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Rivas F, Del Mármol C, Scalese G, Pérez Díaz L, Machado I, Blacque O, Salazar F, Coitiño EL, Benítez D, Medeiros A, Comini M, Gambino D. Multifunctional Organometallic Compounds Active against Infective Trypanosomes: Ru(II) Ferrocenyl Derivatives with Two Different Bioactive Ligands. Inorg Chem 2024; 63:11667-11687. [PMID: 38860314 DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.4c01125] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/12/2024]
Abstract
Human African trypanosomiasis (HAT, sleeping sickness) and American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease) are endemic zoonotic diseases caused by genomically related trypanosomatid protozoan parasites (Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma cruzi, respectively). Just a few old drugs are available for their treatment, with most of them sharing poor safety, efficacy, and pharmacokinetic profiles. Only fexinidazole has been recently incorporated into the arsenal for the treatment of HAT. In this work, new multifunctional Ru(II) ferrocenyl compounds were rationally designed as potential agents against these pathogens by including in a single molecule 1,1'-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (dppf) and two bioactive bidentate ligands: pyridine-2-thiolato-1-oxide ligand (mpo) and polypyridyl ligands (NN). Three [Ru(mpo)(dppf)(NN)](PF6) compounds and their derivatives with chloride as a counterion were synthesized and fully characterized in solid state and solution. They showed in vitro activity on bloodstream T. brucei (EC50 = 31-160 nM) and on T. cruzi trypomastigotes (EC50 = 190-410 nM). Compounds showed the lowest EC50 values on T. brucei when compared to the whole set of metal-based compounds previously developed by us. In addition, several of the Ru compounds showed good selectivity toward the parasites, particularly against the highly proliferative bloodstream form of T. brucei. Interaction with DNA and generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) were ruled out as potential targets and modes of action of the Ru compounds. Biochemical assays and in silico analysis led to the insight that they are able to inhibit the NADH-dependent fumarate reductase from T. cruzi. One representative hit induced a mild oxidation of low molecular weight thiols in T. brucei. The compounds were stable for at least 72 h in two different media and more lipophilic than both bioactive ligands, mpo and NN. An initial assessment of the therapeutic efficacy of one of the most potent and selective candidates, [Ru(mpo)(dppf)(bipy)]Cl, was performed using a murine infection model of acute African trypanosomiasis. This hit compound lacks acute toxicity when applied to animals in the dose/regimen described, but was unable to control parasite proliferation in vivo, probably because of its rapid clearance or low biodistribution in the extracellular fluids. Future studies should investigate the pharmacokinetics of this compound in vivo and involve further research to gain deeper insight into the mechanism of action of the compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feriannys Rivas
- Área Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, 11800 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Carolina Del Mármol
- Área Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, 11800 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Gonzalo Scalese
- Área Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, 11800 Montevideo, Uruguay
- Group Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Leticia Pérez Díaz
- Sección Genómica Funcional, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Ignacio Machado
- Área Química Analítica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, 11800 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Olivier Blacque
- Department of Chemistry, University of Zurich, CH 8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Fabiana Salazar
- Laboratorio de Química Teórica y Computacional (LQTC), Instituto de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias, and Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CeInBio), Universidad de la República, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - E Laura Coitiño
- Laboratorio de Química Teórica y Computacional (LQTC), Instituto de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias, and Centro de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CeInBio), Universidad de la República, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Diego Benítez
- Group Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Andrea Medeiros
- Group Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
- Departamento de Bioquímica, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, 11800 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Marcelo Comini
- Group Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, 11400 Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Dinorah Gambino
- Área Química Inorgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, 11800 Montevideo, Uruguay
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Sheikh SY, Hassan F, Shukla D, Bala S, Faruqui T, Akhter Y, Khan AR, Nasibullah M. A review on potential therapeutic targets for the treatment of leishmaniasis. Parasitol Int 2024; 100:102863. [PMID: 38272301 DOI: 10.1016/j.parint.2024.102863] [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: 05/30/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Leishmania, a protozoan parasite, is responsible for the occurrence of leishmaniasis, a disease that is prevalent in tropical regions. Visceral Leishmaniasis (VL), also known as kala-azar in Asian countries, is one of the most significant forms of VL, along with Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) and Mucocutaneous Leishmaniasis (ML). Management of this condition typically entails the use of chemotherapy as the sole therapeutic option. The current treatments for leishmaniasis present several drawbacks, including a multitude of side effects, prolonged treatment duration, disparate efficacy across different regions, and the emergence of resistance. To address this urgent need, it is imperative to identify alternative treatments that are both safer and more effective. The identification of appropriate pharmacological targets in conjunction with biological pathways constitutes the initial stage of drug discovery. In this review, we have addressed the key metabolic pathways that represent potential pharmacological targets as well as prominent treatment options for leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabahat Yasmeen Sheikh
- Department of Chemistry, Integral University, Dasauli, Kursi road, Lucknow 226026, India
| | - Firoj Hassan
- Department of Chemistry, Integral University, Dasauli, Kursi road, Lucknow 226026, India
| | - Deepanjali Shukla
- Department of Chemistry, Integral University, Dasauli, Kursi road, Lucknow 226026, India
| | - Shashi Bala
- Department of Chemistry, Lucknow University, Lucknow 226026, India
| | - Tabrez Faruqui
- Department of Biosciences, Integral University, Lucknow 226026, India
| | - Yusuf Akhter
- Department of Biotechnology, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Vidya Vihar, Raebareli Road, Lucknow 226025, India
| | - Abdul Rahman Khan
- Department of Chemistry, Integral University, Dasauli, Kursi road, Lucknow 226026, India
| | - Malik Nasibullah
- Department of Chemistry, Integral University, Dasauli, Kursi road, Lucknow 226026, India.
