From magic bullets to designed multiple ligands

A perspective on multi-target drug discovery and design for complex diseases

Diseases of infection, of neurodegeneration (such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases), and of malignancy (cancers) have complex and varied causative factors. Modern drug discovery has the power to identify potential modulators for multiple targets from millions of compounds. Computational approaches allow the determination of the association of each compound with its target before chemical synthesis and biological testing is done. These approaches depend on the prior identification of clinically and biologically validated targets. This Perspective will focus on the molecular and computational approaches that underpin drug design by medicinal chemists to promote understanding and collaboration with clinical scientists.

Novel 6- and 7-Substituted Coumarins with Inhibitory Action against Lipoxygenase and Tumor-Associated Carbonic Anhydrase IX

A series of carboxamide derivatives of 6- and 7-substituted coumarins have been prepared by an original procedure starting from the corresponding 6- or 7-hydroxycoumarins which were alkylated with ethyl iodoacetate, and the obtained ester was converted to the corresponding carboxylic acids which were thereafter reacted with a series of aromatic/aliphatic/heterocyclic amines leading to the desired amides. The new derivatives were investigated as inhibitors of two enzymes, human carbonic anhydrases (hCAs) and soy bean lipoxygenase (LOX). Compounds 4a and 4b were potent LOX inhibitors, whereas many effective hCA IX inhibitors (KIs in the range of 30.2-30.5 nM) were detected in this study. Two compounds, 4b and 5b, showed the phenomenon of dual inhibition. Furthermore, these coumarins did not significantly inhibit the widespread cytosolic isoforms hCA I and II, whereas they were weak hCA IV inhibitors, making them hCA IX-selective inhibitors. As hCA IX and LOX are validated antitumor targets, these results are promising for the investigation of novel drug targets involved in tumorigenesis.

Coating Matters: Review on Colloidal Stability of Nanoparticles with Biocompatible Coatings in Biological Media, Living Cells and Organisms

Within the last two decades, the field of nanomedicine has not developed as successfully as has widely been hoped for. The main reason for this is the immense complexity of the biological systems, including the physico-chemical properties of the biological fluids as well as the biochemistry and the physiology of living systems. The nanoparticles' physicochemical properties are also highly important. These differ profoundly from those of freshly synthesized particles when applied in biological/living systems as recent research in this field reveals. The physico-chemical properties of nanoparticles are predefined by their structural and functional design (core and coating material) and are highly affected by their interaction with the environment (temperature, pH, salt, proteins, cells). Since the coating material is the first part of the particle to come in contact with the environment, it does not only provide biocompatibility, but also defines the behavior (e.g. colloidal stability) and the fate (degradation, excretion, accumulation) of nanoparticles in the living systems. Hence, the coating matters, particularly for a nanoparticle system for biomedical applications, which has to fulfill its task in the complex environment of biological fluids, cells and organisms. In this review, we evaluate the performance of different coating materials for nanoparticles concerning their ability to provide colloidal stability in biological media and living systems.

The cisplatin-based Pt(iv)-diclorofibrato multi-action anticancer prodrug exhibits excellent performances also under hypoxic conditions

The cisplatin/clofibrato combos are multi-action Pt(iv) complexes active on a panel of human tumor cell lines, also under hypoxic conditions.

Computer-aided design of multi-target ligands at A1R, A2AR and PDE10A, key proteins in neurodegenerative diseases

Compounds designed to display polypharmacology may have utility in treating complex diseases, where activity at multiple targets is required to produce a clinical effect. In particular, suitable compounds may be useful in treating neurodegenerative diseases by promoting neuronal survival in a synergistic manner via their multi-target activity at the adenosine A1 and A2A receptors (A1R and A2AR) and phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A), which modulate intracellular cAMP levels. Hence, in this work we describe a computational method for the design of synthetically feasible ligands that bind to A1 and A2A receptors and inhibit phosphodiesterase 10A (PDE10A), involving a retrosynthetic approach employing in silico target prediction and docking, which may be generally applicable to multi-target compound design at several target classes. This approach has identified 2-aminopyridine-3-carbonitriles as the first multi-target ligands at A1R, A2AR and PDE10A, by showing agreement between the ligand and structure based predictions at these targets. The series were synthesized via an efficient one-pot scheme and validated pharmacologically as A1R/A2AR-PDE10A ligands, with IC50 values of 2.4-10.0 μM at PDE10A and Ki values of 34-294 nM at A1R and/or A2AR. Furthermore, selectivity profiling of the synthesized 2-amino-pyridin-3-carbonitriles against other subtypes of both protein families showed that the multi-target ligand 8 exhibited a minimum of twofold selectivity over all tested off-targets. In addition, both compounds 8 and 16 exhibited the desired multi-target profile, which could be considered for further functional efficacy assessment, analog modification for the improvement of selectivity towards A1R, A2AR and PDE10A collectively, and evaluation of their potential synergy in modulating cAMP levels.

