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Watson A, Shah P, Lee D, Liang S, Joshi G, Metitiri E, Chowdhury WH, Bacich D, Dube P, Xiang Y, Hanley D, Martinez-Sobrido L, Rodriguez R. Valproic acid use is associated with diminished risk of contracting COVID-19, and diminished disease severity: Epidemiologic and in vitro analysis reveal mechanistic insights. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0307154. [PMID: 39093886 PMCID: PMC11296636 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0307154] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/02/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has caused unprecedented worldwide infections from persistent mutant variants with various degrees of infectivity and virulence. The elusiveness of a highly penetrant, worldwide vaccination strategy suggests that the complete eradication of SARS-CoV-2 is unlikely. Even with the advent of new antiviral agents, the disease burden worldwide continues to exceed current preventative and therapeutic strategies. Greater interest has been placed towards the development of affordable,broadly effective antiviral therapeutics. Here, we report that the small branched-chain fatty acid Valproic acid (VPA), approved for maintenance of seizure and bipolar disorder, has a novel anti- coronavirus activity that can be augmented with the addition of a long-chain, polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acid, Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). An EMR-based epidemiological study of patients tested for COVID-19 demonstrated a correlation exists between a reduced infection rate in patients treated withVPA of up to 25%, as well as a decreased risk of emergency room visits, hospitalization, ICU admission,and use of mechanical ventilation. In vitro studies have demonstrated that VPA modifies gene expression in MRC5 cells. Interestingly, VPA correlates with the inhibition of several SARS-CoV2 interacting genes and the greater inhibition of alpha-coronavirus HCoV-229E (a "common cold" virus) and SARS-CoV2. The VPA-DHA combination activates pre-existing intracellular antiviral mechanisms normally repressed by coronaviruses. Gene expression profiles demonstrate subtle differences in overall gene expression between VPA-treated and VPA-DHA-treated cells. HCoV-229E infection caused an intensely different response with a marked induction of multiple intracellular inflammatory genes. Changes in gene expression took at least 24 hours to manifest and most likely why prior drug screens failed to identify any antiviral VPA activity despite in silico predictions. This report demonstrates an interaction between HDAC inhibition and the potent activation of cellular antiviral responses. A foundation now exists for a low-cost, highly effective antiviral strategy when supplemented with DHA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda Watson
- Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s & Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Pankil Shah
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Doug Lee
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Sitai Liang
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Geeta Joshi
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Ediri Metitiri
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Wasim H. Chowdhury
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Dean Bacich
- Department of Urology, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Peter Dube
- Boehringer Ingelheim in Ames, Ames, Iowa, United States of America
| | - Yan Xiang
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
| | - Daniel Hanley
- Department of Neurology & Neurosurgery, Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | | | - Ronald Rodriguez
- Department of Medical Education, and Department of Urology, University of Texas Health Science Center San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, United States of America
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2
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Haderk F, Chou YT, Cech L, Fernández-Méndez C, Yu J, Olivas V, Meraz IM, Barbosa Rabago D, Kerr DL, Gomez C, Allegakoen DV, Guan J, Shah KN, Herrington KA, Gbenedio OM, Nanjo S, Majidi M, Tamaki W, Pourmoghadam YK, Rotow JK, McCoach CE, Riess JW, Gutkind JS, Tang TT, Post L, Huang B, Santisteban P, Goodarzi H, Bandyopadhyay S, Kuo CJ, Roose JP, Wu W, Blakely CM, Roth JA, Bivona TG. Focal adhesion kinase-YAP signaling axis drives drug-tolerant persister cells and residual disease in lung cancer. Nat Commun 2024; 15:3741. [PMID: 38702301 PMCID: PMC11068778 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-47423-0] [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: 01/04/2022] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Targeted therapy is effective in many tumor types including lung cancer, the leading cause of cancer mortality. Paradigm defining examples are targeted therapies directed against non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) subtypes with oncogenic alterations in EGFR, ALK and KRAS. The success of targeted therapy is limited by drug-tolerant persister cells (DTPs) which withstand and adapt to treatment and comprise the residual disease state that is typical during treatment with clinical targeted therapies. Here, we integrate studies in patient-derived and immunocompetent lung cancer models and clinical specimens obtained from patients on targeted therapy to uncover a focal adhesion kinase (FAK)-YAP signaling axis that promotes residual disease during oncogenic EGFR-, ALK-, and KRAS-targeted therapies. FAK-YAP signaling inhibition combined with the primary targeted therapy suppressed residual drug-tolerant cells and enhanced tumor responses. This study unveils a FAK-YAP signaling module that promotes residual disease in lung cancer and mechanism-based therapeutic strategies to improve tumor response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Franziska Haderk
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Yu-Ting Chou
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Lauren Cech
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Celia Fernández-Méndez
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols", Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científícas (CSIC) y Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Johnny Yu
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Victor Olivas
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Ismail M Meraz
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Dora Barbosa Rabago
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - D Lucas Kerr
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Carlos Gomez
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - David V Allegakoen
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Juan Guan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Khyati N Shah
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kari A Herrington
- Center for Advanced Light Microscopy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Shigeki Nanjo
- Division of Medical Oncology, Cancer Research Institute, Kanazawa University, Kanazawa, Japan
| | - Mourad Majidi
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Whitney Tamaki
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Yashar K Pourmoghadam
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Julia K Rotow
- Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Caroline E McCoach
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jonathan W Riess
- University of California Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, Sacramento, CA, USA
| | - J Silvio Gutkind
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Tracy T Tang
- Vivace Therapeutics, Inc., 1500 Fashion Island Blvd., Suite 102, San Mateo, CA, USA
| | - Leonard Post
- Vivace Therapeutics, Inc., 1500 Fashion Island Blvd., Suite 102, San Mateo, CA, USA
| | - Bo Huang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Chan Zuckerberg Biohub, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Pilar Santisteban
- Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas "Alberto Sols", Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científícas (CSIC) y Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Instituto de Salud Carlos III (ISCIII), Madrid, Spain
| | - Hani Goodarzi
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sourav Bandyopadhyay
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Calvin J Kuo
- Department of Medicine, Division of Hematology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Jeroen P Roose
- Department of Anatomy, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Wei Wu
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Collin M Blakely
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Jack A Roth
- Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Trever G Bivona
- Department of Medicine, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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3
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Freidel MR, Vakhariya PA, Sardarni SK, Armen RS. The Dual-Targeted Fusion Inhibitor Clofazimine Binds to the S2 Segment of the SARS-CoV-2 Spike Protein. Viruses 2024; 16:640. [PMID: 38675980 PMCID: PMC11054727 DOI: 10.3390/v16040640] [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: 03/01/2024] [Revised: 03/29/2024] [Accepted: 04/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Clofazimine and Arbidol have both been reported to be effective in vitro SARS-CoV-2 fusion inhibitors. Both are promising drugs that have been repurposed for the treatment of COVID-19 and have been used in several previous and ongoing clinical trials. Small-molecule bindings to expressed constructs of the trimeric S2 segment of Spike and the full-length SARS-CoV-2 Spike protein were measured using a Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) binding assay. We demonstrate that Clofazimine, Toremifene, Arbidol and its derivatives bind to the S2 segment of the Spike protein. Clofazimine provided the most reliable and highest-quality SPR data for binding with S2 over the conditions explored. A molecular docking approach was used to identify the most favorable binding sites on the S2 segment in the prefusion conformation, highlighting two possible small-molecule binding sites for fusion inhibitors. Results related to molecular docking and modeling of the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of a newly reported series of Clofazimine derivatives support the proposed Clofazimine binding site on the S2 segment. When the proposed Clofazimine binding site is superimposed with other experimentally determined coronavirus structures in structure-sequence alignments, the changes in sequence and structure may rationalize the broad-spectrum antiviral activity of Clofazimine in closely related coronaviruses such as SARS-CoV, MERS, hCoV-229E, and hCoV-OC43.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Roger S. Armen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Thomas Jefferson University, 901 Walnut St. Suite 918, Philadelphia, PA 19170, USA (P.A.V.); (S.K.S.)
