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Vitré C, Le Gal Y, Vacher A, Roisnel T, Lorcy D, Santana S, Prudêncio M, Pinheiro T, Marques F. Structure-activity relationship of anticancer and antiplasmodial gold bis(dithiolene) complexes. Dalton Trans 2024. [PMID: 38953883 DOI: 10.1039/d4dt01458h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
Monoanionic gold bis(dithiolene) complexes were recently shown to display activity against ovarian cancer cells, Gram-positive bacteria, Candida strains and the rodent malaria parasite, P. berghei. To date, only monoanionic gold(III) bis(dithiolene) complexes with a thiazoline backbone substituted with small alkyl chains have been evaluated for biomedical applications. We now analyzed the influence of the length and the hydrophobicity vs. hydrophilicity of these complexes' alkyl chain on their anticancer and antiplasmodial properties. Isomer analogues of these monoanionic gold(III) bis(dithiolene) complexes, this time with a thiazole backbone, were also investigated in order to assess the influence of the nature of the heterocyclic ligand on their overall chemical and biological properties. In this report we present the total synthesis of four novel monoanionic gold(III) bis(dithiolene) complexes with a long alkyl chain and a polyoxygenated (PEG) chain aiming to improve their solubility and biological properties. Our results showed that the complexes with a PEG chain showed promising anticancer and antiplasmodial activities beside improved solubility, a key parameter in drug discovery and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Constantin Vitré
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, ISCR (Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes) - UMR 6226, F-35000 Rennes, France.
| | - Yann Le Gal
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, ISCR (Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes) - UMR 6226, F-35000 Rennes, France.
| | - Antoine Vacher
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, ISCR (Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes) - UMR 6226, F-35000 Rennes, France.
| | - Thierry Roisnel
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, ISCR (Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes) - UMR 6226, F-35000 Rennes, France.
| | - Dominique Lorcy
- Univ Rennes, CNRS, ISCR (Institut des Sciences Chimiques de Rennes) - UMR 6226, F-35000 Rennes, France.
| | - Sofia Santana
- iMM-Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- iMM-Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Teresa Pinheiro
- iBB-Institute for Bioengineering and Biosciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal
- Departamento de Engenharia e Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Fernanda Marques
- Departamento de Engenharia e Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
- Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Nucleares, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
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2
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Liu R, Li G, Li M, Wang B, Zhang D, Xu L, Zhao L, Liao R, Xu Q, Bei ZC, Song Y. In vitro interaction of naphthoquine with ivermectin, atovaquone, curcumin, and ketotifen in the asexual blood stage of Plasmodium falciparum 3D7. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0063024. [PMID: 38780257 PMCID: PMC11218538 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00630-24] [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: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Naphthoquine is a promising candidate for antimalarial combination therapy. Its combination with artemisinin has demonstrated excellent efficacy in clinical trials conducted across various malaria-endemic areas. A co-formulated combination of naphthoquine and azithromycin has also shown high clinical efficacy for malaria prophylaxis in Southeast Asia. Developing new combination therapies using naphthoquine will provide additional arsenal responses to the growing threat of artemisinin resistance. Furthermore, due to its long half-life, the possible interaction of naphthoquine with other drugs also needs attention. However, studies on its pharmacodynamic interactions with other drugs are still limited. In this study, the in vitro interactions of naphthoquine with ivermectin, atovaquone, curcumin, and ketotifen were evaluated in the asexual stage of Plasmodium falciparum 3D7. By using the combination index analysis and the SYBR Green I-based fluorescence assay, different interaction patterns of selected drugs with naphthoquine were revealed. Curcumin showed a slight but significant synergistic interaction with naphthoquine at lower effect levels, and no antagonism was observed across the full range of effect levels for all tested ratios. Atovaquone showed a potency decline when combined with naphthoquine. For ivermectin, a significant antagonism with naphthoquine was observed at a broad range of effect levels below 75% inhibition, although no significant interaction was observed at higher effect levels. Ketotifen interacted with naphthoquine similar to ivermectin, but significant antagonism was observed for only one tested ratio. These findings should be helpful to the development of new naphthoquine-based combination therapy and the clinically reasonable application of naphthoquine-containing therapies. IMPORTANCE Pharmacodynamic interaction between antimalarials is not only crucial for the development of new antimalarial combination therapies but also important for the appropriate clinical use of antimalarials. The significant synergism between curcumin and naphthoquine observed in this study suggests the potential value for further development of new antimalarial combination therapy. The finding of a decline in atovaquone potency in the presence of naphthoquine alerts to a possible risk of treatment or prophylaxis failure for atovaquone-proguanil following naphthoquine-containing therapies. The observation of antagonism between naphthoquine and ivermectin raised a need for concern about the applicability of naphthoquine-containing therapy in malaria-endemic areas with ivermectin mass drug administration deployed. Considering the role of atovaquone-proguanil as a major alternative when first-line artemisinin-based combination therapy is ineffective and the wide implementation of ivermectin mass drug administration in malaria-endemic countries, the above findings will be important for the appropriate clinical application of antimalarials involving naphthoquine-containing therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruotong Liu
- Artemisinin Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Guoming Li
- Artemisinin Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Mei Li
- Artemisinin Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Baogang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Dongna Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Likun Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Liangliang Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Ruhe Liao
- Artemisinin Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Qin Xu
- Artemisinin Research Center, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhu-Chun Bei
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
| | - Yabin Song
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogen and Biosecurity, Beijing Institute of Microbiology and Epidemiology, Beijing, China
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3
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Annamalai Subramani P, Tipthara P, Kolli SK, Nicholas J, Barnes SJ, Ogbondah MM, Kobylinski KC, Tarning J, Adams JH. Efficacy of ivermectin and its metabolites against Plasmodium falciparum liver stages in primary human hepatocytes. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024:e0127223. [PMID: 38904389 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01272-23] [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: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 06/01/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Ivermectin, a broad-spectrum anti-parasitic drug, has been proposed as a novel vector control tool to reduce malaria transmission by mass drug administration. Ivermectin and some metabolites have mosquito-lethal effect, reducing Anopheles mosquito survival. Ivermectin inhibits liver stage development in a rodent malaria model, but no inhibition was observed in a primate malaria model or in a human malaria challenge trial. In the liver, cytochrome P450 3A4 and 3A5 enzymes metabolize ivermectin, which may impact drug efficacy. Thus, understanding ivermectin metabolism and assessing this impact on Plasmodium liver stage development is critical. Using primary human hepatocytes (PHHs), we characterized ivermectin metabolism and evaluated the efficacy of ivermectin and its primary metabolites M1 (3″-O-demethyl ivermectin) and M3 (4-hydroxymethyl ivermectin) against Plasmodium falciparum liver stages. Two different modes of ivermectin exposure were evaluated: prophylactic mode (days 0-3 post-infection) and curative mode (days 3-5 post-infection). We used two different PHH donors and modes to determine the inhibitory concentration (IC50) of ivermectin, M1, M3, and the known anti-malarial drug pyrimethamine, with IC50 values ranging from 1.391 to 14.44, 9.95-23.71, 4.767-8.384, and 0.9073-5.416 µM, respectively. In our PHH model, ivermectin and metabolites M1 and M3 demonstrated inhibitory activity against P. falciparum liver stages in curative treatment mode (days 3-5) and marginal activity in prophylactic treatment mode (days 0-3). Ivermectin had improved efficacy when co-administered with ketoconazole, a specific inhibitor of cytochrome P450 3A4 enzyme. Further studies should be performed to examine ivermectin liver stage efficacy when co-administered with CYP3A4 inhibitors and anti-malarial drugs to understand the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic drug-drug interactions that enhance efficacy against human malaria parasites in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pradeep Annamalai Subramani
- Center for Global Health and Interdisciplinary Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Phornpimon Tipthara
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Surendra Kumar Kolli
- Center for Global Health and Interdisciplinary Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Justin Nicholas
- Center for Global Health and Interdisciplinary Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Samantha J Barnes
- Center for Global Health and Interdisciplinary Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Madison M Ogbondah
- Center for Global Health and Interdisciplinary Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Kevin C Kobylinski
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Entomology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Joel Tarning
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - John H Adams
- Center for Global Health and Interdisciplinary Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
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4
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Sulik M, Fontinha D, Steverding D, Sobczak S, Antoszczak M, Prudêncio M, Huczyński A. Unexpected rearrangement of ivermectin in the synthesis of new derivatives with trypanocidal and antiplasmodial activities. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 263:115951. [PMID: 37988797 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115951] [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: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Ivermectin is a sixteen-membered macrolactone "wonder drug" of Nobel prize-honored distinction that exhibits a wide range of antiparasitic activities. It has been used for almost four decades in the treatment of various parasitic diseases in humans and animals. In this paper, we describe the synthesis of the first-in-class ivermectin derivatives obtained via derivatization of the C13 position, along with the unexpected rearrangement of the oxahydrindene (hexahydrobenzofuran) unit of the macrolide ring. The structural investigation of the rearrangement has been performed using the single-crystal X-ray diffraction method. The antiparasitic and cytotoxic activities of the newly synthesized derivatives were determined in vitro with the bloodstream form of Trypanosoma brucei brucei, the hepatic stage of Plasmodium berghei, and human leukemia HL-60 cells. The compounds with the highest trypanocidal activity were the C13-epi-2-chloroacetamide analogs of native (6h) or rearranged (7h) ivermectin. Both 6h and 7h displayed trypanocidal activities within a similar mid-nanomolar concentration range as the commercially used trypanocides suramin and ethidium bromide. Furthermore, 6h and 7h exhibited a comparable cytotoxic to trypanocidal ratio as the reference drug ethidium bromide. The double-modified compound 7a (C13-epi-acetamide of rearranged ivermectin) exhibited the highest activity against P. berghei grown in human hepatoma cells, which was 2.5 times higher than that of ivermectin. The findings of this study suggest that C13-epi-amide derivatives of ivermectin are suitable leads in the rational development of new antiparasitic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Sulik
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61‒614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Diana Fontinha
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Dietmar Steverding
- Bob Champion Research & Education Building, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
| | - Szymon Sobczak
- Department of Materials Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61‒614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Michał Antoszczak
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61‒614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Adam Huczyński
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61‒614 Poznań, Poland.
