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Godara P, Reddy KS, Sahu W, Naik B, Srivastava V, Das R, Mahor A, Kumar P, Giri R, Anirudh J, Tak H, Banavath HN, Bhatt TK, Goyal AK, Prusty D. Structure-based virtual screening against multiple Plasmodium falciparum kinases reveals antimalarial compounds. Mol Divers 2023:10.1007/s11030-023-10770-z. [PMID: 38127294 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-023-10770-z] [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: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
The continuous emergence of resistance against most frontline antimalarial drugs has led to countless deaths in malaria-endemic countries, counting 619,000 deaths in 2021, with mutation in drug targets being the sole cause. As mutation is correlated frequently with fitness cost, the likelihood of mutation emergence in multiple targets at a time is extremely low. Hence, multitargeting compounds may seem promising to address drug resistance issues with additional benefits like increased efficacy, improved safety profile, and the requirement of fewer pills compared to traditional single and combinational drugs. In this study, we attempted to use the High Throughput Virtual Screening approach to predict multitarget inhibitors against six chemically validated Plasmodium falciparum (Pf) kinases (PfPKG, PfMAP2, PfCDPK4, PfTMK, PfPK5, PfPI4K), resulting in 21 multitargeting hits. The molecular dynamic simulation of the top six complexes (Myricetin-MAP2, Quercetin-CDPK4, Myricetin-TMK, Quercetin-PKG, Salidroside-PK5, and Salidroside-PI4K) showed stable interactions. Moreover, hierarchical clustering reveals the structural divergence of the compounds from the existing antimalarials, indicating less chance of cross-resistance. Additionally, the top three hits were validated through parasite growth inhibition assays, with quercetin and myricetin exhibiting an IC50 value of 1.84 and 3.93 µM, respectively.
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Affiliation(s)
- Priya Godara
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, NH-8, Bandarsindri, Kishangarh, Ajmer, Rajasthan, 305817, India
| | - K Sony Reddy
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (Deemed University), Bhubaneswar, 751024, India
| | - Welka Sahu
- School of Biotechnology, Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (Deemed University), Bhubaneswar, 751024, India
| | - Biswajit Naik
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, NH-8, Bandarsindri, Kishangarh, Ajmer, Rajasthan, 305817, India
| | - Varshita Srivastava
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, NH-8, Bandarsindri, Kishangarh, Ajmer, Rajasthan, 305817, India
| | - Rusham Das
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, Central University of Rajasthan, NH-8, Bandarsindri, Kishangarh, Ajmer, Rajasthan, 305817, India
| | - Ajay Mahor
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, Central University of Rajasthan, NH-8, Bandarsindri, Kishangarh, Ajmer, Rajasthan, 305817, India
| | - Prateek Kumar
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, Kamand, India
| | - Rajanish Giri
- School of Basic Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Mandi, Kamand, India
| | - Jivanage Anirudh
- Department of Sports Biosciences, School of Sport Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, India
| | - Harshita Tak
- Department of Sports Biosciences, School of Sport Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, India
| | - Hemanth Naick Banavath
- Department of Sports Biosciences, School of Sport Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, Ajmer, India
| | - Tarun Kumar Bhatt
- Department of Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, NH-8, Bandarsindri, Kishangarh, Ajmer, Rajasthan, 305817, India
| | - Amit Kumar Goyal
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Chemical Sciences and Pharmacy, Central University of Rajasthan, NH-8, Bandarsindri, Kishangarh, Ajmer, Rajasthan, 305817, India
| | - Dhaneswar Prusty
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Life Sciences, Central University of Rajasthan, NH-8, Bandarsindri, Kishangarh, Ajmer, Rajasthan, 305817, India.
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Functional inactivation of Plasmodium falciparum glycogen synthase kinase GSK3 modulates erythrocyte invasion and blocks gametocyte maturation. J Biol Chem 2022; 298:102360. [PMID: 35961464 PMCID: PMC9478393 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102360] [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: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria is responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths every year. The lack of an effective vaccine and the global spread of multidrug resistant parasites hampers the fight against the disease and underlines the need for new antimalarial drugs. Central to the pathogenesis of malaria is the proliferation of Plasmodium parasites within human erythrocytes. Parasites invade erythrocytes via a coordinated sequence of receptor–ligand interactions between the parasite and the host cell. Posttranslational modifications such as protein phosphorylation are known to be key regulators in this process and are mediated by protein kinases. For several parasite kinases, including the Plasmodium falciparum glycogen synthase kinase 3 (PfGSK3), inhibitors have been shown to block erythrocyte invasion. Here, we provide an assessment of PfGSK3 function by reverse genetics. Using targeted gene disruption, we show the active gene copy, PfGSK3β, is not essential for asexual blood stage proliferation, although it modulates efficient erythrocyte invasion. We found functional inactivation leads to a 69% decreased growth rate and confirmed this growth defect by rescue experiments with wildtype and catalytically inactive mutants. Functional knockout of PfGSK3β does not lead to transcriptional upregulation of the second copy of PfGSK3. We further analyze expression, localization, and function of PfGSK3β during gametocytogenesis using a parasite line allowing conditional induction of sexual commitment. We demonstrate PfGSK3β-deficient gametocytes show a strikingly malformed morphology leading to the death of parasites in later stages of gametocyte development. Taken together, these findings are important for our understanding and the development of PfGSK3 as an antimalarial target.
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