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Ferreira AZL, de Araújo CN, Cardoso ICC, de Souza Mangabeira KS, Rocha AP, Charneau S, Santana JM, Motta FN, Bastos IMD. Metacyclogenesis as the Starting Point of Chagas Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 25:117. [PMID: 38203289 PMCID: PMC10778605 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25010117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a neglected infectious disease caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, primarily transmitted by triatomine vectors, and it threatens approximately seventy-five million people worldwide. This parasite undergoes a complex life cycle, transitioning between hosts and shifting from extracellular to intracellular stages. To ensure its survival in these diverse environments, T. cruzi undergoes extreme morphological and molecular changes. The metacyclic trypomastigote (MT) form, which arises from the metacyclogenesis (MTG) process in the triatomine hindgut, serves as a crucial link between the insect and human hosts and can be considered the starting point of Chagas disease. This review provides an overview of the current knowledge regarding the parasite's life cycle, molecular pathways, and mechanisms involved in metabolic and morphological adaptations during MTG, enabling the MT to evade the immune system and successfully infect human cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Carla Nunes de Araújo
- Pathogen-Host Interface Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
- Faculty of Ceilândia, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Isabela Cunha Costa Cardoso
- Pathogen-Host Interface Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
| | | | - Amanda Pereira Rocha
- Pathogen-Host Interface Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Sébastien Charneau
- Laboratory of Protein Chemistry and Biochemistry, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Jaime Martins Santana
- Pathogen-Host Interface Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Flávia Nader Motta
- Pathogen-Host Interface Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
- Faculty of Ceilândia, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
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Dutra Barroso Gomes N, Paula Magalhães E, Rodrigues Ribeiro L, Cavalcante JW, Morais Gomes Maia M, Cunha da Silva FR, Ali A, Machado Marinho M, Silva Marinho E, Silva Dos Santos H, Costa Martins AM, Róseo Paula Pessoa Bezerra de Menezes R. Trypanocidal potential of synthetic p-aminochalcones: In silico and in vitro evaluation. Bioorg Chem 2023; 141:106931. [PMID: 37879182 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/19/2023] [Indexed: 10/27/2023]
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD) is a neglected tropical disease of worldwide health concern, caused by the flagellate protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi), endemic in Latin America and present in North America and Europe. The WHO recommended drug for CD, benznidazole has low safety profile and several limitations. Therefore, an entity with better therapeutic potential to treat CD is required. Chalcones are an important class of compounds, which have shown antichagasic potential. Thus, the objective of this study was to evaluate the activity of synthetic p-aminochalcones against T. cruzi. Chalcones 1 and 2 were synthesized by Claisen-Schmidt condensation and characterized by both spectroscopic and theoretical methods. Initially, they were submitted to molecular docking simulations using cruzain and trypanothione reductase (TR) enzymes. It was expected to observe the possible interactions of chalcones with the catalytic site and other important regions of these main pharmacological targets of T. cruzi. Their cytotoxicity within host cells were assessed by MTT reduction assay using LLC-MK2 cells, with CC50 = 85.6 ± 9.2 µM and 1115 ± 381.7 µM for chalcones 1 and 2, respectively. These molecules were also tested against epimastigote and trypomastigote life forms of T. cruzi, causing reduction in the number of viable parasites. For the evaluation of the effect on intracellular amastigotes, infected LLC-MK2 cells were incubated with the chalcones for 24 h, causing reduction in the percentage of infected cells and the number of amastigotes/100 cells. Finally, flow cytometry assays were performed for analyzing cell death mechanisms (7-AAD/AxPE labelling), cytoplasmic ROS accumulation (DCFH-DA assay) and mitochondrial transmembrane potential disruption (Rho123 assay). Both chalcones (1 and 2) caused membrane damage, ROS accumulation and mitochondrial depolarization. In conclusion, the synthetic p-aminochalcones presented trypanocidal effect, causing membrane damage and oxidative stress. Their mechanism of action may be related to cruzain and TR inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Emanuel Paula Magalhães
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Lyanna Rodrigues Ribeiro
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | | | | | | | - Arif Ali
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmacology, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | - Márcia Machado Marinho
- Theoretical and Eletrochemical Chemistry Research Group, State University of Ceará, Limoeiro do Norte, CE, Brazil; State University of Vale do Acaraú, Center for Exact Sciences and Technology, Sobral, CE, Brazil
