scholarly journals The Mu Subunit of Plasmodium falciparum Clathrin-Associated Adaptor Protein 2 ModulatesIn VitroParasite Response to Artemisinin and Quinine

2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (5) ◽  
pp. 2540-2547 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gisela Henriques ◽  
Donelly A. van Schalkwyk ◽  
Rebekah Burrow ◽  
David C. Warhurst ◽  
Eloise Thompson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Adaptor Protein ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Artemisinin Derivatives ◽  
Combination Treatments ◽  
Antimalarial Resistance ◽  
Transgenic Parasites ◽  
Multiple Drugs

ABSTRACTThe emergence of drug-resistant parasites is a serious threat faced by malaria control programs. Understanding the genetic basis of resistance is critical to the success of treatment and intervention strategies. A novel locus associated with antimalarial resistance,ap2-mu(encoding the mu chain of the adaptor protein 2 [AP2] complex), was recently identified in studies on the rodent malaria parasitePlasmodium chabaudi(pcap2-mu). Furthermore, analysis in Kenyan malaria patients of polymorphisms in thePlasmodium falciparumap2-muhomologue,pfap2-mu, found evidence that differences in the amino acid encoded by codon 160 are associated with enhanced parasite survivalin vivofollowing combination treatments which included artemisinin derivatives. Here, we characterize the role ofpfap2-muin mediating thein vitroantimalarial drug response ofP. falciparumby generating transgenic parasites constitutively expressing codon 160 encoding either the wild-type Ser (Ser160) or the Asn mutant (160Asn) form ofpfap2-mu. Transgenic parasites carrying thepfap2-mu160Asn allele were significantly less sensitive to dihydroartemisinin using a standard 48-hin vitrotest, providing direct evidence of an altered parasite response to artemisinin. Our data also provide evidence thatpfap2-muvariants can modulate parasite sensitivity to quinine. No evidence was found thatpfap2-muvariants contribute to the slow-clearance phenotype exhibited byP. falciparumin Cambodian patients treated with artesunate monotherapy. These findings provide compelling evidence thatpfap2-mucan modulateP. falciparumresponses to multiple drugs. We propose that this gene should be evaluated further as a potential molecular marker of antimalarial resistance.

scholarly journals Artemisinin-Resistant Plasmodium falciparum Parasites Exhibit Altered Patterns of Development in Infected Erythrocytes

2015 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 3156-3167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda Hott ◽  
Debora Casandra ◽  
Kansas N. Sparks ◽  
Lindsay C. Morton ◽  
Geocel-Grace Castanares ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Artemisinin Resistance ◽  
Drug Pressure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Phenotypic Resistance ◽  
Artemisinin Derivatives ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Clinical Resistance

ABSTRACTArtemisinin derivatives are used in combination with other antimalarial drugs for treatment of multidrug-resistant malaria worldwide. Clinical resistance to artemisinin recently emerged in southeast Asia, yetin vitrophenotypes for discerning mechanism(s) of resistance remain elusive. Here, we describe novel phenotypic resistance traits expressed by artemisinin-resistantPlasmodium falciparum. The resistant parasites exhibit altered patterns of development that result in reduced exposure to drug at the most susceptible stage of development in erythrocytes (trophozoites) and increased exposure in the most resistant stage (rings). In addition, a novelin vitrodelayed clearance assay (DCA) that assesses drug effects on asexual stages was found to correlate with parasite clearance half-lifein vivoas well as with mutations in the Kelch domain gene associated with resistance (Pf3D7_1343700). Importantly, all of the resistance phenotypes were stable in cloned parasites for more than 2 years without drug pressure. The results demonstrate artemisinin-resistantP. falciparumhas evolved a novel mechanism of phenotypic resistance to artemisinin drugs linked to abnormal cell cycle regulation. These results offer insights into a novel mechanism of drug resistance inP. falciparumand new tools for monitoring the spread of artemisinin resistance.

scholarly journals Computational Chemogenomics Drug Repositioning Strategy Enables the Discovery of Epirubicin as a New Repurposed Hit for Plasmodium falciparum and P. vivax

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
Letícia Tiburcio Ferreira ◽  
Juliana Rodrigues ◽  
Gustavo Capatti Cassiano ◽  
Tatyana Almeida Tavella ◽  
Kaira Cristina Peralis Tomaz ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Antimalarial Activity ◽  
Drug Repositioning ◽  
Dna Gyrase ◽  
Plasmodium Yoelii ◽  
Computer Assisted ◽  
Content Type

