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Kim M, Noh K, Kim P, Kim JH, Choi BW, Singh R, Choi JH, Han SB, Kim SS, Lee EY, Bae MA, Shin D, Kim M, Ahn JH. Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of New 2,6,7-Substituted Purine Derivatives as Toll-like Receptor 7 Agonists for Intranasal Vaccine Adjuvants. J Med Chem 2024; 67:9389-9405. [PMID: 38787938 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00489] [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: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
TLR7/8 agonists are versatile immune stimulators capable of treating various diseases such as viral infections, autoimmune, and cancer. Despite the structural similarity of TLR7/8, their immune stimulation mechanisms and time-course responses significantly differ. In this study, a new series of TLR7-selective agonists was synthesized utilizing the economical building block 2,6-dichloropurine. Compound 27b showed the most potent activity on hTLR7 with an EC50 of 17.53 nM and demonstrated high hTLR7 selectivity (224 folds against TLR8). 27b effectively stimulated the secretion of proinflammatory cytokines in mouse macrophages and enhanced intranasal vaccine efficacy against influenza A virus in vivo. Assessment of humoral and mucosal antibody titers confirmed that 27b elevates IgG and IgA levels, protecting against both homologous and heterologous influenza viral infections. These findings suggest that 27b is a promising candidate as a vaccine adjuvant to prevent viral infections or as a robust immunomodulator with prolonged activity for treating immune-suppressed diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgan Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Kyungseob Noh
- Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Pyeongkeun Kim
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Jae Ho Kim
- JD Bioscience, 208 Cheomdan-gwagiro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Byeong Wook Choi
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Ravi Singh
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Jun-Ho Choi
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Soo Bong Han
- Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
- Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmacology, University of Science and Technology, Daejeon 34113, Republic of Korea
| | - Seong Soon Kim
- Bio and Drug Discovery Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Eun-Young Lee
- JD Bioscience, 208 Cheomdan-gwagiro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
| | - Myung Ae Bae
- Bio and Drug Discovery Division, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology, Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Daeho Shin
- Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
| | - Meehyein Kim
- Infectious Diseases Therapeutic Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT), Daejeon 34114, Republic of Korea
- Graduate School of New Drug Discovery and Development, Chungnam National University, Daejeon 34134, Republic of Korea
| | - Jin Hee Ahn
- Department of Chemistry, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
- JD Bioscience, 208 Cheomdan-gwagiro, Buk-gu, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
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2
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Alharthi S, Alavi SZ, Nisa MU, Koohi M, Raza A, Ebrahimi Shahmabadi H, Alavi SE. Developing Engineered Nano-Immunopotentiators for the Stimulation of Dendritic Cells and Inhibition and Prevention of Melanoma. Pharm Res 2024:10.1007/s11095-024-03722-1. [PMID: 38839718 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-024-03722-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE This study aims to utilize PEGylated poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) nanoparticles as a delivery system for simultaneous administration of the BRAFV600E peptide, a tumor-specific antigen, and imiquimod (IMQ). The objective is to stimulate dendritic cell (DC) maturation, activate macrophages, and facilitate antigen presentation in C57BL6 mice. METHODS PEG-PLGA-IMQ-BRAFV600E nanoparticles were synthesized using a PLGA-PEG-PLGA tri-block copolymer, BRAFV600E, and IMQ. Characterization included size measurement and drug release profiling. Efficacy was assessed in inhibiting BPD6 melanoma cell growth and activating immature bone marrow DCs, T cells, macrophages, and splenocyte cells through MTT and ELISA assays. In vivo, therapeutic and immunogenic effects potential was evaluated, comparing it to IMQ + BRAFV600E and PLGA-IMQ-BRAFV600E nanoparticles in inhibiting subcutaneous BPD6 tumor growth. RESULTS The results highlight the successful synthesis of PEG-PLGA-IMQ-BRAFV600E nanoparticles (203 ± 11.1 nm), releasing 73.4% and 63.2% of IMQ and BARFV600E, respectively, within the initial 48 h. In vitro, these nanoparticles demonstrated a 1.3-fold increase in potency against BPD6 cells, achieving ~ 2.8-fold enhanced cytotoxicity compared to PLGA-IMQ-BRAFV600E. Moreover, PEG-PLGA-IMQ-BRAFV600E exhibited a 1.3-fold increase in potency for enhancing IMQ cytotoxic effects and a 1.1- to ~ 2.4-fold increase in activating DCs, T cells, macrophages, and splenocyte cells compared to IMQ-BRAFV600E and PLGA-IMQ-BRAFV600E. In vivo, PEG-PLGA-IMQ-BRAFV600E displayed a 1.3- to 7.5-fold increase in potency for inhibiting subcutaneous BPD6 tumor growth compared to the other formulations. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggest that PEG-PLGA nanoparticles effectively promote DC maturation, T cell activation, and potentially macrophage activation. The study highlights the promising role of this nanocomposite in vaccine development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sitah Alharthi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Shaqra University, Al-Dawadmi Campus, Al-Dawadmi, 11961, Saudi Arabia
| | - Seyed Zeinab Alavi
- Immunology of Infectious Diseases Research Center, Research Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, 7718175911, Iran
| | - Mehr Un Nisa
- Nishtar Medical University and Hospital, Multan, 60000, Pakistan
| | - Maedeh Koohi
- Immunology of Infectious Diseases Research Center, Research Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, 7718175911, Iran
| | - Aun Raza
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, PR China
| | - Hasan Ebrahimi Shahmabadi
- Immunology of Infectious Diseases Research Center, Research Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, 7718175911, Iran.
