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Appetecchia F, Fabbrizi E, Fiorentino F, Consalvi S, Biava M, Poce G, Rotili D. Transmission-Blocking Strategies for Malaria Eradication: Recent Advances in Small-Molecule Drug Development. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:962. [PMID: 39065810 PMCID: PMC11279868 DOI: 10.3390/ph17070962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Malaria drug research and development efforts have resurged in the last decade following the decelerating rate of mortality and malaria cases in endemic regions. The inefficiency of malaria interventions is largely driven by the spreading resistance of the Plasmodium falciparum parasite to current drug regimens and that of the malaria vector, the Anopheles mosquito, to insecticides. In response to the new eradication agenda, drugs that act by breaking the malaria transmission cycle (transmission-blocking drugs), which has been recognized as an important and additional target for intervention, are being developed. These drugs take advantage of the susceptibility of Plasmodium during population bottlenecks before transmission (gametocytes) and in the mosquito vector (gametes, zygotes, ookinetes, oocysts, sporozoites). To date, compounds targeting stage V gametocytes predominate in the chemical library of transmission-blocking drugs, and some of them have entered clinical trials. The targeting of Plasmodium mosquito stages has recently renewed interest in the development of innovative malaria control tools, which hold promise for the application of compounds effective at these stages. In this review, we highlight the major achievements and provide an update on the research of transmission-blocking drugs, with a particular focus on their chemical scaffolds, antiplasmodial activity, and transmission-blocking potential.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Giovanna Poce
- Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.A.); (E.F.); (F.F.); (S.C.); (M.B.)
| | - Dante Rotili
- Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.A.); (E.F.); (F.F.); (S.C.); (M.B.)
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Yamamoto Y, Fabbri C, Okuhara D, Takagi R, Kawabata Y, Katayama T, Iyori M, Hasyim AA, Sakamoto A, Mizukami H, Shida H, Lopes S, Yoshida S. A two-dose viral-vectored Plasmodium vivax multistage vaccine confers durable protection and transmission-blockade in a pre-clinical study. Front Immunol 2024; 15:1372584. [PMID: 38745665 PMCID: PMC11091281 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2024.1372584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Among Plasmodium spp. responsible for human malaria, Plasmodium vivax ranks as the second most prevalent and has the widest geographical range; however, vaccine development has lagged behind that of Plasmodium falciparum, the deadliest Plasmodium species. Recently, we developed a multistage vaccine for P. falciparum based on a heterologous prime-boost immunization regimen utilizing the attenuated vaccinia virus strain LC16m8Δ (m8Δ)-prime and adeno-associated virus type 1 (AAV1)-boost, and demonstrated 100% protection and more than 95% transmission-blocking (TB) activity in the mouse model. In this study, we report the feasibility and versatility of this vaccine platform as a P. vivax multistage vaccine, which can provide 100% sterile protection against sporozoite challenge and >95% TB efficacy in the mouse model. Our vaccine comprises m8Δ and AAV1 viral vectors, both harboring the gene encoding two P. vivax circumsporozoite (PvCSP) protein alleles (VK210; PvCSP-Sal and VK247; -PNG) and P25 (Pvs25) expressed as a Pvs25-PvCSP fusion protein. For protective efficacy, the heterologous m8Δ-prime/AAV1-boost immunization regimen showed 100% (short-term; Day 28) and 60% (long-term; Day 242) protection against PvCSP VK210 transgenic Plasmodium berghei sporozoites. For TB efficacy, mouse sera immunized with the vaccine formulation showed >75% TB activity and >95% transmission reduction activity by a direct membrane feeding assay using P. vivax isolates in blood from an infected patient from the Brazilian Amazon region. These findings provide proof-of-concept that the m8Δ/AAV1 vaccine platform is sufficiently versatile for P. vivax vaccine development. Future studies are needed to evaluate the safety, immunogenicity, vaccine efficacy, and synergistic effects on protection and transmission blockade in a non-human primate model for Phase I trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yutaro Yamamoto
- Laboratory of Vaccinology and Applied Immunology, Kanazawa University School of Pharmacy, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Camila Fabbri
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane/Fiocruz Amazônia, Laboratório de Diagnóstico e Controle e Doenças Infecciosas da Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Unidade de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema - UPCCB, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Daiki Okuhara
- Laboratory of Vaccinology and Applied Immunology, Kanazawa University School of Pharmacy, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Rina Takagi
- Laboratory of Vaccinology and Applied Immunology, Kanazawa University School of Pharmacy, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Yuna Kawabata
- Laboratory of Vaccinology and Applied Immunology, Kanazawa University School of Pharmacy, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Takuto Katayama
