To explore molecular targets and combination antimalarial chemotherapeutics as tissue and erythrocytic schizonticides
摘要
Malaria is a female anopheles mosquito-borne parasitic disease caused by Plasmodium sp. The life cycle of Plasmodium begins with the entry of the sporozoites into a healthy human through the bite of an infected mosquito. These sporozoites synthesize circumsporozoite protein (CSP) which interacts with the host heparin sulphate proteoglycan (HSPG) receptors of hepatocytes facilitating their entry. The sporozoites start developing very fast and release thousands of Merozoites which then attack red blood corpuscles (RBCs). The merozoites have a very characteristic fibrillar coat of merozoite surface protein (MSP) protein which interacts with the Erythrocytic surface and undergoes proteolytic cleavage during invasion. The merozoites feed Hb of RBC and release free heme which is very toxic for the parasite. So, it undergoes detoxification of heme and forms hemozoin granules. Malaria treatment nowadays is concerned with one of the CSP inhibitor vaccines marketed is RTS, S (Repeats, T-cell epitopes, and Surface antigen, referring to the components used in its development) which is produced by ‘T’ cell epitope recombinant of CSP. It prevents the entry of sporozoite into hepatocytes by fusing the CSP with recombinant RTS, S protein Surface other antimalarial drugs that target the Erythrocytic stage are Quinine, Chloroquine, Amodiaquine, Mefloquine, Hydroxyethylamines. These either prevent the detoxification or invasion inside RBC or kill the parasite. Several combinations antimalarial chemotheraputics like ELQ300, MMV019066 are also used for the full reduction of parasite from the body.