Targeting Methyltransferases in Human Pathogenic Bacteria: Insights into Thymidylate Synthase (TS) and Flavin-Dependent TS (FDTS)

Combination Therapy as a Promising Way to Fight Oral Cancer

Oral cancer is a highly aggressive tumor with invasive properties that can lead to metastasis and high mortality rates. Conventional treatment strategies, such as surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy, alone or in combination, are associated with significant side effects. Currently, combination therapy has become the standard practice for the treatment of locally advanced oral cancer, emerging as an effective approach in improving outcomes. In this review, we present an in-depth analysis of the current advancements in combination therapies for oral cancer. The review explores the current therapeutic options and highlights the limitations of monotherapy approaches. It then focuses on combinatorial approaches that target microtubules, as well as various signaling pathway components implicated in oral cancer progression, namely, DNA repair players, the epidermal growth factor receptor, cyclin-dependent kinases, epigenetic readers, and immune checkpoint proteins. The review discusses the rationale behind combining different agents and examines the preclinical and clinical evidence supporting the effectiveness of these combinations, emphasizing their ability to enhance treatment response and overcome drug resistance. Challenges and limitations associated with combination therapy are discussed, including potential toxicity and the need for personalized treatment approaches. A future perspective is also provided to highlight the existing challenges and possible resolutions toward the clinical translation of current oral cancer therapies.

In silico bioprospecting of receptors for Doderlin: an antimicrobial peptide isolated from Lactobacillus acidophilus

The emergence of resistant bacteria strains against traditional antibiotics and treatments increases each year. Doderlin is a cationic and amphiphilic peptide active against gram-positive, negative and yeast stains. The aim of the present work was prospect potentials receptors associated of antimicrobial activity of Doderlin using in silico bioinformatics tools. To search for potential targets of Doderlin, PharmMapper software was used. Molecular docking between Doderlin and the receptor was performed by PatchDock. Additional interaction and ligand site prediction for each receptor was performed by I-TASSER software. Those PDB Id, 1XDJ (score: 11,746), 1JMH (score: 11,046), 1YR3 (score: 10,578), 1NG3 (score: 10,082) showed highest dock score. Doderlin was found to predicted/real sites co-localize with 1XDJ and 1JMH, enzymes accountable for nitrogenic bases synthesis. The resulting receptor bioprospecting is highly correlated and suggests that Doderlin might act by interfering with DNA metabolism/production of bacteria, altering microorganism homeostasis and growth impairment.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40203-023-00149-1.

Synthesis and Structure-Activity Relationship Studies of Pyrido [1,2-e]Purine-2,4(1H,3H)-Dione Derivatives Targeting Flavin-Dependent Thymidylate Synthase in Mycobacterium tuberculosis

In 2002, a new class of thymidylate synthase (TS) involved in the de novo synthesis of dTMP named Flavin-Dependent Thymidylate Synthase (FDTS) encoded by the thyX gene was discovered; FDTS is present only in 30% of prokaryote pathogens and not in human pathogens, which makes it an attractive target for the development of new antibacterial agents, especially against multi-resistant pathogens. We report herein the synthesis and structure-activity relationship of a novel series of hitherto unknown pyrido[1,2-e]purine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione analogues. Several synthetics efforts were done to optimize regioselective N1-alkylation through organopalladium cross-coupling. Modelling of potential hits were performed to generate a model of interaction into the active pocket of FDTS to understand and guide further synthetic modification. All those compounds were evaluated on an in-house in vitro NADPH oxidase assays screening as well as against Mycobacterium tuberculosis ThyX. The highest inhibition was obtained for compound 23a with 84.3% at 200 µM without significant cytotoxicity (CC50 > 100 μM) on PBM cells.

Highlighting the Unique Roles of Radical S-Adenosylmethionine Enzymes in Methanogenic Archaea

Radical S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) enzymes catalyze an impressive variety of difficult biochemical reactions in various pathways across all domains of life. These metalloenzymes employ a reduced [4Fe-4S] cluster and SAM to generate a highly reactive 5'-deoxyadenosyl radical that is capable of initiating catalysis on otherwise unreactive substrates. Interestingly, the genomes of methanogenic archaea encode many unique radical SAM enzymes with underexplored or completely unknown functions. These organisms are responsible for the yearly production of nearly 1 billion tons of methane, a potent greenhouse gas as well as a valuable energy source. Thus, understanding the details of methanogenic metabolism and elucidating the functions of essential enzymes in these organisms can provide insights into strategies to decrease greenhouse gas emissions as well as inform advances in bioenergy production processes. This minireview provides an overview of the current state of the field regarding the functions of radical SAM enzymes in methanogens and discusses gaps in knowledge that should be addressed.

