Towards an understanding of the mechanism of action of praziquantel.

ABSTRACT: Although praziquantel (PZQ) has been used to treat schistosomiasis for over 20 years its mechanism of action remains unknown. We have developed an assay based on the transcriptional response of Schistosoma mansoni PR-1 to heat shock to confirm that while 6-week post-infection (p.i.) schistosomes are sensitive to PZQ, 4-week p.i. schistosomes are not. Further, we have used this assay to demonstrate that in mice this sensitivity develops between days 37 and 40 p.i. When PZQ is linked to the fluorophore BODIPY to aid microscopic visualization, it appears to enter the cells of intact 4 and 6-week p.i. schistosomes as well as mammalian NIH 3T3 cells with ease suggesting that the differential effects of PZQ is not based on cell exclusion. A transcriptomal analysis of gene expression between 4 an

SUBMITTER: Aragon AD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2886009 | biostudies-literature | 2009 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature