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Torchelsen FKVDS, Mazzeti AL, Mosqueira VCF. Drugs in preclinical and early clinical development for the treatment of Chagas´s disease: the current status. Expert Opin Investig Drugs 2024:1-16. [PMID: 38686546 DOI: 10.1080/13543784.2024.2349289] [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: 02/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chagas disease is spreading faster than expected in different countries, and little progress has been reported in the discovery of new drugs to combat Trypanosoma cruzi infection in humans. Recent clinical trials have ended with small hope. The pathophysiology of this neglected disease and the genetic diversity of parasites are exceptionally complex. The only two drugs available to treat patients are far from being safe, and their efficacy in the chronic phase is still unsatisfactory. AREAS COVERED This review offers a comprehensive examination and critical review of data reported in the last 10 years, and it is focused on findings of clinical trials and data acquired in vivo in preclinical studies. EXPERT OPINION The in vivo investigations classically in mice and dog models are also challenging and time-consuming to attest cure for infection. Poorly standardized protocols, availability of diagnosis methods and disease progression markers, the use of different T. cruzi strains with variable benznidazole sensitivities, and animals in different acute and chronic phases of infection contribute to it. More synchronized efforts between research groups in this field are required to put in evidence new promising substances, drug combinations, repurposing strategies, and new pharmaceutical formulations to impact the therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernanda Karoline Vieira da Silva Torchelsen
- School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Ouro Preto, Brazil
- Post-Graduation Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Ana Lia Mazzeti
- Department of Biomedical Sciences and Health, Academic Unit of Passos, University of Minas Gerais State, Passos, Brazil
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Pérez-Pertejo Y, García-Estrada C, Martínez-Valladares M, Murugesan S, Reguera RM, Balaña-Fouce R. Polyamine Metabolism for Drug Intervention in Trypanosomatids. Pathogens 2024; 13:79. [PMID: 38251386 PMCID: PMC10820115 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13010079] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Neglected tropical diseases transmitted by trypanosomatids include three major human scourges that globally affect the world's poorest people: African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness, American trypanosomiasis or Chagas disease and different types of leishmaniasis. Different metabolic pathways have been targeted to find antitrypanosomatid drugs, including polyamine metabolism. Since their discovery, the naturally occurring polyamines, putrescine, spermidine and spermine, have been considered important metabolites involved in cell growth. With a complex metabolism involving biosynthesis, catabolism and interconversion, the synthesis of putrescine and spermidine was targeted by thousands of compounds in an effort to produce cell growth blockade in tumor and infectious processes with limited success. However, the discovery of eflornithine (DFMO) as a curative drug against sleeping sickness encouraged researchers to develop new molecules against these diseases. Polyamine synthesis inhibitors have also provided insight into the peculiarities of this pathway between the host and the parasite, and also among different trypanosomatid species, thus allowing the search for new specific chemical entities aimed to treat these diseases and leading to the investigation of target-based scaffolds. The main molecular targets include the enzymes involved in polyamine biosynthesis (ornithine decarboxylase, S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and spermidine synthase), enzymes participating in their uptake from the environment, and the enzymes involved in the redox balance of the parasite. In this review, we summarize the research behind polyamine-based treatments, the current trends, and the main challenges in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda Pérez-Pertejo
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain; (Y.P.-P.); (C.G.-E.); (R.M.R.)
- Instituto de Biomedicina (IBIOMED), Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Carlos García-Estrada
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain; (Y.P.-P.); (C.G.-E.); (R.M.R.)
- Instituto de Biomedicina (IBIOMED), Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
| | | | - Sankaranarayanan Murugesan
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani, Pilani 333031, India;
| | - Rosa M. Reguera
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain; (Y.P.-P.); (C.G.-E.); (R.M.R.)
- Instituto de Biomedicina (IBIOMED), Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Rafael Balaña-Fouce
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain; (Y.P.-P.); (C.G.-E.); (R.M.R.)
