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Pereira de Sa N, Jayanetti K, Rendina D, Clement T, Soares Brauer V, Mota Fernandes C, Ojima I, Airola MV, Del Poeta M. Targeting Sterylglucosidase A to Treat Aspergillus fumigatus Infections. mBio 2023; 14:e0033923. [PMID: 36877042 PMCID: PMC10128061 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.00339-23] [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: 02/09/2023] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Invasive fungal infections are a leading cause of death in immunocompromised patients. Current therapies have several limitations, and innovative antifungal agents are critically needed. Previously, we identified the fungus-specific enzyme sterylglucosidase as essential for pathogenesis and virulence of Cryptococcus neoformans and Aspergillus fumigatus (Af) in murine models of mycoses. Here, we developed Af sterylglucosidase A (SglA) as a therapeutic target. We identified two selective inhibitors of SglA with distinct chemical scaffolds that bind in the active site of SglA. Both inhibitors induce sterylglucoside accumulation and delay filamentation in Af and increase survival in a murine model of pulmonary aspergillosis. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies identified a more potent derivative that enhances both in vitro phenotypes and in vivo survival. These findings support sterylglucosidase inhibition as a promising antifungal approach with broad-spectrum potential. IMPORTANCE Invasive fungal infections are a leading cause of death in immunocompromised patients. Aspergillus fumigatus is a fungus ubiquitously found in the environment that, upon inhalation, causes both acute and chronic illnesses in at-risk individuals. A. fumigatus is recognized as one of the critical fungal pathogens for which a substantive treatment breakthrough is urgently needed. Here, we studied a fungus-specific enzyme, sterylglucosidase A (SglA), as a therapeutic target. We identified selective inhibitors of SglA that induce accumulation of sterylglucosides and delay filamentation in A. fumigatus and increase survival in a murine model of pulmonary aspergillosis. We determined the structure of SglA, predicted the binding poses of these inhibitors through docking analysis, and identified a more efficacious derivative with a limited SAR study. These results open several exciting avenues for the research and development of a new class of antifungal agents targeting sterylglucosidases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nivea Pereira de Sa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Kalani Jayanetti
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Dominick Rendina
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Timothy Clement
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Veronica Soares Brauer
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Caroline Mota Fernandes
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Iwao Ojima
- Department of Chemistry, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Michael V. Airola
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
| | - Maurizio Del Poeta
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, New York, USA
- Veterans Administration Medical Center, Northport, New York, USA
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Pereira de Sa N, Del Poeta M. Sterylglucosides in Fungi. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:1130. [PMID: 36354897 PMCID: PMC9698648 DOI: 10.3390/jof8111130] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 10/24/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Sterylglucosides (SGs) are sterol conjugates widely distributed in nature. Although their universal presence in all living organisms suggests the importance of this kind of glycolipids, they are yet poorly understood. The glycosylation of sterols confers a more hydrophilic character, modifying biophysical properties of cell membranes and altering immunogenicity of the cells. In fungi, SGs regulate different cell pathways to help overcome oxygen and pH challenges, as well as help to accomplish cell recycling and other membrane functions. At the same time, the level of these lipids is highly controlled, especially in wild-type fungi. In addition, modulating SGs metabolism is becoming a novel tool for vaccine and antifungal development. In the present review, we bring together multiple observations to emphasize the underestimated importance of SGs for fungal cell functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nivea Pereira de Sa
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
| | - Maurizio Del Poeta
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
- Institute of Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery (ICB&DD), Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, School of Medicine, Stony Brook University, Stony Brook, NY 11794, USA
- Veterans Administration Medical Center, Northport, NY 11768, USA