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5
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Fraga A, Mósca AF, Moita D, Simas JP, Nunes-Cabaço H, Prudêncio M. SARS-CoV-2 decreases malaria severity in co-infected rodent models. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1307553. [PMID: 38156320 PMCID: PMC10753813 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1307553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and malaria, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Plasmodium parasites, respectively, share geographical distribution in regions where the latter disease is endemic, leading to the emergence of co-infections between the two pathogens. Thus far, epidemiologic studies and case reports have yielded insufficient data on the reciprocal impact of the two pathogens on either infection and related diseases. We established novel co-infection models to address this issue experimentally, employing either human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2)-expressing or wild-type mice, in combination with human- or mouse-infective variants of SARS-CoV-2, and the P. berghei rodent malaria parasite. We now show that a primary infection by a viral variant that causes a severe disease phenotype partially impairs a subsequent liver infection by the malaria parasite. Additionally, exposure to an attenuated viral variant modulates subsequent immune responses and provides protection from severe malaria-associated outcomes when a blood stage P. berghei infection was established. Our findings unveil a hitherto unknown host-mediated virus-parasite interaction that could have relevant implications for disease management and control in malaria-endemic regions. This work may contribute to the development of other models of concomitant infection between Plasmodium and respiratory viruses, expediting further research on co-infections that lead to complex disease presentations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Fraga
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Andreia F. Mósca
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Diana Moita
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - J. Pedro Simas
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Católica Biomedical Research, Católica Medical School, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Helena Nunes-Cabaço
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
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6
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Sulik M, Antoszczak M, Huczyński A, Steverding D. Antiparasitic activity of ivermectin: Four decades of research into a "wonder drug". Eur J Med Chem 2023; 261:115838. [PMID: 37793327 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115838] [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: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Parasitic diseases still pose a serious threat to human and animal health, particularly for millions of people and their livelihoods in low-income countries. Therefore, research into the development of effective antiparasitic drugs remains a priority. Ivermectin, a sixteen-membered macrocyclic lactone, exhibits a broad spectrum of antiparasitic activities, which, combined with its low toxicity, has allowed the drug to be widely used in the treatment of parasitic diseases affecting humans and animals. In addition to its licensed use against river blindness and strongyloidiasis in humans, and against roundworm and arthropod infestations in animals, ivermectin is also used "off-label" to treat many other worm-related parasitic diseases, particularly in domestic animals. In addition, several experimental studies indicate that ivermectin displays also potent activity against viruses, bacteria, protozoans, trematodes, and insects. This review article summarizes the last 40 years of research on the antiparasitic effects of ivermectin, and the use of the drug in the treatment of parasitic diseases in humans and animals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michał Sulik
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61‒614, Poznań, Poland
| | - Michał Antoszczak
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61‒614, Poznań, Poland
| | - Adam Huczyński
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61‒614, Poznań, Poland.
| | - Dietmar Steverding
- Bob Champion Research & Education Building, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK
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7
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Moita D, Rôla C, Nunes-Cabaço H, Nogueira G, Maia TG, Othman AS, Franke-Fayard B, Janse CJ, Mendes AM, Prudêncio M. The effect of dosage on the protective efficacy of whole-sporozoite formulations for immunization against malaria. NPJ Vaccines 2023; 8:182. [PMID: 37996533 PMCID: PMC10667361 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-023-00778-9] [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: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunization with Plasmodium sporozoites, either attenuated or administered under the cover of an antimalarial drug, can induce strong protection against malaria in pre-clinical murine models, as well as in human trials. Previous studies have suggested that whole-sporozoite (WSpz) formulations based on parasites with longer liver stage development induce higher protection, but a comparative analysis of four different WSpz formulations has not been reported. We employed a rodent model of malaria to analyze the effect of immunization dosage on the protective efficacy of WSpz formulations consisting of (i) early liver arresting genetically attenuated parasites (EA-GAP) or (ii) radiation-attenuated sporozoites (RAS), (iii) late arresting GAP (LA-GAP), and (iv) sporozoites administered under chemoprophylaxis, that are eliminated upon release into the bloodstream (CPS). Our results show that, unlike all other WSpz formulations, EA-GAP fails to confer complete protection against an infectious challenge at any immunization dosage employed, suggesting that a minimum threshold of liver development is required to elicit fully effective immune responses. Moreover, while immunization with RAS, LA-GAP and CPS WSpz yields comparable, dosage-dependent protection, protection by EA-GAP WSpz peaks at an intermediate dosage and markedly decreases thereafter. In-depth immunological analyses suggest that effector CD8+ T cells elicited by EA-GAP WSpz immunization have limited developmental plasticity, with a potential negative impact on the functional versatility of memory cells and, thus, on protective immunity. Our findings point towards dismissing EA-GAP from prioritization for WSpz malaria vaccination and enhance our understanding of the complexity of the protection elicited by these WSpz vaccine candidates, guiding their future optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Diana Moita
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Catarina Rôla
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Helena Nunes-Cabaço
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Gonçalo Nogueira
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Teresa G Maia
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ahmad Syibli Othman
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, 21300, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | | | - Chris J Janse
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - António M Mendes
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
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8
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Yipsirimetee A, Tipthara P, Hanboonkunupakarn B, Tripura R, Lek D, Kümpornsin K, Lee MCS, Sattabongkot J, Dondorp AM, White NJ, Kobylinski KC, Tarning J, Chotivanich K. Activity of Ivermectin and Its Metabolites against Asexual Blood Stage Plasmodium falciparum and Its Interactions with Antimalarial Drugs. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0173022. [PMID: 37338381 PMCID: PMC10368210 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01730-22] [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: 12/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Ivermectin is an endectocide used widely to treat a variety of internal and external parasites. Field trials of ivermectin mass drug administration for malaria transmission control have demonstrated a reduction of Anopheles mosquito survival and human malaria incidence. Ivermectin will mostly be deployed together with artemisinin-based combination therapies (ACT), the first-line treatment of falciparum malaria. It has not been well established if ivermectin has activity against asexual stage Plasmodium falciparum or if it interacts with the parasiticidal activity of other antimalarial drugs. This study evaluated antimalarial activity of ivermectin and its metabolites in artemisinin-sensitive and artemisinin-resistant P. falciparum isolates and assessed in vitro drug-drug interaction with artemisinins and its partner drugs. The concentration of ivermectin causing half of the maximum inhibitory activity (IC50) on parasite survival was 0.81 μM with no significant difference between artemisinin-sensitive and artemisinin-resistant isolates (P = 0.574). The ivermectin metabolites were 2-fold to 4-fold less active than the ivermectin parent compound (P < 0.001). Potential pharmacodynamic drug-drug interactions of ivermectin with artemisinins, ACT-partner drugs, and atovaquone were studied in vitro using mixture assays providing isobolograms and derived fractional inhibitory concentrations. There were no synergistic or antagonistic pharmacodynamic interactions when combining ivermectin and antimalarial drugs. In conclusion, ivermectin does not have clinically relevant activity against the asexual blood stages of P. falciparum. It also does not affect the in vitro antimalarial activity of artemisinins or ACT-partner drugs against asexual blood stages of P. falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Achaporn Yipsirimetee
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Phornpimon Tipthara
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Borimas Hanboonkunupakarn
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Rupam Tripura
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Dysoley Lek
- National Center for Parasitology, Entomology and Malaria Control, Phnom Penh, Cambodia
| | - Krittikorn Kümpornsin
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
- Calibr, Division of the Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
| | - Marcus C. S. Lee
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, United Kingdom
| | - Jetsumon Sattabongkot
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Arjen M. Dondorp
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Nicholas J. White
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Kevin C. Kobylinski
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Department of Entomology, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Joel Tarning
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Kesinee Chotivanich
- Department of Clinical Tropical Medicine, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
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9
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Ghosh S, Kundu R, Chandana M, Das R, Anand A, Beura S, Bobde RC, Jain V, Prabhu SR, Behera PK, Mohanty AK, Chakrapani M, Satyamoorthy K, Suryawanshi AR, Dixit A, Padmanaban G, Nagaraj VA. Distinct evolution of type I glutamine synthetase in Plasmodium and its species-specific requirement. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4216. [PMID: 37452051 PMCID: PMC10349072 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39670-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria parasite lacks canonical pathways for amino acid biosynthesis and depends primarily on hemoglobin degradation and extracellular resources for amino acids. Interestingly, a putative gene for glutamine synthetase (GS) is retained despite glutamine being an abundant amino acid in human and mosquito hosts. Here we show Plasmodium GS has evolved as a unique type I enzyme with distinct structural and regulatory properties to adapt to the asexual niche. Methionine sulfoximine (MSO) and phosphinothricin (PPT) inhibit parasite GS activity. GS is localized to the parasite cytosol and abundantly expressed in all the life cycle stages. Parasite GS displays species-specific requirement in Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) having asparagine-rich proteome. Targeting PfGS affects asparagine levels and inhibits protein synthesis through eIF2α phosphorylation leading to parasite death. Exposure of artemisinin-resistant Pf parasites to MSO and PPT inhibits the emergence of viable parasites upon artemisinin treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sourav Ghosh
- Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, 751023, Odisha, India
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Rajib Kundu
- Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, 751023, Odisha, India
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Manjunatha Chandana
- Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, 751023, Odisha, India
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology, Bhubaneswar, 751024, Odisha, India
| | - Rahul Das
- Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, 751023, Odisha, India
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Aditya Anand
- Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, 751023, Odisha, India
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Subhashree Beura
- Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, 751023, Odisha, India
| | - Ruchir Chandrakant Bobde
- Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, 751023, Odisha, India
- Regional Centre for Biotechnology, Faridabad, 121001, Haryana, India
| | - Vishal Jain
- Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, 751023, Odisha, India
| | - Sowmya Ramakant Prabhu
- Department of Biotechnology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, Karnataka, India
| | | | - Akshaya Kumar Mohanty
- Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, 751023, Odisha, India
- Ispat General Hospital, Sector 19, Rourkela, 769005, Odisha, India
| | - Mahabala Chakrapani
- Department of Medicine, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, Karnataka, India
| | - Kapaettu Satyamoorthy
- Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, 576104, Karnataka, India
| | | | - Anshuman Dixit
- Infectious Disease Biology, Institute of Life Sciences, Bhubaneswar, 751023, Odisha, India
| | - Govindarajan Padmanaban
- Department of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, 560012, Karnataka, India
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10
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Muema JM, Bargul JL, Obonyo MA, Njeru SN, Matoke-Muhia D, Mutunga JM. Contemporary exploitation of natural products for arthropod-borne pathogen transmission-blocking interventions. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:298. [PMID: 36002857 PMCID: PMC9404607 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05367-8] [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: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
An integrated approach to innovatively counter the transmission of various arthropod-borne diseases to humans would benefit from strategies that sustainably limit onward passage of infective life cycle stages of pathogens and parasites to the insect vectors and vice versa. Aiming to accelerate the impetus towards a disease-free world amid the challenges posed by climate change, discovery, mindful exploitation and integration of active natural products in design of pathogen transmission-blocking interventions is of high priority. Herein, we provide a review of natural compounds endowed with blockade potential against transmissible forms of human pathogens reported in the last 2 decades from 2000 to 2021. Finally, we propose various translational strategies that can exploit these pathogen transmission-blocking natural products into design of novel and sustainable disease control interventions. In summary, tapping these compounds will potentially aid in integrated combat mission to reduce disease transmission trends.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jackson M Muema
- Department of Biochemistry, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), P.O. Box 62000, Nairobi, 00200, Kenya.
