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Min H, Lucky AB, Madsen JJ, Chim-Ong A, Li X, Cui L, Miao J. Onametostat, a PfPRMT5 inhibitor, exhibits antimalarial activity to Plasmodium falciparum. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024:e0017624. [PMID: 39194263 DOI: 10.1128/aac.00176-24] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 08/09/2024] [Indexed: 08/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein arginine methyltransferases (PRMTs) play critical roles in Plasmodium falciparum, a protozoan causing the deadliest form of malaria, making them potential targets for novel antimalarial drugs. Here, we screened 11 novel PRMT inhibitors against P. falciparum asexual growth and found that onametostat, an inhibitor for type II PRMTs, exhibited strong antimalarial activity with a half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) value of 1.69 ± 0.04 µM. In vitro methyltransferase activities of purified PfPRMT5 were inhibited by onametostat, and a shift of IC50 to onametostat was found in the PfPRTM5 disruptant parasite line, indicating that PfPRTM5 is the primary target of onametostat. Consistent with the function of PfPRMT5 in mediating symmetric dimethylation of histone H3R2 (H3R2me2s) and in regulating invasion-related genes, onametostat treatment led to the reduction of H3R2me2s level in P. falciparum and caused the defects on the parasite's invasion of red blood cells. This study provides a starting point for identifying specific PRMT inhibitors with the potential to serve as novel antimalarial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Min
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
- Department of Immunology, College of Basic Medical Sciences, China Medical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Amuza Byaruhanga Lucky
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Jesper J Madsen
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Anongruk Chim-Ong
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Xiaolian Li
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Liwang Cui
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
| | - Jun Miao
- Department of Internal Medicine, Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
- Center for Global Health and Infectious Diseases Research, College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida, USA
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2
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Rahman A, Anjum S, Bhatt JD, Dixit BC, Singh A, Khan S, Fatima S, Patel TS, Hoda N. Sulfonamide based pyrimidine derivatives combating Plasmodium parasite by inhibiting falcipains-2 and falcipains-3 as antimalarial agents. RSC Adv 2024; 14:24725-24740. [PMID: 39114436 PMCID: PMC11304049 DOI: 10.1039/d4ra04370g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2024] [Accepted: 07/29/2024] [Indexed: 08/10/2024] Open
Abstract
In this report, we present the design and synthesis of a novel series of pyrimidine-tethered spirochromane-based sulfonamide derivatives aimed at combating drug resistance in malaria. The antimalarial effectiveness of these compounds was assessed in vitro. Structural validation of the synthesized compounds was conducted using mass spectrometry and NMR spectroscopy. Strong antimalarial activity against CQ-sensitive (3D7) and CQ-resistant (W2) strains of Plasmodium falciparum was demonstrated by the majority of the compounds. Notably, compounds SZ14 and SZ9 demonstrated particularly potent effects, with compound SZ14 showing IC50 values of 2.84 μM and SZ9 3.22 μM, indicating single-digit micromolar activity. The compounds exhibiting strong antimalarial activity were assessed through enzymatic tests against the cysteine protease enzymes of P. falciparum, falcipain-2 and falcipain-3. The results indicated that SZ14 and SZ9 inhibited PfFP-2 (IC50 values: 4.1 and 5.4 μM, respectively), and PfFP-3 (IC50 values: 4.9 and 6.3 μM, respectively). To confirm the compounds' specificity towards the parasite, we investigated their cytotoxicity against Vero cell lines, revealing strong selectivity indices and no significant cytotoxic effects. Additionally, in vitro hemolysis testing showed these compounds to be non-toxic to normal human blood cells. Moreover, predicted in silico ADME parameters and physiochemical characteristics demonstrated the drug-likeness of the synthetic compounds. These collective findings suggest that sulfonamide derivatives based on pyrimidine-tethered oxospirochromane could serve as templates for the future development of potential antimalarial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abdur Rahman
- Drug Design and Synthesis Lab., Department of Chemistry Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar New Delhi 110025 India +0091-11-26985507 +0091-9910200655
| | - Shazia Anjum
- Drug Design and Synthesis Lab., Department of Chemistry Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar New Delhi 110025 India +0091-11-26985507 +0091-9910200655
| | - Jaimin D Bhatt
- Chemistry Department, V. P. & R. P. T. P Science College, Affiliated to Sardar Patel University Vallabh Vidyanagar 388120 Gujarat India +91-2692-230011#31
| | - Bharat C Dixit
- Chemistry Department, V. P. & R. P. T. P Science College, Affiliated to Sardar Patel University Vallabh Vidyanagar 388120 Gujarat India +91-2692-230011#31
| | - Anju Singh
- Drug Design and Synthesis Lab., Department of Chemistry Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar New Delhi 110025 India +0091-11-26985507 +0091-9910200655
| | - Sabiha Khan