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4
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Oskotsky TT, Bhoja A, Bunis D, Le BL, Tang AS, Kosti I, Li C, Houshdaran S, Sen S, Vallvé-Juanico J, Wang W, Arthurs E, Govil A, Mahoney L, Lang L, Gaudilliere B, Stevenson DK, Irwin JC, Giudice LC, McAllister SL, Sirota M. Identifying therapeutic candidates for endometriosis through a transcriptomics-based drug repositioning approach. iScience 2024; 27:109388. [PMID: 38510116 PMCID: PMC10952035 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109388] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Existing medical treatments for endometriosis-related pain are often ineffective, underscoring the need for new therapeutic strategies. In this study, we applied a computational drug repurposing pipeline to stratified and unstratified disease signatures based on endometrial gene expression data to identify potential therapeutics from existing drugs, based on expression reversal. Of 3,131 unique genes differentially expressed by at least one of six endometriosis signatures, only 308 (9.8%) were in common; however, 221 out of 299 drugs identified, (73.9%) were shared. We selected fenoprofen, an uncommonly prescribed NSAID that was the top therapeutic candidate for further investigation. When testing fenoprofen in an established rat model of endometriosis, fenoprofen successfully alleviated endometriosis-associated vaginal hyperalgesia, a surrogate marker for endometriosis-related pain. These findings validate fenoprofen as a therapeutic that could be utilized more frequently for endometriosis and suggest the utility of the aforementioned computational drug repurposing approach for endometriosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomiko T. Oskotsky
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Arohee Bhoja
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Daniel Bunis
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Brian L. Le
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Alice S. Tang
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Idit Kosti
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Christine Li
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sahar Houshdaran
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Sushmita Sen
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Júlia Vallvé-Juanico
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Wanxin Wang
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Erin Arthurs
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Arpita Govil
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lauren Mahoney
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lindsey Lang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Emory University, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Brice Gaudilliere
- Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | | | - Juan C. Irwin
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Linda C. Giudice
- Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | | | - Marina Sirota
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences Institute, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, UCSF, San Francisco, CA, USA
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5
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Takundwa MM, Thimiri Govinda Raj DB. Novel strategies for drug repurposing. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2024; 205:9-21. [PMID: 38789188 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2024.03.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Synthetic biology, precision medicine, and nanobiotechnology are the three main emerging areas that drive translational innovation toward commercialization. There are several strategies used in precision medicine and drug repurposing is one of the key approaches as it addresses the challenges in drug discovery (high cost and time). Here, we provide a perspective on various new approaches to drug repurposing for cancer precision medicine. We report here our optimized wound healing methodology that can be used to validate drug sensitivity and drug repurposing. Using HeLa as our benchmark, we demonstrated that the assay can be applied to identify drugs that limit cell proliferation. From a future perspective, this assay can be expanded to ex vivo culturing of solid tumors in 2D culture and leukemia in 3D culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mutsa Monica Takundwa
- Synthetic Nanobiotechnology and Biomachines, Synthetic Biology and Precision Medicine Centre, Future Production Chemicals Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa
| | - Deepak B Thimiri Govinda Raj
- Synthetic Nanobiotechnology and Biomachines, Synthetic Biology and Precision Medicine Centre, Future Production Chemicals Cluster, Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Pretoria, South Africa.
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6
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Alkafaas SS, Abdallah AM, Hassan MH, Hussien AM, Elkafas SS, Loutfy SA, Mikhail A, Murad OG, Elsalahaty MI, Hessien M, Elshazli RM, Alsaeed FA, Ahmed AE, Kamal HK, Hafez W, El-Saadony MT, El-Tarabily KA, Ghosh S. Molecular docking as a tool for the discovery of novel insight about the role of acid sphingomyelinase inhibitors in SARS- CoV-2 infectivity. BMC Public Health 2024; 24:395. [PMID: 38321448 PMCID: PMC10848368 DOI: 10.1186/s12889-024-17747-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] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Recently, COVID-19, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and its variants, caused > 6 million deaths. Symptoms included respiratory strain and complications, leading to severe pneumonia. SARS-CoV-2 attaches to the ACE-2 receptor of the host cell membrane to enter. Targeting the SARS-CoV-2 entry may effectively inhibit infection. Acid sphingomyelinase (ASMase) is a lysosomal protein that catalyzes the conversion of sphingolipid (sphingomyelin) to ceramide. Ceramide molecules aggregate/assemble on the plasma membrane to form "platforms" that facilitate the viral intake into the cell. Impairing the ASMase activity will eventually disrupt viral entry into the cell. In this review, we identified the metabolism of sphingolipids, sphingolipids' role in cell signal transduction cascades, and viral infection mechanisms. Also, we outlined ASMase structure and underlying mechanisms inhibiting viral entry 40 with the aid of inhibitors of acid sphingomyelinase (FIASMAs). In silico molecular docking analyses of FIASMAs with inhibitors revealed that dilazep (S = - 12.58 kcal/mol), emetine (S = - 11.65 kcal/mol), pimozide (S = - 11.29 kcal/mol), carvedilol (S = - 11.28 kcal/mol), mebeverine (S = - 11.14 kcal/mol), cepharanthine (S = - 11.06 kcal/mol), hydroxyzin (S = - 10.96 kcal/mol), astemizole (S = - 10.81 kcal/mol), sertindole (S = - 10.55 kcal/mol), and bepridil (S = - 10.47 kcal/mol) have higher inhibition activity than the candidate drug amiodarone (S = - 10.43 kcal/mol), making them better options for inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samar Sami Alkafaas
- Molecular Cell Biology Unit, Division of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt.
| | - Abanoub Mosaad Abdallah
- Narcotic Research Department, National Center for Social and Criminological Research (NCSCR), Giza, 11561, Egypt
| | - Mai H Hassan
- Molecular Cell Biology Unit, Division of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt
| | - Aya Misbah Hussien
- Biotechnology department at Institute of Graduate Studies and Research, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | - Sara Samy Elkafas
- Production Engineering and Mechanical Design Department, Faculty of Engineering, Menofia University, Menofia, Egypt
- Faculty of Control System and Robotics, ITMO University, Saint-Petersburg, 197101, Russia
| | - Samah A Loutfy
- Virology and Immunology Unit, Cancer Biology Department, National Cancer Institute, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt
- Nanotechnology Research Center, British University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Abanoub Mikhail
- Department of Physics, Faculty of Science, Minia University, Minia, Egypt
- Faculty of Physics, ITMO University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Omnia G Murad
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt
| | - Mohamed I Elsalahaty
- Division of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Hessien
- Molecular Cell Biology Unit, Division of Biochemistry, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt
| | - Rami M Elshazli
- Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics Unit, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Physical Therapy, Horus University - Egypt, New Damietta, 34517, Egypt
| | - Fatimah A Alsaeed
- Department of Biology, College of Science, King Khalid University, Muhayl, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed Ezzat Ahmed
- Biology Department, College of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, 61413, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hani K Kamal
- Anatomy and Histology, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, 21589, Saudi Arabia
| | - Wael Hafez
- NMC Royal Hospital, 16Th Street, 35233, Khalifa City, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Medical Research Division, Department of Internal Medicine, The National Research Centre, 12622, 33 El Buhouth St, Ad Doqi, Dokki, Cairo Governorate, Egypt
| | - Mohamed T El-Saadony
- Department of Agricultural Microbiology, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagazig University, Zagazig, 44511, Egypt
| | - Khaled A El-Tarabily
- Department of Biology, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, 15551, United Arab Emirates
| | - Soumya Ghosh
- Department of Genetics, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, 9301, South Africa
- Natural & Medical Science Research Center, University of Nizwa, Nizwa, Oman
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7
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Najafi N, Soleimanjahi H, Moghaddam-Banaem L, Raoufy MR, Shahali S, Kazemnejad A, Nasiri Z. Humoral immunogenicity assessment after receiving three types of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20213. [PMID: 37980441 PMCID: PMC10657424 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47611-w] [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: 04/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/16/2023] [Indexed: 11/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Several vaccines have been developed against SARS-CoV-2 and subsequently approved by national/international regulators. Detecting specific antibodies after vaccination enables us to evaluate the vaccine's effectiveness. We conducted a prospective longitudinal study among members of Tarbiat Modares University of Tehran, Iran, from 4 September 2021 until 29 December 2021. We aimed to compare the humoral immunogenicity of 3 vaccine types. Participants consisted of 462 adults. Anti-SARS-CoV-2 receptor-binding domain [RBD] IgG titer was compared in 3 groups, each vaccinated by available vaccines in Iran at the time: Oxford/AstraZeneca, COVIran Barekat, and Sinopharm. The median IgG titer was: 91.2, 105.6, 224.0 BAU/ml for Sinopharm, COVIran Barekat and Oxford/AstraZeneca respectively after the first dose; 195.2, 192.0, 337.6 BAU/ml after the second one. We also analyzed the frequency of antibody presence in each vaccine group, in the same order the results were 59.0%, 62.6% and 89.4% after the first dose and 92.1%,89.5% and 98.9% after the second. The comparison of results demonstrated that AstraZeneca vaccine is a superior candidate vaccine for COVID-19 vaccination out of the three. Our data also demonstrated statistically significant higher antibody titer among recipients with an infection history.