- Laboratory of Vaccinology and Applied Immunology, Kanazawa University School of Pharmacy, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Mitsuhiro Iyori
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Musashino University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ammar A. Hasyim
- Laboratory of Vaccinology and Applied Immunology, Kanazawa University School of Pharmacy, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Akihiko Sakamoto
- Laboratory of Vaccinology and Applied Immunology, Kanazawa University School of Pharmacy, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
| | - Hiroaki Mizukami
- Division of Genetic Therapeutics, Jichi Medical University, Shimono, Tochigi, Japan
| | - Hisatoshi Shida
- Laboratory of Primate Model, Research Center for Infectious Diseases, Institute for Frontier Life and Medical Science, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan
| | - Stefanie Lopes
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane/Fiocruz Amazônia, Laboratório de Diagnóstico e Controle e Doenças Infecciosas da Amazônia, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Unidade de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema - UPCCB, Manaus, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Shigeto Yoshida
- Laboratory of Vaccinology and Applied Immunology, Kanazawa University School of Pharmacy, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Ishikawa, Japan
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Salazar Alvarez LC, Carneiro Barbosa V, Vera Lizcano O, Baia da Silva DC, Gonçalves Santana RA, Fabbri C, Paoluci Pimenta PF, Monteiro WM, Albrecht L, Guimarães de Lacerda MV, Trindade Maranhão Costa F, Costa Pinto Lopes S. Rosette formation by Plasmodium vivax gametocytes favors the infection in Anopheles aquasalis. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1108348. [PMID: 36875524 PMCID: PMC9975573 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1108348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium vivax is a public health problem and the most common type of malaria outside sub-Saharan Africa. The capacity of cytoadhesion, rosetting, and liver latent phase development could impact treatment and disease control. Although the ability to P. vivax gametocyte develop rosetting is known, it is not yet clear which role it plays during the infection and transmission process to the mosquito. Here, we used ex vivo approaches for evaluate the rosetting P. vivax gametocytes capacity and we have investigated the effect of this adhesive phenotype on the infection process in the vector Anopheles aquasalis mosquito. Rosette assays were performed in 107 isolates, and we have observed an elevated frequency of cytoadhesive phenomena (77,6%). The isolates with more than 10% of rosettes have presented a higher infection rate in Anopheles aquasalis (p=0.0252). Moreover, we found a positive correlation between the frequency of parasites in rosetting with the infection rate (p=0.0017) and intensity (p=0.0387) in the mosquito. The disruption of P. vivax rosette formation through mechanical rupture assay confirmed the previously findings, since the paired comparison showed that isolates with disrupted rosettes have a lower infection rate (p<0.0001) and intensity (p=0.0003) compared to the control group (no disruption). Herein we have demonstrated for the first time a potential effect of the rosette phenomenon on the infection process in the mosquito vector An. aquasalis, favoring its capacity and intensity of infection, thus allowing the perpetuation of the parasite cycle life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luis Carlos Salazar Alvarez
- Centro Internacional de Pesquisa Clínica em Malária – CIPCliM, Fundação de Medicina Tropical - Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Vanessa Carneiro Barbosa
- Centro Internacional de Pesquisa Clínica em Malária – CIPCliM, Fundação de Medicina Tropical - Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus, Brazil
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane (ILMD/Fiocruz Amazônia), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Manaus, Brazil
| | - Omaira Vera Lizcano
- Centro Internacional de Pesquisa Clínica em Malária – CIPCliM, Fundação de Medicina Tropical - Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus, Brazil
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil
- Grupo de investigación en Química y Biotecnología (QUIBIO), Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Cali, Colombia
| | - Djane Clarys Baia da Silva
- Centro Internacional de Pesquisa Clínica em Malária – CIPCliM, Fundação de Medicina Tropical - Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane (ILMD/Fiocruz Amazônia), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Manaus, Brazil
- Departamento de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
- Universidade Nilton Lins, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Rosa Amélia Gonçalves Santana
- Centro Internacional de Pesquisa Clínica em Malária – CIPCliM, Fundação de Medicina Tropical - Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane (ILMD/Fiocruz Amazônia), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Manaus, Brazil
| | - Camila Fabbri
- Centro Internacional de Pesquisa Clínica em Malária – CIPCliM, Fundação de Medicina Tropical - Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane (ILMD/Fiocruz Amazônia), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Manaus, Brazil
