1
|
Bobrovs R, Bolsakova J, Buitrago JAR, Varaceva L, Skvorcova M, Kanepe I, Rudnickiha A, Parisini E, Jirgensons A. Structure-based identification of salicylic acid derivatives as malarial threonyl tRNA-synthetase inhibitors. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0296995. [PMID: 38558084 PMCID: PMC10984466 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0296995] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Emerging resistance to existing antimalarial drugs drives the search for new antimalarials, and protein translation is a promising pathway to target. Threonyl t-RNA synthetase (ThrRS) is one of the enzymes involved in this pathway, and it has been validated as an anti-malarial drug target. Here, we present 9 structurally diverse low micromolar Plasmodium falciparum ThrRS inhibitors that were identified using high-throughput virtual screening (HTVS) and were verified in a FRET enzymatic assay. Salicylic acid-based compound (LE = 0.34) was selected as a most perspective hit and was subjected to hit-to-lead optimisation. A total of 146 hit analogues were synthesised or obtained from commercial vendors and were tested. Structure-activity relationship study was supported by the crystal structure of the complex of a salicylic acid analogue with a close homologue of the plasmodium target, E. coli ThrRS (EcThrRS). Despite the availability of structural information, the hit identified via virtual screening remained one of the most potent PfThrRS inhibitors within this series. However, the compounds presented herein provide novel scaffolds for ThrRS inhibitors, which could serve as starting points for further medicinal chemistry projects targeting ThrRSs or structurally similar enzymes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Iveta Kanepe
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Riga, Latvia
| | | | - Emilio Parisini
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Riga, Latvia
- Department of Chemistry “G. Ciamician”, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Bolsakova J, Bobrovs R, Varacheva L, Rudnickiha A, Kanepe I, Parisini E, Jirgensons A. Discovery of Malarial Threonyl tRNA Synthetase Inhibitors by Screening of a Focused Fragment Library. ACS Med Chem Lett 2024; 15:76-80. [PMID: 38229753 PMCID: PMC10789136 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00403] [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: 09/09/2023] [Revised: 12/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
While Plasmodium falciparum threonyl tRNA synthetase (PfThrRS) has clearly been validated as a prospective antimalarial drug target, the number of known inhbitors of this enzyme is still limited. In order to expand the chemotypes acting as inhibitors of PfThrRS, a set of fragments were designed which incorporated bioisosteres of the N-acylphosphate moiety of the aminoacyladenylate as an intermediate of an enzymatic reaction. N-Acyl sulfamate- and N-acyl benzenethiazolsulfonamide-based fragments 9a and 9k were identified as inhibitors of the PfThrRSby biochemical assay at 100 μM concentration. These fragments were then developed into potent PfThrRS inhibitors (10a,b and 11) by linking them with an amino pyrimidine as a bioisostere of adenine in the enzymatic reaction intermediate.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Raitis Bobrovs
- Latvian
Institute of Organic Synthesis, Riga LV-1006, Latvia
| | | | | | - Iveta Kanepe
- Latvian
Institute of Organic Synthesis, Riga LV-1006, Latvia
| | - Emilio Parisini
- Latvian
Institute of Organic Synthesis, Riga LV-1006, Latvia
- Department
of Chemistry “G. Ciamician”, University of Bologna, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | | |
Collapse
|
3
|
McLellan JL, Sausman W, Reers AB, Bunnik EM, Hanson KK. Single-cell quantitative bioimaging of P. berghei liver stage translation. mSphere 2023; 8:e0054423. [PMID: 37909773 PMCID: PMC10732057 DOI: 10.1128/msphere.00544-23] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023] Open
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Plasmodium parasites cause malaria in humans. New multistage active antimalarial drugs are needed, and a promising class of drugs targets the core cellular process of translation, which has many potential molecular targets. During the obligate liver stage, Plasmodium parasites grow in metabolically active hepatocytes, making it challenging to study core cellular processes common to both host cells and parasites, as the signal from the host typically overwhelms that of the parasite. Here, we present and validate a flexible assay to quantify Plasmodium liver stage translation using a technique to fluorescently label the newly synthesized proteins of both host and parasite followed by computational separation of their respective nascent proteomes in confocal image sets. We use the assay to determine whether a test set of known compounds are direct or indirect liver stage translation inhibitors and show that the assay can also predict the mode of action for novel antimalarial compounds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James L. McLellan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - William Sausman
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Ashley B. Reers
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Evelien M. Bunnik
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| | - Kirsten K. Hanson
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas, USA
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Xie SC, Griffin MDW, Winzeler EA, Ribas de Pouplana L, Tilley L. Targeting Aminoacyl tRNA Synthetases for Antimalarial Drug Development. Annu Rev Microbiol 2023; 77:111-129. [PMID: 37018842 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-micro-032421-121210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
Infections caused by malaria parasites place an enormous burden on the world's poorest communities. Breakthrough drugs with novel mechanisms of action are urgently needed. As an organism that undergoes rapid growth and division, the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is highly reliant on protein synthesis, which in turn requires aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) to charge tRNAs with their corresponding amino acid. Protein translation is required at all stages of the parasite life cycle; thus, aaRS inhibitors have the potential for whole-of-life-cycle antimalarial activity. This review focuses on efforts to identify potent plasmodium-specific aaRS inhibitors using phenotypic screening, target validation, and structure-guided drug design. Recent work reveals that aaRSs are susceptible targets for a class of AMP-mimicking nucleoside sulfamates that target the enzymes via a novel reaction hijacking mechanism. This finding opens up the possibility of generating bespoke inhibitors of different aaRSs, providing new drug leads.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Stanley C Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology and Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; , ,
| | - Michael D W Griffin
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology and Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; , ,
| | - Elizabeth A Winzeler
- Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA;
| | - Lluis Ribas de Pouplana
- Institute for Research in Biomedicine, The Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain;
- Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain
| | - Leann Tilley
- Department of Biochemistry and Pharmacology and Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia; , ,
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
McLellan JL, Sausman W, Reers AB, Bunnik EM, Hanson KK. Single-cell quantitative bioimaging of P. berghei liver stage translation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.07.05.547872. [PMID: 37461595 PMCID: PMC10350035 DOI: 10.1101/2023.07.05.547872] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/24/2023]
Abstract
Plasmodium parasite resistance to existing antimalarial drugs poses a devastating threat to the lives of many who depend on their efficacy. New antimalarial drugs and novel drug targets are in critical need, along with novel assays to accelerate their identification. Given the essentiality of protein synthesis throughout the complex parasite lifecycle, translation inhibitors are a promising drug class, capable of targeting the disease-causing blood stage of infection, as well as the asymptomatic liver stage, a crucial target for prophylaxis. To identify compounds capable of inhibiting liver stage parasite translation, we developed an assay to visualize and quantify translation in the P. berghei-HepG2 infection model. After labeling infected monolayers with o-propargyl puromycin (OPP), a functionalized analog of puromycin permitting subsequent bioorthogonal addition of a fluorophore to each OPP-terminated nascent polypetide, we use automated confocal feedback microscopy followed by batch image segmentation and feature extraction to visualize and quantify the nascent proteome in individual P. berghei liver stage parasites and host cells simultaneously. After validation, we demonstrate specific, concentration-dependent liver stage translation inhibition by both parasite-selective and pan-eukaryotic active compounds, and further show that acute pre-treatment and competition modes of the OPP assay can distinguish between direct and indirect translation inhibitors. We identify a Malaria Box compound, MMV019266, as a direct translation inhibitor in P. berghei liver stages and confirm this potential mode of action in P. falciparum asexual blood stages.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James L McLellan
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - William Sausman
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Ashley B Reers
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Evelien M Bunnik
- Department of Microbiology, Immunology, and Molecular Genetics, Long School of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center, San Antonio, TX, USA
| | - Kirsten K Hanson
- Department of Molecular Microbiology and Immunology and South Texas Center for Emerging Infectious Diseases, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Buitrago JAR, Leitis G, Kaņepe-Lapsa I, Rudnickiha A, Parisini E, Jirgensons A. Synthesis and evaluation of an agrocin 84 toxic moiety (TM84) analogue as a malarial threonyl tRNA synthetase inhibitor. Org Biomol Chem 2023. [PMID: 37335076 DOI: 10.1039/d3ob00670k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
An analogue of a toxic moiety (TM84) of natural product agrocin 84 containing threonine amide instead of 2,3-dihydroxy-4-methylpentanamide was prepared and evaluated as a putative Plasmodium falciparum threonyl t-RNA synthetase (PfThrRS) inhibitor. This TM84 analogue features submicromolar inhibitory potency (IC50 = 440 nM) comparable to that of borrelidin (IC50 = 43 nM) and therefore complements chemotypes known to inhibit malarial PfThrRS, which are currently limited to borrelidin and its analogues. The crystal structure of the inhibitor in complex with the E. coli homologue enzyme (EcThrRS) was obtained, revealing crucial ligand-protein interactions that will pave the way for the design of novel ThrRS inhibitors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Gundars Leitis
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Riga LV-1006, Latvia
| | | | | | - Emilio Parisini
- Latvian Institute of Organic Synthesis, Riga LV-1006, Latvia
- Department of Chemistry "G. Ciamician", University of Bologna, 40126, Bologna, Italy.
| | | |
Collapse
|
7
|
Nasim F, Qureshi IA. Aminoacyl tRNA Synthetases: Implications of Structural Biology in Drug Development against Trypanosomatid Parasites. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:14884-14899. [PMID: 37151504 PMCID: PMC10157851 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c00826] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
The ensemble of aminoacyl tRNA synthetases is regarded as a key component of the protein translation machinery. With the progressive increase in structure-based studies on tRNA synthetase-ligand complexes, the detailed picture of these enzymes is becoming clear. Having known their critical role in deciphering the genetic code in a living system, they have always been chosen as one of the important targets for development of antimicrobial drugs. Later on, the role of aminoacyl tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) on the survivability of trypanosomatids has also been validated. It became evident through several gene knockout studies that targeting even one of these enzymes affected parasitic growth drastically. Such successful studies have inspired researchers to search for inhibitors that could specifically target trypanosomal aaRSs, and their never-ending efforts have provided fruitful results. Taking all such studies into consideration, these macromolecules of prime importance deserve further investigation for the development of drugs that cure spectrum of infections caused by trypanosomatids. In this review, we have compiled advancements of over a decade that have taken place in the pursuit of devising drugs by using trypanosomatid aaRSs as a major target of interest. Several of these inhibitors work on an exemplary low concentration range without posing any threat to the mammalian cells which is a very critical aspect of the drug discovery process. Advancements have been made in terms of using structural biology as an important tool to analyze the architecture of the trypanosomatids aaRSs and concoction of inhibitors with augmented specificities toward their targets. Some of the inhibitors that have been tested on other parasites successfully but their efficacy has so far not been validated against these trypanosomatids have also been appended.
Collapse
|
8
|
Tyrosine-targeted covalent inhibition of a tRNA synthetase aided by zinc ion. Commun Biol 2023; 6:107. [PMID: 36707692 PMCID: PMC9880928 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04517-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 01/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (AARSs), a family of essential protein synthesis enzymes, are attractive targets for drug development. Although several different types of AARS inhibitors have been identified, AARS covalent inhibitors have not been reported. Here we present five unusual crystal structures showing that threonyl-tRNA synthetase (ThrRS) is covalently inhibited by a natural product, obafluorin (OB). The residue forming a covalent bond with OB is a tyrosine in ThrRS active center, which is not commonly modified by covalent inhibitors. The two hydroxyl groups on the o-diphenol moiety of OB form two coordination bonds with the conserved zinc ion in the active center of ThrRS. Therefore, the β-lactone structure of OB can undergo ester exchange reaction with the phenolic group of the adjacent tyrosine to form a covalent bond between the compound and the enzyme, and allow its nitrobenzene structure to occupy the binding site of tRNA. In addition, when this tyrosine was replaced by a lysine or even a weakly nucleophilic arginine, similar bonds could also be formed. Our report of the mechanism of a class of AARS covalent inhibitor targeting multiple amino acid residues could facilitate approaches to drug discovery for cancer and infectious diseases.
