1
|
Sousa LRD, Amparo TR, de Souza GHB, Ferraz AT, Fonseca KDS, de Azevedo AS, do Nascimento AM, Andrade ÂL, Seibert JB, Valverde TM, Braga SFP, Vieira PMDA, dos Santos VMR. Anti- Trypanosoma cruzi Potential of Vestitol Isolated from Lyophilized Red Propolis. Molecules 2023; 28:7812. [PMID: 38067542 PMCID: PMC10708512 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28237812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD) is a worldwide public health problem, and the drugs available for its treatment have severe limitations. Red propolis is a natural extract known for its high content of phenolic compounds and for having activity against T. cruzi. The aim of this study was to investigate the trypanocidal potential of red propolis to isolate, identify, and indicate the mode of action of the bioactive compounds. The results revealed that the total phenolic content was 15.4 mg GAE/g, and flavonoids were 7.2 mg QE/g. The extract was fractionated through liquid-liquid partitioning, and the trypanocidal potential of the samples was evaluated using the epimastigote forms of the Y strain of T. cruzi. In this process, one compound was characterized by MS, 1H, and 13C NMR and identified as vestitol. Cytotoxicity was evaluated employing MRC-5 fibroblasts and H9C2 cardiomyocytes, showing cytotoxic concentrations above 15.62 μg/mL and 31.25 μg/mL, respectively. In silico analyses were applied, and the data suggested that the substance had a membrane-permeation-enhancing effect, which was confirmed through an in vitro assay. Finally, a molecular docking analysis revealed a higher affinity of vestitol with farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FPPS). The identified isoflavan appears to be a promising lead compound for further development to treat Chagas disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucas Resende Dutra Sousa
- Phytotechnology Laboratory, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil; (L.R.D.S.); (T.R.A.); (G.H.B.d.S.)
| | - Tatiane Roquete Amparo
- Phytotechnology Laboratory, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil; (L.R.D.S.); (T.R.A.); (G.H.B.d.S.)
| | - Gustavo Henrique Bianco de Souza
- Phytotechnology Laboratory, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil; (L.R.D.S.); (T.R.A.); (G.H.B.d.S.)
| | - Aline Tonhela Ferraz
- Morphopathology Laboratory, Center for Biological Sciences Research, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil; (A.T.F.); (K.d.S.F.)
| | - Kátia da Silva Fonseca
- Morphopathology Laboratory, Center for Biological Sciences Research, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil; (A.T.F.); (K.d.S.F.)
| | - Amanda Scofield de Azevedo
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil; (A.S.d.A.); (A.M.d.N.); (Â.L.A.)
| | - Andréa Mendes do Nascimento
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil; (A.S.d.A.); (A.M.d.N.); (Â.L.A.)
| | - Ângela Leão Andrade
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil; (A.S.d.A.); (A.M.d.N.); (Â.L.A.)
| | - Janaína Brandão Seibert
- Natural Products Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Federal University of São Carlos, Rod. Washington Luiz, Sao Carlos 13565-905, SP, Brazil;
| | - Thalita Marcolan Valverde
- Department of Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte 31270-901, MG, Brazil;
| | - Saulo Fehelberg Pinto Braga
- Medicinal Chemistry and Bioassays Laboratory, School of Pharmacy, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil;
| | - Paula Melo de Abreu Vieira
- Morphopathology Laboratory, Center for Biological Sciences Research, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil; (A.T.F.); (K.d.S.F.)
| | - Viviane Martins Rebello dos Santos
- Department of Chemistry, Institute of Exact and Biological Sciences, Federal University of Ouro Preto, Campus Morro do Cruzeiro, Ouro Preto 35400-000, MG, Brazil; (A.S.d.A.); (A.M.d.N.); (Â.L.A.)
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Picón DF, Skouta R. Unveiling the Therapeutic Potential of Squalene Synthase: Deciphering Its Biochemical Mechanism, Disease Implications, and Intriguing Ties to Ferroptosis. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3731. [PMID: 37509391 PMCID: PMC10378455 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15143731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 07/12/2023] [Accepted: 07/20/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Squalene synthase (SQS) has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for various diseases, including cancers, owing to its pivotal role in the mevalonate pathway and the antioxidant properties of squalene. Primarily, SQS orchestrates the head-to-head condensation reaction, catalyzing the fusion of two farnesyl pyrophosphate molecules, leading to the formation of squalene, which has been depicted as a highly effective oxygen-scavenging agent in in vitro studies. Recent studies have depicted this isoprenoid as a protective layer against ferroptosis due to its potential regulation of lipid peroxidation, as well as its protection against oxidative damage. Therefore, beyond its fundamental function, recent investigations have unveiled additional roles for SQS as a regulator of lipid peroxidation and programmed cell death pathways, such as ferroptosis-a type of cell death characterized by elevated levels of lipid peroxide, one of the forms of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and intracellular iron concentration. Notably, thorough explorations have shed light on the distinctive features that set SQS apart from other members within the isoprenoid synthase superfamily. Its unique biochemical structure, intricately intertwined with its reaction mechanism, has garnered significant attention. Moreover, considerable evidence substantiates the significance of SQS in various disease contexts, and its intriguing association with ferroptosis and lipid peroxidation. The objective of this report is to analyze the existing literature comprehensively, corroborating these findings, and provide an up-to-date perspective on the current understanding of SQS as a prospective therapeutic target, as well as its intricate relationship with ferroptosis. This review aims to consolidate the knowledge surrounding SQS, thereby contributing to the broader comprehension of its potential implications in disease management and therapeutic interventions.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Rachid Skouta
- Department of Biology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA 01003, USA
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Sleda MA, Li ZH, Behera R, Baierna B, Li C, Jumpathong J, Malwal SR, Kawamukai M, Oldfield E, Moreno SNJ. The Heptaprenyl Diphosphate Synthase (Coq1) Is the Target of a Lipophilic Bisphosphonate That Protects Mice against Toxoplasma gondii Infection. mBio 2022; 13:e0196622. [PMID: 36129297 PMCID: PMC9600589 DOI: 10.1128/mbio.01966-22] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Prenyldiphosphate synthases catalyze the reaction of allylic diphosphates with one or more isopentenyl diphosphate molecules to form compounds such as farnesyl diphosphate, used in, e.g., sterol biosynthesis and protein prenylation, as well as longer "polyprenyl" diphosphates, used in ubiquinone and menaquinone biosynthesis. Quinones play an essential role in electron transport and are associated with the inner mitochondrial membrane due to the presence of the polyprenyl group. In this work, we investigated the synthesis of the polyprenyl diphosphate that alkylates the ubiquinone ring precursor in Toxoplasma gondii, an opportunistic pathogen that causes serious disease in immunocompromised patients and the unborn fetus. The enzyme that catalyzes this early step of the ubiquinone synthesis is Coq1 (TgCoq1), and we show that it produces the C35 species heptaprenyl diphosphate. TgCoq1 localizes to the mitochondrion and is essential for in vitro T. gondii growth. We demonstrate that the growth defect of a T. gondii TgCoq1 mutant is rescued by complementation with a homologous TgCoq1 gene or with a (C45) solanesyl diphosphate synthase from Trypanosoma cruzi (TcSPPS). We find that a lipophilic bisphosphonate (BPH-1218) inhibits T. gondii growth at low-nanomolar concentrations, while overexpression of the TgCoq1 enzyme dramatically reduced growth inhibition by the bisphosphonate. Both the severe growth defect of the mutant and the inhibition by BPH-1218 were rescued by supplementation with a long-chain (C30) ubiquinone (UQ6). Importantly, BPH-1218 also protected mice against a lethal T. gondii infection. TgCoq1 thus represents a potential drug target that could be exploited for improved chemotherapy of toxoplasmosis. IMPORTANCE Millions of people are infected with Toxoplasma gondii, and the available treatment for toxoplasmosis is not ideal. Most of the drugs currently used are only effective for the acute infection, and treatment can trigger serious side effects requiring changes in the therapeutic approach. There is, therefore, a compelling need for safe and effective treatments for toxoplasmosis. In this work, we characterize an enzyme of the mitochondrion of T. gondii that can be inhibited by an isoprenoid pathway inhibitor. We present evidence that demonstrates that inhibition of the enzyme is linked to parasite death. In addition, the inhibitor can protect mice against a lethal dose of T. gondii. Our results thus reveal a promising chemotherapeutic target for the development of new medicines for toxoplasmosis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Melissa A. Sleda
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Zhu-Hong Li
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Ranjan Behera
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Baihetiya Baierna
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Catherine Li
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| | - Jomkwan Jumpathong
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Shimane University, Matsue, Japan
| | - Satish R. Malwal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Makoto Kawamukai
- Department of Life Sciences, Faculty of Life and Environmental Sciences, Shimane University, Matsue, Japan
| | - Eric Oldfield
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, Urbana, Illinois, USA
| | - Silvia N. J. Moreno
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
- Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Malwal S, Shang N, Liu W, Li X, Zhang L, Chen CC, Guo RT, Oldfield E. A Structural and Bioinformatics Investigation of a Fungal Squalene Synthase and Comparisons with Other Membrane Proteins. ACS OMEGA 2022; 7:22601-22612. [PMID: 35811857 PMCID: PMC9260892 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.2c01924] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/03/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
There is interest in the development of drugs to treat fungal infections due to the increasing threat of drug resistance, and here, we report the first crystallographic structure of the catalytic domain of a fungal squalene synthase (SQS), Aspergillus flavus SQS (AfSQS), a potential drug target, together with a bioinformatics study of fungal, human, and protozoal SQSs. Our X-ray results show strong structural similarities between the catalytic domains in these proteins, but, remarkably, using bioinformatics, we find that there is also a large, highly polar helix in the fungal proteins that connects the catalytic and membrane-anchoring transmembrane domains. This polar helix is absent in squalene synthases from all other lifeforms. We show that the transmembrane domain in AfSQS and in other SQSs, stannin, and steryl sulfatase, have very similar properties (% polar residues, hydrophobicity, and hydrophobic moment) to those found in the "penultimate" C-terminal helical domain in squalene epoxidase, while the final C-terminal domain in squalene epoxidase is more polar and may be monotopic. We also propose structural models for full-length AfSQS based on the bioinformatics results as well as a deep learning program that indicate that the C-terminus region may also be membrane surface-associated. Taken together, our results are of general interest given the unique nature of the polar helical domain in fungi that may be involved in protein-protein interactions as well as being a future target for antifungals.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Satish
R. Malwal
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| | - Na Shang
- Industrial
Enzymes National Engineering Laboratory, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Weidong Liu
- Industrial
Enzymes National Engineering Laboratory, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of
Sciences, Tianjin 300308, China
| | - Xian Li
- State
Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative
Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-resources, Hubei
Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Lilan Zhang
- State
Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative
Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-resources, Hubei
Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Chun-Chi Chen
- State
Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative
Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-resources, Hubei
Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Rey-Ting Guo
- State
Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Collaborative
Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-resources, Hubei
Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Eric Oldfield
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Illinois at
Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801, United States
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
de Macedo-Silva ST, Visbal G, Souza GF, Dos Santos MR, Cämmerer SB, de Souza W, Rodrigues JCF. Benzylamines as highly potent inhibitors of the sterol biosynthesis pathway in Leishmania amazonensis leading to oxidative stress and ultrastructural alterations. Sci Rep 2022; 12:11313. [PMID: 35788652 PMCID: PMC9253131 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-15449-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 06/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a neglected disease caused by protozoan parasites of the Leishmania genus. Benzylamines are a class of compounds selectively designed to inhibit the squalene synthase (SQS) that catalyzes the first committed reaction on the sterol biosynthesis pathway. Herein, we studied seven new benzylamines (SBC 37–43) against Leishmania amazonensis. After the first screening of cell viability, two inhibitors (SBC 39 and SBC 40) were selected. Against intracellular amastigotes, SBC 39 and SBC 40 presented selectivity indexes of 117.7 and 180, respectively, indicating high selectivity. Analysis of the sterol composition revealed a depletion of endogenous 24-alkylated sterols such as episterol and 5-dehydroepisterol, with a concomitant accumulation of fecosterol, implying a disturbance in cellular lipid content. This result suggests a blockade of de novo sterol synthesis at the level of SQS and C-5 desaturase. Furthermore, physiological analysis and electron microscopy revealed three main alterations: (1) in the mitochondrion; (2) the presence of lipid bodies and autophagosomes; and (3) the appearance of projections in the plasma membrane. In conclusion, our results support the notion that benzylamines have a potent effect against Leishmania amazonensis and should be an exciting novel pharmaceutical lead for developing new chemotherapeutic alternatives to treat leishmaniasis.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara Teixeira de Macedo-Silva
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Centro Nacional de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, CENABIO, UFRJ, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Gonzalo Visbal
- Instituto Nacional de Metrologia, Qualidade e Tecnologia, Inmetro, Brazil
| | | | | | - Simon B Cämmerer
- Instituto de Química, Departamento de Química Orgânica, UNICAMP, Campinas, Brazil
| | - Wanderley de Souza
- Laboratório de Ultraestrutura Celular Hertha Meyer, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.,Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Juliany Cola Fernandes Rodrigues
- Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia de Biologia Estrutural e Bioimagem, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. .,Núcleo Multidisciplinar de Pesquisa em Biologia, Divisão Biologia (NUMPEX-BIO), Campus UFRJ-Duque de Caxias Prof. Geraldo Cidade, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rodovia Washington Luiz, n. 19.593, km 104.5-Santa Cruz da Serra, Duque de Caxias, RJ, 25.240-005, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Rubio-Hernández M, Alcolea V, Pérez-Silanes S. Potential of sulfur-selenium isosteric replacement as a strategy for the development of new anti-chagasic drugs. Acta Trop 2022; 233:106547. [PMID: 35667455 DOI: 10.1016/j.actatropica.2022.106547] [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: 04/11/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Current treatment for Chagas disease is based on only two drugs: benznidazole and nifurtimox. Compounds containing sulfur (S) in their structure have shown promising results in vitro and in vivo against Trypanosoma cruzi, the parasite causing Chagas disease. Notably, some reports show that the isosteric replacement of S by selenium (Se) could be an interesting strategy for the development of new compounds for the treatment of Chagas disease. To date, the activity against T. cruzi of three Se- containing groups has been compared with their S counterparts: selenosemicarbazones, selenoquinones, and selenocyanates. More studies are needed to confirm the positive results of Se compounds. Therefore, we have investigated S compounds described in the literature tested against T. cruzi. We focused on those tested in vivo that allowed isosteric replacement to propose their Se counterparts as promising compounds for the future development of new drugs against Chagas disease.
