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Shanley HT, Taki AC, Nguyen N, Wang T, Byrne JJ, Ang CS, Leeming MG, Nie S, Williamson N, Zheng Y, Young ND, Korhonen PK, Hofmann A, Chang BCH, Wells TNC, Häberli C, Keiser J, Jabbar A, Sleebs BE, Gasser RB. Structure-activity relationship and target investigation of 2-aryl quinolines with nematocidal activity. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2024; 24:100522. [PMID: 38295619 PMCID: PMC10845918 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2024.100522] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
Within the context of our anthelmintic discovery program, we recently identified and evaluated a quinoline derivative, called ABX464 or obefazimod, as a nematocidal candidate; synthesised a series of analogues which were assessed for activity against the free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans; and predicted compound-target relationships by thermal proteome profiling (TPP) and in silico docking. Here, we logically extended this work and critically evaluated the anthelmintic activity of ABX464 analogues on Haemonchus contortus (barber's pole worm) - a highly pathogenic nematode of ruminant livestock. First, we tested a series of 44 analogues on H. contortus (larvae and adults) to investigate the nematocidal pharmacophore of ABX464, and identified one compound with greater potency than the parent compound and showed moderate activity against a select number of other parasitic nematodes (including Ancylostoma, Heligmosomoides and Strongyloides species). Using TPP and in silico modelling studies, we predicted protein HCON_00074590 (a predicted aldo-keto reductase) as a target candidate for ABX464 in H. contortus. Future work aims to optimise this compound as a nematocidal candidate and investigate its pharmacokinetic properties. Overall, this study presents a first step toward the development of a new nematocide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harrison T Shanley
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia; Chemical Biology Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Aya C Taki
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Nghi Nguyen
- Chemical Biology Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Tao Wang
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Joseph J Byrne
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Ching-Seng Ang
- Melbourne Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Michael G Leeming
- Melbourne Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Shuai Nie
- Melbourne Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Nicholas Williamson
- Melbourne Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Yuanting Zheng
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Neil D Young
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Pasi K Korhonen
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Andreas Hofmann
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia; National Reference Centre for Authentic Food, Max Rubner-Institut, 95326, Kulmbach, Germany
| | - Bill C H Chang
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Tim N C Wells
- Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), 1215, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Cécile Häberli
- Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland; University of Basel, 4001, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jennifer Keiser
- Medical Parasitology and Infection Biology, Swiss Tropical and Public Health Institute, 4123, Allschwil, Switzerland; University of Basel, 4001, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Abdul Jabbar
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Brad E Sleebs
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia; Chemical Biology Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia.
| | - Robin B Gasser
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
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Shanley HT, Taki AC, Nguyen N, Wang T, Byrne JJ, Ang CS, Leeming MG, Williamson N, Chang BCH, Jabbar A, Sleebs BE, Gasser RB. Comparative structure activity and target exploration of 1,2-diphenylethynes in Haemonchus contortus and Caenorhabditis elegans. Int J Parasitol Drugs Drug Resist 2024; 25:100534. [PMID: 38554597 PMCID: PMC10992699 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpddr.2024.100534] [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: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/17/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
Infections and diseases caused by parasitic nematodes have a major adverse impact on the health and productivity of animals and humans worldwide. The control of these parasites often relies heavily on the treatment with commercially available chemical compounds (anthelmintics). However, the excessive or uncontrolled use of these compounds in livestock animals has led to major challenges linked to drug resistance in nematodes. Therefore, there is a need to develop new anthelmintics with novel mechanism(s) of action. Recently, we identified a small molecule, designated UMW-9729, with nematocidal activity against the free-living model organism Caenorhabditis elegans. Here, we evaluated UMW-9729's potential as an anthelmintic in a structure-activity relationship (SAR) study in C. elegans and the highly pathogenic, blood-feeding Haemonchus contortus (barber's pole worm), and explored the compound-target relationship using thermal proteome profiling (TPP). First, we synthesised and tested 25 analogues of UMW-9729 for their nematocidal activity in both H. contortus (larvae and adults) and C. elegans (young adults), establishing a preliminary nematocidal pharmacophore for both species. We identified several compounds with marked activity against either H. contortus or C. elegans which had greater efficacy than UMW-9729, and found a significant divergence in compound bioactivity between these two nematode species. We also identified a UMW-9729 analogue, designated 25, that moderately inhibited the motility of adult female H. contortus in vitro. Subsequently, we inferred three H. contortus proteins (HCON_00134350, HCON_00021470 and HCON_00099760) and five C. elegans proteins (F30A10.9, F15B9.8, B0361.6, DNC-4 and UNC-11) that interacted directly with UMW-9729; however, no conserved protein target was shared between the two nematode species. Future work aims to extend the SAR investigation in these and other parasitic nematode species, and validate individual proteins identified here as possible targets of UMW-9729. Overall, the present study evaluates this anthelmintic candidate and highlights some challenges associated with early anthelmintic investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harrison T Shanley
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia; Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Aya C Taki
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Nghi Nguyen
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia
| | - Tao Wang
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Joseph J Byrne
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Ching-Seng Ang
- Melbourne Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Michael G Leeming
- Melbourne Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Nicholas Williamson
- Melbourne Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Bill C H Chang
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Abdul Jabbar
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia
| | - Brad E Sleebs
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia; Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria, 3052, Australia.
| | - Robin B Gasser
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria, 3010, Australia.
