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Tomaz KCP, Tavella TA, Borba JVB, Salazar-Alvarez LC, Levandoski JE, Mottin M, Sousa BKP, Moreira-Filho JT, Almeida VM, Clementino LC, Bourgard C, Massirer KB, Couñago RM, Andrade CH, Sunnerhagen P, Bilsland E, Cassiano GC, Costa FTM. Identification of potential inhibitors of casein kinase 2 alpha of Plasmodium falciparum with potent in vitro activity. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0058923. [PMID: 37819090 PMCID: PMC10649021 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00589-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug resistance to commercially available antimalarials is a major obstacle in malaria control and elimination, creating the need to find new antiparasitic compounds with novel mechanisms of action. The success of kinase inhibitors for oncological treatments has paved the way for the exploitation of protein kinases as drug targets in various diseases, including malaria. Casein kinases are ubiquitous serine/threonine kinases involved in a wide range of cellular processes such as mitotic checkpoint signaling, DNA damage response, and circadian rhythm. In Plasmodium, it is suggested that these protein kinases are essential for both asexual and sexual blood-stage parasites, reinforcing their potential as targets for multi-stage antimalarials. To identify new putative PfCK2α inhibitors, we utilized an in silico chemogenomic strategy involving virtual screening with docking simulations and quantitative structure-activity relationship predictions. Our investigation resulted in the discovery of a new quinazoline molecule (542), which exhibited potent activity against asexual blood stages and a high selectivity index (>100). Subsequently, we conducted chemical-genetic interaction analysis on yeasts with mutations in casein kinases. Our chemical-genetic interaction results are consistent with the hypothesis that 542 inhibits yeast Cka1, which has a hinge region with high similarity to PfCK2α. This finding is in agreement with our in silico results suggesting that 542 inhibits PfCK2α via hinge region interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaira C. P. Tomaz
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases (LDT), Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Tatyana A. Tavella
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases (LDT), Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Joyce V. B. Borba
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases (LDT), Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Drug Design (LabMol), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Luis C. Salazar-Alvarez
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases (LDT), Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - João E. Levandoski
- Department of Materials and Bioprocesses Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Melina Mottin
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Drug Design (LabMol), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Bruna K. P. Sousa
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Drug Design (LabMol), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Goiânia, Brazil
| | - José T. Moreira-Filho
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Drug Design (LabMol), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Vitor M. Almeida
- Centro de Química Medicinal (CQMED), Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética(CBMEG), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Leandro C. Clementino
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases (LDT), Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Catarina Bourgard
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases (LDT), Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Katlin B. Massirer
- Centro de Química Medicinal (CQMED), Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética(CBMEG), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Rafael M. Couñago
- Centro de Química Medicinal (CQMED), Centro de Biologia Molecular e Engenharia Genética(CBMEG), Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
- Structural Genomics Consortium, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Carolina H. Andrade
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Drug Design (LabMol), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Goiás (UFG), Goiânia, Brazil
- Center for Research and Advancement of Fragments and Molecular Targets (CRAFT), University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
- Center for Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (CEIA), Institute of Informatics, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Per Sunnerhagen
- Department of Chemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Elizabeth Bilsland
- Department of Structural and Functional Biology, Synthetic Biology Laboratory, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Gustavo C. Cassiano
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases (LDT), Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Fabio T. M. Costa
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases (LDT), Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, Brazil
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Ramírez ADR, de Jesus MCS, Menezes RAO, Santos-Filho MC, Gomes MSM, Pimenta TS, Barbosa VS, Rossit J, Reis NF, Brito SCP, Sampaio MP, Cassiano GC, Storti-Melo LM, Baptista ARS, Machado RLD. Polymorphisms in Toll-Like receptors genes and their associations with immunological parameters in Plasmodium vivax malaria in the Brazil-French Guiana Border. Cytokine 2023; 169:156278. [PMID: 37356261 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2023.156278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The innate immune response plays an important role during malaria. Toll-like receptors (TLR) are capable of recognizing pathogen molecules. We aimed to evaluate five polymorphisms in TLR-4, TLR-6, and TLR-9 genes and their association with cytokine levels and clinical parameters in malaria from the Brazil-French Guiana border. METHODS A case-control study was conducted in Amapá, Brazil. P. vivax patients and individuals not infected were evaluated. Genotyping of five SNPs was carried out by qPCR. Circulating cytokines were measured by CBA. The MSP-119 IgG antibodies were performed by ELISA. RESULTS An association between TLR4 A299G with parasitemia was observed. There was an increase for IFN-ɤ, TNF-ɑ, IL-6, and IL-10 in the TLR-4 A299G and T3911, TLR-6 S249P, and TLR-9 1486C/T, SNPs for the studied malarial groups. There were significant findings for the TLR-4 variants A299G and T3911, TLR-9 1237C/T, and 1486C/T. For the reactivity of MSP-119 antibodies levels, no significant results were found in malaria, and control groups. CONCLUSIONS The profile of the immune response observed by polymorphisms in TLRs genes does not seem to be standard for all types of malaria infection around the world. This can depend on the human population and the species of Plasmodium.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aina D R Ramírez
