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Yan M, Liu H, Su Y, Bi X, Yang N, Lin R, Lü G. Inhibition of AMPK activation in Echinococcus granulosus sensu stricto limits the parasite's glucose metabolism and survival. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024; 68:e0120223. [PMID: 38349157 PMCID: PMC10916388 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01202-23] [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: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024] Open
Abstract
Cystic echinococcosis (CE) is a zoonotic parasitic disease caused by larvae of the Echinococcus granulosus sensu lato (s.l.) cluster. There is an urgent need to develop new drug targets and drug molecules to treat CE. Adenosine monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a serine/threonine protein kinase consisting of α, β, and γ subunits, plays a key role in the regulation of energy metabolism. However, the role of AMPK in regulating glucose metabolism in E. granulosus s.l. and its effects on parasite viability is unknown. In this study, we found that targeted knockdown of EgAMPKα or a small-molecule AMPK inhibitor inhibited the viability of E. granulosus sensu stricto (s.s.) and disrupted the ultrastructure. The results of in vivo experiments showed that the AMPK inhibitor had a significant therapeutic effect on E. granulosus s.s.-infected mice and resulted in the loss of cellular structures of the germinal layer. In addition, the inhibition of the EgAMPK/EgGLUT1 pathway limited glucose uptake and glucose metabolism functions in E. granulosus s.s.. Overall, our results suggest that EgAMPK can be a potential drug target for CE and that inhibition of EgAMPK activation is an effective strategy for the treatment of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingzhi Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Treatment of Central Asian High Incidence Diseases, Clinical Medical Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
| | - Hui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Treatment of Central Asian High Incidence Diseases, Clinical Medical Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
| | - Yansen Su
- Institute of Artificial Intelligence, Hefei Comprehensive National Science Center, Hefei, China
- Anhui University, Hefei, China
| | - Xiaojuan Bi
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Treatment of Central Asian High Incidence Diseases, Clinical Medical Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
| | - Ning Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Treatment of Central Asian High Incidence Diseases, Clinical Medical Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
| | - Renyong Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Treatment of Central Asian High Incidence Diseases, Clinical Medical Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
- Basic Medical College, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
| | - Guodong Lü
- State Key Laboratory of Pathogenesis, Prevention, and Treatment of Central Asian High Incidence Diseases, Clinical Medical Research Institute, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
- College of Pharmacy, Xinjiang Medical University, Urumqi, China
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Mendonça-Junior FJB. Special Issue "Drug Discovery of Antiprotozoal Agents". Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:176. [PMID: 38399391 PMCID: PMC10891929 DOI: 10.3390/ph17020176] [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] [Received: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Protozoal diseases, such as leishmaniasis, malaria, African sleeping sickness, Chagas disease, amoebiasis, giardiasis, cryptococcosis, and toxoplasmosis (among others), affect and/or have the potential to infect more than one billion people worldwide [...].
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Corman HN, McNamara CW, Bakowski MA. Drug Discovery for Cutaneous Leishmaniasis: A Review of Developments in the Past 15 Years. Microorganisms 2023; 11:2845. [PMID: 38137989 PMCID: PMC10745741 DOI: 10.3390/microorganisms11122845] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 11/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Leishmaniasis is a group of vector-borne, parasitic diseases caused by over 20 species of the protozoan Leishmania spp. The three major disease classifications, cutaneous, visceral, and mucocutaneous, have a range of clinical manifestations from self-healing skin lesions to hepatosplenomegaly and mucosal membrane damage to fatality. As a neglected tropical disease, leishmaniasis represents a major international health challenge, with nearly 350 million people living at risk of infection a year. The current chemotherapeutics used to treat leishmaniasis have harsh side effects, prolonged and costly treatment regimens, as well as emerging drug resistance, and are predominantly used for the treatment of visceral leishmaniasis. There is an undeniable need for the identification and development of novel chemotherapeutics targeting cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), largely ignored by concerted drug development efforts. CL is mostly non-lethal and the most common presentation of this disease, with nearly 1 million new cases reported annually. Recognizing this unaddressed need, substantial yet fragmented progress in early drug discovery efforts for CL has occurred in the past 15 years and was outlined in this review. However, further work needs to be carried out to advance early discovery candidates towards the clinic. Importantly, there is a paucity of investment in the translation and development of therapies for CL, limiting the emergence of viable solutions to deal with this serious and complex international health problem.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hannah N. Corman
- Calibr at Scripps Research, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA; (C.W.M.); (M.A.B.)
