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Simonyan H, Palumbo R, Petrosyan S, Mkrtchyan A, Galstyan A, Saghyan A, Scognamiglio PL, Vicidomini C, Fik-Jaskólka M, Roviello GN. BSA Binding and Aggregate Formation of a Synthetic Amino Acid with Potential for Promoting Fibroblast Proliferation: An In Silico, CD Spectroscopic, DLS, and Cellular Study. Biomolecules 2024; 14:579. [PMID: 38785986 PMCID: PMC11118884 DOI: 10.3390/biom14050579] [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: 03/28/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/11/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
This study presents the chemical synthesis, purification, and characterization of a novel non-natural synthetic amino acid. The compound was synthesized in solution, purified, and characterized using NMR spectroscopy, polarimetry, and melting point determination. Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) analysis demonstrated its ability to form aggregates with an average size of 391 nm, extending to the low micrometric size range. Furthermore, cellular biological assays revealed its ability to enhance fibroblast cell growth, highlighting its potential for tissue regenerative applications. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy showed the ability of the synthetic amino acid to bind serum albumins (using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model), and CD deconvolution provided insights into the changes in the secondary structures of BSA upon interaction with the amino acid ligand. Additionally, molecular docking using HDOCK software elucidated the most likely binding mode of the ligand inside the BSA structure. We also performed in silico oligomerization of the synthetic compound in order to obtain a model of aggregate to investigate computationally. In more detail, the dimer formation achieved by molecular self-docking showed two distinct poses, corresponding to the lowest and comparable energies, with one pose exhibiting a quasi-coplanar arrangement characterized by a close alignment of two aromatic rings from the synthetic amino acids within the dimer, suggesting the presence of π-π stacking interactions. In contrast, the second pose displayed a non-coplanar configuration, with the aromatic rings oriented in a staggered arrangement, indicating distinct modes of interaction. Both poses were further utilized in the self-docking procedure. Notably, iterative molecular docking of amino acid structures resulted in the formation of higher-order aggregates, with a model of a 512-mer aggregate obtained through self-docking procedures. This model of aggregate presented a cavity capable of hosting therapeutic cargoes and biomolecules, rendering it a potential scaffold for cell adhesion and growth in tissue regenerative applications. Overall, our findings highlight the potential of this synthetic amino acid for tissue regenerative therapeutics and provide valuable insights into its molecular interactions and aggregation behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hayarpi Simonyan
- Institute of Pharmacy, Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manoogian Str., Yerevan 0025, Armenia
| | - Rosanna Palumbo
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Italian National Council for Research (IBB-CNR), Area di Ricerca Site and Headquarters, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Satenik Petrosyan
- Institute of Pharmacy, Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manoogian Str., Yerevan 0025, Armenia
| | - Anna Mkrtchyan
- Institute of Pharmacy, Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manoogian Str., Yerevan 0025, Armenia
| | - Armen Galstyan
- Department of Chemistry, Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manoogian Str., Yerevan 0025, Armenia
| | - Ashot Saghyan
- Institute of Pharmacy, Yerevan State University, 1 Alex Manoogian Str., Yerevan 0025, Armenia
| | | | - Caterina Vicidomini
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Italian National Council for Research (IBB-CNR), Area di Ricerca Site and Headquarters, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Marta Fik-Jaskólka
- Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Giovanni N. Roviello
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Italian National Council for Research (IBB-CNR), Area di Ricerca Site and Headquarters, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
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Bangay G, Brauning FZ, Kowalczyk T, Merecz-Sadowska A, Synowiec E, Śliwiński T, Candeias N, Estevão MS, Afonso CAM, André V, Sitarek P, Rijo P. Halimane Derivatives from Plectranthus ornatus Codd. as Novel Anti-cancer Agents. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 174:116516. [PMID: 38583339 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116516] [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: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/28/2024] [Indexed: 04/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The Plectranthus genus is often cited for its medicinal properties. Plectranthus ornatus Codd. is traditionally used in Africa for the treatment of gastric and liver diseases and their leaves are used for their antibiotic action. The main constituent of P. ornatus is the halimane compound, 11 R∗-acetoxyhalima-5,13E-dien-15-oic acid (Hal), described for its antimicrobial and anticancer properties. The objective of this work was to improve the activity of the halimane lead molecule. Further physiochemical characterisation was performed on Hal. To the best of our knowledge, this work constitutes the first published data of the absolute configurations by SCXRD and thermal stability of Hal. Using Hal, reactions with different amines were carried out to afford novel semi-synthetic derivatives and their structural elucidation was completed. The cytotoxicity of the derivatives was assessed against three leukaemia cancer cell lines (CCRF-CEM, K562 and HL-60). The antioxidant activity was investigated using H2O2-induced HGF-1 cells and their anti-inflammatory activity was studied using RT-PCR and ELISA. Our data showed that amide derivatives of Hal presented moderate cytotoxicity and more potent activity when compared to the parent molecule, giving insight into the SAR of Hal. The derivatives also displayed protection against oxidative damage to DNA. Finally, the derivatives possessed anti-inflammatory properties at the level of gene and protein expression for the cytokines IL-1β, TNF-α and IL-6, induced by LPS in normal HGF-1 cells. Overall, our study provides useful insight into the enhanced biological activities of semi-synthetic Hal derivatives, as a starting point for novel drug formulations in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabrielle Bangay
