1
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Choi E, Jeon KH, Lee H, Mun GI, Kim JA, Shin JH, Kwon Y, Na Y, Lee YS. Radiosensitizing effect of a novel CTSS inhibitor by enhancing BRCA1 protein stability in triple-negative breast cancer cells. Cancer Sci 2024; 115:2036-2048. [PMID: 38613358 PMCID: PMC11145138 DOI: 10.1111/cas.16174] [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: 10/18/2023] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients harboring wild-type breast cancer susceptibility gene 1 (BRCA1) account for most TNBC patients but lack adequate targeted therapeutic options. Although radiotherapy (RT) is the primary treatment modality for TNBC patients, radioresistance is one of the major challenges. RT-induced increase in cathepsin S (CTSS) causes radioresistance through suppressing BRCA1-mediated apoptosis of tumor cells, which was induced by CTSS-mediated degradation of BRCA1. Targeting CTSS may provide a novel therapeutic opportunity for TNBC patients. Publicly available data and human tissue microarray slides were analyzed to investigate the relationship between CTSS and BRCA1 in breast cancer patients. A CTSS enzyme assay and in silico docking analysis were conducted to identify a novel CTSS inhibitor. RO5461111 was used first to confirm the concept of targeting CTSS for radiosensitizing effects. The MDA-MB-231 TNBC cell line was used for in vitro and in vivo assays. Western blotting, promoter assay, cell death assay, clonogenic survival assay, and immunohistochemistry staining were conducted to evaluate novel CTSS inhibitors. CTSS inhibitors were further evaluated for their additional benefit of inhibiting cell migration. A novel CTSS inhibitor, TS-24, increased BRCA1 protein levels and showed radiosensitization in TNBC cells with wild-type BRCA1 and in vivo in a TNBC xenograft mouse model. These effects were attributed by BRCA1-mediated apoptosis facilitated by TS-24. Furthermore, TS-24 demonstrated the additional effect of inhibiting cell migration. Our study suggests that employing CTSS inhibitors for the functional restoration of BRCA1 to enhance RT-induced apoptosis may provide a novel therapeutic opportunity for TNBC patients harboring wild-type BRCA1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eun Choi
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and College of Pharmacy, Ewha Women's University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Kyung-Hwa Jeon
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and College of Pharmacy, Ewha Women's University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Hanhee Lee
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and College of Pharmacy, Ewha Women's University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Gil-Im Mun
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and College of Pharmacy, Ewha Women's University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jeong-Ahn Kim
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and College of Pharmacy, Ewha Women's University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Jae-Ho Shin
- College of Pharmacy, CHA University, Pocheon, Korea
| | - Youngjoo Kwon
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and College of Pharmacy, Ewha Women's University, Seoul, Korea
| | - Younghwa Na
- College of Pharmacy, CHA University, Pocheon, Korea
| | - Yun-Sil Lee
- Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and College of Pharmacy, Ewha Women's University, Seoul, Korea
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2
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Lockwood TD. Coordination chemistry suggests that independently observed benefits of metformin and Zn 2+ against COVID-19 are not independent. Biometals 2024:10.1007/s10534-024-00590-5. [PMID: 38578560 DOI: 10.1007/s10534-024-00590-5] [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: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/06/2024]
Abstract
Independent trials indicate that either oral Zn2+ or metformin can separately improve COVID-19 outcomes by approximately 40%. Coordination chemistry predicts a mechanistic relationship and therapeutic synergy. Zn2+ deficit is a known risk factor for both COVID-19 and non-infectious inflammation. Most dietary Zn2+ is not absorbed. Metformin is a naked ligand that presumably increases intestinal Zn2+ bioavailability and active absorption by cation transporters known to transport metformin. Intracellular Zn2+ provides a natural buffer of many protease reactions; the variable "set point" is determined by Zn2+ regulation or availability. A Zn2+-interactive protease network is suggested here. The two viral cysteine proteases are therapeutic targets against COVID-19. Viral and many host proteases are submaximally inhibited by exchangeable cell Zn2+. Inhibition of cysteine proteases can improve COVID-19 outcomes and non-infectious inflammation. Metformin reportedly enhances the natural moderating effect of Zn2+ on bioassayed proteome degradation. Firstly, the dissociable metformin-Zn2+ complex could be actively transported by intestinal cation transporters; thereby creating artificial pathways of absorption and increased body Zn2+ content. Secondly, metformin Zn2+ coordination can create a non-natural protease inhibitor independent of cell Zn2+ content. Moderation of peptidolytic reactions by either or both mechanisms could slow (a) viral multiplication (b) viral invasion and (c) the pathogenic host inflammatory response. These combined actions could allow development of acquired immunity to clear the infection before life-threatening inflammation. Nirmatrelvir (Paxlovid®) opposes COVID-19 by selective inhibition the viral main protease by a Zn2+-independent mechanism. Pending safety evaluation, predictable synergistic benefits of metformin and Zn2+, and perhaps metformin/Zn2+/Paxlovid® co-administration should be investigated.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D Lockwood
- Department Pharmacology and Toxicology, School of Medicine, Wright State University, Dayton, OH, 45435, USA.
