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Sarfraz M, Aziz M, Afzal S, Channar PA, Alsfouk BA, Kandhro GA, Hassan S, Sultan A, Hamad A, Arafat M, Qaiser MN, Ahmed A, Siddique F, Ejaz SA. Repurposing of Strychnine as the Potential Inhibitors of Aldo-keto Reductase Family 1 Members B1 and B10: Computational Modeling and Pharmacokinetic Analysis. Protein J 2024; 43:207-224. [PMID: 37940790 DOI: 10.1007/s10930-023-10163-z] [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] [Accepted: 10/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
AKR1B1 and AKR1B10 are important members of aldo-keto reductase family which plays a significant role in cancer progression by modulating cellular metabolism. These enzymes are involved in various metabolic processes, including the synthesis and metabolism of hormones, detoxification of reactive aldehydes, and the reduction of various endogenous and exogenous compounds. This study aimed to explore the potential of strychnine as an anticancer agent by targeting AKR1B1 and AKR1B10 via drug repurposing approach. To assess the drug-like properties of strychnine, a physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PKPB) model and High Throughput Pharmacokinetics (HTPK) approach were employed. The obtained results fell within the expected range for drug molecules, confirming its suitability for further investigation. Additionally, density functional theory (DFT) studies were conducted to gain insight into the electronic properties contributing to the drug molecule's reactivity. Building upon the promising DFT results, molecular docking analysis using the AutoDock tool was performed to examine the binding interactions between strychnine and the proposed targets, AKR1B1 and AKR1B10. Findings from the molecular docking studies suggested a higher probability of strychnine acting as an inhibitor of AKR1B1 and AKR1B10 with docking scores of - 30.84 and - 29.36 kJ/mol respectively. To validate the stability of the protein-ligand complex, Molecular Dynamic Simulation (MDS) studies were conducted, revealing the formation of a stable complex between the enzymes and strychnine. This comprehensive approach sheds light on the potential effectiveness of strychnine as a treatment for breast, lung, liver, and pancreatic cancers, as well as related malignancies. The novel insights gained from the physiologically based pharmacokinetic modeling, density functional theory, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations collectively support the prospect of strychnine as a promising molecule for anticancer therapy. Further investigations are warranted to validate these findings and explore the therapeutic potential of strychnine in preclinical and clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Sarfraz
- College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Al Ain Campus, 64141, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mubashir Aziz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, 63100, Pakistan
| | - Saira Afzal
- Faculty of Pharmacy, The University of Lahore, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - Pervaiz Ali Channar
- Department of Basic Sciences, Mathematics and Humanities, Dawood University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan
| | - Bshra A Alsfouk
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O Box 84428, 11671, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ghulam Abbas Kandhro
- Department of Basic Sciences, Mathematics and Humanities, Dawood University of Engineering and Technology, Karachi, 74800, Pakistan
| | - Sidra Hassan
- Bahawalpur College of Pharmacy, Bahawalpur Medical and Dental College, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Ahlam Sultan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, P.O Box 84428, 11671, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Asad Hamad
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Grand Asian University, Sialkot, 51310, Punjab, Pakistan
| | - Mosab Arafat
- College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Al Ain Campus, 64141, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
| | | | - Aftab Ahmed
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, 63100, Pakistan
| | - Farhan Siddique
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Texas Tech Universit, Lubboc, TX, 79409-1061, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmac, Bahauddian Zakariya University, Multan, 60800, Pakistan
| | - Syeda Abida Ejaz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, 63100, Pakistan.
