title: Rational drug design in parasitology: trans-sialidase as a case study for Chagas disease.
abstract: Trypanosoma cruzi trans-sialidase is a potential target for Chagas disease chemotherapy. From the specific need of T. cruzi to obtain sialic acid through trans-sialidase-mediated transfers from host sources and the lack of alternative to this for the parasite, a good case can be made for T. cruzi trans-sialidase to serve as a potential drug target against Chagas disease. This review deals with both the particular aspects relevant to T. cruzi trans-sialidase as a target and generalises the situation for drug design in its broader aspects on the basis of some special problems in terms of rational drug design that T. cruzi trans-sialidase raises, particularly those of multiple gene copies and active site plasticity.
authors.affiliation: Center for Drug Design, University of Minnesota, 516 Delaware Street SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
authors.forename: João
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Neres
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Bryce
authors.forename: Kenneth T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Douglas
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D014355:Chagas Disease / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D015195:Drug Design; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D006023:Glycoproteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D015394:Molecular Structure; D009439:Neuraminidase / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism; D010274:Parasitology / Q000379:methods*; D014349:Trypanosoma cruzi / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology
chemical_list: D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D006023:Glycoproteins; C069715:trans-sialidase; D009439:Neuraminidase