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Shanley HT, Taki AC, Byrne JJ, Nguyen N, Wells TNC, Jabbar A, Sleebs BE, Gasser RB. A phenotypic screen of the Global Health Priority Box identifies an insecticide with anthelmintic activity. Parasit Vectors 2024; 17:131. [PMID: 38486232 PMCID: PMC10938758 DOI: 10.1186/s13071-024-06183-y] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Infection with parasitic nematodes (helminths), particularly those of the order Strongylida (such as Haemonchus contortus), can cause significant and burdensome diseases in humans and animals. Widespread drug (anthelmintic) resistance in livestock parasites, the absence of vaccines against most of these nematodes, and a lack of new and effective chemical entities on the commercial market demands the discovery of new anthelmintics. In the present study, we searched the Global Health Priority Box (Medicines for Malaria Venture) for new candidates for anthelmintic development. METHODS We employed a whole-organism, motility-based phenotypic screening assay to identify compounds from the Global Health Priority Box with activity against larvae of the model parasite H. contortus, and the free-living comparator nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. Hit compounds were further validated via dose-response assays, with lead candidates then assessed for nematocidal activity against H. contortus adult worms, and additionally, for cytotoxic and mitotoxic effects on human hepatoma (HepG2) cells. RESULTS The primary screen against H. contortus and C. elegans revealed or reidentified 16 hit compounds; further validation established MMV1794206, otherwise known as 'flufenerim', as a significant inhibitor of H. contortus larval motility (half-maximal inhibitory concentration [IC50] = 18 μM) and development (IC50 = 1.2 μM), H. contortus adult female motility (100% after 12 h of incubation) and C. elegans larval motility (IC50 = 0.22 μM). Further testing on a mammalian cell line (human hepatoma HepG2 cells), however, identified flufenerim to be both cytotoxic (half-maximal cytotoxic concentration [CC50] < 0.7 μM) and mitotoxic (half-maximal mitotoxic concentration [MC50] < 0.7 μM). CONCLUSIONS The in vitro efficacy of MMV1794206 against the most pathogenic stages of H. contortus, as well as the free-living C. elegans, suggests the potential for development as a broad-spectrum anthelmintic compound; however, the high toxicity towards mammalian cells presents a significant hindrance. Further work should seek to establish the protein-drug interactions of MMV1794206 in a nematode model, to unravel the mechanism of action, in addition to an advanced structure-activity relationship investigation to optimise anthelmintic activity and eliminate mammalian cell toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harrison T Shanley
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Aya C Taki
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Joseph J Byrne
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Nghi Nguyen
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Tim N C Wells
- Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), 1215, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Abdul Jabbar
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia
| | - Brad E Sleebs
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
- Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.
| | - Robin B Gasser
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3010, Australia.
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Shanley HT, Taki AC, Nguyen N, Wang T, Byrne JJ, Ang CS, Leeming MG, Nie S, Williamson N, Zheng Y, Young ND, Korhonen PK, Hofmann A, Wells TNC, Jabbar A, Sleebs BE, Gasser RB. Structure activity relationship and target prediction for ABX464 analogues in Caenorhabditis elegans. Bioorg Med Chem 2024; 98:117540. [PMID: 38134663 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2023.117540] [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: 10/01/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 12/02/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023]
Abstract
Global challenges with treatment failures and/or widespread resistance in parasitic worms against commercially available anthelmintics lend impetus to the development of new anthelmintics with novel mechanism(s) of action. The free-living nematode Caenorhabditis elegans is an important model organism used for drug discovery, including the screening and structure-activity investigation of new compounds, and target deconvolution. Previously, we conducted a whole-organism phenotypic screen of the 'Pandemic Response Box' (from Medicines for Malaria Venture, MMV) and identified a hit compound, called ABX464, with activity against C. elegans and a related, parasitic nematode, Haemonchus contortus. Here, we tested a series of 44 synthesized analogues to explore the pharmacophore of activity on C. elegans and revealed five compounds whose potency was similar or greater than that of ABX464, but which were not toxic to human hepatoma (HepG2) cells. Subsequently, we employed thermal proteome profiling (TPP), protein structure prediction and an in silico-docking algorithm to predict ABX464-target candidates. Taken together, the findings from this study contribute significantly to the early-stage drug discovery of a new nematocide based on ABX464. Future work is aimed at validating the ABX464-protein interactions identified here, and at assessing ABX464 and associated analogues against a panel of parasitic nematodes, towards developing a new anthelmintic with a mechanism of action that is distinct from any of the compounds currently-available commercially.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harrison T Shanley
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; Chemical Biology Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Aya C Taki
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Nghi Nguyen
- Chemical Biology Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia
| | - Tao Wang
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Joseph J Byrne
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Ching-Seng Ang
- Melbourne Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Michael G Leeming
- Melbourne Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Shuai Nie
- Melbourne Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Nicholas Williamson
- Melbourne Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics Facility, The Bio21 Molecular Science and Biotechnology Institute, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Yuanting Zheng
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Neil D Young
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Pasi K Korhonen
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Andreas Hofmann
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; National Reference Centre for Authentic Food, Max Rubner-Institut, 95326 Kulmbach, Germany
| | - Tim N C Wells
- Medicines for Malaria Venture (MMV), 1215 Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Abdul Jabbar
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia
| | - Brad E Sleebs
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia; Chemical Biology Division, Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia.
| | - Robin B Gasser
- Department of Veterinary Biosciences, Melbourne Veterinary School, Faculty of Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, Victoria 3010, Australia.
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