ORCID Profile
0000-0001-9030-1066
Current Organisations
University of Milan
,
University of Queensland - Gatton Campus
,
Chittagong Veterinary and Animal Science University
,
University of Chittagong
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Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 12-09-2016
DOI: 10.1038/NSMB.3292
Abstract: Insulins in the venom of certain fish-hunting cone snails facilitate prey capture by rapidly inducing hypoglycemic shock. One such insulin, Conus geographus G1 (Con-Ins G1), is the smallest known insulin found in nature and lacks the C-terminal segment of the B chain that, in human insulin, mediates engagement of the insulin receptor and assembly of the hormone's hexameric storage form. Removal of this segment (residues B23-B30) in human insulin results in substantial loss of receptor affinity. Here, we found that Con-Ins G1 is monomeric, strongly binds the human insulin receptor and activates receptor signaling. Con-Ins G1 thus is a naturally occurring B-chain-minimized mimetic of human insulin. Our crystal structure of Con-Ins G1 reveals a tertiary structure highly similar to that of human insulin and indicates how Con-Ins G1's lack of an equivalent to the key receptor-engaging residue Phe
Publisher: Informa UK Limited
Date: 2022
DOI: 10.2147/PPA.S345646
Publisher: Veterinary World
Date: 04-2015
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 24-08-2023
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 12-06-2022
DOI: 10.3390/PHARMACEUTICS14061251
Abstract: Hybrid-based drugs linked through a transition metal constitute an emerging concept for Plasmodium intervention. To advance the drug design concept and enhance the therapeutic potential of this class of drugs, we developed a novel hybrid composed of quinolinic ligands amodiaquine (AQ) and primaquine (PQ) linked by gold(I), named [AuAQPQ]PF6. This compound demonstrated potent and efficacious antiplasmodial activity against multiple stages of the Plasmodium life cycle. The source of this activity was thoroughly investigated by comparing parasite susceptibility to the hybrid’s components, the annotation of structure–activity relationships and studies of the mechanism of action. The activity of [AuAQPQ]PF6 for the parasite’s asexual blood stages was influenced by the presence of AQ, while its activity against gametocytes and pre-erythrocytic parasites was influenced by both quinolinic components. Moreover, the coordination of ligands to gold(I) was found to be essential for the enhancement of potency, as suggested by the observation that a combination of quinolinic ligands does not reproduce the antimalarial potency and efficacy as observed for the metallic hybrid. Our results indicate that this gold(I) hybrid compound presents a dual mechanism of action by inhibiting the beta-hematin formation and enzymatic activity of thioredoxin reductases. Overall, our findings support the potential of transition metals as a dual chemical linker and an antiplasmodial payload for the development of hybrid-based drugs.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 18-08-2023
Abstract: Malaria is the one of the deadliest infectious diseases worldwide. Chemically, quinolines are excellent ligands for metal coordination and are deployed as drugs for malaria treatment. There is a growing body of evidence indicating that metal complexes can be conjugated with antimalarial quinolines to be used as chemical tools to overcome the disadvantages of quinolines, improving their bioactive speciation, cellular distribution, and subsequently broadening the spectrum of activity to multiple stages of the complex Plasmodium life cycle. In this study, four novel complexes of ruthenium(II)‐ and gold(I)‐containing amodiaquine (AQ) were synthesized, and a careful chemical characterization revealed the precise coordination site of AQ to the metals. Their speciation in solution was investigated, demonstrating the stability of the quinoline‐metal bond. Ru II ‐ and Au I ‐AQ complexes were demonstrated to be potent and efficacious in inhibiting parasite growth in multiple stages of the Plasmodium life cycle as assayed in vitro and in vivo. These properties could be attributed to the ability of the metal‐AQ complexes to reproduce the suppression of heme detoxification induced by AQ, while also inhibiting other processes in the parasite life cycle this can be attributed to the action of the metallic species. Altogether, these findings indicate that metal coordination with antimalarial quinolines is a potential chemical tool for drug design and discovery in malaria and other infectious diseases susceptible to quinoline treatment.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 15-11-2021