Collapse
|
9
|
Gill J, Sharma A. Exploration of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases from eukaryotic parasites for drug development. J Biol Chem 2022; 299:102860. [PMID: 36596362 PMCID: PMC9978631 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2022.102860] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Revised: 12/26/2022] [Accepted: 12/27/2022] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Parasitic diseases result in considerable human morbidity and mortality. The continuous emergence and spread of new drug-resistant parasite strains is an obstacle to controlling and eliminating many parasitic diseases. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) are ubiquitous enzymes essential for protein synthesis. The design and development of diverse small molecule, drug-like inhibitors against parasite-encoded and expressed aaRSs have validated this enzyme family as druggable. In this work, we have compiled the progress to date towards establishing the druggability of aaRSs in terms of their biochemical characterization, validation as targets, inhibitor development, and structural interpretation from parasites responsible for malaria (Plasmodium), lymphatic filariasis (Brugia,Wuchereria bancrofti), giardiasis (Giardia), toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii), leishmaniasis (Leishmania), cryptosporidiosis (Cryptosporidium), and trypanosomiasis (Trypanosoma). This work thus provides a robust framework for the systematic dissection of aaRSs from these pathogens and will facilitate the cross-usage of potential inhibitors to jump-start anti-parasite drug development.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jasmita Gill
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India
| | - Amit Sharma
- ICMR-National Institute of Malaria Research, New Delhi, India; Molecular Medicine Group, International Centre for Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology, New Delhi, India; Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad, India.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Rybak M, Gudzera OI, Gorbatiuk OB, Usenko MO, Yarmoluk SM, Tukalo MA, Volynets GP. Rational Design of Hit Compounds Targeting Staphylococcus aureus Threonyl-tRNA Synthetase. ACS OMEGA 2021; 6:24910-24918. [PMID: 34604672 PMCID: PMC8482496 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c03789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Staphylococcus aureus is one of the most dangerous nosocomial pathogens which cause a wide variety of hospital-acquired infectious diseases. S. aureus is considered as a superbug due to the development of multidrug resistance to all current therapeutic regimens. Therefore, the discovery of antibiotics with novel mechanisms of action to combat staphylococcal infections is of high priority for modern medicinal chemistry. Nowadays, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are considered as promising molecular targets for antibiotic development. In the present study, we used for the first time S. aureus threonyl-tRNA synthetase (ThrRS) as a molecular target. Recombinant S. aureus ThrRS was obtained in the soluble form in a sufficient amount for inhibitor screening assay. Using the molecular docking approach, we selected 180 compounds for investigation of inhibitory activity toward ThrRS. Among the tested compounds, we identified five inhibitors from different chemical classes decreasing the activity of ThrRS by more than 70% at a concentration of 100 μM. The most active compound 2,4-dibromo-6-{[4-(4-nitro-phenyl)-thiazol-2-yl]-hydrazonomethyl}-phenol has an IC50 value of 56.5 ± 3.5 μM. These compounds are not cytotoxic toward eukaryotic cells HEK293 (EC50 > 100 μM) and can be useful for further optimization and biological research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mariia
Yu. Rybak
- Department
of Protein Synthesis Enzymology, Institute
of Molecular Biology and Genetics National Academy of Sciences of
Ukraine, 150 Zabolotnogo Street, Kyiv 03143, Ukraine
| | - Olga I. Gudzera
- Department
of Protein Synthesis Enzymology, Institute
of Molecular Biology and Genetics National Academy of Sciences of
Ukraine, 150 Zabolotnogo Street, Kyiv 03143, Ukraine
| | - Oksana B. Gorbatiuk
- Department
of Cell Regulatory Mechanisms, Institute
of Molecular Biology and Genetics National Academy of Sciences of
Ukraine, 150 Zabolotnogo Street, Kyiv 03143, Ukraine
| | - Mariia O. Usenko
- Department
of Cell Regulatory Mechanisms, Institute
of Molecular Biology and Genetics National Academy of Sciences of
Ukraine, 150 Zabolotnogo Street, Kyiv 03143, Ukraine
| | - Sergiy M. Yarmoluk
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Molecular
Biology and Genetics National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 150 Zabolotnogo Street, Kyiv 03143, Ukraine
| | - Michael A. Tukalo
- Department
of Protein Synthesis Enzymology, Institute
of Molecular Biology and Genetics National Academy of Sciences of
Ukraine, 150 Zabolotnogo Street, Kyiv 03143, Ukraine
| | - Galyna P. Volynets
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Molecular
Biology and Genetics National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, 150 Zabolotnogo Street, Kyiv 03143, Ukraine
- The
Scientific-Services Company “OTAVA”, 150 Zabolotnogo Street, Kyiv 03143, Ukraine
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Pang L, Weeks SD, Van Aerschot A. Aminoacyl-tRNA Synthetases as Valuable Targets for Antimicrobial Drug Discovery. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:1750. [PMID: 33578647 PMCID: PMC7916415 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22041750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs) catalyze the esterification of tRNA with a cognate amino acid and are essential enzymes in all three kingdoms of life. Due to their important role in the translation of the genetic code, aaRSs have been recognized as suitable targets for the development of small molecule anti-infectives. In this review, following a concise discussion of aaRS catalytic and proof-reading activities, the various inhibitory mechanisms of reported natural and synthetic aaRS inhibitors are discussed. Using the expanding repository of ligand-bound X-ray crystal structures, we classified these compounds based on their binding sites, focusing on their ability to compete with the association of one, or more of the canonical aaRS substrates. In parallel, we examined the determinants of species-selectivity and discuss potential resistance mechanisms of some of the inhibitor classes. Combined, this structural perspective highlights the opportunities for further exploration of the aaRS enzyme family as antimicrobial targets.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Luping Pang
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Medicinal Chemistry, Herestraat 49–box 1041, 3000 Leuven, Belgium;
- KU Leuven, Biocrystallography, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, Herestraat 49–box 822, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | | | - Arthur Van Aerschot
- KU Leuven, Rega Institute for Medical Research, Medicinal Chemistry, Herestraat 49–box 1041, 3000 Leuven, Belgium;
