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Inhibition of Protein Synthesis: A Mechanism of Amebicide Action of Emetine and Other Structurally Related Compounds *
Author(s) -
ENTNER NATHAN,
GROLLMAN ARTHUR P.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
the journal of protozoology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.067
H-Index - 77
eISSN - 1550-7408
pISSN - 0022-3921
DOI - 10.1111/j.1550-7408.1973.tb06025.x
Subject(s) - emetine , cycloheximide , puromycin , mode of action , mechanism of action , entamoeba histolytica , protein biosynthesis , pharmacology , chemistry , biology , biochemistry , microbiology and biotechnology , in vitro
SYNOPSIS New amebicides usually have been discovered by empirical screening procedures while other drugs, such as emetine, were adopted after their clinical efficacy was demonstrated. Emetine, puromycin, and cycloheximide are amebicides recently shown to act as inhibitors of protein synthesis in animal cells; the present study was designed to determine the general relationship of this mode of action to amebicidal activity. Our results indicate that amebicides structurally related to emetine inhibit protein synthesis in Entamoeba histolytica. It seems likely that the lethality of many amebicides may be attributed to specific effects on macromolecular synthesis in E. histolytica.