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Smiejkowska N, Oorts L, Van Calster K, De Vooght L, Geens R, Mattelaer HP, Augustyns K, Strelkov SV, Lamprecht D, Temmerman K, Sterckx YGJ, Cappoen D, Cos P. A high-throughput target-based screening approach for the identification and assessment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis mycothione reductase inhibitors. Microbiol Spectr 2024; 12:e0372323. [PMID: 38315026 PMCID: PMC10913476 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03723-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 02/07/2024] Open
Abstract
The World Health Organization's goal to combat tuberculosis (TB) is hindered by the emergence of anti-microbial resistance, therefore necessitating the exploration of new drug targets. Multidrug regimens are indispensable in TB therapy as they provide synergetic bactericidal effects, shorten treatment duration, and reduce the risk of resistance development. The research within our European RespiriTB consortium explores Mycobacterium tuberculosis energy metabolism to identify new drug candidates that synergize with bedaquiline, with the aim of discovering more efficient combination drug regimens. In this study, we describe the development and validation of a luminescence-coupled, target-based assay for the identification of novel compounds inhibiting Mycobacterium tuberculosis mycothione reductase (MtrMtb), an enzyme with a role in the protection against oxidative stress. Recombinant MtrMtb was employed for the development of a highly sensitive, robust high-throughput screening (HTS) assay by coupling enzyme activity to a bioluminescent readout. Its application in a semi-automated setting resulted in the screening of a diverse library of ~130,000 compounds, from which 19 hits were retained after an assessment of their potency, selectivity, and specificity. The selected hits formed two clusters and four fragment molecules, which were further evaluated in whole-cell and intracellular infection assays. The established HTS discovery pipeline offers an opportunity to deliver novel MtrMtb inhibitors and lays the foundation for future efforts in developing robust biochemical assays for the identification and triaging of inhibitors from high-throughput library screens. IMPORTANCE The growing anti-microbial resistance poses a global public health threat, impeding progress toward eradicating tuberculosis. Despite decades of active research, there is still a dire need for the discovery of drugs with novel modes of action and exploration of combination drug regimens. Within the European RespiriTB consortium, we explore Mycobacterium tuberculosis energy metabolism to identify new drug candidates that synergize with bedaquiline, with the aim of discovering more efficient combination drug regimens. In this study, we present the development of a high-throughput screening pipeline that led to the identification of M. tuberculosis mycothione reductase inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Natalia Smiejkowska
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
- Laboratory of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Lauren Oorts
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Kevin Van Calster
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Linda De Vooght
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Rob Geens
- Laboratory of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Henri-Philippe Mattelaer
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Koen Augustyns
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Sergei V. Strelkov
- Biocrystallography, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | | - Yann G.-J. Sterckx
- Laboratory of Medical Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Davie Cappoen
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Paul Cos
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Parasitology and Hygiene, Faculty of Pharmaceutical, Biomedical and Veterinary Sciences, University of Antwerp, Wilrijk, Antwerp, Belgium
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