1
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Hong M, Bitan G. Recent advances and future therapy development for Alzheimer's disease and related disorders. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1877-1878. [PMID: 38227506 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.391182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Megan Hong
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | - Gal Bitan
- Department of Neurology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Molecular Biology Institute, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA
- Brain Research Institute, University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA
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2
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Yang J, Zhi W, Wang L. Role of Tau Protein in Neurodegenerative Diseases and Development of Its Targeted Drugs: A Literature Review. Molecules 2024; 29:2812. [PMID: 38930877 PMCID: PMC11206543 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29122812] [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: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Tau protein is a microtubule-associated protein that is widely distributed in the central nervous system and maintains and regulates neuronal morphology and function. Tau protein aggregates abnormally and forms neurofibrillary tangles in neurodegenerative diseases, disrupting the structure and function of neurons and leading to neuronal death, which triggers the initiation and progression of neurological disorders. The aggregation of tau protein in neurodegenerative diseases is associated with post-translational modifications, which may affect the hydrophilicity, spatial conformation, and stability of tau protein, promoting tau protein aggregation and the formation of neurofibrillary tangles. Therefore, studying the role of tau protein in neurodegenerative diseases and the mechanism of aberrant aggregation is important for understanding the mechanism of neurodegenerative diseases and finding therapeutic approaches. This review describes the possible mechanisms by which tau protein promotes neurodegenerative diseases, the post-translational modifications of tau protein and associated influencing factors, and the current status of drug discovery and development related to tau protein, which may contribute to the development of new therapeutic approaches to alleviate or treat neurodegenerative diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiakai Yang
- Graduate Collaborative Training Base of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China;
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, 27 Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Weijia Zhi
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, 27 Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Lifeng Wang
- Graduate Collaborative Training Base of Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, China;
- Beijing Institute of Radiation Medicine, 27 Taiping Road, Beijing 100850, China
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3
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Das B, Tk Baidya A, Chakrabarti S, Chouhan D, Thakur B, Darreh-Shori T, Chen G, Tiwari V, Kumar R. Synthesis and biological evaluation of Halogen-Substituted novel α-Ketoamides as potential protein aggregation modulators in Alzheimer's disease. Bioorg Chem 2024; 147:107373. [PMID: 38653149 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107373] [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: 02/21/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/25/2024]
Abstract
The escalating prevalence of Alzheimer's disease (AD) has prompted extensive research into potential therapeutic interventions, with a specific focus on molecular targets such as amyloid beta (Aβ) and tau protein aggregation. In this study, a series of α-ketoamide derivatives was synthesized from β,γ-unsaturated α-keto thioesters, achieving high purity and good yield. Thioflavin T based Aβ aggregation assay identified four promising compounds (BD19, BD23, BD24, and BD27) that demonstrated significant inhibitory effects on Aβ aggregation. BD23, selected for its better solubility (0.045 ± 0.0012 mg/ml), was further subjected to in vitro Parallel Artificial Membrane Permeability Assay to determine the Blood-Brain-Barrier permeability and emerged as BBB permeable with permeability rate (Pe) of 10.66 ± 8.11 × 10-6 cm/s. In addition to its Aβ inhibitory properties, BD23 exhibited significant inhibition of heparin-induced tau aggregation and demonstrated non-toxicity in SHSY5Y cell lines. Subsequent in vivo assays were conducted, administering compound BD23 to an Aβ induced mouse model of AD at various doses (1, 2, & 5 mg/kg). The results revealed a noteworthy enhancement in cognitive functions, particularly when BD23 was administered at a dosage of 5 mg/kg, comparable to the effects observed with the standard dose of Donepezil (DNP). In silico investigations, including molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and Density Functional Theory calculations provided insights into BD23's interactions with the targets and electronic properties. These analyses contribute to the understanding of the therapeutic potential of the lead compounds BD23 which further pave the way for further exploration of its therapeutic potential in the context of AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhanuranjan Das
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (B.H.U.), Varanasi 221005 U.P., India
| | - Anurag Tk Baidya
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (B.H.U.), Varanasi 221005 U.P., India
| | - Sourabh Chakrabarti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (B.H.U.), Varanasi 221005 U.P., India
| | - Deepak Chouhan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (B.H.U.), Varanasi 221005 U.P., India
| | - Banita Thakur
- Division of Clinical Geriatric, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, NEO, 7th Floor, 141 52 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Taher Darreh-Shori
- Division of Clinical Geriatric, Center for Alzheimer Research, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, NEO, 7th Floor, 141 52 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Gefei Chen
- Department of Biosciences and Nutrition, Karolinska Institutet, 14 183, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Vinod Tiwari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (B.H.U.), Varanasi 221005 U.P., India
| | - Rajnish Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (B.H.U.), Varanasi 221005 U.P., India.
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4
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Singh H, Das A, Khan MM, Pourmotabbed T. New insights into the therapeutic approaches for the treatment of tauopathies. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:1020-1026. [PMID: 37862204 PMCID: PMC10749630 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.385288] [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: 05/02/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Tauopathies are a group of neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease and frontotemporal dementia, which involve progressive neurodegeneration, cognitive deficits, and aberrant tau protein accumulation. The development of tauopathies cannot currently be stopped or slowed down by treatment measures. Given the significant contribution of tau burden in primary tauopathies and the strong association between pathogenic tau accumulation and cognitive deficits, there has been a lot of interest in creating therapies that can alleviate tau pathology and render neuroprotective effects. Recently, small molecules, immunotherapies, and gene therapy have been used to reduce the pathological tau burden and prevent neurodegeneration in animal models of tauopathies. However, the major pitfall of the current therapeutic approach is the difficulty of drugs and gene-targeting modalities to cross the blood-brain barrier and their unintended side effects. In this review, the current therapeutic strategies used for tauopathies including the use of oligonucleotide-based gene therapy approaches that have shown a promising result for the treatment of tauopathies and Alzheimer's disease in preclinical animal models, have been discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Himanshi Singh
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biochemistry, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
- Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Shahbad Daulatpur, Delhi, India
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Asmita Das
- Department of Biotechnology, Delhi Technological University, Shahbad Daulatpur, Delhi, India
| | - Mohammad Moshahid Khan
- Department of Neurology, College of Medicine, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
- Neuroscience Institute, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
- Center for Muscle, Metabolism and Neuropathology, Division of Regenerative and Rehabilitation Sciences and Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Professions, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
| | - Tayebeh Pourmotabbed
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Biochemistry, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, TN, USA
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5
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Evren AE, Nuha D, Özkan BNS, Kahraman Ç, Gönülalan EM, Yurttaş L. Design and synthesis of phenoxy methyl-oxadiazole compounds against Alzheimer's disease. Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2024:e2400115. [PMID: 38657203 DOI: 10.1002/ardp.202400115] [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: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
This study examines the synthesis and evaluation of 11 newly developed compounds as potential anti-Alzheimer's agents that occur via cholinesterase and β-secretase inhibition. The compounds were tested for their inhibitory activity against acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) using the modified Ellman method. The results showed that several compounds exhibited significant inhibition of AChE, particularly compounds 6d, 7a, and 7e, which demonstrated high inhibitory activity at lower concentrations, with IC50 values of 0.120, 0.039, and 0.063 µM, respectively. However, the compounds showed limited effectiveness against BChE, with only a few compounds exhibiting moderate inhibition. Compound 7e showed an inhibitory effect against BACE-1 close to that of the standard drug. Structural analysis revealed that the compounds with substituted benzothiazole and thiazole moieties exhibited the most promising inhibitory activity. This study provides valuable insights into the potential of these synthesized derivatives as a treatment against Alzheimer's disease. Moreover, the structure, stability, and properties of the active compounds were further investigated using density functional theory calculations. As a final note, the utilization of molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation studies allowed us to elucidate the action mechanism of the active compounds and gain insights into the structure-activity relationship against AChE and β-secretase proteins. These computational techniques provide valuable information on the binding modes, interactions with target enzymes, dynamic behavior, and conformational changes of the compounds, enabling a comprehensive understanding of their biological activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asaf E Evren
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Anadolu University, Eskişehir, Turkey
- Vocational School of Health Services, Department of Pharmacy Services, Bilecik Şeyh Edebali University, Bilecik, Turkey
| | - Demokrat Nuha
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Anadolu University, Eskişehir, Turkey
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University for Business and Technology, Prishtina, Kosovo
| | - Begüm N S Özkan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Anadolu University, Eskişehir, Turkey
| | - Çiğdem Kahraman
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Hacettepe University, Ankara, Turkey
| | - Ekrem M Gönülalan
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Afyonkarahisar Sağlık Bilimleri University, Afyon, Turkey
| | - Leyla Yurttaş
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Anadolu University, Eskişehir, Turkey
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6
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Ramos R, Vale N. Dual Drug Repurposing: The Example of Saracatinib. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4565. [PMID: 38674150 PMCID: PMC11050334 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25084565] [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: 03/05/2024] [Revised: 04/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Saracatinib (AZD0530) is a dual Src/Abl inhibitor initially developed by AstraZeneca for cancer treatment; however, data from 2006 to 2024 reveal that this drug has been tested not only for cancer treatment, but also for the treatment of other diseases. Despite the promising pre-clinical results and the tolerability shown in phase I trials, where a maximum tolerated dose of 175 mg was defined, phase II clinical data demonstrated a low therapeutic action against several cancers and an elevated rate of adverse effects. Recently, pre-clinical research aimed at reducing the toxic effects and enhancing the therapeutic performance of saracatinib using nanoparticles and different pharmacological combinations has shown promising results. Concomitantly, saracatinib was repurposed to treat Alzheimer's disease, targeting Fyn. It showed great clinical results and required a lower daily dose than that defined for cancer treatment, 125 mg and 175 mg, respectively. In addition to Alzheimer's disease, this Src inhibitor has also been studied in relation to other health conditions such as pulmonary and liver fibrosis and even for analgesic and anti-allergic functions. Although saracatinib is still not approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the large number of alternative uses for saracatinib and the elevated number of pre-clinical and clinical trials performed suggest the huge potential of this drug for the treatment of different kinds of diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raquel Ramos
- PerMed Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal;
- CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
| | - Nuno Vale
- PerMed Research Group, Center for Health Technology and Services Research (CINTESIS), Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal;
- CINTESIS@RISE, Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Alameda Professor Hernâni Monteiro, 4200-319 Porto, Portugal