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Aziz M, Ejaz SA, Tamam N, Siddique F. A comprehensive computational approach for the identification of structure-based potential pharmacological candidates as selective AKR1B1 and AKR1B10 inhibitors: repurposing of purine alkaloids for the treatment of cancer. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:7892-7912. [PMID: 36214620 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2127906] [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: 06/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/16/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Significant metabolic pathways have been linked to AKR1B1 and AKR1B10. These enzymes are crucial biological targets in the therapy of colon cancer. In the past several decades, drug repurposing has gained appeal as a time and cost-efficient strategy for providing new indications for existing drugs. The structural properties of the plant-based alkaloidal drugs theobromine and theophylline were examined using density functional theory (DFT) computations, where the B3LYP/SVP method was used to quantify the dipole moment, polarizability, and optimization energy. Optimized structures obtained through DFT studies were docked inside the active pocket of target proteins to evaluate their inhibitory potential. Moreover, molecular dynamic simulation provides significant insight into a dynamic view of molecular interactions. The findings of current revealed theobromine and theophylline as strong AKR1B1 and AKR1B10 inhibitors, respectively. In addition, the anti-cancer potential of theophylline and theobromine was validated by targeting various tumor proteins, i.e. NF-κB, cellular tumor antigen P53 and caspase-3 using a molecular docking approach. Theobromine was found to be strongly interacted with NF-κB and caspase-3, whereas theophylline potentially inhibited cellular tumor antigen P53. In addition, the ADMET characteristics of theobromine and theophylline were identified, confirming their drug-like capabilities. These results should open the way for further experimental validation and structure-based drug design/repurposing of AKR1B1/AKR1B10 inhibitors for the treatment of colon cancer and associated malignancies.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mubashir Aziz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Syeda Abida Ejaz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Nissren Tamam
- Department of Physics, College of Science, Princess Nourah Bint Abdulrahman University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Farhan Siddique
- Laboratory of Organic Electronics, Department of Science and Technology, Linköping University, Norrköping, Sweden
- Department of Pharmacy, Royal Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Multan, Pakistan
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Thimmappa PY, Vasishta S, Ganesh K, Nair AS, Joshi MB. Neutrophil (dys)function due to altered immuno-metabolic axis in type 2 diabetes: implications in combating infections. Hum Cell 2023:10.1007/s13577-023-00905-7. [PMID: 37115481 DOI: 10.1007/s13577-023-00905-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2022] [Accepted: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
Metabolic and inflammatory pathways are highly interdependent, and both systems are dysregulated in Type 2 diabetes (T2D). T2D is associated with pre-activated inflammatory signaling networks, aberrant cytokine production and increased acute phase reactants which leads to a pro-inflammatory 'feed forward loop'. Nutrient 'excess' conditions in T2D with hyperglycemia, elevated lipids and branched-chain amino acids significantly alter the functions of immune cells including neutrophils. Neutrophils are metabolically active cells and utilizes energy from glycolysis, stored glycogen and β-oxidation while depending on the pentose phosphate pathway for NADPH for performing effector functions such as chemotaxis, phagocytosis and forming extracellular traps. Metabolic changes in T2D result in constitutive activation and impeded acquisition of effector or regulatory activities of neutrophils and render T2D subjects for recurrent infections. Increased flux through the polyol and hexosamine pathways, elevated production of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), and activation of protein kinase C isoforms lead to (a) an enhancement in superoxide generation; (b) the stimulation of inflammatory pathways and subsequently to (c) abnormal host responses. Neutrophil dysfunction diminishes the effectiveness of wound healing, successful tissue regeneration and immune surveillance against offending pathogens. Hence, Metabolic reprogramming in neutrophils determines frequency, severity and duration of infections in T2D. The present review discusses the influence of the altered immuno-metabolic axis on neutrophil dysfunction along with challenges and therapeutic opportunities for clinical management of T2D-associated infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pooja Yedehalli Thimmappa
- Department of Ageing Research, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Planetarium Complex, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Sampara Vasishta
- Department of Ageing Research, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Planetarium Complex, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Kailash Ganesh
- Department of Ageing Research, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Planetarium Complex, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Aswathy S Nair
- Department of Ageing Research, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Planetarium Complex, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India
| | - Manjunath B Joshi
- Department of Ageing Research, Manipal School of Life Sciences, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Planetarium Complex, Manipal, Karnataka, 576104, India.
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Quantifying and comparing radiation damage in the Protein Data Bank. Nat Commun 2022; 13:1314. [PMID: 35288575 PMCID: PMC8921271 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-28934-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/18/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractRadiation damage remains one of the major bottlenecks to accurate structure solution in protein crystallography. It can induce structural and chemical changes in protein crystals, and is hence an important consideration when assessing the quality and biological veracity of crystal structures in repositories like the Protein Data Bank (PDB). However, detection of radiation damage artefacts has traditionally proved very challenging. To address this, here we introduce the Bnet metric. Bnet summarises in a single value the extent of damage suffered by a crystal structure by comparing the B-factor values of damage-prone and non-damage-prone atoms in a similar local environment. After validating that Bnet successfully detects damage in 23 different crystal structures previously characterised as damaged, we calculate Bnet values for 93,978 PDB crystal structures. Our metric highlights a range of damage features, many of which would remain unidentified by the other summary statistics typically calculated for PDB structures.