- Universidade Lusofona's Research Center for Biosciences and Health Technologies (CBIOS), Campo Grande 376, Lisbon 1749-024, Portugal; Universidad de Alcala de Henares. Facultad de Farmacia, Departamento de Ciencias Biomedicas (Area de Farmacologıa, Nuevos agentes antitumorales, Accion toxica sobre celulas leucemicas. Ctra. Madrid-Barcelona km. 33,600 28805 Alcala de Henares, Madrid, Spain
| | - Florencia Z Brauning
- Universidade Lusofona's Research Center for Biosciences and Health Technologies (CBIOS), Campo Grande 376, Lisbon 1749-024, Portugal
| | - Tomasz Kowalczyk
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, Lodz 90-237, Poland
| | - Anna Merecz-Sadowska
- Department of Economic and Medical Informatics, University of Lodz, Lodz 90-214, Poland; Department of Allergology and Respiratory Rehabilitation, Medical University of Lodz, Lodz 90-725, Poland
| | - Ewelina Synowiec
- Laboratory of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz Pomorska 141/143, Lodz 90-236, Poland
| | - Tomasz Śliwiński
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical University of Lodz Lodz 92-215, Poland
| | - Nuno Candeias
- LAQV-REQUIMTE Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Monica S Estevão
- Instituto de Investigacao do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa 1649-003, Portugal
| | - Carlos A M Afonso
- Instituto de Investigacao do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa 1649-003, Portugal
| | - Vânia André
- Centro de Química Estrutural, Institute of Molecular Sciences, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, Avenida Rovisco Pais, Lisbon 1049-001, Portugal; Associação do Instituto Superior Técnico para a Investigação e Desenvolvimento (IST-ID), Avenida António José de Almeida, 12, Lisbon 1000-043, Portugal
| | - Przemysław Sitarek
- Department of Medical Biology, Medical University of Lodz, ul. Muszynskiego 1, Lodz 90-151, Poland.
| | - Patrícia Rijo
- Universidade Lusofona's Research Center for Biosciences and Health Technologies (CBIOS), Campo Grande 376, Lisbon 1749-024, Portugal; Instituto de Investigacao do Medicamento (iMed.ULisboa), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade de Lisboa, Lisboa 1649-003, Portugal.
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3
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Piccialli I, Greco F, Roviello G, Sisalli MJ, Tedeschi V, di Mola A, Borbone N, Oliviero G, De Feo V, Secondo A, Massa A, Pannaccione A. The 3-(3-oxoisoindolin-1-yl)pentane-2,4-dione (ISOAC1) as a new molecule able to inhibit Amyloid β aggregation and neurotoxicity. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 168:115745. [PMID: 37871561 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115745] [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: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Amyloid β 1-42 (Aβ1-42) protein aggregation is considered one of the main triggers of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we examined the in vitro anti-amyloidogenic activity of the isoindolinone derivative 3-(3-oxoisoindolin-1-yl)pentane-2,4-dione (ISOAC1) and its neuroprotective potential against the Aβ1-42 toxicity. By performing the Thioflavin T fluorescence assay, Western blotting analyses, and Circular Dichroism experiments, we found that ISOAC1 was able to reduce the Aβ1-42 aggregation and conformational transition towards β-sheet structures. Interestingly, in silico studies revealed that ISOAC1 was able to bind to both the monomer and a pentameric protofibril of Aβ1-42, establishing a hydrophobic interaction with the PHE19 residue of the Aβ1-42 KLVFF motif. In vitro analyses on primary cortical neurons showed that ISOAC1 counteracted the increase of intracellular Ca2+ levels and decreased the Aβ1-42-induced toxicity, in terms of mitochondrial activity reduction and increase of reactive oxygen species production. In addition, confocal microscopy analyses showed that ISOAC1 was able to reduce the Aβ1-42 intraneuronal accumulation. Collectively, our results clearly show that ISOAC1 exerts a neuroprotective effect by reducing the Aβ1-42 aggregation and toxicity, hence emerging as a promising compound for the development of new Aβ-targeting therapeutic strategies for AD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ilaria Piccialli
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, School of Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Greco
- Department of Pharmacy, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Roviello
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Italian National Council for Research (IBB-CNR), Naples, Italy
| | - Maria Josè Sisalli
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, School of Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Valentina Tedeschi
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, School of Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonia di Mola
- Department of Chemistry and Biology "A. Zambelli", University of Salerno, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Nicola Borbone
- Department of Pharmacy, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Giorgia Oliviero
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Vincenzo De Feo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Agnese Secondo
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, School of Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy
| | - Antonio Massa
- Department of Chemistry and Biology "A. Zambelli", University of Salerno, Fisciano, SA, Italy.
