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Zhou H, Yang N, Li W, Peng X, Dong J, Jiang Y, Yan L, Zhang D, Jin Y. Exploration of Baicalein-Core Derivatives as Potent Antifungal Agents: SAR and Mechanism Insights. Molecules 2023; 28:6340. [PMID: 37687172 PMCID: PMC10489750 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28176340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2023] [Revised: 08/23/2023] [Accepted: 08/28/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Baicalein (BE), the major component of Scutellaria Baicalensis, exhibited potently antifungal activity against drug-resistant Candida albicans, and strong inhibition on biofilm formation. Therefore, a series of baicalein-core derivatives were designed and synthesized to find more potent compounds and investigate structure-activity relationship (SAR) and mode of action (MoA). Results demonstrate that A4 and B5 exert a more potent antifungal effect (MIC80 = 0.125 μg/mL) than BE (MIC80 = 4 μg/mL) when used in combination with fluconazole (FLC), while the MIC80 of FLC dropped from 128 μg/mL to 1 μg/mL. SAR analysis indicates that the presence of 5-OH is crucial for synergistic antifungal activities, while o-dihydroxyls and vic-trihydroxyls are an essential pharmacophore, whether they are located on the A ring or the B ring of flavonoids. The MoA demonstrated that these compounds exhibited potent antifungal effects by inhibiting hypha formation of C. albicans. However, sterol composition assay and enzymatic assay conducted in vitro indicated minimal impact of these compounds on sterol biosynthesis and Eno1. These findings were further confirmed by the results of the in-silico assay, which assessed the stability of the complexes. Moreover, the inhibition of hypha of this kind of compound could be attributed to their effect on the catalytic subunit of 1,3-β-d-glucan synthase, 1,3-β-d-glucan-UDP glucosyltransferase and glycosyl-phosphatidylinositol protein, rather than inhibiting ergosterol biosynthesis and Eno1 activity by Induced-Fit Docking and Molecular Dynamics Simulations. This study presents potential antifungal agents with synergistic effects that can effectively inhibit hypha formation. It also provides new insights into the MoA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heyang Zhou
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China; (H.Z.); (L.Y.)
| | - Niao Yang
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China; (H.Z.); (L.Y.)
| | - Wei Li
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China; (H.Z.); (L.Y.)
| | - Xuemi Peng
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China; (H.Z.); (L.Y.)
| | - Jiaxiao Dong
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui Medical University, Hefei 230022, China
| | - Yuanying Jiang
- Department of Pharmacy, Shanghai Tenth People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai 200072, China;
| | - Lan Yan
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China; (H.Z.); (L.Y.)
| | - Dazhi Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China; (H.Z.); (L.Y.)
| | - Yongsheng Jin
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China; (H.Z.); (L.Y.)
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Liu W, Yuan L, Wang S. Recent Progress in the Discovery of Antifungal Agents Targeting the Cell Wall. J Med Chem 2020; 63:12429-12459. [PMID: 32692166 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00748] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Due to the limit of available treatments and the emergence of drug resistance in the clinic, invasive fungal infections are an intractable problem with high morbidity and mortality. The cell wall, as a fungi-specific structure, is an appealing target for the discovery and development of novel and low-toxic antifungal agents. In an attempt to accelerate the discovery of novel cell wall targeted drugs, this Perspective will provide a comprehensive review of the progress made to date on the development of fungal cell wall inhibitors. Specifically, this review will focus on the targets, discovery process, chemical structures, antifungal activities, and structure-activity relationships. Although two types of cell wall antifungal agents are clinically available or in clinical trials, it is still a long way for the other cell wall targeted inhibitors to be translated into clinical applications. Future efforts should be focused on the identification of inhibitors against novel conserved cell wall targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Liu
- Faculty of Pharmacy, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xuefu Middle Road, Xi'an 710021, People's Republic of China
| | - Lin Yuan
- Faculty of Pharmacy, School of Food and Biological Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xuefu Middle Road, Xi'an 710021, People's Republic of China