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (AARSs) have been considered very attractive drug-targets for decades. This interest probably emerged with the identification of differences in AARSs between prokaryotic and eukaryotic species, which provided a rationale for the development of antimicrobials targeting bacterial AARSs with minimal effect on the homologous human AARSs. Today we know that AARSs are not only attractive, but also valid drug targets as they are housekeeping proteins that: (i) play a fundamental role in protein translation by charging the corresponding amino acid to its cognate tRNA and preventing mistranslation mistakes [1], a critical process during fast growing conditions of microbes; and (ii) present significant differences between microbes and humans that can be used for drug development [2]. Together with the vast amount of available data on both pathogenic and mammalian AARSs, it is expected that, in the future, the numerous reported inhibitors of AARSs will provide the basis to develop new therapeutics for the treatment of human diseases. In this chapter, a detailed summary on the state-of-the-art in drug discovery and drug development for each aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase will be presented.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Maria Lukarska
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Structural Biology of Novel Drug Targets in Human Diseases, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France
| | - Andrés Palencia
- Institute for Advanced Biosciences (IAB), Structural Biology of Novel Drug Targets in Human Diseases, INSERM U1209, CNRS UMR 5309, University Grenoble Alpes, Grenoble, France.
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs) are essential enzymes for protein synthesis with evolutionarily conserved enzymatic mechanisms. Despite their similarity across organisms, scientists have been able to generate effective anti-infective agents based on the structural differences in the catalytic clefts of ARSs from pathogens and humans. However, recent genomic, proteomic and functionomic advances have unveiled unexpected disease-associated mutations and altered expression, secretion and interactions in human ARSs, revealing hidden biological functions beyond their catalytic roles in protein synthesis. These studies have also brought to light their potential as a rich and unexplored source for new therapeutic targets and agents through multiple avenues, including direct targeting of the catalytic sites, controlling disease-associated protein-protein interactions and developing novel biologics from the secreted ARS proteins or their parts. This Review addresses the emerging biology and therapeutic applications of human ARSs in diseases including autoimmune and rare diseases, and cancer.
Collapse
|
14
|
Feng LS, Xu Z, Chang L, Li C, Yan XF, Gao C, Ding C, Zhao F, Shi F, Wu X. Hybrid molecules with potential in vitro antiplasmodial and in vivo antimalarial activity against drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum. Med Res Rev 2019; 40:931-971. [PMID: 31692025 DOI: 10.1002/med.21643] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2019] [Revised: 09/16/2019] [Accepted: 10/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Malaria is a tropical disease, leading to around half a million deaths annually. Antimalarials such as quinolines are crucial to fight against malaria, but malaria control is extremely challenged by the limited pipeline of effective pharmaceuticals against drug-resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum which are resistant toward almost all currently accessible antimalarials. To tackle the growing resistance, new antimalarial drugs are needed urgently. Hybrid molecules which contain two or more pharmacophores have the potential to overcome the drug resistance, and hybridization of quinoline privileged antimalarial building block with other antimalarial pharmacophores may provide novel molecules with enhanced in vitro and in vivo activity against drug-resistant (including multidrug-resistant) P falciparum. In recent years, numerous of quinoline hybrids were developed, and their activities against a panel of drug-resistant P falciparum strains were screened. Some of quinoline hybrids were found to possess promising in vitro and in vivo potency. This review emphasized quinoline hybrid molecules with potential in vitro antiplasmodial and in vivo antimalarial activity against drug-resistant P falciparum, covering articles published between 2010 and 2019.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Zhi Xu
- Guizhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Guiyang, China
| | - Le Chang
- WuXi AppTec Co, Ltd, Wuhan, China
| | - Chuan Li
- WuXi AppTec Co, Ltd, Wuhan, China
| | | | | | | | | | - Feng Shi
- WuXi AppTec Co, Ltd, Wuhan, China
| | - Xiang Wu
- WuXi AppTec Co, Ltd, Wuhan, China
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Abd-Ellatif AES, Abdel-Razek AS, Hamed A, Soltan MM, Soliman HSM, Shaaban M. Bioactive compounds from marine Streptomyces
sp.: Structure identification and biological activities. VIETNAM JOURNAL OF CHEMISTRY 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/vjch.201900108] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Aya E. S. Abd-Ellatif
- Pharmacognosy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy; Helwan University; Helwan 11795 Cairo Egypt
| | - Ahmed S. Abdel-Razek
- Microbial Chemistry Department Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology Research Division; National Research Centre; El-Buhouth St. 33; Dokki-Cairo 12622 Egypt
| | - Abdelaaty Hamed
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science; Al-Azhar University; Nasr City-Cairo 11884 Egypt
| | - Maha M Soltan
- Biology Unit, Central Laboratory for Pharmaceutical and Drug Industries Research Division, Chemistry of Medicinal Plants Department; National Research Centre; El-Buhouth St. 33; Dokki-Cairo 12622 Egypt
| | - Hesham S. M. Soliman
- Pharmacognosy Department, Faculty of Pharmacy; Helwan University; Helwan 11795 Cairo Egypt
| | - Mohamed Shaaban
- Chemistry of Natural Compounds Department, Pharmaceutical and Drug Industries Research Division; National Research Centre; El-Buhouth St. 33; Dokki-Cairo 12622 Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Hamed A, Abdel-Razek AS, Frese M, Wibberg D, El-Haddad AF, Ibrahim TMA, Kalinowski J, Sewald N, Shaaban M. N-Acetylborrelidin B: a new bioactive metabolite from Streptomyces mutabilis sp. MII. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2019; 73:49-57. [PMID: 29055178 DOI: 10.1515/znc-2017-0140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2017] [Accepted: 09/22/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
In the course of our screening program for new bioactive compounds, a naturally new 18-membered macrolide antibiotic, N-acetylborrelidin B (1) along with borrelidin (2) were obtained from the marine Streptomyces mutabilis sp. MII. The strain was isolated from a sediment sample collected in the Red Sea at the Hurghada Coast and characterized taxonomically. Additional nine diverse bioactive compounds were reported: 6-prenyl-indole-3-acetonitrile (3), sitosteryl-3β-d-glucoside, campesterol, ferulic acid, linoleic acid methyl ester, linoleic acid, N-acetylanthranilic acid, indole 3-acetic acid methyl ester, indole 3-carboxylic acid, and adenosine. Structure 1 was confirmed by in-depth NMR studies and by mass spectra, and comparison with related literature data. The antimicrobial activity of the strain extract and compounds 1 and 2 were studied using a panel of pathogenic microorganisms. The in vitro cytotoxicity of compounds 1 and 2 as well as the crude extract were tested against the human cervix carcinoma cell line (KB-3-1).
