1
|
Moita D, Prudêncio M. A new malaria vaccination tool based on replication-competent Plasmodium falciparum parasites. EMBO Mol Med 2024; 16:667-669. [PMID: 38514792 PMCID: PMC11018615 DOI: 10.1038/s44321-024-00056-8] [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: 03/06/2024] [Revised: 03/06/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
D. Moita and M. Prudêncio discuss the study by Goswami et al, in this issue of EMBO Mol. Med ., on the generation and pre-clinical characterization of late liver stage-arresting genetically attenuated Plasmodium parasites as a potential vaccine against malaria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Moita
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Fraga A, Mósca AF, Moita D, Simas JP, Nunes-Cabaço H, Prudêncio M. SARS-CoV-2 decreases malaria severity in co-infected rodent models. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1307553. [PMID: 38156320 PMCID: PMC10753813 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1307553] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and malaria, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Plasmodium parasites, respectively, share geographical distribution in regions where the latter disease is endemic, leading to the emergence of co-infections between the two pathogens. Thus far, epidemiologic studies and case reports have yielded insufficient data on the reciprocal impact of the two pathogens on either infection and related diseases. We established novel co-infection models to address this issue experimentally, employing either human angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (hACE2)-expressing or wild-type mice, in combination with human- or mouse-infective variants of SARS-CoV-2, and the P. berghei rodent malaria parasite. We now show that a primary infection by a viral variant that causes a severe disease phenotype partially impairs a subsequent liver infection by the malaria parasite. Additionally, exposure to an attenuated viral variant modulates subsequent immune responses and provides protection from severe malaria-associated outcomes when a blood stage P. berghei infection was established. Our findings unveil a hitherto unknown host-mediated virus-parasite interaction that could have relevant implications for disease management and control in malaria-endemic regions. This work may contribute to the development of other models of concomitant infection between Plasmodium and respiratory viruses, expediting further research on co-infections that lead to complex disease presentations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ana Fraga
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Andreia F. Mósca
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Diana Moita
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - J. Pedro Simas
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
- Católica Biomedical Research, Católica Medical School, Universidade Católica Portuguesa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Helena Nunes-Cabaço
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Moita D, Nunes-Cabaço H, Rôla C, Franke-Fayard B, Janse CJ, Mendes AM, Prudêncio M. Variable long-term protection by radiation-, chemo-, and genetically-attenuated Plasmodium berghei sporozoite vaccines. Vaccine 2023; 41:7618-7625. [PMID: 38007342 DOI: 10.1016/j.vaccine.2023.11.023] [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: 09/20/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 11/27/2023]
Abstract
Long-term protection against malaria remains one of the greatest challenges of vaccination against this deadly parasitic disease. Whole-sporozoite (WSp) malaria vaccine formulations, which target the Plasmodium parasite's pre-erythrocytic stages, include radiation-attenuated sporozoites (RAS), early- and late-arresting genetically-attenuated parasites (EA-GAP and LA-GAP, respectively), and chemoprophylaxis with sporozoites (CPS). Although all these four vaccine formulations induce protective immune responses in the clinic, data on the longevity of the antimalarial protection they afford remain scarce. We employed a mouse model of malaria to assess protection conferred by immunization with P. berghei (Pb)-based surrogates of these four WSp formulations over a 36-week period. We show that EA-GAP WSp provide the lowest overall protection against an infectious Pb challenge, and that while immunization with RAS and LA-GAP WSp elicits the most durable protection, the protective efficacy of CPS WSp wanes rapidly over the 36-week period, most notably at higher immunization dosages. Analyses of liver immune cells show that CD44hi CD8+ T cells in CPS WSp-immunized mice express increased levels of the co-inhibitory PD-1 and LAG-3 markers compared to mice immunized with the other WSp formulations. This indicates that memory CD8+ T cells elicited by CPS WSp immunization display a more exhausted phenotype, which may explain the rapid waning of protection conferred by the former. These results emphasize the need for a detailed comparison of the duration of protection of different WSp formulations in humans and suggest a more beneficial effect of RAS and LA-GAP WSp compared to EA-GAP or CSP WSp.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Moita
