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Saidu U, Ibrahim MA, de Koning HP, McKerrow JH, Caffrey CR, Balogun EO. Human schistosomiasis in Nigeria: present status, diagnosis, chemotherapy, and herbal medicines. Parasitol Res 2023; 122:2751-2772. [PMID: 37851179 DOI: 10.1007/s00436-023-07993-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/19/2023]
Abstract
Schistosomiasis is a neglected tropical disease caused by a parasitic, trematode blood fluke of the genus Schistosoma. With 20 million people infected, mostly due to Schistosoma haematobium, Nigeria has the highest burden of schistosomiasis in the world. We review the status of human schistosomiasis in Nigeria regarding its distribution, prevalence, diagnosis, prevention, orthodox and traditional treatments, as well as snail control strategies. Of the country's 36 states, the highest disease prevalence is found in Lagos State, but at a geo-political zonal level, the northwest is the most endemic. The predominantly used diagnostic techniques are based on microscopy. Other methods such as antibody-based serological assays and DNA detection methods are rarely employed. Possible biomarkers of disease have been identified in fecal and blood samples from patients. With respect to preventive chemotherapy, mass drug administration with praziquantel as well as individual studies with artemisinin or albendazole have been reported in 11 out of the 36 states with cure rates between 51.1 and 100%. Also, Nigerian medicinal plants have been traditionally used as anti-schistosomal agents or molluscicides, of which Tetrapleura tetraptera (Oshosho, aridan, Aidan fruit), Carica papaya (Gwanda, Ìbẹ́pẹ, Pawpaw), Borreria verticillata (Karya garma, Irawo-ile, African borreria), and Calliandra portoricensis (Tude, Oga, corpse awakener) are most common in the scientific literature. We conclude that the high endemicity of the disease in Nigeria is associated with the limited application of various diagnostic tools and preventive chemotherapy efforts as well as poor knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP). Nonetheless, the country could serve as a scientific base in the discovery of biomarkers, as well as novel plant-derived schistosomicides and molluscicides.
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Affiliation(s)
- Umar Saidu
- Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria
- Africa Centre of Excellence for Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - Mohammed Auwal Ibrahim
- Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.
- Africa Centre of Excellence for Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
| | - Harry P de Koning
- Institute of Infection, Immunity and Inflammation, College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK
| | - James H McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC0657, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Conor R Caffrey
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC0657, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Emmanuel Oluwadare Balogun
- Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria.
- Africa Centre of Excellence for Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC0657, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, 113-0033, Japan.
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Usman M, Natala AJ, Jatau ID, Ogo NI, Jeelani G, Goto Y, Nozaki T, McKerrow JH, Balogun EO. Molecular identification of phlebotomine sand flies and the harbored Leishmania spp. in Sokoto State, Nigeria. Front Cell Infect Microbiol 2023; 13:1219629. [PMID: 37719668 PMCID: PMC10500309 DOI: 10.3389/fcimb.2023.1219629] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Female sand flies are hematophagous, feeding on animals and in the process serve as vectors for Leishmania, the parasites that cause leishmaniasis in humans. Leishmaniasis are a group of parasitic neglected tropical diseases in 98 countries including Nigeria and kills ~60,000 people/year. In Nigeria, Sokoto State is endemic to leishmaniasis but there is a knowledge gap on the identity of the prevalent sand flies and the Leishmania species they transmit. Hence, this cross-sectional study was designed to take inventory of the species of sand flies in Sokoto using genetic methods. Methods 1,260 (310 females) sand flies were collected from three Local Government Areas (L.G.A) of Sokoto State- Wamakko, Sokoto South and Kware. Genomic DNA was extracted from each fly and DNA amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was carried out on the DNA samples using primers targeting the arthropods mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 (mt-coI) gene, and nested PCR with primers targeting the gene for Leishmania internal transcribed spacer-1 (its-1) of ribosomal RNA its-1rRNA. The PCR products were sequenced. Results Gene sequence analysis revealed five species of sand flies belonging to the old-world genera namely Phlebotomus and Sergentomyia. The identified species were P. papatasi (6.45%), S. adleri (6.45%), S. affinis (9.7%), S. distincta (9.7%), S. schwetzi (67.7%). Within the sampling period, sand flies were most abundant in the rainy months of August (104/33.5%) and September (116/37.4%) with all the five identified species occurring. Sequence analysis of its-1 gene identified Leishmania infantum in two sand flies (2/310)- P. papatasi (from Sokoto South) and S. affinis (from Wamakko). BLAST search in NCBI and phylogenetic analysis revealed that the sand fly species are related to the species reported in different parts of Africa, while the L. infantum is identical to strain reported in Brazil (KY379083.1). Discussion Phlebotomus papatasi and four species belonging to the genus Sergentomyia are the most prevalent sand flies in Sokoto State, Nigeria and they harbor L. infantum solely. The results shed light on why visceral leishmaniasis is the most predominant form of the disease. Therefore, we recommend that adequate care for dogs must be instituted as dogs are the major animal reservoir for L. infantum.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mahmud Usman
