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Zheng Y, Hu Y, Yan F, Wang R, Tao Z, Fan J, Han Z, Zhao H, Liu P, Zhuang W, Luo Y. Dihydroergotamine protects against ischemic stroke by modulating microglial/macrophage polarization and inhibiting inflammation in mice. Neurol Res 2024; 46:367-377. [PMID: 38468466 DOI: 10.1080/01616412.2024.2328481] [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: 05/29/2023] [Accepted: 03/03/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVES The search for drugs that can protect the brain tissue and reduce nerve damage in acute ischemic stroke has emerged as a research hotspot. We investigated the potential protective effects and mechanisms of action of dihydroergotamine against ischemic stroke. METHODS C57BL/6 mice were subjected to middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO), and dihydroergotamine at a dose of 10 mg/kg/day was intraperitoneally injected for 14 days. Adhesive removal and beam walking tests were conducted 1, 3, 5, 7, 10, and 14 days after MCAO surgery. Thereafter, the mechanism by which dihydroergotamine regulates microglia/macrophage polarization and inflammation and imparts ischemic stroke protection was studied using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, immunofluorescence staining, and western blotting. RESULTS From the perspective of a drug repurposing strategy, dihydroergotamine was found to inhibit oxygen-glucose deprivation damage to neurons, significantly improve cell survival rate, and likely exert a protective effect on ischemic brain injury. Dihydroergotamine significantly improved neural function scores and survival rates and reduced brain injury severity in mice. Furthermore, dihydroergotamine manifests its protective effect on ischemic brain injury by reducing the expression of TNF-α and IL-1β in mouse ischemic brain tissue, inhibiting the polarization of microglia/macrophage toward the M1 phenotype and promoting polarization toward the M2 phenotype. CONCLUSION This study is the first to demonstrate the protective effect of dihydroergotamine, a first-line treatment for migraine, against ischemic nerve injury in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangmin Zheng
- Institute of Cerebrovascular Disease Research, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Geriatric Medical Research Center and Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Yue Hu
- Institute of Cerebrovascular Disease Research, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Geriatric Medical Research Center and Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Feng Yan
- Institute of Cerebrovascular Disease Research, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Geriatric Medical Research Center and Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Rongliang Wang
- Institute of Cerebrovascular Disease Research, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Geriatric Medical Research Center and Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Zhen Tao
- Institute of Cerebrovascular Disease Research, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Geriatric Medical Research Center and Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Junfen Fan
- Institute of Cerebrovascular Disease Research, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Geriatric Medical Research Center and Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Ziping Han
- Institute of Cerebrovascular Disease Research, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Geriatric Medical Research Center and Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Haiping Zhao
- Institute of Cerebrovascular Disease Research, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Geriatric Medical Research Center and Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Diseases, Beijing, China
| | - Ping Liu
- Department of Neurology, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Zhuang
- Department of Pharmacy, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
| | - Yumin Luo
- Institute of Cerebrovascular Disease Research, Xuanwu Hospital of Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
- Beijing Geriatric Medical Research Center and Beijing Key Laboratory of Translational Medicine for Cerebrovascular Diseases, Beijing, China
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Hsu JL, Leu WJ, Hsu LC, Hsieh CH, Guh JH. Doxazosin inhibits vasculogenic mimicry in human non‑small cell lung cancer through inhibition of the VEGF‑A/VE‑cadherin/mTOR/MMP pathway. Oncol Lett 2024; 27:170. [PMID: 38455663 PMCID: PMC10918514 DOI: 10.3892/ol.2024.14303] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2023] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide, and ~85% of lung cancers are non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which has a low 5-year overall survival rate and high mortality. Several therapeutic strategies have been developed, such as targeted therapy, immuno-oncotherapy and combination therapy. However, the low survival rate indicates the urgent need for new NSCLC treatments. Vasculogenic mimicry (VM) is an endothelial cell-free tumor blood supply system of aggressive and metastatic tumor cells present during tumor neovascularization. VM is clinically responsible for tumor metastasis and resistance, and is correlated with poor prognosis in NSCLC, making it a potential therapeutic target. In the present study, A549 cells formed glycoprotein-rich lined tubular structures, and transcript levels of VM-related genes were markedly upregulated in VM-forming cells. Based on a drug repurposing strategy, it was demonstrated that doxazosin (an antihypertensive drug) displayed inhibitory activity on VM formation at non-cytotoxic concentrations. Doxazosin significantly reduced the levels of vascular endothelial growth factor A (VEGF-A) and matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2) in the cell media during VM formation. Further experiments revealed that the protein expression levels of VEGF-A and vascular endothelial-cadherin (VE-cadherin), which contribute to tumor aggressiveness and VM formation, were downregulated following doxazosin treatment. Moreover, the downstream signaling Ephrin type-A receptor 2 (EphA2)/AKT/mTOR/MMP/Laminin-5γ2 network was inhibited in response to doxazosin treatment. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that doxazosin displayed anti-VM activity in an NSCLC cell model through the downregulation of VEGF-A and VE-cadherin levels, and the suppression of signaling pathways related to the receptor tyrosine kinase, EphA2, protein kinases, AKT and mTOR, and proteases, MMP-2 and MMP-9. These results support the add-on anti-VM effect of doxazosin as a potential agent against NSCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jui-Ling Hsu
- Department of Nursing, Division of Basic Medical Sciences, Chang-Gung University of Science and Technology, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan, R.O.C
- School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan, R.O.C
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, New Taipei Municipal TuCheng Hospital, New Taipei City 236, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Wohn-Jenn Leu
- School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Lih-Ching Hsu
- School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Chia-Hsun Hsieh
- Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, New Taipei Municipal TuCheng Hospital, New Taipei City 236, Taiwan, R.O.C
- Division of Medical Oncology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan, R.O.C
- College of Medicine, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 333, Taiwan, R.O.C
| | - Jih-Hwa Guh
- School of Pharmacy, College of Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei 100, Taiwan, R.O.C
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Villamizar-Monsalve MA, López-Abán J, Vicente B, Peláez R, Muro A. Current drug strategies for the treatment and control of schistosomiasis. Expert Opin Pharmacother 2024:1-12. [PMID: 38511392 DOI: 10.1080/14656566.2024.2333372] [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: 01/30/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/22/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Schistosomiasis, one of the current Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) affects over 230 million people globally, with nearly 700 million at risk in more than 74 countries. Praziquantel (PZQ) has served as the primary treatment for the past four decades; however, its effectiveness is limited as it solely eliminates adult worms. In regions where infections are frequent, PZQ exhibits only temporary efficacy and has restricted potential to disrupt the prolonged transmission of the disease. AREAS COVERED A comprehensive exploration using the PubMed database was conducted to review current pharmacotherapy approaches for schistosomiasis. This review also encompasses recent research findings related to potential novel therapeutics and the repurposing of existing drugs. EXPERT OPINION Current schistosoma treatment strategies, primarily relying on PZQ, face challenges like temporary effectiveness and limited impact on disease transmission. Drug repurposing, due to economic constraints, is decisive for NTDs. Despite PZQ's efficacy, its failure to prevent reinfection highlights the need for complementary strategies, especially in regions with persistent environmental foci. Integrating therapies against diverse schistosome stages boosts efficacy and impedes resistance. Uncovering novel agents is essential to address resistance concerns in tackling this neglected tropical disease. Integrated strategies present a comprehensive approach to navigate the complex challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- María Alejandra Villamizar-Monsalve
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Group (e-INTRO), Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca Research Centre for Tropical Diseases at the University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Julio López-Abán
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Group (e-INTRO), Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca Research Centre for Tropical Diseases at the University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Belén Vicente
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Group (e-INTRO), Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca Research Centre for Tropical Diseases at the University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Rafael Peláez
- Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department, Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca Research Centre for Tropical Diseases at the University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Antonio Muro
- Infectious and Tropical Diseases Research Group (e-INTRO), Biomedical Research Institute of Salamanca Research Centre for Tropical Diseases at the University of Salamanca (IBSAL-CIETUS), Salamanca, Spain
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Das V, Miller JH, Alladi CG, Annadurai N, De Sanctis JB, Hrubá L, Hajdúch M. Antineoplastics for treating Alzheimer's disease and dementia: Evidence from preclinical and observational studies. Med Res Rev 2024. [PMID: 38530106 DOI: 10.1002/med.22033] [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: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 02/15/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
As the world population ages, there will be an increasing need for effective therapies for aging-associated neurodegenerative disorders, which remain untreatable. Dementia due to Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the leading neurological diseases in the aging population. Current therapeutic approaches to treat this disorder are solely symptomatic, making the need for new molecular entities acting on the causes of the disease extremely urgent. One of the potential solutions is to use compounds that are already in the market. The structures have known pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, toxicity profiles, and patient data available in several countries. Several drugs have been used successfully to treat diseases different from their original purposes, such as autoimmunity and peripheral inflammation. Herein, we divulge the repurposing of drugs in the area of neurodegenerative diseases, focusing on the therapeutic potential of antineoplastics to treat dementia due to AD and dementia. We briefly touch upon the shared pathological mechanism between AD and cancer and drug repurposing strategies, with a focus on artificial intelligence. Next, we bring out the current status of research on the development of drugs, provide supporting evidence from retrospective, clinical, and preclinical studies on antineoplastic use, and bring in new areas, such as repurposing drugs for the prion-like spreading of pathologies in treating AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viswanath Das
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University and University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Czech Advanced Technologies and Research Institute (CATRIN), Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - John H Miller
- School of Biological Sciences and Centre for Biodiscovery, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Charanraj Goud Alladi
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University and University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Narendran Annadurai
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University and University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Juan Bautista De Sanctis
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University and University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Czech Advanced Technologies and Research Institute (CATRIN), Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Lenka Hrubá
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University and University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Czech Advanced Technologies and Research Institute (CATRIN), Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Marián Hajdúch
- Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University and University Hospital Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
- Czech Advanced Technologies and Research Institute (CATRIN), Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Palacký University Olomouc, Olomouc, Czech Republic
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Almoyad MAA, Alsayari A, Wahab S, Chandra S. Hematopoietic cell kinase as a nexus for drug repurposing: implications for cancer and HIV therapy. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-11. [PMID: 38529911 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2331092] [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: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/27/2024]
Abstract
Hematopoietic cell kinase (HCK) has emerged as a potential target for therapeutic intervention in cancer and HIV infection because of its critical role in critical signaling pathways. Repurposing FDA-approved drugs offers an efficient strategy to identify new treatment options. Here, we address the need for novel therapies in cancer and HIV by investigating the potential of repurposed drugs against HCK. Our goal was to identify promising drug candidates with high binding affinities and specific interactions within the HCK binding pocket. We employed an integrated computational approach combining molecular docking and extensive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Initially, we analyzed the binding affinities and interaction patterns of a library of FDA-approved drugs sourced from DrugBank. After careful analysis, we focused on two compounds, Nilotinib and Radotinib, which exhibit exceptional binding affinities and specificity to the HCK binding pocket, including the active site. Additionally, we assessed the pharmacological properties of Nilotinib and Radotinib, making them attractive candidates for further drug development. Extensive all-atom MD simulations spanning 200 nanoseconds (ns) elucidated the conformational dynamics and stability of the HCK-Nilotinib and HCK-Radotinib complexes. These simulations demonstrate the robustness of these complexes over extended timescales. Our findings highlighted the potential of Nilotinib and Radotinib as promising candidates against HCK that offer valuable insights into their binding mechanisms. This computational approach provides a comprehensive understanding of drug interactions with HCK and sets the stage for future experimental validation and drug development endeavors.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Ali Abdullah Almoyad
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Applied Medical Sciences, King Khalid University, Khamis Mushyt, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulrhman Alsayari
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia
| | - Shadma Wahab
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Saudi Arabia
| | - Subhash Chandra
- Department of Botany, Soban Singh Jeena University, Almora, India
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Capasso C, Supuran CT. Carbonic anhydrase and bacterial metabolism: a chance for antibacterial drug discovery. Expert Opin Ther Pat 2024:1-10. [PMID: 38506448 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2024.2332663] [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: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Carbonic anhydrases (CAs, EC 4.2.1.1) play a pivotal role in the regulation of carbon dioxide , bicarbonate, and hydrogen ions within bacterial cells, ensuring pH homeostasis and facilitating energy production. We conducted a systematic literature search (PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar) to examine the intricate interplay between CAs and bacterial metabolism, revealing the potential of CA inhibitors (CAIs) as innovative therapeutic agents against pathogenic bacteria. AREA COVERED Inhibition of bacterial CAs was explored in various pathogens, emphasizing the CA roles in microbial virulence, survival, and adaptability. Escherichia coli, a valid and convenient model microorganism, was recently used to investigate the effects of acetazolamide (AAZ) on the bacterial life cycle. Furthermore, the effectiveness of CAIs against pathogenic bacteria has been further substantiated for Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococci (VRE) and antibiotic-resistant Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains. EXPERT OPINION CAIs target bacterial metabolic pathways, offering alternatives to conventional therapies. They hold promise against drug-resistant microorganisms such as VRE and N. gonorrhoeae strains. CAIs offer promising avenues for addressing antibiotic resistance and underscore their potential as novel antibacterial agents. Recognizing the central role of CAs in bacterial growth and pathogenicity will pave the way for innovative infection control and treatment strategies possibly also for other antibiotic resistant species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clemente Capasso
- Department of Biology, Agriculture and Food Sciences, Institute of Biosciences and Bioresources, CNR, Napoli, Italy
| | - Claudiu T Supuran
- NEUROFARBA Department, Section of Pharmaceutical and Nutraceutical Sciences, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
