1
|
Shawky AM, Almalki FA, Alzahrani HA, Abdalla AN, Youssif BGM, Ibrahim NA, Gamal M, El-Sherief HAM, Abdel-Fattah MM, Hefny AA, Abdelazeem AH, Gouda AM. Covalent small-molecule inhibitors of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro: Insights into their design, classification, biological activity, and binding interactions. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 277:116704. [PMID: 39121741 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116704] [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: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 07/10/2024] [Accepted: 07/19/2024] [Indexed: 08/12/2024]
Abstract
Since 2020, many compounds have been investigated for their potential use in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Among these agents, a huge number of natural products and FDA-approved drugs have been evaluated as potential therapeutics for SARS-CoV-2 using virtual screening and docking studies. However, the identification of the molecular targets involved in viral replication led to the development of rationally designed anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents. Among these targets, the main protease (Mpro) is one of the key enzymes needed in the replication of the virus. The data gleaned from the crystal structures of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro complexes with small-molecule covalent inhibitors has been used in the design and discovery of many highly potent and broad-spectrum Mpro inhibitors. The current review focuses mainly on the covalent type of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors. The design, chemistry, and classification of these inhibitors were also in focus. The biological activity of these inhibitors, including their inhibitory activities against Mpro, their antiviral activities, and the SAR studies, were discussed. The review also describes the potential mechanism of the interaction between these inhibitors and the catalytic Cys145 residue in Mpro. Moreover, the binding modes and key binding interactions of these covalent inhibitors were also illustrated. The covalent inhibitors discussed in this review were of diverse chemical nature and origin. Their antiviral activity was mediated mainly by the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, with IC50 values in the micromolar to the nanomolar range. Many of these inhibitors exhibited broad-spectrum inhibitory activity against the Mpro enzymes of other coronaviruses (SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV). The dual inhibition of the Mpro and PLpro enzymes of SARS-CoV-2 could also provide higher therapeutic benefits than Mpro inhibition. Despite the approval of nirmatrelvir by the FDA, many mutations in the Mpro enzyme of SARS-CoV-2 have been reported. Although some of these mutations did not affect the potency of nirmatrelvir, there is an urgent need to develop a second generation of Mpro inhibitors. We hope that the data summarized in this review could help researchers in the design of a new potent generation of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ahmed M Shawky
- Science and Technology Unit (STU), Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, 21955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Faisal A Almalki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, 21955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hayat Ali Alzahrani
- Applied Medical Science College, Medical Laboratory Technology Department, Northern Border University, Arar, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ashraf N Abdalla
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, 21955, Saudi Arabia; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Medicinal And Aromatic Plants Research Institute, National Center for Research, Khartoum, 2404, Sudan
| | - Bahaa G M Youssif
- Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Assiut University, Assiut, 71526, Egypt.
| | - Nashwa A Ibrahim
- Medicinal Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, 62514, Egypt
| | - Mohammed Gamal
- Pharmaceutical Analytical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, 62514, Egypt
| | - Hany A M El-Sherief
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Deraya University, Minia, Egypt
| | - Maha M Abdel-Fattah
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, 62514, Egypt
| | - Ahmed A Hefny
- Medicinal Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, 62514, Egypt; School of Pharmacy, University of Waterloo, Kitchener, Ontario, N2G 1C5, Canada
| | - Ahmed H Abdelazeem
- Medicinal Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, 62514, Egypt; Pharmacy Department, College of Pharmacy, Nursing and Medical Sciences, Riyadh Elm University, Riyadh, 11681, Saudi Arabia
| | - Ahmed M Gouda
- Medicinal Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef, 62514, Egypt.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Guo L, Zeng P, Zhou X, Li W, Zhang J, Li J. Structural basis of main proteases of MERS-CoV bound to antineoplastic drug carmofur. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2024; 735:150469. [PMID: 39106601 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2024.150469] [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: 07/16/2024] [Revised: 07/21/2024] [Accepted: 07/28/2024] [Indexed: 08/09/2024]
Abstract
Recurrent epidemics of coronaviruses have posed significant threats to human life and health. The mortality rate of patients infected with the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus (MERS-CoV) is 35 %. The main protease (Mpro) plays a crucial role in the MERS-CoV life cycle, and Mpro exhibited a high degree of conservation among different coronaviruses. Therefore inhibition of Mpro has become an effective strategy for the development of broad-spectrum anti-coronaviral drugs. The inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 Mpro by the anti-tumor drug carmofur has been revealed, but structural studies of carmofur in complex with Mpro from other types of coronavirus have not been reported. Hence, we revealed the structure of the MERS-CoV Mpro-carmofur complex, analysed the structural basis for the binding of carmofur to MERS-CoV Mpro in detail, and compared the binding patterns of carmofur to Mpros of two different coronaviruses, MERS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2. Considering the importance of Mpros for coronavirus therapy, structural understanding of Mpro inhibition by carmofur could contribute to the design and development of novel antiviral drugs with safe and broad-spectrum efficacy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li Guo
- Shenzhen Crystalo Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China
| | - Pei Zeng
- Jiangxi Jmerry Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Ganzhou, China
| | - Xuelan Zhou
- Jiangxi Jmerry Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Ganzhou, China
| | - Wenwen Li
- Jiangxi Jmerry Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Ganzhou, China
| | - Jin Zhang
- Shenzhen Crystalo Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China; Jiangxi Jmerry Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Ganzhou, China.
