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Pala D, Clark DE. Caught between a ROCK and a hard place: current challenges in structure-based drug design. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:104106. [PMID: 39029868 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.104106] [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: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
The discipline of structure-based drug design (SBDD) is several decades old and it is tempting to think that the proliferation of experimental structures for many drug targets might make computer-aided drug design (CADD) straightforward. However, this is far from true. In this review, we illustrate some of the challenges that CADD scientists face every day in their work, even now. We use Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK), and public domain structures and data, as an example to illustrate some of the challenges we have experienced during our project targeting this protein. We hope that this will help to prevent unrealistic expectations of what CADD can accomplish and to educate non-CADD scientists regarding the challenges still facing their CADD colleagues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Pala
- Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design Technologies Department, Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A, Research Center, Largo Belloli 11/a, 43122 Parma, Italy
| | - David E Clark
- Charles River, 6-9 Spire Green Centre, Flex Meadow, Harlow CM19 5TR, UK.
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2
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Muegge I, Bentzien J, Ge Y. Perspectives on current approaches to virtual screening in drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2024:1-11. [PMID: 39132881 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2024.2390511] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION For the past two decades, virtual screening (VS) has been an efficient hit finding approach for drug discovery. Today, billions of commercially accessible compounds are routinely screened, and many successful examples of VS have been reported. VS methods continue to evolve, including machine learning and physics-based methods. AREAS COVERED The authors examine recent examples of VS in drug discovery and discuss prospective hit finding results from the critical assessment of computational hit-finding experiments (CACHE) challenge. The authors also highlight the cost considerations and open-source options for conducting VS and examine chemical space coverage and library selections for VS. EXPERT OPINION The advancement of sophisticated VS approaches, including the use of machine learning techniques and increased computer resources as well as the ease of access to synthetically available chemical spaces, and commercial and open-source VS platforms allow for interrogating ultra-large libraries (ULL) of billions of molecules. An impressive number of prospective ULL VS campaigns have generated potent and structurally novel hits across many target classes. Nonetheless, many successful contemporary VS approaches still use considerably smaller focused libraries. This apparent dichotomy illustrates that VS is best conducted in a fit-for-purpose way choosing an appropriate chemical space. Better methods need to be developed to tackle more challenging targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingo Muegge
- Research department, Alkermes, Inc, Waltham, MA, USA
| | - Jörg Bentzien
- Research department, Alkermes, Inc, Waltham, MA, USA
| | - Yunhui Ge
- Research department, Alkermes, Inc, Waltham, MA, USA
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3
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Ge Y, Pande V, Seierstad MJ, Damm-Ganamet KL. Exploring the Application of SiteMap and Site Finder for Focused Cryptic Pocket Identification. J Phys Chem B 2024; 128:6233-6245. [PMID: 38904218 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.4c00664] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
The characterization of cryptic pockets has been elusive, despite substantial efforts. Computational modeling approaches, such as molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, can provide atomic-level details of binding site motions and binding pathways. However, the time scale that MD can achieve at a reasonable cost often limits its application for cryptic pocket identification. Enhanced sampling techniques can improve the efficiency of MD simulations by focused sampling of important regions of the protein, but prior knowledge of the simulated system is required to define the appropriate coordinates. In the case of a novel, unknown cryptic pocket, such information is not available, limiting the application of enhanced sampling techniques for cryptic pocket identification. In this work, we explore the ability of SiteMap and Site Finder, widely used commercial packages for pocket identification, to detect focus points on the protein and further apply other advanced computational methods. The information gained from this analysis enables the use of computational modeling, including enhanced MD sampling techniques, to explore potential cryptic binding pockets suggested by SiteMap and Site Finder. Here, we examined SiteMap and Site Finder results on 136 known cryptic pockets from a combination of the PocketMiner dataset (a recently curated set of cryptic pockets), the Cryptosite Set (a classic set of cryptic pockets), and Natural killer group 2D (NKG2D, a protein target where a cryptic pocket is confirmed). Our findings demonstrate the application of existing, well-studied tools in efficiently mapping potential regions harboring cryptic pockets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yunhui Ge
- Computer-Aided Drug Design, Therapeutics Discovery, Janssen Research & Development, 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Vineet Pande
- Computer-Aided Drug Design, Therapeutics Discovery, Janssen Research & Development, Turnhoutseweg 30, 2340 Beerse, Belgium
| | - Mark J Seierstad
- Computer-Aided Drug Design, Therapeutics Discovery, Janssen Research & Development, 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Kelly L Damm-Ganamet
- Computer-Aided Drug Design, Therapeutics Discovery, Janssen Research & Development, 3210 Merryfield Row, San Diego, California 92121, United States
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4