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da Silva-Júnior EF, Zhan P. Recent advances in medicinal chemistry of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). Eur J Med Chem 2023; 259:115714. [PMID: 37563036 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115714] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/12/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Edeildo Ferreira da Silva-Júnior
- Biological and Molecular Chemistry Research Group, Institute of Chemistry and Biotechnology, Federal University of Alagoas, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, AC. Simões Campus, 57072-970, Alagoas, Maceió, Brazil.
| | - Peng Zhan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, 44 West Culture Road, 250012, Jinan, Shandong, PR China
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Sousa JPAD, Sousa JMSD, Rodrigues RRL, Nunes TADL, Machado YAA, Araujo ACD, da Silva IGM, Barros-Cordeiro KB, Báo SN, Alves MMDM, Mendonça-Junior FJB, Rodrigues KADF. Antileishmanial activity of 2-amino-thiophene derivative SB-200. Int Immunopharmacol 2023; 123:110750. [PMID: 37536181 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2023.110750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [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: 05/13/2023] [Revised: 06/28/2023] [Accepted: 07/30/2023] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Leishmaniasis, presenting the highest number of cases worldwide is one of the most serious Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs). Clinical manifestations are intrinsically related to the host's immune response making immunomodulatory substances the target of numerous studies on antileishmanial activity. The currently available drugs used for treatment present various problems including high toxicity, low efficacy, and associated drug resistance. The search for therapeutic alternatives is urgent, and in this context, thiophene derivatives appear to be a promising therapeutic alternative (many have shown promising anti-leishmanial activity). The objective of this study was to investigate the antileishmanial activity of the 2-amino-thiophenic derivative SB-200. The thiophenic derivative was effective in inhibiting the growth of Leishmania braziliensis, Leishmania major, and Leishmania infantum promastigotes, obtaining respective IC50 values of 4.25 μM, 4.65 μM, and 3.96 μM. For L. infantum, it was demonstrated that the antipromastigote effect of SB-200 is associated with cell membrane integrity losses, and with morphological changes observed during scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Cytotoxicity was performed for J774.A1 macrophages and VERO cells, to obtain a CC50 of 42.52 μM and a SI of 10.74 for macrophages and a CC50 of 39.2 μM and an SI of 9.89 for VERO cells. The anti-amastigote activity of SB-200 revealed an IC50 of 2.85 μM and an SI of 14.97 against macrophages and SI of 13.8 for VERO cells. The anti-amastigote activity of SB-200 is associated with in vitro immunomodulation. For acute toxicity, SB-200 against Zophobas morio larvae permitted 100% survival. We conclude that the 2-amino-thiophenic derivative SB-200 is a promising candidate for in vivo anti-leishmania drug tests to evaluate its activity, efficacy, and safety.
