151
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Wang ZZ, Wang MS, Wang F, Shi XX, Huang W, Hao GF, Yang GF. Exploring the kinase-inhibitor fragment interaction space facilitates the discovery of kinase inhibitor overcoming resistance by mutations. Brief Bioinform 2022; 23:6596988. [PMID: 35649390 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbac203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein kinases play crucial roles in many cellular signaling processes, making them become important targets for drug discovery. But drug resistance mediated by mutation puts a barrier to the therapeutic effect of kinase inhibitors. Fragment-based drug discovery has been successfully applied to overcome such resistance. However, the complicate kinase-inhibitor fragment interaction and fragment-to-lead process seriously limit the efficiency of kinase inhibitor discovery against resistance caused by mutation. Here, we constructed a comprehensive web platform KinaFrag for the fragment-based kinase inhibitor discovery to overcome resistance. The kinase-inhibitor fragment space was investigated from 7783 crystal kinase-inhibitor fragment complexes, and the structural requirements of kinase subpockets were analyzed. The core fragment-based virtual screening workflow towards specific subpockets was developed to generate new kinase inhibitors. A series of tropomyosin receptor kinase (TRK) inhibitors were designed, and the most potent compound YT9 exhibits up to 70-fold activity improvement than marketed drugs larotrectinib and selitrectinib against G595R, G667C and F589L mutations of TRKA. YT9 shows promising antiproliferative against tumor cells in vitro and effectively inhibits tumor growth in vivo for wild type TRK and TRK mutants. Our results illustrate the great potential of KinaFrag in the kinase inhibitor discovery to combat resistance mediated by mutation. KinaFrag is freely available at http://chemyang.ccnu.edu.cn/ccb/database/KinaFrag/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Zheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, P. R. China
| | - Ming-Shu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, P. R. China
| | - Fan Wang
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, P. R. China
| | - Xing-Xing Shi
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, P. R. China
| | - Wei Huang
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, P. R. China
| | - Ge-Fei Hao
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, P. R. China
| | - Guang-Fu Yang
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, P. R. China
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152
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Wu X, Zhang Y, Liu S, Liu C, Tang G, Cao X, Lei X, Peng J. Research applications of “linkers” in small molecule drugs design in fragment-based. Bioorg Chem 2022; 127:105921. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.105921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2022] [Revised: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 05/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
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153
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Okumura H, Sakai N, Murakami H, Mizuno N, Nakamura Y, Ueno G, Masunaga T, Kawamura T, Baba S, Hasegawa K, Yamamoto M, Kumasaka T. In situ crystal data-collection and ligand-screening system at SPring-8. Acta Crystallogr F Struct Biol Commun 2022; 78:241-251. [PMID: 35647681 PMCID: PMC9158660 DOI: 10.1107/s2053230x22005283] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
An in situ X-ray diffraction measurement system using a crystallization plate has been constructed at the SPring-8 protein crystallography beamline. Utilizing small-wedge measurements and incorporating a liquid dispenser to prepare protein–ligand complex crystals, this system will make ligand screening possible. In situ diffraction data collection using crystallization plates has been utilized for macromolecules to evaluate crystal quality without requiring additional sample treatment such as cryocooling. Although it is difficult to collect complete data sets using this technique due to the mechanical limitation of crystal rotation, recent advances in methods for data collection from multiple crystals have overcome this issue. At SPring-8, an in situ diffraction measurement system was constructed consisting of a goniometer for a plate, an articulated robot and plate storage. Using this system, complete data sets were obtained utilizing the small-wedge measurement method. Combining this system with an acoustic liquid handler to prepare protein–ligand complex crystals by applying fragment compounds to trypsin crystals for in situ soaking, binding was confirmed for seven out of eight compounds. These results show that the system functioned properly to collect complete data for structural analysis and to expand the capability for ligand screening in combination with a liquid dispenser.
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154
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Sánchez P, Salas CO, Gallardo-Fuentes S, Villegas A, Veloso N, Honores J, Inman M, Isaacs M, Contreras R, Moody CJ, Cisterna J, Brito I, Tapia RA. Phenoxy- and Phenylamino-Heterocyclic Quinones: Synthesis and Preliminary Anti-Pancreatic Cancer Activity. Chem Biodivers 2022; 19:e202101036. [PMID: 35581163 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202101036] [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: 12/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The successful application of fragment-based drug discovery strategy for the efficient synthesis of phenoxy- or phenylamino-2-phenyl-benzofuran, -benzoxazole and -benzothiazole quinones is described. Interestingly, in the final step of the synthesis of the target compounds, unusual results were observed on the regiochemistry of the reaction of bromoquinones with phenol and aniline. A theoretical study was carried out for better understanding the factors that control the regiochemistry of these reactions. The substituted heterocyclic quinones were evaluated in vitro to determine their cytotoxicity by the MTT method in three pancreatic cancer cell lines (MIA-PaCa-2, BxPC-3, and AsPC-1). Phenoxy benzothiazole quinone 26a showed potent cytotoxic activity against BxPC-3 cell lines, while phenylamino benzoxazole quinone 20 was the most potent on MIA-PaCa-2 cells. Finally, electrochemical properties of these quinones were determined to correlate with a potential mechanism of action. All these results, indicate that the phenoxy quinone fragment led to compounds with increased activity against pancreatic cancer cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patricio Sánchez
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 6094411, Santiago, Chile
| | - Cristian O Salas
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 6094411, Santiago, Chile
| | - Sebastián Gallardo-Fuentes
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, P.O. Box 653, 7750000, Santiago, Chile
| | - Alondra Villegas
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 6094411, Santiago, Chile
| | - Nicolás Veloso
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 6094411, Santiago, Chile
| | - Jessica Honores
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 6094411, Santiago, Chile
| | - Martyn Inman
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Mauricio Isaacs
- Departamento de Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 6094411, Santiago, Chile
| | - Renato Contreras
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Chile, P.O. Box 653, 7750000, Santiago, Chile
| | - Christopher J Moody
- School of Chemistry, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD, UK
| | - Jonathan Cisterna
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad de Antofagasta, 02800, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Iván Brito
- Departamento de Química, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad de Antofagasta, 02800, Antofagasta, Chile
| | - Ricardo A Tapia
- Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química y de Farmacia, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 6094411, Santiago, Chile
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155
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Kraichely KN, Clinkscales SE, Hendy CM, Mendoza EA, Parnham S, Giuliano MW. Minimal Increments of Hydrophobic Collapse within the N-Terminus of the Neuropeptide Galanin. Biochemistry 2022; 61:1151-1166. [PMID: 35622960 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
The neuropeptide galanin has a 35-year history as an intriguing target in drug design owing to its implication as a potential anticonvulsant and neuronal trophic factor among many other therapeutically interesting functions including analgesia and mood alteration. In this study, we report the structural characterization of three synthetic fragments of the galanin N-terminus in buffered aqueous solution: hGal(2-12)KK, hGal(1-12)KK, and hGal(1-17)KK. High-field two-dimensional 1H-1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data were acquired for these fragments and used to derive distance restraints. We further utilized modified hydrogen bonding and dihedral restraints to reflect chemical shift patterns in the data, which revealed the signature of a weakly folded helix. Together, these sets of restraints were used to generate NMR structures of all three fragments, which depict a core of hydrophobic residues that cluster together regardless of the presence of a helical structure, and correspond to residues in the N-terminus of galanin that have been previously shown to be critical for binding its receptors. The helical structure only appears following the inclusion of Gly(1) in the sequence, and at longer sequence lengths, unlike many other peptides, the helix does not propagate. Rather, a few turns of poorly ordered helix appear to be a secondary consequence of clusters of hydrophobic sidechains that are conserved across all of the peptides in this study; the helices themselves appear ordered as a consequence of this clustering, and these clusters compare directly to those observed recently to make contacts between galanin and two of its receptor subtypes. Collapsed hydrophobic residues therefore organize and compose the functional core of human galanin and raise interesting questions about the nature of the conformational order in ligands that bind cell surface receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn N Kraichely
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina 29424, United States
| | - Sarah E Clinkscales
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina 29424, United States
| | - Cecilia M Hendy
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina 29424, United States
| | - Eric A Mendoza
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina 29424, United States
| | - Stuart Parnham
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, United States
| | - Michael W Giuliano
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina 29424, United States
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156
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Coppa C, Sorrentino L, Civera M, Minneci M, Vasile F, Sattin S. New Chemotypes for the Inhibition of (p)ppGpp Synthesis in the Quest for New Antimicrobial Compounds. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27103097. [PMID: 35630574 PMCID: PMC9143738 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27103097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 05/07/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a serious threat to our society from both the medical and economic point of view, while the antibiotic discovery pipeline has been dwindling over the last decades. Targeting non-essential bacterial pathways, such as those leading to antibiotic persistence, a bacterial bet-hedging strategy, will lead to new molecular entities displaying low selective pressure, thereby reducing the insurgence of AMR. Here, we describe a way to target (p)ppGpp (guanosine tetra- or penta-phosphate) signaling, a non-essential pathway involved in the formation of persisters, with a structure-based approach. A superfamily of enzymes called RSH (RelA/SpoT Homolog) regulates the intracellular levels of this alarmone. We virtually screened several fragment libraries against the (p)ppGpp synthetase domain of our RSH chosen model RelSeq, selected three main chemotypes, and measured their interaction with RelSeq by thermal shift assay and STD-NMR. Most of the tested fragments are selective for the synthetase domain, allowing us to select the aminobenzoic acid scaffold as a hit for lead development.