- Instituto de Biomedicina (IBIOMED), Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
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Porta EOJ, Kalesh K, Steel PG. Navigating drug repurposing for Chagas disease: advances, challenges, and opportunities. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1233253. [PMID: 37576826 PMCID: PMC10416112 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1233253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a vector-borne illness caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi). It poses a significant public health burden, particularly in the poorest regions of Latin America. Currently, there is no available vaccine, and chemotherapy has been the traditional treatment for Chagas disease. However, the treatment options are limited to just two outdated medicines, nifurtimox and benznidazole, which have serious side effects and low efficacy, especially during the chronic phase of the disease. Collectively, this has led the World Health Organization to classify it as a neglected disease. To address this problem, new drug regimens are urgently needed. Drug repurposing, which involves the use of existing drugs already approved for the treatment of other diseases, represents an increasingly important option. This approach offers potential cost reduction in new drug discovery processes and can address pharmaceutical bottlenecks in the development of drugs for Chagas disease. In this review, we discuss the state-of-the-art of drug repurposing approaches, including combination therapy with existing drugs, to overcome the formidable challenges associated with treating Chagas disease. Organized by original therapeutic area, we describe significant recent advances, as well as the challenges in this field. In particular, we identify candidates that exhibit potential for heightened efficacy and reduced toxicity profiles with the ultimate objective of accelerating the development of new, safe, and effective treatments for Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Karunakaran Kalesh
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom
- National Horizons Centre, Darlington, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick G. Steel
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
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Burgess V, Maya JD. Statin and aspirin use in parasitic infections as a potential therapeutic strategy: A narrative review. Rev Argent Microbiol 2023; 55:278-288. [PMID: 37019801 DOI: 10.1016/j.ram.2023.01.006] [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: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 12/13/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Infections, including zoonoses, constitute a threat to human health due to the spread of resistant pathogens. These diseases generate an inflammatory response controlled by a resolving mechanism involving specialized membrane lipid-derived molecules called lipoxins, resolvins, maresins, and protectins. The production of some of these molecules can be triggered by aspirin or statins. Thus, it is proposed that modulation of the host response could be a useful therapeutic strategy, contributing to the management of resistance to antiparasitic agents or preventing drift to chronic, host-damaging courses. Therefore, the present work presents the state of the art on the use of statins or aspirin for the experimental management of parasitic infections such as Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, toxoplasmosis or malaria. The methodology used was a narrative review covering original articles from the last seven years, 38 of which met the inclusion criteria. Based on the publications consulted, modulation of the resolution of inflammation using statins may be feasible as an adjuvant in the therapy of parasitic diseases. However, there was no strong experimental evidence on the use of aspirin; therefore, further studies are needed to evaluate its role inflammation resolution process in infectious diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Burgess
- Escuela de Medicina, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, Santiago, Chile
| | - Juan D Maya
- Programa de Farmacología Molecular y Clínica, Instituto de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Chile, Independencia, Santiago, Chile.
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Araujo-Lima CF, de Cassia Castro Carvalho R, Rosario SL, Leite DI, Aguiar ACC, de Souza Santos LV, de Araujo JS, Salomão K, Kaiser CR, Krettli AU, Bastos MM, Aiub CAF, de Nazaré Correia Soeiro M, Boechat N, Felzenszwalb I. Antiplasmodial, Trypanocidal, and Genotoxicity In Vitro Assessment of New Hybrid α,α-Difluorophenylacetamide-statin Derivatives. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:782. [PMID: 37375730 DOI: 10.3390/ph16060782] [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: 04/16/2023] [Revised: 05/13/2023] [Accepted: 05/19/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Statins present a plethora of pleiotropic effects including anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial responses. A,α-difluorophenylacetamides, analogs of diclofenac, are potent pre-clinical anti-inflammatory non-steroidal drugs. Molecular hybridization based on the combination of pharmacophoric moieties has emerged as a strategy for the development of new candidates aiming to obtain multitarget ligands. METHODS Considering the anti-inflammatory activity of phenylacetamides and the potential microbicidal action of statins against obligate intracellular parasites, the objective of this work was to synthesize eight new hybrid compounds of α,α-difluorophenylacetamides with the moiety of statins and assess their phenotypic activity against in vitro models of Plasmodium falciparum and Trypanosoma cruzi infection besides exploring their genotoxicity safety profile. RESULTS None of the sodium salt compounds presented antiparasitic activity and two acetated compounds displayed mild anti-P. falciparum effect. Against T. cruzi, the acetate halogenated hybrids showed moderate effect against both parasite forms relevant for human infection. Despite the considerable trypanosomicidal activity, the brominated compound revealed a genotoxic profile impairing future in vivo testing. CONCLUSIONS However, the chlorinated derivative was the most promising compound with chemical and biological profitable characteristics, without presenting genotoxicity in vitro, being eligible for further in vivo experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Fernando Araujo-Lima
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, LBC Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