| | - Emmanuel Silva Marinho
- Theoretical and Eletrochemical Chemistry Research Group, State University of Ceará, Limoeiro do Norte, CE, Brazil
| | - Hélcio Silva Dos Santos
- State University of Vale do Acaraú, Center for Exact Sciences and Technology, Sobral, CE, Brazil
| | - Alice Maria Costa Martins
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
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Zhang Y, Bai J, Cui Z, Li Y, Gao Q, Miao Y, Xiong B. Polyamine metabolite spermidine rejuvenates oocyte quality by enhancing mitophagy during female reproductive aging. Nat Aging 2023; 3:1372-1386. [PMID: 37845508 DOI: 10.1038/s43587-023-00498-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
Advanced age is a primary risk factor for female infertility due to reduced ovarian reserve and declining oocyte quality. However, as an important contributing factor, the role of metabolic regulation during reproductive aging is poorly understood. Here, we applied untargeted metabolomics to identify spermidine as a critical metabolite in ovaries to protect oocytes against aging. In particular, we found that the spermidine level was reduced in ovaries of aged mice and that supplementation with spermidine promoted follicle development, oocyte maturation, early embryonic development and female fertility of aged mice. By microtranscriptomic analysis, we further discovered that spermidine-induced recovery of oocyte quality was mediated by enhancement of mitophagy activity and mitochondrial function in aged mice, and this mechanism of action was conserved in porcine oocytes under oxidative stress. Altogether, our findings suggest that spermidine supplementation could represent a therapeutic strategy to ameliorate oocyte quality and reproductive outcome in cis-gender women and other persons trying to conceive at an advanced age. Future work is needed to test whether this approach can be safely and effectively translated to humans.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jie Bai
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Zhaokang Cui
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yu Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Qian Gao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yilong Miao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bo Xiong
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China.
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4
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Romano PS, Akematsu T, Besteiro S, Bindschedler A, Carruthers VB, Chahine Z, Coppens I, Descoteaux A, Alberto Duque TL, He CY, Heussler V, Le Roch KG, Li FJ, de Menezes JPB, Menna-Barreto RFS, Mottram JC, Schmuckli-Maurer J, Turk B, Tavares Veras PS, Salassa BN, Vanrell MC. Autophagy in protists and their hosts: When, how and why? Autophagy Rep 2023; 2:2149211. [PMID: 37064813 PMCID: PMC10104450 DOI: 10.1080/27694127.2022.2149211] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 03/12/2023]
Abstract
Pathogenic protists are a group of organisms responsible for causing a variety of human diseases including malaria, sleeping sickness, Chagas disease, leishmaniasis, and toxoplasmosis, among others. These diseases, which affect more than one billion people globally, mainly the poorest populations, are characterized by severe chronic stages and the lack of effective antiparasitic treatment. Parasitic protists display complex life-cycles and go through different cellular transformations in order to adapt to the different hosts they live in. Autophagy, a highly conserved cellular degradation process, has emerged as a key mechanism required for these differentiation processes, as well as other functions that are crucial to parasite fitness. In contrast to yeasts and mammals, protist autophagy is characterized by a modest number of conserved autophagy-related proteins (ATGs) that, even though, can drive the autophagosome formation and degradation. In addition, during their intracellular cycle, the interaction of these pathogens with the host autophagy system plays a crucial role resulting in a beneficial or harmful effect that is important for the outcome of the infection. In this review, we summarize the current state of knowledge on autophagy and other related mechanisms in pathogenic protists and their hosts. We sought to emphasize when, how, and why this process takes place, and the effects it may have on the parasitic cycle. A better understanding of the significance of autophagy for the protist life-cycle will potentially be helpful to design novel anti-parasitic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricia Silvia Romano
- Laboratorio de Biología de Trypanosoma cruzi y de la célula hospedadora. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. (IHEM-CONICET-UNCUYO). Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Av. Libertador 80 (5500), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Takahiko Akematsu
- Department of Biosciences, College of Humanities and Sciences, Nihon University, Tokyo, Japan
| | | | | | - Vern B Carruthers
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Michigan School of Medicine, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Zeinab Chahine
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Isabelle Coppens
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology. Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology. Johns Hopkins Malaria Research Institute. Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. Baltimore 21205, MD, USA
| | - Albert Descoteaux
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Laval, QC
| | - Thabata Lopes Alberto Duque
- Autophagy Inflammation and Metabolism Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM, USA
| | - Cynthia Y He
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Volker Heussler
- Institute of Cell Biology.University of Bern. Baltzerstr. 4 3012 Bern
| | - Karine G Le Roch
- Department of Molecular, Cell and Systems Biology, University of California Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Feng-Jun Li
- Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | | | | | - Jeremy C Mottram
- York Biomedical Research Institute, Department of Biology, University of York, York, UK
| | | | - Boris Turk
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Structural Biology, Jožef Stefan Institute, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Patricia Sampaio Tavares Veras
- Laboratory of Host-Parasite Interaction and Epidemiology, Gonçalo Moniz Institute, Fiocruz-Bahia
- National Institute of Science and Technology of Tropical Diseases - National Council for Scientific Research and Development (CNPq)
| | - Betiana Nebai Salassa
- Laboratorio de Biología de Trypanosoma cruzi y de la célula hospedadora. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. (IHEM-CONICET-UNCUYO). Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Av. Libertador 80 (5500), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - María Cristina Vanrell
- Laboratorio de Biología de Trypanosoma cruzi y de la célula hospedadora. Instituto de Histología y Embriología de Mendoza. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. (IHEM-CONICET-UNCUYO). Facultad de Ciencias Médicas. Universidad Nacional de Cuyo. Av. Libertador 80 (5500), Mendoza, Argentina
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Macaluso G, Grippi F, Di Bella S, Blanda V, Gucciardi F, Torina A, Guercio A, Cannella V. A Review on the Immunological Response against Trypanosoma cruzi. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12020282. [PMID: 36839554 PMCID: PMC9964664 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020282] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2023] [Indexed: 02/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a chronic systemic infection transmitted by Trypanosoma cruzi. Its life cycle consists of different stages in vector insects and host mammals. Trypanosoma cruzi strains cause different clinical manifestations of Chagas disease alongside geographic differences in morbidity and mortality. Natural killer cells provide the cytokine interferon-gamma in the initial phases of T. cruzi infection. Phagocytes secrete cytokines that promote inflammation and activation of other cells involved in defence. Dendritic cells, monocytes and macrophages modulate the adaptive immune response, and B lymphocytes activate an effective humoral immune response to T. cruzi. This review focuses on the main immune mechanisms acting during T. cruzi infection, on the strategies activated by the pathogen against the host cells, on the processes involved in inflammasome and virulence factors and on the new strategies for preventing, controlling and treating this disease.
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Guo Y, Hu R, Li N, Li N, Wu J, Yu H, Tan J, Li Z, Xu S. Autophagy Is Required to Sustain Increased Intestinal Cell Proliferation during Phenotypic Plasticity Changes in Honey Bee (Apis mellifera). Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24. [PMID: 36768248 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24031926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2022] [Revised: 01/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Tissue phenotypic plasticity facilitates rapid adaptation of organisms to biotic and/or abiotic pressure. The reproductive capacity of honey bee workers (Apis mellifera) is plastic and responsive to pheromones produced by broods and the queen. Egg laying workers (ELWs), which could reactivate their ovaries and lay haploid eggs upon queen lost, have been commonly discussed from many aspects. However, it remains unclear whether midgut homeostasis in ELWs is affected during plastic changes. Here, we found that the expression of nutrition- and autophagy-related genes was up-regulated in the midguts of ELWs, compared with that in nurse workers (NWs) by RNA-sequencing. Furthermore, the area and number of autophagosomes were increased, along with significantly increased cell death in the midguts of ELWs. Moreover, cell cycle progression in the midguts of ELWs was increased compared with that in NWs. Consistent with the up-regulation of nutrition-related genes, the body and midgut sizes, and the number of intestinal proliferation cells of larvae reared with royal jelly (RJ) obviously increased more than those reared without RJ in vitro. Finally, cell proliferation was dramatically suppressed in the midguts of ELWs when autophagy was inhibited. Altogether, our data suggested that autophagy was induced and required to sustain cell proliferation in ELWs' midguts, thereby revealing the critical role of autophagy played in the intestines during phenotypic plasticity changes.