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Affiliation(s)
- Niloofar Najafi
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box 14115-331, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hoorieh Soleimanjahi
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box 14115-331, Tehran, Iran.
| | - Lida Moghaddam-Banaem
- Department of Reproductive Health and Midwifery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Mohammad Reza Raoufy
- Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Shadab Shahali
- Department of Reproductive Health and Midwifery, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Anoshirvan Kazemnejad
- Department of Biostatistics, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Zeynab Nasiri
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Tarbiat Modares University, P.O. Box 14115-331, Tehran, Iran
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8
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Baukmann HA, Cope JL, Bannard C, Schwinges AR, Lamparter MR, Groves S, Ravarani CN, Amulic B, Klinger JE, Schmidt MF. Exploring disease-causing traits for drug repurposing in critically ill COVID-19 patients: A causal inference approach. iScience 2023; 26:108185. [PMID: 37965141 PMCID: PMC10641251 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2023.108185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 11/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Despite recent development of vaccines to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection, treatment of critically ill COVID-19 patients remains an important goal. In principle, genome-wide association studies (GWASs) provide a shortcut to the clinical evidence needed to repurpose existing drugs; however, genes identified frequently lack a causal disease link. We report an alternative method for finding drug repurposing targets, focusing on disease-causing traits beyond immediate disease genetics. Sixty blood cell types and biochemistries, and body mass index, were screened on a cohort of critically ill COVID-19 cases and controls that exhibited mild symptoms after infection, yielding high neutrophil cell count as a possible causal trait for critical illness. Our methodology identified CDK6 and janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors as treatment targets that were validated in an ex vivo neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation assay. Our methodology demonstrates the increased power for drug target identification by leveraging large disease-causing trait datasets.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Colin Bannard
- University of Manchester, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
| | | | | | - Sarah Groves
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1DT, UK
| | | | - Borko Amulic
- School of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1DT, UK
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Xu J, Koval A, Katanaev VL. Clofazimine: A journey of a drug. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 167:115539. [PMID: 37742606 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.115539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2023] [Revised: 09/12/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Among different strategies to develop novel therapies, drug repositioning (aka repurposing) aims at identifying new uses of an already approved or investigational drug. This approach has the advantages of availability of the extensive pre-existing knowledge of the drug's safety, pharmacology and toxicology, manufacturing and formulation. It provides advantages to the risk-versus-rewards trade-off as compared to the costly and time-consuming de novo drug discovery process. Clofazimine, a red-colored synthetic derivative of riminophenazines initially isolated from lichens, was first synthesized in the 1950 s, and passed through several phases of repositioning in its history as a drug. Being initially developed as an anti-tuberculosis treatment, it was repurposed for the treatment of leprosy, prior to re-repositioning for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis and other infections. Since 1990 s, reports on the anticancer properties of clofazimine, both in vitro and in vivo, started to appear. Among the diverse mechanisms of action proposed, the activity of clofazimine as a specific inhibitor of the oncogenic Wnt signaling pathway has recently emerged as the promising targeting mechanism of the drug against breast, colon, liver, and other forms of cancer. Seventy years after the initial discovery, clofazimine's journey as a drug finding new applications continues, serving as a colorful illustration of drug repurposing in modern pharmacology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiabin Xu
- Translational Research Center in Oncohaematology, Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Alexey Koval
- Translational Research Center in Oncohaematology, Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Vladimir L Katanaev
- Translational Research Center in Oncohaematology, Department of Cell Physiology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland; School of Medicine and Life Sciences, Far Eastern Federal University, Vladivostok, Russia.
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10
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He C, Xu Y, Zhou Y, Fan J, Cheng C, Meng R, Gamazon ER, Zhou D. Integrating population-level and cell-based signatures for drug repositioning. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.25.564079. [PMID: 37961219 PMCID: PMC10634827 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.25.564079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2023]
Abstract
Drug repositioning presents a streamlined and cost-efficient way to expand the range of therapeutic possibilities. Furthermore, drugs with genetic evidence are more likely to progress successfully through clinical trials towards FDA approval. Exploiting these developments, single gene-based drug repositioning methods have been implemented, but approaches leveraging the entire spectrum of molecular signatures are critically underexplored. Most multi-gene-based approaches rely on differential gene expression (DGE) analysis, which is prone to identify the molecular consequence of disease and renders causal inference challenging. We propose a framework TReD (Transcriptome-informed Reversal Distance) that integrates population-level disease signatures robust to reverse causality and cell-based drug-induced transcriptome response profiles. TReD embeds the disease signature and drug profile in a high-dimensional normed space, quantifying the reversal potential of candidate drugs in a disease-related cell screen assay. The robustness is ensured by evaluation in additional cell screens. For an application, we implement the framework to identify potential drugs against COVID-19. Taking transcriptome-wide association study (TWAS) results from four relevant tissues and three DGE results as disease features, we identify 37 drugs showing potential reversal roles in at least four of the seven disease signatures. Notably, over 70% (27/37) of the drugs have been linked to COVID-19 from other studies, and among them, eight drugs are supported by ongoing/completed clinical trials. For example, TReD identifies the well-studied JAK1/JAK2 inhibitor baricitinib, the first FDA-approved immunomodulatory treatment for COVID-19. Novel potential candidates, including enzastaurin, a selective inhibitor of PKC-beta which can be activated by SARS-CoV-2, are also identified. In summary, we propose a comprehensive genetics-anchored framework integrating population-level signatures and cell-based screens that can accelerate the search for new therapeutic strategies.