- Laboratório de Mutagênese Ambiental, LabMut Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, IBRAG-UERJ, Rio de Janeiro 22050-020, RJ, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Molecular e Celular, Instituto Biomédico-UNIRIO, Rio de Janeiro 20211-030, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rita de Cassia Castro Carvalho
- Departamento de Síntese de Fármacos, Instituto de Tecnologia em Fármacos, Farmanguinhos-FIOCRUZ, Rua Sizenando Nabuco 100, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química, PGQu, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-853, RJ, Brazil
| | - Sandra Loureiro Rosario
- Departamento de Síntese de Fármacos, Instituto de Tecnologia em Fármacos, Farmanguinhos-FIOCRUZ, Rua Sizenando Nabuco 100, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
| | - Debora Inacio Leite
- Departamento de Síntese de Fármacos, Instituto de Tecnologia em Fármacos, Farmanguinhos-FIOCRUZ, Rua Sizenando Nabuco 100, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmacologia e Química Medicinal, ICB-UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, RJ, Brazil
| | - Anna Caroline Campos Aguiar
- Laboratório de Malária, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, CPqRR-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte 30190-002, MG, Brazil
| | - Lizandra Vitoria de Souza Santos
- Laboratório de Mutagênese Ambiental, LabMut Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, IBRAG-UERJ, Rio de Janeiro 22050-020, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Kelly Salomão
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, LBC Instituto Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
| | - Carlos Roland Kaiser
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Química, PGQu, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-853, RJ, Brazil
| | - Antoniana Ursine Krettli
- Laboratório de Malária, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou, CPqRR-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte 30190-002, MG, Brazil
| | - Monica Macedo Bastos
- Departamento de Síntese de Fármacos, Instituto de Tecnologia em Fármacos, Farmanguinhos-FIOCRUZ, Rua Sizenando Nabuco 100, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
| | - Claudia Alessandra Fortes Aiub
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Molecular e Celular, Instituto Biomédico-UNIRIO, Rio de Janeiro 20211-030, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Nubia Boechat
- Departamento de Síntese de Fármacos, Instituto de Tecnologia em Fármacos, Farmanguinhos-FIOCRUZ, Rua Sizenando Nabuco 100, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21041-250, RJ, Brazil
| | - Israel Felzenszwalb
- Laboratório de Mutagênese Ambiental, LabMut Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcantara Gomes, IBRAG-UERJ, Rio de Janeiro 22050-020, RJ, Brazil
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Araujo-Lima CF, Carvalho RDCC, Peres RB, Fiuza LFDA, Galvão BVD, Castelo-Branco FS, Bastos MM, Boechat N, Felzenszwalb I, Soeiro MDNC. In silico and in vitro assessment of anti-Trypanosoma cruzi efficacy, genotoxicity and pharmacokinetics of pentasubstituted pyrrolic Atorvastatin-aminoquinoline hybrid compounds. Acta Trop 2023; 242:106924. [PMID: 37037291 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.106924] [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: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
Atorvastatin (AVA) is a third-generation statin with several pleiotropic effects, considered the last synthetic pharmaceutical blockbuster. Recently, our group described the effects of AVA on DNA damage prevention and against Trypanosoma cruzi infection. In this study, our aim was to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and in silico pharmacokinetic profile of four hybrids of aminoquinolines with AVA 4a-d against T. cruzi using in vitro and in silico models. These synthetic compounds were designed by hybridization of the pentapyrrolic moiety of AVA with the aminoquinolinic unit of chloroquine or primaquine. Pharmacokinetics (ADME) and toxicity parameters were predicted by SwissADME, admetSAR and LAZAR in silico algorithms. The trypanocidal activity of AVA-quinoline hybrids were evaluated in vitro against amastigotes and trypomastigotes of T. cruzi, from Y (Tc II) and Tulahuen (Tc VI) strains. In vitro cardiocytotoxicity was assessed using primary cultures of mouse embryonic cardiac cells and in vitro hepatocytotoxicity on bidimensional and 3D-cultured HepG2 cells. Genotoxicity was evaluated by Ames test and micronucleus assay. Despite the overall good in silico ADMET profile, all tested compounds were predicted to be hepatotoxic. All hybrid derivatives presented high trypanocidal activity, against both trypomastigote and intracellular forms of T. cruzi, presenting EC50's lower than 1 µM besides superior selectivity than the reference drug, without evidences of cardiotoxicity in vitro. The compounds 4a and 4b presented a time-dependent toxicity in monolayer culture of HepG2 but no detectable toxic effects in their spheroids, opposing to the in silico prediction. We can conclude that the AVA-aminoquinoline hybrids presented a hit profile as antiparasitic agents in synthetic pharmaceutical innovation platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Fernando Araujo-Lima
- Laboratory of Environmental Mutagenesis, Department of Biophysics and Biometry, University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Laboratory of Cell Biology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil; Department of Genetics and Molecular Biology, Rio de Janeiro State Federal University, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rita de Cássia Castro Carvalho
- Laboratorio de Sintese de Farmacos- LASFAR, Instituto de Tecnologia em Farmacos - Farmanguinhos, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Raiza Brandão Peres
- Laboratory of Cell Biology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | | | - Bárbara Verena Dias Galvão
- Laboratory of Environmental Mutagenesis, Department of Biophysics and Biometry, University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Frederico S Castelo-Branco
- Laboratorio de Sintese de Farmacos- LASFAR, Instituto de Tecnologia em Farmacos - Farmanguinhos, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Mônica Macedo Bastos
- Laboratorio de Sintese de Farmacos- LASFAR, Instituto de Tecnologia em Farmacos - Farmanguinhos, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Nubia Boechat
- Laboratorio de Sintese de Farmacos- LASFAR, Instituto de Tecnologia em Farmacos - Farmanguinhos, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
| | - Israel Felzenszwalb
- Laboratory of Environmental Mutagenesis, Department of Biophysics and Biometry, University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.
