Synthesis and Regioselective Functionalization of Piperazin-2-ones Based on Phe-Gly Pseudodipeptides

Peptidomimetic Small-Molecule Inhibitors of 3CLPro Activity and Spike-ACE2 Interaction: Toward Dual-Action Molecules against Coronavirus Infections

The development of molecules able to target protein-protein interactions (PPIs) is of interest for the development of novel therapeutic agents. Since a high percentage of PPIs are mediated by α-helical structure at the interacting surface, peptidomimetics that reproduce the essential conformational components of helices are useful templates for the development of PPIs inhibitors. In this work, the synthesis of a constrained dipeptide isostere and insertion in the short peptide epitope EDLFYQ of the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) α1 helix domain resulted in the identification of a molecule capable of inhibiting the SARS-CoV-2 ACE2/spike interaction in the micromolar range. Moreover, inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 3CLPro main protease activity was assessed as an additional inhibitory property of the synthesized peptidomimetics, taking advantage of the C-terminal Q amino acid present in both the ACE2 epitope and the Mpro recognizing motif (APSTVxLQ), thus paving the way to the development of multitarget therapeutics toward coronavirus infections.

Property space mapping of Pseudomonas aeruginosa permeability to small molecules

Two membrane cell envelopes act as selective permeability barriers in Gram-negative bacteria, protecting cells against antibiotics and other small molecules. Significant efforts are being directed toward understanding how small molecules permeate these barriers. In this study, we developed an approach to analyze the permeation of compounds into Gram-negative bacteria and applied it to Pseudomonas aeruginosa, an important human pathogen notorious for resistance to multiple antibiotics. The approach uses mass spectrometric measurements of accumulation of a library of structurally diverse compounds in four isogenic strains of P. aeruginosa with varied permeability barriers. We further developed a machine learning algorithm that generates a deterministic classification model with minimal synonymity between the descriptors. This model predicted good permeators into P. aeruginosa with an accuracy of 89% and precision above 58%. The good permeators are broadly distributed in the property space and can be mapped to six distinct regions representing diverse chemical scaffolds. We posit that this approach can be used for more detailed mapping of the property space and for rational design of compounds with high Gram-negative permeability.

Ribose conversion with amino acids into pyrraline platform chemicals - expeditious synthesis of diverse pyrrole-fused alkaloid compounds

One-pot conversion of sustainable d-ribose with l-amino acid, methyl esters produced pyrrole-2-carbaldehydes 5 in reasonable yields (32-63%) under pressurized conditions of 2.5 atm at 80 °C. The value-added pyrraline compounds 5 as platform chemicals were utilized for quick installation of poly-heterocyclic cores for the development of pyrrole-motif natural and artificial therapeutic agents. A pyrrole-fused piperazin-2-one scaffold 6 was prepared by reductive amination of pyrralines 5 with benzylamine. While further cyclization of pyrralines 5 with ethane-1,2-diamine produced pyrrolo-piperazin-2-ones 7 with an extra imidazolidine ring, the reaction with 2-amino alcohols derived from natural l-amino acids, alanine, valine, and phenylalanine, respectively provided pyrrolo-piperazin-2-ones 8, 9, and 10 with oxazolidine as the third structural core. Cell viability and an anti-inflammatory effect of the synthesized compounds were briefly tested by the MTT method and the Griess assay, among which 8h and 10g exhibited significant anti-inflammatory effects with negligible cell toxicity.

Exploring the Phe-Gly dipeptide-derived piperazinone scaffold in the search for antagonists of the thrombin receptor PAR1

A series of Phe-Gly dipeptide-derived piperazinones containing an aromatic urea moiety and a basic amino acid has been synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of human platelet aggregation induced by the PAR1 agonist SFLLRN and as cytotoxic agents in human cancer cells. The synthetic strategy involves coupling of a protected basic amino acid benzyl amide to 1,2- and 1,2,4-substituted-piperazinone derivatives, through a carbonylmethyl group at the N_1-position, followed by formation of an aromatic urea at the exocyclic moiety linked at the C₂ position of the piperazine ring and removal of protecting groups. None of the compounds showed activity in the biological evaluation.