| | - Seyed Ebrahim Alavi
- Immunology of Infectious Diseases Research Center, Research Institute of Basic Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan University of Medical Sciences, Rafsanjan, 7718175911, Iran.
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3
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Goon S, Shiu Chen Liu C, Ghosh Dastidar U, Paul B, Mukherjee S, Sarkar HS, Desai M, Jana R, Pal S, Sreedevi NV, Ganguly D, Talukdar A. Exploring the Structural Attributes of Yoda1 for the Development of New-Generation Piezo1 Agonist Yaddle1 as a Vaccine Adjuvant Targeting Optimal T Cell Activation. J Med Chem 2024; 67:8225-8246. [PMID: 38716967 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00322] [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: 05/24/2024]
Abstract
Piezo1, a mechano-activated ion channel, has wide-ranging physiological and therapeutic implications, with the ongoing development of specific agonists unveiling cellular responses to mechanical stimuli. In our study, we systematically analyzed the chemical subunits in Piezo1 protein agonist Yoda1 to comprehend the structure-activity relationship and push forward next-generation agonist development. Preliminary screening assays for Piezo1 agonism were performed using the Piezo1-mCherry-transfected HEK293A cell line, keeping Yoda1 as a positive control. We introduce a novel Piezo1 agonist Yaddle1 (34, 0.40 μM), featuring a trifluoromethyl group, with further exploration through in vitro studies and density functional theory calculations, emphasizing its tetrel interactions, to act as an ambidextrous wedge between the domains of Piezo1. In contrast to the poor solubility of the established agonist Yoda1, our results showed that the kinetic solubility of Yaddle1 (26.72 ± 1.8 μM at pH 7.4) is 10-fold better than that of Yoda1 (1.22 ± 0.11 μM at pH 7.4). Yaddle1 (34) induces Ca2+ influx in human CD4+ T cell, suggesting its potential as a vaccine adjuvant for enhanced T cell activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sunny Goon
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, WB, India
| | - Chinky Shiu Chen Liu
- IICB-Translational Research Unit of Excellence, Department of Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorders, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, CN6, Sector V, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700091, WB, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Uddipta Ghosh Dastidar
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, WB, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Barnali Paul
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, WB, India
| | - Suravi Mukherjee
- IICB-Translational Research Unit of Excellence, Department of Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorders, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, CN6, Sector V, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700091, WB, India
| | - Himadri Sekhar Sarkar
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, WB, India
| | - Milie Desai
- IICB-Translational Research Unit of Excellence, Department of Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorders, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, CN6, Sector V, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700091, WB, India
| | - Rituparna Jana
- IICB-Translational Research Unit of Excellence, Department of Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorders, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, CN6, Sector V, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700091, WB, India
| | - Sourav Pal
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, WB, India
| | - Namala Venkata Sreedevi
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, WB, India
| | - Dipyaman Ganguly
- IICB-Translational Research Unit of Excellence, Department of Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorders, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, CN6, Sector V, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700091, WB, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Arindam Talukdar
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, WB, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
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4
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Gu L, Kong X, Li M, Chen R, Xu K, Li G, Qin Y, Wu L. Molecule engineering strategy of toll-like receptor 7/8 agonists designed for potentiating immune stimuli activation. Chem Commun (Camb) 2024; 60:5474-5485. [PMID: 38712400 DOI: 10.1039/d4cc00792a] [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: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Toll-like receptor 7/8 (TLR-7/8) agonists serve as a promising class of pattern recognition receptors that effectively evoke the innate immune response, making them promising immunomodulatory agents for tumor immunotherapy. However, the uncontrollable administration of TLR-7/8 agonists frequently leads to the occurrence of severe immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Thus, it is imperative to strategically design tumor-microenvironment-associated biomarkers or exogenous stimuli responsive TLR-7/8 agonists in order to accurately evaluate and activate innate immune responses. No comprehensive elucidation has been documented thus far regarding TLR-7/8 immune agonists that are specifically engineered to enhance immune activation. In this feature article, we provide an overview of the advancements in TLR-7/8 agonists, aiming to enhance the comprehension of their mechanisms and promote the clinical progression through nanomedicine strategies. The current challenges and future directions of cancer immunotherapy are also discussed, with the hope that this work will inspire researchers to explore innovative applications for triggering immune responses through TLR-7/8 agonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liuwei Gu
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
| | - Xiaojie Kong
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
| | - Mengyan Li
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
| | - Rui Chen
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
| | - Ke Xu
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
| | - Guo Li
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
| | - Yulin Qin
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
| | - Li Wu
- Nantong Key Laboratory of Public Health and Medical Analysis, School of Public Health, Nantong University, No. 9, Seyuan Road, Nantong 226019, Jiangsu, P. R. China.
