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Obermann W, Azri MFD, Konopka L, Schmidt N, Magari F, Sherman J, Silva LMR, Hermosilla C, Ludewig AH, Houhou H, Haeberlein S, Luo MY, Häcker I, Schetelig MF, Grevelding CG, Schroeder FC, Lau GSK, Taubert A, Rodriguez A, Heine A, Yeo TC, Grünweller A, Taroncher-Oldenburg G. Broad anti-pathogen potential of DEAD box RNA helicase eIF4A-targeting rocaglates. Sci Rep 2023; 13:9297. [PMID: 37291191 PMCID: PMC10250355 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35765-6] [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: 11/23/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of eukaryotic initiation factor 4A has been proposed as a strategy to fight pathogens. Rocaglates exhibit the highest specificities among eIF4A inhibitors, but their anti-pathogenic potential has not been comprehensively assessed across eukaryotes. In silico analysis of the substitution patterns of six eIF4A1 aa residues critical to rocaglate binding, uncovered 35 variants. Molecular docking of eIF4A:RNA:rocaglate complexes, and in vitro thermal shift assays with select recombinantly expressed eIF4A variants, revealed that sensitivity correlated with low inferred binding energies and high melting temperature shifts. In vitro testing with silvestrol validated predicted resistance in Caenorhabditis elegans and Leishmania amazonensis and predicted sensitivity in Aedes sp., Schistosoma mansoni, Trypanosoma brucei, Plasmodium falciparum, and Toxoplasma gondii. Our analysis further revealed the possibility of targeting important insect, plant, animal, and human pathogens with rocaglates. Finally, our findings might help design novel synthetic rocaglate derivatives or alternative eIF4A inhibitors to fight pathogens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wiebke Obermann
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | | | - Leonie Konopka
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Nina Schmidt
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Francesca Magari
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Julian Sherman
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Liliana M R Silva
- Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Carlos Hermosilla
- Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Andreas H Ludewig
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | - Hicham Houhou
- Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Simone Haeberlein
- Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Mona Yiting Luo
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Irina Häcker
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Marc F Schetelig
- Institute for Insect Biotechnology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Christoph G Grevelding
- Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Frank C Schroeder
- Boyce Thompson Institute, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA
| | | | - Anja Taubert
- Institute of Parasitology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Ana Rodriguez
- Department of Microbiology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, USA
| | - Andreas Heine
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany
| | - Tiong Chia Yeo
- Sarawak Biodiversity Centre, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
| | - Arnold Grünweller
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
| | - Gaspar Taroncher-Oldenburg
- Sarawak Biodiversity Centre, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia.
- Gaspar Taroncher Consulting, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
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Beutler M, Harnischfeger J, Weber MHW, Hahnel SR, Quack T, Blohm A, Ueberall ME, Timm T, Lochnit G, Rennar GA, Gallinger TL, Houhou H, Rahlfs S, Falcone FH, Becker K, Schlitzer M, Haeberlein S, Czermak P, Salzig D, Grevelding CG. Identification and characterisation of the tegument-expressed aldehyde dehydrogenase SmALDH_312 of Schistosoma mansoni, a target of disulfiram. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 251:115179. [PMID: 36948075 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115179] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2023]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is an infectious disease caused by blood flukes of the genus Schistosoma and affects approximately 200 million people worldwide. Since Praziquantel (PZQ) is the only drug for schistosomiasis, alternatives are needed. By a biochemical approach, we identified a tegumentally expressed aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) of S. mansoni, SmALDH_312. Molecular analyses of adult parasites showed Smaldh_312 transcripts in both genders and different tissues. Physiological and cell-biological experiments exhibited detrimental effects of the drug disulfiram (DSF), a known ALDH inhibitor, on larval and adult schistosomes in vitro. DSF also reduced stem-cell proliferation and caused severe tegument damage in treated worms. In silico-modelling of SmALDH_312 and docking analyses predicted DSF binding, which we finally confirmed by enzyme assays with recombinant SmALDH_312. Furthermore, we identified compounds of the Medicine for Malaria Venture (MMV) pathogen box inhibiting SmALDH_312 activity. Our findings represent a promising starting point for further development towards new drugs for schistosomiasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mandy Beutler
- Institute of Parasitology, BFS, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Julie Harnischfeger
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Michael H W Weber
- Institute of Parasitology, BFS, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Steffen R Hahnel