- Drug Design and Synthesis Lab., Department of Chemistry Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar New Delhi 110025 India +0091-11-26985507 +0091-9910200655
| | - Sadaf Fatima
- Drug Design and Synthesis Lab., Department of Chemistry Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar New Delhi 110025 India +0091-11-26985507 +0091-9910200655
| | - Tarosh S Patel
- Chemistry Department, V. P. & R. P. T. P Science College, Affiliated to Sardar Patel University Vallabh Vidyanagar 388120 Gujarat India +91-2692-230011#31
| | - Nasimul Hoda
- Drug Design and Synthesis Lab., Department of Chemistry Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar New Delhi 110025 India +0091-11-26985507 +0091-9910200655
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3
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Xu H, Chen Y, Tong H, Chen L, Morisseau C, Zhou Z, Zhuang J, Song C, Cai P, Liu Z, Hammock BD, Chen G. Design and Synthesis of sEH/HDAC6 Dual-Targeting Inhibitors for the Treatment of Inflammatory Pain. J Med Chem 2024. [PMID: 39033411 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/23/2024]
Abstract
Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) and HDAC6 mediate the NF-κB pathway in inflammatory responses, and their inhibitors exhibit powerful anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities in treating both inflammation and pain. Therefore, a series of dual-targeting inhibitors containing urea or squaramide and hydroxamic acid moieties were designed and synthesized, and their role as a new sEH/HDAC6 dual-targeting inhibitor in inflammatory pain was evaluated in a formalin-induced mice model and a xylene-induced mouse ear swelling model. Among them, compounds 28g and 28j showed the best inhibitory and selectivity of sEH and HDAC6. Compound 28g had satisfactory pharmacokinetic characteristics in rats. Following administration at 30 mg/kg, compound 28g exhibited more effective analgesic activity than either an sEH inhibitor (GL-B437) or an HDAC6 inhibitor (Rocilinostat) alone and coadministration of both inhibitors. Thus, these novel sEH/HDAC6 dual-targeting inhibitors exhibited powerful analgesic activity in nociceptive behavior and are worthy of further development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huashen Xu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Yuanguang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Hua Tong
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Targeting Drugs for Hematological Malignancies, Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Lu Chen
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Christophe Morisseau
- Department of Entomology and Nematology and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Zijian Zhou
- Liaoning Key Laboratory of Targeting Drugs for Hematological Malignancies, Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Junning Zhuang
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Chuqiao Song
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Pengcheng Cai
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Zhongbo Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Bruce D Hammock
- Department of Entomology and Nematology and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, California 95616, United States
| | - Guoliang Chen
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
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4
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Appetecchia F, Fabbrizi E, Fiorentino F, Consalvi S, Biava M, Poce G, Rotili D. Transmission-Blocking Strategies for Malaria Eradication: Recent Advances in Small-Molecule Drug Development. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:962. [PMID: 39065810 PMCID: PMC11279868 DOI: 10.3390/ph17070962] [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: 06/11/2024] [Revised: 07/11/2024] [Accepted: 07/17/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Malaria drug research and development efforts have resurged in the last decade following the decelerating rate of mortality and malaria cases in endemic regions. The inefficiency of malaria interventions is largely driven by the spreading resistance of the Plasmodium falciparum parasite to current drug regimens and that of the malaria vector, the Anopheles mosquito, to insecticides. In response to the new eradication agenda, drugs that act by breaking the malaria transmission cycle (transmission-blocking drugs), which has been recognized as an important and additional target for intervention, are being developed. These drugs take advantage of the susceptibility of Plasmodium during population bottlenecks before transmission (gametocytes) and in the mosquito vector (gametes, zygotes, ookinetes, oocysts, sporozoites). To date, compounds targeting stage V gametocytes predominate in the chemical library of transmission-blocking drugs, and some of them have entered clinical trials. The targeting of Plasmodium mosquito stages has recently renewed interest in the development of innovative malaria control tools, which hold promise for the application of compounds effective at these stages. In this review, we highlight the major achievements and provide an update on the research of transmission-blocking drugs, with a particular focus on their chemical scaffolds, antiplasmodial activity, and transmission-blocking potential.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Giovanna Poce
- Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.A.); (E.F.); (F.F.); (S.C.); (M.B.)
| | - Dante Rotili
- Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, P.le A. Moro 5, 00185 Rome, Italy; (F.A.); (E.F.); (F.F.); (S.C.); (M.B.)
