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Diaz AP, Canal CAM, Valdés AJ, Delgado JEG, Varela-M RE. GSK-3 kinase a putative therapeutic target in trypanosomatid parasites. Braz J Infect Dis 2024; 28:103736. [PMID: 38467387 PMCID: PMC10955101 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjid.2024.103736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 02/11/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Trypanosomatids are an important group of parasites that predominate in tropical and subtropical areas of the planet, which cause diseases that are classified as forgotten and neglected by the world health organization. In this group of parasites, we find Trypanosoma cruzi, Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense and Leishmania spp, for which there is no vaccine available, and its control has focused mainly on pharmacological treatment. Due to the poverty situation where these diseases are found and the biological complexity of these parasites, there are multiple variables to control, including the diversity of species, the complexity of their life cycles, drug resistance, cytotoxicity, the limited use in pregnant women, the high costs of treatment and the little-known pharmacological mechanisms of action, among others. It is therefore necessary to find new strategies and approaches for the treatment of these parasitic diseases. Among these new approaches is the rational search for new targets based on the allosteric inhibition of protein kinases, which have been little studied in trypanosomatids. Among these kinases, we find Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 (GSK-3), a kinase of great pharmacological interest, which is under intense basic and clinical research by pharmaceutical companies for the treatment of cancer. This kinase, highly studied in the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway signaling in humans, has an orthologous gene in these parasites (GSK-3 s), which has proven to be essential for them in response to different challenges; Therefore, it is notable to increase research in this kinase in order to achieve a broad structural and functional characterization in the different species of trypanosomatids.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - R E Varela-M
- Laboratory of Parasitology and Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Basic Sciences, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Cali, Colombia.
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Danazumi AU, Ishmam IT, Idris S, Izert MA, Balogun EO, Górna MW. Targeted protein degradation might present a novel therapeutic approach in the fight against African trypanosomiasis. Eur J Pharm Sci 2023; 186:106451. [PMID: 37088149 PMCID: PMC11032742 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejps.2023.106451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Revised: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 04/20/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
African trypanosomiasis (AT) is a hemoparasitic disease caused by infection with African trypanosomes and it is prevalent in many sub-Saharan African countries, affecting both humans and domestic animals. The disease is transmitted mostly by haematophagous insects of the genus Glossina while taking blood meal, in the process spreading the parasites from an infected animal to an uninfected animal. The disease is fatal if untreated, and the available drugs are generally ineffective and resulting in toxicities. Therefore, it is still pertinent to explore novel methods and targets for drug discovery. Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) present a new strategy for development of therapeutic molecules that mimic cellular proteasomal-mediated protein degradation to target proteins involved in different disease types. PROTACs have been used to degrade proteins involved in various cancers, neurodegenerative diseases, and immune disorders with remarkable success. Here, we highlight the problems associated with the current treatments for AT, discuss the concept of PROTACs and associated targeted protein degradation (TPD) approaches, and provide some insights on the future potential for the use of these emerging technologies (PROTACs and TPD) for the development of new generation of anti-Trypanosoma drugs and the first "TrypPROTACs".
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Affiliation(s)
- Ammar Usman Danazumi
- Biological and Chemical Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland; Faculty of Chemistry, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland; Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
| | | | - Salisu Idris
- Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - Matylda Anna Izert
- Biological and Chemical Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland
| | - Emmanuel Oluwadare Balogun
- Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria; African Centre of Excellence for Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
| | - Maria Wiktoria Górna
- Biological and Chemical Research Centre, Department of Chemistry, University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
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Sebastián-Pérez V, Martínez de Iturrate P, Nácher-Vázquez M, Nóvoa L, Pérez C, Campillo NE, Gil C, Rivas L. Naphthoquinone as a New Chemical Scaffold for Leishmanicidal Inhibitors of Leishmania GSK-3. Biomedicines 2022; 10:biomedicines10051136. [PMID: 35625873 PMCID: PMC9139002 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines10051136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 05/05/2022] [Accepted: 05/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/10/2022] Open
Abstract
More than 1 billion people live in areas endemic for leishmaniasis, which is a relevant threat for public health worldwide. Due to the inadequate treatments, there is an urgent need to develop novel alternative drugs and to validate new targets to fight this disease. One appealing approach is the selective inhibition of protein kinases (PKs), enzymes involved in a wide range of processes along the life cycle of Leishmania. Several PKs, including glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3), have been validated as essential for this parasite by genetic or pharmacological methods. Recently, novel chemical scaffolds have been uncovered as Leishmania GSK-3 inhibitors with antiparasitic activity. In order to find new inhibitors of this enzyme, a virtual screening of our in-house chemical library was carried out on the structure of the Leishmania GSK-3. The virtual hits identified were experimentally assayed both for leishmanicidal activity and for in vitro inhibition of the enzyme. The best hits have a quinone scaffold. Their optimization through a medicinal chemistry approach led to a set of new compounds, provided a frame to establish biochemical and antiparasitic structure–activity relationships, and delivered molecules with an improved selectivity index. Altogether, this study paves the way for a systemic search of this class of inhibitors for further development as potential leishmanicidal drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victor Sebastián-Pérez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB-CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (V.S.-P.); (P.M.d.I.); (M.N.-V.); (L.N.); (N.E.C.)
| | - Paula Martínez de Iturrate
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB-CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (V.S.-P.); (P.M.d.I.); (M.N.-V.); (L.N.); (N.E.C.)
| | - Montserrat Nácher-Vázquez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB-CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (V.S.-P.); (P.M.d.I.); (M.N.-V.); (L.N.); (N.E.C.)
| | - Luis Nóvoa
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB-CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (V.S.-P.); (P.M.d.I.); (M.N.-V.); (L.N.); (N.E.C.)
| | | | - Nuria E. Campillo
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB-CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (V.S.-P.); (P.M.d.I.); (M.N.-V.); (L.N.); (N.E.C.)
| | - Carmen Gil
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB-CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (V.S.-P.); (P.M.d.I.); (M.N.-V.); (L.N.); (N.E.C.)
- Correspondence: (C.G.); (L.R.)
| | - Luis Rivas
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas Margarita Salas (CIB-CSIC), 28040 Madrid, Spain; (V.S.-P.); (P.M.d.I.); (M.N.-V.); (L.N.); (N.E.C.)
- Correspondence: (C.G.); (L.R.)
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Recent Progress in the Development of Indole-Based Compounds Active against Malaria, Trypanosomiasis and Leishmaniasis. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27010319. [PMID: 35011552 PMCID: PMC8746838 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27010319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/01/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Human protozoan diseases represent a serious health problem worldwide, affecting mainly people in social and economic vulnerability. These diseases have attracted little investment in drug discovery, which is reflected in the limited available therapeutic arsenal. Authorized drugs present problems such as low efficacy in some stages of the disease or toxicity, which result in undesirable side effects and treatment abandonment. Moreover, the emergence of drug-resistant parasite strains makes necessary an even greater effort to develop safe and effective antiparasitic agents. Among the chemotypes investigated for parasitic diseases, the indole nucleus has emerged as a privileged molecular scaffold for the generation of new drug candidates. In this review, the authors provide an overview of the indole-based compounds developed against important parasitic diseases, namely malaria, trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis, by focusing on the design, optimization and synthesis of the most relevant synthetic indole scaffolds recently reported.
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Ochoa R, Ortega-Pajares A, Castello FA, Serral F, Fernández Do Porto D, Villa-Pulgarin JA, Varela-M RE, Muskus C. Identification of Potential Kinase Inhibitors within the PI3K/AKT Pathway of Leishmania Species. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11071037. [PMID: 34356660 PMCID: PMC8301987 DOI: 10.3390/biom11071037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a public health disease that requires the development of more effective treatments and the identification of novel molecular targets. Since blocking the PI3K/AKT pathway has been successfully studied as an effective anticancer strategy for decades, we examined whether the same approach would also be feasible in Leishmania due to their high amount and diverse set of annotated proteins. Here, we used a best reciprocal hits protocol to identify potential protein kinase homologues in an annotated human PI3K/AKT pathway. We calculated their ligandibility based on available bioactivity data of the reported homologues and modelled their 3D structures to estimate the druggability of their binding pockets. The models were used to run a virtual screening method with molecular docking. We found and studied five protein kinases in five different Leishmania species, which are AKT, CDK, AMPK, mTOR and GSK3 homologues from the studied pathways. The compounds found for different enzymes and species were analysed and suggested as starting point scaffolds for the design of inhibitors. We studied the kinases’ participation in protein–protein interaction networks, and the potential deleterious effects, if inhibited, were supported with the literature. In the case of Leishmania GSK3, an inhibitor of its human counterpart, prioritized by our method, was validated in vitro to test its anti-Leishmania activity and indirectly infer the presence of the enzyme in the parasite. The analysis contributes to improving the knowledge about the presence of similar signalling pathways in Leishmania, as well as the discovery of compounds acting against any of these kinases as potential molecular targets in the parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rodrigo Ochoa
- Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales PECET, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia;
- Biophysics of Tropical Diseases Max Planck Tandem Group, University of Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia
- Correspondence: (R.O.); (R.E.V.-M.)
| | - Amaya Ortega-Pajares
- Department of Medicine, The Peter Doherty Institute, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia;
| | - Florencia A. Castello
- Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), IC-CONICET Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellon 2, Ciudad de Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina; (F.A.C.); (F.S.); (D.F.D.P.)
| | - Federico Serral
- Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), IC-CONICET Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellon 2, Ciudad de Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina; (F.A.C.); (F.S.); (D.F.D.P.)
| | - Darío Fernández Do Porto
- Instituto de Química Biológica de la Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales (IQUIBICEN), IC-CONICET Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellon 2, Ciudad de Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina; (F.A.C.); (F.S.); (D.F.D.P.)
