Long-term hematopoietic stem cells trigger quiescence in Leishmania parasites.

Addressing the challenges of quiescence and post-treatment relapse is of utmost importance in the microbiology field. This study shows that Leishmania infantum and L. donovani parasites rapidly enter into quiescence after an estimated 2-3 divisions in both human and mouse bone marrow stem cells. Interestingly, this behavior is not observed in macrophages, which are the primary host cells of the Leishmania parasite. Transcriptional comparison of the quiescent and non-quiescent metabolic states confirmed the overall decrease of gene expression as a hallmark of quiescence. Quiescent amastigotes display a reduced size and signs of a rapid evolutionary adaptation response with genetic alterations. Our study provides further evidence that this quiescent state significantly enhances resistance to treatment. Moreover, transitioning through quiescence is highly compatible with sand fly transmission and increases the potential of parasites to infect cells. Collectively, this work identified stem cells in the bone marrow as a niche where Leishmania quiescence occurs, with important implications for antiparasitic treatment and acquisition of virulence traits.

Chemoselective Synthesis and Anti-Kinetoplastidal Properties of 2,6-Diaryl-4H-tetrahydro-thiopyran-4-one S-Oxides: Their Interplay in a Cascade of Redox Reactions from Diarylideneacetones.

2,6-Diaryl-4H-tetrahydro-thiopyran-4-ones and corresponding sulfoxide and sulfone derivatives were designed to lower the major toxicity of their parent anti-kinetoplatidal diarylideneacetones through a prodrug effect. Novel diastereoselective methodologies were developed and generalized from diarylideneacetones and 2,6-diaryl-4H-tetrahydro-thiopyran-4-ones to allow the introduction of a wide substitution profile and to prepare the related S-oxides. The in vitro biological activity and selectivity of diarylideneacetones, 2,6-diaryl-4H-tetrahydro-thiopyran-4-ones, and their S-sulfoxide and sulfone metabolites were evaluated against Trypanosoma brucei brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi, and various Leishmania species in comparison with their cytotoxicity against human fibroblasts hMRC-5. The data revealed that the sulfides, sulfoxides, and sulfones, in which the Michael acceptor sites are temporarily masked, are less toxic against mammal cells while the anti-trypanosomal potency was maintained against T. b. brucei, T. cruzi, L. infantum, and L. donovani, thus confirming the validity of the prodrug strategy. The mechanism of action is proposed to be due to the involvement of diarylideneacetones in cascades of redox reactions involving the trypanothione system. After Michael addition of the dithiol to the double bonds, resulting in an elongated polymer, the latter-upon S-oxidation, followed by syn-eliminations-fragments, under continuous release of reactive oxygen species and sulfenic/sulfonic species, causing the death of the trypanosomal parasites in the micromolar or submicromolar range with high selectivity indexes.

To Target or Not to Target Schistosoma mansoni Cyclic Nucleotide Phosphodiesterase 4A?

Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease with high morbidity. Recently, the Schistosoma mansoni phosphodiesterase SmPDE4A was suggested as a putative new drug target. To support SmPDE4A targeted drug discovery, we cloned, isolated, and biochemically characterized the full-length and catalytic domains of SmPDE4A. The enzymatically active catalytic domain was crystallized in the apo-form (PDB code: 6FG5) and in the cAMP- and AMP-bound states (PDB code: 6EZU). The SmPDE4A catalytic domain resembles human PDE4 more than parasite PDEs because it lacks the parasite PDE-specific P-pocket. Purified SmPDE4A proteins (full-length and catalytic domain) were used to profile an in-house library of PDE inhibitors (PDE4NPD toolbox). This screening identified tetrahydrophthalazinones and benzamides as potential hits. The PDE inhibitor NPD-0001 was the most active tetrahydrophthalazinone, whereas the approved human PDE4 inhibitors roflumilast and piclamilast were the most potent benzamides. As a follow-up, 83 benzamide analogs were prepared, but the inhibitory potency of the initial hits was not improved. Finally, NPD-0001 and roflumilast were evaluated in an in vitro anti-S. mansoni assay. Unfortunately, both SmPDE4A inhibitors were not effective in worm killing and only weakly affected the egg-laying at high micromolar concentrations. Consequently, the results with these SmPDE4A inhibitors strongly suggest that SmPDE4A is not a suitable target for anti-schistosomiasis therapy.

