomiasis, causes more than 10,000 deaths per year in the Americas. Current medical therapy for CD has low efficacy in the chronic phase of the disease and serious adverse effects; therefore, it is necessary to search for new pharmacological treatments. In this work, the ZINC15 database was filtered using the N-acylhydrazone moiety and a subsequent structure-based virtual screening was performed using the cruzain enzyme of Trypanosoma cruzi to predict new potential cruzain inhibitors. After a rational selection process, four compounds, Z2 (ZINC9873043), Z3 (ZINC9870651), Z5 (ZINC9715287), and Z6 (ZINC9861447), were chosen to evaluate their in vitro trypanocidal activity and enzyme inhibition. Compound Z5 showed the best trypanocidal activity against epimatigote (IC50 = 36.26 ± 9.9 μM) and trypomastigote (IC50 = 166.21 ± 14.5 μM and 185.1 ± 8.5 μM on NINOA and INC-5 strains, respectively) forms of Trypanosoma cruzi. In addition, Z5 showed a better inhibitory effect on Trypanosoma cruzi proteases than S1 (STK552090, 8-chloro-N-(3-morpholinopropyl)-5H-pyrimido[5,4-b]-indol-4-amine), a known cruzain inhibitor. This study encourages the use of computational tools for the rational search for trypanocidal drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Verónica Herrera-Mayorga
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Reynosa 88710, Mexico.
- Departamento de Ingeniería Bioquímica, Unidad Académica Multidisciplinaria Mante, Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, Mante 89840, Mexico.
| | - Edgar E Lara-Ramírez
- Unidad de Investigación Biomédica de Zacatecas, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), Zacatecas 98000, Mexico.
| | - Karla F Chacón-Vargas
- Departamento de Parasitología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Ciudad de México 11340, Mexico.
| | - Charmina Aguirre-Alvarado
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México 11340, Mexico.
- Unidad de Investigación en Infectología e Inmunología, Centro Médico Nacional La Raza, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social (IMSS), Ciudad de México 029990, Mexico.
| | - Lorena Rodríguez-Páez
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México 11340, Mexico.
| | - Verónica Alcántara-Farfán
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México 11340, Mexico.
| | - Joaquín Cordero-Martínez
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Ciudad de México 11340, Mexico.
| | - Benjamín Nogueda-Torres
- Departamento de Parasitología, Escuela Nacional de Ciencias Biológicas, Ciudad de México 11340, Mexico.
| | - Francisco Reyes-Espinosa
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Reynosa 88710, Mexico.
| | - Virgilio Bocanegra-García
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Reynosa 88710, Mexico.
| | - Gildardo Rivera
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Reynosa 88710, Mexico.
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de la Mora-de la Mora JI, Enríquez-Flores S, Fernández-Lainez C, Gutiérrez-Castrellón P, Olivos-García A, González-Canto A, Hernández R, Luján HD, García-Torres I, López-Velázquez G. Characterization of proteolytic activities of Giardia lamblia with the ability to cleave His-tagged N-terminal sequences. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2019; 228:16-26. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2019.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Revised: 12/24/2018] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
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20
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Cano A, Mattana A, Henriquez FL, Alexander J, Roberts CW. Acanthamoebaproteases contribute to macrophage activation through PAR1, but not PAR2. Parasite Immunol 2019; 41:e12612. [DOI: 10.1111/pim.12612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2018] [Accepted: 12/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Antonella Cano
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy & Biomedical SciencesUniversity of Strathclyde Glasgow UK
| | - Antonella Mattana
- Department of Biomedical SciencesDivision of Experimental and Clinical MicrobiologyUniversity of Sassari Sassari Italy
| | - Fiona L. Henriquez
- Infection and MicrobiologyInstitute of Biomedical and Environmental HealthSchool of Science & SportUniversity of the West of Scotland Paisley UK
| | - James Alexander
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy & Biomedical SciencesUniversity of Strathclyde Glasgow UK
| | - Craig W. Roberts
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy & Biomedical SciencesUniversity of Strathclyde Glasgow UK
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21
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Hernandez HW, Soeung M, Zorn KM, Ashoura N, Mottin M, Andrade CH, Caffrey CR, de Siqueira-Neto JL, Ekins S. High Throughput and Computational Repurposing for Neglected Diseases. Pharm Res 2018; 36:27. [PMID: 30560386 PMCID: PMC6792295 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-018-2558-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Purpose Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) represent are a heterogeneous group of communicable diseases that are found within the poorest populations of the world. There are 23 NTDs that have been prioritized by the World Health Organization, which are endemic in 149 countries and affect more than 1.4 billion people, costing these developing economies billions of dollars annually. The NTDs result from four different causative pathogens: protozoa, bacteria, helminth and virus. The majority of the diseases lack effective treatments. Therefore, new therapeutics for NTDs are desperately needed. Methods We describe various high throughput screening and computational approaches that have been performed in recent years. We have collated the molecules identified in these studies and calculated molecular properties. Results Numerous global repurposing efforts have yielded some promising compounds for various neglected tropical diseases. These compounds when analyzed as one would expect appear drug-like. Several large datasets are also now in the public domain and this enables machine learning models to be constructed that then facilitate the discovery of new molecules for these pathogens. Conclusions In the space of a few years many groups have either performed experimental or computational repurposing high throughput screens against neglected diseases. These have identified compounds which in many cases are already approved drugs. Such approaches perhaps offer a more efficient way to develop treatments which are generally not a focus for global pharmaceutical companies because of the economics or the lack of a viable market. Other diseases could perhaps benefit from these repurposing approaches. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s11095-018-2558-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Melinda Soeung
- MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, Houston, Texas, USA
| | - Kimberley M Zorn
- Collaborations Pharmaceuticals Inc., 840 Main Campus Drive, Lab 3510, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27606, USA
| | | | - Melina Mottin
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design Faculdade de Farmacia, Universidade Federal de Goias - UFG, Goiânia, GO, 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Carolina Horta Andrade
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design Faculdade de Farmacia, Universidade Federal de Goias - UFG, Goiânia, GO, 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Conor R Caffrey
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, 92093, USA
| | - Jair Lage de Siqueira-Neto
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, California, 92093, USA
| | - Sean Ekins
- Collaborations Pharmaceuticals Inc., 840 Main Campus Drive, Lab 3510, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27606, USA.