- Center for Microorganisms' Investigation, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, 24020-141 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Applied Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, 24210-130 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Myrela C S de Jesus
- Center for Microorganisms' Investigation, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, 24020-141 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Applied Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, 24210-130 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rubens A O Menezes
- Postgraduate Program in Applied Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, 24210-130 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapá (UNIFAP), Macapá 68903-419, Amapá, Brazil
| | - Marcelo C Santos-Filho
- Center for Microorganisms' Investigation, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, 24020-141 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Applied Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, 24210-130 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Margarete S M Gomes
- Superintendence of Health Surveillance of the State of Amapá, Macapá 68902-865, Amapá, Brazil
| | - Tamirys S Pimenta
- Instituto Evandro Chagas / Secretaria de Vigilância em Saude / Ministério da Saude, Ananindeua 67030-000, Pará, Brazil
| | - Vanessa S Barbosa
- Center for Microorganisms' Investigation, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, 24020-141 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Julia Rossit
- Center for Microorganisms' Investigation, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, 24020-141 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Nathalia F Reis
- Center for Microorganisms' Investigation, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, 24020-141 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Applied Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, 24210-130 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Simone Cristina Pereira Brito
- Center for Microorganisms' Investigation, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, 24020-141 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Applied Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, 24210-130 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marrara Pereira Sampaio
- Center for Microorganisms' Investigation, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, 24020-141 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Applied Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, 24210-130 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Luciane M Storti-Melo
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão 49100-000, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - Andrea R S Baptista
- Center for Microorganisms' Investigation, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, 24020-141 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Applied Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, 24210-130 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ricardo L D Machado
- Center for Microorganisms' Investigation, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, 24020-141 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Applied Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói, 24210-130 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
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de Jesus MCS, Cerilo-Filho M, Ramirez ADR, Menezes RAO, Gomes MSM, Cassiano GC, Gurgel RQ, Silva JRS, Moura TR, Pratt-Riccio LR, Baptista ARS, Storti-Melo LM, Machado RLD. Influence of trem-1 gene polymorphisms on cytokine levels during malaria by Plasmodium vivax in a frontier area of the Brazilian Amazon. Cytokine 2023; 169:156264. [PMID: 37327529 DOI: 10.1016/j.cyto.2023.156264] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/04/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The immunopathology during malaria depends on the level of inflammatory response generated. In this scenario, the TREM-1 has been associated with the severity of infectious diseases and could play an important role in the inflammatory course of malaria. We aimed to describe the allelic and genotypic frequency of four polymorphisms in the trem-1 gene in Plasmodium vivax-infected patients and to verify the association of these polymorphisms with clinical and immunological factors in a frontier area of the Brazilian Amazon. METHODS We included 76 individuals infected with P. vivax and 144 healthy controls living in the municipality of Oiapoque, Amapá, Brazil. The levels of TNF-α, IL-10, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, and IFN-γ were measured by flow cytometry, while IL-6, sTREM-1, and antibodies against PvMSP-119 were evaluated by ELISA. The SNPs were genotyped by qPCR technique. Polymorphisms analysis, allelic and genotype, frequencies, and HWE calculation were determined by x2 test in R Software. The association between the parasitemia, gametocytes, antibodies, cytokines, and sTREM-1 with the genotypes of malaria and control groups was performed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, these analyzes were conducted in SPSS Software, at 5% significance level. RESULTS All SNPs were successfully genotyped. Allelic and genotypic distribution was in Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium. Furthermore, several associations were identified between malaria and control groups, with increased levels of IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, TNF-α, and IFN-γ in the infected individuals with rs6910730A, rs2234237T, rs2234246T, rs4711668C alleles compared to the homozygous wild-type and heterozygous genotypes of the controls (p-value < 0.05). No association was found for these SNPs and the levels of IL-2, and sTREM-1. CONCLUSIONS The SNPs on the trem-1 gene are associated with the effector molecules of the innate immunity and may contribute to the identification and effective participation of trem-1 in the modulation of the immune response. This association may be essential for the establishment of immunization strategies against malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Myrela C S de Jesus