- Departamento de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires Ciudad Universitaria, Pabellon 2, Ciudad de Buenos Aires C1428EHA, Argentina
| | - Janny A. Villa-Pulgarin
- Grupo de Investigaciones Biomédicas, Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Corporación Universitaria Remington, Medellín 050034, Colombia;
| | - Rubén E. Varela-M
- Grupo de Investigación en Química y Biotecnología (QUIBIO), Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Cali 760035, Colombia
- Correspondence: (R.O.); (R.E.V.-M.)
| | - Carlos Muskus
- Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales PECET, Faculty of Medicine, University of Antioquia, Medellín 050010, Colombia;
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Wu K, Zhai X, Huang S, Jiang L, Yu Z, Huang J. Protein Kinases: Potential Drug Targets Against Schistosoma japonicum. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2021; 11:691757. [PMID: 34277472 PMCID: PMC8282181 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2021.691757] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosoma japonicum (S. japonicum) infection can induce serious organ damage and cause schistosomiasis japonica which is mainly prevalent in Asia and currently one of the most seriously neglected tropical diseases. Treatment of schistosomiasis largely depends on the drug praziquantel (PZQ). However, PZQ exhibits low killing efficacy on juvenile worms and the potential emergence of its drug resistance is a continual concern. Protein kinases (PKs) are enzymes that catalyze the phosphorylation of proteins and can participate in many signaling pathways in vivo. Recent studies confirmed the essential roles of PKs in the growth and development of S. japonicum, as well as in schistosome-host interactions, and researches have screened drug targets about PKs from S. japonicum (SjPKs), which provide new opportunities of developing new treatments on schistosomiasis. The aim of this review is to present the current progress on SjPKs from classification, different functions and their potential to become drug targets compared with other schistosomes. The efficiency of related protein kinase inhibitors on schistosomes is highlighted. Finally, the current challenges and problems in the study of SjPKs are proposed, which can provide future guidance for developing anti-schistosomiasis drugs and vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaijuan Wu
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China.,China-Africa Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Xingyu Zhai
- China-Africa Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Shuaiqin Huang
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Liping Jiang
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China.,China-Africa Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Zheng Yu
- China-Africa Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Central South University, Changsha, China.,Department of Microbiology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jing Huang
- Department of Parasitology, School of Basic Medical Science, Central South University, Changsha, China.,China-Africa Research Center of Infectious Diseases, Central South University, Changsha, China
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Efstathiou A, Smirlis D. Leishmania Protein Kinases: Important Regulators of the Parasite Life Cycle and Molecular Targets for Treating Leishmaniasis. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9040691. [PMID: 33801655 PMCID: PMC8066228 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9040691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmania is a protozoan parasite of the trypanosomatid family, causing a wide range of diseases with different clinical manifestations including cutaneous, mucocutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. According to WHO, one billion people are at risk of Leishmania infection as they live in endemic areas while there are 12 million infected people worldwide. Annually, 0.9-1.6 million new infections are reported and 20-50 thousand deaths occur due to Leishmania infection. As current chemotherapy for treating leishmaniasis exhibits numerous drawbacks and due to the lack of effective human vaccine, there is an urgent need to develop new antileishmanial therapy treatment. To this end, eukaryotic protein kinases can be ideal target candidates for rational drug design against leishmaniasis. Eukaryotic protein kinases mediate signal transduction through protein phosphorylation and their inhibition is anticipated to be disease modifying as they regulate all essential processes for Leishmania viability and completion of the parasitic life cycle including cell-cycle progression, differentiation and virulence. This review highlights existing knowledge concerning the exploitation of Leishmania protein kinases as molecular targets to treat leishmaniasis and the current knowledge of their role in the biology of Leishmania spp. and in the regulation of signalling events that promote parasite survival in the insect vector or the mammalian host.
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Karampetsou K, Koutsoni OS, Gogou G, Angelis A, Skaltsounis LA, Dotsika E. Total Phenolic Fraction (TPF) from Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Induction of apoptotic-like cell death in Leishmania spp. promastigotes and in vivo potential of therapeutic immunomodulation. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0008968. [PMID: 33428610 PMCID: PMC7799795 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008968] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Leishmaniasis is a serious multifactorial parasitic disease with limited treatment options. Current chemotherapy is mainly consisted of drugs with serious drawbacks such as toxicity, variable efficacy and resistance. Alternative bioactive phytocompounds may provide a promising source for discovering new anti-leishmanial drugs. Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO), a key-product in the Mediterranean diet, is rich in phenols which are associated with anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer and anti-microbial effects. In this study, we investigate the anti-leishmanial effect of Total Phenolic Fraction (TPF) derived from EVOO in both in vitro and in vivo systems by investigating the contributing mechanism of action. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We tested the ability of TPF to cause apoptotic-like programmed cell death in L. infantum and L. major exponential-phase promastigotes by evaluating several apoptotic indices, such as reduction of proliferation rate, sub-G0/G1 phase cell cycle arrest, phosphatidylserine externalization, mitochondrial transmembrane potential disruption and increased ROS production, by using flow cytometry and microscopy techniques. Moreover, we assessed the therapeutic effect of TPF in L. major-infected BALB/c mice by determining skin lesions, parasite burden in popliteal lymph nodes, Leishmania-specific antibodies and biomarkers of tissue site cellular immune response, five weeks post-treatment termination. Our results show that TPF triggers cell-cycle arrest and apoptotic-like changes in Leishmania spp. promastigotes. Moreover, TPF treatment induces significant reduction of parasite burden in draining lymph nodes together with an antibody profile indicative of the polarization of Th1/Th2 immune balance towards the protective Th1-type response, characterized by the presence of IFN-γ-producing CD4+ T-cells and increased Tbx21/GATA-3 gene expression ratio in splenocytes. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE TPF exhibits chemotherapeutic anti-leishmanial activity by inducing programmed cell death on cell-free promastigotes and immunomodulatory properties that induce in vivo T cell-mediated responses towards the protective Th1 response in experimental cutaneous leishmaniasis. These findings enable deeper understanding of TPF's dual mode of action that encourages further studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kalliopi Karampetsou
- Laboratory of Cellular Immunology, Department of Microbiology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
- Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Product Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Olga S. Koutsoni
- Laboratory of Cellular Immunology, Department of Microbiology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Georgia Gogou
- Laboratory of Cellular Immunology, Department of Microbiology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
- Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Product Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Apostolis Angelis
- Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Product Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Leandros-Alexios Skaltsounis
- Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Product Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Eleni Dotsika
- Laboratory of Cellular Immunology, Department of Microbiology, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
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Liu J, Li H, Xia T, Du P, Giri B, Li X, Li X, Cheng G. Identification of Schistosoma japonicum GSK3β interacting partners by yeast two-hybrid screening and its role in parasite survival. Parasitol Res 2020; 119:2217-2226. [PMID: 32500370 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-020-06731-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/25/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Schistosoma is the causative agent of schistosomiasis, a common infectious disease distributed worldwide. Our previous phosphoproteomic analysis suggested that glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3), a conserved protein kinase in eukaryotes, is likely involved in protein phosphorylation of Schistosoma japonicum. Here, we aimed to identify the interacting partners of S. japonicum GSK3β (SjGSK3β) and to evaluate its role in parasite survival. Toward these ends, we determined the transcription levels of SjGSK3β at different developmental stages and identified its interacting partners of SjGSK3β by screening a yeast two-hybrid S. japonicum cDNA library. We further used RNA interference (RNAi) to inhibit the expression of SjGSK3β in adult worms in vitro and examined the resultant changes in transcription of its putative interacting proteins and in worm viability compared with those of control worms. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain analysis indicated that SjGSK3β is expressed throughout the life cycle of S. japonicum, with higher expression levels detected in the eggs and relatively higher expression level found in male worms than in female worms. By screening the yeast two-hybrid library, eight proteins were identified as potentially interacting with SjGSK3β including cell division cycle 37 homolog (Cdc37), 14-3-3 protein, tegument antigen (I(H)A), V-ATPase proteolipid subunit, myosin alkali light chain 1, and three proteins without recognized functional domains. In addition, SjGSK3β RNAi reduced the SjGSK3β gene transcript level, leading to a significant decrease in kinase activity, cell viability, and worm survival. Collectively, these findings suggested that SjGSK3β may interact with its partner proteins to influence worm survival by regulating kinase activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyi Liu
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Huimin Li
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Tianqi Xia
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Pengfei Du
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Bikash Giri
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Xue Li
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Xuxin Li
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Guofeng Cheng
- Shanghai Veterinary Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Key Laboratory of Animal Parasitology, Ministry of Agriculture, 518 Ziyue Road, Shanghai, 200241, China.
- Tongji University of School of Medicine, #1239 Si-Ping Road, Shanghai, 200092, China.
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Waltero C, Martins R, Calixto C, da Fonseca RN, Abreu LAD, da Silva Vaz I, Logullo C. The hallmarks of GSK-3 in morphogenesis and embryonic development metabolism in arthropods. INSECT BIOCHEMISTRY AND MOLECULAR BIOLOGY 2020; 118:103307. [PMID: 31857215 DOI: 10.1016/j.ibmb.2019.103307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2019] [Revised: 11/26/2019] [Accepted: 12/13/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Several research groups around the world have studied diverse aspects of energy metabolism in arthropod disease vectors, with the aim of discovering potential control targets. As in all oviparous organisms, arthropod embryonic development is characterized by the mobilization of maternally-derived metabolites for the formation of new tissues and organs. Glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) is a serine-threonine kinase described as an important regulator of metabolism and development in a wide range of organisms. GSK-3 was first identified based on its action upon glycogen synthase, a central enzyme in glycogen biosynthesis. Currently, it is recognized as a key component of multiple cellular processes such as glucose metabolism, apoptosis, cell proliferation, transcription, cell migration, and immune response. The present review will describe the current knowledge on GSK-3 activation and its role in morphogenesis and embryonic metabolism in arthropods. Altogether, the information discussed here can spark new approaches and strategies for further studies, enhancing our understanding of these important arthropod vectors and strengthening the resources in the search for novel control methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila Waltero
- Instituto de Biodiversidade e Sustentabilidade NUPEM, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Renato Martins
- Instituto de Biodiversidade e Sustentabilidade NUPEM, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Christiano Calixto
- Instituto de Biodiversidade e Sustentabilidade NUPEM, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Rodrigo Nunes da Fonseca
- Instituto de Biodiversidade e Sustentabilidade NUPEM, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Brazil
| | - Leonardo Araujo de Abreu
- Instituto de Biodiversidade e Sustentabilidade NUPEM, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Brazil
| | - Itabajara da Silva Vaz
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Brazil; Centro de Biotecnologia and Faculdade de Veterinária, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Carlos Logullo
- Instituto de Biodiversidade e Sustentabilidade NUPEM, Instituto de Bioquímica Médica Leopoldo de Meis, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Entomologia Molecular (INCT-EM), Brazil.