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Discovery of Non-Peptidic Compounds against Chagas Disease Applying Pharmacophore Guided Molecular Modelling Approaches. Molecules 2018; 23:molecules23123054. [PMID: 30469538 PMCID: PMC6321154 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23123054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 11/14/2018] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is one of the primary causes of heart diseases accounting to 50,000 lives annually and is listed as the neglected tropical disease. Because the currently available therapies have greater toxic effects with higher resistance, there is a dire need to develop new drugs to combat the disease. In this pursuit, the 3D QSAR ligand-pharmacophore (pharm 1) and receptor-based pharmacophore (pharm 2) search was initiated to retrieve the candidate compounds from universal natural compounds database. The validated models were allowed to map the universal natural compounds database. The obtained lead candidates were subjected to molecular docking against cysteine protease (PDB code: 1ME3) employing -Cdocker available on the discovery studio. Subsequently, two Hits have satisfied the selection criteria and were escalated to molecular dynamics simulation and binding free energy calculations. These Hits have demonstrated higher dock scores, displayed interactions with the key residues portraying an ideal binding mode complemented by mapping to all the features of pharm 1 and pharm 2. Additionally, they have rendered stable root mean square deviation (RMSD) and potential energy profiles illuminating their potentiality as the prospective antichagastic agents. The study further demonstrates the mechanism of inhibition by tetrad residues compromising of Gly23 and Asn70 holding the ligand at each ends and the residues Gly65 and Gly160 clamping the Hits at the center. The notable feature is that the Hits lie in close proximity with the residues Glu66 and Leu67, accommodating within the S1, S2 and S3 subsites. Considering these findings, the study suggests that the Hits may be regarded as effective therapeutics against Chagas disease.
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23
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Hiller NDJ, Silva NAAE, Faria RX, Souza ALA, Resende JALC, Borges Farias A, Correia Romeiro N, de Luna Martins D. Synthesis and Evaluation of the Anticancer and Trypanocidal Activities of Boronic Tyrphostins. ChemMedChem 2018; 13:1395-1404. [PMID: 29856519 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201800206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2018] [Revised: 05/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Molecules containing an (cyanovinyl)arene moiety are known as tyrphostins because of their ability to inhibit proteins from the tyrosine kinase family, an interesting target for the development of anticancer and trypanocidal drugs. In the present work, (E)-(cyanovinyl)benzeneboronic acids were synthesized by Knoevenagel condensations without the use of any catalysts in water through a simple protocol that completely avoided the use of organic solvents in the synthesis and workup process. The in vitro anticancer and trypanocidal activities of the synthesized boronic acids were also evaluated, and it was discovered that the introduction of the boronic acid functionality improved the activity of the boronic tyrphostins. In silico target fishing with the use of a chemogenomic approach suggested that tyrosine-phosphorylation-regulated kinase 1a (DYRK1A) was a potential target for some of the designed compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Noemi de J Hiller
- Research Group on Catalysis and Synthesis (CSI), Universidade Federal Fluminense, Laboratório 413, Instituto de Química, Campus do Valonguinho, Centro, Niterói, RJ, 24020-141, Brazil
| | - Nayane A A E Silva
- Research Group on Catalysis and Synthesis (CSI), Universidade Federal Fluminense, Laboratório 413, Instituto de Química, Campus do Valonguinho, Centro, Niterói, RJ, 24020-141, Brazil
| | - Robson X Faria
- Laboratory of Toxoplasmosis and other Protozoan Diseases, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (Fiocruz), Brasil
| | - André Luís A Souza
- Laboratory of Biochemistry of Peptides, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (Fiocruz), Brazil
| | - Jackson A L C Resende
- Laboratory of Solid-State Chemistry, Universidade Federal do Mato Grosso, Instituto de Ciências Exatas e da Terra, Campus Universitário do Araguaia, Barra do Garças, MT, 78600-000, Brazil
| | - André Borges Farias
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ecologia e Desenvolvimento Social (NUPEM), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Campus de Macaé, Av. Rotary Club s/n; São José do Barreto, Macaé, RJ, 27901-000, Brazil
| | - Nelilma Correia Romeiro
- Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ecologia e Desenvolvimento Social (NUPEM), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Campus de Macaé, Av. Rotary Club s/n; São José do Barreto, Macaé, RJ, 27901-000, Brazil
| | - Daniela de Luna Martins
- Research Group on Catalysis and Synthesis (CSI), Universidade Federal Fluminense, Laboratório 413, Instituto de Química, Campus do Valonguinho, Centro, Niterói, RJ, 24020-141, Brazil
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24
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Kouznetsov VV, Galvis CEP. Strecker reaction and α-amino nitriles: Recent advances in their chemistry, synthesis, and biological properties. Tetrahedron 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tet.2018.01.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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25
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Prati F, Bottegoni G, Bolognesi ML, Cavalli A. BACE-1 Inhibitors: From Recent Single-Target Molecules to Multitarget Compounds for Alzheimer’s Disease. J Med Chem 2017; 61:619-637. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b00393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Federica Prati
- Drug Discovery Unit,
Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, College of Life
Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, DD1 5EH, Scotland, U.K
| | - Giovanni Bottegoni
- CompuNet, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
- Heptares Therapeutics Ltd., BioPark, Broadwater Road, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire AL7 3AX, U.K
| | - Maria Laura Bolognesi
- Department
of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Andrea Cavalli
- CompuNet, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, Via Morego 30, 16163 Genova, Italy
- Department
of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126 Bologna, Italy
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26
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Mallo N, DeFelipe AP, Folgueira I, Sueiro RA, Lamas J, Leiro JM. Combined antiparasitic and anti-inflammatory effects of the natural polyphenol curcumin on turbot scuticociliatosis. JOURNAL OF FISH DISEASES 2017; 40:205-217. [PMID: 27334368 DOI: 10.1111/jfd.12503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2016] [Revised: 04/16/2016] [Accepted: 04/17/2016] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The histiophagous scuticociliate Philasterides dicentrarchi is the aetiological agent of scuticociliatosis, a parasitic disease of farmed turbot. Curcumin, a polyphenol from Curcuma longa (turmeric), is known to have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. We investigated the in vitro effects of curcumin on the growth of P. dicentrarchi and on the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in turbot leucocytes activated by parasite cysteine proteases. At 100 μm, curcumin had a cytotoxic effect and completely inhibited the growth of the parasite. At 50 μm, curcumin inhibited the protease activity of the parasite and expression of genes encoding two virulence-associated proteases: leishmanolysin-like peptidase and cathepsin L-like. At concentrations between 25 and 50 μm, curcumin inhibited the expression of S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine hydrolase, an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of the amino acids methionine and cysteine. At 100 μm, curcumin inhibited the expression of the cytokines tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) produced in turbot leucocytes activated by parasite proteases. Results show that curcumin has a dual effect on scuticociliatosis: an antiparasitic effect on the catabolism and anabolism of ciliate proteins, and an anti-inflammatory effect that inhibits the production of proinflammatory cytokines in the host. The present findings suggest the potential usefulness of this polyphenol in treating scuticociliatosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Mallo
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Instituto de Investigación y Análisis Alimentarios, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - A P DeFelipe
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Instituto de Investigación y Análisis Alimentarios, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - I Folgueira