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Helena Nunes-Cabaço
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Catarina Rôla
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | | | - Chris J Janse
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - António M Mendes
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Moita D, Rôla C, Nunes-Cabaço H, Nogueira G, Maia TG, Othman AS, Franke-Fayard B, Janse CJ, Mendes AM, Prudêncio M. The effect of dosage on the protective efficacy of whole-sporozoite formulations for immunization against malaria. NPJ Vaccines 2023; 8:182. [PMID: 37996533 PMCID: PMC10667361 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-023-00778-9] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Immunization with Plasmodium sporozoites, either attenuated or administered under the cover of an antimalarial drug, can induce strong protection against malaria in pre-clinical murine models, as well as in human trials. Previous studies have suggested that whole-sporozoite (WSpz) formulations based on parasites with longer liver stage development induce higher protection, but a comparative analysis of four different WSpz formulations has not been reported. We employed a rodent model of malaria to analyze the effect of immunization dosage on the protective efficacy of WSpz formulations consisting of (i) early liver arresting genetically attenuated parasites (EA-GAP) or (ii) radiation-attenuated sporozoites (RAS), (iii) late arresting GAP (LA-GAP), and (iv) sporozoites administered under chemoprophylaxis, that are eliminated upon release into the bloodstream (CPS). Our results show that, unlike all other WSpz formulations, EA-GAP fails to confer complete protection against an infectious challenge at any immunization dosage employed, suggesting that a minimum threshold of liver development is required to elicit fully effective immune responses. Moreover, while immunization with RAS, LA-GAP and CPS WSpz yields comparable, dosage-dependent protection, protection by EA-GAP WSpz peaks at an intermediate dosage and markedly decreases thereafter. In-depth immunological analyses suggest that effector CD8+ T cells elicited by EA-GAP WSpz immunization have limited developmental plasticity, with a potential negative impact on the functional versatility of memory cells and, thus, on protective immunity. Our findings point towards dismissing EA-GAP from prioritization for WSpz malaria vaccination and enhance our understanding of the complexity of the protection elicited by these WSpz vaccine candidates, guiding their future optimization.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Moita
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Catarina Rôla
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Helena Nunes-Cabaço
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Gonçalo Nogueira
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Teresa G Maia
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ahmad Syibli Othman
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin, 21300, Terengganu, Malaysia
| | | | - Chris J Janse
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - António M Mendes
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Fonte M, Fontinha D, Moita D, Caño-Prades O, Avalos-Padilla Y, Fernàndez-Busquets X, Prudêncio M, Gomes P, Teixeira C. New 4-(N-cinnamoylbutyl)aminoacridines as potential multi-stage antiplasmodial leads. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 258:115575. [PMID: 37390511 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115575] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
A novel family of 4-aminoacridine derivatives was obtained by linking this heteroaromatic core to different trans-cinnamic acids. The 4-(N-cinnamoylbutyl)aminoacridines obtained exhibited in vitro activity in the low- or sub-micromolar range against (i) hepatic stages of Plasmodium berghei, (ii) erythrocytic forms of Plasmodium falciparum, and (iii) early and mature gametocytes of Plasmodium falciparum. The most active compound, having a meta-fluorocinnamoyl group linked to the acridine core, was 20- and 120-fold more potent, respectively, against the hepatic and gametocyte stages of Plasmodium infection than the reference drug, primaquine. Moreover, no cytotoxicity towards mammalian and red blood cells at the concentrations tested was observed for any of the compounds under investigation. These novel conjugates represent promising leads for the development of new multi-target antiplasmodials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mélanie Fonte
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Portugal.
