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Eurtivong C, Zimmer C, Schirmeister T, Butkinaree C, Saruengkhanphasit R, Niwetmarin W, Ruchirawat S, Bhambra AS. A structure-based virtual high-throughput screening, molecular docking, molecular dynamics and MM/PBSA study identified novel putative drug-like dual inhibitors of trypanosomal cruzain and rhodesain cysteine proteases. Mol Divers 2024; 28:531-551. [PMID: 36617352 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-023-10600-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 01/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Virtual screening a collection of ~ 25,000 ChemBridge molecule collection identified two nitrogenous heterocyclic molecules, 12 and 15, with potential dual inhibitory properties against trypanosomal cruzain and rhodesain cysteine proteases. Similarity search in DrugBank found the two virtual hits with novel chemical structures with unreported anti-trypanosomal activities. Investigations into the binding mechanism by molecular dynamics simulations for 100 ns revealed the molecules were able to occupy the binding sites and stabilise the protease complexes. Binding affinities calculated using the MM/PBSA method for the last 20 ns showed that the virtual hits have comparable binding affinities to other known inhibitors from literature suggesting both molecules as promising scaffolds with dual cruzain and rhodesain inhibition properties, i.e. 12 has predicted ΔGbind values of - 38.1 and - 38.2 kcal/mol to cruzain and rhodesain, respectively, and 15 has predicted ΔGbind values of - 34.4 and - 25.8 kcal/mol to rhodesain. Per residue binding free energy decomposition studies and visual inspection at 100 ns snapshots revealed hydrogen bonding and non-polar attractions with important amino acid residues that contributed to the ΔGbind values. The interactions are similar to those previously reported in the literature. The overall ADMET predictions for the two molecules were favourable for drug development with acceptable pharmacokinetic profiles and adequate oral bioavailability.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chatchakorn Eurtivong
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mahidol Univeristy, 447 Sri-Ayutthaya Road, Ratchathewi, Bangkok, 10400, Thailand.
- Program in Chemical Sciences, Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, 906 Kamphaeng Phet 6, Talat Bang Khen, Lak Si, Bangkok, 10210, Thailand.
- Center of Excellence On Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), OPS, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Bangkok, Thailand.
| | - Collin Zimmer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Tanja Schirmeister
- Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Chutikarn Butkinaree
- National Omics Center, National Science and Technology Development Agency, Khlong Luang, 12120, Pathum Thani, Thailand
| | - Rungroj Saruengkhanphasit
- Program in Chemical Sciences, Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, 906 Kamphaeng Phet 6, Talat Bang Khen, Lak Si, Bangkok, 10210, Thailand
- Center of Excellence On Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), OPS, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Worawat Niwetmarin
- Program in Chemical Sciences, Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, 906 Kamphaeng Phet 6, Talat Bang Khen, Lak Si, Bangkok, 10210, Thailand
- Center of Excellence On Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), OPS, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Bangkok, Thailand
| | - Somsak Ruchirawat
- Program in Chemical Sciences, Chulabhorn Graduate Institute, Chulabhorn Royal Academy, 906 Kamphaeng Phet 6, Talat Bang Khen, Lak Si, Bangkok, 10210, Thailand
- Center of Excellence On Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), OPS, Ministry of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, Bangkok, Thailand
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Chulabhorn Research Institute, Bangkok, 10210, Thailand
| | - Avninder S Bhambra
- Leicester School of Allied Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, de Montfort University, Leicester, UK
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Parvez A, Lee JS, Alam W, Tayara H, Chong KT. Integrated Computational Approaches for Drug Design Targeting Cruzipain. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3747. [PMID: 38612558 PMCID: PMC11011879 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073747] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 03/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/24/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Cruzipain inhibitors are required after medications to treat Chagas disease because of the need for safer, more effective treatments. Trypanosoma cruzi is the source of cruzipain, a crucial cysteine protease that has driven interest in using computational methods to create more effective inhibitors. We employed a 3D-QSAR model, using a dataset of 36 known inhibitors, and a pharmacophore model to identify potential inhibitors for cruzipain. We also built a deep learning model using the Deep purpose library, trained on 204 active compounds, and validated it with a specific test set. During a comprehensive screening of the Drug Bank database of 8533 molecules, pharmacophore and deep learning models identified 1012 and 340 drug-like molecules, respectively. These molecules were further evaluated through molecular docking, followed by induced-fit docking. Ultimately, molecular dynamics simulation was performed for the final potent inhibitors that exhibited strong binding interactions. These results present four novel cruzipain inhibitors that can inhibit the cruzipain protein of T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aiman Parvez
- Department of Electronics and Information Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea; (A.P.); (W.A.)
| | - Jeong-Sang Lee
- Department of Functional Food and Biotechnology, College of Medical Sciences, Jeonju University, Jeonju 55069, Republic of Korea;
| | - Waleed Alam
- Department of Electronics and Information Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea; (A.P.); (W.A.)
| | - Hilal Tayara
- School of International Engineering and Science, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
| | - Kil To Chong
- Department of Electronics and Information Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea; (A.P.); (W.A.)
- Advances Electronics and Information Research Center, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
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Cabral IB, de Lima Moreira CV, Rodrigues ACC, da Silva Moreira LK, Pereira JKA, Gomides CD, Lião LM, Machado LS, Vaz BG, da Cunha LC, de Oliveira Neto JR, da Silva-Júnior EF, de Aquino TM, da Silva Santos-Júnior PF, Silva ON, da Rocha FF, Costa EA, Menegatti R, Fajemiroye JO. Preclinical data on morpholine (3,5-di-tertbutyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) methanone induced anxiolysis. Naunyn Schmiedebergs Arch Pharmacol 2023; 396:2957-2975. [PMID: 37097335 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-023-02502-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2023] [Indexed: 04/26/2023]
Abstract
Trimetozine is used to be indicated for the treatment of mental illnesses, particularly anxiety. The present study provides data on the pharmacological profile of trimetozine derivative morpholine (3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl) methanone (LQFM289) which was designed from molecular hybridization of trimetozine lead compound and 2,6-di-tert-butyl-hydroxytoluene to develop new anxiolytic drugs. Here, we conduct molecular dynamics simulations, docking studies, receptor binding assays, and in silico ADMET profiling of LQFM289 before its behavioral and biochemical assessment in mice within the dose range of 5-20 mg/kg. The docking of LQFM289 showed strong interactions with the benzodiazepine binding sites and matched well with receptor binding data. With the ADMET profile of this trimetozine derivative that predicts a high intestinal absorption and permeability to blood-brain barrier without being inhibited by the permeability glycoprotein, the oral administration of LQFM289 10 mg/kg consistently induced anxiolytic-like behavior of the mice exposed to the open field and light-dark box apparatus without eliciting motor incoordination in the wire, rotarod, and chimney tests. A decrease in the wire and rotarod´s fall latency coupled with an increase in the chimney test´s climbing time and a decrease in the number of crossings in the open field apparatus at the dose of 20 mg/kg of this trimetozine derivative suggest sedative or motor coordination impairment at this highest dose. The attenuation of the anxiolytic-like effects of LQFM289 (10 mg/kg) by flumazenil pretreatment implicates the participation of benzodiazepine binding sites. The lowering of corticosterone and tumor necrosis factor alpha (cytokine) in LQFM289-treated mice at a single oral (acute) dose of 10 mg/kg suggests that the anxiolytic-like effect of this compound also involves the recruitment of non-benzodiazepine binding sites/GABAergic molecular machinery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iara Barbosa Cabral
- Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Goiás, CEP 74001-970, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | | | | | | | | | - Christian Dias Gomides
- Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Goiás, Av. Esperança S/N, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO, 74690-900, Brazil
| | - Luciano M Lião
- Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Goiás, Av. Esperança S/N, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO, 74690-900, Brazil
| | - Lucas S Machado
- Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Goiás, Av. Esperança S/N, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO, 74690-900, Brazil
| | - Boniek G Vaz
- Institute of Chemistry, Federal University of Goiás, Av. Esperança S/N, Campus Samambaia, Goiânia, GO, 74690-900, Brazil
| | - Luiz Carlos da Cunha
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, PMB 131, CEP 74001-970, Goiânia, Brazil
| | | | - Edeildo Ferreira da Silva-Júnior
- Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Alagoas, Maceió, 57072-900, Brazil
| | - Thiago Mendonça de Aquino
- Research Group in Therapeutic Strategies, Federal University of Alagoas, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Alagoas, Maceió, 57072-900, Brazil
| | | | - Osmar N Silva
- Evangelical University of Goias, UniEvangélica, Av. Universitária Km 3, 5 Cidade Universitária Anápolis, Goias, GO, 75083-515, Brazil
| | - Fábio Fagundes da Rocha
- Department of Physiological Sciences, Institute of Biology, Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, Brazil
| | - Elson Alves Costa
- Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Goiás, CEP 74001-970, Goiânia, GO, Brazil
| | - Ricardo Menegatti
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Goiás, PMB 131, CEP 74001-970, Goiânia, Brazil
| | - James O Fajemiroye
- Institute of Biological Science, Federal University of Goiás, CEP 74001-970, Goiânia, GO, Brazil.
