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
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
Naiara Dutra Barroso Gomes, Emanuel Paula Magalhaes, Lyanna Rodrigues Ribeiro, John Washington Cavalcante, Marcelo Morais Gomes Maia, Felipe Ramon Cunha da Silva, Arif Ali, Marcia Machado Marinho, Emmanuel Silva Marinho, Helcio Silva dos Santos, Alice Maria Costa Martins, Ramon Roseo Paula Pessoa Bezerra de Menezes
Summary: This study evaluated the activity of synthetic p-aminochalcones against T. cruzi and found that they have a trypanocidal effect by causing membrane damage and oxidative stress. Their mechanism of action may be related to inhibition of cruzain and TR.
BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Lorraine Martins Rocha Orlando, Leonardo da Silva Lara, Guilherme Curty Lechuga, Giseli Capaci Rodrigues, Omar Ginoble Pandoli, Druval Santos de Sa, Mirian Claudia de Souza Pereira
Summary: Therapeutic alternatives for Chagas disease are urgently needed due to limitations and adverse effects of current drugs. Triazole analogues show promise in treating T. cruzi.
Article
Immunology
Laura Fraccaroli, Maria Daniela Ruiz, Virginia Gabriela Perdomo, Agustina Nicole Clausi, Dario Emmanuel Balcazar, Luciana Larocca, Carolina Carrillo
Summary: "Chagas disease is an endemic American parasitosis caused by Trypanosoma cruzi. Current therapies have limited efficacy and side effects, leading to the need for new trypanocidal strategies. Ivermectin shows potential as a repurposed drug for Chagas disease, with dose-dependent effects on T. cruzi and other trypanosomatids, and potential novel molecular targets identified in this study."
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Ruben Martin-Escolano, Daniel Molina-Carreno, Javier Martin-Escolano, M. Paz Clares, Cristina Galiana-Rosello, Jorge Gonzalez-Garcia, Nuria Cirauqui, Jose M. Llinares, Maria Jose Rosales, Enrique Garcia-Espana, Clotilde Marin
Summary: Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is a potentially fatal infection that was previously limited to Latin America but has now become widespread globally. This study identified new effective agents against T. cruzi and evaluated their efficacy in vivo. Compound 15 was identified as a potential candidate for the development of new therapies for Chagas disease.
Article
Parasitology
Ruben Martin-Escolano, Maria Jose Rosales, Clotilde Marin
Summary: The T. cruzi Arequipa strain is characterized and evaluated as a model for drug discovery in Chagas disease. The study provides insights into the infection characteristics and benznidazole susceptibility of this strain, suggesting its potential for screening new compounds with anti-parasitic properties.
Article
Immunology
Albert Ros-Lucas, Nieves Martinez-Peinado, Jaume Bastida, Joaquim Gascon, Julio Alonso-Padilla
Summary: Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is a devastating neglected disease. The discovery of safer and more effective drugs is urgently needed. The AlphaFold Protein Structure Database provides protein models that can help describe new therapeutic approaches and shed light on the molecular mechanisms of known compounds.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Microbiology
Suzana Marques de Jesus, Leonardo Pinto, Fernanda de Lima Moreira, Glauco Henrique Balthazar Nardotto, Rodrigo Cristofoletti, Luisa Perin, Katia da Silva Fonseca, Pauliana Barbedo, Lorena Cera Bandeira, Paula Melo de Abreu Vieira, Claudia Martins Carneiro
Summary: Chronic infection with Trypanosoma cruzi alters the pharmacokinetics and tissue distribution of benznidazole in mice, potentially impacting the therapeutic dosing regimen. This study suggests that chronic Chagas disease patients may require adjustments in benznidazole pharmacokinetics and dosing due to changes in drug exposure and tissue distribution.
ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AND CHEMOTHERAPY
(2021)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Maria Carmo P. Nunes, Lewis F. Buss, Jose Luiz P. Silva, Larissa Natany A. Martins, Claudia Di Lorenzo Oliveira, Clareci Silva Cardoso, Bruno Oliveira de Figueiredo Brito, Ariela Mota Ferreira, Lea Campos Oliveira, Ana Luiza Bierrenbach, Fabio Fernandes, Michael P. Busch, Viviane Tiemi Hotta, Luiz Mario Baptista Martinelli, Maria Carolina F. Almeida Soeiro, Adriana Brentegani, Vera M. C. Salemi, Marcia M. Menezes, Antonio Luiz P. Ribeiro, Ester Cerdeira Sabino
Summary: This study provides a comprehensive description of the natural history of T. cruzi seropositivity in a contemporary patient population, highlighting the central importance of anti-T. cruzi antibody titer as a marker of Chagas disease activity and risk of progression.
