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Kumari P, Agrawal P, Umarao P, Ramachandran V, Gourinath S. Identification of Small Molecule Inhibitors Targeting Phosphoserine Phosphatase: A Novel Target for the Development of Antiamoebic Drugs. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:27906-27918. [PMID: 38973836 PMCID: PMC11223228 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c09439] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 07/09/2024]
Abstract
Amoebiasis, a widespread disease caused by the protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica, poses challenges due to the adverse effects of existing antiamoebic drugs and rising drug resistance. Novel targeted drugs are in need of the hour to combat the prevalence of this disease. Given the significance of cysteine for Entamoeba survival, the rate-determining step in the serine (the sole substrate of cysteine synthesis) biosynthetic pathway, i.e., the conversion of 3-phosphoserine to l-serine catalyzed by phosphoserine phosphatase (PSP), emerges as a promising drug target. Our previous study unveils the essential role of EhPSP in amoebas' survival, particularly under oxidative stress, by increasing cysteine production. The study also revealed that EhPSP differs significantly from its human counterpart, both structurally and biochemically, highlighting its potential as a viable target for developing new antiamoebic drugs. In the present study, employing in silico screening of vast natural and synthetic small chemical compound libraries, we identified 21 potential EhPSP inhibitor molecules. Out of the 21 compounds examined, only five could inhibit the catalytic activity of EhPSP. The inhibition capability of these five compounds was subsequently validated by in silico binding free energy calculations, SPR-based real-time binding studies, and molecular simulations to assess the stability of the EhPSP-inhibitor complexes. By identifying the five potential inhibitors that can target cysteine synthesis via EhPSP, our findings establish EhPSP as a drug candidate that can serve as a foundation for antiamoebic drug research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poonam Kumari
- International
Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
- Structural
Biology Lab, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal
Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Prakhar Agrawal
- International
Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Preeti Umarao
- Structural
Biology Lab, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal
Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
| | - Vijayan Ramachandran
- The
Centre for Innovation in Brain Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson 85721, Arizona, United States
| | - Samudrala Gourinath
- Structural
Biology Lab, School of Life Sciences, Jawaharlal
Nehru University, New Delhi 110067, India
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Stoia D, De Sio L, Petronella F, Focsan M. Recent advances towards point-of-care devices for fungal detection: Emphasizing the role of plasmonic nanomaterials in current and future technologies. Biosens Bioelectron 2024; 255:116243. [PMID: 38547645 DOI: 10.1016/j.bios.2024.116243] [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: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/15/2024]
Abstract
Fungal infections are a significant global health problem, particularly affecting individuals with weakened immune systems. Moreover, as uncontrolled antibiotic and immunosuppressant use increases continuously, fungal infections have seen a dramatic increase, with some strains developing antibiotic resistance. Traditional approaches to identifying fungal strains often rely on morphological characteristics, thus owning limitations, such as struggles in identifying several strains or distinguishing between fungal strains with similar morphologies. This review explores the multifaceted impact of fungi infections on individuals, healthcare providers, and society, highlighting the often-underestimated economic burden and healthcare implications of these infections. In light of the serious constraints of traditional fungal identification methods, this review discusses the potential of plasmonic nanoparticle-based biosensors for fungal infection identification. These biosensors can enable rapid and precise fungal pathogen detection by exploiting several readout approaches, including various spectroscopic techniques, colorimetric and electrochemical assays, as well as lateral-flow immunoassay methods. Moreover, we report the remarkable impact of plasmonic Lab on a Chip technology and microfluidic devices, as they recently emerged as a class of advanced biosensors. Finally, we provide an overview of smartphone-based Point-of-Care devices and the associated technologies developed for detecting and identifying fungal pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria Stoia
- Biomolecular Physics Department, Faculty of Physics, Babes-Bolyai University, 1 M. Kogalniceanu Street, 400084, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Nanobiophotonics and Laser Microspectroscopy Centre, Interdisciplinary Research Institute on Bio-Nano-Sciences, Babes-Bolyai University, 42 Treboniu Laurian Street, 400271, Cluj-Napoca, Romania
| | - Luciano De Sio
- Department of Medico-Surgical Sciences and Biotechnologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Corso della Repubblica 79, 04100, Latina, Italy
| | - Francesca Petronella
- National Research Council of Italy, Institute of Crystallography CNR-IC, Area della Ricerca Roma 1 Strada Provinciale 35d, n. 9, 00010, Montelibretti (RM), Italy.
| | - Monica Focsan
- Biomolecular Physics Department, Faculty of Physics, Babes-Bolyai University, 1 M. Kogalniceanu Street, 400084, Cluj-Napoca, Romania; Nanobiophotonics and Laser Microspectroscopy Centre, Interdisciplinary Research Institute on Bio-Nano-Sciences, Babes-Bolyai University, 42 Treboniu Laurian Street, 400271, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
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Bharat V, Durairaj AS, Vanhauwaert R, Li L, Muir CM, Chandra S, Kwak CS, Le Guen Y, Nandakishore P, Hsieh CH, Rensi SE, Altman RB, Greicius MD, Feng L, Wang X. A mitochondrial inside-out iron-calcium signal reveals drug targets for Parkinson's disease. Cell Rep 2023; 42:113544. [PMID: 38060381 PMCID: PMC10804639 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113544] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Dysregulated iron or Ca2+ homeostasis has been reported in Parkinson's disease (PD) models. Here, we discover a connection between these two metals at the mitochondria. Elevation of iron levels causes inward mitochondrial Ca2+ overflow, through an interaction of Fe2+ with mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU). In PD neurons, iron accumulation-triggered Ca2+ influx across the mitochondrial surface leads to spatially confined Ca2+ elevation at the outer mitochondrial membrane, which is subsequently sensed by Miro1, a Ca2+-binding protein. A Miro1 blood test distinguishes PD patients from controls and responds to drug treatment. Miro1-based drug screens in PD cells discover Food and Drug Administration-approved T-type Ca2+-channel blockers. Human genetic analysis reveals enrichment of rare variants in T-type Ca2+-channel subtypes associated with PD status. Our results identify a molecular mechanism in PD pathophysiology and drug targets and candidates coupled with a convenient stratification method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinita Bharat
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Aarooran S Durairaj
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Roeland Vanhauwaert
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Li Li
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Colin M Muir
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Graduate Program of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Sujyoti Chandra
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Chulhwan S Kwak
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Yann Le Guen
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Institut du Cerveau - Paris Brain Institute - ICM, 75013 Paris, France
| | | | - Chung-Han Hsieh
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Stefano E Rensi
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Russ B Altman
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Michael D Greicius
- Department of Neurology and Neurological Sciences, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Liang Feng
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Physiology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA
| | - Xinnan Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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Jing S, Zhang Q, Li Y, Chang H, Xiang C, Han S, Yuan G, Fan J, He H. Identification of new drug candidates against Trichomonas gallinae using high-throughput screening. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2023; 23:19-27. [PMID: 37562241 PMCID: PMC10424085 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2023.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 08/01/2023] [Accepted: 08/01/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Abstract
Trichomonas gallinae is a protozoan parasite that is the causative agent of trichomoniasis, and infects captive and wild bird species throughout the world. Although metronidazole has been the drug of choice against trichomoniasis for decades, most Trichomonas gallinae strains have developed resistance. Therefore, drugs with new modes of action or targets are urgently needed. Here, we report the development and application of a cell-based CCK-8 method for the high-throughput screening and identification of new inhibitors of Trichomonas gallinae as a beginning point for the development of new treatments for trichomoniasis. We performed the high-throughput screening of 173 anti-parasitic compounds, and found 16 compounds that were potentially effective against Trichomonas gallinae. By measuring the median inhibitory concentration (IC50) and median cytotoxic concentration (CC50), we identified 3 potentially safe and effective compounds against Trichomonas gallinae: anisomycin, fumagillin, and MG132. In conclusion, this research successfully established a high-throughput screening method for compounds and identified 3 new safe and effective compounds against Trichomonas gallinae, providing a new treatment scheme for trichomoniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengfan Jing
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071000, China; National Research Center for Wildlife Borne Diseases, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Qingxun Zhang
- Beijing Milu Ecological Research Center, Beijing, 100076, China
| | - Yi Li
- National Research Center for Wildlife Borne Diseases, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Han Chang
- National Research Center for Wildlife Borne Diseases, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Chen Xiang
- National Research Center for Wildlife Borne Diseases, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Shuyi Han
- National Research Center for Wildlife Borne Diseases, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China; College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Guohui Yuan
- National Research Center for Wildlife Borne Diseases, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China
| | - Jinghui Fan
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Hebei Agricultural University, Baoding, 071000, China.