- Evangelical University of Goias, UniEvangélica, Av. Universitária Km 3, 5 Cidade Universitária Anápolis, Goias, GO, 75083-515, Brazil.
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Broni E, Ashley C, Velazquez M, Khan S, Striegel A, Sakyi PO, Peracha S, Bebla K, Sodhi M, Kwofie SK, Ademokunwa A, Miller WA. In Silico Discovery of Potential Inhibitors Targeting the RNA Binding Loop of ADAR2 and 5-HT2CR from Traditional Chinese Natural Compounds. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:12612. [PMID: 37628792 PMCID: PMC10454645 DOI: 10.3390/ijms241612612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 08/06/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Adenosine deaminase acting on RNA 2 (ADAR2) is an important enzyme involved in RNA editing processes, particularly in the conversion of adenosine to inosine in RNA molecules. Dysregulation of ADAR2 activity has been implicated in various diseases, including neurological disorders (including schizophrenia), inflammatory disorders, viral infections, and cancers. Therefore, targeting ADAR2 with small molecules presents a promising therapeutic strategy for modulating RNA editing and potentially treating associated pathologies. However, there are limited compounds that effectively inhibit ADAR2 reactions. This study therefore employed computational approaches to virtually screen natural compounds from the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) library. The shortlisted compounds demonstrated a stronger binding affinity to the ADAR2 (<-9.5 kcal/mol) than the known inhibitor, 8-azanebularine (-6.8 kcal/mol). The topmost compounds were also observed to possess high binding affinity towards 5-HT2CR with binding energies ranging from -7.8 to -12.9 kcal/mol. Further subjecting the top ADAR2-ligand complexes to molecular dynamics simulations and molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area (MM/PBSA) calculations revealed that five potential hit compounds comprising ZINC000014637370, ZINC000085593577, ZINC000042890265, ZINC000039183320, and ZINC000101100339 had favorable binding free energies of -174.911, -137.369, -117.236, -67.023, and -64.913 kJ/mol, respectively, with the human ADAR2 protein. Residues Lys350, Cys377, Glu396, Cys451, Arg455, Ser486, Gln488, and Arg510 were also predicted to be crucial in ligand recognition and binding. This finding will provide valuable insights into the molecular interactions between ADAR2 and small molecules, aiding in the design of future ADAR2 inhibitors with potential therapeutic applications. The potential lead compounds were also profiled to have insignificant toxicities. A structural similarity search via DrugBank revealed that ZINC000039183320 and ZINC000014637370 were similar to naringin and naringenin, which are known adenosine deaminase (ADA) inhibitors. These potential novel ADAR2 inhibitors identified herein may be beneficial in treating several neurological disorders, cancers, viral infections, and inflammatory disorders caused by ADAR2 after experimental validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emmanuel Broni
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Carolyn Ashley
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Miriam Velazquez
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Sufia Khan
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
- Department of Biology, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Andrew Striegel
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
- Department of Chemical and Biochemistry, College of Science, University of Notre Dame, Notre Dame, IN 46556, USA
| | - Patrick O. Sakyi
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box LG 56, Ghana
- Department of Chemical Sciences, School of Sciences, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani P.O. Box 214, Ghana
| | - Saqib Peracha
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Kristeen Bebla
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Monsheel Sodhi
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
| | - Samuel K. Kwofie
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering Sciences, College of Basic & Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra P.O. Box LG 77, Ghana
- Department of Biochemistry, Cell and Molecular Biology, West African Centre for Cell Biology of Infectious Pathogens, College of Basic and Applied Sciences, University of Ghana, Accra P.O. Box LG 54, Ghana
| | - Adesanya Ademokunwa
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
- Department of Cognitive and Behavioral Neuroscience, Loyola University Chicago, Chicago, IL 60660, USA
| | - Whelton A. Miller
- Department of Medicine, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology & Neuroscience, Loyola University Medical Center, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL 60153, USA
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Alves ETM, Pernichelle FG, Nascimento LA, Ferreira GM, Ferreira EI. Covalent Inhibitors for Neglected Diseases: An Exploration of Novel Therapeutic Options. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1028. [PMID: 37513939 PMCID: PMC10385647 DOI: 10.3390/ph16071028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 06/19/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Neglected diseases, primarily found in tropical regions of the world, present a significant challenge for impoverished populations. Currently, there are 20 diseases considered neglected, which greatly impact the health of affected populations and result in difficult-to-control social and economic consequences. Unfortunately, for the majority of these diseases, there are few or no drugs available for patient treatment, and the few drugs that do exist often lack adequate safety and efficacy. As a result, there is a pressing need to discover and design new drugs to address these neglected diseases. This requires the identification of different targets and interactions to be studied. In recent years, there has been a growing focus on studying enzyme covalent inhibitors as a potential treatment for neglected diseases. In this review, we will explore examples of how these inhibitors have been used to target Human African Trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease, and Malaria, highlighting some of the most promising results so far. Ultimately, this review aims to inspire medicinal chemists to pursue the development of new drug candidates for these neglected diseases, and to encourage greater investment in research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erick Tavares Marcelino Alves
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, Butantã, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Filipe Gomes Pernichelle
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, Butantã, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Lucas Adriano Nascimento
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, Butantã, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Glaucio Monteiro Ferreira
- Department of Clinical and Toxicological Analyses, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, Butantã, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
| | - Elizabeth Igne Ferreira
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Sao Paulo, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 580, Butantã, São Paulo 05508-000, Brazil
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Laureano de Souza M, Lapierre TJWJD, Vitor de Lima Marques G, Ferraz WR, Penteado AB, Henrique Goulart Trossini G, Murta SMF, de Oliveira RB, de Oliveira Rezende C, Ferreira RS. Molecular targets for Chagas disease: validation, challenges and lead compounds for widely exploited targets. Expert Opin Ther Targets 2023; 27:911-925. [PMID: 37772733 DOI: 10.1080/14728222.2023.2264512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 09/24/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Chagas disease (CD) imposes social and economic burdens, yet the available treatments have limited efficacy in the disease's chronic phase and cause serious adverse effects. To address this challenge, target-based approaches are a possible strategy to develop new, safe, and active treatments for both phases of the disease. AREAS COVERED This review delves into target-based approaches applied to CD drug discovery, emphasizing the studies from the last five years. We highlight the proteins cruzain (CZ), trypanothione reductase (TR), sterol 14 α-demethylase (CPY51), iron superoxide dismutase (Fe-SOD), proteasome, cytochrome b (Cytb), and cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor 3 (CPSF3), chosen based on their biological and chemical validation as drug targets. For each, we discuss its biological relevance and validation as a target, currently related challenges, and the status of the most promising inhibitors. EXPERT OPINION Target-based approaches toward developing potential CD therapeutics have yielded promising leads in recent years. We expect a significant advance in this field in the next decade, fueled by the new options for Trypanosoma cruzi genetic manipulation that arose in the past decade, combined with recent advances in computational chemistry and chemical biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mariana Laureano de Souza
