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Chan LC, Mat Yassim AS, Ahmad Fuaad AAH, Leow TC, Sabri S, Radin Yahaya RS, Abu Bakar AMS. Inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease by the anti-viral chimeric protein RetroMAD1. Sci Rep 2023; 13:20178. [PMID: 37978223 PMCID: PMC10656507 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-47511-z] [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: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023] Open
Abstract
COVID-19 results from SARS-CoV-2, which mutates frequently, challenging current treatments. Therefore, it is critical to develop new therapeutic drugs against this disease. This study explores the interaction between SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro and RetroMAD1, a well-characterized coronavirus protein and potential drug target, using in-silico methods. The analysis through the HDOCK server showed stable complex formation with a binding energy of -12.3, the lowest among reference drugs. The RetroMAD1-3CLpro complex underwent a 100 ns molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) in an explicit solvation system, generating various trajectories, including RMSD, RMSF, hydrogen bonding, radius of gyration, and ligand binding energy. MDS results confirmed intact interactions within the RetroMAD1-3CLpro complex during simulations. In vitro experiments validated RetroMAD1's ability to inhibit 3CLpro enzyme activity and prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection in human bronchial cells. RetroMAD1 exhibited antiviral efficacy comparable to Remdesivir without cytotoxicity at effective concentrations. These results suggest RetroMAD1 as a potential drug candidate against SARS-CoV-2, warranting further in vivo and clinical studies to assess its efficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lee-Chin Chan
- Biovalence Sdn. Bhd., 22, Jalan SS 25/34, Taman Mayang, 47301, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia
- Biovalence Technologies Pte. Ltd., #06-307 The Plaza, 7500A Beach Road, Singapore, 199591, Singapore
| | - Aini Syahida Mat Yassim
- Biovalence Sdn. Bhd., 22, Jalan SS 25/34, Taman Mayang, 47301, Petaling Jaya, Selangor, Malaysia.
- Biovalence Technologies Pte. Ltd., #06-307 The Plaza, 7500A Beach Road, Singapore, 199591, Singapore.
- School of Health Science, Universiti Sains Malaysia, 16150 Kubang Kerian, Kelantan, Malaysia.
| | - Abdullah Al Hadi Ahmad Fuaad
- Centre of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences in Self-Assembly (FSSA), Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Universiti Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
| | - Thean Chor Leow
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Enzyme and Microbial Technology Research Center, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Institute of Bioscience, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Suriana Sabri
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
- Enzyme and Microbial Technology Research Center, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Radin Shafierul Radin Yahaya
- Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biotechnology and Biomolecular Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Awang Muhammad Sagaf Abu Bakar
- Jabatan Perkhidmatan Veterinar Sabah, Aras 3, Blok B, Wisma Pertanian Sabah, Jalan Tasik, Luyang (Off Jln Maktab Gaya), Beg Berkunci 2051, 88999, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia.
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Kandagalla S, Kumbar B, Novak J. Structural Modifications Introduced by NS2B Cofactor Binding to the NS3 Protease of the Kyasanur Forest Disease Virus. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:10907. [PMID: 37446083 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241310907] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Kyasanur Forest Disease virus (KFDV), a neglected human pathogenic virus, is a Flavivirus that causes severe hemorrhagic fever in humans. KFDV is transmitted to humans by the bite of the hard tick (Haemaphysalis spinigera), which acts as a reservoir of KFDV. The recent expansion of the endemic area of KFDV is of concern and requires the development of new preventive measures against KFDV. Currently, there is no antiviral therapy against KFDV, and the existing vaccine has limited efficacy. To develop a new antiviral therapy against KFDV, we focused on the nonstructural proteins NS2B and NS3 of KFDV, which are responsible for serine protease activity. Viral proteases have shown to be suitable therapeutic targets in the development of antiviral drugs against many diseases. However, success has been limited in flaviviruses, mainly because of the important features of the active site, which is flat and highly charged. In this context, the present study focuses on the dynamics of NS2B and NS3 to identify potential allosteric sites in the NS2B/NS3 protease of KDFV. To our knowledge, there are no reports on the dynamics of NS2B and NS3 in KFDV, and the crystal structure of the NS2B/NS3 protease of KFDV has not yet been solved. Overall, we created the structure of the NS2B/NS3 protease of KFDV using AlphaFold and performed molecular dynamics simulations with and without NS2B cofactor to investigate structural rearrangements due to cofactor binding and to identify alternative allosteric sites. The identified allosteric site is promising due to its geometric and physicochemical properties and druggability and can be used for new drug development. The applicability of the proposed allosteric binding sites was verified for the best-hit molecules from the virtual screening and MD simulations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivananda Kandagalla