| | - Joel L Bargul
- Department of Biochemistry, Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), P.O. Box 62000, Nairobi, 00200, Kenya.,International Centre of Insect Physiology and Ecology (Icipe), P.O. Box 30772, Nairobi, 00100, Kenya
| | - Meshack A Obonyo
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Egerton University, P.O. Box 536, Egerton, 20115, Kenya
| | - Sospeter N Njeru
- Centre for Traditional Medicine and Drug Research (CTMDR), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), P.O. Box 54840, Nairobi, 00200, Kenya
| | - Damaris Matoke-Muhia
- Centre for Biotechnology Research Development (CBRD), Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI), P.O. Box 54840, Nairobi, 00200, Kenya
| | - James M Mutunga
- Department of Biological Sciences, Mount Kenya University (MKU), P.O. Box 54, Thika, 01000, Kenya.,School of Engineering Design, Technology and Professional Programs, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 16802, USA
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11
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Fraccaroli L, Ruiz MD, Perdomo VG, Clausi AN, Balcazar DE, Larocca L, Carrillo C. Broadening the spectrum of ivermectin: Its effect on Trypanosoma cruzi and related trypanosomatids. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:885268. [PMID: 35967842 PMCID: PMC9366347 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.885268] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2022] [Accepted: 07/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is an endemic American parasitosis, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. The current therapies, benznidazole (BZN) and nifurtimox (NFX), show limited efficacy and multiple side effects. Thus, there is a need to develop new trypanocidal strategies. Ivermectin (IVM) is a broad-spectrum antiparasitic drug with low human and veterinary toxicity with effects against T. brucei and Leishmania spp. Considering this and its relatively low cost, we evaluate IVM as a potential repurposed trypanocidal drug on T. cruzi and other trypanosomatids. We found that IVM affected, in a dose-dependent manner, the proliferation of T. cruzi epimastigotes as well as the amastigotes and trypomastigotes survival. The Selectivity Index for the amastigote stage with respect to Vero cells was 12. The IVM effect was also observed in Phytomonas jma 066 and Leishmania mexicana proliferation but not in Crithidia fasciculata. On the epimastigote stage, the IVM effect was trypanostatic at 50 μM but trypanocidal at 100 μM. The assays of the drug combinations of IVM with BNZ or NFX showed mainly additive effects among combinations. In silico studies showed that classical structures belonging to glutamate-gated Cl channels, the most common IVM target, are absent in kinetoplastids. However, we found in the studied trypanosomatid genomes one copy for putative IMPα and IMPβ, potential targets for IVM. The putative IMPα genes (with 76% similarity) showed conserved Armadillo domains but lacked the canonical IMPβ binding sequence. These results allowed us to propose a novel molecular target in T. cruzi and suggest IVM as a good candidate for drug repurposing in the Chagas disease context.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Fraccaroli
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular y Bioquímica en Trypanosoma cruzi y otros agentes infecciosos, CONICET for Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología (ICT) Milstein - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- *Correspondence: Laura Fraccaroli, ; Carolina Carrillo,
| | - María Daniela Ruiz
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular y Bioquímica en Trypanosoma cruzi y otros agentes infecciosos, CONICET for Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología (ICT) Milstein - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Virginia Gabriela Perdomo
- Área Parasitología, Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Agustina Nicole Clausi
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular y Bioquímica en Trypanosoma cruzi y otros agentes infecciosos, CONICET for Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología (ICT) Milstein - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Darío Emmanuel Balcazar
- Área Parasitología, Microbiología, Facultad de Ciencias Bioquímicas y Farmacéuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario (UNR), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Luciana Larocca
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular y Bioquímica en Trypanosoma cruzi y otros agentes infecciosos, CONICET for Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología (ICT) Milstein - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carolina Carrillo
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular y Bioquímica en Trypanosoma cruzi y otros agentes infecciosos, CONICET for Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología (ICT) Milstein - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
- *Correspondence: Laura Fraccaroli, ; Carolina Carrillo,
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12
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Amelia-Yap ZH, Azman AS, AbuBakar S, Low VL. Streptomyces derivatives as an insecticide: Current perspectives, challenges and future research needs for mosquito control. Acta Trop 2022; 229:106381. [PMID: 35183537 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106381] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2021] [Revised: 02/16/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The pervasiveness of arboviruses in wreaking havoc on public health has lingered on international health agendas. A scarcity of mosquito-borne disease vaccines and therapies demands prompt attention, as billions of people worldwide are at risk of infections. It is widely known that vector control continues, and in some diseases, remains the only resort in suppressing disease transmissions we presently possess at its disposal. But the use of commercial insecticides is being crippled by the widespread insecticide resistance, which greatly menaces their efficacies, toxicological repercussions such as environmental pollution and human health risk. Rather, an environmentally benign technique of employing Streptomyces isolates from settings such as terrestrial soils, marine sediments, and mangrove soils for Culicidae management has recently received a lot of positive attention. Streptomyces' capacities to produce a wide range of bioactive secondary metabolites that contribute to pharmaceutical, agricultural and veterinarian, Streptomyces-derived bioactive compounds are increasingly being considered for use in vector control. Herein, we compiled all of the available datasets on the effectiveness of Streptomyces-derived compounds against major mosquito vectors of medical importance. Aedes, Anopheles, and Culex are used to assess the toxicity of crude extracts or fractions. This paper reviewed the promising ovicidal, larvicidal, and pupacidal effects of different Streptomyces strains. Notably, no research into the adulticidal effect of Streptomyces-derived compounds has yet been done. Aside from the genetic makeup, the production of secondary metabolites from Streptomyces depends on the growing conditions. And that, to optimise the maximum yield of highly potent bioactive compounds being extracted, solvents' choice is of paramount importance. Thus, both cultivation parameters and the choice of organic solvents for secondary metabolites extraction will be discussed. Furthermore, biases derived from different studies have implied the need for standardizing experimental procedures. While entomological data should be collected consistently across all studies to expedite evidence-based policymaking of bioinsecticides, the quality of data from vector control interventions - particularly the experimental design, execution, analysis, and presentation of results of vector control studies - will be thoroughly reviewed. Lastly, to promote consistency and reliability, these knowledge gaps are identified, along with a discussion of current perspectives on vector control, global bioinsecticide trends, challenges on commercializing bioinsecticides and future research needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zheng Hua Amelia-Yap
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Adzzie Shazleen Azman
- School of Science, Monash University Malaysia, Jalan Lagoon Selatan, Bandar Sunway, 47500, Malaysia
| | - Sazaly AbuBakar
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia
| | - Van Lun Low
- Higher Institution Centre of Excellence (HICoE), Tropical Infectious Diseases Research and Education Centre (TIDREC), Universiti Malaya, Kuala Lumpur 50603, Malaysia.
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13
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de Carvalho LP, Groeger-Otero S, Kreidenweiss A, Kremsner PG, Mordmüller B, Held J. Boromycin has Rapid-Onset Antibiotic Activity Against Asexual and Sexual Blood Stages of Plasmodium falciparum. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 11:802294. [PMID: 35096650 PMCID: PMC8795978 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.802294] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Boromycin is a boron-containing macrolide antibiotic produced by Streptomyces antibioticus with potent activity against certain viruses, Gram-positive bacteria and protozoan parasites. Most antimalarial antibiotics affect plasmodial organelles of prokaryotic origin and have a relatively slow onset of action. They are used for malaria prophylaxis and for the treatment of malaria when combined to a fast-acting drug. Despite the success of artemisinin combination therapies, the current gold standard treatment, new alternatives are constantly needed due to the ability of malaria parasites to become resistant to almost all drugs that are in heavy clinical use. In vitro antiplasmodial activity screens of tetracyclines (omadacycline, sarecycline, methacycline, demeclocycline, lymecycline, meclocycline), macrolides (oleandomycin, boromycin, josamycin, troleandomycin), and control drugs (chloroquine, clindamycin, doxycycline, minocycline, eravacycline) revealed boromycin as highly potent against Plasmodium falciparum and the zoonotic Plasmodium knowlesi. In contrast to tetracyclines, boromycin rapidly killed asexual stages of both Plasmodium species already at low concentrations (~ 1 nM) including multidrug resistant P. falciparum strains (Dd2, K1, 7G8). In addition, boromycin was active against P. falciparum stage V gametocytes at a low nanomolar range (IC50: 8.5 ± 3.6 nM). Assessment of the mode of action excluded the apicoplast as the main target. Although there was an ionophoric activity on potassium channels, the effect was too low to explain the drug´s antiplasmodial activity. Boromycin is a promising antimalarial candidate with activity against multiple life cycle stages of the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sara Groeger-Otero
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Andrea Kreidenweiss
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Peter G. Kremsner
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Benjamin Mordmüller
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Jana Held
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
- German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), partner site Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- *Correspondence: Jana Held, ;
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14
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Synthesis and antiplasmodial activity of regioisomers and epimers of second-generation dual acting ivermectin hybrids. Sci Rep 2022; 12:564. [PMID: 35022455 PMCID: PMC8755717 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-04532-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
With its strong effect on vector-borne diseases, and insecticidal effect on mosquito vectors of malaria, inhibition of sporogonic and blood-stage development of Plasmodium falciparum, as well as in vitro and in vivo impairment of the P. berghei development inside hepatocytes, ivermectin (IVM) continues to represent an antimalarial therapeutic worthy of investigation. The in vitro activity of the first-generation IVM hybrids synthesized by appending the IVM macrolide with heterocyclic and organometallic antimalarial pharmacophores, against the blood-stage and liver-stage infections by Plasmodium parasites prompted us to design second-generation molecular hybrids of IVM. Here, a structural modification of IVM to produce novel molecular hybrids by using sub-structures of 4- and 8-aminoquinolines, the time-tested antiplasmodial agents used for treating the blood and hepatic stage of Plasmodium infections, respectively, is presented. Successful isolation of regioisomers and epimers has been demonstrated, and the evaluation of their in vitro antiplasmodial activity against both the blood stages of P. falciparum and the hepatic stages of P. berghei have been undertaken. These compounds displayed structure-dependent antiplasmodial activity, in the nM range, which was more potent than that of IVM, its aglycon or primaquine, highlighting the superiority of this hybridization strategy in designing new antiplasmodial agents.
