1
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Vulpetti A, Rondeau JM, Bellance MH, Blank J, Boesch R, Boettcher A, Bornancin F, Buhr S, Connor LE, Dumelin CE, Esser O, Hediger M, Hintermann S, Hommel U, Koch E, Lapointe G, Leder L, Lehmann S, Lehr P, Meier P, Muller L, Ostermeier D, Ramage P, Schiebel-Haddad S, Smith AB, Stojanovic A, Velcicky J, Yamamoto R, Hurth K. Ligandability Assessment of IL-1β by Integrated Hit Identification Approaches. J Med Chem 2024; 67:8141-8160. [PMID: 38728572 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00240] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Human interleukin-1β (IL-1β) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that plays a critical role in the regulation of the immune response and the development of various inflammatory diseases. In this publication, we disclose our efforts toward the discovery of IL-1β binders that interfere with IL-1β signaling. To this end, several technologies were used in parallel, including fragment-based screening (FBS), DNA-encoded library (DEL) technology, peptide discovery platform (PDP), and virtual screening. The utilization of distinct technologies resulted in the identification of new chemical entities exploiting three different sites on IL-1β, all of them also inhibiting the interaction with the IL-1R1 receptor. Moreover, we identified lysine 103 of IL-1β as a target residue suitable for the development of covalent, low-molecular-weight IL-1β antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Vulpetti
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Jutta Blank
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ralf Boesch
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Sylvia Buhr
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Oliver Esser
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Ulrich Hommel
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Elke Koch
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Lukas Leder
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sylvie Lehmann
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Lehr
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Peter Meier
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Lionel Muller
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Paul Ramage
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | - Juraj Velcicky
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rina Yamamoto
- Biomedical Research, Novartis, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
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2
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Song L, Xu J, Shi Y, Zhao H, Zhang M, Wang Y, Cui Y, Chai X. An integrated strategy of UPLC-Q-TOF-MS analysis, network pharmacology, and molecular docking to explore the chemical constituents and mechanism of Zixue Powder against febrile seizures. Heliyon 2024; 10:e23865. [PMID: 38192830 PMCID: PMC10772254 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e23865] [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: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Febrile seizures (FS) are the most common type of seizures for children. As a commonly used representative cold formula for resuscitation, Zixue Powder (ZP) has shown great efficacy for the treatment of FS in clinic, while its active ingredients and underlying mechanism remain largely unclear. This study aimed to preliminarily elucidate the material basis of ZP and the potential mechanism for the treatment of FS through ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-TOF-MS), network pharmacology, and molecular docking. UPLC-Q-TOF-MS was firstly applied to characterize the ingredients in ZP, followed by network pharmacology to explore the potential bioactive ingredients and pathways of ZP against FS. Furthermore, molecular docking technique was employed to verify the binding affinity between the screened active ingredients and targets. As a result, 75 ingredients were identified, containing flavonoids, chromogenic ketones, triterpenes and their saponins, organic acids, etc. Through the current study, we focused on 13 potential active ingredients and 14 key potential anti-FS targets of ZP, such as IL6, STAT3, TNF, and MMP9. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analysis showed that inflammatory response, EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor resistance, AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications, and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction were the main anti-FS signaling pathways. Licochalcones A and B, 26-deoxycimicifugoside, and hederagenin were screened as the main potential active ingredients by molecular docking. In conclusion, this study provides an effective in-depth investigation of the chemical composition, potential bioactive components, and possible anti-FS mechanism of ZP, which lays the foundation for pharmacodynamic studies and clinical applications of ZP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingling Song
- National Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Modernization, State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin Key Laboratory of TCM Chemistry and Analysis, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
| | - Jian Xu
- National Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Modernization, State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin Key Laboratory of TCM Chemistry and Analysis, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
| | - Yanqiong Shi
- Department of Pharmacy, Xuhui District Central Hospital, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Hemiao Zhao
- National Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Modernization, State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin Key Laboratory of TCM Chemistry and Analysis, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
| | - Min Zhang
- National Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Modernization, State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin Key Laboratory of TCM Chemistry and Analysis, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
- Haihe Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
| | - Yuefei Wang
- National Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Modernization, State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin Key Laboratory of TCM Chemistry and Analysis, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
- Haihe Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
| | - Ying Cui
- National Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Modernization, State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin Key Laboratory of TCM Chemistry and Analysis, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
- Haihe Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
| | - Xin Chai
- National Key Laboratory of Chinese Medicine Modernization, State Key Laboratory of Component-based Chinese Medicine, Tianjin Key Laboratory of TCM Chemistry and Analysis, Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
- Haihe Laboratory of Modern Chinese Medicine, Tianjin, 301617, China
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3
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Wang J, Zheng Q, Shi M, Wang H, Fan C, Wang G, Zhao Y, Si J. Isolation, Identification, Anti-Inflammatory, and In Silico Analysis of New Lignans from the Resin of Ferula sinkiangensis. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1351. [PMID: 37895822 PMCID: PMC10610263 DOI: 10.3390/ph16101351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 09/15/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Ferula sinkiangensis K. M. Shen (Apiaceae) is distributed in arid desert areas of Xinjiang, and its resin is a traditional Chinese medicine to treat gastrointestinal digestive diseases. To explore bioactive components from F. sinkiangensis, three new lignans and thirteen known components were isolated. The structural elucidation of the components was established utilizing spectroscopic analyses together with ECD calculations. Griess reaction results indicated new compounds 1 and 2 significantly decreased NO production in LPS-stimulated RAW 264.7 macrophages, and ELISA results indicated that they effectively attenuated LPS-induced inflammation by inhibiting TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 expressions. The in silico approach confirmed that compound 1 docked into the receptors with strong binding energies of -5.84~-10.79 kcal/mol. In addition, compound 6 inhibited the proliferation of AGS gastric cancer cells with IC50 values of 15.2 μM by suppressing the cell migration and invasion. This study disclosed that F. sinkiangensis might be a promising potential resource for bioactive components.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junchi Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China; (J.W.); (Q.Z.); (H.W.)