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Mostkowska A, Rousseau G, Raynal NJM. Repurposing of rituximab biosimilars to treat B cell mediated autoimmune diseases. FASEB J 2024; 38:e23536. [PMID: 38470360 DOI: 10.1096/fj.202302259rr] [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: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 02/12/2024] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Rituximab, the first monoclonal antibody approved for the treatment of lymphoma, eventually became one of the most popular and versatile drugs ever in terms of clinical application and revenue. Since its patent expiration, and consequently, the loss of exclusivity of the original biologic, its repurposing as an off-label drug has increased dramatically, propelled by the development and commercialization of its many biosimilars. Currently, rituximab is prescribed worldwide to treat a vast range of autoimmune diseases mediated by B cells. Here, we present a comprehensive overview of rituximab repurposing in 115 autoimmune diseases across 17 medical specialties, sourced from over 1530 publications. Our work highlights the extent of its off-label use and clinical benefits, underlining the success of rituximab repurposing for both common and orphan immune-related diseases. We discuss the scientific mechanism associated with its clinical efficacy and provide additional indications for which rituximab could be investigated. Our study presents rituximab as a flagship example of drug repurposing owing to its central role in targeting cluster of differentiate 20 positive (CD20) B cells in 115 autoimmune diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Mostkowska
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Guy Rousseau
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Noël J-M Raynal
- Department of Pharmacology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Centre de recherche du CHU Sainte-Justine, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Liu Y, Guerrero DQ, Lechuga-Ballesteros D, Tan M, Ahmad F, Aleiwi B, Ellsworth EL, Chen B, Chua MS, So S. Lipid-Based Self-Microemulsion of Niclosamide Achieved Enhanced Oral Delivery and Anti-Tumor Efficacy in Orthotopic Patient-Derived Xenograft of Hepatocellular Carcinoma in Mice. Int J Nanomedicine 2024; 19:2639-2653. [PMID: 38500681 PMCID: PMC10946447 DOI: 10.2147/ijn.s442143] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction We previously identified niclosamide as a promising repurposed drug candidate for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment. However, it is poorly water soluble, limiting its tissue bioavailability and clinical application. To overcome these challenges, we developed an orally bioavailable self-microemulsifying drug delivery system encapsulating niclosamide (Nic-SMEDDS). Methods Nic-SMEDDS was synthesized and characterized for its physicochemical properties, in vivo pharmacokinetics and absorption mechanisms, and in vivo therapeutic efficacy in an orthotopic patient-derived xenograft (PDX)-HCC mouse model. Niclosamide ethanolamine salt (NEN), with superior water solubility, was used as a positive control. Results Nic-SMEDDS (5.6% drug load) displayed favorable physicochemical properties and drug release profiles in vitro. In vivo, Nic-SMEDDS displayed prolonged retention time and plasma release profile compared to niclosamide or NEN. Oral administration of Nic-SMEDDS to non-tumor bearing mice improved niclosamide bioavailability and Cmax by 4.1- and 1.8-fold, respectively, compared to oral niclosamide. Cycloheximide pre-treatment blocked niclosamide absorption from orally administered Nic-SMEDDS, suggesting that its absorption was facilitated through the chylomicron pathway. Nic-SMEDDS (100 mg/kg, bid) showed greater anti-tumor efficacy compared to NEN (200 mg/kg, qd); this correlated with higher levels (p < 0.01) of niclosamide, increased caspase-3, and decreased Ki-67 in the harvested PDX tissues when Nic-SMEDDS was given. Biochemical analysis at the treatment end-point indicated that Nic-SMEDDS elevated lipid levels in treated mice. Conclusion We successfully developed an orally bioavailable formulation of niclosamide, which significantly enhanced oral bioavailability and anti-tumor efficacy in an HCC PDX mouse model. Our data support its clinical translation for the treatment of solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Liu
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - David Quintanar Guerrero
- Laboratorio de Investigación y Posgrado en Tecnologías Farmacéuticas, Facultad de Estudios Superiores Cuautitlán, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Cuautitlán Izcalli, CP, 54745, Mexico
| | | | - Mingdian Tan
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Faiz Ahmad
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Bilal Aleiwi
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Edmund Lee Ellsworth
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Bin Chen
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, USA
| | - Mei-Sze Chua
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Samuel So
- Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
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Bogaert B, Debisschop A, Ehouarne T, Van Eeckhoutte HP, De Volder J, Jacobs A, Pottie E, De Rycke R, Crabbé A, Mestdagh P, Lentacker I, Brusselle GG, Stove C, Verstraelen S, Maes T, Bracke KR, De Smedt SC, Raemdonck K. Selective Replacement of Cholesterol with Cationic Amphiphilic Drugs Enables the Design of Lipid Nanoparticles with Improved RNA Delivery. Nano Lett 2024; 24:2961-2971. [PMID: 38477058 DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.3c03345] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/14/2024]
Abstract
The delivery of RNA across biological barriers can be achieved by encapsulation in lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). Cationic amphiphilic drugs (CADs) are pharmacologically diverse compounds with ionizable lipid-like features. In this work, we applied CADs as a fifth component of state-of-the-art LNPs via microfluidic mixing. Improved cytosolic delivery of both siRNA and mRNA was achieved by partly replacing the cholesterol fraction of LNPs with CADs. The LNPs could cross the mucus layer in a mucus-producing air-liquid interface model of human primary bronchial epithelial cells following nebulization. Moreover, CAD-LNPs demonstrated improved epithelial and endothelial targeting following intranasal administration in mice, without a marked pro-inflammatory signature. Importantly, quantification of the CAD-LNP molar composition, as demonstrated for nortriptyline, revealed a gradual leakage of the CAD from the formulation during LNP dialysis. Altogether, these data suggest that the addition of a CAD prior to the rapid mixing process might have an impact on the composition, structure, and performance of LNPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bram Bogaert
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Aliona Debisschop
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Thomas Ehouarne
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Hannelore P Van Eeckhoutte
- Laboratory for Translational Research in Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, C. Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Joyceline De Volder
- Laboratory for Translational Research in Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, C. Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - An Jacobs
- Health Unit, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Eline Pottie
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Riet De Rycke
- Ghent University Expertise Center for Transmission Electron Microscopy and VIB BioImaging Core, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
- Department of Biomedical Molecular Biology, Ghent University, VIB Center for Inflammation Research, 9052 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Aurélie Crabbé
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Microbiology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Pieter Mestdagh
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, OncoRNAlab, Ghent University, C. Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ine Lentacker
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Guy G Brusselle
- Laboratory for Translational Research in Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, C. Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Christophe Stove
- Laboratory of Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sandra Verstraelen
- Health Unit, Flemish Institute for Technological Research (VITO), Boeretang 200, 2400 Mol, Belgium
| | - Tania Maes
- Laboratory for Translational Research in Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, C. Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ken R Bracke
- Laboratory for Translational Research in Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases, Department of Respiratory Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent University, C. Heymanslaan 10, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Stefaan C De Smedt
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
| | - Koen Raemdonck
- Ghent Research Group on Nanomedicines, Laboratory of General Biochemistry and Physical Pharmacy, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Ottergemsesteenweg 460, 9000 Ghent, Belgium
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10
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Xu S, Esmaeili S, Cardozo-Ojeda EF, Goyal A, White JM, Polyak SJ, Schiffer JT. Two-way pharmacodynamic modeling of drug combinations and its application to pairs of repurposed Ebola and SARS-CoV-2 agents. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2024:e0101523. [PMID: 38470112 DOI: 10.1128/aac.01015-23] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Existing pharmacodynamic (PD) mathematical models for drug combinations discriminate antagonistic, additive, multiplicative, and synergistic effects, but fail to consider how concentration-dependent drug interaction effects may vary across an entire dose-response matrix. We developed a two-way pharmacodynamic (TWPD) model to capture the PD of two-drug combinations. TWPD captures interactions between upstream and downstream drugs that act on different stages of viral replication, by quantifying upstream drug efficacy and concentration-dependent effects on downstream drug pharmacodynamic parameters. We applied TWPD to previously published in vitro drug matrixes for repurposed potential anti-Ebola and anti-SARS-CoV-2 drug pairs. Depending on the drug pairing, the model recapitulated combined efficacies as or more accurately than existing models and can be used to infer efficacy at untested drug concentrations. TWPD fits the data slightly better in one direction for all drug pairs, meaning that we can tentatively infer the upstream drug. Based on its high accuracy, TWPD could be used in concert with PK models to estimate the therapeutic effects of drug pairs in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Xu
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Shadisadat Esmaeili
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - E Fabian Cardozo-Ojeda
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Ashish Goyal
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Judith M White
- Department of Microbiology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia, USA
| | - Stephen J Polyak
- Virology Division, Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Global Health, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Department of Microbiology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
| | - Joshua T Schiffer
- Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Vaccine and Infectious Diseases Division, Seattle, Washington, USA
- Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA
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11
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Cartas-Cejudo P, Cortés A, Lachén-Montes M, Anaya-Cubero E, Puerta E, Solas M, Fernández-Irigoyen J, Santamaría E. Neuropathological stage-dependent proteome mapping of the olfactory tract in Alzheimer's disease: From early olfactory-related omics signatures to computational repurposing of drug candidates. Brain Pathol 2024:e13252. [PMID: 38454090 DOI: 10.1111/bpa.13252] [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: 09/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common form of dementia, characterized by an early olfactory dysfunction, progressive memory loss, and behavioral deterioration. Albeit substantial progress has been made in characterizing AD-associated molecular and cellular events, there is an unmet clinical need for new therapies. In this study, olfactory tract proteotyping performed in controls and AD subjects (n = 17/group) showed a Braak stage-dependent proteostatic impairment accompanied by the progressive modulation of amyloid precursor protein and tau functional interactomes. To implement a computational repurposing of drug candidates with the capacity to reverse early AD-related olfactory omics signatures (OMSs), we generated a consensual OMSs database compiling differential omics datasets obtained by mass-spectrometry or RNA-sequencing derived from initial AD across the olfactory axis. Using the Connectivity Map-based drug repurposing approach, PKC, EGFR, Aurora kinase, Glycogen synthase kinase, and CDK inhibitors were the top pharmacologic classes capable to restore multiple OMSs, whereas compounds with targeted activity to inhibit PI3K, Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), microtubules, and Polo-like kinase (PLK) represented a family of drugs with detrimental potential to induce olfactory AD-associated gene expression changes. To validate the potential therapeutic effects of the proposed drugs, in vitro assays were performed. These validation experiments revealed that pretreatment of human neuron-like SH-SY5Y cells with the EGFR inhibitor AG-1478 showed a neuroprotective effect against hydrogen peroxide-induced damage while the pretreatment with the Aurora kinase inhibitor Reversine reduced amyloid-beta (Aβ)-induced neurotoxicity. Taken together, our data pointed out that OMSs may be useful as substrates for drug repurposing to propose novel neuroprotective treatments against AD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paz Cartas-Cejudo
- Clinical Neuroproteomics Unit, Proteomics Platform, Navarrabiomed, Hospitalario Universitario de Navarra (HUN), Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA), IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Adriana Cortés
- Clinical Neuroproteomics Unit, Proteomics Platform, Navarrabiomed, Hospitalario Universitario de Navarra (HUN), Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA), IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Mercedes Lachén-Montes
- Clinical Neuroproteomics Unit, Proteomics Platform, Navarrabiomed, Hospitalario Universitario de Navarra (HUN), Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA), IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Elena Anaya-Cubero
- Clinical Neuroproteomics Unit, Proteomics Platform, Navarrabiomed, Hospitalario Universitario de Navarra (HUN), Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA), IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Elena Puerta
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Navarra, IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Maite Solas
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Navarra, IdiSNA, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Joaquín Fernández-Irigoyen
- Clinical Neuroproteomics Unit, Proteomics Platform, Navarrabiomed, Hospitalario Universitario de Navarra (HUN), Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA), IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Enrique Santamaría
- Clinical Neuroproteomics Unit, Proteomics Platform, Navarrabiomed, Hospitalario Universitario de Navarra (HUN), Universidad Pública de Navarra (UPNA), IdiSNA, Navarra Institute for Health Research, Pamplona, Spain
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12
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Ziani PR, de Bastiani MA, Scotton E, da Rosa PH, Schons T, Mezzomo G, de Carvalho Q, Kapczinski F, Rosa AR. Drug Repurposing and Personalized Treatment Strategies for Bipolar Disorder Using Transcriptomic. Braz J Psychiatry 2024. [PMID: 38446713 DOI: 10.47626/1516-4446-2023-3441] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/16/2023] [Accepted: 01/10/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The present study combined transcriptomic data and computational techniques based on gene expression signatures to identify novel bioactive compounds or FDA-approved drugs for the management of Bipolar Disorder (BD). METHODS Five transcriptomic datasets, comprising a total of 165 blood samples from BD case-control, were selected from the Gene Expression Omnibus repository (GEO). The number of subjects varied from 6 to 60, with a mean age ranging from 35 to 48, with a gender variation between them. Most of the patients were on pharmacological treatment. Master Regulator Analysis (MRA) and Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) were performed to identify statistically significant genes between BD and HC and their association with the mood states of BD. Additionally, existing molecules with the potential to reverse the transcriptomic profiles of disease-altered regulons in BD were identified using the LINCS and cMap databases. RESULTS MRA identified 59 potential MRs candidates modulating the regulatory units enriched with genes altered in BD, while the GSEA identified 134 enriched genes, and a total of 982 regulons had their activation state determined. Both analyses showed genes exclusively associated with mania, depression, or euthymia, and some genes were common between the three mood states. We identified bioactive compounds and licensed drug candidates, including antihypertensives and antineoplastics, as promising candidates for treating BD. Nevertheless, experimental validation is essential to authenticate these findings in subsequent studies. CONCLUSION Although preliminary, our data provides some insights regarding the biological patterns of BD into distinct mood states and potential therapeutic targets. The combined transcriptomic and bioinformatics strategy offers a route to advance drug discovery and personalized medicine by tapping into gene expression information.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Rampelotto Ziani
- Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Hospital Clinic of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Postgraduate Program in Biological Sciences: Pharmacology and Therapeutics - Institute of Basic Health Sciences, University Federal of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Marco Antônio de Bastiani
- Postgraduate Program in Biological Sciences: Pharmacology and Therapeutics - Institute of Basic Health Sciences, University Federal of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Ellen Scotton
- Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Hospital Clinic of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Postgraduate Program in Biological Sciences: Pharmacology and Therapeutics - Institute of Basic Health Sciences, University Federal of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Pedro Henrique da Rosa
- Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Hospital Clinic of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Postgraduate Program in Biological Sciences: Pharmacology and Therapeutics - Institute of Basic Health Sciences, University Federal of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Tainá Schons
- Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Hospital Clinic of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil
| | - Giovana Mezzomo
- Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Hospital Clinic of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Postgraduate Program in Biological Sciences: Pharmacology and Therapeutics - Institute of Basic Health Sciences, University Federal of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Quênia de Carvalho
- Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Hospital Clinic of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Postgraduate Program in Biological Sciences: Pharmacology and Therapeutics - Institute of Basic Health Sciences, University Federal of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Flávio Kapczinski
- Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Hospital Clinic of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Department of Psychiatry, University Federal of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. National Institute of Translational Science and Technology in Medicine, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada
| | - Adriane R Rosa