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5
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Zhang Y, Zhang Y, Song J, Cheng X, Zhou C, Huang S, Zhao W, Zong Z, Yang L. Targeting the "tumor microenvironment": RNA-binding proteins in the spotlight in colorectal cancer therapy. Int Immunopharmacol 2024; 131:111876. [PMID: 38493688 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2024.111876] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 03/04/2024] [Accepted: 03/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and has the second highest mortality rate among cancers. The development of CRC involves both genetic and epigenetic abnormalities, and recent research has focused on exploring the ex-transcriptome, particularly post-transcriptional modifications. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are emerging epigenetic regulators that play crucial roles in post-transcriptional events. Dysregulation of RBPs can result in aberrant expression of downstream target genes, thereby affecting the progression of colorectal tumors and the prognosis of patients. Recent studies have shown that RBPs can influence CRC pathogenesis and progression by regulating various components of the tumor microenvironment (TME). Although previous research on RBPs has primarily focused on their direct regulation of colorectal tumor development, their involvement in the remodeling of the TME has not been systematically reported. This review aims to highlight the significant role of RBPs in the intricate interactions within the CRC tumor microenvironment, including tumor immune microenvironment, inflammatory microenvironment, extracellular matrix, tumor vasculature, and CRC cancer stem cells. We also highlight several compounds under investigation for RBP-TME-based treatment of CRC, including small molecule inhibitors such as antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs), siRNAs, agonists, gene manipulation, and tumor vaccines. The insights gained from this review may lead to the development of RBP-based targeted novel therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating the TME, potentially inhibiting the progression and metastasis of CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiwei Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 MinDe Road, 330006 Nanchang, China; Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 Mingde Rd., Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China; Queen Mary School, Nanchang University, 330006 Nanchang, China
| | - Yujun Zhang
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 MinDe Road, 330006 Nanchang, China; Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 Mingde Rd., Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China
| | - Jingjing Song
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 MinDe Road, 330006 Nanchang, China; Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 Mingde Rd., Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China; School of Ophthalmology and Optometry of Nanchang University, China
| | - Xifu Cheng
- School of Ophthalmology and Optometry of Nanchang University, China
| | - Chulin Zhou
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Shuo Huang
- The Second Clinical Medical College, Nanchang University, Nanchang 330006, China
| | - Wentao Zhao
- The 3rd Clinical Department of China Medical University, 10159 Shenyang, China
| | - Zhen Zong
- Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, the Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 MinDe Road, 330006 Nanchang, China.
| | - Lingling Yang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University, No. 1 Mingde Rd., Nanchang 330006, Jiangxi, China.
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6
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He L, Zhang MY, Cox M, Zhang Q, Donnell AF, Zhang Y, Tarby C, Gill P, Subbaiah MAM, Ramar T, Reddy M, Puttapaka V, Li YX, Sivaprakasam P, Critton D, Mulligan D, Xie C, Ramakrishnan R, Nagar J, Dudhgaonkar S, Murtaza A, Oderinde MS, Schieven GL, Mathur A, Gavai AV, Vite G, Gangwar S, Poudel YB. Identification and Optimization of Small Molecule Pyrazolopyrimidine TLR7 Agonists for Applications in Immuno-oncology. ACS Med Chem Lett 2024; 15:189-196. [PMID: 38352849 PMCID: PMC10860188 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Small molecule toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 agonists have gathered considerable interest as promising therapeutic agents for applications in cancer immunotherapy. Herein, we describe the development and optimization of a series of novel TLR7 agonists through systematic structure-activity relationship studies focusing on modification of the phenylpiperidine side chain. Additional refinement of ADME properties culminated in the discovery of compound 14, which displayed nanomolar reporter assay activity and favorable drug-like properties. Compound 14 demonstrated excellent in vivo pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic profiles and synergistic antitumor activity when administered in combination with aPD1 antibody, suggesting opportunities of employing 14 in immuno-oncology therapies with immune checkpoint blockade agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Liqi He
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Meng Yao Zhang
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Matthew Cox
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Qian Zhang
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Andrew F. Donnell
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Yong Zhang
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Christine Tarby
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Patrice Gill
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | | | | | - Maheswara Reddy
- Biocon
Bristol Myers Squibb R&D Centre, Bangalore 560099, India
| | | | - Yi-Xin Li
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Prasanna Sivaprakasam
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - David Critton
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Dawn Mulligan
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Chunshan Xie
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Radha Ramakrishnan
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Jignesh Nagar
- Biocon
Bristol Myers Squibb R&D Centre, Bangalore 560099, India
| | | | - Anwar Murtaza
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Martins S. Oderinde
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Gary L. Schieven
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Arvind Mathur
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Ashvinikumar V. Gavai
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Gregory Vite
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08543, United States
| | - Sanjeev Gangwar
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