| | - Hongxuan He
- National Research Center for Wildlife Borne Diseases, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chaoyang District, Beijing, 100101, China.
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Mendoza Cavazos C, Heredia MY, Owens LA, Knoll LJ. Using Entamoeba muris To Model Fecal-Oral Transmission of Entamoeba in Mice. mBio 2023; 14:e0300822. [PMID: 36744962 PMCID: PMC9973306 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.03008-22] [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: 10/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
There are several Entamoeba species that colonize humans, but only Entamoeba histolytica causes severe disease. E. histolytica is transmitted through the fecal-oral route to colonize the intestinal tract of 50 million people worldwide. The current mouse model to study E. histolytica intestinal infection directly delivers the parasite into the surgically exposed cecum, which circumvents the natural route of infection. To develop a fecal-oral mouse model, we screened our vivarium for a natural murine Entamoeba colonizer via a pan-Entamoeba PCR targeting the 18S ribosomal gene. We determined that C57BL/6 mice were chronically colonized by Entamoeba muris. This amoeba is closely related to E. histolytica, as determined by 18S sequencing and cross-reactivity with an E. histolytica-specific antibody. In contrast, outbred Swiss Webster (SW) mice were not chronically colonized by E. muris. We orally challenged SW mice with 1 × 105 E. muris cysts and discovered they were susceptible to infection, with peak cyst shedding occurring between 5 and 7 days postinfection. Most infected SW mice did not lose weight significantly but trended toward decreased weight gain throughout the experiment compared to mock-infected controls. Infected mice treated with paromomycin, an antibiotic used against noninvasive intestinal disease, do not become colonized by E. muris. Within the intestinal tract, E. muris localizes exclusively to the cecum and colon. Purified E. muris cysts treated with bovine bile in vitro excyst into mobile, pretrophozoite stages. Overall, this work describes a novel fecal-oral mouse model for the important global pathogen E. histolytica. IMPORTANCE Infection with parasites from the Entamoeba genus are significantly underreported causes of diarrheal disease that disproportionally impact tropical regions. There are several species of Entamoeba that infect humans to cause a range of symptoms from asymptomatic colonization of the intestinal tract to invasive disease with dissemination. All Entamoeba species are spread via the fecal-oral route in contaminated food and water. Studying the life cycle of Entamoeba, from host colonization to infectious fecal cyst production, can provide targets for vaccine and drug development. Because there is not an oral challenge rodent model, we screened for a mouse Entamoeba species and identified Entamoeba muris as a natural colonizer. We determine the peak of infection after an oral challenge, the efficacy of paromomycin treatment, the intestinal tract localization, and the cues that trigger excystation. This oral infection mouse model will be valuable for the development of novel therapeutic options for Entamoeba infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Mendoza Cavazos
- Microbiology Doctoral Training Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Marienela Y. Heredia
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
- Cellular and Molecular Pathology Graduate Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Leah A. Owens
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, School of Veterinary Medicine, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Laura J. Knoll
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
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Obaid HM, Saleh SS, Boundenga L. Pharmaceutical activity of a synthetic heterocyclic (C15H12N5OCL) compound on Entamoeba histolytica and Giardia lamblia. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF INFECTION AND IMMUNITY 2023. [DOI: 10.15789/2220-7619-pao-2024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Abstract:
Background: Intestinal parasites are among the most important infectious agents with an impact on human health. Indeed, in the lack of an available treatment option, these parasites could constitute a real health problem in the population.
Aim: In the present study, we investigated the effect of a synthetic heterocyclic compound on two intestinal parasites (Entamoeda histolytica and Gardia lamblia).
Methods: The parasite isolates tested were collected from outpatients at the General Pediatric Hospital in Kirkuk, Iraq, between September 2019 and January 2020. Thus, we studied the in vivo and in vitro pharmaceutical activity of the ingredient on both parasites. The toxicological effects of the substance on some blood parameters and liver and kidney function tests were also studied.
Results: After five days of treatment, the drug's in vivo action on G. lamblia resulted in an inhibition rate of 88.2 percent at a dose of 1 mg/kg. On the other hand, we observed that the influence of this synthetic substance on cultured E. histolytica was very close to the metronidazole effect. The maximum result was at a concentration of 1 g/ml and was obtained after 72 hours of incubation with an inhibition rate of 89.4%. The substance did not affect the blood parameters or the studied liver and kidney functions.
Conclusion: It can be concluded that this substance is highly effective against both E. histolytica and G. lamblia, and that it has no toxic effects on the studied parameters. Therefore, it could be a promising pharmacophore for intestinal protozoan parasites including E. histolytica and G. lamblia and an alternative or competitor to the current medications available.
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Essential Oils and Terpenic Compounds as Potential Hits for Drugs against Amitochondriate Protists. Trop Med Infect Dis 2023; 8:tropicalmed8010037. [PMID: 36668944 PMCID: PMC9865018 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed8010037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 01/03/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The human anaerobic or microaerophilic protists Giardia duodenalis, Entamoeba histolytica, and Trichomonas vaginalis are classified as amitochondriate parasites, a group of unicellular organisms that lack canonical mitochondria organelles. These microorganisms suffered adaptations to survive in hostile microenvironments and together represent an increasing threat to public health in developing countries. Nevertheless, the current therapeutic drugs to manage the infections are scarce and often cause several side effects. Furthermore, refractory cases associated with the emergence of parasitic resistance are concerns that guide the search for new pharmacological targets and treatment alternatives. Herein, essential oils and terpenic compounds with activity against amitochondriate parasites with clinical relevance are summarized and insights into possible mechanisms of action are made. This review aims to contribute with future perspectives for research with these natural products as potential alternatives for the acquisition of new molecules for the treatment of amitochondriate protists.