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15
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Endo T, Takemae H, Sharma I, Furuya T. Multipurpose Drugs Active Against Both Plasmodium spp. and Microorganisms: Potential Application for New Drug Development. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:797509. [PMID: 35004357 PMCID: PMC8740689 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.797509] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria, a disease caused by the protozoan parasites Plasmodium spp., is still causing serious problems in endemic regions in the world. Although the WHO recommends artemisinin combination therapies for the treatment of malaria patients, the emergence of artemisinin-resistant parasites has become a serious issue and underscores the need for the development of new antimalarial drugs. On the other hand, new and re-emergences of infectious diseases, such as the influenza pandemic, Ebola virus disease, and COVID-19, are urging the world to develop effective chemotherapeutic agents against the causative viruses, which are not achieved to the desired level yet. In this review article, we describe existing drugs which are active against both Plasmodium spp. and microorganisms including viruses, bacteria, and fungi. We also focus on the current knowledge about the mechanism of actions of these drugs. Our major aims of this article are to describe examples of drugs that kill both Plasmodium parasites and other microbes and to provide valuable information to help find new ideas for developing novel drugs, rather than merely augmenting already existing drug repurposing efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takuro Endo
- Laboratory of Veterinary Infectious Diseases, Cooperative Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Hitoshi Takemae
- Center for Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Prevention Research, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Indu Sharma
- Department of Biological Sciences, Hampton University, Hampton, VA, United States
| | - Tetsuya Furuya
- Laboratory of Veterinary Infectious Diseases, Cooperative Department of Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Agriculture, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan
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Vythilingam I, Chua TH, Liew JWK, Manin BO, Ferguson HM. The vectors of Plasmodium knowlesi and other simian malarias Southeast Asia: challenges in malaria elimination. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2021; 113:131-189. [PMID: 34620382 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2021.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium knowlesi, a simian malaria parasite of great public health concern has been reported from most countries in Southeast Asia and exported to various countries around the world. Currently P. knowlesi is the predominant species infecting humans in Malaysia. Besides this species, other simian malaria parasites such as P. cynomolgi and P. inui are also infecting humans in the region. The vectors of P. knowlesi and other Asian simian malarias belong to the Leucosphyrus Group of Anopheles mosquitoes which are generally forest dwelling species. Continual deforestation has resulted in these species moving into forest fringes, farms, plantations and human settlements along with their macaque hosts. Limited studies have shown that mosquito vectors are attracted to both humans and macaque hosts, preferring to bite outdoors and in the early part of the night. We here review the current status of simian malaria vectors and their parasites, knowledge of vector competence from experimental infections and discuss possible vector control measures. The challenges encountered in simian malaria elimination are also discussed. We highlight key knowledge gaps on vector distribution and ecology that may impede effective control strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Indra Vythilingam
- Department of Parasitology, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
| | - Tock Hing Chua
- Department of Pathobiology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Sabah Malaysia, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
| | - Jonathan Wee Kent Liew
- Department of Parasitology, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Environmental Health Institute, National Environment Agency, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Benny O Manin
- Department of Pathobiology and Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Sabah Malaysia, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
| | - Heather M Ferguson
- Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom
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17
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Temporão A, Sanches-Vaz M, Luís R, Nunes-Cabaço H, Smith TK, Prudêncio M, Figueiredo LM. Excreted Trypanosoma brucei proteins inhibit Plasmodium hepatic infection. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009912. [PMID: 34714824 PMCID: PMC8580256 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria, a disease caused by Plasmodium parasites, remains a major threat to public health globally. It is the most common disease in patients with sleeping sickness, another parasitic illness, caused by Trypanosoma brucei. We have previously shown that a T. brucei infection impairs a secondary P. berghei liver infection and decreases malaria severity in mice. However, whether this effect requires an active trypanosome infection remained unknown. Here, we show that Plasmodium liver infection can also be inhibited by the serum of a mouse previously infected by T. brucei and by total protein lysates of this kinetoplastid. Biochemical characterisation showed that the anti-Plasmodium activity of the total T. brucei lysates depends on its protein fraction, but is independent of the abundant variant surface glycoprotein. Finally, we found that the protein(s) responsible for the inhibition of Plasmodium infection is/are present within a fraction of ~350 proteins that are excreted to the bloodstream of the host. We conclude that the defence mechanism developed by trypanosomes against Plasmodium relies on protein excretion. This study opens the door to the identification of novel antiplasmodial intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana Temporão
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Margarida Sanches-Vaz
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Rafael Luís
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Helena Nunes-Cabaço
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Terry K. Smith
- Schools of Biology and Chemistry Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, The North Haugh, The University, St. Andrews, Scotland, United Kingdom
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Luisa M. Figueiredo
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
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18
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Singh L, Singh K. Ivermectin: A Promising Therapeutic for Fighting Malaria. Current Status and Perspective. J Med Chem 2021; 64:9711-9731. [PMID: 34242031 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Finding new chemotherapeutic interventions to treat malaria through repurposing of time-tested drugs and rigorous design of new drugs using tools of rational drug design remains one of the most sought strategies at the disposal of medicinal chemists. Ivermectin, a semisynthetic derivative of avermectin B1, is among the efficacious drugs used in mass drug administration drives employed against onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, and several other parasitic diseases in humans. In this review, we present the prowess of ivermectin, a potent endectocide, in the control of malaria through vector control to reduce parasite transmission combined with efficacious chemoprevention to reduce malaria-related fatalities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lovepreet Singh
- Department of Chemistry, UGC Centre for Advanced Studies-II, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar-143 005, India
| | - Kamaljit Singh
- Department of Chemistry, UGC Centre for Advanced Studies-II, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar-143 005, India
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19
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Pessanha de Carvalho L, Kreidenweiss A, Held J. Drug Repurposing: A Review of Old and New Antibiotics for the Treatment of Malaria: Identifying Antibiotics with a Fast Onset of Antiplasmodial Action. Molecules 2021; 26:2304. [PMID: 33921170 PMCID: PMC8071546 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26082304] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is one of the most life-threatening infectious diseases and constitutes a major health problem, especially in Africa. Although artemisinin combination therapies remain efficacious to treat malaria, the emergence of resistant parasites emphasizes the urgent need of new alternative chemotherapies. One strategy is the repurposing of existing drugs. Herein, we reviewed the antimalarial effects of marketed antibiotics, and described in detail the fast-acting antibiotics that showed activity in nanomolar concentrations. Antibiotics have been used for prophylaxis and treatment of malaria for many years and are of particular interest because they might exert a different mode of action than current antimalarials, and can be used simultaneously to treat concomitant bacterial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lais Pessanha de Carvalho
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tuebingen, 72074 Tuebingen, Germany; (L.P.d.C.); (A.K.)
| | - Andrea Kreidenweiss
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tuebingen, 72074 Tuebingen, Germany; (L.P.d.C.); (A.K.)
- Centre de Recherches Medicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL), Lambaréné BP 242, Gabon
| | - Jana Held
- Institute of Tropical Medicine, University of Tuebingen, 72074 Tuebingen, Germany; (L.P.d.C.); (A.K.)
- Centre de Recherches Medicales de Lambaréné (CERMEL), Lambaréné BP 242, Gabon
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20
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A systematic review and an individual patient data meta-analysis of ivermectin use in children weighing less than fifteen kilograms: Is it time to reconsider the current contraindication? PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009144. [PMID: 33730099 PMCID: PMC7968658 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Oral ivermectin is a safe broad spectrum anthelminthic used for treating several neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Currently, ivermectin use is contraindicated in children weighing less than 15 kg, restricting access to this drug for the treatment of NTDs. Here we provide an updated systematic review of the literature and we conducted an individual-level patient data (IPD) meta-analysis describing the safety of ivermectin in children weighing less than 15 kg. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A systematic review was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) for IPD guidelines by searching MEDLINE via PubMed, Web of Science, Ovid Embase, LILACS, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, TOXLINE for all clinical trials, case series, case reports, and database entries for reports on the use of ivermectin in children weighing less than 15 kg that were published between 1 January 1980 to 25 October 2019. The protocol was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO): CRD42017056515. A total of 3,730 publications were identified, 97 were selected for potential inclusion, but only 17 sources describing 15 studies met the minimum criteria which consisted of known weights of children less than 15 kg linked to possible adverse events, and provided comprehensive IPD. A total of 1,088 children weighing less than 15 kg were administered oral ivermectin for one of the following indications: scabies, mass drug administration for scabies control, crusted scabies, cutaneous larva migrans, myiasis, pthiriasis, strongyloidiasis, trichuriasis, and parasitic disease of unknown origin. Overall a total of 1.4% (15/1,088) of children experienced 18 adverse events all of which were mild and self-limiting. No serious adverse events were reported. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Existing limited data suggest that oral ivermectin in children weighing less than 15 kilograms is safe. Data from well-designed clinical trials are needed to provide further assurance.
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21
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Bártolo I, Santos BS, Fontinha D, Machado M, Francisco D, Sepodes B, Rocha J, Mota-Filipe H, Pinto R, Figueira ME, Barroso H, Nascimento T, Alves de Matos AP, Alves AJS, Alves NG, Simões CJV, Prudêncio M, Pinho e Melo TMVD, Taveira N. Spiro-β-lactam BSS-730A Displays Potent Activity against HIV and Plasmodium. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:421-434. [PMID: 33395253 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The high burden of malaria and HIV/AIDS prevents economic and social progress in developing countries. A continuing need exists for development of novel drugs and treatment regimens for both diseases in order to address the tolerability and long-term safety concerns associated with current treatment options and the emergence of drug resistance. We describe new spiro-β-lactam derivatives with potent (nM) activity against HIV and Plasmodium and no activity against bacteria and yeast. The best performing molecule of the series, BSS-730A, inhibited both HIV-1 and HIV-2 replication with an IC50 of 13 ± 9.59 nM and P. berghei hepatic infection with an IC50 of 0.55 ± 0.14 μM with a clear impact on parasite development. BSS-730A was also active against the erythrocytic stages of P. falciparum, with an estimated IC50 of 0.43 ± 0.04 μM. Time-of-addition studies showed that BSS-730A potentially affects all stages of the HIV replicative cycle, suggesting a complex mechanism of action. BSS-730A was active against multidrug-resistant HIV isolates, with a median 2.4-fold higher IC50 relative to control isolates. BSS-730A was equally active against R5 and X4 HIV isolates and displayed strong synergism with the entry inhibitor AMD3100. BSS-730A is a promising candidate for development as a potential therapeutic and/or prophylactic agent against HIV and Plasmodium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Inês Bártolo
- Instituto de investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Bruna S. Santos
- Coimbra Chemistry Centre (CQC), Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Diana Fontinha
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, 1648-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Marta Machado
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, 1648-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Denise Francisco
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, 1648-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Bruno Sepodes
- Instituto de investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - João Rocha
- Instituto de investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Hélder Mota-Filipe
- Instituto de investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Rui Pinto
- Instituto de investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Maria E. Figueira
- Instituto de investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Helena Barroso
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz (CiiEM), Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz, Quinta da Granja, 2829-511 Monte da Caparica, Portugal
| | - Teresa Nascimento
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz (CiiEM), Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz, Quinta da Granja, 2829-511 Monte da Caparica, Portugal
| | - António P. Alves de Matos
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz (CiiEM), Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz, Quinta da Granja, 2829-511 Monte da Caparica, Portugal
| | - Américo J. S. Alves
- Coimbra Chemistry Centre (CQC), Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Nuno G. Alves
- Coimbra Chemistry Centre (CQC), Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Carlos J. V. Simões
- Coimbra Chemistry Centre (CQC), Department of Chemistry, University of Coimbra, 3004-535 Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, 1648-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | | | - Nuno Taveira
- Instituto de investigação do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Gama Pinto, 1649-003 Lisbon, Portugal
- Centro de Investigação Interdisciplinar Egas Moniz (CiiEM), Instituto Universitário Egas Moniz, Quinta da Granja, 2829-511 Monte da Caparica, Portugal
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22
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A Model for Assessing the Quantitative Effects of Heterogeneous Affinity in Malaria Transmission along with Ivermectin Mass Administration. APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL 2020. [DOI: 10.3390/app10238696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Using an agent-based model of malaria, we present numerical evidence that in communities of individuals having an affinity varying within a broad range of values, disease transmission may increase up to 300%. Moreover, our findings provide new insight into how to combine different strategies for the prevention of malaria transmission. In particular, we uncover a relationship between the level of heterogeneity and the level of conventional and unconventional anti-malarial drug administration (ivermectin and gametocidal agents), which, when taken together, will define a control parameter, tuning between disease persistence and elimination. Finally, we also provide evidence that the entomological inoculation rate, as well as the product between parasite and sporozoite rates are both good indicators of malaria incidence in the presence of heterogeneity in disease transmission and may configure a possible improvement in that setting, upon classical standard measures such as the basic reproductive number.