| | - Diana Fontinha
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Diana Moita
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Omar Caño-Prades
- Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Yunuen Avalos-Padilla
- Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Fernàndez-Busquets
- Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain; Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-Universitat de Barcelona), Spain; Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute (IN2UB), University of Barcelona, Spain
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Paula Gomes
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Portugal.
| | - Cátia Teixeira
- LAQV-REQUIMTE, Departamento de Química e Bioquímica, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade do Porto, Portugal; Gyros Protein Technologies Inc., Tucson, AZ, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
S Mendes S, Sorg M, Luís CM, Fontinha D, Francisco D, Moita D, C Romão C, G Pinho M, Pimentel C, Prudêncio M, M Saraiva L. Conjugated carbon monoxide-releasing molecules have broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Future Med Chem 2023; 15:1037-1048. [PMID: 37458074 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2023-0103] [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] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Aim: To test the antimicrobial effect of carbon monoxide-releasing molecules (CORMs) conjugated with azoles on different microorganisms. Methods & results: We used broth microdilution, checkerboard and cytotoxicity assays, as well as imaging, fluorescence and bioluminescence experiments to study [Re(CO)3(2,2'-bipyridyl)(Ctz)]+ (also known as ReBpyCtz). ReBpyCtz exhibits a low minimum inhibitory concentration value, increases the intracellular formation of reactive oxygen species and causes significant alterations on Staphylococcus aureus's membrane. ReBpyCtz is active against fungi, having a more prolonged fungicidal effect on Candida glabrata than clotrimazole and is selectively active on blood-stage malaria parasites, at a concentration that is not toxic to kidney epithelial cells. Conclusion: Conjugated CORMs have the potential to be active against different types of pathogens, thus constituting a promising class of broad-spectrum antimicrobials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sofia S Mendes
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República (EAN), 2780-157, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Moritz Sorg
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República (EAN), 2780-157, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Cláudia Malta Luís
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República (EAN), 2780-157, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Diana Fontinha
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Denise Francisco
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Diana Moita
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Carlos C Romão
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República (EAN), 2780-157, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Mariana G Pinho
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República (EAN), 2780-157, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Catarina Pimentel
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República (EAN), 2780-157, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Universidade de Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Lígia M Saraiva
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Avenida da República (EAN), 2780-157, Oeiras, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Moita D, Maia TG, Duarte M, Andrade CM, Albuquerque IS, Dwivedi A, Silva JC, González-Céron L, Janse CJ, Mendes AM, Prudêncio M. A genetically modified Plasmodium berghei parasite as a surrogate for whole-sporozoite vaccination against P. vivax malaria. NPJ Vaccines 2022; 7:163. [PMID: 36526627 PMCID: PMC9755804 DOI: 10.1038/s41541-022-00585-8] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Two malaria parasite species, Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) and P. vivax (Pv) are responsible for most of the disease burden caused by malaria. Vaccine development against this disease has focused mainly on Pf. Whole-sporozoite (WSp) vaccination, targeting pre-erythrocytic (PE) parasite stages, is a promising strategy for immunization against malaria and several PfWSp-based vaccine candidates are currently undergoing clinical evaluation. In contrast, no WSp candidates have been developed for Pv, mainly due to constraints in the production of Pv sporozoites in the laboratory. Recently, we developed a novel approach for WSp vaccination against Pf based on the use of transgenic rodent P. berghei (Pb) sporozoites expressing immunogens of this human-infective parasite. We showed that this platform can be used to deliver PE Pf antigens, eliciting both targeted humoral responses and cross-species cellular immune responses against Pf. Here we explored this WSp platform for the delivery of Pv antigens. As the Pv circumsporozoite protein (CSP) is a leading vaccine candidate antigen, we generated a transgenic Pb parasite, PbviVac, that, in addition to its endogenous PbCSP, expresses PvCSP under the control of a strictly PE promoter. Immunofluorescence microscopy analyses confirmed that both the PbCSP and the PvCSP antigens are expressed in PbviVac sporozoites and liver stages and that PbviVac sporozoite infectivity of hepatic cells is similar to that of its wild-type Pb counterpart. Immunization of mice with PbviVac sporozoites elicits the production of anti-PvCSP antibodies that efficiently recognize and bind to Pv sporozoites. Our results warrant further development and evaluation of PbviVac as a surrogate for WSp vaccination against Pv malaria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Moita