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Sauvey C, Meewan I, Ehrenkaufer G, Blevitt J, Jackson P, Abagyan R. High-throughput phenotypic screen identifies a new family of potent anti-amoebic compounds. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0280232. [PMID: 37159460 PMCID: PMC10168566 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0280232] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Entamoeba histolytica is a disease-causing parasitic amoeba which affects an estimated 50 million people worldwide, particularly in socioeconomically vulnerable populations experiencing water sanitation issues. Infection with E. histolytica is referred to as amoebiasis, and can cause symptoms such as colitis, dysentery, and even death in extreme cases. Drugs exist that are capable of killing this parasite, but they are hampered by downsides such as significant adverse effects at therapeutic concentrations, issues with patient compliance, the need for additional drugs to kill the transmissible cyst stage, and potential development of resistance. Past screens of small and medium sized chemical libraries have yielded anti-amoebic candidates, thus rendering high-throughput screening a promising direction for new drug discovery in this area. In this study, we screened a curated 81,664 compound library from Janssen pharmaceuticals against E. histolytica trophozoites in vitro, and from it identified a highly potent new inhibitor compound. The best compound in this series, JNJ001, showed excellent inhibition activity against E. histolytica trophozoites with EC50 values at 0.29 μM, which is better than the current approved treatment, metronidazole. Further experimentation confirmed the activity of this compound, as well as that of several structurally related compounds, originating from both the Janssen Jump-stARter library, and from chemical vendors, thus highlighting a new structure-activity relationship (SAR). In addition, we confirmed that the compound inhibited E. histolytica survival as rapidly as the current standard of care and inhibited transmissible cysts of the related model organism Entamoeba invadens. Together these results constitute the discovery of a novel class of chemicals with favorable in vitro pharmacological properties. The discovery may lead to an improved therapy against this parasite and in all of its life stages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conall Sauvey
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School for Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Ittipat Meewan
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School for Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Institute of Molecular Biosciences, Mahidol University, Nakhon Pathom, Thailand
| | - Gretchen Ehrenkaufer
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Jonathan Blevitt
- Janssen Research and Development, LLC, Ja Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Paul Jackson
- Janssen Research and Development, LLC, Ja Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Ruben Abagyan
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School for Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California-San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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Sharma I, Farr L, Moonah S. Alcohol Abuse Drug Disulfiram Is Effective against Cyst Stages of Entamoeba histolytica Parasite. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2022; 66:e0083222. [PMID: 36255253 PMCID: PMC9664845 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00832-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
New anti-Entamoeba histolytica multistage drugs are needed because only one drug class, nitroimidazoles, is available for treating invasive disease, and it does not effectively eradicate the infective cyst stage. Zinc ditiocarb (ZnDTC), a main metabolite of the FDA-approved drug disulfiram, was recently shown to be highly effective against the invasive trophozoite stage. In this brief report, we show that ZnDTC is active against cysts, with similar potency to first-line cysticidal drug paromomycin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ishrya Sharma
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Laura Farr
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Shannon Moonah
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
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González-Blanco G, García-Rivera G, Talmás-Rohana P, Orozco E, Galindo-Rosales JM, Vélez C, Salucedo-Cárdenas O, Azuara-Liceaga E, Rodríguez-Rodríguez MA, Nozaki T, Valdés J. An Unusual U2AF2 Inhibits Splicing and Attenuates the Virulence of the Human Protozoan Parasite Entamoeba histolytica. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:888428. [PMID: 35782149 PMCID: PMC9247205 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.888428] [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: 03/02/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
E. histolytica is the etiological agent of intestinal amebiasis and liver abscesses, which still poses public health threat globally. Metronidazole is the drug of choice against amebiasis. However, metronidazole-resistant amoebic clinical isolates and strains have been reported recently, challenging the efforts for amebiasis eradication. In search of alternative treatments, E. histolytica transcriptomes have shown the association of genes involved in RNA metabolism with the virulence of the parasite. Among the upregulated genes in amoebic liver abscesses are the splicing factors EhU2AF2 and a paralog of EhSF3B1. For this reason and because EhU2AF2 contains unusual KH-QUA2 (84KQ) motifs in its lengthened C-terminus domain, here we investigated how the role of EhU2AF2 in pre-mRNA processing impacts the virulence of the parasite. We found that 84KQ is involved in splicing inhibition/intron retention of several virulence and non-virulence-related genes. The 84KQ domain interacts with the same domain of the constitutive splicing factor SF1 (SF1KQ), both in solution and when SF1KQ is bound to branchpoint signal RNA probes. The 84KQ–SF1KQ interaction prevents splicing complex E to A transition, thus inhibiting splicing. Surprisingly, the deletion of the 84KQ domain in EhU2AF2 amoeba transformants increased splicing and enhanced the in vitro and in vivo virulence phenotypes. We conclude that the interaction of the 84KQ and SF1KQ domains, probably involving additional factors, tunes down Entamoeba virulence by favoring intron retention.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gretter González-Blanco
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV), CDMX, Mexico
| | - Guillermina García-Rivera
- Departamento de Infectómica y Patogénesis Molecular, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV), CDMX, Mexico
| | - Patricia Talmás-Rohana
- Departamento de Infectómica y Patogénesis Molecular, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV), CDMX, Mexico
| | - Ester Orozco
- Departamento de Infectómica y Patogénesis Molecular, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV), CDMX, Mexico
| | - José Manuel Galindo-Rosales
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV), CDMX, Mexico
| | - Cristina Vélez
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV), CDMX, Mexico
| | - Odila Salucedo-Cárdenas
- Departamento de Histología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, Monterrey, Mexico
| | - Elisa Azuara-Liceaga
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México, CDMX, Mexico
| | - Mario Alberto Rodríguez-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Biología Celular, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV), CDMX, Mexico
| | - Tomoyoshi Nozaki
- Laboratory of Biomedical Chemistry, Department of International Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Jesús Valdés
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional (CINVESTAV), CDMX, Mexico
- *Correspondence: Jesús Valdés,
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11
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Islan GA, Rodenak-Kladniew B, Noacco N, Duran N, Castro GR. Prodigiosin: a promising biomolecule with many potential biomedical applications. Bioengineered 2022; 13:14227-14258. [PMID: 35734783 PMCID: PMC9342244 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2022.2084498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Pigments are among the most fascinating molecules found in nature and used by human civilizations since the prehistoric ages. Although most of the bio-dyes reported in the literature were discovered around the eighties, the necessity to explore novel compounds for new biological applications has made them resurface as potential alternatives. Prodigiosin (PG) is an alkaloid red bio-dye produced by diverse microorganisms and composed of a linear tripyrrole chemical structure. PG emerges as a really interesting tool since it shows a wide spectrum of biological activities, such as antibacterial, antifungal, algicidal, anti-Chagas, anti-amoebic, antimalarial, anticancer, antiparasitic, antiviral, and/or immunosuppressive. However, PG vehiculation into different delivery systems has been proposed since possesses low bioavailability because of its high hydrophobic character (XLogP3-AA = 4.5). In the present review, the general aspects of the PG correlated with synthesis, production process, and biological activities are reported. Besides, some of the most relevant PG delivery systems described in the literature, as well as novel unexplored applications to potentiate its biological activity in biomedical applications, are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- German A Islan
- Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales (CINDEFI), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) -CONICET (CCT La Plata)Laboratorio de Nanobiomateriales, Centro de Investigación y , La Plata, Argentina
| | - Boris Rodenak-Kladniew
- Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Instituto de Investigaciones Bioquímicas de La Plata (INIBIOLP), CONICET-UNLP, CCT-La Plata, La Plata, Pcia de Bueos aires, Argentina
| | - Nehuen Noacco
- Desarrollo en Fermentaciones Industriales (CINDEFI), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata (UNLP) -CONICET (CCT La Plata)Laboratorio de Nanobiomateriales, Centro de Investigación y , La Plata, Argentina
| | - Nelson Duran
- Laboratory of Urogenital Carcinogenesis and Immunotherapy, Biological Institute, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.,Nanomedicine Research Unit (Nanomed), Federal University of Abc (Ufabc), Santo André, Brazil
| | - Guillermo R Castro
- Laboratory of Urogenital Carcinogenesis and Immunotherapy, Biological Institute, Department of Structural and Functional Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil.,. Partner Laboratory of the Max Planck Institute for Biophysical Chemistry (MPIbpC, MPG). Centro de Estudios Interdisciplinarios (CEI), Universidad Nacional de RosarioMax Planck Laboratory for Structural Biology, Chemistry and Molecular Biophysics of Rosario (MPLbioR, UNR-MPIbpC), Rosario, Argentina
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12
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Santos HLC, Rebello KM. An Overview of Mucosa-Associated Protozoa: Challenges in Chemotherapy and Future Perspectives. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:860442. [PMID: 35548465 PMCID: PMC9084232 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.860442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasitic infections caused by protozoans that infect the mucosal surfaces are widely neglected worldwide. Collectively, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium spp. and Trichomonas vaginalis infect more than a billion people in the world, being a public health problem mainly in developing countries. However, the exact incidence and prevalence data depend on the population examined. These parasites ultimately cause pathologies that culminate in liver abscesses, malabsorption syndrome, vaginitis, and urethritis, respectively. Despite this, the antimicrobial agents currently used to treat these diseases are limited and often associated with adverse side effects and refractory cases due to the development of resistant parasites. The paucity of drug treatments, absence of vaccines and increasing problems of drug resistance are major concerns for their control and eradication. Herein, potential candidates are reviewed with the overall aim of determining the knowledge gaps and suggest future perspectives for research. This review focuses on this public health problem and focuses on the progress of drug repositioning as a potential strategy for the treatment of mucosal parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Lucia Carneiro Santos
- Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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13
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Jasni N, Saidin S, Arifin N, Azman DK, Shin LN, Othman N. A Review: Natural and Synthetic Compounds Targeting Entamoeba histolytica and Its Biological Membrane. MEMBRANES 2022; 12:membranes12040396. [PMID: 35448367 PMCID: PMC9024486 DOI: 10.3390/membranes12040396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2021] [Revised: 02/23/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Amoebiasis is the third most common parasitic cause of morbidity and mortality, particularly in countries with poor hygienic settings in central and south America, Africa, and India. This disease is caused by a protozoan parasite, namely Entamoeba histolytica, which infects approximately 50 million people worldwide, resulting in 70,000 deaths every year. Since the 1960s, E. histolytica infection has been successfully treated with metronidazole. However, there are drawbacks to metronidazole therapy: the side effects, duration of treatment, and need for additional drugs to prevent transmission. Previous interdisciplinary studies, including biophysics, bioinformatics, chemistry, and, more recently, lipidomics studies, have increased biomembranes’ publicity. The biological membranes are comprised of a mixture of membrane and cytosolic proteins. They work hand in hand mainly at the membrane part. They act as dedicated platforms for a whole range of cellular processes, such as cell proliferation, adhesion, migration, and intracellular trafficking, thus are appealing targets for drug treatment. Therefore, this review aims to observe the updated trend of the research regarding the biological membranes of E. histolytica from 2015 to 2021, which may help further research regarding the drug targeting the biological membrane.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nurhana Jasni
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor 11800, Malaysia; (N.J.); (N.A.); (D.K.A.); (L.N.S.)
| | - Syazwan Saidin
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Science and Mathematics, Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris, Tanjung Malim 35900, Malaysia;
| | - Norsyahida Arifin
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor 11800, Malaysia; (N.J.); (N.A.); (D.K.A.); (L.N.S.)
| | - Daruliza Kernain Azman
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor 11800, Malaysia; (N.J.); (N.A.); (D.K.A.); (L.N.S.)
| | - Lai Ngit Shin
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor 11800, Malaysia; (N.J.); (N.A.); (D.K.A.); (L.N.S.)
| | - Nurulhasanah Othman
- Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), Universiti Sains Malaysia, Gelugor 11800, Malaysia; (N.J.); (N.A.); (D.K.A.); (L.N.S.)
- Correspondence:
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Ponatinib, Lestaurtinib and mTOR/PI3K inhibitors are promising repurposing candidates against Entamoeba histolytica. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021; 66:e0120721. [PMID: 34871094 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01207-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Dysentery caused by Entamoeba histolytica affects millions of people annually. Current treatment regimens are based on metronidazole to treat invasive parasites combined with paromomycin for luminal parasites. Issues with treatment include significant side effects, inability to easily treat breastfeeding and pregnant women, the use of two sequential agents, and concern that all therapy is based on nitroimidazole agents with no alternatives if clinical resistance emerges. Thus, the need for new drugs against amebiasis is urgent. To identify new therapeutic candidates, we screened the ReFRAME library (11,948 compounds assembled for Repurposing, Focused Rescue, and Accelerated Medchem) against E. histolytica trophozoites. We identified 159 hits in the primary screen at 10 μM and 46 compounds were confirmed in secondary assays. Overall, 26 were selected as priority molecules for further investigation including 6 FDA approved, 5 orphan designation, and 15 which are currently in clinical trials (3 phase III, 7 phase II and 5 phase I). We found that all 26 compounds are active against metronidazole resistant E. histolytica and 24 are able to block parasite recrudescence after drug removal. Additionally, 14 are able to inhibit encystation and 2 (lestaurtinib and LY-2874455) are active against mature cysts. Two classes of compounds are most interesting for further investigations: the Bcr-Abl TK inhibitors, with the ponatinib (EC50 0.39) as most potent and mTOR or PI3K inhibitors with 8 compounds in clinical development, of which 4 have nanomolar potency. Overall, these are promising candidates and represent a significant advance for drug development against E. histolytica.
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15
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Drug repositioning: antiprotozoal activity of terfenadine against Entamoeba histolytica trophozoites. Parasitol Res 2021; 121:303-309. [PMID: 34741218 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-021-07354-x] [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: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 10/16/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The infection caused by Entamoeba histolytica is still a serious public health problem, especially in developing countries. The goal of this study was to evaluate the effect of terfenadine against Entamoeba histolytica. The trophozoites were exposed to 1, 2, 3, and 4 μM of terfenadine, for 24 and 48 h. Consequently, the viability of cells was determined by trypan blue exclusion test. The effect of terfenadine on adhesion of Entamoeba histolytica was evaluated in Caco-2 cells. In addition, the effect of terfenadine on the erythrophagocytic capacity of the parasite was investigated. The results show that terfenadine affects the growth and cell viability in a time- and dose-dependent manner. The higher inhibitory effects were observed with 4 µM at 48 h; 91.6% of growth inhibition and only 22.5% of trophozoites were viable. Additionally, we demonstrate that terfenadine is highly selective for the parasite and has low toxicity on Caco-2 cells. Furthermore, adhesion to Caco-2 cells and erythrophagocytic capacity were significantly inhibited. These findings demonstrate that terfenadine exerts significant effects on the virulence of Entamoeba histolytica. This is the first study demonstrating the amoebicidal activity of terfenadine and the results suggest it may be effective in the treatment of amoebiasis.