- Laboratory of Computational Modeling of Drugs, Higher Medical & Biological School, South Ural State University, 454080 Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Bhimanagoud Kumbar
- ICAR-National Institute of Veterinary Epidemiology and Disease Informatics, Bengaluru 560064, Karnataka, India
| | - Jurica Novak
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
- Center for Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity, University of Rijeka, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia
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3
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Medina-Barandica J, Contreras-Puentes N, Tarón-Dunoyer A, Durán-Lengua M, Alviz-Amador A. In-silico study for the identification of potential destabilizers between the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 and human ACE-2. INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE UNLOCKED 2023; 40:101278. [PMID: 37305192 PMCID: PMC10241490 DOI: 10.1016/j.imu.2023.101278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/03/2023] [Revised: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 05/16/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The emergence of the new SARS-CoV-2 virus, which causes the disease known as COVID-19, has generated a pandemic that has plunged the world into a health crisis. The infection process is triggered by the direct binding of the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the spike (S) protein of SARS-CoV-2 to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) of the host cell. In the present study, virtual screening techniques such as molecular docking, molecular dynamics, calculation of free energy using the GBSA method, prediction of drug similarity, pharmacokinetic, and toxicological properties of various ligands interacting with the RBD-ACE2 complex were applied. The ligands radotinib, hinokiflavone, and ginkgetin were identified as potential destabilizers of the RBD-ACE2 interaction, which could produce their pharmacological effect by interacting at an allosteric site of ACE2, with affinity energy values of -10.2 ± 0.1, -9.8 ± 0.0, and -9.4 ± 0.0 kcal/mol, indicating strong receptor affinity. The complex with hinokiflavone showed the highest conformational stability and rigidity of the dynamic simulation and also obtained the best binding free energy of the three molecules, with an energy of -215.86 kcal/mol.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffry Medina-Barandica
- Pharmacology and Therapeutic Research Group, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, D.T. y C, Colombia
| | - Neyder Contreras-Puentes
- Pharmacology and Therapeutic Research Group, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, D.T. y C, Colombia
- GINUMED, Faculty of Health Sciences, Rafael Nuñez University Corporation, Cartagena D.T. y C., Colombia
| | - Arnulfo Tarón-Dunoyer
- GIBAE Research Group, Faculty of Engineering, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, D.T. y C, Colombia
| | - Marlene Durán-Lengua
- FARMABAC Research Group, Faculty of Medicine, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, D.T. y C, Colombia
| | - Antistio Alviz-Amador
- Pharmacology and Therapeutic Research Group, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Cartagena, Cartagena, D.T. y C, Colombia
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4
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Novak J, Pathak P, Grishina MA, Potemkin VA. The design of compounds with desirable properties - The anti-HIV case study. J Comput Chem 2023; 44:1016-1030. [PMID: 36533526 DOI: 10.1002/jcc.27061] [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: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Efficacy and safety are among the most desirable characteristics of an ideal drug. The tremendous increase in computing power and the entry of artificial intelligence into the field of computational drug design are accelerating the process of identifying, developing, and optimizing potential drugs. Here, we present novel approach to design new molecules with desired properties. We combined various neural networks and linear regression algorithms to build models for cytotoxicity and anti-HIV activity based on Continual Molecular Interior analysis (CoMIn) and Cinderella's Shoe (CiS) derived molecular descriptors. After validating the reliability of the models, a genetic algorithm was coupled with the Des-Pot Grid algorithm to generate new molecules from a predefined pool of molecular fragments and predict their bioactivity and cytotoxicity. This combination led to the proposal of 16 hit molecules with high anti-HIV activity and low cytotoxicity. The anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity of the hits was predicted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jurica Novak
- Department of Biotechnology, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
- Center for Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity, University of Rijeka, Rijeka, Croatia
- Scientific and Educational Center "Biomedical Technologies", Higher Medical & Biological School, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Prateek Pathak
- Laboratory of Computational Modelling of Drugs, Higher Medical & Biological School, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Maria A Grishina
- Laboratory of Computational Modelling of Drugs, Higher Medical & Biological School, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Vladimir A Potemkin
- Laboratory of Computational Modelling of Drugs, Higher Medical & Biological School, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Russia
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5
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Strömich L, Wu N, Barahona M, Yaliraki SN. Allosteric Hotspots in the Main Protease of SARS-CoV-2. J Mol Biol 2022; 434:167748. [PMID: 35843284 PMCID: PMC9288249 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Inhibiting the main protease of SARS-CoV-2 is of great interest in tackling the COVID-19 pandemic caused by the virus. Most efforts have been centred on inhibiting the binding site of the enzyme. However, considering allosteric sites, distant from the active or orthosteric site, broadens the search space for drug candidates and confers the advantages of allosteric drug targeting. Here, we report the allosteric communication pathways in the main protease dimer by using two novel fully atomistic graph-theoretical methods: Bond-to-bond propensity, which has been previously successful in identifying allosteric sites in extensive benchmark data sets without a priori knowledge, and Markov transient analysis, which has previously aided in finding novel drug targets in catalytic protein families. Using statistical bootstrapping, we score the highest ranking sites against random sites at similar distances, and we identify four statistically significant putative allosteric sites as good candidates for alternative drug targeting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Léonie Strömich
- Department of Chemistry Imperial College London, United Kingdom
| | - Nan Wu
- Department of Chemistry Imperial College London, United Kingdom
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6
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Alzyoud L, Ghattas MA, Atatreh N. Allosteric Binding Sites of the SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease: Potential Targets for Broad-Spectrum Anti-Coronavirus Agents. Drug Des Devel Ther 2022; 16:2463-2478. [PMID: 35941927 PMCID: PMC9356625 DOI: 10.2147/dddt.s370574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 07/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The current pandemic caused by the COVID-19 disease has reached everywhere in the world and has affected every aspect of our lives. As of the current data, the World Health Organization (WHO) has reported more than 300 million confirmed COVID-19 cases worldwide and more than 5 million deaths. Mpro is an enzyme that plays a key role in the life cycle of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and it is vital for the disease progression. The Mpro enzyme seems to have several allosteric sites that can hinder the enzyme catalytic activity. Furthermore, some of these allosteric sites are located at or nearby the dimerization interface which is essential for the overall Mpro activity. In this review paper, we investigate the potential of the Mpro allosteric site to act as a drug target, especially since they interestingly appear to be resistant to mutation. The work is illustrated through three subsequent sections: First, the two main categories of Mpro allosteric sites have been explained and discussed. Second, a total of six pockets have been studied and evaluated for their druggability and cavity characteristics. Third, the experimental and computational attempts for the discovery of new allosteric inhibitors have been illustrated and discussed. To sum up, this review paper gives a detailed insight into the feasibility of developing new Mpro inhibitors to act as a potential treatment for the COVID-19 disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Alzyoud
- College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Mohammad A Ghattas
- College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Correspondence: Mohammad A Ghattas; Noor Atatreh, Email ;
| | - Noor Atatreh
- College of Pharmacy, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- AAU Health and Biomedical Research Center, Al Ain University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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7
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Gao K, Wang R, Chen J, Cheng L, Frishcosy J, Huzumi Y, Qiu Y, Schluckbier T, Wei X, Wei GW. Methodology-Centered Review of Molecular Modeling, Simulation, and Prediction of SARS-CoV-2. Chem Rev 2022; 122:11287-11368. [PMID: 35594413 PMCID: PMC9159519 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00965] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Despite tremendous efforts in the past two years, our understanding of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), virus-host interactions, immune response, virulence, transmission, and evolution is still very limited. This limitation calls for further in-depth investigation. Computational studies have become an indispensable component in combating coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) due to their low cost, their efficiency, and the