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Nielsen AL, Bognar Z, Mothukuri GK, Zarda A, Schüttel M, Merz ML, Ji X, Will EJ, Chinellato M, Bartling CRO, Strømgaard K, Cendron L, Angelini A, Heinis C. Large Libraries of Structurally Diverse Macrocycles Suitable for Membrane Permeation. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202400350. [PMID: 38602024 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202400350] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 04/09/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Macrocycles offer an attractive format for drug development due to their good binding properties and potential to cross cell membranes. To efficiently identify macrocyclic ligands for new targets, methods for the synthesis and screening of large combinatorial libraries of small cyclic peptides were developed, many of them using thiol groups for efficient peptide macrocyclization. However, a weakness of these libraries is that invariant thiol-containing building blocks such as cysteine are used, resulting in a region that does not contribute to library diversity but increases molecule size. Herein, we synthesized a series of structurally diverse thiol-containing elements and used them for the combinatorial synthesis of a 2,688-member library of small, structurally diverse peptidic macrocycles with unprecedented skeletal complexity. We then used this library to discover potent thrombin and plasma kallikrein inhibitors, some also demonstrating favorable membrane permeability. X-ray structure analysis of macrocycle-target complexes showed that the size and shape of the newly developed thiol elements are key for binding. The strategy and library format presented in this work significantly enhance structural diversity by allowing combinatorial modifications to a previously invariant region of peptide macrocycles, which may be broadly applied in the development of membrane permeable therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander L Nielsen
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Zsolt Bognar
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Ganesh K Mothukuri
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anne Zarda
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Mischa Schüttel
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Manuel L Merz
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Xinjian Ji
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Edward J Will
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Christian R O Bartling
- Center for Biopharmaceuticals and Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kristian Strømgaard
- Center for Biopharmaceuticals and Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Jagtvej 162, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Laura Cendron
- Department of Biology, University of Padova, 35131, Padova, Italy
| | - Alessandro Angelini
- Department of Molecular Sciences and Nanosystems, Ca' Foscari University of Venice, Via Torino 155, Venezia Mestre, Venice, 30172, Italy
- European Centre for Living Technologies (ECLT), Ca' Bottacin, Dorsoduro 3911, Calle Crosera, Venice, 30124, Italy
| | - Christian Heinis
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Engineering, School of Basic Sciences, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015, Lausanne, Switzerland
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2
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Transformation of a Metal Chelate into a "Catch and Anchor" Inhibitor of Botulinum A Protease. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24054303. [PMID: 36901734 PMCID: PMC10001950 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24054303] [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: 01/28/2023] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeting the botulinum neurotoxin light chain (LC) metalloprotease using small-molecule metal chelate inhibitors is a promising approach to counter the effects of the lethal toxin. However, to overcome the pitfalls associated with simple reversible metal chelate inhibitors, it is crucial to investigate alternative scaffolds/strategies. In conjunction with Atomwise Inc., in silico and in vitro screenings were conducted, yielding a number of leads, including a novel 9-hydroxy-4H-pyrido [1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-one (PPO) scaffold. From this structure, an additional series of 43 derivatives were synthesized and tested, resulting in a lead candidate with a Ki of 150 nM in a BoNT/A LC enzyme assay and 17 µM in a motor neuron cell-based assay. These data combined with structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis and docking led to a bifunctional design strategy, which we termed "catch and anchor" for the covalent inhibition of BoNT/A LC. Kinetic evaluation was conducted on structures prepared from this catch and anchor campaign, providing kinact/Ki values, and rationale for inhibition seen. Covalent modification was validated through additional assays, including an FRET endpoint assay, mass spectrometry, and exhaustive enzyme dialysis. The data presented support the PPO scaffold as a novel candidate for targeted covalent inhibition of BoNT/A LC.