Novel Polyamine-Naphthalene Diimide Conjugates Targeting Histone Deacetylases and DNA for Cancer Phenotype Reprogramming

A series of hybrid compounds was designed to target histone deacetylases and ds-/G-quadruplex DNAs by merging structural features deriving from Scriptaid and compound 1. Compound 6 binds different DNA arrangements, inhibits HDACs both in vitro and in cells, and is able to induce a reduction of cell proliferation. Moreover, compound 6 displays cell phenotype-reprogramming properties since it prevents the epithelial to mesenchymal transition in cancer cells, inducing a less aggressive and migratory phenotype, which is one of the goals of present innovative strategies in cancer therapies.

Rational modification of semaxanib and sunitinib for developing a tumor growth inhibitor targeting ATP binding site of tyrosine kinase

Analysis of the crystal structure of tyrosine kinase in complexation with an ATP analogue, supplemented with the molecular docking studies of semaxanib and sunitinib in the ATP binding site of the enzyme enabled us to make design of a series of tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The combination of pyrrole and indolinone in one molecule and placement of appropriate substituent thereof made the molecule compatible for the hydrophobic sub-pocket of the enzyme. Screening of the compounds over 60 cell line panel of human tumor cell lines identified compound 3a that exhibited GI₅₀ 35 nM and 63 nM against MCF7 and MDA-MB-468 cell lines of breast cancer.

NCp7: targeting a multitasking protein for next-generation anti-HIV drug development part 1: covalent inhibitors

The major internal component of the HIV virion core is the nucleocapsid protein 7 (NCp7), a small, highly basic protein that is essential for multiple stages of the viral replicative cycle, and whose structure is preserved in all viral strains, including clinical isolates from therapy-experienced patients. This key protein is recognised as a potential target for an effective next-generation antiretroviral therapy, because it could offer the possibility to develop broad-spectrum agents that are less prone to select for resistant strains. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the covalent NCp7 inhibitors that have emerged over the past 25 years of drug discovery campaigns, emphasising, where possible, their structure-activity relationships (SARs) and pharmacophoric features.

Novel tetrahydroacridine derivatives with iodobenzoic acid moiety as multifunctional acetylcholinesterase inhibitors

New synthesized series of 9-amino-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroacridine derivatives with iodobenzoic acid moiety were studied for their inhibitory activity toward cholinesterase and against β-amyloid aggregation. All novel molecules 3a-3i interacted with both cholinesterases-acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase-delivered nanomolar IC₅₀ values. The structure-activity relationship showed that N-butyl moiety derivatives are stronger inhibitors toward AChE and BuChE than N-ethyl and N-propyl moieties compounds. The most potent compound toward acetylcholinesterase was inhibitor 3f (IC₅₀  = 31.2 nm), and it was more active than reference drug, tacrine (IC₅₀  = 100.2 nm). Compound 3f showed strong inhibition of butyrylcholinesterase (IC₅₀  = 8.0 nm), also higher than tacrine (IC₅₀  = 16.3 nm). In the kinetic studies, compound 3f revealed mixed type of acetylcholinesterase inhibition. The computer modeling was carried out. The most active compound 3f was confirmed as peripheral anionic site inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase. Moreover, molecule 3f inhibited β-amyloid aggregation (at the concentration 10 μm-24.96% of inhibition, 25 μm-72%, 50 μm-78.44%, and 100 μm-84.92%). Therefore, among all examined, compound 3f is the most promising molecule for further, more detailed research of novel multifunctional agents in the therapy of Alzheimer's disease.

Protocol for fast screening of multi-target drug candidates: Application to Alzheimer's disease

The treatment of many diseases may require drugs that are capable to attack multiple targets simultaneously. Obviously, the virtual screening of multi-target drug candidates is much more time consuming compared to the single-target case. This, in particular, concerns the last step of virtual screening where the binding free energy is computed by conventional molecular dynamics simulation. To overcome this difficulty we propose a simple protocol which is relied on the fast steered molecular dynamics simulation and on available experimental data on binding affinity of reference ligand to a given target. Namely, first we compute non-equilibrium works generated during pulling ligands from the binding site using the steered molecular dynamics method. Then as top leads we choose only those compounds that have the non-equilibrium work larger than that of a reference compound for which the binding free energy has been already known from experiment. Despite many efforts no cures for AD (Alzheimer's disease) have been found. One of possible reasons for this failure is that drug candidates were developed for a single target, while there are exist many possible pathways to AD. Applying our new protocol to five targets including amyloid beta fibril, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, retinoic X receptor α, β- and γ-secretases, we have found two potential drugs (CID 16040294 and CID 9998128) for AD from the large PubChem database. We have also shown that these two ligands can interfere with the activity of popular Acetylcholinesterase target through strong binding towards it.

