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Galper J, Mori G, McDonald G, Ahmadi Rastegar D, Pickford R, Lewis SJG, Halliday GM, Kim WS, Dzamko N. Prediction of motor and non-motor Parkinson's disease symptoms using serum lipidomics and machine learning: a 2-year study. NPJ Parkinsons Dis 2024; 10:123. [PMID: 38918434 PMCID: PMC11199659 DOI: 10.1038/s41531-024-00741-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Identifying biological factors which contribute to the clinical progression of heterogeneous motor and non-motor phenotypes in Parkinson's disease may help to better understand the disease process. Several lipid-related genetic risk factors for Parkinson's disease have been identified, and the serum lipid signature of Parkinson's disease patients is significantly distinguishable from controls. However, the extent to which lipid profiles are associated with clinical outcomes remains unclear. Untargeted high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry identified >900 serum lipids in Parkinson's disease subjects at baseline (n = 122), and the potential for machine learning models using these lipids to predict motor and non-motor clinical scores after 2 years (n = 67) was assessed. Machine learning models performed best when baseline serum lipids were used to predict the 2-year future Unified Parkinson's disease rating scale part three (UPDRS III) and Geriatric Depression Scale scores (both normalised root mean square error = 0.7). Feature analysis of machine learning models indicated that species of lysophosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylcholine, platelet-activating factor, sphingomyelin, diacylglycerol and triacylglycerol were top predictors of both motor and non-motor scores. Serum lipids were overall more important predictors of clinical outcomes than subject sex, age and mutation status of the Parkinson's disease risk gene LRRK2. Furthermore, lipids were found to better predict clinical scales than a panel of 27 serum cytokines previously measured in this cohort (The Michael J. Fox Foundation LRRK2 Clinical Cohort Consortium). These results suggest that lipid changes may be associated with clinical phenotypes in Parkinson's disease.
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Rollo RF, Mori G, Hill TA, Hillemann D, Niemann S, Homolka S, Fairlie DP, Blumenthal A. Wollamide Cyclic Hexapeptides Synergize with Established and New Tuberculosis Antibiotics in Targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0046523. [PMID: 37289062 PMCID: PMC10433873 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00465-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Shorter and more effective treatment regimens as well as new drugs are urgent priorities for reducing the immense global burden of tuberculosis (TB). As treatment of TB currently requires multiple antibiotics with diverse mechanisms of action, any new drug lead requires assessment of potential interactions with existing TB antibiotics. We previously described the discovery of wollamides, a new class of Streptomyces-derived cyclic hexapeptides with antimycobacterial activity. To further assess the value of the wollamide pharmacophore as an antimycobacterial lead, we determined wollamide interactions with first- and second-line TB antibiotics by determining fractional inhibitory combination index and zero interaction potency scores. In vitro two-way and multiway interaction analyses revealed that wollamide B1 synergizes with ethambutol, pretomanid, delamanid, and para-aminosalicylic acid in inhibiting the replication and promoting the killing of phylogenetically diverse clinical and reference strains of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC). Wollamide B1 antimycobacterial activity was not compromised in multi- and extensively drug-resistant MTBC strains. Moreover, growth-inhibitory antimycobacterial activity of the combination of bedaquiline/pretomanid/linezolid was further enhanced by wollamide B1, and wollamide B1 did not compromise the antimycobacterial activity of the isoniazid/rifampicin/ethambutol combination. Collectively, these findings add new dimensions to the desirable characteristics of the wollamide pharmacophore as an antimycobacterial lead compound. IMPORTANCE Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease that affects millions of people globally, with 1.6 million deaths annually. TB treatment requires combinations of multiple different antibiotics for many months, and toxic side effects can occur. Therefore, shorter, safer, more effective TB therapies are required, and these should ideally also be effective against drug-resistant strains of the bacteria that cause TB. This study shows that wollamide B1, a chemically optimized member of a new class of antibacterial compounds, inhibits the growth of drug-sensitive as well as multidrug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from TB patients. In combination with TB antibiotics, wollamide B1 synergistically enhances the activity of several antibiotics, including complex drug combinations that are currently used for TB treatment. These new insights expand the catalogue of the desirable characteristics of wollamide B1 as an antimycobacterial lead compound that might inspire the development of improved TB treatments.
