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Vijayasurya, Gupta S, Shah S, Pappachan A. Drug repurposing for parasitic protozoan diseases. PROGRESS IN MOLECULAR BIOLOGY AND TRANSLATIONAL SCIENCE 2024; 207:23-58. [PMID: 38942539 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmbts.2024.05.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
Protozoan parasites are major hazards to human health, society, and the economy, especially in equatorial regions of the globe. Parasitic diseases, including leishmaniasis, malaria, and others, contribute towards majority of morbidity and mortality. Around 1.1 million people die from these diseases annually. The lack of licensed vaccinations worsens the worldwide impact of these diseases, highlighting the importance of safe and effective medications for their prevention and treatment. However, the appearance of drug resistance in parasites continuously affects the availability of medications. The demand for novel drugs motivates global antiparasitic drug discovery research, necessitating the implementation of many innovative ways to maintain a continuous supply of promising molecules. Drug repurposing has come out as a compelling tool for drug development, offering a cost-effective and efficient alternative to standard de novo approaches. A thorough examination of drug repositioning candidates revealed that certain drugs may not benefit significantly from their original indications. Still, they may exhibit more pronounced effects in other disorders. Furthermore, certain medications can produce a synergistic effect, resulting in enhanced therapeutic effectiveness when given together. In this chapter, we outline the approaches employed in drug repurposing (sometimes referred to as drug repositioning), propose novel strategies to overcome these hurdles and fully exploit the promise of drug repurposing. We highlight a few major human protozoan diseases and a range of exemplary drugs repurposed for various protozoan infections, providing excellent outcomes for each disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vijayasurya
- School of Life Sciences, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
| | - Swadha Gupta
- School of Life Sciences, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
| | - Smit Shah
- School of Life Sciences, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
| | - Anju Pappachan
- School of Life Sciences, Central University of Gujarat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India.
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Sifontes-Rodríguez S, Mollineda-Diogo N, Monzote-Fidalgo L, Escalona-Montaño AR, Escario García-Trevijano JA, Aguirre-García MM, Meneses-Marcel A. In Vitro and In Vivo Antileishmanial Activity of Thioridazine. Acta Parasitol 2024; 69:324-331. [PMID: 38070122 PMCID: PMC11001698 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-023-00746-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease with high prevalence and incidence in tropical and subtropical areas. Existing drugs are limited due to cost, toxicity, declining efficacy and unavailability in endemic places. Drug repurposing has established as an efficient way for the discovery of drugs for a variety of diseases. PURPOSE The objective of the present work was testing the antileishmanial activity of thioridazine, an antipsychotic agent with demonstrated effect against other intracellular pathogens. METHODS The cytotoxicity for mouse peritoneal macrophages as well as the activity against Leishmania amazonensis, Leishmania mexicana and Leishmania major promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes, as well as in a mouse model of cutaneous leishmaniasis, were assessed. RESULTS Thioridazine inhibited the in vitro proliferation of promastigotes (50% inhibitory concentration-IC50-values in the range of 0.73 µM to 3.8 µM against L. amazonensis, L. mexicana and L. major) and intracellular amastigotes (IC50 values of 1.27 µM to 4.4 µM for the same species). In contrast, in mouse peritoneal macrophages, the 50% cytotoxic concentration was 24.0 ± 1.89 µM. Thioridazine inhibited the growth of cutaneous lesions and reduced the number of parasites in the infected tissue of mice. The dose of thioridazine that inhibited lesion development by 50% compared to controls was 23.3 ± 3.1 mg/kg and in terms of parasite load, it was 11.1 ± 0.97 mg/kg. CONCLUSIONS Thioridazine was effective against the promastigote and intracellular amastigote stages of three Leishmania species and in a mouse model of cutaneous leishmaniasis, supporting the potential repurposing of this drug as an antileishmanial agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sergio Sifontes-Rodríguez
- División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Unidad de Investigación UNAM-INC, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Niurka Mollineda-Diogo
- Centro de Bioactivos Químicos, Universidad Central "Martha Abreu" de Las Villas, Santa Clara, Villa Clara, Cuba
| | | | - Alma Reyna Escalona-Montaño
- División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Unidad de Investigación UNAM-INC, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - María Magdalena Aguirre-García
- División de Investigación, Facultad de Medicina, Unidad de Investigación UNAM-INC, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Mexico City, Mexico.
