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Solano-Gálvez SG, Gutiérrez-Kobeh L, Wilkins-Rodríguez AA, Vázquez-López R. Artemisinin: An Anti-Leishmania Drug that Targets the Leishmania Parasite and Activates Apoptosis of Infected Cells. Arch Med Res 2024; 55:103041. [PMID: 38996535 DOI: 10.1016/j.arcmed.2024.103041] [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: 01/15/2024] [Revised: 06/11/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/14/2024]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a relevant disease worldwide due to its presence in many countries and an estimated prevalence of 10 million people. The causative agent of this disease is the obligate intracellular parasite Leishmania which can infect different cell types. Part of its success depends on its ability to evade host defense mechanisms such as apoptosis. Apoptosis is a finely programmed process of cell death in which cells silently dismantle and actively participate in several processes such as immune response, differentiation, and cell growth. Leishmania has the ability to delay its initiation to persist in the cell. It has been well documented that different Leishmania species target different pathways that lead to apoptosis of cells such as macrophages, neutrophils, and dendritic cells. In many cases, the observed anti-apoptotic effect has been associated with a significant reduction in caspase-3 activity. Leishmania has also been shown to target several pathways involved in apoptosis such as MAPK, PI3K/Akt, and the antiapoptotic protein Bcl-xL. Understanding the strategies used by Leishmania to subvert the defense mechanisms of host cells, particularly apoptosis, is very relevant for the development of therapies and vaccines. In recent years, the drug artemisinin has been shown to be effective against several parasitic diseases. Its role against Leishmania may be promising. In this review, we provide important aspects of the disease, the strategies used by the parasite to suppress apoptosis, and the role of artemisinin in Leishmania infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra Georgina Solano-Gálvez
- Unidad de Investigación, División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Laila Gutiérrez-Kobeh
- Unidad de Investigación, División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Arturo A Wilkins-Rodríguez
- Unidad de Investigación, División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Rosalino Vázquez-López
- Departamento de Microbiología, Centro de Investigación en Ciencias de la Salud, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud Universidad Anáhuac México Norte, Huixquilucan, Estado de México, Mexico.
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González-Matos M, Aguado ME, Izquierdo M, Monzote L, González-Bacerio J. Compounds with potentialities as novel chemotherapeutic agents in leishmaniasis at preclinical level. Exp Parasitol 2024; 260:108747. [PMID: 38518969 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108747] [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: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/27/2024] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/24/2024]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis are neglected infectious diseases caused by kinetoplastid protozoan parasites from the genus Leishmania. These sicknesses are present mainly in tropical regions and almost 1 million new cases are reported each year. The absence of vaccines, as well as the high cost, toxicity or resistance to the current drugs determines the necessity of new treatments against these pathologies. In this review, several compounds with potentialities as new antileishmanial drugs are presented. The discussion is restricted to the preclinical level and molecules are organized according to their chemical nature, source and molecular targets. In this manner, we present antimicrobial peptides, flavonoids, withanolides, 8-aminoquinolines, compounds from Leish-Box, pyrazolopyrimidines, and inhibitors of tubulin polymerization/depolymerization, topoisomerase IB, proteases, pteridine reductase, N-myristoyltransferase, as well as enzymes involved in polyamine metabolism, response against oxidative stress, signaling pathways, and sterol biosynthesis. This work is a contribution to the general knowledge of these compounds as antileishmanial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maikel González-Matos
- Center for Protein Studies, Faculty of Biology, University of Havana, Calle 25 #455 Entre I y J, Vedado, La Habana, Cuba
| | - Mirtha Elisa Aguado
- Center for Protein Studies, Faculty of Biology, University of Havana, Calle 25 #455 Entre I y J, Vedado, La Habana, Cuba
| | - Maikel Izquierdo
- Center for Protein Studies, Faculty of Biology, University of Havana, Calle 25 #455 Entre I y J, Vedado, La Habana, Cuba
| | - Lianet Monzote
- Department of Parasitology, Center for Research, Diagnosis and Reference, Tropical Medicine Institute "Pedro Kourí", Autopista Novia Del Mediodía Km 6½, La Lisa, La Habana, Cuba.
| | - Jorge González-Bacerio
- Center for Protein Studies, Faculty of Biology, University of Havana, Calle 25 #455 Entre I y J, Vedado, La Habana, Cuba; Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Biology, University of Havana, Calle 25 #455 Entre I y J, Vedado, La Habana, Cuba.