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Perspective on the Structural Basis for Human Aldo-Keto Reductase 1B10 Inhibition. Metabolites 2021; 11:metabo11120865. [PMID: 34940623 PMCID: PMC8708191 DOI: 10.3390/metabo11120865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Human aldo-keto reductase 1B10 (AKR1B10) is overexpressed in many cancer types and is involved in chemoresistance. This makes AKR1B10 to be an interesting drug target and thus many enzyme inhibitors have been investigated. High-resolution crystallographic structures of AKR1B10 with various reversible inhibitors were deeply analyzed and compared to those of analogous complexes with aldose reductase (AR). In both enzymes, the active site included an anion-binding pocket and, in some cases, inhibitor binding caused the opening of a transient specificity pocket. Different structural conformers were revealed upon inhibitor binding, emphasizing the importance of the highly variable loops, which participate in the transient opening of additional binding subpockets. Two key differences between AKR1B10 and AR were observed regarding the role of external loops in inhibitor binding. The first corresponded to the alternative conformation of Trp112 (Trp111 in AR). The second difference dealt with loop A mobility, which defined a larger and more loosely packed subpocket in AKR1B10. From this analysis, the general features that a selective AKR1B10 inhibitor should comply with are the following: an anchoring moiety to the anion-binding pocket, keeping Trp112 in its native conformation (AKR1B10-like), and not opening the specificity pocket in AR.
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Sekhon G, Singh B, Singh R. Role of Cys-298 in specific recognition of glutathione by aldose reductase. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2021; 40:6880-6888. [PMID: 33627036 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1891138] [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: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Aldose reductase (AR) is an NADPH-dependent oxidoreductase that is well-studied for its role in Diabetes Mellitus. Glutathione conjugated aldehydes are efficiently catalysed by AR. We have employed molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the dynamics of a glutathione analog, γ-glutamyl-S-(1,2-di-carboxyethyl)-cysteinyl-glycine (DCEG), into the binding pocket of AR. Study revealed that backbone nitrogens of Ala-299 and Leu-300 form a tiny pocket gated by thiol group of Cys-298. The glycine moiety of DCEG was able to displace the thiol group of Cys-298 to make hydrogen bond interactions with backbone of Ala-299, Leu-300, and Leu-301. This study provides the details of the dynamic interactions of DCEG in the binding pocket of AR, and shall aid in the design/discovery of differential inhibitors against AR.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gurprit Sekhon
- Department cum National Centre for Human Genome Studies & Research, Pharmacy Extention Block, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
| | - Balvinder Singh
- Bioinformatics Center, Institute of Microbial Technology, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, Chandigarh, India
| | - Ranvir Singh
- Department cum National Centre for Human Genome Studies & Research, Pharmacy Extention Block, Panjab University, Chandigarh, India
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Xu C, Zou H, Zhao Z, Zheng Z, Kwok RTK, Lam JWY, Sung HHY, Williams ID, Chen S, Zheng L, Tang BZ. Turning on Light Emission of a Dark Pro‐Aggregation‐Induced Emission Luminogen in Aqueous Media Through Reductase‐Modulated Derotation. ADVANCED NANOBIOMED RESEARCH 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/anbr.202000080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Changhuo Xu
- Department of Chemistry The Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay Kowloon Hong Kong China
| | - Hang Zou
- Department of Chemistry The Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay Kowloon Hong Kong China
- Department of Laboratory Medicine Nanfang Hospital Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515 China
| | - Zheng Zhao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Southeast University Nanjing China
| | - Zheng Zheng
- Department of Chemistry The Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay Kowloon Hong Kong China
| | - Ryan T. K. Kwok
- Department of Chemistry The Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay Kowloon Hong Kong China
| | - Jacky W. Y. Lam
- Department of Chemistry The Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay Kowloon Hong Kong China
| | - Herman H. Y. Sung
- Department of Chemistry The Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay Kowloon Hong Kong China
| | - Ian D Williams
- Department of Chemistry The Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay Kowloon Hong Kong China
| | - Sijie Chen
- Ming Wai Lau Centre for Reparative Medicine Karolinska Institutet Sha Tin Hong Kong China
| | - Lei Zheng
- Department of Laboratory Medicine Nanfang Hospital Southern Medical University Guangzhou 510515 China
| | - Ben Zhong Tang
