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Cambra-Pellejà M, Valderas-García E, Balaña-Fouce R, de la Vega J, del Olmo E, Antwi-Ekwuruke J, Linnemann L, Heepmann L, Breloer M, Martínez-Valladares M. Evaluating alternative compounds for strongyloidiasis therapy: Novel insights from larval migration inhibition test. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0012532. [PMID: 39374184 PMCID: PMC11458022 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0012532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 09/12/2024] [Indexed: 10/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Strongyloidiasis is a neglected tropical disease estimated to affect more than 600 million people worldwide. Recently, the World Health Organization road map on neglected tropical diseases 2021-2030 has put the focus on strongyloidiasis, including this disease within its mass drug administration campaigns. With the use of ivermectin in extensive treatment of all populations at-risk, identifying effective therapeutic alternatives is crucial in case ivermectin resistance arises. The objective of the present study was the development of a larval migration inhibition assay to evaluate the anthelmintic efficacy of commercial drugs and diamine and aminoalcohol derivatives against infective Strongyloides ratti third stage larvae. Through this technique, we successfully screened and estimated the in vitro anthelmintic efficacy of six commercial drugs, seven diamine derivatives and eight aminoalcohol derivatives. Unexpectedly, the half-maximal effective concentration of ivermectin and moxidectin (2.21 and 2.34 μM, respectively) were observed as the highest value obtained among all commercial drugs tested by this in vitro technique. Moreover, some diamine and aminoalcohol derivatives showed superior efficacy inhibiting S. ratti motility compared to ivermectin, with five compounds (AA23, AA34, AO2 AO7 and AO14b) also displaying selectivity indexes on HepG2 and Caco2 higher than 1. These findings underscore the potential of these derivatives as promising alternatives for strongyloidiasis treatment, warranting further investigation and in vivo efficacy assessment.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Cambra-Pellejà
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana, León, Spain
- Instituto de Ganadería de Montaña (CSIC-Universidad de León), Grulleros, León, Spain
| | - Elora Valderas-García
- Departamento de Sanidad Animal, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana, León, Spain
| | - Rafael Balaña-Fouce
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Institute of Biomedicine (IBIOMED), Universidad de León, León, Spain
| | - Jennifer de la Vega
- Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas: Química Farmacéutica, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, CIETUS, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Esther del Olmo
- Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas: Química Farmacéutica, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, CIETUS, IBSAL, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Jennifer Antwi-Ekwuruke
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Section Interface, Helminth Immunology Group Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lara Linnemann
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Section Interface, Helminth Immunology Group Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lennart Heepmann
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Section Interface, Helminth Immunology Group Hamburg, Germany
| | - Minka Breloer
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Section Interface, Helminth Immunology Group Hamburg, Germany
- Department of Biology, University of Hamburg, Hambug, Germany
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Pereira Moreira B, Weber MHW, Haeberlein S, Mokosch AS, Spengler B, Grevelding CG, Falcone FH. Drug Repurposing and De Novo Drug Discovery of Protein Kinase Inhibitors as New Drugs against Schistosomiasis. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27041414. [PMID: 35209202 PMCID: PMC8879451 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27041414] [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: 12/21/2021] [Revised: 02/09/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease affecting more than 200 million people worldwide. Chemotherapy relies on one single drug, praziquantel, which is safe but ineffective at killing larval stages of this parasite. Furthermore, concerns have been expressed about the rise in resistance against this drug. In the absence of an antischistosomal vaccine, it is, therefore, necessary to develop new drugs against the different species of schistosomes. Protein kinases are important molecules involved in key cellular processes such as signaling, growth, and differentiation. The kinome of schistosomes has been studied and the suitability of schistosomal protein kinases as targets demonstrated by RNA interference studies. Although protein kinase inhibitors are mostly used in cancer therapy, e.g., for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia or melanoma, they are now being increasingly explored for the treatment of non-oncological conditions, including schistosomiasis. Here, we discuss the various approaches including screening of natural and synthetic compounds, de novo drug development, and drug repurposing in the context of the search for protein kinase inhibitors against schistosomiasis. We discuss the status quo of the development of kinase inhibitors against schistosomal serine/threonine kinases such as polo-like kinases (PLKs) and mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAP kinases), as well as protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Bernardo Pereira Moreira
- Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany; (B.P.M.); (M.H.W.W.); (S.H.); (C.G.G.)