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Abdelaaty Hamed
- Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, D-33501 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Ahmed S Abdel-Razek
- Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, D-33501 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Marcel Frese
- Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, D-33501 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Daniel Wibberg
- Centrum für Biotechnologie (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 27, D-33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Atef F El-Haddad
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo 11884, Egypt
| | - Tarek M A Ibrahim
- Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo 11884, Egypt
| | - Jörn Kalinowski
- Centrum für Biotechnologie (CeBiTec), Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 27, D-33615 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Norbert Sewald
- Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, D-33501 Bielefeld, Germany
| | - Mohamed Shaaban
- Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße 25, D-33501 Bielefeld, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Gembus V, Karmazin L, Uguen D, Zoller T. Formal Synthesis of Borrelidin: A Highly Enantio- and Diastereoselective Access to the Morken’s C2–C12 Intermediate. BULLETIN OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY OF JAPAN 2019. [DOI: 10.1246/bcsj.20180292] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Gembus
- Laboratoire de Synthèse Organique (associé au CNRS; UMR 7509), Ecole Européenne de Chimie, Polymères et Matériaux, Université de Strasbourg, 25 rue Becquerel, 67087 Strasbourg, France
| | - Lydia Karmazin
- Service de Radiocristallographie, Université de Strasbourg, BP296/R8, 67008 Strasbourg, France
| | - Daniel Uguen
- Laboratoire de Synthèse Organique (associé au CNRS; UMR 7509), Ecole Européenne de Chimie, Polymères et Matériaux, Université de Strasbourg, 25 rue Becquerel, 67087 Strasbourg, France
| | - Thomas Zoller
- Laboratoire de Synthèse Organique (associé au CNRS; UMR 7509), Ecole Européenne de Chimie, Polymères et Matériaux, Université de Strasbourg, 25 rue Becquerel, 67087 Strasbourg, France
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Triazole derivatives and their antiplasmodial and antimalarial activities. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 166:206-223. [PMID: 30711831 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.01.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 141] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2019] [Revised: 01/19/2019] [Accepted: 01/19/2019] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Malaria, caused by protozoan parasites of the genus Plasmodium especially by the most prevalent parasite Plasmodium falciparum, represents one of the most devastating and common infectious disease globally. Nearly half of the world population is under the risk of being infected, and more than 200 million new clinical cases with around half a million deaths occur annually. Drug therapy is the mainstay of antimalarial therapy, yet current drugs are threatened by the development of resistance, so it's imperative to develop new antimalarials with great potency against both drug-susceptible and drug-resistant malaria. Triazoles, bearing a five-membered heterocyclic ring with three nitrogen atoms, exhibit promising in vitro antiplasmodial and in vivo antimalarial activities. Moreover, several triazole-based drugs have already used in clinics for the treatment of various diseases, demonstrating the excellent pharmaceutical profiles. Therefore, triazole derivatives have the potential for clinical deployment in the control and eradication of malaria. This review covers the recent advances of triazole derivatives especially triazole hybrids as potential antimalarials. The structure-activity relationship is also discussed to provide an insight for rational designs of more efficient antimalarial candidates.