Structural Optimization of BIPPO Analogs as Potent Antimalarials.

Malaria continues to pose a significant health threat, causing thousands of deaths each year. The limited availability of vaccines and medications, combined with the emergence of drug resistance, further complicates the fight against this disease. In this study, we aimed to enhance the antimalarial potency of the previously reported hit compound BIPPO (pIC50 5.9). Through systematic modification of pyrazolopyrimidinone analogs, we discovered the promising analog 30 (NPD-3547), which exhibited approximately one log unit higher in vitro potency (pIC50 6.8) against Plasmodium falciparum. Furthermore, we identified several other BIPPO analogs (23, 28, 29 and 47a) with potent antimalarial activity (pIC50 > 6.0) and favorable metabolic stability in mouse liver microsomes. These compounds can serve as new tools for further optimization towards the development of potential candidates for antimalarial studies.

Tetrahydrophthalazinone Inhibitor of Phosphodiesterase with In Vitro Activity against Intracellular Trypanosomatids.

The phosphodiesterase inhibitor tetrahydrophthalazinone NPD-008 was explored by phenotypic in vitro screening, target validation, and ultrastructural approaches against Trypanosoma cruzi NPD-008 displayed activity against different forms and strains of T. cruzi (50% effective concentration [EC50], 6.6 to 39.5 µM). NPD-008 increased cAMP levels of T. cruzi and its combination with benznidazole gave synergistic interaction. It was also moderately active against intracellular amastigotes of Leishmania amazonensis and Leishmania infantum, confirming a potential activity profile as an antitrypanosomatid drug candidate.

Efficacy of Novel Pyrazolone Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors in Experimental Mouse Models of Trypanosoma cruzi.

Pyrazolones are heterocyclic compounds with interesting biological properties. Some derivatives inhibit phosphodiesterases (PDEs) and thereby increase the cellular concentration of cyclic AMP (cAMP), which plays a vital role in the control of metabolism in eukaryotic cells, including the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease (CD), a major neglected tropical disease. In vitro phenotypic screening identified a 4-bromophenyl-dihydropyrazole dimer as an anti-T. cruzi hit and 17 novel pyrazolone analogues with variations on the phenyl ring were investigated in a panel of phenotypic laboratory models. Potent activity against the intracellular forms (Tulahuen and Y strains) was obtained with 50% effective concentration (EC50) values within the 0.17 to 3.3 µM range. Although most were not active against bloodstream trypomastigotes, an altered morphology and loss of infectivity were observed. Pretreatment of the mammalian host cells with pyrazolones did not interfere with infection and proliferation, showing that the drug activity was not the result of changes to host cell metabolism. The pyrazolone NPD-227 increased the intracellular cAMP levels and was able to sterilize T. cruzi-infected cell cultures. Thus, due to its high potency and selectivity in vitro, and its additive interaction with benznidazole (Bz), NPD-227 was next assessed in the acute mouse model. Oral dosing for 5 days of NPD-227 at 10 mg/kg + Bz at 10 mg/kg not only reduced parasitemia (>87%) but also protected against mortality (>83% survival), hence demonstrating superiority to the monotherapy schemes. These data support these pyrazolone molecules as potential novel therapeutic alternatives for Chagas disease.

Evaluation of phthalazinone phosphodiesterase inhibitors with improved activity and selectivity against Trypanosoma cruzi.