Collapse
|
7
|
Kratz JM, Gonçalves KR, Romera LM, Moraes CB, Bittencourt-Cunha P, Schenkman S, Chatelain E, Sosa-Estani S. The translational challenge in Chagas disease drug development. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2022; 117:e200501. [PMID: 35613156 PMCID: PMC9128742 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760200501] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease is a neglected tropical disease caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. There is an urgent need for safe, effective, and accessible new treatments since the currently approved drugs have serious limitations. Drug development for Chagas disease has historically been hampered by the complexity of the disease, critical knowledge gaps, and lack of coordinated R&D efforts. This review covers some of the translational challenges associated with the progression of new chemical entities from preclinical to clinical phases of development, and discusses how recent technological advances might allow the research community to answer key questions relevant to the disease and to overcome hurdles in R&D for Chagas disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jadel M Kratz
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Karolina R Gonçalves
- Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Departamento de Microbiologia, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Lavínia Md Romera
- Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Departamento de Microbiologia, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Carolina Borsoi Moraes
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Diadema, SP, Brasil
| | - Paula Bittencourt-Cunha
- Universidade de São Paulo, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Departamento de Microbiologia, São Paulo, SP, Brasil.,Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Sergio Schenkman
- Universidade Federal de São Paulo, Departamento de Microbiologia, Imunologia e Parasitologia, São Paulo, SP, Brasil
| | - Eric Chatelain
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Sergio Sosa-Estani
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative, Geneva, Switzerland.,Epidemiology and Public Health Research Centre, CIESP-CONICET, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Ebetino FH, Sun S, Cherian P, Roshandel S, Neighbors JD, Hu E, Dunford JE, Sedghizadeh PP, McKenna CE, Srinivasan V, Boeckman RK, Russell RGG. Bisphosphonates: The role of chemistry in understanding their biological actions and structure-activity relationships, and new directions for their therapeutic use. Bone 2022; 156:116289. [PMID: 34896359 PMCID: PMC11023620 DOI: 10.1016/j.bone.2021.116289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The bisphosphonates ((HO)2P(O)CR1R2P(O)(OH)2, BPs) were first shown to inhibit bone resorption in the 1960s, but it was not until 30 years later that a detailed molecular understanding of the relationship between their varied chemical structures and biological activity was elucidated. In the 1990s and 2000s, several potent bisphosphonates containing nitrogen in their R2 side chains (N-BPs) were approved for clinical use including alendronate, risedronate, ibandronate, and zoledronate. These are now mostly generic drugs and remain the leading therapies for several major bone-related diseases, including osteoporosis and skeletal-related events associated with bone metastases. The early development of chemistry in this area was largely empirical and only a few common structural features related to strong binding to calcium phosphate were clear. Attempts to further develop structure-activity relationships to explain more dramatic pharmacological differences in vivo at first appeared inconclusive, and evidence for mechanisms underlying cellular effects on osteoclasts and macrophages only emerged after many years of research. The breakthrough came when the intracellular actions on the osteoclast were first shown for the simpler bisphosphonates, via the in vivo formation of P-C-P derivatives of ATP. The synthesis and biological evaluation of a large number of nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates in the 1980s and 1990s led to the key discovery that the antiresorptive effects of these more complex analogs on osteoclasts result mostly from their potency as inhibitors of the enzyme farnesyl diphosphate synthase (FDPS/FPPS). This key branch-point enzyme in the mevalonate pathway of cholesterol biosynthesis is important for the generation of isoprenoid lipids that are utilized for the post-translational modification of small GTP-binding proteins essential for osteoclast function. Since then, it has become even more clear that the overall pharmacological effects of individual bisphosphonates on bone depend upon two key properties: the affinity for bone mineral and inhibitory effects on biochemical targets within bone cells, in particular FDPS. Detailed enzyme-ligand crystal structure analysis began in the early 2000s and advances in our understanding of the structure-activity relationships, based on interactions with this target within the mevalonate pathway and related enzymes in osteoclasts and other cells have continued to be the focus of research efforts to this day. In addition, while many members of the bisphosphonate drug class share common properties, now it is more clear that chemical modifications to create variations in these properties may allow customization of BPs for different uses. Thus, as the appreciation for new potential opportunities with this drug class grows, new chemistry to allow ready access to an ever-widening variety of bisphosphonates continues to be developed. Potential new uses of the calcium phosphate binding mechanism of bisphosphonates for the targeting of other drugs to the skeleton, and effects discovered on other cellular targets, even at non-skeletal sites, continue to intrigue scientists in this research field.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Frank H Ebetino
- BioVinc LLC, 2265 E. Foothill Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14617, USA; Department of Oncology & Metabolism, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK.
| | - Shuting Sun
- BioVinc LLC, 2265 E. Foothill Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107, USA.
| | - Philip Cherian
- BioVinc LLC, 2265 E. Foothill Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107, USA
| | | | | | - Eric Hu
- BioVinc LLC, 2265 E. Foothill Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91107, USA
| | - James E Dunford
- Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology & Musculoskeletal Sciences, The Oxford University Institute of Musculoskeletal Sciences, The Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LD, UK
| | - Parish P Sedghizadeh
- Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Charles E McKenna
- Department of Chemistry, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089, USA
| | - Venkat Srinivasan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14617, USA
| | - Robert K Boeckman
- Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY 14617, USA
| | - R Graham G Russell
- Department of Oncology & Metabolism, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK; Nuffield Department of Orthopaedics, Rheumatology & Musculoskeletal Sciences, The Oxford University Institute of Musculoskeletal Sciences, The Botnar Research Centre, Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, Headington, Oxford OX3 7LD, UK; Mellanby Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, UK
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Dumoulin PC, Burleigh BA. Metabolic flexibility in Trypanosoma cruzi amastigotes: implications for persistence and drug sensitivity. Curr Opin Microbiol 2021; 63:244-249. [PMID: 34455305 DOI: 10.1016/j.mib.2021.07.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Revised: 07/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Throughout their life cycle, parasitic organisms experience a variety of environmental conditions. To ensure persistence and transmission, some protozoan parasites are capable of adjusting their replication or converting to distinct life cycle stages. Trypanosoma cruzi is a 'generalist' parasite that is competent to infect various insect (triatomine) vectors and mammalian hosts. Within the mammalian host, T. cruzi replicates intracellularly as amastigotes and can persist for the lifetime of the host. The persistence of the parasites in tissues can lead to the development of Chagas disease. Recent work has identified growth plasticity and metabolic flexibility as aspects of amastigote biology that are important determinants of persistence in varied growth conditions and under drug pressure. A better understanding of the link between amastigote and host/tissue metabolism will aid in the development of new drugs or therapies that can limit disease pathology.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter C Dumoulin
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, United States.
| | - Barbara A Burleigh
- Department of Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Nanotechnological interventions for treatment of trypanosomiasis in humans and animals. Drug Deliv Transl Res 2021; 10:945-961. [PMID: 32383004 DOI: 10.1007/s13346-020-00764-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Trypanosomiasis is a parasitic infection caused by Trypanosoma. It is one of the major causes of deaths in underprivileged, rural areas of Africa, America and Asia. Depending on the parasite species responsible for the disease, it can take two forms namely African trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness) and American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease). The complete life-cycle stages of trypanosomes span between insect vector (tsetse fly, triatomine bug) and mammalian host (humans, animals). Only few drugs have been approved for the treatment of trypanosomiasis. Moreover, current trypanocidal therapy has major limitations of poor efficacy, serious side effects and drug resistance. Due to the lack of economic gains from tropical parasitic infection, it has always been neglected by the researchers and drug manufacturers. There is an immense need of more effective innovative strategies to decrease the deaths associated with this diseases. Nanotechnological approaches for delivery of existing drugs have shown significant improvement in efficacy with many-fold decrease in their dose. The review emphasizes on nanotechnological interventions in the treatment of trypanosomiasis in both humans and animals. Current trypanocidal therapy and their limitations have also been discussed briefly. Graphical abstract.
