1
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Olotu F, Tali MBT, Chepsiror C, Sheik Amamuddy O, Boyom FF, Tastan Bishop Ö. Repurposing DrugBank compounds as potential Plasmodium falciparum class 1a aminoacyl tRNA synthetase multi-stage pan-inhibitors with a specific focus on mitomycin. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2024; 25:100548. [PMID: 38805932 PMCID: PMC11152978 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2024.100548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024]
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum aminoacyl tRNA synthetases (PfaaRSs) are potent antimalarial targets essential for proteome fidelity and overall parasite survival in every stage of the parasite's life cycle. So far, some of these proteins have been singly targeted yielding inhibitor compounds that have been limited by incidences of resistance which can be overcome via pan-inhibition strategies. Hence, herein, for the first time, we report the identification and in vitro antiplasmodial validation of Mitomycin (MMC) as a probable pan-inhibitor of class 1a (arginyl(A)-, cysteinyl(C), isoleucyl(I)-, leucyl(L), methionyl(M), and valyl(V)-) PfaaRSs which hypothetically may underlie its previously reported activity on the ribosomal RNA to inhibit protein translation and biosynthesis. We combined multiple in silico structure-based discovery strategies that first helped identify functional and druggable sites that were preferentially targeted by the compound in each of the plasmodial proteins: Ins1-Ins2 domain in Pf-ARS; anticodon binding domain in Pf-CRS; CP1-editing domain in Pf-IRS and Pf-MRS; C-terminal domain in Pf-LRS; and CP-core region in Pf-VRS. Molecular dynamics studies further revealed that MMC allosterically induced changes in the global structures of each protein. Likewise, prominent structural perturbations were caused by the compound across the functional domains of the proteins. More so, MMC induced systematic alterations in the binding of the catalytic nucleotide and amino acid substrates which culminated in the loss of key interactions with key active site residues and ultimate reduction in the nucleotide-binding affinities across all proteins, as deduced from the binding energy calculations. These altogether confirmed that MMC uniformly disrupted the structure of the target proteins and essential substrates. Further, MMC demonstrated IC50 < 5 μM against the Dd2 and 3D7 strains of parasite making it a good starting point for malarial drug development. We believe that findings from our study will be important in the current search for highly effective multi-stage antimalarial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fisayo Olotu
- Research Unit in Bioinformatics (RUBi), Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bioinformatics, Rhodes University, Makhanda, 6139, South Africa
| | - Mariscal Brice Tchatat Tali
- Antimicrobial & Biocontrol Agents Unit, Laboratory for Phytobiochemistry & Medicinal Plants Studies, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science-University of Yaounde 1, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon; Advanced Research and Health Innovation Hub (ARHIH), Magzi Street, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Curtis Chepsiror
- Research Unit in Bioinformatics (RUBi), Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bioinformatics, Rhodes University, Makhanda, 6139, South Africa
| | - Olivier Sheik Amamuddy
- Research Unit in Bioinformatics (RUBi), Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bioinformatics, Rhodes University, Makhanda, 6139, South Africa
| | - Fabrice Fekam Boyom
- Antimicrobial & Biocontrol Agents Unit, Laboratory for Phytobiochemistry & Medicinal Plants Studies, Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science-University of Yaounde 1, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon; Advanced Research and Health Innovation Hub (ARHIH), Magzi Street, P.O. Box 812, Yaounde, Cameroon
| | - Özlem Tastan Bishop
- Research Unit in Bioinformatics (RUBi), Department of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Bioinformatics, Rhodes University, Makhanda, 6139, South Africa.