| | - Michael H. W. Weber
- Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany; (B.P.M.); (M.H.W.W.); (S.H.); (C.G.G.)
| | - Simone Haeberlein
- Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany; (B.P.M.); (M.H.W.W.); (S.H.); (C.G.G.)
| | - Annika S. Mokosch
- Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany; (A.S.M.); (B.S.)
| | - Bernhard Spengler
- Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany; (A.S.M.); (B.S.)
| | - Christoph G. Grevelding
- Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany; (B.P.M.); (M.H.W.W.); (S.H.); (C.G.G.)
| | - Franco H. Falcone
- Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, 35392 Giessen, Germany; (B.P.M.); (M.H.W.W.); (S.H.); (C.G.G.)
- Correspondence:
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In Vitro Schistosomicidal Activity of the Alkaloid-Rich Fraction from Ruta graveolens L. (Rutaceae) and Its Characterization by UPLC-QTOF-MS. EVIDENCE-BASED COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE 2019; 2019:7909137. [PMID: 31827562 PMCID: PMC6885165 DOI: 10.1155/2019/7909137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 09/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease that affects million people worldwide, mostly in developing countries. Ruta graveolens (Rutaceae) is a plant used in folk medicine to treat several diseases, including parasitic infections. In this study, we reported the in vitro schistosomicidal activity of the R. graveolens extract (Rg) and its active fraction (Rg-FAE). Also, the characterization of Rg-FAE by UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS analysis and its in vitro antileishmanial activity against Leishmania braziliensis were also performed. In vitro schistosomicidal assays were assessed against adult worms of S. mansoni, while cell viability against peritoneal macrophages was measured by MTT assay. Rg (100 μg/mL) exhibited noticeable schistosomicidal activity, causing 100% mortality and decreasing motor activity of all adult male and female schistosomes, but with low activity against L. braziliensis. After chromatographic fractionation of Rg, fraction Rg-FAE was obtained, showing high activity against adult schistosomes. UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS analysis of Rg-FAE revealed the presence of eleven alkaloids and one furanocoumarin. No significant antileishmanial activity was found for Rg, while Rg-FAE exhibited activity against L. braziliensis promastigotes. We demonstrated, for the first time, that the R. graveolens extract (Rg) and its alkaloid-rich fraction (Rg-FAE) are active against adult worms of S. mansoni, with no significant cytotoxicity on macrophages. Our findings open the route to further antiparasitic studies with the active fraction of R. graveolens and its identified compounds, especially alkaloids.
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Botros SS, William S, Sabra ANA, El-Lakkany NM, Seif El-Din SH, García-Rubia A, Sebastián-Pérez V, Blaazer AR, de Heuvel E, Sijm M, Zheng Y, Salado IG, Munday JC, Maes L, de Esch IJP, Sterk GJ, Augustyns K, Leurs R, Gil C, De Koning HP. Screening of a PDE-focused library identifies imidazoles with in vitro and in vivo antischistosomal activity. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2019; 9:35-43. [PMID: 30669086 PMCID: PMC6350229 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2019.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2018] [Revised: 01/10/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
We report the evaluation of 265 compounds from a PDE-focused library for their antischistosomal activity, assessed in vitro using Schistosoma mansoni. Of the tested compounds, 171 (64%) displayed selective in vitro activity, with 16 causing worm hypermotility/spastic contractions and 41 inducing various degrees of worm killing at 100 μM, with the surviving worms displaying sluggish movement, worm unpairing and complete absence of eggs. The compounds that did not affect worm viability (n = 72) induced a complete cessation of ovipositing. 82% of the compounds had an impact on male worms whereas female worms were barely affected. In vivo evaluation in S. mansoni-infected mice with the in vitro 'hit' NPD-0274 at 20 mg/kg/day orally for 5 days resulted in worm burden reductions of 29% and intestinal tissue egg load reduction of 35% at 10 days post-treatment. Combination of praziquantel (PZQ) at 10 mg/kg/day for 5 days with NPD-0274 or NPD-0298 resulted in significantly higher worm killing than PZQ alone, as well as a reduction in intestinal tissue egg load, disappearance of immature eggs and an increase in the number of dead eggs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sanaa S Botros
- Pharmacology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Warrak El-Hadar, Imbaba, P.O. Box 30, Giza, 12411, Egypt
| | - Samia William
- Parasitology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Warrak El-Hadar, Imbaba, P.O. Box 30, Giza, 12411, Egypt
| | - Abdel-Nasser A Sabra
- Pharmacology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Warrak El-Hadar, Imbaba, P.O. Box 30, Giza, 12411, Egypt
| | - Naglaa M El-Lakkany
