Pyrimidine Metabolism in Schistosomes: A comparison with Other Parasites and the Search for Potential Chemotherapeutic Targets

Publication date: Available online 21 July 2017 Source:Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Author(s): Mahmoud H. el Kouni Schistosomes are responsible for the parasitic disease schistosomiasis, an acute and chronic parasitic ailment that affects more than 240 million people in 70 countries worldwide. It is the second most devastating parasitic disease after malaria. At least 200,000 deaths per year are associated with the disease. In the absence of the availability of vaccines, chemotherapy is the main stay for combating schistosomiasis. The antischistosomal arsenal is currently limited to a single drug, Praziquantel, which is quite effective with a single-day treatment and virtually no host-toxicity. Recently, however, the question of reduced activity of Praziquantel has been raised. Therefore, the search for alternative antischistosomal drugs merits the study of new approaches of chemotherapy. The rational design of a drug is usually based on biochemical and physiological differences between pathogens and host. Pyrimidine metabolism is an excellent target for such studies. Schistosomes, unlike most of the host tissues, require a very active pyrimidine metabolism for the synthesis of DNA and RNA. This is essential for the production of the enormous numbers of eggs deposited daily by the parasite to which the granulomas response precipitate the pathogenesis of schistosomiasis. Furthermore, there are sufficient differences betw...
Source: Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology Part B: Biochemistry and Molecular Biology - Category: Molecular Biology Source Type: research