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Cheng B, Song L, Chen F. Huperzine alkaloids: forty years of total syntheses. Nat Prod Rep 2024; 41:59-84. [PMID: 37818549 DOI: 10.1039/d3np00029j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
Covering: up to 2023Huperzine alkaloids are a group of natural products belonging to the Lycopodium alkaloids family. The representative member huperzine A has a unique structure and exhibits potent inhibitory activity against acetylcholine esterase (AChE). This subfamily of alkaloids provides a great opportunity for developing synthetic methodologies and asymmetric synthesis. The efforts towards the synthesis of huperzine A have cultivated dozens of total syntheses and a rich body of new chemistry. Impressive progress has also been made in the synthesis of other huperzine alkaloids. The total syntheses of huperzines B, U, O, Q and R, structure reassignment and total syntheses of huperzines K, M and N have been reported in the past decade. This review focuses on the synthetic organic chemistry and the biosynthesis and medicinal chemistry of huperzines are also covered briefly.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bichu Cheng
- Engineering Center of Catalysis and Synthesis for Chiral Molecules, Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
- School of Science, Green Pharmaceutical Engineering Research Center, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.
| | - Lili Song
- Engineering Center of Catalysis and Synthesis for Chiral Molecules, Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
| | - Fener Chen
- Engineering Center of Catalysis and Synthesis for Chiral Molecules, Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Jiangxi Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330022, China
- School of Science, Green Pharmaceutical Engineering Research Center, Harbin Institute of Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China.
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Anukanon S, Pongpamorn P, Tiyabhorn W, Chatwichien J, Niwetmarin W, Sessions RB, Ruchirawat S, Thasana N. In Silico-Guided Rational Drug Design and Semi-synthesis of C(2)-Functionalized Huperzine A Derivatives as Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:19924-19939. [PMID: 34368579 PMCID: PMC8340427 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c02875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Huperzine A (1, Hup A), a lycodine-type Lycopodium alkaloid isolated from Thai clubmosses Huperzia squarrosa (G. Forst.) Trevis., H. carinata (Desv. ex. Poir.) Trevis., H. phlegmaria (L.), and Phlegmariurus nummulariifolius (Blume) Chambers (Lycopodiaceae), exerts inhibitory activity on acetylcholinesterase, a known target for Alzheimer's disease therapy. This study investigated the structure-activity relationship of C(2)-functionalized and O- or N-methyl-substituted huperzine A derivatives. In silico-guided screening was performed to search for potential active compounds. Molecular docking analysis suggested that substitution at the C(2) position of Hup A with small functional groups could enhance binding affinity with AChE. Consequently, 12 C(2)-functionalized and four O- or N-methyl-substituted compounds were semi-synthesized and evaluated for their eeAChE and eqBChE inhibitory activities. The result showed that 2-methoxyhuperzine A (10) displayed moderate to high eeAChE inhibitory potency (IC50 = 0.16 μM) with the best selectivity over eqBChE (selectivity index = 3633). Notably, this work showed a case of which computational analysis could be utilized as a tool to rationally screen and design promising drug molecules, getting rid of impotent molecules before going more deeply on labor-intensive and time-consuming drug discovery and development processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shisanupong Anukanon
- Program
in Chemical Sciences, Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Pornkanok Pongpamorn
- Program
in Chemical Sciences, Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Wareepat Tiyabhorn
- Program
in Chemical Sciences, Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Jaruwan Chatwichien
- Program
in Chemical Sciences, Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Worawat Niwetmarin
- Program
in Chemical Sciences, Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
| | - Richard B. Sessions
- School of Biochemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TD, United Kingdom
| | - Somsak Ruchirawat
- Program
in Chemical Sciences, Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
- Laboratory
of Medicinal Chemistry, Chulabhorn Research
Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
- The
Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology, Commission
on Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Nopporn Thasana
- Program
in Chemical Sciences, Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
- Laboratory
of Medicinal Chemistry, Chulabhorn Research
Institute, Bangkok 10210, Thailand
- The
Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology, Commission
on Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
