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Borges FDA, do Amarante AFT, Lopes WDZ, Canton C, Alvarez L, Lifschitz A. Anthelmintic resistance of gastrointestinal nematodes in cattle in Brazil and Argentina - current status and global perspectives. REVISTA BRASILEIRA DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA = BRAZILIAN JOURNAL OF VETERINARY PARASITOLOGY : ORGAO OFICIAL DO COLEGIO BRASILEIRO DE PARASITOLOGIA VETERINARIA 2024; 33:e010524. [PMID: 39140497 PMCID: PMC11340866 DOI: 10.1590/s1984-29612024041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024]
Abstract
This review outlines the current state of anthelmintic resistance (AHR) of gastrointestinal nematodes (GINs) among cattle in Argentina and Brazil, emphasizing the economic repercussions, animal health and welfare. The analysis explores factors associated with AHR and proposes a potential solution: the use of drug combinations. Both countries are grappling with a severe AHR scenario in cattle, having progressed through incipient, established, and advanced phases, leading to extreme cases of animal mortality due to ineffective control strategies. Genera such as Cooperia and Haemonchus have the highest reports of resistance, with Oesophagostomum radiatum also posing significant problems. While oral benzimidazoles and levamisole remain effective in most herds, moxidectin is entering an advanced resistance phase, and avermectins are increasingly deemed ineffective. The review explores the impact ofclimate, mixed grazing, animal movement and other husbandry practices, and the relationship between ectoparasite control and the emergence of resistant helminths. Notably, the discussion includes the strategic use of drug combinations as a valuable approach to address resistant GINs control in livestock, highlighting its significant potential to mitigate the challenges posed by AHR in the cattle industry of these countries.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Candela Canton
- Laboratorio de Farmacología, Centro de Investigacíon Veterinaria de Tandil – CIVETAN, UNCPBA-CICPBA-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Campus Universitario, Tandil, Argentina
| | - Luis Alvarez
- Laboratorio de Farmacología, Centro de Investigacíon Veterinaria de Tandil – CIVETAN, UNCPBA-CICPBA-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Campus Universitario, Tandil, Argentina
| | - Adrian Lifschitz
- Laboratorio de Farmacología, Centro de Investigacíon Veterinaria de Tandil – CIVETAN, UNCPBA-CICPBA-CONICET, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias, Campus Universitario, Tandil, Argentina
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Samaddar A, Mendonsa JM, Sudhaharan S, S N, Kindo AJ, Shetty A, Pamidimukkala U. In vitro evaluation of antifungal combinations against neurotropic dematiaceous fungi associated with primary cerebral phaeohyphomycosis. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0078124. [PMID: 38920376 PMCID: PMC11302232 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.00781-24] [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: 03/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/10/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Primary cerebral phaeohyphomycosis is a life-threatening disease caused by neurotropic dematiaceous fungi. At present, there are no consensus guidelines regarding optimal antifungal therapy in such cases. Generally, a combination of antifungal agents is recommended for treatment. However, the activities of antifungal combinations against these fungi have not been investigated. In this study, we evaluated the in vitro activities of 13 double and five triple antifungal combinations against clinical isolates of Cladophialophora bantiana (n = 7), Fonsecaea monophora (n = 2), and Cladosporium cladosporioides (n = 1), using a simplified checkerboard procedure. The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of nine antifungal drugs were determined by the broth microdilution method, and the interaction between antifungal agents in each combination was assessed by the fractional inhibitory concentration index. Excellent activity was observed for posaconazole and itraconazole. Flucytosine had potent activity against C. bantiana but was ineffective against F. monophora, and C. cladosporioides. The echinocandins demonstrated high MICs for all the isolates. Synergistic interactions were observed for all the double combinations, except when itraconazole was combined with either amphotericin B or flucytosine. The combination of amphotericin B with caspofungin showed synergistic interactions against 40% of the isolates. Antagonism was observed with isavuconazole-flucytosine combination against two C. bantiana isolates. The triple combinations of caspofungin and flucytosine with amphotericin B or posaconazole were synergistic against one isolate of F. monophora. For C. cladosporioides, synergy was observed for the triple combination of amphotericin B with caspofungin and flucytosine. Our results indicate that combination of caspofungin with amphotericin B or a triazole, with or without 5-flucytosine has great potential against neurotropic dematiaceous fungi.IMPORTANCEThis research uses a modified version of the checkerboard assay to standardize the in vitro testing of double and triple combinations of antifungal agents against neurotropic dematiaceous fungi. Antifungal combination therapy is associated with improved outcomes in cerebral phaeohyphomycosis. In this study, we demonstrate that posaconazole is the single most active antifungal drug against this group of fungi. The double combination of amphotericin B with caspofungin or a trizole, and the triple combinations of caspofungin and flucytosine with amphotericin B or posaconazole might hold promise in the treatment of cerebral phaeohyphomycosis. Our findings will guide in developing optimal therapeutic strategies for these refractory infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arghadip Samaddar
- Department of Neuromicrobiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Jenevi Margaret Mendonsa
- Department of Neuromicrobiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Sukanya Sudhaharan
- Department of Microbiology, ICMR-Advanced Mycology Diagnostic and Research Centre, Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
| | - Nagarathna S
- Department of Neuromicrobiology, National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro Sciences, Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
| | - Anupma Jyoti Kindo
- Department of Microbiology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Anjali Shetty
- Department of Microbiology, ICMR-Advanced Mycology Diagnostic and Research Centre, P.D. Hinduja Hospital and Medical Research Centre, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
| | - Umabala Pamidimukkala
- Department of Microbiology, ICMR-Advanced Mycology Diagnostic and Research Centre, Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, Telangana, India
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Zhou L, Lu X, Qiao G. Single-cell transcriptomic sequencing analysis of mechanistic insights into the IFN-γ signaling pathway in different tumor cells. Clin Transl Oncol 2024:10.1007/s12094-024-03574-6. [PMID: 39090422 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-024-03574-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2024] [Accepted: 06/17/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) pathway in different tumor microenvironments (TME) and patients' prognosis, as well as the regulatory mechanisms of this pathway in tumor cells. METHODS Using RNA-seq data from the TCGA database, we analyzed the predictive value of the IFN-γ pathway across various tumors. We employed a univariate Cox regression model to assess the prognostic significance of IFN-γ signaling in different tumor types. Additionally, we analyzed single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database to examine the distribution characteristics of the IFN-γ pathway and explore its regulatory mechanisms, highlighting how IFN-γ influenced cellular interactions within the TME. RESULTS Our analysis revealed a significant association between the IFN-γ pathway and adverse prognosis in pan-cancer tissues (P < 0.001). Interestingly, this correlation varied regarding positive and negative regulation across different tumor types. Through a detailed examination of scRNA-seq data, we found that the IFN-γ pathway exerted substantial regulatory effects on stromal and immune cells. In contrast, its expression and regulatory patterns in tumor cells exhibited diversity and heterogeneity. Further analysis indicated that the IFN-γ pathway not only enhanced the immunogenicity of tumor cells but also inhibited their proliferation. Cell-cell interaction analysis confirmed the pivotal role of the IFN-γ pathway within the overall regulatory network. Moreover, we identified HMGB2 (high mobility group box 2) in T cells as a potential key regulator of tumor cell proliferation. CONCLUSIONS The IFN-γ pathway exhibited a dual function by both suppressing tumor cell proliferation and enhancing their immunogenicity, positioning it as a pivotal target for refined cancer diagnosis and cancer strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lifang Zhou
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Yixing People's Hospital, Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Yixing, 214200, China
| | - Xu Lu
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Yixing People's Hospital, Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Yixing, 214200, China
| | - Guohong Qiao
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Yixing People's Hospital, Affiliated to Jiangsu University, Yixing, 214200, China.
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Nazir F, John Kombe Kombe A, Khalid Z, Bibi S, Zhang H, Wu S, Jin T. SARS-CoV-2 replication and drug discovery. Mol Cell Probes 2024; 77:101973. [PMID: 39025272 DOI: 10.1016/j.mcp.2024.101973] [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: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 07/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/15/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024]
Abstract
The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has killed millions of people and continues to wreak havoc across the globe. This sudden and deadly pandemic emphasizes the necessity for anti-viral drug development that can be rapidly administered to reduce morbidity, mortality, and virus propagation. Thus, lacking efficient anti-COVID-19 treatment, and especially given the lengthy drug development process as well as the critical death tool that has been associated with SARS-CoV-2 since its outbreak, drug repurposing (or repositioning) constitutes so far, the ideal and ready-to-go best approach in mitigating viral spread, containing the infection, and reducing the COVID-19-associated death rate. Indeed, based on the molecular similarity approach of SARS-CoV-2 with previous coronaviruses (CoVs), repurposed drugs have been reported to hamper SARS-CoV-2 replication. Therefore, understanding the inhibition mechanisms of viral replication by repurposed anti-viral drugs and chemicals known to block CoV and SARS-CoV-2 multiplication is crucial, and it opens the way for particular treatment options and COVID-19 therapeutics. In this review, we highlighted molecular basics underlying drug-repurposing strategies against SARS-CoV-2. Notably, we discussed inhibition mechanisms of viral replication, involving and including inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 proteases (3C-like protease, 3CLpro or Papain-like protease, PLpro) by protease inhibitors such as Carmofur, Ebselen, and GRL017, polymerases (RNA-dependent RNA-polymerase, RdRp) by drugs like Suramin, Remdesivir, or Favipiravir, and proteins/peptides inhibiting virus-cell fusion and host cell replication pathways, such as Disulfiram, GC376, and Molnupiravir. When applicable, comparisons with SARS-CoV inhibitors approved for clinical use were made to provide further insights to understand molecular basics in inhibiting SARS-CoV-2 replication and draw conclusions for future drug discovery research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farah Nazir
- Center of Disease Immunity and Investigation, College of Medicine, Lishui University, Lishui, 323000, China
| | - Arnaud John Kombe Kombe
- Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Zunera Khalid
- Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China
| | - Shaheen Bibi
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui, China
| | - Hongliang Zhang
- Center of Disease Immunity and Investigation, College of Medicine, Lishui University, Lishui, 323000, China
| | - Songquan Wu
- Center of Disease Immunity and Investigation, College of Medicine, Lishui University, Lishui, 323000, China.
| | - Tengchuan Jin
- Center of Disease Immunity and Investigation, College of Medicine, Lishui University, Lishui, 323000, China; Laboratory of Structural Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Response and Immunotherapy, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, Center for Advanced Interdisciplinary Science and Biomedicine of IHM, University of Science and Technology of China, Anhui, China; Institute of Health and Medicine, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei, Anhui, China; Biomedical Sciences and Health Laboratory of Anhui Province, University of Science & Technology of China, Hefei, 230027, China; Clinical Research Hospital of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Hefei), University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230001, China.
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Ribeiro E, Costa B, Marques L, Vasques-Nóvoa F, Vale N. Enhancing Urological Cancer Treatment: Leveraging Vasodilator Synergistic Potential with 5-FU for Improved Therapeutic Outcomes. J Clin Med 2024; 13:4113. [PMID: 39064153 PMCID: PMC11277888 DOI: 10.3390/jcm13144113] [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: 06/21/2024] [Revised: 07/08/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Backgroud: This study investigates the potential of vasodilator drugs as additive therapy in the treatment of urological cancers, particularly in combination with the antineoplastic agent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU). Methods: The study evaluated the cytotoxic effects of sildenafil, tezosentan and levosimendan alone and in combination with 5-FU on urological cancer cell lines. The assessment included MTT assays, colony formation assays and wound healing assays to determine cell viability, proliferative capacity, and migratory behavior, respectively. Results: Sildenafil and tezosentan showed limited cytotoxic effects, while levosimendan demonstrated moderate anticancer activity. The combination of levosimendan and 5-FU exhibited an additive interaction, enhancing cytotoxicity against cancer cells while sparing normal cells. Levosimendan also inhibited cell migration and proliferation, potentially through mechanisms involving the modulation of cAMP levels and nitric oxide production. Conclusions: The findings suggest that levosimendan can be used in conjunction with 5-FU to reduce the required dose of 5-FU, thereby minimizing side effects without compromising therapeutic efficacy. This study offers a new perspective for enhancing therapeutic outcomes in patients with urological cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduarda Ribeiro
- PerMed Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal; (E.R.); (B.C.); (L.M.)
- CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- ICBAS—School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, University of Porto, Rua Jorge Viterbo Ferreira, 228, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
| | - Barbara Costa
- PerMed Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal; (E.R.); (B.C.); (L.M.)
- CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
| | - Lara Marques
- PerMed Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal; (E.R.); (B.C.); (L.M.)
- CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
| | - Francisco Vasques-Nóvoa
- Department of Surgery and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal;
| | - Nuno Vale
- PerMed Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal; (E.R.); (B.C.); (L.M.)
- CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- Department of Community Medicine, Information and Health Decision Sciences (MEDCIDS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
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Liu Y, Yu S, He Y, Zhang S, Liu M, Han J, Sun B. Design, Synthesis, and Activity Evaluation of Novel Benzazole Bifunctional Antifungal Inhibitors with an LDH Carrier. J Med Chem 2024; 67:11365-11388. [PMID: 38888292 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c01057] [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: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
Fungal infections maintain a close relation with the body's immune function. In this study, three series of benzazole compounds were designed as dual-target (PD-L1/CYP51) inhibitors using the skeleton splicing approach; their molecular structures were synthesized and evaluated accordingly. Among them, the compounds 9a-2, 12a-2, and 12b-1 exhibited potent antifungal activity and dual-target inhibition ability. Especially, the compound 12a-2 simultaneously exerted excellent bifunctional effects of fungal inhibition and immune activation. Moreover, a layered double hydroxide (LDH) carrier was also successfully constructed based on an infection microenvironment to improve the bioavailability and the targeting of compound 12a-2. This significantly accelerated the recovery process of deep and shallow fungal infections. In conclusion, this study expanded the development horizon of antifungal drugs and provided a novel drug delivery route for treating fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yating Liu
- Institute of BioPharmaceutical Research, Liaocheng University, 1 Hunan Road, Liaocheng 252000, P. R. China
| | - Shuai Yu
- Institute of BioPharmaceutical Research, Liaocheng University, 1 Hunan Road, Liaocheng 252000, P. R. China
| | - Yanqin He
- Institute of BioPharmaceutical Research, Liaocheng University, 1 Hunan Road, Liaocheng 252000, P. R. China
| | - Shiying Zhang
- Institute of BioPharmaceutical Research, Liaocheng University, 1 Hunan Road, Liaocheng 252000, P. R. China
| | - Min Liu
- Institute of BioPharmaceutical Research, Liaocheng University, 1 Hunan Road, Liaocheng 252000, P. R. China
| | - Jun Han
- Institute of BioPharmaceutical Research, Liaocheng University, 1 Hunan Road, Liaocheng 252000, P. R. China
| | - Bin Sun
- Institute of BioPharmaceutical Research, Liaocheng University, 1 Hunan Road, Liaocheng 252000, P. R. China
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Pandey K, Acharya A, Pal D, Jain P, Singh K, Durden DL, Kutateladze TG, Deshpande AJ, Byrareddy SN. SRX3177, a CDK4/6-PI3K-BET inhibitor, in combination with an RdRp inhibitor, Molnupiravir, or an entry inhibitor MU-UNMC-2, has potent antiviral activity against the Omicron variant of SARS-CoV-2. Antiviral Res 2024; 227:105904. [PMID: 38729306 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.105904] [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: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 05/04/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Despite considerable progress in developing vaccines and antivirals to combat COVID-19, the rapid mutations of the SARS-CoV-2 genome have limited the durability and efficacy of the current vaccines and therapeutic interventions. Hence, it necessitates the development of novel therapeutic approaches or repurposing existing drugs that target either viral life cycle, host factors, or both. Here, we report that SRX3177, a potent triple-activity CDK4/6-PI3K-BET inhibitor, blocks replication of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant with IC50 values at sub-micromolar concentrations without any impact on the cell proliferation of Calu-3 cells at and below its IC50 concentration. When SRX3177 is combined with EIDD-1931 (active moiety of a small-molecule prodrug Molnupiravir) or MU-UNMC-2 (a SARS-CoV-2 entry inhibitor) at a fixed doses matrix, a synergistic effect was observed, leading to the significant reduction in the dose of the individual compounds to achieve similar inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 replication. Herein, we report that the combination of SRX3177/MPV or SRX3177/UM-UNMC-2 has the potential for further development as a combinational therapy against SARS-CoV-2 and in any future outbreak of beta coronavirus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kabita Pandey
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68131, USA
| | - Arpan Acharya
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68131, USA
| | - Dhananjaya Pal
- Molecular Targeted Therapeutics Laboratory, Levine Cancer Institute, Charlotte, NC, 28204, USA; Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Prashant Jain
- Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program, National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92127, USA
| | - Kamal Singh
- Bond Life Sciences Center, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA; Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, USA
| | - Donald L Durden
- Molecular Targeted Therapeutics Laboratory, Levine Cancer Institute, Charlotte, NC, 28204, USA; Division of Hematology and Oncology, Department of Pediatrics, Moores Cancer Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Tatiana G Kutateladze
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO, 80045, USA
| | - Aniruddha J Deshpande
- Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program, National Cancer Institute-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92127, USA
| | - Siddappa N Byrareddy
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Neuroscience, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, NE, 68131, USA.
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Hou LX, Yi HC, You ZH, Chen SH, Zheng J, Kwoh CK. MathEagle: Accurate prediction of drug-drug interaction events via multi-head attention and heterogeneous attribute graph learning. Comput Biol Med 2024; 177:108642. [PMID: 38820777 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2024.108642] [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: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 05/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Drug-drug interaction events influence the effectiveness of drug combinations and can lead to unexpected side effects or exacerbate underlying diseases, jeopardizing patient prognosis. Most existing methods are restricted to predicting whether two drugs interact or the type of drug-drug interactions, while very few studies endeavor to predict the specific risk levels of side effects of drug combinations. METHODS In this study, we propose MathEagle, a novel approach to predict accurate risk levels of drug combinations based on multi-head attention and heterogeneous attribute graph learning. Initially, we model drugs and three distinct risk levels between drugs as a heterogeneous information graph. Subsequently, behavioral and chemical structure features of drugs are utilized by message passing neural networks and graph embedding algorithms, respectively. Ultimately, MathEagle employs heterogeneous graph convolution and multi-head attention mechanisms to learn efficient latent representations of drug nodes and estimates the risk levels of pairwise drugs in an end-to-end manner. RESULTS To assess the effectiveness and robustness of the model, five-fold cross-validation, ablation experiments, and case studies were conducted. MathEagle achieved an accuracy of 85.85 % and an AUC of 0.9701 on the drug risk level prediction task and is superior to all comparative models. The MathEagle predictor is freely accessible at http://120.77.11.78/MathEagle/. CONCLUSIONS The experimental results indicate that MathEagle can function as an effective tool for predicting accurate risk of drug combinations, aiding in guiding clinical medication, and enhancing patient outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin-Xuan Hou
- School of Computer Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710129, China; Key Laboratory of Big Data Storage and Management, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Xi'an, 710129, China
| | - Hai-Cheng Yi
- School of Computer Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710129, China; Key Laboratory of Big Data Storage and Management, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Xi'an, 710129, China.
| | - Zhu-Hong You
- School of Computer Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710129, China.
| | - Shi-Hong Chen
- School of Computer Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710129, China
| | - Jia Zheng
- School of Computer Science, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an, 710129, China
| | - Chee Keong Kwoh
- School of Computer Science and Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, 50 Nanyang Avenue, Singapore
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Do TND, Abdelnabi R, Boda B, Constant S, Neyts J, Jochmans D. The triple combination of Remdesivir (GS-441524), Molnupiravir and Ribavirin is highly efficient in inhibiting coronavirus replication in human nasal airway epithelial cell cultures and in a hamster infection model. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.14.594200. [PMID: 38798406 PMCID: PMC11118304 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.14.594200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
The use of fixed dose-combinations of antivirals with different mechanisms of action has proven a key in the successful treatment of infections with HIV and HCV. For the treatment of infections with SARS-CoV-2 and possible future epi-/pandemic coronaviruses, it will be important to explore the efficacy of combinations of different drugs, in particular to avoid resistance development, such as in patients with immunodeficiencies. As a first effort, we studied the antiviral potency of combinations of antivirals. To that end, we made use of primary human airway epithelial cell (HAEC) cultures grown at the air-liquid interface that were infected with the beta coronavirus OC43. We found that the triple combination of GS-441524 (parent nucleoside of remdesivir), molnupiravir, and ribavirin resulted in a more pronounced antiviral efficacy than what could be expected from a purely additive antiviral effect. The potency of this triple combination was next tested in SARS-CoV-2 infected hamsters. To that end, for each of the drugs, intentionally suboptimal or even ineffective doses were selected. Yet, in the lungs of all hamsters that received triple prophylactic therapy with suboptimal/inactive doses of GS-441524, molnupiravir, and ribavirin, no infectious virus was detectable. Our finding indicate that co-administration of approved drugs for the treatment of coronavirus infections should be further explored but also against other families of viruses with epidemic and pandemic potential for which no effective antiviral treatment is available.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thuc Nguyen Dan Do
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Rana Abdelnabi
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- The VirusBank Platform, Gaston Geenslaan, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bernadett Boda
- Epithelix Sàrl, 18 Chemin des Aulx, Plan-les-Ouates, CH-1228, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Samuel Constant
- Epithelix Sàrl, 18 Chemin des Aulx, Plan-les-Ouates, CH-1228, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Johan Neyts
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- The VirusBank Platform, Gaston Geenslaan, B-3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dirk Jochmans
- KU Leuven, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
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10
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Schreiber A, Rodner F, Oberberg N, Anhlan D, Bletz S, Mellmann A, Planz O, Ludwig S. The host-targeted antiviral drug Zapnometinib exhibits a high barrier to the development of SARS-CoV-2 resistance. Antiviral Res 2024; 225:105840. [PMID: 38438015 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2024.105840] [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: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Host targeting antiviral drugs (HTA) are directed against cellular mechanisms which can be exploited by viruses. These mechanisms are essential for viral replication, because missing functions cannot be compensated by the virus. However, this assumption needs experimental proof. Here we compared the HTA Zapnometinib (ZMN), with direct acting antivirals (DAA) (Remdesivir (RDV), Molnupiravir (MPV), Nirmatrelvir (NTV), Ritonavir (RTV), Paxlovid PAX)), in terms of their potency to induce reduced drug susceptibilities in SARS-CoV-2. During serial passage of δ-B1.617.2 adaptation to all DAAs occurred, while the inhibitory capacity of ZMN was not altered. Known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) responsible for partial resistances were found for RDV, NTV and PAX. Additionally, the high mutagenic potential of MPV was confirmed and decreased drug efficacies were found for the first time. Reduced DAA efficacy did not alter the inhibitory potential of ZMN. These results show that ZMN confers a high barrier towards the development of viral resistance and has the potential to act against partially DAA-insensitive viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- André Schreiber
- Institute of Virology (IVM), University Hospital Muenster, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Franziska Rodner
- Institute of Virology (IVM), University Hospital Muenster, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Nicole Oberberg
- Institute of Virology (IVM), University Hospital Muenster, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Darisuren Anhlan
- Institute of Virology (IVM), University Hospital Muenster, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Stefan Bletz
- Institute of Hygiene, University Hospital Muenster, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Alexander Mellmann
- Institute of Hygiene, University Hospital Muenster, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany
| | - Oliver Planz
- Interfaculty Institute for Cell Biology, Department of Immunology, Eberhard Karls University Tuebingen, Germany
| | - Stephan Ludwig
- Institute of Virology (IVM), University Hospital Muenster, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany.
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11
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Papini C, Ullah I, Ranjan AP, Zhang S, Wu Q, Spasov KA, Zhang C, Mothes W, Crawford JM, Lindenbach BD, Uchil PD, Kumar P, Jorgensen WL, Anderson KS. Proof-of-concept studies with a computationally designed M pro inhibitor as a synergistic combination regimen alternative to Paxlovid. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2320713121. [PMID: 38621119 PMCID: PMC11046628 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2320713121] [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: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/17/2024] Open
Abstract
As the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to spread and mutate, it remains important to focus not only on preventing spread through vaccination but also on treating infection with direct-acting antivirals (DAA). The approval of Paxlovid, a SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) DAA, has been significant for treatment of patients. A limitation of this DAA, however, is that the antiviral component, nirmatrelvir, is rapidly metabolized and requires inclusion of a CYP450 3A4 metabolic inhibitor, ritonavir, to boost levels of the active drug. Serious drug-drug interactions can occur with Paxlovid for patients who are also taking other medications metabolized by CYP4503A4, particularly transplant or otherwise immunocompromised patients who are most at risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of severe symptoms. Developing an alternative antiviral with improved pharmacological properties is critical for treatment of these patients. By using a computational and structure-guided approach, we were able to optimize a 100 to 250 μM screening hit to a potent nanomolar inhibitor and lead compound, Mpro61. In this study, we further evaluate Mpro61 as a lead compound, starting with examination of its mode of binding to SARS-CoV-2 Mpro. In vitro pharmacological profiling established a lack of off-target effects, particularly CYP450 3A4 inhibition, as well as potential for synergy with the currently approved alternate antiviral, molnupiravir. Development and subsequent testing of a capsule formulation for oral dosing of Mpro61 in B6-K18-hACE2 mice demonstrated favorable pharmacological properties, efficacy, and synergy with molnupiravir, and complete recovery from subsequent challenge by SARS-CoV-2, establishing Mpro61 as a promising potential preclinical candidate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christina Papini
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06520-8066
| | - Irfan Ullah
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06520-8066
| | - Amalendu P. Ranjan
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Genetics Graduate School for Biomedical Sciences, University of North Texas Health Science Center, Fort Worth, TX76107
| | - Shuo Zhang
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06520-8066
| | - Qihao Wu
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT06520-8107
| | - Krasimir A. Spasov
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06520-8066
| | - Chunhui Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT06520-8107
| | - Walther Mothes
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06520-8066
| | | | - Brett D. Lindenbach
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06520-8066
| | - Pradeep D. Uchil
- Department of Microbial Pathogenesis, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06520-8066
| | - Priti Kumar
- Department of Internal Medicine, Section of Infectious Diseases, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06520-8066
| | | | - Karen S. Anderson
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06520-8066
- Department of Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT06520-8066
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12
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Tamir H, Noy-Porat T, Melamed S, Cherry-Mimran L, Barlev-Gross M, Alcalay R, Yahalom-Ronen Y, Achdout H, Politi B, Erez N, Weiss S, Rosenfeld R, Epstein E, Mazor O, Makdasi E, Paran N, Israely T. Synergistic effect of two human-like monoclonal antibodies confers protection against orthopoxvirus infection. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3265. [PMID: 38627363 PMCID: PMC11021552 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47328-y] [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: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/27/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The eradication of smallpox was officially declared by the WHO in 1980, leading to discontinuation of the vaccination campaign against the virus. Consequently, immunity against smallpox and related orthopoxviruses like Monkeypox virus gradually declines, highlighting the need for efficient countermeasures not only for the prevention, but also for the treatment of already exposed individuals. We have recently developed human-like monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from vaccinia virus-immunized non-human primates. Two mAbs, MV33 and EV42, targeting the two infectious forms of the virus, were selected for in vivo evaluation, based on their in vitro neutralization potency. A single dose of either MV33 or EV42 administered three days post-infection (dpi) to BALB/c female mice provides full protection against lethal ectromelia virus challenge. Importantly, a combination of both mAbs confers full protection even when provided five dpi. Whole-body bioimaging and viral load analysis reveal that combination of the two mAbs allows for faster and more efficient clearance of the virus from target organs compared to either MV33 or EV42 separately. The combined mAbs treatment further confers post-exposure protection against the currently circulating Monkeypox virus in Cast/EiJ female mice, highlighting their therapeutic potential against other orthopoxviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadas Tamir
- Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Tal Noy-Porat
- Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Sharon Melamed
- Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | | | | | - Ron Alcalay
- Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | | | - Hagit Achdout
- Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Boaz Politi
- Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Noam Erez
- Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Shay Weiss
- Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Ronit Rosenfeld
- Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Eyal Epstein
- Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Ohad Mazor
- Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Efi Makdasi
- Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Nir Paran
- Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel
| | - Tomer Israely
- Israel Institute for Biological Research, Ness Ziona, Israel.
