Review
Microbiology
Kelli Monteiro da Costa, Raphael do Carmo Valente, Leonardo Marques da Fonseca, Leonardo Freire-de-Lima, Jose Osvaldo Previato, Lucia Mendonca-Previato
Summary: Human trypanosomiasis has a significant impact on the global population, affecting around 8 million people, particularly in endemic areas. Resistance to chemotherapy has been observed in protozoan parasites, including the T. cruzi and T. brucei species. ABC transporters, which reduce drug accumulation and mitigate toxic effects, have been identified as important factors in multidrug resistance. This review provides an overview of the history and function of ABC transporters in Trypanosoma species, highlighting their significance in parasite physiology and chemotherapy resistance.
Article
Immunology
Luciana L. Soprano, Maximiliano R. Ferrero, Malena Landoni, Gabriela A. Garcia, Monica I. Esteva, Alicia S. Couto, Vilma G. Duschak
Summary: This study evaluated the effects of GlcNAc6S on T. cruzi infection using a mouse experimental model. The findings showed that sulfotopes and their specific antibodies play a crucial role in cardiac tissue damage and T. cruzi infection.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Arunima Goswami, Tirthankar Koley, Madhan Vishal Rajan, Pathak Madhuri, Neelam Upadhyay, Uddipan Das, Manoj Kumar, Abdul Samath Ethayathulla, Gururao Hariprasad
Summary: This study found that Leishmania donovani, Trypanosoma cruzi, and Trypanosoma brucei, which are protozoan parasites, cause leishmaniasis, Chagas disease, and sleeping sickness, respectively. It was found that PAF-AH is an inflammatory protein involved in the pathogenesis of these three infections, making it an attractive drug target.
INFECTION AND DRUG RESISTANCE
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Luiza Dantas-Pereira, Edezio F. Cunha-Junior, Valter V. Andrade-Neto, John F. Bower, Guilherme A. M. Jardim, Eufranio N. Junior da Silva, Eduardo C. Torres-Santos, Rubem F. S. Menna-Barreto
Summary: Chagas disease, sleeping sickness, and leishmaniasis are neglected tropical diseases that particularly affect impoverished populations. Natural naphthoquinones and their derivatives show promising antiparasitic activity against trypanosomatids in vitro, suggesting their potential for development as alternative therapies.
CURRENT PHARMACEUTICAL DESIGN
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Miebaka Jamabo, Maduma Mahlalela, Adrienne L. L. Edkins, Aileen Boshoff
Summary: Human African trypanosomiasis, caused by Trypanosoma brucei, is a neglected tropical disease targeted for eradication by 2030. The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted control programs, extending the time frame. Vaccine development has been challenging due to antigenic variation and B cell depletion. Control relies on screening and drugs, with fexinidazole being a recent major breakthrough. Diagnosis, compliance, and resistance pose challenges, while ongoing drug discovery and addressing eradication challenges are discussed.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Sara Teixeira de Macedo-Silva, Gonzalo Visbal, Gabrielle Frizzo Souza, Mayara Roncaglia dos Santos, Simon B. Cammerer, Wanderley de Souza, Juliany Cola Fernandes Rodrigues
Summary: This study found that benzylamines have anti-parasitic activity against Leishmania amazonensis and affect the structure of the cell membrane and mitochondria by blocking the sterol synthesis pathway. These results suggest that benzylamines may be promising pharmaceutical leads for the treatment of leishmaniasis.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
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
Infectious Diseases
Juan David Ramirez, Liyong Cao, Lissa Cruz-Saavedra, Carolina Hernandez, Sergio Castaneda, Marina Munoz, Nathalia Ballesteros, Radhika Banu, Paras Shrestha, Carlos Cordon-Cardo, Emilia Mia Sordillo, Alberto Paniz-Mondolfi
Summary: This study explores the feasibility of using epimastigotes to construct standard curves for quantifying parasitic loads in Chagas disease molecular diagnostics. The results indicate that there are no statistically significant differences in calculating parasitic loads in blood samples, regardless of the life stage used to construct the standard curves. This finding has practical implications for improving Chagas disease molecular diagnostic methods.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Jose R. Lopez, Nancy Linares, Jose A. Adams, Alfredo Mijares
Summary: Chagas disease is a leading cause of death and morbidity in Latin America, and this study reveals that chronic elevation of diastolic Ca2+ concentration is associated with the disease. The role of Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) in this process is also explored, suggesting that inhibitors of NCX may be a potential therapeutic approach for Chagas cardiomyopathy.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Vanina E. Alvarez, Paula A. Iribarren, Gabriela T. Niemirowicz, Juan Jose Cazzulo
Summary: Trypanosoma cruzi and other Trypanosoma parasites contain various proteases, with cysteine proteases being the most abundant and potential targets for chemotherapy; recent new inhibitors with good selectivity for parasite proteases show promise as lead compounds for developing new therapies.
BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Fanny Mathias, Youssef Kabri, Damien Brun, Nicolas Primas, Carole Di Giorgio, Patrice Vanelle
Summary: Chagas disease caused by T. cruzi infection is a major public health problem in Latin America, resulting in 7000 annual deaths. This study synthesized ten new 1-substituted 2-nitropyrrole compounds and evaluated their biological activity. The derivatives showed good selectivity and activity against T. cruzi, but the maximum effect was lower than the reference drug.
Review
Immunology
Maria Belen Caputo, Josefina Elias, Gonzalo Cesar, Maria Gabriela Alvarez, Susana Adriana Laucella, Maria Cecilia Albareda
Summary: Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is the parasitic disease with the greatest impact in Latin America and the most common cause of infectious myocarditis in the world. The immune system plays a crucial role in controlling T. cruzi infection, but needs to be regulated to prevent host pathology.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Tatiana Y. Hargrove, Zdzislaw Wawrzak, Girish Rachakonda, W. David Nes, Fernando Villalta, F. Peter Guengerich, Galina Lepesheva
Summary: The study identified Naegleria fowleri sterol 14-demethylase and found that posaconazole and two experimental compounds showed potential inhibition against it. These compounds are considered as potential candidates for the treatment of PAM.
JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Joel Vourchakbe, Arnol Auvaker Zebaze Tiofack, Sartrien Tagueu Kante, Padja Abdoul Barka, Gustave Simo
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the epidemiology of pathogenic trypanosome species in cattle from HAT foci in southern Chad. The study found natural infections of multiple pathogenic trypanosome species in cattle from different HAT foci in Chad, with varying prevalence rates in different regions and among animals of different body conditions. This study is of great importance for the development of control strategies to improve animal health and the economy of smallholder farmers.
Article
Immunology
Theo G. M. Oliveira, Gabriela Venturini, Juliana M. Alvim, Larissa L. Feijo, Carla L. Dinardo, Ester C. Sabino, Jonathan G. Seidman, Christine E. Seidman, Jose E. Krieger, Alexandre C. Pereira
Summary: This study used hiPSC-CM to investigate the patterns of infection, proliferation, and transcriptional response in IND and CCC patients. The results showed no significant difference in T. cruzi infection and proliferation efficiency between IND and CCC patients. However, there were significant differences in the transcriptional response to the parasite in hiPSC-CM from IND and CCC patients. IND hiPSC-CM showed differences in the expression of genes related to antigen processing and presentation, while CCC hiPSC-CM showed increased expression of genes associated with the mTORC1 pathway and unfolded protein response. These findings suggest that baseline genetic differences may have an impact on the development of chronic outcomes and the presentation of cardiac symptoms.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)