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Boix-Montesinos P, Medel M, Malfanti A, Đorđević S, Masiá E, Charbonnier D, Carrascosa-Marco P, Armiñán A, Vicent MJ. Rational design of a poly-L-glutamic acid-based combination conjugate for hormone-responsive breast cancer treatment. J Control Release 2024; 375:193-208. [PMID: 39242032 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2024.09.002] [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: 06/17/2024] [Revised: 08/20/2024] [Accepted: 09/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/09/2024]
Abstract
Breast cancer represents the most prevalent tumor type worldwide, with hormone-responsive breast cancer the most common subtype. Despite the effectiveness of endocrine therapy, advanced disease forms represent an unmet clinical need. While drug combination therapies remain promising, differences in pharmacokinetic profiles result in suboptimal ratios of free drugs reaching tumors. We identified a synergistic combination of bisdemethoxycurcumin and exemestane through drug screening and rationally designed star-shaped poly-L-glutamic acid-based combination conjugates carrying these drugs conjugated through pH-responsive linkers for hormone-responsive breast cancer treatment. We synthesized/characterized single and combination conjugates with synergistic drug ratios/loadings. Physicochemical characterization/drug release kinetics studies suggested that lower drug loading prompted a less compact conjugate conformation that supported optimal release. Screening in monolayer and spheroid breast cancer cell cultures revealed that combination conjugates possessed enhanced cytotoxicity/synergism compared to physical mixtures of single-drug conjugates/free drugs; moreover, a combination conjugate with the lowest drug loading outperformed remaining conjugates. This candidate inhibited proliferation-associated signaling, reduced inflammatory chemokine/exosome levels, and promoted autophagy in spheroids; furthermore, it outperformed a physical mixture of single-drug conjugates/free drugs regarding cytotoxicity in patient-derived breast cancer organoids. Our findings highlight the importance of rational design and advanced in vitro models for the selection of polypeptide-based combination conjugates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paz Boix-Montesinos
- Polymer Therapeutics Lab., Príncipe Felipe Research Center, Av. Eduardo Primo Yúfera 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain
| | - María Medel
- Polymer Therapeutics Lab., Príncipe Felipe Research Center, Av. Eduardo Primo Yúfera 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Cancer, (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain
| | - Alessio Malfanti
- Polymer Therapeutics Lab., Príncipe Felipe Research Center, Av. Eduardo Primo Yúfera 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain; Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, Via F. Marzolo 5, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Snežana Đorđević
- Polymer Therapeutics Lab., Príncipe Felipe Research Center, Av. Eduardo Primo Yúfera 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Cancer, (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain
| | - Esther Masiá
- Polymer Therapeutics Lab., Príncipe Felipe Research Center, Av. Eduardo Primo Yúfera 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Cancer, (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain; Screening Platform, Príncipe Felipe Research Center, Av. Eduardo Primo Yúfera 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain
| | - David Charbonnier
- Polymer Therapeutics Lab., Príncipe Felipe Research Center, Av. Eduardo Primo Yúfera 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain; Screening Platform, Príncipe Felipe Research Center, Av. Eduardo Primo Yúfera 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Enfermedades Raras (CIBERER), IISCIII and CIEMAT, Madrid, Spain
| | - Paula Carrascosa-Marco
- Polymer Therapeutics Lab., Príncipe Felipe Research Center, Av. Eduardo Primo Yúfera 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain
| | - Ana Armiñán
- Polymer Therapeutics Lab., Príncipe Felipe Research Center, Av. Eduardo Primo Yúfera 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Cancer, (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain.
| | - María J Vicent
- Polymer Therapeutics Lab., Príncipe Felipe Research Center, Av. Eduardo Primo Yúfera 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain; Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red en Cancer, (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III, Spain; Screening Platform, Príncipe Felipe Research Center, Av. Eduardo Primo Yúfera 3, 46012 Valencia, Spain.
