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Ciaco S, Aronne R, Fiabane M, Mori M. The Rise of Bacterial G-Quadruplexes in Current Antimicrobial Discovery. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:24163-24180. [PMID: 38882119 PMCID: PMC11170735 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.4c01731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/18/2024]
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a silent critical issue that poses several challenges to health systems. While the discovery of novel antibiotics is currently stalled and prevalently focused on chemical variations of the scaffolds of available drugs, novel targets and innovative strategies are urgently needed to face this global threat. In this context, bacterial G-quadruplexes (G4s) are emerging as timely and profitable targets for the design and development of antimicrobial agents. Indeed, they are expressed in regulatory regions of bacterial genomes, and their modulation has been observed to provide antimicrobial effects with translational perspectives in the context of AMR. In this work, we review the current knowledge of bacterial G4s as well as their modulation by small molecules, including tools and techniques suitable for these investigations. Finally, we critically analyze the needs and future directions in the field, with a focus on the development of small molecules as bacterial G4s modulators endowed with remarkable drug-likeness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefano Ciaco
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Rossella Aronne
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Martina Fiabane
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
| | - Mattia Mori
- Department of Biotechnology, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Siena, Via Aldo Moro 2, 53100 Siena, Italy
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2
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Stężycka O, Kasperkowiak M, Frańska M, Nowak D, Hoffmann M. Oxygen Atom from Carbonyl Group as an Important Binding Agent to the G-Quadruplex - Study Case of Flavonoids. Chempluschem 2024:e202400186. [PMID: 38713672 DOI: 10.1002/cplu.202400186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/09/2024]
Abstract
In the field of anticancer therapy study it is of great interest to find effective G-quadruplex ligands which may be of potential use in medical treatment or cancer prevention. Since among the compounds of natural origin, flavonoids have attracted notable attention because of their unique properties and promising therapeutic applications, an interesting question was to identify the flavonoid structural features that could provide effective binding properties toward G-quadruplex. By using electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, followed by the survival yield method, it has been shown that the flavonoid molecules which contain an available C4=O carbonyl group form more stable adducts with G-tetrads than the other ones. Molecular docking has shown that C4=O carbonyl group can be a source of hydrogen bonds and/or π-stacking interactions. Therefore, the flavonoid molecules which contain an available C4=O carbonyl group can be regarded as good binders of G-quadruplexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga Stężycka
- Institute of Chemistry and Technical Electrochemistry, Poznań University of Technology, Berdychowo 4, 60-965, Poznań, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Kasperkowiak
- Centre for Advanced Technologies, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 10, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
| | - Magdalena Frańska
- Institute of Chemistry and Technical Electrochemistry, Poznań University of Technology, Berdychowo 4, 60-965, Poznań, Poland
| | - Damian Nowak
- Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
| | - Marcin Hoffmann
- Faculty of Chemistry, Adam Mickiewicz University, Uniwersytetu Poznańskiego 8, 61-614, Poznań, Poland
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3
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Amato J, Randazzo A, Pagano B. Chemistry and Biology of Noncanonical Nucleic Acid Structures: From Physicochemical Properties to Therapeutic Applications. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4952. [PMID: 38732170 PMCID: PMC11084433 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
The aim of this Special Issue is to highlight significant and new aspects concerning the chemistry and biology of noncanonical nucleic acid structures, with emphasis on their structure, stability, and conformational equilibria, as well as on the biological relevance of their interactions with proteins and ligands [...].
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Bruno Pagano
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, 80131 Napoli, Italy; (J.A.); (A.R.)
