16alpha-Hydroxycleroda-3,13 (14)Z-dien-15,16-olide from Polyalthia longifolia: a safe and orally active antileishmanial agent.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: New antileishmanials from natural products are urgently needed due to the emergence of drug resistance complicated by severe cytotoxic effects. 16alpha-Hydroxycleroda-3,13 (14)Z-dien-15,16-olide (Compound 1) from Polyalthia longifolia was found to be a potential antileishmanial and non-cytotoxic, as evidenced by long-term survival (>6 months) of treated animals. This prompted us to determine its target and, using molecular modelling, identify the interactions responsible for its specific antileishmanial activity. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH: In vitro activity of compound was assessed using intracellular transgenic green fluorescent protein-stably expressed Leishmania donovani parasites. In vivo activity and survival of animals post-treatment were evaluated in L. donovani-infected hamsters. Known property of clerodane diterpenes as potent human DNA topoisomerase inhibitors led us to evaluate the inhibition of recombinant L. donovani topoisomerase I using relaxation assay. Mode of cell death induced by Compound 1 was assessed by phosphotidylserine exposure post-treatment. Molecular modelling studies were conducted with DNA topoisomerase I to identify the binding interactions responsible for its activity. KEY RESULTS: Bioassay-guided fractionation led to isolation of Compound 1 as a non-cytotoxic, orally active antileishmanial. Compound 1 inhibited recombinant DNA topoisomerase I which, ultimately, induced apoptosis. Molecular docking studies indicated that five strong hydrogen-bonding interactions and hydrophobic interactions of Compound 1 with L. donovani DNA-topoisomerase are responsible for its antileishmanial activity. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: The data reveal Compound 1 is a potent and safe antileishmanial. The study further exploited the structural determinants responsible for its non-cytotoxic and potent activity, to raise the feasibility of specifically targeting the target enzyme responsible for its activity through rational drug design.

Antileishmanial activity mediated by apoptosis and structure-based target study of peganine hydrochloride dihydrate: an approach for rational drug design.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to resolve the putative pathway responsible for death induced by peganine hydrochloride dihydrate isolated from Peganum harmala seeds at cellular, structural and molecular level in Leishmania donovani, a causative agent of fatal visceral leishmaniasis. METHODS: The mode of action was assessed using various biochemical approaches including phosphatidylserine exposure, estimation of mitochondrial transmembrane potential and in situ dUTP nick end labelling staining of nicked DNA in the parasite. Molecular modelling and molecular dynamics studies were conducted with DNA topoisomerase I to identify the target of peganine hydrochloride dihydrate mediating apoptosis. Further, DNA topoisomerase I inhibition by peganine hydrochloride dihydrate was also assessed using an L. donovani topoisomerase I relaxation assay. RESULTS: Peganine hydrochloride dihydrate, besides being safe, was found to induce apoptosis in both the stages of L. donovani via loss of mitochondrial transmembrane potential. Molecular docking studies suggest that a binding interaction with DNA topoisomerase I of L. donovani (binding energy of -79 kcal/mol) forms a stable complex, indicating a possible role in apoptosis. The compound also inhibits L. donovani topoisomerase I. CONCLUSIONS: The compound induces apoptosis in L. donovani and inhibits DNA topoisomerase I.

The caspase-independent algorithm of programmed cell death in Leishmania induced by baicalein: the role of LdEndoG, LdFEN-1 and LdTatD as a DNA 'degradesome'.

In the post-genomic perspective, the quest of programmed cell death (PCD) mechanisms in kinetoplastid parasites lies in the identification and characterization of cell death executer proteins. Here, we show that baicalein (BLN), a potent topoisomerase IB inhibitor, generates an oxidative stress in the parasites leading to altered physiological and morphological parameters, which are characteristic of PCD. For the first time we elucidate that, caspase-independent activation of a novel effector molecule, endonuclease G (LdEndoG), mediates BLN-induced cell death. Functional characterization of LdEndoG identifies Flap endonuclease-1 (LdFEN-1) and LdTatD-like nuclease as other effector molecules. BLN treatment translocates LdEndoG from mitochondria to nucleus, where it forms separate complexes with LdFEN-1 and LdTatD to constitute a DNA 'degradesome' unique to these parasites. Conditional antisense knockdown of LdEndoG provides protection against PCD. This knowledge paves the path toward a better understanding of the PCD pathway in simpler systems, which could be exploited in anti-leishmanial chemotherapy.