DOI: 10.1002/AJP.23345
Abstract: Rhesus macaques are considered an important reservoir of different gastrointestinal (GI) zoonotic parasites affecting livestock and humans. Loads of GI parasites in the free‐ranging rhesus macaques living in close proximity to communities in Bangladesh are still unknown. To estimate the prevalence and ersity of zoonotic GI parasites in rhesus macaques of Bangladesh, a total of 182 freshly voided fecal s les were collected from macaques living in rural ( N = 67), peri‐urban ( N = 57), urban ( N = 28), and Safari park ( N = 30) between October 2015 and December 2016. All s les were tested by direct smear, sedimentation, flotation, and the McMaster techniques. A total of fourteen different taxa of GI parasites were detected, revealing an overall prevalence of 54.4% ( n = 99 95% confidence interval [CI]: 46.9–61.8). The prevalence of GI parasites was found to be significantly correlated with the mean parasitic taxa per in idual in a group ( r = 0.90 p = 0.002). The multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that the overall prevalence of GI parasites in macaques was significantly higher in those inhabiting rural areas (62.69% odds ratio [OR]: 7.22 p = 0.001) and in macaques with interactions with other animals (60.98% OR: 5.49 p = 0.005). Our results also indicated that the prevalence of Strongyloides spp. and Balantidium coli infections varied significantly between land gradients. Our results also indicate that macaques frequently visit human settlements for food and are found interacting with domestic animals. In conclusion, the high prevalence of zoonotic GI parasite infection in rhesus macaques found in our study may pose a significant public health risk to communities, particularly in rural areas of Bangladesh. Health promotion to at‐risk communities focusing on limiting contact with rhesus macaques is necessary to mitigate potential zoonotic transmission.
Publisher: Veterinary World
Date: 27-08-2013
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 27-01-2022
DOI: 10.1007/S11259-021-09876-2
Abstract: Rodents are sources of many zoonotic pathogens that are of public health concern. This study investigated bacterial pathogens and assessed their antimicrobial resistance (AMR) patterns in commensal rodents in Qatar. A total of 148 rodents were captured between August 2019 and February 2020, and blood, ectoparasites, and visceral s les were collected. Gram-negative bacteria were isolated from the intestines, and blood plasma s les were used to detect antibodies against Brucella spp., Chlamydophila abortus, and Coxiella burnetii. PCR assays were performed to detect C. burnetii, Leptospira spp., Rickettsia spp., and Yersinia pestis in rodent tissues and ectoparasite s les. Antimicrobial resistance by the isolated intestinal bacteria was performed using an automated VITEK analyzer. A total of 13 bacterial species were isolated from the intestine s les, namely Acinetobacter baumannii, Aeromonas salmonicida, Citrobacter freundii, Citrobacter koseri, Enterobacter aerogenes, Enterobacter cloacae, Escherichia coli, Hafnia alvei, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Providencia stuartii, Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Salmonella enterica. The majority of them were E. coli (54.63%), followed by P. mirabilis (17.59%) and K. pneumoniae (8.33%). Most of the pathogens were isolated from rodents obtained from livestock farms (50.46%), followed by agricultural farms (26.61%) and other sources (22.94%). No antibodies (0/148) were detected against Brucella spp., C. abortus, or C. burnetii. In addition, 31.58% (6/19) of the flea pools and one (1/1) mite pool was positive for Rickettsia spp., and no s le was positive for C. burnetii, Leptospira spp., and Y. pestis by PCR. A total of 43 (38%) bacterial isolates were identified as multidrug resistant (MDR), whereas A. salmonicida (n = 1) did not show resistance to any tested antimicrobials. Over 50% of bacterial MDR isolates were resistant to icillin, cefalotin, doxycycline, nitrofurantoin, and tetracycline. The presence of MDR pathogens was not correlated with rodent species or the location of rodent trapping. Seven (11.86%) E. coli and 2 (22.2%) K. pneumoniae were extended-spectrum beta-lactamases (ESBL) producers. These findings suggest that rodents can be a source of opportunistic bacteria for human and animal transmission in Qatar. Further studies are needed for the molecular characterization of the identified bacteria in this study.
Publisher: ScopeMed
Date: 2011
Publisher: Veterinary World
Date: 2016
Location: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Location: Australia
Location: Bangladesh
No related grants have been discovered for Nicoletta Basilico.