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria
| | - Audu Joseph Natala
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - Isa Danladi Jatau
- Department of Veterinary Parasitology and Entomology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
| | - Ndudim Isaac Ogo
- Parasitology Division, National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Plateau State, Nigeria
| | - Ghulam Jeelani
- Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Yasuyuki Goto
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Department of Animal Resource Sciences, Graduate School of Agricultural and Life Sciences, Tokyo University, Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Tomoyoshi Nozaki
- Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Emmanuel Oluwadare Balogun
- Department of Biomedical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
- Department of Biochemistry, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
- Africa Centre of Excellence for Neglected Tropical Diseases and Forensic Biotechnology, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria
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Kavouris JA, McCall LI, Giardini MA, De Muylder G, Thomas D, Garcia-Pérez A, Cantizani J, Cotillo I, Fiandor JM, McKerrow JH, De Oliveira CI, Siqueira-Neto JL, González S, Brown LE, Schaus SE. Discovery of pyrazolopyrrolidinones as potent, broad-spectrum inhibitors of Leishmania infection. Front Trop Dis 2023; 3:1011124. [PMID: 36818551 PMCID: PMC9937549 DOI: 10.3389/fitd.2022.1011124] [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: 01/18/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease that affects more than 1 million people worldwide annually, predominantly in resource-limited settings. The challenge in compound development is to exhibit potent activity against the intracellular stage of the parasite (the stage present in the mammalian host) without harming the infected host cells. We have identified a compound series (pyrazolopyrrolidinones) active against the intracellular parasites of Leishmania donovani and L. major; the causative agents of visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis in the Old World, respectively. Methods In this study, we performed medicinal chemistry on a newly discovered antileishmanial chemotype, with over 100 analogs tested. Studies included assessments of antileishmanial potency, toxicity towards host cells, and in vitro ADME screening of key drug properties. Results and discussion Members of the series showed high potency against the deadliest form, visceral leishmaniasis (approximate EC50 ≥ 0.01 μM without harming the host macrophage up to 10.0 μM). In comparison, the most efficient monotherapy treatment for visceral leishmaniasis is amphotericin B, which presents similar activity in the same assay (EC50 = 0.2 μM) while being cytotoxic to the host cell at 5.0 μM. Continued development of this compound series with the Discovery Partnership with Academia (DPAc) program at the GlaxoSmithKline Diseases of the Developing World (GSK DDW) laboratories found that the compounds passed all of GSK's criteria to be defined as a potential lead drug series for leishmaniasis. Conclusion Here, we describe preliminary structure-activity relationships for antileishmanial pyrazolopyrrolidinones, and our progress towards the identification of candidates for future in vivo assays in models of visceral and cutaneous leishmaniasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- John A. Kavouris
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Molecular Discovery (BU-CMD), Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Laura-Isobel McCall
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Miriam A. Giardini
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Geraldine De Muylder
- Department of Pathology, Sandler Center for Drug Discovery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Diane Thomas
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Adolfo Garcia-Pérez
- Global Health Medicines R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, Severo Ochoa 2, 28760 Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Juan Cantizani
- Global Health Medicines R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, Severo Ochoa 2, 28760 Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Cotillo
- Global Health Medicines R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, Severo Ochoa 2, 28760 Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Jose M. Fiandor
- Global Health Medicines R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, Severo Ochoa 2, 28760 Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.,Department of Pathology, Sandler Center for Drug Discovery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Camila I. De Oliveira
- HUPES, Instituto Nacional de Ciência e Tecnologia em Doenças Tropicais (INCT-DT) -Salvador, Brazil; Instituto de Investigação em Imunologia (iii-INCT), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Jair L. Siqueira-Neto
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America.,Department of Pathology, Sandler Center for Drug Discovery, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Silvia González
- Global Health Medicines R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, Severo Ochoa 2, 28760 Tres Cantos, Madrid, Spain
| | - Lauren E. Brown
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Molecular Discovery (BU-CMD), Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Scott E. Schaus
- Department of Chemistry and Center for Molecular Discovery (BU-CMD), Boston University, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America.,Correspondence: Scott E. Schaus,