| | - Yam B. Poudel
- Research
and Development, Bristol Myers Squibb, 700 Bay Road, Redwood City, California 94063, United States
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7
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Strašek Benedik N, Dolšak A, Švajger U, Sosič I, Gobec S, Sova M. Structural Optimization and Biological Evaluation of Isoxazolo[5,4 -d]pyrimidines as Selective Toll-Like Receptor 7 Agonists. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:2362-2382. [PMID: 38250345 PMCID: PMC10795023 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c06343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are components of innate immunity that play a crucial role in several diseases, including chronic inflammatory and infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. In particular, TLR7 has been identified as a key player in the innate immune response against viral infections and small-molecule TLR7 agonists have shown potential for vaccine therapy, for treatment of asthma and allergies, and as anticancer drugs. Inspired by our previous discovery of selective TLR7 agonists, our goal was to develop and introduce a new chemotype of TLR7 agonists by replacing the quinazoline ring with a new heterocycle isoxazolo[5,4-d]pyrimidine. Here, we report design, optimized synthesis, and structure-activity relationship studies of a novel class of TLR7 agonists based on the 6-(trifluoromethyl)isoxazolo[5,4-d]pyrimidine-4-amine scaffold that demonstrate high selectivity and low micromolar potencies. The best-in-class agonist 21a, with an EC50 value of 7.8 μM, also proved to be noncytotoxic and induced secretion of cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-12p70, IL-8, and TNF-α, indicating its potential to modulate the immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nika Strašek Benedik
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Ana Dolšak
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Urban Švajger
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
- Blood
Transfusion Centre of Slovenia, Šlajmerjeva 6, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Izidor Sosič
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Stanislav Gobec
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Matej Sova
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
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8
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Bisbal Lopez L, Ravazza D, Bocci M, Zana A, Principi L, Dakhel Plaza S, Galbiati A, Gilardoni E, Scheuermann J, Neri D, Pignataro L, Gennari C, Cazzamalli S, Dal Corso A. Ex vivo mass spectrometry-based biodistribution analysis of an antibody-Resiquimod conjugate bearing a protease-cleavable and acid-labile linker. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1320524. [PMID: 38125888 PMCID: PMC10731371 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1320524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 11/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Immune-stimulating antibody conjugates (ISACs) equipped with imidazoquinoline (IMD) payloads can stimulate endogenous immune cells to kill cancer cells, ultimately inducing long-lasting anticancer effects. A novel ISAC was designed, featuring the IMD Resiquimod (R848), a tumor-targeting antibody specific for Carbonic Anhydrase IX (CAIX) and the protease-cleavable Val-Cit-PABC linker. In vitro stability analysis showed not only R848 release in the presence of the protease Cathepsin B but also under acidic conditions. The ex vivo mass spectrometry-based biodistribution data confirmed the low stability of the linker-drug connection while highlighting the selective accumulation of the IgG in tumors and its long circulatory half-life.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Matilde Bocci
- R&D Department, Philochem AG, Otelfingen, Switzerland
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Jörg Scheuermann
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zürich, Switzerland
| | - Dario Neri
- R&D Department, Philochem AG, Otelfingen, Switzerland
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zürich), Zürich, Switzerland
- Philogen S.p.A, Siena, Italy
| | - Luca Pignataro
- Chemistry Department, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | - Cesare Gennari
- Chemistry Department, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
| | | | - Alberto Dal Corso
- Chemistry Department, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italy
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9
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Tsukidate T, Hespen CW, Hang HC. Small molecule modulators of immune pattern recognition receptors. RSC Chem Biol 2023; 4:1014-1036. [PMID: 38033733 PMCID: PMC10685800 DOI: 10.1039/d3cb00096f] [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: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Pattern recognition receptors (PRRs) represent a re-emerging class of therapeutic targets for vaccine adjuvants, inflammatory diseases and cancer. In this review article, we summarize exciting developments in discovery and characterization of small molecule PRR modulators, focusing on Toll-like receptors (TLRs), NOD-like receptors (NLRs) and the cGAS-STING pathway. We also highlight PRRs that are currently lacking small molecule modulators and opportunities for chemical biology and therapeutic discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taku Tsukidate
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Microbial Pathogenesis, The Rockefeller University, New York New York 10065 USA
| | - Charles W Hespen
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Microbial Pathogenesis, The Rockefeller University, New York New York 10065 USA
| | - Howard C Hang
- Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Microbial Pathogenesis, The Rockefeller University, New York New York 10065 USA
- Department of Immunology and Microbiology and Department of Chemistry, Scripps Research, La Jolla California 92037 USA
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10
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Lu YH, Mu SY, Jiang J, Zhou MH, Wu C, Ji HT, He WM. Paraformaldehyde as C1 Synthon: Electrochemical Three-Component Synthesis of Tetrahydroimidazo[1,5-a]quinoxalin-4(5H)-ones in Aqueous Ethanol. CHEMSUSCHEM 2023; 16:e202300523. [PMID: 37728196 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202300523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 07/25/2023] [Indexed: 09/21/2023]
Abstract
A green and practical method for the electrochemical synthesis of tetrahydroimidazo[1,5-a]quinoxalin-4(5H)-ones through the three-component reaction of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones, N-arylglycines and paraformaldehyde was reported. In this strategy, EtOH played dual roles (eco-friendly solvent and waste-free pre-catalyst) and the in situ generated ethoxide promoted triple sequential deprotonations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Han Lu
- Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Si-Yu Mu
- Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Jun Jiang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Min-Hang Zhou
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Chao Wu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Hong-Tao Ji
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
| | - Wei-Min He
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of South China, Hengyang, 421001, China
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11
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Talukdar A, Sarkar D. Catalyzing the Future of Medicinal Chemistry Research in India. J Med Chem 2023; 66:10868-10877. [PMID: 37561395 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01304] [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: 08/11/2023]
Abstract
The present publication provides a comprehensive look at more than a decade (2010 to midyear of 2023) of medicinal chemistry research in India, focusing on contributions to medicinal chemistry and drug discovery from both Indian academia and industries. The work provides an overview of cutting-edge medicinal chemistry research along with the organic-transformation-based chemical research scenarios in India in the past decade. It also distinguishes areas of research as well as contributions from different federal research institutes, state universities, central universities, and private universities by their geographical locations around India. The paper takes broader stock of the situation by comparing the articles published in the two internationally acclaimed journals in the field, viz. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry and Organic Letters, which highlights the current research trends as well as the thrust needed at the grass-roots level to boost medicinal chemistry and drug discovery research in India. Finally, we believe that this discussion may create a pathway for policymakers and funding agencies to focus their efforts to motivate lesser inclined institutions as well as provide incentives to the institutions primarily involved in medicinal chemistry research, as they already have built capacity for such research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arindam Talukdar
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata-700032, WB, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, India
| | - Dipayan Sarkar
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata-700032, WB, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad-201002, India
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12
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Salunke DB, Lindsley CW. Call for Papers: Medicinal Chemistry of Next Generation Vaccine Adjuvants. J Med Chem 2023; 66:10119-10121. [PMID: 37490392 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01248] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/27/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Deepak B Salunke
- Department of Chemistry and Centre of Advanced Studies in Chemistry, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India
- National Interdisciplinary Centre of Vaccines, Immunotherapeutics and Antimicrobials (NICOVIA), Panjab University, Chandigarh 160 014, India
| | - Craig W Lindsley
- Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology Program in Drug Discovery, Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, United States
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13
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Das N, Bhattacharya D, Bandopadhyay P, Dastidar UG, Paul B, Rahaman O, Hoque I, Patra B, Ganguly D, Talukdar A. Mitigating hERG Liability of Toll-Like Receptor 9 and 7 Antagonists through Structure-Based Design. ChemMedChem 2023; 18:e202300069. [PMID: 36999630 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202300069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023]
Abstract
hERG is considered to be a primary anti-target in the drug development process, as the K+ channel encoded by hERG plays an important role in cardiac re-polarization. It is desirable to address the hERG safety liability during early-stage development to avoid the expenses of validating leads that will eventually fail at a later stage. We have previously reported the development of highly potent quinazoline-based TLR7 and TLR9 antagonists for possible application against autoimmune disease. Initial experimental hERG assessment showed that most of the lead TLR7 and TLR9 antagonists suffer from hERG liability rendering them ineffective for further development. The present study herein describes a coordinated strategy to integrate the understanding from structure-based protein-ligand interaction to develop non- hERG binders with IC50 >30 μM with retention of TLR7/9 antagonism through a single point change in the scaffold. This structure-guided strategy can serve as a prototype for abolishing hERG liability during lead optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirmal Das
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata, 700032, WB, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Debomita Bhattacharya
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata, 700032, WB, India
| | - Purbita Bandopadhyay
- IICB-Translational Research Unit of Excellence Department of Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorders, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology Salt Lake, Kolkata, 700091, WB, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Uddipta Ghosh Dastidar
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata, 700032, WB, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Barnali Paul
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata, 700032, WB, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Oindrila Rahaman
- IICB-Translational Research Unit of Excellence Department of Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorders, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology Salt Lake, Kolkata, 700091, WB, India
| | - Israful Hoque
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata, 700032, WB, India
| | - Binita Patra
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata, 700032, WB, India
| | - Dipyaman Ganguly
- IICB-Translational Research Unit of Excellence Department of Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorders, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology Salt Lake, Kolkata, 700091, WB, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, 201002, India
| | - Arindam Talukdar
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata, 700032, WB, India
- Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad, 201002, India