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5
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Kopranovic A, Meyer-Almes FJ. Rapid Determination of Kinetic Constants for Slow-Binding Inhibitors and Inactivators of Human Histone Deacetylase 8. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:5593. [PMID: 38891780 PMCID: PMC11171933 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25115593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/18/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The kinetics and mechanism of drug binding to its target are critical to pharmacological efficacy. A high throughput (HTS) screen often results in hundreds of hits, of which usually only simple IC50 values are determined during reconfirmation. However, kinetic parameters such as residence time for reversible inhibitors and the kinact/KI ratio, which is the critical measure for evaluating covalent inactivators, are early predictive measures to assess the chances of success of the hits in the clinic. Using the promising cancer target human histone deacetylase 8 as an example, we present a robust method that calculates concentration-dependent apparent rate constants for the inhibition or inactivation of HDAC8 from dose-response curves recorded after different pre-incubation times. With these data, hit compounds can be classified according to their mechanism of action, and the relevant kinetic parameters can be calculated in a highly parallel fashion. HDAC8 inhibitors with known modes of action were correctly assigned to their mechanism, and the binding mechanisms of some hits from an internal HDAC8 screening campaign were newly determined. The oxonitriles SVE04 and SVE27 were classified as fast reversible HDAC8 inhibitors with moderate time-constant IC50 values of 4.2 and 2.6 µM, respectively. The hit compound TJ-19-24 and SAH03 behave like slow two-step inactivators or reversible inhibitors, with a very low reverse isomerization rate.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Franz-Josef Meyer-Almes
- Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, University of Applied Sciences Darmstadt, Haardtring 100, 64295 Darmstadt, Germany
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6
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Benedetti E, Micouin L. Have spirocyclic scaffolds been properly utilized in recent drug discovery efforts? Expert Opin Drug Discov 2024; 19:263-266. [PMID: 38225892 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2024.2305735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Laurent Micouin
- Laboratoire de Chimie et Biochimie Pharmacologiques et Toxicologiques, Université Paris Cité, CNRS, Paris, France
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7
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Gerokonstantis DT, Mantzourani C, Gkikas D, Wu KC, Hoang HN, Triandafillidi I, Barbayianni I, Kanellopoulou P, Kokotos AC, Moutevelis-Minakakis P, Aidinis V, Politis PK, Fairlie DP, Kokotos G. N-(2-Aminophenyl)-benzamide Inhibitors of Class I HDAC Enzymes with Antiproliferative and Antifibrotic Activity. J Med Chem 2023; 66:14357-14376. [PMID: 37795958 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01422] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/06/2023]
Abstract
Inhibitors of histone deacetylases (HDACs) have received special attention as novel anticancer agents. Among various types of synthetic inhibitors, benzamides constitute an important class, and one is an approved drug (chidamide). Here, we present a novel class of HDAC inhibitors containing the N-(2-aminophenyl)-benzamide functionality as the zinc-binding group linked to various cap groups, including the amino acids pyroglutamic acid and proline. We have identified benzamides that inhibit HADC1 and HDAC2 at nanomolar concentrations, with antiproliferative activity at micromolar concentrations against A549 and SF268 cancer cell lines. Docking studies shed light on the mode of binding of benzamide inhibitors to HDAC1, whereas cellular analysis revealed downregulated expression of EGFR mRNA and protein. Two benzamides were investigated in a mouse model of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, and both showed efficacy on a preventative dosing schedule. N-(2-Aminophenyl)-benzamide inhibitors of class I HDACs might lead to new approaches for treating fibrotic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitrios Triantafyllos Gerokonstantis
- Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 15771, Greece
- Center of Excellence for Drug Design and Discovery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 15771, Greece
| | - Christiana Mantzourani
- Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 15771, Greece
- Center of Excellence for Drug Design and Discovery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 15771, Greece
| | - Dimitrios Gkikas
- Center of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
| | - Kai-Chen Wu
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Huy N Hoang
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - Ierasia Triandafillidi
- Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 15771, Greece
- Center of Excellence for Drug Design and Discovery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 15771, Greece
| | - Ilianna Barbayianni
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming", Athens 16672, Greece
| | - Paraskevi Kanellopoulou
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming", Athens 16672, Greece
| | - Alexandros C Kokotos
- Center of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
| | - Panagiota Moutevelis-Minakakis
- Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 15771, Greece
- Center of Excellence for Drug Design and Discovery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 15771, Greece
