The anticryptosporidial activity of Bobel-24 (2,4,6-triiodophenol) was studied for the first time, resulting in a reduction of the in vitro growth of Cryptosporidium of up to 99.6%. In a SCID mouse model of chronic cryptosporidiosis, significant differences (P < 0.05) in oocyst shedding were observed in animals treated with 125 mg/kg/day. These results merit further investigation of Bobel-24 as a chemotherapeutic option for cryptosporidiosis.Cryptosporidium parvum is considered one of the top four causes of self-limiting diarrhea in humans and in several animal species (15). In immunocompromised individuals, cryptosporidial infection may become chronic and life threatening because no completely effective treatment is available (7).The molecular mechanism involved in the initial interaction between C. parvum sporozoites and epithelial cells is still unclear. One of the mechanisms of C. parvum attachment is the interaction between galactose-N-acetylgalactosamine (Gal/ GalNAc) epitopes on the epithelial apical membrane and Gal/ GalNAc-specific sporozoite surface lectins (3). Invasion by and intracellular development of the parasite lead to the destruction of epithelial cells, resulting in blunting of intestinal villi, crypt hyperplasia, and cytoskeletal remodeling. In addition, there are decreased sodium absorption, epithelial chemokine production, and increased prostaglandin production (16), which are directly related to the notable inflammatory response that follows Cryptosporidium infection and characterizes its pathology (9).To further the improvement of treatment against cryptosporidiosis, we studied the anticryptosporidial activity of 4,. This compound is able to inhibit lectin expression (11). In addition, Bobel-24 is considered a dual inhibitor of lipoxygenase and cyclooxygenase, which are involved in the resolution of inflammatory diseases (10, 13).The C. parvum IOWA bovine isolate used for this study was kindly provided by M. J. Arrowood (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA). Bobel-24 is a nonsteroidal antiinflammatory compound (Fig. 1) (6, 10, 11). It is under clinical development as a potent leukotriene B 4 synthesis inhibitor (17). For in vitro studies, Bobel-24, used as a pure compound (purity of 99.6%, obtained from Chemical Iberica SL, Salamanca, Spain), was first dissolved in dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and then diluted with phosphate-buffered saline. In an MTT cytotoxicity assay (5), viability percentages (Ͼ95%) of HCT-8 cells with Bobel-24 concentrations lower than 100 M were observed. To study in vitro activity of Bobel-24, 8 ϫ 10 5 excysted oocysts/ml (1) were inoculated in confluent HCT-8 cell monolayers as previously described (2). To assess the effect on sporozoite attachment to HCT-8 cells, we incubated sporozoite suspensions with Bobel-24 (90 M) before use, we incubated HCT-8 cells with Bobel-24 (90 M) before infection, and to evaluate the effect of Bobel-24 on C. parvum development in HCT-8, we incubated infected cells afterwards with 90 M Bobel-24 for 48 h. Paromomycin ...