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3
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Tušar L, Loboda J, Impens F, Sosnowski P, Van Quickelberghe E, Vidmar R, Demol H, Sedeyn K, Saelens X, Vizovišek M, Mihelič M, Fonović M, Horvat J, Kosec G, Turk B, Gevaert K, Turk D. Proteomic data and structure analysis combined reveal interplay of structural rigidity and flexibility on selectivity of cysteine cathepsins. Commun Biol 2023; 6:450. [PMID: 37095140 PMCID: PMC10124925 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-023-04772-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Addressing the elusive specificity of cysteine cathepsins, which in contrast to caspases and trypsin-like proteases lack strict specificity determining P1 pocket, calls for innovative approaches. Proteomic analysis of cell lysates with human cathepsins K, V, B, L, S, and F identified 30,000 cleavage sites, which we analyzed by software platform SAPS-ESI (Statistical Approach to Peptidyl Substrate-Enzyme Specific Interactions). SAPS-ESI is used to generate clusters and training sets for support vector machine learning. Cleavage site predictions on the SARS-CoV-2 S protein, confirmed experimentally, expose the most probable first cut under physiological conditions and suggested furin-like behavior of cathepsins. Crystal structure analysis of representative peptides in complex with cathepsin V reveals rigid and flexible sites consistent with analysis of proteomics data by SAPS-ESI that correspond to positions with heterogeneous and homogeneous distribution of residues. Thereby support for design of selective cleavable linkers of drug conjugates and drug discovery studies is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Livija Tušar
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Structural Biology, Jamova cesta 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Centre of Excellence for Integrated Approaches in Chemistry and Biology of Proteins (CIPKeBiP), Jamova cesta 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jure Loboda
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Structural Biology, Jamova cesta 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- The Jožef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova cesta 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Francis Impens
- VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology and UGent Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 75, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Piotr Sosnowski
- Centre of Excellence for Integrated Approaches in Chemistry and Biology of Proteins (CIPKeBiP), Jamova cesta 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Emmy Van Quickelberghe
- VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology and UGent Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 75, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Robert Vidmar
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Structural Biology, Jamova cesta 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Hans Demol
- VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology and UGent Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 75, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Koen Sedeyn
- VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology and, Department for Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Xavier Saelens
- VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology and, Department for Biochemistry and Microbiology, Ghent University, 9052, Ghent, Belgium
| | - Matej Vizovišek
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Structural Biology, Jamova cesta 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marko Mihelič
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Structural Biology, Jamova cesta 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marko Fonović
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Structural Biology, Jamova cesta 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Jaka Horvat
- Acies Bio d.o.o., Tehnološki park 21, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Gregor Kosec
- Acies Bio d.o.o., Tehnološki park 21, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Boris Turk
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Structural Biology, Jamova cesta 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty of Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 113, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Kris Gevaert
- VIB-UGent Center for Medical Biotechnology and UGent Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Technologiepark-Zwijnaarde 75, 9052, Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Dušan Turk
- Jožef Stefan Institute, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular and Structural Biology, Jamova cesta 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Centre of Excellence for Integrated Approaches in Chemistry and Biology of Proteins (CIPKeBiP), Jamova cesta 39, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
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4
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Rohweder PJ, Jiang Z, Hurysz BM, O'Donoghue AJ, Craik CS. Multiplex substrate profiling by mass spectrometry for proteases. Methods Enzymol 2022; 682:375-411. [PMID: 36948708 PMCID: PMC10201391 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2022.09.009] [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] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Proteolysis is a central regulator of many biological pathways and the study of proteases has had a significant impact on our understanding of both native biology and disease. Proteases are key regulators of infectious disease and misregulated proteolysis in humans contributes to a variety of maladies, including cardiovascular disease, neurodegeneration, inflammatory diseases, and cancer. Central to understanding a protease's biological role, is characterizing its substrate specificity. This chapter will facilitate the characterization of individual proteases and complex, heterogeneous proteolytic mixtures and provide examples of the breadth of applications that leverage the characterization of misregulated proteolysis. Here we present the protocol of Multiplex Substrate Profiling by Mass Spectrometry (MSP-MS), a functional assay that quantitatively characterizes proteolysis using a synthetic library of physiochemically diverse, model peptide substrates, and mass spectrometry. We present a detailed protocol as well as examples of the use of MSP-MS for the study of disease states, for the development of diagnostic and prognostic tests, for the generation of tool compounds, and for the development of protease-targeted drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Rohweder
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Zhenze Jiang
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Brianna M Hurysz
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Anthony J O'Donoghue
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States.
