Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Kyung-Hwa Baek, Trong-Nhat Phan, Satish R. Malwal, Hyeryon Lee, Zhu-Hong Li, Silvia N. J. Moreno, Eric Oldfield, Joo Hwan No
Summary: SQ109 is an anti-tubercular drug candidate that has shown potent activity against protozoan parasites including Leishmania, Trypanosoma cruzi, and Toxoplasma gondii in vitro. It has demonstrated efficacy in mouse models of T. cruzi and T. gondii infections, but moderate efficacy in models of Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania donovani infections. Metabolites of SQ109 also exhibit activity against protozoan parasites in vitro.
Article
Parasitology
Matias E. Rodriguez, Valeria Tekiel, Vanina A. Campo
Summary: The study suggests that resveratrol can partially protect host cells from Trypanosoma cruzi infection without affecting apoptosis and autophagy processes. This finding is important for further understanding the mechanism of action of this drug.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-DRUGS AND DRUG RESISTANCE
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Bernadete Dantas Queiroga Tamyres, Cardoso Pereira Gomez Luanderson, Eduardo Rodrigues de Sena, Wilo Victor dos Santos, Rafael Pontes Ferreira Henrique, Vicente Toscano de Araujo-Neto, Andressa Noronha Barbosa-Silva, Carlos Ramon do Nascimento Brito, Romeika Karla dos Reis Lima, Joao Ciro Fagundes-Neto, Lucia Maria da Cunha Galvao, Henrique Rocha de Medeiros, Antonia Claudia Jacome da Camara, Manuela Sales Lima Nascimento, Renata Antonaci Gama, Paulo Marcos Matta Guedes
Summary: The study evaluated the insecticidal effect of fluralaner on Triatoma brasiliensis after feeding on treated dogs, showing 100% mortality within 7 months post-treatment, declining to 0% after 12 months. This indicates a potential long-term approach to control vector transmission of Chagas disease, especially in endemic areas.
PARASITES & VECTORS
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Johny Wysllas de Freitas Oliveira, Mariana Farias Alves da Silva, Igor Zumba Damasceno, Hugo Alexandre Oliveira Rocha, Arnobio Antonio da Silva Junior, Marcelo Sousa Silva
Summary: This study investigated the encapsulation of sodium diethyldithiocarbamate (DETC) by poly-lactic acid (PLA) in nanoparticles for the treatment of Chagas disease caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. The nanoparticles showed reduced toxicity against cells and maintained antiparasitic activity. The physical characterization of the nanoparticles demonstrated a small size and negative zeta potential. The encapsulated DETC exhibited similar efficacy against T. cruzi as the free form.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Natalia Lins da Silva-Gomes, Leonardo Alexandre de Souza Ruivo, Claudia Moreira, Marcelo Meuser-Batista, Cristiane Franca da Silva, Denise da Gama Jaen Batista, Stenio Fragoso, Gabriel Melo de Oliveira, Maria de Nazare Correia Soeiro, Otacilio C. Moreira
Summary: In this study, genetically modified strains of Trypanosoma cruzi were used to evaluate the role of NTPDases in parasite infectivity. The results showed that parasites overexpressing TcNTPDase-1 had higher infectivity, while hemi-knockout parasites had lower infectivity and no significant electrocardiographic changes. These findings highlight the potential of NTPDases as a therapeutic target for Chagas disease.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Federica Bruno, Germano Castelli, Fabrizio Vitale, Simone Catanzaro, Valeria Vitale Badaco, Marinella Roberti, Claudia Colomba, Antonio Cascio, Manlio Tolomeo
Summary: HF is a common clinical syndrome with increasing incidence and mortality rates due to the aging population. Finding new drugs for HF treatment has become an urgent task. Traditional Chinese medicine has shown unique advantages and positive therapeutic effects in the treatment of HF in recent years.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Albany Resendiz-Mora, Giovanna Barrera-Aveleida, Anahi Sotelo-Rodriguez, Ivan Galarce-Sosa, Irene Nevarez-Lechuga, Juan Carlos Santiago-Hernandez, Benjamin Nogueda-Torres, Sergio Meza-Toledo, Saul Gomez-Manzo, Isabel Wong-Baeza, Isabel Baeza, Carlos Wong-Baeza
Summary: Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is a major public health problem endemic in Latin America and emerging globally. Current treatments, Benznidazole and Nifurtimox, have limited efficacy in the chronic phase. This study synthesized a non-polar molecule, B-NIPOx, which was shown to have higher trypanocidal activity than the reference drugs, reduced blood parasitemia and amastigote nests in infected mice, and prevented the development of Chagasic enteropathy.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Leonardo da Silva Lara, Guilherme Curty Lechuga, Lorraine Martins Rocha Orlando, Byanca Silva Ferreira, Bernardo Araujo Souto, Mauricio Silva dos Santos, Mirian Claudia de Souza Pereira
Summary: Chagas disease is a long-standing disease that primarily affects impoverished populations in Latin America. The available drugs have limited effectiveness and intense side effects. This study explores the biological activity of two new series of pyrazole-thiazoline derivatives with potential therapeutic options against Trypanosoma cruzi. These derivatives show potent activity with good oral bioavailability and low cytotoxicity, making them potential candidates for Chagas disease therapy.
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Mariana C. Pagotti, Herbert J. Dias, Ana Carolina B. B. Candido, Thais A. S. Oliveira, Alexandre Borges, Nicoli D. Oliveira, Carla D. Lopes, Renato P. Orenha, Renato L. T. Parreira, Antonio E. M. Crotti, Lizandra G. Magalhaes
Summary: Chagas disease, a neglected tropical disease, affects over 8 million people. Although current therapies have limited effectiveness and high toxicity, the search for new drugs remains important. In this study, neolignans were synthesized and evaluated for their activity against Trypanosoma cruzi strains. Four neolignans demonstrated activity against the T. cruzi strain, with DBN 1 exhibiting the highest activity. In silico analysis showed that these compounds could destabilize tubulin-microtubule interactions. These compounds have potential as molecular prototypes for developing new antiparasitic drugs.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Caue Benito Scarim, Francisco Olmo, Elizabeth Igne Ferreira, Chung Man Chin, John M. Kelly, Amanda Fortes Francisco
Summary: The research indicates that NFOH has stronger anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity, works through a inhibitory mechanism, and is more effective in treating chronic infections compared to the acute stage, sharing similar characteristics with BZN.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Marianne Rocha-Hasler, Gabriel Melo de Oliveira, Aline Nefertiti da Gama, Ludmila Ferreira de Almeida Fiuza, Anna Frieda Fesser, Monica Cal, Romina Rocchetti, Raiza Brandao Peres, Xue Li Guan, Marcel Kaiser, Maria de Nazare Correia Soeiro, Pascal Maser
Summary: The study found that treatment with posaconazole alone in chronic Chagas disease patients resulted in a high relapse rate, prompting the search for suitable combination partners such as inhibitors of sterol and sphingolipid biosynthetic enzymes. In vitro and in vivo experiments revealed that the combination of tomatidine (TH) with posaconazole showed synergistic effects against Trypanosoma cruzi, indicating a potential for improved treatment outcomes.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Masood Alam Khan, Khaled S. Allemailem, Hamzah Maswadeh, Hina Younus
Summary: This study aimed to develop a safe and effective vaccine formulation against Acinetobacter baumannii infection. Immunization with liposomes-encapsulated whole cell antigens induced higher levels of specific antibodies, lymphocyte proliferation, and Th1 cytokine secretion. Vaccinated mice showed the highest resistance to A. baumannii infection and lower levels of inflammatory markers. The findings suggest that liposomes-encapsulated whole cell antigens may be a potential vaccine formulation for protecting individuals against A. baumannii infection.
Article
Immunology
Vivian Paulino Figueiredo, Maria Claudia Silva, Debora Maria Soares de Souza, Diogenes Coelho Jr, Lais Roquete Lopes, Maira de Araujo Azevedo, Ana Paula de Jesus Menezes, Wanderson Geraldo de Lima, Maria do Carmo Gouveia Peluzio, Andre Talvani
Summary: This study evaluated the impact of different strains of T. cruzi infection on atherosclerotic lesions in aged ApoE-/- mice, and found that infection with the Col strain caused increased parasite growth and worsened aortic root lesions.
MICROBIAL PATHOGENESIS
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Camila Victoria Sousa Oliveira, Oscar Moreno-Loaiza, Daniel Figueiredo-Vanzan, Isalira Peroba Ramos, Hilton Mata-Santos, Marcelo Torres Bozza, Claudia Neto Paiva, Emiliano Medei
Summary: This study investigated the role of IL-1 beta in chronic chagasic cardiomyopathy (CCC) using a mouse model. The results showed that the absence of functional IL-1 beta/IL-1R signaling did not prevent or reverse the decrease of cardiac function and the incidence of arrhythmias induced by CCC. Therefore, ruling out the IL-1 beta signaling pathway is an important step to discourage further attempts of IL-1 beta blockade as a therapeutic measure for CCC.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Leonardo S. Lara, Guilherme C. Lechuga, Caroline dos S. Moreira, Thais B. Santos, Vitor F. Ferreira, David R. da Rocha, Mirian C. S. Pereira
Summary: Chagas disease remains a serious public health problem in Latin America, with current clinical treatments considered inadequate, emphasizing the need for discovering new effective and safe drugs. Research analyzed a series of naphthoquinone derivatives for biological activity and structure-activity relationship, identifying 1g as a promising compound against Trypanosoma cruzi. However, current compounds were unable to reduce parasite load or prevent mouse mortality in infection.