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2
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Zha J, He J, Wu C, Zhang M, Liu X, Zhang J. Designing drugs and chemical probes with the dualsteric approach. Chem Soc Rev 2023; 52:8651-8677. [PMID: 37990599 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00650f] [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: 11/23/2023]
Abstract
Traditionally, drugs are monovalent, targeting only one site on the protein surface. This includes orthosteric and allosteric drugs, which bind the protein at orthosteric and allosteric sites, respectively. Orthosteric drugs are good in potency, whereas allosteric drugs have better selectivity and are solutions to classically undruggable targets. However, it would be difficult to simultaneously reach high potency and selectivity when targeting only one site. Also, both kinds of monovalent drugs suffer from mutation-caused drug resistance. To overcome these obstacles, dualsteric modulators have been proposed in the past twenty years. Compared to orthosteric or allosteric drugs, dualsteric modulators are bivalent (or bitopic) with two pharmacophores. Each of the two pharmacophores bind the protein at the orthosteric and an allosteric site, which could bring the modulator with special properties beyond monovalent drugs. In this study, we comprehensively review the current development of dualsteric modulators. Our main effort reason and illustrate the aims to apply the dualsteric approach, including a "double win" of potency and selectivity, overcoming mutation-caused drug resistance, developments of function-biased modulators, and design of partial agonists. Moreover, the strengths of the dualsteric technique also led to its application outside pharmacy, including the design of highly sensitive fluorescent tracers and usage as molecular rulers. Besides, we also introduced drug targets, designing strategies, and validation methods of dualsteric modulators. Finally, we detail the conclusions and perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyin Zha
- College of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jixiao He
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Chengwei Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingyang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Xinyi Liu
- College of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jian Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, National Research Center for Translational Medicine at Shanghai, Ruijin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
- Medicinal Chemistry and Bioinformatics Center, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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3
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Deng Y, Zheng M, Liu R, Zeng H, Diao J, Xiao R, Su X. Exploring the repairing mechanisms of reduced graphene oxide (rGo) on the dysregulation of Xenopus Laevis larva hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis caused by chiral triazole fungicide metconazole. PESTICIDE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 195:105529. [PMID: 37666585 DOI: 10.1016/j.pestbp.2023.105529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023]
Abstract
Replacing chair fungicide racemate marketed product by its enantiomer with high activity and low environmental risk for application is a more environmentally friendly methods to control crop diseases. Moreover, carbon-based nanomaterials, with the desirable chemical and mechanical properties, exhibits latent reduce fungicide toxicity capability, while the mechanism is still poorly understood. Therefore, the present study characterized the toxicity of rac-metconazole (Mez; (1RS,5RS;1RS,5SR)-5-(4-chlorobenzyl)-2,2-dimethyl-1-(1H)) and its two cis-enantiomers as well as the repairing effect of reduced graphene oxide (rGo) on Xenopus Laevis larva by examining growth appearance indexes, Mez bioaccumulation, and hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis related hormone contents and gene expression after 14 and 28 days exposure. Compared with two cis-Mez, rac-Mez was preferentially bioaccumulated in tadpoles, and rac-Mez treatment showed a higher toxicity effect on tadpole including growth stage and body weight inhibition by dysregulating tadpole thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroid hormone (TH) contents and related gene expression. Enantioselectivity was observed in two cis-Mez treatments. Compared with R,S-Mez, S,R-Mez treatment showed more severe damage on tadpole HPT axis related physiological and biochemical processes. rGo could effectively decrease the toxicity of Mez, especially shown the capacity of repairing the hormone dysregulation caused by R,S-Mez treatment. Moreover, the addition of rGo can decrease the bioaccumulation of Mez in tadpoles. Therefore, R,S-Mez is less toxic to Xenopus Laevis larva growth, and its toxicity could be effectively repaired by the addition of rGO.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Deng
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Meiling Zheng
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Department of Applied Chemistry, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Rui Liu
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Department of Applied Chemistry, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Haixia Zeng
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Jingling Diao
- Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Food Nutrition and Human Health, Department of Applied Chemistry, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100193, China
| | - Ran Xiao
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Su
- Interdisciplinary Research Center for Agriculture Green Development in Yangtze River Basin, College of Resources and Environment, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China.