- Laboratory of Molecular Psychiatry, Hospital Clinic of Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Brazil. Postgraduate Program in Biological Sciences: Pharmacology and Therapeutics - Institute of Basic Health Sciences, University Federal of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil. Department of Pharmacology, Institute of Basic Science Health, University Federal of Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
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13
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Mucke HAM. Drug Repurposing Patent Applications October-December 2023. Assay Drug Dev Technol 2024. [PMID: 38437578 DOI: 10.1089/adt.2024.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/06/2024] Open
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14
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Moir J, Hyman MJ, Gonnah R, Flores A, Hariprasad SM, Skondra D. The Association Between Metformin Use and New-Onset ICD Coding of Geographic Atrophy. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci 2024; 65:23. [PMID: 38497512 PMCID: PMC10950036 DOI: 10.1167/iovs.65.3.23] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 03/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Purpose Metformin has been suggested to protect against the development of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) in multiple observational studies. However, the association between metformin and geographic atrophy (GA), a debilitating subtype of AMD, has not been analyzed. Methods We conducted a case-control study of patients ages 60 years and older with new-onset International Classification of Diseases (ICD) coding of GA in the Merative MarketScan Commercial and Medicare Databases between 2017 and 2021. Cases were matched with propensity scores estimated by age, region, hypertension, and Charlson Comorbidity Index to a control without GA of the same year. Exposure to metformin was assessed for cases and controls in the year prior to their index visit. Conditional multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for AMD risk factors, was used to calculate odd ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). This study design and analysis were repeated in a sample of patients without diabetes. Results In the full sample, we identified 10,505 cases with GA and 10,502 matched controls without GA. In total, 1149 (10.9%) cases and 1277 (12.2%) controls were exposed to metformin, and in multivariable regression, metformin decreased the odds of new-onset ICD coding of GA by 12% (95% CI, 0.79-0.99). In the sample of patients without diabetes, we identified 7611 cases with GA and 7608 matched controls without GA. Twenty-nine (0.4%) cases and 63 (0.8%) controls were exposed to metformin, and in multivariable regression, metformin decreased the odds of new-onset ICD coding of GA by 47% (95% CI, 0.33-0.83). Conclusions Metformin may hold promise as a noninvasive, alternative agent to prevent the development of GA. This finding is notable due to shortcomings in recently approved therapeutics for GA and metformin's overall ease of use and few adverse effects. Additional studies are required to explore our findings further and motivate a clinical trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- John Moir
- Pritzker School of Medicine, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Max J. Hyman
- The Center for Health and the Social Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Reem Gonnah
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Andrea Flores
- The Center for Health and the Social Sciences, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Seenu M. Hariprasad
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States
| | - Dimitra Skondra
- Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Science, University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, United States
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15
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Guo C, Wang KKA, Nolan EM. Investigation of Siderophore-Platinum(IV) Conjugates Reveals Differing Antibacterial Activity and DNA Damage Depending on the Platinum Cargo. ACS Infect Dis 2024. [PMID: 38436588 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00686] [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: 03/05/2024]
Abstract
The growing threat of bacterial infections coupled with the dwindling arsenal of effective antibiotics has heightened the urgency for innovative strategies to combat bacterial pathogens, particularly Gram-negative strains, which pose a significant challenge due to their outer membrane permeability barrier. In this study, we repurpose clinically approved anticancer agents as targeted antibacterials. We report two new siderophore-platinum(IV) conjugates, both of which consist of an oxaliplatin-based Pt(IV) prodrug (oxPt(IV)) conjugated to enterobactin (Ent), a triscatecholate siderophore employed by Enterobacteriaceae for iron acquisition. We demonstrate that l/d-Ent-oxPt(IV) (l/d-EOP) are selectively delivered into the Escherichia coli cytoplasm, achieving targeted antibacterial activity, causing filamentous morphology, and leading to enhanced Pt uptake by bacterial cells but reduced Pt uptake by human cells. d-EOP exhibits enhanced potency compared to oxaliplatin and l-EOP, primarily attributed to the intrinsic antibacterial activity of its non-native siderophore moiety. To further elucidate the antibacterial activity of Ent-Pt(IV) conjugates, we probed DNA damage caused by l/d-EOP and the previously reported cisplatin-based conjugates l/d-Ent-Pt(IV) (l/d-EP). A comparative analysis of these four conjugates reveals a correlation between antibacterial activity and the ability to induce DNA damage. This work expands the scope of Pt cargos targeted to the cytoplasm of Gram-negative bacteria via Ent conjugation, provides insight into the cellular consequences of Ent-Pt(IV) conjugates in E. coli, and furthers our understanding of the potential of Pt-based therapeutics for antibacterial applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chuchu Guo
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Kwo-Kwang A Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
| | - Elizabeth M Nolan
- Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, United States
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16
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Wang L, Yu Z, Zhang J, Guo J. Nanoformulations of chemotherapeutic activators of the cGAS-STING pathway in tumor chemoimmunotherapy. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:103892. [PMID: 38272174 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.103892] [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: 10/31/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 01/27/2024]
Abstract
Chemotherapeutic drugs to activate the cyclic guanosine monophosphate-adenosine monophosphate synthase (cGAS)-stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway have been exploited for tumor chemoimmunotherapy. The clinical translation of chemotherapeutic cGAS-STING activators is hindered by the lack of safe, efficient, and specific delivery strategies. Nanodrug delivery systems (NDDS) designed for reducing toxic effects and improving transport effectiveness potentiate in vivo delivery of chemotherapeutic cGAS-STING activators. cGAS-STING monotherapy often encounters tumor resistance without providing satisfactory therapeutic benefit; therefore combination therapy is desirable. This review describes NDDS strategies for surmounting delivery obstacles of chemotherapeutic cGAS-STING activators and highlights combinatorial regimens, which utilize therapeutics that work by different mechanisms, for optimal therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingzhi Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China
| | - Zhuo Yu
- Department of Hepatopathy, Shuguang Hospital, Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jihong Zhang
- Hematology Laboratory, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang 110022, China.
| | - Jianfeng Guo
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jilin University, Changchun 130021, China.
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Derks TGJ, Venema A, Köller C, Bos E, Overduin RJ, Stolwijk NN, Hofbauer P, Bolhuis MS, van Eenennaam F, Groen H, Hollak CEM, Wortmann SB. Repurposing empagliflozin in individuals with glycogen storage disease Ib: A value-based healthcare approach and systematic benefit-risk assessment. J Inherit Metab Dis 2024; 47:244-254. [PMID: 38185897 DOI: 10.1002/jimd.12714] [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] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Off-label repurposing of empagliflozin allows pathomechanism-based treatment of neutropenia/neutrophil-dysfunction in glycogen storage disease type Ib (GSDIb). From a value-based healthcare (VBHC) perspective, we here retrospectively studied patient-reported, clinical and pharmacoeconomic outcomes in 11 GSDIb individuals before and under empagliflozin at two centers (the Netherlands [NL], Austria [AT]), including a budget impact analysis, sensitivity-analysis, and systematic benefit-risk assessment. Under empagliflozin, all GSDIb individuals reported improved quality-of-life-scores. Neutrophil dysfunction related symptoms allowed either granulocyte colony-stimulating factor cessation or tapering. Calculated cost savings per patient per year ranged between € 6482-14 190 (NL) and € 1281-41 231 (AT). The budget impact analysis estimated annual total cost savings ranging between € 75 062-225 716 (NL) and € 37 697-231 790 (AT), based on conservative assumptions. The systematic benefit-risk assessment was favorable. From a VBHC perspective, empagliflozin treatment in GSDIb improved personal and clinical outcomes while saving costs, thereby creating value at multiple pillars. We emphasize the importance to reimburse empagliflozin for GSDIb individuals, further supported by the favorable systematic benefit-risk assessment. These observations in similar directions in two countries/health care systems strongly suggest that our findings can be extrapolated to other geographical areas and health care systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Terry G J Derks
- Department of Metabolic Diseases, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Annieke Venema
- Department of Metabolic Diseases, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Clara Köller
- University Children's Hospital, Salzburger Landeskliniken (SALK), Paracelsus Medical University (PMU), Salzburg, Austria
| | - Eline Bos
- Department of Metabolic Diseases, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Ruben J Overduin
- Department of Metabolic Diseases, Beatrix Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Nina N Stolwijk
- Medicine for Society, Platform at Amsterdam UMC-University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Peter Hofbauer
- Department of Production, Landesapotheke Salzburg, Hospital Pharmacy, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Mathieu S Bolhuis
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy and Pharmacology, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Fred van Eenennaam
- The Decision Group, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Erasmus School of Accounting & Assurance, Erasmus University Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Henk Groen
- Department of Epidemiology, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands
| | - Carla E M Hollak
- Medicine for Society, Platform at Amsterdam UMC-University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
- Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Saskia B Wortmann
- University Children's Hospital, Salzburger Landeskliniken (SALK), Paracelsus Medical University (PMU), Salzburg, Austria
- Department of Pediatrics, Amalia Children's Hospital, Nijmegen, The Netherlands
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18
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Omar R, Abd El-Salam M, Elsbaey M, Hassan M. Fourteen immunomodulatory alkaloids and two prenylated phenylpropanoids with dual therapeutic approach for COVID-19: molecular docking and dynamics studies. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:2298-2315. [PMID: 37116054 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2204973] [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: 05/12/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/30/2023]
Abstract
The pandemic outbreak of COVID-19 caused by the new severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) is a global health burden. To date, there is no highly effective antiviral therapy to eradicate the virus; as a result, researchers are racing to introduce new potential therapeutic agents. Alternatively, traditional immunity boosters and symptomatic treatment based on natural bioactive compounds are also an option. The 3-chymotrypsin-like protease (3CLpro) crystal structure, the main proteolytic enzyme of SARS-CoV-2, has been unraveled, allowing the development of effective protease inhibitors via in silico and biological studies. In COVID-19 infected patients, the loss of lung function, and mortality are reported to be linked to several inflammatory mediators and cytokines. In this context, the approach of introducing immunomodulatory agents may be considered a dual lifesaving strategy in combination with antiviral drugs. This study aims to provide immunomodulatory natural products exhibiting potential protease inhibitory activities. Selected groups of alkaloids of different classes and two prenylated phenylpropanoids from the Brazilian green propolis were in silico screened for their ability to inhibit COVID-19 3CLpro protease. Results showed that compounds exhibited binding energy scores with values ranging from -6.96 to -3.70 compared to the reference synthetic protease inhibitor O6K with a binding energy score of -7.57. O6K binding energy was found comparable with lead phytochemicals in our study, while their toxicity and drug-likeness criteria are better than that of O6K. The activities of these molecules are mainly ascribed to their ability to form hydrogen bonding with 3CLpro crucial amino acid residues of the catalytic site. In addition, the molecular dynamics simulations further showed that some of these compounds formed stable complexes as evidenced by the occupancy fraction measurements. The study suggested that the major immunomodulators 3β, 20α-diacetamido-5α-pregnane, (20S)-(benzamido)-3β-(N,N-dimethyamino)-pregnane, and baccharin are 3CLpro inhibitors. Biological screenings of these phytochemicals will be valuable to experimentally validate and consolidate the results of this study before a rigid conclusion is reached, which may pave the way for the development of efficient modulatory bioactive compounds with dual bioactions in COVID-19 intervention. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rowida Omar
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Delta University for Science and Technology, International Coastal Road, Gamasa, Egypt
| | - Mohamed Abd El-Salam
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Delta University for Science and Technology, International Coastal Road, Gamasa, Egypt
- School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Marwa Elsbaey
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
| | - Madiha Hassan
- Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura, Egypt
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19
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Proper JL, Chu H, Prajapati P, Sonksen MD, Murray TA. Network meta analysis to predict the efficacy of an approved treatment in a new indication. Res Synth Methods 2024; 15:242-256. [PMID: 38044545 DOI: 10.1002/jrsm.1683] [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: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 10/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023]
Abstract
Drug repurposing refers to the process of discovering new therapeutic uses for existing medicines. Compared to traditional drug discovery, drug repurposing is attractive for its speed, cost, and reduced risk of failure. However, existing approaches for drug repurposing involve complex, computationally-intensive analytical methods that are not widely used in practice. Instead, repurposing decisions are often based on subjective judgments from limited empirical evidence. In this article, we develop a novel Bayesian network meta-analysis (NMA) framework that can predict the efficacy of an approved treatment in a new indication and thereby identify candidate treatments for repurposing. We obtain predictions using two main steps: first, we use standard NMA modeling to estimate average relative effects from a network comprised of treatments studied in both indications in addition to one treatment studied in only one indication. Then, we model the correlation between relative effects using various strategies that differ in how they model treatments across indications and within the same drug class. We evaluate the predictive performance of each model using a simulation study and find that the model minimizing root mean squared error of the posterior median for the candidate treatment depends on the amount of available data, the level of correlation between indications, and whether treatment effects differ, on average, by drug class. We conclude by discussing an illustrative example in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis and find that the candidate treatment has a high probability of success in a future trial.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer L Proper
- Division of Biostatistics, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
| | - Haitao Chu
- Statistical Research and Data Science Center, Pfizer Inc, New York, New York, USA
| | - Purvi Prajapati
- Statistical Innovation Center, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Michael D Sonksen
- Statistical Innovation Center, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
| | - Thomas A Murray
- Division of Biostatistics, University of Minnesota Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA
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Ali W, Jamal S, Gangwar R, Ahmed F, Sharma R, Agarwal M, Sheikh JA, Grover A, Grover S. Targeting of essential mycobacterial replication enzyme DnaG primase revealed Mitoxantrone and Vapreotide as novel mycobacterial growth inhibitors. Mol Inform 2024; 43:e202300284. [PMID: 38123523 DOI: 10.1002/minf.202300284] [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: 10/19/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) is the second leading cause of mortality after COVID-19, with a global death toll of 1.6 million in 2021. The escalating situation of drug-resistant forms of TB has threatened the current TB management strategies. New therapeutics with novel mechanisms of action are urgently required to address the current global TB crisis. The essential mycobacterial primase DnaG with no structural homology to homo sapiens presents itself as a good candidate for drug targeting. In the present study, Mitoxantrone and Vapreotide, two FDA-approved drugs, were identified as potential anti-mycobacterial agents. Both Mitoxantrone and Vapreotide exhibit a strong Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) of ≤25μg/ml against both the virulent (M.tb-H37Rv) and avirulent (M.tb-H37Ra) strains of M.tb. Extending the validations further revealed the inhibitory potential drugs in ex vivo conditions. Leveraging the computational high-throughput multi-level docking procedures from the pool of ~2700 FDA-approved compounds, Mitoxantrone and Vapreotide were screened out as potential inhibitors of DnaG. Extensive 200 ns long all-atoms molecular dynamic simulation of DnaGDrugs complexes revealed that both drugs bind strongly and stabilize the DnaG during simulations. Reduced solvent exposure and confined motions of the active centre of DnaG upon complexation with drugs indicated that both drugs led to the closure of the active site of DnaG. From this study's findings, we propose Mitoxantrone and Vapreotide as potential anti-mycobacterial agents, with their novel mechanism of action against mycobacterial DnaG.
