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Holland DC, Prebble DW, Calcott MJ, Schroder WA, Ferretti F, Lock A, Avery VM, Kiefel MJ, Carroll AR. Cheminformatics-Guided Exploration of Synthetic Marine Natural Product-Inspired Brominated Indole-3-Glyoxylamides and Their Potentials for Drug Discovery. Molecules 2024; 29:3648. [PMID: 39125052 PMCID: PMC11314621 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29153648] [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: 06/25/2024] [Revised: 07/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Marine natural products (MNPs) continue to be tested primarily in cellular toxicity assays, both mammalian and microbial, despite most being inactive at concentrations relevant to drug discovery. These MNPs become missed opportunities and represent a wasteful use of precious bioresources. The use of cheminformatics aligned with published bioactivity data can provide insights to direct the choice of bioassays for the evaluation of new MNPs. Cheminformatics analysis of MNPs found in MarinLit (n = 39,730) up to the end of 2023 highlighted indol-3-yl-glyoxylamides (IGAs, n = 24) as a group of MNPs with no reported bioactivities. However, a recent review of synthetic IGAs highlighted these scaffolds as privileged structures with several compounds under clinical evaluation. Herein, we report the synthesis of a library of 32 MNP-inspired brominated IGAs (25-56) using a simple one-pot, multistep method affording access to these diverse chemical scaffolds. Directed by a meta-analysis of the biological activities reported for marine indole alkaloids (MIAs) and synthetic IGAs, the brominated IGAs 25-56 were examined for their potential bioactivities against the Parkinson's Disease amyloid protein alpha synuclein (α-syn), antiplasmodial activities against chloroquine-resistant (3D7) and sensitive (Dd2) parasite strains of Plasmodium falciparum, and inhibition of mammalian (chymotrypsin and elastase) and viral (SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro) proteases. All of the synthetic IGAs tested exhibited binding affinity to the amyloid protein α-syn, while some showed inhibitory activities against P. falciparum, and the proteases, SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro, and chymotrypsin. The cellular safety of the IGAs was examined against cancerous and non-cancerous human cell lines, with all of the compounds tested inactive, thereby validating cheminformatics and meta-analyses results. The findings presented herein expand our knowledge of marine IGA bioactive chemical space and advocate expanding the scope of biological assays routinely used to investigate NP bioactivities, specifically those more suitable for non-toxic compounds. By integrating cheminformatics tools and functional assays into NP biological testing workflows, we can aim to enhance the potential of NPs and their scaffolds for future drug discovery and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darren C. Holland
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia; (D.W.P.); (F.F.); (M.J.K.)
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Dale W. Prebble
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia; (D.W.P.); (F.F.); (M.J.K.)
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Mark J. Calcott
- School of Biological Sciences, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington 6102, New Zealand;
| | - Wayne A. Schroder
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia; (W.A.S.); (A.L.); (V.M.A.)
| | - Francesca Ferretti
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia; (D.W.P.); (F.F.); (M.J.K.)
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Aaron Lock
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia; (W.A.S.); (A.L.); (V.M.A.)
- Discovery Biology, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Vicky M. Avery
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia; (W.A.S.); (A.L.); (V.M.A.)
- Discovery Biology, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
| | - Milton J. Kiefel
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia; (D.W.P.); (F.F.); (M.J.K.)
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4221, Australia
| | - Anthony R. Carroll
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia; (D.W.P.); (F.F.); (M.J.K.)
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, QLD 4111, Australia
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2
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Giannangelo C, Challis MP, Siddiqui G, Edgar R, Malcolm TR, Webb CT, Drinkwater N, Vinh N, Macraild C, Counihan N, Duffy S, Wittlin S, Devine SM, Avery VM, De Koning-Ward T, Scammells P, McGowan S, Creek DJ. Chemoproteomics validates selective targeting of Plasmodium M1 alanyl aminopeptidase as an antimalarial strategy. eLife 2024; 13:RP92990. [PMID: 38976500 PMCID: PMC11230628 DOI: 10.7554/elife.92990] [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] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
New antimalarial drug candidates that act via novel mechanisms are urgently needed to combat malaria drug resistance. Here, we describe the multi-omic chemical validation of Plasmodium M1 alanyl metalloaminopeptidase as an attractive drug target using the selective inhibitor, MIPS2673. MIPS2673 demonstrated potent inhibition of recombinant Plasmodium falciparum (PfA-M1) and Plasmodium vivax (PvA-M1) M1 metalloaminopeptidases, with selectivity over other Plasmodium and human aminopeptidases, and displayed excellent in vitro antimalarial activity with no significant host cytotoxicity. Orthogonal label-free chemoproteomic methods based on thermal stability and limited proteolysis of whole parasite lysates revealed that MIPS2673 solely targets PfA-M1 in parasites, with limited proteolysis also enabling estimation of the binding site on PfA-M1 to within ~5 Å of that determined by X-ray crystallography. Finally, functional investigation by untargeted metabolomics demonstrated that MIPS2673 inhibits the key role of PfA-M1 in haemoglobin digestion. Combined, our unbiased multi-omic target deconvolution methods confirmed the on-target activity of MIPS2673, and validated selective inhibition of M1 alanyl metalloaminopeptidase as a promising antimalarial strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Giannangelo
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash UniversityParkvilleAustralia
| | - Matthew P Challis
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash UniversityParkvilleAustralia
| | - Ghizal Siddiqui
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash UniversityParkvilleAustralia
| | - Rebecca Edgar
- School of Medicine, Deakin UniversityGeelongAustralia
- The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin UniversityGeelongAustralia
| | - Tess R Malcolm
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
- Centre to Impact AMR, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
| | - Chaille T Webb
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
- Centre to Impact AMR, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
| | - Nyssa Drinkwater
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
- Centre to Impact AMR, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
| | - Natalie Vinh
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash UniversityParkvilleAustralia
| | - Christopher Macraild
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash UniversityParkvilleAustralia
| | - Natalie Counihan
- School of Medicine, Deakin UniversityGeelongAustralia
- The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin UniversityGeelongAustralia
| | - Sandra Duffy
- Discovery Biology, Centre for Cellular Phenomics, Griffith UniversityNathanAustralia
| | - Sergio Wittlin
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health InstituteAllschwilSwitzerland
- University of BaselBaselSwitzerland
| | - Shane M Devine
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchParkvilleAustralia
- Department of Medical Biology, The University of MelbourneParkvilleAustralia
| | - Vicky M Avery
- Discovery Biology, Centre for Cellular Phenomics, Griffith UniversityNathanAustralia
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith UniversityNathanAustralia
| | - Tania De Koning-Ward
- School of Medicine, Deakin UniversityGeelongAustralia
- The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin UniversityGeelongAustralia
| | - Peter Scammells
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash UniversityParkvilleAustralia
| | - Sheena McGowan
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
- Centre to Impact AMR, Monash UniversityClaytonAustralia
| | - Darren J Creek
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash UniversityParkvilleAustralia
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3
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Edgar RCS, Malcolm TR, Siddiqui G, Giannangelo C, Counihan NA, Challis M, Duffy S, Chowdhury M, Marfurt J, Dans M, Wirjanata G, Noviyanti R, Daware K, Suraweera CD, Price RN, Wittlin S, Avery VM, Drinkwater N, Charman SA, Creek DJ, de Koning-Ward TF, Scammells PJ, McGowan S. On-target, dual aminopeptidase inhibition provides cross-species antimalarial activity. mBio 2024; 15:e0096624. [PMID: 38717141 PMCID: PMC11237774 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00966-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
To combat the global burden of malaria, development of new drugs to replace or complement current therapies is urgently required. Here, we show that the compound MMV1557817 is a selective, nanomolar inhibitor of both Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax aminopeptidases M1 and M17, leading to inhibition of end-stage hemoglobin digestion in asexual parasites. MMV1557817 can kill sexual-stage P. falciparum, is active against murine malaria, and does not show any shift in activity against a panel of parasites resistant to other antimalarials. MMV1557817-resistant P. falciparum exhibited a slow growth rate that was quickly outcompeted by wild-type parasites and were sensitized to the current clinical drug, artemisinin. Overall, these results confirm MMV1557817 as a lead compound for further drug development and highlights the potential of dual inhibition of M1 and M17 as an effective multi-species drug-targeting strategy.IMPORTANCEEach year, malaria infects approximately 240 million people and causes over 600,000 deaths, mostly in children under 5 years of age. For the past decade, artemisinin-based combination therapies have been recommended by the World Health Organization as the standard malaria treatment worldwide. Their widespread use has led to the development of artemisinin resistance in the form of delayed parasite clearance, alongside the rise of partner drug resistance. There is an urgent need to develop and deploy new antimalarial agents with novel targets and mechanisms of action. Here, we report a new and potent antimalarial compound, known as MMV1557817, and show that it targets multiple stages of the malaria parasite lifecycle, is active in a preliminary mouse malaria model, and has a novel mechanism of action. Excitingly, resistance to MMV15578117 appears to be self-limiting, suggesting that development of the compound may provide a new class of antimalarial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca C S Edgar
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
- The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Tess R Malcolm
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Ghizal Siddiqui
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
| | - Carlo Giannangelo
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
| | - Natalie A Counihan
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
- The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Matthew Challis
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
| | - Sandra Duffy
- Discovery Biology, Centre for Cellular Phenomics, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
| | - Mrittika Chowdhury
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
- The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Jutta Marfurt
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | - Madeline Dans
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
- The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Grennady Wirjanata
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
| | | | - Kajal Daware
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Chathura D Suraweera
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Ric N Price
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine Division, Menzies School of Health Research, Charles Darwin University, Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Clinical Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Sergio Wittlin
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Vicky M Avery
- School of Environment and Science, Griffith Sciences, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nyssa Drinkwater
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
| | - Susan A Charman
- Centre for Drug Candidate Optimisation, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
| | - Darren J Creek
- Drug Delivery, Disposition and Dynamics, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
| | - Tania F de Koning-Ward
- School of Medicine, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
- The Institute for Mental and Physical Health and Clinical Translation, Deakin University, Geelong, Australia
| | - Peter J Scammells
- Medicinal Chemistry, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville, Australia
| | - Sheena McGowan
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute and Department of Microbiology, Monash University, Clayton, Australia
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4
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Creek D, Giannangelo C, Challis M, Siddiqui G, Edgar R, Malcolm T, Webb C, Drinkwater N, Vinh N, MacRaild C, Counihan N, Duffy S, Wittlin S, Devine S, Avery V, de Koning-Ward T, Scammells P, McGowan S. Chemoproteomics validates selective targeting of Plasmodium M1 alanyl aminopeptidase as an antimalarial strategy. RESEARCH SQUARE 2024:rs.3.rs-3251230. [PMID: 38746424 PMCID: PMC11092810 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3251230/v3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
New antimalarial drug candidates that act via novel mechanisms are urgently needed to combat malaria drug resistance. Here, we describe the multi-omic chemical validation of Plasmodium M1 alanyl metalloaminopeptidase as an attractive drug target using the selective inhibitor, MIPS2673. MIPS2673 demonstrated potent inhibition of recombinant Plasmodium falciparum ( Pf A-M1) and Plasmodium vivax ( Pv A-M1) M1 metalloaminopeptidases, with selectivity over other Plasmodium and human aminopeptidases, and displayed excellent in vitro antimalarial activity with no significant host cytotoxicity. Orthogonal label-free chemoproteomic methods based on thermal stability and limited proteolysis of whole parasite lysates revealed that MIPS2673 solely targets Pf A-M1 in parasites, with limited proteolysis also enabling estimation of the binding site on Pf A-M1 to within ~5 Å of that determined by X-ray crystallography. Finally, functional investigation by untargeted metabolomics demonstrated that MIPS2673 inhibits the key role of Pf A-M1 in haemoglobin digestion. Combined, our unbiased multi-omic target deconvolution methods confirmed the on-target activity of MIPS2673, and validated selective inhibition of M1 alanyl metalloaminopeptidase as a promising antimalarial strategy.