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Instituto de Investigación y Análisis Alimentarios, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - R A Sueiro
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Instituto de Investigación y Análisis Alimentarios, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Ecología, Facultad de Biología, Instituto de Acuicultura, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - J Lamas
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Ecología, Facultad de Biología, Instituto de Acuicultura, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - J M Leiro
- Departamento de Microbiología y Parasitología, Instituto de Investigación y Análisis Alimentarios, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Santiago de Compostela, Spain
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San Francisco J, Barría I, Gutiérrez B, Neira I, Muñoz C, Sagua H, Araya JE, Andrade JC, Zailberger A, Catalán A, Remonsellez F, Vega JL, González J. Decreased cruzipain and gp85/trans-sialidase family protein expression contributes to loss of Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigote virulence. Microbes Infect 2016; 19:55-61. [PMID: 27553285 DOI: 10.1016/j.micinf.2016.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2016] [Revised: 08/02/2016] [Accepted: 08/10/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Two cell lines derived from a single Trypanosoma cruzi clone by long-term passaging generated a highly virulent (C8C3hvir) and a low virulent (C8C3lvir) cell line. The C8C3hvir cell line was highly infective and lethal to Balb/c mice, and the C8C3lvir cell line was three- to five-fold less infective to mouse cardiomyocytes than C8C3hvir. The highly virulent T. cruzi cell line abundantly expressed the major cysteine proteinase cruzipain (Czp), complement regulatory protein (CRP) and trans-sialidase (TS), all of which are known to act as virulence factors in this parasite. The in vitro invasion capacity and in vivo Balb/c mouse infectiveness of the highly virulent strain was strongly reduced by pre-treatment with antisense oligonucleotides targeting TS or CRP or with E64d. Based on these results, we conclude that decreased levels of TS, CRP and Czp expression could contribute to loss of T. cruzi trypomastigote virulence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan San Francisco
- Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Iván Barría
- Experimental Physiology Laboratory (EPhyL), Antofagasta Institute, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Bessy Gutiérrez
- Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Iván Neira
- Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Christian Muñoz
- Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Hernán Sagua
- Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Jorge E Araya
- Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Juan Carlos Andrade
- Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | | | - Alejandro Catalán
- Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Francisco Remonsellez
- Applied Microbiology and Extremophiles Laboratory, Chemical Engineering Department, North Catholic University, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - José Luis Vega
- Experimental Physiology Laboratory (EPhyL), Antofagasta Institute, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Jorge González
- Molecular Parasitology Unit, Medical Technology Department, University of Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile.
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Martínez-Castillo M, Cárdenas-Zúñiga R, Coronado-Velázquez D, Debnath A, Serrano-Luna J, Shibayama M. Naegleria fowleri after 50 years: is it a neglected pathogen? J Med Microbiol 2016; 65:885-896. [PMID: 27381464 DOI: 10.1099/jmm.0.000303] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
It has been 50 years since the first case of primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), an acute and rapidly fatal disease of the central nervous system (CNS), was reported in Australia. It is now known that the aetiological agent of PAM is Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba that is commonly known as 'the brain-eating amoeba'. N. fowleri infects humans of different ages who are in contact with water contaminated with this micro-organism. N. fowleri is distributed worldwide and is found growing in bodies of freshwater in tropical and subtropical environments. The number of PAM cases has recently increased, and the rate of recovery from PAM has been estimated at only 5 %. Amphotericin B has been used to treat patients with PAM. However, it is important to note that there is no specific treatment for PAM. Moreover, this amoeba is considered a neglected micro-organism. Researchers have exerted great effort to design effective drugs to treat PAM and to understand the pathogenesis of PAM over the past 50 years, such as its pathology, molecular and cellular biology, diagnosis and prevention, and its biological implications, including its pathogenic genotypes, its distribution and its ecology. Given the rapid progression of PAM and its high mortality rate, it is important that investigations continue and that researchers collaborate to gain better understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease and, consequently, to improve the diagnosis and treatment of this devastating infection of the CNS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moisés Martínez-Castillo
- Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av. IPN 2508, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Roberto Cárdenas-Zúñiga
- Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av. IPN 2508, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Daniel Coronado-Velázquez
- Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av. IPN 2508, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Anjan Debnath
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Jesús Serrano-Luna
- Department of Cell Biology, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av. IPN 2508, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
| | - Mineko Shibayama
- Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the National Polytechnic Institute, Av. IPN 2508, Mexico City 07360, Mexico
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Watanabe Costa R, da Silveira JF, Bahia D. Interactions between Trypanosoma cruzi Secreted Proteins and Host Cell Signaling Pathways. Front Microbiol 2016; 7:388. [PMID: 27065960 PMCID: PMC4814445 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2016.00388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2016] [Accepted: 03/11/2016] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is one of the prevalent neglected tropical diseases, affecting at least 6-7 million individuals in Latin America. It is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which is transmitted to vertebrate hosts by blood-sucking insects. After infection, the parasite invades and multiplies in the myocardium, leading to acute myocarditis that kills around 5% of untreated individuals. T. cruzi secretes proteins that manipulate multiple host cell signaling pathways to promote host cell invasion. The primary secreted lysosomal peptidase in T. cruzi is cruzipain, which has been shown to modulate the host immune response. Cruzipain hinders macrophage activation during the early stages of infection by interrupting the NF-kB P65 mediated signaling pathway. This allows the parasite to survive and replicate, and may contribute to the spread of infection in acute Chagas disease. Another secreted protein P21, which is expressed in all of the developmental stages of T. cruzi, has been shown to modulate host phagocytosis signaling pathways. The parasite also secretes soluble factors that exert effects on host extracellular matrix, such as proteolytic degradation of collagens. Finally, secreted phospholipase A from T. cruzi contributes to lipid modifications on host cells and concomitantly activates the PKC signaling pathway. Here, we present a brief review of the interaction between secreted proteins from T. cruzi and the host cells, emphasizing the manipulation of host signaling pathways during invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renata Watanabe Costa
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jose F da Silveira
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São Paulo São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Diana Bahia
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de São PauloSão Paulo, Brazil; Departamento de Biologia Geral, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas GeraisMinas Gerais, Brazil
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Costa TF, Lima APC. Natural cysteine protease inhibitors in protozoa: Fifteen years of the chagasin family. Biochimie 2016; 122:197-207. [DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2015.11.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2015] [Accepted: 11/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
