Article
Microbiology
Patricia de Almeida Machado, Pollyanna Stephanie Gomes, Victor Midlej, Elaine Soares Coimbra, Herbert Leonel de Matos Guedes
Summary: The study revealed the potential antileishmanial effect of PF-429242, which induces various cellular alterations in the parasite, such as mitochondrial damage, neutral lipids accumulation, oxidative stress, and autophagy leading to the death of L. infantum. Additionally, PF-429242 treatment modulated host cellular responses that favor the development of an immune response against the parasite.
FRONTIERS IN MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Hamdan AlMohammed, Amal Khudair Khalaf, Aishah E. Albalawi, Abdullah D. Alanazi, Parastoo Baharvand, Ali Moghaddam, Hossein Mahmoudvand
Summary: This study reviewed the preclinical studies on the anti-leishmanial activity of chitosan and chitosan-based particles against various Leishmania species. The findings suggest that chitosan and its derivatives show promising in vitro and in vivo anti-leishmanial activity, indicating their potential as alternatives for treating leishmaniasis. Further research, especially in clinical settings, is necessary to confirm these results.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Ganesh Yadagiri, Aakriti Singh, Kanika Arora, Shyam Lal Mudavath
Summary: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a vector-borne disease caused by an intracellular parasite of the genus Leishmania. It is a deadly disease with high fatality in tropical regions, and the lack of vaccines, inadequate vector control measures, and the rise of drug-resistant parasites and HIV-VL co-infections make it difficult to treat and control. Therefore, the development of safe and effective therapies, such as immunotherapy, is urgently needed.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Renata Rocha da Silva, Fernanda de Santana Fontes Vasconcelos, Debora dos Santos Tavares, Priscila Lima dos Santos
Summary: This study conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to investigate the association between IL-10 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and the progression of leishmaniasis. The results showed that IL-10 SNPs were not significantly associated with leishmaniasis progression and were not considered a risk factor.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Patricia Sampaio Tavares Veras, Maria Borges Rabelo de Santana, Claudia Ida Brodskyn, Deborah Bittencourt Mothe Fraga, Manuela Silva Solca, Juliana Perrone Bezerra De Menezes, Bruna Martins Macedo Leite, Helena Mariana Pitangueira Teixeira
Summary: Leishmaniasis is a widespread group of infectious diseases that significantly impact global health. The causative agents are protozoan parasites that give rise to various clinical manifestations. Visceral leishmaniasis is the most severe form and can be life-threatening if left untreated.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Marco Antonio Cabrera Gonzalez, Ana Alice Maia Goncalves, Jennifer Ottino, Jaqueline Costa Leite, Lucilene Aparecida Resende, Otoni Alves Melo-Junior, Patricia Silveira, Mariana Santos Cardoso, Ricardo Toshio Fujiwara, Lilian Lacerda Bueno, Renato Lima Santos, Tatiane Furtado de Carvalho, Giani Martins Garcia, Paulo Ricardo de Oliveira Paes, Alexsandro Sobreira Galdino, Miguel Angel Chavez-Fumagalli, Marilia Martins Melo, Denise Silveira-Lemos, Olindo Assis Martins-Filho, Walderez Ornelas Dutra, Vanessa Carla Furtado Mosqueira, Rodolfo Cordeiro Giunchetti
Summary: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a fatal disease caused by Leishmania infantum, and dogs are the main reservoirs. A vaccine against canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) is important in controlling human and CVL infections by reducing L. infantum infection. This study evaluated the potential of two polymeric nanoformulations loaded with Leishmania amazonensis antigens as a VL vaccine using golden hamsters as a model. The results showed that the vaccines had no adverse reactions and significantly reduced the parasitic load in the liver and spleen. These vaccines may be promising candidates for a VL vaccine.
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mohammed Ahmed Elawad, Modawy Elnour Modawy Elkhalifa, Alashary Adam Eisa Hamdoon, Liga Hasan Mohammed Salim, Zeeshan Ahmad, Muhammad Ayaz
Summary: Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne infection caused by protozoan parasites from the genus leishmania. Natural products have shown potential as safe and effective drugs against leishmania.
Review
Immunology
Katiuska Passelli, Oaklyne Billion, Fabienne Tacchini-Cottier
Summary: Leishmania parasites, transmitted by infected sand flies, cause a range of diseases in mammals. Neutrophils are crucial in the defense against these parasites, although some Leishmania species have developed ways to survive within them. Neutrophils also play a role in shaping the skin microenvironment during infection, influencing the adaptive immune response and disease outcome.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Joao Carlos Franca-Silva, Rodolfo Cordeiro Giunchetti, Reysla Maria da Silveira Mariano, George Luiz Lins Machado-Coelho, Luciana de Almeida Silva Teixeira, Ricardo Andrade Barata, Erika Monteiro Michalsky, Marilia Fonseca Rocha, Consuelo Latorre Fortes-Dias, Edelberto Santos Dias
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of canine euthanasia on the incidence of visceral leishmaniasis in humans and canines. The findings showed that screening and culling measures for canines can reduce the incidence of the disease in both humans and canines.
