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Ahmadi M, Singer D, Potlitz F, Nasri Z, von Woedtke T, Link A, Bekeschus S, Wende K. Cold Physical Plasma-Mediated Fenretinide Prodrug Activation Confers Additive Cytotoxicity in Epithelial Cells. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:1271. [PMID: 37372001 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12061271] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2023] [Revised: 06/09/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Cold physical plasma is a partially ionized gas operated at body temperature and utilized for heat-sensitive technical and medical purposes. Physical plasma is a multi-component system consisting of, e.g., reactive species, ions and electrons, electric fields, and UV light. Therefore, cold plasma technology is an interesting tool for introducing biomolecule oxidative modifications. This concept can be extended to anticancer drugs, including prodrugs, which could be activated in situ to enhance local anticancer effects. To this end, we performed a proof-of-concept study on the oxidative prodrug activation of a tailor-made boronic pinacol ester fenretinide treated with the atmospheric pressure argon plasma jet kINPen operated with either argon, argon-hydrogen, or argon-oxygen feed gas. Fenretinide release from the prodrug was triggered via Baeyer-Villiger-type oxidation of the boron-carbon bond based on hydrogen peroxide and peroxynitrite, which were generated by plasma processes and chemical addition using mass spectrometry. Fenretinide activation led to additive cytotoxic effects in three epithelial cell lines in vitro compared to the effects of cold plasma treatment alone regarding metabolic activity reduction and an increase in terminal cell death, suggesting that cold physical plasma-mediated prodrug activation is a new direction for combination cancer treatment studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Ahmadi
- ZIK plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), Felix Hausdorff-Str. 2, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Debora Singer
- ZIK plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), Felix Hausdorff-Str. 2, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
- Clinic and Policlinic for Dermatology and Venereology, Rostock University Medical Center, Strempelstr. 13, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Felix Potlitz
- Institute of Pharmacy, Greifswald University, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Str. 17, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Zahra Nasri
- ZIK plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), Felix Hausdorff-Str. 2, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Thomas von Woedtke
- ZIK plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), Felix Hausdorff-Str. 2, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
- Institute for Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, Greifswald University Medical Center, Sauerbruchstr., 17475 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Andreas Link
- Institute of Pharmacy, Greifswald University, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Str. 17, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Sander Bekeschus
- ZIK plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), Felix Hausdorff-Str. 2, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
- Clinic and Policlinic for Dermatology and Venereology, Rostock University Medical Center, Strempelstr. 13, 18057 Rostock, Germany
| | - Kristian Wende
- ZIK plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP), Felix Hausdorff-Str. 2, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION The size and complexity of virtual screening libraries in drug discovery have skyrocketed in recent years, reaching up to multiple billions of accessible compounds. However, virtual screening of such ultra-large libraries poses several challenges associated with preparing the libraries, sampling, and pre-selection of suitable compounds. The utilization of artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted screening approaches, such as deep learning, poses a promising countermeasure to deal with this rapidly expanding chemical space. For example, various AI-driven methods were recently successfully used to identify novel small molecule inhibitors of the SARS-CoV-2 main protease (Mpro). AREAS COVERED This review focuses on presenting various kinds of virtual screening methods suitable for dealing with ultra-large libraries. Challenges associated with these computational methodologies are discussed, and recent advances are highlighted in the example of the discovery of novel Mpro inhibitors targeting the SARS-CoV-2 virus. EXPERT OPINION With the rapid expansion of the virtual chemical space, the methodologies for docking and screening such quantities of molecules need to keep pace. Employment of AI-driven screening compounds has already been shown to be effective in a range from a few thousand to multiple billion compounds, furthered by de novo generation of drug-like molecules without human interference.