Multiple target-centric strategy to tame inflammation

Single-target inhibition is an unsatisfactory therapeutic option to treat multifactorial pathologies, brought into limelight 'paradox of inflammation' beside dearth of innovation, rationalizes a shift toward 'multiple-target' design concept in anti-inflammatory research field. To improvise, two platform strategies, drugs mixture or multitarget drugs, are plausible. Dual cyclooxygenase/lipoxygenase inhibitor 'licofelone' developed after the backfire of rofecoxib due to safety concerns has fetched first light of triumph of the latter strategy. As hitting multiple targets in restraint is perhaps more viable strategy rather than single target, this review, outlines the most germane multiple target agents of synthetic and natural origin placing clear advantage in favors of multitarget strategy as real therapeutic solution for inflammation.

Systemic QSAR and phenotypic virtual screening: chasing butterflies in drug discovery

Current advances in systems biology suggest a new change of paradigm reinforcing the holistic nature of the drug discovery process. According to the principles of systems biology, a simple drug perturbing a network of targets can trigger complex reactions. Therefore, it is possible to connect initial events with final outcomes and consequently prioritize those events, leading to a desired effect. Here, we introduce a new concept, 'Systemic Chemogenomics/Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship (QSAR)'. To elaborate on the concept, relevant information surrounding it is addressed. The concept is challenged by implementing a systemic QSAR approach for phenotypic virtual screening (VS) of candidate ligands acting as neuroprotective agents in Parkinson's disease (PD). The results support the suitability of the approach for the phenotypic prioritization of drug candidates.

Polypharmacological in Silico Bioactivity Profiling and Experimental Validation Uncovers Sedative-Hypnotic Effects of Approved and Experimental Drugs in Rat

In this work, we describe the computational ("in silico") mode-of-action analysis of CNS-active drugs, which is taking both multiple simultaneous hypotheses as well as sets of protein targets for each mode-of-action into account, and which was followed by successful prospective in vitro and in vivo validation. Using sleep-related phenotypic readouts describing both efficacy and side effects for 491 compounds tested in rat, we defined an "optimal" (desirable) sleeping pattern. Compounds were subjected to in silico target prediction (which was experimentally confirmed for 21 out of 28 cases), followed by the utilization of decision trees for deriving polypharmacological bioactivity profiles. We demonstrated that predicted bioactivities improved classification performance compared to using only structural information. Moreover, DrugBank molecules were processed via the same pipeline, and compounds in many cases not annotated as sedative-hypnotic (alcaftadine, benzatropine, palonosetron, ecopipam, cyproheptadine, sertindole, and clopenthixol) were prospectively validated in vivo. Alcaftadine, ecopipam cyproheptadine, and clopenthixol were found to promote sleep as predicted, benzatropine showed only a small increase in NREM sleep, whereas sertindole promoted wakefulness. To our knowledge, the sedative-hypnotic effects of alcaftadine and ecopipam have not been previously discussed in the literature. The method described extends previous single-target, single-mode-of-action models and is applicable across disease areas.

Designing multi-targeted agents: An emerging anticancer drug discovery paradigm

The dominant paradigm in drug discovery is to design ligands with maximum selectivity to act on individual drug targets. With the target-based approach, many new chemical entities have been discovered, developed, and further approved as drugs. However, there are a large number of complex diseases such as cancer that cannot be effectively treated or cured only with one medicine to modulate the biological function of a single target. As simultaneous intervention of two (or multiple) cancer progression relevant targets has shown improved therapeutic efficacy, the innovation of multi-targeted drugs has become a promising and prevailing research topic and numerous multi-targeted anticancer agents are currently at various developmental stages. However, most multi-pharmacophore scaffolds are usually discovered by serendipity or screening, while rational design by combining existing pharmacophore scaffolds remains an enormous challenge. In this review, four types of multi-pharmacophore modes are discussed, and the examples from literature will be used to introduce attractive lead compounds with the capability of simultaneously interfering with different enzyme or signaling pathway of cancer progression, which will reveal the trends and insights to help the design of the next generation multi-targeted anticancer agents.

