{"title":"In vitro growth inhibition of bloodstream forms of Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma congolense by iron chelators.","authors":"Karin Merschjohann, Dietmar Steverding","doi":"10.1186/1475-9292-5-3","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>African trypanosomes exert significant morbidity and mortality in man and livestock. Only a few drugs are available for the treatment of trypanosome infections and therefore, the development of new anti-trypanosomal agents is required. Previously it has been shown that bloodstream-form trypanosomes are sensitive to the iron chelator deferoxamine. In this study the effect of 13 iron chelators on the growth of Trypanosoma brucei, T. congolense and human HL-60 cells was tested in vitro. With the exception of 2 compounds, all chelators exhibited anti-trypanosomal activities, with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values ranging between 2.1-220 microM. However, the iron chelators also displayed cytotoxicity towards human HL-60 cells and therefore, only less favourable selectivity indices compared to commercially available drugs. Interfering with iron metabolism may be a new strategy in the treatment of trypanosome infections. More specifically, lipophilic iron-chelating agents may serve as lead compounds for novel anti-trypanosomal drug development.</p>","PeriodicalId":17853,"journal":{"name":"Kinetoplastid Biology and Disease","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2006-08-16","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://sci-hub-pdf.com/10.1186/1475-9292-5-3","citationCount":"5","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Kinetoplastid Biology and Disease","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-9292-5-3","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 5
Abstract
African trypanosomes exert significant morbidity and mortality in man and livestock. Only a few drugs are available for the treatment of trypanosome infections and therefore, the development of new anti-trypanosomal agents is required. Previously it has been shown that bloodstream-form trypanosomes are sensitive to the iron chelator deferoxamine. In this study the effect of 13 iron chelators on the growth of Trypanosoma brucei, T. congolense and human HL-60 cells was tested in vitro. With the exception of 2 compounds, all chelators exhibited anti-trypanosomal activities, with 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) values ranging between 2.1-220 microM. However, the iron chelators also displayed cytotoxicity towards human HL-60 cells and therefore, only less favourable selectivity indices compared to commercially available drugs. Interfering with iron metabolism may be a new strategy in the treatment of trypanosome infections. More specifically, lipophilic iron-chelating agents may serve as lead compounds for novel anti-trypanosomal drug development.