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Martin V, Carre D, Bilbault H, Oster S, Limana L, Sebal F, Favre-Guilmard C, Kalinichev M, Leveque C, Boulifard V, George C, Lezmi S. Intramuscular Botulinum Neurotoxin Serotypes E and A Elicit Distinct Effects on SNAP25 Protein Fragments, Muscular Histology, Spread and Neuronal Transport: An Integrated Histology-Based Study in the Rat. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:225. [PMID: 38787077 PMCID: PMC11125604 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16050225] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Botulinum neurotoxins E (BoNT/E) and A (BoNT/A) act by cleaving Synaptosome-Associated Protein 25 (SNAP25) at two different C-terminal sites, but they display very distinct durations of action, BoNT/E being short acting and BoNT/A long acting. We investigated the duration of action, spread and neuronal transport of BoNT/E (6.5 ng/kg) and BoNT/A (125 pg/kg) after single intramuscular administrations of high equivalent efficacious doses, in rats, over a 30- or 75-day periods, respectively. To achieve this, we used (i) digit abduction score assay, (ii) immunohistochemistry for SNAP25 (N-ter part; SNAP25N-ter and C-ter part; SNAP25C-ter) and its cleavage sites (cleaved SNAP25; c-SNAP25E and c-SNAP25A) and (iii) muscular changes in histopathology evaluation. Combined in vivo observation and immunohistochemistry analysis revealed that, compared to BoNT/A, BoNT/E induces minimal muscular changes, possesses a lower duration of action, a reduced ability to spread and a decreased capacity to be transported to the lumbar spinal cord. Interestingly, SNAP25C-ter completely disappeared for both toxins during the peak of efficacy, suggesting that the persistence of toxin effects is driven by the persistence of proteases in tissues. These data unveil some new molecular mechanisms of action of the short-acting BoNT/E and long-acting BoNT/A, and reinforce their overall safety profiles.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Christian Leveque
- Aix-Marseille University, INSERM, DyNaMo U1325, 13009 Marseille, France
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Gentile D, Chiummiento L, Santarsiere A, Funicello M, Lupattelli P, Rescifina A, Venuti A, Piperno A, Sciortino MT, Pennisi R. Targeting Viral and Cellular Cysteine Proteases for Treatment of New Variants of SARS-CoV-2. Viruses 2024; 16:338. [PMID: 38543704 PMCID: PMC10976049 DOI: 10.3390/v16030338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The continuous emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants caused the persistence of the COVID-19 epidemic and challenged the effectiveness of the existing vaccines. The viral proteases are the most attractive targets for developing antiviral drugs. In this scenario, our study explores the use of HIV-1 protease inhibitors against SARS-CoV-2. An in silico screening of a library of HIV-1 proteases identified four anti-HIV compounds able to interact with the 3CLpro of SARS-CoV-2. Thus, in vitro studies were designed to evaluate their potential antiviral effectiveness against SARS-CoV-2. We employed pseudovirus technology to simulate, in a highly safe manner, the adsorption of the alpha (α-SARS-CoV-2) and omicron (ο-SARS-CoV-2) variants of SARS-CoV-2 and study the inhibitory mechanism of the selected compounds for cell-virus interaction. The results reported a mild activity against the viral proteases 3CLpro and PLpro, but efficient inhibitory effects on the internalization of both variants mediated by cathepsin B/L. Our findings provide insights into the feasibility of using drugs exhibiting antiviral effects for other viruses against the viral and host SARS-CoV-2 proteases required for entry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Gentile
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering "G. Natta", Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, 20131 Milano, Italy
| | - Lucia Chiummiento
- Department of Scienze, University of Basilicata, Viale dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
| | - Alessandro Santarsiere
- Department of Scienze, University of Basilicata, Viale dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
| | - Maria Funicello
- Department of Scienze, University of Basilicata, Viale dell'Ateneo Lucano 10, 85100 Potenza, Italy
| | - Paolo Lupattelli
- Department of Chimica, Sapienza University of Roma, p. le Aldo Moro 5, 00185 Roma, Italy
| | - Antonio Rescifina
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, V. le A. Doria, 95125 Catania, Italy
| | - Assunta Venuti
- International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), World Health Organization, 69366 LYON CEDEX 07, France
| | - Anna Piperno
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d'Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Maria Teresa Sciortino
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d'Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
| | - Rosamaria Pennisi
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d'Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy
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De Gaetano F, Pastorello M, Pistarà V, Rescifina A, Margani F, Barbera V, Ventura CA, Marino A. Rutin/Sulfobutylether-β-Cyclodextrin as a Promising Therapeutic Formulation for Ocular Infection. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:233. [PMID: 38399286 PMCID: PMC10892075 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16020233] [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: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Ocular pathologies present significant challenges to achieving effective therapeutic results due to various anatomical and physiological barriers. Natural products such as flavonoids, alone or in association with allopathic drugs, present many therapeutic actions including anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial action. However, their clinical employment is challenging for scientists due to their low water solubility. In this study, we designed a liquid formulation based on rutin/sulfobutylether-β-cyclodextrin (RTN/SBE-β-CD) inclusion complex for treating ocular infections. The correct stoichiometry and the accurate binding constant were determined by employing SupraFit software (2.5.120) in the UV-vis titration experiment. A deep physical-chemical characterization of the RTN/SBE-β-CD inclusion complex was also performed; it confirmed the predominant formation of a stable complex (Kc, 9660 M-1) in a 1:1 molar ratio, with high water solubility that was 20 times (2.5 mg/mL) higher than the free molecule (0.125 mg/mL), permitting the dissolution of the solid complex within 30 min. NMR studies revealed the involvement of the bicyclic flavonoid moiety in the complexation, which was also confirmed by molecular modeling studies. In vitro, the antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of the formulation was assayed against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa strains. The results demonstrated a significant activity of the formulation than that of the free molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Federica De Gaetano
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (F.D.G.); (M.P.)
| | - Martina Pastorello
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (F.D.G.); (M.P.)
| | - Venerando Pistarà
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; (V.P.); (A.R.)
| | - Antonio Rescifina
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Viale Andrea Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; (V.P.); (A.R.)
| | - Fatima Margani
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “G. Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, 20131 Milano, Italy; (F.M.); (V.B.)
| | - Vincenzina Barbera
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “G. Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, 20131 Milano, Italy; (F.M.); (V.B.)
| | - Cinzia Anna Ventura
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (F.D.G.); (M.P.)
| | - Andreana Marino
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Sciences, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (F.D.G.); (M.P.)
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Pennisi R, Gentile D, Rescifina A, Napoli E, Trischitta P, Piperno A, Sciortino MT. An Integrated In Silico and In Vitro Approach for the Identification of Natural Products Active against SARS-CoV-2. Biomolecules 2023; 14:43. [PMID: 38254643 PMCID: PMC10813393 DOI: 10.3390/biom14010043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 12/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has provoked a global health crisis due to the absence of a specific therapeutic agent. 3CLpro (also known as the main protease or Mpro) and PLpro are chymotrypsin-like proteases encoded by the SARS-CoV-2 genome, and play essential roles during the virus lifecycle. Therefore, they are recognized as a prospective therapeutic target in drug discovery against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Thus, this work aims to collectively present potential natural 3CLpro and PLpro inhibitors by in silico simulations and in vitro entry pseudotype-entry models. We screened luteolin-7-O-glucuronide (L7OG), cynarin (CY), folic acid (FA), and rosmarinic acid (RA) molecules against PLpro and 3CLpro through a luminogenic substrate assay. We only reported moderate inhibitory activity on the recombinant 3CLpro and PLpro by L7OG and FA. Afterward, the entry inhibitory activity of L7OG and FA was tested in cell lines transduced with the two different SARS-CoV-2 pseudotypes harboring alpha (α) and omicron (o) spike (S) protein. The results showed that both compounds have a consistent inhibitory activity on the entry for both variants. However, L7OG showed a greater degree of entry inhibition against α-SARS-CoV-2. Molecular modeling studies were used to determine the inhibitory mechanism of the candidate molecules by focusing on their interactions with residues recognized by the protease active site and receptor-binding domain (RBD) of spike SARS-CoV-2. This work allowed us to identify the binding sites of FA and L7OG within the RBD domain in the alpha and omicron variants, demonstrating how FA is active in both variants. We have confidence that future in vivo studies testing the safety and effectiveness of these natural compounds are warranted, given that they are effective against a variant of concerns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosamaria Pennisi
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (P.T.); (A.P.); (M.T.S.)