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Fabbian F, De Giorgi A, Ferrara F, Alfano G, Mori G, Di Maria A, Frisina M, Veronesi M, Storari A, Donati G. Comorbidity and in-hospital mortality in peritoneal dialysis patients: data of the Emilia Romagna region of Italy. EUROPEAN REVIEW FOR MEDICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2023; 27:6867-6875. [PMID: 37522699 DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_202307_33158] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Kidney failure increases in-hospital mortality (IHM); however, comorbidity is crucial for predicting mortality in dialysis patients. Our aim was to evaluate the impact of comorbidity, assessed by modified Elixhauser index (mEI), Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), and age-adjusted CCI, on IHM in a cohort of peritoneal dialysis patients admitted to hospitals of the Emilia Romagna region (ERR) of Italy. PATIENTS AND METHODS All hospital admissions of peritoneal dialysis patients recorded between 2007 and 2021 in the ERR database were analyzed. The International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) was used for detecting diagnoses and procedures, and the inclusion criterion was code 5498. Comorbidity burden was evaluated by three different scores, and hemodialysis (HD) treatment need was considered. IHM was our outcome. RESULTS During the 15 years of the study, 3,242 hospitalized peritoneal dialysis patients (62.7% males) were evaluated. Mean age was 62.8±20.6 years, 9.6% underwent HD, and IHM was 5.9% (n=192). IHM mortality was stable throughout the study period. Deceased subjects were older, were hospitalized longer, had a higher comorbidity burden, and had a higher percentage of HD treatment needs than survivors. Age, male sex, comorbidity burden, and HD treatment were predictors of IHM. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis confirmed the impact of comorbidity burden on IHM, especially when age was considered. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that in male, elderly hospitalized peritoneal dialysis patients with failing dialysis technique, comorbidity burden should be considered being a predictor of IHM.
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Donovan ML, Bielefeldt‐Ohmann H, Rollo RF, McPherson S, Schultz TE, Mori G, Kling JC, Blumenthal A. Distinct contributions of the innate immune receptors TLR2 and RP105 to formation and architecture of structured lung granulomas in mice infected with
Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Immunology 2022; 169:13-26. [PMID: 36370035 DOI: 10.1111/imm.13606] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 11/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Granulomas are key histopathological features of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) infection, with complex roles in pathogen control and dissemination. Thus, understanding drivers and regulators of granuloma formation is important for improving tuberculosis diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. Yet, molecular mechanisms underpinning granuloma formation and dynamics remain poorly understood. Here we used low-dose Mtb infection of C57BL/6 mice, which elicits structured lung granulomas composed of central macrophage clusters encased by a lymphocyte mantle, alongside the disorganized lymphocyte and macrophage clusters commonly observed in Mtb-infected mice. Using gene-deficient mice, we observed that Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 and the TLR-related Radioprotective 105 kDa protein (RP105) contributed to the extent and spatial positioning of pathology in infected lung tissues, consistent with functional cooperation between TLR2 and RP105 in the innate immune recognition of Mtb. In mice infected with the highly virulent Mtb clinical isolate HN878, TLR2, but not RP105, positively regulated the extent of central macrophage regions within structured granulomas. Moreover, RP105, but not TLR2, promoted the formation of structured lung granulomas, suggesting that the functions of RP105 as an innate immune sensor for Mtb reach beyond its roles as TLR2 co-receptor. TLR2 and RP105 contributions to lung pathology are governed by Mtb biology, as neither receptor affected the frequency or architecture of structured granulomas in mice infected with the reference strain Mtb H37Rv. Thus, by revealing distinctive as well as cooperative functions of TLR2 and RP105 in lung pathology, our data identify TLRs as molecular determinants of TB granuloma formation and architecture, and expand understanding of how interactions between innate immune receptors and Mtb shape TB disease manifestation.