Collapse
|
11
|
Wadanambi PM, Mannapperuma U. Computational study to discover potent phytochemical inhibitors against drug target, squalene synthase from Leishmania donovani. Heliyon 2021; 7:e07178. [PMID: 34141935 PMCID: PMC8188062 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e07178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2020] [Revised: 02/15/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
AIMS The parasite, Leishmania donovani is responsible for lethal visceral leishmaniasis (VL) in humans. There is a need to investigate novel medicines as antileishmanial drugs, as medication currently introduced for leishmaniasis may cause resistance, serious side-effects, chemical instability and high cost. Therefore, this computational study was designed to explore potential phytochemical inhibitors against Leishmania donovani squalene synthase (LdSQS) enzyme, a drug target. MAIN METHODS Multiple sequence alignment was carried to detect conserved regions across squalene synthases from different Leishmania spp. Their evolutionary relationships were studied by generating phylogenetic tree. Homology modeling method was used to build a three dimensional model of the protein. The validated model was explored by docking simulation with the phytochemicals of interest to identify the most potent inhibitors. Two reported inhibitors were used as references in the virtual screening. The top hit compounds (binding energy less than -9 kcal/mol) were further subjected to intermolecular interaction analysis, pharmacophore modeling, pharmacokinetic and toxicity prediction. KEY FINDINGS Seven phytochemicals displayed binding energies less than -9 kcal/mol hence demonstrating ability to be strongly bound to the active site of LdSQS to inhibit the enzymatic activity. Ancistrotanzanine B demonstrated the lowest binding affinity of -9.83 kcal/mol superior to reported inhibitors in literature. Conserved two aspartate rich regions and two signatory motifs were found in the L. donovani squalene synthase by multiple sequence alignment. In addition, study of pharmacophore modeling confirmed that top hit phytochemicals and the reported inhibitor (E5700) share common chemical features for their biochemical interaction with LdSQS. Among seven phytochemicals, 3-O-methyldiplacol showed admissible physicochemical, pharmacokinetic and toxicity predictions compared to the reported inhibitors. All seven phytochemicals satisfied in silico prediction criteria for oral bioavailability. SIGNIFICANCE Based on the current study, these hits can be further structurally optimized and validated under laboratory conditions to develop antileishmanial drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Uthpali Mannapperuma
- Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Choudhury SD. Nano-Medicines a Hope for Chagas Disease! Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:655435. [PMID: 34141721 PMCID: PMC8204082 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.655435] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 03/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, is a vector-mediated tropical disease whose causative agent is a parasitic protozoan named Trypanosoma cruzi. It is a very severe health issue in South America and Mexico infecting millions of people every year. Protozoan T. cruzi gets transmitted to human through Triatominae, a subfamily of the Reduviidae, and do not have any effective treatment or preventative available. The lack of economic gains from this tropical parasitic infection, has always been the reason behind its negligence by researchers and drug manufacturers for many decades. Hence there is an enormous requirement for more efficient and novel strategies to reduce the fatality associated with these diseases. Even, available diagnosis protocols are outdated and inefficient and there is an urgent need for rapid high throughput diagnostics as well as management protocol. The current advancement of nanotechnology in the field of healthcare has generated hope for better management of many tropical diseases including Chagas disease. Nanoparticulate systems for drug delivery like poloxamer coated nanosuspension of benzimidazole have shown promising results in reducing toxicity, elevating efficacy and bioavailability of the active compound against the pathogen, by prolonging release, thereby increasing the therapeutic index. Moreover, nanoparticle-based drug delivery has shown promising results in inducing the host’s immune response against the pathogen with very few side effects. Besides, advances in diagnostic assays, such as nanosensors, aided in the accurate detection of the parasite. In this review, we provide an insight into the life cycle stages of the pathogen in both vertebrate host and the insect vector, along with an overview of the current therapy for Chagas disease and its limitations; nano carrier-based delivery systems for antichagasic agents, we also address the advancement of nano vaccines and nano-diagnostic techniques, for treatment of Chagas disease, majorly focusing on the novel perspectives in combating the disease.
Collapse
|
13
|
J B, M BM, Chanda K. An Overview on the Therapeutics of Neglected Infectious Diseases-Leishmaniasis and Chagas Diseases. Front Chem 2021; 9:622286. [PMID: 33777895 PMCID: PMC7994601 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.622286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 46] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) as termed by WHO include twenty different infectious diseases that are caused by bacteria, viruses, and parasites. Among these NTDs, Chagas disease and leishmaniasis are reported to cause high mortality in humans and are further associated with the limitations of existing drugs like severe toxicity and drug resistance. The above hitches have rendered researchers to focus on developing alternatives and novel therapeutics for the treatment of these diseases. In the past decade, several target-based drugs have emerged, which focus on specific biochemical pathways of the causative parasites. For leishmaniasis, the targets such as nucleoside analogs, inhibitors targeting nucleoside phosphate kinases of the parasite’s purine salvage pathway, 20S proteasome of Leishmania, mitochondria, and the associated proteins are reviewed along with the chemical structures of potential drug candidates. Similarly, in case of therapeutics for Chagas disease, several target-based drug candidates targeting sterol biosynthetic pathway (C14-ademethylase), L-cysteine protease, heme peroxidation, mitochondria, farnesyl pyrophosphate, etc., which are vital and unique to the causative parasite are discussed. Moreover, the use of nano-based formulations towards the therapeutics of the above diseases is also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Brindha J
- Division of Chemistry, School of Advanced Sciences, Vellore Institute of Technology, Chennai, India
| | - Balamurali M M
- Division of Chemistry, School of Advanced Sciences, Vellore Institute of Technology, Chennai, India
| | - Kaushik Chanda
- Department of Chemistry, School of Advanced Sciences, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, India
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Park J, Pandya VR, Ezekiel SJ, Berghuis AM. Phosphonate and Bisphosphonate Inhibitors of Farnesyl Pyrophosphate Synthases: A Structure-Guided Perspective. Front Chem 2021; 8:612728. [PMID: 33490038 PMCID: PMC7815940 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2020.612728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2020] [Accepted: 12/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Phosphonates and bisphosphonates have proven their pharmacological utility as inhibitors of enzymes that metabolize phosphate and pyrophosphate substrates. The blockbuster class of drugs nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates represent one of the best-known examples. Widely used to treat bone-resorption disorders, these drugs work by inhibiting the enzyme farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase. Playing a key role in the isoprenoid biosynthetic pathway, this enzyme is also a potential anticancer target. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the research efforts to identify new inhibitors of farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase for various therapeutic applications. While the majority of these efforts have been directed against the human enzyme, some have been targeted on its homologs from other organisms, such as protozoan parasites and insects. Our particular focus is on the structures of the target enzymes and how the structural information has guided the drug discovery efforts.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jaeok Park
- Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Vishal R Pandya
- Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | - Sean J Ezekiel
- Department of Biochemistry, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, NL, Canada
| | | |
Collapse
|
15
|
Shaik MS, Nadiveedhi MR, Gundluru M, Katike U, Obulam VSR, Cirandur SR. Efficient catalyst free green synthesis and in vitro antimicrobial, antioxidant and molecular docking studies of α-substituted aromatic/heteroaromatic aminomethylene bisphosphonates. SYNTHETIC COMMUN 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/00397911.2020.1853778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mohan Gundluru
- Department of Chemistry, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, A.P, India
- DST–PURSE Centre, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, A.P, India
| | - Umamahesh Katike
- Department of Biochemistry, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati, A.P, India
| | | | | |
Collapse
|
16
|
Chang HY, Cheng TH, Wang AHJ. Structure, catalysis, and inhibition mechanism of prenyltransferase. IUBMB Life 2020; 73:40-63. [PMID: 33246356 PMCID: PMC7839719 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2418] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Revised: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 11/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Isoprenoids, also known as terpenes or terpenoids, represent a large family of natural products composed of five‐carbon isopentenyl diphosphate or its isomer dimethylallyl diphosphate as the building blocks. Isoprenoids are structurally and functionally diverse and include dolichols, steroid hormones, carotenoids, retinoids, aromatic metabolites, the isoprenoid side‐chain of ubiquinone, and isoprenoid attached signaling proteins. Productions of isoprenoids are catalyzed by a group of enzymes known as prenyltransferases, such as farnesyltransferases, geranylgeranyltransferases, terpenoid cyclase, squalene synthase, aromatic prenyltransferase, and cis‐ and trans‐prenyltransferases. Because these enzymes are key in cellular processes and metabolic pathways, they are expected to be potential targets in new drug discovery. In this review, six distinct subsets of characterized prenyltransferases are structurally and mechanistically classified, including (1) head‐to‐tail prenyl synthase, (2) head‐to‐head prenyl synthase, (3) head‐to‐middle prenyl synthase, (4) terpenoid cyclase, (5) aromatic prenyltransferase, and (6) protein prenylation. Inhibitors of those enzymes for potential therapies against several diseases are discussed. Lastly, recent results on the structures of integral membrane enzyme, undecaprenyl pyrophosphate phosphatase, are also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Yang Chang
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Tien-Hsing Cheng
- Department of Life Sciences and Institute of Genome Sciences, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
| | - Andrew H-J Wang
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Repositioned Drugs for Chagas Disease Unveiled via Structure-Based Drug Repositioning. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21228809. [PMID: 33233837 PMCID: PMC7699892 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21228809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Revised: 11/08/2020] [Accepted: 11/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, affects millions of people in South America. The current treatments are limited, have severe side effects, and are only partially effective. Drug repositioning, defined as finding new indications for already approved drugs, has the potential to provide new therapeutic options for Chagas. In this work, we conducted a structure-based drug repositioning approach with over 130,000 3D protein structures to identify drugs that bind therapeutic Chagas targets and thus represent potential new Chagas treatments. The screening yielded over 500 molecules as hits, out of which 38 drugs were prioritized following a rigorous filtering process. About half of the latter were already known to have trypanocidal activity, while the others are novel to Chagas disease. Three of the new drug candidates—ciprofloxacin, naproxen, and folic acid—showed a growth inhibitory activity in the micromolar range when tested ex vivo on T. cruzi trypomastigotes, validating the prediction. We show that our drug repositioning approach is able to pinpoint relevant drug candidates at a fraction of the time and cost of a conventional screening. Furthermore, our results demonstrate the power and potential of structure-based drug repositioning in the context of neglected tropical diseases where the pharmaceutical industry has little financial interest in the development of new drugs.
Collapse
|
18
|
Three Alkaloids from an Apocynaceae Species, Aspidosperma spruceanum as Antileishmaniasis Agents by In Silico Demo-case Studies. PLANTS 2020; 9:plants9080983. [PMID: 32756456 PMCID: PMC7465237 DOI: 10.3390/plants9080983] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
This paper is focused on demonstrating with a real case that Ethnobotany added to Bioinformatics is a promising tool for new drugs search. It encourages the in silico investigation of "challua kaspi", a medicinal kichwa Amazonian plant (Aspidosperma spruceanum) against a Neglected Tropical Disease, leishmaniasis. The illness affects over 150 million people especially in subtropical regions, there is no vaccination and conventional treatments are unsatisfactory. In attempts to find potent and safe inhibitors of its etiological agent, Leishmania, we recovered the published traditional knowledge on kichwa antimalarials and selected three A. spruceanum alkaloids, (aspidoalbine, aspidocarpine and tubotaiwine), to evaluate by molecular docking their activity upon five Leishmania targets: DHFR-TS, PTR1, PK, HGPRT and SQS enzymes. Our simulation results suggest that aspidoalbine interacts competitively with the five targets, with a greater affinity for the active site of PTR1 than some physiological ligands. Our virtual data also point to the demonstration of few side effects. The predicted binding free energy has a greater affinity to Leishmania proteins than to their homologous in humans (TS, DHR, PKLR, HGPRT and SQS), and there is no match with binding pockets of physiological importance. Keys for the in silico protocols applied are included in order to offer a standardized method replicable in other cases. Apocynaceae having ethnobotanical use can be virtually tested as molecular antileishmaniasis new drugs.