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Turner LD, Nielsen AL, Lin L, Pellett S, Sugane T, Olson ME, Johnson EA, Janda KD. Irreversible inhibition of BoNT/A protease: proximity-driven reactivity contingent upon a bifunctional approach. RSC Med Chem 2021; 12:960-969. [PMID: 34223161 PMCID: PMC8221255 DOI: 10.1039/d1md00089f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT/A) is categorized as a Tier 1 bioterrorism agent and persists within muscle neurons for months, causing paralysis. A readily available treatment that abrogates BoNT/A's toxicity and longevity is a necessity in the event of a widespread BoNT/A attack and for clinical treatment of botulism, yet remains an unmet need. Herein, we describe a comprehensive warhead screening campaign of bifunctional hydroxamate-based inhibitors for the irreversible inhibition of the BoNT/A light chain (LC). Using the 2,4-dichlorocinnamic hydroxamic acid (DCHA) metal-binding pharmacophore modified with a pendent warhead, a total of 37 compounds, possessing 13 distinct warhead types, were synthesized and evaluated for time-dependent inhibition against the BoNT/A LC. Iodoacetamides, maleimides, and an epoxide were found to exhibit time-dependent inhibition and their k GSH measured as a description of reactivity. The epoxide exhibited superior time-dependent inhibition over the iodoacetamides, despite reacting with glutathione (GSH) 51-fold slower. The proximity-driven covalent bond achieved with the epoxide inhibitor was contingent upon the vital hydroxamate-Zn2+ anchor in placing the warhead in an optimal position for reaction with Cys165. Monofunctional control compounds exemplified the necessity of the bifunctional approach, and Cys165 modification was confirmed through high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) and ablation of time-dependent inhibitory activity against a C165A variant. Compounds were also evaluated against BoNT/A-intoxicated motor neuron cells, and their cell toxicity, serum stability, and selectivity against matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) were characterized. The bifunctional approach allows the use of less intrinsically reactive electrophiles to intercept Cys165, thus expanding the toolbox of potential warheads for selective irreversible BoNT/A LC inhibition. We envision that this dual-targeted strategy is amenable to other metalloproteases that also possess non-catalytic cysteines proximal to the active-site metal center.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lewis D Turner
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), Scripps Research 10550 N Torrey Pines Road La Jolla CA 92037 USA
| | - Alexander L Nielsen
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), Scripps Research 10550 N Torrey Pines Road La Jolla CA 92037 USA
- Center for Biopharmaceuticals & Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen Universitetsparken 2 DK-2100 Copenhagen Denmark
| | - Lucy Lin
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), Scripps Research 10550 N Torrey Pines Road La Jolla CA 92037 USA
| | - Sabine Pellett
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin 1550 Linden Drive Madison WI 53706 USA
| | - Takashi Sugane
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), Scripps Research 10550 N Torrey Pines Road La Jolla CA 92037 USA
| | - Margaret E Olson
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), Scripps Research 10550 N Torrey Pines Road La Jolla CA 92037 USA
- College of Pharmacy, Roosevelt University Schaumburg IL 60173 USA
| | - Eric A Johnson
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin 1550 Linden Drive Madison WI 53706 USA
| | - Kim D Janda
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), Scripps Research 10550 N Torrey Pines Road La Jolla CA 92037 USA
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Lin L, Olson ME, Sugane T, Turner LD, Tararina MA, Nielsen AL, Kurbanov EK, Pellett S, Johnson EA, Cohen SM, Allen KN, Janda KD. Catch and Anchor Approach To Combat Both Toxicity and Longevity of Botulinum Toxin A. J Med Chem 2020; 63:11100-11120. [PMID: 32886509 PMCID: PMC7581224 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Botulinum neurotoxins have remarkable persistence (∼weeks to months in cells), outlasting the small-molecule inhibitors designed to target them. To address this disconnect, inhibitors bearing two pharmacophores-a zinc binding group and a Cys-reactive warhead-were designed to leverage both affinity and reactivity. A series of first-generation bifunctional inhibitors was achieved through structure-based inhibitor design. Through X-ray crystallography, engagement of both the catalytic Zn2+ and Cys165 was confirmed. A second-generation series improved on affinity by incorporating known reversible inhibitor pharmacophores; the mechanism was confirmed by exhaustive dialysis, mass spectrometry, and in vitro evaluation against the C165S mutant. Finally, a third-generation inhibitor was shown to have good cellular activity and low toxicity. In addition to our findings, an alternative method of modeling time-dependent inhibition that simplifies assay setup and allows comparison of inhibition models is discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucy Lin
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), Scripps Research, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Margaret E. Olson
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), Scripps Research, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Takashi Sugane
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), Scripps Research, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Lewis D. Turner
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), Scripps Research, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Margarita A. Tararina
- Program in Biomolecular Pharmacology, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02118, United States
| | - Alexander L. Nielsen
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), Scripps Research, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Elbek K. Kurbanov
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Sabine Pellett
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Eric A. Johnson
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Seth M. Cohen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Karen N. Allen
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Kim D. Janda
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), Scripps Research, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
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5
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Garland M, Babin BM, Miyashita SI, Loscher S, Shen Y, Dong M, Bogyo M. Covalent Modifiers of Botulinum Neurotoxin Counteract Toxin Persistence. ACS Chem Biol 2019; 14:76-87. [PMID: 30571080 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.8b00937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are the most potent toxins known to man and a significant threat as weapons of bioterrorism. BoNTs contain a metalloprotease domain that blocks neurotransmitter release in nerve terminals, resulting in a descending, flaccid paralysis with a 5-10% mortality rate. Existing treatment options cannot access or neutralize the toxin following its endocytosis, so there is a clear need to develop novel therapies. Numerous substrate-based and zinc-chelating small-molecule inhibitors have been reported; however, none have progressed to the clinic. This is likely due to the difficulty that reversible inhibitors have in achieving sustained inhibition of the toxin, which has a half-life of months in vivo. An alternative strategy for mitigating BoNT persistence is covalent, irreversible inhibition of toxin function. However, few examples of covalent BoNT inhibitors have been reported. Here, we describe a competition-based screen to identify covalent modifiers of the conserved active-site-adjacent cysteine C165 in the BoNT/A serotype. We found that compounds containing cysteine-reactive electrophiles designed to target cysteine proteases failed to bind C165 while selenide compounds were efficient covalent binders of this cysteine. Importantly, covalent modification at C165 resulted in sustained, irreversible inhibition of BoNT/A protease activity. Covalent selenide inhibitors were nontoxic and protective in a neuronal assay of intoxication, making them promising new scaffolds for the study of the BoNT/A toxin as well as for the design of novel therapy agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Garland
- Cancer Biology Program, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | | | - Shin-Ichiro Miyashita
- Department of Urology, Boston Children’s Hospital,
and Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Department of Surgery,
Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | | | - Yi Shen
- Department of Urology, Boston Children’s Hospital,
and Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Department of Surgery,
Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Min Dong
- Department of Urology, Boston Children’s Hospital,
and Department of Microbiology and Immunobiology, Department of Surgery,
Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
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6
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Feltrup TM, Patel K, Kumar R, Cai S, Singh BR. A novel role of C-terminus in introducing a functionally flexible structure critical for the biological activity of botulinum neurotoxin. Sci Rep 2018; 8:8884. [PMID: 29891845 PMCID: PMC5995822 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-26764-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2017] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) is responsible for botulism, a clinical condition resulting in flaccid muscle paralysis and potentially death. The light chain is responsible for its intracellular toxicity through its endopeptidase activity. Available crystal structures of BoNT/A light chains (LCA) are based on various truncated versions (tLCA) of the full-length LCA (fLCA) and do not necessarily reflect the true structure of LCA in solution. The understanding of the mechanism of action, longevity of intoxication, and an improved development of endopeptidase inhibitors are dependent on first having a better insight into the structure of LCA in solution. Using an array of biophysical techniques, we report that the fLCA structure is significantly more flexible than tLCA in solution, which may be responsible for its dramatically higher enzymatic activity. This seems to be achieved by a much stronger, more rapid binding to substrate (SNAP-25) of the fLCA compared to tLCA. These results suggest that the C-terminus of LCA plays a critical role in introducing a flexible structure, which is essential for its biological function. This is the first report of such a massive structural role of the C-terminus of a protein being critical for maintaining a functional state.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas M Feltrup
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, MA, 02747, USA
| | - Kruti Patel
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, MA, 02747, USA
| | - Raj Kumar
- Botulinum Research Center, Institute of Advanced Sciences, North Dartmouth, MA, 02747, USA
| | - Shuowei Cai
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, North Dartmouth, MA, 02747, USA
| | - Bal Ram Singh
- Botulinum Research Center, Institute of Advanced Sciences, North Dartmouth, MA, 02747, USA.