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16
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Shaulov Y, Sarid L, Trebicz-Geffen M, Ankri S. Entamoeba histolytica Adaption to Auranofin: A Phenotypic and Multi-Omics Characterization. Antioxidants (Basel) 2021; 10:antiox10081240. [PMID: 34439488 PMCID: PMC8389260 DOI: 10.3390/antiox10081240] [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: 06/21/2021] [Revised: 07/25/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Auranofin (AF), an antirheumatic agent, targets mammalian thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an important enzyme controlling redox homeostasis. AF is also highly effective against a diversity of pathogenic bacteria and protozoan parasites. Here, we report on the resistance of the parasite Entamoeba histolytica to 2 µM of AF that was acquired by gradual exposure of the parasite to an increasing amount of the drug. AF-adapted E. histolytica trophozoites (AFAT) have impaired growth and cytopathic activity, and are more sensitive to oxidative stress (OS), nitrosative stress (NS), and metronidazole (MNZ) than wild type (WT) trophozoites. Integrated transcriptomics and redoxomics analyses showed that many upregulated genes in AFAT, including genes encoding for dehydrogenase and cytoskeletal proteins, have their product oxidized in wild type trophozoites exposed to AF (acute AF trophozoites) but not in AFAT. We also showed that the level of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and oxidized proteins (OXs) in AFAT is lower than that in acute AF trophozoites. Overexpression of E. histolytica TrxR (EhTrxR) did not protect the parasite against AF, which suggests that EhTrxR is not central to the mechanism of adaptation to AF.
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17
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Shirley DA, Sharma I, Warren CA, Moonah S. Drug Repurposing of the Alcohol Abuse Medication Disulfiram as an Anti-Parasitic Agent. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:633194. [PMID: 33777846 PMCID: PMC7991622 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.633194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitic infections contribute significantly to worldwide morbidity and mortality. Antibiotic treatment is essential for managing patients infected with these parasites since control is otherwise challenging and there are no vaccines available for prevention. However, new antimicrobial therapies are urgently needed as significant problems exist with current treatments such as drug resistance, limited options, poor efficacy, as well as toxicity. This situation is made worse by the challenges of drug discovery and development which is costly especially for non-profitable infectious diseases, time-consuming, and risky with a high failure rate. Drug repurposing which involves finding new use for existing drugs may help to more rapidly identify therapeutic candidates while drastically cutting costs of drug research and development. In this perspective article, we discuss the importance of drug repurposing, review disulfiram pharmacology, and highlight emerging data that supports repurposing disulfiram as an anti-parasitic, exemplified by the major diarrhea-causing parasite Entamoeba histolytica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debbie-Ann Shirley
- Division of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Ishrya Sharma
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Cirle A Warren
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
| | - Shannon Moonah
- Division of Infectious Diseases & International Health, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, United States
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18
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Lam AYF, Vuong D, Jex AR, Piggott AM, Lacey E, Emery-Corbin SJ. TriTOX: A novel Trichomonas vaginalis assay platform for high-throughput screening of compound libraries. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-DRUGS AND DRUG RESISTANCE 2021; 15:68-80. [PMID: 33601283 PMCID: PMC7897990 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2021.01.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2020] [Revised: 12/22/2020] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Trichomonas vaginalis is a neglected urogenital parasitic protist that causes 170 million cases of trichomoniasis annually, making it the most prevalent non-viral, sexually transmitted disease. Trichomoniasis treatment relies on nitroheterocyclics, such as metronidazole. However, with increasing drug-resistance, there is an urgent need for novel anti-trichomonals. Little progress has been made to translate anti-trichomonal research into commercialised therapeutics, and the absence of a standardised compound-screening platform is the immediate stumbling block for drug-discovery. Herein, we describe a simple, cost-effective growth assay for T. vaginalis and the related Tritrichomonas foetus. Tracking changes in pH were a valid indicator of trichomonad growth (T. vaginalis and T. foetus), allowing development of a miniaturised, chromogenic growth assay based on the phenol red indicator in 96- and 384-well microtiter plate formats. The outputs of this assay can be quantitatively and qualitatively assessed, with consistent dynamic ranges based on Z' values of 0.741 and 0.870 across medium- and high-throughput formats, respectively. We applied this high-throughput format within the largest pure-compound microbial metabolite screen (812 compounds) for T. vaginalis and identified 43 hit compounds. We compared these identified compounds to mammalian cell lines, and highlighted extensive overlaps between anti-trichomonal and anti-tumour activity. Lastly, observing nanomolar inhibition of T. vaginalis by fumagillin, and noting this compound has reported activity in other protists, we performed in silico analyses of the interaction of fumagillin with its molecular target methionine aminopeptidase 2 for T. vaginalis, Giardia lamblia and Entamoeba histolytica, highlighting potential for fumagillin as a broad-spectrum anti-protistal against microaerophilic protists. Together, this new platform will accelerate drug-discovery efforts, underpin drug-resistance screening in trichomonads, and contributing to a growing body of evidence highlighting the potential of microbial natural products as novel anti-protistals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Y F Lam
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Daniel Vuong
- Microbial Screening Technologies, Smithfield, NSW, Australia
| | - Aaron R Jex
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia
| | - Andrew M Piggott
- Department of Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - Ernest Lacey
- Microbial Screening Technologies, Smithfield, NSW, Australia; Department of Molecular Sciences, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, North Ryde, NSW, Australia
| | - Samantha J Emery-Corbin
- Population Health and Immunity Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, Australia.
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Sauvey C, Ehrenkaufer G, Shi D, Debnath A, Abagyan R. Antineoplastic kinase inhibitors: A new class of potent anti-amoebic compounds. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0008425. [PMID: 33556060 PMCID: PMC7895358 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Revised: 02/19/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Entamoeba histolytica is a protozoan parasite which infects approximately 50 million people worldwide, resulting in an estimated 70,000 deaths every year. Since the 1960s E. histolytica infection has been successfully treated with metronidazole. However, drawbacks to metronidazole therapy exist, including adverse effects, a long treatment course, and the need for an additional drug to prevent cyst-mediated transmission. E. histolytica possesses a kinome with approximately 300–400 members, some of which have been previously studied as potential targets for the development of amoebicidal drug candidates. However, while these efforts have uncovered novel potent inhibitors of E. histolytica kinases, none have resulted in approved drugs. In this study we took the alternative approach of testing a set of twelve previously FDA-approved antineoplastic kinase inhibitors against E. histolytica trophozoites in vitro. This resulted in the identification of dasatinib, bosutinib, and ibrutinib as amoebicidal agents at low-micromolar concentrations. Next, we utilized a recently developed computational tool to identify twelve additional drugs with human protein target profiles similar to the three initial hits. Testing of these additional twelve drugs led to the identification of ponatinib, neratinib, and olmutinib were identified as highly potent, with EC50 values in the sub-micromolar range. All of these six drugs were found to kill E. histolytica trophozoites as rapidly as metronidazole. Furthermore, ibrutinib was found to kill the transmissible cyst stage of the model organism E. invadens. Ibrutinib thus possesses both amoebicidal and cysticidal properties, in contrast to all drugs used in the current therapeutic strategy. These findings together reveal antineoplastic kinase inhibitors as a highly promising class of potent drugs against this widespread and devastating disease. Every year, nearly a hundred thousand people worldwide die from infection by the intestinal parasite Entamoeba histolytica, despite the widespread availability of metronidazole as a treatment. Here we report that six anticancer drugs of the kinase inhibitor class possess potent anti-amoebic properties, with one of them killing both actively dividing parasite and its transmissible cysts. These anticancer kinase inhibitors, including the dual-purpose drug with both amoebicidal and cysticidal activities may be used to treat amoebiasis, especially in cancer patients or in life-threatening brain- and liver-infecting forms of the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Conall Sauvey
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School for Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California—San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (CS); (RA)
| | - Gretchen Ehrenkaufer
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California, United States of America
