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Islam A, do Prado BR, Dittz D, Rodrigues BL, Silva SMD, do Monte-Neto RL, Shabeer M, Frézard F, Demicheli C. Susceptibility of Leishmania to novel pentavalent organometallics: Investigating impact on DNA and membrane integrity in antimony(III)-sensitive and -resistant strains. Drug Dev Res 2024; 85:e22194. [PMID: 38704828 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.22194] [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: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 04/16/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
The aim the present study was to investigate the impact of novel pentavalent organobismuth and organoantimony complexes on membrane integrity and their interaction with DNA, activity against Sb(III)-sensitive and -resistant Leishmania strains and toxicity in mammalian peritoneal macrophages. Ph3M(L)2 type complexes were synthesized, where M = Sb(V) or Bi(V) and L = deprotonated 3-(dimethylamino)benzoic acid or 2-acetylbenzoic acid. Both organobismuth(V) and organoantimony(V) complexes exhibited efficacy at micromolar concentrations against Leishmania amazonensis and L. infantum but only the later ones demonstrated biocompatibility. Ph3Sb(L1)2 and Ph3Bi(L1)2 demonstrated distinct susceptibility profiles compared to inorganic Sb(III)-resistant strains of MRPA-overexpressing L. amazonensis and AQP1-mutated L. guyanensis. These complexes were able to permeate the cell membrane and interact with the Leishmania DNA, suggesting that this effect may contribute to the parasite growth inhibition via apoptosis. Taken altogether, our data substantiate the notion of a distinct mechanism of uptake pathway and action in Leishmania for these organometallic complexes, distinguishing them from the conventional inorganic antimonial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arshad Islam
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Postgraduate Program in Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
- Department of Pathology, Government Lady Reading Hospital Medical Teaching Institution, Peshawar, Pakistan
| | - Bruno Rodrigues do Prado
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Dalton Dittz
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Piauí (UFPI), Av. Universitária, Teresina, Brazil
| | - Bernardo Lages Rodrigues
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Sydnei Magno da Silva
- Institute of Biomedical Sciences, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Av Amazonas, s/n, Umuarama, Brazil
| | | | - Muhammad Shabeer
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Frédéric Frézard
- Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Postgraduate Program in Physiology and Pharmacology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Cynthia Demicheli
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact Sciences, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Pereira LOR, Sousa CS, Ramos HCP, Torres-Santos EC, Pinheiro LS, Alves MR, Cuervo P, Romero GAS, Boité MC, Porrozzi R, Cupolillo E. Insights from Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis in vitro behavior and intercellular communication. Parasit Vectors 2021; 14:556. [PMID: 34711290 PMCID: PMC8554959 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-021-05057-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/12/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pentavalent antimonial-based chemotherapy is the first-line approach for leishmaniasis treatment and disease control. Nevertheless antimony-resistant parasites have been reported in some endemic regions. Treatment refractoriness is complex and is associated with patient- and parasite-related variables. Although amastigotes are the parasite stage in the vertebrate host and, thus, exposed to the drug, the stress caused by trivalent antimony in promastigotes has been shown to promote significant modification in expression of several genes involved in various biological processes, which will ultimately affect parasite behavior. Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis is one of the main etiological agents in the Amazon Basin region, with a high relapse rate (approximately 25%). METHODS Herein, we conducted several in vitro analyses with L. (V.) guyanensis strains derived from cured and refractory patients after treatment with standardized antimonial therapeutic schemes, in addition to a drug-resistant in vitro-selected strain. Drug sensitivity assessed through Sb(III) half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) assays, growth patterns (with and without drug pressure) and metacyclic-like percentages were determined for all strains and compared to treatment outcomes. Finally, co-cultivation without intercellular contact was followed by parasitic density and Sb(III) IC50 measurements. RESULTS Poor treatment response was correlated with increased Sb(III) IC50 values. The decrease in drug sensitivity was associated with a reduced cell replication rate, increased in vitro growth ability, and higher metacyclic-like proportion. Additionally, in vitro co-cultivation assays demonstrated that intercellular communication enabled lower drug sensitivity and enhanced in vitro growth ability, regardless of direct cell contact. CONCLUSIONS Data concerning drug sensitivity in the Viannia subgenus are emerging, and L. (V.) guyanensis plays a pivotal epidemiological role in Latin America. Therefore, investigating the parasitic features potentially related to relapses is urgent. Altogether, the data presented here indicate that all tested strains of L. (V.) guyanensis displayed an association between treatment outcome and in vitro parameters, especially the drug sensitivity. Remarkably, sharing enhanced growth ability and decreased drug sensitivity, without intercellular communication, were demonstrated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luiza O R Pereira
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Cíntia S Sousa
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Hellen C P Ramos
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Liliane S Pinheiro
- Laboratório de Bioquímica de Tripanossomatídeos, IOC, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto de Saúde e Biotecnologia, Universidade Federal do Amazonas, Campus Coari, Amazonas, Brazil
| | - Marcelo R Alves
