1
|
Xie Z, Ruan W, Guo J, Li Y, Zhou S, Zhao J, Wan L, Xu S, Tang Q, Zheng P, Wang L, Zhu W. T5S1607 identified as a antibacterial FtsZ inhibitor:Virtual screening combined with bioactivity evaluation for the drug discovery. Comput Biol Chem 2024; 108:108006. [PMID: 38142532 DOI: 10.1016/j.compbiolchem.2023.108006] [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: 09/28/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Due to antibiotic overuse, many bacteria have developed resistance, creating an urgent need for novel antimicrobial agents. It has been established that the filamentous temperature-sensitive mutant Z (FtsZ) of the bacterial cell division protein is an effective and promising antibacterial target. In this study, the optimal proteins were assessed by early recognition ability and the processed compound libraries were virtually screened using Vina. This effort resulted in the identification of 14 potentially active antimicrobial compounds. Among them, the compound T5S1607 demonstrated remarkable antibacterial efficacy against Bacillus subtilis ATCC9732 (MIC = 1 μg/mL) and Staphylococcus aureus ATC5C6538 (MIC = 4 μg/mL). Furthermore, in vitro experiments demonstrated that the selected compound T5S1607 rapidly killed bacteria and induced FtsZ protein aggregation, preventing bacterial division and leading to bacterial death. Additionally, cell toxicity and hemolysis experiments indicate that compound T5S1607 exhibits minimal toxicity to LO2 cells and shows no significant hemolytic effects on mammalian cells in vitro at the MIC concentration range. All the results indicate that compound T5S1607 is a promising antibacterial agent and a potential FtsZ inhibitor. In conclusion, this work successfully discovered FtsZ inhibitors with good activity through the virtual screening drug discovery process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zhouling Xie
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330013, China
| | - Wei Ruan
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330013, China
| | - Jiaojiao Guo
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330013, China
| | - Yan Li
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330013, China
| | - Siqi Zhou
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330013, China
| | - Jing Zhao
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330013, China
| | - Li Wan
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330013, China
| | - Shan Xu
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330013, China
| | - Qidong Tang
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330013, China
| | - Pengwu Zheng
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330013, China
| | - Linxiao Wang
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330013, China.
| | - Wufu Zhu
- Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Jiangxi Science & Technology Normal University, Nanchang, Jiangxi 330013, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Zhidkov ME, Sidorova MA, Smirnova PA, Tryapkin OA, Kachanov AV, Kantemirov AV, Dezhenkova LG, Grammatikova NE, Isakova EB, Shchekotikhin AE, Pak MA, Styshova ON, Klimovich AA, Popov AM. Comparative Evaluation of the Antibacterial and Antitumor Activities of 9-Phenylfascaplysin and Its Analogs. Mar Drugs 2024; 22:53. [PMID: 38393024 PMCID: PMC10890213 DOI: 10.3390/md22020053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Based on the results of our own preliminary studies, the derivative of the marine alkaloid fascaplysin containing a phenyl substituent at C-9 was selected to evaluate the therapeutic potential in vivo and in vitro. It was shown that this compound has outstandingly high antimicrobial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, including antibiotic-resistant strains in vitro. The presence of a substituent at C-9 of the framework is of fundamental importance, since its replacement to neighboring positions leads to a sharp decrease in the selectivity of the antibacterial action, which indicates the presence of a specific therapeutic target in bacterial cells. On a model of the acute bacterial sepsis in mice, it was shown that the lead compound was more effective than the reference antibiotic vancomycin seven out of nine times. However, ED50 value for 9-phenylfascaplysin (7) was similar for the unsubstituted fascaplysin (1) in vivo, despite the former being significantly more active than the latter in vitro. Similarly, assessments of the anticancer activity of compound 7 against various variants of Ehrlich carcinoma in mice demonstrated its substantial efficacy. To conduct a structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis and searches of new candidate compounds, we synthesized a series of analogs of 9-phenylfascaplysin with varying aryl substituents. However, these modifications led to the reduced aqueous solubility of fascaplysin derivatives or caused a loss of their antibacterial activity. As a result, further research is required to explore new avenues for enhancing its pharmacokinetic characteristics, the modification of the heterocyclic framework, and optimizing of treatment regimens to harness the remarkable antimicrobial potential of fascaplysin for practical usage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maxim E. Zhidkov
- Department of Chemistry and Materials, Institute of High Technologies and Advanced Materials, FEFU Campus, Far Eastern Federal University, Ajax Bay 10, Russky Island, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Maria A. Sidorova
- Department of Chemistry and Materials, Institute of High Technologies and Advanced Materials, FEFU Campus, Far Eastern Federal University, Ajax Bay 10, Russky Island, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Polina A. Smirnova
- Department of Chemistry and Materials, Institute of High Technologies and Advanced Materials, FEFU Campus, Far Eastern Federal University, Ajax Bay 10, Russky Island, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Oleg A. Tryapkin
