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Immunoinformatics Approach to Design a Multi-Epitope Vaccine against Cutaneous Leishmaniasis. Vaccines (Basel) 2023; 11:vaccines11020339. [PMID: 36851219 PMCID: PMC9967539 DOI: 10.3390/vaccines11020339] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/29/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL), a neglected vector-borne disease caused by protozoan parasite Leishmania major (L. major), is a major public health concern, and the development of new strategies to reduce the disease incidence has become a top priority. Advances in immunoinformatics and in-silico epitope prediction could be a promising approach to designing a finest vaccine candidate. In this study, we aimed to design a peptide-based vaccine against CL using computational tools and identified ten B-cell-derived T-cell epitopes from the glycoprotein gp63 of L. major. All of the potential immunodominant epitopes were used to design a vaccine construct along with a linker and an adjuvant at the N-terminal for enhancing its immunogenicity. Additionally, many characteristics of the proposed vaccine were examined, and it was confirmed to be non-allergenic, non-toxic, and thermally stable. To assess the vaccine interaction with the innate immune toll-like receptor-4 (TLR-4), a 3D structure of the vaccine construct was developed. Molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulation were used to confirm the binding and to assess the stability of the vaccine-TLR4 complex and interactions, respectively. In conclusion, our multi-epitope vaccine will provide a gateway to analyze the protein function of a potential vaccine candidate against CL.
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Ghaffari AD, Barati M, KarimiPourSaryazdi A, Ghaffarifar F, Pirestani M, Ebrahimi M. In vitro and in vivo study on antiprotozoal activity of calcium oxide (CaO) and magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles on promastigote and amastigote forms of Leishmania major. Acta Trop 2023; 238:106788. [PMID: 36493855 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106788] [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: 08/28/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Currently, anti-leishmanial drugs have been developed. However, the available compounds have several side effects such as drug resistance and toxicity that cause some limitation for use. The development of nanoparticles (NPs) use in biological research and the proven effectiveness of CaONPs and MgONPs on bacteria and fungi, along with the lack of information about its antileishmanial effects, have motivated this study. CaO and MgONPs possess considerable antibacterial effects because of their alkalinity and active oxygen species. This study has taken into account the impacts of these two NPs on the L. major in vitro and in vivo. METHODS To evaluate the antileishmanial activity of NPs, the cytotoxic effect of CaONPs, MgONPs, and MgOCaONPs against L. major amastigotes, promastigotes, as well as macrophages, was evaluated using counting or MTT assay. The possible apoptosis of L. major by CaONPs, MgONPs, and MgOCaONPs was evaluated via flow cytometry assay. For in vivo study, BALB/c mice were allocated to five groups and the lesions of infected mice with L. major promastigotes were treated with a 200 μg/mL concentration CaONPs, MgONPs, and MgOCaONPs, then the mice underwent a 4-week follow-up to examine the wound diameter and survival rates. RESULTS The XRD-pattern related to CaONPs and MgONPs indicating the cubic phase and Rocksalt cubic structures. According the effects of nanoparticle on promastigotes the IC50 values of CaONPs, MgONPs, and MgOCaONPs within 72 h were 7.9 ug/mL, 10.3 ug/mL, and 8.0 ug/mL respectively. CaONPs, MgONPs, and MgOCaONPs induced apoptosis in about 7.8%, 53.57%, and 12.8% of promastigotes. All mice presented lesions. MgONPs was the most effective in reducing the size of the lesions. CONCLUSION According to the results of the present research, MgONPs and CaONPs showed good in vitro and in vivo effects on L. major promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes especially MgONPs, and also it seems that MgONPs are applicable in Leishmania infection treatment due to their potential antileishmanial effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Dalir Ghaffari
- Infectious Diseases Research Center, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mohammad Barati
- Infectious Diseases Research Center, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Amir KarimiPourSaryazdi
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Ghaffarifar
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Majid Pirestani
- Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohsen Ebrahimi
