Abstract
During the last decade, de novo drug discovery approaches have come into focus due to the increased number of parasite pathogen genomes sequenced and the subsequent availability of genome-scale functional datasets. In order to prioritize target proteins, these approaches consider traits commonly thought to be desirable in a drug target, including essentiality, druggability (whether drug-like molecules are likely to interact with the target), assayability, importance in lifecycle stages of the pathogen relevant to human health, and specificity (i.e. the target is absent from, or substantially different in, the host). Proteases from protozoan parasites have become popular drug targets since these enzymes accomplish both housekeeping tasks common to many eukaryotes as well as functions highly specific to the parasite life style. Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasitic flagellate, agent of Chagas Disease, contains several cysteine, serine, threonine and metallo proteinases. This review will deal with peculiar families described in this parasite. Among them, two eukaryote homologues of the carboxypeptidases Taq are promising targets due to their particular phylogenetic distribution. Also absent in metazoans, metacaspases are essential peptidases playing important roles in cell growth, death and differentiation of trypanosomatids. Finally, autophagins are involved in the regulation of a conserved degradative pathway, the autophagy pathway, and result important for parasite survival under nutritional stress conditions and differentiation. Although so far there are no specific inhibitors for these families, the increasing knowledge of their biochemical properties, including substrate specificity, crystal structure, and biological functions, is an essential step towards the development of inhibitors.
Keywords: Autophagin, carboxypeptidase, Chagas disease, inhibitor, metacaspase, metallopeptidase, cysteine proteinase, peptidase, Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi.
Current Medicinal Chemistry
Title:Metacaspases, Autophagins and Metallocarboxypeptidases: Potential New Targets for Chemotherapy of the Trypanosomiases
Volume: 20 Issue: 25
Author(s): V. E. Alvarez, G. T. Niemirowicz and J. J. Cazzulo
Affiliation:
Keywords: Autophagin, carboxypeptidase, Chagas disease, inhibitor, metacaspase, metallopeptidase, cysteine proteinase, peptidase, Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi.
Abstract: During the last decade, de novo drug discovery approaches have come into focus due to the increased number of parasite pathogen genomes sequenced and the subsequent availability of genome-scale functional datasets. In order to prioritize target proteins, these approaches consider traits commonly thought to be desirable in a drug target, including essentiality, druggability (whether drug-like molecules are likely to interact with the target), assayability, importance in lifecycle stages of the pathogen relevant to human health, and specificity (i.e. the target is absent from, or substantially different in, the host). Proteases from protozoan parasites have become popular drug targets since these enzymes accomplish both housekeeping tasks common to many eukaryotes as well as functions highly specific to the parasite life style. Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasitic flagellate, agent of Chagas Disease, contains several cysteine, serine, threonine and metallo proteinases. This review will deal with peculiar families described in this parasite. Among them, two eukaryote homologues of the carboxypeptidases Taq are promising targets due to their particular phylogenetic distribution. Also absent in metazoans, metacaspases are essential peptidases playing important roles in cell growth, death and differentiation of trypanosomatids. Finally, autophagins are involved in the regulation of a conserved degradative pathway, the autophagy pathway, and result important for parasite survival under nutritional stress conditions and differentiation. Although so far there are no specific inhibitors for these families, the increasing knowledge of their biochemical properties, including substrate specificity, crystal structure, and biological functions, is an essential step towards the development of inhibitors.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Alvarez E. V., Niemirowicz T. G. and Cazzulo J. J., Metacaspases, Autophagins and Metallocarboxypeptidases: Potential New Targets for Chemotherapy of the Trypanosomiases, Current Medicinal Chemistry 2013; 20 (25) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/0929867311320250004
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/0929867311320250004 |
Print ISSN 0929-8673 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1875-533X |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Advances in Medicinal Chemistry: From Cancer to Chronic Diseases.