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Gabriel Vitor de Lima Marques
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Witor Ribeiro Ferraz
- Departamento de Farmacia, Faculdade de Ciencias Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - André Berndt Penteado
- Departamento de Farmacia, Faculdade de Ciencias Farmacêuticas, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | | | | | - Renata Barbosa de Oliveira
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | | | - Rafaela Salgado Ferreira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Arafet K, Royo S, Schirmeister T, Barthels F, González FV, Moliner V. Impact of the Recognition Part of Dipeptidyl Nitroalkene Compounds on the Inhibition Mechanism of Cysteine Proteases Cruzain and Cathepsin L. ACS Catal 2023; 13:6289-6300. [PMID: 37180968 PMCID: PMC10167892 DOI: 10.1021/acscatal.3c01035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/06/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
Cysteine proteases (CPs) are an important class of enzymes, many of which are responsible for several human diseases. For instance, cruzain of protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi is responsible for the Chagas disease, while the role of human cathepsin L is associated with some cancers or is a potential target for the treatment of COVID-19. However, despite paramount work carried out during the past years, the compounds that have been proposed so far show limited inhibitory action against these enzymes. We present a study of proposed covalent inhibitors of these two CPs, cruzain and cathepsin L, based on the design, synthesis, kinetic measurements, and QM/MM computational simulations on dipeptidyl nitroalkene compounds. The experimentally determined inhibition data, together with the analysis and the predicted inhibition constants derived from the free energy landscape of the full inhibition process, allowed describing the impact of the recognition part of these compounds and, in particular, the modifications on the P2 site. The designed compounds and, in particular, the one with a bulky group (Trp) at the P2 site show promising in vitro inhibition activities against cruzain and cathepsin L for use as a starting lead compound in the development of drugs with medical applications for the treatment of human diseases and future designs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kemel Arafet
- Dipartimento
di Scienze degli Alimenti e del Farmaco, Università degli Studi di Parma, 43124 Parma, Italy
- BioComp
Group, Institute of Advanced Materials (INAM),
Universitat Jaume I, 12071 Castelló, Spain
| | - Santiago Royo
- Departament
de Química Inorgànica i Orgànica, Universitat Jaume I, 12071 Castelló, Spain
| | - Tanja Schirmeister
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Fabian Barthels
- Institute
of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität, 55128 Mainz, Germany
| | - Florenci V. González
- Departament
de Química Inorgànica i Orgànica, Universitat Jaume I, 12071 Castelló, Spain
| | - Vicent Moliner
- BioComp
Group, Institute of Advanced Materials (INAM),
Universitat Jaume I, 12071 Castelló, Spain
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8
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Martins LC, de Oliveira RB, Lameira J, Ferreira RS. Experimental and Computational Study of Aryl-thiosemicarbazones Inhibiting Cruzain Reveals Reversible Inhibition and a Stepwise Mechanism. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:1506-1520. [PMID: 36802548 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c01566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/22/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi is a parasite that infects about 6-7 million people worldwide, mostly in Latin America, causing Chagas disease. Cruzain, the main cysteine protease of T. cruzi, is a validated target for developing drug candidates for Chagas disease. Thiosemicarbazones are one of the most relevant warheads used in covalent inhibitors targeting cruzain. Despite its relevance, the mechanism of inhibition of cruzain by thiosemicarbazones is unknown. Here, we combined experiments and simulations to unveil the covalent inhibition mechanism of cruzain by a thiosemicarbazone-based inhibitor (compound 1). Additionally, we studied a semicarbazone (compound 2), which is structurally similar to compound 1 but does not inhibit cruzain. Assays confirmed the reversibility of inhibition by compound 1 and suggested a two-step mechanism of inhibition. The Ki was estimated to be 36.3 μM and Ki* to be 11.5 μM, suggesting the pre-covalent complex to be relevant for inhibition. Molecular dynamics simulations of compounds 1 and 2 with cruzain were used to propose putative binding modes for the ligands. One-dimensional (1D) quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) potential of mean force (PMF) and gas-phase energies showed that the attack of Cys25-S- on the C═S or C═O bond yields a more stable intermediate than the attack on the C═N bond of the thiosemicarbazone/semicarbazone. Two-dimensional (2D) QM/MM PMF revealed a putative reaction mechanism for compound 1, involving the proton transfer to the ligand, followed by the Cys25-S- attack at C═S. The ΔG and energy barrier were estimated to be -1.4 and 11.7 kcal/mol, respectively. Overall, our results shed light on the inhibition mechanism of cruzain by thiosemicarbazones.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luan Carvalho Martins
- Molecular Modeling and Drug Design Laboratory, Institute for Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, 6627, Antônio Carlos Avenue, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Renata Barbosa de Oliveira
- Pharmaceutical Products Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Federal University of Minas Gerais, 6627, Antônio Carlos Avenue, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
| | - Jerônimo Lameira
- Institute of Biological Sciences, Federal University of Pará, 66075-110 Belém, Pará, Brazil
| | - Rafaela Salgado Ferreira
- Molecular Modeling and Drug Design Laboratory, Institute for Biological Sciences, Federal University of Minas Gerais, 6627, Antônio Carlos Avenue, 31270-901 Belo Horizonte, MG, Brazil
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9
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Nunes JA, de Araújo RSA, da Silva FN, Cytarska J, Łączkowski KZ, Cardoso SH, Mendonça-Júnior FJB, da Silva-Júnior EF. Coumarin-Based Compounds as Inhibitors of Tyrosinase/Tyrosine Hydroxylase: Synthesis, Kinetic Studies, and In Silico Approaches. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:5216. [PMID: 36982292 PMCID: PMC10048804 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065216] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 02/22/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer represents the main cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, constituting a serious health problem. In this context, melanoma represents the most aggressive and fatal type of skin cancer, with death rates increasing every year. Scientific efforts have been addressed to the development of inhibitors targeting the tyrosinase enzyme as potential anti-melanoma agents due to the importance of this enzyme in melanogenesis biosynthesis. Coumarin-based compounds have shown potential activity as anti-melanoma agents and tyrosinase inhibitors. In this study, coumarin-based derivatives were designed, synthesized, and experimentally evaluated upon tyrosinase. Compound FN-19, a coumarin-thiosemicarbazone analog, exhibited potent anti-tyrosinase activity, with an IC50 value of 42.16 ± 5.16 µM, being more active than ascorbic acid and kojic acid, both reference inhibitors. The kinetic study showed that FN-19 acts as a mixed inhibitor. Still, for this compound, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were performed to determine the stability of the complex with tyrosinase, generating RMSD, RMSF, and interaction plots. Additionally, docking studies were performed to elucidate the binding pose at the tyrosinase, suggesting that the hydroxyl group of coumarin derivative performs coordinate bonds (bidentate) with the copper(II) ions at distances ranging from 2.09 to 2.61 Å. Then, MM/PBSA calculations revealed that van der Waals interactions are the most relevant intermolecular forces for complex stabilization. Furthermore, it was observed that FN-19 has a binding energy (ΔEMM) value similar to tropolone, a tyrosinase inhibitor. Therefore, the data obtained in this study will be useful for designing and developing novel coumarin-based analogs targeting the tyrosinase enzyme.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jéssica Alves Nunes
- Biological and Molecular Chemistry Research Group, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, AC Simões Campus, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, s/n, Maceió 57072-970, Alagoas, Brazil (E.F.d.S.-J.)