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Hoelz LVB, Leal VF, Rodrigues CR, Pascutti PG, Albuquerque MG, Muri EMF, Dias LRS. Molecular dynamics simulations of the free and inhibitor-bound cruzain systems in aqueous solvent: insights on the inhibition mechanism in acidic pH. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2015; 34:1969-78. [PMID: 26414241 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2015.1100139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
Abstract
The major cysteine protease of Trypanosoma cruzi, cruzain (CRZ), has been described as a therapeutic target for Chagas' disease, which affects millions of people worldwide. Thus, a series of CRZ inhibitors has been studied, including a new competitive inhibitor, Nequimed176 (NEQ176). Nevertheless, the structural and dynamic basis for CRZ inhibition remains unclear. Hoping to contribute to this ever-growing understanding of timescale dynamics in the CRZ inhibition mechanism, we have performed the first study using 100 ns of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of two CRZ systems in an aqueous solvent under pH 5.5: CRZ in the apo form (ligand free) and CRZ complexed to NEQ176. According to the MD simulations, the enzyme adopts an open conformation in the apo form and a closed conformation in the NEQ176-CRZ complex. We also suggest that this closed conformation is related to the hydrogen-bonding interactions between NEQ176 and CRZ, which occurs through key residues, mainly Gly66, Met68, Asn69, and Leu160. In addition, the cross-correlation analysis shows evidence of the correlated motions among Ala110-Asp140, Leu160-Gly189, and Glu190-Gly215 subdomains, as well as, the movements related to Ala1-Thr59 and Asp60-Pro90 regions seem to be crucial for CRZ activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- L V B Hoelz
- a Laboratório de Química Medicinal, Faculdade de Farmácia , Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF) , Rua Mário Viana 523, Santa Rosa , Niterói , RJ 24241-000 , Brazil
| | - V F Leal
- a Laboratório de Química Medicinal, Faculdade de Farmácia , Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF) , Rua Mário Viana 523, Santa Rosa , Niterói , RJ 24241-000 , Brazil
| | - C R Rodrigues
- b Laboratório ModMolQSAR, Faculdade de Farmácia , Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) , Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, CCS, Rio de Janeiro , RJ 21941-599 , Brazil
| | - P G Pascutti
- c Laboratório de Modelagem e Dinâmica Molecular , Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) , Av. Carlos Chagas Filho 373, CCS, Rio de Janeiro , RJ 21941-902 , Brazil
| | - M G Albuquerque
- d Laboratório de Modelagem Molecular , Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) , Av. Athos da Silveira Ramos 149, CT, Rio de Janeiro , RJ 21949-900 , Brazil
| | - E M F Muri
- a Laboratório de Química Medicinal, Faculdade de Farmácia , Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF) , Rua Mário Viana 523, Santa Rosa , Niterói , RJ 24241-000 , Brazil
| | - L R S Dias
- a Laboratório de Química Medicinal, Faculdade de Farmácia , Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF) , Rua Mário Viana 523, Santa Rosa , Niterói , RJ 24241-000 , Brazil
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Development of a New Antileishmanial Aziridine-2,3-Dicarboxylate-Based Inhibitor with High Selectivity for Parasite Cysteine Proteases. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2015; 60:797-805. [PMID: 26596939 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00426-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2015] [Accepted: 11/13/2015] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is one of the major neglected tropical diseases of the world. Druggable targets are the parasite cysteine proteases (CPs) of clan CA, family C1 (CAC1). In previous studies, we identified two peptidomimetic compounds, the aziridine-2,3-dicarboxylate compounds 13b and 13e, in a series of inhibitors of the cathepsin L (CL) subfamily of the papain clan CAC1. Both displayed antileishmanial activity in vitro while not showing cytotoxicity against host cells. In further investigations, the mode of action was characterized in Leishmania major. It was demonstrated that aziridines 13b and 13e mainly inhibited the parasitic cathepsin B (CB)-like CPC enzyme and, additionally, mammalian CL. Although these compounds induced cell death of Leishmania promastigotes and amastigotes in vitro, the induction of a proleishmanial T helper type 2 (Th2) response caused by host CL inhibition was observed in vivo. Therefore, we describe here the synthesis of a new library of more selective peptidomimetic aziridine-2,3-dicarboxylates discriminating between host and parasite CPs. The new compounds are based on 13b and 13e as lead structures. One of the most promising compounds of this series is compound s9, showing selective inhibition of the parasite CPs LmaCatB (a CB-like enzyme of L. major; also named L. major CPC) and LmCPB2.8 (a CL-like enzyme of Leishmania mexicana) while not affecting mammalian CL and CB. It displayed excellent leishmanicidal activities against L. major promastigotes (50% inhibitory concentration [IC50] = 37.4 μM) and amastigotes (IC50 = 2.3 μM). In summary, we demonstrate a new selective aziridine-2,3-dicarboxylate, compound s9, which might be a good candidate for future in vivo studies.
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Hook G, Jacobsen JS, Grabstein K, Kindy M, Hook V. Cathepsin B is a New Drug Target for Traumatic Brain Injury Therapeutics: Evidence for E64d as a Promising Lead Drug Candidate. Front Neurol 2015; 6:178. [PMID: 26388830 PMCID: PMC4557097 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2015.00178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2015] [Accepted: 07/31/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
There is currently no therapeutic drug treatment for traumatic brain injury (TBI) despite decades of experimental clinical trials. This may be because the mechanistic pathways for improving TBI outcomes have yet to be identified and exploited. As such, there remains a need to seek out new molecular targets and their drug candidates to find new treatments for TBI. This review presents supporting evidence for cathepsin B, a cysteine protease, as a potentially important drug target for TBI. Cathepsin B expression is greatly up-regulated in TBI animal models, as well as in trauma patients. Importantly, knockout of the cathepsin B gene in TBI mice results in substantial improvements of TBI-caused deficits in behavior, pathology, and biomarkers, as well as improvements in related injury models. During the process of TBI-induced injury, cathepsin B likely escapes the lysosome, its normal subcellular location, into the cytoplasm or extracellular matrix (ECM) where the unleashed proteolytic power causes destruction via necrotic, apoptotic, autophagic, and activated glia-induced cell death, together with ECM breakdown and inflammation. Significantly, chemical inhibitors of cathepsin B are effective for improving deficits in TBI and related injuries including ischemia, cerebral bleeding, cerebral aneurysm, edema, pain, infection, rheumatoid arthritis, epilepsy, Huntington's disease, multiple sclerosis, and Alzheimer's disease. The inhibitor E64d is unique among cathepsin B inhibitors in being the only compound to have demonstrated oral efficacy in a TBI model and prior safe use in man and as such it is an excellent tool compound for preclinical testing and clinical compound development. These data support the conclusion that drug development of cathepsin B inhibitors for TBI treatment should be accelerated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gregory Hook
- American Life Science Pharmaceuticals, Inc. , San Diego, CA , USA
| | | | - Kenneth Grabstein
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Washington , Seattle, WA , USA
| | - Mark Kindy
- Department of Neurosciences, Medical University of South Carolina , Charleston, SC , USA ; Ralph H. Johnson Veterans Administration Medical Center , Charleston, SC , USA
| | - Vivian Hook
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego , La Jolla, CA , USA ; Department of Neurosciences, Department of Pharmacology, University of California San Diego , La Jolla, CA , USA
