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Zhou Q, Zheng Z, Yin S, Duan D, Liao X, Xiao Y, He J, Zhong J, Zeng Z, Su L, Luo L, Dong C, Chen J, Li J. Nicotinamide mitigates visceral leishmaniasis by regulating inflammatory response and enhancing lipid metabolism. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:288. [PMID: 38971783 PMCID: PMC11227177 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06370-x] [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: 03/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/21/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Currently, treatment regimens for visceral leishmaniasis (VL) are limited because of the presence of numerous adverse effects. Nicotinamide, a readily available and cost-effective vitamin, has been widely acknowledged for its safety profile. Several studies have demonstrated the anti-leishmanial effects of nicotinamide in vitro. However, the potential role of nicotinamide in Leishmania infection in vivo remains elusive. METHODS In this study, we assessed the efficacy of nicotinamide as a therapeutic intervention for VL caused by Leishmania infantum in an experimental mouse model and investigated its underlying molecular mechanisms. The potential molecular mechanism was explored through cytokine analysis, examination of spleen lymphocyte subsets, liver RNA-seq analysis, and pathway validation. RESULTS Compared to the infection group, the group treated with nicotinamide demonstrated significant amelioration of hepatosplenomegaly and recovery from liver pathological damage. The NAM group exhibited parasite reduction rates of 79.7% in the liver and 86.7% in the spleen, respectively. Nicotinamide treatment significantly reduced the activation of excessive immune response in infected mice, thereby mitigating hepatosplenomegaly and injury. Furthermore, nicotinamide treatment enhanced fatty acid β-oxidation by upregulating key enzymes to maintain lipid homeostasis. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide initial evidence supporting the safety and therapeutic efficacy of nicotinamide in the treatment of Leishmania infection in BALB/c mice, suggesting its potential as a viable drug for VL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhou
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zhiwan Zheng
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Sichuan-Chongqing jointly-established Research Platform of Zoonosis, Chengdu, China
| | - Shuangshuang Yin
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Dengbinpei Duan
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Xuechun Liao
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuying Xiao
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Jinlei He
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
- Sichuan-Chongqing jointly-established Research Platform of Zoonosis, Chengdu, China
| | - Junchao Zhong
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China
| | - Zheng Zeng
- Sichuan-Chongqing jointly-established Research Platform of Zoonosis, Chengdu, China
- Chong Qing Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Liang Su
- Sichuan-Chongqing jointly-established Research Platform of Zoonosis, Chengdu, China
- Chong Qing Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Lu Luo
- Sichuan-Chongqing jointly-established Research Platform of Zoonosis, Chengdu, China
- Chong Qing Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Chunxia Dong
- Sichuan-Chongqing jointly-established Research Platform of Zoonosis, Chengdu, China
- Chong Qing Animal Disease Prevention and Control Center, Chongqing, China
| | - Jianping Chen
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
- Sichuan-Chongqing jointly-established Research Platform of Zoonosis, Chengdu, China.
| | - Jiao Li
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, China.
- Sichuan-Chongqing jointly-established Research Platform of Zoonosis, Chengdu, China.
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Essid R, Damergi B, Fares N, Jallouli S, Limam F, Tabbene O. Synergistic combination of Cinnamomum verum and Syzygium aromaticum treatment for cutaneous leishmaniasis and investigation of their molecular mechanism of action. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RESEARCH 2024; 34:2687-2701. [PMID: 37855230 DOI: 10.1080/09603123.2023.2267470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/20/2023]
Abstract
Combination therapy at appropriately suitable doses presents a promising alternative to monotherapeutic drugs. In this study, Cinnamomum verum and Syzygium aromaticum essential oils and their major compounds have exhibited substantial leishmaniacidal potential against both promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania (L.) major. However, they displayed high cytotoxicity against Raw264.7 macrophage cells. Interestingly, when combined with each other or with amphotericin B, they demonstrated a synergistic effect (FIC<0.5) with low cytotoxicity. These combinations are able to modulate the production of nitric oxide (NO) by macrophages. Notably, the combination of S. aromaticum Essential oil with amphotericin B stimulates macrophage cells by increasing NO production to eliminate leishmanial parasites. Furthermore, investigation of the molecular mechanism of action of these synergistic combinations reveals potent inhibition of the sterol pathway through the inhibition of the CYP51 gene expression. The findings suggest that combination therapy may offer significant therapeutic benefits in both food and pharmaceutical fields.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rym Essid
- Laboratory of Bioactive Substances, Biotechnology Center of Borj-Cedria Technopole, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
| | - Bilel Damergi
- Laboratory of Bioactive Substances, Biotechnology Center of Borj-Cedria Technopole, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
| | - Nadia Fares
- Laboratory of Bioactive Substances, Biotechnology Center of Borj-Cedria Technopole, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
| | - Selim Jallouli
- Laboratory of Bioactive Substances, Biotechnology Center of Borj-Cedria Technopole, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
| | - Ferid Limam
- Laboratory of Bioactive Substances, Biotechnology Center of Borj-Cedria Technopole, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
| | - Olfa Tabbene
- Laboratory of Bioactive Substances, Biotechnology Center of Borj-Cedria Technopole, Hammam-Lif, Tunisia
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3
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Tulloch LB, Tinti M, Wall RJ, Weidt SK, Corpas- Lopez V, Dey G, Smith TK, Fairlamb AH, Barrett MP, Wyllie S. Sterol 14-alpha demethylase (CYP51) activity in Leishmania donovani is likely dependent upon cytochrome P450 reductase 1. PLoS Pathog 2024; 20:e1012382. [PMID: 38991025 PMCID: PMC11265716 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1012382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2024] [Revised: 07/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Liposomal amphotericin B is an important frontline drug for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis, a neglected disease of poverty. The mechanism of action of amphotericin B (AmB) is thought to involve interaction with ergosterol and other ergostane sterols, resulting in disruption of the integrity and key functions of the plasma membrane. Emergence of clinically refractory isolates of Leishmania donovani and L. infantum is an ongoing issue and knowledge of potential resistance mechanisms can help to alleviate this problem. Here we report the characterisation of four independently selected L. donovani clones that are resistant to AmB. Whole genome sequencing revealed that in three of the moderately resistant clones, resistance was due solely to the deletion of a gene encoding C24-sterol methyltransferase (SMT1). The fourth, hyper-resistant resistant clone (>60-fold) was found to have a 24 bp deletion in both alleles of a gene encoding a putative cytochrome P450 reductase (P450R1). Metabolic profiling indicated these parasites were virtually devoid of ergosterol (0.2% versus 18% of total sterols in wild-type) and had a marked accumulation of 14-methylfecosterol (75% versus 0.1% of total sterols in wild-type) and other 14-alpha methylcholestanes. These are substrates for sterol 14-alpha demethylase (CYP51) suggesting that this enzyme may be a bona fide P450R specifically involved in electron transfer from NADPH to CYP51 during catalysis. Deletion of P450R1 in wild-type cells phenocopied the metabolic changes observed in our AmB hyper-resistant clone as well as in CYP51 nulls. Likewise, addition of a wild type P450R1 gene restored sterol profiles to wild type. Our studies indicate that P450R1 is essential for L. donovani amastigote viability, thus loss of this gene is unlikely to be a driver of clinical resistance. Nevertheless, investigating the mechanisms underpinning AmB resistance in these cells provided insights that refine our understanding of the L. donovani sterol biosynthetic pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lindsay B. Tulloch
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Michele Tinti
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Richard J. Wall
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Stefan K. Weidt
- Glasgow Polyomics, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Garscube Estate, Bearsden, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Victoriano Corpas- Lopez
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Gourav Dey
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Terry K. Smith
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | - Alan H. Fairlamb
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Michael P. Barrett
- Glasgow Polyomics, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Garscube Estate, Bearsden, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- School of Infection & Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Susan Wyllie
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, United Kingdom
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Ferreira BA, Coser EM, de la Roca S, Aoki JI, Branco N, Soares GHC, Lima MIS, Coelho AC. Amphotericin B resistance in Leishmania amazonensis: In vitro and in vivo characterization of a Brazilian clinical isolate. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012175. [PMID: 38768213 PMCID: PMC11142706 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2024] [Revised: 05/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/27/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
In Brazil, Leishmania amazonensis is the etiological agent of cutaneous and diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis. The state of Maranhão in the Northeast of Brazil is prevalent for these clinical forms of the disease and also has high rates of HIV infection. Here, we characterized the drug susceptibility of a L. amazonensis clinical isolate from a 46-year-old man with diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis coinfected with HIV from this endemic area. This patient underwent several therapeutic regimens with meglumine antimoniate, liposomal amphotericin B, and pentamidine, without success. In vitro susceptibility assays against promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes demonstrated that this isolate had low susceptibility to amphotericin B, when compared with the reference strain of this species that is considered susceptible to antileishmanial drugs. Additionally, we investigated whether the low in vitro susceptibility would affect the in vivo response to amphotericin B treatment. The drug was effective in reducing the lesion size and parasite burden in mice infected with the reference strain, whereas those infected with the clinical isolate and a resistant line (generated experimentally by stepwise selection) were refractory to amphotericin B treatment. To evaluate whether the isolate was intrinsically resistant to amphotericin B in animals, infected mice were treated with other drugs that had not been used in the treatment of the patient (miltefosine, paromomycin, and a combination of both). Our findings demonstrated that all drug schemes were able to reduce lesion size and parasite burden in animals infected with the clinical isolate, confirming the amphotericin B-resistance phenotype. These findings indicate that the treatment failure observed in the patient may be associated with amphotericin B resistance, and demonstrate the potential emergence of amphotericin B-resistant L. amazonensis isolates in an area of Brazil endemic for cutaneous leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca A. Ferreira
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Elizabeth M. Coser
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Stephane de la Roca
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Juliana I. Aoki
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Nilson Branco
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Gustavo H. C. Soares
- Departamento de Parasitologia, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Mayara I. S. Lima
- Departamento de Biologia, Programas de Pós Graduação em Saúde e Ambiente e Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, São Luís, Brazil
| | - Adriano C. Coelho
- Departamento de Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
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Essid R, Kefi S, Damergi B, Abid G, Fares N, Jallouli S, Abid I, Hussein D, Tabbene O, Limam F. Promising Antileishmanial Activity of Micromeria nervosa Essential Oil: In Vitro and In Silico Studies. Molecules 2024; 29:1876. [PMID: 38675696 PMCID: PMC11055018 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29081876] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2024] [Revised: 03/17/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The present study aimed to evaluate the leishmanicidal potential of the essential oil (EO) of Micromeria (M.) nervosa and to investigate its molecular mechanism of action by qPCR. Furthermore, in silicointeraction study of the major M. nervosa EO compounds with the enzyme cytochrome P450 sterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51) was also performed. M. nervosa EO was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Results showed that α-pinene (26.44%), t-cadinol (26.27%), caryophyllene Oxide (7.73 ± 1.04%), and α-Cadinene (3.79 ± 0.12%) are the major compounds of M. nervosa EO. However, limited antioxidant activity was observed, as this EO was ineffective in neutralizing DPPH free radicals and in inhibiting β-carotene bleaching. Interestingly, it displayed effective leishmanicidal potential against promastigote (IC50 of 6.79 and 5.25 μg/mL) and amastigote (IC50 of 8.04 and 7.32 μg/mL) forms of leishmania (L.) infantum and L. major, respectively. Molecular mechanism investigation showed that M. nervosa EO displayed potent inhibition on the thiol regulatory pathway. Furthermore, a docking study of the main components of the EO with cytochrome P450 sterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51) enzyme revealed that t-cadinol exhibited the best binding energy values (-7.5 kcal/mol), followed by α-cadinene (-7.3 kcal/mol) and caryophyllene oxide (-7 kcal/mol). These values were notably higher than that of the conventional drug fluconazole showing weaker binding energy (-6.9 kcal/mol). These results suggest that M. nervosa EO could serve as a potent and promising candidate for the development of alternative antileishmanial agent in the treatment of leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rym Essid
- Laboratory of Bioactive Substances, Biotechnology Center of Borj Cedria, BP 901, Hammam-Lif 2050, Tunisia; (S.K.); (N.F.)
- University of Tunis-El Manar, Campus Universitaire Farhat Hached, BP-94 Rommana, Tunis 1068, Tunisia
| | - Sarra Kefi
- Laboratory of Bioactive Substances, Biotechnology Center of Borj Cedria, BP 901, Hammam-Lif 2050, Tunisia; (S.K.); (N.F.)
- University of Tunis-El Manar, Campus Universitaire Farhat Hached, BP-94 Rommana, Tunis 1068, Tunisia
| | - Bilel Damergi
- Laboratory of Bioactive Substances, Biotechnology Center of Borj Cedria, BP 901, Hammam-Lif 2050, Tunisia; (S.K.); (N.F.)