| | - Alfredo Meneses-Marcel
- Centro de Bioactivos Químicos, Universidad Central "Martha Abreu" de Las Villas, Santa Clara, Villa Clara, Cuba
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Cajazeiro DC, Toledo PPM, de Sousa NF, Scotti MT, Reimão JQ. Drug Repurposing Based on Protozoan Proteome: In Vitro Evaluation of In Silico Screened Compounds against Toxoplasma gondii. Pharmaceutics 2022; 14:1634. [PMID: 36015260 PMCID: PMC9414507 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics14081634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan that infects up to a third of the world's population. This parasite can cause serious problems, especially if a woman is infected during pregnancy, when toxoplasmosis can cause miscarriage, or serious complications to the baby, or in an immunocompromised person, when the infection can possibly affect the patient's eyes or brain. To identify potential drug candidates that could counter toxoplasmosis, we selected 13 compounds which were pre-screened in silico based on the proteome of T. gondii to be evaluated in vitro against the parasite in a cell-based assay. Among the selected compounds, three demonstrated in vitro anti-T. gondii activity in the nanomolar range (almitrine, bortezomib, and fludarabine), and ten compounds demonstrated anti-T. gondii activity in the micromolar range (digitoxin, digoxin, doxorubicin, fusidic acid, levofloxacin, lomefloxacin, mycophenolic acid, ribavirin, trimethoprim, and valproic acid). Almitrine demonstrated a Selectivity Index (provided by the ratio between the Half Cytotoxic Concentration against human foreskin fibroblasts and the Half Effective Concentration against T. gondii tachyzoites) that was higher than 47, whilst being considered a lead compound against T. gondii. Almitrine showed interactions with the Na+/K+ ATPase transporter for Homo sapiens and Mus musculus, indicating a possible mechanism of action of this compound.
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Affiliation(s)
- Débora Chaves Cajazeiro
- Laboratory of Preclinical Assays and Research of Alternative Sources of Innovative Therapy for Toxoplasmosis and Other Sicknesses (PARASITTOS), Departamento de Morfologia e Patologia Básica, Faculdade de Medicina de Jundiaí, Jundiaí 13202-550, Brazil
| | - Paula Pereira Marques Toledo
- Laboratory of Preclinical Assays and Research of Alternative Sources of Innovative Therapy for Toxoplasmosis and Other Sicknesses (PARASITTOS), Departamento de Morfologia e Patologia Básica, Faculdade de Medicina de Jundiaí, Jundiaí 13202-550, Brazil
| | - Natália Ferreira de Sousa
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Produtos Naturais e Sintéticos Bioativos (PgPNSB), Instituto de Pesquisa em Fármacos e Medicamentos (IPeFarM), Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Campus I, Cidade Universitária, João Pessoa 58051-900, Brazil
| | - Marcus Tullius Scotti
- Programa de Pós-graduação em Produtos Naturais e Sintéticos Bioativos (PgPNSB), Instituto de Pesquisa em Fármacos e Medicamentos (IPeFarM), Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Campus I, Cidade Universitária, João Pessoa 58051-900, Brazil
| | - Juliana Quero Reimão
- Laboratory of Preclinical Assays and Research of Alternative Sources of Innovative Therapy for Toxoplasmosis and Other Sicknesses (PARASITTOS), Departamento de Morfologia e Patologia Básica, Faculdade de Medicina de Jundiaí, Jundiaí 13202-550, Brazil
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Coles VE, Darveau P, Zhang X, Harvey H, Henriksbo BD, Yang A, Schertzer JD, Magolan J, Burrows LL. Exploration of BAY 11-7082 as a Potential Antibiotic. ACS Infect Dis 2022; 8:170-182. [PMID: 34860493 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.1c00522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Exposure of the Gram-negative pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa to subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics increases the formation of biofilms. We exploited this phenotype to identify molecules with potential antimicrobial activity in a biofilm-based high-throughput screen. The anti-inflammatory compound BAY 11-7082 induced dose-dependent biofilm stimulation, indicative of antibacterial activity. We confirmed that BAY 11-7082 inhibits the growth of P. aeruginosa and other priority pathogens, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). We synthesized 27 structural analogues, including a series based on the related scaffold 3-(phenylsulfonyl)-2-pyrazinecarbonitrile (PSPC), 10 of which displayed increased anti-Staphylococcal activity. Because the parent molecule inhibits the NLR Family Pyrin Domain Containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, we measured the ability of select analogues to reduce interleukin-1β (IL-1β) production in mammalian macrophages, identifying minor differences in the structure-activity relationship for the anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of this scaffold. Although we could evolve stably resistant MRSA mutants with cross-resistance to BAY 11-7082 and PSPC, their lack of shared mutations suggested that the two molecules could have multiple targets. Finally, we showed that BAY 11-7082 and its analogues synergize with penicillin G against MRSA, suggesting that this scaffold may serve as an interesting starting point for the development of antibiotic adjuvants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria E. Coles