| | - Jian Li
- Shenzhen Crystalo Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, China; Jiangxi Jmerry Biopharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Ganzhou, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Reddi KK, Chava S, Chabattula SC, Edwards YJK, Singh K, Gupta R. ASAH1 facilitates TNBC by DUSP5 suppression-driven activation of MAP kinase pathway and represents a therapeutic vulnerability. Cell Death Dis 2024; 15:452. [PMID: 38926346 PMCID: PMC11208621 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-024-06831-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 06/07/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a subtype of breast cancer that is prone to metastasis and therapy resistance. Owing to its aggressive nature and limited availability of targeted therapies, TNBC is associated with higher mortality as compared to other forms of breast cancer. In order to develop new therapeutic options for TNBC, we characterized the factors involved in TNBC growth and progression. Here, we demonstrate that N-acylsphingosine amidohydrolase 1 (ASAH1) is overexpressed in TNBC cells and is regulated via p53 and PI3K-AKT signaling pathways. Genetic knockdown or pharmacological inhibition of ASAH1 suppresses TNBC growth and progression. Mechanistically, ASAH1 inhibition stimulates dual-specificity phosphatase 5 (DUSP5) expression, suppressing the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway. Furthermore, pharmacological cotargeting of the ASAH1 and MAPK pathways inhibits TNBC growth. Collectively, we unmasked a novel role of ASAH1 in driving TNBC and identified dual targeting of the ASAH1 and MAPK pathways as a potential new therapeutic approach for TNBC treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kiran Kumar Reddi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Suresh Chava
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Siva Chander Chabattula
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Yvonne J K Edwards
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Kamaljeet Singh
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI, USA
| | - Romi Gupta
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
- O'Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center at The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Grigorenko BL, Polyakov IV, Khrenova MG, Giudetti G, Faraji S, Krylov AI, Nemukhin AV. Multiscale Simulations of the Covalent Inhibition of the SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease: Four Compounds and Three Reaction Mechanisms. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:13204-13214. [PMID: 37294056 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c02229] [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: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
We report the results of computational modeling of the reactions of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (MPro) with four potential covalent inhibitors. Two of them, carmofur and nirmatrelvir, have shown experimentally the ability to inhibit MPro. Two other compounds, X77A and X77C, were designed computationally in this work. They were derived from the structure of X77, a non-covalent inhibitor forming a tight surface complex with MPro. We modified the X77 structure by introducing warheads capable of reacting with the catalytic cysteine residue in the MPro active site. The reaction mechanisms of the four molecules with MPro were investigated by quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) simulations. The results show that all four compounds form covalent adducts with the catalytic cysteine Cys 145 of MPro. From the chemical perspective, the reactions of these four molecules with MPro follow three distinct mechanisms. The reactions are initiated by a nucleophilic attack of the thiolate group of the deprotonated cysteine residue from the catalytic dyad Cys145-His41 of MPro. In the case of carmofur and X77A, the covalent binding of the thiolate to the ligand is accompanied by the formation of the fluoro-uracil leaving group. The reaction with X77C follows the nucleophilic aromatic substitution SNAr mechanism. The reaction of MPro with nirmatrelvir (which has a reactive nitrile group) leads to the formation of a covalent thioimidate adduct with the thiolate of the Cys145 residue in the enzyme active site. Our results contribute to the ongoing search for efficient inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 enzymes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bella L Grigorenko
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia
- Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - Igor V Polyakov
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia
- Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| | - Maria G Khrenova
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia
- Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Federal Research Centre "Fundamentals of Biotechnology", Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119071, Russia
| | - Goran Giudetti
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-0482, United States
| | - Shirin Faraji
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Groningen 9747 AG, The Netherlands
| | - Anna I Krylov
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-0482, United States
| | - Alexander V Nemukhin
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991, Russia
- Emanuel Institute of Biochemical Physics, Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow 119334, Russia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Giudetti G, Polyakov I, Grigorenko BL, Faraji S, Nemukhin AV, Krylov AI. How Reproducible Are QM/MM Simulations? Lessons from Computational Studies of the Covalent Inhibition of the SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease by Carmofur. J Chem Theory Comput 2022; 18:5056-5067. [PMID: 35797455 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.2c00286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
This work explores the level of transparency in reporting the details of computational protocols that is required for practical reproducibility of quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) simulations. Using the reaction of an essential SARS-CoV-2 enzyme (the main protease) with a covalent inhibitor (carmofur) as a test case of chemical reactions in biomolecules, we carried out QM/MM calculations to determine the structures and energies of the reactants, the product, and the transition state/intermediate using analogous QM/MM models implemented in two software packages, NWChem and Q-Chem. Our main benchmarking goal was to reproduce the key energetics computed with the two packages. Our results indicate that quantitative agreement (within the numerical thresholds used in calculations) is difficult to achieve. We show that rather minor details of QM/MM simulations must be reported in order to ensure the reproducibility of the results and offer suggestions toward developing practical guidelines for reporting the results of biosimulations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Goran Giudetti
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-0482, United States
| | - Igor Polyakov
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Bella L Grigorenko
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Shirin Faraji
- Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen, Groningen, 9747 AG The Netherlands
| | - Alexander V Nemukhin
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, 119991, Russia
| | - Anna I Krylov
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089-0482, United States
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Targeting Acid Ceramidase Inhibits Glioblastoma Cell Migration through Decreased AKT Signaling. Cells 2022; 11:cells11121873. [PMID: 35741006 PMCID: PMC9221433 DOI: 10.3390/cells11121873] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Revised: 05/13/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) remains one of the most aggressive cancers, partially due to its ability to migrate into the surrounding brain. The sphingolipid balance, or the balance between ceramides and sphingosine-1-phosphate, contributes to the ability of GBM cells to migrate or invade. Of the ceramidases which hydrolyze ceramides, acid ceramidase (ASAH1) is highly expressed in GBM samples compared to non-tumor brain. ASAH1 expression also correlates with genes associated with migration and focal adhesion. To understand the role of ASAH1 in GBM migration, we utilized shRNA knockdown and observed decreased migration that did not depend upon changes in growth. Next, we inhibited ASAH1 using carmofur, a clinically utilized small molecule inhibitor. Inhibition of ASAH1 by carmofur blocks in vitro migration of U251 (GBM cell line) and GBM cells derived from patient-derived xenografts (PDXs). RNA-sequencing suggested roles for carmofur in MAPK and AKT signaling. We found that carmofur treatment decreases phosphorylation of AKT, but not of MAPK. The decrease in AKT phosphorylation was confirmed by shRNA knockdown of ASAH1. Our findings substantiate ASAH1 inhibition using carmofur as a potential clinically relevant treatment to advance GBM therapeutics, particularly due to its impact on migration.
