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Present C, Girão RD, Lin C, Caljon G, Van Calenbergh S, Moreira O, Ruivo LADS, Batista MM, Azevedo R, Batista DDGJ, Soeiro MDNC. N 6-methyltubercidin gives sterile cure in a cutaneous Leishmania amazonensis mouse model. Parasitology 2024; 151:506-513. [PMID: 38533610 PMCID: PMC11106500 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182024000362] [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: 12/05/2023] [Revised: 02/29/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024]
Abstract
Leishmania is a trypanosomatid parasite that causes skin lesions in its cutaneous form. Current therapies rely on old and expensive drugs, against which the parasites have acquired considerable resistance. Trypanosomatids are unable to synthesize purines relying on salvaging from the host, and nucleoside analogues have emerged as attractive antiparasitic drug candidates. 4-Methyl-7-β-D-ribofuranosyl-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine (CL5564), an analogue of tubercidin in which the amine has been replaced by a methyl group, demonstrates activity against Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania infantum. Herein, we investigated its in vitro and in vivo activity against L. amazonensis. CL5564 was 6.5-fold (P = 0.0002) more potent than milteforan™ (ML) against intracellular forms in peritoneal mouse macrophages, and highly selective, while combination with ML gave an additive effect. These results stimulated us to study the activity of CL5564 in mouse model of cutaneous Leishmania infection. BALB/c female and male mice infected by L. amazonensis treated with CL5564 (10 mg kg−1, intralesional route for five days) presented a >93% reduction of paw lesion size likely ML given orally at 40 mg kg−1, while the combination (10 + 40 mg kg−1 of CL5564 and ML, respectively) caused >96% reduction. The qPCR confirmed the suppression of parasite load, but only the combination approach reached 66% of parasitological cure. These results support additional studies with nucleoside derivatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cassandra Present
- Laboratorio de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-360 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Roberson Donola Girão
- Laboratorio de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-360 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Cai Lin
- Laboratory for Medicinal Chemistry (Campus Heymans), Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - Guy Caljon
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene (LMPH), University of Antwerp, Universiteitsplein 1, B-2610 Wilrijk, Belgium
| | - Serge Van Calenbergh
- Laboratory for Medicinal Chemistry (Campus Heymans), Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, B-9000 Gent, Belgium
| | - Otacilio Moreira
- Laboratório de Virologia e Parasitologia Molecular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-360 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Leonardo Alexandre de Souza Ruivo
- Laboratório de Virologia e Parasitologia Molecular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-360 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcos Meuser Batista
- Laboratorio de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-360 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Raquel Azevedo
- Laboratorio de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-360 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Denise da Gama Jaen Batista
- Laboratorio de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-360 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Maria de Nazaré Correia Soeiro
- Laboratorio de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Avenida Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, 21040-360 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Piccolo V, Pastore A, Maisto M, Keivani N, Tenore GC, Stornaiuolo M, Summa V. Agri-Food Waste Recycling for Healthy Remedies: Biomedical Potential of Nutraceuticals from Unripe Tomatoes ( Solanum lycopersicum L.). Foods 2024; 13:331. [PMID: 38275698 PMCID: PMC10815480 DOI: 10.3390/foods13020331] [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: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 01/17/2024] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Unripe tomatoes represent an agri-food waste resulting from industrial by-processing products of tomatoes, yielding products with a high content of bioactive compounds with potential nutraceutical properties. The food-matrix biological properties are attributed to the high steroidal glycoalkaloid (SGA) content. Among them, α-tomatine is the main SGA reported in unripe green tomatoes. This review provides an overview of the main chemical and pharmacological features of α-tomatine and green tomato extracts. The extraction processes and methods employed in SGA identification and the quantification are discussed. Special attention was given to the methods used in α-tomatine qualitative and quantitative analyses, including the extraction procedures and the clean-up methods applied in the analysis of Solanum lycopersicum L. extracts. Finally, the health-beneficial properties and the pharmacokinetics and toxicological aspects of SGAs and α-tomatine-containing extracts are considered in depth. In particular, the relevant results of the main in vivo and in vitro studies reporting the therapeutic properties and the mechanisms of action were described in detail.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Vincenzo Summa
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano, 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (V.P.); (A.P.); (M.M.); (N.K.); (G.C.T.); (M.S.)
