1
|
Barnadas-Carceller B, Martinez-Peinado N, Gómez LC, Ros-Lucas A, Gabaldón-Figueira JC, Diaz-Mochon JJ, Gascon J, Molina IJ, Pineda de las Infantas y Villatoro MJ, Alonso-Padilla J. Identification of compounds with activity against Trypanosoma cruzi within a collection of synthetic nucleoside analogs. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 12:1067461. [PMID: 36710960 PMCID: PMC9880260 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.1067461] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Chagas disease is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, and it is the most important neglected tropical disease in the Americas. Two drugs are available to treat the infection, but their efficacy in the chronic stage of the disease, when most cases are diagnosed, is reduced. Their tolerability is also hindered by common adverse effects, making the development of safer and efficacious alternatives a pressing need. T. cruzi is unable to synthesize purines de novo, relying on a purine salvage pathway to acquire these from its host, making it an attractive target for the development of new drugs. Methods We evaluated the anti-parasitic activity of 23 purine analogs with different substitutions in the complementary chains of their purine rings. We sequentially screened the compounds' capacity to inhibit parasite growth, their toxicity in Vero and HepG2 cells, and their specific capacity to inhibit the development of amastigotes. We then used in-silico docking to identify their likely targets. Results Eight compounds showed specific anti-parasitic activity, with IC50 values ranging from 2.42 to 8.16 μM. Adenine phosphoribosyl transferase, and hypoxanthine-guanine phosphoribosyl transferase, are their most likely targets. Discussion Our results illustrate the potential role of the purine salvage pathway as a target route for the development of alternative treatments against T. cruzi infection, highlithing the apparent importance of specific substitutions, like the presence of benzene groups in the C8 position of the purine ring, consistently associated with a high and specific anti-parasitic activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Berta Barnadas-Carceller
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clinic - University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nieves Martinez-Peinado
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clinic - University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain,Secció de Parasitologia, Departament de Biologia, Sanitat i Medi Ambient, Facultat de Farmàcia i Ciències de l’Alimentació, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura Córdoba Gómez
- Department of Medicinal & Organic Chemistry and Excellence Research Unit of “Chemistry Applied to Biomedicine and the Environment”, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Albert Ros-Lucas
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clinic - University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain,CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Juan J. Diaz-Mochon
- Department of Medicinal & Organic Chemistry and Excellence Research Unit of “Chemistry Applied to Biomedicine and the Environment”, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Granada, Spain,GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research, Pfizer/University of Granada/Andalusian Regional Government, PTS Granada, Granada, Spain,Biosanitary Research Institute of Granada (ibs.GRANADA), University Hospitals of Granada-University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - Joaquim Gascon
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clinic - University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain,CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio J. Molina
- Institute of Biopathology and Regenerative Medicine, Centre for Biomedical Research, University of Granada, Granada, Spain
| | - María José Pineda de las Infantas y Villatoro
- Department of Medicinal & Organic Chemistry and Excellence Research Unit of “Chemistry Applied to Biomedicine and the Environment”, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Granada, Spain,*Correspondence: Julio Alonso-Padilla, ; María José Pineda de las Infantas y Villatoro,
| | - Julio Alonso-Padilla
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Hospital Clinic - University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain,CIBER de Enfermedades Infecciosas, Instituto de Salud Carlos III (CIBERINFEC, ISCIII), Madrid, Spain,*Correspondence: Julio Alonso-Padilla, ; María José Pineda de las Infantas y Villatoro,
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Gulin JEN, Bisio MMC, Rocco D, Altcheh J, Solana ME, García-Bournissen F. Miltefosine and Benznidazole Combination Improve Anti-Trypanosoma cruzi In Vitro and In Vivo Efficacy. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:855119. [PMID: 35865815 PMCID: PMC9294734 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.855119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug repurposing and combination therapy have been proposed as cost-effective strategies to improve Chagas disease treatment. Miltefosine (MLT), a synthetic alkylphospholipid initially developed for breast cancer and repositioned for leishmaniasis, is a promising candidate against Trypanosoma cruzi infection. This study evaluates the efficacy of MLT as a monodrug and combined with benznidazole (BZ) in both in vitro and in vivo models of infection with T. cruzi (VD strain, DTU TcVI). MLT exhibited in vitro activity on amastigotes and trypomastigotes with values of IC50 = 0.51 µM (0.48 µM; 0,55 µM) and LC50 = 31.17 µM (29.56 µM; 32.87 µM), respectively. Drug interaction was studied with the fixed-ration method. The sum of the fractional inhibitory concentrations (ΣFICs) resulted in ∑FIC= 0.45 for trypomastigotes and ∑FIC= 0.71 for amastigotes, suggesting in vitro synergistic and additive effects, respectively. No cytotoxic effects on host cells were observed. MLT efficacy was also evaluated in a murine model of acute infection alone or combined with BZ. Treatment was well tolerated with few adverse effects, and all treated animals displayed significantly lower mean peak parasitemia and mortality than infected non-treated controls (p<0.05). The in vivo studies showed that MLT led to a dose-dependent parasitostatic effect as monotherapy which could be improved by combining with BZ, preventing parasitemia rebound after a stringent immunosuppression protocol. These results support MLT activity in clinically relevant stages from T. cruzi, and it is the first report of positive interaction with BZ, providing further support for evaluating combined schemes using MLT and exploring synthetic alkylphospholipids as drug candidates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Julián Ernesto Nicolás Gulin
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones en Patologías Pediátricas (IMIPP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET)-Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (GCBA), Servicio de Parasitología y Enfermedad de Chagas, Hospital de Niños “Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez, Ministerio de Salud, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas (INBIOMED), Facultad de Medicina Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA) – CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Margarita María Catalina Bisio