| | - Qi Zheng
- The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China; (J.W.); (Q.Z.); (H.W.)
| | - Minghui Shi
- Xinjiang Institute of Chinese Materia Medica and Ethnodrug, Urumqi 830002, China; (M.S.); (C.F.); (G.W.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Huaxiang Wang
- The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China; (J.W.); (Q.Z.); (H.W.)
| | - Congzhao Fan
- Xinjiang Institute of Chinese Materia Medica and Ethnodrug, Urumqi 830002, China; (M.S.); (C.F.); (G.W.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Guoping Wang
- Xinjiang Institute of Chinese Materia Medica and Ethnodrug, Urumqi 830002, China; (M.S.); (C.F.); (G.W.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Yaqin Zhao
- Xinjiang Institute of Chinese Materia Medica and Ethnodrug, Urumqi 830002, China; (M.S.); (C.F.); (G.W.); (Y.Z.)
| | - Jianyong Si
- The Key Laboratory of Bioactive Substances and Resources Utilization of Chinese Herbal Medicine, Ministry of Education, Institute of Medicinal Plant Development, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100193, China; (J.W.); (Q.Z.); (H.W.)
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4
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Hommel U, Hurth K, Rondeau JM, Vulpetti A, Ostermeier D, Boettcher A, Brady JP, Hediger M, Lehmann S, Koch E, Blechschmidt A, Yamamoto R, Tundo Dottorello V, Haenni-Holzinger S, Kaiser C, Lehr P, Lingel A, Mureddu L, Schleberger C, Blank J, Ramage P, Freuler F, Eder J, Bornancin F. Discovery of a selective and biologically active low-molecular weight antagonist of human interleukin-1β. Nat Commun 2023; 14:5497. [PMID: 37679328 PMCID: PMC10484922 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-41190-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Human interleukin-1β (hIL-1β) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine involved in many diseases. While hIL-1β directed antibodies have shown clinical benefit, an orally available low-molecular weight antagonist is still elusive, limiting the applications of hIL-1β-directed therapies. Here we describe the discovery of a low-molecular weight hIL-1β antagonist that blocks the interaction with the IL-1R1 receptor. Starting from a low affinity fragment-based screening hit 1, structure-based optimization resulted in a compound (S)-2 that binds and antagonizes hIL-1β with single-digit micromolar activity in biophysical, biochemical, and cellular assays. X-ray analysis reveals an allosteric mode of action that involves a hitherto unknown binding site in hIL-1β encompassing two loops involved in hIL-1R1/hIL-1β interactions. We show that residues of this binding site are part of a conformationally excited state of the mature cytokine. The compound antagonizes hIL-1β function in cells, including primary human fibroblasts, demonstrating the relevance of this discovery for future development of hIL-1β directed therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Hommel
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Konstanze Hurth
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Jean-Michel Rondeau
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anna Vulpetti
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Daniela Ostermeier
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Boettcher
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jacob Peter Brady
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 250 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA, 02139, USA
| | - Michael Hediger
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sylvie Lehmann
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Elke Koch
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Anke Blechschmidt
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rina Yamamoto
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Christian Kaiser
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Lehr
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Lingel
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Luca Mureddu
- Leicester Institute of Structural and Chemical Biology, Department of Molecular and Cell Biology, University of Leicester, Leicester, LE1 7RH, UK
| | - Christian Schleberger
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jutta Blank
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Paul Ramage
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Felix Freuler
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Joerg Eder
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Frédéric Bornancin
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, CH-4002, Basel, Switzerland.
