Drug-Repositioning Approaches Based on Medical and Life Science Databases

In Silico Drug Repurposing Against PSMB8 as a Potential Target for Acute Myeloid Leukemia Treatment

PSMB8 emerges as a prominent gene associated with cancer survival, yet its potential therapeutic role in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains unexplored within the existing literature. The principal aim of this study is to systematically screen an expansive library of molecular entities, curated from various databases to identify the prospective inhibitory agents with an affinity for PSMB8. A comprehensive assortment of molecular compounds obtained from the ZINC15 database was subjected to molecular docking simulations with PSMB8 by using the AutoDock tool in PyRx (version 0.9.9) to elucidate binding affinities. Following the docking simulations, a select subset of molecules underwent further investigation through comprehensive ADMET (absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity) analysis employing AdmetSar and SwissADME tools. Finally, RMSD, RMSF, Rg, and H bond analyses were conducted via GROMACS to determine the best conformationally dynamic molecule that represents the candidate agent for the study. Following rigorous evaluation, Adozelesin, Fiduxosin, and Rimegepant have been singled out based on considerations encompassing bioavailability scores, compliance with filter criteria, and acute oral toxicity levels. Additionally, ligand interaction analysis indicates that Adozelesin and Fiduxosin exhibit an augmented propensity for hydrogen bond formation, a factor recognized for its facilitative role in protein-ligand interactions. After final analyses, we report that Fiduxosin may offer a treatment possibility by reversing the low survival rates caused by PSMB8 high activation in AML. This study represents a strategic attempt to repurpose readily available pharmaceutical agents, potentially obviating the need for de novo drug development, and thereby offering promising avenues for therapeutic intervention in specific diseases.

Drug Repurposing Using FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) Database

Drug repurposing is an emerging approach to reassigning existing pre-approved therapies for new indications. The FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) is a large database of over 28 million adverse event reports submitted by medical providers, patients, and drug manufacturers and provides extensive drug safety signal data. In this review, four common drug repurposing strategies using FAERS are described, including inverse signal detection for a single disease, drug-drug interactions that mitigate a target ADE, identifying drug-ADE pairs with opposing gene perturbation signatures and identifying drug-drug pairs with congruent gene perturbation signatures. The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of these different approaches using existing successful applications in the literature. With the fast expansion of adverse drug event reports, FAERS-based drug repurposing represents a promising strategy for discovering new uses for existing therapies.

A review of SARS-CoV-2 drug repurposing: databases and machine learning models

The emergence of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Corona Virus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) posed a serious worldwide threat and emphasized the urgency to find efficient solutions to combat the spread of the virus. Drug repurposing has attracted more attention than traditional approaches due to its potential for a time- and cost-effective discovery of new applications for the existing FDA-approved drugs. Given the reported success of machine learning (ML) in virtual drug screening, it is warranted as a promising approach to identify potential SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors. The implementation of ML in drug repurposing requires the presence of reliable digital databases for the extraction of the data of interest. Numerous databases archive research data from studies so that it can be used for different purposes. This article reviews two aspects: the frequently used databases in ML-based drug repurposing studies for SARS-CoV-2, and the recent ML models that have been developed for the prospective prediction of potential inhibitors against the new virus. Both types of ML models, Deep Learning models and conventional ML models, are reviewed in terms of introduction, methodology, and its recent applications in the prospective predictions of SARS-CoV-2 inhibitors. Furthermore, the features and limitations of the databases are provided to guide researchers in choosing suitable databases according to their research interests.

The circadian rhythm: an influential soundtrack in the diabetes story

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) has been the main category of metabolic diseases in recent years due to changes in lifestyle and environmental conditions such as diet and physical activity. On the other hand, the circadian rhythm is one of the most significant biological pathways in humans and other mammals, which is affected by light, sleep, and human activity. However, this cycle is controlled via complicated cellular pathways with feedback loops. It is widely known that changes in the circadian rhythm can alter some metabolic pathways of body cells and could affect the treatment process, particularly for metabolic diseases like T2DM. The aim of this study is to explore the importance of the circadian rhythm in the occurrence of T2DM via reviewing the metabolic pathways involved, their relationship with the circadian rhythm from two perspectives, lifestyle and molecular pathways, and their effect on T2DM pathophysiology. These impacts have been demonstrated in a variety of studies and led to the development of approaches such as time-restricted feeding, chronotherapy (time-specific therapies), and circadian molecule stabilizers.

