RESUMO
Current treatments for Chagas disease have a limited impact during the chronic stage and trigger severe side effects. Treatments target Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of the disease. The aims of this study were to evaluate the trypanocidal activity of four 2-phenylbenzothiazole derivatives (BZT1-4) in vitro by using the infectious and non-infectious forms of T. cruzi (trypomastigotes and epimastigotes, respectively) and to test the most promising compound (BZT4) in vivo in mice. Additionally, the toxicological profile and possible neuronal damage were examined. In relation to trypomastigotes, BZT4 was more selective and effective than the reference drug (benznidazole) during this infective stage, apparently due to the synergistic action of the CF3 and COOH substituents in the molecule. During the first few hours post-administration of BZT4, parasitemia decreased by 40% in an in vivo model of short-term treatment, but parasite levels later returned to the basal state. In the long-term assessment, the compound did not produce a significant antiparasitic effect, only attaining a 30% reduction in parasitemia by day 20 with the dose of 16 mg/kg. The toxicity test was based on repeated dosing of BZT4 (administered orally) during 21 days, which did not cause liver damage. However, the compound altered the concentration of proteins and the proteinic profile of neuronal cells in vitro, perhaps leading to an effect on the central nervous system. Further research on the low trypanocidal activity in vivo compared to the better in vitro effect could possibly facilitate molecular redesign to improve trypanocidal activity.
Assuntos
Doença de Chagas , Nitroimidazóis , Tiazóis , Tripanossomicidas , Trypanosoma cruzi , Animais , Doença de Chagas/tratamento farmacológico , Camundongos , Nitroimidazóis/uso terapêutico , Nitroimidazóis/toxicidade , Tiazóis/uso terapêutico , Tiazóis/toxicidade , Testes de Toxicidade , Tripanossomicidas/uso terapêutico , Tripanossomicidas/toxicidade , Trypanosoma cruzi/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
The nitro-heterocyclic compound benznidazole (BZ) is the first-line drug for the treatment of Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi. However, therapeutic failures are common for reasons that include the influences of parasite and host genetics, the effects of toxicity on adherence to treatment, and difficulties in demonstrating parasitological cure. To obtain information on the origin of the resistance to BZ and eliminate from the scenery the participation of the host, initially we mapped the susceptibility to the drug in thirteen species of seven genera of the family Trypanosomatidae. We verified that all Trypanosoma species are sensitive to low concentrations of the drug (IC50 2.7 to 25⯵M) while Non-Trypanosoma species are highly resistant to these concentrations. The two groups of parasites correspond to the major phylogenetic lineages of trypanosomatids. Next, we searched in the trypanosomatid genome databases homologs of two type-I nitroreductases (NTR-1 and OYE) and an ABC transporter (ABCG1) that have been associated with BZ resistance in T. cruzi. The predicted proteins were characterized regarding domains and used for phylogenetic analyses. Homologous NTR-1 genes were found in all trypanosomatids investigated and the structural characteristics of the enzyme suggest that it may be functional. OYE genes were absent in BZ-sensitive African trypanosomes, which excludes the participation of this enzyme in BZ bio-activation. Two copies of ABCG1 genes were observed in most BZ resistant species, while Trypanosoma species exhibit only one copy per haploid genome. Functional studies are required to verify the involvement of these genes in BZ resistance. In addition, since multiple mechanisms can contribute to BZ susceptibility, our study poses a range of organisms highly resistant to BZ in which these aspects can be investigated. Preliminary studies on BZ uptake indicate marked differences between BZ-sensitive and BZ-resistant species.