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Fromer JC, Coley CW. An algorithmic framework for synthetic cost-aware decision making in molecular design. NATURE COMPUTATIONAL SCIENCE 2024; 4:440-450. [PMID: 38886590 DOI: 10.1038/s43588-024-00639-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Small molecules exhibiting desirable property profiles are often discovered through an iterative process of designing, synthesizing and testing sets of molecules. The selection of molecules to synthesize from all possible candidates is a complex decision-making process that typically relies on expert chemist intuition. Here we propose a quantitative decision-making framework, SPARROW, that prioritizes molecules for evaluation by balancing expected information gain and synthetic cost. SPARROW integrates molecular design, property prediction and retrosynthetic planning to balance the utility of testing a molecule with the cost of batch synthesis. We demonstrate, through three case studies, that the developed algorithm captures the non-additive costs inherent to batch synthesis, leverages common reaction steps and intermediates, and scales to hundreds of molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jenna C Fromer
- Department of Chemical Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Connor W Coley
- Department of Chemical Engineering, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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5
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Champion C, Hünenberger PH, Riniker S. Multistate Method to Efficiently Account for Tautomerism and Protonation in Alchemical Free-Energy Calculations. J Chem Theory Comput 2024; 20:4350-4362. [PMID: 38742760 PMCID: PMC11137823 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.4c00370] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2024] [Revised: 04/25/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
The majority of drug-like molecules contain at least one ionizable group, and many common drug scaffolds are subject to tautomeric equilibria. Thus, these compounds are found in a mixture of protonation and/or tautomeric states at physiological pH. Intrinsically, standard classical molecular dynamics (MD) simulations cannot describe such equilibria between states, which negatively impacts the prediction of key molecular properties in silico. Following the formalism described by de Oliveira and co-workers (J. Chem. Theory Comput. 2019, 15, 424-435) to consider the influence of all states on the binding process based on alchemical free-energy calculations, we demonstrate in this work that the multistate method replica-exchange enveloping distribution sampling (RE-EDS) is well suited to describe molecules with multiple protonation and/or tautomeric states in a single simulation. We apply our methodology to a series of eight inhibitors of factor Xa with two protonation states and a series of eight inhibitors of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK3β) with two tautomeric states. In particular, we show that given a sufficient phase-space overlap between the states, RE-EDS is computationally more efficient than standard pairwise free-energy methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Candide Champion
- Department of Chemistry and Applied
Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Philippe H. Hünenberger
- Department of Chemistry and Applied
Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Sereina Riniker
- Department of Chemistry and Applied
Biosciences, ETH Zürich, Vladimir-Prelog-Weg 2, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
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6
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Mu Y, Meng Q, Fan X, Xi S, Xiong Z, Wang Y, Huang Y, Liu Z. Identification of the inhibition mechanism of carbonic anhydrase II by fructooligosaccharides. Front Mol Biosci 2024; 11:1398603. [PMID: 38863966 PMCID: PMC11165268 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2024.1398603] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Polygonatum sibiricum (P. sibiricum), recognized as a precious nourishing Chinese traditional medicine, exhibits the pharmacological effect of anti-aging. In this work, we proposed a novel mechanism underlying this effect related to the less studied bioactive compounds fructooligosaccharides in P. sibiricum (PFOS) to identify the inhibition effect of the small glycosyl molecules on the age-related zinc metalloprotease carbonic anhydrase II (CA II). Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation were used to investigate the structural and energetic properties of the complex systems consisting of the CA II enzyme and two possible structures of PFOS molecules (PFOS-A and PFOS-B). The binding affinity of PFOS-A (-7.27 ± 1.02 kcal/mol) and PFOS-B (-8.09 ± 1.75 kcal/mol) shows the spontaneity of the binding process and the stability of the combination in the solvent. Based on the residue energy decomposition and nonbonded interactions analysis, the C-, D- and G-sheet fragments of the CA II were found to be crucial in binding process. Van der Waals interactions form on the hydrophobic surface of CAII mainly with 131PHE and 135VAL, while hydrogen bonds form on the hydrophilic surface mainly with 67ASN and 92GLN. The binding of PFOS results in the blocking of the zinc ions pocket and then inhibiting its catalytic activity, the stability of which has been further demonstrated by free energy landscape. These findings provide evidence of the effective inhibition of PFOS to CA II enzyme, which leads to a novel direction for exploring the mechanism of traditional Chinese medicine focused on small molecule fructooligosaccharides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Mu
- School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | - Qingyang Meng
- Shanghai Pechoin Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Xinyi Fan
- Shanghai Pechoin Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Shuyun Xi
- Shanghai Pechoin Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Zhongli Xiong
- Shanghai Zhengxin Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Yihua Wang
- Shanghai Zhengxin Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Yanling Huang
- Shanghai Zhengxin Biotechnology Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Zhen Liu
- School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
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7
