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Wyss M, Thommen BT, Kofler J, Carrington E, Brancucci NMB, Voss TS. The three Plasmodium falciparum Aurora-related kinases display distinct temporal and spatial associations with mitotic structures in asexual blood stage parasites and gametocytes. mSphere 2024; 9:e0046524. [PMID: 39235260 PMCID: PMC11423587 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00465-24] [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: 06/05/2024] [Accepted: 08/07/2024] [Indexed: 09/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Aurora kinases are crucial regulators of mitotic cell cycle progression in eukaryotes. The protozoan malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum replicates via schizogony, a specialized mode of cell division characterized by consecutive asynchronous rounds of nuclear division by closed mitosis followed by a single cytokinesis event producing dozens of daughter cells. P. falciparum encodes three Aurora-related kinases (PfARKs) that have been reported essential for parasite proliferation, but their roles in regulating schizogony have not yet been explored in great detail. Here, we engineered transgenic parasite lines expressing GFP-tagged PfARK1-3 to provide a systematic analysis of their expression timing and subcellular localization throughout schizogony as well as in the non-dividing gametocyte stages, which are essential for malaria transmission. We demonstrate that all three PfARKs display distinct and highly specific and exclusive spatiotemporal associations with the mitotic machinery. In gametocytes, PfARK3 is undetectable, and PfARK1 and PfARK2 show male-specific expression in late-stage gametocytes, consistent with their requirement for endomitosis during male gametogenesis in the mosquito vector. Our combined data suggest that PfARK1 and PfARK2 have non-overlapping roles in centriolar plaque maturation, assembly of the mitotic spindle, kinetochore-spindle attachment and chromosome segregation, while PfARK3 seems to be exquisitely involved in daughter cell cytoskeleton assembly and cytokinesis. These important new insights provide a reliable foundation for future research aiming at the functional investigation of these divergent and possibly drug-targetable Aurora-related kinases in mitotic cell division of P. falciparum and related apicomplexan parasites.IMPORTANCEMalaria parasites replicate via non-conventional modes of mitotic cell division, such as schizogony, employed by the disease-causing stages in the human blood or endomitosis during male gametogenesis in the mosquito vector. Understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating cell division in these divergent unicellular eukaryotes is not only of scientific interest but also relevant to identify potential new antimalarial drug targets. Here, we carefully examined the subcellular localization of all three Plasmodium falciparum Aurora-related kinases (ARKs), distantly related homologs of Aurora kinases that coordinate mitosis in model eukaryotes. Detailed fluorescence microscopy-based analyses revealed distinct, specific, and exclusive spatial associations for each parasite ARK with different components of the mitotic machinery and at different phases of the cell cycle during schizogony and gametocytogenesis. This comprehensive set of results closes important gaps in our fragmentary knowledge on this important group of kinases and offers a valuable source of information for future functional studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Wyss
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- />University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Basil T. Thommen
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- />University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jacob Kofler
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- />University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Eilidh Carrington
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- />University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas M. B. Brancucci
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- />University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Till S. Voss
- Department of Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Allschwil, Switzerland
- />University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
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Chhajer R, Bhattacharyya A, Ali N. Cell Death in Leishmania donovani promastigotes in response to Mammalian Aurora Kinase B Inhibitor- Hesperadin. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 177:116960. [PMID: 38936193 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116960] [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: 04/07/2024] [Revised: 06/13/2024] [Accepted: 06/15/2024] [Indexed: 06/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Deciphering how hesperadin, a repurposed mammalian aurora kinase B inhibitor, affects the cellular pathways in Leishmania donovani might be beneficial. This investigation sought to assess the physiological effects of hesperadin on promastigotes of L. donovani, by altering the duration of treatment following exposure to hesperadin. Groups pre-treated with inhibitors such as EGTA, NAC, and z-VAD-fmk before hesperadin exposure were also included. Morphological changes by microscopy, ATP and ROS changes by luminometry; DNA degradation using agarose gel electrophoresis and metacaspase levels through RT-PCR were assessed. Flow cytometry was used to study mitochondrial depolarization using JC-1 and MitoTracker Red; mitochondrial-superoxide accumulation using MitoSOX; plasma membrane modifications using Annexin-V and propidium iodide, and lastly, caspase activation using ApoStat. Significant alterations in promastigote morphology were noted. Caspase activity and mitochondrial-superoxide rose early after exposure whereas mitochondrial membrane potential demonstrated uncharacteristic variations, with significant functional disturbances such as leakage of superoxide radicals after prolonged treatments. ATP depletion and ROS accumulation demonstrated inverse patterns, genomic DNA showed fragmentation and plasma membrane showed Annexin-V binding, soon followed by propidium iodide uptake. Multilobed macronuclei and micronuclei accumulated in hesperadin exposed cells before they disintegrated into necrotic debris. The pathologic alterations were unlike the intrinsic or extrinsic pathways of classical apoptosis and suggest a caspase-mediated cell death most akin to mitotic-catastrophe. Most likely, a G2/M transition block caused accumulation of death signals, disorganized spindles and mechanical stresses, causing changes in morphology, organellar functions and ultimately promastigote death. Thus, death was a consequence of mitotic-arrest followed by ablation of kinetoplast functions, often implicated in L. donovani killing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudra Chhajer
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata, West Bengal 700032, India
| | - Anirban Bhattacharyya
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata, West Bengal 700032, India
| | - Nahid Ali
- Infectious Diseases and Immunology Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata, West Bengal 700032, India.
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Ong HW, de Silva C, Avalani K, Kwarcinski F, Mansfield CR, Chirgwin M, Truong A, Derbyshire ER, Zutshi R, Drewry DH. Characterization of 2,4-Dianilinopyrimidines Against Five P. falciparum Kinases PfARK1, PfARK3, PfNEK3, PfPK9, and PfPKB. ACS Med Chem Lett 2023; 14:1774-1784. [PMID: 38116430 PMCID: PMC10726455 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00354] [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: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium kinases are increasingly recognized as potential novel antiplasmodial targets for the treatment of malaria, but only a small subset of these kinases have had structure-activity relationship (SAR) campaigns reported. Herein we report the discovery of CZC-54252 (1) as an inhibitor of five P. falciparum kinases PfARK1, PfARK3, PfNEK3, PfPK9, and PfPKB. 39 analogues were evaluated against all five kinases to establish SAR at three regions of the kinase active site. Nanomolar inhibitors of each kinase were discovered. We identified common and divergent SAR trends across all five kinases, highlighting substituents in each region that improve potency and selectivity for each kinase. Potent analogues were evaluated against the P. falciparum blood stage. Eight submicromolar inhibitors were discovered, of which 37 demonstrated potent antiplasmodial activity (EC50 = 0.16 μM). Our results provide an understanding of features needed to inhibit each individual kinase and lay groundwork for future optimization efforts toward novel antimalarials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Wee Ong
- Structural
Genomics Consortium and Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal
Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Chandi de Silva
- Luceome
Biotechnologies, LLC, 1665 East 18th Street, Suite 106, Tucson, Arizona 85719, United States
| | - Krisha Avalani
- Luceome
Biotechnologies, LLC, 1665 East 18th Street, Suite 106, Tucson, Arizona 85719, United States
| | - Frank Kwarcinski
- Luceome
Biotechnologies, LLC, 1665 East 18th Street, Suite 106, Tucson, Arizona 85719, United States
| | - Christopher R. Mansfield
- Department
of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, 213 Research Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27710, United States
| | - Michael Chirgwin
- Department
of Chemistry, Duke University, 124 Science Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Anna Truong
- Department
of Chemistry, Duke University, 124 Science Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Emily R. Derbyshire
- Department
of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, Duke University Medical Center, 213 Research Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27710, United States
- Department
of Chemistry, Duke University, 124 Science Drive, Durham, North Carolina 27708, United States
| | - Reena Zutshi
- Luceome
Biotechnologies, LLC, 1665 East 18th Street, Suite 106, Tucson, Arizona 85719, United States
| | - David H. Drewry
- Structural
Genomics Consortium and Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal
Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy,
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Lineberger
Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
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Berkes C, Franco J, Lawson M, Brann K, Mermelstein J, Laverty D, Connors A. Kinase Inhibitor Library Screening Identifies the Cancer Therapeutic Sorafenib and Structurally Similar Compounds as Strong Inhibitors of the Fungal Pathogen Histoplasma capsulatum. Antibiotics (Basel) 2021; 10:antibiotics10101223. [PMID: 34680804 PMCID: PMC8532743 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics10101223] [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: 08/25/2021] [Revised: 09/17/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/01/2022] Open
Abstract
Histoplasma capsulatum is a dimorphic fungal pathogen endemic to the midwestern and southern United States. It causes mycoses ranging from subclinical respiratory infections to severe systemic disease, and is of particular concern for immunocompromised patients in endemic areas. Clinical management of histoplasmosis relies on protracted regimens of antifungal drugs whose effectiveness can be limited by toxicity. In this study, we hypothesize that conserved biochemical signaling pathways in the eukaryotic domain can be leveraged to repurpose kinase inhibitors as antifungal compounds. We conducted a screen of two kinase inhibitor libraries to identify compounds inhibiting the growth of Histoplasma capsulatum in the pathogenic yeast form. Our approach identified seven compounds with an elongated hydrophobic polyaromatic structure, five of which share a molecular motif including a urea unit linking a halogenated benzene ring and a para-substituted polyaromatic group. The top hits include the cancer therapeutic Sorafenib, which inhibits growth of Histoplasma in vitro and in a macrophage infection model with low host cell cytotoxicity. Our results reveal the possibility of repurposing Sorafenib or derivatives thereof as therapy for histoplasmosis, and suggest that repurposing of libraries developed for human cellular targets may be a fruitful source of antifungal discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charlotte Berkes
- Department of Biology, Merrimack College, North Andover, MA 01845, USA; (M.L.); (K.B.); (J.M.); (D.L.)