- Department of Toxicology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, AJA University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
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Quercetin nano phytosome: as a novel anti-leishmania and anti-malarial natural product. J Parasit Dis 2023; 47:257-264. [PMID: 36685738 PMCID: PMC9838256 DOI: 10.1007/s12639-022-01561-8] [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: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/24/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease that affects several populations worldwide with the clinical manifestations in skin, mucous membranes, and internal organs and there are not any effective and available vaccines and conventional treatments are highly toxic. Quercetin is a kind of flavonoid with different biological effects including free radical scavenging and anti-microbial activity and this study is aimed to assess the anti-leishmania and anti-malarial effects of quercetin loaded phytosome and quercetin alone. In this experimental study, the in vitro activity of above drugs were measured using microscopically examinations and for evaluation the anti-leishmanial efficacy, the size of lesions were measured. Moreover the cytotoxicity of the treatments was evaluated on WI38 and J774 cell lines. Our results indicated that quercetin loaded phytosome and quercetin alone have acceptable anti-parasitic activity mostly at concentration of 400 µg/ml on both P. falciparium and L. major. The results of cytotoxicity revealed that the mentioned drugs have no effects on human cell lines and also have no hemolytic activity. The drug of choice for the treatment of leishmaniasis, in addition to killing the parasite, should not have a toxic effect on human cells and our results indicated that quercetin can be a valuable candidate for treatment of different kinds of leishmaniasis.
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Saberi R, Fakhar M, Hajjaran H, Abbaszadeh Afshar MJ, Mohebali M, Hezarjaribi HZ, Moghadam Y, Sharbatkhori M. Leishmania RNA virus 2 (LRV2) exacerbates dermal lesions caused by Leishmania major and comparatively unresponsive to meglumine antimoniate treatment. Exp Parasitol 2022; 241:108340. [PMID: 35932908 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2022.108340] [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: 03/02/2022] [Revised: 07/17/2022] [Accepted: 07/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The present study investigated the possible role of Leishmania RNA virus 2 (LRV2) in the severity of dermal lesions and treatment failure due to Leishmania major. METHODS The drug susceptibility of 14 clinical isolates of L.major, including resistant (n = 7) and sensitive (n = 7) isolates, was checked in the J774A.1 macrophage cell line. The presence of LRV2 among isolates was investigated by the RdRp gene and semi-nested PCR. Moreover, 1 × 106 sensitive L. major LRV2+ and LRV2- promastigotes were inoculated subcutaneously into the base tails of the 40 BALB/c mice divided into 4 groups (n = 10 in each group), including clinical LRV2+, clinical LRV2-, positive control LRV2+ and negative control LRV2-. The groups were infected with a unique isolate. The lesion size and parasite burden were evaluated. RESULTS Sensitive and resistant isolates were determined by the drug susceptibility method. A higher presence of LRV2 was observed among MA-resistant isolates (6/7) compared with susceptible isolates (4/7), which was not statistically significant (P = 0.237). On the other hand, a comparison of the lesion sizes between the LRV2+ and LRV2- BALB/c mice groups revealed that the mean size of the lesion in the LRV2+ groups was significantly higher than the LRV2- (P = 0.034). In the same direction, there was an increased parasite burden in mice inoculated with LRV2+ groups compared with the LRV2- BALB/c mice groups (P = 0.002). CONCLUSIONS Our findings showed that the presence of LRV2 could be one of the factors contributing to exacerbating CL. Although we found a higher presence of LRV2 in the resistant isolates, it seems that further investigations are recommended to determine the detailed association between lesions' aggravation and being comparatively unresponsive to treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Reza Saberi
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis and Toxoplasmosis, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mahdi Fakhar
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases Research Center, Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran; Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis and Toxoplasmosis, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran.