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5
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Chery-Karschney L, Patrapuvich R, Mudeppa DG, Kokkonda S, Chakrabarti R, Sriwichai P, O'Connor RM, Rathod PK, White J. Tartrolon E, a secondary metabolite of a marine symbiotic bacterium, is a potent inhibitor of asexual and sexual Plasmodium falciparum. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024; 68:e0068423. [PMID: 38193705 PMCID: PMC10848769 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00684-23] [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: 05/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Due to the spread of resistance to front-line artemisinin derivatives worldwide, there is a need for new antimalarials. Tartrolon E (TrtE), a secondary metabolite of a symbiotic bacterium of marine bivalve mollusks, is a promising antimalarial because it inhibits the growth of sexual and asexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum at sub-nanomolar levels. The potency of TrtE warrants further investigation into its mechanism of action, cytotoxicity, and ease with which parasites may evolve resistance to it.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rapatbhorn Patrapuvich
- Drug Research Unit for Malaria, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | | | - Sreekanth Kokkonda
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Rimi Chakrabarti
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Medicine, Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim, Goa, India
| | - Patchara Sriwichai
- Department of Medical Entomology, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Roberta M. O'Connor
- Department of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - John White
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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6
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van Heerden A, Turon G, Duran-Frigola M, Pillay N, Birkholtz LM. Machine Learning Approaches Identify Chemical Features for Stage-Specific Antimalarial Compounds. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:43813-43826. [PMID: 38027377 PMCID: PMC10666252 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c05664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/20/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
Efficacy data from diverse chemical libraries, screened against the various stages of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, including asexual blood stage (ABS) parasites and transmissible gametocytes, serve as a valuable reservoir of information on the chemical space of compounds that are either active (or not) against the parasite. We postulated that this data can be mined to define chemical features associated with the sole ABS activity and/or those that provide additional life cycle activity profiles like gametocytocidal activity. Additionally, this information could provide chemical features associated with inactive compounds, which could eliminate any future unnecessary screening of similar chemical analogs. Therefore, we aimed to use machine learning to identify the chemical space associated with stage-specific antimalarial activity. We collected data from various chemical libraries that were screened against the asexual (126 374 compounds) and sexual (gametocyte) stages of the parasite (93 941 compounds), calculated the compounds' molecular fingerprints, and trained machine learning models to recognize stage-specific active and inactive compounds. We were able to build several models that predict compound activity against ABS and dual activity against ABS and gametocytes, with Support Vector Machines (SVM) showing superior abilities with high recall (90 and 66%) and low false-positive predictions (15 and 1%). This allowed the identification of chemical features enriched in active and inactive populations, an important outcome that could be mined for essential chemical features to streamline hit-to-lead optimization strategies of antimalarial candidates. The predictive capabilities of the models held true in diverse chemical spaces, indicating that the ML models are therefore robust and can serve as a prioritization tool to drive and guide phenotypic screening and medicinal chemistry programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashleigh van Heerden
- Department
of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Institute for Sustainable
Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| | - Gemma Turon
- Ersilia
Open Source Initiative, 28 Belgrave Road, Cambridge CB1 3DE, U.K.
| | | | - Nelishia Pillay
- Department
of Computer Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
| | - Lyn-Marié Birkholtz
- Department
of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Institute for Sustainable
Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X20, Hatfield 0028, South Africa
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7
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Bailey BL, Nguyen W, Cowman AF, Sleebs BE. Chemo-proteomics in antimalarial target identification and engagement. Med Res Rev 2023; 43:2303-2351. [PMID: 37232495 PMCID: PMC10947479 DOI: 10.1002/med.21975] [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: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Humans have lived in tenuous battle with malaria over millennia. Today, while much of the world is free of the disease, areas of South America, Asia, and Africa still wage this war with substantial impacts on their social and economic development. The threat of widespread resistance to all currently available antimalarial therapies continues to raise concern. Therefore, it is imperative that novel antimalarial chemotypes be developed to populate the pipeline going forward. Phenotypic screening has been responsible for the majority of the new chemotypes emerging in the past few decades. However, this can result in limited information on the molecular target of these compounds which may serve as an unknown variable complicating their progression into clinical development. Target identification and validation is a process that incorporates techniques from a range of different disciplines. Chemical biology and more specifically chemo-proteomics have been heavily utilized for this purpose. This review provides an in-depth summary of the application of chemo-proteomics in antimalarial development. Here we focus particularly on the methodology, practicalities, merits, and limitations of designing these experiments. Together this provides learnings on the future use of chemo-proteomics in antimalarial development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brodie L. Bailey
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Medical BiologyThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - William Nguyen
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Medical BiologyThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Alan F. Cowman
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Medical BiologyThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
| | - Brad E. Sleebs
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
- Department of Medical BiologyThe University of MelbourneMelbourneVictoriaAustralia
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8
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Nabi N, Singh S, Saffeullah P. An updated review on distribution, biosynthesis and pharmacological effects of artemisinin: A wonder drug. PHYTOCHEMISTRY 2023; 214:113798. [PMID: 37517615 DOI: 10.1016/j.phytochem.2023.113798] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2023] [Revised: 07/19/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Plant-based drugs have been used for centuries for treating different ailments. Malaria, one of the prevalent threats in many parts of the world, is treated mainly by artemisinin-based drugs derived from plants of genus Artemisia. However, the distribution of artemisinin is restricted to a few species of the genus; besides, its yield depends on ontogeny and the plant's geographical location. Here, we review the studies focusing on biosynthesis and distributional pattern of artemisinin production in species of the genus Artemisia. We also discussed various agronomic and in vitro methods and molecular approaches to increase the yield of artemisinin. We have summarized different mechanisms of artemisinin involved in its anti-malarial, anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory and anti-viral activities (like against Covid-19). Overall the current review provides a synopsis of a global view of the distribution of artemisinin, its biosynthesis, and pharmacological potential in treating various diseases like malaria, cancer, and coronavirus, which may provoke future research efforts in drug development. Nevertheless, long-term trials and molecular approaches, like CRISPR-Cas, are required for in-depth research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neelofer Nabi
- Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, 190006, India
| | - Seema Singh
- Department of Botany, University of Kashmir, Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, 190006, India
| | - Peer Saffeullah
- Department of Botany, Jamia Hamdard, New Delhi, 110062, India.
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9
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Avery VM. Malaria high-content imaging, where to next? Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:718-719. [PMID: 37500332 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
High-content imaging has produced greater insights into the complexities of cell biology. The ability to characterise specific phenotypes, as demonstrated by Rosenthal and Ng, provides a powerful tool for elucidating mechanisms of action and resistance, illustrating that high-content imaging in malaria research is only limited by our creativity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vicky M Avery
- Discovery Biology, Centre for Cellular Phenomics, Griffith University, Nathan, Qld 4111, Australia; School of Environment & Sciences, Griffith Sciences, Griffith University, Nathan, Qld 4111, Australia.
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10
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Rosenthal MR, Ng CL. High-content imaging as a tool to quantify and characterize malaria parasites. CELL REPORTS METHODS 2023; 3:100516. [PMID: 37533635 PMCID: PMC10391350 DOI: 10.1016/j.crmeth.2023.100516] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2022] [Revised: 01/18/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
In 2021, Plasmodium falciparum was responsible for 619,000 reported malaria-related deaths. Resistance has been detected to every clinically used antimalarial, urging the development of novel antimalarials with uncompromised mechanisms of actions. High-content imaging allows researchers to collect and quantify numerous phenotypic properties at the single-cell level, and machine learning-based approaches enable automated classification and clustering of cell populations. By combining these technologies, we developed a method capable of robustly differentiating and quantifying P. falciparum asexual blood stages. These phenotypic properties also allow for the quantification of changes in parasite morphology. Here, we demonstrate that our analysis can be used to quantify schizont nuclei, a phenotype that previously had to be enumerated manually. By monitoring stage progression and quantifying parasite phenotypes, our method can discern stage specificity of new compounds, thus providing insight into the compound's mode of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa R. Rosenthal
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
| | - Caroline L. Ng
- Department of Pathology and Microbiology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
- Global Center for Health Security, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE 68198, USA
- Department of Biology, University of Omaha, Omaha, NE 68182, USA
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11
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Markus MB. Putative Contribution of 8-Aminoquinolines to Preventing Recrudescence of Malaria. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023; 8:278. [PMID: 37235326 PMCID: PMC10223033 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8050278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Enhanced therapeutic efficacy achieved in treating Plasmodium vivax malaria with an 8-aminoquinoline (8-AQ) drug such as primaquine (PQ) together with a partner drug such as chloroquine (CQ) is usually explained as CQ inhibiting asexual parasites in the bloodstream and PQ acting against liver stages. However, PQ's contribution, if any, to inactivating non-circulating, extra-hepatic asexual forms, which make up the bulk of the parasite biomass in chronic P. vivax infections, remains unclear. In this opinion article, I suggest that, considering its newly described mode of action, PQ might be doing something of which we are currently unaware.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miles B. Markus
- Wits Research Institute for Malaria, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa;
- School of Animal, Plant and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Science, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg 2001, South Africa
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12
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Carucci M, Duez J, Tarning J, García-Barbazán I, Fricot-Monsinjon A, Sissoko A, Dumas L, Gamallo P, Beher B, Amireault P, Dussiot M, Dao M, Hull MV, McNamara CW, Roussel C, Ndour PA, Sanz LM, Gamo FJ, Buffet P. Safe drugs with high potential to block malaria transmission revealed by a spleen-mimetic screening. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1951. [PMID: 37029122 PMCID: PMC10082216 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37359-2] [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: 07/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria parasites like Plasmodium falciparum multiply in red blood cells (RBC), which are cleared from the bloodstream by the spleen when their deformability is altered. Drug-induced stiffening of Plasmodium falciparum-infected RBC should therefore induce their elimination from the bloodstream. Here, based on this original mechanical approach, we identify safe drugs with strong potential to block the malaria transmission. By screening 13 555 compounds with spleen-mimetic microfilters, we identified 82 that target circulating transmissible form of P. falciparum. NITD609, an orally administered PfATPase inhibitor with known effects on P. falciparum, killed and stiffened transmission stages in vitro at nanomolar concentrations. Short exposures to TD-6450, an orally-administered NS5A hepatitis C virus inhibitor, stiffened transmission parasite stages and killed asexual stages in vitro at high nanomolar concentrations. A Phase 1 study in humans with a primary safety outcome and a secondary pharmacokinetics outcome ( https://clinicaltrials.gov , ID: NCT02022306) showed no severe adverse events either with single or multiple doses. Pharmacokinetic modelling showed that these concentrations can be reached in the plasma of subjects receiving short courses of TD-6450. This physiologically relevant screen identified multiple mechanisms of action, and safe drugs with strong potential as malaria transmission-blocking agents which could be rapidly tested in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Carucci
- Université Paris Cité, Inserm, UMR-1134, Biologie Intégré du Globule Rouge, 75015, Paris, France
| | | | - Joel Tarning
- Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 10400, Bangkok, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Irene García-Barbazán
- Mycology Reference Laboratory, National Centre for Microbiology, Instituto de Salud Carlos III, 28222, Madrid, Spain
| | - Aurélie Fricot-Monsinjon
- Université Paris Cité, Inserm, UMR-1134, Biologie Intégré du Globule Rouge, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Abdoulaye Sissoko
- Université Paris Cité, Inserm, UMR-1134, Biologie Intégré du Globule Rouge, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Lucie Dumas
- Université Paris Cité, Inserm, UMR-1134, Biologie Intégré du Globule Rouge, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Pablo Gamallo
- Global Health Medicines R&D, GlaxoSmith Kline (GSK), 28760, Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - Babette Beher
- Université Paris Cité, Inserm, UMR-1134, Biologie Intégré du Globule Rouge, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Pascal Amireault
- Université Paris Cité, Inserm, UMR-1134, Biologie Intégré du Globule Rouge, 75015, Paris, France
- Laboratory of cellular and molecular mechanisms of hematological disorders and therapeutic implications, INSERM, 75014, Paris, France
| | - Michael Dussiot
- Laboratory of cellular and molecular mechanisms of hematological disorders and therapeutic implications, INSERM, 75014, Paris, France
- Laboratoire d'Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
| | - Ming Dao
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, MA, 02139, Cambridge, USA
| | - Mitchell V Hull
- Calibr, a division of The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Case W McNamara
- Calibr, a division of The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Camille Roussel
- Université Paris Cité, Inserm, UMR-1134, Biologie Intégré du Globule Rouge, 75015, Paris, France
- Laboratoire d'Excellence GR-Ex, Paris, France
- Laboratoire d'Hématologie générale, Hôpital Universitaire Necker Enfants Malades, Assistance Publique-Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP), 75015, Paris, France
| | - Papa Alioune Ndour
- Université Paris Cité, Inserm, UMR-1134, Biologie Intégré du Globule Rouge, 75015, Paris, France
| | - Laura Maria Sanz
- Global Health Medicines R&D, GlaxoSmith Kline (GSK), 28760, Tres Cantos, Spain
| | | | - Pierre Buffet
- Université Paris Cité, Inserm, UMR-1134, Biologie Intégré du Globule Rouge, 75015, Paris, France.
- Department of Infectious & Tropical Disease, AP-HP, Necker Hospital, 75015, Paris, France.
- Centre Médical de l'Institut Pasteur (CMIP), Institut Pasteur, 75015, Paris, France.