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Affiliation(s)
- João Paulo Araujo de Sousa
- Infectious Disease Laboratory, Campus Ministro Reis Velloso, Federal University of Parnaíba Delta, 64202-020 Parnaíba, PI, Brasil
| | - Julyanne Maria Saraiva de Sousa
- Infectious Disease Laboratory, Campus Ministro Reis Velloso, Federal University of Parnaíba Delta, 64202-020 Parnaíba, PI, Brasil
| | - Raiza Raianne Luz Rodrigues
- Infectious Disease Laboratory, Campus Ministro Reis Velloso, Federal University of Parnaíba Delta, 64202-020 Parnaíba, PI, Brasil
| | - Thais Amanda de Lima Nunes
- Infectious Disease Laboratory, Campus Ministro Reis Velloso, Federal University of Parnaíba Delta, 64202-020 Parnaíba, PI, Brasil
| | - Yasmim Alves Aires Machado
- Infectious Disease Laboratory, Campus Ministro Reis Velloso, Federal University of Parnaíba Delta, 64202-020 Parnaíba, PI, Brasil
| | - Alexandre Carvalho de Araujo
- Infectious Disease Laboratory, Campus Ministro Reis Velloso, Federal University of Parnaíba Delta, 64202-020 Parnaíba, PI, Brasil
| | - Ingrid Gracielle Martins da Silva
- Microscopy and Microanalysis Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Karine Brenda Barros-Cordeiro
- Microscopy and Microanalysis Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Sônia Nair Báo
- Microscopy and Microanalysis Laboratory, Department of Cell Biology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasília, Brasília, Brazil
| | - Michel Muálem de Moraes Alves
- Laboratory of Antileishmania Activity, Medicinal Plants Research Center, Federal University of Piauí, Teresina 64049-550, Brazil
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Belghalia E, Ouabane M, El Bahi S, Rehman HM, Sbai A, Lakhlifi T, Bouachrine M. In silico research on new sulfonamide derivatives as BRD4 inhibitors targeting acute myeloid leukemia using various computational techniques including 3D-QSAR, HQSAR, molecular docking, ADME/Tox, and molecular dynamics. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-19. [PMID: 37656159 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2250460] [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: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/02/2023]
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia, a serious condition affecting stem cells, drives uncontrollable myeloblast proliferation, leading to accumulation. Extensive research seeks rapid, effective chemotherapeutics. A potential option is a BRD4 inhibitor, known for suppressing cell proliferation. Sulfonamide derivatives probed essential structural elements for potent BRD4 inhibitors. To achieve this goal, we employed 3D-QSAR molecular modeling techniques, including CoMFA, CoMSIA, and HQSAR models, along with molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. The validation of the 2D/3D QSAR models, both internally and externally, underscores their robustness and reliability. The contour plots derived from CoMFA, CoMSIA, and HQSAR analyses played a pivotal role in shaping the design of effective BRD4 inhibitors. Importantly, our findings highlight the advantageous impact of incorporating bulkier substituents on the pyridinone ring and hydrophobic/electrostatic substituents on the methoxy-substituted phenyl ring, enhancing interactions with the BRD4 target. The interaction mode of the new compounds with the BRD4 receptor (PDB ID: 4BJX) was investigated using molecular docking simulations, revealing favorable binding energies, supported by the formation of hydrogen and hydrophobic bonds with key protein residues. Moreover, these novel inhibitors exhibited good oral bioavailability and demonstrated non-toxic properties based on ADMET analysis. Furthermore, the newly designed compounds along with the most active one from series 58, underwent a molecular dynamics simulation to analyze their behavior. The simulation provided additional evidence to support the molecular docking results, confirming the sustained stability of the analyzed molecules over the trajectory. This outcome could serve as a valuable reference for designing and developing novel and effective BRD4 inhibitors.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Etibaria Belghalia
- Molecular chemistry and Natural Substances Laboratory, Faculty of Science, University Moulay Ismail, Meknes, Morocco
| | - Mohamed Ouabane
- Molecular chemistry and Natural Substances Laboratory, Faculty of Science, University Moulay Ismail, Meknes, Morocco
- Chemistry- Biologie Applied to the Environment URL CNRT 13, Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Moulay Ismail University, Meknes, Morocco
| | - Salma El Bahi
- Molecular chemistry and Natural Substances Laboratory, Faculty of Science, University Moulay Ismail, Meknes, Morocco
| | | | - Abdelouahid Sbai
- Molecular chemistry and Natural Substances Laboratory, Faculty of Science, University Moulay Ismail, Meknes, Morocco
| | - Tahar Lakhlifi
- Molecular chemistry and Natural Substances Laboratory, Faculty of Science, University Moulay Ismail, Meknes, Morocco
| | - Mohammed Bouachrine
- Higher School of Technology - Khenifra (EST-Khenifra), University of Sultan My Slimane, Beni Mellal, Morocco
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