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Mejía-Jaramillo AM, Fernandez GJ, Ospina-Zapata H, Murillo AM, Jimenez DE, Gómez LA, Triana-Chávez O. PUF3 RNA binding protein of Trypanosoma cruzi regulates mitochondrial morphology and function. Heliyon 2024; 10:e32810. [PMID: 39022037 PMCID: PMC11252720 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32810] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The RNA-binding PUF proteins are post-transcriptional regulators found throughout the eukaryotic domain. In Trypanosoma cruzi, ten Puf genes termed Puf1 to Puf10 have been identified. Considering that the control of gene expression in this parasite is mainly at the post-transcriptional level, we characterized the PUF3 protein by knocking out and overexpressing the gene in T. cruzi epimastigotes and studied different genetic and biological features. The RNA-seq analyses in both genotypes showed significant changes in the number of regulated transcripts compared with wild-type parasites. Thus, the number of differentially expressed genes in the knockout (ΔTcPuf3) and the overexpressor (pTEXTcPuf3) were 238 and 187, respectively. In the knockout, a more significant proportion of genes was negatively regulated (166 out of 238). In contrast, in the overexpressor, positively regulated genes were predominant (149 out of 170). Additionally, when we predicted the subcellular location of the differentially expressed genes, the results revealed an important representation of nuclear genes encoding mitochondrial proteins. Therefore, we determined whether overexpression or knockout of TcPuf3 could lead to changes in both mitochondrial structure and cellular respiration. When mitochondria from ΔTcPuf3 and pTEXTcPuf3 parasites were analyzed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), it was observed that the overexpressor had an abnormal mitochondrial morphology, evidenced by swelling. The results associated with cellular respiration showed that both the ΔTcPuf3 and pTEXTcPuf3 had a lower efficiency in routine respiration and the electron transport system capacity. Likewise, the mitochondria from overexpressing parasites showed a slight hyperpolarization. Additionally, several biological features, depending on the function of the mitochondria, were altered, such as growth, cell division, metacyclogenesis, ROS production, and response to benznidazole. In conclusion, our results suggest that although PUF3 is not an essential protein in T. cruzi, it influences mitochondrial transcripts, affecting mitochondrial morphology and function.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Geysson Javier Fernandez
- Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas, BCEI, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Hader Ospina-Zapata
- Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas, BCEI, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Ana Milena Murillo
- Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas, BCEI, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Dianny Elizabeth Jimenez
- Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas, BCEI, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Luis A. Gómez
- Área de Ciencias Fundamentales, Universidad Eafit, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Omar Triana-Chávez
- Biología y Control de Enfermedades Infecciosas, BCEI, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
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Murta SMF, Lemos Santana PA, Jacques Dit Lapierre TJW, Penteado AB, El Hajje M, Navarro Vinha TC, Liarte DB, de Souza ML, Goulart Trossini GH, de Oliveira Rezende Júnior C, de Oliveira RB, Ferreira RS. New drug discovery strategies for the treatment of benznidazole-resistance in Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2024; 19:741-753. [PMID: 38715393 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2024.2349155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Benznidazole, the drug of choice for treating Chagas Disease (CD), has significant limitations, such as poor cure efficacy, mainly in the chronic phase of CD, association with side effects, and parasite resistance. Understanding parasite resistance to benznidazole is crucial for developing new drugs to treat CD. AREAS COVERED Here, the authors review the current understanding of the molecular basis of benznidazole resistance. Furthermore, they discuss the state-of-the-art methods and critical outcomes employed to evaluate the efficacy of potential drugs against T. cruzi, aiming to select better compounds likely to succeed in the clinic. Finally, the authors describe the different strategies employed to overcome resistance to benznidazole and find effective new treatments for CD. EXPERT OPINION Resistance to benznidazole is a complex phenomenon that occurs naturally among T. cruzi strains. The combination of compounds that inhibit different metabolic pathways of the parasite is an important strategy for developing a new chemotherapeutic protocol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvane Maria Fonseca Murta
