Guodong Niu1, Xiaohong Wang1, Yue Hao1,2, Shambhu Kandel3, Guomin Niu4, Raphael G Raptis3,5, Jun Li6,7. 1. Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL, 33199, USA. 2. College of Public Health, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, China. 3. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL, 33199, USA. 4. Department of Hematology, Southern Medical University Affiliated Nanhai Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong, China. 5. Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL, 33199, USA. 6. Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL, 33199, USA. lij@fiu.edu. 7. Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, 11200 SW 8th St, Miami, FL, 33199, USA. lij@fiu.edu.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Malaria transmission depends on infected mosquitoes and can be controlled by transmission-blocking drugs. The recently discovered FREP1-mediated malaria transmission pathway is an excellent target to screen drugs for limiting transmission. METHODS: To identify candidate small molecules, we used an ELISA-based approach to analyze extracts from a fungal library for inhibition of the FREP1-parasite interaction. We isolated and determined one active compound by chromatography and crystallography, respectively. We measured the effects of the bioactive compound on malaria transmission to mosquitoes through standard membrane-feeding assays (SMFA) and on parasite proliferation in blood by culturing. RESULTS: We discovered the ethyl acetate extract of the fungus Purpureocillium lilacinum that inhibited Plasmodium falciparum transmission to mosquitoes. Pre-exposure to the extract rendered Anopheles gambiae resistant to Plasmodium infection. Furthermore, we isolated one novel active compound from the extract and identified it as 3-amino-7,9-dihydroxy-1-methyl-6H-benzo[c]chromen-6-one, or "pulixin." Pulixin prevented FREP1 from binding to P. falciparum-infected cell lysate. Pulixin blocked the transmission of the parasite to mosquitoes with an EC50 (the concentration that gave half-maximal response) of 11 µM based on SMFA. Notably, pulixin also inhibited the proliferation of asexual-stage P. falciparum with an EC50 of 47 nM. The compound did not show cytotoxic effects at a concentration of 116 µM or lower. CONCLUSION: By targeting the FREP1-Plasmodium interaction, we discovered that Purpureocillium lilacinum extract blocked malaria transmission. We isolated and identified the bioactive agent pulixin as a new compound capable of stopping malaria transmission to mosquitoes and inhibiting parasite proliferation in blood culture.
BACKGROUND:Malaria transmission depends on infected mosquitoes and can be controlled by transmission-blocking drugs. The recently discovered FREP1-mediated malaria transmission pathway is an excellent target to screen drugs for limiting transmission. METHODS: To identify candidate small molecules, we used an ELISA-based approach to analyze extracts from a fungal library for inhibition of the FREP1-parasite interaction. We isolated and determined one active compound by chromatography and crystallography, respectively. We measured the effects of the bioactive compound on malaria transmission to mosquitoes through standard membrane-feeding assays (SMFA) and on parasite proliferation in blood by culturing. RESULTS: We discovered the ethyl acetate extract of the fungus Purpureocillium lilacinum that inhibited Plasmodium falciparum transmission to mosquitoes. Pre-exposure to the extract rendered Anopheles gambiae resistant to Plasmodiuminfection. Furthermore, we isolated one novel active compound from the extract and identified it as 3-amino-7,9-dihydroxy-1-methyl-6H-benzo[c]chromen-6-one, or "pulixin." Pulixin prevented FREP1 from binding to P. falciparum-infected cell lysate. Pulixin blocked the transmission of the parasite to mosquitoes with an EC50 (the concentration that gave half-maximal response) of 11 µM based on SMFA. Notably, pulixin also inhibited the proliferation of asexual-stage P. falciparum with an EC50 of 47 nM. The compound did not show cytotoxic effects at a concentration of 116 µM or lower. CONCLUSION: By targeting the FREP1-Plasmodium interaction, we discovered that Purpureocillium lilacinum extract blocked malaria transmission. We isolated and identified the bioactive agent pulixin as a new compound capable of stopping malaria transmission to mosquitoes and inhibiting parasite proliferation in blood culture.
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