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Tang DM, Wang ZJ, Zu WB, Jiang YM, Zhu YY, Wei MZ, Luo XD. Activity of the Caged Xanthone Morellic Acid against Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus Infection by Targeting the Bacterial Membrane. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2024. [PMID: 39388644 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.4c00425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/12/2024]
Abstract
Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus (VRE) is an important nosocomial opportunistic pathogen that is associated with multidrug resistance. Here, we demonstrate that morellic acid inhibits VRE by restoring its sensitivity to vancomycin and ampicillin with low drug resistance and efficient biofilm clearance effects. Morellic acid binds to inner membrane phospholipids, such as phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), and cardiolipin (CL) of VRE, such that the fluidity and proton-motive force (PMF) interfere with the damaged inner membrane, causing intracellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and bacterial death. Transcriptional analyses supported this effect on inner membrane-related pathways such as fatty acid biosynthesis and glycerophospholipid metabolism. Moreover, morellic acid significantly eliminated residual bacteria in the spleen, liver, kidneys, and abdominal effusion in mice. Our findings indicate the potential applications of morellic acid as an antibacterial agent or adjuvant for treating VRE infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Mei Tang
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education and Yunnan Province, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhao-Jie Wang
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education and Yunnan Province, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, People's Republic of China
| | - Wen-Biao Zu
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education and Yunnan Province, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue-Ming Jiang
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education and Yunnan Province, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan-Yan Zhu
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education and Yunnan Province, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, People's Republic of China
| | - Mei-Zhen Wei
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education and Yunnan Province, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Dong Luo
- Yunnan Characteristic Plant Extraction Laboratory, Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Ministry of Education and Yunnan Province, School of Chemical Science and Technology, Yunnan University, Kunming 650500, People's Republic of China
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming 650201, People's Republic of China
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Jiang X, Chen D, Wang X, Wang C, Zheng H, Ye W, Zhou W, Liu G, Zhang K. Nitazoxanide synergizes polymyxin B against Escherichia coli by depleting cellular energy. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0019124. [PMID: 38904380 PMCID: PMC11302062 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00191-24] [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: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The rapid expansion of antibiotic-resistant bacterial diseases is a global burden on public health. It makes sense to repurpose and reposition already-approved medications for use as supplementary agents in synergistic combinations with existing antibiotics. Here, we demonstrate that the anthelmintic drug nitazoxanide (NTZ) synergistically enhances the effectiveness of the lipopeptide antibiotic polymyxin B in inhibiting gram-negative bacteria, including those resistant to polymyxin B. Mechanistic investigations revealed that nitazoxanide inhibited calcium influx and cell membrane depolarization, enhanced the affinity between polymyxin B and the extracellular membrane, and promoted intracellular ATP depletion and an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS), thus enhancing the penetration and disruption of the Escherichia coli cell membrane by polymyxin B. The transcriptomic analysis revealed that the combination resulted in energy depletion by inhibiting both aerobic and anaerobic respiration patterns in bacterial cells. The increased bactericidal effect of polymyxin B on the E. coli ∆nuoC strain further indicates that NuoC could be a promising target for nitazoxanide. Furthermore, the combination of nitazoxanide and polymyxin B showed promising therapeutic effects in a mouse infection model infected with E. coli. Taken together, these results demonstrate the potential of nitazoxanide as a novel adjuvant to polymyxin B, to overcome antibiotic resistance and improve therapeutic outcomes in refractory infections.IMPORTANCEThe rapid spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria poses a serious threat to public health. The search for potential compounds that can increase the antibacterial activity of existing antibiotics is a promising strategy for addressing this issue. Here, the synergistic activity of the FDA-approved agent nitazoxanide (NTZ) combined with polymyxin B was investigated in vitro using checkerboard assays and time-kill curves. The synergistic mechanisms of the combination of nitazoxanide and polymyxin B were explored by fluorescent dye, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and transcriptomic analysis. The synergistic efficacy was evaluated in vivo by the Escherichia coli and mouse sepsis models. These results suggested that nitazoxanide, as a promising antibiotic adjuvant, can effectively enhance polymyxin B activity, providing a potential strategy for treating multidrug-resistant bacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuejia Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Chemical Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Dongliang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Chemical Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoyang Wang