Article
Immunology
Joao Paulo Araujo de Sousa, Julyanne Maria Saraiva de Sousa, Raiza Raianne Luz Rodrigues, Thais Amanda de Lima Nunes, Yasmim Alves Aires Machado, Alexandre Carvalho de Araujo, Ingrid Gracielle Martins da Silva, Karine Brenda Barros-Cordeiro, Sonia Nair Bao, Michel Mualem de Moraes Alves, Francisco Jaime Bezerra Mendonca-Junior, Klinger Antonio da Franca Rodrigues
Summary: Leishmaniasis, one of the most serious Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs), requires urgent therapeutic alternatives due to the problems with currently available drugs. This study found that a thiophene derivative, SB-200, showed promising anti-leishmanial activity and low toxicity in mice.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Santhi John Tharakan, Dincy C. Peter, Rajiv Karthik, Vedantam Rupa, Winsley Rose, Meera Thomas, Malathi Manuel, Priscilla Rupali, Susanne Pulimood, Sitara Swarna Rao Ajjampur
Summary: This study reports on 52 suspected cases of cutaneous and mucosal leishmaniasis in a tertiary care setting in southern India from 2008 to 2018. Of the 12 confirmed cases, seven had mucocutaneous leishmaniasis, two had cutaneous leishmaniasis, and three had post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis. The emerging trend of atypical MCL caused by L. donovani variants highlights the importance of a high index of suspicion combined with PCR-based diagnostics for accurate diagnosis of different manifestations of leishmaniasis.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE
(2021)
Article
Veterinary Sciences
Lucy A. Parker, Lucrecia Acosta, Mariana Noel Gutierrez, Israel Cruz, Javier Nieto, Enrique Jorge Deschutter, Fernando Jorge Bornay-Llinares
Summary: The study utilized city land registry for random selection of domestic dog samples and compared with shelter dogs, showing a higher prevalence among shelter dogs. The seroprevalence among domestic dogs was significantly lower than among the abandoned dogs and the spatial distribution of infected dogs was fairly homogenous throughout the city.
FRONTIERS IN VETERINARY SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Geovanna Vioti, Mariana Dantas da Silva, Fredy Galvis-Ovallos, Maria Luana Alves, Diogo Tiago da Silva, Joao Augusto Franco Leonel, Nuno Wolfgang Balbini Pereira, Julia Cristina Benassi, Julio Cesar Pereira Spada, Carla Maia, Eunice Aparecida Bianchi Galati, Wilma Aparecida Starke-Buzetti, Tricia Maria Ferreira de Sousa Oliveira
Summary: The study demonstrates that naturally infected cats are capable of transmitting L. infantum to sand flies. Through clinical evaluation and diagnosis of 240 cats, the research examined the role of cats in the transmission of visceral leishmaniasis.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Review
Parasitology
Polrat Wilairatana, Wetpisit Chanmol, Pongruj Rattaprasert, Frederick Ramirez Masangkay, Giovanni De Jesus Milanez, Kwuntida Uthaisar Kotepui, Manas Kotepui
Summary: The study systematically reviewed co-infection of malaria and visceral leishmaniasis, finding heterogeneous prevalence rates in different geographical areas. Age and anemia at admission were associated with co-infection status. Further longitudinal studies are needed to determine the impact of malaria co-infection on the severity of visceral leishmaniasis.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Fernanda Fortes de Araujo, Ines Lakhal-Naouar, Nancy Koles, Sorana Raiciulescu, Rupal Mody, Naomi Aronson
Summary: Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a chronic infection caused by Leishmania parasites. Most individuals are asymptomatic, but some progress to symptomatic VL. The host immune response plays a major role in determining the progression and severity of VL. New biomarkers are needed to identify asymptomatic individuals at risk of developing VL. In this study, chemokine/cytokine levels were measured in peripheral mononuclear blood cells (PBMC) from AVL(+) individuals, and high levels of certain chemokines were detected compared to controls. Measurement of chemokine/cytokine levels can help identify cellular immune responses in asymptomatic VL individuals.
Review
Plant Sciences
Marilia Valli, Leticia Cristina Vieira Atanazio, Gustavo Claro Monteiro, Roberta Ramos Coelho, Daniel Pecoraro Demarque, Adriano Defini Andricopulo, Laila Salmen Espindola, Vanderlan da Silva Bolzani
Summary: Natural products from Brazilian biodiversity, particularly from the Cerrado region, are highlighted as potential sources of active compounds for mosquito control due to the emergence of resistant mosquito populations. Scientific reviews on bioactive natural products are important for providing molecular models and effective measures to reduce the incidence of arboviruses diseases worldwide.