Collapse
|
19
|
Kourounakis AP, Bavavea E. New applications of squalene synthase inhibitors: Membrane cholesterol as a therapeutic target. Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2020; 353:e2000085. [PMID: 32557793 DOI: 10.1002/ardp.202000085] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2020] [Revised: 05/16/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Squalene synthase (SQS) inhibitors, mostly known as antihyperlipidemic agents for controlling blood cholesterol levels, have been increasingly used to study alterations of the cholesterol content in cell membranes. As such, SQS inhibitors have been demonstrated to control cellular activities related to cancer cell proliferation and migration, neuron degeneration, and parasite growth. While the mechanisms behind the effects of cellular cholesterol are still being revealed in detail, the evidence for SQS as a therapeutic target for several seemingly unrelated diseases is increasing. SQS inhibitors may be the next promising candidates targeting the three remaining primary therapeutic areas, beyond cardiovascular disease, which still need to be addressed; their application as anticancer, antimicrobial, and antineurodegenerative agents appears promising for new drug discovery projects underway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angeliki P Kourounakis
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| | - Eugenia Bavavea
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
High-Throughput Screening of the ReFRAME Library Identifies Potential Drug Repurposing Candidates for Trypanosoma cruzi. Microorganisms 2020; 8:microorganisms8040472. [PMID: 32224991 PMCID: PMC7232187 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms8040472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/19/2020] [Revised: 03/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by the kinetoplastid parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, affects between 6 and 7 million people worldwide, with an estimated 300,000 to 1 million of these cases in the United States. In the chronic phase of infection, T. cruzi can cause severe gastrointestinal and cardiac disease, which can be fatal. Currently, only benznidazole is clinically approved by the FDA for pediatric use to treat this infection in the USA. Toxicity associated with this compound has driven the search for new anti-Chagas agents. Drug repurposing is a particularly attractive strategy for neglected diseases, as pharmacological parameters and toxicity are already known for these compounds, reducing costs and saving time in the drug development pipeline. Here, we screened 7680 compounds from the Repurposing, Focused Rescue, and Accelerated Medchem (ReFRAME) library, a collection of drugs or compounds with confirmed clinical safety, against T. cruzi. We identified seven compounds of interest with potent in vitro activity against the parasite with a therapeutic index of 10 or greater, including the previously unreported activity of the antiherpetic compound 348U87. These results provide the framework for further development of new T. cruzi leads that can potentially move quickly to the clinic.
Collapse
|
21
|
Shan C, Wang C, Zhang S, Shi Y, Ma K, Yang Q, Wu J. Transcriptome analysis of Clinopodium gracile (Benth.) Matsum and identification of genes related to Triterpenoid Saponin biosynthesis. BMC Genomics 2020; 21:49. [PMID: 31941462 PMCID: PMC6964110 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-020-6454-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Clinopodium gracile (Benth.) Matsum (C. gracile) is an annual herb with pharmacological properties effective in the treatment of various diseases, including hepatic carcinoma. Triterpenoid saponins are crucial bioactive compounds in C. gracile. However, the molecular understanding of the triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis pathway remains unclear. RESULTS In this study, we performed RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis of the flowers, leaves, roots, and stems of C. gracile plants using the BGISEQ-500 platform. The assembly of transcripts from all four types of tissues generated 128,856 unigenes, of which 99,020 were mapped to several public databases for functional annotation. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified via the comparison of gene expression levels between leaves and other tissues (flowers, roots, and stems). Multiple genes encoding pivotal enzymes, such as squalene synthase (SS), or transcription factors (TFs) related to triterpenoid saponin biosynthesis were identified and further analyzed. The expression levels of unigenes encoding important enzymes were verified by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Different chemical constituents of triterpenoid saponins were identified by Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF-MS). CONCLUSIONS Our results greatly extend the public transcriptome dataset of C. gracile and provide valuable information for the identification of candidate genes involved in the biosynthesis of triterpenoid saponins and other important secondary metabolites.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chunmiao Shan
- Anhui University of Chinese Medicine and Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230038, China.,Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230038, China
| | - Chenkai Wang
- Anhui University of Chinese Medicine and Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230038, China.,Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230038, China
| | - Shengxiang Zhang
- Anhui University of Chinese Medicine and Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230038, China.,Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230038, China
| | - Yuanyuan Shi
- Anhui University of Chinese Medicine and Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230038, China.,Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230038, China
| | - Kelong Ma
- Anhui University of Chinese Medicine and Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230038, China.,Clinical College of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230012, China
| | - Qingshan Yang
- Anhui University of Chinese Medicine and Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230038, China
| | - Jiawen Wu
- Anhui University of Chinese Medicine and Anhui Academy of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230038, China. .,Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medicine, Ministry of Education, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei, 230038, China. .,Synergetic Innovation Center of Anhui Authentic Chinese Medicine Quality Improvement, Hefei, 230012, China.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Namyanja M, Xu ZS, Mugasa CM, Lun ZR, Matovu E, Chen Z, Lubega GW. Preliminary evaluation of a Trypanosoma brucei FG-GAP repeat containing protein of mitochondrial localization. AAS Open Res 2019. [DOI: 10.12688/aasopenres.12986.1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Trypanosoma brucei, a causative agent of African Trypanosomiasis, is known to cross the blood brain barrier during the second stage of the disease. It was previously suggested that this parasite crosses the blood brain barrier in a manner similar to that of lymphocytes. This would imply that trypanosomes possess integrins that are required to interact with adhesion molecules located on the blood brain barrier microvascular endothelial cells, as a first step in traversal. To date, no T. brucei integrin has been described. However, one T. brucei putative FG-GAP repeat containing protein (typical of integrins) encoded by the Tb927.11.720 gene, was predicted to be involved in cell-cell/cell-matrix adhesion. Therefore, this study sought to characterize a putative FG-GAP repeat containing protein (FG-GAP RCP) and to determine its cellular localization as a basis for further exploration of its potential role in cell-cell or cell-matrix adhesion. Methods: In this study, we successfully cloned, characterized, expressed and localized this protein using antibodies we produced against its VCBS domain in T. brucei. Results: Contrary to what we initially suspected, our data showed that this protein is localized to the mitochondria but not the plasma membrane. Our data showed that it contains putative calcium binding motifs within the FG-GAP repeats suggesting it could be involved in calcium signaling/binding in the mitochondrion of T. brucei. Conclusion: Based on its localization we conclude that this protein is unlikely to be a trypanosomal integrin and thus that it may not be involved in traversal of the blood brain barrier. However, it could be involved in calcium signaling in the mitochondrion.
Collapse
|
23
|
Villalta F, Rachakonda G. Advances in preclinical approaches to Chagas disease drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2019; 14:1161-1174. [PMID: 31411084 PMCID: PMC6779130 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2019.1652593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Introduction: Chagas disease affects 8-10 million people worldwide, mainly in Latin America. The current therapy for Chagas disease is limited to nifurtimox and benznidazole, which are effective in treating only the acute phase of the disease but with severe side effects. Therefore, there is an unmet need for new drugs and for the exploration of innovative approaches which may lead to the discovery of new effective and safe drugs for its treatment. Areas covered: The authors report and discuss recent approaches including structure-based design that have led to the discovery of new promising small molecule candidates for Chagas disease which affect prime targets that intervene in the sterol pathway of T. cruzi. Other trypanosome targets, phenotypic screening, the use of artificial intelligence and the challenges with Chagas disease drug discovery are also discussed. Expert opinion: The application of recent scientific innovations to the field of Chagas disease have led to the discovery of new promising drug candidates for Chagas disease. Phenotypic screening brought new hits and opportunities for drug discovery. Artificial intelligence also has the potential to accelerate drug discovery in Chagas disease and further research into this is warranted.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fernando Villalta
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Physiology, School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College , Nashville , TN , USA
| | - Girish Rachakonda
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Physiology, School of Medicine, Meharry Medical College , Nashville , TN , USA
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Herreros-Cabello A, Callejas-Hernández F, Fresno M, Gironès N. Comparative proteomic analysis of trypomastigotes from Trypanosoma cruzi strains with different pathogenicity. INFECTION GENETICS AND EVOLUTION 2019; 76:104041. [PMID: 31536808 DOI: 10.1016/j.meegid.2019.104041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2019] [Revised: 09/05/2019] [Accepted: 09/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
Chagas disease, caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is one of the most neglected diseases in Latin America, being currently a global health problem. Its immunopathogenesis is still quite unknown. Moreover, there are important differences in pathogenicity between some different T. cruzi strains. For example, in mice, Y strain produces a high acute lethality while VFRA remains in the host mostly in a chronic manner. Comparative proteomic studies between T. cruzi strains represent a complement for transcriptomics and may allow the detection of relevant factors or distinctive functions. Here for the first time, we compared the proteome of trypomastigotes from 2 strains, Y and VFRA, analyzed by mass spectrometry. Gene ontology analysis were used to display similarities or differences in cellular components, biological processes and molecular functions. Also, we performed metabolic pathways enrichment analysis to detect the most relevant pathways in each strain. Although in general they have similar profiles in the different ontology groups, there were some particular interesting differences. Moreover, there were around 10% of different proteins between Y and VFRA strains, that were shared by other T. cruzi strains or protozoan species. They displayed many common enriched metabolic pathways but some others were uniquely enriched in one strain. Thus, we detected enriched antioxidant defenses in VFRA that could correlate with its ability to induce a chronic infection in mice controlling ROS production, while the Y strain revealed a great enrichment of pathways related with nucleotides and protein production, that could fit with its high parasite replication and lethality. In summary, Y and VFRA strains displayed comparable proteomes with some particular distinctions that could contribute to understand their different biological behaviors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Alfonso Herreros-Cabello
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Francisco Callejas-Hernández
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
| | - Manuel Fresno
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain; Instituto Sanitario de Investigación la Princesa, Madrid, Spain.
| | - Núria Gironès
- Centro de Biología Molecular Severo Ochoa, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain; Instituto Sanitario de Investigación la Princesa, Madrid, Spain.