| | - Da Shi
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School for Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California—San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Anjan Debnath
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School for Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California—San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Ruben Abagyan
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School for Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California—San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- * E-mail: (CS); (RA)
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20
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Victoria-Hernández JA, Ventura-Saucedo A, López-Morones A, Martínez-Hernández SL, Medina-Rosales MN, Muñoz-Ortega M, Ávila-Blanco ME, Cervantes-García D, Barba-Gallardo LF, Ventura-Juárez J. Case report: multiple and atypical amoebic cerebral abscesses resistant to treatment. BMC Infect Dis 2020; 20:669. [PMID: 32928130 PMCID: PMC7490879 DOI: 10.1186/s12879-020-05391-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The parasite Entamoeba histolytica is the causal agent of amoebiasis, a worldwide emerging disease. Amebic brain abscess is a form of invasive amebiasis that is both rare and frequently lethal. This condition always begins with the infection of the colon by E. histolytica trophozoites, which subsequently travel through the bloodstream to extraintestinal tissues. CASE PRESENTATION We report a case of a 71-year-old female who reported an altered state of consciousness, disorientation, sleepiness and memory loss. She had no history of hepatic or intestinal amoebiasis. A preliminary diagnosis of colloidal vesicular phase neurocysticercosis was made based on nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (NMRI). A postsurgery immunofluorescence study was positive for the 140 kDa fibronectin receptor of E. histolytica, although a serum analysis by ELISA was negative for IgG antibodies against this parasite. A specific E. histolytica 128 bp rRNA gene was identified by PCR in biopsy tissue. The final diagnosis was cerebral amoebiasis. The patient underwent neurosurgery to eliminate amoebic abscesses and was then given a regimen of metronidazole, ceftriaxone and dexamethasone for 4 weeks after the neurosurgery. However, a rapid decline in her condition led to death. CONCLUSIONS The present case of an individual with a rare form of cerebral amoebiasis highlights the importance of performing immunofluorescence, NMRI and PCR if a patient has brain abscess and a poorly defined diagnosis. Moreover, the administration of corticosteroids to such patients can often lead to a rapid decline in their condition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joaquin Alvaro Victoria-Hernández
- Departamento de Anatomía Patológica, Hospital General de Zona 3 IMSS Jesús María, Prolongación General Ignacio Zaragoza 905, Jesús María, CP 20908 Aguascalientes, AGS Mexico
| | - Anayansi Ventura-Saucedo
- Departamento de Anestesiología, Hospital General de Zona 3 IMSS Jesús María, Prolongación General Ignacio Zaragoza 905, Jesús María, CP 20908 Aguascalientes, AGS Mexico
| | - Aurelio López-Morones
- Departamento de Neurocirugía, Hospital General de Zona 3 IMSS Jesús María, Prolongación General Ignacio Zaragoza 905, Jesús María, CP 20908 Aguascalientes, AGS Mexico
| | - Sandra Luz Martínez-Hernández
- Departamento de Morfología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Ed. 202 Av Universidad # 940, Ciudad Universitaria, CP 20131 Aguascalientes, AGS Mexico
| | - Marina Nayeli Medina-Rosales
- Departamento de Morfología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Ed. 202 Av Universidad # 940, Ciudad Universitaria, CP 20131 Aguascalientes, AGS Mexico
| | - Martín Muñoz-Ortega
- Departamento de Química, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, CP 20131 Aguascalientes, AGS Mexico
| | - Manuel Enrique Ávila-Blanco
- Departamento de Morfología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Ed. 202 Av Universidad # 940, Ciudad Universitaria, CP 20131 Aguascalientes, AGS Mexico
| | - Daniel Cervantes-García
- Departamento de Microbiología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, CP 20131 Aguascalientes, AGS Mexico
- Consejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnología, CONACYT, 03940 Ciudad de México, Mexico
| | - Luis Fernando Barba-Gallardo
- Departamento de Optometría, Centro de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, CP 20131 Aguascalientes, AGS Mexico
| | - Javier Ventura-Juárez
- Departamento de Morfología, Centro de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Autónoma de Aguascalientes, Ed. 202 Av Universidad # 940, Ciudad Universitaria, CP 20131 Aguascalientes, AGS Mexico
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21
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Ghosh S, Farr L, Singh A, Leaton LA, Padalia J, Shirley DA, Sullivan D, Moonah S. COP9 signalosome is an essential and druggable parasite target that regulates protein degradation. PLoS Pathog 2020; 16:e1008952. [PMID: 32960936 PMCID: PMC7531848 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1008952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2020] [Revised: 10/02/2020] [Accepted: 09/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding how the protozoan protein degradation pathway is regulated could uncover new parasite biology for drug discovery. We found the COP9 signalosome (CSN) conserved in multiple pathogens such as Leishmania, Trypanosoma, Toxoplasma, and used the severe diarrhea-causing Entamoeba histolytica to study its function in medically significant protozoa. We show that CSN is an essential upstream regulator of parasite protein degradation. Genetic disruption of E. histolytica CSN by two distinct approaches inhibited cell proliferation and viability. Both CSN5 knockdown and dominant negative mutation trapped cullin in a neddylated state, disrupting UPS activity and protein degradation. In addition, zinc ditiocarb (ZnDTC), a main metabolite of the inexpensive FDA-approved globally-available drug disulfiram, was active against parasites acting in a COP9-dependent manner. ZnDTC, given as disulfiram-zinc, had oral efficacy in clearing parasites in vivo. Our findings provide insights into the regulation of parasite protein degradation, and supports the significant therapeutic potential of COP9 inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swagata Ghosh
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Laura Farr
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Aditya Singh
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Laura-Ann Leaton
- Division of Biomedical Informatics and Personalized Medicine, University of Colorado, Aurora, CO, United States of America
| | - Jay Padalia
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - Debbie-Ann Shirley
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
| | - David Sullivan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States of America
| | - Shannon Moonah
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, VA, United States of America
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22
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Ghosh S, Padalia J, Ngobeni R, Abendroth J, Farr L, Shirley DA, Edwards T, Moonah S. Targeting Parasite-Produced Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor as an Antivirulence Strategy With Antibiotic-Antibody Combination to Reduce Tissue Damage. J Infect Dis 2020; 221:1185-1193. [PMID: 31677380 PMCID: PMC7325720 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiz579] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeting virulence factors represents a promising alternative approach to antimicrobial therapy, through the inhibition of pathogenic pathways that result in host tissue damage. Yet, virulence inhibition remains an understudied area in parasitology. Several medically important protozoan parasites such as Plasmodium, Entamoeba, Toxoplasma, and Leishmania secrete an inflammatory macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) cytokine homolog, a virulence factor linked to severe disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of targeting parasite-produced MIF as combination therapy with standard antibiotics to reduce disease severity. Here, we used Entamoeba histolytica as the model MIF-secreting protozoan, and a mouse model that mirrors severe human infection. We found that intestinal inflammation and tissue damage were significantly reduced in mice treated with metronidazole when combined with anti-E. histolytica MIF antibodies, compared to metronidazole alone. Thus, this preclinical study provides proof-of-concept that combining antiparasite MIF-blocking antibodies with current standard-of-care antibiotics might improve outcomes in severe protozoan infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Swagata Ghosh
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Jay Padalia
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Renay Ngobeni
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Jan Abendroth
- Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Laura Farr
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Debbie-Ann Shirley
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Thomas Edwards
- Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Shannon Moonah
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Correspondence: Shannon Moonah, MD, ScM, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of Virginia Health System, 345 Crispell Dr, Charlottesville, VA 22908 ()
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23