- Center for Microorganisms' Investigation, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói 24020-141, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Applied Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói 24210-130, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Marcelo Cerilo-Filho
- Center for Microorganisms' Investigation, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói 24020-141, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Applied Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói 24210-130, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Aina D R Ramirez
- Center for Microorganisms' Investigation, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói 24020-141, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Applied Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói 24210-130, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rubens A O Menezes
- Postgraduate Program in Applied Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói 24210-130, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Health Sciences, Federal University of Amapá (UNIFAP), Macapá 68903-419, Amapá, Brazil
| | - Margarete S M Gomes
- Superintendence of Health Surveillance of the State of Amapá, Macapá 68902-865, Amapá, Brazil
| | | | - Ricardo Q Gurgel
- Postgraduate Program in Parasite Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão 49100-000, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - José R S Silva
- Postgraduate Program in Parasite Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão 49100-000, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - Tatiana R Moura
- Postgraduate Program in Parasite Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão 49100-000, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - Lilian R Pratt-Riccio
- Laboratory for Malaria Research, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Andrea R S Baptista
- Center for Microorganisms' Investigation, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói 24020-141, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Applied Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói 24210-130, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Luciane M Storti-Melo
- Postgraduate Program in Parasite Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão 49100-000, Sergipe, Brazil; Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão 49100-000, Sergipe, Brazil
| | - Ricardo L D Machado
- Center for Microorganisms' Investigation, Department of Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói 24020-141, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Applied Microbiology and Parasitology, Biomedical Institute, Fluminense Federal University, Niterói 24210-130, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Postgraduate Program in Parasite Biology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão 49100-000, Sergipe, Brazil
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Lima MNN, Borba JVB, Cassiano GC, Mottin M, Mendonça SS, Silva AC, Tomaz KCP, Calit J, Bargieri DY, Costa FTM, Andrade CH. Artificial Intelligence Applied to the Rapid Identification of New Antimalarial Candidates with Dual-Stage Activity. ChemMedChem 2021; 16:1093-1103. [PMID: 33247522 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202000685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2002] [Revised: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Increasing reports of multidrug-resistant malaria parasites urge the discovery of new effective drugs with different chemical scaffolds. Protein kinases play a key role in many cellular processes such as signal transduction and cell division, making them interesting targets in many diseases. Protein kinase 7 (PK7) is an orphan kinase from the Plasmodium genus, essential for the sporogonic cycle of these parasites. Here, we applied a robust and integrative artificial intelligence-assisted virtual-screening (VS) approach using shape-based and machine learning models to identify new potential PK7 inhibitors with in vitro antiplasmodial activity. Eight virtual hits were experimentally evaluated, and compound LabMol-167 inhibited ookinete conversion of Plasmodium berghei and blood stages of Plasmodium falciparum at nanomolar concentrations with low cytotoxicity in mammalian cells. As PK7 does not have an essential role in the Plasmodium blood stage and our virtual screening strategy aimed for both PK7 and blood-stage inhibition, we conducted an in silico target fishing approach and propose that this compound might also inhibit P. falciparum PK5, acting as a possible dual-target inhibitor. Finally, docking studies of LabMol-167 with P. falciparum PK7 and PK5 proteins highlighted key interactions for further hit-to lead optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilia N N Lima
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goias, Rua 240, qd. 87, Goiânia, GO, 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Joyce V B Borba
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goias, Rua 240, qd. 87, Goiânia, GO, 74605-170, Brazil.,Laboratory of Tropical Diseases - Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, 13083-970, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Gustavo C Cassiano
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases - Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, 13083-970, Campinas, SP, Brazil.,Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Melina Mottin
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goias, Rua 240, qd. 87, Goiânia, GO, 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Sabrina S Mendonça
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goias, Rua 240, qd. 87, Goiânia, GO, 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Arthur C Silva
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goias, Rua 240, qd. 87, Goiânia, GO, 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Kaira C P Tomaz