| | - Paulo Filemon Paoluci Pimenta
- Centro Internacional de Pesquisa Clínica em Malária – CIPCliM, Fundação de Medicina Tropical - Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
- Instituto de Pesquisas René Rachou (IRR/ Fiocruz Minas), FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Wuelton Marcelo Monteiro
- Centro Internacional de Pesquisa Clínica em Malária – CIPCliM, Fundação de Medicina Tropical - Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Letusa Albrecht
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil
- Instituto Carlos Chagas (ICC/ Fiocruz Paraná), FIOCRUZ, Curitiba, Brazil
| | - Marcus Vinicius Guimarães de Lacerda
- Centro Internacional de Pesquisa Clínica em Malária – CIPCliM, Fundação de Medicina Tropical - Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane (ILMD/Fiocruz Amazônia), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Manaus, Brazil
| | - Fabio Trindade Maranhão Costa
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane (ILMD/Fiocruz Amazônia), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Manaus, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Stefanie Costa Pinto Lopes, ; Fabio Trindade Maranhão Costa,
| | - Stefanie Costa Pinto Lopes
- Centro Internacional de Pesquisa Clínica em Malária – CIPCliM, Fundação de Medicina Tropical - Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado (FMT-HVD), Manaus, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane (ILMD/Fiocruz Amazônia), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Manaus, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Stefanie Costa Pinto Lopes, ; Fabio Trindade Maranhão Costa,
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Fabbri C, Quaresma Ramos G, Clarys Baia-da-Silva D, Oliveira Trindade A, Carlos Salazar-Alvarez L, Costa Ferreira Neves J, dos Santos Bastos I, Guimarães Costa A, Vinicius Guimarães Lacerda M, Marcelo Monteiro W, Trindade Maranhão Costa F, Costa Pinto Lopes S. The activity of methylene blue against asexual and sexual stages of Plasmodium vivax. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1108366. [PMID: 37143740 PMCID: PMC10152470 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1108366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Methylene blue (MB) is an alternative for combating drug-resistant malaria parasites. Its transmission-blocking potential has been demonstrated in vivo in murine models, in vitro, and in clinical trials. MB shows high efficacy against Plasmodium vivax asexual stages; however, its efficacy in sexual stages is unknown. In this study, we evaluated the potential of MB against asexual and sexual forms of P. vivax isolated from the blood of patients residing in the Brazilian Amazon. An ex vivo schizont maturation assay, zygote to ookinete transformation assay, direct membrane feed assay (DMFA), and standard membrane feed assay (SMFA) using P. vivax gametocytes with MB exposure were performed. A cytotoxicity assay was also performed on freshly collected peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and the hepatocyte carcinoma cell line HepG2. MB inhibited the P. vivax schizont maturation and demonstrated an IC50 lower than that of chloroquine (control drug). In the sexual forms, the MB demonstrated a high level of inhibition in the transformation of the zygotes into ookinetes. In the DMFA, MB did not considerably affect the infection rate and showed low inhibition, but it demonstrated a slight decrease in the infection intensity in all tested concentrations. In contrast, in the SMFA, MB was able to completely block the transmission at the highest concentration (20 µM). MB demonstrated low cytotoxicity to fresh PBMCs but demonstrated higher cytotoxicity to the hepatocyte carcinoma cell line HepG2. These results show that MB may be a potential drug for vivax malaria treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Fabbri
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, Fiocruz Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Camila Fabbri, ; Stefanie Costa Pinto Lopes,
| | - Glenda Quaresma Ramos
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Brazil
- Escola Superior de Ciências da Saúde, Centro Multiusuário para Análise de Fenômenos Biomédicos da Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
- Departamento de Morfologia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Djane Clarys Baia-da-Silva
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, Fiocruz Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Brazil
- Departamento de Saúde Coletiva, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
- Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Nilton Lins, Manaus, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
| | | | - Luis Carlos Salazar-Alvarez
- Departamento de Genética, Evolução, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Juliana Costa Ferreira Neves
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Ivanildes dos Santos Bastos
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, Fiocruz Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Allyson Guimarães Costa
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Brazil
- Diretoria de Ensino e Pesquisa, Fundação Hospitalar de Hematologia e Hemoterapia do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Imunologia Básica, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Marcus Vinicius Guimarães Lacerda