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Ferrão PM, d'Avila-Levy CM, Araujo-Jorge TC, Degrave WM, Gonçalves ADS, Garzoni LR, Lima AP, Feige JJ, Bailly S, Mendonça-Lima L, Waghabi MC. Cruzipain Activates Latent TGF-β from Host Cells during T. cruzi Invasion. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0124832. [PMID: 25938232 PMCID: PMC4418758 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0124832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2014] [Accepted: 03/17/2015] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Several studies indicate that the activity of cruzipain, the main lysosomal cysteine peptidase of Trypanosoma cruzi, contributes to parasite infectivity. In addition, the parasitic invasion process of mammalian host cells is described to be dependent on the activation of the host TGF-β signaling pathway by T. cruzi. Here, we tested the hypothesis that cruzipain could be an important activator of latent TGF-β and thereby trigger TGF-β-mediated events crucial for the development of Chagas disease. We found that live epimastigotes of T. cruzi, parasite lysates and purified cruzipain were able to activate latent TGF-β in vitro. This activation could be inhibited by the cysteine peptidase inhibitor Z-Phe-Ala-FMK. Moreover, transfected parasites overexpressing chagasin, a potent endogenous cruzipain inhibitor, prevented latent TGF-β activation. We also observed that T. cruzi invasion, as well as parasite intracellular growth, were inhibited by the administration of Z-Phe-Ala-FMK or anti-TGF-β neutralizing antibody to Vero cell cultures. We further demonstrated that addition of purified cruzipain enhanced the invasive activity of trypomastigotes and that this effect could be completely inhibited by addition of a neutralizing anti-TGF-β antibody. Taken together, these results demonstrate that the activities of cruzipain and TGF-β in the process of cell invasion are functionally linked. Our data suggest that cruzipain inhibition is an interesting chemotherapeutic approach for Chagas disease not only because of its trypanocidal activity, but also due to the inhibitory effect on TGF-β activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrícia Mello Ferrão
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Bioinformática, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Investigação Cardiovascular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Claudia Masini d'Avila-Levy
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tania Cremonini Araujo-Jorge
- Laboratório de Inovações em Terapias, Ensino e Bioprodutos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Wim Maurits Degrave
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Bioinformática, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Antônio da Silva Gonçalves
- Laboratório de Biotecnologia e Fisiologia de Infecções Virais, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Luciana Ribeiro Garzoni
- Laboratório de Investigação Cardiovascular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa Integrado de doença de Chagas, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ana Paula Lima
- Laboratório de Bioquímica e Biologia Molecular de Peptidases, Instituto de Biofisica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jean Jacques Feige
- INSERM, Unité 1036, Grenoble, F-38054, France
- Université Grenoble-Alpes—Grenoble, F-38041, France
- CEA, DSV,iRTSV, Laboratory of Biology of Cancer and Infection, Grenoble, F-38054, France
| | - Sabine Bailly
- INSERM, Unité 1036, Grenoble, F-38054, France
- Université Grenoble-Alpes—Grenoble, F-38041, France
- CEA, DSV,iRTSV, Laboratory of Biology of Cancer and Infection, Grenoble, F-38054, France
| | - Leila Mendonça-Lima
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Bioinformática, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mariana Caldas Waghabi
- Laboratório de Genômica Funcional e Bioinformática, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa Integrado de doença de Chagas, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Ectopic expression of a Neospora caninum Kazal type inhibitor triggers developmental defects in Toxoplasma and Plasmodium. PLoS One 2015; 10:e0121379. [PMID: 25803874 PMCID: PMC4372514 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0121379] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2014] [Accepted: 01/31/2015] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulated proteolysis is known to control a variety of vital processes in apicomplexan parasites including invasion and egress of host cells. Serine proteases have been proposed as targets for drug development based upon inhibitor studies that show parasite attenuation and transmission blockage. Genetic studies suggest that serine proteases, such as subtilisin and rhomboid proteases, are essential but functional studies have proved challenging as active proteases are difficult to express. Proteinaceous Protease Inhibitors (PPIs) provide an alternative way to address the role of serine proteases in apicomplexan biology. To validate such an approach, a Neospora caninum Kazal inhibitor (NcPI-S) was expressed ectopically in two apicomplexan species, Toxoplasma gondii tachyzoites and Plasmodium berghei ookinetes, with the aim to disrupt proteolytic processes taking place within the secretory pathway. NcPI-S negatively affected proliferation of Toxoplasma tachyzoites, while it had no effect on invasion and egress. Expression of the inhibitor in P. berghei zygotes blocked their development into mature and invasive ookinetes. Moreover, ultra-structural studies indicated that expression of NcPI-S interfered with normal formation of micronemes, which was also confirmed by the lack of expression of the micronemal protein SOAP in these parasites. Our results suggest that NcPI-S could be a useful tool to investigate the function of proteases in processes fundamental for parasite survival, contributing to the effort to identify targets for parasite attenuation and transmission blockage.
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Cardoso MVDO, de Siqueira LRP, da Silva EB, Costa LB, Hernandes MZ, Rabello MM, Ferreira RS, da Cruz LF, Moreira DRM, Pereira VRA, de Castro MCAB, Bernhardt PV, Leite ACL. 2-Pyridyl thiazoles as novel anti-Trypanosoma cruzi agents: structural design, synthesis and pharmacological evaluation. Eur J Med Chem 2014; 86:48-59. [PMID: 25147146 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2014.08.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 68] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2014] [Revised: 08/01/2014] [Accepted: 08/05/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The present work reports on the synthesis, anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activities and docking studies of a novel series of 2-(pyridin-2-yl)-1,3-thiazoles derived from 2-pyridine thiosemicarbazone. The majority of these compounds are potent cruzain inhibitors and showed excellent inhibition on the trypomastigote form of the parasite, and the resulting structure-activity relationships are discussed. Together, these data present a novel series of thiazolyl hydrazones with potential effects against Chagas disease and they could be important leads in continuing development against Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Elany Barbosa da Silva
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, 50740-520 Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Lívia Bandeira Costa
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, 50740-520 Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Zaldini Hernandes
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, 50740-520 Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Montenegro Rabello
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, 50740-520 Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Rafaela Salgado Ferreira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, CEP 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Luana Faria da Cruz
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, CEP 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Paul V Bernhardt
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane 4072, Australia
| | - Ana Cristina Lima Leite
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, 50740-520 Recife, PE, Brazil
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Abstract
Despite a century of control and eradication campaigns, malaria remains one of the world's most devastating diseases. Our once-powerful therapeutic weapons are losing the war against the Plasmodium parasite, whose ability to rapidly develop and spread drug resistance hamper past and present malaria-control efforts. Finding new and effective treatments for malaria is now a top global health priority, fuelling an increase in funding and promoting open-source collaborations between researchers and pharmaceutical consortia around the world. The result of this is rapid advances in drug discovery approaches and technologies, with three major methods for antimalarial drug development emerging: (i) chemistry-based, (ii) target-based, and (iii) cell-based. Common to all three of these approaches is the unique ability of structural biology to inform and accelerate drug development. Where possible, SBDD (structure-based drug discovery) is a foundation for antimalarial drug development programmes, and has been invaluable to the development of a number of current pre-clinical and clinical candidates. However, as we expand our understanding of the malarial life cycle and mechanisms of resistance development, SBDD as a field must continue to evolve in order to develop compounds that adhere to the ideal characteristics for novel antimalarial therapeutics and to avoid high attrition rates pre- and post-clinic. In the present review, we aim to examine the contribution that SBDD has made to current antimalarial drug development efforts, covering hit discovery to lead optimization and prevention of parasite resistance. Finally, the potential for structural biology, particularly high-throughput structural genomics programmes, to identify future targets for drug discovery are discussed.
