1
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Alpizar-Sosa E, Zimbres FM, Mantilla BS, Dickie EA, Wei W, Burle-Caldas GA, Filipe LNS, Van Bocxlaer K, Price HP, Ibarra-Meneses AV, Beaudry F, Fernandez-Prada C, Whitfield PD, Barrett MP, Denny PW. Evaluation of the Leishmania Inositol Phosphorylceramide Synthase as a Drug Target Using a Chemical and Genetic Approach. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:2913-2928. [PMID: 39023360 PMCID: PMC11320567 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.4c00284] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 07/01/2024] [Accepted: 07/03/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
The lack of effective vaccines and the development of resistance to the current treatments highlight the urgent need for new anti-leishmanials. Sphingolipid metabolism has been proposed as a promising source of Leishmania-specific targets as these lipids are key structural components of the eukaryotic plasma membrane and are involved in distinct cellular events. Inositol phosphorylceramide (IPC) is the primary sphingolipid in the Leishmania species and is the product of a reaction mediated by IPC synthase (IPCS). The antihistamine clemastine fumarate has been identified as an inhibitor of IPCS in L. major and a potent anti-leishmanial in vivo. Here we sought to further examine the target of this compound in the more tractable species L. mexicana, using an approach combining genomic, proteomic, metabolomic and lipidomic technologies, with molecular and biochemical studies. While the data demonstrated that the response to clemastine fumarate was largely conserved, unexpected disturbances beyond sphingolipid metabolism were identified. Furthermore, while deletion of the gene encoding LmxIPCS had little impact in vitro, it did influence clemastine fumarate efficacy and, importantly, in vivo pathogenicity. Together, these data demonstrate that clemastine does inhibit LmxIPCS and cause associated metabolic disturbances, but its primary target may lie elsewhere.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Flavia M. Zimbres
- Department
of Biosciences, University of Durham, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, U.K.
| | - Brian S. Mantilla
- Department
of Biosciences, University of Durham, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, U.K.
| | - Emily A. Dickie
- School
of Infection and Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life
Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, U.K.
| | - Wenbin Wei
- Department
of Biosciences, University of Durham, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, U.K.
| | - Gabriela A. Burle-Caldas
- Department
of Biosciences, University of Durham, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, U.K.
- Departamento
de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade
Federal de Minas Gerais, Caixa Postal 486 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Laura N. S. Filipe
- Department
of Biosciences, University of Durham, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, U.K.
| | - Katrien Van Bocxlaer
- York
Biomedical Research Institute, Hull York Medical School, University of York, York YO10 5NG, U.K.
| | - Helen P. Price
- School
of Life Sciences, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, U.K.
| | - Ana V. Ibarra-Meneses
- Département
de Pathologie et Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine
Vétérinaire, Université
de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Francis Beaudry
- Département
de Biomédecine, Faculté de Médecine Vétérinaire, Université de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Christopher Fernandez-Prada
- Département
de Pathologie et Microbiologie, Faculté de Médecine
Vétérinaire, Université
de Montréal, Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec J2S 2M2, Canada
| | - Philip D. Whitfield
- School
of Infection and Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life
Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, U.K.
| | - Michael P. Barrett
- School
of Infection and Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life
Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8TA, U.K.
| | - Paul W. Denny
- Department
of Biosciences, University of Durham, South Road, Durham, DH1 3LE, U.K.
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2
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Chhajer R, Bhattacharyya A, Ali N. Cell Death in Leishmania donovani promastigotes in response to Mammalian Aurora Kinase B Inhibitor- Hesperadin. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 177:116960. [PMID: 38936193 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116960] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Deciphering how hesperadin, a repurposed mammalian aurora kinase B inhibitor, affects the cellular pathways in Leishmania donovani might be beneficial. This investigation sought to assess the physiological effects of hesperadin on promastigotes of L. donovani, by altering the duration of treatment following exposure to hesperadin. Groups pre-treated with inhibitors such as EGTA, NAC, and z-VAD-fmk before hesperadin exposure were also included. Morphological changes by microscopy, ATP and ROS changes by luminometry; DNA degradation using agarose gel electrophoresis and metacaspase levels through RT-PCR were assessed. Flow cytometry was used to study mitochondrial depolarization using JC-1 and MitoTracker Red; mitochondrial-superoxide accumulation using MitoSOX; plasma membrane modifications using Annexin-V and propidium iodide, and lastly, caspase activation using ApoStat. Significant alterations in promastigote morphology were noted. Caspase activity and mitochondrial-superoxide rose early after exposure whereas mitochondrial membrane potential demonstrated uncharacteristic variations, with significant functional disturbances such as leakage of superoxide radicals after prolonged treatments. ATP depletion and ROS accumulation demonstrated inverse patterns, genomic DNA showed fragmentation and plasma membrane showed Annexin-V binding, soon followed by propidium iodide uptake. Multilobed macronuclei and micronuclei accumulated in hesperadin exposed cells before they disintegrated into necrotic debris. The pathologic alterations were unlike the intrinsic or extrinsic pathways of classical apoptosis and suggest a caspase-mediated cell death most akin to mitotic-catastrophe. Most likely, a G2/M transition block caused accumulation of death signals, disorganized spindles and mechanical stresses, causing changes in morphology, organellar functions and ultimately promastigote death. Thus, death was a consequence of mitotic-arrest followed by ablation of kinetoplast functions, often implicated in L. donovani killing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudra Chhajer
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata, West Bengal 700032, India
| | - Anirban Bhattacharyya
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata, West Bengal 700032, India
| | - Nahid Ali
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata, West Bengal 700032, India.