| | - Davide Gentile
- Department of Chemistry, Materials and Chemical Engineering “G. Natta”, Politecnico di Milano, Via Mancinelli 7, 20131 Milano, Italy
| | - Antonio Rescifina
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy;
| | - Edoardo Napoli
- Istituto di Chimica Biomolecolare—Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, 95126 Catania, Italy;
| | - Paola Trischitta
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (P.T.); (A.P.); (M.T.S.)
- Department of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Via Elce di Sotto 8, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Anna Piperno
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (P.T.); (A.P.); (M.T.S.)
| | - Maria Teresa Sciortino
- Department of Chemical, Biological, Pharmaceutical and Environmental Science, University of Messina, Viale Ferdinando Stagno d’Alcontres 31, 98166 Messina, Italy; (P.T.); (A.P.); (M.T.S.)
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Park CK, Lim SH, Park K. Clinical Application of Botulinum Toxin for Hemifacial Spasm. Life (Basel) 2023; 13:1760. [PMID: 37629617 PMCID: PMC10455826 DOI: 10.3390/life13081760] [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: 06/30/2023] [Revised: 08/04/2023] [Accepted: 08/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Hemifacial spasm is typically caused by contact between the facial nerve and blood vessels. Microvascular decompression, a treatment that directly addresses this pathogenesis, is often considered the most effective treatment method. However, surgery is not immediately performed for patients at risk from the surgical treatment, or for those with an unclear diagnosis. In these instances, Botulinum toxin injection can help manage the patient's symptoms. Numerous studies corroborate the effectiveness and safety of Botulinum toxin treatment, with large-scale studies indicating symptom control lasts, on average, around 15 weeks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang-Kyu Park
- Department of Neurosurgery, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea; (C.-K.P.); (S.-H.L.)
| | - Seung-Hoon Lim
- Department of Neurosurgery, Kyung Hee University College of Medicine, Seoul 02447, Republic of Korea; (C.-K.P.); (S.-H.L.)
| | - Kwan Park
- Department of Neurosurgery, Konkuk University Medical Center, Seoul 05030, Republic of Korea
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Nicu C, Jackson J, Shahmalak A, Pople J, Ansell D, Paus R. Adiponectin negatively regulates pigmentation, Wnt/β-catenin and HGF/c-Met signalling within human scalp hair follicles ex vivo. Arch Dermatol Res 2023; 315:603-612. [PMID: 34854998 DOI: 10.1007/s00403-021-02291-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2021] [Revised: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Adiponectin reportedly stimulates proliferation and elongation of human scalp hair follicles (HFs) ex vivo. In the current study, we investigated how adiponectin oligomers produced by perifollicular dermal white adipose tissue (dWAT), a potent source of adiponectin isoforms, influence human HF proliferation and pigmentation. To do so, we treated microdissected, organ-cultured HFs in the presence or absence of dWAT with a recombinant human adiponectin oligomer mix, or inhibited dWAT-derived adiponectin using a neutralizing antibody. Multiplex qPCR (Fluidigm) revealed that adiponectin oligomers downregulated pigmentation genes KITLG, PMEL and TYRP1 and Wnt genes AXIN2, LEF1 and WNT10B. In situ hybridization showed that adiponectin downregulated AXIN2 and LEF1, and up-regulated DKK1 within the dermal papilla (DP), a highly unusual transcriptional profile for a putative hair growth-promoting agent. Adiponectin oligomers also downregulated protein expression of the HGF receptor c-Met within the matrix and DP. However, adiponectin did not alter hair matrix keratinocyte proliferation within 48 h ex vivo, irrespective of the presence/absence of dWAT; HF pigmentation (Masson-Fontana histochemistry, tyrosinase activity) was also unchanged. In contrast, neutralizing adiponectin isoforms within HF + dWAT increased proliferation, melanin content and tyrosinase activity but resulted in fewer melanocytes and melanocytic dendrites, as assessed by gp100 immunostaining. These seemingly contradictory effects suggest that adiponectin exerts complex effects upon human HF biology, likely in parallel with the pro-pigmentation effects of dWAT- and DP-derived HGF. Our data suggest that dWAT-derived ratios of adiponectin isoforms and the cleaved, globular version of adiponectin may in fact determine how adiponectin impacts upon follicular pigmentation and growth.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carina Nicu
- Centre for Dermatology Research, University of Manchester, Manchester and NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK.
- Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA.
| | - Jennifer Jackson
- Centre for Dermatology Research, University of Manchester, Manchester and NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK
| | | | - Jenny Pople
- Unilever R&D Colworth, Colworth Science Park, Bedford, UK
| | - David Ansell
- Centre for Dermatology Research, University of Manchester, Manchester and NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK
- Centre for Skin Sciences, Faculty of Life Sciences, University of Bradford, Bradford, UK
| | - Ralf Paus
- Centre for Dermatology Research, University of Manchester, Manchester and NIHR Manchester Biomedical Research Centre, Manchester, UK
- Dr. Phillip Frost Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, USA
- Monasterium Laboratory, Münster, Germany
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Heparan Sulfate and Enoxaparin Interact at the Interface of the Spike Protein of HCoV-229E but Not with HCoV-OC43. Viruses 2023; 15:v15030663. [PMID: 36992372 PMCID: PMC10056857 DOI: 10.3390/v15030663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2022] [Revised: 11/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/05/2023] Open
Abstract
It is known that the spike protein of human coronaviruses can bind to a secondary receptor, or coreceptor, to facilitate the virus entry. While HCoV-229E uses human aminopeptidase N (hAPN) as a receptor, HCoV-OC43 binds to 9-O-acetyl-sialic acid (9-O-Ac-Sia), which is linked in a terminal way to the oligosaccharides that decorate glycoproteins and gangliosides on the surface of the host cell. Thus, evaluating the possible inhibitory activity of heparan sulfate, a linear polysaccharide found in animal tissues, and enoxaparin sodium on these viral strains can be considered attractive. Therefore, our study also aims to evaluate these molecules’ antiviral activity as possible adsorption inhibitors against non-SARS-CoV. Once the molecules’ activity was verified in in vitro experiments, the binding was studied by molecular docking and molecular dynamic simulations confirming the interactions at the interface of the spike proteins.
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1,2-Dibenzoylhydrazine as a Multi-Inhibitor Compound: A Morphological and Docking Study. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24021425. [PMID: 36674938 PMCID: PMC9864281 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24021425] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/07/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
In the framework of the multitarget inhibitor study, we report an in silico analysis of 1,2-dibenzoylhydrazine (DBH) with respect to three essential receptors such as the ecdysone receptor (EcR), urease, and HIV-integrase. Starting from a crystallographic structural study of accidentally harvested crystals of this compound, we performed docking studies to evaluate the inhibitory capacity of DBH toward three selected targets. A crystal morphology prediction was then performed. The results of our molecular modeling calculations indicate that DBH is an excellent candidate as a ligand to inhibit the activity of EcR receptors and urease. Docking studies also revealed the activity of DBH on the HIV integrase receptor, providing an excellent starting point for developing novel inhibitors using this molecule as a starting lead compound.