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157
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Lal Gupta P, Carlson HA. Cosolvent Simulations with Fragment-Bound Proteins Identify Hot Spots to Direct Lead Growth. J Chem Theory Comput 2022; 18:3829-3844. [PMID: 35533286 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.1c01054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
In drug design, chemical groups are sequentially added to improve a weak-binding fragment into a tight-binding lead molecule. Often, the direction to make these additions is unclear, and there are numerous chemical modifications to choose. Lead development can be guided by crystal structures of the fragment-bound protein, but this alone is unable to capture structural changes like closing or opening of the binding site and any side-chain movements. Accounting for adaptation of the site requires a dynamic approach. Here, we use molecular dynamics calculations of small organic solvents with protein-fragment pairs to reveal the nearest "hot spots". These close hot spots show the direction to make appropriate additions and suggest types of chemical modifications that could improve binding affinity. Mixed-solvent molecular dynamics (MixMD) is a cosolvent simulation technique that is well established for finding binding "hot spots" in active sites and allosteric sites of proteins. We simulated 20 fragment-bound and apo forms of key pharmaceutical targets to map out hot spots for potential lead space. Furthermore, we analyzed whether the presence of a fragment facilitates the probes' binding in the lead space, a type of binding cooperativity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first use of cosolvent MD conducted with bound inhibitors in the simulation. Our work provides a general framework to extract molecular features of binding sites to choose chemical groups for growing lead molecules. Of the 20 systems, 17 systems were well mapped by MixMD. For the three not-mapped systems, two had lead growth out into solution away from the protein, and the third had very small modifications which indicated no nearby hot spots. Therefore, our lack of mapping in three systems was appropriate given the experimental data (true-negative cases). The simulations are run for very short time scales, making this method tractable for use in the pharmaceutical industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pancham Lal Gupta
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, 428 Church Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1065, United States
| | - Heather A Carlson
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, 428 Church Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109-1065, United States
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158
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Vulpetti A, Lingel A, Dalvit C, Schiering N, Oberer L, Henry C, Lu Y. Efficient Screening of Target-Specific Selected Compounds in Mixtures by 19F NMR Binding Assay with Predicted 19F NMR Chemical Shifts. ChemMedChem 2022; 17:e202200163. [PMID: 35475323 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202200163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Ligand-based 19 F NMR screening is a highly effective and well-established hit-finding approach. The high sensitivity to protein binding makes it particularly suitable for fragment screening. Different criteria can be considered for generating fluorinated fragment libraries. One common strategy is to assemble a large, diverse, well-designed and characterized fragment library which is screened in mixtures, generated based on experimental 19 F NMR chemical shifts. Here, we introduce a complementary knowledge-based 19 F NMR screening approach, named 19 Focused screening, enabling the efficient screening of putative active molecules selected by computational hit finding methodologies, in mixtures assembled and on-the-fly deconvoluted based on predicted 19 F NMR chemical shifts. In this study, we developed a novel approach, named LEFshift , for 19 F NMR chemical shift prediction using rooted topological fluorine torsion fingerprints in combination with a random forest machine learning method. A demonstration of this approach to a real test case is reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Vulpetti
- Novartis Pharma AG, Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Campus, 4002, Basel, SWITZERLAND
| | - Andreas Lingel
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Basel, Global Discovery Chemistry, SWITZERLAND
| | - Claudio Dalvit
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Basel, Protease Platform, SWITZERLAND
| | - Nikolaus Schiering
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Basel, Protease Platform, SWITZERLAND
| | - Lukas Oberer
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Basel, Global Discovery Chemistry, SWITZERLAND
| | - Chrystelle Henry
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Basel, Protein Science, SWITZERLAND
| | - Yipin Lu
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research Basel, Global Discovery Chemistry, SWITZERLAND
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159
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Yi J, Cai Z, Qiu H, Lu F, Luo Z, Chen B, Gu Q, Xu J, Zhou H. Fragment screening and structural analyses highlight the ATP-assisted ligand binding for inhibitor discovery against type 1 methionyl-tRNA synthetase. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:4755-4768. [PMID: 35474479 PMCID: PMC9071491 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS) charges tRNAMet with l-methionine (L-Met) to decode the ATG codon for protein translation, making it indispensable for all cellular lives. Many gram-positive bacteria use a type 1 MetRS (MetRS1), which is considered a promising antimicrobial drug target due to its low sequence identity with human cytosolic MetRS (HcMetRS, which belongs to MetRS2). Here, we report crystal structures of a representative MetRS1 from Staphylococcus aureus (SaMetRS) in its apo and substrate-binding forms. The connecting peptide (CP) domain of SaMetRS differs from HcMetRS in structural organization and dynamic movement. We screened 1049 chemical fragments against SaMetRS preincubated with or without substrate ATP, and ten hits were identified. Four cocrystal structures revealed that the fragments bound to either the L-Met binding site or an auxiliary pocket near the tRNA CCA end binding site of SaMetRS. Interestingly, fragment binding was enhanced by ATP in most cases, suggesting a potential ATP-assisted ligand binding mechanism in MetRS1. Moreover, co-binding with ATP was also observed in our cocrystal structure of SaMetRS with a class of newly reported inhibitors that simultaneously occupied the auxiliary pocket, tRNA site and L-Met site. Our findings will inspire the development of new MetRS1 inhibitors for fighting microbial infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Haipeng Qiu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China,Research Center for Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Feihu Lu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China,Research Center for Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhiteng Luo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China,Research Center for Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Bingyi Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China,Research Center for Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Qiong Gu
- Research Center for Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jun Xu
- Research Center for Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Huihao Zhou
- To whom correspondence should be addressed. Tel: +86 20 39943350;
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160
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Mühlethaler T, Milanos L, Ortega JA, Blum TB, Gioia D, Roy B, Prota AE, Cavalli A, Steinmetz MO. Rational Design of a Novel Tubulin Inhibitor with a Unique Mechanism of Action. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202204052] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tobias Mühlethaler
- Laboratory of Biomolecular Research Department of Biology and Chemistry Paul Scherrer Institut 5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
| | - Lampros Milanos
- Computational & Chemical Biology Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia via Morego 30 16163 Genova Italy
| | - Jose Antonio Ortega
- Computational & Chemical Biology Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia via Morego 30 16163 Genova Italy
| | - Thorsten B. Blum
- Laboratory of Biomolecular Research Department of Biology and Chemistry Paul Scherrer Institut 5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
| | - Dario Gioia
- Computational & Chemical Biology Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia via Morego 30 16163 Genova Italy
| | - Bibhas Roy
- Laboratory of Nanoscale Biology Department of Biology and Chemistry Paul Scherrer Institut 5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
| | - Andrea E. Prota
- Laboratory of Biomolecular Research Department of Biology and Chemistry Paul Scherrer Institut 5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
| | - Andrea Cavalli
- Computational & Chemical Biology Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia via Morego 30 16163 Genova Italy
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology Alma Mater Studiorum University of Bologna via Belmeloro 6 40126 Bologna Italy
| | - Michel O. Steinmetz
- Laboratory of Biomolecular Research Department of Biology and Chemistry Paul Scherrer Institut 5232 Villigen PSI Switzerland
- University of Basel, Biozentrum 4056 Basel Switzerland
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161
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Fischer TR, Meidner L, Schwickert M, Weber M, Zimmermann RA, Kersten C, Schirmeister T, Helm M. Chemical biology and medicinal chemistry of RNA methyltransferases. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:4216-4245. [PMID: 35412633 PMCID: PMC9071492 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 03/17/2022] [Accepted: 04/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
RNA methyltransferases (MTases) are ubiquitous enzymes whose hitherto low profile in medicinal chemistry, contrasts with the surging interest in RNA methylation, the arguably most important aspect of the new field of epitranscriptomics. As MTases become validated as drug targets in all major fields of biomedicine, the development of small molecule compounds as tools and inhibitors is picking up considerable momentum, in academia as well as in biotech. Here we discuss the development of small molecules for two related aspects of chemical biology. Firstly, derivates of the ubiquitous cofactor S-adenosyl-l-methionine (SAM) are being developed as bioconjugation tools for targeted transfer of functional groups and labels to increasingly visible targets. Secondly, SAM-derived compounds are being investigated for their ability to act as inhibitors of RNA MTases. Drug development is moving from derivatives of cosubstrates towards higher generation compounds that may address allosteric sites in addition to the catalytic centre. Progress in assay development and screening techniques from medicinal chemistry have led to recent breakthroughs, e.g. in addressing human enzymes targeted for their role in cancer. Spurred by the current pandemic, new inhibitors against coronaviral MTases have emerged at a spectacular rate, including a repurposed drug which is now in clinical trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tim R Fischer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudingerweg 5, 55128Mainz, Germany
| | - Laurenz Meidner
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudingerweg 5, 55128Mainz, Germany
| | - Marvin Schwickert
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudingerweg 5, 55128Mainz, Germany
| | - Marlies Weber
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudingerweg 5, 55128Mainz, Germany
| | - Robert A Zimmermann
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudingerweg 5, 55128Mainz, Germany
| | - Christian Kersten
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudingerweg 5, 55128Mainz, Germany
| | - Tanja Schirmeister
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudingerweg 5, 55128Mainz, Germany
| | - Mark Helm
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Staudingerweg 5, 55128Mainz, Germany
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162
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Hamuro Y, Coales SJ. Hydrogen/Deuterium Exchange Mass Spectrometry for Weak Binders. JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY FOR MASS SPECTROMETRY 2022; 33:735-739. [PMID: 35230104 DOI: 10.1021/jasms.1c00375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
This note describes theoretical and experimental considerations to observe perturbation of a protein upon binding to a ligand with weak affinity by hydrogen/deuterium exchange mass spectrometry (HDX-MS). The most popular application of HDX-MS is to determine the binding site of a drug or drug lead in a protein target. However, when the affinity of a ligand is weak, driving the equilibrium to the formation of a complex is difficult, and thus, observing the perturbation upon binding is also challenging. Theoretical consideration indicates that the original concentration of a ligand over the dissociation constant ([L0]/KD) is roughly equal to the maximum protection factor expected for the experiment when the original concentration of a ligand is significantly larger than the original concentration of a protein and the dissociation constant ([L0] ≫ [P0] and [L0] ≫ KD). When HDX-MS analysis of a protein with a ligand of low affinity and low solubility is carried out, it may be challenging to achieve high enough ligand concentration to drive the equilibrium in favor of the complex due to the low solubility. There are two methods to alleviate this issue: (i) spiking a low affinity/low solubility ligand to exchange buffer to lower the required ligand concentration in aqueous protein stock solution and (ii) mixing a 1:1 ratio of aqueous protein-ligand stock solution and deuterated buffer to initiate the exchange reaction instead of the commonly used 1:9 ratio.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yoshitomo Hamuro
- ExSAR Corporation, 11 Deer Park Drive, Suite 103, Monmouth Junction, New Jersey 08852, United States
| | - Stephen J Coales
- ExSAR Corporation, 11 Deer Park Drive, Suite 103, Monmouth Junction, New Jersey 08852, United States
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163
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Shi B, Zhou Y, Li X. Recent advances in DNA-encoded dynamic libraries. RSC Chem Biol 2022; 3:407-419. [PMID: 35441147 PMCID: PMC8985084 DOI: 10.1039/d2cb00007e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The DNA-encoded chemical library (DEL) has emerged as a powerful technology platform in drug discovery and is also gaining momentum in academic research. The rapid development of DNA-/DEL-compatible chemistries has greatly expanded the chemical space accessible to DELs. DEL technology has been widely adopted in the pharmaceutical industry and a number of clinical drug candidates have been identified from DEL selections. Recent innovations have combined DELs with other legacy and emerging techniques. Among them, the DNA-encoded dynamic library (DEDL) introduces DNA encoding into the classic dynamic combinatorial libraries (DCLs) and also integrates the principle of fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD), making DEDL a novel approach with distinct features from static DELs. In this Review, we provide a summary of the recently developed DEDL methods and their applications. Future developments in DEDLs are expected to extend the application scope of DELs to complex biological systems with unique ligand-discovery capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bingbing Shi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Basic Medicine, Jining Medical University Jining Shandong 272067 P. R. China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong Pokfulam Road Hong Kong SAR China
