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Discovery solubility measurement and assessment of small molecules with drug development in mind. Drug Discov Today 2022; 27:1315-1325. [PMID: 35114363 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.01.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Solubility is a key physicochemical property for the success of any drug candidate. Although the methods used and their rationales for determining solubility are subject to project needs and stages along the drug discovery-drug development pipeline, an artificial boundary can exist at the discovery-development interface. This boundary results in less effective solubility knowledge sharing and data integration among scientists in both drug discovery and drug development. Herein, we present a refreshed perspective on solubility. Solubility experimentation is not a one-size-fits-all measurement; instead, we stress the importance of constructing a seamless solubility understanding of a molecule as it progresses from a new chemical entity into a drug product.
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Conformational flexibility of the conserved hydrophobic pocket of HIV-1 gp41. Implications for the discovery of small-molecule fusion inhibitors. Int J Biol Macromol 2021; 192:90-99. [PMID: 34619276 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2021.09.198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 09/24/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
During HIV-1 infection, the envelope glycoprotein subunit gp41 folds into a six-helix bundle structure (6HB) formed by the interaction between its N-terminal (NHR) and C-terminal (CHR) heptad-repeats, promoting viral and cell membranes fusion. A highly preserved, hydrophobic pocket (HP) on the NHR surface is crucial in 6HB formation and, therefore, HP-binding compounds constitute promising therapeutics against HIV-1. Here, we investigated the conformational and dynamic properties of the HP using a rationally designed single-chain protein (named covNHR) that mimics the gp41 NHR structure. We found that the fluorescent dye 8-anilino-naphtalene-1-sulfonic acid (ANS) binds specifically to the HP, suggesting that ANS derivatives may constitute lead compounds to inhibit 6HB formation. ANS shows different binding modes to the HP, depending on the occupancy of other NHR pockets. Moreover, in presence of a CHR peptide bound to the N-terminal pockets in gp41, two ANS molecules can occupy the HP showing cooperative behavior. This binding mode was assessed using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. The results show that the HP is conformationally flexible and connected allosterically to other NHR regions, which strongly influence the binding of potential ligands. These findings could guide the development of small-molecule HIV-1 inhibitors targeting the HP.
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Bekri S, Bourdely P, Luci C, Dereuddre-Bosquet N, Su B, Martinon F, Braud VM, Luque I, Mateo PL, Crespillo S, Conejero-Lara F, Moog C, Le Grand R, Anjuère F. Sublingual Priming with a HIV gp41-Based Subunit Vaccine Elicits Mucosal Antibodies and Persistent B Memory Responses in Non-Human Primates. Front Immunol 2017; 8:63. [PMID: 28203239 PMCID: PMC5285372 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2017.00063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2016] [Accepted: 01/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Persistent B cell responses in mucosal tissues are crucial to control infection against sexually transmitted pathogens like human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1). The genital tract is a major site of infection by HIV. Sublingual (SL) immunization in mice was previously shown to generate HIV-specific B cell immunity that disseminates to the genital tract. We report here the immunogenicity in female cynomolgus macaques of a SL vaccine based on a modified gp41 polypeptide coupled to the cholera toxin B subunit designed to expose hidden epitopes and to improve mucosal retention. Combined SL/intramuscular (IM) immunization with such mucoadhesive gp41-based vaccine elicited mucosal HIV-specific IgG and IgA antibodies more efficiently than IM immunization alone. This strategy increased the number and duration of gp41-specific IgA secreting cells. Importantly, combined immunization improved the generation of functional antibodies 3 months after vaccination as detected in HIV-neutralizing assays. Therefore, SL immunization represents a promising vaccine strategy to block HIV-1 transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selma Bekri
- Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France; CNRS UMR7275, IPMC, Valbonne, France
| | - Pierre Bourdely
- Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France; CNRS UMR7275, IPMC, Valbonne, France
| | - Carmelo Luci
- Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France; CNRS UMR7275, IPMC, Valbonne, France; INSERM, Paris, France
| | - Nathalie Dereuddre-Bosquet
- CEA, Université Paris Sud, INSERM U1184 "Immunology of Viral Infections and Autoimmune Diseases" , Fontenay-aux-Roses , France
| | - Bin Su
- INSERM, Unit 1109 INSERM/UNISTRA, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg, Strasbourg, France; Beijing Key Laboratory for HIV/AIDS Research, Center for Infectious Diseases, Beijing You'an Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Frédéric Martinon
- CEA, Université Paris Sud, INSERM U1184 "Immunology of Viral Infections and Autoimmune Diseases" , Fontenay-aux-Roses , France
| | - Véronique M Braud
- Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France; CNRS UMR7275, IPMC, Valbonne, France
| | - Irene Luque
- Departamento de Química Física e Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada , Granada , Spain
| | - Pedro L Mateo
- Departamento de Química Física e Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada , Granada , Spain
| | - Sara Crespillo
- Departamento de Química Física e Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada , Granada , Spain
| | - Francisco Conejero-Lara
- Departamento de Química Física e Instituto de Biotecnología, Universidad de Granada , Granada , Spain
| | - Christiane Moog
- INSERM, Unit 1109 INSERM/UNISTRA, Fédération de Médecine Translationnelle de Strasbourg , Strasbourg , France
| | - Roger Le Grand
- CEA, Université Paris Sud, INSERM U1184 "Immunology of Viral Infections and Autoimmune Diseases" , Fontenay-aux-Roses , France
| | - Fabienne Anjuère
- Université Côte d'Azur, Nice, France; CNRS UMR7275, IPMC, Valbonne, France; INSERM, Paris, France
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