The broad spectrum of the issue will provide a comprehensive overview of emerging trends, novel therapeutic interventions, and translational insights that impact modern medicine. The primary focus will be diseases of global concern, including cancer, chronic pain, metabolic disorders, and autoimmune conditions, providing a broad overview of the advancements in ...read more
Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms of Non-Infectious Inflammatory Diseases: Focus on Clinical Implications
The Special Issue covers the results of the studies on cellular and molecular mechanisms of non-infectious inflammatory diseases, in particular, autoimmune rheumatic diseases, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and other age-related disorders such as type II diabetes, cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, etc. Review and research articles as well as methodology papers that summarize ...read more
Chalcogen-modified nucleic acid analogues
Chalcogen-modified nucleosides, nucleotides and oligonucleotides have been of great interest to scientific research for many years. The replacement of oxygen in the nucleobase, sugar or phosphate backbone by chalcogen atoms (sulfur, selenium, tellurium) gives these biomolecules unique properties resulting from their altered physical and chemical properties. The continuing interest in ...read more
Current advances in inherited cardiomyopathy
Describe in detail all novel advances in multimodality imaging related to inherited cardiomyopathy diagnosis and prognosis. Shed light to deeper phenotypic characterization. Acknowledge recent advances in genetics, genomics and precision medicineread more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
- Announcements
Related Articles
-
Nonviral Approach for Targeted Nucleic Acid Delivery
Current Medicinal Chemistry Novel Therapeutic Approaches Based on the Targeting of Microenvironment-Derived Survival Pathways in Human Cancer: Experimental Models and Translational Issues
Current Pharmaceutical Design Adenosine Deaminase in the Modulation of Immune System and its Potential as a Novel Target for Treatment of Inflammatory Disorders
Current Drug Targets A Very Efficient Synthesis of (1H)-1,5-Diazaanthracene-2,9,10-triones
Letters in Organic Chemistry Targeting CSCs in Tumor Microenvironment: The Potential Role of ROS-Associated miRNAs in Tumor Aggressiveness
Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy Black Tea Polyphenols-Mediated In Vivo Cellular Responses During Carcinogenesis
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry Hyaluronic Acid as a Protein Polymeric Carrier: An Overview and a Report on Human Growth Hormone
Current Drug Targets Gene Therapy for Dentin Regeneration with Bone Morphogenetic Proteins
Current Gene Therapy Calpains: Attractive Targets for the Development of Synthetic Inhibitors
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry DNA-drug Conjugates for Site-specific Delivery in Anti-cancer Therapy
Current Pharmacogenomics and Personalized Medicine Reynoutria Japonica from Traditional Chinese Medicine: A Source of Competitive Adenosine Deaminase Inhibitors for Anticancer
Combinatorial Chemistry & High Throughput Screening Towards Human on a Chip: Recent Progress and Future Perspective
Micro and Nanosystems Molecular Targeting of Aberrant Transcription Factors in Leukemia: Strategies for RUNX1/ETO
Current Drug Targets Application of Phage Display Technology to Cancer Research
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Short- and Long-Term Survival of Nonsurgical Intensive Care Patients and its Relation to Diagnosis, Severity of Disease, Age and Comorbidities
Current Aging Science Editorial [Hot topic: Developing New Anti-Cancer Drugs (Guest Editor: Ricardo De Souza Pereira)]
Recent Patents on Anti-Cancer Drug Discovery MicroRNAs in Tumorigenesis
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Molecular Evidence of Compound Kushen Injection Against Lung Cancer: A Network Pharmacology-Based Investigation from Western Medicine to Traditional Medicine
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Radiopharmaceuticals Labelled with Copper Radionuclides: Clinical Results in Human Beings
Current Radiopharmaceuticals Stable Expression of the Sodium/Iodide Symporter (NIS) for anti-Cancer Gene Therapy of Glioma Cells Using a Third Generation Self-Inactivating Lentiviral Vector System in Combination with 211At
Current Radiopharmaceuticals