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11
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Kwofie SK, Broni E, Dankwa B, Enninful KS, Kwarko GB, Darko L, Durvasula R, Kempaiah P, Rathi B, Miller Iii WA, Yaya A, Wilson MD. Outwitting an Old Neglected Nemesis: A Review on Leveraging Integrated Data-Driven Approaches to Aid in Unraveling of Leishmanicides of Therapeutic Potential. Curr Top Med Chem 2020; 20:349-366. [PMID: 31994465 DOI: 10.2174/1568026620666200128160454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 09/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The global prevalence of leishmaniasis has increased with skyrocketed mortality in the past decade. The causative agent of leishmaniasis is Leishmania species, which infects populations in almost all the continents. Prevailing treatment regimens are consistently inefficient with reported side effects, toxicity and drug resistance. This review complements existing ones by discussing the current state of treatment options, therapeutic bottlenecks including chemoresistance and toxicity, as well as drug targets. It further highlights innovative applications of nanotherapeutics-based formulations, inhibitory potential of leishmanicides, anti-microbial peptides and organometallic compounds on leishmanial species. Moreover, it provides essential insights into recent machine learning-based models that have been used to predict novel leishmanicides and also discusses other new models that could be adopted to develop fast, efficient, robust and novel algorithms to aid in unraveling the next generation of anti-leishmanial drugs. A plethora of enriched functional genomic, proteomic, structural biology, high throughput bioassay and drug-related datasets are currently warehoused in both general and leishmania-specific databases. The warehoused datasets are essential inputs for training and testing algorithms to augment the prediction of biotherapeutic entities. In addition, we demonstrate how pharmacoinformatics techniques including ligand-, structure- and pharmacophore-based virtual screening approaches have been utilized to screen ligand libraries against both modeled and experimentally solved 3D structures of essential drug targets. In the era of data-driven decision-making, we believe that highlighting intricately linked topical issues relevant to leishmanial drug discovery offers a one-stop-shop opportunity to decipher critical literature with the potential to unlock implicit breakthroughs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samuel K Kwofie
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic & Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, PMB LG 77, Legon, Accra, Ghana.,West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana.,Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, United States
| | - Emmanuel Broni
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic & Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, PMB LG 77, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Bismark Dankwa
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), College of Health Sciences (CHS), University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Kweku S Enninful
- Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), College of Health Sciences (CHS), University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Gabriel B Kwarko
- West African Center for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra, Ghana
| | - Louis Darko
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic & Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, PMB LG 77, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Ravi Durvasula
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, United States
| | - Prakasha Kempaiah
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, United States
| | - Brijesh Rathi
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, United States.,Department of Chemistry, Hansraj College University Enclave, University of Delhi, Delhi, 110007, India
| | - Whelton A Miller Iii
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, United States.,Department of Chemistry, Physics, & Engineering, Lincoln University, Lincoln University, PA 19352, United States.,Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, School of Engineering and Applied Science, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, United States
| | - Abu Yaya
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, College of Basic & Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Ghana
| | - Michael D Wilson
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, IL 60153, United States.,Department of Parasitology, Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research (NMIMR), College of Health Sciences (CHS), University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
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12
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Martínez de Iturrate P, Sebastián-Pérez V, Nácher-Vázquez M, Tremper CS, Smirlis D, Martín J, Martínez A, Campillo NE, Rivas L, Gil C. Towards discovery of new leishmanicidal scaffolds able to inhibit Leishmania GSK-3. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2020; 35:199-210. [PMID: 31752556 PMCID: PMC6882465 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2019.1693704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous reports have validated the glycogen synthase kinase-3 (GSK-3) as a druggable target against the human protozoan parasite Leishmania. This prompted us to search for new leishmanicidal scaffolds as inhibitors of this enzyme from our in-house library of human GSK-3β inhibitors, as well as from the Leishbox collection of leishmanicidal compounds developed by GlaxoSmithKline. As a result, new leishmanicidal inhibitors acting on Leishmania GSK-3 at micromolar concentrations were found. These inhibitors belong to six different chemical classes (thiadiazolidindione, halomethylketone, maleimide, benzoimidazole, N-phenylpyrimidine-2-amine and oxadiazole). In addition, the binding mode of the most active compounds into Leishmania GSK-3 was approached using computational tools. On the whole, we have uncovered new chemical scaffolds with an appealing prospective in the development and use of Leishmania GSK-3 inhibitors against this infectious protozoan.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Despina Smirlis
- Microbiology Department, Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Julio Martín
- Global Health R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - Ana Martínez
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CIB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | | | - Luis Rivas
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CIB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Carmen Gil
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CIB-CSIC), Madrid, Spain
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13
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EFSTATHIOU ANTONIA, Smirlis D. A Radioactive-free Kinase Inhibitor Discovery Assay Against the Trypanosoma brucei Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 short (TbGSK-3s). Bio Protoc 2020; 10:e3493. [DOI: 10.21769/bioprotoc.3493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 12/29/2019] [Accepted: 12/11/2019] [Indexed: 11/02/2022] Open
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14
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Rahman MK, You M. Molecular cloning and transcriptional and functional analysis of glycogen synthase kinase-3β in Haemaphysalis longicornis (Acari, Ixodidae). ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 26:39. [PMID: 31294687 PMCID: PMC6621911 DOI: 10.1051/parasite/2019038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK-3), which belongs to the serine/threonine kinase family, regulates glycogen metabolism, Wnt signaling, hormonal regulation, and embryonic development in many eukaryotes. Here, we cloned a complete open reading frame (ORF) of glycogen synthase kinase 3β (GSK-3β) from Haemaphysalis longicornis and characterized its transcriptional and functional status. The ORF of GSK-3β possesses 1242 nucleotides encoding a mature protein of 413 amino acid residues. GSK-3β nucleotide and protein sequences are highly conserved among different vertebrate and invertebrate animals, with identity between 47.8–100% and 63.2–88.7%, respectively. Sequence comparison showed one signature domain between the residues of 51 and 335 amino acids, which was identified as a protein kinase (serine/threonine). RT-PCR showed GSK-3β mRNA present in all developmental stages of H. longicornis. Interestingly, a higher transcript level was observed in nymph and 7-day-old eggs compared with others by real-time PCR, indicating a role of GSK-3β in the early stages of life. The functional status of GSK-3β was characterized by RNA interference (RNAi) and caused significant (p < 0.05) reduction in feeding and reproduction, as well as an abnormality in eggs and hatching. Taken together, our results suggest that GSK-3β may be an important candidate for a multiple antigen vaccine for controlling the tick population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md Khalesur Rahman
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-Safety Research Centre, Chonbuk National University, Iksan 54596, Republic of Korea - Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, Hajee Mohammad Danesh Science and Technology University, Dinajpur 5200, Bangladesh
| | - Myungjo You
- Laboratory of Veterinary Parasitology, College of Veterinary Medicine and Bio-Safety Research Centre, Chonbuk National University, Iksan 54596, Republic of Korea
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15
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Indirubin Analogues Inhibit Trypanosoma brucei Glycogen Synthase Kinase 3 Short and T. brucei Growth. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2019; 63:AAC.02065-18. [PMID: 30910902 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02065-18] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2018] [Accepted: 03/14/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei is the causative agent of human African trypanosomiasis (HAT). The disease is fatal if it remains untreated, whereas most drug treatments are inadequate due to high toxicity, difficulties in administration, and low central nervous system penetration. T. brucei glycogen synthase kinase 3 short (TbGSK3s) is essential for parasite survival and thus represents a potential drug target that could be exploited for HAT treatment. Indirubins, effective leishmanicidals, provide a versatile scaffold for the development of potent GSK3 inhibitors. Herein, we report on the screening of 69 indirubin analogues against T. brucei bloodstream forms. Of these, 32 compounds had potent antitrypanosomal activity (half-maximal effective concentration = 0.050 to 3.2 μM) and good selectivity for the analogues over human HepG2 cells (range, 7.4- to over 641-fold). The majority of analogues were potent inhibitors of TbGSK3s, and correlation studies for an indirubin subset, namely, the 6-bromosubstituted 3'-oxime bearing an extra bulky substituent on the 3' oxime [(6-BIO-3'-bulky)-substituted indirubins], revealed a positive correlation between kinase inhibition and antitrypanosomal activity. Insights into this indirubin-TbGSK3s interaction were provided by structure-activity relationship studies. Comparison between 6-BIO-3'-bulky-substituted indirubin-treated parasites and parasites silenced for TbGSK3s by RNA interference suggested that the above-described compounds may target TbGSK3s in vivo To further understand the molecular basis of the growth arrest brought about by the inhibition or ablation of TbGSK3s, we investigated the intracellular localization of TbGSK3s. TbGSK3s was present in cytoskeletal structures, including the flagellum and basal body area. Overall, these results give insights into the mode of action of 6-BIO-3'-bulky-substituted indirubins that are promising hits for antitrypanosomal drug discovery.
