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Thomas N, Sanyal T, Greisen P, Deibler K. Structure-Based Computational Scanning of Chemical Modification Sites in Biologics. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:36787-36794. [PMID: 39220547 PMCID: PMC11360052 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c05857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/24/2024] [Revised: 07/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/06/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
To address the challenges of short half-life, immunogenicity, and nonspecific distribution, chemical modifications of peptide and protein-based drugs have emerged as a versatile strategy for improving their therapeutic efficacy. One such modification involves the derivatization of peptides and proteins with fatty acids, which can protract their half-life, modify their biodistribution, and potentially enable targeted delivery to specific tissues or disease sites of interest. However, the present strategies for the synthesis of such synthetically modified biologics require numerous rounds of experimental testing and often yield unstable, inactive, or heterogeneous products. To address the inefficiencies in designing modified biologics, we developed a hybrid computational workflow that integrates RosettaMatch from the Rosetta suite of protein modeling tools with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. This approach not only reduces the number of amino acid positions that need to be experimentally tested by targeting only the most promising candidates for modification but also expedites the design of chemically modified biologics with the desired properties, ensuring a rapid and cost-effective development cycle. Although we demonstrate the utility of our method on a peptide therapeutic, GLP-1, with different fatty acid derivatizations, this straightforward approach has the potential to streamline the design process of a diverse range of chemically modified therapeutics, enabling tailored enhancements to their pharmacokinetic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Kristine Deibler
- Digital Science and Innovation, Novo Nordisk Research Center Seattle Inc., Seattle, Washington 98101, United States
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Tuo Y, Tang Y, Yang R, Zhao X, Luo M, Zhou X, Wang Y. Virtual screening and biological activity evaluation of novel efflux pump inhibitors targeting AdeB. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 250:126109. [PMID: 37544561 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.126109] [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: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 07/16/2023] [Accepted: 07/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/08/2023]
Abstract
The AdeABC efflux pump is an important mechanism causing multidrug resistance in Acinetobacter baumannii, and its main component AdeB can recognize carbapenems, aminoglycosides, and other multi-class antibiotics and efflux them intracellularly, which is an ideal target for the development of anti-multidrug resistant bacteria drugs. Here, we combined multiple computer-aided drug design methods to target AdeB to identify promising novel structural inhibitors. Virtual screening was performed by molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation (MD) and 12 potential compounds were identified from the databases. Meanwhile, their biological activities were validated by in vitro activity assays, and ChemDiv L676-2179 (γ-IFN), ChemDiv L676-1461, and Chembridge 53717615 were confirmed to suppress efflux effects and restore antibiotic susceptibility of resistant bacteria, which are expected to be developed as adjuvant drugs for the treatment of multi-drug resistant Acinetobacter baumannii clinical infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Tuo
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, China; Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing 400030, China
| | - Yuelu Tang
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, China; Chongqing University Cancer Hospital, Chongqing 400030, China
| | - Ran Yang
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, China
| | - XueMin Zhao
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, China
| | - Minghe Luo
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, China
| | - Xing Zhou
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, China
| | - Yuanqiang Wang
- School of Pharmacy and Bioengineering, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry & Molecular Pharmacology, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, China; Chongqing Key Laboratory of Target Based Drug Screening and Activity Evaluation, Chongqing University of Technology, Chongqing 400054, China.
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3
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Gorai B, Vashisth H. Progress in Simulation Studies of Insulin Structure and Function. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:908724. [PMID: 35795141 PMCID: PMC9252437 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.908724] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Insulin is a peptide hormone known for chiefly regulating glucose level in blood among several other metabolic processes. Insulin remains the most effective drug for treating diabetes mellitus. Insulin is synthesized in the pancreatic β-cells where it exists in a compact hexameric architecture although its biologically active form is monomeric. Insulin exhibits a sequence of conformational variations during the transition from the hexamer state to its biologically-active monomer state. The structural transitions and the mechanism of action of insulin have been investigated using several experimental and computational methods. This review primarily highlights the contributions of molecular dynamics (MD) simulations in elucidating the atomic-level details of conformational dynamics in insulin, where the structure of the hormone has been probed as a monomer, dimer, and hexamer. The effect of solvent, pH, temperature, and pressure have been probed at the microscopic scale. Given the focus of this review on the structure of the hormone, simulation studies involving interactions between the hormone and its receptor are only briefly highlighted, and studies on other related peptides (e.g., insulin-like growth factors) are not discussed. However, the review highlights conformational dynamics underlying the activities of reported insulin analogs and mimetics. The future prospects for computational methods in developing promising synthetic insulin analogs are also briefly highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Harish Vashisth
- Department of Chemical Engineering, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, United States
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Linciano S, Moro G, Zorzi A, Angelini A. Molecular analysis and therapeutic applications of human serum albumin-fatty acid interactions. J Control Release 2022; 348:115-126. [PMID: 35643382 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.05.038] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2022] [Revised: 05/16/2022] [Accepted: 05/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Human serum albumin (hSA) is the major carrier protein for fatty acids (FAs) in plasma. Its ability to bind multiple FA moieties with moderate to high affinity has inspired the use of FA conjugation as a safe and natural platform to generate long-lasting therapeutics with enhanced pharmacokinetic properties and superior efficacy. In this frame, the choice of the FA is crucial and a comprehensive elucidation of the molecular interactions of FAs with hSA cannot be left out of consideration. To this intent, we report here a comparative analysis of the binding mode of different FA moieties with hSA. The choice among different albumin-binding FAs and how this influence the pharmacokinetics properties of a broad spectrum of therapeutic molecules will be discussed including a critical description of some clinically relevant FA conjugated therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Linciano
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy
| | - Giulia Moro
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy; AXES Research Group, Department of Chemistry, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Alessandro Zorzi
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Lausanne CH-1015, Switzerland
| | - Alessandro Angelini
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, 30172 Venice, Italy; European Centre for Living Technology (ECLT), Ca' Bottacin, Dorsoduro 3911, Calle Crosera, 30123 Venice, Italy.