- Grupo de Genômica Funcional de Parasitos - Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Pedro Augusto Lemos Santana
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - André Berndt Penteado
- Departamento de Farmacia, Faculdade de Ciencias Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Marissa El Hajje
- Departamento de Farmacia, Faculdade de Ciencias Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Mariana Laureano de Souza
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | | | - Renata Barbosa de Oliveira
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Rafaela Salgado Ferreira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Gallardo M, Arancibia R, Jiménez C, Wilkinson S, Toro PM, Roussel P, Henry N. Ferrocene-based nitroheterocyclic sulfonylhydrazones: design, synthesis, characterization and trypanocidal properties. J Biol Inorg Chem 2023; 28:549-558. [PMID: 37462740 DOI: 10.1007/s00775-023-02010-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
A series of new ferrocenyl nitroheterocyclic sulfonylhydrazones (1a-4a and 1b-2b) were prepared by the reaction between formyl (R = H) or acetyl (R = CH3) nitroheterocyclic precursors [4/5-NO2(C5H2XCOR), where X = O, S)] and ferrocenyl tosyl hydrazine [(η5-C5H5)Fe(η5-C5H4SO2-NH-NH2)]. All compounds were characterized by conventional spectroscopic techniques. In the solid state, the molecular structures of compounds 1a, 2b, and 3a were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The compounds showed an E-configuration around the C=N moiety. Evaluation of trypanocidal activity, measured in vitro against the Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma brucei strains, indicated that all organometallic tosyl hydrazones displayed activity against both parasite species with a higher level of potency toward T. brucei than T. cruzi. Moreover, the biological evaluation showed that the 5-nitroheterocyclic derivatives were more efficient trypanocidal agents than their 4-nitroheterocyclic counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel Gallardo
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Rodrigo Arancibia
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile.
| | - Claudio Jiménez
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción, Chile
| | - Shane Wilkinson
- School of Biological and Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Patricia M Toro
- Facultad de Ingeniería, Instituto de Ciencias Químicas Aplicadas, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Talca, Chile
| | - Pascal Roussel
- Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide, Univ. Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, Univ. Artois,, Lille, France
| | - Natacha Henry
- Unité de Catalyse et Chimie du Solide, Univ. Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, Univ. Artois,, Lille, France
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García-Estrada C, Pérez-Pertejo Y, Domínguez-Asenjo B, Holanda VN, Murugesan S, Martínez-Valladares M, Balaña-Fouce R, Reguera RM. Further Investigations of Nitroheterocyclic Compounds as Potential Antikinetoplastid Drug Candidates. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13040637. [PMID: 37189384 DOI: 10.3390/biom13040637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/30/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Due to the lack of specific vaccines, management of the trypanosomatid-caused neglected tropical diseases (sleeping sickness, Chagas disease and leishmaniasis) relies exclusively on pharmacological treatments. Current drugs against them are scarce, old and exhibit disadvantages, such as adverse effects, parenteral administration, chemical instability and high costs which are often unaffordable for endemic low-income countries. Discoveries of new pharmacological entities for the treatment of these diseases are scarce, since most of the big pharmaceutical companies find this market unattractive. In order to fill the pipeline of compounds and replace existing ones, highly translatable drug screening platforms have been developed in the last two decades. Thousands of molecules have been tested, including nitroheterocyclic compounds, such as benznidazole and nifurtimox, which had already provided potent and effective effects against Chagas disease. More recently, fexinidazole has been added as a new drug against African trypanosomiasis. Despite the success of nitroheterocycles, they had been discarded from drug discovery campaigns due to their mutagenic potential, but now they represent a promising source of inspiration for oral drugs that can replace those currently on the market. The examples provided by the trypanocidal activity of fexinidazole and the promising efficacy of the derivative DNDi-0690 against leishmaniasis seem to open a new window of opportunity for these compounds that were discovered in the 1960s. In this review, we show the current uses of nitroheterocycles and the novel derived molecules that are being synthesized against these neglected diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos García-Estrada