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23
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Ivermectin: An Anthelmintic, an Insecticide, and Much More. Trends Parasitol 2020; 37:48-64. [PMID: 33189582 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2020.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 69] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Revised: 10/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Here we tell the story of ivermectin, describing its anthelmintic and insecticidal actions and recent studies that have sought to reposition ivermectin for the treatment of other diseases that are not caused by helminth and insect parasites. The standard theory of its anthelmintic and insecticidal mode of action is that it is a selective positive allosteric modulator of glutamate-gated chloride channels found in nematodes and insects. At higher concentrations, ivermectin also acts as an allosteric modulator of ion channels found in host central nervous systems. In addition, in tissue culture, at concentrations higher than anthelmintic concentrations, ivermectin shows antiviral, antimalarial, antimetabolic, and anticancer effects. Caution is required before extrapolating from these preliminary repositioning experiments to clinical use, particularly for Covid-19 treatment, because of the high concentrations of ivermectin used in tissue-culture experiments.
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24
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Safety, Pharmacokinetics, and Activity of High-Dose Ivermectin and Chloroquine against the Liver Stage of Plasmodium cynomolgi Infection in Rhesus Macaques. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2020; 64:AAC.00741-20. [PMID: 32660993 PMCID: PMC7449176 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00741-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Previously, ivermectin (1 to 10 mg/kg of body weight) was shown to inhibit the liver-stage development of Plasmodium berghei in orally dosed mice. Here, ivermectin showed inhibition of the in vitro development of Plasmodium cynomolgi schizonts (50% inhibitory concentration [IC50], 10.42 μM) and hypnozoites (IC50, 29.24 μM) in primary macaque hepatocytes when administered as a high dose prophylactically but not when administered in radical cure mode. Previously, ivermectin (1 to 10 mg/kg of body weight) was shown to inhibit the liver-stage development of Plasmodium berghei in orally dosed mice. Here, ivermectin showed inhibition of the in vitro development of Plasmodium cynomolgi schizonts (50% inhibitory concentration [IC50], 10.42 μM) and hypnozoites (IC50, 29.24 μM) in primary macaque hepatocytes when administered as a high dose prophylactically but not when administered in radical cure mode. The safety, pharmacokinetics, and efficacy of oral ivermectin (0.3, 0.6, and 1.2 mg/kg) with and without chloroquine (10 mg/kg) administered for 7 consecutive days were evaluated for prophylaxis or radical cure of P. cynomolgi liver stages in rhesus macaques. No inhibition or delay to blood-stage P. cynomolgi parasitemia was observed at any ivermectin dose (0.3, 0.6, and 1.2 mg/kg). Ivermectin (0.6 and 1.2 mg/kg) and chloroquine (10 mg/kg) in combination were well-tolerated with no adverse events and no significant pharmacokinetic drug-drug interactions observed. Repeated daily ivermectin administration for 7 days did not inhibit ivermectin bioavailability. It was recently demonstrated that both ivermectin and chloroquine inhibit replication of the novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) in vitro. Further ivermectin and chloroquine trials in humans are warranted to evaluate their role in Plasmodium vivax control and as adjunctive therapies against COVID-19 infections.
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25
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Repurposing Drugs to Fight Hepatic Malaria Parasites. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25153409. [PMID: 32731386 PMCID: PMC7435416 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25153409] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2020] [Revised: 07/23/2020] [Accepted: 07/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria remains one of the most prevalent infectious diseases worldwide, primarily affecting some of the most vulnerable populations around the globe. Despite achievements in the treatment of this devastating disease, there is still an urgent need for the discovery of new drugs that tackle infection by Plasmodium parasites. However, de novo drug development is a costly and time-consuming process. An alternative strategy is to evaluate the anti-plasmodial activity of compounds that are already approved for other purposes, an approach known as drug repurposing. Here, we will review efforts to assess the anti-plasmodial activity of existing drugs, with an emphasis on the obligatory and clinically silent liver stage of infection. We will also review the current knowledge on the classes of compounds that might be therapeutically relevant against Plasmodium in the context of other communicable diseases that are prevalent in regions where malaria is endemic. Repositioning existing compounds may constitute a faster solution to the current gap of prophylactic and therapeutic drugs that act on Plasmodium parasites, overall contributing to the global effort of malaria eradication.
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26
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Singh L, Fontinha D, Francisco D, Mendes AM, Prudêncio M, Singh K. Molecular Design and Synthesis of Ivermectin Hybrids Targeting Hepatic and Erythrocytic Stages of Plasmodium Parasites. J Med Chem 2020; 63:1750-1762. [PMID: 32011136 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Ivermectin is a powerful endectocide, which reduces the incidence of vector-borne diseases. Besides its strong insecticidal effect on mosquito vectors of the disease, ivermectin inhibits Plasmodium falciparum sporogonic and blood stage development and impairs Plasmodium berghei development inside hepatocytes, both in vitro and in vivo. Herein, we present the first report on structural modification of ivermectin to produce dual-action molecular hybrids with good structure-dependent in vitro activity against both the hepatic and erythrocytic stages of P. berghei and P. falciparum infection, suggesting inclusion of ivermectin antimalarial hybrids in malaria control strategies. The most active hybrid displayed over threefold and 10-fold higher in vitro activity than ivermectin against hepatic and blood stage infections, respectively. Although an overwhelming insecticidal effect against Anopheles stephensi mosquitoes in laboratory conditions was not noticed, in silico docking analysis supports allosteric binding to glutamate-gated chloride channels similar to ivermectin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lovepreet Singh
- Department of Chemistry , Guru Nanak Dev University , Amritsar 143 005 , India
| | - Diana Fontinha
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular , Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa , Av. Prof. Egas Moniz , Lisboa 1649-028 , Portugal
| | - Denise Francisco
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular , Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa , Av. Prof. Egas Moniz , Lisboa 1649-028 , Portugal
| | - Antonio M Mendes
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular , Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa , Av. Prof. Egas Moniz , Lisboa 1649-028 , Portugal
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular , Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa , Av. Prof. Egas Moniz , Lisboa 1649-028 , Portugal
| | - Kamaljit Singh
- Department of Chemistry , Guru Nanak Dev University , Amritsar 143 005 , India
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27
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Billingsley P, Binka F, Chaccour C, Foy B, Gold S, Gonzalez-Silva M, Jacobson J, Jagoe G, Jones C, Kachur P, Kobylinski K, Last A, Lavery JV, Mabey D, Mboera D, Mbogo C, Mendez-Lopez A, Rabinovich NR, Rees S, Richards F, Rist C, Rockwood J, Ruiz-Castillo P, Sattabongkot J, Saute F, Slater H, Steer A, Xia K, Zullinger R. A Roadmap for the Development of Ivermectin as a Complementary Malaria Vector Control Tool. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2020; 102:3-24. [PMID: 31971144 PMCID: PMC7008306 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.19-0620] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
In the context of stalling progress against malaria, resistance of mosquitoes to insecticides, and residual transmission, mass drug administration (MDA) of ivermectin, an endectocide used for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs), has emerged as a promising complementary vector control method. Ivermectin reduces the life span of Anopheles mosquitoes that feed on treated humans and/or livestock, potentially decreasing malaria parasite transmission when administered at the community level. Following the publication by WHO of the preferred product characteristics for endectocides as vector control tools, this roadmap provides a comprehensive view of processes needed to make ivermectin available as a vector control tool by 2024 with a completely novel mechanism of action. The roadmap covers various aspects, which include 1) the definition of optimal dosage/regimens for ivermectin MDA in both humans and livestock, 2) the risk of resistance to the drug and environmental impact, 3) ethical issues, 4) political and community engagement, 5) translation of evidence into policy, and 6) operational aspects of large-scale deployment of the drug, all in the context of a drug given as a prevention tool acting at the community level. The roadmap reflects the insights of a multidisciplinary group of global health experts who worked together to elucidate the path to inclusion of ivermectin in the toolbox against malaria, to address residual transmission, counteract insecticide resistance, and contribute to the end of this deadly disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Fred Binka
- University of Health and Allied Sciences
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Anna Last
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
| | | | - David Mabey
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Cassidy Rist
- Virginia-Maryland College of Veterinary Medicine at Virginia Tech
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Kang Xia
- School of Plant and Environmental Sciences, Virginia Tech
| | - Rose Zullinger
- US President’s Malaria Initiative/US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
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28
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Metzger WG, Theurer A, Pfleiderer A, Molnar Z, Maihöfer-Braatting D, Bissinger AL, Sulyok Z, Köhler C, Egger-Adam D, Lalremruata A, Esen M, Lee Sim K, Hoffman S, Rabinovich R, Chaccour C, Alonso P, Mordmüller BG, Kremsner PG. Ivermectin for causal malaria prophylaxis: a randomised controlled human infection trial. Trop Med Int Health 2020; 25:380-386. [PMID: 31808594 DOI: 10.1111/tmi.13357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Ivermectin is safe and widely used for treating helminth infections. It also kills arthropods feeding on treated subjects, including malaria vectors. Thus, ivermectin mass drug administration as an additional tool for malaria control is being evaluated by WHO. As in vitro data, animal experiments and epidemiological observations suggest that ivermectin has a direct effect on the liver stages of the malaria parasite, this study was designed to assess the prophylactic effect of ivermectin on Plasmodium falciparum controlled human malaria infection. METHODS A total of 4 volunteers were randomised to placebo, and 8 volunteers were randomised to receive ivermectin 0.4 mg/kg, orally, once 2 h before being experimentally infected intravenously with 3200 P. falciparum sporozoites. The primary endpoint was time to parasitaemia detected by positive thick blood smear; RT-qPCR was performed in parallel. RESULTS All but one volunteer became thick blood smear positive between day 11 and day 12 after infection, and there was no significant effect of ivermectin on parasitaemia. CONCLUSION Ivermectin - at the dose used - has no clinically relevant activity against the pre-erythrocytic stages of P. falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wolfram G Metzger
- Institute for Tropical Medicine, German Center for Infection Research, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Antje Theurer
- Institute for Tropical Medicine, German Center for Infection Research, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Anne Pfleiderer
- Institute for Tropical Medicine, German Center for Infection Research, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Zsofia Molnar
- Institute for Tropical Medicine, German Center for Infection Research, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Alfred L Bissinger
- Institute for Tropical Medicine, German Center for Infection Research, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Zita Sulyok
- Institute for Tropical Medicine, German Center for Infection Research, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Carsten Köhler
- Institute for Tropical Medicine, German Center for Infection Research, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Diane Egger-Adam
