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Llanos MA, Alberca LN, Ruiz MD, Sbaraglini ML, Miranda C, Pino-Martinez A, Fraccaroli L, Carrillo C, Alba Soto CD, Gavernet L, Talevi A. A combined ligand and target-based virtual screening strategy to repurpose drugs as putrescine uptake inhibitors with trypanocidal activity. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2023; 37:75-90. [PMID: 36494599 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-022-00491-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is a neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoa Trypanosoma cruzi, affecting nearly 7 million people only in the Americas. Polyamines are essential compounds for parasite growth, survival, and differentiation. However, because trypanosomatids are auxotrophic for polyamines, they must be obtained from the host by specific transporters. In this investigation, an ensemble of QSAR classifiers able to identify polyamine analogs with trypanocidal activity was developed. Then, a multi-template homology model of the dimeric polyamine transporter of T. cruzi, TcPAT12, was created with Rosetta, and then refined by enhanced sampling molecular dynamics simulations. Using representative snapshots extracted from the trajectory, a docking model able to discriminate between active and inactive compounds was developed and validated. Both models were applied in a parallel virtual screening campaign to repurpose known drugs as anti-trypanosomal compounds inhibiting polyamine transport in T. cruzi. Montelukast, Quinestrol, Danazol, and Dutasteride were selected for in vitro testing, and all of them inhibited putrescine uptake in biochemical assays, confirming the predictive ability of the computational models. Furthermore, all the confirmed hits proved to inhibit epimastigote proliferation, and Quinestrol and Danazol were able to inhibit, in the low micromolar range, the viability of trypomastigotes and the intracellular growth of amastigotes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel A Llanos
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas and Laboratorio de Investigación y Desarrollo de Bioactivos (LIDeB), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata. La Plata (B1900ADU), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucas N Alberca
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas and Laboratorio de Investigación y Desarrollo de Bioactivos (LIDeB), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata. La Plata (B1900ADU), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María D Ruiz
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular y Bioquímica en Trypanosoma cruzi y otros agentes infecciosos, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología (ICT) Milstein - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María L Sbaraglini
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas and Laboratorio de Investigación y Desarrollo de Bioactivos (LIDeB), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata. La Plata (B1900ADU), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Cristian Miranda
- Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM, UBA-CONICET), Universidad de Buenos Aires., Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Agustina Pino-Martinez
- Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM, UBA-CONICET), Universidad de Buenos Aires., Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Laura Fraccaroli
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular y Bioquímica en Trypanosoma cruzi y otros agentes infecciosos, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología (ICT) Milstein - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carolina Carrillo
- Laboratorio de Biología Molecular y Bioquímica en Trypanosoma cruzi y otros agentes infecciosos, Instituto de Ciencia y Tecnología (ICT) Milstein - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Catalina D Alba Soto
- Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Investigaciones en Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM, UBA-CONICET), Universidad de Buenos Aires., Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luciana Gavernet
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas and Laboratorio de Investigación y Desarrollo de Bioactivos (LIDeB), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata. La Plata (B1900ADU), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
| | - Alan Talevi
- Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas and Laboratorio de Investigación y Desarrollo de Bioactivos (LIDeB), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata. La Plata (B1900ADU), Buenos Aires, Argentina