| | - Xiaoyu Li
- Department of Chemistry and State Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong Pokfulam Road Hong Kong SAR China
- Laboratory for Synthetic Chemistry and Chemical Biology Limited, Health@InnoHK, Innovation and Technology Commission Units 1503-1511 15/F. Building 17W Hong Kong SAR China
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164
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Abstract
In-cell structural biology aims at extracting structural information about proteins or nucleic acids in their native, cellular environment. This emerging field holds great promise and is already providing new facts and outlooks of interest at both fundamental and applied levels. NMR spectroscopy has important contributions on this stage: It brings information on a broad variety of nuclei at the atomic scale, which ensures its great versatility and uniqueness. Here, we detail the methods, the fundamental knowledge, and the applications in biomedical engineering related to in-cell structural biology by NMR. We finally propose a brief overview of the main other techniques in the field (EPR, smFRET, cryo-ET, etc.) to draw some advisable developments for in-cell NMR. In the era of large-scale screenings and deep learning, both accurate and qualitative experimental evidence are as essential as ever to understand the interior life of cells. In-cell structural biology by NMR spectroscopy can generate such a knowledge, and it does so at the atomic scale. This review is meant to deliver comprehensive but accessible information, with advanced technical details and reflections on the methods, the nature of the results, and the future of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francois-Xavier Theillet
- Université Paris-Saclay, CEA, CNRS, Institute for Integrative Biology of the Cell (I2BC), 91198 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
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165
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Arif SM, Floto RA, Blundell TL. Using Structure-guided Fragment-Based Drug Discovery to Target Pseudomonas aeruginosa Infections in Cystic Fibrosis. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:857000. [PMID: 35433835 PMCID: PMC9006449 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.857000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is progressive genetic disease that predisposes lungs and other organs to multiple long-lasting microbial infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most prevalent and deadly pathogen among these microbes. Lung function of CF patients worsens following chronic infections with P. aeruginosa and is associated with increased mortality and morbidity. Emergence of multidrug-resistant, extensively drug-resistant and pandrug-resistant strains of P. aeruginosa due to intrinsic and adaptive antibiotic resistance mechanisms has failed the current anti-pseudomonal antibiotics. Hence new antibacterials are urgently needed to treat P. aeruginosa infections. Structure-guided fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) is a powerful approach in the field of drug development that has succeeded in delivering six FDA approved drugs over the past 20 years targeting a variety of biological molecules. However, FBDD has not been widely used in the development of anti-pseudomonal molecules. In this review, we first give a brief overview of our structure-guided FBDD pipeline and then give a detailed account of FBDD campaigns to combat P. aeruginosa infections by developing small molecules having either bactericidal or anti-virulence properties. We conclude with a brief overview of the FBDD efforts in our lab at the University of Cambridge towards targeting P. aeruginosa infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - R. Andres Floto
- Molecular Immunity Unit, Department of Medicine University of Cambridge, MRC-Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- Cambridge Centre for Lung Infection, Royal Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Tom L. Blundell
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom
- *Correspondence: Tom L. Blundell,
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166
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Revillo Imbernon J, Jacquemard C, Bret G, Marcou G, Kellenberger E. Comprehensive analysis of commercial fragment libraries. RSC Med Chem 2022; 13:300-310. [PMID: 35434627 PMCID: PMC8942207 DOI: 10.1039/d1md00363a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2021] [Accepted: 12/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Screening of fragment libraries is a valuable approach to the drug discovery process. The quality of the library is one of the keys to success, and more particularly the design or choice of a library has to meet the specificities of the research program. In this study, we made an inventory of the commercial fragment libraries and we established a methodology which allows any library to be positioned in relation to the complete offer currently on the market, by addressing the following questions: does this chemical library look like another chemical library? What is the coverage of the current chemical space by this chemical library? What are the characteristic structural features of the fragments of this chemical library? We based our analysis on 2D and 3D chemical descriptors, framework class generation and the generative topographic map. We identified 59 270 scaffolds, which can be searched in a dedicated web site (https://gtmfrag.drugdesign.unistra.fr) and developed a model which accounts for fragment diversity while being easy to interpret (download at 10.5281/zenodo.5534434).
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Revillo Imbernon
- Laboratoire d'Innovation Thérapeutique, UMR7200 CNRS Université de Strasbourg, Institut du Médicament de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de PharmacieIllkirch-GraffenstadenFrance
| | - Célien Jacquemard
- Laboratoire d'Innovation Thérapeutique, UMR7200 CNRS Université de Strasbourg, Institut du Médicament de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de PharmacieIllkirch-GraffenstadenFrance
| | - Guillaume Bret
- Laboratoire d'Innovation Thérapeutique, UMR7200 CNRS Université de Strasbourg, Institut du Médicament de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de PharmacieIllkirch-GraffenstadenFrance
| | - Gilles Marcou
- Laboratory of Chemoinformatics, UMR7177 CNRS Université de StrasbourgStrasbourgFrance
| | - Esther Kellenberger
- Laboratoire d'Innovation Thérapeutique, UMR7200 CNRS Université de Strasbourg, Institut du Médicament de Strasbourg, Université de Strasbourg, Faculté de PharmacieIllkirch-GraffenstadenFrance
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167
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Hamilton DJ, Beemsterboer M, Carter CM, Elsayed J, Huiberts REM, Klein HF, O’Brien P, de Esch IJP, Wijtmans M. Puckering the planar landscape of fragments: design and synthesis of a 3D cyclobutane fragment library. ChemMedChem 2022; 17:e202200113. [PMID: 35277937 PMCID: PMC9315009 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202200113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Fragment‐based drug discovery (FBDD) has a growing need for unique screening libraries. The cyclobutane moiety was identified as an underrepresented yet attractive three‐dimensional (3D) scaffold. Synthetic strategies were developed via a key 3‐azido‐cyclobutanone intermediate, giving potential access to a range of functional groups with accessible growth vectors. A focused set of 33 novel 3D cyclobutane fragments was synthesised, comprising three functionalities: secondary amines, amides, and sulfonamides. This library was designed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and an expanded version of the rule of three (RO3), followed by Principal Moment of Inertia (PMI) analysis to achieve both chemical diversity and high 3D character. Cis and trans ring isomers of library members were generated to maximise the shape diversity obtained, while limiting molecular complexity through avoiding enantiomers. Property analyses of the cyclobutane library indicated that it fares favourably against existing synthetic 3D fragment libraries in terms of shape and physicochemical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J. Hamilton
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences NETHERLANDS
| | | | - Caroline M. Carter
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences NETHERLANDS
| | - Jasmina Elsayed
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences NETHERLANDS
| | | | - Hanna F. Klein
- University of York Department of Chemistry UNITED KINGDOM
| | - Peter O’Brien
- University of York Department of Chemistry UNITED KINGDOM
| | - Iwan J. P. de Esch
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences NETHERLANDS
| | - Maikel Wijtmans
- Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Chemistry & Pharamceutical Sciences De Boelelaan 1083 1081 HV Amsterdam NETHERLANDS
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168
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Kaminski JW, Vera L, Stegmann DP, Vering J, Eris D, Smith KML, Huang CY, Meier N, Steuber J, Wang M, Fritz G, Wojdyla JA, Sharpe ME. Fast fragment- and compound-screening pipeline at the Swiss Light Source. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2022; 78:328-336. [PMID: 35234147 PMCID: PMC8900825 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798322000705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last two decades, fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) has emerged as an effective and efficient method to identify new chemical scaffolds for the development of lead compounds. X-ray crystallography can be used in FBDD as a tool to validate and develop fragments identified as binders by other methods. However, it is also often used with great success as a primary screening technique. In recent years, technological advances at macromolecular crystallography beamlines in terms of instrumentation, beam intensity and robotics have enabled the development of dedicated platforms at synchrotron sources for FBDD using X-ray crystallography. Here, the development of the Fast Fragment and Compound Screening (FFCS) platform, an integrated next-generation pipeline for crystal soaking, handling and data collection which allows crystallography-based screening of protein crystals against hundreds of fragments and compounds, at the Swiss Light Source is reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jakub W. Kaminski
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Laura Vera
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Dennis P. Stegmann
- Department of Cellular Microbiology, Institute of Biology, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Jonatan Vering
- Department of Cellular Microbiology, Institute of Biology, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Deniz Eris
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Kate M. L. Smith
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Chia-Ying Huang
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Nathalie Meier
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Julia Steuber
- Department of Cellular Microbiology, Institute of Biology, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Meitian Wang
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - Günter Fritz
- Department of Cellular Microbiology, Institute of Biology, University of Hohenheim, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - Justyna A. Wojdyla
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
| | - May E. Sharpe
- Swiss Light Source, Paul Scherrer Institute, 5232 Villigen PSI, Switzerland
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169
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The current toolbox for APOBEC drug discovery. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2022; 43:362-377. [PMID: 35272863 PMCID: PMC9018551 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2022.02.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Mutational processes driving genome evolution and heterogeneity contribute to immune evasion and therapy resistance in viral infections and cancer. APOBEC3 (A3) enzymes promote such mutations by catalyzing the deamination of cytosines to uracils in single-stranded DNA. Chemical inhibition of A3 enzymes may yield an antimutation therapeutic strategy to improve the durability of current drug therapies that are prone to resistance mutations. A3 small-molecule drug discovery efforts to date have been restricted to a single high-throughput biochemical activity assay; however, the arsenal of discovery assays has significantly expanded in recent years. The assays used to study A3 enzymes are reviewed here with an eye towards their potential for small-molecule discovery efforts.
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170
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Alarcon-Barrera JC, Kostidis S, Ondo-Mendez A, Giera M. Recent advances in metabolomics analysis for early drug development. Drug Discov Today 2022; 27:1763-1773. [PMID: 35218927 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.02.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 26.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The pharmaceutical industry adapted proteomics and other 'omics technologies for drug research early following their initial introduction. Although metabolomics lacked behind in this development, it has now become an accepted and widely applied approach in early drug development. Over the past few decades, metabolomics has evolved from a pure exploratory tool to a more mature and quantitative biochemical technology. Several metabolomics-based platforms are now applied during the early phases of drug discovery. Metabolomics analysis assists in the definition of the physiological response and target engagement (TE) markers as well as elucidation of the mode of action (MoA) of drug candidates under investigation. In this review, we highlight recent examples and novel developments of metabolomics analyses applied during early drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Carlos Alarcon-Barrera
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands; Clinical Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 # 63C-69, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Sarantos Kostidis
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands
| | - Alejandro Ondo-Mendez
- Clinical Research Group, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 # 63C-69, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Martin Giera
- Center for Proteomics and Metabolomics, Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, the Netherlands.