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13
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Mughal H, Bell EC, Mughal K, Derbyshire ER, Freundlich JS. Random Forest Model Predictions Afford Dual-Stage Antimalarial Agents. ACS Infect Dis 2022; 8:1553-1562. [PMID: 35894649 PMCID: PMC9987178 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.2c00189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The need for novel antimalarials is apparent given the continuing disease burden worldwide, despite significant drug discovery advances from the bench to the bedside. In particular, small-molecule agents with potent efficacy against both the liver and blood stages of Plasmodium parasite infection are critical for clinical settings as they would simultaneously prevent and treat malaria with a reduced selection pressure for resistance. While experimental screens for such dual-stage inhibitors have been conducted, the time and cost of these efforts limit their scope. Here, we have focused on leveraging machine learning approaches to discover novel antimalarials with such properties. A random forest modeling approach was taken to predict small molecules with in vitro efficacy versus liver-stage Plasmodium berghei parasites and a lack of human liver cell cytotoxicity. Empirical validation of the model was achieved with the realization of hits with liver-stage efficacy after prospective scoring of a commercial diversity library and consideration of structural diversity. A subset of these hits also demonstrated promising blood-stage Plasmodium falciparum efficacy. These 18 validated dual-stage antimalarials represent novel starting points for drug discovery and mechanism of action studies with significant potential for seeding a new generation of therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haseeb Mughal
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, Rutgers University – New Jersey Medical School, 185 South Orange Ave, Newark, NJ, 07103
| | - Elise C. Bell
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, 124 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA
| | - Khadija Mughal
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, Rutgers University – New Jersey Medical School, 185 South Orange Ave, Newark, NJ, 07103
| | - Emily R. Derbyshire
- Department of Chemistry, Duke University, 124 Science Drive, Durham, NC 27708, USA
- Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, 213 Research Drive, Durham, NC 27710, USA
| | - Joel S. Freundlich
- Department of Pharmacology, Physiology, and Neuroscience, Rutgers University – New Jersey Medical School, 185 South Orange Ave, Newark, NJ, 07103
- Department of Medicine, Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Pathogens, Rutgers University – New Jersey Medical School, Newark, NJ, 07103
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14
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Abugri J, Ayariga J, Sunwiale SS, Wezena CA, Gyamfi JA, Adu-Frimpong M, Agongo G, Dongdem JT, Abugri D, Dinko B. Targeting the Plasmodium falciparum proteome and organelles for potential antimalarial drug candidates. Heliyon 2022; 8:e10390. [PMID: 36033316 PMCID: PMC9398786 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10390] [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: 09/12/2021] [Revised: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an unmet need to unearth alternative treatment options for malaria, wherein this quest is more pressing in recent times due to high morbidity and mortality data arising mostly from the endemic countries coupled with partial diversion of attention from the disease in view of the SARS-Cov-2 pandemic. Available therapeutic options for malaria have been severely threatened with the emergence of resistance to almost all the antimalarial drugs by the Plasmodium falciparum parasite in humans, which is a worrying situation. Artemisinin combination therapies (ACT) that have so far been the mainstay of malaria have encountered resistance by malaria parasite in South East Asia, which is regarded as a notorious ground zero for the emergence of resistance to antimalarial drugs. This review analyzes a few key druggable targets for the parasite and the potential of specific inhibitors to mitigate the emerging antimalarial drug resistance problem by providing a concise assessment of the essential proteins of the malaria parasite that could serve as targets. Moreover, this work provides a summary of the advances made in malaria parasite biology and the potential to leverage these findings for antimalarial drug production.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Abugri
- Department of Biochemistry and Forensic Sciences, School of Chemical and Biochemical Sciences, C. K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS), Navrongo, Ghana
| | - Joseph Ayariga
- The Biomedical Engineering Programme, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL, 36104, USA
| | - Samuel Sunyazi Sunwiale
- Department of Biochemistry and Forensic Sciences, School of Chemical and Biochemical Sciences, C. K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS), Navrongo, Ghana
| | - Cletus Adiyaga Wezena
- Department of Microbiology, School of Biosciences, University for Development Studies (UDS), Nyankpala Campus, Tamale, Ghana
| | - Julien Agyemang Gyamfi
- Department of Biochemistry and Forensic Sciences, School of Chemical and Biochemical Sciences, C. K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS), Navrongo, Ghana
| | - Michael Adu-Frimpong
- Department of Biochemistry and Forensic Sciences, School of Chemical and Biochemical Sciences, C. K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS), Navrongo, Ghana
| | - Godfred Agongo
- Department of Biochemistry and Forensic Sciences, School of Chemical and Biochemical Sciences, C. K. Tedam University of Technology and Applied Sciences (CKT-UTAS), Navrongo, Ghana
| | - Julius Tieroyaare Dongdem
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine. School of Medicine. University for Development Studies (UDS), Tamale-Campus, Ghana
| | - Daniel Abugri
- Department of Biological Sciences, Microbiology PhD Programme, Laboratory of Ethnomedicine, Parasitology, and Drug Discovery, College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, Alabama State University, Montgomery, USA
| | - Bismarck Dinko
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Basic and Biomedical Sciences, University of Health and Allied Sciences, Ho. Ghana
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15
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Reader J, van der Watt ME, Birkholtz LM. Streamlined and Robust Stage-Specific Profiling of Gametocytocidal Compounds Against Plasmodium falciparum. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:926460. [PMID: 35846744 PMCID: PMC9282888 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.926460] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria elimination is dependent on the ability to target both the pathogenic and transmissible stages of the human malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum. These forms of the parasite are differentiated by unique developmental stages, each with their own biological mechanisms and processes. These individual stages therefore also respond differently to inhibitory compounds, and this complicates the discovery of multistage active antimalarial agents. The search for compounds with transmission-blocking activity has focused on screening for activity on mature gametocytes, with only limited descriptions available for the activity of such compounds on immature stage gametocytes. This therefore poses a gap in the profiling of antimalarial agents for pan-reactive, multistage activity to antimalarial leads. Here, we optimized an effective and robust strategy for the simple and cost-effective description of the stage-specific action of gametocytocidal antimalarial compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Janette Reader
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Mariette E. van der Watt
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, School of Health Systems and Public Health, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Lyn-Marié Birkholtz
- Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
- *Correspondence: Lyn-Marié Birkholtz,
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16
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Birkholtz LM, Alano P, Leroy D. Transmission-blocking drugs for malaria elimination. Trends Parasitol 2022; 38:390-403. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2022.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2021] [Revised: 01/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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17
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Adegboye O, Field MA, Kupz A, Pai S, Sharma D, Smout MJ, Wangchuk P, Wong Y, Loiseau C. Natural-Product-Based Solutions for Tropical Infectious Diseases. Clin Microbiol Rev 2021; 34:e0034820. [PMID: 34494873 PMCID: PMC8673330 DOI: 10.1128/cmr.00348-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
About half of the world's population and 80% of the world's biodiversity can be found in the tropics. Many diseases are specific to the tropics, with at least 41 diseases caused by endemic bacteria, viruses, parasites, and fungi. Such diseases are of increasing concern, as the geographic range of tropical diseases is expanding due to climate change, urbanization, change in agricultural practices, deforestation, and loss of biodiversity. While traditional medicines have been used for centuries in the treatment of tropical diseases, the active natural compounds within these medicines remain largely unknown. In this review, we describe infectious diseases specific to the tropics, including their causative pathogens, modes of transmission, recent major outbreaks, and geographic locations. We further review current treatments for these tropical diseases, carefully consider the biodiscovery potential of the tropical biome, and discuss a range of technologies being used for drug development from natural resources. We provide a list of natural products with antimicrobial activity, detailing the source organisms and their effectiveness as treatment. We discuss how technological advancements, such as next-generation sequencing, are driving high-throughput natural product screening pipelines to identify compounds with therapeutic properties. This review demonstrates the impact natural products from the vast tropical biome have in the treatment of tropical infectious diseases and how high-throughput technical capacity will accelerate this discovery process.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oyelola Adegboye
- Public Health and Tropical Medicine, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
- World Health Organization Collaborating Center for Vector-Borne and Neglected Tropical Diseases, College of Public Health, Medical and Veterinary Sciences, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD, Australia
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Matt A. Field
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
- Garvin Institute of Medical Research, Darlinghurst, NSW, Australia
| | - Andreas Kupz
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Saparna Pai
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Dileep Sharma
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
- College of Medicine & Dentistry, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Michael J. Smout
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Phurpa Wangchuk
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Yide Wong
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Tropical Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
| | - Claire Loiseau
- Australian Institute of Tropical Health and Medicine, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
- Centre for Molecular Therapeutics, James Cook University, Cairns, QLD, Australia
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18
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Mourot L, Schmitt M, Mouray E, Spichty M, Florent I, Albrecht S. Structure-activity relationship and molecular modelling studies of quinazolinedione derivatives MMV665916 as potential antimalarial agent. Bioorg Med Chem 2021; 51:116513. [PMID: 34798379 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2021.116513] [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: 06/23/2021] [Revised: 10/11/2021] [Accepted: 10/17/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
A series of new quinazolinedione derivatives have been readily synthesized and evaluated for their in vitro antiplasmodial growth inhibition activity. Most of the compounds inhibited P. falciparum FcB1 strain in the low to medium micromolar concentration. The 2-ethoxy 8ag', 2-trifluoromethoxy 8ai' and 4-fluoro-2-methoxy 8ak' showed the best inhibitory activity with EC50 values around 5 µM and were non-toxic to the primary human fibroblast cell line AB943. However, these compounds were less potent than the original hit MMV665916, which showed remarkable growth inhibition with EC50 value of 0.4 µM and presented the highest selectivity index (SI > 250). In addition, a novel approach for determining the docking poses of these quinazolinedione derivatives with their potential protein target, the P. falciparum farnesyltransferase PfFT, was investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Mourot
- Université de Haute-Alsace, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, LIMA UMR 7042, F-68000 Mulhouse, France
| | - Marjorie Schmitt
- Université de Haute-Alsace, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, LIMA UMR 7042, F-68000 Mulhouse, France
| | - Elisabeth Mouray
- Unité Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Micro-organismes, UMR7245, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France
| | - Martin Spichty
- Université de Haute-Alsace, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, LIMA UMR 7042, F-68000 Mulhouse, France
| | - Isabelle Florent
- Unité Molécules de Communication et Adaptation des Micro-organismes, UMR7245, Muséum National d'Histoire Naturelle, CNRS, Sorbonne Universités, Paris, France
| | - Sébastien Albrecht
- Université de Haute-Alsace, Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, LIMA UMR 7042, F-68000 Mulhouse, France.
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19
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Property activity refinement of 2-anilino 4-amino substituted quinazolines as antimalarials with fast acting asexual parasite activity. Bioorg Chem 2021; 117:105359. [PMID: 34689083 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.105359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2021] [Revised: 08/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Malaria is a devastating disease caused by Plasmodium parasites. Emerging resistance against current antimalarial therapeutics has engendered the need to develop antimalarials with novel structural classes. We recently described the identification and initial optimization of the 2-anilino quinazoline antimalarial class. Here, we refine the physicochemical properties of this antimalarial class with the aim to improve aqueous solubility and metabolism and to reduce adverse promiscuity. We show the physicochemical properties of this class are intricately balanced with asexual parasite activity and human cell cytotoxicity. Structural modifications we have implemented improved LipE, aqueous solubility and in vitro metabolism while preserving fast acting P. falciparum asexual stage activity. The lead compounds demonstrated equipotent activity against P. knowlesi parasites and were not predisposed to resistance mechanisms of clinically used antimalarials. The optimized compounds exhibited modest activity against early-stage gametocytes, but no activity against pre-erythrocytic liver parasites. Confoundingly, the refined physicochemical properties installed in the compounds did not engender improved oral efficacy in a P. berghei mouse model of malaria compared to earlier studies on the 2-anilino quinazoline class. This study provides the framework for further development of this antimalarial class.
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20
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The Novel bis-1,2,4-Triazine MIPS-0004373 Demonstrates Rapid and Potent Activity against All Blood Stages of the Malaria Parasite. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021; 65:e0031121. [PMID: 34460304 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00311-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel bis-1,2,4-triazine compounds with potent in vitro activity against Plasmodium falciparum parasites were recently identified. The bis-1,2,4-triazines represent a unique antimalarial pharmacophore and are proposed to act by a novel but as-yet-unknown mechanism of action. This study investigated the activity of the bis-1,2,4-triazine MIPS-0004373 across the mammalian life cycle stages of the parasite and profiled the kinetics of activity against blood and transmission stage parasites in vitro and in vivo. MIPS-0004373 demonstrated rapid and potent activity against P. falciparum, with excellent in vitro activity against all asexual blood stages. Prolonged in vitro drug exposure failed to generate stable resistance de novo, suggesting a low propensity for the emergence of resistance. Excellent activity was observed against sexually committed ring stage parasites, but activity against mature gametocytes was limited to inhibiting male gametogenesis. Assessment of liver stage activity demonstrated good activity in an in vitro P. berghei model but no activity against Plasmodium cynomolgi hypnozoites or liver schizonts. The bis-1,2,4-triazine MIPS-0004373 efficiently cleared an established P. berghei infection in vivo, with efficacy similar to that of artesunate and chloroquine and a recrudescence profile comparable to that of chloroquine. This study demonstrates the suitability of bis-1,2,4-triazines for further development toward a novel treatment for acute malaria.
