TrypPROTACs Unlocking New Therapeutic Strategies for Chagas Disease

Abstract

Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan parasite <i>Trypanosoma cruzi</i> (<i>T. cruzi</i>), continues to pose significant public health challenges due to the toxicity, poor tolerability, and limited efficacy of current treatments. Targeted protein degradation (TPD) using proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) represents a novel therapeutic avenue by leveraging the ubiquitin-proteasome system to selectively degrade essential parasite proteins. This review introduces the conceptual framework of "TrypPROTACs" as a prospective strategy for <i>T. cruzi</i>, integrating a comprehensive analysis of druggable targets across critical biological pathways, including ergosterol biosynthesis, redox metabolism, glycolysis, nucleotide synthesis, protein kinases, molecular chaperones such as heat shock protein 90 (Hsp90), and epigenetic regulators such as <i>T. cruzi</i> bromodomain factor 3 (TcBDF3). It is important to note that no TrypPROTAC compound has yet been synthesized or experimentally validated in <i>T. cruzi</i>; the approach discussed herein remains theoretical and forward-looking. Representative inhibitors for each target class are compiled, highlighting potency, selectivity, and structural features relevant to ligand design. We also examine the parasite's ubiquitination machinery and compare it to the human system to identify putative E3 ubiquitin ligases. Key aspects of linker engineering and ternary complex stabilization are discussed, alongside potential validation techniques such as the cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) and bioluminescence resonance energy transfer (NanoBRET). Collectively, these insights outline a roadmap for the rational design of TrypPROTACs and support the feasibility of expanding targeted protein degradation strategies to neglected tropical diseases.