Assuntos
Doença de Chagas/tratamento farmacológico , Resistência a Medicamentos/genética , Nitroimidazóis/uso terapêutico , Filogenia , Tripanossomicidas/uso terapêutico , Trypanosoma/efeitos dos fármacos , Trypanosoma/genética , Subfamília G de Transportadores de Cassetes de Ligação de ATP/genética , Transportadores de Cassetes de Ligação de ATP/genética , Sequência de Aminoácidos/genética , Animais , Geografia , Humanos , Proteínas de Membrana Transportadoras/genética , Nitroimidazóis/toxicidade , Nitrorredutases/genética , Tripanossomicidas/toxicidadeRESUMO
BACKGROUND: Only benznidazole (Bnz) (1) and nifurtimox (Nfx) (2) are licensed for the treatment of Chagas disease although their safety and efficacy profile are far from ideal. Farmanguinhos from Fiocruz has developed seven nitroimidazole compounds (4-10) analogs of megazol (3). OBJECTIVES: To evaluate whether the genotoxic effect of 3 was abolished in the seven nitroimidazoles (4-10) analogs using the in vitro alkaline comet assay (CA) and the in vitro cytokinesis-block micronucleus assay (CBMN) in whole human blood cells (WHBC) and correlate this effect with their trypanocidal activity using bloodstream trypomastigote forms of Trypanosoma cruzi. METHODS: The toxicity of 3-10 to WHBC in the in vitro CA was determined using the fluorescein diacetate/ethidium bromide assay. DNA damage in the in vitro CA was evaluated according to tail size in four classes (0-3) and methyl methane-sulfonate (MMS) was used as a positive control. The cytotoxicity of 3-10 to WHBC in the CBMN was measured using the cytokinesis-block proliferation index and the replication index. The number of the micronucleate cells in 2,000 binucleate cells by experimental group was determined. Mitomycin C and N-deacetyl-N-methylcolchicine were used as positive controls. FINDINGS: Compound 3 showed a significant DNA strand break effect through the in vitro CA and highly significant clastogenic and/or aneugenic effect in the CBMN. Compounds 5, 6, 8, 9 and 10 showed negative results in the CBMN and positive results in the in vitro CA, while the inverse effect was observed for 4 and 7. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: Compound 10 was the most promising to proceed with the development as a drug candidate in the treatment of Chagas disease showing absence of chromosomal cytogenetic damage and high activity against T. cruzi, about two times higher than 3 and the clinical drug 1.
Assuntos
Nitroimidazóis/toxicidade , Tripanossomicidas/toxicidade , Células Sanguíneas/efeitos dos fármacos , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Ensaio Cometa/métodos , Dano ao DNA , Humanos , Testes para Micronúcleos/métodos , Nifurtimox/química , Nifurtimox/toxicidade , Nitroimidazóis/química , Valores de Referência , Reprodutibilidade dos Testes , Tiadiazóis/química , Tiadiazóis/toxicidade , Fatores de Tempo , Tripanossomicidas/química , Trypanosoma cruzi/efeitos dos fármacosRESUMO
Previous studies reported low benznidazole (BNZ) loading in conventional emulsions due to the weak interaction of the drug with the most common oils used to produce foods or pharmaceuticals. In this study, we focused on how the type of surfactant, surfactant-to-oil ratio w/w (SOR) and oil-to-water ratio w/w (OWR) change the phase behavior of different lipid-based drug delivery systems (LBDDS) produced by emulsion phase inversion. The surfactant mixture composed of soy phosphatidylcholine and sodium oleate (1:7, w/w, hydrophilic lipophilic balance = 16) stabilized medium chain triglyceride in water. Ten formulations with the clear aspect or less turbid dispersions (five with the SOR ranging from 0.5 to 2.5 and five with the OWR from 0.06 to 0.4) were selected from the phase behavior diagram to assess structural features and drug-loading capacity. The rise in the SOR induced the formation of distinct lipid-based drug delivery systems (nanoemulsions and liquid crystal lamellar type) that were identified using rheological measurements and cross-polarized light microscopy images. Clear dispersions of small and narrow droplet-sized liquid-like nanoemulsions, Newtonian flow-type, were produced at SOR from 0.5 to 1.5 and OWR from 0.12 to 0.4, while clear liquid or gel-like liquid crystals were produced at SOR from 1.5 to 2.5. The BNZ loading was improved according to the composition and type of LBDDS produced, suggesting possible drug location among surfactant layers. The cell viability assays proved the biocompatibility for all of the prepared nanoemulsions at SOR less than 1.5 and liquid crystals at SOR less than 2.5, demonstrating their promising features for the oral or parenteral colloidal delivery systems containing benznidazole for Chagas disease treatment.
Assuntos
Materiais Biocompatíveis/química , Portadores de Fármacos/química , Nitroimidazóis/química , Animais , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Chlorocebus aethiops , Portadores de Fármacos/toxicidade , Difusão Dinâmica da Luz , Emulsões/química , Cristais Líquidos/química , Microscopia , Nanoestruturas/química , Nitroimidazóis/toxicidade , Óleos/química , Transição de Fase , Reologia , Tensoativos/química , Células Vero , Água/químicaRESUMO
Nitroimidazoles exhibit high microbicidal activity, but mutagenic, genotoxic and cytotoxic properties have been attributed to the presence of the nitro group. However, we synthesised nitroimidazoles with activity against the trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi, but that were not genotoxic. Herein, nitroimidazoles (11-19) bearing different substituent groups were investigated for their potential induction of genotoxicity (comet assay) and mutagenicity (Salmonella/Microsome assay) and the correlations of these effects with their trypanocidal effect and with megazol were investigated. The compounds were designed to analyse the role played by the position of the nitro group in the imidazole nucleus (C-4 or C-5) and the presence of oxidisable groups at N-1 as an anion receptor group and the role of a methyl group at C-2. Nitroimidazoles bearing NO2 at C-4 and CH3 at C-2 were not genotoxic compared to those bearing NO 2 at C-5. However, when there was a CH3 at C-2, the position of the NO2 group had no influence on the genotoxic activity. Fluorinated compounds exhibited higher genotoxicity regardless of the presence of CH3 at C-2 or NO2 at C-4 or C-5. However, in compounds 11 (2-CH3; 4-NO2; N-CH2OHCH2Cl) and 12 (2-CH3; 4-NO2; N-CH2OHCH2F), the fluorine atom had no influence on genotoxicity. This study contributes to the future search for new and safer prototypes and provide.