The impact of the halogen bonding on D2 and 5-HT1A/5-HT7 receptor activity of azinesulfonamides of 4-[(2-ethyl)piperidinyl-1-yl]phenylpiperazines with antipsychotic and antidepressant properties

A series of azinesulfonamides of long-chain arylpiperazine derivatives with semi-rigid alkylene spacer was designed, synthesized, and biologically evaluated using in vitro methods for their affinity for dopaminergic D₂ and serotoninergic 5-HT_1A, 5-HT_2A, 5-HT₆ and 5-HT₇ receptors. Docking to homology models revealed a possible halogen bond formation in complexes of the most potent ligands and the target receptors. The study allowed for the identification of compound 5-({4-(2-[4-(2,3-dichlorophenyl)piperazin-1-yl]ethyl)piperidin-1-yl}sulfonyl)quinoline (21), which behaved as D₂, 5-HT_1A and 5-HT₇ receptor antagonist. In preliminary in vivo studies, compound 21 displayed distinct antipsychotic properties in the MK-801-evoked hyperactivity test in mice at a dose of 10mg/kg, and exerted antidepressant-like effect in a forced swim test in mice (MED=0.625mg/kg, i.p.).

Are Antimalarial Hybrid Molecules a Close Reality or a Distant Dream?

Emergence of drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum strains has led to a situation of haste in the scientific and pharmaceutical communities. Hence, all their efforts are redirected toward finding alternative chemotherapeutic agents that are capable of combating multidrug-resistant parasite strains. In light of this situation, scientists have come up with the concept of hybridization of two or more active pharmacophores into a single chemical entity, resulting in "antimalarial hybrids." The approach has been applied widely for generation of lead compounds against deadly diseases such as cancer and AIDS, with a proven potential for use as novel drugs, but is comparatively new in the sphere of antimalarial drug discovery. A sudden surge has been evidenced in the number of studies on the design and synthesis of hybrids for treating malaria and may be regarded as proof of their potential advantages over artemisinin-based combination therapy (ACT). However, it is evident from recent studies that most of the potential advantages of antimalarial hybrids, such as lower toxicity, better pharmacokinetics, and easier formulation, have yet to be realized. A number of questions left unaddressed at present need to be answered before this approach can progress to the late stages of clinical development and prove their worth in the clinic. To the best of our knowledge, this compilation is the first attempt to shed light on the shortcomings that are surfacing as more and more studies on molecular hybridization of the active pharmacophores of known antimalarials are being published.

A Novel Strategy to Co-target Estrogen Receptor and Nuclear Factor κB Pathways with Hybrid Drugs for Breast Cancer Therapy

Nearly 75% of breast tumors express estrogen receptor (ER), and will be treated with endocrine therapy, such as selective estrogen receptor modulator (SERM), tamoxifen, or aromatase inhibitors. Despite their proven success, as many as 40-50% of ER+ tumors fail to respond to endocrine therapy and eventually recur as aggressive, metastatic cancers. Therefore, preventing and/or overcoming endocrine resistance in ER+ tumors remains a major clinical challenge. Deregulation or activation of the nuclear factor κB (NFκB) pathway has been implicated in endocrine resistance and poor patient outcome in ER+ tumors. As a consequence, one option to improve on existing anti-cancer treatment regimens may be to introduce additional anti-NFκB activity to endocrine therapy drugs. Our approach was to design and test SERM-fumarate co-targeting hybrid drugs capable of simultaneously inhibiting both ER, via the SERM, raloxifene, and the NFκB pathway, via fumarate, in breast cancer cells. We find that the hybrid drugs display improved anti-NFκB pathway inhibition compared to either raloxifene or fumarate. Despite some loss in potency against the ER pathway, these hybrid drugs maintain anti-proliferative activity in ER+ breast cancer cells. Furthermore, these drugs prevent clonogenic growth and mammosphere formation of ER+ breast cancer cells. As a proof-of-principle, the simultaneous inhibition of ER and NFκB via a single bifunctional hybrid drug may represent a viable approach to improve the anti-inflammatory activity and prevent therapy resistance of ER-targeted anti-cancer drugs.

Copper and Antibiotics: Discovery, Modes of Action, and Opportunities for Medicinal Applications

Copper is a ubiquitous element in the environment as well as living organisms, with its redox capabilities and complexation potential making it indispensable for many cellular functions. However, these same properties can be highly detrimental to prokaryotes and eukaryotes when not properly controlled, damaging many biomolecules including DNA, lipids, and proteins. To restrict free copper concentrations, all bacteria have developed mechanisms of resistance, sequestering and effluxing labile copper to minimize its deleterious effects. This weakness is actively exploited by phagocytes, which utilize a copper burst to destroy pathogens. Though administration of free copper is an unreasonable therapeutic antimicrobial itself, due to insufficient selectivity between host and pathogen, small-molecule ligands may provide an opportunity for therapeutic mimicry of the immune system. By modulating cellular entry, complex stability, resistance evasion, and target selectivity, ligand/metal coordination complexes can synergistically result in high levels of antibacterial activity. Several established therapeutic drugs, such as disulfiram and pyrithione, display remarkable copper-dependent inhibitory activity. These findings have led to development of new drug discovery techniques, using copper ions as the focal point. High-throughput screens for copper-dependent inhibitors against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Staphylococcus aureus uncovered several new compounds, including a new class of inhibitors, the NNSNs. In this review, we highlight the microbial biology of copper, its antibacterial activities, and mechanisms to discover new inhibitors that synergize with copper.