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Song J, Shang N, Baig N, Yao J, Shin C, Kim BK, Li Q, Malwal SR, Oldfield E, Feng X, Guo RT. Aspergillus flavus squalene synthase as an antifungal target: Expression, activity, and inhibition. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2019; 512:517-523. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2019.03.070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Accepted: 03/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
|
26
|
Duschak VG. Major Kinds of Drug Targets in Chagas Disease or American Trypanosomiasis. Curr Drug Targets 2019; 20:1203-1216. [PMID: 31020939 DOI: 10.2174/1389450120666190423160804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2019] [Revised: 04/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/12/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
American Trypanosomiasis, a parasitic infection commonly named Chagas disease, affects millions of people all over Latin American countries. Presently, the World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that the number of international infected individuals extends to 7 to 8 million, assuming that more than 10,000 deaths occur annually. The transmission of the etiologic agent, Trypanosoma cruzi, through people migrating to non-endemic world nations makes it an emergent disease. The best promising targets for trypanocidal drugs may be classified into three main groups: Group I includes the main molecular targets that are considered among specific enzymes involved in the essential processes for parasite survival, principally Cruzipain, the major antigenic parasite cysteine proteinase. Group II involves biological pathways and their key specific enzymes, such as Sterol biosynthesis pathway, among others, specific antioxidant defense mechanisms, and bioenergetics ones. Group III includes the atypical organelles /structures present in the parasite relevant clinical forms, which are absent or considerably different from those present in mammals and biological processes related to them. These can be considered potential targets to develop drugs with extra effectiveness and fewer secondary effects than the currently used therapeutics. An improved distinction between the host and the parasite targets will help fight against this neglected disease.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vilma G Duschak
- National Council of Scientific and Technical Reasearch (CONICET) Researcher, Area of Protein Biochemistry and Parasite Glycobiology, Research Department, National Institute of Parasitology (INP), "Dr. Mario Fatala Chaben", ANLIS-Malbran, National Health Secretary, Av. Paseo Colon 568, Lab 506, Ciudad Autonoma de Buenos Aires (1063), Buenos Aires, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Veale CGL. Unpacking the Pathogen Box-An Open Source Tool for Fighting Neglected Tropical Disease. ChemMedChem 2019; 14:386-453. [PMID: 30614200 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201800755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The Pathogen Box is a 400-strong collection of drug-like compounds, selected for their potential against several of the world's most important neglected tropical diseases, including trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, cryptosporidiosis, toxoplasmosis, filariasis, schistosomiasis, dengue virus and trichuriasis, in addition to malaria and tuberculosis. This library represents an ensemble of numerous successful drug discovery programmes from around the globe, aimed at providing a powerful resource to stimulate open source drug discovery for diseases threatening the most vulnerable communities in the world. This review seeks to provide an in-depth analysis of the literature pertaining to the compounds in the Pathogen Box, including structure-activity relationship highlights, mechanisms of action, related compounds with reported activity against different diseases, and, where appropriate, discussion on the known and putative targets of compounds, thereby providing context and increasing the accessibility of the Pathogen Box to the drug discovery community.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Clinton G L Veale
- School of Chemistry and Physics, Pietermaritzburg Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X01, Scottsville, 3209, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Liu G, Fu J. Squalene synthase cloning and functional identification in wintersweet plant (Chimonanthus zhejiangensis). BOTANICAL STUDIES 2018; 59:30. [PMID: 30539325 PMCID: PMC6289936 DOI: 10.1186/s40529-018-0246-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2018] [Accepted: 12/05/2018] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Three species of wintersweets: Chimonanthus salicifolius S. Y. Hu, Chimonanthus zhejiangensis M. C. Liu and Chimonanthus grammalus M. C. Liu are widely distributed in China. The three wintersweets belonging to the genus of Chimonanthus that can synthesize abundant terpenoids that are beneficial to human health. Their buds and leaves are traditional Chinese herb applied by the 'She' ethnic minority in southeast of China. Squalene is a multi-functional and ubiquitous triterpene in plants, which is biosynthesized by squalene synthase (SQS) using farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) as the substrate. The synthesis of squalene in wintersweet was not clearly. This work would provide us much help to further understand the terpene metabolism in wintersweet and its health function to people at phytochemistry and molecular levels. RESULTS In this study, we identified squalene component in the extractions of leaves of three wintersweets and isolated SQS genes from leaf transcriptomes. The three SQSs were highly conservative, so CzSQS from C. zhejiangensis was just determined the enzymatic activity. The in vitro expressed CzSQS that deleted two transmembrane domains could catalyze FPP to generate squalene with the presence of NADPH and Mg2+. CONCLUSIONS The squalene was one of wintersweet leaves phytochemicals. The squalene synthases of three wintersweet plants were highly conserved. The CzSQS was capable to catalyze two FPP molecules to squalene.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Guanhua Liu
- Tea Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310008, People's Republic of China
- Key Laboratory of Tea Quality and Safety Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hangzhou, 310008, People's Republic of China
- Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing, 100081, People's Republic of China
| | - Jianyu Fu
- Tea Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Hangzhou, 310008, People's Republic of China.
- Key Laboratory of Tea Quality and Safety Control, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Hangzhou, 310008, People's Republic of China.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Burda-Grabowska M, Macegoniuk K, Flick R, Nocek BP, Joachimiak A, Yakunin AF, Mucha A, Berlicki Ł. Bisphosphonic acids and related compounds as inhibitors of nucleotide- and polyphosphate-processing enzymes: A PPK1 and PPK2 case study. Chem Biol Drug Des 2018; 93:1197-1206. [PMID: 30484959 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.13439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2018] [Revised: 10/18/2018] [Accepted: 10/28/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Bisphosphonic acids, which are structural analogs of pyrophosphate, constitute a class of compounds with very high potential for the construction of effective inhibitors of enzymes operating on oligo- and polyphosphates. The bisphosphonate-based methodology was applied for the discovery of inhibitors of two families of polyphosphate kinases (PPK1 and PPK2). Screening of thirty-two structurally diverse bisphosphonic acids and related compounds revealed several micromolar inhibitors of both enzymes. Importantly, selectivity of bisphosphonates could be achieved by application of the appropriate side chain.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Małgorzata Burda-Grabowska
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Macegoniuk
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Robert Flick
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Boguslaw P Nocek
- Department of Biosciences, Midwest Center for Structural Genomics and Structural Biology Center, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois
| | - Andrzej Joachimiak
- Department of Biosciences, Midwest Center for Structural Genomics and Structural Biology Center, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, Illinois
| | - Alexander F Yakunin
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
| | - Artur Mucha
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland
| | - Łukasz Berlicki
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wrocław, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Scarim CB, Jornada DH, Chelucci RC, de Almeida L, Dos Santos JL, Chung MC. Current advances in drug discovery for Chagas disease. Eur J Med Chem 2018; 155:824-838. [PMID: 30033393 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2018.06.040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2018] [Revised: 06/14/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease, also known as American trypanosomiasis, is one of the 17 neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) according to World Health Organization. It is estimated that 8-10 million people are infected worldwide, mainly in Latin America. Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and is characterized by two phases: acute and chronic. The current therapy for Chagas disease is limited to drugs such as nifurtimox and benznidazole, which are effective in treating only the acute phase of the disease. In addition, several side effects ranging from hypersensitivity to bone marrow depression and peripheral polyneuropathy have been associated with these drugs. Therefore, the current challenge is to find new effective and safe drugs against this NTD. The aim of this review is to describe the advances in the medicinal chemistry of new anti-chagasic compounds reported in the literature in the last five years. We report promising prototypes for drug discovery identified through target-based and phenotype-based strategies and present some important targets for the development of new synthetic compounds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Cauê Benito Scarim
- Departamento de Fármacos e Medicamentos, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brazil.
| | - Daniela Hartmann Jornada
- Departamento de Fármacos e Medicamentos, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - Rafael Consolin Chelucci
- Departamento de Fármacos e Medicamentos, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - Leticia de Almeida
- Departamento de Biologia Celular e Molecular, Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, USP, Brazil
| | - Jean Leandro Dos Santos
- Departamento de Fármacos e Medicamentos, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - Man Chin Chung
- Departamento de Fármacos e Medicamentos, Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual Paulista "Júlio de Mesquita Filho", UNESP, Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Hua G, Hu Y, Yang C, Liu D, Mao Z, Zhang L, Zhang Y. Characterization of santalene synthases using an inorganic pyrophosphatase coupled colorimetric assay. Anal Biochem 2018; 547:26-36. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ab.2018.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2018] [Revised: 02/01/2018] [Accepted: 02/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
|
32
|
Chao MN, Storey M, Li C, Rodríguez MG, Di Salvo F, Szajnman SH, Moreno SN, Docampo R, Rodriguez JB. Selenium-containing analogues of WC-9 are extremely potent inhibitors of Trypanosoma cruzi proliferation. Bioorg Med Chem 2017; 25:6435-6449. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2017.10.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2017] [Revised: 10/06/2017] [Accepted: 10/15/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
|
33
|
Dawidowski M, Emmanouilidis L, Kalel VC, Tripsianes K, Schorpp K, Hadian K, Kaiser M, Mäser P, Kolonko M, Tanghe S, Rodriguez A, Schliebs W, Erdmann R, Sattler M, Popowicz GM. Inhibitors of PEX14 disrupt protein import into glycosomes and kill Trypanosoma parasites. Science 2017; 355:1416-1420. [PMID: 28360328 DOI: 10.1126/science.aal1807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 45] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2016] [Accepted: 03/09/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The parasitic protists of the Trypanosoma genus infect humans and domestic mammals, causing severe mortality and huge economic losses. The most threatening trypanosomiasis is Chagas disease, affecting up to 12 million people in the Americas. We report a way to selectively kill Trypanosoma by blocking glycosomal/peroxisomal import that depends on the PEX14-PEX5 protein-protein interaction. We developed small molecules that efficiently disrupt the PEX14-PEX5 interaction. This results in mislocalization of glycosomal enzymes, causing metabolic catastrophe, and it kills the parasite. High-resolution x-ray structures and nuclear magnetic resonance data enabled the efficient design of inhibitors with trypanocidal activities comparable to approved medications. These results identify PEX14 as an "Achilles' heel" of the Trypanosoma suitable for the development of new therapies against trypanosomiases and provide the structural basis for their development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M Dawidowski
- Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.,Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich at Chair of Biomolecular NMR, Department Chemie, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85747 Garching, Germany
| | - L Emmanouilidis
- Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany.,Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich at Chair of Biomolecular NMR, Department Chemie, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85747 Garching, Germany
| | - V C Kalel
- Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Department of Systems Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
| | - K Tripsianes
- CEITEC, Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 62500 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - K Schorpp
- Assay Development and Screening Platform, Institute of Molecular Toxicology and Pharmacology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - K Hadian
- Assay Development and Screening Platform, Institute of Molecular Toxicology and Pharmacology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - M Kaiser
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4051 Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - P Mäser
- Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, Socinstrasse 57, 4051 Basel, Switzerland.,University of Basel, 4001 Basel, Switzerland
| | - M Kolonko
- Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany
| | - S Tanghe
- New York University School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, 341 East 25th Street, Room 513, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - A Rodriguez
- New York University School of Medicine, Department of Microbiology, 341 East 25th Street, Room 513, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - W Schliebs
- Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Department of Systems Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany
| | - R Erdmann
- Institute of Biochemistry and Pathobiochemistry, Department of Systems Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, Ruhr University Bochum, 44780 Bochum, Germany.