ABSTRACT Widespread resistance against antimalarial drugs thwarts current efforts for controlling the disease and urges the discovery of new effective treatments. Drug repositioning is increasingly becoming an attractive strategy since it can reduce costs, risks, and time-to-market. Herein, we have used this strategy to identify novel antimalarial hits. We used a comparative in silico chemogenomics approach to select Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium vivax proteins as potential drug targets and analyzed them using a computer-assisted drug repositioning pipeline to identify approved drugs with potential antimalarial activity. Among the seven drugs identified as promising antimalarial candidates, the anthracycline epirubicin was selected for further experimental validation. Epirubicin was shown to be potent in vitro against sensitive and multidrug-resistant P. falciparum strains and P. vivax field isolates in the nanomolar range, as well as being effective against an in vivo murine model of Plasmodium yoelii. Transmission-blocking activity was observed for epirubicin in vitro and in vivo. Finally, using yeast-based haploinsufficiency chemical genomic profiling, we aimed to get insights into the mechanism of action of epirubicin. Beyond the target predicted in silico (a DNA gyrase in the apicoplast), functional assays suggested a GlcNac-1-P-transferase (GPT) enzyme as a potential target. Docking calculations predicted the binding mode of epirubicin with DNA gyrase and GPT proteins. Epirubicin is originally an antitumoral agent and presents associated toxicity. However, its antiplasmodial activity against not only P. falciparum but also P. vivax in different stages of the parasite life cycle supports the use of this drug as a scaffold for hit-to-lead optimization in malaria drug discovery.

scholarly journals Saquinavir Inhibits the Malaria Parasite's Chloroquine Resistance Transporter

2012 ◽  
Vol 56 (5) ◽  
pp. 2283-2289 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rowena E. Martin ◽  
Alice S. Butterworth ◽  
Donald L. Gardiner ◽  
Kiaran Kirk ◽  
James S. McCarthy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Heterologous Expression ◽  
Protease Inhibitors ◽  
Chloroquine Resistance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Chloroquine Resistance Transporter ◽  
Resistant Phenotype ◽  
Transgenic Parasites

ABSTRACTThe antiretroviral protease inhibitors (APIs) ritonavir, saquinavir, and lopinavir, used to treat HIV infection, inhibit the growth ofPlasmodium falciparumat clinically relevant concentrations. Moreover, it has been reported that these APIs potentiate the activity of chloroquine (CQ) against this parasitein vitro. The mechanism underlying this effect is not understood, but the degree of chemosensitization varies between the different APIs and, with the exception of ritonavir, appears to be dependent on the parasite exhibiting a CQ-resistant phenotype. Here we report a study of the role of theP. falciparumchloroquine resistance transporter (PfCRT) in the interaction between CQ and APIs, using transgenic parasites expressing different PfCRT alleles and using theXenopus laevisoocyte system for the heterologous expression of PfCRT. Our data demonstrate that saquinavir behaves as a CQ resistance reverser and that this explains, at least in part, its ability to enhance the effects of CQ in CQ-resistantP. falciparumparasites.

scholarly journals In Vitro and In Vivo Treatments of Echinococcus Protoscoleces and Metacestodes with Artemisinin and Artemisinin Derivatives

2008 ◽  
Vol 52 (9) ◽  
pp. 3447-3450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Spicher ◽  
Carole Roethlisberger ◽  
Catharina Lany ◽  
Britta Stadelmann ◽  
Jennifer Keiser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Echinococcus Granulosus ◽  
Echinococcus Multilocularis ◽  
Artemisinin Derivatives ◽  
Larval Stages ◽  
Combination Treatments ◽  
In Vivo Treatment ◽  
In Vitro Treatment

ABSTRACT In vitro treatment of Echinococcus multilocularis and Echinococcus granulosus larval stages with the antimalarials dihydroartemisinin and artesunate (10 to 40 μM) exhibited promising results, while 6 weeks of in vivo treatment of mice infected with E. multilocularis metacestodes (200 mg/kg of body weight/day) had no effect. However, combination treatments of both drugs with albendazole led to a substantial but statistically not significant reduction in parasite weight compared to results with albendazole alone.

scholarly journals In VitroandIn VivoAntimalarial Activities of T-2307, a Novel Arylamidine

2012 ◽  
Vol 56 (4) ◽  
pp. 2191-2193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akiko Kimura ◽  
Hiroshi Nishikawa ◽  
Nobuhiko Nomura ◽  
Junichi Mitsuyama ◽  
Shinya Fukumoto ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Broad Spectrum ◽  
Antimalarial Activity ◽  
Liver Stage ◽  
Rodent Malaria ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Clinically Significant

ABSTRACTT-2307, a novel arylamidine, has been shown to exhibit broad-spectrum antifungal activities against clinically significant pathogens. Here, we evaluated thein vitroandin vivoantimalarial activity of T-2307. The 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50s) of T-2307 againstPlasmodium falciparumFCR-3 and K-1 strains were 0.47 and 0.17 μM, respectively. T-2307 at 2.5 to 10 mg/kg of body weight/day exhibited activity against blood stage and liver stage parasites in rodent malaria models. In conclusion, T-2307 exhibitedin vitroandin vivoantimalarial activity.

