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
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)
Review
Immunology
Kelli Monteiro da Costa, Leonardo Marques da Fonseca, Jhenifer Santos dos Reis, Marcos Andre Rodrigues da Costa Santos, Jose Osvaldo Previato, Lucia Mendonca-Previato, Leonardo Freire-de-Lima
Summary: Chagas' disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, was described by Dr. Carlos Chagas in the early 20th century. One important discovery was trans-sialidase, an enzyme that masks the parasite's presence and dampens the immune response. Research into the disease has identified key events in the biochemical mechanism of T. cruzi-host cell interactions.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2021)
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
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
Infectious Diseases
A. Abras, C. Ballart, A. Fernandez-Arevalo, T. Llovet, M. Gallego, C. Munoz
Summary: The study evaluated two algorithms for the diagnosis of chronic and congenital Chagas disease, with CMIA showing potential as a single diagnostic test in non-endemic countries and the revised algorithm with the >= 6 S/CO proving to be an efficient method for chronic CD diagnosis. For infants with congenital infection, CMIA could potentially be used as a single test for screening at 10 months or earlier, but further research is needed.
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY AND INFECTION
(2021)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Mary Cruz Torrico, Anna Fernandez-Arevalo, Cristina Ballart, Marco Solano, Ernesto Rojas, Eva Ariza, Silvia Tebar, Daniel Lozano, Alba Abras, Joaquim Gascon, Albert Picado, Carmen Munoz, Faustino Torrico, Montserrat Gallego
Summary: A systematic analysis of the L. braziliensis complex in Bolivia revealed different subpopulations with distinct clinical characteristics, and treatment failure was observed in some patients infected with specific species.
TRANSBOUNDARY AND EMERGING DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Juan Carlos Ramirez, Gonzalo Raul Acevedo, Carolina Torres, Rudy Parrado, Anabelle De La Barra, Sandro Villarroel, Lineth Garcia, Joaquim Gascon, Lourdes Ortiz, Faustino Torrico, Isabela Ribeiro, Alejandro Gabriel Schijman
Summary: This study analyzed the genetic polymorphisms of Trypanosoma cruzi bloodstream populations infecting chronic Chagas disease patients enrolled in the E1224 clinical trial. The results showed that the genetic variability of the parasite populations during post-treatment follow-up did not differ from that observed during chronic infection in the absence of treatment.
JOURNAL OF ANTIMICROBIAL CHEMOTHERAPY
(2022)
Article
Infectious Diseases
Maria-Jesus Pinazo, Mirko Rojas-Cortez, Ruth Saravia, Wilson Garcia-Ruiloba, Carlos Ramos, Jimy-Jose Pinto Rocha, Lourdes M. Ortiz, Mario Castellon, Nilce M. Mendoza-Claure, Daniel Lozano, Faustino M. Torrico, Joaquim Gascon
Summary: The collaborative strategy implemented by the Bolivian Chagas Platform has significantly improved access to healthcare for patients with chronic Chagas disease in Bolivia. The platform provides consensual protocol-based healthcare and has successfully expanded its reach nationally.
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Angel Fenollar, Albert Ros-Lucas, Maria Pia Alberione, Nieves Martinez-Peinado, Miriam Ramirez, Miguel Angel Rosales-Motos, Ling Y. Lee, Julio Alonso-Padilla, Luis Izquierdo
Summary: This study investigates the effects of specific inhibitors on the growth of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum and validates metabolic pathways as potential therapeutic targets. Docking simulations provide insights into the modes of action of these inhibitors. The results highlight GPI biosynthesis and N-glycosylation pathways as promising targets for anti-malarial treatments.
COMPUTATIONAL AND STRUCTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Education & Educational Research
Josep Gascon, Pedro Nicolas
Summary: The study analyzed the differences in teaching paradigms between future professional mathematicians' education and secondary mathematics education, described the teaching paradigm in IPM, and pointed out the challenges of applying this paradigm in secondary education. The failure of reforms in secondary mathematics education was considered as evidence of the difficulty in finding a suitable teaching paradigm at that level.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MATHEMATICAL EDUCATION IN SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Microbiology
Alba Abras, Cristina Ballart, Anna Fernandez-Arevalo, Maria-Jesus Pinazo, Joaquim Gascon, Carmen Munoz, Montserrat Gallego
Summary: Population movements have made Chagas disease a global public health issue. Despite efforts to control transmission in Latin American countries where the disease is endemic, congenital Chagas disease remains a significant challenge.
CLINICAL MICROBIOLOGY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Parasitology
Lilian Pinto, Alejandro G. Schijman, Julio Alonso-Padilla, Daniel Lozano, Mary Cruz Torrico, Pietro Gamba, Margarita Torrez, Vania Lozada, Karina Cartagena, Jareth Sanchez, Faustino Torrico, Joaquim Gascon
Summary: This study developed a method to detect the presence and quantify the load of Trypanosoma cruzi parasite in dysfunctional tissue segments of patients with Chagas disease. The study found that qPCR analysis using a new quantification methodology was able to detect the presence of the parasite and showed a correlation between parasite load and disease severity.
Article
Immunology
Faustino Torrico, Joaquim Gascon, Lourdes Ortiz, Jimy Pinto, Gimena Rojas, Alejandro Palacios, Fabiana Barreira, Bethania Blum, Alejandro Gabriel Schijman, Michel Vaillant, Nathalie Strub-Wourgaft, Maria Jesus Pinazo, Graeme Bilbe, Isabela Ribeiro
Summary: The study found that fexinidazole may be a potential drug for the treatment of chronic indeterminate Chagas disease. In the 12-month follow-up after treatment, all treated patients with available data showed clearance of parasites, while no patients in the placebo group achieved this effect. Further analysis suggested that low dosages of fexinidazole may be safe and effective.