fact that they are free from safety and ethical constraints. Additionally, the mechanism that governs the global evolution and transmission of SARS-CoV-2 cannot be revealed from individual experiments and was discovered by integrating genotyping of massive viral sequences, biophysical modeling of protein-protein interactions, deep mutational data, deep learning, and advanced mathematics. There exists a tsunami of literature on the molecular modeling, simulations, and predictions of SARS-CoV-2 and related developments of drugs, vaccines, antibodies, and diagnostics. To provide readers with a quick update about this literature, we present a comprehensive and systematic methodology-centered review. Aspects such as molecular biophysics, bioinformatics, cheminformatics, machine learning, and mathematics are discussed. This review will be beneficial to researchers who are looking for ways to contribute to SARS-CoV-2 studies and those who are interested in the status of the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaifu Gao
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Rui Wang
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Jiahui Chen
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Limei Cheng
- Clinical
Pharmacology and Pharmacometrics, Bristol
Myers Squibb, Princeton, New Jersey 08536, United States
| | - Jaclyn Frishcosy
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Yuta Huzumi
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Yuchi Qiu
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Tom Schluckbier
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Xiaoqi Wei
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
| | - Guo-Wei Wei
- Department
of Mathematics, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
- Department
of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
- Department
of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Michigan
State University, East Lansing, Michigan 48824, United States
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8
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Glab-ampai K, Kaewchim K, Saenlom T, Thepsawat W, Mahasongkram K, Sookrung N, Chaicumpa W, Chulanetra M. Human Superantibodies to 3CL pro Inhibit Replication of SARS-CoV-2 across Variants. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23126587. [PMID: 35743031 PMCID: PMC9223907 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23126587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Broadly effective and safe anti-coronavirus agent is existentially needed. Major protease (3CLpro) is a highly conserved enzyme of betacoronaviruses. The enzyme plays pivotal role in the virus replication cycle. Thus, it is a good target of a broadly effective anti-Betacoronavirus agent. In this study, human single-chain antibodies (HuscFvs) of the SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro were generated using phage display technology. The 3CLpro-bound phages were used to infect Escherichia coli host for the production the 3CLpro-bound HuscFvs. Computerized simulation was used to guide the selection of the phage infected-E. coli clones that produced HuscFvs with the 3CLpro inhibitory potential. HuscFvs of three phage infected-E. coli clones were predicted to form contact interface with residues for 3CLpro catalytic activity, substrate binding, and homodimerization. These HuscFvs were linked to a cell-penetrating peptide to make them cell-penetrable, i.e., became superantibodies. The superantibodies blocked the 3CLpro activity in vitro, were not toxic to human cells, traversed across membrane of 3CLpro-expressing cells to co-localize with the intracellular 3CLpro and most of all, they inhibited replication of authentic SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan wild type and α, β, δ, and Omicron variants that were tested. The superantibodies should be investigated further towards clinical application as a safe and broadly effective anti-Betacoronavirus agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kittirat Glab-ampai
- Center of Research Excellence in Therapeutic Proteins and Antibody Engineering, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (K.G.-a.); (K.K.); (T.S.); (W.T.); (K.M.); (N.S.); (W.C.)
| | - Kanasap Kaewchim
- Center of Research Excellence in Therapeutic Proteins and Antibody Engineering, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (K.G.-a.); (K.K.); (T.S.); (W.T.); (K.M.); (N.S.); (W.C.)
- Graduate Program in Immunology, Department of Immunology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
| | - Thanatsaran Saenlom
- Center of Research Excellence in Therapeutic Proteins and Antibody Engineering, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (K.G.-a.); (K.K.); (T.S.); (W.T.); (K.M.); (N.S.); (W.C.)
| | - Watayagorn Thepsawat
- Center of Research Excellence in Therapeutic Proteins and Antibody Engineering, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (K.G.-a.); (K.K.); (T.S.); (W.T.); (K.M.); (N.S.); (W.C.)
| | - Kodchakorn Mahasongkram
- Center of Research Excellence in Therapeutic Proteins and Antibody Engineering, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (K.G.-a.); (K.K.); (T.S.); (W.T.); (K.M.); (N.S.); (W.C.)
| | - Nitat Sookrung
- Center of Research Excellence in Therapeutic Proteins and Antibody Engineering, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (K.G.-a.); (K.K.); (T.S.); (W.T.); (K.M.); (N.S.); (W.C.)
