Identification and characterization of a dual-acting antinematodal agent against the pinewood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

PLoS One. 2009 Nov 11;4(11):e7593. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0007593.

Abstract

The pinewood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, is a mycophagous and phytophagous pathogen responsible for the current widespread epidemic of the pine wilt disease, which has become a major threat to pine forests throughout the world. Despite the availability of several preventive trunk-injection agents, no therapeutic trunk-injection agent for eradication of PWN currently exists. In the characterization of basic physiological properties of B. xylophilus YB-1 isolates, we established a high-throughput screening (HTS) method that identifies potential hits within approximately 7 h. Using this HTS method, we screened 206 compounds with known activities, mostly antifungal, for antinematodal activities and identified HWY-4213 (1-n-undecyl-2-[2-fluorphenyl] methyl-3,4-dihydro-6,7-dimethoxy-isoquinolinium chloride), a highly water-soluble protoberberine derivative, as a potent nematicidal and antifungal agent. When tested on 4 year-old pinewood seedlings that were infected with YB-1 isolates, HWY-4213 exhibited a potent therapeutic nematicidal activity. Further tests of screening 39 Caenorhabditis elegans mutants deficient in channel proteins and B. xylophilus sensitivity to Ca(2+) channel blockers suggested that HWY-4213 targets the calcium channel proteins. Our study marks a technical breakthrough by developing a novel HTS method that leads to the discovery HWY-4213 as a dual-acting antinematodal and antifungal compound.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology
  • Antinematodal Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antinematodal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Caenorhabditis elegans / genetics
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / chemical synthesis
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / pharmacology
  • Chemistry, Pharmaceutical / methods
  • Crosses, Genetic
  • Drug Design
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Genetic Techniques
  • Nematoda / metabolism*
  • Pinus / metabolism*
  • Pinus / parasitology
  • Plant Diseases / therapy*
  • Time Factors
  • Trees

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Antinematodal Agents
  • Calcium Channel Blockers