1
|
Ponomarev D, Lvova M, Mordvinov V, Chidunchi I, Dushkin A, Avgustinovich D. Anti-Opisthorchis felineus effects of artemisinin derivatives: An in vitro study. Acta Trop 2024; 254:107196. [PMID: 38521124 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107196] [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: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/25/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The drug of choice for the treatment of opisthorchiasis caused by trematodes Opisthorchis viverrini and O. felineus is praziquantel (PZQ), but there is a constant search for new anthelmintics, including those of plant origin. Positive results on the use of artemisinin derivatives against O. viverrini opisthorchiasis have been shown previously, but the effect of these compounds on O. felineus has not been studied. Therefore, here, a comparative analysis of anthelmintic properties of artemisinin derivatives (artesunate [AS], artemether [AM], and dihydroartemisinin [DHA]) was carried out in vitro in relation to PZQ. Experiments were performed on newly excysted metacercariae (NEMs) and adult flukes of O. felineus. RESULTS Dose- and time-dependent effects of artemisinin derivatives and of PZQ were assessed in terms of motility and mortality of both NEMs and adult flukes. The most pronounced anthelmintic action was exerted by DHA, whose half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) of 1.9 (NEMs) and 2.02 µg/mL (adult flukes) were lower than those of PZQ (0.56 and 0.25 µg/mL, respectively). In contrast to PZQ, the effects of DHA and AS were similar when we compared the two developmental stages of O. felineus (NEMs and adult flukes). In addition, AM, AS, and especially DHA at doses of 100 µg/mL disrupted tegument integrity in adult flukes, which was not observed with PZQ. CONCLUSIONS Artemisinin derivatives (AS, AM, and DHA) have good anthelmintic efficacy against the trematode O. felineus, and the action of these substances is comparable to (and sometimes better than) the effects of PZQ.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Denis Ponomarev
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (SB RAS), Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia.
| | - Maria Lvova
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (SB RAS), Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| | - Viatcheslav Mordvinov
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (SB RAS), Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| | - Irina Chidunchi
- Toraighyrov University, Lomov Str. 64, Pavlodar, 140000, Kazakhstan
| | - Alexander Dushkin
- Institute of Solid State Chemistry and Mechanochemistry, SB RAS, Kutateladze Str. 18, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| | - Damira Avgustinovich
- Institute of Cytology and Genetics, Siberian Branch of Russian Academy of Sciences (SB RAS), Prospekt Akad. Lavrentyeva 10, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia; Institute of Solid State Chemistry and Mechanochemistry, SB RAS, Kutateladze Str. 18, Novosibirsk, 630090, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Ciccone E, Bosco A, Pepe P, Nocerino M, Lattero N, Umhang G, AbdElkarim L, Lahmar S, Said Y, Saralli G, Piegari G, Alterisio MC, Baka R, Sotiraki S, Boué F, Rinaldi L. Baiting not-owned dogs against Echinococcus granulosus: innovative tools for integrated control. Parasitology 2024; 151:421-428. [PMID: 38576256 PMCID: PMC11044063 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182024000258] [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: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Cystic echinococcosis (CE), caused by the larval stage of the cestode Echinococcus granulosus, is one of the most widespread zoonoses in Mediterranean countries. Baiting not-owned dogs with praziquantel (PZQ), due to their key role in the maintaining the transmission of CE, currently appears to be the most effective way to limit the transmission of CE, as well as an important aspect to introduce for the control of this parasitic disease. Therefore, this study aims to test 3 types of PZQ-based baits by evaluating different parameters (integrity over time, attractiveness and palatability for dogs, and mechanical resistance after release to different altitudes) and the bait acceptance in field by target animals, i.e. not-owned dogs, by using camera traps. The double PZQ-laced baits (with a double layer of highly palatable chews) showed the greatest resistance in the environment while also preserving the attractiveness and palatability up to 10 days, also withstood heights of 25 m, thus resulting as the most suitable also for drone delivery. The results on the field showed that most of the baits were consumed by not-owned dogs (82.2%), while the remaining were consumed by wild boars (8.9%), foxes (6.7%), badgers (1.1%) and hedgehogs (1.1%), confirming the specific and high attractiveness of the double PZQ-laced baits for the target population and highlights how an anthelmintic baiting programme may be a viable tool for the management of E. granulosus among free-ranging dog populations in endemic rural areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elena Ciccone
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, CREMOPAR, 80137, Naples, Italy
- Regional Reference Center for Animal Health (CRESAN), Campania Region, Italy
| | - Antonio Bosco
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, CREMOPAR, 80137, Naples, Italy
- Regional Reference Center for Animal Health (CRESAN), Campania Region, Italy
| | - Paola Pepe
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, CREMOPAR, 80137, Naples, Italy
| | - Martina Nocerino
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, CREMOPAR, 80137, Naples, Italy
| | - Nicola Lattero
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, CREMOPAR, 80137, Naples, Italy
- Regional Reference Center for Animal Health (CRESAN), Campania Region, Italy
| | - Gerald Umhang
- ANSES, Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife Diseases, Technopôle agricole et vétérinaire, BP 40009, 54220 Malzéville, France
| | - Laatamna AbdElkarim
- Faculty of Nature and Life Sciences, Laboratory of Exploration and Valorization of Steppic Ecosystems, University of Djelfa, Moudjbara Road, BP 3117, Djelfa, Algeria
| | - Samia Lahmar
- Parasitology Laboratory, National School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Manouba, 2020 Sidi Thabet, Tunisia
| | - Yousra Said
- Parasitology Laboratory, National School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Manouba, 2020 Sidi Thabet, Tunisia
| | - Giorgio Saralli
- Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale of Lazio and Tuscany M. Aleandri, Via Appia Nuova, 00178 Rome, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Piegari
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, CREMOPAR, 80137, Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Alterisio
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, CREMOPAR, 80137, Naples, Italy
| | - Rania Baka
- Veterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization-Demeter, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Smaragda Sotiraki
- Veterinary Research Institute, Hellenic Agricultural Organization-Demeter, 57001 Thessaloniki, Greece
| | - Franck Boué
- ANSES, Nancy Laboratory for Rabies and Wildlife Diseases, Technopôle agricole et vétérinaire, BP 40009, 54220 Malzéville, France
| | - Laura Rinaldi
- Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Production, University of Naples Federico II, CREMOPAR, 80137, Naples, Italy
- Regional Reference Center for Animal Health (CRESAN), Campania Region, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Reis LFCD, Cerdeira CD, Silva LCC, Ramos ABSB, Silva JEC, Castro AP, Ventura RR, Souza RLM, Marques MJ, Novaes RD. Dietary glycemic and energy load differentially modulates Schistosoma mansoni-induced granulomatous inflammation and response to antiparasitic chemotherapy. Acta Trop 2024; 252:107141. [PMID: 38342286 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2024.107141] [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: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 12/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/13/2024]
Abstract
The impact of diet composition and energy content on schistosomiasis evolution and treatment efficacy is still controversial. This study compared the impact of sucrose-rich diet and intermittent fasting on Schistosoma mansoni infection and praziquantel (PZQ)-based chemotherapy response in mice. BALB/c mice were infected with S. mansoni and followed for 15 weeks. The animals were randomized into nine groups receiving high glycemic load (high-sucrose diet - HSD), low caloric load (standard chow alternate-day fasting - ADF), and standard chow ad libitum (AL). Eight weeks after S. mansoni infection, these groups remained untreated or were treated with PZQ (300 mg/kg/day) for 3 days. Our results indicated that parasite load (S. mansoni eggs and parasite DNA levels), granulomatous inflammation (granulomas number and size), and liver microstructural damage (reduction in hepatocytes number, increase in nucleus-cytoplasm ratio, connective stroma expansion and fibrosis) were increased in ADF-treated animals. These animals also showed decreased eggs retention, granulomatous inflammation and collagen accumulation in the small intestine. Conversely, HSD diet and PZQ treatment attenuated all these parameters and stimulated hepatic regenerative response. PZQ also stimulated fibrosis resolution in HSD-treated mice, effect that was limited ADF-exposed mice. Our findings indicate that dietary glycemic and energy load can modulate schistosomiasis progression and the severity of hepatic and intestinal granulomatous inflammation in untreated and PZQ-treated mice. Thus, lower intestinal eggs retention may potentially be linked to worsening liver disease in ADF, while attenuation of hepatic and intestinal granulomatous inflammation is consistent with reduced parasite load in HSD- and PZQ-treated animals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luis F C Dos Reis
- Instituto d e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais 37130-001, Brazil
| | - Cláudio D Cerdeira
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, 37130-001, Brazil
| | - Laís C C Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas Minas Gerais, 37130-001, Brazil
| | - Amanda B S B Ramos
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas Minas Gerais, 37130-001, Brazil
| | - José Edson C Silva
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais 37130-001, Brazil
| | - Aline P Castro
- Instituto d e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais 37130-001, Brazil
| | - Renato R Ventura
- Instituto d e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais 37130-001, Brazil
| | - Raquel L M Souza
- Instituto d e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais 37130-001, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais 37130-001, Brazil
| | - Marcos J Marques
- Instituto d e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais 37130-001, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas Minas Gerais, 37130-001, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais 37130-001, Brazil
| | - Rômulo D Novaes
- Instituto d e Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais 37130-001, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Alfenas, Alfenas, Minas Gerais 37130-001, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Chevalier FD, Le Clec’h W, Berriman M, Anderson TJ. A single locus determines praziquantel response in Schistosoma mansoni. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024; 68:e0143223. [PMID: 38289079 PMCID: PMC10916369 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01432-23] [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: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/13/2024] Open
Abstract
We previously performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) to identify the genetic basis of praziquantel (PZQ) response in schistosomes, identifying two quantitative trait loci situated on chromosomes 2 and 3. We reanalyzed this GWAS using the latest (version 10) genome assembly showing that a single locus on chromosome 3, rather than two independent loci, determines drug response. These results reveal that PZQ response is monogenic and demonstrates the importance of high-quality genomic information.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric D. Chevalier
- Host-Pathogen Interactions Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Winka Le Clec’h
- Host-Pathogen Interactions Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Matthew Berriman
- School of Infection and Immunity, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Timothy J.C. Anderson
- Disease Intervention and Prevention Program, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Hasby Saad MA, El-Saadi EG, Ali DA, Watany MM, Eid MM. Potential i-Nos/Arg-1 Switch with NLRP3 and Parasitic Load Down Regulation in Experimental Schistosoma mansoni Infection via Chloroquine Repurposing. Parasite Immunol 2024; 46:e13030. [PMID: 38498004 DOI: 10.1111/pim.13030] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
In previous studies, the inhibitory effect of chloroquine on NLRP3 inflammasome and heme production was documented. This may be employed as a double-bladed sword in schistosomiasis (anti-inflammatory and parasiticidal). In this study, chloroquine's impact on schistosomiasis mansoni was investigated. The parasitic load (worm/egg counts and reproductive capacity index [RCI]), i-Nos/Arg-1 expression, splenomegaly, hepatic insult and NLRP3-immunohistochemical expression were assessed in infected mice after receiving early and late repeated doses of chloroquine alone or dually with praziquantel. By early treatment, the least RCI was reported in dually treated mice (41.48 ± 28.58) with a significant reduction in worm/egg counts (3.50 ± 1.29/2550 ± 479.58), compared with either drug alone. A marked reduction in the splenic index was achieved by prolonged chloroquine administration (alone: 43.15 ± 5.67, dually: 36.03 ± 5.27), with significantly less fibrosis (15 ± 3.37, 14.25 ± 2.22) than after praziquantel alone (20.5 ± 2.65). Regarding inflammation, despite the praziquantel-induced significant decrease in NLRP3 expression, the inhibitory effect was marked after dual and chloroquine administration (liver: 3.13 ± 1.21/3.45 ± 1.23, spleen: 5.7 ± 1.6/4.63 ± 2.41). i-Nos RNA peaked with early/late chloroquine administration (liver: 68.53 ± 1.8/57.78 ± 7.14, spleen: 63.22 ± 2.06/62.5 ± 3.05). High i-Nos echoed with a parasiticidal and hepatoprotective effect and may indicate macrophage-1 polarisation. On the flip side, the chloroquine-induced low Arg-1 seemed to abate immune tolerance and probably macrophage-2 polarisation. Collectively, chloroquine synergised the praziquantel-schistosomicidal effect and minimised tissue inflammation, splenomegaly and hepatic fibrosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marwa A Hasby Saad
- Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Esraa G El-Saadi
- Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Dareen A Ali
- Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Mona M Watany
- Clinical Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| | - Mohammed M Eid
- Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Tanta University, Tanta, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Gimmelli R, Papoff G, Saccoccia F, Lalli C, Gemma S, Campiani G, Ruberti G. Effects of structurally distinct human HDAC6 and HDAC6/HDAC8 inhibitors against S. mansoni larval and adult worm stages. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011992. [PMID: 38416775 PMCID: PMC10927086 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a major neglected parasitic disease that affects more than 240 million people worldwide caused by Platyhelminthes of the genus Schistosoma. The treatment of schistosomiasis relies on the long-term application of a single safe drug, praziquantel (PZQ). Unfortunately, PZQ is very effective on adult parasites and poorly on larval stage and immature juvenile worms; this can partially explain the re-infection in endemic areas where patients are likely to host parasites at different developmental stages concurrently. Moreover, the risk of development of drug resistance because of the widespread use of a single drug in a large population is nowadays a serious threat. Hence, research aimed at identifying novel drugs to be used alone or in combination with PZQ is needed. Schistosomes display morphologically distinct stages during their life cycle and epigenetic mechanisms are known to play important roles in parasite growth, survival, and development. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes, particularly HDAC8, are considered valuable for therapeutic intervention for the treatment of schistosomiasis. Herein, we report the phenotypic screening on both larvae and adult Schistosoma mansoni stages of structurally different HDAC inhibitors selected from the in-house Siena library. All molecules have previously shown inhibition profiles on human HDAC6 and/or HDAC8 enzymes. Among them we identified a quinolone-based HDAC inhibitor, NF2839, that impacts larval and adult parasites as well as egg viability and maturation in vitro. Importantly, this quinolone-based compound also increases histone and tubulin acetylation in S. mansoni parasites, thus representing a leading candidate for the development of new generation anti-Schistosoma chemotherapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Gimmelli
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council (IBBC-CNR), Adriano Buzzati-Traverso Campus, Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
- Dipartimento di Scienze Biochimiche "A. Rossi Fanelli", Sapienza Università di Roma, Roma, Italy
| | - Giuliana Papoff
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council (IBBC-CNR), Adriano Buzzati-Traverso Campus, Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
| | - Fulvio Saccoccia
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council (IBBC-CNR), Adriano Buzzati-Traverso Campus, Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
| | - Cristiana Lalli
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council (IBBC-CNR), Adriano Buzzati-Traverso Campus, Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
| | - Sandra Gemma
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Campiani
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Giovina Ruberti
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council (IBBC-CNR), Adriano Buzzati-Traverso Campus, Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Marchant JS. Progress interrogating TRPMPZQ as the target of praziquantel. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2024; 18:e0011929. [PMID: 38358948 PMCID: PMC10868838 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0011929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