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Metangle S, Ranjan N. Preferential Binding of a Red Emissive Julolidine Derivative to a Promoter G-Quadruplex. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202300527. [PMID: 37926689 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300527] [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: 07/21/2023] [Revised: 10/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/02/2023] [Indexed: 11/07/2023]
Abstract
The therapeutic potential of G-quadruplexes has increased significantly with the growing understanding of their functional roles in pathogens apart from human diseases such as cancer. Here, we report the synthesis of three julolidine-based molecules and their binding to nucleic acids. Among the synthesized molecules, compound 1 exhibited red emissive fluorescence with a distinct preference for Pu22 G-quadruplex. The binding of compound 1 to Pu22 G-quadruplex, initially identified through a fluorescence-based screening, was further confirmed by UV-vis, fluorescence spectroscopy, and circular dichroism-based experiments. Thermal denaturation of compound 1 in the presence of Pu22 G-quadruplex revealed a concentration-dependent stabilization (~10.0 °C at 1 : 3 stoichiometry). Fluorescence-based experiments revealed 1 : 1 stoichiometry of the interaction and an association constant (Ka ) of 5.67×106 M-1 . CD experiments displayed that the parallel conformation of the G-quadruplex was retained on compound 1's binding and signs of higher order binding/complex formation were observed at high compound 1 to DNA ratio. Molecular docking studies revealed the dominance of stacking and van der Waals interactions in the molecular recognition which was aided by some close-distance interactions involving the quinolinium nitrogen atom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sachin Metangle
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research-Raebareli, New Transit Campus, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226002, India
| | - Nihar Ranjan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research-Raebareli, New Transit Campus, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh, 226002, India
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5
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Ma Y, Yang QQ, Gu DM, Yuan X, Wang YH, Guo LC. Canadine inhibits epithelial mesenchymal transformation of HPV-negative cervical cancer. Tissue Barriers 2023:2256641. [PMID: 37819188 DOI: 10.1080/21688370.2023.2256641] [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: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Although the majority of the population will be protected due to the advent and widespread use of the HPV vaccine, the treatment of cervical cancer for all causes, including HPV-negative cervical cancer, is still worthy of further research. The focal point of this study was Canadine's inhibition of epithelial-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) in cervical cancer. Immunoblotting, wound healing and tumor invasion experiments showed that low concentration of Canadine could inhibit the EMT process, proliferation and migration of HT-3 cells (HPV-negative cell line). Combined with GEO database, it was found that the expression levels of several genes highly expressed in cervical tumor tissues could be inhibited by Canadine, especially MAGEA3. Further experiments confirmed that the inhibition of Canadine on MAGEA3 protein increased with time. The small interference and overexpression plasmid of MAGEA3 were designed and verified. In HT-3 cells, when MAGEA3 levels were directly decreased, mesenchymal phenotypic markers were decreased and epithelial phenotypic markers were increased. The opposite result was obtained by overexpression of MAGEA3. In addition, the inhibition of EMT due to the reduction of endogenous MAGEA3 by Canadine was also offset by the overexpression of exogenous MAGEA3. The study concludes that Canadine inhibits EMT of cervical cancer by inhibiting MAGEA3.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Qian-Qian Yang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Dong-Mei Gu
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Xiao Yuan
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Yu-Hong Wang
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China
| | - Ling-Chuan Guo
- Department of Pathology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, Suzhou, Jiangsu, P.R. China
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Bag S, Ghosal S, Karmakar S, Pramanik G, Bhowmik S. Uncovering the Contrasting Binding Behavior of Plant Flavonoids Fisetin and Morin Having Subsidiary Hydroxyl Groups (-OH) with HRAS1 and HRAS2 i-Motif DNA Structures: Decoding the Structural Alterations and Positional Influences. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:30315-30329. [PMID: 37636929 PMCID: PMC10448647 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c03105] [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: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023]
Abstract