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Smircich P, Pérez-Díaz L, Hernández F, Duhagon MA, Garat B. Transcriptomic analysis of the adaptation to prolonged starvation of the insect-dwelling Trypanosoma cruzi epimastigotes. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1138456. [PMID: 37091675 PMCID: PMC10117895 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1138456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is a digenetic unicellular parasite that alternates between a blood-sucking insect and a mammalian, host causing Chagas disease or American trypanosomiasis. In the insect gut, the parasite differentiates from the non-replicative trypomastigote forms that arrive upon blood ingestion to the non-infective replicative epimastigote forms. Epimastigotes develop into infective non-replicative metacyclic trypomastigotes in the rectum and are delivered via the feces. In addition to these parasite stages, transitional forms have been reported. The insect-feeding behavior, characterized by few meals of large blood amounts followed by long periods of starvation, impacts the parasite population density and differentiation, increasing the transitional forms while diminishing both epimastigotes and metacyclic trypomastigotes. To understand the molecular changes caused by nutritional restrictions in the insect host, mid-exponentially growing axenic epimastigotes were cultured for more than 30 days without nutrient supplementation (prolonged starvation). We found that the parasite population in the stationary phase maintains a long period characterized by a total RNA content three times smaller than that of exponentially growing epimastigotes and a distinctive transcriptomic profile. Among the transcriptomic changes induced by nutrient restriction, we found differentially expressed genes related to managing protein quality or content, the reported switch from glucose to amino acid consumption, redox challenge, and surface proteins. The contractile vacuole and reservosomes appeared as cellular components enriched when ontology term overrepresentation analysis was carried out, highlighting the roles of these organelles in starving conditions possibly related to their functions in regulating cell volume and osmoregulation as well as metabolic homeostasis. Consistent with the quiescent status derived from nutrient restriction, genes related to DNA metabolism are regulated during the stationary phase. In addition, we observed differentially expressed genes related to the unique parasite mitochondria. Finally, our study identifies gene expression changes that characterize transitional parasite forms enriched by nutrient restriction. The analysis of the here-disclosed regulated genes and metabolic pathways aims to contribute to the understanding of the molecular changes that this unicellular parasite undergoes in the insect vector.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Smircich
- Sección Genómica Funcional, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Laboratorio de Bioinformática, Departamento de Genómica, Instituto de Investigaciones Biológicas Clemente Estable, Montevideo, Uruguay
- *Correspondence: Beatriz Garat, ; Pablo Smircich,
| | - Leticia Pérez-Díaz
- Sección Genómica Funcional, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Fabricio Hernández
- Sección Genómica Funcional, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - María Ana Duhagon
- Sección Genómica Funcional, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Beatriz Garat
- Sección Genómica Funcional, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
- *Correspondence: Beatriz Garat, ; Pablo Smircich,
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Rocha YM, Magalhães EP, de Medeiros Chaves M, Machado Marinho M, Nascimento E Melo de Oliveira V, Nascimento de Oliveira R, Lima Sampaio T, de Menezes RRPPB, Martins AMC, Nicolete R. Antiparasitary and antiproliferative activities in vitro of a 1,2,4-oxadiazole derivative on Trypanosoma cruzi. Parasitol Res 2022; 121:2141-2156. [PMID: 35610523 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-022-07554-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD) is a neglected disease, prevalent and endemic in Latin America, but also present in Europe and North America. The main treatment used for this disease is benznidazole, but its efficacy is variable in the chronic phase and presents high toxicity. So, there is a need for the development of new therapeutic agents. The five-membered heterocyclic 1,2,4-oxadiazole ring has received attention for its unique properties and a broad spectrum of biological activities and is therefore a potential candidate for the development of new drugs. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the activity of the N-cyclohexyl-3-(3-methylphenyl)-1,2,4-oxadiazol-5-amine (2) on the evolutionary forms of Trypanosoma cruzi strain Y, as well as its mechanisms of action and in silico theoretical approach. The results by computational method showed an interaction of the 1,2,4-oxadiazole (2) with TcGAPDH, cruzain, and trypanothione reductase, showing good charge distribution and affinity in those three targets. Furthermore, cytotoxicity in LLC-MK2 cells was performed by the MTT method. In the assays with different parasite forms, the tested compound showed similar time-dependent concentration effect. The evaluation of the antiamastigote effect between the two concentrations tested showed a reduction in the number of infected cells and also in the number of amastigotes per infected cell. By flow cytometry, the compound (2) displayed alterations suggestive of necrotic events. Finally, in scanning electron microscopy structural alterations were present, characteristic of necrosisin the epimastigote forms. Overall, the 1,2,4-oxadiazole derivative (2) here evaluated opens perspectives to the development of new antichagasic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmim Mendes Rocha