- University of Tunis-El Manar, Campus Universitaire Farhat Hached, BP-94 Rommana, Tunis 1068, Tunisia
| | - Ghassen Abid
- Laboratory of Legumes and Sustainable Agro-Systems, Centre of Biotechnology of Borj Cedria, Hammam-Lif 2050, Tunisia
| | - Nadia Fares
- Laboratory of Bioactive Substances, Biotechnology Center of Borj Cedria, BP 901, Hammam-Lif 2050, Tunisia; (S.K.); (N.F.)
| | - Selim Jallouli
- Laboratory of Bioactive Substances, Biotechnology Center of Borj Cedria, BP 901, Hammam-Lif 2050, Tunisia; (S.K.); (N.F.)
| | - Islem Abid
- Center of Excellence in Biotechnology Research, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh 11495, Saudi Arabia
| | - Dina Hussein
- Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences and Health, Cleveland State University, Cleveland, OH 44115, USA;
| | - Olfa Tabbene
- Laboratory of Bioactive Substances, Biotechnology Center of Borj Cedria, BP 901, Hammam-Lif 2050, Tunisia; (S.K.); (N.F.)
| | - Ferid Limam
- Laboratory of Bioactive Substances, Biotechnology Center of Borj Cedria, BP 901, Hammam-Lif 2050, Tunisia; (S.K.); (N.F.)
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6
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Bharadava K, Upadhyay TK, Kaushal RS, Ahmad I, Alraey Y, Siddiqui S, Saeed M. Genomic Insight of Leishmania Parasite: In-Depth Review of Drug Resistance Mechanisms and Genetic Mutations. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:12500-12514. [PMID: 38524425 PMCID: PMC10955595 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c09400] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2023] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 03/26/2024]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis, which is caused by a parasitic protozoan of the genus Leishmania, is still a major threat to global health, impacting millions of individuals worldwide in endemic areas. Chemotherapy has been the principal method for managing leishmaniasis; nevertheless, the evolution of drug resistance offers a significant obstacle to therapeutic success. Drug-resistant behavior in these parasites is a complex phenomenon including both innate and acquired mechanisms. Resistance is frequently related to changes in drug transportation, drug target alterations, and enhanced efflux of the drug from the pathogen. This review has revealed specific genetic mutations in Leishmania parasites that are associated with resistance to commonly used antileishmanial drugs such as pentavalent antimonials, miltefosine, amphotericin B, and paromomycin, resulting in changes in gene expression along with the functioning of various proteins involved in drug uptake, metabolism, and efflux. Understanding the genetic changes linked to drug resistance in Leishmania parasites is essential for creating approaches for tackling and avoiding the spread of drug-resistant variants. Based on which specific treatments focus on mutations and pathways could potentially improve treatment efficacy and help long-term leishmaniasis control. More study is needed to uncover the complete range of genetic changes generating medication resistance and to develop new therapies based on available information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krupanshi Bharadava
- Biophysics
& Structural Biology, Research & Development Cell, Parul University, Vadodara, Gujarat 391760, India
| | - Tarun Kumar Upadhyay
- Department
of Life Sciences, Parul Institute of Applied Sciences & Research
and Development Cell, Parul University, Vadodara, Gujarat 391760, India
| | - Radhey Shyam Kaushal
- Biophysics
& Structural Biology, Research & Development Cell, Parul University, Vadodara, Gujarat 391760, India
- Department
of Life Sciences, Parul Institute of Applied Sciences & Research
and Development Cell, Parul University, Vadodara, Gujarat 391760, India
| | - Irfan Ahmad
- Department
of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha 61421, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yasser Alraey
- Department
of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Abha 61421, Saudi Arabia
| | - Samra Siddiqui
- Department
of Health Service Management, College of Public Health and Health
Informatics, University of Hail, Hail 55476, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohd Saeed
- Department
of Biology, College of Science, University
of Hail, Hail 55476, Saudi Arabia
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Nawaz A, Priya B, Singh K, Ali V. Unveiling the role of serine o-acetyltransferase in drug resistance and oxidative stress tolerance in Leishmania donovani through the regulation of thiol-based redox metabolism. Free Radic Biol Med 2024; 213:371-393. [PMID: 38272324 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2024.01.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Understanding the unique metabolic pathway of L. donovani is crucial for comprehending its biology under oxidative stress conditions. The de novo cysteine biosynthetic pathway of L. donovani is absent in humans and its product, cysteine regulates the downstream components of trypanothione-based thiol metabolism, important for maintaining cellular redox homeostasis. The role of serine o-acetyl transferase (SAT), the first enzyme of this pathway remains unexplored. In order to investigate the role of SAT protein, we cloned SAT gene into pXG-GFP+ vector for episomal expression of SAT in Amphotericin B sensitive L. donovani promastigotes. The SAT overexpression was confirmed by SAT enzymatic assay, GFP fluorescence, immunoblotting and PCR. Our study unveiled an upregulated expression of both LdSAT and LdCS of cysteine biosynthetic pathway and other downstream thiol pathway proteins in LdSAT-OE promastigotes. Additionally, there was an increase in enzymatic activities of LdSAT and LdCS proteins in LdSAT-OE, which was found similar to the Amp B resistant parasites, indicating a potential role of SAT protein in modulating drug resistance. We observed that the overexpression of SAT in Amp B sensitive parasites increases tolerance to drug pressure and oxidative stress via trypanothione-dependent antioxidant mechanism. Moreover, the in vitro J774A.1 macrophage infectivity assessment showed that SAT overexpression augments parasite infectivity. In LdSAT-OE promastigotes, antioxidant enzyme activities like APx and SOD were upregulated, intracellular reactive oxygen species were reduced with a corresponding increase in thiol level, emphasizing SAT's role in stress tolerance and enhanced infectivity. Additionally, the ROS mediated upregulation in the expression of LdSAT, LdCS, LdTryS and LdcTXNPx proteins reveals an essential cross talk between SAT and proteins of thiol metabolism in combating oxidative stress and maintaining redox homeostasis. Taken together, our results provide the first insight into the role of SAT protein in parasite infectivity and survival under drug pressure and oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Afreen Nawaz
- ICMR - Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Patna, Bihar, 800007, India
| | - Bhawna Priya
- ICMR - Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Patna, Bihar, 800007, India
| | - Kuljit Singh
- Infectious Diseases Division, CSIR - Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, 180001, India
| | - Vahab Ali
- ICMR - Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Patna, Bihar, 800007, India.
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8
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van Griensven J, Dorlo TP, Diro E, Costa C, Burza S. The status of combination therapy for visceral leishmaniasis: an updated review. THE LANCET. INFECTIOUS DISEASES 2024; 24:e36-e46. [PMID: 37640031 DOI: 10.1016/s1473-3099(23)00353-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
For the past 15 years, trials of combination therapy options for visceral leishmaniasis have been conducted with the aim of identifying effective, and safe treatment regimens that were shorter than existing monotherapy regimens and could also prevent or delay the emergence of drug resistance. Although first-line treatment currently relies on combination therapy in east Africa, this is not true in Latin America owing to disappointing trial results, with lower than expected efficacy seen for the combination treatment group. By contrast, several effective combination therapy regimens have been identified through trials on the Indian subcontinent; yet, first-line therapy is still AmBisome monotherapy as the drug is part of a free donation programme and is highly effective in this region. Achieving a short all-oral combination treatment will require new chemical entities, several of which are currently under evaluation. Future studies should systematically include pharmacological substudies to ensure optimal dosing for all patient groups. To achieve maximal impact of new combination treatments, mechanisms to ensure drug availability and access after trials should be established. Enhancing the longevity of current and novel treatments will require effective systems for early detection of emerging drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Thomas Pc Dorlo
- Department of Pharmacy, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden; Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - Ermias Diro
- Department of General Internal Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Carlos Costa
- Intelligence Center on Emerging and Neglected Tropical Diseases and Injuries, Federal University of Piauí, Teresina, Brazil
| | - Sakib Burza
- Médecins Sans Frontières, New Delhi, India; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
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9
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Kimcharoensuk S, Leelayoova S, Mungthin M, Nawattanapaibool N, Tan-Ariya P, Siripattanapipong S. In vitro drug susceptibility using a parasite-rescue and transformation assay of Leishmania (Mundinia) martiniquensis and Leishmania (Mundinia) orientalis amastigotes against antileishmanial drugs. Acta Trop 2024; 249:107081. [PMID: 37993039 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107081] [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: 08/16/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/19/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is an emerging infectious disease in Thailand, with Leishmania martiniquensis and Leishmania orientalis identified as the primary causative agents among immunocompetent and immunocompromised individuals. Variations in drug susceptibility among different Leishmania species have been reported in different regions. Therefore, drug susceptibility assays are essential to assess the effectiveness of antileishmanial drugs used or potentially used in the affected areas. This study investigated the in vitro drug sensitivity of L. martiniquensis and L. orientalis, along with two reference species causing VL, namely L. donovani and L. infantum, against six antileishmanial drugs. Using a parasite-rescue and transformation assay, the results demonstrated that the IC50 values of amphotericin B (AmB), miltefosine (MIL), and sodium stibogluconate (Sb(III)) against all Leishmania species tested were within the sensitive range of each drug. On the contrary, the IC50 values of artemisinin (ART) and dihydroartemisinin (DHA), drugs primarily used for malaria treatment, were outside the sensitive range of the Leishmania species tested except L. infantum. This in vitro study highlights that AmB could effectively exhibit good sensitivity against the intracellular amastigotes of L. martiniquensis and L. orientalis. Also, MIL and Sb(III) could be considered alternative drugs for antileishmanial treatment in Thailand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirinan Kimcharoensuk
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Saovanee Leelayoova
- Department of Parasitology, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Mathirut Mungthin
- Department of Parasitology, Phramongkutklao College of Medicine, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | | | - Peerapan Tan-Ariya
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
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10
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Ribeiro JM, Silva PA, Costa-Silva HM, Santi AMM, Murta SMF. Deletion of the lipid droplet protein kinase gene affects lipid droplets biogenesis, parasite infectivity, and resistance to trivalent antimony in Leishmania infantum. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011880. [PMID: 38236929 PMCID: PMC10795987 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The Lipid Droplet Protein Kinase (LDK) facilitates lipid droplet (LD) biogenesis, organelles involved in various metabolic and signaling functions in trypanosomatids. As LDK's function has not been previously explored in Leishmania spp., we utilized CRISPR/Cas9 technology to generate LDK-knockout lines of Leishmania infantum to investigate its role in this parasite. Our findings demonstrate that LDK is not an essential gene for L. infantum, as its deletion did not impede parasite survival. Furthermore, removing LDK did not impact the growth of promastigote forms of L. infantum lacking LDK. However, a noticeable reduction in LDs occurred during the stationary phase of parasite growth following LDK deletion. In the presence of myriocin, a LD inducer, LDK-knockout parasites displayed reduced LD abundance during both logarithmic and stationary growth phases compared to control parasites. Moreover, an infection analysis involving THP-1 cells revealed that 72 h post-infection, LDK-knockout L. infantum lines exhibited fewer infected macrophages and intracellular amastigotes than control parasites. LDK-knockout L. infantum lines also displayed 1.7 to 1.8 -fold greater resistance to trivalent antimony than control parasites. There were no observed alterations in susceptibility to amphotericin B, miltefosine, or menadione in LDK-knockout L. infantum lines. Our results suggest that LDK plays a crucial role in the biogenesis and/or maintenance of LDs in L. infantum, as well as in parasite infectivity and resistance to trivalent antimony.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Martins Ribeiro
- Grupo Genômica Funcional de Parasitos, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Paula Alves Silva
- Grupo Genômica Funcional de Parasitos, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Héllida Marina Costa-Silva
- Grupo Genômica Funcional de Parasitos, Instituto René Rachou, Fiocruz Minas, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Ana Maria Murta Santi
- 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
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11
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Ahmed G, Jamal F, Tiwari RK, Singh V, Rai SN, Chaturvedi SK, Pandey K, Singh SK, Kumar A, Narayan S, Vamanu E. Arsenic exposure to mouse visceral leishmaniasis model through their drinking water linked to the disease exacerbation via modulation in host protective immunity: a preclinical study. Sci Rep 2023; 13:21461. [PMID: 38052913 PMCID: PMC10698031 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-48642-z] [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: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/07/2023] Open
Abstract
A large body of evidence has shown a direct link between arsenic exposure and drug resistance to Leishmania parasites against antimonial preparations in visceral leishmaniasis (VL) hyper-endemic regions, especially in India and its sub-continent. However, the implicated roles of arsenic on the VL host, pathophysiological changes, and immune function have not yet been clarified, particularly at the reported concentration of arsenic in the VL hyper-endemic area of Bihar, India. Herein, we exposed the mouse VL model to arsenic (0.5 mg/L to 2 mg/L) through their drinking water and analyzed its effect on T cells proliferation, Th1/Th2-mediators, MAPK signaling cascade, and parasite load in preclinical models. Coherently, the parasite count in Giemsa stained spleen imprint has been investigated and found significant positive associations with levels of arsenic exposure. The liver and kidney function tests (AST, ALT, ALP, BUN, Creatinine, Urea, etc.) are apparent to hepatonephric toxicity in arsenic exposed VL mice compared to unexposed. This observation appears to be consistent with the up-regulated expression of immune regulatory Th2 mediators (IL-4, IL-10, TGF-β) and down-regulated expression of Th1 mediators (IL-12, IFN-γ, TNF-α) with a suppressed leishmanicidal function of macrophage (ROS, NO, iNOS). We also established that arsenic exposure modulated the host ERK-1/2 and p38 MAPK signaling cascade, limited T lymphocyte proliferation, and a lower IgG2a/IgG1 ratio to favor the Leishmania parasite survival inside the host. This study suggests that the contorted Th1-subtype and exacerbated Th2-subtype immune responses are involved in the increased susceptibility and pathogenesis of Leishmania parasite among subjects/individuals regularly exposed to arsenic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ghufran Ahmed
- Department of Microbiology, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, 800007, India
| | - Fauzia Jamal
- Department of Microbiology, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, 800007, India
| | - Ritesh K Tiwari
- Department of Biochemistry, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, 800007, India
| | - Veer Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, 800007, India
| | - Sachchida Nand Rai
- Centre of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Sanjay K Chaturvedi
- Department of Microbiology, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, 800007, India
| | - Krishna Pandey
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, 800007, India
| | - Santosh K Singh
- Centre of Experimental Medicine and Surgery, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India
| | - Ashish Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, 800007, India
| | - Shyam Narayan
- Department of Microbiology, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Patna, 800007, India.
| | - Emanuel Vamanu
- Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine of Bucharest, 011464, Bucharest, Romania.