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14
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Wang J, Zhang J, Wang J, Hu X, Ouyang L, Wang Y. Small-Molecule Modulators Targeting Toll-like Receptors for Potential Anticancer Therapeutics. J Med Chem 2023; 66:6437-6462. [PMID: 37163340 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01655] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are key components of the innate immune system and serve as a crucial link between innate and acquired immunity. In addition to immune function, TLRs are involved in other important pathological processes, including tumorigenesis. TLRs have dual regulatory effects on tumor immunity by activating nuclear factor κ-B signaling pathways, which induce tumor immune evasion or enhance the antitumor immune response. Therefore, TLRs have become a popular target for cancer prevention and treatment, and TLR agonists and antagonists offer considerable potential for drug development. The TLR7 agonist imiquimod (1) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a treatment for malignant skin cancer. Herein, the structure, signaling pathways, and function of the TLR family are summarized, and the structure-activity relationships associated with TLR selective and multitarget modulators and their potential application in tumor therapy are systematically discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayu Wang
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, Sichuan, China
| | - Jifa Zhang
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiaxing Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee 38163, United States
| | - Xinyue Hu
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
- College of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, Sichuan, China
| | - Liang Ouyang
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuxi Wang
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
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15
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Avoni A, Vemireddy S, Sambyal S, Shafi S, Khan I, Khan A, Sampath Kumar HM. Synthesis and immunopharmacological evaluation of novel TLR7 agonistic triazole tethered imidazoquinolines. RSC Adv 2023; 13:1066-1077. [PMID: 36686935 PMCID: PMC9811562 DOI: 10.1039/d2ra06395f] [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: 10/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptors-7 and -8 are expressed abundantly on antigen-presenting cells, and their agonists make potential adjuvant candidates for the development of new efficacious vaccines. In view of the importance of new efficacious imidazoquinoline based adjuvants, herein we have synthesized a focused library of a new class of imidazoquinolines retaining the N-isobutyl substitution of an imidazole moiety as in imiquimod and introduced a 1,2,3-triazolyl moiety upon alkyl substitution at the imidazolemethyne carbon employing triazolyl click chemistry. All the novel analogues were characterized using various spectroscopic techniques and the target specificity of these molecules was determined using HEK TLR7/8 transfected cell lines. TLR7/8 activity and also the molecular docking results correlated primarily to the position of the substituent for aromatic groups and also to the chain length in alkyl substitutions. The immunomodulatory properties of these analogues were evaluated using murine DC activation and also with hPBMC activation markers, cytokines which revealed that these analogues after modification were able to target the TLR7 receptors and also had a pro-inflammatory immune response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ayyappa Avoni
- Vaccine Immunology Laboratory, OSPC Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical TechnologyHyderabad 500007India+91-40-27160387+914027191824,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR)GhaziabadUttar Pradesh 201 002India
| | - Sravanthi Vemireddy
- Vaccine Immunology Laboratory, OSPC Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical TechnologyHyderabad 500007India+91-40-27160387+914027191824
| | - Shainy Sambyal
- Vaccine Immunology Laboratory, OSPC Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical TechnologyHyderabad 500007India+91-40-27160387+914027191824
| | - Syed Shafi
- Department of Chemistry, Hamdard UniversityHamdard NagarNew DelhiDelhi 110062India
| | - Imran Khan
- Department of Chemistry, Hamdard UniversityHamdard NagarNew DelhiDelhi 110062India
| | - Aarif Khan
- Department of Chemistry, Hamdard UniversityHamdard NagarNew DelhiDelhi 110062India
| | - Halmuthur M. Sampath Kumar
- Vaccine Immunology Laboratory, OSPC Division, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical TechnologyHyderabad 500007India+91-40-27160387+914027191824,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR)GhaziabadUttar Pradesh 201 002India
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16
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TBAI/H2O-cooperative electrocatalytic decarboxylation coupling-annulation of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones with N-arylglycines. CHINESE CHEM LETT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2022.108036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
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17
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Rynn C, Umehara K, Jiang T, Ait-Goughoulte M, Parrott N. A translational strategy employing physiologically based modeling to predict the pharmacological active dose of RO7119929, an oral prodrug of a targeted cancer immunotherapy TLR7 agonist. Xenobiotica 2022; 52:855-867. [PMID: 36004550 DOI: 10.1080/00498254.2022.2116368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
RO7119929 is being developed as an orally administered prodrug of the TLR7-specific agonist and active drug, RO7117418, for the treatment of patients with solid tumours.In this publication, we present a case study wherein the human pharmacokinetics and pharmacological active dose were prospectively predicted following oral administration of the prodrug.A simple translational pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic strategy was applied to predict the pharmacological active dose of the prodrug in human. In vivo studies in monkey showed that an unbound plasma exposure of active drug of 1.5 ng/mL elicited secretion of key serum pharmacodynamic cytokine and chemokine biomarkers in monkey. This threshold of 1.5 ng/mL was close to the minimum effective concentration of active drug required to induce cytokine secretion in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (3 ng/mL).Measured in vitro physicochemical and biochemical properties of the prodrug and active drug were applied as input parameters in physiologically based pharmacokinetic models to predict the pharmacokinetics of active drug after oral dosing of the prodrug in humans. Then, using the PBPK model, a dose which delivered an unbound plasma Cmax in line with the target pharmacodynamic threshold of 1.5 ng/mL was found. This defined the lowest pharmacologically active dose as 3 mg.The prodrug entered the clinic in 2020 in patients with primary or secondary liver cancers. Clear pharmacodynamic, transient and dose-dependent cytokine induction was observed at prodrug doses >1 mg.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Rynn