| | - Anna Pannaccione
- Division of Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive and Dentistry Sciences, School of Medicine, Federico II University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
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Kubina R, Krzykawski K, Sokal A, Madej M, Dziedzic A, Kadela-Tomanek M. New Propargyloxy Derivatives of Galangin, Kaempferol and Fisetin-Synthesis, Spectroscopic Analysis and In Vitro Anticancer Activity on Head and Neck Cancer Cells. Cells 2023; 12:2288. [PMID: 37759511 PMCID: PMC10528839 DOI: 10.3390/cells12182288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Head and neck cancer (HNC) therapy is limited; therefore, new solutions are increasingly being sought among flavonoids, which exhibit numerous biological properties, including potential anticancer activity. However, because they are mostly insoluble in water, are unstable and have low bioavailability, they are subjected to chemical modification to obtain new derivatives with better properties. This study aimed to synthesize and analyze new propargyloxy derivatives of galangin, kaempferol and fisetin, and to evaluate their anticancer activity against selected HNC cell lines. The obtained derivatives were assessed by spectroscopic analysis; next, their anticancer activity was evaluated using a flow cytometer and real-time cell analysis. The results showed that only the fisetin derivative was suitable for further analysis, due to the lack of crystal formation of the compound. The fisetin derivative statistically significantly increases the number of cells in the G2/M phase (p < 0.05) and increases cyclin B1 levels. A statistically significant increase in the number of apoptotic cells after being exposed to the tested compound was also observed (p < 0.05). The data indicate that the obtained fisetin derivative exhibits anticancer activity by affecting the cell cycle and increasing apoptosis in selected HNC lines, which suggests its potential use as a new medicinal agent in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Kubina
- Department of Pathology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, Ostrogórska 30, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland
- Silesia LabMed, Centre for Research and Implementation, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 18 Medyków Str., 40-752 Katowice, Poland; (K.K.); (M.M.)
| | - Kamil Krzykawski
- Silesia LabMed, Centre for Research and Implementation, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 18 Medyków Str., 40-752 Katowice, Poland; (K.K.); (M.M.)
| | - Arkadiusz Sokal
- Students Scientific Group of Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland;
| | - Marcel Madej
- Silesia LabMed, Centre for Research and Implementation, Medical University of Silesia in Katowice, 18 Medyków Str., 40-752 Katowice, Poland; (K.K.); (M.M.)