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12
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Duffin RN, Andrews PC. Structure-activity effects in the anti-leishmanial activity of di-alkyl gallium quinolin-8-olates. Dalton Trans 2023; 52:15848-15858. [PMID: 37828871 DOI: 10.1039/d3dt02542j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/14/2023]
Abstract
Six (G1-G6) novel organogallium complexes of the general formula [Ga(R)2quin] (where R = Et, iPr, nBu, tBu, sBu and hexyl; quin = quinolin-8-olate, C9H6NO) have been synthesised and fully characterised. Single crystal X-ray diffraction shows the complexes adopt a five-coordinate geometry through dimerisation. Complexes G1-G5 were analytically pure and could undergo further biological analysis. [Ga(hex)2quin] G6 could not be satisfactorily purified and was excluded from biological assays. 1H NMR spectroscopy indicated the complexes are stable to hydrolysis over 24 hours in 'wet' d6-DMSO. Complexes G1-G5 were assessed for their anti-leishmanial activity towards three separate strains: L. major, L. amazonensis and L. donovani, with varied results toward the promastigote form. G1 and G2 were found to be the most selective with little to no toxicity towards mammalian cell lines. Amastigote invasion assays on the three strains showed that [Ga(nBu)2quin] G3 and [Ga(tBu)2quin] G4 gave the best all round anti-parasitic activity with percentage infection ranges of 1.50-3.00% and 3.25-7.50% respectively, with G3 out-performing the drug control amphotericin B in all three assays. The activity was found to correlate with lipophilicity and water solubility, with the most effective G3 proving the most lipophilic and least water soluble.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebekah N Duffin
- School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia.
| | - Philip C Andrews
- School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton, Melbourne, VIC 3800, Australia.
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13
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Boudier A, Mammari N, Lamouroux E, Duval RE. Inorganic Nanoparticles: Tools to Emphasize the Janus Face of Amphotericin B. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1543. [PMID: 37887244 PMCID: PMC10604816 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12101543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 10/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Amphotericin B is the oldest antifungal molecule which is still currently widely used in clinical practice, in particular for the treatment of invasive diseases, even though it is not devoid of side effects (particularly nephrotoxicity). Recently, its redox properties (i.e., both prooxidant and antioxidant) have been highlighted in the literature as mechanisms involved in both its activity and its toxicity. Interestingly, similar properties can be described for inorganic nanoparticles. In the first part of the present review, the redox properties of Amphotericin B and inorganic nanoparticles are discussed. Then, in the second part, inorganic nanoparticles as carriers of the drug are described. A special emphasis is given to their combined redox properties acting either as a prooxidant or as an antioxidant and their connection to the activity against pathogens (i.e., fungi, parasites, and yeasts) and to their toxicity. In a majority of the published studies, inorganic nanoparticles carrying Amphotericin B are described as having a synergistic activity directly related to the rupture of the redox homeostasis of the pathogen. Due to the unique properties of inorganic nanoparticles (e.g., magnetism, intrinsic anti-infectious properties, stimuli-triggered responses, etc.), these nanomaterials may represent a new generation of medicine that can synergistically enhance the antimicrobial properties of Amphotericin B.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nour Mammari
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LCM, F-54000 Nancy, France; (N.M.); (E.L.)
| | - Emmanuel Lamouroux
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LCM, F-54000 Nancy, France; (N.M.); (E.L.)
| | - Raphaël E. Duval
- Université de Lorraine, CNRS, LCM, F-54000 Nancy, France; (N.M.); (E.L.)
- ABC Platform, F-54505 Vandœuvre-lès-Nancy, France
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14
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Lage DP, Martins VT, Vale DL, Freitas CS, Pimenta BL, Moreira GJL, Ramos FF, Pereira IAG, Bandeira RS, de Jesus MM, Ludolf F, Tavares GSV, Chávez-Fumagalli MA, Roatt BM, Christodoulides M, Coelho EAF. The association between rLiHyp1 protein plus adjuvant and amphotericin B is an effective immunotherapy against visceral leishmaniasis in mice. Acta Trop 2023; 246:106986. [PMID: 37453579 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.106986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023]
Abstract
Treatment of visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is compromised by drug toxicity, high cost and/or the emergence of resistant strains. Though canine vaccines are available, there are no licensed prophylactic human vaccines. One strategy to improve clinical outcome for infected patients is immunotherapy, which associates a chemotherapy that acts directly to reduce parasitism and the administration of an immunogen-adjuvant that activates the host protective Th1-type immune response. In this study, we evaluated an immunotherapy protocol in a murine model by combining recombinant (r)LiHyp1 (a hypothetical amastigote-specific Leishmania protein protective against Leishmania infantum infection), with monophosphoryl-lipid A (MPLA) as adjuvant and amphotericin B (AmpB) as reference antileishmanial drug. We used this protocol to treat L. infantum infected-BALB/c mice, and parasitological, immunological and toxicological evaluations were performed at 1 and 30 days after treatment. Results showed that mice treated with rLiHyp1/MPLA/AmpB presented the lowest parasite burden in all organs evaluated, when both a limiting dilution technique and qPCR were used. In addition, these animals produced higher levels of IFN-γ and IL-12 cytokines and IgG2a isotype antibody, which were associated with lower production of IL-4 and IL-10 and IgG1 isotype. Furthermore, low levels of renal and hepatic damage markers were found in animals treated with rLiHyp1/MPLA/AmpB possibly reflecting the lower parasite load, as compared to the other groups. We conclude that the rLiHyp1/MPLA/AmpB combination could be considered in future studies as an immunotherapy protocol to treat against VL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela P Lage
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Vívian T Martins
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Danniele L Vale
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Camila S Freitas
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Breno L Pimenta
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Gabriel J L Moreira
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Insituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Fernanda F Ramos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Isabela A G Pereira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Raquel S Bandeira
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Marcelo M de Jesus
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Fernanda Ludolf
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Grasiele S V Tavares
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Miguel A Chávez-Fumagalli
- Computational Biology and Chemistry Research Group, Vicerrectorado de Investigación, Universidad Católica de Santa María, Urb. San José S/N, Umacollo, Arequipa, 04000, Peru
| | - Bruno M Roatt
- Laboratório de Imunopatologia, Núcleo de Pesquisas em Ciências Biológicas/NUPEB, Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Insituto de Ciências Exatas e Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Myron Christodoulides
- Neisseria Research Group, Molecular Microbiology, School of Clinical and Experimental Sciences, University of Southampton Faculty of Medicine, Southampton General Hospital, Southampton, SO16 6YD England
| | - Eduardo A F Coelho
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências da Saúde: Infectologia e Medicina Tropical, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil; Departamento de Patologia Clínica, COLTEC, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Av. Antônio Carlos, 6627, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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15
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Khan H, Waqas M, Khurshid B, Ullah N, Khalid A, Abdalla AN, Alamri MA, Wadood A. Investigating the role of Sterol C24-Methyl transferase mutation on drug resistance in leishmaniasis and identifying potential inhibitors. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-14. [PMID: 37723868 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2256879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2023] [Indexed: 09/20/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a fatal disease caused by the leishmania parasite. For the survival of the leishmania parasite, Sterol C24-Methyl Transferase (SMT) is essential which is an enzyme of the ergosterol pathway. SMT protein mutation is responsible for Amphotericin-B drug resistance in Leishmania, which is the main treatment for visceral leishmaniasis. Amphotericin-B resistance is caused by three mutated residues V131I, V321I and F72C. The underlying mechanisms and structural changes in SMT enzymes responsible for resistance due to mutation are still not well understood. In the current study, the potential mechanism of resistance due to these mutations and the structure variation of wild and mutant SMT proteins were investigated through molecular dynamics simulations and molecular docking analysis. The results showed that AmB established strong bonding interaction with wild SMT as compare to mutants SMT. The binding energy calculation showed that binding energy of AmB with mutants SMT increases as compare to the wild SMT. Further structural based virtual screening was carried out to design potential inhibitors for the mutant SMT. On the basis of structural-based virtual screening four inhibitors (SANC01057, SANC00882, SANC00414, SANC01047) were computationally identified as potential mutant SMT (F72C) inhibitors. This work provides valuable information for improved management of drug resistant Leishmaniasis.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huma Khan
- Department of Biochemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Waqas
- Natural and Medical Sciences Research Center, University of Nizwa, Birkat Al-Mouz Nizwa, Oman
| | - Beenish Khurshid
- Department of Biochemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Nazif Ullah
- Department of Biotechnology, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
| | - Asaad Khalid
- Substance Abuse and Toxicology Research Center, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ashraf N Abdalla
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mubarak A Alamri
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdul Wadood
- Department of Biochemistry, Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan, Mardan, Pakistan
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16
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Santos GDA, Sousa JM, de Aguiar AHBM, Torres KCS, Coelho AJS, Ferreira AL, Lima MIS. Systematic Review of Treatment Failure and Clinical Relapses in Leishmaniasis from a Multifactorial Perspective: Clinical Aspects, Factors Associated with the Parasite and Host. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023; 8:430. [PMID: 37755891 PMCID: PMC10534360 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8090430] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania. Treatment options are limited, and there are frequent cases of treatment failure and clinical relapse. To understand these phenomena better, a systematic review was conducted, considering studies published between 1990 and 2021 in Portuguese, English, and Spanish. The review included 64 articles divided into three categories. Case reports (26 articles) focused on treatment failure and clinical relapse in cutaneous leishmaniasis patients (47.6%), primarily affecting males (74%) and children (67%), regardless of the clinical manifestation. Experimental studies on the parasite (19 articles), particularly with L. major (25%), indicated that alterations in DNA and genic expression (44.82%) played a significant role in treatment failure and clinical relapse. Population data on the human host (19 articles) identified immunological characteristics as the most associated factor (36%) with treatment failure and clinical relapse. Each clinical manifestation of the disease presented specificities in these phenomena, suggesting a multifactorial nature. Additionally, the parasites were found to adapt to the drugs used in treatment. In summary, the systematic review revealed that treatment failure and clinical relapse in leishmaniasis are complex processes influenced by various factors, including host immunology and parasite adaptation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo de Almeida Santos
- Postgraduate Program in Health and Environment, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís 65080-805, Brazil;
- Department of Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís 65080-805, Brazil; (J.M.S.); (A.H.B.M.d.A.); (K.C.S.T.); (A.J.S.C.); (A.L.F.)
| | - Juliana Mendes Sousa
- Department of Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís 65080-805, Brazil; (J.M.S.); (A.H.B.M.d.A.); (K.C.S.T.); (A.J.S.C.); (A.L.F.)
| | - Antônio Henrique Braga Martins de Aguiar
- Department of Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís 65080-805, Brazil; (J.M.S.); (A.H.B.M.d.A.); (K.C.S.T.); (A.J.S.C.); (A.L.F.)
| | - Karina Cristina Silva Torres
- Department of Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís 65080-805, Brazil; (J.M.S.); (A.H.B.M.d.A.); (K.C.S.T.); (A.J.S.C.); (A.L.F.)
- Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís 65080-805, Brazil
| | - Ana Jessica Sousa Coelho
- Department of Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís 65080-805, Brazil; (J.M.S.); (A.H.B.M.d.A.); (K.C.S.T.); (A.J.S.C.); (A.L.F.)
- Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís 65080-805, Brazil
| | - André Leite Ferreira
- Department of Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís 65080-805, Brazil; (J.M.S.); (A.H.B.M.d.A.); (K.C.S.T.); (A.J.S.C.); (A.L.F.)
| | - Mayara Ingrid Sousa Lima
- Postgraduate Program in Health and Environment, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís 65080-805, Brazil;
- Department of Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís 65080-805, Brazil; (J.M.S.); (A.H.B.M.d.A.); (K.C.S.T.); (A.J.S.C.); (A.L.F.)
- Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís 65080-805, Brazil
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17
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Berneburg I, Stumpf M, Velten AS, Rahlfs S, Przyborski J, Becker K, Fritz-Wolf K. Structure of Leishmania donovani 6-Phosphogluconate Dehydrogenase and Inhibition by Phosphine Gold(I) Complexes: A Potential Approach to Leishmaniasis Treatment. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108615. [PMID: 37239962 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108615] [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: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
As unicellular parasites are highly dependent on NADPH as a source for reducing equivalents, the main NADPH-producing enzymes glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) and 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD) of the pentose phosphate pathway are considered promising antitrypanosomatid drug targets. Here we present the biochemical characterization and crystal structure of Leishmania donovani 6PGD (Ld6PGD) in complex with NADP(H). Most interestingly, a previously unknown conformation of NADPH is visible in this structure. In addition, we identified auranofin and other gold(I)-containing compounds as efficient Ld6PGD inhibitors, although it has so far been assumed that trypanothione reductase is the sole target of auranofin in Kinetoplastida. Interestingly, 6PGD from Plasmodium falciparum is also inhibited at lower micromolar concentrations, whereas human 6PGD is not. Mode-of-inhibition studies indicate that auranofin competes with 6PG for its binding site followed by a rapid irreversible inhibition. By analogy with other enzymes, this suggests that the gold moiety is responsible for the observed inhibition. Taken together, we identified gold(I)-containing compounds as an interesting class of inhibitors against 6PGDs from Leishmania and possibly from other protozoan parasites. Together with the three-dimensional crystal structure, this provides a valid basis for further drug discovery approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabell Berneburg
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Center, Justus Liebig University, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Michaela Stumpf
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Center, Justus Liebig University, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Ann-Sophie Velten
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Center, Justus Liebig University, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Stefan Rahlfs
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Center, Justus Liebig University, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Jude Przyborski
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Center, Justus Liebig University, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Katja Becker
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Center, Justus Liebig University, 35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Karin Fritz-Wolf
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Center, Justus Liebig University, 35392 Giessen, Germany
- Max Planck Institute for Medical Research, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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18
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Gutierrez Guarnizo SA, Tikhonova EB, Karamyshev AL, Muskus CE, Karamysheva ZN. Translational reprogramming as a driver of antimony-drug resistance in Leishmania. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2605. [PMID: 37147291 PMCID: PMC10163012 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38221-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmania is a unicellular protozoan that has a limited transcriptional control and mostly uses post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression, although the molecular mechanisms of the process are still poorly understood. Treatments of leishmaniasis, pathologies associated with Leishmania infections, are limited due to drug resistance. Here, we report dramatic differences in mRNA translation in antimony drug-resistant and sensitive strains at the full translatome level. The major differences (2431 differentially translated transcripts) were demonstrated in the absence of the drug pressure supporting that complex preemptive adaptations are needed to efficiently compensate for the loss of biological fitness once they are exposed to the antimony. In contrast, drug-resistant parasites exposed to antimony activated a highly selective translation of only 156 transcripts. This selective mRNA translation is associated with surface protein rearrangement, optimized energy metabolism, amastins upregulation, and improved antioxidant response. We propose a novel model that establishes translational control as a major driver of antimony-resistant phenotypes in Leishmania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sneider Alexander Gutierrez Guarnizo
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
- Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Antioquia. Medellín, Medellín, 050010, Colombia
| | - Elena B Tikhonova
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA
| | - Andrey L Karamyshev
- Department of Cell Biology and Biochemistry, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX, 79430, USA.
| | - Carlos E Muskus
- Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, Universidad de Antioquia. Medellín, Medellín, 050010, Colombia.
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19
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Hughes K, Le TB, Van Der Smissen P, Tyteca D, Mingeot-Leclercq MP, Quetin-Leclercq J. The Antileishmanial Activity of Eugenol Associated with Lipid Storage Reduction Rather Than Membrane Properties Alterations. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28093871. [PMID: 37175277 PMCID: PMC10179746 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28093871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease that still infects thousands of people per year throughout the world. The occurrence of resistance against major treatments for this disease causes a healthcare burden in low-income countries. Eugenol is a phenylpropanoid that has shown in vitro antileishmanial activity against Leishmania mexicana mexicana (Lmm) promastigotes with an IC50 of 2.72 µg/mL and a high selectivity index. Its specific mechanism of action has yet to be studied. We prepared large unilamellar vesicles (LUVs), mimicking Lmm membranes, and observed that eugenol induced an increase in membrane permeability and a decrease in membrane fluidity at concentrations much higher than IC50. The effect of eugenol was similar to the current therapeutic antibiotic, amphotericin B, although the latter was effective at lower concentrations than eugenol. However, unlike amphotericin B, eugenol also affected the permeability of LUVs without sterol. Its effect on the membrane fluidity of Lmm showed that at high concentrations (≥22.5× IC50), eugenol increased membrane fluidity by 20-30%, while no effect was observed at lower concentrations. Furthermore, at concentrations below 10× IC50, a decrease in metabolic activity associated with the maintenance of membrane integrity revealed a leishmaniostatic effect after 24 h of incubation with Lmm promastigotes. While acidocalcisomes distribution and abundance revealed by Trypanosoma brucei vacuolar H+ pyrophosphatase (TbVP1) immunolabeling was not modified by eugenol, a dose-dependent decrease of lipid droplets assessed by the Nile Red assay was observed. We hereby demonstrate that the antileishmanial activity of eugenol might not directly involve plasma membrane sterols such as ergosterol, but rather target the lipid storage of Lmm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristelle Hughes
- Pharmacognosy Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Avenue E. Mounier 72, B1.72.03, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Thanh Binh Le
- Pharmacognosy Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Avenue E. Mounier 72, B1.72.03, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Patrick Van Der Smissen
- CELL Unit and PICT Imaging Platform, de Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Avenue Hippocrate 75, B1.75.05, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Donatienne Tyteca
- CELL Unit and PICT Imaging Platform, de Duve Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Avenue Hippocrate 75, B1.75.05, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Marie-Paule Mingeot-Leclercq
- Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology Unit (FACM), Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Avenue E. Mounier 73, B1.73.05, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Joëlle Quetin-Leclercq
- Pharmacognosy Research Group, Louvain Drug Research Institute, Université Catholique de Louvain, Avenue E. Mounier 72, B1.72.03, B-1200 Brussels, Belgium
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20
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Paul A, Roy PK, Babu NK, Dhumal TT, Singh S. Leishmania donovani 6-phosphogluconolactonase: Crucial for growth and host infection? Microb Pathog 2023; 178:106082. [PMID: 36958644 DOI: 10.1016/j.micpath.2023.106082] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/25/2023]
Abstract
The hexose monophosphate shunt is a crucial pathway in a variety of microorganisms owing to its vital metabolic products and intermediates such as NADPH, ribose 5-phosphate etc. The enzyme 6-phosphogluconolactonase catalyses the second step of this pathway, converting 6-phosphogluconolactone to 6-phosphogluconic acid. This enzyme has been known to have a significant involvement in growth, pathogenesis and sensitivity to oxidative stress in bacterial and protozoal pathogens. However, the functional role of kinetoplastid Leishmania donovani 6-phospohogluconolactonase (Ld6PGL) remains unexplored. L. donovani is the second largest parasitic killer and causative organism of life threatening visceral leishmaniasis. To understand its possible functional role in the parasite, the alleles of Ld6PGL were sequentially knocked-out followed by gene complementation. The Ld6PGL mutant cell lines showed decrease in transcriptional and translational expression as well as in the enzyme activity. In case of Ld6PGL null mutants, approximately 2-fold reduction was observed in growth. The null mutants also showed ∼38% decrease in infectivity, which recovered to ∼15% on complementation. Scanning electron microscopy showed a marked decrease in flagellar length in the knockout parasites. When treated with the standard drug miltefosine, the mutant strains had no significant change in the drug sensitivity. However, the Ld6PGL mutants were more susceptible to oxidative stress. Our findings suggest that 6PGL is required for parasite growth and infection but it is not essential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anindita Paul
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, SAS Nagar, Mohali, 160062, Punjab, India
| | - Pradyot Kumar Roy
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, SAS Nagar, Mohali, 160062, Punjab, India
| | - Neerupudi Kishore Babu
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, SAS Nagar, Mohali, 160062, Punjab, India
| | - Tushar Tukaram Dhumal
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, SAS Nagar, Mohali, 160062, Punjab, India
| | - Sushma Singh
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, SAS Nagar, Mohali, 160062, Punjab, India.
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21
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Keshav P, Goyal DK, Kaur S. In vitro and in vivo therapeutic antileishmanial potential of ellagic acid against Leishmania donovani in murine model. Med Microbiol Immunol 2023; 212:35-51. [PMID: 36399160 DOI: 10.1007/s00430-022-00754-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Parasite of genus Leishmania viz. L. donovani and L. infantum cause visceral leishmaniasis (VL) or Kala-azar, systemic disease with significant enlargement of the liver and spleen, weight loss, anemia, fever and immunosuppression. The silent expansion of vectors, reservoir hosts and resistant strains is also of great concern in VL control. Considering all these issues, the present study focused on in vitro and in vivo antileishmanial screening of ellagic acid (EA) against L. donovani. The in vitro study was performed against the protozoan parasite L. donovani and a 50% inhibitory concentration was calculated. The DNA arrest in the sub-G0/G1 phase of the cell cycle was studied. In vivo studies included the assessment of parasite burden and immunomodulation in response to treatment of ellagic acid in BALB/c mice. The levels of Th1 and Th2 cytokines and isotype antibodies were assessed in different groups of mice. EA showed in vitro parasiticidal activity with IC50 18.55 µg/mL and thwarted cell-cycle progression at the sub-G0/G1 phase. Administration of ellagic acid to the BALB/c mice reported diminution of splenic and hepatic parasite burden coupled with an expansion of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes. EA further potentiated a protective immune response with augmentation of Th1 type immune response evidenced by elevation of serum IgG2a levels and DTH response. EA was reported to be safe and non-toxic to the THP-1 cell line as well as to the liver and kidneys of mice. These findings endorse the therapeutic potential of EA with significant immunomodulation and can serve as a promising agent against this debilitating parasitic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poonam Keshav
- Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Zoology (UGC-CAS), Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India
| | - Deepak Kumar Goyal
- Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Zoology (UGC-CAS), Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India
| | - Sukhbir Kaur
- Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Zoology (UGC-CAS), Panjab University, Chandigarh, 160014, India.
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22
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Arts RJ, Ector GI, Bosch-Nicolau P, Molina I, McCall MB, van der Velden WJ, van Laarhoven A, de Mast Q, van Dorp S. A difficult to treat Leishmania infantum relapse after allogeneic stem cell transplantation. IDCases 2023; 32:e01753. [PMID: 37063784 PMCID: PMC10091026 DOI: 10.1016/j.idcr.2023.e01753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Here we describe a complicated case of a relapsed Leishmania infantum infection after an allogeneic stem cell transplantation (allo-SCT) for primary myelofibrosis. Three years earlier the patient had been diagnosed with a hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis secondary to a visceral Leishmania infantum infection, for which he was effectively treated with a cumulative dose of 40 mg/kg liposomal amphotericin B. During the first disease episode he was also diagnosed with primary myelofibrosis for which he received medical follow-up. One year later ruxolitinib was started due to progressive disease. No Leishmania relapse occurred. Nevertheless, the marrow fibrosis progressed, and an allo-SCT was performed. Two months after allo-SCT prolonged fever and a persistent pancytopenia occurred, which was due to a relapse of visceral Leishmaniasis. The infection was refractory to a prolonged treatment with liposomal amphotericin B with a cumulative dose up to 100 mg/kg. Salvage treatment with miltefosine led to reduction of fever within a few days and was followed by a slow recovery of pancytopenia over the following months. The Leishmania parasite load by PCR started to decline and after 3.5 months no Leishmania DNA could be detected anymore and follow-up until ten months afterwards did not show a relapse.
