title: Antiparasitic effect of Dinoponera quadriceps giant ant venom.
abstract: Neglected tropical diseases (NTD) are treated with toxic therapy of limited efficacy. Previously, we studied the antimicrobial effect of Dinoponera quadriceps venom (DqV) against bacteria. To continue the study, we report in this short communication the antimicrobial effect of DqV against Leishmania amazonensis and Trypanosoma cruzi. DqV inhibits the promastigote forms of L. amazonensis and all T. cruzi developmental forms, with low toxicity in host cells. DqV causes cell death in T. cruzi through necrotic and apoptotic mechanisms observed by staining the cells with annexin V-FITC (AX) and propidium iodide (PI), loss of mitochondrial membrane potential by flow cytometry analyses and confocal microscopy and morphological alterations, such as loss of membrane integrity and cell shrinkage by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In conclusion, we suggest there is an antimicrobial effect also on parasites.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil.
authors.forename: Danya Bandeira
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Lima
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil.
authors.forename: Paloma Leão
authors.initials: PL
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil.
authors.forename: Alba Fabíola Costa
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Torres
authors.affiliation: Post-graduate Program in Natural Products and Synthetic Bioactives, Health Sciences Center, Federal University of Paraíba, Joao Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Klinger Antonio da França
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil.
authors.forename: Clarissa Perdigão
authors.initials: CP
authors.lastname: Mello
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil.
authors.forename: Ramon Róseo Paula Pessoa Bezerra de
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Menezes
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil.
authors.forename: Louise Donadello
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Tessarolo
authors.affiliation: Institute of Biomedical Sciences, State University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil.
authors.forename: Yves Patric
authors.initials: YP
authors.lastname: Quinet
authors.affiliation: Department of Molecular Biology, Center of Exact Sciences and of the Nature, Federal University of Paraiba, João Pessoa, Paraíba, Brazil.
authors.forename: Márcia Rosa
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: de Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analysis, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ceara, Fortaleza, Ceara, Brazil. Electronic address: martinsalice@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Alice Maria Costa
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Martins
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000862:Ant Venoms / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001000:Ants; D002460:Cell Line; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D007891:Leishmania / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure; D008253:Macaca mulatta; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D014345:Trypanosoma / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development / Q000648:ultrastructure
chemical_list: D000862:Ant Venoms
keywords: Dinoponera quadriceps; Leshmania amazonensis; Trypanosoma cruzi; Venom