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Portela LF, Mesquita MB, Giraldes JM, Varela MC, Brasil PEAA, Costa AR, Mediano MFF, Sangenis LHC, Pedrosa RC, Hasslocher-Moreno AM, Saraiva RM. Socio-epidemiological factors and comorbidities associated with Chagas disease manifestations in two urban reference health care centres in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2023; 117:102-110. [PMID: 35896031 DOI: 10.1093/trstmh/trac068] [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: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chagas disease (CD) is still an important public health issue in Latin America. This study aims to analyse the association between socio-epidemiological factors and comorbidities with clinical manifestations of CD. METHODS We performed a cross-sectional study of 985 adult patients (65±11 y; 59.5% women) with CD. Data collection was based on questionnaires and medical records review. CD clinical forms (indeterminate, digestive, cardiac and cardiodigestive) and the stages of the cardiac form were classified according to the II Brazilian Consensus on CD. Statistical analyses were based on univariate and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS Older age and Brazilian birth state (Minas Gerais and Bahia) were associated with a greater likelihood of the cardiac form of CD. A greater likelihood of the digestive form was seen in men and those of older age. Patients with arterial hypertension and diabetes were less likely to have the digestive form. Men had a greater likelihood of having a more severe cardiac presentation. Those from Minas Gerais and Bahia states had a greater likelihood of having stage B1 or B2. CONCLUSIONS The results reinforce the aging of the CD population living in urban areas in Brazil, the high prevalence of comorbidities and that epidemiology, sex and the presence of comorbidities may be related to the clinical form of CD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciana F Portela
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas/Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Maíra B Mesquita
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas/Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Juliana M Giraldes
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas/Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Margareth C Varela
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas/Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Pedro Emmanuel A A Brasil
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas/Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Andréa R Costa
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas/Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Mauro F F Mediano
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas/Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Luiz Henrique C Sangenis
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas/Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Roberto C Pedrosa
- Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho/Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, R. Prof. Rodolpho Paulo Rocco 255, Rio de Janeiro, 21941-913, Brazil
| | - Alejandro Marcel Hasslocher-Moreno
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas/Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil.,Latin American Network for Chagas Disease, NHEPACHA
| | - Roberto M Saraiva
- Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas/Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Rio de Janeiro, 21040-900, Brazil.,Latin American Network for Chagas Disease, NHEPACHA
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Barbosa JMC, Pedra-Rezende Y, Pereira LD, de Melo TG, Barbosa HS, Lannes-Vieira J, de Castro SL, Daliry A, Salomão K. Benznidazole and amiodarone combined treatment attenuates cytoskeletal damage in Trypanosoma cruzi-infected cardiac cells. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:975931. [PMID: 36093188 PMCID: PMC9452897 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.975931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD), a neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is an important public health problem mainly in Latin America, leading to approximately 12,000 annual deaths. Current etiological treatment for CD is limited to two nitro compounds, benznidazole (Bz) and nifurtimox (Nif), both presenting relevant limitations. Different approaches have been employed to establish more effective and safer schemes to treat T. cruzi infection, mostly based on drug repurposing and combination therapies. Amiodarone (AMD), an antiarrhythmic medicament of choice for patients with the chronic cardiac form of CD, is also recognized as a trypanocidal agent. Therefore, our aim is to investigate the combined treatment Bz + AMD on trypomastigote viability, control of T. cruzi intracellular form proliferation, and recovery of the infection-induced cytoskeleton alterations in cardiac cells. The combination of Bz + AMD did not improve the direct trypanocidal effect of AMD on the infective blood trypomastigote and replicative intracellular forms of the parasite. Otherwise, the treatment of T. cruzi-infected cardiac cells with Bz plus AMD attenuated the infection-triggered cytoskeleton damage of host cells and the cytotoxic effects of AMD. Thus, the combined treatment Bz + AMD may favor parasite control and hamper tissue damage.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Helene Santos Barbosa
- Laboratóriode de Biologia Estrutural, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Joseli Lannes-Vieira
- Laboratório de Biologia das Interações, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Anissa Daliry
- Laboratório de Investigação Cardiovascular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Kelly Salomão
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Kelly Salomão,
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Bustamante C, Díez-Mejía AF, Arbeláez N, Soares MJ, Robledo SM, Ochoa R, Varela-M. RE, Marín-Villa M. In Silico, In Vitro, and Pharmacokinetic Studies of UBMC-4, a Potential Novel Compound for Treating against Trypanosoma cruzi. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11060616. [PMID: 35745470 PMCID: PMC9229894 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11060616] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The lack of therapeutic alternatives for the treatment of Chagas disease, a neglected disease, drives the discovery of new drugs with trypanocidal activity. Consequently, we conducted in vitro studies using UBMC-4, a potential Trypanosoma cruzi AKT-like pleckstrin homology (PH) domain inhibitory compound found using bioinformatics tools. The half effective concentration (EC50) on intracellular amastigotes was determined at 1.85 ± 1 μM showing low cytotoxicity (LC50) > 40 μM on human cell lines tested. In order to study the lethal effect caused by the compound on epimastigotes, morphological changes were assessed by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Progressive alterations such as flagellum inactivation, cell size reduction, nuclear structure alteration, condensation of chromatin towards the nuclear periphery, vacuole formation, and mitochondrial swelling with kinetoplast integrity loss were evidenced. In addition, apoptosis-like markers in T. cruzi were assessed by flow cytometry, demonstrating that the effect of UBMC-4 on T. cruzi AKT-like kinase reduced the tolerance to nutritional stress-triggered, apoptosis-like events, including DNA fragmentation, mitochondrial damage, and loss of plasma membrane integrity. After this, UBMC-4 was formulated for oral administration and pharmacokinetics were analyzed in a mouse model. Finally, upon oral administration of 200 mg/kg in mice, we found that a UBMC-4 plasma concentration remaining in circulation beyond 24 h after administration is well described by the two-compartment model. We conclude that UBMC-4 has an effective trypanocidal activity in vitro at low concentrations and this effect is evident in T. cruzi cell structures. In mice, UBMC-4 was well absorbed and reached plasma concentrations higher than the EC50, showing features that would aid in developing a new drug to treat Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Bustamante
- PECET-Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, School of Medicine, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia; (A.F.D.-M.); (N.A.); (S.M.R.)