- Correspondence:
| | - Jimmy Franco
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Merrimack College, North Andover, MA 01845, USA; (J.F.); (A.C.)
| | - Maxx Lawson
- Department of Biology, Merrimack College, North Andover, MA 01845, USA; (M.L.); (K.B.); (J.M.); (D.L.)
| | - Katelynn Brann
- Department of Biology, Merrimack College, North Andover, MA 01845, USA; (M.L.); (K.B.); (J.M.); (D.L.)
| | - Jessica Mermelstein
- Department of Biology, Merrimack College, North Andover, MA 01845, USA; (M.L.); (K.B.); (J.M.); (D.L.)
| | - Daniel Laverty
- Department of Biology, Merrimack College, North Andover, MA 01845, USA; (M.L.); (K.B.); (J.M.); (D.L.)
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Merrimack College, North Andover, MA 01845, USA; (J.F.); (A.C.)
| | - Allison Connors
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Merrimack College, North Andover, MA 01845, USA; (J.F.); (A.C.)
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Marek L, Váňa J, Svoboda J, Hanusek J. Synthesis of the Kinase Inhibitors Nintedanib, Hesperadin, and Their Analogues Using the Eschenmoser Coupling Reaction. J Org Chem 2021; 86:10621-10629. [PMID: 34269051 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.1c01269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
A novel synthetic approach involving an Eschenmoser coupling reaction of substituted 3-bromooxindoles (H, 6-Cl, 6-COOMe, 5-NO2) with two substituted thiobenzanilides in dimethylformamide or acetonitrile was used for the synthesis of eight kinase inhibitors including Nintedanib and Hesperadin in yields exceeding 76%. Starting compounds for the synthesis are also easily available in good yields. 3-Bromooxindoles were prepared either from corresponding isatins using a three-step synthesis in an average overall yield of 65% or by direct bromination of oxindoles (yield of 65-86%). Starting N-(4-piperidin-1-ylmethyl-phenyl)-thiobenzamide was prepared by thionation of the corresponding benzanilide in an 86% yield and N-methyl-N-(4-thiobenzoylaminophenyl)-2-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)acetamide was prepared by thioacylation of the corresponding aniline with methyl dithiobenzoate in an 86% yield.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukáš Marek
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Studentská 573, CZ-532 10 Pardubice, The Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Váňa
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Studentská 573, CZ-532 10 Pardubice, The Czech Republic
| | - Jan Svoboda
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Studentská 573, CZ-532 10 Pardubice, The Czech Republic
| | - Jiří Hanusek
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Technology, Faculty of Chemical Technology, University of Pardubice, Studentská 573, CZ-532 10 Pardubice, The Czech Republic
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6
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Efstathiou A, Smirlis D. Leishmania Protein Kinases: Important Regulators of the Parasite Life Cycle and Molecular Targets for Treating Leishmaniasis. Microorganisms 2021; 9:microorganisms9040691. [PMID: 33801655 PMCID: PMC8066228 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms9040691] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmania is a protozoan parasite of the trypanosomatid family, causing a wide range of diseases with different clinical manifestations including cutaneous, mucocutaneous and visceral leishmaniasis. According to WHO, one billion people are at risk of Leishmania infection as they live in endemic areas while there are 12 million infected people worldwide. Annually, 0.9-1.6 million new infections are reported and 20-50 thousand deaths occur due to Leishmania infection. As current chemotherapy for treating leishmaniasis exhibits numerous drawbacks and due to the lack of effective human vaccine, there is an urgent need to develop new antileishmanial therapy treatment. To this end, eukaryotic protein kinases can be ideal target candidates for rational drug design against leishmaniasis. Eukaryotic protein kinases mediate signal transduction through protein phosphorylation and their inhibition is anticipated to be disease modifying as they regulate all essential processes for Leishmania viability and completion of the parasitic life cycle including cell-cycle progression, differentiation and virulence. This review highlights existing knowledge concerning the exploitation of Leishmania protein kinases as molecular targets to treat leishmaniasis and the current knowledge of their role in the biology of Leishmania spp. and in the regulation of signalling events that promote parasite survival in the insect vector or the mammalian host.
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7
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Borba JVVB, Silva AC, Lima MNN, Mendonca SS, Furnham N, Costa FTM, Andrade CH. Chemogenomics and bioinformatics approaches for prioritizing kinases as drug targets for neglected tropical diseases. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2020; 124:187-223. [PMID: 33632465 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2020.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a group of twenty-one diseases classified by the World Health Organization that prevail in regions with tropical and subtropical climate and affect more than one billion people. There is an urgent need to develop new and safer drugs for these diseases. Protein kinases are a potential class of targets for developing new drugs against NTDs, since they play crucial role in many biological processes, such as signaling pathways, regulating cellular communication, division, metabolism and death. Bioinformatics is a field that aims to organize large amounts of biological data as well as develop and use tools for understanding and analyze them in order to produce meaningful information in a biological manner. In combination with chemogenomics, which analyzes chemical-biological interactions to screen ligands against selected targets families, these approaches can be used to stablish a rational strategy for prioritizing new drug targets for NTDs. Here, we describe how bioinformatics and chemogenomics tools can help to identify protein kinases and their potential inhibitors for the development of new drugs for NTDs. We present a review of bioinformatics tools and techniques that can be used to define an organisms kinome for drug prioritization, drug and target repurposing, multi-quinase inhibition approachs and selectivity profiling. We also present some successful examples of the application of such approaches in recent case studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce Villa Verde Bastos Borba
- LabMol-Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil; Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Bioagents, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Arthur Carvalho Silva
- LabMol-Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Marilia Nunes Nascimento Lima
- LabMol-Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Sabrina Silva Mendonca
- LabMol-Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Nicholas Furnham
- Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom
| | - Fabio Trindade Maranhão Costa
- Laboratory of Tropical Diseases-Prof. Luiz Jacintho da Silva, Department of Genetics, Evolution and Bioagents, University of Campinas, Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Carolina Horta Andrade
- LabMol-Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, Goiânia, GO, Brazil; Department of Infection Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom.
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Moolman C, van der Sluis R, Beteck RM, Legoabe LJ. An Update on Development of Small-Molecule Plasmodial Kinase Inhibitors. Molecules 2020; 25:E5182. [PMID: 33171706 PMCID: PMC7664427 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25215182] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/29/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria control relies heavily on the small number of existing antimalarial drugs. However, recurring antimalarial drug resistance necessitates the continual generation of new antimalarial drugs with novel modes of action. In order to shift the focus from only controlling this disease towards elimination and eradication, next-generation antimalarial agents need to address the gaps in the malaria drug arsenal. This includes developing drugs for chemoprotection, treating severe malaria and blocking transmission. Plasmodial kinases are promising targets for next-generation antimalarial drug development as they mediate critical cellular processes and some are active across multiple stages of the parasite's life cycle. This review gives an update on the progress made thus far with regards to plasmodial kinase small-molecule inhibitor development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chantalle Moolman
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa; (C.M.); (R.M.B.)
| | - Rencia van der Sluis
- Focus Area for Human Metabolomics, Biochemistry, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa;
| | - Richard M. Beteck
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa; (C.M.); (R.M.B.)
| | - Lesetja J. Legoabe
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, Potchefstroom 2520, South Africa; (C.M.); (R.M.B.)
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Abstract
Malaria is one of the most impacting public health problems in tropical and subtropical areas of the globe, with approximately 200 million cases worldwide annually. In the absence of an effective vaccine, rapid treatment is vital for effective malaria control. However, parasite resistance to currently available drugs underscores the urgent need for identifying new antimalarial therapies with new mechanisms of action. Among potential drug targets for developing new antimalarial candidates, protein kinases are attractive. These enzymes catalyze the phosphorylation of several proteins, thereby regulating a variety of cellular processes and playing crucial roles in the development of all stages of the malaria parasite life cycle. Moreover, the large phylogenetic distance between Plasmodium species and its human host is reflected in marked differences in structure and function of malaria protein kinases between the homologs of both species, indicating that selectivity can be attained. In this review, we describe the functions of the different types of Plasmodium kinases and highlight the main recent advances in the discovery of kinase inhibitors as potential new antimalarial drug candidates.
