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Mian MY, Sharmin D, Mondal P, Belayet JB, Hossain MM, McCusker P, Ryan KT, Fedorov AY, Green HA, Ericksen SS, Zamanian M, Tiruveedhula VVNPB, Cook JM, Chan JD. Development of non-sedating antischistosomal benzodiazepines. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.01.26.577323. [PMID: 38352313 PMCID: PMC10862742 DOI: 10.1101/2024.01.26.577323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/20/2024]
Abstract
The neglected tropical disease schistosomiasis infects over 200 million people worldwide and is treated with just one broad spectrum antiparasitic drug (praziquantel). Alternative drugs are needed in the event of emerging praziquantel resistance or treatment failure. One promising lead that has shown efficacy in animal models and a human clinical trial is the benzodiazepine meclonazepam, discovered by Roche in the 1970's. Meclonazepam was not brought to market because of dose-limiting sedative side effects. However, the human target of meclonazepam that causes sedation (GABAARs) are not orthologous to the parasite targets that cause worm death. Therefore, we were interested in whether the structure of meclonazepam could be modified to produce antiparasitic benzodiazepines that do not cause host sedation. We synthesized 18 meclonazepam derivatives with modifications at different positions on the benzodiazepine ring system and tested them for in vitro antiparasitic activity. This identified five compounds that progressed to in vivo screening in a murine model, two of which cured parasite infections with comparable potency to meclonazepam. When these two compounds were administered to mice that were run on the rotarod test, both were less sedating than meclonazepam. These findings demonstrate the proof of concept that meclonazepam analogs can be designed with an improved therapeutic index, and point to the C3 position of the benzodiazepine ring system as a logical site for further structure-activity exploration to further optimize this chemical series.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Yeunus Mian
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Milwaukee Institute of Drug Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Dishary Sharmin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Milwaukee Institute of Drug Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Prithu Mondal
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Milwaukee Institute of Drug Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Jawad Bin Belayet
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Milwaukee Institute of Drug Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - M Mahmun Hossain
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Milwaukee Institute of Drug Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - Paul McCusker
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States of America
| | - Kaetlyn T. Ryan
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Alexander Y Fedorov
- UW Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Heather A Green
- UW Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Spencer S. Ericksen
- UW Carbone Cancer Center, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - Mostafa Zamanian
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, USA
| | - V. V. N. Phani Babu Tiruveedhula
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Milwaukee Institute of Drug Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - James M. Cook
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Milwaukee Institute of Drug Discovery, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI, USA
| | - John D. Chan
- Department of Cell Biology, Neurobiology & Anatomy, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI, United States of America
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, University of Wisconsin - Madison, Madison, WI, USA
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin - Oshkosh, Oshkosh, WI, USA
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Zorn KM, Sun S, McConnon CL, Ma K, Chen EK, Foil DH, Lane TR, Liu LJ, El-Sakkary N, Skinner DE, Ekins S, Caffrey CR. A Machine Learning Strategy for Drug Discovery Identifies Anti-Schistosomal Small Molecules. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:406-420. [PMID: 33434015 PMCID: PMC7887754 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00754] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
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Schistosomiasis is a chronic and
painful disease of poverty caused
by the flatworm parasite Schistosoma. Drug discovery
for antischistosomal compounds predominantly employs in vitro whole organism (phenotypic) screens against two developmental stages
of Schistosoma mansoni, post-infective larvae (somules)
and adults. We generated two rule books and associated scoring systems
to normalize 3898 phenotypic data points to enable machine learning.
The data were used to generate eight Bayesian machine learning models
with the Assay Central software according to parasite’s developmental
stage and experimental time point (≤24, 48, 72, and >72
h).