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences - Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz Ceará), Rua São José, S/N, Eusébio, 61760-000, Brazil
| | - Emanuel Paula Magalhães
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences - Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
| | | | - Márcia Machado Marinho
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Valentina Nascimento E Melo de Oliveira
- Department of Chemistry, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Recife, PE, Brazil
- Instituto Federal de Educação Ciência E Tecnologia de Pernambuco, Campus Ipojuca, Ipojuca, 55590-000, Brazil
| | | | - Tiago Lima Sampaio
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences - Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Ramon R P P B de Menezes
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences - Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Alice M C Martins
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences - Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil
| | - Roberto Nicolete
- Post-Graduate Program in Pharmaceutical Sciences - Federal University of Ceará, Fortaleza, CE, Brazil.
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz Ceará), Rua São José, S/N, Eusébio, 61760-000, Brazil.
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Pedra-Rezende Y, Macedo IS, Midlej V, Mariante RM, Menna-Barreto RFS. Different Drugs, Same End: Ultrastructural Hallmarks of Autophagy in Pathogenic Protozoa. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:856686. [PMID: 35422792 PMCID: PMC9002357 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.856686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Protozoan parasites interact with a wide variety of organisms ranging from bacteria to humans, representing one of the most common causes of parasitic diseases and an important public health problem affecting hundreds of millions of people worldwide. The current treatment for these parasitic diseases remains unsatisfactory and, in some cases, very limited. Treatment limitations together with the increased resistance of the pathogens represent a challenge for the improvement of the patient’s quality of life. The continuous search for alternative preclinical drugs is mandatory, but the mechanisms of action of several of these compounds have not been described. Electron microscopy is a powerful tool for the identification of drug targets in almost all cellular models. Interestingly, ultrastructural analysis showed that several classes of antiparasitic compounds induced similar autophagic phenotypes in trypanosomatids, trichomonadids, and apicomplexan parasites as well as in Giardia intestinalis and Entamoeba spp. with the presence of an increased number of autophagosomes as well as remarkable endoplasmic reticulum profiles surrounding different organelles. Autophagy is a physiological process of eukaryotes that maintains homeostasis by the self-digestion of nonfunctional organelles and/or macromolecules, limiting redundant and damaged cellular components. Here, we focus on protozoan autophagy to subvert drug effects, discussing its importance for successful chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasmin Pedra-Rezende
- Laboratório de Biologia Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Isabela S Macedo
- Laboratório de Biologia Estrutural, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Victor Midlej
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rafael M Mariante
- Laboratório de Biologia Estrutural, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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10
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Magalhães EP, Barroso Gomes ND, Araújo de Freitas T, Silva BP, Ribeiro LR, Queiroz Ameida-neto FW, Marinho MM, de Lima-neto P, Marinho ES, Silva dos Santos H, Rodrigues Teixeira AM, Sampaio TL, Paula Pessoa Bezerra de Menezes RR, Costa Martins AM. Chloride substitution on 2-hydroxy-3,4,6-trimethoxyphenylchalcones improves in vitro selectivity on Trypanosoma cruzi strain Y. Chem Biol Interact 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2022.109920] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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11