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Teresa G Maia
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel Duarte
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Carolina M Andrade
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Inês S Albuquerque
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Ankit Dwivedi
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Joana C Silva
- Institute for Genome Sciences, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA
| | - Lilia González-Céron
- Centro Regional de Investigación en Salud Pública, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Tapachula, Chiapas, México
| | - Chris J Janse
- Department of Parasitology, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - António M Mendes
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa, Portugal.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Bouzón-Arnáiz I, Avalos-Padilla Y, Biosca A, Caño-Prades O, Román-Álamo L, Valle J, Andreu D, Moita D, Prudêncio M, Arce EM, Muñoz-Torrero D, Fernàndez-Busquets X. The protein aggregation inhibitor YAT2150 has potent antimalarial activity in Plasmodium falciparum in vitro cultures. BMC Biol 2022; 20:197. [PMID: 36271358 PMCID: PMC9587658 DOI: 10.1186/s12915-022-01374-4] [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] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background By 2016, signs of emergence of Plasmodium falciparum resistance to artemisinin and partner drugs were detected in the Greater Mekong Subregion. Recently, the independent evolution of artemisinin resistance has also been reported in Africa and South America. This alarming scenario calls for the urgent development of new antimalarials with novel modes of action. We investigated the interference with protein aggregation, which is potentially toxic for the cell and occurs abundantly in all Plasmodium stages, as a hitherto unexplored drug target in the pathogen. Results Attempts to exacerbate the P. falciparum proteome’s propensity to aggregation by delivering endogenous aggregative peptides to in vitro cultures of this parasite did not significantly affect their growth. In contrast, protein aggregation inhibitors clearly reduced the pathogen’s viability. One such compound, the bis(styrylpyridinium) salt YAT2150, exhibited potent antiplasmodial activity with an in vitro IC50 of 90 nM for chloroquine- and artemisinin-resistant lines, arresting asexual blood parasites at the trophozoite stage, as well as interfering with the development of both sexual and hepatic forms of Plasmodium. At its IC50, this compound is a powerful inhibitor of the aggregation of the model amyloid β peptide fragment 1-40, and it reduces the amount of aggregated proteins in P. falciparum cultures, suggesting that the underlying antimalarial mechanism consists in a generalized impairment of proteostasis in the pathogen. YAT2150 has an easy, rapid, and inexpensive synthesis, and because it fluoresces when it accumulates in its main localization in the Plasmodium cytosol, it is a theranostic agent. Conclusions Inhibiting protein aggregation in Plasmodium significantly reduces the parasite’s viability in vitro. Since YAT2150 belongs to a novel structural class of antiplasmodials with a mode of action that potentially targets multiple gene products, rapid evolution of resistance to this drug is unlikely to occur, making it a promising compound for the post-artemisinin era. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12915-022-01374-4.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Inés Bouzón-Arnáiz
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-University of Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.,Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute (IN2UB), University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Yunuen Avalos-Padilla
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-University of Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.,Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute (IN2UB), University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Arnau Biosca
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-University of Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.,Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute (IN2UB), University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Omar Caño-Prades
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-University of Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.,Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute (IN2UB), University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lucía Román-Álamo
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-University of Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, 08036, Barcelona, Spain.,Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.,Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute (IN2UB), University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Javier Valle
- Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, Pompeu Fabra University, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - David Andreu