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases - Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, 13083-970, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Juliana Calit
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, 05508-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Daniel Y Bargieri
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, 05508-000, São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Fabio T M Costa
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases - Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, 13083-970, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Carolina H Andrade
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goias, Rua 240, qd. 87, Goiânia, GO, 74605-170, Brazil.,Laboratory of Tropical Diseases - Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, 13083-970, Campinas, SP, Brazil
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Neves BJ, Braga RC, Alves VM, Lima MNN, Cassiano GC, Muratov EN, Costa FTM, Andrade CH. Deep Learning-driven research for drug discovery: Tackling Malaria. PLoS Comput Biol 2020; 16:e1007025. [PMID: 32069285 PMCID: PMC7048302 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1007025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2018] [Revised: 02/28/2020] [Accepted: 04/15/2019] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is an infectious disease that affects over 216 million people worldwide, killing over 445,000 patients annually. Due to the constant emergence of parasitic resistance to the current antimalarial drugs, the discovery of new drug candidates is a major global health priority. Aiming to make the drug discovery processes faster and less expensive, we developed binary and continuous Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationships (QSAR) models implementing deep learning for predicting antiplasmodial activity and cytotoxicity of untested compounds. Then, we applied the best models for a virtual screening of a large database of chemical compounds. The top computational predictions were evaluated experimentally against asexual blood stages of both sensitive and multi-drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum strains. Among them, two compounds, LabMol-149 and LabMol-152, showed potent antiplasmodial activity at low nanomolar concentrations (EC50 <500 nM) and low cytotoxicity in mammalian cells. Therefore, the computational approach employing deep learning developed here allowed us to discover two new families of potential next generation antimalarial agents, which are in compliance with the guidelines and criteria for antimalarial target candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruno J. Neves
- Laboratory of Cheminformatics, University Center of Anápolis – UniEVANGÉLICA, Anápolis, Goiás, Brazil
- LabMol – Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | | | - Vinicius M. Alves
- LabMol – Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
- Laboratory for Molecular Modeling, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Marília N. N. Lima
- LabMol – Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
| | - Gustavo C. Cassiano
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases–Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine (GHTM), Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical (IHMT), Universidade Nova de Lisboa (UNL), Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Eugene N. Muratov
- Laboratory for Molecular Modeling, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States of America
- Department of Chemical Technology, Odessa National Polytechnic University, Odessa, Ukraine
| | - Fabio T. M. Costa
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases–Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Carolina Horta Andrade
- LabMol – Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases–Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo, Brazil
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Lima MNN, Cassiano GC, Tomaz KCP, Silva AC, Sousa BKP, Ferreira LT, Tavella TA, Calit J, Bargieri DY, Neves BJ, Costa FTM, Andrade CH. Integrative Multi-Kinase Approach for the Identification of Potent Antiplasmodial Hits. Front Chem 2019; 7:773. [PMID: 31824917 PMCID: PMC6881481 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2019.00773] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a tropical infectious disease that affects over 219 million people worldwide. Due to the constant emergence of parasitic resistance to the current antimalarial drugs, the discovery of new antimalarial drugs is a global health priority. Multi-target drug discovery is a promising and innovative strategy for drug discovery and it is currently regarded as one of the best strategies to face drug resistance. Aiming to identify new multi-target antimalarial drug candidates, we developed an integrative computational approach to select multi-kinase inhibitors for Plasmodium falciparum calcium-dependent protein kinases 1 and 4 (CDPK1 and CDPK4) and protein kinase 6 (PK6). For this purpose, we developed and validated shape-based and machine learning models to prioritize compounds for experimental evaluation. Then, we applied the best models for virtual screening of a large commercial database of drug-like molecules. Ten computational hits were experimentally evaluated against asexual blood stages of both sensitive and multi-drug resistant P. falciparum strains. Among them, LabMol-171, LabMol-172, and LabMol-181 showed potent antiplasmodial activity at nanomolar concentrations (EC50 ≤ 700 nM) and selectivity indices >15 folds. In addition, LabMol-171 and LabMol-181 showed good in vitro inhibition of P. berghei ookinete formation and therefore represent promising transmission-blocking scaffolds. Finally, docking studies with protein kinases CDPK1, CDPK4, and PK6 showed structural insights for further hit-to-lead optimization studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilia N N Lima
- LabMol-Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Gustavo C Cassiano
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Kaira C P Tomaz
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Arthur C Silva
- LabMol-Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Bruna K P Sousa
- LabMol-Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Leticia T Ferreira