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Cytotoxic and Anti-Plasmodial Activities of Stephania dielsiana Y.C. Wu Extracts and the Isolated Compounds. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25163755. [PMID: 32824689 PMCID: PMC7465040 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25163755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Revised: 08/11/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Natural products remain a viable source of novel therapeutics, and as detection and extraction techniques improve, we can identify more molecules from a broader set of plant tissues. The aim of this study was an investigation of the cytotoxic and anti-plasmodial activities of the methanol extract from Stephania dielsiana Y.C. Wu leaves and its isolated compounds. Our study led to the isolation of seven alkaloids, among which oxostephanine (1) is the most active against several cancer cell lines including HeLa, MDA-MB231, MDA-MB-468, MCF-7, and non-cancer cell lines, such as 184B5 and MCF10A, with IC50 values ranging from 1.66 to 4.35 μM. Morever, oxostephanine (1) is on average two-fold more active against cancer cells than stephanine (3), having a similar chemical structure. Cells treated with oxostephanine (1) are arrested at G2/M cell cycle, followed by the formation of aneuploidy and apoptotic cell death. The G2/M arrest appears to be due, at least in part, to the inactivation of Aurora kinases, which is implicated in the onset and progression of many forms of human cancer. An in-silico molecular modeling study suggests that oxostephanine (1) binds to the ATP binding pocket of Aurora kinases to inactivate their activities. Unlike oxostephanine (1), thailandine (2) is highly effective against only the triple-negative MDA-MB-468 breast cancer cells. However, it showed excellent selectivity against the cancer cell line when compared to its effects on non-cancer cells. Furthermore, thailandine (2) showed excellent anti-plasmodial activity against both chloroquine-susceptible 3D7 and chloroquine-resistant W2 Plasmodium falciparum strains. The structure-activity relationship of isolated compound was also discussed in this study. The results of this study support the traditional use of Stephania dielsiana Y.C. Wu and the lead molecules identified can be further optimized for the development of highly effective and safe anti-cancer and anti-plasmodial drugs.
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Sayé M, Gauna L, Valera-Vera E, Reigada C, Miranda MR, Pereira CA. Crystal violet structural analogues identified by in silico drug repositioning present anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activity through inhibition of proline transporter TcAAAP069. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0007481. [PMID: 31961864 PMCID: PMC6994103 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 01/31/2020] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Crystal violet (CV) was used for several years in blood banks to eliminate the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi in endemic areas in order to prevent transfusion-transmitted Chagas disease. One mechanism of action described for CV involves inhibition of proline uptake. In T. cruzi, proline is essential for host cell infection and intracellular differentiation among other processes, and can be obtained through the proline permease TcAAAP069. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS CV inhibited proline transporter TcAAAP069 and parasites overexpressing this permease were 47-fold more sensitive to this compound than control parasites. Using CV as reference molecule, loratadine, cyproheptadine, olanzapine and clofazimine were identified as structurally related compounds to CV (structural analogues) by in silico drug repurposing through a similarity-based virtual screening protocol. All these already-approved drugs for clinical use inhibited TcAAAP069 activity with different efficacies and also presented trypanocidal action in epimastigotes, trypomastigotes and amastigotes of the Y, CL Brener and Dm28c T. cruzi strains. Finally, a synergistic effect between benznidazole and the CV chemical analogues was evidenced by combination and dose-reduction indexes values in epimastigotes and trypomastigotes of the Y strain. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE Loratadine, cyproheptadine and clofazimine inhibit TcAAAP069 proline transporter and also present trypanocidal effect against all T. cruzi life stages in strains from three different DTUs. These CV structural analogues could be a starting point to design therapeutic alternatives to treat Chagas disease by finding new indications for old drugs. This approach, called drug repurposing is a recommended strategy by the World Health Organization to treat neglected diseases, like Chagas disease, and combination therapy may improve the possibility of success of repositioned drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melisa Sayé
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas A. Lanari, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas (IDIM), Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Lucrecia Gauna
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas A. Lanari, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas (IDIM), Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Edward Valera-Vera
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas A. Lanari, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas (IDIM), Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Chantal Reigada
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas A. Lanari, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas (IDIM), Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Mariana R. Miranda
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas A. Lanari, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas (IDIM), Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Claudio A. Pereira
- Universidad de Buenos Aires, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas A. Lanari, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Instituto de Investigaciones Médicas (IDIM), Laboratorio de Parasitología Molecular, Buenos Aires, Argentina
- * E-mail:
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12
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Hammarton TC. Who Needs a Contractile Actomyosin Ring? The Plethora of Alternative Ways to Divide a Protozoan Parasite. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2019; 9:397. [PMID: 31824870 PMCID: PMC6881465 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2019.00397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Cytokinesis, or the division of the cytoplasm, following the end of mitosis or meiosis, is accomplished in animal cells, fungi, and amoebae, by the constriction of an actomyosin contractile ring, comprising filamentous actin, myosin II, and associated proteins. However, despite this being the best-studied mode of cytokinesis, it is restricted to the Opisthokonta and Amoebozoa, since members of other evolutionary supergroups lack myosin II and must, therefore, employ different mechanisms. In particular, parasitic protozoa, many of which cause significant morbidity and mortality in humans and animals as well as considerable economic losses, employ a wide diversity of mechanisms to divide, few, if any, of which involve myosin II. In some cases, cell division is not only myosin II-independent, but actin-independent too. Mechanisms employed range from primitive mechanical cell rupture (cytofission), to motility- and/or microtubule remodeling-dependent mechanisms, to budding involving the constriction of divergent contractile rings, to hijacking host cell division machinery, with some species able to utilize multiple mechanisms. Here, I review current knowledge of cytokinesis mechanisms and their molecular control in mammalian-infective parasitic protozoa from the Excavata, Alveolata, and Amoebozoa supergroups, highlighting their often-underappreciated diversity and complexity. Billions of people and animals across the world are at risk from these pathogens, for which vaccines and/or optimal treatments are often not available. Exploiting the divergent cell division machinery in these parasites may provide new avenues for the treatment of protozoal disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tansy C Hammarton
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
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13
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Veale CGL, Laming D, Swart T, Chibale K, Hoppe HC. Exploring the Antiplasmodial 2-Aminopyridines as Potential Antitrypanosomal Agents. ChemMedChem 2019; 14:2034-2041. [PMID: 31670464 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201900492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2019] [Revised: 10/16/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
Recently we reported the results of a screen of the Pathogen Box in which we identified 4-(2-amino-5-(4-(methylsulfonyl) phenyl) pyridin-3-yl)-2-methoxyphenol (MMV010576, 1) as our priority antitrypanosomal hit. This compound had previously been identified as a potent and selective antiplasmodial agent, where a focused optimization campaign, resulted in a medium-sized library of compounds, with favorable drug-like properties, one of which (MMV048, 2, 5-(4-(methylsulfonyl)phenyl)-6'-(trifluoromethyl)-[3,3'-bipyridin]-2-amine) is currently undergoing clinical trials for malaria. Accordingly, we investigated this library, in order to elucidate structural activity relationship details of this class of compounds as inhibitors of Trypanosoma brucei. Our study has identified several structural features important for antitrypanosomal activity, which are distinct from those required for antiplasmodial activity. Results from this study can be exploited to develop potent antitrypanosomal agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clinton G L Veale
- School of Chemistry and Physics Pietermaritzburg Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa
| | | | - Tarryn Swart
- Rhodes University, Grahamstown, 6140, South Africa
| | - Kelly Chibale
- Drug Discovery and Development Centre (H3D) South African Medical Research Council Drug Discovery and Development Research Unit Department of Chemistry and Institute of Infectious Disease & Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7701, South Africa
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14
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Cheng Z, Liu F, Tian H, Xu Z, Chai X, Luo D, Wang Y. Impairing the maintenance of germinative cells in Echinococcus multilocularis by targeting Aurora kinase. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007425. [PMID: 31095613 PMCID: PMC6541280 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2019] [Revised: 05/29/2019] [Accepted: 04/30/2019] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background The tumor-like growth of the metacestode larvae of the tapeworm E. multilocularis causes human alveolar echinococcosis, a severe disease mainly affecting the liver. The germinative cells, a population of adult stem cells, are crucial for the larval growth and development of the parasite within the hosts. Maintenance of the germinative cell pools relies on their abilities of extensive proliferation and self-renewal, which requires accurate control of the cell division cycle. Targeting regulators of the cell division progression may impair germinative cell populations, leading to impeded parasite growth. Methodology/Principal findings In this study, we describe the characterization of EmAURKA and EmAURKB, which display significant similarity to the members of Aurora kinases that are essential mitotic kinases and play key roles in cell division. Our data suggest that EmAURKA and EmAURKB are actively expressed in the germinative cells of E. multilocularis. Treatment with low concentrations of MLN8237, a dual inhibitor of Aurora A and B, resulted in chromosomal defects in the germinative cells during mitosis, while higher concentrations of MLN8237 caused a failure in cytokinesis of the germinative cells, leading to multinucleated cells. Inhibition of the activities of Aurora kinases eventually resulted in depletion of the germinative cell populations in E. multilocularis, which in turn caused larval growth inhibition of the parasite. Conclusions/Significance Our data demonstrate the vital roles of Aurora kinases in the regulation of mitotic progression and maintenance of the germinative cells in E. multilocularis, and suggest Aurora kinases as promising druggable targets for the development of novel chemotherapeutics against human alveolar echinococcosis. Alveolar echinococcosis (AE), caused by infection with the metacestode larvae of the tapeworm E. multilocularis, is a lethal disease in humans. A population of adult stem cells, called germinative cells, drive the cancer-like growth of the parasite within their host and are considered responsible for disease recurrence after therapy termination. Nevertheless, benzimidazoles, the current drugs of choice against AE, show limited effects on killing these cells. Here, we describe EmAURKA and EmAURKB, two Aurora kinase members that play essential roles in regulating E. multilocularis germinative cell mitosis, as promising drug targets for eliminating the population of germinative cells. We show that targeting E. multilocularis Aurora kinases by small molecular inhibitor MLN8237 causes severe mitotic defects and eventually impairs the viability of germinative cells, leading to larval growth inhibition of the parasite in vitro. Our study suggests that targeting mitosis by MLN8237 or related compounds offers possibilities for germinative cell killing and we hope this will help in exploring novel therapeutic strategies against the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhe Cheng
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
- Parasitology Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Fan Liu
- Medical College, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Huimin Tian
- Medical College, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Zhijian Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
- Parasitology Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Xiaoli Chai
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
- Parasitology Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Damin Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
- Parasitology Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
| | - Yanhai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Cellular Stress Biology, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
- Parasitology Research Laboratory, School of Life Sciences, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian, China
- * E-mail:
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15
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Evaluation of a class of isatinoids identified from a high-throughput screen of human kinase inhibitors as anti-Sleeping Sickness agents. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2019; 13:e0007129. [PMID: 30735501 PMCID: PMC6383948 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007129] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2018] [Revised: 02/21/2019] [Accepted: 01/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
New treatments are needed for neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) such as Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), Chagas disease, and schistosomiasis. Through a whole organism high-throughput screening campaign, we previously identified 797 human kinase inhibitors that grouped into 59 structural clusters and showed activity against T. brucei, the causative agent of HAT. We herein report the results of further investigation of one of these clusters consisting of substituted isatin derivatives, focusing on establishing structure-activity and -property relationship scope. We also describe their in vitro absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties. For one isatin, NEU-4391, which offered the best activity-property profile, pharmacokinetic parameters were measured in mice. Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a parasitic disease prevalent in sub-Saharan Africa. Current treatments cause severe toxicity, are difficult to administer, and are susceptible to resistance. In order to quickly discover new leads for HAT drug discovery, we screened human kinase inhibitors against Trypanosoma brucei, the parasite that causes HAT, and discovered several hundred compounds that demonstrated antiparasitic activity. In this paper, we present the results of medicinal chemistry follow-up work on a group of compounds known as isatins.