| | - Vassilis Aidinis
- Institute for Fundamental Biomedical Research, Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming", Athens 16672, Greece
| | - Panagiotis K Politis
- Center of Basic Research, Biomedical Research Foundation of the Academy of Athens, Athens 11527, Greece
- School of Medicine, European University Cyprus, Nicosia 1516, Cyprus
| | - David P Fairlie
- Institute for Molecular Bioscience, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland 4072, Australia
| | - George Kokotos
- Department of Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 15771, Greece
- Center of Excellence for Drug Design and Discovery, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, Athens 15771, Greece
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8
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Reyser T, Paloque L, Nguyen M, Augereau JM, Fuchter MJ, Lopez M, Arimondo PB, Hassell-Hart S, Spencer J, Di Stefano L, Benoit-Vical F. Epidrugs as Promising Tools to Eliminate Plasmodium falciparum Artemisinin-Resistant and Quiescent Parasites. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2440. [PMID: 37896200 PMCID: PMC10610379 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15102440] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/29/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of artemisinin and its derivatives has helped reduce the burden of malaria caused by Plasmodium falciparum. However, artemisinin-resistant parasites are able, in the presence of artemisinins, to stop their cell cycles. This quiescent state can alter the activity of artemisinin partner drugs leading to a secondary drug resistance and thus threatens malaria eradication strategies. Drugs targeting epigenetic mechanisms (namely epidrugs) are emerging as potential antimalarial drugs. Here, we set out to evaluate a selection of various epidrugs for their activity against quiescent parasites, to explore the possibility of using these compounds to counter artemisinin resistance. The 32 chosen epidrugs were first screened for their antiplasmodial activity and selectivity. We then demonstrated, thanks to the specific Quiescent-stage Survival Assay, that four epidrugs targeting both histone methylation or deacetylation as well as DNA methylation decrease the ability of artemisinin-resistant parasites to recover after artemisinin exposure. In the quest for novel antiplasmodial drugs with new modes of action, these results reinforce the therapeutic potential of epidrugs as antiplasmodial drugs especially in the context of artemisinin resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thibaud Reyser
- LCC-CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, 31077 Toulouse, France
- MAAP, New Antimalarial Molecules and Pharmacological Approaches, Inserm ERL 1289, 31077 Toulouse, France
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier (UPS), 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - Lucie Paloque
- LCC-CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, 31077 Toulouse, France
- MAAP, New Antimalarial Molecules and Pharmacological Approaches, Inserm ERL 1289, 31077 Toulouse, France
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier (UPS), 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - Michel Nguyen
- LCC-CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, 31077 Toulouse, France
- MAAP, New Antimalarial Molecules and Pharmacological Approaches, Inserm ERL 1289, 31077 Toulouse, France
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier (UPS), 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - Jean-Michel Augereau
- LCC-CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, 31077 Toulouse, France
- MAAP, New Antimalarial Molecules and Pharmacological Approaches, Inserm ERL 1289, 31077 Toulouse, France
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier (UPS), 31077 Toulouse, France
| | - Matthew John Fuchter
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, White City Campus, London W12 0BZ, UK
| | - Marie Lopez
- Institut des Biomolécules Max Mousseron (IBMM), CNRS, Université de Montpellier, ENSCM UMR 5247, 34293 Montpellier, France
| | - Paola B Arimondo
- Epigenetic Chemical Biology, Department of Structural Biology and Chemistry, Institut Pasteur, Université de Paris-Cité, UMR 3523 CNRS, 75015 Paris, France
| | - Storm Hassell-Hart
- Department of Chemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer BN1 9QJ, UK
| | - John Spencer
- Department of Chemistry, School of Life Sciences, University of Sussex, Falmer BN1 9QJ, UK
| | - Luisa Di Stefano
- MCD, Centre de Biologie Intégrative (CBI), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, UPS, 31062 Toulouse, France
| | - Françoise Benoit-Vical
- LCC-CNRS, Laboratoire de Chimie de Coordination, Université de Toulouse, CNRS, 31077 Toulouse, France
- MAAP, New Antimalarial Molecules and Pharmacological Approaches, Inserm ERL 1289, 31077 Toulouse, France
- Institut de Pharmacologie et de Biologie Structurale (IPBS), Université de Toulouse, CNRS, Université Toulouse III-Paul Sabatier (UPS), 31077 Toulouse, France
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9