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13
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Wright N, Wu T, Wang Y. Multilayered Microneedles for Triphasic Controlled Delivery of Small Molecules and Proteins. Macromol Biosci 2024; 24:e2300431. [PMID: 38041511 DOI: 10.1002/mabi.202300431] [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: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/03/2023]
Abstract
Transdermal delivery is an attractive delivery method that increases bioavailability, is suitable for a wide variety of therapeutics, and offers stable delivery outcomes. However, many therapeutics are unable to readily cross the stratum corneum. Microneedles mechanically disrupt the cutaneous barrier to deliver small molecules, proteins, and vaccines. To date, microneedles have not been used in conjunction with coacervate, a liquid-liquid phase separation that protects unstable proteins. A three-layer microneedle for the controlled release of three different molecules is designed. Through micromolding, microneedles are efficiently generated, which benefits product scalability. The microneedles have good mechanical integrity and effectively penetrate porcine skin ex vivo. The three layers, in the microneedles, release the cargo in a three-phase manner. The released protein maintains its structure well. Moreover, layer thickness can be controlled by varying fabrication parameters. The microneedles can incorporate both small molecule drugs and protein therapeutics, thus promising uses in multi-drug therapies through a single treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathaniel Wright
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Kimball Hall 290, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Tim Wu
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Kimball Hall 290, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
| | - Yadong Wang
- School of Biomedical Engineering, Cornell University, Kimball Hall 290, Ithaca, NY, 14853, USA
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14
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Tan B, Zhang X, Ansari A, Jadhav P, Tan H, Li K, Chopra A, Ford A, Chi X, Ruiz FX, Arnold E, Deng X, Wang J. Design of a SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease inhibitor with antiviral efficacy in a mouse model. Science 2024; 383:1434-1440. [PMID: 38547259 DOI: 10.1126/science.adm9724] [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: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024]
Abstract
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants and drug-resistant mutants calls for additional oral antivirals. The SARS-CoV-2 papain-like protease (PLpro) is a promising but challenging drug target. We designed and synthesized 85 noncovalent PLpro inhibitors that bind to a recently discovered ubiquitin binding site and the known BL2 groove pocket near the S4 subsite. Leads inhibited PLpro with the inhibitory constant Ki values from 13.2 to 88.2 nanomolar. The co-crystal structures of PLpro with eight leads revealed their interaction modes. The in vivo lead Jun12682 inhibited SARS-CoV-2 and its variants, including nirmatrelvir-resistant strains with EC50 from 0.44 to 2.02 micromolar. Oral treatment with Jun12682 improved survival and reduced lung viral loads and lesions in a SARS-CoV-2 infection mouse model, suggesting that PLpro inhibitors are promising oral SARS-CoV-2 antiviral candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Tan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Xiaoming Zhang
- Department Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Ahmadullah Ansari
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Prakash Jadhav
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Haozhou Tan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Kan Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Ashima Chopra
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Alexandra Ford
- Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Xiang Chi
- Department Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Francesc Xavier Ruiz
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Eddy Arnold
- Center for Advanced Biotechnology and Medicine, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
| | - Xufang Deng
- Department Physiological Sciences, College of Veterinary Medicine, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
- Oklahoma Center for Respiratory and Infectious Diseases, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK 74078, USA
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, NJ 08854, USA
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15
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Sever B, Otsuka M, Fujita M, Ciftci H. A Review of FDA-Approved Anti-HIV-1 Drugs, Anti-Gag Compounds, and Potential Strategies for HIV-1 Eradication. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3659. [PMID: 38612471 PMCID: PMC11012182 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073659] [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: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 03/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) is an enormous global health threat stemming from human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1) infection. Up to now, the tremendous advances in combination antiretroviral therapy (cART) have shifted HIV-1 infection from a fatal illness into a manageable chronic disorder. However, the presence of latent reservoirs, the multifaceted nature of HIV-1, drug resistance, severe off-target effects, poor adherence, and high cost restrict the efficacy of current cART targeting the distinct stages of the virus life cycle. Therefore, there is an unmet need for the discovery of new therapeutics that not only bypass the limitations of the current therapy but also protect the body's health at the same time. The main goal for complete HIV-1 eradication is purging latently infected cells from patients' bodies. A potential strategy called "lock-in and apoptosis" targets the budding phase of the life cycle of the virus and leads to susceptibility to apoptosis of HIV-1 infected cells for the elimination of HIV-1 reservoirs and, ultimately, for complete eradication. The current work intends to present the main advantages and disadvantages of United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved anti-HIV-1 drugs as well as plausible strategies for the design and development of more anti-HIV-1 compounds with better potency, favorable pharmacokinetic profiles, and improved safety issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Belgin Sever
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Anadolu University, Eskisehir 26470, Türkiye;
- Medicinal and Biological Chemistry Science Farm Joint Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan;
| | - Masami Otsuka
- Medicinal and Biological Chemistry Science Farm Joint Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan;
- Department of Drug Discovery, Science Farm Ltd., Kumamoto 862-0976, Japan
| | - Mikako Fujita
- Medicinal and Biological Chemistry Science Farm Joint Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan;
| | - Halilibrahim Ciftci
- Medicinal and Biological Chemistry Science Farm Joint Research Laboratory, Faculty of Life Sciences, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 862-0973, Japan;
- Department of Drug Discovery, Science Farm Ltd., Kumamoto 862-0976, Japan
- Department of Bioengineering Sciences, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Izmir 35620, Türkiye
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16
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Borges PHO, Ferreira SB, Silva FP. Recent Advances on Targeting Proteases for Antiviral Development. Viruses 2024; 16:366. [PMID: 38543732 PMCID: PMC10976044 DOI: 10.3390/v16030366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 02/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Viral proteases are an important target for drug development, since they can modulate vital pathways in viral replication, maturation, assembly and cell entry. With the (re)appearance of several new viruses responsible for causing diseases in humans, like the West Nile virus (WNV) and the recent severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), understanding the mechanisms behind blocking viral protease's function is pivotal for the development of new antiviral drugs and therapeutical strategies. Apart from directly inhibiting the target protease, usually by targeting its active site, several new pathways have been explored to impair its activity, such as inducing protein aggregation, targeting allosteric sites or by inducing protein degradation by cellular proteasomes, which can be extremely valuable when considering the emerging drug-resistant strains. In this review, we aim to discuss the recent advances on a broad range of viral proteases inhibitors, therapies and molecular approaches for protein inactivation or degradation, giving an insight on different possible strategies against this important class of antiviral target.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pedro Henrique Oliveira Borges
- Laboratory of Organic Synthesis and Biological Prospecting, Chemistry Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-909, Brazil;
- Laboratory of Experimental and Computational Biochemistry of Drugs, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
| | - Sabrina Baptista Ferreira
- Laboratory of Organic Synthesis and Biological Prospecting, Chemistry Institute, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro 21941-909, Brazil;
| | - Floriano Paes Silva
- Laboratory of Experimental and Computational Biochemistry of Drugs, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, Brazil
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17
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Saha T, Lyons N, Yue Yung DB, Quiñones-Mateu ME, Pletzer D, Das SC. Repurposing ebselen as an inhalable dry powder to treat respiratory tract infections. Eur J Pharm Biopharm 2024; 195:114170. [PMID: 38128743 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejpb.2023.12.010] [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: 09/08/2023] [Revised: 12/11/2023] [Accepted: 12/17/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are one of the leading causes of death globally, lately exacerbated by the increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance. While antimicrobial resistance could be overcome by developing new antimicrobial agents, the use of a safe repurposed agent having potent antimicrobial activity against various RTIs can be an efficient and cost-effective alternative to overcome the long and complex process of developing and testing new drugs. Ebselen, a synthetic organoselenium drug originally developed to treat noise-inducing hearing problems, has shown promising antimicrobial activity in vitro against several respiratory pathogens including viruses (e.g., SARS-CoV-2, influenza A virus) and bacteria (e.g., Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus). Inhaled drug delivery is considered a promising approach for treating RTIs, as it can ensure effective drug concentrations at a lower dose, thereby minimizing the side effects that are often encountered by using oral or injectable drugs. In this study, we developed inhalable ebselen dry powder formulations using a spray-drying technique. The amino acids leucine, methionine, and tryptophan were incorporated with ebselen to enhance the yield and aerosolization of the dry powders. The amino acid-containing ebselen dry powders showed a better yield (37-56.4 %) than the amino acid-free formulation (30.9 %). All dry powders were crystalline in nature. The mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) was less than 5 µm for amino acids containing dry powders (3-4 µm) and slightly higher (5.4 µm) for amino acid free dry powder indicating their suitability for inhalation. The aerosol performance was higher when amino acids were used, and the leucine-containing ebselen dry powder showed the highest emitted dose (84 %) and fine particle fraction (68 %). All amino acid formulations had similar cytotoxicity as raw ebselen, tested in respiratory cell line (A549 cells), with half-maximal inhibitory concentrations (IC50) between 100 and 250 μg/mL. Raw ebselen and amino acid-containing dry powders showed similar potent antibacterial activity against the Gram-positive bacteria S. aureus and S. pneumoniae with minimum inhibitory concentrations of 0.31 μg/mL and 0.16 μg/mL, respectively. On the other hand, raw ebselen and the formulations showed limited antimicrobial activity against the Gram-negative pathogens Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae. In summary, in this study we were able to develop amino-acid-containing inhalable dry powders of ebselen that could be used against different respiratory pathogens, especially Gram-positive bacteria, which could ensure more drug deposition in the respiratory tract, including the lungs. DPIs are generally used to treat lung (lower respiratory tract) diseases. However, DPIs can also be used to treat both upper and lower RTIs. The deposition of the dry powder in the respiratory tract is dependent on its physicochemical properties and this properties can be modulated to target the intended site of infection (upper and/or lower respiratory tract). Further studies will allow the development of similar formulations of individual and/or combination of antimicrobials that could be used to inhibit a number of respiratory pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tushar Saha
- School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Nikita Lyons
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Deborah Bow Yue Yung
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Miguel E Quiñones-Mateu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Daniel Pletzer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Shyamal C Das
- School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
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18
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Fiaschi L, Biba C, Varasi I, Bartolini N, Paletti C, Giammarino F, Saladini F, Zazzi M, Vicenti I. In Vitro Combinatorial Activity of Direct Acting Antivirals and Monoclonal Antibodies against the Ancestral B.1 and BQ.1.1 SARS-CoV-2 Viral Variants. Viruses 2024; 16:168. [PMID: 38399944 PMCID: PMC10892871 DOI: 10.3390/v16020168] [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: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 01/19/2024] [Accepted: 01/20/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Combination antiviral therapy may be helpful in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection; however, no clinical trial data are available, and combined use of direct-acting antivirals (DAA) and monoclonal antibodies (mAb) has been reported only anecdotally. To assess the cooperative effects of dual drug combinations in vitro, we used a VERO E6 cell-based in vitro system with the ancestral B.1 or the highly divergent BQ.1.1 virus to test pairwise combinations of the licensed DAA, including nirmatrelvir (NRM), remdesivir (RDV) and the active metabolite of molnupiravir (EIDD-1931) as well the combination of RDV with four licensed mAbs (sotrovimab, bebtelovimab, cilgavimab, tixagevimab; tested only with the susceptible B.1 virus). According to SynergyFinder 3.0 summary and weighted scores, all the combinations had an additive effect. Within DAA/DAA combinations, paired scores with the B.1 and BQ.1.1 variants were comparable. In the post hoc analysis weighting synergy by concentrations, several cases of highly synergistic scores were detected at specific drug concentrations, both for DAA/DAA and for RDV/mAb combinations. This was supported by in vitro confirmation experiments showing a more than a linear shift of a drug-effective concentration (IC50) at increasing concentrations of the companion drug, although the effect was prominent with DAA/DAA combinations and minimal or null with RDV/mAb combinations. These results support the cooperative effects of dual drug combinations in vitro, which should be further investigated in animal models before introduction into the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Ilaria Vicenti
- Department of Medical Biotechnologies, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (L.F.); (C.B.); (I.V.); (N.B.); (C.P.); (F.G.); (F.S.); (M.Z.)
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19
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Davuluri KS, Ghanghav R, Ahire G, Kakade M, Cherian S, Alagarasu K, Parashar D. Repurposed drugs in combinations exert additive anti-chikungunya virus activity: an in-vitro study. Virol J 2024; 21:5. [PMID: 38178163 PMCID: PMC10768230 DOI: 10.1186/s12985-023-02271-0] [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: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 12/16/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection causes chikungunya, a viral disease that currently has no specific antiviral treatment. Several repurposed drug candidates have been investigated for the treatment of the disease. In order to improve the efficacy of the known drugs, combining drugs for treatment is a promising approach. The current study was undertaken to explore the antiviral activity of a combination of repurposed drugs that were reported to have anti-CHIKV activity. We explored the effect of different combinations of six effective drugs (2-fluoroadenine, emetine, lomibuvir, enalaprilat, metyrapone and resveratrol) at their non-toxic concentrations against CHIKV under post infection treatment conditions in Vero cells. Focus-forming unit assay, real time RT-PCR, immunofluorescence assay, and western blot were used to determine the virus titre. The results revealed that the combination of 2-fluoroadenine with either metyrapone or emetine or enalaprilat exerted inhibitory activity against CHIKV under post-infection treatment conditions. The effect of these drug combinations was additive in nature compared to the effect of the individual drugs. The results suggest an additive anti-viral effect of these drug combinations against CHIKV. The findings could serve as an outline for the development of an innovative therapeutic approach in the future to treat CHIKV-infected patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kusuma Sai Davuluri
- Dengue & Chikungunya Group, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra, 411001, India
| | - Rajnandini Ghanghav
- Dengue & Chikungunya Group, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra, 411001, India
| | - Gunwant Ahire
- Dengue & Chikungunya Group, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra, 411001, India
| | - Mahadeo Kakade
- Dengue & Chikungunya Group, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra, 411001, India
| | - Sarah Cherian
- Bioinformatics and Data Management Group, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra, 411001, India
| | - Kalichamy Alagarasu
- Dengue & Chikungunya Group, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra, 411001, India.
| | - Deepti Parashar
- Dengue & Chikungunya Group, ICMR-National Institute of Virology, 20-A, Dr. Ambedkar Road, Pune, Maharashtra, 411001, India.