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7
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Bremer PT, Pellett S, Carolan JP, Tepp WH, Eubanks LM, Allen KN, Johnson EA, Janda KD. Metal Ions Effectively Ablate the Action of Botulinum Neurotoxin A. J Am Chem Soc 2017; 139:7264-7272. [PMID: 28475321 PMCID: PMC5612488 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.7b01084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNT/A) causes a debilitating and potentially fatal illness known as botulism. The toxin is also a bioterrorism threat, yet no pharmacological antagonist to counteract its effects has reached clinical approval. Existing strategies to negate BoNT/A intoxication have looked to antibodies, peptides, or organic small molecules as potential therapeutics. In this work, a departure from the traditional drug discovery mindset was pursued, in which the enzyme's susceptibility to metal ions was exploited. A screen of a series of metal salts showed marked inhibitory activity of group 11 and 12 metals against the BoNT/A light chain (LC) protease. Enzyme kinetics revealed that copper (I) and (II) cations displayed noncompetitive inhibition of the LC (Ki ≈ 1 μM), while mercury (II) cations were 10-fold more potent. Crystallographic and mutagenesis studies elucidated a key binding interaction between Cys165 on BoNT/A LC and the inhibitory metals. As potential copper prodrugs, ligand-copper complexes were examined in a cell-based model and were found to prevent BoNT/A cleavage of the endogenous protein substrate, SNAP-25, even at low μM concentrations of complexes. Further investigation of the complexes suggested a bioreductive mechanism causing intracellular release of copper, which directly inhibited the BoNT/A protease. In vivo experiments demonstrated that copper (II) dithiocarbamate and bis(thiosemicarbazone) complexes could delay BoNT/A-mediated lethality in a rodent model, indicating their potential for treating the harmful effects of BoNT/A intoxication. Our studies illustrate that metals can be therapeutically viable enzyme inhibitors; moreover, enzymes that share homology with BoNT LCs may be similarly targeted with metals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul T. Bremer
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Sabine Pellett
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - James P. Carolan
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - William H. Tepp
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - Lisa M. Eubanks
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Karen N. Allen
- Department of Chemistry, Boston University, 590 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Eric A. Johnson
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin, 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, USA
| | - Kim D. Janda
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, Worm Institute of Research and Medicine (WIRM), The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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8
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan Garland
- Cancer
Biology Program, ‡Department of Pathology, §Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and ∥Department of
Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Sebastian Loscher
- Cancer
Biology Program, ‡Department of Pathology, §Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and ∥Department of
Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Matthew Bogyo
- Cancer
Biology Program, ‡Department of Pathology, §Department of Microbiology and Immunology, and ∥Department of
Chemical and Systems Biology, Stanford University School of Medicine, 300 Pasteur Drive, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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9
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Kumar G, Agarwal R, Swaminathan S. Small molecule non-peptide inhibitors of botulinum neurotoxin serotype E: Structure-activity relationship and a pharmacophore model. Bioorg Med Chem 2016; 24:3978-3985. [PMID: 27353886 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2016.06.036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2015] [Revised: 06/15/2016] [Accepted: 06/17/2016] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Abstract
Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNTs) are the most poisonous biological substance known to humans. They cause flaccid paralysis by blocking the release of acetylcholine at the neuromuscular junction. Here, we report a number of small molecule non-peptide inhibitors of BoNT serotype E. The structure-activity relationship and a pharmacophore model are presented. Although non-peptidic in nature, these inhibitors mimic key features of the uncleavable substrate peptide Arg-Ile-Met-Glu (RIME) of the SNAP-25 protein. Among the compounds tested, most of the potent inhibitors bear a zinc-chelating moiety connected to a hydrophobic and aromatic moiety through a carboxyl or amide linker. All of them show low micromolar IC50 values.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gyanendra Kumar
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
| | - Rakhi Agarwal
- Biology Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA
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10