Collapse
|
7
|
Lv Z, Cano KE, Jia L, Drag M, Huang TT, Olsen SK. Targeting SARS-CoV-2 Proteases for COVID-19 Antiviral Development. Front Chem 2022; 9:819165. [PMID: 35186898 PMCID: PMC8850931 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.819165] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2021] [Accepted: 12/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The emergence of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS-CoV-2) in 2019 marked the third occurrence of a highly pathogenic coronavirus in the human population since 2003. As the death toll surpasses 5 million globally and economic losses continue, designing drugs that could curtail infection and disease progression is critical. In the US, three highly effective Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-authorized vaccines are currently available, and Remdesivir is approved for the treatment of hospitalized patients. However, moderate vaccination rates and the sustained evolution of new viral variants necessitate the ongoing search for new antivirals. Several viral proteins have been prioritized as SARS-CoV-2 antiviral drug targets, among them the papain-like protease (PLpro) and the main protease (Mpro). Inhibition of these proteases would target viral replication, viral maturation, and suppression of host innate immune responses. Knowledge of inhibitors and assays for viruses were quickly adopted for SARS-CoV-2 protease research. Potential candidates have been identified to show inhibitory effects against PLpro and Mpro, both in biochemical assays and viral replication in cells. These results encourage further optimizations to improve prophylactic and therapeutic efficacy. In this review, we examine the latest developments of potential small-molecule inhibitors and peptide inhibitors for PLpro and Mpro, and how structural biology greatly facilitates this process.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zongyang Lv
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Kristin E. Cano
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Lijia Jia
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| | - Marcin Drag
- Department of Chemical Biology and Bioimaging, Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Tony T. Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY, United States
| | - Shaun K. Olsen
- Department of Biochemistry and Structural Biology, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, United States
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
A 5-Fluorouracil Derivative: Carmofur as a New Potent Agent for Inhibition of Human Prostate and Breast Cancer Cell Lines. IRANIAN JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, TRANSACTIONS A: SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s40995-021-01227-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
|
9
|
Hose M, Günther A, Naser E, Schumacher F, Schönberger T, Falkenstein J, Papadamakis A, Kleuser B, Becker KA, Gulbins E, Haimovitz-Friedman A, Buer J, Westendorf AM, Hansen W. Cell-intrinsic ceramides determine T cell function during melanoma progression. eLife 2022; 11:83073. [PMID: 36426850 PMCID: PMC9699697 DOI: 10.7554/elife.83073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Accepted: 11/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Acid sphingomyelinase (Asm) and acid ceramidase (Ac) are parts of the sphingolipid metabolism. Asm hydrolyzes sphingomyelin to ceramide, which is further metabolized to sphingosine by Ac. Ceramide generates ceramide-enriched platforms that are involved in receptor clustering within cellular membranes. However, the impact of cell-intrinsic ceramide on T cell function is not well characterized. By using T cell-specific Asm- or Ac-deficient mice, with reduced or elevated ceramide levels in T cells, we identified ceramide to play a crucial role in T cell function in vitro and in vivo. T cell-specific ablation of Asm in Smpd1fl/fl/Cd4cre/+ (Asm/CD4cre) mice resulted in enhanced tumor progression associated with impaired T cell responses, whereas Asah1fl/fl/Cd4cre/+ (Ac/CD4cre) mice showed reduced tumor growth rates and elevated T cell activation compared to the respective controls upon tumor transplantation. Further in vitro analysis revealed that decreased ceramide content supports CD4+ regulatory T cell differentiation and interferes with cytotoxic activity of CD8+ T cells. In contrast, elevated ceramide concentration in CD8+ T cells from Ac/CD4cre mice was associated with enhanced cytotoxic activity. Strikingly, ceramide co-localized with the T cell receptor (TCR) and CD3 in the membrane of stimulated T cells and phosphorylation of TCR signaling molecules was elevated in Ac-deficient T cells. Hence, our results indicate that modulation of ceramide levels, by interfering with the Asm or Ac activity has an effect on T cell differentiation and function and might therefore represent a novel therapeutic strategy for the treatment of T cell-dependent diseases such as tumorigenesis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Hose
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-EssenEssenGermany
| | - Anne Günther
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-EssenEssenGermany
| | - Eyad Naser
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-EssenEssenGermany
| | | | - Tina Schönberger
- Institute of Physiology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-EssenEssenGermany
| | - Julia Falkenstein
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-EssenEssenGermany
| | - Athanasios Papadamakis
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-EssenEssenGermany
| | | | - Katrin Anne Becker
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-EssenEssenGermany
| | - Erich Gulbins
- Institute of Molecular Biology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-EssenEssenGermany
| | | | - Jan Buer
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-EssenEssenGermany
| | - Astrid M Westendorf
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-EssenEssenGermany
| | - Wiebke Hansen
- Institute of Medical Microbiology, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-EssenEssenGermany
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Structural modification of antineoplastic drug carmofur designed to the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 main protease: A theoretical investigation. RESULTS IN CHEMISTRY 2021; 4:100259. [PMID: 34904062 PMCID: PMC8656244 DOI: 10.1016/j.rechem.2021.100259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
A coherent account of the reaction mechanistic details, structural modifications, and inhibition potentials of antineoplastic drug carmofur and its modified analogs to inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro) is reported. The survey is performed by integrating the density functional based tight binding (DFTB3) with density functional theory (DFT) calculations. The inhibition process commences with nucleophilic attack from the sulfur atom on the carbonyl group, yielding a C-S bond formation, followed by a bond formation of the H-O9 by 2.07 Å, which results in a transition state contains a ring of six atoms. We found that although the direct addition of sulfhydryl group hydrogen to the N3 position is likely to happen, the proper position of the hydrogen to O9 decreases its accessibility. The thermodynamic stability of the complex was calculated to be highly sensitive to the substituent on the N11 position. Compounds with CH2NH2 and CH2F at N11 positions of carmofur revealed high thermodynamic stability to complexation with Mpro but induced no change in substrate-binding pocket comparable to carmofur. Replacing the N11 of carmofur with carbon (C-carmofur) was effective in terms of complexation stability at CH2CH2CH2F and CH2CH2CH2OH substitutions and occupation of S1 subsite by these structures in addition to the S2 subsite. Based on the resulted data, increasing the length of the carbon chain at introduced substitutions in N-carmofur almost decreases the complexation stability while in C-carmofur the trend is reversed. Throughout these information outputs, it was suggested that compounds d, e, i′, and k′ might be novel and more efficacious drug candidates instead of carmofur. We believe that our characterization of mechanistic details and structural modification on Mpro/carmofur complex will significantly intensify researchers' understanding of this system, and consequently help them to take advantage of results into practice and design various valuable derivatives for inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 main protease.