| | - Shengzheng Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Analysis, School of Pharmacy, Fourth Military Medical University, 169 Changle West Road, Xi'an 710032, People's Republic of China
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Medina Marrero R, Marrero-Ponce Y, Barigye SJ, Echeverría Díaz Y, Acevedo-Barrios R, Casañola-Martín GM, García Bernal M, Torrens F, Pérez-Giménez F. QuBiLs-MAS method in early drug discovery and rational drug identification of antifungal agents. SAR AND QSAR IN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2015; 26:943-58. [PMID: 26567876 DOI: 10.1080/1062936x.2015.1104517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The QuBiLs-MAS approach is used for the in silico modelling of the antifungal activity of organic molecules. To this effect, non-stochastic (NS) and simple-stochastic (SS) atom-based quadratic indices are used to codify chemical information for a comprehensive dataset of 2478 compounds having a great structural variability, with 1087 of them being antifungal agents, covering the broadest antifungal mechanisms of action known so far. The NS and SS index-based antifungal activity classification models obtained using linear discriminant analysis (LDA) yield correct classification percentages of 90.73% and 92.47%, respectively, for the training set. Additionally, these models are able to correctly classify 92.16% and 87.56% of 706 compounds in an external test set. A comparison of the statistical parameters of the QuBiLs-MAS LDA-based models with those for models reported in the literature reveals comparable to superior performance, although the latter were built over much smaller and less diverse datasets, representing fewer mechanisms of action. It may therefore be inferred that the QuBiLs-MAS method constitutes a valuable tool useful in the design and/or selection of new and broad spectrum agents against life-threatening fungal infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Medina Marrero
- a Computer-Aided Molecular 'Biosilico' Discovery and Bioinformatic Research International Network (CAMD-BIR-IN) , Cartagena de Indias , Bolivar , Colombia
- b Department of Microbiology , Chemical Bioactive Center, Central University of Las Villas , Villa Clara , Cuba
| | - Y Marrero-Ponce
- a Computer-Aided Molecular 'Biosilico' Discovery and Bioinformatic Research International Network (CAMD-BIR-IN) , Cartagena de Indias , Bolivar , Colombia
- c Grupo de Investigación en Estudios Químicos y Biológicos, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas , Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar , Cartagena de Indias , Bolívar , Colombia
- d Unidad de Investigación de Diseño de Fármacos y Conectividad Molecular, Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Farmacia , Universitat de València , Valencia , Spain
- h Grupo de Investigación Microbiología y Ambiente (GIMA) . Programa de Bacteriología, Facultad Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad de San Buenaventura , Calle Real de Ternera, 130010, Cartagena (Bolivar) , Colombia
| | - S J Barigye
- a Computer-Aided Molecular 'Biosilico' Discovery and Bioinformatic Research International Network (CAMD-BIR-IN) , Cartagena de Indias , Bolivar , Colombia
- e Departamento de Química , Universidade Federal de Lavras , Lavras , MG , Brazil
| | - Y Echeverría Díaz
- a Computer-Aided Molecular 'Biosilico' Discovery and Bioinformatic Research International Network (CAMD-BIR-IN) , Cartagena de Indias , Bolivar , Colombia
| | - R Acevedo-Barrios
- c Grupo de Investigación en Estudios Químicos y Biológicos, Facultad de Ciencias Básicas , Universidad Tecnológica de Bolívar , Cartagena de Indias , Bolívar , Colombia
| | - G M Casañola-Martín
- a Computer-Aided Molecular 'Biosilico' Discovery and Bioinformatic Research International Network (CAMD-BIR-IN) , Cartagena de Indias , Bolivar , Colombia
- d Unidad de Investigación de Diseño de Fármacos y Conectividad Molecular, Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Farmacia , Universitat de València , Valencia , Spain
- f Facultad de Ingeniería Ambiental , Universidad Estatal Amazónica , Puyo , Ecuador
| | - M García Bernal
- b Department of Microbiology , Chemical Bioactive Center, Central University of Las Villas , Villa Clara , Cuba
| | - F Torrens
- g Institut Universitari de Ciència Molecular, Universitat de València , Valencia , Spain
| | - F Pérez-Giménez
- d Unidad de Investigación de Diseño de Fármacos y Conectividad Molecular, Departamento de Química Física, Facultad de Farmacia , Universitat de València , Valencia , Spain
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Total synthesis and structure–activity relationships of caspofungin-like macrocyclic antifungal lipopeptides. Tetrahedron 2012. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tet.2012.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