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Tatyana A Tavella
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Juliana Calit
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daniel Y Bargieri
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Bruno J Neves
- Laboratory of Cheminformatics, University Center of Anápolis/UniEVANGELICA, Anápolis, Brazil
| | - Fabio T M Costa
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
| | - Carolina Horta Andrade
- LabMol-Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil.,Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, Brazil
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7
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Lima MNN, Neves BJ, Cassiano GC, Gomes MN, Tomaz KCP, Ferreira LT, Tavella TA, Calit J, Bargieri DY, Muratov EN, Costa FTM, Andrade CH. Chalcones as a basis for computer-aided drug design: innovative approaches to tackle malaria. Future Med Chem 2019; 11:2635-2646. [PMID: 31556721 PMCID: PMC7333642 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2018-0255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: Computer-aided drug design approaches were applied to identify chalcones with antiplasmodial activity. Methodology: The virtual screening was performed as follows: structural standardization of in-house database of chalcones; identification of potential Plasmodium falciparum protein targets for the chalcones; homology modeling of the predicted P. falciparum targets; molecular docking studies; and in vitro experimental validation. Results: Using these models, we prioritized 16 chalcones with potential antiplasmodial activity, for further experimental evaluation. Among them, LabMol-86 and LabMol-87 showed potent in vitro antiplasmodial activity against P. falciparum, while LabMol-63 and LabMol-73 were potent inhibitors of Plasmodium berghei progression into mosquito stages. Conclusion: Our results encourage the exploration of chalcones in hit-to-lead optimization studies for tackling malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilia NN Lima
- LabMol, Laboratory for Molecular Modeling & Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Rua 240, Qd. 87, Goiânia, GO 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Bruno J Neves
- LabMol, Laboratory for Molecular Modeling & Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Rua 240, Qd. 87, Goiânia, GO 74605-170, Brazil
- Laboratory of Cheminformatics, University Center of Anápolis (UniEVANGÉLICA), Anápolis, GO 75083-515, Brazil
| | - Gustavo C Cassiano
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases, Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology & Immunology, Institute of Biology, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP 13083-970, Brazil
| | - Marcelo N Gomes
- LabMol, Laboratory for Molecular Modeling & Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Rua 240, Qd. 87, Goiânia, GO 74605-170, Brazil
- Metropolitan College of Anápolis, FAMA, Anápolis, GO 75064-780, Brazil
- InSiChem Drug Discovery, Anápolis, GO 75132-903, Brazil
| | - Kaira CP Tomaz
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases, Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology & Immunology, Institute of Biology, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP 13083-970, Brazil
| | - Leticia T Ferreira
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases, Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology & Immunology, Institute of Biology, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP 13083-970, Brazil
| | - Tatyana A Tavella
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases, Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology & Immunology, Institute of Biology, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP 13083-970, Brazil
| | - Juliana Calit
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daniel Y Bargieri
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Eugene N Muratov
- Laboratory for Molecular Modeling, Division of Chemical Biology & Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27955-7568, USA
- Department of Chemical Technology, Odessa National Polytechnic University, Odessa, 65000, Ukraine
| | - Fabio TM Costa
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases, Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology & Immunology, Institute of Biology, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP 13083-970, Brazil
| | - Carolina Horta Andrade
- LabMol, Laboratory for Molecular Modeling & Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Rua 240, Qd. 87, Goiânia, GO 74605-170, Brazil
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases, Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology & Immunology, Institute of Biology, UNICAMP, Campinas, SP 13083-970, Brazil
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8
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Bastos MF, Albrecht L, Gomes AM, Lopes SC, Vicente CP, de Almeida RP, Cassiano GC, Fonseca RJ, Werneck CC, Pavão MS, Costa FT. A new heparan sulfate from the mollusk Nodipecten nodosus inhibits merozoite invasion and disrupts rosetting and cytoadherence of Plasmodium falciparum. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2019; 114:e190088. [PMID: 31188952 PMCID: PMC6555591 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760190088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite treatment with effective antimalarial drugs, the mortality rate is
still high in severe cases of the disease, highlighting the need to find
adjunct therapies that can inhibit the adhesion of Plasmodium
falciparum-infected erythrocytes (Pf-iEs). OBJECTIVES In this context, we evaluated a new heparan sulfate (HS) from
Nodipecten nodosus for antimalarial activity and
inhibition of P. falciparum cytoadhesion and rosetting. METHODS Parasite inhibition was measured by SYBR green using a cytometer. HS was
assessed in rosetting and cytoadhesion assays under static and flow
conditions using Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and human lymphatic endothelial
cell (HLEC) cells expressing intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM1) and
chondroitin sulfate A (CSA), respectively. FINDINGS This HS inhibited merozoite invasion similar to heparin. Moreover, mollusk
HS decreased cytoadherence of P. falciparum to CSA and
ICAM-1 on the surface of endothelial cells under static and flow conditions.
