title: A3K2A3-induced apoptotic cell death of Leishmania amazonensis occurs through caspase- and ATP-dependent mitochondrial dysfunction.
abstract: Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease that affects millions of people worldwide. Current therapies mainly rely on antimonial drugs that are inadequate because of their high toxicity and increased drug resistance. An urgent need exists to discover new, more effective, more affordable, and more target-specific drugs. Pathways that are associated with apoptosis-like cell death have been identified in unicellular eukaryotes, including protozoan parasites. In the present study, we studied the mechanism of cell death that is induced by A3K2A3 against L. amazonensis. A3K2A3 is a dibenzylideneacetone that has an acyclic dienone that is attached to aryl groups in both β-positions, which is similar to curcuminoids and chalcone structures. This compound was previously shown to be safe with regard to cytotoxicity and active against the parasite. Biochemical and morphological approaches were used in the present study. The results suggested that A3K2A3 caused mitochondrial dysfunction in L. amazonensis promastigotes, leading to mechanisms of cell death that share some common phenotypic features with metazoan apoptosis, such as an increase in reactive oxygen species production, a decrease in the adenosine triphosphate ratio, phosphatidylserine exposure, a decrease in cell volume, caspase production, and DNA fragmentation. Altogether, these findings indicate that apoptosis can indeed be triggered by chemotherapeutic agents.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Inovação Tecnológica no Desenvolvimento de Fármacos e Cosméticos, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Bloco B-08, Av. Colombo 5790, Maringá, PR, CEP 87020-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Francielle Pelegrin
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Inovação Tecnológica no Desenvolvimento de Fármacos e Cosméticos, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Bloco B-08, Av. Colombo 5790, Maringá, PR, CEP 87020-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Henrique da Silva Rodrigues
authors.affiliation: LaBioMMi, Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, CP 676, São Carlos, SP, 13.565-905, Brazil.
authors.forename: Zia Ud
authors.initials: ZU
authors.lastname: Din
authors.affiliation: LaBioMMi, Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, CP 676, São Carlos, SP, 13.565-905, Brazil.
authors.forename: Edson
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Rodrigues-Filho
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Inovação Tecnológica no Desenvolvimento de Fármacos e Cosméticos, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Bloco B-08, Av. Colombo 5790, Maringá, PR, CEP 87020-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Tânia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ueda-Nakamura
authors.affiliation: CERMAV, CNRS, Université Grenoble Alpes, 38000, Grenoble, France.
authors.forename: Rachel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Auzély-Velty
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Laboratório de Inovação Tecnológica no Desenvolvimento de Fármacos e Cosméticos, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Bloco B-08, Av. Colombo 5790, Maringá, PR, CEP 87020-900, Brazil. cvnakamura@uem.br.
authors.forename: Celso Vataru
authors.identifier: 0000-0002-9911-7369
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Nakamura
mesh_terms: D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects*; D053938:DNA Fragmentation / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007891:Leishmania / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000472:pathogenicity; D007896:Leishmaniasis / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000469:parasitology; D053078:Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial / Q000187:drug effects; D008928:Mitochondria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D018384:Oxidative Stress / Q000187:drug effects; D010422:Pentanones / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: C000611921:2-methyl-1,5-bis(4-nitrophenyl)penta-1,4-dien-3-one; D010422:Pentanones; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate
keywords: Apoptosis; Cell death; Dibenzylideneacetone; Leishmania amazonensis; Mitochondria