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Porta EOJ, Kalesh K, Steel PG. Navigating drug repurposing for Chagas disease: advances, challenges, and opportunities. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1233253. [PMID: 37576826 PMCID: PMC10416112 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1233253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a vector-borne illness caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi). It poses a significant public health burden, particularly in the poorest regions of Latin America. Currently, there is no available vaccine, and chemotherapy has been the traditional treatment for Chagas disease. However, the treatment options are limited to just two outdated medicines, nifurtimox and benznidazole, which have serious side effects and low efficacy, especially during the chronic phase of the disease. Collectively, this has led the World Health Organization to classify it as a neglected disease. To address this problem, new drug regimens are urgently needed. Drug repurposing, which involves the use of existing drugs already approved for the treatment of other diseases, represents an increasingly important option. This approach offers potential cost reduction in new drug discovery processes and can address pharmaceutical bottlenecks in the development of drugs for Chagas disease. In this review, we discuss the state-of-the-art of drug repurposing approaches, including combination therapy with existing drugs, to overcome the formidable challenges associated with treating Chagas disease. Organized by original therapeutic area, we describe significant recent advances, as well as the challenges in this field. In particular, we identify candidates that exhibit potential for heightened efficacy and reduced toxicity profiles with the ultimate objective of accelerating the development of new, safe, and effective treatments for Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Karunakaran Kalesh
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom
- National Horizons Centre, Darlington, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick G. Steel
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
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Delbrouck JA, Desgagné M, Comeau C, Bouarab K, Malouin F, Boudreault PL. The Therapeutic Value of Solanum Steroidal (Glyco)Alkaloids: A 10-Year Comprehensive Review. Molecules 2023; 28:4957. [PMID: 37446619 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28134957] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Steroidal (glycol)alkaloids S(G)As are secondary metabolites made of a nitrogen-containing steroidal skeleton linked to a (poly)saccharide, naturally occurring in the members of the Solanaceae and Liliaceae plant families. The genus Solanum is familiar to all of us as a food source (tomato, potato, eggplant), but a few populations have also made it part of their ethnobotany for their medicinal properties. The recent development of the isolation, purification and analysis techniques have shed light on the structural diversity among the SGAs family, thus attracting scientists to investigate their various pharmacological properties. This review aims to overview the recent literature (2012-2022) on the pharmacological benefits displayed by the SGAs family. Over 17 different potential therapeutic applications (antibiotic, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, etc.) were reported over the past ten years, and this unique review analyzes each pharmacological effect independently without discrimination of either the SGA's chemical identity or their sources. A strong emphasis is placed on the discovery of their biological targets and the subsequent cellular mechanisms, discussing in vitro to in vivo biological data. The therapeutic value and the challenges of the solanum steroidal glycoalkaloid family is debated to provide new insights for future research towards clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien A Delbrouck
- Institut de Pharmacologie, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Michael Desgagné
- Institut de Pharmacologie, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Christian Comeau
- Institut de Pharmacologie, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Kamal Bouarab
- Centre SEVE, Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Boul de l'Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - François Malouin
- Département de Biologie, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, 2500 Boul de l'Université, Sherbrooke, QC J1K 2R1, Canada
| | - Pierre-Luc Boudreault
- Institut de Pharmacologie, Faculté de Médecine et des Sciences de la Santé, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, QC J1H 5N4, Canada
