Article
PF-429242, a Subtilisin Inhibitor, Is Effective in vitro Against Leishmania infantum
Registro en:
MACHADO, Patrícia de Almeida et al. PF-429242, a Subtilisin Inhibitor, Is Effective in vitro Against Leishmania infantum. Frontiers in Microbiology, v. 12, p. 1-17, Jan. 2021.
1664-302X
10.3389/fmicb.2021.583834
Autor
Machado, Patrícia de Almeida
Gomes, Pollyanna Stephanie
Midlej, Vitor
Coimbra, Elaine Soares
Guedes, Herbert Leonel de Matos
Resumen
PF-429242 is an inhibitor of subtilisin, an important protease found in Leishmania.
However, studies regarding the effect of PF-429242 on Leishmania are scarce. In this
work we evaluated the antileishmanial effect of PF-429242 against Leishmania infantum
and the mechanism involved in the death of the parasite. PF-429242 had low toxicity
against mammalian cells (peritoneal macrophages) (CC50 = 189.07 µM) and presented
activity against L. infantum promastigotes (IC50 = 2.78 µM) and intracellular amastigotes
(IC50 = 14.07 µM), indicating selectivity toward the parasite. Transmission electron
microscopy (TEM), as well as staining of L. infantum promastigotes with MitoTracker
R
Red, rhodamine 123 and MitoSOX, revealed that the mitochondria was a potential
target of PF-429242. In addition, PF-429242 caused an accumulation of neutral lipids
in promastigotes, which was demonstrated by Nile Red staining and TEM, and induced
oxidative stress (H2DCFDA staining). Furthermore the formation of autophagic vacuoles
in L. infantum promastigotes was observed by MDC staining and TEM. However, the
killing induced by PF-429242 in L. infantum promastigotes appeared to be unrelated
to apoptosis and/or necrosis as there was no phosphatidylserine externalization, DNA
fragmentation or alterations in the permeability of the parasite plasma membrane, as
assessed by annexin V-FITC, TUNEL and propidium iodide staining, respectively. The
morphological and ultrastructural evaluation of the promastigotes by optical microscopy,
scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and TEM, revealed the presence of parasites
with flagellar defects. TEM analysis of the intracellular amastigotes indicated that
mitochondrial damage and autophagy could also be involved in the death of these
forms after treatment with PF-429242. In addition, PF-429242 treatment stimulated
NO production from infected macrophage, but only at a high concentration (100 µM),
as well as an increase of TNF levels after treatment with 10 µM of PF-429242. The
compound did not stimulate ROS or IL-10 production. Together, these data highlight
the antileishmanial potential of PF-429242, inducing several cellular alterations in the parasite, such as mitochondrial damage, neutral lipids accumulation, oxidative stress
and autophagy which culminate in the death of L. infantum, as well as modulating
host cellular responses that favor the development of an immune response against
the parasite.