Collapse
|
11
|
Dowarah J, Marak BN, Yadav UCS, Singh VP. Potential drug development and therapeutic approaches for clinical intervention in COVID-19. Bioorg Chem 2021; 114:105016. [PMID: 34144277 PMCID: PMC8143914 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.105016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2021] [Accepted: 05/20/2021] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
While the vaccination is now available to many countries and will slowly dissipate to others, effective therapeutics for COVID-19 is still illusive. The SARS-CoV-2 pandemic has posed an unprecedented challenge to researchers, scientists, and clinicians and affected the wellbeing of millions of people worldwide. Since the beginning of the pandemic, a multitude of existing anti-viral, antibiotic, antimalarial, and anticancer drugs have been tested, and some have shown potency in the treatment and management of COVID-19, albeit others failed to leave any positive impact and a few also became controversial as they showed mixed clinical outcomes. In the present article, we have brought together some of the candidate therapeutic drugs being repurposed or used in the clinical trials and discussed their clinical efficacy and safety for COVID-19.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jayanta Dowarah
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, Mizoram University, Aizawl 796004, Mizoram, India
| | - Brilliant N Marak
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, Mizoram University, Aizawl 796004, Mizoram, India
| | | | - Ved Prakash Singh
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, Mizoram University, Aizawl 796004, Mizoram, India; Department of Industrial Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, Mizoram University, Aizawl 796004, Mizoram, India.
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Taniai T, Shirai Y, Shimada Y, Hamura R, Yanagaki M, Takada N, Horiuchi T, Haruki K, Furukawa K, Uwagawa T, Tsuboi K, Okamoto Y, Shimada S, Tanaka S, Ohashi T, Ikegami T. Inhibition of acid ceramidase elicits mitochondrial dysfunction and oxidative stress in pancreatic cancer cells. Cancer Sci 2021; 112:4570-4579. [PMID: 34459070 PMCID: PMC8586682 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/11/2021] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the inhibition of acid ceramidase (AC) is known to induce antitumor effects in various cancers, there are few reports in pancreatic cancer, and the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Moreover, there is currently no safe administration method of AC inhibitor. Here the effects of gene therapy using siRNA and shRNA for AC inhibition with its mechanisms for pancreatic cancer were investigated. The inhibition of AC by siRNA and shRNA using an adeno-associated virus 8 (AAV8) vector had antiproliferative effects by inducing apoptosis in pancreatic cancer cells and xenograft mouse model. Acid ceramidase inhibition elicits mitochondrial dysfunction, reactive oxygen species accumulation, and manganese superoxide dismutase suppression, resulting in apoptosis of pancreatic cancer cells accompanied by ceramide accumulation. These results elucidated the mechanisms underlying the antitumor effect of AC inhibition in pancreatic cancer cells and suggest the potential of the AAV8 vector to inhibit AC as a therapeutic strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tomohiko Taniai
- Department of Surgery, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Gene Therapy, Research Center for Medical Science, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Shirai
- Department of Surgery, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Gene Therapy, Research Center for Medical Science, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yohta Shimada
- Division of Gene Therapy, Research Center for Medical Science, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Ryoga Hamura
- Department of Surgery, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Gene Therapy, Research Center for Medical Science, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Mitsuru Yanagaki
- Department of Surgery, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Gene Therapy, Research Center for Medical Science, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Naoki Takada
- Department of Surgery, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Gene Therapy, Research Center for Medical Science, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Takashi Horiuchi
- Department of Surgery, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Gene Therapy, Research Center for Medical Science, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Koichiro Haruki
- Department of Surgery, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Gene Therapy, Research Center for Medical Science, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kenei Furukawa
- Department of Surgery, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan.,Division of Gene Therapy, Research Center for Medical Science, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tadashi Uwagawa
- Department of Surgery, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Kazuhito Tsuboi
- Department of Pharmacology, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Japan
| | - Yasuo Okamoto
- Department of Pharmacology, Kawasaki Medical School, Kurashiki, Japan
| | - Shu Shimada
- Department of Molecular Oncology Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Shinji Tanaka
- Department of Molecular Oncology Graduate School of Medicine, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toya Ohashi
- Division of Gene Therapy, Research Center for Medical Science, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Toru Ikegami
- Department of Surgery, The Jikei University School of Medicine, Tokyo, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
İzgördü H, Sezer CV, Bayçelebi K, Baloğlu M, Kutlu HM. Cytotoxic Impacts of N-Oleoylethanolamine in Bone Cancer Cells. Anticancer Agents Med Chem 2021; 22:1119-1123. [PMID: 34139986 DOI: 10.2174/1871520621666210617091138] [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: 02/07/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cancer is a complex disease that is derived from the uncontrolled proliferation of cells. Bone cancer is a type of prevalent cancer that occurs both in youngsters and adults. Bone cancer is mostly common in the long bones of the pelvis, arms, and legs. Statistically, more than 200 cases of osteosarcoma have been reported annually in our country. Classical treatment with chemotherapeutics remains ineffective for the cure of this cancer. Recent studies have shown that ceramide induces apoptosis due to its increased levels in the cells. Thus, many studies have been conducted for the accumulation of ceramide molecules in the cell by different ways to induce apoptosis. NOE (N-oleoylethanolamine) is a specific inhibitor of ceramidase enzymes that hydrolyse intracellular ceramides and prevent apoptosis. OBJECTIVE This study investigates the cytotoxic and apoptosis-inducing activities of NOE on human osteosarcoma Saos-2 cells. METHODS Cytotoxic effects were investigated by MTT colorimetric assay. For the detection of morphological and ultrastructural indicators of apoptosis, confocal and TEM techniques were used, respectively. RESULTS Our finding indicated that NOE is effective in the inhibition of the growth of Saos-2 cells. Confocal and TEM findings showed morphological and ultrastructural changes as chromatin condensation, fragmentations of nuclei and mitochondria, as well as damaged cytoskeleton and cell shrinkage. CONCLUSION The results revealed that NOE exhibits its cytotoxicity on Saos-2 cells by changing the ultrastructure and morphology of cells with clear apoptotic sparks.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hüseyin İzgördü