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Xin L, Min J, Hu H, Li Y, Du C, Xie B, Cheng Y, Deng X, Deng X, Shen K, Huang J, Chen CC, Guo RT, Dong C, Zhou HB. Structure-guided identification of novel dual-targeting estrogen receptor α degraders with aromatase inhibitory activity for the treatment of endocrine-resistant breast cancer. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 253:115328. [PMID: 37037140 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
Drug resistance is a major challenge in conventional endocrine therapy for estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancer (BC). BC is a multifactorial disease, in which simultaneous aromatase (ARO) inhibition and ERα degradation may effectively inhibit the signal transduction of both proteins, thus potentially overcoming drug resistance caused by overexpression or mutation of target proteins. In this study, guided by the X-ray structure of a hit compound 30a in complex with ER-Y537S, a structure-based optimization was performed to get a series of multiacting inhibitors targeting both ERα and ARO, and finally a novel class of potent selective estrogen receptor degraders (SERDs) based on a three-dimensional oxabicycloheptene sulfonamide (OBHSA) scaffold equipped with aromatase inhibitor (AI) activity were identified. Of these dual-targeting SERD-AI hybrids, compound 31q incorporating a 1H-1,2,4-triazole moiety showed excellent ERα degradation activity, ARO inhibitory activity and remarkable antiproliferative activity against BC resistant cells. Furthermore, 31q manifested efficient tumor suppression in MCF-7 tumor xenograft models. Taken together, our study reported for the first time the highly efficient dual-targeting SERD-AI hybrid compounds, which may lay the foundation of translational research for improved treatment of endocrine-resistant BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lilan Xin
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Jian Min
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China
| | - Hebing Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Chuanqian Du
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Baohua Xie
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Yan Cheng
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Xiaofei Deng
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Xiangping Deng
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Kang Shen
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Jian Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Chun-Chi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China
| | - Rey-Ting Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China.
| | - Chune Dong
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
| | - Hai-Bing Zhou
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (MOE) and Hubei Province Engineering and Technology Research Center for Fluorinated Pharmaceuticals, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
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5
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Edris A, Abdelrahman M, Osman W, Sherif AE, Ashour A, Garelnabi EAE, Ibrahim SRM, Bafail R, Samman WA, Ghazawi KF, Mohamed GA, Alzain AA. Design of Novel Letrozole Analogues Targeting Aromatase for Breast Cancer: Molecular Docking, Molecular Dynamics, and Theoretical Studies on Gold Nanoparticles. Metabolites 2023; 13:metabo13050583. [PMID: 37233624 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13050583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of aromatase inhibitors is an established therapy for estrogen-dependent breast cancer in postmenopausal women. However, the only commercially available aromatase inhibitor, letrozole, is not highly selective; in addition to aromatase, it has an affinity for binding to desmolase, an enzyme involved in steroidogenesis, which explains the main side effects. Therefore, we designed new compounds based on the structure of letrozole. More than five thousand compounds were constructed based on the letrozole structure. Then, these compounds were screened for their binding ability toward the target protein, aromatase. Quantum docking, Glide docking, and ADME studies showed 14 new molecules with docking scores of ≤-7 kcal/mol, compared to the docking score of -4.109 kcal/mol of the reference, letrozole. Moreover, molecular dynamics (MD) and post-MD MM-GBSA calculations were calculated for the top three compounds, and the results supported in their interaction's stability. Finally, the density-functional theory (DFT) study applied to the top compound to study the interaction with gold nanoparticles revealed the most stable position for the interaction with the gold nanoparticles. The results of this study confirmed that these newly designed compounds could be useful starting points for lead optimization. Further in vitro and in vivo studies are recommended for these compounds to verify these promising results experimentally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alaa Edris
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Gezira, Wad Madani 21111, Sudan
| | - Mohammed Abdelrahman
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Gezira, Wad Madani 21111, Sudan
| | - Wadah Osman
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Khartoum, Al-Qasr Ave, Khartoum 11111, Sudan
| | - Asmaa E Sherif
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Ahmed Ashour
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Elrashied A E Garelnabi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Khartoum, Al-Qasr Ave, Khartoum 11111, Sudan
| | - Sabrin R M Ibrahim
- Preparatory Year Program, Department of Chemistry, Batterjee Medical College, Jeddah 21442, Saudi Arabia
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut 71526, Egypt
| | - Rawan Bafail
- Department of Pharmaceutics and Pharmaceutical Technology, College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Medina 42353, Saudi Arabia
| | - Waad A Samman
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Taibah University, Medina 30078, Saudi Arabia
| | - Kholoud F Ghazawi
- Clinical Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 24382, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gamal A Mohamed
- Department of Natural Products and Alternative Medicine, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulrahim A Alzain
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Gezira, Wad Madani 21111, Sudan