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20
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Cinatl J, Bechtel M, Reus P, Ott M, Rothweiler F, Michaelis M, Ciesek S, Bojkova D. Trifluridine for treatment of mpox infection in drug combinations in ophthalmic cell models. J Med Virol 2024; 96:e29354. [PMID: 38180134 DOI: 10.1002/jmv.29354] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024]
Abstract
The Mpox virus can cause severe disease in the susceptible population with dermatologic and systemic manifestations. Furthermore, ophthalmic manifestations of mpox infection are well documented. Topical trifluridine (TFT) eye drops have been used for therapy of ophthalmic mpox infection in patients, however, its efficacy against mpox virus infection in this scenario has not been previously shown. In the present study, we have established ophthalmic cell models suitable for the infection with mpox virus. We show, that TFT is effective against a broad range of mpox isolates in conjunctival epithelial cells and keratocytes. Further, TFT remained effective against a tecovirimat-resistant virus strain. In the context of drug combinations, a nearly additive effect was observed for TFT combinations with brincidofovir and tecovirimat in conjunctival epithelial cells, while a slight antagonism was observed for both combinations in keratocytes. Altogether, our findings demonstrate TFT as a promising drug for treatment of ophthalmic mpox infection able to overcome tecovirimat resistance. However, conflicting results regarding the effect of drug combinations with approved compounds warrant close monitoring of such use in patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jindrich Cinatl
- Institute of Medical Virology, Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Dr. Petra Joh-Forschungshaus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Marco Bechtel
- Institute of Medical Virology, Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Philipp Reus
- Institute of Medical Virology, Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Discovery Research ScreeningPort, Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Melanie Ott
- Dr. Petra Joh-Forschungshaus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | - Martin Michaelis
- Dr. Petra Joh-Forschungshaus, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
| | - Sandra Ciesek
- Institute of Medical Virology, Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- German Center for Infection Research, DZIF, External Partner Site, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Denisa Bojkova
- Institute of Medical Virology, Goethe University Frankfurt, University Hospital, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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21
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Golden M, Post SJ, Rivera R, Wuest WM. Investigating the Role of Metabolism for Antibiotic Combination Therapies in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. ACS Infect Dis 2023; 9:2386-2393. [PMID: 37938982 PMCID: PMC10714402 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00452] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 11/01/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
Antibacterial resistance poses a severe threat to public health; an anticipated 14-fold increase in multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections is expected to occur by 2050. Contrary to antibiotics, combination therapies are the standard of care for antiviral and anticancer treatments, as synergistic drug-drug interactions can decrease dosage and resistance development. In this study, we investigated combination treatments of a novel succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (promysalin) with specific inhibitors of metabolism and efflux alongside a panel of clinically approved antibiotics in synergy studies. Through these investigations, we determined that promysalin can work synergistically with vancomycin and antagonistically with aminoglycosides and a glyoxylate shunt pathway inhibitor at subinhibitory concentrations; however, these cooperative effects do not reduce minimum inhibitory concentrations. The variability of these results underscores the complexity of targeting metabolism for combination therapies in antibiotic development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina
M. Golden
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Savannah J. Post
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - Renata Rivera
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
| | - William M. Wuest
- Department
of Chemistry, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
- Emory
Antibiotic Resistance Center, Emory School of Medicine, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, United States
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22
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Wild M, Karner D, Eickhoff J, Wagner S, Kicuntod J, Chang W, Barry P, Jonjić S, Lenac Roviš T, Marschall M. Combined Treatment with Host-Directed and Anticytomegaloviral Kinase Inhibitors: Mechanisms, Synergisms and Drug Resistance Barriers. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2680. [PMID: 38140021 PMCID: PMC10748244 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15122680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the availability of currently approved antiviral drugs, infections with human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) still cause clinically challenging, sometimes life-threatening situations. There is an urgent need for enhanced anti-HCMV drugs that offer improved efficacy, reduced dosages and options for long-term treatment without risk of the development of viral drug resistance. Recently, we reported the pronounced anti-HCMV efficacy of pharmacological inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), in particular, the potential of utilizing drug synergies upon combination treatment with inhibitors of host CDKs and the viral CDK-like kinase pUL97 (vCDK/pUL97). Here, we expand this finding by further assessing the in vitro synergistic antiviral interaction between vCDK and CDK inhibitors towards HCMV as well as non-human cytomegaloviruses. An extension of this synergy approach was achieved in vivo by using the recombinant MCMV-UL97/mouse model, confirming the high potential of combination treatment with the clinically approved vCDK inhibitor maribavir (MBV) and the developmental CDK7 inhibitor LDC4297. Moreover, mechanistic aspects of this synergistic drug combination were illustrated on the levels of intracellular viral protein transport and viral genome replication. The analysis of viral drug resistance did not reveal resistance formation in the case of MBV + LDC4297 combination treatment. Spanning various investigational levels, these new results strongly support our concept, employing the great potential of anti-HCMV synergistic drug treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Wild
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (M.W.); (S.W.); (J.K.)
| | - Dubravka Karner
- Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Brace Branchetta 20, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia; (D.K.); (S.J.); (T.L.R.)
| | - Jan Eickhoff
- Lead Discovery Center GmbH, Otto-Hahn-Str. 15, 44227 Dortmund, Germany;
| | - Sabrina Wagner
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (M.W.); (S.W.); (J.K.)
| | - Jintawee Kicuntod
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (M.W.); (S.W.); (J.K.)
| | - William Chang
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, California National Primate Research Center, University of California, 3146 Tupper Hall, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (W.C.); (P.B.)
| | - Peter Barry
- Department of Medical Microbiology and Immunology, California National Primate Research Center, University of California, 3146 Tupper Hall, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, USA; (W.C.); (P.B.)
| | - Stipan Jonjić
- Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Brace Branchetta 20, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia; (D.K.); (S.J.); (T.L.R.)
| | - Tihana Lenac Roviš
- Center for Proteomics, Faculty of Medicine, University of Rijeka, Brace Branchetta 20, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia; (D.K.); (S.J.); (T.L.R.)
| | - Manfred Marschall
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander University of Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (M.W.); (S.W.); (J.K.)
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23
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Betancur-Galvis L, Jimenez-Jarava OJ, Rivas F, Mendoza-Hernández WE, González-Cardenete MA. Synergistic In Vitro Antiviral Effect of Combinations of Ivermectin, Essential Oils, and 18-(Phthalimid-2-yl)ferruginol against Arboviruses and Herpesvirus. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1602. [PMID: 38004467 PMCID: PMC10674234 DOI: 10.3390/ph16111602] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Combining antiviral drugs with different mechanisms of action can help prevent the development of resistance by attacking the infectious agent through multiple pathways. Additionally, by using faster and more economical screening methods, effective synergistic drug candidates can be rapidly identified, facilitating faster paths to clinical testing. In this work, a rapid method was standardized to identify possible synergisms from drug combinations. We analyzed the possible reduction in the antiviral effective concentration of drugs already approved by the FDA, such as ivermectin (IVM), ribavirin (RIBA), and acyclovir (ACV) against Zika virus (ZIKV), Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), and herpes virus type 2 (HHV-2). Essential oils (EOs) were also included in the study since they have been reported for more than a couple of decades to have broad-spectrum antiviral activity. We also continued studying the antiviral properties of one of our patented molecules with broad-spectrum antiviral activity, the ferruginol analog 18-(phthalimid-2-yl)ferruginol (phthFGL), which presented an IC99 of 25.6 μM for the three types of virus. In general, the combination of IVM, phthFGL, and oregano EO showed the greatest synergism potential against CHIKV, ZIKV, and HHV-2. For instance, this combination achieved reductions in the IC99 value of each component up to ~8-, ~27-, and ~12-fold for CHIKV, respectively. The ternary combination of RIBA, phthFGL, and oregano EO was slightly more efficient than the binary combination RIBA/phthFGL but much less efficient than IVM, phthFGL, and oregano EO, which indicates that IVM could contribute more to the differentiation of cell targets (for example via the inhibition of the host heterodimeric importin IMP α/β1 complex) than ribavirin. Statistical analysis showed significant differences among the combination groups tested, especially in the HHV-2 and CHIKV models, with p = 0.0098. Additionally, phthFGL showed a good pharmacokinetic profile that should encourage future optimization studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liliana Betancur-Galvis
- Grupo GRID—Grupo de Investigaciones Dermatológicas, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia;
| | - Orlando José Jimenez-Jarava
- Grupo GRID—Grupo de Investigaciones Dermatológicas, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia;
| | - Fatima Rivas
- Department of Chemistry, Louisiana State University, 133 Chopping Hall, Baton Rouge, LA 70803, USA;
| | - William E. Mendoza-Hernández
- Instituto de Tecnología Química, Universitat Politècnica de València-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Avda. de los Naranjos s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain;
| | - Miguel A. González-Cardenete
- Instituto de Tecnología Química, Universitat Politècnica de València-Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Avda. de los Naranjos s/n, 46022 Valencia, Spain;
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24
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Gallardo-Toledo E, Neary M, Sharp J, Herriott J, Kijak E, Bramwell C, Curley P, Arshad U, Pertinez H, Rajoli RKR, Valentijn A, Cox H, Tatham L, Kipar A, Stewart JP, Owen A. Chemoprophylactic Assessment of Combined Intranasal SARS-CoV-2 Polymerase and Exonuclease Inhibition in Syrian Golden Hamsters. Viruses 2023; 15:2161. [PMID: 38005839 PMCID: PMC10675045 DOI: 10.3390/v15112161] [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: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Pibrentasvir (PIB) has been demonstrated to block exonuclease activity of the SARS-CoV-2 polymerase, protecting favipiravir (FVP) and remdesivir (RDV) from post-incorporation excision and eliciting antiviral synergy in vitro. The present study investigated the chemoprophylactic efficacy of PIB, FVP, RDV, FVP with PIB, or RDV with PIB dosed intranasally twice a day, using a Syrian golden hamster contact transmission model. Compared to the saline control, viral RNA levels were significantly lower in throat swabs in FVP (day 7), RDV (day 3, 5, 7), and RDV+PIB (day 3, 5) treatment groups. Similarly, findings were evident for nasal turbinate after PIB and RDV treatment, and lungs after PIB, FVP, and FVP+PIB treatment at day 7. Lung viral RNA levels after RDV and RDV+PIB treatment were only detectable in two animals per group, but the overall difference was not statistically significant. In situ examination of the lungs confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection in all animals, except for one in each of the RDV and RDV+PIB treatment groups, which tested negative in all virus detection approaches. Overall, prevention of transmission was observed in most animals treated with RDV, while other agents reduced the viral load following contact transmission. No benefit of combining FVP or RDV with PIB was observed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eduardo Gallardo-Toledo
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK; (E.G.-T.); (J.H.); (E.K.); (C.B.); (H.C.); (L.T.)
- Centre of Excellence in Long-Acting Therapeutics (CELT), University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Megan Neary
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK; (E.G.-T.); (J.H.); (E.K.); (C.B.); (H.C.); (L.T.)
- Centre of Excellence in Long-Acting Therapeutics (CELT), University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Joanne Sharp
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK; (E.G.-T.); (J.H.); (E.K.); (C.B.); (H.C.); (L.T.)
- Centre of Excellence in Long-Acting Therapeutics (CELT), University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Joanne Herriott
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK; (E.G.-T.); (J.H.); (E.K.); (C.B.); (H.C.); (L.T.)
- Centre of Excellence in Long-Acting Therapeutics (CELT), University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Edyta Kijak
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK; (E.G.-T.); (J.H.); (E.K.); (C.B.); (H.C.); (L.T.)
- Centre of Excellence in Long-Acting Therapeutics (CELT), University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Chloe Bramwell
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK; (E.G.-T.); (J.H.); (E.K.); (C.B.); (H.C.); (L.T.)
- Centre of Excellence in Long-Acting Therapeutics (CELT), University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Paul Curley
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK; (E.G.-T.); (J.H.); (E.K.); (C.B.); (H.C.); (L.T.)
- Centre of Excellence in Long-Acting Therapeutics (CELT), University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Usman Arshad
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK; (E.G.-T.); (J.H.); (E.K.); (C.B.); (H.C.); (L.T.)
- Centre of Excellence in Long-Acting Therapeutics (CELT), University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Henry Pertinez
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK; (E.G.-T.); (J.H.); (E.K.); (C.B.); (H.C.); (L.T.)
- Centre of Excellence in Long-Acting Therapeutics (CELT), University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Rajith K. R. Rajoli
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK; (E.G.-T.); (J.H.); (E.K.); (C.B.); (H.C.); (L.T.)
- Centre of Excellence in Long-Acting Therapeutics (CELT), University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Anthony Valentijn
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK; (E.G.-T.); (J.H.); (E.K.); (C.B.); (H.C.); (L.T.)
- Centre of Excellence in Long-Acting Therapeutics (CELT), University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Helen Cox
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK; (E.G.-T.); (J.H.); (E.K.); (C.B.); (H.C.); (L.T.)
- Centre of Excellence in Long-Acting Therapeutics (CELT), University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Lee Tatham
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK; (E.G.-T.); (J.H.); (E.K.); (C.B.); (H.C.); (L.T.)
- Centre of Excellence in Long-Acting Therapeutics (CELT), University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Anja Kipar
- Department of Infection Biology & Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
- Laboratory for Animal Model Pathology, Institute of Veterinary Pathology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zurich, 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - James P. Stewart
- Department of Infection Biology & Microbiomes, Institute of Infection, Veterinary and Ecological Sciences, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
| | - Andrew Owen
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Institute of Systems, Molecular and Integrative Biology, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK; (E.G.-T.); (J.H.); (E.K.); (C.B.); (H.C.); (L.T.)