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Affiliation(s)
- Felix Potlitz
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, University of Greifswald, Germany
| | - Andreas Link
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, University of Greifswald, Germany
| | - Lukas Schulig
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, University of Greifswald, Germany
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Ahmadi M, Potlitz F, Link A, von Woedtke T, Nasri Z, Wende K. Flucytosine-based prodrug activation by cold physical plasma. Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2022; 355:e2200061. [PMID: 35621706 DOI: 10.1002/ardp.202200061] [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: 02/08/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are known to trigger drug release from arylboronate-containing ROS-responsive prodrugs. In cancer cells, elevated levels of ROS can be exploited for the selective activation of prodrugs via Baeyer-Villiger type oxidation rearrangement sequences. Here, we report a proof of concept to demonstrate that these cascades can as well be initiated by cold physical plasma (CPP). An analog of a recently reported fluorouracil prodrug based on the less toxic drug 5-fluorocytosine (5-FC) was synthesized with a view to laboratory safety reasons and used as a model compound to prove our hypothesis that CPP is suitable as a trigger for the prodrug activation. Although the envisioned oxidation and rearrangement with successive loss of boronic acid species could be achieved by plasma treatment, the anticipated spontaneous liberation of 5-FC was inefficient in the model case. However, the obtained results suggest that custom-tailored CPP-responsive prodrugs might become an evolving research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohsen Ahmadi
- Center for Innovation Competence (ZIK) Plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP Greifswald), Greifswald, Germany
| | - Felix Potlitz
- Institute of Pharmacy, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Andreas Link
- Institute of Pharmacy, University of Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Thomas von Woedtke
- Center for Innovation Competence (ZIK) Plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP Greifswald), Greifswald, Germany.,Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP Greifswald), Greifswald, Germany.,Institute for Hygiene and Environmental Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Greifswald, Germany
| | - Zahra Nasri
- Center for Innovation Competence (ZIK) Plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP Greifswald), Greifswald, Germany
| | - Kristian Wende
- Center for Innovation Competence (ZIK) Plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP Greifswald), Greifswald, Germany
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Hofstetter RK, Hasan M, Fassauer GM, Bock C, Surur AS, Behnisch S, Grathwol CW, Potlitz F, Oergel T, Siegmund W, Link A. Simultaneous quantification of acidic and basic flupirtine metabolites by supercritical fluid chromatography according to European Medicines Agency validation. J Chromatogr A 2019; 1603:338-347. [DOI: 10.1016/j.chroma.2019.04.067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Revised: 04/15/2019] [Accepted: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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Hofstetter R, Elvers BJ, Potlitz F, Link A, Schulzke C. Crystal structure of 7,8,15,16,17-penta-thiadi-spiro-[5.2.5 9.3 6]hepta-deca-ne. Acta Crystallogr E Crystallogr Commun 2019; 75:888-891. [PMID: 31391988 PMCID: PMC6658967 DOI: 10.1107/s2056989019007138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The title compound, C12H20S5, crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c with four mol-ecules in the unit cell. In the crystal, the asymmetric unit comprises the entire mol-ecule with the three cyclic moieties arranged in a line. The mol-ecules in the unit cell pack in a parallel fashion, with their longitudinal axes arranged along a uniform direction. The packing is stabilized by the one-dimensional propagation of non-classical hydrogen-bonding contacts between the central sulfur atom of the S3 fragment and the C-H of a cyclo-hexyl group from a glide-related mol-ecule [C⋯S = 3.787 (2) Å].
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert Hofstetter
- Institut für Pharmazie, Universität Greifswald, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Strasse 17, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Benedict J. Elvers
- Institut für Biochemie, Universität Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Strasse 4, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Felix Potlitz
- Institut für Pharmazie, Universität Greifswald, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Strasse 17, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Andreas Link
- Institut für Pharmazie, Universität Greifswald, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Strasse 17, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
| | - Carola Schulzke
- Institut für Biochemie, Universität Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Strasse 4, 17489 Greifswald, Germany
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Hofstetter RK, Potlitz F, Schulig L, Kim S, Hasan M, Link A. Subcritical Fluid Chromatography at Sub-Ambient Temperatures for the Chiral Resolution of Ketamine Metabolites with Rapid-Onset Antidepressant Effects. Molecules 2019; 24:E1927. [PMID: 31109124 PMCID: PMC6572699 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24101927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Revised: 05/13/2019] [Accepted: 05/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Chiral metabolites of ketamine exerting rapid-onset yet sustained antidepressant effects may be marketed directly in the future, but require chemo- and enantio-selective chromatographic methods for quality assurance and control. The chromatographic behavior of S-/R-ketamine, S-/R-norketamine, S-/R-dehydronorketamine, and (2R,6R)-/(2S,6S)-hydroxynorketamine in supercritical fluid chromatography (SFC) was investigated computationally and experimentally with the aim of identifying problematic pairs of enantiomers and parameters for chiral resolution. Retention on three different polysaccharide-based chiral stationary phases (Lux Amylose-2, i-Amylose-3, and i-Cellulose-5) provided new information on the significance of halogen atoms as halogen bond donors and hydrogen bond acceptors for enantioselectivity, which could be corroborated in silico by molecular docking studies. Modifiers inversely affected enantioselectivity and retention. Methanol yielded lower run times but superior chiral resolution compared to 2-propanol. Lower temperatures than those conventionally screened did not impair phase homogeneity but improved enantioresolution, at no cost to reproducibility. Thus, sub-ambient temperature subcritical fluid chromatography (SubFC), essentially low-temperature HPLC with subcritical CO2, was applied. The optimization of the SubFC method facilitated the chiral separation of ketamine and its metabolites, which was applied in combination with direct injection and online supercritical fluid extraction to determine the purity of pharmaceutical ketamine formulations for proof of concept.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert K Hofstetter
- Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Str. 17, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Felix Potlitz
- Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Str. 17, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Lukas Schulig
- Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Str. 17, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Simon Kim
- Department of Trauma, Reconstructive Surgery and Rehabilitation Medicine, University Medicine Greifswald, Ferdinand-Sauerbruch-Straße, 17475 Greifswald, Germany.
- Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP Greifswald), Felix-Hausdorff-Straße 2, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Mahmoud Hasan
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Center of Drug Absorption and Transport (C_DAT), University Medicine Greifswald, 17475 Greifswald, Germany.
| | - Andreas Link
- Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Str. 17, 17489 Greifswald, Germany.
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