Collapse
|
19
|
Francklyn CS, Mullen P. Progress and challenges in aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase-based therapeutics. J Biol Chem 2019; 294:5365-5385. [PMID: 30670594 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.rev118.002956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 89] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (ARSs) are universal enzymes that catalyze the attachment of amino acids to the 3' ends of their cognate tRNAs. The resulting aminoacylated tRNAs are escorted to the ribosome where they enter protein synthesis. By specifically matching amino acids to defined anticodon sequences in tRNAs, ARSs are essential to the physical interpretation of the genetic code. In addition to their canonical role in protein synthesis, ARSs are also involved in RNA splicing, transcriptional regulation, translation, and other aspects of cellular homeostasis. Likewise, aminoacylated tRNAs serve as amino acid donors for biosynthetic processes distinct from protein synthesis, including lipid modification and antibiotic biosynthesis. Thanks to the wealth of details on ARS structures and functions and the growing appreciation of their additional roles regulating cellular homeostasis, opportunities for the development of clinically useful ARS inhibitors are emerging to manage microbial and parasite infections. Exploitation of these opportunities has been stimulated by the discovery of new inhibitor frameworks, the use of semi-synthetic approaches combining chemistry and genome engineering, and more powerful techniques for identifying leads from the screening of large chemical libraries. Here, we review the inhibition of ARSs by small molecules, including the various families of natural products, as well as inhibitors developed by either rational design or high-throughput screening as antibiotics and anti-parasitic therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher S Francklyn
- From the Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405
| | - Patrick Mullen
- From the Department of Biochemistry, College of Medicine, University of Vermont, Burlington, Vermont 05405
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Hu C, Su H, Luo J, Han L, Liu Q, Wu W, Mu Y, Guan P, Sun T, Huang X. Design, synthesis and antifungal evaluation of borrelidin derivatives. Bioorg Med Chem 2018; 26:6035-6049. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2018.11.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Revised: 10/24/2018] [Accepted: 11/04/2018] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
|
21
|
Sun J, Shao J, Sun C, Song Y, Li Q, Lu L, Hu Y, Gui C, Zhang H, Ju J. Borrelidins F–I, cytotoxic and cell migration inhibiting agents from mangrove-derived Streptomyces rochei SCSIO ZJ89. Bioorg Med Chem 2018; 26:1488-1494. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2018.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2017] [Revised: 01/07/2018] [Accepted: 01/13/2018] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
|
22
|
Hu YQ, Gao C, Zhang S, Xu L, Xu Z, Feng LS, Wu X, Zhao F. Quinoline hybrids and their antiplasmodial and antimalarial activities. Eur J Med Chem 2017; 139:22-47. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2017.07.061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 203] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2017] [Revised: 07/24/2017] [Accepted: 07/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
|
23
|
Habib S, Vaishya S, Gupta K. Translation in Organelles of Apicomplexan Parasites. Trends Parasitol 2016; 32:939-952. [DOI: 10.1016/j.pt.2016.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2016] [Revised: 07/19/2016] [Accepted: 07/25/2016] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
|
24
|
Gündemir-Durmaz T, Schmid F, El Baz Y, Häusser A, Schneider C, Bilitewski U, Rauhut G, Garnier D, Baro A, Laschat S. Truncated borrelidin analogues: synthesis by sequential cross metathesis/olefination for the southern fragment and biological evaluation. Org Biomol Chem 2016; 14:8261-9. [PMID: 27523181 DOI: 10.1039/c6ob01358a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The construction of novel borrelidin analogues is reported in which the northern fragment is truncated to a simple hydroxyundecanecarboxylate and the original cyclopentanecarboxylic acid in the southern fragment is replaced with different six-membered rings. The required precursors were prepared by cross metathesis of the appropriate carbocycle-based homoallylic alcohol with crotonaldehyde followed by HWE olefination of the resulting enal with bromocyanophosphonate. The key aldehyde for intramolecular cross coupling was accessible by oxidation of the hydroxy group of the linked undecanecarboxylate unit. Grignard mediated macrocyclization finally yielded the borrelidin related products. The investigation is complemented by SAR studies and quantum-chemical calculations.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tülay Gündemir-Durmaz
- Institut für Organische Chemie, Universität Stuttgart, Pfaffenwaldring 55, D-70569 Stuttgart, Germany.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
25
|
Antimalarial Benzoxaboroles Target Plasmodium falciparum Leucyl-tRNA Synthetase. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2016; 60:4886-95. [PMID: 27270277 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00820-16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2016] [Accepted: 05/26/2016] [Indexed: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
There is a need for new antimalarials, ideally with novel mechanisms of action. Benzoxaboroles have been shown to be active against bacteria, fungi, and trypanosomes. Therefore, we investigated the antimalarial activity and mechanism of action of 3-aminomethyl benzoxaboroles against Plasmodium falciparum Two 3-aminomethyl compounds, AN6426 and AN8432, demonstrated good potency against cultured multidrug-resistant (W2 strain) P. falciparum (50% inhibitory concentration [IC50] of 310 nM and 490 nM, respectively) and efficacy against murine Plasmodium berghei infection when administered orally once daily for 4 days (90% effective dose [ED90], 7.4 and 16.2 mg/kg of body weight, respectively). To characterize mechanisms of action, we selected parasites with decreased drug sensitivity by culturing with stepwise increases in concentration of AN6426. Resistant clones were characterized by whole-genome sequencing. Three generations of resistant parasites had polymorphisms in the predicted editing domain of the gene encoding a P. falciparum leucyl-tRNA synthetase (LeuRS; PF3D7_0622800) and in another gene (PF3D7_1218100), which encodes a protein of unknown function. Solution of the structure of the P. falciparum LeuRS editing domain suggested key roles for mutated residues in LeuRS editing. Short incubations with AN6426 and AN8432, unlike artemisinin, caused dose-dependent inhibition of [(14)C]leucine incorporation by cultured wild-type, but not resistant, parasites. The growth of resistant, but not wild-type, parasites was impaired in the presence of the unnatural amino acid norvaline, consistent with a loss of LeuRS editing activity in resistant parasites. In summary, the benzoxaboroles AN6426 and AN8432 offer effective antimalarial activity and act, at least in part, against a novel target, the editing domain of P. falciparum LeuRS.
Collapse
|
26
|
Vembar SS, Droll D, Scherf A. Translational regulation in blood stages of the malaria parasite Plasmodium spp.: systems-wide studies pave the way. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS-RNA 2016; 7:772-792. [PMID: 27230797 PMCID: PMC5111744 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1365] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2016] [Revised: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 04/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
The malaria parasite Plasmodium spp. varies the expression profile of its genes depending on the host it resides in and its developmental stage. Virtually all messenger RNA (mRNA) is expressed in a monocistronic manner, with transcriptional activation regulated at the epigenetic level and by specialized transcription factors. Furthermore, recent systems-wide studies have identified distinct mechanisms of post-transcriptional and translational control at various points of the parasite lifecycle. Taken together, it is evident that 'just-in-time' transcription and translation strategies coexist and coordinate protein expression during Plasmodium development, some of which we review here. In particular, we discuss global and specific mechanisms that control protein translation in blood stages of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum, once a cytoplasmic mRNA has been generated, and its crosstalk with mRNA decay and storage. We also focus on the widespread translational delay observed during the 48-hour blood stage lifecycle of P. falciparum-for over 30% of transcribed genes, including virulence factors required to invade erythrocytes-and its regulation by cis-elements in the mRNA, RNA-processing enzymes and RNA-binding proteins; the first-characterized amongst these are the DNA- and RNA-binding Alba proteins. More generally, we conclude that translational regulation is an emerging research field in malaria parasites and propose that its elucidation will not only shed light on the complex developmental program of this parasite, but may also reveal mechanisms contributing to drug resistance and define new targets for malaria intervention strategies. WIREs RNA 2016, 7:772-792. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1365 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shruthi Sridhar Vembar
- Unité Biologie des Interactions Hôte-Parasite, Département de Parasites et Insectes Vecteurs, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France.