- Centre of Excellence in Long-Acting Therapeutics (CELT), University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 3BX, UK
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25
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Saha T, Sinha S, Harfoot R, Quiñones-Mateu ME, Das SC. Inhalable dry powder containing remdesivir and disulfiram: Preparation and in vitro characterization. Int J Pharm 2023; 645:123411. [PMID: 37703955 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2023.123411] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
The respiratory tract, as the first and most afflicted target of many viruses such as SARS-CoV-2, seems to be the logical choice for delivering antiviral agents against this and other respiratory viruses. A combination of remdesivir and disulfiram, targeting two different steps in the viral replication cycle, has showed synergistic activity against SARS-CoV-2 in-vitro. In this study, we have developed an inhalable dry powder containing a combination of remdesivir and disulfiram utilizing the spray-drying technique, with the final goal of delivering this drug combination to the respiratory tract. The prepared dry powders were spherical, and crystalline. The particle size was between 1 and 5 μm indicating their suitability for inhalation. The spray-dried combinational dry powder containing remdesivir and disulfiram (RDSD) showed a higher emitted dose (ED) of >88% than single dry powder of remdesivir (RSD) (∼72%) and disulfiram (DSD) (∼84%), with a fine particle fraction (FPF) of ∼55%. Addition of L-leucine to RDSD showed >60% FPF with a similar ED. The in vitro aerosolization was not significantly affected after the stability study conducted at different humidity conditions. Interestingly, the single (RSD and DSD) and combined (RDSD) spray-dried powders showed limited cellular toxicity (CC50 values from 39.4 to >100 µM), while maintaining their anti-SARS-CoV-2 in vitro (EC50 values from 4.43 to 6.63 µM). In a summary, a combinational dry powder formulation containing remdesivir and disulfiram suitable for inhalation was developed by spray-drying technique which showed high cell viability in the respiratory cell line (Calu-3 cells) retaining their anti-SARS-CoV-2 property. In the future, in vivo studies will test the ability of these formulations to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 which is essential for clinical translation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tushar Saha
- School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Shubhra Sinha
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Rhodri Harfoot
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Miguel E Quiñones-Mateu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Shyamal C Das
- School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
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26
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Valipour M, Irannejad H, Keyvani H. An Overview on Anti-COVID-19 Drug Achievements and Challenges Ahead. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2023; 6:1248-1265. [PMID: 37705590 PMCID: PMC10496143 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.3c00121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/15/2023]
Abstract
The appearance of several coronavirus pandemics/epidemics during the last two decades (SARS-CoV-1 in 2002, MERS-CoV in 2012, and SARS-CoV-2 in 2019) indicates that humanity will face increasing challenges from coronaviruses in the future. The emergence of new strains with similar transmission characteristics as SARS-CoV-2 and mortality rates similar to SARS-CoV-1 (∼10% mortality) or MERS-CoV (∼35% mortality) in the future is a terrifying possibility. Therefore, getting enough preparations to face such risks is an inevitable necessity. The present study aims to review the drug achievements and challenges in the fight against SARS-CoV-2 with a combined perspective derived from pharmacology, pharmacotherapy, and medicinal chemistry insights. Appreciating all the efforts made during the past few years, there is strong evidence that the desired results have not yet been achieved and research in this area should still be pursued seriously. By expressing some pessimistic possibilities and concluding that the drug discovery and pharmacotherapy of COVID-19 have not been successful so far, this short essay tries to draw the attention of responsible authorities to be more prepared against future coronavirus epidemics/pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Valipour
- Razi
Drug Research Center, Iran University of
Medical Sciences, Tehran 1134845764, Iran
| | - Hamid Irannejad
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari 48157-33971, Iran
| | - Hossein Keyvani
- Department
of Virology, School of Medicine, Iran University
of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1134845764, Iran
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27
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Saha T, Sinha S, Harfoot R, Quiñones-Mateu ME, Das SC. Spray-Dried Inhalable Microparticles Combining Remdesivir and Ebselen against SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2229. [PMID: 37765198 PMCID: PMC10535576 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15092229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a continuous effort to develop efficient treatments for coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and other viral respiratory diseases. Among the different strategies, inhaled treatment is considered one of the most logical and efficient approaches to treating COVID-19, as the causative "SARS-CoV-2 virus RNA" predominantly infects the respiratory tract. COVID-19 treatments initially relied on repurposed drugs, with a few additional strategies developed during the last two years, and all of them are based on monotherapy. However, drug combinations have been found to be more effective than monotherapy in other viral diseases such as HIV, influenza, and hepatitis C virus. In the case of SARS-CoV-2 infection, in vitro studies have shown synergistic antiviral activity combining remdesivir with ebselen, an organoselenium compound. Therefore, these drug combinations could ensure better therapeutic outcomes than the individual agents. In this study, we developed a dry powder formulation containing remdesivir and ebselen using a spray-drying technique and used L-leucine as an aerosolization enhancer. The prepared dry powders were spherical and crystalline, with a mean particle size between 1 and 3 µm, indicating their suitability for inhalation. The emitted dose (ED) and fine particle fraction (FPF) of remdesivir- and ebselen-containing dry powders were ~80% and ~57% when prepared without L-leucine. The ED as well as the FPF significantly increased with values of >86% and >67%, respectively, when L-leucine was incorporated. More importantly, the single and combinational dry powder of remdesivir and ebselen showed minimal cytotoxicity (CC50 > 100 μM) in Calu-3 cells, retaining their anti-SARS-CoV-2 properties (EC50 2.77 to 18.64 μM). In summary, we developed an inhalable dry powder combination of remdesivir and ebselen using a spray-drying technique. The spray-dried inhalable microparticles retained their limited cytotoxicity and specific antiviral properties. Future in vivo studies are needed to verify the potential use of these remdesivir/ebselen combinational spray-dried inhalable microparticles to block the SARS-CoV-2 replication in the respiratory tract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tushar Saha
- School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand;
| | - Shubhra Sinha
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; (S.S.); (R.H.); (M.E.Q.-M.)
| | - Rhodri Harfoot
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; (S.S.); (R.H.); (M.E.Q.-M.)
| | - Miguel E. Quiñones-Mateu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand; (S.S.); (R.H.); (M.E.Q.-M.)
| | - Shyamal C. Das
- School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand;
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Riege D, Herschel S, Heintze L, Fenkl T, Wesseler F, Sievers S, Peifer C, Schade D. Identification of Maleimide-Fused Carbazoles as Novel Noncanonical Bone Morphogenetic Protein Synergizers. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2023; 6:1207-1220. [PMID: 37588754 PMCID: PMC10426274 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.3c00103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Morphogenic signaling pathways govern embryonic development and tissue homeostasis on the cellular level. Precise control of such signaling events paves the way for innovative therapeutic approaches in the field of regenerative medicine. In line with these notions, bone morphogenic protein (BMP) is a major osteogenic driver and pharmacological stimulation of BMP signaling holds supreme potential for diseases and defects of the skeleton. Efforts to identify small-molecule modalities that activate or potentiate the BMP pathway have primarily been focused on the canonical signaling cascade. Here, we describe the phenotypic identification and development of specific carbazolomaleimides 2 as novel noncanonical BMP synergizers with submicromolar osteogenic cellular potency. The devised chemical tools are characterized to specifically regulate Id gene expression in a SMAD-independent, yet highly BMP-dependent fashion. Mechanistic studies revealed that GSK3 inhibition and increased β-catenin levels are partly responsible for this activity. The utility of the new BMP synergizer profile was further exemplified by showing how the synergistic action of canonical and noncanonical BMP enhancers additively amplifies BMP-dependent osteogenic outputs. Carbazolomaleimide 2b serves as a new and unique pharmacological tool for the modulation and study of the BMP pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Riege
- Department of Pharmaceutical &
Medicinal Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University of
Kiel, Gutenbergstrasse 76, 24118 Kiel,
Germany
| | - Sven Herschel
- Department of Pharmaceutical &
Medicinal Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University of
Kiel, Gutenbergstrasse 76, 24118 Kiel,
Germany
| | - Linda Heintze
- Department of Pharmaceutical &
Medicinal Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University of
Kiel, Gutenbergstrasse 76, 24118 Kiel,
Germany
| | - Teresa Fenkl
- Department of Pharmaceutical &
Medicinal Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University of
Kiel, Gutenbergstrasse 76, 24118 Kiel,
Germany
| | - Fabian Wesseler
- Department of Pharmaceutical &
Medicinal Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University of
Kiel, Gutenbergstrasse 76, 24118 Kiel,
Germany
- Compound Management and
Screening Center, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 11, 44227
Dortmund, Germany
| | - Sonja Sievers
- Compound Management and
Screening Center, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 11, 44227
Dortmund, Germany
| | - Christian Peifer
- Department of Pharmaceutical &
Medicinal Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University of
Kiel, Gutenbergstrasse 76, 24118 Kiel,
Germany
| | - Dennis Schade
- Department of Pharmaceutical &
Medicinal Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University of
Kiel, Gutenbergstrasse 76, 24118 Kiel,
Germany
- Partner Site Kiel, DZHK,
German Center for Cardiovascular Research, 24105
Kiel, Germany
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29
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Porta EOJ, Kalesh K, Steel PG. Navigating drug repurposing for Chagas disease: advances, challenges, and opportunities. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1233253. [PMID: 37576826 PMCID: PMC10416112 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1233253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a vector-borne illness caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi (T. cruzi). It poses a significant public health burden, particularly in the poorest regions of Latin America. Currently, there is no available vaccine, and chemotherapy has been the traditional treatment for Chagas disease. However, the treatment options are limited to just two outdated medicines, nifurtimox and benznidazole, which have serious side effects and low efficacy, especially during the chronic phase of the disease. Collectively, this has led the World Health Organization to classify it as a neglected disease. To address this problem, new drug regimens are urgently needed. Drug repurposing, which involves the use of existing drugs already approved for the treatment of other diseases, represents an increasingly important option. This approach offers potential cost reduction in new drug discovery processes and can address pharmaceutical bottlenecks in the development of drugs for Chagas disease. In this review, we discuss the state-of-the-art of drug repurposing approaches, including combination therapy with existing drugs, to overcome the formidable challenges associated with treating Chagas disease. Organized by original therapeutic area, we describe significant recent advances, as well as the challenges in this field. In particular, we identify candidates that exhibit potential for heightened efficacy and reduced toxicity profiles with the ultimate objective of accelerating the development of new, safe, and effective treatments for Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Karunakaran Kalesh
- School of Health and Life Sciences, Teesside University, Middlesbrough, United Kingdom
- National Horizons Centre, Darlington, United Kingdom
| | - Patrick G. Steel
- Department of Chemistry, Durham University, Durham, United Kingdom
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30
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Mu S, Zou X, Wang Y, Deng X, Cui D, Liu S, Cao B. The combined effect of oseltamivir and favipiravir on influenza a virus evolution in patients hospitalized with severe influenza. Antiviral Res 2023:105657. [PMID: 37369282 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2023.105657] [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: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 06/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023]
Abstract
Our previous study shows favipiravir and oseltamivir combination therapy may accelerate clinical recovery compared to oseltamivir monotherapy in severe influenza, but its effect on virological evolution and resistance mutation against oseltamivir is still unknown. In this study, we collected longitudinal respiratory samples from influenza patients who underwent combination therapy and applied them to next generation sequencing of the whole genome of the influenza A virus (IAV). We also included a cohort untreated with any antivirals to serve as the control. In total, 62 samples from 19 patients treated with combination therapy and 20 samples from 20 patients untreated were successfully sequenced. The nucleotide diversity in the whole genome of IAV in the combination group showed no difference compared to that in the control group (P > 0.05). Moreover, we observed 174 kinds of nonsynonymous nucleotide substitutions in patients with combination therapy, mostly in NA (n = 44) and HA (n = 43). Of them, the G→A transition was the dominant variant type (27%) and 46/174 (26%) was reported to have biological effects, such as increased pathogenicity and polymerase activity. Among the 29 mutations conferring reduction in oseltamivir sensitivity we investigated, H275Y was the only mutation detected in the 4 samples from 1 of 19 patients and demonstrated increasing frequency during the treatment. Mutations conferring favipiravir resistance were not observed. Our studies showed combination therapy of favipiravir and oseltamivir has little effect on virus nucleotide diversity, nor prevents the increase of oseltamivir-resistant variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shengrui Mu
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaohui Zou
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China.
| | - Yeming Wang
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaoyan Deng
- Tsinghua University School of Medicine, Beijing, China
| | - Dan Cui
- Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China
| | - Shuai Liu
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, Jinan, Shandong, China; Shandong Key Laboratory of Infectious Respiratory Disease, Jinan, Shandong, China
| | - Bin Cao
- Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Department of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Center of Respiratory Medicine, Institute of Respiratory Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, National Clinical Research Center for Respiratory Diseases, China-Japan Friendship Hospital, Beijing, China; Tsinghua University School of Medicine, Beijing, China; Harbin Medical University, Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
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31
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Yang X, Long F, Jia W, Zhang M, Su G, Liao M, Zeng Z, Chen W, Chen J. Artesunate inhibits PDE4 leading to intracellular cAMP accumulation, reduced ERK/MAPK signaling, and blockade of influenza A virus vRNP nuclear export. Antiviral Res 2023; 215:105635. [PMID: 37192683 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2023.105635] [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: 01/25/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/18/2023]
Abstract
Influenza A viruses (IAV) have been a major cause of mortality. Given the potential for future deadly pandemics, effective drugs are needed for the treatment of severe influenzas, such as those caused by H5N1 IAV. The anti-malaria drugs artemisinin and its derivates, including artesunate (AS), have been reported to have broad antiviral activities. Here, we showed AS's antiviral activity against H5N1, H1N1, H3N2 and oseltamivir-resistant influenza A(H1N1)virus in vitro. Moreover, we showed that AS treatment significantly protected mice from lethal challenges with H1N1 and H5N1 IAV. Strikingly, the combination of AS and peramivir treatment significantly improved survival outcomes compared to their monotherapy with either AS or peramivir. Furthermore, we demonstrated mechanistically that AS affected the later stages of IAV replication and limited nuclear export of viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) complexes. In A549 cells, we demonstrated for the first time that AS treatment induced cAMP accumulation via inhibiting PDE4, and consequently reduced ERK phosphorylation and blocked IAV vRNP export, and thus suppressed IAV replication. These AS's effects were reversed by the pre-treatment with a cAMP inhibitor SQ22536. Our findings suggest that AS could serve as a novel IAV inhibitor by interfering vRNP nuclear export to prevent and treat IAV infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xia Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, Guangzhou, 510642, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510642, China
| | - Feixiang Long
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, Guangzhou, 510642, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510642, China
| | - Weixin Jia
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510642, China
| | - Mingxin Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, Guangzhou, 510642, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510642, China
| | - Guanming Su
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, Guangzhou, 510642, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510642, China
| | - Ming Liao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510642, China
| | - Zhenling Zeng
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, Guangzhou, 510642, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510642, China
| | - Weisan Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria, 3086, Australia.
| | - Jianxin Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Veterinary Pharmaceutics Development and Safety Evaluation, Guangzhou, 510642, China; College of Veterinary Medicine, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510642, China.
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32
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Abdelnabi R, Jochmans D, Donckers K, Trüeb B, Ebert N, Weynand B, Thiel V, Neyts J. Nirmatrelvir-resistant SARS-CoV-2 is efficiently transmitted in female Syrian hamsters and retains partial susceptibility to treatment. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2124. [PMID: 37059708 PMCID: PMC10101821 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37773-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 04/16/2023] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (3CLpro) is one of the promising therapeutic targets for the treatment of COVID-19. Nirmatrelvir is the first 3CLpro inhibitor authorized for treatment of COVID-19 patients at high risk of hospitalization. We recently reported on the in vitro selection of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro resistant virus (L50F-E166A-L167F; 3CLprores) that is cross-resistant with nirmatrelvir and other 3CLpro inhibitors. Here, we demonstrate that the 3CLprores virus replicates efficiently in the lungs of intranasally infected female Syrian hamsters and causes lung pathology comparable to that caused by the WT virus. Moreover, hamsters infected with 3CLprores virus transmit the virus efficiently to co-housed non-infected contact hamsters. Importantly, at a dose of 200 mg/kg (BID) of nirmatrelvir, the compound was still able to reduce the lung infectious virus titers of 3CLprores-infected hamsters by 1.4 log10 with a modest improvement in the lung histopathology as compared to the vehicle control. Fortunately, resistance to Nirmatrelvir does not readily develop in clinical setting. Yet, as we demonstrate, in case drug-resistant viruses emerge, they may spread easily which may thus impact therapeutic options. Therefore, the use of 3CLpro inhibitors in combination with other drugs may be considered, especially in immunodeficient patients, to avoid the development of drug-resistant viruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rana Abdelnabi
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium
- The VirusBank Platform, Gaston Geenslaan, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dirk Jochmans
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Kim Donckers
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bettina Trüeb
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Nadine Ebert
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Birgit Weynand
- KU Leuven Department of Imaging and Pathology, Division of Translational Cell and Tissue Research, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Volker Thiel
- Institute of Virology and Immunology, University of Bern, 3012, Bern, Switzerland
- Department of Infectious Diseases and Pathobiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Johan Neyts
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium.
- The VirusBank Platform, Gaston Geenslaan, B-3000, Leuven, Belgium.
- Global Virus Network, GVN, Baltimore, US.