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6
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Gobbi S, Martini S, Rozza R, Spinello A, Caciolla J, Rampa A, Belluti F, Zaffaroni N, Magistrato A, Bisi A. Switching from Aromatase Inhibitors to Dual Targeting Flavonoid-Based Compounds for Breast Cancer Treatment. Molecules 2023; 28:3047. [PMID: 37049810 PMCID: PMC10096035 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28073047] [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: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 03/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/26/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite the significant outcomes attained by scientific research, breast cancer (BC) still represents the second leading cause of death in women. Estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) BC accounts for the majority of diagnosed BCs, highlighting the disruption of estrogenic signalling as target for first-line treatment. This goal is presently pursued by inhibiting aromatase (AR) enzyme or by modulating Estrogen Receptor (ER) α. An appealing strategy for fighting BC and reducing side effects and resistance issues may lie in the design of multifunctional compounds able to simultaneously target AR and ER. In this paper, previously reported flavonoid-related potent AR inhibitors were suitably modified with the aim of also targeting ERα. As a result, homoisoflavone derivatives 3b and 4a emerged as well-balanced submicromolar dual acting compounds. An extensive computational study was then performed to gain insights into the interactions the best compounds established with the two targets. This study highlighted the feasibility of switching from single-target compounds to balanced dual-acting agents, confirming that a multi-target approach may represent a valid therapeutic option to counteract ER+ BC. The homoisoflavone core emerged as a valuable natural-inspired scaffold for the design of multifunctional compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Gobbi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Silvia Martini
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Fondazione IRCSS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, 20113 Milano, Italy
| | - Riccardo Rozza
- National Research Council of Italy Institute of Materials (CNR-IOM) c/o SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Angelo Spinello
- Department of Biological, Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies, University of Palermo, Viale delle Scienze, 90128 Palermo, Italy
| | - Jessica Caciolla
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Angela Rampa
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Federica Belluti
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Nadia Zaffaroni
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Fondazione IRCSS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, 20113 Milano, Italy
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- National Research Council of Italy Institute of Materials (CNR-IOM) c/o SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bisi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum, University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126 Bologna, Italy
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7
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Caciolla J, Martini S, Spinello A, Belluti F, Bisi A, Zaffaroni N, Magistrato A, Gobbi S. Single-digit nanomolar inhibitors lock the aromatase active site via a dualsteric targeting strategy. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 244:114802. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
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8
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Eissa AG, Barrow D, Gee J, Powell LE, Foster PA, Simons C. 4th generation nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitors: An iterative SAR-guided design, synthesis, and biological evaluation towards picomolar dual binding inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 240:114569. [PMID: 35834906 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2022] [Revised: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
One in every eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer during their lifetime and approximately 70% of all patients are oestrogen receptor (ER) positive depending upon oestrogen for their growth accounting for third generation aromatase (CYP19A1) inhibitors being the mainstay in the treatment of ER-positive breast cancer. Despite the success of current aromatase inhibitors, acquired resistance occurs after prolonged therapy. Although the precise mechanisms of resistance are not known, lack of cross resistance among aromatase inhibitors drives the need for a newer generation of inhibitors to overcome this resistance alongside minimising toxicity and adverse effects. Novel triazole-based inhibitors were designed based on previously published parent compound 5a, making use of the now available crystal structure of CYP19A1 (PDB 3S79), to make modifications at specific sites to explore the potential of dual binding at both the active site and the access channel. Modifications included adding long chain substituents e.g. but-2-ynyloxy and pent-2-ynyloxy at different positions including the most active compound 13h with IC50 value in the low picomolar range (0.09 nM). Aromatase inhibition results paired with molecular dynamics studies provided a clear structure activity relationship and favourable dual binding mode was verified. Toxicity assays and CYP selectivity profile studies for some example compounds were performed to assess the safety profile of the prepared inhibitors providing the basis for the 4th generation nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed G Eissa
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3NB, UK
| | - Denise Barrow
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3NB, UK
| | - Julia Gee
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3NB, UK
| | - Lauren E Powell
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Paul A Foster
- Institute of Metabolism and Systems Research, College of Medical and Dental Sciences, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK; Centre for Endocrinology, Diabetes, and Metabolism, Birmingham Health Partners, Birmingham, B15 2TT, UK
| | - Claire Simons
- School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff, CF10 3NB, UK.
