Identification of inhibitors as drug candidates against Chagas disease. 2023

Sheila Cruz Araujo, and Rafaela Molina de Angelo, and Henrique Barbosa, and Thais Alves Costa-Silva, and André Gustavo Tempone, and João Henrique Ghilardi Lago, and Kathia Maria Honorio
Center of Natural Sciences and Humanities, Federal University of ABC, São Paulo, 09210-180, Brazil.

Chagas disease, after more than a century after its discovery, is still a major public health problem. It is estimated that approximately 10 million people worldwide are infected with T. cruzi. However, the situation is more critical in Latin America and other regions where the disease is endemic. The largest number of cases occurs in Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico as more than 100 million people in these regions are located in areas with a high risk of contamination by the vector. The need for new therapeutic alternatives is urgent, as the available drugs have severe limitations such as low efficacy and high toxicity. From this scenario, in this work, we employed the virtual screening technique using cruzain and BDF2 as key biological targets for the survival of the parasite. Our objective was to identify potential inhibitors of T. cruzi trypomastigotes, which could be considered drug candidates against Chagas disease. For this, we employed different in silico methodologies and the obtained results were corroborated using in vitro biological assays. For the VS studies, a database containing synthetic compounds was simulated at the binding site of cruzain and BDF2. In addition, pharmacophoric models were constructed in the initial phases of VS, as well as other advanced analyses (molecular dynamics simulations, calculations of binding free energy, and ADME prediction) were carried out and the results allowed the selection of potential inhibitors of T. cruzi. Based on the obtained data, 32 different compounds commercially available were subjected to biological tests against the trypomastigote form of T. cruzi. As result, 11 of those compounds displayed significant activity against T. cruzi and can be considered potential candidates for the treatment of Chagas disease.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000072417 Protein Domains Discrete protein structural units that may fold independently of the rest of the protein and have their own functions. Peptide Domain,Protein Domain,Domain, Peptide,Domain, Protein,Domains, Peptide,Domains, Protein,Peptide Domains
D001665 Binding Sites The parts of a macromolecule that directly participate in its specific combination with another molecule. Combining Site,Binding Site,Combining Sites,Site, Binding,Site, Combining,Sites, Binding,Sites, Combining
D014344 Trypanocidal Agents Agents destructive to the protozoal organisms belonging to the suborder TRYPANOSOMATINA. Trypanocidal Drugs,Trypanocides,Trypanosomicidal Agents,Trypanosomicides,Agents, Trypanocidal,Agents, Trypanosomicidal,Drugs, Trypanocidal
D014349 Trypanosoma cruzi The agent of South American trypanosomiasis or CHAGAS DISEASE. Its vertebrate hosts are man and various domestic and wild animals. Insects of several species are vectors. Trypanosoma cruzus,cruzi, Trypanosoma
D014355 Chagas Disease Infection with the protozoan parasite TRYPANOSOMA CRUZI, a form of TRYPANOSOMIASIS endemic in Central and South America. It is named after the Brazilian physician Carlos Chagas, who discovered the parasite. Infection by the parasite (positive serologic result only) is distinguished from the clinical manifestations that develop years later, such as destruction of PARASYMPATHETIC GANGLIA; CHAGAS CARDIOMYOPATHY; and dysfunction of the ESOPHAGUS or COLON. Trypanosomiasis, South American,American Trypanosomiasis,Chagas' Disease,Trypanosoma cruzi Infection,Infection, Trypanosoma cruzi,Infections, Trypanosoma cruzi,South American Trypanosomiasis,Trypanosoma cruzi Infections,Trypanosomiasis, American
D056004 Molecular Dynamics Simulation A computer simulation developed to study the motion of molecules over a period of time. Molecular Dynamics Simulations,Molecular Dynamics,Dynamic, Molecular,Dynamics Simulation, Molecular,Dynamics Simulations, Molecular,Dynamics, Molecular,Molecular Dynamic,Simulation, Molecular Dynamics,Simulations, Molecular Dynamics

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