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3
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Pyatina SA, Shishatskaya EI, Dorokhin AS, Menzyanova NG. Border cell population size and oxidative stress in the root apex of Triticum aestivum seedlings exposed to fungicides. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2024; 31:25600-25615. [PMID: 38478309 DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-32840-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
Fungicides reduce the risk of mycopathologies and reduce the content of mycotoxins in commercial grain. The effect of fungicides on the structural and functional status of the root system of grain crops has not been studied enough. In this regard, we studied the phytocytotoxic effects tebuconazole (TEB) and epoxiconazole (EPO) and azoxystrobin (AZO) in the roots of Triticum aestivum seedlings in hydroponic culture. In the presence of EPO and AZO (but not TEB) inhibition of the root growth was accompanied by a dose-dependent increase in the content of malondialdehyde, carbonylated proteins, and proline in roots. TEB was characterized by a dose-dependent decrease in the total amount of border cells (BCs) and the protein content in root extracellular trap (RET). For EPO and AZO, the dose curves of changes in the total number of BCs were bell-shaped. AZO did not affect the protein content in RET. The protein content in RET significantly decreased by 3 times for an EPO concentration of 1 µg/mL. The obtained results reveal that the BC-RET system is one of the functional targets of fungicides in the root system of wheat seedlings. Studied fungicides induce oxidative stress and structural and functional alterations in the BC-RET system that can affect their toxicity to the root system of crops.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Ekaterina Igorevna Shishatskaya
- Siberian Federal University, 79 Svobodnyi Av, Krasnoyarsk, 660041, Russia
- Institute of Biophysics SB RAS, Federal Research Center "Krasnoyarsk Science Center SB RAS", 50/50 Akademgorodok, Krasnoyarsk, 660036, Russia
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Jin Y, Basu S, Feng M, Ning Y, Munasinghe I, Joachim AM, Li J, Madden R, Burks H, Gao P, Perera C, Werbovetz KA, Zhang K, Wang MZ. CYP5122A1 encodes an essential sterol C4-methyl oxidase in Leishmania donovani and determines the antileishmanial activity of antifungal azoles. RESEARCH SQUARE 2023:rs.3.rs-3185204. [PMID: 37546914 PMCID: PMC10402201 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3185204/v1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis, caused by Leishmania donovani, is a life-threatening parasitic disease, but current antileishmanial drugs are limited and have severe drawbacks. There have been efforts to repurpose antifungal azole drugs for the treatment of Leishmania infection. Antifungal azoles are known to potently inhibit the activity of cytochrome P450 (CYP) 51 enzymes which are responsible for removing the C14α-methyl group of lanosterol, a key step in ergosterol biosynthesis in Leishmania. However, they exhibit varying degrees of antileishmanial activities in culture, suggesting the existence of unrecognized molecular targets for these compounds. Our previous study reveals that, in Leishmania, lanosterol undergoes parallel C4- and C14-demethylation reactions to form 4α,14α-dimethylzymosterol and T-MAS, respectively. In the current study, CYP5122A1 is identified as a sterol C4-methyl oxidase that catalyzes the sequential oxidation of lanosterol to form C4-oxidation metabolites. CYP5122A1 is essential for both L. donovani promastigotes in culture and intracellular amastigotes in infected mice. Overexpression of CYP5122A1 results in growth delay, differentiation defects, increased tolerance to stress, and altered expression of lipophosphoglycan and proteophosphoglycan. CYP5122A1 also helps to determine the antileishmanial effect of antifungal azoles in vitro. Dual inhibitors of CYP51 and CYP5122A1, e.g., clotrimazole and posaconazole, possess superior antileishmanial activity against L. donovani promastigotes whereas CYP51-selective inhibitors, e.g., fluconazole and voriconazole, have little effect on promastigote growth. Our findings uncover the critical biochemical and biological role of CYP5122A1 in L. donovani and provide an important foundation for developing new antileishmanial drugs by targeting both CYP enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiru Jin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Somrita Basu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| | - Mei Feng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Yu Ning
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| | - Indeewara Munasinghe
- Synthetic Chemical Biology Core Laboratory, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Arline M. Joachim
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Junan Li
- College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210, USA
| | - Robert Madden
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| | - Hannah Burks
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| | - Philip Gao
- Protein Production Group, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Chamani Perera
- Synthetic Chemical Biology Core Laboratory, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
| | - Karl A. Werbovetz
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210, USA
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| | - Michael Zhuo Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, The University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS 66047, USA