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5
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Interaction of esomeprazole with insulin detemir and human albumin: A potential cause of hypoglycemia. Biophys Chem 2022; 285:106809. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bpc.2022.106809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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Frimann TM, Ko SK, Harris P, Bukrinski JT, Peters GHJ. In-silico study of the interactions between acylated glucagon like-peptide-1 analogues and the native receptor. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022:1-15. [PMID: 35612899 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2078409] [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] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
We have performed a series of multiple molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and acylated GLP-1 analogues in complex with the endogenous receptor (GLP-1R) to obtain a molecular understanding of how fatty acid (FA) chain structure, acylation position on the peptide, and presence of a linker affect the binding. MD simulations were analysed to extract heatmaps of receptor-peptide interaction patterns and to determine the free energy of binding using the molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area (MM-PBSA) approach. The extracted free energies from MM-PBSA calculations are in qualitative agreement with experimentally determined potencies. Furthermore, the interaction patterns seen in the receptor-GLP-1 complex simulations resemble previously reported binding interactions validating the simulations. Analysing the receptor-GLP-1 analogue complex simulations, we found that the major differences between the systems stem from FA interactions and positioning of acylation in the peptide. Hydrophobic interactions between the FA chain and a hydrophobic patch on the extracellular domain contribute significantly to the binding affinity. Acylation on Lys26 resulted in noticeably more interactions between the FA chain and the extracellular domain hydrophobic patch than found for acylation on Lys34 and Lys38, respectively. The presence of a charged linker between the peptide and FA chain can potentially stabilise the complex by forming hydrogen bonds to arginine residues in the linker region between the extracellular domain and the transmembrane domain. A molecular understanding of the fatty acid structure and its effect on binding provides important insights into designing acylated agonists for GLP-1R.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tine Maja Frimann
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Suk Kyu Ko
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Pernille Harris
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark.,Department of Chemistry, H.C. Ørsted Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Günther H J Peters
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, Lyngby, Denmark
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King E, Aitchison E, Li H, Luo R. Recent Developments in Free Energy Calculations for Drug Discovery. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:712085. [PMID: 34458321 PMCID: PMC8387144 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.712085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/27/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The grand challenge in structure-based drug design is achieving accurate prediction of binding free energies. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations enable modeling of conformational changes critical to the binding process, leading to calculation of thermodynamic quantities involved in estimation of binding affinities. With recent advancements in computing capability and predictive accuracy, MD based virtual screening has progressed from the domain of theoretical attempts to real application in drug development. Approaches including the Molecular Mechanics Poisson Boltzmann Surface Area (MM-PBSA), Linear Interaction Energy (LIE), and alchemical methods have been broadly applied to model molecular recognition for drug discovery and lead optimization. Here we review the varied methodology of these approaches, developments enhancing simulation efficiency and reliability, remaining challenges hindering predictive performance, and applications to problems in the fields of medicine and biochemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edward King
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Erick Aitchison
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Han Li
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Ray Luo
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of California, Irvine, CA, United States
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Huang M, Huang X, Zuo Y, Yi Z, Liu H. Exploring the toxic effects and mechanism of methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-PBDEs) on thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG): Synergy between spectroscopic and computations. LUMINESCENCE 2021; 36:1621-1631. [PMID: 34107557 DOI: 10.1002/bio.4103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2021] [Revised: 04/29/2021] [Accepted: 06/03/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The interaction mechanism between thyroxine-binding globulin (TBG) and three methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (MeO-PBDEs) was analyzed by steady-state fluorescence, ultraviolet-visible (UV-visible) spectroscopy, circular dichroism (CD), molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation methods. The results of the molecular docking technique revealed that 2'-MeO-BDE-3, 5-MeO-BDE-47, and 3-MeO-BDE-100 combined with TBG at the active site. The steady-state fluorescence spectra displayed that MeO-PBDEs quenched the endogenous fluorescence of TBG through static quenching mechanism, and complex formation between MeO-PBDEs and TBG was further indicated by UV-vis spectroscopy. The thermodynamic quantities showed that the binding process is spontaneous, and the major forces responsible for the binding are hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions, which are consistent with the results of molecular docking to a certain extent. The results of CD confirmed that the secondary structure of TBG was changed after combining with MeO-PBDEs. The dynamic simulation results illustrated that the protein structure is more compact and changes in the secondary structure of TBG after binding to MeO-PBDEs. Additionally, we also utilized the molecular mechanics/Poisson-Boltzmann surface area (MM-PBSA) method to analyze the binding free energy of TBG and MeO-PBDEs. The results suggest that van der Waals force plays an essential role in the combination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muwei Huang
- College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, China
| | - Xiaomei Huang
- College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, China
| | - Yanqiu Zuo
- College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, China
| | - Zhongsheng Yi
- College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, China
| | - Hongyan Liu
- College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Guilin University of Technology, Guilin, China
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