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33
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Wang S, Ying Z, Huang Y, Li Y, Hu M, Kang K, Wang H, Shao J, Wu G, Yu Y, Du Y, Chen W. Synthesis and structure-activity optimization of 7-azaindoles containing aza-β-amino acids targeting the influenza PB2 subunit. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 250:115185. [PMID: 36773549 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The PB2 subunit of influenza virus polymerase has been demonstrated as a promising drug target for anti-influenza therapy. In this work, 7-azaindoles containing aza-β3- or β2,3 -amino acids were synthesized possessing a good binding affinity of PB2. The aza-β-amino acid moieties with diverse size, shape, steric hindrance and configuration were investigated. Then a lead HAA-09 was validated, and the attached aza-β3-amino acid moiety with acyclic tertiary carbon side chain well occupied in the key hydrophobic cavity of PB2_cap binding domain. Importantly, HAA-09 displays potent polymerase inhibition capacity, low cytotoxicity (selectivity index up to 2915) as well as robust anti-viral activity against A/WSN/33 (H1N1) virus and oseltamivir-resistant H275Y variant. Moreover, HAA-09 exhibited druggability with high plasma stability (t1/2 ≥ 12 h) and no obvious hERG inhibition (IC50 > 10 μM). Also, HAA-09 demonstrated a favorable safety profile when orally administrated in healthy mice at a high dose of 40 mg/kg QD for consecutive 3 days. Besides, in vivo therapeutic efficacy (85.7% survival observed at the day 15 post infection) was demonstrated when HAA-09 was administrated orally at 12.5 mg/kg BID starting 48 h post infection for 9 days. These data support that exploring the interactions between side chains on aza-β3- or β2,3 -amino acid moieties and hydrophobic pocket of PB2_cap binding domain is a potential medicinal chemistry strategy for developing potent PB2 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sihan Wang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, China
| | - Zhimin Ying
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, PR China
| | - Youchun Huang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, PR China
| | - Yuting Li
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, China
| | - Menglong Hu
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, China
| | - Ke Kang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, PR China
| | - Haiyang Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, PR China
| | - Jiaan Shao
- Key Laboratory of Novel Targets and Drug Study for Neural Repair of Zhejiang Province, School of Medicine, Hangzhou City University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310015, PR China
| | - Gaoqi Wu
- Institute of Immunology, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yongping Yu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, PR China
| | - Yushen Du
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, China; Key Laboratory of Cancer Prevention and Intervention, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310003, China.
| | - Wenteng Chen
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310058, PR China.
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34
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Chai N, Sun A, Zhu X, Li Y, Wang R, Zhang Y, Mao Z. Antifungal evaluation of quinoline-chalcone derivatives combined with FLC against drug-resistant Candida albicans. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2023; 86:129242. [PMID: 36931351 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2023.129242] [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: 01/11/2023] [Revised: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023]
Abstract
With the widespread clinical use of FLC, the FLC-resistant C. albicans greatly increases the difficulty of treatment, and drug combination becomes an important method to treat C. albicans infection. In this work, we have prepared a series of quinoline-chalcone derivatives in good yields, and in vitro antifungal activity against C. albicans were evaluated. The results indicated that most title compounds combined with FLC showed good antifungal activity against drug-resistant C. albicans. Further mechanism researches demonstrated that 6a and 6c combined with FLC could significantly inhibited growth and biofilm formation of C. albicans, induce ROS accumulation, impair the mitochondrial membrane, and decrease intracellular ATP concentrations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nannan Chai
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming 650500, PR China
| | - Aimei Sun
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming 650500, PR China
| | - Xianhu Zhu
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming 650500, PR China
| | - Yanping Li
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming 650500, PR China.
| | - Ruirui Wang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming 650500, PR China
| | - Yi Zhang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming 650500, PR China.
| | - Zewei Mao
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Yunnan University of Chinese Medicine, Kunming 650500, PR China.
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35
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Lee MF, Wu YS, Poh CL. Molecular Mechanisms of Antiviral Agents against Dengue Virus. Viruses 2023; 15:v15030705. [PMID: 36992414 PMCID: PMC10056858 DOI: 10.3390/v15030705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Dengue is a major global health threat causing 390 million dengue infections and 25,000 deaths annually. The lack of efficacy of the licensed Dengvaxia vaccine and the absence of a clinically approved antiviral against dengue virus (DENV) drive the urgent demand for the development of novel anti-DENV therapeutics. Various antiviral agents have been developed and investigated for their anti-DENV activities. This review discusses the mechanisms of action employed by various antiviral agents against DENV. The development of host-directed antivirals targeting host receptors and direct-acting antivirals targeting DENV structural and non-structural proteins are reviewed. In addition, the development of antivirals that target different stages during post-infection such as viral replication, viral maturation, and viral assembly are reviewed. Antiviral agents designed based on these molecular mechanisms of action could lead to the discovery and development of novel anti-DENV therapeutics for the treatment of dengue infections. Evaluations of combinations of antiviral drugs with different mechanisms of action could also lead to the development of synergistic drug combinations for the treatment of dengue at any stage of the infection.
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36
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Tan B, Joyce R, Tan H, Hu Y, Wang J. SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Drug Design, Assay Development, and Drug Resistance Studies. Acc Chem Res 2023; 56:157-168. [PMID: 36580641 PMCID: PMC9843634 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.2c00735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 39.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is the etiological pathogen of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to more than 6.5 million deaths since the beginning of the outbreak in December 2019. The unprecedented disruption of social life and public health caused by COVID-19 calls for fast-track development of diagnostic kits, vaccines, and antiviral drugs. Small molecule antivirals are essential complements of vaccines and can be used for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infections. Currently, there are three FDA-approved antiviral drugs, remdesivir, molnupiravir, and paxlovid. Given the moderate clinical efficacy of remdesivir and molnupiravir, the drug-drug interaction of paxlovid, and the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants with potential drug-resistant mutations, there is a pressing need for additional antivirals to combat current and future coronavirus outbreaks.In this Account, we describe our efforts in developing covalent and noncovalent main protease (Mpro) inhibitors and the identification of nirmatrelvir-resistant mutants. We initially discovered GC376, calpain inhibitors II and XII, and boceprevir as dual inhibitors of Mpro and host cathepsin L from a screening of a protease inhibitor library. Given the controversy of targeting cathepsin L, we subsequently shifted the focus to designing Mpro-specific inhibitors. Specifically, guided by the X-ray crystal structures of these initial hits, we designed noncovalent Mpro inhibitors such as Jun8-76-3R that are highly selective toward Mpro over host cathepsin L. Using the same scaffold, we also designed covalent Mpro inhibitors with novel cysteine reactive warheads containing di- and trihaloacetamides, which similarly had high target specificity. In parallel to our drug discovery efforts, we developed the cell-based FlipGFP Mpro assay to characterize the cellular target engagement of our rationally designed Mpro inhibitors. The FlipGFP assay was also applied to validate the structurally disparate Mpro inhibitors reported in the literature. Lastly, we introduce recent progress in identifying naturally occurring Mpro mutants that are resistant to nirmatrelvir from genome mining of the nsp5 sequences deposited in the GISAID database. Collectively, the covalent and noncovalent Mpro inhibitors and the nirmatrelvir-resistant hot spot residues from our studies provide insightful guidance for future work aimed at developing orally bioavailable Mpro inhibitors that do not have overlapping resistance profile with nirmatrelvir.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bin Tan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Ryan Joyce
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Haozhou Tan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Yanmei Hu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, United States
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37
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Pérez-Vargas J, Shapira T, Olmstead AD, Villanueva I, Thompson CAH, Ennis S, Gao G, De Guzman J, Williams DE, Wang M, Chin A, Bautista-Sánchez D, Agafitei O, Levett P, Xie X, Nuzzo G, Freire VF, Quintana-Bulla JI, Bernardi DI, Gubiani JR, Suthiphasilp V, Raksat A, Meesakul P, Polbuppha I, Cheenpracha S, Jaidee W, Kanokmedhakul K, Yenjai C, Chaiyosang B, Teles HL, Manzo E, Fontana A, Leduc R, Boudreault PL, Berlinck RGS, Laphookhieo S, Kanokmedhakul S, Tietjen I, Cherkasov A, Krajden M, Nabi IR, Niikura M, Shi PY, Andersen RJ, Jean F. Discovery of lead natural products for developing pan-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics. Antiviral Res 2023; 209:105484. [PMID: 36503013 PMCID: PMC9729583 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2022.105484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), remains a global public health crisis. The reduced efficacy of therapeutic monoclonal antibodies against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs), such as omicron BA.5 subvariants, has underlined the need to explore a novel spectrum of antivirals that are effective against existing and evolving SARS-CoV-2 VOCs. To address the need for novel therapeutic options, we applied cell-based high-content screening to a library of natural products (NPs) obtained from plants, fungi, bacteria, and marine sponges, which represent a considerable diversity of chemical scaffolds. The antiviral effect of 373 NPs was evaluated using the mNeonGreen (mNG) reporter SARS-CoV-2 virus in a lung epithelial cell line (Calu-3). The screening identified 26 NPs with half-maximal effective concentrations (EC50) below 50 μM against mNG-SARS-CoV-2; 16 of these had EC50 values below 10 μM and three NPs (holyrine A, alotaketal C, and bafilomycin D) had EC50 values in the nanomolar range. We demonstrated the pan-SARS-CoV-2 activity of these three lead antivirals against SARS-CoV-2 highly transmissible Omicron subvariants (BA.5, BA.2 and BA.1) and highly pathogenic Delta VOCs in human Calu-3 lung cells. Notably, holyrine A, alotaketal C, and bafilomycin D, are potent nanomolar inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron subvariants BA.5 and BA.2. The pan-SARS-CoV-2 activity of alotaketal C [protein kinase C (PKC) activator] and bafilomycin D (V-ATPase inhibitor) suggest that these two NPs are acting as host-directed antivirals (HDAs). Future research should explore whether PKC regulation impacts human susceptibility to and the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection, and it should confirm the important role of human V-ATPase in the VOC lifecycle. Interestingly, we observed a synergistic action of bafilomycin D and N-0385 (a highly potent inhibitor of human TMPRSS2 protease) against Omicron subvariant BA.2 in human Calu-3 lung cells, which suggests that these two highly potent HDAs are targeting two different mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2 entry. Overall, our study provides insight into the potential of NPs with highly diverse chemical structures as valuable inspirational starting points for developing pan-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics and for unravelling potential host factors and pathways regulating SARS-CoV-2 VOC infection including emerging omicron BA.5 subvariants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jimena Pérez-Vargas
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Tirosh Shapira
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Andrea D Olmstead
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Ivan Villanueva
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Connor A H Thompson
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Siobhan Ennis
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Guang Gao
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Joshua De Guzman
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - David E Williams
- Departments of Chemistry and Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Meng Wang
- Departments of Chemistry and Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada
| | - Aaleigha Chin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Diana Bautista-Sánchez
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Olga Agafitei
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Paul Levett
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control Public Health Laboratory, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4R4, Canada
| | - Xuping Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Genoveffa Nuzzo
- Bio-Organic Chemistry Unit, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Vitor F Freire
- Instituto de Química de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, CP780, CEP13560-970, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Jairo I Quintana-Bulla
- Instituto de Química de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, CP780, CEP13560-970, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Darlon I Bernardi
- Instituto de Química de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, CP780, CEP13560-970, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Juliana R Gubiani
- Instituto de Química de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, CP780, CEP13560-970, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Virayu Suthiphasilp
- Center of Chemical Innovation for Sustainability (CIS), School of Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, Thailand
| | - Achara Raksat
- Center of Chemical Innovation for Sustainability (CIS), School of Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, Thailand
| | - Pornphimol Meesakul
- Center of Chemical Innovation for Sustainability (CIS), School of Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, Thailand
| | - Isaraporn Polbuppha
- Center of Chemical Innovation for Sustainability (CIS), School of Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, Thailand
| | | | - Wuttichai Jaidee
- Medicinal Plants Innovation Center of Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, Thailand
| | - Kwanjai Kanokmedhakul
- Natural Products Research Unit, Department of Chemistry and Center for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
| | - Chavi Yenjai
- Natural Products Research Unit, Department of Chemistry and Center for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
| | - Boonyanoot Chaiyosang
- Natural Products Research Unit, Department of Chemistry and Center for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
| | - Helder Lopes Teles
- Instituto de Ciências Exatas e Naturais, Universidade Federal de Rondonópolis, CEP 78736-900, Rondonópolis, MT, Brazil
| | - Emiliano Manzo
- Bio-Organic Chemistry Unit, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078, Pozzuoli, Italy
| | - Angelo Fontana
- Bio-Organic Chemistry Unit, Institute of Biomolecular Chemistry, National Research Council, Via Campi Flegrei 34, 80078, Pozzuoli, Italy; Department of Biology, Università di Napoli "Federico II", Via Cupa Nuova Cinthia 21, 80126, Napoli, Italy
| | - Richard Leduc
- Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Pierre-Luc Boudreault
- Department of Pharmacology-Physiology, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Université de Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Roberto G S Berlinck
- Instituto de Química de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, CP780, CEP13560-970, São Carlos, SP, Brazil
| | - Surat Laphookhieo
- Center of Chemical Innovation for Sustainability (CIS), School of Science, Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai, 57100, Thailand
| | - Somdej Kanokmedhakul
- Natural Products Research Unit, Department of Chemistry and Center for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, 40002, Thailand
| | - Ian Tietjen
- Departments of Chemistry and Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada; The Wistar Institute, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Artem Cherkasov
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H 3Z6, Canada
| | - Mel Krajden
- British Columbia Centre for Disease Control Public Health Laboratory, Vancouver, BC, V5Z 4R4, Canada; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Ivan Robert Nabi
- Department of Cellular and Physiological Sciences, School of Biomedical Engineering, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada
| | - Masahiro Niikura
- Faculty of Health Sciences, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, V5A 1S6, Canada
| | - Pei-Yong Shi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, 77555, USA
| | - Raymond J Andersen
- Departments of Chemistry and Earth, Ocean & Atmospheric Science, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z1, Canada.
| | - François Jean
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Life Sciences Institute, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z3, Canada.
