Inorganic nanoparticles kill Toxoplasma gondii via changes in redox status and mitochondrial membrane potential

Abstract

Oluyomi Stephen Adeyemi,1,2 Yuho Murata,1 Tatsuki Sugi,1 Kentaro Kato1 1National Research Center for Protozoan Diseases, Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Obihiro, Japan; 2Medicinal Biochemistry and Toxicology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences, Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Nigeria Abstract: This study evaluated the anti-Toxoplasma gondii potential of gold, silver, and platinum nanoparticles (NPs). Inorganic NPs (0.01–1,000 µg/mL) were screened for antiparasitic activity. The NPs caused >90% inhibition of T. gondii growth with EC50 values of ≤7, ≤1, and ≤100 µg/mL for gold, silver, and platinum NPs, respectively. The NPs showed no host cell cytotoxicity at the effective anti-T. gondii concentrations; the estimated selectivity index revealed a ≥20-fold activity toward the parasite versus the host cell. The anti-T. gondii activity of the NPs, which may be linked to redox signaling, affected the parasite mitochondrial membrane potential and parasite invasion, replication, recovery, and infectivity potential. Our results demonstrated the antiparasitic potential of NPs. The findings support the further exploration of NPs as a possible source of alternative and effective anti-T. gondii agents. Keywords: antiparasite, drug screening, nanomedicine, toxoplasmosis

Keywords

• Anti-parasite
• Drug screening
• Nanomedicine
• Toxoplasmosis