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Boncinelli V, Barbero G, Lenzi E, Genazzani A, Mori G, Molo M, Piaggi P, Rossetto C, Rossi R, Tampelli A, Tomà F, Veglia F, Caruso S. Corrélation entre l’imaginaire érotique et le désir sexuel d’un échantillon d’hommes et de femmes italiens : une étude observationnelle de la Fédération italienne de sexologie scientifique (FISS). SEXOLOGIES 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.sexol.2021.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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Domínguez Cadena LC, Schultz TE, Zamoshnikova A, Donovan ML, Mathmann CD, Yu CH, Mori G, Stow JL, Blumenthal A. Rab6b localizes to the Golgi complex in murine macrophages and promotes tumor necrosis factor release in response to mycobacterial infection. Immunol Cell Biol 2021; 99:1067-1076. [PMID: 34555867 DOI: 10.1111/imcb.12503] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor (TNF) plays a central role in the host control of mycobacterial infections. Expression and release of TNF are tightly regulated, yet the molecular mechanisms that control the release of TNF by mycobacteria-infected host cells, in particular macrophages, are incompletely understood. Rab GTPases direct the transport of intracellular membrane-enclosed vesicles and are important regulators of macrophage cytokine secretion. Rab6b is known to be predominantly expressed in the brain where it functions in retrograde transport and anterograde vesicle transport for exocytosis. Whether it executes similar functions in the context of immune responses is unknown. Here we show that Rab6b is expressed by primary mouse macrophages, where it localized to the Golgi complex. Infection with Mycobacterium bovis bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) resulted in dynamic changes in Rab6b expression in primary mouse macrophages in vitro as well as in organs from infected mice in vivo. We further show that Rab6b facilitated TNF release by M. bovis BCG-infected macrophages, in the absence of discernible impact on Tnf messenger RNA and intracellular TNF protein expression. Our observations identify Rab6b as a positive regulator of M. bovis BCG-induced TNF trafficking and secretion by macrophages and positions Rab6b among the molecular machinery that orchestrates inflammatory cytokine responses by macrophages.
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Av-Gay Y, Mori G, Pasca MR. Editorial: New Approaches Against Drug-Resistant M. tuberculosis. Front Microbiol 2021; 12:681420. [PMID: 33936024 PMCID: PMC8081967 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2021.681420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
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Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) remains an infectious disease of global significance and a
leading cause of death in low- and middle-income countries. Significant effort
has been directed towards understanding Mycobacterium
tuberculosis genomics, virulence, and pathophysiology within the
framework of Koch postulates. More recently, the advent of “-omics” approaches
has broadened our appreciation of how “commensal” microbes have coevolved with
their host and have a central role in shaping health and susceptibility to
disease. It is now clear that there is a diverse repertoire of interactions
between the microbiota and host immune responses that can either sustain or
disrupt homeostasis. In the context of the global efforts to combatting TB, such
findings and knowledge have raised important questions: Does microbiome
composition indicate or determine susceptibility or resistance to
M. tuberculosis infection? Is the
development of active disease or latent infection upon M.
tuberculosis exposure influenced by the microbiome? Does
microbiome composition influence TB therapy outcome and risk of reinfection with
M. tuberculosis? Can the microbiome be
actively managed to reduce risk of M.
tuberculosis infection or recurrence of TB? Here, we
explore these questions with a particular focus on microbiome-immune
interactions that may affect TB susceptibility, manifestation and progression,
the long-term implications of anti-TB therapy, as well as the potential of the
host microbiome as target for clinical manipulation.
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Mori G, Pasca MR. Gut Microbial Signatures in Sporadic and Hereditary Colorectal Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22031312. [PMID: 33525662 PMCID: PMC7865401 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22031312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 01/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the fourth most common cause of cancer-related death and the third most common cancer in the world. Depending on the origin of the mutation, colorectal carcinomas are classified as sporadic or hereditary. Cancers derived from mutations appearing during life, affecting individual cells and their descendants, are called sporadic and account for almost 95% of the CRCs. Less than 5% of CRC cases result from constitutional mutations conferring a very high risk of developing cancer. Screening for hereditary-related cancers is offered to individuals at risk for hereditary CRC, who have either not undergone genetic evaluation or have uncertain genetic test results. In this review, we briefly summarize the main findings on the correlation between sporadic CRC and the gut microbiota, and we specifically focus on the few evidences about the role that gut microorganisms have on the development of CRC hereditary syndromes. The characterization of a gut microbiota associated with an increased risk of developing CRC could have a profound impact for prevention purposes. We also discuss the potential role of the gut microbiota as therapeutic treatment.
