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Floresta G, Crocetti L, Silva RRDO, Patamia V, Mazzacuva F, Chen YCS, Vergelli C, Cilibrizzi A. Optimization of 4-amino-pyridazin-3(2H)-one as a valid core scaffold for FABP4 inhibitors. Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2023; 356:e2300314. [PMID: 37518500 DOI: 10.1002/ardp.202300314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Revised: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 07/12/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
Current clinical research suggests that fatty acid-binding protein 4 inhibitors (FABP4is), which are of biological and therapeutic interest, may show potential in treating cancer and other illnesses. We sought to uncover new structures through the optimization of the previously reported 4-amino and 4-ureido pyridazinone-based series of FABP4is as part of a larger research effort to create more potent FABP4 inhibitors. This led to the identification of 14e as the most potent analog with IC50 = 1.57 μM, which is lower than the IC50 of the positive control. Advanced modeling investigations and in silico absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion - toxicity calculations suggested that 14e represents a potential candidate for in vivo studies such as FABP4i.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Floresta
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Letizia Crocetti
- Department of NEUROFARBA-Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Section, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | | | - Vincenzo Patamia
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Francesca Mazzacuva
- School of Health, Sport and Bioscience, University of East London, London, UK
| | | | - Claudia Vergelli
- Department of NEUROFARBA-Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Section, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Agostino Cilibrizzi
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King's College London, London, UK
- Medicines Development, Centre for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Bath, Bath, UK
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Crocetti L, Floresta G, Zagni C, Merugu D, Mazzacuva F, de Oliveira Silva RR, Vergelli C, Giovannoni MP, Cilibrizzi A. Ligand Growing Experiments Suggested 4-amino and 4-ureido pyridazin-3(2 H)-one as Novel Scaffold for FABP4 Inhibition. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:1335. [PMID: 36355506 PMCID: PMC9697826 DOI: 10.3390/ph15111335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/06/2022] [Revised: 10/21/2022] [Accepted: 10/21/2022] [Indexed: 08/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Fatty acid binding protein (FABP4) inhibitors are of synthetic and therapeutic interest and ongoing clinical studies indicate that they may be a promise for the treatment of cancer, as well as other diseases. As part of a broader research effort to develop more effective FABP4 inhibitors, we sought to identify new structures through a two-step computing assisted molecular design based on the established scaffold of a co-crystallized ligand. Novel and potent FABP4 inhibitors have been developed using this approach and herein we report the synthesis, biological evaluation and molecular docking of the 4-amino and 4-ureido pyridazinone-based series.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Crocetti
- Dipartimento NEUROFARBA—Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Section, via Ugo Schiff 6, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Floresta
- Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco e della Salute, Università di Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Chiara Zagni
- Dipartimento di Scienze del Farmaco e della Salute, Università di Catania, Viale A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Divya Merugu
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King’s College London, Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, UK
| | - Francesca Mazzacuva
- School of Health, Sport and Bioscience, University of East London, London E15 4LZ, UK
| | | | - Claudia Vergelli
- Dipartimento NEUROFARBA—Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Section, via Ugo Schiff 6, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy
| | - Maria Paola Giovannoni
- Dipartimento NEUROFARBA—Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Section, via Ugo Schiff 6, Sesto Fiorentino, 50019 Florence, Italy
| | - Agostino Cilibrizzi
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Science, King’s College London, Stamford Street, London SE1 9NH, UK
- Medicines Development, Centre for Therapeutic Innovation, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
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Pyridazinones and Structurally Related Derivatives with Anti-Inflammatory Activity. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27123749. [PMID: 35744876 PMCID: PMC9229294 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27123749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/20/2023]
Abstract
Persistent inflammation contributes to a number of diseases; therefore, control of the inflammatory response is an important therapeutic goal. In an effort to identify novel anti-inflammatory compounds, we screened a library of pyridazinones and structurally related derivatives that were used previously to identify N-formyl peptide receptor (FPR) agonists. Screening of the compounds for their ability to inhibit lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) transcriptional activity in human THP1-Blue monocytic cells identified 48 compounds with anti-inflammatory activity. Interestingly, 34 compounds were FPR agonists, whereas 14 inhibitors of LPS-induced NF-κB activity were not FPR agonists, indicating that they inhibited different signaling pathways. Further analysis of the most potent inhibitors showed that they also inhibited LPS-induced production of interleukin 6 (IL-6) by human MonoMac-6 monocytic cells, again verifying their anti-inflammatory properties. Structure–activity relationship (SAR) classification models based on atom pair descriptors and physicochemical ADME parameters were developed to achieve better insight into the relationships between chemical structures of the compounds and their biological activities, and we found that there was little correlation between FPR agonist activity and inhibition of LPS-induced NF-κB activity. Indeed, Cmpd43, a well-known pyrazolone-based FPR agonist, as well as FPR1 and FPR2 peptide agonists had no effect on the LPS-induced NF-κB activity in THP1-Blue cells. Thus, some FPR agonists reported to have anti-inflammatory activity may actually mediate their effects through FPR-independent pathways, as it is suggested by our results with this series of compounds. This could explain how treatment with some agonists known to be inflammatory (i.e., FPR1 agonists) could result in anti-inflammatory effects. Further research is clearly needed to define the molecular targets of pyridazinones and structurally related compounds with anti-inflammatory activity and to define their relationships (if any) to FPR signaling events.
