1
|
Madhav H, Reddy GS, Rizvi Z, Jameel E, Patel TS, Rahman A, Yadav V, Fatima S, Heyat F, Pal K, Minju-Op A, Subbarao N, Bhattacharjee S, Dixit BC, Sijwali PS, Hoda N. Reinvestigation of diphenylmethylpiperazine analogues of pyrazine as new class of Plasmodial cysteine protease inhibitors for the treatment of malaria. RSC Med Chem 2024; 15:1022-1037. [PMID: 38516592 PMCID: PMC10953474 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00490b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Malaria eradication is still a global challenge due to the lack of a broadly effective vaccine and the emergence of drug resistance to most of the currently available drugs as part of the mainline artemisinin-based combination therapy. A variety of experimental approaches are quite successful in identifying and synthesizing new promising pharmacophore hybrids with distinct mechanisms of action. Based on our recent findings, the current study demonstrates the reinvestigation of a series of diphenylmethylpiperazine and pyrazine-derived molecular hybrids. Pyrazine-derived molecular hybrids were screened to investigate the antiplasmodial activity on drug-susceptible Pf3D7 and drug-resistant PfW2 strains. The selected compounds were shown to be potent dual inhibitors of cysteine protease PfFP2 and PfFP3. Time-course parasitic development study demonstrated that compounds were able to arrest the growth of the parasite at the early trophozoite stage. The compounds did not show hemolysis of red blood cells and showed selectivity to the parasite compared with the mammalian Vero and A5489 cell lines. The study underlined HR5 and HR15 as a new class of Plasmodial falcipain inhibitors with an IC50 of 6.2 μM and 5.9 μM for PfFP2 and 6.8 μM and 6.4 μM for PfFP3, respectively. Both compounds have antimalarial efficacy with IC50 values of 3.05 μM and 2.80 μM for the Pf3D7 strain, and 4.35 μM and 3.39 μM for the PfW2 strain, respectively. Further structural optimization may turn them into potential Plasmodial falcipain inhibitors for malaria therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hari Madhav
- Drug Design and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University) New Delhi-110025 India
| | - G Srinivas Reddy
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology Hyderabad-500007 TS India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR) Ghaziabad-201002 UP India
| | - Zeba Rizvi
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology Hyderabad-500007 TS India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR) Ghaziabad-201002 UP India
| | - Ehtesham Jameel
- Drug Design and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University) New Delhi-110025 India
| | - Tarosh S Patel
- Chemistry Department, V. P. & R. P. T. P Science College, Affiliated to Sardar Patel University Vallabh Vidyanagar-388120 Gujarat India
| | - Abdur Rahman
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi-110067 India
| | - Vikas Yadav
- School of Computational and Integrative Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi-110067 India
| | - Sadaf Fatima
- Drug Design and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University) New Delhi-110025 India
| | - Fatima Heyat
- Drug Design and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University) New Delhi-110025 India
| | - Kavita Pal
- Drug Design and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University) New Delhi-110025 India
| | - Amisha Minju-Op
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology Hyderabad-500007 TS India
| | - Naidu Subbarao
- School of Computational and Integrative Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi-110067 India
| | - Souvik Bhattacharjee
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University New Delhi-110067 India
| | - Bharat C Dixit
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology Hyderabad-500007 TS India
| | - Puran Singh Sijwali
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology Hyderabad-500007 TS India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR) Ghaziabad-201002 UP India
| | - Nasimul Hoda
- Drug Design and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University) New Delhi-110025 India
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Giroud M, Kuhn B, Haap W. Drug Discovery Efforts to Identify Novel Treatments for Neglected Tropical Diseases - Cysteine Protease Inhibitors. Curr Med Chem 2024; 31:2170-2194. [PMID: 37916489 DOI: 10.2174/0109298673249097231017051733] [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: 02/14/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Neglected tropical diseases are a severe burden for mankind, affecting an increasing number of people around the globe. Many of those diseases are caused by protozoan parasites in which cysteine proteases play a key role in the parasite's pathogenesis. OBJECTIVE In this review article, we summarize the drug discovery efforts of the research community from 2017 - 2022 with a special focus on the optimization of small molecule cysteine protease inhibitors in terms of selectivity profiles or drug-like properties as well as in vivo studies. The cysteine proteases evaluated by this methodology include Cathepsin B1 from Schistosoma mansoni, papain, cruzain, falcipain, and rhodesain. METHODS Exhaustive literature searches were performed using the keywords "Cysteine Proteases" and "Neglected Tropical Diseases" including the years 2017 - 2022. Overall, approximately 3'000 scientific papers were retrieved, which were filtered using specific keywords enabling the focus on drug discovery efforts. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION Potent and selective cysteine protease inhibitors to treat neglected tropical diseases were identified, which progressed to pharmacokinetic and in vivo efficacy studies. As far as the authors are aware of, none of those inhibitors reached the stage of active clinical development. Either the inhibitor's potency or pharmacokinetic properties or safety profile or a combination thereof prevented further development of the compounds. More efforts with particular emphasis on optimizing pharmacokinetic and safety properties are needed, potentially by collaborations of academic and industrial research groups with complementary expertise. Furthermore, new warheads reacting with the catalytic cysteine should be exploited to advance the research field in order to make a meaningful impact on society.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maude Giroud
- Pharma Research and Early Development pRED, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Medicinal Chemistry, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel, CH-4070, Switzerland
| | - Bernd Kuhn
- Pharma Research and Early Development pRED, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Medicinal Chemistry, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel, CH-4070, Switzerland
| | - Wolfgang Haap
- Pharma Research and Early Development pRED, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Medicinal Chemistry, F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd, Grenzacherstrasse 124, Basel, CH-4070, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
González JEH, Salas-Sarduy E, Alvarez LH, Valiente PA, Arni RK, Pascutti PG. Three Decades of Targeting Falcipains to Develop Antiplasmodial Agents: What have we Learned and What can be Done Next? Curr Med Chem 2024; 31:2234-2263. [PMID: 37711130 DOI: 10.2174/0929867331666230913165219] [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: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 05/06/2023] [Accepted: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is a devastating infectious disease that affects large swathes of human populations across the planet's tropical regions. It is caused by parasites of the genus Plasmodium, with Plasmodium falciparum being responsible for the most lethal form of the disease. During the intraerythrocytic stage in the human hosts, malaria parasites multiply and degrade hemoglobin (Hb) using a battery of proteases, which include two cysteine proteases, falcipains 2 and 3 (FP-2 and FP-3). Due to their role as major hemoglobinases, FP-2 and FP-3 have been targeted in studies aiming to discover new antimalarials and numerous inhibitors with activity against these enzymes, and parasites in culture have been identified. Nonetheless, cross-inhibition of human cysteine cathepsins remains a serious hurdle to overcome for these compounds to be used clinically. In this article, we have reviewed key functional and structural properties of FP-2/3 and described different compound series reported as inhibitors of these proteases during decades of active research in the field. Special attention is also paid to the wide range of computer-aided drug design (CADD) techniques successfully applied to discover new active compounds. Finally, we provide guidelines that, in our understanding, will help advance the rational discovery of new FP-2/3 inhibitors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jorge Enrique Hernández González
- Multiuser Center for Biomolecular Innovation, IBILCE/UNESP, São José do Rio Preto, SP, Brazil
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, UZA II, University of Vienna, Vienna, 1090, Austria
| | - Emir Salas-Sarduy
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biotecnológicas Dr. Rodolfo Ugalde, Universidad Nacional de San Martín, CONICET, San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Escuela de Bio y Nanotecnología (EByN), Universidad de San Martín (UNSAM), San Martín, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Pedro Alberto Valiente
- Donnelly Centre for Cellular & Biomolecular Research, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada
| | | | - Pedro Geraldo Pascutti
- Laboratório de Modelagem e Dinâmica Molecular, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Madhav H, Patel TS, Rizvi Z, Reddy GS, Rahman A, Rahman MA, Ahmedi S, Fatima S, Saxena K, Manzoor N, Bhattacharjee S, Dixit BC, Sijwali PS, Hoda N. Development of diphenylmethylpiperazine hybrids of chloroquinoline and triazolopyrimidine using Petasis reaction as new cysteine proteases inhibitors for malaria therapeutics. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 258:115564. [PMID: 37321109 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115564] [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: 05/14/2023] [Revised: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is a widespread infectious disease, causing nearly 247 million cases in 2021. The absence of a broadly effective vaccine and rapidly decreasing effectiveness of most of the currently used antimalarials are the major challenges to malaria eradication efforts. To design and develop novel antimalarials, we synthesized a series of 4,7-dichloroquinoline and methyltriazolopyrimidine analogues using a multi-component Petasis reaction. The synthesized molecules (11-31) were screened for in-vitro antimalarial activity against drug-sensitive and drug-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum with an IC50 value of 0.53 μM. The selected compounds were screened to evaluate in-vitro and