Dibenzylideneacetones Are Potent Trypanocidal Compounds That Affect the Trypanosoma cruzi Redox System

Despite ongoing efforts, the available treatments for Chagas' disease are still unsatisfactory, especially in the chronic phase of the disease. Our previous study reported the strong trypanocidal activity of the dibenzylideneacetones A3K2A1 and A3K2A3 against Trypanosoma cruzi (Z. Ud Din, T. P. Fill, F. F. de Assis, D. Lazarin-Bidóia, V. Kaplum, F. P. Garcia, C. V. Nakamura, K. T. de Oliveira, and E. Rodrigues-Filho, Bioorg Med Chem 22:1121-1127, 2014, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.bmc.2013.12.020). In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms of action of these compounds that are involved in parasite death. We showed that A3K2A1 and A3K2A3 induced oxidative stress in the three parasitic forms, especially trypomastigotes, reflected by an increase in oxidant species production and depletion of the endogenous antioxidant system. This oxidative imbalance culminated in damage in essential cell structures of T. cruzi, reflected by lipid peroxidation and DNA fragmentation. Consequently, A3K2A1 and A3K2A3 induced vital alterations in T. cruzi, leading to parasite death through the three pathways, apoptosis, autophagy, and necrosis.