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Patrick Darveau
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Xiong Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Hanjeong Harvey
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Brandyn D. Henriksbo
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Angela Yang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Jonathan D. Schertzer
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
| | - Jakob Magolan
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4L8, Canada
| | - Lori L. Burrows
- Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, McMaster University, 1280 Main Street West Hamilton, Ontario L8S 4K1, Canada
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Bustamante C, Muskus C, Ochoa R. Rational computational approaches to predict novel drug candidates against leishmaniasis. ANNUAL REPORTS IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/bs.armc.2022.08.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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Mendez D, Gaulton A, Bento AP, Chambers J, De Veij M, Félix E, Magariños MP, Mosquera JF, Mutowo P, Nowotka M, Gordillo-Marañón M, Hunter F, Junco L, Mugumbate G, Rodriguez-Lopez M, Atkinson F, Bosc N, Radoux CJ, Segura-Cabrera A, Hersey A, Leach AR. ChEMBL: towards direct deposition of bioassay data. Nucleic Acids Res 2020; 47:D930-D940. [PMID: 30398643 PMCID: PMC6323927 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gky1075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1085] [Impact Index Per Article: 271.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2018] [Accepted: 10/18/2018] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
ChEMBL is a large, open-access bioactivity database (https://www.ebi.ac.uk/chembl), previously described in the 2012, 2014 and 2017 Nucleic Acids Research Database Issues. In the last two years, several important improvements have been made to the database and are described here. These include more robust capture and representation of assay details; a new data deposition system, allowing updating of data sets and deposition of supplementary data; and a completely redesigned web interface, with enhanced search and filtering capabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Mendez
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Anna Gaulton
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
| | - A Patrícia Bento
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Jon Chambers
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Marleen De Veij
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Eloy Félix
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
| | - María Paula Magariños
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK.,Open Targets, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Juan F Mosquera
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Prudence Mutowo
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Michal Nowotka
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
| | - María Gordillo-Marañón
- Institute of Cardiovascular Science, University College London, Gower Street, London WC1E 6BT, UK
| | - Fiona Hunter
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Laura Junco
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Grace Mugumbate
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Milagros Rodriguez-Lopez
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Francis Atkinson
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Nicolas Bosc
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Chris J Radoux
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK.,Open Targets, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Aldo Segura-Cabrera
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Anne Hersey
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
| | - Andrew R Leach
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD, UK
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Scotti MT, Monteiro AFM, de Oliveira Viana J, Bezerra Mendonça Junior FJ, Ishiki HM, Tchouboun EN, De Araújo RSA, Scotti L. Recent Theoretical Studies Concerning Important Tropical Infections. Curr Med Chem 2020; 27:795-834. [DOI: 10.2174/0929867326666190711121418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/03/2018] [Revised: 07/20/2018] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) form a group of diseases that are strongly associated
with poverty, flourish in impoverished environments, and thrive best in tropical areas,
where they tend to present overlap. They comprise several diseases, and the symptoms
vary dramatically from disease to disease, often causing from extreme pain, and untold misery
that anchors populations to poverty, permanent disability, and death. They affect more than 1
billion people worldwide; mostly in poor populations living in tropical and subtropical climates.