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9
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Caballero Alfonso AY, Mora Lagares L, Novic M, Benfenati E, Kumar A. Exploration of structural requirements for azole chemicals towards human aromatase CYP19A1 activity: Classification modeling, structure-activity relationships and read-across study. Toxicol In Vitro 2022; 81:105332. [PMID: 35176449 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2022.105332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2022] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Human aromatase, also called CYP19A1, plays a major role in the conversion of androgens into estrogens. Inhibition of aromatase is an important target for estrogen receptor (ER)-responsive breast cancer therapy. Use of azole compounds as aromatase inhibitors is widespread despite their low selectivity. A toxicological evaluation of commonly used azole-based drugs and agrochemicals with respect to CYP19A1is currently requested by the European Union- Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals (EU-REACH) regulations due to their potential as endocrine disruptors. In this connection, identification of structural alerts (SAs) is an effective strategy for the toxicological assessment and safe drug design. The present study describes the identification of SAs of azole-based chemicals as guiding experts to predict the aromatase activity. Total 21 SAs associated with aromatase activity were extracted from dataset of 326 azole-based drugs/chemicals obtained from Tox21 library. A cross-validated classification model having high accuracy (error rate 5%) was proposed which can precisely classify azole chemicals into active/inactive toward aromatase. In addition, mechanistic details and toxicological properties (agonism/antagonism) of azoles with respect to aromatase were explored by comparing active and inactive chemicals using structure-activity relationships (SAR). Lastly, few structural alerts were applied to form chemical categories for read-across applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana Y Caballero Alfonso
- Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Istituto di RicercheFarmacologiche "Mario Negri"-IRCCS, Milano, Italy; Jozef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Liadys Mora Lagares
- Jozef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova cesta 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia; Theory Department, Laboratory for Cheminformatics, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marjana Novic
- Theory Department, Laboratory for Cheminformatics, National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Emilio Benfenati
- Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Toxicology, Department of Environmental Health Sciences, Istituto di RicercheFarmacologiche "Mario Negri"-IRCCS, Milano, Italy
| | - Anil Kumar
- Department of Applied Sciences, University Institute of Engineering and Technology, Panjab University, Chandigarh 160014, India.
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10
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Caciolla J, Martini S, Spinello A, Pavlin M, Turrini E, Simonelli F, Belluti F, Rampa A, Bisi A, Fimognari C, Zaffaroni N, Gobbi S, Magistrato A. Balanced dual acting compounds targeting aromatase and estrogen receptor α as an emerging therapeutic opportunity to counteract estrogen responsive breast cancer. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 224:113733. [PMID: 34364162 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113733] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2021] [Revised: 07/27/2021] [Accepted: 07/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Breast Cancer (BC) is a leading cause of death in women, currently affecting 13% of female population worldwide. First-line clinical treatments against Estrogen Receptor positive (ER+) BC rely on suppressing estrogen production, by inhibiting the aromatase (AR) enzyme, or on blocking estrogen-dependent pro-oncogenic signaling, by targeting Estrogen Receptor (ER) α with selective Modulators/Degraders (SERMs/SERDs). The development of dual acting molecules targeting AR and ERα represents a tantalizing alternative strategy to fight ER + BC, reducing the incidence of adverse effects and resistance onset that limit the effectiveness of these gold-standard therapies. Here, in silico design, synthesis, biological evaluation and an atomic-level characterization of the binding and inhibition mechanism of twelve structurally related drug-candidates enable the discovery of multiple compounds active on both AR and ERα in the sub-μM range. The best drug-candidate 3a displayed a balanced low-nanomolar IC50 towards the two targets, SERM activity and moderate selectivity towards a BC cell line. Moreover, most of the studied compounds reduced ERα levels, suggesting a potential SERD activity. This study dissects the key structural traits needed to obtain optimal dual acting drug-candidates, showing that multitarget compounds may be a viable therapeutic option to counteract ER + BC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Caciolla
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Silvia Martini
- Fondazione IRCSS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, 20113, Milano, Italy
| | - Angelo Spinello
- National Research Council of Italy Institute of Materials (CNR-IOM) C/o SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy
| | - Matic Pavlin
- National Research Council of Italy Institute of Materials (CNR-IOM) C/o SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy; Laboratory of Microsensor Structures and Electronics, Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana, Tržaška Cesta 25, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Eleonora Turrini
