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Waldron-Young E, Wijitrmektong W, Choi R, Whitman GR, Hulverson MA, Charania R, Keelaghan A, Li L, Srinual S, Nikhar S, McNamara CW, Love MS, Huerta L, Bakowski MA, Hu M, Van Voorhis WC, Mead JR, Cuny GD. Pyridopyrimidinones as a new chemotype of calcium dependent protein kinase 1 (CDPK1) inhibitors for Cryptosporidium. Mol Biochem Parasitol 2024; 260:111637. [PMID: 38901801 DOI: 10.1016/j.molbiopara.2024.111637] [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: 03/31/2024] [Revised: 06/08/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 06/22/2024]
Abstract
The protozoan protein kinase calcium-dependent protein kinase 1 (CDPK1) has emerged as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of cryptosporidiosis. A focused screen of known kinase inhibitors identified a pyridopyrimidinone as a new chemotype of Cryptosporidium parvum (Cp) CDPK1 inhibitors. Structural comparison of CpCDPK1 to two representative human kinases, RIPK2 and Src, revealed differences in the positioning of the αC-helix that was used in the design of a potent pyridopyrimidinone-based CpCDPK1 inhibitor 7 (a.k.a. UH15-16, IC50 = 10 nM), which blocked the growth of three C. parvum strains (EC50 = 12-40 nM) as well as C. hominis (EC50 = 85 nM) in HCT-8 host cells. Pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution analyses indicated that 7 had low systemic exposure after oral administration, but high gastrointestinal concentration, as well as good Caco-2 cell permeability. Finally, 7 demonstrated partial efficacy in an IL-12 knock-out mouse model of acute cryptosporidiosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elise Waldron-Young
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, United States
| | - Wissarut Wijitrmektong
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, United States
| | - Ryan Choi
- Department of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, United States
| | - Grant R Whitman
- Department of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, United States
| | - Matthew A Hulverson
- Department of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, United States
| | - Raheela Charania
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University and Children's Healthcare Organization of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA 30033, United States
| | - Aidan Keelaghan
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University and Children's Healthcare Organization of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA 30033, United States
| | - Li Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, United States
| | - Songpol Srinual
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, United States
| | - Sameer Nikhar
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, United States
| | - Case W McNamara
- Calibr-Skaggs Institute for Innovative Medicines, A division of The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States
| | - Melissa S Love
- Calibr-Skaggs Institute for Innovative Medicines, A division of The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States
| | - Lauren Huerta
- Calibr-Skaggs Institute for Innovative Medicines, A division of The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States
| | - Malina A Bakowski
- Calibr-Skaggs Institute for Innovative Medicines, A division of The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, United States
| | - Ming Hu
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, United States
| | - Wesley C Van Voorhis
- Department of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98109, United States
| | - Jan R Mead
- Department of Pediatrics, Emory University and Children's Healthcare Organization of Atlanta, Atlanta, GA 30322, United States; Atlanta VA Medical Center, Decatur, GA 30033, United States
| | - Gregory D Cuny
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, TX 77204, United States.
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2
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Lenière AC, Vlandas A, Follet J. Treating cryptosporidiosis: A review on drug discovery strategies. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2024; 25:100542. [PMID: 38669849 PMCID: PMC11066572 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2024.100542] [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: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024]
Abstract
Despite several decades of research on therapeutics, cryptosporidiosis remains a major concern for human and animal health. Even though this field of research to assess antiparasitic drug activity is highly active and competitive, only one molecule is authorized to be used in humans. However, this molecule was not efficacious in immunocompromised people and the lack of animal therapeutics remains a cause of concern. Indeed, the therapeutic arsenal needs to be developed for both humans and animals. Our work aims to clarify research strategies that historically were diffuse and poorly directed. This paper reviews in vitro and in vivo methodologies to assess the activity of future therapeutic compounds by screening drug libraries or through drug repurposing. It focuses on High Throughput Screening methodologies (HTS) and discusses the lack of knowledge of target mechanisms. In addition, an overview of several specific metabolic pathways and enzymatic activities used as targets against Cryptosporidium is provided. These metabolic processes include glycolytic pathways, fatty acid production, kinase activities, tRNA elaboration, nucleotide synthesis, gene expression and mRNA maturation. As a conclusion, we highlight emerging future strategies for screening natural compounds and assessing drug resistance issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anne-Charlotte Lenière
- University of Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, Junia, Université Polytechnique Hauts de France, UMR 8520, IEMN Institut d'Electronique de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie, F, 59000, Lille, France
| | - Alexis Vlandas
- University of Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, Junia, Université Polytechnique Hauts de France, UMR 8520, IEMN Institut d'Electronique de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie, F, 59000, Lille, France
| | - Jérôme Follet
- University of Lille, CNRS, Centrale Lille, Junia, Université Polytechnique Hauts de France, UMR 8520, IEMN Institut d'Electronique de Microélectronique et de Nanotechnologie, F, 59000, Lille, France.
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3
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Thakur S, Mehra R. Computational Insight into Substrate-Induced Conformational Changes in Methionyl-tRNA Synthetase of Mycobacterium Tuberculosis. Protein J 2023; 42:533-546. [PMID: 37402109 DOI: 10.1007/s10930-023-10135-3] [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] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/05/2023]
Abstract
Tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (M.tb) has killed millions worldwide. Antibiotic resistance leads to the ineffectiveness of the current therapies. Aminoacyl tRNA synthetase (aaRS) class of proteins involved in protein synthesis are promising bacterial targets for developing new therapies. Here, we carried out a systematic comparative study on the aaRS sequences from M.tb and human. We listed important M.tb aaRS that could be explored as potential M.tb targets alongside the detailed conformational space analysis of methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS) in apo- and substrate-bound form, which is among the proposed targets. Understanding the conformational dynamics is central to the mechanistic understanding of MetRS, as the substrate binding leads to the conformational changes causing the reaction to proceed. We performed the most complete simulation study of M.tb MetRS for 6 microseconds (2 systems × 3 runs × 1 microsecond) in the apo and substrate-bound states. Interestingly, we observed differential features, showing comparatively large dynamics for the holo simulations, whereas the apo structures became slightly compact with reduced solvent exposed area. In contrast, the ligand size decreased significantly in holo structures possibly to relax ligand conformation. Our findings correlate with experimental studies, thus validating our protocol. Adenosine monophosphate moiety of the substrate exhibited quite higher fluctuations than the methionine. His21 and Lys54 were found to be the important residues forming prominent hydrogen bond and salt-bridge interactions with the ligand. The ligand-protein affinity decreased during simulations as computed by MMGBSA analysis over the last 500 ns trajectories, which indicates the conformational changes upon ligand binding. These differential features could be further explored for designing new M.tb inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shivani Thakur
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bhilai, Sejbahar, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, 492015, India
| | - Rukmankesh Mehra
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Bhilai, Sejbahar, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, 492015, India.
- Department of Bioscience and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Bhilai, Sejbahar, Raipur, Chhattisgarh, 492015, India.