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21
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Maher SP, Vantaux A, Chaumeau V, Chua ACY, Cooper CA, Andolina C, Péneau J, Rouillier M, Rizopoulos Z, Phal S, Piv E, Vong C, Phen S, Chhin C, Tat B, Ouk S, Doeurk B, Kim S, Suriyakan S, Kittiphanakun P, Awuku NA, Conway AJ, Jiang RHY, Russell B, Bifani P, Campo B, Nosten F, Witkowski B, Kyle DE. Probing the distinct chemosensitivity of Plasmodium vivax liver stage parasites and demonstration of 8-aminoquinoline radical cure activity in vitro. Sci Rep 2021; 11:19905. [PMID: 34620901 PMCID: PMC8497498 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-99152-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Improved control of Plasmodium vivax malaria can be achieved with the discovery of new antimalarials with radical cure efficacy, including prevention of relapse caused by hypnozoites residing in the liver of patients. We screened several compound libraries against P. vivax liver stages, including 1565 compounds against mature hypnozoites, resulting in one drug-like and several probe-like hits useful for investigating hypnozoite biology. Primaquine and tafenoquine, administered in combination with chloroquine, are currently the only FDA-approved antimalarials for radical cure, yet their activity against mature P. vivax hypnozoites has not yet been demonstrated in vitro. By developing an extended assay, we show both drugs are individually hypnozonticidal and made more potent when partnered with chloroquine, similar to clinically relevant combinations. Post-hoc analyses of screening data revealed excellent performance of ionophore controls and the high quality of single point assays, demonstrating a platform able to support screening of greater compound numbers. A comparison of P. vivax liver stage activity data with that of the P. cynomolgi blood, P. falciparum blood, and P. berghei liver stages reveals overlap in schizonticidal but not hypnozonticidal activity, indicating that the delivery of new radical curative agents killing P. vivax hypnozoites requires an independent and focused drug development test cascade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Steven P Maher
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, 500 DW Brooks Dr. Suite 370, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
| | - Amélie Vantaux
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, 5 Boulevard Monivong, PO Box 983, Phnom Penh, 12201, Cambodia
| | - Victor Chaumeau
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 68/30 Bantung Rd., Mae Sot, Tak, 63110, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Oxford, UK
| | - Adeline C Y Chua
- Infectious Diseases Laboratories (ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Immunos, Biopolis, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Caitlin A Cooper
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, 500 DW Brooks Dr. Suite 370, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Chiara Andolina
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 68/30 Bantung Rd., Mae Sot, Tak, 63110, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Oxford, UK
| | - Julie Péneau
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, 5 Boulevard Monivong, PO Box 983, Phnom Penh, 12201, Cambodia
| | - Mélanie Rouillier
- Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), Route de Pré-Bois 20, 1215, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Zaira Rizopoulos
- Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), Route de Pré-Bois 20, 1215, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sivchheng Phal
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, 5 Boulevard Monivong, PO Box 983, Phnom Penh, 12201, Cambodia
| | - Eakpor Piv
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, 5 Boulevard Monivong, PO Box 983, Phnom Penh, 12201, Cambodia
| | - Chantrea Vong
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, 5 Boulevard Monivong, PO Box 983, Phnom Penh, 12201, Cambodia
| | - Sreyvouch Phen
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, 5 Boulevard Monivong, PO Box 983, Phnom Penh, 12201, Cambodia
| | - Chansophea Chhin
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, 5 Boulevard Monivong, PO Box 983, Phnom Penh, 12201, Cambodia
| | - Baura Tat
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, 5 Boulevard Monivong, PO Box 983, Phnom Penh, 12201, Cambodia
| | - Sivkeng Ouk
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, 5 Boulevard Monivong, PO Box 983, Phnom Penh, 12201, Cambodia
| | - Bros Doeurk
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, 5 Boulevard Monivong, PO Box 983, Phnom Penh, 12201, Cambodia
| | - Saorin Kim
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, 5 Boulevard Monivong, PO Box 983, Phnom Penh, 12201, Cambodia
| | - Sangrawee Suriyakan
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 68/30 Bantung Rd., Mae Sot, Tak, 63110, Thailand
| | - Praphan Kittiphanakun
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 68/30 Bantung Rd., Mae Sot, Tak, 63110, Thailand
| | - Nana Akua Awuku
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, 500 DW Brooks Dr. Suite 370, Athens, GA, 30602, USA
| | - Amy J Conway
- Department of Global Health, College of Public Health, Center for Global Health and Infectious Disease Research, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Blvd Suite 402, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Rays H Y Jiang
- Department of Global Health, College of Public Health, Center for Global Health and Infectious Disease Research, University of South Florida, 3720 Spectrum Blvd Suite 402, Tampa, FL, 33612, USA
| | - Bruce Russell
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Pablo Bifani
- Infectious Diseases Laboratories (ID Labs), Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Immunos, Biopolis, Singapore, 138648, Singapore
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, 117545, Singapore
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Brice Campo
- Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), Route de Pré-Bois 20, 1215, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - François Nosten
- Shoklo Malaria Research Unit, Mahidol-Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 68/30 Bantung Rd., Mae Sot, Tak, 63110, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine Research Building, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus, Oxford, UK
| | - Benoît Witkowski
- Malaria Molecular Epidemiology Unit, Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, 5 Boulevard Monivong, PO Box 983, Phnom Penh, 12201, Cambodia.
| | - Dennis E Kyle
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, 500 DW Brooks Dr. Suite 370, Athens, GA, 30602, USA.
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22
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Laleu B, Akao Y, Ochida A, Duffy S, Lucantoni L, Shackleford DM, Chen G, Katneni K, Chiu FCK, White KL, Chen X, Sturm A, Dechering KJ, Crespo B, Sanz LM, Wang B, Wittlin S, Charman SA, Avery VM, Cho N, Kamaura M. Discovery and Structure-Activity Relationships of Quinazolinone-2-carboxamide Derivatives as Novel Orally Efficacious Antimalarials. J Med Chem 2021; 64:12582-12602. [PMID: 34437804 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00441] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A phenotypic high-throughput screen allowed discovery of quinazolinone-2-carboxamide derivatives as a novel antimalarial scaffold. Structure-activity relationship studies led to identification of a potent inhibitor 19f, 95-fold more potent than the original hit compound, active against laboratory-resistant strains of malaria. Profiling of 19f suggested a fast in vitro killing profile. In vivo activity in a murine model of human malaria in a dose-dependent manner constitutes a concomitant benefit.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benoît Laleu
- Medicines for Malaria Venture, ICC, Route de Pré-Bois 20, 1215 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Yuichiro Akao
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
| | - Atsuko Ochida
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
| | - Sandra Duffy
- Discovery Biology, Griffith University, Brisbane Innovation Park, Don Young Road, Nathan 4111, Queensland, Australia
| | - Leonardo Lucantoni
- Discovery Biology, Griffith University, Brisbane Innovation Park, Don Young Road, Nathan 4111, Queensland, Australia
| | - David M Shackleford
- Centre for Drug Candidate Optimisation, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Gong Chen
- Centre for Drug Candidate Optimisation, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Kasiram Katneni
- Centre for Drug Candidate Optimisation, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Francis C K Chiu
- Centre for Drug Candidate Optimisation, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Karen L White
- Centre for Drug Candidate Optimisation, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Xue Chen
- WuXi AppTec (Wuhan) Company Ltd., 666 Gaoxin Avenue, Donghu New Technology Development Area, Wuhan 430075, China
| | - Angelika Sturm
- TropIQ Health Sciences, Transistorweg 5-C02, 6534 AT Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Koen J Dechering
- TropIQ Health Sciences, Transistorweg 5-C02, 6534 AT Nijmegen, The Netherlands
| | - Benigno Crespo
- Global Health, GlaxoSmithKline R&D, Tres Cantos, 28760, Madrid, Spain
| | - Laura M Sanz
- Global Health, GlaxoSmithKline R&D, Tres Cantos, 28760, Madrid, Spain
| | - Binglin Wang
- WuXi AppTec (Wuhan) Company Ltd., 666 Gaoxin Avenue, Donghu New Technology Development Area, Wuhan 430075, China
| | - Sergio Wittlin
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4002 Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Susan A Charman
- Centre for Drug Candidate Optimisation, Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, 381 Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Vicky M Avery
- Discovery Biology, Griffith University, Brisbane Innovation Park, Don Young Road, Nathan 4111, Queensland, Australia
| | - Nobuo Cho
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
| | - Masahiro Kamaura
- Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
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23
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Bailey BL, Nguyen W, Ngo A, Goodman CD, Gancheva MR, Favuzza P, Sanz LM, Gamo FJ, Lowes KN, McFadden GI, Wilson DW, Laleu B, Brand S, Jackson PF, Cowman AF, Sleebs BE. Optimisation of 2-(N-phenyl carboxamide) triazolopyrimidine antimalarials with moderate to slow acting erythrocytic stage activity. Bioorg Chem 2021; 115:105244. [PMID: 34452759 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.105244] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Malaria is a devastating parasitic disease caused by parasites from the genus Plasmodium. Therapeutic resistance has been reported against all clinically available antimalarials, threatening our ability to control the disease and therefore there is an ongoing need for the development of novel antimalarials. Towards this goal, we identified the 2-(N-phenyl carboxamide) triazolopyrimidine class from a high throughput screen of the Janssen Jumpstarter library against the asexual stages of the P. falciparum parasite. Here we describe the structure activity relationship of the identified class and the optimisation of asexual stage activity while maintaining selectivity against the human HepG2 cell line. The most potent analogues from this study were shown to exhibit equipotent activity against P. falciparum multidrug resistant strains and P. knowlesi asexual parasites. Asexual stage phenotyping studies determined the triazolopyrimidine class arrests parasites at the trophozoite stage, but it is likely these parasites are still metabolically active until the second asexual cycle, and thus have a moderate to slow onset of action. Non-NADPH dependent degradation of the central carboxamide and low aqueous solubility was observed in in vitro ADME profiling. A significant challenge remains to correct these liabilities for further advancement of the 2-(N-phenyl carboxamide) triazolopyrimidine scaffold as a potential moderate to slow acting partner in a curative or prophylactic antimalarial treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brodie L Bailey
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
| | - William Nguyen
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
| | - Anna Ngo
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, Australia
| | | | - Maria R Gancheva
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Paola Favuzza
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
| | - Laura M Sanz
- Global Health Pharma Research Unit, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos 28760, Spain
| | | | - Kym N Lowes
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
| | - Geoffrey I McFadden
- School of Biosciences, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Danny W Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne 3004, Australia
| | - Benoît Laleu
- Medicines for Malaria Venture, Geneva 1215, Switzerland
| | - Stephen Brand
- Medicines for Malaria Venture, Geneva 1215, Switzerland
| | - Paul F Jackson
- Global Public Health, Janssen Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Alan F Cowman
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia
| | - Brad E Sleebs
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, Australia.
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24
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Broichhagen J, Kilian N. Chemical Biology Tools To Investigate Malaria Parasites. Chembiochem 2021; 22:2219-2236. [PMID: 33570245 PMCID: PMC8360121 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202000882] [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: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Parasitic diseases like malaria tropica have been shaping human evolution and history since the beginning of mankind. After infection, the response of the human host ranges from asymptomatic to severe and may culminate in death. Therefore, proper examination of the parasite's biology is pivotal to deciphering unique molecular, biochemical and cell biological processes, which in turn ensure the identification of treatment strategies, such as potent drug targets and vaccine candidates. However, implementing molecular biology methods for genetic manipulation proves to be difficult for many parasite model organisms. The development of fast and straightforward applicable alternatives, for instance small-molecule probes from the field of chemical biology, is essential. In this review, we will recapitulate the highlights of previous molecular and chemical biology approaches that have already created insight and understanding of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. We discuss current developments from the field of chemical biology and explore how their application could advance research into this parasite in the future. We anticipate that the described approaches will help to close knowledge gaps in the biology of P. falciparum and we hope that researchers will be inspired to use these methods to gain knowledge - with the aim of ending this devastating disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Broichhagen
- Leibniz-Forschungsinstitut für Molekulare Pharmakologie (FMP)Robert-Roessle-Strasse 1013125BerlinGermany
| | - Nicole Kilian
- Centre for Infectious DiseasesParasitologyHeidelberg University HospitalIm Neuenheimer Feld 32469120HeidelbergGermany
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25
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Snider D, Weathers PJ. In vitro reduction of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes: Artemisia spp. tea infusions vs. artemisinin. JOURNAL OF ETHNOPHARMACOLOGY 2021; 268:113638. [PMID: 33271239 PMCID: PMC7855472 DOI: 10.1016/j.jep.2020.113638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 11/25/2020] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE Artemisia annua has a long history of use in Southeast Asia where it was used to treat "fever", and A. afra has a similar history in southern Africa. Since their discovery, A. annua use, in particular, has expanded globally with millions of people using the plant in therapeutic tea infusions, mainly to treat malaria. AIM OF THE STUDY In this study, we used in vitro studies to query if and how A. annua and A. afra tea infusions being used across the globe affect asexual Plasmodium falciparum parasites, and their sexual gametocytes. MATERIALS AND METHODS P. falciparumstrain NF54 was grown in vitro, synchronized, and induced to form gametocytes using N-acetylglucosamine. Cultures during asexual, early, and late stage gametocytogenesis were treated with artemisinin, methylene blue, and A. annua and A. afra tea infusions (5 g DW/L) using cultivars that contained 0-283 μM artemisinin. Asexual parasitemia and gametocytemia were analyzed microscopically. Gametocyte morphology also was scored. Markers of early (PfGEXP5) and late stage (Pfs25) gametocyte gene expression also were measured using RT-qPCR. RESULTS Both A. annua and A. afra tea infusions reduced gametocytemia in vitro, and the effect was mainly artemisinin dependent. Expression levels of both marker genes were reduced and also occurred with the effect mainly attributed to artemisinin content of four tested Artemisia cultivars. Tea infusions of both species also inhibited asexual parasitemia and although mainly artemisinin dependent, there was a weak antiparasitic effect from artemisinin-deficient A. afra. CONCLUSIONS These results showed that A. annua and to a lesser extent, A. afra, inhibited parasitemia and gametocytemia in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danielle Snider
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA.
| | - Pamela J Weathers
- Department of Biology and Biotechnology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Worcester, MA, 01609, USA.
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26
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Chellan P, Avery VM, Duffy S, Land KM, Tam CC, Kim JH, Cheng LW, Romero-Canelón I, Sadler PJ. Bioactive half-sandwich Rh and Ir bipyridyl complexes containing artemisinin. J Inorg Biochem 2021; 219:111408. [PMID: 33826972 DOI: 10.1016/j.jinorgbio.2021.111408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/21/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Reaction of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) with 4-methyl-4'-carboxy-2,2'-bipyridine yielded the new ester derivative L1. Six novel organometallic half-sandwich chlorido Rh(III) and Ir(III) complexes (1-6) containing pentamethylcyclopentadienyl, (Cp*), tetramethylphenylcyclopentadienyl (Cpxph), or tetramethylbiphenylcyclopentadienyl (Cpxbiph), and N,N-chelated bipyridyl group of L1, have been synthesized and characterized. The complexes were screened for inhibitory activity against the Plasmodium falciparum 3D7 (sensitive), Dd2 (multi-drug resistant) and NF54 late stage gametocytes (LSGNF54), the parasite strain Trichomonas vaginalis G3, as well as A2780 (human ovarian carcinoma), A549 (human alveolar adenocarcinoma), HCT116 (human colorectal carcinoma), MCF7 (human breast cancer) and PC3 (human prostate cancer) cancer cell lines. They show nanomolar antiplasmodial activity, outperforming chloroquine and artemisinin. Their activities were also comparable to dihydroartemisinin. As anticancer agents, several of the complexes showed high inhibitory effects, with Ir(III) complex 3, containing the tetramethylbiphenylcyclopentadienyl ligand, having similar IC50 values (concentration for 50% of maximum inhibition of cell growth) as the clinical drug cisplatin (1.06-9.23 μM versus 0.24-7.2 μM, respectively). Overall, the iridium complexes (1-3) are more potent compared to the rhodium derivatives (4-6), and complex 3 emerges as the most promising candidate for future studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prinessa Chellan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Vicky M Avery
- Discovery Biology, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Sandra Duffy
- Discovery Biology, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Kirkwood M Land
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA 95211, United States of America
| | - Christina C Tam
- Foodborne Toxin Detection and Prevention Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Albany, CA 94710, United States of America
| | - Jong H Kim
- Foodborne Toxin Detection and Prevention Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Albany, CA 94710, United States of America
| | - Luisa W Cheng
- Foodborne Toxin Detection and Prevention Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Albany, CA 94710, United States of America
| | | | - Peter J Sadler
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry CV4 7AL, UK.