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23
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Mano C, Kongkaew A, Tippawangkosol P, Somboon P, Roytrakul S, Pescher P, Späth GF, Uthaipibull C, Tantiworawit A, Siriyasatien P, Jariyapan N. Amphotericin B resistance correlates with increased fitness in vitro and in vivo in Leishmania ( Mundinia) martiniquensis. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1156061. [PMID: 37089544 PMCID: PMC10116047 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1156061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Amphotericin B (AmpB) deoxycholate is the available first-line drug used to treat visceral leishmaniasis caused by Leishmania (Mundinia) martiniquensis, however, some cases of AmpB treatment failure have been reported in Thailand. Resistance to drugs is known to affect parasite fitness with a potential impact on parasite transmission but still little is known about the effect of resistance to drugs on L. martiniquensis. Here we aimed to gain insight into the fitness changes occurring after treatment failure or in vitro-induced resistance to AmpB. L. martiniquensis parasites isolated from a patient before (LSCM1) and after relapse (LSCM1-6) were compared for in vitro and in vivo fitness changes together with an in vitro induced AmpB-resistant parasite generated from LSCM1 parasites (AmpBRP2i). Results revealed increased metacyclogenesis of the AmpBPR2i and LSCM1-6 strains (AmpB-resistant strains) compared to the LSCM1 strain and increased fitness with respect to growth and infectivity. The LSCM1-6 and AmpBRP2i strains were present in mice for longer periods compared to the LSCM1 strain, but no clinical signs of the disease were observed. These results suggest that the AmpB-resistant parasites could be more efficiently transmitted to humans and maintained in asymptomatic hosts longer than the susceptible strain. The asymptomatic hosts therefore may represent "reservoirs" for the resistant parasites enhancing transmission. The results in this study advocate an urgent need to search and monitor for AmpB-resistant L. martiniquensis in patients with relapsing leishmaniasis and in asymptomatic patients, especially, in HIV/Leishmania coinfected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chonlada Mano
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Aphisek Kongkaew
- Animal House Unit, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Pongsri Tippawangkosol
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Pradya Somboon
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Sittiruk Roytrakul
- National Center for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (BIOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Pascale Pescher
- Institut Pasteur, INSERM U1201, Université Paris Cité, Unité de Parasitologie Moléculaire et Signalisation, Paris, France
| | - Gerald F. Späth
- Institut Pasteur, INSERM U1201, Université Paris Cité, Unité de Parasitologie Moléculaire et Signalisation, Paris, France
| | | | - Adisak Tantiworawit
- Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai, Thailand
| | - Padet Siriyasatien
- Center of Excellence in Vector Biology and Vector-Borne Disease, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Narissara Jariyapan
- Center of Excellence in Vector Biology and Vector-Borne Disease, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand
- *Correspondence: Narissara Jariyapan,
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24
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Rai P, Arya H, Saha S, Kumar D, Bhatt TK. Drug repurposing based novel anti-leishmanial drug screening using in-silico and in-vitro approaches. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:10812-10820. [PMID: 36529188 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1950574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease and is mainly caused by L. donovani in the Indian subcontinent. The mitochondria genome replication in Leishmania spp. is having a very specific mechanism, and it is initiated by a key enzyme called mitochondrial primase. This enzyme is essential for the onset of the replication process and growth of the parasite. Therefore, we focused on the primase protein as a potential therapeutic target for combating leishmaniasis diseases. We started our studies molecular modeling and followed by docking of the FDA-approved drug library into the binding site of the primase protein. The top 30 selected compounds were subjected for molecular dynamics studies. Also, the target protein was cloned, purified, and tested experimentally (primase activity assays and inhibition assays). Some compounds were very effective against the Leishmania cell culture. All these approaches helped us to identify few possible novel anti-leishmanial drugs such as Pioglitazone and Mupirocin. These drugs are effectively involved in inhibiting the promastigote of L. donovani, and it can be utilized in the next level of clinical trials. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Praveen Rai
- Department of Biotechnology, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, India
| | - Hemant Arya
- Department of Biotechnology, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, India
| | - Satabdi Saha
- Department of Microbiology, Assam University, Silchar, India
| | - Diwakar Kumar
- Department of Microbiology, Assam University, Silchar, India
| | - Tarun Kumar Bhatt
- Department of Biotechnology, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, India
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25
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Kumar P, Kumar P, Singh N, Khajuria S, Patel R, Rajana VK, Mandal D, Velayutham R. Limitations of current chemotherapy and future of nanoformulation-based AmB delivery for visceral leishmaniasis-An updated review. Front Bioeng Biotechnol 2022; 10:1016925. [PMID: 36588956 PMCID: PMC9794769 DOI: 10.3389/fbioe.2022.1016925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is the most lethal of all leishmaniasis diseasesand the second most common parasiticdisease after malaria and,still, categorized as a neglected tropical disease (NTD). According to the latest WHO study, >20 Leishmania species spread 0.7-1.0 million new cases of leishmaniasis each year. VL is caused by the genus, Leishmania donovani (LD), which affects between 50,000 and 90,000 people worldwide each year. Lack of new drug development, increasing drug resistance, toxicity and high cost even with the first line of treatmentof Amphotericin B (AmB), demands new formulation for treatment of VLFurther the lack of a vaccine, allowedthe researchers to develop nanofomulation-based AmB for improved delivery. The limitation of AmB is its kidney and liver toxicity which forced the development of costly liposomal AmB (AmBisome) nanoformulation. Success of AmBisome have inspired and attracted a wide range of AmB nanoformulations ranging from polymeric, solid lipid, liposomal/micellar, metallic, macrophage receptor-targetednanoparticles (NP) and even with sophisticated carbon/quantum dot-based AmBnano delivery systems. Notably, NP-based AmB delivery has shown increased efficacy due to increased uptake, on-target delivery and synergistic impact of NP and AmB. In this review, we have discussed the different forms of leishmaniasis disease and their current treatment options with limitations. The discovery, mechanism of action of AmB, clinical status of AmB and improvement with AmBisome over fungizone (AmB-deoxycholate)for VL treatment was further discussed. At last, the development of various AmB nanoformulation was discussed along with its adavantages over traditional chemotherapy-based delivery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prakash Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, India
| | - Pawan Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, India
| | - Nidhi Singh
- National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Ahmedabad, India
| | - Salil Khajuria
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, India
| | - Rahul Patel
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, India
| | - Vinod Kumar Rajana
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, India
| | - Debabrata Mandal
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, India,*Correspondence: Ravichandiran Velayutham, ; Debabrata Mandal,
| | - Ravichandiran Velayutham
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, India,National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata, India,*Correspondence: Ravichandiran Velayutham, ; Debabrata Mandal,
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26
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Crystal structure of Leishmania donovani glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase reveals a unique N-terminal domain. Commun Biol 2022; 5:1353. [PMID: 36494598 PMCID: PMC9734377 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-04307-7] [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: 05/10/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Since unicellular parasites highly depend on NADPH as a source for reducing equivalents, the pentose phosphate pathway, especially the first and rate-limiting NADPH-producing enzyme glucose 6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD), is considered an excellent antitrypanosomatid drug target. Here we present the crystal structure of Leishmania donovani G6PD (LdG6PD) elucidating the unique N-terminal domain of Kinetoplastida G6PDs. Our investigations on the function of the N-domain suggest its involvement in the formation of a tetramer that is completely different from related Trypanosoma G6PDs. Structural and functional investigations further provide interesting insights into the binding mode of LdG6PD, following an ordered mechanism, which is confirmed by a G6P-induced domain shift and rotation of the helical N-domain. Taken together, these insights into LdG6PD contribute to the understanding of G6PDs' molecular mechanisms and provide an excellent basis for further drug discovery approaches.
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Abstract
The discovery of amphotericin B, a polyene antifungal compound, in the 1950s, and the formulation of this compound in a liposomal drug delivery system, has resulted in decades of use in systemic fungal infections. The use of liposomal amphotericin B formulation is referenced in many international guidelines for the treatment of fungal infections such as Aspergillus and cryptococcal disease and Candida infections, as well as other less common infections such as visceral leishmaniasis. With the development of liposomal amphotericin B, an improved therapeutic index could be achieved that allowed the attainment of higher drug concentrations in both the plasma and tissue while simultaneously lowering the toxicity compared with amphotericin B deoxycholate. In over 30 years of experience with this drug, a vast amount of information has been collected on preclinical and clinical efficacy against a wide variety of pathogens, as well as evidence on its toxicity. This article explores the history and nature of the liposomal formulation, the key clinical studies that developed the pharmacokinetic, safety and efficacy profile of the liposomal formulation, and the available microbiological data.
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Affiliation(s)
- R J Brüggemann
- Department of Pharmacy, and Radboudumc Institute of Health Sciences, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
- Center of Expertise in Mycology Radboudumc/CWZ, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - G M Jensen
- Pharmaceutical Development and Manufacturing, Gilead Sciences Inc., La Verne, CA, USA
| | - C Lass-Flörl
- Department of Hygiene, Medical Microbiology and Public Health, Institute of Hygiene and Medical Microbiology, Medical University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck, Austria
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28
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Khanra S, Das S, Sarraf NR, Datta S, Das AK, Manna M, Roy S. Antimony resistance mechanism in genetically different clinical isolates of Indian Kala-azar patients. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1021464. [PMID: 36405965 PMCID: PMC9667115 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1021464] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The central theme of this enterprise is to find common features, if any, displayed by genetically different antimony (Sb)-resistant viscerotropic Leishmania parasites to impart Sb resistance. In a limited number of clinical isolates (n = 3), we studied the breadth of variation in the following dimensions: (a) intracellular thiol content, (b) cell surface expression of glycan having N-acetyl-D-galactosaminyl residue as the terminal sugar, and (c) gene expression of thiol-synthesizing enzymes (CBS, MST, gamma-GCS, ODC, and TR), antimony-reducing enzymes (TDR and ACR2), and antimonial transporter genes (AQP1, MRPA, and PRP1). One of the isolates, T5, that was genotypically characterized as Leishmania tropica, caused Indian Kala-azar and was phenotypically Sb resistant (T5-LT-SSG-R), while the other two were Leishmania donovani, out of which one isolate, AG83, is antimony sensitive (AG83-LD-SSG-S) and the other isolate, T8, is Sb resistant (T8-LD-SSG-R). Our study showed that the Sb-resistant parasites, regardless of their genotype, showed significantly higher intracellular thiol compared with Sb-sensitive AG83-LD-SSG-S. Seemingly, T5-LT-SSG-R showed about 1.9-fold higher thiol content compared with T8-LD-SSG-R which essentially mirrored cell surface N-acetyl-D-galactosaminyl expression. Except TR, the expression of the remaining thiol-synthesizing genes was significantly higher in T8-LD-SSG-R and T5-LT-SSG-R than the sensitive one, and between the Sb-resistant parasites, the latter showed a significantly higher expression. Furthermore, the genes for Sb-reducing enzymes increased significantly in resistant parasites regardless of genotype compared with the sensitive one, and between two resistant parasites, there was hardly any difference in expression. Out of three antimony transporters, AQP1 was decreased with the concurrent increase in MRPA and PRP1 in resistant isolates when compared with the sensitive counterpart. Interestingly, no difference in expression of the above-mentioned transporters was noted between two Sb-resistant isolates. The enduring image that resonated from our study is that the genetically diverse Sb-resistant parasites showed enhanced thiol-synthesizing and antimony transporter gene expression than the sensitive counterpart to confer a resistant phenotype.