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16
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Borba JV, Silva AC, Ramos PI, Grazzia N, Miguel DC, Muratov EN, Furnham N, Andrade CH. Unveiling the Kinomes of Leishmania infantum and L. braziliensis Empowers the Discovery of New Kinase Targets and Antileishmanial Compounds. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2019; 17:352-361. [PMID: 30949306 PMCID: PMC6429582 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2019.02.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2018] [Revised: 02/04/2019] [Accepted: 02/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by parasites of the genus Leishmania (NTD) endemic in 98 countries. Although some drugs are available, current treatments deal with issues such as toxicity, low efficacy, and emergence of resistance. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify new targets for the development of new antileishmanial drugs. Protein kinases (PKs), which play an essential role in many biological processes, have become potential drug targets for many parasitic diseases. A refined bioinformatics pipeline was applied in order to define and compare the kinomes of L. infantum and L. braziliensis, species that cause cutaneous and visceral manifestations of leishmaniasis in the Americas, the latter being potentially fatal if untreated. Respectively, 224 and 221 PKs were identified in L. infantum and L. braziliensis overall. Almost all unclassified eukaryotic PKs were assigned to six of nine major kinase groups and, consequently, most have been classified into family and subfamily. Furthermore, revealing the kinomes for both Leishmania species allowed for the prioritization of potential drug targets that could be explored for discovering new drugs against leishmaniasis. Finally, we used a drug repurposing approach and prioritized seven approved drugs and investigational compounds to be experimentally tested against Leishmania. Trametinib and NMS-1286937 inhibited the growth of L. infantum and L. braziliensis promastigotes and amastigotes and therefore might be good candidates for the drug repurposing pipeline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joyce V.B. Borba
- Labmol – Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás - UFG, Goiânia, GO, 74605-510, Brazil
| | - Arthur C. Silva
- Labmol – Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás - UFG, Goiânia, GO, 74605-510, Brazil
| | - Pablo I.P. Ramos
- Instituto Gonçalo Moniz (IGM), Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Salvador, BA, 40296-710, Brazil
| | - Nathalia Grazzia
- LEBIL – Laboratory of Leishmania Biology Infection Studies, Department of Animal Biology, Biology Institute, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Danilo C. Miguel
- LEBIL – Laboratory of Leishmania Biology Infection Studies, Department of Animal Biology, Biology Institute, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Eugene N. Muratov
- Laboratory for Molecular Modeling, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, 27599, USA
- Department of Chemical Technology, Odessa National Polytechnic University, Odessa, 65000, Ukraine
| | - Nicholas Furnham
- Department of Pathogen Molecular Biology, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, UK
| | - Carolina H. Andrade
- Labmol – Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Goiás - UFG, Goiânia, GO, 74605-510, Brazil
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17
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Veale CGL. Unpacking the Pathogen Box-An Open Source Tool for Fighting Neglected Tropical Disease. ChemMedChem 2019; 14:386-453. [PMID: 30614200 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201800755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The Pathogen Box is a 400-strong collection of drug-like compounds, selected for their potential against several of the world's most important neglected tropical diseases, including trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, cryptosporidiosis, toxoplasmosis, filariasis, schistosomiasis, dengue virus and trichuriasis, in addition to malaria and tuberculosis. This library represents an ensemble of numerous successful drug discovery programmes from around the globe, aimed at providing a powerful resource to stimulate open source drug discovery for diseases threatening the most vulnerable communities in the world. This review seeks to provide an in-depth analysis of the literature pertaining to the compounds in the Pathogen Box, including structure-activity relationship highlights, mechanisms of action, related compounds with reported activity against different diseases, and, where appropriate, discussion on the known and putative targets of compounds, thereby providing context and increasing the accessibility of the Pathogen Box to the drug discovery community.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clinton G L Veale
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Pietermaritzburg Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa
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18
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Discovery of 2-(1H-imidazo-2-yl)piperazines as a new class of potent and non-cytotoxic inhibitors of Trypanosoma brucei growth in vitro. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2018; 28:3689-3692. [PMID: 30482621 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2018.10.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2018] [Revised: 10/17/2018] [Accepted: 10/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The identification of a new series of growth inhibitors of Trypanosoma brucei rhodesiense, causative agent of Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), is described. A selection of compounds from our in-house compound collection was screened in vitro against the parasite leading to the identification of compounds with nanomolar inhibition of T. brucei growth. Preliminary SAR on the hit compound led to the identification of compound 34 that shows low nanomolar parasite growth inhibition (T. brucei EC50 5 nM), is not cytotoxic (HeLa CC50 > 25,000 nM) and is selective over other parasites, such as Trypanosoma cruzi and Plasmodium falciparum (T. cruzi EC50 8120 nM, P. falciparum EC50 3624 nM).