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Fader Kaiser CM, Romano PS, Vanrell MC, Pocognoni CA, Jacob J, Caruso B, Delgui LR. Biogenesis and Breakdown of Lipid Droplets in Pathological Conditions. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 9:826248. [PMID: 35198567 PMCID: PMC8860030 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.826248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Lipid droplets (LD) have long been considered as mere fat drops; however, LD have lately been revealed to be ubiquitous, dynamic and to be present in diverse organelles in which they have a wide range of key functions. Although incompletely understood, the biogenesis of eukaryotic LD initiates with the synthesis of neutral lipids (NL) by enzymes located in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The accumulation of NL leads to their segregation into nanometric nuclei which then grow into lenses between the ER leaflets as they are further filled with NL. The lipid composition and interfacial tensions of both ER and the lenses modulate their shape which, together with specific ER proteins, determine the proneness of LD to bud from the ER toward the cytoplasm. The most important function of LD is the buffering of energy. But far beyond this, LD are actively integrated into physiological processes, such as lipid metabolism, control of protein homeostasis, sequestration of toxic lipid metabolic intermediates, protection from stress, and proliferation of tumours. Besides, LD may serve as platforms for pathogen replication and defense. To accomplish these functions, from biogenesis to breakdown, eukaryotic LD have developed mechanisms to travel within the cytoplasm and to establish contact with other organelles. When nutrient deprivation occurs, LD undergo breakdown (lipolysis), which begins with the LD-associated members of the perilipins family PLIN2 and PLIN3 chaperone-mediated autophagy degradation (CMA), a specific type of autophagy that selectively degrades a subset of cytosolic proteins in lysosomes. Indeed, PLINs CMA degradation is a prerequisite for further true lipolysis, which occurs via cytosolic lipases or by lysosome luminal lipases when autophagosomes engulf portions of LD and target them to lysosomes. LD play a crucial role in several pathophysiological processes. Increased accumulation of LD in non-adipose cells is commonly observed in numerous infectious diseases caused by intracellular pathogens including viral, bacterial, and parasite infections, and is gradually recognized as a prominent characteristic in a variety of cancers. This review discusses current evidence related to the modulation of LD biogenesis and breakdown caused by intracellular pathogens and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudio M Fader Kaiser
- CONICET Dr. Mario H. Burgos Institute of Histology and Embryology (IHEM), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Patricia S Romano
- CONICET Dr. Mario H. Burgos Institute of Histology and Embryology (IHEM), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - M Cristina Vanrell
- CONICET Dr. Mario H. Burgos Institute of Histology and Embryology (IHEM), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Cristian A Pocognoni
- CONICET Dr. Mario H. Burgos Institute of Histology and Embryology (IHEM), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Julieta Jacob
- CONICET Dr. Mario H. Burgos Institute of Histology and Embryology (IHEM), Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Benjamín Caruso
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biologicas y Tecnologicas, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas, Físicas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Cordoba, Argentina
| | - Laura R Delgui
- CONICET Dr. Mario H. Burgos Institute of Histology and Embryology (IHEM), Mendoza, Argentina
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12
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Drew Etheridge R. Protozoan Phagotrophy from Predators to Parasites: An Overview of the Enigmatic Cytostome-Cytopharynx Complex of Trypanosoma cruzi. J Eukaryot Microbiol 2022; 69:e12896. [PMID: 35175673 DOI: 10.1111/jeu.12896] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Eating is fundamental and from this basic principle living organisms have evolved innumerable strategies to capture energy and nutrients from their environment. As part of the world's aquatic ecosystems, the expansive family of heterotrophic protozoans use self-generated currents to funnel prokaryotic prey into an ancient, yet highly enigmatic, oral apparatus known as the cytostome-cytopharynx complex prior to digestion. Despite its near ubiquitous presence in protozoans, little is known mechanistically about how this feeding organelle functions. Intriguingly, one class of these flagellated phagotrophic predators known as the kinetoplastids gave rise to a lineage of obligate parasitic protozoa, the trypanosomatids, that can infect a wide variety of organisms ranging from plants to humans. One parasitic species of humans, Trypanosoma cruzi, has retained this ancestral organelle much like its free-living relatives and continues to use it as its primary mode of endocytosis. In this review we will highlight foundational observations made regarding the cytostome-cytopharynx complex and examine some of the most pressing questions regarding the mechanistic basis for its function. We propose that T. cruzi has the potential to serve as an excellent model system to dissect the enigmatic process of protozoal phagotrophy and thus enhance our overall understanding of fundamental eukaryotic biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronald Drew Etheridge
- Department of Cellular Biology, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases (CTEGD), University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