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González-Montero MC, Andrés-Rodríguez J, García-Fernández N, Pérez-Pertejo Y, Reguera RM, Balaña-Fouce R, García-Estrada C. Targeting Trypanothione Metabolism in Trypanosomatids. Molecules 2024; 29:2214. [PMID: 38792079 PMCID: PMC11124245 DOI: 10.3390/molecules29102214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 05/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Infectious diseases caused by trypanosomatids, including African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness), Chagas disease, and different forms of leishmaniasis, are Neglected Tropical Diseases affecting millions of people worldwide, mainly in vulnerable territories of tropical and subtropical areas. In general, current treatments against these diseases are old-fashioned, showing adverse effects and loss of efficacy due to misuse or overuse, thus leading to the emergence of resistance. For these reasons, searching for new antitrypanosomatid drugs has become an urgent necessity, and different metabolic pathways have been studied as potential drug targets against these parasites. Considering that trypanosomatids possess a unique redox pathway based on the trypanothione molecule absent in the mammalian host, the key enzymes involved in trypanothione metabolism, trypanothione reductase and trypanothione synthetase, have been studied in detail as druggable targets. In this review, we summarize some of the recent findings on the molecules inhibiting these two essential enzymes for Trypanosoma and Leishmania viability.
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Affiliation(s)
- María-Cristina González-Montero
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain; (M.-C.G.-M.); (J.A.-R.); (N.G.-F.); (Y.P.-P.); (R.M.R.)
| | - Julia Andrés-Rodríguez
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain; (M.-C.G.-M.); (J.A.-R.); (N.G.-F.); (Y.P.-P.); (R.M.R.)
| | - Nerea García-Fernández
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain; (M.-C.G.-M.); (J.A.-R.); (N.G.-F.); (Y.P.-P.); (R.M.R.)
| | - Yolanda Pérez-Pertejo
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain; (M.-C.G.-M.); (J.A.-R.); (N.G.-F.); (Y.P.-P.); (R.M.R.)
- Instituto de Biomedicina (IBIOMED), Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Rosa M. Reguera
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain; (M.-C.G.-M.); (J.A.-R.); (N.G.-F.); (Y.P.-P.); (R.M.R.)
- Instituto de Biomedicina (IBIOMED), Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Rafael Balaña-Fouce
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain; (M.-C.G.-M.); (J.A.-R.); (N.G.-F.); (Y.P.-P.); (R.M.R.)
- Instituto de Biomedicina (IBIOMED), Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Carlos García-Estrada
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain; (M.-C.G.-M.); (J.A.-R.); (N.G.-F.); (Y.P.-P.); (R.M.R.)