BACKGROUND: Chagas' disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, needs urgent alternative therapeutic options as the treatments currently available display severe limitations, mainly related to efficacy and toxicity. OBJECTIVES: As phosphodiesterases (PDEs) have been claimed as novel targets against T. cruzi, our aim was to evaluate the biological aspects of 12 new phthalazinone PDE inhibitors against different T. cruzi strains and parasite forms relevant for human infection. METHODS: In vitro trypanocidal activity of the inhibitors was assessed alone and in combination with benznidazole. Their effects on parasite ultrastructural and cAMP levels were determined. PDE mRNA levels from the different T. cruzi forms were measured by quantitative reverse transcription PCR. RESULTS: Five TcrPDEs were found to be expressed in all parasite stages. Four compounds displayed strong effects against intracellular amastigotes. Against bloodstream trypomastigotes (BTs), three were at least as potent as benznidazole. In vitro combination therapy with one of the most active inhibitors on both parasite forms (NPD-040) plus benznidazole demonstrated a quite synergistic profile (xΣ FICI = 0.58) against intracellular amastigotes but no interaction (xΣ FICI = 1.27) when BTs were assayed. BTs treated with NPD-040 presented disrupted Golgi apparatus, a swollen flagellar pocket and signs of autophagy. cAMP measurements of untreated parasites showed that amastigotes have higher ability to efflux this second messenger than BTs. NPD-001 and NPD-040 increase the intracellular cAMP content in both BTs and amastigotes, which is also released into the extracellular milieu. CONCLUSIONS: The findings demonstrate the potential of PDE inhibitors as anti-T. cruzi drug candidates.

Structure-activity relationship of 4-azaindole-2-piperidine derivatives as agents against Trypanosoma cruzi.

The structure-activity relationship of a 4-Azaindole-2-piperidine compound selected from GlaxoSmithKline's recently disclosed open-resource "Chagas box" and possessing moderate activity against Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite responsible for Chagas disease, is presented. Despite considerable medicinal chemistry efforts, a suitably potent and metabolically stable compound could not be identified to advance the series into in vivo studies. This research should be of interest to those in the area of neglected diseases and in particular anti-kinetoplastid drug discovery.

Deciphering the enzymatic target of a new family of antischistosomal agents bearing a quinazoline scaffold using complementary computational tools.

A previous phenotypic screening campaign led to the identification of a quinazoline derivative with promising in vitro activity against Schistosoma mansoni. Follow-up studies of the antischistosomal potential of this candidate are presented here. The in vivo studies in a S. mansoni mouse model show a significant reduction of total worms and a complete disappearance of immature eggs when administered concomitantly with praziquantel in comparison with the administration of praziquantel alone. This fact is of utmost importance because eggs are responsible for the pathology and transmission of the disease. Subsequently, the chemical optimisation of the structure in order to improve the metabolic stability of the parent compound was carried out leading to derivatives with improved drug-like properties. Additionally, the putative target of this new class of antischistosomal compounds was envisaged by using computational tools and the binding mode to the target enzyme, aldose reductase, was proposed.

Bioactive Metabolites of Marine Origin Have Unusual Effects on Model Membrane Systems.

Marine sponges and soft corals have yielded novel compounds with antineoplastic and antimicrobial activities. Their mechanisms of action are poorly understood, and in most cases, little relevant experimental evidence is available on this topic. In the present study, we investigated whether agelasine D (compound 1) and three agelasine analogs (compound 2-4) as well as malonganenone J (compound 5), affect the physical properties of a simple lipid model system, consisting of dioleoylphospahtidylcholine and dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine. The data indicated that all the tested compounds increased stored curvature elastic stress, and therefore, tend to deform the bilayer which occurs without a reduction in the packing stress of the hexagonal phase. Furthermore, lower concentrations (1%) appear to have a more pronounced effect than higher ones (5-10%). For compounds 4 and 5, this effect is also reflected in phospholipid headgroup mobility assessed using 31P chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) values of the lamellar phases. Among the compounds tested, compound 4 stands out with respect to its effects on the membrane model systems, which matches its efficacy against a broad spectrum of pathogens. Future work that aims to increase the pharmacological usefulness of these compounds could benefit from taking into account the compound effects on the fluid lamellar phase at low concentrations.