Assuntos
Animais , Camundongos , Dano ao DNA/efeitos dos fármacos , Nitroimidazóis/química , Nitroimidazóis/toxicidade , Salmonella/efeitos dos fármacos , Trypanosoma cruzi/efeitos dos fármacos , Ensaio Cometa , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Testes de Mutagenicidade , Relação Estrutura-AtividadeRESUMO
Nitroimidazoles exhibit high microbicidal activity, but mutagenic, genotoxic and cytotoxic properties have been attributed to the presence of the nitro group. However, we synthesised nitroimidazoles with activity against the trypomastigotes of Trypanosoma cruzi, but that were not genotoxic. Herein, nitroimidazoles (11-19) bearing different substituent groups were investigated for their potential induction of genotoxicity (comet assay) and mutagenicity (Salmonella/Microsome assay) and the correlations of these effects with their trypanocidal effect and with megazol were investigated. The compounds were designed to analyse the role played by the position of the nitro group in the imidazole nucleus (C-4 or C-5) and the presence of oxidisable groups at N-1 as an anion receptor group and the role of a methyl group at C-2. Nitroimidazoles bearing NO2 at C-4 and CH3 at C-2 were not genotoxic compared to those bearing NO 2 at C-5. However, when there was a CH3 at C-2, the position of the NO2 group had no influence on the genotoxic activity. Fluorinated compounds exhibited higher genotoxicity regardless of the presence of CH3 at C-2 or NO2 at C-4 or C-5. However, in compounds 11 (2-CH3; 4-NO2; N-CH2OHCH2Cl) and 12 (2-CH3; 4-NO2; N-CH2OHCH2F), the fluorine atom had no influence on genotoxicity. This study contributes to the future search for new and safer prototypes and provide.
Assuntos
Dano ao DNA/efeitos dos fármacos , Nitroimidazóis/química , Nitroimidazóis/toxicidade , Salmonella/efeitos dos fármacos , Trypanosoma cruzi/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Ensaio Cometa , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Camundongos , Testes de Mutagenicidade , Relação Estrutura-AtividadeRESUMO
The mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation system was studied in liver and heart homogenates after treatment of rats with benznidazole. The drug was given by oral gavage to adult female Wistar rats for 9 consecutive days (100 mg benznidazole/kg body weight as a daily dose). The mitochondrial state 4 and state 3 respiration rates, respiratory control, efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation (ADP/O), and ATPsynthase activity were assayed. The results showed that according to all these parameters, the mitochondria in cardiac homogenates were not affected in the rats treated with benznidazole. By contrast, mitochondria in the liver homogenates of drug-treated rats were altered, showing decreased respiratory control and a lower coefficient of ADP/O as a result of an increase in the state 4 respiration rate. These data indicate the possibility of production of an uncoupling factor leading to increased proton leakage through the inner mitochondrial membrane as a result of a 9-day treatment of rats with benzonidazole. The obtained experimental data might at least partly explain the nature of benznidazole toxicity in the liver treated with benznidazole.