- Biomedical Research Incubator Unit, Department of Research, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand
| | - Wanpen Chaicumpa
- Center of Research Excellence in Therapeutic Proteins and Antibody Engineering, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (K.G.-a.); (K.K.); (T.S.); (W.T.); (K.M.); (N.S.); (W.C.)
| | - Monrat Chulanetra
- Center of Research Excellence in Therapeutic Proteins and Antibody Engineering, Department of Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok 10700, Thailand; (K.G.-a.); (K.K.); (T.S.); (W.T.); (K.M.); (N.S.); (W.C.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +662-419-2934
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Kandagalla S, Rimac H, Gurushankar K, Novak J, Grishina M, Potemkin V. Withasomniferol C, a new potential SARS-CoV-2 main protease inhibitor from the Withania somnifera plant proposed by in silico approaches. PeerJ 2022; 10:e13374. [PMID: 35673392 PMCID: PMC9167582 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.13374] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Exploring potent herbal medicine candidates is a promising strategy for combating a pandemic in the present global health crisis. In Ayurveda (a traditional medicine system in India), Withania somnifera (WS) is one of the most important herbs and it has been used for millennia as Rasayana (a type of juice) for its wide-ranging health benefits. WS phytocompounds display a broad spectrum of biological activities (such as antioxidant, anticancer and antimicrobial) modulate detoxifying enzymes, and enhance immunity. Inspired by the numerous biological actions of WS phytocompounds, the present investigation explored the potential of the WS phytocompounds against the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (3CLpro). We selected 11 specific withanolide compounds, such as withaphysalin, withasomniferol, and withafastuosin, through manual literature curation against 3CLpro. A molecular similarity analysis showed their similarity with compounds that have an established inhibitory activity against the SARS-CoV-2. In silico molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations elucidated withasomniferol C (WS11) as a potential candidate against SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro. Additionally, the present work also presents a new method of validating docking poses using the AlteQ method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivananada Kandagalla
- Higher Medical & Biological School, Laboratory of Computational Modeling of Drugs, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Hrvoje Rimac
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Zagreb Faculty of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Zagreb, Croatia
| | - Krishnamoorthy Gurushankar
- Higher Medical & Biological School, Laboratory of Computational Modeling of Drugs, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Chelyabinsk, Russia,Department of Physics, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil, Tamilnadu, India
| | - Jurica Novak
- Higher Medical & Biological School, Laboratory of Computational Modeling of Drugs, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Maria Grishina
- Higher Medical & Biological School, Laboratory of Computational Modeling of Drugs, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Chelyabinsk, Russia
| | - Vladimir Potemkin
- Higher Medical & Biological School, Laboratory of Computational Modeling of Drugs, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk, Chelyabinsk, Russia
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Molecular Docking as a Potential Approach in Repurposing Drugs Against COVID-19: a Systematic Review and Novel Pharmacophore Models. CURRENT PHARMACOLOGY REPORTS 2022; 8:212-226. [PMID: 35381996 PMCID: PMC8970976 DOI: 10.1007/s40495-022-00285-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Purpose of Review This article provides a review of the recent literature related to the FDA-approved drugs that had been repurposed as potential drug candidates against COVID-19. Moreover, we performed a quality pharmacophore study for frequently studied targets, namely, the main protease, RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and spike protein. Recent Findings Ever since the COVID-19 pandemic, the whole spectrum of scientific community is still unable to invent an absolute therapeutic agent for COVID-19. Considering such a fact, drug repurposing strategies seem a truly viable approach to develop novel therapeutic interventions. Summery Drug repurposing explores previously approved drugs of known safety and pharmacokinetics profile for possible new effects, reducing the cost, time, and predicting prospective side effects and drug interactions. COVID-19 virulent machinery appeared similar to other viruses, making antiviral agents widely repurposed in pursuit for curative candidates. Our main protease pharmacophoric study revealed multiple features and could be a probable starting point for upcoming research.