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5
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Basu S, Pawlowic MC, Hsu FF, Thomas G, Zhang K. Ethanolaminephosphate cytidylyltransferase is essential for survival, lipid homeostasis and stress tolerance in Leishmania major. PLoS Pathog 2023; 19:e1011112. [PMID: 37506172 PMCID: PMC10411802 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1011112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Glycerophospholipids including phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) are vital components of biological membranes. Trypanosomatid parasites of the genus Leishmania can acquire PE and PC via de novo synthesis and the uptake/remodeling of host lipids. In this study, we investigated the ethanolaminephosphate cytidylyltransferase (EPCT) in Leishmania major, which is the causative agent for cutaneous leishmaniasis. EPCT is a key enzyme in the ethanolamine branch of the Kennedy pathway which is responsible for the de novo synthesis of PE. Our results demonstrate that L. major EPCT is a cytosolic protein capable of catalyzing the formation of CDP-ethanolamine from ethanolamine-phosphate and cytidine triphosphate. Genetic manipulation experiments indicate that EPCT is essential in both the promastigote and amastigote stages of L. major as the chromosomal null mutants cannot survive without the episomal expression of EPCT. This differs from our previous findings on the choline branch of the Kennedy pathway (responsible for PC synthesis) which is required only in promastigotes but not amastigotes. While episomal EPCT expression does not affect promastigote proliferation under normal conditions, it leads to reduced production of ethanolamine plasmalogen or plasmenylethanolamine, the dominant PE subtype in Leishmania. In addition, parasites with episomal EPCT exhibit heightened sensitivity to acidic pH and starvation stress, and significant reduction in virulence. In summary, our investigation demonstrates that proper regulation of EPCT expression is crucial for PE synthesis, stress response, and survival of Leishmania parasites throughout their life cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somrita Basu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, United States of America
| | - Mattie C. Pawlowic
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, United States of America
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research (WCAIR), Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Fong-Fu Hsu
- Mass Spectrometry Resource, Division of Endocrinology, Metabolism, and Lipid Research, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, Saint Louis, Missouri, United States of America
| | - Geoff Thomas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, United States of America
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, Texas, United States of America
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6
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Basu S, Pawlowic M, Hsu FF, Thomas G, Zhang K. Ethanolaminephosphate cytidyltransferase is essential for survival, lipid homeostasis and stress tolerance in Leishmania major. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.01.10.523530. [PMID: 36712124 PMCID: PMC9882048 DOI: 10.1101/2023.01.10.523530] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Glycerophospholipids including phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) are vital components of biological membranes. Trypanosomatid parasites of the genus Leishmania can acquire PE and PC via de novo synthesis and the uptake/remodeling of host lipids. In this study, we investigated the ethanolaminephosphate cytidyltransferase (EPCT) in Leishmania major , which is the causative agent for cutaneous leishmaniasis. EPCT is a key enzyme in the ethanolamine branch of the Kennedy pathway which is responsible for the de novo synthesis of PE. Our results demonstrate that L. major EPCT is a cytosolic protein capable of catalyzing the formation of CDP-ethanolamine from ethanolamine-phosphate and cytidine triphosphate. Genetic manipulation experiments indicate that EPCT is essential in both the promastigote and amastigote stages of L. major as the chromosomal null mutants cannot survive without the episomal expression of EPCT. This differs from our previous findings on the choline branch of the Kennedy pathway (responsible for PC synthesis) which is required only in promastigotes but not amastigotes. While episomal EPCT expression does not affect promastigote proliferation under normal conditions, it leads to reduced production of ethanolamine plasmalogen or plasmenylethanolamine, the dominant PE subtype in Leishmania . In addition, parasites with epsiomal EPCT exhibit heightened sensitivity to acidic pH and starvation stress, and significant reduction in virulence. In summary, our investigation demonstrates that proper regulation of EPCT expression is crucial for PE synthesis, stress response, and survival of Leishmania parasites throughout their life cycle. AUTHOR SUMMARY In nature, Leishmania parasites alternate between fast replicating, extracellular promastigotes in sand fly gut and slow growing, intracellular amastigotes in macrophages. Previous studies suggest that promastigotes acquire most of their lipids via de novo synthesis whereas amastigotes rely on the uptake and remodeling of host lipids. Here we investigated the function of ethanolaminephosphate cytidyltransferase (EPCT) which catalyzes a key step in the de novo synthesis of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) in Leishmania major . Results showed that EPCT is indispensable for both promastigotes and amastigotes, indicating that de novo PE synthesis is still needed at certain capacity for the intracellular form of Leishmania parasites. In addition, elevated EPCT expression alters overall PE synthesis and compromises parasite’s tolerance to adverse conditions and is deleterious to the growth of intracellular amastigotes. These findings provide new insight into how Leishmania acquire essential phospholipids and how disturbance of lipid metabolism can impact parasite fitness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Somrita Basu