The models helped predict 56 active and nonactive compounds from commercial
compound libraries for testing. When these were screened against S. mansoni in vitro, the prediction accuracy for active
and inactives was 61% and 56% for somules and adults, respectively;
also, hit rates were 48% and 34%, respectively, far exceeding the
typical 1–2% hit rate for traditional high throughput screens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kimberley M. Zorn
- Collaborations Pharmaceuticals, 840 Main Campus Drive, Lab 3510, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, United States
| | - Shengxi Sun
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0021, United States
| | - Cecelia L. McConnon
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0021, United States
| | - Kelley Ma
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0021, United States
| | - Eric K. Chen
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0021, United States
| | - Daniel H. Foil
- Collaborations Pharmaceuticals, 840 Main Campus Drive, Lab 3510, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, United States
| | - Thomas R. Lane
- Collaborations Pharmaceuticals, 840 Main Campus Drive, Lab 3510, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, United States
| | - Lawrence J. Liu
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0021, United States
| | - Nelly El-Sakkary
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0021, United States
| | - Danielle E. Skinner
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0021, United States
| | - Sean Ekins
- Collaborations Pharmaceuticals, 840 Main Campus Drive, Lab 3510, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, United States
| | - Conor R. Caffrey
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0021, United States
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Shankar B, Jalapathi P, Ramesh M, Kumar AK, Ragavender M, Bharath G. Synthesis, antimicrobial evaluation, and docking studies of some novel benzofuran based analogues of chalcone and 1,4-benzodiazepine. RUSS J GEN CHEM+ 2016. [DOI: 10.1134/s107036321607029x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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Meyer MR, Bergstrand MP, Helander A, Beck O. Identification of main human urinary metabolites of the designer nitrobenzodiazepines clonazolam, meclonazepam, and nifoxipam by nano-liquid chromatography-high-resolution mass spectrometry for drug testing purposes. Anal Bioanal Chem 2016; 408:3571-91. [DOI: 10.1007/s00216-016-9439-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/24/2015] [Revised: 02/16/2016] [Accepted: 02/19/2016] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
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Molecular cloning and characterization of novel glutamate-gated chloride channel subunits from Schistosoma mansoni. PLoS Pathog 2013; 9:e1003586. [PMID: 24009509 PMCID: PMC3757052 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1003586] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2013] [Accepted: 07/15/2013] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Cys-loop ligand-gated ion channels (LGICs) mediate fast ionotropic neurotransmission. They are proven drug targets in nematodes and arthropods, but are poorly characterized in flatworms. In this study, we characterized the anion-selective, non-acetylcholine-gated Cys-loop LGICs from Schistosoma mansoni. Full-length cDNAs were obtained for SmGluCl-1 (Smp_096480), SmGluCl-2 (Smp_015630) and SmGluCl-3 (Smp_104890). A partial cDNA was retrieved for SmGluCl-4 (Smp_099500/Smp_176730). Phylogenetic analyses suggest that SmGluCl-1, SmGluCl-2, SmGluCl-3 and SmGluCl-4 belong to a novel clade of flatworm glutamate-gated chloride channels (GluCl) that includes putative genes from trematodes and cestodes. The flatworm GluCl clade was distinct from the nematode-arthropod and mollusc GluCl clades, and from all GABA receptors. We found no evidence of GABA receptors in S. mansoni. SmGluCl-1, SmGluCl-2 and SmGluCl-3 subunits were characterized by two-electrode voltage clamp (TEVC) in Xenopus oocytes, and shown to encode Cl−-permeable channels gated by glutamate. SmGluCl-2 and SmGluCl-3 produced functional homomers, while SmGluCl-1 formed heteromers with SmGluCl-2. Concentration-response relationships revealed that the sensitivity of SmGluCl receptors to L-glutamate is among the highest reported for GluCl receptors, with EC50 values of 7–26 µM. Chloride selectivity was confirmed by current-voltage (I/V) relationships. SmGluCl receptors are insensitive to 1 µM ivermectin (IVM), indicating that they do not belong to the highly IVM-sensitive GluClα subtype group. SmGluCl receptors are also insensitive to 10 µM meclonazepam, a schistosomicidal benzodiazepine. These results provide the first molecular evidence showing the contribution of GluCl receptors to L-glutamate signaling in S. mansoni, an unprecedented finding in parasitic flatworms. Further work is needed to elucidate the roles of GluCl receptors in schistosomes and to explore their potential as drug targets. Schistosomiasis is a debilitating disease caused by blood flukes in the genus Schistosoma that afflicts over 200 million people worldwide. Treatment relies almost exclusively on a single drug, praziquantel. Reports of sub-optimal efficacy of praziquantel raise concerns about the prospect of drug resistance and highlight the need to develop new schistosomicidal drugs. Neuroactive receptors are recognized targets of insecticides and anthelmintics. Likewise, neuronal receptors of schistosomes are attractive targets for drug development. Lacking a coelom and a proper circulatory system, schistosomes are thought to lack the capacity for endocrine signaling, and therefore depend entirely on neuronal modulation to control functions vital to their survival and reproduction. We characterized a novel family of glutamate-gated chloride channel (GluCl) receptors from S. mansoni that are pharmacologically and evolutionarily distinct from GluCls in nematodes, insects and snails. Our phylogenetic analyses suggest that these receptors are also widely distributed in other flukes and tapeworms. This study provides the first molecular evidence for the contribution of an inhibitory component to glutamatergic signaling in S. mansoni. Our findings add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that glutamatergic signaling in schistosomes may be physiologically important, and could be targeted for chemotherapeutic intervention.