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27
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Fabbri C, Trindade AO, Andrade FS, Souza MFD, Ríos-Velásquez CM, Lacerda MVGD, Monteiro WM, Costa FTM, Amino R, Lopes SCP. Transmission-blocking compound candidates against Plasmodium vivax using P. berghei as an initial screening. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2021; 116:e200513. [PMID: 33566952 PMCID: PMC7874845 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760200513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Different strategies for improvement of malaria control and elimination are based on the blockage of malaria parasite transmission to the mosquito vector. These strategies include the drugs that target the plasmodial sexual stages in humans and the early developmental stages inside mosquitoes. OBJECTIVES Here we tested Malaria Box compounds in order to evaluate their activity against male and female gametocytes in Plasmodium berghei, mosquito infection in P. vivax and ookinete formation in both species. METHODS/FINDINGS The membrane feeding assay and the development of ookinetes by a 24 h ex vivo culture and the ookinete yield per 1000 erythrocytes were used to test transmission-blocking potential of the Malaria Box compounds in P. vivax. For P. berghei we used flow cytometry to evaluate male and female gametocyte time course and fluorescence microscopy to check the ookinete development. The two species used in this study showed similar results concerning the compounds’ activity against gametocytes and ookinetes, which were different from those in P. falciparum. In addition, from the eight Malaria Box compounds tested in both species, compounds MMV665830, MMV665878 and MMV665941 were selected as a hit compounds due the high inhibition observed. CONCLUSION Our results showed that P. berghei is suitable as an initial screening system to test compounds against P. vivax.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Fabbri
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr Heitor Vieira Dourado, Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema, Manaus, AM, Brasil.,Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Manaus, AM, Brasil.,Centro Universitário Fametro, Manaus, AM, Brasil
| | - Alexandre Oliveira Trindade
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr Heitor Vieira Dourado, Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema, Manaus, AM, Brasil
| | - Francy's Sayara Andrade
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr Heitor Vieira Dourado, Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema, Manaus, AM, Brasil.,Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Manaus, AM, Brasil
| | - Macejane Ferreira de Souza
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr Heitor Vieira Dourado, Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema, Manaus, AM, Brasil.,Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Manaus, AM, Brasil
| | | | - Marcus Vinicius Guimarães de Lacerda
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr Heitor Vieira Dourado, Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema, Manaus, AM, Brasil.,Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Manaus, AM, Brasil.,Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane, Manaus, AM, Brasil
| | - Wuelton Marcelo Monteiro
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr Heitor Vieira Dourado, Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema, Manaus, AM, Brasil.,Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Manaus, AM, Brasil
| | - Fabio Trindade Maranhão Costa
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane, Manaus, AM, Brasil.,Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brasil
| | - Rogerio Amino
- Institut Pasteur, Unit of Malaria Infection and Immunity, Department of Parasites and Insect Vectors, Paris, Île-de-France, France
| | - Stefanie Costa Pinto Lopes
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr Heitor Vieira Dourado, Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema, Manaus, AM, Brasil.,Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Manaus, AM, Brasil.,Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane, Manaus, AM, Brasil
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28
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Nguyen W, Dans MG, Ngo A, Gancheva MR, Romeo O, Duffy S, de Koning-Ward TF, Lowes KN, Sabroux HJ, Avery VM, Wilson DW, Gilson PR, Sleebs BE. Structure activity refinement of phenylsulfonyl piperazines as antimalarials that block erythrocytic invasion. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 214:113253. [PMID: 33610028 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2020] [Revised: 01/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The emerging resistance to combination therapies comprised of artemisinin derivatives has driven a need to identify new antimalarials with novel mechanisms of action. Central to the survival and proliferation of the malaria parasite is the invasion of red blood cells by Plasmodium merozoites, providing an attractive target for novel therapeutics. A screen of the Medicines for Malaria Venture Pathogen Box employing transgenic P. falciparum parasites expressing the nanoluciferase bioluminescent reporter identified the phenylsulfonyl piperazine class as a specific inhibitor of erythrocyte invasion. Here, we describe the optimization and further characterization of the phenylsulfonyl piperazine class. During the optimization process we defined the functionality required for P. falciparum asexual stage activity and determined the alpha-carbonyl S-methyl isomer was important for antimalarial potency. The optimized compounds also possessed comparable activity against multidrug resistant strains of P. falciparum and displayed weak activity against sexual stage gametocytes. We determined that the optimized compounds blocked erythrocyte invasion consistent with the asexual activity observed and therefore the phenylsulfonyl piperazine analogues described could serve as useful tools for studying Plasmodium erythrocyte invasion.
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Affiliation(s)
- William Nguyen
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Australia
| | - Madeline G Dans
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, 3004, Australia; School of Medicine, Deakin University, Waurn Ponds, 3216, Australia
| | - Anna Ngo
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Australia
| | - Maria R Gancheva
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Ornella Romeo
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia
| | - Sandra Duffy
- Discovery Biology, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, 4111, Australia
| | | | - Kym N Lowes
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Australia
| | - Helene Jousset Sabroux
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Australia
| | - Vicky M Avery
- Discovery Biology, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, 4111, Australia
| | - Danny W Wilson
- Research Centre for Infectious Diseases, School of Biological Sciences, University of Adelaide, Adelaide, Australia; Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, 3004, Australia
| | - Paul R Gilson
- Macfarlane Burnet Institute for Medical Research and Public Health, Melbourne, 3004, Australia
| | - Brad E Sleebs
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, 3010, Australia.
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29
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Jennison C, Lucantoni L, O'Neill MT, McConville R, Erickson SM, Cowman AF, Sleebs BE, Avery VM, Boddey JA. Inhibition of Plasmepsin V Activity Blocks Plasmodium falciparum Gametocytogenesis and Transmission to Mosquitoes. Cell Rep 2020; 29:3796-3806.e4. [PMID: 31851913 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2019.11.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes infect mosquitoes and are responsible for malaria transmission. New interventions that block transmission could accelerate malaria elimination. Gametocytes develop within erythrocytes and activate protein export pathways that remodel the host cell. Plasmepsin V (PMV) is an aspartyl protease that is required for protein export in asexual parasites, but its function and essentiality in gametocytes has not been definitively proven, nor has PMV been assessed as a transmission-blocking drug target. Here, we show that PMV is expressed and can be inhibited specifically in P. falciparum stage I-II gametocytes. PMV inhibitors block processing and export of gametocyte effector proteins and inhibit development of stage II-V gametocytes. Gametocytogenesis in the presence of sublethal inhibitor concentrations results in stage V gametocytes that fail to infect mosquitoes. Therefore, PMV primes gametocyte effectors for export, which is essential for the development and fitness of gametocytes for transmission to mosquitoes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlie Jennison
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, VIC, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Leonardo Lucantoni
- Discovery Biology, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan 4111, QLD, Australia
| | - Matthew T O'Neill
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, VIC, Australia
| | - Robyn McConville
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, VIC, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Sara M Erickson
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, VIC, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Alan F Cowman
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, VIC, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Brad E Sleebs
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, VIC, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia
| | - Vicky M Avery
- Discovery Biology, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan 4111, QLD, Australia
| | - Justin A Boddey
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville 3052, VIC, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville 3010, VIC, Australia.
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30
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Moyo P, Mugumbate G, Eloff JN, Louw AI, Maharaj VJ, Birkholtz LM. Natural Products: A Potential Source of Malaria Transmission Blocking Drugs? Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2020; 13:E251. [PMID: 32957668 PMCID: PMC7558993 DOI: 10.3390/ph13090251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to block human-to-mosquito and mosquito-to-human transmission of Plasmodium parasites is fundamental to accomplish the ambitious goal of malaria elimination. The WHO currently recommends only primaquine as a transmission-blocking drug but its use is severely restricted by toxicity in some populations. New, safe and clinically effective transmission-blocking drugs therefore need to be discovered. While natural products have been extensively investigated for the development of chemotherapeutic antimalarial agents, their potential use as transmission-blocking drugs is comparatively poorly explored. Here, we provide a comprehensive summary of the activities of natural products (and their derivatives) of plant and microbial origins against sexual stages of Plasmodium parasites and the Anopheles mosquito vector. We identify the prevailing challenges and opportunities and suggest how these can be mitigated and/or exploited in an endeavor to expedite transmission-blocking drug discovery efforts from natural products.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phanankosi Moyo
- Malaria Parasite Molecular Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x20, Hatfield, 0028 Pretoria, South Africa;
| | - Grace Mugumbate
- Department of Chemistry, School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics, Chinhoyi University of Technology, Private Bag, 7724 Chinhoyi, Zimbabwe;
| | - Jacobus N. Eloff
- Phytomedicine Programme, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x04, Onderstepoort 0110 Pretoria, South Africa;
| | - Abraham I. Louw
- Malaria Parasite Molecular Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x20, Hatfield, 0028 Pretoria, South Africa;
| | - Vinesh J. Maharaj
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x20, Hatfield, 0028 Pretoria, South Africa;
| | - Lyn-Marié Birkholtz
- Malaria Parasite Molecular Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x20, Hatfield, 0028 Pretoria, South Africa;
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31
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Malebo HM, D'Alessandro S, Ebstie YA, Sorè H, Tenoh Guedoung AR, Katani SJ, Parapini S, Taramelli D, Habluetzel A. In vitro Multistage Malaria Transmission Blocking Activity of Selected Malaria Box Compounds. Drug Des Devel Ther 2020; 14:1593-1607. [PMID: 32425505 PMCID: PMC7196193 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s242883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2019] [Accepted: 03/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Purpose Continuous efforts into the discovery and development of new antimalarials are required to face the emerging resistance of the parasite to available treatments. Thus, new effective drugs, ideally able to inhibit the Plasmodium life-cycle stages that cause the disease as well as those responsible for its transmission, are needed. Eight compounds from the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) Malaria Box, potentially interfering with the parasite polyamine biosynthesis were selected and assessed in vitro for activity against malaria transmissible stages, namely mature gametocytes and early sporogonic stages. Methods Compound activity against asexual blood stages of chloroquine-sensitive 3D7 and chloroquine-resistant W2 strains of Plasmodium falciparum was tested measuring the parasite lactate dehydrogenase activity. The gametocytocidal effect was determined against the P. falciparum 3D7elo1-pfs16-CBG99 strain with a luminescent method. The murine P. berghei CTRP.GFP strain was employed to assess compounds activities against early sporogonic stage development in an in vitro assay simulating mosquito midgut conditions. Results Among the eight tested molecules, MMV000642, MMV000662 and MMV006429, containing a 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline-4-carboxamide chemical skeleton substituted at N-2, C-3 and C-4, displayed multi-stage activity. Activity against asexual blood stages of both strains was confirmed with values of IC50 (50% inhibitory concentration) in the range of 0.07–0.13 µM. They were also active against mature stage V gametocytes with IC50 values below 5 µM (range: 3.43–4.42 µM). These molecules exhibited moderate effects on early sporogonic stage development, displaying IC50 values between 20 and 40 µM. Conclusion Given the multi-stage, transmission-blocking profiles of MMV000642, MMV000662, MMV006429, and their chemical characteristics, these compounds can be considered worthy for further optimisation toward a TCP5 or TCP6 target product profile proposed by MMV for transmission-blocking antimalarials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamisi M Malebo
- Department of Traditional Medicine Research, National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Sarah D'Alessandro
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute , University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca Sulla Malaria/Italian Malaria Network, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | | | - Harouna Sorè
- Centre National de Recherche et de Formation sur le Paludisme (CNRFP), Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso
| | | | - Shaaban J Katani
- Department of Traditional Medicine Research, National Institute for Medical Research, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Silvia Parapini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biomediche per la Salute , University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca Sulla Malaria/Italian Malaria Network, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Donatella Taramelli
- Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca Sulla Malaria/Italian Malaria Network, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,Dipartimento di Scienze Farmacologiche e Biomolecolari, University of Milan, Milan, Italy
| | - Annette Habluetzel
- Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca Sulla Malaria/Italian Malaria Network, University of Milan, Milan, Italy.,School of Pharmacy, University of Camerino, Camerino, Italy
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32
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Abstract
As the world gets closer to eliminating malaria, the scientific community worldwide has begun to realize the importance of malaria transmission-blocking interventions. The onus of breaking the life cycle of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum predominantly rests upon transmission-blocking drugs because of emerging resistance to commonly used schizonticides and insecticides. This third part of our review series on malaria transmission-blocking entails transmission-blocking potential of preclinical transmission-blocking antimalarials and other non-malaria drugs/experimental compounds that are not in clinical or preclinical development for malaria but possess transmission-blocking potential. Collective analysis of the structure and the activity of these experimental compounds might pave the way toward generation of novel prototypes of next-generation transmission-blocking drugs.
