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Schwarzer E, Skorokhod O. Post-Translational Modifications of Proteins of Malaria Parasites during the Life Cycle. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:6145. [PMID: 38892332 PMCID: PMC11173270 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116145] [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: 05/01/2024] [Revised: 05/29/2024] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Post-translational modifications (PTMs) are essential for regulating protein functions, influencing various fundamental processes in eukaryotes. These include, but are not limited to, cell signaling, protein trafficking, the epigenetic control of gene expression, and control of the cell cycle, as well as cell proliferation, differentiation, and interactions between cells. In this review, we discuss protein PTMs that play a key role in the malaria parasite biology and its pathogenesis. Phosphorylation, acetylation, methylation, lipidation and lipoxidation, glycosylation, ubiquitination and sumoylation, nitrosylation and glutathionylation, all of which occur in malarial parasites, are reviewed. We provide information regarding the biological significance of these modifications along all phases of the complex life cycle of Plasmodium spp. Importantly, not only the parasite, but also the host and vector protein PTMs are often crucial for parasite growth and development. In addition to metabolic regulations, protein PTMs can result in epitopes that are able to elicit both innate and adaptive immune responses of the host or vector. We discuss some existing and prospective results from antimalarial drug discovery trials that target various PTM-related processes in the parasite or host.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evelin Schwarzer
- Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Via Santena 5 bis, 10126 Turin, Italy;
| | - Oleksii Skorokhod
- Department of Life Sciences and Systems Biology, University of Turin, Via Accademia Albertina, 13, 10123 Turin, Italy
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Pan Y, Hou H, Zhou B, Gao J, Gao F. Hydroxamic acid hybrids: Histone deacetylase inhibitors with anticancer therapeutic potency. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 262:115879. [PMID: 37875056 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115879] [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: 08/23/2023] [Revised: 10/05/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Histone deacetylases (HDACs), a class of enzymes responsible for the removal of acetyl functional groups from the lysine residues in the amino-terminal tails of core histones, play a critical role in the modulation of chromatin architecture and the regulation of gene expression. Dysregulation of HDAC expression has been closely associated with the development of various cancers. Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) could regulate diverse cellular pathways, cause cell cycle arrest, and promote programmed cell death, making them promising avenues for cancer therapy with potent efficacy and favorable toxicity profiles. Hybrid molecules incorporating two or more pharmacophores in one single molecule, have the potential to simultaneously inhibit two distinct cancer targets, potentially overcome drug resistance and minimize drug-drug interactions. Notably, hydroxamic acid hybrids, exemplified by fimepinostat and tinostamustine as potential HDACis, could exert the anticancer effects through induction of apoptosis, differentiation, and growth arrest in cancer cells, representing useful scaffolds for the discovery of novel HDACis. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current scenario of hydroxamic acid hybrids as HDACis with anticancer therapeutic potential developed since 2020 to facilitate further rational exploitation of more effective candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Pan
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Center for Experimental Nuclear Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Haodong Hou
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Center for Experimental Nuclear Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Bo Zhou
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Center for Experimental Nuclear Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Jingyue Gao
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Center for Experimental Nuclear Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Feng Gao
- Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of the Ministry of Education and Center for Experimental Nuclear Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China.
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Siqueira-Neto JL, Wicht KJ, Chibale K, Burrows JN, Fidock DA, Winzeler EA. Antimalarial drug discovery: progress and approaches. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:807-826. [PMID: 37652975 PMCID: PMC10543600 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00772-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Recent antimalarial drug discovery has been a race to produce new medicines that overcome emerging drug resistance, whilst considering safety and improving dosing convenience. Discovery efforts have yielded a variety of new molecules, many with novel modes of action, and the most advanced are in late-stage clinical development. These discoveries have led to a deeper understanding of how antimalarial drugs act, the identification of a new generation of drug targets, and multiple structure-based chemistry initiatives. The limited pool of funding means it is vital to prioritize new drug candidates. They should exhibit high potency, a low propensity for resistance, a pharmacokinetic profile that favours infrequent dosing, low cost, preclinical results that demonstrate safety and tolerability in women and infants, and preferably the ability to block Plasmodium transmission to Anopheles mosquito vectors. In this Review, we describe the approaches that have been successful, progress in preclinical and clinical development, and existing challenges. We illustrate how antimalarial drug discovery can serve as a model for drug discovery in diseases of poverty.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kathryn J Wicht
- Holistic Drug Discovery and Development (H3D) Centre, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
- South African Medical Research Council Drug Discovery and Development Research Unit, Department of Chemistry and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Kelly Chibale
- Holistic Drug Discovery and Development (H3D) Centre, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
- South African Medical Research Council Drug Discovery and Development Research Unit, Department of Chemistry and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | | | - David A Fidock
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Center for Malaria Therapeutics and Antimicrobial Resistance, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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Tremblay T, Bergeron C, Gagnon D, Bérubé C, Voyer N, Richard D, Giguère D. Squaramide Tethered Clindamycin, Chloroquine, and Mortiamide Hybrids: Design, Synthesis, and Antimalarial Activity. ACS Med Chem Lett 2023; 14:217-222. [PMID: 36793432 PMCID: PMC9923836 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.2c00531] [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: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria remains one of the major health problems in the world. In this work, a series of squaramide tethered chloroquine, clindamycin, and mortiamide D hybrids have been synthesized to assess their in vitro antiplasmodial activity against 3D7 (chloroquine-sensitive) and Dd2 strains of Plasmodium falciparum. The most active compound, a simple chloroquine analogue, displayed low nanomolar IC50 value against both strains (3 nM for 3D7 strain and 18 nM for Dd2 strain). Moreover, all molecular hybrids incorporating the hydroxychloroquine scaffold showed the most potent activities, exemplified with a chloroquine dimer, IC50 = 31 nM and 81 nM against 3D7 and Dd2 strains, respectively. These results highlight the first time use of clindamycin and mortiamide D as antimalarial molecular hybrids and establish these valuable hits for future optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas Tremblay
- Département
de Chimie, Université Laval, 1045 Av. de la Médecine, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Catherine Bergeron
- Département
de Chimie, Université Laval, 1045 Av. de la Médecine, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Dominic Gagnon
- Centre
de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Department of Microbiology,
Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Christopher Bérubé
- Département
de Chimie, Université Laval, 1045 Av. de la Médecine, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Normand Voyer
- Département
de Chimie, Université Laval, 1045 Av. de la Médecine, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Dave Richard
- Centre
de Recherche du CHU de Québec, Department of Microbiology,
Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Université Laval, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
| | - Denis Giguère
- Département
de Chimie, Université Laval, 1045 Av. de la Médecine, Québec City, QC G1V 0A6, Canada
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