Amaurocine: Anti- Trichomonas vaginalis protein produced by the basidiomycete Amauroderma camerarium

Abstract

Trichomonas vaginalis is the causative agent of trichomoniasis, the most common nonviral STD worldwide. This infection can lead to severe health conditions, especially when women are affected. Metronidazole and tinidazole are the only choices of treatment. In this sense, natural bioactive compounds against T. vaginalis are an interesting approach in the search for more efficient therapies. Herein, amaurocine, a 12 kDa protein, produced by the mushroom Amauroderma camerarium was purified and tested against T. vaginalis, including two fresh clinical isolates. Amaurocine presented MIC values at 2.6 μM against the ATCC isolate 30236, and 5.2 μM against the fresh clinical isolates, TV-LACH1 and TV-LACM2. Furthermore, besides increasing human neutrophils nitric oxide release, amaurocine presented a low toxicity toward those cells, suggesting it exerts a proinflammatory character.

Amauroderma (Ganodermataceae, Polyporales) – bioactive compounds, beneficial properties and two new records from Laos

“…It is the causative agent of Trichomoniasis, the most common nonviral sexual transfer disease worldwide. Furthermore, this protein demonstrated low toxicity towards human neutrophils and a pro-inflammatory character and Amaurocine may produce a synergic action being directly cytotoxic against the parasites and indirectly enhancing the host immune response, improving the protection from this mucosal pathogen (Duarte et al 2016).…”

Novel Treatment Approaches to Combat Trichomoniasis, a Neglected and Sexually Transmitted Infection Caused by Trichomonas vaginalis: Translational Perspectives

“…A. camerarium cultivation in the medium with KNO 3 resulted in an extract with 76% anti-T. vaginalis activity. Proceeding with the characterization of the activity, the authors identified the protein amaurocine, with an MIC of 2.6 µM against ATCC T. vaginalis isolates and an MIC of 5.2 µM against fresh clinical isolates [69]. In addition, antimicrobial peptide attract attention due to their important potential use in drug development.…”

First report of chemical composition and cytotoxicity evaluation of Foraminispora rugosa basidiomata from Brazil

“…In addition, the genus Amauroderma contains approximately 30 species, most of them widespread in tropical areas (Kirk et al 2008 ). Examples of bioactive compounds isolated from Amauroderma are: amaurocine, a protein with anti- Trichomonas vaginalis activity (Duarte et al 2016 ); ergostherol or the pro-vitamin D2 (Li et al 2015 ); compounds with anti-acetylcholinesterase activity as amauroamoienin (Zhang et al 2013 ); jacareubin, a xanthone with cytotoxic activity against tumor cell lines of human epidermoid carcinoma and cervical carcinoma (Tang et al 2015 ; Kaennakam et al 2015 ).…”