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19
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Veale CGL, Hoppe HC. Screening of the Pathogen Box reveals new starting points for anti-trypanosomal drug discovery. MEDCHEMCOMM 2018; 9:2037-2044. [PMID: 30647879 PMCID: PMC6301270 DOI: 10.1039/c8md00319j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2018] [Accepted: 09/30/2018] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to uncover new starting points for anti-trypansomal drug discovery through the screening of the Pathogen Box against Trypanosoma brucei brucei. Our study identified compounds 35, 39, 46, 53 and 56 whose activity and selectivity highlighted them as promising candidates with potential for further study and optimisation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clinton G L Veale
- School of Chemistry and Physics , Pietermaritzburg Campus , University of KwaZulu-Natal , Private Bag X01 , Scottsville , 3209 , South Africa . ; Tel: +27 33 260 6365
| | - Heinrich C Hoppe
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology , Rhodes University , Grahamstown , 6140 , South Africa . ; Tel: +27 46 603 8262
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20
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Rugel A, Tarpley RS, Lopez A, Menard T, Guzman MA, Taylor AB, Cao X, Kovalskyy D, Chevalier FD, Anderson TJC, Hart PJ, LoVerde PT, McHardy SF. Design, Synthesis, and Characterization of Novel Small Molecules as Broad Range Antischistosomal Agents. ACS Med Chem Lett 2018; 9:967-973. [PMID: 30344901 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.8b00257] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2018] [Accepted: 09/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a major human parasitic disease afflicting more than 250 million people, historically treated with chemotherapies praziquantel or oxamniquine. Since oxamniquine is species-specific, killing Schistosoma mansoni but not other schistosome species (S. haematobium or S. japonicum) and evidence for drug resistant strains is growing, research efforts have focused on identifying novel approaches. Guided by data from X-ray crystallographic studies and Schistosoma worm killing assays on oxamniquine, our structure-based drug design approach produced a robust structure-activity relationship (SAR) program that identified several new lead compounds with effective worm killing. These studies culminated in the discovery of compound 12a, which demonstrated broad-species activity in killing S. mansoni (75%), S. haematobium (40%), and S. japonicum (83%).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Reid S. Tarpley
- Center for Innovative
Drug Discovery, University of Texas at San Antonio, Department of Chemistry, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
| | - Ambrosio Lopez
- Center for Innovative
Drug Discovery, University of Texas at San Antonio, Department of Chemistry, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
| | - Travis Menard
- Center for Innovative
Drug Discovery, University of Texas at San Antonio, Department of Chemistry, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
| | | | - Alexander B. Taylor
- X-ray Crystallography Core Laboratory,Institutional Research Cores, UT Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78229, United States
| | | | | | - Frédéric D. Chevalier
- Texas BioMedical Research Institute, 7620 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, Texas 78227-5301, United States
| | - Timothy J. C. Anderson
- Texas BioMedical Research Institute, 7620 NW Loop 410, San Antonio, Texas 78227-5301, United States
| | - P. John Hart
- X-ray Crystallography Core Laboratory,Institutional Research Cores, UT Health San Antonio, 7703 Floyd Curl Drive, San Antonio, Texas 78229, United States
- Department of Veterans Affairs, South Texas Veterans Health Care System, San Antonio, Texas 78229, United States
| | | | - Stanton F. McHardy
- Center for Innovative
Drug Discovery, University of Texas at San Antonio, Department of Chemistry, One UTSA Circle, San Antonio, Texas 78249, United States
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21
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Woodring J, Behera R, Sharma A, Wiedeman J, Patel G, Singh B, Guyett P, Amata E, Erath J, Roncal N, Penn E, Leed SE, Rodriguez A, Sciotti RJ, Mensa-Wilmot K, Pollastri MP. Series of Alkynyl-Substituted Thienopyrimidines as Inhibitors of Protozoan Parasite Proliferation. ACS Med Chem Lett 2018; 9:996-1001. [PMID: 30344906 PMCID: PMC6187419 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.8b00245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2018] [Accepted: 09/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Discovery of new chemotherapeutic lead agents can be accelerated by optimizing chemotypes proven to be effective in other diseases to act against parasites. One such medicinal chemistry campaign has focused on optimizing the anilinoquinazoline drug lapatinib (1) and the alkynyl thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine hit GW837016X (NEU-391, 3) into leads for antitrypanosome drugs. We now report the structure-activity relationship studies of 3 and its analogs against Trypanosoma brucei, which causes human African trypanosomiasis (HAT). The series was also tested against Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania major, and Plasmodium falciparum. In each case, potent antiparasitic hits with acceptable toxicity margins over mammalian HepG2 and NIH3T3 cell lines were identified. In a mouse model of HAT, 3 extended life of treated mice by 50%, compared to untreated controls. At the cellular level, 3 inhibited mitosis and cytokinesis in T. brucei. Thus, the alkynylthieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine chemotype is an advanced hit worthy of further optimization as a potential chemotherapeutic agent for HAT.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer
L. Woodring
- Department
of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Ranjan Behera
- Department
of Cellular Biology, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Amrita Sharma
- Department
of Cellular Biology, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Justin Wiedeman
- Department
of Cellular Biology, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Gautam Patel
- Department
of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Baljinder Singh
- Department
of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Paul Guyett
- Department
of Cellular Biology, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Emanuele Amata
- Department
of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Jessey Erath
- Department
of Microbiology, New York University School
of Medicine, 430 E. 29th Street New York, New York 10010, United
States
- Anti-Infectives
Screening Core, New York University School
of Medicine, New York, New York 10010, United
States
| | - Norma Roncal
- Experimental
Therapeutics, Walter Reed Army Institute
of Research, 2460 Linden Lane, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, United
States
| | - Erica Penn
- Experimental
Therapeutics, Walter Reed Army Institute
of Research, 2460 Linden Lane, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, United
States
| | - Susan E. Leed
- Experimental
Therapeutics, Walter Reed Army Institute
of Research, 2460 Linden Lane, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, United
States
| | - Ana Rodriguez
- Department
of Microbiology, New York University School
of Medicine, 430 E. 29th Street New York, New York 10010, United
States
- Anti-Infectives
Screening Core, New York University School
of Medicine, New York, New York 10010, United
States
| | - Richard J. Sciotti
- Experimental
Therapeutics, Walter Reed Army Institute
of Research, 2460 Linden Lane, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, United
States
| | - Kojo Mensa-Wilmot
- Department
of Cellular Biology, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Michael P. Pollastri
- Department
of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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22
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Charlton RL, Rossi-Bergmann B, Denny PW, Steel PG. Repurposing as a strategy for the discovery of new anti-leishmanials: the-state-of-the-art. Parasitology 2018; 145:219-236. [PMID: 28805165 PMCID: PMC5964475 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182017000993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 71] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2017] [Revised: 05/23/2017] [Accepted: 05/25/2017] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne neglected tropical disease caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Leishmania for which there is a paucity of effective viable non-toxic drugs. There are 1·3 million new cases each year causing considerable socio-economic hardship, best measured in 2·4 million disability adjusted life years, with greatest impact on the poorest communities, which means that desperately needed new antileishmanial treatments have to be both affordable and accessible. Established medicines with cheaper and faster development times may hold the cure for this neglected tropical disease. This concept of using old drugs for new diseases may not be novel but, with the ambitious target of controlling or eradicating tropical diseases by 2020, this strategy is still an important one. In this review, we will explore the current state-of-the-art of drug repurposing strategies in the search for new treatments for leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca L Charlton
- Department of Chemistry,University Science Laboratories,South Road,Durham DH1 3LE,UK
| | - Bartira Rossi-Bergmann
- Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho,Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro,Ilha do Fundão,CEP 21·949-900 Rio de Janeiro,RJ,Brazil
| | - Paul W Denny
- Department of Biosciences,University Science Laboratories,South Road,Durham DH1 3LE,UK
| | - Patrick G Steel
- Department of Chemistry,University Science Laboratories,South Road,Durham DH1 3LE,UK
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23
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Optimization of physicochemical properties for 4-anilinoquinazoline inhibitors of trypanosome proliferation. Eur J Med Chem 2017; 141:446-459. [PMID: 29049963 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2017.10.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2017] [Revised: 10/01/2017] [Accepted: 10/03/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT) is a deadly disease in need of new chemotherapeutics that can cross into the central nervous system. We previously reported the discovery of 2 (NEU-617), a small molecule with activity against T. brucei bloodstream proliferation. Further optimization of 2 to improve the physicochemical properties (LogP, LLE, [1], and MPO score) [2] have led us to twelve sub-micromolar compounds, most importantly the headgroup variants 9i and 9j, and the linker variant 18. Although these 3 compounds had reduced potency compared to 2, they all had improved LogP, LLE and MPO scores. Cross-screening these analogs against other protozoan parasites uncovered 9o with potent activity towards T. brucei, T. cruzi and L. major, while four others compounds (17, 18, 21, 26) showed activity towards P. falciparum D6. This reinforces the effectiveness of lead repurposing for the discovery of new protozoan disease therapeutics.
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Hu Y, Zhang J, Musharrafieh R, Hau R, Ma C, Wang J. Chemical Genomics Approach Leads to the Identification of Hesperadin, an Aurora B Kinase Inhibitor, as a Broad-Spectrum Influenza Antiviral. Int J Mol Sci 2017; 18:ijms18091929. [PMID: 28885544 PMCID: PMC5618578 DOI: 10.3390/ijms18091929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2017] [Revised: 08/24/2017] [Accepted: 09/06/2017] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Influenza viruses are respiratory pathogens that are responsible for annual influenza epidemics and sporadic influenza pandemics. Oseltamivir (Tamiflu®) is currently the only FDA-approved oral drug that is available for the prevention and treatment of influenza virus infection. However, its narrow therapeutic window, coupled with the increasing incidence of drug resistance, calls for the next generation of influenza antivirals. In this study, we discovered hesperadin, an aurora B kinase inhibitor, as a broad-spectrum influenza antiviral through forward chemical genomics screening. Hesperadin inhibits multiple human clinical isolates of influenza A and B viruses with single to submicromolar efficacy, including oseltamivir-resistant strains. Mechanistic studies revealed that hesperadin inhibits the early stage of viral replication by delaying the nuclear entry of viral ribonucleoprotein complex, thereby inhibiting viral RNA transcription and translation as well as viral protein synthesis. Moreover, a combination of hesperadin with oseltamivir shows synergistic antiviral activity, therefore hesperadin can be used either alone to treat infections by oseltamivir-resistant influenza viruses or used in combination with oseltamivir to delay resistance evolution among oseltamivir-sensitive strains. In summary, the discovery of hesperadin as a broad-spectrum influenza antiviral offers an alternative to combat future influenza epidemics and pandemics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanmei Hu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
| | - Jiantao Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
| | - Rami Musharrafieh
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
| | - Raymond Hau
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
| | - Chunlong Ma
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
| | - Jun Wang
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA.