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11
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Giudice LC, Oskotsky TT, Falako S, Opoku‐Anane J, Sirota M. Endometriosis in the era of precision medicine and impact on sexual and reproductive health across the lifespan and in diverse populations. FASEB J 2023; 37:e23130. [PMID: 37641572 PMCID: PMC10503213 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202300907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
Endometriosis is a common estrogen-dependent disorder wherein uterine lining tissue (endometrium) is found mainly in the pelvis where it causes inflammation, chronic pelvic pain, pain with intercourse and menses, and infertility. Recent evidence also supports a systemic inflammatory component that underlies associated co-morbidities, e.g., migraines and cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases. Genetics and environment contribute significantly to disease risk, and with the explosion of omics technologies, underlying mechanisms of symptoms are increasingly being elucidated, although novel and effective therapeutics for pain and infertility have lagged behind these advances. Moreover, there are stark disparities in diagnosis, access to care, and treatment among persons of color and transgender/nonbinary identity, socioeconomically disadvantaged populations, and adolescents, and a disturbing low awareness among health care providers, policymakers, and the lay public about endometriosis, which, if left undiagnosed and under-treated can lead to significant fibrosis, infertility, depression, and markedly diminished quality of life. This review summarizes endometriosis epidemiology, compelling evidence for its pathogenesis, mechanisms underlying its pathophysiology in the age of precision medicine, recent biomarker discovery, novel therapeutic approaches, and issues around reproductive justice for marginalized populations with this disorder spanning the past 100 years. As we enter the next revolution in health care and biomedical research, with rich molecular and clinical datasets, single-cell omics, and population-level data, endometriosis is well positioned to benefit from data-driven research leveraging computational and artificial intelligence approaches integrating data and predicting disease risk, diagnosis, response to medical and surgical therapies, and prognosis for recurrence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linda C. Giudice
- UCSF Stanford Endometriosis Center for Innovation, Training, and Community Outreach (ENACT)University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Center for Reproductive SciencesUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Tomiko T. Oskotsky
- UCSF Stanford Endometriosis Center for Innovation, Training, and Community Outreach (ENACT)University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences InstituteUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Simileoluwa Falako
- UCSF Stanford Endometriosis Center for Innovation, Training, and Community Outreach (ENACT)University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and SurgeonsNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Jessica Opoku‐Anane
- UCSF Stanford Endometriosis Center for Innovation, Training, and Community Outreach (ENACT)University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Division of Gynecologic Specialty SurgeryColumbia UniversityNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Marina Sirota
- UCSF Stanford Endometriosis Center for Innovation, Training, and Community Outreach (ENACT)University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Bakar Computational Health Sciences InstituteUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
- Department of PediatricsUniversity of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
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12
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Adikusuma W, Zakaria ZA, Irham LM, Nopitasari BL, Pradiningsih A, Firdayani F, Septama AW, Chong R. Transcriptomics-driven drug repositioning for the treatment of diabetic foot ulcer. Sci Rep 2023; 13:10032. [PMID: 37340026 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-37120-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 06/15/2023] [Indexed: 06/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a common complication of diabetes and can lead to severe disability and even amputation. Despite advances in treatment, there is currently no cure for DFUs and available drugs for treatment are limited. This study aimed to identify new candidate drugs and repurpose existing drugs to treat DFUs based on transcriptomics analysis. A total of 31 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified and used to prioritize the biological risk genes for DFUs. Further investigation using the database DGIdb revealed 12 druggable target genes among 50 biological DFU risk genes, corresponding to 31 drugs. Interestingly, we highlighted that two drugs (urokinase and lidocaine) are under clinical investigation for DFU and 29 drugs are potential candidates to be repurposed for DFU therapy. The top 5 potential biomarkers for DFU from our findings are IL6ST, CXCL9, IL1R1, CXCR2, and IL10. This study highlights IL1R1 as a highly promising biomarker for DFU due to its high systemic score in functional annotations, that can be targeted with an existing drug, Anakinra. Our study proposed that the integration of transcriptomic and bioinformatic-based approaches has the potential to drive drug repurposing for DFUs. Further research will further examine the mechanisms by which targeting IL1R1 can be used to treat DFU.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wirawan Adikusuma
- Borneo Research on Algesia, Inflammation, and Neurodegeneration (BRAIN) Group, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicines and Health Sciences, University Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
- Departement of Pharmacy, University of Muhammadiyah Mataram, Mataram, Indonesia.
- Research Center for Vaccine and Drugs, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), South Tangerang, Indonesia.
| | - Zainul Amiruddin Zakaria
- Borneo Research on Algesia, Inflammation, and Neurodegeneration (BRAIN) Group, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicines and Health Sciences, University Malaysia Sabah, Jalan UMS, 88400, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
| | - Lalu Muhammad Irham
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Ahmad Dahlan, Yogyakarta, Indonesia
- Research Center for Pharmaceutical Ingredients and Traditional Medicine, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), South Tangerang, Indonesia
| | | | - Anna Pradiningsih
- Departement of Pharmacy, University of Muhammadiyah Mataram, Mataram, Indonesia
| | - Firdayani Firdayani
- Research Center for Vaccine and Drugs, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), South Tangerang, Indonesia
| | - Abdi Wira Septama
- Research Center for Pharmaceutical Ingredients and Traditional Medicine, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), South Tangerang, Indonesia
| | - Rockie Chong
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles, USA
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13
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Piplani S, Singh P, Petrovsky N, Winkler DA. Identifying SARS-CoV-2 Drugs Binding to the Spike Fatty Acid Binding Pocket Using In Silico Docking and Molecular Dynamics. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24044192. [PMID: 36835602 PMCID: PMC9966092 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24044192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/15/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023] Open
Abstract
Drugs against novel targets are needed to treat COVID-19 patients, especially as SARS-CoV-2 is capable of rapid mutation. Structure-based de novo drug design and repurposing of drugs and natural products is a rational approach to discovering potentially effective therapies. These in silico simulations can quickly identify existing drugs with known safety profiles that can be repurposed for COVID-19 treatment. Here, we employ the newly identified spike protein free fatty acid binding pocket structure to identify repurposing candidates as potential SARS-CoV-2 therapies. Using a validated docking and molecular dynamics protocol effective at identifying repurposing candidates inhibiting other SARS-CoV-2 molecular targets, this study provides novel insights into the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and its potential regulation by endogenous hormones and drugs. Some of the predicted repurposing candidates have already been demonstrated experimentally to inhibit SARS-CoV-2 activity, but most of the candidate drugs have yet to be tested for activity against the virus. We also elucidated a rationale for the effects of steroid and sex hormones and some vitamins on SARS-CoV-2 infection and COVID-19 recovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sakshi Piplani
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park 5046, Australia
- Vaxine Pty Ltd., 11 Walkley Avenue, Warradale 5046, Australia
| | - Puneet Singh
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park 5046, Australia
- Vaxine Pty Ltd., 11 Walkley Avenue, Warradale 5046, Australia
| | - Nikolai Petrovsky
- College of Medicine and Public Health, Flinders University, Bedford Park 5046, Australia
- Vaxine Pty Ltd., 11 Walkley Avenue, Warradale 5046, Australia
- Correspondence:
| | - David A. Winkler
- Department of Biochemistry and Chemistry, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne 3086, Australia
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Parkville 3052, Australia
- School of Pharmacy, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK
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14
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Uddin MJ, Akhter H, Chowdhury U, Mawah J, Karim ST, Jomel M, Islam MS, Islam MR, Onin LAB, Ali MA, Efaz FM, Halim MA. Large scale peptide screening against main protease of SARS CoV-2. J Comput Chem 2022; 44:887-901. [PMID: 36478400 PMCID: PMC9877796 DOI: 10.1002/jcc.27050] [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: 08/08/2022] [Revised: 11/03/2022] [Accepted: 11/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The COVID-19 pandemic has been a public health emergency, with deadly forms constantly emerging around the world, highlighting the dire need for highly effective antiviral therapeutics. Peptide therapeutics show significant potential for this viral disease due to their efficiency, safety, and specificity. Here, two thousand seven hundred eight antibacterial peptides were screened computationally targeting the Main protease (Mpro) of SARS CoV-2. Six top-ranked peptides according to their binding scores, binding pose were investigated by molecular dynamics to explore the interaction and binding behavior of peptide-Mpro complexes. The structural and energetic characteristics of Mpro-DRAMP01760 and Mpro-DRAMP01808 complexes fluctuated less during a 250 ns MD simulation. In addition, three peptides (DRAMP01760, DRAMP01808, and DRAMP01342) bind strongly to Mpro protein, according to the free energy landscape and principal component analysis. Peptide helicity and secondary structure analysis are in agreement with our findings. Interaction analysis of protein-peptide complexes demonstrated that Mpro's residue CYS145, HIS41, PRO168, GLU166, GLN189, ASN142, MET49, and THR26 play significant contributions in peptide-protein attachment. Binding free energy analysis (MM-PBSA) demonstrated the energy profile of interacting residues of Mpro in peptide-Mpro complexes. To summarize, the peptides DRAMP01808 and DRAMP01760 may be highly Mpro specific, resulting disruption in a viral replication and transcription. The results of this research are expected to assist future research toward the development of antiviral peptide-based therapeutics for Covid-19 treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Md. Jaish Uddin