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Seki H, Xue S, Pellett S, Šilhár P, Johnson EA, Janda KD. Cellular Protection of SNAP-25 against Botulinum Neurotoxin/A: Inhibition of Thioredoxin Reductase through a Suicide Substrate Mechanism. J Am Chem Soc 2016; 138:5568-75. [PMID: 27070533 PMCID: PMC4881748 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.5b12929] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Botulium neurotoxins (BoNTs) are among the most lethal toxins known to man. They are comprised of seven serotypes with BoNT/A being the most deadly; yet, there is no approved therapeutic for their intoxication or one that has even advanced to clinical trials. Botulinum neurotoxicity is ultimately governed through light chain (LC) protease SNARE protein cleavage leading to a loss of neurotransmitter release. Pharmacological attempts to ablate BoNT/A intoxication have sought to either nullify cellular toxin entry or critical biochemical junctions found within its intricate mechanism of action. In these regards, reports have surfaced of nonpeptidic small molecule inhibitors, but few have demonstrated efficacy in neutralizing cellular toxicity, a key prerequisite before rodent lethality studies can be initiated. On the basis of a lead discovered in our BoNT/A cellular assay campaign, we investigated a family of N-hydroxysuccinimide inhibitors grounded upon structure activity relationship (SAR) fundamentals. Molecules stemming from this SAR exercise were theorized to be protease inhibitors. However, this proposition was overturned on the basis of extensive kinetic analysis. Unexpectedly, inhibitor data pointed to thioredoxin reductase (TrxR), an essential component required for BoNT protease translocation. Also unforeseen was the inhibitors' mechanism of action against TrxR, which was found to be brokered through a suicide-mechanism utilizing quinone methide as the inactivating element. This new series of TrxR inhibitors provides an alternative means to negate the etiological agent responsible for BoNT intoxication, the LC protease.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sabine Pellett
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin , 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | | | - Eric A Johnson
- Department of Bacteriology, University of Wisconsin , 1550 Linden Drive, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
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11
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Araye A, Goudet A, Barbier J, Pichard S, Baron B, England P, Pérez J, Zinn-Justin S, Chenal A, Gillet D. The Translocation Domain of Botulinum Neurotoxin A Moderates the Propensity of the Catalytic Domain to Interact with Membranes at Acidic pH. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0153401. [PMID: 27070312 PMCID: PMC4829238 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0153401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2015] [Accepted: 03/29/2016] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Botulinum neurotoxin A (BoNT/A) is composed of three domains: a catalytic domain (LC), a translocation domain (HN) and a receptor-binding domain (HC). Like most bacterial toxins BoNT/A is an amphitropic protein, produced in a soluble form that is able to interact, penetrate and/or cross a membrane to achieve its toxic function. During intoxication BoNT/A is internalized by the cell by receptor-mediated endocytosis. Then, LC crosses the membrane of the endocytic compartment and reaches the cytosol. This translocation is initiated by the low pH found in this compartment. It has been suggested that LC passes in an unfolded state through a transmembrane passage formed by HN. We report here that acidification induces no major conformational change in either secondary or tertiary structures of LC and HN of BoNT/A in solution. GdnHCl-induced denaturation experiments showed that the stability of LC and HN increases as pH drops, and that HN further stabilizes LC. Unexpectedly we found that LC has a high propensity to interact with and permeabilize anionic lipid bilayers upon acidification without the help of HN. This property is downplayed when LC is linked to HN. HN thus acts as a chaperone for LC by enhancing its stability but also as a moderator of the membrane interaction of LC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne Araye
- CEA, iBiTec-S/SIMOPRO, CEA-Saclay, Paris Saclay University, LabEx LERMIT, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Amélie Goudet
- CEA, iBiTec-S/SIMOPRO, CEA-Saclay, Paris Saclay University, LabEx LERMIT, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Julien Barbier
- CEA, iBiTec-S/SIMOPRO, CEA-Saclay, Paris Saclay University, LabEx LERMIT, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Sylvain Pichard
- CEA, iBiTec-S/SIMOPRO, CEA-Saclay, Paris Saclay University, LabEx LERMIT, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
| | - Bruno Baron
- Institut Pasteur, Proteopole, Plateforme de Biophysique des Macromolécules et de leurs Interactions (PFBMI), 25–28 rue du Dr Roux, F-75724 Paris cedex 15, France
| | - Patrick England
- Institut Pasteur, Proteopole, Plateforme de Biophysique des Macromolécules et de leurs Interactions (PFBMI), 25–28 rue du Dr Roux, F-75724 Paris cedex 15, France
| | - Javier Pérez
- Synchrotron Soleil, BP 48, F-91192 Gif-sur-Yvette Cedex, France
| | | | - Alexandre Chenal
- Institut Pasteur, Unité de Biochimie des Interactions Macromoléculaires, UMR 3528, 25–28 rue du Dr Roux, F-75724 Paris cedex 15, France