| | - Homa Hajjaran
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | | | - Mehdi Mohebali
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Mycology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran; Center for Research of Endemic Parasites of Iran (CREPI), Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hajar Ziaei Hezarjaribi
- Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis and Toxoplasmosis, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Yusef Moghadam
- Iranian National Registry Center for Lophomoniasis and Toxoplasmosis, Imam Khomeini Hospital, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mitra Sharbatkhori
- Laboratory Sciences Research Center, Golestan University of Medical Sciences, Gorgan, Iran
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Gürbüz Çolak N, Çetin Uyanikgil EÖ, Özbel Y, Töz S. The Designing of a Gel Formulation with Chitosan Polymer Using Liposomes as Nanocarriers of Amphotericin B for a Non-invasive Treatment Model of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis. Acta Parasitol 2022; 67:1354-1363. [PMID: 35857275 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-022-00594-6] [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: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Leishmaniasis is a disease caused by different Leishmania spp., which are transmitted to humans by a bite of infected female sand flies. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL, oriental sore), visceral leishmaniasis (VL), and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis (MCL) are three main clinical forms, however, only CL and VL are seen in Turkey. Cutaneous leishmaniasis is characterized by skin lesion(s) and is one of the most important vector-borne diseases in Turkey with over 2000 cases reported annually in 40 out of 81 provinces. The treatment is usually made invasively and painfully by intralesional injection of pentavalent antimony compounds. Non-invasive and innovative treatment methods are needed as aimed in this study. METHODS In the present study, one of the classical antileishmanial drugs, amphotericin B (AmB), encapsulated in liposomes was evaluated using non-invasive design based on chitosan, which is a nontoxic, biocompatible and biodegradable polymer. To avoid the invasive effect of conventional intralesional needle application, the drug was encapsulated in liposomes and incorporated into a chitosan gel for applying topically on the skin lesion. The efficacy of encapsulation of amphotericin B into liposomes and the drug release from liposomes were studied. The chitosan gel was evaluated for viscosity, flowability, appearance and pH. The efficacy of the drug embedded into chitosan gel, liposomal AmB alone and chitosan gel alone in four different concentrations was also tested using Leishmania spp. promastigotes in vitro. RESULTS The findings have shown that AmB was encapsulated into the liposomes with high efficiency (86.6%) and long-term physical and chemical stability. Therefore, designed liposomal formulation was suitable for sustained release. The appearance of the drug-embedded chitosan gel was transparent and appropriate. Chitosan gels showed non- Newtonian behavior and plastic flow. The liposomal AmB also showed higher efficacy with no parasites in all concentrations while drug embedded into chitosan gel and chitosan gel alone were effective in two higher concentrations. The lower efficacy of the drug-embedded chitosan gel in 24 h in in-vitro study was probably due to slow release of the drug. CONCLUSION The gel design created in this study will provide ease of use for the lesions of CL patients that do not have a specific number, size, and shape. Follow-up studies by the ex-vivo macrophage infection model with Leishmania intracellular amastigote forms and Leishmania-infected animal models are needed to understand the present design's efficacy better.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nergiz Gürbüz Çolak
- Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Izmir İnstitute of Technology, Urla, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Emel Öykü Çetin Uyanikgil
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, Ege University, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Yusuf Özbel
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Ege University, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey
| | - Seray Töz
- Faculty of Medicine, Department of Parasitology, Ege University, Bornova, Izmir, Turkey.
