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Rosado-Quiñones AM, Colón-Lorenzo EE, Pala ZR, Bosch J, Kudyba K, Kudyba H, Leed SE, Roncal N, Baerga-Ortiz A, Roche-Lima A, Gerena Y, Fidock DA, Roth A, Vega-Rodríguez J, Serrano AE. Novel hydrazone compounds with broad-spectrum antiplasmodial activity and synergistic interactions with antimalarial drugs. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024:e0164323. [PMID: 38639491 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01643-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/20/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of novel antiplasmodial compounds with broad-spectrum activity against different stages of Plasmodium parasites is crucial to prevent malaria disease and parasite transmission. This study evaluated the antiplasmodial activity of seven novel hydrazone compounds (referred to as CB compounds: CB-27, CB-41, CB-50, CB-53, CB-58, CB-59, and CB-61) against multiple stages of Plasmodium parasites. All CB compounds inhibited blood stage proliferation of drug-resistant or sensitive strains of Plasmodium falciparum in the low micromolar to nanomolar range. Interestingly, CB-41 exhibited prophylactic activity against hypnozoites and liver schizonts in Plasmodium cynomolgi, a primate model for Plasmodium vivax. Four CB compounds (CB-27, CB-41, CB-53, and CB-61) inhibited P. falciparum oocyst formation in mosquitoes, and five CB compounds (CB-27, CB-41, CB-53, CB-58, and CB-61) hindered the in vitro development of Plasmodium berghei ookinetes. The CB compounds did not inhibit the activation of P. berghei female and male gametocytes in vitro. Isobologram assays demonstrated synergistic interactions between CB-61 and the FDA-approved antimalarial drugs, clindamycin and halofantrine. Testing of six CB compounds showed no inhibition of Plasmodium glutathione S-transferase as a putative target and no cytotoxicity in HepG2 liver cells. CB compounds are promising candidates for further development as antimalarial drugs against multidrug-resistant parasites, which could also prevent malaria transmission.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angélica M Rosado-Quiñones
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Emilee E Colón-Lorenzo
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Zarna Rajeshkumar Pala
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Jürgen Bosch
- Center for Global Health and Diseases, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
- InterRayBio, LLC, Cleveland, Ohio, USA
| | - Karl Kudyba
- Department of Drug Discovery, Experimental Therapeutics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Heather Kudyba
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Susan E Leed
- Department of Drug Discovery, Experimental Therapeutics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Norma Roncal
- Department of Drug Discovery, Experimental Therapeutics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Abel Baerga-Ortiz
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Abiel Roche-Lima
- RCMI Program, Medical Science Campus, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Yamil Gerena
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - David A Fidock
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Center for Malaria Therapeutics and Antimicrobial Resistance, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Alison Roth
- Department of Drug Discovery, Experimental Therapeutics Branch, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland, USA
| | - Joel Vega-Rodríguez
- Laboratory of Malaria and Vector Research, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, Maryland, USA
| | - Adelfa E Serrano
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, Puerto Rico
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Roche-Lima A, Rosado-Quiñones AM, Feliu-Maldonado RA, Figueroa-Gispert MDM, Díaz-Rivera J, Díaz-González RG, Carrasquillo-Carrion K, Nieves BG, Colón-Lorenzo EE, Serrano AE. Antimalarial Drug Combination Predictions Using the Machine Learning Synergy Predictor (MLSyPred©) tool. Acta Parasitol 2024; 69:415-425. [PMID: 38165555 PMCID: PMC11001753 DOI: 10.1007/s11686-023-00765-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2022] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/04/2024]
Abstract
PURPOSE Antimalarial drug resistance is a global public health problem that leads to treatment failure. Synergistic drug combinations can improve treatment outcomes and delay the development of drug resistance. Here, we describe the implementation of a freely available computational tool, Machine Learning Synergy Predictor (MLSyPred©), to predict potential synergy in antimalarial drug combinations. METHODS The MLSyPred© synergy prediction method extracts molecular fingerprints from the drugs' biochemical structures to use as features and also cleans and prepares the raw data. Five machine learning algorithms (Logistic Regression, Random Forest, Support vector machine, Ada Boost, and Gradient Boost) were implemented to build prediction models. Implementation and application of the MLSyPred© tool were tested using datasets from 1540 combinations of 79 drugs and compounds biologically evaluated in pairs for three strains of Plasmodium falciparum (3D7, HB3, and Dd2). RESULTS The best prediction models were obtained using Logistic Regression for antimalarials with the strains Dd2 and HB3 (0.81 and 0.70 AUC, respectively) and Random Forest for antimalarials with 3D7 (0.69 AUC). The MLSyPred© tool yielded 45% precision for synergistically predicted antimalarial drug combinations that were annotated and biologically validated, thus confirming the functionality and applicability of the tool. CONCLUSION The MLSyPred© tool is freely available and represents a promising strategy for discovering potential synergistic drug combinations for further development as novel antimalarial therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abiel Roche-Lima
- Center for Collaborative Research in Health Disparities, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA.