| | - Daniel Gillet
- CEA, iBiTec-S/SIMOPRO, CEA-Saclay, Paris Saclay University, LabEx LERMIT, F-91191 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
- * E-mail:
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Bremer PT, Hixon MS, Janda KD. Benzoquinones as inhibitors of botulinum neurotoxin serotype A. Bioorg Med Chem 2014; 22:3971-81. [PMID: 24984937 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2014.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2014] [Revised: 05/31/2014] [Accepted: 06/02/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Although botulinum neurotoxin serotype A (BoNT/A) is known for its use in cosmetics, it causes a potentially fatal illness, botulism, and can be used as a bioterror weapon. Many compounds have been developed that inhibit the BoNTA zinc-metalloprotease light chain (LC), however, none of these inhibitors have advanced to clinical trials. In this study, a fragment-based approach was implemented to develop novel covalent inhibitors of BoNT/A LC. First, electrophilic fragments were screened against BoNT/A LC, and benzoquinone (BQ) derivatives were found to be active. In kinetic studies, BQ compounds acted as irreversible inhibitors that presumably covalently modify cysteine 165 of BoNT/A LC. Although most BQ derivatives were highly reactive toward glutathione in vitro, a few compounds such as natural product naphthazarin displayed low thiol reactivity and good BoNT/A inhibition. In order to increase the potency of the BQ fragment, computational docking studies were employed to elucidate a scaffold that could bind to sites adjacent to Cys165 while positioning a BQ fragment at Cys165 for covalent modification; 2-amino-N-arylacetamides met these criteria and when linked to BQ displayed at least a 20-fold increase in activity to low μM IC₅₀ values. Unlike BQ alone, the linked-BQ compounds demonstrated only weak irreversible inhibition and therefore acted mainly as non-covalent inhibitors. Further kinetic studies revealed a mutual exclusivity of BQ covalent inactivation and competitive inhibitor binding to sites adjacent to Cys165, refuting the viability of the current strategy for developing more potent irreversible BoNT/A inhibitors. The highlights of this study include the discovery of BQ compounds as irreversible BoNT/A inhibitors and the rational design of low μM IC50 competitive inhibitors that depend on the BQ moiety for activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paul T Bremer
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Mark S Hixon
- Discovery Biology, Takeda San Diego, Inc., 10410 Science Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Kim D Janda
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA.
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Patel K, Cai S, Singh BR. Current strategies for designing antidotes against botulinum neurotoxins. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2014; 9:319-33. [DOI: 10.1517/17460441.2014.884066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Kruti Patel
- University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, North Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA
| | - Shuowei Cai
- University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, North Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA
| | - Bal Ram Singh
- University of Massachusetts Dartmouth, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, North Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA
- Institute of Advanced Sciences and Prime Bio, Inc., Botulinum Research Center, 166 Chase Road, North Dartmouth, MA 02747, USA
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Silhár P, Eubanks LM, Seki H, Pellett S, Javor S, Tepp WH, Johnson EA, Janda KD. Targeting botulinum A cellular toxicity: a prodrug approach. J Med Chem 2013; 56:7870-9. [PMID: 24127873 DOI: 10.1021/jm400873n] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/18/2023]
Abstract
The botulinum neurotoxin light chain (LC) protease has become an important therapeutic target for postexposure treatment of botulism. Hydroxamic acid based small molecules have proven to be potent inhibitors of LC/A with nanomolar Ki values, yet they lack cellular activity conceivably due to low membrane permeability. To overcome this potential liability, we investigated two prodrug strategies, 1,4,2-dioxazole and carbamate, based on our 1-adamantylacetohydroxamic acid scaffold. The 1,4,2-dioxazole prodrug did not demonstrate cellular activity, however, carbamates exhibited cellular potency with the most active compound displaying an EC50 value of 20 μM. Cellular trafficking studies were conducted using a "fluorescently silent" prodrug that remained in this state until cellular uptake was complete, which allowed for visualization of the drug's release inside neuronal cells. In sum, this research sets the stage for future studies leveraging the specific targeting and delivery of these prodrugs, as well as other antibotulinum agents, into neuronal cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Silhár
- Departments of Chemistry and Immunology and Microbial Science, The Skaggs Institute for Chemical Biology, and The Worm Institute for Research and Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute , 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
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