- Department for Life Quality Studies, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Corso D'Augusto 237, 47921, Rimini, Italy
| | - Federica Simonelli
- National Research Council of Italy Institute of Materials (CNR-IOM) C/o SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy
| | - Federica Belluti
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Angela Rampa
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bisi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126, Bologna, Italy
| | - Carmela Fimognari
- Department for Life Quality Studies, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Corso D'Augusto 237, 47921, Rimini, Italy
| | - Nadia Zaffaroni
- Fondazione IRCSS Istituto Nazionale Dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, 20113, Milano, Italy
| | - Silvia Gobbi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- National Research Council of Italy Institute of Materials (CNR-IOM) C/o SISSA, Via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy.
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11
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Alhadrami HA, Sayed AM, Melebari SA, Khogeer AA, Abdulaal WH, Al-Fageeh MB, Algahtani M, Rateb ME. Targeting allosteric sites of human aromatase: a comprehensive in-silico and in-vitro workflow to find potential plant-based anti-breast cancer therapeutics. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2021; 36:1334-1345. [PMID: 34139914 PMCID: PMC8759730 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2021.1937145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent findings suggested several allosteric pockets on human aromatase that could be utilised for the development of new modulators able to inhibit this enzyme in a new mechanism. Herein, we applied an integrated in-silico-based approach supported by in-vitro enzyme-based and cell-based validation assays to select the best leads able to target these allosteric binding sites from a small library of plant-derived natural products. Chrysin, apigenin, and resveratrol were found to be the best inhibitors targeting the enzyme’s substrate access channel and were able to produce a competitive inhibition with IC50 values ranged from 1.7 to 15.8 µM. Moreover, they showed a more potent antiproliferative effect against ER+ (MCF-7) than ER- one (MDA-MB-231) cell lines. On the other hand, both pomiferin and berberine were the best hits for the enzyme’s haem-proximal cavity producing a non-competitive inhibition (IC50 15.1 and 21.4 µM, respectively) and showed selective antiproliferative activity towards MCF-7 cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hani A Alhadrami
- Department of Medical Laboratory Technology, Faculty of Applied Medical Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Molecular Diagnostic Lab, King Abdulaziz University Hospital, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Molecular Diagnostic Unit, The Regional Laboratory in Makkah, Ministry of Health, Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed M Sayed
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Nahda University, Beni Suef, Egypt
| | - Sami A Melebari
- Molecular Diagnostic Unit, The Regional Laboratory in Makkah, Ministry of Health, Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Asem A Khogeer
- Plan and Research Department, General Directorate of Health Affairs, Makkah region, Ministry of Health, Makkah, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
| | - Wesam H Abdulaal
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Science, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohamed B Al-Fageeh
- General Directorate for Funds and Grants (GDFG), King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mohammad Algahtani
- Department of Laboratory and Blood Bank, Security Forces Hospital Program, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mostafa E Rateb
- School of Computing, Engineering & Physical Sciences, University of the West of Scotland, Paisley, UK
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12
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Rani S, Raheja K, Luxami V, Paul K. A review on diverse heterocyclic compounds as the privileged scaffolds in non-steroidal aromatase inhibitors. Bioorg Chem 2021; 113:105017. [PMID: 34091288 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.105017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Revised: 05/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer, emerging malignancy is common among women due to overexpression of estrogen. Estrogens are biosynthesized from androgens by aromatase, a cytochrome P450 enzyme complex, and play a pivotal role in stimulating cell proliferation. Therefore, deprivation of estrogen by blocking aromatase is considered as the effective way for the inhibition and treatment of breast cancer. In recent years, various non-steroidal heterocyclic functionalities have been extensively developed and studied for their aromatase inhibition activity. This review provides information about the structural-activity relationship of heterocycles (Type II) towards aromatase. This aids the medicinal chemist around the significance of different heterocyclic moieties and helps to design potent aromatase inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sudesh Rani
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala 147001, India
| | - Konpal Raheja
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala 147001, India
| | - Vijay Luxami
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala 147001, India
| | - Kamaldeep Paul
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala 147001, India.