| | - Arkadiusz Dziedzic
- Department of Conservative Dentistry with Endodontics, Medical University of Silesia, 40-055 Katowice, Poland;
| | - Monika Kadela-Tomanek
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences in Sosnowiec, Medical University of Silesia, 41-200 Sosnowiec, Poland;
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5
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Greco F, Falanga AP, Terracciano M, D’Ambrosio C, Piccialli G, Oliviero G, Roviello GN, Borbone N. CD, UV, and In Silico Insights on the Effect of 1,3-Bis(1'-uracilyl)-2-propanone on Serum Albumin Structure. Biomolecules 2022; 12:1071. [PMID: 36008965 PMCID: PMC9405946 DOI: 10.3390/biom12081071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
1,3-diaryl-2-propanone derivatives are synthetic compounds used as building blocks for the realization not only of antimicrobial drugs but also of new nanomaterials thanks to their ability to self-assemble in solution and interact with nucleopeptides. However, their ability to interact with proteins is a scarcely investigated theme considering the therapeutic importance that 1,3-diaryl-2-propanones could have in the modulation of protein-driven processes. Within this scope, we investigated the protein binding ability of 1,3-bis(1'-uracilyl)-2-propanone, which was previously synthesized in our laboratory utilizing a Dakin-West reaction and herein indicated as U2O, using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as the model protein. Through circular dichroism (CD) and UV spectroscopy, we demonstrated that the compound, but not the similar thymine derivative T2O, was able to alter the secondary structure of the serum albumin leading to significant consequences in terms of BSA structure with respect to the unbound protein (Δβ-turn + Δβ-sheet = +23.6%, Δα = -16.7%) as revealed in our CD binding studies. Moreover, molecular docking studies suggested that U2O is preferentially housed in the domain IIIB of the protein, and its affinity for the albumin is higher than that of the reference ligand HA 14-1 (HDOCK score (top 1-3 poses): -157.11 ± 1.38 (U2O); -129.80 ± 6.92 (HA 14-1); binding energy: -7.6 kcal/mol (U2O); -5.9 kcal/mol (HA 14-1)) and T2O (HDOCK score (top 1-3 poses): -149.93 ± 2.35; binding energy: -7.0 kcal/mol). Overall, the above findings suggest the ability of 1,3-bis(1'-uracilyl)-2-propanone to bind serum albumins and the observed reduction of the α-helix structure with the concomitant increase in the β-structure are consistent with a partial protein destabilization due to the interaction with U2O.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Greco
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.G.); (A.P.F.); (M.T.); (C.D.); (G.P.); (N.B.)
| | - Andrea Patrizia Falanga
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.G.); (A.P.F.); (M.T.); (C.D.); (G.P.); (N.B.)
| | - Monica Terracciano
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.G.); (A.P.F.); (M.T.); (C.D.); (G.P.); (N.B.)
- Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems “Eduardo Caianiello”, Italian National Council of Research (ISASI-CNR), Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Carlotta D’Ambrosio
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.G.); (A.P.F.); (M.T.); (C.D.); (G.P.); (N.B.)
| | - Gennaro Piccialli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.G.); (A.P.F.); (M.T.); (C.D.); (G.P.); (N.B.)
- ISBE-IT, University of Naples Federico II, Corso Umberto I, 80138 Naples, Italy;
| | - Giorgia Oliviero
- ISBE-IT, University of Naples Federico II, Corso Umberto I, 80138 Naples, Italy;
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Medical Biotechnologies, University of Naples Federico II, Via Sergio Pansini 5, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Nicola Roviello
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Italian National Council for Research (IBB-CNR), Area di Ricerca Site and Headquarters, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
| | - Nicola Borbone
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via Domenico Montesano 49, 80131 Naples, Italy; (F.G.); (A.P.F.); (M.T.); (C.D.); (G.P.); (N.B.)
- Institute of Applied Sciences and Intelligent Systems “Eduardo Caianiello”, Italian National Council of Research (ISASI-CNR), Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy
- ISBE-IT, University of Naples Federico II, Corso Umberto I, 80138 Naples, Italy;
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Scognamiglio PL, Vicidomini C, Fontanella F, De Stefano C, Palumbo R, Roviello GN. Protein Binding of Benzofuran Derivatives: A CD Spectroscopic and In Silico Comparative Study of the Effects of 4-Nitrophenyl Functionalized Benzofurans and Benzodifurans on BSA Protein Structure. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12020262. [PMID: 35204762 PMCID: PMC8961527 DOI: 10.3390/biom12020262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2021] [Revised: 01/31/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Benzofuran derivatives are synthetic compounds that are finding an increasing interest in the scientific community not only as building blocks for the realization of new materials, but also as potential drugs thanks to their ability to interact with nucleic acids, interfere with the amyloid peptide aggregation and cancer cell cycle. However, their ability to interact with proteins is a theme still in need of investigation for the therapeutic importance that benzofurans could have in the modulation of protein-driven processes and for the possibility of making use of serum albumins as benzofurans delivery systems. To this scope, we investigated the protein binding ability of two 4-nitrophenyl-functionalized benzofurans previously synthesized in our laboratory and herein indicated as BF1 and BDF1, which differed for the number of furan rings (a single moiety in BF1, two in BDF1), using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model protein. By circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy we demonstrated the ability of the two heteroaromatic compounds to alter the secondary structure of the serum albumin leading to different consequences in terms of BSA thermal stability with respect to the unbound protein (ΔTm > 3 °C for BF1, −0.8 °C for BDF1 with respect to unbound BSA, in PBS buffer, pH 7.5) as revealed in our CD melting studies. Moreover, a molecular docking study allowed us to compare the possible ligand binding modes of the mono and difuranic derivatives showing that while BF1 is preferentially housed in the interior of protein structure, BDF1 is predicted to bind the albumin surface with a lower affinity than BF1. Interestingly, the different affinity for the protein target predicted computationally was confirmed also experimentally by fluorescence spectroscopy (kD = 142.4 ± 64.6 nM for BDF1 vs. 28.4 ± 10.1 nM for BF1). Overall, the above findings suggest the ability of benzofurans to bind serum albumins that could act as their carriers in drug delivery applications.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Caterina Vicidomini
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini IBB-CNR, via Tommaso De Amicis 95, I-80145 Naples, Italy; (C.V.); (R.P.)
