2. Academic Validation
  3. Nullscript inhibits Cryptosporidium and Toxoplasma growth

Nullscript inhibits Cryptosporidium and Toxoplasma growth

  • Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist. 2020 Dec;14:159-166. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2020.10.004.
Fumi Murakoshi 1,  Hironori Bando 2,  Tatsuki Sugi 3,  Oluyomi Stephen Adeyemi 4,  Motohiro Nonaka 3,  Takaaki Nakaya 5,  Kentaro Kato 6
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan; Department of Infectious Diseases, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465, Kawaramachi-hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan; Laboratory of Sustainable Animal Environment, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Yomogida 232-3, Naruko-onsen, Osaki, Miyagi, 989-6711, Japan.
  • 2 Laboratory of Sustainable Animal Environment, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Yomogida 232-3, Naruko-onsen, Osaki, Miyagi, 989-6711, Japan.
  • 3 National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan.
  • 4 National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan; Medicinal Biochemistry, Nanomedicine & Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Landmark University, PMB 1001, Omu-Aran, 251101, Nigeria.
  • 5 Department of Infectious Diseases, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine, 465, Kawaramachi-hirokoji, Kamigyo-ku, Kyoto, 602-8566, Japan.
  • 6 National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Inada-cho, Obihiro, Hokkaido, 080-8555, Japan; Laboratory of Sustainable Animal Environment, Graduate School of Agricultural Science, Tohoku University, Yomogida 232-3, Naruko-onsen, Osaki, Miyagi, 989-6711, Japan. Electronic address: [email protected].
PMID: 33120250 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2020.10.004
Abstract

Cryptosporidium and Toxoplasma are parasites that have caused problems worldwide. Cryptosporidium causes severe watery diarrhoea and may be fatal in immunocompromised patients and in infants. Nitazoxanide is the only agent currently approved by the FDA, but its efficacy is limited. Toxoplasmosis is also a problem in the immunocompromised, as currently available treatment options have limited efficacy and patient tolerance can be poor. In the present investigation, we screened libraries of epigenetic compounds to identify those that inhibited C. parvum growth. Nullscript was identified as a compound with an inhibitory effect on C. parvum and T. gondii growth, and was less toxic to host cells. Nullscript was also able to significantly decrease oocyst excretion in C. parvum-infected SCID mice.

Keywords

Cryptosporidium; HDAC inhibitor; Nullscript; Toxoplasma.

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