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2
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Wu HT, Wu BX, Fang ZX, Wu Z, Hou YY, Deng Y, Cui YK, Liu J. Lomitapide repurposing for treatment of malignancies: A promising direction. Heliyon 2024; 10:e32998. [PMID: 38988566 PMCID: PMC11234027 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e32998] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/12/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of novel drugs from basic science to clinical practice requires several years, much effort, and cost. Drug repurposing can promote the utilization of clinical drugs in cancer therapy. Recent studies have shown the potential effects of lomitapide on treating malignancies, which is currently used for the treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia. We systematically review possible functions and mechanisms of lomitapide as an anti-tumor compound, regarding the aspects of apoptosis, autophagy, and metabolism of tumor cells, to support repurposing lomitapide for the clinical treatment of tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua-Tao Wu
- Department of General Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China
- The Breast Center, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China
| | - Bing-Xuan Wu
- Department of General Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China
- The Breast Center, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China
| | - Ze-Xuan Fang
- The Breast Center, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China
- Department of Physiology/Changjiang Scholar's Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China
| | - Zheng Wu
- The Breast Center, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China
- Department of Physiology/Changjiang Scholar's Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China
| | - Yan-Yu Hou
- The Breast Center, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China
- Department of Physiology/Changjiang Scholar's Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China
| | - Yu Deng
- Department of General Surgery, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China
- The Breast Center, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China
| | - Yu-Kun Cui
- The Breast Center, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China
| | - Jing Liu
- The Breast Center, Cancer Hospital of Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China
- Department of Physiology/Changjiang Scholar's Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, Shantou, 515041, China
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3
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Otazu K, Olivos-Ramirez GE, Fernández-Silva PD, Vilca-Quispe J, Vega-Chozo K, Jimenez-Avalos GM, Chenet-Zuta ME, Sosa-Amay FE, Cárdenas Cárdenas RG, Ropón-Palacios G, Dattani N, Camps I. The Malaria Box molecules: a source for targeting the RBD and NTD cryptic pocket of the spike glycoprotein in SARS-CoV-2. J Mol Model 2024; 30:217. [PMID: 38888748 DOI: 10.1007/s00894-024-06006-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/05/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
CONTEXT SARS-CoV-2, responsible for COVID-19, has led to over 500 million infections and more than 6 million deaths globally. There have been limited effective treatments available. The study aims to find a drug that can prevent the virus from entering host cells by targeting specific sites on the virus's spike protein. METHOD We examined 13,397 compounds from the Malaria Box library against two specific sites on the spike protein: the receptor-binding domain (RBD) and a predicted cryptic pocket. Using virtual screening, molecular docking, molecular dynamics, and MMPBSA techniques, they evaluated the stability of two compounds. TCMDC-124223 showed high stability and binding energy in the RBD, while TCMDC-133766 had better binding energy in the cryptic pocket. The study also identified that the interacting residues are conserved, which is crucial for addressing various virus variants. The findings provide insights into the potential of small molecules as drugs against the spike protein.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kewin Otazu
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Gustavo E Olivos-Ramirez
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
- HPQC Labs, Waterloo, Canada
| | - Pablo D Fernández-Silva
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Julissa Vilca-Quispe
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | - Karolyn Vega-Chozo
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil
| | | | | | - Frida E Sosa-Amay
- Laboratorio de Farmacología y Toxicología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica, Universidad Nacional de la Amazonía Peruana, Iquitos, Perú
| | | | - Georcki Ropón-Palacios
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
- HPQC Labs, Waterloo, Canada.
| | - Nike Dattani
- HPQC College, Waterloo, Canada.
- HPQC Labs, Waterloo, Canada.
| | - Ihosvany Camps
- Laboratório de Modelagem Computacional - LaModel, Instituto de Ciências Exatas - ICEx, Universidade Federal de Alfenas-UNIFAL-MG, Alfenas, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
- HPQC Labs, Waterloo, Canada.
