Influence of CK2 protein kinase activity on the interaction between Trypanosoma cruzi and its vertebrate and invertebrate hosts.

Chagas disease, endemic from Latin America, is caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and is transmitted by triatomine feces. This parasite undergoes complex morphological changes through its life cycle, promoted by significant changes in signal transduction pathways. The activity of protein kinase CK2 has been described in trypanosomatids.

High levels of pro-inflammatory SARS-CoV-2-specific biomarkers revealed by in vitro whole blood cytokine release assay (CRA) in recovered and long-COVID-19 patients.

Background: Cytokines induced by SARS-CoV-2 infection play a crucial role in the pathophysiology of COVID-19 and hyperinflammatory responses have been associated with poor clinical outcomes, with progression to severe conditions or long-term subacute complications named as long-COVID-19.

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, we aimed to evaluate a set of antigen-specific inflammatory cytokines in blood from recovered COVID-19 individuals or who suffered a post-acute phase of SARS-CoV-2 infection compared to healthy individuals with no history of COVID-19 exposition or infection. Interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), IFN-γ-induced protein 10 (IP-10), tumor necrosis factor (TNF), IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10, IL-12, and IL-17A were quantified by multiplex cytometric bead assay and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay after stimulation of whole blood with recombinant Spike protein from SARS-CoV-2.

Low doses of 3-phenyl-lawsone or meglumine antimoniate delivery by tattooing route are successful in reducing parasite load in cutaneous lesions of () -infected hamsters.

Current therapeutic ways adopted for the treatment of leishmaniasis are toxic and expensive including parasite resistance is a growing problem. Given this scenario, it is urgent to explore treatment alternatives for leishmaniasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 3-phenyl-lawsone (3-PL) naphthoquinone on () infection, both and , using two local routes of administration: subcutaneous (higher dose) and tattoo (lower dose).

Therapeutic effect of oral quercetin in hamsters infected with .

Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease caused by several species of intracellular protozoa of the genus that present manifestations ranging from cutaneous ulcers to the fatal visceral form is an important species associated with American tegumentary leishmaniasis and the main agent in Brazil, with variable sensitivity to available drugs. The search for new therapeutic alternatives to treat leishmaniasis is an urgent need, especially for endemic countries. Not only is quercetin well known for its antioxidant activity in radical scavenging but also several other biological effects are described, including anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and pro-oxidant activities.

Calpains of Leishmania braziliensis: genome analysis, differential expression, and functional analysis.

Background: Calpains are proteins belonging to the multi-gene family of calcium-dependent cysteine peptidases that undergo tight on/off regulation, and uncontrolled proteolysis of calpains is associated with severe human pathologies. Calpain orthologues are expanded and diversified in the trypanosomatids genome.

Objectives: Here, we characterised calpains in Leishmania braziliensis, the main causative agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Brazil.

Second-generation pterocarpanquinones: synthesis and antileishmanial activity.

Background: Despite the development of new therapies for leishmaniasis, among the 200 countries or territories reporting to the WHO, 87 were identified as endemic for Tegumentary Leishmaniasis and 75 as endemic for Visceral Leishmaniasis. The identification of antileishmanial drug candidates is essential to fill the drug discovery pipeline for leishmaniasis. In the hit molecule LQB-118 selected, the first generation of pterocarpanquinones was effective and safe against experimental visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis via oral delivery.

CK2 Secreted by Leishmania braziliensis Mediates Macrophage Association Invasion: A Comparative Study between Virulent and Avirulent Promastigotes.

CK2 is a protein kinase distributed in different compartments of Leishmania braziliensis: an externally oriented ecto-CK2, an intracellular CK2, and a secreted CK2. This latter form is constitutively secreted from the parasite (CsCK2), but such secretion may be highly enhanced by the association of specific molecules, including enzyme substrates, which lead to a higher enzymatic activity, called inductively secreted CK2 (IsCK2). Here, we examined the influence of secreted CK2 (sCK2) activity on the infectivity of a virulent L.

The Dialogue of the Host-Parasite Relationship: Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma cruzi Infection.

The intracellular protozoa Leishmania spp. and Trypanosoma cruzi and the causative agents of Leishmaniasis and Chagas disease, respectively, belong to the Trypanosomatidae family. Together, these two neglected tropical diseases affect approximately 25 million people worldwide.

LQB-118, an orally active pterocarpanquinone, induces selective oxidative stress and apoptosis in Leishmania amazonensis.

Objectives: The pterocarpanquinone LQB-118, previously demonstrated to be effective in vivo via oral delivery, was investigated for its mechanism in selective parasite killing.

Methods: Oxidative stress in Leishmania amazonensis was analysed by evaluating reactive oxygen species (ROS) production (2',7'-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate) and the loss of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) using rhodamine, JC-1 and MitoCapture. Ultrastructural analysis was performed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM).