Effect of the curcumin and of the interaction between curcumin and praziquantel on oxidative stress in the Schistosoma mansoni adult worms

• Grant number: 14/26116-8
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master
• Start date: March 01, 2015
• End date: February 28, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Helminthology of Parasites
• Agreement: Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES)
• Principal Investigator: Lizandra Guidi Magalhães
• Grantee: Daniela de Paula Aguiar
• Host Institution: Pró-Reitoria Adjunta de Pesquisa e Pós-Graduação. Universidade de Franca (UNIFRAN). Franca , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Schistosomiasis remains a serious public health problem in many developing countries. Reports demonstrate the emergence of resistant strains of Schistosoma mansoni the praziquantel (PZQ), drug for treatment of schistosomiasis. Induction of apoptosis in parasites to develop drugs is a possibility that has been explored in many unicellular pathogen, but rather against helminths. Have recently been identified in S. japonicum and Schistosoma mansoni proteins related apoptosis pathway mediated mitochondrial damage (intrinsic pathway) which is triggered due to oxidative stress. Previous studies have shown that curcumin, which is a substance extracted from the rhizome of curcuma longa plant has schistosomicidal activity both in vitro and in vivo, and studies with other organisms have shown that this substance generates Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) and induces apoptosis. Moreover, results of our group have shown that curcumin causes DNA fragmentation, caspase activity increased 3 and increase of apoptotic cells when subjected to the TUNEL assay (terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling). Thus, this project is intended to study the effect of curcumin, PZQ and interaction (curcumin + PZQ) in the generation of oxidative stress in adult worms of S. mansoni. Interaction (curcumin + PZQ) to determine the effective concentration initially will be evaluated. Then will assess the effect of substances on the structures of parasites. Also will be determined the antioxidant Enzymes Superoxide Dismutase (SOD), Glutathione Peroxidase (GPx) Glutathione Reductase (GR) and Glutathione S Transferase (GST), and to determine the production of superoxide anion. In order to assess whether the oxidative stress caused by curcumin, PZQ and interaction (curcumin + PZQ) is changing the biomolecules, will be evaluated lipid peroxidation, protein oxidation and changes in Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA). Thus, this project aims to understand the way in which apoptosis is triggered in S. mansoni after incubation with curcumin and also open new perspectives of possible molecular targets for drug development against schistosomiasis. (AU)

Scientific publications

(References retrieved automatically from Web of Science and SciELO through information on FAPESP grants and their corresponding numbers as mentioned in the publications by the authors)

AGUIAR, DANIELA DE PAULA; MOREIRA MOSCARDINI, MAYARA BRUNETTO; MORAIS, ENYARA REZENDE; DE PAULA, RENATO GRACIANO; FERREIRA, PEDRO MANUEL; AFONSO, ANA; BELO, SILVANA; OUCHIDA, AMANDA TOMIE; CURTI, CARLOS; CUNHA, WILSON ROBERTO; et al. Curcumin Generates Oxidative Stress and Induces Apoptosis in Adult Schistosoma mansoni Worms. PLoS One, v. 11, n. 11, NOV 22 2016. (14/26116-8, 12/22041-8, 13/11164-4)