- Department of Medicine and Life Sciences, Barcelona Biomedical Research Park, Pompeu Fabra University, Dr. Aiguader 88, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Diana Moita
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Fac. Medicina Univ. Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular, Fac. Medicina Univ. Lisboa, Av. Prof. Egas Moniz, 1649-028, Lisbon, Portugal
| | - Elsa M Arce
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry (CSIC Associated Unit), Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), University of Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, 27-31, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Diego Muñoz-Torrero
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry (CSIC Associated Unit), Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), University of Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, 27-31, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Fernàndez-Busquets
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic-University of Barcelona), Rosselló 149-153, 08036, Barcelona, Spain. .,Nanomalaria Group, Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Baldiri Reixac 10-12, 08028, Barcelona, Spain. .,Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Institute (IN2UB), University of Barcelona, Martí i Franquès 1, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Abstract
In 1967, pioneering work by Ruth Nussenzweig demonstrated for the first time that irradiated sporozoites of the rodent malaria parasite Plasmodium berghei protected mice against a challenge with infectious parasites of the same species. This remarkable finding opened up entirely new prospects of effective vaccination against malaria using attenuated sporozoites as immunization agents. The potential for whole-sporozoite-based immunization in humans was established in a clinical study in 1973, when a volunteer exposed to X-irradiated P. falciparum sporozoites was found to be protected against malaria following challenge with a homologous strain of this parasite. Nearly five decades later, much has been achieved in the field of whole-sporozoite malaria vaccination, and multiple reports on the clinical evaluation of such candidates have emerged. However, this process has known different paces before and after the turn of the century. While only a few clinical studies were published in the 1970’s, 1980’s and 1990’s, remarkable progress was made in the 2000’s and beyond. This article reviews the history of the clinical assessment of whole-sporozoite malaria vaccines over the last forty-nine years, highlighting the impressive achievements made over the last few years, and discussing some of the challenges ahead.
Collapse
|
10
|
Nunes-Cabaço H, Moita D, Rôla C, Mendes AM, Prudêncio M. Impact of Dietary Protein Restriction on the Immunogenicity and Efficacy of Whole-Sporozoite Malaria Vaccination. Front Immunol 2022; 13:869757. [PMID: 35529859 PMCID: PMC9070679 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2022.869757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 02/05/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria remains one of the world’s most prevalent infectious diseases. Several vaccination strategies currently under investigation aim at hampering the development of the Plasmodium parasite during the clinically silent liver stage of its life cycle in the mammalian host, preventing the subsequent disease-associated blood stage of infection. Immunization with radiation-attenuated sporozoites (RAS), the liver-infecting parasite forms, can induce sterile protection against malaria. However, the efficacy of vaccine candidates in malaria-naïve individuals in high-income countries is frequently higher than that found in populations where malaria is endemic. Malnutrition has been associated with immune dysfunction and with a delay or impairment of the immune response to some vaccines. Since vaccine efficacy depends on the generation of competent immune responses, and malaria-endemic regions are often associated with malnutrition, we hypothesized that an inadequate host nutritional status, specifically resulting from a reduction in dietary protein, could impact on the establishment of an efficient anti-malarial immune response. We developed a model of RAS immunization under low protein diet to investigate the impact of a reduced host protein intake on the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of this vaccine. Our analysis of the circulating and tissue-associated immune compartments revealed that a reduction in dietary protein intake during immunization resulted in a decrease in the frequency of circulating CD4+ T cells and of hepatic NK cells. Nevertheless, the profile of CD8+ T cells in the blood, liver and spleen was robust and minimally affected by the dietary protein content during RAS immunization, as assessed by supervised and in-depth unsupervised X-shift clustering analysis. Although mice immunized under low protein diet presented higher parasite liver load upon challenge than those immunized under adequate protein intake, the two groups displayed similar levels of protection from disease. Overall, our data indicate that dietary protein reduction may have minimal impact on the immunogenicity and efficacy of RAS-based malaria vaccination. Importantly, this experimental model can be extended to assess the impact of other nutrient imbalances and immunization strategies, towards the refinement of future translational interventions that improve vaccine efficacy in malnourished individuals.