In this review, several complementary in silico approaches are presented; including
identification of new therapeutic targets, novel mechanisms of activity, high-throughput
screening of small-molecule libraries, as well as in silico quantitative structure-activity relationship
and recent molecular docking studies. Current and active research against Sleeping
Sickness, American trypanosomiasis, Leishmaniasis and Schistosomiasis infections will hopefully
lead to safer, more effective, less costly and more widely available treatments against
these parasitic forms of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) in the near future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Tullius Scotti
- Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Federal University of Paraíba, Joao Pessoa - PB, Brazil
| | - Alex France Messias Monteiro
- Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Federal University of Paraíba, Joao Pessoa - PB, Brazil
| | - Jéssika de Oliveira Viana
- Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Federal University of Paraíba, Joao Pessoa - PB, Brazil
| | | | - Hamilton M. Ishiki
- University of Western Sao Paulo (Unoeste), Presidente Prudente, SP, Brazil
| | | | - Rodrigo Santos A. De Araújo
- Laboratory of Synthesis and Drug Delivery, Department of Biological Science, State University of Paraiba, Joao Pessoa, PB, Brazil
| | - Luciana Scotti
- Postgraduate Program in Natural and Synthetic Bioactive Products, Federal University of Paraíba, Joao Pessoa - PB, Brazil
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Drug resistance in Giardia: Mechanisms and alternative treatments for Giardiasis. ADVANCES IN PARASITOLOGY 2020; 107:201-282. [PMID: 32122530 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apar.2019.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The use of chemotherapeutic drugs is the main resource against clinical giardiasis due to the lack of approved vaccines. Resistance of G. duodenalis to the most used drugs to treat giardiasis, metronidazole and albendazole, is a clinical issue of growing concern and yet unknown impact, respectively. In the search of new drugs, the completion of the Giardia genome project and the use of biochemical, molecular and bioinformatics tools allowed the identification of ligands/inhibitors for about one tenth of ≈150 potential drug targets in this parasite. Further, the synthesis of second generation nitroimidazoles and benzimidazoles along with high-throughput technologies have allowed not only to define overall mechanisms of resistance to metronidazole but to screen libraries of repurposed drugs and new pharmacophores, thereby increasing the known arsenal of anti-giardial compounds to some hundreds, with most demonstrating activity against metronidazole or albendazole-resistant Giardia. In particular, cysteine-modifying agents which include omeprazole, disulfiram, allicin and auranofin outstand due to their pleiotropic activity based on the extensive repertoire of thiol-containing proteins and the microaerophilic metabolism of this parasite. Other promising agents derived from higher organisms including phytochemicals, lactoferrin and propolis as well as probiotic bacteria/fungi have also demonstrated significant potential for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes in giardiasis. In this context the present chapter offers a comprehensive review of the current knowledge, including commonly prescribed drugs, causes of therapeutic failures, drug resistance mechanisms, strategies for the discovery of new agents and alternative drug therapies.
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Andrade CH, Neves BJ, Melo-Filho CC, Rodrigues J, Silva DC, Braga RC, Cravo PVL. In Silico Chemogenomics Drug Repositioning Strategies for Neglected Tropical Diseases. Curr Med Chem 2019. [DOI: 10.2174/0929867325666180309114824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Only ~1% of all drug candidates against Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs)
have reached clinical trials in the last decades, underscoring the need for new, safe and effective
treatments. In such context, drug repositioning, which allows finding novel indications
for approved drugs whose pharmacokinetic and safety profiles are already known,
emerging as a promising strategy for tackling NTDs. Chemogenomics is a direct descendent
of the typical drug discovery process that involves the systematic screening of chemical
compounds against drug targets in high-throughput screening (HTS) efforts, for the identification
of lead compounds. However, different to the one-drug-one-target paradigm, chemogenomics
attempts to identify all potential ligands for all possible targets and diseases. In
this review, we summarize current methodological development efforts in drug repositioning
that use state-of-the-art computational ligand- and structure-based chemogenomics approaches.
Furthermore, we highlighted the recent progress in computational drug repositioning
for some NTDs, based on curation and modeling of genomic, biological, and chemical data.