- Instituto de Biomedicina (IBIOMED), Universidad de León, Campus de Vegazana s/n, 24071 León, Spain
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Vemula D, Mohanty S, Bhandari V. Repurposing of Food and Drug Admnistration (FDA) approved library to identify a potential inhibitor of trypanothione synthetase for developing an antileishmanial agent. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27602. [PMID: 38509977 PMCID: PMC10951594 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27602] [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: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is one of the top 10 neglected tropical diseases. Globally, it impacts more than 12 million individuals. In light of the absence of a safer, affordable treatment for the Leishmaniasis, along with therapeutic failures and drug resistance, novel therapeutic strategies are necessary to discover new drugs. Treatment would benefit by concentrating on the precise targets that are crucial for the parasite to survive. A target that aids in the organism's survival under oxidative stress is trypanothione synthetase (TyS), which is a component of the trypanothione pathway in Leishmania spp. To find potential TyS inhibitors for the purpose of discovering novel antileishmanial drugs, we used a virtual screening strategy. Using the Glide module of Schrodinger-suite 2023, an FDA-approved library containing 2000 drugs from the ZINC-15 database was screened against the TyS. Dostinex, raloxifene, and formoterol showed good docking scores of -10.568 kcal/mol, -10.446 kcal/mol, and -56.21 kcal/mol, as well as good binding energies of -70.41 kcal/mol, -56.21 kcal/mol, and -64.15 kcal/mol respectively. The stability of the ligand-protein complexes was assessed further with the help of Desmond to execute a 100-ns molecular dynamics simulation. The Prime module was utilised to perform post-MM/GBSA analysis on these three molecules along with the toxicity profiling using Protox II web server. This study suggests that dostinex, formoterol, and raloxifene may act as effective inhibitors of the TyS receptor which could be used as novel antileishmanial agents for the therapeutic applications. Thorough preclinical studies are necessary to confirm the identified compounds chemotherapeutic qualities.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Vasundhra Bhandari
- Department of Pharmacoinformatics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, India
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Pérez-Pertejo Y, García-Estrada C, Martínez-Valladares M, Murugesan S, Reguera RM, Balaña-Fouce R. Polyamine Metabolism for Drug Intervention in Trypanosomatids. Pathogens 2024; 13:79. [PMID: 38251386 PMCID: PMC10820115 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens13010079] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 01/12/2024] [Indexed: 01/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Neglected tropical diseases transmitted by trypanosomatids include three major human scourges that globally affect the world's poorest people: African trypanosomiasis or sleeping sickness, American trypanosomiasis or Chagas disease and different types of leishmaniasis. Different metabolic pathways have been targeted to find antitrypanosomatid drugs, including polyamine metabolism. Since their discovery, the naturally occurring polyamines, putrescine, spermidine and spermine, have been considered important metabolites involved in cell growth. With a complex metabolism involving biosynthesis, catabolism and interconversion, the synthesis of putrescine and spermidine was targeted by thousands of compounds in an effort to produce cell growth blockade in tumor and infectious processes with limited success. However, the discovery of eflornithine (DFMO) as a curative drug against sleeping sickness encouraged researchers to develop new molecules against these diseases. Polyamine synthesis inhibitors have also provided insight into the peculiarities of this pathway between the host and the parasite, and also among different trypanosomatid species, thus allowing the search for new specific chemical entities aimed to treat these diseases and leading to the investigation of target-based scaffolds. The main molecular targets include the enzymes involved in polyamine biosynthesis (ornithine decarboxylase, S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase and spermidine synthase), enzymes participating in their uptake from the environment, and the enzymes involved in the redox balance of the parasite. In this review, we summarize the research behind polyamine-based treatments, the current trends, and the main challenges in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yolanda Pérez-Pertejo
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain; (Y.P.-P.); (C.G.-E.); (R.M.R.)
- Instituto de Biomedicina (IBIOMED), Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Carlos García-Estrada
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain; (Y.P.-P.); (C.G.-E.); (R.M.R.)
- Instituto de Biomedicina (IBIOMED), Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
| | | | - Sankaranarayanan Murugesan
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science-Pilani, Pilani 333031, India;
| | - Rosa M. Reguera
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain; (Y.P.-P.); (C.G.-E.); (R.M.R.)
- Instituto de Biomedicina (IBIOMED), Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Rafael Balaña-Fouce
- Departamento de Ciencias Biomédicas, Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain; (Y.P.-P.); (C.G.-E.); (R.M.R.)