- Institute for Tropical Medicine, German Center for Infection Research, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Albert Lalremruata
- Institute for Tropical Medicine, German Center for Infection Research, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Meral Esen
- Institute for Tropical Medicine, German Center for Infection Research, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Benjamin G Mordmüller
- Institute for Tropical Medicine, German Center for Infection Research, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
| | - Peter G Kremsner
- Institute for Tropical Medicine, German Center for Infection Research, Tübingen, Germany.,Centre de Recherches Médicales de Lambaréné, Lambaréné, Gabon
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29
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Vera IM, Grilo Ruivo MT, Lemos Rocha LF, Marques S, Bhatia SN, Mota MM, Mancio-Silva L. Targeting liver stage malaria with metformin. JCI Insight 2019; 4:127441. [PMID: 31852843 DOI: 10.1172/jci.insight.127441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2019] [Accepted: 11/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite an unprecedented 2 decades of success, the combat against malaria - the mosquito-transmitted disease caused by Plasmodium parasites - is no longer progressing. Efforts toward eradication are threatened by the lack of an effective vaccine and a rise in antiparasite drug resistance. Alternative approaches are urgently needed. Repurposing of available, approved drugs with distinct modes of action are being considered as viable and immediate adjuncts to standard antimicrobial treatment. Such strategies may be well suited to the obligatory and clinically silent first phase of Plasmodium infection, where massive parasite replication occurs within hepatocytes in the liver. Here, we report that the widely used antidiabetic drug, metformin, impairs parasite liver stage development of both rodent-infecting Plasmodium berghei and human-infecting P. falciparum parasites. Prophylactic treatment with metformin curtails parasite intracellular growth in vitro. An additional effect was observed in mice with a decrease in the numbers of infected hepatocytes. Moreover, metformin provided in combination with conventional liver- or blood-acting antimalarial drugs further reduced the total burden of P. berghei infection and substantially lessened disease severity in mice. Together, our findings indicate that repurposing of metformin in a prophylactic regimen could be considered for malaria chemoprevention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iset Medina Vera
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Margarida T Grilo Ruivo
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Leonardo F Lemos Rocha
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Sofia Marques
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Sangeeta N Bhatia
- Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Cambridge, Masschusetts, USA
| | - Maria M Mota
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Liliana Mancio-Silva
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.,Institute for Medical Engineering and Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA.,Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
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30
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Azevedo R, Mendes AM, Prudêncio M. Inhibition of Plasmodium sporogonic stages by ivermectin and other avermectins. Parasit Vectors 2019; 12:549. [PMID: 31752986 PMCID: PMC6873674 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-019-3805-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2019] [Accepted: 11/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The transmissible forms of Plasmodium parasites result from a process of sporogony that takes place inside their obligatory mosquito vector and culminates in the formation of mammalian-infective parasite forms. Ivermectin is a member of the avermectin family of endectocides, which has been proposed to inhibit malaria transmission due its insecticidal effect. However, it remains unclear whether ivermectin also exerts a direct action on the parasite’s blood and transmission stages. Methods We employed a rodent model of infection to assess the impact of ivermectin treatment on P. berghei asexual and sexual blood forms in vivo. We then made use of a newly established luminescence-based methodology to evaluate the activity of ivermectin and other avermectins against the sporogonic stages of P. berghei parasites in vitro independent of their role on mosquito physiology. Results Our results show that whereas ivermectin does not affect the parasite’s parasitemia, gametocytemia or exflagellation in the mammalian host, several members of the avermectin family of compounds exert a strong inhibitory effect on the generation and development of P. berghei oocysts. Conclusions Our results shed light on the action of avermectins against Plasmodium transmission stages and highlight the potential of these compounds to help prevent the spread of malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Azevedo
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-028, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - António M Mendes
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-028, Lisbon, Portugal.
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Professor Egas Moniz, 1649-028, Lisbon, Portugal.
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Sanches-Vaz M, Temporão A, Luis R, Nunes-Cabaço H, Mendes AM, Goellner S, Carvalho T, Figueiredo LM, Prudêncio M. Trypanosoma brucei infection protects mice against malaria. PLoS Pathog 2019; 15:e1008145. [PMID: 31703103 PMCID: PMC6867654 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2019] [Revised: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Sleeping sickness and malaria are parasitic diseases with overlapping geographical distributions in sub-Saharan Africa. We hypothesized that the immune response elicited by an infection with Trypanosoma brucei, the etiological agent of sleeping sickness, would inhibit a subsequent infection by Plasmodium, the malaria parasite, decreasing the severity of its associated pathology. To investigate this, we established a new co-infection model in which mice were initially infected with T. brucei, followed by administration of P. berghei sporozoites. We observed that a primary infection by T. brucei significantly attenuates a subsequent infection by the malaria parasite, protecting mice from experimental cerebral malaria and prolonging host survival. We further observed that an ongoing T. brucei infection leads to an accumulation of lymphocyte-derived IFN-γ in the liver, limiting the establishment of a subsequent hepatic infection by P. berghei sporozoites. Thus, we identified a novel host-mediated interaction between two parasitic infections, which may be epidemiologically relevant in regions of Trypanosoma/Plasmodium co-endemicity. Despite the geographical overlap between the parasites that cause sleeping sickness and malaria, the reciprocal impact of a co-infection by T. brucei and Plasmodium had hitherto not been assessed. We hypothesized that the strong immune response elicited by a T. brucei infection could potentially limit the ability of Plasmodium parasites to infect the same host. In this study, we showed that a primary infection by T. brucei significantly attenuates a subsequent infection by the malaria parasite. Importantly, a significant proportion of the co-infected mice do not develop Plasmodium parasitemia, and those few that do, do not display symptoms of severe malaria and survive longer than their singly infected counterparts. We further showed that the prevention or delay in appearance of malaria parasites in the blood results from a dramatic impairment of the preceding liver infection by Plasmodium, which is mediated by the strong immune response mounted against the primary T. brucei infection. Our study provides new insights for a novel inter-pathogen interaction that may bear great epidemiological significance in regions of Trypanosoma/Plasmodium co-endemicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Margarida Sanches-Vaz
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Adriana Temporão
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Rafael Luis
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Helena Nunes-Cabaço
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - António M. Mendes
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Sarah Goellner
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Tânia Carvalho
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Luisa M. Figueiredo
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- * E-mail: (LMF); (MP)
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- * E-mail: (LMF); (MP)
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Sequeira J, Louçã J, Mendes AM, Lind PG. Transition from endemic behavior to eradication of malaria due to combined drug therapies: An agent-model approach. J Theor Biol 2019; 484:110030. [PMID: 31568789 DOI: 10.1016/j.jtbi.2019.110030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2019] [Revised: 09/14/2019] [Accepted: 09/26/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
We introduce an agent-based model describing a susceptible-infectious-susceptible (SIS) system of humans and mosquitoes to predict malaria epidemiological scenarios in realistic biological conditions. Emphasis is given to the transition from endemic behavior to eradication of malaria transmission induced by combined drug therapies acting on both the gametocytemia reduction and on the selective mosquito mortality during parasite development in the mosquito. Our mathematical framework enables to uncover the critical values of the parameters characterizing the effect of each drug therapy. Moreover, our results provide quantitative evidence of what was up to now only partially assumed with empirical support: interventions combining gametocytemia reduction through the use of gametocidal drugs, with the selective action of ivermectin during parasite development in the mosquito, may actively promote disease eradication in the long run. In the agent model, the main properties of human-mosquito interactions are implemented as parameters and the model is validated by comparing simulations with real data of malaria incidence collected in the endemic malaria region of Chimoio in Mozambique. Finally, we discuss our findings in light of current drug administration strategies for malaria prevention, which may interfere with human-to-mosquito transmission process.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Sequeira
- Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), ISTAR-IUL, Av. das Forças Armadas, Lisboa 1649-026, Portugal; Hospital Santa Cruz, Av. Prof. Dr. Reinaldo dos Santos, Carnaxide 2790-134, Portugal
| | - Jorge Louçã
- Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), ISTAR-IUL, Av. das Forças Armadas, Lisboa 1649-026, Portugal
| | - António M Mendes
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, Lisboa 1649-028, Portugal
| | - Pedro G Lind
- Instituto Universitário de Lisboa (ISCTE-IUL), ISTAR-IUL, Av. das Forças Armadas, Lisboa 1649-026, Portugal; Department of Computer Science, OsloMet - Oslo Metropolitan University, P.O. Box 4 St. Olavs plass, Oslo N-0130, Norway.
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Ivermectin Impairs the Development of Sexual and Asexual Stages of Plasmodium falciparum In Vitro. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2019; 63:AAC.00085-19. [PMID: 31109978 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00085-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2019] [Accepted: 05/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Ivermectin is the drug of choice for many parasitic infections, with more than one billion doses being distributed in onchocerciasis programs. The drug has been put into focus recently by the malaria community because of its potential to kill blood-sucking mosquitoes, thereby reducing malaria transmission. However, the activity of ivermectin against the malaria parasite itself has been only partly investigated. This study aimed to investigate the in vitro activity of ivermectin against asexual and sexual stages of Plasmodium falciparum Both asexual and late-stage gametocytes were incubated with ivermectin and control drugs in vitro The growth-inhibiting effects were assessed for asexual stages of different Plasmodium falciparum laboratory strains and culture-adapted clinical isolates using the histidine-rich protein 2 enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay technique. The effect against stage IV/V gametocytes was evaluated based on ATP quantification. Ivermectin showed activities at nanomolar concentrations against asexual stages (50% inhibitory concentration of ∼100 nM) and stage IV/V gametocytes (500 nM) of P. falciparum Stage-specific assays suggested that ivermectin arrests the parasite cycle at the trophozoite stage. Ivermectin might add a feature to its "wonder drug" properties with activity against asexual stages of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum The observed activities might be difficult to reach with current regimens but will be more relevant with future high-dose regimens under investigation. Further studies should be performed to confirm these results in vitro and in vivo.