Additionally, we also present in-house and other successful examples and suggest possible solutions
to existing pitfalls.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Horta Andrade
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, GO, 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Bruno Junior Neves
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, GO, 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Cleber Camilo Melo-Filho
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, GO, 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Juliana Rodrigues
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, GO, 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Diego Cabral Silva
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, GO, 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Rodolpho Campos Braga
- LabMol - Laboratory for Molecular Modeling and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goias, Goiania, GO, 74605-170, Brazil
| | - Pedro Vitor Lemos Cravo
- Laboratory of Cheminformatics, Centro Universitario de Anapolis (UniEVANGELICA), Anapolis, GO, 75083-515, Brazil
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Development of a Novel Ex-vivo 3D Model to Screen Amoebicidal Activity on Infected Tissue. Sci Rep 2019; 9:8396. [PMID: 31182753 PMCID: PMC6557822 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-44899-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/28/2019] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Amoebiasis is a parasitic disease that causes thousands of deaths every year, its adverse effects and resistance to conventional treatments have led to the search of new treatment options, as well as the development of novel screening methods. In this work, we implemented a 3D model of intestine and liver slices from hamsters that were infected ex vivo with virulent E. histolytica trophozoites. Results show preserved histology in both uninfected tissues as well as ulcerations, destruction of the epithelial cells, and inflammatory reaction in intestine slices and formation of micro abscesses, and the presence of amoebae in the sinusoidal spaces and in the interior of central veins in liver slices. The three chemically synthetized compounds T-001, T-011, and T-016, which act as amoebicides in vitro, were active in both infected tissues, as they decreased the number of trophozoites, and provoked death by disintegration of the amoeba, similar to metronidazole. However, compound T-011 induced signs of cytotoxicity to liver slices. Our results suggest that ex vivo cultures of precision-cut intestinal and liver slices represent a reliable 3D approach to evaluate novel amoebicidal compounds, and to simultaneously detect their toxicity, while reducing the number of experimental animals commonly required by other model systems.
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Farha MA, Brown ED. Drug repurposing for antimicrobial discovery. Nat Microbiol 2019; 4:565-577. [PMID: 30833727 DOI: 10.1038/s41564-019-0357-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 189] [Impact Index Per Article: 37.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2017] [Accepted: 01/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance continues to be a public threat on a global scale. The ongoing need to develop new antimicrobial drugs that are effective against multi-drug-resistant pathogens has spurred the research community to invest in various drug discovery strategies, one of which is drug repurposing-the process of finding new uses for existing drugs. While still nascent in the antimicrobial field, the approach is gaining traction in both the public and private sector. While the approach has particular promise in fast-tracking compounds into clinical studies, it nevertheless has substantial obstacles to success. This Review covers the art of repurposing existing drugs for antimicrobial purposes. We discuss enabling screening platforms for antimicrobial discovery and present encouraging findings of novel antimicrobial therapeutic strategies. Also covered are general advantages of repurposing over de novo drug development and challenges of the strategy, including scientific, intellectual property and regulatory issues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maya A Farha
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
| | - Eric D Brown
- Michael G. DeGroote Institute for Infectious Disease Research, Department of Biochemistry and Biomedical Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
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In vitro treatment of Besnoitia besnoiti with the naphto-quinone buparvaquone results in marked inhibition of tachyzoite proliferation, mitochondrial alterations and rapid adaptation of tachyzoites to increased drug concentrations. Parasitology 2018; 146:112-120. [PMID: 29921336 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182018000975] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
We here assessed the in vitro efficacy of the naptho-quinone buparvaquone (BPQ) against Besnoitia besnoiti tachyzoites in vitro. BPQ is currently licensed for the treatment of theileriosis in cattle in many countries, but not in the EU. In 4-day treatment assays, BPQ massively impaired tachyzoite proliferation with an IC50 of 10 ± 3 nm, and virtually complete inhibition was obtained in the presence of nm BPQ. Exposure to 1 µm BPQ leads to ultrastructural changes affecting initially the mitochondrial matrix and the cristae. After 96 h, most parasites were largely distorted, filled with cytoplasmic amylopectin granules and vacuoles containing components of unknown composition. Host cell mitochondria did not appear to be notably affected by the drug. However, upon prolonged exposure (14-16 days) to increased BPQ concentrations, B. besnoiti tachyzoites exhibited the capacity to adapt, and they resumed proliferation at dosages of up to 10 µm BPQ, albeit at a lower rate. These BPQ-adapted parasites maintained this lower susceptibility to BPQ treatment after freeze-thawing, and inspection by the transmission electron microscopy revealed that they underwent proliferation in the absence of structurally intact mitochondria.