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Yao J, Liu H, Zhou T, Chen H, Miao Z, Sheng C, Zhang W. Total synthesis and structure-activity relationships of new echinocandin-like antifungal cyclolipohexapeptides. Eur J Med Chem 2012; 50:196-208. [PMID: 22348827 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2012.01.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2011] [Revised: 01/27/2012] [Accepted: 01/27/2012] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
A series of new echinocandin-like cyclolipohexapeptides were designed and total synthesized via solution phase [3 + 3]-segment coupling strategy with an attempt to improve antifungal activity. The designed compounds showed potent antifungal activities with broad spectrum. In particular, 11 compounds (i.e. 28a-e, 28g, 28i-j, 29a, 29c and 29e) showed better in vitro antifungal activities against Candida albicans or Aspergillus fumigatus than caspofungin. Moreover, the synthesized compounds provided new SAR information for the echinocandins. The findings in this work suggested that the "left" tripeptide segment of cyclolipohexapeptide scaffold might be a hydrophilic structural motif, whereas the "right" lipopeptide segment was preferred as a hydrophobic core. The amino acid component of the cyclolipohexapeptide scaffold could significantly affect the SAR of the side chains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianzhong Yao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
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Ruge E, Korting HC, Borelli C. Current state of three-dimensional characterisation of antifungal targets and its use for molecular modelling in drug design. Int J Antimicrob Agents 2005; 26:427-41. [PMID: 16289513 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2005.09.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
The alarming rise in life-threatening systemic fungal infections due to the emergence of drug-resistant fungal strains had produced an increased demand for new antimycotics, especially those targeting novel antifungal structures. Drug discovery has developed from screening natural products and chemical synthesis to a modern approach, namely structure-based drug design. Whilst many antifungal agents currently in use were discovered more than 30 years ago, characterisation of various drug targets has only been achieved recently, contributing immensely to understanding the structure-activity relationships of antifungals and their targets. Three-dimensional characterisation has become a well established tool for modern antifungal drug research and should play an important role in investigations for new antifungal agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- E Ruge
- Department of Dermatology, University of Munich, Frauenlobstr. 9-11, 80337 Munich, Germany.
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Kondoh O, Inagaki Y, Fukuda H, Mizuguchi E, Ohya Y, Arisawa M, Shimma N, Aoki Y, Sakaitani M, Watanabe T. Piperazine Propanol Derivative as a Novel Antifungal Targeting 1,3-.BETA.-D-Glucan Synthase. Biol Pharm Bull 2005; 28:2138-41. [PMID: 16272705 DOI: 10.1248/bpb.28.2138] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
1,3-beta-D-Glucan synthase, which synthesizes a main component of fungal cell wall, is one of the promising targets for antifungal agents. In order to identify novel chemical classes of 1,3-beta-D-glucan synthase inhibitors, we screened a chemical library monitoring inhibition of the Candida albicans 1,3-beta-D-glucan synthase activity. The piperazine propanol derivative GSI578 [(2,6-difluoro-phenyl)-carbamic acid 3-(4-benzothiazol-2-yl-piperazine-1-yl)-propyl ester] was identified as a potent inhibitor against 1,3-beta-D-glucan synthase with an IC50 value of 0.16 microM. GSI578 exhibited in vitro antifungal activity against pathogenic fungi including C. albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus. Temperature-sensitive mutations of the FKS1 gene in the Deltafks2 background of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, where FKS1 and FKS2 encode putative catalytic subunits of 1,3-beta-D-glucan synthase, altered sensitivity to GSI578. This suggests that the antifungal activity of the piperazine propanol derivative has an effect on 1,3-beta-D-glucan synthase inhibition. Results of our initial evaluation suggest that the piperazine propanol derivative is a novel chemical structure of the class of antifungals which inhibit fungal cell growth by inhibiting fungal 1,3-beta-D-glucan synthase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osamu Kondoh
- Kamakura Research Laboratories, Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (formerly Nippon Roche Research Center), Japan.