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Meller A, Kelly D, Smith LG, Bowman GR. Toward physics-based precision medicine: Exploiting protein dynamics to design new therapeutics and interpret variants. Protein Sci 2024; 33:e4902. [PMID: 38358129 PMCID: PMC10868452 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4902] [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: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
The goal of precision medicine is to utilize our knowledge of the molecular causes of disease to better diagnose and treat patients. However, there is a substantial mismatch between the small number of food and drug administration (FDA)-approved drugs and annotated coding variants compared to the needs of precision medicine. This review introduces the concept of physics-based precision medicine, a scalable framework that promises to improve our understanding of sequence-function relationships and accelerate drug discovery. We show that accounting for the ensemble of structures a protein adopts in solution with computer simulations overcomes many of the limitations imposed by assuming a single protein structure. We highlight studies of protein dynamics and recent methods for the analysis of structural ensembles. These studies demonstrate that differences in conformational distributions predict functional differences within protein families and between variants. Thanks to new computational tools that are providing unprecedented access to protein structural ensembles, this insight may enable accurate predictions of variant pathogenicity for entire libraries of variants. We further show that explicitly accounting for protein ensembles, with methods like alchemical free energy calculations or docking to Markov state models, can uncover novel lead compounds. To conclude, we demonstrate that cryptic pockets, or cavities absent in experimental structures, provide an avenue to target proteins that are currently considered undruggable. Taken together, our review provides a roadmap for the field of protein science to accelerate precision medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artur Meller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular BiophysicsWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
- Medical Scientist Training ProgramWashington University in St. LouisSt. LouisMissouriUSA
- Departments of Biochemistry & Biophysics and BioengineeringUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Devin Kelly
- Departments of Biochemistry & Biophysics and BioengineeringUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Louis G. Smith
- Departments of Biochemistry & Biophysics and BioengineeringUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
| | - Gregory R. Bowman
- Departments of Biochemistry & Biophysics and BioengineeringUniversity of PennsylvaniaPhiladelphiaPennsylvaniaUSA
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8
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Millán-Pacheco C, Rios-Soto L, Corral-Rodríguez N, Sierra-Campos E, Valdez-Solana M, Téllez-Valencia A, Avitia-Domínguez C. Discovery of Potential Noncovalent Inhibitors of Dehydroquinate Dehydratase from Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus through Computational-Driven Drug Design. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1148. [PMID: 37631063 PMCID: PMC10458038 DOI: 10.3390/ph16081148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Bacteria resistance to antibiotics is a concerning global health problem; in this context, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is considered as a high priority by the World Health Organization. Furthermore, patients with a positive result for COVID-19 received early antibiotic treatment, a fact that potentially encourages the increase in antibiotic resistance. Therefore, there is an urgency to develop new drugs with molecular mechanisms different from those of the actual treatments. In this context, enzymes from the shikimate pathway, a route absent in humans, such as dehydroquinate dehydratase (DHQD), are considered good targets. In this work, a computer-aided drug design strategy, which involved exhaustive virtual screening and molecular dynamics simulations with MM-PBSA analysis, as well as an in silico ADMETox characterization, was performed to find potential noncovalent inhibitors of DHQD from MRSA (SaDHQD). After filtering the 997 million compounds from the ZINC database, 6700 compounds were submitted to an exhaustive virtual screening protocol. From these data, four molecules were selected and characterized (ZINC000005753647 (1), ZINC000001720488 (2), ZINC000082049768 (3), and ZINC000644149506 (4)). The results indicate that the four potential inhibitors interacted with residues important for substrate binding and catalysis, with an estimated binding free energy like that of the enzyme's substrate. Their ADMETox-predicted properties suggest that all of them support the structural characteristics to be considered good candidates. Therefore, the four compounds reported here are excellent option to be considered for future in vitro studies to design new SaDHQD noncovalent inhibitors and contribute to the search for new drugs against MRSA.
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Affiliation(s)
- César Millán-Pacheco
- Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de Morelos, Cuernavaca, Morelos 62209, Mexico;
| | - Lluvia Rios-Soto
- Facultad de Medicina y Nutrición, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Av. Universidad y Fanny Anitua S/N, Durango 34000, Mexico; (L.R.-S.); (N.C.-R.)
| | - Noé Corral-Rodríguez
- Facultad de Medicina y Nutrición, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Av. Universidad y Fanny Anitua S/N, Durango 34000, Mexico; (L.R.-S.); (N.C.-R.)
| | - Erick Sierra-Campos
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango Campus Gómez Palacio, Avenida Artículo 123 S/N, Fracc. Filadelfia, Gómez Palacio 35010, Mexico; (E.S.-C.); (M.V.-S.)
| | - Mónica Valdez-Solana
- Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango Campus Gómez Palacio, Avenida Artículo 123 S/N, Fracc. Filadelfia, Gómez Palacio 35010, Mexico; (E.S.-C.); (M.V.-S.)
| | - Alfredo Téllez-Valencia
- Facultad de Medicina y Nutrición, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Av. Universidad y Fanny Anitua S/N, Durango 34000, Mexico; (L.R.-S.); (N.C.-R.)
| | - Claudia Avitia-Domínguez
- Facultad de Medicina y Nutrición, Universidad Juárez del Estado de Durango, Av. Universidad y Fanny Anitua S/N, Durango 34000, Mexico; (L.R.-S.); (N.C.-R.)
