Leishmaniasis is a chronic disease caused by protozoa of the distinct Leishmania genus transmitted by sandflies of the genus Phlebotomus (old world) and Lutzomyia (new world). Among the
molecular factors that contribute to the virulence and pathogenesis
of Leishmania are metalloproteases, e.g., glycoprotein
63 (gp63), also known as leishmanolysin or major surface protease
(MSP). This protease is a zinc-dependent metalloprotease that is found
on the surface of the parasite, abundant in Leishmania promastigote and amastigote. This study describes the prediction
of three-dimensional (3D) structures of leishmanolysin (UniProt ID A0A088RJX7)
of Leishmania panamensis employing
a homology modeling approach. The 3D structure prediction was performed
using the SWISS-MODEL web server. The tools PROCHECK, Molprobyty,
and Verify3D were used to check the quality of the model, indicating
that they are reliable. Best docking configurations were identified
applying AutoDock Vina in PyRx 0.8 to obtain a potential antileishmanial
activity. Biflavonoids such as lanaroflavone, podocarpusflavone A,
amentoflavone, and podocarpusflavone B showed good scores among these
molecules. Lanaroflavone appears to be the most suitable compound
from binding affinity calculations.
Background
The novel SARS-CoV-2, responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, is the third zoonotic coronavirus since the beginning of the 21 first century, and it has taken more than 6 million human lives because of the lack of immunity causing global economic losses. Consequently, developing a vaccine against the virus represents the fastest way to finish the threat and regain some "normality."
Objective
Here, we provide information about the main features of the most important vaccine platforms, some of them already approved, to clear common doubts fostered by widespread misinformation and to reassure the public of the safety of the vaccination process and the different alternatives presented.
Methods
Articles published in open access databases until January 2022 were identified using the search terms "SARS-CoV-2," "COVID-19," "Coronavirus," "COVID-19 Vaccines," "Pandemic," COVID-19, and LMICs or their combinations.
Discussion
Traditional first-generation vaccine platforms, such as whole virus vaccines (live attenuated and inactivated virus vaccines), as well as second-generation vaccines, like protein-based vaccines (subunit and viral vector vaccines), and third-generation vaccines, such as nanoparticle and genetic vaccines (mRNA vaccines), are described.
Conclusions
SARS-CoV-2 sequence information obtained in a record time provided the basis for the fast development of a COVID-19 vaccine. The adaptability characteristic of the new generation of vaccines is changing our capability to react to emerging threats to future pandemics. Nevertheless, the slow and unfair distribution of vaccines to low- and middle-income countries and the spread of misinformation are a menace to global health since the unvaccinated will increase the chances for resurgences and the surge of new variants that can escape the current vaccines.
Essential oils (EOs) are widely used as biopesticides and to control bacterial infections. This study describes the ability of six EOs isolated from plants cultivated in Colombia to perform as repellents against Ulomoides dermestoides and as quorum sensing (QS) inhibitors. EOs from Aloysia triphylla, Cymbopogon nardus, Lippia origanoides, Hyptis suaveolens, Swinglea glutinosa and Eucalyptus globulus were repellents classified as Class IV, IV, IV, III, II, and II, respectively, whereas the commercial repellent IR3535 only reached Class II after 2 h exposure. All EOs presented small, but significant inhibitory properties against the QS system in Escherichia coli (pJBA132) at 25 µg/mL after 4 h exposure. These data suggest evaluated EOs from Colombia are sustainable, promising new sources of natural repellents and could be important as anti-quorum sensing molecules.
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