- Eskisehir Technical University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Eskişehir, Turkey
| | - Canan Vejselova Sezer
- Eskisehir Technical University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Eskişehir, Turkey
| | - Kadir Bayçelebi
- Eskisehir Technical University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Eskişehir, Turkey
| | - Murat Baloğlu
- Eskişehir City Hospital, Brain Surgery Clinic, Eskişehir, Turkey
| | - Hatice Mehtap Kutlu
- Eskisehir Technical University, Faculty of Science, Department of Biology, Eskişehir, Turkey
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Mengist HM, Dilnessa T, Jin T. Structural Basis of Potential Inhibitors Targeting SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease. Front Chem 2021; 9:622898. [PMID: 33889562 PMCID: PMC8056153 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.622898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 173] [Impact Index Per Article: 57.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
The Coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) pandemic is still devastating the world causing significant social, economic, and political chaos. Corresponding to the absence of globally approved antiviral drugs for treatment and vaccines for controlling the pandemic, the number of cases and/or mortalities are still rising. Current patient management relies on supportive treatment and the use of repurposed drugs as an indispensable option. Of a crucial role in the viral life cycle, ongoing studies are looking for potential inhibitors to the main protease (Mpro) of severe acute respiratory syndrome Coronavirus -2 (SARS-CoV-2) to tackle the pandemic. Although promising results have been achieved in searching for drugs inhibiting the Mpro, work remains to be done on designing structure-based improved drugs. This review discusses the structural basis of potential inhibitors targeting SARS-CoV-2 Mpro, identifies gaps, and provides future directions. Further, compounds with potential Mpro based antiviral activity are highlighted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hylemariam Mihiretie Mengist
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, CAS Key Laboratory of innate immunity and chronic disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Health Science, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia
| | - Tebelay Dilnessa
- Department of Medical Laboratory Science, College of Health Science, Debre Markos University, Debre Markos, Ethiopia
| | - Tengchuan Jin
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- Hefei National Laboratory for Physical Sciences at Microscale, CAS Key Laboratory of innate immunity and chronic disease, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China
- CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Chinese Academy of Science, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Clifford RE, Govindarajah N, Bowden D, Sutton P, Glenn M, Darvish-Damavandi M, Buczacki S, McDermott U, Szulc Z, Ogretmen B, Parsons JL, Vimalachandran D. Targeting Acid Ceramidase to Improve the Radiosensitivity of Rectal Cancer. Cells 2020; 9:E2693. [PMID: 33334013 PMCID: PMC7765421 DOI: 10.3390/cells9122693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2020] [Revised: 12/12/2020] [Accepted: 12/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Previous work utilizing proteomic and immunohistochemical analyses has identified that high levels of acid ceramidase (AC) expression confers a poorer response to neoadjuvant treatment in locally advanced rectal cancer. We aimed to assess the radiosensitising effect of biological and pharmacological manipulation of AC and elucidate the underlying mechanism. AC manipulation in three colorectal cancer cell lines (HT29, HCT116 and LIM1215) was achieved using siRNA and plasmid overexpression. Carmofur and a novel small molecular inhibitor (LCL521) were used as pharmacological AC inhibitors. Using clonogenic assays, we demonstrate that an siRNA knockdown of AC enhanced X-ray radiosensitivity across all colorectal cancer cell lines compared to a non-targeting control siRNA, and conversely, AC protein overexpression increased radioresistance. Using CRISPR gene editing, we also generated AC knockout HCT116 cells that were significantly more radiosensitive compared to AC-expressing cells. Similarly, two patient-derived organoid models containing relatively low AC expression were found to be comparatively more radiosensitive than three other models containing higher levels of AC. Additionally, AC inhibition using carmofur and LCL521 in three colorectal cancer cell lines increased cellular radiosensitivity. Decreased AC protein led to significant poly-ADP ribose polymerase-1 (PARP-1) cleavage and apoptosis post-irradiation, which was shown to be executed through a p53-dependent process. Our study demonstrates that expression of AC within colorectal cancer cell lines modulates the cellular response to radiation, and particularly that AC inhibition leads to significantly enhanced radiosensitivity through an elevation in apoptosis. This work further solidifies AC as a target for improving radiotherapy treatment of locally advanced rectal cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rachael E. Clifford
- Cancer Research Centre, Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, 200 London Road, Liverpool L3 9TA, UK; (N.G.); (D.B.); (P.S.); (M.G.); (J.L.P.)
| | - Naren Govindarajah
- Cancer Research Centre, Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, 200 London Road, Liverpool L3 9TA, UK; (N.G.); (D.B.); (P.S.); (M.G.); (J.L.P.)
| | - David Bowden
- Cancer Research Centre, Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, 200 London Road, Liverpool L3 9TA, UK; (N.G.); (D.B.); (P.S.); (M.G.); (J.L.P.)
| | - Paul Sutton
- Cancer Research Centre, Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, 200 London Road, Liverpool L3 9TA, UK; (N.G.); (D.B.); (P.S.); (M.G.); (J.L.P.)
| | - Mark Glenn
- Cancer Research Centre, Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, 200 London Road, Liverpool L3 9TA, UK; (N.G.); (D.B.); (P.S.); (M.G.); (J.L.P.)
| | - Mahnaz Darvish-Damavandi
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Science, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK; (M.D.-D.); (S.B.)
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
| | - Simon Buczacki
- Nuffield Department of Surgical Science, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7DQ, UK; (M.D.-D.); (S.B.)
- Wellcome-MRC Cambridge Stem Cell Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 0AW, UK
| | | | - Zdzislaw Szulc
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; (Z.S.); (B.O.)
| | - Besim Ogretmen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; (Z.S.); (B.O.)
| | - Jason L. Parsons
- Cancer Research Centre, Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, 200 London Road, Liverpool L3 9TA, UK; (N.G.); (D.B.); (P.S.); (M.G.); (J.L.P.)
- Clatterbridge Cancer Centre NHS Foundation Trust, Clatterbridge Road, Bebington CH63 4JY, UK
| | - Dale Vimalachandran
- Cancer Research Centre, Department of Molecular and Clinical Cancer Medicine, University of Liverpool, 200 London Road, Liverpool L3 9TA, UK; (N.G.); (D.B.); (P.S.); (M.G.); (J.L.P.)