Apoptosis is induced in leishmanial cells by a novel protein kinase inhibitor withaferin A and is facilitated by apoptotic topoisomerase I-DNA complex.

Protein kinase C (PKC) is an important constituent of the signaling pathways involved in apoptosis. We report here that like staurosporine, withaferin A is a potent inhibitor of PKC. In Leishmania donovani, the inhibition of PKC by withaferin A causes depolarization of DeltaPsim and generates ROS inside cells. Loss of DeltaPsim leads to the release of cytochrome c into the cytosol and subsequently activates caspase-like proteases and oligonucleosomal DNA cleavage. Moreover, in treated cells, oxidative DNA lesions facilitate the stabilization of topoisomerase I-mediated cleavable complexes, which also contribute to DNA fragmentation. However, withaferin A and staurosporine cannot induce cleavable complex formation in vitro with recombinant topoisomerase I nor with nuclear extracts from control cells. Taken together, our results indicate that inhibition of PKC by withaferin A is a central event for the induction of apoptosis and that the stabilization of topoisomerase I-DNA complex is necessary to amplify apoptotic process.

Camptothecin induced mitochondrial dysfunction leading to programmed cell death in unicellular hemoflagellate Leishmania donovani.

The parasites of the order kinetoplastidae including Leishmania spp. emerge from most ancient phylogenic branches of unicellular eukaryotic lineages. In their life cycle, topoisomerase I plays a significant role in carrying out vital cellular processes. Camptothecin (CPT), an inhibitor of DNA topoisomerase I, induces programmed cell death (PCD) both in the amastigotes and promastigotes form of L. donovani parasites. CPT-induced cellular dysfunction in L. donovani promastigotes is characterized by several cytoplasmic and nuclear features of apoptosis. CPT inhibits cellular respiration that results in mitochondrial hyperpolarization taking place by oligomycin-sensitive F0-F1 ATPase-like protein in leishmanial cells. During the early phase of activation, there is an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) inside cells, which causes subsequent elevation in the level of lipid peroxidation and decrease in reducing equivalents like GSH. Endogenous ROS formation and lipid peroxidation cause eventual loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Furthermore, cytochrome c is released into the cytosol in a manner independent of involvement of CED3/CPP32 group of proteases and unlike mammalian cells it is insensitive to cyclosporin A. These events are followed by activation of both CED3/CPP32 and ICE group of proteases in PCD of Leishmania. Taken together, our study indicates that different biochemical events leading to apoptosis in leishmanial cells provide information that could be exploited to develop newer potential therapeutic targets.

Characterisation of the gene encoding type II DNA topoisomerase from Leishmania donovani: a key molecular target in antileishmanial therapy.

The gene encoding type II DNA topoisomerase from the kinetoplastid hemoflagellated protozoan parasite Leishmania donovani (LdTOP2) was isolated from a genomic DNA library of this parasite. DNA sequence analysis revealed an ORF of 3711 bp encoding a putative protein of 1236 amino acids with no introns. The deduced amino acid sequence of LdTOP2 showed strong homologies to TOP2 sequences from other kinetoplastids, namely Crithidia and Trypanosoma spp. with estimated identities of 86 and 68%, respectively. LdTOP2 shares a much lower identity of 32% with its human homologue. LdTOP2 is located as a single copy on a chromosome in the 0.7 Mb region in the L.donovani genome and is expressed as a 5 kb transcript. 5'-Mapping studies indicate that the LdTOP2 gene transcript is matured post-transcriptionally with the trans-splicing of the mini-exon occurring at -639 from the predicted initiation site. Antiserum raised in rabbit against glutathione S-transferase fusion protein containing the major catalytic portion of the recombinant L.donovani topoisomerase II protein could detect a band on western blots at approximately 132 kDa, the expected size of the entire protein. Use of the same antiserum for immunolocalisation analysis led to the identification of nuclear, as well as kinetoplast, antigens for L.donovani topoisomerase II. The in vitro biochemical properties of the full-length recombinant LdTOP2 when overexpressed in E.coli were similar to the Mg(II) and ATP-dependent activity found in cell extracts of L.donovani.

