Anti-parasitic Peptides from Arthropods and their Application in Drug Therapy

Abstract

Africa, Asia, and Latin America are regions highly affected by endemic diseases, such as Leishmaniasis, Malaria, and Chagas’ disease. They are responsible for the death of 1000s of patients every year, as there is not yet a cure for them and the drugs used are inefficient against the pathogenic parasites. During the life cycle of some parasitic protozoa, insects become the most important host and disseminator of the diseases triggered by these microorganisms. As infected insects do not develop nocive symptoms, they can carry the parasites for long time inside their body, enabling their multiplication and life cycle completion. Eventually, parasites infect human beings after insect’s transmission through their saliva and/or feces. Hence, host insects and general arthropods, which developed a way to coexist with such parasites, are a promising source for the prospection of anti-parasitic compounds, as alternative methods for the treatment of protozoa-related diseases. Among the molecules already isolated and investigated, there are proteins and peptides with high activity against parasites, able to inhibit parasite activity in different stages of development. Although, studies are still taking their first steps, initial results show new perspectives on the treatment of parasitic diseases. Therefore, in this report, we describe about peptides from host insect sources with activity against the three most endemic parasites: Leishmania sp., Plasmodium sp., and Trypanosomes. Moreover, we discuss the future application insect peptides as anti-parasitic drugs and the use of non-hosts insect transcriptomes on the prospection of novel molecules for the treatment of parasitic neglected diseases.

Isolation and characterization of an anti‐leishmanial disintegrin from Cerastes cerastes venom

“…Defensin protein families are active against a wide range of microorganisms including the apicomplexan parasite Plasmodium falciparum . In addition AMPs from host insect sources were described to be active against the three most endemic parasites; Leishmania sp ., Plasmodium sp ., and trypanosomes …”

Technological Potential of Antimicrobial Peptides: a Systematic Review

“…The AMPs are substances evolutionarily ancient found in bacteria, fungi, plants and animals. These substances differ in molecular size, spectrum of action; they are considered the major components of the innate immune system and work in defense against infections caused by viruses, bacteria and fungi [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33] . Furthermore, recent studies indicate that the AMP may exercise activities such as immunological modulators [34,35] in the treatment of cancer [36] , in the recovery of skin lesions and as an alternative in the treatment of biofilms formed by pathogenic microorganisms [37] .…”

An extensive computational approach to inhibit MSP-1 ofP.vivaxelucidates further horizon in the establishment next generation therapeutics against malaria

“…Host insects and general arthropods, which act as reservoirs for such parasites have developed a way to coexist with such parasites. These organisms are thus a promising source for the prospection of anti-parasitic compounds, as alternative methods for the treatment of protozoa-related diseases [31] . Among the molecules already isolated and investigated, there are proteins and peptides with high activity against parasites, able to inhibit parasite activity in different stages of development [32], [33], [34].…”