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1.
An Acad Bras Cienc ; 96(2): e20230375, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38747836

ABSTRACT

In pursuit of potential agents to treat Chagas disease and leishmaniasis, we report the design, synthesis, and identification novel naphthoquinone hydrazide-based molecular hybrids. The compounds were subjected to in vitro trypanocide and leishmanicidal activities. N'-(1,4-Dioxo-1,4-dihydronaphthalen-2-yl)-3,5-dimethoxybenzohydrazide (13) showed the best performance against Trypanosoma cruzi (IC50 1.83 µM) and Leishmania amazonensis (IC50 9.65 µM). 4-Bromo-N'-(1,4-dioxo-1,4-dihydronaphthalen-2-yl)benzohydrazide (16) exhibited leishmanicidal activity (IC50 12.16 µM). Regarding trypanocide activity, compound 13 was low cytotoxic to LLC-MK2 cells (SI = 95.28). Furthermore, through molecular modeling studies, the cysteine proteases cruzain, rhodesain and CPB2.8 were identified as the potential biological targets.


Subject(s)
Drug Design , Hydrazines , Leishmania , Naphthoquinones , Trypanocidal Agents , Trypanosoma cruzi , Naphthoquinones/pharmacology , Naphthoquinones/chemistry , Naphthoquinones/chemical synthesis , Trypanosoma cruzi/drug effects , Trypanocidal Agents/pharmacology , Trypanocidal Agents/chemical synthesis , Trypanocidal Agents/chemistry , Leishmania/drug effects , Hydrazines/chemistry , Hydrazines/pharmacology , Animals , Antiprotozoal Agents/pharmacology , Antiprotozoal Agents/chemical synthesis , Antiprotozoal Agents/chemistry , Parasitic Sensitivity Tests , Inhibitory Concentration 50 , Structure-Activity Relationship , Cysteine Endopeptidases
2.
Molecules ; 29(10)2024 May 09.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38792079

ABSTRACT

Infectious diseases caused by trypanosomatids, including African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), Chagas disease, and different forms of leishmaniasis, are Neglected Tropical Diseases affecting millions of people worldwide, mainly in vulnerable territories of tropical and subtropical areas. In general, current treatments against these diseases are old-fashioned, showing adverse effects and loss of efficacy due to misuse or overuse, thus leading to the emergence of resistance. For these reasons, searching for new antitrypanosomatid drugs has become an urgent necessity, and different metabolic pathways have been studied as potential drug targets against these parasites. Considering that trypanosomatids possess a unique redox pathway based on the trypanothione molecule absent in the mammalian host, the key enzymes involved in trypanothione metabolism, trypanothione reductase and trypanothione synthetase, have been studied in detail as druggable targets. In this review, we summarize some of the recent findings on the molecules inhibiting these two essential enzymes for Trypanosoma and Leishmania viability.


Subject(s)
Amide Synthases , Glutathione , NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases , Trypanosoma , NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases/metabolism , NADH, NADPH Oxidoreductases/antagonists & inhibitors , Humans , Amide Synthases/metabolism , Amide Synthases/antagonists & inhibitors , Trypanosoma/drug effects , Trypanosoma/metabolism , Glutathione/metabolism , Glutathione/analogs & derivatives , Animals , Spermidine/analogs & derivatives , Spermidine/metabolism , Leishmania/drug effects , Leishmania/metabolism , Trypanocidal Agents/pharmacology , Trypanocidal Agents/therapeutic use , Leishmaniasis/drug therapy , Leishmaniasis/metabolism , Leishmaniasis/parasitology , Trypanosomatina/metabolism , Trypanosomatina/drug effects , Protozoan Proteins/metabolism , Protozoan Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors , Chagas Disease/drug therapy , Chagas Disease/parasitology , Chagas Disease/metabolism
3.
Bioorg Med Chem ; 107: 117751, 2024 Jun 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38762979

ABSTRACT

In previous studies, we developed anti-trypanosome tubulin inhibitors with promising in vitro selectivity and activity against Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT). However, for such agents, oral activity is crucial. This study focused on further optimizing these compounds to enhance their ligand efficiency, aiming to reduce bulkiness and hydrophobicity, which should improve solubility and, consequently, oral bioavailability. Using Trypanosoma brucei brucei cells as the parasite model and human normal kidney cells and mouse macrophage cells as the host model, we evaluated 30 new analogs synthesized through combinatorial chemistry. These analogs have fewer aromatic moieties and lower molecular weights than their predecessors. Several new analogs demonstrated IC50s in the low micromolar range, effectively inhibiting trypanosome cell growth without harming mammalian cells at the same concentration. We conducted a detailed structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis and a docking study to assess the compounds' binding affinity to trypanosome tubulin homolog. The results revealed a correlation between binding energy and anti-Trypanosoma activity. Importantly, compound 7 displayed significant oral activity, effectively inhibiting trypanosome cell proliferation in mice.