| | - Rodrigo Santos Aquino de Araújo
- Laboratory of Synthesis and Drug Delivery, Department of Biological Sciences, State University of Paraíba, João Pessoa 58429-500, Paraíba, Brazil
| | - Fabrícia Nunes da Silva
- Laboratory of Organic and Medicinal Synthesis, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus Arapiraca, Manoel Severino Barbosa Avenue, Arapiraca 57309-005, Alagoas, Brazil
| | - Joanna Cytarska
- Department of Chemical Technology and Pharmaceuticals, Faculty of Pharmacy, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Jurasza 2, 85-089 Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Z. Łączkowski
- Department of Chemical Technology and Pharmaceuticals, Faculty of Pharmacy, Collegium Medicum, Nicolaus Copernicus University, Jurasza 2, 85-089 Bydgoszcz, Poland
| | - Sílvia Helena Cardoso
- Laboratory of Organic and Medicinal Synthesis, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus Arapiraca, Manoel Severino Barbosa Avenue, Arapiraca 57309-005, Alagoas, Brazil
| | | | - Edeildo Ferreira da Silva-Júnior
- Biological and Molecular Chemistry Research Group, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, AC Simões Campus, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, s/n, Maceió 57072-970, Alagoas, Brazil (E.F.d.S.-J.)
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10
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Urán Landaburu L, Didier Garnham M, Agüero F. Targeting trypanosomes: how chemogenomics and artificial intelligence can guide drug discovery. Biochem Soc Trans 2023; 51:195-206. [PMID: 36606702 DOI: 10.1042/BST20220618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/20/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosomatids are protozoan parasites that cause human and animal neglected diseases. Despite global efforts, effective treatments are still much needed. Phenotypic screens have provided several chemical leads for drug discovery, but the mechanism of action for many of these chemicals is currently unknown. Recently, chemogenomic screens assessing the susceptibility or resistance of parasites carrying genome-wide modifications started to define the mechanism of action of drugs at large scale. In this review, we discuss how genomics is being used for drug discovery in trypanosomatids, how integration of chemical and genomics data from these and other organisms has guided prioritisations of candidate therapeutic targets and additional chemical starting points, and how these data can fuel the expansion of drug discovery pipelines into the era of artificial intelligence.
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11
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do Valle Moreira T, Martins LC, Diniz LA, Bernardes TCD, de Oliveira RB, Ferreira RS. Screening the Pathogen Box to Discover and Characterize New Cruzain and TbrCatL Inhibitors. Pathogens 2023; 12. [PMID: 36839523 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens12020251] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2023] [Indexed: 02/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease and Human African Trypanosomiasis, caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and T. brucei, respectively, pose relevant health challenges throughout the world, placing 65 to 70 million people at risk each. Given the limited efficacy and severe side effects associated with current chemotherapy, new drugs are urgently needed for both diseases. Here, we report the screening of the Pathogen Box collection against cruzain and TbrCatL, validated targets for Chagas disease and Human African Trypanosomiasis, respectively. Enzymatic assays were applied to screen 400 compounds, validate hits, determine IC50 values and, when possible, mechanisms of inhibition. In this case, 12 initial hits were obtained and ten were prioritized for follow-up. IC50 values were obtained for six of them (hit rate = 1.5%) and ranged from 0.46 ± 0.03 to 27 ± 3 µM. MMV687246 was found to be a mixed inhibitor of cruzain (Ki = 57 ± 6 µM) while MMV688179 was found to be a competitive inhibitor of cruzain with a nanomolar potency (Ki = 165 ± 63 nM). A putative binding mode for MMV688179 was obtained by docking. The six hits discovered against cruzain and TbrCatL are of great interest for further optimization by the medicinal chemistry community.
