15 research outputs found
Búsqueda y optimización de potenciales alternativas terapéuticas para el tratamiento de la enfermedad de chagas
La enfermedad de Chagas, causada por Trypanosoma cruzi, es una parasitosis endémica en 21 países de América Latina, donde se transmite por las heces contaminadas de triatominos, provoca más de 7.000 muertes anuales y cerca de 25 millones de personas están en riesgo de contraer la infección. Clasificada por la OMS como una de las 17 enfermedades tropicales desatendidas, principalmente se extiende entre la población más desfavorecida de las zonas rurales. Sin embargo, vías de trasmisión alternativas como la transfusional o la congénita, y los movimientos migratorios, han hecho de ella una enfermedad emergente en países como EE.UU, Australia o España, afectando a más de 7 millones de personas en el mundo. La fase aguda aparece una semana tras la infección y posee baja mortalidad (<10%), asociada a fallo cardíaco y/o meningoencefalitis. En la mayoría de los casos es asintomática u oligosintomática y se resuelve espontáneamente. Tras 12 meses, la respuesta inmune controla parcialmente la infección y aunque no la erradica, el 6070% de los pacientes nunca la manifiesta (fase indeterminada). El 3040% restante entra en fase crónica durante los 1030 años posteriores, con afectación cardíaca y/o digestiva (megaesófago y megacolon). Después de más de un siglo desde su descubrimiento, no se dispone de fármacos adecuados para su tratamiento, basado en dos nitroderivados introducidos hace más de 40 años: benznidazol (BZ) y nifurtimox, recomendados para tratar los casos agudos y crónicos recientes, pero con actividad limitada en la fase crónica avanzada. Su controvertida eficacia, elevada toxicidad y la aparición de cepas de T. cruzi resistentes, afecta al éxito de estas terapias..
Imidazole derivatives as promising agents for the treatment of Chagas disease
More than 100 years later after being firstly described, Chagas disease remains endemic in 21 Latin American countries and has spread to other continents. Indeed, this disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is no longer just a problem for the American continent but has become a global health threat. Current therapies, nifurtimox and benznidazole (Bz), are far from being adequate due to undesirable effects and their lack of efficacy in the chronic phases of the disease. In this work, we present an in-depth phenotypical evaluation in T.cruzi of a new class of imidazole compounds, discovered in a previous phenotypic screening against different trypanosomatids and designed as potential inhibitors of cAMP phosphodiesterases (PDEs). The confirmation of several activities similar or superior to Bz prompted a synthesis program of hit optimization and extended SAR, aimed at improving drug-like properties such as aqueous solubility, resulting in additional hits with IC50 similar to Bz. The cellular effects of one representative hit, compound 9, on bloodstream trypomastigotes were further investigated. Transmission electron microscopy revealed cellular changes, after just 2 h of incubation with the IC50 concentration, that were consistent with induced autophagy and osmotic stress - mechanisms previously linked to cAMP signaling. Compound 9 induced highly significant increases in both cellular and medium cAMP, confirming that inhibition of T.cruzi PDE(s) is part of its mechanism of action. The potent and selective activity of this imidazole-based PDE inhibitor class against T.cruzi constitutes a successful repurposing of research into inhibitors of mammalian PDEs
Promising hit compounds against resistant trichomoniasis: Synthesis and antiparasitic activity of 3-(ω-aminoalkoxy)-1-benzyl-5-nitroindazoles
A series of 11 3-(ω-aminoalkoxy)-1-benzyl-5-nitroindazoles (2–12) has been prepared starting from 1-benzyl-5-nitroindazol-3-ol 13, and evaluated against sensitive and resistant isolates of the sexually transmitted protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis. Compounds 2, 3, 6, 9, 10 and 11 showed trichomonacidal profiles with IC50 < 20 µM against the metronidazole-sensitive isolate. Moreover, all these compounds submitted to cytotoxicity assays against mammalian cells exhibited low non-specific cytotoxic effects, except compounds 3 and 9 which displayed moderate cytotoxicity (CC50 = 74.7 and 59.1 µM, respectively). Those compounds with trichomonacidal effect were also evaluated against a metronidazole-resistant culture. Special mention deserve compounds 6 and 10, which displayed better IC50 values (1.3 and 0.5 µM respectively) than that of the reference drug (IC50 MTZ = 3.0 µM). The high activity of these compounds against the resistant isolate reinforces the absence of cross-resistance with the reference drug. The remarkable trichomonacidal results against resistant T. vaginalis isolates suggest the interest of 3-(ω-aminoalkoxy)-1-benzyl-5-nitroindazoles to be considered as good prototypes to continue in the development of new drugs with enhanced trichomonacidal activity, aiming to increase the non-existent drugs to face clinical resistance efficiently for those patients in whom therapy with 5-nitroimidazoles is contraindicated
Modelos tridimensionales para el aprendizaje práctico de la Inmunología
Depto. de Microbiología y ParasitologíaFac. de FarmaciaFALSEsubmitte
B-learning en Helmintología: su aplicación al laboratorio virtual