Subject(s)
Trypanocidal Agents , Trypanosoma brucei brucei , Animals , Trypanosoma brucei brucei/drug effects , Trypanocidal Agents/pharmacology , Trypanocidal Agents/chemical synthesis , Trypanocidal Agents/chemistry , Structure-Activity Relationship , Mice , Humans , Administration, Oral , Cell Proliferation/drug effects , Molecular Structure , Molecular Docking Simulation , Tubulin/metabolism , Parasitic Sensitivity Tests , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Tubulin Modulators/pharmacology , Tubulin Modulators/chemical synthesis , Tubulin Modulators/chemistry , Trypanosomiasis, African/drug therapy
4.
Biomed Pharmacother ; 175: 116742, 2024 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38754265

ABSTRACT

Chagasic chronic cardiomyopathy (CCC) is the primary clinical manifestation of Chagas disease (CD), caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. Current therapeutic options for CD are limited to benznidazole (Bz) and nifurtimox. Amiodarone (AMD) has emerged as most effective drug for treating the arrhythmic form of CCC. To address the effects of Bz and AMD we used a preclinical model of CCC. Female C57BL/6 mice were infected with T. cruzi and subjected to oral treatment for 30 consecutive days, either as monotherapy or in combination. AMD in monotherapy decreased the prolonged QTc interval, the incidence of atrioventricular conduction disorders and cardiac hypertrophy. However, AMD monotherapy did not impact parasitemia, parasite load, TNF concentration and production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in cardiac tissue. Alike Bz therapy, the combination of Bz and AMD (Bz/AMD), improved cardiac electric abnormalities detected T. cruzi-infected mice such as decrease in heart rates, enlargement of PR and QTc intervals and increased incidence of atrioventricular block and sinus arrhythmia. Further, Bz/AMD therapy ameliorated the ventricular function and reduced parasite burden in the cardiac tissue and parasitemia to a degree comparable to Bz monotherapy. Importantly, Bz/AMD treatment efficiently reduced TNF concentration in the cardiac tissue and plasma and had beneficial effects on immunological abnormalities. Moreover, in the cardiac tissue Bz/AMD therapy reduced fibronectin and collagen deposition, mitochondrial damage and production of ROS, and improved sarcomeric and gap junction integrity. Our study underlines the potential of the Bz/AMD therapy, as we have shown that combination increased efficacy in the treatment of CCC.


Subject(s)
Amiodarone , Chagas Cardiomyopathy , Disease Models, Animal , Drug Therapy, Combination , Mice, Inbred C57BL , Nitroimidazoles , Trypanocidal Agents , Trypanosoma cruzi , Animals , Nitroimidazoles/pharmacology , Nitroimidazoles/administration & dosage , Nitroimidazoles/therapeutic use , Female , Trypanosoma cruzi/drug effects , Amiodarone/pharmacology , Amiodarone/administration & dosage , Chagas Cardiomyopathy/drug therapy , Chagas Cardiomyopathy/parasitology , Trypanocidal Agents/pharmacology , Trypanocidal Agents/therapeutic use , Mice , Chagas Disease/drug therapy , Chagas Disease/parasitology , Reactive Oxygen Species/metabolism , Chronic Disease , Parasitemia/drug therapy , Parasitemia/parasitology , Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha/metabolism , Parasite Load
5.
Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz ; 119: e230223, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38716979

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Conventional microscopic counting is a widely utilised method for evaluating the trypanocidal effects of drugs on intracellular amastigotes. This is a low-cost approach, but it is time-consuming and reliant on the expertise of the microscopist. So, there is a pressing need for developing technologies to enhance the efficiency of low-cost anti-Trypanosoma cruzi drug screening. OBJECTIVES: In our laboratory, we aimed to expedite the screening of anti-T. cruzi drugs by implementing a fluorescent method that correlates emitted fluorescence from green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing T. cruzi (Tc-GFP) with cellular viability. METHODS: Epimastigotes (Y strain) were transfected with the pROCKGFPNeo plasmid, resulting in robust and sustained GFP expression across epimastigotes, trypomastigotes, and intracellular amastigotes. Tc-GFP epimastigotes and intracellular amastigotes were exposed to a serial dilution of benznidazole (Bz). Cell viability was assessed through a combination of microscopic counting, MTT, and fluorimetry. FINDINGS: The fluorescence data indicated an underestimation of the activity of Bz against epimastigotes (IC50 75 µM x 14 µM). Conversely, for intracellular GFP-amastigotes, both fluorimetry and microscopy yielded identical IC50 values. Factors influencing the fluorimetry approach are discussed. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: Our proposed fluorometric assessment is effective and can serve as a viable substitute for the time-consuming microscopic counting of intracellular amastigotes.