In addition, this glycan efficiently disrupted rosettes. CONCLUSIONS These findings support a potential use for mollusk HS as adjunct therapy for
severe malaria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcele F Bastos
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Departamento de Genética, Evolução, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Laboratório de Doenças Tropicais, Campinas, SP, Brasil
| | - Letusa Albrecht
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Carlos Chagas, Curitiba, PR, Brasil
| | - Angélica M Gomes
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute, Department of Biomedical Engineering, Cleveland, OH, USA
| | - Stefanie Cp Lopes
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto Leônidas e Maria Deane, Manaus, AM, Brasil
| | - Cristina P Vicente
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Departamento de Biologia Estrutural e Funcional, Campinas, SP, Brasil
| | | | - Gustavo C Cassiano
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Departamento de Genética, Evolução, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Laboratório de Doenças Tropicais, Campinas, SP, Brasil
| | - Roberto Jc Fonseca
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Hospital Universitário Clementino Fraga Filho, Laboratório de Tecido Conjuntivo, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Claudio C Werneck
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Tecidual, Campinas, SP, Brasil
| | - Mauro Sg Pavão
- Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Programa de Glicobiologia, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil
| | - Fabio Tm Costa
- Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Departamento de Genética, Evolução, Microbiologia e Imunologia, Laboratório de Doenças Tropicais, Campinas, SP, Brasil
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9
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Bittencourt NC, Leite JA, Silva ABIE, Pimenta TS, Silva-Filho JL, Cassiano GC, Lopes SCP, Dos-Santos JCK, Bourgard C, Nakaya HI, da Silva Ventura AMR, Lacerda MVG, Ferreira MU, Machado RLD, Albrecht L, Costa FTM. Genetic sequence characterization and naturally acquired immune response to Plasmodium vivax Rhoptry Neck Protein 2 (PvRON2). Malar J 2018; 17:401. [PMID: 30382855 PMCID: PMC6208078 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-018-2543-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/22/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The genetic diversity of malaria antigens often results in allele variant-specific immunity, imposing a great challenge to vaccine development. Rhoptry Neck Protein 2 (PvRON2) is a blood-stage antigen that plays a key role during the erythrocyte invasion of Plasmodium vivax. This study investigates the genetic diversity of PvRON2 and the naturally acquired immune response to P. vivax isolates. Results Here, the genetic diversity of PvRON21828–2080 and the naturally acquired humoral immune response against PvRON21828–2080 in infected and non-infected individuals from a vivax malaria endemic area in Brazil was reported. The diversity analysis of PvRON21828–2080 revealed that the protein is conserved in isolates in Brazil and worldwide. A total of 18 (19%) patients had IgG antibodies to PvRON21828–2080. Additionally, the analysis of the antibody response in individuals who were not acutely infected with malaria, but had been infected with malaria in the past indicated that 32 patients (33%) exhibited an IgG immune response against PvRON2. Conclusions PvRON2 was conserved among the studied isolates. The presence of naturally acquired antibodies to this protein in the absence of the disease suggests that PvRON2 induces a long-term antibody response. These results indicate that PvRON2 is a potential malaria vaccine candidate. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s12936-018-2543-7) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Najara C Bittencourt
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Juliana A Leite
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Tamirys S Pimenta
- Laboratório de Ensaios Clínicos e Imunogenética em Malária, Instituto Evandro Chagas/SVS/MS, Ananindeua, PA, Brazil
| | - João Luiz Silva-Filho
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Gustavo C Cassiano
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Stefanie C P Lopes
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Manaus, AM, Brazil.,Fundação de Medicina Tropical-Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Joao C K Dos-Santos
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Catarina Bourgard
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Helder I Nakaya
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | - Marcus V G Lacerda
- Instituto Leônidas & Maria Deane, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Manaus, AM, Brazil.,Fundação de Medicina Tropical-Dr. Heitor Vieira Dourado, Manaus, AM, Brazil
| | - Marcelo U Ferreira
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo-USP, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Ricardo L D Machado
- Laboratório de Ensaios Clínicos e Imunogenética em Malária, Instituto Evandro Chagas/SVS/MS, Ananindeua, PA, Brazil
| | - Letusa Albrecht
- Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz - FIOCRUZ, Curitiba, PR, Brazil.
| | - Fabio T M Costa
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, University of Campinas-UNICAMP, Campinas, SP, Brazil.
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10
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Lima MNN, Melo-Filho CC, Cassiano GC, Neves BJ, Alves VM, Braga RC, Cravo PVL, Muratov EN, Calit J, Bargieri DY, Costa FTM, Andrade CH. QSAR-Driven Design and Discovery of Novel Compounds With Antiplasmodial and Transmission Blocking Activities. Front Pharmacol 2018; 9:146. [PMID: 29559909 PMCID: PMC5845645 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2018.00146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2017] [Accepted: 02/12/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is a life-threatening infectious disease caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium, affecting more than 200 million people worldwide every year and leading to about a half million deaths. Malaria parasites of humans have evolved resistance to all current antimalarial drugs, urging for the discovery of new effective compounds. Given that the inhibition of deoxyuridine triphosphatase of Plasmodium falciparum (PfdUTPase) induces wrong insertions in plasmodial DNA and consequently leading the parasite to death, this enzyme is considered an attractive antimalarial drug target. Using a combi-QSAR (quantitative structure-activity relationship) approach followed by virtual screening and in vitro experimental evaluation, we report herein the discovery of novel chemical scaffolds with in vitro potency against asexual blood stages of both P. falciparum multidrug-resistant and sensitive strains and against sporogonic development of P. berghei. We developed 2D- and 3D-QSAR models using a series of nucleosides reported in the literature as PfdUTPase inhibitors. The best models were combined in a consensus approach and used for virtual screening of the ChemBridge database, leading to the identification of five new virtual PfdUTPase inhibitors. Further in vitro testing on P. falciparum multidrug-resistant (W2) and sensitive (3D7) parasites showed that compounds LabMol-144 and LabMol-146 demonstrated fair activity against both strains and presented good selectivity versus mammalian cells. In addition, LabMol-144 showed good in vitro inhibition of P. berghei ookinete formation, demonstrating that hit-to-lead optimization based on this compound may also lead to new antimalarials with transmission blocking activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilia N N Lima