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| | - Mattie Pawlowic
- Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research (WCAIR), Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Fong-Fu Hsu
- Mass Spectrometry Resource, Division of Endocrinology, Diabetes, Metabolism, and Lipid Research, Department of Internal Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 660S. Euclid Ave., Saint Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Geoff Thomas
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
| | - Kai Zhang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA
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Barbosa DCDS, Holanda VN, Ghosh A, Maia RT, da Silva WV, Lima VLDM, da Silva MV, Dos Santos Correia MT, de Figueiredo RCBQ. Leishmanicidal and cytotoxic activity of essential oil from the fruit peel of Myrciaria floribunda (H. West ex Willd.) O. Berg: Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations of its major constituent onto Leishmania enzyme targets. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:13001-13016. [PMID: 34632943 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1978320] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected disease characterized by highest morbidity rates worldwide. The available treatment for CL has several limitations including serious side effects and resistance to the treatment. Herein we aimed to evaluate the activity of essential oil from the peel of Myrciaria floribunda fruits (MfEO) on Leishmania amazonensis. The cytotoxic potential of MfEO on host mammalian cells was evaluated by MTT. The in vitro leishmanicidal effects of MfEO were investigated on the promastigote and intracellular amastigote forms. The ultrastructural changes induced by MfEO were evaluated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The molecular docking of the major compounds δ-Cadinene, γ-Cadinene, γ-Muurolene, α-Selinene, α-Muurolene and (E)-Caryophyllene onto the enzymes trypanothione reductase (TreR) and sterol 14-alpha demethylase (C14DM) were performed. Our results showed that MfEO presented moderate cytotoxicity for Vero cells and macrophages. The MfEO inhibited the growth of promastigote and the survival of intracellular amastigotes, in a dose- and time- dependent way. The MfEO presented high selectivity towards amastigote forms, being 44.1 times more toxic for this form than to macrophages. Molecular docking analysis showed that the major compounds of MfEO interact with Leishmania enzymes and that δ-Cadinene (δ-CAD) presented favorable affinity energy values over TreR and C14DM enzymes, when compared with the other major constituents. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies revealed a stable binding of δ-CAD with lowest binding free energy values in MMGBSA assay. Our results suggested that δ-CAD may be a potent inhibitor of TreR and C14DM enzymes. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vanderlan Nogueira Holanda
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto Aggeu Magalhães, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil.,Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Arabinda Ghosh
- Microbiology Division, Department of Botany, Gauhati University, Guwahati, Assam, India
| | - Rafael Trindade Maia
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Sustentável do Semiárido, Universidade Federal de Campina Grande, Sumé, Paraíba, Brazil
| | | | - Vera Lúcia de Menezes Lima
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | - Márcia Vanusa da Silva
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil
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8
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Alpizar-Sosa EA, Ithnin NRB, Wei W, Pountain AW, Weidt SK, Donachie AM, Ritchie R, Dickie EA, Burchmore RJS, Denny PW, Barrett MP. Amphotericin B resistance in Leishmania mexicana: Alterations to sterol metabolism and oxidative stress response. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2022; 16:e0010779. [PMID: 36170238 PMCID: PMC9581426 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0010779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Amphotericin B is increasingly used in treatment of leishmaniasis. Here, fourteen independent lines of Leishmania mexicana and one L. infantum line were selected for resistance to either amphotericin B or the related polyene antimicrobial, nystatin. Sterol profiling revealed that, in each resistant line, the predominant wild-type sterol, ergosta-5,7,24-trienol, was replaced by other sterol intermediates. Broadly, two different profiles emerged among the resistant lines. Whole genome sequencing then showed that these distinct profiles were due either to mutations in the sterol methyl transferase (C24SMT) gene locus or the sterol C5 desaturase (C5DS) gene. In three lines an additional deletion of the miltefosine transporter gene was found. Differences in sensitivity to amphotericin B were apparent, depending on whether cells were grown in HOMEM, supplemented with foetal bovine serum, or a serum free defined medium (DM). Metabolomic analysis after exposure to AmB showed that a large increase in glucose flux via the pentose phosphate pathway preceded cell death in cells sustained in HOMEM but not DM, indicating the oxidative stress was more significantly induced under HOMEM conditions. Several of the lines were tested for their ability to infect macrophages and replicate as amastigote forms, alongside their ability to establish infections in mice. While several AmB resistant lines showed reduced virulence, at least two lines displayed heightened virulence in mice whilst retaining their resistance phenotype, emphasising the risks of resistance emerging to this critical drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edubiel A. Alpizar-Sosa