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Carvalho TBD, Oliveira-Sequeira TCG, Guimarães S. In vitro antigiardial activity of the cysteine protease inhibitor E-64. Rev Inst Med Trop Sao Paulo 2014; 56:43-7. [PMID: 24553607 PMCID: PMC4085827 DOI: 10.1590/s0036-46652014000100006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2012] [Accepted: 05/16/2013] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The quest for new antiparasitic alternatives has led researchers to base
their studies on insights into biology, host-parasite interactions and pathogenesis.
In this context, proteases and their inhibitors are focused, respectively, as
druggable targets and new therapy alternatives. Herein, we proposed to evaluate the
in vitro effect of the cysteine protease inhibitor E-64 on
Giardia trophozoites growth, adherence and viability.
Trophozoites (105) were exposed to E-64 at different final concentrations,
for 24, 48 and 72 h at 37 °C. In the growth and adherence assays, the number of
trophozoites was estimated microscopically in a haemocytometer, whereas cell
viability was evaluated by a dye-reduction assay using MTT. The E-64 inhibitor showed
effect on growth, adherence and viability of trophozoites, however, its better
performance was detected in the 100 µM-treated cultures. Although metronidazole was
more effective, the E-64 was shown to be able to inhibit growth, adherence and
viability rates by ≥ 50%. These results reveal that E-64 can interfere in some
crucial processes to the parasite survival and they open perspectives for future
investigations in order to confirm the real antigiardial potential of the protease
inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thaís Batista de Carvalho
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Teresa Cristina Goulart Oliveira-Sequeira
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Semíramis Guimarães
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil, Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP), Botucatu, São Paulo, Brazil
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Santos LO, Garcia-Gomes AS, Catanho M, Sodre CL, Santos ALS, Branquinha MH, d'Avila-Levy CM. Aspartic peptidases of human pathogenic trypanosomatids: perspectives and trends for chemotherapy. Curr Med Chem 2014; 20:3116-33. [PMID: 23298141 PMCID: PMC3837538 DOI: 10.2174/0929867311320250007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2012] [Accepted: 12/27/2012] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Aspartic peptidases are proteolytic enzymes present in many organisms like vertebrates, plants, fungi, protozoa and in some retroviruses such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). These enzymes are involved in important metabolic processes in microorganisms/virus and play major roles in infectious diseases. Although few studies have been performed in order to identify and characterize aspartic peptidase in trypanosomatids, which include the etiologic agents of leishmaniasis, Chagas’ disease and sleeping sickness, some beneficial properties of aspartic peptidase inhibitors have been described on fundamental biological events of these pathogenic agents. In this context, aspartic peptidase inhibitors (PIs) used in the current chemotherapy against HIV (e.g., amprenavir, indinavir, lopinavir, nelfinavir, ritonavir and saquinavir) were able to inhibit the aspartic peptidase activity produced by different species of Leishmania. Moreover, the treatment of Leishmania promastigotes with HIV PIs induced several perturbations on the parasite homeostasis, including loss of the motility and arrest of proliferation/growth. The HIV PIs also induced an increase in the level of reactive oxygen species and the appearance of irreversible morphological alterations, triggering parasite death pathways such as programed cell death (apoptosis) and uncontrolled autophagy. The blockage of physiological parasite events as well as the induction of death pathways culminated in its incapacity to adhere, survive and escape of phagocytic cells. Collectively, these results support the data showing that parasites treated with HIV PIs have a significant reduction in the ability to cause in vivo infection. Similarly, the treatment of Trypanosoma cruzi cells with pepstatin A showed a significant inhibition on both aspartic peptidase activity and growth as well as promoted several and irreversible morphological changes. These studies indicate that aspartic peptidases can be promising targets in trypanosomatid cells and aspartic proteolytic inhibitors can be benefic chemotherapeutic agents against these human pathogenic microorganisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- L O Santos
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-IOC, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Isolation and molecular characterization of a major hemolymph serpin from the triatomine, Panstrongylus megistus. Parasit Vectors 2014; 7:23. [PMID: 24423259 PMCID: PMC3898217 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-7-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2013] [Accepted: 12/21/2013] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Chagas disease kills 2.5 thousand people per year of 15 million persons infected in Latin America. The disease is caused by the protozoan, Trypanosome cruzi, and vectored by triatomine insects, including Panstrongylus megistus, an important vector in Brazil. Medicines treating Chagas disease have unpleasant side effects and may be ineffective, therefore, alternative control techniques are required. Knowledge of the T. cruzi interactions with the triatomine host needs extending and new targets/strategies for control identified. Serine and cysteine peptidases play vital roles in protozoan life cycles including invasion and entry of T. cruzi into host cells. Peptidase inhibitors are, therefore, promising targets for disease control. Methods SDS PAGE and chromatograpy detected and isolated a P. megistus serpin which was peptide sequenced by mass spectrometry. A full amino acid sequence was obtained from the cDNA and compared with other insect serpins. Reverse transcription PCR analysis measured serpin transcripts of P. megistus tissues with and without T. cruzi infection. Serpin homology modeling used the Swiss Model and Swiss-PDB viewer programmes. Results The P. megistus serpin (PMSRP1) has a ca. 40 kDa molecular mass with 404 amino acid residues. A reactive site loop contains a highly conserved hinge region but, based on sequence alignment, the normal cleavage site for serine proteases at P1-P1′ was translocated to the putative position P4′-P5′. A small peptide obtained corresponded to the C-terminal 40 amino acid region. The secondary structure of PMSRP1 indicated nine α-helices and three β-sheets, similar to other serpins. PMSRP1 transcripts occurred in all tested tissues but were highest in the fat body and hemocytes. Levels of mRNA encoding PMSRP1 were significantly modulated in the hemocytes and stomach by T. cruzi infection indicating a role for PMSRP1 in the parasite interactions with P. megistus. Conclusions For the first time, a constitutively expressed serpin has been characterized from the hemolymph of a triatomine. This opens up new research avenues into the roles of serine peptidases in the T. cruzi/P. megistus association. Initial experiments indicate a role for PMSRP1 in T. cruzi interactions with P. megistus and will lead to further functional studies of this molecule.