scholarly journals Aminoindoles, a Novel Scaffold with Potent Activity against Plasmodium falciparum

2011 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 2612-2622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert H. Barker ◽  
Sameer Urgaonkar ◽  
Ralph Mazitschek ◽  
Cassandra Celatka ◽  
Renato Skerlj ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Parent Compound ◽  
Therapeutic Index ◽  
Preclinical Development ◽  
Drug Pressure ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Novel Scaffold ◽  
Trough Levels

ABSTRACTThis study characterizes aminoindole molecules that are analogs of Genz-644442. Genz-644442 was identified as a hit in a screen of ∼70,000 compounds in the Broad Institute's small-molecule library and the ICCB-L compound collection at Harvard Medical School. Genz-644442 is a potent inhibitor ofPlasmodium falciparum in vitro(50% inhibitory concentrations [IC50s], 200 to 285 nM) and inhibitsP. berghei in vivowith an efficacy of >99% in an adapted version of Peters' 4-day suppressive test (W. Peters, Ann. Trop. Med. Parasitol. 69:155–171, 1975). Genz-644442 became the focus of medicinal chemistry optimization; 321 analogs were synthesized and were tested forin vitropotency againstP. falciparumand forin vitroabsorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties. This yielded compounds with IC50s of approximately 30 nM. The lead compound, Genz-668764, has been characterized in more detail. It is a single enantiomer with IC50s of 28 to 65 nM againstP. falciparum in vitro. In the 4-dayP. bergheimodel, when it was dosed at 100 mg/kg of body weight/day, no parasites were detected on day 4 postinfection. However, parasites recrudesced by day 9. Dosing at 200 mg/kg/day twice a day resulted in cures of 3/5 animals. The compound had comparable activity againstP. falciparumblood stages in a human-engrafted NOD-scidmouse model. Genz-668764 had a terminal half-life of 2.8 h and plasma trough levels of 41 ng/ml when it was dosed twice a day orally at 55 mg/kg/day. Seven-day rat safety studies showed a no-observable-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) at 200 mg/kg/day; the compound was not mutagenic in Ames tests, did not inhibit the hERG channel, and did not have potent activity against a broad panel of receptors and enzymes. Employing allometric scaling and usingin vitroADME data, the predicted human minimum efficacious dose of Genz-668764 in a 3-day once-daily dosing regimen was 421 mg/day/70 kg, which would maintain plasma trough levels above the IC90againstP. falciparumfor at least 96 h after the last dose. The predicted human therapeutic index was approximately 3, on the basis of the exposure in rats at the NOAEL. We were unable to select for parasites with >2-fold decreased sensitivity to the parent compound, Genz-644442, over 270 days ofin vitroculture under drug pressure. These characteristics make Genz-668764 a good candidate for preclinical development.

scholarly journals Laboratory Detection of Artemisinin-Resistant Plasmodium falciparum

2014 ◽  
Vol 58 (6) ◽  
pp. 3157-3161 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kesinee Chotivanich ◽  
Rupam Tripura ◽  
Debashish Das ◽  
Poravuth Yi ◽  
Nicholas P. J. Day ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Parasite Clearance ◽  
Ring Stage ◽  
Clearance Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Reduced Ring ◽  
Susceptibility Tests ◽  
Low Sensitivity

ABSTRACTConventional 48-hin vitrosusceptibility tests have low sensitivity in identifying artemisinin-resistantPlasmodium falciparum, defined phenotypically by lowin vivoparasite clearance rates. We hypothesized originally that this discrepancy was explained by a loss of ring-stage susceptibility and so developed a simple field-adapted 24-h trophozoite maturation inhibition (TMI) assay focusing on the ring stage and compared it to the standard 48-h schizont maturation inhibition (WHO) test. In Pailin, western Cambodia, where artemisinin-resistantP. falciparumis prevalent, the TMI test mean (95% confidence interval) 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) for artesunate was 6.8 (5.2 to 8.3) ng/ml compared with 1.5 (1.2 to 1.8) ng/ml for the standard 48-h WHO test (P= 0.001). TMI IC50s correlated significantly with thein vivoresponses to artesunate (parasite clearance time [r= 0.44,P= 0.001] and parasite clearance half-life [r= 0.46,P= 0.001]), whereas the standard 48-h test values did not. On continuous culture of two resistant isolates, the artemisinin-resistant phenotype was lost after 6 weeks (IC50s fell from 10 and 12 ng/ml to 2.7 and 3 ng/ml, respectively). Slow parasite clearance in falciparum malaria in western Cambodia results from reduced ring-stage susceptibility.

scholarly journals Impact of Sickle Cell Trait Hemoglobin on the Intraerythrocytic Transcriptional Program of Plasmodium falciparum

mSphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joseph W. Saelens ◽  
Jens E. V. Petersen ◽  
Elizabeth Freedman ◽  
Robert C. Moseley ◽  
Drissa Konaté ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Molecular Mechanisms ◽  
Sickle Cell Trait ◽  
Rna Seq ◽  
Transcriptional Program ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Life Threatening ◽  
The Impact

Sickle-trait hemoglobin (HbAS) confers nearly complete protection from severe, life-threatening malaria, yet the molecular mechanisms that underlie HbAS protection from severe malaria remain incompletely understood. Here, we used transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) to measure the impact of HbAS on the blood-stage transcriptome of Plasmodium falciparum in in vitro time series experiments and in vivo samples from natural infections.

scholarly journals Plasmodium falciparum Drug Resistance in Madagascar: Facing the Spread of Unusual pfdhfr and pfmdr-1 Haplotypes and the Decrease of Dihydroartemisinin Susceptibility

2009 ◽  
Vol 53 (11) ◽  
pp. 4588-4597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Valérie Andriantsoanirina ◽  
Arsène Ratsimbasoa ◽  
Christiane Bouchier ◽  
Martial Jahevitra ◽  
Stéphane Rabearimanana ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Additional Data ◽  
National Policy ◽  
Gene Copy Number ◽  
Health Centers ◽  
Gene Copy ◽  
Artemisinin Derivatives ◽  
Progressive Loss ◽  
Antimalarial Resistance

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to provide the first comprehensive spatiotemporal picture of Plasmodium falciparum resistance in various geographic areas in Madagascar. Additional data about the antimalarial resistance in the neighboring islands of the Comoros archipelago were also collected. We assessed the prevalence of pfcrt, pfmdr-1, pfdhfr, and pfdhps mutations and the pfmdr-1 gene copy number in 1,596 P. falciparum isolates collected in 26 health centers (20 in Madagascar and 6 in the Comoros Islands) from 2006 to 2008. The in vitro responses to a panel of drugs by 373 of the parasite isolates were determined. The results showed (i) unusual profiles of chloroquine susceptibility in Madagascar, (ii) a rapid rise in the frequency of parasites with both the pfdhfr and the pfdhps mutations, (iii) the alarming emergence of the single pfdhfr 164L genotype, and (iv) the progressive loss of the most susceptible isolates to artemisinin derivatives. In the context of the implementation of the new national policy for the fight against malaria, continued surveillance for the detection of P. falciparum resistance in the future is required.

scholarly journals Infectivity of Plasmodium falciparum in Malaria-Naive Individuals Is Related to Knob Expression and Cytoadherence of the Parasite

2016 ◽  
Vol 84 (9) ◽  
pp. 2689-2696 ◽  
Author(s):  
Danielle I. Stanisic ◽  
John Gerrard ◽  
James Fink ◽  
Paul M. Griffin ◽  
Xue Q. Liu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Plasmodium Falciparum ◽  
Ex Vivo ◽  
Cell Bank ◽  
Human Environment ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Antibody Recognition ◽  
Cell Banks ◽  
Study Participants

Plasmodium falciparumis the most virulent human malaria parasite because of its ability to cytoadhere in the microvasculature. Nonhuman primate studies demonstrated relationships among knob expression, cytoadherence, and infectivity. This has not been examined in humans. Cultured clinical-gradeP. falciparumparasites (NF54, 7G8, and 3D7B) andex vivo-derived cell banks were characterized. Knob and knob-associated histidine-rich protein expression, CD36 adhesion, and antibody recognition of parasitized erythrocytes (PEs) were evaluated. Parasites from the cell banks were administered to malaria-naive human volunteers to explore infectivity. For the NF54 and 3D7B cell banks, blood was collected from the study participants forin vitrocharacterization. All parasites were infectivein vivo. However, infectivity of NF54 was dramatically reduced.In vitrocharacterization revealed that unlike other cell bank parasites, NF54 PEs lacked knobs and did not cytoadhere. Recognition of NF54 PEs by immune sera was observed, suggestingP. falciparumerythrocyte membrane protein 1 expression. Subsequent recovery of knob expression and CD36-mediated adhesion were observed in PEs derived from participants infected with NF54. Knobless cell bank parasites have a dramatic reduction in infectivity and the ability to adhere to CD36. Subsequent infection of malaria-naive volunteers restored knob expression and CD36-mediated cytoadherence, thereby showing that the human environment can modulate virulence.

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