title: New uses for old drugs. Auranofin, a clinically established antiarthritic metallodrug, exhibits potent antimalarial effects in vitro: Mechanistic and pharmacological implications.
abstract: The clinically established gold-based antiarthritic drug auranofin (AF) manifests a pronounced reactivity toward thiol and selenol groups of proteins. In particular, AF behaves as a potent inhibitor of mammalian thioredoxin reductases causing severe intracellular oxidative stress. Given the high sensitivity of Plasmodium falciparum to oxidative stress, we thought that auranofin might act as an effective antimalarial agent. Thus, we report here new experimental results showing that auranofin and a few related gold complexes strongly inhibit P. falciparum growth in vitro. The observed antiplasmodial effects probably arise from direct inhibition of P. falciparum thioredoxin reductase. The above findings and the safe toxicity profile of auranofin warrant rapid evaluation of AF for malaria treatment in animal models.
authors.affiliation: Department of Infectious, Parasitic and Immunomediated Diseases, Vector-Borne Diseases and International Health Section, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Viale Regina Elena 299, 00161 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna Rosa
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Sannella
authors.forename: Angela
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Casini
authors.forename: Chiara
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Gabbiani
authors.forename: Luigi
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Messori
authors.forename: Anna Rita
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Bilia
authors.forename: Francesco Franco
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Vincieri
authors.forename: Giancarlo
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Majori
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Severini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001168:Arthritis / Q000188:drug therapy; D001310:Auranofin / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000188:drug therapy*; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000187:drug effects*
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials; D018501:Antirheumatic Agents; D001310:Auranofin