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12
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Albino SL, da Silva Moura WC, dos Reis MML, Sousa GLS, da Silva PR, de Oliveira MGC, Borges TKDS, Albuquerque LFF, de Almeida SMV, de Lima MDCA, Kuckelhaus SAS, Nascimento IJDS, Junior FJBM, da Silva TG, de Moura RO. ACW-02 an Acridine Triazolidine Derivative Presents Antileishmanial Activity Mediated by DNA Interaction and Immunomodulation. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:204. [PMID: 37259353 PMCID: PMC9967605 DOI: 10.3390/ph16020204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2022] [Revised: 01/26/2023] [Accepted: 01/27/2023] [Indexed: 03/11/2024] Open
Abstract
The present study proposed the synthesis of a novel acridine derivative not yet described in the literature, chemical characterization by NMR, MS, and IR, followed by investigations of its antileishmanial potential. In vitro assays were performed to assess its antileishmanial activity against L. amazonensis strains and cytotoxicity against macrophages through MTT assay and annexin V-FITC/PI, and the ability to perform an immunomodulatory action using CBA. To investigate possible molecular targets, its interaction with DNA in vitro and in silico targets were evaluated. As results, the compound showed good antileishmanial activity, with IC50 of 6.57 (amastigotes) and 94.97 (promastigotes) µg mL-1, associated with non-cytotoxicity to macrophages (CC50 > 256.00 µg mL-1). When assessed by flow cytometry, 99.8% of macrophages remained viable. The compound induced an antileishmanial effect in infected macrophages and altered TNF-α, IL-10 and IL-6 expression, suggesting a slight immunomodulatory activity. DNA assay showed an interaction with the minor grooves due to the hyperchromic effect of 47.53% and Kb 1.17 × 106 M-1, and was sustained by docking studies. Molecular dynamics simulations and MM-PBSA calculations propose cysteine protease B as a possible target. Therefore, this study demonstrates that the new compound is a promising molecule and contributes as a model for future works.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonaly Lima Albino
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Inovação Terapêutica, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife 50670-901, Brazil
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento e Síntese de Fármacos, Departamento de Farmácia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campina Grande 58429-500, Brazil
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campina Grande 58429-500, Brazil
| | - Willian Charles da Silva Moura
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento e Síntese de Fármacos, Departamento de Farmácia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campina Grande 58429-500, Brazil
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campina Grande 58429-500, Brazil
| | - Malu Maria Lucas dos Reis
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento e Síntese de Fármacos, Departamento de Farmácia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campina Grande 58429-500, Brazil
| | - Gleyton Leonel Silva Sousa
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento e Síntese de Fármacos, Departamento de Farmácia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campina Grande 58429-500, Brazil
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Química, Universidade Federal Rural do Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica 23890-000, Brazil
| | - Pablo Rayff da Silva
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Produtos Naturais, Sintéticos e Bioativos, Universidade Federal da Paraiba, João Pessoa 58051-900, Brazil
| | | | - Tatiana Karla dos Santos Borges
- Laboratório de Imunologia Celular, Área de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Lucas Fraga Friaça Albuquerque
- Laboratório de Imunologia Celular, Área de Patologia, Faculdade de Medicina, Campus Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil
| | | | - Maria do Carmo Alves de Lima
- Laboratório de Química e Inovação Terapêutica, Departamento de Antibióticos, Universidade Federal de Pernambuco, Recife 50670-901, Brazil
| | - Selma Aparecida Souza Kuckelhaus
- Área de Morfologia, Faculdade de Medicina—UnB, Universidade de Brasília, Campus Darcy Ribeiro/Asa Norte, Brasília 70910-900, Brazil
| | - Igor José dos Santos Nascimento
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento e Síntese de Fármacos, Departamento de Farmácia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campina Grande 58429-500, Brazil
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campina Grande 58429-500, Brazil
| | | | | | - Ricardo Olímpio de Moura
- Laboratório de Desenvolvimento e Síntese de Fármacos, Departamento de Farmácia, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campina Grande 58429-500, Brazil
- Programa de Pós Graduação em Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual da Paraíba, Campina Grande 58429-500, Brazil
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13
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Santos LH, Kronenberger T, Almeida RG, Silva EB, Rocha REO, Oliveira JC, Barreto LV, Skinner D, Fajtová P, Giardini MA, Woodworth B, Bardine C, Lourenço AL, Craik CS, Poso A, Podust LM, McKerrow JH, Siqueira-Neto JL, O’Donoghue AJ, da Silva
Júnior EN, Ferreira RS. Structure-Based Identification of Naphthoquinones and Derivatives as Novel Inhibitors of Main Protease M pro and Papain-like Protease PL pro of SARS-CoV-2. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:6553-6573. [PMID: 35960688 PMCID: PMC9397563 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 urgently demands novel direct antiviral treatments. The main protease (Mpro) and papain-like protease (PLpro) are attractive drug targets among coronaviruses due to their essential role in processing the polyproteins translated from the viral RNA. In this study, we virtually screened 688 naphthoquinoidal compounds and derivatives against Mpro of SARS-CoV-2. Twenty-four derivatives were selected and evaluated in biochemical assays against Mpro using a novel fluorogenic substrate. In parallel, these compounds were also assayed with SARS-CoV-2 PLpro. Four compounds inhibited Mpro with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values between 0.41 μM and 9.0 μM. In addition, three compounds inhibited PLpro with IC50 ranging from 1.9 μM to 3.3 μM. To verify the specificity of Mpro and PLpro inhibitors, our experiments included an assessment of common causes of false positives such as aggregation, high compound fluorescence, and inhibition by enzyme oxidation. Altogether, we confirmed novel classes of specific Mpro and PLpro inhibitors. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest stable binding modes for Mpro inhibitors with frequent interactions with residues in the S1 and S2 pockets of the active site. For two PLpro inhibitors, interactions occur in the S3 and S4 pockets. In summary, our structure-based computational and biochemical approach identified novel naphthoquinonal scaffolds that can be further explored as SARS-CoV-2 antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucianna H. Santos
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology,
Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas
Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Thales Kronenberger
- Department of Oncology and Pneumonology, Internal
Medicine VIII, University Hospital Tübingen,
Otfried-Müller-Straße 10, DE72076 Tübingen,
Germany
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences,
University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio,
Finland
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal
Chemistry and Tübingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery (TüCAD2),
Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Auf der
Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Renata G. Almeida
- Institute of Exact Sciences, Department of Chemistry,
Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas
Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Elany B. Silva
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La
Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
| | - Rafael E. O. Rocha
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology,
Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas
Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Joyce C. Oliveira
- Institute of Exact Sciences, Department of Chemistry,
Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas
Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Luiza V. Barreto
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology,
Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas
Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Danielle Skinner
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La
Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
| | - Pavla Fajtová
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La
Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry,
Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 16610 Prague,
Czech Republic
| | - Miriam A. Giardini
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La
Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
| | - Brendon Woodworth
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious
Diseases, University of California San Diego, La Jolla,
California 92093, United States
| | - Conner Bardine
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry,
University of California San Francisco, San Francisco,
California 94143, United States
| | - André L. Lourenço
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry,
University of California San Francisco, San Francisco,
California 94143, United States
| | - Charles S. Craik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry,
University of California San Francisco, San Francisco,
California 94143, United States
| | - Antti Poso
- Department of Oncology and Pneumonology, Internal
Medicine VIII, University Hospital Tübingen,
Otfried-Müller-Straße 10, DE72076 Tübingen,
Germany
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences,
University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio,
Finland
| | - Larissa M. Podust
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La
Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La
Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
| | - Jair L. Siqueira-Neto
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La
Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
| | - Anthony J. O’Donoghue
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La
Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
| | - Eufrânio N. da Silva
Júnior
- Institute of Exact Sciences, Department of Chemistry,
Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas
Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Rafaela S. Ferreira
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology,
Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas
Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
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14
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Nakayama T, Uno B. Reactivities of 1,2-, 1,3-, and 1,4-dihydroxynaphthalenes toward electrogenerated superoxide in N,N-dimethylformamide through proton-coupled electron transfer. Electrochim Acta 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2022.141467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
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15
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Nascimento IJDS, de Aquino TM, da Silva-Júnior EF. The New Era of Drug Discovery: The Power of Computer-aided Drug
Design (CADD). LETT DRUG DES DISCOV 2022. [DOI: 10.2174/1570180819666220405225817] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:
Drug design and discovery is a process that requires high financial costs and is timeconsuming.
For many years, this process focused on empirical pharmacology. However, over the years,
the target-based approach allowed a significant discovery in this field, initiating the rational design era. In
view, to decrease the time and financial cost, rational drug design is benefited by increasing computer
engineering and software development, and computer-aided drug design (CADD) emerges as a promising
alternative. Since the 1970s, this approach has been able to identify many important and revolutionary
compounds, like protease inhibitors, antibiotics, and others. Many anticancer compounds identified
through this approach have shown their importance, being CADD essential in any drug discovery campaign.
Thus, this perspective will present the prominent successful cases utilizing this approach and entering
into the next stage of drug design. We believe that drug discovery will follow the progress in bioinformatics,
using high-performance computing with molecular dynamics protocols faster and more effectively.