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16
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Efstathiou A, Meira CS, Gaboriaud-Kolar N, Bastos TM, Rocha VPC, Vougogiannopoulou K, Skaltsounis AL, Smirlis D, Soares MBP. Indirubin derivatives are potent and selective anti-Trypanosoma cruzi agents. Virulence 2019; 9:1658-1668. [PMID: 30387370 PMCID: PMC7000199 DOI: 10.1080/21505594.2018.1532242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Current treatment for combatting Chagas disease, a life-threatening illness caused by the kinetoplastid protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi is inadequate, and thus the discovery of new antiparasitic compounds is of prime importance. Previous studies identified the indirubins, a class of ATP kinase inhibitors, as potent growth inhibitors of the related kinetoplastid Leishmania. Herein, we evaluated the inhibitory activity of a series of 69 indirubin analogues screened against T. cruzi trypomastigotes and intracellular amastigotes. Seven indirubins were identified as potent T. cruzi inhibitors (low μΜ, nM range). Cell death analysis of specific compounds [3'oxime-6-bromoindirubin(6-BIO) analogues 10, 11 and 17, bearing a bulky extension on the oxime moiety and one 7 substituted analogue 32], as evaluated by electron microscopy and flow cytometry, showed a different mode of action between compound 32 compared to the three 6-BIO oxime- substituted indirubins, suggesting that indirubins may kill the parasite by different mechanisms dependent on their substitution. Moreover, the efficacy of four compounds that show the most potent anti-parasitic effect in both trypomastigotes and intracellular amastigotes (10, 11, 17, 32), was evaluated in a mouse model of T. cruzi infection. Compound 11 (3ʹpiperazine-6-BIO) displayed the best in vivo efficacy (1/6 mortality, 94.5% blood parasitaemia reduction, 12 dpi) at a dose five times reduced over the reference drug benznidazole (20 mg/kg vs100 mg/kg). We propose 3ʹpiperazine-6-BIO as a potential lead for the development of new treatments of Chagas disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Antonia Efstathiou
- a Molecular Parasitology Lab, Dpt of Microbiology , Hellenic Pasteur Institute , Athens , Greece
| | - Cássio Santana Meira
- b Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Immunopharmacology , Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ) , Salvador , BA , Brazil.,c Center of Biotechnology and Cell Therapy , Hospital São Rafael , Salvador , BA , Brazil
| | - Nicolas Gaboriaud-Kolar
- d Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry Lab, Dpt of Pharmacy, Panepistimiopolis Zografou , University of Athens , Athens , Greece
| | - Tanira Matutino Bastos
- b Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Immunopharmacology , Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ) , Salvador , BA , Brazil.,c Center of Biotechnology and Cell Therapy , Hospital São Rafael , Salvador , BA , Brazil
| | - Vinícius Pinto Costa Rocha
- b Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Immunopharmacology , Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ) , Salvador , BA , Brazil.,c Center of Biotechnology and Cell Therapy , Hospital São Rafael , Salvador , BA , Brazil
| | - Konstantina Vougogiannopoulou
- d Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry Lab, Dpt of Pharmacy, Panepistimiopolis Zografou , University of Athens , Athens , Greece
| | - Alexios-Leandros Skaltsounis
- d Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry Lab, Dpt of Pharmacy, Panepistimiopolis Zografou , University of Athens , Athens , Greece
| | - Despina Smirlis
- a Molecular Parasitology Lab, Dpt of Microbiology , Hellenic Pasteur Institute , Athens , Greece
| | - Milena Botelho Pereira Soares
- b Laboratory of Tissue Engineering and Immunopharmacology , Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ) , Salvador , BA , Brazil.,c Center of Biotechnology and Cell Therapy , Hospital São Rafael , Salvador , BA , Brazil
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17
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Hombach-Barrigah A, Bartsch K, Smirlis D, Rosenqvist H, MacDonald A, Dingli F, Loew D, Späth GF, Rachidi N, Wiese M, Clos J. Leishmania donovani 90 kD Heat Shock Protein - Impact of Phosphosites on Parasite Fitness, Infectivity and Casein Kinase Affinity. Sci Rep 2019; 9:5074. [PMID: 30911045 PMCID: PMC6434042 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-41640-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2018] [Accepted: 03/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmania parasites are thought to control protein activity at the post-translational level, e.g. by protein phosphorylation. In the pathogenic amastigote, the mammalian stage of Leishmania parasites, heat shock proteins show increased phosphorylation, indicating a role in stage-specific signal transduction. Here we investigate the impact of phosphosites in the L. donovani heat shock protein 90. Using a chemical knock-down/genetic complementation approach, we mutated 11 confirmed or presumed phosphorylation sites and assessed the impact on overall fitness, morphology and in vitro infectivity. Most phosphosite mutations affected the growth and morphology of promastigotes in vitro, but with one exception, none of the phosphorylation site mutants had a selective impact on the in vitro infection of macrophages. Surprisingly, aspartate replacements mimicking the negative charge of phosphorylated serines or threonines had mostly negative impacts on viability and infectivity. HSP90 is a substrate for casein kinase 1.2-catalysed phosphorylation in vitro. While several putative phosphosite mutations abrogated casein kinase 1.2 activity on HSP90, only Ser289 could be identified as casein kinase target by mass spectrometry. In summary, our data show HSP90 as a downstream client of phosphorylation-mediated signalling in an organism that depends on post-transcriptional gene regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Despina Smirlis
- Institut Pasteur and Institut National de Santé et Recherche Médicale INSERM U1201, Unité de Parasitologie Moléculaire et Signalisation, Paris, France.,Hellenic Pasteur Institute, Athens, Greece
| | - Heidi Rosenqvist
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences (SIPBS) University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, UK.,Novo Nordisk A/S, Gentofte, Denmark
| | - Andrea MacDonald
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Florent Dingli
- Laboratoire de Spectrométrie de Masse Protéomique, Centre de Recherche, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Damarys Loew
- Laboratoire de Spectrométrie de Masse Protéomique, Centre de Recherche, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, Paris, France
| | - Gerald F Späth
- Institut Pasteur and Institut National de Santé et Recherche Médicale INSERM U1201, Unité de Parasitologie Moléculaire et Signalisation, Paris, France
| | - Najma Rachidi
- Institut Pasteur and Institut National de Santé et Recherche Médicale INSERM U1201, Unité de Parasitologie Moléculaire et Signalisation, Paris, France
| | - Martin Wiese
- Strathclyde Institute of Pharmacy and Biomedical Sciences (SIPBS) University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, Scotland, UK
| | - Joachim Clos
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine, Hamburg, Germany.
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18
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Bioinformatics analysis of four proteins of Leishmania donovani to guide epitopes vaccine design and drug targets selection. Acta Trop 2019; 191:50-59. [PMID: 30582920 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2018.12.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2018] [Revised: 12/13/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is a serious and widespread parasitic disease caused by Leishmania donovani complex. The threat of this fatal disease continues due to the lack of ideal drugs or vaccines. In this study, we selected Amastin, CaNA2, Kmp-11 and PDI proteins of Leishmania donovani for study, which are VL vaccine candidates or possible drug targets. Eleven bioinformatics tools were used to analyze different aspects of these proteins, including amino acid composition, topology, signal peptide, secondary structure, surface properties, phosphorylation sites and kinases, protein binding sites, 3D homology modeling, B cell epitopes, MHC class Ⅰ and Ⅱ epitopes and protein-protein interactions. Finally, the functionally related amino acid sites and dominant epitopes of these proteins were founded. Some possible relationships between protein structure, phosphorylation sites, protein binding sites and epitopes were also discovered. High flexibility and random coils regions of protein have a tendency to be phosphorylated, bind proteins and present epitopes. Since some phosphorylation sites and their kinases are involved in Leishmania invasion and survival in host cells, they may be potential drug targets. Bioinformatics analysis helps us better understand protein function and find dominant epitopes to guide drug design and vaccine development.
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19
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Borba JV, Silva AC, Ramos PI, Grazzia N, Miguel DC, Muratov EN, Furnham N, Andrade CH. Unveiling the Kinomes of Leishmania infantum and L. braziliensis Empowers the Discovery of New Kinase Targets and Antileishmanial Compounds. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2019; 17:352-361. [PMID: 30949306 PMCID: PMC6429582 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2019.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by parasites of the genus Leishmania (NTD) endemic in 98 countries. Although some drugs are available, current treatments deal with issues such as toxicity, low efficacy, and emergence of resistance. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify new targets for the development of new antileishmanial drugs. Protein kinases (PKs), which play an essential role in many biological processes, have become potential drug targets for many parasitic diseases. A refined bioinformatics pipeline was applied in order to define and compare the kinomes of L. infantum and L. braziliensis, species that cause cutaneous and visceral manifestations of leishmaniasis in the Americas, the latter being potentially fatal if untreated. Respectively, 224 and 221 PKs were identified in L. infantum and L. braziliensis overall. Almost all unclassified eukaryotic PKs were assigned to six of nine major kinase groups and, consequently, most have been classified into family and subfamily. Furthermore, revealing the kinomes for both Leishmania species allowed for the prioritization of potential drug targets that could be explored for discovering new drugs against leishmaniasis. Finally, we used a drug repurposing approach and prioritized seven approved drugs and investigational compounds to be experimentally tested against Leishmania. Trametinib and NMS-1286937 inhibited the growth of L. infantum and L. braziliensis promastigotes and amastigotes and therefore might be good candidates for the drug repurposing pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce V.B. Borba
- Labmol – Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás - UFG, Goiânia, GO, 74605-510, Brazil
| | - Arthur C. Silva
- Labmol – Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás - UFG, Goiânia, GO, 74605-510, Brazil
| | - Pablo I.P. Ramos
- Instituto Gonçalo Moniz (IGM), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Salvador, BA, 40296-710, Brazil
| | - Nathalia Grazzia
- LEBIL – Laboratory of Leishmania Biology Infection Studies, Department of Animal Biology, Biology Institute, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Danilo C. Miguel
- LEBIL – Laboratory of Leishmania Biology Infection Studies, Department of Animal Biology, Biology Institute, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Eugene N. Muratov
- Laboratory for Molecular Modeling, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Chemical Technology, Odessa National Polytechnic University, Odessa, 65000, Ukraine
| | - Nicholas Furnham
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Carolina H. Andrade
- Labmol – Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás - UFG, Goiânia, GO, 74605-510, Brazil
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20
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Tchoumtchoua J, Halabalaki M, Gikas E, Tsarbopoulos A, Fotaki N, Liu L, Nam S, Jove R, Skaltsounis LA. Preliminary pharmacokinetic study of the anticancer 6BIO in mice using an UHPLC-MS/MS approach. J Pharm Biomed Anal 2018; 164:317-325. [PMID: 30412805 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpba.2018.10.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 10/19/2018] [Accepted: 10/20/2018] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Indirubins represent a group of natural and synthetic products with bio-activities against numerous human cancer cell lines acting by inhibiting protein kinases. The natural sources of indirubins are plants of Isatis sp., Indigofera sp., and Polygonum sp., recombinant bacteria, mammalian urine and some marine mollusks. Specifically, the halogenated derivative 6-bromo indirubin-3'-oxime (6BIO) possesses increased selectivity against GSK-3. However, to our knowledge, no analytical method to determine 6BIO in biological fluids has been developed till now. Therefore, a rapid, sensitive and high throughput UHPLC-MS/MS methods were developed and validated to evaluate the concentrations of 6BIO in mice plasma. Plasma samples were pre-treated by protein precipation using cold mixture of methanol: acetonitrile (9:1, v/v) and separations were carried out on a Hypersil Gold C18 column (50 × 2.1 mm i.d.; 1.9 μm p.s.) using 0.1% acetic acid and methanol as mobile phase at a flow rate of 500 mL/min in a gradient mode. For quantitation, a hybrid LTQ-Orbitrap MS equipped with an electro-spray ionization source was used applying a selected reaction monitoring (SRM) option. The monitored transitions were m/z 354.0 → 324.0 for 6BIO and 297.1 → 282.1 for afromorsin (used as the internal standard) in the negative mode. Following the EMA, ICH and FDA guidelines for validation of analytical procedures, the assay method was fully validated in terms of selectivity, linearity, recovery, matrix effect, accuracy, precision, stability, and robustness. The validated methods were successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic studies of 6BIO following an oral administration to mice at the dose of 50 mg/kg. The results indicated that 6BIO possesses a Tmax of 30 min, a half-life of 1 h, and low plasma bioavailability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Job Tchoumtchoua
- Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimioupoli Zografou, 15771, Athens, Greece
| | - Maria Halabalaki
- Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimioupoli Zografou, 15771, Athens, Greece
| | - Evangelos Gikas
- Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15771, Athens, Greece
| | - Anthony Tsarbopoulos
- Department of Pharmacology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Nikoletta Fotaki
- Department of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Bath, Claverton Down Bath, BA2 7AY, United Kingdom
| | - Lucy Liu
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Sangkil Nam
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Richard Jove
- Cell Therapy Institute, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
| | - Leandros A Skaltsounis
- Division of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimioupoli Zografou, 15771, Athens, Greece.
