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Sekaran K, Varghese RP, Karthik A, Sasikumar K, Shree Devi MS, Sathiyarajeswaran P, George Priya Doss C. In silico network pharmacology analysis and molecular docking validation of Swasa Kudori tablet for screening druggable phytoconstituents of asthma. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2023; 138:257-274. [PMID: 38220427 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2023.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2024]
Abstract
Traditional medicines are impactful in treating a cluster of respiratory-related illnesses. This paper demonstrates screening active, druggable phytoconstituents from a classical Siddha-based poly-herbal formulation called Swasa Kudori Tablet to treat asthma. The phytoconstituents of Swasa Kudori are identified as Calotropis gigantea, Piper nigrum, and (Co-drug) Abies webbiana. Active chemical compounds are extracted with the Chemical Entities of Biological Interest (ChEBI) database. The gene targets of each compound are identified based on the pharmacological activity using the DIGEP-Pred database. Thirty-two genes showing Pa> 0.7 is screened, and the target markers are selected after performing gene overlap evaluation with the asthma genes reported in GeneCards and DisGeNET database. Ten markers are identified, such as ADIPOQ, CASP8, CAT, CCL2, CD86, FKBP5, HMOX1, NFE2L2, TIMP1, VDR, in common, listed as molecular targets. Pharmacokinetic assessment (ADME) revealed five natural drug compounds 2-5-7-trihydroxy-2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2,3-dihydro-4H-chromen-4-one, (+)-catechin-3'-methyl ether, futoenone, 5-hydroxy-4',7-dimethoxyflavanone, and pinocembrin showing better druggability. Further screening delineates the target (HMOX1) and drug (pinocembrin) for molecular docking evaluation. When docked with HO-1, Pinocembrin showed a binding affinity of -8.0 kcal/mol. MD simulation studies substantiate the docking studies as HO-1 in complex with pinocembrin remains stable in the simulated trajectory. The current findings exhibit the significance of traditional medicines as potential drug candidates against asthma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karthik Sekaran
- School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
| | | | - Ashwini Karthik
- Department of Biology, Mount Carmel College Autonomous, Bengaluru, India
| | - K Sasikumar
- School of Electronics Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
| | - M S Shree Devi
- Siddha Central Research Institute (CCRS), Chennai, India
| | | | - C George Priya Doss
- School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India.
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Ratia C, Ballén V, Gabasa Y, Soengas RG, Velasco-de Andrés M, Iglesias MJ, Cheng Q, Lozano F, Arnér ESJ, López-Ortiz F, Soto SM. Novel gold(III)-dithiocarbamate complex targeting bacterial thioredoxin reductase: antimicrobial activity, synergy, toxicity, and mechanistic insights. Front Microbiol 2023; 14:1198473. [PMID: 37333656 PMCID: PMC10272563 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2023.1198473] [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: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Antimicrobial resistance is a pressing global concern that has led to the search for new antibacterial agents with novel targets or non-traditional approaches. Recently, organogold compounds have emerged as a promising class of antibacterial agents. In this study, we present and characterize a (C^S)-cyclometallated Au(III) dithiocarbamate complex as a potential drug candidate. Methods and results The Au(III) complex was found to be stable in the presence of effective biological reductants, and showed potent antibacterial and antibiofilm activity against a wide range of multidrug-resistant strains, particularly gram-positive strains, and gram-negative strains when used in combination with a permeabilizing antibiotic. No resistant mutants were detected after exposing bacterial cultures to strong selective pressure, indicating that the complex may have a low propensity for resistance development. Mechanistic studies indicate that the Au(III) complex exerts its antibacterial activity through a multimodal mechanism of action. Ultrastructural membrane damage and rapid bacterial uptake suggest direct interactions with the bacterial membrane, while transcriptomic analysis identified altered pathways related to energy metabolism and membrane stability including enzymes of the TCA cycle and fatty acid biosynthesis. Enzymatic studies further revealed a strong reversible inhibition of the bacterial thioredoxin reductase. Importantly, the Au(III) complex demonstrated low cytotoxicity at therapeutic concentrations in mammalian cell lines, and showed no acute in vivo toxicity in mice at the doses tested, with no signs of organ toxicity. Discussion Overall, these findings highlight the potential of the Au(III)-dithiocarbamate scaffold as a basis for developing novel antimicrobial agents, given its potent antibacterial activity, synergy, redox stability, inability to produce resistant mutants, low toxicity to mammalian cells both in vitro and in vivo, and non-conventional mechanism of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Ratia