- Pharmacology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Warrak El-Hadar, Imbaba, P.O. Box 30, Giza, 12411, Egypt
| | - Sayed H Seif El-Din
- Pharmacology Department, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Warrak El-Hadar, Imbaba, P.O. Box 30, Giza, 12411, Egypt
| | | | | | - Antoni R Blaazer
- Medicinal Chemistry Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VUA), the Netherlands
| | - Erik de Heuvel
- Medicinal Chemistry Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VUA), the Netherlands
| | - Maarten Sijm
- Medicinal Chemistry Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VUA), the Netherlands
| | - Yang Zheng
- Medicinal Chemistry Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VUA), the Netherlands
| | | | - Jane C Munday
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8TA, UK
| | | | - Iwan J P de Esch
- Medicinal Chemistry Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VUA), the Netherlands
| | - Geert J Sterk
- Medicinal Chemistry Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VUA), the Netherlands
| | | | - Rob Leurs
- Medicinal Chemistry Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VUA), the Netherlands
| | - Carmen Gil
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CIB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Harry P De Koning
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, G12 8TA, UK.
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Rigo GV, Trein MR, da Silva Trentin D, Macedo AJ, de Oliveira BA, de Almeida AM, Giordani RB, de Almeida MV, Tasca T. Diamine derivative anti-Trichomonas vaginalis and anti-Tritrichomonas foetus activities by effect on polyamine metabolism. Biomed Pharmacother 2017; 95:847-855. [PMID: 28903180 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.09.007] [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: 07/14/2017] [Revised: 08/21/2017] [Accepted: 09/03/2017] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Human and bovine trichomoniasis are sexually transmitted diseases (STD) caused by Trichomonas vaginalis and Tritrichomonas foetus, respectively. Human trichomoniasis is the most common non-viral STD in the world and bovine trichomoniasis causes significant economic losses to breeders. Considering the significant impact of the infections caused by these protozoa and the treatment failures, the search for new therapeutic alternatives becomes crucial. In this study the effect of diamines and amino alcohols in the in vitro viability of trichomonads was evaluated. Screening demonstrated the high activity of diamine 4 against these protozoa. Although cytotoxicity against HMVII cell line and slight hemolysis were observed in vitro, the compound showed no toxic effect on the Galleria mellonella in vivo model. Importantly, diamine 4 was active against both trichomonads species at 6h and 24h of incubation, and these effects was reverted by putrescine, a polyamine, suggesting competition for the same metabolic pathway. These findings indicate that the mechanism of action of diamine 4 is through the polyamine metabolism, a pathway distinct from that presented by metronidazole, the drug usually used to treat trichomoniasis and to which resistance is widely reported. These data demonstrate the importance of diamines as potential novel candidates as anti-T. vaginalis and anti-T. foetus agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Graziela Vargas Rigo
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Parasitologia, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Ipiranga 2752, 90610-000, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Márcia Rodrigues Trein
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Parasitologia, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Ipiranga 2752, 90610-000, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Danielle da Silva Trentin
- Faculdade de Farmácia e Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre/RS, 90610-000, Brazil; Departamento de Ciências Básicas da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre/RS, 90050-170, Brazil
| | - Alexandre José Macedo
- Faculdade de Farmácia e Centro de Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre/RS, 90610-000, Brazil
| | - Bruno Assis de Oliveira
- Departamento de Química, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Cidade Universitária, Campos Martelos, 36036-900 Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
| | - Angelina Maria de Almeida
- Departamento de Química, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Cidade Universitária, Campos Martelos, 36036-900 Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
| | - Raquel Brandt Giordani
- Departamento de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Gustavo Cordeiro de Faria, SN, 59010-180, Natal-RN, Brazil
| | - Mauro Vieira de Almeida
- Departamento de Química, Instituto de Ciências Exatas, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Cidade Universitária, Campos Martelos, 36036-900 Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil
| | - Tiana Tasca
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Parasitologia, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Av. Ipiranga 2752, 90610-000, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.