| | - Charles S Craik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States.
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5
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Yoon MC, Hook V, O'Donoghue AJ. Cathepsin B Dipeptidyl Carboxypeptidase and Endopeptidase Activities Demonstrated across a Broad pH Range. Biochemistry 2022; 61:1904-1914. [PMID: 35981509 PMCID: PMC9454093 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.2c00358] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
![]()
Cathepsin B is a lysosomal protease that participates
in protein
degradation. However, cathepsin B is also active under neutral pH
conditions of the cytosol, nuclei, and extracellular locations. The
dipeptidyl carboxypeptidase (DPCP) activity of cathepsin B, assayed
with the Abz-GIVR↓AK(Dnp)-OH substrate, has been reported to
display an acidic pH optimum. In contrast, the endopeptidase activity,
monitored with Z-RR-↓AMC, has a neutral pH optimum. These observations
raise the question of whether other substrates can demonstrate cathepsin
B DPCP activity at neutral pH and endopeptidase activity at acidic
pH. To address this question, global cleavage profiling of cathepsin
B with a diverse peptide library was conducted under acidic and neutral
pH conditions. Results revealed that cathepsin B has (1) major DPCP
activity and modest endopeptidase activity under both acidic and neutral
pH conditions and (2) distinct pH-dependent amino acid preferences
adjacent to cleavage sites for both DPCP and endopeptidase activities.
The pH-dependent cleavage preferences were utilized to design a new
Abz-GnVR↓AK(Dnp)-OH DPCP substrate,
with norleucine (n) at the P3 position, having improved DPCP activity
of cathepsin B at neutral pH compared to the original Abz-GIVR↓AK(Dnp)-OH
substrate. The new Z-VR-AMC and Z-ER-AMC substrates displayed improved
endopeptidase activity at acidic pH compared to the original Z-RR-AMC.
These findings illustrate the new concept that cathepsin B possesses
DPCP and endopeptidase activities at both acidic and neutral pH values.
These results advance understanding of the pH-dependent cleavage properties
of the dual DPCP and endopeptidase activities of cathepsin B that
function under different cellular pH conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael C Yoon
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States.,Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Vivian Hook
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States.,Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States.,Department of Neurosciences and Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Anthony J O'Donoghue
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States.,Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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6
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Naeem M, Manzoor S, Abid MUH, Tareen MBK, Asad M, Mushtaq S, Ehsan N, Amna D, Xu B, Hazafa A. Fungal Proteases as Emerging Biocatalysts to Meet the Current Challenges and Recent Developments in Biomedical Therapies: An Updated Review. J Fungi (Basel) 2022; 8:jof8020109. [PMID: 35205863 PMCID: PMC8875690 DOI: 10.3390/jof8020109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
With the increasing world population, demand for industrialization has also increased to fulfill humans' living standards. Fungi are considered a source of essential constituents to produce the biocatalytic enzymes, including amylases, proteases, lipases, and cellulases that contain broad-spectrum industrial and emerging applications. The present review discussed the origin, nature, mechanism of action, emerging aspects of genetic engineering for designing novel proteases, genome editing of fungal strains through CRISPR technology, present challenges and future recommendations of fungal proteases. The emerging evidence revealed that fungal proteases show a protective role to many environmental exposures and discovered that an imbalance of protease inhibitors and proteases in the epithelial barriers leads to the protection of chronic eosinophilic airway inflammation. Moreover, mitoproteases recently were found to execute intense proteolytic processes that are crucial for mitochondrial integrity and homeostasis function, including mitochondrial biogenesis, protein synthesis, and apoptosis. The emerging evidence revealed that CRISPR/Cas9 technology had been successfully developed in various filamentous fungi and higher fungi for editing of specific genes. In addition to medical importance, fungal proteases are extensively used in different industries such as foods to prepare butter, fruits, juices, and cheese, and to increase their shelf life. It is concluded that hydrolysis of proteins in industries is one of the most significant applications of fungal enzymes that led to massive usage of proteomics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Naeem
- College of Life Science, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050025, China;
| | - Saba Manzoor
- Department of Zoology, University of Sialkot, Sialkot 51310, Pakistan;
| | | | | | - Mirza Asad
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan;
| | - Sajida Mushtaq
- Department of Zoology, Government College Women University, Sialkot 51040, Pakistan;
| | - Nazia Ehsan
- Department of Zoology, Wildlife and Fisheries, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan;
| | - Dua Amna
- Institute of Food Science & Nutrition, Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan 60800, Pakistan;
| | - Baojun Xu
- Food Science and Technology Program, Beijing Normal University-Hong Kong Baptist University (BNU-HKBU) United International College, Zhuhai 519087, China
- Correspondence: (B.X.); (A.H.)