- Department of Community Medicine, Health Information and Decision (MEDCIDS), Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto, Rua Doutor Plácido da Costa, 4200-450 Porto, Portugal
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7
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Manglano-Artuñedo Z, Peña-Díaz S, Ventura S. Small molecules to target tau amyloid aggregation. Neural Regen Res 2024; 19:509-511. [PMID: 37721277 PMCID: PMC10581584 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.380900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 06/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Zoe Manglano-Artuñedo
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Samuel Peña-Díaz
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Bellaterra, Spain
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8
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Sharo C, Zhai T, Huang Z. Investigation of Potential Drug Targets Involved in Inflammation Contributing to Alzheimer's Disease Progression. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:137. [PMID: 38276010 PMCID: PMC10819325 DOI: 10.3390/ph17010137] [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: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease has become a major public health issue. While extensive research has been conducted in the last few decades, few drugs have been approved by the FDA to treat Alzheimer's disease. There is still an urgent need for understanding the disease pathogenesis, as well as identifying new drug targets for further drug discovery. Alzheimer's disease is known to arise from a build-up of amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques as well as tangles of tau proteins. Along similar lines to Alzheimer's disease, inflammation in the brain is known to stem from the degeneration of tissue and build-up of insoluble materials. A minireview was conducted in this work assessing the genes, proteins, reactions, and pathways that link brain inflammation and Alzheimer's disease. Existing tools in Systems Biology were implemented to build protein interaction networks, mainly for the classical complement pathway and G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs), to rank the protein targets according to their interactions. The top 10 protein targets were mainly from the classical complement pathway. With the consideration of existing clinical trials and crystal structures, proteins C5AR1 and GARBG1 were identified as the best targets for further drug discovery, through computational approaches like ligand-protein docking techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Zuyi Huang
- Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Villanova University, Villanova, PA 19085, USA
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9
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Singh YP, Kumar N, Chauhan BS, Garg P. Carbamate as a potential anti-Alzheimer's pharmacophore: A review. Drug Dev Res 2023; 84:1624-1651. [PMID: 37694498 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.22113] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/12/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive age-related neurodegenerative brain disorder, which leads to loss of memory and other cognitive dysfunction. The underlying mechanisms of AD pathogenesis are very complex and still not fully explored. Cholinergic neuronal loss, accumulation of amyloid plaque, metal ions dyshomeostasis, tau hyperphosphorylation, oxidative stress, neuroinflammation, and mitochondrial dysfunction are major hallmarks of AD. The current treatment options for AD are acetylcholinesterase inhibitors (donepezil, rivastigmine, and galantamine) and NMDA receptor antagonists (memantine). These FDA-approved drugs mainly provide symptomatic relief without addressing the pathological aspects of disease progression. So, there is an urgent need for novel drug development that not only addresses the basic mechanisms of the disease but also shows the neuroprotective property. Various research groups across the globe are working on the development of multifunctional agents for AD amelioration using different core scaffolds for their design, and carbamate is among them. Rivastigmine was the first carbamate drug investigated for AD management. The carbamate fragment, a core scaffold of rivastigmine, act as a potential inhibitor of acetylcholinesterase. In this review, we summarize the last 10 years of research conducted on the modification of carbamate with different substituents which primarily target ChE inhibition, reduce oxidative stress, and modulate Aβ aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yash Pal Singh
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia, USA
| | - Navneet Kumar
- Department of Pharmacoinformatics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), S.A.S. Nagar, Punjab, India
| | | | - Prabha Garg
- Department of Pharmacoinformatics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), S.A.S. Nagar, Punjab, India
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10
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Robbins M. Therapies for Tau-associated neurodegenerative disorders: targeting molecules, synapses, and cells. Neural Regen Res 2023; 18:2633-2637. [PMID: 37449601 PMCID: PMC10358644 DOI: 10.4103/1673-5374.373670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 07/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Advances in experimental and computational technologies continue to grow rapidly to provide novel avenues for the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. Despite this, there remain only a handful of drugs that have shown success in late-stage clinical trials for Tau-associated neurodegenerative disorders. The most commonly prescribed treatments are symptomatic treatments such as cholinesterase inhibitors and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor blockers that were approved for use in Alzheimer's disease. As diagnostic screening can detect disorders at earlier time points, the field needs pre-symptomatic treatments that can prevent, or significantly delay the progression of these disorders (Koychev et al., 2019). These approaches may be different from late-stage treatments that may help to ameliorate symptoms and slow progression once symptoms have become more advanced should early diagnostic screening fail. This mini-review will highlight five key avenues of academic and industrial research for identifying therapeutic strategies to treat Tau-associated neurodegenerative disorders. These avenues include investigating (1) the broad class of chemicals termed "small molecules"; (2) adaptive immunity through both passive and active antibody treatments; (3) innate immunity with an emphasis on microglial modulation; (4) synaptic compartments with the view that Tau-associated neurodegenerative disorders are synaptopathies. Although this mini-review will focus on Alzheimer's disease due to its prevalence, it will also argue the need to target other tauopathies, as through understanding Alzheimer's disease as a Tau-associated neurodegenerative disorder, we may be able to generalize treatment options. For this reason, added detail linking back specifically to Tau protein as a direct therapeutic target will be added to each topic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miranda Robbins
- MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Francis Crick Ave, Trumpington, Cambridge, UK; University of Cambridge, Department of Zoology, Cambridge, UK
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Marwaha B. Role of Tau protein in long COVID and potential therapeutic targets. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1280600. [PMID: 37953801 PMCID: PMC10634420 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1280600] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Long COVID is an emerging public health burden and has been defined as a syndrome with common symptoms of fatigue, shortness of breath, cognitive dysfunction, and others impacting day-to-day life, fluctuating or relapsing over, occurring for at least two months in patients with a history of probable or confirmed SARS CoV-2 infection; usually three months from the onset of illness and cannot be explained by an alternate diagnosis. The actual prevalence of long-term COVID-19 is unknown, but it is believed that more than 17 million patients in Europe may have suffered from it during pandemic. Pathophysiology Currently, there is limited understanding of the pathophysiology of this syndrome, and multiple hypotheses have been proposed. Our literature review has shown studies reporting tau deposits in tissue samples of the brain from autopsies of COVID-19 patients compared to the control group, and the in-vitro human brain organoid model has shown aberrant phosphorylation of tau protein in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Tauopathies, a group of neurodegenerative disorders with the salient features of tau deposits, can manifest different symptoms based on the anatomical region of brain involvement and have been shown to affect the peripheral nervous system as well and explained even in rat model studies. Long COVID has more than 203 symptoms, with predominant symptoms of fatigue, dyspnea, and cognitive dysfunction, which tauopathy-induced CNS and peripheral nervous system dysfunction can explain. There have been no studies up till now to reveal the pathophysiology of long COVID. Based on our literature review, aberrant tau phosphorylation is a promising hypothesis that can be explored in future studies. Therapeutic approaches for tauopathies have multidimensional aspects, including targeting post-translational modifications, tau aggregation, and tau clearance through the autophagy process with the help of lysosomes, which can be potential targets for developing therapeutic interventions for the long COVID. In addition, future studies can attempt to find the tau proteins in CSF and use those as biomarkers for the long COVID.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bharat Marwaha
- Department of Cardiology, Adena Health System, Chillicothe, OH, United States
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12
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Rajewski BH, Makwana KM, Angera IJ, Geremia DK, Zepeda AR, Hallinan GI, Vidal R, Ghetti B, Serrano AL, Del Valle JR. β-Bracelets: Macrocyclic Cross-β Epitope Mimics Based on a Tau Conformational Strain. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:23131-23142. [PMID: 37844142 PMCID: PMC10823581 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c06830] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2023]
Abstract
The aggregation of misfolded tau into neurotoxic fibrils is linked to the progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and related tauopathies. Disease-associated conformations of filamentous tau are characterized by hydrophobic interactions between side chains on unique and distant β-strand modules within each protomer. Here, we report the design and diversity-oriented synthesis of β-arch peptide macrocycles composed of the aggregation-prone PHF6 hexapeptide of tau and the cross-β module specific to the AD tau fold. Termed "β-bracelets", these proteomimetics assemble in a sequence- and macrocycle-dependent fashion, resulting in amyloid-like fibrils that feature in-register parallel β-sheet structure. Backbone N-amination of a selected β-bracelet affords soluble inhibitors of tau aggregation. We further demonstrate that the N-aminated macrocycles block the prion-like cellular seeding activity of recombinant tau as well as mature fibrils from AD patient extracts. These studies establish β-bracelets as a new class of cross-β epitope mimics and demonstrate their utility in the rational design of molecules targeting amyloid propagation and seeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Benjamin H. Rajewski
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Kamlesh M. Makwana
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Isaac J. Angera
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Danielle K. Geremia
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Anna R. Zepeda
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Grace I. Hallinan
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, United States
| | - Ruben Vidal
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, United States
| | - Bernardino Ghetti
- Department of Pathology & Laboratory Medicine and Stark Neurosciences Research Institute, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana, 46202, United States
| | - Arnaldo L. Serrano
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
| | - Juan R. Del Valle
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, United States
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13
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Cummings JL, Gonzalez MI, Pritchard MC, May PC, Toledo-Sherman LM, Harris GA. The therapeutic landscape of tauopathies: challenges and prospects. Alzheimers Res Ther 2023; 15:168. [PMID: 37803386 PMCID: PMC10557207 DOI: 10.1186/s13195-023-01321-7] [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: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 09/28/2023] [Indexed: 10/08/2023]
Abstract
Tauopathies are a group of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by the aggregation of the microtubule-associated protein tau. Aggregates of misfolded tau protein are believed to be implicated in neuronal death, which leads to a range of symptoms including cognitive decline, behavioral change, dementia, and motor deficits. Currently, there are no effective treatments for tauopathies. There are four clinical candidates in phase III trials and 16 in phase II trials. While no effective treatments are currently approved, there is increasing evidence to suggest that various therapeutic approaches may slow the progression of tauopathies or improve symptoms. This review outlines the landscape of therapeutic drugs (indexed through February 28, 2023) that target tau pathology and describes drug candidates in clinical development as well as those in the discovery and preclinical phases. The review also contains information on notable therapeutic programs that are inactive or that have been discontinued from development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey L Cummings
- Chambers-Grundy Center for Transformative Neuroscience, Department of Brain Health, School of Integrated Health Sciences, University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV), Henderson, NV, USA
| | | | | | - Patrick C May
- ADvantage Neuroscience Consulting LLC, Fort Wayne, IN, USA
| | | | - Glenn A Harris
- Rainwater Charitable Foundation, 777 Main Street, Suite 2250, Fort Worth, TX, 76102, USA.
