1
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Banka VK, Sainas S, Martino E, Wang J, Lolli ML, Ding YS. Radiosynthesis of [ 18F]brequinar for in vivo PET imaging of hDHODH for potential studies of acute myeloid leukemia and cancers. RSC Med Chem 2024:d4md00433g. [PMID: 39149561 PMCID: PMC11320022 DOI: 10.1039/d4md00433g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 07/21/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), an enzyme that plays a critical role in the de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis, has been recognized as a promising target for the treatment of diseases that involve cellular proliferation, such as autoimmune diseases and cancers. Pharmacological inhibition of human DHODH (hDHODH) that offers a potential therapeutic strategy for the treatment in adult subjects with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) has recently been supported by phase I/II clinical trials for the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory AML. To facilitate the development of optimized hDHODH inhibitors, the presence of an in vivo imaging probe that is able to demonstrate in vivo target engagement is critical and desirable. Brequinar is one of the most potent hDHODH inhibitors so far discovered. In this work, we use a copper-mediated radiofluorination (CMRF) strategy and compare the chemical design and radiosynthesis starting from either pinacole boronate p-nitrobenzyl ester (4) or tributylstannate (tin) p-nitrobenzyl ester (5), chosen for their suitability as a precursor to [18F]brequinar. We report here the design, synthesis, radiolabeling and characterization of [18F]brequinar, and a preliminary PET imaging study of DHODH in vivo. This study provides the strategies to create [18F]brequinar, the first hDHODH inhibitor PET radiotracer, which will facilitate its use as a tool (theranostics) for hDHODH drug development and for diagnosis and monitoring therapeutic efficacy in AML and cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vinay Kumar Banka
- Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, Center for Biomedical Imaging 660 First Ave., 4th Floor New York NY 10016 USA +1 (212)263 7541 +1 (212)263 6605
| | - Stefano Sainas
- Department of Drug Science and Technology (DSTF), University of Torino Turin Italy
| | - Elena Martino
- Department of Drug Science and Technology (DSTF), University of Torino Turin Italy
| | - Jiacheng Wang
- Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, Center for Biomedical Imaging 660 First Ave., 4th Floor New York NY 10016 USA +1 (212)263 7541 +1 (212)263 6605
| | - Marco Lucio Lolli
- Department of Drug Science and Technology (DSTF), University of Torino Turin Italy
| | - Yu-Shin Ding
- Department of Radiology, New York University School of Medicine, Center for Biomedical Imaging 660 First Ave., 4th Floor New York NY 10016 USA +1 (212)263 7541 +1 (212)263 6605
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine New York NY USA
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2
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Gege C, Hahn F, Wangen C, Häge S, Herrmann A, Uhlig N, Eberlein V, Issmail L, Klopfleisch R, Grunwald T, Marschall M, Kohlhof H, Vitt D. Synthesis and Characterization of DHODH Inhibitors Based on the Vidofludimus Scaffold with Pronounced Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Activity. ChemMedChem 2024:e202400292. [PMID: 38887198 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202400292] [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: 04/22/2024] [Revised: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
New strategies for the rapid development of broad-spectrum antiviral therapies are urgently required for emerging and re-emerging viruses like the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Host-directed antivirals that target universal cellular metabolic pathways necessary for viral replication present a promising approach with broad-spectrum activity and low potential for development of viral resistance. Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) was identified as one of those universal host factors essential for the replication of many clinically relevant human pathogenic viruses. DHODH is the rate-limiting enzyme catalyzing the fourth step in the de novo pyrimidine synthesis. Therefore, it is also developed as a therapeutic target for many diseases relying on cellular pyrimidine resources, such as cancer, autoimmune diseases and viral or bacterial infection. Thus, several DHODH inhibitors, including vidofludimus calcium (VidoCa, IMU-838), are currently in development or have been investigated in clinical trials for the treatment of virus infections such as SARS-CoV-2-mediated coronavirus disease 19 (COVID-19). Here, we report the medicinal chemistry optimization of VidoCa that resulted in metabolically more stable derivatives with improved DHODH target inhibition in various mammalian species, which translated into improved efficacy against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Gege
- Immunic AG, Lochhamer Schlag 21, 82166, Gräfelfing, Germany
| | - Friedrich Hahn
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christina Wangen
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Sigrun Häge
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | | | - Nadja Uhlig
- Department of Vaccines and Infection Models, Unit Preclinical Validation, Fraunhofer-Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, Perlickstrasse 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Valentina Eberlein
- Department of Vaccines and Infection Models, Unit Preclinical Validation, Fraunhofer-Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, Perlickstrasse 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Leila Issmail
- Department of Vaccines and Infection Models, Unit Preclinical Validation, Fraunhofer-Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, Perlickstrasse 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Robert Klopfleisch
- Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 15, 14163, Berlin, Germany
| | - Thomas Grunwald
- Department of Vaccines and Infection Models, Unit Preclinical Validation, Fraunhofer-Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI, Perlickstrasse 1, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Manfred Marschall
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054, Erlangen, Germany
| | - Hella Kohlhof
- Immunic AG, Lochhamer Schlag 21, 82166, Gräfelfing, Germany
| | - Daniel Vitt
- Immunic AG, Lochhamer Schlag 21, 82166, Gräfelfing, Germany
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3
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Zhao BQ, Chen J, Chen JX, Cheng Y, Zhou JF, Bai JS, Mao DY, Zhou B. Classical swine fever virus non-structural protein 4A recruits dihydroorotate dehydrogenase to facilitate viral replication. J Virol 2024; 98:e0049424. [PMID: 38757985 PMCID: PMC11237749 DOI: 10.1128/jvi.00494-24] [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: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Mitochondria are energy producers in cells, which can affect viral replication by regulating the host innate immune signaling pathways, and the changes in their biological functions are inextricably linked the viral life cycle. In this study, we screened a library of 382 mitochondria-targeted compounds and identified the antiviral inhibitors of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), the rate-limiting enzyme in the de novo synthesis pathway of pyrimidine ribonucleotides, against classical swine fever virus (CSFV). Our data showed that the inhibitors interfered with viral RNA synthesis in a dose-dependent manner, with half-maximal effective concentrations (EC50) ranging from 0.975 to 26.635 nM. Remarkably, DHODH inhibitors obstructed CSFV replication by enhancing the innate immune response including the TBK1-IRF3-STAT1 and NF-κB signaling pathways. Furthermore, the data from a series of compound addition and supplementation trials indicated that DHODH inhibitors also inhibited CSFV replication by blocking the de novo pyrimidine synthesis. Remarkably, DHODH knockdown demonstrated that it was essential for CSFV replication. Mechanistically, confocal microscopy and immunoprecipitation assays showed that the non-structural protein 4A (NS4A) recruited and interacted with DHODH in the perinuclear. Notably, NS4A enhanced the DHODH activity and promoted the generation of UMP for efficient viral replication. Structurally, the amino acids 65-229 of DHODH and the amino acids 25-40 of NS4A were pivotal for this interaction. Taken together, our findings highlight the critical role of DHODH in the CSFV life cycle and offer a potential antiviral target for the development of novel therapeutics against CSF. IMPORTANCE Classical swine fever remains one of the most economically important viral diseases of domestic pigs and wild boar worldwide. dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) inhibitors have been shown to suppress the replication of several viruses in vitro and in vivo, but the effects on Pestivirus remain unknown. In this study, three specific DHODH inhibitors, including DHODH-IN-16, BAY-2402234, and Brequinar were found to strongly suppress classical swine fever virus (CSFV) replication. These inhibitors target the host DHODH, depleting the pyrimidine nucleotide pool to exert their antiviral effects. Intriguingly, we observed that the non-structural protein 4A of CSFV induced DHODH to accumulate around the nucleus in conjunction with mitochondria. Moreover, NS4A exhibited a strong interaction with DHODH, enhancing its activity to promote efficient CSFV replication. In conclusion, our findings enhance the understanding of the pyrimidine synthesis in CSFV infection and expand the novel functions of CSFV NS4A in viral replication, providing a reference for further exploration of antiviral targets against CSFV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bing-qian Zhao
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jing Chen
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jin-Xia Chen
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Cheng
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Jiang-fei Zhou
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ji-shan Bai
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Ding-yi Mao
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
| | - Bin Zhou
- MOE Joint International Research Laboratory of Animal Health and Food Safety, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
- Key Laboratory of Animal Bacteriology, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, China
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4
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Alberti M, Poli G, Broggini L, Sainas S, Rizzi M, Boschi D, Ferraris DM, Martino E, Ricagno S, Tuccinardi T, Lolli ML, Miggiano R. An alternative conformation of the N-terminal loop of human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase drives binding to a potent antiproliferative agent. Acta Crystallogr D Struct Biol 2024; 80:386-396. [PMID: 38805244 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798324004066] [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: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the years, human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (hDHODH), which is a key player in the de novo pyrimidine-biosynthesis pathway, has been targeted in the treatment of several conditions, including autoimmune disorders and acute myelogenous leukaemia, as well as in host-targeted antiviral therapy. A molecular exploration of its inhibitor-binding behaviours yielded promising candidates for innovative drug design. A detailed description of the enzymatic pharmacophore drove the decoration of well-established inhibitory scaffolds, thus gaining further in vitro and in vivo efficacy. In the present work, using X-ray crystallography, an atypical rearrangement was identified in the binding pose of a potent inhibitor characterized by a polar pyridine-based moiety (compound 18). The crystal structure shows that upon binding compound 18 the dynamics of a protein loop involved in a gating mechanism at the cofactor-binding site is modulated by the presence of three water molecules, thus fine-tuning the polarity/hydrophobicity of the binding pocket. These solvent molecules are engaged in the formation of a hydrogen-bond mesh in which one of them establishes a direct contact with the pyridine moiety of compound 18, thus paving the way for a reappraisal of the inhibition of hDHODH. Using an integrated approach, the thermodynamics of such a modulation is described by means of isothermal titration calorimetry coupled with molecular modelling. These structural insights will guide future drug design to obtain a finer Kd/logD7.4 balance and identify membrane-permeable molecules with a drug-like profile in terms of water solubility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Alberti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via G. Bovio 6, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Giulio Poli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Luca Broggini
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Cardiology, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Piazza Malan, 20097 San Donato Milanese, Italy
| | - Stefano Sainas
- Department of Sciences and Drug Technology, University of Torino, Via P. Giuria 9, 10125 Torino, Italy
| | - Menico Rizzi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via G. Bovio 6, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Donatella Boschi
- Department of Sciences and Drug Technology, University of Torino, Via P. Giuria 9, 10125 Torino, Italy
| | - Davide M Ferraris
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via G. Bovio 6, 28100 Novara, Italy
| | - Elena Martino
- Department of Sciences and Drug Technology, University of Torino, Via P. Giuria 9, 10125 Torino, Italy
| | - Stefano Ricagno
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Cardiology, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Piazza Malan, 20097 San Donato Milanese, Italy
| | - Tiziano Tuccinardi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Marco L Lolli
- Department of Sciences and Drug Technology, University of Torino, Via P. Giuria 9, 10125 Torino, Italy
| | - Riccardo Miggiano
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via G. Bovio 6, 28100 Novara, Italy
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5
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Zhang Y, Chen S, Tian Y, Fu X. Host factors of SARS-CoV-2 in infection, pathogenesis, and long-term effects. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2024; 14:1407261. [PMID: 38846354 PMCID: PMC11155306 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2024.1407261] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is the causative virus of the devastating COVID-19 pandemic that results in an unparalleled global health and economic crisis. Despite unprecedented scientific efforts and therapeutic interventions, the fight against COVID-19 continues as the rapid emergence of different SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern and the increasing challenge of long COVID-19, raising a vast demand to understand the pathomechanisms of COVID-19 and its long-term sequelae and develop therapeutic strategies beyond the virus per se. Notably, in addition to the virus itself, the replication cycle of SARS-CoV-2 and clinical severity of COVID-19 is also governed by host factors. In this review, we therefore comprehensively overview the replication cycle and pathogenesis of SARS-CoV-2 from the perspective of host factors and host-virus interactions. We sequentially outline the pathological implications of molecular interactions between host factors and SARS-CoV-2 in multi-organ and multi-system long COVID-19, and summarize current therapeutic strategies and agents targeting host factors for treating these diseases. This knowledge would be key for the identification of new pathophysiological aspects and mechanisms, and the development of actionable therapeutic targets and strategies for tackling COVID-19 and its sequelae.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yan Tian
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Medical School, West China Hospital and Cancer Center, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Sichuan, Chengdu, China
| | - Xianghui Fu
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Biotherapy, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Medical School, West China Hospital and Cancer Center, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Sichuan, Chengdu, China
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6
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Lü Z, Dai X, Xu J, Liu Z, Guo Y, Gao Z, Meng F. Medicinal chemistry strategies toward broad-spectrum antiviral agents to prevent next pandemics. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 271:116442. [PMID: 38685143 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116442] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
The pandemic and tremendous impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 alert us, despite great achievements in prevention and control of infectious diseases, we still lack universal and powerful antiviral strategies to rapidly respond to the potential threat of serious infectious disease. Various highly contagious and pathogenic viruses, as well as other unknown viruses may appear or reappear in human society at any time, causing a catastrophic epidemic. Developing broad-spectrum antiviral drugs with high security and efficiency is of great significance for timely meeting public health emergency and protecting the lives and health of the people. Hence, in this review, we summarized diverse broad-spectrum antiviral targets and corresponding agents from a medicinal chemistry prospective, compared the pharmacological advantages and disadvantages of different targets, listed representative agents, showed their structures, pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics characteristics, and conducted a critical discussion on their development potential, in the hope of providing up-to-date guidance for the development of broad-spectrum antivirals and perspectives for applications of antiviral therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zirui Lü
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Xiandong Dai
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Jianjie Xu
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Zhenming Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yongbiao Guo
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Zhenhua Gao
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China
| | - Fanhua Meng
- State Key Laboratory of NBC Protection for Civilian, Beijing, 102205, China.