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33
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Wong HN, Padín-Irizarry V, van der Watt ME, Reader J, Liebenberg W, Wiesner L, Smith P, Eribez K, Winzeler EA, Kyle DE, Birkholtz LM, Coertzen D, Haynes RK. Optimal 10-Aminoartemisinins With Potent Transmission-Blocking Capabilities for New Artemisinin Combination Therapies-Activities Against Blood Stage P. falciparum Including PfKI3 C580Y Mutants and Liver Stage P. berghei Parasites. Front Chem 2020; 7:901. [PMID: 31998692 PMCID: PMC6967409 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2019.00901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
We have demonstrated previously that amino-artemisinins including artemiside and artemisone in which an amino group replaces the oxygen-bearing substituents attached to C-10 of the current clinical artemisinin derivatives dihydroartemisinin (DHA), artemether and artesunate, display potent activities in vitro against the asexual blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum (Pf). In particular, the compounds are active against late blood stage Pf gametocytes, and are strongly synergistic in combination with the redox active drug methylene blue. In order to fortify the eventual selection of optimum amino-artemisinins for development into new triple combination therapies also active against artemisinin-resistant Pf mutants, we have prepared new amino-artemisinins based on the easily accessible and inexpensive DHA-piperazine. The latter was converted into alkyl- and aryl sulfonamides, ureas and amides. These derivatives were screened together with the comparator drugs DHA and the hitherto most active amino-artemisinins artemiside and artemisone against asexual and sexual blood stages of Pf and liver stage P. berghei (Pb) sporozoites. Several of the new amino-artemisinins bearing aryl-urea and -amide groups are potently active against both asexual, and late blood stage gametocytes (IC50 0.4-1.0 nM). Although the activities are superior to those of artemiside (IC50 1.5 nM) and artemisone (IC50 42.4 nM), the latter are more active against the liver stage Pb sporozoites (IC50 artemisone 28 nM). In addition, early results indicate these compounds tend not to display reduced susceptibility against parasites bearing the Pf Kelch 13 propeller domain C580Y mutation characteristic of artemisinin-resistant Pf. Thus, the advent of the amino-artemisinins including artemiside and artemisone will enable the development of new combination therapies that by virtue of the amino-artemisinin component itself will possess intrinsic transmission-blocking capabilities and may be effective against artemisinin resistant falciparum malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ho Ning Wong
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Vivian Padín-Irizarry
- Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Diseases, Coverdell Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Mariëtte E van der Watt
- Malaria Parasite Molecular Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Janette Reader
- Malaria Parasite Molecular Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Wilna Liebenberg
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
| | - Lubbe Wiesner
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Peter Smith
- Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Korina Eribez
- School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Elizabeth A Winzeler
- School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Dennis E Kyle
- Center for Tropical & Emerging Global Diseases, Coverdell Center, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, United States
| | - Lyn-Marie Birkholtz
- Malaria Parasite Molecular Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Dina Coertzen
- Malaria Parasite Molecular Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Richard K Haynes
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
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Abstract
The scientific community worldwide has realized that malaria elimination will not be possible without development of safe and effective transmission-blocking interventions. Primaquine, the only WHO recommended transmission-blocking drug, is not extensively utilized because of the toxicity issues in G6PD deficient individuals. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop novel therapeutic interventions that can target malaria parasites and effectively block transmission. But at first, it is imperative to unravel the existing portfolio of transmission-blocking drugs. This review highlights transmission-blocking potential of current antimalarial drugs and drugs that are in various stages of clinical development. The collective analysis of the relationships between the structure and the activity of transmission-blocking drugs is expected to help in the design of new transmission-blocking antimalarials.
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35
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Linzke M, Yan SLR, Tárnok A, Ulrich H, Groves MR, Wrenger C. Live and Let Dye: Visualizing the Cellular Compartments of the Malaria Parasite Plasmodium falciparum. Cytometry A 2019; 97:694-705. [PMID: 31738009 DOI: 10.1002/cyto.a.23927] [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: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 10/03/2019] [Accepted: 10/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Malaria remains one of the deadliest diseases worldwide and it is caused by the protozoan parasite Plasmodium spp. Parasite visualization is an important tool for the correct detection of malarial cases but also to understand its biology. Advances in visualization techniques promote new insights into the complex life cycle and biology of Plasmodium parasites. Live cell imaging by fluorescence microscopy or flow cytometry are the foundation of the visualization technique for malaria research. In this review, we present an overview of possibilities in live cell imaging of the malaria parasite. We discuss some of the state-of-the-art techniques to visualize organelles and processes of the parasite and discuss limitation and advantages of each technique. © 2019 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marleen Linzke
- Unit for Drug Discovery, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Avenida Professor Lineu Prestes 1374, São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Sun Liu Rei Yan
- Unit for Drug Discovery, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Avenida Professor Lineu Prestes 1374, São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Attila Tárnok
- Institute for Medical Informatics, Statistics and Epidemiology, Medical Faculty, University Leipzig, D-04107, Härtelstraße 16-18, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Henning Ulrich
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, Avenida Professor Lineu Prestes 748, São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Matthew R Groves
- Structural Biology Unit, Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, 9713AV, Antonius Deusinglaan 1, AV Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Carsten Wrenger
- Unit for Drug Discovery, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, Avenida Professor Lineu Prestes 1374, São Paulo, São Paulo, 05508-000, Brazil
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36
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Norcross NR, Wilson C, Baragaña B, Hallyburton I, Osuna‐Cabello M, Norval S, Riley J, Fletcher D, Sinden R, Delves M, Ruecker A, Duffy S, Meister S, Antonova‐Koch Y, Crespo B, de Cózar C, Sanz LM, Gamo FJ, Avery VM, Frearson JA, Gray DW, Fairlamb AH, Winzeler EA, Waterson D, Campbell SF, Willis PA, Read KD, Gilbert IH. Substituted Aminoacetamides as Novel Leads for Malaria Treatment. ChemMedChem 2019; 14:1329-1335. [PMID: 31188540 PMCID: PMC6899483 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201900329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Herein we describe the optimization of a phenotypic hit against Plasmodium falciparum based on an aminoacetamide scaffold. This led to N-(3-chloro-4-fluorophenyl)-2-methyl-2-{[4-methyl-3-(morpholinosulfonyl)phenyl]amino}propanamide (compound 28) with low-nanomolar activity against the intraerythrocytic stages of the malaria parasite, and which was found to be inactive in a mammalian cell counter-screen up to 25 μm. Inhibition of gametes in the dual gamete activation assay suggests that this family of compounds may also have transmission blocking capabilities. Whilst we were unable to optimize the aqueous solubility and microsomal stability to a point at which the aminoacetamides would be suitable for in vivo pharmacokinetic and efficacy studies, compound 28 displayed excellent antimalarial potency and selectivity; it could therefore serve as a suitable chemical tool for drug target identification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Neil R. Norcross
- Drug Discovery UnitDivision of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDundeeDD1 5EHUK
| | - Caroline Wilson
- Drug Discovery UnitDivision of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDundeeDD1 5EHUK
| | - Beatriz Baragaña
- Drug Discovery UnitDivision of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDundeeDD1 5EHUK
| | - Irene Hallyburton
- Drug Discovery UnitDivision of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDundeeDD1 5EHUK
| | - Maria Osuna‐Cabello
- Drug Discovery UnitDivision of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDundeeDD1 5EHUK
| | - Suzanne Norval
- Drug Discovery UnitDivision of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDundeeDD1 5EHUK
| | - Jennifer Riley
- Drug Discovery UnitDivision of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDundeeDD1 5EHUK
| | - Daniel Fletcher
- Drug Discovery UnitDivision of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDundeeDD1 5EHUK
| | | | | | | | - Sandra Duffy
- Discovery BiologyGriffith Institute for Drug DiscoveryGriffith UniversityNathanQueensland4111Australia
| | - Stephan Meister
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of California San Diego School of Medicine9500 Gilman Drive 0741La JollaCA92093USA
| | - Yevgeniya Antonova‐Koch
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of California San Diego School of Medicine9500 Gilman Drive 0741La JollaCA92093USA
| | - Benigno Crespo
- GlaxoSmithKline, Diseases of the Developing World – Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campusc/ Severo Ochoa 2, Tres Cantos28760MadridSpain
| | - Cristina de Cózar
- GlaxoSmithKline, Diseases of the Developing World – Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campusc/ Severo Ochoa 2, Tres Cantos28760MadridSpain
| | - Laura M. Sanz
- GlaxoSmithKline, Diseases of the Developing World – Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campusc/ Severo Ochoa 2, Tres Cantos28760MadridSpain
| | - Francisco Javier Gamo
- GlaxoSmithKline, Diseases of the Developing World – Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campusc/ Severo Ochoa 2, Tres Cantos28760MadridSpain
| | - Vicky M. Avery
- Discovery BiologyGriffith Institute for Drug DiscoveryGriffith UniversityNathanQueensland4111Australia
| | - Julie A. Frearson
- Drug Discovery UnitDivision of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDundeeDD1 5EHUK
| | - David W. Gray
- Drug Discovery UnitDivision of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDundeeDD1 5EHUK
| | - Alan H. Fairlamb
- Drug Discovery UnitDivision of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDundeeDD1 5EHUK
| | - Elizabeth A. Winzeler
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of California San Diego School of Medicine9500 Gilman Drive 0741La JollaCA92093USA
| | - David Waterson
- Medicines for Malaria VentureInternational Centre, Cointrin, Entrance G, 3rd FloorRoute de Pré-Bois 20, PO Box 1826Geneva1215Switzerland
| | - Simon F. Campbell
- Medicines for Malaria VentureInternational Centre, Cointrin, Entrance G, 3rd FloorRoute de Pré-Bois 20, PO Box 1826Geneva1215Switzerland
| | - Paul A. Willis
- Medicines for Malaria VentureInternational Centre, Cointrin, Entrance G, 3rd FloorRoute de Pré-Bois 20, PO Box 1826Geneva1215Switzerland
| | - Kevin D. Read
- Drug Discovery UnitDivision of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDundeeDD1 5EHUK
| | - Ian H. Gilbert
- Drug Discovery UnitDivision of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDundeeDD1 5EHUK
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van der Watt ME, Reader J, Churchyard A, Nondaba SH, Lauterbach SB, Niemand J, Abayomi S, van Biljon RA, Connacher JI, van Wyk RDJ, Le Manach C, Paquet T, González Cabrera D, Brunschwig C, Theron A, Lozano-Arias S, Rodrigues JFI, Herreros E, Leroy D, Duffy J, Street LJ, Chibale K, Mancama D, Coetzer TL, Birkholtz LM. Potent Plasmodium falciparum gametocytocidal compounds identified by exploring the kinase inhibitor chemical space for dual active antimalarials. J Antimicrob Chemother 2019; 73:1279-1290. [PMID: 29420756 DOI: 10.1093/jac/dky008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 01/02/2018] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Objectives Novel chemical tools to eliminate malaria should ideally target both the asexual parasites and transmissible gametocytes. Several imidazopyridazines (IMPs) and 2-aminopyridines (2-APs) have been described as potent antimalarial candidates targeting lipid kinases. However, these have not been extensively explored for stage-specific inhibition of gametocytes in Plasmodium falciparum parasites. Here we provide an in-depth evaluation of the gametocytocidal activity of compounds from these chemotypes and identify novel starting points for dual-acting antimalarials. Methods We evaluated compounds against P. falciparum gametocytes using several assay platforms for cross-validation and stringently identified hits that were further profiled for stage specificity, speed of action and ex vivo efficacy. Physicochemical feature extraction and chemogenomic fingerprinting were applied to explore the kinase inhibition susceptibility profile. Results We identified 34 compounds with submicromolar activity against late stage gametocytes, validated across several assay platforms. Of these, 12 were potent at <100 nM (8 were IMPs and 4 were 2-APs) and were also active against early stage gametocytes and asexual parasites, with >1000-fold selectivity towards the parasite over mammalian cells. Front-runner compounds targeted mature gametocytes within 48 h and blocked transmission to mosquitoes. The resultant chemogenomic fingerprint of parasites treated with the lead compounds revealed the importance of targeting kinases in asexual parasites and gametocytes. Conclusions This study encompasses an in-depth evaluation of the kinase inhibitor space for gametocytocidal activity. Potent lead compounds have enticing dual activities and highlight the importance of targeting the kinase superfamily in malaria elimination strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariëtte E van der Watt
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and South African Medical Research Council Collaborating Centre for Malaria Research, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x20, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Janette Reader
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and South African Medical Research Council Collaborating Centre for Malaria Research, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x20, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Alisje Churchyard
- Plasmodium Molecular Research Unit, Wits Research Institute for Malaria, Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand and National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
| | - Sindisiwe H Nondaba
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and South African Medical Research Council Collaborating Centre for Malaria Research, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x20, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Sonja B Lauterbach
- Plasmodium Molecular Research Unit, Wits Research Institute for Malaria, Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand and National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
| | - Jandeli Niemand
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and South African Medical Research Council Collaborating Centre for Malaria Research, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x20, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Sijuade Abayomi
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and South African Medical Research Council Collaborating Centre for Malaria Research, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x20, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Riëtte A van Biljon
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and South African Medical Research Council Collaborating Centre for Malaria Research, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x20, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Jessica I Connacher
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and South African Medical Research Council Collaborating Centre for Malaria Research, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x20, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Roelof D J van Wyk
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and South African Medical Research Council Collaborating Centre for Malaria Research, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x20, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
| | - Claire Le Manach
- Drug Discovery and Development Centre (H3D), Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
| | - Tanya Paquet
- Drug Discovery and Development Centre (H3D), Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
| | - Diego González Cabrera
- Drug Discovery and Development Centre (H3D), Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
| | - Christel Brunschwig
- Drug Discovery and Development Centre (H3D), Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
| | - Anjo Theron
- Biosciences, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, PO Box 395, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
| | - Sonia Lozano-Arias
- GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, Severo Ochoa, 2, 28760 Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Janneth F I Rodrigues
- GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, Severo Ochoa, 2, 28760 Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Esperanza Herreros
- GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, Severo Ochoa, 2, 28760 Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Didier Leroy
- Medicines for Malaria Venture, International Center Cointrin, Route de Pré-Bois 20, 1215, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - James Duffy
- Medicines for Malaria Venture, International Center Cointrin, Route de Pré-Bois 20, 1215, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Leslie J Street
- Drug Discovery and Development Centre (H3D), Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
| | - Kelly Chibale
- Drug Discovery and Development Centre (H3D), Department of Chemistry, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa.,South African Medical Research Council, Drug Discovery and Development Research Unit, Department of Chemistry and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
| | - Dalu Mancama
- Biosciences, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, PO Box 395, Pretoria 0001, South Africa
| | - Theresa L Coetzer
- Plasmodium Molecular Research Unit, Wits Research Institute for Malaria, Department of Molecular Medicine and Haematology, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand and National Health Laboratory Service, Johannesburg 2193, South Africa
| | - Lyn-Marie Birkholtz
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control and South African Medical Research Council Collaborating Centre for Malaria Research, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x20, Hatfield, Pretoria 0028, South Africa
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Yahiya S, Rueda-Zubiaurre A, Delves MJ, Fuchter MJ, Baum J. The antimalarial screening landscape-looking beyond the asexual blood stage. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2019; 50:1-9. [PMID: 30875617 PMCID: PMC6591700 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2019.01.029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2018] [Revised: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 01/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, the research agenda to tackle global morbidity and mortality from malaria disease has shifted towards innovation, in the hope that efforts at the frontiers of scientific research may re-invigorate gains made towards eradication. Discovery of new antimalarial drugs with novel chemotypes or modes of action lie at the heart of these efforts. There is a particular interest in drug candidates that target stages of the malaria parasite lifecycle beyond the symptomatic asexual blood stages. This is especially important given the spectre of emerging drug resistance to all current frontline antimalarials. One approach gaining increased interest is the potential of designing novel drugs that target parasite passage from infected individual to feeding mosquito and back again. Action of such therapeutics is geared much more at the population level rather than just concerned with the infected individual. The search for novel drugs active against these stages has been helped by improvements to in vitro culture of transmission and pre-erythrocytic parasite lifecycle stages, robotic automation and high content imaging, methodologies that permit the high-throughput screening (HTS) of compound libraries for drug discovery. Here, we review recent advances in the antimalarial screening landscape, focussed on transmission blocking as a key aim for drug-treatment campaigns of the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabrina Yahiya
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Ainoa Rueda-Zubiaurre
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, White City Campus, Wood Lane, London W12 OBZ, UK
| | - Michael J Delves
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, UK
| | - Matthew J Fuchter
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, White City Campus, Wood Lane, London W12 OBZ, UK
| | - Jake Baum
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2AZ, UK.