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13
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Zheng B, Gao Z, Liang L, Lu Y, Kong Y, Chen W, Lin K, Chen W, Mai J, Li Y, Ma C. Autophagy of hepatic stellate cell induced by Clonorchis sinensis. Mol Biol Rep 2021; 49:1895-1902. [PMID: 34825320 DOI: 10.1007/s11033-021-07001-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clonorchis sinensis was a food-borne zoonotic parasite in the worldwide and also an important risk factor of hepatic fibrosis. Excretory/secretion products of C. sinensis (CsESPs) are involved in parasite-host interactions and contribute to the development of hepatic damage. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether CsESPs and CsTP (adult protein) could induce autophagy of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and further activate HSCs so as to participate in the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis. METHODS AND RESULTS The human hepatic stellate cell line LX-2 was stimulated by CsESPs and CsTP. CsESPs showed the effect on cell proliferation in methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium (MTT) assay while CsTP failed. Autophagosomes and autolysosomes were observed after the transmission mRFP-EGFP-LC3 plasmid into the LX-2 cells. CsESPs had more powerful to induce the accumulation of autophagosomes and autolysosomes to enhance autophagic flux compared with CsTP. Western-blotting analysis confirmed that the ratio of LC3-II/I in LX-2 cells was up-regulated after CsESPs treatment for 6 h, which further proved that CsESPs could induce autophagy in LX-2 cells. Meanwhile, q-PCR results showed that the mRNA levels of collagen I, collagen III and α-SMA decreased in LX-2 cells after treatment with autophagy inhibitor chloroquine, whereas they increased when combination with CsESPs. CONCLUSIONS These results suggested that CsESPs-induced autophagy might be involved in the activation of HSCs, and consequently participate in the pathogenesis of hepatic fibrosis caused by C. sinensis infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bao Zheng
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhiyan Gao
- Department of Morphology Experiment Center, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, People's Republic of China
| | - Liumei Liang
- KingMed College of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, People's Republic of China
| | - Yunyu Lu
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, People's Republic of China
| | - Yongting Kong
- KingMed College of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, People's Republic of China
| | - Wanting Chen
- KingMed College of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, People's Republic of China
| | - Keying Lin
- KingMed College of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, People's Republic of China
| | - Wanqi Chen
- KingMed College of Laboratory Medicine, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, People's Republic of China
| | - Jingying Mai
- Department of Pathogen Biology & Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanwen Li
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, 530021, People's Republic of China.
| | - Changling Ma
- Department of Pathogen Biology & Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 511436, People's Republic of China.
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14
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Rivero CV, Martínez SJ, Novick P, Cueto JA, Salassa BN, Vanrell MC, Li X, Labriola CA, Polo LM, Engman DM, Clos J, Romano PS. Repurposing Carvedilol as a Novel Inhibitor of the Trypanosoma cruzi Autophagy Flux That Affects Parasite Replication and Survival. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:657257. [PMID: 34476220 PMCID: PMC8406938 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.657257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
T. cruzi, the causal agent of Chagas disease, is a parasite able to infect different types of host cells and to persist chronically in the tissues of human and animal hosts. These qualities and the lack of an effective treatment for the chronic stage of the disease have contributed to the durability and the spread of the disease around the world. There is an urgent necessity to find new therapies for Chagas disease. Drug repurposing is a promising and cost-saving strategy for finding new drugs for different illnesses. In this work we describe the effect of carvedilol on T. cruzi. This compound, selected by virtual screening, increased the accumulation of immature autophagosomes characterized by lower acidity and hydrolytic properties. As a consequence of this action, the survival of trypomastigotes and the replication of epimastigotes and amastigotes were impaired, resulting in a significant reduction of infection and parasite load. Furthermore, carvedilol reduced the whole-body parasite burden peak in infected mice. In summary, in this work we present a repurposed drug with a significant in vitro and in vivo activity against T. cruzi. These data in addition to other pharmacological properties make carvedilol an attractive lead for Chagas disease treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Vanesa Rivero