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Ballini A, Di Benedetto A, De Vito D, Scarano A, Scacco S, Perillo L, Posa F, Dipalma G, Paduano F, Contaldo M, Grano M, Brunetti G, Colaianni G, Di Cosola M, Cantore S, Mori G. Stemness genes expression in naïve vs. osteodifferentiated human dental-derived stem cells. EUROPEAN REVIEW FOR MEDICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL SCIENCES 2020; 23:2916-2923. [PMID: 31002142 DOI: 10.26355/eurrev_201904_17570] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have been deeply investigated in regenerative medicine because of their crucial role in tissue healing, such as tissue regeneration. Dental-derived stem cells (d-DSCs) are easily available from dental tissues, which can be isolated from all age patients with minimal discomfort. PATIENTS AND METHODS Normal unerupted third molars tooth buds were collected from adolescents' patients underwent to extractions for orthodontic reasons. The expression of the genes Kruppel-like factor 4 (Klf-4), octamer-binding transcription factor 4 (Oct-4), homeobox transcription factor Nanog (NANOG) was investigated in d-DSCs obtained from dental bud (DBSCs), differentiated toward osteoblastic phenotype and not. RESULTS Our results showed that DBSCs expressed Oct-4, Nanog, and Klf-4 in undifferentiated conditions and interestingly the expression of such genes increased when the cells were kept in osteogenic medium. CONCLUSIONS These attractive stemness properties, together with the effortlessly isolation, during common oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures, from undifferentiated tissues such as dental bud, make this kind of d-DSCs a promising tool in regenerative medicine, having the potential for clinical applications, and reinforcing the present challenge to develop new preventive and healing strategies in tissue regeneration.
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Azzali E, Girardini M, Annunziato G, Pavone M, Vacondio F, Mori G, Pasca MR, Costantino G, Pieroni M. 2-Aminooxazole as a Novel Privileged Scaffold in Antitubercular Medicinal Chemistry. ACS Med Chem Lett 2020; 11:1435-1441. [PMID: 32676151 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.0c00173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
To obtain effective eradication of numerous infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, it is important to supply the medicinal chemistry arsenal with novel chemical agents. Isosterism and bioisosterism are widely known concepts in the field of early drug discovery, and in several cases, rational isosteric replacements have contributed to improved efficacy and physicochemical characteristics throughout the hit-to-lead optimization process. However, sometimes the synthesis of isosteres might not be as straightforward as that of the parent compounds, and therefore, novel synthetic strategies must be elaborated. In this regard, we herein report the evaluation of a series of N-substituted 4-phenyl-2-aminooxazoles that, despite being isosteres of a widely used nucleus such as the 2-aminothiazole, have been only seldom explored. After elaboration of a convenient synthetic strategy, a small set of 2-aminothiazoles and their 2-aminooxazole counterparts were compared with regard to antitubercular activity and physicochemical characteristics.
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Mori G, Delfino D, Grigoletto A, Bizzotto G, Pasut G, Percudani R. P227 A long-acting alternative DNase for the treatment of cystic fibrosis lung disease. J Cyst Fibros 2020. [DOI: 10.1016/s1569-1993(20)30561-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
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Spennati F, Mora M, Bardi A, Becarelli S, Siracusa G, Di Gregorio S, Gabriel D, Mori G, Munz G. Respirometric techniques coupled with laboratory-scale tests for kinetic and stoichiometric characterisation of fungal and bacterial tannin-degrading biofilms. WATER SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY : A JOURNAL OF THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION ON WATER POLLUTION RESEARCH 2020; 81:2559-2567. [PMID: 32857743 DOI: 10.2166/wst.2020.315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
In environmental biotechnology applications for wastewater treatment, bacterial-based bioprocesses are mostly implemented; on the contrary, the application of fungal-based bioprocesses, is still challenging under non-sterile conditions. In a previous laboratory-scale study, we showed that when specific tannins are used as the sole carbon source, fungi can play a key role in the microbial community, under non-sterile conditions and in the long term. In a previous study, an engineered ecosystem, based on fungal tannin biodegradation, was successfully tested in a laboratory-scale bioreactor under non-sterile conditions. In the present study, a kinetic and stoichiometric characterisation of the biomass developed therein was performed through the application of respirometric techniques applied to the biomass collected from the above-mentioned reactor. To this aim, a respirometric set-up was specifically adapted to obtain valuable information from tannin-degrading fungal biofilms. A mathematical model was also developed and applied to describe both the respirometric profiles and the experimental data collected from the laboratory-scale tests performed in the bioreactor. The microbial growth was described through a Monod-type kinetic equation as a first approach. Substrate inhibition, decay rate and tannin hydrolysis process were included to better describe the behaviour of immobilised biomass selected in the tannin-degrading bioreactor. The model was implemented in AQUASIM using the specific tool Biofilm Compartment to simulate the attached fungal biofilm. Biofilm features and transport parameters were either measured or assumed from the literature. Key kinetic and stoichiometric unknown parameters were successfully estimated, overcoming critical steps for scaling-up a novel fungal-based technology for tannins biodegradation.