CLINICAL INFECTIOUS DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Food Science & Technology
Albert Ros-Lucas, Pascal Bigey, Jean-Philippe Chippaux, Joaquim Gascon, Julio Alonso-Padilla
Summary: Snakebite envenomation causes a significant number of deaths each year, and the production of antivenoms is often limited by their variable potency and accessibility. This study presents a method based on sequence conservation and protein structural features to prioritize therapeutic epitopes from snake venom. The selected epitopes are applicable to the most medically important snake species in West Sub-Saharan Africa and can be customized for venom sequence analysis in other regions.
Review
Public, Environmental & Occupational Health
Agustin Ciapponi, Fabiana Barreira, Lucas Perelli, Ariel Bardach, Joaquim Gascon, Israel Molina, Carlos Morillo, Nilda Prado, Adelina Riarte, Faustino Torrico, Juan Carlos Villar, Sara Reidel, Luz Gibbons, Sergio Sosa-Estani
Summary: The study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of fixed doses and adjusted doses of benznidazole (BZN) for Trypanosoma cruzi-seropositive adults without cardiomyopathy. Through a systematic review and individual participant data (IPD) meta-analysis, it was found that BZN therapy, regardless of the type of dose, showed strong association with negative qPCR and sustainable parasitological clearance. The tolerance of fixed doses was not worse than that of adjusted doses. However, there is currently a lack of direct comparisons between fixed and adjusted doses.
TROPICAL MEDICINE & INTERNATIONAL HEALTH
(2023)
Correction
Infectious Diseases
Maria Aparecida Shikanai-Yasuda, Mauro Felippe Felix Mediano, Christina Terra Gallafrio Novaes, Andrea Silvestre de Sousa, Ana Marli Christovam Sartori, Rodrigo Carvalho Santana, Dalmo Correia, Cleudson Nery de Castro, Marilia Maria dos Santos Severo, Alejandro Marcel Hasslocher-Moreno, Marisa Liliana Fernandez, Fernando Salvador, Maria Jesus Pinazo, Valdes Roberto Bolella, Pedro Carvalho Furtado, Marcelo Corti, Ana Yece Neves Pinto, Alberto Fica, Israel Molina, Joaquim Gascon, Pedro Albajar Vinas, Juan Cortez-Escalante, Alberto Novaes Ramos, Eros Antonio de Almeida
PLOS NEGLECTED TROPICAL DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Berta Barnadas-Carceller, Nieves Martinez-Peinado, Laura Cordoba Gomez, Albert Ros-Lucas, Juan Carlos Gabaldon-Figueira, Juan J. Diaz-Mochon, Joaquim Gascon, Ignacio J. Molina, Maria Jose Pineda de las Infantas y Villatoro, Julio Alonso-Padilla
Summary: Chagas disease, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, is a neglected tropical disease with significant impact in the Americas. The efficacy of available drugs in the chronic stage of the disease is reduced, requiring the development of safer and more effective alternatives. Targeting the purine salvage pathway, which the parasite relies on for acquiring purines, has shown promise as a strategy for new drug development.
FRONTIERS IN CELLULAR AND INFECTION MICROBIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Mary Cruz Torrico, Anna Fernandez-Arevalo, Cristina Ballart, Marco Solano, Ernesto Rojas, Alba Abras, Fabiola Gonzales, Albert Arnau, Silvia Tebar, Teresa Llovet, Daniel Lozano, Eva Ariza-Vioque, Joaquim Gascon, Albert Picado, Faustino Torrico, Carmen Munoz, Montserrat Gallego
Summary: The objective of the study was to evaluate the usefulness of MALDI-TOF MS for the characterization of Leishmania species in Bolivia. All of the isolates could be identified, and no misidentifications were observed at the complex level. MALDI-TOF MS can be used as an alternative to molecular techniques for the identification of Leishmania spp., and its simplicity and cost-effectiveness make it a valuable tool in improving patient management and control of tegumentary leishmaniasis in Bolivia.
MICROBIOLOGY SPECTRUM
(2023)
Article
Microbiology
Nieves Martinez-Peinado, Juan Carlos Gabaldon-Figueira, Ignacio Martinez-Anon, Cristian Rodriguez-Gordo, Raquel Robleda-Castillo, Maria-Jesus Pinazo, Pascal Bigey, Joaquim Gascon, Julio Alonso-Padilla
Summary: The serum parasite inhibition assay is a valuable tool for evaluating changes in Trypanosoma cruzi infection by exposing infective trypomastigotes to serum samples from infected patients. There is a clear correlation between the reactivity of the samples to the whole-parasite lysates by ELISA and the inhibitory effect. This study confirms the importance of the assay for measuring antibody efficacy.
Review
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Juan Carlos Gabaldon-Figueira, Nieves Martinez-Peinado, Elisa Escabia, Albert Ros-Lucas, Eric Chatelain, Ivan Scandale, Joaquim Gascon, Maria-Jesus Pinazo, Julio Alonso-Padilla
Summary: Chagas disease is a significant public health concern worldwide and developing new medications against the etiologic agent, Trypanosoma cruzi, has been challenging due to limited understanding of the parasite's pathogenesis and complex interactions with the host during the chronic stage of the disease. This review discusses recent advancements in understanding the parasite's life cycle and their implications for drug discovery efforts. A framework is provided to guide drug development against Chagas disease, considering state-of-the-art preclinical models and tools for identifying and validating molecular targets.
RESEARCH AND REPORTS IN TROPICAL MEDICINE
(2023)