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Yolanda Pérez-Pertejo
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Bárbara Domínguez-Asenjo
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Vanderlan Nogueira Holanda
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Sankaranarayanan Murugesan
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science Pilani, Pilani Campus, Pilani 333031, India
| | - María Martínez-Valladares
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (IGM), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas-Universidad de León, Carretera León-Vega de Infanzones, Vega de Infanzones, 24346 León, Spain
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Rafael Balaña-Fouce
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Rosa M. Reguera
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
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Santi AMM, Ribeiro JM, Reis-Cunha JL, Burle-Caldas GDA, Santos IFM, Silva PA, Resende DDM, Bartholomeu DC, Teixeira SMR, Murta SMF. Disruption of multiple copies of the Prostaglandin F2alpha synthase gene affects oxidative stress response and infectivity in Trypanosoma cruzi. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010845. [PMID: 36260546 PMCID: PMC9581433 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is a serious chronic parasitic disease, currently treated with Nifurtimox (NFX) and Benznidazole (BZ). In addition to high toxicity, these drugs have low healing efficacy, especially in the chronic phase of the disease. The existence of drug-resistant T. cruzi strains and the occurrence of cross-resistance between BZ and NFX have also been described. In this context, it is urgent to study the metabolism of these drugs in T. cruzi, to better understand the mechanisms of resistance. Prostaglandin F2α synthase (PGFS) is an enzyme that has been correlated with parasite resistance to BZ, but the mechanism by which resistance occurs is still unclear. Our results show that the genome of the CL Brener clone of T. cruzi, contains five PGFS sequences and three potential pseudogenes. Using CRISPR/Cas9 we generated knockout cell lines in which all PGFS sequences were disrupted, as shown by PCR and western blotting analyses. The PGFS deletion did not alter the growth of the parasites or their susceptibility to BZ and NFX when compared to wild-type (WT) parasites. Interestingly, NTR-1 transcripts were shown to be upregulated in ΔPGFS mutants. Furthermore, the ΔPGFS parasites were 1.6 to 1.7-fold less tolerant to oxidative stress generated by menadione, presented lower levels of lipid bodies than the control parasites during the stationary phase, and were less infective than control parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Maria Murta Santi
- Grupo Genômica Funcional de Parasitos, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Juliana Martins Ribeiro
- Grupo Genômica Funcional de Parasitos, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - João Luís Reis-Cunha
- Departamento de Parasitologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- Departamento de Medicina Veterinária Preventiva, Escola de Veterinária, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | | | - Paula Alves Silva
- Grupo Genômica Funcional de Parasitos, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Daniela de Melo Resende
- Grupo Genômica Funcional de Parasitos, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | | | - Silvane Maria Fonseca Murta
- Grupo Genômica Funcional de Parasitos, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- * E-mail:
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Jaime LD, Aracely LM, Paulina OM, Dumonteil E, Barnabé C, Waleckx E, Hernández-Giles RG, Ramos-Ligonio A. Molecular Characterization of Four Mexican Isolates of Trypanosoma cruzi and Their Profile Susceptibility to Nifurtimox. Acta Parasitol 2022; 67:1584-1593. [PMID: 36029434 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-022-00608-3] [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: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The objective of this study was to molecularly characterize Mexican isolates of T. cruzi obtained from infected triatomine bugs (the vectors of T. cruzi) and to evaluate their susceptibility to Nifurtimox (NFX). METHODS Three isolates obtained from Triatoma dimidiata (collected in the State of Veracruz) and one isolate obtained from Triatoma bassolsae (collected in the State of Puebla) were molecularly characterized and the expression of genes associated with natural resistance to NFX was analyzed by qPCR. RESULTS Molecular characterization by PCR showed that isolates Zn3, Zn5, and SRB1 belong to the DTU TcI, while isolate Sum3 belongs to TcIV. The latter was also confirmed by sequencing of mitochondrial genes. Isolate Zn5 was the most sensitive to treatment with NFX (IC50, 6.8 μM), isolates SRB1 and Zn3 were partially resistant (IC50, 12.8 μM and 12.7 μM) and isolate Sum3 showed a high degree of resistance to NFX (IC50, 21.4 µM). We also found an association between decreased NTR1 or OYE gene expression with NFX resistance. CONCLUSION Our results also evidenced a high variability in the susceptibility to NFX of these T. cruzi isolates Central and Southeastern Mexico, suggesting the presence of naturally resistant isolates circulating in the country. These results have important implications for defining treatment policies for patients with Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- López-Domínguez Jaime