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Mori G, Orena BS, Chiarelli LR, Degiacomi G, Riabova O, Sammartino JC, Makarov V, Riccardi G, Pasca MR. Rv0579 Is Involved in the Resistance to the TP053 Antitubercular Prodrug. Front Microbiol 2020; 11:292. [PMID: 32158439 PMCID: PMC7052010 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2020.00292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/10/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis remains one of the leading causes of death from a single pathogen globally. It is estimated that 1/4 of the world’s population harbors latent tuberculosis, but only a 5–10% of patients will develop active disease. During latent infection, Mycobacterium tuberculosis can persist unaffected by drugs for years in a non-replicating state with low metabolic activity. The rate of the successful tuberculosis treatment is curbed by the presence of these non-replicating bacilli that can resuscitate after decades and also by the spread of M. tuberculosis drug-resistant strains. International agencies, including the World Health Organization, urge the international community to combat this global health emergency. The thienopyrimidine TP053 is a promising new antitubercular lead compound highly active against both replicating and non-replicating M. tuberculosis cells, with an in vitro MIC of 0.125 μg/ml. TP053 is a prodrug activated by the reduced form of the mycothiol-dependent reductase Mrx2, encoded by Rv2466c gene. After its activation, TP053 releases nitric oxide and a highly reactive metabolite, explaining its activity also against M. tuberculosis non-replicating cells. In this work, a new mechanism of TP053 resistance was discovered. M. tuberculosis spontaneous mutants resistant to TP053 were isolated harboring the mutation L240V in Rv0579, a protein with unknown function, but without mutation in Rv2466c gene. Recombineering method demonstrated that this mutation is linked to TP053 resistance. To better characterize Rv0579, the protein was recombinantly produced in Escherichia coli and a direct interaction between the Mrx2 activated TP053 and Rv0579 was shown by an innovative target-fishing experiment based on click chemistry. Thanks to achieved results, a possible contribution of Rv0579 in M. tuberculosis RNA metabolism was hypothesized, linked to toxin anti-toxin system. Overall, these data confirm the role of Rv0579 in TP053 resistance and consequently in the metabolism of this prodrug.
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Chiarelli LR, Salina EG, Mori G, Azhikina T, Riabova O, Lepioshkin A, Grigorov A, Forbak M, Madacki J, Orena BS, Manfredi M, Gosetti F, Buzzi A, Degiacomi G, Sammartino JC, Marengo E, Korduláková J, Riccardi G, Mikušová K, Makarov V, Pasca MR. New Insights into the Mechanism of Action of the Thienopyrimidine Antitubercular Prodrug TP053. ACS Infect Dis 2020; 6:313-323. [PMID: 31729215 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.9b00388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
The thienopyrimidine TP053 is an antitubercular prodrug active against both replicating and nonreplicating Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M. tuberculosis) cells, which requires activation by the mycothiol-dependent nitroreductase Mrx2. The investigation of the mechanism of action of TP053 revealed that Mrx2 releases nitric oxide from this drug both in the enzyme assays with purified Mrx2 and in mycobacterial cultures, which can explain its activity against nonreplicating bacilli, similar to pretomanid activated by the nitroreductase Ddn. In addition, we identified a highly reactive metabolite, 2-(4-mercapto-6-(methylamino)-2-phenylpyrimidin-5-yl)ethan-1-ol, which can contribute to the antimycobacterial effects on replicating cells as well as on nonreplicating cells. In summary, we explain the mechanism of action of TP053 on both replicating and nonreplicating M. tuberculosis and report a novel activity for Mrx2, which in addition to Ddn, represents another example of nitroreductase releasing nitric oxide from its substrate. These findings are particularly relevant in the context of drugs targeting nonreplicating M. tuberculosis, which is shown to be killed by increased levels of nitric oxide.