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Affiliation(s)
- Waseem Ali
- Jamia Hamdard, Department of Molecular Medicine, New Delhi, 110062, India
| | - Salma Jamal
- Jamia Hamdard, Department of Molecular Medicine, New Delhi, 110062, India
| | - Rishabh Gangwar
- Jamia Hamdard, Department of Molecular Medicine, New Delhi, 110062, India
| | - Faraz Ahmed
- Jamia Hamdard, Department of Molecular Medicine, New Delhi, 110062, India
| | - Rahul Sharma
- Jamia Hamdard, Department of Molecular Medicine, New Delhi, 110062, India
| | - Meetu Agarwal
- Jamia Hamdard, Department of Molecular Medicine, New Delhi, 110062, India
| | | | - Abhinav Grover
- Jawaharlal Nehru University, School of Biotechnology, New Delhi, 110067, India
| | - Sonam Grover
- Jamia Hamdard, Department of Molecular Medicine, New Delhi, 110062, India
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21
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Benjamin DJ, Haslam A, Prasad V. Cardiovascular/anti-inflammatory drugs repurposed for treating or preventing cancer: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized trials. Cancer Med 2024; 13:e7049. [PMID: 38491813 PMCID: PMC10943275 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.7049] [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: 07/15/2023] [Revised: 01/09/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/18/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Due to encouraging pre-clinical data and supportive observational studies, there has been growing interest in applying cardiovascular drugs (including aspirin, angiotensin-converting enzyme [ACE] inhibitors, statins, and metformin) approved to treat diseases such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus to the field of oncology. Moreover, given growing costs with cancer care, these medications have offered a potentially more affordable avenue to treat or prevent recurrence of cancer. We sought to investigate the anti-cancer effects of drugs repurposed from cardiology or anti-inflammatories to treat cancer. We specifically evaluated the following drug classes: HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins), cyclo-oxygenase inhibitors, aspirin, metformin, and both angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors. We also included non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) because they exert a similar mechanism to aspirin by blocking prostaglandins and reducing inflammation that is thought to promote the development of cancer. METHODS We performed a systematic literature review using PubMed and Web of Science with search terms including "aspirin," "NSAID," "statin" (including specific statin drug names), "metformin," "ACE inhibitors," and "ARBs" (including specific anti-hypertensive drug names) in combination with "cancer." Searches were limited to human studies published between 2000 and 2023. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The number and percentage of studies reported positive results and pooled estimates of overall survival, progression-free survival, response, and disease-free survival. RESULTS We reviewed 3094 titles and included 67 randomized clinical trials. The most common drugs that were tested were metformin (n = 21; 30.9%), celecoxib (n = 20; 29.4%), and simvastatin (n = 8; 11.8%). There was only one study that tested cardiac glycosides and none that studied ACE inhibitors. The most common tumor types were non-small-cell lung cancer (n = 19; 27.9%); breast (n = 8; 20.6%), colorectal (n = 7; 10.3%), and hepatocellular (n = 6; 8.8%). Most studies were conducted in a phase II trial (n = 38; 55.9%). Most studies were tested in metastatic cancers (n = 49; 72.1%) and in the first-line setting (n = 36; 521.9%). Four studies (5.9%) were stopped early because of difficulty with accrual. The majority of studies did not demonstrate an improvement in either progression-free survival (86.1% of studies testing progression-free survival) or in overall survival (94.3% of studies testing overall survival). Progression-free survival was improved in five studies (7.4%), and overall survival was improved in three studies (4.4%). Overall survival was significantly worse in two studies (3.8% of studies testing overall survival), and progression-free survival was worse in one study (2.8% of studies testing progression-free survival). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Despite promising pre-clinical and population-based data, cardiovascular drugs and anti-inflammatory medications have overall not demonstrated benefit in the treatment or preventing recurrence of cancer. These findings may help guide future potential clinical trials involving these medications when applied in oncology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Alyson Haslam
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUnited States
| | - Vinay Prasad
- Department of Epidemiology and BiostatisticsUniversity of CaliforniaSan FranciscoCaliforniaUnited States
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Bellucci G, Buscarinu MC, Reniè R, Rinaldi V, Bigi R, Mechelli R, Romano S, Salvetti M, Ristori G. Disentangling multiple sclerosis phenotypes through Mendelian disorders: A network approach. Mult Scler 2024; 30:325-335. [PMID: 38333907 DOI: 10.1177/13524585241227119] [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: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The increasing knowledge about multiple sclerosis (MS) pathophysiology has reinforced the need for an improved description of disease phenotypes, connected to disease biology. Growing evidence indicates that complex diseases constitute phenotypical and genetic continuums with "simple," monogenic disorders, suggesting shared pathomechanisms. OBJECTIVES The objective of this study was to depict a novel MS phenotypical framework leveraging shared physiopathology with Mendelian diseases and to identify phenotype-specific candidate drugs. METHODS We performed an enrichment testing of MS-associated variants with Mendelian disorders genes. We defined a "MS-Mendelian network," further analyzed to define enriched phenotypic subnetworks and biological processes. Finally, a network-based drug screening was implemented. RESULTS Starting from 617 MS-associated loci, we showed a significant enrichment of monogenic diseases (p < 0.001). We defined an MS-Mendelian molecular network based on 331 genes and 486 related disorders, enriched in four phenotypic classes: neurologic, immunologic, metabolic, and visual. We prioritized a total of 503 drugs, of which 27 molecules active in 3/4 phenotypical subnetworks and 140 in subnetwork pairs. CONCLUSION The genetic architecture of MS contains the seeds of pathobiological multiplicities shared with immune, neurologic, metabolic and visual monogenic disorders. This result may inform future classifications of MS endophenotypes and support the development of new therapies in both MS and rare diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gianmarco Bellucci
- Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Maria Chiara Buscarinu
- Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy Neuroimmunology Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
| | - Roberta Reniè
- Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Virginia Rinaldi
- Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Rachele Bigi
- Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Rosella Mechelli
- Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) San Raffaele Pisana, Rome, Italy San Raffaele Roma Open University, Rome, Italy
| | - Silvia Romano
- Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Marco Salvetti
- Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Istituto Neurologico Mediterraneo Neuromed, Pozzilli, Italy
| | - Giovanni Ristori
- Centre for Experimental Neurological Therapies (CENTERS), Department of Neurosciences, Mental Health and Sensory Organs, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy Neuroimmunology Unit, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS) Fondazione Santa Lucia, Rome, Italy
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Roncuzzi L, Perut F, Baldini N. Repurposing of Loperamide as a New Drug With Anticancer Activity for Human Osteosarcoma. Anticancer Res 2024; 44:1063-1070. [PMID: 38423641 DOI: 10.21873/anticanres.16901] [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: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND/AIM Osteosarcoma is an aggressive malignant bone tumor, with unfavorable outcomes in patients with metastatic and recurrent disease. To improve patient survival new treatment options are needed. By using the drug repurposing approach, which takes advantage of already approved drugs with non-oncology primary use, we investigated the activity of loperamide, a peripheral opiate receptor agonist, a drug widely used in clinical practice to treat acute non-specific and chronic diarrhea, on human osteosarcoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS Human osteosarcoma cell lines (143B, Saos-2, HOS and MG-63) and multidrug-resistant MG-63DXR30 cells were treated with loperamide. Proliferation and cell viability were determined by viable cell count and acid phosphatase assay. Loperamide activity on cell cycle and apoptosis induction were evaluated by flow cytometry and a luminescence assay testing caspase 3/7 activity, respectively. RESULTS Loperamide significantly inhibited cell proliferation, through alteration of cell cycle profile at G0/G1 phase and apoptotic death in human osteosarcoma cells. Furthermore, loperamide significantly inhibited the growth of multidrug-resistant osteosarcoma cells. CONCLUSION Our findings provide new perspectives for loperamide and its therapeutic repositioning for the treatment of osteosarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Roncuzzi
- Biomedical Science and Technology and Nanobiotechnology Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy;
| | - Francesca Perut
- Biomedical Science and Technology and Nanobiotechnology Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
| | - Nicola Baldini
- Biomedical Science and Technology and Nanobiotechnology Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, Bologna, Italy
- Department of Biomedical and Neuromotor Sciences, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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24
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Kamble S, Singh S, Suresh A, Singothu S, Dandesena D, Bhandari V, Sharma P. Epidrugs: alternative chemotherapy targeting Theileria annulata schizont stage parasites. Microbiol Spectr 2024:e0325823. [PMID: 38421193 DOI: 10.1128/spectrum.03258-23] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
The growing emergence of resistance to current anti-theilerial agents necessitates the exploration of alternative approaches to drug discovery. This study evaluated the antiparasitic efficacy of 148 compounds derived from an epigenetic inhibitor library against the schizont stage of a Theileria annulata-infected cell line. Initial screening at a concentration of 10 µM identified 27 compounds exhibiting promising anti-theilerial activity. Further investigation, including determination of the 50% inhibitory concentration (IC50) and host cell cytotoxicity assay, highlighted seven highly effective compounds (SAHA, BVT-948, Trichostatin A, Methylstat, Plumbagin, Ryuvidine, and TCE-5003) against T. annulata-infected cells. Analysis of the active compounds revealed their inhibitory action against various human targets, such as HDAC (SAHA and Trichostatin A), SET domain (Ryuvidine), PRMT (BVT-948 and TCE-5003), histone demethylase (Methylstat), and ROS/apoptosis inducer (Plumbagin). We identified gene orthologs of these targets in Theileria and conducted molecular docking studies, demonstrating effective binding of the compounds with their respective targets in the parasite, supported by in vitro data. Additionally, we performed in silico ADME/T predictions, which indicated potential mutagenic and hepatotoxic effects of Plumbagin, Methylstat, and TCE-5003, rendering them unsuitable for drug development. Conversely, SAHA, Trichostatin A, and BVT-948 showed promising characteristics and may represent potential candidates for future development as chemotherapeutic agents against tropical theileriosis. These findings provide valuable insights into the search for novel anti-theilerial drugs and offer a basis for further research in this area.IMPORTANCETheileria annulata is a protozoan parasite responsible for tropical theileriosis, a devastating disease affecting cattle. Traditional chemotherapy has limitations, and the study explores the potential of epidrugs as an alternative treatment approach. Epidrugs are compounds that modify gene expression without altering the underlying DNA sequence, offering a novel way to combat parasitic infections. This research is pivotal as it addresses the urgent need for innovative therapies against T. annulata, contributing to the development of more effective and targeted treatments for infected livestock. Successful implementation of epidrugs could not only enhance the well-being of cattle but also have broader implications for the control of parasitic diseases, showcasing the paper's significance in advancing veterinary science and improving livestock health globally.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sonam Kamble
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, India
- Graduate Studies, Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), Faridabad, India
| | - Sakshi Singh
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, India
- Graduate Studies, Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), Faridabad, India
| | - Akash Suresh
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, India
| | - Siva Singothu
- National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Hyderabad, India
| | - Debabrata Dandesena
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, India
- Graduate Studies, Regional Centre for Biotechnology (RCB), Faridabad, India
| | | | - Paresh Sharma
- National Institute of Animal Biotechnology, Hyderabad, India
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25
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Moral-Turón C, Asencio-Cortés G, Rodriguez-Diaz F, Rubio A, Navarro AG, Brokate-Llanos AM, Garzón A, Muñoz MJ, Pérez-Pulido AJ. ASACO: Automatic and Serial Analysis of CO-expression to discover gene modifiers with potential use in drug repurposing. Brief Funct Genomics 2024:elae006. [PMID: 38422352 DOI: 10.1093/bfgp/elae006] [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: 09/07/2023] [Revised: 01/21/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Massive gene expression analyses are widely used to find differentially expressed genes under specific conditions. The results of these experiments are often available in public databases that are undergoing a growth similar to that of molecular sequence databases in the past. This now allows novel secondary computational tools to emerge that use such information to gain new knowledge. If several genes have a similar expression profile across heterogeneous transcriptomics experiments, they could be functionally related. These associations are usually useful for the annotation of uncharacterized genes. In addition, the search for genes with opposite expression profiles is useful for finding negative regulators and proposing inhibitory compounds in drug repurposing projects. Here we present a new web application, Automatic and Serial Analysis of CO-expression (ASACO), which has the potential to discover positive and negative correlator genes to a given query gene, based on thousands of public transcriptomics experiments. In addition, examples of use are presented, comparing with previous contrasted knowledge. The results obtained propose ASACO as a useful tool to improve knowledge about genes associated with human diseases and noncoding genes. ASACO is available at http://www.bioinfocabd.upo.es/asaco/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Moral-Turón
- Andalusian Centre for Developmental Biology (CABD, UPO-CSIC-JA). Faculty of Experimental Sciences (Genetics Dept.), University Pablo de Olavide, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | | | | | - Alejandro Rubio
- Andalusian Centre for Developmental Biology (CABD, UPO-CSIC-JA). Faculty of Experimental Sciences (Genetics Dept.), University Pablo de Olavide, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - Alberto G Navarro
- Andalusian Centre for Developmental Biology (CABD, UPO-CSIC-JA). Faculty of Experimental Sciences (Genetics Dept.), University Pablo de Olavide, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - Ana M Brokate-Llanos
- Andalusian Centre for Developmental Biology (CABD, UPO-CSIC-JA). Faculty of Experimental Sciences (Genetics Dept.), University Pablo de Olavide, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - Andrés Garzón
- Andalusian Centre for Developmental Biology (CABD, UPO-CSIC-JA). Faculty of Experimental Sciences (Genetics Dept.), University Pablo de Olavide, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - Manuel J Muñoz
- Andalusian Centre for Developmental Biology (CABD, UPO-CSIC-JA). Faculty of Experimental Sciences (Genetics Dept.), University Pablo de Olavide, 41013, Seville, Spain
| | - Antonio J Pérez-Pulido
- Andalusian Centre for Developmental Biology (CABD, UPO-CSIC-JA). Faculty of Experimental Sciences (Genetics Dept.), University Pablo de Olavide, 41013, Seville, Spain
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Sharma V, Kumar A, Rawat R, Gulati M, Behl T, Khalid A, Najmi A, Zoghebi K, A Halawi M, Mohan S. Computational insights into KRAS G12C inhibition: exploring possible repurposing of Azacitidine and Ribavirin. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-11. [PMID: 38415708 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2321237] [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: 08/27/2023] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024]
Abstract
Kirsten rat sarcoma (KRAS) stands out as the most prevalent mutated oncogene, playing a crucial role in the initiation and progression of various cancer types, including colorectal, lung and pancreatic cancer. The oncogenic modifications of KRAS are intricately linked to tumor development and are identified in 22% of cancer patients. This has spurred the necessity to explore inhibition mechanisms, with the aim of investigating and repurposing existing drugs for diagnosing cancers dependent on KRAS G12C In this investigation, 26 nucleoside-based drugs were collected from literature to assess their effectiveness against KRAS G12C. The study incorporates in-silico molecular simulations and molecular docking examinations of these nucleoside-derived drugs with the KRAS G12C protein using Protein Data Bank (PDB) ID: 5V71. The docking outcomes indicated that two drugs, Azacitidine and Ribavirin, exhibited substantial binding affinities of -8.7 and -8.3 kcal/mol, respectively. These drugs demonstrated stability in binding to the active site of the protein during simulation studies. Root mean square deviation (RMSD) analyses indicated that the complexes closely adhered to an equilibrium RMSD value ranging from 0.17 to 0.2 nm. Additionally, % occupancies, bond angles and the length of hydrogen bonds were calculated. These findings suggest that Azacitidine and Ribavirin may potentially serve as candidates for repurposing in individuals with KRAS-dependent cancers.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishakha Sharma
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, IET Bhaddal Technical Campus, Ropar, India
| | - Ankush Kumar
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, IET Bhaddal Technical Campus, Ropar, India
| | - Ravi Rawat
- School of Health Sciences, University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Dehradun, India
| | - Monica Gulati
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, India
- ARCCIM, Faculty of Health, University of Technology Sydney, Ultimo,Australia
| | - Tapan Behl
- Amity School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Amity University, Mohali, India
| | - Asaad Khalid
- Substance Abuse and Toxicology Research Centre, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
- National Center for Research, Medicinal and Aromatic Plants Research Institute, Khartoum, Sudan
| | - Asim Najmi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Khalid Zoghebi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Maryam A Halawi
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
| | - Syam Mohan
- Substance Abuse and Toxicology Research Centre, Jazan University, Jazan, Saudi Arabia
- Center for Global Health Research, Saveetha Medical College and Hospitals, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha University, Kuthambakkam, India
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Tiwari A, Kumari B, Nandagopal S, Mishra A, Shukla KK, Kumar A, Dutt N, Ahirwar DK. Promises of Protein Kinase Inhibitors in Recalcitrant Small-Cell Lung Cancer: Recent Scenario and Future Possibilities. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:963. [PMID: 38473324 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16050963] [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: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
SCLC is refractory to conventional therapies; targeted therapies and immunological checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) molecules have prolonged survival only marginally. In addition, ICIs help only a subgroup of SCLC patients. Different types of kinases play pivotal roles in therapeutics-driven cellular functions. Therefore, there is a significant need to understand the roles of kinases in regulating therapeutic responses, acknowledge the existing knowledge gaps, and discuss future directions for improved therapeutics for recalcitrant SCLC. Here, we extensively review the effect of dysregulated kinases in SCLC. We further discuss the pharmacological inhibitors of kinases used in targeted therapies for recalcitrant SCLC. We also describe the role of kinases in the ICI-mediated activation of antitumor immune responses. Finally, we summarize the clinical trials evaluating the potential of kinase inhibitors and ICIs. This review overviews dysregulated kinases in SCLC and summarizes their potential as targeted therapeutic agents. We also discuss their clinical efficacy in enhancing anticancer responses mediated by ICIs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aniket Tiwari
- Department of Bioscience & Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur 342030, Rajasthan, India
| | - Beauty Kumari
- Department of Bioscience & Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur 342030, Rajasthan, India
| | - Srividhya Nandagopal
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Jodhpur, Jodhpur 342005, Rajasthan, India
| | - Amit Mishra
- Department of Bioscience & Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur 342030, Rajasthan, India
| | - Kamla Kant Shukla
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Jodhpur, Jodhpur 342005, Rajasthan, India
| | - Ashok Kumar
- Department of Biochemistry, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Bhopal, Saket Nagar, Bhopal 462020, Madhya Pradesh, India
| | - Naveen Dutt
- Department of Pulmonary Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences Jodhpur, Jodhpur 342005, Rajasthan, India
| | - Dinesh Kumar Ahirwar
- Department of Bioscience & Bioengineering, Indian Institute of Technology Jodhpur, Jodhpur 342030, Rajasthan, India
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Silva JD, Jupiter DC, Taglialatela G. Reduced Prevalence of Parkinson's Disease in Patients Prescribed Calcineurin Inhibitors. J Parkinsons Dis 2024:JPD230313. [PMID: 38427501 DOI: 10.3233/jpd-230313] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Background Preclinical evidence suggests calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs) combat α-synuclein-induced neuronal dysfunction and motor impairments. However, whether CNIs prevent or treat Parkinson's disease (PD) in humans has never been investigated. Objective We seek to ascertain if prescription of CNIs is linked to a decreased prevalence of PD in a varied patient population and to glimpse into the mechanism(s) and target site through which CNIs might decrease PD prevalence. Methods We analyzed electronic health records (EHRs) from patients prescribed the brain penetrant CNI tacrolimus (TAC), the peripherally restricted CNI cyclosporine (CySp), or the non-CNI sirolimus (SIR). For comparison, EHRs from a diverse population from the same network served as a general population-like control. After propensity-score matching, prevalence, odds, and hazards of PD diagnoses among these cohorts were compared. Results Patients prescribed CNIs have decreased odds of PD diagnosis compared to the general population-like control, while patients prescribed SIR do not. Notably, patients prescribed TAC have a decreased prevalence of PD compared to patients prescribed SIR or CySp. Conclusions Our results suggest CNIs, especially those acting within the brain, may prevent PD. The reduced prevalence of PD in patients prescribed TAC, compared to patients prescribed SIR, suggests that mechanisms of calcineurin inhibition- other than immunosuppression, which is common to both drugs- are driving the reduction. Therefore, CNIs may provide a promising therapeutic approach for PD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacqueline D Silva
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Pharmacology and Toxicology Graduate Program, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Daniel C Jupiter
- Department of Biostatistics and Data Science, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
- Department of Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
| | - Giulio Taglialatela
- Mitchell Center for Neurodegenerative Disorders, Department of Neurology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, TX, USA
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29
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Robinson D, Leonard H, Baldi GG, Tap WD, Jones RL, Stacchiotti S, Pantziarka P. The patient perspective on sirolimus for epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE): results of a community survey highlighting the importance of equitable access to treatments. Front Oncol 2024; 14:1367237. [PMID: 38469238 PMCID: PMC10925709 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2024.1367237] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Background Epithelioid hemangioendothelioma (EHE) is an ultra-rare, vascular sarcoma with clinical presentation ranging from an indolent to an aggressive form. Over 50% of patients present with metastatic disease, requiring systemic therapy, although no systemic therapies are specifically approved for EHE. Retrospective evidence supports the activity of mTOR inhibitors (e.g. sirolimus), although available only off-label. EHE patients and advocates are therefore working to support approval of effective treatments by collecting data on patient perspectives and experiences. Materials and methods In February 2023, the EHE Rare Cancer Charity (UK) and The EHE Foundation (US), with other advocates, conducted a survey of perspectives and experiences of EHE patients regarding the use and accessibility of sirolimus. The survey consisted of 20 questions designed for individuals undergoing treatment, those who had been treated, or had never been treated with the drug. Widely promoted within the patient community, the online survey categorized patients into three cohorts for the analysis: liver transplant patients, non-transplant patients who had ever taken sirolimus and sirolimus-naïve non-transplant patients. Results The survey evaluated data from 129 patient responses from 21 countries, mostly from USA, UK, Australia, and Canada (70%). The liver transplant, sirolimus and non-sirolimus cohorts were 16%, 25% and 59%, respectively. In the sirolimus group 66% reported treatment durations exceeding one year, with 16% exceeding five years, indicating the drug's efficacy. In the non-sirolimus group, the drug was not available for 42% and for 11% sirolimus was available but not selected for treatment because of its off-label status. Overall, 87% of all patients across all cohorts expressed the importance of the drug's availability as hugely or very important. Conclusion The survey responses highlight the activity of sirolimus for EHE and the importance of securing a label extension for the drug delivering equitable access to this treatment for patients.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hugh Leonard
- EHE Rare Cancer Charity UK, Kingston-Upon-Thames, United Kingdom
| | - Giacomo Giulio Baldi
- Department of Oncology, Hospital of Prato, Azienda USL Toscana Centro, Prato, Italy
| | - William D. Tap
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and Weill Cornell Medical College, New York, NY, United States
| | - Robin L. Jones
- Sarcoma Unit, The Royal Marsden Hospital and The Institute of Cancer Research, London, United Kingdom
| | - Silvia Stacchiotti
- Department of Medical Oncology, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Milan, Italy
| | - Pan Pantziarka
- Anticancer Fund, Meise, Belgium
- George Pantziarka TP53 Trust, London, United Kingdom
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Gupta N, Curcic M, Srivastava SK. Proguanil Suppresses Breast Tumor Growth In Vitro and In Vivo by Inducing Apoptosis via Mitochondrial Dysfunction. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:872. [PMID: 38473234 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16050872] [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: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer, ranking as the second leading cause of female cancer-related deaths in the U.S., demands the exploration of innovative treatments. Repurposing FDA-approved drugs emerges as an expedited and cost-effective strategy. Our study centered on proguanil, an antimalarial drug, reveals notable anti-proliferative effects on diverse breast cancer cell lines, including those derived from patients. Proguanil-induced apoptosis was associated with a substantial increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, leading to reduced mitochondrial membrane potential, respiration, and ATP production. Proguanil treatment upregulated apoptotic markers (Bax, p-H2AX, cleaved-caspase 3, 9, cleaved PARP) and downregulated anti-apoptotic proteins (bcl-2, survivin) in breast cancer cell lines. In female Balb/c mice implanted with 4T1 breast tumors, daily oral administration of 20 mg/kg proguanil suppressed tumor enlargement by 55%. Western blot analyses of proguanil-treated tumors supported the in vitro findings, demonstrating increased levels of p-H2AX, Bax, c-PARP, and c-caspase3 as compared to controls. Our results collectively highlight proguanil's anticancer efficacy in vitro and in vivo in breast cancer, prompting further consideration for clinical investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nehal Gupta
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, USA
| | - Marina Curcic
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 1718 Pine Street, Abilene, TX 79601, USA
| | - Sanjay K Srivastava
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, TX 79106, USA
- Department of Immunotherapeutics and Biotechnology, Jerry H. Hodge School of Pharmacy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 1718 Pine Street, Abilene, TX 79601, USA
- Center for Tumor Immunology and Targeted Cancer Therapy, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, 1718 Pine Street, Abilene, TX 79601, USA
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Jawarkar RD, Zaki MEA, Al-Hussain SA, Al-Mutairi AA, Samad A, Masand V, Humane V, Mali S, Alzahrani AYA, Rashid S, Elossaily GM. Mechanistic QSAR modeling derived virtual screening, drug repurposing, ADMET and in- vitro evaluation to identify anticancer lead as lysine-specific demethylase 5a inhibitor. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-31. [PMID: 38385447 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2319104] [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: 08/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
A lysine-specific demethylase is an enzyme that selectively eliminates methyl groups from lysine residues. KDM5A, also known as JARID1A or RBP2, belongs to the KDM5 Jumonji histone demethylase subfamily. To identify novel molecules that interact with the LSD5A receptor, we created a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model. A group of 435 compounds was used in a study of the quantitative relationship between structure and activity to guess the IC50 values for blocking LASD5A. We used a genetic algorithm-multilinear regression-based quantitative structure-activity connection model to forecast the bioactivity (PIC50) of 1615 food and drug administration pharmaceuticals from the zinc database with the goal of repurposing clinically used medications. We used molecular docking, molecular dynamic simulation modelling, and molecular mechanics generalised surface area analysis to investigate the molecule's binding mechanism. A genetic algorithm and multi-linear regression method were used to make six variable-based quantitative structure-activity relationship models that worked well (R2 = 0.8521, Q2LOO = 0.8438, and Q2LMO = 0.8414). ZINC000000538621 was found to be a new hit against LSD5A after a quantitative structure-activity relationship-based virtual screening of 1615 zinc food and drug administration compounds. The docking analysis revealed that the hit molecule 11 in the KDM5A binding pocket adopted a conformation similar to the pdb-6bh1 ligand (docking score: -8.61 kcal/mol). The results from molecular docking and the quantitative structure-activity relationship were complementary and consistent. The most active lead molecule 11, which has shown encouraging results, has good absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties, and its toxicity has been shown to be minimal. In addition, the MTT assay of ZINC000000538621 with MCF-7 cell lines backs up the in silico studies. We used molecular mechanics generalise borne surface area analysis and a 200-ns molecular dynamics simulation to find structural motifs for KDM5A enzyme interactions. Thus, our strategy will likely expand food and drug administration molecule repurposing research to find better anticancer drugs and therapies.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul D Jawarkar
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Drug discovery, Dr. Rajendra Gode Institute of Pharmacy, Amravati, Maharashtra, India
| | - Magdi E A Zaki
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sami A Al-Hussain
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Aamal A Al-Mutairi
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Imam Mohammad Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdul Samad
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tishk International University, Erbil, Kurdistan Region, Iraq
| | - Vijay Masand
- Department of Chemistry, Amravati, Maharashtra, India
| | - Vivek Humane
- Department of Chemistry, Shri R. R. Lahoti Science college, Morshi District: Amravati, Maharashtra, India
| | - Suraj Mali
- School of Pharmacy, D.Y. Patil University (Deemed to be University), Nerul, Navi Mumbai, India
| | | | - Summya Rashid
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
| | - Gehan M Elossaily
- Department of Basic Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, AlMaarefa University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
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Shakibfar S, Allin KH, Jess T, Barbieri MA, Battini V, Simoncic E, Kirchgesner J, Ulven T, Sessa M. Drug Repurposing in Crohn's Disease Using Danish Real-World Data. Pragmat Obs Res 2024; 15:17-29. [PMID: 38404739 PMCID: PMC10894518 DOI: 10.2147/por.s444569] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Aim Drug repurposing, utilizing electronic healthcare records (EHRs), offers a promising alternative by repurposing existing drugs for new therapeutic indications, especially for patients lacking effective therapies. Intestinal fibrosis, a severe complication of Crohn's disease (CD), poses significant challenges, increasing morbidity and mortality without available pharmacological treatments. This article focuses on identifying medications associated with an elevated or reduced risk of fibrosis in CD patients through a population-wide real-world data and artificial intelligence (AI) approach. Methods Patients aged 65 or older with a diagnosis of CD from 1996 to 2019 in the Danish EHRs were followed for up to 24 years. The primary outcome was the need of specific surgical procedures, namely proctocolectomy with ileostomy and ileocecal resection as proxies of intestinal fibrosis. The study explored drugs linked to an increased or reduced risk of the study outcome through machine-learning driven survival analysis. Results Among the 9179 CD patients, 1029 (11.2%) underwent surgery, primarily men (58.5%), with a mean age of 76 years, 10 drugs were linked to an elevated risk of surgery for proctocolectomy with ileostomy and ileocecal resection. In contrast, 10 drugs were associated with a reduced risk of undergoing surgery for these conditions. Conclusion This study focuses on repurposing existing drugs to prevent surgery related to intestinal fibrosis in CD patients, using Danish EHRs and advanced statistical methods. The findings offer valuable insights into potential treatments for this condition, addressing a critical unmet medical need. Further research and clinical trials are warranted to validate the effectiveness of these repurposed drugs in preventing surgery related to intestinal fibrosis in CD patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saeed Shakibfar
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Kristine H Allin
- Center for Molecular Prediction of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (PREDICT), Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Tine Jess
- Center for Molecular Prediction of Inflammatory Bowel Disease (PREDICT), Department of Clinical Medicine, Aalborg University, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maria Antonietta Barbieri
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Messina, Messina, Italy
| | - Vera Battini
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Pharmacovigilance & Clinical Research, International Centre for Pesticides and Health Risk Prevention, Department of Biomedical and Clinical Sciences (DIBIC), ASST Fatebenefratelli-Sacco University Hospital, Università Degli Studi Di Milano, Milan, Italy
| | - Eva Simoncic
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Julien Kirchgesner
- Department of Gastroenterology, INSERM, Institut Pierre Louis d’Epidémiologie Et de Santé Publique, AP-HP, Hôpital Saint-Antoine, Sorbonne Université, Paris, France
| | - Trond Ulven
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maurizio Sessa
- Department of Drug Design and Pharmacology, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Ipinmoroti AO, Pandit R, Crenshaw BJ, Sims B, Matthews QL. Human adenovirus type 3 restores pharmacologically inhibited exosomal cargo in lung carcinoma cells. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1339862. [PMID: 38449802 PMCID: PMC10915030 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1339862] [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: 11/16/2023] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 03/08/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Drug repurposing is fast growing and becoming an attractive approach for identifying novel targets, such as exosomes for cancer and antiviral therapy. Exosomes are a specialized class of extracellular vesicles that serve as functional mediators in intercellular communication and signaling that are important in normal physiological functions. A continuously growing body of evidence has established a correlation between the abnormal release of exosomes with various viral disease pathologies including cancer. Cells that are virus-infected release exosomes known to influence the process via the loading and transfer of viral components, such as miRNA, small (s) RNA, DNA, and proteins. Inhibition of exosome release may abate the spread and severity of viral infection, thus making exosomes an attractive target for antiviral therapies. We previously demonstrated the pharmacological inhibition of exosomes. Methods: Herein, we used a cell-based assay to determine the effect of Human adenovirus type 3 (HAdV3) on the exosome inhibition process by azole and Heparin derivatives. HAdV3-infected cells were treated with two concentrations of each inhibitor at different time points. Results: HAdV3 activities led to increased total sRNA, DNA, and exosome particle concentrations via particle tracking in the presence of Climbazole and Heparin relative to uninfected exosomes. In addition, there was an increased expression of classical markers such as ALG-2 interacting protein X (ALIX), and tetraspanin (CD63), (p < 0.05) and upregulated transcription factor interferon regulatory factor (IRF) 8 in the presence of HAdV3 after 24 hours (h) of treatment. Whereas higher concentrations of Climbazole and Heparin sodium salt were found to inhibit total exosome protein (p < 0.001) and exo-RNA (p < 0.01) content even in the presence of HAdV3 relative to infected exosomes only. Activities of HAdV3 in the presence of selected inhibitors resulted in the positive regulation of exosome related DNA damage/repair signaling proteins. Blocking exosome secretion partially obstructed viral entry. Immunological studies revealed that HAdV3 fiber protein levels in A549 cells were reduced at all concentrations of Climbazole and Heparin and both multiplicities of infections (p < 0.001). Discussion: Our findings suggest that while HAdV may bolster inhibited exosome content and release when modulating certain activities of the endosomal pathway mediators, HAdV entry might be constrained by the activities of these pharmacological agents.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Rachana Pandit
- Microbiology Program, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL, United States
| | | | - Brian Sims
- Departments of Pediatrics and Cell, Developmental and Integrative Biology, Division of Neonatology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States
| | - Qiana L. Matthews
- Microbiology Program, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL, United States
- Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, Alabama State University, Montgomery, AL, United States
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Alrouji M, Yasmin S, Alhumaydhi FA, Sharaf SE, Shahwan M, Shamsi A. Unlocking therapeutic potential: computational insights into TREM2 protein targeting with FDA-approved drugs for neurodegeneration. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-11. [PMID: 38373093 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2317987] [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: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/21/2024]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD) pose a significant global health challenge that requires the exploration of innovative therapeutic strategies. Triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-2 (TREM2) is one of the critical proteins involved in immune regulation and neuroinflammation. It has emerged as a promising therapeutic target to develop treatments for neurodegenerative disorders like AD. Here, we employed a comprehensive virtual screening approach to identify potential small molecule inhibitors among FDA-approved drugs for TREM2. The docking study reveals significant binding affinity, ranging from -7.8 kcal/mol to -8.5 kcal/mol, for the elucidated hits against TREM2, accompanied by several crucial interactions. Among the repurposed drugs identified in the initial screening, Carpipramine, Clocapramine, and Pimozide stood out due to their notable binding potential and favorable drug profiling. Further, we conducted molecular dynamics (MD) simulations on the selected molecules that probed their structural dynamics and stability within the TREM2 binding pocket. The structural parameters and hydrogen bond dynamics remained remarkably stable throughout the simulated trajectories. Furthermore, we performed principal component analysis (PCA) and constructed free energy landscapes (FELs) to gain deeper insights into ligand binding and conformational flexibility of TREM2. The findings revealed that the elucidated molecules, Carpipramine, Clocapramine, and Pimozide, exhibited an exceptional fit within the binding pocket of TREM2 with remarkable stability and interaction patterns throughout the 500 ns simulation window. Interestingly, these molecules possessed a spectrum of anti-neurodegenerative properties and favorable drug profiles, which suggest their potential as promising drug candidates for repurposing in the treatment of AD.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammed Alrouji
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Shaqra University, Shaqra, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sabina Yasmin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Fahad A Alhumaydhi
- Department of Medical Laboratories, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Qassim University, Buraydah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sharaf E Sharaf
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Department, College of Pharmacy, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Moyad Shahwan
- Department of Clinical Sciences, College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
- Center of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research (CMBHSR), Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
| | - Anas Shamsi
- Center of Medical and Bio-Allied Health Sciences Research (CMBHSR), Ajman University, Ajman, United Arab Emirates
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Hoolachan JM, McCallion E, Sutton ER, Çetin Ö, Pacheco-Torres P, Dimitriadi M, Sari S, Miller GJ, Okoh M, Walter LM, Claus P, Wood MJA, Tonge DP, Bowerman M. A transcriptomics-based drug repositioning approach to identify drugs with similar activities for the treatment of muscle pathologies in spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) models. Hum Mol Genet 2024; 33:400-425. [PMID: 37947217 PMCID: PMC10877467 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddad192] [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: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 11/03/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a genetic neuromuscular disorder caused by the reduction of survival of motor neuron (SMN) protein levels. Although three SMN-augmentation therapies are clinically approved that significantly slow down disease progression, they are unfortunately not cures. Thus, complementary SMN-independent therapies that can target key SMA pathologies and that can support the clinically approved SMN-dependent drugs are the forefront of therapeutic development. We have previously demonstrated that prednisolone, a synthetic glucocorticoid (GC) improved muscle health and survival in severe Smn-/-;SMN2 and intermediate Smn2B/- SMA mice. However, long-term administration of prednisolone can promote myopathy. We thus wanted to identify genes and pathways targeted by prednisolone in skeletal muscle to discover clinically approved drugs that are predicted to emulate prednisolone's activities. Using an RNA-sequencing, bioinformatics, and drug repositioning pipeline on skeletal muscle from symptomatic prednisolone-treated and untreated Smn-/-; SMN2 SMA and Smn+/-; SMN2 healthy mice, we identified molecular targets linked to prednisolone's ameliorative effects and a list of 580 drug candidates with similar predicted activities. Two of these candidates, metformin and oxandrolone, were further investigated in SMA cellular and animal models, which highlighted that these compounds do not have the same ameliorative effects on SMA phenotypes as prednisolone; however, a number of other important drug targets remain. Overall, our work further supports the usefulness of prednisolone's potential as a second-generation therapy for SMA, identifies a list of potential SMA drug treatments and highlights improvements for future transcriptomic-based drug repositioning studies in SMA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph M Hoolachan
- School of Medicine, David Weatherall Building, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
| | - Eve McCallion
- School of Medicine, David Weatherall Building, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
| | - Emma R Sutton
- School of Medicine, David Weatherall Building, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
| | - Özge Çetin
- School of Medicine, David Weatherall Building, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
| | - Paloma Pacheco-Torres
- School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL910 9AB, United Kingdom
| | - Maria Dimitriadi
- School of Life and Medical Sciences, University of Hertfordshire, Hatfield, Hertfordshire, AL910 9AB, United Kingdom
| | - Suat Sari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Hacettepe University, Ankara, 06100, Turkey
- School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Lennard-Jones Building, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
| | - Gavin J Miller
- School of Chemical and Physical Sciences, Lennard-Jones Building, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
- Centre for Glycoscience, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
| | - Magnus Okoh
- School of Medicine, David Weatherall Building, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
| | - Lisa M Walter
- SMATHERIA gGmbH – Non-Profit Biomedical Research Institute, Feodor-Lynen-Straße 31, 30625, Hannover, Germany
- Centre of Systems Neuroscience (ZSN), Hannover Medical School, Bünteweg 2, 30559, Hannover, Germany
| | - Peter Claus
- SMATHERIA gGmbH – Non-Profit Biomedical Research Institute, Feodor-Lynen-Straße 31, 30625, Hannover, Germany
- Centre of Systems Neuroscience (ZSN), Hannover Medical School, Bünteweg 2, 30559, Hannover, Germany
| | - Matthew J A Wood
- Department of Paediatrics, University of Oxford, Level 2, Children's Hospital, John Radcliffe, Headington Oxford, OX3 9DU, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel P Tonge
- School of Life Sciences, Huxley Building, Keele University, Staffordshire ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
| | - Melissa Bowerman
- School of Medicine, David Weatherall Building, Keele University, Staffordshire, ST5 5BG, United Kingdom
- Wolfson Centre for Inherited Neuromuscular Disease, RJAH Orthopaedic Hospital, Oswestry, SY10 7AG, United Kingdom
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Henry SA, Webster CM, Shaw LN, Torres NJ, Jobson ME, Totzke BC, Jackson JK, McGreig JE, Wass MN, Robinson GK, Shepherd M. Steroid Drugs Inhibit Bacterial Respiratory Oxidases and Are Lethal Toward Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. J Infect Dis 2024:jiad540. [PMID: 38349364 DOI: 10.1093/infdis/jiad540] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cytochrome bd complexes are respiratory oxidases found exclusively in prokaryotes that are important during infection for numerous bacterial pathogens. METHODS In silico docking was employed to screen approved drugs for their ability to bind to the quinol site of Escherichia coli cytochrome bd-I. Respiratory inhibition was assessed with oxygen electrodes using membranes isolated from E. coli and methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strains expressing single respiratory oxidases (ie, cytochromes bd, bo', or aa3). Growth/viability assays were used to measure bacteriostatic and bactericidal effects. RESULTS The steroid drugs ethinylestradiol and quinestrol inhibited E. coli bd-I activity with median inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 47 ± 28.9 µg/mL (158 ± 97.2 µM) and 0.2 ± 0.04 µg/mL (0.5 ± 0.1 µM), respectively. Quinestrol inhibited growth of an E. coli "bd-I only" strain with an IC50 of 0.06 ± 0.02 µg/mL (0.2 ± 0.07 µM). Growth of an S. aureus "bd only" strain was inhibited by quinestrol with an IC50 of 2.2 ± 0.43 µg/mL (6.0 ± 1.2 µM). Quinestrol exhibited potent bactericidal effects against S. aureus but not E. coli. CONCLUSIONS Quinestrol inhibits cytochrome bd in E. coli and S. aureus membranes and inhibits the growth of both species, yet is only bactericidal toward S. aureus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Samantha A Henry
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Calum M Webster
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Lindsey N Shaw
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa
| | | | | | - Brendan C Totzke
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa
| | - Jessica K Jackson
- Department of Molecular Biosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa
| | - Jake E McGreig
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Mark N Wass
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Gary K Robinson
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Shepherd
- School of Biosciences, University of Kent, Canterbury, United Kingdom
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Mohamed FE, Al-Jasmi F. Exploring the efficacy and safety of Ambroxol in Gaucher disease: an overview of clinical studies. Front Pharmacol 2024; 15:1335058. [PMID: 38414738 PMCID: PMC10896849 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2024.1335058] [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: 11/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Gaucher disease (GD) is mainly caused by glucocerebrosidase (GCase) enzyme deficiency due to genetic variations in the GBA1 gene leading to the toxic accumulation of sphingolipids in various organs, which causes symptoms such as anemia, thrombocytopenia, hepatosplenomegaly, and neurological manifestations. GD is clinically classified into the non-neuronopathic type 1, and the acute and chronic neuronopathic forms, types 2 and 3, respectively. In addition to the current approved GD medications, the repurposing of Ambroxol (ABX) has emerged as a prospective enzyme enhancement therapy option showing its potential to enhance mutated GCase activity and reduce glucosylceramide accumulation in GD-affected tissues of different GBA1 genotypes. The variability in response to ABX varies across different variants, highlighting the diversity in patients' therapeutic outcomes. Its oral availability and safety profile make it an attractive option, particularly for patients with neurological manifestations. Clinical trials are essential to explore further ABX's potential as a therapeutic medication for GD to encourage pharmaceutical companies' investment in its development. This review highlights the potential of ABX as a pharmacological chaperone therapy for GD and stresses the importance of addressing response variability in clinical studies to improve the management of this rare and complex disorder.
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Affiliation(s)
- Feda E. Mohamed
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
- ASPIRE Precision Medicine Research Institute Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Fatma Al-Jasmi
- Department of Genetics and Genomics, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
- ASPIRE Precision Medicine Research Institute Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates University, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
- Department of Pediatrics, Tawam Hospital, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates
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Svedholm E, Bruce B, Parcell BJ, Coote PJ. Repurposing Mitomycin C in Combination with Pentamidine or Gentamicin to Treat Infections with Multi-Drug-Resistant (MDR) Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Antibiotics (Basel) 2024; 13:177. [PMID: 38391563 PMCID: PMC10886254 DOI: 10.3390/antibiotics13020177] [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: 01/10/2024] [Revised: 02/05/2024] [Accepted: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
The aims of this study were (i) to determine if the combination of mitomycin C with pentamidine or existing antibiotics resulted in enhanced efficacy versus infections with MDR P. aeruginosa in vivo; and (ii) to determine if the doses of mitomycin C and pentamidine in combination can be reduced to levels that are non-toxic in humans but still retain antibacterial activity. Resistant clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa, a mutant strain over-expressing the MexAB-OprM resistance nodulation division (RND) efflux pump and a strain with three RND pumps deleted, were used. MIC assays indicated that all strains were sensitive to mitomycin C, but deletion of three RND pumps resulted in hypersensitivity and over-expression of MexAB-OprM caused some resistance. These results imply that mitomycin C is a substrate of the RND efflux pumps. Mitomycin C monotherapy successfully treated infected Galleria mellonella larvae, albeit at doses too high for human administration. Checkerboard and time-kill assays showed that the combination of mitomycin C with pentamidine, or the antibiotic gentamicin, resulted in synergistic inhibition of most P. aeruginosa strains in vitro. In vivo, administration of a combination therapy of mitomycin C with pentamidine, or gentamicin, to G. mellonella larvae infected with P. aeruginosa resulted in enhanced efficacy compared with monotherapies for the majority of MDR clinical isolates. Notably, the therapeutic benefit conferred by the combination therapy occurred with doses of mitomycin C close to those used in human medicine. Thus, repurposing mitomycin C in combination therapies to target MDR P. aeruginosa infections merits further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elin Svedholm
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, The North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Benjamin Bruce
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, The North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST, UK
| | - Benjamin J Parcell
- NHS Tayside, Medical Microbiology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY, UK
| | - Peter J Coote
- Biomedical Sciences Research Complex, School of Biology, University of St Andrews, The North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife KY16 9ST, UK
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Shyam M, Kumar S, Singh V. Unlocking Opportunities for Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium ulcerans. ACS Infect Dis 2024; 10:251-269. [PMID: 38295025 PMCID: PMC10862552 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.3c00371] [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: 07/31/2023] [Revised: 12/25/2023] [Accepted: 12/28/2023] [Indexed: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
In the recent decade, scientific communities have toiled to tackle the emerging burden of drug-resistant tuberculosis (DR-TB) and rapidly growing opportunistic nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). Among these, two neglected mycobacteria species of the Acinetobacter family, Mycobacterium leprae and Mycobacterium ulcerans, are the etiological agents of leprosy and Buruli ulcer infections, respectively, and fall under the broad umbrella of neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). Unfortunately, lackluster drug discovery efforts have been made against these pathogenic bacteria in the recent decade, resulting in the discovery of only a few countable hits and majorly repurposing anti-TB drug candidates such as telacebec (Q203), P218, and TB47 for current therapeutic interventions. Major ignorance in drug candidate identification might aggravate the dramatic consequences of rapidly spreading mycobacterial NTDs in the coming days. Therefore, this Review focuses on an up-to-date account of drug discovery efforts targeting selected druggable targets from both bacilli, including the accompanying challenges that have been identified and are responsible for the slow drug discovery. Furthermore, a succinct discussion of the all-new possibilities that could be alternative solutions to mitigate the neglected mycobacterial NTD burden and subsequently accelerate the drug discovery effort is also included. We anticipate that the state-of-the-art strategies discussed here may attract major attention from the scientific community to navigate and expand the roadmap for the discovery of next-generation therapeutics against these NTDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mousumi Shyam
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technology, Birla Institute of Technology, Mersa, Ranchi, Jharkhand 835215, India
| | - Sumit Kumar
- Holistic
Drug Discovery and Development (H3D) Centre, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
| | - Vinayak Singh
- Holistic
Drug Discovery and Development (H3D) Centre, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
- South
African Medical Research Council Drug Discovery and Development Research
Unit, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa
- Institute
of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine (IDM), University of Cape Town, Observatory 7925, Cape Town, South Africa
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Reim T, Ehrt C, Graef J, Günther S, Meents A, Rarey M. SiteMine: Large-scale binding site similarity searching in protein structure databases. Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2024:e2300661. [PMID: 38335311 DOI: 10.1002/ardp.202300661] [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: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Drug discovery and design challenges, such as drug repurposing, analyzing protein-ligand and protein-protein complexes, ligand promiscuity studies, or function prediction, can be addressed by protein binding site similarity analysis. Although numerous tools exist, they all have individual strengths and drawbacks with regard to run time, provision of structure superpositions, and applicability to diverse application domains. Here, we introduce SiteMine, an all-in-one database-driven, alignment-providing binding site similarity search tool to tackle the most pressing challenges of binding site comparison. The performance of SiteMine is evaluated on the ProSPECCTs benchmark, showing a promising performance on most of the data sets. The method performs convincingly regarding all quality criteria for reliable binding site comparison, offering a novel state-of-the-art approach for structure-based molecular design based on binding site comparisons. In a SiteMine showcase, we discuss the high structural similarity between cathepsin L and calpain 1 binding sites and give an outlook on the impact of this finding on structure-based drug design. SiteMine is available at https://uhh.de/naomi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thorben Reim
- ZBH - Center for Bioinformatics, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Christiane Ehrt
- ZBH - Center for Bioinformatics, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Joel Graef
- ZBH - Center for Bioinformatics, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Sebastian Günther
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Alke Meents
- Center for Free-Electron Laser Science CFEL, Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron DESY, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Matthias Rarey
- ZBH - Center for Bioinformatics, Universität Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
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Samuel J, Ghosh S, Thiyagarajan S. Identification and characterization of domain-specific inhibitors of DENV NS3 and NS5 proteins by in silico screening methods. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024:1-15. [PMID: 38334186 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2024.2313161] [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: 07/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/26/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
The dengue virus (DENV) infects approximately 400 million people annually worldwide causing significant morbidity and mortality. Despite advances in understanding the virus life cycle and infectivity, no specific treatment for this disease exists due to the lack of therapeutic drugs. In addition, vaccines available currently are ineffective with severe side effects. Therefore, there is an urgent need for developing therapeutics suitable for effective management of DENV infection. In this study, we adopted a drug repurposing strategy to identify new therapeutic use of existing FDA approved drug molecules to target DENV2 non-structural proteins NS3 and NS5 using computational approaches. We used Drugbank database molecules for virtual screening and multiple docking analysis against a total of four domains, the NS3 protease and helicase domains and NS5 MTase and RdRp domains. Subsequently, MD simulations and MM-PBSA analysis were performed to validate the intrinsic atomic interactions and the binding affinities. Furthermore, the internal dynamics in all four protein domains, in presence of drug molecule binding were assessed using essential dynamics and free energy landscape analyses, which were further coupled with conformational dynamics-based clustering studies and cross-correlation analysis to map the regions that exhibit these structural variations. Our comprehensive analysis identified tolcapone, cefprozil, delavirdine and indinavir as potential inhibitors of NS5 MTase, NS5 RdRp, NS3 protease and NS3 helicase functions, respectively. These high-confidence candidate molecules will be useful for developing effective anti-DENV therapy to combat dengue infection.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johnson Samuel
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB), Bengaluru, KA, India
| | - Sanjay Ghosh
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Applied Biotechnology (IBAB), Bengaluru, KA, India
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Visan AI, Negut I. Integrating Artificial Intelligence for Drug Discovery in the Context of Revolutionizing Drug Delivery. Life (Basel) 2024; 14:233. [PMID: 38398742 PMCID: PMC10890405 DOI: 10.3390/life14020233] [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: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 02/03/2024] [Accepted: 02/06/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Drug development is expensive, time-consuming, and has a high failure rate. In recent years, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a transformative tool in drug discovery, offering innovative solutions to complex challenges in the pharmaceutical industry. This manuscript covers the multifaceted role of AI in drug discovery, encompassing AI-assisted drug delivery design, the discovery of new drugs, and the development of novel AI techniques. We explore various AI methodologies, including machine learning and deep learning, and their applications in target identification, virtual screening, and drug design. This paper also discusses the historical development of AI in medicine, emphasizing its profound impact on healthcare. Furthermore, it addresses AI's role in the repositioning of existing drugs and the identification of drug combinations, underscoring its potential in revolutionizing drug delivery systems. The manuscript provides a comprehensive overview of the AI programs and platforms currently used in drug discovery, illustrating the technological advancements and future directions of this field. This study not only presents the current state of AI in drug discovery but also anticipates its future trajectory, highlighting the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Irina Negut
- National Institute for Lasers, Plasma and Radiation Physics, 409 Atomistilor Street, 077125 Magurele, Ilfov, Romania;
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Rodrigues A, Chernikova SB, Wang Y, Trinh TTH, Solow-Cordero DE, Alexandrova L, Casey KM, Alli E, Aggarwal A, Quill T, Koegel A, Feldman BJ, Ford JM, Hayden-Gephart M. Repurposing mebendazole against triple-negative breast cancer leptomeningeal disease. Res Sq 2024:rs.3.rs-3915392. [PMID: 38405839 PMCID: PMC10889063 DOI: 10.21203/rs.3.rs-3915392/v1] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Purpose Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype that often metastasizes to the brain. Leptomeningeal disease (LMD), a devastating brain metastasis common in TNBC, has limited treatment options. We sought to test whether the common anti-helminthic drug mebendazole (MBZ) may be effective against murine TNBC LMD. Methods A small-molecule screen involving TNBC cell lines identified benzimidazoles as potential therapeutic agents for further study. In vitro migration assays were used to evaluate cell migration capacity and the effect of MBZ. For in vivo testing, LMD was introduced into BALB/c athymic nude mice through internal carotid artery injections of brain-tropic MDA-MB-231-BR or MCF7-BR cells. Tumor growth and spread was monitored by bioluminescence imaging. MBZ was given orally at 50 and 100 mg/kg doses. MBZ bioavailability was assayed by mass spectrometry. Results Bioinformatic analysis and migration assays revealed higher migratory capacity of TNBC compared to other breast cancer subtypes. MBZ effectively slowed down migration of TNBC cell line MDA-MB-231 and its brain tropic derivative MDA-MB-231-BR. In animal studies, MBZ reduced tumor growth and extended survival in the LMD model produced by MDA-MB-231-BR cells. MBZ did not have an effect in the non-migratory MCF7-BR model. Conclusions We demonstrated that MBZ is a safe and effective oral agent in an animal model of TNBC LMD. Our findings are concordant with previous efforts involving MBZ and central nervous system pathology and further support the drug's potential utility as an alternative therapeutic for TNBC LMD.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Yuelong Wang
- Department of Neurosurgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Thy T H Trinh
- Department of Neurosurgery, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | | | - Ludmila Alexandrova
- Vincent Coates Foundation Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305
| | - Kerriann M Casey
- Department of Comparative Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Elizabeth Alli
- Department of Cancer Biology, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC 27109
| | - Abhishek Aggarwal
- High-Throughput Screening Knowledge Center, Sarafan ChEM-H, Stanford CA 94305
| | - Tyler Quill
- Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305
| | - Ashley Koegel
- Department of Pediatric Hematology-Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - Brian J Feldman
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, CA 94143
| | - James M Ford
- Department of Medicine (Oncology), Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, CA 94305
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Xu Y, Qu Y, Zhang C, Niu C, Tang X, Sun X, Wang K. Selective inhibition of overactive warmth-sensitive Ca 2+-permeable TRPV3 channels by antispasmodic agent flopropione for alleviation of skin inflammation. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105595. [PMID: 38154600 PMCID: PMC10828444 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105595] [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: 06/12/2023] [Revised: 10/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 12/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The temperature-sensitive Ca2+-permeable TRPV3 ion channel is robustly expressed in the skin keratinocytes, and its gain-of-function mutations are involved in the pathology of skin lesions. Here, we report the identification of an antispasmodic agent flopropione that alleviates skin inflammation by selective inhibition of TRPV3. In whole-cell patch clamp recordings, flopropione selectively inhibits macroscopic TRPV3 currents in a concentration-dependent manner with an IC50 value of 17.8 ± 3.5 μM. At the single-channel level, flopropione inhibits TRPV3 channel open probability without alteration of its unitary conductance. In an in vivo mouse model of skin inflammation induced by the skin sensitizer DNFB, flopropione also alleviates dorsal skin lesions and ear skin swelling. Further molecular docking combined with site-directed mutagenesis reveals that two residues E501 and I505 in the channel S2-helix are critical for flopropione-mediated inhibition of TRPV3. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that the spasmolytic drug flopropione as a selective inhibitor of TRPV3 channel not only provides a valuable tool molecule for understanding of TRPV3 channel pharmacology but also holds repurposing potential for therapy of skin disorders, such as dermatitis and pruritus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yimei Xu
- Department of Pharmacology School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao, China
| | - Yaxuan Qu
- Department of Pharmacology School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao, China
| | - Congxiao Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao, China.
| | - Canyang Niu
- Department of Pharmacology School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiaowen Tang
- Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao, China
| | - Xiaoying Sun
- Department of Pharmacology School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao, China; Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao, China
| | - KeWei Wang
- Department of Pharmacology School of Pharmacy, Qingdao University Medical College, Qingdao, China; Institute of Innovative Drugs, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China.