| | - Angélica M Rosado-Quiñones
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
| | - Roberto A Feliu-Maldonado
- Center for Collaborative Research in Health Disparities, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
| | - María Del Mar Figueroa-Gispert
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
| | - Jennifer Díaz-Rivera
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
| | - Roberto G Díaz-González
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
| | - Kelvin Carrasquillo-Carrion
- Center for Collaborative Research in Health Disparities, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
| | - Brenda G Nieves
- Center for Collaborative Research in Health Disparities, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
| | - Emilee E Colón-Lorenzo
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
| | - Adelfa E Serrano
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, San Juan, PR, USA
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Colón-Lorenzo EE, Colón-López DD, Vega-Rodríguez J, Dupin A, Fidock DA, Baerga-Ortiz A, Ortiz JG, Bosch J, Serrano AE. Structure-Based Screening of Plasmodium berghei Glutathione S-Transferase Identifies CB-27 as a Novel Antiplasmodial Compound. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:246. [PMID: 32256353 PMCID: PMC7090221 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00246] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum parasites are increasingly drug-resistant, requiring the search for novel antimalarials with distinct modes of action. Enzymes in the glutathione pathway, including glutathione S-transferase (GST), show promise as novel antimalarial targets. This study aims to better understand the biological function of Plasmodium GST, assess its potential as a drug target, and identify novel antiplasmodial compounds using the rodent model P. berghei. By using reverse genetics, we provided evidence that GST is essential for survival of P. berghei intra-erythrocytic stages and is a valid target for drug development. A structural model of the P. berghei glutathione S-transferase (PbGST) protein was generated and used in a structure-based screening of 900,000 compounds from the ChemBridge Hit2Lead library. Forty compounds were identified as potential inhibitors and analyzed in parasite in vitro drug susceptibility assays. One compound, CB-27, exhibited antiplasmodial activity with an EC50 of 0.5 μM toward P. berghei and 0.9 μM toward P. falciparum multidrug-resistant Dd2 clone B2 parasites. Moreover, CB-27 showed a concentration-dependent inhibition of the PbGST enzyme without inhibiting the human ortholog. A shape similarity screening using CB-27 as query resulted in the identification of 24 novel chemical scaffolds, with six of them showing antiplasmodial activity ranging from EC50 of 0.6-4.9 μM. Pharmacokinetic and toxicity predictions suggest that the lead compounds have drug-likeness properties. The antiplasmodial potency, the absence of hemolytic activity, and the predicted drug-likeness properties position these compounds for lead optimization and further development as antimalarials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emilee E. Colón-Lorenzo
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR, United States
| | - Daisy D. Colón-López
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Joel Vega-Rodríguez
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR, United States
| | - Alice Dupin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - David A. Fidock
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, United States
| | - Abel Baerga-Ortiz
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR, United States
| | - José G. Ortiz
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR, United States
| | - Jürgen Bosch
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore, MD, United States
- Division of Pediatric Pulmonology and Allergy/Immunology, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH, United States
- InterRayBio, LLC, Baltimore, MD, United States
| | - Adelfa E. Serrano
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine, San Juan, PR, United States
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Pérez-Sánchez L, González E, Colón-Lorenzo EE, González-Velázquez W, González-Méndez R, Valle NRD. Correction to: Interaction of the heterotrimeric G protein alpha subunit SSG-1 of Sporothrix schenckii with proteins related to stress response and fungal pathogenicity using a yeast two-hybrid assay. BMC Microbiol 2019; 19:262. [PMID: 31771508 PMCID: PMC6878642 DOI: 10.1186/s12866-019-1656-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Lizaida Pérez-Sánchez
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, PO Box 365067, San Juan, PR, 00936-5067, USA
| | - Elizabeth González
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, PO Box 365067, San Juan, PR, 00936-5067, USA
| | - Emilee E Colón-Lorenzo
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, PO Box 365067, San Juan, PR, 00936-5067, USA
| | - Waleska González-Velázquez
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, PO Box 365067, San Juan, PR, 00936-5067, USA
| | - Ricardo González-Méndez
- Department of Radiological Sciences, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, PO Box 365067, San Juan, PR, 00936-5067, USA
| | - Nuri Rodríguez-Del Valle
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, PO Box 365067, San Juan, PR, 00936-5067, USA.