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Design, synthesis and antineoplastic activity of novel hybrids of podophyllotoxin and indirubin against human leukaemia cancer cells as multifunctional anti-MDR agents. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2018; 28:1817-1824. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2018.04.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2018] [Revised: 04/08/2018] [Accepted: 04/09/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Parasitic diseases that pose a threat to human life include leishmaniasis - caused by protozoan parasite Leishmania species. Existing drugs have limitations due to deleterious side effects like teratogenicity, high cost and drug resistance. This calls for the need to have an insight into therapeutic aspects of disease. Areas covered: We have identified different drug targets via. molecular, imuunological, metabolic as well as by system biology approaches. We bring these promising drug targets into light so that they can be explored to their maximum. In an effort to bridge the gaps between existing knowledge and prospects of drug discovery, we have compiled interesting studies on drug targets, thereby paving the way for establishment of better therapeutic aspects. Expert opinion: Advancements in technology shed light on many unexplored pathways. Further probing of well established pathways led to the discovery of new drug targets. This review is a comprehensive report on current and emerging drug targets, with emphasis on several metabolic targets, organellar biochemistry, salvage pathways, epigenetics, kinome and more. Identification of new targets can contribute significantly towards strengthening the pipeline for disease elimination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shyam Sundar
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221 005, UP, India
| | - Bhawana Singh
- Department of Medicine, Institute of Medical Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi-221 005, UP, India
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Abstract
AbstractThe protozoan parasiteLeishmaniais endemic in large parts of the world which causes leishmaniasis. Its visceral form is fatal if not treated and is caused mostly byLeishmania donovani,Leishmania infantumandLeishmania chagasi. Given the difficulties linked to vector (sandfly) control and the lack of an effective vaccine, the control of leishmaniasis relies mostly on chemotherapy. Unfortunately, the prevalence of parasites becoming resistant to the first-line drug pentavalent antimony (SbV) is increasing worldwide. Few alternative drugs are available that includes amphotericin B, pentamidine and miltefosine (oral). Already, decreases in efficacy, resistance and toxicity have been noted against these drugs. Dry antileishmanial pipeline further indicates the slow pace of drug discovery in this field where resistance as a major barrier. Full understanding of the genetic and molecular basis of the parasite is lagging. Since leishmaniasis is a neglected disease and occurs predominantly in the developing world largely, therefore, it is unaddressed. The pharma industry argues that development of the new drug is too costly and risky to invest in low return neglected diseases is very high. Research is also needed to identify new and effective drug targets. The lack of drug research and development for neglected diseases will require some new strategies. We have discussed the various cause of slow pace of antileishmanial drug discovery in this review to pay attention of researchers and also take the public and private initiative to make the process fast for new antileishmanial drug development.
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Roca C, Sebastián-Pérez V, Campillo NE. In silico Tools for Target Identification and Drug Molecular Docking in Leishmania. DRUG DISCOVERY FOR LEISHMANIASIS 2017. [DOI: 10.1039/9781788010177-00130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
Abstract
Neglected tropical diseases represent a significant health burden in large parts of the world. Drug discovery is currently a key bottleneck in the pipeline of these diseases. In this chapter, the in silico approaches used for the processes involved in drug discovery, identification and validation of druggable Leishmania targets, and design and optimisation of new anti-leishmanial drugs are discussed. We also provide a general view of the different computational tools that can be employed in pursuit of this aim, along with the most interesting cases found in the literature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlos Roca
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC) Ramiro de Maeztu 9 28040 Madrid Spain
| | | | - Nuria E. Campillo
- Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas (CSIC) Ramiro de Maeztu 9 28040 Madrid Spain
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Varela-M RE, Ochoa R, Muskus CE, Muro A, Mollinedo F. Identification of a RAC/AKT-like gene in Leishmania parasites as a putative therapeutic target in leishmaniasis. Parasit Vectors 2017; 10:458. [PMID: 29017516 PMCID: PMC5633885 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-017-2379-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2017] [Accepted: 09/13/2017] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Leishmaniasis is one of the world’s most neglected diseases caused by at least 20 different species of the protozoan parasite Leishmania. Although new drugs have become recently available, current therapy for leishmaniasis is still unsatisfactory. A subgroup of serine/threonine protein kinases named as related to A and C protein kinases (RAC), or protein kinase B (PKB)/AKT, has been identified in several organisms including Trypanosoma cruzi parasites. PKB/AKT plays a critical role in mammalian cell signaling promoting cell survival and is a major drug target in cancer therapy. However, the role of protozoan parasitic PKB/AKT remains to be elucidated. Results We have found that anti-human AKT antibodies recognized a protein of about 57 kDa in Leishmania spp. parasites. Anti-human phospho-AKT(Thr308) antibodies identified a protein in extracts from Leishmania spp. that was upregulated following parasite exposure to stressful conditions, such as nutrient deprivation or heat shock. Incubation of AKT inhibitor X with Leishmania spp. promastigotes under stressful conditions or with Leishmania-infected macrophages led to parasite cell death. We have identified and cloned a novel gene from Leishmania donovani named Ld-RAC/AKT-like gene, encoding a 510-amino acid protein of approximately 57.6 kDa that shows a 26.5% identity with mammalian AKT1. Ld-RAC/AKT-like protein contains major mammalian PKB/AKT hallmarks, including the typical pleckstrin, protein kinase and AGC kinase domains. Unlike mammalian AKT that contains key phosphorylation sites at Thr308 and Ser473 in the activation loop and hydrophobic motif, respectively, Ld-RAC/AKT-like protein has a Thr residue in both motifs. By domain sequence comparison, we classified AKT proteins from different origins in four major subcategories that included different parasites. Conclusions Our data suggest that Ld-RAC/AKT-like protein represents a Leishmania orthologue of mammalian AKT involved in parasite stress response and survival, and therefore could become a novel therapeutic and druggable target in leishmaniasis therapy. In addition, following comparative sequence analyses, we found the RAC/AKT-like proteins from Leishmania constitute a subgroup by themselves within a general AKT-like protein family. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1186/s13071-017-2379-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rubén E Varela-M
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-Universidad de Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, Salamanca, Spain.,Facultad de Ciencias Básicas, Universidad Santiago de Cali, Campus Pampalinda, Santiago de Cali, Colombia
| | - Rodrigo Ochoa
- Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales (PECET), Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Carlos E Muskus
- Programa de Estudio y Control de Enfermedades Tropicales (PECET), Universidad de Antioquia, Medellín, Colombia
| | - Antonio Muro
- Laboratorio de Inmunología Parasitaria y Molecular, IBSAL-CIETUS, Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad de Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Faustino Mollinedo
- Instituto de Biología Molecular y Celular del Cáncer, Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC)-Universidad de Salamanca, Campus Miguel de Unamuno, Salamanca, Spain. .,Laboratory of Cell Death and Cancer Therapy, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Centro de Investigaciones Biológicas, CSIC, C/ Ramiro de Maeztu 9, E-28040, Madrid, Spain.
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Dichiara M, Marrazzo A, Prezzavento O, Collina S, Rescifina A, Amata E. Repurposing of Human Kinase Inhibitors in Neglected Protozoan Diseases. ChemMedChem 2017; 12:1235-1253. [PMID: 28590590 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201700259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis belong to a group of infectious diseases known as neglected tropical diseases and are induced by infection with protozoan parasites named trypanosomatids. Drugs in current use have several limitations, and therefore new candidate drugs are required. The majority of current therapeutic trypanosomatid targets are enzymes or cell-surface receptors. Among these, eukaryotic protein kinases are a major group of protein targets whose modulation may be beneficial for the treatment of neglected tropical protozoan diseases. This review summarizes the finding of new hit compounds for neglected tropical protozoan diseases, by repurposing known human kinase inhibitors on trypanosomatids. Kinase inhibitors are grouped by human kinase family and discussed according to the screening (target-based or phenotypic) reported for these compounds on trypanosomatids. This collection aims to provide insight into repurposed human kinase inhibitors and their importance in the development of new chemical entities with potential beneficial effects on the diseases caused by trypanosomatids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Dichiara
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria, 6, 95100, Catania, Italy
| | - Agostino Marrazzo
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria, 6, 95100, Catania, Italy
| | - Orazio Prezzavento
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria, 6, 95100, Catania, Italy
| | - Simona Collina
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, V.le Taramelli, 12, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Antonio Rescifina
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria, 6, 95100, Catania, Italy
| | - Emanuele Amata
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria, 6, 95100, Catania, Italy
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Waseem D, Butt AF, Haq IU, Bhatti MH, Khan GM. Carboxylate derivatives of tributyltin (IV) complexes as anticancer and antileishmanial agents. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017; 25:8. [PMID: 28376844 PMCID: PMC5381078 DOI: 10.1186/s40199-017-0174-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2017] [Accepted: 03/31/2017] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Background Tributyltin (IV) compounds are promising candidates for drug development. In the current study, we evaluated in-vitro and in-silico profile of carboxylate derivatives of tributyltin (IV) complexes. Methods ADMET and drug-likeliness properties were predicted using MetaPrint2D React, preADMET, SwissADME and Molsoft tools. SwissTargetPrediction predicted molecular targets for compounds. In-vitro bioactivity was evaluated by quantifying cytotoxicity against HepG2, THP-1 cell lines, isolated lymphocytes and leishmania promastigotes as well as measuring protein kinase (PK) inhibition activity. Results Results indicate partial compliance of compounds with drug-likeliness rules. Ch-409 complies with WDI and Lipinski rules. ADMET profile prediction shows strong plasma protein binding except for Ch-409, low to high GI absorption and BBB penetration (Cbrain/Cblood = 0.942–11; caco-2 cells permeability 20.13–26.75 nm/sec), potential efflux by P-glycoprotein, metabolism by CYP3A4, medium inhibition of hERG, mutagenicity and capacity to be detoxified by glutathionation and glucuronidation. Molecular targets include proteases, enzymes, membrane receptors, transporters and ion channels where Ch-409 targets membrane receptors only. Compounds are significantly (p < 0.05) cytotoxic against HepG2 cell line and leishmania as compared with normal isolated lymphocytes. Ch-459 indicates highest toxicity against leishmania (mortality 97.9 ± 3.99%; LC50 0.323 ± 0.002 μg/mL) whereas Ch-409 possesses maximum cytotoxicity against HepG2 cell line (IC50 0.08 ± 0.001 μg/mL) as well as 97.5 ± 1.98% (LC50 0.954 ± 0.158 μg/mL) mortality of leishmania promastigotes. It was observed that antileishmanial effect was reduced by 16.38%–34.38% and 15–38.2% in the presence of NaN3 and mannitol respectively. PK inhibition and reactive oxygen species production are possible mechanisms for cytotoxicity. Conclusions Selected carboxylate derivatives of tributyltin (IV) complexes possess significant antileishmanial and cytotoxic potential. These are promising compounds for the development of antileishmanial and anticancer drugs. Carboxylate derivatives of tributyltin (IV) complexes as anticancer and antileishmanial agents ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Durdana Waseem
- Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | - Arshad Farooq Butt
- Department of Chemistry, Allama Iqbal Open University, H-8, Islamabad, 44000, Pakistan
| | - Ihsan-Ul Haq
- Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan
| | | | - Gul Majid Khan
- Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, 45320, Pakistan.