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Rowland RJ, Chen Y, Breen I, Wu L, Offen WA, Beenakker TJ, Su Q, van den Nieuwendijk AMCH, Aerts JMFG, Artola M, Overkleeft HS, Davies GJ. Design, Synthesis and Structural Analysis of Glucocerebrosidase Imaging Agents. Chemistry 2021; 27:16377-16388. [PMID: 34570911 PMCID: PMC9298352 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202102359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Gaucher disease (GD) is a lysosomal storage disorder caused by inherited deficiencies in β‐glucocerebrosidase (GBA). Current treatments require rapid disease diagnosis and a means of monitoring therapeutic efficacy, both of which may be supported by the use of GBA‐targeting activity‐based probes (ABPs). Here, we report the synthesis and structural analysis of a range of cyclophellitol epoxide and aziridine inhibitors and ABPs for GBA. We demonstrate their covalent mechanism‐based mode of action and uncover binding of the new N‐functionalised aziridines to the ligand binding cleft. These inhibitors became scaffolds for the development of ABPs; the O6‐fluorescent tags of which bind in an allosteric site at the dimer interface. Considering GBA's preference for O6‐ and N‐functionalised reagents, a bi‐functional aziridine ABP was synthesized as a potentially more powerful imaging agent. Whilst this ABP binds to two unique active site clefts of GBA, no further benefit in potency was achieved over our first generation ABPs. Nevertheless, such ABPs should serve useful in the study of GBA in relation to GD and inform the design of future probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhianna J Rowland
- Department of Chemistry, York Structural Biology Laboratory (YSBL), University of York Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Yurong Chen
- Department of Bio-organic Synthesis, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinwegg 55, 2300 RA, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Imogen Breen
- Department of Chemistry, York Structural Biology Laboratory (YSBL), University of York Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Liang Wu
- Department of Chemistry, York Structural Biology Laboratory (YSBL), University of York Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Wendy A Offen
- Department of Chemistry, York Structural Biology Laboratory (YSBL), University of York Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK
| | - Thomas J Beenakker
- Department of Bio-organic Synthesis, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinwegg 55, 2300 RA, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Qin Su
- Department of Medicinal Biochemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinwegg 55, 2300 RA, Leiden, Netherlands
| | | | - Johannes M F G Aerts
- Department of Medicinal Biochemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinwegg 55, 2300 RA, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Marta Artola
- Department of Medicinal Biochemistry, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinwegg 55, 2300 RA, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Herman S Overkleeft
- Department of Bio-organic Synthesis, Leiden Institute of Chemistry, Leiden University, Einsteinwegg 55, 2300 RA, Leiden, Netherlands
| | - Gideon J Davies
- Department of Chemistry, York Structural Biology Laboratory (YSBL), University of York Heslington, York, YO10 5DD, UK
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Structure and inhibition of Cryptococcus neoformans sterylglucosidase to develop antifungal agents. Nat Commun 2021; 12:5885. [PMID: 34620873 PMCID: PMC8497620 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-26163-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Pathogenic fungi exhibit a heavy burden on medical care and new therapies are needed. Here, we develop the fungal specific enzyme sterylglucosidase 1 (Sgl1) as a therapeutic target. Sgl1 converts the immunomodulatory glycolipid ergosterol 3β-D-glucoside to ergosterol and glucose. Previously, we found that genetic deletion of Sgl1 in the pathogenic fungus Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn) results in ergosterol 3β-D-glucoside accumulation, renders Cn non-pathogenic, and immunizes mice against secondary infections by wild-type Cn, even in condition of CD4+ T cell deficiency. Here, we disclose two distinct chemical classes that inhibit Sgl1 function in vitro and in Cn cells. Pharmacological inhibition of Sgl1 phenocopies a growth defect of the Cn Δsgl1 mutant and prevents dissemination of wild-type Cn to the brain in a mouse model of infection. Crystal structures of Sgl1 alone and with inhibitors explain Sgl1’s substrate specificity and enable the rational design of antifungal agents targeting Sgl1. Sterylglucosidase 1 (Sgl1) is a virulence factor in Cryptococcus neoformans that modulates fungal pathogenesis and host response. Here, the authors characterize Sgl1 structurally, identify Sgl1 inhibitors, and demonstrate Sgl1 inhibition has efficacy in mouse models of infection.
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