Experimental parasitology最新文献

{"title":"Activity of pyridyl-pyrazolone derivatives against Trypanosoma cruzi","authors":"Denise da Gama Jaen Batista ,&nbsp;Ludmila Ferreira de Almeida Fiuza ,&nbsp;Frédérique Klupsch ,&nbsp;Krislayne Nunes da Costa ,&nbsp;Marcos Meuser Batista ,&nbsp;Ketlym da Conceição ,&nbsp;Hassiba Bouafia ,&nbsp;Gérard Vergoten ,&nbsp;Régis Millet ,&nbsp;Xavier Thuru ,&nbsp;Christian Bailly ,&nbsp;Maria de Nazaré Correia Soeiro","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108787","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108787","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>New affordable drugs are needed for the treatment of infection with the protozoan parasite <em>Trypanosoma cruzi</em> responsible for the Chagas disease (CD). Only two old drugs are currently available, nifurtimox and benznidazole (Bz) but they exhibit unwanted side effects and display a weak activity in the late chronic phase of the disease. In this context, we evaluated the activity of a series of aryl-pyrazolone derivatives against <em>T cruzi</em>, using both bloodstream trypomastigote and intracellular amastigote forms of the parasite. The test compounds originate from a series of anticancer agents targeting the immune checkpoint ligand PD-L1 and bear an analogy with known anti-trypanosomal pyrazolones. A first group of 6 phenyl-pyrazolones was tested, revealing the activity of a single pyridyl-pyrazolone derivative. Then a second group of 8 compounds with a common pyridyl-pyrazolone core was evaluated. The <em>in vitro</em> testing process led to the identification of two non-cytotoxic and highly potent molecules against the intracellular form of <em>T. cruzi</em>, with an activity comparable to Bz. Moreover, one compound revealed an activity largely superior to that of Bz against bloodstream trypomastigotes, while being non-cytotoxic (selectivity index &gt;1000). Unfortunately, the compound showed little activity <em>in vivo</em>, most likely due to its very limited plasma stability. However, the study opens novel perspectives for the design of new anti-trypanosomal products and the mechanism of action of the compounds is discussed.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"262 ","pages":"Article 108787"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-05-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0014489424000900/pdfft?md5=3cf146d6809f24859bf3cac37cc27e42&pid=1-s2.0-S0014489424000900-main.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140956678","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of a Gaussia luciferase immunoprecipitation assay for detecting Schistosoma japonicum infection","authors":"Xiaoxu Wang ,&nbsp;Bikash R. Giri ,&nbsp;Zhoukai Cui ,&nbsp;Tserendorj Munkhjargal ,&nbsp;Chunren Wang ,&nbsp;Ian Kendrich C. Fontanilla ,&nbsp;Guofeng Cheng","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108776","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108776","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Timely and accurate diagnosis of <em>Schistosoma</em> infection is important to adopt effective strategies for schistosomiasis control. Previously, we demonstrated that <em>Schistosoma japonicum</em> can secret extracellular vesicles and their cargos may serve as a novel type of biomarkers for diagnosing schistosomiasis. Here, we developed a <em>Gaussia</em> luciferase immunoprecipitation assay combined with <em>S. japonicum</em> extracellular vesicle (SjEV) protein to evaluate its potential for diagnosing schistosomiasis. A saposin-like protein (SjSLP) identified from SjEVs was fused to the <em>Gaussia</em> luciferase as the diagnostic antigen. The developed method showed good capability for detecting <em>S. japonicum</em> infection in mice and human patients. We also observed that the method could detect <em>S</em><em>chistosom</em><em>a</em> infection in mice as early as 7 days of post-infection, which showed better sensitivity than that of indirect ELISA method. Overall, the developed method showed a good potential for detecting <em>Schistosoma</em> infection particularly for early stage, which may provide an alternative strategy for identify <em>Schistosoma</em> infection for disease control.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"262 ","pages":"Article 108776"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140944439","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Isolation, characterization, and pathogenicity assay of Acanthamoeba and its endosymbionts in respiratory disorders and COVID-19 hospitalized patients, northern Iran","authors":"Eissa Soleymani ,&nbsp;Mahdi Fakhar ,&nbsp;Lotfollah Davoodi ,&nbsp;Seyedmousa Motavallihaghi ,&nbsp;Ali Sharifpour ,&nbsp;Amir Hossein Maghsood","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108774","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108774","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p><em>Acanthamoeba</em> spp., are common free-living amoebae found in nature that can serve as reservoirs for certain microorganisms. The SARS-CoV-2 virus is a newly emerged respiratory infection, and the investigation of parasitic infections remains an area of limited research. Given that <em>Acanthamoeba</em> can act as a host for various endosymbiotic microbial pathogens and its pathogenicity assay is not fully understood, this study aimed to identify <em>Acanthamoeba</em> and its