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Ehrenkaufer G, Li P, Stebbins EE, Kangussu-Marcolino MM, Debnath A, White CV, Moser MS, DeRisi J, Gisselberg J, Yeh E, Wang SC, Company AH, Monti L, Caffrey CR, Huston CD, Wang B, Singh U. Identification of anisomycin, prodigiosin and obatoclax as compounds with broad-spectrum anti-parasitic activity. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008150. [PMID: 32196500 PMCID: PMC7112225 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 04/01/2020] [Accepted: 02/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitic infections are a major source of human suffering, mortality, and economic loss, but drug development for these diseases has been stymied by the significant expense involved in bringing a drug though clinical trials and to market. Identification of single compounds active against multiple parasitic pathogens could improve the economic incentives for drug development as well as simplifying treatment regimens. We recently performed a screen of repurposed compounds against the protozoan parasite Entamoeba histolytica, causative agent of amebic dysentery, and identified four compounds (anisomycin, prodigiosin, obatoclax and nithiamide) with low micromolar potency and drug-like properties. Here, we extend our investigation of these drugs. We assayed the speed of killing of E. histolytica trophozoites and found that all four have more rapid action than the current drug of choice, metronidazole. We further established a multi-institute collaboration to determine whether these compounds may have efficacy against other parasites and opportunistic pathogens. We found that anisomycin, prodigiosin and obatoclax all have broad-spectrum antiparasitic activity in vitro, including activity against schistosomes, T. brucei, and apicomplexan parasites. In several cases, the drugs were found to have significant improvements over existing drugs. For instance, both obatoclax and prodigiosin were more efficacious at inhibiting the juvenile form of Schistosoma than the current standard of care, praziquantel. Additionally, low micromolar potencies were observed against pathogenic free-living amebae (Naegleria fowleri, Balamuthia mandrillaris and Acanthamoeba castellanii), which cause CNS infection and for which there are currently no reliable treatments. These results, combined with the previous human use of three of these drugs (obatoclax, anisomycin and nithiamide), support the idea that these compounds could serve as the basis for the development of broad-spectrum anti-parasitic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gretchen Ehrenkaufer
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - Pengyang Li
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - Erin E. Stebbins
- Department of Medicine, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Monica M. Kangussu-Marcolino
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - Anjan Debnath
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Corin V. White
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Matthew S. Moser
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Joseph DeRisi
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Jolyn Gisselberg
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford Medical School, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - Ellen Yeh
- Department of Biochemistry, Stanford Medical School, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - Steven C. Wang
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Ana Hervella Company
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Ludovica Monti
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Conor R. Caffrey
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Christopher D. Huston
- Department of Medicine, University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
| | - Bo Wang
- Department of Bioengineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States of America
- Department of Developmental Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States of America
| | - Upinder Singh
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, United States of America
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24
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Shaulov Y, Nagaraja S, Sarid L, Trebicz-Geffen M, Ankri S. Formation of oxidised (OX) proteins in Entamoeba histolytica exposed to auranofin and consequences on the parasite virulence. Cell Microbiol 2020; 22:e13174. [PMID: 32017328 DOI: 10.1111/cmi.13174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 01/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Metronidazole (MNZ), the first line drug for amoebiasis and auranofin (AF), an emerging antiprotozoan drug, are both inhibiting Entamoeba histolytica thioredoxin reductase. The nature of oxidised proteins (OXs) formed in AF- or MNZ-treated E. histolytica trophozoites is unknown. In order to fill this knowledge gap, we performed a large-scale identification and quantification of the OXs formed in AF- or MNZ-treated E. histolytica trophozoites using resin-assisted capture coupled to mass spectrometry (MS). We detected 661 OXs in MNZ-treated trophozoites and 583 OXs in AF-treated trophozoites. More than 50% of these OXs were shared, and their functions include hydrolases, enzyme modulators, transferases, nucleic acid binding proteins, oxidoreductases, cytoskeletal proteins, chaperones, and ligases. Here, we report that the formation of actin filaments (F-actin) is impaired in AF-treated trophozoites. Consequently, their erythrophagocytosis, cytopathic activity, and their motility are impaired. We also observed that less than 15% of OXs present in H2 O2 -treated trophozoites are also present in AF- or MNZ-treated trophozoites. These results strongly suggest that the formation of OXs in AF- or MNZ-treated trophozoites and in H2 O2 -treated trophozoites occurred by two different mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yana Shaulov
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Shruti Nagaraja
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Lotem Sarid
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Meirav Trebicz-Geffen
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
| | - Serge Ankri
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion, Haifa, Israel
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25
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Shirley DAT, Watanabe K, Moonah S. Significance of amebiasis: 10 reasons why neglecting amebiasis might come back to bite us in the gut. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007744. [PMID: 31725715 PMCID: PMC6855409 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Debbie-Ann T. Shirley
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Virginia School of Medicine, Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
| | - Koji Watanabe
- AIDS Clinical Center, National Center for Global Health and Medicine, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shannon Moonah
- Department of Medicine, University of Virginia School of Medicine Charlottesville, Virginia, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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26
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Mi-ichi F, Ishikawa T, Tam VK, Deloer S, Hamano S, Hamada T, Yoshida H. Characterization of Entamoeba histolytica adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate (APS) kinase; validation as a target and provision of leads for the development of new drugs against amoebiasis. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007633. [PMID: 31425516 PMCID: PMC6715247 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Revised: 08/29/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Amoebiasis, caused by Entamoeba histolytica infection, is a global public health problem. However, available drugs to treat amoebiasis are currently limited, and no effective vaccine exists. Therefore, development of new preventive measures against amoebiasis is urgently needed. Methodology/Principal findings Here, to develop new drugs against amoebiasis, we focused on E. histolytica adenosine 5′-phosphosulfate kinase (EhAPSK), an essential enzyme in Entamoeba sulfolipid metabolism. Fatty alcohol disulfates and cholesteryl sulfate, sulfolipids synthesized in Entamoeba, play important roles in trophozoite proliferation and cyst formation. These processes are closely associated with clinical manifestation and severe pathogenesis of amoebiasis and with disease transmission, respectively. We validated a combination approach of in silico molecular docking analysis and an in vitro enzyme activity assay for large scale screening. Docking simulation ranked the binding free energy between a homology modeling structure of EhAPSK and 400 compounds. The 400 compounds were also screened by a 96-well plate-based in vitro APSK activity assay. Among fifteen compounds identified as EhAPSK inhibitors by the in vitro system, six were ranked by the in silico analysis as having high affinity toward EhAPSK. Furthermore, 2-(3-fluorophenoxy)-N-[4-(2-pyridyl)thiazol-2-yl]-acetamide, 3-phenyl-N-[4-(2-pyridyl)thiazol-2-yl]-imidazole-4-carboxamide, and auranofin, which were identified as EhAPSK inhibitors by both in silico and in vitro analyses, halted not only Entamoeba trophozoite proliferation but also cyst formation. These three compounds also dose-dependently impaired the synthesis of sulfolipids in E. histolytica. Conclusions/Significance Hence, the combined approach of in silico and in vitro-based EhAPSK analyses identified compounds that can be evaluated for their effects on Entamoeba. This can provide leads for the development of new anti-amoebic and amoebiasis transmission-blocking drugs. This strategy can also be applied to identify specific APSK inhibitors, which will benefit research into sulfur metabolism and the ubiquitous pathway terminally synthesizing essential sulfur-containing biomolecules. Amoebiasis is a parasitic disease caused by Entamoeba histolytica that is an important health problem worldwide because of high morbidity and mortality rates. However, clinical options are inadequate; therefore, developing new preventive measures, such as anti-amoebic drugs, is urgently needed. In general, for the development of new drugs, the identification of appropriate leads and targets is a prerequisite. Here, to develop new drugs against amoebiasis, we focused on E. histolytica adenosine 5′-phosphosulfate kinase (EhAPSK), an essential enzyme in sulfur metabolism. An EhAPSK-based combination approach of computer-based in silico and laboratory-based in vitro analyses enabled us to screen 400 chemicals, from which we identified 15 that inhibit EhAPSK activity. Furthermore, among them, three compounds halted biological processes in Entamoeba that are closely associated with the clinical manifestation and pathogenesis of amoebiasis and with disease transmission. Hence, this study provides leads as well as a target for the development of new drugs against amoebiasis. This study also provides a basis to identify inhibitors for use in the study of sulfur metabolism, an important topic in general biochemistry and physiology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fumika Mi-ichi