| | - M Sattler
- Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany. .,Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich at Chair of Biomolecular NMR, Department Chemie, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85747 Garching, Germany
| | - G M Popowicz
- Institute of Structural Biology, Helmholtz Zentrum München, Ingolstädter Landstrasse 1, 85764 Neuherberg, Germany. .,Center for Integrated Protein Science Munich at Chair of Biomolecular NMR, Department Chemie, Technische Universität München, Lichtenbergstrasse 4, 85747 Garching, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
34
|
de Oliveira Filho GB, Cardoso MVDO, Espíndola JWP, Oliveira E Silva DA, Ferreira RS, Coelho PL, Anjos PSD, Santos EDS, Meira CS, Moreira DRM, Soares MBP, Leite ACL. Structural design, synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of thiazoles against Trypanosoma cruzi. Eur J Med Chem 2017; 141:346-361. [PMID: 29031078 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2017.09.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2017] [Revised: 08/29/2017] [Accepted: 09/21/2017] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease is one of the most significant health problems in the American continent. benznidazole (BDZ) and nifurtimox (NFX) are the only drugs approved for treatment and exhibit strong side effects and ineffectiveness in the chronic stage, besides different susceptibility among T. cruzi DTUs (Discrete Typing Units). Therefore, new drugs to treat this disease are necessary. Thiazole compounds have been described as potent trypanocidal agents. Here we report the structural planning, synthesis and anti-T. cruzi evaluation of a new series of 1,3-thiazoles (7-28), which were designed by placing this heterocycle instead of thiazolidin-4-one ring. The synthesis was conducted in an ultrasonic bath with 2-propanol as solvent at room temperature. By varying substituents attached to the phenyl and thiazole rings, substituents were observed to retain, enhance or greatly increase their anti-T. cruzi activity. In some cases, methyl at position 5 of the thiazole (compounds 9, 12 and 23) increased trypanocidal property. The exchange of phenyl for pyridinyl heterocycle resulted in increased activity, giving rise to the most potent compound against the trypomasigote form (14, IC50trypo = 0.37 μM). Importantly, these new thiazoles were toxic for trypomastigotes without affecting macrophages and cardiomyoblast viability. The compounds were also evaluated against cruzain, and five of the most active compounds against trypomastigotes (7, 9, 12, 16 and 23) inhibited more than 70% of enzymatic activity at 10 μM, among which compound 7 had an IC50 in the submicromolar range, suggesting a possible mechanism of action. In addition, examination of T. cruzi cell death showed that compound 14 induces apoptosis. We also examined the activity against intracellular parasites, revealing that compound 14 inhibited T. cruzi infection with potency similar to benznidazole. The antiparasitic effect of 14 and benznidazole in combination was also investigated against trypomastigotes and revealed that they have synergistic effects, showing a promising profile for drug combination. Finally, in mice acutely-infected with T. cruzi,14 treatment significanty reduced the blood parasitaemia and had a protective effect on mortality. In conclusion, we report the identification of compounds (7), (12), (15), (23) and (26) with similar trypanocidal activity of benznidazole; compounds (9) and (21) as trypanocidal agents equipotent with BDZ, and compound 14 with potency 28 times better than the reference drug without affecting macrophages and cardiomyoblast viability. Mechanistically, the compounds inhibit cruzain, and 14 induces T. cruzi cell death by an apoptotic process, being considered a good starting point for the development of new anti-Chagas drug candidates.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Gevanio Bezerra de Oliveira Filho
- Laboratório de Planejamento em Química Medicinal - LpQM, Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco - UFPE, 50740-520, Recife, PE, Brazil; Faculdade de Integração do Sertão - FIS, Rua João Luiz de Melo, 2110, COHAB, Serra Talhada, PE, Brazil.
| | | | - José Wanderlan Pontes Espíndola
- Laboratório de Planejamento em Química Medicinal - LpQM, Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco - UFPE, 50740-520, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Dayane Albuquerque Oliveira E Silva
- Laboratório de Planejamento em Química Medicinal - LpQM, Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco - UFPE, 50740-520, Recife, PE, Brazil
| | - Rafaela Salgado Ferreira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Pollyanne Lacerda Coelho
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, CEP 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | | | | | - Cássio Santana Meira
- Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, CEP 40296-710, Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | | | - Milena Botelho Pereira Soares
- Instituto Gonçalo Moniz, Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, CEP 40296-710, Salvador, BA, Brazil; Centro de Biotecnologia e Terapia Celular, Hospital São Rafael, Salvador, BA, Brazil
| | - Ana Cristina Lima Leite
- Laboratório de Planejamento em Química Medicinal - LpQM, Departamento de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Centro de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco - UFPE, 50740-520, Recife, PE, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Thapa HR, Tang S, Sacchettini JC, Devarenne TP. Tetraterpene Synthase Substrate and Product Specificity in the Green Microalga Botryococcus braunii Race L. ACS Chem Biol 2017; 12:2408-2416. [PMID: 28813599 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.7b00457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Recently, the biosynthetic pathway for lycopadiene, a C40 tetraterpenoid hydrocarbon, was deciphered from the L race of Botryococcus braunii, an alga that produces hydrocarbon oils capable of being converted into combustible fuels. The lycopadiene pathway is initiated by the squalene synthase (SS)-like enzyme lycopaoctaene synthase (LOS), which catalyzes the head-to-head condensation of two C20 geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP) molecules to produce C40 lycopaoctaene. LOS shows unusual substrate promiscuity for SS or SS-like enzymes by utilizing C15 farnesyl diphosphate (FPP) and C20 phytyl diphosphate in addition to GGPP as substrates. These three substrates can be combined by LOS individually or in combinations to produce six different hydrocarbons of C30, C35, and C40 chain lengths. To understand LOS substrate and product specificity, rational mutagenesis experiments were conducted based on sequence alignment with several SS proteins as well as a structural comparison with the human SS (HSS) crystal structure. Characterization of the LOS mutants in vitro identified Ser276 and Ala288 in the LOS active site as key amino acids responsible for controlling substrate binding, and thus the promiscuity of this enzyme. Mutating these residues to those found in HSS largely converted LOS from lycopaoctaene production to C30 squalene production. Furthermore, these studies were confirmed in vivo by expressing LOS in E. coli cells metabolically engineered to produce high FPP and GGPP levels. These studies also offer insights into tetraterpene hydrocarbon metabolism in B. braunii and provide a foundation for engineering LOS for robust production of specific hydrocarbons of a desired chain length.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hem R. Thapa
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Su Tang
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - James C. Sacchettini
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Timothy P. Devarenne
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| |
Collapse
|
36
|
Hou M, Yan G, Ma X, Luo J, Hou X, Zhou M, Pu C, Han X, Zhang W, Zhang M, Shi J, Li R. Identification of hit compounds for squalene synthase: Three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship pharmacophore modeling, virtual screening, molecular docking, binding free energy calculation, and molecular dynamic simulation. JOURNAL OF CHEMOMETRICS 2017. [DOI: 10.1002/cem.2923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- M. Hou
- Cancer center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital; Sichuan University; Sichuan 610041 China
| | - G. Yan
- Cancer center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital; Sichuan University; Sichuan 610041 China
| | - X. Ma
- Jiyuan Vocational and technical College; Jiyuan 459000 China
| | - J. Luo
- Cancer center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital; Sichuan University; Sichuan 610041 China
| | - X. Hou
- Cancer center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital; Sichuan University; Sichuan 610041 China
| | - M. Zhou
- Cancer center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital; Sichuan University; Sichuan 610041 China
| | - C. Pu
- Cancer center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital; Sichuan University; Sichuan 610041 China
| | - X. Han
- Cancer center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital; Sichuan University; Sichuan 610041 China
| | - W. Zhang
- Cancer center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital; Sichuan University; Sichuan 610041 China
| | - M. Zhang
- Cancer center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital; Sichuan University; Sichuan 610041 China
| | - J. Shi
- Individualized Medication Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine; University of Electronic Science and Technology of China; Chengdu 610072 Sichuan China
| | - R. Li
- Cancer center, Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, West China Hospital; Sichuan University; Sichuan 610041 China
| |
Collapse
|
37
|
Lemire BD. Evolution, structure and membrane association of NDUFAF6, an assembly factor for NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (Complex I). Mitochondrion 2017; 35:13-22. [PMID: 28476317 DOI: 10.1016/j.mito.2017.04.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Revised: 03/28/2017] [Accepted: 04/28/2017] [Indexed: 01/31/2023]
Abstract
The NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (complex I) is the largest member of the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Its FMN cofactor accepts two electrons from NADH and transfers them to ubiquinone via a chain of iron-sulphur centers. A central core of 14 highly conserved subunits can couple electron transfer to proton translocation. The mammalian enzyme has an additional ~30 accessory subunits. Complex I has important bioenergetic and metabolic functions and is a known source of reactive oxygen species; these functions link it to a number of hereditary and degenerative diseases. For many complex I deficiencies, the primary defect is not in a subunit-encoding gene, but rather in an assembly factor or chaperone that participates in the biogenesis of newly synthesized complex I from individual subunits and cofactors. NDUFAF6 encodes a complex I assembly factor and mutations result in complex I deficiency, Leigh syndrome or Acadian variant Fanconi syndrome. Human NDUFAF6 is a mitochondria-targeted 333-amino acid protein belonging to the family of squalene and phytoene synthases. Sequence and structural information suggests that NDUFAF6 likely has enzymatic activity, but one that has evolved considerable differences from canonical squalene and phytoene synthases. Most but not all metazoans have an NDUFAF6 ortholog, indicating that in some organisms, complex I biogenesis does not require this protein. NDUFAF6 is a peripheral membrane protein and predictions identify a conserved C-terminal attachment site that have implications for substrate access.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bernard D Lemire
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta T6G2H7, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
38
|
Schwalen CJ, Feng X, Liu W, O-Dowd B, Ko TP, Shin CJ, Guo RT, Mitchell DA, Oldfield E. Head-to-Head Prenyl Synthases in Pathogenic Bacteria. Chembiochem 2017; 18:985-991. [PMID: 28340291 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201700099] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Many organisms contain head-to-head isoprenoid synthases; we investigated three such types of enzymes from the pathogens Neisseria meningitidis, Neisseria gonorrhoeae, and Enterococcus hirae. The E. hirae enzyme was found to produce dehydrosqualene, and we solved an inhibitor-bound structure that revealed a fold similar to that of CrtM from Staphylococcus aureus. In contrast, the homologous proteins from Neisseria spp. carried out only the first half of the reaction, yielding presqualene diphosphate (PSPP). Based on product analyses, bioinformatics, and mutagenesis, we concluded that the Neisseria proteins were HpnDs (PSPP synthases). The differences in chemical reactivity to CrtM were due, at least in part, to the presence of a PSPP-stabilizing arginine in the HpnDs, decreasing the rate of dehydrosqualene biosynthesis. These results show that not only S. aureus but also other bacterial pathogens contain head-to-head prenyl synthases, although their biological functions remain to be elucidated.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Schwalen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Xinxin Feng
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Weidong Liu
- Industrial Enzymes National Engineering Laboratory, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 West 7th Avenue, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Bing O-Dowd
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Tzu-Ping Ko
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Road Section 2, Taipei, 11529, Taiwan
| | - Christopher J Shin
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Rey-Ting Guo
- Industrial Enzymes National Engineering Laboratory, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 West 7th Avenue, Tianjin, 300308, China
| | - Douglas A Mitchell
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.,Department of Microbiology, University of Illinois, 601 South Goodwin Avenue, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.,Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University of Illinois, 1206 West Gregory Drive, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Eric Oldfield
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois, 600 South Mathews Avenue, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| |
Collapse
|
39
|
In Vitro and In Vivo Activities of Sulfur-Containing Linear Bisphosphonates against Apicomplexan Parasites. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2017; 61:AAC.01590-16. [PMID: 27895021 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01590-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2016] [Accepted: 11/20/2016] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
We tested a series of sulfur-containing linear bisphosphonates against Toxoplasma gondii, the etiologic agent of toxoplasmosis. The most potent compound (compound 22; 1-[(n-decylsulfonyl)ethyl]-1,1-bisphosphonic acid) is a sulfone-containing compound, which had a 50% effective concentration (EC50) of 0.11 ± 0.02 μM against intracellular tachyzoites. The compound showed low toxicity when tested in tissue culture with a selectivity index of >2,000. Compound 22 also showed high activity in vivo in a toxoplasmosis mouse model. The compound inhibited the Toxoplasma farnesyl diphosphate synthase (TgFPPS), but the concentration needed to inhibit 50% of the enzymatic activity (IC50) was higher than the concentration that inhibited 50% of growth. We tested compound 22 against two other apicomplexan parasites, Plasmodium falciparum (EC50 of 0.6 ± 0.01 μM), the agent of malaria, and Cryptosporidium parvum (EC50 of ∼65 μM), the agent of cryptosporidiosis. Our results suggest that compound 22 is an excellent novel compound that could lead to the development of potent agents against apicomplexan parasites.