in-silico enzyme inhibition efficacy against two cysteine proteases, PfFP2 and PfFP3. The compounds 15 and 17 inhibited PfFP2 with an IC50 = 3.5 and 4.8 μM, respectively and PfFP3 with an IC50 = 4.9 and 4.7 μM, respectively. Compounds 15 and 17 were found equipotent against the Pf3D7 strain with an IC50 value of 0.74 μM, whereas both were displayed IC50 values of 1.05 μM and 1.24 μM for the PfW2 strain, respectively. Investigation of effect of compounds on parasite development demonstrated that compounds were able to arrest the growth of the parasites at trophozoite stage. The selected compounds were screened for in-vitro cytotoxicity against mammalian lines and human red-blood-cell (RBC), which demonstrated no significant cytotoxicity associated with the molecules. In addition, in silico ADME prediction and physiochemical properties supported the drug-likeness of the synthesized molecules. Thus, the results highlighted the diphenylmethylpiperazine group cast on 4,7-dichloroquinoline and methyltriazolopyrimidine using Petasis reaction may serve as models for the development of new antimalarial agents.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hari Madhav
- Drug Design and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | - Tarosh S Patel
- Chemistry Department, V. P. & R. P. T. P Science College, Affiliated to Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, 388 120, Gujarat, India
| | - Zeba Rizvi
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, 500007, TS, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, UP, India
| | - G Srinivas Reddy
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, 500007, TS, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, UP, India
| | - Abdur Rahman
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Md Ataur Rahman
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, 02138, USA
| | - Saiema Ahmedi
- Medical Mycology Lab, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | - Sadaf Fatima
- Drug Design and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | - Kanika Saxena
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, 500007, TS, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, 201002, UP, India
| | - Nikhat Manzoor
- Medical Mycology Lab, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | - Souvik Bhattacharjee
- Special Centre for Molecular Medicine, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Bharat C Dixit
- Chemistry Department, V. P. & R. P. T. P Science College, Affiliated to Sardar Patel University, Vallabh Vidyanagar, 388 120, Gujarat, India
| | - Puran Singh Sijwali
- CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology, Hyderabad, 500007, TS, India.
| | - Nasimul Hoda
- Drug Design and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, 110025, India.
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Patra J, Rana D, Arora S, Pal M, Mahindroo N. Falcipains: Biochemistry, target validation and structure-activity relationship studies of inhibitors as antimalarials. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 252:115299. [PMID: 36996716 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115299] [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: 01/15/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is a tropical disease with significant morbidity and mortality burden caused by Plasmodium species in Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and South America. Pathogenic Plasmodium species have lately become increasingly resistant to approved chemotherapeutics and combination therapies. Therefore, there is an emergent need for identifying new druggable targets and novel chemical classes against the parasite. Falcipains, cysteine proteases required for heme metabolism in the erythrocytic stage, have emerged as promising drug targets against Plasmodium species that infect humans. This perspective discusses the biology, biochemistry, structural features, and genetics of falcipains. The efforts to identify selective or dual inhibitors and their structure-activity relationships are reviewed to give a perspective on the design of novel compounds targeting falcipains for antimalarial activity evaluating reasons for hits and misses for this important target.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jeevan Patra
- School of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Energy Acres, Bidholi, Via Prem Nagar, Uttarakhand, 248007, India
| | - Devika Rana
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences, Bajhol, Solan, Himachal Pradesh, 173229, India
| | - Smriti Arora
- School of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Energy Acres, Bidholi, Via Prem Nagar, Uttarakhand, 248007, India
| | - Mintu Pal
- Department of Pharmacology, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Bathinda, Punjab, 151001, India
| | - Neeraj Mahindroo
- School of Health Sciences and Technology, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Energy Acres, Bidholi, Via Prem Nagar, Uttarakhand, 248007, India; School of Health Sciences and Technology, Dr. Vishwanath Karad MIT World Peace University, 124 Paud Road, Kothrud, Pune, Maharashtra, 411038, India.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zhang R, Li B, Chi C, Liu Y, Liu X, Li J, Li W, Chen B. Design, synthesis, antiproliferative and antimicrobial evaluation of a new class of disulfides containing 1,3,4-thiadiazole units. Med Chem Res 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00044-022-02937-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
|
7
|
