Histone deacetylase inhibitor AR-42 and achiral analogues kill malaria parasites in vitro and in mice

Malaria is caused by infection with Plasmodium parasites and results in significant health and economic impacts. Malaria eradication is hampered by parasite resistance to current drugs and the lack of a widely effective vaccine. Compounds that target epigenetic regulatory proteins, such as histone deacetylases (HDACs), may lead to new therapeutic agents with a different mechanism of action, thereby avoiding resistance mechanisms to current antimalarial drugs. The anticancer HDAC inhibitor AR-42, as its racemate (rac-AR-42), and 36 analogues were investigated for in vitro activity against P. falciparum. Rac-AR-42 and selected compounds were assessed for cytotoxicity against human cells, histone hyperacetylation, human HDAC1 inhibition and oral activity in a murine malaria model. Rac-AR-42 was tested for ex vivo asexual and in vitro exoerythrocytic stage activity against P. berghei murine malaria parasites. Rac-AR-42 and 13 achiral analogues were potent inhibitors of asexual intraerythrocytic stage P. falciparum 3D7 growth in vitro (IC50 5–50 nM), with four of these compounds having >50-fold selectivity for P. falciparum versus human cells (selectivity index 56–118). Rac-AR-42 induced in situ hyperacetylation of P. falciparum histone H4, consistent with PfHDAC(s) inhibition. Furthermore, rac-AR-42 potently inhibited P. berghei infected erythrocyte growth ex vivo (IC50 40 nM) and P. berghei exoerythrocytic forms in hepatocytes (IC50 1 nM). Oral administration of rac-AR-42 and two achiral analogues inhibited P. berghei growth in mice, with rac-AR-42 (50 mg/kg/day single dose for four days) curing all infections. These findings demonstrate curative properties for HDAC inhibitors in the oral treatment of experimental mouse malaria.