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Gulin JEN, Bisio MMC, Rocco D, Altcheh J, Solana ME, García-Bournissen F. Miltefosine and Benznidazole Combination Improve Anti-Trypanosoma cruzi In Vitro and In Vivo Efficacy. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:855119. [PMID: 35865815 PMCID: PMC9294734 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.855119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug repurposing and combination therapy have been proposed as cost-effective strategies to improve Chagas disease treatment. Miltefosine (MLT), a synthetic alkylphospholipid initially developed for breast cancer and repositioned for leishmaniasis, is a promising candidate against Trypanosoma cruzi infection. This study evaluates the efficacy of MLT as a monodrug and combined with benznidazole (BZ) in both in vitro and in vivo models of infection with T. cruzi (VD strain, DTU TcVI). MLT exhibited in vitro activity on amastigotes and trypomastigotes with values of IC50 = 0.51 µM (0.48 µM; 0,55 µM) and LC50 = 31.17 µM (29.56 µM; 32.87 µM), respectively. Drug interaction was studied with the fixed-ration method. The sum of the fractional inhibitory concentrations (ΣFICs) resulted in ∑FIC= 0.45 for trypomastigotes and ∑FIC= 0.71 for amastigotes, suggesting in vitro synergistic and additive effects, respectively. No cytotoxic effects on host cells were observed. MLT efficacy was also evaluated in a murine model of acute infection alone or combined with BZ. Treatment was well tolerated with few adverse effects, and all treated animals displayed significantly lower mean peak parasitemia and mortality than infected non-treated controls (p<0.05). The in vivo studies showed that MLT led to a dose-dependent parasitostatic effect as monotherapy which could be improved by combining with BZ, preventing parasitemia rebound after a stringent immunosuppression protocol. These results support MLT activity in clinically relevant stages from T. cruzi, and it is the first report of positive interaction with BZ, providing further support for evaluating combined schemes using MLT and exploring synthetic alkylphospholipids as drug candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julián Ernesto Nicolás Gulin
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones en Patologías Pediátricas (IMIPP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET)-Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (GCBA), Servicio de Parasitología y Enfermedad de Chagas, Hospital de Niños “Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez, Ministerio de Salud, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (INBIOMED), Facultad de Medicina Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) – CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Margarita María Catalina Bisio
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones en Patologías Pediátricas (IMIPP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET)-Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (GCBA), Servicio de Parasitología y Enfermedad de Chagas, Hospital de Niños “Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez, Ministerio de Salud, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto Nacional de Parasitología (INP) ‘Dr. Mario Fatala Chaben’-Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud (ANLIS) ‘Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán’, CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniela Rocco
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones en Patologías Pediátricas (IMIPP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET)-Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (GCBA), Servicio de Parasitología y Enfermedad de Chagas, Hospital de Niños “Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez, Ministerio de Salud, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jaime Altcheh
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones en Patologías Pediátricas (IMIPP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET)-Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (GCBA), Servicio de Parasitología y Enfermedad de Chagas, Hospital de Niños “Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez, Ministerio de Salud, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Elisa Solana
- Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Nacional de Luján, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Facundo García-Bournissen
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones en Patologías Pediátricas (IMIPP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET)-Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (GCBA), Servicio de Parasitología y Enfermedad de Chagas, Hospital de Niños “Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez, Ministerio de Salud, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Division of Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Facundo García-Bournissen,
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Alberca LN, Sbaraglini ML, Balcazar D, Fraccaroli L, Carrillo C, Medeiros A, Benitez D, Comini M, Talevi A. Discovery of novel polyamine analogs with anti-protozoal activity by computer guided drug repositioning. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2016; 30:305-21. [PMID: 26891837 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-016-9903-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2015] [Accepted: 02/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease is a parasitic infection caused by the protozoa Trypanosoma cruzi that affects about 6 million people in Latin America. Despite its sanitary importance, there are currently only two drugs available for treatment: benznidazole and nifurtimox, both exhibiting serious adverse effects and limited efficacy in the chronic stage of the disease. Polyamines are ubiquitous to all living organisms where they participate in multiple basic functions such as biosynthesis of nucleic acids and proteins, proliferation and cell differentiation. T. cruzi is auxotroph for polyamines, which are taken up from the extracellular medium by efficient transporters and, to a large extent, incorporated into trypanothione (bis-glutathionylspermidine), the major redox cosubstrate of trypanosomatids. From a 268-compound database containing polyamine analogs with and without inhibitory effect on T. cruzi we have inferred classificatory models that were later applied in a virtual screening campaign to identify anti-trypanosomal compounds among drugs already used for other therapeutic indications (i.e. computer-guided drug repositioning) compiled in the DrugBank and Sweetlead databases. Five of the candidates identified with this strategy were evaluated in cellular models from different pathogenic trypanosomatids (T. cruzi wt, T. cruzi PAT12, T. brucei and Leishmania infantum), and in vitro models of aminoacid/polyamine transport assays and trypanothione synthetase inhibition assay. Triclabendazole, sertaconazole and paroxetine displayed inhibitory effects on the proliferation of T. cruzi (epimastigotes) and the uptake of putrescine by the parasite. They also interfered with the uptake of others aminoacids and the proliferation of infective T. brucei and L. infantum (promastigotes). Trypanothione synthetase was ruled out as molecular target for the anti-parasitic activity of these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucas N Alberca
- Laboratory of Bioactive Compounds Research and Development (LIDeB), Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Biological Science, Exact Sciences College, National University of La Plata (UNLP), Argentina, 47 & 115, B1900AJI, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María L Sbaraglini
- Laboratory of Bioactive Compounds Research and Development (LIDeB), Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Biological Science, Exact Sciences College, National University of La Plata (UNLP), Argentina, 47 & 115, B1900AJI, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Darío Balcazar
- Instituto de Ciencias y Tecnología Dr. César Milstein (ICT Milstein), Argentinean National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Laura Fraccaroli
- Instituto de Ciencias y Tecnología Dr. César Milstein (ICT Milstein), Argentinean National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Carolina Carrillo
- Instituto de Ciencias y Tecnología Dr. César Milstein (ICT Milstein), Argentinean National Council of Scientific and Technical Research (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Andrea Medeiros
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Diego Benitez
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Marcelo Comini
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Alan Talevi
- Laboratory of Bioactive Compounds Research and Development (LIDeB), Medicinal Chemistry, Department of Biological Science, Exact Sciences College, National University of La Plata (UNLP), Argentina, 47 & 115, B1900AJI, La Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
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4
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Sales Júnior PA, Rezende Júnior CO, Le Hyaric M, Almeida MVD, Romanha AJ. The in vitro activity of fatty diamines and amino alcohols against mixed amastigote and trypomastigote Trypanosoma cruzi forms. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2014; 109:362-4. [PMID: 24831550 PMCID: PMC4131791 DOI: 10.1590/0074-0276130496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2013] [Accepted: 12/03/2013] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Four diamines and three amino alcohols derived from 1-decanol, 1-dodecanol and
1,2-dodecanediol were evaluated in an in vitro assay against a mixture of
trypomastigote and intracellular amastigote forms of Trypanosoma
cruzi. Two of these compounds (6 and 7) showed better activity against
both proliferative stages of T. cruzi than the positive control
benznidazole, three were of similar potency (1, 2 and 5) and two were less active (3
and 4).
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Affiliation(s)
- Policarpo Ademar Sales Júnior
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou-Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | | | - Mireille Le Hyaric
- Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora,, MG, Brasil
| | | | - Alvaro José Romanha
- Laboratório de Parasitologia Celular e Molecular, Centro de Pesquisas René Rachou-Fiocruz, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
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5
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Sykes ML, Avery VM. Approaches to Protozoan Drug Discovery: Phenotypic Screening. J Med Chem 2013; 56:7727-40. [DOI: 10.1021/jm4004279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Melissa L. Sykes
- Discovery Biology, Eskitis Institute
for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
| | - Vicky M. Avery
- Discovery Biology, Eskitis Institute
for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
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6