Subject(s)
Green Fluorescent Proteins , Trypanocidal Agents , Trypanosoma cruzi , Trypanosoma cruzi/drug effects , Trypanosoma cruzi/genetics , Green Fluorescent Proteins/genetics , Trypanocidal Agents/pharmacology , Nitroimidazoles/pharmacology , Parasitic Sensitivity Tests , Animals , Inhibitory Concentration 50 , Drug Evaluation, Preclinical , Cell Survival/drug effects
6.
Pak J Pharm Sci ; 37(1(Special)): 173-184, 2024 Jan.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38747267

ABSTRACT

Hydrazones 1-6, azo-pyrazoles 7-9 and azo-pyrimidines 10-15 are compounds that exhibit antibacterial activity. The mode of action and structures of these derivatives have been previously confirmed as antibacterial. In this investigation, biological screening and molecular docking studies were performed for derivatives 1-15, with compounds 2, 7, 8, 14 and 15 yielding the best energy scores (from -20.7986 to -10.5302 kcal/mol). Drug-likeness and in silico ADME prediction for the most potent derivatives, 2, 7, 8, 14 and 15, were predicted (from 84.46 to 96.85%). The latter compounds showed good recorded physicochemical properties and pharmacokinetics. Compound 8 demonstrated the strongest inhibition, which was similar to the positive control (eflornithine) against Trypanosoma brucei brucei (WT), with an EC50 of 25.12 and 22.52µM, respectively. Moreover, compound 14 exhibited the best activity against Leishmania mexicana promastigotes and Leishmania major promastigotes (EC50 =46.85; 40.78µM, respectively).


Subject(s)
Molecular Docking Simulation , Pyrazoles , Pyrimidines , Trypanocidal Agents , Trypanosoma brucei brucei , Pyrimidines/pharmacology , Pyrimidines/chemistry , Pyrimidines/chemical synthesis , Trypanosoma brucei brucei/drug effects , Pyrazoles/pharmacology , Pyrazoles/chemistry , Trypanocidal Agents/pharmacology , Trypanocidal Agents/chemistry , Trypanocidal Agents/chemical synthesis , Leishmania mexicana/drug effects , Leishmania major/drug effects , Antiprotozoal Agents/pharmacology , Antiprotozoal Agents/chemistry , Computer Simulation , Azo Compounds/pharmacology , Azo Compounds/chemistry , Azo Compounds/chemical synthesis , Structure-Activity Relationship , Parasitic Sensitivity Tests
7.
Tidsskr Nor Laegeforen ; 144(6)2024 May 14.
Article in English, Norwegian | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38747663

ABSTRACT

Background: Chagas encephalitis is a rare but severe manifestation of reactivation in patients with chronic Chagas disease. Case presentation: A woman in her seventies who was immunosuppressed after a heart transplant due to Chagas disease was admitted with convulsions, headache and visual disturbances. She developed fever, confusion and repeated convulsions. Pleocytosis was found in spinal fluid. Wet-mount microscopy of spinal fluid revealed motile Trypanosoma cruzi trypomastigotes, and multiple trypomastigotes were seen on a Giemsa-stained smear, confirming reactivation of Chagas disease with meningoencephalitis. Despite benznidazole treatment, she deteriorated, exhibiting pharyngeal paralysis, aphasia and increasing somnolence. Brain CT showed pathology consistent with Chagas encephalitis. Nifurtimox was given as an adjunctive treatment. After a week of treatment, the patient began to improve. She completed 60 days of benznidazole and had regained normal cognitive and neurological function on subsequent follow-up. She had no signs of myocarditis reactivation. Interpretation: Chronic Chagas disease is common among Latin American immigrants in Europe. Reactivation with myocarditis after a heart transplant is well known, while encephalitis is a rare manifestation. We report on a case of Chagas encephalitis in an immunosuppressed patient. Microscopy of parasites in spinal fluid revealed the diagnosis. The WHO provided antiparasitic medications, and despite a severe prognosis, the patient made a full recovery.