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171
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Mureddu LG, Vuister GW. Fragment-Based Drug Discovery by NMR. Where Are the Successes and Where can It Be Improved? Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:834453. [PMID: 35252355 PMCID: PMC8895297 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.834453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Over the last century, the definitions of pharmaceutical drug and drug discovery have changed considerably. Evolving from an almost exclusively serendipitous approach, drug discovery nowadays involves several distinct, yet sometimes interconnected stages aimed at obtaining molecules able to interact with a defined biomolecular target, and triggering a suitable biological response. At each of the stages, a wide range of techniques are typically employed to obtain the results required to move the project into the next stage. High Throughput Screening (HTS) and Fragment Based Drug Design (FBDD) are the two main approaches used to identify drug-like candidates in the early stages of drug discovery. Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy has many applications in FBDD and is used extensively in industry as well as in academia. In this manuscript, we discuss the paths of both successful and unsuccessful molecules where NMR had a crucial part in their development. We specifically focus on the techniques used and describe strengths and weaknesses of each stage by examining several case studies. More precisely, we examine the development history from the primary screening to the final lead optimisation of AZD3839 interacting with BACE-1, ABT-199 interacting with BCL2/XL and S64315 interacting with MCL-1. Based on these studies, we derive observations and conclusions regarding the FBDD process by NMR and discuss its potential improvements.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Geerten W. Vuister
- Leicester Institute of Structural and Chemical Biology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, United Kingdom
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172
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Tetramethylammonium Fluoride: Fundamental Properties and Applications in C-F Bond-Forming Reactions and as a Base. Catalysts 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/catal12020233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Nucleophilic ionic sources of fluoride are essential reagents in the synthetic toolbox to access high added-value fluorinated building blocks unattainable by other means. In this review, we provide a concise description and rationale of the outstanding features of one of these reagents, tetramethylammonium fluoride (TMAF), as well as disclosing the different methods for its preparation, and how its physicochemical properties and solvation effects in different solvents are intimately associated with its reactivity. Furthermore, herein we also comprehensively describe its historic and recent utilization, up to December 2021, in C-F bond-forming reactions with special emphasis on nucleophilic aromatic substitution fluorinations with a potential sustainable application in industrial settings, as well as its use as a base capable of rendering unprecedented transformations.
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173
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Engineered protein-small molecule conjugates empower selective enzyme inhibition. Cell Chem Biol 2022; 29:328-338.e4. [PMID: 34363759 PMCID: PMC8807807 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2021.07.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2021] [Revised: 06/17/2021] [Accepted: 07/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Potent, specific ligands drive precision medicine and fundamental biology. Proteins, peptides, and small molecules constitute effective ligand classes. Yet greater molecular diversity would aid the pursuit of ligands to elicit precise biological activity against challenging targets. We demonstrate a platform to discover protein-small molecule (PriSM) hybrids to combine unique pharmacophore activities and shapes with constrained, efficiently engineerable proteins. In this platform, a fibronectin protein library is displayed on yeast with a single cysteine coupled to acetazolamide via a maleimide-poly(ethylene glycol) linker. Magnetic and flow cytometric sorts enrich specific binders to carbonic anhydrase isoforms. Isolated PriSMs exhibit potent, specific inhibition of carbonic anhydrase isoforms with efficacy superior to that of acetazolamide or protein alone, including an 80-fold specificity increase and 9-fold potency gain. PriSMs are engineered with multiple linker lengths, protein conjugation sites, and sequences against two different isoforms, which reveal platform flexibility and impacts of molecular designs. PriSMs advance the molecular diversity of efficiently engineerable ligands.
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174
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Jackl MK, Seo H, Karges J, Kalaj M, Cohen SM. Salicylate metal-binding isosteres as fragments for metalloenzyme inhibition. Chem Sci 2022; 13:2128-2136. [PMID: 35308862 PMCID: PMC8849047 DOI: 10.1039/d1sc06011b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Metalloenzyme inhibitors typically share a common need to possess a metal-binding pharmacophore (MBP) for binding the active site metal ions. However, MBPs can suffer from physicochemical liabilities, impeding the pharmacological properties and drug-likeliness of inhibitors. To circumvent this, problematic features of the MBP can be identified and exchanged with isosteric replacements. Herein, the carboxylic and hydroxyl group of the salicylic acid MBP were replaced and a total of 27 salicylate metal-binding isosteres (MBIs) synthesized. Of these 27 MBIs, at least 12 represent previously unreported compounds, and the metal-binding abilities of >20 of the MBIs have not been previously reported. These salicylate MBIs were examined for their metal-binding features in model complexes, physicochemical properties, and biological activity. It was observed that salicylate MBIs can demonstrate a range of attractive physicochemical properties and bind to the metal in a variety of expected and unexpected binding modes. The biological activity of these novel MBIs was evaluated by measuring inhibition against two Zn2+-dependent metalloenzymes, human glyoxalase 1 (GLO1) and matrix metalloproteinase 3 (MMP-3), as well as a dinuclear Mn2+-dependent metalloenzyme, influenza H1N1 N-terminal endonuclease (PAN). It was observed that salicylate MBIs could maintain or improve enzyme inhibition and selectivity. To probe salicylate MBIs as fragments for fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD), an MBI that showed good inhibitory activity against GLO1 was derivatized and a rudimentary structure-activity relationship was developed. The resulting elaborated fragments showed GLO1 inhibition with low micromolar activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz K Jackl
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego 9500 Gilman Drive La Jolla CA 92093-0358 USA
| | - Hyeonglim Seo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego 9500 Gilman Drive La Jolla CA 92093-0358 USA
| | - Johannes Karges
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego 9500 Gilman Drive La Jolla CA 92093-0358 USA
| | - Mark Kalaj
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego 9500 Gilman Drive La Jolla CA 92093-0358 USA
| | - Seth M Cohen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego 9500 Gilman Drive La Jolla CA 92093-0358 USA
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175
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Mahato S. Recent Development of Small Molecules for SARS-CoV-2 and the Opportunity for Fragment-Based Drug Discovery. Med Chem 2022; 18:847-858. [DOI: 10.2174/1573406418666220214091107] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2021] [Revised: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:
The ongoing pandemic of Covid-19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 is a major threat to global public health, drawing attention to develop new therapeutics for treatment. Much research work is focused on identifying or repurposing new small molecules to serve as potential inhibitors by interacting with viral or host-cell molecular targets and understanding the nature of the virus in the host cells. Identifying small molecules as potent inhibitors at an early stage is advantageous to make a molecule with higher potency and then find a lead compound for the development of drug discovery. Small molecules can show their inhibition property by targeting either SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) enzyme, papain-like protease (PLpro) enzyme, or helicase (Hel), or blocking the spike (S) protein angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor. A very recent outbreak of a new variant (B.1.617.2—termed as Delta variant) of SARS-CoV-2 worldwide posed a greater challenge as it is resistant to clinically undergoing vaccine trials. Thus, the development of new drug molecules is of potential interest to combat SARS-CoV-2 disease, and for that, fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) approach could be one of the ways to bring out an effective solution. Two cysteine protease enzymes would be an attractive choice of target for fragment-based drug discovery to tune the molecular structure at an early stage with suitable functionality. In this short review, the recent development of small-molecule as inhibitors against Covid-19 are discussed and the opportunity for FBDD is envisioned optimistically to provide an outlook regarding Covid-19 that may pave the way in the direction of the Covid-19 drug development paradigm.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sujit Mahato
- Department of Chemistry, Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Surat, Gujarat-395007, INDIA
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176
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Dragovich PS, Haap W, Mulvihill MM, Plancher JM, Stepan AF. Small-Molecule Lead-Finding Trends across the Roche and Genentech Research Organizations. J Med Chem 2022; 65:3606-3615. [PMID: 35138850 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c02106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The origin of small-molecule leads that were pursued across the independent research organizations Roche and Genentech from 2009 to 2020 is described. The identified chemical series are derived from a variety of lead-finding methods, which include public information, high-throughput screening (both full file and focused), fragment-based design, DNA-encoded library technology, use of legacy internal data, in-licensing, and de novo design (often structure-based). The translation of the lead series into in vivo tool compounds and development candidates is discussed as are the associated biological target classes and corresponding therapeutic areas. These analyses identify important trends regarding the various lead-finding approaches, which will likely impact their future application in the Roche and Genentech research groups. They also highlight commonalities and differences across the two independent research organizations. Several caveats associated with the employed data collection and analysis methodologies are included to enhance the interpretation of the presented information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter S Dragovich
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Wolfgang Haap
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Melinda M Mulvihill
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Jean-Marc Plancher
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Antonia F Stepan
- Roche Pharma Research and Early Development, Roche Innovation Center Basel, F. Hoffmann-La Roche AG, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
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177
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Miao J, Yuan H, Rao J, Zou J, Yang K, Peng G, Cao S, Chen H, Song Y. Identification of a small compound that specifically inhibits Zika virus in vitro and in vivo by targeting the NS2B-NS3 protease. Antiviral Res 2022; 199:105255. [PMID: 35143853 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105255] [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: 07/13/2021] [Revised: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Zika virus (ZIKV) has rapid become a global threat, but no ZIKV-specific vaccines or drugs are currently available. In this study, inhibitors of ZIKV NS2B-NS3 protease were screened from a library containing 4,452 compound fragments. One of the compounds, 6-bromo-1,2-naphthalenedione, exhibited high specific inhibition against ZIKV NS2B-NS3 protease, but had no inhibitory effects against other viral proteases. A microscale thermophoresis (MST) assay confirmed that the compound bound to ZIKV NS2B-NS3 protein with a binding constant (Kd) of 12.26 μM. Indirect immunofluorescence assays, Western blots, and plaque assays indicated that the compound inhibited virus replication in cells. Virus titer was reduced by more than 75% when the compound was present at 1 μM. A time-of-addition assay showed that inhibition occurred at the virus replication stage, but not at the adsorption or invasion stages. The half cytotoxicity concentration (CC50) of the compound on HeLa, Vero, and BHK-21 cells were 445.44 μM, 123.87 μM, and 123.64 μM, respectively. In vivo tests using infected AG129 mice demonstrated that treatment with the compound reduced mortality by up to 60%. Mice treated with the compound showed a reduction in histopathological lesions in brain, testis, and ovary. Viral RNA, IL-1β, and IL-6 mRNA levels decreased significantly in these tissues. In summary, this study has identified a small compound with high and specific inhibitory effects on ZIKV. The compound can be used as a therapeutic agent and is also an ideal starting point for drug optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan Miao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; College of Animal Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Honggen Yuan
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; College of Animal Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Jingwei Rao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; College of Animal Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Jiahui Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; College of Animal Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Kelu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; College of Animal Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Guiqing Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; College of Animal Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Shengbo Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; College of Animal Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Huanchun Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; College of Animal Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China
| | - Yunfeng Song
- State Key Laboratory of Agricultural Microbiology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China; College of Animal Science, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, 430070, China.
