Antimalarial quinoline drugs inhibit β-hematin and increase free hemin catalyzing peroxidative reactions and inhibition of cysteine proteases

Malaria caused by Plasmodium affects millions people worldwide. Plasmodium consumes hemoglobin during its intraerythrocytic stage leaving toxic heme. Parasite detoxifies free heme through formation of hemozoin (β-hematin) pigment. Proteolysis of hemoglobin and formation of hemozoin are two main targets for antimalarial drugs. Quinoline antimarial drugs and analogs (β-carbolines or nitroindazoles) were studied as inhibitors of β-hematin formation. The most potent inhibitors were quinacrine, chloroquine, and amodiaquine followed by quinidine, mefloquine and quinine whereas 8-hydroxyquinoline and β-carbolines had no effect. Compounds that inhibited β-hematin increased free hemin that promoted peroxidative reactions as determined with TMB and ABTS substrates. Hemin-catalyzed peroxidative reactions were potentiated in presence of proteins (i.e. globin or BSA) while antioxidants and peroxidase inhibitors decreased peroxidation. Free hemin increased by chloroquine action promoted oxidative reactions resulting in inhibition of proteolysis by three cysteine proteases: papain, ficin and cathepsin B. Glutathione reversed inhibition of proteolysis. These results show that active quinolines inhibit hemozoin and increase free hemin which in presence of HO that abounds in parasite digestive vacuole catalyzes peroxidative reactions and inhibition of cysteine proteases. This work suggests a link between the action of quinoline drugs with biochemical processes of peroxidation and inhibition of proteolysis.

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Herraiz Tomico, Tomás, Guillén Fuerte, Hugo, González Peña, Diana, Arán, Vicente J.
Other Authors: Ministerio de Ciencia, Innovación y Universidades (España)
Format: artículo biblioteca
Published: Nature Publishing Group 2019
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10261/202670
http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100011033
http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000780
http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100003329
http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/100012818
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!