Ettari R, Previti S, Di Chio C, Zappalà M. Falcipain-2 and Falcipain-3 Inhibitors as Promising Antimalarial Agents. Curr Med Chem 2021; 28:3010-3031. [PMID: 32744954 DOI: 10.2174/0929867327666200730215316] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 07/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Malaria remains a serious problem in global public health, particularly widespread in South America and in tropical regions of Africa and Asia. Chemotherapy is actually the only way to treat this poverty-related disease, since an effective vaccine is not currently available. However, the onset of resistance to the most common antimalarial drugs sometimes makes the current therapeutic regimen problematic. Therefore, the identification of new targets for a new drug discovery process is an urgent priority. In this context, falcipain-2 and falcipain- 3 of P. falciparum represent the key enzymes in the life-cycle of the parasite. Both falcipain- 2 and falcipain-3 are involved in hemoglobin hydrolysis, an essential pathway to provide free amino acids for the parasite metabolic needs. In addition, falcipain-2 is involved in cleaving ankirin and band 4.1 protein, which are cytoskeletal elements essential for the stability of the red cell membrane. This review article is focused on the most recent and effective inhibitors of falcipain-2 and falcipain-3, with particular attention to peptide, peptidomimetic or nonpeptide inhibitors, which targeted one or both the malarial cysteine proteases, endowed with a consistent activity against P. falciparum.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Ettari
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Santo Previti
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Carla Di Chio
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy
| | - Maria Zappalà
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Madhav H, Hoda N. An insight into the recent development of the clinical candidates for the treatment of malaria and their target proteins. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 210:112955. [PMID: 33131885 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 10/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Malaria is an endemic disease, prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions which cost half of million deaths annually. The eradication of malaria is one of the global health priority nevertheless, current therapeutic efforts seem to be insufficient due to the emergence of drug resistance towards most of the available drugs, even first-line treatment ACT, unavailability of the vaccine, and lack of drugs with a new mechanism of action. Intensification of antimalarial research in recent years has resulted into the development of single dose multistage therapeutic agents which has advantage of overcoming the antimalarial drug resistance. The present review explored the current progress in the development of new promising antimalarials against prominent target proteins that have the potential to be a clinical candidate. Here, we also reviewed different aspects of drug resistance and highlighted new drug candidates that are currently in a clinical trial or clinical development, along with a few other molecules with excellent antimalarial activity overs ACTs. The summarized scientific value of previous approaches and structural features of antimalarials related to the activity are highlighted that will be helpful for the development of next-generation antimalarials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hari Madhav
- Drug Design and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, 110025, India.
| | - Nasimul Hoda
- Drug Design and Synthesis Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia (A Central University), New Delhi, 110025, India.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Machin JM, Kantsadi AL, Vakonakis I. The complex of Plasmodium falciparum falcipain-2 protease with an (E)-chalcone-based inhibitor highlights a novel, small, molecule-binding site. Malar J 2019; 18:388. [PMID: 31791339 PMCID: PMC6889325 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-019-3043-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Malaria kills over 400,000 people each year and nearly half the world’s population live in at-risk areas. Progress against malaria has recently stalled, highlighting the need for developing novel therapeutics. The parasite haemoglobin degradation pathway, active in the blood stage of the disease where malaria symptoms and lethality manifest, is a well-established drug target. A key enzyme in this pathway is the papain-type protease falcipain-2. Methods The crystallographic structure of falcipain-2 at 3.45 Å resolution was resolved in complex with an (E)-chalcone small-molecule inhibitor. The falcipain-2–(E)-chalcone complex was analysed with reference to previous falcipain complexes and their similarity to human cathepsin proteases. Results The (E)-chalcone inhibitor binds falcipain-2 to the rear of the substrate-binding cleft. This is the first structure of a falcipain protease where the rear of the substrate cleft is bound by a small molecule. In this manner, the (E)-chalcone inhibitor mimics interactions observed in protein-based falcipain inhibitors, which can achieve high interaction specificity. Conclusions This work informs the search for novel anti-malaria therapeutics that target falcipain-2 by showing the binding site and interactions of the medically privileged (E)-chalcone molecule. Furthermore, this study highlights the possibility of chemically combining the (E)-chalcone molecule with an existing active-site inhibitor of falcipain, which may yield a potent and selective compound for blocking haemoglobin degradation by the malaria parasite.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Machin