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25
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Yang TH, Lee CI, Huang WH, Lee AR. Structural optimization and evaluation of novel 2-pyrrolidone-fused (2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)methylpyrrole derivatives as potential VEGFR-2/PDGFRβ inhibitors. Chem Cent J 2017; 11:72. [PMID: 29086859 PMCID: PMC5539068 DOI: 10.1186/s13065-017-0301-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2017] [Accepted: 07/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Tumor angiogenesis, essential for tumor growth and metastasis, is tightly regulated by VEGF/VEGFR and PDGF/PDGFR pathways, and therefore blocking those pathways is a promising therapeutic target. Compared to sunitinib, the C(5)-Br derivative of 2-pyrrolidone-fused (2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)methylpyrrole has significantly greater in vitro activities against VEGFR-2, PDGFRβ, and tube formation. Results and discussion The objective of this study was to perform further structural optimization, which revealed certain new products with even more potent anti-tumor activities, both cellularly and enzymatically. Of these, 15 revealed ten- and eightfold stronger potencies against VEGFR-2 and PDGFRβ than sunitinib, respectively, and showed selectivity against HCT116 with a favorable selective index (SI > 4.27). The molecular docking results displayed that the ligand–protein binding affinity to VEGFR-2 could be enhanced by introducing a hydrogen-bond-donating (HBD) substituent at C(5) of (2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene)methylpyrrole such as 14 (C(5)-OH) and 15 (C(5)-SH). Conclusions Among newly synthetic compounds, 7 and 13–15 exhibited significant inhibitory activities against VEGFR-2 and PDGFRβ. Of these, the experimental results suggest that 15 might be a promising anti-proliferative agent. IC50 comparison of sunitinib, 14, and 15 against VEGFR-2 and PDGFRβ. ![]() Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s13065-017-0301-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ting-Hsuan Yang
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, No. 161, Section 6, Mingchuan East Road, Taipei, 11490, Taiwan
| | - Chun-I Lee
- School of Pharmacy, National Defense Medical Center, No. 161, Section 6, Mingchuan East Road, Taipei, 11490, Taiwan
| | - Wen-Hsin Huang
- School of Pharmacy, National Defense Medical Center, No. 161, Section 6, Mingchuan East Road, Taipei, 11490, Taiwan
| | - An-Rong Lee
- Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences, National Defense Medical Center, No. 161, Section 6, Mingchuan East Road, Taipei, 11490, Taiwan. .,School of Pharmacy, National Defense Medical Center, No. 161, Section 6, Mingchuan East Road, Taipei, 11490, Taiwan.
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26
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Genome-wide and protein kinase-focused RNAi screens reveal conserved and novel damage response pathways in Trypanosoma brucei. PLoS Pathog 2017; 13:e1006477. [PMID: 28742144 PMCID: PMC5542689 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1006477] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2017] [Revised: 08/03/2017] [Accepted: 06/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
All cells are subject to structural damage that must be addressed for continued growth. A wide range of damage affects the genome, meaning multiple pathways have evolved to repair or bypass the resulting DNA lesions. Though many repair pathways are conserved, their presence or function can reflect the life style of individual organisms. To identify genome maintenance pathways in a divergent eukaryote and important parasite, Trypanosoma brucei, we performed RNAi screens to identify genes important for survival following exposure to the alkylating agent methyl methanesulphonate. Amongst a cohort of broadly conserved and, therefore, early evolved repair pathways, we reveal multiple activities not so far examined functionally in T. brucei, including DNA polymerases, DNA helicases and chromatin factors. In addition, the screens reveal Trypanosoma- or kinetoplastid-specific repair-associated activities. We also provide focused analyses of repair-associated protein kinases and show that loss of at least nine, and potentially as many as 30 protein kinases, including a nuclear aurora kinase, sensitises T. brucei to alkylation damage. Our results demonstrate the potential for synthetic lethal genome-wide screening of gene function in T. brucei and provide an evolutionary perspective on the repair pathways that underpin effective responses to damage, with particular relevance for related kinetoplastid pathogens. By revealing that a large number of diverse T. brucei protein kinases act in the response to damage, we expand the range of eukaryotic signalling factors implicated in genome maintenance activities. Damage to the genome is a universal threat to life. Though the repair pathways used to tackle damage can be widely conserved, lineage-specific specialisations are found, reflecting the differing life styles of extant organisms. Using RNAi coupled with next generation sequencing we have screened for genes that are important for growth of Trypanosoma brucei, a diverged eukaryotic microbe and important parasite, in the presence of alkylation damage caused by methyl methanesulphonate. We reveal both repair pathway conservation relative to characterised eukaryotes and specialisation, including uncharacterised roles for translesion DNA polymerases, DNA helicases and chromatin factors. Furthermore, we demonstrate that loss of around 15% of T. brucei protein kinases sensitises the parasites to alkylation, indicating phosphorylation signalling plays widespread and under-investigated roles in the damage response pathways of eukaryotes.
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27
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RNAi screening identifies Trypanosoma brucei stress response protein kinases required for survival in the mouse. Sci Rep 2017; 7:6156. [PMID: 28733613 PMCID: PMC5522463 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-017-06501-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Accepted: 05/26/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein kinases (PKs) are a class of druggable targets in Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of Human African Trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), yet little is known about which PKs are essential for survival in mammals. A recent kinome-wide RNAi screen with 176 individual bloodstream form Trypanosoma brucei lines identified PKs required for proliferation in culture. In order to assess which PKs are also potential virulence factors essential in vivo, lines were pooled, inoculated into mice, and screened for loss of fitness after 48 h RNAi. The presence of trypanosomes in the bloodstream was assessed using RNAi target sequencing (RITseq) and compared to growth in culture. We identified 49 PKs with a significant loss of fitness in vivo in two independent experiments, and a strong correlation between in vitro and in vivo loss of fitness for the majority. Nine PKs had a more pronounced growth defect in vivo, than in vitro. Amongst these PKs were several with putative functions related to stress responses mediated through the PI3K/TOR or MAPK signaling cascades, which act to protect the parasite from complement-mediated and osmotic lysis. Identification of these virulence-associated PKs provides new insights into T. brucei-host interaction and reveals novel potential protein kinase drug targets.
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28
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Dichiara M, Marrazzo A, Prezzavento O, Collina S, Rescifina A, Amata E. Repurposing of Human Kinase Inhibitors in Neglected Protozoan Diseases. ChemMedChem 2017; 12:1235-1253. [PMID: 28590590 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201700259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), Chagas disease, and leishmaniasis belong to a group of infectious diseases known as neglected tropical diseases and are induced by infection with protozoan parasites named trypanosomatids. Drugs in current use have several limitations, and therefore new candidate drugs are required. The majority of current therapeutic trypanosomatid targets are enzymes or cell-surface receptors. Among these, eukaryotic protein kinases are a major group of protein targets whose modulation may be beneficial for the treatment of neglected tropical protozoan diseases. This review summarizes the finding of new hit compounds for neglected tropical protozoan diseases, by repurposing known human kinase inhibitors on trypanosomatids. Kinase inhibitors are grouped by human kinase family and discussed according to the screening (target-based or phenotypic) reported for these compounds on trypanosomatids. This collection aims to provide insight into repurposed human kinase inhibitors and their importance in the development of new chemical entities with potential beneficial effects on the diseases caused by trypanosomatids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Dichiara
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria, 6, 95100, Catania, Italy
| | - Agostino Marrazzo
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria, 6, 95100, Catania, Italy
| | - Orazio Prezzavento
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria, 6, 95100, Catania, Italy
| | - Simona Collina
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Pavia, V.le Taramelli, 12, 27100, Pavia, Italy
| | - Antonio Rescifina
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria, 6, 95100, Catania, Italy
| | - Emanuele Amata
- Department of Drug Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria, 6, 95100, Catania, Italy
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29
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Wachsmuth LM, Johnson MG, Gavenonis J. Essential multimeric enzymes in kinetoplastid parasites: A host of potentially druggable protein-protein interactions. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005720. [PMID: 28662026 PMCID: PMC5507555 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005720] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2017] [Revised: 07/12/2017] [Accepted: 06/16/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasitic diseases caused by kinetoplastid parasites of the genera Trypanosoma and Leishmania are an urgent public health crisis in the developing world. These closely related species possess a number of multimeric enzymes in highly conserved pathways involved in vital functions, such as redox homeostasis and nucleotide synthesis. Computational alanine scanning of these protein-protein interfaces has revealed a host of potentially ligandable sites on several established and emerging anti-parasitic drug targets. Analysis of interfaces with multiple clustered hotspots has suggested several potentially inhibitable protein-protein interactions that may have been overlooked by previous large-scale analyses focusing solely on secondary structure. These protein-protein interactions provide a promising lead for the development of new peptide and macrocycle inhibitors of these enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah M. Wachsmuth
- Department of Chemistry, Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Meredith G. Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United States of America
| | - Jason Gavenonis
- Department of Chemistry, Dickinson College, Carlisle, Pennsylvania, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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30
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Leishmania donovani Aurora kinase: A promising therapeutic target against visceral leishmaniasis. Biochim Biophys Acta Gen Subj 2016; 1860:1973-88. [PMID: 27288586 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagen.2016.06.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2016] [Revised: 06/02/2016] [Accepted: 06/06/2016] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aurora kinases are key mitotic kinases executing multiple aspects of eukaryotic cell-division. The apicomplexan homologs being essential for survival, suggest that the Leishmania homolog, annotated LdAIRK, may be equally important. METHODS Bioinformatics, stage-specific immunofluorescence microscopy, immunoblotting, RT-PCR, molecular docking, in-vitro kinase assay, anti-leishmanial activity assays, flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy. RESULTS Ldairk expression is seen to vary as the cell-cycle progresses from G1 through S and finally G2M and cytokinesis. Kinetic studies demonstrate their enzymatic activity exhibiting a Km and Vmax of 6.12μM and 82.9pmoles·min(-1)mg(-1) respectively against ATP using recombinant Leishmania donovani H3, its physiological substrate. Due to the failure of LdAIRK-/+ knock-out parasites to survive, we adopted a chemical knock-down approach. Based on the conservation of key active site residues, three mammalian Aurora kinase inhibitors were investigated to evaluate their potential as inhibitors of LdAIRK activity. Interestingly, the cell-cycle progressed unhindered, despite treatment with GSK-1070916 or Barasertib, inhibitors with greater potencies for the ATP-binding pocket compared to Hesperadin, which at nanomolar concentrations, severely compromised viability at IC50s 105.9 and 36.4nM for promastigotes and amastigotes, respectively. Cell-cycle and morphological studies implicated their role in both mitosis and cytokinesis. CONCLUSION We identified an Aurora kinase homolog in L. donovani implicated in cell-cycle progression, whose inhibition led to aberrant changes in cell-cycle progression and reduced viability. GENERAL SIGNIFICANCE Human homologs being actively pursued drug targets and the observations with LdAIRK in both promastigotes and amastigotes suggest their potential as therapeutic-targets. Importantly, our results encourage the exploration of other proteins identified herein as potential novel drug targets.