- Instituto de Biomedicina (IBIOMED), Campus de Vegazana s/n, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
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Ihnatenko I, Müller MJ, Orban OCF, Lindhof JC, Benítez D, Ortíz C, Dibello E, Seidl LL, Comini MA, Kunick C. The indole motif is essential for the antitrypanosomal activity of N5-substituted paullones. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0292946. [PMID: 38032881 PMCID: PMC10688702 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0292946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Severe infections with potentially fatal outcomes are caused by parasites from the genera Trypanosoma and Leishmania (class Kinetoplastea). The diseases affect people of remote areas in the tropics and subtropics with limited access to adequate health care. Besides insufficient diagnostics, treatment options are limited, with tenuous developments in recent years. Therefore, new antitrypanosomal antiinfectives are required to fight these maladies. In the presented approach, new compounds were developed and tested on the target trypanothione synthetase (TryS). This enzyme is crucial to the kinetoplastids' unique trypanothione-based thiol redox metabolism and thus for pathogen survival. Preceding studies have shown that N5-substituted paullones display antitrypanosomal activity as well as TryS inhibition. Herein, this compound class was further examined regarding the structure-activity relationships (SAR). Diverse benzazepinone derivatives were designed and tested in cell-based assays on bloodstream Trypanosoma brucei brucei (T. b. brucei) and intracellular amastigotes of Leishmania infantum (L. infantum) as well as in enzyme-based assays on L. infantum TryS (LiTryS) and T. b. brucei TryS (TbTryS). While an exchange of just the substituent in the 9-position of paullones led to potent inhibitors on LiTryS and T. b. brucei parasites, new compounds lacking the indole moiety showed a total loss of activity in both assays. Conclusively, the indole as part of the paullone structure is pivotal for keeping the TryS inhibitory and antitrypanosomal activity of this substance class.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irina Ihnatenko
- Institute of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
- PVZ-Center of Pharmaceutical Engineering, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Marco J Müller
- Institute of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
- PVZ-Center of Pharmaceutical Engineering, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Oliver C F Orban
- Institute of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
- PVZ-Center of Pharmaceutical Engineering, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Jens C Lindhof
- Institute of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
- PVZ-Center of Pharmaceutical Engineering, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
| | - Diego Benítez
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Cecilia Ortíz
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Estefanía Dibello
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
- Laboratorio de Síntesis Orgánica, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Facultad de Química, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Leonardo L Seidl
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Marcelo A Comini
- Laboratory Redox Biology of Trypanosomes, Institut Pasteur de Montevideo, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Conrad Kunick
- Institute of Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
- PVZ-Center of Pharmaceutical Engineering, TU Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
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Jamabo M, Mahlalela M, Edkins AL, Boshoff A. Tackling Sleeping Sickness: Current and Promising Therapeutics and Treatment Strategies. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12529. [PMID: 37569903 PMCID: PMC10420020 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241512529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2023] [Revised: 07/27/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Human African trypanosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by the extracellular protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei, and targeted for eradication by 2030. The COVID-19 pandemic contributed to the lengthening of the proposed time frame for eliminating human African trypanosomiasis as control programs were interrupted. Armed with extensive antigenic variation and the depletion of the B cell population during an infectious cycle, attempts to develop a vaccine have remained unachievable. With the absence of a vaccine, control of the disease has relied heavily on intensive screening measures and the use of drugs. The chemotherapeutics previously available for disease management were plagued by issues such as toxicity, resistance, and difficulty in administration. The approval of the latest and first oral drug, fexinidazole, is a major chemotherapeutic achievement for the treatment of human African trypanosomiasis in the past few decades. Timely and accurate diagnosis is essential for effective treatment, while poor compliance and resistance remain outstanding challenges. Drug discovery is on-going, and herein we review the recent advances in anti-trypanosomal drug discovery, including novel potential drug targets. The numerous challenges associated with disease eradication will also be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miebaka Jamabo
- Biotechnology Innovation Centre, Rhodes University, Makhanda 6139, South Africa; (M.J.); (M.M.)
| | - Maduma Mahlalela
- Biotechnology Innovation Centre, Rhodes University, Makhanda 6139, South Africa; (M.J.); (M.M.)
| | - Adrienne L. Edkins
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Biomedical Biotechnology Research Centre (BioBRU), Rhodes University, Makhanda 6139, South Africa;
| | - Aileen Boshoff
- Biotechnology Innovation Centre, Rhodes University, Makhanda 6139, South Africa; (M.J.); (M.M.)