Collapse
|
40
|
Chao MN, Li C, Storey M, Falcone BN, Szajnman SH, Bonesi SM, Docampo R, Moreno SNJ, Rodriguez JB. Activity of Fluorine-Containing Analogues of WC-9 and Structurally Related Analogues against Two Intracellular Parasites: Trypanosoma cruzi and Toxoplasma gondii. ChemMedChem 2016; 11:2690-2702. [PMID: 27886451 PMCID: PMC5200956 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201600505] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2016] [Revised: 10/20/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Two obligate intracellular parasites, Trypanosoma cruzi, the agent of Chagas disease, and Toxoplasma gondii, an agent of toxoplasmosis, upregulate the mevalonate pathway of their host cells upon infection, which suggests that this host pathway could be a potential drug target. In this work, a number of compounds structurally related to WC-9 (4-phenoxyphenoxyethyl thiocyanate), a known squalene synthase inhibitor, were designed, synthesized, and evaluated for their effect on T. cruzi and T. gondii growth in tissue culture cells. Two fluorine-containing derivatives, the 3-(3-fluorophenoxy)- and 3-(4-fluorophenoxy)phenoxyethyl thiocyanates, exhibited half-maximal effective concentration (EC50 ) values of 1.6 and 4.9 μm, respectively, against tachyzoites of T. gondii, whereas they showed similar potency to WC-9 against intracellular T. cruzi (EC50 values of 5.4 and 5.7 μm, respectively). In addition, 2-[3- (phenoxy)phenoxyethylthio]ethyl-1,1-bisphosphonate, which is a hybrid inhibitor containing 3-phenoxyphenoxy and bisphosphonate groups, has activity against T. gondii proliferation at sub-micromolar levels (EC50 =0.7 μm), which suggests a combined inhibitory effect of the two functional groups.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- María N. Chao
- M. N. Chao, Dr. B. N. Falcone, Dr. S. H. Szajnman, Prof. Dr. J. B. Rodriguez, Departamento de Química Orgánica and UMYMFOR (CONICET–FCEyN), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Catherine Li
- C. Li, M. Storey, Prof. Dr. R. Docampo, Prof. Dr. S. N. J. Moreno, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA
| | - Melissa Storey
- C. Li, M. Storey, Prof. Dr. R. Docampo, Prof. Dr. S. N. J. Moreno, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA
| | - Bruno N. Falcone
- M. N. Chao, Dr. B. N. Falcone, Dr. S. H. Szajnman, Prof. Dr. J. B. Rodriguez, Departamento de Química Orgánica and UMYMFOR (CONICET–FCEyN), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sergio H. Szajnman
- M. N. Chao, Dr. B. N. Falcone, Dr. S. H. Szajnman, Prof. Dr. J. B. Rodriguez, Departamento de Química Orgánica and UMYMFOR (CONICET–FCEyN), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Sergio M. Bonesi
- Prof. Dr. S. M. Bonesi, Departamento de Química Orgánica and CIHIDECAR (CONICET–FCEyN), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| | - Roberto Docampo
- C. Li, M. Storey, Prof. Dr. R. Docampo, Prof. Dr. S. N. J. Moreno, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA
| | - Silvia N. J. Moreno
- C. Li, M. Storey, Prof. Dr. R. Docampo, Prof. Dr. S. N. J. Moreno, Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia, 30602, USA
| | - Juan B. Rodriguez
- M. N. Chao, Dr. B. N. Falcone, Dr. S. H. Szajnman, Prof. Dr. J. B. Rodriguez, Departamento de Química Orgánica and UMYMFOR (CONICET–FCEyN), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires, Argentina
| |
Collapse
|
41
|
Desai J, Liu YL, Wei H, Liu W, Ko TP, Guo RT, Oldfield E. Structure, Function, and Inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus Heptaprenyl Diphosphate Synthase. ChemMedChem 2016; 11:1915-23. [PMID: 27457559 PMCID: PMC5012948 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201600311] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2016] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
We report the first structure of heptaprenyl diphosphate synthase from Staphylococcus aureus (SaHepPPS), together with an investigation of its mechanism of action and inhibition. The protein is involved in the formation of menaquinone, a key electron transporter in many bacteria, including pathogens. SaHepPPS consists of a "catalytic " subunit (SaHepPPS-2) having two "DDXXD" motifs and a "regulatory" subunit (SaHepPPS-1) that lacks these motifs. High concentrations of the substrates, isopentenyl diphosphate and farnesyl diphosphate, inhibit the enzyme, which is also potently inhibited by bisphosphonates. The most active inhibitors (Ki ∼200 nm) were N-alkyl analogues of zoledronate containing ∼C6 alkyl side chains. They were modestly active against S. aureus cell growth, and growth inhibition was partially "rescued" by the addition of menaquinone-7. Because SaHepPPS is essential for S. aureus cell growth, its structure is of interest in the context of the development of menaquinone biosynthesis inhibitors as potential antibiotic leads.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janish Desai
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1110 West Green Street, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Yi-Liang Liu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Matthews Avenue, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA
| | - Hongli Wei
- Industrial Enzymes National Engineering Laboratory, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, PRC
| | - Weidong Liu
- Industrial Enzymes National Engineering Laboratory, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, PRC
| | - Tzu-Ping Ko
- Institute of Biological Chemistry, Academia Sinica, 128 Academia Road, Taipei, 11529, ROC
| | - Rey-Ting Guo
- Industrial Enzymes National Engineering Laboratory, Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308, PRC
| | - Eric Oldfield
- Center for Biophysics and Quantitative Biology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1110 West Green Street, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 600 South Matthews Avenue, Urbana, IL, 61801, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
42
|
Rodriguez JB, Falcone BN, Szajnman SH. Detection and treatment ofTrypanosoma cruzi: a patent review (2011-2015). Expert Opin Ther Pat 2016; 26:993-1015. [DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2016.1209487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
|
43
|
Abstract
Background:
Bisphosphonates are drugs commonly used for the medication and prevention of diseases caused by decreased mineral density. Despite such important medicinal use, they display a variety of physiologic activities, which make them promising anti-cancer, anti-protozoal, antibacterial and antiviral agents.
Objective:
To review physiological activity of bisphosphonates with special emphasis on their ongoing and potential applications in medicine and agriculture.
Method:
Critical review of recent literature data.
Results:
Comprehensive review of activities revealed by bisphosphonates.
Conclusion:
although bisphosphonates are mostly recognized by their profound effects on bone physiology their medicinal potential has not been fully evaluated yet. Literature data considering enzyme inhibition suggest possibilities of far more wide application of these compounds. These applications are, however, limited by their low bioavailability and therefore intensive search for new chemical entities overcoming this shortage are carried out.
Collapse
|
44
|
Rondini EA, Duniec-Dmuchowski Z, Cukovic D, Dombkowski AA, Kocarek TA. Differential Regulation of Gene Expression by Cholesterol Biosynthesis Inhibitors That Reduce (Pravastatin) or Enhance (Squalestatin 1) Nonsterol Isoprenoid Levels in Primary Cultured Mouse and Rat Hepatocytes. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 2016; 358:216-29. [PMID: 27225895 DOI: 10.1124/jpet.116.233312] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2016] [Accepted: 05/24/2016] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Squalene synthase inhibitors (SSIs), such as squalestatin 1 (SQ1), reduce cholesterol biosynthesis but cause the accumulation of isoprenoids derived from farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP), which can modulate the activity of nuclear receptors, including the constitutive androstane receptor (CAR), farnesoid X receptor, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs). In comparison, 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase inhibitors (e.g., pravastatin) inhibit production of both cholesterol and nonsterol isoprenoids. To characterize the effects of isoprenoids on hepatocellular physiology, microarrays were used to compare orthologous gene expression from primary cultured mouse and rat hepatocytes that were treated with either SQ1 or pravastatin. Compared with controls, 47 orthologs were affected by both inhibitors, 90 were affected only by SQ1, and 51 were unique to pravastatin treatment (P < 0.05, ≥1.5-fold change). When the effects of SQ1 and pravastatin were compared directly, 162 orthologs were found to be differentially coregulated between the two treatments. Genes involved in cholesterol and unsaturated fatty acid biosynthesis were up-regulated by both inhibitors, consistent with cholesterol depletion; however, the extent of induction was greater in rat than in mouse hepatocytes. SQ1 induced several orthologs associated with microsomal, peroxisomal, and mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation and repressed orthologs involved in cell cycle regulation. By comparison, pravastatin repressed the expression of orthologs involved in retinol and xenobiotic metabolism. Several of the metabolic genes altered by isoprenoids were inducible by a PPARα agonist, whereas cytochrome P450 isoform 2B was inducible by activators of CAR. Our findings indicate that SSIs uniquely influence cellular lipid metabolism and cell cycle regulation, probably due to FPP catabolism through the farnesol pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Elizabeth A Rondini
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (E.A.R., Z.D.-D., T.A.K.), and Department of Pediatrics, Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (D.C., A.A.D.), Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Zofia Duniec-Dmuchowski
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (E.A.R., Z.D.-D., T.A.K.), and Department of Pediatrics, Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (D.C., A.A.D.), Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Daniela Cukovic
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (E.A.R., Z.D.-D., T.A.K.), and Department of Pediatrics, Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (D.C., A.A.D.), Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Alan A Dombkowski
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (E.A.R., Z.D.-D., T.A.K.), and Department of Pediatrics, Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (D.C., A.A.D.), Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| | - Thomas A Kocarek
- Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (E.A.R., Z.D.-D., T.A.K.), and Department of Pediatrics, Division of Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology (D.C., A.A.D.), Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan
| |
Collapse
|
45
|
Warchol I, Gora M, Wysocka-Kapcinska M, Komaszylo J, Swiezewska E, Sojka M, Danikiewicz W, Plochocka D, Maciejak A, Tulacz D, Leszczynska A, Kapur S, Burzynska B. Genetic engineering and molecular characterization of yeast strain expressing hybrid human-yeast squalene synthase as a tool for anti-cholesterol drug assessment. J Appl Microbiol 2016; 120:877-88. [PMID: 26757023 DOI: 10.1111/jam.13053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2015] [Revised: 10/27/2015] [Accepted: 01/05/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
AIMS The main objective of the study is molecular and biological characterization of the human-yeast hybrid squalene synthase (SQS), as a promising target for treatment of hypercholesterolaemia. METHODS AND RESULTS The human-yeast hybrid SQS, with 67% amino acids, including the catalytic site derived from human enzyme, was expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain deleted of its own SQS gene. The constructed strain has a decreased level of sterols compared to the control strain. The mevalonate pathway and sterol biosynthesis genes are induced and the level of triacylglycerols is increased. Treatment of the strain with rosuvastatin or zaragozic acid, two mevalonate pathway inhibitors, decreased the amounts of squalene, lanosterol and ergosterol, and up-regulated expression of several genes encoding enzymes responsible for biosynthesis of ergosterol precursors. Conversely, expression of the majority genes implicated in the biosynthesis of other mevalonate pathway end products, ubiquinone and dolichol, was down-regulated. CONCLUSIONS The S. cerevisiae strain constructed in this study enables to investigate the physiological and molecular effects of inhibitors on cell functioning. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY The yeast strain expressing hybrid SQS with the catalytic core of human enzyme is a convenient tool for efficient screening for novel inhibitors of cholesterol-lowering properties.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- I Warchol
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - M Gora
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - M Wysocka-Kapcinska
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - J Komaszylo
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - E Swiezewska
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - M Sojka
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - W Danikiewicz
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - D Plochocka
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - A Maciejak
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - D Tulacz
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - A Leszczynska