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Antileishmanial Activity of Ezetimibe: Inhibition of Sterol Biosynthesis, In Vitro Synergy with Azoles, and Efficacy in Experimental Cutaneous Leishmaniasis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2016; 60:6844-6852. [PMID: 27600041 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01545-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2016] [Accepted: 08/28/2016] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis affects mainly low-income populations in tropical regions. Radical innovation in drug discovery is time-consuming and expensive, imposing severe restrictions on the ability to launch new chemical entities for the treatment of neglected diseases. Drug repositioning is an attractive strategy for addressing a specific demand more easily. In this project, we have evaluated the antileishmanial activities of 30 drugs currently in clinical use for various morbidities. Ezetimibe, clinically used to reduce intestinal cholesterol absorption in dyslipidemic patients, killed Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) of 30 μM. Morphological analysis revealed that ezetimibe caused the parasites to become rounded, with multiple nuclei and flagella. Analysis by gas chromatography (GC)-mass spectrometry (MS) showed that promastigotes treated with ezetimibe had smaller amounts of C-14-demethylated sterols, and accumulated more cholesterol and lanosterol, than untreated promastigotes. We then evaluated the combination of ezetimibe with well-known antileishmanial azoles. The fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) indicated synergy when ezetimibe was combined with ketoconazole or miconazole. The activity of ezetimibe against intracellular amastigotes was confirmed, with an IC50 of 20 μM, and ezetimibe reduced the IC90s of ketoconazole and miconazole from 11.3 and 11.5 μM to 4.14 and 8.25 μM, respectively. Subsequently, we confirmed the activity of ezetimibe in vivo, showing that it decreased lesion development and parasite loads in murine cutaneous leishmaniasis. We concluded that ezetimibe has promising antileishmanial activity and should be considered in combination with azoles in further preclinical and clinical studies.
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Toward Commercialization. Drug Deliv 2016. [DOI: 10.1201/9781315382579-21] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
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Müller J, Aguado-Martínez A, Manser V, Wong HN, Haynes RK, Hemphill A. Repurposing of antiparasitic drugs: the hydroxy-naphthoquinone buparvaquone inhibits vertical transmission in the pregnant neosporosis mouse model. Vet Res 2016; 47:32. [PMID: 26883424 PMCID: PMC4756515 DOI: 10.1186/s13567-016-0317-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2015] [Accepted: 02/02/2016] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The three anti-malarial drugs artemiside, artemisone, and mefloquine, and the naphthoquinone buparvaquone known to be active against theileriosis in cattle and Leishmania infections in rodents, were assessed for activity against Neospora caninum infection. All four compounds inhibited the proliferation of N. caninum tachyzoites in vitro with IC50 in the sub-micromolar range, but artemisone and buparvaquone were most effective (IC50 = 3 and 4.9 nM, respectively). However, in a neosporosis mouse model for cerebral infection comprising Balb/c mice experimentally infected with the virulent isolate Nc-Spain7, the three anti-malarial compounds failed to exhibit any activity, since treatment did not reduce the parasite burden in brains and lungs compared to untreated controls. Thus, these compounds were not further evaluated in pregnant mice. On the other hand, buparvaquone, shown earlier to be effective in reducing the parasite load in the lungs in an acute neosporosis disease model, was further assessed in the pregnant mouse model. Buparvaquone efficiently inhibited vertical transmission in Balb/c mice experimentally infected at day 7 of pregnancy, reduced clinical signs in the pups, but had no effect on cerebral infection in the dams. This demonstrates proof-of-concept that drug repurposing may lead to the discovery of an effective compound against neosporosis that can protect offspring from vertical transmission and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Müller
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggass-Strasse 122, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Adriana Aguado-Martínez
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggass-Strasse 122, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Vera Manser
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggass-Strasse 122, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
| | - Ho Ning Wong
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences G2, North-West University Potchefstroom Campus, 11 Hoffman Street, Potchefstroom, 2531, South Africa.
| | - Richard K Haynes
- Centre of Excellence for Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences G2, North-West University Potchefstroom Campus, 11 Hoffman Street, Potchefstroom, 2531, South Africa.
| | - Andrew Hemphill
- Institute of Parasitology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Berne, Länggass-Strasse 122, 3012, Bern, Switzerland.
