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Rząd K, Ioannidi R, Marakos P, Pouli N, Olszewski M, Kostakis IK, Gabriel I. Xanthone synthetic derivatives with high anticandidal activity and positive mycostatic selectivity index values. Sci Rep 2023; 13:11893. [PMID: 37482547 PMCID: PMC10363532 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-38963-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
With the current massive increases in drug-resistant microbial infection as well as the significant role of fungal infections in the death toll of COVID-19, discovering new antifungals is extremely important. Natural and synthetic xanthones are promising derivatives, although only few reports have demonstrated their antifungal mechanism of action in detail. Newly synthetized by us xanthone derivative 44 exhibited strong antifungal activity against reference and fluconazole resistant C. albicans strains. Our results indicate that the most active compounds 42 and 44 are not substrates for fungal ABC transporters (Cdr1p and Cdr2p) and Mdr1p, the main representative of the major facilitator superfamily efflux pumps, membrane proteins that are responsible for the development of resistance. Moreover, fungicidal mode of action reduces the probability of persistent or recurrent infections and resistance development. In this light, the demonstrated killing activity of the examined derivatives is their undoubted advantage. Novel synthesized compounds exhibited moderate cytotoxicity against human cell lines, although the selectivity index value for human pathogenic strains remained favourable. Our results also indicate that novel synthetized compounds 42 and 44 with antifungal activity target yeast topoisomerase II activity. In summary, further validation of xanthones applicability as antifungals is highly valuable.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamila Rząd
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and BioTechMed Center, Gdańsk University of Technology, 11/12 Narutowicza Str., 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Rachel Ioannidi
- Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15771, Zografou, Greece
| | - Panagiotis Marakos
- Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15771, Zografou, Greece
| | - Nicole Pouli
- Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15771, Zografou, Greece
| | - Mateusz Olszewski
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and BioTechMed Center, Gdańsk University of Technology, 11/12 Narutowicza Str., 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Ioannis K Kostakis
- Division of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Department of Pharmacy, School of Health Sciences, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Panepistimiopolis, 15771, Zografou, Greece
| | - Iwona Gabriel
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry and BioTechMed Center, Gdańsk University of Technology, 11/12 Narutowicza Str., 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland.
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Borzyszkowska-Bukowska J, Czub J, Szczeblewski P, Laskowski T. Antibiotic-sterol interactions provide insight into the selectivity of natural aromatic analogues of amphotericin B and their photoisomers. Sci Rep 2023; 13:762. [PMID: 36641464 PMCID: PMC9840637 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28036-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Aromatic heptaene macrolides (AHMs) belong to the group of polyene macrolide antifungal antibiotics. Members of this group were the first to be used in the treatment of systemic fungal infections. Amphotericin B (AmB), a non-aromatic representative of heptaene macrolides, is of significant clinical importance in the treatment of internal mycoses. It includes the all-trans heptaene chromophore, whereas the native AHMs contain two cis-type (Z) double bonds within the chromophore system. Lately we have proven that it is possible to obtain AHMs' stable derivatives in the form of all-trans (AmB-type) isomers by photochemical isomerization. Our further studies have shown that such alteration leads to the improvement of their selective toxicity in vitro. Computational experiments carried out so far were only an initial contribution in the investigation of the molecular basis of the mechanism of action of AHMs and did not provide explanation to observed differences in biological activity between the native (cis-trans) and isomeric (all-trans) AHMs. Herein, we presented the results of two-dimensional metadynamics studies upon AmB and its aromatic analogues (AHMs), regarding preferable binary antibiotic/sterol complexes orientation, as well as more detailed research on the behaviour of AHMs' alkyl-aromatic side chain in cholesterol- or ergosterol-enriched lipid bilayers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia Borzyszkowska-Bukowska
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biochemistry and BioTechMed Centre, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Gabriela Narutowicza Str. 11/12, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland.
| | - Jacek Czub
- Department of Physical Chemistry and BioTechMed Centre, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Gabriela Narutowicza Str. 11/12, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Paweł Szczeblewski
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biochemistry and BioTechMed Centre, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Gabriela Narutowicza Str. 11/12, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Tomasz Laskowski
- Department of Pharmaceutical Technology and Biochemistry and BioTechMed Centre, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, Gabriela Narutowicza Str. 11/12, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland.