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4
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Adams LE, Leist SR, Dinnon KH, West A, Gully KL, Anderson EJ, Loome JF, Madden EA, Powers JM, Schäfer A, Sarkar S, Castillo IN, Maron JS, McNamara RP, Bertera HL, Zweigert MR, Higgins JS, Hampton BK, Premkumar L, Alter G, Montgomery SA, Baxter VK, Heise MT, Baric RS. Fc-mediated pan-sarbecovirus protection after alphavirus vector vaccination. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112326. [PMID: 37000623 PMCID: PMC10063157 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2022] [Revised: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Group 2B β-coronaviruses (sarbecoviruses) have caused regional and global epidemics in modern history. Here, we evaluate the mechanisms of cross-sarbecovirus protective immunity, currently less clear yet important for pan-sarbecovirus vaccine development, using a panel of alphavirus-vectored vaccines covering bat to human strains. While vaccination does not prevent virus replication, it protects against lethal heterologous disease outcomes in both severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and clade 2 bat sarbecovirus challenge models. The spike vaccines tested primarily elicit a highly S1-specific homologous neutralizing antibody response with no detectable cross-virus neutralization. Rather, non-neutralizing antibody functions, mechanistically linked to FcgR4 and spike S2, mediate cross-protection in wild-type mice. Protection is lost in FcR knockout mice, further supporting a model for non-neutralizing, protective antibodies. These data highlight the importance of FcR-mediated cross-protective immune responses in universal pan-sarbecovirus vaccine designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lily E Adams
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sarah R Leist
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kenneth H Dinnon
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Ande West
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Kendra L Gully
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Division of Comparative Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Elizabeth J Anderson
- Division of Comparative Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jennifer F Loome
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Emily A Madden
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - John M Powers
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Alexandra Schäfer
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Sanjay Sarkar
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Izabella N Castillo
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jenny S Maron
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ryan P McNamara
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Harry L Bertera
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Mark R Zweigert
- Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Jaclyn S Higgins
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Brea K Hampton
- Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Lakshmanane Premkumar
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Galit Alter
- Ragon Institute of MGH, MIT, and Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Stephanie A Montgomery
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Dallas Tissue Research, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Victoria K Baxter
- Division of Comparative Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA
| | - Mark T Heise
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Genetics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Rapidly Emerging Antiviral Drug Discovery Initiative, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
| | - Ralph S Baric
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Department of Epidemiology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA; Rapidly Emerging Antiviral Drug Discovery Initiative, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
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5
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Shanmugam A, Venkattappan A, Gromiha MM. Structure based Drug Designing Approaches in SARS-CoV-2 Spike Inhibitor Design. Curr Top Med Chem 2023; 22:2396-2409. [PMID: 36330617 DOI: 10.2174/1568026623666221103091658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2022] [Revised: 09/14/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 outbreak and the pandemic situation have hastened the research community to design a novel drug and vaccine against its causative organism, the SARS-CoV-2. The spike glycoprotein present on the surface of this pathogenic organism plays an immense role in viral entry and antigenicity. Hence, it is considered an important drug target in COVID-19 drug design. Several three-dimensional crystal structures of this SARS-CoV-2 spike protein have been identified and deposited in the Protein DataBank during the pandemic period. This accelerated the research in computer- aided drug designing, especially in the field of structure-based drug designing. This review summarizes various structure-based drug design approaches applied to this SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and its findings. Specifically, it is focused on different structure-based approaches such as molecular docking, high-throughput virtual screening, molecular dynamics simulation, drug repurposing, and target-based pharmacophore modelling and screening. These structural approaches have been applied to different ligands and datasets such as FDA-approved drugs, small molecular chemical compounds, chemical libraries, chemical databases, structural analogs, and natural compounds, which resulted in the prediction of spike inhibitors, spike-ACE-2 interface inhibitors, and allosteric inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anusuya Shanmugam
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Vinayaka Mission's Kirupananda Variyar Engineering College, Vinayaka Mission's Research Foundation (Deemed to be University), Salem, 636308, Tamil Nadu, India.,Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology ,Madras, Chennai, 600036, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Anbazhagan Venkattappan
- Department of Chemistry, Vinayaka Mission's Kirupananda Variyar Arts and Science College, Vinayaka Mission's Research Foundation (Deemed to be University), Salem, 636308, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - M Michael Gromiha
- Department of Biotechnology, Bhupat and Jyoti Mehta School of Biosciences, Indian Institute of Technology ,Madras, Chennai, 600036, Tamil Nadu, India
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6
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Adams LE, Leist SR, Dinnon KH, West A, Gully KL, Anderson EJ, Loome JF, Madden EA, Powers JM, Schäfer A, Sarkar S, Castillo IN, Maron JS, McNamara RP, Bertera HL, Zweigert MR, Higgins JS, Hampton BK, Premkumar L, Alter G, Montgomery SA, Baxter VK, Heise MT, Baric RS. Fc mediated pan-sarbecovirus protection after alphavirus vector vaccination. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2022:2022.11.28.518175. [PMID: 36482964 PMCID: PMC9727761 DOI: 10.1101/2022.11.28.518175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Two group 2B β-coronaviruses (sarbecoviruses) have caused regional and global epidemics in modern history. The mechanisms of cross protection driven by the sarbecovirus spike, a dominant immunogen, are less clear yet critically important for pan-sarbecovirus vaccine development. We evaluated the mechanisms of cross-sarbecovirus protective immunity using a panel of alphavirus-vectored vaccines covering bat to human strains. While vaccination did not prevent virus replication, it protected against lethal heterologous disease outcomes in both SARS-CoV-2 and clade 2 bat sarbecovirus HKU3-SRBD challenge models. The spike vaccines tested primarily elicited a highly S1-specific homologous neutralizing antibody response with no detectable cross-virus neutralization. We found non-neutralizing antibody functions that mediated cross protection in wild-type mice were mechanistically linked to FcgR4 and spike S2-binding antibodies. Protection was lost in FcR knockout mice, further supporting a model for non-neutralizing, protective antibodies. These data highlight the importance of FcR-mediated cross-protective immune responses in universal pan-sarbecovirus vaccine designs.