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Hazra S, Ghosh S, Hazra B. Phytochemicals With Antileishmanial Activity. STUDIES IN NATURAL PRODUCTS CHEMISTRY 2017. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-63931-8.00008-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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Wang L, Cheng J, Wang S, Zhang X, Cai, X. Screening of inhibitors of Taenia solium glycogen synthase Kinase-3β. RSC Adv 2017. [DOI: 10.1039/c7ra05873j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
A flow chart of the screening of lead compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Wang
- College of Veterinary Medicine
- Jilin University
- Changchun 130062
- China
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology
| | - Jiagao Cheng
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology
- School of Pharmacy
- East China University of Science and Technology
- Shanghai 200237
- China
| | - Shuai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology
- Lanzhou Veterinary Research Institute
- Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences
- Lanzhou 730046
- China
| | - Xichen Zhang
- College of Veterinary Medicine
- Jilin University
- Changchun 130062
- China
| | - Xuepeng Cai,
- College of Veterinary Medicine
- Jilin University
- Changchun 130062
- China
- State Key Laboratory of Veterinary Etiological Biology
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Haubrich BA, Swinney DC. Enzyme Activity Assays for Protein Kinases: Strategies to Identify Active Substrates. Curr Drug Discov Technol 2016; 13:2-15. [PMID: 26768716 DOI: 10.2174/1570163813666160115125930] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2015] [Revised: 01/13/2016] [Accepted: 01/13/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Protein kinases are an important class of enzymes and drug targets. New opportunities to discover medicines for neglected diseases can be leveraged by the extensive kinase tools and knowledge created in targeting human kinases. A valuable tool for kinase drug discovery is an enzyme assay that measures catalytic function. The functional assay can be used to identify inhibitors, estimate affinity, characterize molecular mechanisms of action (MMOAs) and evaluate selectivity. However, establishing an enzyme assay for a new kinases requires identification of a suitable substrate. Identification of a new kinase's endogenous physiologic substrate and function can be extremely costly and time consuming. Fortunately, most kinases are promiscuous and will catalyze the phosphotransfer from ATP to alternative substrates with differing degrees of catalytic efficiency. In this manuscript we review strategies and successes in the identification of alternative substrates for kinases from organisms responsible for many of the neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) towards the goal of informing strategies to identify substrates for new kinases. Approaches for establishing a functional kinase assay include measuring auto-activation and use of generic substrates and peptides. The most commonly used generic substrates are casein, myelin basic protein, and histone. Sequence homology modeling can provide insights into the potential substrates and the requirement for activation. Empirical approaches that can identify substrates include screening of lysates (which may also help identify native substrates) and use of peptide arrays. All of these approaches have been used with a varying degree of success to identify alternative substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brad A Haubrich
- Institute for Rare and Neglected Diseases Drug Discovery, 897 Independence Ave, Suite 2C, Mountain View, CA 94043, USA.
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31
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Potential Diagnostic, Prognostic and Therapeutic Targets of MicroRNAs in Human Gastric Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2016; 17:ijms17060945. [PMID: 27322246 PMCID: PMC4926478 DOI: 10.3390/ijms17060945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 97] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2016] [Revised: 06/01/2016] [Accepted: 06/07/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Human gastric cancer (GC) is characterized by a high incidence and mortality rate, largely because it is normally not identified until a relatively advanced stage owing to a lack of early diagnostic biomarkers. Gastroscopy with biopsy is the routine method for screening, and gastrectomy is the major therapeutic strategy for GC. However, in more than 30% of GC surgical patients, cancer has progressed too far for effective medical resection. Thus, useful biomarkers for early screening or detection of GC are essential for improving patients’ survival rate. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in tumorigenesis. They contribute to gastric carcinogenesis by altering the expression of oncogenes and tumor suppressors. Because of their stability in tissues, serum/plasma and other body fluids, miRNAs have been suggested as novel tumor biomarkers with suitable clinical potential. Recently, aberrantly expressed miRNAs have been identified and tested for clinical application in the management of GC. Aberrant miRNA expression profiles determined with miRNA microarrays, quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and next-generation sequencing approaches could be used to establish sample specificity and to identify tumor type. Here, we provide an up-to-date summary of tissue-based GC-associated miRNAs, describing their involvement and that of their downstream targets in tumorigenic and biological processes. We examine correlations among significant clinical parameters and prognostic indicators, and discuss recurrence monitoring and therapeutic options in GC. We also review plasma/serum-based, GC-associated, circulating miRNAs and their clinical applications, focusing especially on early diagnosis. By providing insights into the mechanisms of miRNA-related tumor progression, this review will hopefully aid in the identification of novel potential therapeutic targets.
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From Drug Screening to Target Deconvolution: a Target-Based Drug Discovery Pipeline Using Leishmania Casein Kinase 1 Isoform 2 To Identify Compounds with Antileishmanial Activity. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2016; 60:2822-33. [PMID: 26902771 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00021-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2016] [Accepted: 02/18/2016] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Existing therapies for leishmaniases present significant limitations, such as toxic side effects, and are rendered inefficient by parasite resistance. It is of utmost importance to develop novel drugs targeting Leishmania that take these two limitations into consideration. We thus chose a target-based approach using an exoprotein kinase, Leishmania casein kinase 1.2 (LmCK1.2) that was recently shown to be essential for intracellular parasite survival and infectivity. We developed a four-step pipeline to identify novel selective antileishmanial compounds. In step 1, we screened 5,018 compounds from kinase-biased libraries with Leishmania and mammalian CK1 in order to identify hit compounds and assess their specificity. For step 2, we selected 88 compounds among those with the lowest 50% inhibitory concentration to test their biological activity on host-free parasites using a resazurin reduction assay and on intramacrophagic amastigotes using a high content phenotypic assay. Only 75 compounds showed antileishmanial activity and were retained for step 3 to evaluate their toxicity against mouse macrophages and human cell lines. The four compounds that displayed a selectivity index above 10 were then assessed for their affinity to LmCK1.2 using a target deconvolution strategy in step 4. Finally, we retained two compounds, PP2 and compound 42, for which LmCK1.2 seems to be the primary target. Using this four-step pipeline, we identify from several thousand molecules, two lead compounds with a selective antileishmanial activity.
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Gaboriaud-Kolar N, Vougogiannopoulou K, Skaltsounis AL. Indirubin derivatives: a patent review (2010 - present). Expert Opin Ther Pat 2015; 25:583-93. [PMID: 25887337 DOI: 10.1517/13543776.2015.1019865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Indirubins are bisindole alkaloids naturally occurring in indigo-bearing plants or in mollusks from the Muricidae family. They belong to the rather small family of indigoids, which has nevertheless found an extreme importance in the fields of dyes and medicinal chemistry. Indirubin has been found to be the active ingredient of a traditional Chinese Medicine used to treat the symptoms of leukemia. Further biological explorations revealed the ability of indirubin to bind cyclin-dependent kinases and 6-bromoindirubin, extracted from mollusks, to bind glycogen synthase kinase-3. The high affinity displayed by the two natural products has opened a vast field of research and triggered the development of hundred of derivatives with biological activities. AREAS COVERED The traditional use of indirubin for the treatment of leukemia has prompted different research groups to study the cytotoxic effect of indirubin derivatives on both solid tumors and leukemia. Moreover, the affinity of indirubins for kinases also allowed the exploration of their activity towards stem cells. EXPERT OPINION The derivatives presented are in accordance with first discoveries and establish the close relation between activity and kinase inhibition. New derivatives have been patented and new interferences in signaling pathways are described. However, few in vivo studies have been performed and more efficient solutions are needed to unravel the major issue of solubility.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Gaboriaud-Kolar
- University of Athens, Department of Pharmacognosy and Natural Products Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy , Panepistimiopolis Zografou, GR-15771, Athens , Greece
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Rajasekaran R, Chen YPP. Potential therapeutic targets and the role of technology in developing novel antileishmanial drugs. Drug Discov Today 2015; 20:958-68. [PMID: 25936844 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2015.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2014] [Revised: 03/25/2015] [Accepted: 04/20/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is the most prevalent pathogenic disease in many countries around the world, but there are few drugs available to treat it. Most antileishmanial drugs available are highly toxic, have resistance issues or require hospitalization for their use; therefore, they are not suitable for use in most of the affected countries. Over the past decade, the completion of the genomes of many human pathogens, including that of Leishmania spp., has opened new doors for target identification and validation. Here, we focus on the potential drug targets that can be used for the treatment of leishmaniasis and bring to light how recent technological advances, such as structure-based drug design, structural genomics, and molecular dynamics (MD), can be used to our advantage to develop potent and affordable antileishmanial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yi-Ping Phoebe Chen
- College of Science, Health and Engineering, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
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35
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2,6,9-Trisubstituted purines as CRK3 kinase inhibitors with antileishmanial activity in vitro. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2015; 25:2298-301. [PMID: 25937014 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2015.04.030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2015] [Revised: 04/07/2015] [Accepted: 04/09/2015] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Here we describe the leishmanicidal activities of a library of 2,6,9-trisubstituted purines that were screened for interaction with Cdc2-related protein kinase 3 (CRK3) and subsequently for activity against parasitic Leishmania species. The most active compound inhibited recombinant CRK3 with an IC50 value of 162 nM and was active against Leishmania major and Leishmania donovani at low micromolar concentrations in vitro. Its mode of binding to CRK3 was investigated by molecular docking using a homology model.