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4
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Elbaramawi SS, Eissa AG, Noureldin NA, Simons C. Exploring Proteus mirabilis Methionine tRNA Synthetase Active Site: Homology Model Construction, Molecular Dynamics, Pharmacophore and Docking Validation. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1263. [PMID: 37765071 PMCID: PMC10535265 DOI: 10.3390/ph16091263] [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: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Currently, the treatment of Proteus mirabilis infections is considered to be complicated as the organism has become resistant to numerous antibiotic classes. Therefore, new inhibitors should be developed, targeting bacterial molecular functions. Methionine tRNA synthetase (MetRS), a member of the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase family, is essential for protein biosynthesis offering a promising target for novel antibiotics discovery. In the context of computer-aided drug design (CADD), the current research presents the construction and analysis of a comparative homology model for P. mirabilis MetRS, enabling development of novel inhibitors with greater selectivity. Molecular Operating Environment (MOE) software was used to build a homology model for P. mirabilis MetRS using Escherichia coli MetRS as a template. The model was evaluated, and the active site of the target protein predicted from its sequence using conservation analysis. Molecular dynamic simulations were performed to evaluate the stability of the modeled protein structure. In order to evaluate the predicted active site interactions, methionine (the natural substrate of MetRS) and several inhibitors of bacterial MetRS were docked into the constructed model using MOE. After validation of the model, pharmacophore-based virtual screening for a systemically prepared dataset of compounds was performed to prove the feasibility of the proposed model, identifying possible parent compounds for further development of MetRS inhibitors against P. mirabilis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samar S. Elbaramawi
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt; (S.S.E.); (A.G.E.); (N.A.N.)
| | - Ahmed G. Eissa
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt; (S.S.E.); (A.G.E.); (N.A.N.)
| | - Nada A. Noureldin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig 44519, Egypt; (S.S.E.); (A.G.E.); (N.A.N.)
| | - Claire Simons
- School of Pharmacy & Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cardiff University, King Edward VII Avenue, Cardiff CF10 3NB, UK
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5
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Gilbert IH, Vinayak S, Striepen B, Manjunatha UH, Khalil IA, Van Voorhis WC. Safe and effective treatments are needed for cryptosporidiosis, a truly neglected tropical disease. BMJ Glob Health 2023; 8:e012540. [PMID: 37541693 PMCID: PMC10407372 DOI: 10.1136/bmjgh-2023-012540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/25/2023] [Indexed: 08/06/2023] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Sumiti Vinayak
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Boris Striepen
- Department of Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania School of Veterinary Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA
| | - Ujjini H Manjunatha
- Global Health, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Inc, Emeryville, California, USA
| | - Ibrahim A Khalil
- Department of Health, State of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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6
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Lee S, Love MS, Modukuri R, Chatterjee AK, Huerta L, Lawson AP, McNamara CW, Mead JR, Hedstrom L, Cuny GD. Structure-activity relationship of BMS906024 derivatives for Cryptosporidium parvum growth inhibition. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2023; 90:129328. [PMID: 37196868 PMCID: PMC10290938 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2023.129328] [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: 12/16/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
BMS906024, a γ-secretase inhibitor that blocks Notch signaling, was previously shown to inhibit Cryptosporidium parvum growth in vitro. A structure-activity relationship (SAR) analysis of BMS906024 reported herein demonstrates the importance of the stereochemistry of the C-3 benzodiazepine and the succinyl β-substituent. However, concomitant removal of the succinyl α-substituent and switching the primary amide with secondary amides was tolerated. For example, 32 (SH287) inhibited C. parvum growth in HCT-8 host cells with an EC50 = 6.4 nM and an EC90 = 16 nM; however, blocking C. parvum growth with BMS906024 derivatives was correlative with inhibition of Notch signaling, highlighting that additional SAR analysis will be needed to separate these two activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seungheon Lee
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Houston, Health Building 2, Houston, TX 77204, USA
| | - Melissa S Love
- Calibr, a Division of The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Ramkumar Modukuri
- Calibr, a Division of The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Arnab K Chatterjee
- Calibr, a Division of The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Lauren Huerta
- Calibr, a Division of The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Ann P Lawson
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, 415 South St., Waltham, MA 02454, USA
| | - Case W McNamara
- Calibr, a Division of The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA, 92037, USA
| | - Jan R Mead
- Atlanta VA Medical Center and Department of Pediatrics, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA 30322, USA
| | - Lizbeth Hedstrom
- Department of Biology, Brandeis University, 415 South St., Waltham, MA 02454, USA; Department of Chemistry, Brandeis University, 415 South St., Waltham, MA 02454, USA
| | - Gregory D Cuny
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Houston, Health Building 2, Houston, TX 77204, USA.
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7
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Du X, Cui Z, Zhang R, Zhao K, Wang L, Yao J, Liu S, Cai C, Cao Y. The Effects of Rumen-Protected Choline and Rumen-Protected Nicotinamide on Liver Transcriptomics in Periparturient Dairy Cows. Metabolites 2023; 13:metabo13050594. [PMID: 37233635 DOI: 10.3390/metabo13050594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023] Open
Abstract
To investigate the effects of rumen-protected choline (RPC) and rumen-protected nicotinamide (RPM) on liver metabolic function based on transcriptome in periparturient dairy cows, 10 healthy Holstein dairy cows with similar parity were allocated to RPC and RPM groups (n = 5). The cows were fed experimental diets between 14 days before and 21 days after parturition. The RPC diet contained 60 g RPC per day, and the RPM diet contained 18.7 g RPM per day. Liver biopsies were taken 21 days after calving for the transcriptome analysis. A model of fat deposition hepatocytes was constructed using the LO2 cell line with the addition of NEFA (1.6 mmol/L), and the expression level of genes closely related to liver metabolism was validated and divided into a CHO group (75 μmol/L) and a NAM group (2 mmol/L). The results showed that the expression of a total of 11,023 genes was detected and clustered obviously between the RPC and RPM groups. These genes were assigned to 852 Gene Ontology terms, the majority of which were associated with biological process and molecular function. A total of 1123 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), 640 up-regulated and 483 down-regulated, were identified between the RPC and RPM groups. These DEGs were mainly correlated with fat metabolism, oxidative stress and some inflammatory pathways. In addition, compared with the NAM group, the gene expression level of FGF21, CYP26A1, SLC13A5, SLCO1B3, FBP2, MARS1 and CDH11 in the CHO group increased significantly (p < 0.05). We proposed that that RPC could play a prominent role in the liver metabolism of periparturient dairy cows by regulating metabolic processes such as fatty acid synthesis and metabolism and glucose metabolism; yet, RPM was more involved in biological processes such as the TCA cycle, ATP generation and inflammatory signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue'er Du
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Zhijie Cui
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Keliang Zhao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Lamei Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Junhu Yao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Shimin Liu
- UWA Institute of Agriculture, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia
| | - Chuanjiang Cai
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Yangchun Cao
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
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8
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Hulverson MA, Choi R, Schaefer DA, Betzer DP, McCloskey MC, Whitman GR, Huang W, Lee S, Pranata A, McLeod MD, Marsh KC, Kempf DJ, LeRoy BE, Zafiratos MT, Bielinski AL, Hackman RC, Ojo KK, Arnold SLM, Barrett LK, Tzipori S, Riggs MW, Fan E, Van Voorhis WC. Comparison of Toxicities among Different Bumped Kinase Inhibitor Analogs for Treatment of Cryptosporidiosis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2023; 67:e0142522. [PMID: 36920244 PMCID: PMC10112232 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01425-22] [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: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Recent advances on the development of bumped kinase inhibitors for treatment of cryptosporidiosis have focused on the 5-aminopyrazole-4-carboxamide scaffold, due to analogs that have less hERG inhibition, superior efficacy, and strong in vitro safety profiles. Three compounds, BKI-1770, -1841, and -1708, showed strong efficacy in C. parvum infected mice. Both BKI-1770 and BKI-1841 had efficacy in the C. parvum newborn calf model, reducing diarrhea and oocyst excretion. However, both compounds caused hyperflexion of the limbs seen as dropped pasterns. Toxicity experiments in rats and calves dosed with BKI-1770 showed enlargement of the epiphyseal growth plate at doses only slightly higher than the efficacious dose. Mice were used as a screen to check for bone toxicity, by changes to the tibia epiphyseal growth plate, or neurological causes, by use of a locomotor activity box. These results showed neurological effects from both BKI-1770 and BKI-1841 and bone toxicity in mice from BKI-1770, indicating one or both effects may be contributing to toxicity. However, BKI-1708 remains a viable treatment candidate for further evaluation as it showed no signs of bone toxicity or neurological effects in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A. Hulverson
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Center for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Disease (CERID), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Ryan Choi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Center for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Disease (CERID), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Deborah A. Schaefer