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7
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de Souza A, de Freitas Amorim VM, Guardia GDA, dos Santos FRC, dos Santos FF, de Souza RF, de Araujo Juvenal G, Huang Y, Ge P, Jiang Y, Li C, Paudel P, Ulrich H, Galante PAF, Guzzo CR. Molecular Dynamics Analysis of Fast-Spreading Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Variants and Their Effects on the Interaction with Human Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:30700-30709. [PMID: 36068861 PMCID: PMC9437663 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c07240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is evolving with mutations in the spike protein, especially in the receptor-binding domain (RBD). The failure of public health measures in some countries to contain the spread of the disease has given rise to novel viral variants with increased transmissibility. However, key questions about how quickly the variants can spread remain unclear. Herein, we performed a structural investigation using molecular dynamics simulations and determined dissociation constant (K D) values using surface plasmon resonance assays of three fast-spreading SARS-CoV-2 variants, alpha, beta, and gamma, as well as genetic factors in host cells that may be related to the viral infection. Our results suggest that the SARS-CoV-2 variants facilitate their entry into the host cell by moderately increased binding affinities to the human ACE2 receptor, different torsions in hACE2 mediated by RBD variants, and an increased spike exposure time to proteolytic enzymes. We also found that other host cell aspects, such as gene and isoform expression of key genes for the infection (ACE2, FURIN, and TMPRSS2), may have few contributions to the SARS-CoV-2 variant infectivity. In summary, we concluded that a combination of viral and host cell factors allows SARS-CoV-2 variants to increase their abilities to spread faster than the wild type.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anacleto
Silva de Souza
- Department
of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil
| | | | | | - Felipe R. C. dos Santos
- Molecular
Oncology Center, Hospital Sírio Libanes, São Paulo 01308-050, Brazil
- Programa
Interunidades Em Bioinformática, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Filipe F. dos Santos
- Molecular
Oncology Center, Hospital Sírio Libanes, São Paulo 01308-050, Brazil
- Department
of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Robson Francisco de Souza
- Department
of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil
| | | | - Yihua Huang
- ACROBiosystems
Inc., 8 N. Hongda Rd.,
Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, Beijing 100176, China
| | - Pingju Ge
- ACROBiosystems
Inc., 8 N. Hongda Rd.,
Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, Beijing 100176, China
| | - Yinan Jiang
- ACROBiosystems
Inc., 8 N. Hongda Rd.,
Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, Beijing 100176, China
| | - Coco Li
- ACROBiosystems
Inc., 8 N. Hongda Rd.,
Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, Beijing 100176, China
| | - Prajwal Paudel
- ACROBiosystems
Inc., 8 N. Hongda Rd.,
Beijing Economic-Technological Development Area, Beijing 100176, China
| | - Henning Ulrich
- Department
of Biochemistry, Institute of Chemistry, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil
| | - Pedro A. F. Galante
- Molecular
Oncology Center, Hospital Sírio Libanes, São Paulo 01308-050, Brazil
| | - Cristiane Rodrigues Guzzo
- Department
of Microbiology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences, University of São Paulo, São Paulo 05508-900, Brazil
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8
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Frlan R. An Evolutionary Conservation and Druggability Analysis of Enzymes Belonging to the Bacterial Shikimate Pathway. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11050675. [PMID: 35625318 PMCID: PMC9137983 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11050675] [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: 04/20/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Enzymes belonging to the shikimate pathway have long been considered promising targets for antibacterial drugs because they have no counterpart in mammals and are essential for bacterial growth and virulence. However, despite decades of research, there are currently no clinically relevant antibacterial drugs targeting any of these enzymes, and there are legitimate concerns about whether they are sufficiently druggable, i.e., whether they can be adequately modulated by small and potent drug-like molecules. In the present work, in silico analyses combining evolutionary conservation and druggability are performed to determine whether these enzymes are candidates for broad-spectrum antibacterial therapy. The results presented here indicate that the substrate-binding sites of most enzymes in this pathway are suitable drug targets because of their reasonable conservation and druggability scores. An exception was the substrate-binding site of 3-deoxy-D-arabino-heptulosonate-7-phosphate synthase, which was found to be undruggable because of its high content of charged residues and extremely high overall polarity. Although the presented study was designed from the perspective of broad-spectrum antibacterial drug development, this workflow can be readily applied to any antimicrobial target analysis, whether narrow- or broad-spectrum. Moreover, this research also contributes to a deeper understanding of these enzymes and provides valuable insights into their properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rok Frlan