Luteolin, an abundant dietary component is a potent anti-leishmanial agent that acts by inducing topoisomerase II-mediated kinetoplast DNA cleavage leading to apoptosis.

BACKGROUND: Plant-derived flavonoids, which occur abundantly in our daily dietary intake, possess antitumor, antibacterial, and free radical scavenging properties. They form active constituents of a number of herbal and traditional medicines. Several flavonoids have been shown to exert their action by interacting with DNA topoisomerases and promoting site-specific DNA cleavage. Therefore, flavonoids are potential candidates in drug design. We report here that, although the flavonoids luteolin and quercetin are potent antileishmanial agents, luteolin has great promise for acting as a lead compound in the chemotherapy of leishmaniasis, a major concern in developing countries. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) minicircle cleavage in drug-treated parasites was measured by electrophoresis of the total cellular DNA, followed by Southern hybridization using 32P labeled kDNA as a probe. Cell cycle progression and apoptosis were measured by flow cytometry using propidium iodide and fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-labeled Annexin V. RESULTS: Luteolin and quercetin inhibited the growth of Leishmania donovani promastigotes and amastigotes in vitro, inhibited DNA synthesis in promastigotes, and promoted topoisomerase-II-mediated linearization of kDNA minicircles. The IC50 values of luteolin and quercetin were 12.5 microM and 45.5 microM, respectively. These compounds arrest cell cycle progression in L. donovani promastigotes, leading to apoptosis. Luteolin has no effect on normal human T-cell blasts. Both luteolin and quercetin reduced splenic parasite burden in animal models. CONCLUSION: Luteolin and quercetin are effective antileishmanial agents. Quercetin has nonspecific effects on normal human T cells, but luteolin appears nontoxic. So, luteolin can be a strong candidate for antileishmanial drug design.

Telomere, telomerase, tumorigenesis and therapy: an overview.

The ends of chromosome in higher eukaryote are termed telomere. The DNAs present at that part of chromosome is called telomeric DNA. Telomeric DNA consists of tandemly repeated DNA sequences. The replication of the ends of chromosomes is not controlled by conventional DNA polymerases rather a special kind of enzyme is involved in this process. It is a ribonucleoprotein and known as telomerase. Cells in senescence stage face telomeric crisis that leads to loss of telomeric ends. Surveillance turns to procancer cells with increased telomerase activity which is a later consequence. Based on these facts a key diagnostic approach has been developed for detection of tumour. A novel therapy for tumour repression has been developed using telomerase inhibitors. However, these inhibitors are very much effective for solid tumour therapy and conceptually will not work on hematological malignancies.

A novel endonuclease from kinetoplastid hemoflagellated protozoan parasite Leishmania.

A nuclease activity has been purified from the nuclei-kinetoplast fraction of Leishmania. This enzyme, termed endonuclease M (Endo M), is shown by electrophoresis in a denaturing polyacrylamide gel to be associated with a single polypeptide of molecular mass 52 kDa. Physical analysis of the enzyme indicates that it has a sedimentation coefficient S20,w of 4.5S, a Stoke's radius of 32.5 A, and a native molecular mass of 53 kDa. The final Mono Q purified Endo M possesses both DNase and RNase activities. It acts as an endonuclease by introducing random single-stranded nicks into the supercoiled DNA molecules, that often leads to its linearization due to nicking at the opposite strands, and subsequent degradation of the DNA with further incubation. Single-stranded DNA is twice preferred to double-stranded DNA as substrate. Single-stranded RNA is also degraded rapidly and is competitive as a substrate with single-stranded DNA. RNA:DNA hybrids, however, are largely resistant to the Endo M digestion.

Diospyrin, a bisnaphthoquinone: a novel inhibitor of type I DNA topoisomerase of Leishmania donovani.

