Editor: Akhmetova Aigerim
Author: Bolysbek Dana
Animal toxins are the subject of research because of their therapeutic potential. Previous studies have demonstrated the ability of the antimicrobial peptide VmCT1, isolated from scorpion venom, against gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria, as well as tumor cells and other protozoa. In the course of this study, VmCT1 was found to be effective against the Trypanosoma cruzi parasite, which is the cause of Chagas disease.
The research article was published in the Cambridge University Press journal Parasitology and highlighted in the "Article of the Month" column of the Cambridge Core Blog.
Chagas disease, or American trypanosomiasis, is a tropical parasitic disease caused by the protozoa Trypanosoma cruzi. It is endemic in several countries, affecting about 8 million people worldwide and killing about 10,000 people a year.
Researchers evaluated the trypanocidal effect of VmCT1 and synthesized new analogs with arginine substitutions at key positions to enhance their biological action. Arginine is a positively charged amino acid that helps break down the parasite's membrane.
The results showed that the natural peptide was effective against all three phases of the parasite's development, while one of the analogs showed both increased biological activity and better selectivity.
“In addition, we found that changes in physicochemical parameters affect the activity of the biological model, demonstrating that this kind of reengineering of peptides can produce more effective analogs than the native peptide,” said Vani Xavier de Oliveira Junior, professor at the Center for Natural and Humanities UFABC Sci. and Principal Investigator of the article.
The selectivity of antimicrobial peptides to the pathogen is associated with their cationicity, a trait that affects the interaction of peptides with the membrane. According to the authors, analogs with positively charged arginine are more likely to interact with phospholipids in the membranes of microorganisms, contributing to destabilization, destruction and membrane permeability.
Trypanocidal activity has been associated with pore formation, as evidenced by scanning electron microscopy. The damage done to the membranes by the peptides was significant, causing the death of parasites at levels not toxic to host cells.
“Our results indicate that VmCT1 and its arginine-substituted analogs are promising antiparasitic molecules that open up new avenues for the treatment of Chagas disease,” said Alice Martins, UFC researcher and co-author of the article.
The technology products developed during the study were registered with the National Industrial Property Institute (INPI), the Brazilian Patent and Trademark Office.
Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2020-12-scorpion-venom-molecules-chagas-d...