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Affiliation(s)
- Supriya Khanra
- Department of Zoology, Barasat Government College, Kolkata, India
| | - Shantanabha Das
- Department of Zoology, Diamond Harbour Women’s University, Sarisha, West Bengal, India
| | | | - Sanchita Datta
- Department of Zoology, Barasat Government College, Kolkata, India
| | - Anjan Kumar Das
- Department of Medicine, Calcutta National Medical College, Kolkata, India
| | - Madhumita Manna
- Department of Zoology, Barasat Government College, Kolkata, India
| | - Syamal Roy
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
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Wasan E, Mandava T, Crespo-Moran P, Nagy A, Wasan KM. Review of Novel Oral Amphotericin B Formulations for the Treatment of Parasitic Infections. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:2316. [PMID: 36365135 PMCID: PMC9697626 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14112316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Amphotericin B (AmpB) is a polyene macrolide antibiotic used in the treatment of blood-borne parasitic and fungal infections. However, its use, particularly in the developing world, has been limited by dose-dependent kidney toxicity, other systemic-related toxicity issues following injection, the inconvenience of parenteral administration, and accessibility. Oral formulation approaches have focused on the dual problem of solubility and permeability of AmpB, which is poorly water soluble, amphoteric and has extremely low oral bioavailability. Therefore, to enhance oral absorption, researchers have employed micellar formulations, polymeric nanoparticles, cochleates, pro-drugs, and self-emulsifying drug delivery systems (SEDDS). This paper will highlight current uses of AmpB against parasitic infections such as leishmaniasis, preclinical and clinical formulation strategies, applications in veterinary medicine and the importance of developing a cost-effective and safe oral AmpB formulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ellen Wasan
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Health Sciences Building, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Tavonga Mandava
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Health Sciences Building, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Pablo Crespo-Moran
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Health Sciences Building, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Adrienne Nagy
- College of Pharmacy and Nutrition, University of Saskatchewan, Health Sciences Building, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E5, Canada
| | - Kishor M. Wasan
- Department of Urologic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine & the Neglected Global Diseases Initiative, University of British Columbia, Vancouver Campus, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L8, Canada
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30
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Prasad SR, Kumar P, Mandal S, Mohan A, Chaurasia R, Shrivastava A, Nikhil P, Aishwarya D, Ramalingam P, Gajbhiye R, Singh S, Dasgupta A, Chourasia M, Ravichandiran V, Das P, Mandal D. Mechanistic insight into the role of mevalonate kinase by a natural fatty acid-mediated killing of Leishmania donovani. Sci Rep 2022; 12:16453. [PMID: 36180490 PMCID: PMC9525708 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-20509-9] [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: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
We evaluated the anti-leishmanial efficacy of different saturated medium-chain fatty acids (FAs, C8–C18) where FA containing C8 chain, caprylic acid (CA), was found to be most potent against Leishmania donovani, the causative agent for visceral leishmaniasis (VL). Different analogs of CA with C8 linear chain, but not higher, along with a carboxyl/ester group showed a similar anti-leishmanial effect. Ergosterol depletion was the major cause of CA-mediated cell death. Molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation studies indicated the enzyme mevalonate kinase (MevK) of the ergosterol biosynthesis pathway as a possible target of CA. Enzyme assays with purified recombinant MevK and CA/CA analogs confirmed the target with a competitive inhibition pattern. Using biochemical and biophysical studies; strong binding interaction between MevK and CA/CA analogs was established. Further, using parasites with overexpressed MevK and proteomics studies of CA-treated parasites the direct role of MevK as the target was validated. We established the mechanism of the antileishmanial effect of CA, a natural product, against VL where toxicity and drug resistance with current chemotherapeutics demand an alternative. This is the first report on the identification of an enzymatic target with kinetic parameters and mechanistic insights against any organism for a natural medium-chain FA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Surendra Rajit Prasad
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Export Promotions Industrial Park (EPIP), Vaishali District, Hajipur, Bihar, 844102, India
| | - Prakash Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Export Promotions Industrial Park (EPIP), Vaishali District, Hajipur, Bihar, 844102, India
| | - Saptarshi Mandal
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Patna Bihta, Bihar, 801106, India
| | - Anu Mohan
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Export Promotions Industrial Park (EPIP), Vaishali District, Hajipur, Bihar, 844102, India
| | - Radhika Chaurasia
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Export Promotions Industrial Park (EPIP), Vaishali District, Hajipur, Bihar, 844102, India
| | - Ashish Shrivastava
- Translational Bioinformatics and Computational Genomics Research Lab, Department of Life Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, G.B. Nagar, Uttar Pradesh, 201314, India
| | - Pallaprolu Nikhil
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, 844102, India
| | - Dande Aishwarya
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, 844102, India
| | - P Ramalingam
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, 844102, India
| | - Rahul Gajbhiye
- Department of Pharmaceutical Analysis, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hajipur, 844102, India
| | - Shriya Singh
- Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sitapur Rd, Sector-10, Jankipuram Extension, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226031, India
| | - Arunava Dasgupta
- Molecular Microbiology and Immunology Division, CSIR-Central Drug Research Institute, Sitapur Rd, Sector-10, Jankipuram Extension, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226031, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Mukesh Chourasia
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University, Sector 125, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201301, India
| | - V Ravichandiran
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Export Promotions Industrial Park (EPIP), Vaishali District, Hajipur, Bihar, 844102, India.,National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Kolkata, 700054, India
| | - Prolay Das
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Patna Bihta, Bihar, 801106, India
| | - Debabrata Mandal
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Export Promotions Industrial Park (EPIP), Vaishali District, Hajipur, Bihar, 844102, India.
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31
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Alpizar-Sosa EA, Ithnin NRB, Wei W, Pountain AW, Weidt SK, Donachie AM, Ritchie R, Dickie EA, Burchmore RJS, Denny PW, Barrett MP. Amphotericin B resistance in Leishmania mexicana: Alterations to sterol metabolism and oxidative stress response. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010779. [PMID: 36170238 PMCID: PMC9581426 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Amphotericin B is increasingly used in treatment of leishmaniasis. Here, fourteen independent lines of Leishmania mexicana and one L. infantum line were selected for resistance to either amphotericin B or the related polyene antimicrobial, nystatin. Sterol profiling revealed that, in each resistant line, the predominant wild-type sterol, ergosta-5,7,24-trienol, was replaced by other sterol intermediates. Broadly, two different profiles emerged among the resistant lines. Whole genome sequencing then showed that these distinct profiles were due either to mutations in the sterol methyl transferase (C24SMT) gene locus or the sterol C5 desaturase (C5DS) gene. In three lines an additional deletion of the miltefosine transporter gene was found. Differences in sensitivity to amphotericin B were apparent, depending on whether cells were grown in HOMEM, supplemented with foetal bovine serum, or a serum free defined medium (DM). Metabolomic analysis after exposure to AmB showed that a large increase in glucose flux via the pentose phosphate pathway preceded cell death in cells sustained in HOMEM but not DM, indicating the oxidative stress was more significantly induced under HOMEM conditions. Several of the lines were tested for their ability to infect macrophages and replicate as amastigote forms, alongside their ability to establish infections in mice. While several AmB resistant lines showed reduced virulence, at least two lines displayed heightened virulence in mice whilst retaining their resistance phenotype, emphasising the risks of resistance emerging to this critical drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edubiel A. Alpizar-Sosa
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection & Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
| | - Nur Raihana Binti Ithnin
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection & Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Wenbin Wei
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew W. Pountain
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection & Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Institute for Computational Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, New York, United States of America
| | - Stefan K. Weidt
- Glasgow Polyomics, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Garscube Estate, Bearsden, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Anne M. Donachie
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection & Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Ryan Ritchie
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection & Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Emily A. Dickie
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection & Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Glasgow Polyomics, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Garscube Estate, Bearsden, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Richard J. S. Burchmore
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection & Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Glasgow Polyomics, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Garscube Estate, Bearsden, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Paul W. Denny
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
| | - Michael P. Barrett
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection & Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Glasgow Polyomics, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Garscube Estate, Bearsden, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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32
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Giraldo M, Upegui YA, Higuita-Castro JL, Gonzalez LA, Gutierrez S, Pulido SA, Robledo SM. Effect of the variation in the extracellular concentration of l-arginine in the physiology of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis and its susceptibility to some antileishmanial drugs. Exp Parasitol 2022; 242:108395. [PMID: 36179851 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2022.108395] [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: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
The knowledge about amino acid metabolism in trypanosomatids is a valuable source of new therapeutic targets. l-arginine is an essential amino acid for Leishmania parasites, and it participates in the synthesis of polyamines, a group of essential nutrients used for nucleic acids, proteins biosynthesis, and redox modulation necessary for proliferation. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of changes in the availability of this amino acid on promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes on U937 macrophages and showed that the absence of l-arginine in culture medium negatively influences the growth and infectivity of Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis, causing a decrease in the percentage of the infected cells and parasite load tested through light microscopy. In addition, the absence of l-arginine resulted in the parasite's inability to regulate its reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, which persisted for up to 24 h by flow cytometry following the probe H2DCF-DA dye. Moreover, the differentiation of promastigote to amastigote in axenic culture was more significant at low concentrations of l-arginine suggesting that this depletion induces a stress environment to increase this transformation under axenic conditions. No association was established between the availability of l-arginine and the effectiveness of antileishmanial drugs. All these results confirm the importance of l-arginine in L. braziliensis life cycle vital processes, such as its replication and infectivity, as documented in other Leishmania species. Based on these results, we proposed that the l-arginine uptake/metabolism route is possible in exploring new antileishmanial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuela Giraldo
- PECET, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia-UdeA, Medellín, 050010474, Colombia
| | - Yulieth A Upegui
- PECET, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia-UdeA, Medellín, 050010474, Colombia
| | - Jorge L Higuita-Castro
- PECET, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia-UdeA, Medellín, 050010474, Colombia
| | - Luis A Gonzalez
- QOPN Grupo Química Orgánica de Productos Naturales, Instituto de Química, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, 050010474, Colombia
| | - Sneider Gutierrez
- PECET, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia-UdeA, Medellín, 050010474, Colombia
| | - Sergio A Pulido
- PECET, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia-UdeA, Medellín, 050010474, Colombia
| | - Sara M Robledo
- PECET, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia-UdeA, Medellín, 050010474, Colombia.
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33
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Kumari S, Kumar V, Tiwari RK, Ravidas V, Pandey K, Kumar A. - Amphotericin B: A drug of choice for Visceral Leishmaniasis. Acta Trop 2022; 235:106661. [PMID: 35998680 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/01/2022]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis or Kala-azar is a vector-borne disease caused by an intracellular parasite of the genus leishmania. In India, Amphotericin B (AmB) is a first-line medication for treating leishmaniasis. After a large-scale resistance to pentavalent antimony therapy developed in Bihar state, it was rediscovered as an effective treatment for Leishmania donovani infection. AmB which binds to the ergosterol of protozoan cells causes a change in membrane integrity resulting in ions leakage, and ultimately leading to cell death. The treatment effect of liposomal AmB can be seen more quickly than deoxycholate AmB because, it has some toxic effects, but liposomal AmB is significantly less toxic. Evidence from studies suggested that ABLC (Abelcet) and ABCD (Amphotec) are as effective as L-AmB but Liposomal form (Ambisome) is a more widely accepted treatment option than conventional ones. Nevertheless, the world needs some way more efficient antileishmanial drugs that are less toxic and less expensive for people living with parasitic infections caused by Leishmania. So, academics, researchers, and sponsors need to focus on finding such drugs. This review provides a summary of the chemical, pharmacokinetic, drug-target interactions, stability, dose efficacy, and many other characteristics of the AmB and their various formulations. We have also highlighted the clinically significant aspects of PKDL and VL co-infection with HIV/TB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shobha Kumari
- Department of Biochemistry, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna 800007, Bihar, India
| | - Vikash Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna 800007, Bihar, India
| | - Ritesh Kumar Tiwari
- Department of Biochemistry, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna 800007, Bihar, India
| | - Vidyanand Ravidas
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna 800007, Bihar, India
| | - Krishna Pandey
- Department of Clinical Medicine, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna 800007, Bihar, India
| | - Ashish Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry, Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Agamkuan, Patna 800007, Bihar, India.
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Ali V, Behera S, Nawaz A, Equbal A, Pandey K. Unique thiol metabolism in trypanosomatids: Redox homeostasis and drug resistance. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2022; 117:75-155. [PMID: 35878950 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2022.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosomatids are mainly responsible for heterogeneous parasitic diseases: Leishmaniasis, Sleeping sickness, and Chagas disease and control of these diseases implicates serious challenges due to the emergence of drug resistance. Redox-active biomolecules are the endogenous substances in organisms, which play important role in the regulation of redox homeostasis. The redox-active substances like glutathione, trypanothione, cysteine, cysteine persulfides, etc., and other inorganic intermediates (hydrogen peroxide, nitric oxide) are very useful as defence mechanism. In the present review, the suitability of trypanothione and other essential thiol molecules of trypanosomatids as drug targets are described in Leishmania and Trypanosoma. We have explored the role of tryparedoxin, tryparedoxin peroxidase, ascorbate peroxidase, superoxide dismutase, and glutaredoxins in the anti-oxidant mechanism and drug resistance. Up-regulation of some proteins in trypanothione metabolism helps the parasites in survival against drug pressure (sodium stibogluconate, Amphotericin B, etc.) and oxidative stress. These molecules accept electrons from the reduced trypanothione and donate their electrons to other proteins, and these proteins reduce toxic molecules, neutralize reactive oxygen, or nitrogen species; and help parasites to cope with oxidative stress. Thus, a better understanding of the role of these molecules in drug resistance and redox homeostasis will help to target metabolic pathway proteins to combat Leishmaniasis and trypanosomiases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vahab Ali
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Patna, Bihar, India.