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178
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Sharifi Tabar M, Francis H, Yeo D, Bailey CG, Rasko JEJ. Mapping oncogenic protein interactions for precision medicine. Int J Cancer 2022; 151:7-19. [PMID: 35113472 PMCID: PMC9306658 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.33954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2021] [Revised: 01/25/2022] [Accepted: 01/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Normal protein‐protein interactions (normPPIs) occur with high fidelity to regulate almost every physiological process. In cancer, this highly organised and precisely regulated network is disrupted, hijacked or reprogrammed resulting in oncogenic protein‐protein interactions (oncoPPIs). OncoPPIs, which can result from genomic alterations, are a hallmark of many types of cancers. Recent technological advances in the field of mass spectrometry (MS)‐based interactomics, structural biology and drug discovery have prompted scientists to identify and characterise oncoPPIs. Disruption of oncoPPI interfaces has become a major focus of drug discovery programs and has resulted in the use of PPI‐specific drugs clinically. However, due to several technical hurdles, studies to build a reference oncoPPI map for various cancer types have not been undertaken. Therefore, there is an urgent need for experimental workflows to overcome the existing challenges in studying oncoPPIs in various cancers and to build comprehensive reference maps. Here, we discuss the important hurdles for characterising oncoPPIs and propose a three‐phase multidisciplinary workflow to identify and characterise oncoPPIs. Systematic identification of cancer‐type‐specific oncogenic interactions will spur new opportunities for PPI‐focused drug discovery projects and precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Sharifi Tabar
- Gene & Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.,Cancer & Gene Regulation Laboratory Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine & Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Habib Francis
- Gene & Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.,Cancer & Gene Regulation Laboratory Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine & Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - Dannel Yeo
- Faculty of Medicine & Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Li Ka Shing Cell & Gene Therapy Program, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.,Cell & Molecular Therapies, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney Local Health District, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
| | - Charles G Bailey
- Gene & Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.,Cancer & Gene Regulation Laboratory Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine & Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia
| | - John E J Rasko
- Gene & Stem Cell Therapy Program Centenary Institute, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine & Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia.,Li Ka Shing Cell & Gene Therapy Program, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.,Cell & Molecular Therapies, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney Local Health District, Camperdown, NSW, Australia
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179
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Alzain AA, Elbadwi FA, Alsamani FO. Discovery of novel TMPRSS2 inhibitors for COVID-19 using in silico fragment-based drug design, molecular docking, molecular dynamics, and quantum mechanics studies. INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE UNLOCKED 2022; 29:100870. [PMID: 35128036 PMCID: PMC8806845 DOI: 10.1016/j.imu.2022.100870] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Revised: 01/29/2022] [Accepted: 01/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
The global expansion of COVID-19 and the mutations of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus necessitate quick development of treatment and vaccination. Because the androgen-responsive serine protease TMPRSS2 is involved in cleaving the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein allowing the virus to enter the cell, therefore, direct TMPRSS2 inhibition will inhibit virus activation and disease progression which make it an important target for drug discovery. In this study, a homology model of TMPRSS2 protein was initially developed. Then, we used the fragment-based drug design (FBDD) technique to develop effective TMPRSS2 inhibitors. Over a half-million fragments from the enamine database were screened for their binding ability to target protein, and then best-scoring fragments were linked to building new molecules with a good binding affinity. XP docking and MM-GBSA studies revealed 10 new formed molecules with docking score ≤ -14.982 kcal/mol compared to ambroxol (control) with a docking score of -6.464 kcal/mol. Finally, molecular dynamics (MD) and density functional theory (DFT) were calculated for the top 3 molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdulrahim A Alzain
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Gezira, Gezira, Sudan
| | - Fatima A Elbadwi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Gezira, Gezira, Sudan
| | - Fatima O Alsamani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Gezira, Gezira, Sudan
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180
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Smilova MD, Curran PR, Radoux CJ, von Delft F, Cole JC, Bradley AR, Marsden BD. Fragment Hotspot Mapping to Identify Selectivity-Determining Regions between Related Proteins. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:284-294. [PMID: 35020376 PMCID: PMC8790751 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c00823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Selectivity is a
crucial property in small molecule development.
Binding site comparisons within a protein family are a key piece of
information when aiming to modulate the selectivity profile of a compound.
Binding site differences can be exploited to confer selectivity for
a specific target, while shared areas can provide insights into polypharmacology.
As the quantity of structural data grows, automated methods are needed
to process, summarize, and present these data to users. We present
a computational method that provides quantitative and data-driven
summaries of the available binding site information from an ensemble
of structures of the same protein. The resulting ensemble maps identify
the key interactions important for ligand binding in the ensemble.
The comparison of ensemble maps of related proteins enables the identification
of selectivity-determining regions within a protein family. We applied
the method to three examples from the well-researched human bromodomain
and kinase families, demonstrating that the method is able to identify
selectivity-determining regions that have been used to introduce selectivity
in past drug discovery campaigns. We then illustrate how the resulting
maps can be used to automate comparisons across a target protein family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mihaela D Smilova
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Headington, Oxford OX3 7DQ, U.K
| | - Peter R Curran
- The Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre (CCDC), Cambridge CB2 1EZ, U.K.,Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1EW, U.K
| | - Chris J Radoux
- Exscientia Ltd., The Schrödinger Building, Oxford Science Park, Oxford OX4 4GE, U.K
| | - Frank von Delft
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Headington, Oxford OX3 7DQ, U.K.,Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0DE, U.K.,Research Complex at Harwell. Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, U.K.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa
| | - Jason C Cole
- The Cambridge Crystallographic Data Centre (CCDC), Cambridge CB2 1EZ, U.K
| | - Anthony R Bradley
- Exscientia Ltd., The Schrödinger Building, Oxford Science Park, Oxford OX4 4GE, U.K
| | - Brian D Marsden
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Headington, Oxford OX3 7DQ, U.K.,Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, NDORMS, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, U.K
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181
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Sachdeo RA, Anthwal T, Nain S. Fragment based drug design. PHYSICAL SCIENCES REVIEWS 2022. [DOI: 10.1515/psr-2018-0162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
Rational approaches towards drug development have emerged as one of the most promising ways among the tedious conventional procedures with the aim of redefining the drug discovery process. The need of current medical system is demanding a much precise, faster and reliable approaches in parallel to faster growing technology for development of drugs with more intrinsic action and fewer side effects. Systematic and well-defined diagnostic studies have revealed the specific causes of disease and related targets for drug development. Designing a drug as per the specific target, studying it in-silico prior to its development has been proved as an added benefit to the studies. Many approaches like structure based drug design, fragment based drug design and ligand based drug design are been in practice for the drug discovery and development with the similar fundamental theory. Fragment based drug design utilizes a library of fragments designed specifically for the concerned target and these fragments are studied further before screening with virtual methods as well as with biophysical methods. The process follows a well-defined pathway which moulds a fragment into a perfect drug candidate. In this chapter we have tried to cover all the basic aspects of fragment based drug design and related technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Ashok Sachdeo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry , Government College of Pharmacy , Karad , Maharashtra , 415124 , India
| | - Tulika Anthwal
- Department of Pharmacy , Banasthali Vidyapith , Banasthali , Rajasthan , 304022 , India
| | - Sumitra Nain
- Department of Pharmacy , Banasthali Vidyapith , Banasthali , Rajasthan , 304022 , India
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182
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Chen L, Zhang J, Lin Z, Zhang Z, Mao M, Wu J, Li Q, Zhang Y, Fan C. Pharmaceutical applications of framework nucleic acids. Acta Pharm Sin B 2022; 12:76-91. [PMID: 35127373 PMCID: PMC8799870 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2021.05.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2021] [Revised: 05/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
DNA is a biological polymer that encodes and stores genetic information in all living organism. Particularly, the precise nucleobase pairing inside DNA is exploited for the self-assembling of nanostructures with defined size, shape and functionality. These DNA nanostructures are known as framework nucleic acids (FNAs) for their skeleton-like features. Recently, FNAs have been explored in various fields ranging from physics, chemistry to biology. In this review, we mainly focus on the recent progress of FNAs in a pharmaceutical perspective. We summarize the advantages and applications of FNAs for drug discovery, drug delivery and drug analysis. We further discuss the drawbacks of FNAs and provide an outlook on the pharmaceutical research direction of FNAs in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liang Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jie Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Zhun Lin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Ziyan Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Miao Mao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jiacheng Wu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Qian Li
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules and National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acids Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Yuanqing Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Chunhai Fan
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Frontiers Science Center for Transformative Molecules and National Center for Translational Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acids Chemistry and Nanomedicine, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
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183
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Srdanović S, Hegedüs Z, Warriner SL, Wilson AJ. Towards Identification of Protein-Protein Interaction Stabilizers via Inhibitory Peptide-Fragment Hybrids Using Templated Fragment Ligation. RSC Chem Biol 2022; 3:546-550. [PMID: 35656480 PMCID: PMC9092428 DOI: 10.1039/d2cb00025c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Using the hDMX/14-3-3 interaction, acylhydrazone-based ligand-directed fragment ligation was used to identify protein-protein interaction (PPI) inhibitory peptide-fragment hybrids. Separation of the peptide-fragment hybrids into the components yielded fragments that stabilized...
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonja Srdanović
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane Leeds LS2 9JT UK
- School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane Leeds LS2 9JT UK
| | - Zsofia Hegedüs
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane Leeds LS2 9JT UK
- School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane Leeds LS2 9JT UK
- Department of Medical Chemistry, University of Szeged Dóm tér 8 H-6720 Szeged Hungary
| | - Stuart L Warriner
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane Leeds LS2 9JT UK
- School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane Leeds LS2 9JT UK
| | - Andrew J Wilson
- Astbury Centre for Structural Molecular Biology, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane Leeds LS2 9JT UK
- School of Chemistry, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane Leeds LS2 9JT UK
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184
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Eliandro da Silva, Jr. P, Melo SMGD, Helder de Paula M, Vessecchi R, Opatz T, Day J, Ganesan A, da Silva Emery F. Growth vector elaboration of fragments: regioselective functionalization of 5-hydroxy-6-azaindazole and 3-hydroxy-2,6-naphtyridine. Org Biomol Chem 2022; 20:7483-7490. [DOI: 10.1039/d2ob00968d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
This article discusses the reactivity of an 6-azaindazole (1) and a 2,6-naphthyridine (2), proposed to be “heteroaromatic rings of the future” which would be useful for fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD)...