- The Countess of Chester Hospital, Liverpool Road, Chester CH2 1UL, UK
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Cui W, Yang K, Yang H. Recent Progress in the Drug Development Targeting SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease as Treatment for COVID-19. Front Mol Biosci 2020; 7:616341. [PMID: 33344509 PMCID: PMC7746807 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.616341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Accepted: 11/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The sudden outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV, later named SARS-CoV-2) rapidly turned into an unprecedented pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This global healthcare emergency marked the third occurrence of a deadly coronavirus (CoV) into the human society after entering the new millennium, which overwhelmed the worldwide healthcare system and affected the global economy. However, therapeutic options for COVID-19 are still very limited. Developing drugs targeting vital proteins in viral life cycle is a feasible approach to overcome this dilemma. Main protease (Mpro) plays a dominant role in processing CoV-encoded polyproteins which mediate the assembly of replication-transcription machinery and is thus recognized as an ideal antiviral target. Here we summarize the recent progress in the discovery of anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents against Mpro. Combining structural study, virtual screen, and experimental screen, numerous therapeutic candidates including repurposed drugs and ab initio designed compounds have been proposed. Such collaborative effort from the scientific community would accelerate the pace of developing efficacious treatment for COVID-19.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wen Cui
- Institute of Life Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kailin Yang
- Taussig Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Haitao Yang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China.,Tianjin International Joint Academy of Biomedicine, Tianjin, China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
El Bairi K, Trapani D, Petrillo A, Le Page C, Zbakh H, Daniele B, Belbaraka R, Curigliano G, Afqir S. Repurposing anticancer drugs for the management of COVID-19. Eur J Cancer 2020; 141:40-61. [PMID: 33125946 PMCID: PMC7508523 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejca.2020.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Revised: 09/01/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Since its outbreak in the last December, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by SARS-CoV-2 has rapidly spread worldwide at a pandemic proportion and thus is regarded as a global public health emergency. The existing therapeutic options for COVID-19 beyond the intensive supportive care are limited, with an undefined or modest efficacy reported so far. Drug repurposing represents an enthusiastic mechanism to use approved drugs outside the scope of their original indication and accelerate the discovery of new therapeutic options. With the emergence of COVID-19, drug repurposing has been largely applied for early clinical testing. In this review, we discuss some repurposed anticancer drugs for the treatment of COVID-19, which are under investigation in clinical trials or proposed for the clinical testing.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Khalid El Bairi
- Department of Medical Oncology, Mohammed VI University Hospital, Oujda, Morocco.
| | | | - Angelica Petrillo
- Medical Oncology Unit, Ospedale del Mare, Naples, Italy; University of Study of Campania "L.Vanvitelli", Naples, Italy
| | - Cécile Le Page
- Research Institute of McGill University Health Center (RI-MUHC), Montréal, QC, Canada
| | - Hanaa Zbakh
- Center of Marine Sciences, University of Algarve, Ed. 7, Campus of Gambelas, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal
| | - Bruno Daniele
- Medical Oncology Unit, Ospedale del Mare, Naples, Italy
| | - Rhizlane Belbaraka
- Department of Medical Oncology, "Bioscience et Santé" Research Laboratory, Faculty of Medicine, Cadi Ayad University, Marrakesh, Morocco
| | - Giuseppe Curigliano
- European Institute of Oncology, IRCCS, Milan, Italy; University of Milan, Department of Oncology and Hematology, Milan, Italy
| | - Said Afqir
- Department of Medical Oncology, Mohammed VI University Hospital, Oujda, Morocco
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Tyagi A, Nigam S, Chauhan RS. A Concise Review of Baseline Facts of SARS‐CoV‐2 for Interdisciplinary Research. ChemistrySelect 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/slct.202002420] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Adish Tyagi
- Chemistry Division Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Trombay Mumbai 400085 INDIA
| | - Sandeep Nigam
- Chemistry Division Bhabha Atomic Research Centre Trombay Mumbai 400085 INDIA
| | - Rohit Singh Chauhan
- Chemistry Department K. J. Somaiya College of Science and Commerce Mumbai 400077 India
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Structural basis for the inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 main protease by antineoplastic drug carmofur. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2020; 27:529-532. [PMID: 32382072 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-020-0440-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 291] [Impact Index Per Article: 72.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2020] [Accepted: 04/27/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The antineoplastic drug carmofur is shown to inhibit the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro). Here, the X-ray crystal structure of Mpro in complex with carmofur reveals that the carbonyl reactive group of carmofur is covalently bound to catalytic Cys145, whereas its fatty acid tail occupies the hydrophobic S2 subsite. Carmofur inhibits viral replication in cells (EC50 = 24.30 μM) and is a promising lead compound to develop new antiviral treatment for COVID-19.
Collapse
|
20
|
Cui W, Yang K, Yang H. Recent Progress in the Drug Development Targeting SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease as Treatment for COVID-19. Front Mol Biosci 2020. [PMID: 33344509 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.616341/bibtex] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The sudden outbreak of 2019 novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV, later named SARS-CoV-2) rapidly turned into an unprecedented pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This global healthcare emergency marked the third occurrence of a deadly coronavirus (CoV) into the human society after entering the new millennium, which overwhelmed the worldwide healthcare system and affected the global economy. However, therapeutic options for COVID-19 are still very limited. Developing drugs targeting vital proteins in viral life cycle is a feasible approach to overcome this dilemma. Main protease (Mpro) plays a dominant role in processing CoV-encoded polyproteins which mediate the assembly of replication-transcription machinery and is thus recognized as an ideal antiviral target. Here we summarize the recent progress in the discovery of anti-SARS-CoV-2 agents against Mpro. Combining structural study, virtual screen, and experimental screen, numerous therapeutic candidates including repurposed drugs and ab initio designed compounds have been proposed. Such collaborative effort from the scientific community would accelerate the pace of developing efficacious treatment for COVID-19.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wen Cui
- Institute of Life Sciences, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Kailin Yang
- Taussig Cancer Center, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH, United States
| | - Haitao Yang
- School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- Tianjin International Joint Academy of Biomedicine, Tianjin, China