- Department of Chemistry and Materials, Institute of High Technologies and Advanced Materials, FEFU Campus, Far Eastern Federal University, Ajax Bay 10, Russky Island, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Andrey V. Kachanov
- Department of Chemistry and Materials, Institute of High Technologies and Advanced Materials, FEFU Campus, Far Eastern Federal University, Ajax Bay 10, Russky Island, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Alexey V. Kantemirov
- Department of Chemistry and Materials, Institute of High Technologies and Advanced Materials, FEFU Campus, Far Eastern Federal University, Ajax Bay 10, Russky Island, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Lyubov G. Dezhenkova
- Laboratory of Chemical Transformation of Antibiotics, Gause Institute of New Antibiotics, 119021 Moscow, Russia
| | - Natalia E. Grammatikova
- Laboratory of Chemical Transformation of Antibiotics, Gause Institute of New Antibiotics, 119021 Moscow, Russia
| | - Elena B. Isakova
- Laboratory of Chemical Transformation of Antibiotics, Gause Institute of New Antibiotics, 119021 Moscow, Russia
| | - Andrey E. Shchekotikhin
- Laboratory of Chemical Transformation of Antibiotics, Gause Institute of New Antibiotics, 119021 Moscow, Russia
| | - Marina A. Pak
- Department of Chemistry and Materials, Institute of High Technologies and Advanced Materials, FEFU Campus, Far Eastern Federal University, Ajax Bay 10, Russky Island, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia
| | - Olga N. Styshova
- Departments of Biotechnology and Marine Natural Compounds Chemistry, G.B. Elyakov Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Far Eastern Branch of The Russian Academy of Sciences, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia (A.A.K.)
| | - Anna A. Klimovich
- Departments of Biotechnology and Marine Natural Compounds Chemistry, G.B. Elyakov Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Far Eastern Branch of The Russian Academy of Sciences, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia (A.A.K.)
| | - Aleksandr M. Popov
- Departments of Biotechnology and Marine Natural Compounds Chemistry, G.B. Elyakov Pacific Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry, Far Eastern Branch of The Russian Academy of Sciences, 690922 Vladivostok, Russia (A.A.K.)
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Theuretzbacher U, Blasco B, Duffey M, Piddock LJV. Unrealized targets in the discovery of antibiotics for Gram-negative bacterial infections. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:957-975. [PMID: 37833553 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00791-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023]
Abstract
Advances in areas that include genomics, systems biology, protein structure determination and artificial intelligence provide new opportunities for target-based antibacterial drug discovery. The selection of a 'good' new target for direct-acting antibacterial compounds is the first decision, for which multiple criteria must be explored, integrated and re-evaluated as drug discovery programmes progress. Criteria include essentiality of the target for bacterial survival, its conservation across different strains of the same species, bacterial species and growth conditions (which determines the spectrum of activity of a potential antibiotic) and the level of homology with human genes (which influences the potential for selective inhibition). Additionally, a bacterial target should have the potential to bind to drug-like molecules, and its subcellular location will govern the need for inhibitors to penetrate one or two bacterial membranes, which is a key challenge in targeting Gram-negative bacteria. The risk of the emergence of target-based drug resistance for drugs with single targets also requires consideration. This Review describes promising but as-yet-unrealized targets for antibacterial drugs against Gram-negative bacteria and examples of cognate inhibitors, and highlights lessons learned from past drug discovery programmes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Benjamin Blasco
- Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Maëlle Duffey
- Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP), Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Laura J V Piddock
- Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP), Geneva, Switzerland.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Konaklieva MI, Plotkin BJ. Utilization of Existing Human Kinase Inhibitors as Scaffolds in the Development of New Antimicrobials. Antibiotics (Basel) 2023; 12:1418. [PMID: 37760715 PMCID: PMC10525673 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics12091418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 09/03/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The prevalence and continuing expansion of drug resistance, both in clinical and community settings represents a major challenge for current antimicrobial therapy. The different approaches for addressing this challenge include (1) identification of novel antibacterials by repurposing of existing drugs originally that historically target host proteins; and (2) effect target switching through modification of existing antimicrobials. The focus of this manuscript is on these drug discovery strategies, with utility for development of new antimicrobials with different modes of action.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Balbina J. Plotkin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Midwestern University, Downers Grove, IL 60515, USA;