Assuntos
Doença Hepática Induzida por Substâncias e Drogas/etiologia , Mitocôndrias Cardíacas/efeitos dos fármacos , Mitocôndrias Hepáticas/efeitos dos fármacos , Nitroimidazóis/toxicidade , Difosfato de Adenosina/metabolismo , Animais , Respiração Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Doença Hepática Induzida por Substâncias e Drogas/metabolismo , Doença Hepática Induzida por Substâncias e Drogas/patologia , Feminino , Potencial da Membrana Mitocondrial/efeitos dos fármacos , Mitocôndrias Cardíacas/metabolismo , Mitocôndrias Cardíacas/patologia , Mitocôndrias Hepáticas/metabolismo , Mitocôndrias Hepáticas/patologia , Membranas Mitocondriais/efeitos dos fármacos , Membranas Mitocondriais/metabolismo , ATPases Mitocondriais Próton-Translocadoras/metabolismo , Fosforilação Oxidativa/efeitos dos fármacos , Ratos WistarRESUMO
Nifurtimox (Nfx) and benznidazole (Bz) have serious toxic side effects. Manufacturers warn about significant adverse effects when simultaneous alcohol consumption is being made, but its mechanism is not known. The levels and toxicity of these drugs are linked to their liver microsomal nitroreduction to reactive metabolites. In this study, we analyzed whether alcohol drinking enhanced those nitroreductive processes. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats, 5-6 weeks old (125-150 g body weight) were used. They were fed ad libitum for 28 days with Lieber and De Carli control or alcohol regular liquid diets. The rats were separated into two dietary groups: ethanol and control group. Both were pair fed with the respective diet. Their liver microsomes were isolated and the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-dependent nitroreduction of Nfx and Bz were determined. Alcohol drinking significantly induced microsomal nitroreduction of these drugs in male rats (11% for Nfx and 41% for Bz) but not in females. The activity observed in the alcohol-induced male rats was 100% inhibited by diphenyleneiodonium and attributable to P450 reductase. Inductive effects of alcohol drinking on nitroreductive activation of both drugs might be only partially involved in the harmful interactions described.
Assuntos
Consumo de Bebidas Alcoólicas/efeitos adversos , Microssomos Hepáticos/efeitos dos fármacos , Nifurtimox/toxicidade , Nitroimidazóis/toxicidade , Nitrorredutases/metabolismo , Tripanossomicidas/toxicidade , Animais , Interações Medicamentosas , Feminino , Masculino , Microssomos Hepáticos/metabolismo , Ratos , Ratos Sprague-DawleyRESUMO
Chagas disease is still an important health problem in Central and South America. However, the only drugs currently available for specific treatment of this disease may induce toxic side effects in the host. The aim of this work was to determine the activity of N-benzenesulfonylbenzotriazole (BSBZT) against the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. The effects of BSBZT and benzotriazole (BZT) were compared to those of benznidazole (BZL) on epimastigote and trypomastigote forms. BSBZT was found to have an in vitro growth inhibitory dose-dependent activity against epimastigotes, with flow cytometry analysis confirming that the treated parasites presented size reduction. BSBZT showed an IC(50) of 21.56 µg/mL (81.07 µM) against epimastigotes at 72 h of incubation, whereas BZT did not affect the growth of this parasite form. Furthermore, the toxic effect of BSBZT, was stronger and appeared earlier (at 24h) in trypomastigotes than in epimastigotes, with the LC(50) of this compound being 28.40 µg/mL (106.79 µM) against trypomastigotes. The concentrations of BSBZT used in this study presented low hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity. Consequently, at concentrations near IC(50) and LC(50) (25µg/mL), BSBZT caused only 2.4% hemolysis and 15% of RAW 264.7 cell cytotoxicity. These results reveal the potential of BSBZT as a prototype in drug design for developing new anti-T. cruzi compounds.
Assuntos
Nitroimidazóis/farmacologia , Sulfonamidas/farmacologia , Triazóis/farmacologia , Tripanossomicidas/farmacologia , Trypanosoma cruzi/efeitos dos fármacos , Animais , Linhagem Celular , Sobrevivência Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Doença de Chagas/parasitologia , Eritrócitos/efeitos dos fármacos , Humanos , Concentração Inibidora 50 , Macrófagos/efeitos dos fármacos , Camundongos , Camundongos Endogâmicos BALB C , Nitroimidazóis/toxicidade , Sulfonamidas/toxicidade , Triazóis/toxicidade , Tripanossomicidas/toxicidade , Trypanosoma cruzi/crescimento & desenvolvimentoRESUMO
Nitroimidazole derivatives exhibited genotoxic effect in different experimental conditions. This study focuses on an evaluation of possible genomic targets, at a chromosomal level, of two 5-nitroimidazoles (ornidazole and metronidazole) using the in vitro human peripheral blood culture as experimental system. We observed that both derivatives showed a decrease in mitotic index (MI) (P < 0.001), an increase in sister chromatid exchanges (SCE) frequency (P < 0.001) and no modifications in cellular proliferation kinetics (CPK). As a null hypothesis we considered the assumption that larger chromosomes should harbor more SCE, which was viewed using a novel sequential G-band (400 band resolution)/SCE technique. The analysis showed highly significant chi square values (P < 0.001), indicating that SCE frequency per chromosome is not proportional to chromosome length. SCE could be considered an instability indicator due to the high correlation between SCEs in certain chromosomal bands and the exposure to nitroimidazole derivatives.