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Pérez-Soto M, Ramos-Soriano J, Peñalver P, Belmonte-Reche E, O'Hagan MP, Cucchiarini A, Mergny JL, Galán MC, López López MC, Thomas MDC, Morales JC. DNA G-quadruplexes in the genome of Trypanosoma cruzi as potential therapeutic targets for Chagas disease: Dithienylethene ligands as effective antiparasitic agents. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 276:116641. [PMID: 38971047 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/20/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/08/2024]
Abstract
Chagas disease is caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi and affects over 7 million people worldwide. The two actual treatments, Benznidazole (Bzn) and Nifurtimox, cause serious side effects due to their high toxicity leading to treatment abandonment by the patients. In this work, we propose DNA G-quadruplexes (G4) as potential therapeutic targets for this infectious disease. We have found 174 PQS per 100,000 nucleotides in the genome of T. cruzi and confirmed G4 formation of three frequent motifs. We synthesized a family of 14 quadruplex ligands based in the dithienylethene (DTE) scaffold and demonstrated their binding to these identified G4 sequences. Several DTE derivatives exhibited micromolar activity against epimastigotes of four different strains of T. cruzi, in the same concentration range as Bzn. Compounds L3 and L4 presented remarkable activity against trypomastigotes, the active form in blood, of T. cruzi SOL strain (IC50 = 1.5-3.3 μM, SI = 25-40.9), being around 40 times more active than Bzn and displaying much better selectivity indexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manuel Pérez-Soto
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra, CSIC, PTS Granada, Avenida Del Conocimiento, 17, Armilla, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | | | - Pablo Peñalver
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra, CSIC, PTS Granada, Avenida Del Conocimiento, 17, Armilla, 18016 Granada, Spain
| | - Efres Belmonte-Reche
- GENYO, Centre for Genomics and Oncological Research: Pfizer/University of Granada / Andalusian Regional Government, PTS Granada, Av. de La Ilustración, 114, 18016 Granada, Spain; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology II, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Granada, Granada, Spain; Instituto de Investigación Biosanitaria Ibs.GRANADA, Hospital Virgen de Las Nieves, Granada, Spain
| | - Michael P O'Hagan
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, United Kingdom
| | - Anne Cucchiarini
- Laboratoire d'optique et Biosciences, Ecole Polytechnique, Inserm U1182, CNRS UMR7645, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau, France
| | - Jean-Louis Mergny
- Laboratoire d'optique et Biosciences, Ecole Polytechnique, Inserm U1182, CNRS UMR7645, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, Palaiseau, France
| | - M Carmen Galán
- School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TS, United Kingdom.
| | - Manuel Carlos López López
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra, CSIC, PTS Granada, Avenida Del Conocimiento, 17, Armilla, 18016 Granada, Spain.
| | - María Del Carmen Thomas
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra, CSIC, PTS Granada, Avenida Del Conocimiento, 17, Armilla, 18016 Granada, Spain.
| | - Juan Carlos Morales
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Instituto de Parasitología y Biomedicina López Neyra, CSIC, PTS Granada, Avenida Del Conocimiento, 17, Armilla, 18016 Granada, Spain.
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Queffélec C, Pati PB, Pellegrin Y. Fifty Shades of Phenanthroline: Synthesis Strategies to Functionalize 1,10-Phenanthroline in All Positions. Chem Rev 2024; 124:6700-6902. [PMID: 38747613 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.3c00543] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
1,10-Phenanthroline (phen) is one of the most popular ligands ever used in coordination chemistry due to its strong affinity for a wide range of metals with various oxidation states. Its polyaromatic structure provides robustness and rigidity, leading to intriguing features in numerous fields (luminescent coordination scaffolds, catalysis, supramolecular chemistry, sensors, theranostics, etc.). Importantly, phen offers eight distinct positions for functional groups to be attached, showcasing remarkable versatility for such a simple ligand. As a result, phen has become a landmark molecule for coordination chemists, serving as a must-use ligand and a versatile platform for designing polyfunctional arrays. The extensive use of substituted phenanthroline ligands with different metal ions has resulted in a diverse array of complexes tailored for numerous applications. For instance, these complexes have been utilized as sensitizers in dye-sensitized solar cells, as luminescent probes modified with antibodies for biomaterials, and in the creation of elegant supramolecular architectures like rotaxanes and catenanes, exemplified by Sauvage's Nobel Prize-winning work in 2016. In summary, phen has found applications in almost every facet of chemistry. An intriguing aspect of phen is the specific reactivity of each pair of carbon atoms ([2,9], [3,8], [4,7], and [5,6]), enabling the functionalization of each pair with different groups and leading to polyfunctional arrays. Furthermore, it is possible to differentiate each position in these pairs, resulting in non-symmetrical systems