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14
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Zhu R, Makwana KM, Zhang Y, Rajewski BH, Del Valle JR, Wang Y. Blocking tau transmission by biomimetic graphene nanoparticles. J Mater Chem B 2023; 11:7378-7388. [PMID: 37431684 PMCID: PMC10528742 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb00850a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2023]
Abstract
Tauopathies are a class of neurodegenerative diseases resulting in cognitive dysfunction, executive dysfunction, and motor disturbance. The primary pathological feature of tauopathies is the presence of neurofibrillary tangles in the brain composed of tau protein aggregates. Moreover, tau aggregates can spread from neuron to neuron and lead to the propagation of tau pathology. Although numerous small molecules are known to inhibit tau aggregation and block tau cell-to-cell transmission, it is still challenging to use them for therapeutic applications due to poor specificity and low blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration. Graphene nanoparticles were previously demonstrated to penetrate the BBB and are amenable to functionalization for targeted delivery. Moreover, these nanoscale biomimetic particles can self-assemble or assemble with various biomolecules including proteins. In this paper, we show that graphene quantum dots (GQDs), as graphene nanoparticles, block the seeding activity of tau fibrils by inhibiting the fibrillization of monomeric tau and triggering the disaggregation of tau filaments. This behavior is attributed to electrostatic and π-π stacking interactions of GQDs with tau. Overall, our studies indicate that GQDs with biomimetic properties can efficiently inhibit and disassemble pathological tau aggregates, and thus block tau transmission, which supports their future developments as a potential treatment for tauopathies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Runyao Zhu
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA.
| | - Kamlesh M Makwana
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
| | - Youwen Zhang
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA.
| | - Benjamin H Rajewski
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
| | - Juan R Del Valle
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA
| | - Yichun Wang
- Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, University of Notre Dame, Indiana 46556, USA.
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15
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Arar S, Haque MA, Kayed R. Protein aggregation and neurodegenerative disease: Structural outlook for the novel therapeutics. Proteins 2023:10.1002/prot.26561. [PMID: 37530227 PMCID: PMC10834863 DOI: 10.1002/prot.26561] [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: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Before the controversial approval of humanized monoclonal antibody lecanemab, which binds to the soluble amyloid-β protofibrils, all the treatments available earlier, for Alzheimer's disease (AD) were symptomatic. The researchers are still struggling to find a breakthrough in AD therapeutic medicine, which is partially attributable to lack in understanding of the structural information associated with the intrinsically disordered proteins and amyloids. One of the major challenges in this area of research is to understand the structural diversity of intrinsically disordered proteins under in vitro conditions. Therefore, in this review, we have summarized the in vitro applications of biophysical methods, which are aimed to shed some light on the heterogeneity, pathogenicity, structures and mechanisms of the intrinsically disordered protein aggregates associated with proteinopathies including AD. This review will also rationalize some of the strategies in modulating disease-relevant pathogenic protein entities by small molecules using structural biology approaches and biophysical characterization. We have also highlighted tools and techniques to simulate the in vivo conditions for native and cytotoxic tau/amyloids assemblies, urge new chemical approaches to replicate tau/amyloids assemblies similar to those in vivo conditions, in addition to designing novel potential drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharif Arar
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
- Department of Chemistry, School of Science, The University of Jordan, Amman 11942, Jordan
| | - Md Anzarul Haque
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
| | - Rakez Kayed
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases
- Departments of Neurology, Neuroscience and Cell Biology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, 77555, USA
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16
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Hurtle BT, Xie L, Donnelly CJ. Disrupting pathologic phase transitions in neurodegeneration. J Clin Invest 2023; 133:e168549. [PMID: 37395272 DOI: 10.1172/jci168549] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Solid-like protein deposits found in aged and diseased human brains have revealed a relationship between insoluble protein accumulations and the resulting deficits in neurologic function. Clinically diverse neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, frontotemporal lobar degeneration, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, exhibit unique and disease-specific biochemical protein signatures and abnormal protein depositions that often correlate with disease pathogenesis. Recent evidence indicates that many pathologic proteins assemble into liquid-like protein phases through the highly coordinated process of liquid-liquid phase separation. Over the last decade, biomolecular phase transitions have emerged as a fundamental mechanism of cellular organization. Liquid-like condensates organize functionally related biomolecules within the cell, and many neuropathology-associated proteins reside within these dynamic structures. Thus, examining biomolecular phase transitions enhances our understanding of the molecular mechanisms mediating toxicity across diverse neurodegenerative diseases. This Review explores the known mechanisms contributing to aberrant protein phase transitions in neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on tau and TDP-43 proteinopathies and outlining potential therapeutic strategies to regulate these pathologic events.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bryan T Hurtle
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate Program
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pittsburgh; and
- LiveLikeLou Center for ALS Research at the University of Pittsburgh Brain Institute; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Longxin Xie
- LiveLikeLou Center for ALS Research at the University of Pittsburgh Brain Institute; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China
| | - Christopher J Donnelly
- Center for Neuroscience at the University of Pittsburgh Graduate Program
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Pittsburgh; and
- LiveLikeLou Center for ALS Research at the University of Pittsburgh Brain Institute; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
- Department of Neurobiology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
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17
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Islam M, Khan A, Khan M, Halim SA, Ullah S, Hussain J, Al-Harrasi A, Shafiq Z, Tasleem M, El-Gokha A. Synthesis and biological evaluation of 2-nitrocinnamaldehyde derived thiosemicarbazones as urease inhibitors. J Mol Struct 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molstruc.2023.135387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
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18
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Johnson AM, Lukens JR. The innate immune response in tauopathies. Eur J Immunol 2023; 53:e2250266. [PMID: 36932726 PMCID: PMC10247424 DOI: 10.1002/eji.202250266] [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: 01/06/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/15/2023] [Indexed: 03/19/2023]
Abstract
Tauopathies, which include frontotemporal dementia, Alzheimer's disease, and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, are a class of neurological disorders resulting from pathogenic tau aggregates. These aggregates disrupt neuronal health and function leading to the cognitive and physical decline of tauopathy patients. Genome-wide association studies and clinical evidence have brought to light the large role of the immune system in inducing and driving tau-mediated pathology. More specifically, innate immune genes are found to harbor tauopathy risk alleles, and innate immune pathways are upregulated throughout the course of disease. Experimental evidence has expanded on these findings by describing pivotal roles for the innate immune system in the regulation of tau kinases and tau aggregates. In this review, we summarize the literature implicating innate immune pathways as drivers of tauopathy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexis M. Johnson
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG), Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia (UVA), Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, UVA, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- BIG Training Graduate Program, UVA, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
| | - John R. Lukens
- Center for Brain Immunology and Glia (BIG), Department of Neuroscience, University of Virginia (UVA), Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- Neuroscience Graduate Program, UVA, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
- BIG Training Graduate Program, UVA, Charlottesville, VA 22908, USA
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19
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Svobodova B, Pulkrabkova L, Panek D, Misiachna A, Kolcheva M, Andrys R, Handl J, Capek J, Nyvltova P, Rousar T, Prchal L, Hepnarova V, Hrabinova M, Muckova L, Tosnerova D, Karabanovich G, Finger V, Soukup O, Horak M, Korabecny J. Structure-Guided Design of N-Methylpropargylamino-Quinazoline Derivatives as Multipotent Agents for the Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24119124. [PMID: 37298087 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24119124] [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: 05/08/2023] [Revised: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex disease with an unknown etiology. Available treatments, limited to cholinesterase inhibitors and N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonists, provide symptomatic relief only. As single-target therapies have not proven effective, rational specific-targeted combination into a single molecule represents a more promising approach for treating AD, and is expected to yield greater benefits in alleviating symptoms and slowing disease progression. In the present study, we designed, synthesized, and biologically evaluated 24 novel N-methylpropargylamino-quinazoline derivatives. Initially, compounds were thoroughly inspected by in silico techniques determining their oral and CNS availabilities. We tested, in vitro, the compounds' effects on cholinesterases and monoamine oxidase A/B (MAO-A/B), as well as their impacts on NMDAR antagonism, dehydrogenase activity, and glutathione levels. In addition, we inspected selected compounds for their cytotoxicity on undifferentiated and differentiated neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. We collectively highlighted II-6h as the best candidate endowed with a selective MAO-B inhibition profile, NMDAR antagonism, an acceptable cytotoxicity profile, and the potential to permeate through BBB. The structure-guided drug design strategy applied in this study imposed a novel concept for rational drug discovery and enhances our understanding on the development of novel therapeutic agents for treating AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbora Svobodova