- Laboratorio de Biología de Trypanosoma cruzi y la célula hospedadora - Instituto de Histología y Embriología "Dr. Mario H. Burgos", IHEM-CONICET- Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.,Leishmaniasis Group, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Santiago José Martínez
- Laboratorio de Biología de Trypanosoma cruzi y la célula hospedadora - Instituto de Histología y Embriología "Dr. Mario H. Burgos", IHEM-CONICET- Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina.,Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Paul Novick
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Juan Agustín Cueto
- Laboratorio de Biología de Trypanosoma cruzi y la célula hospedadora - Instituto de Histología y Embriología "Dr. Mario H. Burgos", IHEM-CONICET- Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Betiana Nebaí Salassa
- Laboratorio de Biología de Trypanosoma cruzi y la célula hospedadora - Instituto de Histología y Embriología "Dr. Mario H. Burgos", IHEM-CONICET- Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - María Cristina Vanrell
- Laboratorio de Biología de Trypanosoma cruzi y la célula hospedadora - Instituto de Histología y Embriología "Dr. Mario H. Burgos", IHEM-CONICET- Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - Xiaomo Li
- Leishmaniasis Group, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Carlos Alberto Labriola
- Laboratorio de Biología estructural y celular, Fundación Instituto Leloir (FIL-CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Luis Mariano Polo
- Instituto de Histología y Embriología "Dr. Mario H. Burgos", IHEM-CONICET- Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
| | - David M Engman
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Joachim Clos
- Leishmaniasis Group, Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Patricia Silvia Romano
- Laboratorio de Biología de Trypanosoma cruzi y la célula hospedadora - Instituto de Histología y Embriología "Dr. Mario H. Burgos", IHEM-CONICET- Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Mendoza, Argentina
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15
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Sakamoto H, Nakada-Tsukui K, Besteiro S. The Autophagy Machinery in Human-Parasitic Protists; Diverse Functions for Universally Conserved Proteins. Cells 2021; 10:1258. [PMID: 34069694 DOI: 10.3390/cells10051258] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2021] [Revised: 05/17/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Autophagy is a eukaryotic cellular machinery that is able to degrade large intracellular components, including organelles, and plays a pivotal role in cellular homeostasis. Target materials are enclosed by a double membrane vesicle called autophagosome, whose formation is coordinated by autophagy-related proteins (ATGs). Studies of yeast and Metazoa have identified approximately 40 ATGs. Genome projects for unicellular eukaryotes revealed that some ATGs are conserved in all eukaryotic supergroups but others have arisen or were lost during evolution in some specific lineages. In spite of an apparent reduction in the ATG molecular machinery found in parasitic protists, it has become clear that ATGs play an important role in stage differentiation or organelle maintenance, sometimes with an original function that is unrelated to canonical degradative autophagy. In this review, we aim to briefly summarize the current state of knowledge in parasitic protists, in the light of the latest important findings from more canonical model organisms. Determining the roles of ATGs and the diversity of their functions in various lineages is an important challenge for understanding the evolutionary background of autophagy.
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16
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Alvarez VE, Iribarren PA, Niemirowicz GT, Cazzulo JJ. Update on relevant trypanosome peptidases: Validated targets and future challenges. Biochim Biophys Acta Proteins Proteom 2021; 1869:140577. [PMID: 33271348 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2020.140577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/24/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of the American Trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease, and Trypanosoma brucei gambiense and Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, the agents of Sleeping sickness (Human African Trypanosomiasis, HAT), as well as Trypanosoma brucei brucei, the agent of the cattle disease nagana, contain cysteine, serine, threonine, aspartyl and metallo peptidases. The most abundant among these enzymes are the cysteine proteases from the Clan CA, the Cathepsin L-like cruzipain and rhodesain, and the Cathepsin B-like enzymes, which have essential roles in the parasites and thus are potential targets for chemotherapy. In addition, several other proteases, present in one or both parasites, have been characterized, and some of them are also promising candidates for the developing of new drugs. Recently, new inhibitors, with good selectivity for the parasite proteasomes, have been described and are very promising as lead compounds for the development of new therapies for these neglected diseases. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: "Play and interplay of proteases in health and disease".
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