- School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Dana P. Betzer
- School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Molly C. McCloskey
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Center for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Disease (CERID), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Grant R. Whitman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Center for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Disease (CERID), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Wenlin Huang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Sangun Lee
- Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Andy Pranata
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Malcolm D. McLeod
- Research School of Chemistry, Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - Kennan C. Marsh
- Research and Development, AbbVie, Inc., North Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Dale J. Kempf
- Research and Development, AbbVie, Inc., North Chicago, Illinois, USA
- Former employee of AbbVie, Inc., North Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Bruce E. LeRoy
- Research and Development, AbbVie, Inc., North Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | - Mark T. Zafiratos
- Research and Development, AbbVie, Inc., North Chicago, Illinois, USA
| | | | - Robert C. Hackman
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Laboratory Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Kayode K. Ojo
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Center for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Disease (CERID), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Samuel L. M. Arnold
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Center for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Disease (CERID), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Lynn K. Barrett
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Center for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Disease (CERID), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Saul Tzipori
- Department of Infectious Disease and Global Health, Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, North Grafton, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michael W. Riggs
- School of Animal and Comparative Biomedical Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona, USA
| | - Erkang Fan
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Wesley C. Van Voorhis
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Center for Emerging and Reemerging Infectious Disease (CERID), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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9
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Rao SPS, Manjunatha UH, Mikolajczak S, Ashigbie PG, Diagana TT. Drug discovery for parasitic diseases: powered by technology, enabled by pharmacology, informed by clinical science. Trends Parasitol 2023; 39:260-271. [PMID: 36803572 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2023.01.010] [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: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
While prevention is a bedrock of public health, innovative therapeutics are needed to complement the armamentarium of interventions required to achieve disease control and elimination targets for neglected diseases. Extraordinary advances in drug discovery technologies have occurred over the past decades, along with accumulation of scientific knowledge and experience in pharmacological and clinical sciences that are transforming many aspects of drug R&D across disciplines. We reflect on how these advances have propelled drug discovery for parasitic infections, focusing on malaria, kinetoplastid diseases, and cryptosporidiosis. We also discuss challenges and research priorities to accelerate discovery and development of urgently needed novel antiparasitic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Paul G Ashigbie
- Novartis Institute for Tropical Diseases, Emeryville, CA, USA.
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10
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Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors Display Potent Activity against Cryptosporidium parvum. Microbiol Spectr 2023; 11:e0387422. [PMID: 36533912 PMCID: PMC9927415 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03874-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium is a leading cause of diarrheal disease (cryptosporidiosis) and death in young children. Cryptosporidiosis can be life-threatening in individuals with weak immunity such as HIV/AIDS patients and organ transplant recipients. There is currently no effective drug to treat cryptosporidiosis in the pediatric and immunocompromised population. Therefore, there is an urgent need to expedite the drug discovery process in order to develop new and effective therapies to reduce the global disease burden of cryptosporidiosis. In this study, we employed a drug repurposing strategy to screen a library of 473 human kinase inhibitors to determine their activity against Cryptosporidium parvum. We have identified 67 new anti-cryptosporidial compounds using phenotypic screening based on a transgenic C. parvum strain expressing a luciferase reporter. Further, dose-response assays led to the identification of 11 hit compounds that showed potent inhibition of C. parvum at nanomolar concentration. Kinome profiling of these 11 prioritized hits identified compounds that displayed selectivity in targeting specific families of kinases, particularly tyrosine kinases. Overall, this study identified tyrosine kinase inhibitors that hold potential for future development as new drug candidates against cryptosporidiosis. IMPORTANCE The intestinal parasite Cryptosporidium parvum is a major cause of diarrhea-associated morbidity and mortality in children, immunocompromised people, and young ruminant animals. With no effective drug available to treat cryptosporidiosis in humans and animals, there is an urgent need to identify anti-parasitic compounds and new targets for drug development. To address this unmet need, we screened a GSK library of kinase inhibitors and identified several potent compounds, including tyrosine kinase inhibitors, that were highly effective in killing C. parvum. Overall, our study revealed several novel compounds and a new family of kinases that can be targeted for anti-cryptosporidial drug development.
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11
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Caravedo MA, White AC. Treatment of cryptosporidiosis: nitazoxanide yes, but we can do better. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2023; 21:167-173. [PMID: 36533398 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2023.2160704] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cryptosporidiosis was initially recognized as an important cause of diarrhea in AIDS patients. It has been underdiagnosed in other populations. Recent studies have highlighted the importance of Cryptosporidium as a cause of diarrhea and malnutrition in young children in resource-poor countries and an emerging pathogen in organ-transplant recipients. AREAS COVERED Nitazoxanide is FDA approved for treatment of cryptosporidiosis in immunocompetent people. However, it is less effective in HIV and transplant patients and malnourished children. In transplant recipients, there is emerging data on antiparasitic combinations for cryptosporidiosis, including combinations of nitazoxanide, azithromycin, and in one case rifaximin. High-throughput phenotypic screens have identified some potential treatments. Among them, clofazimine was no better than placebo in a trial in AIDS patients. There have also been efforts to develop drug versus specific parasite targets. However, in part due to safety issues, none of these compounds have advanced into clinical trials. EXPERT OPINION Development of new and more efficacious therapies for cryptosporidium is imperative. Current approve therapy is far from optimal and lacks efficacy in high-risk populations, such as, patients living with HIV. Additionally, there is limited data on patients with other types of immunosuppression (Transplanted, autoimmune conditions, etc).
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria A Caravedo
- Infectious Disease Division Department of Internal Medicine University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
| | - A Clinton White
- Infectious Disease Division Department of Internal Medicine University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas, USA
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12
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Khan SM, Witola WH. Past, current, and potential treatments for cryptosporidiosis in humans and farm animals: A comprehensive review. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1115522. [PMID: 36761902 PMCID: PMC9902888 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1115522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The intracellular protozoan parasite of the genus Cryptosporidium is among the leading causes of waterborne diarrheal disease outbreaks throughout the world. The parasite is transmitted by ingestion of infective oocysts that are highly stable in the environment and resistant to almost all conventional disinfection methods and water treatments. Control of the parasite infection is exceedingly difficult due to the excretion of large numbers of oocysts in the feces of infected individuals that contaminate the environment and serve as a source of infection for susceptible hosts including humans and animals. Drug development against the parasite is challenging owing to its limited genetic tractability, absence of conventional drug targets, unique intracellular location within the host, and the paucity of robust cell culture platforms for continuous parasite propagation. Despite the high prevalence of the parasite, the only US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved treatment of Cryptosporidium infections is nitazoxanide, which has shown moderate efficacy in immunocompetent patients. More importantly, no effective therapeutic drugs are available for treating severe, potentially life-threatening cryptosporidiosis in immunodeficient patients, young children, and neonatal livestock. Thus, safe, inexpensive, and efficacious drugs are urgently required to reduce the ever-increasing global cryptosporidiosis burden especially in low-resource countries. Several compounds have been tested for both in vitro and in vivo efficacy against the disease. However, to date, only a few experimental compounds have been subjected to clinical trials in natural hosts, and among those none have proven efficacious. This review provides an overview of the past and present anti-Cryptosporidium pharmacotherapy in humans and agricultural animals. Herein, we also highlight the progress made in the field over the last few years and discuss the different strategies employed for discovery and development of effective prospective treatments for cryptosporidiosis.