- Institute of Parasitology, BFS, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Thomas Quack
- Institute of Parasitology, BFS, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Ariane Blohm
- Institute of Parasitology, BFS, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Monique E Ueberall
- Institute of Parasitology, BFS, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany; Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Thomas Timm
- Protein Analytics, Institute of Biochemistry, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Günter Lochnit
- Protein Analytics, Institute of Biochemistry, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Georg A Rennar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps Universität Marburg, Germany, Germany
| | - Tom L Gallinger
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps Universität Marburg, Germany, Germany
| | - Hicham Houhou
- Institute of Parasitology, BFS, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Stefan Rahlfs
- Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Centre, Justus Liebig University, Germany
| | - Franco H Falcone
- Institute of Parasitology, BFS, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Katja Becker
- Institute for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Interdisciplinary Research Centre, Justus Liebig University, Germany
| | - Martin Schlitzer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps Universität Marburg, Germany, Germany
| | - Simone Haeberlein
- Institute of Parasitology, BFS, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - Peter Czermak
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Denise Salzig
- Institute of Bioprocess Engineering and Pharmaceutical Technology, University of Applied Sciences Mittelhessen, Giessen, Germany
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Morawietz CM, Houhou H, Puckelwaldt O, Hehr L, Dreisbach D, Mokosch A, Roeb E, Roderfeld M, Spengler B, Haeberlein S. Targeting Kinases in Fasciola hepatica: Anthelminthic Effects and Tissue Distribution of Selected Kinase Inhibitors. Front Vet Sci 2020; 7:611270. [PMID: 33409299 PMCID: PMC7779637 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2020.611270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [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: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein kinases have been discussed as promising druggable targets in various parasitic helminths. New drugs are also needed for control of fascioliasis, a food-borne trematode infection and worldwide spread zoonosis, caused by the liver fluke Fasciola hepatica and related species. In this study, we intended to move protein kinases more into the spotlight of Fasciola drug research and characterized the fasciolicidal activity of two small-molecule inhibitors from human cancer research: the Abelson tyrosine kinase (ABL-TK) inhibitor imatinib and the polo-like 1 (PLK1) inhibitor BI2536. BI2536 reduced viability of 4-week-old immature flukes in vitro, while adult worms showed a blockade of egg production. Together with a significantly higher transcriptional expression of PLK1 in adult compared to immature worms, this argues for a role of PLK1 in fluke reproduction. Both fluke stages expressed ABL1-TK transcripts at similar high levels and were affected by imatinib. To study the uptake kinetic and tissue distribution of imatinib in F. hepatica, we applied matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) for the first time in this parasite. Drug imaging revealed the accumulation of imatinib in different fluke tissues from 20 min to 12 h of exposure. Furthermore, we show that imatinib is metabolized to N-desmethyl imatinib by F. hepatica, a bioactive metabolite also found in humans. Besides the vitellarium, gastrodermal tissue showed strong signal intensities. In situ hybridization demonstrated the gastrodermal presence of abl1 transcripts. Finally, we assessed transcriptional changes of physiologically important genes in imatinib-treated flukes. Moderately increased transcript levels of a gene encoding a multidrug resistance protein were detected, which may reflect an attempt to defend against imatinib. Increased expression levels of the cell cycle dependently expressed histone h2b and of two genes encoding superoxide dismutases (SODs) were also observed. In summary, our pilot study demonstrated cross-stage activity of imatinib but not BI2536 against immature and adult F. hepatica in vitro; a fast incorporation of imatinib within minutes, probably via the oral route; and imatinib-induced expression changes of physiologically relevant genes. We conclude that kinases are worth analyzing in more detail to evaluate the potential as therapeutic targets in F. hepatica.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolin M Morawietz
- Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Hicham Houhou
- Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Oliver Puckelwaldt
- Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Laura Hehr
- Department of Gastroenterology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Domenic Dreisbach
- Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Annika Mokosch
- Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Elke Roeb
- Department of Gastroenterology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Martin Roderfeld
- Department of Gastroenterology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Bernhard Spengler
- Institute of Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
| | - Simone Haeberlein
- Biomedical Research Center Seltersberg (BFS), Institute of Parasitology, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Giessen, Germany
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