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Torres-Gómez H, Keiff F, Hortschansky P, Bernal F, Kerndl V, Meyer F, Messerschmidt N, Dal Molin M, Krüger T, Rybniker J, Brakhage AA, Kloss F. Replacement of the essential nitro group by electrophilic warheads towards nitro-free antimycobacterial benzothiazinones. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 279:116849. [PMID: 39265253 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2024] [Revised: 08/24/2024] [Accepted: 09/03/2024] [Indexed: 09/14/2024]
Abstract
Nitrobenzothiazinones (BTZs) are undergoing late-stage development as a novel class of potent antitubercular drug candidates with two compounds in clinical phases. BTZs inhibit decaprenylphosphoryl-β-d-ribose oxidase 1 (DprE1), a key enzyme in cell wall biosynthesis of mycobacteria. Their mechanism of action involves an in-situ-reduction of the nitro moiety to a reactive nitroso intermediate capable of covalent binding to Cys387 in the catalytic cavity. The electron-deficient nature of the aromatic core is a key driver for the formation of hydride-Meisenheimer complexes (HMC) as main metabolites in vivo. To mimic the electrophilic character of the nitroso moiety, bioisosteric replacement with different electrophilic warheads was attempted to reduce HMC formation without compromising covalent reactivity. Herein, we synthesized and characterized various covalent warheads covering different reaction principles. Covalent inhibition was confirmed for most active antimycobacterial compounds by enzymatic inhibition assays and peptide fragment analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Héctor Torres-Gómez
- Transfer Group Anti-infectives, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI), Adolf-Reichwein-Str. 23, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - François Keiff
- Transfer Group Anti-infectives, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI), Adolf-Reichwein-Str. 23, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Peter Hortschansky
- Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI), Adolf-Reichwein- Str. 23, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Freddy Bernal
- Transfer Group Anti-infectives, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI), Adolf-Reichwein-Str. 23, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Valerie Kerndl
- Transfer Group Anti-infectives, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI), Adolf-Reichwein-Str. 23, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Florian Meyer
- Transfer Group Anti-infectives, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI), Adolf-Reichwein-Str. 23, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Nina Messerschmidt
- Transfer Group Anti-infectives, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI), Adolf-Reichwein-Str. 23, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Michael Dal Molin
- Department I of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937, Cologne, Germany; Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Thomas Krüger
- Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI), Adolf-Reichwein- Str. 23, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Jan Rybniker
- Department I of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and University Hospital Cologne, University of Cologne, 50937, Cologne, Germany; Center for Molecular Medicine Cologne (CMMC), University of Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Partner Site Bonn-Cologne, 50931, Cologne, Germany
| | - Axel A Brakhage
- Molecular and Applied Microbiology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI), Adolf-Reichwein- Str. 23, 07745, Jena, Germany; Institute of Microbiology, Friedrich Schiller University, Adolf-Reichwein-Str. 23, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Florian Kloss
- Transfer Group Anti-infectives, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology (Leibniz-HKI), Adolf-Reichwein-Str. 23, 07745, Jena, Germany.
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Joch M, Wojtas KP, Torres-Gómez H, Li Y, Meyer F, Straßburger M, Kerndl V, Dahse HM, Hertweck C, Hoffmann H, Görls H, Walter K, Hölscher C, Kloss F. Whole cell hydride Meisenheimer complex biotransformation guided optimization of antimycobacterial benzothiazinones. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 264:116023. [PMID: 38071794 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.116023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/29/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023]
Abstract
Nitrobenzothiazinones (BTZs) are potent active substances against Mycobacterium tuberculosis with currently two investigational drugs in clinical development for the treatment of tuberculosis. BTZs are the first examples for which a metabolic pathway towards transient hydride Meisenheimer complexes (HMC) has been shown in mammals, including humans. In this study, lead optimization efforts on BTZs are guided by the systematic evaluation of the HMC formation propensity combined with multiparameter assessment. For this purpose, a novel cell-based assay was specifically developed and fully implemented, and a library of 5- and 7-substituted BTZs was prepared to study substituent effects on the HMC formation. The multiparameter optimization revealed 5-methylated BTZs as the most preferred scaffolds, demonstrating a reduced HMC formation propensity combined with potent activity and good microsomal stability in vitro. In vivo experiments showed good systemic exposure upon oral administration and efficacy in a murine M. tuberculosis infection model. This study reports a qualified in vitro HMC assay, which not only enabled the selection of next-generation BTZs with improved pharmacokinetic properties but also allowed forecasting their in vivo metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Joch
- Transfer Group Anti-infectives, Leibniz Institute for Natural Products Research and Infection Biology, Leibniz-HKI, Beutenbergstr. 11a., 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - K Philip Wojtas
- Transfer Group Anti-infectives, Leibniz Institute for Natural Products Research and Infection Biology, Leibniz-HKI, Beutenbergstr. 11a., 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Héctor Torres-Gómez
- Transfer Group Anti-infectives, Leibniz Institute for Natural Products Research and Infection Biology, Leibniz-HKI, Beutenbergstr. 11a., 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Yan Li
- Transfer Group Anti-infectives, Leibniz Institute for Natural Products Research and Infection Biology, Leibniz-HKI, Beutenbergstr. 11a., 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Florian Meyer
- Transfer Group Anti-infectives, Leibniz Institute for Natural Products Research and Infection Biology, Leibniz-HKI, Beutenbergstr. 11a., 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Maria Straßburger
- Transfer Group Anti-infectives, Leibniz Institute for Natural Products Research and Infection Biology, Leibniz-HKI, Beutenbergstr. 11a., 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Valerie Kerndl
- Transfer Group Anti-infectives, Leibniz Institute for Natural Products Research and Infection Biology, Leibniz-HKI, Beutenbergstr. 11a., 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Hans-Martin Dahse
- Infection Biology, Leibniz Institute for Natural Products Research and Infection Biology, Leibniz-HKI, Beutenbergstr. 11a, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Christian Hertweck
- Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Products Research and Infection Biology, Leibniz-HKI, Beutenbergstr. 11a, 07745, Jena, Germany; Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Harald Hoffmann
- Institute of Microbiology and Laboratory Medicine, IMLred GmbH, Robert-Koch-Allee 2, 82131, Gauting, Germany; SYNLAB Gauting, SYNLAB MVZ Dachau GmbH, Robert-Koch-Allee 2, 82131, Gauting, Germany
| | - Helmar Görls
- Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Humboldtstrasse 8, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Kerstin Walter
- Infection Immunology, Leibniz Lung Center, Research Center Borstel, Parkallee 1-40, 23845, Borstel, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Innenhofstrasse 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Christoph Hölscher
- Infection Immunology, Leibniz Lung Center, Research Center Borstel, Parkallee 1-40, 23845, Borstel, Germany; German Center for Infection Research (DZIF), Innenhofstrasse 7, 38124, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Florian Kloss
- Transfer Group Anti-infectives, Leibniz Institute for Natural Products Research and Infection Biology, Leibniz-HKI, Beutenbergstr. 11a., 07745, Jena, Germany.
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