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, Fiocruz Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Wuelton Marcelo Monteiro
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
| | | | - Stefanie Costa Pinto Lopes
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, Fiocruz Amazônia, Manaus, Brazil
- Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Camila Fabbri, ; Stefanie Costa Pinto Lopes,
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Morais CMG, Brito RMDM, Weselucha-Birczyńska A, Pereira VSDS, Pereira-Silva JW, Menezes A, Pessoa FAC, Kucharska M, Birczyńska-Zych M, Ríos-Velásquez CM, de Andrade-Neto VF. Blood-stage antiplasmodial activity and oocyst formation-blockage of metallo copper-cinchonine complex. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:1047269. [PMID: 36530433 PMCID: PMC9751060 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1047269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
In the fight against malaria, the key is early treatment with antimalarial chemotherapy, such as artemisinin-based combination treatments (ACTs). However, Plasmodium has acquired multidrug resistance, including the emergence of P. falciparum strains with resistance to ACT. The development of novel antimalarial molecules, that are capable of interfering in the asexual and sexual blood stages, is important to slow down the transmission in endemic areas. In this work, we studied the ability of the mettalo copper-cinchonine complex to interfere in the sexual and asexual stages of Plasmodium. The tested compound in the in vitro assay was a cinchonine derivative, named CinCu (Bis[Cinchoninium Tetrachlorocuprate(II)]trihydrate). Its biological functions were assessed by antiplasmodial activity in vitro against chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum W2 strain. The mice model of P. berghei ANKA infection was used to analyze the antimalarial activity of CinCu and chloroquine and their acute toxicity. The oocyst formation-blocking assay was performed by experimental infection of Anopheles aquasalis with P. vivax infected blood, which was treated with different concentrations of CinCu, cinchonine, and primaquine. We found that CinCu was able to suppress as high as 81.58% of parasitemia in vitro, being considered a molecule with high antiplasmodial activity and low toxicity. The in vivo analysis showed that CinCu suppressed parasitemia at 34% up to 87.19%, being a partially active molecule against the blood-stage forms of P. berghei ANKA, without inducing severe clinical signs in the treated groups. The transmission-blocking assay revealed that both cinchonine and primaquine were able to reduce the infection intensity of P. vivax in A. aquasalis, leading to a decrease in the number of oocysts recovered from the mosquitoes' midgut. Regarding the effect of CinCu, the copper-complex was not able to induce inhibition of P. vivax infection; however, it was able to induce an important reduction in the intensity of oocyst formation by about 2.4 times. It is plausible that the metallo-compound also be able to interfere with the differentiation of parasite stages and/or ookinete-secreted chitinase into the peritrophic matrix of mosquitoes, promoting a reduction in the number of oocysts formed. Taken together, the results suggest that this compound is promising as a prototype for the development of new antimalarial drugs. Furthermore, our study can draw a new pathway for repositioning already-known antimalarial drugs by editing their chemical structure to improve the antimalarial activity against the asexual and sexual stages of the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Martins Gomes Morais
- Laboratory of Malaria and Toxoplasmosis Biology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil,Post-Graduate Program in Parasitic Biology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Ramayana Morais de Medeiros Brito
- Laboratory of Malaria and Toxoplasmosis Biology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil,Laboratory of Immunology and Genomics of Parasites, Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | | | - Valeska Santana de Sena Pereira
- Laboratory of Malaria and Toxoplasmosis Biology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil,Post-Graduate Program in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil
| | - Jordam William Pereira-Silva
- Laboratory of Infectious Disease Ecology in the Amazon, Leônidas and Maria Deane Institute, Fiocruz, Manaus, AM, Brazil,Post-Graduate Program in Living Conditions and Health Situations in the Amazon, Leônidas and Maria Deane Institute, Fiocruz, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Menezes
- Post-Graduate Program in Biology of Host-Pathogen interaction, Leônidas and Maria Deane Institute, Fiocruz, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Felipe Arley Costa Pessoa
- Laboratory of Infectious Disease Ecology in the Amazon, Leônidas and Maria Deane Institute, Fiocruz, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Martyna Kucharska
- Department of Chemical Physics, Faculty of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland
| | - Malwina Birczyńska-Zych
- Department of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, Medical College, Jagiellonian University, Kraków, Poland,Department of Infectious Diseases, The University Hospital in Kraków, Kraków, Poland
| | - Claudia María Ríos-Velásquez