| | - Francesco Fontanella
- Department of Electrical and Information Engineering (DIEI), University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, 03043 Cassino (FR), Italy; (F.F.); (C.D.S.)
| | - Claudio De Stefano
- Department of Electrical and Information Engineering (DIEI), University of Cassino and Southern Lazio, 03043 Cassino (FR), Italy; (F.F.); (C.D.S.)
| | - Rosanna Palumbo
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini IBB-CNR, via Tommaso De Amicis 95, I-80145 Naples, Italy; (C.V.); (R.P.)
| | - Giovanni N. Roviello
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini IBB-CNR, via Tommaso De Amicis 95, I-80145 Naples, Italy; (C.V.); (R.P.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-3491928417
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Novel insights on nucleopeptide binding: A spectroscopic and in silico investigation on the interaction of a thymine-bearing tetrapeptide with a homoadenine DNA. J Mol Liq 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2021.117975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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8
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Szymańska M, Kubicki M, Roviello GN, Consiglio G, Fik-Jaskółka MA, Patroniak V. New Cu( i) square grid-type and Ni( ii) triangle-type complexes: synthesis and characterization of effective binders of DNA and serum albumins. Dalton Trans 2022; 51:15648-15658. [DOI: 10.1039/d2dt02271k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Metallosupramolecular square grid-type complex [Cu4L4]4+ and triangle-type complex [Ni3L3]6+ as a potential strategy for obtaining versatile metal-based DNA, Serum Albumin (SA) and DNA binders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martyna Szymańska
- Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Maciej Kubicki
- Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Giovanni N. Roviello
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging – CNR, Area di Ricerca site and Headquartes, Via Tommaso De Amicis, 95, 80145 Napoli, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Consiglio
- Dipartimento di Scienze Chimiche, Università degli studi di Catania, viale A. Doria 6, I-95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Marta A. Fik-Jaskółka
- Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Violetta Patroniak
- Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
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Evaluating In Silico the Potential Health and Environmental Benefits of Houseplant Volatile Organic Compounds for an Emerging 'Indoor Forest Bathing' Approach. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 19:ijerph19010273. [PMID: 35010532 PMCID: PMC8751036 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph19010273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The practice of spending time in green areas to gain the health benefits provided by trees is well known, especially in Asia, as ‘forest bathing’, and the consequent protective and experimentally detectable effects on the human body have been linked to the biogenic volatile organic compounds released by plants. Houseplants are common in houses over the globe and are particularly appreciated for aesthetic reasons as well for their ability to purify air from some environmental volatile pollutants indoors. However, to the best of our knowledge, no attempt has been made to describe the health benefits achievable from houseplants thanks to the biogenic volatile organic compounds released, especially during the day, from some of them. Therefore, we performed the present study, based on both a literature analysis and in silico studies, to investigate whether the volatile compounds and aerosol constituents emitted by some of the most common houseplants (such as peace lily plant, Spathiphyllum wallisii, and iron plant, Aspidistra eliator) could be exploited in ‘indoor forest bathing’ approaches, as proposed here for the first time not only in private houses but also public spaces, such as offices, hospitals, and schools. By using molecular docking (MD) and other in silico methodologies for estimating vapor pressures and chemico-physical/pharmacokinetic properties prediction, we found that β-costol is an organic compound, emitted in appreciable amounts by the houseplant Spathiphyllum wallisii, endowed with potential antiviral properties as emerged by our MD calculations in a SARS-CoV-2 Mpro (main protease) inhibition study, together with sesquirosefuran. Our studies suggest that the anti-COVID-19 potential of these houseplant-emitted compounds is comparable or even higher than known Mpro inhibitors, such as eugenol, and sustain the utility of houseplants as indoor biogenic volatile organic compound emitters for immunity boosting and health protection.