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Mori G, Orena BS, Cultrera I, Barbieri G, Albertini AM, Ranzani GN, Carnevali I, Tibiletti MG, Pasca MR. Gut Microbiota Analysis in Postoperative Lynch Syndrome Patients. Front Microbiol 2019; 10:1746. [PMID: 31417532 PMCID: PMC6682596 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2019.01746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Lynch syndrome (LS) is a dominantly inherited condition with incomplete penetrance, characterized by high predisposition to colorectal cancer (CRC), endometrial and ovarian cancers, as well as to other tumors. LS is associated with constitutive DNA mismatch repair (MMR) gene defects, and carriers of the same pathogenic variants can show great phenotypic heterogeneity in terms of cancer spectrum. In the last years, human gut microbiota got a foothold among risk factors responsible for the onset and evolution of sporadic CRC, but its possible involvement in the modulation of LS patients’ phenotype still needs to be investigated. In this pilot study, we performed 16S rRNA gene sequencing of bacterial DNA extracted from fecal samples of 10 postoperative LS female patients who had developed colonic lesions (L-CRC) or gynecological cancers (L-GC). Our preliminary data show no differences between microbial communities of L-CRC and L-GC patients, but they plant the seed of the possible existence of a fecal microbiota pattern associated with LS genetic background, with Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Parabacteroides distasonis, Ruminococcus bromii, Bacteroides plebeius, Bacteroides fragilis and Bacteroides uniformis species being the most significantly over-represented in LS patients (comprising both L-CRC and L-GC groups) compared to healthy subjects.
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Mori G, Orena BS, Franch C, Mitchenall LA, Godbole AA, Rodrigues L, Aguilar-Pérez C, Zemanová J, Huszár S, Forbak M, Lane TR, Sabbah M, Deboosere N, Frita R, Vandeputte A, Hoffmann E, Russo R, Connell N, Veilleux C, Jha RK, Kumar P, Freundlich JS, Brodin P, Aínsa JA, Nagaraja V, Maxwell A, Mikušová K, Pasca MR, Ekins S. The EU approved antimalarial pyronaridine shows antitubercular activity and synergy with rifampicin, targeting RNA polymerase. Tuberculosis (Edinb) 2018; 112:98-109. [PMID: 30205975 DOI: 10.1016/j.tube.2018.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2018] [Revised: 08/03/2018] [Accepted: 08/05/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The search for compounds with biological activity for many diseases is turning increasingly to drug repurposing. In this study, we have focused on the European Union-approved antimalarial pyronaridine which was found to have in vitro activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MIC 5 μg/mL). In macromolecular synthesis assays, pyronaridine resulted in a severe decrease in incorporation of 14C-uracil and 14C-leucine similar to the effect of rifampicin, a known inhibitor of M. tuberculosis RNA polymerase. Surprisingly, the co-administration of pyronaridine (2.5 μg/ml) and rifampicin resulted in in vitro synergy with an MIC 0.0019-0.0009 μg/mL. This was mirrored in a THP-1 macrophage infection model, with a 16-fold MIC reduction for rifampicin when the two compounds were co-administered versus rifampicin alone. Docking pyronaridine in M. tuberculosis RNA polymerase suggested the potential for it to bind outside of the RNA polymerase rifampicin binding pocket. Pyronaridine was also found to have activity against a M. tuberculosis clinical isolate resistant to rifampicin, and when combined with rifampicin (10% MIC) was able to inhibit M. tuberculosis RNA polymerase in vitro. All these findings, and in particular the synergistic behavior with the antitubercular rifampicin, inhibition of RNA polymerase in combination in vitro and its current use as a treatment for malaria, may suggest that pyronaridine could also be used as an adjunct for treatment against M. tuberculosis infection. Future studies will test potential for in vivo synergy, clinical utility and attempt to develop pyronaridine analogs with improved potency against M. tuberculosis RNA polymerase when combined with rifampicin.