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Legarda-Ceballos AL, López-Abán J, Del Olmo E, Escarcena R, Bustos LA, Rojas-Caraballo J, Vicente B, Fernández-Soto P, San Feliciano A, Muro A. In vitro and in vivo evaluation of 2-aminoalkanol and 1,2-alkanediamine derivatives against Strongyloides venezuelensis. Parasit Vectors 2016; 9:364. [PMID: 27353595 PMCID: PMC4924291 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-016-1648-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2016] [Accepted: 06/16/2016] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Strongyloidiasis is a parasitic disease widely present in tropical and subtropical areas. Strongyloides stercoralis represents the main species that infects human beings. Ivermectin is the current drug of choice; however, issues related with treatment failure in patients with diabetes or infected with T-lymphotropic virus-1 make the identification of new molecules for alternative treatment a priority. In the present study, the activity of sphingosine-related aminoalcohol and diamine were evaluated against Strongyloides venezuelensis third-stage larva (L3) cultures and experimental infections in mice. Methods The efficacy of each compound against L3 was assessed using both XTT (2,3-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide) assay and microscopic observation with concentrations ranging from 1 to 350 μM. Cytotoxicity was evaluated using J774.2 macrophage cell line and XTT assay. Lethal concentration 50 (LC50), selectivity index (SI) and structure-activity relationships were established. The activity compounds 4 (2-(ethylamino) hexadecan-1-ol), 6 (2-(butylamino) hexadecan-1-ol), 17 (tert-butyl N-(1-aminododecan-2-yl) carbamate) and 18 (tert-butyl N-(1-aminohexadecan-2-yl) carbamate) were further assessed against experimental S. venezuelensis infections in CD1 mice measuring reductions in the numbers of parthenogenetic females and egg passed in faeces. Mice were infected with 3,000 L3 and treated with 20 mg/kg/day for five days. Results In the screening study of 15 aminoalcohols [lauryl (n = 9); palmityl (n = 13); stearyl (n = 15) and alcohol derivatives], the presence of a palmitol chain was associated with the highest efficacy against L3 (LC50 31.9–39.1 μM). Alkylation of the 2-amino group with medium size fragments as ethyl or n-butyl showed the best larvicidal activity. The dialkylation did not improve efficacy. Aminoalcohols 4 and 6 showed the highest SI (1.5 and 1.6, respectively). With respect to diamine derivative compounds, a chain size of sixteen carbon atoms (palmitoyl chain, n = 13), and the alkylation of the 2-amino group with medium-sized fragments, were associated with the highest lethal activities. The presence of carbamoyl group in diamines 17 and 18 yielded high SI (1.7 and 1.4, respectively). Infected mice treated with aminoalcohol 6 showed reduction in parthenogenetic females (59 %) and eggs in faeces (51 %). Conclusions These results support the potentiality of aminoalcohol and diamine sphingosine-related compounds as suitable prototypes for developing new promising drugs against strongyloidiasis. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13071-016-1648-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana L Legarda-Ceballos
- Parasite and Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Tropical Disease Research Centre, University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), Avda. Licenciado Méndez Nieto s/n, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Julio López-Abán
- Parasite and Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Tropical Disease Research Centre, University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), Avda. Licenciado Méndez Nieto s/n, 37007, Salamanca, Spain.
