Exploiting the coenzyme A biosynthesis pathway for the identification of new antimalarial agents: the case for pantothenamides.
Biochem Soc Trans
; 42(4): 1087-93, 2014 Aug.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-25110007
ABSTRACT
Malaria kills more than half a million people each year. There is no vaccine, and recent reports suggest that resistance is developing to the antimalarial regimes currently recommended by the World Health Organization. New drugs are therefore needed to ensure malaria treatment options continue to be available. The intra-erythrocytic stage of the malaria parasite's life cycle is dependent on an extracellular supply of pantothenate (vitamin B5), the precursor of CoA (coenzyme A). It has been known for many years that proliferation of the parasite during this stage of its life cycle can be inhibited with pantothenate analogues. We have shown recently that pantothenamides, a class of pantothenate analogues with antibacterial activity, inhibit parasite proliferation at submicromolar concentrations and do so competitively with pantothenate. These compounds, however, are degraded, and therefore rendered inactive, by the enzyme pantetheinase (vanin), which is present in serum. In the present mini-review, we discuss the two strategies that have been put forward to overcome pantetheinase-mediated degradation of pantothenamides. The strategies effectively provide an opportunity for pantothenamides to be tested in vivo. We also put forward our 'blueprint' for the further development of pantothenamides (and other pantothenate analogues) as potential antimalarials.
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Antimaláricos
Tipo de estudo:
Diagnostic_studies
Limite:
Animals
/
Humans
Idioma:
En
Ano de publicação:
2014
Tipo de documento:
Article