- Correspondence: (C.B.); (M.M.-V.)
| | - Andrés Felipe Díez-Mejía
- PECET-Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, School of Medicine, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia; (A.F.D.-M.); (N.A.); (S.M.R.)
| | - Natalia Arbeláez
- PECET-Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, School of Medicine, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia; (A.F.D.-M.); (N.A.); (S.M.R.)
| | - Maurilio José Soares
- Cell Biology Laboratory, Carlos Chagas Institute/Fiocruz, Curitiba 81350-010, Paraná, Brazil;
| | - Sara M. Robledo
- PECET-Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, School of Medicine, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia; (A.F.D.-M.); (N.A.); (S.M.R.)
| | - Rodrigo Ochoa
- Biophysics of Tropical Diseases, Max Planck Tandem Group, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia;
| | - Rubén E. Varela-M.
- Grupo (QUIBIO), School of Basic Sciences, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Cali 760032, Colombia;
| | - Marcel Marín-Villa
- PECET-Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales, School of Medicine, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia; (A.F.D.-M.); (N.A.); (S.M.R.)
- Correspondence: (C.B.); (M.M.-V.)
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10
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Marek M, Ramos-Morales E, Picchi-Constante GFA, Bayer T, Norström C, Herp D, Sales-Junior PA, Guerra-Slompo EP, Hausmann K, Chakrabarti A, Shaik TB, Merz A, Troesch E, Schmidtkunz K, Goldenberg S, Pierce RJ, Mourão MM, Jung M, Schultz J, Sippl W, Zanchin NIT, Romier C. Species-selective targeting of pathogens revealed by the atypical structure and active site of Trypanosoma cruzi histone deacetylase DAC2. Cell Rep 2021; 37:110129. [PMID: 34936867 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Writing and erasing of posttranslational modifications are crucial to phenotypic plasticity and antigenic variation of eukaryotic pathogens. Targeting pathogens' modification machineries, thus, represents a valid approach to fighting parasitic diseases. However, identification of parasitic targets and the development of selective anti-parasitic drugs still represent major bottlenecks. Here, we show that the zinc-dependent histone deacetylases (HDACs) of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi are key regulators that have significantly diverged from their human counterparts. Depletion of T. cruzi class I HDACs tcDAC1 and tcDAC2 compromises cell-cycle progression and division, leading to cell death. Notably, tcDAC2 displays a deacetylase activity essential to the parasite and shows major structural differences with human HDACs. Specifically, tcDAC2 harbors a modular active site with a unique subpocket targeted by inhibitors showing substantial anti-parasitic effects in cellulo and in vivo. Thus, the targeting of the many atypical HDACs in pathogens can enable anti-parasitic selective chemical impairment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Marek
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR 7104, U 1258, 67404 Illkirch, France; IGBMC, Department of Integrated Structural Biology, 1 rue Laurent Fries, B.P. 10142, 67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Elizabeth Ramos-Morales
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR 7104, U 1258, 67404 Illkirch, France; IGBMC, Department of Integrated Structural Biology, 1 rue Laurent Fries, B.P. 10142, 67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | | | - Theresa Bayer
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Wolfgang-Langenbeck-Straße 4, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany
| | | | - Daniel Herp
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Albertstraße 25, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Policarpo A Sales-Junior
- Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Augusto de Lima, 1715, 30190-002 Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Kristin Hausmann
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Wolfgang-Langenbeck-Straße 4, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany
| | - Alokta Chakrabarti
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Albertstraße 25, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Tajith B Shaik
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR 7104, U 1258, 67404 Illkirch, France; IGBMC, Department of Integrated Structural Biology, 1 rue Laurent Fries, B.P. 10142, 67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Annika Merz
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Albertstraße 25, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Edouard Troesch
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR 7104, U 1258, 67404 Illkirch, France; IGBMC, Department of Integrated Structural Biology, 1 rue Laurent Fries, B.P. 10142, 67404 Illkirch Cedex, France
| | - Karin Schmidtkunz
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Albertstraße 25, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Samuel Goldenberg
- Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fiocruz Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná 81350-010, Brazil
| | - Raymond J Pierce
- Univ. Lille, CNRS, Inserm, CHU Lille, Institut Pasteur de Lille, U1019 - UMR 9017 - CIIL -Centre d'Infection et d'Immunité de Lille, 59000 Lille, France
| | - Marina M Mourão
- Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Augusto de Lima, 1715, 30190-002 Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Manfred Jung
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg, Albertstraße 25, 79104 Freiburg, Germany
| | - Johan Schultz
- Kancera AB, Nanna Svartz Väg 4, SE-17165 Solna, Sweden
| | - Wolfgang Sippl
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Wolfgang-Langenbeck-Straße 4, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany
| | - Nilson I T Zanchin
- Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fiocruz Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná 81350-010, Brazil.
| | - Christophe Romier
- Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, Institut de Génétique et de Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire, UMR 7104, U 1258, 67404 Illkirch, France; IGBMC, Department of Integrated Structural Biology, 1 rue Laurent Fries, B.P. 10142, 67404 Illkirch Cedex, France.