Subject(s)
Seizures , Humans , Female , Seizures/etiology , Seizures/drug therapy , Aged , Fever/etiology , Chagas Disease/drug therapy , Trypanocidal Agents/therapeutic use , Immunocompromised Host
8.
Expert Opin Drug Discov ; 19(6): 741-753, 2024 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38715393

ABSTRACT

INTRODUCTION: Benznidazole, the drug of choice for treating Chagas Disease (CD), has significant limitations, such as poor cure efficacy, mainly in the chronic phase of CD, association with side effects, and parasite resistance. Understanding parasite resistance to benznidazole is crucial for developing new drugs to treat CD. AREAS COVERED: Here, the authors review the current understanding of the molecular basis of benznidazole resistance. Furthermore, they discuss the state-of-the-art methods and critical outcomes employed to evaluate the efficacy of potential drugs against T. cruzi, aiming to select better compounds likely to succeed in the clinic. Finally, the authors describe the different strategies employed to overcome resistance to benznidazole and find effective new treatments for CD. EXPERT OPINION: Resistance to benznidazole is a complex phenomenon that occurs naturally among T. cruzi strains. The combination of compounds that inhibit different metabolic pathways of the parasite is an important strategy for developing a new chemotherapeutic protocol.


Subject(s)
Chagas Disease , Drug Discovery , Drug Resistance , Nitroimidazoles , Trypanocidal Agents , Trypanosoma cruzi , Trypanosoma cruzi/drug effects , Nitroimidazoles/pharmacology , Chagas Disease/drug therapy , Chagas Disease/parasitology , Trypanocidal Agents/pharmacology , Humans , Animals , Drug Discovery/methods , Drug Development
9.
Spectrochim Acta A Mol Biomol Spectrosc ; 316: 124346, 2024 Aug 05.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38692105

ABSTRACT

Considering the health relevance of Chagas' disease, recent research efforts have focused on developing more efficient drug delivery systems containing nifurtimox (NFX). This paper comprehensively investigates NFX through conformational analysis and spectroscopic characterization. Using a conformer-rotamer ensemble sampling tool (CREST-xtb), five distinct conformers of NFX were sampled within a 3.0 kcal mol-1 relative energy window. Subsequently, such structures were used as inputs for geometry optimization by density functional theory (DFT) at B3LYP-def2-TZVP level of theory. Notably, harmonic vibrational frequencies were calculated to establish an in-depth comparison with experimental results and existing literature for the NFX or similar molecules and functional groups, thereby achieving a widely reasoned assignment of the mid-infrared band absorptions for the first time. Moreover, UV-VIS spectra of NFX were obtained in several solvents, enabling the determination of the molar absorptivity coefficient for the two electronic transitions observed for NFX. Among the aprotic solvents, a bathochromic effect was observed in the function of the dielectric constants. Furthermore, a hypochromic effect was observed when the drug was dissolved in protic solvents. These findings offer crucial support for new drug delivery systems containing NFX while demonstrating the potential of spectrophotometric studies in establishing quality control assays for NFX drug products.


Subject(s)
Chagas Disease , Molecular Conformation , Nifurtimox , Chagas Disease/drug therapy , Nifurtimox/chemistry , Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet , Trypanocidal Agents/chemistry , Models, Molecular , Density Functional Theory , Trypanosoma cruzi/drug effects , Solvents/chemistry
10.
Molecules ; 29(9)2024 Apr 30.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38731562

ABSTRACT

Leishmaniasis and Human African trypanosomiasis pose significant public health threats in resource-limited regions, accentuated by the drawbacks of the current antiprotozoal treatments and the lack of approved vaccines. Considering the demand for novel therapeutic drugs, a series of BODIPY derivatives with several functionalizations at the meso, 2 and/or 6 positions of the core were synthesized and characterized. The in vitro activity against Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania major parasites was carried out alongside a human healthy cell line (MRC-5) to establish selectivity indices (SIs). Notably, the meso-substituted BODIPY, with 1-dimethylaminonaphthalene (1b) and anthracene moiety (1c), were the most active against L. major, displaying IC50 = 4.84 and 5.41 µM, with a 16 and 18-fold selectivity over MRC-5 cells, respectively. In contrast, the mono-formylated analogues 2b and 2c exhibited the highest toxicity (IC50 = 2.84 and 6.17 µM, respectively) and selectivity (SI = 24 and 11, respectively) against T. brucei. Further insights on the activity of these compounds were gathered from molecular docking studies. The results suggest that these BODIPYs act as competitive inhibitors targeting the NADPH/NADP+ linkage site of the pteridine reductase (PR) enzyme. Additionally, these findings unveil a range of quasi-degenerate binding complexes formed between the PRs and the investigated BODIPY derivatives. These results suggest a potential correlation between the anti-parasitic activity and the presence of multiple configurations that block the same site of the enzyme.