The drug praziquantel (PZQ) has served as the long-standing drug therapy for treatment of infections caused by parasitic flatworms. These encompass diseases caused by parasitic blood, lung, and liver flukes, as well as various tapeworm infections. Despite a history of clinical usage spanning over 4 decades, the parasite target of PZQ has long resisted identification. However, a flatworm transient receptor potential ion channel from the melastatin subfamily (TRPMPZQ) was recently identified as a target for PZQ action. Here, recent experimental progress interrogating TRPMPZQ is evaluated, encompassing biochemical, pharmacological, genetic, and comparative phylogenetic data that highlight the properties of this ion channel. Various lines of evidence that support TRPMPZQ being the therapeutic target of PZQ are presented, together with additional priorities for further research into the mechanism of action of this important clinical drug.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan S. Marchant
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Lalaye D, de Jong TPVM. Assessing the Effects of One-Time Praziquantel Treatment on Urogenital Lesions Detected by Ultrasound in Schistosoma haematobium-Infected Individuals in Chad. Am J Trop Med Hyg 2024; 110:98-102. [PMID: 38081052 DOI: 10.4269/ajtmh.23-0538] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024] Open
Abstract
The objective was to determine the impact of a single dose of praziquantel on urogenital lesions caused by Schistosoma haematobium. Ultrasound (US) was performed on three age groups of subjects with a positive test for hematuria, with the first examination performed in November 2017 and a follow-up visit 7 months later. None of the subjects had previously received treatment. The participants were categorized into three distinct age groups: group 1 = 1-15 years, group 2 = 15-30 years, and group 3 = ≥ 30 years. A total of 250 people from these three groups underwent screening: 99 in group 1, 90 in group 2, and 61 in group 3, among whom 131 (52.4%) had at least one detectable lesion of the urogenital tract on US. Follow-up US after 7 months was possible in 60%, 67%, and 77% of the respective groups (with lesions). The anomalies disappeared in 80% of individuals in group 1, 76% of those in group 2, and 65% in group 3. With the exception of calcifications, most visible anomalies had been resolved. The total number of anomalies is low. Severe obstructive uropathy was not detected. We can conclude that single treatment with praziquantel is able to cure visible anomalies, with the exception of calcifications. The low rate of anomalies, compared with levels in the literature, is speculated to be due to undetected death by obstructive uropathy caused by S. haematobium. This requires further investigation.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Didier Lalaye
- Julius Global Health Center, University Medical Center Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - Tom P V M de Jong
- Department of Urology, University Children's Hospitals UMC Utrecht, Utrecht, The Netherlands
- Department of Urology, Amsterdam UMC, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Park SK, Sprague DJ, Rohr CM, Chulkov EG, Petrow I, Kumar S, Marchant JS. The anthelmintic meclonazepam activates a schistosome transient receptor potential channel. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105528. [PMID: 38043794 PMCID: PMC10788528 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105528] [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: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitic flatworms cause various clinical and veterinary infections that impart a huge burden worldwide. The most clinically impactful infection is schistosomiasis, a neglected tropical disease caused by parasitic blood flukes. Schistosomiasis is treated with praziquantel (PZQ), an old drug introduced over 40 years ago. New drugs are urgently needed, as while PZQ is broadly effective it suffers from several limitations including poor efficacy against juvenile worms, which may prevent it from being completely curative. An old compound that retains efficacy against juvenile worms is the benzodiazepine meclonazepam (MCLZ). However, host side effects caused by benzodiazepines preclude development of MCLZ as a drug and MCLZ lacks an identified parasite target to catalyze rational drug design for engineering out human host activity. Here, we identify a transient receptor potential ion channel of the melastatin subfamily, named TRPMMCLZ, as a parasite target of MCLZ. MCLZ potently activates Schistosoma mansoni TRPMMCLZ through engagement of a binding pocket within the voltage-sensor-like domain of the ion channel to cause worm paralysis, tissue depolarization, and surface damage. TRPMMCLZ reproduces all known features of MCLZ action on schistosomes, including a lower activity versus Schistosoma japonicum, which is explained by a polymorphism within this voltage-sensor-like domain-binding pocket. TRPMMCLZ is distinct from the TRP channel targeted by PZQ (TRPMPZQ), with both anthelmintic chemotypes targeting unique parasite TRPM paralogs. This advances TRPMMCLZ as a novel druggable target that could circumvent any target-based resistance emerging in response to current mass drug administration campaigns centered on PZQ.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sang-Kyu Park
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Daniel J Sprague
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Program in Chemical Biology, Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Claudia M Rohr
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Evgeny G Chulkov
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Ian Petrow
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Sushil Kumar
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jonathan S Marchant
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Abedi S, Tabari MA, Youssefi MR. Pivotal role of permeability-glycoprotein in absorption of praziquantel into Dicrocoelium dendriticum parasite. Parasitol Res 2023; 123:12. [PMID: 38057607 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-08039-3] [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: 08/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Dicrocoelium dendriticum affects the livers of ruminants and causes several deleterious effects on animal health status. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of permeability-glycoprotein (P-gp) in absorption of praziquantel (PZQ) into D. dendriticum flukes by co-incubation with verapamil (VPL), an inhibitor of P-gp, under in vitro conditions. Mature flukes of D. dendriticum were collected from naturally infected sheep livers. The flukes were incubated with different concentrations of PZQ and VPL (50 and 100 μg/ml) in culture media and after several times of exposure (2, 6, 12, and 24 h), the concentration of PZQ absorbed in the parasites was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography. At 2-h post-incubation, the highest concentration of PZQ was noted as 0.92 µg/ml in the flukes treated with 100 μg/ml of each PZQ and VPL. After 24-h of exposure, VPL at all tested concentrations resulted in significant increase in absorption of PZQ into the parasite. Co-incubation of lancet flukes with VPL and PZQ roughly doubled the absorption of PZQ into them. Results of tegumental structures analysis by light microscopy confirmed higher efficacy of combination of VPL and PZQ. In conclusion, co-administration of VPL, especially at the concentration of 100 μg/ml, was able to increase PZQ uptake in Dicrocoelium flukes at all time points of the study.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Soodeh Abedi
- Student Research Committee, Babol Branch, Islamic Azad University, Babol, Iran
| | | | - Mohammad Reza Youssefi
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Babol Branch, Islamic Azad University, Babol, Iran.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Rigos G, Glaropoulos A, Tzokas K, Gourzioti E, Kogiannou D, Golomazou E. A field evaluation of orally administered praziquantel against the gill fluke Sparicotyle chrysophrii infecting gilthead seabream (Sparus aurata). J Fish Dis 2023; 46:1439-1443. [PMID: 37650418 DOI: 10.1111/jfd.13854] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- George Rigos
- Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Anavyssos, Greece
| | | | | | - Evgenia Gourzioti
- Laboratory of Ichthyology and Fish diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
- Department of Aquaculture and Fish Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, School of Health Sciences, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
| | - Dimitra Kogiannou
- Institute of Marine Biology, Biotechnology and Aquaculture, Hellenic Centre for Marine Research, Anavyssos, Greece
| | - Eleni Golomazou
- Department of Ichthyology and Aquatic Environment - Aquaculture Laboratory, School of Agricultural Sciences, University of Thessaly, Volos, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Koopman JPR, Houlder EL, Janse JJ, Casacuberta-Partal M, Lamers OAC, Sijtsma JC, de Dood C, Hilt ST, Ozir-Fazalalikhan A, Kuiper VP, Roozen GVT, de Bes-Roeleveld LM, Kruize YCM, Wammes LJ, Smits HH, van Lieshout L, van Dam GJ, van Amerongen-Westra IM, Meij P, Corstjens PLAM, Jochems SP, van Diepen A, Yazdanbakhsh M, Hokke CH, Roestenberg M. Safety and infectivity of female cercariae in Schistosoma-naïve, healthy participants: a controlled human Schistosoma mansoni infection study. EBioMedicine 2023; 97:104832. [PMID: 37837930 PMCID: PMC10585222 DOI: 10.1016/j.ebiom.2023.104832] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/16/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND A controlled human infection model for schistosomiasis (CHI-S) can speed up vaccine development and provides insight into early immune responses following schistosome exposure. Recently, we established CHI-S model using single-sex male-only Schistosoma mansoni (Sm) cercariae in Schistosoma-naïve individuals. Given important differences in antigenic profile and human immune responses to schistosomes of different sex, we pioneered a single-sex female-only CHI-S model for future use in vaccine development. METHODS We exposed 13 healthy, Schistosoma-naïve adult participants to 10 (n = 3) or 20 (n = 10) female cercariae and followed for 20 weeks, receiving treatment with praziquantel (PZQ) 60 mg/kg at week 8 and 12 after exposure. FINDINGS The majority (11/13) participants reported rash and/or itch at the site of exposure, 5/13 had transient symptoms of acute schistosomiasis. Exposure to 20 cercariae led to detectable infection, defined as serum circulating anodic antigen levels >1.0 pg/mL, in 6/10 participants. Despite two rounds of PZQ treatment, 4/13 participants showed signs of persistent infection. Additional one- or three-day PZQ treatment (1 × 60 mg/kg and 3 × 60 mg/kg) or artemether did not result in cure, but over time three participants self-cured. Antibody, cellular, and cytokine responses peaked at week 4 post infection, with a mixed Th1, Th2, and regulatory profile. Cellular responses were (most) discriminative for symptoms. INTERPRETATION Female-only infections exhibit similar clinical and immunological profiles as male-only infections but are more resistant to PZQ treatment. This limits future use of this model and may have important implications for disease control programs. FUNDING European Union's Horizon 2020 (grant no. 81564).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jan Pieter R Koopman
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Emma L Houlder
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Jacqueline J Janse
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Miriam Casacuberta-Partal
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Olivia A C Lamers
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Jeroen C Sijtsma
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Claudia de Dood
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Stan T Hilt
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands; Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Arifa Ozir-Fazalalikhan
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Vincent P Kuiper
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Geert V T Roozen
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Laura M de Bes-Roeleveld
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Yvonne C M Kruize
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Linda J Wammes
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Hermelijn H Smits
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Lisette van Lieshout
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Govert J van Dam
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Inge M van Amerongen-Westra
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Pauline Meij
- Center for Cell and Gene Therapy, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Paul L A M Corstjens
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Simon P Jochems
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Angela van Diepen
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Maria Yazdanbakhsh
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Cornelis H Hokke
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Meta Roestenberg
- Leiden University Center for Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA, Leiden, the Netherlands.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Anwar FS, Abdel-Malek AR, Salem SH, Farouk M, Ali MF, Abdelrady YA, Sayed AM. In vitro and In silico assessment of antischistosomal activities of ethanolic extract of Cornulacamonacantha. Exp Parasitol 2023; 254:108631. [PMID: 37820894 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2023.108631] [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: 07/08/2023] [Revised: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/08/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is the second most prevailing parasitic disease worldwide. Although praziquantel is considered an effective drug in the treatment against schistosomiasis to some extent, there is an emerging drug resistance that widely recorded. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop effective and safe anti-schistosomal drugs. In this study, Cornulaca monacantha (C. monacantha), a sub-saharan plant, was extracted using aqueous ethanol and characterized by High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). Major constituents of the extract are belonging to flavonoids, tannins and phenolic glycosides. Worms' viability and surface morphology of Schistosoma mansoni (S. mansoni) adult worms treated with the extract were assessed using in vitro viability assay, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and histological examination. The extract (80-350 μg/ml) reduced viability percentage of worms by 40-60% and caused degeneration of both oral and ventral suckers, tegumental, sub-tegumental and muscular damage. Molecular docking approach was utilized to assess the binding affinities of the extracted compounds with S. mansoni alpha-carbonic anhydrase (SmCA), an essential tegument protein. Pharmacokinetic analysis using SwissADME showed that 7 compounds have high drug similarity. This study confirms the in vitro schistomicidal activity of C. monacantha extract against S. mansoni adult worms and suggests potential SmCA inhibition.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- FatmaA S Anwar
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, 71516, Egypt
| | | | - Shimaa H Salem
- Botany and Microbiology Department, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, 71516, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Farouk
- Department of Tropical Medicine and Gastroenterology, Faculty of Medicine, New Valley University, 72511, Egypt
| | - Marwa F Ali
- Department of Pathology and Clinical Pathology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Assiut University, Egypt
| | - Yousef A Abdelrady
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut, 71526, Egypt; University of Hamburg, Institute of Pharmacy, 20146, Germany
| | - Ahmed M Sayed
- Biochemistry Laboratory, Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, 71516, Egypt.
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Ma R, Liu Q, Liu Z, Sun X, Jiang X, Hou J, Zhang Y, Wu Y, Cheng M, Dong Z. H19/Mir-130b-3p/Cyp4a14 potentiate the effect of praziquantel on liver in the treatment of Schistosoma japonicum infection. Acta Trop 2023; 247:107012. [PMID: 37659685 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2023.107012] [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: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schistosomiasis is a prevalent infectious disease caused by the parasitic trematodes of the genus Schistosoma. Praziquantel (PZQ), a safe and affordable drug, is the recommended oral treatment for schistosomiasis. The main pathologic manifestation of schistosomiasis is liver injury. However, the role and interactions of various RNA molecules in the effect of PZQ on the liver after S. japonicum infection have not been elucidated. RESULTS In this study, C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into the control group, infection group, and PZQ treatment group. Total RNA was extracted from the livers of the mice. High-throughput whole transcriptome sequencing was performed to detect the RNA expression profiles in the three groups. A co-expression gene-interaction network was established based on the significant differentially expressed genes in the PZQ treatment group; messenger RNA (mRNA) Cyp4a14 was identified as a critical hub gene. Furthermore, competitive endogenous RNA networks were constructed by predicting the specific binding relations between mRNA and long noncoding (lnc) RNA and between lncRNA and microRNA (miRNA) of Cyp4a14, suggesting the involvement of the H19/miR-130b-3p/Cyp4a14 regulatory axis. Dual luciferase reporter assay result proved the specific binding of miR-130b-3p with Cyp4a14 3'UTR. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate the involvement of the H19/miR-130b-3p/Cyp4a14 axis in the effect of PZQ on the liver after S. japonicum infection. Moreover, the expression of mRNA Cyp4a14 could be regulated by the bonding of miR-130b-3p with 3'UTR of Cyp4a14. The findings of this study could provide a novel perspective to understand the host response to PZQ against S. japonicum in the future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rui Ma
- Department of Health and Disease Management, School of Nursing, Binzhou Medical University, Guanhai Road 346, Yantai, Shandong, 264000, China
| | - Qiang Liu
- Department of Anesthesia, Binzhou Medical University Hospital, Binzhou, Shandong, 256600, China
| | - Zimo Liu
- Electrocardiogram Room, Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Yantai, Shandong, 264000, China
| | - Xu Sun
- Department of Health and Disease Management, School of Nursing, Binzhou Medical University, Guanhai Road 346, Yantai, Shandong, 264000, China
| | - Xinze Jiang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Binzhou Medical University, Guanhai Road 346, Yantai, Shandong, 264000, China
| | - Jiangshan Hou
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Binzhou Medical University, Guanhai Road 346, Yantai, Shandong, 264000, China
| | - Yumei Zhang
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Binzhou Medical University, Guanhai Road 346, Yantai, Shandong, 264000, China
| | - Yulong Wu
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Binzhou Medical University, Guanhai Road 346, Yantai, Shandong, 264000, China.
| | - Mei Cheng
- Department of Health and Disease Management, School of Nursing, Binzhou Medical University, Guanhai Road 346, Yantai, Shandong, 264000, China.
| | - Zhouyan Dong
- Department of Pathogenic Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Binzhou Medical University, Guanhai Road 346, Yantai, Shandong, 264000, China.