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In Silico Investigation on the Interaction of Chiral Phytochemicals from Opuntia ficus-indica with SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. Symmetry (Basel) 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/sym13061041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Opuntia ficus-indica is a cactaceous plant native to America but, nowadays, widely found worldwide, having been the most common domesticated species of cactus grown as a crop plant in semiarid and arid parts of the globe, including several Mediterranean basin countries. Opuntia ficus-indica can be regarded as a medicinal plant, being source of numerous bioactive phytochemicals such as vitamins, polyphenols, and amino acids. The urgent need for therapeutic treatments for the COronaVIrus Disease 19 (COVID-19), caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS)-Coronavirus (CoV)-2, justifies the great attention currently being paid not only to repurposed antiviral drugs, but also to natural products and herbal medications. In this context, the anti-COVID-19 utility of Opuntia ficus-indica as source of potential antiviral drugs was investigated in this work on the basis of the activity of some of its phytochemical constituents. The antiviral potential was evaluated in silico in docking experiments with Mpro, i.e., the main protease of SARS-CoV-2, that is one of the most investigated protein targets of therapeutic strategies for COVID-19. By using two web-based molecular docking programs (1-Click Mcule and COVID-19 Docking Server), we found, for several flavonols and flavonol glucosides isolated from Opuntia ficus-indica, good binding affinities for Mpro, and in particular, binding energies lower than −7.0 kcal/mol were predicted for astragalin, isorhamnetin, isorhamnetin 3-O-glucoside, 3-O-caffeoyl quinic acid, and quercetin 5,4′-dimethyl ether. Among these compounds, the chiral compound astragalin showed in our in silico studies the highest affinity for Mpro (−8.7 kcal/mol) and also a low toxicity profile, emerging, thus, as an interesting protease inhibitor candidate for anti-COVID-19 strategies.
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Mulliri S, Laaksonen A, Spanu P, Farris R, Farci M, Mingoia F, Roviello GN, Mocci F. Spectroscopic and In Silico Studies on the Interaction of Substituted Pyrazolo[1,2-a]benzo[1,2,3,4]tetrazine-3-one Derivatives with c-Myc G4-DNA. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:6028. [PMID: 34199659 PMCID: PMC8199725 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22116028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2021] [Revised: 05/29/2021] [Accepted: 05/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Herein we describe a combined experimental and in silico study of the interaction of a series of pyrazolo[1,2-a]benzo[1,2,3,4]tetrazin-3-one derivatives (PBTs) with parallel G-quadruplex (GQ) DNA aimed at correlating their previously reported anticancer activities and the stabilizing effects observed by us on c-myc oncogene promoter GQ structure. Circular dichroism (CD) melting experiments were performed to characterize the effect of the studied PBTs on the GQ thermal stability. CD measurements indicate that two out of the eight compounds under investigation induced a slight stabilizing effect (2-4 °C) on GQ depending on the nature and position of the substituents. Molecular docking results allowed us to verify the modes of interaction of the ligands with the GQ and estimate the binding affinities. The highest binding affinity was observed for ligands with the experimental melting temperatures (Tms). However, both stabilizing and destabilizing ligands showed similar scores, whilst Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations, performed across a wide range of temperatures on the GQ in water solution, either unliganded or complexed with two model PBT ligands with the opposite effect on the Tms, consistently confirmed their stabilizing or destabilizing ability ascertained by CD. Clues about a relation between the reported anticancer activity of some PBTs and their ability to stabilize the GQ structure of c-myc emerged from our study. Furthermore, Molecular Dynamics simulations at high temperatures are herein proposed for the first time as a means to verify the stabilizing or destabilizing effect of ligands on the GQ, also disclosing predictive potential in GQ-targeting drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simone Mulliri
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Cagliari, I-09042 Monserrato, Italy; (S.M.); (R.F.); (M.F.)
| | - Aatto Laaksonen
- State Key Laboratory of Materials-Oriented and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, Nanjing 210009, China
- Division of Physical Chemistry, Department of Materials and Environmental Chemistry, Arrhenius Laboratory, Stockholm University, 10691 Stockholm, Sweden
- Centre of Advanced Research in Bionanoconjugates and Biopolymers, Petru Poni Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 700487 Iasi, Romania
- Department of Engineering Sciences and Mathematics, Division of Energy Science, Luleå University of Technology, SE-97187 Luleå, Sweden
| | - Pietro Spanu
- Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare, ICB-CNR-Trav. La Crucca 3, 07100 Sassari, Italy;
| | - Riccardo Farris
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Cagliari, I-09042 Monserrato, Italy; (S.M.); (R.F.); (M.F.)