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Natalia Mendes Gomes Magalhaes, Joao Paulo Barreto Sousa, Daniel Pecoraro Demarque, Carlos Eduardo de Melo Salvador, Lorena C. Albernaz, Nicole L. Achee, John P. Grieco, Laila Salmen Espindola
Summary: The study found that extracts of Vismia gracilis had significant toxicity and behavioral effects on Aedes aegypti, with benzophenone compounds showing larvicidal activity and toxicity on both larvae and female adults. This highlights the potential use of these compounds for developing vector-control products.
NATURAL PRODUCT RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Cell Biology
Patricia C. Cortelo, Daniel P. Demarque, Renata G. Dusi, Lorena C. Albernaz, Raimundo Braz-Filho, Ekaterina I. Goncharova, Heidi R. Bokesch, Kirk R. Gustafson, John A. Beutler, Laila S. Espindola
Summary: The study conducted high-throughput cytotoxicity screening on 702 extracts from 95 plant species in the Brazilian Cerrado biome, identifying 22 active extracts with significant cytotoxic activity against cancer cells. A molecular networking strategy annotated 27 compounds present in 17 active extracts, providing valuable chemical information for further studies on potential anticancer agents in plants.
Article
Parasitology
Yasmin Silva Rizk, Daiana de Jesus Hardoim, Kaique Bertrand Almeida Santos, Tania Zaverucha-do-Valle, Noemi Nosomi Taniwaki, Fernando Almeida-Souza, Carlos Alexandre Carollo, Marcos Andre Vannier-Santos, Carla Cardozo Pinto de Arruda, Katia da Silva Calabrese
Summary: Amentoflavone directly affects Leishmania parasites, leading to mitochondrial dysfunction and parasite death. Therefore, amentoflavone has the potential to be a promising candidate for the development of drugs against leishmaniasis.
PARASITOLOGY INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Review
Toxicology
Jessica A. I. Muller, Lai Y. Chan, Monica C. Toffoli-Kadri, Marcia R. Mortari, David J. Craik, Johannes Koehbach
Summary: This review highlights the structural diversity of antinociceptive arthropod peptides and emphasizes their vast potential for the discovery of novel analgesic lead molecules.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lais Silva Morais, Joao Paulo Barreto Sousa, Carolina Melo Aguiar, Ciro Martins Gomes, Daniel Pecoraro Demarque, Lorena Carneiro Albernaz, Laila Salmen Espindola
Summary: This study screened the larvicidal and pupicidal activity of common edible plant extracts. The standardized P. nigrum fruit ethanol extract and piperine standard demonstrated larvicidal activity against Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. The extract and piperine also showed residual activity and solid extract formulations exhibited 24-day activity against Ae. aegypti larvae. Therefore, the standardized P. nigrum extract has the potential for insecticide development to control arboviral vectors.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
V. U. Bhaskara Rao, Caiming Wang, Daniel P. Demarque, Corentin Grassin, Felix Otte, Christian Merten, Carsten Strohmann, Charles C. J. Loh
Summary: Site-selective functionalization is a significant synthetic strategy in organic synthesis. Chiral catalysis has been used to control the site selectivity in complex carbohydrate functionalizations, providing new routes to biologically relevant glycosides. However, the availability of robust catalytic systems to overcome multiple stereoselectivity challenges remains limited. In this study, we present a synergistic chiral Rh(I)- and organoboron-catalysed protocol for the synthesis of challenging but biologically relevant arylnaphthalene glycosides. Our method employs chiral Rh(I) catalysis for site-selective carbohydrate functionalization and demonstrates the utility of boronic acid as a compatible co-catalyst. The success of our method depends on the judicious choice of a suitable organoboron catalyst, and we show that multiple aspects of stereocontrol are simultaneously operative.