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7
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Mousavi H, Rimaz M, Zeynizadeh B. Practical Three-Component Regioselective Synthesis of Drug-Like 3-Aryl(or heteroaryl)-5,6-dihydrobenzo[ h]cinnolines as Potential Non-Covalent Multi-Targeting Inhibitors To Combat Neurodegenerative Diseases. ACS Chem Neurosci 2024; 15:1828-1881. [PMID: 38647433 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.4c00055] [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] [Indexed: 04/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are one of the prominent health challenges facing contemporary society, and many efforts have been made to overcome and (or) control it. In this research paper, we described a practical one-pot two-step three-component reaction between 3,4-dihydronaphthalen-1(2H)-one (1), aryl(or heteroaryl)glyoxal monohydrates (2a-h), and hydrazine monohydrate (NH2NH2•H2O) for the regioselective preparation of some 3-aryl(or heteroaryl)-5,6-dihydrobenzo[h]cinnoline derivatives (3a-h). After synthesis and characterization of the mentioned cinnolines (3a-h), the in silico multi-targeting inhibitory properties of these heterocyclic scaffolds have been investigated upon various Homo sapiens-type enzymes, including hMAO-A, hMAO-B, hAChE, hBChE, hBACE-1, hBACE-2, hNQO-1, hNQO-2, hnNOS, hiNOS, hPARP-1, hPARP-2, hLRRK-2(G2019S), hGSK-3β, hp38α MAPK, hJNK-3, hOGA, hNMDA receptor, hnSMase-2, hIDO-1, hCOMT, hLIMK-1, hLIMK-2, hRIPK-1, hUCH-L1, hPARK-7, and hDHODH, which have confirmed their functions and roles in the neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), based on molecular docking studies, and the obtained results were compared with a wide range of approved drugs and well-known (with IC50, EC50, etc.) compounds. In addition, in silico ADMET prediction analysis was performed to examine the prospective drug properties of the synthesized heterocyclic compounds (3a-h). The obtained results from the molecular docking studies and ADMET-related data demonstrated that these series of 3-aryl(or heteroaryl)-5,6-dihydrobenzo[h]cinnolines (3a-h), especially hit ones, can really be turned into the potent core of new drugs for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), and/or due to the having some reactionable locations, they are able to have further organic reactions (such as cross-coupling reactions), and expansion of these compounds (for example, with using other types of aryl(or heteroaryl)glyoxal monohydrates) makes a new avenue for designing novel and efficient drugs for this purpose.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hossein Mousavi
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Urmia University, Urmia 5756151818, Iran
| | - Mehdi Rimaz
- Department of Chemistry, Payame Noor University, P.O. Box 19395-3697, Tehran 19395-3697, Iran
| | - Behzad Zeynizadeh
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Urmia University, Urmia 5756151818, Iran
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8
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Moon C, Porges E, Roberts A, Bacon J. A combination of nirmatrelvir and ombitasvir boosts inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 replication. Antiviral Res 2024; 225:105859. [PMID: 38492891 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.105859] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024]
Abstract
Antiviral therapeutics are highly effective countermeasures for the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, development of resistance to antivirals undermines their effectiveness. Combining multiple antivirals during patient treatment has the potential to overcome the evolutionary selective pressure towards antiviral resistance, as well as provide a more robust and efficacious treatment option. The current evidence for effective antiviral combinations to inhibit severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) replication is limited. Here, we demonstrate a combination of nirmatrelvir with ombitasvir, to jointly bring about potent inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 replication. We developed an in vitro 384- well plate cytopathic effect assay for the evaluation of antiviral combinations against Calu-3 cells infected with SARS-CoV-2 and found, that a combination of ombitasvir and nirmatrelvir was synergistic; thereby decreasing the nirmatrelvir IC50 by approx. 16-fold. The increased potency of the nirmatrelvir-ombitasvir combination, over nirmatrelvir alone afforded a greater than 3 log10 reduction in viral titre, which is sufficient to fully prevent the detection of progeny SARS-CoV-2 viral particles at 48 h post infection. The mechanism of this potentiated effect was shown to be, in-part, due to joint inhibition of the 3-chymotrypsin-like protease via a positive allosteric modulation mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Moon
- Discovery Group, UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UK.
| | - Eleanor Porges
- Discovery Group, UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Adam Roberts
- Discovery Group, UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UK
| | - Joanna Bacon
- Discovery Group, UK Health Security Agency, Porton Down, Salisbury, SP4 0JG, UK
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9
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Purificação A, Silva-Mendonça S, Cruz LV, Sacramento CQ, Temerozo JR, Fintelman-Rodrigues N, de Freitas CS, Godoi BF, Vaidergorn MM, Leite JA, Salazar Alvarez LC, Freitas MV, Silvac MFB, Martin BA, Lopez RFV, Neves BJ, Costa FTM, Souza TML, da Silva Emery F, Andrade CH, Nonato MC. Unveiling the Antiviral Capabilities of Targeting Human Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase against SARS-CoV-2. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:11418-11430. [PMID: 38496952 PMCID: PMC10938441 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c07845] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2023] [Revised: 01/18/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
The urgent need for effective treatments against emerging viral diseases, driven by drug-resistant strains and new viral variants, remains critical. We focus on inhibiting the human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (HsDHODH), one of the main enzymes responsible for pyrimidine nucleotide synthesis. This strategy could impede viral replication without provoking resistance. We evaluated naphthoquinone fragments, discovering potent HsDHODH inhibition with IC50 ranging from 48 to 684 nM, and promising in vitro anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity with EC50 ranging from 1.2 to 2.3 μM. These compounds exhibited low toxicity, indicating potential for further development. Additionally, we employed computational tools such as molecular docking and quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models to analyze protein-ligand interactions, revealing that these naphthoquinones exhibit a protein binding pattern similar to brequinar, a potent HsDHODH inhibitor. These findings represent a significant step forward in the search for effective antiviral treatments and have great potential to impact the development of new broad-spectrum antiviral drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline
D. Purificação
- Protein
Crystallography Laboratory, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, School
of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 05508-060, SP, Brazil
- Center
for the Research and Advancement in Fragments and molecular Targets
(CRAFT), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 05508-060, SP, Brazil
| | - Sabrina Silva-Mendonça
- Center
for the Research and Advancement in Fragments and molecular Targets
(CRAFT), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 05508-060, SP, Brazil
- Laboratory
for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design (LabMol), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia 74605-170, GO, Brazil
| | - Luiza V. Cruz
- Center
for the Research and Advancement in Fragments and molecular Targets
(CRAFT), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 05508-060, SP, Brazil
- Laboratory
for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design (LabMol), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia 74605-170, GO, Brazil
| | - Carolina Q. Sacramento
- Laboratory
of Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de
Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil
- National
Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Diseases of
Neglected Populations (INCT/IDPN), Center for Technological Development
in Health (CDTS), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil
| | - Jairo R. Temerozo
- Laboratory
of Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de
Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil
- National
Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Diseases of
Neglected Populations (INCT/IDPN), Center for Technological Development
in Health (CDTS), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil
- National
Institute for Science and Technology on Neuroimmunomodulation, Oswaldo
Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil
| | - Natalia Fintelman-Rodrigues
- Laboratory
of Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de
Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil
- National
Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Diseases of
Neglected Populations (INCT/IDPN), Center for Technological Development
in Health (CDTS), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil
| | - Caroline Souza de Freitas
- Laboratory
of Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de
Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil
- National
Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Diseases of
Neglected Populations (INCT/IDPN), Center for Technological Development
in Health (CDTS), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil
| | - Bruna Fleck Godoi
- Center
for the Research and Advancement in Fragments and molecular Targets
(CRAFT), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 05508-060, SP, Brazil
- Laboratory
of Heterocyclic and Medicinal Chemistry (QHeteM), Department of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto 05508-060, SP, Brazil
| | - Miguel Menezes Vaidergorn
- Center
for the Research and Advancement in Fragments and molecular Targets
(CRAFT), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 05508-060, SP, Brazil
- Laboratory
of Heterocyclic and Medicinal Chemistry (QHeteM), Department of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto 05508-060, SP, Brazil
| | - Juliana Almeida Leite
- Laboratory
of Tropical Diseases, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology
and Immunology, Institute of Biology, Unicamp, Campinas 13.083-857, SP, Brazil
| | - Luis Carlos Salazar Alvarez
- Laboratory
of Tropical Diseases, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology
and Immunology, Institute of Biology, Unicamp, Campinas 13.083-857, SP, Brazil
| | - Murillo V. Freitas
- Laboratory
for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design (LabMol), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia 74605-170, GO, Brazil
| | - Meryck F. B. Silvac
- Laboratory
for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design (LabMol), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia 74605-170, GO, Brazil
- Laboratory
of Cheminformatics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia 74605-170, GO, Brazil
| | - Bianca A. Martin
- Innovation
Center in Nanostructured Systems and Topical Administration (NanoTop),
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 05508-060, SP, Brazil
| | - Renata F. V. Lopez
- Innovation
Center in Nanostructured Systems and Topical Administration (NanoTop),
School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 05508-060, SP, Brazil
| | - Bruno J. Neves
- Laboratory
of Cheminformatics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia 74605-170, GO, Brazil
| | - Fabio T. M. Costa
- Laboratory
of Tropical Diseases, Department of Genetics, Evolution, Microbiology
and Immunology, Institute of Biology, Unicamp, Campinas 13.083-857, SP, Brazil
| | - Thiago M. L. Souza
- Laboratory
of Immunopharmacology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de
Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil
- National
Institute for Science and Technology on Innovation in Diseases of
Neglected Populations (INCT/IDPN), Center for Technological Development
in Health (CDTS), Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil
| | - Flavio da Silva Emery
- Center
for the Research and Advancement in Fragments and molecular Targets
(CRAFT), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 05508-060, SP, Brazil
- Laboratory
of Heterocyclic and Medicinal Chemistry (QHeteM), Department of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto 05508-060, SP, Brazil
| | - Carolina Horta Andrade
- Center
for the Research and Advancement in Fragments and molecular Targets
(CRAFT), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 05508-060, SP, Brazil
- Laboratory
for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design (LabMol), Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia 74605-170, GO, Brazil
- Center
for Excellence in Artificial Intelligence (CEIA), Institute of Informatics, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia 74605-170, GO, Brazil
| | - M. Cristina Nonato
- Protein
Crystallography Laboratory, Department of Biomolecular Sciences, School
of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 05508-060, SP, Brazil
- Center
for the Research and Advancement in Fragments and molecular Targets
(CRAFT), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences at Ribeirao Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto 05508-060, SP, Brazil
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10
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Yang K, Kong R, Spiegel R, Baird JD, O'Keefe K, Howell BA, Watkins PB. Quantitative Systems Toxicology Modeling Informed Safe Dose Selection of Emvododstat in Acute Myeloid Leukemia Patients. Clin Pharmacol Ther 2024; 115:525-534. [PMID: 38065572 DOI: 10.1002/cpt.3136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Clinical investigation of emvododstat for the treatment of solid tumors was halted after two patients who were heavily treated with other anticancer therapies experienced drug-induced liver failure. However, preclinical investigations supported that emvododstat at lower doses might be effective in treating acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and against severe acute respiratory syndrome-coronavirus 2 as a dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitor. Therefore, a quantitative systems toxicology model, DILIsym, was used to predict liver safety of the proposed dosing of emvododstat in AML clinical trials. In vitro mechanistic toxicity data of emvododstat and its desmethyl metabolite were integrated with in vivo exposure within DILIsym to predict hepatotoxicity responses in a simulated human population. DILIsym simulations predicted alanine aminotransferase elevations observed in prior emvododstat clinical trials in patients with solid tumors, but not in the prospective AML clinical trial with the proposed dosing regimens. Exposure predictions based on physiologically-based pharmacokinetic modeling suggested that reduced doses of emvododstat would produce clinical exposures that would be efficacious to treat AML. In the AML clinical trial, only eight patients experienced aminotransferase elevations, all of which were mild (grade 1), all resolving within a short period of time, and no patient showed symptoms of hepatotoxicity, confirming the prospective prediction of liver safety. Overall, retrospective DILIsym simulations adequately predicted the liver safety liabilities of emvododstat in solid tumor trials and prospective simulations predicted the liver safety of reduced doses in an AML clinical trial. The modeling was critical to enabling regulatory approval to proceed with the AML clinical trial wherein the predicted liver safety was confirmed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyunghee Yang
- Quantitative Systems Pharmacology Solutions, Simulations Plus Inc., Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Ronald Kong
- PTC Therapeutics, Inc., South Plainfield, New Jersey, USA
| | - Robert Spiegel
- PTC Therapeutics, Inc., South Plainfield, New Jersey, USA
| | - John D Baird
- PTC Therapeutics, Inc., South Plainfield, New Jersey, USA
| | - Kylie O'Keefe
- PTC Therapeutics, Inc., South Plainfield, New Jersey, USA
| | - Brett A Howell
- Quantitative Systems Pharmacology Solutions, Simulations Plus Inc., Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA
| | - Paul B Watkins
- UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
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11
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Du S, Hu X, Menéndez-Arias L, Zhan P, Liu X. Target-based drug design strategies to overcome resistance to antiviral agents: opportunities and challenges. Drug Resist Updat 2024; 73:101053. [PMID: 38301487 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2024.101053] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Viral infections have a major impact in human health. Ongoing viral transmission and escalating selective pressure have the potential to favor the emergence of vaccine- and antiviral drug-resistant viruses. Target-based approaches for the design of antiviral drugs can play a pivotal role in combating drug-resistant challenges. Drug design computational tools facilitate the discovery of novel drugs. This review provides a comprehensive overview of current drug design strategies employed in the field of antiviral drug resistance, illustrated through the description of a series of successful applications. These strategies include technologies that enhance compound-target affinity while minimizing interactions with mutated binding pockets. Furthermore, emerging approaches such as virtual screening, targeted protein/RNA degradation, and resistance analysis during drug design have been harnessed to curtail the emergence of drug resistance. Additionally, host targeting antiviral drugs offer a promising avenue for circumventing viral mutation. The widespread adoption of these refined drug design strategies will effectively address the prevailing challenge posed by antiviral drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaoqing Du
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44 West Culture Road, 250012 Jinan, Shandong, PR China
| | - Xueping Hu
- Institute of Frontier Chemistry, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, PR China
| | - Luis Menéndez-Arias
- Centro de Biología Molecular "Severo Ochoa" (Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas & Universidad Autónoma de Madrid), Madrid, Spain.
| | - Peng Zhan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44 West Culture Road, 250012 Jinan, Shandong, PR China; China-Belgium Collaborative Research Center for Innovative Antiviral Drugs of Shandong Province, 44 West Culture Road, 250012 Jinan, Shandong, PR China.
| | - Xinyong Liu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44 West Culture Road, 250012 Jinan, Shandong, PR China; China-Belgium Collaborative Research Center for Innovative Antiviral Drugs of Shandong Province, 44 West Culture Road, 250012 Jinan, Shandong, PR China.