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
- Department of Toxicology and Military Pharmacy, Faculty of Military Health Sciences, University of Defence, Trebesska 1575, 500 01 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Pulkrabkova
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
- Department of Toxicology and Military Pharmacy, Faculty of Military Health Sciences, University of Defence, Trebesska 1575, 500 01 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Dawid Panek
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
- Department of Physicochemical Drug Analysis, Chair of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Medyczna 9, 30-688 Kraków, Poland
| | - Anna Misiachna
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 6, 128 43 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Marharyta Kolcheva
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Rudolf Andrys
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, University Hradec Kralove, Rokitanskeho 62, 500 03 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Jiri Handl
- Department of Biological and Biochemical Sciences, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Studentska 573, 532 10 Pardubice, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Capek
- Department of Biological and Biochemical Sciences, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Studentska 573, 532 10 Pardubice, Czech Republic
| | - Pavlina Nyvltova
- Department of Biological and Biochemical Sciences, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Studentska 573, 532 10 Pardubice, Czech Republic
| | - Tomas Rousar
- Department of Biological and Biochemical Sciences, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Studentska 573, 532 10 Pardubice, Czech Republic
| | - Lukas Prchal
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Vendula Hepnarova
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
- Department of Toxicology and Military Pharmacy, Faculty of Military Health Sciences, University of Defence, Trebesska 1575, 500 01 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Martina Hrabinova
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
- Department of Toxicology and Military Pharmacy, Faculty of Military Health Sciences, University of Defence, Trebesska 1575, 500 01 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Lubica Muckova
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
- Department of Toxicology and Military Pharmacy, Faculty of Military Health Sciences, University of Defence, Trebesska 1575, 500 01 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Daniela Tosnerova
- Department of Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovskeho 1203, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Galina Karabanovich
- Department of Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovskeho 1203, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimir Finger
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
- Department of Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy in Hradec Kralove, Charles University, Akademika Heyrovskeho 1203, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Ondrej Soukup
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
- Department of Toxicology and Military Pharmacy, Faculty of Military Health Sciences, University of Defence, Trebesska 1575, 500 01 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Horak
- Department of Neurochemistry, Institute of Experimental Medicine of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 20 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Korabecny
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
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20
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Das B, Mathew AT, Baidya ATK, Devi B, Salmon RR, Kumar R. Artificial intelligence assisted identification of potential tau aggregation inhibitors: ligand- and structure-based virtual screening, in silico ADME, and molecular dynamics study. Mol Divers 2023:10.1007/s11030-023-10645-3. [PMID: 37022608 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-023-10645-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a severe, growing, multifactorial disorder affecting millions of people worldwide characterized by cognitive decline and neurodegeneration. The accumulation of tau protein into paired helical filaments is one of the major pathological hallmarks of AD and has gained the interest of researchers as a potential drug target to treat AD. Lately, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has revolutionized the drug discovery process by speeding it up and reducing the overall cost. As a part of our continuous effort to identify potential tau aggregation inhibitors, and leveraging the power of AI, in this study, we used a fully automated AI-assisted ligand-based virtual screening tool, PyRMD to screen a library of 12 million compounds from the ZINC database to identify potential tau aggregation inhibitors. The preliminary hits from virtual screening were filtered for similar compounds and pan-assay interference compounds (the compounds containing reactive functional groups which can interfere with the assays) using RDKit. Further, the selected compounds were prioritized based on their molecular docking score with the binding pocket of tau where the binding pockets were identified using replica exchange molecular dynamics simulation. Thirty-three compounds showing good docking scores for all the tau clusters were selected and were further subjected to in silico pharmacokinetic prediction. Finally, top 10 compounds were selected for molecular dynamics simulation and MMPBSA binding free energy calculations resulting in the identification of UNK_175, UNK_1027, UNK_1172, UNK_1173, UNK_1237, UNK_1518, and UNK_2181 as potential tau aggregation inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhanuranjan Das
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (B.H.U.), Varanasi, 221005, UP, India
| | - Alen T Mathew
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (B.H.U.), Varanasi, 221005, UP, India
| | - Anurag T K Baidya
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (B.H.U.), Varanasi, 221005, UP, India
| | - Bharti Devi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (B.H.U.), Varanasi, 221005, UP, India
| | - Rahul Rampa Salmon
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (B.H.U.), Varanasi, 221005, UP, India
| | - Rajnish Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering & Technology, Indian Institute of Technology (B.H.U.), Varanasi, 221005, UP, India.
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21
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Aillaud I, Funke SA. Tau Aggregation Inhibiting Peptides as Potential Therapeutics for Alzheimer Disease. Cell Mol Neurobiol 2023; 43:951-961. [PMID: 35596819 PMCID: PMC10006036 DOI: 10.1007/s10571-022-01230-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Alzheimer disease (AD) is the most common progressive neurodegenerative disorder. AD causes enormous personal and economic burden to society as currently only limited palliative therapeutic options are available. The pathological hallmarks of the disease are extracellular plaques, composed of fibrillar amyloid-β (Aβ), and neurofibrillary tangles inside neurons, composed of Tau protein. Until recently, the search for AD therapeutics was focussed more on the Aβ peptide and its pathology, but the results were unsatisfying. As an alternative, Tau might be a promising therapeutic target as its pathology is closely correlated to clinical symptoms. In addition, pathological Tau aggregation occurs in a large group of diseases, called Tauopathies, and in most of them Aβ aggregation does not play a role in disease pathogenesis. The formation of Tau aggregates is triggered by two hexapeptide motifs within Tau; PHF6* and PHF6. Both fragments are interesting targets for the development of Tau aggregation inhibitors (TAI). Peptides represent a unique class of pharmaceutical compounds and are reasonable alternatives to chemical substances or antibodies. They are attributed with high biological activity, valuable specificity and low toxicity, and often are developed as drug candidates to interrupt protein-protein interactions. The preparation of peptides is simple, controllable and the peptides can be easily modified. However, their application may also have disadvantages. Currently, a few peptide compounds acting as TAI are described in the literature, most of them developed by structure-based design or phage display. Here, we review the current state of research in this promising field of AD therapy development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle Aillaud
- Institute of Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences, Coburg, Germany
| | - Susanne Aileen Funke
- Institute of Bioanalysis, Coburg University of Applied Sciences, Coburg, Germany.
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22
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Tonelli M, Catto M, Sabaté R, Francesconi V, Laurini E, Pricl S, Pisani L, Miniero DV, Liuzzi GM, Gatta E, Relini A, Gavín R, Del Rio JA, Sparatore F, Carotti A. Thioxanthenone-based derivatives as multitarget therapeutic leads for Alzheimer's disease. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 250:115169. [PMID: 36753881 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/01/2023] [Revised: 01/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
A set of twenty-five thioxanthene-9-one and xanthene-9-one derivatives, that were previously shown to inhibit cholinesterases (ChEs) and amyloid β (Aβ40) aggregation, were evaluated for the inhibition of tau protein aggregation. All compounds exhibited a good activity, and eight of them (5-8, 10, 14, 15 and 20) shared comparable low micromolar inhibitory potency versus Aβ40 aggregation and human acetylcholinesterase (AChE), while inhibiting human butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) even at submicromolar concentration. Compound 20 showed outstanding biological data, inhibiting tau protein and Aβ40 aggregation with IC50 = 1.8 and 1.3 μM, respectively. Moreover, at 0.1-10 μM it also exhibited neuroprotective activity against tau toxicity induced by okadoic acid in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells, that was comparable to that of estradiol and PD38. In preliminary toxicity studies, these interesting results for compound 20 are somewhat conflicting with a narrow safety window. However, compound 10, although endowed with a little lower potency for tau and Aβ aggregation inhibition additionally demonstrated good inhibition of ChEs and rather low cytotoxicity. Compound 4 is also worth of note for its high potency as hBChE inhibitor (IC50 = 7 nM) and for the three order of magnitude selectivity versus hAChE. Molecular modelling studies were performed to explain the different behavior of compounds 4 and 20 towards hBChE. The observed balance of the inhibitory potencies versus the relevant targets indicates the thioxanthene-9-one derivatives as potential MTDLs for AD therapy, provided that the safety window will be improved by further structural variations, currently under investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michele Tonelli
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Genoa, 16132, Genoa, Italy.
| | - Marco Catto
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125, Bari, Italy.