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Alves ETM, Pernichelle FG, Nascimento LA, Ferreira GM, Ferreira EI. Covalent Inhibitors for Neglected Diseases: An Exploration of Novel Therapeutic Options. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1028. [PMID: 37513939 PMCID: PMC10385647 DOI: 10.3390/ph16071028] [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: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Neglected diseases, primarily found in tropical regions of the world, present a significant challenge for impoverished populations. Currently, there are 20 diseases considered neglected, which greatly impact the health of affected populations and result in difficult-to-control social and economic consequences. Unfortunately, for the majority of these diseases, there are few or no drugs available for patient treatment, and the few drugs that do exist often lack adequate safety and efficacy. As a result, there is a pressing need to discover and design new drugs to address these neglected diseases. This requires the identification of different targets and interactions to be studied. In recent years, there has been a growing focus on studying enzyme covalent inhibitors as a potential treatment for neglected diseases. In this review, we will explore examples of how these inhibitors have been used to target Human African Trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease, and Malaria, highlighting some of the most promising results so far. Ultimately, this review aims to inspire medicinal chemists to pursue the development of new drug candidates for these neglected diseases, and to encourage greater investment in research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick Tavares Marcelino Alves
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, Butantã, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Filipe Gomes Pernichelle
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, Butantã, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Lucas Adriano Nascimento
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, Butantã, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Glaucio Monteiro Ferreira
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, Butantã, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Elizabeth Igne Ferreira
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, Butantã, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
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Zaman N, Azam SS. Quantum Dynamics and Bi Metal Force Field Parameterization Yielding Significant Antileishmanial Targets. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:1371-1385. [PMID: 36730993 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c01100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Amid emerging drug resistance to metal inhibitors, high toxicity, and onerous drug delivery procedures, the computational design of alternate formulations encompassing functional metal-containing compounds greatly relies on large-scale atomistic simulations. Simulations particularly with Au(I), Ag, Bi(V), and Sb(V) pose a major challenge to elucidate their molecular mechanism due to the absence of force field parameters. This study thus quantum mechanically derives force field parameters of Bi(V) as an extension of the previous experimental study conducted on heteroleptic triorganobismuth(V) biscarboxylates of type [BiR3(O2CR')2]. We have modeled two organo-bismuth(V) carboxylates, which are optimized and parameterized along with the famous pentavalent antimonial drug: meglumine antimoniate using quantum mechanics original Seminarian methods with the SBKJC effective core potential (ECP) basis set. Furthermore, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of bismuth- and antimony-containing compounds in complex with two enzymes, trypanothione synthetase-amidase (TSA) and trypanothione reductase, are performed to target the (T(SH)2) pathway at multiple points. MD simulations provide novel insights into the binding mechanism of TSA and highlight the role of a single residue Arg569 in modulating the ligand dynamics. Moreover, the presence of an ortho group in a ligand is emphasized to facilitate interactions between Arg569 and the active site residue Arg313 for higher inhibitory activity of TSA. This preliminary generation of parameters specific to bismuth validated by simulations in replica will become a preamble of future computational and experimental research work to open avenues for newer and suitable drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naila Zaman
- Computational Biology Lab, National Center for Bioinformatics, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad45320, Pakistan
| | - Syed Sikander Azam
- Computational Biology Lab, National Center for Bioinformatics, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad45320, Pakistan
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10
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Gopu B, Kour P, Pandian R, Singh K. Insights into the drug screening approaches in leishmaniasis. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 114:109591. [PMID: 36700771 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2022.109591] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis, a tropically neglected disease, is responsible for the high mortality and morbidity ratio in poverty-stricken areas. Currently, no vaccine is available for the complete cure of the disease. Current chemotherapeutic regimens face the limitations of drug resistance and toxicity concerns indicating a great need to develop better chemotherapeutic leads that are orally administrable, potent, non-toxic, and cost-effective. The anti-leishmanial drug discovery process accelerated the desire for large-scale drug screening assays and high-throughput screening (HTS) technology to identify new chemo-types that can be used as potential drug molecules to control infection. Using the HTS approach, about one million compounds can be screened daily within the shortest possible time for biological activity using automation tools, miniaturized assay formats, and large-scale data analysis. Classical and modern in vitro screening assays have led to the progression of active compounds further to ex vivo and in vivo studies. In the present review, we emphasized on the HTS approaches employed in the leishmanial drug discovery program. Recent in vitro screening assays are widely explored to discover new chemical scaffolds. Developing appropriate experimental animal models and their related techniques is necessary to understand the pathophysiological processes and disease host responses, paving the way for unraveling novel therapies against leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Boobalan Gopu
- Animal House Facility, Pharmacology Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
| | - Parampreet Kour
- Infectious Diseases Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu 180001, India
| | - Ramajayan Pandian
- Animal House Facility, Pharmacology Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Kuljit Singh
- Infectious Diseases Division, CSIR- Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, Jammu 180001, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India.
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Discovery of novel Leishmania major trypanothione synthetase inhibitors by high-throughput screening. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2022; 637:308-313. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2022.11.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
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12
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Identification of L. infantum trypanothione synthetase inhibitors with leishmanicidal activity from a (non-biased) in-house chemical library. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 243:114675. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114675] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2022] [Revised: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 08/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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