Piper sarmentosum Roxb. produces antidepressant-like effects in rodents, associated with activation of the CREB-BDNF-ERK signaling pathway and reversal of HPA axis hyperactivity

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE

There are many plants of genus Piper which have been reported to induce antidepressant-like effects, Piper sarmentosum (PS) is one of them. PS is a Chinese herbal medicine and a traditional edible vegetable.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

In the present study, the antidepressant-like effects of PS extracts and the ethyl acetate fraction of PS extracts (PSY) were assessed using the open field test (OFT), forced swimming test (FST), and tail suspension test (TST) in mice. Furthermore, we applied a 4 consecutive weeks of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) as a model of depression in rats, followed by a sucrose preference test. Then we examined the possible mechanisms of this action. The activity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis was evaluated by detecting the serum corticosterone (CORT) concentrations, and the protein expression levels of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), the phosphorylated form CREB and ERK1/2 were detected by qRT-PCR or Western blot.

RESULTS

The results showed that PS extracts (100, 200mg/kg) and PSY (12.5, 25, 50mg/kg) treatment produced antidepressant-like effects in mice similar to fluoxetine (20mg/kg), indicated by the reduced immobility time in the FST and TST, while both had no influence on the locomotor activity in the OFT. PSY treatment significantly increased sucrose preference and reduced serum CORT levels in CUMS rats. Moreover, PSY up-regulated BDNF protein levels, and increased CREB and ERK phosphorylation levels in the hippocampus on CUMS rats.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that the antidepressant-like effects of PS extracts and PSY are mediated, at least in part, by modulating HPA axis, BDNF, CREB and ERK phosphorylation and expression in the hippocampus.

Computational Multitarget Drug Design

Designing drugs that can simultaneously interact with multiple targets is a promising approach for treating complicated diseases. Compared to using combinations of single target drugs, multitarget drugs have advantages of higher efficacy, improved safety profile, and simpler administration. Many in silico methods have been developed to approach different aspects of this polypharmacology-guided drug design, particularly for drug repurposing and multitarget drug design. In this review, we summarize recent progress in computational multitarget drug design and discuss their advantages and limitations. Perspectives for future drug development will also be discussed.

2,4-Diarylpyrano[3,2-c]chromen-5(4H)-ones as Antiproliferative Agents

In the present study, a series of 2,4-diarylpyrano[3,2-c]chromen-5(4H)-ones were synthesised and evaluated as antiproliferative agents. The compounds were evaluated against a panel of human cancer cell lines. CH-1 exhibited significant cytoxicity against HCT 116 cell lines with an IC50 value of 1.4 and 4.3 µM against "MiaPaCa-2" cell lines. The compound CH-1 was found to induce apoptosis as evidenced by phase contrast microscopy, Hoechst 33258 staining and mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) loss. The cell phase distribution studies indicated that the apoptotic population increased from 10.22% in the control sample to 57.19% in a sample treated with 20 µM compound CH-1.

Small hybrid heteroaromatics: resourceful biological tools in cancer research

Nowadays, hybrid drugs containing two or more covalently linked known potential pharmacophores are designed to simultaneously modulate multiple targets of multifactorial diseases to overcome the side effects associated with a single drug.

Boc3Arg-Linked Ligands Induce Degradation by Localizing Target Proteins to the 20S Proteasome

Targeted protein degradation is a promising strategy for drug design and functional assessment. Several small molecule approaches have been developed that localize target proteins to ubiquitin ligases, inducing ubiquitination and subsequent degradation by the 26S proteasome. We discovered that the degradation of a target protein can also be induced by a recognition ligand linked to tert-butyl carbamate (Boc₃)-protected arginine (B₃A). Here, we show that this process requires the proteasome but does not involve ubiquitination of the target protein. B₃A does not perturb the structure of the target protein; instead, a B₃A-ligand stabilizes its target protein. B₃A ligands stimulate activity of purified 20S proteasome, demonstrating that the tag binds directly to the 20S proteasome. Moreover, purified 20S proteasome is sufficient to degrade target proteins in the presence of their respective B₃A-linked recognition ligands. These observations suggest a simple model for B₃A-mediated degradation wherein the B₃A tag localizes target proteins directly to the 20S proteasome. Thus, B₃A ligands are the first example of a ubiquitin-free strategy for targeted protein degradation.