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185
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Martín-Guerrero SM, Markovinovic A, Mórotz GM, Salam S, Noble W, Miller CCJ. Targeting ER-Mitochondria Signaling as a Therapeutic Target for Frontotemporal Dementia and Related Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:915931. [PMID: 35693938 PMCID: PMC9184680 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.915931] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) are two major neurodegenerative diseases. FTD is the second most common cause of dementia and ALS is the most common form of motor neuron disease. These diseases are now known to be linked. There are no cures or effective treatments for FTD or ALS and so new targets for therapeutic intervention are required but this is hampered by the large number of physiological processes that are damaged in FTD/ALS. Many of these damaged functions are now known to be regulated by signaling between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria. This signaling is mediated by "tethering" proteins that serve to recruit ER to mitochondria. One tether strongly associated with FTD/ALS involves an interaction between the ER protein VAPB and the mitochondrial protein PTPIP51. Recent studies have shown that ER-mitochondria signaling is damaged in FTD/ALS and that this involves breaking of the VAPB-PTPIP51 tethers. Correcting disrupted tethering may therefore correct many other downstream damaged features of FTD/ALS. Here, we review progress on this topic with particular emphasis on targeting of the VAPB-PTPIP51 tethers as a new drug target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandra M Martín-Guerrero
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Andrea Markovinovic
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gábor M Mórotz
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Shaakir Salam
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Wendy Noble
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christopher C J Miller
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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186
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Lan X, Zhang Y, Jia X, Dong S, Liu Y, Zhang M, Guo J, Cao J, Guo Y, Xiao G, Wang W. Screening and identification of Lassa virus endonuclease-targeting inhibitors from a fragment-based drug discovery library. Antiviral Res 2021; 197:105230. [PMID: 34965446 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2021.105230] [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: 09/09/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Lassa virus (LASV) belongs to the Old World genus Mammarenavirus, family Arenaviridae, and order Bunyavirales. Arenavirus contains a segmented negative-sense RNA genome, which is in line with the bunyavirus and orthomyxoviruses. The segmented negative-sense RNA viruses utilize a cap-snatching strategy to provide primers cleavaged from the host capped mRNA for viral mRNA transcription. As a similar strategy and the conformational conservation shared with these viruses, the endonuclease (EN) would serve as an attractive target for developing broad-spectrum inhibitors. Using the LASV minigenome (MG) system, we screened a fragment-based drug discovery library and found that two hits, F1204 and F1781, inhibited LASV MG activity. Both hits also inhibited the prototype arenavirus Lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) MG activity. Furthermore, both hits effectively inhibited authentic LCMV and severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome virus (SFTSV) infections. Similarly, both hits could inhibit the activity of LASV, LCMV, and SFTSV EN. The combination of either compound with an arenavirus entry inhibitor had significant synergistic antiviral effects. Moreover, both hits were found to be capable of binding to LASV EN with a binding affinity at the micromolar level. These findings provide a basis for developing the hits as potential candidates for the treatment of segmented negative-sense RNA virus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaohao Lan
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; College of Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300450, China
| | - Yueli Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; College of Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300450, China
| | - Xiaoying Jia
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Siqi Dong
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yang Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Mengmeng Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; College of Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300450, China
| | - Jiao Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Junyuan Cao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yu Guo
- College of Pharmacy and State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300450, China
| | - Gengfu Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Wei Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
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187
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Shi Y, El-Deeb IM, Masic V, Hartley-Tassell L, Maggioni A, Itzstein MV, Ve T. Discovery of Cofactor Competitive Inhibitors against the Human Methyltransferase Fibrillarin. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 15:26. [PMID: 35056083 PMCID: PMC8779173 DOI: 10.3390/ph15010026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibrillarin (FBL) is an essential and evolutionarily highly conserved S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) dependent methyltransferase. It is the catalytic component of a multiprotein complex that facilitates 2'-O-methylation of ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), a modification essential for accurate and efficient protein synthesis in eukaryotic cells. It was recently established that human FBL (hFBL) is critical for Nipah, Hendra, and respiratory syncytial virus infections. In addition, overexpression of hFBL contributes towards tumorgenesis and is associated with poor survival in patients with breast cancer, suggesting that hFBL is a potential target for the development of both antiviral and anticancer drugs. An attractive strategy to target cofactor-dependent enzymes is the selective inhibition of cofactor binding, which has been successful for the development of inhibitors against several protein methyltransferases including PRMT5, DOT1L, and EZH2. In this work, we solved crystal structures of the methyltransferase domain of hFBL in apo form and in complex with the cofactor SAM. Screening of a fluorinated fragment library, via X-ray crystallography and 19F NMR spectroscopy, yielded seven hit compounds that competed with cofactor binding, two of which resulted in co-crystal structures. One of these structures revealed unexpected conformational variability in the cofactor binding site, which allows it to accommodate a compound significantly different from SAM. Our structural data provide critical information for the design of selective cofactor competitive inhibitors targeting hFBL, and preliminary elaboration of hit compounds has led to additional cofactor site binders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Shi
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Ibrahim M El-Deeb
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Veronika Masic
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | | | - Andrea Maggioni
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Mark von Itzstein
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Thomas Ve
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
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188
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Piticchio SG, Martínez-Cartró M, Scaffidi S, Rachman M, Rodriguez-Arevalo S, Sanchez-Arfelis A, Escolano C, Picaud S, Krojer T, Filippakopoulos P, von Delft F, Galdeano C, Barril X. Discovery of Novel BRD4 Ligand Scaffolds by Automated Navigation of the Fragment Chemical Space. J Med Chem 2021; 64:17887-17900. [PMID: 34898210 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) is a very effective hit identification method. However, the evolution of fragment hits into suitable leads remains challenging and largely artisanal. Fragment evolution is often scaffold-centric, meaning that its outcome depends crucially on the chemical structure of the starting fragment. Considering that fragment screening libraries cover only a small proportion of the corresponding chemical space, hits should be seen as probes highlighting privileged areas of the chemical space rather than actual starting points. We have developed an automated computational pipeline to mine the chemical space around any specific fragment hit, rapidly finding analogues that share a common interaction motif but are structurally novel and diverse. On a prospective application on the bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4), starting from a known fragment, the platform yields active molecules with nonobvious scaffold changes. The procedure is fast and inexpensive and has the potential to uncover many hidden opportunities in FBDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena G Piticchio
- Departament de Farmacia i Tecnología Farmacèutica, i Fisicoquímica, Institut de Biomedicina (IBUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, 27-31, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Míriam Martínez-Cartró
- Departament de Farmacia i Tecnología Farmacèutica, i Fisicoquímica, Institut de Biomedicina (IBUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, 27-31, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Salvatore Scaffidi
- Departament de Farmacia i Tecnología Farmacèutica, i Fisicoquímica, Institut de Biomedicina (IBUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, 27-31, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Moira Rachman
- Departament de Farmacia i Tecnología Farmacèutica, i Fisicoquímica, Institut de Biomedicina (IBUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, 27-31, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sergio Rodriguez-Arevalo
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry (Associated Unit to CSIC), Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), University of Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, 27-31, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ainoa Sanchez-Arfelis
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry (Associated Unit to CSIC), Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), University of Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, 27-31, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carmen Escolano
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry (Associated Unit to CSIC), Department of Pharmacology, Toxicology and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, and Institute of Biomedicine (IBUB), University of Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, 27-31, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Sarah Picaud
- Structural Genomics Consortium, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford University, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, OX3 7DQ Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Tobias Krojer
- Structural Genomics Consortium, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford University, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, OX3 7DQ Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Panagis Filippakopoulos
- Structural Genomics Consortium, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford University, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, OX3 7DQ Oxford, United Kingdom
| | - Frank von Delft
- Structural Genomics Consortium, Nuffield Department of Medicine, Oxford University, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, OX3 7DQ Oxford, United Kingdom.,Diamond Light Source Ltd., Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0QX, United Kingdom.,Research Complex at Harwell, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot OX11 0FA, United Kingdom.,Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3QU, United Kingdom.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Johannesburg, Auckland Park 2006, South Africa
| | - Carles Galdeano
- Departament de Farmacia i Tecnología Farmacèutica, i Fisicoquímica, Institut de Biomedicina (IBUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, 27-31, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Xavier Barril
- Departament de Farmacia i Tecnología Farmacèutica, i Fisicoquímica, Institut de Biomedicina (IBUB), Universitat de Barcelona, Av. Joan XXIII, 27-31, E-08028 Barcelona, Spain.,Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA), Barcelona 08010, Spain
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189
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Herrera-España AD, Aguiar-Pech JA, Alvarez-Sánchez ME, Arana-Argáez VE, Palomar-Gómez CK, Jiménez-Ross AG, Cáceres-Castillo D, Carballo RM, Torres-Romero JC. Lupeol acetate isolated from Chrysophyllum cainito L. fruit as a template for the synthesis of N-alkyl-arylsulfonamide derivatives and their synergistic effects with metronidazole against Trichomonas vaginalis. Nat Prod Res 2021; 36:5508-5516. [PMID: 34930096 DOI: 10.1080/14786419.2021.2018429] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Pentacyclic triterpenes are found in a great variety of natural products and constitute an organic template for the development of new derivative compounds with therapeutic applications. In the present work, lupeol acetate isolated from Chrysophyllum cainito L. fruit was used as a template for the synthesis of novel N-alkyl-arylsulfonamide derivatives, and their synergistic effects with metronidazole against strains of Trichomonas vaginalis were tested. A library of 18 derivatives was synthesized. Ten compounds exhibited an IC50 < 100 μM against a metronidazole-sensitive strain of T. vaginalis. Only seven of these compounds (12, 15, 18-22) also showed activity against metronidazole-resistant strains. The compounds 20 (N-cyclohexyl-p-chlorobenzenesulfonamidolupeol acetate) and 22 (N-cyclohexyl-p-nitrobenzenesulfonamidolupeol acetate) exhibited a similar IC50 against both susceptible and resistant T. vaginalis strains and enhanced the efficacy of metronidazole in a partial and total synergistic way, respectively. These data provided evidence of the trichomonicidal effect of N-alkyl-arylsulfonamide derivatives of lupeol acetate, representing highly promising novel antiparasitic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angel D Herrera-España
- División de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de Quintana Roo (UQROO), Chetumal, Quintana Roo, México
| | - Julio A Aguiar-Pech
- Department Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (UADY), Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - M Elizbeth Alvarez-Sánchez
- Department Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México (UACM), Ciudad de, México, México
| | - Victor E Arana-Argáez
- Department Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (UADY), Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Cynthia K Palomar-Gómez
- Department Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (UADY), Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Armin G Jiménez-Ross
- Department Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (UADY), Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - David Cáceres-Castillo
- Department Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (UADY), Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Rubén M Carballo
- Department Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (UADY), Mérida, Yucatán, México
| | - Julio C Torres-Romero
- Department Facultad de Química, Universidad Autónoma de Yucatán (UADY), Mérida, Yucatán, México
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190
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Selection of Promising Novel Fragment Sized S. aureus SrtA Noncovalent Inhibitors Based on QSAR and Docking Modeling Studies. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26247677. [PMID: 34946760 PMCID: PMC8709105 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26247677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Sortase A (SrtA) of Staphylococcus aureus has been identified as a promising target to a new type of antivirulent drugs, and therefore, the design of lead molecules with a low nanomolar range of activity and suitable drug-like properties is important. In this work, we aimed at identifying new fragment-sized starting points to design new noncovalent S. aureus SrtA inhibitors by making use of the dedicated molecular motif, 5-arylpyrrolidine-2-carboxylate, which has been previously shown to be significant for covalent binding SrtA inhibitors. To this end, an in silico approach combining QSAR and molecular docking studies was used. The known SrtA inhibitors from the ChEMBL database with diverse scaffolds were first employed to derive descriptors and interpret their significance and correlation to activity. Then, the classification and regression QSAR models were built, which were used for rough ranking of the virtual library of the synthetically feasible compounds containing the dedicated motif. Additionally, the virtual library compounds were docked into the “activated” model of SrtA (PDB:2KID). The consensus ranking of the virtual library resulted in the most promising structures, which will be subject to further synthesis and experimental testing in order to establish new fragment-like molecules for further development into antivirulent drugs.