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Patrick DA, Ismail MA, Arafa RK, Wenzler T, Zhu X, Pandharkar T, Jones SK, Werbovetz KA, Brun R, Boykin DW, Tidwell RR. Synthesis and antiprotozoal activity of dicationic m-terphenyl and 1,3-dipyridylbenzene derivatives. J Med Chem 2013; 56:5473-94. [PMID: 23795673 DOI: 10.1021/jm400508e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
4,4″-Diamidino-m-terphenyl (1) and 36 analogues were prepared and assayed in vitro against T rypanosoma brucei rhodesiense , Trypanosoma cruzi , Plasmodium falciparum , and Leishmania amazonensis . Twenty-three compounds were highly active against T. b. rhodesiense or P. falciparum. Most noteworthy were amidines 1, 10, and 11 with IC50 of 4 nM against T. b. rhodesiense, and dimethyltetrahydropyrimidinyl analogues 4 and 9 with IC50 values of ≤ 3 nM against P. falciparum. Bis-pyridylimidamide derivative 31 was 25 times more potent than benznidazole against T. cruzi and slightly more potent than amphotericin B against L. amazonensis. Terphenyldiamidine 1 and dipyridylbenzene analogues 23 and 25 each cured 4/4 mice infected with T. b. rhodesiense STIB900 with four daily 5 mg/kg intraperitoneal doses, as well as with single doses of ≤ 10 mg/kg. Derivatives 5 and 28 (prodrugs of 1 and 25) each cured 3/4 mice with four daily 25 mg/kg oral doses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald A Patrick
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina , Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599-7525, United States
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In vitro and in vivo studies of the antiparasitic activity of sterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51) inhibitor VNI against drug-resistant strains of Trypanosoma cruzi. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2013; 57:4151-63. [PMID: 23774435 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00070-13] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease affects more than 10 million people worldwide, and yet, as it has historically been known as a disease of the poor, it remains highly neglected. Two currently available drugs exhibit severe toxicity and low effectiveness, especially in the chronic phase, while new drug discovery has been halted for years as a result of a lack of interest from pharmaceutical companies. Although attempts to repurpose the antifungal drugs posaconazole and ravuconazole (inhibitors of fungal sterol 14α-demethylase [CYP51]) are finally in progress, development of cheaper and more efficient, preferably Trypanosoma cruzi-specific, chemotherapies would be highly advantageous. We have recently reported that the experimental T. cruzi CYP51 inhibitor VNI cures with 100% survival and 100% parasitological clearance both acute and chronic murine infections with the Tulahuen strain of T. cruzi. In this work, we further explored the potential of VNI by assaying nitro-derivative-resistant T. cruzi strains, Y and Colombiana, in highly stringent protocols of acute infection. The data show high antiparasitic efficacy of VNI and its derivative (VNI/VNF) against both forms of T. cruzi that are relevant for mammalian host infection (bloodstream and amastigotes), with the in vivo potency, at 25 mg/kg twice a day (b.i.d.), similar to that of benznidazole (100 mg/kg/day). Transmission electron microscopy and reverse mutation tests were performed to explore cellular ultrastructural and mutagenic aspects of VNI, respectively. No mutagenic potential could be seen by the Ames test at up to 3.5 μM, and the main ultrastructural damage induced by VNI in T. cruzi was related to Golgi apparatus and endoplasmic reticulum organization, with membrane blebs presenting an autophagic phenotype. Thus, these preliminary studies confirm VNI as a very promising trypanocidal drug candidate for Chagas disease therapy.
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8
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Abstract
The present study aimed to determine the in vitro biological efficacy and selectivity of 7 novel AIAs upon bloodstream trypomastigotes and intracellular amastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi. The biological activity of these aromatic compounds was assayed for 48 and 24 h against intracellular parasites and bloodstream forms of T. cruzi (Y strain), respectively. Additional assays were also performed to determine their potential use in blood banks by treating the bloodstream parasites with the compounds diluted in mouse blood for 24 h at 4°C. Toxicity against mammalian cells was evaluated using primary cultures of cardiac cells incubated for 24 and 48 h with the AIAs and then cellular death rates were determined by MTT colorimetric assays. Our data demonstrated the outstanding trypanocidal effect of AIAs against T. cruzi, especially DB1853, DB1862, DB1867 and DB1868, giving IC50 values ranging between 16 and 70 nanomolar against both parasite forms. All AIAs presented superior efficacy to benznidazole and some, such as DB1868, also demonstrated promising activity as a candidate agent for blood prophylaxis. The excellent anti-trypanosomal efficacy of these novel AIAs against T. cruzi stimulates further in vivo studies and justifies the screening of new analogues with the goal of establishing a useful alternative therapy for Chagas disease.