- LADISER de Inmunología y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Veracruzana, Edificio D, Prolongación de Oriente 6 #1009, Colonia Rafael Alvarado, C.P. 94340, 86039, Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico.,Doctorado en Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - López-Monteon Aracely
- LADISER de Inmunología y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Veracruzana, Edificio D, Prolongación de Oriente 6 #1009, Colonia Rafael Alvarado, C.P. 94340, 86039, Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico.,Asociacion Chagas con Ciencia y Conocimiento A.C., Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Ochoa-Martínez Paulina
- LADISER de Inmunología y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Veracruzana, Edificio D, Prolongación de Oriente 6 #1009, Colonia Rafael Alvarado, C.P. 94340, 86039, Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico.,Doctorado en Ciencias Biomédicas, Universidad Veracruzana, Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Eric Dumonteil
- Department of Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, New Orleans, LA, USA
| | - Christian Barnabé
- Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR INTERTRYP IRD, CIRAD, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Etienne Waleckx
- Asociacion Chagas con Ciencia y Conocimiento A.C., Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico.,Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, UMR INTERTRYP IRD, CIRAD, Université de Montpellier, Montpellier, France.,Laboratorio de Parasitología, Centro de Investigaciones Regionales "Dr. Hideyo Noguchi", Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán, Mérida, Yucatán, Mexico
| | - Rubén Gustavo Hernández-Giles
- LADISER de Inmunología y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Veracruzana, Edificio D, Prolongación de Oriente 6 #1009, Colonia Rafael Alvarado, C.P. 94340, 86039, Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico.,Maestría en Ciencias en Procesos Biológicos, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Veracruzana, Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico
| | - Angel Ramos-Ligonio
- LADISER de Inmunología y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Veracruzana, Edificio D, Prolongación de Oriente 6 #1009, Colonia Rafael Alvarado, C.P. 94340, 86039, Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico. .,Asociacion Chagas con Ciencia y Conocimiento A.C., Orizaba, Veracruz, Mexico.
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Transcriptome Analysis of Intracellular Amastigotes of Clinical Leishmania infantum Lines from Therapeutic Failure Patients after Infection of Human Macrophages. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10071304. [PMID: 35889023 PMCID: PMC9324091 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10071304] [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: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is considered to be one of the most neglected tropical diseases affecting humans and animals around the world. Due to the absence of an effective vaccine, current treatment is based on chemotherapy. However, the continuous appearance of drug resistance and therapeutic failure (TF) lead to an early obsolescence of treatments. Identification of the factors that contribute to TF and drug resistance in leishmaniasis will constitute a useful tool for establishing future strategies to control this disease. In this manuscript, we evaluated the transcriptomic changes in the intracellular amastigotes of the Leishmania infantum parasites isolated from patients with leishmaniasis and TF at 96 h post-infection of THP-1 cells. The adaptation of the parasites to their new environment leads to expression alterations in the genes involved mainly in the transport through cell membranes, energy and redox metabolism, and detoxification. Specifically, the gene that codes for the prostaglandin f2α synthase seems to be relevant in the pathogenicity and TF since it appears substantially upregulated in all the L. infantum lines. Overall, our results show that at the late infection timepoint, the transcriptome of the parasites undergoes significant changes that probably improve the survival of the Leishmania lines in the host cells, contributing to the TF phenotype as well as drug therapy evasion.