with tremendous versatility. In this Review, the authors aim to compile and categorize existing synthetic strategies for the stepwise polyfunctionalization of phen in various positions. This comprehensive toolbox will aid coordination chemists in designing virtually any polyfunctional ligand. The survey will encompass seminal work from the 1950s to the present day. The scope of the Review will be limited to 1,10-phenanthroline, excluding ligands with more intracyclic heteroatoms or fused aromatic cycles. Overall, the primary goal of this Review is to highlight both old and recent synthetic strategies that find applicability in the mentioned applications. By doing so, the authors hope to establish a first reference for phenanthroline synthesis, covering all possible positions on the backbone, and hope to inspire all concerned chemists to devise new strategies that have not yet been explored.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yann Pellegrin
- Nantes Université, CEISAM UMR 6230, F-44000 Nantes, France
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Pal R, Teli G, Akhtar MJ, Matada GSP. Synthetic product-based approach toward potential antileishmanial drug development. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 263:115927. [PMID: 37976706 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115927] [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: 08/19/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease and is categorized as a tropically neglected disease (NTD) with no effective vaccines available. The available chemotherapeutics against leishmaniasis are associated with an increase in the incidence of toxicity and drug resistance. Consequently, targeting metabolic pathways and enzymes of parasites which differs from the mammalian host can be exploited to treat and overcome the resistance. The classical methods of identifying the structural fragments and the moieties responsible for the biological activities from the standard compounds and their modification are options for developing more effective novel compounds. Significant progress has been made in refining the development of potent non-toxic molecules and addressing the limitations of the current treatment available. Several examples of synthetic product-based approach utilizing their core heterocyclic rings including furan, pyrrole, thiazole, imidazole, pyrazole, triazole, quinazoline, quinoline, pyrimidine, coumarin, indole, acridine, oxadiazole, purine, chalcone, carboline, phenanthrene and metal containing derivatives and their structure-activity relationships are discussed in this review. It also analyses the groups/fragments interacting with the host cell receptors and will support the medicinal chemists with novel antileishmanial agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rohit Pal
- Integrated Drug Discovery Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Acharya & BM Reddy College of Pharmacy, Bengaluru, 560107, Karnataka, India
| | - Ghanshyam Teli
- School of Pharmacy, Sangam University, Atoon, Bhilwara, 311001, Rajasthan, India
| | - Md Jawaid Akhtar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, National University of Science and Technology, PO 620, PC 130, Azaiba Bousher, Muscat, Sultanate of Oman
| | - Gurubasavaraja Swamy Purawarga Matada
- Integrated Drug Discovery Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Acharya & BM Reddy College of Pharmacy, Bengaluru, 560107, Karnataka, India.
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Monti L, Di Antonio M. G-Quadruplexes as Key Transcriptional Regulators in Neglected Trypanosomatid Parasites. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300265. [PMID: 37146230 PMCID: PMC10946822 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300265] [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: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/07/2023]
Abstract
G-quadruplexes (G4s) are nucleic acid secondary structures that have been linked to the functional regulation of eukaryotic organisms. G4s have been extensively characterised in humans and emerging evidence suggests that they might also be biologically relevant for human pathogens. This indicates that G4s might represent a novel class of therapeutic targets for tackling infectious diseases. Bioinformatic studies revealed a high prevalence of putative quadruplex-forming sequences (PQSs) in the genome of protozoans, which highlights their potential roles in regulating vital processes of these parasites, including DNA transcription and replication. In this work, we focus on the neglected trypanosomatid parasites, Trypanosoma and Leishmania spp., which cause debilitating and deadly diseases across the poorest populations worldwide. We review three examples where G4-formation might be key to modulate transcriptional activity in trypanosomatids, providing an overview of experimental approaches that can be used to exploit the regulatory roles and relevance of these structures to fight parasitic infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ludovica Monti
- Chemistry Department, Imperial College LondonMolecular Sciences Research Hub82 Wood LaneW12 0BZLondonUK
| | - Marco Di Antonio
- Chemistry Department, Imperial College LondonMolecular Sciences Research Hub82 Wood LaneW12 0BZLondonUK
- The Francis Crick Institute1 Midland RoadNW1 1ATLondonUK
- The Institute of Chemical BiologyMolecular Sciences Research Hub82 Wood LaneW12 0BZLondonUK
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