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Siqueira-Neto JL, Wicht KJ, Chibale K, Burrows JN, Fidock DA, Winzeler EA. Antimalarial drug discovery: progress and approaches. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2023; 22:807-826. [PMID: 37652975 PMCID: PMC10543600 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-023-00772-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Recent antimalarial drug discovery has been a race to produce new medicines that overcome emerging drug resistance, whilst considering safety and improving dosing convenience. Discovery efforts have yielded a variety of new molecules, many with novel modes of action, and the most advanced are in late-stage clinical development. These discoveries have led to a deeper understanding of how antimalarial drugs act, the identification of a new generation of drug targets, and multiple structure-based chemistry initiatives. The limited pool of funding means it is vital to prioritize new drug candidates. They should exhibit high potency, a low propensity for resistance, a pharmacokinetic profile that favours infrequent dosing, low cost, preclinical results that demonstrate safety and tolerability in women and infants, and preferably the ability to block Plasmodium transmission to Anopheles mosquito vectors. In this Review, we describe the approaches that have been successful, progress in preclinical and clinical development, and existing challenges. We illustrate how antimalarial drug discovery can serve as a model for drug discovery in diseases of poverty.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kathryn J Wicht
- Holistic Drug Discovery and Development (H3D) Centre, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
- South African Medical Research Council Drug Discovery and Development Research Unit, Department of Chemistry and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | - Kelly Chibale
- Holistic Drug Discovery and Development (H3D) Centre, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
- South African Medical Research Council Drug Discovery and Development Research Unit, Department of Chemistry and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, South Africa
| | | | - David A Fidock
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology and Center for Malaria Therapeutics and Antimicrobial Resistance, Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
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10
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Lai Z, Ni H, Hu X, Cui S. Discovery of Novel 1,2,3,4-Tetrahydrobenzofuro[2,3- c]pyridine Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors for Efficient Treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma. J Med Chem 2023; 66:10791-10807. [PMID: 37498552 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
The development of histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors for treating hematologic malignancies has been widely investigated, while their role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unexplored. In this study, we employed a scaffold-hopping design and a multicomponent synthesis approach to develop a novel series of 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrobenzofuro[2,3-c]pyridines as HDAC inhibitors. There were a total of 29 compounds achieved with flexible linkers and zinc-binding groups, wherein compound 12k was identified as a promising candidate with good HDAC inhibitory activity, pharmacokinetic profiles, and potency. It exhibited significant therapeutic efficacy in HCC cell lines (IC50 = 30 nM for Bel-7402) and xenograft models (76% inhibition for Bel-7402 xenografts, P.O. at 20 mg/kg, QOD, for 14 days) and was found to upregulate the acetylation of histone H3 and α-tubulin, leading to apoptosis and autophagy in HCC models. Molecular docking studies indicated a unique T-shaped conformation of 12k with the catalytic domain of HDAC1. Therefore, this work provides a new structure design for HDAC inhibitors and also offers a promising treatment for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhencheng Lai
- Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Hao Ni
- Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Jinhua Institute of Zhejiang University, Jinhua, Zhejiang Province 321299, China
| | - Xueping Hu
- Institute of Molecular Sciences and Engineering, Institute of Frontier and Interdisciplinary Science, Shandong University, Qingdao 266237, China
| | - Sunliang Cui
- Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Jinhua Institute of Zhejiang University, Jinhua, Zhejiang Province 321299, China
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Tang K, Wang S, Gao W, Song Y, Yu B. Harnessing the cyclization strategy for new drug discovery. Acta Pharm Sin B 2022; 12:4309-4326. [PMID: 36562004 PMCID: PMC9764076 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2022.09.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/23/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The design of new ligands with high affinity and specificity against the targets of interest has been a central focus in drug discovery. As one of the most commonly used methods in drug discovery, the cyclization represents a feasible strategy to identify new lead compounds by increasing structural novelty, scaffold diversity and complexity. Such strategy could also be potentially used for the follow-on drug discovery without patent infringement. In recent years, the cyclization strategy has witnessed great success in the discovery of new lead compounds against different targets for treating various diseases. Herein, we first briefly summarize the use of the cyclization strategy in the discovery of new small-molecule lead compounds, including the proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTAC) molecules. Particularly, we focus on four main strategies including fused ring cyclization, chain cyclization, spirocyclization and macrocyclization and highlight the use of the cyclization strategy in lead generation. Finally, the challenges including the synthetic intractability, relatively poor pharmacokinetics (PK) profiles and the absence of the structural information for rational structure-based cyclization are also briefly discussed. We hope this review, not exhaustive, could provide a timely overview on the cyclization strategy for the discovery of new lead compounds.
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