| | - Dorothea Droll
- Unité Biologie des Interactions Hôte-Parasite, Département de Parasites et Insectes Vecteurs, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| | - Artur Scherf
- Unité Biologie des Interactions Hôte-Parasite, Département de Parasites et Insectes Vecteurs, Institut Pasteur, Paris, France
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Khan S. Recent advances in the biology and drug targeting of malaria parasite aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. Malar J 2016; 15:203. [PMID: 27068331 PMCID: PMC4828885 DOI: 10.1186/s12936-016-1247-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2015] [Accepted: 03/30/2016] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Escalating drug resistance in malaria parasites and lack of vaccine entails the discovery of novel drug targets and inhibitor molecules. The multi-component protein translation machinery is a rich source of such drug targets. Malaria parasites contain three translational compartments: the cytoplasm, apicoplast and mitochondrion, of which the latter two are of the prokaryotic type. Recent explorations by many groups into the malaria parasite protein translation enzymes, aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRSs), have yielded many promising inhibitors. The understanding of the biology of this unique set of 36 enzymes has become much clearer in recent times. Current review discusses the advances made in understanding of crucial aaRSs from Plasmodium and also the specific inhibitors found against malaria aaRSs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sameena Khan
- Drug Discovery Research Centre, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), NCR Biotech Science Cluster, 3rd Milestone, Faridabad-Gurgaon Expressway, PO box #04, Faridabad, 121001, India.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Saint-Léger A, Sinadinos C, Ribas de Pouplana L. The growing pipeline of natural aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase inhibitors for malaria treatment. Bioengineered 2016; 7:60-4. [PMID: 26963157 DOI: 10.1080/21655979.2016.1149270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Malaria remains a major global health problem. Parasite resistance to existing drugs makes development of new antimalarials an urgency. The protein synthesis machinery is an excellent target for the development of new anti-infectives, and aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases (aaRS) have been validated as antimalarial drug targets. However, avoiding the emergence of drug resistance and improving selectivity to target aaRS in apicomplexan parasites, such as Plasmodium falciparum, remain crucial challenges. Here we discuss such issues using examples of known inhibitors of P. falciparum aaRS, namely halofuginone, cladosporin and borrelidin (inhibitors of ProRS, LysRS and ThrRS, respectively). Encouraging recent results provide useful guidelines to facilitate the development of novel drug candidates which are more potent and selective against these essential enzymes.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Lluís Ribas de Pouplana
- a Omnia Molecular S.L. , Barcelona , Spain.,b Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB Barcelona) , Barcelona , Spain.,c Catalan Institution for Research and Advanced Studies (ICREA) , Barcelona , Spain
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Cochrane RVK, Norquay AK, Vederas JC. Natural products and their derivatives as tRNA synthetase inhibitors and antimicrobial agents. MEDCHEMCOMM 2016. [DOI: 10.1039/c6md00274a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The tRNA synthetase enzymes are promising targets for development of therapeutic agents against infections by parasitic protozoans (e.g. malaria), fungi and yeast, as well as bacteria resistant to current antibiotics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - A. K. Norquay
- Department of Chemistry
- University of Alberta
- Edmonton
- T6G 2G2 Canada
| | - J. C. Vederas
- Department of Chemistry
- University of Alberta
- Edmonton
- T6G 2G2 Canada
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Structural basis for full-spectrum inhibition of translational functions on a tRNA synthetase. Nat Commun 2015; 6:6402. [PMID: 25824639 PMCID: PMC4389257 DOI: 10.1038/ncomms7402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2014] [Accepted: 01/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
The polyketide natural product borrelidin displays antibacterial, antifungal, antimalarial, anticancer, insecticidal and herbicidal activities through the selective inhibition of threonyl-tRNA synthetase (ThrRS). How borrelidin simultaneously attenuates bacterial growth and suppresses a variety of infections in plants and animals is not known. Here we show, using X-ray crystal structures and functional analyses, that a single molecule of borrelidin simultaneously occupies four distinct subsites within the catalytic domain of bacterial and human ThrRSs. These include the three substrate-binding sites for amino acid, ATP and tRNA associated with aminoacylation, and a fourth ‘orthogonal’ subsite created as a consequence of binding. Thus, borrelidin competes with all three aminoacylation substrates, providing a potent and redundant mechanism to inhibit ThrRS during protein synthesis. These results highlight a surprising natural design to achieve the quadrivalent inhibition of translation through a highly conserved family of enzymes. Borrelidin is an antibiotic with antimicrobial, antifungal, antimalarial and immunosuppressive activity that targets threonyl-tRNA synthetase. Here the authors show that borrelidin functions by preventing binding of all three ThrRS substrates and inducing a distinct, non-productive, conformation of the enzyme.