- Laboratory of Infectious Disease Ecology in the Amazon, Leônidas and Maria Deane Institute, Fiocruz, Manaus, AM, Brazil,*Correspondence: Valter Ferreira de Andrade-Neto, ; ; Claudia María Ríos-Velásquez, ;
| | - Valter Ferreira de Andrade-Neto
- Laboratory of Malaria and Toxoplasmosis Biology, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biosciences Center, Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, RN, Brazil,*Correspondence: Valter Ferreira de Andrade-Neto, ; ; Claudia María Ríos-Velásquez, ;
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Bantuchai S, Imad H, Nguitragool W. Plasmodium vivax gametocytes and transmission. Parasitol Int 2021; 87:102497. [PMID: 34748969 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2021.102497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2021] [Revised: 08/14/2021] [Accepted: 10/30/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Malaria elimination means cessation of parasite transmission. At present, the declining malaria incidence in many countries has made elimination a feasible goal. Transmission control has thus been placed at the center of the national malaria control programs. The efficient transmission of Plasmodium vivax from humans to mosquitoes is a key factor that helps perpetuate malaria in endemic areas. A better understanding of transmission is crucial to the success of elimination efforts. Biological delineation of the parasite transmission process is important for identifying and prioritizing new targets of intervention. Identification of the infectious parasite reservoir in the community is key to devising an effective elimination strategy. Here we describe the fundamental characteristics of P. vivax gametocytes - the dynamics of their production, longevity, and the relationship with the total parasitemia - as well as recent advances in the molecular understanding of parasite sexual development. In relation to malaria elimination, factors influencing the human infectivity and the current evidence for a role of asymptomatic carriers in transmission are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sirasate Bantuchai
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
| | - Hisham Imad
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
| | - Wang Nguitragool
- Mahidol Vivax Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand; Department of Molecular Tropical Medicine and Genetics, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, 420/6 Ratchawithi Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand.
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Ramos GQ, Baia-da-Silva DC, Lacerda MVG, Monteiro WM, Lopes SCP. Viability and Infectivity of Plasmodium vivax Gametocytes in Short-Term Culture. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:676276. [PMID: 34141630 PMCID: PMC8204544 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.676276] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The control and elimination of malaria caused by Plasmodium vivax both represent a great challenge due to the biological aspects of the species. Gametocytes are the forms responsible for the transmission of the parasite to the vector and the search for new strategies for blocking transmission are essential in a scenario of control and elimination The challenges in this search in regard to P. vivax mainly stem from the lack of a long-term culture and the limitation of studies of gametocytes. This study evaluated the viability and infectivity of P. vivax gametocytes in short-term culture. The samples enriched in gametocytes using Percoll (i), using magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS®) (ii), and using non-enriched samples (iii) were evaluated. After the procedures, gametocytes were cultured in IMDM medium for up to 48 h. Cultured P. vivax gametocytes were viable and infectious for up to 48 h, however differences in viability and infectivity were observed in the samples after 12 h of culture in relation to 0 h. Percoll-enriched samples were shown to be viable in culture for longer intervals than those purified using MACS®. Gametocyte viability after enrichment procedures and short-term culture may provide new avenues in the development of methods for evaluating P. vivax TB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Glenda Quaresma Ramos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil.,Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Djane Clarys Baia-da-Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil.,Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Brazil.,Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, FIOCRUZ, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Marcus Vinícius Guimarães Lacerda
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil.,Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Brazil.,Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, FIOCRUZ, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Wuelton Marcelo Monteiro
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil.,Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Brazil
| | - Stefanie Costa Pinto Lopes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Medicina Tropical, Universidade do Estado do Amazonas, Manaus, Brazil.,Instituto de Pesquisa Clínica Carlos Borborema, Fundação de Medicina Tropical Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, Brazil.,Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, FIOCRUZ, Manaus, Brazil
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