title: Synthesis and structure-activity relationships of parasiticidal thiosemicarbazone cysteine protease inhibitors against Plasmodium falciparum, Trypanosoma brucei, and Trypanosoma cruzi.
abstract: We have synthesized a library of thiosemicarbazones and screened them against three parasitic cysteine proteases, cruzain, falcipain-2, and rhodesain, and against the respective parasite sources of these three proteases, Trypanosoma cruzi, Plasmodium falciparum, and Trypanosoma brucei. The screens identified compounds that were effective against the enzymes and the parasites but also some compounds that were parasiticidal despite a lack of activity against the proteases. Several compounds were effective in killing all tested parasites. These promising lead compounds were tested for general toxicity in mice, and only one produced observable toxicity after 62 h. Our results suggest that thiosemicarbazones represent validated drug leads that kill several species of protozoan parasites through the inhibition of cysteine proteases as well as other novel targets.
authors.affiliation: Sandler Center for Basic Research in Parasitic Diseases, Department of Pathology, University of California-San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA. greenbaum@wehi.edu.au
authors.forename: Doron C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Greenbaum
authors.forename: Zachary
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Mackey
authors.forename: Elizabeth
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Hansell
authors.forename: Patricia
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Doyle
authors.forename: Jiri
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gut
authors.forename: Conor R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Caffrey
authors.forename: Julia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lehrman
authors.forename: Philip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.forename: James H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: McKerrow
authors.forename: Kelly
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Chibale
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D051379:Mice; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects*; D013237:Stereoisomerism; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship; D013882:Thiosemicarbazones / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D018675:Toxicity Tests; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D014346:Trypanosoma brucei brucei / Q000187:drug effects*; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D015853:Cysteine Proteinase Inhibitors; D013882:Thiosemicarbazones; D014344:Trypanocidal Agents