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Gonçalves MN, Lopes DS, Teixeira SC, Teixeira TL, de Freitas V, Costa TR, Gimenes SNC, de Camargo IM, de Souza G, da Silva MS, Azevedo FVPDV, Grego KF, Santos LC, Oliveira VQ, da Silva CV, Rodrigues RS, Yoneyama KAG, Clissa PB, Rodrigues VDM. Antileishmanial effects of γCdcPLI, a phospholipase A2 inhibitor from Crotalus durissus collilineatus snake serum, on Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2023; 118:e220225. [PMID: 38018570 PMCID: PMC10690931 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760220225] [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: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/01/2023] [Indexed: 11/30/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leishmaniasis, a neglected disease caused by the parasite Leishmania, is treated with drugs associated with high toxicity and limited efficacy, in addition to constant reports of the emergence of resistant parasites. In this context, snake serums emerge as good candidates since they are natural sources with the potential to yield novel drugs. OBJECTIVES We aimed to show the antileishmanial effects of γCdcPLI, a phospholipase A2 inhibitor from Crotalus durissus collilineatus snake serum, against Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis. METHODS Promastigotes forms were exposed to γCdcPLI, and we assessed the parasite viability and cell cycle, as well as invasion and proliferation assays. FINDINGS Despite the low cytotoxicity effect on macrophages, our data indicate that γCdcPLI has a direct effect on parasites promoting an arrest in the G1 phase and reduction in the G2/M phase at the highest dose tested. Moreover, this PLA2 inhibitor reduced the parasite infectivity when promastigotes were pre-treated. Also, we demonstrated that the γCdcPLI treatment modulated the host cell environment impairing early and late steps of the parasitism. MAIN CONCLUSIONS γCdcPLI is an interesting tool for the discovery of new essential targets on the parasite, as well as an alternative compound to improve the effectiveness of the leishmaniasis treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Neves Gonçalves
- Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Instituto de Biotecnologia,
Laboratório de Bioquímica e Toxinas Animais, Uberlândia, MG, Brasil
| | - Daiana Silva Lopes
- Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Instituto de Biotecnologia,
Laboratório de Bioquímica e Toxinas Animais, Uberlândia, MG, Brasil
- Universidade Federal da Bahia, Instituto de Biociências, Vitória da
Conquista, BA, Brasil
| | - Samuel Cota Teixeira
- Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Instituto de Ciências
Biomédicas, Departamento de Imunologia, Uberlândia, MG, Brasil
| | - Thaise Lara Teixeira
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Escola Paulista de Medicina,
Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, São Paulo, SP,
Brasil
| | - Vitor de Freitas
- Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Instituto de Biotecnologia,
Laboratório de Bioquímica e Toxinas Animais, Uberlândia, MG, Brasil
| | - Tássia Rafaella Costa
- Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Instituto de Biotecnologia,
Laboratório de Bioquímica e Toxinas Animais, Uberlândia, MG, Brasil
| | | | | | - Guilherme de Souza
- Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Instituto de Ciências
Biomédicas, Departamento de Imunologia, Uberlândia, MG, Brasil
| | - Marcelo Santos da Silva
- Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Química, Departamento de
Bioquímica, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | | | | | - Luísa Carregosa Santos
- Universidade Federal da Bahia, Instituto de Biociências, Vitória da
Conquista, BA, Brasil
| | | | - Claudio Vieira da Silva
- Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Instituto de Ciências
Biomédicas, Departamento de Imunologia, Uberlândia, MG, Brasil
| | - Renata Santos Rodrigues
- Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Instituto de Biotecnologia,
Laboratório de Bioquímica e Toxinas Animais, Uberlândia, MG, Brasil
| | - Kelly Aparecida Geraldo Yoneyama
- Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Instituto de Biotecnologia,
Laboratório de Bioquímica e Toxinas Animais, Uberlândia, MG, Brasil
| | | | - Veridiana de Melo Rodrigues
- Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Instituto de Biotecnologia,
Laboratório de Bioquímica e Toxinas Animais, Uberlândia, MG, Brasil
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Direct In Vitro Comparison of the Anti-Leishmanial Activity of Different Olive Oil Total Polyphenolic Fractions and Assessment of Their Combined Effects with Miltefosine. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27196176. [PMID: 36234713 PMCID: PMC9571123 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27196176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2022] [Revised: 09/09/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The bioactive compounds present in the edible products of the olive tree have been extensively studied and their favorable effects on various disease risk factors have been demonstrated. The aim of this study was to perform a comparative analysis of the anti-leishmanial effects of total phenolic fractions (TPFs) derived from extra virgin olive oil with different phenolic contents and diverse quantitative patterns. Moreover, the present study investigated their association with miltefosine, a standard anti-leishmanial drug, against both extracellular promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes of a viscerotropic and a dermotropic Leishmania strain. The chemical compositions of TPFs were determined by high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD). Analysis of parasite growth kinetics, reactive oxygen species production and apoptotic events were determined by microscopy and flow cytometry. Our results revealed that the presence of oleacein (OLEA) and oleocanthal (OLEO) secoiridoids enhances the anti-leishmanial effect of TPF. The association between TPFs and miltefosine was suggested as being additive in Leishmania infantum and Leishmania major promastigotes, and as antagonistic in intracellular amastigotes, as was evaluated with the modified isobologram method. The obtained data verified that TPFs are bioactive dietary extracts with a strong anti-leishmanial activity and highlighted that fractions that are richer in OLEA and OLEO phenolic compounds possess stronger inhibitory effects against parasites. This study may contribute to improving the therapeutic approaches against leishmaniasis.
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Potential of Triterpenic Natural Compound Betulinic Acid for Neglected Tropical Diseases New Treatments. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10040831. [PMID: 35453582 PMCID: PMC9027248 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10040831] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 03/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Neglected tropical diseases are one of the most important public health problems in many countries around the world. Among them are leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, and malaria, which contribute to more than 250 million infections worldwide. There is no validated vaccine to prevent these infections and the treatments available are obsolete, highly toxic, and non-effective due to parasitic drug resistance. Additionally, there is a high incidence of these diseases, and they may require hospitalization, which is expensive to the public health systems. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new treatments to improve the management of infected people, control the spread of resistant strains, and reduce health costs. Betulinic acid (BA) is a triterpene natural product which has shown antiparasitic activity against Leishmania, Trypanosoma cruzi, and Plasmodium. Here, we review the main results regarding the in vitro and in vivo pharmacological activity of BA and its derivatives against these parasites. Some chemical modifications of BA have been shown to improve its activities against the parasites. Further improvement on studies of drug-derived, as well as structure–activity relationship, are necessary for the development of new betulinic acid-based treatments.
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