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones en Patologías Pediátricas (IMIPP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET)-Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (GCBA), Servicio de Parasitología y Enfermedad de Chagas, Hospital de Niños “Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez, Ministerio de Salud, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Instituto Nacional de Parasitología (INP) ‘Dr. Mario Fatala Chaben’-Administración Nacional de Laboratorios e Institutos de Salud (ANLIS) ‘Dr. Carlos G. Malbrán’, CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniela Rocco
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones en Patologías Pediátricas (IMIPP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET)-Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (GCBA), Servicio de Parasitología y Enfermedad de Chagas, Hospital de Niños “Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez, Ministerio de Salud, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Jaime Altcheh
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones en Patologías Pediátricas (IMIPP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET)-Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (GCBA), Servicio de Parasitología y Enfermedad de Chagas, Hospital de Niños “Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez, Ministerio de Salud, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Elisa Solana
- Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica (IMPaM), Universidad de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Nacional de Luján, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Facundo García-Bournissen
- Instituto Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones en Patologías Pediátricas (IMIPP), Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (CONICET)-Gobierno de la Ciudad de Buenos Aires (GCBA), Servicio de Parasitología y Enfermedad de Chagas, Hospital de Niños “Dr. Ricardo Gutiérrez, Ministerio de Salud, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Division of Pediatric Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Pediatrics, Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry, University of Western Ontario, London, ON, Canada
- *Correspondence: Facundo García-Bournissen,
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Martín-Escolano J, Marín C, Rosales MJ, Tsaousis AD, Medina-Carmona E, Martín-Escolano R. An Updated View of the Trypanosoma cruzi Life Cycle: Intervention Points for an Effective Treatment. ACS Infect Dis 2022; 8:1107-1115. [PMID: 35652513 PMCID: PMC9194904 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.2c00123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Chagas disease (CD)
is a parasitic, systemic, chronic, and often
fatal illness caused by infection with the protozoan Trypanosoma
cruzi. The World Health Organization classifies CD as the
most prevalent of poverty-promoting neglected tropical diseases, the
most important parasitic one, and the third most infectious disease
in Latin America. Currently, CD is a global public health issue that
affects 6–8 million people. However, the current approved treatments
are limited to two nitroheterocyclic drugs developed more than 50
years ago. Many efforts have been made in recent decades to find new
therapies, but our limited understanding of the infection process,
pathology development, and long-term nature of this disease has made
it impossible to develop new drugs, effective treatment, or vaccines.
This Review aims to provide a comprehensive update on our understanding
of the current life cycle, new morphological forms, and genetic diversity
of T. cruzi, as well as identify intervention points
in the life cycle where new drugs and treatments could achieve a parasitic
cure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Javier Martín-Escolano
- Unit of Infectious Diseases, Microbiology and Preventive Medicine, Institute of Biomedicine of Seville (IBiS), University Hospital Virgen del Rocío/CSIC/University of Seville, E41013 Seville, Spain
| | - Clotilde Marín
- Department of Parasitology, University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - María J. Rosales
- Department of Parasitology, University of Granada, Severo Ochoa s/n, 18071 Granada, Spain
| | - Anastasios D. Tsaousis
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID group, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, U.K
| | - Encarnación Medina-Carmona
- Department of Physical Chemistry, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, U.K
| | - Rubén Martín-Escolano
- Laboratory of Molecular & Evolutionary Parasitology, RAPID group, School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury CT2 7NJ, U.K
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Rodríguez-Bejarano OH, Avendaño C, Patarroyo MA. Mechanisms Associated with Trypanosoma cruzi Host Target Cell Adhesion, Recognition and Internalization. Life (Basel) 2021; 11:534. [PMID: 34207491 PMCID: PMC8227291 DOI: 10.3390/life11060534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2021] [Revised: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is caused by the kinetoplastid parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, which is mainly transmitted by hematophagous insect bites. The parasite's lifecycle has an obligate intracellular phase (amastigotes), while metacyclic and bloodstream-trypomastigotes are its infective forms. Mammalian host cell recognition of the parasite involves the interaction of numerous parasite and host cell plasma membrane molecules and domains (known as lipid rafts), thereby ensuring internalization by activating endocytosis mechanisms triggered by various signaling cascades in both host cells and the parasite. This increases cytoplasmatic Ca2+ and cAMP levels; cytoskeleton remodeling and endosome and lysosome intracellular system association are triggered, leading to parasitophorous vacuole formation. Its membrane becomes modified by containing the parasite's infectious form within it. Once it has become internalized, the parasite seeks parasitophorous vacuole lysis for continuing its intracellular lifecycle, fragmenting such a vacuole's membrane. This review covers the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in T. cruzi adhesion to, recognition of and internalization in host target cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Oscar Hernán Rodríguez-Bejarano
- Health Sciences Faculty, Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales (U.D.C.A), Calle 222#55-37, Bogotá 111166, Colombia;
| | - Catalina Avendaño
- Animal Science Faculty, Universidad de Ciencias Aplicadas y Ambientales (U.D.C.A), Calle 222#55-37, Bogotá 111166, Colombia;
| | - Manuel Alfonso Patarroyo
- Molecular Biology and Immunology Department, Fundación Instituto de Inmunología de Colombia (FIDIC), Carrera 50#26-20, Bogotá 111321, Colombia
- Health Sciences Division, Main Campus, Universidad Santo Tomás, Carrera 9#51-11, Bogotá 110231, Colombia
- Microbiology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Carrera 45#26-85, Bogotá 111321, Colombia
| |
Collapse
|