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Goonoo N, Laetitia Huët MA, Chummun I, Karuri N, Badu K, Gimié F, Bergrath J, Schulze M, Müller M, Bhaw-Luximon A. Nanomedicine-based strategies to improve treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2022; 9:220058. [PMID: 35719886 PMCID: PMC9198523 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2022] [Accepted: 04/14/2022] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Nanomedicine strategies were first adapted and successfully translated to clinical application for diseases, such as cancer and diabetes. These strategies would no doubt benefit unmet diseases needs as in the case of leishmaniasis. The latter causes skin sores in the cutaneous form and affects internal organs in the visceral form. Treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) aims at accelerating wound healing, reducing scarring and cosmetic morbidity, preventing parasite transmission and relapse. Unfortunately, available treatments show only suboptimal effectiveness and none of them were designed specifically for this disease condition. Tissue regeneration using nano-based devices coupled with drug delivery are currently being used in clinic to address diabetic wounds. Thus, in this review, we analyse the current treatment options and attempt to critically analyse the use of nanomedicine-based strategies to address CL wounds in view of achieving scarless wound healing, targeting secondary bacterial infection and lowering drug toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nowsheen Goonoo
- Biomaterials, Drug Delivery and Nanotechnology Unit, Center for Biomedical and Biomaterials Research, University of Mauritius, Réduit 80837, Mauritius
| | - Marie Andrea Laetitia Huët
- Biomaterials, Drug Delivery and Nanotechnology Unit, Center for Biomedical and Biomaterials Research, University of Mauritius, Réduit 80837, Mauritius
| | - Itisha Chummun
- Biomaterials, Drug Delivery and Nanotechnology Unit, Center for Biomedical and Biomaterials Research, University of Mauritius, Réduit 80837, Mauritius
| | - Nancy Karuri
- Department of Chemical Engineering, Dedan Kimathi University of Technology, Private Bag 10143 – Dedan Kimathi, Nyeri, Kenya
| | - Kingsley Badu
- Vector-borne Infectious Disease Group, Theoretical and Applied Biology, Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi, Ghana
| | - Fanny Gimié
- Animalerie, Plateforme de recherche CYROI, 2 rue Maxime Rivière, 97490 Sainte Clotilde, Ile de La Réunion, France
| | - Jonas Bergrath
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, Heisenbergstrasse 16, D-53359 Rheinbach, Germany
| | - Margit Schulze
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, Heisenbergstrasse 16, D-53359 Rheinbach, Germany
| | - Mareike Müller
- Physical Chemistry I & Research Center of Micro- and Nanochemistry and (Bio)Technology (Cμ), Department of Chemistry and Biology, University of Siegen, Adolf-Reichwein-Strasse 2, 57076 Siegen, Germany
| | - Archana Bhaw-Luximon
- Biomaterials, Drug Delivery and Nanotechnology Unit, Center for Biomedical and Biomaterials Research, University of Mauritius, Réduit 80837, Mauritius
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Identification and Characterization of the miRNAs and Cytokines in Response to Leishmania infantum Infection with Different Response to Treatment. Acta Parasitol 2022; 67:403-410. [PMID: 34622398 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-021-00474-5] [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: 03/25/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Due to the complexity of cytokine and microRNA function in progression and/or suppression of an infection, in this study, we examined miR-3473f, miR-2128, miR-6994-5p, miR-7093-3p, miR-5128, miR-574-5p, miR-7235, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-10 and IL-13 in patients with VL caused by Leishmania infantum in an in vivo study. METHODS Sampling was carried out from patient with leishmaniasis and with different responses to treatment during March 2016-January 2020. DNA was extracted and purified using QIAamp Kit. The L. infantum were cultured in DMEM medium and protein content was determined by the Micro BCA Protein Assay Kit. Cytokines were evaluated using a MILLIPLEX MAP Mouse Cytokine/Chemokine Panel I kit. The relative expression of miRNAs was measured in duplicate using automatic thermocycler ABI Prism 7500 sequence detection system (Applied Bio-systems) using the TaqMan MicroRNA Assay kit. RESULTS The real-time PCR assay revealed that miR-2128, miR-6994-5p, miR-7093-3p, miR-5128, miR-574-5p and miR-7235 were down-regulated and miR-3473 were up-regulated in patients with semi-resistance and resistance parasite strain (P < 0.05). In the current work, cytokine patterns in patients who were slow-to-clear or unable-to-clear L. infantum infection during drug treatment were seen to have decreased protective Th1 cytokines (IL-2, IL-12, TNF-α, and IFN-ɤ, P < 0.001) and increased Th2 cytokines (IL-5, IL-10, and IL-13, P < 0.001). No association was seen with IL-4 in patients with different treatment outcomes. CONCLUSION Overall, the results of a recent study have shown that cytokines and microRNAs can play a key role in response to treatment, and more comprehensive studies are needed to support this hypothesis.