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11
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Ahmed FF, Reza MS, Sarker MS, Islam MS, Mosharaf MP, Hasan S, Mollah MNH. Identification of host transcriptome-guided repurposable drugs for SARS-CoV-1 infections and their validation with SARS-CoV-2 infections by using the integrated bioinformatics approaches. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0266124. [PMID: 35390032 PMCID: PMC8989220 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0266124] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is one of the most severe global pandemic due to its high pathogenicity and death rate starting from the end of 2019. Though there are some vaccines available against SAER-CoV-2 infections, we are worried about their effectiveness, due to its unstable sequence patterns. Therefore, beside vaccines, globally effective supporting drugs are also required for the treatment against SARS-CoV-2 infection. To explore commonly effective repurposable drugs for the treatment against different variants of coronavirus infections, in this article, an attempt was made to explore host genomic biomarkers guided repurposable drugs for SARS-CoV-1 infections and their validation with SARS-CoV-2 infections by using the integrated bioinformatics approaches. At first, we identified 138 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between SARS-CoV-1 infected and control samples by analyzing high throughput gene-expression profiles to select drug target key receptors. Then we identified top-ranked 11 key DEGs (SMAD4, GSK3B, SIRT1, ATM, RIPK1, PRKACB, MED17, CCT2, BIRC3, ETS1 and TXN) as hub genes (HubGs) by protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis of DEGs highlighting their functions, pathways, regulators and linkage with other disease risks that may influence SARS-CoV-1 infections. The DEGs-set enrichment analysis significantly detected some crucial biological processes (immune response, regulation of angiogenesis, apoptotic process, cytokine production and programmed cell death, response to hypoxia and oxidative stress), molecular functions (transcription factor binding and oxidoreductase activity) and pathways (transcriptional mis-regulation in cancer, pathways in cancer, chemokine signaling pathway) that are associated with SARS-CoV-1 infections as well as SARS-CoV-2 infections by involving HubGs. The gene regulatory network (GRN) analysis detected some transcription factors (FOXC1, GATA2, YY1, FOXL1, TP53 and SRF) and micro-RNAs (hsa-mir-92a-3p, hsa-mir-155-5p, hsa-mir-106b-5p, hsa-mir-34a-5p and hsa-mir-19b-3p) as the key transcriptional and post- transcriptional regulators of HubGs, respectively. We also detected some chemicals (Valproic Acid, Cyclosporine, Copper Sulfate and arsenic trioxide) that may regulates HubGs. The disease-HubGs interaction analysis showed that our predicted HubGs are also associated with several other diseases including different types of lung diseases. Then we considered 11 HubGs mediated proteins and their regulatory 6 key TFs proteins as the drug target proteins (receptors) and performed their docking analysis with the SARS-CoV-2 3CL protease-guided top listed 90 anti-viral drugs out of 3410. We found Rapamycin, Tacrolimus, Torin-2, Radotinib, Danoprevir, Ivermectin and Daclatasvir as the top-ranked 7 candidate-drugs with respect to our proposed target proteins for the treatment against SARS-CoV-1 infections. Then, we validated these 7 candidate-drugs against the already published top-ranked 11 target proteins associated with SARS-CoV-2 infections by molecular docking simulation and found their significant binding affinity scores with our proposed candidate-drugs. Finally, we validated all of our findings by the literature review. Therefore, the proposed candidate-drugs might play a vital role for the treatment against different variants of SARS-CoV-2 infections with comorbidities, since the proposed HubGs are also associated with several comorbidities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fee Faysal Ahmed
- Department of Mathematics, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore, Bangladesh
- Bioinformatics Lab., Department of Statistics, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Selim Reza
- Bioinformatics Lab., Department of Statistics, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Shahin Sarker
- Department of Pharmacy, Jashore University of Science and Technology, Jashore, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Samiul Islam
- Department of Plant Pathology, Huazhong Agricultural University, Wuhan, Hubei Province, China
| | - Md. Parvez Mosharaf
- Bioinformatics Lab., Department of Statistics, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
| | - Sohel Hasan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Rajshahi University, Rajshhi, Bangladesh
| | - Md. Nurul Haque Mollah
- Bioinformatics Lab., Department of Statistics, Rajshahi University, Rajshahi, Bangladesh
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Novak J, Potemkin VA. A new glimpse on the active site of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro, coupled with drug repurposing study. Mol Divers 2022; 26:2631-2645. [PMID: 35001230 PMCID: PMC8743077 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-021-10355-8] [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: 08/24/2021] [Accepted: 11/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by novel severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2). Its main protease, 3C-like protease (3CLpro), is an attractive target for drug design, due to its importance in virus replication. The analysis of the radial distribution function of 159 3CLpro structures reveals a high similarity index. A study of the catalytic pocket of 3CLpro with bound inhibitors reveals that the influence of the inhibitors is local, perturbing dominantly only residues in the active pocket. A machine learning based model with high predictive ability against SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro is designed and validated. The model is used to perform a drug-repurposing study, with the main aim to identify existing drugs with the highest 3CLpro inhibition power. Among antiviral agents, lopinavir, idoxuridine, paritaprevir, and favipiravir showed the highest inhibition potential. Enzyme - ligand interactions as a key ingredient for successful drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jurica Novak
- Higher Medical and Biological School, Laboratory of Computational Modeling of Drugs, South Ural State University, Tchaikovsky Str. 20-A, Chelyabinsk, 454080, Russia.