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Annan A, Raiss N, Elmir EH, Filali-Maltouf A, Medraoui L, Oumzil H. Revolutionizing antiretroviral therapy for human immunodeficiency virus/AIDS: A computational approach using molecular docking, virtual screening, and 3D pharmacophore building to address therapeutic failure and propose highly effective candidates. Int J Immunopathol Pharmacol 2023; 37:3946320231207514. [PMID: 37850462 PMCID: PMC10585989 DOI: 10.1177/03946320231207514] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVES In the context of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) treatment, the emergence of therapeutic failures with existing antiretroviral drugs presents a significant challenge. This study aims to employ advanced molecular modeling techniques to identify potential alternatives to current antiretroviral agents. METHODS The study focuses on three essential classes of antiretroviral drugs: nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs), non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs), and protease inhibitors (PIs). Computational analyses were performed on a database of 3,343,652 chemical molecules to evaluate their binding affinities, pharmacokinetic properties, and interactions with viral reverse transcriptase and protease enzymes. Molecular docking, virtual screening, and 3D pharmacophore modeling were utilized to identify promising candidates. RESULTS Molecular docking revealed compounds with high binding energies and strong interactions at the active sites of target enzymes. Virtual screening narrowed down potential candidates with favorable pharmacological profiles. 3D pharmacophore modeling identified crucial structural features for effective binding. Overall, two molecules for class 1, 7 molecules for class 2, and 2 molecules for class 3 were selected. These compounds exhibited robust binding affinities, interactions with target enzymes, and improved pharmacokinetic properties, showing promise for more effective HIV treatments in cases of therapeutic failures. CONCLUSION The combination of molecular docking, virtual screening, and 3D pharmacophore modeling yielded lead compounds that hold potential for addressing HIV therapeutic failures. Further experimental investigations are essential to validate the efficacy and safety of these compounds, with the ultimate goal of advancing toward clinical applications in HIV management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Azzeddine Annan
- Research Center of Plant and Microbial Biotechnologies, Biodiversity and Environment, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
- National Reference Laboratory for HIV, Virology Department, Institute National of Hygiene, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Noureddine Raiss
- Research Center of Plant and Microbial Biotechnologies, Biodiversity and Environment, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
- National Reference Laboratory for HIV, Virology Department, Institute National of Hygiene, Rabat, Morocco
| | - El Harti Elmir
- National Reference Laboratory for HIV, Virology Department, Institute National of Hygiene, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Abdelkarim Filali-Maltouf
- Research Center of Plant and Microbial Biotechnologies, Biodiversity and Environment, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Leila Medraoui
- Research Center of Plant and Microbial Biotechnologies, Biodiversity and Environment, Faculty of Sciences, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
| | - Hicham Oumzil
- National Reference Laboratory for HIV, Virology Department, Institute National of Hygiene, Rabat, Morocco
- Laboratory of Biotechnology, Medical and Pharmacy School, Mohammed V University, Rabat, Morocco
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Gentile D, Coco A, Patamia V, Zagni C, Floresta G, Rescifina A. Targeting the SARS-CoV-2 HR1 with Small Molecules as Inhibitors of the Fusion Process. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231710067. [PMID: 36077465 PMCID: PMC9456533 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231710067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2022] [Revised: 08/30/2022] [Accepted: 08/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The rapid and global propagation of the novel human coronavirus that causes severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has produced an immediate urgency to discover promising targets for the treatment of this virus. In this paper, we studied the spike protein S2 domain of SARS-CoV-2 as it is the most conserved component and controls the crucial fusion process of SARS-CoV-2 as a target for different databases of small organic compounds. Our in silico methodology, based on pharmacophore modeling, docking simulation and molecular dynamics simulations, was first validated with ADS-J1, a potent small-molecule HIV fusion inhibitor that has already proved effective in binding the HR1 domain and inhibiting the fusion core of SARS-CoV-1. It then focused on finding novel small molecules and new peptides as fusion inhibitors. Our methodology identified several small molecules and peptides as potential inhibitors of the fusion process. Among these, NF 023 hydrate (MolPort-006-822-583) is one of the best-scored compounds. Other compounds of interest are ZINC00097961973, Salvianolic acid, Thalassiolin A and marine_160925_88_2. Two interesting active peptides were also identified: AP00094 (Temporin A) and AVP1227 (GBVA5). The inhibition of the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 is a valid target to inhibit the virus entry in human cells. The discussed compounds reported in this paper led to encouraging results for future in vitro tests against SARS-CoV-2.
