| abstract |
Cryptosporidium parvum is a highly prevalent zoonotic and anthroponotic protozoan parasite that causes a diarrheal syndrome in children and neonatal livestock, culminating in growth retardation and mortalities. Disclosed herein are inhibitors against the enzymatic activity of recombinant CpLDH protein that were identified. The inhibitors were tested for anti-Cryptosporidium effect using in vitro infection assays of HCT-8 cells monolayers. Compounds NSC158011 and NSC10447 were identified to inhibit the proliferation of intracellular C. parvum in vitro, with IC50 values of 14.88 and 72.65 μM, respectively. At doses tolerable in mice, both NSC158011 and NSC10447 significantly reduced the shedding of C. parvum oocysts in infected immunocompromised mice's feces and prevented intestinal villous atrophy as well as mucosal erosion due to C. parvum. These findings have unveiled anti-Cryptosporidium drug candidates that can be explored further for the development of therapeutic agents against C. parvum infections. |