- The Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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9
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Shin YH, Jeong K, Lee J, Lee HJ, Yim J, Kim J, Kim S, Park SB. Inhibition of ACE2-Spike Interaction by an ACE2 Binder Suppresses SARS-CoV-2 Entry. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022; 61:e202115695. [PMID: 35043545 PMCID: PMC9011661 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202115695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants is a significant concern in developing effective therapeutics and vaccines in the middle of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Here, we have identified a novel small molecule that inhibited the interactions between SARS-CoV-2 spike RBDs and ACE2 by modulating ACE2 without impairing its enzymatic activity necessary for normal physiological functions. Furthermore, the identified compounds suppressed viral infection in cultured cells by inhibiting the entry of ancestral and variant SARS-CoV-2. Our study suggests that targeting ACE2 could be a novel therapeutic strategy to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 entry into host cells and prevent the development of COVID-19.
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Affiliation(s)
- Young-Hee Shin
- CRI Center for Chemical Proteomics, Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea.,Department of Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Korea Polytechnic University, Siheung, 15073, Korea
| | - Kiyoung Jeong
- CRI Center for Chemical Proteomics, Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea
| | - Jihye Lee
- Zoonotic Virus Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, Seongnam, 13488, Korea
| | - Hyo Jung Lee
- Zoonotic Virus Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, Seongnam, 13488, Korea
| | - Junhyeong Yim
- Department of Biophysics and Chemical Biology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea
| | - Jonghoon Kim
- Department of Chemistry and Integrative Institute of Basic Science, Soongsil University, Seoul, 06978, Korea
| | - Seungtaek Kim
- Zoonotic Virus Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, Seongnam, 13488, Korea
| | - Seung Bum Park
- CRI Center for Chemical Proteomics, Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea.,Department of Biophysics and Chemical Biology, Seoul National University, Seoul, 08826, Korea
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10
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Shin Y, Jeong K, Lee J, Lee HJ, Yim J, Kim J, Kim S, Park SB. Inhibition of ACE2‐Spike Interaction by an ACE2 Binder Suppresses SARS‐CoV‐2 Entry. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202115695] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Young‐Hee Shin
- CRI Center for Chemical Proteomics Department of Chemistry Seoul National University Seoul 08826 Korea
- Department of Chemical Engineering & Biotechnology Korea Polytechnic University Siheung 15073 Korea
| | - Kiyoung Jeong
- CRI Center for Chemical Proteomics Department of Chemistry Seoul National University Seoul 08826 Korea
| | - Jihye Lee
- Zoonotic Virus Laboratory Institut Pasteur Korea Seongnam 13488 Korea
| | - Hyo Jung Lee
- Zoonotic Virus Laboratory Institut Pasteur Korea Seongnam 13488 Korea
| | - Junhyeong Yim
- Department of Biophysics and Chemical Biology Seoul National University Seoul 08826 Korea
| | - Jonghoon Kim
- Department of Chemistry and Integrative Institute of Basic Science Soongsil University Seoul 06978 Korea
| | - Seungtaek Kim
- Zoonotic Virus Laboratory Institut Pasteur Korea Seongnam 13488 Korea
| | - Seung Bum Park
- CRI Center for Chemical Proteomics Department of Chemistry Seoul National University Seoul 08826 Korea
- Department of Biophysics and Chemical Biology Seoul National University Seoul 08826 Korea
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11
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Rapp M, Shapiro L, Frank J. Contributions of single-particle cryoelectron microscopy toward fighting COVID-19. Trends Biochem Sci 2022; 47:117-123. [PMID: 34799235 PMCID: PMC8556535 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2021.10.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 10/18/2021] [Accepted: 10/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Single-particle cryoelectron microscopy (cryo-EM), whose full capabilities have been realized only within the past decade, has had a pivotal role in the fight against COVID-19. This is due to the technique's intrinsic power to depict both structural and dynamic features of molecules; in this case, of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2. By now, numerous cryo-EM studies have furthered our understanding of spike protein-angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor interactions, which has informed the design of effective vaccines, and have enabled the characterization of neutralizing antibody binding sites, which will lead to the design of novel therapeutics as the virus evolves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micah Rapp
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, USA
| | - Lawrence Shapiro
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, USA.