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Chen J, Sun W, Yang J, Sun H, Wang Z, Dong L, Qiao C, Xia CM. Development of a novel class of pyrrolo-[1,2,5]benzothiadiazepine derivatives as potential anti-schistosomal agents. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2013; 23:3785-7. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2013.04.085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2013] [Revised: 04/24/2013] [Accepted: 04/30/2013] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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Menezes CMS, Rivera G, Alves MA, do Amaral DN, Thibaut JPB, Noël F, Barreiro EJ, Lima LM. Synthesis, biological evaluation, and structure-activity relationship of clonazepam, meclonazepam, and 1,4-benzodiazepine compounds with schistosomicidal activity. Chem Biol Drug Des 2012; 79:943-9. [PMID: 22321778 DOI: 10.1111/j.1747-0285.2012.01354.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The inherent morbidity and mortality caused by schistosomiasis is a serious public health problem in developing countries. Praziquantel is the only drug in therapeutic use, leading to a permanent risk of parasite resistance. In search for new schistosomicidal drugs, meclonazepam, the 3-methyl-derivative of clonazepam, is still considered an interesting lead-candidate because it has a proven schistosomicidal effect in humans but adverse effects on the central nervous system did not allow its clinical use. Herein, the synthesis, in vitro biological evaluation, and molecular modeling of clonazepam, meclonazepam, and analogues are reported to establish the first structure-activity relationship for schistosomicidal benzodiazepines. Our findings indicate that the amide moiety [N(1) H-C(2) (=O)] is the principal pharmacophoric unit of 1,4-benzodiazepine schistosomicidal compounds and that substitution on the amide nitrogen atom (N(1) position) is not tolerated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carla M S Menezes
- Laboratório de Avaliação e Síntese de Substâncias Bioativas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, P O Box 68024, 21944-971, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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Synthesis and in vitro cytotoxic evaluation of N-alkylbromo and N-alkylphthalimido-isatins. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2011; 21:3017-20. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2011.03.043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2011] [Revised: 02/05/2011] [Accepted: 03/11/2011] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Experimentally promising antischistosomal drugs: a review of some drug candidates not reaching the clinical use. Parasitol Res 2009; 105:899-906. [PMID: 19588166 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-009-1546-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2009] [Accepted: 06/18/2009] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a chronic parasitic disease affecting about 207 million people in the world. It still represents a major health problem in many tropical and sub-tropical countries as well as for travelers from developed countries. Control of the disease depends mainly on chemotherapy, with praziquantel becoming the exclusive drug. Extensive use of praziquantel with concerns about the possibility of drug resistance development, unavailability of an applicable vaccine, and the absence of a reasonable alternative to praziquantel all represent a real challenge. One of the suggested solutions is to exploit the advantages of compounds that proved efficacious at the experimental level with a good safety profile. These may undergo further investigations for the sake of developing their antischistosomal properties or to incorporate them in combination therapies. Chemotherapy literature is redundant with a huge number of compounds screened for their schistosomicidal properties. However, only a few of these may act as drug leads that could be promising in the development of a therapeutic reserve for schistosomiasis. The present paper reviews previous studies carried out on some of these compounds.