| | - Matteo Farci
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Cagliari, I-09042 Monserrato, Italy; (S.M.); (R.F.); (M.F.)
| | - Francesco Mingoia
- Istituto per lo Studio dei Materiali Nanostrutturati ISMN-CNR, Via U. La Malfa 153, I-90146 Palermo, Italy;
| | - Giovanni N. Roviello
- Istituto di Biostrutture e Bioimmagini, IBB-CNR, Via Mezzocannone 16, I-80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Francesca Mocci
- Department of Chemical and Geological Sciences, University of Cagliari, I-09042 Monserrato, Italy; (S.M.); (R.F.); (M.F.)
- Centre of Advanced Research in Bionanoconjugates and Biopolymers, Petru Poni Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, 700487 Iasi, Romania
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12
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Fik-Jaskółka MA, Pospieszna-Markiewicz I, Roviello GN, Kubicki M, Radecka-Paryzek W, Patroniak V. Synthesis and Spectroscopic Investigation of a Hexaaza Lanthanum(III) Macrocycle with a Hybrid-Type G4 DNA Stabilizing Effect. Inorg Chem 2021; 60:2122-2126. [PMID: 33528248 PMCID: PMC7888264 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.0c03260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Herein we present a mononuclear lanthanum(III) complex obtained in a template cyclocondensation reaction of lanthanum(III) nitrate salt, 1,2-propanediamine, and 2,6-diacetylpyridine (LaPA complex). A preliminary investigation of the biological potential of this compound was conducted using a biomedically relevant target Tel26. We found that, different from parallel G4, antiparallel G4, and duplex DNA, only a hybrid-type G4 structure of Tel26 in a K+ solution was significantly stabilized by ≥7 °C, which emerged in our UV melting studies. Moreover, LaPA induced structural changes in the Tel26 structure in a K+-deprived solution, suggesting that it may also lead to conformational changes in "non-G4" telomeric DNA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta A Fik-Jaskółka
- Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614 Poznań, Poland.,Centre for Advanced Technology, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 10, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | | | - Giovanni N Roviello
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, National Research Council, Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Napoli, Italy
| | - Maciej Kubicki
- Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Wanda Radecka-Paryzek
- Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
| | - Violetta Patroniak
- Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614 Poznań, Poland
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Roviello V, Roviello GN. Lower COVID-19 mortality in Italian forested areas suggests immunoprotection by Mediterranean plants. ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMISTRY LETTERS 2021; 19:699-710. [PMID: 32837486 PMCID: PMC7427271 DOI: 10.1007/s10311-020-01063-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Accepted: 07/28/2020] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has induced dramatic effects on the population of the industrialized north of Italy, whereas it has not heavily affected inhabitants of the southern regions. This might be explained in part by human exposure to high levels of fine particulate matter (PM) in the air of northern Italy, thus exacerbating the mortality. Since trees mitigate air pollution by intercepting PM onto plant surfaces and bolster the human immune system by emitting bioactive volatile organic compounds (VOCs), we hypothesize a protective role of evergreen forested areas in southern Italy. We compared the mortality rate due to COVID-19, the death number, the positivity rate and the forest coverage per capita in various Italian regions. Hectares of forest per capita and prevalence of deciduous versus evergreen forestal species were also estimated. In silico docking studies of potentially protective compounds found in Laurus nobilis L., a typical Mediterranean plant, were performed to search for potential antivirals. We found that the pandemic's severity was generally lower in southern regions, especially those with more than 0.3 hectares of forest per capita. The lowest mortality rates were found in southern Italy, mainly in regions like Molise (0.007%) and Basilicata (0.005%) where the forest per capita ratio is higher than 0.5 Ha/person. Our findings suggest that evergreen Mediterranean forests and shrubland plants could have protected the southern population by emission of immuno-modulating VOCs and provision of dietary sources of bioactive compounds. Moreover, in silico studies revealed a potential anti-COVID-19 activity in laurusides, which are unexplored glycosides from bay laurel. Overall, our results highlight the importance of nature conservation and applications to the search for natural antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valentina Roviello