- Roche Pharma Research & Early Development pRED, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Grenzacherstrasse 124, CH-4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kenichi Umehara
- Roche Pharma Research & Early Development pRED, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Grenzacherstrasse 124, CH-4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tianyi Jiang
- Roche Innovation Center Shanghai, Roche R&D Center (China) Ltd., 371 Lishizhen Road, Building 5, Pudong, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Malika Ait-Goughoulte
- Roche Pharma Research & Early Development pRED, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Grenzacherstrasse 124, CH-4070, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Neil Parrott
- Roche Pharma Research & Early Development pRED, Roche Innovation Center Basel, Grenzacherstrasse 124, CH-4070, Basel, Switzerland
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18
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Das N, Bandopadhyay P, Roy S, Sinha BP, Dastidar UG, Rahaman O, Pal S, Ganguly D, Talukdar A. Development, Optimization, and In Vivo Validation of New Imidazopyridine Chemotypes as Dual TLR7/TLR9 Antagonists through Activity-Directed Sequential Incorporation of Relevant Structural Subunits. J Med Chem 2022; 65:11607-11632. [PMID: 35959635 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Undesirable activation of endosomal toll-like receptors TLR7 and TLR9 present in specific immune cells in response to host-derived ligands is implicated in several autoimmune diseases and other contexts of autoreactive inflammation, making them important therapeutic targets. We report a drug development strategy identifying a new chemotype for incorporating relevant structural subunits into the basic imidazopyridine core deemed necessary for potent TLR7 and TLR9 dual antagonism. We established minimal pharmacophoric features in the core followed by hit-to-lead optimization, guided by in vitro and in vivo biological assays and ADME. A ligand-receptor binding hypothesis was proposed, and selectivity studies against TLR8 were performed. Oral absorption and efficacy of lead candidate 42 were established through favorable in vitro pharmacokinetics and in vivo pharmacodynamic studies, with IC50 values of 0.04 and 0.47 μM against TLR9 and TLR7, respectively. The study establishes imidazopyridine as a viable chemotype to therapeutically target TLR9 and TLR7 in relevant clinical contexts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nirmal Das
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, West Bengal, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Purbita Bandopadhyay
- IICB-Translational Research Unit of Excellence, Department of Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorders, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, CN6, Sector V, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700091, West Bengal, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Swarnali Roy
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, West Bengal, India
| | - Bishnu Prasad Sinha
- IICB-Translational Research Unit of Excellence, Department of Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorders, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, CN6, Sector V, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700091, West Bengal, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Uddipta Ghosh Dastidar
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, West Bengal, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Oindrila Rahaman
- IICB-Translational Research Unit of Excellence, Department of Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorders, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, CN6, Sector V, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700091, West Bengal, India
| | - Sourav Pal
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, West Bengal, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Dipyaman Ganguly
- IICB-Translational Research Unit of Excellence, Department of Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorders, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, CN6, Sector V, Salt Lake, Kolkata 700091, West Bengal, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Arindam Talukdar
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, West Bengal, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad 201002, India
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19
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Integration of Ligand-Based and Structure-Based Methods for the Design of Small-Molecule TLR7 Antagonists. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27134026. [PMID: 35807273 PMCID: PMC9268101 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27134026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) is activated in response to the binding of single-stranded RNA. Its over-activation has been implicated in several autoimmune disorders, and thus, it is an established therapeutic target in such circumstances. TLR7 small-molecule antagonists are not yet available for therapeutic use. We conducted a ligand-based drug design of new TLR7 antagonists through a concerted effort encompassing 2D-QSAR, 3D-QSAR, and pharmacophore modelling of 54 reported TLR7 antagonists. The developed 2D-QSAR model depicted an excellent correlation coefficient (R2training: 0.86 and R2test: 0.78) between the experimental and estimated activities. The ligand-based drug design approach utilizing the 3D-QSAR model (R2training: 0.95 and R2test: 0.84) demonstrated a significant contribution of electrostatic potential and steric fields towards the TLR7 antagonism. This consolidated approach, along with a pharmacophore model with high correlation (Rtraining: 0.94 and Rtest: 0.92), was used to design quinazoline-core-based hTLR7 antagonists. Subsequently, the newly designed molecules were subjected to molecular docking onto the previously proposed binding model and a molecular dynamics study for a better understanding of their binding pattern. The toxicity profiles and drug-likeness characteristics of the designed compounds were evaluated with in silico ADMET predictions. This ligand-based study contributes towards a better understanding of lead optimization and the future development of potent TLR7 antagonists.