Subject(s)
Antiprotozoal Agents , Boron Compounds , Leishmania major , Molecular Docking Simulation , Trypanosoma brucei brucei , Boron Compounds/chemistry , Boron Compounds/pharmacology , Boron Compounds/chemical synthesis , Trypanosoma brucei brucei/drug effects , Humans , Antiprotozoal Agents/pharmacology , Antiprotozoal Agents/chemistry , Antiprotozoal Agents/chemical synthesis , Leishmania major/drug effects , Drug Design , Structure-Activity Relationship , Cell Line , Molecular Structure , Trypanocidal Agents/pharmacology , Trypanocidal Agents/chemistry , Trypanocidal Agents/chemical synthesis , Oxidoreductases
11.
Nat Commun ; 15(1): 3985, 2024 May 11.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38734677

ABSTRACT

Pentamidine and melarsoprol are primary drugs used to treat the lethal human sleeping sickness caused by the parasite Trypanosoma brucei. Cross-resistance to these two drugs has recently been linked to aquaglyceroporin 2 of the trypanosome (TbAQP2). TbAQP2 is the first member of the aquaporin family described as capable of drug transport; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we present cryo-electron microscopy structures of TbAQP2 bound to pentamidine or melarsoprol. Our structural studies, together with the molecular dynamic simulations, reveal the mechanisms shaping substrate specificity and drug permeation. Multiple amino acids in TbAQP2, near the extracellular entrance and inside the pore, create an expanded conducting tunnel, sterically and energetically allowing the permeation of pentamidine and melarsoprol. Our study elucidates the mechanism of drug transport by TbAQP2, providing valuable insights to inform the design of drugs against trypanosomiasis.


Subject(s)
Aquaglyceroporins , Cryoelectron Microscopy , Melarsoprol , Molecular Dynamics Simulation , Pentamidine , Trypanosoma brucei brucei , Trypanosoma brucei brucei/metabolism , Aquaglyceroporins/metabolism , Aquaglyceroporins/chemistry , Melarsoprol/metabolism , Melarsoprol/chemistry , Pentamidine/chemistry , Pentamidine/metabolism , Biological Transport , Trypanocidal Agents/chemistry , Trypanocidal Agents/metabolism , Trypanocidal Agents/pharmacology , Protozoan Proteins/metabolism , Protozoan Proteins/chemistry , Humans
12.
Nat Commun ; 15(1): 4400, 2024 May 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38782898

ABSTRACT

Digestive Chagas disease (DCD) is an enteric neuropathy caused by Trypanosoma cruzi infection. There is a lack of evidence on the mechanism of pathogenesis and rationales for treatment. We used a female C3H/HeN mouse model that recapitulates key clinical manifestations to study how infection dynamics shape DCD pathology and the impact of treatment with the front-line, anti-parasitic drug benznidazole. Curative treatment 6 weeks post-infection resulted in sustained recovery of gastrointestinal transit function, whereas treatment failure led to infection relapse and gradual return of DCD symptoms. Neuro/immune gene expression patterns shifted from chronic inflammation to a tissue repair profile after cure, accompanied by increased cellular proliferation, glial cell marker expression and recovery of neuronal density in the myenteric plexus. Delaying treatment until 24 weeks post-infection led to partial reversal of DCD, suggesting the accumulation of permanent tissue damage over the course of chronic infection. Our study shows that murine DCD pathogenesis is sustained by chronic T. cruzi infection and is not an inevitable consequence of acute stage denervation. The risk of irreversible enteric neuromuscular tissue damage and dysfunction developing highlights the importance of prompt diagnosis and treatment. These findings support the concept of treating asymptomatic, T. cruzi-infected individuals with benznidazole to prevent DCD development.


Subject(s)
Chagas Disease , Disease Models, Animal , Enteric Nervous System , Mice, Inbred C3H , Nitroimidazoles , Trypanocidal Agents , Trypanosoma cruzi , Animals , Chagas Disease/drug therapy , Chagas Disease/parasitology , Female , Trypanocidal Agents/pharmacology , Trypanocidal Agents/therapeutic use , Nitroimidazoles/pharmacology , Nitroimidazoles/therapeutic use , Trypanosoma cruzi/drug effects , Mice , Enteric Nervous System/drug effects , Nerve Regeneration/drug effects
13.
Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) ; 72(4): 389-392, 2024.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38644164

ABSTRACT

Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi poses a significant health challenge in rural areas of Latin America. The current pharmacological options exhibit notable side effects, demand prolonged administration, and display limited efficacy. Consequently, there is an urgent need to develop drugs that are safe and clinically effective. Previously, we identified a quinone compound (designated as compound 2) with potent antiprotozoal activity, based on the chemical structure of komaroviquinone, a natural product renowned for its antitrypanosomal effects. However, compound 2 was demonstrated considerably unstable to light. In this study, we elucidated the structure of the light-induced degradation products of compound 2 and probed the correlation between the quinone ring's substituents and its susceptibility to light. Our findings led to the discovery of quinones with significantly enhanced light stability, some of which exhibiting antitrypanosomal activity. The most promising compound was evaluated for drug efficacy in a mouse model of Chagas disease, revealing where a notable reduction in blood parasitemia.