| | - Sachidananda Behera
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Patna, Bihar, India
| | - Afreen Nawaz
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Patna, Bihar, India
| | - Asif Equbal
- Laboratory of Molecular Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Department of Biochemistry, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Patna, Bihar, India; Department of Botany, Araria College, Purnea University, Purnia, Bihar, India
| | - Krishna Pandey
- Department of Clinical Medicine, ICMR-Rajendra Memorial Research Institute of Medical Sciences (RMRIMS), Patna, Bihar, India
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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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36
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Boozhmehrani MJ, Eslami G, Khamesipour A, Jafari AA, Vakili M, Hosseini SS, Askari V. The role of ATP-binding cassette transporter genes expression in treatment failure cutaneous leishmaniasis. AMB Express 2022; 12:78. [PMID: 35710996 PMCID: PMC9203622 DOI: 10.1186/s13568-022-01419-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is one of the common diseases transmitted by sand flies in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. Currently, antimonial derivatives are the first line of treatment. Some of the members of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) family of Leishmania are shown to be associated with no response to treatment. In this study, we evaluated ABCI4, ABCG2, ABCC7, ABCB4, and ABCC3 genes expression in Leishmania isolated from patients with non-healing cutaneous leishmaniasis and treatment response isolates. We selected 17 clinical isolates including 8 treatment failure and 9 treatment response samples from September 2020 to March 2021. The isolates were obtained from patients of Health Center Laboratory of Varzaneh, Isfahan, Iran with cutaneous leishmaniasis. The diagnosis was performed using microscopic observation. The samples were directly collected from the lesions. The expression profiling of genes was assessed using SYBR Green real-time PCR that was analyzed with delta-delta Ct. All treatment failure clinical isolates were L. major. Gene expression analysis in treatment failure isolates showed that the ABC transported genes had a different pattern in each isolate. Treatment failure has been reported for cutaneous leishmaniasis worldwide. Knowledge of the molecular mechanisms of treatment failure could solve this problem. ABC transporter genes are considered controversial over the mechanisms of treatment failure outcomes. In this study, we showed that ABC transporter genes could be considered one of the important mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Javad Boozhmehrani
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.,Research Center for Food Hygiene and Safety, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Gilda Eslami
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran.
| | - Ali Khamesipour
- Center for Research and Training in Skin Diseases and Leprosy, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Abbas Ali Jafari
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, Faculty of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Mahmood Vakili
- Health Monitoring Research Center, School of Medicine, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Saeedeh Sadat Hosseini
- Research Center for Food Hygiene and Safety, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
| | - Vahideh Askari
- Research Center for Food Hygiene and Safety, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences, Yazd, Iran
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37
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Solomon M, Greenberger S, Milner M, Pavlotzky F, Barzilai A, Schwartz E, Hadayer N, Baum S. Efficacy of Systemic Treatment for Leishmania tropica Cutaneous Leishmaniasis. Acta Derm Venereol 2022; 102:adv00721. [PMID: 35229163 PMCID: PMC9574677 DOI: 10.2340/actadv.v102.2079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The effectiveness of systemic treatment for Leishmania tropica cutaneous leishmaniasis remains unclear. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of systemic treatments for L. tropica cutaneous leishmaniasis. This retrospective study was performed in 114 patients. Systemic treatments included liposomal amphotericin B and sodium stibogluconate. All patients underwent systemic treatment for L. tropica cutaneous leishmaniasis. Favourable treatment responses were recorded in 72.5% and 70.2% of the patients in the liposomal amphotericin B and sodium stibogluconate groups, respectively; 25.3% and 46% of those in the liposomal amphotericin B and sodium stibogluconate groups respectively, experienced at least one adverse effect. Lesions in cartilaginous areas were associated with higher treatment failure. Prior topical or systemic treatment increased the chance of future systemic treatment success. Liposomal amphotericin B was associated with a shorter intravenous treatment duration and better safety profile. Thus, liposomal amphotericin B is the treatment of choice for L. tropica cutaneous leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michal Solomon
- Michal Solomon, Department of Dermatology, The Chaim Sheba Medical Center, IL-52621 Tel Hashomer, Israel.
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Santoso P, Minamihata K, Ishimine Y, Taniguchi H, Komada T, Sato R, Goto M, Takashima T, Taira T, Kamiya N. Enhancement of the Antifungal Activity of Chitinase by Palmitoylation and the Synergy of Palmitoylated Chitinase with Amphotericin B. ACS Infect Dis 2022; 8:1051-1061. [PMID: 35471825 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.2c00052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Combinations of antifungal drugs can have synergistic antifungal activity, achieving high therapeutic efficacy while minimizing the side effects. Amphotericin B (AMB) has been used as a standard antifungal drug for fungal infections; however, because of its high toxicity, new strategies to minimize the required dose are desirable. Chitinases have recently received attention as alternative safe antifungal agents. Herein, we report the combination of palmitoylated chitinase domains with AMB to enhance the antifungal activity. The chitin-binding domain (LysM) from Pteris ryukyuensis chitinase was site-specifically palmitoylated by conjugation reaction catalyzed by microbial transglutaminase. The palmitoylated LysM (LysM-Pal) exhibited strong antifungal activity against Trichoderma viride, inhibiting the growth completely at a concentration of 2 μM. This antifungal effect of LysM-Pal was mainly due to the effect of anchoring of palmitic acid motif to the plasma membrane of fungi. A combination of AMB with LysM-Pal resulted in synergistic enhancement of the antifungal activity. Intriguingly, LysM-Pal exhibited higher level of antifungal activity enhancement than palmitoylated catalytic domain (CatD) and fusion of LysM and CatD. Addition of 0.5 μM LysM-Pal to AMB reduced the minimal inhibition concentration of AMB to 0.31 μM (2.5 μM without LysM-Pal). The possible mechanism of the synergistic effect of AMB and LysM-Pal is destabilization of the plasma membrane by anchoring of palmitic acid and ergosterol extraction by AMB and destabilization of the chitin layer by LysM binding. The combination of LysM-Pal with AMB can drastically reduce the dose of AMB and may be a useful strategy to treat fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pugoh Santoso
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Kosuke Minamihata
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Yugo Ishimine
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ryukyu University, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara-cho, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan
| | - Hiromasa Taniguchi
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Takuya Komada
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Ryo Sato
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Masahiro Goto
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
- Division of Biotechnology, Center for Future Chemistry, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
| | - Tomoya Takashima
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ryukyu University, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara-cho, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan
| | - Toki Taira
- Department of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Ryukyu University, 1 Senbaru, Nishihara-cho, Okinawa 903-0213, Japan
| | - Noriho Kamiya
- Department of Applied Chemistry, Graduate School of Engineering, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
- Division of Biotechnology, Center for Future Chemistry, Kyushu University, 744 Motooka, Nishi-ku, Fukuoka 819-0395, Japan
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Wijnant GJ, Dumetz F, Dirkx L, Bulté D, Cuypers B, Van Bocxlaer K, Hendrickx S. Tackling Drug Resistance and Other Causes of Treatment Failure in Leishmaniasis. FRONTIERS IN TROPICAL DISEASES 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2022.837460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a tropical infectious disease caused by the protozoan Leishmania parasite. The disease is transmitted by female sand flies and, depending on the infecting parasite species, causes either cutaneous (stigmatizing skin lesions), mucocutaneous (destruction of mucous membranes of nose, mouth and throat) or visceral disease (a potentially fatal infection of liver, spleen and bone marrow). Although more than 1 million new cases occur annually, chemotherapeutic options are limited and their efficacy is jeopardized by increasing treatment failure rates and growing drug resistance. To delay the emergence of resistance to existing and new drugs, elucidating the currently unknown causes of variable drug efficacy (related to parasite susceptibility, host immunity and drug pharmacokinetics) and improved use of genotypic and phenotypic tools to define, measure and monitor resistance in the field are critical. This review highlights recent progress in our understanding of drug action and resistance in Leishmania, ongoing challenges (including setbacks related to the COVID-19 pandemic) and provides an overview of possible strategies to tackle this public health challenge.
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In vitro leishmanicidal activity of two cholesterol derivatives. World J Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 38:66. [PMID: 35246768 DOI: 10.1007/s11274-022-03248-x] [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: 07/12/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
We evaluated the leishmanicidal activity of commercially available 5α-cholest-7-en-3β-ol [5α-chol], (+)-4-cholesten-3-one [(+)-4-chol] and the equimolar mixture of the two of them in promastigotes and amastigotes of two different strains of Leishmania mexicana (LCL) and (DCL). The leishmanicidal effectiveness of these sterols was determined by promastigote growth-kinetic experiments and promastigote viability using the propidium iodide staining procedure. The proliferation test was performed using the CFSE (5-Carboxyfluorescein N-succinimidyl ester) staining of parasites at different time points. To determine the leishmanicidal effectiveness of these sterols in amastigotes, we evaluated parasite killing inside of macrophages at different time points. The trypan blue exclusion test was used to determine cytotoxicity of sterols in uninfected macrophages. We included in all experiments a control group of parasites treated with 2% DMSO (Dimethyl Sulfoxide) and another one treated with the reference drug sodium stibogluconate (Sb). Our results showed that the equimolar mixture at 2000 times lower concentration presented similar leishmanicidal activity as Sb. This mixture was similarly effective at 100 times lower concentration than individual sterols tested separately indicating the existence of a synergistic effect against LCL and DCL parasites. The therapeutic index of the equimolar mixture was 10,000-16,000 times higher than the one recorded by Sb and was not cytotoxic to macrophages. Therefore, the equimolar mixture of 5α-Chol and (+)-4-chol may represent a potential alternative for the treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis.
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Antileishmanial Efficacy of the Calpain Inhibitor MDL28170 in Combination with Amphotericin B. Trop Med Infect Dis 2022; 7:tropicalmed7020029. [PMID: 35202224 PMCID: PMC8878347 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed7020029] [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: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The necessity of drug combinations to treat leishmaniasis came to the surface mainly because of the toxicity of current treatments and the emergence of resistant strains. The calpain inhibitor MDL28170 has previously shown anti-Leishmania activity, therefore its use in association with standard drugs could provide a new alternative for the treatment strategy against leishmaniasis. In this study, we analyzed the potential of the combination of MDL28170 and the antileishmanial drug amphotericin B against Leishmania amazonensis and Leishmania chagasi. The compounds were tested in the combination of the ½ × IC50 value of MDL28170 plus the ¼ × IC50 value of amphotericin B, which led to an increment in the anti-promastigote activity when compared to the single drug treatments. This drug association revealed several and severe morphophysiological changes on parasite cells, such as loss of plasma membrane integrity, reduced size of flagellum, and depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential besides increased reactive oxygen species production. In addition, the combination of both drugs had a deleterious effect on the Leishmania–macrophage interaction, reflecting in a significant anti-amastigote action, which achieved a reduction of 50% in the association index. These results indicate that the combination treatment proposed here may represent a new alternative for leishmaniasis chemotherapy.
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Santi AMM, Murta SMF. Impact of Genetic Diversity and Genome Plasticity of Leishmania spp. in Treatment and the Search for Novel Chemotherapeutic Targets. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:826287. [PMID: 35141175 PMCID: PMC8819175 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.826287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is one of the major public health concerns in Latin America, Africa, Asia, and Europe. The absence of vaccines for human use and the lack of effective vector control programs make chemotherapy the main strategy to control all forms of the disease. However, the high toxicity of available drugs, limited choice of therapeutic agents, and occurrence of drug-resistant parasite strains are the main challenges related to chemotherapy. Currently, only a small number of drugs are available for leishmaniasis treatment, including pentavalent antimonials (SbV), amphotericin B and its formulations, miltefosine, paromomycin sulphate, and pentamidine isethionate. In addition to drug toxicity, therapeutic failure of leishmaniasis is a serious concern. The occurrence of drug-resistant parasites is one of the causes of therapeutic failure and is closely related to the diversity of parasites in this genus. Owing to the enormous plasticity of the genome, resistance can occur by altering different metabolic pathways, demonstrating that resistance mechanisms are multifactorial and extremely complex. Genetic variability and genome plasticity cause not only the available drugs to have limitations, but also make the search for new drugs challenging. Here, we examined the biological characteristics of parasites that hinder drug discovery.
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Abstract
The parasitic trypanosomatids cause lethal and debilitating diseases, the leishmaniases, Chagas disease, and the African trypanosomiases, with major impacts on human and animal health. Sustained research has borne fruit by assisting efforts to reduce the burden of disease and by improving our understanding of fundamental molecular and cell biology. But where has the research primarily been conducted, and which research areas have received the most attention? These questions are addressed below using publication and citation data from the past few decades.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Horn
- The Wellcome Trust Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Division of Biological Chemistry & Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
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44
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In vitro selection of ketoconazole-pentamidine-resistant Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis strains. Exp Parasitol 2021; 233:108206. [PMID: 34973293 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2021.108206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The use of ketoconazole (KTZ) plus pentamidine (PMD) could be an interesting treatment option for New World cutaneous leishmaniasis. The aim of this work was to generate KTZ- and PMD-resistant strains and to determine some characteristics of the selection process and the resulting parasites. Resistance to one or two drugs was selected on promastigotes by progressively increasing drug concentrations for eleven months. The resistance levels (IC50) to one or two drugs (synergism assay) were determined using a colorimetric resazurin methodology. The stability of the resistance phenotype (without drug pressure or after mouse passage), cross resistance with paromomycin and miltefosine, and resistance transference to intracellular amastigotes were determined. In addition, some parasite attributes compared with WT, such as growth kinetics, amastigogenesis, THP-1 cells, and mouse infection, were determined. Promastigotes resistant to KTZ or PMD were obtained three times earlier than the combined KTZ + PMD-resistant strains. Resistant parasites (promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes) were three to twelve times less susceptible to KTZ and PMD than WT parasites. The resistance phenotype on parasites was unstable, and no cross resistance was observed. Similar parasite fitness related to our evaluated characteristics was observed except for in vivo infection, where a delay of the onset of cutaneous lesions was observed after KTZ + PMD-resistant parasite infection. CONCLUSION: Combined treatment with KTZ and PMD delayed the onset of parasite resistance and was more effective in vitro than each drug separately for WT and all resistant strains. Parasites resistant to KTZ and PMD acquired similar in vitro behaviour to WT parasites, were less virulent to mice and maintained their resistance phenotype on intracellular amastigotes but not without drug pressure or after mouse infection.