In addition, artificial intelligence and machine learning will be the next process in the rational design
of new drugs. Here, we hope that this paper generates new ideas and instigates research groups
worldwide to use these methods and stimulate progress in drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Edeildo Ferreira da Silva-Júnior
- Chemistry and Biotechnology Institute, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
- Laboratory of Medicinal
Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
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16
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Nunes JA, Ferreira da Silva-Júnior E. Hybrid-Compounds Against Trypanosomiases. Curr Drug Targets 2022; 23:1319-1329. [PMID: 35579157 DOI: 10.2174/1389450123666220509202352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2021] [Revised: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 03/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Neglected tropical diseases (NTDs) are a global public health problem associated with approximately 20 conditions. Among these, Chagas disease (CD), caused by Trypanosoma cruzi, and human African trypanosomiasis (HAT), caused by T. brucei gambiense or T. brucei rhodesiense, affect mainly the populations of the countries from the American continent and sub- Saharan Africa. Pharmacological therapies used for such illnesses are not yet fully effective. In this context, the search for new therapeutic alternatives against these diseases becomes necessary. A drug design tool, recently recognized for its effectiveness in obtaining ligands capable of modulating multiple targets for complex diseases, concerns molecular hybridization. Therefore, this review aims to demonstrate the importance of applying molecular hybridization in facing the challenges of developing prototypes as candidates for the treatment of parasitic diseases. Therefore, studies involving different chemical classes that investigated and used hybrid compounds in recent years were compiled in this work, such as thiazolidinones, naphthoquinones, quinolines, and others. Finally, this review covers several applications of the exploration of molecular hybridization as a potent strategy in the development of molecules potentially active against trypanosomiases, in order to provide information that can help in designing new drugs with trypanocidal activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jessica Alves Nunes
- Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, 57072-970, Maceió, Brazil
| | - Edeildo Ferreira da Silva-Júnior
- Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, 57072-970, Maceió, Brazil.,Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Federal University of Alagoas, 57072-970, Maceió, Brazil
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17
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Prieto Cárdenas LS, Arias Soler KA, Nossa González DL, Rozo Núñez WE, Cárdenas-chaparro A, Duchowicz PR, Gómez Castaño JA. In Silico Antiprotozoal Evaluation of 1,4-Naphthoquinone Derivatives against Chagas and Leishmaniasis Diseases Using QSAR, Molecular Docking, and ADME Approaches. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2022; 15:687. [PMID: 35745607 PMCID: PMC9228275 DOI: 10.3390/ph15060687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Revised: 05/24/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas and leishmaniasis are two neglected diseases considered as public health problems worldwide, for which there is no effective, low-cost, and low-toxicity treatment for the host. Naphthoquinones are ligands with redox properties involved in oxidative biological processes with a wide variety of activities, including antiparasitic. In this work, in silico methods of quantitative structure–activity relationship (QSAR), molecular docking, and calculation of ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion) properties were used to evaluate naphthoquinone derivatives with unknown antiprotozoal activity. QSAR models were developed for predicting antiparasitic activity against Trypanosoma cruzi, Leishmania amazonensis, and Leishmania infatum, as well as the QSAR model for toxicity activity. Most of the evaluated ligands presented high antiparasitic activity. According to the docking results, the family of triazole derivatives presented the best affinity with the different macromolecular targets. The ADME results showed that most of the evaluated compounds present adequate conditions to be administered orally. Naphthoquinone derivatives show good biological activity results, depending on the substituents attached to the quinone ring, and perhaps the potential to be converted into drugs or starting molecules.
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18
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Reis CRCD, Souza HVCMD, Leme RPP, Castelo-Branco FS, Fernandes TVA, Boechat N, Dias LRS, Hoelz LVB. Study of the dynamic behavior of the cruzain enzyme in free and complexed forms with competitive and noncovalent benzimidazole inhibitors. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022:1-15. [PMID: 35475501 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2067238] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
There are only two drugs for the treatment of Chagas disease, namely, nifurtimox and benznidazole, that can cause several adverse effects. Despite the effectiveness of these drugs in the disease's acute phase, they are not recognized as curative in the chronic phase, establishing the need for more effective treatment in all stages of the disease. Cruzain is an enzyme that plays a vital role in the life cycle of the etiologic agent, the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, being relevant as a therapeutic target in the planning of new drugs. Using molecular docking and dynamics simulations, we have investigated the structural and dynamic factors that can be involved in the enzyme inhibition process at the atomic-molecular level by benzimidazole compounds that are potent cruzain inhibitors with in vitro trypanocidal activity. The study suggests that these inhibitors bind cruzain through steric and hydrogen bonding interactions without altering its secondary structure content and protein compaction. Besides, we observed that these inhibitors decrease the correlation of movements between Cα-atoms of cruzain, increasing the number of atomic communities, mainly in the α-helix that presents the catalytic Cys25 residue. As expected, we also observed a correlation between the inhibitory activity of each inhibitor and their respective binding-free energies, reinforcing that the affinity of the complexes seems to be a relevant factor for enzymatic inhibition. Hence, the results presented in this work contribute to a better understanding of the cruzain enzyme inhibition mechanism through competitive and non-covalent inhibitors.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Rodrigues Chaves Dos Reis
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Aplicadas a Produtos Para Saúde (PPG-CAPS), Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Rua Mário Viana, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.,Faculdade de Farmácia, Laboratório de Química Medicinal - LQMed, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Santa Rosa, Niterói, RJ, Brazil.,Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto de Tecnologia em Fármacos, Farmanguinhos - Fiocruz, Laboratório de Síntese Fármacos - LASFAR, Manguinhos Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Hellen Valério Chaves Moura de Souza
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto de Tecnologia em Fármacos, Farmanguinhos - Fiocruz, Laboratório de Síntese Fármacos - LASFAR, Manguinhos Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Rennan Papaleo Paes Leme
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto de Tecnologia em Fármacos, Farmanguinhos - Fiocruz, Laboratório de Síntese Fármacos - LASFAR, Manguinhos Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmacologia e Química Medicinal - Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, UFRJ, Centro de Ciências da Saúde (CCS), Bloco J - Ilha do Fundão, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Frederico Silva Castelo-Branco
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto de Tecnologia em Fármacos, Farmanguinhos - Fiocruz, Laboratório de Síntese Fármacos - LASFAR, Manguinhos Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Tácio Vinício Amorim Fernandes
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto de Tecnologia em Fármacos, Farmanguinhos - Fiocruz, Laboratório de Síntese Fármacos - LASFAR, Manguinhos Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Núbia Boechat
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto de Tecnologia em Fármacos, Farmanguinhos - Fiocruz, Laboratório de Síntese Fármacos - LASFAR, Manguinhos Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Luiza Rosaria Sousa Dias
- Faculdade de Farmácia, Laboratório de Química Medicinal - LQMed, Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Santa Rosa, Niterói, RJ, Brazil
| | - Lucas Villas Bôas Hoelz
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Instituto de Tecnologia em Fármacos, Farmanguinhos - Fiocruz, Laboratório de Síntese Fármacos - LASFAR, Manguinhos Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
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19
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Santos Nascimento IJD, de Aquino TM, da Silva Júnior EF. Computer-Aided Drug Design of Anti-inflammatory Agents Targeting Microsomal Prostaglandin E2 Synthase-1 (mPGES-1). Curr Med Chem 2022; 29:5397-5419. [PMID: 35301943 DOI: 10.2174/0929867329666220317122948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2021] [Revised: 12/28/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Inflammation is a natural process in response to external stimuli associated with organism protection. However, this reaction could be exaggerated, leading to severe damages related to physiopathological processes, such as rheumatoid arthritis, cancer, diabetes, allergies, infections, among others. Inflammation is mainly characterized by pain, increased temperature, flushing, and edema, which can be controlled using anti-inflammatory drugs. In this context, prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) inhibition has been targeted for designing new compounds with anti-inflammatory properties. It is a bioactive lipid overproduced during an inflammatory process, in which its increased production is carried out mainly by COX-1, COX-2, and microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase-1 (mPGES-1). Recently, studies have demonstrated that mPGES-1 inhibition is a safe strategy to develop anti-inflammatory agents, which could protect against pain, acute inflammation, arthritis, autoimmune diseases, and different types of cancers. To decrease production costs and increase the probability of discovering active substances, computer-aided drug design (CADD) approaches have been increasingly used for designing new inhibitors. Thus, this review will cover all aspects involving high-throughput virtual screening, molecular docking, dynamics, fragment-based drug design, quantitative structure-activity relationship in seeking new promising mPGES-1 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor José Dos Santos Nascimento
- Laboratory of Synthesis and Research in Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil.