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8
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Drug associations as alternative and complementary therapy for neglected tropical diseases. Acta Trop 2022; 225:106210. [PMID: 34687644 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2021.106210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2021] [Revised: 10/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The present paper aims to establish different treatments for neglected tropical disease by a survey on drug conjugations and possible fixed-dose combinations (FDC) used to obtain alternative, safer and more effective treatments. The source databases used were Science Direct and PubMed/Medline, in the intervals between 2015 and 2021 with the drugs key-words or diseases, like "schistosomiasis", "praziquantel", "malaria", "artesunate", "Chagas' disease", "benznidazole", "filariasis", diethylcarbamazine", "ivermectin", " albendazole". 118 works were the object of intense analysis, other articles and documents were used to increase the quality of the studies, such as consensuses for harmonizing therapeutics and historical articles. As a result, an effective NTD control can be achieved when different public health approaches are combined with interventions guided by the epidemiology of each location and the availability of appropriate measures to detect, prevent and control disease. It was also possible to verify that the FDCs promote a simplification of the therapeutic regimen, which promotes better patient compliance and enables a reduction in the development of parasitic resistance, requiring further studies aimed at resistant strains, since the combined APIs usually act by different mechanisms or at different target sites. In addition to eliminating the process of developing a new drug based on the identification and validation of active compounds, which is a complex, long process and requires a strong long-term investment, other advantages that FDCs have are related to productive gain and gain from the industrial plant, which can favor and encourage the R&D of new FDCs not only for NTDs but also for other diseases that require the use of more than one drug.
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9
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Dattani A, Drammeh I, Mahmood A, Rahman M, Szular J, Wilkinson SR. Unraveling the antitrypanosomal mechanism of benznidazole and related 2-nitroimidazoles: From prodrug activation to DNA damage. Mol Microbiol 2021; 116:674-689. [PMID: 34061384 DOI: 10.1111/mmi.14763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Nitroheterocycles represent an important class of compound used to treat trypanosomiasis. They often function as prodrugs and can undergo type I nitroreductase (NTR1)-mediated activation before promoting their antiparasitic activities although the nature of these downstream effects has yet to be determined. Here, we show that in an NTR1-dependent process, benznidazole promotes DNA damage in the nuclear genome of Trypanosoma brucei, providing the first direct link between activation of this prodrug and a downstream trypanocidal mechanism. Phenotypic and protein expression studies revealed that components of the trypanosome's homologous recombination (HR) repair pathway (TbMRE11, γH2A, TbRAD51) cooperate to resolve the benznidazole-induced damage, indicating that the prodrug-induced lesions are most likely double stand DNA breaks, while the sequence/recruitment kinetics of these factors parallels that in other eukaryotes HR systems. When extended to other NTR1-activated 2-nitroimidazoles, some were shown to promote DNA damage. Intriguingly, the lesions induced by these required TbMRE11 and TbCSB activities to fix leading us to postulate that TbCSB may operate in systems other than the transcription-coupled nucleotide excision repair pathway. Understanding how existing trypanosomal drugs work will aid future drug design and help unlock novel reactions/pathways that could be exploited as targets for therapeutic intervention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ambika Dattani
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Isatou Drammeh
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Aishah Mahmood