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Takeuchi T, Nakamura R, Hamasaki M, Oyama M, Hamano S, Hatanaka T. In vitro evaluation of the effect of galectins on Schistosoma mansoni motility. BMC Res Notes 2023; 16:266. [PMID: 37817269 PMCID: PMC10566010 DOI: 10.1186/s13104-023-06530-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Galectins are sugar-binding proteins that participate in many biological processes, such as immunity, by regulating host immune cells and their direct interaction with pathogens. They are involved in mediating infection by Schistosoma mansoni, a parasitic trematode that causes schistosomiasis. However, their direct effects on schistosomes have not been investigated. RESULTS We found that galectin-2 recognizes S. mansoni glycoconjugates and investigated whether galectin-1, 2, and 3 can directly affect S. mansoni in vitro. Adult S. mansoni were treated with recombinant galectin-1, 2, and 3 proteins or praziquantel, a positive control. Treatment with galectin-1, 2, and 3 had no significant effect on S. mansoni motility, and no other differences were observed under a stereoscopic microscope. Hence, galectin-1, 2, and 3 may have a little direct effect on S. mansoni. However, they might play a role in the infection in vivo via the modulation of the host immune response or secretory molecules from S. mansoni. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the direct effect of galectins on S. mansoni and helps in understanding the roles of galectins in S. mansoni infection in vivo.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tomoharu Takeuchi
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Josai University, 1-1 Keyakidai, Sakado, Saitama, 350-0295, Japan.
| | - Risa Nakamura
- Department of Parasitology, Nagasaki University, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
- The Joint Usage/Research Center on Tropical Disease, Nagasaki University, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
- Leading Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
| | - Megumi Hamasaki
- Department of Parasitology, Nagasaki University, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
- The Joint Usage/Research Center on Tropical Disease, Nagasaki University, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
| | - Midori Oyama
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Josai University, 1-1 Keyakidai, Sakado, Saitama, 350-0295, Japan
| | - Shinjiro Hamano
- Department of Parasitology, Nagasaki University, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
- The Joint Usage/Research Center on Tropical Disease, Nagasaki University, Institute of Tropical Medicine (NEKKEN), 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
- Leading Program, Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Nagasaki University, 1-12-4 Sakamoto, Nagasaki, Nagasaki, 852-8523, Japan
| | - Tomomi Hatanaka
- Laboratory of Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Josai University, 1-1 Keyakidai, Sakado, Saitama, 350-0295, Japan
- School of Medicine, Tokai University, 143 Shimokasuya, Isehara, Kanagawa, 259-1193, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Azevedo CM, Meira CS, da Silva JW, Moura DMN, de Oliveira SA, da Costa CJ, Santos EDS, Soares MBP. Therapeutic Potential of Natural Products in the Treatment of Schistosomiasis. Molecules 2023; 28:6807. [PMID: 37836650 PMCID: PMC10574020 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28196807] [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: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
It is estimated that 250 million people worldwide are affected by schistosomiasis. Disease transmission is related to the poor sanitation and hygiene habits that affect residents of impoverished regions in tropical and subtropical countries. The main species responsible for causing disease in humans are Schistosoma Mansoni, S. japonicum, and S. haematobium, each with different geographic distributions. Praziquantel is the drug predominantly used to treat this disease, which offers low effectiveness against immature and juvenile parasite forms. In addition, reports of drug resistance prompt the development of novel therapeutic approaches. Natural products represent an important source of new compounds, especially those obtained from plant sources. This review compiles data from several in vitro and in vivo studies evaluating various compounds and essential oils derived from plants with cercaricidal and molluscicidal activities against both juvenile and adult forms of the parasite. Finally, this review provides an important discussion on recent advances in molecular and computational tools deemed fundamental for more rapid and effective screening of new compounds, allowing for the optimization of time and resources.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Carine Machado Azevedo
- Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IGM-FIOCRUZ/BA), Salvador 40296-710, Brazil; (C.M.A.); (C.S.M.)
| | - Cássio Santana Meira
- Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IGM-FIOCRUZ/BA), Salvador 40296-710, Brazil; (C.M.A.); (C.S.M.)
- SENAI Institute of Innovation in Health Advanced Systems (CIMATEC ISI SAS), University Center SENAI/CIMATEC, Salvador 41650-010, Brazil; (J.W.d.S.); (E.d.S.S.)
| | - Jaqueline Wang da Silva
- SENAI Institute of Innovation in Health Advanced Systems (CIMATEC ISI SAS), University Center SENAI/CIMATEC, Salvador 41650-010, Brazil; (J.W.d.S.); (E.d.S.S.)
| | - Danielle Maria Nascimento Moura
- Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IAM-FIOCRUZ/PE), Recife 50740-465, Brazil; (D.M.N.M.); (S.A.d.O.); (C.J.d.C.)
| | - Sheilla Andrade de Oliveira
- Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IAM-FIOCRUZ/PE), Recife 50740-465, Brazil; (D.M.N.M.); (S.A.d.O.); (C.J.d.C.)
| | - Cícero Jádson da Costa
- Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IAM-FIOCRUZ/PE), Recife 50740-465, Brazil; (D.M.N.M.); (S.A.d.O.); (C.J.d.C.)
| | - Emanuelle de Souza Santos
- SENAI Institute of Innovation in Health Advanced Systems (CIMATEC ISI SAS), University Center SENAI/CIMATEC, Salvador 41650-010, Brazil; (J.W.d.S.); (E.d.S.S.)
| | - Milena Botelho Pereira Soares
- Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IGM-FIOCRUZ/BA), Salvador 40296-710, Brazil; (C.M.A.); (C.S.M.)
- SENAI Institute of Innovation in Health Advanced Systems (CIMATEC ISI SAS), University Center SENAI/CIMATEC, Salvador 41650-010, Brazil; (J.W.d.S.); (E.d.S.S.)
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
D'Abbrunzo I, Bianco E, Gigli L, Demitri N, Birolo R, Chierotti MR, Škorić I, Keiser J, Häberli C, Voinovich D, Hasa D, Perissutti B. Praziquantel meets Niclosamide: A dual-drug Antiparasitic Cocrystal. Int J Pharm 2023; 644:123315. [PMID: 37579827 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 07/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023]
Abstract
In this paper we report a successful example of combining drugs through cocrystallization. Specifically, the novel solid is formed by two anthelminthic drugs, namely praziquantel (PZQ) and niclosamide (NCM) in a 1:3 molar ratio, and it can be obtained through a sustainable one-step mechanochemical process in the presence of micromolar amounts of methanol. The novel solid phase crystallizes in the monoclinic space group of P21/c, showing one PZQ and three NCM molecules linked through homo- and heteromolecular hydrogen bonds in the asymmetric unit, as also attested by SSNMR and FT-IR results. A plate-like habitus is evident from scanning electron microscopy analysis with a melting point of 202.89 °C, which is intermediate to those of the parent compounds. The supramolecular interactions confer favorable properties to the cocrystal, preventing NCM transformation into the insoluble monohydrate both in the solid state and in aqueous solution. Remarkably, the PZQ - NCM cocrystal exhibits higher anthelmintic activity against in vitro S. mansoni models than corresponding physical mixture of the APIs. Finally, due to in vitro promising results, in vivo preliminary tests on mice were also performed through the administration of minicapsules size M.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilenia D'Abbrunzo
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, P.le Europa 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy.
| | - Emma Bianco
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, P.le Europa 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Lara Gigli
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, S.S. 14 Km 163.5 in Area Science Park, Basovizza-Trieste, Italy.
| | - Nicola Demitri
- Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste, S.S. 14 Km 163.5 in Area Science Park, Basovizza-Trieste, Italy.
| | - Rebecca Birolo
- Department of Chemistry and NIS Centre, University of Torino, V. Giuria 7, 10125 Torino, Italy
| | - Michele R Chierotti
- Department of Chemistry and NIS Centre, University of Torino, V. Giuria 7, 10125 Torino, Italy.
| | - Irena Škorić
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology, University of Zagreb, Marulićev trg 19, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Jennifer Keiser
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel 4000, Switzerland
| | - Cécile Häberli
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4123 Allschwil, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel 4000, Switzerland
| | - Dario Voinovich
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, P.le Europa 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy
| | - Dritan Hasa
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, P.le Europa 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy.
| | - Beatrice Perissutti
- Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, P.le Europa 1, 34127 Trieste, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Friedrich L, Park SK, Ballard P, Ho Baeurle TH, Maillard D, Bödding M, Keiser J, Marchant JS, Spangenberg T. Metabolism of (R)-Praziquantel versus the Activation of a Parasite Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin Ion Channel. ChemMedChem 2023; 18:e202300140. [PMID: 37272317 PMCID: PMC10530395 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202300140] [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: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Praziquantel (PZQ) is an essential anthelmintic drug recently established to be an activator of a Transient Receptor Potential Melastatin (TRPMPZQ ) ion channel in trematode worms. Bioinformatic, mutagenesis and drug metabolism work indicate that the cyclohexyl ring of PZQ is a key pharmacophore for activation of trematode TRPMPZQ , as well as serving as the primary site of oxidative metabolism which results in PZQ being a short-lived drug. Based on our recent findings, the hydrophobic cleft in schistosome TRPMPZQ defined by three hydrophobic residues surrounding the cyclohexyl ring has little tolerance for polarity. Here we evaluate the in vitro and in vivo activities of PZQ analogues with improved metabolic stability relative to the challenge of maintaining activity on the channel. Finally, an estimation of the respective contribution to the overall activity of both the parent and the main metabolite of PZQ in humans is reported.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Friedrich
- Global Research & Development, Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Sang-Kyu Park
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee WI, 53226, USA
| | | | | | - David Maillard
- Central Process Development-Downstream Processing Services, Merck Electronics KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Matthias Bödding
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Jennifer Keiser
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Kreuzstr. 2, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland
- Helminth Drug Development Unit, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jonathan S Marchant
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee WI, 53226, USA
| | - Thomas Spangenberg
- Global Health Institute of Merck, Ares Trading S.A., a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt Germany, 1262, Eysins, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Wit J, Dilks CM, Zhang G, Guisbert KSK, Zdraljevic S, Guisbert E, Andersen EC. Praziquantel inhibits Caenorhabditis elegans development and species-wide differences might be cct-8-dependent. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0286473. [PMID: 37561720 PMCID: PMC10414639 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0286473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Anthelmintic drugs are used to treat parasitic roundworm and flatworm infections in humans and other animals. Caenorhabditis elegans is an established model to investigate anthelmintics used to treat roundworms. In this study, we use C. elegans to examine the mode of action and the mechanisms of resistance against the flatworm anthelmintic drug praziquantel (PZQ), used to treat trematode and cestode infections. We found that PZQ inhibited development and that this developmental delay varies by genetic background. Interestingly, both enantiomers of PZQ are equally effective against C. elegans, but the right-handed PZQ (R-PZQ) is most effective against schistosome infections. We conducted a genome-wide association mapping with 74 wild C. elegans strains to identify a region on chromosome IV that is correlated with differential PZQ susceptibility. Five candidate genes in this region: cct-8, znf-782, Y104H12D.4, Y104H12D.2, and cox-18, might underlie this variation. The gene cct-8, a subunit of the protein folding complex TRiC, has variation that causes a putative protein coding change (G226V), which is correlated with reduced developmental delay. Gene expression analysis suggests that this variant correlates with slightly increased expression of both cct-8 and hsp-70. Acute exposure to PZQ caused increased expression of hsp-70, indicating that altered TRiC function might be involved in PZQ responses. To test if this variant affects development upon exposure to PZQ, we used CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing to introduce the V226 allele into the N2 genetic background (G226) and the G226 allele into the JU775 genetic background (V226). These experiments revealed that this variant was not sufficient to explain the effects of PZQ on development. Nevertheless, this study shows that C. elegans can be used to study PZQ mode of action and resistance mechanisms. Additionally, we show that the TRiC complex requires further evaluation for PZQ responses in C. elegans.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janneke Wit
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States of America
| | - Clayton M. Dilks
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States of America
- Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States of America
| | - Gaotian Zhang
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States of America
| | - Karen S. Kim Guisbert
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, United States of America
| | - Stefan Zdraljevic
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States of America
- Interdisciplinary Biological Sciences Program, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States of America
| | - Eric Guisbert
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL, United States of America
| | - Erik C. Andersen
- Molecular Biosciences, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Mogahed NMFH, El-Temsahy MM, Abou-El-Naga IF, Makled S, Sheta E, Ibrahim EI. Loading praziquantel within solid lipid nanoparticles improved its schistosomicidal efficacy against the juvenile stage. Exp Parasitol 2023; 251:108552. [PMID: 37285898 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2023.108552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Shimaa Makled
- Pharmaceutics Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Egypt.
| | - Eman Sheta
- Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt.