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Batiha GES, Beshbishy AM, Tayebwa DS, Adeyemi OS, Yokoyama N, Igarashi I. Evaluation of the inhibitory effect of ivermectin on the growth of Babesia and Theileria parasites in vitro and in vivo. Trop Med Health 2019; 47:42. [PMID: 31337949 PMCID: PMC6625054 DOI: 10.1186/s41182-019-0171-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/24/2019] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Treatment is the principle way to control and eliminate piroplasmosis. The search for new chemotherapy against Babesia and Theileria has become increasingly urgent due to parasite resistance to current drugs. Ivermectin (IVM) was the world’s first endectocide, capable of killing a wide variety of parasites and vectors, both inside and outside the body. It is currently authorized to treat onchocerciasis, lymphatic filariasis, strongyloidiasis, and scabies. The current study documented the efficacy of IVM on the growth of Babesia and Theileria in vitro and in vivo. Methods The fluorescence-based assay was used for evaluating the inhibitory effect of IVM on four Babesia species, including B. bovis, B. bigemina, B. divergens, B. caballi, and Theileria equi, the combination with diminazene aceturate (DA), clofazimine (CF), and atovaquone (AQ) on in vitro cultures, and on the multiplication of a B. microti-infected mouse model. The cytotoxicity of compounds was tested on Madin–Darby bovine kidney (MDBK), mouse embryonic fibroblast (NIH/3 T3), and human foreskin fibroblast (HFF) cell lines. Results The half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values determined for IVM against B. bovis, B. bigemina, B. divergens, B. caballi, and T. equi were 53.3 ± 4.8, 98.6 ± 5.7, 30.1 ± 2.2, 43.7 ± 3.7, and 90.1 ± 8.1 μM, respectively. Toxicity assays on MDBK, NIH/3 T3, and HFF cell lines showed that IVM affected the viability of cells with a half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) of 138.9 ± 4.9, 283.8 ± 3.6, and 287.5 ± 7.6 μM, respectively. In the in vivo experiment, IVM, when administered intraperitoneally at 4 mg/kg, significantly (p < 0.05) inhibited the growth of B. microti in mice by 63%. Furthermore, combination therapies of IVM–DA, IVM–AQ, and IVM–CF at a half dose reduced the peak parasitemia of B. microti by 83.7%, 76.5%, and 74.4%, respectively. Moreover, this study confirmed the absence of B. microti DNA in groups treated with combination chemotherapy of IVM + DA and IVM + AQ 49 days after infection. Conclusions These findings suggest that IVM has the potential to be an alternative remedy for treating piroplasmosis. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s41182-019-0171-8) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gaber El-Saber Batiha
- 1National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Nishi 2-13, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555 Japan.,2Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour, El Beheira 22511 Egypt
| | - Amani Magdy Beshbishy
- 1National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Nishi 2-13, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555 Japan
| | - Dickson Stuart Tayebwa
- 1National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Nishi 2-13, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555 Japan.,3Research Center for Tick and Tick-Borne Diseases, College of Veterinary Medicine, Animal Resources and Biosecurity, Makerere University, PO Box 7062, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Oluyomi Stephen Adeyemi
- 4Medicinal Biochemistry, Nanomedicine and Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara 251101 Nigeria
| | - Naoaki Yokoyama
- 1National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Nishi 2-13, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555 Japan
| | - Ikuo Igarashi
- 1National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Nishi 2-13, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido 080-8555 Japan
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Synthesis and antiplasmodial evaluation of novel mefloquine-based fumardiamides. ACTA PHARMACEUTICA (ZAGREB, CROATIA) 2019; 69:233-248. [PMID: 31259728 DOI: 10.2478/acph-2019-0019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 02/14/2019] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
The paper is focused on the synthesis and screening of the antiplasmodial activity of novel fumardiamides 5-10 with the mefloquine pharmacophore and a Michael acceptor motif. Multi-step reactions leading to the title compounds included two amide bond formations. The first amide bond was achieved by the reaction of (E)-ethyl 4-chloro-4-oxobut-2-enoate (1) and N1-(2,8-bis(trifluoromethyl)quinolin-4-yl) butane-1,4-diamine (2). The obtained ester 3 was hydrolyzed and gave acid 4, which then reacted with the selected halogenanilines in the presence of HATU/DIEA and formed products 5-10. Title compounds showed marked, dose dependent activity in vitro against hepatic stages of Plasmodium berghei. IC50 values of the most active compounds 5, 7 and 9 bearing 3-fluoro, 3-chloro and 3-trifluoromethyl substituents were 3.04-4.16 µmol L-1, respectively. On the other hand, the compounds exerted only weak activity against the erythrocytic stages of two P. falciparum strains (Pf3D7 and PfDd2) in vitro, with the exception of compound 5 (IC50 = 2.9 µmol L-1).
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Foy BD, Alout H, Seaman JA, Rao S, Magalhaes T, Wade M, Parikh S, Soma DD, Sagna AB, Fournet F, Slater HC, Bougma R, Drabo F, Diabaté A, Coulidiaty AGV, Rouamba N, Dabiré RK. Efficacy and risk of harms of repeat ivermectin mass drug administrations for control of malaria (RIMDAMAL): a cluster-randomised trial. Lancet 2019; 393:1517-1526. [PMID: 30878222 PMCID: PMC6459982 DOI: 10.1016/s0140-6736(18)32321-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 73] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 09/13/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ivermectin is widely used in mass drug administrations for controlling neglected parasitic diseases, and can be lethal to malaria vectors that bite treated humans. Therefore, it could be a new tool to reduce plasmodium transmission. We tested the hypothesis that frequently repeated mass administrations of ivermectin to village residents would reduce clinical malaria episodes in children and would be well tolerated with minimal harms. METHODS We invited villages (clusters) in Burkina Faso to participate in a single-blind (outcomes assessor), parallel-assignment, two-arm, cluster-randomised trial over the 2015 rainy season. Villages were assigned (1:1) by random draw to either the intervention group or the control group. In both groups, all eligible participants who consented to the treatment and were at least 90 cm in height received single oral doses of ivermectin (150-200 μg/kg) and albendazole (400 mg), and those in the intervention group received five further doses of ivermectin alone at 3-week intervals thereafter over the 18-week treatment phase. The primary outcome was cumulative incidence of uncomplicated malaria episodes over 18 weeks (analysed on a cluster intention-to-treat basis) in an active case detection cohort of children aged 5 years or younger living in the study villages. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02509481. FINDINGS Eight villages agreed to participate, and four were randomly assigned to each group. 2712 participants (1333 [49%] males and 1379 [51%] females; median age 15 years [IQR 6-34]), including 590 children aged 5 years or younger, provided consent and were enrolled between May 22 and July 20, 2015 (except for 77 participants enrolled after these dates because of unavailability before the first mass drug administration, travel into the village during the trial, or birth), with 1447 enrolled into the intervention group and 1265 into the control group. 330 (23%) participants in the intervention group and 233 (18%) in the control group met the exclusion criteria for mass drug administration. Most children in the active case detection cohort were not treated because of height restrictions. 14 (4%) children in the intervention group and 10 (4%) in the control group were lost to follow-up. Cumulative malaria incidence was reduced in the intervention group (648 episodes among 327 children; estimated mean 2·00 episodes per child) compared with the control group (647 episodes among 263 children; 2·49 episodes per child; risk difference -0·49 [95% CI -0·79 to -0·21], p=0·0009, adjusted for sex and clustering). The risk of adverse events among all participants did not differ between groups (45 events [3%] among 1447 participants in the intervention group vs 24 events [2%] among 1265 in the control group; risk ratio 1·63 [1·01 to 2·67]; risk difference 1·21 [0·04 to 2·38], p=0·060), and no adverse reactions were reported. INTERPRETATION Frequently repeated mass administrations of ivermectin during the malaria transmission season can reduce malaria episodes among children without significantly increasing harms in the populace. FUNDING Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D Foy
- Arthropod-borne and Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA.
| | - Haoues Alout
- Arthropod-borne and Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Jonathan A Seaman
- Arthropod-borne and Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Sangeeta Rao
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Tereza Magalhaes
- Arthropod-borne and Infectious Diseases Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO, USA
| | - Martina Wade
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Sunil Parikh
- Department of Epidemiology of Microbial Diseases, Yale School of Public Health, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Dieudonné D Soma
- Institute of Research in Health Sciences, Western Regional Direction, National Center for Scientific and Technological Research, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso; International Mixed Laboratory on Vector Diseases, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - André B Sagna
- International Mixed Laboratory on Vector Diseases, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso; Research Institute for Development, Infectious Diseases, and Vectors: Ecology, Genetics, Evolution and Control, National Centre for Scientific Research, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Florence Fournet
- International Mixed Laboratory on Vector Diseases, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso; Research Institute for Development, Infectious Diseases, and Vectors: Ecology, Genetics, Evolution and Control, National Centre for Scientific Research, University of Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Hannah C Slater
- MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Imperial College London, London, UK
| | - Roland Bougma
- National Program for the Fight against Neglected Tropical Diseases, Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - François Drabo
- National Program for the Fight against Neglected Tropical Diseases, Department of Disease Control, Ministry of Health, Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | - Abdoulaye Diabaté
- Institute of Research in Health Sciences, Western Regional Direction, National Center for Scientific and Technological Research, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso; International Mixed Laboratory on Vector Diseases, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Nöel Rouamba
- Institute of Research in Health Sciences, Western Regional Direction, National Center for Scientific and Technological Research, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
| | - Roch K Dabiré
- Institute of Research in Health Sciences, Western Regional Direction, National Center for Scientific and Technological Research, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso; International Mixed Laboratory on Vector Diseases, Bobo-Dioulasso, Burkina Faso
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Beus M, Rajić Z, Maysinger D, Mlinarić Z, Antunović M, Marijanović I, Fontinha D, Prudêncio M, Held J, Olgen S, Zorc B. SAHAquines, Novel Hybrids Based on SAHA and Primaquine Motifs, as Potential Cytostatic and Antiplasmodial Agents. ChemistryOpen 2018; 7:624-638. [PMID: 30151334 PMCID: PMC6104433 DOI: 10.1002/open.201800117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
We report the synthesis of SAHAquines and related primaquine (PQ) derivatives. SAHAquines are novel hybrid compounds that combine moieties of suberoylanilide hydroxamic acid (SAHA), an anticancer agent with weak antiplasmodial activity, and PQ, an antimalarial drug with low antiproliferative activity. The preparation of SAHAquines is simple, cheap, and high yielding. It includes the following steps: coupling reaction between primaquine and a dicarboxylic acid monoester, hydrolysis, a new coupling reaction with O-protected hydroxylamine, and deprotection. SAHAquines 5 a-d showed significant reduction in cell viability. Among the three human cancer cell lines (U2OS, HepG2, and MCF-7), the most responsive were the MCF-7 cells. The antibodies against acetylated histone H3K9/H3K14 in MCF-7 cells revealed a significant enhancement following treatment with N-hydroxy-N'-{4-[(6-methoxyquinolin-8-yl)amino]pentyl}pentanediamide (5 b). Ethyl (2E)-3-({4-[(6-methoxyquinolin-8-yl)amino]pentyl}carbamoyl)prop-2-enoate (2 b) and SAHAquines were the most active compounds against both the hepatic and erythrocytic stages of Plasmodium parasites, some of them at sub-micromolar concentrations. The results of our research suggest that SAHAquines are promising leads for new anticancer and antimalarial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maja Beus
- Faculty of Pharmacy and BiochemistryUniversity of ZagrebA. Kovačića 110 000ZagrebCroatia
| | - Zrinka Rajić
- Faculty of Pharmacy and BiochemistryUniversity of ZagrebA. Kovačića 110 000ZagrebCroatia
| | - Dusica Maysinger
- Department of Pharmacology and TherapeuticsMcGill University23655 Promenade Sir-William-Osler, McIntyre Medical Sciences BuildingMontrealQuebecH3G 1Y6Canada
| | - Zvonimir Mlinarić
- Faculty of Pharmacy and BiochemistryUniversity of ZagrebA. Kovačića 110 000ZagrebCroatia
| | - Maja Antunović
- Faculty of ScienceUniversity of ZagrebHorvatovac 102A10 000ZagrebCroatia