Subject(s)
Chagas Disease , Quinones , Trypanocidal Agents , Trypanosoma cruzi , Chagas Disease/drug therapy , Animals , Trypanosoma cruzi/drug effects , Mice , Trypanocidal Agents/pharmacology , Trypanocidal Agents/chemistry , Quinones/chemistry , Quinones/pharmacology , Parasitic Sensitivity Tests , Molecular Structure , Light , Disease Models, Animal , Structure-Activity Relationship
14.
J Nat Prod ; 87(4): 1067-1074, 2024 Apr 26.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38631020

ABSTRACT

A search for anti-trypanosomal natural compounds from plants collected in El Salvador, a country particularly endemic for Chagas disease, resulted in the isolation of five lignan-type compounds (1-5) from Peperomia pseudopereskiifolia. The lignan derivatives 1, 2, and 4 are new. Their absolute configuration was determined by chemical derivatization. Compounds 1, 5, 6, and 8 exhibited anti-trypanosomal activity against the amastigote form of T. cruzi comparable to that of the existing drug benznidazole.


Subject(s)
Lignans , Peperomia , Trypanocidal Agents , Trypanosoma cruzi , Lignans/pharmacology , Lignans/chemistry , Lignans/isolation & purification , Trypanosoma cruzi/drug effects , El Salvador , Trypanocidal Agents/pharmacology , Trypanocidal Agents/chemistry , Trypanocidal Agents/isolation & purification , Molecular Structure , Peperomia/chemistry , Nitroimidazoles/pharmacology , Nitroimidazoles/chemistry , Chagas Disease/drug therapy
15.
Exp Parasitol ; 261: 108749, 2024 Jun.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38593864

ABSTRACT

Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi) causes Chagas, which is a neglected tropical disease (NTD). WHO estimates that 6 to 7 million people are infected worldwide. Current treatment is done with benznidazole (BZN), which is very toxic and effective only in the acute phase of the disease. In this work, we designed, synthesized, and characterized thirteen new phenoxyhydrazine-thiazole compounds and applied molecular docking and in vitro methods to investigate cell cytotoxicity, trypanocide activity, nitric oxide (NO) production, cell death, and immunomodulation. We observed a higher predicted affinity of the compounds for the squalene synthase and 14-alpha demethylase enzymes of T. cruzi. Moreover, the compounds displayed a higher predicted affinity for human TLR2 and TLR4, were mildly toxic in vitro for most mammalian cell types tested, and LIZ531 (IC50 2.8 µM) was highly toxic for epimastigotes, LIZ311 (IC50 8.6 µM) for trypomastigotes, and LIZ331 (IC50 1.9 µM) for amastigotes. We observed that LIZ311 (IC50 2.5 µM), LIZ431 (IC50 4.1 µM) and LIZ531 (IC50 5 µM) induced 200 µg/mL of NO and JM14 induced NO production in three different concentrations tested. The compound LIZ331 induced the production of TNF and IL-6. LIZ311 induced the secretion of TNF, IFNγ, IL-2, IL-4, IL-10, and IL-17, cell death by apoptosis, decreased acidic compartment formation, and induced changes in the mitochondrial membrane potential. Taken together, LIZ311 is a promising anti-T. cruzi compound is not toxic to mammalian cells and has increased antiparasitic activity and immunomodulatory properties.


Subject(s)
Chagas Disease , Molecular Docking Simulation , Nitric Oxide , Thiazoles , Trypanocidal Agents , Trypanosoma cruzi , Trypanosoma cruzi/drug effects , Thiazoles/pharmacology , Thiazoles/chemistry , Chagas Disease/drug therapy , Chagas Disease/immunology , Humans , Animals , Mice , Nitric Oxide/metabolism , Nitric Oxide/biosynthesis , Trypanocidal Agents/pharmacology , Trypanocidal Agents/chemistry , Inhibitory Concentration 50 , Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial/drug effects , Hydrazines/pharmacology , Hydrazines/chemistry , Cytokines/metabolism , Mice, Inbred BALB C
16.
Int J Mol Sci ; 25(8)2024 Apr 13.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38673904

ABSTRACT

Chagas disease is one of the world's neglected tropical diseases, caused by the human pathogenic protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. There is currently a lack of effective and tolerable clinically available therapeutics to treat this life-threatening illness and the discovery of modern alternative options is an urgent matter. T. cruzi glucokinase (TcGlcK) is a potential drug target because its product, d-glucose-6-phosphate, serves as a key metabolite in the pentose phosphate pathway, glycolysis, and gluconeogenesis. In 2019, we identified a novel cluster of TcGlcK inhibitors that also exhibited anti-T. cruzi efficacy called the 3-nitro-2-phenyl-2H-chromene analogues. This was achieved by performing a target-based high-throughput screening (HTS) campaign of 13,040 compounds. The selection criteria were based on first determining which compounds strongly inhibited TcGlcK in a primary screen, followed by establishing on-target confirmed hits from a confirmatory assay. Compounds that exhibited notable in vitro trypanocidal activity over the T. cruzi infective form (trypomastigotes and intracellular amastigotes) co-cultured in NIH-3T3 mammalian host cells, as well as having revealed low NIH-3T3 cytotoxicity, were further considered. Compounds GLK2-003 and GLK2-004 were determined to inhibit TcGlcK quite well with IC50 values of 6.1 µM and 4.8 µM, respectively. Illuminated by these findings, we herein screened a small compound library consisting of thirteen commercially available 3-nitro-2-phenyl-2H-chromene analogues, two of which were GLK2-003 and GLK2-004 (compounds 1 and 9, respectively). Twelve of these compounds had a one-point change from the chemical structure of GLK2-003. The analogues were run through a similar primary screening and confirmatory assay protocol to our previous HTS campaign. Subsequently, three in vitro biological assays were performed where compounds were screened against (a) T. cruzi (Tulahuen strain) infective form co-cultured within NIH-3T3 cells, (b) T. brucei brucei (427 strain) bloodstream form, and (c) NIH-3T3 host cells alone. We report on the TcGlcK inhibitor constant determinations, mode of enzyme inhibition, in vitro antitrypanosomal IC50 determinations, and an assessment of structure-activity relationships. Our results reveal that the 3-nitro-2-phenyl-2H-chromene scaffold holds promise and can be further optimized for both Chagas disease and human African trypanosomiasis early-stage drug discovery research.


Subject(s)
Benzopyrans , Glucokinase , Trypanocidal Agents , Trypanosoma cruzi , Animals , Humans , Mice , Benzopyrans/pharmacology , Benzopyrans/chemistry , Chagas Disease/drug therapy , Chagas Disease/parasitology , Drug Discovery/methods , Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology , Enzyme Inhibitors/chemistry , Glucokinase/metabolism , Glucokinase/antagonists & inhibitors , High-Throughput Screening Assays , Molecular Docking Simulation , NIH 3T3 Cells , Structure-Activity Relationship , Trypanocidal Agents/pharmacology , Trypanocidal Agents/chemistry , Trypanosoma cruzi/drug effects , Trypanosoma cruzi/enzymology , Protein Kinase Inhibitors/chemistry , Protein Kinase Inhibitors/pharmacology
17.
Int J Mol Sci ; 25(8)2024 Apr 17.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38673995

ABSTRACT

In recent decades, neglected tropical diseases and poverty-related diseases have become a serious health problem worldwide. Among these pathologies, human African trypanosomiasis, and malaria present therapeutic problems due to the onset of resistance, toxicity problems and the limited spectrum of action. In this drug discovery process, rhodesain and falcipain-2, of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and Plasmodium falciparum, are currently considered the most promising targets for the development of novel antitrypanosomal and antiplasmodial agents, respectively. Therefore, in our study we identified a novel lead-like compound, i.e., inhibitor 2b, which we proved to be active against both targets, with a Ki = 5.06 µM towards rhodesain and an IC50 = 40.43 µM against falcipain-2.


Subject(s)
Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors , Nitriles , Plasmodium falciparum , Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense , Trypanosomiasis, African , Humans , Antimalarials/therapeutic use , Antimalarials/pharmacology , Cysteine Endopeptidases/metabolism , Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors/pharmacology , Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors/chemistry , Malaria/drug therapy , Nitriles/therapeutic use , Plasmodium falciparum/drug effects , Protozoan Proteins/antagonists & inhibitors , Protozoan Proteins/metabolism , Trypanocidal Agents/pharmacology , Trypanocidal Agents/therapeutic use , Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense/drug effects , Trypanosomiasis, African/drug therapy
18.
Bioorg Med Chem ; 105: 117736, 2024 May 01.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38677111

ABSTRACT

Leishmaniasis and Chagas disease are neglected tropical diseases caused by Trypanosomatidae parasites. Given the numerous limitations associated with current treatments, such as extended treatment duration, variable efficacy, and severe side effects, there is an urgent imperative to explore novel therapeutic options. This study details the early stages of hit-to-lead optimization for a benzenesulfonyl derivative, denoted as initial hit, against Trypanossoma cruzi (T. cruzi), Leishmania infantum (L. infantum) and Leishmania braziliensis (L. braziliensis). We investigated structure - activity relationships using a series of 26 newly designed derivatives, ultimately yielding potential lead candidates with potent low-micromolar and sub-micromolar activities against T. cruzi and Leishmania spp, respectively, and low in vitro cytotoxicity against mammalian cells. These discoveries emphasize the significant promise of this chemical class in the fight against Chagas disease and leishmaniasis.