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9
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Broni E, Ashley C, Velazquez M, Khan S, Striegel A, Sakyi PO, Peracha S, Bebla K, Sodhi M, Kwofie SK, Ademokunwa A, Miller WA. In Silico Discovery of Potential Inhibitors Targeting the RNA Binding Loop of ADAR2 and 5-HT2CR from Traditional Chinese Natural Compounds. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12612. [PMID: 37628792 PMCID: PMC10454645 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612612] [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: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 2 (ADAR2) is an important enzyme involved in RNA editing processes, particularly in the conversion of adenosine to inosine in RNA molecules. Dysregulation of ADAR2 activity has been implicated in various diseases, including neurological disorders (including schizophrenia), inflammatory disorders, viral infections, and cancers. Therefore, targeting ADAR2 with small molecules presents a promising therapeutic strategy for modulating RNA editing and potentially treating associated pathologies. However, there are limited compounds that effectively inhibit ADAR2 reactions. This study therefore employed computational approaches to virtually screen natural compounds from the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) library. The shortlisted compounds demonstrated a stronger binding affinity to the ADAR2 (<-9.5 kcal/mol) than the known inhibitor, 8-azanebularine (-6.8 kcal/mol). The topmost compounds were also observed to possess high binding affinity towards 5-HT2CR with binding energies ranging from -7.8 to -12.9 kcal/mol. Further subjecting the top ADAR2-ligand complexes to molecular dynamics simulations and molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area (MM/PBSA) calculations revealed that five potential hit compounds comprising ZINC000014637370, ZINC000085593577, ZINC000042890265, ZINC000039183320, and ZINC000101100339 had favorable binding free energies of -174.911, -137.369, -117.236, -67.023, and -64.913 kJ/mol, respectively, with the human ADAR2 protein. Residues Lys350, Cys377, Glu396, Cys451, Arg455, Ser486, Gln488, and Arg510 were also predicted to be crucial in ligand recognition and binding. This finding will provide valuable insights into the molecular interactions between ADAR2 and small molecules, aiding in the design of future ADAR2 inhibitors with potential therapeutic applications. The potential lead compounds were also profiled to have insignificant toxicities. A structural similarity search via DrugBank revealed that ZINC000039183320 and ZINC000014637370 were similar to naringin and naringenin, which are known adenosine deaminase (ADA) inhibitors. These potential novel ADAR2 inhibitors identified herein may be beneficial in treating several neurological disorders, cancers, viral infections, and inflammatory disorders caused by ADAR2 after experimental validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Broni
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Carolyn Ashley
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Miriam Velazquez
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Sufia Khan
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Andrew Striegel
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biochemistry, College of Science, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Patrick O. Sakyi
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box LG 56, Ghana
- Department of Chemical Sciences, School of Sciences, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani P.O. Box 214, Ghana
| | - Saqib Peracha
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Kristeen Bebla
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Monsheel Sodhi
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Samuel K. Kwofie
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic & Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box LG 77, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG 54, Ghana
| | - Adesanya Ademokunwa
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
- Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Whelton A. Miller
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
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10
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Rusina P, Gandalipov E, Abdusheva Y, Panova M, Burdenkova A, Chaliy V, Brachs M, Stroganov O, Guzeeva K, Svitanko I, Shtil A, Novikov F. Imidazole-4-N-acetamide Derivatives as a Novel Scaffold for Selective Targeting of Cyclin Dependent Kinases. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3766. [PMID: 37568583 PMCID: PMC10417023 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15153766] [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: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/21/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The rational design of cyclin-dependent protein kinase (CDK) inhibitors presumes the development of approaches for accurate prediction of selectivity and the activity of small molecular weight anticancer drug candidates. Aiming at attenuation of general toxicity of low selectivity compounds, we herein explored the new chemotype of imidazole-4-N-acetamide substituted derivatives of the pan-CDK inhibitor PHA-793887. Newly synthesized compounds 1-4 containing an aliphatic methyl group or aromatic radicals at the periphery of the scaffold were analyzed for the prediction of relative free energies of binding to CDK1, -2, -5, and -9 using a protocol based on non-equilibrium (NEQ) thermodynamics. This methodology allows for the demonstration of a good correlation between the calculated parameters of interaction of 1-4 with individual targets and the values of inhibitory potencies in in vitro kinase assays. We provide evidence in support of NEQ thermodynamics as a time sparing, precise, and productive approach for generating chemical inhibitors of clinically relevant anticancer targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Polina Rusina
- Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 47 Leninsky Avenue, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Erik Gandalipov
- Laboratory of Solution Chemistry and Advanced Materials Technologies, ITMO University, 9 Lomonosov Street, 191002 Saint Petersburg, Russia
- PHARMENTERPRISES LLC, Skolkovo Innovation Center, 42 (1) Bolshoi Blvd., 143026 Moscow, Russia
| | - Yana Abdusheva
- Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 47 Leninsky Avenue, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- PHARMENTERPRISES LLC, Skolkovo Innovation Center, 42 (1) Bolshoi Blvd., 143026 Moscow, Russia
- Higher School of Economics, National Research University, 20 Myasnitskaya Street, 101000 Moscow, Russia
| | - Maria Panova
- Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 47 Leninsky Avenue, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- PHARMENTERPRISES LLC, Skolkovo Innovation Center, 42 (1) Bolshoi Blvd., 143026 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexandra Burdenkova
- Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 47 Leninsky Avenue, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Higher School of Economics, National Research University, 20 Myasnitskaya Street, 101000 Moscow, Russia
| | - Vasiliy Chaliy
- Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 47 Leninsky Avenue, 119991 Moscow, Russia
| | - Maria Brachs
- Treamid Therapeutics GmbH, c/o CoLaborator (Bayer), Building S141, Muellerstraβe 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Ksenia Guzeeva