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Approaches for the vaccination and treatment of Neospora caninum infections in mice and ruminant models. Parasitology 2015; 143:245-59. [PMID: 26626124 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182015001596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Neospora caninum is a leading cause of abortion in cattle, and is thus an important veterinary health problem of high economic significance. Vaccination has been considered a viable strategy to prevent bovine neosporosis. Different approaches have been investigated, and to date the most promising results have been achieved with live-attenuated vaccines. Subunit vaccines have also been studied, and most of them represented components that are functionally involved in (i) the physical interaction between the parasite and its host cell during invasion or (ii) tachyzoite-to-bradyzoite stage conversion. Drugs have been considered as an option to limit the effects of vertical transmission of N. caninum. Promising results with a small panel of compounds in small laboratory animal models indicate the potential value of a chemotherapeutical approach for the prevention of neosporosis in ruminants. For both, vaccines and drugs, the key for success in preventing vertical transmission lies in the application of bioactive compounds that limit parasite proliferation and dissemination, without endangering the developing fetus not only during an exogenous acute infection but also during recrudescence of a chronic infection. In this review, the current status of vaccine and drug development is presented and novel strategies against neosporosis are discussed.
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Skolnick J, Gao M, Roy A, Srinivasan B, Zhou H. Implications of the small number of distinct ligand binding pockets in proteins for drug discovery, evolution and biochemical function. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2015; 25:1163-70. [PMID: 25690787 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2015.01.059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2014] [Revised: 01/23/2015] [Accepted: 01/24/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Coincidence of the properties of ligand binding pockets in native proteins with those in proteins generated by computer simulations without selection for function shows that pockets are a generic protein feature and the number of distinct pockets is small. Similar pockets occur in unrelated protein structures, an observation successfully employed in pocket-based virtual ligand screening. The small number of pockets suggests that off-target interactions among diverse proteins are inherent; kinases, proteases and phosphatases show this prototypical behavior. The ability to repurpose FDA approved drugs is general, and minor side effects cannot be avoided. Finally, the implications to drug discovery are explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey Skolnick
- Center for the Study of Systems Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 250 14th St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318, USA.
| | - Mu Gao
- Center for the Study of Systems Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 250 14th St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318, USA
| | - Ambrish Roy
- Center for the Study of Systems Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 250 14th St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318, USA
| | - Bharath Srinivasan
- Center for the Study of Systems Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 250 14th St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318, USA
| | - Hongyi Zhou
- Center for the Study of Systems Biology, Georgia Institute of Technology, 250 14th St NW, Atlanta, GA 30318, USA
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Morin-Adeline V, Lomas R, O’Meally D, Stack C, Conesa A, Šlapeta J. Comparative transcriptomics reveals striking similarities between the bovine and feline isolates of Tritrichomonas foetus: consequences for in silico drug-target identification. BMC Genomics 2014; 15:955. [PMID: 25374366 PMCID: PMC4247702 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2164-15-955] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2014] [Accepted: 10/22/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Few, if any, protozoan parasites are reported to exhibit extreme organ tropism like the flagellate Tritrichomonas foetus. In cattle, T. foetus infects the reproductive system causing abortion, whereas the infection in cats results in chronic large bowel diarrhoea. In the absence of a T. foetus genome, we utilized a de novo approach to assemble the transcriptome of the bovine and feline genotype to identify host-specific adaptations and virulence factors specific to each genotype. Furthermore, a subset of orthologs was used to characterize putative druggable targets and expose complications of in silico drug target mining in species with indefinite host-ranges. RESULTS Illumina RNA-seq reads were assembled into two representative bovine and feline transcriptomes containing 42,363 and 36,559 contigs, respectively. Coding and non-coding regions of the genome libraries revealed striking similarities, with 24,620 shared