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191
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Fragment-to-lead tailored in silico design. DRUG DISCOVERY TODAY. TECHNOLOGIES 2021; 40:44-57. [PMID: 34916022 DOI: 10.1016/j.ddtec.2021.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2020] [Revised: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) emerged as a disruptive technology and became established during the last two decades. Its rationality and low entry costs make it appealing, and the numerous examples of approved drugs discovered through FBDD validate the approach. However, FBDD still faces numerous challenges. Perhaps the most important one is the transformation of the initial fragment hits into viable leads. Fragment-to-lead (F2L) optimization is resource-intensive and is therefore limited in the possibilities that can be actively pursued. In silico strategies play an important role in F2L, as they can perform a deeper exploration of chemical space, prioritize molecules with high probabilities of being active and generate non-obvious ideas. Here we provide a critical overview of current in silico strategies in F2L optimization and highlight their remarkable impact. While very effective, most solutions are target- or fragment- specific. We propose that fully integrated in silico strategies, capable of automatically and systematically exploring the fast-growing available chemical space can have a significant impact on accelerating the release of fragment originated drugs.
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192
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Ballante F, Kooistra AJ, Kampen S, de Graaf C, Carlsson J. Structure-Based Virtual Screening for Ligands of G Protein-Coupled Receptors: What Can Molecular Docking Do for You? Pharmacol Rev 2021; 73:527-565. [PMID: 34907092 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.120.000246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) constitute the largest family of membrane proteins in the human genome and are important therapeutic targets. During the last decade, the number of atomic-resolution structures of GPCRs has increased rapidly, providing insights into drug binding at the molecular level. These breakthroughs have created excitement regarding the potential of using structural information in ligand design and initiated a new era of rational drug discovery for GPCRs. The molecular docking method is now widely applied to model the three-dimensional structures of GPCR-ligand complexes and screen for chemical probes in large compound libraries. In this review article, we first summarize the current structural coverage of the GPCR superfamily and the understanding of receptor-ligand interactions at atomic resolution. We then present the general workflow of structure-based virtual screening and strategies to discover GPCR ligands in chemical libraries. We assess the state of the art of this research field by summarizing prospective applications of virtual screening based on experimental structures. Strategies to identify compounds with specific efficacy and selectivity profiles are discussed, illustrating the opportunities and limitations of the molecular docking method. Our overview shows that structure-based virtual screening can discover novel leads and will be essential in pursuing the next generation of GPCR drugs. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Extraordinary advances in the structural biology of G protein-coupled receptors have revealed the molecular details of ligand recognition by this large family of therapeutic targets, providing novel avenues for rational drug design. Structure-based docking is an efficient computational approach to identify novel chemical probes from large compound libraries, which has the potential to accelerate the development of drug candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flavio Ballante
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (F.B., S.K., J.C.); Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark (A.J.K.); and Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, United Kingdom (C.d.G.)
| | - Albert J Kooistra
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (F.B., S.K., J.C.); Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark (A.J.K.); and Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, United Kingdom (C.d.G.)
| | - Stefanie Kampen
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (F.B., S.K., J.C.); Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark (A.J.K.); and Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, United Kingdom (C.d.G.)
| | - Chris de Graaf
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (F.B., S.K., J.C.); Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark (A.J.K.); and Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, United Kingdom (C.d.G.)
| | - Jens Carlsson
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden (F.B., S.K., J.C.); Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark (A.J.K.); and Sosei Heptares, Steinmetz Building, Granta Park, Great Abington, Cambridge, United Kingdom (C.d.G.)
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193
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Vilca-Melendez S, Uthaug MV, Griffin JL. 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance: A Future Approach to the Metabolic Profiling of Psychedelics in Human Biofluids? Front Psychiatry 2021; 12:742856. [PMID: 34966300 PMCID: PMC8710695 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.742856] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
While psychedelics may have therapeutic potential for treating mental health disorders such as depression, further research is needed to better understand their biological effects and mechanisms of action when considering the development of future novel therapy approaches. Psychedelic research could potentially benefit from the integration of metabonomics by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopy which is an analytical chemistry-based approach that can measure the breakdown of drugs into their metabolites and their metabolic consequences from various biofluids. We have performed a systematic review with the primary aim of exploring published literature where 1H NMR analysed psychedelic substances including psilocin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), LSD derivatives, N,N-dimethyltryptamine (DMT), 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT) and bufotenin. The second aim was to assess the benefits and limitations of 1H NMR spectroscopy-based metabolomics as a tool in psychedelic research and the final aim was to explore potential future directions. We found that the most current use of 1H NMR in psychedelic research has been for the structural elucidation and analytical characterisation of psychedelic molecules and that no papers used 1H NMR in the metabolic profiling of biofluids, thus exposing a current research gap and the underuse of 1H NMR. The efficacy of 1H NMR spectroscopy was also compared to mass spectrometry, where both metabonomics techniques have previously shown to be appropriate for biofluid analysis in other applications. Additionally, potential future directions for psychedelic research were identified as real-time NMR, in vivo 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) and 1H NMR studies of the gut microbiome. Further psychedelic studies need to be conducted that incorporate the use of 1H NMR spectroscopy in the analysis of metabolites both in the peripheral biofluids and in vivo to determine whether it will be an effective future approach for clinical and naturalistic research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvana Vilca-Melendez
- Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Malin V. Uthaug
- The Centre for Psychedelic Research, Department of Brain Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
- Department of Neuropsychology and Psychopharmacology, Faculty of Psychology and Neuroscience, Maastricht University, Maastricht, Netherlands
| | - Julian L. Griffin
- Department of Metabolism, Digestion and Reproduction, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
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194
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Novel series of triazole containing coumarin and isatin based hybrid molecules as acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. J Mol Struct 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2021.131085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
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195
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Chávez-Hernández AL, Juárez-Mercado KE, Saldívar-González FI, Medina-Franco JL. Towards the De Novo Design of HIV-1 Protease Inhibitors Based on Natural Products. Biomolecules 2021; 11:1805. [PMID: 34944448 PMCID: PMC8698858 DOI: 10.3390/biom11121805] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 11/22/2021] [Accepted: 11/29/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) continues to be a public health problem. In 2020, 680,000 people died from HIV-related causes, and 1.5 million people were infected. Antiretrovirals are a way to control HIV infection but not to cure AIDS. As such, effective treatment must be developed to control AIDS. Developing a drug is not an easy task, and there is an enormous amount of work and economic resources invested. For this reason, it is highly convenient to employ computer-aided drug design methods, which can help generate and identify novel molecules. Using the de novo design, novel molecules can be developed using fragments as building blocks. In this work, we develop a virtual focused compound library of HIV-1 viral protease inhibitors from natural product fragments. Natural products are characterized by a large diversity of functional groups, many sp3 atoms, and chiral centers. Pseudo-natural products are a combination of natural products fragments that keep the desired structural characteristics from different natural products. An interactive version of chemical space visualization of virtual compounds focused on HIV-1 viral protease inhibitors from natural product fragments is freely available in the supplementary material.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - José L. Medina-Franco
- DIFACQUIM Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, School of Chemistry, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Avenida Universidad 3000, Mexico City 04510, Mexico; (A.L.C.-H.); (K.E.J.-M.); (F.I.S.-G.)
