Recent advances in identification of potential drug targets and development of novel drugs in parasitic diseases. Part IV. Plasmodium spp.

Document Type : Review Article

Author

Medical Parasitology Department, Faculty of Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia, Egypt

Abstract

In the last two decades, transporters attracted much attention in identification of potential drug targets
against intracellular protozoa. Several membrane molecules exhibit essential roles in trafficking pathways
for nutrients, essential enzymes and virulence factors. In this context, P. falciparum possesses a complex
of genomic plasticity-encoding transporters with high potentiality for aneuploidy, and gene expression
modulation in response to drug exposure. Therefore, it is able to undergo gene mutations in enzymes controlling
drug uptake, and evade host immune response by antigenic variations as well. The genetic mechanism of
antimalarial drug resistance arises early with monotherapy using fast-acting drugs or a single targeting drug.
Accordingly, combined therapy acting on multiple targets would decrease the emergence of drug resistance.
Evolutionary technology on genetic approach enabled researchers to identify and propose novel Plasmodium
drug targets. The main objective of this part is to review potential drug targets for apicomplexans and discuss
recent approaches in identifying Plasmodium targets, as well as advances in the design and development of
novel antimalarial drugs.

Keywords

Parasitologists United Journal
Volume 15, Issue 3
December 2022
Pages 238-255

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