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Ghosh S, Biswas S, Mukherjee S, Pal A, Saxena A, Sundar S, Dujardin JC, Das S, Roy S, Mukhopadhyay R, Mukherjee B. A Novel Bioimpedance-Based Detection of Miltefosine Susceptibility Among Clinical Leishmania donovani Isolates of the Indian Subcontinent Exhibiting Resistance to Multiple Drugs. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:768830. [PMID: 34912730 PMCID: PMC8667613 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.768830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 11/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The extent of susceptibility towards miltefosine (Mil), amphotericin B (AmpB), and paromomycin (Paro) was measured among 19 clinical isolates of Leishmania donovani (LD). Thirteen of these clinical isolates were reported to exhibit low susceptibility towards sodium stibogluconate (SSG-R), while six of them were highly susceptible (SSG-S). The degree of clearance of amastigotes (EC50) for these predefined SSG-R- and SSG-S-infected macrophages was determined against Mil, AmpB, and Paro. Two out of the 13 SSG-R isolates (BHU575 and BHU814) showed low susceptibility towards all three drugs studied, while the rest of the 11 SSG-R isolates showed varying degrees of susceptibility either towards none or only towards individual drugs. Interestingly, all the SSG-S isolates showed high susceptibility towards Mil/AmpB/Paro. The total intracellular non-protein thiol content of the LD promastigotes, which have been previously reported to be positively co-related with EC50 towards SSG, was found to be independent from the degree of susceptibility towards Mil/AmpB/Paro. Impedance spectra analysis, which quantifies membrane resistance, revealed lower impedimetric values for all those isolates exhibiting low efficacy to Mil (Mil-R). Our analysis points out that while non-protein thiol content can be an attribute of SSG-R, lower impedimetric values can be linked with lower Mil susceptibility, although neither of these parameters seems to get influenced by the degree of susceptibility towards AmpB/Paro. Finally, a correlation analysis with established biological methods suggests that impedance spectral analysis can be used for the accurate determination of lower Mil susceptibility among LD isolates, which is further validated in the LD-infected in vivo hamster model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souradeepa Ghosh
- School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India
| | - Souvik Biswas
- School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India
| | - Sandip Mukherjee
- Department of Infectious Disease and Immunology, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
| | - Arijit Pal
- School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India
| | - Aaditya Saxena
- School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India
| | - Shyam Sundar
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
| | - Jean-Claude Dujardin
- Molecular Parasitology, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Antwerp, Belgium.,Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Antwerp, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Soumen Das
- School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India
| | - Syamal Roy
- Department of Infectious Disease and Immunology, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
| | - Rupkatha Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Infectious Disease and Immunology, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
| | - Budhaditya Mukherjee
- School of Medical Science and Technology, Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, India.,Department of Infectious Disease and Immunology, Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR)-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
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Das A, Kamran M, Ali N. HO-3867 Induces ROS-Dependent Stress Response and Apoptotic Cell Death in Leishmania donovani. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:774899. [PMID: 34926321 PMCID: PMC8677699 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.774899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Lack of vaccine and increasing chemotherapeutic toxicities currently necessitate the development of effective and safe drugs against various forms of leishmaniases. We characterized the cellular stress induced by a novel curcumin analogue, HO-3867, encapsulated within the phosphatidylcholine-stearylamine (PC-SA) liposome for the first time against Leishmania. The liposomal formulation of HO-3867 (i.e., PC-SA/HO-3867) initiated oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in L. donovani, revealed by altered cell morphology, phosphatidylserine externalization, mitochondrial depolarization, intracellular lipid accumulation, and cell cycle arrest in promastigotes. Liposomal HO-3867 was observed to be a strong apoptosis inducer in L. donovani and L. major in a dose-dependent manner, yet completely safe for normal murine macrophages. Moreover, PC-SA/HO-3867 treatment induced L. donovani metacaspase and PARP1 activation along with downregulation of the Sir2 gene. PC-SA/HO-3867 arrested intracellular L. donovani amastigote burden in vitro, with reactive oxygen species (ROS) and nitric oxide (NO)-mediated parasite killing. These data suggest that liposomal HO-3867 represents a highly promising and non-toxic nanoparticle-based therapeutic platform against leishmaniasis inspiring further preclinical developments.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Nahid Ali
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata, India
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47
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Keshav P, Goyal DK, Kaur S. GC-MS screening and antiparasitic action of Putranjiva roxburghii leaves against sensitive and resistant strains of Leishmania donovani. J Parasit Dis 2021; 45:1002-1013. [PMID: 34789984 PMCID: PMC8556436 DOI: 10.1007/s12639-021-01388-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Looming drug resistance cases of leishmaniasis infection are an undeniably serious danger to worldwide public health, also jeopardize the efficacy of available drugs. Besides this, no successful vaccine is available till date. Since the ancient era, many plants and their parts have been used as medicines against various ailments. Hence, the importance of drug development for new molecules against Leishmania infection is significant that is a cost-effective and safer drug preferably from the natural herbal resources. We evaluated the GC-MS screening and efficacy of Putranjiva roxburghii (PR) against the sensitive and resistant promastigotes of L. donovani. GC-MS profiling revealed that the extract was rich in myo-inositol-4-C-methyl, azulene and desulphosinigrin. Quantitative investigation of phytoconstituents confirmed that PR was rich in phenols, flavonoids and terpenoids. We found an IC50 25.61 ± 0.57 µg/mL and 29.02 ± 1.21 µg/mL of PR against sodium stibogluconate sensitive and resistant strain respectively. It was found to be safer in cytotoxicity assay and generated ROS mediated oxidative stress in the parasitic cells which was evidenced by the increased and decreased levels of superoxide radicals, lipid peroxidation products, lipid bodies and levels of thiol, plasma membrane integrity respectively. Therefore, our results support the importance of P. roxburghii as a medicinal plant against L. donovani and showed potential for exploration as an antileishmanial agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poonam Keshav
- Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Zoology (UGC-CAS), Panjab University, Chandigarh, UT India
| | - Deepak Kumar Goyal
- Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Zoology (UGC-CAS), Panjab University, Chandigarh, UT India
| | - Sukhbir Kaur
- Parasitology Laboratory, Department of Zoology (UGC-CAS), Panjab University, Chandigarh, UT India
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48
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Kumari D, Perveen S, Sharma R, Singh K. Advancement in leishmaniasis diagnosis and therapeutics: An update. Eur J Pharmacol 2021; 910:174436. [PMID: 34428435 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2021.174436] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2021] [Revised: 08/10/2021] [Accepted: 08/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is regarded as a neglected tropical disease by World Health Organization (WHO) and is ranked next to malaria as the deadliest protozoan disease. The primary causative agents of the disease comprise of diverse leishmanial species sharing clinical features ranging from skin abrasions to lethal infection in the visceral organs. As several Leishmania species are involved in infection, the role of accurate diagnosis becomes pivotal in adding new dimensions to anti-leishmanial therapy. Diagnostic methods must be fast, reliable, easy to perform, highly sensitive, and specific to differentiate among similar parasitic diseases. Herein, we present the conventional and recent approaches impended for the disease diagnosis and their sensitivity, specificity, and clinical application in parasite detection. Furthermore, we have also elaborated various new methods to cure leishmaniasis, which include host-directed therapies, drug repurposing, nanotechnology, and combinational therapy. This review addresses novel techniques and innovations in leishmaniasis, which can aid in unraveling new strategies to fight against the deadly infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diksha Kumari
- Infectious Diseases Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Summaya Perveen
- Infectious Diseases Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Rashmi Sharma
- Infectious Diseases Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Kuljit Singh
- Infectious Diseases Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu, 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, India.
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49
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Prasanna P, Kumar P, Mandal S, Payal T, Kumar S, Hossain SU, Das P, Ravichandiran V, Mandal D. 7,8-dihydroxyflavone-functionalized gold nanoparticles target the arginase enzyme of Leishmania donovani. Nanomedicine (Lond) 2021; 16:1887-1903. [PMID: 34397295 DOI: 10.2217/nnm-2021-0161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: To analyze the efficacy and possible mechanism of action of 7,8-dihydroxyflavone (DHF) and DHF synthesized gold nanoparticles (GNPs) against the parasite Leishmania donovani. Methods: GNPs were synthesized using DHF and characterized by dynamic light scattering, ζ potential, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. The efficacy of DHF and DHF-GNP were tested against sensitive and drug-resistant parasites. GNP uptake was measured on macrophages by atomic absorption spectroscopy. Results: DHF and DHF-GNP (∼35 nm) were equally effective against sensitive and drug-resistant strains and inhibited the arginase activity of parasites. Increased IFN-γ and reduced IL-12 cytokine response showed a Th1/Th2-mediated cell death in macrophages. Conclusion: The low cytotoxicity and high biological activity of DHF-GNP may be useful for chemotherapy of leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pragya Prasanna
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER), Hajipur, 844102, India
| | - Prakash Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER), Hajipur, 844102, India
| | - Saptarshi Mandal
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Patna, 801106, India
| | - Tanvi Payal
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER), Hajipur, 844102, India.,Cognizant Technology Solution, Hyderabad, 800051, India
| | - Saurabh Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER), Hajipur, 844102, India
| | - Sk Ugir Hossain
- Department of Clinical and Translational Medicine, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, Kolkata, 700026, India
| | - Prolay Das
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Patna, 801106, India
| | - V Ravichandiran
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER), Hajipur, 844102, India.,National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER), Kolkata, 700054, India
| | - Debabrata Mandal
- Department of Biotechnology, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education & Research (NIPER), Hajipur, 844102, India
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50
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Morelle C, Mukherjee A, Zhang J, Fani F, Khandelwal A, Gingras H, Trottier J, Barbier O, Leprohon P, Burke MD, Ouellette M. Well-Tolerated Amphotericin B Derivatives That Effectively Treat Visceral Leishmaniasis. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:2472-2482. [PMID: 34282886 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.1c00245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Chemotherapy against the neglected tropical disease visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is suboptimal with only four licensed drugs. Amphotericin B (AmB), despite its toxicity, remained a second line drug for a long time. However, the demonstration that liposomal AmB is highly effective against VL propelled it, despite its cost, to a first line drug in many countries. While several ongoing efforts are aiming at finding cheaper and stable AmB-formulations, an alternative strategy is the development of less-toxic AmB derivatives. We show here that two less-toxic AmB derivatives with the carboxylate at position 16 of AmB derivatized to a methyl urea (AmB-MU) or amino urea (AmB-AU) are active in vitro against Leishmania donovani, both as free-living parasites as well as their intracellular form. Both less-toxic derivatives, similarly to AmB, target the ergosterol pathway of L. donovani. While the AmB-AU derivative showed female-specific liver toxicity in vivo, the AmB-MU derivative was well-tolerated and more effective than AmB against experimental VL. These studies are an important step for improving AmB-based therapy against a prevalent parasitic disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christelle Morelle
- Axe des Maladies Infectieuses et Immunitaires du Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie, and Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec G1V 4G2,Canada
| | - Angana Mukherjee
- Axe des Maladies Infectieuses et Immunitaires du Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie, and Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec G1V 4G2,Canada
| | - Jiabao Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Arnold and Mabel Beckman Institute, Carle Illinois College of Medicine, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Fereshteh Fani
- Axe des Maladies Infectieuses et Immunitaires du Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie, and Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec G1V 4G2,Canada
| | - Anuj Khandelwal
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Arnold and Mabel Beckman Institute, Carle Illinois College of Medicine, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Hélène Gingras
- Axe des Maladies Infectieuses et Immunitaires du Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie, and Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec G1V 4G2,Canada
| | - Jocelyn Trottier
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Endocrinology-Nephrology Axis, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec G1V 4G2,Canada
| | - Olivier Barbier
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Endocrinology-Nephrology Axis, Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Faculty of Pharmacy, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec G1V 4G2,Canada
| | - Philippe Leprohon
- Axe des Maladies Infectieuses et Immunitaires du Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie, and Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec G1V 4G2,Canada
| | - Martin D. Burke
- Department of Chemistry, Department of Biochemistry, Arnold and Mabel Beckman Institute, Carle Illinois College of Medicine, Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana−Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Marc Ouellette
- Axe des Maladies Infectieuses et Immunitaires du Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Centre de Recherche en Infectiologie, and Département de Microbiologie, Infectiologie et Immunologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Québec City, Québec G1V 4G2,Canada
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