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Mahbubur Rahman
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Joanna Szular
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
| | - Shane R Wilkinson
- School of Biological & Chemical Sciences, Queen Mary University of London, London, UK
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10
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Sensibilidad in vitro a benznidazol, nifurtimox y posaconazol de cepas de Trypanosoma cruzi de Paraguay. BIOMÉDICA 2020; 40:749-763. [PMID: 33275352 PMCID: PMC7808768 DOI: 10.7705/biomedica.5187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Introducción. Trypanosoma cruzi, agente causal de la enfermedad de Chagas, exhibe una sustancial heterogeneidad fenotípica y genotípica que puede influir en las variaciones epidemiológicas y clínicas de la enfermedad, así como en la sensibilidad a los fármacos utilizados en el tratamiento. Objetivo. Evaluar la sensibilidad in vitro al benznidazol, el nifurtimox y el posaconazol de 40 cepas clonadas de T. cruzi de Paraguay, con distintos genotipos, huéspedes y localidades de origen. Materiales y métodos. En su estado epimastigote, los parásitos se incubaron en medio de cultivo LIT (Liver Infusion Tryptose) con diferentes concentraciones de cada fármaco en ensayos por triplicado. El grado de sensibilidad se estimó a partir de las concentraciones inhibitorias del 50 y el 90% (IC50 e IC90) y se obtuvieron los valores promedio y la desviación estándar de cada cepa y fármaco. La significación estadística entre grupos se determinó mediante análisis de varianzas con el test no paramétrico de Wilcoxon/Kruskal-Wallis y valores de p<0,05. Resultados. Se observó un amplio rango de respuesta a los fármacos. Se identificaron dos grupos de parásitos (A y B) con diferencias significativas en la sensibilidad al benznidazol (p<0,0001), y tres grupos (A, B, C) en cuanto a la sensibilidad al nifurtimox y el posaconazol (p<0,0001). Conclusiones. En general, las cepas fueron más sensibles al nifurtimox que al benznidazol y el posaconazol. Estas diferencias evidencian la heterogeneidad de las poblaciones de T cruzi que circulan en Paraguay, lo que debe considerarse en el tratamiento y el seguimiento de las personas afectadas.
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Yagoubat A, Corrales RM, Bastien P, Lévêque MF, Sterkers Y. Gene Editing in Trypanosomatids: Tips and Tricks in the CRISPR-Cas9 Era. Trends Parasitol 2020; 36:745-760. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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High Throughput Approaches to Unravel the Mechanism of Action of a New Vanadium-Based Compound against Trypanosoma cruzi. Bioinorg Chem Appl 2020; 2020:1634270. [PMID: 32351549 PMCID: PMC7171612 DOI: 10.1155/2020/1634270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2019] [Accepted: 01/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Treatment for Chagas disease, a parasitosis caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, has always been based on two drugs, nifurtimox and benznidazole, despite the toxic side effects described after prolonged prescription. In this work, we study a new prospective antitrypanosomal drug based on vanadium, here named VIVO(5Brsal)(aminophen). We found a good IC50 value, (3.76 ± 0.08) μM, on CL Brener epimastigotes. The analysis of cell death mechanism allowed us to rule out the implication of a mechanism based on early apoptosis or necrosis. Recovery assays revealed a trypanostatic effect, accompanied by cell shape and motility alterations. An uptake mostly associated with the insoluble fraction of the parasites was deduced through vanadium determinations. Concordantly, no drastic changes of the parasite transcriptome were detected after 6 h of treatment. Instead, proteomic analysis uncovered the modulation of proteins involved in different processes such as energy and redox metabolism, transport systems, detoxifying pathways, ribosomal protein synthesis, and proteasome protein degradation. Overall, the results here presented lead us to propose that VIVO(5Brsal)(aminophen) exerts a trypanostatic effect on T. cruzi affecting parasite insoluble proteins.
