Chelation of Mitochondrial Iron as an Antiparasitic Strategy.

Iron, as an essential micronutrient, plays a crucial role in host-pathogen interactions. In order to limit the growth of the pathogen, a common strategy of innate immunity includes withdrawing available iron to interfere with the cellular processes of the microorganism. Against that, unicellular parasites have developed powerful strategies to scavenge iron, despite the effort of the host.

The 4-Aminomethylphenoxy-Benzoxaborole AN3057 as a Potential Treatment Option for Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis.

Primary amoebic meningoencephalitis is a rare but fatal central nervous system (CNS) disease caused by the "brain-eating amoeba" Naegleria fowleri. A major obstacle is the requirement for drugs with the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, which are used in extremely high doses, cause severe side effects, and are usually ineffective. We discovered that the 4-aminomethylphenoxy-benzoxaborole AN3057 exhibits nanomolar potency against N.

Repurposing of MitoTam: Novel Anti-Cancer Drug Candidate Exhibits Potent Activity against Major Protozoan and Fungal Pathogens.

Many of the currently available anti-parasitic and anti-fungal frontline drugs have severe limitations, including adverse side effects, complex administration, and increasing occurrence of resistance. The discovery and development of new therapeutic agents is a costly and lengthy process. Therefore, repurposing drugs with already established clinical application offers an attractive, fast-track approach for novel treatment options.

Elucidation of iron homeostasis in Acanthamoeba castellanii.

Acanthamoeba castellanii is a ubiquitously distributed amoeba that can be found in soil, dust, natural and tap water, air conditioners, hospitals, contact lenses and other environments. It is an amphizoic organism that can cause granulomatous amoebic encephalitis, an infrequent fatal disease of the central nervous system, and amoebic keratitis, a severe corneal infection that can lead to blindness. These diseases are extremely hard to treat; therefore, a more comprehensive understanding of this pathogen's metabolism is essential for revealing potential therapeutic targets.

The response of Naegleria gruberi to oxidative stress.

Aerobic organisms require oxygen for respiration but must simultaneously cope with oxidative damages inherently linked with this molecule. Unicellular amoeboflagellates of the genus Naegleria, containing both free-living species and opportunistic parasites, thrive in aerobic environments. However, they are also known to maintain typical features of anaerobic organisms.

Adaptive iron utilization compensates for the lack of an inducible uptake system in Naegleria fowleri and represents a potential target for therapeutic intervention.

Naegleria fowleri is a single-cell organism living in warm freshwater that can become a deadly human pathogen known as a brain-eating amoeba. The condition caused by N. fowleri, primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, is usually a fatal infection of the brain with rapid and severe onset.