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Govindarajah N, Clifford R, Bowden D, Sutton PA, Parsons JL, Vimalachandran D. Sphingolipids and acid ceramidase as therapeutic targets in cancer therapy. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol 2019; 138:104-111. [PMID: 31092365 DOI: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2019.03.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 03/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Sphingolipids have been shown to play a key part in cancer cell growth and death and have increasingly become the subject of novel anti-cancer therapies. Acid ceramidase, a sphingolipid enzyme, has an important role in the regulation of apoptosis. In this review we aim to assess the current evidence supporting the role of sphingolipids in cancer and the potential role that acid ceramidase may play in cancer treatment. METHODS A literature search was performed for published full text articles using the PubMed, Cochrane and Scopus databases using the search criteria string "acid ceramidase", "sphingolipid", "cancer". Additional papers were detected by scanning the references of relevant papers. A summary of the evidence for each cancer subgroup was then formed. Given the nature of the data extracted, no meta-analysis was performed. RESULTS Over expression of acid ceramidase has been demonstrated in a number of human cancers. In vitro data demonstrate that manipulation of acid ceramidase may present a useful therapeutic target. In the clinical setting, a number of drugs have been investigated with the ability to target acid ceramidase, with the most promising of those being small molecular inhibitors, such as LCL521. CONCLUSION The role of the sphingolipid pathway in cancer is becoming very clearly established by promoting ceramide accumulation in response to cancer or cellular stress. Acid ceramidase is over expressed in a variety of cancers and has a role as a potential target for inhibition by novel specific inhibitors or off-target effects of traditional anti-cancer agents. Further work is required to develop acid ceramidase inhibitors safe for progression to clinical trials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- N Govindarajah
- Institute of Translational Medicine, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom; Department of General Surgery, The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Chester, United Kingdom
| | - R Clifford
- Institute of Translational Medicine, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom; Department of General Surgery, The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Chester, United Kingdom
| | - D Bowden
- Institute of Translational Medicine, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom; Department of General Surgery, The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Chester, United Kingdom
| | - P A Sutton
- Institute of Translational Medicine, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom; Department of General Surgery, The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Chester, United Kingdom
| | - J L Parsons
- Institute of Translational Medicine, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom
| | - D Vimalachandran
- Institute of Translational Medicine, The University of Liverpool, Liverpool, United Kingdom; Department of General Surgery, The Countess of Chester Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Chester, United Kingdom.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Dementiev A, Joachimiak A, Nguyen H, Gorelik A, Illes K, Shabani S, Gelsomino M, Ahn EYE, Nagar B, Doan N. Molecular Mechanism of Inhibition of Acid Ceramidase by Carmofur. J Med Chem 2018; 62:987-992. [PMID: 30525581 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b01723] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Human acid ceramidase (AC) is a lysosomal cysteine amidase, which has received a great deal of interest in recent years as a potential target for the development of new therapeutics against melanoma and glioblastoma tumors. Despite the strong interest in obtaining structural information, only the structures of the apo-AC enzyme in its zymogen and activated conformations are available. In this work, the crystal structure of AC in complex with the covalent carmofur inhibitor is presented. Carmofur is an antineoplastic drug containing an electrophilic carbonyl reactive group that targets the catalytic cysteine. This novel structural data explains the basis of the AC inhibition, provides insights into the enzymatic properties of the protein, and is a great aid toward the structure-based drug design of potent inhibitors for AC, providing the detailed mechanism, which has eluded the scientific community for more than 30 years, of carmofur's mysterious 5-fluorouracil-independent antitumor activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alexey Dementiev
- Structural Biology Center, Biosciences Division , Argonne National Laboratory , Lemont , Illinois 60439 , United States
| | - Andrzej Joachimiak
- Structural Biology Center, Biosciences Division , Argonne National Laboratory , Lemont , Illinois 60439 , United States
| | - Ha Nguyen
- California Institute of Neuroscience , Thousand Oaks , California 91360 , United States.,National Skull Base Center , Thousand Oaks , California 91360 , United States
| | - Alexei Gorelik
- Department of Biochemistry and Groupe de Recherche Axé sur la Structure des Protéines , McGill University , Montreal , Quebec H3G 0B1 , Canada
| | - Katalin Illes
- Department of Biochemistry and Groupe de Recherche Axé sur la Structure des Protéines , McGill University , Montreal , Quebec H3G 0B1 , Canada
| | - Saman Shabani
- Department of Neurosurgery , Medical College of Wisconsin , Milwaukee , Wisconsin 53226 , United States
| | - Michael Gelsomino
- Department of Neurosurgery , Medical College of Wisconsin , Milwaukee , Wisconsin 53226 , United States
| | - Eun-Young Erin Ahn
- Department of Neurosurgery, Mitchell Cancer Institute , University of South Alabama , Mobile , Alabama 36617 United States
| | - Bhushan Nagar
- Department of Biochemistry and Groupe de Recherche Axé sur la Structure des Protéines , McGill University , Montreal , Quebec H3G 0B1 , Canada
| | - Ninh Doan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Mitchell Cancer Institute , University of South Alabama , Mobile , Alabama 36617 United States
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials in the era of individual patient data sharing. Int J Clin Oncol 2018; 23:403-409. [PMID: 29330642 PMCID: PMC5951901 DOI: 10.1007/s10147-018-1237-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2017] [Accepted: 01/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Background Individual patient data (IPD) meta-analysis is considered to be a gold standard when the results of several randomized trials are combined. Recent initiatives on sharing IPD from clinical trials offer unprecedented opportunities for using such data in IPD meta-analyses. Methods First, we discuss the evidence generated and the benefits obtained by a long-established prospective IPD meta-analysis in early breast cancer. Next, we discuss a data-sharing system that has been adopted by several pharmaceutical sponsors. We review a number of retrospective IPD meta-analyses that have already been proposed using this data-sharing system. Finally, we discuss the role of data sharing in IPD meta-analysis in the future. Results Treatment effects can be more reliably estimated in both types of IPD meta-analyses than with summary statistics extracted from published papers. Specifically, with rich covariate information available on each patient, prognostic and predictive factors can be identified or confirmed. Also, when several endpoints are available, surrogate endpoints can be assessed statistically. Conclusions Although there are difficulties in conducting, analyzing, and interpreting retrospective IPD meta-analysis utilizing the currently available data-sharing systems, data sharing will play an important role in IPD meta-analysis in the future.
