Leishmania donovani: A glycosyl dihydropyridine analogue induces apoptosis like cell death via targeting pteridine reductase 1 in promastigotes

Targeting of pteridine reductase 1 (PTR1) in Leishmania is essential for development of successful antifolate chemotherapy. In search for specific inhibitors of PTR1 we have previously reported phenyl 1,4-dihydropyridine ring as the lead structure showing antileishmanial efficacy in vitro and by the oral route in vivo. In this study, we present programmed cell death inducing potential of this glycosyl dihydropyridine analogue (2,6-dimethyl-4-(3-O-benzyl-1,2-O-isopropylidene-β-l-threo-pentofuranos-4-yl)-1-phenyl-1,4-dihydro-pyridine-3,5-dicarboxylic acid diethyl ester). Flow cytometric analysis revealed that this analogue induces cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase with subsequent increase in sub-G1 peak. Incubation of Leishmania promastigotes with this analogue causes exposure of phosphatidylserine to the outer leaflet of plasma membrane, formation of reactive oxygen species, depolarization of mitochondrial membrane potential and concomitant nuclear alterations that included DNA fragmentation. The results from this study on promastigotes give important lead to investigate further in intracellular amastigotes, the biologically relevant parasite stage in host macrophages.