A Novel Series of [1,2,4]Triazolo[4,3-a]Pyridine Sulfonamides as Potential Antimalarial Agents: In Silico Studies, Synthesis and In Vitro Evaluation.

For the development of new and potent antimalarial drugs, we designed the virtual library with three points of randomization of novel [1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridines bearing a sulfonamide fragment. The library of 1561 compounds has been investigated by both virtual screening and molecular docking methods using falcipain-2 as a target enzyme. 25 chosen hits were synthesized and evaluated for their antimalarial activity in vitro against Plasmodium falciparum. 3-Ethyl-N-(3-fluorobenzyl)-N-(4-methoxyphenyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridine-6-sulfonamide and 2-(3-chlorobenzyl)-8-(piperidin-1-ylsulfonyl)-[1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyridin-3(2H)-one showed in vitro good antimalarial activity with inhibitory concentration IC50 = 2.24 and 4.98 µM, respectively. This new series of compounds may serve as a starting point for future antimalarial drug discovery programs.

Repurposing Auranofin and Evaluation of a New Gold(I) Compound for the Search of Treatment of Human and Cattle Parasitic Diseases: From Protozoa to Helminth Infections.

Neglected parasitic diseases remain a major public health issue worldwide, especially in tropical and subtropical areas. Human parasite diversity is very large, ranging from protozoa to worms. In most cases, more effective and new drugs are urgently needed. Previous studies indicated that the gold(I) drug auranofin (Ridaura®) is effective against several parasites. Among new gold(I) complexes, the phosphole-containing gold(I) complex {1-phenyl-2,5-di(2-pyridyl)phosphole}AuCl (abbreviated as GoPI) is an irreversible inhibitor of both purified human glutathione and thioredoxin reductases. GoPI-sugar is a novel 1-thio-ß-d-glucopyranose 2,3,4,6-tetraacetato-S-derivative that is a chimera of the structures of GoPI and auranofin, designed to improve stability and bioavailability of GoPI. These metal-ligand complexes are of particular interest because of their combined abilities to irreversibly target the essential dithiol/selenol catalytic pair of selenium-dependent thioredoxin reductase activity, and to kill cells from breast and brain tumors. In this work, screening of various parasites-protozoans, trematodes, and nematodes-was undertaken to determine the in vitro killing activity of GoPI-sugar compared to auranofin. GoPI-sugar was found to efficiently kill intramacrophagic Leishmania donovani amastigotes and adult filarial and trematode worms.

Preparation and Characterization of Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for Improved Topical Drug Delivery: Evaluation in Cutaneous Leishmaniasis and Vaginal Candidiasis Animal Models.

The present study aimed to develop, characterize and evaluate the amphotericin B-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers (AmB-NLCs) for topical treatment of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) and vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). AmB-NLCs were characterized for particle size, zeta potential, encapsulation efficiency and surface morphology. Prepared NLCs were also characterized for in vitro drug release, ex vivo skin permeation and deposition before evaluating their in vitro and in vivo efficacy. Cytotoxicity of NLCs was assessed on MRC-5 cells, whereas skin irritation potential was evaluated in vivo using rats. Significant accumulation of drug in to the skin supported the topical application potential of drug-loaded NLCs. Encapsulation of AmB in NLCs resulted in enhanced in vitro potency against promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes of L. major JISH 118 (IC50 ± SEM = 0.02 ± 0.1 µM for both) compared with free drug (IC50 ± SEM = 0.15 ± 0.2 & 0.14 ± 0.0, respectively). Similar improved potency of AmB-NLCs was also observed for other Leishmania and fungal strains compared with drug solution. Topical application of AmB-NLCs on L. major-infected BALB/c mice caused a significant reduction in parasite burden per mg of lesion (65 × 108 ± 13) compared with the control group (> 167.8 × 108 ± 11). Topical AmB-NLCs gel demonstrated superior efficacy in the vaginal C. albicans rat model for VVC as compared with plain AmB gel. Moreover, results of in vitro cytotoxicity assay and in vivo skin irritation test confirmed AmB-NLCs to be non-toxic and safe for topical use. In conclusion, NLCs may have promising potential as carrier for topical treatment of various conditions of skin and mucosa.