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12
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He Y, Zhou J, Gao H, Liu C, Zhan P, Liu X. Broad-spectrum antiviral strategy: Host-targeting antivirals against emerging and re-emerging viruses. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 265:116069. [PMID: 38160620 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.116069] [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: 10/03/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Viral infections are amongst the most prevalent diseases that pose a significant threat to human health. Targeting viral proteins or host factors represents two primary strategies for the development of antiviral drugs. In contrast to virus-targeting antivirals (VTAs), host-targeting antivirals (HTAs) offer advantages in terms of overcoming drug resistance and effectively combating a wide range of viruses, including newly emerging ones. Therefore, targeting host factors emerges as an extremely promising strategy with the potential to address critical challenges faced by VTAs. In recent years, extensive research has been conducted on the discovery and development of HTAs, leading to the approval of maraviroc, a chemokine receptor type 5 (CCR5) antagonist used for the treatment of HIV-1 infected individuals, with several other potential treatments in various stages of development for different viral infections. This review systematically summarizes advancements made in medicinal chemistry regarding various host targets and classifies them into four distinct catagories based on their involvement in the viral life cycle: virus attachment and entry, biosynthesis, nuclear import and export, and viral release.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong He
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Ji'nan, 250012, Shandong Province, PR China
| | - Jiahui Zhou
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Ji'nan, 250012, Shandong Province, PR China
| | - Huizhan Gao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Ji'nan, 250012, Shandong Province, PR China
| | - Chuanfeng Liu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Ji'nan, 250012, Shandong Province, PR China
| | - Peng Zhan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Ji'nan, 250012, Shandong Province, PR China.
| | - Xinyong Liu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Ji'nan, 250012, Shandong Province, PR China.
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13
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Guo H, Liu D, Liu K, Hou Y, Li C, Li Q, Ding X, Verstegen MMA, Zhang J, Wang L, Ding Y, Tang R, Pan X, Zheng K, van der Laan LJW, Pan Q, Wang W. Drug repurposing screen identifies vidofludimus calcium and pyrazofurin as novel chemical entities for the development of hepatitis E interventions. Virol Sin 2024; 39:123-133. [PMID: 37984761 PMCID: PMC10877426 DOI: 10.1016/j.virs.2023.11.006] [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: 08/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Hepatitis E virus (HEV) infection can cause severe complications and high mortality, particularly in pregnant women, organ transplant recipients, individuals with pre-existing liver disease and immunosuppressed patients. However, there are still unmet needs for treating chronic HEV infections. Herein, we screened a best-in-class drug repurposing library consisting of 262 drugs/compounds. Upon screening, we identified vidofludimus calcium and pyrazofurin as novel anti-HEV entities. Vidofludimus calcium is the next-generation dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) inhibitor in the phase 3 pipeline to treat autoimmune diseases or SARS-CoV-2 infection. Pyrazofurin selectively targets uridine monophosphate synthetase (UMPS). Their anti-HEV effects were further investigated in a range of cell culture models and human liver organoids models with wild type HEV strains and ribavirin treatment failure-associated HEV strains. Encouragingly, both drugs exhibited a sizeable therapeutic window against HEV. For instance, the IC50 value of vidofludimus calcium is 4.6-7.6-fold lower than the current therapeutic doses in patients. Mechanistically, their anti-HEV mode of action depends on the blockage of pyrimidine synthesis. Notably, two drugs robustly inhibited ribavirin treatment failure-associated HEV mutants (Y1320H, G1634R). Their combination with IFN-α resulted in synergistic antiviral activity. In conclusion, we identified vidofludimus calcium and pyrazofurin as potent candidates for the treatment of HEV infections. Based on their antiviral potency, and also the favorable safety profile identified in clinical studies, our study supports the initiation of clinical studies to repurpose these drugs for treating chronic hepatitis E.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongbo Guo
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, China.
| | - Dan Liu
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, China
| | - Kuan Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, NL-3015 CN, the Netherlands; Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC Transplant Institute, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015CE, NL-3015 CN, the Netherlands
| | - Yao Hou
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, China
| | - Chunyang Li
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, China
| | - Qiudi Li
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, China
| | - Xiaohui Ding
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, China
| | - Monique M A Verstegen
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC Transplant Institute, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015CE, NL-3015 CN, the Netherlands
| | - Jikai Zhang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, China
| | - Lingli Wang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, China
| | - Yibo Ding
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, China
| | - Renxian Tang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, China
| | - Xiucheng Pan
- Department of Infectious Diseases, The Affiliated Hospital of Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221002, China
| | - Kuiyang Zheng
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, China
| | - Luc J W van der Laan
- Department of Surgery, Erasmus MC Transplant Institute, University Medical Center, Rotterdam, 3015CE, NL-3015 CN, the Netherlands
| | - Qiuwei Pan
- Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Erasmus MC-University Medical Center, Rotterdam, NL-3015 CN, the Netherlands.
| | - Wenshi Wang
- Department of Pathogen Biology and Immunology, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Jiangsu International Laboratory of Immunity and Metabolism, Xuzhou Medical University, Xuzhou, 221004, China.
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14
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Amahong K, Zhang W, Liu Y, Li T, Huang S, Han L, Tao L, Zhu F. RVvictor: Virus RNA-directed molecular interactions for RNA virus infection. Comput Biol Med 2024; 169:107886. [PMID: 38157777 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2023.107886] [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: 08/06/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
RNA viruses are major human pathogens that cause seasonal epidemics and occasional pandemic outbreaks. Due to the nature of their RNA genomes, it is anticipated that virus's RNA interacts with host protein (INTPRO), messenger RNA (INTmRNA), and non-coding RNA (INTncRNA) to perform their particular functions during their transcription and replication. In other words, thus, it is urgently needed to have such valuable data on virus RNA-directed molecular interactions (especially INTPROs), which are highly anticipated to attract broad research interests in the fields of RNA virus translation and replication. In this study, a new database was constructed to describe the virus RNA-directed interaction (INTPRO, INTmRNA, INTncRNA) for RNA virus (RVvictor). This database is unique in a) unambiguously characterizing the interactions between viruses RNAs and host proteins, b) providing, for the first time, the most systematic RNA-directed interaction data resources in providing clues to understand the molecular mechanisms of RNA viruses' translation, and replication, and c) in RVvictor, comprehensive enrichment analysis is conducted for each virus RNA based on its associated target genes/proteins, and the enrichment results were explicitly illustrated using various graphs. We found significant enrichment of a suite of pathways related to infection, translation, and replication, e.g., HIV infection, coronavirus disease, regulation of viral genome replication, and so on. Due to the devastating and persistent threat posed by the RNA virus, RVvictor constructed, for the first time, a possible network of cross-talk in RNA-directed interaction, which may ultimately explain the pathogenicity of RNA virus infection. The knowledge base might help develop new anti-viral therapeutic targets in the future. It's now free and publicly accessible at: https://idrblab.org/rvvictor/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuerbannisha Amahong
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine of Zhejiang University, Alibaba-Zhejiang University Joint Research Center of Future Digital Healthcare, Hangzhou, 330110, China
| | - Wei Zhang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine of Zhejiang University, Alibaba-Zhejiang University Joint Research Center of Future Digital Healthcare, Hangzhou, 330110, China
| | - Yuhong Liu
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-cancer Chinese Medicines, School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311121, China
| | - Teng Li
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Shijie Huang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine of Zhejiang University, Alibaba-Zhejiang University Joint Research Center of Future Digital Healthcare, Hangzhou, 330110, China
| | - Lianyi Han
- Greater Bay Area Institute of Precision Medicine (Guangzhou), School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, 315211, China.
| | - Lin Tao
- Key Laboratory of Elemene Class Anti-cancer Chinese Medicines, School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, 311121, China.
| | - Feng Zhu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China; Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine of Zhejiang University, Alibaba-Zhejiang University Joint Research Center of Future Digital Healthcare, Hangzhou, 330110, China.
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15
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Li J, Takeda M, Imahatakenaka M, Ikeda M. Identification of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitor, vidofludimus, as a potent and novel inhibitor for influenza virus. J Med Virol 2024; 96:e29372. [PMID: 38235544 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29372] [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: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024]
Abstract
Influenza A virus (IAV) infection causes respiratory disease. Recently, infection of IAV H5N1 among mammals are reported in farmed mink. Therefore, to discover antivirals against IAV, we screened a compound library by using the RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) assay system derived from H5N1 IAV including a drug-resistant PA mutant (I38T) and a viral polymerase activity enhancing PB2 mutant (T271A). Upon screening, we found vidofludimus can be served as a potential inhibitor for IAV. Vidofludimus an orally active inhibitor for dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), a key enzyme for the cellular de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway. We found that vidofludimus exerted antiviral activity against wild-type and drug-resistant mutant IAV, with effective concentrations (EC50 ) of 2.10 and 2.11 μM, respectively. The anti-IAV activity of vidofludimus was canceled by the treatment of uridine or cytidine through pyrimidine salvage synthesis pathway, or orotic acid through pyrimidine de novo synthesis pathway. This indicated that the main target of vidofludimus is DHODH in IAV RdRp expressing cells. We also produced recombinant seasonal IAV H1N1 virion and influenza B virus (IBV) RdRp assay system and confirmed vidofludimus also carried highly antiviral activity against seasonal IAV and IBV. Vidofludimus is a candidate drug for the future threat of IAV H5N1 infection among humans as well as seasonal influenza virus infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiazhou Li
- Division of Biological Information Technology, Joint Research Center for Human Retrovirus Infection, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Midori Takeda
- Division of Biological Information Technology, Joint Research Center for Human Retrovirus Infection, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Mikiko Imahatakenaka
- Division of Biological Information Technology, Joint Research Center for Human Retrovirus Infection, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
| | - Masanori Ikeda
- Division of Biological Information Technology, Joint Research Center for Human Retrovirus Infection, Kagoshima University, Kagoshima, Japan
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16
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Qin C, Xie T, Yeh WW, Savas AC, Feng P. Metabolic Enzymes in Viral Infection and Host Innate Immunity. Viruses 2023; 16:35. [PMID: 38257735 PMCID: PMC10820379 DOI: 10.3390/v16010035] [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: 11/21/2023] [Revised: 12/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/22/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Metabolic enzymes are central players for cell metabolism and cell proliferation. These enzymes perform distinct functions in various cellular processes, such as cell metabolism and immune defense. Because viral infections inevitably trigger host immune activation, viruses have evolved diverse strategies to blunt or exploit the host immune response to enable viral replication. Meanwhile, viruses hijack key cellular metabolic enzymes to reprogram metabolism, which generates the necessary biomolecules for viral replication. An emerging theme arising from the metabolic studies of viral infection is that metabolic enzymes are key players of immune response and, conversely, immune components regulate cellular metabolism, revealing unexpected communication between these two fundamental processes that are otherwise disjointed. This review aims to summarize our present comprehension of the involvement of metabolic enzymes in viral infections and host immunity and to provide insights for potential antiviral therapy targeting metabolic enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Qin
- Section of Infection and Immunity, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | | | | | | | - Pinghui Feng
- Section of Infection and Immunity, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
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17
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Xu H, Li Y, Li Q, Ma Z, Yin S, He H, Xiong Y, Xiong X, Lan D, Li J, Fu W. Cloning and Characterization of Yak DHODH Gene and Its Functional Studies in a Bisphenol S-Induced Ferroptosis Model of Fetal Fibroblasts. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3832. [PMID: 38136869 PMCID: PMC10740537 DOI: 10.3390/ani13243832] [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: 10/17/2023] [Revised: 12/04/2023] [Accepted: 12/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) is a rate-limiting enzyme of de novo biosynthesis of pyrimidine. Although the involvement of DHODH in resisting ferroptosis has been successively reported in recent years, which greatly advanced the understanding of the mechanism of programmed cell death (PCD), the genetic sequence of the yak DHODH gene and its roles in ferroptosis are still unknown. For this purpose, we firstly cloned the coding region sequence of DHODH (1188 bp) from yak liver and conducted a characterization analysis of its predictive protein that consists of 395 amino acids. We found that the coding region of the yak DHODH gene presented high conservation among species. Second, the expression profile of the DHODH gene in various yak tissues was investigated using RT-qPCR. The results demonstrated that DHODH was widely expressed in different yak tissues, with particularly high levels in the spleen, heart, and liver. Third, to investigate the involvement of DHODH in regulating ferroptosis in cells, yak skin fibroblasts (YSFs) were isolated from fetuses. And then, bisphenol S (BPS) was used to induce the in vitro ferroptosis model of YSFs. We observed that BPS decreased the cell viability (CCK8) and membrane potential (JC-1) of YSFs in a dose-dependent manner and induced oxidative stress by elevating reactive oxygen species (ROS). Simultaneously, it was evident that BPS effectively augmented the indicators associated with ferroptosis (MDA and BODIPY staining) and reduced GSH levels. Importantly, the co-administration of Ferrostatin-1 (Fer), a potent inhibitor of ferroptosis, significantly alleviated the aforementioned markers, thereby confirming the successful induction of ferroptosis in YSFs by BPS. Finally, overexpression plasmids and siRNAs of the yak DHODH gene were designed and transfected respectively into BPS-cultured YSFs to modulate DHODH expression. The findings revealed that DHODH overexpression alleviated the occurrence of BPS-induced ferroptosis, while interference of DHODH intensified the ferroptosis process in YSFs. In summary, we successfully cloned the coding region of the yak DHODH gene, demonstrating its remarkable conservation across species. Moreover, using BPS-induced ferroptosis in YSFs as the model, the study confirmed the role of the DHODH gene in resisting ferroptosis in yaks. These results offer valuable theoretical foundations for future investigations into the functionality of the yak DHODH gene and the underlying mechanisms of ferroptosis in this species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongmei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Science of National Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China; (H.X.); (Y.L.); (Q.L.); (Z.M.); (S.Y.); (H.H.); (Y.X.); (X.X.); (D.L.)
| | - Yueyue Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Science of National Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China; (H.X.); (Y.L.); (Q.L.); (Z.M.); (S.Y.); (H.H.); (Y.X.); (X.X.); (D.L.)
| | - Qiao Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Science of National Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China; (H.X.); (Y.L.); (Q.L.); (Z.M.); (S.Y.); (H.H.); (Y.X.); (X.X.); (D.L.)
| | - Zifeng Ma
- Key Laboratory of Animal Science of National Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China; (H.X.); (Y.L.); (Q.L.); (Z.M.); (S.Y.); (H.H.); (Y.X.); (X.X.); (D.L.)
| | - Shi Yin
- Key Laboratory of Animal Science of National Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China; (H.X.); (Y.L.); (Q.L.); (Z.M.); (S.Y.); (H.H.); (Y.X.); (X.X.); (D.L.)