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11
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Galvão BVD, Araujo-Lima CF, Santos MCPD, Seljan MP, Carrão-Dantas EK, Aiub CAF, Cameron LC, Ferreira MSL, Andrade Gonçalves ÉCBD, Felzenszwalb I. Plinia cauliflora (Mart.) Kausel (Jaboticaba) leaf extract: In vitro anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity, toxicity assessment and phenolic-targeted UPLC-MS E metabolomic analysis. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 277:114217. [PMID: 34038800 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2021.114217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2021] [Revised: 05/02/2021] [Accepted: 05/17/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Plinia cauliflora (Mart.) Kausel, known as Brazilian grape or jaboticaba, is widely used in Brazilian traditional medicine to treat infectious and inflammatory disorders. However, several aspects of its biological potential remain unclear, such as toxicity and effects on pathogenic protozoa. AIM OF THE STUDY Investigate the phenolic composition, the in vitro and in silico toxicity profile, and the anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity of the phenolics-enriched hydromethanolic extract of P. cauliflora leaf. MATERIAL AND METHODS Phytochemical analysis was performed ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MSE). Mutagenicity, genotoxicity and eukaryotic cytotoxicity was evaluated by Ames test, cytokinesis-block micronucleus and colorimetric assays, respectively, alongside with a computational prediction of the major compound's pharmacokinetics and toxicity. Anti-T. cruzi activity was investigated on T. cruzi bloodstream trypomastigotes. RESULTS A total of 14 phenolic compounds were identified, including 11 flavonoids and 2 phenolic acids. No positive response regarding mutagenic potential was detected in Salmonella strains TA97, TA98, TA100, TA102, TA104, both in absence or presence of metabolic activation. The extract induced significant dose-response reduction on nuclear division indexes of HepG2 cells, suggesting cytostatic effects, with no micronuclei induction on cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay. Likewise, it also presented cytotoxic effects, inducing HepG2 and F C3H dose and time dependently cell death through cell membrane damage and more evidently by mitochondrial dysfunction. A dose-response curve of in vitro trypanocidal activity was observed against T. cruzi bloodstream trypomastigotes after 2 and 24 h of exposure. In silico predictions of most abundant compounds' structural alerts, pharmacokinetics and toxicity profile indicates a moderately feasible druglikeness profile and low toxicity for them, which is compatible with in vitro results. CONCLUSIONS The present study demonstrated that P. cauliflora leaf extract is a potential source of antiparasitic bioactive compounds, however it presents cytotoxic effects in liver cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bárbara Verena Dias Galvão
- Laboratory of Environmental Mutagenesis, Department of Biophysics and Biometry, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carlos Fernando Araujo-Lima
- Laboratory of Environmental Mutagenesis, Department of Biophysics and Biometry, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Laboratory of Cell Biology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | | | - Mariana Pulmar Seljan
- Laboratory of Bioactives, Nutritional Biochemistry Core, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Kennedy Carrão-Dantas
- Laboratory of Environmental Mutagenesis, Department of Biophysics and Biometry, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Luiz Claudio Cameron
- Genetics and Molecular Biology Department, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Laboratory of Protein Biochemistry, Center of Innovation in Mass Spectrometry, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Mariana Simões Larraz Ferreira
- Laboratory of Bioactives, Nutritional Biochemistry Core, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Laboratory of Protein Biochemistry, Center of Innovation in Mass Spectrometry, Federal University of the State of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Israel Felzenszwalb
- Laboratory of Environmental Mutagenesis, Department of Biophysics and Biometry, Rio de Janeiro State University, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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12
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Juárez-Saldivar A, Schroeder M, Salentin S, Haupt VJ, Saavedra E, Vázquez C, Reyes-Espinosa F, Herrera-Mayorga V, Villalobos-Rocha JC, García-Pérez CA, Campillo NE, Rivera G. Computational Drug Repositioning for Chagas Disease Using Protein-Ligand Interaction Profiling. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21124270. [PMID: 32560043 PMCID: PMC7348847 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21124270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2020] [Revised: 06/11/2020] [Accepted: 06/13/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), affects nearly eight million people worldwide. There are currently only limited treatment options, which cause several side effects and have drug resistance. Thus, there is a great need for a novel, improved Chagas treatment. Bifunctional enzyme dihydrofolate reductase-thymidylate synthase (DHFR-TS) has emerged as a promising pharmacological target. Moreover, some human dihydrofolate reductase (HsDHFR) inhibitors such as trimetrexate also inhibit T. cruzi DHFR-TS (TcDHFR-TS). These compounds serve as a starting point and a reference in a screening campaign to search for new TcDHFR-TS inhibitors. In this paper, a novel virtual screening approach was developed that combines classical docking with protein-ligand interaction profiling to identify drug repositioning opportunities against T. cruzi infection. In this approach, some food and drug administration (FDA)-approved drugs that were predicted to bind with high affinity to TcDHFR-TS and whose predicted molecular interactions are conserved among known inhibitors were selected. Overall, ten putative TcDHFR-TS inhibitors were identified. These exhibited a similar interaction profile and a higher computed binding affinity, compared to trimetrexate. Nilotinib, glipizide, glyburide and gliquidone were tested on T. cruzi epimastigotes and showed growth inhibitory activity in the micromolar range. Therefore, these compounds could lead to the development of new treatment options for Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alfredo Juárez-Saldivar
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Reynosa 88710, Mexico; (A.J.-S.); (F.R.-E.); (V.H.-M.); (J.C.V.-R.)