Collapse
|
11
|
Fontinha D, Arez F, Gal IR, Nogueira G, Moita D, Baeurle THH, Brito C, Spangenberg T, Alves PM, Prudêncio M. Pre-erythrocytic Activity of M5717 in Monotherapy and Combination in Preclinical Plasmodium Infection Models. ACS Infect Dis 2022; 8:721-727. [PMID: 35312290 PMCID: PMC9003234 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.1c00640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Combination therapies
have emerged to mitigate Plasmodium drug resistance,
which has hampered the fight against malaria. M5717
is a potent multistage antiplasmodial drug under clinical development,
which inhibits parasite protein synthesis. The combination of M5717
with pyronaridine, an inhibitor of hemozoin formation, displays potent
activity against blood stage Plasmodium infection.
However, the impact of this therapy on liver infection by Plasmodium remains unknown. Here, we employed a recently
described 3D culture-based hepatic infection platform to evaluate
the activity of the M5717-pyronaridine combination against hepatic
infection by P. berghei. This effect was further
confirmed in vivo by employing the C57BL/6J rodent Plasmodium infection model. Collectively, our data demonstrate
that pyronaridine potentiates the activity of M5717 against P. berghei hepatic development. These preclinical results
contribute to the validation of pyronaridine as a suitable partner
drug for M5717, supporting the clinical evaluation of this novel antiplasmodial
combination therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Fontinha
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Francisca Arez
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Isabella Ramella Gal
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Gonçalo Nogueira
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Diana Moita
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Tobias Hyun Ho Baeurle
- Site Management − Analytics, the healthcare business of Merck KGaA, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Catarina Brito
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Thomas Spangenberg
- Global Health Institute of Merck, Ares Trading S.A. (a subsidiary of Merck KGaA Darmstadt Germany), 1262 Eysins, Switzerland
| | - Paula M. Alves
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2780-901 Oeiras, Portugal
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, 1649-028 Lisboa, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Poje G, Pessanha de Carvalho L, Held J, Moita D, Prudêncio M, Perković I, Tandarić T, Vianello R, Rajić Z. Design and synthesis of harmiquins, harmine and chloroquine hybrids as potent antiplasmodial agents. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 238:114408. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114408] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
|
13
|
Moita D, Nunes-Cabaço H, Mendes AM, Prudêncio M. A guide to investigating immune responses elicited by whole-sporozoite pre-erythrocytic vaccines against malaria. FEBS J 2021; 289:3335-3359. [PMID: 33993649 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 05/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In the last few decades, considerable efforts have been made toward the development of efficient vaccines against malaria. Whole-sporozoite (Wsp) vaccines, which induce efficient immune responses against the pre-erythrocytic (PE) stages (sporozoites and liver forms) of Plasmodium parasites, the causative agents of malaria, are among the most promising immunization strategies tested until present. Several Wsp PE vaccination approaches are currently under evaluation in the clinic, including radiation- or genetically-attenuated Plasmodium sporozoites, live parasites combined with chemoprophylaxis, or genetically modified rodent Plasmodium parasites. In addition to the assessment of their protective efficacy, clinical trials of Wsp PE vaccine candidates inevitably involve the thorough investigation of the immune responses elicited by vaccination, as well as the identification of correlates of protection. Here, we review the main methodologies employed to dissect the humoral and cellular immune responses observed in the context of Wsp PE vaccine clinical trials and discuss future strategies to further deepen the knowledge generated by these studies, providing a toolbox for the in-depth analysis of vaccine-induced immunogenicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Moita
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Helena Nunes-Cabaço
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - António M Mendes
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| | - Miguel Prudêncio
- Instituto de Medicina Molecular João Lobo Antunes, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal
| |
Collapse
|