| | - Joachim Frank
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, USA; Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, USA.
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12
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Distant residues modulate conformational opening in SARS-CoV-2 spike protein. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2021; 118:2100943118. [PMID: 34615730 PMCID: PMC8639331 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2100943118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic resulted in the largest public health crisis in recent times. Significant drug design effort against SARS-CoV-2 is focused on the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein, although this region is highly prone to mutations causing therapeutic resistance. We applied deep data analysis methods on all-atom molecular dynamics simulations to identify key non-RBD residues that play a crucial role in spike−receptor binding and infection. Because the non-RBD residues are typically conserved across multiple coronaviruses, they can be targeted by broad-spectrum antibodies and drugs to treat infections from new strains that might appear during future epidemics. Infection by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) involves the attachment of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of its spike proteins to the ACE2 receptors on the peripheral membrane of host cells. Binding is initiated by a down-to-up conformational change in the spike protein, the change that presents the RBD to the receptor. To date, computational and experimental studies that search for therapeutics have concentrated, for good reason, on the RBD. However, the RBD region is highly prone to mutations, and is therefore a hotspot for drug resistance. In contrast, we here focus on the correlations between the RBD and residues distant to it in the spike protein. This allows for a deeper understanding of the underlying molecular recognition events and prediction of the highest-effect key mutations in distant, allosteric sites, with implications for therapeutics. Also, these sites can appear in emerging mutants with possibly higher transmissibility and virulence, and preidentifying them can give clues for designing pan-coronavirus vaccines against future outbreaks. Our model, based on time-lagged independent component analysis (tICA) and protein graph connectivity network, is able to identify multiple residues that exhibit long-distance coupling with the RBD opening. Residues involved in the most ubiquitous D614G mutation and the A570D mutation of the highly contagious UK SARS-CoV-2 variant are predicted ab initio from our model. Conversely, broad-spectrum therapeutics like drugs and monoclonal antibodies can target these key distant-but-conserved regions of the spike protein.
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13
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Lau EY, Negrete OA, Bennett WFD, Bennion BJ, Borucki M, Bourguet F, Epstein A, Franco M, Harmon B, He S, Jones D, Kim H, Kirshner D, Lao V, Lo J, McLoughlin K, Mosesso R, Murugesh DK, Saada EA, Segelke B, Stefan MA, Stevenson GA, Torres MW, Weilhammer DR, Wong S, Yang Y, Zemla A, Zhang X, Zhu F, Allen JE, Lightstone FC. Discovery of Small-Molecule Inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Proteins Using a Computational and Experimental Pipeline. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:678701. [PMID: 34327214 PMCID: PMC8315004 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.678701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 06/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A rapid response is necessary to contain emergent biological outbreaks before they can become pandemics. The novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19 was first reported in December of 2019 in Wuhan, China and reached most corners of the globe in less than two months. In just over a year since the initial infections, COVID-19 infected almost 100 million people worldwide. Although similar to SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, SARS-CoV-2 has resisted treatments that are effective against other coronaviruses. Crystal structures of two SARS-CoV-2 proteins, spike protein and main protease, have been reported and can serve as targets for studies in neutralizing this threat. We have employed molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and machine learning to identify from a library of 26 million molecules possible candidate compounds that may attenuate or neutralize the effects of this virus. The viability of selected candidate compounds against SARS-CoV-2 was determined experimentally by biolayer interferometry and FRET-based activity protein assays along with virus-based assays. In the pseudovirus assay, imatinib and lapatinib had IC50 values below 10 μM, while candesartan cilexetil had an IC50 value of approximately 67 µM against Mpro in a FRET-based activity assay. Comparatively, candesartan cilexetil had the highest selectivity index of all compounds tested as its half-maximal cytotoxicity concentration 50 (CC50) value was the only one greater than the limit of the assay (>100 μM).