| | - Abu Hazafa
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Agriculture Faisalabad, Faisalabad 38040, Pakistan;
- Correspondence: (B.X.); (A.H.)
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7
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Ranade H, Paliwal P, Chaudhary AA, Piplani S, Rudayni HA, Al-Zharani M, Niraj RR, Datta M. Predicting Diagnostic Potential of Cathepsin in Epithelial Ovarian Cancer: A Design Validated by Computational, Biophysical and Electrochemical Data. Biomolecules 2021; 12:biom12010053. [PMID: 35053201 PMCID: PMC8774009 DOI: 10.3390/biom12010053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2021] [Revised: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Epithelial ovarian cancer remains one of the leading variants of gynecological cancer with a high mortality rate. Feasibility and technical competence for screening and detection of epithelial ovarian cancer remain a major obstacle and the development of point of care diagnostics (POCD) may offer a simple solution for monitoring its progression. Cathepsins have been implicated as biomarkers for cancer progression and metastasis; being a protease, it has an inherent tendency to interact with Cystatin C, a cysteine protease inhibitor. This interaction was assessed for designing a POCD module. Methods: A combinatorial approach encompassing computational, biophysical and electron-transfer kinetics has been used to assess this protease-inhibitor interaction. Results: Calculations predicted two cathepsin candidates, Cathepsin K and Cathepsin L based on their binding energies and structural alignment and both predictions were confirmed experimentally. Differential pulse voltammetry was used to verify the potency of Cathepsin K and Cathepsin L interaction with Cystatin C and assess the selectivity and sensitivity of their electrochemical interactions. Electrochemical measurements indicated selectivity for both the ligands, but with increasing concentrations, there was a marked difference in the sensitivity of the detection. Conclusions: This work validated the utility of dry-lab integration in the wet-lab technique to generate leads for the design of electrochemical diagnostics for epithelial ovarian cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hemangi Ranade
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Rajasthan, Jaipur 303002, India; (H.R.); (P.P.); (R.R.N.)
| | - Priya Paliwal
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Rajasthan, Jaipur 303002, India; (H.R.); (P.P.); (R.R.N.)
| | - Anis Ahmad Chaudhary
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia; (A.A.C.); (H.A.R.); (M.A.-Z.)
| | - Sakshi Piplani
- Vaxine Pty Ltd., Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA 5042, Australia;
| | - Hassan Ahmed Rudayni
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia; (A.A.C.); (H.A.R.); (M.A.-Z.)
| | - Mohammed Al-Zharani
- Department of Biology, College of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh 11564, Saudi Arabia; (A.A.C.); (H.A.R.); (M.A.-Z.)
| | - Ravi Ranjan Niraj
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Rajasthan, Jaipur 303002, India; (H.R.); (P.P.); (R.R.N.)