bacterial and fungal endosymbionts in patients with chronic respiratory disorders and hospitalized COVID-19 patients in northern Iran. Additionally, a pathogenicity assay was conducted on <em>Acanthamoeba</em> isolates. Urine, nasopharyngeal swab, and respiratory specimens were collected from two groups, and each sample was cultured on 1.5% non-nutrient agar medium. The cultures were then incubated at room temperature and monitored daily for a period of two weeks. Eight <em>Acanthamoeba</em> isolates were identified, and PCR was performed to confirm the presence of amoebae and identify their endosymbionts. Four isolates were found to have bacterial endosymbionts, including <em>Stenotrophomonas maltophilia</em> and <em>Achromobacter</em> sp., while two isolates harbored fungal endosymbionts, including an uncultured fungus and <em>Gloeotinia</em> sp. In the pathogenicity assay, five isolates exhibited a higher degree of pathogenicity compared to the other three. This study provides significant insights into the comorbidity of acanthamoebiasis and COVID-19 on a global scale, and presents the first evidence of <em>Gloeotinia</em> sp. as a fungal endosymbiont. Nevertheless, further research is required to fully comprehend the symbiotic patterns and establish effective treatment protocols.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"262 ","pages":"Article 108774"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-05-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140956800","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In vitro and in vivo anthelmintic effect of essential oil obtained from Thymus capitatus flowers against Haemonchus contortus and Heligmosomoides polygyrus","authors":"Abidi Amel ,&nbsp;Essia Sebai ,&nbsp;Moez Mhadhbi ,&nbsp;Hafidh Akkari","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108778","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108778","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Sheep haemonchosis is a disease that causes serious losses in livestock production, particularly with the increase of cases of anthelmintic resistance around the world. This justifies the urgent need of alternative solutions. The aim of this study was to determine the chemical profile, <em>in vitro</em>, and, <em>in vivo</em>, anthelmintic properties of <em>Thymus capitatus</em> essential oil. To evaluate the, <em>in vitro,</em> anthelmintic activity of the <em>T. capitatus</em> EO on <em>Haemonchus contortus</em>, two tests were used: egg hatch assay (EHA) and adult worm motility (AWM) assay. The nematicidal effect of this oil was evaluated, <em>in vivo</em>, in mice infected artificially with <em>Heligmosomoides polygyrus</em> using faecal egg count reduction (FECR) and total worm count reduction (TWCR). Chromatographic characterization of <em>T.capitatus</em> composition using gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC-MS) demonstrated the presence of carvacrol (81.16%), as the major constituents. The IC₅₀ values obtained was 1.9 mg/mL in the EHT. In the AWM assay; <em>T. capitatus</em> essential oil achieved 70.8% inhibition at 1 mg/mL after 8 h incubation. The <em>in vivo,</em> evaluation on <em>H. polygyrus</em> revealed a significant nematicidal effect 7 days post-treatment by inducing 49.5% FECR and 64.5% TWCR, using the highest dose (1600 mg/kg). The results of present study, demonstrate that <em>T.capitatus</em> EO possess a significant anthelmintic properties. Furthermore, it could be an alternative source of anthelmintic agents against gastrointestinal infections caused by <em>H. contortus</em>.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"262 ","pages":"Article 108778"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-05-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140912093","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"In vitro ovicidal and larvicidal activity of a hydroalcoholic extract and its fractions from Cyrtocarpa procera fruits on Haemonchus contortus","authors":"Xochitl De Jesús-Martínez ,&nbsp;Nallely Rivero-Pérez ,&nbsp;Alejandro Zamilpa ,&nbsp;Manases González-Cortazar ,&nbsp;Jaime Olivares-Pérez ,&nbsp;Adrian Zaragoza-Bastida ,&nbsp;Pedro Mendoza-de Gives ,&nbsp;Abel Villa-Mancera ,&nbsp;Agustín Olmedo-Juárez","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108777","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108777","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>This study describes the <em>in vitro</em> anthelmintic effect of a hydroalcoholic extract (HA-E) and its fractions from <em>Cyrtocarpa procera</em> fruits against <em>Haemonchus contortus</em> eggs and infective larvae. The HA-E was subjected to bipartition using ethyl acetate, which resulted in an aqueous fraction (Aq-F) and an organic fraction (EtOAc-F). The HA-E and both fractions were tested using the egg hatching inhibition assay (EHIA) and the larval mortality test (LMT). Fractionation of the EtOAc-F was achieved using different chromatographic processes, i.e., open glass column and HPLC analysis. Fractionation of the EtOAc-F gave 18 subfractions (C1R1-C1R18), and those that showed the highest yields (C1R15, C1R16, C1R17 and C1R18) were subjected to anthelmintic assays. The HA-E and the EtOAc-F displayed 100% egg hatching inhibition at 3 and 1 mg/mL, respectively, whereas Aq-F exhibited 92.57% EHI at 3 mg/mL. All subfractions tested showed ovicidal effect. Regarding the larval mortality test, HA-E and EtOAc-F exhibited a larvicidal effect higher than 50% at 50 and 30 mg/mL, respectively. The subfractions that showed the highest larval mortality against <em>H. contortus</em> were C1R15 and C1R17, with larval mortalities of 53.57% and 60.23% at 10 mg/mL, respectively. Chemical analysis of these bioactive subfractions (C1R15 and C1R17) revealed the presence of gallic acid, protocatechuic acid, and ellagic acid. This study shows evidence about the ovicidal and larvicidal properties of <em>C. procera</em> fruits that could make these plant products to be considered as a natural potential anthelmintic agents for controlling haemonchosis in goats and sheep.