- Division of Infectious Disease and Division of Computer‐Aided Drug DesignThe Red‐Green Research CentreDhakaBangladesh
| | - Hasina Akhter
- Division of Infectious Disease and Division of Computer‐Aided Drug DesignThe Red‐Green Research CentreDhakaBangladesh
| | - Urmi Chowdhury
- Division of Infectious Disease and Division of Computer‐Aided Drug DesignThe Red‐Green Research CentreDhakaBangladesh
| | - Jannatul Mawah
- Division of Infectious Disease and Division of Computer‐Aided Drug DesignThe Red‐Green Research CentreDhakaBangladesh
| | - Sanzida Tul Karim
- Division of Infectious Disease and Division of Computer‐Aided Drug DesignThe Red‐Green Research CentreDhakaBangladesh
| | - Mohammad Jomel
- Division of Infectious Disease and Division of Computer‐Aided Drug DesignThe Red‐Green Research CentreDhakaBangladesh
| | - Md. Sirajul Islam
- Division of Infectious Disease and Division of Computer‐Aided Drug DesignThe Red‐Green Research CentreDhakaBangladesh
| | - Mohammad Raqibul Islam
- Division of Infectious Disease and Division of Computer‐Aided Drug DesignThe Red‐Green Research CentreDhakaBangladesh
| | - Latifa Afrin Bhuiyan Onin
- Division of Infectious Disease and Division of Computer‐Aided Drug DesignThe Red‐Green Research CentreDhakaBangladesh
| | - Md. Ackas Ali
- Division of Infectious Disease and Division of Computer‐Aided Drug DesignThe Red‐Green Research CentreDhakaBangladesh,Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryKennesaw State UniversityKennesawGeorgiaUSA
| | - Faiyaz Md. Efaz
- Division of Infectious Disease and Division of Computer‐Aided Drug DesignThe Red‐Green Research CentreDhakaBangladesh
| | - Mohammad A. Halim
- Department of Chemistry and BiochemistryKennesaw State UniversityKennesawGeorgiaUSA
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15
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Ahmed F, Gi Ho S, Samantasinghar A, Memon FH, Rahim CSA, Soomro AM, Pratibha, Sunildutt N, Kim KH, Choi KH. Drug repurposing in psoriasis, performed by reversal of disease-associated gene expression profiles. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:6097-6107. [DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.10.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2022] [Revised: 10/09/2022] [Accepted: 10/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
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16
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Xing J, Shankar R, Ko M, Zhang K, Zhang S, Drelich A, Paithankar S, Chekalin E, Chua MS, Rajasekaran S, Kent Tseng CT, Zheng M, Kim S, Chen B. Deciphering COVID-19 host transcriptomic complexity and variations for therapeutic discovery against new variants. iScience 2022; 25:105068. [PMID: 36093376 PMCID: PMC9439871 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105068] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 08/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular manifestations of host cells responding to SARS-CoV-2 and its evolving variants of infection are vastly different across the studied models and conditions, imposing challenges for host-based antiviral drug discovery. Based on the postulation that antiviral drugs tend to reverse the global host gene expression induced by viral infection, we retrospectively evaluated hundreds of signatures derived from 1,700 published host transcriptomic profiles of SARS/MERS/SARS-CoV-2 infection using an iterative data-driven approach. A few of these signatures could be reversed by known anti-SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors, suggesting the potential of extrapolating the biology for new variant research. We discovered IMD-0354 as a promising candidate to reverse the signatures globally with nanomolar IC50 against SARS-CoV-2 and its five variants. IMD-0354 stimulated type I interferon antiviral response, inhibited viral entry, and down-regulated hijacked proteins. This study demonstrates that the conserved coronavirus signatures and the transcriptomic reversal approach that leverages polypharmacological effects could guide new variant therapeutic discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Xing
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Rama Shankar
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Meehyun Ko
- Zoonotic Virus Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13488, Korea
| | - Keke Zhang
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Sulin Zhang
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Aleksandra Drelich
- Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Shreya Paithankar
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Eugene Chekalin
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Mei-Sze Chua
- Department of Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, CA, USA
| | - Surender Rajasekaran
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
- Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
| | - Chien-Te Kent Tseng
- Departments of Microbiology and Immunology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
- Center of Biodefense and Emerging Infectious Diseases, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX 77555, USA
| | - Mingyue Zheng
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Seungtaek Kim
- Zoonotic Virus Laboratory, Institut Pasteur Korea, Seongnam-si, Gyeonggi-do, 13488, Korea
| | - Bin Chen
- Department of Pediatrics and Human Development, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, Grand Rapids, MI 49503, USA
- Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA
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17
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Zhao SS, Tao DL, Chen JM, Wu JP, Yang X, Song JK, Zhu XQ, Zhao GH. RNA sequencing reveals dynamic expression of lncRNAs and mRNAs in caprine endometrial epithelial cells induced by Neospora caninum infection. Parasit Vectors 2022; 15:297. [PMID: 35999576 PMCID: PMC9398501 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-022-05405-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The effective transmission mode of Neospora caninum, with infection leading to reproductive failure in ruminants, is vertical transmission. The uterus is an important reproductive organ that forms the maternal–fetal interface. Neospora caninum can successfully invade and proliferate in the uterus, but the molecular mechanisms underlying epithelial-pathogen interactions remain unclear. Accumulating evidence suggests that host long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in cellular molecular regulatory networks, with reports that these RNA molecules are closely related to the pathogenesis of apicomplexan parasites. However, the expression profiles of host lncRNAs during N. caninum infection has not been reported. Methods RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis was used to investigate the expression profiles of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and lncRNAs in caprine endometrial epithelial cells (EECs) infected with N. caninum for 24 h (TZ_24h) and 48 h (TZ_48 h), and the potential functions of differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs were predicted by using Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis of their mRNA targets. Results RNA-seq analysis identified 1280.15 M clean reads in 12 RNA samples, including six samples infected with N. caninum for 24 h (TZ1_24h-TZ3_24h) and 48 h (TZ1_48h-TZ3_48h), and six corresponding control samples (C1_24h-C3_24h and C1_48h-C3_48h). Within the categories TZ_24h-vs-C_24h, TZ_48h-vs-C_48h and TZ_48h-vs-TZ_24h, there were 934 (665 upregulated and 269 downregulated), 1238 (785 upregulated and 453 downregulated) and 489 (252 upregulated and 237 downregulated) DEmRNAs, respectively. GO enrichment and KEGG analysis revealed that these DEmRNAs were mainly involved in the regulation of host immune response (e.g. TNF signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, transforming growth factor beta signaling pathway, AMPK signaling pathway, Toll-like receptor signaling pathway, NOD-like receptor signaling pathway), signaling molecules and interaction (e.g. cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, cell adhesion molecules and ECM-receptor interaction). A total of 88 (59 upregulated and 29 downregulated), 129 (80 upregulated and 49 downregulated) and 32 (20 upregulated and 12 downregulated) DElncRNAs were found within the categories TZ_24h-vs-C_24h, TZ_48h-vs-C_48h and TZ_48h-vs-TZ_24h, respectively. Functional prediction indicated that these DElncRNAs would be involved in signal transduction (e.g. MAPK signaling pathway, PPAR signaling pathway, ErbB signaling pathway, calcium signaling pathway), neural transmission (e.g. GABAergic synapse, serotonergic synapse, cholinergic synapse), metabolism processes (e.g. glycosphingolipid biosynthesis-lacto and neolacto series, glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis-heparan sulfate/heparin) and signaling molecules and interaction (e.g. cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, cell adhesion molecules and ECM-receptor interaction). Conclusions This is the first investigation of global gene expression profiles of lncRNAs during N. caninum infection. The results provide valuable information for further studies of the roles of lncRNAs during N. caninum infection. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13071-022-05405-5.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shan-Shan Zhao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - De-Liang Tao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jin-Ming Chen
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jiang-Ping Wu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xin Yang
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Jun-Ke Song
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China
| | - Xing-Quan Zhu
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Shanxi Agricultural University, Taigu, 030801, Shanxi, China. .,Key Laboratory of Veterinary Public Health of Higher Education of Yunnan Province, College of Veterinary Medicine, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming, 650201, Yunnan, China.
| | - Guang-Hui Zhao
- College of Veterinary Medicine, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, 712100, Shaanxi, China.