| | - Esther Del Olmo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy (IBSAL-CIETUS), University of Salamanca, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Ricardo Escarcena
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy (IBSAL-CIETUS), University of Salamanca, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Luis A Bustos
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy (IBSAL-CIETUS), University of Salamanca, 37007, Salamanca, Spain.,Present Address: Departamento de Ciencias Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad Católica del Norte, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Jose Rojas-Caraballo
- Parasite and Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Tropical Disease Research Centre, University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), Avda. Licenciado Méndez Nieto s/n, 37007, Salamanca, Spain.,Present Address: Centro de Investigación en Salud para el Trópico (CIST), Carretera Troncal del Caribe, Sector Mamatoco, Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colombia.,Present Address: Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Cooperativa de Colombia, Carretera Troncal del Caribe, Sector Mamatoco, Santa Marta, Magdalena, Colombia
| | - Belén Vicente
- Parasite and Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Tropical Disease Research Centre, University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), Avda. Licenciado Méndez Nieto s/n, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Pedro Fernández-Soto
- Parasite and Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Tropical Disease Research Centre, University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), Avda. Licenciado Méndez Nieto s/n, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Arturo San Feliciano
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy (IBSAL-CIETUS), University of Salamanca, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Antonio Muro
- Parasite and Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Tropical Disease Research Centre, University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), Avda. Licenciado Méndez Nieto s/n, 37007, Salamanca, Spain
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Mechanisms of action of substituted β-amino alkanols on Leishmania donovani. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2014; 59:1211-8. [PMID: 25487805 DOI: 10.1128/aac.04003-14] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is the protozoan disease second in importance for human health, superseded only by malaria; however, the options for chemotherapeutic treatment are increasingly limited due to drug resistance and toxicity. Under this perspective, a quest for new chemical compounds is urgently needed. An N-substituted 2-aminoalkan-1-ol scaffold has been shown to be a versatile scaffold for antiparasitic activity. Knowledge about its mechanism of action is still rather limited. In this work, we endeavored to define the leishmanicidal profile of such β-amino alkanol derivatives using a set of 15 N-mono- and disubstituted surrogates, tested on Leishmania donovani promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes. The best compound (compound 5), 2-ethylaminododecan-1-ol, had a 50% effective concentration (EC50) of 0.3 μM and a selectivity index of 72 for infected THP-1 cells and was selected for further elucidation of its leishmanicidal mechanism. It induced fast depletion of intracellular ATP content in promastigotes in the absence of vital dye intracellular entry, ruling out plasma membrane permeabilization as its origin. Confocal and transmission electron microscopy analyses showed that compound 5 induced severe mitochondrial swelling and vesiculation. Polarographic analysis using an oxygen electrode demonstrated that complex II of the respiratory chain (succinate reductase) was strongly inhibited by compound 5, identifying this complex as one of the primary targets. Furthermore, for other β-amino alkanols whose structures differed subtly from that of compound 5, plasma membrane permeabilization or interference with membrane traffic was also observed. In all, N-substituted β-amino alkanols were shown as appealing leishmanicidal candidates deserving further exploration.
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de Paula RG, Ornelas AMDM, Morais ER, Borges WDC, Natale M, Magalhães LG, Rodrigues V. Biochemical characterization and role of the proteasome in the oxidative stress response of adult Schistosoma mansoni worms. Parasitol Res 2014; 113:2887-97. [PMID: 24870249 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-014-3950-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2014] [Accepted: 05/06/2014] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The trematode Schistosoma mansoni, an important parasite of humans, is the principle agent of the disease schistosomiasis. In the human host, one of the most important stress factors of this parasite is the oxidative stress generated by both the metabolism of the worm and the immune system of the host. The proteasomal system is responsible for protein homeostasis during oxidative stress. The 26S proteasome is a multicatalytic protease formed by two compartments, a 20S core and regulatory particle 19S, and controls the degradation of intracellular proteins, hence regulating many cellular processes. In the present report, we describe