Article
Immunology
Julian Ernesto Nicolas Gulin, Margarita Maria Catalina Bisio, Daniela Rocco, Jaime Altcheh, Maria Elisa Solana, Facundo Garcia-Bournissen
Summary: This study evaluates the efficacy of Miltefosine (MLT) as a monodrug and combined with benznidazole (BZ) for treating Trypanosoma cruzi infection. MLT showed promising results in inhibiting the parasite in both in vitro and in vivo models, with improved efficacy when combined with BZ. This study provides support for the potential use of MLT in Chagas disease treatment and the exploration of combination therapies.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Michael J. da Silva, Andrey P. Jacomini, Davana S. Goncalves, Karlos Eduardo Pianoski, Julia Poletto, Danielle Lazarin-Bidoia, Helito Volpato, Celso Nakamura, Fernanda A. Rosa
Summary: A novel tetrasubstituted pyrazole derivative was discovered to exhibit potent and selective inhibition against both L. amazonensis and T. cruzi, offering a new approach for the treatment of Chagas disease and Leishmaniasis.
BIOORGANIC CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Microbiology
Sergio Castaneda, Marina Munoz, Peter J. Hotez, Maria Elena Bottazzi, Alberto E. Paniz-Mondolfi, Kathryn M. Jones, Rojelio Mejia, Cristina Poveda, Juan David Ramirez
Summary: Chagas disease is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and has a profound impact on the gastrointestinal tract. Alterations in the gut microbiome caused by the parasite may play a crucial role in host-parasite interactions and immune responses. Understanding this interaction could provide valuable insights into the pathophysiology of the disease and the development of new treatments.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
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
Chemistry, Medicinal
Ivan Beltran-Hortelano, Richard L. Atherton, Mercedes Rubio-Hernandez, Julen Sanz-Serrano, Veronica Alcolea, John M. Kelly, Silvia Perez-Silanes, Francisco Olmo
Summary: Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is the most important parasitic infection in Latin America. The current treatments are limited by high toxicity and low efficacy, highlighting the urgent need for more effective and less toxic therapeutic agents. Through the synthesis of 69 new analogues, researchers identified derivative 3c as a promising candidate with excellent trypanocidal properties and a synergistic mode of action with the reference drug benznidazole.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Juan Felipe Osorio-Mendez, Andrea Vizcaino-Castillo, Rebeca Manning-Cela, Roberto Hernandez, Ana Maria Cevallos
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2016)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andrea Vizcaino-Castillo, Juan Felipe Osorio-Mendez, Margarita Rubio-Ortiz, Rebeca Georgina Manning-Cela, Roberto Hernandez, Ana Maria Cevallos
BIOCHEMICAL AND BIOPHYSICAL RESEARCH COMMUNICATIONS
(2019)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Andrea Vizcaino-Castillo, Juan Felipe Osorio-Mendez, Javier R. Ambrosio, Roberto Hernandez, Ana Maria Cevallos
MOLECULAR AND BIOCHEMICAL PARASITOLOGY
(2020)
Article
Entomology
German Alberto Tellez Ramirez, Juan Felipe Osorio-Mendez, Diana Carolina Henao Arias, Lily Johanna S. Toro, Juliana Franco Castrillon, Maribel Rojas-Montoya, Jhon Carlos Castano Osorio
Summary: The study identified 155 novel HDP sequences from nine transcriptomes of seven species of Coleoptera, enriching the diversity of antimicrobial peptides within this insect family. These sequences were identified based on their similarity to known HDP insect families, including defensins, cecropins, attancins, and coleoptericins.
JOURNAL OF INSECT SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Diana Carolina Henao Arias, Lily Johana Toro, German Alberto Tellez Ramirez, Juan Felipe Osorio-Mendez, Adrian Rodriguez-Carlos, Javier Valle, Sara Paulina Marin-Luevano, Bruno Rivas-Santiago, David Andreu, Jhon Carlos Castano Osorio
Summary: The study characterized the sequence, structure, and biological activity of three antimicrobial peptides found in two dung beetle species, showing their typical features of antimicrobial peptides with effectiveness against Gram-negative bacteria and low toxicity, making them potential leads for antimicrobial strategies.