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Cleber C Melo-Filho
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Gustavo C Cassiano
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases - Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Bruno J Neves
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil.,Laboratory of Cheminformatics, PPG-SOMA, University Center of Anápolis/UniEVANGELICA, Anápolis, Brazil
| | - Vinicius M Alves
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Rodolpho C Braga
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - Pedro V L Cravo
- Global Health and Tropical Medicine Centre, Unidade de Parasitologia Médica, Instituto de Higiene e Medicina Tropical, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Eugene N Muratov
- Laboratory for Molecular Modeling, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, United States.,Department of Chemical Technology, Odessa National Polytechnic University, Odessa, Ukraine
| | - Juliana Calit
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Daniel Y Bargieri
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Fabio T M Costa
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases - Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Carolina H Andrade
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, Brazil.,Laboratory of Tropical Diseases - Prof. Dr. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil
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11
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Furini AAC, Capobianco MP, Storti-Melo LM, Cunha MG, Cassiano GC, Machado RLD. Cytokine gene polymorphisms are not associated with anti-PvDBP, anti-PvAMA-1 or anti-PvMSP-119 IgG antibody levels in a malaria-endemic area of the Brazilian Amazon. Malar J 2016; 15:374. [PMID: 27435973 PMCID: PMC4952271 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1414-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2016] [Accepted: 07/04/2016] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The immune response against Plasmodium vivax immunogenic epitopes is regulated by pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines that determine antibody levels and class switching. Cytokine gene polymorphisms may be responsible for changes in the humoral immune response against malaria. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether polymorphisms in the TNFA, IFNG and IL10 genes would alter the levels of anti-PvAMA1, PvDBP and -PvMSP-119 IgG antibodies in patients with vivax malaria. Methods Samples from 90 vivax malaria-infected and 51 uninfected subjects from an endemic area of the Brazilian Amazon were genotyped using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR–RFLP) to identify polymorphisms of the genes TNFA (−1031T > C, −308G > A, −238G > A), IFNG (+874T > A) and IL10 (−819C > T, −592C > A). The levels of total IgG against PvAMA1, PvDBP and PvMSP-119 were determined using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Associations between the polymorphisms and the antibody response were assessed by means of logistic regression models. Results No significant differences were found in the levels of IgG antibodies against the PvAMA-1, PvDBP or PvMSP-119 proteins in relation to the studied polymorphisms. Conclusions Although no associations were found among the evaluated genotypes and alleles and anti-merozoite IgG class P. vivax antibody levels, this study helps elucidate the immunogenic profile involved in the humoral immune response in malaria. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12936-016-1414-3) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adriana A C Furini
- Department of Dermatology, Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, São José do Rio Preto Medical School, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
| | - Marcela P Capobianco
- Department of Biology, São Paulo State University, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Luciane M Storti-Melo
- Laboratory of Molecular Genetics and Biotechnology, Department of Biology, Federal University of Sergipe, São Cristóvão, SE, Brazil
| | - Maristela G Cunha
- Laboratory of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará (Universidade Federal do Pará-UFPA), Belém, State of Pará (PA), Brazil
| | - Gustavo C Cassiano
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Department of Genetics, Evolution and Bioagents, Universidade de Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Luiz D Machado
- Department of Dermatology, Infectious and Parasitic Diseases, São José do Rio Preto Medical School, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.,Department of Biology, São Paulo State University, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.,Laboratory of Basic Research in Malaria, Section of Parasitology, Evandro Chagas Institute, Belém, PA, Brazil
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12
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Storti-Melo LM, Souza-Neiras WC, Cassiano GC, Taveira LC, Cordeiro AJ, Couto VSCA, Póvoa MM, Cunha MG, Echeverry DM, Rossit ARB, Arévalo-Herrera M, Herrera S, Machado RLD. Evaluation of the naturally acquired antibody immune response to the Pv200L N-terminal fragment of Plasmodium vivax merozoite surface protein-1 in four areas of the Amazon Region of Brazil. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2011; 84:58-63. [PMID: 21292879 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.2011.10-0044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
Frequency and levels of IgG antibodies to an N-terminal fragment of the Plasmodium vivax MSP-1 (Pv200L) protein, in individuals naturally exposed to malaria in four endemic areas of Brazil, were evaluated by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Plasma samples of 261 P. vivax-infected individuals from communities of Macapá, Novo Repartimento, Porto Velho, and Plácido de Castro in the Amazonian region with different malaria transmission intensities. A high mean number of studied individuals (89.3%) presented with antibodies to the Pv200L that correlated with the number of previous malaria infections; there were significant differences in the frequency of the responders (71.9-98.7) and in the antibody levels (1:200-1:51,200) among the four study areas. Results of this study provide evidence that Pv200L is a naturally immunogenic fragment of the PvMSP-1 and is associated with the degree of exposure to parasites. The fine specificity of antibodies to Pv200L is currently being assessed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luciane M Storti-Melo
- University of São Paulo State Júlio Mesquita Filho, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil.