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| | - S Kapur
- Department of Biological Science, Birla Institute of Technology & Science (BITS), Hyderabad, India
| | - B Burzynska
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, Warsaw, Poland
| |
Collapse
|
46
|
Alarcon VB, Marikawa Y. Statins inhibit blastocyst formation by preventing geranylgeranylation. Mol Hum Reprod 2016; 22:350-63. [PMID: 26908642 DOI: 10.1093/molehr/gaw011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2015] [Accepted: 01/29/2016] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY HYPOTHESIS Statins, inhibitors of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase of the mevalonate pathway and prescription drugs that treat hypercholesterolemia, compromise preimplantation mouse development via modulation of HIPPO signaling. STUDY FINDING HMG-CoA reductase activity is required for trophectoderm specification, namely blastocyst cavity formation and Yes-associated protein (YAP) nuclear localization, through the production of isoprenoid geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) and the action of geranylgeranyl transferase. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY Previous studies have shown that treatment of mouse embryos with mevastatin prevents blastocyst formation, but how HMG-CoA reductase is involved in preimplantation development is unknown. HIPPO signaling regulates specification of the trophectoderm lineage of the mouse blastocyst by controlling the nuclear localization of YAP. In human cell lines, the mevalonate pathway regulates YAP to mediate self-renewal and survival through geranylgeranylation of RHO proteins. These studies suggest that in preimplantation development, statins may act through HIPPO pathway to interfere with trophectoderm specification and thereby inhibit blastocyst formation. STUDY DESIGN, SAMPLES/MATERIALS, METHODS Eight-cell stage (E2.5) mouse embryos were treated in hanging drop culture with chemical agents, namely statins (lovastatin, atorvastatin, cerivastatin and pravastatin), mevalonic acid (MVA), cholesterol, squalene, farnesyl pyrophosphate (FPP), geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP), geranylgeranyltransferase inhibitor GGTI-298, RHO inhibitor I, and squalene synthase inhibitor YM-53601, up to the late blastocyst stage (E4.5). Efficiency of blastocyst formation was assessed based on gross morphology and the measurement of the cavity size using an image analysis software. Effects on cell lineages and HIPPO signaling were analyzed using immunohistochemistry with confocal microscopy based on the expression patterns of the lineage-specific markers and the nuclear accumulation of YAP. Effects on cell lineages were also examined by quantitative RT-PCR based on the transcript levels of the lineage-specific marker genes. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and two-sample t-test. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE All four statins examined inhibited blastocyst formation. The adverse impact of statins was rescued by supplementation of MVA (P < 0.01) or GGPP (P < 0.01) but not squalene nor cholesterol. Blastocyst formation was also prevented by GGTI-298 (P < 0.01). These results indicate that HMG-CoA reductase activity is required for blastocyst formation mainly through the production of GGPP but not cholesterol. Inhibition of RHO proteins, known targets of geranylgeranylation, impaired blastocyst formation, which was not reversed by GGPP supplementation. Nuclear localization of YAP was diminished by statin treatment but fully restored by supplementation of MVA (P < 0.01) or GGPP (P < 0.01). This suggests that HIPPO signaling is regulated by GGPP-dependent mechanisms, possibly geranylgeranylation of RHO, to enable trophectoderm formation. YM-53601 prevented blastocyst formation (P < 0.01), but its adverse impact was not rescued by supplementation of squalene or cholesterol, suggesting that squalene synthesis inhibition was not the cause of blastocyst defects. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Analyses were conducted on embryos cultured ex vivo, but they enable the determination of specific concentrations that impair embryo development which can be compared with drug concentrations in the reproductive tract when testing in vivo impact of statins through animal experimentations. Also, analyses were conducted in only one species, the mouse. Epidemiological studies on the effects of various types of statins on the fertility of women are necessary. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Our study reveals how the mevalonate pathway is required for blastocyst formation and intersects with HIPPO pathway to provide a mechanistic basis for the embryotoxic effect of statins. This bears relevance for women who are taking statins while trying to conceive, since statins have potential to prevent the conceptus from reaching the blastocyst stage and to cause early conceptus demise. LARGE SCALE DATA Not applicable. STUDY FUNDING AND COMPETING INTERESTS This study was supported by grants from the George F. Straub Trust of the Hawaii Community Foundation (13ADVC-60315 to V.B.A.) and the National Institutes of Health, USA (P20GM103457 to V.B.A.). The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vernadeth B Alarcon
- Institute for Biogenesis Research, Department of Anatomy, Biochemistry and Physiology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| | - Yusuke Marikawa
- Institute for Biogenesis Research, Department of Anatomy, Biochemistry and Physiology, John A. Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA
| |
Collapse
|
47
|
In Vitro and In Vivo Investigation of the Inhibition of Trypanosoma brucei Cell Growth by Lipophilic Bisphosphonates. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2015; 59:7530-9. [PMID: 26392508 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01873-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2015] [Accepted: 09/16/2015] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
We report the results of a screen of a library of 925 potential prenyl synthase inhibitors against Trypanosoma brucei farnesyl diphosphate synthase (TbFPPS) and against T. brucei, the causative agent of human African trypanosomiasis. The most potent compounds were lipophilic analogs of the bone resorption drug zoledronate, some of which had submicromolar to low micromolar activity against bloodstream form T. brucei and selectivity indices of up to ∼ 300. We evaluated the effects of two such inhibitors on survival and parasitemia in a T. brucei mouse model of infection and found that survival increased by up to 16 days. We also investigated the binding of three lipophilic bisphosphonates to an expressed TbFPPS using crystallography and investigated the thermodynamics of binding using isothermal titration calorimetry.
Collapse
|
48
|
Potent In Vitro Antiproliferative Synergism of Combinations of Ergosterol Biosynthesis Inhibitors against Leishmania amazonensis. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2015; 59:6402-18. [PMID: 26239973 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01150-15] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2015] [Accepted: 07/21/2015] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniases comprise a spectrum of diseases caused by protozoan parasites of the Leishmania genus. Treatments available have limited safety and efficacy, high costs, and difficult administration. Thus, there is an urgent need for safer and more-effective therapies. Most trypanosomatids have an essential requirement for ergosterol and other 24-alkyl sterols, which are absent in mammalian cells. In previous studies, we showed that Leishmania amazonensis is highly susceptible to aryl-quinuclidines, such as E5700, which inhibit squalene synthase, and to the azoles itraconazole (ITZ) and posaconazole (POSA), which inhibit C-14α-demethylase. Herein, we investigated the antiproliferative, ultrastructural, and biochemical effects of combinations of E5700 with ITZ and POSA against L. amazonensis. Potent synergistic antiproliferative effects were observed against promastigotes, with fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) ratios of 0.0525 and 0.0162 for combinations of E5700 plus ITZ and of E5700 plus POSA, respectively. Against intracellular amastigotes, FIC values were 0.175 and 0.1125 for combinations of E5700 plus ITZ and E5700 plus POSA, respectively. Marked alterations of the ultrastructure of promastigotes treated with the combinations were observed, in particular mitochondrial swelling, which was consistent with a reduction of the mitochondrial transmembrane potential, and an increase in the production of reactive oxygen species. We also observed the presence of vacuoles similar to autophagosomes in close association with mitochondria and an increase in the number of lipid bodies. Both growth arrest and ultrastructural/biochemical alterations were strictly associated with the depletion of the 14-desmethyl endogenous sterol pool. These results suggest the possibility of a novel combination therapy for the treatment of leishmaniasis.
Collapse
|
49
|
Chao MN, Matiuzzi CE, Storey M, Li C, Szajnman SH, Docampo R, Moreno SNJ, Rodriguez JB. Aryloxyethyl Thiocyanates Are Potent Growth Inhibitors of Trypanosoma cruzi and Toxoplasma gondii. ChemMedChem 2015; 10:1094-108. [PMID: 25914175 PMCID: PMC4447534 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201500100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2015] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
As a part of our project aimed at searching for new safe chemotherapeutic agents against parasitic diseases, several compounds structurally related to the antiparasitic agent WC-9 (4-phenoxyphenoxyethyl thiocyanate), which were modified at the terminal phenyl ring, were designed, synthesized, and evaluated as growth inhibitors against Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease, and Toxoplasma gondii, the parasite responsible of toxoplasmosis. Most of the synthetic analogues exhibited similar antiparasitic activity and were slightly more potent than our lead WC-9. For example, two trifluoromethylated derivatives exhibited ED50 values of 10.0 and 9.2 μM against intracellular T. cruzi, whereas they showed potent action against tachyzoites of T. gondii (ED50 values of 1.6 and 1.9 μM against T. gondii). In addition, analogues of WC-9 in which the terminal aryl group is in the meta position with respect to the alkyl chain bearing the thiocyanate group showed potent inhibitory action against both T. cruzi and T. gondii at the very low micromolar range, which suggests that a para-phenyl substitution pattern is not necessary for biological activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- María N Chao
- Departamento de Química Orgánica and UMYMFOR (CONICET-FCEyN), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires (Argentina)
| | - Carolina Exeni Matiuzzi
- Departamento de Química Orgánica and UMYMFOR (CONICET-FCEyN), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires (Argentina)
| | - Melissa Storey
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602 (USA)
| | - Catherine Li
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602 (USA)
| | - Sergio H Szajnman
- Departamento de Química Orgánica and UMYMFOR (CONICET-FCEyN), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires (Argentina)
| | - Roberto Docampo
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602 (USA)
| | - Silvia N J Moreno
- Center for Tropical and Emerging Global Diseases and Department of Cellular Biology, University of Georgia, Athens, GA, 30602 (USA)
| | - Juan B Rodriguez
- Departamento de Química Orgánica and UMYMFOR (CONICET-FCEyN), Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, Pabellón 2, Ciudad Universitaria, C1428EHA, Buenos Aires (Argentina).
| |
Collapse
|
50
|
Abstract
We tested the antituberculosis drug SQ109, which is currently in advanced clinical trials for the treatment of drug-susceptible and drug-resistant tuberculosis, for its in vitro activity against the trypanosomatid parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease. SQ109 was found to be a potent inhibitor of the trypomastigote form of the parasite, with a 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) for cell killing of 50 ± 8 nM, but it had little effect (50% effective concentration [EC50], ∼80 μM) in a red blood cell hemolysis assay. It also inhibited extracellular epimastigotes (IC50, 4.6 ± 1 μM) and the clinically relevant intracellular amastigotes (IC50, ∼0.5 to 1 μM), with a selectivity index of ∼10 to 20. SQ109 caused major ultrastructural changes in all three life cycle forms, as observed by light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It rapidly collapsed the inner mitochondrial membrane potential (Δψm) in succinate-energized mitochondria, acting in the same manner as the uncoupler FCCP [carbonyl cyanide 4-(trifluoromethoxy)phenylhydrazone], and it caused the alkalinization of internal acidic compartments, effects that are likely to make major contributions to its mechanism of action. The compound also had activity against squalene synthase, binding to its active site; it inhibited sterol side-chain reduction and, in the amastigote assay, acted synergistically with the antifungal drug posaconazole, with a fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) of 0.48, but these effects are unlikely to account for the rapid effects seen on cell morphology and cell killing. SQ109 thus most likely acts, at least in part, by collapsing Δψ/ΔpH, one of the major mechanisms demonstrated previously for its action against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Overall, the results suggest that SQ109, which is currently in advanced clinical trials for the treatment of drug-susceptible and drug-resistant tuberculosis, may also have potential as a drug lead against Chagas disease.
Collapse
|