- Higher School of Economics, National Research University, 20 Myasnitskaya Street, 101000 Moscow, Russia
| | - Igor Svitanko
- Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 47 Leninsky Avenue, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- Higher School of Economics, National Research University, 20 Myasnitskaya Street, 101000 Moscow, Russia
| | - Alexander Shtil
- Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, 24 Kashirskoye Shosse, 115522 Moscow, Russia
- Institute of Cyber Intelligence Systems, National Research Nuclear University MEPhI, 31 Kashirskoye Shosse, 115409 Moscow, Russia
| | - Fedor Novikov
- Zelinsky Institute of Organic Chemistry, Russian Academy of Sciences, 47 Leninsky Avenue, 119991 Moscow, Russia
- PHARMENTERPRISES LLC, Skolkovo Innovation Center, 42 (1) Bolshoi Blvd., 143026 Moscow, Russia
- Higher School of Economics, National Research University, 20 Myasnitskaya Street, 101000 Moscow, Russia
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11
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Lima Silva WJ, Freitas de Freitas R. Assessing the performance of docking, FEP, and MM/GBSA methods on a series of KLK6 inhibitors. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2023:10.1007/s10822-023-00515-3. [PMID: 37378817 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-023-00515-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Kallikrein 6 (KLK6) is an attractive drug target for the treatment of neurological diseases and for various cancers. Herein, we explore the accuracy and efficiency of different computational methods and protocols to predict the free energy of binding (ΔGbind) for a series of 49 inhibitors of KLK6. We found that the performance of the methods varied strongly with the tested system. For only one of the three KLK6 datasets, the docking scores obtained with rDock were in good agreement (R2 ≥ 0.5) with experimental values of ΔGbind. A similar result was obtained with MM/GBSA (using the ff14SB force field) calculations based on single minimized structures. Improved binding affinity predictions were obtained with the free energy perturbation (FEP) method, with an overall MUE and RMSE of 0.53 and 0.68 kcal/mol, respectively. Furthermore, in a simulation of a real-world drug discovery project, FEP was able to rank the most potent compounds at the top of the list. These results indicate that FEP can be a promising tool for the structure-based optimization of KLK6 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wemenes José Lima Silva
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, SP, Brazil
| | - Renato Freitas de Freitas
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, São Bernardo do Campo, SP, Brazil.
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12
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Clark F, Robb G, Cole DJ, Michel J. Comparison of Receptor-Ligand Restraint Schemes for Alchemical Absolute Binding Free Energy Calculations. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:3686-3704. [PMID: 37285579 PMCID: PMC10308817 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c00139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Alchemical absolute binding free energy calculations are of increasing interest in drug discovery. These calculations require restraints between the receptor and ligand to restrict their relative positions and, optionally, orientations. Boresch restraints are commonly used, but they must be carefully selected in order to sufficiently restrain the ligand and to avoid inherent instabilities. Applying multiple distance restraints between anchor points in the receptor and ligand provides an alternative framework without inherent instabilities which may provide convergence benefits by more strongly restricting the relative movements of the receptor and ligand. However, there is no simple method to calculate the free energy of releasing these restraints due to the coupling of the internal and external degrees of freedom of the receptor and ligand. Here, a method to rigorously calculate free energies of binding with multiple distance restraints by imposing intramolecular restraints on the anchor points is proposed. Absolute binding free energies for the human macrophage migration inhibitory factor/MIF180, system obtained using a variety of Boresch restraints and rigorous and nonrigorous implementations of multiple distance restraints are compared. It is shown that several multiple distance restraint schemes produce estimates in good agreement with Boresch restraints. In contrast, calculations without orientational restraints produce erroneously favorable free energies of binding by up to approximately 4 kcal mol-1. These approaches offer new options for the deployment of alchemical absolute binding free energy calculations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Finlay Clark
- EaStCHEM
School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, David Brewster Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, United Kingdom
| | - Graeme Robb
- Oncology
R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB4 0WG, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel J. Cole
- School
of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle
University, Newcastle
upon Tyne NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
| | - Julien Michel
- EaStCHEM
School of Chemistry, University of Edinburgh, David Brewster Road, Edinburgh EH9 3FJ, United Kingdom
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13
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Gade AC, Murahari M, Pavadai P, Kumar MS. Virtual Screening of a Marine Natural Product Database for In Silico Identification of a Potential Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitor. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1298. [PMID: 37374081 DOI: 10.3390/life13061298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2023] [Revised: 05/27/2023] [Accepted: 05/29/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease is characterized by amyloid-beta aggregation and neurofibrillary tangles. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) hydrolyses acetylcholine and induces amyloid-beta aggregation. Acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (AChEI) inhibit this aggregation by binding to AChE, making it a potential target for the treatment of AD. In this study, we have focused on the identification of potent and safe AChEI from the Comprehensive Marine Natural Product Database (CMNPD) using computational tools. For the screening of CMNPD, a structure-based pharmacophore model was generated using a structure of AChE complexed with the co-crystallized ligand galantamine (PDB ID: 4EY6). The 330 molecules that passed through the pharmacophore filter were retrieved, their drug-likeness was determined, and they were then subjected to molecular docking studies. The top ten molecules were selected depending upon their docking score and were submitted for toxicity profiling. Based on these studies, molecule 64 (CMNPD8714) was found to be the safest and was subjected to molecular dynamics simulations and density functional theory calculations. This molecule showed stable hydrogen bonding and stacked interactions with TYR341, mediated through a water bridge. In silico results can be correlated with in vitro studies for checking its activity and safety in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Manikanta Murahari
- Department of Pharmacy, Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Vaddeswaram 522302, India
| | - Parasuraman Pavadai