Correction to: Preparation and Characterization of Nanostructured Lipid Carriers for Improved Topical Drug Delivery: Evaluation in Cutaneous Leishmaniasis and Vaginal Candidiasis Animal Models.

In the published manuscript, co-author Sarah Hendrickx name was misspelled and co-author Guy Caljon's last and first names were inadvertently switched.

Imidazole Derivatives as Promising Agents for the Treatment of Chagas Disease.

More than 100 years after being first described, Chagas disease remains endemic in 21 Latin American countries and has spread to other continents. Indeed, this disease, which is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is no longer just a problem for the American continents but has become a global health threat. Current therapies, i.e., nifurtimox and benznidazole (Bz), are far from being adequate, due to their undesirable effects and their lack of efficacy in the chronic phases of the disease. In this work, we present an in-depth phenotypic evaluation in T. cruzi of a new class of imidazole compounds, which were discovered in a previous phenotypic screen against different trypanosomatids and were designed as potential inhibitors of cAMP phosphodiesterases (PDEs). The confirmation of several activities similar or superior to that of Bz prompted a synthesis program of hit optimization and extended structure-activity relationship aimed at improving drug-like properties such as aqueous solubility, which resulted in additional hits with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values similar to that of Bz. The cellular effects of one representative hit, compound 9, on bloodstream trypomastigotes were further investigated. Transmission electron microscopy revealed cellular changes, after just 2 h of incubation with the IC50 concentration, that were consistent with induced autophagy and osmotic stress, mechanisms previously linked to cAMP signaling. Compound 9 induced highly significant increases in both cellular and medium cAMP levels, confirming that inhibition of T. cruzi PDE(s) is part of its mechanism of action. The potent and selective activity of this imidazole-based PDE inhibitor class against T. cruzi constitutes a successful repurposing of research into inhibitors of mammalian PDEs.

Miltefosine enhances the fitness of a non-virulent drug-resistant Leishmania infantum strain.

Objectives: Miltefosine is currently the only oral drug for visceral leishmaniasis, and although deficiency in an aminophospholipid/miltefosine transporter (MT) is sufficient to elicit drug resistance, very few naturally miltefosine-resistant (MIL-R) strains have yet been isolated. This study aimed to make a detailed analysis of the impact of acquired miltefosine resistance and miltefosine treatment on in vivo infection. Methods: Bioluminescent versions of a MIL-R strain and its syngeneic parental line were generated by integration of the red-shifted firefly luciferase PpyRE9. The fitness of both lines was compared in vitro (growth rate, metacyclogenesis and macrophage infectivity) and in BALB/c mice through non-invasive bioluminescence imaging under conditions with and without drug pressure. Results: This study demonstrated a severe fitness loss of MT-deficient parasites, resulting in a complete inability to multiply and cause a typical visceral leishmaniasis infection pattern in BALB/c mice. The observed fitness loss could not be rescued by host immune suppression with cyclophosphamide, whereas episomal reconstitution with a wild-type MT restored parasite virulence, hence linking parasite fitness to MT mutation. Remarkably, in vivo miltefosine treatment or in vitro miltefosine pre-exposure significantly rescued MIL-R parasite virulence. The in vitro pre-exposed MIL-R promastigotes showed a longer and more slender morphology, suggesting an altered membrane composition. Conclusions: The profound fitness loss of MT-deficient parasites most likely explains the low frequency of MIL-R clinical isolates. The observation that miltefosine can reverse this phenotype indicates a drug dependency of the MT-deficient parasites and emphasizes the importance of resistance profiling prior to miltefosine administration.

Double prodrugs of a fosmidomycin surrogate as antimalarial and antitubercular agents.