Article
Microbiology
Estela Mariana Guimaraes Lourenco, Juliana Fortes Di Iorio, Fernanda da Silva, Felipe Leonardo Bley Fialho, Melquisedeque Mateus Monteiro, Adilson Beatriz, Renata Trentin Perdomo, Euzebio Guimaraes Barbosa, Jean Pierre Oses, Carla Cardozo Pinto de Arruda, Wagner Alves de Souza Judice, Jamal Rafique, Denis Pires de Lima
Summary: Leishmaniasis, a neglected tropical disease that affects more than 350 million people globally, currently lacks a vaccine and faces challenges in treatment. A multitarget drug strategy using flavonoid compounds shows promising prospects. In this study, 17 flavonoid analogues were synthesized using a scalable, easy-to-reproduce, and inexpensive method, all of which exhibited impressive inhibition against target enzymes highly expressed in the parasite. Compounds 3c, f12a, and f12b showed effectiveness against all tested isoforms and had low cytotoxicity. These results represent a pioneering advancement in understanding the mechanism of action of flavonoid derivatives against leishmaniasis and hold promise for the development of cysteine protease inhibitors for treatment.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Alexandra Almeida Hubner, Daniel Pecoraro Demarque, Felipe Rebello Lourenco, Catarina Rosado, Andre Rolim Baby, Irene Satiko Kikuchi, Elfriede Marianne Bacchi
Summary: This study investigated the potential reuse of byproducts from the process of making red wine from red grapes in the dermocosmetic industry. The samples were analyzed using liquid chromatography and tested for cytosafety in normal and stressful conditions using fibroblast cell cultures. Additionally, the samples were used in a sunscreen system to evaluate their efficacy using spectrophotometry. The results showed that GPE-EAF had the best profile of beneficial compounds and exhibited improved photostability in the sunscreen system.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Diego B. Carvalho, Pedro A. N. Costa, Gisele B. Portapilla, Amarith R. das Neves, Cristiane Y. K. Shiguemoto, Bruno I. Pelizaro, Fernanda Silva, Eliane M. Piranda, Carla C. P. Arruda, Priscyla D. M. Gaspari, Iara A. Cardoso, Pedro H. Luccas, M. Cristina Nonato, Norberto P. Lopes, Sergio de Albuquerque, Adriano C. M. Baroni
Summary: Chagas disease and leishmaniasis are neglected diseases of high priority as a public health problem. In this study, a series of newly synthesized compounds showed promising antitrypanosomatid properties, indicating their potential as future treatments for these diseases.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Amarith R. das Neves, Diego B. Carvalho, Fernanda Silva, Rafael F. Rosalem, Bruno I. Pelizaro, Pamella F. Castilho, Kelly M. P. Oliveira, Nadla S. Cassemiro, Lucas R. Pessatto, Edgar J. Paredes-Gamero, Eliane M. Piranda, Denise B. Silva, Carla C. P. Arruda, Adriano C. M. Baroni
Summary: This study evaluated the in vivo intralesional treatment efficacy of five isoxazole derivatives and found that analogue 7 showed promising therapeutic effects and low toxicity. It could be a potential new drug candidate for CL caused by L. amazonensis.
ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Estela M. G. Lourenco, Fernanda da Silva, Amarith R. das Neves, Iluska S. Bonfa, Alda Maria T. Ferreira, Adriana C. G. Menezes, Maria E. C. da Silva, Jessica T. dos Santos, Marco A. U. Martines, Renata T. Perdomo, Monica C. Toffoli-Kadri, Euzebio G. Barbosa, Sumbal Saba, Adilson Beatriz, Jamal Rafique, Carla C. P. de Arruda, Denis P. de Lima
Summary: Leishmaniases are neglected tropical diseases that have devastating health, social, and economic consequences. Current antileishmanial drugs are old, toxic, and unaffordable. A study synthesized 17 flavonoid derivatives and found that 11 of them showed high activity against the parasite and were safe for host cells.
ACS INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Alexandra de Almeida Hubner, Michelle Maria Goncalves Barao de Aguiar, Daniel Pecoraro Demarque, Catarina Rosado, Maria Valeria Robles Velasco, Irene Satiko Kikuchi, Andre Rolim Baby, Fabiana Vieira Lima Solino Pessoa
Summary: The vinification process generates by-products with high polyphenol content, such as seeds, skins, pulp, and/or stems, which can be used to produce functional food, nutraceutical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic ingredients. Conventional extraction techniques using solvents are harmful to health and the environment, leading to a demand for sustainable methods. Advances in technology now allow for the recovery of valuable antioxidants from winemaking by-products in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. Nanotechnology has also played a role in improving the stability and bioavailability of these compounds, opening up new possibilities for applications in the skincare industry.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Giovana Maria Lanchoti Fiori, Daniel Pecoraro Demarque, Ana Maria Soares Pereira, Vera L. G. Klein, Norberto Peporine Lopes
Summary: The study isolated and identified cucurbitane triterpene glycosides of Wilbrandia hibiscoides Silva Manso, contributing to the phytochemistry of the Cucurbitaceae family. The results provide the first phytochemical data of W. hibiscoides by identifying three known cucurbitane triterpene glycosides that are chemically significant constituents in the Cucurbitaceae family.
REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE FARMACOGNOSIA-BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF PHARMACOGNOSY
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Daniel P. Demarque, Michael Kemper, Christian Merten
Summary: In this study, the IR and VCD spectra of azithromycin were reported, with computational analysis revealing the importance of a single water molecule in stabilizing the hydrogen bonding network and determining the VCD spectral signatures. The presence of this water molecule was essential for understanding the conformational dynamics of azithromycin.
CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