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31
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Amata E, Xi H, Colmenarejo G, Gonzalez-Diaz R, Cordon-Obras C, Berlanga M, Manzano P, Erath J, Roncal NE, Lee PJ, Leed SE, Rodriguez A, Sciotti RJ, Navarro M, Pollastri MP. Identification of "Preferred" Human Kinase Inhibitors for Sleeping Sickness Lead Discovery. Are Some Kinases Better than Others for Inhibitor Repurposing? ACS Infect Dis 2016; 2:180-186. [PMID: 26998514 PMCID: PMC4791575 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.5b00136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2015] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
![]()
A kinase-targeting cell-based high-throughput
screen (HTS) against Trypanosoma brucei was recently reported, and this screening set included the Published
Kinase Inhibitor Set (PKIS). From the PKIS was identified 53 compounds
with pEC50 ≥ 6. Utilizing the published data available
for the PKIS, a statistical analysis of these active antiparasitic
compounds was performed, allowing identification of a set of human
kinases having inhibitors that show a high likelihood for blocking T. brucei cellular proliferation in vitro. This observation
was confirmed by testing other established inhibitors of these human
kinases and by mining past screening campaigns at GlaxoSmithKline.
Overall, although the parasite targets of action are not known, inhibitors
of this set of human kinases displayed an enhanced hit rate relative
to a random kinase-targeting HTS campaign, suggesting that repurposing
efforts should focus primarily on inhibitors of these specific human
kinases. We therefore term this statistical analysis-driven approach “preferred lead repurposing”.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emanuele Amata
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Hualin Xi
- Computational Sciences Center of Emphasis, Pfizer Inc., 610 Main Street, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140, United States
| | - Gonzalo Colmenarejo
- Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus,
DDW and CIB, GlaxoSmithKline, 28760 Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - Rosario Gonzalez-Diaz
- Instituto de Parasitologı́a
y Biomedicina “López-Neyra”, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientı́ficas, 18100 Granada, Spain
| | - Carlos Cordon-Obras
- Instituto de Parasitologı́a
y Biomedicina “López-Neyra”, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientı́ficas, 18100 Granada, Spain
| | - Manuela Berlanga
- Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus,
DDW and CIB, GlaxoSmithKline, 28760 Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - Pilar Manzano
- Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus,
DDW and CIB, GlaxoSmithKline, 28760 Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - Jessey Erath
- Department of Microbiology, Division of
Parasitology, New York University School of Medicine, 341 East
25th Street New York, New
York 10010, United States
| | - Norma E. Roncal
- Experimental
Therapeutics, Walter Reed Army Institute for Research, 2460 Linden
Lane, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, United States
| | - Patricia J. Lee
- Experimental
Therapeutics, Walter Reed Army Institute for Research, 2460 Linden
Lane, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, United States
| | - Susan E. Leed
- Experimental
Therapeutics, Walter Reed Army Institute for Research, 2460 Linden
Lane, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, United States
| | - Ana Rodriguez
- Department of Microbiology, Division of
Parasitology, New York University School of Medicine, 341 East
25th Street New York, New
York 10010, United States
- Anti-Infectives Screening Core, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10010, United States
| | - Richard J. Sciotti
- Experimental
Therapeutics, Walter Reed Army Institute for Research, 2460 Linden
Lane, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, United States
| | - Miguel Navarro
- Instituto de Parasitologı́a
y Biomedicina “López-Neyra”, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientı́ficas, 18100 Granada, Spain
| | - Michael P. Pollastri
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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Long T, Neitz RJ, Beasley R, Kalyanaraman C, Suzuki BM, Jacobson MP, Dissous C, McKerrow JH, Drewry DH, Zuercher WJ, Singh R, Caffrey CR. Structure-Bioactivity Relationship for Benzimidazole Thiophene Inhibitors of Polo-Like Kinase 1 (PLK1), a Potential Drug Target in Schistosoma mansoni. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004356. [PMID: 26751972 PMCID: PMC4709140 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2015] [Accepted: 12/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schistosoma flatworm parasites cause schistosomiasis, a chronic and debilitating disease of poverty in developing countries. Praziquantel is employed for treatment and disease control. However, its efficacy spectrum is incomplete (less active or inactive against immature stages of the parasite) and there is a concern of drug resistance. Thus, there is a need to identify new drugs and drug targets. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We show that RNA interference (RNAi) of the Schistosoma mansoni ortholog of human polo-like kinase (huPLK)1 elicits a deleterious phenotypic alteration in post-infective larvae (schistosomula or somules). Phenotypic screening and analysis of schistosomula and adult S. mansoni with small molecule inhibitors of huPLK1 identified a number of potent anti-schistosomals. Among these was a GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) benzimidazole thiophene inhibitor that has completed Phase I clinical trials for treatment of solid tumor malignancies. We then obtained GSKs Published Kinase Inhibitor Sets (PKIS) 1 and 2, and phenotypically screened an expanded series of 38 benzimidazole thiophene PLK1 inhibitors. Computational analysis of controls and PLK1 inhibitor-treated populations of somules demonstrated a distinctive phenotype distribution. Using principal component analysis (PCA), the phenotypes exhibited by these populations were mapped, visualized and analyzed through projection to a low-dimensional space. The phenotype distribution was found to have a distinct shape and topology, which could be elicited using cluster analysis. A structure-activity relationship (SAR) was identified for the benzimidazole thiophenes that held for both somules and adult parasites. The most potent inhibitors produced marked phenotypic alterations at 1-2 μM within 1 h. Among these were compounds previously characterized as potent inhibitors of huPLK1 in cell assays. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The reverse genetic and chemical SAR data support a continued investigation of SmPLK1 as a possible drug target and/or the prosecution of the benzimidazole thiophene chemotype as a source of novel anti-schistosomals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thavy Long
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - R. Jeffrey Neitz
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Small Molecule Discovery Center, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Rachel Beasley
- Department of Computer Science, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Chakrapani Kalyanaraman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Brian M. Suzuki
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Matthew P. Jacobson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Colette Dissous
- Center of Infection and Immunity of Lille, Université Lille Nord de France, Inserm U1019, CNRS-UMR 8204, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - David H. Drewry
- Department of Chemical Biology, GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - William J. Zuercher
- Department of Chemical Biology, GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Rahul Singh
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Computer Science, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Conor R. Caffrey
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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33
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Devine W, Woodring JL, Swaminathan U, Amata E, Patel G, Erath J, Roncal NE, Lee PJ, Leed SE, Rodriguez A, Mensa-Wilmot K, Sciotti RJ, Pollastri MP. Protozoan Parasite Growth Inhibitors Discovered by Cross-Screening Yield Potent Scaffolds for Lead Discovery. J Med Chem 2015; 58:5522-37. [PMID: 26087257 PMCID: PMC4515785 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b00515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
![]()
Tropical protozoal infections are
a significant cause of morbidity
and mortality worldwide; four in particular (human African trypanosomiasis
(HAT), Chagas disease, cutaneous leishmaniasis, and malaria) have
an estimated combined burden of over 87 million disability-adjusted
life years. New drugs are needed for each of these diseases. Building
on the previous identification of NEU-617 (1) as a potent
and nontoxic inhibitor of proliferation for the HAT pathogen (Trypanosoma brucei), we have now tested this class of analogs
against other protozoal species: T. cruzi (Chagas
disease), Leishmania major (cutaneous leishmaniasis),
and Plasmodium falciparum (malaria). Based on hits
identified in this screening campaign, we describe the preparation
of several replacements for the quinazoline scaffold and report these
inhibitors’ biological activities against these parasites.