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Anastassia L Kantsadi
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK
| | - Ioannis Vakonakis
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford, OX1 3QU, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Valente M, Vidal AE, González-Pacanowska D. Targeting Kinetoplastid and Apicomplexan Thymidylate Biosynthesis as an Antiprotozoal Strategy. Curr Med Chem 2019; 26:4262-4279. [PMID: 30259810 DOI: 10.2174/0929867325666180926154329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2018] [Revised: 03/23/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Kinetoplastid and apicomplexan parasites comprise a group of protozoans responsible for human diseases, with a serious impact on human health and the socioeconomic growth of developing countries. Chemotherapy is the main option to control these pathogenic organisms and nucleotide metabolism is considered a promising area for the provision of antimicrobial therapeutic targets. Impairment of thymidylate (dTMP) biosynthesis severely diminishes the viability of parasitic protozoa and the absence of enzymatic activities specifically involved in the formation of dTMP (e.g. dUTPase, thymidylate synthase, dihydrofolate reductase or thymidine kinase) results in decreased deoxythymidine triphosphate (dTTP) levels and the so-called thymineless death. In this process, the ratio of deoxyuridine triphosphate (dUTP) versus dTTP in the cellular nucleotide pool has a crucial role. A high dUTP/dTTP ratio leads to uracil misincorporation into DNA, the activation of DNA repair pathways, DNA fragmentation and eventually cell death. The essential character of dTMP synthesis has stimulated interest in the identification and development of drugs that specifically block the biochemical steps involved in thymine nucleotide formation. Here, we review the available literature in relation to drug discovery studies targeting thymidylate biosynthesis in kinetoplastid (genera Trypanosoma and Leishmania) and apicomplexan (Plasmodium spp and Toxoplasma gondii) protozoans. The most relevant findings concerning novel inhibitory molecules with antiparasitic activity against these human pathogens are presented herein.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- María Valente
- Instituto de Parasitologia y Biomedicina "Lopez-Neyra", Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
| | - Antonio E Vidal
- Instituto de Parasitologia y Biomedicina "Lopez-Neyra", Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
| | - Dolores González-Pacanowska
- Instituto de Parasitologia y Biomedicina "Lopez-Neyra", Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Granada, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Hromádka R, Kejík Z, Jakubek M, Kaplánek R, Šandriková V, Urban M, Martásek P, Král V. Pigments from Filamentous Ascomycetes for Combination Therapy. Curr Med Chem 2018; 26:3812-3834. [PMID: 29600749 DOI: 10.2174/0929867325666180330091933] [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: 01/04/2018] [Revised: 03/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Filamentous ascomycetes (Neurospora and Monascus) have been studied for a long time because of their production of secondary metabolites such as microbial pigments. The ascomycetes represent an interesting group of compounds with high potential for medicinal applications. Many recent studies have shown their efficacy in the treatment of serious pathological states such as oncological diseases, neurodegenerative diseases and hyperlipidaemia. Nevertheless, the clinical usability of ascomycetes is still limited. However, this problem can be solved by the use of these compounds with combinations of other therapeutic agents. This strategy can suppress their side effects and improve their therapeutic efficacy. Moreover, their co-application can significantly enhance conventional therapies that are used. This review summarizes and discusses the general principles of this approach, introduced and supported by numerous examples. In addition, the prediction of the future potential application of this methodology is included.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Róbert Hromádka
- C2P s.r.o. Jungmannova 101 503 51 Chlumec nad Cidlinou, Czech Republic
| | - Zdeněk Kejík
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Milan Jakubek
- BIOCEV, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prumyslova 595, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic.,Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Kaplánek
- BIOCEV, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prumyslova 595, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic.,Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| | - Viera Šandriková
- C2P s.r.o. Jungmannova 101 503 51 Chlumec nad Cidlinou, Czech Republic
| | - Marian Urban
- Food Research Institute Prague, Radiova 1285/7, 1285/7, Prague 10, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Martásek
- Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Prague 2, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Král
- BIOCEV, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prumyslova 595, 252 50 Vestec, Czech Republic.,Department of Analytical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemical Engineering, University of Chemistry and Technology, Prague, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
| |
Collapse
|