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13
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Spinello A, Borišek J, Pavlin M, Janoš P, Magistrato A. Computing Metal-Binding Proteins for Therapeutic Benefit. ChemMedChem 2021; 16:2034-2049. [PMID: 33740297 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202100109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
Over one third of biomolecules rely on metal ions to exert their cellular functions. Metal ions can play a structural role by stabilizing the structure of biomolecules, a functional role by promoting a wide variety of biochemical reactions, and a regulatory role by acting as messengers upon binding to proteins regulating cellular metal-homeostasis. These diverse roles in biology ascribe critical implications to metal-binding proteins in the onset of many diseases. Hence, it is of utmost importance to exhaustively unlock the different mechanistic facets of metal-binding proteins and to harness this knowledge to rationally devise novel therapeutic strategies to prevent or cure pathological states associated with metal-dependent cellular dysfunctions. In this compendium, we illustrate how the use of a computational arsenal based on docking, classical, and quantum-classical molecular dynamics simulations can contribute to extricate the minutiae of the catalytic, transport, and inhibition mechanisms of metal-binding proteins at the atomic level. This knowledge represents a fertile ground and an essential prerequisite for selectively targeting metal-binding proteins with small-molecule inhibitors aiming to (i) abrogate deregulated metal-dependent (mis)functions or (ii) leverage metal-dyshomeostasis to selectively trigger harmful cells death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelo Spinello
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR)-, Institute of Materials (IOM) c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy
| | - Jure Borišek
- National Institute of Chemistry Institution Hajdrihova ulica 19, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Matic Pavlin
- Laboratory of Microsensor Structures and Electronics Faculty of Electrical Engineering, University of Ljubljana Tržaška cesta 25, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Pavel Janoš
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR)-, Institute of Materials (IOM) c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR)-, Institute of Materials (IOM) c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), via Bonomea 265, 34136, Trieste, Italy
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14
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Rational Design of CYP3A4 Inhibitors: A One-Atom Linker Elongation in Ritonavir-Like Compounds Leads to a Marked Improvement in the Binding Strength. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22020852. [PMID: 33467005 PMCID: PMC7830545 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22020852] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2020] [Revised: 01/09/2021] [Accepted: 01/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of the major human drug-metabolizing cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) by pharmaceuticals and other xenobiotics could lead to toxicity, drug–drug interactions and other adverse effects, as well as pharmacoenhancement. Despite serious clinical implications, the structural basis and attributes required for the potent inhibition of CYP3A4 remain to be established. We utilized a rational inhibitor design to investigate the structure–activity relationships in the analogues of ritonavir, the most potent CYP3A4 inhibitor in clinical use. This study elucidated the optimal length of the head-group spacer using eleven (series V) analogues with the R1/R2 side-groups as phenyls or R1–phenyl/R2–indole/naphthalene in various stereo configurations. Spectral, functional and structural characterization of the inhibitory complexes showed that a one-atom head-group linker elongation, from pyridyl–ethyl to pyridyl–propyl, was beneficial and markedly improved Ks, IC50 and thermostability of CYP3A4. In contrast, a two-atom linker extension led to a multi-fold decrease in the binding and inhibitory strength, possibly due to spatial and/or conformational constraints. The lead compound, 3h, was among the best inhibitors designed so far and overall, the strongest binder (Ks and IC50 of 0.007 and 0.090 µM, respectively). 3h was the fourth structurally simpler inhibitor superior to ritonavir, which further demonstrates the power of our approach.