Presentaciones animadas de esquemas morfológicos y ciclos biológico de los principales cestodos y nematodos parásitos del hombr
Promising hit compounds against resistant trichomoniasis: Synthesis and antiparasitic activity of 3-(ω-aminoalkoxy)-1-benzyl-5-nitroindazoles
A series of 11 3-(ω-aminoalkoxy)-1-benzyl-5-nitroindazoles (2–12) has been prepared starting from 1-benzyl-5-nitroindazol-3-ol 13, and evaluated against sensitive and resistant isolates of the sexually transmitted protozoan Trichomonas vaginalis. Compounds 2, 3, 6, 9, 10 and 11 showed trichomonacidal profiles with IC50 < 20 µM against the metronidazole-sensitive isolate. Moreover, all these compounds submitted to cytotoxicity assays against mammalian cells exhibited low non-specific cytotoxic effects, except compounds 3 and 9 which displayed moderate cytotoxicity (CC50 = 74.7 and 59.1 µM, respectively). Those compounds with trichomonacidal effect were also evaluated against a metronidazole-resistant culture. Special mention deserve compounds 6 and 10, which displayed better IC50 values (1.3 and 0.5 µM respectively) than that of the reference drug (IC50 MTZ = 3.0 µM). The high activity of these compounds against the resistant isolate reinforces the absence of cross-resistance with the reference drug. The remarkable trichomonacidal results against resistant T. vaginalis isolates suggest the interest of 3-(ω-aminoalkoxy)-1-benzyl-5-nitroindazoles to be considered as good prototypes to continue in the development of new drugs with enhanced trichomonacidal activity, aiming to increase the non-existent drugs to face clinical resistance efficiently for those patients in whom therapy with 5-nitroimidazoles is contraindicated.Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y UniversidadesDepto. de Microbiología y ParasitologíaFac. de FarmaciaTRUEpubAPC financiada por la UC
Thio- and selenosemicarbazones as antiprotozoal agents against Trypanosoma cruzi and Trichomonas vaginalis
Herein, we report the preparation of a panel of Schiff bases analogues as antiprotozoal agents by modification of the stereoelectronic effects of the substituents on N-1 and N-4 and the nature of the chalcogen atom (S, Se). These compounds were evaluated towards Trypanosoma cruzi and Trichomonas vaginalis. Thiosemicarbazide 31 showed the best trypanocidal profile (epimastigotes), similar to benznidazole (BZ): IC50 (31)=28.72 μM (CL-B5 strain) and 33.65 μM (Y strain), IC50 (BZ)=25.31 μM (CL-B5) and 22.73 μM (Y); it lacked toxicity over mammalian cells (CC50 > 256 µM). Thiosemicarbazones 49, 51 and 63 showed remarkable trichomonacidal effects (IC50 =16.39, 14.84 and 14.89 µM) and no unspecific cytotoxicity towards Vero cells (CC50 ≥ 275 µM). Selenoisosters 74 and 75 presented a slightly enhanced activity (IC50=11.10 and 11.02 µM, respectively). Hydrogenosome membrane potential and structural changes were analysed to get more insight into the trichomonacidal mechanism.MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033,UCM Research Group 911120Mexican CONACYTJunta de Andalucia (FQM-134)Depto. de Microbiología y ParasitologíaTRUEpu
Adapting the laboratory practices of Parasitology to interactive on-line models as a novel formative support in the identification and diagnosis of human parasites
Este proyecto se diseñó a raíz de la situación de confinamiento por la pandemia del SARS-CoV2, vivida durante el segundo cuatrimestre del curso 2019/20, en el que se interrumpieron de forma inesperada las prácticas presenciales de la asignatura de Parasitología que se imparten a los alumnos de 2º del grado de Farmacia de la UCM. A partir de las herramientas aprendidas y la experiencia vivida por alumnos y profesores, se planteó el siguiente proyecto de innovación educativa: convertir los conocimientos y técnicas que se imparten en el laboratorio en un formato on-line más interactivo y de libre acceso a nuestros estudiantes. En otras palabras, adaptar el contenido teórico-práctico del cual se examinan todos los estudiantes, creando una herramienta mediante la cual el alumno pueda reforzar los conocimientos que adquieren in situ. De forma que, en caso de alumnos con alguna discapacidad, dificultad para interiorizar los conocimientos básicos o como simple método didáctico, puedan usar los apoyos y ejercicios creados en este proyecto para estudiar esta asignatura o reforzar las bases necesarias para cursar otras materias de Máster y Doctorado.This project was designed as a result of the confinement situation experienced during the second semester of 2019/20, in which the University was closed-down due to the SARS-CoV2 pandemic. Based on the tools learned and the experience lived by students and teachers, the following Educational Innovation Project was proposed: adapt the parasitological techniques and the identification of human parasites taught in the laboratory to the students of 2nd grade of Pharmacy into a more interactive online format. In other words, adapt the theoretical-practical content into a virtual tool through which the student may reinforce the knowledge acquired in situ. So that, in case of students with a learning disability or just as a didactic method, all students could use this tool and the online exercises created in this project to study this subject or reinforce the bases necessary to take others from certain Master's Degrees.Depto. de Microbiología y ParasitologíaFac. de FarmaciaFALSEsubmitte