Protease inhibitors as a potential agent against visceral Leishmaniasis: A review to inspire future study

Abstract Leishmaniasis is transmitted by sandfly which carries the intracellular protozoa in their midgut. Among visceral, cutaneous and mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, visceral type that is caused by Leishmania donovani is the most lethal one. Findings of leishmanial structure and species took place in 19th century and was initiated by Donovan. Leishmaniasis is still a major concern of health issues in many endemic countries in Asia, Africa, the Americas, and the Mediterranean region. Worldwide1.5-2 million new cases of cutaneous leishmaniasis and 500,000 cases of visceral leishmaniasis are reported each year. Leishmaniasis is endemic in nearly 90 countries worldwide and close to 12 million new cases of leishmaniasis are reported worldwide annually. Studies on antileishmanial drug development is of major concern as leishmaniasis are the second largest parasitic killer in the world and the available drugs are either toxic or costly. The major surface GP63 protease, also known as Zinc- metalloproteases present on the surface of leishmanial promastigotes, can be targeted for drug development. Protease inhibitors targeting such surface proteases show promising results. Different protease inhibitors have been isolated from marine actinobacteria against many infectious diseases. Metabolites produced by these actinobacteria may have greater importance for the discovery and development of new antileishmanial drugs. Hence, this review discusses the background, current situation, treatment, and protease inhibitors from marine actinobacteria for drug development against GP63 molecules.

Unraveling a natural protease inhibitor from marine Streptomyces griseoincarnatus HK12 active against Chikungunya virus.

Proteases play an indispensable role in the life cycles of several life-threatening organisms such as the ones causing malaria, cancer and AIDS. A targeted blockade of these enzymes could be an efficient approach for drug modeling against these causative agents. Our study was directed towards the extraction and characterization of a protease inhibitor having activity against Chikungunya virus (CHIKV). A protein-based protease inhibitor (PI) in Streptomyces griseoincarnatus HK12 with anti-viral activity against CHIKV was revealed when screened against two major proteases, papain and trypsin. The PI was efficiently extracted at 60 % ammonium sulfate saturation and purified by ion-exchange chromatography (CM-Sepharose) at 300 mM NaCl elution followed by SDS-PAGE (10 %). The protein was characterized by denaturing SDS-PAGE, reverse zymography, and MALDI-TOF peptide mass fingerprinting. The protein-based PI was studied to have a high molecular weight of 66-70 kDA. The PI was tested to supress the supress cytopathic effects (CPE) exerted by the clinically isolated virus in BHK21 cells. This was used as a measure to determine the antiviral activity. The PI exerted significant effects with an effective concentration calculated as EC50 11.21 µg/mL. The protein was found to be reported as the first of its kind which also stands out to be the first a natural protease inhibitor against the treatment of the chikungunya virus.

Synthesis, magnetic and optical properties of core/shell Co1-xZnxFe2O4/SiO2 nanoparticles.

The optical properties of multi-functionalized cobalt ferrite (CoFe2O4), cobalt zinc ferrite (Co0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4), and zinc ferrite (ZnFe2O4) nanoparticles have been enhanced by coating them with silica shell using a modified Stöber method. The ferrites nanoparticles were prepared by a modified citrate gel technique. These core/shell ferrites nanoparticles have been fired at temperatures: 400°C, 600°C and 800°C, respectively, for 2 h. The composition, phase, and morphology of the prepared core/shell ferrites nanoparticles were determined by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. The diffuse reflectance and magnetic properties of the core/shell ferrites nanoparticles at room temperature were investigated using UV/VIS double-beam spectrophotometer and vibrating sample magnetometer, respectively. It was found that, by increasing the firing temperature from 400°C to 800°C, the average crystallite size of the core/shell ferrites nanoparticles increases. The cobalt ferrite nanoparticles fired at temperature 800°C; show the highest saturation magnetization while the zinc ferrite nanoparticles coated with silica shell shows the highest diffuse reflectance. On the other hand, core/shell zinc ferrite/silica nanoparticles fired at 400°C show a ferromagnetic behavior and high diffuse reflectance when compared with all the uncoated or coated ferrites nanoparticles. These characteristics of core/shell zinc ferrite/silica nanostructures make them promising candidates for magneto-optical nanodevice applications.

Antioxidative parameters in the seedlings of pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh) in response to Zn and Ni stresses.

The zinc (Zn) and nickel (Ni) as oxidative stress factors and associated responses of 6-day-old seedlings of two pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Millspaugh) cultivars namely LRG30 and ICPL87 were studied. Zinc and Ni exposure increased lipid peroxidation in relation to their concentration. Reduction in dry matter accumulation of roots and shoots was noticed in Zn and Ni treatments. The activities of antioxidative enzymes such as superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and glutathione reductase registered higher values and the activity of catalase and the antioxidative substances such as ascorbic acid and total glutathione contents registered lower values in all the Zn and Ni treatments when compared to their controls. The levels of catalase, peroxidase and glutathione reductase and ascorbic acid and total glutathione contents were high in cv. LRG30 than in cv. ICPL87 in response to Zn and Ni treatments. However, the activity of superoxide dismutase, the major scavenger of O(2)(&z.rad;-) radical registered higher values in cv. ICPL87. The cv. LRG30 is less sensitive to Zn and Ni treatments compared to the cv. ICPL87. Correlation coefficients between the different antioxidant parameters and metal dose level, or dry matter accumulation, were established, assessing for an induced-oxidative stress. Additional evidence was provided by comparing the sensitivity of the two cultivars.

PhSeSiR(3)-Catalyzed Group Transfer Radical Reactions.

A novel design for initiating radical-based chemistry in a catalytic fashion is described. The design of the concept is based on the phenylselenyl group transfer reaction from alkyl phenyl selenides by utilizing PhSeSiR(3) (1) as a catalytic reagent. The reaction is initiated by the homolytic cleavage of -C-Se- bond of an alkyl phenyl selenide by the in situ generated alkylsilyl radical (R(3)Si(*)), obtained by the mesolysis of PhSeSiR(3)](*)(-)( )()(1(*)(-)). The oxidative dimerization of counteranion PhSe(-) to PhSeSePh functions as radical terminator. The generation of 1(*)(-) is achieved by the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) promoted reductive activation of 1 through a photosystem comprising of a visible-light (410 nm)-absorbing electron rich DMA as an electron donor and ascorbic acid as a co-oxidant (Figure 1). The optimum mole ratio between the catalyst 1 and alkyl phenyl selenides for successful reaction is established to be 1:10. The generality of the concept is demonstrated by carrying out variety of radical reactions such as cyclization (10, 15-18), intermolecular addition (25), and tandem annulations (32).

Flavonol glycosides from cassia hirsuta

A new flavonol glycoside, kaempferol 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnopyranosyl (1-->2)-alpha-L-rhamnopyranoside (1), was isolated from the flowers of Cassia hirsuta along with two known flavonol glycosides, kaempferol 3-O-rutinoside and rutin. The structure of compound 1 has been established on the basis of spectral data and by acid hydrolysis.