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9
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The trypanocidal activity of amidine compounds does not correlate with their binding affinity to Trypanosoma cruzi kinetoplast DNA. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2011; 55:4765-73. [PMID: 21807972 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00229-11] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to limited efficacy and considerable toxicity, the therapy for Chagas' disease is far from being ideal, and thus new compounds are desirable. Diamidines and related compounds such as arylimidamides have promising trypanocidal activity against Trypanosoma cruzi. To better understand the mechanism of action of these heterocyclic cations, we investigated the kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) binding properties and trypanocidal efficacy against T. cruzi of 13 compounds. Four diamidines (DB75, DB569, DB1345, and DB829), eight arylimidamides (DB766, DB749, DB889, DB709, DB613, DB1831, DB1852, and DB2002), and one guanylhydrazone (DB1080) were assayed in thermal denaturation (T(m)) and circular dichroism (CD) studies using whole purified T. cruzi kDNA and a conserved synthetic parasite sequence. The overall CD spectra using the whole kDNA were similar to those found for the conserved sequence and were indicative of minor groove binding. Our findings showed that some of the compounds that exhibited the highest trypanocidal activities (e.g., DB766) caused low or no change in the T(m) measurements. However, while some active compounds, such as DB766, induced profound alterations of kDNA topology, others, like DB1831, although effective, did not result in altered T(m) and CD measurements. Our data suggest that the strong affinity of amidines with kDNA per se is not sufficient to generate and trigger their trypanocidal activity. Cell uptake differences and possibly distinct cellular targets need to be considered in the final evaluation of the mechanisms of action of these compounds.
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de Castro SL, Batista DGJ, Batista MM, Batista W, Daliry A, de Souza EM, Menna-Barreto RFS, Oliveira GM, Salomão K, Silva CF, Silva PB, Soeiro MDNC. Experimental Chemotherapy for Chagas Disease: A Morphological, Biochemical, and Proteomic Overview of Potential Trypanosoma cruzi Targets of Amidines Derivatives and Naphthoquinones. Mol Biol Int 2011; 2011:306928. [PMID: 22091400 PMCID: PMC3195292 DOI: 10.4061/2011/306928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2011] [Revised: 02/25/2011] [Accepted: 03/21/2011] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD), caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, affects approximately eight million individuals in Latin America and is emerging in nonendemic areas due to the globalisation of immigration and nonvectorial transmission routes. Although CD represents an important public health problem, resulting in high morbidity and considerable mortality rates, few investments have been allocated towards developing novel anti-T. cruzi agents. The available therapy for CD is based on two nitro derivatives (benznidazole (Bz) and nifurtimox (Nf)) developed more than four decades ago. Both are far from ideal due to substantial secondary side effects, limited efficacy against different parasite isolates, long-term therapy, and their well-known poor activity in the late chronic phase. These drawbacks justify the urgent need to identify better drugs to treat chagasic patients. Although several classes of natural and synthetic compounds have been reported to act in vitro and in vivo on T. cruzi, since the introduction of Bz and Nf, only a few drugs, such as allopurinol and a few sterol inhibitors, have moved to clinical trials. This reflects, at least in part, the absence of well-established universal protocols to screen and compare drug activity. In addition, a large number of in vitro studies have been conducted using only epimastigotes and trypomastigotes instead of evaluating compounds' activities against intracellular amastigotes, which are the reproductive forms in the vertebrate host and are thus an important determinant in the selection and identification of effective compounds for further in vivo analysis. In addition, due to pharmacokinetics and absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion characteristics, several compounds that were promising in vitro have not been as effective as Nf or Bz in animal models of T. cruzi infection. In the last two decades, our team has collaborated with different medicinal chemistry groups to develop preclinical studies for CD and investigate the in vitro and in vivo efficacy, toxicity, selectivity, and parasite targets of different classes of natural and synthetic compounds. Some of these results will be briefly presented, focusing primarily on diamidines and related compounds and naphthoquinone derivatives that showed the most promising efficacy against T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Solange L. de Castro
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Denise G. J. Batista
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Marcos M. Batista
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Wanderson Batista
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Anissa Daliry
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Elen M. de Souza
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rubem F. S. Menna-Barreto
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Gabriel M. Oliveira
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Kelly Salomão
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Cristiane F. Silva
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Patricia B. Silva
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Maria de Nazaré C. Soeiro
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, 21040-900 Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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