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Merritt C, Silva L, Tanner AL, Stuart K, Pollastri MP. Kinases as druggable targets in trypanosomatid protozoan parasites. Chem Rev 2014; 114:11280-304. [PMID: 26443079 PMCID: PMC4254031 DOI: 10.1021/cr500197d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Merritt
- Seattle
Biomedical Research Institute, 307 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 500, Seattle, Washington 98109-5219, United States
| | - Lisseth
E. Silva
- Department
of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, 417 Egan
Research Center, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Angela L. Tanner
- Department
of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, 417 Egan
Research Center, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Kenneth Stuart
- Seattle
Biomedical Research Institute, 307 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 500, Seattle, Washington 98109-5219, United States
| | - Michael P. Pollastri
- Department
of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, 417 Egan
Research Center, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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Mohapatra S. Drug resistance in leishmaniasis: Newer developments. Trop Parasitol 2014; 4:4-9. [PMID: 24754020 PMCID: PMC3992802 DOI: 10.4103/2229-5070.129142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2013] [Accepted: 03/20/2014] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a vector borne protozoan disease and it remains a major public health problem world-wide. Lack of an effective vaccine and vector control program makes the chemotherapy as the primary tool for leishmaniasis. Antimonials were used as the first line of treatment for many years. Emergence of resistance against this drug has become a major concern. Literatures and studies published on anti-leishmanial drug resistance, newer drug discovery for leishmanial resistance etc., in PubMed, Medline and Google search and reviewed thoroughly. Various newer drugs have been identified but, are in limited use because of high cost, toxicity, resistance etc., Recently, many newer mechanisms of drug resistance have been identified which may boost in future designing and development of drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarita Mohapatra
- Department of Microbiology, Vardhaman Mahavir Medical College and Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India
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Efstathiou A, Gaboriaud-Kolar N, Smirlis D, Myrianthopoulos V, Vougogiannopoulou K, Alexandratos A, Kritsanida M, Mikros E, Soteriadou K, Skaltsounis AL. An inhibitor-driven study for enhancing the selectivity of indirubin derivatives towards leishmanial Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 over leishmanial cdc2-related protein kinase 3. Parasit Vectors 2014; 7:234. [PMID: 24886176 PMCID: PMC4039064 DOI: 10.1186/1756-3305-7-234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2013] [Accepted: 05/03/2014] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background In search of new antiparasitic agents for overcoming the limitations of current leishmaniasis chemotherapy, we have previously shown that 6-bromoindirubin-3'-oxime (6BIO) and several other 6-substituted analogues of indirubin, a naturally occurring bis-indole present in mollusks and plants, displayed reverse selectivity from the respective mammalian kinases, targeting more potently the leishmanial Cyclin-Dependent Kinase-1 (CDK1) homologue [cdc2-related protein kinase 3 (LCRK3)] over leishmanial Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 (LGSK-3). This reversal of selectivity in Leishmania parasites compared to mammalian cells makes the design of specific indirubin-based LGSK-3 inhibitors difficult. In this context, the identification of compounds bearing specific substitutions that shift indirubin inhibition towards LGSK-3, previously found to be a potential drug target, over LCRK3 is imperative for antileishmanial targeted drug discovery. Methods A new in-house indirubin library, composed of 35 compounds, initially designed to target mammalian kinases (CDKs, GSK-3), was tested against Leishmania donovani promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes using the Alamar blue assay. Indirubins with antileishmanial activity were tested against LGSK-3 and LCRK3 kinases, purified from homologous expression systems. Flow cytometry (FACS) was used to measure the DNA content for cell-cycle analysis and the mode of cell death. Comparative structural analysis of the involved kinases was then performed using the Szmap algorithm. Results We have identified 7 new indirubin analogues that are selective inhibitors of LGSK-3 over LCRK3. These new inhibitors were also found to display potent antileishmanial activity with GI50 values of <1.5 μΜ. Surprisingly, all the compounds that displayed enhanced selectivity towards LGSK-3, were 6BIO analogues bearing an additional 3'-bulky amino substitution, namely a piperazine or pyrrolidine ring. A comparative structural analysis of the two aforementioned leishmanial kinases was subsequently undertaken to explain and rationalize the selectivity trend determined by the in vitro binding assays. Interestingly, the latter analysis showed that selectivity could be correlated with differences in kinase solvation thermo dynamics induced by minor sequence variations of the otherwise highly similar ATP binding pockets. Conclusions In conclusion, 3'-bulky amino substituted 6-BIO derivatives, which demonstrate enhanced specificity towards LGSK-3, represent a new scaffold for targeted drug development to treat leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Alexios-Leandros Skaltsounis
- Laboratories of Pharmacognosy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis-Zografou, 15771 Athens, Greece.
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Smirlis D, Soares MBP. Selection of molecular targets for drug development against trypanosomatids. Subcell Biochem 2014; 74:43-76. [PMID: 24264240 DOI: 10.1007/978-94-007-7305-9_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosomatid parasites are a group of flagellated protozoa that includes the genera Leishmania and Trypanosoma, which are the causative agents of diseases (leishmaniases, sleeping sickness and Chagas disease) that cause considerable morbidity and mortality, affecting more than 27 million people worldwide. Today no effective vaccines for the prevention of these diseases exist, whereas current chemotherapy is ineffective, mainly due to toxic side effects of current drugs and to the emergence of drug resistance and lack of cost effectiveness. For these reasons, rational drug design and the search of good candidate drug targets is of prime importance. The search for drug targets requires a multidisciplinary approach. To this end, the completion of the genome project of many trypanosomatid species gives a vast amount of new information that can be exploited for the identification of good drug candidates with a prediction of "druggability" and divergence from mammalian host proteins. In addition, an important aspect in the search for good drug targets is the "target identification" and evaluation in a biological pathway, as well as the essentiality of the gene in the mammalian stage of the parasite, which is provided by basic research and genetic and proteomic approaches. In this chapter we will discuss how these bioinformatic tools and experimental evaluations can be integrated for the selection of candidate drug targets, and give examples of metabolic and signaling pathways in the parasitic protozoa that can be exploited for rational drug design.
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A colorful history: the evolution of indigoids. PROGRESS IN THE CHEMISTRY OF ORGANIC NATURAL PRODUCTS 2014; 99:69-145. [PMID: 25296438 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-04900-7_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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Mao Z, Zhao P, Yan Y, Li Y, Zhang A, Zhan X, Liu Z, Chen S, Wang L. Design, Synthesis and Antiproliferative Activity Evaluation of New 5-Azaisoindigo Derivatives. HETEROCYCLES 2014. [DOI: 10.3987/com-14-13036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Louzir H, Aoun K, Späth GF, Laouini D, Prina E, Victoir K, Bouratbine A. [Leishmania epidemiology, diagnosis, chemotherapy and vaccination approaches in the international network of Pasteur Institutes]. Med Sci (Paris) 2013; 29:1151-60. [PMID: 24356147 DOI: 10.1051/medsci/20132912020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania generate severe human diseases termed leishmaniases. Due to their frequency and the severity of certain clinical forms, these diseases represent a major public health problem and limit the economic growth in various developing countries. The presence of Pasteur Institutes in countries with endemic leishmaniasis has provided important incentives to develop a strong public health agenda in the Pasteur scientific community with respect to this important disease. A concerted effort is now coordinated through the recently created LeishRIIP platform (www.leishriip.org), which aims to identify synergies and complementary expertise between the eleven members of the international network of Pasteur Institutes working on various aspects of the disease including epidemiology, diagnosis, chemotherapy and vaccination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hechmi Louzir
- Laboratoire transmission, contrôle et immunobiologie des infections, LR 11-IPT-02, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, 13, place Pasteur, BP 74, 1002 Tunis, Tunisie
| | - Karim Aoun
- Laboratoire de parasitologie-mycologie, LR 11-IPT-06 parasitoses médicales, biotechnologie et biomolécules, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, 13, place Pasteur, BP 74, 1002 Tunis, Tunisie
| | - Gerald F Späth
- Unité de parasitologie moléculaire et signalisation, CNRS, URA 2581, Institut Pasteur, 25, rue du Docteur Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Dhafer Laouini
- Laboratoire transmission, contrôle et immunobiologie des infections, LR 11-IPT-02, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, 13, place Pasteur, BP 74, 1002 Tunis, Tunisie
| | - Eric Prina
- Unité de parasitologie moléculaire et signalisation, CNRS, URA 2581, Institut Pasteur, 25, rue du Docteur Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Kathleen Victoir
- Direction internationale, Institut Pasteur, 25, rue du Docteur Roux, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Aïda Bouratbine
- Laboratoire de parasitologie-mycologie, LR 11-IPT-06 parasitoses médicales, biotechnologie et biomolécules, Institut Pasteur de Tunis, 13, place Pasteur, BP 74, 1002 Tunis, Tunisie
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Singh N, Mishra BB, Bajpai S, Singh RK, Tiwari VK. Natural product based leads to fight against leishmaniasis. Bioorg Med Chem 2013; 22:18-45. [PMID: 24355247 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2013.11.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 132] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2013] [Revised: 11/18/2013] [Accepted: 11/23/2013] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The growing incidence of parasitic resistance against generic pentavalent antimonials, specifically for visceral disease in Indian subcontinent, is a serious issue in Leishmania control. Notwithstanding the two treatment alternatives, that is amphotericin B and miltefosine are being effectively used but their high cost and therapeutic complications limit their use in endemic areas. In the absence of a vaccine candidate, identification, and characterization of novel drugs and targets is a major requirement of leishmanial research. This review describes current drug regimens, putative drug targets, numerous natural products that have shown promising antileishmanial activity alongwith some key issues and strategies for future research to control leishmaniasis worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Singh
- Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Bhuwan B Mishra
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Surabhi Bajpai
- Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India
| | - Rakesh K Singh
- Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India.
| | - Vinod K Tiwari
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi 221005, India.
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Ejazi SA, Ali N. Developments in diagnosis and treatment of visceral leishmaniasis during the last decade and future prospects. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2013; 11:79-98. [PMID: 23428104 DOI: 10.1586/eri.12.148] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Human visceral leishmaniasis (VL) continues to be a life-threatening neglected tropical disease, with close to 200 million people at risk of infection globally. Epidemics and resurgence of VL are associated with negligence by the policy makers, economic decline and population movements. Control of the disease is hampered by the lack of proficient vaccination, rapid diagnosis in a field setting and severe side effects of current drug therapies. The diagnosis of VL relied largely on invasive techniques of detecting parasites in splenic and bone marrow aspirates. rK39 and PCR, despite problems related to varying sensitivities and specificities and field adaptability, respectively, are considered the best options for VL diagnosis today. No single therapy of VL currently offers satisfactory efficacy along with safety. The field of VL research only recently shifted toward actively identifying new drugs for safe and affordable treatment. Oral miltefosine and safe AmBisome along with better use of amphotericin B have been rapidly implemented in the last decade. A combination therapy will substantially reduce the required dose and duration of drug administration and reduce the chance of the development of resistance. In addition, identification of asymptomatic cases, vector control and treatment of post-kala-azar dermal leishmaniasis would allow new perspectives in VL control and management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarfaraz Ahmad Ejazi
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S.C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, India
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Alexandratos A, Clos J, Samiotaki M, Efstathiou A, Panayotou G, Soteriadou K, Smirlis D. The loss of virulence of histone H1 overexpressingLeishmania donovaniparasites is directly associated with a reduction of HSP83 rate of translation. Mol Microbiol 2013; 88:1015-31. [DOI: 10.1111/mmi.12240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 04/15/2013] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Alexandros Alexandratos
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology; Department of Microbiology; Hellenic Pasteur Institute; 127 Vas Sofias Ave. Athens Greece
- Chemistry Department; University of Ioannina; Ioannina Greece
| | - Joachim Clos
- Bernhard Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine; Hamburg Germany
| | - Martina Samiotaki
- Biomedical Sciences Research Center; ‘Alexander Fleming’; Vari Greece
| | - Antonia Efstathiou
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology; Department of Microbiology; Hellenic Pasteur Institute; 127 Vas Sofias Ave. Athens Greece
| | - George Panayotou
- Biomedical Sciences Research Center; ‘Alexander Fleming’; Vari Greece
| | - Ketty Soteriadou
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology; Department of Microbiology; Hellenic Pasteur Institute; 127 Vas Sofias Ave. Athens Greece
| | - Despina Smirlis
- Laboratory of Molecular Parasitology; Department of Microbiology; Hellenic Pasteur Institute; 127 Vas Sofias Ave. Athens Greece
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46
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Myrianthopoulos V, Kritsanida M, Gaboriaud-Kolar N, Magiatis P, Ferandin Y, Durieu E, Lozach O, Cappel D, Soundararajan M, Filippakopoulos P, Sherman W, Knapp S, Meijer L, Mikros E, Skaltsounis AL. Novel Inverse Binding Mode of Indirubin Derivatives Yields Improved Selectivity for DYRK Kinases. ACS Med Chem Lett 2013; 4:22-26. [PMID: 23336033 PMCID: PMC3545483 DOI: 10.1021/ml300207a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2012] [Accepted: 11/01/2012] [Indexed: 01/08/2023] Open
Abstract
DYRK kinases are involved in alternative pre-mRNA splicing as well as in neuropathological states such as Alzheimer's disease and Down syndrome. In this study, we present the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of indirubins as DYRK inhibitors with enhanced selectivity. Modifications of the bis-indole included polar or acidic functionalities at positions 5' and 6' and a bromine or a trifluoromethyl group at position 7, affording analogues that possess high activity and pronounced specificity. Compound 6i carrying a 5'-carboxylate moiety demonstrated the best inhibitory profile. A novel inverse binding mode, which forms the basis for the improved selectivity, was suggested by molecular modeling and confirmed by determining the crystal structure of DYRK2 in complex with 6i. Structure-activity relationships were further established, including a thermodynamic analysis of binding site water molecules, offering a structural explanation for the selective DYRK inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Marina Kritsanida
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, GR-15771,
Athens, Greece
| | - Nicolas Gaboriaud-Kolar
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, GR-15771,
Athens, Greece
| | - Prokopios Magiatis
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, GR-15771,
Athens, Greece
| | - Yoan Ferandin
- Station
Biologique de Roscoff, CNRS, 'Protein Phosphorylation
and Human Disease' Group,
Place G. Teissier, BP 74, 29682 Roscoff, Bretagne, France
| | - Emilie Durieu
- Station
Biologique de Roscoff, CNRS, 'Protein Phosphorylation
and Human Disease' Group,
Place G. Teissier, BP 74, 29682 Roscoff, Bretagne, France
| | - Olivier Lozach
- Station
Biologique de Roscoff, CNRS, 'Protein Phosphorylation
and Human Disease' Group,
Place G. Teissier, BP 74, 29682 Roscoff, Bretagne, France
| | - Daniel Cappel
- Schrödinger GmbH, Dynamostrasse 13, D-68165 Mannheim, Germany
| | - Meera Soundararajan
- Nuffield Department of Clinical
Medicine, Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt
Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - Panagis Filippakopoulos
- Nuffield Department of Clinical
Medicine, Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt
Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - Woody Sherman
- Schrödinger Inc., 120 West 45th Street, 17th Floor, New York, New
York 10036, United States
| | - Stefan Knapp
- Nuffield Department of Clinical
Medicine, Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt
Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - Laurent Meijer
- Station
Biologique de Roscoff, CNRS, 'Protein Phosphorylation
and Human Disease' Group,
Place G. Teissier, BP 74, 29682 Roscoff, Bretagne, France
- ManRos Therapeutics, Centre de Perharidy,
29680 Roscoff, France
| | - Emmanuel Mikros
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, GR-15771,
Athens, Greece
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Liao XM, Leung KN. Indirubin-3'-oxime induces mitochondrial dysfunction and triggers growth inhibition and cell cycle arrest in human neuroblastoma cells. Oncol Rep 2012; 29:371-9. [PMID: 23117445 DOI: 10.3892/or.2012.2094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2012] [Accepted: 09/20/2012] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor found in infancy and childhood. Current multimodal therapies such as surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and stem cell transplantation often cause inevitable severe side-effects, therefore, it is necessary to develop novel drugs with higher efficacy on neuroblastoma cells and minimal side-effects on normal cells. Indirubin-3'-oxime (I3M), an indigo alkaloid, was found to exhibit potent antitumor activities on various types of cancer cells. However, its modulatory effects on human neuroblastoma and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. As mitochondrial biogenesis and function play critical roles in cell growth and survival, in the present study the effects of I3M on mitochondrial functions and their correlation to the anticancer effect of I3M on human neuroblastoma cells were investigated. I3M was found to inhibit the growth of the human neuroblastoma LA-N-1, SH-SY5Y and SK-N-DZ cells in a dose- and time-dependent manner, but exhibited little, if any, direct cytotoxicity on normal cells. Mechanistic studies showed that I3M specifically decreased the expression of the mitochondrial regulators ERRγ and PGC-1β and resulted in decreased mitochondrial mass and altered mitochondrial function characterized by a reduction in mitochondrial membrane potential and elevation of reactive oxygen species levels in LA-N-1 cells. I3M also increased the level of CDK inhibitor p27Kip1 and reduced the levels of CDK2 and cyclin E in LA-N-1 cells, leading to cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase. Collectively, these results suggest that mitochondrial dysfunction might be an important mechanism underlying the I3M-induced cell cycle arrest.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Mei Liao
- Biochemistry Programme, School of Life Sciences, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, SAR, PR China
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Developments in diagnosis and antileishmanial drugs. Interdiscip Perspect Infect Dis 2012; 2012:626838. [PMID: 23118748 PMCID: PMC3483814 DOI: 10.1155/2012/626838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2012] [Revised: 09/07/2012] [Accepted: 09/11/2012] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis ranks the third in disease burden in disability-adjusted life years caused by neglected tropical diseases and is the second cause of parasite-related deaths after malaria; but for a variety of reasons, it is not receiving the attention that would be justified seeing its importance. Leishmaniasis is a diverse group of clinical syndromes caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania. It is estimated that 350 million people are at risk in 88 countries, with a global incidence of 1–1.5 million cases of cutaneous and 500,000 cases of visceral leishmaniasis. Improvements in diagnostic methods for early case detection and latest combitorial chemotherapeutic methods have given a new hope for combating this deadly disease. The cell biology of Leishmania and mammalian cells differs considerably and this distinctness extends to the biochemical level. This provides the promise that many of the parasite's proteins should be sufficiently different from hosts and can be successfully exploited as drug targets. This paper gives a brief overview of recent developments in the diagnosis and approaches in antileishmanial drug discovery and development.
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Singh N, Kumar M, Singh RK. Leishmaniasis: current status of available drugs and new potential drug targets. ASIAN PAC J TROP MED 2012; 5:485-97. [PMID: 22575984 DOI: 10.1016/s1995-7645(12)60084-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 257] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2012] [Revised: 03/15/2012] [Accepted: 04/15/2012] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The control of Leishmania infection relies primarily on chemotherapy till date. Resistance to pentavalent antimonials, which have been the recommended drugs to treat cutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis, is now widespread in Indian subcontinents. New drug formulations like amphotericin B, its lipid formulations, and miltefosine have shown great efficacy to treat leishmaniasis but their high cost and therapeutic complications limit their usefulness. In addition, irregular and inappropriate uses of these second line drugs in endemic regions like state of Bihar, India threaten resistance development in the parasite. In context to the limited drug options and unavailability of either preventive or prophylactic candidates, there is a pressing need to develop true antileishmanial drugs to reduce the disease burden of this debilitating endemic disease. Notwithstanding significant progress of leishmanial research during last few decades, identification and characterization of novel drugs and drug targets are far from satisfactory. This review will initially describe current drug regimens and later will provide an overview on few important biochemical and enzymatic machineries that could be utilized as putative drug targets for generation of true antileishmanial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Singh
- Molecular Immunology Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, India
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50
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Ogungbe IV, Singh M, Setzer WN. Antileishmanial Natural Products from Plants. BIOACTIVE NATURAL PRODUCTS 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-444-53836-9.00027-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
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