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Mousavi P, Rahimi Esboei B, Pourhajibagher M, Fakhar M, Shahmoradi Z, Hejazi SH, Hassannia H, Nasrollahi Omran A, Hasanpour H. Anti-leishmanial effects of resveratrol and resveratrol nanoemulsion on Leishmania major. BMC Microbiol 2022; 22:56. [PMID: 35168553 PMCID: PMC8845381 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-022-02455-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease that is endemic in the tropical and sub-tropical areas of the world. Low efficacy and high cytotoxicity of the current treatment regimens for leishmaniasis is one of the most important health problems. In this experimental study, anti-leishmanial effects of different concentrations of resveratrol and resveratrol nano-emulsion (RNE) were assessed. Methods RNE was prepared using the probe ultra-sonication method. The cytotoxicity was evaluated using the MTT technique on the L929 cell line. The anti-leishmanial activities on promastigotes of leishmania were assessed using vital staining and infected BALB/c mice were used to assess the in vivo anti-leishmanial effects. Results In vitro and in vivo assays revealed that all concentrations of resveratrol and RNE had valuable inhibitory effects against Leishmania major in comparison to the control group (P < 0.05). The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values were calculated as 16.23 and 35.71 µg/mL for resveratrol and RNE, respectively. Resveratrol and RNE showed no cytotoxicity against the L929 cell line. Conclusions According to the potent in vitro and in vivo anti-leishmanial activity of RNE at low concentration against L. major, we suggest that it could be a promising anti-leishmanial therapeutic against L. major in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Parisa Mousavi
- Skin Diseases and Leishmaniasis Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Bahman Rahimi Esboei
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran.
| | - Maryam Pourhajibagher
- Dental Research Center, Dentistry Research Institute, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Mahdi Fakhar
- Toxoplasma Research Center, Department of Parasitology, Iranian National Registry Center for Toxoplasmosis (INRCT), School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Zabihollah Shahmoradi
- Skin Diseases and Leishmaniasis Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Seyed Hossein Hejazi
- Skin Diseases and Leishmaniasis Research Center, Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Isfahan University of Medial Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | - Hadi Hassannia
- Immunogenetic Research Center, Faculty of Medicine and Amol Faculty of Paramedical Sciences, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Ayatollah Nasrollahi Omran
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Tonekabon Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tonekabon, Iran
| | - Hamid Hasanpour
- Department of Parasitology, School of Paramedical, Ilam University of Medical Sciences, Ilam, Iran
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The level of interleukin-17, 23, and gamma interferon in cutaneous leishmaniasis patients before and after intra lesion treatment. J Parasit Dis 2022; 46:476-482. [DOI: 10.1007/s12639-021-01428-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022] Open
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Rahnama V, Motazedian MH, Mohammadi-Samani S, Asgari Q, Ghasemiyeh P, Khazaei M. Artemether-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers: preparation, characterization, and evaluation of in vitro effect on Leishmania major. Res Pharm Sci 2021; 16:623-633. [PMID: 34760010 PMCID: PMC8562414 DOI: 10.4103/1735-5362.327508] [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: 01/12/2021] [Revised: 05/18/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Background and purpose Cutaneous leishmaniasis is a global health problem. The discovery of new and highly efficient anti-leishmanial treatments with lower toxicity is globally needed. The current study was carried out to evaluate the anti-leishmanial effects of artemether (ART) and ART-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (ART-NLCs) against promastigotes and amastigotes of Leishmania major. Experimental approach Solvent diffusion evaporation technique was applied to prepare ART-NLCs. These nanoparticles were characterized using a particle size analyzer (PSA), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The antiparasitic activity on amastigote was assessed in J774 cell culture. The drug cytotoxicity on promastigote and macrophage was assessed using the MTT technique after 24 and 48 h and compared with NLCs, ART, and amphotericin B, as the control agents. The selectivity index was calculated for the agents. Findings/Results The DLS and PSA techniques confirmed that ART-NLCs were homogenous in size with an average diameter of 101 ± 2.0 nm and span index of 0.9. The ART-NLCs significantly heighten the anti-leishmanial activity of ART (P < 0.001). The IC50 values of ART and ART-NLCs on promastigotes after 24 and 48 h were 76.08, 36.71 and 35.14, 14.81 μg/mL, respectively while they were calculated 53.97, 25.43 and 20.13, 11.92 for amastigotes. Also, ART-NLCs had the lowest cytotoxicity against macrophages. Furthermore, among the agents tested, ART-NLCs had the highest selectivity index. Conclusion and implications ART-NLCs had lower cytotoxic effects than ART and amphotericin B, also its selectivity index was significantly higher. Based on the findings of the study, this formulation could be a promising candidate for further research into leishmaniasis treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vahid Rahnama
