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Vaca HR, Celentano AM, Toscanini MA, Heimburg T, Ghazy E, Zeyen P, Hauser AT, Oliveira G, Elissondo MC, Jung M, Sippl W, Camicia F, Rosenzvit MC. The potential for histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors as cestocidal drugs. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009226. [PMID: 33657105 PMCID: PMC7959350 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009226] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2020] [Revised: 03/15/2021] [Accepted: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Echinococcosis and cysticercosis are neglected tropical diseases caused by cestode parasites (family Taeniidae). Not only there is a small number of approved anthelmintics for the treatment of these cestodiases, but also some of them are not highly effective against larval stages, such that identifying novel drug targets and their associated compounds is critical. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes are validated drug targets in cancers and other diseases, and have been gaining relevance for developing new potential anti-parasitic treatments in the last years. Here, we present the anthelmintic profile for a panel of recently developed HDAC inhibitors against the model cestode Mesocestoides vogae (syn. M. corti). Methodology/Principal findings Phenotypic screening was performed on M. vogae by motility measurements and optical microscopic observations. Some HDAC inhibitors showed potent anthelmintic activities; three of them -entinostat, TH65, and TH92- had pronounced anthelmintic effects, reducing parasite viability by ~100% at concentrations of ≤ 20 μM. These compounds were selected for further characterization and showed anthelmintic effects in the micromolar range and in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Moreover, these compounds induced major alterations on the morphology and ultrastructural features of M. vogae. The potencies of these compounds were higher than albendazole and the anthelmintic effects were irreversible. Additionally, we evaluated pairwise drug combinations of these HDAC inhibitors and albendazole. The results suggested a positive interaction in the anthelmintic effect for individual pairs of compounds. Due to the maximum dose approved for entinostat, adjustments in the dose regime and/or combinations with currently-used anthelmintic drugs are needed, and the selectivity of TH65 and TH92 towards parasite targets should be assessed. Conclusion, significance The results presented here suggest that HDAC inhibitors represent novel and potent drug candidates against cestodes and pave the way to understanding the roles of HDACs in these parasites. Neglected tropical diseases, such as echinococcosis and cysticercosis, which are caused by taeniid cestodes (tapeworms), represent serious public health problems in many countries around the world. Given that there is only a small number of approved anthelmintics for the treatment of cestodiases, and that most of them are not highly effective against larval stages, identifying novel drug targets and their associated compounds is critical. Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are enzymes that produce epigenetic modifications of chromatin, thus modifying cellular gene expression. In this study, we evaluate and characterize a number of HDAC inhibitors on the model cestode Mesocestoides vogae and report the anthelmintic profile of these compounds. Some of the HDAC inhibitors tested showed potent anthelmintic effects, particularly entinostat, TH65 and TH92. These compounds were selected as the most promising candidates due to their high potencies, which were superior to the commercially-available anthelmintic drug albendazole. We also evaluated pairwise drug combinations of HDAC inhibitors and albendazole. The findings of this study provide a starting point for the development of new HDAC-based cestocidal compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hugo Rolando Vaca
- Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica, Universidad de Buenos Aires-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (IMPaM, UBA-CONICET). Facultad de Medicina, Paraguay 2155, piso 13, C1121ABG, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Laboratorio de Zoonosis Parasitarias, Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción, Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEyN), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ana María Celentano
- Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica, Universidad de Buenos Aires-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (IMPaM, UBA-CONICET). Facultad de Medicina, Paraguay 2155, piso 13, C1121ABG, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Departamento de Microbiología, Parasitología e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María Agustina Toscanini
- Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica, Universidad de Buenos Aires-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (IMPaM, UBA-CONICET). Facultad de Medicina, Paraguay 2155, piso 13, C1121ABG, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Tino Heimburg
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle(Saale), Germany
| | - Ehab Ghazy
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle(Saale), Germany
| | - Patrik Zeyen
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle(Saale), Germany
| | | | | | - María Celina Elissondo
- Laboratorio de Zoonosis Parasitarias, Instituto de Investigaciones en Producción, Sanidad y Ambiente (IIPROSAM), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (FCEyN), Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata (UNMdP), Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina; Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Manfred Jung
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Wolfgang Sippl
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-University of Halle-Wittenberg, Halle(Saale), Germany
| | - Federico Camicia
- Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica, Universidad de Buenos Aires-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (IMPaM, UBA-CONICET). Facultad de Medicina, Paraguay 2155, piso 13, C1121ABG, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- * E-mail: (FC); (MCR)
| | - Mara Cecilia Rosenzvit
- Instituto de Microbiología y Parasitología Médica, Universidad de Buenos Aires-Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Tecnológicas (IMPaM, UBA-CONICET). Facultad de Medicina, Paraguay 2155, piso 13, C1121ABG, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- * E-mail: (FC); (MCR)
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