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Bello SO, Yunusa A, Adamu AA, Imam MU, Bello MB, Shuaibu A, Igumbor EU, Habib ZG, Popoola MA, Ochu CL, Bello AY, Deeni YY, Okoye I. Innovative, rapid, high-throughput method for drug repurposing in a pandemic-A case study of SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1130828. [PMID: 36937851 PMCID: PMC10014809 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1130828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Several efforts to repurpose drugs for COVID-19 treatment have largely either failed to identify a suitable agent or agents identified did not translate to clinical use. Reasons that have been suggested to explain the failures include use of inappropriate doses, that are not clinically achievable, in the screening experiments, and the use of inappropriate pre-clinical laboratory surrogates to predict efficacy. In this study, we used an innovative algorithm, that incorporates dissemination and implementation considerations, to identify potential drugs for COVID-19 using iterative computational and wet laboratory methods. The drugs were screened at doses that are known to be achievable in humans. Furthermore, inhibition of viral induced cytopathic effect (CPE) was used as the laboratory surrogate to predict efficacy. Erythromycin, pyridoxine, folic acid and retapamulin were found to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 induced CPE in Vero cells at concentrations that are clinically achievable. Additional studies may be required to further characterize the inhibitions of CPE and the possible mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaibu Oricha Bello
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
- Nigerian COVID-19 Research Coalition, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research Institute, Abuja, Nigeria
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
- *Correspondence: Shaibu Oricha Bello,
| | - Abdulmajeed Yunusa
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Adamu Ahmed Adamu
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Basic Clinical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Mustapha Umar Imam
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Muhammad Bashir Bello
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
- Department of veterinary Microbiology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Abdulmalik Shuaibu
- Centre for Advanced Medical Research and Training, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
- Department of veterinary Microbiology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Ehimario Uche Igumbor
- Nigerian COVID-19 Research Coalition, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research Institute, Abuja, Nigeria
- School of Public Health, University of the Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Zaiyad Garba Habib
- Nigerian COVID-19 Research Coalition, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research Institute, Abuja, Nigeria
- Department of Medicine, University of Abuja Teaching Hospital, Gwagwalada, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Mustapha Ayodele Popoola
- Nigerian COVID-19 Research Coalition, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research Institute, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Chinwe Lucia Ochu
- Nigerian COVID-19 Research Coalition, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research Institute, Abuja, Nigeria
- Nigerian Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, Abuja, Nigeria
| | - Aishatu Yahaya Bello
- Department of Clinical pharmacy and Pharmacy Practice, Faculty of Pharmaceutical sciences, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Yusuf Yahaya Deeni
- Nigerian COVID-19 Research Coalition, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research Institute, Abuja, Nigeria
- Department of Microbiology and Biotechnology, Federal University of Dutse, Dutse, Nigeria
- Centre for Environmental and Public Health Research and Development, Kano, Nigeria
| | - Ifeoma Okoye
- University of Nigeria Centre for Clinical Trials, University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital, Enugu, Ituku Ozalla, Nigeria
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39
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Büttner H, Pidot SJ, Scherlach K, Hertweck C. Endofungal bacteria boost anthelminthic host protection with the biosurfactant symbiosin. Chem Sci 2022; 14:103-112. [PMID: 36605741 PMCID: PMC9769094 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc04167g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Accepted: 11/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Effective protection of soil fungi from predators is crucial for their survival in the niche. Thus, fungi have developed efficient defence strategies. We discovered that soil beneficial Mortierella fungi employ a potent cytotoxin (necroxime) against fungivorous nematodes. Interestingly, this anthelminthic agent is produced by bacterial endosymbionts (Candidatus Mycoavidus necroximicus) residing within the fungus. Analysis of the symbiont's genome indicated a rich biosynthetic potential, yet nothing has been known about additional metabolites and their potential synergistic functions. Here we report that two distinct Mortierella endosymbionts produce a novel cyclic lipodepsipeptide (symbiosin), that is clearly of bacterial origin, but has striking similarities to various fungal specialized metabolites. The structure and absolute configuration of symbiosin were fully elucidated. By comparative genomics of symbiosin-positive strains and in silico analyses of the deduced non-ribosomal synthetases, we assigned the (sym) biosynthetic gene cluster and proposed an assembly line model. Bioassays revealed that symbiosin is not only an antibiotic, in particular against mycobacteria, but also exhibits marked synergistic effects with necroxime in anti-nematode tests. By functional analyses and substitution experiments we found that symbiosin is a potent biosurfactant and that this particular property confers a boost in the anthelmintic action, similar to formulations of therapeutics in human medicine. Our findings illustrate that "combination therapies" against parasites already exist in ecological contexts, which may inspire the development of biocontrol agents and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah Büttner
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI)Beutenbergstrasse 11a07745 JenaGermany
| | - Sacha J. Pidot
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Doherty Institute792 Elizabeth StreetMelbourne3000Australia
| | - Kirstin Scherlach
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI)Beutenbergstrasse 11a07745 JenaGermany
| | - Christian Hertweck
- Department of Biomolecular Chemistry, Leibniz Institute for Natural Product Research and Infection Biology – Hans Knöll Institute (Leibniz-HKI)Beutenbergstrasse 11a07745 JenaGermany,Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Friedrich Schiller University Jena07743 JenaGermany
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40
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She P, Li Z, Li Y, Liu S, Li L, Yang Y, Zhou L, Wu Y. Pixantrone Sensitizes Gram-Negative Pathogens to Rifampin. Microbiol Spectr 2022; 10:e0211422. [PMID: 36318018 PMCID: PMC9769682 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.02114-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Accepted: 10/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of bacterial drug resistance poses a severe threat to global public health. In particular, antimicrobial-resistant pathogens lead to a high rate of treatment failure and significantly increase mortality. Repurposing FDA-approved compounds to sensitize superbugs to conventional antibiotics provides a promising strategy to alleviate such crises. Pixantrone (PIX) has been approved for treating aggressive B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. By high-throughput drug screening, we profiled the synergistic activity between PIX and rifampin (RFP) against Gram-negative extensively drug-resistant isolates by checkerboard assay. Mechanistic studies demonstrated that PIX impacted the flagellum assembly, induced irreversible intracellular reactive oxygen species accumulation and disrupted proton motive force. In addition, the combination of PIX with RFP possesses effective antimicrobial activity against multidrug-resistant strains in vivo without detected toxicity. Collectively, these results reveal the potential of PIX in combination with RFP as a therapy option for refractory infections caused by Gram-negative pathogens. IMPORTANCE Bacterial resistance has become increasingly serious because of the widespread use and abuse of antibiotics. In particular, the emergence of multidrug-resistant bacteria has posed a serious threat to human public health. Drug repurposing, the process of finding new uses for existing drugs, provide a promising pathway to solve antimicrobial resistance. Compared to the development of novel antibiotics, this strategy leverages well-characterized pharmacology and toxicology of known drugs and is more cost-effective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei She
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Zehao Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yimin Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Shasha Liu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Linhui Li
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yifan Yang
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Linying Zhou
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Hospital of Changsha, Changsha, Hunan, China
| | - Yong Wu
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First Hospital of Changsha, Changsha, Hunan, China
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41
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Abdelnabi R, Maes P, de Jonghe S, Weynand B, Neyts J. Combination of the parent analogue of remdesivir (GS-441524) and molnupiravir results in a markedly potent antiviral effect in SARS-CoV-2 infected Syrian hamsters. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:1072202. [PMID: 36605401 PMCID: PMC9807602 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.1072202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Remdesivir was the first antiviral drug to be approved for the treatment of severe COVID-19; followed by molnupiravir (another prodrug of a nucleoside analogue) and the protease inhibitor nirmatrelvir. Combination of antiviral drugs may result in improved potency and help to avoid or delay the development of resistant variants. We set out to explore the combined antiviral potency of GS-441524 (the parent nucleoside of remdesivir) and molnupiravir against SARS-CoV-2. In SARS-CoV-2 (BA.5) infected A549-Dual™ hACE2-TMPRSS2 cells, the combination resulted in an overall additive antiviral effect with a synergism at certain concentrations. Next, the combined effect was explored in Syrian hamsters infected with SARS-CoV-2 (Beta, B.1.351); treatment was started at the time of infection and continued twice daily for four consecutive days. At day 4 post-infection, GS-441524 (50 mg/kg, oral BID) and molnupiravir (150 mg/kg, oral BID) as monotherapy reduced infectious viral loads by 0.5 and 1.6 log10, respectively, compared to the vehicle control. When GS-441524 (50 mg/kg, BID) and molnupiravir (150 mg/kg, BID) were combined, infectious virus was no longer detectable in the lungs of 7 out of 10 of the treated hamsters (4.0 log10 reduction) and titers in the other animals were reduced by ∼2 log10. The combined antiviral activity of molnupiravir which acts by inducing lethal mutagenesis and GS-441524, which acts as a chain termination appears to be highly effective in reducing SARS-CoV-2 replication/infectivity. The unexpected potent antiviral effect of the combination warrants further exploration as a potential treatment for COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rana Abdelnabi
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
- The VirusBank Platform, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Piet Maes
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Laboratory of Clinical and Epidemiological Virology, Rega Institute, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
- Zoonotic Infectious Diseases Unit, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Steven de Jonghe
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Birgit Weynand
- Division of Translational Cell and Tissue Research, KU Leuven Department of Imaging and Pathology, Translational Cell and Tissue Research, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Johan Neyts
- KU Leuven Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Leuven, Belgium
- The VirusBank Platform, Leuven, Belgium
- Global Virus Network, GVN, Baltimore, MD, United States
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42
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Ravindran V, Wagoner J, Athanasiadis P, Den Hartigh AB, Sidorova JM, Ianevski A, Fink SL, Frigessi A, White J, Polyak SJ, Aittokallio T. Discovery of host-directed modulators of virus infection by probing the SARS-CoV-2-host protein-protein interaction network. Brief Bioinform 2022; 23:bbac456. [PMID: 36305426 PMCID: PMC9677461 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbac456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has highlighted the need to better understand virus-host interactions. We developed a network-based method that expands the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2)-host protein interaction network and identifies host targets that modulate viral infection. To disrupt the SARS-CoV-2 interactome, we systematically probed for potent compounds that selectively target the identified host proteins with high expression in cells relevant to COVID-19. We experimentally tested seven chemical inhibitors of the identified host proteins for modulation of SARS-CoV-2 infection in human cells that express ACE2 and TMPRSS2. Inhibition of the epigenetic regulators bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) and histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2), along with ubiquitin-specific peptidase (USP10), enhanced SARS-CoV-2 infection. Such proviral effect was observed upon treatment with compounds JQ1, vorinostat, romidepsin and spautin-1, when measured by cytopathic effect and validated by viral RNA assays, suggesting that the host proteins HDAC2, BRD4 and USP10 have antiviral functions. We observed marked differences in antiviral effects across cell lines, which may have consequences for identification of selective modulators of viral infection or potential antiviral therapeutics. While network-based approaches enable systematic identification of host targets and selective compounds that may modulate the SARS-CoV-2 interactome, further developments are warranted to increase their accuracy and cell-context specificity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vandana Ravindran
- Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology (OCBE), Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Institute for Cancer Research, Department of Cancer Genetics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Jessica Wagoner
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Paschalis Athanasiadis
- Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology (OCBE), Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Institute for Cancer Research, Department of Cancer Genetics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
| | - Andreas B Den Hartigh
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Julia M Sidorova
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Aleksandr Ianevski
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Susan L Fink
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Arnoldo Frigessi
- Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology (OCBE), Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
| | - Judith White
- Department of Cell Biology and Department of Microbiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA, USA
| | - Stephen J Polyak
- Department of Laboratory Medicine & Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Tero Aittokallio
- Oslo Centre for Biostatistics and Epidemiology (OCBE), Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- Institute for Cancer Research, Department of Cancer Genetics, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, Norway
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland (FIMM), HiLIFE, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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43
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Barakat A, Mostafa A, Ali M, Al-Majid AM, Domingo LR, Kutkat O, Moatasim Y, Zia K, Ul-Haq Z, Elshaier YAMM. Design, Synthesis and In Vitro Evaluation of Spirooxindole-Based Phenylsulfonyl Moiety as a Candidate Anti-SAR-CoV-2 and MERS-CoV-2 with the Implementation of Combination Studies. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231911861. [PMID: 36233160 PMCID: PMC9569468 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231911861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The search for an effective anti-viral to inhibit COVID-19 is a challenge for the specialized scientific research community. This work investigated the anti-coronavirus activity for spirooxindole-based phenylsulfone cycloadducts in a single and combination protocols. The newly designed anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics spirooxindoles synthesized by [3 + 2] cycloaddition reactions represent an efficient approach. One-pot multicomponent reactions between phenyl vinyl sulfone, substituted isatins, and amines afforded highly stereoselective anti-SARS-CoV-2 therapeutics spirooxindoles with three stereogenic centers. Herein, the newly synthesized spirooxindoles were assessed individually against the highly pathogenic human coronaviruses and proved to be highly potent and safer. Interestingly, the synergistic effect by combining the potent, tested spirooxindoles resulted in an improved antiviral activity as well as better host-cell safety. Compounds 4i and 4d represented the most potent activity against MERS-CoV with IC50 values of 11 and 23 µM, respectively. Both compounds 4c and 4e showed equipotent activity with the best IC50 against SARS-CoV-2 with values of 17 and 18 µM, respectively, then compounds 4d and 4k with IC50 values of 24 and 27 µM, respectively. Then, our attention oriented to perform a combination protocol as anti-SARS-CoV-2 for the best compounds with a different binding mode and accompanied with different pharmacophores. Combination of compound 4k with 4c and combination of compounds 4k with 4i proved to be more active and safer. Compounds 4k with 4i displayed IC50 = 3.275 µM and half maximal cytotoxic-concentration CC50 = 11832 µM. MD simulation of the most potential compounds as well as in silico ADMET properties were investigated. This study highlights the potential drug-like properties of spirooxindoles as a cocktail anti-coronavirus protocol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Assem Barakat
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
- Correspondence: (A.B.); (Y.A.M.M.E.); Tel.: +966-11467-5901 (A.B.); Fax: +966-11467-5992 (A.B.)
| | - Ahmed Mostafa
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza 12622, Egypt
| | - M. Ali
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdullah Mohammed Al-Majid
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2455, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Luis R. Domingo
- Department of Organic Chemistry, University of Valencia, Dr. Moliner 50, 46100 Burjassot, Valencia, Spain
| | - Omnia Kutkat
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza 12622, Egypt
| | - Yassmin Moatasim
- Center of Scientific Excellence for Influenza Viruses, National Research Centre, Giza 12622, Egypt
| | - Komal Zia
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Zaheer Ul-Haq
- Dr. Panjwani Center for Molecular Medicine and Drug Research, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
- H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan
| | - Yaseen A. M. M. Elshaier
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Sadat City, Menoufiya 32958, Egypt
- Correspondence: (A.B.); (Y.A.M.M.E.); Tel.: +966-11467-5901 (A.B.); Fax: +966-11467-5992 (A.B.)