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Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells facilitate diabetic wound healing through the restoration of epidermal cell autophagy via the HIF-1α/TGF-β1/SMAD pathway. Stem Cell Res Ther 2022; 13:314. [PMID: 35841007 PMCID: PMC9284495 DOI: 10.1186/s13287-022-02996-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND The biological activity and regenerative medicine of bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) have been focal topics in the broad fields of diabetic wound repair. However, the molecular mechanisms are still largely elusive for other cellular processes that are regulated during BMSC treatment. Our previous studies have shown that hypoxia is not only a typical pathological phenomenon of wounds but also exerts a vital regulatory effect on cellular bioactivity. In this study, the beneficial effects of hypoxic BMSCs on the cellular behaviors of epidermal cells and diabetic wound healing were investigated. METHOD The viability and secretion ability of hypoxic BMSCs were detected. The autophagy, proliferation and migration of HaCaT cells cultured with hypoxic BMSCs-derived conditioned medium were assessed by estimating the expression of autophagy-related proteins, MTS, EdU proliferation and scratch assays. And the role of the SMAD signaling pathway during hypoxic BMSC-evoked HaCaT cell autophagy was explored through a series of in vitro gain- and loss-of-function experiments. Finally, the therapeutic effects of hypoxic BMSCs were evaluated using full-thickness cutaneous diabetic wound model. RESULTS First, we demonstrated that hypoxic conditions intensify HIF-1α-mediated TGF-β1 secretion by BMSCs. Then, the further data revealed that BMSC-derived TGF-β1 was responsible for the activation of epidermal cell autophagy, which contributed to the induction of epidermal cell proliferation and migration. Here, the SMAD signaling pathway was identified as downstream of BMSC-derived TGF-β1 to regulate HaCaT cell autophagy. Moreover, the administration of BMSCs to diabetic wounds increased epidermal autophagy and the rate of re-epithelialization, leading to accelerated healing, and these effects were significantly attenuated, accompanied by the downregulation of Smad2 phosphorylation levels due to TGF-β1 interference in BMSCs. CONCLUSION In this report, we present evidence that uncovers a previously unidentified role of hypoxic BMSCs in regulating epidermal cell autophagy. The findings demonstrate that BMSC-based treatment by restoring epidermal cell autophagy could be an attractive therapeutic strategy for diabetic wounds and that the process is mediated by the HIF-1α/TGF-β1/SMAD pathway.
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Copetti PM, Bissacotti BF, da Silva Gündel S, Bottari NB, Sagrillo MR, Machado AK, Ourique AF, Chitolina Schetinger MR, Schafer da Silva A. Pharmacokinetic profiles, cytotoxicity, and redox metabolism of free and nanoencapsulated curcumin. J Drug Deliv Sci Technol 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jddst.2022.103352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
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Matsuzaka Y, Uesawa Y. A Deep Learning-Based Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship System Construct Prediction Model of Agonist and Antagonist with High Performance. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23042141. [PMID: 35216254 PMCID: PMC8877122 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23042141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 02/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecular design and evaluation for drug development and chemical safety assessment have been advanced by quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR) using artificial intelligence techniques, such as deep learning (DL). Previously, we have reported the high performance of prediction models molecular initiation events (MIEs) on the adverse toxicological outcome using a DL-based QSAR method, called DeepSnap-DL. This method can extract feature values from images generated on a three-dimensional (3D)-chemical structure as a novel QSAR analytical system. However, there is room for improvement of this system’s time-consumption. Therefore, in this study, we constructed an improved DeepSnap-DL system by combining the processes of generating an image from a 3D-chemical structure, DL using the image as input data, and statistical calculation of prediction-performance. Consequently, we obtained that the three prediction models of agonists or antagonists of MIEs achieved high prediction-performance by optimizing the parameters of DeepSnap, such as the angle used in the depiction of the image of a 3D-chemical structure, data-split, and hyperparameters in DL. The improved DeepSnap-DL system will be a powerful tool for computer-aided molecular design as a novel QSAR system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yasunari Matsuzaka