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection & Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
| | - Nur Raihana Binti Ithnin
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection & Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Department of Medical Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Wenbin Wei
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
| | - Andrew W. Pountain
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection & Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Institute for Computational Medicine, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York City, New York, United States of America
| | - Stefan K. Weidt
- Glasgow Polyomics, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Garscube Estate, Bearsden, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Anne M. Donachie
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection & Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Ryan Ritchie
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection & Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Emily A. Dickie
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection & Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Glasgow Polyomics, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Garscube Estate, Bearsden, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Richard J. S. Burchmore
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection & Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Glasgow Polyomics, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Garscube Estate, Bearsden, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Paul W. Denny
- Department of Biosciences, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
| | - Michael P. Barrett
- Wellcome Centre for Integrative Parasitology, School of Infection & Immunity, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- Glasgow Polyomics, College of Medical, Veterinary & Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Garscube Estate, Bearsden, Glasgow, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
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9
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Garcia AR, Silva-Luiz YPG, Alviano CS, Alviano DS, Vermelho AB, Rodrigues IA. The Natural Alkaloid Tryptanthrin Induces Apoptosis-like Death in Leishmania spp. Trop Med Infect Dis 2022; 7:tropicalmed7060112. [PMID: 35736990 PMCID: PMC9231190 DOI: 10.3390/tropicalmed7060112] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 06/12/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne disease against which there are no approved vaccines, and the treatment is based on highly toxic drugs. The alkaloids consist of a chemical class of natural nitrogen-containing substances with a long history of antileishmanial activity. The present study aimed at determining the antileishmanial activity and in silico pharmacokinetic and toxicological potentials of tryptanthrin alkaloid. The anti-Leishmania amazonensis and anti-L. infantum assays were performed against both promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes. Cellular viability was determined by parasites’ ability to grow (promastigotes) or differentiate (amastigotes) after incubation with tryptanthrin. The mechanisms of action were explored by mitochondrion dysfunction and apoptosis-like death evaluation. For the computational pharmacokinetics and toxicological analysis (ADMET), tryptanthrin was submitted to the PreADMET webserver. The alkaloid displayed anti-promastigote activity against L. amazonensis and L. infantum (IC50 = 11 and 8.0 μM, respectively). Tryptanthrin was active against intracellular amastigotes with IC50 values of 75 and 115 μM, respectively. Mitochondrial membrane depolarization was observed in tryptanthrin-treated promastigotes. In addition, parasites undergoing apoptosis-like death were detected after 18 h of exposure. In silico ADMET predictions revealed that tryptanthrin has pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties similar to miltefosine. The results presented herein demonstrate that tryptanthrin is an interesting drug candidate against leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreza R. Garcia
- Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil;
| | - Yasmin P. G. Silva-Luiz
- Graduate Program in Science (Microbiology), Institute of Microbiology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil;
| | - Celuta S. Alviano
- Department of General Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil; (C.S.A.); dani (D.S.A.); (A.B.V.)
| | - Daniela S. Alviano
- Department of General Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil; (C.S.A.); dani (D.S.A.); (A.B.V.)
| | - Alane B. Vermelho
- Department of General Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil; (C.S.A.); dani (D.S.A.); (A.B.V.)