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Thibaut JPB, Monteiro LM, Leite LCC, Menezes CMS, Lima LM, Noël F. The effects of 3-methylclonazepam on Schistosoma mansoni musculature are not mediated by benzodiazepine receptors. Eur J Pharmacol 2009; 606:9-16. [PMID: 19374857 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2009.01.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2008] [Revised: 12/19/2008] [Accepted: 01/09/2009] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is one of the most prevalent infectious diseases worldwide and classified as a neglected disease for which there is an urgent need for searching new drug candidates. According to TDR/WHO, existing leads with proven schistosomicidal activity, like meclonazepam, might be the objects of further exploration. Here, we decided to investigate if the benzodiazepine binding sites that we recently characterized in adult Schistosoma mansoni could represent the molecular target of meclonazepam for its effect on worm motility and morphological appearance. The EC(50) of meclonazepam for its contracturant effect is 10-20 times lower than its IC(50) for binding to the worm benzodiazepine binding sites. On the contrary, benzodiazepines like flunitrazepam and diazepam have affinities at least 50 times higher than meclonazepam for these binding sites but did not induce contraction of the worms. We also confirmed the existence of a great similarity between the appearance, kinetics, Emax and external calcium dependency of the contractile effect of praziquantel and meclonazepam. Based on computer-aided molecular modeling calculations, we verified that a certain structural similarity exists between the active enantiomers of both drugs. We further proposed the hypothesis of common pharmacophoric elements including amide and imine subunits and the asymmetric carbons of S-(+)-meclozepam and R-(-)-praziquantel. As a whole, the present data indicate that the contracturant effect of meclonazepam is not a result of its binding to the worm benzodiazepine binding sites but that it shares some basic transduction pathway with praziquantel, even if not through identical molecular targets or binding sites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean Pierre Barros Thibaut
- Departamento de Farmacologia Básica e Clínica, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas-Bloco J do CCS, Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Smith JA, Molesworth PP, Ryan JH. Chapter 7: Seven-Membered Rings. PROGRESS IN HETEROCYCLIC CHEMISTRY 2009. [DOI: 10.1016/s0959-6380(09)70044-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
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Doenhoff MJ, Cioli D, Utzinger J. Praziquantel: mechanisms of action, resistance and new derivatives for schistosomiasis. Curr Opin Infect Dis 2008; 21:659-67. [PMID: 18978535 DOI: 10.1097/qco.0b013e328318978f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 522] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Praziquantel (PZQ) is the only drug being used to treat human schistosomiasis on a large scale. This review focuses on current knowledge about the mechanisms of action of PZQ, prospects for PZQ resistance, possible future alternative drugs and on exhortations that control of schistosomiasis and other so-called neglected tropical diseases becomes more integrated. RECENT FINDINGS Schistosome calcium ion (Ca2+) channels are the only moiety so far identified as the molecular target of PZQ, but the evidence remains indirect. In the presence of cytochalasin D worms survive high concentrations of PZQ and experiments with cytochalasin D also indicated that PZQ induced worm death and Ca2+ influx are not correlated. Despite PZQ being widely used, there is no clinically relevant evidence for resistance to date, but worryingly low-cure rates have been recorded in some studies in Africa. Artemisinins and the related 1,2,4-trioxolanes are new promising antischistosomal compounds, as are inhibitors of a schistosome-specific bifunctional enzyme, thioredoxin-glutathione reductase. SUMMARY Use of PZQ will increase in the foreseeable future, whether given alone or coadministered with other anthelminthics in integrated control programmes. PZQ resistance remains a threat and its prevention requires adequate monitoring of current mass drug administration programmes and development of new schistosomicides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael J Doenhoff
- School of Biology, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, UK.
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