Diospyrin is a plant product that has significant inhibitory effect on the growth of Leishmania donovani promastigotes. This compound inhibits the catalytic activity of DNA topoisomerase I of the parasite. Like camptothecin, it induces topoisomerase I mediated DNA cleavage in vitro. Treatment of DNA with diospyrin before addition of topoisomerase I has no effect. Preincubation of topoisomerase I with diospyrin before the addition of DNA in the relaxation reaction increases this inhibition. Our results suggest that this bis-naphthoquinone compound exerts its inhibitory effect by binding with the enzyme and stabilizing the topoisomerase I-DNA "cleavable complex." Diospyrin is a specific inhibitor of the parasitic topoisomerase I. It does not inhibit type II topoisomerase of L. donovani and requires much higher concentrations to inhibit type I topoisomerase of calf thymus. The potent inhibitory effect of diospyrin on type I DNA topoisomerase from L. donovani can be exploited for rational drug design in human leishmaniasis.

Reduced expression of lipophosphoglycan (LPG) and kinetoplastid membrane protein (KMP)-11 in Leishmania donovani promastigotes in axenic culture.

The expression of surface lipophosphoglycan (LPG) and the lipophosphoglycan-associated kinetoplastid membrane protein (KMP)-11 was studied in the strain AG83 of Leishmania donovani in axenic culture. The expression of LPG and KMP-11 decreased along with parasite virulence as a function of the time of the subculture.

Chromatographic separation of DNA dependent RNA polymerases and molecular properties of RNA polymerase II from a Leishmania Spp.

Multiple forms of DNA-dependent RNA polymerases have been isolated and characterized from Leishmania strain UR6 promastigotes. RNA polymerases from this organism fail to resolve into multiple forms by conventional chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex A25, but could be separated by a modification of the method using CM-Sephadex C25. The CM-Sephadex bound enzyme is resistant to alpha-amanitin even up to a concentration of 250 micrograms/ml. The activity which flows through CM-Sephadex further resolves into two forms upon chromatography on DEAE-Sephadex A25. These forms are sensitive to alpha-amanitin to different extent. Enzyme activity in peak I is 50% inhibited by 3 micrograms/ml and in peak II by 50 micrograms/ml of the drug respectively. The enzyme in peak I has been further purified by heparin agarose and fast performance liquid chromatography (FPLC) on MonoQ. The enzyme has Stoke's radius of 70 A, a sedimentation coefficient of 17.6S and an f/fo of 1.35. Analysis of ammonium sulfate and metal ion optima of the enzyme in peak I, relative activities with Mn+2 versus Mg+2 and template specificities gave results similar to those reported for other type II RNA polymerases in eukaryotes. The MonoQ purified enzyme resolves into 16 polypeptides on denaturing polyacrylamide gel and densitometric analysis suggests that 9 major bands are present in the stoichiometry expected of RNA polymerase subunits having molecular weights: 154000; 104000; 77000; 64000; 52000; 48000; 46000; 45000 and 39000 respectively.

Dual inhibition of DNA topoisomerases of Leishmania donovani by novel indolyl quinolines.

omoindolyl)]ty of biologically active compounds contain indole and quinoline nuclei. A one step synthesis of some novel indolyl quinoline analogs e.g. 2-(2"-Dichloro-acetamidobenzyl)-3-(3'-indolyl)-quinoline [1], 2-(2"-Dichloroacetamido-5"-bromobenzyl)-3'-[3'-(5'-bromoindolyl ] -6-bromo quinoline [2], and 2-(2"-acetamido benzyl)-3-(3'-indolyl)-quinoline [3] has been developed under Friedel-Crafts acylation conditions. The compounds inhibit the relaxation and decatenation reactions catalysed by type I and type II DNA topoisomerases of Leishmania donovani. Among the three synthetic indolyl quinolines, the Br-derivative [2] is most active. The results reported here concerning the inhibition of type I and type II DNA topoisomerases indicate that the compounds act as "dual inhibitors" of the enzymes and can be exploited for rational drug design in human leishmaniasis.

DNA polymerases from a parasitic protozoa Leishmania donovani UR6: evidence of presence of a novel kind of DNA polymerase.

DNA polymerases of Leishmania donovani have been isolated and purified. The cell extract has been chromatographed on a phosphocellulose column that separated into three peaks. The activity peak 1 was further purified to homogeneity. The DNA polymerase is a 64 KDa polypeptide, resistant to N-ethylmaleimide and aphidicolin. It requires MnCl2 and a high concentration of KCl (0.5 M) for maximal activity. It has both 3' to 5' and 5' to 3' exonuclease activities that reside in the same polypeptide.