Research on the interactions of naturally existing flavonoids with various noncanonical DNA such as i-motif (IM) DNA structures is helpful in comprehending the molecular basis of binding mode as well as providing future direction for the application and invention of novel effective therapeutic drugs. IM DNA structures have been identified as prospective anticancer therapeutic targets, and flavonoids are smaller molecules with a variety of health-promoting attributes, including anticancer activities. The extensive investigation comprising a series of techniques reveals the contrasting mode of the binding behavior of fisetin and morin with various IM DNA structures. We have discovered that structural alterations of hydroxyl groups located at different places of aromatic rings influence flavonoid's reactivity. This minor structural alteration appears to be critical for fisetin and morin's capacity to interact differentially with HRAS1 and HRAS2 IM DNA. Hence, fisetin appears to be an efficient ligand for HRAS1 and morin is considered to be an efficient ligand for HRAS2 IM DNA. This novel exploration opens up the possibility of employing the strategy for regulation of gene expression in cancerous cells. Our finding also reveals the flavonoid-mediated specific interaction with IM DNA while pointing toward tangible strategies for drug discovery and other essential cellular functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagar Bag
- Department
of Biophysics, Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Calcutta, 92, A.P.C. Road, Kolkata 700009, India
| | - Souvik Ghosal
- Mahatma
Gandhi Medical Advanced Research Institute (MGMARI), Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth
(Deemed to be University), Pondy−Cuddalore Main Road, Pillaiyarkuppam, Pondicherry 607402, India
| | - Sudip Karmakar
- UGC−DAE
Consortium for Scientific Research, Kolkata Centre, Sector III, LB-8, Bidhan Nagar, Kolkata 700 106, India
| | - Goutam Pramanik
- UGC−DAE
Consortium for Scientific Research, Kolkata Centre, Sector III, LB-8, Bidhan Nagar, Kolkata 700 106, India
| | - Sudipta Bhowmik
- Department
of Biophysics, Molecular Biology and Bioinformatics, University of Calcutta, 92, A.P.C. Road, Kolkata 700009, India
- Mahatma
Gandhi Medical Advanced Research Institute (MGMARI), Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth
(Deemed to be University), Pondy−Cuddalore Main Road, Pillaiyarkuppam, Pondicherry 607402, India
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Platella C, Criscuolo A, Riccardi C, Gaglione R, Arciello A, Musumeci D, DellaGreca M, Montesarchio D. Exploring the Binding of Natural Compounds to Cancer-Related G-Quadruplex Structures: From 9,10-Dihydrophenanthrenes to Their Dimeric and Glucoside Derivatives. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24097765. [PMID: 37175474 PMCID: PMC10178421 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24097765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
In-depth studies on the interaction of natural compounds with cancer-related G-quadruplex structures have been undertaken only recently, despite their high potential as anticancer agents, especially due to their well-known and various bioactivities. In this frame, aiming at expanding the repertoire of natural compounds able to selectively recognize G-quadruplexes, and particularly focusing on phenanthrenoids, a mini-library including dimeric (1-3) and glucoside (4-5) analogues of 9,10-dihydrophenanthrenes, a related tetrahydropyrene glucoside (6) along with 9,10-dihydrophenanthrene 7 were investigated here by several biophysical techniques and molecular docking. Compounds 3 and 6 emerged as the most selective G-quadruplex ligands within the investigated series. These compounds proved to mainly target the grooves/flanking residues of the hybrid telomeric and parallel oncogenic G-quadruplex models exploiting hydrophobic, hydrogen bond and π-π interactions, without perturbing the main folds of the G-quadruplex structures. Notably, a binding preference was found for both ligands towards the hybrid telomeric G-quadruplex. Moreover, compounds 3 and 6 proved to be active on different human cancer cells in the low micromolar range. Overall, these compounds emerged as useful ligands able to target G-quadruplex structures, which are of interest as promising starting scaffolds for the design of analogues endowed with high and selective anticancer activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Platella
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Andrea Criscuolo
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Claudia Riccardi
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Rosa Gaglione
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Angela Arciello
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Domenica Musumeci
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimages, CNR, 80134 Naples, Italy
| | - Marina DellaGreca
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy
| | - Daniela Montesarchio
- Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Naples Federico II, Via Cintia 21, 80126 Naples, Italy
- CINMPIS-Consorzio Interuniversitario Nazionale di Ricerca in Metodologie e Processi Innovativi di Sintesi, Via E. Orabona 4, 70125 Bari, Italy
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