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5
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La Sala G, Pfleger C, Käck H, Wissler L, Nevin P, Böhm K, Janet JP, Schimpl M, Stubbs CJ, De Vivo M, Tyrchan C, Hogner A, Gohlke H, Frolov AI. Combining structural and coevolution information to unveil allosteric sites. Chem Sci 2023; 14:7057-7067. [PMID: 37389247 PMCID: PMC10306073 DOI: 10.1039/d2sc06272k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Understanding allosteric regulation in biomolecules is of great interest to pharmaceutical research and computational methods emerged during the last decades to characterize allosteric coupling. However, the prediction of allosteric sites in a protein structure remains a challenging task. Here, we integrate local binding site information, coevolutionary information, and information on dynamic allostery into a structure-based three-parameter model to identify potentially hidden allosteric sites in ensembles of protein structures with orthosteric ligands. When tested on five allosteric proteins (LFA-1, p38-α, GR, MAT2A, and BCKDK), the model successfully ranked all known allosteric pockets in the top three positions. Finally, we identified a novel druggable site in MAT2A confirmed by X-ray crystallography and SPR and a hitherto unknown druggable allosteric site in BCKDK validated by biochemical and X-ray crystallography analyses. Our model can be applied in drug discovery to identify allosteric pockets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppina La Sala
- Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Christopher Pfleger
- Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät, Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf 40225 Düsseldorf Germany
| | - Helena Käck
- Mechanistic and Structural Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Lisa Wissler
- Mechanistic and Structural Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Philip Nevin
- Discovery Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Kerstin Böhm
- Discovery Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Jon Paul Janet
- Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Marianne Schimpl
- Mechanistic and Structural Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca Cambridge UK
| | - Christopher J Stubbs
- Mechanistic and Structural Biology, Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca Cambridge UK
| | - Marco De Vivo
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia Via Morego 30 16163 Genoa Italy
| | - Christian Tyrchan
- Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Respiratory & Immunology (R&I), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Anders Hogner
- Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca Gothenburg Sweden
| | - Holger Gohlke
- Mathematisch-Naturwissenschaftliche Fakultät, Institut für Pharmazeutische und Medizinische Chemie, Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf 40225 Düsseldorf Germany
- John von Neumann Institute for Computing (NIC), Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC), Institute of Biological Information Processing (IBI-7: Structural Biochemistry), Institute of Bio- and Geosciences (IBG-4: Bioinformatics) Forschungszentrum Jülich GmbH 52425 Jülich Germany
| | - Andrey I Frolov
- Medicinal Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (CVRM), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca Gothenburg Sweden
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6
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González L, Díaz L, Pous J, Baginski B, Duran-Corbera A, Scarpa M, Brun-Heath I, Igea A, Martin-Malpartida P, Ruiz L, Pallara C, Esguerra M, Colizzi F, Mayor-Ruiz C, Biondi RM, Soliva R, Macias MJ, Orozco M, Nebreda AR. Characterization of p38α autophosphorylation inhibitors that target the non-canonical activation pathway. Nat Commun 2023; 14:3318. [PMID: 37308482 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39051-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2022] [Accepted: 05/26/2023] [Indexed: 06/14/2023] Open
Abstract
p38α is a versatile protein kinase that can control numerous processes and plays important roles in the cellular responses to stress. Dysregulation of p38α signaling has been linked to several diseases including inflammation, immune disorders and cancer, suggesting that targeting p38α could be therapeutically beneficial. Over the last two decades, numerous p38α inhibitors have been developed, which showed promising effects in pre-clinical studies but results from clinical trials have been disappointing, fueling the interest in the generation of alternative mechanisms of p38α modulation. Here, we report the in silico identification of compounds that we refer to as non-canonical p38α inhibitors (NC-p38i). By combining biochemical and structural analyses, we show that NC-p38i efficiently inhibit p38α autophosphorylation but weakly affect the activity of the canonical pathway. Our results demonstrate how the structural plasticity of p38α can be leveraged to develop therapeutic opportunities targeting a subset of the functions regulated by this pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorena González
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lucía Díaz
- Nostrum Biodiscovery, 08034, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Joan Pous
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Blazej Baginski
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Anna Duran-Corbera
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Margherita Scarpa
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Isabelle Brun-Heath
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ana Igea
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Pau Martin-Malpartida
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Lidia Ruiz
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | | | | | - Francesco Colizzi
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
- Department of Marine Biology and Oceanography, Institute of Marine Sciences ICM-CSIC, 08003, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Cristina Mayor-Ruiz
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Ricardo M Biondi
- Instituto de Investigación en Biomedicina de Buenos Aires (IBioBA)-CONICET-Partner Institute of the Max Planck Society, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | | | - Maria J Macias
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
- ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Modesto Orozco
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
- Departament de Bioquímica i Biomedicina, Facultat de Biologia, Universitat de Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Angel R Nebreda
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
- ICREA, Pg. Lluís Companys 23, 08010, Barcelona, Spain.