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Travis S, Green KD, Thamban Chandrika N, Pang AH, Frantom PA, Tsodikov OV, Garneau-Tsodikova S, Thompson MK. Identification and analysis of small molecule inhibitors of FosB from Staphylococcus aureus. RSC Med Chem 2023; 14:947-956. [PMID: 37252104 PMCID: PMC10211316 DOI: 10.1039/d3md00113j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/19/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a significant threat to human health around the world. Though bacterial pathogens can develop resistance through a variety of mechanisms, one of the most prevalent is the production of antibiotic-modifying enzymes like FosB, a Mn2+-dependent l-cysteine or bacillithiol (BSH) transferase that inactivates the antibiotic fosfomycin. FosB enzymes are found in pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus, one of the leading pathogens in deaths associated with AMR. fosB gene knockout experiments establish FosB as an attractive drug target, showing that the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of fosfomycin is greatly reduced upon removal of the enzyme. Herein, we have identified eight potential inhibitors of the FosB enzyme from S. aureus by applying high-throughput in silico screening of the ZINC15 database with structural similarity to phosphonoformate, a known FosB inhibitor. In addition, we have obtained crystal structures of FosB complexes to each compound. Furthermore, we have kinetically characterized the compounds with respect to inhibition of FosB. Finally, we have performed synergy assays to determine if any of the new compounds lower the MIC of fosfomycin in S. aureus. Our results will inform future studies on inhibitor design for the FosB enzymes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Skye Travis
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, The University of Alabama Box 870336, 250 Hackberry Lane Tuscaloosa AL 35487 USA +(205) 348 8439
| | - Keith D Green
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky 789 South Limestone St. Lexington KY 40536 USA
| | - Nishad Thamban Chandrika
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky 789 South Limestone St. Lexington KY 40536 USA
| | - Allan H Pang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky 789 South Limestone St. Lexington KY 40536 USA
| | - Patrick A Frantom
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, The University of Alabama Box 870336, 250 Hackberry Lane Tuscaloosa AL 35487 USA +(205) 348 8439
| | - Oleg V Tsodikov
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky 789 South Limestone St. Lexington KY 40536 USA
| | - Sylvie Garneau-Tsodikova
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky 789 South Limestone St. Lexington KY 40536 USA
| | - Matthew K Thompson
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, The University of Alabama Box 870336, 250 Hackberry Lane Tuscaloosa AL 35487 USA +(205) 348 8439
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Qiu H, Zhao X, Jiang Y, Liang W, Wang W, Jiang X, Jiang M, Wang X, Cui W, Li Y, Tang K, Zhang T, Zhao L, Liang H. Design and synthesis of fascaplysin derivatives as inhibitors of FtsZ with potent antibacterial activity and mechanistic study. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 254:115348. [PMID: 37060755 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
The increase in antibiotic resistance has made it particularly urgent to develop new antibiotics with novel antibacterial mechanisms. Inhibition of bacterial cell division by disrupting filamentous temperature-sensitive mutant Z (FtsZ) function is an effective and promising approach. A series of novel fascaplysin derivatives with tunable hydrophobicity were designed and synthesized here. The in vitro bioactivity assessment revealed that these compounds could inhibit the tested Gram-positive bacteria including methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) (MIC = 0.049-25 μg/mL), B. subtilis (MIC = 0.024-12.5 μg/mL) and S. pneumoniae (MIC = 0.049-50 μg/mL). Among them, compounds B3 (MIC = 0.098 μg/mL), B6 (MIC = 0.098 μg/mL), B8 (MIC = 0.049 μg/mL) and B16 (MIC = 0.098 μg/mL) showed the best bactericidal activities against MRSA and no significant tendency to trigger bacterial resistance as well as rapid bactericidal properties. The cell surface integrity of bacteria was significantly disrupted by hydrophobic tails of fascaplysin derivatives. Further studies revealed that these highly active amphiphilic compounds showed low hemolytic activity and cytotoxicity to mammalian cells. Preliminary mechanistic exploration suggests that B3, B6, B8 and B16 are potent FtsZ inhibitors to promote FtsZ polymerization and inhibit GTPase activity of FtsZ, leading to the death of bacterial cells by inhibiting bacterial division. Molecular docking simulations and structure-activity relationship (SAR) study reveal that appropriate increase in the hydrophobicity of fascaplysin derivatives and the addition of additional hydrogen bonds facilitated their binding to FtsZ proteins. These amphiphilic fascaplysin derivatives could serve as a novel class of FtsZ inhibitors, which not only gives new prospects for the application of compounds containing this skeleton but also provides new ideas for the discovery of new antibiotics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hongda Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Analysis of Zhejiang Province, School of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Xing Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Analysis of Zhejiang Province, School of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Yinli Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Analysis of Zhejiang Province, School of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Weida Liang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Analysis of Zhejiang Province, School of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Weile Wang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Analysis of Zhejiang Province, School of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Xingyao Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Analysis of Zhejiang Province, School of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Mengying Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Analysis of Zhejiang Province, School of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Xiao Wang
- School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.