- Department of Chemical, Materials and Industrial Production Engineering (DICMaPI), University of Naples Federico II, Piazzale V. Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni N. Roviello
- Istituto Di Biostrutture E Bioimmagini IBB - CNR, Via Mezzocannone 16, 80134 Naples, Italy
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La Manna S, Lopez-Sanz L, Bernal S, Jimenez-Castilla L, Prieto I, Morelli G, Gomez-Guerrero C, Marasco D. Antioxidant Effects of PS5, a Peptidomimetic of Suppressor of Cytokine Signaling 1, in Experimental Atherosclerosis. Antioxidants (Basel) 2020; 9:antiox9080754. [PMID: 32824091 PMCID: PMC7465353 DOI: 10.3390/antiox9080754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2020] [Revised: 08/07/2020] [Accepted: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The chronic activation of the Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of the transcription (JAK/STAT) pathway is linked to oxidative stress, inflammation and cell proliferation. Suppressors of cytokine signaling (SOCS) proteins negatively regulate the JAK/STAT, and SOCS1 possesses a small kinase inhibitory region (KIR) involved in the inhibition of JAK kinases. Several studies showed that KIR-SOCS1 mimetics can be considered valuable therapeutics in several disorders (e.g., diabetes, neurological disorders and atherosclerosis). Herein, we investigated the antioxidant and atheroprotective effects of PS5, a peptidomimetic of KIR-SOCS1, both in vitro (vascular smooth muscle cells and macrophages) and in vivo (atherosclerosis mouse model) by analyzing gene expression, intracellular O2•− production and atheroma plaque progression and composition. PS5 was revealed to be able to attenuate NADPH oxidase (NOX1 and NOX4) and pro-inflammatory gene expression, to upregulate antioxidant genes and to reduce atheroma plaque size, lipid content and monocyte/macrophage accumulation. These findings confirm that KIR-SOCS1-based drugs could be excellent antioxidant agents to contrast atherosclerosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara La Manna
- Department of Pharmacy, CIRPEB: Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sui Peptidi Bioattivi- University of Naples “Federico II”, 80134 Naples, Italy; (S.L.M.); (G.M.)
- Renal and Vascular Inflammation Group, Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria-Fundacion Jimenez Diaz (IIS-FJD), Autonoma University of Madrid (UAM), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (L.L.-S.); (S.B.); (L.J.-C.); (I.P.)
| | - Laura Lopez-Sanz
- Renal and Vascular Inflammation Group, Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria-Fundacion Jimenez Diaz (IIS-FJD), Autonoma University of Madrid (UAM), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (L.L.-S.); (S.B.); (L.J.-C.); (I.P.)
- Spanish Biomedical Research Centre in Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders (CIBERDEM), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Susana Bernal
- Renal and Vascular Inflammation Group, Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria-Fundacion Jimenez Diaz (IIS-FJD), Autonoma University of Madrid (UAM), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (L.L.-S.); (S.B.); (L.J.-C.); (I.P.)
- Spanish Biomedical Research Centre in Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders (CIBERDEM), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Luna Jimenez-Castilla
- Renal and Vascular Inflammation Group, Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria-Fundacion Jimenez Diaz (IIS-FJD), Autonoma University of Madrid (UAM), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (L.L.-S.); (S.B.); (L.J.-C.); (I.P.)
- Spanish Biomedical Research Centre in Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders (CIBERDEM), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Prieto
- Renal and Vascular Inflammation Group, Instituto de Investigacion Sanitaria-Fundacion Jimenez Diaz (IIS-FJD), Autonoma University of Madrid (UAM), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (L.L.-S.); (S.B.); (L.J.-C.); (I.P.)
- Spanish Biomedical Research Centre in Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders (CIBERDEM), 28040 Madrid, Spain
| | - Giancarlo Morelli
- Department of Pharmacy, CIRPEB: Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sui Peptidi Bioattivi- University of Naples “Federico II”, 80134 Naples, Italy; (S.L.M.); (G.M.)
| | - Carmen Gomez-Guerrero
- Spanish Biomedical Research Centre in Diabetes and Associated Metabolic Disorders (CIBERDEM), 28040 Madrid, Spain
- Correspondence: (C.G.-G.); (D.M.)
| | - Daniela Marasco
- Department of Pharmacy, CIRPEB: Centro Interuniversitario di Ricerca sui Peptidi Bioattivi- University of Naples “Federico II”, 80134 Naples, Italy; (S.L.M.); (G.M.)
- Correspondence: (C.G.-G.); (D.M.)
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