- Laboratório de Pesquisa Clínica em DST-AIDS, Instituto Nacional de Infectologia Evandro Chagas, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Patricia Cuervo
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | | | - Mariana C Boité
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Renato Porrozzi
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Elisa Cupolillo
- Laboratório de Pesquisa em Leishmanioses, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz (IOC), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Antileishmanial Aminopyrazoles: Studies into Mechanisms and Stability of Experimental Drug Resistance. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2020; 64:AAC.00152-20. [PMID: 32601168 PMCID: PMC7449183 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00152-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2020] [Accepted: 06/20/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Current antileishmanial treatment is hampered by limitations, such as drug toxicity and the risk of treatment failure, which may be related to parasitic drug resistance. Given the urgent need for novel drugs, the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) has undertaken a drug discovery program, which has resulted in the identification of aminopyrazoles, a highly promising antileishmanial chemical series. Multiple experiments have been performed to anticipate the propensity for resistance development. Current antileishmanial treatment is hampered by limitations, such as drug toxicity and the risk of treatment failure, which may be related to parasitic drug resistance. Given the urgent need for novel drugs, the Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative (DNDi) has undertaken a drug discovery program, which has resulted in the identification of aminopyrazoles, a highly promising antileishmanial chemical series. Multiple experiments have been performed to anticipate the propensity for resistance development. Resistance selection was performed by successive exposure of Leishmania infantum promastigotes (in vitro) and intracellular amastigotes (both in vitro and in golden Syrian hamsters). The stability of the resistant phenotypes was assessed after passage in mice and Lutzomyia longipalpis sandflies. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed to identify mutated genes, copy number variations (CNVs), and somy changes. The potential role of efflux pumps (the MDR and MRP efflux pumps) in the development of resistance was assessed by coincubation of aminopyrazoles with specific efflux pump inhibitors (verapamil, cyclosporine, and probenecid). Repeated drug exposure of amastigotes did not result in the emergence of drug resistance either in vitro or in vivo. Selection at the promastigote stage, however, was able to select for parasites with reduced susceptibility (resistance index, 5.8 to 24.5). This phenotype proved to be unstable after in vivo passage in mice and sandflies, suggesting that nonfixed alterations are responsible for the elevated resistance. In line with this, single nucleotide polymorphisms and indels identified by whole-genome sequencing could not be directly linked to the decreased drug susceptibility. Copy number variations were absent, whereas somy changes were detected, which may have accounted for the transient acquisition of resistance. Finally, aminopyrazole activity was not influenced by the MDR and MRP efflux pump inhibitors tested. The selection performed does not suggest the rapid development of resistance against aminopyrazoles in the field. Karyotype changes may confer elevated levels of resistance, but these do not seem to be stable in the vertebrate and invertebrate hosts. MDR/MRP efflux pumps are not likely to significantly impact the activity of the aminopyrazole leads.
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Rugani JN, Gontijo CMF, Frézard F, Soares RP, do Monte-Neto RL. Antimony resistance in Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis clinical isolates from atypical lesions associates with increased ARM56/ARM58 transcripts and reduced drug uptake. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2019; 114:e190111. [PMID: 31433006 PMCID: PMC6697410 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760190111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In addition to the limited therapeutic arsenal and the side effects of antileishmanial agents, drug resistance hinders disease control. In Brazil, Leishmania braziliensis causes atypical (AT) tegumentary leishmaniasis lesions, frequently refractory to treatment. OBJECTIVES The main goal of this study was to characterise antimony (Sb)-resistant (SbR) L. braziliensis strains obtained from patients living in Xakriabá indigenous community, Minas Gerais, Brazil. METHODS The aquaglyceroporin 1-encoding gene (AQP1) from L. braziliensis clinical isolates was sequenced, and its function was evaluated by hypo-osmotic shock. mRNA levels of genes associated with Sb resistance were measured by quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Atomic absorption was used to measure Sb uptake. FINDINGS Although clinical isolates presented delayed recovery time in hypo-osmotic shock, AQP1 function was maintained. Isolate 340 accumulated less Sb than all other isolates, supporting the 65-fold downregulation of AQP1 mRNA levels. Both 330 and 340 isolates upregulated antimony resistance marker (ARM) 56/ARM58 and multidrug resistant protein A (MRPA); however, only ARM58 upregulation was an exclusive feature of SbR field isolates. CA7AE seemed to increase drug uptake in L. braziliensis and represented a tool to study the role of glycoconjugates in Sb transport. MAIN CONCLUSIONS There is a clear correlation between ARM56/58 upregulation and Sb resistance in AT-harbouring patients, suggesting the use of these markers as potential indicators to help the treatment choice and outcome, preventing therapeutic failure.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Frédéric Frézard
- Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Instituto de Ciências
Biológicas, Departamento de Fisiologia e Biofísica, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brasil
| | - Rodrigo Pedro Soares
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz-Fiocruz, Instituto René Rachou, Belo
Horizonte, MG, Brasil
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