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, M.S. Ramaiah University of Applied Sciences, Bengaluru 560054, India
| | - Maushmi Shailesh Kumar
- Somaiya Institute of Research and Consultancy, Somaiya Vidyavihar University, Mumbai 400077, India
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14
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Ibrahim MT, Verkhivker GM, Misra J, Tao P. Novel Allosteric Effectors Targeting Human Transcription Factor TEAD. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:9009. [PMID: 37240355 PMCID: PMC10219411 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24109009] [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: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The Hippo pathway is an evolutionary conserved signaling network involved in several cellular regulatory processes. Dephosphorylation and overexpression of Yes-associated proteins (YAPs) in the Hippo-off state are common in several types of solid tumors. YAP overexpression results in its nuclear translocation and interaction with transcriptional enhanced associate domain 1-4 (TEAD1-4) transcription factors. Covalent and non-covalent inhibitors have been developed to target several interaction sites between TEAD and YAP. The most targeted and effective site for these developed inhibitors is the palmitate-binding pocket in the TEAD1-4 proteins. Screening of a DNA-encoded library against the TEAD central pocket was performed experimentally to identify six new allosteric inhibitors. Inspired by the structure of the TED-347 inhibitor, chemical modification was performed on the original inhibitors by replacing secondary methyl amide with a chloromethyl ketone moiety. Various computational tools, including molecular dynamics, free energy perturbation, and Markov state model analysis, were employed to study the effect of ligand binding on the protein conformational space. Four of the six modified ligands were associated with enhanced allosteric communication between the TEAD4 and YAP1 domains indicated by the relative free energy perturbation to original molecules. Phe229, Thr332, Ile374, and Ile395 residues were revealed to be essential for the effective binding of the inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mayar Tarek Ibrahim
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Research Computing, Center for Drug Discovery, Design, and Delivery (CD4), Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75205, USA; (M.T.I.); (P.T.)
| | - Gennady M. Verkhivker
- Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA 92866, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA 92618, USA
| | - Jyoti Misra
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX 75080, USA;
| | - Peng Tao
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Research Computing, Center for Drug Discovery, Design, and Delivery (CD4), Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX 75205, USA; (M.T.I.); (P.T.)
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15
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Eberhardt J, Forli S. WaterKit: Thermodynamic Profiling of Protein Hydration Sites. J Chem Theory Comput 2023; 19:2535-2556. [PMID: 37094087 PMCID: PMC10732097 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.2c01087] [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] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Water desolvation is one of the key components of the free energy of binding of small molecules to their receptors. Thus, understanding the energetic balance of solvation and desolvation resulting from individual water molecules can be crucial when estimating ligand binding, especially when evaluating different molecules and poses as done in High-Throughput Virtual Screening (HTVS). Over the most recent decades, several methods were developed to tackle this problem, ranging from fast approximate methods (usually empirical functions using either discrete atom-atom pairwise interactions or continuum solvent models) to more computationally expensive and accurate ones, mostly based on Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations, such as Grid Inhomogeneous Solvation Theory (GIST) or Double Decoupling. On one hand, MD-based methods are prohibitive to use in HTVS to estimate the role of waters on the fly for each ligand. On the other hand, fast and approximate methods show an unsatisfactory level of accuracy, with low agreement with results obtained with the more expensive methods. Here we introduce WaterKit, a new grid-based sampling method with explicit water molecules to calculate thermodynamic properties using the GIST method. Our results show that the discrete placement of water molecules is successful in reproducing the position of crystallographic waters with very high accuracy, as well as providing thermodynamic estimates with accuracy comparable to more expensive MD simulations. Unlike these methods, WaterKit can be used to analyze specific regions on the protein surface, (such as the binding site of a receptor), without having to hydrate and simulate the whole receptor structure. The results show the feasibility of a general and fast method to compute thermodynamic properties of water molecules, making it well-suited to be integrated in high-throughput pipelines such as molecular docking.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jerome Eberhardt
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Stefano Forli
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, Scripps Research, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
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16
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Ogun OJ, Thaller G, Becker D. Molecular Structural Analysis of Porcine CMAH-Native Ligand Complex and High Throughput Virtual Screening to Identify Novel Inhibitors. Pathogens 2023; 12:pathogens12050684. [PMID: 37242354 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12050684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Porcine meat is the most consumed red meat worldwide. Pigs are also vital tools in biological and medical research. However, xenoreactivity between porcine's N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Neu5Gc) and human anti-Neu5Gc antibodies poses a significant challenge. On the one hand, dietary Neu5Gc intake has been connected to particular human disorders. On the other hand, some pathogens connected to pig diseases have a preference for Neu5Gc. The Cytidine monophospho-N-acetylneuraminic acid hydroxylase (CMAH) catalyses the conversion of N-acetylneuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) to Neu5Gc. In this study, we predicted the tertiary structure of CMAH, performed molecular docking, and analysed the protein-native ligand complex. We performed a virtual screening from a drug library of 5M compounds and selected the two top inhibitors with Vina scores of -9.9 kcal/mol for inhibitor 1 and -9.4 kcal/mol for inhibitor 2. We further analysed their pharmacokinetic and pharmacophoric properties. We conducted stability analyses of the complexes with molecular dynamic simulations of 200 ns and binding free energy calculations. The overall analyses revealed the inhibitors' stable binding, which was further validated by the MMGBSA studies. In conclusion, this result may pave the way for future studies to determine how to inhibit CMAH activities. Further in vitro studies can provide in-depth insight into these compounds' therapeutic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oluwamayowa Joshua Ogun
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, University of Kiel, Olshausenstraße 40, 24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Georg Thaller
