AI Article Synopsis
- Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are currently treated with therapies that have limited effectiveness and can be toxic.
- A study has found that venom from the Dinoponera quadriceps ant (DqV) shows antimicrobial properties against the parasites Leishmania amazonensis and Trypanosoma cruzi, inhibiting their growth while having low toxicity to human host cells.
- The mechanism of action involves causing cell death in T. cruzi through necrotic and apoptotic pathways, as indicated by various microscopy and staining techniques used to observe changes in the parasites' cellular structures.
Article Abstract
Neglected tropical diseases (NTD) are treated with toxic therapy of limited efficacy. Previously, we studied the antimicrobial effect of Dinoponera quadriceps venom (DqV) against bacteria. To continue the study, we report in this short communication the antimicrobial effect of DqV against Leishmania amazonensis and Trypanosoma cruzi. DqV inhibits the promastigote forms of L. amazonensis and all T. cruzi developmental forms, with low toxicity in host cells. DqV causes cell death in T. cruzi through necrotic and apoptotic mechanisms observed by staining the cells with annexin V-FITC (AX) and propidium iodide (PI), loss of mitochondrial membrane potential by flow cytometry analyses and confocal microscopy and morphological alterations, such as loss of membrane integrity and cell shrinkage by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In conclusion, we suggest there is an antimicrobial effect also on parasites.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.toxicon.2016.08.008 | DOI Listing |
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