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"262 ","pages":"Article 108777"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-05-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140912095","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Moxidectin versus Ivermectin in the prevention and treatment of acute and chronic experimental trichinellosis","authors":"Dalia A. Elmehy ,&nbsp;Ghada A. Gamea ,&nbsp;Dina M. El-Guindy ,&nbsp;Dina M. Tahoon ,&nbsp;Reem A. Elkholy ,&nbsp;Hager S. Zoghroban","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108775","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108775","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The limited activity of the traditional medications against <em>T. spiralis</em> encysted larvae handicaps complete cure of trichinellosis till now due to decreased permeability and absorption through tissues. MOX is listed worldwide for prevention and treatment of several internal and external nematodes. Consequently, the aim of this work was to investigate the effect of moxidectin versus ivermectin on experimental acute and chronic trichinellosis and to illuminate the potential mechanisms of their effects. 105 Mice were divided into four groups; Group I: Uninfected healthy control; Group II: Infected untreated control; Group III: Infected and treated with IVM and Group IV: Infected and treated with MOX. The groups (II, III and IV) were later subdivided equally into three subgroups (a, b, and c) according to the stage of treatment. Parasitological counting of adults and larvae besides immune-histopathological examination of intestines and muscles were done. Results exhibited that both IVM and MOX succeeded in reducing adults and larvae counts with higher potential of MOX in both intestinal and muscle phase. The preeminence of MOX was indicated by decreased inflammation, a significant reduction in the microvascular density (CD31 immunostaining) as well as a reduction in the percentage of fibroblast activation protein (FAP) immunostaining in muscle tissues. Accordingly, the current work recommends moxidectin as an innovative treatment for trichinellosis.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"262 ","pages":"Article 108775"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-05-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140912099","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of cattle and horse feces storage methods on Nematode egg viability and sensitivity for egg hatch test","authors":"Mariana Green de Freitas,&nbsp;Dyego Gonçalves Lino Borges,&nbsp;Mário Henrique Conde,&nbsp;Matheus Takemi Muchon Nakatani,&nbsp;Juliane Francielle Tutija,&nbsp;Giulia Ornellas Fuzaro Scaléa,&nbsp;Guilherme Henrique Reckziegel,&nbsp;Fernando de Almeida Borges","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108769","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108769","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>The aim of the present study was to validate methods of stool sample conservation for the egg hatch test (EHT). This study involved the use of a bovine naturally infected predominantly by <em>Cooperia</em> spp. and one equine naturally infected predominantly by cyathostomins characterized as susceptible to benzimidazoles in the EHT. Fecal samples were submitted to three treatments: aerobic methods (anaerobic storage in plastic bottles, anaerobic storage in vacuum-sealed bags or aerobic storage in plastic bags), under two temperature conditions (room temperature and refrigeration) analyzed at four different assessment times (48, 72, 96 and 120 h). As the standard test, an assay was also performed within 3 h. The tests were performed in triplicate for each drug concentration and with three experimental repetitions at one-week intervals. Two criteria were used for the storage methods: hatchability in the negative control group and sensitivity of the eggs to thiabendazole, comparing the EC50 and 95% confidence interval for each treatment to those of the standard test and the other repetitions. Bovine samples can be stored for up to 96 h and refrigerated vacuum storage can be used, ensuring hatchability of the negative control and sensitivity of the eggs to thiabendazole. For equine samples, no forms of storage were indicated due to the variation among the repetitions and the reduction in the sensitivity of the eggs to thiabendazole, which could result in a false positive detection of resistance.