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Chemical Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Chunmei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Chemical Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Haihong Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Chemical Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Wenchong Ye
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Chemical Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Wen Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Chemical Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Guoping Liu
- College of Animal Science, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, Hubei, China
| | - Keyu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Veterinary Chemical Drugs and Pharmaceutics, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Shanghai, China
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Barbosa F, Araújo J, Gonçalves VMF, Palmeira A, Cunha A, Silva PMA, Fernandes C, Pinto M, Bousbaa H, Queirós O, Tiritan ME. Evaluation of Antitumor Activity of Xanthones Conjugated with Amino Acids. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:2121. [PMID: 38396802 PMCID: PMC10889492 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25042121] [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: 12/24/2023] [Revised: 02/04/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Cancer is a complex disease characterized by several alterations, which confer, to the cells, the capacity to proliferate uncontrollably and to resist cellular death. Multiresistance to conventional chemotherapy drugs is often the cause of treatment failure; thus, the search for natural products or their derivatives with therapeutic action is essential. Chiral derivatives of xanthones (CDXs) have shown potential inhibitory activity against the growth of some human tumor cell lines. This work reports the screening of a library of CDXs, through viability assays, in different cancer cell lines: A375-C5, MCF-7, NCI-H460, and HCT-15. CDXs' effect was analyzed based on several parameters of cancer cells, and it was also verified if these compounds were substrates of glycoprotein-P (Pgp), one of the main mechanisms of resistance in cancer therapy. Pgp expression was evaluated in all cell lines, but no expression was observed, except for HCT-15. Also, when a humanized yeast expressing the human gene MDR1 was used, no conclusions could be drawn about CDXs as Pgp substrates. The selected CDXs did not induce significant differences in the metabolic parameters analyzed. These results show that some CDXs present promising antitumor activity, but other mechanisms should be triggered by these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Flávia Barbosa
- UNIPRO—Oral Pathology and Rehabilitation Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS-CESPU), 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal; (F.B.); (V.M.F.G.); (A.C.); (P.M.A.S.); (H.B.); (O.Q.)
| | - Joana Araújo
- Laboratory of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (J.A.); (A.P.); (C.F.); (M.P.)
| | - Virgínia M. F. Gonçalves
- UNIPRO—Oral Pathology and Rehabilitation Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS-CESPU), 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal; (F.B.); (V.M.F.G.); (A.C.); (P.M.A.S.); (H.B.); (O.Q.)
- 1H-TOXRUN—One Health Toxicology Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), University Institute of Health Sciences-CESPU (IUCS-CESPU), 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal
| | - Andreia Palmeira
- Laboratory of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (J.A.); (A.P.); (C.F.); (M.P.)
- CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Center for Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Avenida General Norton de Matos, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Andrea Cunha
- UNIPRO—Oral Pathology and Rehabilitation Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS-CESPU), 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal; (F.B.); (V.M.F.G.); (A.C.); (P.M.A.S.); (H.B.); (O.Q.)
| | - Patrícia M. A. Silva
- UNIPRO—Oral Pathology and Rehabilitation Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS-CESPU), 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal; (F.B.); (V.M.F.G.); (A.C.); (P.M.A.S.); (H.B.); (O.Q.)
- 1H-TOXRUN—One Health Toxicology Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), University Institute of Health Sciences-CESPU (IUCS-CESPU), 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal
| | - Carla Fernandes
- Laboratory of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (J.A.); (A.P.); (C.F.); (M.P.)
- CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Center for Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Avenida General Norton de Matos, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Madalena Pinto
- Laboratory of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (J.A.); (A.P.); (C.F.); (M.P.)
- CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Center for Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Avenida General Norton de Matos, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Hassan Bousbaa
- UNIPRO—Oral Pathology and Rehabilitation Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS-CESPU), 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal; (F.B.); (V.M.F.G.); (A.C.); (P.M.A.S.); (H.B.); (O.Q.)
| | - Odília Queirós
- UNIPRO—Oral Pathology and Rehabilitation Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS-CESPU), 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal; (F.B.); (V.M.F.G.); (A.C.); (P.M.A.S.); (H.B.); (O.Q.)
| | - Maria Elizabeth Tiritan
- UNIPRO—Oral Pathology and Rehabilitation Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS-CESPU), 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal; (F.B.); (V.M.F.G.); (A.C.); (P.M.A.S.); (H.B.); (O.Q.)
- Laboratory of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Chemical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal; (J.A.); (A.P.); (C.F.); (M.P.)
