Probing the Azaaurone Scaffold against the Hepatic and Erythrocytic Stages of Malaria Parasites

• The potential of azaaurones as dual-stage antimalarial agents was investigated by assessing the effect of a small library of azaaurones on the inhibition of liver and intraerythrocytic lifecycle stages of the malaria parasite. The whole series was screened against the blood stage of a chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum strain and the liver stage of P.berghei, yielding compounds with dual-stage activity and sub-micromolar potency against erythrocytic parasites. Studies with genetically modified parasites, using a phenotypic assay based on the P.falciparum Dd2-ScDHODH line, which expresses yeast dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), showed that one of the azaaurone derivatives has the potential to inhibit the parasite mitochondrial electron-transport chain. The global urgency in finding new therapies for malaria, especially against the underexplored liver stage, associated with chemical tractability of azaaurones, warrants further development of this chemotype. Overall, these results emphasize the azaaurone chemotype as a promising scaffold for dual-stage antimalarials.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Biokemi och molekylärbiologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (hsv//eng)

Keyword

antiprotozoal agents

azaaurones

erythrocytic stage

liver stage

malaria

cysteine protease inhibitors

plasmodium-falciparum

liver-stage

selective inhibitors

antimalarial-drug

discovery

potent

mechanisms

resistance

aurones

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)