| | - Eman Ibrahim Ibrahim
- Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Alexandria University, Egypt.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Chulkov EG, Palygin O, Yahya NA, Park SK, Marchant JS. Electrophysiological characterization of a schistosome transient receptor potential channel activated by praziquantel. Int J Parasitol 2023; 53:415-425. [PMID: 36610556 PMCID: PMC10258134 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2022.11.005] [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: 09/01/2022] [Revised: 11/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Ion channels have proved to be productive targets for anthelmintic chemotherapy. One example is the recent discovery of a parasitic flatworm ion channel targeted by praziquantel (PZQ), the main clinical therapy used for treatment of schistosomiasis. The ion channel activated by PZQ - a transient receptor potential ion channel of the melastatin subfamily, named TRPMPZQ - is a Ca2+-permeable ion channel expressed in all parasitic flatworms that are PZQ-sensitive. However, little is currently known about the electrophysiological properties of this target that mediates the deleterious action of PZQ on many trematodes and cestodes. Here, we provide a detailed biophysical characterization of the properties of Schistosoma mansoni TRPMPZQ channel (Sm.TRPMPZQ) in response to PZQ. Single channel electrophysiological analysis demonstrated that Sm.TRPMPZQ when activated by PZQ is a non-selective, large conductance, voltage-insensitive cation channel that displays distinct properties from human TRPM paralogs. Sm.TRPMPZQ is Ca2+-permeable but does not require Ca2+ for channel gating in response to PZQ. TRPMPZQ from Schistosoma japonicum (Sj.TRPMPZQ) and Schistosoma haematobium (Sh.TRPMPZQ) displayed similar characteristics. Profiling Sm.TRPMPZQ responsiveness to PZQ has established a biophysical signature for this channel that will aid future investigation of endogenous TRPMPZQ activity, as well as analyses of endogenous and exogenous regulators of this novel, druggable antiparasitic target.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evgeny G Chulkov
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Oleg Palygin
- Division of Nephrology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Nawal A Yahya
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA; Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical School, 312 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
| | - Sang-Kyu Park
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Jonathan S Marchant
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Alwan SN, Taylor AB, Rhodes J, Tidwell M, McHardy SF, LoVerde PT. Oxamniquine derivatives overcome Praziquantel treatment limitations for Schistosomiasis. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011018. [PMID: 37428793 PMCID: PMC10359000 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 07/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 07/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Human schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by Schistosoma mansoni, S. haematobium, and S. japonicum. Praziquantel (PZQ) is the method of choice for treatment. Due to constant selection pressure, there is an urgent need for new therapies for schistosomiasis. Previous treatment of S. mansoni included the use of oxamniquine (OXA), a drug that is activated by a schistosome sulfotransferase (SULT). Guided by data from X-ray crystallography and Schistosoma killing assays more than 350 OXA derivatives were designed, synthesized, and tested. We were able to identify CIDD-0150610 and CIDD-0150303 as potent derivatives in vitro that kill (100%) of all three Schistosoma species at a final concentration of 71.5 μM. We evaluated the efficacy of the best OXA derivates in an in vivo model after treatment with a single dose of 100 mg/kg by oral gavage. The highest rate of worm burden reduction was achieved by CIDD -150303 (81.8%) against S. mansoni, CIDD-0149830 (80.2%) against S. haematobium and CIDD-066790 (86.7%) against S. japonicum. We have also evaluated the ability of the derivatives to kill immature stages since PZQ does not kill immature schistosomes. CIDD-0150303 demonstrated (100%) killing for all life stages at a final concentration of 143 μM in vitro and effective reduction in worm burden in vivo against S. mansoni. To understand how OXA derivatives fit in the SULT binding pocket, X-ray crystal structures of CIDD-0150303 and CIDD-0150610 demonstrate that the SULT active site will accommodate further modifications to our most active compounds as we fine tune them to increase favorable pharmacokinetic properties. Treatment with a single dose of 100 mg/kg by oral gavage with co-dose of PZQ + CIDD-0150303 reduced the worm burden of PZQ resistant parasites in an animal model by 90.8%. Therefore, we conclude that CIDD-0150303, CIDD-0149830 and CIDD-066790 are novel drugs that overcome some of PZQ limitations, and CIDD-0150303 can be used with PZQ in combination therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sevan N. Alwan
- Departments of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health at San Antonio; San Antonio, Texas, Unites States of America
| | - Alexander B. Taylor
- Biology Core Facilities, University of Texas Health at San Antonio; San Antonio, Texas, Unites States of America
| | - Jayce Rhodes
- Center for Innovative Drug Discovery, Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at San Antonio; San Antonio, Texas, Unites States of America
| | - Michael Tidwell
- Center for Innovative Drug Discovery, Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at San Antonio; San Antonio, Texas, Unites States of America
| | - Stanton F. McHardy
- Center for Innovative Drug Discovery, Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at San Antonio; San Antonio, Texas, Unites States of America
| | - Philip T. LoVerde
- Departments of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health at San Antonio; San Antonio, Texas, Unites States of America
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Petukhova VZ, Aboagye SY, Ardini M, Lullo RP, Fata F, Byrne ME, Gabriele F, Martin LM, Harding LNM, Gone V, Dangi B, Lantvit DD, Nikolic D, Ippoliti R, Effantin G, Ling WL, Johnson JJ, Thatcher GRJ, Angelucci F, Williams DL, Petukhov PA. Non-covalent inhibitors of thioredoxin glutathione reductase with schistosomicidal activity in vivo. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3737. [PMID: 37349300 PMCID: PMC10287695 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39444-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 10/28/2022] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Only praziquantel is available for treating schistosomiasis, a disease affecting more than 200 million people. Praziquantel-resistant worms have been selected for in the lab and low cure rates from mass drug administration programs suggest that resistance is evolving in the field. Thioredoxin glutathione reductase (TGR) is essential for schistosome survival and a validated drug target. TGR inhibitors identified to date are irreversible and/or covalent inhibitors with unacceptable off-target effects. In this work, we identify noncovalent TGR inhibitors with efficacy against schistosome infections in mice, meeting the criteria for lead progression indicated by WHO. Comparisons with previous in vivo studies with praziquantel suggests that these inhibitors outperform the drug of choice for schistosomiasis against juvenile worms.
Collapse
Grants
- R33 AI127635 NIAID NIH HHS
- Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (Division of Intramural Research of the NIAID)
- Oncomelania hupensis subsp. hupensis, Chinese strain, infected with S. japonicum, Chinese strain, and Biomphalaria glabrata, strain NMRI, infected with S. mansoni, strain NMRI, were provided by the NIAID Schistosomiasis Resource Center for distribution through BEI Resources, NIAID, NIH. We are grateful to Dr. Guy Schoehn (Univ. Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, Institut de Biologie Structurale, Grenoble, France), Prof. Beatrice Vallone (Sapienza University of Rome, Italy) and Dr. Linda C. Montemiglio (IBPM, National Research Council, Italy) for helpful discussions of the cryo-EM studies. We acknowledge the Elettra-Sincrotrone Trieste (Italy) for support in X-ray data collections and the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility for provision of microscope time on CM01. The study was funded in part by US NIH/NIAID R33AI127635 to F.A., P.A.P., G.R.T. and D.L.W. This work benefited from access to Research Resources Centre and UICentre at University of Illinois at Chicago and used the platforms of the Grenoble Instruct-ERIC center (ISBG; UAR 3518 CNRS-CEA-UGA-EMBL) within the Grenoble Partnership for Structural Biology (PSB), supported by FRISBI (ANR-10-INBS-0005-02) and GRAL, financed within the University Grenoble Alpes graduate school (Ecoles Universitaires de Recherche) CBH-EUR-GS (ANR-17-EURE-0003). The IBS Electron Microscope facility is supported by the Auvergne Rhône-Alpes Region, the Fonds Feder, the Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale and GIS-IBiSA. The IBS acknowledges integration into the Interdisciplinary Research Institute of Grenoble (IRIG, CEA). M.A. has been supported by MIUR - Ministero dell'Istruzione Ministero dell'Università e della Ricerca (Ministry of Education, University and Research) under the national project FSE/FESR - PON Ricerca e Innovazione 2014-2020 (N° AIM1887574, CUP: E18H19000350007). We acknowledge OpenEye/Cadence for providing us with an academic license for the software used in these studies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Z Petukhova
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Sammy Y Aboagye
- Department of Microbial Pathogens and Immunity, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Matteo Ardini
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Rachel P Lullo
- Department of Microbial Pathogens and Immunity, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Francesca Fata
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Margaret E Byrne
- Department of Microbial Pathogens and Immunity, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Federica Gabriele
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Lucy M Martin
- Department of Microbial Pathogens and Immunity, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Luke N M Harding
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Vamshikrishna Gone
- UICentre, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Bikash Dangi
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Daniel D Lantvit
- UICentre, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Dejan Nikolic
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Rodolfo Ippoliti
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy
| | - Grégory Effantin
- University of Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, IBS, F-38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Wai Li Ling
- University of Grenoble Alpes, CEA, CNRS, IBS, F-38000, Grenoble, France
| | - Jeremy J Johnson
- Department of Pharmacy Practice, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Gregory R J Thatcher
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, R. Ken Coit College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, USA
| | - Francesco Angelucci
- Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
| | - David L Williams
- Department of Microbial Pathogens and Immunity, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL, USA.
| | - Pavel A Petukhov
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Waechtler A, Cezanne B, Maillard D, Sun R, Wang S, Wang J, Harder A. Praziquantel - 50 Years of Research. ChemMedChem 2023; 18:e202300154. [PMID: 37009677 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202300154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [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: 03/19/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2023]
Abstract
Investigations on praziquantel (PZQ) started fifty years ago by a cooperation between Bayer AG and Merck KGaA. Until today PZQ is the drug of choice for schistosomiasis in human medicine and used in many combinations with antinematode drugs in veterinary medicine. The Sm.TRPMPZQ , a Ca2+ -permeable transient receptor potential (TRP) channel, has been discovered as primary target of PZQ during the last decade. Furthermore, there is a short overview of routes of large-scale synthesis of racemic and pure (R)-PZQ. Until now racemic PZQ is used in veterinary and human medicine. In 2012 the Pediatric Praziquantel Consortium started PZQ chemistry and process development of pure (R)-PZQ for human application. It is hoped that (R)-PZQ will become available for pediatric use soon. The knowledge of the binding pocket of PZQ in Sm.TRPMPZQ allows to design synthesis of PZQ-derivatives of the next generation for a target-site directed screening. A similar screening should also be started for Fasciola hepatica TRPMPZQ .
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Waechtler
- Central Process Development Department (EL-OTS) Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Bertram Cezanne
- Central Process Development Department (EL-OTS) Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - David Maillard
- Central Process Development Department (EL-OTS) Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Rui Sun
- R&D Department, Valiant Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd., Taiyuan Road No. 60, YEDA, Yantai, Shandong, 264006, China
| | - Shaofang Wang
- Technical Department, Valiant Corporation Ltd., Wuzhishan Road No. 11, YEDA, Yantai, Shandong, 264006, China
| | - Jihua Wang
- Technical Department, Valiant Corporation Ltd., Wuzhishan Road No. 11, YEDA, Yantai, Shandong, 264006, China
| | - Achim Harder
- Department WE Biology, Institute of Biology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 40225, Düsseldorf, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Caldwell N, Afshar R, Baragaña B, Bustinduy AL, Caffrey CR, Collins JJ, Fusco D, Garba A, Gardner M, Gomes M, Hoffmann KF, Hsieh M, Lo NC, McNamara CW, Nono JK, Padalino G, Read KD, Roestenberg M, Spangenberg T, Specht S, Gilbert IH. Perspective on Schistosomiasis Drug Discovery: Highlights from a Schistosomiasis Drug Discovery Workshop at Wellcome Collection, London, September 2022. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:1046-1055. [PMID: 37083395 PMCID: PMC10186373 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00081] [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: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/22/2023]
Abstract
In September 2022, the Drug Discovery Unit at the University of Dundee, UK, organised an international meeting at the Wellcome Collection in London to explore the current clinical situation and challenges associated with treating schistosomiasis. The aim of this meeting was to discuss the need for new treatments in view of the clinical situation and to ascertain what the key requirements would be for any potential new anti-schistosomals. This information will be essential to inform ongoing drug discovery efforts for schistosomiasis. We also discussed the potential drug discovery pathway and associated criteria for progressing compounds to the clinic. To date, praziquantel (PZQ) is the only drug available to treat all species causing schistosomiasis, but it is often unable to completely clear parasites from an infected patient, partially due to its inactivity against juvenile worms. PZQ-mediated mass drug administration campaigns conducted in endemic areas (e.g., sub-Saharan Africa, where schistosomiasis is primarily prevalent) have contributed to reducing the burden of disease but will not eliminate the disease as a public health problem. The potential for Schistosoma to develop resistance towards PZQ, as the sole treatment available, could become a concern. Consequently, new anthelmintic medications are urgently needed, and this Perspective aims to capture some of the learnings from our discussions on the key criteria for new treatments.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Caldwell
- Wellcome
Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Drug Discovery Unit, Division
of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Rana Afshar
- Global
Health Institute of Merck, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt,
Germany, Ares Trading
S.A., Route de Crassier 1, 1262 Eysins, Switzerland
| | - Beatriz Baragaña
- Wellcome
Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Drug Discovery Unit, Division
of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Amaya L. Bustinduy
- Department
of Clinical Research, London School of Hygiene
& Tropical Medicine, Keppel Street, London WC1E 7HT, United Kingdom
| | - Conor R. Caffrey
- Center
for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School
of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC0657, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - James J. Collins
- Department
of Pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical
Center, Forest Park Road, Dallas, Texas 75235, United States
| | - Daniela Fusco
- Department
of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Bernhard
Nocht Institute of Tropical Medicine, 20359 Hamburg, Germany
- German
Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Hamburg-Borstel-Lübeck-Riems, 38124 Brunswick, Germany
| | - Amadou Garba
- Department
of Control of Neglected Tropical Diseases, World Health Organization, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Mark Gardner
- Salvensis
Ltd., 27 New Dover Rd., Canterbury, Kent CT1 3DN, United Kingdom
| | - Mireille Gomes
- Global
Health Institute of Merck, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt,
Germany, Ares Trading
S.A., Route de Crassier 1, 1262 Eysins, Switzerland
| | - Karl F. Hoffmann
- Department
of Life Sciences (DLS), Aberystwyth University, Edward Llwyd Building, Aberystwyth SY23 3DA, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Hsieh
- Division
of Urology, Children’s National Hospital, and Department of
Urology, George Washington University, Washington, D.C. 20010, United States
| | - Nathan C. Lo
- Division
of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California 94110, United States
| | - Case W. McNamara
- Calibr,
a division of Scripps Research, North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Justin Komguep Nono
- Unit
of Immunobiology and Helminth Infections, Institute of Medical Research
and Medicinal Plant Studies (IMPM), Ministry
of Scientific Research and Innovation, Yaoundé 13033, Cameroon
| | - Gilda Padalino
- School
of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, Redwood Building, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3NB, United
Kingdom
| | - Kevin D. Read
- Wellcome
Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Drug Discovery Unit, Division
of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - Meta Roestenberg
- Department
of Parasitology and Department of Infectious Diseases, Leiden University Medical Centre, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Thomas Spangenberg
- Global
Health Institute of Merck, a subsidiary of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt,
Germany, Ares Trading
S.A., Route de Crassier 1, 1262 Eysins, Switzerland
| | - Sabine Specht
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative, 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ian H. Gilbert
- Wellcome
Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, Drug Discovery Unit, Division
of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, University of Dundee, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Zhong H, Qin F, Ren Y, Li X, Hou L, Gu S, Jin Y. Functional characterization of differentially expressed proteins coming from unisexual and bisexual infected Schistosoma japonicum female worms. Exp Parasitol 2023; 248:108504. [PMID: 36914063 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2023.108504] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 03/09/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is an important zoonotic disease affecting up to 40 kinds of animals and is responsible for ∼250 million human cases per year. Due to the extensive use of praziquantel for the treatment of parasitic diseases, drug resistance has been reported. Consequently, novel drugs and effective vaccines are urgently needed for sustained control of schistosomiasis. Targeting reproductive development of Schistosoma japonicum could contribute to the control of schistosomiasis. In this study, five highly expressed proteins (S. japonicum large subunit ribosomal protein L7e, S. japonicum glutathione S-transferase class-mu 26 kDa isozyme, S. japonicum UDP-galactose-4-epimerase and two hypothetical proteins SjCAX70849 and SjCAX72486) in 18, 21, 23, and 25-day mature female worms compared to single-sex infected female worms were selected based on our previous proteomic analysis. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis and long-term interference with small interfering RNA were performed to identify the biological functions of these five proteins. The transcriptional profiles suggested that all five proteins participated in the maturation of S. japonicum. RNA interference against these proteins resulted in morphological changes to S. japonicum. The results of an immunoprotection assay revealed that immunization of mice with recombinant SjUL-30 and SjCAX72486 upregulated production of immunoglobulin G-specific antibodies. Collectively, the results demonstrated that these five differentially expressed proteins were vital to reproduction of S. japonicum and, thus, are potential candidate antigens for immune protection against schistosomiasis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Haoran Zhong
- National Reference Laboratory for Animal Schistosomiasis, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China
| | - Fanglin Qin
- National Reference Laboratory for Animal Schistosomiasis, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China; College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Yuqi Ren
- National Reference Laboratory for Animal Schistosomiasis, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China
| | - Xiaochun Li
- National Reference Laboratory for Animal Schistosomiasis, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China; College of Life Sciences, Shanghai Normal University, Shanghai, PR China
| | - Ling Hou
- National Reference Laboratory for Animal Schistosomiasis, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China; College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Shanxi, PR China
| | - Shaopeng Gu
- College of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Shanxi, PR China
| | - Yamei Jin
- National Reference Laboratory for Animal Schistosomiasis, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China; Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology of Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, 200241, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Yahya NA, Lanham JK, Sprague DJ, Palygin O, McCorvy JD, Marchant JS. Molecular and cellular basis of praziquantel action in the cardiovascular system. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2023; 324:C573-C587. [PMID: 36622066 PMCID: PMC9942900 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00520.2022] [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: 11/16/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
The anthelmintic drug praziquantel (PZQ) causes contraction of parasitic schistosomes as well as constriction of blood vessels within the mesenteric vasculature of the host where the adult blood flukes reside. The contractile action of PZQ on the vasculature is mediated by the activation of host serotonergic 5-HT2B receptors (5-HT2BRs). However, the molecular basis for PZQ interaction with these targets and the location of these 5-HT2B receptors in the vessel wall have not been experimentally defined. Evaluation of a PZQ docking pose within the 5-HT2BR orthosteric site, using both Ca2+ reporter and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (BRET) assays, identified residues F3406.51 and F3416.52 (transmembrane helix 6, TM6) as well as L209EL2 (extracellular loop 2) as critical for PZQ-mediated agonist activity. A key determinant of PZQ selectivity for the 5-HT2B receptor over the 5-HT2A/2C receptors was determined by M2185.39 in transmembrane helix 5 (TM5) of the orthosteric site. Mutation of this residue to valine (M218V), as found in 5-HT2A and 5-HT2C, decreased PZQ agonist activity, whereas the reciprocal mutation (V215M) in 5-HT2C increased PZQ activity. Two-photon imaging in intact mesenteric arterial strips visualized PZQ-evoked Ca2+ transients within the smooth muscle cells of the vessel wall. PZQ also triggered cytoplasmic Ca2+ signals in arterial smooth muscle cells in primary culture that were isolated from mesenteric blood vessels. These data define the molecular basis for PZQ action on 5-HT2B receptors localized in vascular smooth muscle.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nawal A Yahya
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota
| | - Janelle K Lanham
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Daniel J Sprague
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Oleg Palygin
- Division of Nephrology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - John D McCorvy
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| | - Jonathan S Marchant
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Pham K, Mtalitinya GS, Aristide C, Airewele EA, Nyakaru DK, McMahon P, Mulaki GM, Corstjens PLAM, J de Dood C, van Dam GJ, Changalucha JM, Mazigo HD, Lee MH, Jaka H, Downs JA. Effects of Schistosoma mansoni and praziquantel treatment on the lower gastrointestinal mucosa: A cohort study in Tanzania. Acta Trop 2023; 238:106752. [PMID: 36410422 PMCID: PMC9884117 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106752] [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: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Schistosomes infect over 200 million people worldwide, but few studies have characterized the effects of Schistosoma mansoni infection and effective treatment on the lower gastrointestinal mucosa. In this prospective cohort study, we compared the clinical findings on sigmoidoscopy and laboratory measures in Tanzanian adults with and without S. mansoni infection at baseline and 6 months after praziquantel treatment. Grading of the endoscopic findings was done using the Mayo Scoring System for Assessment of Ulcerative Colitis Activity. Schistosome infection was confirmed by stool microscopy and serum circulating anodic antigen (CAA). Baseline comparisons were performed in Stata using Fisher's exact and Wilcoxon rank-sum tests, and pre- and post-treatment comparisons using Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank and McNemar's tests. We investigated the clinical characteristics of 48 individuals: 32 with and 16 without S. mansoni infection. Infected individuals had greater severity of sigmoid and rectal mucosal abnormalities and higher Mayo scores and serum eosinophils (all p < 0.05) than uninfected individuals at initial evaluation. At 6 months, 28 individuals completed repeat blood tests and sigmoidoscopy. Of these, 14 cleared their baseline infection (n = 7) or experienced a greater than 7-fold decrease in serum CAA (n = 7). Follow-up sigmoidoscopies revealed some improvements in sigmoid and rectal mucosal findings, although Mayo scores were not significantly lower. Both the median erythrocyte sedimentation rates (32.5→12.5 mm/hr) and percent of eosinophils (7.1→3.1%) decreased in this group from baseline to follow-up. S. mansoni infection was associated with mild-to-moderate lower gastrointestinal mucosal abnormalities that were grossly visible during sigmoidoscopy, and these improved partially 6 months after effective treatment with praziquantel. Additional studies, of longer duration and focused on both clinical and mucosal immunologic effects of S. mansoni, could provide additional insight.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Khanh Pham
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA.