Structural Insight into Binding Mode of 9-Hydroxy Aristolochic Acid, Diclofenac and Indomethacin to PLA2

Phospholipase A₂ (PLA₂) catalyzes the hydrolysis of phospholipids into arachidonic acid and lysophospholipids. Arachidonic acid is modified by cyclooxygenases into active compounds called eicosanoids that act as signaling molecules in a number of physiological processes. Excessive production of eicosanoids leads to several pathological conditions such as inflammation. In order to block the inflammatory effect of these compounds, upstream enzymes such as PLA₂ are valid targets. In the present contribution, molecular dynamic analysis was performed to evaluate the binding of diclofenac, 9-hydroxy aristolochic acid (9-HAA) and indomethacin to PLA₂. Obtained results revealed that 9-HAA could form a more stable complex with PLA₂ when compared to diclofenac and indomethacin. Furthermore, analysis of intermolecular binding energy components indicated that hydrophobic interactions were dominant in binding process. On the basis of obtained data, inhibitors bearing fused rings with hydrogen acceptor/donor substituent(s) interacted with His48 and Asp49 residues of the active site. More affinity toward PLA₂ might be envisaged through negatively charged moieties via interaction with Trp31, Lys34 and Lys69.

Structure-activity relationship studies for multitarget antithrombotic drugs

Thrombosis is a complex process involving multiple pathways. Currently, therapy relies on the combination of two or more antithrombotic drugs, showing that inhibiting more than one target provides benefits in the prevention and treatment of thrombosis. This review focuses on structure-activity relationship studies of molecules possessing multiple actions against thrombosis, namely, dual inhibitors of coagulation, dual inhibitors of coagulation and platelet aggregation, and also dual inhibitors of platelet aggregation. EP217609 has just entered clinical trials, which raise the expectations on the multitarget strategy to prevent or treat thrombosis.

Substituted (E)-2-(2-benzylidenehydrazinyl)-4-methylthiazole-5-carboxylates as dual inhibitors of 15-lipoxygenase & carbonic anhydrase II: synthesis, biochemical evaluation and docking studies

15-Lipoxygenase (15-LOX) plays a major role in many inflammatory lung diseases including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma and chronic bronchitis. Over-expression of 15-LOX is related with some specific carcinomas including pancreatic, gastric and brain tumor. Similarly among different isozymes of carbonic anhydrase (CA), CA II is expressed in pancreatic, gastric carcinomas as well as in brain tumors. Therefore, novel potent inhibitors of both 15-LOX and CA II are required to explore the role of these enzymes further and to enable the drug discovery efforts. For this purpose, a series of benzyledinyl-hydrazinyl substituted thiazole derivatives were designed, synthesized and characterized by FTIR, ¹H, &¹³C NMR spectroscopy. The derivatives were then evaluated for their potential to inhibit 15-LOX and bovine carbonic anhydrase II (bCA II). Most of these compounds showed excellent inhibitory potential for 15-LOX with an IC₅₀ of 0.12 ± 0.002 to 0.69 ± 0.5 μM and showed moderate inhibition potency for bCA II with compound 5h (IC₅₀ = 1.26 ± 0.24 μM) being the most active. The most potent compound 5a that emerged as a dual inhibitor of both enzymes, exhibiting 24 times greater selectivity for 15-LOX over bCA II. Compound 5a exhibited dual potent inhibitory activity against both 15-LOX and bCA II enzymes having IC₅₀ values of 0.12 ± 0.002 and 2.93 ± 0.22 μM, respectively. Molecular docking studies of potent as well as dual inhibitors were also carried out to provide an insight into the binding site interactions.

Epigenetic polypharmacology: from combination therapy to multitargeted drugs

The modern drug discovery process has largely focused its attention in the so-called magic bullets, single chemical entities that exhibit high selectivity and potency for a particular target. This approach was based on the assumption that the deregulation of a protein was causally linked to a disease state, and the pharmacological intervention through inhibition of the deregulated target was able to restore normal cell function. However, the use of cocktails or multicomponent drugs to address several targets simultaneously is also popular to treat multifactorial diseases such as cancer and neurological disorders. We review the state of the art with such combinations that have an epigenetic target as one of their mechanisms of action. Epigenetic drug discovery is a rapidly advancing field, and drugs targeting epigenetic enzymes are in the clinic for the treatment of hematological cancers. Approved and experimental epigenetic drugs are undergoing clinical trials in combination with other therapeutic agents via fused or linked pharmacophores in order to benefit from synergistic effects of polypharmacology. In addition, ligands are being discovered which, as single chemical entities, are able to modulate multiple epigenetic targets simultaneously (multitarget epigenetic drugs). These multiple ligands should in principle have a lower risk of drug-drug interactions and drug resistance compared to cocktails or multicomponent drugs. This new generation may rival the so-called magic bullets in the treatment of diseases that arise as a consequence of the deregulation of multiple signaling pathways provided the challenge of optimization of the activities shown by the pharmacophores with the different targets is addressed.