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization, Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization, Sichuan Province, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Honghong He
- Key Laboratory of Animal Science of National Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China; (H.X.); (Y.L.); (Q.L.); (Z.M.); (S.Y.); (H.H.); (Y.X.); (X.X.); (D.L.)
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization, Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization, Sichuan Province, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yan Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Animal Science of National Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China; (H.X.); (Y.L.); (Q.L.); (Z.M.); (S.Y.); (H.H.); (Y.X.); (X.X.); (D.L.)
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization, Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization, Sichuan Province, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xianrong Xiong
- Key Laboratory of Animal Science of National Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China; (H.X.); (Y.L.); (Q.L.); (Z.M.); (S.Y.); (H.H.); (Y.X.); (X.X.); (D.L.)
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization, Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization, Sichuan Province, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Daoliang Lan
- Key Laboratory of Animal Science of National Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China; (H.X.); (Y.L.); (Q.L.); (Z.M.); (S.Y.); (H.H.); (Y.X.); (X.X.); (D.L.)
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization, Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization, Sichuan Province, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Jian Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Science of National Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China; (H.X.); (Y.L.); (Q.L.); (Z.M.); (S.Y.); (H.H.); (Y.X.); (X.X.); (D.L.)
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization, Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization, Sichuan Province, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Wei Fu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Science of National Ethnic Affairs Commission of China, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China; (H.X.); (Y.L.); (Q.L.); (Z.M.); (S.Y.); (H.H.); (Y.X.); (X.X.); (D.L.)
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization, Ministry of Education, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
- Key Laboratory of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau Animal Genetic Resource Reservation and Utilization, Sichuan Province, Southwest Minzu University, Chengdu 610041, China
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Sotorilli GE, Gravina HD, de Carvalho AC, Shimizu JF, Fontoura MA, Melo-Hanchuk TD, Cordeiro AT, Marques RE. Phenotypical Screening of an MMV Open Box Library and Identification of Compounds with Antiviral Activity against St. Louis Encephalitis Virus. Viruses 2023; 15:2416. [PMID: 38140657 PMCID: PMC10747599 DOI: 10.3390/v15122416] [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: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 12/02/2023] [Accepted: 12/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) is a neglected mosquito-borne Flavivirus that may cause severe neurological disease in humans and other animals. There are no specific treatments against SLEV infection or disease approved for human use, and drug repurposing may represent an opportunity to accelerate the development of treatments against SLEV. Here we present a scalable, medium-throughput phenotypic cell culture-based screening assay on Vero CCL81 cells to identify bioactive compounds that could be repurposed against SLEV infection. We screened eighty compounds from the Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV) COVID Box library to identify nine (11%) compounds that protected cell cultures from SLEV-induced cytopathic effects, with low- to mid-micromolar potencies. We validated six hit compounds using viral plaque-forming assays to find that the compounds ABT-239, Amiodarone, Fluphenazine, Posaconazole, Triparanol, and Vidofludimus presented varied levels of antiviral activity and selectivity depending on the mammalian cell type used for testing. Importantly, we identified and validated the antiviral activity of the anti-flavivirus nucleoside analog 7DMA against SLEV. Triparanol and Fluphenazine reduced infectious viral loads in both Vero CCL81 and HBEC-5i cell cultures and, similar to the other validated compounds, are likely to exert antiviral activity through a molecular target in the host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuliana Eboli Sotorilli
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas 13083-100, Brazil; (G.E.S.); (H.D.G.); (A.C.d.C.); (J.F.S.); (M.A.F.); (T.D.M.-H.); (A.T.C.)
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-100, Brazil
| | - Humberto Doriguetto Gravina
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas 13083-100, Brazil; (G.E.S.); (H.D.G.); (A.C.d.C.); (J.F.S.); (M.A.F.); (T.D.M.-H.); (A.T.C.)
| | - Ana Carolina de Carvalho
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas 13083-100, Brazil; (G.E.S.); (H.D.G.); (A.C.d.C.); (J.F.S.); (M.A.F.); (T.D.M.-H.); (A.T.C.)
- Department of Genetics, Microbiology and Immunology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-100, Brazil
| | - Jacqueline Farinha Shimizu
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas 13083-100, Brazil; (G.E.S.); (H.D.G.); (A.C.d.C.); (J.F.S.); (M.A.F.); (T.D.M.-H.); (A.T.C.)
| | - Marina Alves Fontoura
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas 13083-100, Brazil; (G.E.S.); (H.D.G.); (A.C.d.C.); (J.F.S.); (M.A.F.); (T.D.M.-H.); (A.T.C.)
- Department of Cellular and Structural Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-100, Brazil
| | - Talita Diniz Melo-Hanchuk
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas 13083-100, Brazil; (G.E.S.); (H.D.G.); (A.C.d.C.); (J.F.S.); (M.A.F.); (T.D.M.-H.); (A.T.C.)
| | - Artur Torres Cordeiro
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas 13083-100, Brazil; (G.E.S.); (H.D.G.); (A.C.d.C.); (J.F.S.); (M.A.F.); (T.D.M.-H.); (A.T.C.)
| | - Rafael Elias Marques
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas 13083-100, Brazil; (G.E.S.); (H.D.G.); (A.C.d.C.); (J.F.S.); (M.A.F.); (T.D.M.-H.); (A.T.C.)
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Chen K, Wang F. Cell-specific genome-scale metabolic modeling of SARS-CoV-2-infected lung to identify antiviral enzymes. FEBS Open Bio 2023; 13:2172-2186. [PMID: 37734920 PMCID: PMC10699103 DOI: 10.1002/2211-5463.13710] [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: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Computational systems biology plays a key role in the discovery of suitable antiviral targets. We designed a cell-specific, constraint-based modeling technique for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2)-infected lungs. We used the gene sequence of the alpha variant of SARS-CoV-2 to build a viral biomass reaction (VBR). We also used the mass proportion of lipids between the viral biomass and its host cell to estimate the stoichiometric coefficients of viral lipids in the reaction. We then integrated the VBR, the gene expression of the alpha variant of SARS-CoV-2, and the generic human metabolic network Recon3D to reconstruct a cell-specific genome-scale metabolic model. An antiviral target discovery (AVTD) platform was introduced using this model to identify therapeutic drug targets for combating COVID-19. The AVTD platform not only identified antiviral genes for eliminating viral replication but also predicted side effects of treatments. Our computational results revealed that knocking out dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) might reduce the synthesis rate of cytidine-5'-triphosphate and uridine-5'-triphosphate, which terminate the viral building blocks of DNA and RNA for SARS-CoV-2 replication. Our results also indicated that DHODH is a promising antiviral target that causes minor side effects, which is consistent with the results of recent reports. Moreover, we discovered that the genes that participate in the de novo biosynthesis of glycerophospholipids and ceramides become unidentifiable if the VBR does not involve the stoichiometry of lipids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke‐Lin Chen
- Department of Chemical EngineeringNational Chung Cheng UniversityChiayiTaiwan
| | - Feng‐Sheng Wang
- Department of Chemical EngineeringNational Chung Cheng UniversityChiayiTaiwan
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20
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Chen Y, Guo Y, Chang H, Song Z, Wei Z, Huang Z, Zheng Z, Zhang G, Sun Y. Brequinar inhibits African swine fever virus replication in vitro by activating ferroptosis. Virol J 2023; 20:242. [PMID: 37875895 PMCID: PMC10599058 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-023-02204-x] [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: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND African swine fever virus (ASFV) is one of the most fatal swine etiological agents and has a huge economic impact on the global pork industry. Given that no effective vaccines or anti-ASFV drugs are available, there remains a pressing need for novel anti-ASFV drugs. This study aimed to investigate the anti-African swine fever virus (ASFV) activity of brequinar, a DHODH inhibitor. METHODS The anti-ASFV activity of brequinar was investigated using IFA, HAD, HAD50, qRT-PCR, and western blotting assays. The western blotting assay was used to investigate whether brequinar inhibits ASFV replication by killing ASFV particles directly or by acting on cell factors. The confocal microscopy and western blotting assays were used to investigate whether brequinar inhibits ASFV replication by activating ferroptosis. RESULTS In this study, brequinar was found to effectively inhibit ASFV replication ex vivo in porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs) in a dose-dependent manner. In kinetic studies, brequinar was found to maintain ASFV inhibition from 24 to 72 hpi. Mechanistically, the time-of-addition assay showed that brequinar exerted anti-ASFV activity in all treatment modes, including pre-, co-, and post-treatment rather than directly killing ASFV particles. Notably, FerroOrange, Mito-FerroGreen, and Liperfluo staining experiments showed that brequinar increased the accumulation of intracellular iron, mitochondrial iron, and lipid peroxides, respectively. Furthermore, we also found that ferroptosis agonist cisplatin treatment inhibited ASFV replication in a dose-dependent manner and the inhibitory effect of brequinar on ASFV was partially reversed by the ferroptosis inhibitor ferrostatin-1, suggesting that brequinar activates ferroptosis to inhibit ASFV replication. Interestingly, exogenous uridine supplementation attenuated the anti-ASFV activity of brequinar, indicating that brequinar inhibits ASFV replication by inhibiting DHODH activity and the depletion of intracellular pyrimidine pools; however, the induction of ferroptosis by brequinar treatment was not reversed by exogenous uridine supplementation, suggesting that brequinar activation of ferroptosis is not related to the metabolic function of pyrimidines. CONCLUSIONS Our data confirm that brequinar displays potent antiviral activity against ASFV in vitro and reveal the mechanism by which brequinar inhibits ASFV replication by activating ferroptosis, independent of inhibiting pyrimidine synthesis, providing novel targets for the development of anti-ASFV drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- African Swine Fever Regional Laboratory of China (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Yanchen Guo
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- African Swine Fever Regional Laboratory of China (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
- Maoming Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Maoming, Guangdong, China
| | - Hao Chang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- African Swine Fever Regional Laboratory of China (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Zebu Song
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Maoming Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Maoming, Guangdong, China
| | - Zhi Wei
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- African Swine Fever Regional Laboratory of China (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhao Huang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- African Swine Fever Regional Laboratory of China (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China
| | - Zezhong Zheng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China
- Maoming Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Maoming, Guangdong, China
| | - Guihong Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
- African Swine Fever Regional Laboratory of China (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China.
- Maoming Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Maoming, Guangdong, China.
- Key Laboratory of Animal Vaccine Development, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Guangzhou, China.
| | - Yankuo Sun
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Zoonosis Prevention and Control, College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, China.
- African Swine Fever Regional Laboratory of China (Guangzhou), Guangzhou, China.
- Maoming Branch, Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Maoming, Guangdong, China.
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21
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Fraser-Pitt D, Mercer DK, Francis ML, Toledo-Aparicio D, Smith DW, O'Neil DA. Cysteamine-mediated blockade of the glycine cleavage system modulates epithelial cell inflammatory and innate immune responses to viral infection. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2023; 677:168-181. [PMID: 37597441 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2023.08.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023]
Abstract
Transient blockade of glycine decarboxylase (GLDC) can restrict de novo pyrimidine synthesis, which is a well-described strategy for enhancing the host interferon response to viral infection and a target pathway for some licenced anti-inflammatory therapies. The aminothiol, cysteamine, is produced endogenously during the metabolism of coenzyme A, and is currently being investigated in a clinical trial as an intervention in community acquired pneumonia resulting from viral (influenza and SARS-CoV-2) and bacterial respiratory infection. Cysteamine is known to inhibit both bacterial and the eukaryotic host glycine cleavage systems via competitive inhibition of GLDC at concentrations, lower than those required for direct antimicrobial or antiviral activity. Here, we demonstrate for the first time that therapeutically achievable concentrations of cysteamine can inhibit glycine utilisation by epithelial cells and improve cell-mediated responses to infection with respiratory viruses, including human coronavirus 229E and Influenza A. Cysteamine reduces interleukin-6 (IL-6) and increases the interferon-λ (IFN-λ) response to viral challenge and in response to liposomal polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid (poly I:C) simulant of RNA viral infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Douglas Fraser-Pitt
- NovaBiotics Ltd, Silverburn Crescent, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, AB23 8EW, United Kingdom.
| | - Derry K Mercer
- NovaBiotics Ltd, Silverburn Crescent, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, AB23 8EW, United Kingdom; Bioaster, LYON (headquarters) 40, Avenue Tony Garnier, 69007, Lyon, France
| | - Marie-Louise Francis
- NovaBiotics Ltd, Silverburn Crescent, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, AB23 8EW, United Kingdom
| | - David Toledo-Aparicio
- NovaBiotics Ltd, Silverburn Crescent, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, AB23 8EW, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel W Smith
- NovaBiotics Ltd, Silverburn Crescent, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, AB23 8EW, United Kingdom
| | - Deborah A O'Neil
- NovaBiotics Ltd, Silverburn Crescent, Bridge of Don, Aberdeen, AB23 8EW, United Kingdom
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22
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Alexander ED, Aldridge JL, Burleson TS, Frasier CR. Teriflunomide treatment exacerbates cardiac ischemia reperfusion injury in isolated rat hearts. Cardiovasc Drugs Ther 2023; 37:1021-1026. [PMID: 35488973 PMCID: PMC9055010 DOI: 10.1007/s10557-022-07341-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Previous work suggests that Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) inhibition via teriflunomide (TERI) may provide protection in multiple disease models. To date, little is known about the effect of TERI on the heart. This study was performed to assess the potential effects of TERI on cardiac ischemia reperfusion injury. METHODS Male and female rat hearts were subjected to global ischemia (25 min) and reperfusion (120 min) on a Langendorff apparatus. Hearts were given either DMSO (VEH) or teriflunomide (TERI) for 5 min prior to induction of ischemia and during the reperfusion period. Left ventricular pressure, ECG, coronary flow, and infarct size were determined using established methods. Mitochondrial respiration was assessed via respirometry. RESULTS Perfusion of hearts with TERI led to no acute effects in any values measured across 500 pM-50 nM doses. However, following ischemia-reperfusion injury, we found that 50 nM TERI-treated hearts had an increase in myocardial infarction (p < 0.001). In 50 nM TERI-treated hearts, we also observed a marked increase in the severity of contracture (p < 0.001) at an earlier time-point (p = 0.004), as well as reductions in coronary flow (p = 0.037), left ventricular pressure development (p = 0.025), and the rate-pressure product (p = 0.008). No differences in mitochondrial respiration were observed with 50 nM TERI treatment (p = 0.24-0.87). CONCLUSION This study suggests that treatment with TERI leads to more negative outcomes following cardiac ischemia reperfusion, and administration of TERI to at-risk populations should receive special considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily Davis Alexander
- Quillen College of Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 37614, USA
| | - Jessa L Aldridge
- Quillen College of Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 37614, USA
| | - T Samuel Burleson
- Quillen College of Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 37614, USA
| | - Chad R Frasier
- Quillen College of Medicine, Department of Biomedical Sciences, East Tennessee State University, Johnson City, TN, 37614, USA.
