Identification of new Drugs Against Chagas Disease through Genomics and Bioinformatics Strategies

Authors

  • Juliana Rodrigues
  • Nayara Rodrigues Alves
  • Fernanda Galdino da Silva
  • Pedro Vitor Lemos Cravo

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21664/2238-8869.2015v4i1.p77-84

Abstract

Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosomacruzi, is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in tropical and subtropical regions. In the absence of an effective vaccine, its control is highly dependent on the treatment of infected patients. However, only two drugs, nifurtimox and benzinidazole, are officially used for treating Chagas disease. Also, these drugs are incapable of generating radical cure and display high toxicity. Under this perspective, this study aimed to identify new therapies against Chagas disease, making use of a bioinformatics approach. Thus, theT. cruzi genome database was initially employed for selecting potential therapeutic targets (proteins) involved in intracellular transport mechanisms. In the second phase, each of the selected therapeutic targets was used to interrogate two databases that are able to identify inhibitors (drugs) based on homology with proteins from other species for which effective drugs are already available. This process, called "drug repositioning", allowed the identification of ten (10) new compounds with the potential to eliminate or inhibit the growth of T. cruzi parasites. The identification of these drugs may open new perspectives for the treatment of Chagas disease.

Keywords: Chagas; Trypanosoma cruzi; Drugs; Genomics; Bioinformatics.

Author Biographies

Juliana Rodrigues

Mestre em Ecologia e Evolução pela Universidade Federal de Goiás. Professora da Universidade Estadual de Goiás e Professora da Faculdade Anhnaguera de Anápolis, Brasil.

Nayara Rodrigues Alves

Graduada em Farmácia pela Faculdade Montes Belos.

Fernanda Galdino da Silva

Mestre em Ciências Ambientais pelo Centro Universitário de Anápolis, UniEVANGÉLICA. Professora da Universidade Estadual de Goiás, Brasil.

Pedro Vitor Lemos Cravo

Doutor em Genética pela Universidade de Edimburgo, Reino Unido. Bolsista de Produtividade em Pesquisa do CNPq - Nível 2. Professor da Universidade Federal de Goiás, Brasil.

References

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Published

2015-07-31

How to Cite

RODRIGUES, Juliana; ALVES, Nayara Rodrigues; SILVA, Fernanda Galdino da; CRAVO, Pedro Vitor Lemos. Identification of new Drugs Against Chagas Disease through Genomics and Bioinformatics Strategies. Fronteiras - Journal of Social, Technological and Environmental Science, [S. l.], v. 4, n. 1, p. 77–84, 2015. DOI: 10.21664/2238-8869.2015v4i1.p77-84. Disponível em: https://revistas2.unievangelica.edu.br/index.php/fronteiras/article/view/1282. Acesso em: 23 nov. 2024.

Issue

Section

Dossier - History, Health and Environment