| | - Vladimir A Potemkin
- Higher Medical and Biological School, Laboratory of Computational Modeling of Drugs, South Ural State University, Tchaikovsky Str. 20-A, Chelyabinsk, 454080, Russia
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Johnson TO, Adegboyega AE, Iwaloye O, Eseola OA, Plass W, Afolabi B, Rotimi D, Ahmed EI, Albrakati A, Batiha GE, Adeyemi OS. Computational study of the therapeutic potentials of a new series of imidazole derivatives against SARS-CoV-2. J Pharmacol Sci 2021; 147:62-71. [PMID: 34294374 PMCID: PMC8141268 DOI: 10.1016/j.jphs.2021.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2021] [Revised: 04/30/2021] [Accepted: 05/14/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Owing to the urgent need for therapeutic interventions against the SARS-coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic, we employed an in silico approach to evaluate the SARS-CoV-2 inhibitory potential of newly synthesized imidazoles. The inhibitory potentials of the compounds against SARS-CoV-2 drug targets - main protease (Mpro), spike protein (Spro) and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) were investigated through molecular docking analysis. The binding free energy of the protein-ligand complexes were estimated, pharmacophore models were generated and the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity (ADMET) properties of the compounds were determined. The compounds displayed various levels of binding affinities for the SARS-CoV-2 drug targets. Bisimidazole C2 scored highest against all the targets, with its aromatic rings including the two imidazole groups contributing to the binding. Among the phenyl-substituted 1H-imidazoles, C9 scored highest against all targets. C11 scored highest against Spro and C12 against Mpro and RdRp among the thiophene-imidazoles. The compounds interacted with HIS 41 - CYS 145 and GLU 288 – ASP 289 – GLU 290 of Mpro, ASN 501 of Spro receptor binding motif and some active site amino acids of RdRp. These novel imidazole compounds could be further developed as drug candidates against SARS-CoV-2 following lead optimization and experimental studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Titilayo O Johnson
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Basic Medical Sciences, University of Jos, Jos, Nigeria.
| | | | - Opeyemi Iwaloye
- Bioinformatics and Molecular Biology Unit, Department of Biochemistry, Federal University of Technology, Akure
| | - Omokehinde Abiodun Eseola
- Department of Chemical Sciences, Redeemer's University, Ede, Nigeria; Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Humboldtstraße 8, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Winfried Plass
- Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena, Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Humboldtstraße 8, 07743, Jena, Germany
| | - Boluwatife Afolabi
- Department of Biochemistry, Medicinal Biochemistry, Nanomedicine & Toxicology Laboratory, Landmark University, PMB 1001, Omu-Aran -, 251101, Nigeria
| | - Damilare Rotimi
- Department of Biochemistry, Medicinal Biochemistry, Nanomedicine & Toxicology Laboratory, Landmark University, PMB 1001, Omu-Aran -, 251101, Nigeria
| | - Eman I Ahmed
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, College of Medicine, Jouf University, Sakaka, 72346, Saudi Arabia; Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, Fayoum University, Fayoum, 63511, Egypt
| | - Ashraf Albrakati
- Department of Human Anatomy, College of Medicine, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif, 21944, Saudi Arabia.
| | - Gaber E Batiha
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Damanhour University, Damanhour, 22511, AlBeheira, Egypt
| | - Oluyomi Stephen Adeyemi
- Department of Biochemistry, Medicinal Biochemistry, Nanomedicine & Toxicology Laboratory, Landmark University, PMB 1001, Omu-Aran -, 251101, Nigeria.
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