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, I.R. Iran
| | - Mohammad Hossein Motazedian
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, I.R. Iran.,Nanomedicine and Nanobiology Research Center, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, I.R. Iran
| | - Soliman Mohammadi-Samani
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, I.R. Iran.,Center for Nanotechnology in Drug Delivery, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, I.R. Iran
| | - Qasem Asgari
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, I.R. Iran
| | - Parisa Ghasemiyeh
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, I.R. Iran.,Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, I.R. Iran
| | - Meisam Khazaei
- Department of Parasitology and Mycology, School of Medicine, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, I.R. Iran
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Taraghian M, Hanif H, Mousavi P, Cheshmeh ZB, Samei A, Abdollahi A, Vazini H. The Comparison of the IFN-ɤ, TNF-α and IL-10 Cytokines in Healing and Non-healing Cutaneous Leishmaniasis. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF PARASITOLOGY 2021; 16:490-498. [PMID: 34630595 PMCID: PMC8476719 DOI: 10.18502/ijpa.v16i3.7103] [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: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Background: Leishmaniasis is one of the main vectors borne and neglected tropical parasitic diseases. T cell cytokine responses are highly important in the presentations of disease such as control or progression, and understanding of the host immunological response is valuable in diagnosis, follow-up, and vaccine designs. In the current study, the profile of IFN-ɤ, TNF-α, and IL-10 cytokines was investigated through the ELISA technique in PBMCs isolated from antimony resistance and susceptible patients. Methods: In this experimental study, 54 patients with healing (n=27) or non-healing (n=27) CL were recruited. Lesion samples were collected to determine the genotype of Leishmania spp. and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were obtained to evaluate the cytokines profiles using soluble Leishmania antigen (SLA) and phytohaemagglutinin (PHA) mitogen. Cytokines were assessed by the ELISA technique Results: The IFN-ɤ and TNF-α cytokines were significantly increased in the healing group treated with both SLA antigen and PHA mitogen (P<0.001). The level of IL-10 was significantly increased in non-healing and significantly declined in healing groups (P<0.001). Conclusion: The profile of IFN-ɤ, TNF-α, and IL-10 cytokines are crucially associated with the response of treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mina Taraghian
- Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Sciences, Hamedan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Hamedan, Iran
| | - Helena Hanif
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Education, Herat University, Herat, Afghanistan
| | - Parisa Mousavi
- Skin Diseases and Leishmaniasis Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
| | | | - Azam Samei
- Department of Laboratory Sciences, School of Allied Medical Sciences, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran
| | - Abbas Abdollahi
- Department of Microbiology, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Fasa, Iran
| | - Hossein Vazini
- Nursing Department, Basic Sciences Faculty, Hamedan Branch, Islamic Azad University, Hamedan, Iran
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12
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In vitro efficacy of polymer coated miltefosine drug against leishmania tropica. J Parasit Dis 2021; 46:366-376. [DOI: 10.1007/s12639-021-01452-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 09/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
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AlMohammed HI, Khudair Khalaf A, E. Albalawi A, Alanazi AD, Baharvand P, Moghaddam A, Mahmoudvand H. Chitosan-Based Nanomaterials as Valuable Sources of Anti-Leishmanial Agents: A Systematic Review. NANOMATERIALS (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2021; 11:689. [PMID: 33801922 PMCID: PMC8000302 DOI: 10.3390/nano11030689] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2021] [Revised: 03/02/2021] [Accepted: 03/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The current chemotherapy agents against various forms of leishmaniasis have some problems and side effects, including high toxicity, high cost, and the emergence of resistant strains. Here, we aimed to review the preclinical studies (in vitro and in vivo) on the anti-leishmanial activity of chitosan and chitosan-based particles against Leishmania