| | - Michael Schroeder
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (M.S.); (S.S.); (V.J.H.)
| | - Sebastian Salentin
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (M.S.); (S.S.); (V.J.H.)
| | - V. Joachim Haupt
- Biotechnology Center (BIOTEC), Technische Universität Dresden, 01307 Dresden, Germany; (M.S.); (S.S.); (V.J.H.)
| | - Emma Saavedra
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Ciudad de Mexico 14080, Mexico; (E.S.); (C.V.)
| | - Citlali Vázquez
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Ciudad de Mexico 14080, Mexico; (E.S.); (C.V.)
| | - Francisco Reyes-Espinosa
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Reynosa 88710, Mexico; (A.J.-S.); (F.R.-E.); (V.H.-M.); (J.C.V.-R.)
| | - Verónica Herrera-Mayorga
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Reynosa 88710, Mexico; (A.J.-S.); (F.R.-E.); (V.H.-M.); (J.C.V.-R.)
- Departamento de Ingeniería Bioquímica, Unidad Académica Multidisciplinaria Mante, Universidad Autónoma de Tamaulipas, Mante 89840, Mexico
| | - Juan Carlos Villalobos-Rocha
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Reynosa 88710, Mexico; (A.J.-S.); (F.R.-E.); (V.H.-M.); (J.C.V.-R.)
| | - Carlos A. García-Pérez
- Scientific Computing Research Unit, Helmholtz Zentrum München, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany;
| | - Nuria E. Campillo
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CIB-CSIC), Ramiro de Maeztu 9, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Gildardo Rivera
- Laboratorio de Biotecnología Farmacéutica, Centro de Biotecnología Genómica, Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Reynosa 88710, Mexico; (A.J.-S.); (F.R.-E.); (V.H.-M.); (J.C.V.-R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +52-1-8991-601-356
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13
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Kann S, Kunz M, Hansen J, Sievertsen J, Crespo JJ, Loperena A, Arriens S, Dandekar T. Chagas Disease: Detection of Trypanosoma cruzi by a New, High-Specific Real Time PCR. J Clin Med 2020; 9:jcm9051517. [PMID: 32443464 PMCID: PMC7291166 DOI: 10.3390/jcm9051517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2020] [Revised: 05/11/2020] [Accepted: 05/14/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Chagas disease (CD) is a major burden in Latin America, expanding also to non-endemic countries. A gold standard to detect the CD causing pathogen Trypanosoma cruzi is currently not available. Existing real time polymerase chain reactions (RT-PCRs) lack sensitivity and/or specificity. We present a new, highly specific RT-PCR for the diagnosis and monitoring of CD. Material and Methods: We analyzed 352 serum samples from Indigenous people living in high endemic CD areas of Colombia using three leading RT-PCRs (k-DNA-, TCZ-, 18S rRNA-PCR), the newly developed one (NDO-PCR), a Rapid Test/enzyme-linked immuno sorbent assay (ELISA), and immunofluorescence. Eighty-seven PCR-products were verified by sequence analysis after plasmid vector preparation. Results: The NDO-PCR showed the highest sensitivity (92.3%), specificity (100%), and accuracy (94.3%) for T. cruzi detection in the 87 sequenced samples. Sensitivities and specificities of the kDNA-PCR were 89.2%/22.7%, 20.5%/100% for TCZ-PCR, and 1.5%/100% for the 18S rRNA-PCR. The kDNA-PCR revealed a 77.3% false positive rate, mostly due to cross-reactions with T. rangeli (NDO-PCR 0%). TCZ- and 18S rRNA-PCR showed a false negative rate of 79.5% and 98.5% (NDO-PCR 7.7%), respectively. Conclusions: The NDO-PCR demonstrated the highest specificity, sensitivity, and accuracy compared to leading PCRs. Together with serologic tests, it can be considered as a reliable tool for CD detection and can improve CD management significantly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Kann
- Department Research and Development, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM), 20359 Hamburg, Germany; (J.H.); (J.S.); (S.A.)