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Kuplińska A, Rząd K, Wojciechowski M, Milewski S, Gabriel I. Antifungal Effect of Penicillamine Due to the Selective Targeting of L-Homoserine O-Acetyltransferase. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23147763. [PMID: 35887110 PMCID: PMC9317633 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23147763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the apparent similarity of fungal and mammalian metabolic pathways, the number of established antifungal targets is low, and the identification of novel ones is highly desirable. The results of our studies, presented in this work, indicate that the fungal biosynthetic pathway of L-methionine, an amino acid essential for humans, seems to be an attractive perspective. The MET2 gene from Candida albicans encoding L-homoserine O-acetyltransferase (CaMet2p), an enzyme catalyzing the first step in that pathway, was cloned and expressed as the native or the oligo-His-tagged fusion protein in Escherichia coli. The recombinant enzymes were purified and characterized for their basic molecular properties and substrate specificities. The purified MET2 gene product revealed the appropriate activity, catalyzed the conversion of L-homoserine (L-Hom) to O-acetyl-L-homoserine (OALH), and exhibited differential sensitivity to several L-Hom or OALH analogues, including penicillamine. Surprisingly, both penicillamine enantiomers (L- and D-Pen) displayed comparable inhibitory effects. The results of the docking of L- and D-Pen to the model of CaMet2p confirmed that both enantiomeric forms of the inhibitor are able to bind to the catalytic site of the enzyme with similar affinities and a similar binding mode. The sensitivity of some fungal cells to L-Pen, depending on the presence or absence of L-Met in the medium, clearly indicate Met2p targeting. Moreover, C. glabrata clinical strains that are resistant to fluconazole displayed a similar susceptibility to L-Pen as the wild-type strains. Our results prove the potential usefulness of Met2p as a molecular target for antifungal chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Iwona Gabriel
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +48-58-348-6078; Fax: +48-58-347-1144
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Caffrey P, Hogan M, Song Y. New Glycosylated Polyene Macrolides: Refining the Ore from Genome Mining. Antibiotics (Basel) 2022; 11:antibiotics11030334. [PMID: 35326797 PMCID: PMC8944477 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics11030334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2022] [Revised: 02/25/2022] [Accepted: 03/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Glycosylated polyene macrolides include effective antifungal agents, such as pimaricin, nystatin, candicidin, and amphotericin B. For the treatment of systemic mycoses, amphotericin B has been described as a gold-standard antibiotic because of its potent activity against a broad spectrum of fungal pathogens, which do not readily become resistant. However, amphotericin B has severe toxic side effects, and the development of safer alternatives remains an important objective. One approach towards obtaining such compounds is to discover new related natural products. Advances in next-generation sequencing have delivered a wealth of microbial genome sequences containing polyene biosynthetic gene clusters. These typically encode a modular polyketide synthase that catalyzes the assembly of the aglycone core, a cytochrome P450 that oxidizes a methyl branch to a carboxyl group, and additional enzymes for synthesis and attachment of a single mycosamine sugar residue. In some cases, further P450s catalyze epoxide formation or hydroxylation within the macrolactone. Bioinformatic analyses have identified over 250 of these clusters. Some are predicted to encode potentially valuable new polyenes that have not been uncovered by traditional screening methods. Recent experimental studies have characterized polyenes with new polyketide backbones, previously unknown late oxygenations, and additional sugar residues that increase water-solubility and reduce hemolytic activity. Here we review these studies and assess how this new knowledge can help to prioritize silent polyene clusters for further investigation. This approach should improve the chances of discovering better antifungal antibiotics.
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