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Immunoscience, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Nabeshima, Saga, Japan
- * E-mail:
| | - Takeshi Ishikawa
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Vo Kha Tam
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Immunoscience, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Nabeshima, Saga, Japan
| | - Sharmina Deloer
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Immunoscience, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Nabeshima, Saga, Japan
| | - Shinjiro Hamano
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), Nagasaki University, Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Hamada
- Nagasaki Advanced Computing Center, Nagasaki University, Bunkyo-machi, Nagasaki, Japan
| | - Hiroki Yoshida
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Immunoscience, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Saga University, Nabeshima, Saga, Japan
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27
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Nuclear Factor Y (NF-Y) Modulates Encystation in Entamoeba via Stage-Specific Expression of the NF-YB and NF-YC Subunits. mBio 2019; 10:mBio.00737-19. [PMID: 31213550 PMCID: PMC6581852 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00737-19] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The human parasite Entamoeba histolytica is an important pathogen with significant global impact and is a leading cause of parasitic death in humans. Since only the cyst form can be transmitted, blocking encystation would prevent new infections, making the encystation pathway an attractive target for the development of new drugs. Identification of the genetic signals and transcriptional regulatory networks that control encystation would be an important advance in understanding the developmental cascade. We show that the Entamoeba NF-Y complex plays a crucial role in regulating the encystation process in Entamoeba. Nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) is a heterotrimeric transcription factor composed of three subunits, namely, NF-YA, NF-YB, and NF-YC, which are conserved throughout evolution. In higher eukaryotes, NF-Y plays important roles in several cellular processes (development, cell cycle regulation, apoptosis, and response to growth, stress, and DNA damage) by controlling gene expression through binding to a CCAAT promoter motif. We demonstrated that NF-Y subunits in the protist Entamoeba, while significantly divergent from those of higher eukaryotes, have well-conserved domains important for subunit interactions and DNA binding and that NF-YB and NF-YC are developmentally expressed during encystation. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays confirmed that the NF-Y protein(s) from Entamoeba cysts binds to a CCAAT motif. Consistent with a role as a transcription factor, the NF-Y proteins show nuclear localization during development. Additionally, we demonstrated that NF-YC localizes to the chromatoid body (an RNA processing center) during development, indicating that it may have a role in RNA processing. Finally, silencing of the NF-YC subunit resulted in reduced stability of the NF-Y complex and decreased encystation efficiency. We demonstrated that the NF-Y complex functions at a time point subsequent to the NAD+ flux and expression of the transcription factor encystation regulatory motif-binding protein, both of which are early regulators of Entamoeba development. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the NF-Y complex plays an important role in regulating encystation in Entamoeba and add to our understanding of the transcriptional networks and signals that control this essential developmental pathway in an important human pathogen.
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28
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A novel anti Candida albicans drug screening system based on high-throughput microfluidic chips. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8087. [PMID: 31147583 PMCID: PMC6543036 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44298-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2018] [Accepted: 05/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the antibacterial resistance crisis, developing new antibacterials is of particular interest. In this study, we combined the antifungal drug amphotericin B with 50,520 different small molecule compounds obtained from the Chinese National Compound Library in an attempt to improve its efficacy against Candida albicans persister cells. To systematically study the antifungal effect of each compound, we utilized custom-designed high-throughput microfluidic chips. Our microfluidic chips contained microchannels ranging from 3 µm to 5 µm in width to allow Candida albicans cells to line up one-by-one to facilitate fluorescence-microscope viewing. After screening, we were left with 10 small molecule compounds that improved the antifungal effects of amphotericin B more than 30% against Candida albicans persister cells.
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29
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Nagaraja S, Ankri S. Target identification and intervention strategies against amebiasis. Drug Resist Updat 2019; 44:1-14. [PMID: 31112766 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2019.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2018] [Revised: 04/27/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Entamoeba histolytica is the etiological agent of amebiasis, which is an endemic parasitic disease in developing countries and is the cause of approximately 70,000 deaths annually. E. histolytica trophozoites usually reside in the colon as a non-pathogenic commensal in most infected individuals (90% of infected individuals are asymptomatic). For unknown reasons, these trophozoites can become virulent and invasive, cause amebic dysentery, and migrate to the liver where they cause hepatocellular damage. Amebiasis is usually treated either by amebicides which are classified as (a) luminal and are active against the luminal forms of the parasite, (b) tissue and are effective against those parasites that have invaded tissues, and (c) mixed and are effective against the luminal forms of the parasite and those forms which invaded the host's tissues. Of the amebicides, the luminal amebicide, metronidazole (MTZ), is the most widely used drug to treat amebiasis. Although well tolerated, concerns about its adverse effects and the possible emergence of MTZ-resistant strains of E. histolytica have led to the development of new therapeutic strategies against amebiasis. These strategies include improving the potency of existing amebicides, discovering new uses for approved drugs (repurposing of existing drugs), drug rediscovery, vaccination, drug targeting of essential E. histolytica components, and the use of probiotics and bioactive natural products. This review examines each of these strategies in the light of the current knowledge on the gut microbiota of patients with amebiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shruti Nagaraja
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel
| | - Serge Ankri
- Department of Molecular Microbiology, Ruth and Bruce Rappaport Faculty of Medicine, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, Israel.
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30
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Manna D, Lentz CS, Ehrenkaufer GM, Suresh S, Bhat A, Singh U. An NAD +-dependent novel transcription factor controls stage conversion in Entamoeba. eLife 2018; 7:e37912. [PMID: 30375973 PMCID: PMC6207428 DOI: 10.7554/elife.37912] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2018] [Accepted: 10/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Developmental switching between life-cycle stages is a common feature among parasitic pathogens to facilitate disease transmission and pathogenesis. The protozoan parasite Entamoeba switches between invasive trophozoites and dormant cysts, but the encystation process remains poorly understood despite being central to amoebic biology. We identify a transcription factor, Encystation Regulatory Motif-Binding Protein (ERM-BP), that regulates encystation. Down-regulation of ERM-BP decreases encystation efficiency resulting in abnormal cysts with defective cyst walls. We demonstrate that direct binding of NAD+ to ERM-BP affects ERM-BP conformation and facilitates its binding to promoter DNA. Additionally, cellular NAD+ levels increase during encystation and exogenous NAD+ enhances encystation consistent with the role of carbon source depletion in triggering Entamoeba encystation. Furthermore, ERM-BP catalyzes conversion of nicotinamide to nicotinic acid, which might have second messenger effects on stage conversion. Our findings link the metabolic cofactors nicotinamide and NAD+ to transcriptional regulation via ERM-BP and provide the first mechanistic insights into Entamoeba encystation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dipak Manna
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal MedicineStanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | | | - Gretchen Marie Ehrenkaufer
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal MedicineStanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | - Susmitha Suresh
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal MedicineStanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | - Amrita Bhat
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal MedicineStanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
| | - Upinder Singh
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Internal MedicineStanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
- Department of Microbiology and ImmunologyStanford University School of MedicineStanfordUnited States
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