The TATA-binding Protein DNA-binding domain of eukaryotic parasites is a potentially druggable target

TATA-Binding Protein-Based Virtual Screening of FDA Drugs Identified New Anti-Giardiasis Agents

Parasitic diseases, predominantly prevalent in developing countries, are increasingly spreading to high-income nations due to shifting migration patterns. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates approximately 300 million annual cases of giardiasis. The emergence of drug resistance and associated side effects necessitates urgent research to address this growing health concern. In this study, we evaluated over eleven thousand pharmacological compounds sourced from the FDA database to assess their impact on the TATA-binding protein (TBP) of the early diverging protist Giardia lamblia, which holds medical significance. We identified a selection of potential pharmacological compounds for combating this parasitic disease through in silico analysis, employing molecular modeling techniques such as homology modeling, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations. Notably, our findings highlight compounds DB07352 and DB08399 as promising candidates for inhibiting the TBP of Giardia lamblia. Also, these compounds and DB15584 demonstrated high efficacy against trophozoites in vitro. In summary, this study identifies compounds with the potential to combat giardiasis, offering the prospect of specific therapies and providing a robust foundation for future research.

In silico identification of potential inhibitors of vital monkeypox virus proteins from FDA approved drugs

The World Health Organization (WHO) recently declared the monkeypox outbreak 'A public health emergency of international concern'. The monkeypox virus belongs to the same Orthopoxvirus genus as smallpox. Although smallpox drugs are recommended for use against monkeypox, monkeypox-specific drugs are not yet available. Drug repurposing is a viable and efficient approach in the face of such an outbreak. Therefore, we present a computational drug repurposing study to identify the existing approved drugs which can be potential inhibitors of vital monkeypox virus proteins, thymidylate kinase and D9 decapping enzyme. The target protein structures of the monkeypox virus were modelled using the corresponding protein structures in the vaccinia virus. We identified four potential inhibitors namely, Tipranavir, Cefiderocol, Doxorubicin, and Dolutegravir as candidates for repurposing against monkeypox virus from a library of US FDA approved antiviral and antibiotic drugs using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. The main goal of this in silico study is to identify potential inhibitors against monkeypox virus proteins that can be further experimentally validated for the discovery of novel therapeutic agents against monkeypox disease.

Analysis of Giardia lamblia Nucleolus as Drug Target: A Review

Giardia lamblia (G. lamblia) is the main causative agent of diarrhea worldwide, affecting children and adults alike; in the former, it can be lethal, and in the latter a strong cause of morbidity. Despite being considered a predominant disease in low-income and developing countries, current migratory flows have caused an increase in giardiasis cases in high-income countries. Currently, there is a wide variety of chemotherapeutic treatments to combat this parasitosis, most of which have potentially serious side effects, such as genotoxic, carcinogenic, and teratogenic. The necessity to create novel treatments and discover new therapeutic targets to fight against this illness is evident. The current review centers around the controversial nucleolus of G. lamblia, providing a historical perspective that traces its apparent absence to the present evidence supporting its existence as a subnuclear compartment in this organism. Additionally, possible examples of ncRNAs and proteins ubiquitous to the nucleolus that can be used as targets of different therapeutic strategies are discussed. Finally, some examples of drugs under research that could be effective against G. lamblia are described.

Target acquired: transcriptional regulators as drug targets for protozoan parasites

Protozoan parasites are single-celled eukaryotic organisms that cause significant human disease and pose a substantial health and socioeconomic burden worldwide. They are responsible for at least 1 million deaths annually. The treatment of such diseases is hindered by the ability of parasites to form latent cysts, develop drug resistance, or be transmitted by insect vectors. Additionally, these pathogens have developed complex mechanisms to alter host gene expression. The prevalence of these diseases is predicted to increase as climate change leads to the augmentation of ambient temperatures, insect ranges, and warm water reservoirs. Therefore, the discovery of novel treatments is necessary. Transcription factors lie at the junction of multiple signalling pathways in eukaryotes and aberrant transcription factor function contributes to the progression of numerous human diseases including cancer, diabetes, inflammatory disorders and cardiovascular disease. Transcription factors were previously thought to be undruggable. However, due to recent advances, transcription factors now represent appealing drug targets. It is conceivable that transcription factors, and the pathways they regulate, may also serve as targets for anti-parasitic drug design. Here, we review transcription factors and transcriptional modulators of protozoan parasites, and discuss how they may be useful in drug discovery. We also provide information on transcription factors that play a role in stage conversion of parasites, TATA box-binding proteins, and transcription factors and cofactors that participate with RNA polymerases I, II and III. We also highlight a significant gap in knowledge in that the transcription factors of some of parasites have been under-investigated. Understanding parasite transcriptional pathways and how parasites alter host gene expression will be essential in discovering innovative drug targets.

Exploring the dynamic mechanism of allosteric drug SHP099 inhibiting SHP2E69K

The E69K mutation is one of the most frequent protein tyrosine phosphatase-2 (SHP2) mutations in leukemia, and it can cause the increase in the protein activity. Recent studies have shown that the E69K mutation was fairly sensitive to the allosteric inhibitor of SHP2 (SHP099). However, the molecular mechanism of the allosteric drug SHP099 inhibiting SHP2^E69K remains unclear. Thus, the molecular dynamic simulations and the post-dynamics analyses (RMSF, PCA, DCCM, RIN and the binding free energies) for SHP2^WT, SHP2^WT-SHP099, SHP2^E69K and SHP2^E69K-SHP099 were carried out, respectively. Owing to the strong binding affinity of SHP099 to residues Thr219 and Arg220, the flexibility of linker region (residues Val209-Arg231) was reduced. Moreover, the presence of SHP099 kept the autoinhibition state of the SHP2 protein through enhancing the interactions between the linker region and Q loop in PTP domain, such as Thr219/Val490, Thr219/Asn491, Arg220/Ile488 and Leu254/Asn491. In addition, it was found that the residues (Thr219, Arg220, Leu254 and Asn491) might be the key residues responsible for the conformational changes of protein. Overall, this study may provide an important basis for understanding how the SHP099 effectively inhibited the SHP2^E69K activity at the molecular level.