| | - Inga Marijanović
- Faculty of ScienceUniversity of ZagrebHorvatovac 102A10 000ZagrebCroatia
| | - Diana Fontinha
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de MedicinaUniversidade de LisboaAv. Prof. Egas Moniz1649-028LisboaPortugal
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de MedicinaUniversidade de LisboaAv. Prof. Egas Moniz1649-028LisboaPortugal
| | - Jana Held
- Institute of Tropical MedicineUniversity of TübingenWilhelmstraße 2772074TübingenGermany
| | - Sureyya Olgen
- Faculty of PharmacyBiruni University10th street No: 4534010 TopkapiIstanbulTurkey
| | - Branka Zorc
- Faculty of Pharmacy and BiochemistryUniversity of ZagrebA. Kovačića 110 000ZagrebCroatia
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Promising approach to reducing Malaria transmission by ivermectin: Sporontocidal effect against Plasmodium vivax in the South American vectors Anopheles aquasalis and Anopheles darlingi. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006221. [PMID: 29444080 PMCID: PMC5828505 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2017] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 01/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The mosquito resistance to the insecticides threatens malaria control efforts, potentially becoming a major public health issue. Alternative methods like ivermectin (IVM) administration to humans has been suggested as a possible vector control to reduce Plasmodium transmission. Anopheles aquasalis and Anopheles darlingi are competent vectors for Plasmodium vivax, and they have been responsible for various malaria outbreaks in the coast of Brazil and the Amazon Region of South America. Methods To determine the IVM susceptibility against P. vivax in An. aquasalis and An. darlingi, ivermectin were mixed in P. vivax infected blood: (1) Powdered IVM at four concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20 or 40 ng/mL). (2) Plasma (0 hours, 4 hours, 1 day, 5, 10 and 14 days) was collected from healthy volunteers after to administer a single oral dose of IVM (200 μg/kg) (3) Mosquitoes infected with P. vivax and after 4 days was provided with IVM plasma collected 4 hours post-treatment (4) P. vivax-infected patients were treated with various combinations of IVM, chloroquine, and primaquine and plasma or whole blood was collected at 4 hours. Seven days after the infective blood meal, mosquitoes were dissected to evaluate oocyst presence. Additionally, the ex vivo effects of IVM against asexual blood-stage P. vivax was evaluated. Results IVM significantly reduced the prevalence of An. aquasalis that developed oocysts in 10 to 40 ng/mL pIVM concentrations and plasma 4 hours, 1 day and 5 days. In An. darlingi to 4 hours and 1 day. The An. aquasalis mortality was expressively increased in pIVM (40ng/mL) and plasma 4 hours, 1, 5 10 and 14 days post-intake drug and in An. darlingi only to 4 hours and 1 day. The double fed meal with mIVM by the mosquitoes has a considerable impact on the proportion of infected mosquitoes for 7 days post-feeding. The oocyst infection prevalence and intensity were notably reduced when mosquitoes ingested blood from P. vivax patients that ingested IVM+CQ, PQ+CQ and IVM+PQ+CQ. P. vivax asexual development was considerably inhibited by mIVM at four-fold dilutions. Conclusion In conclusion, whole blood spiked with IVM reduced the infection rate of P. vivax in An. aquasalis and An. darlingi, and increased the mortality of mosquitoes. Plasma from healthy volunteers after IVM administration affect asexual P. vivax development. These findings support that ivermectin may be used to decrease P. vivax transmission. Malaria is one of the most important infectious diseases in the world with hundreds of millions of new cases every year. The disease is caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium where Plasmodium vivax represent most of the cases in the Americas. Current strategies to combat malaria transmission are being implemented; however, widespread insecticide resistance in vectors threatens the effectiveness of vector control programs. Ivermectin (IVM) has arisen as a new potential tool to be added to these programs as it has mosquito-lethal and sporontocidal properties making it a promising transmission reduction drug. Plasmodium vivax was drawn from patients, mixed with powdered IVM and metabolized IVM in plasma collected from healthy volunteers receiving IVM, and fed to mosquitoes via membrane feeding. Powdered and metabolized IVM interrupt P. vivax transmission, reducing oocyst infection and intensity rate of two South American malaria vectors An. aquasalis and An. darlingi. We also demonstrate the effect of IVM on asexual stages development of P. vivax, providing evidence that IVM may affect different parasite life cycle stages. Our findings place IVM as a strong candidate for malaria transmission reducing interventions.
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Machado M, Sanches-Vaz M, Cruz JP, Mendes AM, Prudêncio M. Inhibition of Plasmodium Hepatic Infection by Antiretroviral Compounds. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2017; 7:329. [PMID: 28770176 PMCID: PMC5515864 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2017.00329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 07/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent WHO guidelines on control of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) call for the widespread use of antiretroviral (AR) therapy (ART) for people living with HIV. Given the considerable overlap between infections by HIV and Plasmodium, the causative agent of malaria, it is important to understand the impact of AR compounds and ART regimens on infections by malaria parasites. We undertook a systematic approach to identify AR drugs and ART drug combinations with inhibitory activity against the obligatory hepatic stage of Plasmodium infection. Our in vitro screen of a wide array of AR drugs identified the non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors efavirenz and etravirine (ETV), and the protease inhibitor nelfinavir, as compounds that significantly impair the development of the rodent malaria parasite P. berghei in an hepatoma cell line. Furthermore, we show that WHO-recommended ART drug combinations currently employed in the field strongly inhibit Plasmodium liver infection in mice, an effect that may be significantly enhanced by the inclusion of ETV in the treatment. Our observations are the first report of ETV as an anti-Plasmodial drug, paving the way for further evaluation and potential use of ETV-containing ARTs in regions of geographical overlap between HIV and Plasmodium infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Machado
- Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Universidade de LisboaLisboa, Portugal
| | - Margarida Sanches-Vaz
- Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Universidade de LisboaLisboa, Portugal
| | - João P Cruz
- iMed.UL-Research Institute for Medicines and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade de LisboaLisboa, Portugal
| | - António M Mendes
- Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Universidade de LisboaLisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Faculdade de Medicina, Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Universidade de LisboaLisboa, Portugal
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Bioluminescence Method for In Vitro Screening of Plasmodium Transmission-Blocking Compounds. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2017; 61:AAC.02699-16. [PMID: 28348156 PMCID: PMC5444155 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02699-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2016] [Accepted: 03/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The sporogonic stage of the life cycle of Plasmodium spp., the causative agents of malaria, occurs inside the parasite's mosquito vector, where a process of fertilization, meiosis, and mitotic divisions culminates in the generation of large numbers of mammalian-infective sporozoites. Efforts to cultivate Plasmodium mosquito stages in vitro have proved challenging and yielded only moderate success. Here, we describe a methodology that simplifies the in vitro screening of much-needed transmission-blocking (TB) compounds employing a bioluminescence-based method to monitor the in vitro development of sporogonic stages of the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei. Our proof-of-principle assessment of the in vitro TB activity of several commonly used antimalarial compounds identified cycloheximide, thiostrepton, and atovaquone as the most active compounds against the parasite's sporogonic stages. The TB activity of these compounds was further confirmed by in vivo studies that validated our newly developed in vitro approach to TB compound screening.
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Chaccour C, Rabinovich NR. Ivermectin to reduce malaria transmission III. Considerations regarding regulatory and policy pathways. Malar J 2017; 16:162. [PMID: 28434407 PMCID: PMC5402052 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-017-1803-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2017] [Accepted: 04/06/2017] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Vector control is a task previously relegated to products that (a) kill the mosquitoes directly at different stages (insecticides, larvicides, baited traps), or (b) avoid/reduce human-mosquito contact (bed nets, repellents, house screening), thereby reducing transmission. The potential community-based administration of the endectocide ivermectin with the intent to kill mosquitoes that bite humans, and thus reduce malaria transmission, offers a novel approach using a well-known drug, but additional steps are required to address technical, regulatory and policy gaps. The proposed community administration of this drug presents dual novel paradigms; first, indirect impact on the community rather than on individuals, and second, the use of a drug for vector control. In this paper, the main questions related to the regulatory and policy pathways for such an application are identified. Succinct answers are proposed for how the efficacy, safety, acceptability, cost-effectiveness and programmatic suitability could result in regulatory approval and ultimately policy recommendations on the use of ivermectin as a complementary vector control tool.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Chaccour
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Ctr. Int. Health Res. (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. .,Centro de Investigação Em Saúde de Manhiça, Maputo, Mozambique. .,Instituto de Salud Tropical Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
| | - N Regina Rabinovich
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Ctr. Int. Health Res. (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.,Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
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Chaccour CJ, Rabinovich NR. Oral, Slow-Release Ivermectin: Biting Back at Malaria Vectors. Trends Parasitol 2017; 33:156-158. [PMID: 28065670 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2016.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2016] [Accepted: 12/09/2016] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Bellinger and colleagues offer an elegant twist for a promising new tool against malaria. This formulation is designed to release ivermectin, a mosquito-killing drug for 10 days after a single oral dose. This could reduce the vector population and serve as a complementary tool for malaria elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos J Chaccour
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Ctr. Int. Health Res. (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Centro de Investigação em Saúde de Manhiça, Maputo, Mozambique; Instituto de Salud Tropical Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain.
| | - N Regina Rabinovich
- ISGlobal, Barcelona Ctr. Int. Health Res. (CRESIB), Hospital Clínic - Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, USA
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Alout H, Foy BD. Ivermectin: a complimentary weapon against the spread of malaria? Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2016; 15:231-240. [PMID: 27960597 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2017.1271713] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Ivermectin has transformed the treatment of parasitic diseases and led to incommensurable benefits to humans and animals. Ivermectin is effective in treating several neglected infectious diseases and recently it has been shown to reduce malaria parasite transmission. Areas covered: Malaria control strategies could benefit from the addition of ivermectin to interrupt the transmission cycle if it is a long lasting formulation or repeatedly administered. In turn, this will help also to control neglected infectious diseases where the elimination goal has been slower to achieve. Despite the relevance of using ivermectin for integrated and sustained disease control, there are still essential questions that remain to be addressed about safety and practicality. The efficacy in various malaria ecologies and the interaction between control tools, either drugs or insecticides, are also important to assess. Expert commentary: Overlapping distribution of several infectious diseases reveals the benefit of integrating control programs against several infectious diseases into one strategy for cost effectiveness and to reach the elimination goals. The use of ivermectin to control malaria transmission will necessitate development and testing of long-lasting formulations or repeated treatments, and implementation of these treatments with other disease control tools may increase the chance of successful and sustained control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoues Alout
- a Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology & Arthropod-borne Infectious Diseases Laboratory , Colorado State University , Fort Collins , CO , USA
| | - Brian D Foy
- a Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology & Arthropod-borne Infectious Diseases Laboratory , Colorado State University , Fort Collins , CO , USA
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