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Victoria Ballén
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Yaiza Gabasa
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raquel G. Soengas
- Área de Química Orgánica, Centro de Investigación CIAIMBITAL, Universidad de Almería, Almería, Spain
| | | | - María José Iglesias
- Área de Química Orgánica, Centro de Investigación CIAIMBITAL, Universidad de Almería, Almería, Spain
| | - Qing Cheng
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Francisco Lozano
- August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute (IDIBAPS), Barcelona, Spain
- Servei d’Immunologia, Centre de Diagnòstic Biomèdic, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Department de Biomedicina, Facultat de Medicina, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Elias S. J. Arnér
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
- Department of Selenoprotein Research and the National Tumor Biology Laboratory, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Fernando López-Ortiz
- Área de Química Orgánica, Centro de Investigación CIAIMBITAL, Universidad de Almería, Almería, Spain
| | - Sara M. Soto
- Barcelona Institute for Global Health (ISGlobal), Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- CIBER Enfermedades Infecciosas (CIBERINFEC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Madrid, Spain
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Ratia C, Cepas V, Soengas R, Navarro Y, Velasco-de Andrés M, Iglesias MJ, Lozano F, López-Ortiz F, Soto SM. A C ∧S-Cyclometallated Gold(III) Complex as a Novel Antibacterial Candidate Against Drug-Resistant Bacteria. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:815622. [PMID: 35308343 PMCID: PMC8928146 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.815622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The worldwide emergence and spread of infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria endangers the efficacy of current antibiotics in the clinical setting. The lack of new antibiotics in the pipeline points to the need of developing new strategies. Recently, gold-based drugs are being repurposed for antibacterial applications. Among them, gold(III) complexes have received increasing attention as metal-based anticancer agents. However, reports on their antibacterial activity are scarce due to stability issues. The present work demonstrates the antibacterial activity of the gold(III) complex 2 stabilized as C∧S-cycloaurated containing a diphenylphosphinothioic amide moiety, showing minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values that ranged from 4 to 8 and from 16 to 32 mg/L among Gram-positive and Gram-negative multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, respectively. Complex 2 has a biofilm inhibitory activity of only two to four times than its MIC. We also describe for the first time a potent antibacterial synergistic effect of a gold(III) complex combined with colistin, showing a bactericidal effect in less than 2 h; confirming the role of the outer membrane as a permeability barrier. Complex 2 shows a low rate of internalization in Staphylococcus aureus and Acinetobacter baumannii; it does not interact with replication enzymes or efflux pumps, causes ultrastructural damages in both membrane and cytoplasmic levels, and permeabilizes the bacterial membrane. Unlike control antibiotics, complex 2 did not generate resistant mutants in 30-day sequential cultures. We detected lower cytotoxicity in a non-tumoral THLE-2 cell line (IC50 = 25.5 μM) and no acute toxicity signs in vivo after an i.v. 1-mg/kg dose. The characterization presented here reassures the potential of complex 2 as a new chemical class of antimicrobial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Ratia
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Virginio Cepas
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Raquel Soengas
- Área de Química Orgánica, Centro de Investigación CIAIMBITAL, Universidad de Almería, Almería, Spain
| | - Yolanda Navarro
- Área de Química Orgánica, Centro de Investigación CIAIMBITAL, Universidad de Almería, Almería, Spain
| | - María Velasco-de Andrés
- Immunoreceptors del Sistema Innat i Adaptatiu, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Barcelona, Spain
| | - María José Iglesias
- Área de Química Orgánica, Centro de Investigación CIAIMBITAL, Universidad de Almería, Almería, Spain
| | - Francisco Lozano
- Immunoreceptors del Sistema Innat i Adaptatiu, Institut d’Investigacions Biomèdiques August Pi i Sunyer, Barcelona, Spain
- Servei d’Immunologia, Centre de Diagnòstic Biomèdic, Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
- Departament de Biomedicina, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Fernando López-Ortiz
- Área de Química Orgánica, Centro de Investigación CIAIMBITAL, Universidad de Almería, Almería, Spain
| | - Sara M. Soto
- ISGlobal, Hospital Clínic, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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