| | - Raimon Sabaté
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Technology and Physical-Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy and Food Sciences, and Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology (IN2UB), University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | | | - Erik Laurini
- Molecular Biology and Nanotechnology Laboratory (MolBNL@UniTS), Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, 34127, Trieste, Italy
| | - Sabrina Pricl
- Molecular Biology and Nanotechnology Laboratory (MolBNL@UniTS), Department of Engineering and Architecture, University of Trieste, 34127, Trieste, Italy; Department of General Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, 90-236, Lodz, Poland
| | - Leonardo Pisani
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125, Bari, Italy
| | - Daniela Valeria Miniero
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125, Bari, Italy
| | - Grazia Maria Liuzzi
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies and Environment, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125, Bari, Italy
| | - Elena Gatta
- Department of Physics, University of Genoa, 16146, Genoa, Italy
| | - Annalisa Relini
- Department of Physics, University of Genoa, 16146, Genoa, Italy
| | - Rosalina Gavín
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Jose Antonio Del Rio
- Institute for Bioengineering of Catalonia (IBEC), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; Department of Cell Biology, Physiology and Immunology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain; Institute of Neuroscience, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Fabio Sparatore
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Genoa, 16132, Genoa, Italy
| | - Angelo Carotti
- Department of Pharmacy-Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70125, Bari, Italy
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23
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Balusu S, Praschberger R, Lauwers E, De Strooper B, Verstreken P. Neurodegeneration cell per cell. Neuron 2023; 111:767-786. [PMID: 36787752 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuron.2023.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2022] [Revised: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2023]
Abstract
The clinical definition of neurodegenerative diseases is based on symptoms that reflect terminal damage of specific brain regions. This is misleading as it tells little about the initial disease processes. Circuitry failures that underlie the clinical symptomatology are themselves preceded by clinically mostly silent, slowly progressing multicellular processes that trigger or are triggered by the accumulation of abnormally folded proteins such as Aβ, Tau, TDP-43, and α-synuclein, among others. Methodological advances in single-cell omics, combined with complex genetics and novel ways to model complex cellular interactions using induced pluripotent stem (iPS) cells, make it possible to analyze the early cellular phase of neurodegenerative disorders. This will revolutionize the way we study those diseases and will translate into novel diagnostics and cell-specific therapeutic targets, stopping these disorders in their early track before they cause difficult-to-reverse damage to the brain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sriram Balusu
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Roman Praschberger
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Elsa Lauwers
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Bart De Strooper
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium; UK Dementia Research Institute, London, UK.
| | - Patrik Verstreken
- VIB-KU Leuven Center for Brain & Disease Research, Leuven, Belgium; KU Leuven Department of Neurosciences, Leuven Brain Institute, Leuven, Belgium.
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24
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Rivas MV, Musikant D, Díaz Peña R, Álvarez D, Pelazzo L, Rossi E, Martínez KD, Errea MI, Pérez OE, Varela O, Kolender AA. Carbohydrate-Derived Polytriazole Nanoparticles Enhance the Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Cilostazol. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:44631-44642. [PMID: 36530317 PMCID: PMC9753171 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c02969] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Poly(amide-triazole) and poly(ester-triazole) synthesized from d-galactose as a renewable resource were applied for the synthesis of nanoparticles (NPs) by the emulsification/solvent evaporation method. The NPs were characterized as stable, spherical particles, and none of their components, including the stabilizer poly(vinyl alcohol), were cytotoxic for normal rat kidney cells. These NPs proved to be useful for the efficient encapsulation of cilostazol (CLZ), an antiplatelet and vasodilator drug currently used for the treatment of intermittent claudication, which is associated with undesired side-effects. In this context, the nanoencapsulation of CLZ was expected to improve its therapeutic administration. The carbohydrate-derived polymeric NPs were designed taking into account that the triazole rings of the polymer backbone could have attractive interactions with the tetrazole ring of CLZ. The activity of the nanoencapsulated CLZ was measured using a matrix metalloproteinase model in a lipopolysaccharide-induced inflammation system. Interestingly, the encapsulated drug exhibited enhanced anti-inflammatory activity in comparison with the free drug. The results are very promising since the stable, noncytotoxic NP systems efficiently reduced the inflammation response at low CLZ doses. In summary, the NPs were obtained through an innovative methodology that combines a carbohydrate-derived synthetic polymer, designed to interact with the drug, ease of preparation, adequate biological performance, and environmentally friendly production.
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Affiliation(s)
- M. Verónica Rivas
- Universidad
de Buenos Aires (UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón
2, C1428EHABuenos
Aires, Argentina
- Consejo
Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-UBA, Centro de Investigación en Hidratos de Carbono
(CIHIDECAR), Ciudad Universitaria,
Pabellón 2, C1428EHABuenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniel Musikant
- Universidad
de Buenos Aires (UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón
2, C1428EHABuenos
Aires, Argentina
- Consejo
Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-UBA, Instituto de Química Biológica de la
Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón
2, C1428EHABuenos
Aires, Argentina
| | - Rocío Díaz Peña
- Universidad
de Buenos Aires (UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón
2, C1428EHABuenos
Aires, Argentina
- Consejo
Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-UBA, Instituto de Química Biológica de la
Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón
2, C1428EHABuenos
Aires, Argentina
| | - Daniela Álvarez
- Universidad
de Buenos Aires (UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón
2, C1428EHABuenos
Aires, Argentina
- Consejo
Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-UBA, Instituto de Química Biológica de la
Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón
2, C1428EHABuenos
Aires, Argentina
| | - Luciana Pelazzo
- Universidad
de Buenos Aires (UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón
2, C1428EHABuenos
Aires, Argentina
- Consejo
Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-UBA, Centro de Investigación en Hidratos de Carbono
(CIHIDECAR), Ciudad Universitaria,
Pabellón 2, C1428EHABuenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Ezequiel Rossi
- Instituto
Tecnológico de Buenos Aires (ITBA), Lavardén 315, C1437FBGBuenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Karina D. Martínez
- Facultad
de Arquitectura Diseño y Urbanismo, Universidad de Buenos Aires (UBA), Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón 3, C1428EHABuenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional
de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-UBA, Instituto de Tecnología en Polímeros
y Nanotecnología (ITPN), Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón 3, C1428EHABuenos Aires, Argentina
| | - María I. Errea
- Instituto
Tecnológico de Buenos Aires (ITBA), Lavardén 315, C1437FBGBuenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Oscar E. Pérez
- Universidad
de Buenos Aires (UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón
2, C1428EHABuenos
Aires, Argentina
- Consejo
Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-UBA, Instituto de Química Biológica de la
Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón
2, C1428EHABuenos
Aires, Argentina
| | - Oscar Varela
- Universidad
de Buenos Aires (UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón
2, C1428EHABuenos
Aires, Argentina
- Consejo
Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-UBA, Centro de Investigación en Hidratos de Carbono
(CIHIDECAR), Ciudad Universitaria,
Pabellón 2, C1428EHABuenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Adriana A. Kolender
- Universidad
de Buenos Aires (UBA), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellón
2, C1428EHABuenos
Aires, Argentina
- Consejo
Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET)-UBA, Centro de Investigación en Hidratos de Carbono
(CIHIDECAR), Ciudad Universitaria,
Pabellón 2, C1428EHABuenos Aires, Argentina
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25
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Pacifico R, Del Gaudio N, Bove G, Altucci L, Siragusa L, Cruciani G, Ruvo M, Bellavita R, Grieco P, Adamo MFA. Discovery of a new class of triazole based inhibitors of acetyl transferase KAT2A. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2022; 37:1987-1994. [PMID: 35880250 PMCID: PMC9331200 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2022.2097447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022] Open
Abstract
We have recently developed a new synthetic methodology that provided both N-aryl-5-hydroxytriazoles and N-pyridine-4-alkyl triazoles. A selection of these products was carried through virtual screening towards targets that are contemporary and validated for drug discovery and development. This study determined a number of potential structure target dyads of which N-pyridinium-4-carboxylic-5-alkyl triazole displayed the highest score specificity towards KAT2A. Binding affinity tests of abovementioned triazole and related analogs towards KAT2A confirmed the predictions of the in-silico assay. Finally, we have run in vitro inhibition assays of selected triazoles towards KAT2A; the ensemble of binding and inhibition assays delivered pyridyl-triazoles carboxylates as the prototype of a new class of inhibitors of KAT2A.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberta Pacifico
- Centre for Synthesis and Chemical Biology (CSCB), Department of Chemistry, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Nunzio Del Gaudio
- Department of precision medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy
| | - Guglielmo Bove
- Department of precision medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy
| | - Lucia Altucci
- Department of precision medicine, University of Campania Luigi Vanvitelli, Naples, Italy
| | | | - Gabriele Cruciani
- Laboratory for Chemometrics and Molecular Modeling, Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Menotti Ruvo
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Naples, Italy
| | - Rosa Bellavita
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples 'Federico II', Naples, Italy
| | - Paolo Grieco
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Medicine, University of Naples 'Federico II', Naples, Italy
| | - Mauro F A Adamo
- Centre for Synthesis and Chemical Biology (CSCB), Department of Chemistry, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
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26
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Fišar Z. Linking the Amyloid, Tau, and Mitochondrial Hypotheses of Alzheimer's Disease and Identifying Promising Drug Targets. Biomolecules 2022; 12:1676. [PMID: 36421690 PMCID: PMC9687482 DOI: 10.3390/biom12111676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2022] [Revised: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Damage or loss of brain cells and impaired neurochemistry, neurogenesis, and synaptic and nonsynaptic plasticity of the brain lead to dementia in neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Injury to synapses and neurons and accumulation of extracellular amyloid plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles are considered the main morphological and neuropathological features of AD. Age, genetic and epigenetic factors, environmental stressors, and lifestyle contribute to the risk of AD onset and progression. These risk factors are associated with structural and functional changes in the brain, leading to cognitive decline. Biomarkers of AD reflect or cause specific changes in brain function, especially changes in pathways associated with neurotransmission, neuroinflammation, bioenergetics, apoptosis, and oxidative and nitrosative stress. Even in the initial stages, AD is associated with Aβ neurotoxicity, mitochondrial dysfunction, and tau neurotoxicity. The integrative amyloid-tau-mitochondrial hypothesis assumes that the primary cause of AD is the neurotoxicity of Aβ oligomers and tau oligomers, mitochondrial dysfunction, and their mutual synergy. For the development of new efficient AD drugs, targeting the elimination of neurotoxicity, mutual potentiation of effects, and unwanted protein interactions of risk factors and biomarkers (mainly Aβ oligomers, tau oligomers, and mitochondrial dysfunction) in the early stage of the disease seems promising.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zdeněk Fišar
- Department of Psychiatry, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University and General University Hospital in Prague, Ke Karlovu 11, 120 00 Prague, Czech Republic
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27
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Hu Q, Xiong Y, Zhu GH, Zhang YN, Zhang YW, Huang P, Ge GB. The SARS-CoV-2 main protease (M pro): Structure, function, and emerging therapies for COVID-19. MedComm (Beijing) 2022; 3:e151. [PMID: 35845352 PMCID: PMC9283855 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The main proteases (Mpro), also termed 3‐chymotrypsin‐like proteases (3CLpro), are a class of highly conserved cysteine hydrolases in β‐coronaviruses. Increasing evidence has demonstrated that 3CLpros play an indispensable role in viral replication and have been recognized as key targets for preventing and treating coronavirus‐caused infectious diseases, including COVID‐19. This review is focused on the structural features and biological function of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) main protease Mpro (also known as 3CLpro), as well as recent advances in discovering and developing SARS‐CoV‐2 3CLpro inhibitors. To better understand the characteristics of SARS‐CoV‐2 3CLpro inhibitors, the inhibition activities, inhibitory mechanisms, and key structural features of various 3CLpro inhibitors (including marketed drugs, peptidomimetic, and non‐peptidomimetic synthetic compounds, as well as natural compounds and their derivatives) are summarized comprehensively. Meanwhile, the challenges in this field are highlighted, while future directions for designing and developing efficacious 3CLpro inhibitors as novel anti‐coronavirus therapies are also proposed. Collectively, all information and knowledge presented here are very helpful for understanding the structural features and inhibitory mechanisms of SARS‐CoV‐2 3CLpro inhibitors, which offers new insights or inspiration to medicinal chemists for designing and developing more efficacious 3CLpro inhibitors as novel anti‐coronavirus agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qing Hu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China.,Clinical Pharmacy Center Cancer Center Department of Pharmacy Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated People's Hospital Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou Zhejiang China
