The metal element targeting method that enables to the expression of growth inhibitory effects against pathogenic protozoa, and the analyses on their mode-of-actions

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 20K20369
• Project/Area Number (Other): 18H05358 (2018-2019)
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Research (Pioneering)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund (2020); Single-year Grants (2018-2019)
• Review Section: Medium-sized Section 37:Biomolecular chemistry and related fields
• Research Institution: Institute of Physical and Chemical Research
• Principal Investigator: Wada Akira 国立研究開発法人理化学研究所, 生命機能科学研究センター, 専任研究員 (90443051)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-06-29 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 感染症 / 病原性原虫 / 金属元素

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this research, a metal element targeting method has been uniquely developed to control the growth activities of pathogenic protozoa such as drug-resistant malaria parasites by using low-molecular-weight compounds that bind to metal elements essential for their life cycle. As a result, metal-binding compounds have been successfully identified to exhibit anti-malarial or anti-amebic activity. Furthermore, based on the analyses of the mode-of-actions that the compounds expressed the growth inhibitory effects against pathogenic protozoa, the utility and versatility of the method have been partially demonstrated.

Free Research Field

錯体化学・創薬

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

薬剤耐性マラリア原虫の世界規模での感染拡大により、新規マラリア治療薬の早期開発が熱望されている。しかし、突然変異による薬剤耐性原虫の発生を抑制する新たな創薬戦略を創出することは容易ではない。そこで、本研究課題では、薬剤耐性マラリア原虫及び赤痢アメーバ原虫等に対して増殖抑制効果を発揮する「金属元素ターゲッティング」の新手法の開拓に取り組んだ。そして、本研究成果は、マラリアをはじめとする病原性原虫により発症する感染症に関する創薬研究の推進に貢献することが期待できる。