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13
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Gill J, Sharma A. Exploration of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases from eukaryotic parasites for drug development. J Biol Chem 2022; 299:102860. [PMID: 36596362 PMCID: PMC9978631 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102860] [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: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitic diseases result in considerable human morbidity and mortality. The continuous emergence and spread of new drug-resistant parasite strains is an obstacle to controlling and eliminating many parasitic diseases. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are ubiquitous enzymes essential for protein synthesis. The design and development of diverse small molecule, drug-like inhibitors against parasite-encoded and expressed aaRSs have validated this enzyme family as druggable. In this work, we have compiled the progress to date towards establishing the druggability of aaRSs in terms of their biochemical characterization, validation as targets, inhibitor development, and structural interpretation from parasites responsible for malaria (Plasmodium), lymphatic filariasis (Brugia,Wuchereria bancrofti), giardiasis (Giardia), toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii), leishmaniasis (Leishmania), cryptosporidiosis (Cryptosporidium), and trypanosomiasis (Trypanosoma). This work thus provides a robust framework for the systematic dissection of aaRSs from these pathogens and will facilitate the cross-usage of potential inhibitors to jump-start anti-parasite drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jasmita Gill
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Amit Sharma
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India; Molecular Medicine Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India.
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14
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Teles HR, Valli M, Ferreira LLG, Andricopulo AD. Molecular Modeling, Virtual Screening, and Molecular Dynamics for Leishmania infantum Methionyl-tRNA Synthetase. J Phys Chem B 2022; 126:10834-10843. [PMID: 36534784 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.2c05427] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Visceral leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease (NTD) caused by Leishmania infantum and L. donovani that is lethal in cases of nontreatment. The treatments are limited by serious drawbacks involving safety, resistance, stability, and high costs. In this work, we aimed to identify inhibitors of Leishmania infantum methionyl-tRNA synthetase (LiMetRS), a validated molecular target for leishmaniasis drug discovery, using a combination of strategies. A virtual database of compounds was organized by filtering compounds from the ZINC15 database. Homology modeling was used to obtain the structure of LiMetRS based on the crystal coordinates of the enzyme from Trypanosoma brucei (TbMetRS). A virtual screening using molecular docking identified 10 candidate compounds from among more than 5 million that were included in the initial database. The selected hits were further evaluated using a script created in this work to select only the ligands that interacted with specific amino acids in the catalytic site of the enzyme. Furthermore, suitable pharmacokinetic profiles were predicted for the selected compounds, especially a good balance between aqueous solubility and lipophilic character, no ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, good oral absorption, and no liability toward P-gp efflux for most compounds. Six compounds were then subjected to all-atom molecular dynamics. Two compounds showed good stability when bound to the leishmanial enzyme, which provided a deeper understanding of the structural differences between TbMetRS and LiMetRS that can guide further drug discovery efforts for visceral leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrique R Teles
- Laboratory of Medicinal and Computational Chemistry (LQMC), Center for Research and Innovation in Biodiversity and Drug Discovery (CIBFar), Institute of Physics of São Carlos, University of São Paulo (USP), Av. João Dagnone, no. 1100, São Carlos, SP 13563-120, Brazil
| | - Marilia Valli
- Laboratory of Medicinal and Computational Chemistry (LQMC), Center for Research and Innovation in Biodiversity and Drug Discovery (CIBFar), Institute of Physics of São Carlos, University of São Paulo (USP), Av. João Dagnone, no. 1100, São Carlos, SP 13563-120, Brazil
| | - Leonardo L G Ferreira
- Laboratory of Medicinal and Computational Chemistry (LQMC), Center for Research and Innovation in Biodiversity and Drug Discovery (CIBFar), Institute of Physics of São Carlos, University of São Paulo (USP), Av. João Dagnone, no. 1100, São Carlos, SP 13563-120, Brazil
| | - Adriano D Andricopulo
- Laboratory of Medicinal and Computational Chemistry (LQMC), Center for Research and Innovation in Biodiversity and Drug Discovery (CIBFar), Institute of Physics of São Carlos, University of São Paulo (USP), Av. João Dagnone, no. 1100, São Carlos, SP 13563-120, Brazil
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15
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The Marine Compound Tartrolon E Targets the Asexual and Early Sexual Stages of Cryptosporidium parvum. Microorganisms 2022; 10:microorganisms10112260. [PMID: 36422330 PMCID: PMC9693555 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms10112260] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 11/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
New therapeutic agents for cryptosporidiosis are a critical medical need. The marine organic compound, tartrolon E (trtE), is highly effective against multiple apicomplexan parasites, including Cryptosporidium. Understanding the mechanism of action of trtE is required to advance in the drug development pipeline. Here, we validate using Nluc C. parvum parasites for the study of trtE and pinpoint the life stage targeted by trtE. Results show that trtE kills Nluc and wild type C. parvum with equal efficiency, confirming the use of the Nluc C. parvum to study this compound. Results revealed that trtE kills the parasite within an hour of treatment and while the compound has no effect on viability of sporozoites, trtE does inhibit establishment of infection. Targeting treatment at particular life cycle stages demonstrated that trtE is effective against asexual of the parasite but has reduced efficacy against mature sexual stages. Gene expression analysis shows that trtE inhibits the early sexual stage of the parasite. Results from these studies will aid the development of trtE as a therapeutic for cryptosporidiosis.