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23
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Yang T, Shi X, Li S, Zhao Z, Wang J, Yu P, Li H, Wang R, Chen Z. Targeting DHODH reveals therapeutic opportunities in ATRA-resistant acute promyelocytic leukemia. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 166:115314. [PMID: 37579695 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2023] [Revised: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 08/08/2023] [Indexed: 08/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Although all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA)-induced differentiation has transformed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) from the most fatal to the most curable hematological disease, resistance to ATRA in high-risk APL patients remains a clinical challenge. In this paper, we discovered that dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) inhibition overcame ATRA resistance. 416, a potent DHODH inhibitor previously obtained in our group, inhibited the occurrence of APL in cells and model mice. Excitingly, 416 effectively overcame ATRA resistance in vitro and in vivo by inducing apoptosis and differentiation. Further mechanistic studies showed that PML/RARα lost the regulation of Bcl-2 and c-Myc in NB4-R1 cells, which probably contributed to ATRA resistance. Notably, 416 maintained its Bcl-2 and c-Myc down-regulation effect in NB4-R1 cells and overcome ATRA resistance by inhibiting DHODH. In conclusion, our study highlights the potential of 416 for APL therapy and overcoming ATRA resistance, supporting the further development of DHODH inhibitors for clinical use in refractory and relapsed APL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingyuan Yang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Xiayu Shi
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Shiliang Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Zhenjiang Zhao
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Junyi Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Panpan Yu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai 200237, China
| | - Honglin Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai 200237, China; Innovation Center for AI and Drug Discovery, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200062, China; Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai 200031, China.
| | - Rui Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
| | - Zhuo Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, State Key Laboratory of Bioreactor Engineering, School of Pharmacy, East China University of Science & Technology, Shanghai 200237, China.
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Sun S, Shen J, Jiang J, Wang F, Min J. Targeting ferroptosis opens new avenues for the development of novel therapeutics. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2023; 8:372. [PMID: 37735472 PMCID: PMC10514338 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-023-01606-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 07/24/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 09/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death with distinct characteristics, including altered iron homeostasis, reduced defense against oxidative stress, and abnormal lipid peroxidation. Recent studies have provided compelling evidence supporting the notion that ferroptosis plays a key pathogenic role in many diseases such as various cancer types, neurodegenerative disease, diseases involving tissue and/or organ injury, and inflammatory and infectious diseases. Although the precise regulatory networks that underlie ferroptosis are largely unknown, particularly with respect to the initiation and progression of various diseases, ferroptosis is recognized as a bona fide target for the further development of treatment and prevention strategies. Over the past decade, considerable progress has been made in developing pharmacological agonists and antagonists for the treatment of these ferroptosis-related conditions. Here, we provide a detailed overview of our current knowledge regarding ferroptosis, its pathological roles, and its regulation during disease progression. Focusing on the use of chemical tools that target ferroptosis in preclinical studies, we also summarize recent advances in targeting ferroptosis across the growing spectrum of ferroptosis-associated pathogenic conditions. Finally, we discuss new challenges and opportunities for targeting ferroptosis as a potential strategy for treating ferroptosis-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shumin Sun
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Translational Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Public Health, Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jie Shen
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Translational Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Public Health, Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jianwei Jiang
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Translational Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Public Health, Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fudi Wang
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Translational Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Public Health, Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
| | - Junxia Min
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Translational Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital, School of Public Health, Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China.
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25
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KAWATANI MAKOTO, AONO HARUMI, HIRANUMA SAYOKO, SHIMIZU TAKESHI, MUROI MAKOTO, NOGAWA TOSHIHIKO, OHISHI TOMOKAZU, OHBA SHUNICHI, KAWADA MANABU, YAMAZAKI KANAMI, DAN SHINGO, DOHMAE NAOSHI, OSADA HIROYUKI. Identification of a dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitor that inhibits cancer cell growth by proteomic profiling. Oncol Res 2023; 31:833-844. [PMID: 37744270 PMCID: PMC10513951 DOI: 10.32604/or.2023.030241] [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: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) is a central enzyme of the de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway and is a promising drug target for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. This study presents the identification of a potent DHODH inhibitor by proteomic profiling. Cell-based screening revealed that NPD723, which is reduced to H-006 in cells, strongly induces myeloid differentiation and inhibits cell growth in HL-60 cells. H-006 also suppressed the growth of various cancer cells. Proteomic profiling of NPD723-treated cells in ChemProteoBase showed that NPD723 was clustered with DHODH inhibitors. H-006 potently inhibited human DHODH activity in vitro, whereas NPD723 was approximately 400 times less active than H-006. H-006-induced cell death was rescued by the addition of the DHODH product orotic acid. Moreover, metabolome analysis revealed that H-006 treatment promotes marked accumulation of the DHODH substrate dihydroorotic acid. These results suggest that NPD723 is reduced in cells to its active metabolite H-006, which then targets DHODH and suppresses cancer cell growth. Thus, H-006-related drugs represent a potentially powerful treatment for cancer and other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- MAKOTO KAWATANI
- Biomolecular Characterization Unit, Technology Platform Division, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS), Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
- Chemical Resource Development Unit, Technology Platform Division, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS), Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - HARUMI AONO
- Chemical Resource Development Unit, Technology Platform Division, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS), Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - SAYOKO HIRANUMA
- Chemical Biology Research Group, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS), Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - TAKESHI SHIMIZU
- Chemical Biology Research Group, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS), Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - MAKOTO MUROI
- Biomolecular Characterization Unit, Technology Platform Division, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS), Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
- Chemical Resource Development Unit, Technology Platform Division, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS), Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - TOSHIHIKO NOGAWA
- Molecular Structure Characterization Unit, Technology Platform Division, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS), Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - TOMOKAZU OHISHI
- Institute of Microbial Chemistry (BIKAKEN), Numazu, Microbial Chemistry Research Foundation, Shizuoka, 410-0301, Japan
| | - SHUN-ICHI OHBA
- Institute of Microbial Chemistry (BIKAKEN), Numazu, Microbial Chemistry Research Foundation, Shizuoka, 410-0301, Japan
| | - MANABU KAWADA
- Institute of Microbial Chemistry (BIKAKEN), Numazu, Microbial Chemistry Research Foundation, Shizuoka, 410-0301, Japan
| | - KANAMI YAMAZAKI
- Division of Molecular Pharmacology, Cancer Chemotherapy Center, Japan Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, 135-8550, Japan
| | - SHINGO DAN
- Division of Molecular Pharmacology, Cancer Chemotherapy Center, Japan Foundation for Cancer Research, Tokyo, 135-8550, Japan
| | - NAOSHI DOHMAE
- Biomolecular Characterization Unit, Technology Platform Division, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS), Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
| | - HIROYUKI OSADA
- Chemical Resource Development Unit, Technology Platform Division, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science (CSRS), Saitama, 351-0198, Japan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Shizuoka, Shizuoka, 422-8526, Japan
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26
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Chilingaryan G, Izmailyan R, Grigoryan R, Shavina A, Arabyan E, Khachatryan H, Abelyan N, Matevosyan M, Harutyunyan V, Manukyan G, Hietel B, Shtro A, Danilenko D, Zakaryan H. Advanced virtual screening enables the discovery of a host-targeting and broad-spectrum antiviral agent. Antiviral Res 2023; 217:105681. [PMID: 37499699 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2023.105681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 07/22/2023] [Accepted: 07/24/2023] [Indexed: 07/29/2023]
Abstract
We employed an advanced virtual screening (AVS) approach to identify potential inhibitors of human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH), a validated target for development of broad-spectrum antivirals. We screened a library of 495118 compounds and identified 495 compounds that exhibited better binding scores than the reference ligands involved in the screening. From the top 100 compounds, we selected 28 based on their consensus docking scores and structural novelty. Then, we conducted in vitro experiments to investigate the antiviral activity of selected compounds on HSV-1 infection, which is susceptible to DHODH inhibitors. Among the tested compounds, seven displayed statistically significant antiviral effects, with Comp 19 being the most potent inhibitor. We found that Comp 19 exerted its antiviral effect in a dose-dependent manner (IC50 = 1.1 μM) and exhibited the most significant antiviral effect when added before viral infection. In the biochemical assay, Comp 19 inhibited human DHODH in a dose-dependent manner with the IC50 value of 7.3 μM. Long-timescale molecular dynamics simulations (1000 ns) revealed that Comp 19 formed a very stable complex with human DHODH. Comp 19 also displayed broad-spectrum antiviral activity and suppressed cytokine production in THP-1 cells. Overall, our study provides evidence that AVS could be successfully implemented to discover novel DHODH inhibitors with broad-spectrum antiviral activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garri Chilingaryan
- Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Discovery, Institute of Molecular Biology of NAS, 0014, Yerevan, Armenia; Biocentric.AI, 0051, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Roza Izmailyan
- Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Discovery, Institute of Molecular Biology of NAS, 0014, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Rafayela Grigoryan
- Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Discovery, Institute of Molecular Biology of NAS, 0014, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Anastasiya Shavina
- Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Discovery, Institute of Molecular Biology of NAS, 0014, Yerevan, Armenia; Denovo Sciences Inc., Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Erik Arabyan
- Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Discovery, Institute of Molecular Biology of NAS, 0014, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Hamlet Khachatryan
- Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Discovery, Institute of Molecular Biology of NAS, 0014, Yerevan, Armenia; Denovo Sciences Inc., Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Narek Abelyan
- Biocentric.AI, 0051, Yerevan, Armenia; Institute of Biomedicine and Pharmacy, Russian-Armenian University, 0051, Yerevan, Armenia
| | | | | | - Gayane Manukyan
- Laboratory of Molecular and Cellular Immunology, Institute of Molecular Biology of NAS, 0014, Yerevan, Armenia
| | - Benjamin Hietel
- Fraunhofer Institute for Cell Therapy and Immunology IZI Department of Drug Design and Target Validation MWT Biocenter, Weinbergweg 22, 06120, Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Anna Shtro
- Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza, 197376, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Daria Danilenko
- Smorodintsev Research Institute of Influenza, 197376, St. Petersburg, Russia
| | - Hovakim Zakaryan
- Laboratory of Antiviral Drug Discovery, Institute of Molecular Biology of NAS, 0014, Yerevan, Armenia; Denovo Sciences Inc., Yerevan, Armenia.
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Guo M, Xiong M, Peng J, Guan T, Su H, Huang Y, Yang CG, Li Y, Boraschi D, Pillaiyar T, Wang G, Yi C, Xu Y, Chen C. Multi-omics for COVID-19: driving development of therapeutics and vaccines. Natl Sci Rev 2023; 10:nwad161. [PMID: 37936830 PMCID: PMC10627145 DOI: 10.1093/nsr/nwad161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has raised global concern for public health and economy. The development of therapeutics and vaccines to combat this virus is continuously progressing. Multi-omics approaches, including genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, epigenomics and metallomics, have helped understand the structural and molecular features of the virus, thereby assisting in the design of potential therapeutics and accelerating vaccine development for COVID-19. Here, we provide an up-to-date overview of the latest applications of multi-omics technologies in strategies addressing COVID-19, in order to provide suggestions towards the development of highly effective knowledge-based therapeutics and vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyu Guo
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, and CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Muya Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jinying Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Tong Guan
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, and CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Haixia Su
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yanyi Huang
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Centre, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Institute for Cell Analysis, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 528107, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Cai-Guang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Centre for Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yang Li
- Laboratory of Immunology and Nanomedicine, and China-Italy Joint Laboratory of Pharmacobiotechnology for Medical Immunomodulation, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Diana Boraschi
- Laboratory of Immunology and Nanomedicine, and China-Italy Joint Laboratory of Pharmacobiotechnology for Medical Immunomodulation, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, National Research Council, Napoli 80131, Italy
| | - Thanigaimalai Pillaiyar
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry and Tuebingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Guanbo Wang
- Biomedical Pioneering Innovation Centre, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Institute for Cell Analysis, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 528107, China
| | - Chengqi Yi
- State Key Laboratory of Protein and Plant Gene Research, School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Department of Chemical Biology and Synthetic and Functional Biomolecules Center, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Peking-Tsinghua Center for Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yechun Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chunying Chen
- CAS Key Laboratory of Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety, and CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, Beijing 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- GBA National Institute for Nanotechnology Innovation, Guangzhou 510700, China
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28
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Pan Z, Wan Z, Wang Y, Zha S, Zhang J, Chen H, Hu K. An open-label randomized controlled trial of leflunomide in patients with acute SARS-CoV-2 omicron variant infection. Front Med (Lausanne) 2023; 10:1218102. [PMID: 37534317 PMCID: PMC10392126 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2023.1218102] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of leflunomide for the treatment of acute, symptomatic COVID-19. Methods A single-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial was performed during an outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant in December 2022. Symptomatic patients within 5 days of COVID-19 onset were randomly allocated to receive 5 days of either symptomatic treatment with leflunomide or symptomatic treatment alone. The primary endpoint was time to sustained clinical recovery. Results Fifty-seven participants were randomized into two groups: 27 received leflunomide plus symptomatic treatment and 30 were assigned to symptomatic treatment alone. Participants treated with leflunomide had a shorter fever duration [3.0 interquartile range (IQR, 2.0-4.0) days and 4.0 (IQR, 3.0-6.0) days, respectively (p = 0.027)] and reduced viral shedding [7 (IQR, 6-9.5) days and 9.0 (IQR, 7.5-12.0) days, respectively (p = 0.044)] compared with individuals treated with symptomatic treatment alone. However, there were no significant differences in time to sustained clinical recovery between the two groups [hazard ratio, 1.329 (95% confidence interval, 0.878-2.529); p = 0.207]. Conclusion In acute adult COVID-19 patients presenting within 5 days of symptom onset, leflunomide combined with symptomatic treatment reduced fever duration and viral shedding time. Clinical Trial Registration https://www.chictr.org.cn/about.html, ChiCTR2100051684.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhou Pan
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Zhihui Wan
- East Campus, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Yixuan Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Shiqian Zha
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jingyi Zhang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Ke Hu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
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29
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Gupta Y, Savytskyi OV, Coban M, Venugopal A, Pleqi V, Weber CA, Chitale R, Durvasula R, Hopkins C, Kempaiah P, Caulfield TR. Protein structure-based in-silico approaches to drug discovery: Guide to COVID-19 therapeutics. Mol Aspects Med 2023; 91:101151. [PMID: 36371228 PMCID: PMC9613808 DOI: 10.1016/j.mam.2022.101151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2022] [Revised: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
With more than 5 million fatalities and close to 300 million reported cases, COVID-19 is the first documented pandemic due to a coronavirus that continues to be a major health challenge. Despite being rapid, uncontrollable, and highly infectious in its spread, it also created incentives for technology development and redefined public health needs and research agendas to fast-track innovations to be translated. Breakthroughs in computational biology peaked during the pandemic with renewed attention to making all cutting-edge technology deliver agents to combat the disease. The demand to develop effective treatments yielded surprising collaborations from previously segregated fields of science and technology. The long-standing pharmaceutical industry's aversion to repurposing existing drugs due to a lack of exponential financial gain was overrun by the health crisis and pressures created by front-line researchers and providers. Effective vaccine development even at an unprecedented pace took more than a year to develop and commence trials. Now the emergence of variants and waning protections during the booster shots is resulting in breakthrough infections that continue to strain health care systems. As of now, every protein of SARS-CoV-2 has been structurally characterized and related host pathways have been extensively mapped out. The research community has addressed the druggability of a multitude of possible targets. This has been made possible due to existing technology for virtual computer-assisted drug development as well as new tools and technologies such as artificial intelligence to deliver new leads. Here in this article, we are discussing advances in the drug discovery field related to target-based drug discovery and exploring the implications of known target-specific agents on COVID-19 therapeutic management. The current scenario calls for more personalized medicine efforts and stratifying patient populations early on for their need for different combinations of prognosis-specific therapeutics. We intend to highlight target hotspots and their potential agents, with the ultimate goal of using rational design of new therapeutics to not only end this pandemic but also uncover a generalizable platform for use in future pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yash Gupta
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Oleksandr V Savytskyi
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA; In Vivo Biosystems, Eugene, OR, USA
| | - Matt Coban
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | | | - Vasili Pleqi
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Caleb A Weber
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Rohit Chitale
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA; The Council on Strategic Risks, 1025 Connecticut Ave NW, Washington, DC, USA
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | | | - Prakasha Kempaiah
- Department of Medicine, Infectious Diseases, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Thomas R Caulfield
- Department of Neuroscience, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA; Department of QHS Computational Biology, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Clinical Genomics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA; Department of Neurosurgery, Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, FL, USA.