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da Silva-Gomes NL, Ruivo LADS, Moreira C, Meuser-Batista M, da Silva CF, Batista DDGJ, Fragoso S, de Oliveira GM, Soeiro MDNC, Moreira OC. Overexpression of TcNTPDase-1 Gene Increases Infectivity in Mice Infected with Trypanosoma cruzi. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms232314661. [PMID: 36498985 PMCID: PMC9736689 DOI: 10.3390/ijms232314661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2022] [Revised: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolases (NTPDases) are enzymes located on the surface of the T. cruzi plasma membrane, which hydrolyze a wide range of tri-/-diphosphate nucleosides. In this work, we used previously developed genetically modified strains of Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), hemi-knockout (KO +/−) and overexpressing (OE) the TcNTPDase-1 gene to evaluate the parasite infectivity profile in a mouse model of acute infection (n = 6 mice per group). Our results showed significantly higher parasitemia and mortality, and lower weight in animals infected with parasites OE TcNTPDase-1, as compared to the infection with the wild type (WT) parasites. On the other hand, animals infected with (KO +/−) parasites showed no mortality during the 30-day trial and mouse weight was more similar to the non-infected (NI) animals. In addition, they had low parasitemia (45.7 times lower) when compared with parasites overexpressing TcNTPDase-1 from the hemi-knockout (OE KO +/−) group. The hearts of animals infected with the OE KO +/− and OE parasites showed significantly larger regions of cardiac inflammation than those infected with the WT parasites (p < 0.001). Only animals infected with KO +/− did not show individual electrocardiographic changes during the period of experimentation. Together, our results expand the knowledge on the role of NTPDases in T. cruzi infectivity, reenforcing the potential of this enzyme as a chemotherapy target to treat Chagas disease (CD).
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Affiliation(s)
- Natália Lins da Silva-Gomes
- Plataforma de PCR em Tempo Real RPT09A, Laboratório de Virologia Molecular-IOC/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil
| | | | - Claudia Moreira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Tripanossomatídeos-ICC/FIOCRUZ, Curitiba 81350-010, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Meuser-Batista
- Laboratório de Educação Profissional em Técnicas Laboratoriais em Saúde, EPSJV/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil
| | | | | | - Stênio Fragoso
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular de Tripanossomatídeos-ICC/FIOCRUZ, Curitiba 81350-010, Brazil
| | | | | | - Otacilio C. Moreira
- Plataforma de PCR em Tempo Real RPT09A, Laboratório de Virologia Molecular-IOC/FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, Brazil
- Correspondence:
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Bailly C. The steroidal alkaloids α-tomatine and tomatidine: Panorama of their mode of action and pharmacological properties. Steroids 2021; 176:108933. [PMID: 34695457 DOI: 10.1016/j.steroids.2021.108933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
The steroidal glycoalkaloid α-tomatine (αTM) and its aglycone tomatidine (TD) are abundant in the skin of unripe green tomato and present in tomato leaves and flowers. They mainly serve as defensive agents to protect the plant against infections by insects, bacteria, parasites, viruses, and fungi. In addition, the two products display a range of pharmacological properties potentially useful to treat various human diseases. We have analyzed all known pharmacological activities of αTM and TD, and the corresponding molecular targets and pathways impacted by these two steroidal alkaloids. In experimental models, αTM displays anticancer effects, particularly strong against androgen-independent prostate cancer, as well as robust antifungal effects. αTM is a potent cholesterol binder, useful as a vaccine adjuvant to improve delivery of protein antigens or therapeutic oligonucleotides. TD is a much less cytotoxic compound, able to restrict the spread of certain viruses (such as dengue, chikungunya and porcine epidemic diarrhea viruses) and to provide cardio and neuro-protective effects toward human cells. Both αTM and TD exhibit marked anti-inflammatory activities. They proceed through multiple signaling pathways and protein targets, including the sterol C24 methyltransferase Erg6 and vitamin D receptor, both directly targeted by TD. αTM is a powerful regulator of the NFkB/ERK signaling pathway implicated in various diseases. Collectively, the analysis shed light on the multitargeted action of αTM/TD and their usefulness as chemo-preventive or chemotherapeutic agents. A novel medicinal application for αTM is proposed.
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