Identifying the analogues of berberine as promising antitubercular drugs targeting Mtb-FtsZ polymerisation through ligand-based virtual screening and molecular dynamics simulations

The Repurposing of FDA-Approved Drugs as FtsZ Inhibitors against Mycobacterium tuberculosis: An In Silico and In Vitro Study

Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), the causative pathogen of tuberculosis, remains one of the leading causes of death from a single infectious agent. Furthermore, the growing evolution to multi-drug-resistant (MDR) strains requires de novo identification of drug targets for evaluating candidates or repurposing drugs. Hence, targeting FtsZ, an essential cell division protein, is a promising target.

METHODS

Using an in silico pharmacological repositioning strategy, four FDA-based drugs that bind to the catalytic site FtsZ were selected. The Alamar Blue colorimetric assay was used to assess antimicrobial activity and the effect of drugs on Mtb growth through growth curves. Bacterial load was determined with an in vitro infection model using colony-forming units (CFU)/mL, and cytotoxicity on human monocyte-derived macrophages (MDMhs) was assessed by flow cytometry.

RESULTS

Paroxetine and nebivolol exhibited antimycobacterial activity against both reference TB and MDR strains at a concentration of 25 µg/mL. Furthermore, both paroxetine and nebivolol demonstrated a significant reduction (p < 0.05) in viable bacteria compared to the untreated group in the in vitro infection model.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, our findings demonstrate that the use of paroxetine and nebivolol is a promising strategy to help in the control of tuberculosis infection.

The advances in adjuvant therapy for tuberculosis with immunoregulatory compounds

Tuberculosis (TB) is a chronic bacterial disease, as well as a complex immune disease. The occurrence, development, and prognosis of TB are not only related to the pathogenicity of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb), but also related to the patient's own immune state. The research and development of immunotherapy drugs can effectively regulate the body's anti-TB immune responses, inhibit or eliminate Mtb, alleviate pathological damage, and facilitate rehabilitation. This paper reviews the research progress of immunotherapeutic compounds for TB, including immunoregulatory compounds and repurposing drugs, and points out the existing problems and future research directions, which lays the foundation for studying new agents for host-directed therapies of TB.

Mycobacterial FtsZ and inhibitors: a promising target for the anti-tubercular drug development

The emergence of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) strains has rendered many anti-TB drugs ineffective. Consequently, there is an urgent need to identify new drug targets against Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Filament Forming Temperature Sensitive Gene Z (FtsZ), a member of the cytoskeletal protein family, plays a vital role in cell division by forming a cytokinetic ring at the cell's center and coordinating the division machinery. When FtsZ is depleted, cells are unable to divide and instead elongate into filamentous structures that eventually undergo lysis. Since the inactivation of FtsZ or alterations in its assembly impede the formation of the Z-ring and septum, FtsZ shows promise as a target for the development of anti-mycobacterial drugs. This review not only discusses the potential role of FtsZ as a promising pharmacological target for anti-tuberculosis therapies but also explores the structural and functional aspects of the mycobacterial protein FtsZ in cell division. Additionally, it reviews various inhibitors of Mtb FtsZ. By understanding the importance of FtsZ in cell division, researchers can explore strategies to disrupt its function, impeding the growth and proliferation of Mtb. Furthermore, the investigation of different inhibitors that target Mtb FtsZ expands the potential for developing effective treatments against tuberculosis.

Ligand-Guided Investigation of a Series of Formamidine-Based Thiuram Disulfides as Potential Dual-Inhibitors of COX-1and COX-2

A series of thiuram disulfides 1-6 which had been previously synthesized and characterized,^[1] were studied for their potential therapeutic properties. Target-fishing analyses through HitPick and SwissTarget prediction identified COX1 and COX2, which are essential biomolecules in cancer-related inflammations, as the possible targets for compounds 1 and 4 among all the compounds tested. These two proteins have enjoyed interest as targets for treating some neoplastic cancer types such as breast, colorectal, skin, pancreatic, haematological and head cancers. The inhibitory potency of 1 and 4 as lead anticancer drug candidates with dual-target ability against COX1 and COX2 was examined through molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulation and post-MD analyses such as binding energy calculation, RMSD, RMSF, and RoG. The two compounds had better docking scores and binding energies than the known inhibitors of COX1 and COX2. Insights from the RMSD, RMSF, and RoG suggested that both 1 and 4 showed observable influence on the structural stability of these targets throughout the simulation. The reported observations of the effects of 1 and 4 on the structures of COX1 and COX2 indicate their probable inhibitory properties against these target proteins and their potential as lead anticancer drug candidates.

Advances in Key Drug Target Identification and New Drug Development for Tuberculosis

Tuberculosis (TB) is a severe infectious disease worldwide. The increasing emergence of drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) has markedly hampered TB control. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new anti-TB drugs to treat drug-resistant TB and shorten the standard therapy. The discovery of targets of drug action will lay a theoretical foundation for new drug development. With the development of molecular biology and the success of Mtb genome sequencing, great progress has been made in the discovery of new targets and their relevant inhibitors. In this review, we summarized 45 important drug targets and 15 new drugs that are currently being tested in clinical stages and several prospective molecules that are still at the level of preclinical studies. A comprehensive understanding of the drug targets of Mtb can provide extensive insights into the development of safer and more efficient drugs and may contribute new ideas for TB control and treatment.