spp. METHODS This study was conducted based on the 06-PRISMA guidelines and registered in the CAMARADES-NC3Rs Preclinical Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Facility (SyRF) database. Various English databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, Web of Science, EBSCO, ScienceDirect, and Scopus were used to find the publications related to the anti-leishmanial effects of chitosan and its derivatives and other pharmaceutical formulations, without a date limitation, to find all the published articles. The keywords included "chitosan", "chitosan nanoparticles", "anti-leishmanial", "Leishmania", "leishmaniasis", "cutaneous leishmaniasis", "visceral leishmaniasis", "in vitro", and "in vivo". The language for data collection were limited to English. RESULTS Of 2669 papers, 25 papers, including 7 in vitro (28.0%), 7 in vivo (28.0%), and 11 in vitro/in vivo (44.0%) studies conducted up to 2020 met the inclusion criteria for discussion in this systematic review. The most common species of Leishmania used in these studies were L. major (12, 48.0%), L. donovani (7, 28.0%), and L. amazonensis (4, 16.80%). In vivo, the most used animals were BALB/c mice (11, 61.1%) followed by hamsters (6, 33.3%) and Wistar rats (1, 5.5%), respectively. In vitro, the most used Leishmania form was amastigote (8, 44.4%), followed by promastigote (4, 22.2%), and both forms promastigote/amastigote (6, 33.3%). CONCLUSION According to the literature, different types of drugs based on chitosan and their derivatives demonstrated considerable in vitro and in vivo anti-leishmanial activity against various Leishmania spp. Based on the findings of this review study, chitosan and its derivatives could be considered as an alternative and complementary source of valuable components against leishmaniasis with a high safety index. Nevertheless, more investigations are required to elaborate on this result, mainly in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hamdan I. AlMohammed
- Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Almaarefa University, Riyadh 11597, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Amal Khudair Khalaf
- Department of Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Thiqar, Thiqar 0096442, Iraq;
| | | | - Abdullah D. Alanazi
- Department of Biological Science, Faculty of Science and Humanities, Shaqra University, P.O. Box 1040, Ad-Dawadimi 11911, Saudi Arabia;
- Department of Medical Laboratory, Alghad International Colleges for Applied Medical Science, Tabuk 47913, Saudi Arabia
| | - Parastoo Baharvand
- Department of Social Medicine, School of Medicine, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad 6813833946, Iran;
| | - Ali Moghaddam
- Student Research Committee, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad 6813833946, Iran;
| | - Hossein Mahmoudvand
- Nutritional Health Research Center, Lorestan University of Medical Sciences, Khorramabad 6813833946, Iran
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Loiseau PM, Pomel S, Croft SL. Chitosan Contribution to Therapeutic and Vaccinal Approaches for the Control of Leishmaniasis. Molecules 2020; 25:E4123. [PMID: 32916994 PMCID: PMC7571104 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25184123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2020] [Revised: 09/07/2020] [Accepted: 09/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The control of leishmaniases, a complex parasitic disease caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania, requires continuous innovation at the therapeutic and vaccination levels. Chitosan is a biocompatible polymer administrable via different routes and possessing numerous qualities to be used in the antileishmanial strategies. This review presents recent progress in chitosan research for antileishmanial applications. First data on the mechanism of action of chitosan revealed an optimal in vitro intrinsic activity at acidic pH, high-molecular-weight chitosan being the most efficient form, with an uptake by pinocytosis and an accumulation in the parasitophorous vacuole of Leishmania-infected macrophages. In addition, the immunomodulatory effect of chitosan is an added value both for the treatment of leishmaniasis and the development of innovative vaccines. The advances in chitosan chemistry allows pharmacomodulation on amine groups opening various opportunities for new polymers of different size, and physico-chemical properties adapted to the chosen routes of administration. Different formulations have been studied in experimental leishmaniasis models to cure visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis, and chitosan can act as a booster through drug combinations with classical drugs, such as amphotericin B. The various architectural possibilities given by chitosan chemistry and pharmaceutical technology pave the way for promising further developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe M. Loiseau
- Antiparasite Chemotherapy, CNRS, BioCIS, Université Paris-Saclay, 92290 Châtenay-Malabry, France;
| | - Sébastien Pomel
- Antiparasite Chemotherapy, CNRS, BioCIS, Université Paris-Saclay, 92290 Châtenay-Malabry, France;
| | - Simon L. Croft
- Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases, London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, London WC1E 7HT, UK;
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15
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Harnessing Bioinformatic Approaches to Design Novel Multi-epitope Subunit Vaccine Against Leishmania infantum. Int J Pept Res Ther 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10989-019-09949-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
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16
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Chitosan-based particulate systems for drug and vaccine delivery in the treatment and prevention of neglected tropical diseases. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2020; 10:1644-1674. [PMID: 32588282 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-020-00806-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a diverse group of infections which are difficult to prevent or control, affecting impoverished communities that are unique to tropical or subtropical regions. In spite of the low number of drugs that are currently used for the treatment of these diseases, progress on new drug discovery and development for NTDs is still very limited. Therefore, strategies on the development of new delivery systems for current drugs have been the main focus of formulators to provide improved efficacy and safety. In recent years, particulate delivery systems at micro- and nanosize, including polymeric micro- and nanoparticles, liposomes, solid lipid nanoparticles, metallic nanoparticles, and nanoemulsions, have been widely investigated in the treatment and control of NTDs. Among these polymers used for the preparation of such systems is chitosan, which is a marine biopolymer obtained from the shells of crustaceans. Chitosan has been investigated as a delivery system due to the versatility of its physicochemical properties as well as bioadhesive and penetration-enhancing properties. Furthermore, chitosan can be also used to improve treatment due to its bioactive properties such as antimicrobial, tissue regeneration, etc. In this review, after giving a brief introduction to neglected diseases and particulate systems developed for the treatment and control of NTDs, the chitosan-based systems will be described in more detail and the recent studies on these systems will be reviewed. Graphical abstract.
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Esboei BR, Keighobadi M, Hezarjaribi HZ, Fakhar M, Daryani A, Chabra A, Soosaraei M, Yalveh R. Promising In Vitro Anti- Toxoplasma gondii Effects of Commercial Chitosan. Infect Disord Drug Targets 2020; 21:151-155. [PMID: 32389115 DOI: 10.2174/1871526520666200511004932] [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: 01/19/2020] [Revised: 03/29/2020] [Accepted: 04/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
CDATA[Background: Toxoplasmosis is a disease that results from infection with an obligate intracellular T. gondii parasite, one of the world's most common parasites. Considering the complications of chemical drugs and the need for an appropriate drug combination for treatment of toxoplasmosis and considering the antimicrobial potential of chitosan, as a natural source, this study was aimed to evaluate in vitro activity of commercial chitosan (CC) on T. gondii. METHODS In this experimental study, the tachyzoites of T. gondii were collected from the peritoneal exudates from infected Balb/c mice. The tachyzoites were diluted in phosphate buffer saline (PBS) solution. Chitosan with low molecular weight was commercially purchased. Then, at concentrations of 10, 50, 100, and 200 μg/mL and after 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes, the viability of tachyzoites was determined by using trypan blue 0.1%. Anti-T.gondii activity of CC in all concentrations was significantly higher than pyrimethamine as the control group (P=0.05). RESULTS The concentration of 200 μg/mL of CC had the highest effects and killed 30.5, 52, 59, and 81.5% of tachyzoites after 30, 60, 120, and 180 minutes. Moreover, IC50 values of CC were 515, 171, 12.5, and <10 μg/mL in comparison with pyrimethamine as 58.82 μg/mL for 30, 60, 120, and 180 min of exposure time. CONCLUSION Our results indicate that chitosan in low molecular weight had potent activity against T. gondii tachyzoites and could be an appropriate candidate for the treatment of at least acute toxoplasmosis, certainly, after complementary in vivo experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bahman Rahimi Esboei
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Masoud Keighobadi
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Hajar Ziaei Hezarjaribi
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Mahdi Fakhar
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Ahmad Daryani
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Aroona Chabra
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Masoud Soosaraei
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
| | - Rezwan Yalveh
- Toxoplasmosis Research Center, Department of Parasitology, School of Medicine, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran
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