- Department of Medical Molecular Informatics, Meiji Pharmaceutical University, Kiyose 204-8588, Japan;
- Center for Gene and Cell Therapy, Division of Molecular and Medical Genetics, The Institute of Medical Science, University of Tokyo, Minato City 108-8639, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Uesawa
- Department of Medical Molecular Informatics, Meiji Pharmaceutical University, Kiyose 204-8588, Japan;
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +81-42-495-8983
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Floresta G, Fallica AN, Patamia V, Sorrenti V, Greish K, Rescifina A, Pittalà V. From Far West to East: Joining the Molecular Architecture of Imidazole-like Ligands in HO-1 Complexes. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14121289. [PMID: 34959690 PMCID: PMC8704944 DOI: 10.3390/ph14121289] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
HO-1 overexpression has been reported in several cases/types of human malignancies. Unfortunately, poor clinical outcomes are reported in most of these cases, and the inhibition of HO-1 is considered a valuable and proven anticancer approach. To identify novel hit compounds suitable as HO-1 inhibitors, we report here a fragment-based approach where ligand joining experiments were used. The two most important parts of the classical structure of the HO-1 inhibitors were used as a starting point, and 1000 novel compounds were generated and then virtually evaluated by structure and ligand-based approaches. The joining experiments led us to a novel series of indole-based compounds. A synthetic pathway for eight selected molecules was designed, and the compounds were synthesized. The biological activity revealed that some molecules reach the micromolar activity, whereas molecule 4d inhibits the HO-1 with an IC50 of 1.03 μM. This study suggested that our joining approach was successful, and a novel hit compound was generated. These results are ongoing for further development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Floresta
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; (G.F.); (A.N.F.); (V.P.); (V.S.)
- Department of Analytics, Environmental & Forensics, King’s College London, London SE1 9NH, UK
| | - Antonino Nicolò Fallica
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; (G.F.); (A.N.F.); (V.P.); (V.S.)
| | - Vincenzo Patamia
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; (G.F.); (A.N.F.); (V.P.); (V.S.)
| | - Valeria Sorrenti
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; (G.F.); (A.N.F.); (V.P.); (V.S.)
| | - Khaled Greish
- Department of Molecular Medicine and Nanomedicine Unit, Princess Al-Jawhara Center for Molecular Medicine, College of Medicine and Medical Sciences, Arabian Gulf University, Manama 329, Bahrain;
| | - Antonio Rescifina
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; (G.F.); (A.N.F.); (V.P.); (V.S.)
- Correspondence: (A.R.); (V.P.)
| | - Valeria Pittalà
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, V.le A. Doria 6, 95125 Catania, Italy; (G.F.); (A.N.F.); (V.P.); (V.S.)
- Correspondence: (A.R.); (V.P.)
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Floresta G, Fallica AN, Salerno L, Sorrenti V, Pittalà V, Rescifina A. Growing the molecular architecture of imidazole-like ligands in HO-1 complexes. Bioorg Chem 2021; 117:105428. [PMID: 34710668 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.105428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2021] [Revised: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Up-regulation of HO-1 had been frequently reported in different cases and types of human malignancies. Since poor clinical outcomes are reported in these cases, this enzyme's inhibition is considered a valuable and proven anticancer approach. To identify novel HO-1 inhibitors suitable for drug development, we report a structure-guided fragment-based approach to identify new lead compounds. Different parts of the selected molecules were analyzed, and the different series of novel compounds were virtually evaluated. The growing experiments of the classical HO-1 inhibitors structure led us to different hit-compounds. A synthetic pathway for six selected molecules was designed, and the compounds were synthesized. The biological activity revealed that molecules 10 and 12 inhibit the HO-1 activity with an IC50 of 1.01 and 0.90 μM, respectively. This study suggested that our growing approach was successful, and these results are ongoing for further development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Floresta
- Department of Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
| | - Antonino N Fallica
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Loredana Salerno
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Valeria Sorrenti
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | - Valeria Pittalà
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.