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7
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Valipour M, Di Giacomo S, Di Sotto A, Irannejad H. Discovery of Chalcone-Based Hybrid Structures as High Affinity and Site-Specific Inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2: A Comprehensive Structural Analysis Based on Various Host-Based and Viral Targets. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24108789. [PMID: 37240149 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24108789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2022] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/08/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous studies indicated that natural-based chalcones have significant inhibitory effects on the coronavirus enzymes 3CLpro and PLpro as well as modulation of some host-based antiviral targets (HBATs). In this study, a comprehensive computational and structural study was performed to investigate the affinity of our compound library consisting of 757 chalcone-based structures (CHA-1 to CHA-757) for inhibiting the 3CLpro and PLpro enzymes and against twelve selected host-based targets. Our results indicated that CHA-12 (VUF 4819) is the most potent and multi-target inhibitor in our chemical library over all viral and host-based targets. Correspondingly, CHA-384 and its congeners containing ureide moieties were found to be potent and selective 3CLpro inhibitors, and benzotriazole moiety in CHA-37 was found to be a main fragment for inhibiting the 3CLpro and PLpro. Surprisingly, our results indicate that the ureide and sulfonamide moieties are integral fragments for the optimum 3CLpro inhibition while occupying the S1 and S3 subsites, which is fully consistent with recent reports on the site-specific 3CLpro inhibitors. Finding the multi-target inhibitor CHA-12, previously reported as an LTD4 antagonist for the treatment of inflammatory pulmonary diseases, prompted us to suggest it as a concomitant agent for relieving respiratory symptoms and suppressing COVID-19 infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mehdi Valipour
- Razi Drug Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1545913487, Iran
| | - Silvia Di Giacomo
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "V. Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Antonella Di Sotto
- Department of Physiology and Pharmacology "V. Erspamer", Sapienza University of Rome, P.le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy
| | - Hamid Irannejad
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari 4847116547, Iran
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8
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Gao L, Shaabani S, Reyes Romero A, Xu R, Ahmadianmoghaddam M, Dömling A. 'Chemistry at the speed of sound': automated 1536-well nanoscale synthesis of 16 scaffolds in parallel. GREEN CHEMISTRY : AN INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL AND GREEN CHEMISTRY RESOURCE : GC 2023; 25:1380-1394. [PMID: 36824604 PMCID: PMC9940305 DOI: 10.1039/d2gc04312b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 01/13/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023]
Abstract
Screening of large and diverse libraries is the 'bread and butter' in the first phase of the discovery of novel drugs. However, maintenance and periodic renewal of high-quality large compound collections pose considerable logistic, environmental and monetary problems. Here, we exercise an alternative, the 'on-the-fly' synthesis of large and diverse libraries on a nanoscale in a highly automated fashion. For the first time, we show the feasibility of the synthesis of a large library based on 16 different chemistries in parallel on several 384-well plates using the acoustic dispensing ejection (ADE) technology platform. In contrast to combinatorial chemistry, we produced 16 scaffolds at the same time and in a sparse matrix fashion, and each compound was produced by a random combination of diverse large building blocks. The synthesis, analytics, resynthesis of selected compounds, and chemoinformatic analysis of the library are described. The advantages of the herein described automated nanoscale synthesis approach include great library diversity, absence of library storage logistics, superior economics, speed of synthesis by automation, increased safety, and hence sustainable chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Gao
- Department of Drug Design, University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Shabnam Shaabani
- Department of Drug Design, University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Atilio Reyes Romero
- Department of Drug Design, University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Ruixue Xu
- Department of Drug Design, University of Groningen Groningen The Netherlands
| | | | - Alexander Dömling
- CATRIN, Department of Innovative Chemistry, Palacký University Olomouc Olomouc Czech Republic
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9