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13
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Carvalho DB, de Mattos LC, Souza-Neiras WC, Bonini-Domingos CR, Cósimo AB, Storti-Melo LM, Cassiano GC, Couto AAA, Cordeiro AJ, Rossit ARB, Machado RLD. Frequency of ABO blood group system polymorphisms in Plasmodium falciparum malaria patients and blood donors from the Brazilian Amazon region. Genet Mol Res 2010; 9:1443-9. [PMID: 20677133 DOI: 10.4238/vol9-3gmr803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
We investigated the ABO genotypes and heterogeneity of the O alleles in Plasmodium falciparum-infected and non-infected individuals from the Brazilian Amazon region. Sample collection took place from May 2003 to August 2005, from P. falciparum malaria patients from four endemic regions of the Brazilian Amazon. The control group consisted of donors from four blood banks in the same areas. DNA was extracted using the Easy-DNA(TM) extraction kit. ABO genotyping was performed using PCR/RFLP. There was a high frequency of ABO*O01O01. ABO*AO01 was the second most frequent genotype, and the third most frequent genotype was ABO*BO01. There were low frequencies of the ABO*O01O02, ABO*AA, ABO*AB, ABO*BB, and ABO*O02O02 genotypes. We analyzed the alleles of the O phenotype; the O(1variant) allele was the most frequent, both in malaria and non-malaria groups; consequently, the homozygous genotype O(1)(v)O(1)(v) was the most frequently observed. There was no evidence of the homozygous O(2) allele. Significant differences were not detected in the frequency of individuals with the various alleles in the comparison of the malaria patients and the general population (blood donors).
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Affiliation(s)
- D B Carvalho
- Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brasil
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14
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Souza-Neiras WC, Storti-Melo LM, Cassiano GC, Couto VSCA, Couto AARA, Soares IS, Carvalho LH, Cunha MG, Póvoa MM, Herrera S, Herrera MA, Rossit ARM, Carareto CMA, Machado RLD. Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite genotypes: a limited variation or new subspecies with major biological consequences? Malar J 2010; 9:178. [PMID: 20573199 PMCID: PMC2908638 DOI: 10.1186/1475-2875-9-178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2009] [Accepted: 06/23/2010] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite variants have been identified in several geographical areas. The real implication of the genetic variation in this region of the P. vivax genome has been questioned for a long time. Although previous studies have observed significant association between VK210 and the Duffy blood group, we present here that evidences of this variation are limited to the CSP central portion. Methods The phylogenetic analyses were accomplished starting from the amplification of conserved domains of 18 SSU RNAr and Cyt B. The antibodies responses against the CSP peptides, MSP-1, AMA-1 and DBP were detected by ELISA, in plasma samples of individuals infected with two P. vivax CS genotypes: VK210 and P. vivax-like. Results These analyses of the two markers demonstrate high similarity among the P. vivax CS genotypes and surprisingly showed diversity equal to zero between VK210 and P. vivax-like, positioning these CS genotypes in the same clade. A high frequency IgG antibody against the N- and C-terminal regions of the P. vivax CSP was found as compared to the immune response to the R- and V- repetitive regions (p = 0.0005, Fisher's Exact test). This difference was more pronounced when the P. vivax-like variant was present in the infection (p = 0.003, Fisher's Exact test). A high frequency of antibody response against MSP-1 and AMA-1 peptides was observed for all P. vivax CS genotypes in comparison to the same frequency for DBP. Conclusions This results target that the differences among the P. vivax CS variants are restrict to the central repeated region of the protein, mostly nucleotide variation with important serological consequences.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wanessa C Souza-Neiras
- Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio Mesquita Filho, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo State, Brazil.
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15
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Storti-Melo LM, de Souza-Neiras WC, Cassiano GC, Joazeiro AC, Fontes CJ, Bonini-Domingos CR, D’Almeida Couto ÁA, Povoa MM, de Mattos LC, Cavasini CE, Rossit AR, Machado RL. Plasmodium vivax circumsporozoite variants and Duffy blood group genotypes in the Brazilian Amazon region. Trans R Soc Trop Med Hyg 2009; 103:672-8. [DOI: 10.1016/j.trstmh.2008.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2008] [Revised: 07/28/2008] [Accepted: 07/28/2008] [Indexed: 10/21/2022] Open
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