- Actually Medical Mission Institute, 97074 Wuerzburg, Germany
- Correspondence:
| | - Meik Kunz
- Chair of Medical Informatics, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg, 91054 Erlangen, Germany;
| | - Jessica Hansen
- Department Research and Development, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM), 20359 Hamburg, Germany; (J.H.); (J.S.); (S.A.)
| | - Jürgen Sievertsen
- Department Research and Development, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM), 20359 Hamburg, Germany; (J.H.); (J.S.); (S.A.)
| | - Jose J. Crespo
- Department Health Advocacy, Organization Wiwa Yugumaiun Bunkuanarrua Tayrona (OWYBT), Valledupar 200001, Colombia; (J.J.C.); (A.L.)
| | - Aristides Loperena
- Department Health Advocacy, Organization Wiwa Yugumaiun Bunkuanarrua Tayrona (OWYBT), Valledupar 200001, Colombia; (J.J.C.); (A.L.)
| | - Sandra Arriens
- Department Research and Development, Bernhard-Nocht-Institute for Tropical Medicine (BNITM), 20359 Hamburg, Germany; (J.H.); (J.S.); (S.A.)
| | - Thomas Dandekar
- Department of Bioinformatics, Biocenter, Functional Genomics and Systems Biology Group, Julius-Maximilians University, 97070 Wuerzburg, Germany;
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14
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Cianni L, Feldmann CW, Gilberg E, Gütschow M, Juliano L, Leitão A, Bajorath J, Montanari CA. Can Cysteine Protease Cross-Class Inhibitors Achieve Selectivity? J Med Chem 2019; 62:10497-10525. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b00683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Cianni
- Medicinal Chemistry Group, Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos, University of São Paulo, Avenue Trabalhador Sancarlense, 400, 23566-590 São Carlos, SP, Brazil
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical Chemistry I, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
- Department of Life Science Informatics, B-IT, LIMES Program Unit Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Endenicher Allee 19c, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Christian Wolfgang Feldmann
- Department of Life Science Informatics, B-IT, LIMES Program Unit Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Endenicher Allee 19c, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Erik Gilberg
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical Chemistry I, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
- Department of Life Science Informatics, B-IT, LIMES Program Unit Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Endenicher Allee 19c, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Michael Gütschow
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical Chemistry I, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Luiz Juliano
- A. C. Camargo Cancer Center and São Paulo Medical School of Federal University of São Paulo, Rua Professor Antônio Prudente, 211, 01509-010 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Andrei Leitão
- Medicinal Chemistry Group, Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos, University of São Paulo, Avenue Trabalhador Sancarlense, 400, 23566-590 São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Jürgen Bajorath
- Department of Life Science Informatics, B-IT, LIMES Program Unit Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität, Endenicher Allee 19c, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
| | - Carlos A. Montanari
- Medicinal Chemistry Group, Institute of Chemistry of São Carlos, University of São Paulo, Avenue Trabalhador Sancarlense, 400, 23566-590 São Carlos, SP, Brazil
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15
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Gómara M, Ramón-García S. The FICI paradigm: Correcting flaws in antimicrobial in vitro synergy screens at their inception. Biochem Pharmacol 2019; 163:299-307. [PMID: 30836058 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2019.03.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
Antibiotics have become the corner stone of modern medicine. However, our society is currently facing one of the greatest challenges of its time: the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. It is estimated that if no new therapies are implemented by 2050, 10 million people will die worldwide every year as a result of infections caused by bacteria resistant to current antibiotics; new antimicrobials are thus urgently needed. However, drug development is a tedious and very costly endeavor of hundreds of millions that can take up to 15-20 years from the bench discovery to the bedside. Under this scenario, drug repurposing, which consists in identifying new uses for old, clinically approved drugs, has gathered momentum within the pharmaceutical industry. Because most of these drugs have safety and toxicity information packages available, clinical evaluation could be done in a much shorter period than standard timelines. Synergistic combinations of these clinically approved drugs could also be a promising approach to identify novel antimicrobial therapies that might provide rational choices of available drugs to shorten treatment, increase efficacy, reduce toxicity, prevent resistance and treat infections caused by drug-resistant strains. However, although simple in its conception, translating results from in vitro synergy screens into in vivo efficacy or the clinical practice has proven to be a paramount challenge. In this Commentary, we will discuss common flaws at the inception of synergy research programs, with a special focus on the use of the Fractional Inhibitory Concentration Index (FICI), and evaluate potential interventions that can be made at different developmental pre-clinical stages in order to improve the odds of translation from in vitro studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Gómara
- Mycobacterial Genetics Group, Department of Microbiology, Preventive Medicine and Public Health. Faculty of Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Spain
| | - Santiago Ramón-García
- Mycobacterial Genetics Group, Department of Microbiology, Preventive Medicine and Public Health. Faculty of Medicine, University of Zaragoza, Spain; Research & Development Agency of Aragon (ARAID) Foundation, Spain; CIBER Respiratory Diseases, Carlos III Health Institute, Madrid, Spain.
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