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Domiati S, Abd El Galil K, Ragab H. Molecular Mechanics Simulations and Experimental Investigation of the Effect of Tadalafil on Various Inflammatory Pain Mediators. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:43747-43758. [PMID: 36506154 PMCID: PMC9730770 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c04761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/09/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Tadalafil's exact analgesic mechanism is still unclear. The current study aimed to elucidate this mechanism in an inflammatory pain model. METHODS Computer-assisted simulation docking experiments were carried out to assess the binding of tadalafil to different ligands. The anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of tadalafil were evaluated using formalin-induced paw edema and a von Frey filament test, respectively. The plantar paw of the mice was then dissected to quantify iNOS, nNOS, COX-2, TNFα, IL1, and IL10 gene expression levels using a real-time polymerase chain reaction. iNOS, TNFα, and COX-2 inhibition was reassessed in vitro using the ELISA technique. One-way analysis of variance followed by post hoc Tukey test or t-test was used to compare the means. RESULTS Docking analysis showed a superior binding score of tadalafil to COX-2, iNOS, IL-1, and TNF-α compared to that of indomethacin and morphine and a similar binding score to nNOS and IL-10 relative to that of indomethacin. In the in vivo study, tadalafil, after an hour of formalin administration, inhibited significantly paw edema, similar to indomethacin. Furthermore, it significantly increased the withdrawal force in the von Frey filament test as compared to the negative control, which was similar to the effect observed with indomethacin and morphine. The RT-PCR revealed that tadalafil reduced significantly the iNOS, COX-2, and TNF-α gene expressions but had no effect on nNOS, IL 1, and IL10. In vitro ELISA tests confirmed the inhibition of iNOS, COX-2, and TNF-α. CONCLUSION Tadalafil probably exerts its analgesic effect through the simultaneous inhibition of iNOS, COX-2, and TNF-α, which is not the case with other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. Nevertheless, further studies are required to confirm its mechanism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Souraya Domiati
- Department
of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beirut Arab University, Beirut1107 2809, Lebanon
| | - Khaled Abd El Galil
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beirut Arab University, Beirut1107 2809, Lebanon
- Department
of Microbiology and Immunology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura35516, Egypt
| | - Hanan Ragab
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Alexandria University, Alexandria21521, Egypt
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10
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Zang Y, Wang H, Kang Y, Zhang J, Li X, Zhang L, Yang Z, Zhang S. TAB1 binding induced p38α conformation change: an accelerated molecular dynamics simulation study. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:10506-10513. [PMID: 35441632 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp00144f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
p38α mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) undergoes autophosphorylation induced by the binding of TGFβ-activated kinase 1 binding protein 1 (TAB1) in myocardial ischemia. Investigation of the conformational transformations in p38α triggered by TAB1 binding is motivated by the need to find selective p38α activation inhibitors to treat myocardial ischemia. Herein, the conformational transformations of p38α were studied via all-atom accelerated molecular dynamics simulations and principal component analysis. With the binding of TAB1, the conformational changes of p38α auto-activation were characterized by the movement of the activation loop (A-loop) away from the αG helix toward the αF, αE helixes and L16-loop. In addition, a diverse intermediate state with an extensional and phosphorylated A-loop different from the transition intermediate state was explored. The conformational changes, including the A-loop alpha-structure breaking and the stronger hydrogen bond network formation, are accompanied by the extension of the A-loop and more intramolecular interactions in p38α. TAB1 correlates with other regions of p38α that are distal from the TAB1-binding site, including the A-loop, αC helix, and L16-loop, which regulates the intramolecular correlation of p38α. And, the phosphorylation further enhances the correlations between the A-loop and the other regions of p38α. The correlation results imply the regulation process of p38α conformational transformations. These findings will improve our understanding of the autophosphorylation of kinase and facilitate the development of selective inhibitors for the treatment of ischemic injury.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yongjian Zang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Physics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China.
| | - He Wang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Physics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China.
| | - Ying Kang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Physics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China.
| | - Jianwen Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Physics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China.
| | - Xuhua Li
- MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Physics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China.
| | - Lei Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Physics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China.
| | - Zhiwei Yang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Physics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China.
| | - Shengli Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory for Nonequilibrium Synthesis and Modulation of Condensed Matter, School of Physics, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049, China.