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Sigalapalli DK, Rangaswamy R, Tangellamudi ND. Novel huperzine A based NMDA antagonists: insights from molecular docking, ADME/T and molecular dynamics simulation studies. RSC Adv 2020; 10:25446-25455. [PMID: 35518623 PMCID: PMC9055280 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra00722f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 05/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Huperzine A (HupA) is an alkaloidal natural product and drug isolated from Chinese herb Huperzia serrata, which is a potent selective anticholinesterase inhibitor. HupA has symptomatic, cognitive-enhancing and protective effect on neurons against amyloid beta-induced oxidative injury and antagonizing N-methyl-d-aspartate receptors by blocking the ion channels. The present study aimed to identify the docking, ADME/T and molecular dynamics simulation parameters of a library of 40 analogues which can correlate the binding affinity, conformational stability and selectivity of the ligands towards NMDA receptor through in silico approach. Glide molecular docking analysis was performed for the designed analogues to understand the binding mode and interactions. MD simulations were performed to explain the conformational stability and natural dynamics of the interaction in physiological environmental condition of protein-ligand complex affording a better understanding of chemical-scale interactions between HupA and its analogues with NMDA channel that could potentially benefit the development of new drugs for neurodegenerative diseases involving NMDA receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dilep Kumar Sigalapalli
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Hyderabad 500037 India
| | - Raghu Rangaswamy
- Department of Bioinformatics, Alagappa University Karaikudi - 630 003 Tamil Nadu India
| | - Neelima D Tangellamudi
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER) Hyderabad 500037 India
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Masson P. Novel approaches in prophylaxis/pretreatment and treatment of organophosphorus poisoning. PHOSPHORUS SULFUR 2016. [DOI: 10.1080/10426507.2016.1211652] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Patrick Masson
- Neuropharmacology Laboratory, Kazan Federal University, Kazan, Russian Federation
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Piermartiri T, Pan H, Figueiredo TH, Marini AM. α-Linolenic Acid, A Nutraceutical with Pleiotropic Properties That Targets Endogenous Neuroprotective Pathways to Protect against Organophosphate Nerve Agent-Induced Neuropathology. Molecules 2015; 20:20355-80. [PMID: 26569216 PMCID: PMC6332275 DOI: 10.3390/molecules201119698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2015] [Revised: 10/29/2015] [Accepted: 11/03/2015] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
α-Linolenic acid (ALA) is a nutraceutical found in vegetable products such as flax and walnuts. The pleiotropic properties of ALA target endogenous neuroprotective and neurorestorative pathways in brain and involve the transcription factor nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a major neuroprotective protein in brain, and downstream signaling pathways likely mediated via activation of TrkB, the cognate receptor of BDNF. In this review, we discuss possible mechanisms of ALA efficacy against the highly toxic OP nerve agent soman. Organophosphate (OP) nerve agents are highly toxic chemical warfare agents and a threat to military and civilian populations. Once considered only for battlefield use, these agents are now used by terrorists to inflict mass casualties. OP nerve agents inhibit the critical enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE) that rapidly leads to a cholinergic crisis involving multiple organs. Status epilepticus results from the excessive accumulation of synaptic acetylcholine which in turn leads to the overactivation of muscarinic receptors; prolonged seizures cause the neuropathology and long-term consequences in survivors. Current countermeasures mitigate symptoms and signs as well as reduce brain damage, but must be given within minutes after exposure to OP nerve agents supporting interest in newer and more effective therapies. The pleiotropic properties of ALA result in a coordinated molecular and cellular program to restore neuronal networks and improve cognitive function in soman-exposed animals. Collectively, ALA should be brought to the clinic to treat the long-term consequences of nerve agents in survivors. ALA may be an effective therapy for other acute and chronic neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tetsade Piermartiri
- Molecular and Cellular Biology Graduate School Program, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
| | - Hongna Pan
- Department of Neurology and Program in Neuroscience, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
| | - Taiza H Figueiredo
- Department of Anatomy, Physiology and Genetics, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
| | - Ann M Marini
- Department of Neurology and Program in Neuroscience, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
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Trapp M, Tehei M, Trovaslet M, Nachon F, Martinez N, Koza MM, Weik M, Masson P, Peters J. Correlation of the dynamics of native human acetylcholinesterase and its inhibited huperzine A counterpart from sub-picoseconds to nanoseconds. J R Soc Interface 2015; 11:20140372. [PMID: 24872501 DOI: 10.1098/rsif.2014.0372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