- 1H-TOXRUN—One Health Toxicology Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), University Institute of Health Sciences-CESPU (IUCS-CESPU), 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal
- CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Center for Marine and Environmental Research, University of Porto, Avenida General Norton de Matos, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
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Vieira SF, Araújo J, Gonçalves VMF, Fernandes C, Pinto M, Ferreira H, Neves NM, Tiritan ME. Synthesis and Anti-Inflammatory Evaluation of a Library of Chiral Derivatives of Xanthones Conjugated with Proteinogenic Amino Acids. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10357. [PMID: 37373503 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241210357] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
In recent decades, the relationship between drug chirality and biological activity has been assuming enormous importance in medicinal chemistry. Particularly, chiral derivatives of xanthones (CDXs) have interesting biological activities, including enantioselective anti-inflammatory activity. Herein, the synthesis of a library of CDXs is described, by coupling a carboxyxanthone (1) with both enantiomers of proteinogenic amino esters as chiral building blocks (2-31), following the chiral pool strategy. The coupling reactions were performed at room temperature with good yields (from 44 to 99.9%) and very high enantiomeric purity, with most of them presenting an enantiomeric ratio close to 100%. To afford the respective amino acid derivatives (32-61), the ester group of the CDXs was hydrolyzed in mild alkaline conditions. Consequently, in this work, sixty new derivatives of CDXs were synthetized. The cytocompatibility and anti-inflammatory activity in the presence of M1 macrophages were studied for forty-four of the new synthesized CDXs. A significant decrease in the levels of a proinflammatory cytokine targeted in the treatment of several inflammatory diseases, namely interleukin 6 (IL-6), was achieved in the presence of many CDXs. The amino ester of L-tyrosine (X1AELT) was the most effective in reducing IL-6 production (52.2 ± 13.2%) by LPS-stimulated macrophages. Moreover, it was ≈1.2 times better than the D-enantiomer. Indeed, enantioselectivity was observed for the majority of the tested compounds. Thus, their evaluation as promising anti-inflammatory drugs should be considered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara F Vieira
- 3B's Research Group, I3BS-Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, Barco, 4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4806-909 Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Joana Araújo
- Laboratório de Química Orgânica e Farmacêutica, Departamento de Ciências Químicas, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Virgínia M F Gonçalves
- TOXRUN-Toxicology Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences, CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal
- UNIPRO-Oral Pathology and Rehabilitation Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal
| | - Carla Fernandes
- Laboratório de Química Orgânica e Farmacêutica, Departamento de Ciências Químicas, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Madalena Pinto
- Laboratório de Química Orgânica e Farmacêutica, Departamento de Ciências Químicas, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
| | - Helena Ferreira
- 3B's Research Group, I3BS-Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, Barco, 4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4806-909 Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Nuno M Neves
- 3B's Research Group, I3BS-Research Institute on Biomaterials, Biodegradables and Biomimetics, University of Minho, Headquarters of the European Institute of Excellence on Tissue Engineering and Regenerative Medicine, AvePark, Parque de Ciência e Tecnologia, Zona Industrial da Gandra, Barco, 4805-017 Guimarães, Portugal
- ICVS/3B's-PT Government Associate Laboratory, 4806-909 Braga/Guimarães, Portugal
| | - Maria Elizabeth Tiritan
- Laboratório de Química Orgânica e Farmacêutica, Departamento de Ciências Químicas, Faculdade de Farmácia da Universidade do Porto, Rua Jorge de Viterbo Ferreira 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- TOXRUN-Toxicology Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences, CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal
- UNIPRO-Oral Pathology and Rehabilitation Research Unit, University Institute of Health Sciences (IUCS), CESPU, CRL, 4585-116 Gandra, Portugal
- Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research (CIIMAR), University of Porto, Terminal de Cruzeiros do Porto de Leixões, Avenida General Norton de Matos, S/N, 4450-208 Matosinhos, Portugal
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Kauffmann AC, Castro VS. Phenolic Compounds in Bacterial Inactivation: A Perspective from Brazil. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:antibiotics12040645. [PMID: 37107007 PMCID: PMC10135396 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12040645] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 03/17/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Phenolic compounds are natural substances that are produced through the secondary metabolism of plants, fungi, and bacteria, in addition to being produced by chemical synthesis. These compounds have anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and antimicrobial properties, among others. In this way, Brazil represents one of the most promising countries regarding phenolic compounds since it has a heterogeneous flora, with the presence of six distinct biomes (Cerrado, Amazon, Atlantic Forest, Caatinga, Pantanal, and Pampa). Recently, several studies have pointed to an era of antimicrobial resistance due to the unrestricted and large-scale use of antibiotics, which led to the emergence of some survival mechanisms of bacteria to these compounds. Therefore, the use of natural substances with antimicrobial action can help combat these resistant pathogens and represent a natural alternative that may be useful in animal nutrition for direct application in food and can be used in human nutrition to promote health. Therefore, this study aimed to (i) evaluate the phenolic compounds with antimicrobial properties isolated from plants present in Brazil, (ii) discuss the compounds across different classes (flavonoids, xanthones, coumarins, phenolic acids, and others), and (iii) address the structure-activity relationship of phenolic compounds that lead to antimicrobial action.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Vinicius Silva Castro
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Lethbridge, Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4, Canada
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