Tocopherol biosynthesis in Leishmania (L.) amazonensis promastigotes
Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease caused by a trypanosomatid protozoan of the genus Leishmania. Most drugs used to treat leishmaniasis are highly toxic, and the emergence of drug‐resistant strains has been observed. Therefore, new therapeutic targets against leishmaniasis are required. Several is...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2019-04-01
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| Series: | FEBS Open Bio |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/2211-5463.12613 |
| _version_ | 1797821939989872640 |
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| author | José Mário F. Balanco Rodrigo A.C. Sussmann Ignasi B. Verdaguer Heloisa B. Gabriel Emilia A. Kimura Alejandro M. Katzin |
| author_facet | José Mário F. Balanco Rodrigo A.C. Sussmann Ignasi B. Verdaguer Heloisa B. Gabriel Emilia A. Kimura Alejandro M. Katzin |
| author_sort | José Mário F. Balanco |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease caused by a trypanosomatid protozoan of the genus Leishmania. Most drugs used to treat leishmaniasis are highly toxic, and the emergence of drug‐resistant strains has been observed. Therefore, new therapeutic targets against leishmaniasis are required. Several isoprenoid compounds, including dolichols or ubiquinones, have been shown to be important for cell viability and proliferation in various trypanosomatid species. Here, we detected the biosynthesis of tocopherol in Leishmania (L.) amazonensis promastigotes in vitro through metabolic labelling with [1‐(n)‐3H]‐phytol. Subsequently, we confirmed the presence of vitamin E in the parasite by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Treatment with usnic acid or nitisinone, inhibitors of precursors of vitamin E synthesis, inhibited growth of the parasite in a concentration‐dependent manner. This study provides the first evidence of tocopherol biosynthesis in a trypanosomatid and suggests that inhibitors of the enzyme 4‐hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase may be suitable for use as antileishmanial compounds. Database The amino acid sequence of a conserved hypothetical protein [Leishmania mexicana MHOM/GT/2001/U1103] has been deposited in GenBank (CBZ28005.1) |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-13T10:00:06Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-bfe0ccad99dc4d97b870c7ac949f815d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2211-5463 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-13T10:00:06Z |
| publishDate | 2019-04-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | FEBS Open Bio |
| spelling | doaj.art-bfe0ccad99dc4d97b870c7ac949f815d2023-05-23T06:46:21ZengWileyFEBS Open Bio2211-54632019-04-019474375410.1002/2211-5463.12613Tocopherol biosynthesis in Leishmania (L.) amazonensis promastigotesJosé Mário F. Balanco0Rodrigo A.C. Sussmann1Ignasi B. Verdaguer2Heloisa B. Gabriel3Emilia A. Kimura4Alejandro M. Katzin5Department of Parasitology Institute of Biomedical Sciences University of São Paulo BrazilDepartment of Parasitology Institute of Biomedical Sciences University of São Paulo BrazilDepartment of Parasitology Institute of Biomedical Sciences University of São Paulo BrazilDepartment of Parasitology Institute of Biomedical Sciences University of São Paulo BrazilDepartment of Parasitology Institute of Biomedical Sciences University of São Paulo BrazilDepartment of Parasitology Institute of Biomedical Sciences University of São Paulo BrazilLeishmaniasis is a neglected disease caused by a trypanosomatid protozoan of the genus Leishmania. Most drugs used to treat leishmaniasis are highly toxic, and the emergence of drug‐resistant strains has been observed. Therefore, new therapeutic targets against leishmaniasis are required. Several isoprenoid compounds, including dolichols or ubiquinones, have been shown to be important for cell viability and proliferation in various trypanosomatid species. Here, we detected the biosynthesis of tocopherol in Leishmania (L.) amazonensis promastigotes in vitro through metabolic labelling with [1‐(n)‐3H]‐phytol. Subsequently, we confirmed the presence of vitamin E in the parasite by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Treatment with usnic acid or nitisinone, inhibitors of precursors of vitamin E synthesis, inhibited growth of the parasite in a concentration‐dependent manner. This study provides the first evidence of tocopherol biosynthesis in a trypanosomatid and suggests that inhibitors of the enzyme 4‐hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase may be suitable for use as antileishmanial compounds. Database The amino acid sequence of a conserved hypothetical protein [Leishmania mexicana MHOM/GT/2001/U1103] has been deposited in GenBank (CBZ28005.1)https://doi.org/10.1002/2211-5463.12613isoprenoidLeishmania (L.) amazonensisnitisinone, tocopheroltrypanosomatidusnic acid |
| spellingShingle | José Mário F. Balanco Rodrigo A.C. Sussmann Ignasi B. Verdaguer Heloisa B. Gabriel Emilia A. Kimura Alejandro M. Katzin Tocopherol biosynthesis in Leishmania (L.) amazonensis promastigotes FEBS Open Bio isoprenoid Leishmania (L.) amazonensis nitisinone, tocopherol trypanosomatid usnic acid |
| title | Tocopherol biosynthesis in Leishmania (L.) amazonensis promastigotes |
| title_full | Tocopherol biosynthesis in Leishmania (L.) amazonensis promastigotes |
| title_fullStr | Tocopherol biosynthesis in Leishmania (L.) amazonensis promastigotes |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tocopherol biosynthesis in Leishmania (L.) amazonensis promastigotes |
| title_short | Tocopherol biosynthesis in Leishmania (L.) amazonensis promastigotes |
| title_sort | tocopherol biosynthesis in leishmania l amazonensis promastigotes |
| topic | isoprenoid Leishmania (L.) amazonensis nitisinone, tocopherol trypanosomatid usnic acid |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/2211-5463.12613 |
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