ABSTRACT
The trypanocidal activity of N-isopropyl oxamate (NIPOx) and the ethyl ester of N-isopropyl oxamate (Et-NIPOx) were tested on cultured epimastigotes (in vitro) and on murine trypanosomiasis (in vivo) using five different T. cruzi strains. When benznidazole and nifurtimox, used for comparison, were tested we found that only three of these T. cruzi strains were affected, whereas the other two strains, Miguz and Compostela, were resistant to the in vitro and the in vivo trypanocidal activity of these substances. In addition, when NIPOx was tested on cultured epimastigotes and on mice parasitaemia, trypanocidal activity was not obtained on either of these T. cruzi strains. Our experiments strongly suggest that NIPOx does not penetrate intact epimastigotes due to the polarity of its carboxylate whereas Et-NIPOx, acting as a prodrug, exhibited in vitro and in vivo trypanocidal activity in the five tested T. cruzi strains.
Subject(s)
Oxamic Acid/analogs & derivatives , Trypanocidal Agents/pharmacology , Trypanosoma cruzi/metabolism , Trypanosomiasis/drug therapy , Alcohol Oxidoreductases/chemistry , Alcohol Oxidoreductases/metabolism , Animals , Disease Models, Animal , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology , Kinetics , Mice , Models, Chemical , NAD/metabolism , Nifurtimox/pharmacology , Nitroimidazoles/pharmacology , Oxamic Acid/chemistry , Oxamic Acid/metabolism , Oxamic Acid/pharmacology , Species Specificity , Time FactorsABSTRACT
N-allyl (NAOx) and N-propyl (NPOx) oxamates were designed as inhibitors of alpha-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase (HADH) isozyme II from Trypanosoma cruzi. The kinetic studies showed that NAOx and NPOx were competitive inhibitors of HADH-isozyme II (Ki = 72 µM, IC50 = 0.33 mM and 70 µM, IC50 = 0.32 mM, respectively). The attachment of the allylic and propylic chains to nitrogen of the competitive inhibitor oxamate (Ki = 0.91 mM, IC50 = 4.25 mM), increased 12.6 and 13-folds respectively, the affinity for T. cruzi HADH-isozyme II. NAOx and NPOx were selective inhibitors of HADH-isozyme II, because other T. cruzi dehydrogenases were not inhibited by these substances. Since HADH-isozyme II participates in the energy metabolism of T. cruzi, a trypanocidal effect can be expected with these inhibitors. However, we were not able to detect any trypanocidal activity with these oxamates. When the corresponding ethyl esters of N-allyl (Et-NAOx) and N-propyl (Et-NPOx) oxamates were tested as a possible trypanocidal prodrugs, in comparison with nifurtimox and benznidazole, the expected trypanocidal effects were obtained.
Subject(s)
Animals , Mice , Enzyme Inhibitors , Trypanocidal Agents , Trypanosoma cruzi , Isoenzymes , Kinetics , ProdrugsABSTRACT
N-allyl (NAOx) and N-propyl (NPOx) oxamates were designed as inhibitors of alpha-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase (HADH) isozyme II from Trypanosoma cruzi. The kinetic studies showed that NAOx and NPOx were competitive inhibitors of HADH-isozyme II (Ki = 72 microM, IC50 = 0.33 mM and 70 microM, IC50 = 0.32 mM, respectively). The attachment of the allylic and propylic chains to nitrogen of the competitive inhibitor oxamate (Ki = 0.91 mM, IC50 = 4.25 mM), increased 12.6 and 13-folds respectively, the affinity for T. cruzi HADH-isozyme II. NAOx and NPOx were selective inhibitors of HADH-isozyme II, because other T. cruzi dehydrogenases were not inhibited by these substances. Since HADH-isozyme II participates in the energy metabolism of T. cruzi, a trypanocidal effect can be expected with these inhibitors. However, we were not able to detect any trypanocidal activity with these oxamates. When the corresponding ethyl esters of N-allyl (Et-NAOx) and N-propyl (Et-NPOx) oxamates were tested as a possible trypanocidal prodrugs, in comparison with nifurtimox and benznidazole, the expected trypanocidal effects were obtained.
Subject(s)
Alcohol Oxidoreductases/antagonists & inhibitors , Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology , Insect Repellents/pharmacology , Oxamic Acid/analogs & derivatives , Trypanocidal Agents/pharmacology , Trypanosoma cruzi/enzymology , Animals , Isoenzymes/antagonists & inhibitors , Kinetics , Mice , Organic Chemicals , ProdrugsABSTRACT
The effect of N-isopropyl oxamate on the activity of alpha-hydroxyacid dehydrogenase-isozyme II (HADH-isozyme II) from Trypanosoma cruzi was investigated. The kinetic studies showed that this substance was a competitive inhibitor of this isozyme. The attachment of the nonpolar isopropylic branched chain to the nitrogen of oxamate increased 12-fold the affinity of N-isopropyl oxamate for the active site of T. cruzi HADH-isozyme II. N-isopropyl oxamate was a selective inhibitor of HADH-isozyme II, since other T. cruzi dehydrogenases were not inhibited by this substance. Since HADH-isozyme II participates in the energy metabolism of T. cruzi, a trypanocidal effect can be expected with inhibitors of this isozyme. However, although it was not possible to detect any trypanocidal activity with N-isopropyl oxamate when the ethyl ester was tested as a possible trypanocidal prodrug, the expected trypanocidal effect was obtained, comparable to that obtained with nifurtimox and benznidazole.