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Affiliation(s)
- Edmond Y Lau
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Biotechnology and Biosciences Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Oscar A Negrete
- Sandia National Laboratory, Department of Biotechnologies and Bioengineering, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - W F Drew Bennett
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Biotechnology and Biosciences Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Brian J Bennion
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Biotechnology and Biosciences Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Monica Borucki
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Biotechnology and Biosciences Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Feliza Bourguet
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Biotechnology and Biosciences Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Aidan Epstein
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Computing Directorate, Global Security Computing Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Magdalena Franco
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Biotechnology and Biosciences Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Brooke Harmon
- Sandia National Laboratory, Department Systems Biology, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Stewart He
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Computing Directorate, Global Security Computing Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Derek Jones
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Computing Directorate, Global Security Computing Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Hyojin Kim
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Computing Directorate, Center for Applied Scientific Computing, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Daniel Kirshner
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Biotechnology and Biosciences Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Victoria Lao
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Biotechnology and Biosciences Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Jacky Lo
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Biotechnology and Biosciences Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Kevin McLoughlin
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Computing Directorate, Global Security Computing Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Richard Mosesso
- Sandia National Laboratory, Department Systems Biology, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Deepa K Murugesh
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Biotechnology and Biosciences Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Edwin A Saada
- Sandia National Laboratory, Department Systems Biology, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Brent Segelke
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Biotechnology and Biosciences Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Maxwell A Stefan
- Sandia National Laboratory, Department Systems Biology, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Garrett A Stevenson
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Engineering Directorate, Computational Engineering Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Marisa W Torres
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Computing Directorate, Global Security Computing Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Dina R Weilhammer
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Biotechnology and Biosciences Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Sergio Wong
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Biotechnology and Biosciences Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Yue Yang
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Biotechnology and Biosciences Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Adam Zemla
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Computing Directorate, Global Security Computing Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Xiaohua Zhang
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Biotechnology and Biosciences Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Fangqiang Zhu
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Biotechnology and Biosciences Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Jonathan E Allen
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Computing Directorate, Global Security Computing Division, Livermore, CA, United States
| | - Felice C Lightstone
- Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Physical and Life Sciences Directorate, Biotechnology and Biosciences Division, Livermore, CA, United States
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14
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Di Gaetano S, Capasso D, Delre P, Pirone L, Saviano M, Pedone E, Mangiatordi GF. More Is Always Better Than One: The N-Terminal Domain of the Spike Protein as Another Emerging Target for Hampering the SARS-CoV-2 Attachment to Host Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:6462. [PMID: 34208755 PMCID: PMC8235207 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22126462] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2021] [Revised: 06/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
Although the approved vaccines are proving to be of utmost importance in containing the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) threat, they will hardly be resolutive as new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2, a single-stranded RNA virus) variants might be insensitive to the immune response they induce. In this scenario, developing an effective therapy is still a dire need. Different targets for therapeutic antibodies and diagnostics have been identified, among which the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) glycoprotein, particularly its receptor-binding domain, has been defined as crucial. In this context, we aim to focus attention also on the role played by the S N-terminal domain (S1-NTD) in the virus attachment, already recognized as a valuable target for neutralizing antibodies, in particular, building on a cavity mapping indicating the presence of two druggable pockets and on the recent literature hypothesizing the presence of a ganglioside-binding domain. In this perspective, we aim at proposing S1-NTD as a putative target for designing small molecules hopefully able to hamper the SARS-CoV-2 attachment to host cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonia Di Gaetano
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, CNR, 80134 Naples, Italy; (S.D.G.); (L.P.)
- CIRPEB, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80134 Naples, Italy; (D.C.); (M.S.)
| | - Domenica Capasso
- CIRPEB, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80134 Naples, Italy; (D.C.); (M.S.)
- CESTEV, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80145 Naples, Italy
| | - Pietro Delre
- Institute of Crystallography, CNR, 70126 Bari, Italy; (P.D.); (G.F.M.)