| | - Igor A. Rodrigues
- Department of Natural Products and Food, School of Pharmacy, CCS, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-902, Brazil
- Correspondence:
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Dumoulin PC, Vollrath J, Won MM, Wang JX, Burleigh BA. Endogenous Sterol Synthesis Is Dispensable for Trypanosoma cruzi Epimastigote Growth but Not Stress Tolerance. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:937910. [PMID: 35783434 PMCID: PMC9248972 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.937910] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2022] [Accepted: 05/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
In addition to scavenging exogenous cholesterol, the parasitic kinetoplastid Trypanosoma cruzi can endogenously synthesize sterols. Similar to fungal species, T. cruzi synthesizes ergostane type sterols and is sensitive to a class of azole inhibitors of ergosterol biosynthesis that target the enzyme lanosterol 14α-demethylase (CYP51). In the related kinetoplastid parasite Leishmania donovani, CYP51 is essential, yet in Leishmania major, the cognate enzyme is dispensable for growth; but not heat resistance. The essentiality of CYP51 and the specific role of ergostane-type sterol products in T. cruzi has not been established. To better understand the importance of this pathway, we have disrupted the CYP51 gene in T. cruzi epimastigotes (ΔCYP51). Disruption of CYP51 leads to accumulation of 14-methylated sterols and a concurrent absence of the final sterol product ergosterol. While ΔCYP51 epimastigotes have slowed proliferation compared to wild type parasites, the enzyme is not required for growth; however, ΔCYP51 epimastigotes exhibit sensitivity to elevated temperature, an elevated mitochondrial membrane potential and fail to establish growth as intracellular amastigotes in vitro. Further genetic disruption of squalene epoxidase (ΔSQLE) results in the absence of all endogenous sterols and sterol auxotrophy, yet failed to rescue tolerance to stress in ΔCYP51 parasites, suggesting the loss of ergosterol and not accumulation of 14-methylated sterols modulates stress tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter C. Dumoulin
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
- *Correspondence: Peter C. Dumoulin, ;
| | - Joshua Vollrath
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
- Institute for Pharmacy and Molecular Biotechnology, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Madalyn M. Won
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Jennifer X. Wang
- Harvard Center for Mass Spectrometry, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
| | - Barbara A. Burleigh
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States
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In-Depth Quantitative Proteomics Characterization of In Vitro Selected Miltefosine Resistance in Leishmania infantum. Proteomes 2022; 10:proteomes10020010. [PMID: 35466238 PMCID: PMC9036279 DOI: 10.3390/proteomes10020010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a neglected disease caused by Leishmania parasites. Although significant morbidity and mortality in tropical and subtropical regions of the world are associated with VL, the low investment for developing new treatment measures is chronic. Moreover, resistance and treatment failure are increasing for the main medications, but the emergence of resistance phenotypes is poorly understood at the protein level. Here, we analyzed the development of resistance to miltefosine upon experimental selection in a L. infantum strain. Time to miltefosine resistance emergence was ~six months and label-free quantitative mass-spectrometry-based proteomics analyses revealed that this process involves a remodeling of components of the membrane and mitochondrion, with significant increase in oxidative phosphorylation complexes, particularly on complex IV and ATP synthase, accompanied by increased energy metabolism mainly dependent on β-oxidation of fatty acids. Proteins canonically involved in ROS detoxification did not contribute to the resistant process whereas sterol biosynthesis enzymes could have a role in this development. Furthermore, changes in the abundance of proteins known to be involved in miltefosine resistance such as ABC transporters and phospholipid transport ATPase were detected. Together, our data show a more complete picture of the elements that make up the miltefosine resistance phenotype in L. infantum.
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Repurposing Lansoprazole and Posaconazole to treat leishmaniasis: Integration of in vitro testing, pharmacological corroboration, and mechanisms of action. J Food Drug Anal 2022; 30:128-149. [PMID: 35647721 PMCID: PMC9931003 DOI: 10.38212/2224-6614.3394] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis remains a serious public health problem in many tropical regions of the world. Among neglected tropical diseases, the mortality rate of leishmaniasis is second only to malaria. All currently approved therapeutics have toxic side effects and face rapidly increasing resistance. To identify existing drugs with antileishmanial activity and predict the mechanism of action, we designed a drug-discovery pipeline utilizing both in-silico and in-vitro methods. First, we screened compounds from the Selleckchem Bio-Active Compound Library containing ~1622 FDA-approved drugs and narrowed these down to 96 candidates based on data mining for possible anti-parasitic properties. Next, we completed preliminary in-vitro testing of compounds against Leishmania amastigotes and selected the most promising active compounds, Lansoprazole and Posaconazole. We identified possible Leishmania drug targets of Lansoprazole and Posaconazole using several available servers. Our in-silico screen identified likely Lansoprazole targets as the closely related calcium-transporting ATPases (LdBPK_352080.1, LdBPK_040010.1, and LdBPK_170660.1), and the Posaconazole target as lanosterol 14-alpha-demethylase (LdBPK_111100.1). Further validation showed LdBPK_352080.1 to be the most plausible target based on induced-fit docking followed by long (100ns) MD simulations to confirm the stability of the docked complexes. We present a likely ion channel-based mechanism of action of Lansoprazole against Leishmania calcium-transporting ATPases, which are essential for parasite metabolism and infectivity. The LdBPK_111100.1 interaction with Posaconazole is very similar to the known fungal orthologue. Herein, we present two novel anti-leishmanial agents, Posaconazole and Lansoprazole, already approved by the FDA for different indications and propose plausible mechanisms of action for their antileishmanial activity.