the biochemical characterization and role of the 20S proteasome in the response of adult S. mansoni worms exposed to hydrogen peroxide. Characterization of the response to the oxidative stress included the evaluation of viability, egg production, mortality, tegument integrity, and both expression and activity of proteasome. We observed decreases in viability, egg production as well as 100% mortality at the higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide tested. The main changes observed in the tegument of adult worms were peeling as well as the appearance of bubbles and a decrease of spines on the tubercles. Furthermore, there were increases in 26S activity to the same extent as 20S proteasome activity, although there was increase of 20S proteasome content, suggesting that degradation of protein oxidized in adult worms is due to the 20S proteasome. It was demonstrated that adult S. mansoni worms are sensitive to oxidative stress, and that a variety of processes in this parasite are altered under this condition. The work contributes to a better understanding of the mechanisms employed by S. mansoni to survive under oxidative stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renato Graciano de Paula
- Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade de São Paulo, Avenida Bandeirantes, 3900, 14049-900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil,
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9
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Silva MPN, Oliveira GLS, de Carvalho RBF, de Sousa DP, Freitas RM, Pinto PLS, de Moraes J. Antischistosomal activity of the terpene nerolidol. Molecules 2014; 19:3793-803. [PMID: 24662089 PMCID: PMC6271124 DOI: 10.3390/molecules19033793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2014] [Revised: 03/13/2014] [Accepted: 03/19/2014] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide. Since the treatment of this disease currently relies on a single drug, praziquantel, new and safe schistosomicidal agents are urgently required. Nerolidol, a sesquiterpene present in the essential oils of several plants, is found in many foods and was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. In this study we analysed the in vitro antiparasitic effect of nerolidol on Schistosoma mansoni adult worms. Nerolidol at concentrations of 31.2 and 62.5 μM reduced the worm motor activity and caused the death of all male and female schistosomes, respectively. In addition, confocal laser scanning microscopy revealed morphological alterations on the tegument of worms such as disintegration, sloughing and erosion of the surface, and a correlation between viability and tegumental damage was observed. In conclusion, nerolidol may be a promising lead compound for the development of antischistosomal natural agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcos P N Silva
- Faculdade de Ciências de Guarulhos (FACIG/UNIESP), Av. Guarulhos, 1844, Guarulhos, SP 07025-000, Brazil.
| | - George L S Oliveira
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Teresina, PI 64049-550, Brazil.
| | - Rusbene B F de Carvalho
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Teresina, PI 64049-550, Brazil.
| | - Damião P de Sousa
- Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, João Pessoa, PB 58051-900, Brazil.
| | - Rivelilson M Freitas
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal do Piauí, Teresina, PI 64049-550, Brazil.
| | - Pedro L S Pinto
- Enteroparasitas, Instituto Adolfo Lutz, São Paulo, SP 01246-902, Brazil.
| | - Josué de Moraes
- Faculdade de Ciências de Guarulhos (FACIG/UNIESP), Av. Guarulhos, 1844, Guarulhos, SP 07025-000, Brazil.
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Anthelmintic activity of crude extract and essential oil of Tanacetum vulgare (Asteraceae) against adult worms of Schistosoma mansoni. ScientificWorldJournal 2014; 2014:460342. [PMID: 24672320 PMCID: PMC3929489 DOI: 10.1155/2014/460342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2013] [Accepted: 12/02/2013] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis, a parasitic disease caused by trematode flatworms of the genus Schistosoma, affects more than 200 million people worldwide, and its control is dependent on a single drug, praziquantel. Tanacetum vulgare (Asteraceae) is used in folk medicine as a vermifuge. This study aimed to investigate the in vitro schistosomicidal activity of the crude extract (TV) and the essential oil (TV-EO) from the aerial parts of T. vulgare. TV-EO was obtained by hydrodistillation and analyzed by GC/MS, which allowed the identification of β-thujone (84.13%) as the major constituent. TV and TV-EO, at 200 μg/mL, decreased motor activity and caused 100% mortality of all adult worms. At 100 and 50 μg/mL, only TV caused death of all adult worms, while TV-EO was inactive. TV (200 μg/mL) was also able to reduce viability and decrease production of developed eggs. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed morphological alterations in the tegument of the S. mansoni surface after incubation with TV (50 and 100 μg/mL). Quantitative analysis on the schistosomes tegument showed that TV caused changes in the numbers of tubercles of S. mansoni male worms in a dose-dependent manner. The findings suggest that T. vulgare is a potential source of schistosomicidal compounds.
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