| | | | | | | | | | - Paige McMahon
- Center for Global Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | | | - Paul L A M Corstjens
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Claudia J de Dood
- Department of Cell and Chemical Biology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Govert J van Dam
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, the Netherlands
| | | | - Humphrey D Mazigo
- Department of Parasitology, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Mwanza, Tanzania
| | - Myung Hee Lee
- Center for Global Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Hyasinta Jaka
- Department of Internal Medicine, Catholic University of Health and Allied Sciences, Mwanza, Tanzania; Department of Internal Medicine, Mwanza College of Health and Allied Sciences, Mwanza, Tanzania
| | - Jennifer A Downs
- Center for Global Health, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, NY, USA; Weill Bugando School of Medicine, Mwanza, Tanzania
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Saad El-Din MI, Gad EL-Hak HN, Ghobashy MA, Elrayess RA. Parasitological and histopathological studies to the effect of aqueous extract of Moringa oleifera Lam. leaves combined with praziquantel therapy in modulating the liver and spleen damage induced by Schistosoma mansoni to male mice. Environ Sci Pollut Res Int 2023; 30:15548-15560. [PMID: 36169837 PMCID: PMC9908685 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-022-23098-2] [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] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 09/14/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
This study assessed the effectiveness of an aqueous extract of Moringa Oleifera Lam. leaves (MOL) alone or in combination with praziquantel (PZQ) drug targeting-infected mice with Schistosoma mansoni-induced liver and spleen damage. Mice were divided into eight groups control mice group treated orally with saline. PZQ group: non-infected mice treated orally with 300 mg/kg bwt PZQ three consecutive days. MOL group: non-infected mice treated orally with 150 mg/kg bwt MOL extract for 15 days. PZQ/ MOL group: non-infected mice treated orally with 300 mg/kg bwt PZQ for three consecutive days and 150 mg/kg bwt MOL extract for 15 days. IF group: infected mice with 100 cercariae/mouse of the Egyptian strain of S. mansoni. IF/PZQ group infected mice with S. mansoni cercariae and treated orally with 300 mg/kg bwt PZQ for three consecutive days. IF/MOL group: infected mice with S. mansoni cercariae treated orally with 150 mg/kg bwt MOL extract for 15 days. IF/PZQ +MOL group: infected mice with S. mansoni cercariae treated orally with 300 mg/kg bwt PZQ for three consecutive days and 150 mg/kg bwt MOL extract for 15 days. Blood, liver, spleen, worm, and eggs were collected at the end of the experimental period. Treatment of infected mice with MOL and PZQ together significantly reduced the number of ova/g tissue and eliminated the parasites. In addition, the liver and spleen of infected mice showed less histopathological alteration and immunohistochemical expression of nuclear factor kappa β (NF-Kβ). We can conclude that MOL extract combined with PZ has a curative effect on S. mansoni infection and helped to lessen its pathological effects.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Heba N. Gad EL-Hak
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Mahi A. Ghobashy
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| | - Ranwa A. Elrayess
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Nogueira RA, Lira MGS, Licá ICL, Frazão GCCG, Dos Santos VAF, Filho ACCM, Rodrigues JGM, Miranda GS, Carvalho RC, Nascimento FRF. Praziquantel: An update on the mechanism of its action against schistosomiasis and new therapeutic perspectives. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2022; 252:111531. [PMID: 36375598 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2022.111531] [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: 05/06/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022]
Abstract
Praziquantel (PZQ) is the drug of choice for the treatment of all forms of schistosomiasis, although its mechanisms of action are not completely understood. PZQ acts largely on adult worms. This narrative literature review describes what is known about the mechanisms of action of PZQ against schistosomes from in vitro and in vivo studies and highlights the molecular targets in parasites and immune responses induced in definitive hosts by this drug. Moreover, new therapeutic uses of PZQ are discussed. Studies have demonstrated that in addition to impacting voltage-operated Ca2 + channels, PZQ may interact with other schistosome molecules, such as myosin regulatory light chain, glutathione S-transferase, and transient receptor potential channels. Following PZQ administration, increased T regulatory type 1 (Tr1) cell differentiation and decreased inflammation were observed, indicating that PZQ promotes immunoregulatory pathways. Although PZQ is widely used in mass drug administration schemes, the existence of resistant parasites has not been proven; however, it is a concern that should be constantly investigated in human populations. In addition, we discuss studies that evaluate health applications of PZQ (other than helminth infection), such as its effect in cancer therapy and its adjuvant action in vaccines against viruses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ranielly Araujo Nogueira
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil
| | - Maria Gabriela Sampaio Lira
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil; Department of Education, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Maranhão, Zé Doca, MA, Brazil
| | - Irlla Correia Lima Licá
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil
| | | | - Vitor Augusto Ferreira Dos Santos
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil
| | | | - João Gustavo Mendes Rodrigues
- Department of Parasitology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Guilherme Silva Miranda
- Department of Education, Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Maranhão, São Raimundo das Mangabeiras, MA, Brazil
| | - Rafael Cardoso Carvalho
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil
| | - Flávia Raquel Fernandes Nascimento
- Graduate Program in Health Sciences, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil; Department of Pathology, Center for Biological and Health Sciences, Federal University of Maranhão, São Luís, MA, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Tavares da Rocha RE, de Almeida Júnior ASA, Júnior NCP, do Nascimento AV, Leite NMS, de Oliveira JF, Alves de Lima MDC, Feitosa APS, Bezerra de Mélo ME, Brayner FA, Alves LC. Synthesis, in vitro schistosomicidal activity and ultrastructural alterations caused by thiosemicarbazones and thiazolidinones against juvenile and adult Schistosoma mansoni worms (Sambon, 1907). Mol Biochem Parasitol 2022; 252:111520. [PMID: 36122704 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2022.111520] [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: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 08/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a neglected disease that affects about 258 million people worldwide. Caused by Schistosoma mansoni, helminth which, in Brazil, it is present on 19 states and capital. Praziquantel (PZQ) treatment presents low efficacy and adverse effects in parasites juvenile stages. Thiosemicarbazones and thiazolidinones are rising as potent chemical groups that have biological activity wide spectrum, and with radical modifications, they may become more effective and selective. Aiming to evaluate the action of these molecules against S. mansoni, JF series thiosemicarbazones and thiazolidinones (LqIT/UFPE) were synthesized: JF30, JF31, JF33, JF34, JF35, JF36, JF38, JF39, JF42 and JF43. Several parameters were evaluated, such as: their cytotoxicity in VERO cells, in vitro schistosomicidal activity for juvenile and adult worms and their action on worms through ultrastructural changes. Cytotoxicity indices ranged from 272 µM to 725 µM. When evaluating mortality rate, adult and juvenile worms showed 100 % mortality rate within 24 h and 48 h, respectively, when exposed to the compounds JF31 and JF43 at a dose of 200 µM. Also, motility, mortality and oviposition parameters were evaluated: JF31 and JF43 presented a score of 0 in 24 h, meaning total absence of movement, whereas no eggs and soft tissue damage were observed under optical microscopy. Through scanning electron microscopy, integumentary alterations caused by the compounds JF31 and JF43 were observed, such as: exposure of the musculature, formation of integumentary bubbles, integuments with abnormal morphology and destruction of tubercles and spikes. The results shoerd that the compound JF31 was 2.39 times more selective for adult worms and JF43 was 3.74 times more selective for juvenile worms. Thus, the compounds JF43 and JF31 are the most promising for presenting schistosomicidal activity of S. mansoni.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rubens Emanoel Tavares da Rocha
- Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Keizo Asami Institute, 50740-465 Recife, PE, Brazil; Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IAM-FIOCRUZ), Department of Parasitology, 50740-465 Recife, PE, Brazil.
| | | | - Nairomberg Cavalcanti Portela Júnior
- Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Keizo Asami Institute, 50740-465 Recife, PE, Brazil; Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IAM-FIOCRUZ), Department of Parasitology, 50740-465 Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Amanda Vasconcelos do Nascimento
- Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Keizo Asami Institute, 50740-465 Recife, PE, Brazil; Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IAM-FIOCRUZ), Department of Parasitology, 50740-465 Recife, PE, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Ana Paula Sampaio Feitosa
- Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Keizo Asami Institute, 50740-465 Recife, PE, Brazil; Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IAM-FIOCRUZ), Department of Parasitology, 50740-465 Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Maria Eliane Bezerra de Mélo
- Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IAM-FIOCRUZ), Department of Parasitology, 50740-465 Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Fábio André Brayner
- Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Keizo Asami Institute, 50740-465 Recife, PE, Brazil; Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IAM-FIOCRUZ), Department of Parasitology, 50740-465 Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Luiz Carlos Alves
- Federal University of Pernambuco (UFPE), Keizo Asami Institute, 50740-465 Recife, PE, Brazil; Aggeu Magalhães Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IAM-FIOCRUZ), Department of Parasitology, 50740-465 Recife, PE, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Abd Allah MH, Zaalouk TK, Abo-Sheishaa GA, Shalash IR, Bayoumy AS. Role of IL-17A in enhancing liver fibrosis induced by TGF-β1 and IL-13 in Schistosoma mansoni infected mice. Egypt J Immunol 2022; 29:174-183. [PMID: 36208046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Schistosoma mansoni liver fibrosis is a complicated multicellular process involving numerous cytokines, chemokines, and growth factors. Transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGF-1) and interleukin (IL)-13 have been identified as critical pro-fibrotic mediators in many studies. IL-17A was linked to enhanced TGF- and IL-13-induced pathologies. This case-control study aimed to explore the effect of IL-17A on TGF- and IL-13-induced liver fibrosis during experimentally schistosomiasis mansoni infection. A total of 40 laboratory-bred female C57BL/6 mice were divided into four equal groups (G), G1 non-infected, G2 infected wild type (WT), G3 infected/anti-IL-17 monoclonal antibodies (mAb) and G4 treated mice. Mice were infected percutaneously with 40±5 cercariae per mouse. Neutralizing IL-17 mAb was administered to G3 intraperitoneally 3 weeks after infection and then every third day until 2 days before sacrification; mice of G4 were treated with a single dose of praziquantel. Serum levels of TGF-, IL-13, IL-17A, and proinflammatory cytokines were measured by ELISA. Liver granulomas were identified by hematoxylin-eosin stain and measured by an ocular micrometer. There was a significantly increased serum concentration of TGF-, IL-13, and IL-17A in infected WT mice (P<0.01), but praziquantel treatment reduced cytokine levels (P<0.03). Neutralization of IL-17A activity remarkably reduced serum concentrations of TGF- and IL-13 (P <0.03) resulting in improved liver functions and reduced granuloma size. Secretion of IL-IL-6 and TNF-were markedly enhanced by infection, however, mice that received anti-mouse IL-17 mAb displayed fewer inflammatory mediators (P<0.03). In conclusion, IL-17A might contribute to the progress of liver fibrosis by enhancing the profibrotic effect of TGF- and IL-13 in mice infected with S. mansoni.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mohamed H Abd Allah
- Department of Medical Parasitology Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Tarek K Zaalouk
- Department of Medical Parasitology Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Gamal A Abo-Sheishaa
- Department of Medical Parasitology Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Ibrahim R Shalash
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt
| | - Ahmed S Bayoumy
- Department of Medical Parasitology Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
33
|
Adekiya TA, Kumar P, Kondiah PPD, Ubanako P, Choonara YE. In Vivo Evaluation of Praziquantel-Loaded Solid Lipid Nanoparticles against S. mansoni Infection in Preclinical Murine Models. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23169485. [PMID: 36012770 PMCID: PMC9408860 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23169485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 08/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
This study aimed to develop and assess the long-term stability of drug-loaded solid lipid nanoparticles (SLNs). The SLNs were designed to extend the release profile, overcome the problems of bioavailability and solubility, investigate toxicity, and improve the antischistosomal efficacy of praziquantel. The aim was pursued using solvent injection co-homogenization techniques to fabricate SLNs in which Compritol ATO 888 and lecithin were used as lipids, and Pluronic F127 (PF127) was used as a stabilizer. The long-term stability effect of the PF127 as a stabilizer on the SLNs was evaluated. Dynamic light scattering (DLS) was used to determine the particle size, stability, and polydispersity. The morphology of the SLNs was examined through the use of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The chemical properties, as well as the mechanical, thermal, and crystal behaviours of SLNs were evaluated using FTIR, ElastoSens Bio2, XRPD, DSC, and TGA, respectively. SLNs with PF127 depicted an encapsulation efficiency of 71.63% and a drug loading capacity of 11.46%. The in vitro drug release study for SLNs with PF127 showed a cumulative release of 48.08% for the PZQ within 24 h, with a similar release profile for SLNs' suspension after 120 days. DLS, ELS, and optical characterization and stability profiling data indicate that the addition of PF127 as the surfactants provided long-term stability for SLNs. In vitro cell viability and in vivo toxicity evaluation signify the safety of SLNs stabilized with PF127. In conclusion, the parasitological data showed that in S. mansoni-infected mice, a single (250 mg/kg) oral dosage of CLPF-SLNs greatly improved PZQ antischistosomal efficacy both two and four weeks post-infection. Thus, the fabricated CLPF-SLNs demonstrated significant efficiency inthe delivery of PZQ, and hence are a promising therapeutic strategy against schistosomiasis.