| | - Antonio Rescifina
- Department of Drug and Health Sciences, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
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Tong JB, Luo D, Bian S, Zhang X. Structural investigation of tetrahydropteridin analogues as selective PLK1 inhibitors for treating cancer through combined QSAR techniques, molecular docking, and molecular dynamics simulations. J Mol Liq 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.molliq.2021.116235] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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Floresta G, Abbate V. Machine learning vs. field 3D-QSAR models for serotonin 2A receptor psychoactive substances identification. RSC Adv 2021; 11:14587-14595. [PMID: 35424006 PMCID: PMC8697832 DOI: 10.1039/d1ra01335a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Serotonergic psychedelics, substances exerting their effects primarily through the serotonin 2A receptor (5HT2AR), continue to comprise a substantial portion of reported new psychoactive substances (NPS). In this paper five quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) models for predicting the affinity of 5-HT2AR ligands have been developed. The resulting models, exploiting the accessibility of the QSAR equations, generate a useful tool for the investigation and identification of unclassified molecules. The models have been built using a set of 375 molecules using Forge software, and the quality was confirmed by statistical analysis, resulting in effective tools with respect to their predictive and descriptive capabilities. The best performing algorithm among the machine learning approaches and the classical field 3D-QSAR model were then combined to produce a consensus model and were exploited, together with a pharmacophorefilter, to explore the 5-HT2AR activity of 523 105 natural products, to classify a set of recently reported 5-HT2AR NPS and to design new potential active molecules. The findings of this study should facilitate the identification and classification of emerging 5-HT2AR ligands including NPS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Giuseppe Floresta
- Department of Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences, King's College London London UK
| | - Vincenzo Abbate
- Department of Analytical, Environmental and Forensic Sciences, King's College London London UK
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Ergonomic Recommendations in Ultrasound-Guided Botulinum Neurotoxin Chemodenervation for Spasticity: An International Expert Group Opinion. Toxins (Basel) 2021; 13:toxins13040249. [PMID: 33807196 PMCID: PMC8067138 DOI: 10.3390/toxins13040249] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 03/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Ultrasound (US)-guided botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) injections are becoming a mainstay in the treatment of muscle spasticity in upper motor neuron syndromes. As a result, there has been a commensurate increase in US-guided BoNT injection for spasticity training courses. However, many of these courses do not emphasize the importance of ergonomics. This paper aims to highlight the importance of ultrasound ergonomics and presents ergonomic recommendations to optimize US-guided BoNT injection techniques in spasticity management. Expert consensus opinion of 11 physicians (4 different continents; representing 8 countries, with an average of 12.6 years of practice using US guidance for BoNT chemodenervation (range 3 to 22 years)). A search using PubMed, College of Physicians and Surgeons of British Columbia database, EMbase was conducted and found no publications relating the importance of ergonomics in US-guided chemodenervation. Therefore, recommendations and consensus discussions were generated from the distribution of a 20-question survey to a panel of 11 ultrasound experts. All 11 surveyed physicians considered ergonomics to be important in reducing physician injury. There was complete agreement that physician positioning was important; 91% agreement that patient positioning was important; and 82% that ultrasound machine positioning was important. Factors that did not reach our 80% threshold for consensus were further discussed. Four categories were identified as being important when implementing ultrasound ergonomics for BoNT chemodenervation for spasticity; workstation, physician, patient and visual ergonomics. Optimizing ergonomics is paramount when performing US-guided BoNT chemodenervation for spasticity management. This includes proper preparation of the workspace and allowing for sufficient pre-injection time to optimally position both the patient and the physician. Lack of awareness of ergonomics for US-guided BoNT chemodenervation for spasticity may lead to suboptimal patient outcomes, increase work-related injuries, and patient discomfort. We propose key elements for optimal positioning of physicians and patients, as well as the optimal setup of the workspace and provide clinical pearls in visual identification of spastic muscles for chemodenervation.
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