| | - Yuan Xiong
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China
| | - Guang-Hao Zhu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China
| | - Ya-Ni Zhang
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China
| | - Yi-Wen Zhang
- Clinical Pharmacy Center Cancer Center Department of Pharmacy Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated People's Hospital Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou Zhejiang China
| | - Ping Huang
- Clinical Pharmacy Center Cancer Center Department of Pharmacy Zhejiang Provincial People's Hospital Affiliated People's Hospital Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou Zhejiang China
| | - Guang-Bo Ge
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of TCM Chemical Biology Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine Shanghai China
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28
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Kumar V, Kim SH, Bishayee K. Dysfunctional Glucose Metabolism in Alzheimer’s Disease Onset and Potential Pharmacological Interventions. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23179540. [PMID: 36076944 PMCID: PMC9455726 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23179540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most common age-related dementia. The alteration in metabolic characteristics determines the prognosis. Patients at risk show reduced glucose uptake in the brain. Additionally, type 2 diabetes mellitus increases the risk of AD with increasing age. Therefore, changes in glucose uptake in the cerebral cortex may predict the histopathological diagnosis of AD. The shifts in glucose uptake and metabolism, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, and abnormal autophagy advance the pathogenesis of AD syndrome. Here, we summarize the role of altered glucose metabolism in type 2 diabetes for AD prognosis. Additionally, we discuss diagnosis and potential pharmacological interventions for glucose metabolism defects in AD to encourage the development of novel therapeutic methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijay Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry, Institute of Cell Differentiation and Aging, College of Medicine, Hallym University, Chuncheon 24252, Korea
| | - So-Hyeon Kim
- Biomedical Science Core-Facility, Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-Bio Science, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan 31151, Korea
| | - Kausik Bishayee
- Biomedical Science Core-Facility, Soonchunhyang Institute of Medi-Bio Science, Soonchunhyang University, Cheonan 31151, Korea
- Correspondence: or
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29
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Amylin and Secretases in the Pathology and Treatment of Alzheimer's Disease. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12070996. [PMID: 35883551 PMCID: PMC9312829 DOI: 10.3390/biom12070996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease remains a prevailing neurodegenerative condition which has an array physical, emotional, and financial consequences to patients and society. In the past decade, there has been a greater degree of investigation on therapeutic small peptides. This group of biomolecules have a profile of fundamentally sound characteristics which make them an intriguing area for drug development. Among these biomolecules, there are four modulatory mechanisms of interest in this review: alpha-, beta-, gamma-secretases, and amylin. These protease-based biomolecules all have a contributory role in the amyloid cascade hypothesis. Moreover, the involvement of various biochemical pathways intertwines these peptides to have shared regulators (i.e., retinoids). Further clinical and translational investigation must occur to gain a greater understanding of its potential application in patient care. The aim of this narrative review is to evaluate the contemporary literature on these protease biomolecule modulators and determine its utility in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
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30
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Kim S, Kim DK, Jeong S, Lee J. The Common Cellular Events in the Neurodegenerative Diseases and the Associated Role of Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:5894. [PMID: 35682574 PMCID: PMC9180188 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23115894] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 05/17/2022] [Accepted: 05/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases are inseparably linked with aging and increase as life expectancy extends. There are common dysfunctions in various cellular events shared among neurogenerative diseases, such as calcium dyshomeostasis, neuroinflammation, and age-associated decline in the autophagy-lysosome system. However, most of all, the prominent pathological feature of neurodegenerative diseases is the toxic buildup of misfolded protein aggregates and inclusion bodies accompanied by an impairment in proteostasis. Recent studies have suggested a close association between endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and neurodegenerative pathology in cellular and animal models as well as in human patients. The contribution of mutant or misfolded protein-triggered ER stress and its associated signaling events, such as unfolded protein response (UPR), to the pathophysiology of various neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and prion disease, is described here. Impaired UPR action is commonly attributed to exacerbated ER stress, pathogenic protein aggregate accumulation, and deteriorating neurodegenerative pathologies. Thus, activating certain UPR components has been shown to alleviate ER stress and its associated neurodegeneration. However, uncontrolled activation of some UPR factors has also been demonstrated to worsen neurodegenerative phenotypes, suggesting that detailed molecular mechanisms around ER stress and its related neurodegenerations should be understood to develop effective therapeutics against aging-associated neurological syndromes. We also discuss current therapeutic endeavors, such as the development of small molecules that selectively target individual UPR components and address ER stress in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soojeong Kim
- Department of New Biology, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu 42988, Korea; (S.K.); (D.K.K.); (S.J.)
| | - Doo Kyung Kim
- Department of New Biology, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu 42988, Korea; (S.K.); (D.K.K.); (S.J.)
| | - Seho Jeong
- Department of New Biology, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu 42988, Korea; (S.K.); (D.K.K.); (S.J.)
| | - Jaemin Lee
- Department of New Biology, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu 42988, Korea; (S.K.); (D.K.K.); (S.J.)
- New Biology Research Center, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu 42988, Korea
- Well Aging Research Center, Daegu Gyeongbuk Institute of Science and Technology (DGIST), Daegu 42988, Korea
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31
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González-Cuesta M, Herrera-González I, García-Moreno MI, Ashmus RA, Vocadlo DJ, García Fernández JM, Nanba E, Higaki K, Ortiz Mellet C. sp 2-Iminosugars targeting human lysosomal β-hexosaminidase as pharmacological chaperone candidates for late-onset Tay-Sachs disease. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2022; 37:1364-1374. [PMID: 35575117 PMCID: PMC9126592 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2022.2073444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022] Open
Abstract
The late-onset form of Tay-Sachs disease displays when the activity levels of human β-hexosaminidase A (HexA) fall below 10% of normal, due to mutations that destabilise the native folded form of the enzyme and impair its trafficking to the lysosome. Competitive inhibitors of HexA can rescue disease-causative mutant HexA, bearing potential as pharmacological chaperones, but often also inhibit the enzyme O-glucosaminidase (GlcNAcase; OGA), a serious drawback for translation into the clinic. We have designed sp2-iminosugar glycomimetics related to GalNAc that feature a neutral piperidine-derived thiourea or a basic piperidine-thiazolidine bicyclic core and behave as selective nanomolar competitive inhibitors of human Hex A at pH 7 with a ten-fold lower inhibitory potency at pH 5, a good indication for pharmacological chaperoning. They increased the levels of lysosomal HexA activity in Tay-Sachs patient fibroblasts having the G269S mutation, the highest prevalent in late-onset Tay-Sachs disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel González-Cuesta
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Seville, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Irene Herrera-González
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Seville, Sevilla, Spain
| | - M Isabel García-Moreno
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Seville, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Roger A Ashmus
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - David J Vocadlo
- Department of Chemistry and Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, Canada
| | - José M García Fernández
- Instituto de Investigaciones Químicas (IIQ), Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) - Universidad de Sevilla, Sevilla, Spain
| | - Eiji Nanba
- Organization for Research Initiative and Promotion, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan
| | - Katsumi Higaki
- Organization for Research Initiative and Promotion, Tottori University, Yonago, Japan
| | - Carmen Ortiz Mellet
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Seville, Sevilla, Spain
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32
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Chen Y, Hamidu S, Yang X, Yan Y, Wang Q, Li L, Oduro PK, Li Y. Dietary Supplements and Natural Products: An Update on Their Clinical Effectiveness and Molecular Mechanisms of Action During Accelerated Biological Aging. Front Genet 2022; 13:880421. [PMID: 35571015 PMCID: PMC9096086 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.880421] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Accelerated biological aging, which involves the gradual decline of organ or tissue functions and the distortion of physiological processes, underlies several human diseases. Away from the earlier free radical concept, telomere attrition, cellular senescence, proteostasis loss, mitochondrial dysfunction, stem cell exhaustion, and epigenetic and genomic alterations have emerged as biological hallmarks of aging. Moreover, nutrient-sensing metabolic pathways are critical to an organism’s ability to sense and respond to nutrient levels. Pharmaceutical, genetic, and nutritional interventions reverting physiological declines by targeting nutrient-sensing metabolic pathways can promote healthy aging and increase lifespan. On this basis, biological aging hallmarks and nutrient-sensing dependent and independent pathways represent evolving drug targets for many age-linked diseases. Here, we discuss and update the scientific community on contemporary advances in how dietary supplements and natural products beneficially revert accelerated biological aging processes to retrograde human aging and age-dependent human diseases, both from the clinical and preclinical studies point-of-view. Overall, our review suggests that dietary/natural products increase healthspan—rather than lifespan—effectively minimizing the period of frailty at the end of life. However, real-world setting clinical trials and basic studies on dietary supplements and natural products are further required to decisively demonstrate whether dietary/natural products could promote human lifespan.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Modern Chinese Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Sherif Hamidu
- Clinical Pathology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Xintong Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Modern Chinese Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Yiqi Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Modern Chinese Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Qilong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Modern Chinese Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Lin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Modern Chinese Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
| | - Patrick Kwabena Oduro
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Modern Chinese Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China.,Clinical Pathology Department, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Yuhong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmacology of Modern Chinese Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, China
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33
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Caamaño-Moreno M, Gargini R. Tauopathies: the role of tau in cellular crosstalk and synaptic dysfunctions. Neuroscience 2022; 518:38-53. [PMID: 35272005 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroscience.2022.02.034] [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: 12/30/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/28/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Tauopathies are a group of neurodegenerative diseases among which are many of the most prevalent and with higher incidence worldwide, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). According to the World Health Organization, this set of diseases will continue to increase their incidence, affecting millions of people by 2050. All of them are characterized by aberrant aggregation of tau protein in neurons and glia that are distributed in different brain regions according to their susceptibility. Numerous studies reveal that synaptic regulation not only has a neuronal component, but glia plays a fundamental role in it beyond its neuroinflammatory role. Despite this, it has not been emphasized how the glial inclusions of tau in this cell type directly affect this and many other essential functions, whose alterations have been related to the development of tauopathies. In this way, this review shows how tau inclusions in glia influence the synaptic dysfunctions that result in the cognitive symptoms characteristic of tauopathies. Thus, the mechanisms affected by inclusions in neurons, astrocytes, and oligodendrocytes are unraveled.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Caamaño-Moreno
- Instituto de investigaciones Biomédicas I+12, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ricardo Gargini
- Instituto de investigaciones Biomédicas I+12, Hospital 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain; Neurooncology Unit, Instituto de Salud Carlos III-UFIEC, 28220 Madrid, Spain.
