Trypanosoma cruzi: analysis of two different strains after piplartine treatment

Author(s)

Gabriela Alves Licursi Vieira ^[1] ; Marco Túlio Alves da Silva ^[2] ; Luis Octávio Regasini ^[3] ; Fernando Cotinguiba ; Helen Julie Laure ^[5] ; José César Rosa ^[6] ; Maysa Furlan ^[7] ; Regina Maria Barretto Cicarelli ^[8]

Affiliation

^[1] Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP. Instituto de Química - Brasil

^[2] Universidade de São Paulo. Instituto de Física de São Carlos - Brasil

^[3] Universidade Estadual Paulista. Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas - Brasil

^[5] Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto. Centro de Química de Proteínas - Brasil

^[6] Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto. Centro de Química de Proteínas - Brasil

^[7] Universidade Estadual Paulista - UNESP. Instituto de Química - Brasil

^[8] Universidade Estadual Paulista. Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas - Brasil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Brazilian Journal of Infectious Diseases; v. 22, n. 3, p. 208-218, 2018-06-00.

Abstract

ABSTRACT The hemoflagellate protozoan, Trypanosoma cruzi, mainly transmitted by triatomine insects through blood transfusion or from mother-to-child, causes Chagas' disease. This is a serious parasitic disease that occurs in Latin America, with considerable social and economic impact. Nifurtimox and benznidazole, drugs indicated for treating infected persons, are effective in the acute phase, but poorly effective during the chronic phase. Therefore, it is extremely urgent to find innovative chemotherapeutic agents and/or effective vaccines. Since piplartine has several biological activities, including trypanocidal activity, the present study aimed to evaluate it on two T. cruzi strains proteome. Considerable changes in the expression of some important enzymes involved in parasite protection against oxidative stress, such as tryparedoxin peroxidase (TXNPx) and methionine sulfoxide reductase (MSR) was observed in both strains. These findings suggest that blocking the expression of the two enzymes could be potential targets for therapeutic studies. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 07/02076-3 - Tripanocidal activity evaluation of crude extract and fractions of Piperaceae plants
• Grantee: Regina Maria Barretto Cicarelli
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 11/24017-4 - Study of selenium metabolism in primitive eukaryotes
• Grantee: Marco Túlio Alves da Silva
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral