Abstract
Background
Fasciola hepatica is the causative agent of fascioliasis, a disease affecting grazing animals, causing economic losses in global agriculture and currently being an important human zoonosis. Overuse of chemotherapeutics against fascioliasis has increased the populations of drug resistant parasites. F. hepatica cathepsin L3 is a protease that plays important roles during the life cycle of fluke. Due to its particular collagenolytic activity it is considered an attractive target against the infective phase of F. hepatica.
Methodology/Principal Findings
Starting with a three dimensional model of FhCL3 we performed a structure-based design of novel inhibitors through a computational study that combined virtual screening, molecular dynamics simulations, and binding free energy (ΔGbind) calculations. Virtual screening was carried out by docking inhibitors obtained from the MYBRIDGE-HitFinder database inside FhCL3 and human cathepsin L substrate-binding sites. On the basis of dock-scores, five compounds were predicted as selective inhibitors of FhCL3. Molecular dynamic simulations were performed and, subsequently, an end-point method was employed to predict ΔGbind values. Two compounds with the best ΔGbind values (-10.68 kcal/mol and -7.16 kcal/mol), comparable to that of the positive control (-10.55 kcal/mol), were identified. A similar approach was followed to structurally and energetically characterize the interface of FhCL3 in complex with a peptidic substrate. Finally, through pair-wise and per-residue free energy decomposition we identified residues that are critical for the substrate/ligand binding and for the enzyme specificity.
Conclusions/Significance
The present study is the first computer-aided drug design approach against F. hepatica cathepsins. Here we predict the principal determinants of binding of FhCL3 in complex with a natural substrate by detailed energetic characterization of protease interaction surface. We also propose novel compounds as FhCL3 inhibitors. Overall, these results will foster the future rational design of new inhibitors against FhCL3, as well as other F. hepatica cathepsins.
Fascioliosis is considered an emerging disease in humans, causing important losses in global agriculture through the infection of livestock animals. The outcome of resistant parasites has increased the search for new drugs which may contribute to disease control. In recent decades, Fasciola cathepsins (FhCs) have been defined as the principal virulence factors of this parasite. Despite being in the same protein family, they have different specificities and, thus, distinct roles throughout the fluke life cycle. Differences in specificity have been attributed to a few variations in the sequence of key FhCs subsites. Currently, the structure-based drug design of inhibitors against Fasciola cathepsin Ls (FhCLs) with unknown structures is possible due to the availability of the three-dimensional structure of FhCL1. Our detailed structural analysis of the major infective juvenile enzyme (FhCL3) identifies the molecular determinants for protein binding. Also, novel potential inhibitors against FhCL3 are proposed, which might reduce host invasion and penetration processes. These compounds are predicted to interact with the binding site of the enzyme, therefore they could prevent substrate processing by competitive inhibition. The structure-based drug design strategy described here will be useful for the development of new potent and selective inhibitors against other FhCs.
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