| | - Manali Datta
- Amity Institute of Biotechnology, Amity University Rajasthan, Jaipur 303002, India; (H.R.); (P.P.); (R.R.N.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +91-7742889287
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8
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Liu C, Boland S, Scholle MD, Bardiot D, Marchand A, Chaltin P, Blatt LM, Beigelman L, Symons JA, Raboisson P, Gurard-Levin ZA, Vandyck K, Deval J. Dual inhibition of SARS-CoV-2 and human rhinovirus with protease inhibitors in clinical development. Antiviral Res 2021; 187:105020. [PMID: 33515606 PMCID: PMC7839511 DOI: 10.1016/j.antiviral.2021.105020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The 3-chymotrypsin-like cysteine protease (3CLpro) of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is considered a major target for the discovery of direct antiviral agents. We previously reported the evaluation of SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro inhibitors in a novel self-assembled monolayer desorption ionization mass spectrometry (SAMDI-MS) enzymatic assay (Gurard-Levin et al., 2020). The assay was further improved by adding the rhinovirus HRV3C protease to the same well as the SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro enzyme. High substrate specificity for each enzyme allowed the proteases to be combined in a single assay reaction without interfering with their individual activities. This novel duplex assay was used to profile a diverse set of reference protease inhibitors. The protease inhibitors were grouped into three categories based on their relative potency against 3CLpro and HRV3C including those that are: equipotent against 3CLpro and HRV3C (GC376 and calpain inhibitor II), selective for 3CLpro (PF-00835231, calpain inhibitor XII, boceprevir), and selective for HRV3C (rupintrivir). Structural analysis showed that the combination of minimal interactions, conformational flexibility, and limited bulk allows GC376 and calpain inhibitor II to potently inhibit both enzymes. In contrast, bulkier compounds interacting more tightly with pockets P2, P3, and P4 due to optimization for a specific target display a more selective inhibition profile. Consistently, the most selective viral protease inhibitors were relatively weak inhibitors of human cathepsin L. Taken together, these results can guide the design of cysteine protease inhibitors that are either virus-specific or retain a broad antiviral spectrum against coronaviruses and rhinoviruses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng Liu
- Aligos Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Patrick Chaltin
- Cistim, Leuven, Belgium; Centre for Drug Design and Discovery (CD3), KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jerome Deval
- Aligos Therapeutics, Inc., South San Francisco, USA.
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9
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Insights into the hydrolytic activity of Asclepias fruticosa L. protease. Biotechnol Lett 2019; 41:1043-1050. [DOI: 10.1007/s10529-019-02706-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Accepted: 07/02/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
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10
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Ferraro F, Merlino A, Gil J, Cerecetto H, Corvo I, Cabrera M. Cathepsin L Inhibitors with Activity against the Liver Fluke Identified From a Focus Library of Quinoxaline 1,4-di- N-Oxide Derivatives. Molecules 2019; 24:molecules24132348. [PMID: 31247891 PMCID: PMC6651555 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24132348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2019] [Revised: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Infections caused by Fasciola species are widely distributed in cattle and sheep causing significant economic losses, and are emerging as human zoonosis with increasing reports of human cases, especially in children in endemic areas. The current treatment is chemotherapeutic, triclabendazole being the drug of preference since it is active against all parasite stages. Due to the emergence of resistance in several countries, the discovery of new chemical entities with fasciolicidal activity is urgently needed. In our continuous search for new fasciolicide compounds, we identified and characterized six quinoxaline 1,4-di-N-oxide derivatives from our in-house library. We selected them from a screening of novel inhibitors against FhCL1 and FhCL3 proteases, two essential enzymes secreted by juvenile and adult flukes. We report compounds C7, C17, C18, C19, C23, and C24 with an IC50 of less than 10 µM in at least one cathepsin. We studied their binding kinetics in vitro and their enzyme-ligand interactions in silico by molecular docking and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations. These compounds readily kill newly excysted juveniles in vitro and have low cytotoxicity in a Hep-G2 cell line and bovine spermatozoa. Our findings are valuable for the development of new chemotherapeutic approaches against fascioliasis, and other pathologies involving cysteine proteases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Florencia Ferraro
- Laboratorio de I + D de Moléculas Bioactivas, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, CENUR Litoral Norte, Universidad de la República, Paysandú 60000, Uruguay
- Laboratorio de Química Teórica y Computacional, Instituto de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay
| | - Alicia Merlino
- Laboratorio de Química Teórica y Computacional, Instituto de Química Biológica, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay
| | - Jorge Gil
- Laboratorio de Reproducción Animal, Producción y Reproducción de Rumiantes, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, CENUR Litoral Norte-Facultad de Veterinaria, Universidad de la República, Paysandú 60000, Uruguay
| | - Hugo Cerecetto
- Grupo de Química Medicinal, Laboratorio de Química Orgánica & Área de Radiofarmacia, Centro de Investigaciones Nucleares, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo 11400, Uruguay
| | - Ileana Corvo
- Laboratorio de I + D de Moléculas Bioactivas, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, CENUR Litoral Norte, Universidad de la República, Paysandú 60000, Uruguay.
| | - Mauricio Cabrera
- Laboratorio de I + D de Moléculas Bioactivas, Departamento de Ciencias Biológicas, CENUR Litoral Norte, Universidad de la República, Paysandú 60000, Uruguay.