In doing this, we have identified several potent proliferation inhibitors
for each pathogen, such as 4-((3-chloro-4-((3-fluorobenzyl)oxy)phenyl)amino)-6-(4-((4-methyl-1,4-diazepan-1-yl)sulfonyl)phenyl)quinoline-3-carbonitrile
(NEU-924, 83) for T. cruzi and N-(3-chloro-4-((3-fluorobenzyl)oxy)phenyl)-7-(4-((4-methyl-1,4-diazepan-1-yl)sulfonyl)phenyl)cinnolin-4-amine
(NEU-1017, 68) for L. major and P. falciparum.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Jessey Erath
- ‡Division of Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, 341 E. 25th St., New York, New York 10010, United States
| | - Norma E Roncal
- §Experimental Therapeutics, Walter Reed Army Institute for Research, 2460 Linden Lane, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, United States
| | - Patricia J Lee
- §Experimental Therapeutics, Walter Reed Army Institute for Research, 2460 Linden Lane, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, United States
| | - Susan E Leed
- §Experimental Therapeutics, Walter Reed Army Institute for Research, 2460 Linden Lane, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, United States
| | - Ana Rodriguez
- ‡Division of Parasitology, Department of Microbiology, New York University School of Medicine, 341 E. 25th St., New York, New York 10010, United States.,⊥Anti-Infectives Screening Core, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York 10010, United States
| | - Kojo Mensa-Wilmot
- ∥Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia 30602, United States
| | - Richard J Sciotti
- §Experimental Therapeutics, Walter Reed Army Institute for Research, 2460 Linden Lane, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910, United States
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Assessing protein kinase target similarity: Comparing sequence, structure, and cheminformatics approaches. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2015; 1854:1605-16. [PMID: 26001898 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2015.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2015] [Revised: 05/08/2015] [Accepted: 05/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In just over two decades, structure based protein kinase inhibitor discovery has grown from trial and error approaches, using individual target structures, to structure and data driven approaches that may aim to optimize inhibition properties across several targets. This is increasingly enabled by the growing availability of potent compounds and kinome-wide binding data. Assessing the prospects for adapting known compounds to new therapeutic uses is thus a key priority for current drug discovery efforts. Tools that can successfully link the diverse information regarding target sequence, structure, and ligand binding properties now accompany a transformation of protein kinase inhibitor research, away from single, block-buster drug models, and toward "personalized medicine" with niche applications and highly specialized research groups. Major hurdles for the transformation to data driven drug discovery include mismatches in data types, and disparities of methods and molecules used; at the core remains the problem that ligand binding energies cannot be predicted precisely from individual structures. However, there is a growing body of experimental data for increasingly successful focussing of efforts: focussed chemical libraries, drug repurposing, polypharmacological design, to name a few. Protein kinase target similarity is easily quantified by sequence, and its relevance to ligand design includes broad classification by key binding sites, evaluation of resistance mutations, and the use of surrogate proteins. Although structural evaluation offers more information, the flexibility of protein kinases, and differences between the crystal and physiological environments may make the use of crystal structures misleading when structures are considered individually. Cheminformatics may enable the "calibration" of sequence and crystal structure information, with statistical methods able to identify key correlates to activity but also here, "the devil is in the details." Examples from specific repurposing and polypharmacology applications illustrate these points. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Inhibitors of Protein Kinases.
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Peña I, Pilar Manzano M, Cantizani J, Kessler A, Alonso-Padilla J, Bardera AI, Alvarez E, Colmenarejo G, Cotillo I, Roquero I, de Dios-Anton F, Barroso V, Rodriguez A, Gray DW, Navarro M, Kumar V, Sherstnev A, Drewry DH, Brown JR, Fiandor JM, Julio Martin J. New compound sets identified from high throughput phenotypic screening against three kinetoplastid parasites: an open resource. Sci Rep 2015; 5:8771. [PMID: 25740547 PMCID: PMC4350103 DOI: 10.1038/srep08771] [Citation(s) in RCA: 181] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/03/2014] [Accepted: 01/28/2015] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Using whole-cell phenotypic assays, the GlaxoSmithKline high-throughput screening (HTS) diversity set of 1.8 million compounds was screened against the three kinetoplastids most relevant to human disease, i.e. Leishmania donovani, Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma brucei. Secondary confirmatory and orthogonal intracellular anti-parasiticidal assays were conducted, and the potential for non-specific cytotoxicity determined. Hit compounds were chemically clustered and triaged for desirable physicochemical properties. The hypothetical biological target space covered by these diversity sets was investigated through bioinformatics methodologies. Consequently, three anti-kinetoplastid chemical boxes of ~200 compounds each were assembled. Functional analyses of these compounds suggest a wide array of potential modes of action against kinetoplastid kinases, proteases and cytochromes as well as potential host–pathogen targets. This is the first published parallel high throughput screening of a pharma compound collection against kinetoplastids. The compound sets are provided as an open resource for future lead discovery programs, and to address important research questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Imanol Peña
- Molecular Discovery Research, Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - M Pilar Manzano
- Diseases of the Developing World (DDW), Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - Juan Cantizani
- Diseases of the Developing World (DDW), Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - Albane Kessler
- Diseases of the Developing World (DDW), Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - Julio Alonso-Padilla
- Department of Microbiology, Division of Parasitology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ana I Bardera
- Molecular Discovery Research, Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - Emilio Alvarez
- Molecular Discovery Research, Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - Gonzalo Colmenarejo
- Molecular Discovery Research, Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - Ignacio Cotillo
- Diseases of the Developing World (DDW), Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - Irene Roquero
- Molecular Discovery Research, Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - Francisco de Dios-Anton
- Molecular Discovery Research, Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - Vanessa Barroso
- Molecular Discovery Research, Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - Ana Rodriguez
- Department of Microbiology, Division of Parasitology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - David W Gray
- Drug Discovery Unit, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Miguel Navarro
- Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina "López-Neyra" Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Cientificas, Granada, Spain
| | - Vinod Kumar
- Computational Biology, Quantitative Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline, Collegeville, PA, USA
| | - Alexander Sherstnev
- Computational Biology, Quantitative Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline, Medicines Research Center, Stevenage, Hertfordshire, UK
| | - David H Drewry
- Chemical Sciences, Molecular Discovery Research, GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, NC, USA
| | - James R Brown
- Computational Biology, Quantitative Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline, Collegeville, PA, USA
| | - Jose M Fiandor
- Diseases of the Developing World (DDW), Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - J Julio Martin
- Molecular Discovery Research, Tres Cantos Medicines Development Campus, GlaxoSmithKline, Tres Cantos, Spain
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Woodring JL, Patel G, Erath J, Behera R, Lee PJ, Leed SE, Rodriguez A, Sciotti RJ, Mensa-Wilmot K, Pollastri MP. EVALUATION OF AROMATIC 6-SUBSTITUTED THIENOPYRIMIDINES AS SCAFFOLDS AGAINST PARASITES THAT CAUSE TRYPANOSOMIASIS, LEISHMANIASIS, AND MALARIA. MEDCHEMCOMM 2015; 6:339-346. [PMID: 25685309 DOI: 10.1039/c4md00441h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Target repurposing is a proven method for finding new lead compounds that target Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of human African trypanosomiasis. Due to the recent discovery of a lapatinib-derived analog 2 with excellent potency against T. brucei (EC50 = 42 nM) and selectivity over human host cells, we have explored other classes of human tyrosine kinase inhibitor scaffolds in order to expand the range of chemotypes for pursuit. Following library expansion, we found compound 11e to have an EC50 of 84 nM against T. brucei cells while maintaining selectivity over human hepatocytes. In addition, the library was tested against causative agents of Chagas' disease, leishmaniasis, and malaria. Two analogs with sub-micromolar potencies for T. cruzi (4j) and Plasmodium falciparum (11j) were discovered, along with an analog with considerable potency against Leishmania major amastigotes (4e). Besides identifying new and potent protozoan growth inhibitors, these data highlight the value of concurrent screening of a chemical library against different protozoan parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Woodring
- Northeastern University Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 USA. Tel: 617-373-2703
| | - Gautam Patel
- Northeastern University Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 USA. Tel: 617-373-2703
| | - Jessey Erath
- New York University School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Division of Parasitology, 341 E. 25 St. New York, NY 10010 USA
| | - Ranjan Behera
- University of Georgia, Department of Cellular Biology, Athens, GA 30602 USA
| | - Patricia J Lee
- Experimental Therapeutics, Walter Reed Army Institute for Research,2460 Linden Lane, Silver Spring, MD 20910 USA
| | - Susan E Leed
- Experimental Therapeutics, Walter Reed Army Institute for Research,2460 Linden Lane, Silver Spring, MD 20910 USA
| | - Ana Rodriguez
- New York University School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, Division of Parasitology, 341 E. 25 St. New York, NY 10010 USA ; Anti-Infectives Screening Core, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10010 USA
| | - Richard J Sciotti
- Experimental Therapeutics, Walter Reed Army Institute for Research,2460 Linden Lane, Silver Spring, MD 20910 USA
| | - Kojo Mensa-Wilmot
- University of Georgia, Department of Cellular Biology, Athens, GA 30602 USA
| | - Michael P Pollastri
- Northeastern University Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 USA. Tel: 617-373-2703
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Merritt C, Silva L, Tanner AL, Stuart K, Pollastri MP. Kinases as druggable targets in trypanosomatid protozoan parasites. Chem Rev 2014; 114:11280-304. [PMID: 26443079 PMCID: PMC4254031 DOI: 10.1021/cr500197d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/07/2014] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Merritt
- Seattle
Biomedical Research Institute, 307 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 500, Seattle, Washington 98109-5219, United States
| | - Lisseth
E. Silva
- Department
of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, 417 Egan
Research Center, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Angela L. Tanner
- Department
of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, 417 Egan
Research Center, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Kenneth Stuart
- Seattle
Biomedical Research Institute, 307 Westlake Avenue North, Suite 500, Seattle, Washington 98109-5219, United States
| | - Michael P. Pollastri
- Department
of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Northeastern
University, 417 Egan
Research Center, 360 Huntington Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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