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Moyo P, Kunyane P, Selepe MA, Eloff JN, Niemand J, Louw AI, Maharaj VJ, Birkholtz LM. Bioassay-guided isolation and identification of gametocytocidal compounds from Artemisia afra (Asteraceae). Malar J 2019; 18:65. [PMID: 30849984 PMCID: PMC6408838 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-019-2694-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Accepted: 03/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Optimal adoption of the malaria transmission-blocking strategy is currently limited by lack of safe and efficacious drugs. This has sparked the exploration of different sources of drugs in search of transmission-blocking agents. While plant species have been extensively investigated in search of malaria chemotherapeutic agents, comparatively less effort has been channelled towards exploring them in search of transmission-blocking drugs. Artemisia afra (Asteraceae), a prominent feature of South African folk medicine, is used for the treatment of a number of diseases, including malaria. In search of transmission-blocking compounds aimed against Plasmodium parasites, the current study endeavoured to isolate and identify gametocytocidal compounds from A. afra. METHODS A bioassay-guided isolation approach was adopted wherein a combination of solvent-solvent partitioning and gravity column chromatography was used. Collected fractions were continuously screened in vitro for their ability to inhibit the viability of primarily late-stage gametocytes of Plasmodium falciparum (NF54 strain), using a parasite lactate dehydrogenase assay. Chemical structures of isolated compounds were elucidated using UPLC-MS/MS and NMR data analysis. RESULTS Two guaianolide sesquiterpene lactones, 1α,4α-dihydroxybishopsolicepolide and yomogiartemin, were isolated and shown to be active (IC50 < 10 μg/ml; ~ 10 μM) against both gametocytes and intra-erythrocytic asexual P. falciparum parasites. Interestingly, 1α,4α-dihydroxybishopsolicepolide was significantly more potent against late-stage gametocytes than to early-stage gametocytes and intra-erythrocytic asexual P. falciparum parasites. Additionally, both isolated compounds were not overly cytotoxic against HepG2 cells in vitro. CONCLUSION This study provides the first instance of isolated compounds from A. afra against P. falciparum gametocytes as a starting point for further investigations on more plant species in search of transmission-blocking compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Phanankosi Moyo
- Malaria Parasite Molecular Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x20, Hatfield, 0028, South Africa
| | - Phaladi Kunyane
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x20, Hatfield, 0028, South Africa
| | - Mamoalosi A Selepe
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x20, Hatfield, 0028, South Africa
| | - Jacobus N Eloff
- Phytomedicine Programme, Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x04, Onderstepoort, Pretoria, 0110, South Africa
| | - Jandeli Niemand
- Malaria Parasite Molecular Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x20, Hatfield, 0028, South Africa
| | - Abraham I Louw
- Malaria Parasite Molecular Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x20, Hatfield, 0028, South Africa
| | - Vinesh J Maharaj
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x20, Hatfield, 0028, South Africa
| | - Lyn-Marie Birkholtz
- Malaria Parasite Molecular Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Genetics and Microbiology, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, Institute for Sustainable Malaria Control, University of Pretoria, Private Bag x20, Hatfield, 0028, South Africa.
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Evaluation of 4-Amino 2-Anilinoquinazolines against Plasmodium and Other Apicomplexan Parasites In Vitro and in a P. falciparum Humanized NOD- scid IL2Rγ null Mouse Model of Malaria. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2019; 63:AAC.01804-18. [PMID: 30559138 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01804-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2018] [Accepted: 12/10/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
A series of 4-amino 2-anilinoquinazolines optimized for activity against the most lethal malaria parasite of humans, Plasmodium falciparum, was evaluated for activity against other human Plasmodium parasites and related apicomplexans that infect humans and animals. Four of the most promising compounds from the 4-amino 2-anilinoquinazoline series were equally as effective against the asexual blood stages of the zoonotic P. knowlesi, suggesting that they could also be effective against the closely related P. vivax, another important human pathogen. The 2-anilinoquinazoline compounds were also potent against an array of P. falciparum parasites resistant to clinically available antimalarial compounds, although slightly less so than against the drug-sensitive 3D7 parasite line. The apicomplexan parasites Toxoplasma gondii, Babesia bovis, and Cryptosporidium parvum were less sensitive to the 2-anilinoquinazoline series with a 50% effective concentration generally in the low micromolar range, suggesting that the yet to be discovered target of these compounds is absent or highly divergent in non-Plasmodium parasites. The 2-anilinoquinazoline compounds act as rapidly as chloroquine in vitro and when tested in rodents displayed a half-life that contributed to the compound's capacity to clear P. falciparum blood stages in a humanized mouse model. At a dose of 50 mg/kg of body weight, adverse effects to the humanized mice were noted, and evaluation against a panel of experimental high-risk off targets indicated some potential off-target activity. Further optimization of the 2-anilinoquinazoline antimalarial class will concentrate on improving in vivo efficacy and addressing adverse risk.
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Leven M, Held J, Duffy S, Alves Avelar LA, Meister S, Delves M, Plouffe D, Kuna K, Tschan S, Avery VM, Winzeler EA, Mordmüller B, Kurz T. 8-Aminoquinolines with an Aminoxyalkyl Side Chain Exert in vitro Dual-Stage Antiplasmodial Activity. ChemMedChem 2019; 14:501-511. [PMID: 30605243 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201800691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Revised: 12/13/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
A series of novel 8-aminoquinolines (8-AQs) with an aminoxyalkyl side chain were synthesized and evaluated for in vitro antiplasmodial properties against asexual blood stages, liver stages, and sexual stages of Plasmodium falciparum. 8-AQs bearing 2-alkoxy and 5-phenoxy substituents on the quinoline ring system were found to be the most promising compounds under study, exhibiting potent blood schizontocidal and moderate tissue schizontocidal in vitro activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Leven
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstrasse 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Jana Held
- Institut für Tropenmedizin, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Wilhelmstrasse 27, 72074, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sandra Duffy
- Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane Innovation Park Campus, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia
| | - Leandro A Alves Avelar
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstrasse 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Stephan Meister
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Michael Delves
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - David Plouffe
- Genomics Institute of the Novartis Research Foundation Department, Novartis, 10675 John Jay Hopkins Drive, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Krystina Kuna
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstrasse 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Serena Tschan
- Institut für Tropenmedizin, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Wilhelmstrasse 27, 72074, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Vicky M Avery
- Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Brisbane Innovation Park Campus, Nathan, QLD, 4111, Australia
| | - Elizabeth A Winzeler
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Benjamin Mordmüller
- Institut für Tropenmedizin, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Wilhelmstrasse 27, 72074, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Thomas Kurz
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstrasse 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
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42
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Critical examination of approaches exploited to assess the effectiveness of transmission-blocking drugs for malaria. Future Med Chem 2018; 10:2619-2639. [PMID: 30499742 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2018-0169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
In the absence of clinically proven vaccines and emerging resistance to common antimalarials and insecticides, the onus of interrupting the life cycle of Plasmodium falciparum, is upon the transmission-blocking drugs. Current transmission-blocking drug primaquine finds its use restricted because of associated hemolytic toxicity issues in Glucose-6-Phosphate-Dehydrogenase deficient individuals. This article provides an extensive review of the assays used by the investigators to evaluate the transmission-blocking activity of drugs. Furthermore, limitations in existing transmission-blocking assessment approaches/studies are also covered in detail. This review is expected to help in the identification of lacunae in current understanding of transmission-blocking strategies, which are hindering our efforts to develop sustainable and effective transmission-blocking interventions.
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Diedrich D, Stenzel K, Hesping E, Antonova-Koch Y, Gebru T, Duffy S, Fisher G, Schöler A, Meister S, Kurz T, Avery VM, Winzeler EA, Held J, Andrews KT, Hansen FK. One-pot, multi-component synthesis and structure-activity relationships of peptoid-based histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors targeting malaria parasites. Eur J Med Chem 2018; 158:801-813. [PMID: 30245402 PMCID: PMC6195125 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2018.09.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2018] [Revised: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Malaria drug discovery has shifted from a focus on targeting asexual blood stage parasites, to the development of drugs that can also target exo-erythrocytic forms and/or gametocytes in order to prevent malaria and/or parasite transmission. In this work, we aimed to develop parasite-selective histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACi) with activity against the disease-causing asexual blood stages of Plasmodium malaria parasites as well as with causal prophylactic and/or transmission blocking properties. An optimized one-pot, multi-component protocol via a sequential Ugi four-component reaction and hydroxylaminolysis was used for the preparation of a panel of peptoid-based HDACi. Several compounds displayed potent activity against drug-sensitive and drug-resistant P. falciparum asexual blood stages, high parasite-selectivity and submicromolar activity against exo-erythrocytic forms of P. berghei. Our optimization study resulted in the discovery of the hit compound 1u which combines high activity against asexual blood stage parasites (Pf 3D7 IC50: 4 nM; Pf Dd2 IC50: 1 nM) and P. berghei exo-erythrocytic forms (Pb EEF IC50: 25 nM) with promising parasite-specific activity (SIPf3D7/HepG2: 2496, SIPfDd2/HepG2: 9990, and SIPbEEF/HepG2: 400).
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Diedrich
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Katharina Stenzel
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany; Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Don Young Road, Nathan Campus, QLD, 4111, Australia
| | - Eva Hesping
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Don Young Road, Nathan Campus, QLD, 4111, Australia
| | - Yevgeniya Antonova-Koch
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, United States
| | - Tamirat Gebru
- Institut für Tropenmedizin, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Wilhelmstraße 27, 72074, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Sandra Duffy
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Don Young Road, Nathan Campus, QLD, 4111, Australia
| | - Gillian Fisher
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Don Young Road, Nathan Campus, QLD, 4111, Australia
| | - Andrea Schöler
- Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Brüderstraße 34, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Stephan Meister
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, United States
| | - Thomas Kurz
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Vicky M Avery
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Don Young Road, Nathan Campus, QLD, 4111, Australia
| | - Elizabeth A Winzeler
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, United States
| | - Jana Held
- Institut für Tropenmedizin, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Wilhelmstraße 27, 72074, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Katherine T Andrews
- Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Don Young Road, Nathan Campus, QLD, 4111, Australia.
| | - Finn K Hansen
- Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Universitätsstr. 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany; Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Medical Faculty, Leipzig University, Brüderstraße 34, 04103, Leipzig, Germany.