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Chiarelli LR, Mori M, Barlocco D, Beretta G, Gelain A, Pini E, Porcino M, Mori G, Stelitano G, Costantino L, Lapillo M, Bonanni D, Poli G, Tuccinardi T, Villa S, Meneghetti F. Discovery and development of novel salicylate synthase (MbtI) furanic inhibitors as antitubercular agents. Eur J Med Chem 2018; 155:754-763. [PMID: 29940465 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2018.06.033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2018] [Revised: 06/05/2018] [Accepted: 06/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
We report on the virtual screening, synthesis, and biological evaluation of new furan derivatives targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosis salicylate synthase (MbtI). A receptor-based virtual screening procedure was applied to screen the Enamine database, identifying two compounds, I and III, endowed with a good enzyme inhibitory activity. Considering the most active compound I as starting point for the development of novel MbtI inhibitors, we obtained new derivatives based on the furan scaffold. Among the SAR performed on this class, compound 1a emerged as the most potent MbtI inhibitor reported to date (Ki = 5.3 μM). Moreover, compound 1a showed a promising antimycobacterial activity (MIC99 = 156 μM), which is conceivably related to mycobactin biosynthesis inhibition.
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Bernorio R, Piloni S, Mori G, Prunas A, Bosoni D, Nappi RE. Efficacy and tolerability of a spray formulation containing Visnadine in women self-reporting sexual symptoms: a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled pilot study. J Endocrinol Invest 2018; 41:729-737. [PMID: 29230716 DOI: 10.1007/s40618-017-0801-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2017] [Accepted: 11/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of this pilot, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study, was to evaluate both the efficacy and the tolerability of a formulation for vulvar application containing Visnadine, a natural extractive substance with vasoactive properties, (ReFeel® spray, IDI Integratori Dietetici Italiani S.r.l., Italy) in women self-reporting sexual symptoms. METHODS Sixty women (age range 18-60 years) volunteered to test the product against placebo (PL): Two puffs in the vulvar area, 10 min before sexual stimulation, for 30 days and for a minimum of six times. The main outcome measure was the improvement of the Female Sexual Function Index (FSFI) score (cut-off ≤ 26.55 for female sexual dysfunction [FSD]). Secondary outcomes were sexual satisfaction and tolerability with the product. RESULTS PL group (n = 28) and Visnadine group (n = 30) were comparable for age, sexual function and rate of FSD at baseline (T0). After 1 month (T1), women in Visnadine group scored from 25.0 ± 3.8 to 27.9 ± 2.4 (p < 0.001), whereas no changes were evident in PL group (from 25.4 ± 5.0 to 25.6 ± 4.7). Statistically significant differences at T1 were reported in women with a positive (p < 0.001) or a negative FSD diagnosis (p < 0.01) using active treatment. Women with FSD reported significantly more improvement in satisfaction with their sexual function when treated with Visnadine spray compared to PL (p < 0.001), as well as more excitation (p < 0.001), pleasure (p < 0.001) and less time to reach orgasm (p < 0.003). No significant side effects were evident in both groups. CONCLUSIONS On demand, 1-month use of Visnadine spray displayed positive effects on sexual function in women with and without FSD and it was well tolerated. Topical Visnadine may not only be part of multimodal strategies to manage clinically relevant sexual symptoms but also simply to help women to enhance their subjective impaired perception of sexual response.
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Johnston J, Mori G, Giles M. Sweetening the Deal in Pancreatic Cancer: Screening and Treating Diabetes Mellitus at Time of Diagnosis. Int J Surg 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijsu.2017.08.457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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Oliveira PFM, Guidetti B, Chamayou A, André-Barrès C, Madacki J, Korduláková J, Mori G, Orena BS, Chiarelli LR, Pasca MR, Lherbet C, Carayon C, Massou S, Baron M, Baltas M. Mechanochemical Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Novel Isoniazid Derivatives with Potent Antitubercular Activity. Molecules 2017; 22:molecules22091457. [PMID: 28862683 PMCID: PMC6151834 DOI: 10.3390/molecules22091457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2017] [Revised: 07/19/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
A series of isoniazid derivatives bearing a phenolic or heteroaromatic coupled frame were obtained by mechanochemical means. Their pH stability and their structural (conformer/isomer) analysis were checked. The activity of prepared derivatives against Mycobacterium tuberculosis cell growth was evaluated. Some compounds such as phenolic hydrazine 1a and almost all heteroaromatic ones, especially 2, 5 and 7, are more active than isoniazid, and their activity against some M. tuberculosis MDR clinical isolates was determined. Compounds 1a and 7 present a selectivity index >1400 evaluated on MRC5 human fibroblast cells. The mechanism of action of selected hydrazones was demonstrated to block mycolic acid synthesis due to InhA inhibition inside the mycobacterial cell.