Amarogentin, a naturally occurring secoiridoid glycoside and a newly recognized inhibitor of topoisomerase I from Leishmania donovani.

A MeOH extract of Swertia chirata found to inhibit the catalytic activity of topoisomerase I of Leishmania donovani was subjected to fractionation to yield three secoiridoid glycosides: amarogentin (1), amaroswerin (2), and sweroside (3). Amarogentin is a potent inhibitor of type I DNA topoisomerase from Leishmania and exerts its effect by interaction with the enzyme, preventing binary complex formation.

Development of a genus specific primer set for detection of Leishmania parasites by polymerase chain reaction.

We have compared the sequences of a major class of kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) minicircle (pLURkE3) of Leishmania strain UR6 with other minicircle sequences from different Leishmania species. Alignment of these sequences allowed the selection of a pair of oligonucleotides suitable as primers in polymerase chain reaction (PCR) which is specific for Leishmania parasites. PCR with this genus-specific primer set is capable of detecting 1 femtogram of kDNA. These primers have been tested with kDNAs from both old world and new world Leishmania species. The results indicate that the primers may be suitable for detection of any kind of leishmaniasis.

Kinetoplast DNA minicircle binding proteins in a Leishmania Spp: interference of protein DNA interaction by berenil.

A kinetoplast DNA minicircle of a Leishmania Spp. binds to several proteins of the kinetoplast Lysates of kinetoplasts of Leishmania grown in the presence of berenil show complete disappearance of some of these protein bands, while the rest of the proteins present appear as much less intense bands in South Western blots when probed with either the conserved or variable regions of the minicircle or whole minicircle DNA. The conserved region of minicircle DNA complexed with berenil in vitro also fails to interact with the DNA binding proteins of kinetoplast of untreated cell in South Western blots. Since berenil induces dyskinetoplasty of kinetoplastidae, the results indicate that interference of protein-DNA interaction in the presence of berenil may be the primary event in making organisms dyskinetoplastic.

Application of polymerase chain reaction with specific and arbitrary primers to identification and differentiation of Leishmania parasites.

Two oligonucleotide primers Lsmc1 and Lsmv1 derived from the conserved and the variable region of a major class kinetoplast DNA (kDNA) minicircle (pLURkE3) of Leishmania strain UR6 were used for the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in order to amplify a 461-bp fragment from the kDNAs of different Leishmania species. These primers amplify the specific fragment from the kDNAs of cutaneous species only. The cutaneous species can further be distinguished by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis of the kDNAs of these organisms using arbitrarily chosen oligonucleotides. The arbitrary primers also generate polymorphic DNA fingerprints at the genomic level with different L. donovani isolates. The results indicate that the PCR and arbitrarily primed PCR (AP-PCR) may be extremely useful approaches for identifying and distinguishing Leishmania parasites.

A type 1 DNA topoisomerase from the kinetoplast hemoflagellate Leishmania donovani.

A type 1 DNA topoisomerase has been purified from the nuclei of the kinetoplast hemoflagellate Leishmania donovani using polyethylene glycol fractionation and chromatography on hydroxylapatite, phosphocellulose and phenylsepharose column. The relaxation activity is ATP independent. Mg2+ is an essential cofactor for the reaction with an optimum at 10 mM. Mg2+ can be substituted by Mn2+ at 5 mM concentration. The relaxation reaction exhibits a salt optimum at 100 mM KCl. The enzyme can not remove supercoils from positive superhelical DNAs nor can induce supercoiling of relaxed DNAs. The topoisomerase activity is associated with a polypeptide of molecular weight about 67 kDa as shown by sephacryl-S200 gel filtration and by electrophoresis on sodium dodecyl sulphate-polyacrylamide gels.

An ATP-independent catenating enzyme from the kinetoplast hemoflagellate Leishmania donovani.

An enzyme from Leishmania donovani that catenates monomeric pBR322 into huge catenanes has been isolated and characterized. The enzyme also decatenates kinetoplast DNA networks into covalently closed monomeric circles and relaxes supercoiled pBR322. The catenation, decatenation and relaxation reactions do not require ATP. The formation of topological isomers of unique linking numbers suggest that the enzyme is a type II DNA topoisomerase.