| | - Wei Cui
- School of Medicine, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Yang Li
- Institute of Drug Discovery Technology, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Keqi Tang
- Institute of Mass Spectrometry, School of Materials Science & Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science & Institute of Laser Life Science, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Laser Life Science, and College of Biophotonics, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, 510631, China
| | - Lingling Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Analysis of Zhejiang Province, School of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China
| | - Hongze Liang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Mass Spectrometry and Molecular Analysis of Zhejiang Province, School of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering, Ningbo University, Ningbo, 315211, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
A Comparative Study of the Inhibitory Action of Berberine Derivatives on the Recombinant Protein FtsZ of E. coli. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065674. [PMID: 36982749 PMCID: PMC10057996 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2023] [Revised: 02/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Medicinal plants belonging to the genus Berberis may be considered an interesting source of drugs to counteract the problem of antimicrobial multiresistance. The important properties associated with this genus are mainly due to the presence of berberine, an alkaloid with a benzyltetrahydroisoquinoline structure. Berberine is active against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria, influencing DNA duplication, RNA transcription, protein synthesis, and the integrity of the cell surface structure. Countless studies have shown the enhancement of these beneficial effects following the synthesis of different berberine analogues. Recently, a possible interaction between berberine derivatives and the FtsZ protein was predicted through molecular docking simulations. FtsZ is a highly conserved protein essential for the first step of cell division in bacteria. The importance of FtsZ for the growth of numerous bacterial species and its high conservation make it a perfect candidate for the development of broad-spectrum inhibitors. In this work, we investigate the inhibition mechanisms of the recombinant FtsZ of Escherichia coli by different N-arylmethyl benzodioxolethylamines as berberine simplified analogues appropriately designed to evaluate the effect of structural changes on the interaction with the enzyme. All the compounds determine the inhibition of FtsZ GTPase activity by different mechanisms. The tertiary amine 1c proved to be the best competitive inhibitor, as it causes a remarkable increase in FtsZ Km (at 40 μM) and a drastic reduction in its assembly capabilities. Moreover, a fluorescence spectroscopic analysis carried out on 1c demonstrated its strong interaction with FtsZ (Kd = 26.6 nM). The in vitro results were in agreement with docking simulation studies.
Collapse
|
8
|
In-silico investigation and drug likeliness studies of benzimidazole congeners: The new face of innovation. INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE UNLOCKED 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.imu.2023.101213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/18/2023] Open
|
9
|
Zhong DX, She MT, Guo XC, Zheng BX, Huang XH, Zhang YH, Ser HL, Wong WL, Sun N, Lu YJ. Design and synthesis of quinolinium-based derivatives targeting FtsZ for antibacterial evaluation and mechanistic study. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 236:114360. [PMID: 35421657 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114360] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2022] [Revised: 04/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The discovery of small molecular inhibitors targeting essential and conserved bacterial drug targets such as FtsZ protein is a promising approach to fight against multi-drug resistant bacteria. In the present study, two new series of FtsZ inhibitors based on a 1-methylquinolinium scaffold were synthesized. The inhibitors possess a variety of substituent groups including the cyclic or linear amine skeleton at the 2- and 4-position of the quinolinium ring for structure-activity relationship study. In general, the inhibitors bearing a cyclic amine substituent at the 4-position of the quinolinium ring showed better antibacterial activity (MIC down to 0.25 μg/mL) than that at the 2-position, especially against Gram-positive bacteria. Among the twenty FtsZ inhibitors examined in various assays, A3 was identified to exhibit excellent antibacterial activity against S. aureus (MIC = 0.5-1 μg/mL), S. epidermidis (MIC = 0.25 μg/mL) and E. faecium (MIC = 1-8 μg/mL). More importantly, A3 showed low hemolytic toxicity (IC5 = 64 μg/mL) and was found not readily to induce drug resistance. A3 at 2-8 μg/mL promoted the polymerization of FtsZ and interrupted the bacterial division. Furthermore, the ligand-FtsZ interaction study conducted with circular dichroism and molecular docking revealed that A3 induced secondary structure changes of FtsZ protein upon binding to the interdomain cleft of the protein. A3 is thus a potent inhibitor of FtsZ and shows potential to be used as a new antibacterial agent against drug-resistant bacteria.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Dong-Xiao Zhong
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | - Meng-Ting She
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | - Xiao-Chun Guo
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | - Bo-Xin Zheng
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | - Xuan-He Huang
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | - Yi-Han Zhang
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | - Hooi-Leng Ser
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China
| | - Wing-Leung Wong
- The State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China.
| | - Ning Sun
- The State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Department of Applied Biology and Chemical Technology, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon, Hong Kong, China; Guangzhou First People's Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510180, PR China.
| | - Yu-Jing Lu
- School of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou, 510006, PR China; Engineering Research Academy of High Value Utilization of Green Plants, Meizhou, 514021, PR China; Golden Health (Guangdong) Biotechnology Co., Ltd, Foshan, 28225, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|