Atividade in vitro de derivados de 4-amino-7-cloroquinolina em Leishmania sp e possíveis mecanismos de morte do parasito

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is an infectious but non-contagious disease caused by protozoa of the genus Leishmania. The drugs currently used for the treatment of leishmaniasis present numerous problems, such as high toxicity, are expensive, and show low efficacy in endemic areas due to the observed resistance of several species of the parasite. Given quinolines derivatives as a class of promising molecules for the treatment of leishmaniasis, this work aimed to analyze the antileishmanial effect of new 4-amino-7-chloroquinoline derivatives and the toxicity in mouse peritoneal macrophages. The objective of this study was also to evaluate the mode of action of the most effective compound. Among the three evaluated compounds, generically denominated quinoline derivatives (DQ), the most promising compound was DQ3 (IC50 of 43.25 and 39.19 μM for L. amazonensis and L. braziliensis promastigotes, respectively, CC50 of 226.79 μM, and IC50 of 5.62 and 5.48 for amastigotes of L. amazonensis PH8 and GFP, respectively), being then chosen for the studies of the possible mechanisms of cell death. Promastigotes of L. amazonensis were treated with the compound DQ3 and later the cells were analyzed for several morphological, ultrastructural and biochemical parameters. Treatment of the promastigotes with the DQ3 compound induced reduction of the mitochondrial membrane potential observed by the JC-1 and rhodamine-123 markers, mitochondrial swelling observed by MET and increased ROS production (H2DCDFA labeling), suggesting that the compound has the mitochondria as an important target. In addition, it induced phosphatidylserine externalization (annexin V labeling), increase in cell population in the sub G0/G1 phase, induction of apoptotic nucleus and morphological changes (rounded bodies and reduction of cell volume). These data suggest that the compound may induce apoptosis-like in L. amazonensis. The hypothesis of death due to necrosis and autophagy was discarded, since the plasma membrane remained intact and the formation of autophagic vacuoles was not observed by MDC labeling. The treatment of macrophages infected with L. amazonensis induced an increase in the production of ROS, but the same was not observed in uninfected macrophages, suggesting oxidative stress as a mode of action of this compound. Also, the treatment induced morphological changes in intracellular amastigotes. The results obtained, in vitro, show that the compound DQ3 presents potential to be an antileishmanial agent, stimulating the continuity of the research in the in vivo model.