title: Targeting atypical trypanosomatid DNA topoisomerase I.
abstract: Tropical diseases produced by kinetoplastid protozoa are among humanity's costliest banes, owing to high mortality and the economic burden resulting from morbidity. Drug resistant strains of parasites, together with insecticide-resistant vectors, are contributing to their increased prevalence in the developing world. Their extension now threatens industrialized countries because of opportunistic infections in immuno-compromised individuals. Current chemotherapy is expensive, has undesirable side effects and, in many patients, is only marginally effective. Based on the clinical success of camptothecin derivatives as anticancer agents, DNA topoisomerases have been identified as targets for drug development. The substantial differences in homology between trypanosome and leishmania DNA topoisomerase IB compared with the human form provides a new lead in the study of the structural determinants that can be targeted.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of León, Campus de Vegazana s/n 24071 León, Spain. dftrbf@unileon.es
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Balaña-Fouce
authors.forename: Carmen M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Redondo
authors.forename: Yolanda
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Pérez-Pertejo
authors.forename: Rosario
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Díaz-González
authors.forename: Rosa M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Reguera
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004264:DNA Topoisomerases, Type I / Q000378:metabolism; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007891:Leishmania / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology; D015394:Molecular Structure; D059004:Topoisomerase I Inhibitors; D014345:Trypanosoma / Q000187:drug effects / Q000201:enzymology*; D014352:Trypanosomiasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D059004:Topoisomerase I Inhibitors; D004264:DNA Topoisomerases, Type I