Design, selective alkylation and X-ray crystal structure determination of dihydro-indolyl-1,2,4-triazole-3-thione and its 3-benzylsulfanyl analogue as potent anticancer agents

Three sets of substituted indolyl-triazoles were synthesized by the alkylation of 1,2-dihydro-5-(1H-indol-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazole-3-thione with different alkyl halides. The use of pyridine restricted the alkylation to sulfur. Whereas, upon using K₂CO₃, the alkylation exceeded sulfur to one of the remaining triazole nitrogens. The assignment of which nitrogen is alkylated besides sulfur is made for the first time using X-ray analysis of single crystals and 2D NMR which indicated that S-, 2-N-isomers will be preferably formed over the S-, 1-N-isomers. The antiproliferative activity on HEPG-2 and MCF-7 cancer cell lines was tested. The results showed that compound 2a is the most active with an IC50 3.58 μg/mL and 4.53 μg/mL for HEPG-2 and MCF-7 respectively and compound 7 is the least active with an IC₅₀ > 100 μg/mL compared to the standard drug doxorubicin (IC₅₀ 4.0 μg/mL). The interaction of the synthesized compounds with tyrosine kinases, namely, Akt, PI3, and EGFR was also studied using molecular docking simulation to predict their mode of action which will drive future work directions.

Multi-target therapeutics for neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disorders

Historically, neuropsychiatric and neurodegenerative disease treatments focused on the 'magic bullet' concept; however multi-targeted strategies are increasingly attractive gauging from the escalating research in this area. Because these diseases are typically co-morbid, multi-targeted drugs capable of interacting with multiple targets will expand treatment to the co-morbid disease condition. Despite their theoretical efficacy, there are significant impediments to clinical success (e.g., difficulty titrating individual aspects of the drug and inconclusive pathophysiological mechanisms). The new and revised diagnostic frameworks along with studies detailing the endophenotypic characteristics of the diseases promise to provide the foundation for the circumvention of these impediments. This review serves to evaluate the various marketed and nonmarketed multi-targeted drugs with particular emphasis on their design strategy.

The behavioral effects of a mixed efficacy antinociceptive peptide, VRP26, following chronic administration in mice

RATIONALE

VRP26 displays mu opioid receptor agonist and delta opioid receptor antagonist activity in vitro, a pharmacological profile purported to produce reduced tolerance, dependence, and rewarding effects. We hypothesized that VRP26 would display reduced adverse effects after chronic administration as compared with the traditional opioid analgesic fentanyl.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to explore the development of tolerance, dependence, and conditioned place preference of VRP26 as compared with the traditional opioid analgesic fentanyl.

METHODS

The antinociceptive effects of VRP26 and fentanyl were assessed using the mouse warm water tail withdrawal (WWTW) assay. Measurement of antinociceptive tolerance and physical dependence occurred after 7 days of continuous administration of either fentanyl (0.3 mg/kg/day) or VRP26 (10 mg/kg/day); tolerance was measured by a shift in the antinociceptive dose response curve in the WWTW assay. Physical dependence was determined by observation of withdrawal symptoms after precipitated withdrawal. Rewarding effects were measured by the ability of VRP26 or fentanyl to produce conditioned place preference.

RESULTS

Fentanyl produced significant tolerance and dependence, as well as significant conditioned place preference. VRP26 produced neither tolerance nor physical dependence, nor did it produce significant conditioned place preference.

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that chronic treatment with VRP26 may produce less tolerance or physical dependence than chronic treatment with clinically available mu opioid analgesics such as fentanyl. Additionally, VRP26 produces less rewarding effects than fentanyl. This desirable in vivo profile may be due to the mixed efficacy nature of VRP26 and could provide the framework for safer opioid analgesics.

A Double Whammy: Targeting Both Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase (FAAH) and Cyclooxygenase (COX) To Treat Pain and Inflammation

Pain states that arise from non-resolving inflammation, such as inflammatory bowel disease or arthritis, pose an unusually difficult challenge for therapy because of the complexity and heterogeneity of their underlying mechanisms. It has been suggested that key nodes linking interactive pathogenic pathways of non-resolving inflammation might offer novel targets for the treatment of inflammatory pain. Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which inhibit the cyclooxygenase (COX)-mediated production of pain- and inflammation-inducing prostanoids, are a common first-line treatment for this condition, but their use is limited by mechanism-based side effects. The endogenous levels of anandamide, an endocannabinoid mediator with analgesic and tissue-protective functions, are regulated by fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH). This review outlines the pharmacological and chemical rationale for the simultaneous inhibition of COX and FAAH activities with designed multitarget agents. Preclinical studies indicate that such agents may combine superior anti-inflammatory efficacy with reduced toxicity.

