Antimalarial activity evaluation of new compounds using Plasmodium knowlesi and P. falciparum in vitro

• Grant number: 21/14319-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: February 01, 2022
• End date: December 31, 2023
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Parasitology - Protozoology of Parasites
• Principal Investigator: Roberto Rudge de Moraes Barros
• Grantee: Giovanna Abreu Holanda Guerra
• Host Institution: Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São Paulo. São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 18/06219-8 - Use of Plasmodium knowlesi as a model for malaria research in vitro, AP.JP

Abstract

Malaria is responsible for more than 200 million cases and 400,000 deaths worldwide yearly. Five species of Plasmodium cause human infections: Plasmodium falciparum, P. vivax, P. ovale, P. malariae and P. knowlesi. The development of new antimalarial drugs is mandatory, as the parasites constantly develop drug resistance mechanisms and the action of compounds may vary between species. This project aims to test and compare the anti-malarial activity of several compounds, using the two species of Plasmodium that can be cultivated continuously in vitro - P. falciparum and P. knowlesi.In this project we will test compounds previously used by other groups that study drug activities against protozoan parasites. We will use 27 deacetylase inhibitors with reported activity against trypanosomatids, previously tested by the group led by Dr. Nilmar Moretti (EPM-UNIFESP). We will also test compounds developed by the group of Prof. Rafael Guido (USP Institute of Physics - São Carlos), previously tested in vitro against P. falciparum and ex vivo against P. vivax, by the group of Dr. Anna Caroline Aguiar (UNIFESP - Campus Baixada Santista). These compounds belong to different chemical classes, including hydrazinobenzimidazole, brussonol derivatives, among others. This collaboration will not only allow the identification of compounds with therapeutic potential but may also provide important information about the targets of new compounds and about biological differences between the species that cause human malaria.(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)

BARBOSA, CAMILA S.; AHMAD, ANEES; MALUF, SARAH EL CHAMY; MOURA, IGOR M. R.; SOUZA, GUILHERME E.; GUERRA, GIOVANNA A. H.; BARROS, ROBERTO R. MORAES; GAZARINI, MARCOS L.; AGUIAR, ANNA C. C.; BURTOLOSO, ANTONIO C. B.; et al. Synthesis, Structure-Activity Relationships, and Parasitological Profiling of Brussonol Derivatives as New Plasmodium falciparum Inhibitors. PHARMACEUTICALS, v. 15, n. 7, p. 21-pg., 2022-07-01. (13/07600-3, 21/03977-1, 20/14429-2, 19/17721-9, 19/19708-0, 20/12904-5, 18/06219-8, 15/20084-0, 18/07287-7, 13/18009-4, 21/14319-5)