- Department of Chemistry The Hong Kong Branch of Chinese National Engineering Research Center for Tissue Restoration and Reconstruction Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Institute for Advanced Study The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Clear Water Bay Kowloon Hong Kong China
- Center for Aggregation-Induced Emission SCUT-HKUST Joint Research Institute State Key Laboratory of Luminescent Materials and Devices South China University of Technology Guangzhou 510640 China
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Castellví A, Pascual-Izarra C, Crosas E, Malfois M, Juanhuix J. Improving data quality and expanding BioSAXS experiments to low-molecular-weight and low-concentration protein samples. ACTA CRYSTALLOGRAPHICA SECTION D-STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2020; 76:971-981. [PMID: 33021499 DOI: 10.1107/s2059798320010700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The addition of compounds to scavenge the radical species produced during biological small-angle X-ray scattering (BioSAXS) experiments is a common strategy to reduce the effects of radiation damage and produce better quality data. As almost half of the experiments leading to structures deposited in the SASBDB database used scavengers, finding potent scavengers would be advantageous for many experiments. Here, four compounds, three nucleosides and one nitrogenous base, are presented which can act as very effective radical-scavenging additives and increase the critical dose by up to 20 times without altering the stability or reducing the contrast of the tested protein solutions. The efficacy of these scavengers is higher than those commonly used in the field to date, as verified for lysozyme solutions at various concentrations from 7.0 to 0.5 mg ml-1. The compounds are also very efficient at mitigating radiation damage to four proteins with molecular weights ranging from 7 to 240 kDa and pH values from 3 to 8, with the extreme case being catalase at 6.7 mg ml-1, with a scavenging factor exceeding 100. These scavengers can therefore be instrumental in expanding BioSAXS to low-molecular-weight and low-concentration protein samples that were previously inaccessible owing to poor data quality. It is also demonstrated that an increase in the critical dose in standard BioSAXS experiments leads to an increment in the retrieved information, in particular at higher angles, and thus to higher resolution of the model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Albert Castellví
- Experiments Division, ALBA Synchrotron, Carrer de la Llum 2-26, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08290 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Carlos Pascual-Izarra
- Experiments Division, ALBA Synchrotron, Carrer de la Llum 2-26, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08290 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Eva Crosas
- DESY Photon Science, Notkestrasse 85, 08290 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Marc Malfois
- Experiments Division, ALBA Synchrotron, Carrer de la Llum 2-26, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08290 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Judith Juanhuix
- Experiments Division, ALBA Synchrotron, Carrer de la Llum 2-26, Cerdanyola del Vallès, 08290 Barcelona, Spain
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MUC1 oncoprotein mitigates ER stress via CDA-mediated reprogramming of pyrimidine metabolism. Oncogene 2020; 39:3381-3395. [PMID: 32103170 PMCID: PMC7165067 DOI: 10.1038/s41388-020-1225-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2019] [Revised: 02/12/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The Mucin 1 (MUC1) protein is overexpressed in various cancers and mediates chemotherapy resistance. However, the mechanism is not fully understood. Given that most chemotherapeutic drugs disrupt ER homeostasis as part of their toxicity, and MUC1 expression is regulated by proteins involved in ER homeostasis, we investigated the link between MUC1 and ER homeostasis. MUC1 knockdown in pancreatic cancer cells enhanced unfolded protein response (UPR) signaling and cell death upon ER stress induction. Transcriptomic analysis revealed alterations in the pyrimidine metabolic pathway and cytidine deaminase (CDA). ChIP and CDA activity assays showed that MUC1 occupied CDA gene promoter upon ER stress induction correlating with increased CDA expression and activity in MUC1-expressing cells as compared to MUC1 knockdown cells. Inhibition of either the CDA or pyrimidine metabolic pathway diminished survival in MUC1-expressing cancer cells upon ER stress induction. Metabolomic analysis demonstrated that MUC1-mediated CDA activity corresponded to deoxycytidine to deoxyuridine metabolic reprogramming upon ER stress induction. The resulting increase in deoxyuridine mitigated ER stress-induced cytotoxicity. Additionally, given 1) the established roles of MUC1 in protecting cells against reactive oxygen species (ROS) insults, 2) ER stress-generated ROS further promote ER stress and 3) the emerging anti-oxidant property of deoxyuridine, we further investigated if MUC1 regulated ER stress by a deoxyuridine-mediated modulation of ROS levels. We observed that deoxyuridine could abrogate ROS-induced ER stress to promote cancer cell survival. Taken together, our findings demonstrate a novel MUC1-CDA axis of the adaptive UPR that provides survival advantage upon ER stress induction.