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Ali R, Tabrez S, Akand SK, Rahman F, Husein A, Arish M, Alqahtani AS, Ahmed MZ, Husain M, Rub A. Sesamol Induces Apoptosis-Like Cell Death in Leishmania donovani. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:749420. [PMID: 34778106 PMCID: PMC8581470 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.749420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), caused by the protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani (L. donovani), is the most severe form of leishmaniasis. It is largely responsible for significant morbidity and mortality in tropical and subtropical countries. Currently, available therapeutics have lots of limitations including high-cost, adverse side-effects, painful route of administration, less efficacy, and resistance. Therefore, it is time to search for cheap and effective antileishmanial agents. In the present work, we evaluated the antileishmanial potential of sesamol against promastigotes as well as intracellular amastigotes. Further, we tried to work out its mechanism of antileishmanial action on parasites through different assays. Methodology In vitro and ex vivo antileishmanial assays were performed to evaluate the antileishmanial potential of sesamol on L. donovani. Cytotoxicity was determined by MTT assay on human THP-1-derived macrophages. Sesamol-induced morphological and ultrastructural changes were determined by electron microscopy. H2DCFDA staining, JC-1dye staining, and MitoSOX red staining were performed for reactive oxygen assay (ROS), mitochondrial membrane potential, and mitochondrial superoxide, respectively. Annexin V/PI staining for apoptosis, TUNEL assay, and DNA laddering for studying sesamol-induced DNA fragmentation were performed. Conclusions Sesamol inhibited the growth and proliferation of L. donovani promastigotes in a dose-dependent manner. It also reduced the intracellular parasite load without causing significant toxicity on host-macrophages. Overall, it showed antileishmanial effects through induction of ROS, mitochondrial dysfunction, DNA fragmentation, cell cycle arrest, and apoptosis-like cell death to parasites. Our results suggested the possible use of sesamol for the treatment of leishmaniasis after further in vivo validations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahat Ali
- Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
| | - Shams Tabrez
- Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
| | - Sajjadul Kadir Akand
- Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
| | - Fazlur Rahman
- Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
| | - Atahar Husein
- Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
| | - Mohd Arish
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Ali S Alqahtani
- College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacognosy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Z Ahmed
- College of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmacognosy, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Husain
- Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
| | - Abdur Rub
- Department of Biotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, India
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14
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Zhang K. Balancing de novo synthesis and salvage of lipids by Leishmania amastigotes. Curr Opin Microbiol 2021; 63:98-103. [PMID: 34311265 PMCID: PMC8463422 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2021.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Accepted: 07/05/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Leishmania parasites replicate as flagellated, extracellular promastigotes in the sand fly vector and then differentiate into non-flagellated, intracellular amastigotes in the vertebrate host. Promastigotes rely on de novo synthesis to produce the majority of their lipids including glycerophospholipids, sterols and sphingolipids. In contrast, amastigotes acquire most of their lipids from the host although they retain some capacity for de novo synthesis. The switch from de novo synthesis to salvage reflects the transition of Leishmania from fast-replicating promastigotes to slow-growing, metabolically quiescent amastigotes. Future studies will reveal the uptake and remodeling of host lipids by amastigotes at the cellular and molecular levels. Blocking the lipid transfer from host to parasites may present a novel strategy to control Leishmania growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zhang
- Department of Biological Sciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409, USA.
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15
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Unexpected Role of Sterol Synthesis in RNA Stability and Translation in Leishmania. Biomedicines 2021; 9:biomedicines9060696. [PMID: 34205466 PMCID: PMC8235615 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9060696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmania parasites are trypanosomatid protozoans that cause leishmaniasis affecting millions of people worldwide. Sterols are important components of the plasma and organellar membranes. They also serve as precursors for the synthesis of signaling molecules. Unlike animals, Leishmania does not synthesize cholesterol but makes ergostane-based sterols instead. C-14-demethylase is a key enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of sterols and an important drug target. In Leishmania parasites, the inactivation of C-14-demethylase leads to multiple defects, including increased plasma membrane fluidity, mitochondrion dysfunction, hypersensitivity to stress and reduced virulence. In this study, we revealed a novel role for sterol synthesis in the maintenance of RNA stability and translation. Sterol alteration in C-14-demethylase knockout mutant leads to increased RNA degradation, reduced translation and impaired heat shock response. Thus, sterol biosynthesis in Leishmania plays an unexpected role in global gene regulation.
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Peixoto JF, Oliveira ADS, Monteiro PQ, Gonçalves-Oliveira LF, Andrade-Neto VV, Ferreira VF, Souza-Silva F, Alves CR. In Silico Insights into the Mechanism of Action of Epoxy-α-Lapachone and Epoxymethyl-Lawsone in Leishmania spp. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26123537. [PMID: 34200517 PMCID: PMC8229338 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26123537] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Epoxy-α-lapachone (Lap) and Epoxymethyl-lawsone (Law) are oxiranes derived from Lapachol and have been shown to be promising drugs for Leishmaniases treatment. Although, it is known the action spectrum of both compounds affect the Leishmania spp. multiplication, there are gaps in the molecular binding details of target enzymes related to the parasite’s physiology. Molecular docking assays simulations were performed using DockThor server to predict the preferred orientation of both compounds to form stable complexes with key enzymes of metabolic pathway, electron transport chain, and lipids metabolism of Leishmania spp. This study showed the hit rates of both compounds interacting with lanosterol C-14 demethylase (−8.4 kcal/mol to −7.4 kcal/mol), cytochrome c (−10.2 kcal/mol to −8.8 kcal/mol), and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (−8.5 kcal/mol to −7.5 kcal/mol) according to Leishmania spp. and assessed compounds. The set of molecular evidence reinforces the potential of both compounds as multi-target drugs for interrupt the network interactions between parasite enzymes, which can lead to a better efficacy of drugs for the treatment of leishmaniases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliana Figueiredo Peixoto
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (J.F.P.); (A.d.S.O.); or (P.Q.M.); (L.F.G.-O.)