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Synthesis and inverse virtual screening of new bi-cyclic structures towards cancer-relevant cellular targets. Struct Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s11224-022-01889-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
AbstractWe report here synthetic approaches to access new classes of small molecules based on three heterocyclic scaffolds, i.e. 3,7-dihydropyrimido[4,5-d]pyridazine-4,8-dione, 1,8-naphthyridin-4(1H)-one and 4H-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-4-one. The bi-cyclic structure 3,7-dihydropyrimido[4,5-d]pyridazine-4,8-dione is a new heterocycle, described here for the first time. In silico methodologies of inverse virtual screening have been used to preliminary analyse the molecules, in order to explore their potential as hits for chemical biology investigations. Our computational study has been conducted with 43 synthetically accessible small molecules towards 31 cellular proteins involved in cancer pathogenesis. Binding energies were quantified using molecular docking calculations, allowing to define the relative affinities of the ligands for the cellular targets. Through this methodology, 16 proteins displayed effective interactions with distinct small molecules within the matrix. In addition, 23 ligands have demonstrated high affinity for at least one cellular protein, using as reference the co-crystallised ligand in the X-ray structure. The evaluation of ADME and drug score for selected hits also highlights that these new molecular series can serve as sources of lead candidates for further structure optimisation and biological studies.
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Mejia-Gutierrez M, Vásquez-Paz BD, Fierro L, Maza JR. In Silico Repositioning of Dopamine Modulators with Possible Application to Schizophrenia: Pharmacophore Mapping, Molecular Docking and Molecular Dynamics Analysis. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:14748-14764. [PMID: 34151057 PMCID: PMC8209794 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c05984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 05/17/2023]
Abstract
We have performed theoretical calculations with 70 drugs that have been considered in 231 clinical trials as possible candidates to repurpose drugs for schizophrenia based on their interactions with the dopaminergic system. A hypothesis of shared pharmacophore features was formulated to support our calculations. To do so, we have used the crystal structure of the D2-like dopamine receptor in complex with risperidone, eticlopride, and nemonapride. Linagliptin, citalopram, flunarizine, sildenafil, minocycline, and duloxetine were the drugs that best fit with our model. Molecular docking calculations, molecular dynamics outcomes, blood-brain barrier penetration, and human intestinal absorption were studied and compared with the results. From the six drugs selected in the shared pharmacophore features input, flunarizine showed the best docking score with D2, D3, and D4 dopamine receptors and had high stability during molecular dynamics simulations. Flunarizine is a frequently used medication to treat migraines and vertigo. However, its antipsychotic properties have been previously hypothesized, particularly because of its possible ability to block the D2 dopamine receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa Mejia-Gutierrez
- Faculty
of Natural and Exact Sciences, Department of Chemistry, and School
of Basic Sciences, Department of Physiological Sciences, Faculty of
Health, Laboratory and Research group - Pharmacology Univalle Group, Universidad del Valle, 25360 Cali, Colombia
| | - Bryan D. Vásquez-Paz
- Faculty
of Natural and Exact Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Laboratory
and Research group - Pharmacology Univalle Group, Universidad del Valle, 25360 Cali, Colombia
| | - Leonardo Fierro
- Faculty
of Health, School of Basic Sciences, Department of Physiological Sciencesh,
Laboratory and Research group - Pharmacology Univalle Group, Universidad del Valle, 25360 Cali, Colombia
| | - Julio R. Maza
- Faculty
of Basic Sciences, Department of Chemistry, Laboratory and Research
group - Organic Chemistry and Biomedical Group, Universidad del Atlántico, 081001 Puerto Colombia, Colombia
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An Integrated Pharmacophore/Docking/3D-QSAR Approach to Screening a Large Library of Products in Search of Future Botulinum Neurotoxin A Inhibitors. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249470. [PMID: 33322848 PMCID: PMC7764241 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249470] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2020] [Revised: 12/05/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Botulinum toxins are neurotoxins produced by Clostridium botulinum. This toxin can be lethal for humans as a cause of botulism; however, in small doses, the same toxin is used to treat different conditions. Even if the therapeutic doses are effective and safe, the adverse reactions could be local and could unmask a subclinical impairment of neuromuscular transmissions. There are not many cases of adverse events in the literature; however, it is possible that sometimes they do not occur as they are transient and, if they do occur, there is no possibility of a cure other than to wait for the pharmacological effect to end. Inhibition of botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT/A) effects is a strategy for treating botulism as it can provide an effective post-exposure remedy. In this paper, 13,592,287 compounds were screened through a pharmacophore filter, a 3D-QSAR model, and a virtual screening; then, the compounds with the best affinity were selected. Molecular dynamics simulation studies on the first four compounds predicted to be the most active were conducted to verify that the poses foreseen by the docking were stable. This approach allowed us to identify compounds with a calculated inhibitory activity in the range of 316–500 nM.
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