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Sugar Alcohols Have a Key Role in Pathogenesis of Chronic Liver Disease and Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Whole Blood and Liver Tissues. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12020484. [PMID: 32092943 PMCID: PMC7072169 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12020484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2019] [Revised: 02/15/2020] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The major risk factors for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are hepatitis C and B viral infections that proceed to Chronic Liver Disease (CLD). Yet, the early diagnosis and treatment of HCC are challenging because the pathogenesis of HCC is not fully defined. To better understand the onset and development of HCC, untargeted GC-TOF MS metabolomics data were acquired from resected human HCC tissues and their paired non-tumor hepatic tissues (n = 46). Blood samples of the same HCC subjects (n = 23) were compared to CLD (n = 15) and healthy control (n = 15) blood samples. The participants were recruited from the National Liver Institute in Egypt. The GC-TOF MS data yielded 194 structurally annotated compounds. The most strikingly significant alteration was found for the class of sugar alcohols that were up-regulated in blood of HCC patients compared to CLD subjects (p < 2.4 × 10−12) and CLD compared to healthy controls (p = 4.1 × 10−7). In HCC tissues, sugar alcohols were the most significant (p < 1 × 10−6) class differentiating resected HCC tissues from non-malignant hepatic tissues for all HCC patients. Alteration of sugar alcohol levels in liver tissues also defined early-stage HCC from their paired non-malignant hepatic tissues (p = 2.7 × 10−6). In blood, sugar alcohols differentiated HCC from CLD subjects with an ROC-curve of 0.875 compared to 0.685 for the classic HCC biomarker alpha-fetoprotein. Blood sugar alcohol levels steadily increased from healthy controls to CLD to early stages of HCC and finally, to late-stage HCC patients. The increase in sugar alcohol levels indicates a role of aldo-keto reductases in the pathogenesis of HCC, possibly opening novel diagnostic and therapeutic options after in-depth validation.
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Hlaváč M, Kováčiková L, Prnová MŠ, Šramel P, Addová G, Májeková M, Hanquet G, Boháč A, Štefek M. Development of Novel Oxotriazinoindole Inhibitors of Aldose Reductase: Isosteric Sulfur/Oxygen Replacement in the Thioxotriazinoindole Cemtirestat Markedly Improved Inhibition Selectivity. J Med Chem 2019; 63:369-381. [PMID: 31820975 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Inhibition of aldose reductase (AR), the first enzyme of the polyol pathway, is a promising approach in treatment of diabetic complications. We proceeded with optimization of the thioxotriazinoindole scaffold of the novel AR inhibitor cemtirestat by replacement of sulfur with oxygen. A series of 2-(3-oxo-2H-[1,2,4]triazino[5,6-b]indol-5(3H)-yl)acetic acid derivatives (OTIs), designed by molecular modeling and docking, were synthesized. More electronegative and less bulky oxygen of OTIs compared to the sulfur of the original thioxotriazinoindole congeners was found to form a stronger H-bond with Leu300 of AR and to render larger rotational flexibility of the carboxymethyl pharmacophore. AR inhibitory activities of the novel compounds were characterized by the IC50 values in a submicromolar range. Markedly enhanced inhibition selectivity relative to the structurally related aldehyde reductase was recorded. To conclude, structure modification of the original carboxymethylated thioxotriazinoindole cemtirestat by isosteric replacement of sulfur with oxygen in combination with variable N(2) simple substituents provided novel analogues with increased AR inhibition efficacy and markedly improved selectivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matúš Hlaváč
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences , Comenius University in Bratislava , Ilkovičova 6 , 842 15 Bratislava , Slovakia
| | - Lucia Kováčiková
- Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, CEM, SAS , Dúbravská cesta 9 , 841 04 Bratislava , Slovakia
| | - Marta Šoltésová Prnová
- Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, CEM, SAS , Dúbravská cesta 9 , 841 04 Bratislava , Slovakia
| | - Peter Šramel
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences , Comenius University in Bratislava , Ilkovičova 6 , 842 15 Bratislava , Slovakia
| | - Gabriela Addová
- Institute of Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences , Comenius University in Bratislava , Ilkovičova 6 , 842 15 Bratislava , Slovakia
| | - Magdaléna Májeková
- Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, CEM, SAS , Dúbravská cesta 9 , 841 04 Bratislava , Slovakia
| | - Gilles Hanquet
- Université de Strasbourg, Université de Haute-Alsace, CNRS, UMR 7042-LIMA, ECPM , 25 rue Becquerel , 67087 Strasbourg , France
| | - Andrej Boháč
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Natural Sciences , Comenius University in Bratislava , Ilkovičova 6 , 842 15 Bratislava , Slovakia.,Biomagi, Inc. , Mamateyova 26 , 851 04 Bratislava , Slovakia
| | - Milan Štefek
- Institute of Experimental Pharmacology and Toxicology, CEM, SAS , Dúbravská cesta 9 , 841 04 Bratislava , Slovakia
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