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44
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Delves MJ, Miguel-Blanco C, Matthews H, Molina I, Ruecker A, Yahiya S, Straschil U, Abraham M, León ML, Fischer OJ, Rueda-Zubiaurre A, Brandt JR, Cortés Á, Barnard A, Fuchter MJ, Calderón F, Winzeler EA, Sinden RE, Herreros E, Gamo FJ, Baum J. A high throughput screen for next-generation leads targeting malaria parasite transmission. Nat Commun 2018; 9:3805. [PMID: 30228275 PMCID: PMC6143625 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05777-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Spread of parasite resistance to artemisinin threatens current frontline antimalarial therapies, highlighting the need for new drugs with alternative modes of action. Since only 0.2–1% of asexual parasites differentiate into sexual, transmission-competent forms, targeting this natural bottleneck provides a tangible route to interrupt disease transmission and mitigate resistance selection. Here we present a high-throughput screen of gametogenesis against a ~70,000 compound diversity library, identifying seventeen drug-like molecules that target transmission. Hit molecules possess varied activity profiles including male-specific, dual acting male–female and dual-asexual-sexual, with one promising N-((4-hydroxychroman-4-yl)methyl)-sulphonamide scaffold found to have sub-micromolar activity in vitro and in vivo efficacy. Development of leads with modes of action focussed on the sexual stages of malaria parasite development provide a previously unexplored base from which future therapeutics can be developed, capable of preventing parasite transmission through the population. Sexual forms of malaria parasites are responsible for transmission to the mosquito. Anti-malarial drug resistance remains a serious problem and requires advent of new drug therapies. Here, the authors present a high-throughput screen of potential antimalarial compounds, identifying seventeen drug-like molecules specifically targeting transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Delves
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Celia Miguel-Blanco
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.,Diseases of the Developing World (DDW), GlaxoSmithKline, 28760, Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Holly Matthews
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Irene Molina
- Diseases of the Developing World (DDW), GlaxoSmithKline, 28760, Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Andrea Ruecker
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Sabrina Yahiya
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Ursula Straschil
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Matthew Abraham
- School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive 0760, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - María Luisa León
- Diseases of the Developing World (DDW), GlaxoSmithKline, 28760, Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Oliver J Fischer
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Ainoa Rueda-Zubiaurre
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Jochen R Brandt
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Álvaro Cortés
- Diseases of the Developing World (DDW), GlaxoSmithKline, 28760, Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Anna Barnard
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Matthew J Fuchter
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Félix Calderón
- Diseases of the Developing World (DDW), GlaxoSmithKline, 28760, Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Elizabeth A Winzeler
- School of Medicine, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive 0760, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Robert E Sinden
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK
| | - Esperanza Herreros
- Diseases of the Developing World (DDW), GlaxoSmithKline, 28760, Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco J Gamo
- Diseases of the Developing World (DDW), GlaxoSmithKline, 28760, Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Jake Baum
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, Sir Alexander Fleming Building, Exhibition Road, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK.
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Spicer TP, Gardiner DL, Schoenen FJ, Roy S, Griffin PR, Chase P, Scampavia L, Hodder P, Trenholme KR. Identification of Antimalarial Inhibitors Using Late-Stage Gametocytes in a Phenotypic Live/Dead Assay. SLAS DISCOVERY 2018; 24:38-46. [PMID: 30142014 DOI: 10.1177/2472555218796410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Malaria remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide with ~3.3 billion people at risk of contracting malaria and an estimated 450,000 deaths each year. While tools to reduce the infection prevalence to low levels are currently under development, additional efforts will be required to interrupt transmission. Transmission between human host and vector by the malaria parasite involves gametogenesis in the host and uptake of gametocytes by the mosquito vector. This stage is a bottleneck for reproduction of the parasite, making it a target for small-molecule drug discovery. Targeting this stage, we used whole Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes from in vitro culture and implemented them into 1536-well plates to create a live/dead phenotypic antigametocyte assay. Using specialized equipment and upon further validation, we screened ~150,000 compounds from the NIH repository currently housed at Scripps Florida. We identified 100 primary screening hits that were tested for concentration response. Additional follow-up studies to determine specificity, potency, and increased efficacy of the antigametocyte candidate compounds resulted in a starting point for initial medicinal chemistry intervention. From this, 13 chemical analogs were subsequently tested as de novo powders, which confirmed original activity from the initial analysis and now provide a point of future engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timothy P Spicer
- 1 Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, Jupiter, FL, USA.,2 School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Donald L Gardiner
- 2 School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia
| | - Frank J Schoenen
- 3 The University of Kansas Specialized Chemistry Center, Lawrence, KS,USA
| | - Sudeshna Roy
- 3 The University of Kansas Specialized Chemistry Center, Lawrence, KS,USA.,4 The University of Mississippi, Oxford, MS
| | - Patrick R Griffin
- 1 Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Peter Chase
- 1 Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, Jupiter, FL, USA.,5 BMS, Hopewell, NJ
| | - Louis Scampavia
- 1 Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Peter Hodder
- 1 Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, Jupiter, FL, USA.,6 Amgen, Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Katharine R Trenholme
- 2 School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Herston, Queensland, Australia.,7 Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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Yogavel M, Nettleship JE, Sharma A, Harlos K, Jamwal A, Chaturvedi R, Sharma M, Jain V, Chhibber-Goel J, Sharma A. Structure of 6-hydroxymethyl-7,8-dihydropterin pyrophosphokinase-dihydropteroate synthase from Plasmodium vivax sheds light on drug resistance. J Biol Chem 2018; 293:14962-14972. [PMID: 30104413 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra118.004558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Revised: 08/08/2018] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The genomes of the malaria-causing Plasmodium parasites encode a protein fused of 6-hydroxymethyl-7,8-dihydropterin pyrophosphokinase (HPPK) and dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS) domains that catalyze sequential reactions in the folate biosynthetic pathway. Whereas higher organisms derive folate from their diet and lack the enzymes for its synthesis, most eubacteria and a number of lower eukaryotes including malaria parasites synthesize tetrahydrofolate via DHPS. Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) and Plasmodium vivax (Pv) HPPK-DHPSs are currently targets of drugs like sulfadoxine (SDX). The SDX effectiveness as an antimalarial drug is increasingly diminished by the rise and spread of drug-resistant mutations. Here, we present the crystal structure of PvHPPK-DHPS in complex with four substrates/analogs, revealing the bifunctional PvHPPK-DHPS architecture in an unprecedented state of enzymatic activation. SDX's effect on HPPK-DHPS is due to 4-amino benzoic acid (pABA) mimicry, and the PvHPPK-DHPS structure sheds light on the SDX-binding cavity, as well as on mutations that effect SDX potency. We mapped five dominant drug resistance mutations in PvHPPK-DHPS: S382A, A383G, K512E/D, A553G, and V585A, most of which occur individually or in clusters proximal to the pABA-binding site. We found that these resistance mutations subtly alter the intricate enzyme/pABA/SDX interactions such that DHPS affinity for pABA is diminished only moderately, but its affinity for SDX is changed substantially. In conclusion, the PvHPPK-DHPS structure rationalizes and unravels the structural bases for SDX resistance mutations and highlights architectural features in HPPK-DHPSs from malaria parasites that can form the basis for developing next-generation anti-folate agents to combat malaria parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manickam Yogavel
- From the Molecular Medicine-Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India,
| | - Joanne E Nettleship
- the Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, United Kingdom, and.,the Oxford Protein Production Facility, United Kingdom Research Complex at Harwell, Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Oxford OX11 0FA, United Kingdom
| | - Akansha Sharma
- From the Molecular Medicine-Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Karl Harlos
- the Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, United Kingdom, and
| | - Abhishek Jamwal
- From the Molecular Medicine-Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Rini Chaturvedi
- From the Molecular Medicine-Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Manmohan Sharma
- From the Molecular Medicine-Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Vitul Jain
- the Division of Structural Biology, Wellcome Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7BN, United Kingdom, and
| | - Jyoti Chhibber-Goel
- From the Molecular Medicine-Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Amit Sharma
- From the Molecular Medicine-Structural Parasitology Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
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Artemisone and Artemiside Are Potent Panreactive Antimalarial Agents That Also Synergize Redox Imbalance in Plasmodium falciparum Transmissible Gametocyte Stages. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2018; 62:AAC.02214-17. [PMID: 29866868 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02214-17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2017] [Accepted: 05/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of resistance toward artemisinin combination therapies (ACTs) by the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum has the potential to severely compromise malaria control. Therefore, the development of new artemisinins in combination with new drugs that impart activities toward both intraerythrocytic proliferative asexual and transmissible gametocyte stages, in particular, those of resistant parasites, is urgently required. We define artemisinins as oxidant drugs through their ability to oxidize reduced flavin cofactors of flavin disulfide reductases critical for maintaining redox homeostasis in the malaria parasite. Here we compare the activities of 10-amino artemisinin derivatives toward the asexual and gametocyte stages of P. falciparum parasites. Of these, artemisone and artemiside inhibited asexual and gametocyte stages, particularly stage V gametocytes, in the low-nanomolar range. Further, treatment of both early and late gametocyte stages with artemisone or artemiside combined with the pro-oxidant redox partner methylene blue displayed notable synergism. These data suggest that modulation of redox homeostasis is likely an important druggable process, particularly in gametocytes, and this finding thereby enhances the prospect of using combinations of oxidant and redox drugs for malaria control.
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48
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Chellan P, Avery VM, Duffy S, Triccas JA, Nagalingam G, Tam C, Cheng LW, Liu J, Land KM, Clarkson GJ, Romero-Canelón I, Sadler PJ. Organometallic Conjugates of the Drug Sulfadoxine for Combatting Antimicrobial Resistance. Chemistry 2018; 24:10078-10090. [PMID: 29653033 DOI: 10.1002/chem.201801090] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2018] [Revised: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Fourteen novel arene RuII , and cyclopentadienyl (Cpx ) RhIII and IrIII complexes containing an N,N'-chelated pyridylimino- or quinolylimino ligand functionalized with the antimalarial drug sulfadoxine have been synthesized and characterized, including three by X-ray crystallography. The rhodium and iridium complexes exhibited potent antiplasmodial activity with IC50 values of 0.10-2.0 μm in either all, or one of the three Plasmodium falciparum assays (3D7 chloroquine sensitive, Dd2 chloroquine resistant and NF54 sexual late stage gametocytes) but were only moderately active towards Trichomonas vaginalis. They were active in both the asexual blood stage and the sexual late stage gametocyte assays, whereas the clinical parent drug, sulfadoxine, was inactive. Five complexes were moderately active against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (IC50 <6.3 μm), while sulfadoxine showed no antitubercular activity. An increase in the size of both the Cpx ligand and the aromatic imino substituent increased hydrophobicity, which resulted in an increase in antiplasmodial activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prinessa Chellan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.,Current address: Stellenbosch University, Matieland, Western Cape, South Africa
| | - Vicky M Avery
- Discovery Biology, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, 4111, Australia
| | - Sandra Duffy
- Discovery Biology, Griffith Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, 4111, Australia
| | - James A Triccas
- Microbial Immunity and Pathogenesis Group, Department of, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Gayathri Nagalingam
- Microbial Immunity and Pathogenesis Group, Department of, Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Sydney Medical School, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, 2006, Australia
| | - Christina Tam
- Foodborne Toxin Detection and Prevention Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Albany, CA, 94710, USA
| | - Luisa W Cheng
- Foodborne Toxin Detection and Prevention Research Unit, Agricultural Research Service, United States Department of Agriculture, Albany, CA, 94710, USA
| | - Jenny Liu
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, 95211, USA
| | - Kirkwood M Land
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of the Pacific, Stockton, CA, 95211, USA
| | - Guy J Clarkson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
| | - Isolda Romero-Canelón
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK.,School of Pharmacy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Peter J Sadler
- Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, UK
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Abstract
Malaria is the major cause of mortality and morbidity in tropical countries. The causative agent, Plasmodium sp., has a complex life cycle and is armed with various mechanisms which ensure its continuous transmission. Gametocytes represent the sexual stage of the parasite and are indispensable for the transmission of the parasite from the human host to the mosquito. Despite its vital role in the parasite's success, it is the least understood stage in the parasite's life cycle. The presence of gametocytes in asymptomatic populations and induction of gametocytogenesis by most antimalarial drugs warrants further investigation into its biology. With a renewed focus on malaria elimination and advent of modern technology available to biologists today, the field of gametocyte biology has developed swiftly, providing crucial insights into the molecular mechanisms driving sexual commitment. This review will summarise key current findings in the field of gametocyte biology and address the associated challenges faced in malaria detection, control and elimination.
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50
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Cell Swelling Induced by the Antimalarial KAE609 (Cipargamin) and Other PfATP4-Associated Antimalarials. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2018; 62:AAC.00087-18. [PMID: 29555632 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00087-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2018] [Accepted: 02/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
For an increasing number of antimalarial agents identified in high-throughput phenotypic screens, there is evidence that they target PfATP4, a putative Na+ efflux transporter on the plasma membrane of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum For several such "PfATP4-associated" compounds, it has been noted that their addition to parasitized erythrocytes results in cell swelling. Here we show that six structurally diverse PfATP4-associated compounds, including the clinical candidate KAE609 (cipargamin), induce swelling of both isolated blood-stage parasites and intact parasitized erythrocytes. The swelling of isolated parasites is dependent on the presence of Na+ in the external environment and may be attributed to the osmotic consequences of Na+ uptake. The swelling of the parasitized erythrocyte results in an increase in its osmotic fragility. Countering cell swelling by increasing the osmolarity of the extracellular medium reduces the antiplasmodial efficacy of PfATP4-associated compounds, consistent with cell swelling playing a role in the antimalarial activity of this class of compounds.
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