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Blasiak A, Truong ATL, Wang P, Hooi L, Chye DH, Tan SB, You K, Remus A, Allen DM, Chai LYA, Chan CEZ, Lye DCB, Tan GYG, Seah SGK, Chow EKH, Ho D. IDentif.AI-Omicron: Harnessing an AI-Derived and Disease-Agnostic Platform to Pinpoint Combinatorial Therapies for Clinically Actionable Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Intervention. ACS NANO 2022; 16:15141-15154. [PMID: 35977379 DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.2c06366] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Nanomedicine-based and unmodified drug interventions to address COVID-19 have evolved over the course of the pandemic as more information is gleaned and virus variants continue to emerge. For example, some early therapies (e.g., antibodies) have experienced markedly decreased efficacy. Due to a growing concern of future drug resistant variants, current drug development strategies are seeking to find effective drug combinations. In this study, we used IDentif.AI, an artificial intelligence-derived platform, to investigate the drug-drug and drug-dose interaction space of six promising experimental or currently deployed therapies at various concentrations: EIDD-1931, YH-53, nirmatrelvir, AT-511, favipiravir, and auranofin. The drugs were tested in vitro against a live B.1.1.529 (Omicron) virus first in monotherapy and then in 50 strategic combinations designed to interrogate the interaction space of 729 possible combinations. Key findings and interactions were then further explored and validated in an additional experimental round using an expanded concentration range. Overall, we found that few of the tested drugs showed moderate efficacy as monotherapies in the actionable concentration range, but combinatorial drug testing revealed significant dose-dependent drug-drug interactions, specifically between EIDD-1931 and YH-53, as well as nirmatrelvir and YH-53. Checkerboard validation analysis confirmed these synergistic interactions and also identified an interaction between EIDD-1931 and favipiravir in an expanded range. Based on the platform nature of IDentif.AI, these findings may support further explorations of the dose-dependent drug interactions between different drug classes in further pre-clinical and clinical trials as possible combinatorial therapies consisting of unmodified and nanomedicine-enabled drugs, to combat current and future COVID-19 strains and other emerging pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Blasiak
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117583, Singapore
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117600, Singapore
| | - Anh T L Truong
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117583, Singapore
| | - Peter Wang
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117583, Singapore
| | - Lissa Hooi
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - De Hoe Chye
- Defence Medical and Environmental Research Institute, DSO National Laboratories, 117510, Singapore
| | - Shi-Bei Tan
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117583, Singapore
| | - Kui You
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117583, Singapore
| | - Alexandria Remus
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117583, Singapore
| | - David Michael Allen
- Infectious Diseases Translational Research Program, Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117545, Singapore
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 119228, Singapore
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, National University Hospital, 119074, Singapore
| | - Louis Yi Ann Chai
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 119228, Singapore
- Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, National University Hospital, 119074, Singapore
| | - Conrad E Z Chan
- Defence Medical and Environmental Research Institute, DSO National Laboratories, 117510, Singapore
- National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), Jalan Tan Tock Seng, 308442, Singapore
| | - David C B Lye
- Department of Medicine, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 119228, Singapore
- National Centre for Infectious Diseases (NCID), Jalan Tan Tock Seng, 308442, Singapore
- Lee Kong Chian School of Medicine, Nanyang Technological University, 308232, Singapore
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, 308433, Singapore
| | - Gek-Yen G Tan
- Defence Medical and Environmental Research Institute, DSO National Laboratories, 117510, Singapore
| | - Shirley G K Seah
- Defence Medical and Environmental Research Institute, DSO National Laboratories, 117510, Singapore
| | - Edward Kai-Hua Chow
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117583, Singapore
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117600, Singapore
- Cancer Science Institute of Singapore, National University of Singapore, 117599, Singapore
| | - Dean Ho
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore, 117583, Singapore
- Department of Pharmacology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, 117600, Singapore
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45
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Li C, Jia WW, Yang JL, Cheng C, Olaleye OE. Multi-compound and drug-combination pharmacokinetic research on Chinese herbal medicines. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2022; 43:3080-3095. [PMID: 36114271 PMCID: PMC9483253 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-022-00983-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Traditional medicine has provided a basis for health care and disease treatment to Chinese people for millennia, and herbal medicines are regulated as drug products in China. Chinese herbal medicines have two features. They normally possess very complex chemical composition. This makes the identification of the constituents that are together responsible for the therapeutic action of an herbal medicine challenging, because how to select compounds from an herbal medicine for pharmacodynamic study has been a big hurdle in such identification efforts. To this end, a multi-compound pharmacokinetic approach was established to identify potentially important compounds (bioavailable at the action loci with significant exposure levels after dosing an herbal medicine) and to characterize their pharmacokinetics and disposition. Another feature of Chinese herbal medicines is their typical use as or in combination therapies. Coadministration of complex natural products and conventional synthetic drugs is prevalent worldwide, even though it remains very controversial. Natural product–drug interactions have raised wide concerns about reduced drug efficacy or safety. However, growing evidence shows that incorporating Chinese herbal medicines into synthetic drug-based therapies delivers benefits in the treatment of many multifactorial diseases. To address this issue, a drug-combination pharmacokinetic approach was established to assess drug–drug interaction potential of herbal medicines and degree of pharmacokinetic compatibility for multi-herb combination and herbal medicine–synthetic drug combination therapies. In this review we describe the methodology, techniques, requirements, and applications of multi-compound and drug-combination pharmacokinetic research on Chinese herbal medicines and to discuss further development for these two types of pharmacokinetic research.
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Feitelson MA, Arzumanyan A, Spector I, Medhat A. Hepatitis B x (HBx) as a Component of a Functional Cure for Chronic Hepatitis B. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10092210. [PMID: 36140311 PMCID: PMC9496119 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10092210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 08/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients who are carriers of the hepatitis B virus (HBV) are at high risk of chronic liver disease (CLD) which proceeds from hepatitis, to fibrosis, cirrhosis and to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The hepatitis B-encoded X antigen, HBx, promotes virus gene expression and replication, protects infected hepatocytes from immunological destruction, and promotes the development of CLD and HCC. For virus replication, HBx regulates covalently closed circular (ccc) HBV DNA transcription, while for CLD, HBx triggers cellular oxidative stress, in part, by triggering mitochondrial damage that stimulates innate immunity. Constitutive activation of NF-κB by HBx transcriptionally activates pro-inflammatory genes, resulting in hepatocellular destruction, regeneration, and increased integration of the HBx gene into the host genome. NF-κB is also hepatoprotective, which sustains the survival of infected cells. Multiple therapeutic approaches include direct-acting anti-viral compounds and immune-stimulating drugs, but functional cures were not achieved, in part, because none were yet devised to target HBx. In addition, many patients with cirrhosis or HCC have little or no virus replication, but continue to express HBx from integrated templates, suggesting that HBx contributes to the pathogenesis of CLD. Blocking HBx activity will, therefore, impact multiple aspects of the host–virus relationship that are relevant to achieving a functional cure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mark A. Feitelson
- Room 409 Biolife Building, Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, 1900 N. 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-215-204-8434
| | - Alla Arzumanyan
- Room 409 Biolife Building, Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, 1900 N. 12th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA
| | | | - Arvin Medhat
- Department of Molecular Cell Biology, Islamic Azad University Tehran North Branch, Tehran 1975933411, Iran
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47
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Patterson S, Palmer A. Predicting in vivo activity of combination therapies from in vitro drug pairs in diverse environments. Cell Rep Med 2022; 3:100745. [PMID: 36130481 PMCID: PMC9512690 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2022.100745] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
New antibiotic combinations are needed to improve the treatment of tuberculosis. Larkins-Ford and colleagues share a framework that combines in vitro pairwise drug response data and machine learning to rationally prioritize combinations for clinical development.1
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Patterson
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Adam Palmer
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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48
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Assmus F, Driouich JS, Abdelnabi R, Vangeel L, Touret F, Adehin A, Chotsiri P, Cochin M, Foo CS, Jochmans D, Kim S, Luciani L, Moureau G, Park S, Pétit PR, Shum D, Wattanakul T, Weynand B, Fraisse L, Ioset JR, Mowbray CE, Owen A, Hoglund RM, Tarning J, de Lamballerie X, Nougairède A, Neyts J, Sjö P, Escudié F, Scandale I, Chatelain E. Need for a Standardized Translational Drug Development Platform: Lessons Learned from the Repurposing of Drugs for COVID-19. Microorganisms 2022; 10:1639. [PMID: 36014057 PMCID: PMC9460261 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10081639] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/07/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 08/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
In the absence of drugs to treat or prevent COVID-19, drug repurposing can be a valuable strategy. Despite a substantial number of clinical trials, drug repurposing did not deliver on its promise. While success was observed with some repurposed drugs (e.g., remdesivir, dexamethasone, tocilizumab, baricitinib), others failed to show clinical efficacy. One reason is the lack of clear translational processes based on adequate preclinical profiling before clinical evaluation. Combined with limitations of existing in vitro and in vivo models, there is a need for a systematic approach to urgent antiviral drug development in the context of a global pandemic. We implemented a methodology to test repurposed and experimental drugs to generate robust preclinical evidence for further clinical development. This translational drug development platform comprises in vitro, ex vivo, and in vivo models of SARS-CoV-2, along with pharmacokinetic modeling and simulation approaches to evaluate exposure levels in plasma and target organs. Here, we provide examples of identified repurposed antiviral drugs tested within our multidisciplinary collaboration to highlight lessons learned in urgent antiviral drug development during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our data confirm the importance of assessing in vitro and in vivo potency in multiple assays to boost the translatability of pre-clinical data. The value of pharmacokinetic modeling and simulations for compound prioritization is also discussed. We advocate the need for a standardized translational drug development platform for mild-to-moderate COVID-19 to generate preclinical evidence in support of clinical trials. We propose clear prerequisites for progression of drug candidates for repurposing into clinical trials. Further research is needed to gain a deeper understanding of the scope and limitations of the presented translational drug development platform.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frauke Assmus
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LG, UK
| | - Jean-Sélim Driouich
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix-Marseille University, 190-Inserm 1207, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Rana Abdelnabi
- Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laura Vangeel
- Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Franck Touret
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix-Marseille University, 190-Inserm 1207, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Ayorinde Adehin
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LG, UK
| | - Palang Chotsiri
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Maxime Cochin
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix-Marseille University, 190-Inserm 1207, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Caroline S. Foo
- Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Dirk Jochmans
- Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Seungtaek Kim
- Institut Pasteur Korea, 16, Daewangpangyo-ro 712 beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si 13488, Korea
| | - Léa Luciani
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix-Marseille University, 190-Inserm 1207, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Grégory Moureau
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix-Marseille University, 190-Inserm 1207, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Soonju Park
- Institut Pasteur Korea, 16, Daewangpangyo-ro 712 beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si 13488, Korea
| | - Paul-Rémi Pétit
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix-Marseille University, 190-Inserm 1207, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - David Shum
- Institut Pasteur Korea, 16, Daewangpangyo-ro 712 beon-gil, Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si 13488, Korea
| | - Thanaporn Wattanakul
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
| | - Birgit Weynand
- Departmet of Imaging and Pathology, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Translational Cell and Tissue Research, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Laurent Fraisse
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Jean-Robert Ioset
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Charles E. Mowbray
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Andrew Owen
- Centre for Excellence in Long-Acting Therapeutics (CELT), Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool L69 7ZX, UK
| | - Richard M. Hoglund
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LG, UK
| | - Joel Tarning
- Mahidol Oxford Tropical Medicine Research Unit, Faculty of Tropical Medicine, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10400, Thailand
- Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LG, UK
| | - Xavier de Lamballerie
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix-Marseille University, 190-Inserm 1207, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Antoine Nougairède
- Unité des Virus Émergents (UVE), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD), Aix-Marseille University, 190-Inserm 1207, 13005 Marseille, France
| | - Johan Neyts
- Laboratory of Virology and Chemotherapy, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
- Global Virus Network (GVN), Baltimore, MD 21201, USA
| | - Peter Sjö
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Fanny Escudié
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Ivan Scandale
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Eric Chatelain
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), 1202 Geneva, Switzerland
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Gomes JPA, Rocha LDO, Leal CEY, Filho EBDA. Virtual screening of molecular databases for potential inhibitors of the NSP16/NSP10 methyltransferase from SARS-CoV-2. J Mol Struct 2022; 1261:132951. [PMID: 35369609 PMCID: PMC8958854 DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2022.132951] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
COVID-19 is a disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and represents one of the greatest health problems that humanity faces at the moment. Therefore, efforts have been made with the objective of seeking therapies that could be effective in combating this problematic. In the search for ligands, computational chemistry plays an essential role, since it allows the screening of thousands of molecules on a given target, in order to save time and money for the in vitro or in vivo pharmacological stage. In this paper, we perform a virtual screening by docking looking for potential inhibitors of the NSP16-NSP10 protein dimer (methyltransferase) from SARS-CoV-2, by evaluating a homemade databank of molecules found in plants of the Caatinga Brazilian biome, compounds from ZINC online molecular database, as well as structural analogues of the enzymatic cofactor s-adenosylmethionine (SAM) and a known inhibitor in the literature, sinefungin (SFG), provided at PubChem database. All the evaluated sets presented molecules that deserve attention, highlighting four compounds from ZINC as the most promising ligands. These results contribute to the discovery of new molecular hits, in the search of potential agents against SARS-CoV-2 virus, still unveiling a pathway that can be used in combined therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Pedro Agra Gomes
- College of Pharmacy, Federal University of San Francisco Valley, Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil
| | | | | | - Edilson Beserra de Alencar Filho
- College of Pharmacy, Federal University of San Francisco Valley, Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil,Postgraduate Program in Biosciences, Federal University of San Francisco Valley, Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil,Postgraduate Program in Health and Biological Sciences, Federal University of San Francisco Valley, Petrolina, Pernambuco, Brazil,Corresponding author
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50
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Saha T, Quiñones-Mateu ME, Das SC. Inhaled therapy for COVID-19: Considerations of drugs, formulations and devices. Int J Pharm 2022; 624:122042. [PMID: 35868481 PMCID: PMC9296254 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2022.122042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 07/14/2022] [Accepted: 07/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the etiological agent responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, has outspread at full tilt across the world. Although several effective vaccines continue to be deployed, reliable antiviral treatments have yet to be developed against this disease. Currently, available therapeutics for COVID-19 include repurposed, and a few novel drugs. Many drugs have been promising in preclinical studies, but a majority of these drugs have shown little or no efficacy in clinical studies. One of the major reasons is the insufficient drug concentration in the lung, the primary target site of infection for SARS-CoV-2, from the administration of drugs through oral or intravenous routes. Higher effective doses administered through these routes could also lead to adverse side effects. For this reason, inhaled treatments are being tested as an efficient approach for COVID-19, allowing lower doses of drugs ensuring higher concentrations of the drug(s) in the lung. The inhaled treatment combining two or more antiviral drugs will increase potency and reduce the possibility of selecting for SARS-CoV-2 variants with reduced drug susceptibility. Finally, the appropriate drug combination needs to be delivered using a suitable system. Here, we review the current treatment for COVID-19 and their limitations, discussing the advantages of mono and combinational inhaled therapy with a brief outline of the recently reformulated anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents as inhaled formulations. The selection of appropriate delivery devices for inhalation and associated key considerations including the formulation challenges are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tushar Saha
- School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Miguel E Quiñones-Mateu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand; Webster Centre for Infectious Diseases, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand
| | - Shyamal C Das
- School of Pharmacy, University of Otago, Dunedin, New Zealand.
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