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Kawasaki KI, Masubuchi M, Morikami K, Sogabe S, Aoyama T, Ebiike H, Niizuma S, Hayase M, Fujii T, Sakata K, Shindoh H, Shiratori Y, Aoki Y, Ohtsuka T, Shimma N. Design and synthesis of novel benzofurans as a new class of antifungal agents targeting fungal N-myristoyltransferase. Part 3. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2003; 13:87-91. [PMID: 12467623 DOI: 10.1016/s0960-894x(02)00844-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 80] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Abstract
A new series of acid-stable antifungal agents having strong inhibitory activity against Candida albicans N-myristoyltransferase (CaNmt) has been developed starting from acid-unstable benzofuranylmethyl aryl ether 2. The inhibitor design is based on X-ray crystallographic analysis of a CaNmt complex with aryl ether 3. Among the new inhibitors, pyridine derivative 8b and benzimidazole derivative 8k showed clear antifungal activity in a murine systemic candidiasis model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ken-ichi Kawasaki
- Department of Chemistry, Nippon Roche Research Center, 200 Kajiwara, Kamakura, Kanagawa 247-8530, Japan
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Kondoh O, Takasuka T, Arisawa M, Aoki Y, Watanabe T. Differential sensitivity between Fks1p and Fks2p against a novel beta -1,3-glucan synthase inhibitor, aerothricin3 [corrected]. J Biol Chem 2002; 277:41744-9. [PMID: 12202487 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m206734200] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
Fks1p and Fks2p are catalytic subunits of beta-1,3-glucan synthase, which synthesize beta-1,3-glucan, a main component of the cell wall in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Although Fks1p and Fks2p are highly homologous, sharing 88.1% identity, it has been shown that Fks2p is more sensitive than Fks1p to one of echinocandin derivatives, which inhibits beta-1,3-glucan synthase activity. Here we show a similar differential sensitivity between Fks1p and Fks2p to a novel beta-1,3-glucan synthase inhibitor, aerothricin3 [corrected]. To investigate the molecular mechanism of this differential sensitivity, we constructed a series of chimeric genes of FKSs and examined their sensitivity to aerothricin3 [corrected]. As a result, it was shown that a region around the fourth extracellular domain of Fks2p, containing 10 different amino acid residues from those of Fks1p, provided Fks1p aerothricin3 [corrected] sensitivity when the region was replaced with a corresponding region of Fks1p. In order to identify essential amino acid residues responsible for the sensitivity, each of the 10 non-conserved amino acids of Fks1p was substituted into the corresponding amino acid of Fks2p by site-directed mutagenesis. Surprisingly, only one amino acid substitution of Fks1p (K1336I) conferred Fks1p hypersensitivity to aerothricin3 [corrected]. On the other hand, reverse substitution of the corresponding amino acid of Fks2p (I1355K) resulted in loss of hypersensitivity to aerothricin3 [corrected]. These results suggest that the 1355th isoleucine of Fks2p plays a key role in aerothricin3 [corrected] sensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Osamu Kondoh
- Department of Mycology, Nippon Roche Research Center, Kamakura, Kanagawa 247-8530, Japan.
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Abstract
In our search for natural products with a broad spectrum of antifungal activity as lead compounds for novel treatments for mycoses, we have isolated echinocandin-type lipopeptide FR901379 and lipopeptidolactone FR901469, as novel water-soluble antifungal agents that inhibit the synthesis of 1,3-beta-glucan, a key component of the fungal cell wall. Since the cell wall is a feature unique to fungi and is not present in nonfungal eukaryotic cells, inhibitors of the synthesis of fungal cell wall components such as 1,3-beta-glucan have potential for selective toxicity to fungi and not to the host. In this short review, we describe efforts directed at synthetic modification of FR901469 and FR901379 with the ultimate goal of identifying new entities with suitable profiles as development candidate compounds. The main thrust of our work to date has been replacement of the highly flexible lipophilic side chains of the natural products with a view to reducing the hemolytic potential associated with these compounds, and to enhance chemical stability and/or in vivo antifungal efficacy. As a result of these efforts, we recently discovered a novel analog, FK463 (micafungin). Micafungin is currently in phase III clinical trials worldwide as a parenteral agent for various mycoses, and a new drug application (NDA) was recently filed in Japan.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Barrett
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Laboratories, Fujisawa Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., 2-1-6 Kashima, Yodogawa, Osaka 532-8514, Japan.
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