Synergistic effect and ultrastructural changes in Trypanosoma cruzi caused by isoobtusilactone A in short exposure of time

PLoS One. 2021 Jan 28;16(1):e0245882. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0245882. eCollection 2021.

Abstract

Butanolides have shown a variety of biological effects including anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antiprotozoal effects against certain strains of Trypanosoma cruzi. Considering the lack of an effective drug to treat T. cruzi infections and the prominent results obtained in literature with this class of lactones, we investigated the anti-T. cruzi activity of five butanolides isolated from two species of Lauraceae, Aiouea trinervis and Mezilaurus crassiramea. Initially, the activity of these compounds was evaluated on epimastigote forms of the parasite, after a treatment period of 4 h, followed by testing on amastigotes, trypomastigotes, and mammalian cells. Next, the synergistic effect of active butanolides against amastigotes was evaluated. Further, metacyclogenesis inhibition and infectivity assays were performed for the most active compound, followed by ultrastructural analysis of the treated amastigotes and trypomastigotes. Among the five butanolides studied, majoranolide and isoobtusilactone A were active against all forms of the parasite, with good selectivity indexes in Vero cells. Both butanolides were more active than the control drug against trypomastigote and epimastigote forms and also had a synergic effect on amastigotes. The most active compound, isoobtusilactone A, which showed activity against all tested strains inhibited metacyclogenesis and infection of new host cells. In addition, ultrastructural analysis revealed that this butanolide caused extensive damage to the mitochondria of both amastigotes and trypomastigotes, resulting in severe morphological changes in the infective forms of the parasite. Altogether, our results highlight the potential of butanolides against the etiologic agent of Chagas disease and the relevance of isoobtusilactone A as a strong anti-T. cruzi drug, affecting different events of the life cycle and all evolutionary forms of parasite after a short period of exposure.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Alkanes / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Chlorocebus aethiops
  • Drug Synergism
  • Lactones / pharmacology*
  • Life Cycle Stages / drug effects
  • Mitochondria / drug effects
  • Mitochondria / ultrastructure
  • Trypanocidal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / drug effects*
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / growth & development
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / ultrastructure
  • Vero Cells

Substances

  • Alkanes
  • Lactones
  • Trypanocidal Agents
  • isoobtusilactone A

Grants and funding

The full and correct list of funders for our study is as follows: The authors gratefully acknowledge the Fundação de Apoio ao Desenvolvimento do Ensino, Ciência e Tecnologia do Estado de Mato Grosso do Sul-FUNDECT (https://www.fundect.ms.gov.br/ - grant numbers 027159 and 021683); Fundação Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul-UFMS/MEC-Brazil (https://www.ufms.br/), and for the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES (https://www.capes.gov.br/ - Finance Code 001) for the grants awarded to JMA, LAC, DT and FON. Writing assistance: This manuscript was supported grammatical correction fees by Fundação Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul-UFMS/MEC-Brazil. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.