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15
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Palermo G, Spinello A, Saha A, Magistrato A. Frontiers of metal-coordinating drug design. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2020; 16:497-511. [PMID: 33874825 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2021.1851188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: The occurrence of metal ions in biomolecules is required to exert vital cellular functions. Metal-containing biomolecules can be modulated by small-molecule inhibitors targeting their metal-moiety. As well, the discovery of cisplatin ushered the rational discovery of metal-containing-drugs. The use of both drug types exploiting metal-ligand interactions is well established to treat distinct pathologies. Therefore, characterizing and leveraging metal-coordinating drugs is a pivotal, yet challenging, part of medicinal chemistry.Area covered: Atomic-level simulations are increasingly employed to overcome the challenges met by traditional drug-discovery approaches and to complement wet-lab experiments in elucidating the mechanisms of drugs' action. Multiscale simulations, allow deciphering the mechanism of metal-binding inhibitors and metallo-containing-drugs, enabling a reliable description of metal-complexes in their biological environment. In this compendium, the authors review selected applications exploiting the metal-ligand interactions by focusing on understanding the mechanism and design of (i) inhibitors targeting iron and zinc-enzymes, and (ii) ruthenium and gold-based anticancer agents targeting the nucleosome and aquaporin protein, respectively.Expert opinion: The showcased applications exemplify the current role and the potential of atomic-level simulations and reveal how their synergic use with experiments can contribute to uncover fundamental mechanistic facets and exploit metal-ligand interactions in medicinal chemistry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giulia Palermo
- Department of Bioengineering and Department of Chemistry, University of California Riverside, Riverside, United States
| | - Angelo Spinello
- National Research Council (CNR) of Italy, Institute of Material (IOM) @ International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
| | - Aakash Saha
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California Riverside, Riverside, United States
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- National Research Council (CNR) of Italy, Institute of Material (IOM) @ International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Trieste, Italy
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16
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Caciolla J, Bisi A, Belluti F, Rampa A, Gobbi S. Reconsidering Aromatase for Breast Cancer Treatment: New Roles for an Old Target. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25225351. [PMID: 33207783 PMCID: PMC7696276 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25225351] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Revised: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The current therapeutic approach for the treatment of hormone dependent breast cancer includes interference with estrogen receptors via either selective modulators or estrogens deprivation, by preventing their biosynthesis with aromatase inhibitors. Severe side effects and acquired resistance are drawbacks of both drug classes, and the efforts to overcome these issues still allow for research in this field to be animated. This review reports on recent findings that have opened new avenues for reconsidering the role of aromatase enzymes (and estrogen receptors) leading to the possibility of looking at well-known targets in a new perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Caciolla
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, I-40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Alessandra Bisi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, I-40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Federica Belluti
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, I-40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Angela Rampa
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, I-40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - Silvia Gobbi
- Department of Pharmacy and Biotechnology, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via Belmeloro 6, I-40126 Bologna, Italy
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17
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Garofalo M, Grazioso G, Cavalli A, Sgrignani J. How Computational Chemistry and Drug Delivery Techniques Can Support the Development of New Anticancer Drugs. Molecules 2020; 25:E1756. [PMID: 32290224 PMCID: PMC7180704 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25071756] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2020] [Revised: 04/06/2020] [Accepted: 04/08/2020] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The early and late development of new anticancer drugs, small molecules or peptides can be slowed down by some issues such as poor selectivity for the target or poor ADME properties. Computer-aided drug design (CADD) and target drug delivery (TDD) techniques, although apparently far from each other, are two research fields that can give a significant contribution to overcome these problems. Their combination may provide mechanistic understanding resulting in a synergy that makes possible the rational design of novel anticancer based therapies. Herein, we aim to discuss selected applications, some also from our research experience, in the fields of anticancer small organic drugs and peptides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariangela Garofalo
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padova, 35131 Padova, Italy
| | - Giovanni Grazioso
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Milano, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Andrea Cavalli
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, 1015 Lausanne, Switzerland
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI), 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Jacopo Sgrignani
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI), 6500 Bellinzona, Switzerland
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