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Defant A, Carloni G, Innocenti N, Trobec T, Frangež R, Sepčić K, Mancini I. Structural Insights into the Marine Alkaloid Discorhabdin G as a Scaffold towards New Acetylcholinesterase Inhibitors. Mar Drugs 2024; 22:173. [PMID: 38667790 PMCID: PMC11051419 DOI: 10.3390/md22040173] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
In this study, Antarctic Latrunculia sponge-derived discorhabdin G was considered a hit for developing potential lead compounds acting as cholinesterase inhibitors. The hypothesis on the pharmacophore moiety suggested through molecular docking allowed us to simplify the structure of the metabolite. ADME prediction and drug-likeness consideration provided valuable support in selecting 5-methyl-2H-benzo[h]imidazo[1,5,4-de]quinoxalin-7(3H)-one as a candidate molecule. It was synthesized in a four-step sequence starting from 2,3-dichloronaphthalene-1,4-dione and evaluated as an inhibitor of electric eel acetylcholinesterase (eeAChE), human recombinant AChE (hAChE), and horse serum butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), together with other analogs obtained by the same synthesis. The candidate molecule showed a slightly lower inhibitory potential against eeAChE but better inhibitory activity against hAChE than discorhabdin G, with a higher selectivity for AChEs than for BChE. It acted as a reversible competitive inhibitor, as previously observed for the natural alkaloid. The findings from the in vitro assay were relatively consistent with the data available from the AutoDock Vina and Protein-Ligand ANTSystem (PLANTS) calculations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Defant
- Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, Department of Physics, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 14, 38123 Trento, Italy; (G.C.); (N.I.)
| | - Giacomo Carloni
- Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, Department of Physics, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 14, 38123 Trento, Italy; (G.C.); (N.I.)
- Unit of Structural Microbiology, Pasteur Institute, CNRS, University of Paris City, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Nicole Innocenti
- Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, Department of Physics, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 14, 38123 Trento, Italy; (G.C.); (N.I.)
| | - Tomaž Trobec
- Institute of Preclinical Sciences, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (T.T.); (R.F.)
| | - Robert Frangež
- Institute of Preclinical Sciences, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; (T.T.); (R.F.)
| | - Kristina Sepčić
- Department of Biology, Biotechnical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Jamnikarjeva 101, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia;
| | - Ines Mancini
- Laboratory of Bioorganic Chemistry, Department of Physics, University of Trento, Via Sommarive 14, 38123 Trento, Italy; (G.C.); (N.I.)
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Young RJ, Flitsch SL, Grigalunas M, Leeson PD, Quinn RJ, Turner NJ, Waldmann H. The Time and Place for Nature in Drug Discovery. JACS AU 2022; 2:2400-2416. [PMID: 36465532 PMCID: PMC9709949 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.2c00415] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2022] [Revised: 10/06/2022] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
The case for a renewed focus on Nature in drug discovery is reviewed; not in terms of natural product screening, but how and why biomimetic molecules, especially those produced by natural processes, should deliver in the age of artificial intelligence and screening of vast collections both in vitro and in silico. The declining natural product-likeness of licensed drugs and the consequent physicochemical implications of this trend in the context of current practices are noted. To arrest these trends, the logic of seeking new bioactive agents with enhanced natural mimicry is considered; notably that molecules constructed by proteins (enzymes) are more likely to interact with other proteins (e.g., targets and transporters), a notion validated by natural products. Nature's finite number of building blocks and their interactions necessarily reduce potential numbers of structures, yet these enable expansion of chemical space with their inherent diversity of physical characteristics, pertinent to property-based design. The feasible variations on natural motifs are considered and expanded to encompass pseudo-natural products, leading to the further logical step of harnessing bioprocessing routes to access them. Together, these offer opportunities for enhancing natural mimicry, thereby bringing innovation to drug synthesis exploiting the characteristics of natural recognition processes. The potential for computational guidance to help identifying binding commonalities in the route map is a logical opportunity to enable the design of tailored molecules, with a focus on "organic/biological" rather than purely "synthetic" structures. The design and synthesis of prototype structures should pay dividends in the disposition and efficacy of the molecules, while inherently enabling greener and more sustainable manufacturing techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Sabine L. Flitsch
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Manchester,
Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Michael Grigalunas
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max-Planck-Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Strasse 11, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Paul D. Leeson
- Paul
Leeson Consulting Limited, The Malt House, Main Street, Congerstone, Nuneaton, Warwickshire CV13 6LZ, U.K.
| | - Ronald J. Quinn
- Griffith
Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland 4111, Australia
| | - Nicholas J. Turner
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Manchester,
Manchester Institute of Biotechnology, 131 Princess Street, Manchester M1 7DN, United Kingdom
| | - Herbert Waldmann
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max-Planck-Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Strasse 11, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
- Faculty of
Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Technical
University of Dortmund, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 6, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
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