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30
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Wei Z, Gao R, Sun Z, Yang W, He Q, Wang C, Zhang J, Zhang X, Guo L, Wang S. Baicalin inhibits influenza A (H1N1)-induced pyroptosis of lung alveolar epithelial cells via caspase-3/GSDME pathway. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e28790. [PMID: 37212338 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28790] [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: 10/12/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/23/2023]
Abstract
Baicalin (7-d-glucuronic acid-5, 6-dihydroxyflavone) derived from the root of Scutellaria baicalensis used as Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) has been revealed to exert potential antiviral activity via various pathways, while the molecular mechanisms have not been fully understood. Pyroptosis, an inflammatory form of programmed cell death (PCD), is reported to play a crucial role in host cell fate during viral infection. In this study, transcriptome analysis of mice lung tissue reveals that baicalin reverses the alterations of the mRNA levels of PCD-associated genes upon H1N1 challenge, with a concomitant decrease in the population of H1N1-induced propidium iodide (PI)+ and Annexin Ⅴ+ cells. Intriguingly, we find that baicalin contributes to the survival of infected lung alveolar epithelial cells partly through its inhibition of H1N1-induced cell pyroptosis, which is manifested by reduced bubble-like protrusion cells and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. Moreover, the antipyroptosis effect of baicalin in response to H1N1 infection is found to be mediated by its repression on caspase-3/Gasdermin E (GSDME) pathway. Cleaved caspase-3 and N-terminal fragment of GSDME (GSDME-N) are detected in H1N1-infected cell lines and mice lung tissues, which are markedly reversed by baicalin treatment. Furthermore, inhibition of caspase-3/GSDME pathway by caspase-3 inhibitor or siRNA exerts an antipyroptosis effect equal to that of baicalin treatment in infected A549 and BEAS-2B cells, indicating a pivotal role of caspase-3 in the antiviral activities of baicalin. Conclusively, for the first time, we demonstrate that baicalin could effectively suppress H1N1-induced pyroptosis of lung alveolar epithelial cells via caspase-3/GSDME pathway both in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenqiao Wei
- Bioinformatics Center of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Rui Gao
- Bioinformatics Center of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Zhen Sun
- Bioinformatics Center of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Wen Yang
- Innovative Institute of Chinese Medicine and Pharmacy, Jinan, P. R. China
| | - Qi He
- Bioinformatics Center of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Chenhui Wang
- Bioinformatics Center of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Jingxiang Zhang
- Bioinformatics Center of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Xiaochang Zhang
- Bioinformatics Center of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Liang Guo
- Bioinformatics Center of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Shengqi Wang
- Bioinformatics Center of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing, P. R. China
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31
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Paulis A, Tramontano E. Unlocking STING as a Therapeutic Antiviral Strategy. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087448. [PMID: 37108610 PMCID: PMC10138487 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087448] [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: 03/11/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Invading pathogens have developed weapons that subvert physiological conditions to weaken the host and permit the spread of infection. Cells, on their side, have thus developed countermeasures to maintain cellular physiology and counteract pathogenesis. The cyclic GMP-AMP (cGAMP) synthase (cGAS) is a pattern recognition receptor that recognizes viral DNA present in the cytosol, activating the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) protein and leading to the production of type I interferons (IFN-I). Given its role in innate immunity activation, STING is considered an interesting and innovative target for the development of broad-spectrum antivirals. In this review, we discuss the function of STING; its modulation by the cellular stimuli; the molecular mechanisms developed by viruses, through which they escape this defense system; and the therapeutical strategies that have been developed to date to inhibit viral replication restoring STING functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annalaura Paulis
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
| | - Enzo Tramontano
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Cagliari, 09124 Cagliari, Italy
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32
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Kralj-Hans I, Li K, Wesek A, Lamorgese A, Omar F, Ranasinghe K, McGee M, Brack K, Li S, Aggarwal R, Bulle A, Kodre A, Sharma S, Fluck D, John I, Sharma P, Belsey JD, Li L, Seshasai SRK, Li HL, Marczin N, Chen Z. Leflunomide treatment for patients hospitalised with COVID-19: DEFEAT-COVID randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open 2023; 13:e068179. [PMID: 37055207 PMCID: PMC10105917 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-068179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/15/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of leflunomide (L) added to the standard-of-care (SOC) treatment in COVID-19 patients hospitalised with moderate/critical clinical symptoms. DESIGN Prospective, open-label, multicentre, stratified, randomised clinical trial. SETTING Five hospitals in UK and India, from September 2020 to May 2021. PARTICIPANTS Adults with PCR confirmed COVID-19 infection with moderate/critical symptoms within 15 days of onset. INTERVENTION Leflunomide 100 mg/day (3 days) followed by 10-20 mg/day (7 days) added to standard care. PRIMARY OUTCOMES The time to clinical improvement (TTCI) defined as two-point reduction on a clinical status scale or live discharge prior to 28 days; safety profile measured by the incidence of adverse events (AEs) within 28 days. RESULTS Eligible patients (n=214; age 56.3±14.9 years; 33% female) were randomised to SOC+L (n=104) and SOC group (n=110), stratified according to their clinical risk profile. TTCI was 7 vs 8 days in SOC+L vs SOC group (HR 1.317; 95% CI 0.980 to 1.768; p=0.070). Incidence of serious AEs was similar between the groups and none was attributed to leflunomide. In sensitivity analyses, excluding 10 patients not fulfilling the inclusion criteria and 3 who withdrew consent before leflunomide treatment, TTCI was 7 vs 8 days (HR 1.416, 95% CI 1.041 to 1.935; p=0.028), indicating a trend in favour of the intervention group. All-cause mortality rate was similar between groups, 9/104 vs 10/110. Duration of oxygen dependence was shorter in the SOC+L group being a median 6 days (IQR 4-8) compared with 7 days (IQR 5-10) in SOC group (p=0.047). CONCLUSION Leflunomide, added to the SOC treatment for COVID-19, was safe and well tolerated but had no major impact on clinical outcomes. It may shorten the time of oxygen dependence by 1 day and thereby improve TTCI/hospital discharge in moderately affected COVID-19 patients. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERS EudraCT Number: 2020-002952-18, NCT05007678.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kuo Li
- Imperial College, London, UK
| | | | | | - Fatima Omar
- Ashford and Saint Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust, Chertsey, UK
| | | | - Megan McGee
- Ashford and Saint Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust, Chertsey, UK
| | - Kieran Brack
- Ashford and Saint Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust, Chertsey, UK
| | - Shiliang Li
- East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Ajay Bulle
- Meditrina Institute of Medical Science, Nagpur, India
| | | | - Shashank Sharma
- St Peters Hospital Emergency Department, Ashford and Saint Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust, Chertsey, UK
| | - David Fluck
- Cardiology, Ashford and Saint Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust, Chertsey, UK
| | - Isaac John
- Ashford and Saint Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust, Chertsey, UK
| | | | | | - Ling Li
- Department of Engineering, City University, London, UK
| | | | - Hong Lin Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of New Drug Design, Shanghai, China
| | | | - Zhong Chen
- Ashford and Saint Peter's Hospitals NHS Trust, Chertsey, UK
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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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Chiu W, Schepers J, Francken T, Vangeel L, Abbasi K, Jochmans D, De Jonghe S, Thibaut HJ, Thiel V, Neyts J, Laporte M, Leyssen P. Development of a robust and convenient dual-reporter high-throughput screening assay for SARS-CoV-2 antiviral drug discovery. Antiviral Res 2023; 210:105506. [PMID: 36565756 PMCID: PMC9767876 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105506] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 12/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Massive efforts on both vaccine development and antiviral research were launched to combat the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). We contributed, amongst others, by the development of a high-throughput screening (HTS) antiviral assay against SARS-CoV-2 using a fully automated, high-containment robot system. Here, we describe the development of this novel, convenient and phenotypic dual-reporter virus-cell-based high-content imaging assay using the A549+hACE2+TMPRSS2_mCherry reporter lung carcinoma cell line and an ancestral SARS-CoV-2_Wuhan_mNeonGreen reporter virus. Briefly, by means of clonal selection, a host cell subclone was selected that (i) efficiently supports replication of the reporter virus with high expression, upon infection, of the NeonGreen fluorescent reporter protein, (ii) that is not affected by virus-induced cytopathogenic effects and, (iii) that expresses a strong fluorescent mCherry signal in the nucleus. The selected clone matched these criteria with an infection rate on average of 75% with limited cell death. The average (R)Z'-factors of the assay plates were all >0.8, which indicates a robust assay suitable for HTS purposes. A selection of reference compounds that inhibits SARS-CoV-2 replication in vitro were used to validate this novel dual-reporter assay and confirms the data reported in the literature. This assay is a convenient and powerful tool for HTS of large compound libraries against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Winston Chiu
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49 – box 1043, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Joost Schepers
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49 – box 1043, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Thibault Francken
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49 – box 1043, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laura Vangeel
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49 – box 1043, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kayvan Abbasi
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49 – box 1043, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dirk Jochmans
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49 – box 1043, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Steven De Jonghe
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49 – box 1043, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Hendrik Jan Thibaut
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Translational Platform Virology and Chemotherapy, Gaston Geenslaan 2, 3001, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Volker Thiel
- Institute of Virology and Immunology (IVI), Bern, Switzerland,Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Johan Neyts
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49 – box 1043, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Manon Laporte
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49 – box 1043, 3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pieter Leyssen
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Herestraat 49 - box 1043, 3000, Leuven, Belgium.