Network pharmacology of cancer: From understanding of complex interactomes to the design of multi-target specific therapeutics from nature

Despite massive investments in drug research and development, the significant decline in the number of new drugs approved or translated to clinical use raises the question, whether single targeted drug discovery is the right approach. To combat complex systemic diseases that harbour robust biological networks such as cancer, single target intervention is proved to be ineffective. In such cases, network pharmacology approaches are highly useful, because they differ from conventional drug discovery by addressing the ability of drugs to target numerous proteins or networks involved in a disease. Pleiotropic natural products are one of the promising strategies due to their multi-targeting and due to lower side effects. In this review, we discuss the application of network pharmacology for cancer drug discovery. We provide an overview of the current state of knowledge on network pharmacology, focus on different technical approaches and implications for cancer therapy (e.g. polypharmacology and synthetic lethality), and illustrate the therapeutic potential with selected examples green tea polyphenolics, Eleutherococcus senticosus, Rhodiola rosea, and Schisandra chinensis). Finally, we present future perspectives on their plausible applications for diagnosis and therapy of cancer.

Naturally Inspired Molecules as Multifunctional Agents for Alzheimer's Disease Treatment

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been defined as a multi-factorial disorder resulting from a complex array of networked cellular and molecular mechanisms. In particular, elevated levels of Aβ protein and its aggregation products in the presence of metal ions proved to be highly neurotoxic and therapeutic strategies aimed at preventing Aβ generation and oxidative stress may represent an effective approach for AD treatment. A recent paradigm for the treatment of complex diseases such as AD suggests the employment of multifunctional compounds, single chemical entities capable of simultaneously modulating different targets involved in the pathology. In this paper, the “pharmacophores combination” strategy was applied, connecting the main scaffold of the BACE-1 ligand 1 to that of the chalcone 2, as metal chelating pharmacophore, to obtain a small library of compounds. Conjugate 5 emerged as the most interesting derivative, proving to inhibit BACE-1 with low-micromolar potency, and showing neuroprotective effects. In particular, 5 proved to be able to protect from metal-associated oxidative stress by hampering intracellular Cu²⁺-induced ROS formation without any direct neurotoxic effect.

Polypharmacology in Drug Development: A Minireview of Current Technologies

Polypharmacology, the process in which a single drug is able to bind to multiple targets specifically and simultaneously, is an emerging paradigm in drug development. The potency of a given drug can be increased through the engagement of multiple targets involved in a certain disease. Polypharmacology may also help identify novel applications of existing drugs through drug repositioning. However, many problems and challenges remain in this field. Rather than covering all aspects of polypharmacology, this Minireview is focused primarily on recently reported techniques, from bioinformatics technologies to cheminformatics approaches as well as text-mining-based methods, all of which have made significant contributions to the research of polypharmacology.

Navigating the Chemical Space of Multitarget-Directed Ligands: From Hybrids to Fragments in Alzheimer's Disease

Multitarget drug discovery is one of the hottest topics and most active fields in the search for new molecules against Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Over the last 20 years, many promising multitarget-directed ligands (MTDLs) have been identified and developed at a pre-clinical level. However, how to design them in a rational way remains the most fundamental challenge of medicinal chemists. This is related to the foundational question of achieving an optimized activity towards multiple targets of interest, while preserving drug-like properties. In this respect, large hybrid molecules and small fragments are poles apart. In this review article, our aim is to appraise what we have accomplished in the development of both hybrid- and fragment-like molecules directed to diverse AD targets (i.e., acetylcholinesterase, NMDA receptors, metal chelation, BACE-1 and GSK-3β). In addition, we attempt to highlight what are the persistent needs that deserve to be improved and cared for, with the ultimate goal of moving an MTDL to AD clinical studies.

Synthesis, Molecular Modelling and Biological Evaluation of Novel Heterodimeric, Multiple Ligands Targeting Cholinesterases and Amyloid Beta

Cholinesterases and amyloid beta are one of the major biological targets in the search for a new and efficacious treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The study describes synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of new compounds designed as dual binding site acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. Among the synthesized compounds, two deserve special attention--compounds 42 and 13. The former is a saccharin derivative and the most potent and selective acetylcholinesterase inhibitor (EeAChE IC50 = 70 nM). Isoindoline-1,3-dione derivative 13 displays balanced inhibitory potency against acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE) (EeAChE IC50 = 0.76 μM, EqBuChE IC50 = 0.618 μM), and it inhibits amyloid beta aggregation (35.8% at 10 μM). Kinetic studies show that the developed compounds act as mixed or non-competitive acetylcholinesterase inhibitors. According to molecular modelling studies, they are able to interact with both catalytic and peripheral active sites of the acetylcholinesterase. Their ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was confirmed in vitro in the parallel artificial membrane permeability BBB assay. These compounds can be used as a solid starting point for further development of novel multifunctional ligands as potential anti-Alzheimer's agents.