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34
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Liu Y, Uras G, Onuwaje I, Li W, Yao H, Xu S, Li X, Li X, Phillips J, Allen S, Gong Q, Zhang H, Zhu Z, Liu J, Xu J. Novel inhibitors of AChE and Aβ aggregation with neuroprotective properties as lead compounds for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 235:114305. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Revised: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
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Tideglusib Ameliorates Ischemia/Reperfusion Damage by Inhibiting GSK-3β and Apoptosis in Rat Model of Ischemic Stroke. J Stroke Cerebrovasc Dis 2022; 31:106349. [PMID: 35152130 DOI: 10.1016/j.jstrokecerebrovasdis.2022.106349] [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: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES Glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β), a serine/threonine protein kinase, gets activated and worsen stroke outcome after ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury by inducing inflammation and apoptosis. In this study, tideglusib, a selective irreversible and non-ATP competitive inhibitor of GSK-3β, was explored in cerebral I/R damage using middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAo) model in rats. MATERIALS AND METHODS MCAo was done for 90 min in male Wistar rats (250-280 g) using doccol suture. In pre-treatment group, tideglusib (50 mg/kg) was administered once daily for 2 days and on the day of surgery, 30 min before MCAo. Next day, rats were examined for neurobehavioral parameters and MRI was performed to assess brain damage. In post-treatment group, tideglusib was started at 30 min after MCAo and continued for the next 2 days. After 72 h of MCAo, behavioral parameters and brain damage by MRI were assessed. Further, oxidative stress markers (MDA and GSH), inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-10) and expression levels of pGSK-3β S9, Bcl-2 and Bax were estimated in pre-treatment group. RESULTS Tideglusib pre-treatment but not post-treatment significantly improved neurobehavioral parameters (p < 0.05) and reduced brain damage (p < 0.01) when compared with MCAo group. I/R induced changes in MDA (p < 0.01), TNF-α and IL-1β (p < 0.05) were significantly attenuated by pre-treatment. Further, tideglusib pre-treatment ameliorated MCAo induced altered expressions of pGSK-3β S9, Bcl-2 and Bax. CONCLUSION The results of our exploratory study indicated prophylactic potential of tideglusib in I/R injury by modulating pGSK-3β S9, apoptosis and neuro-inflammation.
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Tatulian SA. Challenges and hopes for Alzheimer's disease. Drug Discov Today 2022; 27:1027-1043. [PMID: 35121174 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2022.01.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 43.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2021] [Revised: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Recent drug development efforts targeting Alzheimer's disease (AD) have failed to produce effective disease-modifying agents for many reasons, including the substantial presymptomatic neuronal damage that is caused by the accumulation of the amyloid β (Aβ) peptide and tau protein abnormalities, deleterious adverse effects of drug candidates, and inadequate design of clinical trials. New molecular targets, biomarkers, and diagnostic techniques, as well as alternative nonpharmacological approaches, are sorely needed to detect and treat early pathological events. This article analyzes the successes and debacles of pharmaceutical endeavors to date, and highlights new technologies that may lead to the more effective diagnosis and treatment of the pathologies that underlie AD. The use of focused ultrasound, deep brain stimulation, stem cell therapy, and gene therapy, in parallel with pharmaceuticals and judicious lifestyle adjustments, holds promise for the deceleration, prevention, or cure of AD and other neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suren A Tatulian
- Department of Physics, College of Sciences, and Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA.
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Sandebring-Matton A, Axenhus M, Bogdanovic N, Winblad B, Schedin-Weiss S, Nilsson P, Tjernberg LO. Microdissected Pyramidal Cell Proteomics of Alzheimer Brain Reveals Alterations in Creatine Kinase B-Type, 14-3-3-γ, and Heat Shock Cognate 71. Front Aging Neurosci 2021; 13:735334. [PMID: 34867272 PMCID: PMC8641652 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2021.735334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel insights on proteins involved in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are needed. Since multiple cell types and matrix components are altered in AD, bulk analysis of brain tissue maybe difficult to interpret. In the current study, we isolated pyramidal cells from the cornu ammonis 1 (CA1) region of the hippocampus from five AD and five neurologically healthy donors using laser capture microdissection (LCM). The samples were analyzed by proteomics using 18O-labeled internal standard and nano-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) for relative quantification. Fold change between AD and control was calculated for the proteins that were identified in at least two individual proteomes from each group. From the 10 cases analyzed, 62 proteins were identified in at least two AD cases and two control cases. Creatine kinase B-type (CKB), 14-3-3-γ, and heat shock cognate 71 (Hsc71), which have not been extensively studied in the context of the human AD brain previously, were selected for further studies by immunohistochemistry (IHC). In hippocampus, semi-quantitative measures of IHC staining of the three proteins confirmed the findings from our proteomic analysis. Studies of the same proteins in the frontal cortex revealed that the alterations remained for CKB and 14-3-3-γ but not for Hsc71. Protein upregulation in CA1 neurons of final stage AD is either a result of detrimental, pathological effects, or from cell-specific protective response mechanisms in surviving neurons. Based on previous findings from experimental studies, CKB and Hsc71 likely exhibit protective effects, whereas 14-3-3-γ may represent a detrimental pathway. These new players could reflect pathways of importance for the development of new therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Sandebring-Matton
- Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Ageing Epidemiology (AGE) Research Unit, School of Public Health, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Axenhus
- Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Theme Inflammation and Aging, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Nenad Bogdanovic
- Division of Clinical Geriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Theme Inflammation and Aging, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden
| | - Bengt Winblad
- Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sophia Schedin-Weiss
- Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Per Nilsson
- Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Lars O Tjernberg
- Division of Neurogeriatrics, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Center for Alzheimer Research, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.,Clinical Chemistry, Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden
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Hu Y, Yang D, Tu Y, Chai K, Chu L, Shi S, Yao T. Dynamic-Inspired Perspective on the Molecular Inhibitor of Tau Aggregation by Glucose Gallates Based on Human Neurons. ACS Chem Neurosci 2021; 12:4162-4174. [PMID: 34649422 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00554] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
A molecular inhibitor of tau protein aggregation offers an attractive therapeutic possibility as disease-modifying treatment of Alzheimer's disease. However, the ineffectiveness as well as adjoint toxicity due to superficial understanding of the inhibition mechanism has hindered drug development. Conventional approaches for screening drug ligands rely on compatible docking with the well-defined structure of a protein receptor. Therefore, the design of tau aggregation inhibitors has been inevitably hindered by the unstructured, highly dynamic nature of the tau protein. This paper suggested a new strategy for reducing tau aggregation through a dynamic process of conformational isomerization. A group of glucose gallate derivatives were selected as tau aggregation inhibitors. These star-shaped molecules have a biocompatible glucose core surrounded by several gallic acid polyphenol arms, which can bind to peptide chains at different sites, probably through hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking. Theoretically, by elevating the saddle point on the potential energy surfaces (PES) of proteins, the barrier in the dynamic pathway of peptide isomerization, glucose gallates effectively inhibit tau aggregation through a dynamic mechanism. A tau cell model based on human neurons was constructed. For the first time, we confirmed that the moderate thermodynamic binding of the molecular ligand to the tau peptide chain can not only prevent the isomerization of the peptide chain leading to aggregation but also avoid toxicity resulting from the dissociation of tau from microtubules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Hu
- School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Danjing Yang
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Ying Tu
- School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Keke Chai
- School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Lei Chu
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Shuo Shi
- School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
| | - Tianming Yao
- School of Chemical Science and Engineering, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
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Zaib S, Munir R, Younas MT, Kausar N, Ibrar A, Aqsa S, Shahid N, Asif TT, Alsaab HO, Khan I. Hybrid Quinoline-Thiosemicarbazone Therapeutics as a New Treatment Opportunity for Alzheimer's Disease‒Synthesis, In Vitro Cholinesterase Inhibitory Potential and Computational Modeling Analysis. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26216573. [PMID: 34770983 PMCID: PMC8587653 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26216573] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 10/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder and the leading cause of dementia worldwide. The limited pharmacological approaches based on cholinesterase inhibitors only provide symptomatic relief to AD patients. Moreover, the adverse side effects such as nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, muscle cramps, and headaches associated with these drugs and numerous clinical trial failures present substantial limitations on the use of medications and call for a detailed insight of disease heterogeneity and development of preventive and multifactorial therapeutic strategies on urgent basis. In this context, we herein report a series of quinoline-thiosemicarbazone hybrid therapeutics as selective and potent inhibitors of cholinesterases. A facile multistep synthetic approach was utilized to generate target structures bearing multiple sites for chemical modifications and establishing drug-receptor interactions. The structures of all the synthesized compounds were fully established using readily available spectroscopic techniques (FTIR, 1H- and 13C-NMR). In vitro inhibitory results revealed compound 5b as a promising and lead inhibitor with an IC50 value of 0.12 ± 0.02 μM, a 5-fold higher potency than standard drug (galantamine; IC50 = 0.62 ± 0.01 μM). The synergistic effect of electron-rich (methoxy) group and ethylmorpholine moiety in quinoline-thiosemicarbazone conjugates contributes significantly in improving the inhibition level. Molecular docking analysis revealed various vital interactions of potent compounds with amino acid residues and reinforced the in vitro results. Kinetics experiments revealed the competitive mode of inhibition while ADME properties favored the translation of identified inhibitors into safe and promising drug candidates for pre-clinical testing. Collectively, inhibitory activity data and results from key physicochemical properties merit further research to ensure the design and development of safe and high-quality drug candidates for Alzheimer’s disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumera Zaib
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan;
- Correspondence: (S.Z.); (R.M.); (I.K.)