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18
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Characterization of binding interactions of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and DNA-peptide nanostructures. Sci Rep 2022; 12:12828. [PMID: 35896714 PMCID: PMC9328006 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-16914-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Binding interactions of the spike proteins of the severe acute respiratory syndrome corona virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) to a peptide fragment derived from the human angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (hACE2) receptor are investigated. The peptide is employed as capture moiety in enzyme linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) and quantitative binding interaction measurements that are based on fluorescence proximity sensing (switchSENSE). In both techniques, the peptide is presented on an oligovalent DNA nanostructure, in order to assess the impact of mono- versus trivalent binding modes. As the analyte, the spike protein and several of its subunits are tested as well as inactivated SARS-CoV-2 and pseudo viruses. While binding of the peptide to the full-length spike protein can be observed, the subunits RBD and S1 do not exhibit binding in the employed concentrations. Variations of the amino acid sequence of the recombinant full-length spike proteins furthermore influence binding behavior. The peptide was coupled to DNA nanostructures that form a geometric complement to the trimeric structure of the spike protein binding sites. An increase in binding strength for trimeric peptide presentation compared to single peptide presentation could be generally observed in ELISA and was quantified in switchSENSE measurements. Binding to inactivated wild type viruses could be shown as well as qualitatively different binding behavior of the Alpha and Beta variants compared to the wild type virus strain in pseudo virus models.
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19
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A comprehensive review of Artificial Intelligence and Network based approaches to drug repurposing in Covid-19. Biomed Pharmacother 2022; 153:113350. [PMID: 35777222 PMCID: PMC9236981 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2022.113350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Conventional drug discovery and development is tedious and time-taking process; because of which it has failed to keep the required pace to mitigate threats and cater demands of viral and re-occurring diseases, such as Covid-19. The main reasons of this delay in traditional drug development are: high attrition rates, extensive time requirements, and huge financial investment with significant risk. The effective solution to de novo drug discovery is drug repurposing. Previous studies have shown that the network-based approaches and analysis are versatile platform for repurposing as the network biology is used to model the interactions between variety of biological concepts. Herein, we provide a comprehensive background of machine learning and deep learning in drug repurposing while specifically focusing on the applications of network-based approach to drug repurposing in Covid-19, data sources, and tools used. Furthermore, use of network proximity, network diffusion, and AI on network-based drug repurposing for Covid-19 is well-explained. Finally, limitations of network-based approaches in general and specific to network are stated along with future recommendations for better network-based models.
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20
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Potential of Microneedle Systems for COVID-19 Vaccination: Current Trends and Challenges. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:pharmaceutics14051066. [PMID: 35631652 PMCID: PMC9144974 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14051066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2022] [Revised: 04/27/2022] [Accepted: 05/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
To prevent the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and aid restoration to prepandemic normality, global mass vaccination is urgently needed. Inducing herd immunity through mass vaccination has proven to be a highly effective strategy for preventing the spread of many infectious diseases, which protects the most vulnerable population groups that are unable to develop immunity, such as people with immunodeficiencies or weakened immune systems due to underlying medical or debilitating conditions. In achieving global outreach, the maintenance of the vaccine potency, transportation, and needle waste generation become major issues. Moreover, needle phobia and vaccine hesitancy act as hurdles to successful mass vaccination. The use of dissolvable microneedles for COVID-19 vaccination could act as a major paradigm shift in attaining the desired goal to vaccinate billions in the shortest time possible. In addressing these points, we discuss the potential of the use of dissolvable microneedles for COVID-19 vaccination based on the current literature.
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21
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Alsulaimany FA, Zabermawi NMO, Almukadi H, Parambath SV, Shetty PJ, Vaidyanathan V, Elango R, Babanaganapalli B, Shaik NA. Transcriptome-Based Molecular Networks Uncovered Interplay Between Druggable Genes of CD8 + T Cells and Changes in Immune Cell Landscape in Patients With Pulmonary Tuberculosis. Front Med (Lausanne) 2022; 8:812857. [PMID: 35198572 PMCID: PMC8859411 DOI: 10.3389/fmed.2021.812857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Tuberculosis (TB) is a major infectious disease, where incomplete information about host genetics and immune responses is hindering the development of transformative therapies. This study characterized the immune cell landscape and blood transcriptomic profile of patients with pulmonary TB (PTB) to identify the potential therapeutic biomarkers. METHODS The blood transcriptome profile of patients with PTB and controls were used for fractionating immune cell populations with the CIBERSORT algorithm and then to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with R/Bioconductor packages. Later, systems biology investigations (such as semantic similarity, gene correlation, and graph theory parameters) were implemented to prioritize druggable genes contributing to the immune cell alterations in patients with TB. Finally, real time-PCR (RT-PCR) was used to confirm gene expression levels. RESULTS Patients with PTB had higher levels of four immune subpopulations like CD8+ T cells (P = 1.9 × 10-8), natural killer (NK) cells resting (P = 6.3 × 10-5), monocytes (P = 6.4 × 10-6), and neutrophils (P = 1.6 × 10-7). The functional enrichment of 624 DEGs identified in the blood transcriptome of patients with PTB revealed major dysregulation of T cell-related ontologies and pathways (q ≤ 0.05). Of the 96 DEGs shared between transcriptome and immune cell types, 39 overlapped with TB meta-profiling genetic signatures, and their semantic similarity analysis with the remaining 57 genes, yielded 45 new candidate TB markers. This study identified 9 CD8+ T cell-associated genes (ITK, CD2, CD6, CD247, ZAP70, CD3D, SH2D1A, CD3E, and IL7R) as potential therapeutic targets of PTB by combining computational druggability and co-expression (r2 ≥ |0.7|) approaches. CONCLUSION The changes in immune cell proportion and the downregulation of T cell-related genes may provide new insights in developing therapeutic compounds against chronic TB.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Nidal M Omer Zabermawi
- Department of Biology, Faculty of Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Haifa Almukadi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Snijesh V Parambath
- Division of Molecular Medicine, St. John's Research Institute, Bangalore, India
| | - Preetha Jayasheela Shetty
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Medicine, Gulf Medical University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Venkatesh Vaidyanathan
- Auckland Cancer Society Research Centre (ACSRC), Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences (FM&HS), The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Ramu Elango
- Princess Al-Jawhara Al-Brahim Center of Excellence in Research of Hereditary Disorders, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Genetic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Babajan Babanaganapalli
- Princess Al-Jawhara Al-Brahim Center of Excellence in Research of Hereditary Disorders, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Genetic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Noor Ahmad Shaik
- Princess Al-Jawhara Al-Brahim Center of Excellence in Research of Hereditary Disorders, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.,Department of Genetic Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
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22
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Lu L, Qin J, Chen J, Wu H, Zhao Q, Miyano S, Zhang Y, Yu H, Li C. DDIT: An Online Predictor for Multiple Clinical Phenotypic Drug-Disease Associations. Front Pharmacol 2022; 12:772026. [PMID: 35126114 PMCID: PMC8809407 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.772026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Drug repurposing provides an effective method for high-speed, low-risk drug development. Clinical phenotype-based screening exceeded target-based approaches in discovering first-in-class small-molecule drugs. However, most of these approaches predict only binary phenotypic associations between drugs and diseases; the types of drug and diseases have not been well exploited. Principally, the clinical phenotypes of a known drug can be divided into indications (Is), side effects (SEs), and contraindications (CIs). Incorporating these different clinical phenotypes of drug–disease associations (DDAs) can improve the prediction accuracy of the DDAs. Methods: We develop Drug Disease Interaction Type (DDIT), a user-friendly online predictor that supports drug repositioning by submitting known Is, SEs, and CIs for a target drug of interest. The dataset for Is, SEs, and CIs was extracted from PREDICT, SIDER, and MED-RT, respectively. To unify the names of the drugs and diseases, we mapped their names to the Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) ontology using Rest API. We then integrated multiple clinical phenotypes into a conditional restricted Boltzmann machine (RBM) enabling the identification of different phenotypes of drug–disease associations, including the prediction of as yet unknown DDAs in the input. Results: By 10-fold cross-validation, we demonstrate that DDIT can effectively capture the latent features of the drug–disease association network and represents over 0.217 and over 0.072 improvement in AUC and AUPR, respectively, for predicting the clinical phenotypes of DDAs compared with the classic K-nearest neighbors method (KNN, including drug-based KNN and disease-based KNN), Random Forest, and XGBoost. By conducting leave-one-drug-class-out cross-validation, the AUC and AUPR of DDIT demonstrated an improvement of 0.135 in AUC and 0.075 in AUPR compared to any of the other four methods. Within the top 10 predicted indications, side effects, and contraindications, 7/10, 9/10, and 9/10 hit known drug–disease associations. Overall, DDIT is a useful tool for predicting multiple clinical phenotypic types of drug–disease associations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Lu