Collapse
|
34
|
Rahman MM, McFadden G, Ruthel G, Herbert DR, Freedman BD, Greenberg RM, Bais S. Oncolytic Myxoma virus infects and damages the tegument of the human parasitic flatworm Schistosoma mansoni. Exp Parasitol 2022; 239:108263. [PMID: 35598646 PMCID: PMC11003549 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2022.108263] [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: 12/03/2021] [Revised: 04/13/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a devastating disease caused by parasitic flatworms of the genus Schistosoma. Praziquantel (PZQ), the current treatment of choice, is ineffective against immature worms and cannot prevent reinfection. The continued reliance on a single drug for treatment increases the risk of the development of PZQ-resistant parasites. Reports of PZQ insusceptibility lends urgency to the need for new therapeutics. Here, we report that Myxoma virus (MYXV), an oncolytic pox virus which is non-pathogenic in all mammals except leporids, infects and replicates in S. mansoni schistosomula, juveniles, and adult male and female worms. MYXV infection results in the shredding of the tegument and reduced egg production in vitro, identifying MYXV as the first viral pathogen of schistosomes. MYXV is currently in preclinical studies to manage multiple human cancers, supporting its use in human therapeutics. Our findings raise the exciting possibility that MYXV virus represents a novel and safe class of potential anthelmintic therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masmudur M Rahman
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, Bio design Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Grant McFadden
- Center for Immunotherapy, Vaccines and Virotherapy, Bio design Institute, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, USA
| | - Gordon Ruthel
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - De'Broski R Herbert
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Bruce D Freedman
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Robert M Greenberg
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | - Swarna Bais
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Moreira BP, Batista ICA, Tavares NC, Armstrong T, Gava SG, Torres GP, Mourão MM, Falcone FH. Docking-Based Virtual Screening Enables Prioritizing Protein Kinase Inhibitors With In Vitro Phenotypic Activity Against Schistosoma mansoni. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:913301. [PMID: 35865824 PMCID: PMC9294739 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.913301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a parasitic neglected disease with praziquantel (PZQ) utilized as the main drug for treatment, despite its low effectiveness against early stages of the worm. To aid in the search for new drugs to tackle schistosomiasis, computer-aided drug design has been proved a helpful tool to enhance the search and initial identification of schistosomicidal compounds, allowing fast and cost-efficient progress in drug discovery. The combination of high-throughput in silico data followed by in vitro phenotypic screening assays allows the assessment of a vast library of compounds with the potential to inhibit a single or even several biological targets in a more time- and cost-saving manner. Here, we describe the molecular docking for in silico screening of predicted homology models of five protein kinases (JNK, p38, ERK1, ERK2, and FES) of Schistosoma mansoni against approximately 85,000 molecules from the Managed Chemical Compounds Collection (MCCC) of the University of Nottingham (UK). We selected 169 molecules predicted to bind to SmERK1, SmERK2, SmFES, SmJNK, and/or Smp38 for in vitro screening assays using schistosomula and adult worms. In total, 89 (52.6%) molecules were considered active in at least one of the assays. This approach shows a much higher efficiency when compared to using only traditional high-throughput in vitro screening assays, where initial positive hits are retrieved from testing thousands of molecules. Additionally, when we focused on compound promiscuity over selectivity, we were able to efficiently detect active compounds that are predicted to target all kinases at the same time. This approach reinforces the concept of polypharmacology aiming for “one drug-multiple targets”. Moreover, at least 17 active compounds presented satisfactory drug-like properties score when compared to PZQ, which allows for optimization before further in vivo screening assays. In conclusion, our data support the use of computer-aided drug design methodologies in conjunction with high-throughput screening approach.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bernardo Pereira Moreira
- Institut für Parasitologie, Biomedizinisches Forschungszentrum Seltersberg (BFS), Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | | | - Naiara Clemente Tavares
- Grupo de Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Tom Armstrong
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, Nottingham, United Kingdom
| | - Sandra Grossi Gava
- Grupo de Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Gabriella Parreiras Torres
- Grupo de Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Marina Moraes Mourão
- Grupo de Helmintologia e Malacologia Médica, Instituto René Rachou, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-FIOCRUZ, Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Franco H. Falcone, ; Marina Moraes Mourão,
| | - Franco H. Falcone
- Institut für Parasitologie, Biomedizinisches Forschungszentrum Seltersberg (BFS), Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen, Giessen, Germany
- *Correspondence: Franco H. Falcone, ; Marina Moraes Mourão,
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Eneanya OA, Gankpala L, Goss CW, Momolu AT, Nyan ES, Gray EB, Fischer K, Curtis K, Bolay FK, Weil GJ, Fischer PU. Community-based trial assessing the impact of annual versus semiannual mass drug administration with ivermectin plus albendazole and praziquantel on helminth infections in northwestern Liberia. Acta Trop 2022; 231:106437. [PMID: 35405102 PMCID: PMC9168441 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106437] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Mass drug administration (MDA) with ivermectin plus albendazole was more effective for clearing bancroftian filariasis than it was for onchocerciasis or hookworm. Semiannual MDA was no more effective than annual MDA for reducing prevalences of W. bancrofti, O. volvulus, or hookworm infections. Decreases in bancroftian filariasis prevalence were achieved despite unavoidable interruptions in our study related to the 2014 West Africa Ebola epidemic and the 2020 SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Neglected Tropical Disease elimination programs in areas coendemic for lymphatic filariasis and onchocerciasis should focus on delivering high quality annual MDA with high coverage and compliance and not try to stretch limited resources to deliver semiannual MDA. MDA with praziquantel had little impact on Schistosoma mansoni infection in the heavily infected area.
We assessed the impact of three annual vs five semiannual rounds of mass drug administration (MDA) with ivermectin plus albendazole followed by praziquantel for the control or elimination of lymphatic filariasis (LF), onchocerciasis, soil-transmitted helminth (STH) infections and schistosomiasis in Lofa County, Liberia. The study started in 2012 and was interrupted in 2014 during the Ebola virus outbreak. Repeated cross-sectional surveys were conducted in individuals 5 years and older to measure infection markers. Wuchereria bancrofti antigenemia prevalences decreased from 12.5 to 1.2% (90% reduction) and from 13.6 to 4.2% (69% reduction) one year after three rounds of annual or five rounds of semiannual MDA, respectively. Mixed effects logistic regression models showed decreases in odds of antigenemia positivity were 91 and 74% at that time in the annual and semiannual treatment zones, respectively (p < 0.001). Semiannual MDA was slightly more effective for reducing Onchocerca volvulus microfiladermia prevalence and at follow-up 3 were 74% (from 14.4 to 3.7%) and 83% (from 23.6 to 4.5%) in the annual and semiannual treatment zones, respectively. Both treatment schedules had similar beneficial effects on hookworm prevalence. Thus, annual and semiannual MDA with ivermectin and albendazole had similar beneficial impacts on LF, onchocerciasis, and STH in this setting. In contrast, MDA with praziquantel had little impact on hyperendemic Schistosoma mansoni in the study area. Results from a long-term follow-up survey showed that improvements in infection parameters were sustained by routine annual MDA provided by the Liberian Ministry of Health after our study endpoint.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Obiora A Eneanya
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Lincoln Gankpala
- Division of Public Health and Medical Research, National Public Health Institute of Liberia, Charlesville, Liberia
| | - Charles W Goss
- Division of Biostatistics, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Aaron T Momolu
- Division of Public Health and Medical Research, National Public Health Institute of Liberia, Charlesville, Liberia
| | - Enoch S Nyan
- Division of Public Health and Medical Research, National Public Health Institute of Liberia, Charlesville, Liberia
| | - Emmanuel B Gray
- Ministry of Health of Liberia, C.B. Dunbar Hospital, Gbarnga, Liberia
| | - Kerstin Fischer
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Kurt Curtis
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Fatorma K Bolay
- Division of Public Health and Medical Research, National Public Health Institute of Liberia, Charlesville, Liberia
| | - Gary J Weil
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Peter U Fischer
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases Division, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Dos Reis LFC, Cerdeira CD, Gagliano GS, de Figueiredo ABT, Ferreira JH, Castro AP, Souza RLM, Marques MJ. Alternate-day fasting, a high-sucrose/caloric diet and praziquantel treatment influence biochemical and behavioral parameters during Schistosoma mansoni infection in male BALB/c mice. Exp Parasitol 2022; 240:108316. [PMID: 35787384 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2022.108316] [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: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Schistosoma mansoni-induced granulomas result in severe damage to the host's liver, as well as neurological and metabolic disorders. We evaluated the biochemical and behavioral changes during schistosomiasis under three diet protocols: ad libitum (AL), alternate-day fasting (ADF) and a high-sucrose/caloric diet (HSD). Healthy male BALB/c mice were divided into noninfected, matched infected and infected/treated [praziquantel (PZQ)] groups. Caloric intake and energy efficiency coefficients associated with diets were measured. Behavioral (exploratory and locomotor) and biochemical (glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol, AST, ALT, ALP, and γ-GT) tests and histological analysis were performed. Fifteen weeks postinfection, HSD and PZQ promoted weight gain, with higher caloric consumption than ADF (p < 0.05), reflecting serum glucose levels and lipid profiles. HSD and PZQ prevented liver dysfunction (AST and ALT) and significantly prevented increases in granuloma area (p < 0.05). HSD and PZQ also significantly improved mouse physical performance in exploratory and locomotor behavior (p < 0.05), reversing the impaired motivation caused by infection. These findings showed that ADF worsened the course of S. mansoni infection, while HSD and PZQ, even with synergistic effects, prevented and/or attenuated biochemical and behavioral impairment from infection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luis F C Dos Reis
- Department of Structural Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG), Alfenas, Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil
| | - Cláudio D Cerdeira
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG), Alfenas, Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil.
| | - Guilherme S Gagliano
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil
| | - Ana B T de Figueiredo
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG), Alfenas, Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil
| | - Juliana H Ferreira
- Department of Physiology, University of Sao Paulo, São Paulo (SP), Brazil
| | - Aline P Castro
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG), Alfenas, Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil
| | - Raquel L M Souza
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG), Alfenas, Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil
| | - Marcos J Marques
- Department of Pathology and Parasitology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Federal University of Alfenas (UNIFAL-MG), Alfenas, Minas Gerais (MG), Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Sabra ANA, Salem MB, William S, Hammam OA, El-Lakkany NM. Itraconazole, a cytochrome P450 inhibitor, enhanced the efficacy of praziquantel against Schistosoma mansoni infection and alleviated liver injury in mice. Exp Parasitol 2022; 239:108293. [PMID: 35667394 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2022.108293] [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: 02/13/2022] [Revised: 05/20/2022] [Accepted: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Treatment of schistosomiasis is heavily reliant on the single antischistosomal drug praziquantel (PZQ). The use of synergistic drug-drug interactions is one possible solution, which could be used to mitigate PZQ's poor and variable bioavailability. Itraconazole (ITZ), a triazole antifungal agent, is a potent CYP3A inhibitor that can cause significant drug-drug interactions when used with CYP3A substrates. This study investigates the effect of ITZ as adjuvant therapy with PZQ on worm load, egg deposition and maturation, and the consequent histopathology and biochemical abnormalities in the liver during the immature and mature stages of Schistosoma mansoni (S. mansoni) infection. S. mansoni-infected mice were divided into five groups of eight-ten mice each: (I) infected untreated, (II) infected and treated with PZQ 3 weeks PI, (III) infected and treated with both ITZ and PZQ 3 weeks PI, (IV) infected and treated with PZQ 7 weeks PI, and (V) infected and treated with both ITZ and PZQ 7 weeks PI. All mice were killed by rapid decapitation 9 weeks PI. Data revealed that ITZ in combination with PZQ at both immature and mature stages improved the parasitological criteria of cure, and greatly reduced inflammation, granuloma and fibrotic tissue formation, and apoptosis versus PZQ alone. Furthermore, it showed the greatest impact on improving liver injury and oxidative stress markers. Notably, the effect was considerably stronger at the mature stage of S. mansoni infection. These findings support the notion that ITZ increased PZQ's antischistosomal activity by inhibiting CYP450 expression, potentially reducing PZQ metabolism and increasing systemic exposure.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Maha B Salem
- Lecturer of Pharmacology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt.
| | - Samia William
- Professor of Parasitology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt.
| | - Olfat A Hammam
- Professor of Pathology, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt.