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Zheng K, Chen Y, Liu S, He C, Yang Y, Wu D, Wang L, Li M, Zeng X, Zhang F. Leflunomide: Traditional immunosuppressant with concurrent antiviral effects. Int J Rheum Dis 2023; 26:195-209. [PMID: 36371788 DOI: 10.1111/1756-185x.14491] [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: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Leflunomide is a classic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug that is widely used to treat autoimmune diseases. Studies also show its antiviral effects in in vitro and/or in vivo experiments. Considering glucocorticoids, immunosuppressants and newly emerged antibodies commonly used in autoimmune diseases and autoinflammatory disorders bring risk of infection such as viral infection, leflunomide with combination of anti-viral and immunosuppressive features to maintain the balance between infection and anti-inflammation are attractive. Here we summarize the actions and mechanisms of leflunomide in immunoregulatory and antiviral effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunyu Zheng
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College; National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science & Technology; State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Beijing, China
| | - Yiran Chen
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College; National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science & Technology; State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Beijing, China
| | - Suying Liu
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College; National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science & Technology; State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Beijing, China
| | - Chengmei He
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College; National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science & Technology; State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Beijing, China
| | - Yunjiao Yang
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College; National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science & Technology; State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Beijing, China
| | - Di Wu
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College; National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science & Technology; State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Beijing, China
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College; National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science & Technology; State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Beijing, China
| | - Mengtao Li
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College; National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science & Technology; State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Beijing, China
| | - Xiaofeng Zeng
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College; National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science & Technology; State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Beijing, China
| | - Fengchun Zhang
- Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College; National Clinical Research Center for Dermatologic and Immunologic Diseases (NCRC-DID), Ministry of Science & Technology; State Key Laboratory of Complex Severe and Rare Diseases, Key Laboratory of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Ministry of Education, Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH), Beijing, China
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36
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Petrović MM, Roschger C, Lang K, Zierer A, Mladenović M, Trifunović S, Mandić B, Joksović MD. Synthesis and biological evaluation of new quinoline-4-carboxylic acid-chalcone hybrids as dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitors. Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2023; 356:e2200374. [PMID: 36372522 DOI: 10.1002/ardp.202200374] [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: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 09/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Fourteen novel quinoline-4-carboxylic acid-chalcone hybrids were obtained via Claisen-Schmidt condensation and evaluated as potential human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (hDHODH) inhibitors. The ketone precursor 2 was synthesized by the Pfitzinger reaction and used for further derivatization at position 3 of the quinoline ring for the first time. Six compounds showed better hDHODH inhibitory activity than the reference drug leflunomide, with IC50 values ranging from 0.12 to 0.58 μM. The bioactive conformations of the compounds within hDHODH were resolved by means of molecular docking, revealing their tendency to occupy the narrow tunnel of hDHODH within the N-terminus and to prevent ubiquinone as the second cofactor from easily approaching the flavin mononucleotide as a cofactor for the redox reaction within the redox site. The results of the 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay revealed that 4d and 4h demonstrated the highest cytotoxic activity against the A375 cell line, with IC50 values of 5.0 and 6.8 µM, respectively. The lipophilicity of the synthesized hybrids was obtained experimentally and expressed as logD7.4 values at physiologicalpH while the solubility assay was conducted to define physicochemical characteristics influencing the ADMET properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Milena M Petrović
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia
| | - Cornelia Roschger
- Medical Faculty, Johannes Kepler University Linz, University Clinic for Cardiac-, Vascular- and Thoracic Surgery, Linz, Austria
| | - Kevin Lang
- Medical Faculty, Johannes Kepler University Linz, University Clinic for Cardiac-, Vascular- and Thoracic Surgery, Linz, Austria
| | - Andreas Zierer
- Medical Faculty, Johannes Kepler University Linz, University Clinic for Cardiac-, Vascular- and Thoracic Surgery, Linz, Austria
| | - Milan Mladenović
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia
| | | | - Boris Mandić
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia
| | - Milan D Joksović
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University of Kragujevac, Kragujevac, Serbia
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37
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Yang Q, Wu C, Zhu G, Ren F, Lin B, Huang R, Hu X, Zhao D, Peng K, Wu Y, Wang Q, Huang C, Zhang D. ML390 inhibits enterovirus 71 replication by targeting de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway. Antiviral Res 2023; 209:105498. [PMID: 36563943 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/12/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Enterovirus 71 (EV71), a small, single-stranded, positive-sense RNA virus belonging to the enterovirus genus in the family Picornaviridae, causes hand, foot, and mouth disease. Although EV71 seriously threatens to public health, no effective antiviral drugs are available for treating this disease. In this study, we found that ML390, a dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitor, has potential anti-EV71 activity. ML390 dose-dependently inhibited EV71 replication with IC50 and selectivity index values of 0.06601 μM and 156.5, respectively. Supplementation with the downstream product orotate significantly suppressed the ability of ML390 to inhibit EV71 replication. Moreover, an adequate supply of exogenous uridine and cytosine suppressed the anti-EV71 activity of ML390. Thus, the antiviral activity of ML390 is mediated by the inhibition of the pyrimidine synthesis pathway. In an EV71-infected mouse model, ML390 reduced the load of EV71 in the brain, liver, heart, spleen, front legs, and hind legs, and significantly increased the survival rate of the mice infected by EV71. ML390 shows potential for the treatment of hand, foot, and mouth disease caused by EV71 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyu Yang
- Joint Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Health, Wuhan Institute of Virology and Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430023, China; Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430023, China
| | - Chengyuan Wu
- Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430023, China
| | - Guangyan Zhu
- Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430023, China
| | - Fuli Ren
- Joint Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Health, Wuhan Institute of Virology and Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430023, China; State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430023, China
| | - Binbin Lin
- Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430023, China; Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Rui Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Institute of Medical Virology, TaiKang Medical School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Xujuan Hu
- Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430023, China
| | - Dingran Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Institute of Medical Virology, TaiKang Medical School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Ke Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China; State Key Laboratory of Virology, CAS Key Laboratory of Special Pathogens, Wuhan Institute of Virology, Center for Biosafety Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Ying Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Virology and Hubei Province Key Laboratory of Allergy and Immunology, Institute of Medical Virology, TaiKang Medical School, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Qiongya Wang
- Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430023, China.
| | - Chaolin Huang
- Joint Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Health, Wuhan Institute of Virology and Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430023, China; Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430023, China.
| | - Dingyu Zhang
- Joint Laboratory of Infectious Diseases and Health, Wuhan Institute of Virology and Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Wuhan, 430023, China; Wuhan Jinyintan Hospital, Tongji Medical College of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430023, China.
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38
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Li CC, Chi XJ, Wang J, Potter AL, Wang XJ, Yang CFJ. Small molecule RAF265 as an antiviral therapy acts against HSV-1 by regulating cytoskeleton rearrangement and cellular translation machinery. J Med Virol 2023; 95:e28226. [PMID: 36251738 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.28226] [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: 09/06/2022] [Revised: 10/03/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Host-targeting antivirals (HTAs) have received increasing attention for their potential as broad-spectrum antivirals that pose relatively low risk of developing drug resistance. The repurposing of pharmaceutical drugs for use as antivirals is emerging as a cost- and time- efficient approach to developing HTAs for the treatment of a variety of viral infections. In this study, we used a virus titer method to screen 30 small molecules for antiviral activity against Herpes simplex virus-1 (HSV-1). We found that the small molecule RAF265, an anticancer drug that has been shown to be a potent inhibitor of B-RAF V600E, reduced viral loads of HSV-1 by 4 orders of magnitude in Vero cells and reduced virus proliferation in vivo. RAF265 mediated cytoskeleton rearrangement and targeted the host cell's translation machinery, which suggests that the antiviral activity of RAF265 may be attributed to a dual inhibition strategy. This study offers a starting point for further advances toward clinical development of antivirals against HSV-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cui-Cui Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Xiao-Jing Chi
- Department of Pathogen Biology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Alexandra L Potter
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Xiao-Jia Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Epidemiology of the Ministry of Agriculture, Department of Veterinary Medicine, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Chi-Fu Jeffrey Yang
- Department of Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.,Division of Thoracic Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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de Mariz E Miranda LS. The synergy between nucleotide biosynthesis inhibitors and antiviral nucleosides: New opportunities against viral infections? Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2023; 356:e2200217. [PMID: 36122181 DOI: 10.1002/ardp.202200217] [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: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 08/18/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
5'-Phosphorylated nucleoside derivatives are molecules that can be found in all living organisms and viruses. Over the last century, the development of structural analogs that could disrupt the transcription and translation of genetic information culminated in the development of clinically relevant anticancer and antiviral drugs. However, clinically effective broad-spectrum antiviral compounds or treatments are lacking. This viewpoint proposes that molecules that inhibit nucleotide biosynthesis may sensitize virus-infected cells toward direct-acting antiviral nucleosides. Such potentially synergistic combinations might allow the repurposing of drugs, leading to the development of new combination therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro S de Mariz E Miranda
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Chemistry Institute, Biocatalysis and Organic Synthesis Group, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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40
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D'Souza S, Balaji S, K V P. QSAR, molecular docking, molecular dynamics and MM-GBSA approach for identification of prospective benzotriazole-based SARS-CoV 3CL protease inhibitors. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:14247-14261. [PMID: 34877897 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.2002718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The 3CL Protease of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), responsible for viral replication, has emerged as an essential target for designing anti-coronaviral inhibitors in drug discovery. In recent years, small molecule and peptidomimetic inhibitors have been used to target the inhibition of SARS-CoV 3CL Protease. In this study, we have developed 2D and 3D Quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) models on 3CL protease inhibitors with good predictive capability to propose inhibitors with improved affinities. Based on the 3 D contour maps, three new inhibitors were designed in silico, which were further subjected to molecular docking to explore their binding modes. The newly designed compounds showed improved interaction energies toward SARS-CoV-3CLPro due to additional interactions with the active site residues. The molecular docking studies of the most potent compounds revealed specific interactions with Glu 166 and Cys 145. Furthermore, absorption, distribution, metabolism, elimination (ADME) and drug-likeness evaluation revealed improved pharmacokinetic properties for these compounds. The molecular dynamics simulations confirmed the stability of the interactions identified by docking. The results presented would guide the development of new 3CL protease inhibitors with improved affinities in the future.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia D'Souza
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - S Balaji
- Department of Biotechnology, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
| | - Prema K V
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology Bengaluru, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka, India
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Sharma K, Berry L, Vryonis E, Ali A, Lara B, Noufaily A, Parsons N, Bradley C, Haley B, Tabuso M, Arasaradnam RP. Prospective, randomised, parallel-group, open-label study to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of IMU-838, in combination with oseltamivir, in adults with COVID-19: the IONIC trial protocol. BMJ Open 2022; 12:e055205. [PMID: 36396307 PMCID: PMC9676417 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2021-055205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Globally, there is a scarcity of effective treatments for SARS-CoV-2 infections (causing COVID-19). Repurposing existing medications may offer the best hope for treating patients with COVID-19 to curb the pandemic. IMU-838 is a dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitor, which is an effective mechanism for antiviral effects against respiratory viruses. When used synergistically with oseltamivir, therapeutic effects have been observed against influenza and SARS-CoV-2 in rodents. The IMU-838 and Oseltamivir in the Treatment of COVID-19 (IONIC) trial is a randomised controlled trial that will investigate whether time to clinical improvement in patients with COVID-19 is improved following a 14-day course of IMU-838+oseltamivir versus oseltamivir alone. METHODS IONIC trial is an open-label study in which participants will be randomised 1:1 in two parallel arms: the intervention arm (IMU-838+oseltamivir) and the control arm (oseltamivir only). The primary outcome is time to clinical improvement; defined as the time from randomisation to a two-point improvement on WHO ordinal scale; discharge from hospital, or death (whichever occurs first). The study is sponsored by the University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust and funded by LifeArc. DISCUSSION The IONIC protocol describes an overarching trial design to provide reliable evidence on the effectiveness of IMU-838 (vidofludimus calcium) when delivered in combination with an antiviral therapy (oseltamivir) (IONIC intervention) for confirmed or suspected COVID-19 infection in adult patients receiving usual standard of care. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION This study has been independently reviewed and approved by Wales Research Ethics Committee. In addition, required regulatory approvals were received from Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER EudraCT 2020-001805-21, ISRCTN53038326, NCT04516915.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kavi Sharma
- Research & Development, University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry, UK
- Division of Medical Education, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, Brighton, UK
| | - Lisa Berry
- R&D, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry, UK
| | - Evangelos Vryonis
- R&D, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry, UK
| | - Asad Ali
- R&D, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry, UK
| | - Beatriz Lara
- Department of Cardiology and Respiratory, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry, UK
| | - Angela Noufaily
- Statistics and Epidemiology, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | - Nicholas Parsons
- Statistics and Epidemiology, Warwick Medical School, Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
| | | | - Becky Haley
- R&D, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry, UK
| | - Maria Tabuso
- R&D, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry, UK
| | - Ramesh P Arasaradnam
- Gastroenterology, University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry, UK
- University of Warwick, Coventry, UK
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Lang P, Geertsen SS, Lublin AL, Potter MC, Gladysheva T, Gregory JS, Rufi P. In vitro evaluation of the activity of teriflunomide against SARS-CoV-2 and the human coronaviruses 229E and OC43. Biochem Biophys Rep 2022; 33:101395. [PMCID: PMC9682045 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrep.2022.101395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2022] [Revised: 11/17/2022] [Accepted: 11/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
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Ma T, Du J, Zhang Y, Wang Y, Wang B, Zhang T. GPX4-independent ferroptosis—a new strategy in disease’s therapy. Cell Death Dis 2022; 8:434. [DOI: 10.1038/s41420-022-01212-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
AbstractFerroptosis is a form of programmed cell death characterized by intracellular iron accumulation and lipid peroxidation, and earlier studies identified glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) as an essential regulator of this process. Ferroptosis plays an essential role in tumors, degenerative diseases, and ischemia-reperfusion injury. However, researchers have found that inhibition of GPX4 does not entirely suppress ferroptosis in certain diseases, or cells express resistance to ferroptosis agonists that inhibit GPX4. As research progresses, it has been discovered that there are multiple regulatory pathways for ferroptosis that are independent of GPX4. The study of GPX4-independent ferroptosis pathways can better target ferroptosis to prevent and treat various diseases. Here, the currently inhibited pulmonary GPX4-dependent ferroptosis pathways will be reviewed.