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Husbandry, University of Kiel, Olshausenstraße 40, 24098 Kiel, Germany
| | - Doreen Becker
- Institute of Genome Biology, Research Institute for Farm Animal Biology (FBN), Wilhelm-Stahl-Allee 2, 18196 Dummerstorf, Germany
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17
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Cortat Y, Nedyalkova M, Schindler K, Kadakia P, Demirci G, Nasiri Sovari S, Crochet A, Salentinig S, Lattuada M, Steiner OM, Zobi F. Computer-Aided Drug Design and Synthesis of Rhenium Clotrimazole Antimicrobial Agents. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12030619. [PMID: 36978486 PMCID: PMC10044843 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12030619] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2023] [Revised: 03/16/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/30/2023] Open
Abstract
In the context of the global health issue caused by the growing occurrence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), the need for novel antimicrobial agents is becoming alarming. Inorganic and organometallic complexes represent a relatively untapped source of antibiotics. Here, we report a computer-aided drug design (CADD) based on a 'scaffold-hopping' approach for the synthesis and antibacterial evaluation of fac-Re(I) tricarbonyl complexes bearing clotrimazole (ctz) as a monodentate ligand. The prepared molecules were selected following a pre-screening in silico analysis according to modification of the 2,2'-bipyridine (bpy) ligand in the coordination sphere of the complexes. CADD pointed to chiral 4,5-pinene and 5,6-pinene bipyridine derivatives as the most promising candidates. The corresponding complexes were synthesized, tested toward methicillin-sensitive and -resistant S. aureus strains, and the obtained results evaluated with regard to their binding affinity with a homology model of the S. aureus MurG enzyme. Overall, the title species revealed very similar minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values as those of the reference compound used as the scaffold in our approach. The obtained docking scores advocate the viability of 'scaffold-hopping' for de novo design, a potential strategy for more cost- and time-efficient discovery of new antibiotics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youri Cortat
- Department of Chemistry, Fribourg University, Chemin Du Musée 9, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Miroslava Nedyalkova
- Department of Chemistry, Fribourg University, Chemin Du Musée 9, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Kevin Schindler
- Department of Chemistry, Fribourg University, Chemin Du Musée 9, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Parth Kadakia
- Department of Chemistry, Fribourg University, Chemin Du Musée 9, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Gozde Demirci
- Department of Chemistry, Fribourg University, Chemin Du Musée 9, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Sara Nasiri Sovari
- Department of Chemistry, Fribourg University, Chemin Du Musée 9, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Aurelien Crochet
- Department of Chemistry, Fribourg University, Chemin Du Musée 9, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Stefan Salentinig
- Department of Chemistry, Fribourg University, Chemin Du Musée 9, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Marco Lattuada
- Department of Chemistry, Fribourg University, Chemin Du Musée 9, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Olimpia Mamula Steiner
- Haute école d'Ingénierie et d'Architecture, University of Applied Sciences Western Switzerland HES-SO, Pérolles 80, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Fabio Zobi
- Department of Chemistry, Fribourg University, Chemin Du Musée 9, 1700 Fribourg, Switzerland
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18
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Vottero P, Wang Q, Michalak M, Aminpour M, Tuszynski JA. Computational Analysis and Experimental Testing of the Molecular Mode of Action of Gatastatin and Its Derivatives. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15061714. [PMID: 36980600 PMCID: PMC10046562 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15061714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Given its critical role in cell mitosis, the tubulin γ chain represents a viable chemotherapeutic target to solve the specificity issues associated with targeting α and β tubulin. Since γ tubulin is overexpressed in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) and some breast lesions, the glaziovianin A derivative gatastatin, presented as a γ-tubulin-specific inhibitor, could yield a successful therapeutic strategy. The present work aims to identify the binding sites and modes of gatastatin and its derivatives through molecular-docking simulations. Computational binding free energy predictions were compared to experimental microscale thermophoresis assay results. The computational simulations did not reveal a strong preference toward γ tubulin, suggesting that further derivatization may be needed to increase its specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Vottero
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2V2, Canada
| | - Qian Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Marek Michalak
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H7, Canada
| | - Maral Aminpour
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2V2, Canada
| | - Jack Adam Tuszynski
- Department of Physics, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2E9, Canada
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Meccanica e Aerospaziale (DIMEAS), Politecnico di Torino, I-10129 Turin, Italy
- Correspondence:
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19
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Virtual Screening of Benzimidazole Derivatives as Potential Triose Phosphate Isomerase Inhibitors with Biological Activity against Leishmania mexicana. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:ph16030390. [PMID: 36986489 PMCID: PMC10058926 DOI: 10.3390/ph16030390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmania mexicana (L. mexicana) is a causal agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), a “Neglected disease”, for which the search for new drugs is a priority. Benzimidazole is a scaffold used to develop antiparasitic drugs; therefore, it is interesting molecule against L. mexicana. In this work, a ligand-based virtual screening (LBVS) of the ZINC15 database was performed. Subsequently, molecular docking was used to predict the compounds with potential binding at the dimer interface of triosephosphate isomerase (TIM) of L. mexicana (LmTIM). Compounds were selected on binding patterns, cost, and commercial availability for in vitro assays against L. mexicana blood promastigotes. The compounds were analyzed by molecular dynamics simulation on LmTIM and its homologous human TIM. Finally, the physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties were determined in silico. A total of 175 molecules with docking scores between −10.8 and −9.0 Kcal/mol were obtained. Compound E2 showed the best leishmanicidal activity (IC50 = 4.04 µM) with a value similar to the reference drug pentamidine (IC50 = 2.23 µM). Molecular dynamics analysis predicted low affinity for human TIM. Furthermore, the pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties of the compounds were suitable for developing new leishmanicidal agents.