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Sibley LD. The roles of intramembrane proteases in protozoan parasites. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-BIOMEMBRANES 2013; 1828:2908-15. [PMID: 24099008 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamem.2013.04.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2013] [Revised: 04/02/2013] [Accepted: 04/11/2013] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Intramembrane proteolysis is widely conserved throughout different forms of life, with three major types of proteases being known for their ability to cleave peptide bonds directly within the transmembrane domains of their substrates. Although intramembrane proteases have been extensively studied in humans and model organisms, they have only more recently been investigated in protozoan parasites, where they turn out to play important and sometimes unexpected roles. Signal peptide peptidases are involved in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) quality control and signal peptide degradation from exported proteins. Recent studies suggest that repurposing inhibitors developed for blocking presenilins may be useful for inhibiting the growth of Plasmodium, and possibly other protozoan parasites, by blocking signal peptide peptidases. Rhomboid proteases, originally described in the fly, are also widespread in parasites, and are especially expanded in apicomplexans. Their study in parasites has revealed novel roles that expand our understanding of how these proteases function. Within this diverse group of parasites, rhomboid proteases contribute to processing of adhesins involved in attachment, invasion, intracellular replication, phagocytosis, and immune evasion, placing them at the vertex of host-parasite interactions. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Intramembrane Proteases.
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Affiliation(s)
- L David Sibley
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA.
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Ndao M, Nath-Chowdhury M, Sajid M, Marcus V, Mashiyama ST, Sakanari J, Chow E, Mackey Z, Land KM, Jacobson MP, Kalyanaraman C, McKerrow JH, Arrowood MJ, Caffrey CR. A cysteine protease inhibitor rescues mice from a lethal Cryptosporidium parvum infection. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2013; 57:6063-73. [PMID: 24060869 PMCID: PMC3837922 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00734-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2013] [Accepted: 09/16/2013] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Cryptosporidiosis, caused by the protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium parvum, can stunt infant growth and can be lethal in immunocompromised individuals. The most widely used drugs for treating cryptosporidiosis are nitazoxanide and paromomycin, although both exhibit limited efficacy. To investigate an alternative approach to therapy, we demonstrate that the clan CA cysteine protease inhibitor N-methyl piperazine-Phe-homoPhe-vinylsulfone phenyl (K11777) inhibits C. parvum growth in mammalian cell lines in a concentration-dependent manner. Further, using the C57BL/6 gamma interferon receptor knockout (IFN-γR-KO) mouse model, which is highly susceptible to C. parvum, oral or intraperitoneal treatment with K11777 for 10 days rescued mice from otherwise lethal infections. Histologic examination of untreated mice showed intestinal inflammation, villous blunting, and abundant intracellular parasite stages. In contrast, K11777-treated mice (210 mg/kg of body weight/day) showed only minimal inflammation and no epithelial changes. Three putative protease targets (termed cryptopains 1 to 3, or CpaCATL-1, -2, and -3) were identified in the C. parvum genome, but only two are transcribed in infected mammals. A homology model predicted that K11777 would bind to cryptopain 1. Recombinant enzymatically active cryptopain 1 was successfully targeted by K11777 in a competition assay with a labeled active-site-directed probe. K11777 exhibited no toxicity in vitro and in vivo, and surviving animals remained free of parasites 3 weeks after treatment. The discovery that a cysteine protease inhibitor provides potent anticryptosporidial activity in an animal model of infection encourages the investigation and development of this biocide class as a new, and urgently needed, chemotherapy for cryptosporidiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Momar Ndao
- National Reference Centre for Parasitology, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Canada
| | - Milli Nath-Chowdhury
- National Reference Centre for Parasitology, Research Institute of the McGill University Health Center, Montreal, Canada
| | - Mohammed Sajid
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases and Department of Pathology, California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Victoria Marcus
- Department of Pathology, McGill University Health Centre, Montreal General Hospital, Montreal, Canada
| | - Susan T. Mashiyama
- Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Judy Sakanari
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases and Department of Pathology, California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Eric Chow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases and Department of Pathology, California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Zachary Mackey
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases and Department of Pathology, California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Kirkwood M. Land
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases and Department of Pathology, California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, California, USA
| | - Matthew P. Jacobson
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Chakrapani Kalyanaraman
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Sciences
- Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases and Department of Pathology, California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
| | - Michael J. Arrowood
- Division of Parasitic Diseases, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
| | - Conor R. Caffrey
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases and Department of Pathology, California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, USA
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Pérez B, Antunes S, Gonçalves LM, Domingos A, Gomes JRB, Gomes P, Teixeira C. Toward the discovery of inhibitors of babesipain-1, a Babesia bigemina cysteine protease: in vitro evaluation, homology modeling and molecular docking studies. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2013; 27:823-35. [DOI: 10.1007/s10822-013-9682-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2013] [Accepted: 10/04/2013] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
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Blau L, Menegon RF, Trossini GH, Molino JVD, Vital DG, Cicarelli RMB, Passerini GD, Bosquesi PL, Chin CM. Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of new aryl thiosemicarbazone as antichagasic candidates. Eur J Med Chem 2013; 67:142-51. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2013.04.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2013] [Revised: 03/29/2013] [Accepted: 04/08/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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45
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Screening strategies to identify new chemical diversity for drug development to treat kinetoplastid infections. Parasitology 2013; 141:140-6. [DOI: 10.1017/s003118201300142x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 113] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
SUMMARYThe Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) has defined and implemented an early discovery strategy over the last few years, in fitting with its virtual R&D business model. This strategy relies on a medium- to high-throughput phenotypic assay platform to expedite the screening of compound libraries accessed through its collaborations with partners from the pharmaceutical industry. We review the pragmatic approaches used to select compound libraries for screening against kinetoplastids, taking into account screening capacity. The advantages, limitations and current achievements in identifying new quality series for further development into preclinical candidates are critically discussed, together with attractive new approaches currently under investigation.