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20
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Betschart C, Faller M, Zink F, Hemmig R, Blank J, Vangrevelinghe E, Bourrel M, Glatthar R, Behnke D, Barker K, Heizmann A, Angst D, Nimsgern P, Jacquier S, Junt T, Zipfel G, Ruzzante G, Loetscher P, Limonta S, Hawtin S, Andre CB, Boulay T, Feifel R, Knoepfel T. Structure-Based Optimization of a Fragment-like TLR8 Binding Screening Hit to an In Vivo Efficacious TLR7/8 Antagonist. ACS Med Chem Lett 2022; 13:658-664. [PMID: 35450354 PMCID: PMC9014506 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.1c00696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Inappropriate activation of TLR7 and TLR8 is linked to several autoimmune diseases, such as lupus erythematosus. Here we report on the efficient structure-based optimization of the inhibition of TLR8, starting from a co-crystal structure of a small screening hit. Further optimization of the physicochemical properties for cellular potency and expansion of the structure-activity relationship for dual potency finally resulted in a highly potent TLR7/8 antagonist with demonstrated in vivo efficacy after oral dosing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Betschart
- Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michael Faller
- Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Florence Zink
- Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - René Hemmig
- Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jutta Blank
- Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Eric Vangrevelinghe
- Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Marjorie Bourrel
- Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ralf Glatthar
- Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Dirk Behnke
- Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kerstin Barker
- Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Heizmann
- Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Daniela Angst
- Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pierre Nimsgern
- Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sébastien Jacquier
- Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Tobias Junt
- Autoimmunity, Transplantation and Inflammation, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Géraldine Zipfel
- Autoimmunity, Transplantation and Inflammation, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Giulia Ruzzante
- Autoimmunity, Transplantation and Inflammation, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Pius Loetscher
- Autoimmunity, Transplantation and Inflammation, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Sarah Limonta
- Autoimmunity, Transplantation and Inflammation, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Stuart Hawtin
- Autoimmunity, Transplantation and Inflammation, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Cedric Bernard Andre
- Autoimmunity, Transplantation and Inflammation, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Boulay
- Autoimmunity, Transplantation and Inflammation, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Roland Feifel
- Pharmacokinetic Sciences, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Knoepfel
- Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, CH-4002 Basel, Switzerland
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Li X, Sun X, Guo X, Li X, Peng S, Mu X. Chemical reagents modulate nucleic acid-activated toll-like receptors. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 147:112622. [PMID: 35008000 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.112622] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2021] [Revised: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Nucleic acid-mediated interferon signaling plays a pivotal role in defense against microorganisms, especially during viral infection. Receptors sensing exogenous nucleic acid molecules are localized in the cytosol and endosomes. Cytosolic sensors, including cGAS, RIG-I, and MDA5, and endosome-anchored receptors are toll-like receptors (TLR3, TLR7, TLR8, and TLR9). These TLRs share the same domain architecture and have similar structures, facing the interior of endosomes so their binding to nucleic acids of invading pathogens via endocytosis is possible. The correct function of these receptors is crucial for cell homeostasis and effective response against pathogen invasion. A variety of endogenous mechanisms modulates their activities. Nevertheless, naturally occurring mutations lead to aberrant TLR-mediated interferon (IFN) signaling. Furthermore, certain pathogens require a more robust defense against control. Thus, manipulating these TLR activities has a profound impact. High-throughput virtual screening followed by experimental validation led to the discovery of numerous chemicals that can change these TLR-mediated IFN signaling activities. Many of them are unique in selectivity, while others regulate more than one TLR due to commonalities in these receptors. We summarized these nucleic acid-sensing TLR-mediated IFN signaling pathways and the corresponding chemicals activating or deactivating their signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Tianjin University and Health-Biotech United Group Joint Laboratory of Innovative Drug Development and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xinyuan Sun
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Tianjin University and Health-Biotech United Group Joint Laboratory of Innovative Drug Development and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Xuemin Guo
- Meizhou People's Hospital, Meizhou 514031, China; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Medicine and Clinical Translation Research of Hakka Population, Meizhou 514031, China
| | - Xueren Li
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Haihe Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300350, China
| | - Shouchun Peng
- Department of Respiratory Medicine, Haihe Clinical College of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300350, China.
| | - Xin Mu
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Tianjin University and Health-Biotech United Group Joint Laboratory of Innovative Drug Development and Translational Medicine, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China.
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