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20
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Das NC, Chakraborty P, Bayry J, Mukherjee S. Comparative Binding Ability of Human Monoclonal Antibodies against Omicron Variants of SARS-CoV-2: An In Silico Investigation. Antibodies (Basel) 2023; 12:antib12010017. [PMID: 36975364 PMCID: PMC10045060 DOI: 10.3390/antib12010017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2023] [Accepted: 02/17/2023] [Indexed: 02/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Mutation(s) in the spike protein is the major characteristic trait of newly emerged SARS-CoV-2 variants such as Alpha (B.1.1.7), Beta (B.1.351), Gamma (P.1), Delta (B.1.617.2), and Delta-plus. Omicron (B.1.1.529) is the latest addition and it has been characterized by high transmissibility and the ability to escape host immunity. Recently developed vaccines and repurposed drugs exert limited action on Omicron strains and hence new therapeutics are immediately needed. Herein, we have explored the efficiency of twelve therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting the RBD region of the spike glycoprotein against all the Omicron variants bearing a mutation in spike protein through molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation. Our in silico evidence reveals that adintivimab, beludivimab, and regadanivimab are the most potent mAbs to form strong biophysical interactions and neutralize most of the Omicron variants. Considering the efficacy of mAbs, we incorporated CDRH3 of beludavimab within the framework of adintrevimab, which displayed a more intense binding affinity towards all of the Omicron variants viz. BA.1, BA.2, BA.2.12.1, BA.4, and BA.5. Furthermore, the cDNA of chimeric mAb was cloned in silico within pET30ax for recombinant production. In conclusion, the present study represents the candidature of human mAbs (beludavimab and adintrevimab) and the therapeutic potential of designed chimeric mAb for treating Omicron-infected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabarun Chandra Das
- Integrative Biochemistry & Immunology Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, Kazi Nazrul University, Asansol 713 340, India
| | - Pritha Chakraborty
- Integrative Biochemistry & Immunology Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, Kazi Nazrul University, Asansol 713 340, India
| | - Jagadeesh Bayry
- Department of Biological Sciences & Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Palakkad, Palakkad 678 623, India
- Correspondence: (J.B.); or (S.M.)
| | - Suprabhat Mukherjee
- Integrative Biochemistry & Immunology Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, Kazi Nazrul University, Asansol 713 340, India
- Correspondence: (J.B.); or (S.M.)
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21
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Piplani S, Singh P, Petrovsky N, Winkler DA. Identifying SARS-CoV-2 Drugs Binding to the Spike Fatty Acid Binding Pocket Using In Silico Docking and Molecular Dynamics. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24044192. [PMID: 36835602 PMCID: PMC9966092 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24044192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Drugs against novel targets are needed to treat COVID-19 patients, especially as SARS-CoV-2 is capable of rapid mutation. Structure-based de novo drug design and repurposing of drugs and natural products is a rational approach to discovering potentially effective therapies. These in silico simulations can quickly identify existing drugs with known safety profiles that can be repurposed for COVID-19 treatment. Here, we employ the newly identified spike protein free fatty acid binding pocket structure to identify repurposing candidates as potential SARS-CoV-2 therapies. Using a validated docking and molecular dynamics protocol effective at identifying repurposing candidates inhibiting other SARS-CoV-2 molecular targets, this study provides novel insights into the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and its potential regulation by endogenous hormones and drugs. Some of the predicted repurposing candidates have already been demonstrated experimentally to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 activity, but most of the candidate drugs have yet to be tested for activity against the virus. We also elucidated a rationale for the effects of steroid and sex hormones and some vitamins on SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakshi Piplani
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park 5046, Australia
- Vaxine Pty Ltd., 11 Walkley Avenue, Warradale 5046, Australia
| | - Puneet Singh
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park 5046, Australia
- Vaxine Pty Ltd., 11 Walkley Avenue, Warradale 5046, Australia
| | - Nikolai Petrovsky
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park 5046, Australia
- Vaxine Pty Ltd., 11 Walkley Avenue, Warradale 5046, Australia
- Correspondence:
| | - David A. Winkler
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville 3052, Australia
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
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