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16
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Volynets GP, Gudzera OI, Usenko MO, Gorbatiuk OB, Yarmoluk SM, Tukalo MA. Probing interactions of aminoacyl-adenylate with Mycobacterium tuberculosis methionyl-tRNA synthetase through in silico site-directed mutagenesis and free energy calculation. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022:1-9. [PMID: 35930324 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2107574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/16/2022]
Abstract
Methionyl-tRNA synthetase (MetRS) is an attractive molecular target for antibiotic discovery. Recently, we have developed several classes of small-molecular inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis MetRS possessing antibacterial activity. In this article, we performed in silico site-directed mutagenesis of aminoacyl-adenylate binding site of M. tuberculosis MetRS in order to identify crucial amino acid residues for substrate interaction. The umbrella sampling algorithm was used to calculate the binding free energy (ΔG) of these mutated forms with methionyl-adenylate analogue. According to the obtained results, the replacement of Glu24 and Leu293 by alanine leads to the most significant decrease in the binding free energy (ΔG) for adenylate analogue with methionyl-tRNA synthetase indicating increasing of the affinity, which in turn causes the loss of compounds inhibitory activity. Therefore, these amino acid residues can be proposed for further experimental site-directed mutagenesis to confirm binding mode of inhibitors and should be taken into account during chemical optimization to overcome resistance due to mutations.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galyna P Volynets
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, the NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Olga I Gudzera
- Department of Protein Synthesis Enzymology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, the NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Mariia O Usenko
- Department of Cell Regulatory Mechanisms, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, the NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Oksana B Gorbatiuk
- Department of Cell Regulatory Mechanisms, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, the NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Sergiy M Yarmoluk
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, the NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Michael A Tukalo
- Department of Protein Synthesis Enzymology, Institute of Molecular Biology and Genetics, the NAS of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
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17
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Santos HLC, Rebello KM. An Overview of Mucosa-Associated Protozoa: Challenges in Chemotherapy and Future Perspectives. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2022; 12:860442. [PMID: 35548465 PMCID: PMC9084232 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2022.860442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/22/2022] [Accepted: 03/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Parasitic infections caused by protozoans that infect the mucosal surfaces are widely neglected worldwide. Collectively, Entamoeba histolytica, Giardia lamblia, Cryptosporidium spp. and Trichomonas vaginalis infect more than a billion people in the world, being a public health problem mainly in developing countries. However, the exact incidence and prevalence data depend on the population examined. These parasites ultimately cause pathologies that culminate in liver abscesses, malabsorption syndrome, vaginitis, and urethritis, respectively. Despite this, the antimicrobial agents currently used to treat these diseases are limited and often associated with adverse side effects and refractory cases due to the development of resistant parasites. The paucity of drug treatments, absence of vaccines and increasing problems of drug resistance are major concerns for their control and eradication. Herein, potential candidates are reviewed with the overall aim of determining the knowledge gaps and suggest future perspectives for research. This review focuses on this public health problem and focuses on the progress of drug repositioning as a potential strategy for the treatment of mucosal parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helena Lucia Carneiro Santos
- Laboratório de Estudos Integrados em Protozoologia, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (FIOCRUZ), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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18
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW Substantial progress has been made recently on the development of new therapeutics for cryptosporidiosis, an infection by the protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium that is associated with diarrhea, malnutrition, growth stunting, cognitive deficits, and oral vaccine failure in children living in low-resource settings. RECENT FINDINGS Various drug discovery approaches have generated promising lead candidates. The repurposed antimycobacterial drug clofazimine was tested in Malawian HIV patients with cryptosporidiosis but was ineffective. Target-based screens identified inhibitors of lysyl-tRNA synthetase, phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase, methionyl-tRNA synthetase, and calcium-dependent protein kinase 1. Phenotypic screens led to discovery of a phosphatidylinositol 4-kinase inhibitor, the piperazine MMV665917, and the benzoxaborole AN7973. The relationship between pharmacokinetic properties and in-vivo efficacy is gradually emerging. A pathway to clinical trials, regulatory approval, and introduction has been proposed but additional work is needed to strengthen the route. SUMMARY Several lead compounds with potent activity in animal models and a favorable safety profile have been identified. A sustained effort will be required to advance at least one to clinical proof-of-concept studies. The demonstrated risk of resistance indicates multiple candidates should be advanced as potential components of a combination therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa S. Love
- Calibr, a division of The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
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19
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Vinayak S, Jumani RS, Miller P, Hasan MM, McLeod BI, Tandel J, Stebbins EE, Teixeira JE, Borrel J, Gonse A, Zhang M, Yu X, Wernimont A, Walpole C, Eckley S, Love MS, McNamara CW, Sharma M, Sharma A, Scherer CA, Kato N, Schreiber SL, Melillo B, Striepen B, Huston CD, Comer E. Bicyclic azetidines kill the diarrheal pathogen Cryptosporidium in mice by inhibiting parasite phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase. Sci Transl Med 2021; 12:12/563/eaba8412. [PMID: 32998973 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aba8412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2020] [Accepted: 09/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Cryptosporidium is a protozoan parasite and a leading cause of diarrheal disease and mortality in young children. Currently, there are no fully effective treatments available to cure infection with this diarrheal pathogen. In this study, we report a broad drug repositioning effort that led to the identification of bicyclic azetidines as a new anticryptosporidial series. Members of this series blocked growth in in vitro culture of three Cryptosporidium parvum isolates with EC50 's in 1% serum of <0.4 to 96 nM, had comparable potencies against Cryptosporidium hominis and C. parvum, and was effective in three of four highly susceptible immunosuppressed mice with once-daily dosing administered for 4 days beginning 2 weeks after infection. Comprehensive genetic, biochemical, and chemical studies demonstrated inhibition of C. parvum phenylalanyl-tRNA synthetase (CpPheRS) as the mode of action of this new lead series. Introduction of mutations directly into the C. parvum pheRS gene by CRISPR-Cas9 genome editing resulted in parasites showing high degrees of compound resistance. In vitro, bicyclic azetidines potently inhibited the aminoacylation activity of recombinant ChPheRS. Medicinal chemistry optimization led to the identification of an optimal pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic profile for this series. Collectively, these data demonstrate that bicyclic azetidines are a promising series for anticryptosporidial drug development and establish a broad framework to enable target-based drug discovery for this infectious disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumiti Vinayak
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802, USA
| | - Rajiv S Jumani
- Cellular, Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Peter Miller
- Department of Medicine, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Muhammad M Hasan
- Cellular, Molecular and Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Briana I McLeod
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Jayesh Tandel
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Erin E Stebbins
- Department of Medicine, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Jose E Teixeira
- Department of Medicine, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA
| | - Julien Borrel
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Arthur Gonse
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Mingliang Zhang
- International Discovery Service Unit, WuXi AppTec (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Tianjin 300457, P.R. China
| | - Xianshui Yu
- International Discovery Service Unit, WuXi AppTec (Tianjin) Co. Ltd., Tianjin 300457, P.R. China
| | - Amy Wernimont
- Structural Genomics Consortium, MaRS Building, South Tower, 101 College Street, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Chris Walpole
- Structural Genomics Consortium, MaRS Building, South Tower, 101 College Street, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario M5G 1L7, Canada
| | | | - Melissa S Love
- Calibr, a division of The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Case W McNamara
- Calibr, a division of The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Manmohan Sharma
- Structural Parasitology, Molecular Medicine Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Aruna Asaf Ali Road, New Delhi 110070, India
| | - Amit Sharma
- Structural Parasitology, Molecular Medicine Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, Aruna Asaf Ali Road, New Delhi 110070, India
| | - Christina A Scherer
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Nobutaka Kato
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Stuart L Schreiber
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Bruno Melillo
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.,Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA.,Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Boris Striepen
- Department of Pathobiology, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
| | - Christopher D Huston
- Department of Medicine, Larner College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405, USA.
| | - Eamon Comer
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science Program, Broad Institute, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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20
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Spontaneous Selection of Cryptosporidium Drug Resistance in a Calf Model of Infection. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2021; 65:AAC.00023-21. [PMID: 33753338 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00023-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
The intestinal protozoan Cryptosporidium is a leading cause of diarrheal disease and mortality in young children. There is currently no fully effective treatment for cryptosporidiosis, which has stimulated interest in anticryptosporidial development over the last ∼10 years, with numerous lead compounds identified, including several tRNA synthetase inhibitors. Here, we report the results of a dairy calf efficacy trial of the methionyl-tRNA (Cryptosporidium parvum MetRS [CpMetRS]) synthetase inhibitor 2093 and the spontaneous emergence of drug resistance. Dairy calves experimentally infected with Cryptosporidium parvum initially improved with 2093 treatment, but parasite shedding resumed in two of three calves on treatment day 5. Parasites shed by each recrudescent calf had different amino acid-altering mutations in the gene encoding CpMetRS (CpMetRS), yielding either an aspartate 243-to-glutamate (D243E) or a threonine 246-to-isoleucine (T246I) mutation. Transgenic parasites engineered to have either the D243E or T246I CpMetRS mutation using CRISPR/Cas9 grew normally but were highly 2093 resistant; the D243E and T246I mutant-expressing parasites, respectively, had 2093 half-maximal effective concentrations (EC50s) that were 613- and 128-fold that of transgenic parasites with wild-type CpMetRS. In studies using recombinant enzymes, the D243E and T246I mutations shifted the 2093 IC50 >170-fold. Structural modeling of CpMetRS based on an inhibitor-bound Trypanosoma brucei MetRS crystal structure suggested that the resistance mutations reposition nearby hydrophobic residues, interfering with compound binding while minimally impacting substrate binding. This is the first report of naturally emerging Cryptosporidium drug resistance, highlighting the need to address the potential for anticryptosporidial resistance and establish strategies to limit its occurrence.