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11
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Liu Y, Yan H, Jia HB, Pan L, Liu JZ, Zhang YW, Wang J, Qin DG, Ma L, Wang T. Jiedu Huoxue Decoction for Cytokine Storm and Thrombosis in Severe COVID-19: A Combined Bioinformatics and Computational Chemistry Approach. Nat Prod Commun 2022. [DOI: 10.1177/1934578x221096966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Jiedu Huoxue Decoction (JHD), a recommended traditional prescription for patients with severe COVID-19, has appeared in the treatment protocols in China. Based on bioinformatics and computational chemistry methods, including molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulation, and Molecular Mechanics Generalized Born Surface Area (MM/GBSA) calculation, we aimed to reveal the mechanism of JHD in treating severe COVID-19. The compounds in JHD were obtained and screened on TCMSP, SwissADME, and ADMETLab platforms. The compound targets were obtained from TCMSP and STITCH, while COVID-19 targets were obtained from Genecards and NCBI. The protein-protein interaction network was constructed by using STRING. Gene Ontology (GO) and KEGG enrichment were performed with ClueGO and R language. AutoDock vina was employed for molecular docking. 100 ns MD simulation of the optimal docking complex was carried out with AmberTools 20. A total of 84 compounds and 29 potential targets of JHD for COVID-19 were collected. The key phytochemicals included quercetin, luteolin, β-sitosterol, puerarin, stigmasterol, kaempferol, and wogonin, which could regulate the immune system. The hub genes included IL6, IL10, VEGFA, IL1B, CCL2, HMOX1, DPP4, and ACE2. ACE2 and DPP4 were related to SARS-CoV-2 entering cells. GO and KEGG analysis showed that JHD could intervene in cytokine storm and endothelial proliferation and migration related to thrombosis. The molecular docking, 100 ns MD simulation, and MM/GBSA calculation confirmed that targets enriched in the COVID-19 pathway had high affinities with related compounds, and the conformations of the puerarin-ACE2, quercetin-EGFR, luteolin-EGFR, and quercetin-IL1B complexes were stable. In a word, JHD could treat COVID-19 by intervening in cytokine storm, thrombosis, and the entry of SARS-CoV-2, while regulating the immune system. These mechanisms were consistent with JHD's therapeutic concept of “detoxification” and “promoting blood circulation and removing blood stasis” in treating COVID-19. The research provides a theoretical basis for the development and application of JHD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Liu
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory for Pediatrics of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, Liaocheng People’s Hospital, Liaocheng, China
| | - Han Yan
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory for Pediatrics of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, Liaocheng People’s Hospital, Liaocheng, China
| | - Hui-bin Jia
- Department of Blood Transfusion, Liaocheng People’s Hospital, Liaocheng, China
| | - Li Pan
- Department of Central Laboratory, Liaocheng People’s Hospital, Liaocheng, China
| | - Jia-zheng Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau Institute for Applied Research in Medicine and Health, Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Joint Laboratory of Respiratory Infectious Disease, Macau University of Science and Technology, Macau, China
| | - Ya-wen Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory for Pediatrics of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, Liaocheng People’s Hospital, Liaocheng, China
| | - Jing Wang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory for Pediatrics of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, Liaocheng People’s Hospital, Liaocheng, China
| | - Dao-gang Qin
- Department of Pediatrics, Liaocheng People’s Hospital, Liaocheng, China
| | - Lei Ma
- Department of Pediatrics, Liaocheng People’s Hospital, Liaocheng, China
| | - Ting Wang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory for Pediatrics of Integrated Traditional and Western Medicine, Liaocheng People’s Hospital, Liaocheng, China
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12
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Yuan X, Chinnaswamy K, Stuckey JA, Yang CY. Computational Cosolvent Mapping Analysis Leads to Identify Salicylic Acid Analogs as Weak Inhibitors of ST2 and IL33 Binding. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:2394-2406. [PMID: 35294837 PMCID: PMC9354565 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c00341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Cytokine signaling initiated by the binding of the cytokine receptors to cytokines plays important roles in immune regulation and diseases. Structurally, cytokine receptors interact with cytokines via an extensive, rugged interface that represents a challenge in inhibitor development. Our computational analysis has previously indicated that butyric acid, mimicking acidic residues, preferentially binds to sites in ST2 (Stimulation-2) that interact with acidic residues of IL33, the endogenous cytokine for ST2. To investigate if a charged group in small molecules facilitates ligand binding to ST2, we developed a biochemical homogeneous time resolved fluorescence assay to determine the inhibition of ST2/IL33 binding by five molecules containing an aromatic ring and a charged group. Three molecules, including niacin, salicylic acid, and benzamidine, exhibit inhibition activities at millimolar concentrations. We further employed the computational cosolvent mapping analysis to identify a shared mode of interaction between niacin, salicylic acid, and ST2. The mode of interaction was further confirmed by four analogous compounds that exhibited similar or improved activities. Our study provided the evidence of inhibition of ST2 and IL33 binding by salicylic acid and analogs. The results suggest that biological activity of salicylic acid may be partly mediated through modulating extracellular cytokine receptors and cytokine interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xinrui Yuan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | | | - Jeanne A Stuckey
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Chao-Yie Yang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
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13