Collapse
|
24
|
Tan SF, Pearson JM, Feith DJ, Loughran TP. The emergence of acid ceramidase as a therapeutic target for acute myeloid leukemia. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2017; 21:583-590. [PMID: 28434262 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2017.1322065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is the most common adult leukemia. Only a fraction of AML patients will survive with existing chemotherapy regimens. Hence, there is an urgent and unmet need to identify novel targets and develop better therapeutics in AML. In the past decade, the field of sphingolipid metabolism has emerged into the forefront of cancer biology due to its importance in cancer cell proliferation and survival. In particular, acid ceramidase (AC) has emerged as a promising therapeutic target due to its role in neutralizing the pro-death effects of ceramide. Areas covered: This review highlights key information about AML biology as well as current knowledge on dysregulated sphingolipid metabolism in cancer and AML. We describe AC function and dysregulation in cancer, followed by a review of studies that report elevated AC in AML and compounds known to inhibit the enzyme. Expert opinion: AML has a great need for new drug targets and better therapeutic agents. The finding of elevated AC in AML supports the concept that this enzyme represents a novel and realistic therapeutic target for this common leukemia. More effort is needed towards developing better AC inhibitors for clinical use and combination treatment with existing AML therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Su-Fern Tan
- a Department of Medicine , University of Virginia , Charlottesville , VA , USA
| | - Jennifer M Pearson
- a Department of Medicine , University of Virginia , Charlottesville , VA , USA
| | - David J Feith
- a Department of Medicine , University of Virginia , Charlottesville , VA , USA.,b University of Virginia Cancer Center , Charlottesville , VA , USA
| | - Thomas P Loughran
- a Department of Medicine , University of Virginia , Charlottesville , VA , USA.,b University of Virginia Cancer Center , Charlottesville , VA , USA
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Domracheva I, Muhamadejev R, Petrova M, Liepinsh E, Gulbe A, Shestakova I, Duburs G, Arsenyan P. 1,2-Dimyristoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DMPC) increases Carmofur stability and in vitro antiproliferative effect. Toxicol Rep 2015; 2:377-383. [PMID: 28962371 PMCID: PMC5598257 DOI: 10.1016/j.toxrep.2015.01.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2014] [Revised: 12/09/2014] [Accepted: 01/06/2015] [Indexed: 10/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Addition of DMPC considerably inhibits the degradation of Carmofur in neutral phosphate buffer solutions and this drug becomes less influenced by pH. Carmofur stabilization at neutral pH caused by DMPC addition for in vitro studies was characterized and monitored by 1H NMR. Antiproliferative activity studies on various tumor cell lines showed considerable increase of Carmofur ability to prevent tumor cell growth, when it is added as a mixture with DMPC. This technique opens a way for Carmofur drug delivery in neutral and basic media.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Ilona Domracheva
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles 21, LV-1006, Riga, Latvia
| | - Ruslan Muhamadejev
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles 21, LV-1006, Riga, Latvia
| | - Marina Petrova
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles 21, LV-1006, Riga, Latvia
| | - Edvards Liepinsh
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles 21, LV-1006, Riga, Latvia
| | - Anita Gulbe
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles 21, LV-1006, Riga, Latvia
| | - Irina Shestakova
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles 21, LV-1006, Riga, Latvia
| | - Gunars Duburs
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles 21, LV-1006, Riga, Latvia
| | - Pavel Arsenyan
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Aizkraukles 21, LV-1006, Riga, Latvia
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
Bowater RJ, Abdelmalik SME, Lilford RJ. Efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery when considered over all cancer types: a synthesis of meta-analyses. Ann Surg Oncol 2012; 19:3343-50. [PMID: 22644506 DOI: 10.1245/s10434-012-2388-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2011] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Despite a large number of clinical trials having been conducted to assess the efficacy of adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery for various cancers, whether it is best to use this treatment remains a generally contentious issue for many common cancers. The purpose of this study was to ascertain whether any general conclusions can be drawn about the efficacy or inefficacy of this treatment within different cancer classifications. METHODS Meta-analyses of randomized, controlled trials (RCTs) of adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery were synthesized over as many types of cancer as possible. Data sources were Medline, Embase, and the Cochrane library. Eligible meta-analyses were meta-analyses of RCTs for any type of cancer that compared surgery followed by adjuvant chemotherapy with surgery followed by no adjuvant chemotherapy. RESULTS The literature search found 25 meta-analyses for 15 cancer types that satisfied the criteria necessary for detailed analysis within this study. The estimates of relative risk for all cause mortality were reported as being less than one (indicating adjuvant chemotherapy is beneficial) by all meta-analyses apart from a meta-analysis for colorectal cancer metastasized to the liver. Moreover, 15 of these meta-analyses also reported that the 95% confidence interval for this relative risk is less than one (indicating statistical significance at the 5% level). CONCLUSIONS The results for all cancer types included in this study except for cancer metastasized to the liver can be thought of as supporting each other through the idea of there being a common treatment effect or at least a common range of effect across all (or most) of these cancer types. For example, with regard to cancer types where the evidence in favor of adjuvant chemotherapy after surgery is only moderately strong, the results of this study may encourage more clinicians to regard the use of this treatment as standard practice.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Russell J Bowater
- Department of Mathematics, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana, Unidad Iztapalapa, Mexico City, Mexico.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
27
|
Abstract
BACKGROUND Colon cancer is potentially curable by surgery. Although adjuvant chemotherapy benefits patients with stage III disease, there is uncertainty of such benefit in stage II colon cancer. A systematic review of the literature was performed to better define the potential benefits of adjuvant therapy for patients with stage II colon cancer. OBJECTIVES To determine the effects of adjuvant therapy on overall survival and disease-free survival in patients with stage II colon cancer. SEARCH STRATEGY Ovid MEDLINE (1986-2007), EMBASE (1980-2007), and EBM Reviews - Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials ( to 2007) were searched using the medical headings "colonic neoplasms", "colorectal neoplasms", "adjuvant chemotherapy", "adjuvant radiotherapy" and "immunotherapy", and the text words "colon cancer" and "colonic neoplasms". In addition, proceedings from the annual meetings of the American Society of Clinical Oncology and the European Society of Medical Oncology (1996 to 2004) as well as personal files were searched for additional information. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomized trials or meta-analyses containing data on stage II colon cancer patients undergoing adjuvant therapy versus surgery alone. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS :Three reviewers summarized the results of selected studies. The main outcomes of interest were overall and disease-free survival, however, data on toxicity and treatment delivery were also recorded. MAIN RESULTS With regards to the effect of adjuvant therapy on stage II colon cancer, the pooled relative risk ratio for overall survival was 0.96 (95% confidence interval 0.88, 1.05). With regards to disease-free survival, the pooled relative risk ratio was 0.83 (95% confidence interval 0.75, 0.92). AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Although there was no improvement in overall survival in the pooled analysis, we did find that disease-free survival in patients with stage II colon cancer was significantly better with the use of adjuvant therapy. It seems reasonable to discuss the benefits of adjuvant systemic chemotherapy with those stage II patients who have high risk features, including obstruction, perforation, inadequate lymph node sampling or T4 disease. The co-morbidities and likelihood of tolerating adjuvant systemic chemotherapy should be considered as well. There exists a need to further define which high-risk features in stage II colon cancer patients should be used to select patients for adjuvant therapy. Also, researchers must continue to search for other therapies which might be more effective, shorter in duration and less toxic than those available today.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alvaro Figueredo
- Hamilton Regional Cancer Centre, McMaster Univ., Dept. of Clin. Epid. and Stat.,, 699 Concession Street, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, L8V 5C2.
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
28
|
Affiliation(s)
- Junichi Sakamoto
- Epidemiological & Clinical Research Information Management, Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto, Japan.
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|