| | | |
Collapse
|
39
|
Atwa MTM, Abd-Elrazek AM, Salem NIS. Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) Improves the Therapeutic Efficiency of Praziquantel in Experimental Schistosomiasis. Acta Parasitol 2022; 67:773-783. [PMID: 35067863 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-021-00513-1] [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: 08/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Although praziquantel (PZQ) has a wide use as an anti-schistosome agent, many of its imperfections and side effects have been reported in many studies. The current study aims to evaluate the curative effect of a natural dandelion extract (Taraxacum officinale) on schistosomiasis either alone or in combination with PZQ based on parasitological, immunological, histopathological and molecular investigations. METHODS Mice were experimentally infected with Schistosoma mansoni cercariae and then divided into four groups, Schistosoma spp.-infected untreated group (IC group), Schistosoma spp.-infected group of mice treated with dandelion (I-Dn group), Schistosoma spp.-infected group of mice treated with PZQ (I-PZQ group), and Schistosoma spp.-infected group of mice treated with both PZQ and dandelion (I-PZQ + Dn group). Treatment started 45 days' post-infection. Besides, non-infected, non-treated mice served as the negative healthy control group (HC group). RESULTS The present results indicated that dandelion administration significantly reduced the worm burden, ova number, and the number and diameter of hepatic granulomas as compared to the untreated infected group. The results also showed that the levels of IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly decreased in the combined treatment group (I-PZQ + Dn) as compared to the I-PZQ group. Administration of dandelion-only remarkably reduced AST and ALT activities associated with schistosomiasis. Moreover, hepatic DNA damage assessed by comet assay was significantly inhibited in the combined treated group compared to the infected untreated and PZQ treated groups. CONCLUSION The results concluded that combined treatment of PZQ and dandelion extract improved immune response, decreased the number and diameter of granulomas, and inhibited DNA damage, indicating a reduction in liver fibrosis associated with schistosomiasis. The present study focused on the potential effect of dandelion as an adjunct medication for therapeutic properties of PZQ.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Marwa Th M Atwa
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt.
| | - Areeg M Abd-Elrazek
- Physiology Department, National Organization of Drug Control and Research (NODCAR), Giza, Egypt
| | - Noha I S Salem
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Fayoum University, Fayoum, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
40
|
Paulino ÉT, Ribeiro de Lima M, Viçosa AL, da Silva CH, Salomon CJ, Real DA, Leonardi D, Mello Silva CC, de Moraes Neto AHA. The Effect of Different Formulations of Praziquantel in Reducing Worms in the Prepatent Period of Schistosomiasis in Murine Models. Front Public Health 2022; 10:848633. [PMID: 35692307 PMCID: PMC9184718 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2022.848633] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a widely distributed parasitic disease and one of the most important neglected tropical diseases globally, for which Praziquantel® (PZQ) is the only available treatment. In this context, tests with new PZQ formulations become relevant for disease control. This study evaluated the effects of PZQ treatment in the prepatent phase of schistosomiasis using two formulations: nanoencapsulated (PZQ-NANO) and active pharmaceutical ingredient (PZQ-API). Five experimental groups were established, for which the following serological parameters were evaluated: ALT, AST, ALP, and TP. Animals treated with PZQ-API at 15 and 30 days post-infection showed decreased eggs per gram of feces (EPG) compared to untreated infected animals. The same animals showed reductions of 63.6 and 65.1%, respectively, at 60 days post-infection. Animals treated with PZQ-NANO experienced no significant changes in EPG at any time of observation. Animals treated with either PZQ-API or PZQ-NANO had higher ALT and AST levels in the patent period (60 and 90 days post-infection). Treatment with PZQ, either API or NANO, at 15 days post-infection reduced AST, ALT, and TP levels. It is concluded that prepatent treatment with PZQ-API can reduce the parasite load of infected animals and that treatment at 15 days post-infection can prevent increased serum levels of ALT, AST, and TP.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Érica Tex Paulino
- Laboratory of Innovations in Therapies, Teaching and Bioproducts, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (LITEB/IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratory of Environmental Health Evaluation and Promotion, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (LAPSA/IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Tropical Medicine Program, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Monique Ribeiro de Lima
- Animal Experimentation Center, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Lifsitch Viçosa
- Laboratory of Experimental Pharmacotechnics, Farmanguinhos, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Cleber Hooper da Silva
- Institute of Science and Technology in Biomodels, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Claudio Javier Salomon
- Faculty of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
- Institute of Chemistry of Rosario—National Research Council Scientific and Techniques (IQUIR-CONICET), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Daniel Andrés Real
- Faculty of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
- Institute of Chemistry of Rosario—National Research Council Scientific and Techniques (IQUIR-CONICET), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Dario Leonardi
- Faculty of Biochemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
- Institute of Chemistry of Rosario—National Research Council Scientific and Techniques (IQUIR-CONICET), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Clélia Christina Mello Silva
- Laboratory of Environmental Health Evaluation and Promotion, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (LAPSA/IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- *Correspondence: Clélia Christina Mello Silva
| | - Antonio Henrique Almeida de Moraes Neto
- Laboratory of Innovations in Therapies, Teaching and Bioproducts, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Oswaldo Cruz Foundation (LITEB/IOC/FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Qu L, Ma SC, Xu LL, Jiang XZ, Sun XW, Dong ZY, Wu YL. [Whole transcriptome analysis and critical gene regulatory network analysis during Schistosoma japonicum infection and praziquantel treatment in mice]. Zhongguo Xue Xi Chong Bing Fang Zhi Za Zhi 2022; 34:128-140. [PMID: 35537834 DOI: 10.16250/j.32.1374.2021299] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To investigate long non-coding RNA (lncRNA)-microRNA (miRNA)-messenger RNA (mRNA) interactions and identify the critical gene regulatory network during Schistosoma japonicum infections and praziquantel treatment using whole transcriptome sequencing. METHODS A total of 110 male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into the control group, the infection group and the treatment group. Mice in the infection treatment and the control group were infected with S. japonicum cercariae via the abdomen, and liver specimens were sampled from 10 mice 3, 6, 8 weeks post-infection. Praziquantel treatment was given to mice in the treatment group 8 weeks post-infection, and liver specimens were sampled from 10 mice 2, 4, 6, 8, 10 weeks post-treatment. Total RNA was isolated from mouse liver specimens, and the transcriptome library was constructed for highthroughput whole transcriptome sequencing. The significant differentially expressed genes were subjected to functional annotations, Gene Ontology (GO) terms enrichment analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment analysis. Correlation analysis of liver specimens was performed using R Corrplot and Himsc functions, and the lncRNAmiRNA-mRNA interaction network analysis was performed using R MixOmics and Himsc functions. RESULTS There were 1 176 differentially expressed miRNAs, 5 270 differentially expressed mRNAs, and 2 682 differentially expressed lncRNAs between the infection group and the control group, 1 289 differentially expressed miRNAs, 7 differentially expressed mRNAs, and 69 differentially expressed lncRNAs between the treatment group and the infection group, and 1 210 differentially expressed miRNAs, 4 456 differentially expressed mRNAs, and 2 016 differentially expressed lncRNAs between the treatment group and the control group. Correlation analysis showed a higher correlation of gene expression between the treatment group and the control group. Principal component analysis showed obvious separate clustering between the infection group and the treatment group. The differentially expressed genes with significant relevance were significantly enriched in 24 GO terms, including arachidonic acid metabolic process, xenobiotic catabolic process, unsaturated fatty acid metabolic process, xenobiotic metabolic process, long-chain fatty acid metabolic process, and 8 KEGG metabolic pathways, including cholesterol metabolism, tyrosine metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism, retinol metabolism, and steroid hormone biometabolism. CONCLUSIONS There were 23 mRNAs including Cyp2b9 and 14 lncRNAs including Rmrpr in the core position of the gene regulatory network, which may play a critical role in S. japonicum infections and praziquantel treatment, and 9 miRNAs including miR-8105 may serve as potential molecular markers for diagnosis of S. japonicum infections.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- L Qu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong 264003, China
- Co-first authors
| | - S C Ma
- Yantai Yuhuangding Hospital, Shandong 264003, China
- Co-first authors
| | - L L Xu
- Yantai Affiliated Hospital of Binzhou Medical University, China
| | - X Z Jiang
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong 264003, China
| | - X W Sun
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong 264003, China
| | - Z Y Dong
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong 264003, China
| | - Y L Wu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Binzhou Medical University, Yantai, Shandong 264003, China
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Yuan X, Zhang SY, Yao JK, Xing YT, Qu GL, Liang YS, Dai JR. [Effects of praziquantel isomers on the proliferation and activation of the LX-2 human hepatic stellate cell line]. Zhongguo Xue Xi Chong Bing Fang Zhi Za Zhi 2022; 34:75-80. [PMID: 35266361 DOI: 10.16250/j.32.1374.2021027] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To compare the effects of levo-praziquantel (L-PZQ) and dextro-praziquantel (D-PZQ) on the proliferation and activation of the human hepatic stellate cell line LX-2 in vitro. METHODS LX-2 cells were stimulated with transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β). LX-2 cell proliferation was measured using the CCK-8 assay after 24 h stimulation with 0 to 50 μg/mL concentrations of praziquantel, and the gene and protein expression of type Ⅰ collagen (collagen Ⅰ), type Ⅲ collagen (collagen Ⅲ) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) was quantified in LX-2 cells using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and Western blotting assays 24 h and 48 h following stimulation with 15 μg/mL praziquantel to detect LX-2 cell activation. RESULTS There were significant differences in the survival rate of LX-2 cells between L-PZQ and D-PZQ treatments at all concentrations (F = 6.119 and 79.180, both P values < 0.05). Either L-PZQ or D-PZQ at a concentration of < 30 μg/mL showed no remarkableeffectsonthe LX-2 cell proliferation (both P values > 0.05), and L-PZQ at a concentration of > 50 μg/mL and D-PZQ at a concentration of > 40 μg/mL inhibited the LX-2 cell proliferation (both P values < 0.05), while D-PZQ at concentrations of 40 μg/mL and 50 μg/mL showed greater inhibition on LX-2 cell proliferation than L-PZQ (t = 3.419 and 8.776, both P values < 0.05). There were significant differences in the collagen Ⅰ, collagen Ⅲ and α-SMA expression in LX-2 cells at both transcriptional (F = 21.55, 79.99 and 46.70, all P values < 0.05) and translational levels (F = 20.12, 30.29 and 32.93, all P values < 0.05) among the blank control group, TGF-β stimulation group, L-PZQ treatment group and D-PZQ treatment group. L-PZQ treatment resulted in remarkable inhibition on collagen Ⅲ and α-SMA gene expression in LX-2 cells (both P values < 0.05); however, the treatment showed no remarkable inhibition collagen Ⅰ gene expression or collagen Ⅰ, collagen Ⅲ or α-SMA protein expression in LX-2 cells (all P values > 0.05). In addition, D-PZQ treatment resulted in significant inhibition on collagen Ⅰ, collagen Ⅲ and α-SMA expression in LX-2 cells at both translational and transcriptional levels (all P values < 0.05), and D-PZQ showed higher inhibition on collagen Ⅰ, collagen Ⅲ and α-SMA gene expression in LX-2 cells than L-PZQ (all P values < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Both L-PZQ and D-PZQ inhibit the proliferation and activation of LX-2 cells, and D-PZQ shows a higher inhibitory activity than L-PZQ.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- X Yuan
- Key Laboratory of National Health Commission on Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention; Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology; Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214064, China
| | - S Y Zhang
- Key Laboratory of National Health Commission on Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention; Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology; Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214064, China
| | - J K Yao
- Key Laboratory of National Health Commission on Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention; Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology; Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214064, China
| | - Y T Xing
- Key Laboratory of National Health Commission on Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention; Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology; Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214064, China
| | - G L Qu
- Key Laboratory of National Health Commission on Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention; Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology; Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214064, China
| | - Y S Liang
- Key Laboratory of National Health Commission on Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention; Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology; Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214064, China
| | - J R Dai
- Key Laboratory of National Health Commission on Parasitic Disease Control and Prevention; Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory on Parasite and Vector Control Technology; Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases, Wuxi, Jiangsu 214064, China
| |
Collapse
|
43
|
Huseein EAM, Samir M, Al-Karmalawy AA, Hassan SS, Embarek Mohamed M, Mostafa FAAM, Moharram AM, Alkhalil SS, Farrag HMM. Ganoderma lucidum extract inhibits Schistosoma mansoni survival in silico and in vitro study. Ann Parasitol 2022; 68:323-330. [PMID: 35810364 DOI: 10.17420/ap6802.438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Schistosomosis is a worldwide tropical disease primarily caused by Schistosoma mansoni. Praziquantel is the only available drug for controlling schistosomosis, with many challenges. This study aims to evaluate the in vitro anti-Schistosoma effect of Ganoderma lucidum (G. lucidum) against adult and larval stages of Schistosoma based on the prediction of the binding activity of G. lucidum protein with proteins of various stages of S. mansoni by molecular docking to confirm its inhibitory potential through an insilico study. Results showed that Leu143, Ser165, Met214, and Asn213 were the primary crucial amino acids involved in the binding, with a promising large area of interactions between the two studied proteins. The in vitro study evaluated the motility and survival of adult and larval stages, compared to praziquantel and niclosamide, respectively. There was a significant reduction in the motility of adults after the two-hour incubation, with all concentrations and 100% death of all parasites with the minimal concentration (10 μg/ml) within 4 and 6 h of incubation (P<0.01). Regarding the cercariae, at a concentration of 10 μg/ml, all the cercariae (100%) died (P<0.01) after 15 min, and the miracidial complete mortality rate (100%) (P<0.01) occurred at a concentration of 10 μg/ml after 8 min. This study first predicted the binding activity of G. lucidum protein with proteins of S. mansoni at various stages and proved the anti-Schistosoma effect of G. lucidum in vitro, considered a promising treatment for schistosomosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Mohamed Samir
- Department of Medical Zoonoses, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Egypt
| | - Ahmed A Al-Karmalawy
- Department of Pharmaceutical Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Horus University-Egypt, New Damietta 34518, Egypt
| | - Shimaa S Hassan
- Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Zagazig University, Egypt
| | - Mona Embarek Mohamed
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
| | | | - Ahmed M Moharram
- Department of Botany, Faculty of Science, Assiut University, Assiut 71515, Egypt
| | - Samia S Alkhalil
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Haiam Mohamed Mahmoud Farrag
- Department of Medical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Assiut University, Assiut 71516, Egypt
- Department of Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| |
Collapse
|
44
|
Nono JK, Mpotje T, Mosala P, Aziz NA, Musaigwa F, Hlaka L, Spangenberg T, Brombacher F. Praziquantel Treatment of Schistosoma mansoni Infected Mice Renders Them Less Susceptible to Reinfection. Front Immunol 2021; 12:748387. [PMID: 34956183 PMCID: PMC8703194 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2021.748387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [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: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 11/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Beyond transient control of the infection, additional benefits of mass drug administration of praziquantel in endemic communities have been suggested in communities but not mechanistically investigated experimentally. The present study sought to evaluate the additional and hitherto unreported benefits of repeated mass drug administration of praziquantel. We used a tractable mouse model of Schistosoma mansoni infection to assess the effects of repeated infection-treatment cycles on the host susceptibility to reinfection. Parasitaemia was assessed by quantification of Schistosoma egg burden in liver tissues and morbidity was followed up by histological observation of liver lesions by microscopy and using biochemical measurement of liver transaminases. Immune responses were further determined by serum probing of schistosoma-specific antibodies, cytokines and quantification of liver cellular and soluble mediator responses by flow cytometry and ELISA, respectively. At similar ages and comparable gender distribution, groups of mice undergoing higher number of infections treatment cycles over a longer period, remained susceptible to reinfection by the parasite, as judged by the presence of eggs and the associated increasing pathology in the liver tissues. However, notably, there was a clear and significantly higher propensity to lower egg burden upon reinfection when compared to counterparts undergoing a lower number of infection-treatment cycles. This relative reduction of susceptibility to infection was paralleled by a more robust humoral response against parasite antigens, elevated serum IL-4 and liver cytokines. Of note, praziquantel treatment of infected mice left them at a higher baseline of serum IL-4, IgE and liver cytokines but lower CD4+ T cell -derived cytokines when compared to infected non-treated mice supporting an immunological treatment-induced advantage of previously infected mice over naïve mice and infected/not treated mice. Notably, repeated infection-treatment cycles did not preclude the infection-driven aggravation of collagen deposition in the livers over time and was corroborated by a more robust local production of inflammatory cytokines in the most exposed livers. Taken together, our data reveal that treatment of S. mansoni-infected hosts with praziquantel rewires the immune system to a conformation less permissive to subsequent reinfection in mice. Provided the data are translatable from mouse to human, our findings may provide mechanistic support to the potential benefits of more frequent MDAs in high transmission areas to allow rapid acquisition of protective immunity against reinfection.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Justin Komguep Nono
- Division of Immunology and South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Immunology of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town Component, Cape Town, South Africa
- Laboratory of ImmunoBiology and Helminth Infections, Institute of Medical Research and Medicinal Plant Studies, Ministry of Scientific Research and Innovation, Yaoundé, Cameroon
| | - Thabo Mpotje
- Division of Immunology and South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Immunology of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town Component, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Paballo Mosala
- Division of Immunology and South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Immunology of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town Component, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Nada Abdel Aziz
- Division of Immunology and South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Immunology of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town Component, Cape Town, South Africa
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
| | - Fungai Musaigwa
- Division of Immunology and South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Immunology of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town Component, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Lerato Hlaka
- Division of Immunology and South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Immunology of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town Component, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Thomas Spangenberg
- Global Health Institute of Merck, Ares Trading S.A., a Subsidiary of Merck KGaA Darmstadt Germany, Eysins, Switzerland
- *Correspondence: Thomas Spangenberg, ; Frank Brombacher,
| | - Frank Brombacher
- Division of Immunology and South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) Immunology of Infectious Diseases, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology (ICGEB), Cape Town Component, Cape Town, South Africa
- Wellcome Centre for Infectious Diseases Research in Africa (CIDRI-Africa) and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM), Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
- *Correspondence: Thomas Spangenberg, ; Frank Brombacher,
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Mughal MN, Grevelding CG, Haeberlein S. The anticancer drug imatinib induces autophagy in Schistosoma mansoni. Int J Parasitol 2021; 52:211-215. [PMID: 34838573 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpara.2021.10.008] [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: 09/10/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis, caused by schistosome parasites, is a neglected tropical disease affecting humans and animals. There is no vaccine available yet, and fear of upcoming resistance against the only widely used drug, praziquantel, is omnipresent. Previously, we showed that imatinib (Gleevec), an anticancer drug, affected schistosome physiology and caused the death of adult Schistosoma mansoni in vitro. Here, we present the first known evidence that one effect of imatinib is the induction of autophagy in S. mansoni. Furthermore, worms co-treated with imatinib and bafilomycin A1, a late-phase autophagy inhibitor, reversed imatinib-induced autophagy and its antischistosomal effects as revealed by phenotypic and molecular analyses.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mudassar N Mughal
- Institute of Parasitology, Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Justus Liebig University Giessen, Schubertstr. 81, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Christoph G Grevelding
- Institute of Parasitology, Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Justus Liebig University Giessen, Schubertstr. 81, D-35392 Giessen, Germany
| | - Simone Haeberlein
- Institute of Parasitology, Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Justus Liebig University Giessen, Schubertstr. 81, D-35392 Giessen, Germany.