Subject(s)
Drug Design , Leishmania infantum , Parasitic Sensitivity Tests , Trypanosoma cruzi , Trypanosoma cruzi/drug effects , Leishmania infantum/drug effects , Structure-Activity Relationship , Molecular Structure , Trypanocidal Agents/pharmacology , Trypanocidal Agents/chemical synthesis , Trypanocidal Agents/chemistry , Dose-Response Relationship, Drug , Antiprotozoal Agents/pharmacology , Antiprotozoal Agents/chemical synthesis , Antiprotozoal Agents/chemistry , Humans , Animals , Sulfones/pharmacology , Sulfones/chemical synthesis , Sulfones/chemistry
19.
ACS Infect Dis ; 10(5): 1808-1838, 2024 05 10.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38606978

ABSTRACT

Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is a neglected tropical disease which is a top priority target of the World Health Organization. The disease, endemic mainly in Latin America, is caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi and has spread around the globe due to human migration. There are multiple transmission routes, including vectorial, congenital, oral, and iatrogenic. Less than 1% of patients have access to treatment, relying on two old redox-active drugs that show poor pharmacokinetics and severe adverse effects. Hence, the priorities for the next steps of R&D include (i) the discovery of novel drugs/chemical classes, (ii) filling the pipeline with drug candidates that have new mechanisms of action, and (iii) the pressing need for more research and access to new chemical entities. In the present work, we first identified a hit (4a) with a potent anti-T. cruzi activity from a library of 3-benzylmenadiones. We then designed a synthetic strategy to build a library of 49 3-(4-monoamino)benzylmenadione derivatives via reductive amination to obtain diazacyclic benz(o)ylmenadiones. Among them, we identified by high content imaging an anti-amastigote "early lead" 11b (henceforth called cruzidione) revealing optimized pharmacokinetic properties and enhanced specificity. Studies in a yeast model revealed that a cruzidione metabolite, the 3-benzoylmenadione (cruzidione oxide), enters redox cycling with the NADH-dehydrogenase, generating reactive oxygen species, as hypothesized for the early hit (4a).


Subject(s)
Chagas Disease , Oxidation-Reduction , Trypanocidal Agents , Trypanosoma cruzi , Trypanosoma cruzi/drug effects , Chagas Disease/drug therapy , Animals , Trypanocidal Agents/pharmacology , Trypanocidal Agents/chemistry , Trypanocidal Agents/chemical synthesis , Humans , Mice
20.
Sci Rep ; 14(1): 6972, 2024 03 23.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-38521853

ABSTRACT

This study compared effects of diminazene aceturate (berenil), commonly used to treat domestic animals infected with Trypanosoma evansi, with the hemolymph of Sarcophaga argyostoma larva. The hemolymph may be acting as a possible natural alternative to berenil, based on immunomodulation mediated inflammatory response. Inflammatory mediators and histopathological changes in liver, kidney, and spleen of albino mice experimentally infected with T. evansi were studied. Mice were divided into five groups: G1, uninfected, untreated (negative control); G2, T. evansi infected (positive control); G3, infected and treated with berenil; G4, infected and treated with hemolymph; G5, infected and treated with hemolymph 3 days before infection (prophylactic group). Animals in (G4) and (G5) exhibited a significant overall reduction in serum levels of IFN-γ. However, the reduction in TNF-α and IL-6 levels was more limited compared to (G2) and (G3). Notably, an elevation in IL-10 levels was observed compared to animals in other groups. Furthermore, the groups treated with hemolymph demonstrated an alleviation of T. evansi infection in contrast to the other groups. This study highlights that the administration of Sarcophaga argyostoma larval hemolymph at a dosage of 0.5 ml/kg significantly inhibited T. evansi organisms in vivo, showcasing a pronounced trypanocidal effect.


Subject(s)
Diminazene/analogs & derivatives , Sarcophagidae , Trypanocidal Agents , Trypanosoma , Mice , Animals , Trypanocidal Agents/pharmacology , Hemolymph
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