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21
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Hulverson MA, Choi R, Vidadala RSR, Whitman GR, Vidadala VN, Ojo KK, Barrett LK, Lynch JJ, Marsh K, Kempf DJ, Maly DJ, Van Voorhis WC. Pyrrolopyrimidine Bumped Kinase Inhibitors for the Treatment of Cryptosporidiosis. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:1200-1207. [PMID: 33565854 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.0c00803] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Bumped kinase inhibitors (BKIs) that target Cryptosporidium parvum calcium-dependent protein kinase 1 have been well established as potential drug candidates against cryptosporidiosis. Recently, BKI-1649, with a 7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4-amine, or "pyrrolopyrimidine", central scaffold, has shown improved efficacy in mouse models of Cryptosporidium at substantially reduced doses compared to previously explored analogs of the pyrazolopyrimidine scaffold. Here, two pyrrolopyrimidines with varied substituent groups, BKI-1812 and BKI-1814, were explored in several in vitro and in vivo models and show improvements in potency over the previously utilized pyrazolopyrimidine bumped kinase inhibitors while maintaining equivalent results in other key properties, such as toxicity and efficacy, with their pyrazolopyrimidine isosteric counterparts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew A. Hulverson
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease (CERID), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States
| | - Ryan Choi
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease (CERID), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States
| | - Rama S. R. Vidadala
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Grant R. Whitman
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease (CERID), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States
| | | | - Kayode K. Ojo
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease (CERID), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States
| | - Lynn K. Barrett
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease (CERID), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States
| | - James J. Lynch
- Research and Development, AbbVie Inc., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - Kennan Marsh
- Research and Development, AbbVie Inc., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - Dale J. Kempf
- Research and Development, AbbVie Inc., North Chicago, Illinois 60064, United States
| | - Dustin J. Maly
- Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, United States
| | - Wesley C. Van Voorhis
- Department of Medicine, Division of Allergy and Infectious Disease, Center for Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Disease (CERID), University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98109, United States
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22
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Pang L, Weeks SD, Van Aerschot A. Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases as Valuable Targets for Antimicrobial Drug Discovery. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:1750. [PMID: 33578647 PMCID: PMC7916415 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) catalyze the esterification of tRNA with a cognate amino acid and are essential enzymes in all three kingdoms of life. Due to their important role in the translation of the genetic code, aaRSs have been recognized as suitable targets for the development of small molecule anti-infectives. In this review, following a concise discussion of aaRS catalytic and proof-reading activities, the various inhibitory mechanisms of reported natural and synthetic aaRS inhibitors are discussed. Using the expanding repository of ligand-bound X-ray crystal structures, we classified these compounds based on their binding sites, focusing on their ability to compete with the association of one, or more of the canonical aaRS substrates. In parallel, we examined the determinants of species-selectivity and discuss potential resistance mechanisms of some of the inhibitor classes. Combined, this structural perspective highlights the opportunities for further exploration of the aaRS enzyme family as antimicrobial targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luping Pang
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Medicinal Chemistry, Herestraat 49–box 1041, 3000 Leuven, Belgium;
- KU Leuven, Biocrystallography, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Herestraat 49–box 822, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Arthur Van Aerschot
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Medicinal Chemistry, Herestraat 49–box 1041, 3000 Leuven, Belgium;
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23
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Mercaldi GF, Andrade MDO, Zanella JDL, Cordeiro AT, Benedetti CE. Molecular basis for diaryldiamine selectivity and competition with tRNA in a type 2 methionyl-tRNA synthetase from a Gram-negative bacterium. J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100658. [PMID: 33857480 PMCID: PMC8165550 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 04/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/09/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Gram-negative bacteria are responsible for a variety of human, animal, and plant diseases. The spread of multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria poses a challenge to disease control and highlights the need for novel antimicrobials. Owing to their critical role in protein synthesis, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, including the methionyl-tRNA synthetases MetRS1 and MetRS2, are attractive drug targets. MetRS1 has long been exploited as a drug target in Gram-positive bacteria and protozoan parasites. However, MetRS1 inhibitors have limited action upon Gram-negative pathogens or on Gram-positive bacteria that produce MetRS2 enzymes. The underlying mechanism by which MetRS2 enzymes are insensitive to MetRS1 inhibitors is presently unknown. Herein, we report the first structures of MetRS2 from a multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacterium in its ligand-free state and bound to its substrate or MetRS1 inhibitors. The structures reveal the binding mode of two diaryldiamine MetRS1 inhibitors that occupy the amino acid-binding site and a surrounding auxiliary pocket implicated in tRNA acceptor arm binding. The structural features associated with amino acid polymorphisms found in the methionine and auxiliary pockets reveal the molecular basis for diaryldiamine binding and selectivity between MetRS1 and MetRS2 enzymes. Moreover, we show that mutations in key polymorphic residues in the methionine and auxiliary pockets not only altered inhibitor binding affinity but also significantly reduced enzyme function. Our findings thus reinforce the tRNA acceptor arm binding site as a druggable pocket in class I aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases and provide a structural basis for optimization of MetRS2 inhibitors for the development of new antimicrobials against Gram-negative pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gustavo Fernando Mercaldi
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Centre for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, SP, Brazil.
| | - Maxuel de Oliveira Andrade
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Centre for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Jackeline de Lima Zanella
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Centre for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Artur Torres Cordeiro
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Centre for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, SP, Brazil
| | - Celso Eduardo Benedetti
- Brazilian Biosciences National Laboratory (LNBio), Brazilian Centre for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM), Campinas, SP, Brazil.
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24
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Vinayak S. Recent advances in genetic manipulation of Cryptosporidium. Curr Opin Microbiol 2020; 58:146-152. [PMID: 33161368 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2020.09.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2020] [Revised: 09/15/2020] [Accepted: 09/16/2020] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Cryptosporidium is a leading cause of diarrhea-associated morbidity and mortality in young children. Currently, there is no fully effective drug to treat cryptosporidiosis and a complete lack of vaccine to prevent disease. For a long time, progress in the field of Cryptosporidium research has been hindered due to unavailability of methods to propagate the parasite, lack of efficient animal infection models and most importantly, the absence of technology to genetically manipulate the parasite. The recent advent of molecular genetics has been transformative for Cryptosporidium research, and is facilitating our fundamental understanding of parasite biology, and accelerating the pace of drug discovery. This review summarizes recent advancements in genetic manipulation and its applications for studying parasite gene function, host-parasite interactions and discovery of anti-cryptosporidial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sumiti Vinayak
- Department of Pathobiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61802, United States.