- Department of Human Genetics, Department of Ultrasound and Women’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiale Qin
- Department of Human Genetics, Department of Ultrasound and Women’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Therapy for Major Gynecological Diseases, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiandong Chen
- School of Public Health, Undergraduate School of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hao Wu
- Department of Human Genetics, Department of Ultrasound and Women’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiang Zhao
- Department of Human Genetics, Department of Ultrasound and Women’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Satoru Miyano
- M&D Data Science Center, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yaozhong Zhang
- The Institute of Medical Science, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- *Correspondence: Yaozhong Zhang, ; Hua Yu, ; Chen Li,
| | - Hua Yu
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Yaozhong Zhang, ; Hua Yu, ; Chen Li,
| | - Chen Li
- Department of Human Genetics, Department of Ultrasound and Women’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Diagnosis and Therapy for Major Gynecological Diseases, Hangzhou, China
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Yaozhong Zhang, ; Hua Yu, ; Chen Li,
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23
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Serra A, Fratello M, Federico A, Ojha R, Provenzani R, Tasnadi E, Cattelani L, Del Giudice G, Kinaret PAS, Saarimäki LA, Pavel A, Kuivanen S, Cerullo V, Vapalahti O, Horvath P, Lieto AD, Yli-Kauhaluoma J, Balistreri G, Greco D. Computationally prioritized drugs inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection and syncytia formation. Brief Bioinform 2021; 23:6484515. [PMID: 34962256 PMCID: PMC8769897 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbab507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Revised: 11/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The pharmacological arsenal against the COVID-19 pandemic is largely based on generic anti-inflammatory strategies or poorly scalable solutions. Moreover, as the ongoing vaccination campaign is rolling slower than wished, affordable and effective therapeutics are needed. To this end, there is increasing attention toward computational methods for drug repositioning and de novo drug design. Here, multiple data-driven computational approaches are systematically integrated to perform a virtual screening and prioritize candidate drugs for the treatment of COVID-19. From the list of prioritized drugs, a subset of representative candidates to test in human cells is selected. Two compounds, 7-hydroxystaurosporine and bafetinib, show synergistic antiviral effects in vitro and strongly inhibit viral-induced syncytia formation. Moreover, since existing drug repositioning methods provide limited usable information for de novo drug design, the relevant chemical substructures of the identified drugs are extracted to provide a chemical vocabulary that may help to design new effective drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Serra
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,BioMediTech Institute, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,Finnish Hub for Development and Validation of Integrated Approaches (FHAIVE), Tampere, Finland
| | - Michele Fratello
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,BioMediTech Institute, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,Finnish Hub for Development and Validation of Integrated Approaches (FHAIVE), Tampere, Finland
| | - Antonio Federico
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,BioMediTech Institute, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,Finnish Hub for Development and Validation of Integrated Approaches (FHAIVE), Tampere, Finland
| | - Ravi Ojha
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Riccardo Provenzani
- Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Ervin Tasnadi
- Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Centre, Eotvos Lorand Research Network, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Luca Cattelani
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,BioMediTech Institute, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,Finnish Hub for Development and Validation of Integrated Approaches (FHAIVE), Tampere, Finland
| | - Giusy Del Giudice
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,BioMediTech Institute, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,Finnish Hub for Development and Validation of Integrated Approaches (FHAIVE), Tampere, Finland
| | - Pia A S Kinaret
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,BioMediTech Institute, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,Finnish Hub for Development and Validation of Integrated Approaches (FHAIVE), Tampere, Finland.,Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Laura A Saarimäki
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,BioMediTech Institute, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,Finnish Hub for Development and Validation of Integrated Approaches (FHAIVE), Tampere, Finland
| | - Alisa Pavel
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,BioMediTech Institute, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,Finnish Hub for Development and Validation of Integrated Approaches (FHAIVE), Tampere, Finland
| | - Suvi Kuivanen
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Vincenzo Cerullo
- Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Olli Vapalahti
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Department of Veterinary Biosciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Department of Virology, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Peter Horvath
- Institute for Molecular Medicine Finland, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Synthetic and Systems Biology Unit, Biological Research Centre, Eotvos Lorand Research Network, Szeged, Hungary
| | - Antonio Di Lieto
- Department of Forensic Psychiatry, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Jari Yli-Kauhaluoma
- Drug Research Program, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
| | - Giuseppe Balistreri
- Department of Virology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.,Queensland Brain Institute, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
| | - Dario Greco
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Technology, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,BioMediTech Institute, Tampere University, Tampere, Finland.,Finnish Hub for Development and Validation of Integrated Approaches (FHAIVE), Tampere, Finland.,Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland
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24
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Imami AS, McCullumsmith RE, O’Donovan SM. Strategies to identify candidate repurposable drugs: COVID-19 treatment as a case example. Transl Psychiatry 2021; 11:591. [PMID: 34785660 PMCID: PMC8594646 DOI: 10.1038/s41398-021-01724-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 10/26/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Drug repurposing is an invaluable strategy to identify new uses for existing drug therapies that overcome many of the time and financial costs associated with novel drug development. The COVID-19 pandemic has driven an unprecedented surge in the development and use of bioinformatic tools to identify candidate repurposable drugs. Using COVID-19 as a case study, we discuss examples of machine-learning and signature-based approaches that have been adapted to rapidly identify candidate drugs. The Library of Integrated Network-based Signatures (LINCS) and Connectivity Map (CMap) are commonly used repositories and have the advantage of being amenable to use by scientists with limited bioinformatic training. Next, we discuss how these recent advances in bioinformatic drug repurposing approaches might be adapted to identify repurposable drugs for CNS disorders. As the development of novel therapies that successfully target the cause of neuropsychiatric and neurological disorders has stalled, there is a pressing need for innovative strategies to treat these complex brain disorders. Bioinformatic approaches to identify repurposable drugs provide an exciting avenue of research that offer promise for improved treatments for CNS disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali S. Imami
- grid.267337.40000 0001 2184 944XDepartment of Neurosciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH USA
| | - Robert E. McCullumsmith
- grid.267337.40000 0001 2184 944XDepartment of Neurosciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH USA ,grid.422550.40000 0001 2353 4951Neurosciences Institute, Promedica, Toledo, OH USA
| | - Sinead M. O’Donovan
- grid.267337.40000 0001 2184 944XDepartment of Neurosciences, University of Toledo, Toledo, OH USA
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25
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Lam MTY, Duttke SH, Odish MF, Le HD, Hansen EA, Nguyen CT, Trescott S, Kim R, Deota S, Chang MW, Patel A, Hepokoski M, Alotaibi M, Rolfsen M, Perofsky K, Warden AS, Foley J, Ramirez SI, Dan JM, Abbott RK, Crotty S, Crotty Alexander LE, Malhotra A, Panda S, Benner CW, Coufal NG. Profiling Transcription Initiation in Peripheral Leukocytes Reveals Severity-Associated Cis-Regulatory Elements in Critical COVID-19. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2021:2021.08.24.457187. [PMID: 34462742 PMCID: PMC8404884 DOI: 10.1101/2021.08.24.457187] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The contribution of transcription factors (TFs) and gene regulatory programs in the immune response to COVID-19 and their relationship to disease outcome is not fully understood. Analysis of genome-wide changes in transcription at both promoter-proximal and distal cis-regulatory DNA elements, collectively termed the 'active cistrome,' offers an unbiased assessment of TF activity identifying key pathways regulated in homeostasis or disease. Here, we profiled the active cistrome from peripheral leukocytes of critically ill COVID-19 patients to identify major regulatory programs and their dynamics during SARS-CoV-2 associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We identified TF motifs that track the severity of COVID- 19 lung injury, disease resolution, and outcome. We used unbiased clustering to reveal distinct cistrome subsets delineating the regulation of pathways, cell types, and the combinatorial activity of TFs. We found critical roles for regulatory networks driven by stimulus and lineage determining TFs, showing that STAT and E2F/MYB regulatory programs targeting myeloid cells are activated in patients with poor disease outcomes and associated with single nucleotide genetic variants implicated in COVID-19 susceptibility. Integration with single-cell RNA-seq found that STAT and E2F/MYB activation converged in specific neutrophils subset found in patients with severe disease. Collectively we demonstrate that cistrome analysis facilitates insight into disease mechanisms and provides an unbiased approach to evaluate global changes in transcription factor activity and stratify patient disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Tun Yin Lam