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Sutanto F, Shaabani S, Oerlemans R, Eris D, Patil P, Hadian M, Wang M, Sharpe ME, Groves MR, Dömling A. Combining High-Throughput Synthesis and High-Throughput Protein Crystallography for Accelerated Hit Identification. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:18231-18239. [PMID: 34097796 PMCID: PMC8456925 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202105584] [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: 04/24/2021] [Revised: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Protein crystallography (PX) is widely used to drive advanced stages of drug optimization or to discover medicinal chemistry starting points by fragment soaking. However, recent progress in PX could allow for a more integrated role into early drug discovery. Here, we demonstrate for the first time the interplay of high throughput synthesis and high throughput PX. We describe a practical multicomponent reaction approach to acrylamides and -esters from diverse building blocks suitable for mmol scale synthesis on 96-well format and on a high-throughput nanoscale format in a highly automated fashion. High-throughput PX of our libraries efficiently yielded potent covalent inhibitors of the main protease of the COVID-19 causing agent, SARS-CoV-2. Our results demonstrate, that the marriage of in situ HT synthesis of (covalent) libraires and HT PX has the potential to accelerate hit finding and to provide meaningful strategies for medicinal chemistry projects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fandi Sutanto
- University of GroningenDepartment of Drug DesignA. Deusinglaan 19713AVGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Shabnam Shaabani
- University of GroningenDepartment of Drug DesignA. Deusinglaan 19713AVGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Rick Oerlemans
- University of GroningenDepartment of Drug DesignA. Deusinglaan 19713AVGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Deniz Eris
- Photon Science DivisionPaul Scherrer InstituteSwitzerland
| | - Pravin Patil
- University of GroningenDepartment of Drug DesignA. Deusinglaan 19713AVGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Mojgan Hadian
- University of GroningenDepartment of Drug DesignA. Deusinglaan 19713AVGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Meitian Wang
- Photon Science DivisionPaul Scherrer InstituteSwitzerland
| | | | - Matthew R. Groves
- University of GroningenDepartment of Drug DesignA. Deusinglaan 19713AVGroningenThe Netherlands
| | - Alexander Dömling
- University of GroningenDepartment of Drug DesignA. Deusinglaan 19713AVGroningenThe Netherlands
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14
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Sutanto F, Shaabani S, Oerlemans R, Eris D, Patil P, Hadian M, Wang M, Sharpe ME, Groves MR, Dömling A. Combining High‐Throughput Synthesis and High‐Throughput Protein Crystallography for Accelerated Hit Identification. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202105584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fandi Sutanto
- University of Groningen Department of Drug Design A. Deusinglaan 1 9713 AV Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Shabnam Shaabani
- University of Groningen Department of Drug Design A. Deusinglaan 1 9713 AV Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Rick Oerlemans
- University of Groningen Department of Drug Design A. Deusinglaan 1 9713 AV Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Deniz Eris
- Photon Science Division Paul Scherrer Institute Switzerland
| | - Pravin Patil
- University of Groningen Department of Drug Design A. Deusinglaan 1 9713 AV Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Mojgan Hadian
- University of Groningen Department of Drug Design A. Deusinglaan 1 9713 AV Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Meitian Wang
- Photon Science Division Paul Scherrer Institute Switzerland
| | | | - Matthew R. Groves
- University of Groningen Department of Drug Design A. Deusinglaan 1 9713 AV Groningen The Netherlands
| | - Alexander Dömling
- University of Groningen Department of Drug Design A. Deusinglaan 1 9713 AV Groningen The Netherlands
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15
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Chen J, Wang W, Sun H, Pang L, Bao H. Binding mechanism of inhibitors to p38α MAP kinase deciphered by using multiple replica Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics and calculations of binding free energies. Comput Biol Med 2021; 134:104485. [PMID: 33993013 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiomed.2021.104485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 05/07/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The p38α MAP Kinase has been an important target of drug design for treatment of inflammatory diseases and cancers. This work applies multiple replica Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics (MR-GaMD) simulations and the molecular mechanics generalized Born surface area (MM-GBSA) method to probe the binding mechanism of inhibitors L51, R24 and 1AU to p38α. Dynamics analyses show that inhibitor bindings exert significant effect on conformational changes of the active helix α2 and the conserved DFG loop. The rank of binding free energies calculated with MM-GBSA not only agrees well with that determined by the experimental IC50 values but also suggests that mutual compensation between the enthalpy and entropy changes can improve binding of inhibitors to p38α. The analyses of free energy landscapes indicate that the L51, R24 and 1AU bound p38α display a DFG-out conformation. The residue-based free energy decomposition method is used to evaluate contributions of separate residues to the inhibitor-p38α binding and the results imply that residues V30, V38, L74, L75, I84, T106, H107, L108, M109, L167, F169 and D168 can be utilized as efficient targets of potent inhibitors toward p38α.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianzhong Chen
- School of Science, Shandong Jiaotong University, Jinan, 250357, China.
| | - Wei Wang
- School of Science, Shandong Jiaotong University, Jinan, 250357, China
| | - Haibo Sun
- School of Science, Shandong Jiaotong University, Jinan, 250357, China
| | - Laixue Pang
- School of Science, Shandong Jiaotong University, Jinan, 250357, China
| | - Huayin Bao
- School of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250355, China.