- Chemistry Department, University of Bari, 70121 Bari, Italy
| | - Luciano Pirone
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, CNR, 80134 Naples, Italy; (S.D.G.); (L.P.)
| | - Michele Saviano
- CIRPEB, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80134 Naples, Italy; (D.C.); (M.S.)
- Institute of Crystallography, CNR, 70126 Bari, Italy; (P.D.); (G.F.M.)
| | - Emilia Pedone
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, CNR, 80134 Naples, Italy; (S.D.G.); (L.P.)
- CIRPEB, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80134 Naples, Italy; (D.C.); (M.S.)
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15
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Tsegay KB, Adeyemi CM, Gniffke EP, Sather DN, Walker JK, Smith SEP. A Repurposed Drug Screen Identifies Compounds That Inhibit the Binding of the COVID-19 Spike Protein to ACE2. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:685308. [PMID: 34194331 PMCID: PMC8236845 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.685308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 05/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Repurposed drugs that block the interaction between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and its receptor ACE2 could offer a rapid route to novel COVID-19 treatments or prophylactics. Here, we screened 2,701 compounds from a commercial library of drugs approved by international regulatory agencies for their ability to inhibit the binding of recombinant, trimeric SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to recombinant human ACE2. We identified 56 compounds that inhibited binding in a concentration-dependent manner, measured the IC50 of binding inhibition, and computationally modeled the docking of the best inhibitors to the Spike-ACE2 binding interface. The best candidates were Thiostrepton, Oxytocin, Nilotinib, and Hydroxycamptothecin with IC50's in the 4-9 μM range. These results highlight an effective screening approach to identify compounds capable of disrupting the Spike-ACE2 interaction, as well as identify several potential inhibitors of the Spike-ACE2 interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaleb B. Tsegay
- Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Christiana M. Adeyemi
- St. Louis University School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, St. Louis, MO, United States
| | - Edward P. Gniffke
- Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - D. Noah Sather
- Center for Global Infectious Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - John K. Walker
- St. Louis University School of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Henry and Amelia Nasrallah Center for Neuroscience, Saint Louis University St. Louis, Seattle, WA, United States
| | - Stephen E. P. Smith
- Center for Integrative Brain Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, WA, United States
- Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
- Graduate Program in Neuroscience, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, United States
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16
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Waman VP, Sen N, Varadi M, Daina A, Wodak SJ, Zoete V, Velankar S, Orengo C. The impact of structural bioinformatics tools and resources on SARS-CoV-2 research and therapeutic strategies. Brief Bioinform 2021; 22:742-768. [PMID: 33348379 PMCID: PMC7799268 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbaa362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/10/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
SARS-CoV-2 is the causative agent of COVID-19, the ongoing global pandemic. It has posed a worldwide challenge to human health as no effective treatment is currently available to combat the disease. Its severity has led to unprecedented collaborative initiatives for therapeutic solutions against COVID-19. Studies resorting to structure-based drug design for COVID-19 are plethoric and show good promise. Structural biology provides key insights into 3D structures, critical residues/mutations in SARS-CoV-2 proteins, implicated in infectivity, molecular recognition and susceptibility to a broad range of host species. The detailed understanding of viral proteins and their complexes with host receptors and candidate epitope/lead compounds is the key to developing a structure-guided therapeutic design. Since the discovery of SARS-CoV-2, several structures of its proteins have been determined experimentally at an unprecedented speed and deposited in the Protein Data Bank. Further, specialized structural bioinformatics tools and resources have been developed for theoretical models, data on protein dynamics from computer simulations, impact of variants/mutations and molecular therapeutics. Here, we provide an overview of ongoing efforts on developing structural bioinformatics tools and resources for COVID-19 research. We also discuss the impact of these resources and structure-based studies, to understand various aspects of SARS-CoV-2 infection and therapeutic development. These include (i) understanding differences between SARS-CoV-2 and SARS-CoV, leading to increased infectivity of SARS-CoV-2, (ii) deciphering key residues in the SARS-CoV-2 involved in receptor-antibody recognition, (iii) analysis of variants in host proteins that affect host susceptibility to infection and (iv) analyses facilitating structure-based drug and vaccine design against SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Antoine Daina
- Molecular Modeling Group at SIB, Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics
| | | | - Vincent Zoete
- Department of Fundamental Oncology at the University of Lausanne and Group leader at SIB
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