It is a long debated question whether catalytic activities of enzymes, which lie on the millisecond timescale, are possibly already reflected in variations in atomic thermal fluctuations on the pico- to nanosecond timescale. To shed light on this puzzle, the enzyme human acetylcholinesterase in its wild-type form and complexed with the inhibitor huperzine A were investigated by various neutron scattering techniques and molecular dynamics simulations. Previous results on elastic neutron scattering at various timescales and simulations suggest that dynamical processes are not affected on average by the presence of the ligand within the considered time ranges between 10 ps and 1 ns. In the work presented here, the focus was laid on quasi-elastic (QENS) and inelastic neutron scattering (INS). These techniques give access to different kinds of individual diffusive motions and to the density of states of collective motions at the sub-picoseconds timescale. Hence, they permit going beyond the first approach of looking at mean square displacements. For both samples, the autocorrelation function was well described by a stretched-exponential function indicating a linkage between the timescales of fast and slow functional relaxation dynamics. The findings of the QENS and INS investigation are discussed in relation to the results of our earlier elastic incoherent neutron scattering and molecular dynamics simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Trapp
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin für Materialien und Energie, Lise-Meitner Campus, Hahn-Meitner-Platz 1, 14109 Berlin, Germany
| | - M Tehei
- School of Chemistry, University of Wollongong, New South Wales 2522, Australia Centre for Medical Bioscience, Australian Institute of Nuclear Science and Engineering (AINSE), Menai, New South Wales, Australia
| | - M Trovaslet
- Institut de Biologie Structurale J.-P. Ebel, UMR 5075, CNRS-CEA-UJF, 38042 Grenoble Cédex 9, France Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, 91223 Brétigny sur Orge, France
| | - F Nachon
- Institut de Biologie Structurale J.-P. Ebel, UMR 5075, CNRS-CEA-UJF, 38042 Grenoble Cédex 9, France Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, 91223 Brétigny sur Orge, France
| | - N Martinez
- Institut de Biologie Structurale J.-P. Ebel, UMR 5075, CNRS-CEA-UJF, 38042 Grenoble Cédex 9, France Institut Laue Langevin, 38042 Grenoble Cédex 9, France Université Joseph Fourier, UFR PhITEM, 38041 Grenoble Cédex 9, France
| | - M M Koza
- Institut Laue Langevin, 38042 Grenoble Cédex 9, France
| | - M Weik
- Institut de Biologie Structurale J.-P. Ebel, UMR 5075, CNRS-CEA-UJF, 38042 Grenoble Cédex 9, France
| | - P Masson
- Institut de Biologie Structurale J.-P. Ebel, UMR 5075, CNRS-CEA-UJF, 38042 Grenoble Cédex 9, France
| | - J Peters
- Institut de Biologie Structurale J.-P. Ebel, UMR 5075, CNRS-CEA-UJF, 38042 Grenoble Cédex 9, France Institut Laue Langevin, 38042 Grenoble Cédex 9, France Université Joseph Fourier, UFR PhITEM, 38041 Grenoble Cédex 9, France
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Pieroni M, K. Tipparaju S. Synthesis of 7-Desmethyl Analogs of (+)- and (−)-Huperzine A. HETEROCYCLES 2015. [DOI: 10.3987/com-15-13322] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Nachon F, Brazzolotto X, Trovaslet M, Masson P. Progress in the development of enzyme-based nerve agent bioscavengers. Chem Biol Interact 2013; 206:536-44. [PMID: 23811386 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2013.06.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 123] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2013] [Revised: 06/15/2013] [Accepted: 06/18/2013] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Acetylcholinesterase is the physiological target for acute toxicity of nerve agents. Attempts to protect acetylcholinesterase from phosphylation by nerve agents, is currently achieved by reversible inhibitors that transiently mask the enzyme active site. This approach either protects only peripheral acetylcholinesterase or may cause side effects. Thus, an alternative strategy consists in scavenging nerve agents in the bloodstream before they can reach acetylcholinesterase. Pre- or post-exposure administration of bioscavengers, enzymes that neutralize and detoxify organophosphorus molecules, is one of the major developments of new medical counter-measures. These enzymes act either as stoichiometric or catalytic bioscavengers. Human butyrylcholinesterase is the leading stoichiometric bioscavenger. Current efforts are devoted to its mass production with care to pharmacokinetic properties of the final product for extended lifetime. Development of specific reactivators of phosphylated butyrylcholinesterase, or variants with spontaneous reactivation activity is also envisioned for rapid in situ regeneration of the scavenger. Human paraoxonase 1 is the leading catalytic bioscavenger under development. Research efforts focus on improving its catalytic efficiency toward the most toxic isomers of nerve agents, by means of directed evolution-based strategies. Human prolidase appears to be another promising human enzyme. Other non-human efficient enzymes like bacterial phosphotriesterases or squid diisopropylfluorophosphatase are also considered though their intrinsic immunogenic properties remain challenging for use in humans. Encapsulation, PEGylation and other modifications are possible solutions to address this problem as well as that of their limited lifetime. Finally, gene therapy for in situ generation and delivery of bioscavengers is for the far future, but its proof of concept has been established.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florian Nachon
- Institut de Recherche Biomédicale des Armées, BP87, 38702 La Tronche Cédex, France.
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