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Padín-Irizarry V, Colón-Lorenzo EE, Vega-Rodríguez J, Castro MDR, González-Méndez R, Ayala-Peña S, Serrano AE. Glutathione-deficient Plasmodium berghei parasites exhibit growth delay and nuclear DNA damage. Free Radic Biol Med 2016; 95:43-54. [PMID: 26952808 PMCID: PMC4934901 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2016.02.032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2015] [Revised: 02/26/2016] [Accepted: 02/28/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Plasmodium parasites are exposed to endogenous and exogenous oxidative stress during their complex life cycle. To minimize oxidative damage, the parasites use glutathione (GSH) and thioredoxin (Trx) as primary antioxidants. We previously showed that disruption of the Plasmodium berghei gamma-glutamylcysteine synthetase (pbggcs-ko) or the glutathione reductase (pbgr-ko) genes resulted in a significant reduction of GSH in intraerythrocytic stages, and a defect in growth in the pbggcs-ko parasites. In this report, time course experiments of parasite intraerythrocytic development and morphological studies showed a growth delay during the ring to schizont progression. Morphological analysis shows a significant reduction in size (diameter) of trophozoites and schizonts with increased number of cytoplasmic vacuoles in the pbggcs-ko parasites in comparison to the wild type (WT). Furthermore, the pbggcs-ko mutants exhibited an impaired response to oxidative stress and increased levels of nuclear DNA (nDNA) damage. Reduced GSH levels did not result in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage or protein carbonylations in neither pbggcs-ko nor pbgr-ko parasites. In addition, the pbggcs-ko mutant parasites showed an increase in mRNA expression of genes involved in oxidative stress detoxification and DNA synthesis, suggesting a potential compensatory mechanism to allow for parasite proliferation. These results reveal that low GSH levels affect parasite development through the impairment of oxidative stress reduction systems and damage to the nDNA. Our studies provide new insights into the role of the GSH antioxidant system in the intraerythrocytic development of Plasmodium parasites, with potential translation into novel pharmacological interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vivian Padín-Irizarry
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine, San Juan 00936-5067, Puerto Rico
| | - Emilee E Colón-Lorenzo
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine, San Juan 00936-5067, Puerto Rico
| | - Joel Vega-Rodríguez
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine, San Juan 00936-5067, Puerto Rico
| | - María Del R Castro
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine, San Juan 00936-5067, Puerto Rico
| | - Ricardo González-Méndez
- Department of Radiological Sciences, University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine, San Juan 00936-5067, Puerto Rico
| | - Sylvette Ayala-Peña
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine, San Juan 00936-5067, Puerto Rico
| | - Adelfa E Serrano
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, University of Puerto Rico, School of Medicine, San Juan 00936-5067, Puerto Rico.
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Pérez-Sánchez L, González E, Colón-Lorenzo EE, González-Velázquez W, González-Méndez R, Rodríguez-del Valle N. Interaction of the heterotrimeric G protein alpha subunit SSG-1 of Sporothrix schenckii with proteins related to stress response and fungal pathogenicity using a yeast two-hybrid assay. BMC Microbiol 2010; 10:317. [PMID: 21143936 PMCID: PMC3018405 DOI: 10.1186/1471-2180-10-317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2010] [Accepted: 12/09/2010] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Important biological processes require selective and orderly protein-protein interactions at every level of the signalling cascades. G proteins are a family of heterotrimeric GTPases that effect eukaryotic signal transduction through the coupling of cell surface receptors to cytoplasmic effector proteins. They have been associated with growth and pathogenicity in many fungi through gene knock-out studies. In Sporothrix schenckii, a pathogenic, dimorphic fungus, we previously identified a pertussis sensitive G alpha subunit, SSG-1. In this work we inquire into its interactions with other proteins. Results Using the yeast two-hybrid technique, we identified protein-protein interactions between SSG-1 and other important cellular proteins. The interactions were corroborated using co-immuneprecipitation. Using these techniques we identified a Fe/Mn superoxide dismutase (SOD), a glyceraldehyde-3-P dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and two ion transport proteins, a siderophore-iron transporter belonging to the Major Facilitator Superfamily (MFS) and a divalent-cation transporter of the Nramp (natural resistance-associated macrophage protein) family as interacting with SSG-1. The cDNA's encoding these proteins were sequenced and bioinformatic macromolecular sequence analyses were used for the correct classification and functional assignment. Conclusions This study constitutes the first report of the interaction of a fungal G alpha inhibitory subunit with SOD, GAPDH, and two metal ion transporters. The identification of such important proteins as partners of a G alpha subunit in this fungus suggests possible mechanisms through which this G protein can affect pathogenicity and survival under conditions of environmental stress or inside the human host. The two ion transporters identified in this work are the first to be reported in S. schenckii and the first time they are identified as interacting with fungal G protein alpha subunits. The association of G protein alpha subunits to transport molecules reinforces the role of G proteins in the response to environmental signals and also highlights the involvement of fungal G protein alpha subunits in nutrient sensing in S. schenckii. These interactions suggest that these permeases could function as transceptors for G proteins in fungi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lizaida Pérez-Sánchez
- Department of Microbiology and Medical Zoology, Medical Sciences Campus, University of Puerto Rico, PO Box 365067, San Juan, PR 00936-5067, USA
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