Drug repurposing in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease is characterized by progressive kidney cyst formation that leads to kidney failure. Tolvaptan, a vasopressin 2 receptor antagonist, is the only drug approved to treat patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease who have rapid disease progression. The use of tolvaptan is limited by reduced tolerability from aquaretic effects and potential hepatotoxicity. Thus, the search for more effective drugs to slow down the progression of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease is urgent and challenging. Drug repurposing is a strategy for identifying new clinical indications for approved or investigational medications. Drug repurposing is increasingly becoming an attractive proposition because of its cost-efficiency and time-efficiency and known pharmacokinetic and safety profiles. In this review, we focus on the repurposing approaches to identify suitable drug candidates to treat autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease and prioritization and implementation of candidates with high probability of success. Identification of drug candidates through understanding of disease pathogenesis and signaling pathways is highlighted.

Repositioning of Lansoprazole as a Protective Agent Against Cisplatin-Induced Ototoxicity

Cisplatin (CDDP) is a well-known chemotherapeutic drug approved for various cancers. However, CDDP accumulates in the inner ear cochlea via organic cation transporter 2 (OCT2) and causes ototoxicity, which is a major clinical limitation. Since lansoprazole (LPZ), a proton pump inhibitor, is known to inhibit OCT2-mediated transport of CDDP, we hypothesized that LPZ might ameliorate CDDP-induced ototoxicity (CIO). To test this hypothesis, we utilized in vivo fluorescence imaging of zebrafish sensory hair cells. The fluorescence signals in hair cells in zebrafish treated with CDDP dose-dependently decreased. Co-treatment with LPZ significantly suppressed the decrease of fluorescence signals in zebrafish treated with CDDP. Knockout of a zebrafish homolog of OCT2 also ameliorated the reduction of fluorescence signals in hair cells in zebrafish treated with CDDP. These in vivo studies suggest that CDDP damages the hair cells of zebrafish through oct2-mediated accumulation and that LPZ protects against CIO, possibly inhibiting the entry of CDDP into the hair cells via oct2. We also evaluated the otoprotective effect of LPZ using a public database containing adverse event reports. The analysis revealed that the incidence rate of CIO was significantly decreased in patients treated with LPZ. We then retrospectively analyzed the medical records of Mie University Hospital to examine the otoprotective effect of LPZ. The incidence rate of ototoxicity was significantly lower in patients co-treated with LPZ compared to those without LPZ. These retrospective findings suggest that LPZ is also protective against CIO in humans. Taken together, co-treatment with LPZ may reduce the risk of CIO.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects of Spiramycin in LPS-Activated RAW 264.7 Macrophages

Drug repurposing is a simple concept with a long history, and is a paradigm shift that can significantly reduce the costs and accelerate the process of bringing a new small-molecule drug into clinical practice. We attempted to uncover a new application of spiramycin, an old medication that was classically prescribed for toxoplasmosis and various other soft-tissue infections; specifically, we initiated a study on the anti-inflammatory capacity of spiramycin. For this purpose, we used murine macrophage RAW 264.7 as a model for this experiment and investigated the anti-inflammatory effects of spiramycin by inhibiting the production of pro-inflammatory mediators and cytokines. In the present study, we demonstrated that spiramycin significantly decreased nitric oxide (NO), interleukin (IL)-1β, and IL-6 levels in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. Spiramycin also inhibited the expression of NO synthase (iNOS), potentially explaining the spiramycin-induced decrease in NO production. In addition, spiramycin inhibited the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs); extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and c-Jun N terminal kinase (JNK) as well as the inactivation and subsequent nuclear translocation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB). This indicated that spiramycin attenuates macrophages’ secretion of IL-6, IL-1β, and NO, inducing iNOS expression via the inhibition of the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways. Finally, we tested the potential application of spiramycin as a topical material by human skin primary irritation tests. It was performed on the normal skin (upper back) of 31 volunteers to determine whether 100 μM and μM of spiramycin had irritation or sensitization potential. In these assays, spiramycin did not induce any adverse reactions. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that spiramycin can effectively attenuate the activation of macrophages, suggesting that spiramycin could be a potential candidate for drug repositioning as a topical anti-inflammatory agent.