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Pomeroy J, Khalifa MM, Milanes JE, Palmentiero CM, Morris JC, Golden JE. Synthesis and Evaluation of Benzylamine Inhibitors of Neuropathogenic Naegleria fowleri "Brain-Eating" Amoeba. ACS Med Chem Lett 2024; 15:87-92. [PMID: 38229759 PMCID: PMC10789148 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00440] [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: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Current therapy for primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a highly lethal brain infection in humans caused by Naegleria fowleri amoeba, is restricted to repurposed drugs with limited efficacy and success. Discovery of an antiamoebic benzylamine scaffold 2 precipitated a medicinal chemistry effort to improve potency, cytotoxicity profile, and drug-like properties. Thirty-four compounds were prepared, leading to compound 28 with significant gains in potency (EC50 = 0.92 μM), solubility, and microsomal stability and a demonstrated absence of cytotoxicity in SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells (CC50 > 20 μM). The compounds demonstrated excellent blood-brain barrier permeability in an in vitro assay, thereby providing a new structural scaffold that inhibits N. fowleri viability and permits the investigation of therapeutic interventions in an understudied neglected disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia
M. Pomeroy
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United
States
| | - Muhammad M. Khalifa
- School
of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, United States
| | - Jillian E. Milanes
- Eukaryotic
Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, United States
| | - Caroline M. Palmentiero
- Eukaryotic
Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, United States
| | - James C. Morris
- Eukaryotic
Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina 29634, United States
| | - Jennifer E. Golden
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United
States
- School
of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53705, United States
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El-Seadawy HM, Abo El-Seoud KA, El-Aasr M, Tawfik HO, Eldehna WM, Ragab AE. Evaluation of Zamia floridana A. DC. Leaves and Its Isolated Secondary Metabolites as Natural Anti-Toxoplasma and Anti-Cancer Agents Using In Vitro and In Silico Studies. Metabolites 2022; 13:metabo13010010. [PMID: 36676935 PMCID: PMC9866161 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13010010] [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: 11/19/2022] [Revised: 12/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasmosis and cancer are life-threatening diseases with worldwide distribution. However, currently used chemosynthetic treatments are not devoid of their own intrinsic problems. Natural metabolites are gaining attention due to their lower side effects. In this study, we investigated for the first time Zamia floridana leaves extract and its different fractions for their toxoplasmocidal activity, using Virulent RH Toxoplasma gondii, and cytotoxic activity against MCF-7 and HCT-116 cancer cell lines using MTT assay. The n-butanol fraction was the most potent fraction against T. gondii with an EC50 of 7.16 ± 0.4 µg/mL compared to cotrimoxazole (4.18 ± 0.3 µg/mL). In addition, the n-BuOH fraction showed a significant cytotoxicity against MCF-7 and HCT-116 with IC50 of 12.33 ± 1.1 and 17.88 ± 1.4 µg/mL, respectively, compared to doxorubicin (4.17 ± 0.2 and 5.23 ± 0.3 µg/mL, respectively), with higher safety index against normal cell line (WISH). Therefore, the n-BuOH fraction was investigated for its phytochemicals using extensive chromatographic techniques, which led to the isolation of six compounds that were fully characterized using different spectroscopic techniques. Three biflavonoids (1, 2 and 4) in addition to two phenolic acid derivatives (3 and 5) and a flavonoid glycoside (6) were isolated. Compounds (1, 3, 5 and 6) were reported for the first time from Z. floridana. In silico docking studies for toxoplasmocidal and cytotoxic effects of these compounds revealed that compounds (1, 2, 4 and 6) have promising inhibition potential of either thymidylate synthase-dihydrofolate reductase (TS-DHFR) or cyclin dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) target proteins. This study is considered the first report of chemical and biological investigation of Z. floridana leaves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hosam M. El-Seadawy
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt
| | | | - Mona El-Aasr
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt
| | - Haytham O. Tawfik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt
| | - Wagdy M. Eldehna
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh 33516, Egypt
- School of Biotechnology, Badr University in Cairo, Badr City 11829, Egypt
- Correspondence: (W.M.E.); (A.E.R.)
| | - Amany E. Ragab
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt
- Correspondence: (W.M.E.); (A.E.R.)
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Milanes JE, Suryadi J, Monaghan NP, Harding EM, Morris CS, Rozema SD, Khalifa MM, Golden JE, Phan IQ, Zigweid R, Abendroth J, Rice CA, McCord HT, Wilson S, Fenwick MK, Morris JC. Characterization of Glucokinases from Pathogenic Free-Living Amoebae. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2022; 66:e0237321. [PMID: 35604214 PMCID: PMC9211422 DOI: 10.1128/aac.02373-21] [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: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Infection with pathogenic free-living amoebae, including Naegleria fowleri, Acanthamoeba spp., and Balamuthia mandrillaris, can lead to life-threatening illnesses, primarily because of catastrophic central nervous system involvement. Efficacious treatment options for these infections are lacking, and the mortality rate due to infection is high. Previously, we evaluated the N. fowleri glucokinase (NfGlck) as a potential target for therapeutic intervention, as glucose metabolism is critical for in vitro viability. Here, we extended these studies to the glucokinases from two other pathogenic free-living amoebae, including Acanthamoeba castellanii (AcGlck) and B. mandrillaris (BmGlck). While these enzymes are similar (49.3% identical at the amino acid level), they have distinct kinetic properties that distinguish them from each other. For ATP, AcGlck and BmGlck have apparent Km values of 472.5 and 41.0 μM, while Homo sapiens Glck (HsGlck) has a value of 310 μM. Both parasite enzymes also have a higher apparent affinity for glucose than the human counterpart, with apparent Km values of 45.9 μM (AcGlck) and 124 μM (BmGlck) compared to ~8 mM for HsGlck. Additionally, AcGlck and BmGlck differ from each other and other Glcks in their sensitivity to small molecule inhibitors, suggesting that inhibitors with pan-amoebic activity could be challenging to generate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jillian E. Milanes
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Jimmy Suryadi
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Neil P. Monaghan
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Elijah M. Harding
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Corbin S. Morris
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Soren D. Rozema
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Muhammad M. Khalifa
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Jennifer E. Golden
- School of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, University of Wisconsin—Madison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Isabelle Q. Phan
- Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease, Center for Global Infection Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Rachael Zigweid
- Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease, Center for Global Infection Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Jan Abendroth
- Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease, Center for Global Infection Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
- UCB BioSciences, Bainbridge Island, Washington, USA
| | - Christopher A. Rice
- Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Center for Drug Discovery, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Hayden T. McCord
- Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Center for Drug Discovery, College of Pharmacy, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Stevin Wilson
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
- Genomics and Bioinformatics Facility, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
| | - Michael K. Fenwick
- Seattle Structural Genomics Center for Infectious Disease, Center for Global Infection Disease Research, Seattle Children’s Research Institute, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - James C. Morris
- Eukaryotic Pathogens Innovation Center, Department of Genetics and Biochemistry, Clemson University, Clemson, South Carolina, USA
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