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46
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Ettari R, Tamborini L, Angelo IC, Micale N, Pinto A, De Micheli C, Conti P. Inhibition of Rhodesain as a Novel Therapeutic Modality for Human African Trypanosomiasis. J Med Chem 2013; 56:5637-58. [DOI: 10.1021/jm301424d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Ettari
- Dipartimento
di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli
25, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Lucia Tamborini
- Dipartimento
di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli
25, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Ilenia C. Angelo
- Dipartimento di Scienze del
Farmaco e Prodotti per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Messina, Viale Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Nicola Micale
- Dipartimento di Scienze del
Farmaco e Prodotti per la Salute, Università degli Studi di Messina, Viale Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Andrea Pinto
- Dipartimento
di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli
25, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Carlo De Micheli
- Dipartimento
di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli
25, 20133 Milano, Italy
| | - Paola Conti
- Dipartimento
di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Milano, Via Mangiagalli
25, 20133 Milano, Italy
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47
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HIV-1 protease inhibitors for treatment of visceral leishmaniasis in HIV-co-infected individuals. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2013; 13:251-9. [DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(12)70348-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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48
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Perteguer MJ, Gómez-Puertas P, Cañavate C, Dagger F, Gárate T, Valdivieso E. Ddi1-like protein from Leishmania major is an active aspartyl proteinase. Cell Stress Chaperones 2013; 18:171-81. [PMID: 22933181 PMCID: PMC3581629 DOI: 10.1007/s12192-012-0368-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2012] [Revised: 08/03/2012] [Accepted: 08/06/2012] [Indexed: 10/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic cells respond to DNA damage by activating damage checkpoint pathways, which arrest cell cycle progression and induce gene expression. We isolated a full-length cDNA encoding a 49-kDa protein from Leishmania major, which exhibited significant deduced amino acid sequence homology with the annotated Leishmania sp. DNA damage-inducible (Ddi1-like) protein, as well as with the Ddi1 protein from Saccharomyces cerevisiae. In contrast to the previously described Ddi1 protein, the protein from L. major displays three domains: (1) an NH2-terminal ubiquitin like; (2) a COOH terminal ubiquitin-associated; (3) a retroviral aspartyl proteinase, containing the typical D[S/T]G signature. The function of the L. major Ddi1-like recombinant protein was investigated after expression in baculovirus/insect cells and biochemical analysis, revealing preferential substrate selectivity for aspartyl proteinase A₂ family substrates, with optimal activity in acidic conditions. The proteolytic activity was inhibited by aspartyl proteinase inhibitors. Molecular modeling of the retroviral domain of the Ddi1-like Leishmania protein revealed a dimer structure that contained a double Asp-Ser-Gly-Ala amino acid sequence motif, in an almost identical geometry to the exhibited by the homologous retroviral aspartyl protease domain of yeast Ddi1 protein. Our results indicate that the isolated Ddi1-like protein is a functional aspartyl proteinase in L. major, opening possibility to be considered as a potential target for novel antiparasitic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- María J. Perteguer
- />Servicio de Parasitología, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain
| | - Paulino Gómez-Puertas
- />Centro de Biología Molecular “Severo Ochoa” (CSIC-UAM) Campus UAM, Cantoblanco, 28049 Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Cañavate
- />World Health Organization Collaborating Centre for Leishmaniasis, Servicio de Parasitología, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain
| | - Francehuli Dagger
- />Laboratorio de Biología Celular de Parásitos, Instituto de Biología Experimental, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, 1041-A Venezuela
| | - Teresa Gárate
- />Servicio de Parasitología, Centro Nacional de Microbiología, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Majadahonda, 28220 Madrid, Spain
| | - Elizabeth Valdivieso
- />Laboratorio de Biología Celular de Parásitos, Instituto de Biología Experimental, Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas, 1041-A Venezuela
- />Instituto de Biología Experimental, Calle Suapure, Colinas de Bello Monte, Caracas, 1041-A Venezuela
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Seo JS, Jeon EJ, Jung SH, Park MA, Kim JW, Kim KH, Woo SH, Lee EH. Molecular cloning and expression analysis of peptidase genes in the fish-pathogenic scuticociliate Miamiensis avidus. BMC Vet Res 2013; 9:10. [PMID: 23311870 PMCID: PMC3599101 DOI: 10.1186/1746-6148-9-10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2012] [Accepted: 12/19/2012] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Parasite peptidases have been actively studied as vaccine candidates or drug targets for prevention or treatment of parasitic diseases because of their important roles for survival and/or invasion in the host. Like other parasites, the facultative histophagous ciliate Miamiensis avidus would possess peptidases that are closely associated with the invasion into the host tissue and survival in the host. Results The 17 genes encoding peptidases, including seven cathepsin-like cysteine peptidases, four serine carboxypeptidases, a eukaryotic aspartyl protease family protein, an ATP-dependent metalloprotease FtsH family protein, three leishmanolysin family proteins and a peptidase family M49 protein were identified from a Miamiensis avidus cDNA library by BLAST X search. Expression of genes encoding two cysteine peptidases, three leishmanolysin-like peptidases and a peptidase family M49 protein was up-regulated in the cell-fed ciliates compared to the starved ciliates. Especially, one cysteine peptidase (MaPro 4) and one leishmanolysin-like peptidase (MaPro 14) were transcribed more than 100-folds in the cell-fed ciliates. Conclusions The genetic information and transcriptional characteristics of the peptidases in the present results would be helpful to elucidate the role of peptidases in the invasion of scuticociliates into their hosts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jung Soo Seo
- Pathology Division, National Fisheries Research & Development Institute (NFRDI), 152-1, Haean-Lo, Gijang-Up, Gijang-Gun, Busan 619-705, South Korea
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50
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Branquinha MH, Marinho FA, Sangenito LS, Oliveira SSC, Goncalves KC, Ennes-Vidal V, d'Avila-Levy CM, Santos ALS. Calpains: potential targets for alternative chemotherapeutic intervention against human pathogenic trypanosomatids. Curr Med Chem 2013; 20:3174-85. [PMID: 23899207 PMCID: PMC4181241 DOI: 10.2174/0929867311320250010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2012] [Revised: 01/29/2013] [Accepted: 02/13/2013] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
The treatment for both leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis, which are severe human infections caused by trypanosomatids belonging to Leishmania and Trypanosoma genera, respectively, is extremely limited because of concerns of toxicity and efficacy with the available anti-protozoan drugs, as well as the emergence of drug resistance. Consequently, the urgency for the discovery of new trypanosomatid targets and novel bioactive compounds is particularly necessary. In this context, the investigation of changes in parasite gene expression between drug resistant/sensitive strains and in the up-regulation of virulence-related genes in infective forms has brought to the fore the involvement of calpain-like proteins in several crucial pathophysiological processes performed by trypanosomatids. These studies were encouraged by the publication of the complete genome sequences of three human pathogenic trypanosomatids, Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania major, which allowed in silico analyses that in turn directed the identification of numerous genes with interesting chemotherapeutic characteristics, including a large family of calpain-related proteins, in which to date 23 genes were assigned as calpains in T. brucei, 40 in T. cruzi and 33 in L. braziliensis. In the present review, we intend to add to these biochemical/biological reports the investigations performed upon the inhibitory capability of calpain inhibitors against human pathogenic trypanosomatids.
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Affiliation(s)
- M H Branquinha
- Laboratório de Investigação de Peptidases, Departamento de Microbiologia Geral, Instituto de Microbiologia Paulo de Góes-IMPG, Centro de Ciências da Saúde-CCS, Bloco Esubsolo, Sala 05, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro-UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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