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45
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Franco-Juárez EX, González-Villasana V, Camacho-Moll ME, Rendón-Garlant L, Ramírez-Flores PN, Silva-Ramírez B, Peñuelas-Urquides K, Cabello-Ruiz ED, Castorena-Torres F, Bermúdez de León M. Mechanistic Insights about Sorafenib-, Valproic Acid- and Metformin-Induced Cell Death in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1760. [PMID: 38339037 PMCID: PMC10855535 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031760] [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: 10/09/2023] [Revised: 12/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/13/2023] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is among the main causes of death by cancer worldwide, representing about 80-90% of all liver cancers. Treatments available for advanced HCC include atezolizumab, bevacizumab, sorafenib, among others. Atezolizumab and bevacizumab are immunological options recently incorporated into first-line treatments, along with sorafenib, for which great treatment achievements have been reached. However, sorafenib resistance is developed in most patients, and therapeutical combinations targeting cancer hallmark mechanisms and intracellular signaling have been proposed. In this review, we compiled evidence of the mechanisms of cell death caused by sorafenib administered alone or in combination with valproic acid and metformin and discussed them from a molecular perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edgar Xchel Franco-Juárez
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Centro de Investigación Biomédica del Noreste, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Monterrey 64720, Nuevo Leon, Mexico; (E.X.F.-J.); (M.E.C.-M.); (P.N.R.-F.); (K.P.-U.)
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolás de los Garza 66451, Nuevo Leon, Mexico; (V.G.-V.); (L.R.-G.); (E.D.C.-R.)
| | - Vianey González-Villasana
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolás de los Garza 66451, Nuevo Leon, Mexico; (V.G.-V.); (L.R.-G.); (E.D.C.-R.)
| | - María Elena Camacho-Moll
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Centro de Investigación Biomédica del Noreste, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Monterrey 64720, Nuevo Leon, Mexico; (E.X.F.-J.); (M.E.C.-M.); (P.N.R.-F.); (K.P.-U.)
| | - Luisa Rendón-Garlant
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolás de los Garza 66451, Nuevo Leon, Mexico; (V.G.-V.); (L.R.-G.); (E.D.C.-R.)
| | - Patricia Nefertari Ramírez-Flores
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Centro de Investigación Biomédica del Noreste, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Monterrey 64720, Nuevo Leon, Mexico; (E.X.F.-J.); (M.E.C.-M.); (P.N.R.-F.); (K.P.-U.)
- Tecnológico de Monterrey, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Monterrey 64710, Nuevo Leon, Mexico;
| | - Beatriz Silva-Ramírez
- Departamento de Inmunogenética, Centro de Investigación Biomédica del Noreste, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Monterrey 64720, Nuevo Leon, Mexico;
| | - Katia Peñuelas-Urquides
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Centro de Investigación Biomédica del Noreste, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Monterrey 64720, Nuevo Leon, Mexico; (E.X.F.-J.); (M.E.C.-M.); (P.N.R.-F.); (K.P.-U.)
| | - Ethel Daniela Cabello-Ruiz
- Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, San Nicolás de los Garza 66451, Nuevo Leon, Mexico; (V.G.-V.); (L.R.-G.); (E.D.C.-R.)
| | - Fabiola Castorena-Torres
- Tecnológico de Monterrey, Escuela de Medicina y Ciencias de la Salud, Monterrey 64710, Nuevo Leon, Mexico;
| | - Mario Bermúdez de León
- Departamento de Biología Molecular, Centro de Investigación Biomédica del Noreste, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Monterrey 64720, Nuevo Leon, Mexico; (E.X.F.-J.); (M.E.C.-M.); (P.N.R.-F.); (K.P.-U.)
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Tu C, Kulasinghe A, Barbour A, Souza-Fonseca-Guimaraes F. Leveraging spatial omics for the development of precision sarcoma treatments. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2024; 45:134-144. [PMID: 38212196 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2023.12.006] [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: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/14/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Sarcomas are rare and heterogeneous cancers that arise from bone or soft tissue, and are the second most prevalent solid cancer in children and adolescents. Owing to the complex nature of pediatric sarcomas, the development of therapeutics for pediatric sarcoma has seen little progress in the past decades. Existing treatments are largely limited to chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery. Limited knowledge of the sarcoma tumor microenvironment (TME) and of well-defined target antigens in the different subtypes necessitates an alternative investigative approach to improve treatments. Recent advances in spatial omics technologies have enabled a more comprehensive study of the TME in multiple cancers. In this opinion article we discuss advances in our understanding of the TME of some cancers enabled by spatial omics technologies, and we explore how these technologies might advance the development of precision treatments for sarcoma, especially pediatric sarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cui Tu
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Arutha Kulasinghe
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia
| | - Andrew Barbour
- Frazer Institute, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Queensland, Woolloongabba, QLD 4102, Australia; Department of Surgery, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia
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Rodríguez-Villar K, Cortés-Benítez F, Palacios-Espinosa JF, Pérez-Villanueva J. Similarity searching for anticandidal agents employing a repurposing approach. Mol Inform 2024; 43:e202300206. [PMID: 38095132 DOI: 10.1002/minf.202300206] [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: 08/14/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Fungal infections caused by Candida are still a public health concern. Particularly, the resistance to traditional chemotherapeutic agents is a major issue that requires efforts to develop new therapies. One of the most interesting approaches to finding new active compounds is drug repurposing aided by computational methods. In this work, two databases containing anticandidal agents and drugs were studied employing cheminformatics and compared by similarity methods. The results showed 36 drugs with high similarities to some candicidals. From these drugs, trimetozin, osalmid and metochalcone were evaluated against C. albicans (18804), C. glabrata (90030), and miconazole-resistant strain C. glabrata (32554). Osalmid and metochalcone were the best, with activity in the micromolar range. These findings represent an opportunity to continue with the research on the potential antifungal application of osalmid and metochalcone as well as the design of structurally related derivatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karen Rodríguez-Villar
- Departamento de Sistemas Biológicos, División de Ciencias Biológicas y de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco (UAM-X), Calzada del Hueso 1100, Col. Villa Quietud, Delegación Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, 04960, Mexico
| | - Francisco Cortés-Benítez
- Departamento de Sistemas Biológicos, División de Ciencias Biológicas y de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco (UAM-X), Calzada del Hueso 1100, Col. Villa Quietud, Delegación Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, 04960, Mexico
| | - Juan Francisco Palacios-Espinosa
- Departamento de Sistemas Biológicos, División de Ciencias Biológicas y de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco (UAM-X), Calzada del Hueso 1100, Col. Villa Quietud, Delegación Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, 04960, Mexico
| | - Jaime Pérez-Villanueva
- Departamento de Sistemas Biológicos, División de Ciencias Biológicas y de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana-Xochimilco (UAM-X), Calzada del Hueso 1100, Col. Villa Quietud, Delegación Coyoacán, Ciudad de México, 04960, Mexico
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Khan MZI, Khan D, Akbar MY, Wang H, Haq IU, Chen JZ. 3D-QSAR pharmacophore modeling, virtual screening, molecular docking, MD simulations, in vitro and in vivo studies to identify potential anti-hyperplasia drugs. Biotechnol J 2024; 19:e2300437. [PMID: 38403464 DOI: 10.1002/biot.202300437] [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: 08/28/2023] [Revised: 12/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/27/2024]
Abstract
Psoriasis is a common immune-mediated skin condition characterized by aberrant keratinocytes and cell proliferation. The purpose of this study was to explore the FDA-approved drugs by 3D-QSAR pharmacophore model and evaluate their efficiency by in-silico, in vitro, and in vivo psoriasis animal model. A 3D-QSAR pharmacophore model was developed by utilizing HypoGen algorithm using the structural features of 48 diaryl derivatives with diverse molecular patterns. The model was validated by a test set of 27 compounds, by cost analysis method, and Fischer's randomization test. The correlation coefficient of the best model (Hypo2) was 0.9601 for the training set while it was 0.805 for the test set. The selected model was taken as a 3D query for the virtual screening of over 3000 FDA-approved drugs. Compounds mapped with the pharmacophore model were further screened through molecular docking. The hits that showed the best docking results were screened through in silico skin toxicity approach. Top five hits were selected for the MD simulation studies. Based on MD simulations results, the best two hit molecules, that is, ebastine (Ebs) and mebeverine (Mbv) were selected for in vitro and in vivo antioxidant studies performed in mice. TNF-α and COX pro-inflammatory mediators, biochemical assays, histopathological analyses, and immunohistochemistry observations confirmed the anti-inflammatory response of the selected drugs. Based on these findings, it appeared that Ebs can effectively treat psoriasis-like skin lesions and down-regulate inflammatory responses which was consistent with docking predictions and could potentially be employed for further research on inflammation-related skin illnesses such as psoriasis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Dildar Khan
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Muhammad Yasir Akbar
- Computational Biology Lab, National Centre for Bioinformatics Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Hao Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Ihsan-Ul Haq
- Faculty of Biological Sciences, Department of Pharmacy, Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan
| | - Jian-Zhong Chen
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
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Khaparkhuntikar K, Maji I, Gupta SK, Mahajan S, Aalhate M, Sriram A, Gupta U, Guru SK, Kulkarni P, Singh PK. Acalabrutinib as a novel hope for the treatment of breast and lung cancer: an in-silico proof of concept. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:1469-1484. [PMID: 37272883 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2217923] [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: 11/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2023] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Drug repurposing is proved to be a groundbreaking concept in the field of cancer research, accelerating the pace of de novo drug discovery by investigating the anti-cancer activity of the already approved drugs. On the other hand, it got highly benefitted from the advancement in the in-silico tools and techniques, which are used to build up the initial "proof of concept" based on the drug-target interaction. Acalabrutinib (ACL) is a well-known drug for the treatment of hematological malignancies. But, the therapeutic ability of ACL against solid tumors is still unexplored. Thereby, the activity of ACL on breast cancer and lung cancer was evaluated utilizing different computational methods. A series of proteins such as VEGFR1, ALK, BCL2, CXCR-4, mTOR, AKT, PI3K, HER-2, and Estrogen receptors were selected based on their involvement in the progression of the breast as well as lung cancer. A multi-level computational study starting from protein-ligand docking to molecular dynamic (MD) simulations were performed to detect the binding potential of ACL towards the selected proteins. Results of the study led to the identification of ACL as a ligand that showed a high docking score and binding energy with HER-2, mTOR, and VEGFR-1 successively. Whereas, the MD simulations study has also shown good docked complex stability of ACL with HER2 and VEGFR1. Our findings suggest that interaction with those receptors can lead to preventive action on both breast and lung cancer, thus it can be concluded that ACL could be a potential molecule for the same purpose.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kedar Khaparkhuntikar
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, India
| | - Indrani Maji
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, India
| | - Sunil Kumar Gupta
- Department of Bioinformatics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, India
| | - Srushti Mahajan
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, India
| | - Mayur Aalhate
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, India
| | - Anitha Sriram
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, India
| | - Ujala Gupta
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, India
| | - Santosh Kumar Guru
- Department of Biological Science, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, India
| | - Prachi Kulkarni
- Department of Physiology, Shri B. M. Patil Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre BLDE (Deemed to be University), Vijayapura, Karnataka, India
| | - Pankaj Kumar Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Hyderabad, India
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50
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Stefan SM, Rafehi M. Medicinal polypharmacology: Exploration and exploitation of the polypharmacolome in modern drug development. Drug Dev Res 2024; 85:e22125. [PMID: 37920929 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.22125] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 11/04/2023]
Abstract
At the core of complex and multifactorial human diseases, such as cancer, metabolic syndrome, or neurodegeneration, are multiple players that cross-talk in robust biological networks which are intrinsically resilient to alterations. These multifactorial diseases are characterized by sophisticated feedback mechanisms which manifest cellular imbalance and resistance to drug therapy. By adhering to the specificity paradigm ("one target-one drug concept"), research focused for many years on drugs with very narrow mechanisms of action. This narrow focus promoted therapy ineffectiveness and resistance. However, modern drug discovery has evolved over the last years, increasingly emphasizing integral strategies for the development of clinically effective drugs. These integral strategies include the controlled engagement of multiple targets to overcome therapy resistance. Apart from the additive or even synergistic effects in therapy, multitarget drugs harbor molecular-structural attributes to explore orphan targets of which intrinsic substrates/physiological role(s) and/or modulators are unknown for future therapy purposes. We designated this multidisciplinary and translational research field between medicinal chemistry, chemical biology, and molecular pharmacology as 'medicinal polypharmacology'. Medicinal polypharmacology emerged as alternative approach to common single-targeted pharmacology stretching from basic drug and target identification processes to clinical evaluation of multitarget drugs, and the exploration and exploitation of the 'polypharmacolome' is at the forefront of modern drug development research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sven Marcel Stefan
- Drug Development and Chemical Biology, Lübeck Institute of Experimental Dermatology (LIED), University of Lübeck and University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Lübeck, Germany
- Translational Neurodegeneration Research and Neuropathology Lab, Department of Pathology, Section of Neuropathology and Oslo University Hospital, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway
- School of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Muhammad Rafehi
- Department of Medical Education, Augsburg University Medicine, Augsburg, Germany
- Institute of Clinical Pharmacology, University Medical Center Göttingen, Göttingen, Germany
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