Collapse
|
31
|
Analogs of natural aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase inhibitors clear malaria in vivo. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2014; 111:E5508-17. [PMID: 25489076 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1405994111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Malaria remains a major global health problem. Emerging resistance to existing antimalarial drugs drives the search for new antimalarials, and protein translation is a promising pathway to target. Here we explore the potential of the aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase (ARS) family as a source of antimalarial drug targets. First, a battery of known and novel ARS inhibitors was tested against Plasmodium falciparum cultures, and their activities were compared. Borrelidin, a natural inhibitor of threonyl-tRNA synthetase (ThrRS), stands out for its potent antimalarial effect. However, it also inhibits human ThrRS and is highly toxic to human cells. To circumvent this problem, we tested a library of bioengineered and semisynthetic borrelidin analogs for their antimalarial activity and toxicity. We found that some analogs effectively lose their toxicity against human cells while retaining a potent antiparasitic activity both in vitro and in vivo and cleared malaria from Plasmodium yoelii-infected mice, resulting in 100% mice survival rates. Our work identifies borrelidin analogs as potent, selective, and unexplored scaffolds that efficiently clear malaria both in vitro and in vivo.
Collapse
|
32
|
Hamann AR, de Kock C, Smith PJ, van Otterlo WA, Blackie MA. Synthesis of novel triazole-linked mefloquine derivatives: Biological evaluation against Plasmodium falciparum. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2014; 24:5466-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2014.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/02/2014] [Revised: 09/30/2014] [Accepted: 10/02/2014] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
33
|
Schulze CJ, Bray WM, Loganzo F, Lam MH, Szal T, Villalobos A, Koehn FE, Linington RG. Borrelidin B: isolation, biological activity, and implications for nitrile biosynthesis. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2014; 77:2570-2574. [PMID: 25393949 DOI: 10.1021/np500727g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Borrelidin (1) is a nitrile-containing bacterially derived polyketide that is a potent inhibitor of bacterial and eukaryotic threonyl-tRNA synthetases. We now report the discovery of borrelidin B (2), a tetrahydro-borrelidin derivative containing an aminomethyl group in place of the nitrile functionality in borrelidin. The discovery of this new metabolite has implications for both the biosynthesis of the nitrile group and the bioactivity of the borrelidin compound class. Screening in the SToPS assay for tRNA synthetase inhibition revealed that the nitrile moiety is essential for activity, while profiling using our in-house image-based cytological profiling assay demonstrated that 2 retains biological activity by causing a mitotic stall, even in the absence of the nitrile motif.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Schulze
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz , 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, California 95064, United States
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
Collapse
|
34
|
Pham JS, Dawson KL, Jackson KE, Lim EE, Pasaje CFA, Turner KEC, Ralph SA. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases as drug targets in eukaryotic parasites. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL FOR PARASITOLOGY-DRUGS AND DRUG RESISTANCE 2013; 4:1-13. [PMID: 24596663 PMCID: PMC3940080 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2013.10.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 96] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2013] [Revised: 10/24/2013] [Accepted: 10/25/2013] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are essential and many aaRS inhibitors kill parasites. We examine compound inhibitors tested experimentally against parasite aaRSs. Successful inhibitors were discovered by both phenotype and target-based approaches. Selectivity and resistance are ongoing challenges for development of parasite drugs.
Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are central enzymes in protein translation, providing the charged tRNAs needed for appropriate construction of peptide chains. These enzymes have long been pursued as drug targets in bacteria and fungi, but the past decade has seen considerable research on aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases in eukaryotic parasites. Existing inhibitors of bacterial tRNA synthetases have been adapted for parasite use, novel inhibitors have been developed against parasite enzymes, and tRNA synthetases have been identified as the targets for compounds in use or development as antiparasitic drugs. Crystal structures have now been solved for many parasite tRNA synthetases, and opportunities for selective inhibition are becoming apparent. For different biological reasons, tRNA synthetases appear to be promising drug targets against parasites as diverse as Plasmodium (causative agent of malaria), Brugia (causative agent of lymphatic filariasis), and Trypanosoma (causative agents of Chagas disease and human African trypanosomiasis). Here we review recent developments in drug discovery and target characterisation for parasite aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James S Pham
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Karen L Dawson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Katherine E Jackson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Erin E Lim
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Charisse Flerida A Pasaje
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Kelsey E C Turner
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Stuart A Ralph
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia
| |
Collapse
|
35
|
Gafiuc D, Weiß M, Mylonas I, Brüning A. Borrelidin has limited anti-cancer effects in bcl-2 overexpressing breast cancer and leukemia cells and reveals toxicity in non-malignant breast epithelial cells. J Appl Toxicol 2013; 34:1109-13. [PMID: 24155182 DOI: 10.1002/jat.2946] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2013] [Revised: 09/12/2013] [Accepted: 09/12/2013] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Clinically effective anti-cancer drugs have to tread a narrow line between selective cytotoxicity on tumor cells and tolerable adverse effects against healthy tissues. This causes the failure of many potential cancer drugs in advanced clinical trials, hence signifying the importance of a comprehensive initial estimate of the cytotoxicity of prospective anti-cancer drugs in preclinical studies. In this study, the cytotoxicity of borrelidin, a macrolide antibiotic with a high cytotoxic selectivity for proliferating endothelial cells and leukemia cells, was tested on malignant and non-malignant breast cells. Highly metastatic breast cancer cell lines (MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-435) showed promising results and exhibited good sensitivity to borrelidin at low nanomolar concentrations, but borrelidin was cytotoxic to a non-malignant breast epithelial cell line (MCF10A) as well. Furthermore, although a high sensitivity of endothelial cells (human umbilical vein endothelial cells; HUVEC) and individual leukemia cell lines (Jurkat and IM9) to borrelidin was confirmed in this study, another leukemia cell line (HL60) and an immortalized endothelial cell line (EA.hy926) displayed a significantly decreased sensitivity. Reduced sensitivity to borrelidin was associated with elevated bcl-2 expression in these cell lines. In conclusion, the results presented show that borrelidin displays high and selective cytotoxicity against subgroups of cancer cells and endothelial cells, but, owing to its non-specific toxicity to non-malignant cells, its clinical application might be restricted because of likely adverse effects and limited efficacy in bcl2-overexpressing cancer cells.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Diana Gafiuc
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ludwig-Maximilians-University, Maistrasse 11, 80337, München, Germany
| | | | | | | |
Collapse
|