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Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy, November 2000, p. 2954-2961, Vol. 44, No. 11
Biologie et Contrôle des Organismes
Parasites, UPRES 398, Université de Paris-Sud, 92290 Châtenay-Malabry,1 and Synthèse et
Physicochimie Organique, UMR 5068 CNRS. Université Paul Sabatier,
31400 Toulouse,2 France
Received 24 November 1999/Returned for modification 25 March
2000/Accepted 6 July 2000
Twelve new dithiaarsanes were evaluated for their in vitro and in
vivo trypanocidal properties in regard to their three parent molecules,
4-amino-phenylarsenoxide, melarsenoxide, and
4-dansylamino-phenylarsenoxide. The most potent dithiaarsane, compound
2b, had a minimum effective concentration of 1.5 nM after 48 h of
incubation and at a dose of 0.39 µmol/kg of body weight (0.2 mg/kg)
administered subcutaneously cured 100% of mice acutely infected with
Trypanosoma brucei brucei CMP. With this model, the
chemotherapeutic index of compound 2b was 512, compared to 256 for
melarsamine dihydrochloride (Cymelarsan) under the same conditions.
With a chronic infection produced by T. brucei brucei GVR,
compound 2b cured 100% of mice after treatment at a dose of 25 µmol/kg (12.5 mg/kg) for 4 consecutive days, whereas melarsamine
dihydrochloride and potassium melarsonyl (Trimelarsan) cured less than
50% mice at this dose. For both acute and late-stage infections,
dithiaarsanes having a melaminophenyl ring exhibited the most-potent
trypanocidal activity. Compound 2b is thus one of the most active
organoarsenicals described in a mouse trypanosomiasis model.
Considering that the main intracellular targets of organoarsenicals are
thiol groups, we studied the possibility of ligand exchange between
Cymelarsan and several dithiols. In aqueous solution, we observed a
rapid exchange of cysteamine from melarsamine with free cysteamine and
also with various dithiols always in favor of more stable cyclic
derivatives. These ligand exchanges suggest the ability of trivalent
organoarsenicals to react with targets such as trypanothione and
dihydrolipoic acid. Among several ligands, a 1,3-dimercaptopropane
moiety appeared the most suitable for trypanocidal activity.
0066-4804/00/$04.00+0
Copyright © 2000, American Society for Microbiology. All rights reserved.
Contribution of Dithiol Ligands to In Vitro and In Vivo
Trypanocidal Activities of Dithiaarsanes and Investigation of
Ligand Exchange in an Aqueous Solution
*
Corresponding author. Mailing Address: Biologie et
Contrôle des Organismes Parasites, UPRES-EA 398, Université
de Paris-Sud, 92290 Châtenay-Malabry, France. Phone: 33 1 46 83 55 53. Fax: 33 1 46 83 55 57. E-mail:
Philippe.Loiseau{at}cep.u-psud.fr.
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