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16
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Atypical p38 Signaling, Activation, and Implications for Disease. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22084183. [PMID: 33920735 PMCID: PMC8073329 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22084183] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) p38 is an essential family of kinases, regulating responses to environmental stress and inflammation. There is an ever-increasing plethora of physiological and pathophysiological conditions attributed to p38 activity, ranging from cell division and embryonic development to the control of a multitude of diseases including retinal, cardiovascular, and neurodegenerative diseases, diabetes, and cancer. Despite the decades of intense investigation, a viable therapeutic approach to disrupt p38 signaling remains elusive. A growing body of evidence supports the pathological significance of an understudied atypical p38 signaling pathway. Atypical p38 signaling is driven by a direct interaction between the adaptor protein TAB1 and p38α, driving p38 autophosphorylation independent from the classical MKK3 and MKK6 pathways. Unlike the classical MKK3/6 signaling pathway, atypical signaling is selective for just p38α, and at present has only been characterized during pathophysiological stimulation. Recent studies have linked atypical signaling to dermal and vascular inflammation, myocardial ischemia, cancer metastasis, diabetes, complications during pregnancy, and bacterial and viral infections. Additional studies are required to fully understand how, when, where, and why atypical p38 signaling is induced. Furthermore, the development of selective TAB1-p38 inhibitors represents an exciting new opportunity to selectively inhibit pathological p38 signaling in a wide array of diseases.
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17
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Canovas B, Nebreda AR. Diversity and versatility of p38 kinase signalling in health and disease. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2021; 22:346-366. [PMID: 33504982 PMCID: PMC7838852 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-020-00322-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 234] [Impact Index Per Article: 78.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The ability of cells to deal with different types of stressful situations in a precise and coordinated manner is key for survival and involves various signalling networks. Over the past 25 years, p38 kinases — in particular, p38α — have been implicated in the cellular response to stress at many levels. These span from environmental and intracellular stresses, such as hyperosmolarity, oxidative stress or DNA damage, to physiological situations that involve important cellular changes such as differentiation. Given that p38α controls a plethora of functions, dysregulation of this pathway has been linked to diseases such as inflammation, immune disorders or cancer, suggesting the possibility that targeting p38α could be of therapeutic interest. In this Review, we discuss the organization of this signalling pathway focusing on the diversity of p38α substrates, their mechanisms and their links to particular cellular functions. We then address how the different cellular responses can be generated depending on the signal received and the cell type, and highlight the roles of this kinase in human physiology and in pathological contexts. p38α — the best-characterized member of the p38 kinase family — is a key mediator of cellular stress responses. p38α is activated by a plethora of signals and functions through a multitude of substrates to regulate different cellular behaviours. Understanding context-dependent p38α signalling provides important insights into p38α roles in physiology and pathology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Begoña Canovas
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Angel R Nebreda
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona), The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Spain. .,ICREA, Barcelona, Spain.
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18
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Nichols C, Ng J, Keshu A, Fraternali F, De Nicola GF. A New Crystal Form of the SARS-CoV-2 Receptor Binding Domain: CR3022 Complex-An Ideal Target for In-Crystal Fragment Screening of the ACE2 Binding Site Surface. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:615211. [PMID: 33381049 PMCID: PMC7768231 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.615211] [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] [Received: 10/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
In-crystal fragment screening is a powerful tool to chemically probe the surfaces used by proteins to interact, and identify the chemical space worth exploring to design protein-protein inhibitors. A crucial prerequisite is the identification of a crystal form where the target area is exposed and accessible to be probed by fragments. Here we report a crystal form of the SARS-CoV-2 Receptor Binding Domain in complex with the CR3022 antibody where the ACE2 binding site on the Receptor Binding Domain is exposed and accessible. This crystal form of the complex is a valuable tool to develop antiviral molecules that could act by blocking the virus entry in cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlie Nichols
- British Heart Foundation Centre of Excellence, Department of Cardiology, Rayne Institute, St Thomas' Hospital, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,The Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, New Hunt's House, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Joseph Ng
- British Heart Foundation Centre of Excellence, Department of Cardiology, Rayne Institute, St Thomas' Hospital, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Annika Keshu
- British Heart Foundation Centre of Excellence, Department of Cardiology, Rayne Institute, St Thomas' Hospital, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Franca Fraternali
- British Heart Foundation Centre of Excellence, Department of Cardiology, Rayne Institute, St Thomas' Hospital, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gian F De Nicola
- British Heart Foundation Centre of Excellence, Department of Cardiology, Rayne Institute, St Thomas' Hospital, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.,The Randall Centre for Cell and Molecular Biophysics, New Hunt's House, King's College London, London, United Kingdom
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