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Petravicius PO, Costa-Martins AG, Silva MN, Reis-Cunha JL, Bartholomeu DC, Teixeira MM, Zingales B. Mapping benznidazole resistance in trypanosomatids and exploring evolutionary histories of nitroreductases and ABCG transporter protein sequences. Acta Trop 2019; 200:105161. [PMID: 31494121 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2019.105161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Revised: 07/22/2019] [Accepted: 09/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The nitro-heterocyclic compound benznidazole (BZ) is the first-line drug for the treatment of Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. However, therapeutic failures are common for reasons that include the influences of parasite and host genetics, the effects of toxicity on adherence to treatment, and difficulties in demonstrating parasitological cure. To obtain information on the origin of the resistance to BZ and eliminate from the scenery the participation of the host, initially we mapped the susceptibility to the drug in thirteen species of seven genera of the family Trypanosomatidae. We verified that all Trypanosoma species are sensitive to low concentrations of the drug (IC50 2.7 to 25 µM) while Non-Trypanosoma species are highly resistant to these concentrations. The two groups of parasites correspond to the major phylogenetic lineages of trypanosomatids. Next, we searched in the trypanosomatid genome databases homologs of two type-I nitroreductases (NTR-1 and OYE) and an ABC transporter (ABCG1) that have been associated with BZ resistance in T. cruzi. The predicted proteins were characterized regarding domains and used for phylogenetic analyses. Homologous NTR-1 genes were found in all trypanosomatids investigated and the structural characteristics of the enzyme suggest that it may be functional. OYE genes were absent in BZ-sensitive African trypanosomes, which excludes the participation of this enzyme in BZ bio-activation. Two copies of ABCG1 genes were observed in most BZ resistant species, while Trypanosoma species exhibit only one copy per haploid genome. Functional studies are required to verify the involvement of these genes in BZ resistance. In addition, since multiple mechanisms can contribute to BZ susceptibility, our study poses a range of organisms highly resistant to BZ in which these aspects can be investigated. Preliminary studies on BZ uptake indicate marked differences between BZ-sensitive and BZ-resistant species.
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Fonseca D, Páez C, Ibarra L, García-Huertas P, Macías MA, Triana-Chávez O, Hurtado JJ. Metal complex derivatives of bis(pyrazol-1-yl)methane ligands: synthesis, characterization and anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity. TRANSIT METAL CHEM 2018. [DOI: 10.1007/s11243-018-0277-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Díaz-Viraqué F, Chiribao ML, Trochine A, González-Herrera F, Castillo C, Liempi A, Kemmerling U, Maya JD, Robello C. Old Yellow Enzyme from Trypanosoma cruzi Exhibits In Vivo Prostaglandin F 2α Synthase Activity and Has a Key Role in Parasite Infection and Drug Susceptibility. Front Immunol 2018; 9:456. [PMID: 29563916 PMCID: PMC5845897 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2018.00456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/26/2017] [Accepted: 02/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
The discovery that trypanosomatids, unicellular organisms of the order Kinetoplastida, are capable of synthesizing prostaglandins raised questions about the role of these molecules during parasitic infections. Multiple studies indicate that prostaglandins could be related to the infection processes and pathogenesis in trypanosomatids. This work aimed to unveil the role of the prostaglandin F2α synthase TcOYE in the establishment of Trypanosoma cruzi infection, the causative agent of Chagas disease. This chronic disease affects several million people in Latin America causing high morbidity and mortality. Here, we propose a prokaryotic evolutionary origin for TcOYE, and then we used in vitro and in vivo experiments to show that T. cruzi prostaglandin F2α synthase plays an important role in modulating the infection process. TcOYE overexpressing parasites were less able to complete the infective cycle in cell culture infections and increased cardiac tissue parasitic load in infected mice. Additionally, parasites overexpressing the enzyme increased PGF2α synthesis from arachidonic acid. Finally, an increase in benznidazole and nifurtimox susceptibility in TcOYE overexpressing parasites showed its participation in activating the currently anti-chagasic drugs, which added to its observed ability to confer resistance to hydrogen peroxide, highlights the relevance of this enzyme in multiple events including host-parasite interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - María Laura Chiribao
- Unidad de Biología Molecular, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay.,Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Andrea Trochine
- Unidad de Biología Molecular, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Fabiola González-Herrera
- Programa de Farmacología Molecular y Clínica - ICBM, Facultad de Medicina Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Christian Castillo
- Programa de Anatomía y Biología del Desarrollo - ICBM, Facultad de Medicina Universidad De Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Ana Liempi
- Programa de Anatomía y Biología del Desarrollo - ICBM, Facultad de Medicina Universidad De Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Ulrike Kemmerling
- Programa de Anatomía y Biología del Desarrollo - ICBM, Facultad de Medicina Universidad De Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Juan Diego Maya
- Programa de Farmacología Molecular y Clínica - ICBM, Facultad de Medicina Universidad de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
| | - Carlos Robello
- Unidad de Biología Molecular, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay.,Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
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