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Esposito M, Szadocka S, Degiacomi G, Orena BS, Mori G, Piano V, Boldrin F, Zemanová J, Huszár S, Barros D, Ekins S, Lelièvre J, Manganelli R, Mattevi A, Pasca MR, Riccardi G, Ballell L, Mikušová K, Chiarelli LR. A Phenotypic Based Target Screening Approach Delivers New Antitubercular CTP Synthetase Inhibitors. ACS Infect Dis 2017; 3:428-437. [PMID: 28475832 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.7b00006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Despite its great potential, the target-based approach has been mostly unsuccessful in tuberculosis drug discovery, while whole cell phenotypic screening has delivered several active compounds. However, for many of these hits, the cellular target has not yet been identified, thus preventing further target-based optimization of the compounds. In this context, the newly validated drug target CTP synthetase PyrG was exploited to assess a target-based approach of already known, but untargeted, antimycobacterial compounds. To this purpose the publically available GlaxoSmithKline antimycobacterial compound set was assayed, uncovering a series of 4-(pyridin-2-yl)thiazole derivatives which efficiently inhibit the Mycobacterium tuberculosis PyrG enzyme activity, one of them showing low activity against the human CTP synthetase. The three best compounds were ATP binding site competitive inhibitors, with Ki values ranging from 3 to 20 μM, but did not show any activity against a small panel of different prokaryotic and eukaryotic kinases, thus demonstrating specificity for the CTP synthetases. Metabolic labeling experiments demonstrated that the compounds directly interfere not only with CTP biosynthesis, but also with other CTP dependent biochemical pathways, such as lipid biosynthesis. Moreover, using a M. tuberculosis pyrG conditional knock-down strain, it was shown that the activity of two compounds is dependent on the intracellular concentration of the CTP synthetase. All these results strongly suggest a role of PyrG as a target of these compounds, thus strengthening the value of this kind of approach for the identification of new scaffolds for drug development.
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Roberto Chiarelli L, Mori G, Esposito M, Silvia Orena B, Rosalia Pasca M. New and Old Hot Drug Targets in Tuberculosis. Curr Med Chem 2016; 23:3813-3846. [DOI: 10.2174/1389557516666160831164925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2016] [Revised: 05/18/2016] [Accepted: 06/28/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
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Matviiuk T, Madacki J, Mori G, Orena BS, Menendez C, Kysil A, André-Barrès C, Rodriguez F, Korduláková J, Mallet-Ladeira S, Voitenko Z, Pasca MR, Lherbet C, Baltas M. Pyrrolidinone and pyrrolidine derivatives: Evaluation as inhibitors of InhA and Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Eur J Med Chem 2016; 123:462-475. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2016.07.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2016] [Revised: 07/13/2016] [Accepted: 07/14/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
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Cantore S, Ballini A, Mori G, Dibello V, Marrelli M, Mirgaldi R, De Vito D, Tatullo M. Anti-plaque and antimicrobial efficiency of different oral rinses in a 3-day plaque accumulation model. J BIOL REG HOMEOS AG 2016; 30:1173-1178. [PMID: 28078871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
The idea of incorporating a mouthrinse with normal tooth brushing could be a useful adjunct to oral hygiene. Despite the principle nature of the toothpaste vehicle, most alcohol-based chemical plaque-control agents have been evaluated and later formulated in the mouthrinse vehicle. The current study was aimed to investigate the persistence of antimicrobial action and plaque inhibitory properties of a new alcohol-free mouthrinse when compared with positive control, chlorhexidine 0.12% and placebo control, physiologic saline solution mouthrinses. The evaluation of the antimicrobial activity was performed by saliva samples collected during the 3 days of usage. The results of this study indicate that this new oral rinse has an equivalent plaque inhibitory action to chlorhexidine, and the plaque inhibitory action of the rinse appears to be derived from a persistence of antimicrobial action in the mouth. Furthermore, no side effects were reported during the study, and the additional benefit of no alcohol presence in the rinse solution.
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