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Biguanide is a modifiable pharmacophore for recruitment of endogenous Zn 2+ to inhibit cysteinyl cathepsins: review and implications. Biometals 2019; 32:575-593. [PMID: 31044334 PMCID: PMC6647370 DOI: 10.1007/s10534-019-00197-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2018] [Accepted: 04/13/2019] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Excessive activities of cysteinyl cathepsins (CysCts) contribute to the progress of many diseases; however, therapeutic inhibition has been problematic. Zn2+ is a natural inhibitor of proteases with CysHis dyads or CysHis(Xaa) triads. Biguanide forms bidentate metal complexes through the two imino nitrogens. Here, it is discussed that phenformin (phenylethyl biguanide) is a model for recruitment of endogenous Zn2+ to inhibit CysHis/CysHis(X) peptidolysis. Phenformin is a Zn2+-interactive, anti-proteolytic agent in bioassay of living tissue. Benzoyl-L-arginine amide (BAA) is a classical substrate of papain-like proteases; the amide bond is scissile. In this review, the structures of BAA and the phenformin-Zn2+ complex were compared in silico. Their chemistry and dimensions are discussed in light of the active sites of papain-like proteases. The phenyl moieties of both structures bind to the "S2" substrate-binding site that is typical of many proteases. When the phenyl moiety of BAA binds to S2, then the scissile amide bond is directed to the position of the thiolate-imidazolium ion pair, and is then hydrolyzed. However, when the phenyl moiety of phenformin binds to S2, then the coordinated Zn2+ is directed to the identical position; and catalysis is inhibited. Phenformin stabilizes a "Zn2+ sandwich" between the drug and protease active site. Hundreds of biguanide derivatives have been synthesized at the 1 and 5 nitrogen positions; many more are conceivable. Various substituent moieties can register with various arrays of substrate-binding sites so as to align coordinated Zn2+ with catalytic partners of diverse proteases. Biguanide is identified here as a modifiable pharmacophore for synthesis of therapeutic CysCt inhibitors with a wide range of potencies and specificities. Phenformin-Zn2+ Complex.
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Dominguez MF, González-Miguel J, Carmona C, Dalton JP, Cwiklinski K, Tort J, Siles-Lucas M. Low allelic diversity in vaccine candidates genes from different locations sustain hope for Fasciola hepatica immunization. Vet Parasitol 2018; 258:46-52. [PMID: 30105977 DOI: 10.1016/j.vetpar.2018.06.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2018] [Revised: 05/28/2018] [Accepted: 06/10/2018] [Indexed: 10/14/2022]
Abstract
Fasciola hepatica is a trematode parasite that causes fasciolosis in animals and humans. Fasciolosis is usually treated with triclabendazole, although drug-resistant parasites have been described in several geographical locations. An alternative to drug treatment would be the use of a vaccine, although vaccination studies that have been performed mainly in ruminants over the last 30 years, show high variability in the achieved protection and are not yet ready for commercialisation. Since F. hepatica exhibits a high degree of genomic polymorphism, variation in vaccine efficacy could be attributed, at least partially, to phenotypic differences in vaccine candidate sequences amongst parasites used in the challenge infections. To begin to address this issue, a collection of F. hepatica isolates from geographically dispersed regions, as well as parasites obtained from vaccination trials performed against a field isolate from Uruguay and the experimentally maintained South Gloucester isolate (Ridgeway Research, UK), were compiled to establish a F. hepatica Biobank. These collected isolates were used for the genetic analysis of several vaccine candidates that are important in host-parasite interactions and are the focus of the H2020 PARAGONE vaccine project (https://www.paragoneh2020.eu/), namely FhCL1, FhCL2, FhPrx, FhLAP and FhHDM. Our results show that F. hepatica exhibits a high level of conservation in the sequences encoding each of these proteins. The consequential low variability in these vaccine candidates amongst parasites from different geographical regions reinforces the idea that they would be suitable immunogens against liver fluke isolates worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Fernanda Dominguez
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la Republica, UDELAR, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | | | - Carlos Carmona
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la Republica, UDELAR, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - John P Dalton
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen's University Belfast, United Kingdom
| | | | - José Tort
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la Republica, UDELAR, Montevideo, Uruguay
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