| | - Adriane da Silva Oliveira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (J.F.P.); (A.d.S.O.); or (P.Q.M.); (L.F.G.-O.)
| | - Patrícia Queiroz Monteiro
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (J.F.P.); (A.d.S.O.); or (P.Q.M.); (L.F.G.-O.)
| | - Luiz Filipe Gonçalves-Oliveira
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (J.F.P.); (A.d.S.O.); or (P.Q.M.); (L.F.G.-O.)
| | - Valter Viana Andrade-Neto
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Tripanossomatídeos, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil;
| | - Vitor Francisco Ferreira
- Departamento de Tecnologia Farmacêutica, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói 24241-002, Brazil;
| | - Franklin Souza-Silva
- Centro de Desenvolvimento Tecnológico em Saúde, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
- Faculdade de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Iguaçu, Avenida Abílio Augusto Távora, 2134, Dom Rodrigo, Nova Iguaçu CEP 26260-045, Brazil
- Correspondence: (F.S.-S.); (C.R.A.)
| | - Carlos Roberto Alves
- Laboratório de Biologia Molecular e Doenças Endêmicas, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil; (J.F.P.); (A.d.S.O.); or (P.Q.M.); (L.F.G.-O.)
- Correspondence: (F.S.-S.); (C.R.A.)
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Electron donor cytochrome b5 is required for hyphal tip accumulation of sterol-rich plasma membrane domains and membrane fluidity in Aspergillus fumigatus. Appl Environ Microbiol 2021; 87:AEM.02571-20. [PMID: 33257310 PMCID: PMC7851687 DOI: 10.1128/aem.02571-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The electron donor cytochrome b5 (CybE/Cyb5) fuels the activity of the ergosterol biosynthesis-related P450 enzymes/P450s by providing electrons to P450s to promote ergosterol biosynthesis. Previous studies reported that lack of Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) CybE reduces the proportion of ergosterol in total sterols and induces severe growth defects. However, the molecular characteristics of CybE and the underlying mechanism for CybE maintaining A. fumigatus growth remain poorly understood. Here, we found that CybE locates at the endoplasmic reticulum by its C-terminus with two transmembrane regions. Therefore, lack of the C-terminus of CybE is able to phenocopy a cybE deletion. Notably, cybE deletion reduced the accumulation of the sterol-rich plasma membrane domains (SRDs, the assembly platform of polarity factors/cell end markers and growth machinery) in hyphal tips and decreased membrane fluidity, which correspond to tardiness of hyphal extension and hypersensitivity to low temperature in cybE deletion mutant. Additionally, overexpressing another electron donor-heme-independent P450 reductase (CPR) significantly rescued growth defects and recovered SRD accumulation in deletion of cybE almost to the wild-type level, suggesting CybE maintaining the growth and deposition of SRDs in hyphal tips attributes to its nature as an electron donor. Protein pull-down assays revealed that CybE probably participates in metabolism and transfer of lipids, construction of cytoskeleton and mitochondria-associated energy metabolism to maintain the SRD accumulation in hyphal tips, membrane fluidity and hyphal extension. Findings in this study give a hint that inhibition of CybE may be an effective strategy for resisting the infection of the human pathogen A. fumigatus Importance Investigating the knowledge of the growth regulation in the human opportunistic pathogen A. fumigatus is conducive to design new antifungal approach. The electron donor cytochrome b5 (CybE) plays a crucial role in maintaining the normal growth of A. fumigatus, however, the potential mechanism remains elusive. Herein, we characterized the molecular features of CybE and found the C-terminus with two transmembrane domains are required for its ER localization and functions. In addition, we demonstrated that CprA, an electron donor-heme-independent P450 reductase, provides a reciprocal function for the missing cytochrome b5 protein-CybE in A. fumigatus CybE maintains the normal growth probably via supporting two crucial physiological processes, the SRD accumulation in hyphal tips and membrane fluidity. Therefore, our finding reveals the mechanisms underlying the regulatory effect of CybE on A. fumigatus growth and indicates that inhibition of CybE might be an effective approach for alleviating A. fumigatus infection.
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