A series of eleven double prodrug derivatives of a fosmidomycin surrogate were synthesized and investigated for their ability to inhibit in vitro growth of P. falciparum and M. tuberculosis. A pivaloyloxymethyl (POM) phosphonate prodrug modification was combined with various prodrug derivatisations of the hydroxamate moiety. The majority of compounds showed activity comparable with or inferior to fosmidomycin against P. falciparum. N-benzyl substituted carbamate prodrug 6f was the most active antimalarial analog with an IC50 value of 0.64 µM. Contrary to fosmidomycin and parent POM-prodrug 5, 2-nitrofuran and 2-nitrothiophene prodrugs 6i and 6j displayed promising antitubercular activities.

Amino acid based prodrugs of a fosmidomycin surrogate as antimalarial and antitubercular agents.

Fosmidomycin is a natural antibiotic with promising IspC (DXR, 1-deoxy-d-xylulose-5-phosphate reductoisomerase) inhibitory activity. This enzyme catalyzes the first committed step of the non-mevalonate isoprenoid biosynthesis pathway, which is essential in Plasmodium falciparum and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Mainly as a result of its high polarity, fosmidomycin displays suboptimal pharmacokinetic properties. Furthermore, fosmidomycin is inactive against M. tuberculosis as a result of its inability to penetrate the bacterial cell wall. Temporarily masking the phosphonate moiety as a prodrug has the potential to solve both issues. We report the application of two amino acid based prodrug approaches on a fosmidomycin surrogate. Conversion of the phosphonate moiety into tyrosine-derived esters increases the in vitro activity against asexual blood stages of P. falciparum, while phosphonodiamidate prodrugs display promising antitubercular activities. Selected prodrugs were tested in vivo in a P. berghei malaria mouse model. These results indicate good in vivo antiplasmodial potential.

Synthesis and antimicrobial activities of N6-hydroxyagelasine analogs and revision of the structure of ageloximes.

(+)-N6-Hydroxyagelasine D, the enantiomer of the proposed structure of (-)-ageloxime D, as well as N6-hydroxyagelasine analogs were synthesized by selective N-7 alkylation of N6-[tert-butyl(dimethyl)silyloxy]-9-methyl-9H-purin-6-amine in order to install the terpenoid side chain, followed by fluoride mediated removal of the TBDMS-protecting group. N6-Hydroxyagelasine D and the analog carrying a geranylgeranyl side chain displayed profound antimicrobial activities against several pathogenic bacteria and protozoa and inhibited bacterial biofilm formation. However these compounds were also toxic towards mammalian fibroblast cells (MRC-5). The spectral data of N6-hydroxyagelasine D did not match those reported for ageloxime D before. Hence, a revised structure of ageloxime D was proposed. Basic hydrolysis of agelasine D gave (+)-N-[4-amino-6-(methylamino)pyrimidin-5-yl]-N-copalylformamide, a compound with spectral data in full agreement with those reported for (-)-ageloxime D.

Alkynamide phthalazinones as a new class of TbrPDEB1 inhibitors (Part 2).

Inhibitors against Trypanosoma brucei phosphodiesterase B1 (TbrPDEB1) and B2 (TbrPDEB2) have gained interest as new treatments for human African trypanosomiasis. The recently reported alkynamide tetrahydrophthalazinones, which show submicromolar activities against TbrPDEB1 and anti-T. brucei activity, have been used as starting point for the discovery of new TbrPDEB1 inhibitors. Structure-based design indicated that the alkynamide-nitrogen atom can be readily decorated, leading to the discovery of 37, a potent TbrPDEB1 inhibitor with submicromolar activities against T. brucei parasites. Furthermore, 37 is more potent against TbrPDEB1 than hPDE4 and shows no cytotoxicity on human MRC-5 cells. The crystal structures of the catalytic domain of TbrPDEB1 co-crystalized with several different alkynamides show a bidentate interaction with key-residue Gln874, but no interaction with the parasite-specific P-pocket, despite being (uniquely) a more potent inhibitor for the parasite PDE. Incubation of blood stream form trypanosomes by 37 increases intracellular cAMP levels and results in the distortion of the cell cycle and cell death, validating phosphodiesterase inhibition as mode of action.