Peroxiredoxin systems of protozoal parasites.
Cellular redox metabolism is considered to be involved in the pathophysiology of diseases caused by protozoal parasites such as Toxoplasma, Trypanosoma, Leishmania, and Plasmodia. Redox reactions furthermore are thought to play a major role in the action of and the resistance to some clinically used antiparasitic drugs. Interestingly, in malarial parasites, the antioxidant enzymes catalase and glutathione peroxidase are absent which indicates a crucial role of the thioredoxin system in redox control. Besides a glutathione peroxidase-like thioredoxin peroxidase and a glutathione S-transferase with slight peroxidase activity, Plasmodium falciparum (the causative agent of tropical malaria) possesses four classical peroxiredoxins: Two peroxiredoxins of the typical 2-Cys Prx class, one 1-Cys peroxiredoxin with homology to the atypical 2-Cys Prx class, and a peroxiredoxin of the 1-Cys Prx class have been identified and partially characterized In our article we give an introduction to redox-based drug development strategies against protozoal parasites and summarize the present knowledge on peroxiredoxin systems in Plasmodium.
Deponte
Marcel
M
Interdisciplinary Research Center, Justus Liebig University, D-35392 Giessen, Germany.
Rahlfs
Stefan
S
Becker
Katja
K
D000818:Animals; D002374:Catalase; D015195:Drug Design; D056890:Eukaryota / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D054464:Peroxiredoxins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D011528:Protozoan Infections / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology*; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D017386:Sequence Homology, Amino Acid; D013879:Thioredoxins
D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D013879:Thioredoxins; D054464:Peroxiredoxins; D002374:Catalase; D005979:Glutathione Peroxidase; D005982:Glutathione Transferase