| | - Rubina Munir
- Department of Chemistry, Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; (S.A.); (N.S.); (T.T.A.)
- Correspondence: (S.Z.); (R.M.); (I.K.)
| | - Muhammad Tayyab Younas
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Central Punjab, Lahore 54590, Pakistan;
| | - Naghmana Kausar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Gujrat, Gujrat 50700, Pakistan;
| | - Aliya Ibrar
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences, The University of Haripur, Haripur 22620, Pakistan;
| | - Sehar Aqsa
- Department of Chemistry, Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; (S.A.); (N.S.); (T.T.A.)
| | - Noorma Shahid
- Department of Chemistry, Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; (S.A.); (N.S.); (T.T.A.)
| | - Tahira Tasneem Asif
- Department of Chemistry, Kinnaird College for Women, Lahore 54000, Pakistan; (S.A.); (N.S.); (T.T.A.)
| | - Hashem O. Alsaab
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia;
| | - Imtiaz Khan
- Department of Chemistry, Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, The University of Manchester, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, UK
- Correspondence: (S.Z.); (R.M.); (I.K.)
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Ling Y, Hao ZY, Liang D, Zhang CL, Liu YF, Wang Y. The Expanding Role of Pyridine and Dihydropyridine Scaffolds in Drug Design. DRUG DESIGN DEVELOPMENT AND THERAPY 2021; 15:4289-4338. [PMID: 34675489 PMCID: PMC8520849 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s329547] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Pyridine-based ring systems are one of the most extensively used heterocycles in the field of drug design, primarily due to their profound effect on pharmacological activity, which has led to the discovery of numerous broad-spectrum therapeutic agents. In the US FDA database, there are 95 approved pharmaceuticals that stem from pyridine or dihydropyridine, including isoniazid and ethionamide (tuberculosis), delavirdine (HIV/AIDS), abiraterone acetate (prostate cancer), tacrine (Alzheimer's), ciclopirox (ringworm and athlete's foot), crizotinib (cancer), nifedipine (Raynaud's syndrome and premature birth), piroxicam (NSAID for arthritis), nilvadipine (hypertension), roflumilast (COPD), pyridostigmine (myasthenia gravis), and many more. Their remarkable therapeutic applications have encouraged researchers to prepare a larger number of biologically active compounds decorated with pyridine or dihydropyridine, expandeing the scope of finding a cure for other ailments. It is thus anticipated that myriad new pharmaceuticals containing the two heterocycles will be available in the forthcoming decade. This review examines the prospects of highly potent bioactive molecules to emphasize the advantages of using pyridine and dihydropyridine in drug design. We cover the most recent developments from 2010 to date, highlighting the ever-expanding role of both scaffolds in the field of medicinal chemistry and drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Ling
- Department of Pharmacy, The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao, Shandong, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhi-You Hao
- School of Pharmacy, Henan University of Chinese Medicine, Zhengzhou, Henan, People's Republic of China
| | - Dong Liang
- State Key Laboratory for Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources, School of Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin, Guangxi, People's Republic of China
| | - Chun-Lei Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Provincial Key Laboratory for TCM Evaluation and Translational Development, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, Jiangsu, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan-Fei Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substance and Function of Natural Medicines, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan Wang
- HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry, International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, University of Karachi, Karachi, Pakistan.,Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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All Roads Lead to Rome: Different Molecular Players Converge to Common Toxic Pathways in Neurodegeneration. Cells 2021; 10:cells10092438. [PMID: 34572087 PMCID: PMC8468417 DOI: 10.3390/cells10092438] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Multiple neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Parkinson’s disease (PD), amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and Huntington’s disease (HD) are being suggested to have common cellular and molecular pathological mechanisms, characterized mainly by protein misfolding and aggregation. These large inclusions, most likely, represent an end stage of a molecular cascade; however, the soluble misfolded proteins, which take part in earlier steps of this cascade, are the more toxic players. These pathological proteins, which characterize each specific disease, lead to the selective vulnerability of different neurons, likely resulting from a combination of different intracellular mechanisms, including mitochondrial dysfunction, ER stress, proteasome inhibition, excitotoxicity, oxidative damage, defects in nucleocytoplasmic transport, defective axonal transport and neuroinflammation. Damage within these neurons is enhanced by damage from the nonneuronal cells, via inflammatory processes that accelerate the progression of these diseases. In this review, while acknowledging the hallmark proteins which characterize the most common NDDs; we place specific focus on the common overlapping mechanisms leading to disease pathology despite these different molecular players and discuss how this convergence may occur, with the ultimate hope that therapies effective in one disease may successfully translate to another.
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Sabnis RW. Benzo[d]thiazol-5-yl Compounds as O-GlcNAcase Inhibitors for Treating Alzheimer's Disease. ACS Med Chem Lett 2021; 12:947-948. [PMID: 34141076 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.1c00259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Ram W. Sabnis
- Smith, Gambrell & Russell LLP, 1230 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 3100, Atlanta, Georgia 30309, United States
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Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of (Piperidin-1-yl)quinolin-3-yl)methylene)hydrazinecarbothioamides as Potent Inhibitors of Cholinesterases: A Biochemical and In Silico Approach. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26030656. [PMID: 33513837 PMCID: PMC7866225 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26030656] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/07/2021] [Revised: 01/22/2021] [Accepted: 01/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a progressive neurodegenerative disorder, characterized by central cognitive dysfunction, memory loss, and intellectual decline poses a major public health problem affecting millions of people around the globe. Despite several clinically approved drugs and development of anti-Alzheimer’s heterocyclic structural leads, the treatment of AD requires safer hybrid therapeutics with characteristic structural and biochemical properties. In this endeavor, we herein report a microwave-assisted synthesis of a library of quinoline thiosemicarbazones endowed with a piperidine moiety, achieved via the condensation of 6/8-methyl-2-(piperidin-1-yl)quinoline-3-carbaldehydes and (un)substituted thiosemicarbazides. The target N-heterocyclic products were isolated in excellent yields. The structures of all the synthesized compounds were fully established using readily available spectroscopic techniques (FTIR, 1H- and 13C-NMR). Anti-Alzheimer potential of the synthesized heterocyclic compounds was evaluated using acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) enzymes. The in vitro biochemical assay results revealed several compounds as potent inhibitors of both enzymes. Among them, five compounds exhibited IC50 values less than 20 μM. N-(3-chlorophenyl)-2-((8-methyl-2-(piperidin-1-yl)quinolin-3-yl)methylene)hydrazine carbothioamide emerged as the most potent dual inhibitor of AChE and BChE with IC50 values of 9.68 and 11.59 μM, respectively. Various informative structure–activity relationship (SAR) analyses were also concluded indicating the critical role of substitution pattern on the inhibitory efficacy of the tested derivatives. In vitro results were further validated through molecular docking analysis where interactive behavior of the potent inhibitors within the active pocket of enzymes was established. Quinoline thiosemicarbazones were also tested for their cytotoxicity using MTT assay against HepG2 cells. Among the 26 novel compounds, there were five cytotoxical and 18 showed proliferative properties.
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