- Department of Pharmacy, Estácio of Alagoas College, Maceió, Brazil
| | - Thiago Mendonça de Aquino
- Laboratory of Synthesis and Research in Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil.
- Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
| | - Edeildo Ferreira da Silva Júnior
- Laboratory of Synthesis and Research in Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil.
- Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil
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20
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Beltran-hortelano I, Alcolea V, Font M, Pérez-silanes S. Examination of multiple Trypanosoma cruzi targets in a new drug discovery approach for Chagas disease. Bioorg Med Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2021.116577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Revised: 12/10/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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21
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Santos LH, Kronenberger T, Almeida RG, Silva EB, Rocha REO, Oliveira JC, Barreto LV, Skinner D, Fajtová P, Giardini MA, Woodworth B, Bardine C, Lourenço AL, Craik CS, Poso A, Podust LM, McKerrow JH, Siqueira-Neto JL, O'Donoghue AJ, da Silva Júnior EN, Ferreira RS. Structure-based identification of naphthoquinones and derivatives as novel inhibitors of main protease Mpro and papain-like protease PLpro of SARS-CoV-2. bioRxiv 2022:2022.01.05.475095. [PMID: 35018373 PMCID: PMC8750648 DOI: 10.1101/2022.01.05.475095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 urgently demands novel direct antiviral treatments. The main protease (Mpro) and papain-like protease (PLpro) are attractive drug targets among coronaviruses due to their essential role in processing the polyproteins translated from the viral RNA. In the present work, we virtually screened 688 naphthoquinoidal compounds and derivatives against Mpro of SARS-CoV-2. Twenty-four derivatives were selected and evaluated in biochemical assays against Mpro using a novel fluorogenic substrate. In parallel, these compounds were also assayed with SARS-CoV-2 PLpro. Four compounds inhibited Mpro with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) values between 0.41 µM and 66 µM. In addition, eight compounds inhibited PLpro with IC 50 ranging from 1.7 µM to 46 µM. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest stable binding modes for Mpro inhibitors with frequent interactions with residues in the S1 and S2 pockets of the active site. For two PLpro inhibitors, interactions occur in the S3 and S4 pockets. In summary, our structure-based computational and biochemical approach identified novel naphthoquinonal scaffolds that can be further explored as SARS-CoV-2 antivirals.
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22
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Silva Neto GJ, Silva LR, Omena RJMD, Aguiar ACC, Annunciato Y, Rosseto B, Gazarini ML, Heimfarth L, Quintans-Júnior LJ, Ferreira E, Meneghetti MR. Dual Quinoline-Hybrid Compounds with Antimalarial Activity Against Plasmodium falciparum Parasites. NEW J CHEM 2022. [DOI: 10.1039/d1nj05598d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Although we have at our disposal relatively low-cost drugs that can be prescribed for the treatment of malaria, the prevalence of resistant strains of the causative parasite has required the...
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23
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Santos VC, Ferreira RS. Computational approaches towards the discovery and optimisation of cruzain inhibitors. Mem Inst Oswaldo Cruz 2022; 117:e210385. [PMID: 35293427 PMCID: PMC8925305 DOI: 10.1590/0074-02760210385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/03/2022] Open
Abstract
The need to develop safer and more efficacious drugs to treat Chagas disease has motivated the search for cruzain inhibitors. Cruzain is the recombinant, truncated version of cruzipain, a cysteine protease from Trypanosoma cruzi with important roles during the parasite life cycle. Several computational techniques have been applied to discover and optimise cruzain inhibitors, providing a molecular basis to guide this process. Here, we review some of the most recent computational studies that provided important information for the design of cruzain inhibitors. Moreover, we highlight the diversity of applications of in silico techniques and their impact.
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24
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Clementino-Neto J, da Silva JKS, de Melo Bastos Cavalcante C, da Silva-Júnior PF, David CC, de Araújo MV, Mendes CB, de Queiroz AC, da Silva ECO, de Souza ST, da Silva Fonseca EJ, da Silva TMS, de Amorim Camara C, Moura-Neto V, de Araújo-Júnior JX, da Silva-Júnior EF, da-Silva AX, Alexandre-Moreira MS. In vitro antitumor activity of dialkylamine-1,4-naphthoquinones toward human glioblastoma multiforme cells. NEW J CHEM 2022. [DOI: 10.1039/d1nj05915g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we evaluated the in vitro antitumor activity of dialkylamino-1,4-naphthoquinones (1a–n) toward human glioblastoma multiforme cells (GBM02).