homolog pairs reduced down to 7,547 coding orthologs between the two genotypes. The transcriptomes were near identical in functional category distribution; with no indication of selective pressure acting on orthologs despite differences in parasite origins/host. Orthologs formed a large proportion of highly expressed transcripts in both genotypes (bovine genotype: 76%, feline genotype: 56%). Mining the libraries for protease virulence factors revealed the cysteine proteases (CP) to be the most common. In total, 483 and 445 bovine and feline T. foetus transcripts were identified as putative proteases based on MEROPS database, with 9 hits to putative protease inhibitors. In bovine T. foetus, CP8 is the preferentially transcribed CP while in the feline genotype, transcription of CP7 showed higher abundance. In silico druggability analysis of the two genotypes revealed that when host sequences are taken into account, drug targets are genotype-specific. CONCLUSION Gene discovery analysis based on RNA-seq data analysis revealed prominent similarities between the bovine and feline T. foetus, suggesting recent adaptation to their respective host/niche. T. foetus represents a unique case of a mammalian protozoan expanding its parasitic grasp across distantly related host lineages. Consequences of the host-range for in silico drug targeting are exposed here, demonstrating that targets of the parasite in one host are not necessarily ideal for the same parasite in another host.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rodrigo Lomas
- />Genomics of Gene Expression Lab, Prince Felipe Research Centre, Valencia, Spain
| | - Denis O’Meally
- />Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, New South Wales, 2006 Australia
| | - Colin Stack
- />School of Science and Health, University of Western Sydney, Penrith, New South Wales 2751 Australia
| | - Ana Conesa
- />Genomics of Gene Expression Lab, Prince Felipe Research Centre, Valencia, Spain
| | - Jan Šlapeta
- />Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Sydney, New South Wales, 2006 Australia
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Denny JC. Surveying Recent Themes in Translational Bioinformatics: Big Data in EHRs, Omics for Drugs, and Personal Genomics. Yearb Med Inform 2014; 9:199-205. [PMID: 25123743 PMCID: PMC4287076 DOI: 10.15265/iy-2014-0015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE To provide a survey of recent progress in the use of large-scale biologic data to impact clinical care, and the impact the reuse of electronic health record data has made in genomic discovery. METHOD Survey of key themes in translational bioinformatics, primarily from 2012 and 2013. RESULT This survey focuses on four major themes: the growing use of Electronic Health Records (EHRs) as a source for genomic discovery, adoption of genomics and pharmacogenomics in clinical practice, the possible use of genomic technologies for drug repurposing, and the use of personal genomics to guide care. CONCLUSION Reuse of abundant clinical data for research is speeding discovery, and implementation of genomic data into clinical medicine is impacting care with new classes of data rarely used previously in medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- J C Denny
- Joshua C. Denny, MD, MS, 2525 West End Ave - Suite 672, Nashville, TN 37213, USA, E-mail:
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Andrews KT, Fisher G, Skinner-Adams TS. Drug repurposing and human parasitic protozoan diseases. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-DRUGS AND DRUG RESISTANCE 2014; 4:95-111. [PMID: 25057459 PMCID: PMC4095053 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2014.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 231] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2013] [Revised: 02/17/2014] [Accepted: 02/27/2014] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Parasitic diseases have an enormous health, social and economic impact and are a particular problem in tropical regions of the world. Diseases caused by protozoa and helminths, such as malaria and schistosomiasis, are the cause of most parasite related morbidity and mortality, with an estimated 1.1 million combined deaths annually. The global burden of these diseases is exacerbated by the lack of licensed vaccines, making safe and effective drugs vital to their prevention and treatment. Unfortunately, where drugs are available, their usefulness is being increasingly threatened by parasite drug resistance. The need for new drugs drives antiparasitic drug discovery research globally and requires a range of innovative strategies to ensure a sustainable pipeline of lead compounds. In this review we discuss one of these approaches, drug repurposing or repositioning, with a focus on major human parasitic protozoan diseases such as malaria, trypanosomiasis, toxoplasmosis, cryptosporidiosis and leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katherine T Andrews
- Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
| | - Gillian Fisher
- Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
| | - Tina S Skinner-Adams
- Eskitis Institute for Drug Discovery, Griffith University, Nathan, Queensland, Australia
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