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Sibille G, Luganini A, Sainas S, Boschi D, Lolli ML, Gribaudo G. The Novel hDHODH Inhibitor MEDS433 Prevents Influenza Virus Replication by Blocking Pyrimidine Biosynthesis. Viruses 2022; 14:v14102281. [PMID: 36298835 PMCID: PMC9611833 DOI: 10.3390/v14102281] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 10/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The pharmacological management of influenza virus (IV) infections still poses a series of challenges due to the limited anti-IV drug arsenal. Therefore, the development of new anti-influenza agents effective against antigenically different IVs is therefore an urgent priority. To meet this need, host-targeting antivirals (HTAs) can be evaluated as an alternative or complementary approach to current direct-acting agents (DAAs) for the therapy of IV infections. As a contribution to this antiviral strategy, in this study, we characterized the anti-IV activity of MEDS433, a novel small molecule inhibitor of the human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (hDHODH), a key cellular enzyme of the de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway. MEDS433 exhibited a potent antiviral activity against IAV and IBV replication, which was reversed by the addition of exogenous uridine and cytidine or the hDHODH product orotate, thus indicating that MEDS433 targets notably hDHODH activity in IV-infected cells. When MEDS433 was used in combination either with dipyridamole (DPY), an inhibitor of the pyrimidine salvage pathway, or with an anti-IV DAA, such as N4-hydroxycytidine (NHC), synergistic anti-IV activities were observed. As a whole, these results indicate MEDS433 as a potential HTA candidate to develop novel anti-IV intervention approaches, either as a single agent or in combination regimens with DAAs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Sibille
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, 10123 Torino, Italy
| | - Anna Luganini
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, 10123 Torino, Italy
| | - Stefano Sainas
- Department of Sciences and Drug Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Torino, Italy
| | - Donatella Boschi
- Department of Sciences and Drug Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Torino, Italy
| | - Marco Lucio Lolli
- Department of Sciences and Drug Technology, University of Torino, 10125 Torino, Italy
| | - Giorgio Gribaudo
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Torino, 10123 Torino, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-011-6704648
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Sainas S, Giorgis M, Circosta P, Poli G, Alberti M, Passoni A, Gaidano V, Pippione AC, Vitale N, Bonanni D, Rolando B, Cignetti A, Ramondetti C, Lanno A, Ferraris DM, Canepa B, Buccinnà B, Piccinini M, Rizzi M, Saglio G, Al-Karadaghi S, Boschi D, Miggiano R, Tuccinardi T, Lolli ML. Targeting Acute Myelogenous Leukemia Using Potent Human Dihydroorotate Dehydrogenase Inhibitors Based on the 2-Hydroxypyrazolo[1,5- a]pyridine Scaffold: SAR of the Aryloxyaryl Moiety. J Med Chem 2022; 65:12701-12724. [PMID: 36162075 PMCID: PMC9574863 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00496] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitors have been associated with acute myelogenous leukemia as well as studied as potent host targeting antivirals. Starting from MEDS433 (IC50 1.2 nM), we kept improving the structure-activity relationship of this class of compounds characterized by 2-hydroxypyrazolo[1,5-a]pyridine scaffold. Using an in silico/crystallography supported design, we identified compound 4 (IC50 7.2 nM), characterized by the presence of a decorated aryloxyaryl moiety that replaced the biphenyl scaffold, with potent inhibition and pro-differentiating abilities on AML THP1 cells (EC50 74 nM), superior to those of brequinar (EC50 249 nM) and boosted when in combination with dipyridamole. Finally, compound 4 has an extremely low cytotoxicity on non-AML cells as well as MEDS433; it has shown a significant antileukemic activity in vivo in a xenograft mouse model of AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Sainas
- Department
of Drug Science and Technology, University
of Turin, Via P. Giuria 9, Turin 10125, Italy
| | - Marta Giorgis
- Department
of Drug Science and Technology, University
of Turin, Via P. Giuria 9, Turin 10125, Italy
| | - Paola Circosta
- Department
of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University
of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, Orbassano, Turin 10043, Italy
- Molecular
Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Via Nizza 52, Turin 10126, Italy
| | - Giulio Poli
- Department
of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, Pisa 56126, Italy
| | - Marta Alberti
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
Piemonte Orientale, Via
G. Bovio 6, Novara 28100, Italy
| | - Alice Passoni
- Laboratory
of Mass Spectrometry, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milan 20156, Italy
| | - Valentina Gaidano
- Division
of Hematology and Cell Therapy, AO Ordine
Mauriziano, Largo Filippo
Turati, 62, Turin 10128, Italy
| | - Agnese C. Pippione
- Department
of Drug Science and Technology, University
of Turin, Via P. Giuria 9, Turin 10125, Italy
| | - Nicoletta Vitale
- Department
of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, University of Turin, Via Nizza 52, Turin 10126, Italy
| | - Davide Bonanni
- Department
of Drug Science and Technology, University
of Turin, Via P. Giuria 9, Turin 10125, Italy
- Life
Science Department, University of Modena, Via Università 4, Modena 41121, Italy
| | - Barbara Rolando
- Department
of Drug Science and Technology, University
of Turin, Via P. Giuria 9, Turin 10125, Italy
| | - Alessandro Cignetti
- Division
of Hematology and Cell Therapy, AO Ordine
Mauriziano, Largo Filippo
Turati, 62, Turin 10128, Italy
| | - Cristina Ramondetti
- Department
of Oncology, University of Turin, Via Michelangelo 27/B, Turin 10125, Italy
| | - Alessia Lanno
- Laboratory
of Mass Spectrometry, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Istituto di Ricerche Farmacologiche Mario Negri IRCCS, Via Mario Negri 2, Milan 20156, Italy
| | - Davide M. Ferraris
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
Piemonte Orientale, Via
G. Bovio 6, Novara 28100, Italy
| | - Barbara Canepa
- GEM FORLAB, Via Ing.
Comotto 36, Caluso, Turin, 10014, Italy
| | - Barbara Buccinnà
- Department
of Oncology, University of Turin, Via Michelangelo 27/B, Turin 10125, Italy
| | - Marco Piccinini
- Department
of Oncology, University of Turin, Via Michelangelo 27/B, Turin 10125, Italy
| | - Menico Rizzi
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
Piemonte Orientale, Via
G. Bovio 6, Novara 28100, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Saglio
- Department
of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University
of Turin, Regione Gonzole 10, Orbassano, Turin 10043, Italy
- Division
of Hematology and Cell Therapy, AO Ordine
Mauriziano, Largo Filippo
Turati, 62, Turin 10128, Italy
| | - Salam Al-Karadaghi
- Department
of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, Lund University, Naturvetarvägen
14, Box 124, Lund 221 00, Sweden
| | - Donatella Boschi
- Department
of Drug Science and Technology, University
of Turin, Via P. Giuria 9, Turin 10125, Italy
| | - Riccardo Miggiano
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of
Piemonte Orientale, Via
G. Bovio 6, Novara 28100, Italy
| | - Tiziano Tuccinardi
- Molecular
Biotechnology Center, University of Turin, Via Nizza 52, Turin 10126, Italy
| | - Marco L. Lolli
- Department
of Drug Science and Technology, University
of Turin, Via P. Giuria 9, Turin 10125, Italy
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Mashayekh S, Stunkard LM, Kienle M, Mathews II, Khosla C. Structure-Based Prototyping of Allosteric Inhibitors of Human Uridine/Cytidine Kinase 2 (UCK2). Biochemistry 2022; 61:2261-2266. [PMID: 36190114 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Pyrimidine nucleotide biosynthesis in humans is a promising chemotherapeutic target for infectious diseases caused by RNA viruses. Because mammalian cells derive pyrimidine ribonucleotides through a combination of de novo biosynthesis and salvage, combined inhibition of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH; the first committed step in de novo pyrimidine nucleotide biosynthesis) and uridine/cytidine kinase 2 (UCK2; the first step in salvage of exogenous nucleosides) strongly attenuates viral replication in infected cells. However, while several pharmacologically promising inhibitors of human DHODH are known, to date there are no reports of medicinally viable leads against UCK2. Here, we use structure-based drug prototyping to identify two classes of promising leads that noncompetitively inhibit UCK2 activity. In the process, we have identified a hitherto unknown allosteric site at the intersubunit interface of this homotetrameric enzyme. By reducing the kcat of human UCK2 without altering its KM, these new inhibitors have the potential to enable systematic dialing of the fractional inhibition of pyrimidine salvage to achieve the desired antiviral effect with minimal host toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siavash Mashayekh
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Lee M Stunkard
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Maryline Kienle
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Irimpan I Mathews
- Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource, SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Stanford University, Menlo Park, California 94025, United States
| | - Chaitan Khosla
- Department of Chemistry, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States.,Department of Chemical Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States.,Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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47
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Pontikos MA, Leija C, Zhao Z, Wang X, Kilgore J, Tornesi B, Adenmatten N, Phillips MA, Williams NS. Development of a biomarker to monitor target engagement after treatment with dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitors. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 204:115237. [PMID: 36055381 PMCID: PMC9547971 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115237] [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: 07/01/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) catalyzes a key step in pyrimidine biosynthesis and has recently been validated as a therapeutic target for malaria through clinical studies on the triazolopyrimidine-based Plasmodium DHODH inhibitor DSM265. Selective toxicity towards Plasmodium species could be achieved because malaria parasites lack pyrimidine salvage pathways, and DSM265 selectively inhibits Plasmodium DHODH over the human enzyme. However, while DSM265 does not inhibit human DHODH, it inhibits DHODH from several preclinical species, including mice, suggesting that toxicity could result from on-target DHODH inhibition in those species. We describe here the use of dihydroorotate (DHO) as a biomarker of DHODH inhibition. Treatment of mammalian cells with DSM265 or the mammalian DHODH inhibitor teriflunomide led to increases in DHO where the extent of biomarker buildup correlated with both dose and inhibitor potency on DHODH. Treatment of mice with leflunomide (teriflunomide prodrug) caused a large dose-dependent buildup of DHO in blood (up to 16-fold) and urine (up to 5,400-fold) that was not observed for mice treated with DSM265. Unbound plasma teriflunomide levels reached 20-85-fold above the mouse DHODH IC50, while free DSM265 levels were only 1.6-4.2-fold above, barely achieving ∼ IC90 concentrations, suggesting that unbound DSM265 plasma levels are not sufficient to block the pathway in vivo. Thus, any toxicity associated with DSM265 treatment in mice is likely caused by off-target mechanisms. The identification of a robust biomarker for mammalian DHODH inhibition represents an important advance to generally monitor for on-target effects in preclinical and clinical applications of DHODH inhibitors used to treat human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael A Pontikos
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390-9135, United States
| | - Christopher Leija
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390-9135, United States
| | - Zhiyu Zhao
- Children's Medical Center Research Institute, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390, United States
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390-9135, United States
| | - Jessica Kilgore
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390-9135, United States
| | - Belen Tornesi
- Medicines for Malaria Venture, 1215 Geneva, Switzerland
| | | | - Margaret A Phillips
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390-9135, United States.
| | - Noelle S Williams
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd, Dallas, TX 75390-9135, United States.
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Li C, Zhou Y, Xu J, Zhou X, Liu S, Huang Z, Qiu Z, Zeng T, Gou K, Tao L, Zhong X, Yang X, Zhou Y, Su N, Chen Q, Zhao Y, Luo Y. Discovery of potent human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase inhibitors based on a benzophenone scaffold. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 243:114737. [PMID: 36115209 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114737] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2022] [Revised: 08/20/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Blocking the de novo biosynthesis of pyrimidine by inhibiting human dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (hDHODH) is an effective way to suppress the proliferation of cancer cells and activated lymphocytes. Herein, eighteen teriflunomide derivatives and four ASLAN003 derivatives were designed and synthesized as novel hDHODH inhibitors based on a benzophenone scaffold. The optimal compound 7d showed a potent hDHODH inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 10.9 nM, and displayed promising antiproliferative activities against multiple human cancer cells with IC50 values of 0.1-0.8 μM. Supplementation of exogenous uridine rescued the cell viability of 7d-treated Raji and HCT116 cells. Meanwhile, 7d significantly induced cell cycle S-phase arrest in Raji and HCT116 cells. Furthermore, 7d exhibited favorable safety profiles in mice and displayed effective antitumor activities with tumor growth inhibition (TGI) rates of 58.3% and 42.1% at an oral dosage of 30 mg/kg in Raji and HCT116 cells xenograft models, respectively. Taken together, these findings provide a promising hDHODH inhibitor 7d with potential activities against some tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chungen Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yue Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Jing Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xia Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Song Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Zongkai Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Zhiqiang Qiu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Ting Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Kun Gou
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Lei Tao
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xi Zhong
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xiaowei Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yang Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Na Su
- Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Qiang Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yinglan Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China; Department of Pharmacology, Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Youfu Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Nepali K, Sharma R, Sharma S, Thakur A, Liou JP. Beyond the vaccines: a glance at the small molecule and peptide-based anti-COVID19 arsenal. J Biomed Sci 2022; 29:65. [PMID: 36064696 PMCID: PMC9444709 DOI: 10.1186/s12929-022-00847-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/16/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Unprecedented efforts of the researchers have been witnessed in the recent past towards the development of vaccine platforms for the control of the COVID-19 pandemic. Albeit, vaccination stands as a practical strategy to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection, supplementing the anti-COVID19 arsenal with therapeutic options such as small molecules/peptides and antibodies is being conceived as a prudent strategy to tackle the emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants. Noteworthy to mention that collective efforts from numerous teams have led to the generation of a voluminous library composed of chemically and mechanistically diverse small molecules as anti-COVID19 scaffolds. This review article presents an overview of medicinal chemistry campaigns and drug repurposing programs that culminated in the identification of a plethora of small molecule-based anti-COVID19 drugs mediating their antiviral effects through inhibition of proteases, S protein, RdRp, ACE2, TMPRSS2, cathepsin and other targets. In light of the evidence ascertaining the potential of small molecule drugs to approach conserved proteins required for the viral replication of all coronaviruses, accelerated FDA approvals are anticipated for small molecules for the treatment of COVID19 shortly. Though the recent attempts invested in this direction in pursuit of enrichment of the anti-COVID-19 armoury (chemical tools) are praiseworthy, some strategies need to be implemented to extract conclusive benefits of the recently reported small molecule viz. (i) detailed preclinical investigation of the generated anti-COVID19 scaffolds (ii) in-vitro profiling of the inhibitors against the emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants (iii) development of assays enabling rapid screening of the libraries of anti-COVID19 scaffold (iv) leveraging the applications of machine learning based predictive models to expedite the anti-COVID19 drug discovery campaign (v) design of antibody-drug conjugates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kunal Nepali
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing Street, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
- TMU Research Center for Drug Discovery, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
| | - Ram Sharma
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing Street, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
| | - Sachin Sharma
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing Street, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
| | - Amandeep Thakur
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing Street, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan
| | - Jing-Ping Liou
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing Street, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan.
- TMU Research Center for Drug Discovery, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, 11031, Taiwan.
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50
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Demarest JF, Kienle M, Boytz R, Ayres M, Kim EJ, Patten JJ, Chung D, Gandhi V, Davey R, Sykes DB, Shohdy N, Pottage JC, Kumar VS. Brequinar and dipyridamole in combination exhibits synergistic antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro: Rationale for a host-acting antiviral treatment strategy for COVID-19. Antiviral Res 2022; 206:105403. [PMID: 36041646 PMCID: PMC9420051 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the causative agent of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the associated global pandemic resulting in >400 million infections worldwide and several million deaths. The continued evolution of SARS-CoV-2 to potentially evade vaccines and monoclonal antibody (mAb)-based therapies and the limited number of authorized small-molecule antivirals necessitates the need for development of new drug treatments. There remains an unmet medical need for effective and convenient treatment options for SARS-CoV-2 infection. SARS-CoV-2 is an RNA virus that depends on host intracellular ribonucleotide pools for its replication. Dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) is a ubiquitous host enzyme that is required for de novo pyrimidine synthesis. The inhibition of DHODH leads to a depletion of intracellular pyrimidines, thereby impacting viral replication in vitro. Brequinar (BRQ) is an orally available, selective, and potent low nanomolar inhibitor of human DHODH that has been shown to exhibit broad spectrum inhibition of RNA virus replication. However, host cell nucleotide salvage pathways can maintain intracellular pyrimidine levels and compensate for BRQ-mediated DHODH inhibition. In this report, we show that the combination of BRQ and the salvage pathway inhibitor dipyridamole (DPY) exhibits strong synergistic antiviral activity in vitro against SARS-CoV-2 by enhanced depletion of the cellular pyrimidine nucleotide pool. The combination of BRQ and DPY showed antiviral activity against the prototype SARS-CoV-2 as well as the Beta (B.1.351) and Delta (B.1.617.2) variants. These data support the continued evaluation of the combination of BRQ and DPY as a broad-spectrum, host-acting antiviral strategy to treat SARS-CoV-2 and potentially other RNA virus infections.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Mary Ayres
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | | | | | | | - Varsha Gandhi
- Department of Experimental Therapeutics, MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
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