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"262 ","pages":"Article 108769"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-05-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140912090","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Study of specific immunodominant antigens in different stages of Neospora caninum, Toxoplasma gondii, Sarcocystis spp. and Hammondia spp.","authors":"A. Dellarupe ,&nbsp;G. Moré ,&nbsp;J.M. Unzaga ,&nbsp;L. Pardini ,&nbsp;M.C. Venturini","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108772","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108772","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"262 ","pages":"Article 108772"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140894750","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Andrographolide induced cytotoxicity and cell cycle arrest in Giardia trophozoites","authors":"Tapas Haldar ,&nbsp;Sanjib K. Sardar ,&nbsp;Ajanta Ghosal ,&nbsp;Akash Prasad ,&nbsp;Yumiko Saito Nakano ,&nbsp;Shanta Dutta ,&nbsp;Tomoyoshi Nozaki ,&nbsp;Sandipan Ganguly","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108773","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108773","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Giardiasis is a prevalent parasitic diarrheal disease caused by <em>Giardia lamblia</em>, affecting people worldwide. Recently, the availability of several drugs for its treatment has highlighted issues such as multidrug resistance, limited effectiveness and undesirable side effects. Therefore, it is necessary to develop alternative new drugs and treatment strategies that can enhance therapeutic outcomes and effectively treat giardiasis. Natural compounds show promise in the search for more potent anti-giardial agents. Our investigation focused on the effect of Andrographolide (ADG), an active compound of the <em>Andrographis paniculata</em> plant, on <em>Giardia lamblia</em>, assessing trophozoite growth, morphological changes, cell cycle arrest, DNA damage and inhibition of gene expression associated with pathogenic factors. ADG demonstrated anti-<em>Giardia</em> activity almost equivalent to the reference drug metronidazole, with an IC₅₀ value of 4.99 μM after 24 h of incubation. In cytotoxicity assessments and morphological examinations, it showed significant alterations in trophozoite shape and size and effectively hindered the adhesion of trophozoites. It also caused excessive ROS generation, DNA damage, cell cycle arrest and inhibited the gene expression related to pathogenesis. Our findings have revealed the anti-giardial efficacy of ADG, suggesting its potential as an agent against <em>Giardia</em> infections. This could offer a natural and low-risk treatment option for giardiasis, reducing the risk of side effects and drug resistance.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"262 ","pages":"Article 108773"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140897479","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Copaifera spp. oleoresins and two isolated compounds (ent-kaurenoic and ent-polyalthic acid) inhibit Toxoplasma gondii growth in vitro","authors":"Samuel Cota Teixeira ,&nbsp;Guilherme de Souza ,&nbsp;Joed Pires de Lima Junior ,&nbsp;Alessandra Monteiro Rosini ,&nbsp;Aryani Felixa Fajardo Martínez ,&nbsp;Thales Alves de Melo Fernandes ,&nbsp;Sergio Ricardo Ambrósio ,&nbsp;Rodrigo Cassio Sola Veneziani ,&nbsp;Jairo Kenupp Bastos ,&nbsp;Carlos Henrique Gomes Martins ,&nbsp;Bellisa Freitas Barbosa ,&nbsp;Eloisa Amália Vieira Ferro","doi":"10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108771","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.exppara.2024.108771","url":null,"abstract":"<div><p>Toxoplasmosis affects about one-third of the world's population. The disease treatment methods pose several side effects and do not efficiently eliminate the parasite, making the search for new therapeutic approaches necessary. We aimed to assess the anti-<em>Toxoplasma gondii</em> activity of four <em>Copaifera</em> oleoresins (ORs) and two isolated diterpene acids, named <em>ent</em>-kaurenoic and <em>ent</em>-polyalthic acid. We used HeLa cells as an experimental model of toxoplasmosis. Uninfected and infected HeLa cells were submitted to the treatments, and the parasite intracellular proliferation, cytokine levels and ROS production were measured. Also, tachyzoites were pre-treated and the parasite invasion was determined. Finally, an <em>in silico</em> analysis was performed to identify potential parasite targets. Our data show that the non-cytotoxic concentrations of ORs and diterpene acids controlled the invasion and proliferation of <em>T. gondii</em> in HeLa cells, thus highlighting the possible direct action on parasites. In addition, some compounds tested controlled parasite proliferation in an irreversible manner. An additional and non-exclusive mechanism of action involves the modulation of host cell components, by affecting the upregulation of the IL-6. Additionally, molecular docking suggested that <em>ent</em>-polyalthic acid has a high affinity for the active site of the TgCDPK1 protein. <em>Copaifera</em> ORs have great antiparasitic activity against <em>T. gondii</em>, and this effect can be partially explained by the presence of the isolated compounds <em>ent</em>-kaurenoic and <em>ent</em>-polyalthic acid.</p></div>","PeriodicalId":12117,"journal":{"name":"Experimental parasitology","volume":"262 ","pages":"Article 108771"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2024-05-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140894749","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}