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA USA
- Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Salk Institute of Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sascha H. Duttke
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Mazen F. Odish
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Hiep D. Le
- Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Salk Institute of Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Emily A. Hansen
- Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Samantha Trescott
- Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Roy Kim
- Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Shaunak Deota
- Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Salk Institute of Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Max W. Chang
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Arjun Patel
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Mark Hepokoski
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Mona Alotaibi
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Mark Rolfsen
- Internal Medicine Residency Program, Department of Medicine, UC San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Katherine Perofsky
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
- Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego, CA
| | - Anna S. Warden
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Sydney I Ramirez
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego
- Center for Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Research, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), La Jolla, CA
| | - Jennifer M. Dan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego
- Center for Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Research, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), La Jolla, CA
| | - Robert K Abbott
- Center for Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Research, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), La Jolla, CA
- Consortium for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHVAD), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Shane Crotty
- Center for Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Research, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), La Jolla, CA
| | - Laura E Crotty Alexander
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Atul Malhotra
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Satchidananda Panda
- Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Salk Institute of Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Christopher W. Benner
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Nicole G. Coufal
- Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
- Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego, CA
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26
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Lam MTY, Duttke SH, Odish MF, Le HD, Hansen EA, Nguyen CT, Trescott S, Kim R, Deota S, Chang MW, Patel A, Hepokoski M, Alotaibi M, Rolfsen M, Perofsky K, Warden AS, Foley J, Ramirez SI, Dan JM, Abbott RK, Crotty S, Crotty Alexander LE, Malhotra A, Panda S, Benner CW, Coufal NG. Profiling Transcription Initiation in Peripheral Leukocytes Reveals Severity-Associated Cis-Regulatory Elements in Critical COVID-19. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2021:2021.08.24.457187. [PMID: 34462742 DOI: 10.1101/2021.10.28.466336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The contribution of transcription factors (TFs) and gene regulatory programs in the immune response to COVID-19 and their relationship to disease outcome is not fully understood. Analysis of genome-wide changes in transcription at both promoter-proximal and distal cis-regulatory DNA elements, collectively termed the 'active cistrome,' offers an unbiased assessment of TF activity identifying key pathways regulated in homeostasis or disease. Here, we profiled the active cistrome from peripheral leukocytes of critically ill COVID-19 patients to identify major regulatory programs and their dynamics during SARS-CoV-2 associated acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). We identified TF motifs that track the severity of COVID- 19 lung injury, disease resolution, and outcome. We used unbiased clustering to reveal distinct cistrome subsets delineating the regulation of pathways, cell types, and the combinatorial activity of TFs. We found critical roles for regulatory networks driven by stimulus and lineage determining TFs, showing that STAT and E2F/MYB regulatory programs targeting myeloid cells are activated in patients with poor disease outcomes and associated with single nucleotide genetic variants implicated in COVID-19 susceptibility. Integration with single-cell RNA-seq found that STAT and E2F/MYB activation converged in specific neutrophils subset found in patients with severe disease. Collectively we demonstrate that cistrome analysis facilitates insight into disease mechanisms and provides an unbiased approach to evaluate global changes in transcription factor activity and stratify patient disease severity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Tun Yin Lam
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA USA
- Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Salk Institute of Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sascha H Duttke
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Mazen F Odish
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Hiep D Le
- Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Salk Institute of Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Emily A Hansen
- Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Celina T Nguyen
- Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Samantha Trescott
- Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Roy Kim
- Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Shaunak Deota
- Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Salk Institute of Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Max W Chang
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Arjun Patel
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Mark Hepokoski
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Mona Alotaibi
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Mark Rolfsen
- Internal Medicine Residency Program, Department of Medicine, UC San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Katherine Perofsky
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
- Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA
| | - Anna S Warden
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | | | - Sydney I Ramirez
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego
- Center for Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Research, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), La Jolla, CA
| | - Jennifer M Dan
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego
- Center for Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Research, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), La Jolla, CA
| | - Robert K Abbott
- Center for Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Research, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), La Jolla, CA
- Consortium for HIV/AIDS Vaccine Development (CHVAD), The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Shane Crotty
- Center for Infectious Diseases and Vaccine Research, La Jolla Institute for Immunology (LJI), La Jolla, CA
| | - Laura E Crotty Alexander
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Atul Malhotra
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA USA
| | - Satchidananda Panda
- Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Salk Institute of Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Christopher W Benner
- Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
| | - Nicole G Coufal
- Sanford Consortium for Regenerative Medicine, La Jolla, CA, USA
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, CA, USA
- Rady Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA
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27
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Loas G, Le Corre P. Update on Functional Inhibitors of Acid Sphingomyelinase (FIASMAs) in SARS-CoV-2 Infection. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:691. [PMID: 34358117 PMCID: PMC8308787 DOI: 10.3390/ph14070691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Revised: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
The SARS-CoV-2 outbreak is characterized by the need of the search for curative drugs for treatment. In this paper, we present an update of knowledge about the interest of the functional inhibitors of acid sphingomyelinase (FIASMAs) in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Forty-nine FIASMAs have been suggested in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection using in silico, in vitro or in vivo studies. Further studies using large-sized, randomized and double-blinded controlled clinical trials are needed to evaluate FIASMAs in SARS-CoV-2 infection as off-label therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gwenolé Loas
- Department of Psychiatry, Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), 1070 Brussels, Belgium
- Research Unit (ULB 266), Hôpital Erasme, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), 1050 Brussels, Belgium
| | - Pascal Le Corre
- Pôle Pharmacie, Service Hospitalo-Universitaire de Pharmacie, CHU de Rennes, 35033 Rennes, France;
- Irset (Institut de Recherche en Santé, Environnement et Travail)-Inserm UMR 1085, University of Rennes, CHU Rennes, INSERM, EHESP, 35000 Rennes, France
- Laboratoire de Biopharmacie et Pharmacie Clinique, Faculté de Pharmacie, Université de Rennes 1, 35043 Rennes, France
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