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Chulkov EG, Smith E, Rohr CM, Yahya NA, Park SK, Scampavia L, Spicer TP, Marchant JS. Identification of novel modulators of a schistosome transient receptor potential channel targeted by praziquantel. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009898. [PMID: 34731172 PMCID: PMC8565742 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Given the worldwide burden of neglected tropical diseases, there is ongoing need to develop novel anthelmintic agents to strengthen the pipeline of drugs to combat these burdensome infections. Many diseases caused by parasitic flatworms are treated using the anthelmintic drug praziquantel (PZQ), employed for decades as the key clinical agent to treat schistosomiasis. PZQ activates a flatworm transient receptor potential (TRP) channel within the melastatin family (TRPMPZQ) to mediate sustained Ca2+ influx and worm paralysis. As a druggable target present in many parasitic flatworms, TRPMPZQ is a promising target for a target-based screening campaign with the goal of discovering novel regulators of this channel complex. Here, we have optimized methods to miniaturize a Ca2+-based reporter assay for Schistosoma mansoni TRPMPZQ (Sm.TRPMPZQ) activity enabling a high throughput screening (HTS) approach. This methodology will enable further HTS efforts against Sm.TRPMPZQ as well as other flatworm ion channels. A pilot screen of ~16,000 compounds yielded a novel activator of Sm.TRPMPZQ, and numerous potential blockers. The new activator of Sm.TRPMPZQ represented a distinct chemotype to PZQ, but is a known chemical entity previously identified by phenotypic screening. The fact that a compound prioritized from a phenotypic screening campaign is revealed to act, like PZQ, as an Sm.TRPMPZQ agonist underscores the validity of TRPMPZQ as a druggable target for antischistosomal ligands.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Evgeny G. Chulkov
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Emery Smith
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, Jupiter, Florida, United States of America
| | - Claudia M. Rohr
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Nawal A. Yahya
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Minnesota Medical School, Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States of America
| | - Sang-Kyu Park
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America
| | - Louis Scampavia
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, Jupiter, Florida, United States of America
| | - Timothy P. Spicer
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Scripps Research, Jupiter, Florida, United States of America
| | - Jonathan S. Marchant
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, United States of America
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
Yang ZY, Liu ZH, Zhang YN, Li C, Liu L, Pu WJ, Xie SQ, Xu J, Xia CM. Synergistic effect of combination chemotherapy with praziquantel and DW-3-15 for Schistosoma japonicum in vitro and in vivo. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:550. [PMID: 34702326 PMCID: PMC8549225 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05065-x] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schistosomiasis is a debilitating and neglected tropical disease for which praziquantel (PZQ) remains the first-choice drug for treatment and control of the disease. In our previous studies, we found that the patented compound DW-3-15 (patent no. ZL201110142538.2) displayed significant and stabilized antiparasitic activity through a mechanism that might be distinct from PZQ. Here, we investigated the antischistosomal efficacy of PZQ combined with DW-3-15 against schistosomula and adult worms of Schistosoma japonicum in vitro and in vivo, to verify whether there was a synergistic effect of the two compounds. METHODS The antischistosomal efficacy of PZQ combined with DW-3-15 in comparison with an untreated control and monotherapy group against schistosomula and adult worms was assessed both in vitro and in vivo. Parasitological studies, scanning electron microscopy, combination index, and histopathological analysis were used for the assessment. RESULTS The results showed significantly reduced viability of schistosomes, achieving 100% viability reduction for juveniles and males by combination chemotherapy using PZQ together with DW-3-15 in vitro. The combination index was 0.28, 0.27, and 0.53 at the higher concentration of PZQ combined with DW-3-15 against juveniles, males, and females, respectively, indicating that the two compounds display strong synergism. Scanning electron microscopy observations also demonstrated that the compound combination induced more severe and extensive alterations to the tegument and subtegument of S. japonicum than those with each compound alone. In vivo, compared with the single-compound-treated group, the group treated with the higher-dose combination demonstrated the best schistosomicidal efficacy, with significantly reduced worm burden, egg burden, and granuloma count and area, which was evident against schistosomula and adult worms. CONCLUSIONS Our study provides a potential novel chemotherapy for schistosomiasis caused by S. japonicum. It would improve the antischistosomal effect on schistosomula and adult worms of S. japonicum, and decrease individual dosages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zi-Yin Yang
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123 China
| | - Zi-Hao Liu
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123 China
| | - Ya-Nan Zhang
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123 China
| | - Chen Li
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123 China
| | - Lei Liu
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123 China
| | - Wen-Jie Pu
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123 China
| | - Shi-Qi Xie
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123 China
| | - Jing Xu
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123 China
| | - Chao-Ming Xia
- Department of Parasitology, Medical College of Soochow University, 199 Renai Road, Suzhou, 215123 China
| |
Collapse
|
48
|
Berger DJ, Crellen T, Lamberton PHL, Allan F, Tracey A, Noonan JD, Kabatereine NB, Tukahebwa EM, Adriko M, Holroyd N, Webster JP, Berriman M, Cotton JA. Whole-genome sequencing of Schistosoma mansoni reveals extensive diversity with limited selection despite mass drug administration. Nat Commun 2021; 12:4776. [PMID: 34362894 PMCID: PMC8346512 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-24958-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Control and elimination of the parasitic disease schistosomiasis relies on mass administration of praziquantel. Whilst these programmes reduce infection prevalence and intensity, their impact on parasite transmission and evolution is poorly understood. Here we examine the genomic impact of repeated mass drug administration on Schistosoma mansoni populations with documented reduced praziquantel efficacy. We sequenced whole-genomes of 198 S. mansoni larvae from 34 Ugandan children from regions with contrasting praziquantel exposure. Parasites infecting children from Lake Victoria, a transmission hotspot, form a diverse panmictic population. A single round of treatment did not reduce this diversity with no apparent population contraction caused by long-term praziquantel use. We find evidence of positive selection acting on members of gene families previously implicated in praziquantel action, but detect no high frequency functionally impactful variants. As efforts to eliminate schistosomiasis intensify, our study provides a foundation for genomic surveillance of this major human parasite.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Duncan J Berger
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK.
- Department of Pathology and Pathogen Biology, Centre for Emerging, Endemic and Exotic Diseases, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Herts, UK.
| | - Thomas Crellen
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
- Imperial College London, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London, UK
- Big Data Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - Poppy H L Lamberton
- Imperial College London, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London, UK
- Institute for Biodiversity, Animal Health, and Comparative Medicine, and Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - Fiona Allan
- The Natural History Museum, Department of Life Sciences, London, UK
| | - Alan Tracey
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Jennifer D Noonan
- Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Narcis B Kabatereine
- Vector Borne & Neglected Tropical Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Edridah M Tukahebwa
- Vector Borne & Neglected Tropical Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Moses Adriko
- Vector Borne & Neglected Tropical Disease Control Division, Ministry of Health, Kampala, Uganda
| | - Nancy Holroyd
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK
| | - Joanne P Webster
- Department of Pathology and Pathogen Biology, Centre for Emerging, Endemic and Exotic Diseases, Royal Veterinary College, University of London, Herts, UK.
- Imperial College London, Department of Infectious Disease Epidemiology, London, UK.
| | - Matthew Berriman
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK.
| | - James A Cotton
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
49
|
LoVerde PT, Alwan SN, Taylor AB, Rhodes J, Chevalier FD, Anderson TJ, McHardy SF. Rational approach to drug discovery for human schistosomiasis. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2021; 16:140-147. [PMID: 34111649 PMCID: PMC8193065 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2021.05.002] [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] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Human schistosomiasis is a debilitating, life-threatening disease affecting more than 229 million people in as many as 78 countries. There is only one drug of choice effective against all three major species of Schistosoma, praziquantel (PZQ). However, as with many monotherapies, evidence for resistance is emerging in the field and can be selected for in the laboratory. Previously used therapies include oxamniquine (OXA), but shortcomings such as drug resistance and affordability resulted in discontinuation. Employing a genetic, biochemical and molecular approach, a sulfotransferase (SULT-OR) was identified as responsible for OXA drug resistance. By crystallizing SmSULT- OR with OXA, the mode of action of OXA was determined. This information allowed a rational approach to novel drug design. Our team approach with schistosome biologists, medicinal chemists, structural biologists and geneticists has enabled us to develop and test novel drug derivatives of OXA to treat this disease. Using an iterative process for drug development, we have successfully identified derivatives that are effective against all three species of the parasite. One derivative CIDD-0149830 kills 100% of all three human schistosome species within 5 days. The goal is to generate a second therapeutic with a different mode of action that can be used in conjunction with praziquantel to overcome the ever-growing threat of resistance and improve efficacy. The ability and need to design, screen, and develop future, affordable therapeutics to treat human schistosomiasis is critical for successful control program outcomes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Philip T LoVerde
- Departments of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA; Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA.
| | - Sevan N Alwan
- Departments of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Alexander B Taylor
- Departments of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, The University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Jayce Rhodes
- Center for Innovative Drug Discovery, Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Frédéric D Chevalier
- Program in Host-Pathogen Interactions, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Timothy Jc Anderson
- Program in Disease Intervention and Prevention, Texas Biomedical Research Institute, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Stanton F McHardy
- Center for Innovative Drug Discovery, Department of Chemistry, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Zacharia A, Mushi V, Makene T. A systematic review and meta-analysis on the rate of human schistosomiasis reinfection. PLoS One 2020; 15:e0243224. [PMID: 33270752 PMCID: PMC7714137 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0243224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
While praziquantel mass drug administration is currently the most widely used method in the control of human schistosomiasis, it does not prevent subsequent reinfection hence persistent transmission. Towards schistosomiasis elimination, understanding the reinfection rate is crucial in planning for the future interventions. However, there is scarcity of information on the global reinfection rate of schistosomiasis. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed at summarizing studies that estimated the reinfection rate of human schistosomiasis. Three data bases (PubMed, Hinari and Google Scholar) were thoroughly searched to retrieve original research articles presenting data on reinfection rate of human schistosomiasis. Study quality and risk of bias was assessed based on Joanna Briggs Institute critical appraisal checklist. Meta-analysis was conducted using statistical R version 3.6.2 and R Studio using "meta" and "metafor" packages. Random effect model was employed to estimate pooled reinfection rates. Heterogeneity was determined using Cochran's Q (chi-square)-test and Higgins I2 statistics. A total of 29 studies met inclusion criteria to be included in this review. All studies had at least satisfactory (5-9 scores) quality. The overal mean and pooled reinfection rates of schistosomiasis were 36.1% (±23.3%) and 33.2% (95% CI, 26.5-40.5%) respectively. For intestinal schistosomiasis, the mean and pooled reinfection rates were 43.9% (±20.6%) and 43.4% (95% CI, 35.8-51.4%), and that for urogenital schistosomiasis were 17.6% (±10.8%) and 19.4% (95% CI, 12.3%- 29.2%) respectively. Cochran's Q (chi-square)-test and Higgins I2 statistic indicated significant heterogeneity across studies (p-values < 0.001, I2 values > 95%). Results of subgroup analysis showed that, the type of Schistosoma species, participants' age group, sample size and geographical area had influence on disparity variation in reinfection rate of schistosomiasis (p < 0.1). Despite the control measures in place, the re-infection rate is still high, specifically on intestinal schistosomiasis as compared to urogenital schistosomiasis. Achieving 2030 sustainable development goal 3 on good health and wellbeing intensive programmatic strategies for schistosomiasis elimination should be implemented. Among such strategies to be used at national level are repeated mass drug administration at least every six months, intensive snails control and health education.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abdallah Zacharia
- Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Vivian Mushi
- Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| | - Twilumba Makene
- Department of Parasitology and Medical Entomology, Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania
| |
Collapse
|