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Wang Y, Qian S, Zhao F, Wang Y, Li J. Terazosin Analogs Targeting Pgk1 as Neuroprotective Agents: Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation. Front Chem 2022; 10:906974. [PMID: 35958233 PMCID: PMC9360532 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2022.906974] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds have shown promising therapeutic effects in a variety of inflammatory and neurodegenerative diseases. Recently, terazosin (TZ), a heterocyclic compound with a quinazoline core, was found to combine with phosphoglycerol kinase 1 (Pgk1) and protect neurons by enhancing Pgk1 activity and promoting glycolysis, thereby slowing, or preventing the neurodegeneration of PD. These findings indicated that terazosin analogs have bright prospects for the development of PD therapeutics. In this study, a series of terazosin analogs were designed and synthesized for neuroprotective effects by targeting Pgk1. Among them, compound 12b was obtained with the best Pgk1 agonistic activity and neuroprotective activity. Further study indicates that it can increase intracellular ATP content and reduce ROS levels by stimulating the activity of Pgk1, thereby playing a role in protecting nerve cells. In conclusion, this study provides a new strategy and reference for the development of neuroprotective drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Institute of Medicinal Chemistry, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Shihu Qian
- College of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Institute of Medicinal Chemistry, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Fang Zhao
- College of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Institute of Medicinal Chemistry, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Yujie Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Institute of Medicinal Chemistry, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
| | - Jiaming Li
- College of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- Institute of Medicinal Chemistry, Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, China
- *Correspondence: Jiaming Li,
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Gitto R, Vittorio S, Bucolo F, Peña-Díaz S, Siracusa R, Cuzzocrea S, Ventura S, Di Paola R, De Luca L. Discovery of Neuroprotective Agents Based on a 5-(4-Pyridinyl)-1,2,4-triazole Scaffold. ACS Chem Neurosci 2022; 13:581-586. [PMID: 35179861 PMCID: PMC9937533 DOI: 10.1021/acschemneuro.1c00849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by the death of dopaminergic neurons. The common histopathological hallmark in PD patients is the formation of intracellular proteinaceous accumulations. The main constituent of these inclusions is alpha-synuclein (α-syn), an intrinsically disordered protein that in pathological conditions creates amyloid aggregates that lead to neurotoxicity and neurodegeneration. The main goal of our study was to optimize our previously identified α-syn aggregation inhibitors of 5-(4-pyridinyl)-1,2,4-triazole chemotype in terms of in vivo efficacy. Our efforts resulted in the identification of ethyl 2-((4-amino-5-(pyridin-4-yl)-4H-1,2,4-triazol-3-yl)thio)acetate (15), which displayed the ability to prevent 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropiridine-induced bradykinesia as well as to affect the levels of PD markers after the administration of the same neurotoxin. In addition to the in vivo evaluation, for the 5-(4-pyridinyl)-1,2,4-triazole-based compounds, we measured the prevention of the fibrillization process using light scattering and a ThT binding assay; these compounds have been shown to slightly reduce the α-syn aggregation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosaria Gitto
- Department
of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Serena Vittorio
- Department
of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Federica Bucolo
- Department
of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Samuel Peña-Díaz
- Institut
de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat
Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain,Departament
de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat
Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain
| | - Rosalba Siracusa
- Department
of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Salvatore Cuzzocrea
- Department
of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Institut
de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat
Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain,Departament
de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat
Autonoma de Barcelona, 08193 Bellaterra, Spain,ICREA, Passeig Lluis
Companys 23, 08010 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rosanna Di Paola
- Department
of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98125 Messina, Italy
| | - Laura De Luca
- Department
of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale F. Stagno D’Alcontres 31, I-98125 Messina, Italy,
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Vittorio S, Adornato I, Gitto R, Peña-Díaz S, Ventura S, De Luca L. Rational design of small molecules able to inhibit α-synuclein amyloid aggregation for the treatment of Parkinson's disease. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2020; 35:1727-1735. [PMID: 32924648 PMCID: PMC7534360 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2020.1816999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Parkinson’s disease is one of the most common neurodegenerative disorders in elderly age. One of the mechanisms involved in the neurodegeneration appears related to the aggregation of the presynaptic protein alpha synuclein (α-syn) into toxic oligomers and fibrils. To date, no highly effective treatment is currently available; therefore, there is an increasing interest in the search of new therapeutic tools. The modulation of α-syn aggregation represents an emergent and promising disease-modifying strategy for reducing or blocking the neurodegenerative process. Herein, by combining in silico and in vitro screenings we initially identified 3-(cinnamylsulfanyl)-5-(4-pyridinyl)-1,2,4-triazol-4-amine (3) as α-syn aggregation inhibitor that was then considered a promising hit for the further design of a new series of small molecules. Therefore, we rationally designed new hit-derivatives that were synthesised and evaluated by biological assays. Lastly, the binding mode of the newer inhibitors was predicted by docking studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Serena Vittorio
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina Viale Palatucci, Messina, Italy
| | - Ilenia Adornato
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina Viale Palatucci, Messina, Italy
| | - Rosaria Gitto
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina Viale Palatucci, Messina, Italy
| | - Samuel Peña-Díaz
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain
| | - Salvador Ventura
- Institut de Biotecnologia i Biomedicina, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain.,Departament de Bioquimica i Biologia Molecular, Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona, Spain.,ICREA, Passeig Lluis Companys 23, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Laura De Luca
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina Viale Palatucci, Messina, Italy
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