MicroRNA-140-3p represses the proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis of lung adenocarcinoma cells via targeting TYMS (thymidylate synthetase)

MicroRNA (miR)-140-3p has been proved to repress lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), and our study aims to further evaluate the mechanism. Bioinformatic analyses were performed. The viability, proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis of transfected LUAD cells were all determined via Cell Counting Kit-8, colony formation, Scratch, Transwell, and tube formation assays. The targeting relationship between miR-140-3p and thymidylate synthetase (TYMS) was confirmed by dual-luciferase reporter assay. Relative expressions of miR-140-3p, TYMS, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition- (E-cadherin, N-cadherin, vimentin), angiogenesis- (vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)), and apoptosis-related factors (cleaved caspase-3, B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), Bcl-2-associated X protein (Bax)) were quantified by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction or Western blot. TYMS was high-expressed yet miR-140-3p was low-expressed in LUAD cells. Upregulation of miR-140-3p inhibited TYMS expression, viability, colony formation, migration, invasion, and tube length within LUAD cells, while downregulation of miR-140-3p did oppositely. Silenced TYMS, the downstream target gene of miR-140-3p, reversed the effects of miR-140-3p downregulation on TYMS expression, cell viability, colony formation, migration, invasion, and tube length as well as the metastasis-, apoptosis- and angiogenesis-related proteins in LUAD cells. Upregulation of miR-140-3p inhibited the proliferation, migration, invasion and angiogenesis of LUAD cells via targeting TYMS.

Multifaceted role of drugs: a potential weapon to outsmart Mycobacterium tuberculosis resistance by targeting its essential ThyX

Tuberculosis (TB) is one of the prominent cause of deaths across the world and multidrug-resistant and extensively drug-resistant TB continues to pose challenges for clinicians and public health centers. The risk of death is extremely high in individuals who have compromised immune systems, HIV infection, or diabetes. Research institutes and pharmaceutical companies have been working on repurposing existing drugs as effective therapeutic options against TB. The identification of suitable drugs with multi-target affinity profiles is a widely accepted way to combat the development of resistance. Flavin-dependent thymidylate synthase (FDTS), known as ThyX, is in the class of methyltransferases and is a possible target in the discovery of novel anti-TB drugs. In this study, we aimed to repurpose existing drugs approved by Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that could be used in the treatment of TB. An integrated screening was performed based on computational procedures: high-throughput molecular docking techniques, followed by molecular dynamics simulations of the target enzyme, ThyX. After performing in silico screening using a library of 3,967 FDA-approved drugs, the two highest-scoring drugs, Carglumic acid and Mesalazine, were selected as potential candidates that could be repurposed to treat TB.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Proteomics of Sentinel Lymph Nodes in Early Breast Cancer for Identification of Thymidylate Synthase as a Potential Biomarker to Flag Metastasis: A Preliminary Study

Introduction

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women across the world. Some of the patients who present in the early stage of disease are affected by metastasis to the axillary group of lymph nodes. The first among this group that is affected is called as sentinel lymph node, and its diagnosis is crucial for the staging of cancer thereby dictating the type of surgical therapy. Therefore, the sentinel lymph node status provides the most relevant information to the surgeon and patient prognosis. The expanded utilization of breast conservation surgery has declined the morbidity associated with mastectomy and axillary lymph node surgery. Recent interest is, therefore, centered on techniques that allow accurate assessment of the sentinel lymph node metastasis. A current procedure such as sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) that is used to assess axillary lymph node metastasis is neither specific nor sensitive, and besides, it is time-consuming.

Objective

To compare the protein profiles between metastatic and non-metastatic lymph nodes to identify a biomarker that can flag lymph node metastasis.

Materials and Methods

Women with early breast cancer were screened using mammography imaging and recruited to the study. Surgical resection was done to remove the breast tissue, and sentinel lymph node was identified using fluorescein and methylene blue tracer. Lymph node was sliced, and one set was sent for histopathology, which was considered the gold standard to assess the metastatic status of the lymph node. One set of slices was taken for proteomic experiments. Proteins were labelled with fluorescent cyanine tags and were subjected to difference gel electrophoresis experiment. Differentially expressed spots that had at least a twofold relative ratio and consistent pattern across three sets of biological replicate experiments were marked. Gel spots were trypsin digested and identified on mass spectrometry machine. Validation study was done by Western blot experiment on the same set of samples.

Results

Thymidylate synthase has a twofold higher expression in the metastatic sentinel lymph nodes as compared to non-metastatic lymph nodes in early breast cancer patients.

Conclusion

Differential in gel expression proteomics is an ideal platform for the identification of potential protein biomarker candidates that can differentiate metastatic from non-metastatic lymph nodes in early breast cancer. The identification of thymidylate synthase offers a scope to develop an on-table diagnostic kit to assess the status of sentinel lymph nodes during mastectomy procedure to guide surgical management of axillary lymph nodes in early breast cancer.

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