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25
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Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (AARSs) have been considered very attractive drug-targets for decades. This interest probably emerged with the identification of differences in AARSs between prokaryotic and eukaryotic species, which provided a rationale for the development of antimicrobials targeting bacterial AARSs with minimal effect on the homologous human AARSs. Today we know that AARSs are not only attractive, but also valid drug targets as they are housekeeping proteins that: (i) play a fundamental role in protein translation by charging the corresponding amino acid to its cognate tRNA and preventing mistranslation mistakes [1], a critical process during fast growing conditions of microbes; and (ii) present significant differences between microbes and humans that can be used for drug development [2]. Together with the vast amount of available data on both pathogenic and mammalian AARSs, it is expected that, in the future, the numerous reported inhibitors of AARSs will provide the basis to develop new therapeutics for the treatment of human diseases. In this chapter, a detailed summary on the state-of-the-art in drug discovery and drug development for each aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase will be presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Lukarska
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Structural Biology of Novel Drug Targets in Human Diseases, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Andrés Palencia
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Structural Biology of Novel Drug Targets in Human Diseases, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France.
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26
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Love MS, McNamara CW. Phenotypic screening techniques for Cryptosporidium drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2020; 16:59-74. [PMID: 32892652 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2020.1812577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Two landmark epidemiological studies identified Cryptosporidium spp. as a significant cause of diarrheal disease in pediatric populations in resource-limited countries. Notably, nitazoxanide is the only approved drug for treatment of cryptosporidiosis but shows limited efficacy. As a result, many drug discovery efforts have commenced to find improved treatments. The unique biology of Cryptosporidium presents challenges for traditional drug discovery methods, which has inspired new assay platforms to study parasite biology and drug screening. Areas covered: The authors review historical advancements in phenotypic-based assays and techniques for Cryptosporidium drug discovery, as well as recent advances that will define future drug discovery. The reliance on phenotypic-based screens and repositioning of phenotypic hits from other pathogens has quickly created a robust pipeline of potential cryptosporidiosis therapeutics. The latest advances involve new in vitro culture methods for oocyst generation, continuous culturing capabilities, and more physiologically relevant assays for testing compounds. Expert opinion: Previous phenotypic screening techniques have laid the groundwork for recent cryptosporidiosis drug discovery efforts. The resulting improved methodologies characterize compound activity, identify, and validate drug targets, and prioritize new compounds for drug development. The most recent improvements in phenotypic assays are poised to help advance compounds into clinical development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melissa S Love
- Calibr, a division of The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Case W McNamara
- Calibr, a division of The Scripps Research Institute , La Jolla, CA, USA
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27
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Novel Antiparasitic Activity of the Antifungal Lead Occidiofungin. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2020; 64:AAC.00244-20. [PMID: 32457108 PMCID: PMC7526809 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00244-20] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2020] [Accepted: 05/21/2020] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Novel antiparasitic activity was observed for the antifungal occidiofungin. It efficaciously and irreversibly inhibited the zoonotic enteric parasite Cryptosporidium parvum in vitro with limited cytotoxicity (50% effective concentration [EC50] = 120 nM versus 50% cytotoxic concentration [TC50] = 988 nM), and its application disrupted the parasite morphology. This study expands the spectrum of activity of a glycolipopeptide named occidiofungin. Occidiofungin has poor gastrointestinal tract absorption properties, supporting future investigations into its potential activities on other enteric parasites.
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28
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Wang B, Castellanos-Gonzalez A, White AC. Novel drug targets for treatment of cryptosporidiosis. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2020; 24:915-922. [PMID: 32552166 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2020.1785432] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Introduction Cryptosporidium species are protozoan parasites that are important causes of diarrheal disease including waterborne outbreaks, childhood diarrhea in resource-poor countries, and diarrhea in compromised hosts worldwide. Recent studies highlight the importance of cryptosporidiosis in childhood diarrhea, malnutrition, and death in resource-poor countries. Despite this, only a single drug, nitazoxanide, has demonstrated efficacy in human cryptosporidiosis and its efficacy is limited in malnourished children and patients with HIV. Areas covered In this review, we highlight work on potential targets for chemotherapy and review progress on drug development. A number of new targets have been identified for chemotherapy and progress has been made at developing drugs for these targets. Targets include parasite kinases, nucleic acid synthesis and processing, proteases, and lipid metabolism. Other groups have performed high-throughput screening to identify potential drugs. Several compounds have advanced to large animal studies. Expert opinion Development of drugs for cryptosporidiosis has been plagued by a lack of success. Barriers have included poor correlations between in vitro activity and clinical success as well as frequent unanticipated adverse effects. Without a clear pathway forward, it is wise to maintain a diverse development pipeline. Drug developers should also realize that success will likely require a sustained, methodical effort.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beilin Wang
- Infectious Disease Division, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, TX, USA
| | | | - A Clinton White
- Infectious Disease Division, Department of Internal Medicine, University of Texas Medical Branch , Galveston, TX, USA
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29
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Choy RKM, Huston CD. Cryptosporidiosis should be designated as a tropical disease by the US Food and Drug Administration. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008252. [PMID: 32614819 PMCID: PMC7332027 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
| | - Christopher D. Huston
- University of Vermont Larner College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont, United States of America
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30
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Zhang Z, Barros-Álvarez X, Gillespie JR, Ranade RM, Huang W, Shibata S, Molasky NMR, Faghih O, Mushtaq A, Choy RKM, de Hostos E, Hol WGJ, Verlinde CLMJ, Buckner FS, Fan E. Structure-guided discovery of selective methionyl-tRNA synthetase inhibitors with potent activity against Trypanosoma brucei. RSC Med Chem 2020; 11:885-895. [PMID: 33479683 DOI: 10.1039/d0md00057d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Based on crystal structures of Trypanosoma brucei methionyl-tRNA synthetase (TbMetRS) bound to inhibitors, we designed, synthesized, and evaluated two series of novel TbMetRS inhibitors targeting this parasite enzyme. One series has a 1,3-dihydro-imidazol-2-one containing linker, the other has a rigid fused aromatic ring in the linker. For both series of compounds, potent inhibition of parasite growth was achieved with EC50 < 10 nM and most compounds exhibited low general toxicity to mammalian cells with CC50s > 20 000 nM. Selectivity over human mitochondrial methionyl tRNA synthetase was also evaluated, using a cell-based mitochondrial protein synthesis assay, and selectivity in a range of 20-200-fold was achieved. The inhibitors exhibited poor permeability across the blood brain barrier, necessitating future efforts to optimize the compounds for use in late stage human African trypanosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongsheng Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry , University of Washington , Seattle , WA 98195 , USA .
| | | | - J Robert Gillespie
- Department of Medicine , Division of Allergy & Infectious Disease , Center for Emerging & Re-emerging Infectious Disease (CERID) , University of Washington , Seattle , WA 98109 , USA .
| | - Ranae M Ranade
- Department of Medicine , Division of Allergy & Infectious Disease , Center for Emerging & Re-emerging Infectious Disease (CERID) , University of Washington , Seattle , WA 98109 , USA .
| | - Wenlin Huang
- Department of Biochemistry , University of Washington , Seattle , WA 98195 , USA .
| | - Sayaka Shibata
- Department of Biochemistry , University of Washington , Seattle , WA 98195 , USA .
| | - Nora M R Molasky
- Department of Medicine , Division of Allergy & Infectious Disease , Center for Emerging & Re-emerging Infectious Disease (CERID) , University of Washington , Seattle , WA 98109 , USA .
| | - Omeed Faghih
- Department of Medicine , Division of Allergy & Infectious Disease , Center for Emerging & Re-emerging Infectious Disease (CERID) , University of Washington , Seattle , WA 98109 , USA .
| | - Aisha Mushtaq
- Department of Medicine , Division of Allergy & Infectious Disease , Center for Emerging & Re-emerging Infectious Disease (CERID) , University of Washington , Seattle , WA 98109 , USA .
| | | | | | - Wim G J Hol
- Department of Biochemistry , University of Washington , Seattle , WA 98195 , USA .
| | | | - Frederick S Buckner
- Department of Medicine , Division of Allergy & Infectious Disease , Center for Emerging & Re-emerging Infectious Disease (CERID) , University of Washington , Seattle , WA 98109 , USA .
| | - Erkang Fan
- Department of Biochemistry , University of Washington , Seattle , WA 98195 , USA .
