What's new for 'Trypanosomatids' in PubMed

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Sent on Saturday, 2010 Dec 04
Search kinetoplastids OR kinetoplastid OR Kinetoplastida OR "trypanosoma brucei" OR leishmania OR brucei OR leishmaniasis OR "African trypanosomiasis"
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PubMed Results

Items 1 - 3 of 3

1.	Acta Trop. 2010 Nov 29. [Epub ahead of print] Molecular survey of rodent-borne Trypanosoma in Niger with special emphasis on T. lewisi imported by invasive black rats. Dobigny G, Poirier P, Hima K, Cabaret O, Gauthier P, Tatard C, Costa JM, Bretagne S. Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Centre de Biologie pour la Gestion des Populations, Centre Régional Agrhymet, BP 11011, Niamey, Niger; Centre de Biologie et de Gestion des Populations (UMR IRD-INRA-Cirad-Montpellier SupAgro), Campus de Baillarguet, CS30016, 34988 Montferrier-sur-Lez, France. Abstract Invading rodent species can harbor parasites with potential transmission to native rodents and/or humans. To investigate trypanosomes prevalence in rodents, the spleen of 76 rodents from Niger identified by their karyotype was used as a DNA source for Trypanosoma detection using a newly developed qPCR assay. Of the invasive black rat, Rattus rattus, 71% (10/14) were PCR positive as well as 6% (4/62) of native African rodents. Sequences of ∼400bp of the SSU rDNA gene identified phylogenetically close Trypanosoma lineages. Trypanosoma lewisi was present in all positive black rats and the sequences displayed 100% similarity with T. lewisi-infected humans in Senegal. Trypanosoma lewisi was also detected in one Acomys johannis, suggesting a possible transmission to native species. In addition to improved knowledge of Trypanosoma diversity in rodents, our data underscore the introduction of the potentially pathogenic T. lewisi kinetoplastid through the human-mediated invasion of black rats all over West Africa. Copyright © 2010. Published by Elsevier B.V.
	PMID: 21126503 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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2.	Parasit Vectors. 2010 Dec 2;3(1):116. [Epub ahead of print] Impact of protozoan cell death on parasite-host interactions and pathogenesis. Luder CG, Campos-Salinas J, Gonzalez-Rey E, van Zandbergen G. Abstract ABSTRACT: PCD in protozoan parasites has emerged as a fascinating field of parasite biology. This not only relates to the underlying mechanisms and their evolutionary implications but also to the impact on the parasite-host interactions within mammalian hosts and arthropod vectors. During recent years, common functions of apoptosis and autophagy in protozoa and during parasitic infections have emerged. Here, we review how distinct cell death pathways in Trypanosoma, Leishmania, Plasmodium or Toxoplasma may contribute to regulation of parasite cell densities in vectors and mammalian hosts, to differentiation of parasites, to stress responses, and to modulation of the host immunity. The examples provided indicate crucial roles of PCD in parasite biology. The existence of PCD pathways in these organisms and the identification as being critical for parasite biology and parasite-host interactions could serve as a basis for developing new anti-parasitic drugs that take advantage of these pathways.
	PMID: 21126352 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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3.	J Med Chem. 2010 Dec 2. [Epub ahead of print] Virtual Screening Identification of Nonfolate Compounds, Including a CNS Drug, as Antiparasitic Agents Inhibiting Pteridine Reductase. Ferrari S, Morandi F, Motiejunas D, Nerini E, Henrich S, Luciani R, Venturelli A, Lazzari S, Calò S, Gupta S, Hannaert V, Michels PA, Wade RC, Costi MP. Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche, Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia, Via Campi 183, 41100 Modena, Italy. Abstract Folate analogue inhibitors of Leishmania major pteridine reductase (PTR1) are potential antiparasitic drug candidates for combined therapy with dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) inhibitors. To identify new molecules with specificity for PTR1, we carried out a virtual screening of the Available Chemicals Directory (ACD) database to select compounds that could interact with L. major PTR1 but not with human DHFR. Through two rounds of drug discovery, we successfully identified eighteen drug-like molecules with low micromolar affinities and high in vitro specificity profiles. Their efficacy against Leishmania species was studied in cultured cells of the promastigote stage, using the compounds both alone and in combination with 1 (pyrimethamine; 5-(4-chlorophenyl)-6-ethylpyrimidine-2,4-diamine). Six compounds showed efficacy only in combination. In toxicity tests against human fibroblasts, several compounds showed low toxicity. One compound, 5c (riluzole; 6-(trifluoromethoxy)-1,3-benzothiazol-2-ylamine), a known drug approved for CNS pathologies, was active in combination and is suitable for early preclinical evaluation of its potential for label extension as a PTR1 inhibitor and antiparasitic drug candidate.
	PMID: 21126022 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
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