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196
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Cantrelle F, Boll E, Brier L, Moschidi D, Belouzard S, Landry V, Leroux F, Dewitte F, Landrieu I, Dubuisson J, Deprez B, Charton J, Hanoulle X. NMR Spectroscopy of the Main Protease of SARS‐CoV‐2 and Fragment‐Based Screening Identify Three Protein Hotspots and an Antiviral Fragment. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202109965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- François‐Xavier Cantrelle
- CNRS ERL9002—BSI—Integrative Structural Biology 50 avenue Halley F-59658 Villeneuve d'Ascq Lille France
- Univ. Lille INSERM CHU Lille Institut Pasteur de Lille U1167—RID-AGE—Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases 1 rue du Professeur Calmette F-59019 Lille France
| | - Emmanuelle Boll
- CNRS ERL9002—BSI—Integrative Structural Biology 50 avenue Halley F-59658 Villeneuve d'Ascq Lille France
- Univ. Lille INSERM CHU Lille Institut Pasteur de Lille U1167—RID-AGE—Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases 1 rue du Professeur Calmette F-59019 Lille France
| | - Lucile Brier
- Univ. Lille INSERM Institut Pasteur de Lille U1177—Drugs and Molecules for Living Systems F-59000 Lille France
- European Genomic Institute for Diabetes EGID University of Lille 3 rue du Professeur Laguesse F-59006 Lille France
| | - Danai Moschidi
- CNRS ERL9002—BSI—Integrative Structural Biology 50 avenue Halley F-59658 Villeneuve d'Ascq Lille France
- Univ. Lille INSERM CHU Lille Institut Pasteur de Lille U1167—RID-AGE—Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases 1 rue du Professeur Calmette F-59019 Lille France
| | - Sandrine Belouzard
- Univ. Lille CNRS INSERM, CHU Lille Institut Pasteur de Lille U1019-UMR 9017—CIIL—Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille 1 rue du Professeur Calmette F-59019 Lille France
| | - Valérie Landry
- Univ. Lille INSERM Institut Pasteur de Lille U1177—Drugs and Molecules for Living Systems F-59000 Lille France
- European Genomic Institute for Diabetes EGID University of Lille 3 rue du Professeur Laguesse F-59006 Lille France
| | - Florence Leroux
- Univ. Lille INSERM Institut Pasteur de Lille U1177—Drugs and Molecules for Living Systems F-59000 Lille France
- European Genomic Institute for Diabetes EGID University of Lille 3 rue du Professeur Laguesse F-59006 Lille France
| | - Frédérique Dewitte
- CNRS ERL9002—BSI—Integrative Structural Biology 50 avenue Halley F-59658 Villeneuve d'Ascq Lille France
- Univ. Lille INSERM CHU Lille Institut Pasteur de Lille U1167—RID-AGE—Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases 1 rue du Professeur Calmette F-59019 Lille France
| | - Isabelle Landrieu
- CNRS ERL9002—BSI—Integrative Structural Biology 50 avenue Halley F-59658 Villeneuve d'Ascq Lille France
- Univ. Lille INSERM CHU Lille Institut Pasteur de Lille U1167—RID-AGE—Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases 1 rue du Professeur Calmette F-59019 Lille France
| | - Jean Dubuisson
- Univ. Lille CNRS INSERM, CHU Lille Institut Pasteur de Lille U1019-UMR 9017—CIIL—Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille 1 rue du Professeur Calmette F-59019 Lille France
| | - Benoit Deprez
- Univ. Lille INSERM Institut Pasteur de Lille U1177—Drugs and Molecules for Living Systems F-59000 Lille France
- European Genomic Institute for Diabetes EGID University of Lille 3 rue du Professeur Laguesse F-59006 Lille France
| | - Julie Charton
- Univ. Lille INSERM Institut Pasteur de Lille U1177—Drugs and Molecules for Living Systems F-59000 Lille France
- European Genomic Institute for Diabetes EGID University of Lille 3 rue du Professeur Laguesse F-59006 Lille France
| | - Xavier Hanoulle
- CNRS ERL9002—BSI—Integrative Structural Biology 50 avenue Halley F-59658 Villeneuve d'Ascq Lille France
- Univ. Lille INSERM CHU Lille Institut Pasteur de Lille U1167—RID-AGE—Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases 1 rue du Professeur Calmette F-59019 Lille France
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197
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Cantrelle F, Boll E, Brier L, Moschidi D, Belouzard S, Landry V, Leroux F, Dewitte F, Landrieu I, Dubuisson J, Deprez B, Charton J, Hanoulle X. NMR Spectroscopy of the Main Protease of SARS-CoV-2 and Fragment-Based Screening Identify Three Protein Hotspots and an Antiviral Fragment. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:25428-25435. [PMID: 34570415 PMCID: PMC8653025 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202109965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
The main protease (3CLp) of the SARS-CoV-2, the causative agent for the COVID-19 pandemic, is one of the main targets for drug development. To be active, 3CLp relies on a complex interplay between dimerization, active site flexibility, and allosteric regulation. The deciphering of these mechanisms is a crucial step to enable the search for inhibitors. In this context, using NMR spectroscopy, we studied the conformation of dimeric 3CLp from the SARS-CoV-2 and monitored ligand binding, based on NMR signal assignments. We performed a fragment-based screening that led to the identification of 38 fragment hits. Their binding sites showed three hotspots on 3CLp, two in the substrate binding pocket and one at the dimer interface. F01 is a non-covalent inhibitor of the 3CLp and has antiviral activity in SARS-CoV-2 infected cells. This study sheds light on the complex structure-function relationships of 3CLp and constitutes a strong basis to assist in developing potent 3CLp inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- François‐Xavier Cantrelle
- CNRS ERL9002—BSI—Integrative Structural Biology50 avenue HalleyF-59658 Villeneuve d'AscqLilleFrance
- Univ. LilleINSERMCHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1167—RID-AGE—Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases1 rue du Professeur CalmetteF-59019LilleFrance
| | - Emmanuelle Boll
- CNRS ERL9002—BSI—Integrative Structural Biology50 avenue HalleyF-59658 Villeneuve d'AscqLilleFrance
- Univ. LilleINSERMCHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1167—RID-AGE—Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases1 rue du Professeur CalmetteF-59019LilleFrance
| | - Lucile Brier
- Univ. LilleINSERMInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1177—Drugs and Molecules for Living SystemsF-59000LilleFrance
- European Genomic Institute for DiabetesEGIDUniversity of Lille3 rue du Professeur LaguesseF-59006LilleFrance
| | - Danai Moschidi
- CNRS ERL9002—BSI—Integrative Structural Biology50 avenue HalleyF-59658 Villeneuve d'AscqLilleFrance
- Univ. LilleINSERMCHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1167—RID-AGE—Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases1 rue du Professeur CalmetteF-59019LilleFrance
| | - Sandrine Belouzard
- Univ. LilleCNRSINSERM, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1019-UMR 9017—CIIL—Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille1 rue du Professeur CalmetteF-59019LilleFrance
| | - Valérie Landry
- Univ. LilleINSERMInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1177—Drugs and Molecules for Living SystemsF-59000LilleFrance
- European Genomic Institute for DiabetesEGIDUniversity of Lille3 rue du Professeur LaguesseF-59006LilleFrance
| | - Florence Leroux
- Univ. LilleINSERMInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1177—Drugs and Molecules for Living SystemsF-59000LilleFrance
- European Genomic Institute for DiabetesEGIDUniversity of Lille3 rue du Professeur LaguesseF-59006LilleFrance
| | - Frédérique Dewitte
- CNRS ERL9002—BSI—Integrative Structural Biology50 avenue HalleyF-59658 Villeneuve d'AscqLilleFrance
- Univ. LilleINSERMCHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1167—RID-AGE—Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases1 rue du Professeur CalmetteF-59019LilleFrance
| | - Isabelle Landrieu
- CNRS ERL9002—BSI—Integrative Structural Biology50 avenue HalleyF-59658 Villeneuve d'AscqLilleFrance
- Univ. LilleINSERMCHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1167—RID-AGE—Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases1 rue du Professeur CalmetteF-59019LilleFrance
| | - Jean Dubuisson
- Univ. LilleCNRSINSERM, CHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1019-UMR 9017—CIIL—Center for Infection and Immunity of Lille1 rue du Professeur CalmetteF-59019LilleFrance
| | - Benoit Deprez
- Univ. LilleINSERMInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1177—Drugs and Molecules for Living SystemsF-59000LilleFrance
- European Genomic Institute for DiabetesEGIDUniversity of Lille3 rue du Professeur LaguesseF-59006LilleFrance
| | - Julie Charton
- Univ. LilleINSERMInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1177—Drugs and Molecules for Living SystemsF-59000LilleFrance
- European Genomic Institute for DiabetesEGIDUniversity of Lille3 rue du Professeur LaguesseF-59006LilleFrance
| | - Xavier Hanoulle
- CNRS ERL9002—BSI—Integrative Structural Biology50 avenue HalleyF-59658 Villeneuve d'AscqLilleFrance
- Univ. LilleINSERMCHU LilleInstitut Pasteur de LilleU1167—RID-AGE—Risk Factors and Molecular Determinants of Aging-Related Diseases1 rue du Professeur CalmetteF-59019LilleFrance
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198
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Gally JM, Pahl A, Czodrowski P, Waldmann H. Pseudonatural Products Occur Frequently in Biologically Relevant Compounds. J Chem Inf Model 2021; 61:5458-5468. [PMID: 34669418 PMCID: PMC8611719 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c01084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
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A new methodology
for classifying fragment combinations and characterizing
pseudonatural products (PNPs) is described. The source code is based
on open-source tools and is organized as a Python package. Tasks can
be executed individually or within the context of scalable, robust
workflows. First, structures are standardized and duplicate entries
are filtered out. Then, molecules are probed for the presence of predefined
fragments. For molecules with more than one match, fragment combinations
are classified. The algorithm considers the pairwise relative position
of fragments within the molecule (fused atoms, linkers, intermediary
rings), resulting in 18 different possible fragment combination categories.
Finally, all combinations for a given molecule are assembled into
a fragment combination graph, with fragments as nodes and combination
types as edges. This workflow was applied to characterize PNPs in
the ChEMBL database via comparison of fragment combination graphs
with natural product (NP) references, represented by the Dictionary
of Natural Products. The Murcko fragments extracted from 2000 structures
previously described were used to define NP fragments. The results
indicate that ca. 23% of the biologically relevant compounds listed
in ChEMBL comply to the PNP definition and that, therefore, PNPs occur
frequently among known biologically relevant small molecules. The
majority (>95%) of PNPs contain two to four fragments, mainly (>95%)
distributed in five different combination types. These findings may
provide guidance for the design of new PNPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- José-Manuel Gally
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Straße 11, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Axel Pahl
- Compound Management and Screening Center, Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Str. 11, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Paul Czodrowski
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Technical University Dortmund, Otto-Hahn-Straße 6, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Herbert Waldmann
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max-Planck-Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Straße 11, 44227 Dortmund, Germany.,Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Technical University Dortmund, Otto-Hahn-Straße 6, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
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199
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Matricon P, Vo DD, Gao ZG, Kihlberg J, Jacobson KA, Carlsson J. Fragment-based design of selective GPCR ligands guided by free energy simulations. Chem Commun (Camb) 2021; 57:12305-12308. [PMID: 34734588 PMCID: PMC8603191 DOI: 10.1039/d1cc03202j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
Abstract
Fragment-based drug discovery relies on successful optimization of weakly binding ligands for affinity and selectivity. Herein, we explored strategies for structure-based evolution of fragments binding to a G protein-coupled receptor. Molecular dynamics simulations combined with rigorous free energy calculations guided synthesis of nanomolar ligands with up to >1000-fold improvements of binding affinity and close to 40-fold subtype selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pierre Matricon
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala SE-751 24, Sweden.
| | - Duc Duy Vo
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala SE-751 24, Sweden.
| | - Zhan-Guo Gao
- Molecular Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
| | - Jan Kihlberg
- Department of Chemistry - BMC, Uppsala University, Uppsala SE-751 23, Sweden
| | - Kenneth A Jacobson
- Molecular Recognition Section, Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892, USA.
| | - Jens Carlsson
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Uppsala University, Uppsala SE-751 24, Sweden.
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200
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Seo H, Prosser KE, Kalaj M, Karges J, Dick BL, Cohen SM. Evaluating Metal-Ligand Interactions of Metal-Binding Isosteres Using Model Complexes. Inorg Chem 2021; 60:17161-17172. [PMID: 34699201 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.1c02433] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Bioisosteres are a useful approach to address pharmacokinetic liabilities and improve drug-like properties. Specific to developing metalloenzyme inhibitors, metal-binding pharmacophores (MBPs) have been combined with bioisosteres, to produce metal-binding isosteres (MBIs) as alternative scaffolds for use in fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD). Picolinic acid MBIs have been reported and evaluated for their metal-binding ability, pharmacokinetic properties, and enzyme inhibitory activity. However, their structural, electronic, and spectroscopic properties with metal ions other than Zn(II) have not been reported, which might reveal similarities and differences between MBIs and the parent MBPs. To this end, [M(TPA)(MBI)]+ (M = Ni(II) and Co(II), TPA = tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) is presented as a bioinorganic model system for investigating picolinic acid, four heterocyclic MBIs, and 2,2'-bipyridine. These complexes were characterized by X-ray crystallography as well as NMR, IR, and UV-vis spectroscopies, and their magnetic moments were accessed. In addition, [(TpPh,Me)Co(MBI)] (TpPh,Me = hydrotris(3,5-phenylmethylpyrazolyl)borate) was used as a second model compound, and the limitations and attributes of the two model systems are discussed. These results demonstrate that bioinorganic model complexes are versatile tools for metalloenzyme inhibitor design and can provide insights into the broader use of MBIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyeonglim Seo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Kathleen E Prosser
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Mark Kalaj
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Johannes Karges
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Benjamin L Dick
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Seth M Cohen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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