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Affiliation(s)
- José Clementino-Neto
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Immunity, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió 57072-970, AL, Brazil
- Laboratory of Electrophysiology and Brain Metabolism, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió 57072-970, AL, Brazil
| | - João Kaycke Sarmento da Silva
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Immunity, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió 57072-970, AL, Brazil
| | - Cibelle de Melo Bastos Cavalcante
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Immunity, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió 57072-970, AL, Brazil
- Laboratory of Electrophysiology and Brain Metabolism, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió 57072-970, AL, Brazil
| | - Paulo Fernando da Silva-Júnior
- Chemistry and Biotechnology Institute, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió 57072-970, AL, Brazil
| | - Cibelle Cabral David
- Laboratory of Bioactive Compounds Synthesis, Molecular Sciences Department, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Campus Dois Irmãos, Dom Manuel de Medeiros Street, Recife 57171-900, PE, Brazil
| | - Morgana Vital de Araújo
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Immunity, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió 57072-970, AL, Brazil
| | - Carmelita Bastos Mendes
- Laboratory of Electrophysiology and Brain Metabolism, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió 57072-970, AL, Brazil
| | - Aline Cavalcanti de Queiroz
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Immunity, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió 57072-970, AL, Brazil
- Laboratory of Microbiology, Immunology and Parasitology, Complex Of Medical Sciences And Nursing, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus Arapiraca, Manoel Severino Barbosa Avenue, Arapiraca 57309-005, AL, Brazil
| | - Elaine Cristina Oliveira da Silva
- Laboratory of Characterization and Microscopy of Materials, Institute of Physics, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió, 57072, AL, Brazil
| | - Samuel Teixeira de Souza
- Laboratory of Characterization and Microscopy of Materials, Institute of Physics, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió, 57072, AL, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Jorge da Silva Fonseca
- Laboratory of Characterization and Microscopy of Materials, Institute of Physics, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió, 57072, AL, Brazil
| | - Tânia Maria Sarmento da Silva
- Laboratory of Bioactive Compounds Synthesis, Molecular Sciences Department, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Campus Dois Irmãos, Dom Manuel de Medeiros Street, Recife 57171-900, PE, Brazil
| | - Celso de Amorim Camara
- Laboratory of Bioactive Compounds Synthesis, Molecular Sciences Department, Federal Rural University of Pernambuco, Campus Dois Irmãos, Dom Manuel de Medeiros Street, Recife 57171-900, PE, Brazil
| | - Vivaldo Moura-Neto
- State Institute of Brain Paulo Niemeyer, Rezende Street, Rio de Janeiro 20231-092, RJ, Brazil
| | - João Xavier de Araújo-Júnior
- Chemistry and Biotechnology Institute, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió 57072-970, AL, Brazil
- Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmaceutical Sciences Institute, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió 57072-970, AL, Brazil
| | - Edeildo Ferreira da Silva-Júnior
- Chemistry and Biotechnology Institute, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió 57072-970, AL, Brazil
| | - Adriana Ximenes da-Silva
- Laboratory of Electrophysiology and Brain Metabolism, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió 57072-970, AL, Brazil
| | - Magna Suzana Alexandre-Moreira
- Laboratory of Pharmacology and Immunity, Institute of Biological Sciences and Health, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió 57072-970, AL, Brazil
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25
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Kumar V, Parate S, Thakur G, Lee G, Ro HS, Kim Y, Kim HJ, Kim MO, Lee KW. Identification of CDK7 Inhibitors from Natural Sources Using Pharmacoinformatics and Molecular Dynamics Simulations. Biomedicines 2021; 9:1197. [PMID: 34572383 PMCID: PMC8468199 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines9091197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2021] [Revised: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 09/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) plays a crucial role in regulating the cell cycle and RNA polymerase-based transcription. Overexpression of this kinase is linked with various cancers in humans due to its dual involvement in cell development. Furthermore, emerging evidence has revealed that inhibiting CDK7 has anti-cancer effects, driving the development of novel and more cost-effective inhibitors with enhanced selectivity for CDK7 over other CDKs. In the present investigation, a pharmacophore-based approach was utilized to identify potential hit compounds against CDK7. The generated pharmacophore models were validated and used as 3D queries to screen 55,578 natural drug-like compounds. The obtained compounds were then subjected to molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations to predict their binding mode with CDK7. The molecular dynamics simulation trajectories were subsequently used to calculate binding affinity, revealing four hits-ZINC20392430, SN00112175, SN00004718, and SN00262261-having a better binding affinity towards CDK7 than the reference inhibitors (CT7001 and THZ1). The binding mode analysis displayed hydrogen bond interactions with the hinge region residues Met94 and Glu95, DFG motif residue Asp155, ATP-binding site residues Thr96, Asp97, and Gln141, and quintessential residue outside the kinase domain, Cys312 of CDK7. The in silico selectivity of the hits was further checked by docking with CDK2, the close homolog structure of CDK7. Additionally, the detailed pharmacokinetic properties were predicted, revealing that our hits have better properties than established CDK7 inhibitors CT7001 and THZ1. Hence, we argue that proposed hits may be crucial against CDK7-related malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vikas Kumar
- Department of Bio & Medical Big Data (BK4 Program), Division of Life Sciences, Research Institute of Natural Science (RINS), Gyeongsang National University (GNU), 501 Jinju-daero, Jinju 52828, Korea;
| | - Shraddha Parate
- Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Research Center (PMBBRC), Division of Applied Life Science, Gyeongsang National University (GNU), 501 Jinju-daero, Jinju 52828, Korea; (S.P.); (G.L.)
| | - Gunjan Thakur
- Department of Veterinary Medicine, Institute of Animal Medicine, Gyeongsang National University (GNU), Jinju 52828, Korea;
| | - Gihwan Lee
- Plant Molecular Biology and Biotechnology Research Center (PMBBRC), Division of Applied Life Science, Gyeongsang National University (GNU), 501 Jinju-daero, Jinju 52828, Korea; (S.P.); (G.L.)
| | - Hyeon-Su Ro
- Department of Bio & Medical Big Data (BK4 Program), Research Institute of Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University (GNU), Jinju 52828, Korea;
| | - Yongseong Kim
- School of Cosmetics and Food Development, Kyungnam University, Masan 631-701, Korea;
| | - Hong Ja Kim
- Division of Life Sciences and Applied Life Science (BK21 Four), Research Institute of Natural Science (RINS), Gyeongsang National University (GNU), 501 Jinju-daero, Jinju 52828, Korea;
| | - Myeong Ok Kim
- Division of Life Sciences and Applied Life Science (BK21 Four), Research Institute of Natural Science (RINS), Gyeongsang National University (GNU), 501 Jinju-daero, Jinju 52828, Korea;
| | - Keun Woo Lee
- Department of Bio & Medical Big Data (BK4 Program), Division of Life Sciences, Research Institute of Natural Science (RINS), Gyeongsang National University (GNU), 501 Jinju-daero, Jinju 52828, Korea;
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26
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Barbosa da Silva E, Rocha DA, Fortes IS, Yang W, Monti L, Siqueira-Neto JL, Caffrey CR, McKerrow J, Andrade SF, Ferreira RS. Structure-Based Optimization of Quinazolines as Cruzain and TbrCATL Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2021; 64:13054-13071. [PMID: 34461718 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01151] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The cysteine proteases, cruzain and TbrCATL (rhodesain), are therapeutic targets for Chagas disease and Human African Trypanosomiasis, respectively. Among the known inhibitors for these proteases, we have described N4-benzyl-N2-phenylquinazoline-2,4-diamine (compound 7 in the original publication, 1a in this study), as a competitive cruzain inhibitor (Ki = 1.4 μM). Here, we describe the synthesis and biological evaluation of 22 analogs of 1a, containing modifications in the quinazoline core, and in the substituents in positions 2 and 4 of this ring. The analogs demonstrate low micromolar inhibition of the target proteases and cidal activity against Trypanosoma cruzi with up to two log selectivity indices in counterscreens with myoblasts. Fourteen compounds were active against Trypanosoma brucei at low to mid micromolar concentrations. During the optimization of 1a, structure-based design and prediction of physicochemical properties were employed to maintain potency against the enzymes while removing colloidal aggregator characteristics observed for some molecules in this series.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elany Barbosa da Silva
- Biochemistry and Immunology Department, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil.,Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
| | - Débora A Rocha
- Pharmaceutical Synthesis Group (PHARSG), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90040-060, Brazil.,Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90040-060, Brazil
| | - Isadora S Fortes
- Pharmaceutical Synthesis Group (PHARSG), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90040-060, Brazil.,Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90040-060, Brazil
| | - Wenqian Yang
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
| | - Ludovica Monti
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
| | - Jair L Siqueira-Neto
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
| | - Conor R Caffrey
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
| | - James McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
| | - Saulo F Andrade
- Pharmaceutical Synthesis Group (PHARSG), Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90040-060, Brazil.,Pharmaceutical Sciences Graduate Program, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90040-060, Brazil.,Graduate Program in Agricultural and Environmental Microbiology, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul 90040-060, Brazil
| | - Rafaela S Ferreira
- Biochemistry and Immunology Department, Biological Sciences Institute, Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
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