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31
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Torrie LS, Robinson DA, Thomas MG, Hobrath JV, Shepherd SM, Post JM, Ko EJ, Ferreira RA, Mackenzie CJ, Wrobel K, Edwards DP, Gilbert IH, Gray DW, Fairlamb AH, De Rycker M. Discovery of an Allosteric Binding Site in Kinetoplastid Methionyl-tRNA Synthetase. ACS Infect Dis 2020; 6:1044-1057. [PMID: 32275825 PMCID: PMC7294809 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.9b00453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
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Methionyl-tRNA
synthetase (MetRS) is a chemically validated drug target in kinetoplastid
parasites Trypanosoma brucei and Leishmania
donovani. To date, all kinetoplastid MetRS inhibitors described
bind in a similar way to an expanded methionine pocket and an adjacent,
auxiliary pocket. In the current study, we have identified a structurally
novel class of inhibitors containing a 4,6-diamino-substituted pyrazolopyrimidine
core (the MetRS02 series). Crystallographic studies revealed that
MetRS02 compounds bind to an allosteric pocket in L. major MetRS not previously described, and enzymatic studies demonstrated
a noncompetitive mode of inhibition. Homology modeling of the Trypanosoma cruzi MetRS enzyme revealed key differences
in the allosteric pocket between the T. cruzi and Leishmania enzymes. These provide a likely explanation for
the lower MetRS02 potencies that we observed for the T. cruzi enzyme compared to the Leishmania enzyme. The identification
of a new series of MetRS inhibitors and the discovery of a new binding
site in kinetoplastid MetRS enzymes provide a novel strategy in the
search for new therapeutics for kinetoplastid diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leah S. Torrie
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, U.K
| | - David A. Robinson
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, U.K
| | - Michael G. Thomas
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, U.K
| | - Judith V. Hobrath
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, U.K
| | - Sharon M. Shepherd
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, U.K
| | - John M. Post
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, U.K
| | - Eun-Jung Ko
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, U.K
| | - Rafael Alves Ferreira
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, U.K
| | - Claire J. Mackenzie
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, U.K
| | - Karolina Wrobel
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, U.K
| | - Darren P. Edwards
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, U.K
| | - Ian H. Gilbert
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, U.K
| | - David W. Gray
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, U.K
| | - Alan H. Fairlamb
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, U.K
| | - Manu De Rycker
- Drug Discovery Unit, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, U.K
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32
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Innes EA, Chalmers RM, Wells B, Pawlowic MC. A One Health Approach to Tackle Cryptosporidiosis. Trends Parasitol 2020; 36:290-303. [PMID: 31983609 PMCID: PMC7106497 DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2019.12.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/25/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Cryptosporidiosis is a significant diarrhoeal disease in both people and animals across the world and is caused by several species of the protozoan parasite Cryptosporidium. Recent research has highlighted the longer-term consequences of the disease for malnourished children, involving growth stunting and cognitive deficits, and significant growth and production losses for livestock. There are no vaccines currently available to prevent the disease and few treatment options in either humans or animals, which has been a significant limiting factor in disease control to date. A One Health approach to tackle zoonotic cryptosporidiosis looking at new advances in veterinary, public, and environmental health research may offer several advantages and new options to help control the disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabeth A Innes
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Edinburgh EH26 OPZ, UK.
| | - Rachel M Chalmers
- National Cryptosporidium Reference Unit, Public Health Wales, Microbiology and Health Protection, Singleton Hospital, Swansea SA2 8QA, UK; Swansea University Medical School, Singleton Park, Swansea, SA2 8PP, UK
| | - Beth Wells
- Moredun Research Institute, Pentlands Science Park, Edinburgh EH26 OPZ, UK
| | - Mattie C Pawlowic
- Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, Wellcome Centre for Anti-Infectives Research, University of Dundee, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
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33
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Wang J, Weng Q, Yin F, Hu Q. Interactions of Destruxin A with Silkworms' Arginine tRNA Synthetase and Lamin-C Proteins. Toxins (Basel) 2020; 12:toxins12020137. [PMID: 32098437 PMCID: PMC7076788 DOI: 10.3390/toxins12020137] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2019] [Revised: 02/18/2020] [Accepted: 02/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Destruxin A (DA), a cyclodepsipeptidic mycotoxin produced by entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium anisopliae, has good insecticidal activity and potential to be a new pesticide. However, the mechanism of action is still obscure. Our previous experiments showed that DA was involved in regulation of transcription and protein synthesis and suggested that silkworms’ arginine tRNA synthetase (BmArgRS), Lamin-C Proteins (BmLamin-C) and ATP-dependent RNA helicase PRP1 (BmPRP1) were candidates of DA-binding proteins. In this study, we employed bio-layer interferometry (BLI), circular dichroism (CD), cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA), and other technologies to verify the interaction of DA with above three proteins in vitro and in vivo. The results of BLI indicated that BmArgRS and BmLamin-C were binding-protein of DA with KD value 5.53 × 10−5 and 8.64 × 10−5 M, but not BmPRP1. These interactions were also verified by CD and CETSA tests. In addition, docking model and mutants assay in vitro showed that BmArgRS interacts with DA at the pocket including Lys228, His231, Asp434 and Gln437 in its enzyme active catalysis region, while BmLamin-C binds to DA at His524 and Lys528 in the tail domain. This study might provide new insight and evidence in illustrating molecular mechanism of DA in breaking insect.
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A Genetically Tractable, Natural Mouse Model of Cryptosporidiosis Offers Insights into Host Protective Immunity. Cell Host Microbe 2019; 26:135-146.e5. [PMID: 31231045 PMCID: PMC6617386 DOI: 10.1016/j.chom.2019.05.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Revised: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Cryptosporidium is a leading cause of diarrheal disease and an important contributor to early childhood mortality, malnutrition, and growth faltering. Older children in high endemicity regions appear resistant to infection, while previously unexposed adults remain susceptible. Experimental studies in humans and animals support the development of disease resistance, but we do not understand the mechanisms that underlie protective immunity to Cryptosporidium. Here, we derive an in vivo model of Cryptosporidium infection in immunocompetent C57BL/6 mice by isolating parasites from naturally infected wild mice. Similar to human cryptosporidiosis, this infection causes intestinal pathology, and interferon-γ controls early infection while T cells are critical for clearance. Importantly, mice that controlled a live infection were resistant to secondary challenge and vaccination with attenuated parasites provided protection equal to live infection. Both parasite and host are genetically tractable and this in vivo model will facilitate mechanistic investigation and rational vaccine design. We isolated and sequenced Cryptosporidium tyzzeri, a natural mouse pathogen C. tyzzeri can be genetically manipulated using CRISPR-driven homologous repair C. tyzzeri models human cryptosporidiosis with T cell- and IFN-γ-dependent resolution Mice develop protective immunity following both live infection and vaccination
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