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Santos LH, Kronenberger T, Almeida RG, Silva EB, Rocha REO, Oliveira JC, Barreto LV, Skinner D, Fajtová P, Giardini MA, Woodworth B, Bardine C, Lourenço AL, Craik CS, Poso A, Podust LM, McKerrow JH, Siqueira-Neto JL, O’Donoghue AJ, da Silva
Júnior EN, Ferreira RS. Structure-Based Identification of Naphthoquinones and Derivatives as Novel Inhibitors of Main Protease M pro and Papain-like Protease PL pro of SARS-CoV-2. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:6553-6573. [PMID: 35960688 PMCID: PMC9397563 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.2c00693] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 urgently demands novel direct antiviral treatments. The main protease (Mpro) and papain-like protease (PLpro) are attractive drug targets among coronaviruses due to their essential role in processing the polyproteins translated from the viral RNA. In this study, we virtually screened 688 naphthoquinoidal compounds and derivatives against Mpro of SARS-CoV-2. Twenty-four derivatives were selected and evaluated in biochemical assays against Mpro using a novel fluorogenic substrate. In parallel, these compounds were also assayed with SARS-CoV-2 PLpro. Four compounds inhibited Mpro with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values between 0.41 μM and 9.0 μM. In addition, three compounds inhibited PLpro with IC50 ranging from 1.9 μM to 3.3 μM. To verify the specificity of Mpro and PLpro inhibitors, our experiments included an assessment of common causes of false positives such as aggregation, high compound fluorescence, and inhibition by enzyme oxidation. Altogether, we confirmed novel classes of specific Mpro and PLpro inhibitors. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest stable binding modes for Mpro inhibitors with frequent interactions with residues in the S1 and S2 pockets of the active site. For two PLpro inhibitors, interactions occur in the S3 and S4 pockets. In summary, our structure-based computational and biochemical approach identified novel naphthoquinonal scaffolds that can be further explored as SARS-CoV-2 antivirals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lucianna H. Santos
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology,
Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas
Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Thales Kronenberger
- Department of Oncology and Pneumonology, Internal
Medicine VIII, University Hospital Tübingen,
Otfried-Müller-Straße 10, DE72076 Tübingen,
Germany
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences,
University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio,
Finland
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal
Chemistry and Tübingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery (TüCAD2),
Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Auf der
Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Renata G. Almeida
- Institute of Exact Sciences, Department of Chemistry,
Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas
Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Elany B. Silva
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La
Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
| | - Rafael E. O. Rocha
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology,
Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas
Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Joyce C. Oliveira
- Institute of Exact Sciences, Department of Chemistry,
Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas
Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Luiza V. Barreto
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology,
Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas
Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Danielle Skinner
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La
Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
| | - Pavla Fajtová
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La
Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry,
Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 16610 Prague,
Czech Republic
| | - Miriam A. Giardini
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La
Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
| | - Brendon Woodworth
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious
Diseases, University of California San Diego, La Jolla,
California 92093, United States
| | - Conner Bardine
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry,
University of California San Francisco, San Francisco,
California 94143, United States
| | - André L. Lourenço
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry,
University of California San Francisco, San Francisco,
California 94143, United States
| | - Charles S. Craik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry,
University of California San Francisco, San Francisco,
California 94143, United States
| | - Antti Poso
- Department of Oncology and Pneumonology, Internal
Medicine VIII, University Hospital Tübingen,
Otfried-Müller-Straße 10, DE72076 Tübingen,
Germany
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences,
University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio,
Finland
| | - Larissa M. Podust
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La
Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La
Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
| | - Jair L. Siqueira-Neto
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La
Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
| | - Anthony J. O’Donoghue
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La
Jolla, California 92093-0657, United States
| | - Eufrânio N. da Silva
Júnior
- Institute of Exact Sciences, Department of Chemistry,
Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas
Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
| | - Rafaela S. Ferreira
- Department of Biochemistry and Immunology,
Federal University of Minas Gerais, Belo Horizonte, Minas
Gerais 31270-901, Brazil
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da Silva EMG, Rebello KM, Choi YJ, Gregorio V, Paschoal AR, Mitreva M, McKerrow JH, Neves-Ferreira AGDC, Passetti F. Identification of Novel Genes and Proteoforms in Angiostrongylus costaricensis through a Proteogenomic Approach. Pathogens 2022; 11:1273. [PMID: 36365024 PMCID: PMC9694666 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11111273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2022] [Revised: 10/15/2022] [Accepted: 10/20/2022] [Indexed: 07/22/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) and mass-spectrometry-based proteomics data are often integrated in proteogenomic studies to assist in the prediction of eukaryote genome features, such as genes, splicing, single-nucleotide (SNVs), and single-amino-acid variants (SAAVs). Most genomes of parasite nematodes are draft versions that lack transcript- and protein-level information and whose gene annotations rely only on computational predictions. Angiostrongylus costaricensis is a roundworm species that causes an intestinal inflammatory disease, known as abdominal angiostrongyliasis (AA). Currently, there is no drug available that acts directly on this parasite, mostly due to the sparse understanding of its molecular characteristics. The available genome of A. costaricensis, specific to the Costa Rica strain, is a draft version that is not supported by transcript- or protein-level evidence. This study used RNA-Seq and MS/MS data to perform an in-depth annotation of the A. costaricensis genome. Our prediction improved the reference annotation with (a) novel coding and non-coding genes; (b) pieces of evidence of alternative splicing generating new proteoforms; and (c) a list of SNVs between the Brazilian (Crissiumal) and the Costa Rica strain. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a multi-omics approach has been used to improve the genome annotation of A. costaricensis. We hope this improved genome annotation can assist in the future development of drugs, kits, and vaccines to treat, diagnose, and prevent AA caused by either the Brazil strain (Crissiumal) or the Costa Rica strain.
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Affiliation(s)
- Esdras Matheus Gomes da Silva
- Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fiocruz, Curitiba 81350-010, PR, Brazil
- Laboratory of Toxinology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil
| | - Karina Mastropasqua Rebello
- Laboratory of Toxinology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-900, RJ, Brazil
- Laboratory of Integrated Studies in Protozoology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, RJ, Brazil
| | - Young-Jun Choi
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - Vitor Gregorio
- Bioinformatics and Pattern Recognition Group (Bioinfo-CP), Department of Computer Science (DACOM), Federal University of Technology-Parana (UTFPR), Cornélio Procópio 86300-000, PR, Brazil
| | - Alexandre Rossi Paschoal
- Bioinformatics and Pattern Recognition Group (Bioinfo-CP), Department of Computer Science (DACOM), Federal University of Technology-Parana (UTFPR), Cornélio Procópio 86300-000, PR, Brazil
| | - Makedonka Mitreva
- Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | | | - Fabio Passetti
- Instituto Carlos Chagas, Fiocruz, Curitiba 81350-010, PR, Brazil
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Pillaiyar T, Flury P, Krüger N, Su H, Schäkel L, Barbosa Da Silva E, Eppler O, Kronenberger T, Nie T, Luedtke S, Rocha C, Sylvester K, Petry MR, McKerrow JH, Poso A, Pöhlmann S, Gütschow M, O’Donoghue AJ, Xu Y, Müller CE, Laufer SA. Small-Molecule Thioesters as SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease Inhibitors: Enzyme Inhibition, Structure-Activity Relationships, Antiviral Activity, and X-ray Structure Determination. J Med Chem 2022; 65:9376-9395. [PMID: 35709506 PMCID: PMC9216242 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The main protease (Mpro, 3CLpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is an attractive target in coronaviruses because of its crucial involvement in viral replication and transcription. Here, we report on the design, synthesis, and structure-activity relationships of novel small-molecule thioesters as SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors. Compounds 3w and 3x exhibited excellent SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibition with kinac/Ki of 58,700 M-1 s-1 (Ki = 0.0141 μM) and 27,200 M-1 s-1 (Ki = 0.0332 μM), respectively. In Calu-3 and Vero76 cells, compounds 3h, 3i, 3l, 3r, 3v, 3w, and 3x displayed antiviral activity in the nanomolar range without host cell toxicity. Co-crystallization of 3w and 3af with SARS-CoV-2 Mpro was accomplished, and the X-ray structures showed covalent binding with the catalytic Cys145 residue of the protease. The potent SARS-CoV-2 Mpro inhibitors also inhibited the Mpro of other beta-coronaviruses, including SARS-CoV-1 and MERS-CoV, indicating that they might be useful to treat a broader range of coronaviral infections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thanigaimalai Pillaiyar
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal
Chemistry and Tübingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery, Eberhard Karls
University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) “Image-Guided & Functionally Instructed
Tumor Therapies”, University of Tübingen,
Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Philipp Flury
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal
Chemistry and Tübingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery, Eberhard Karls
University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) “Image-Guided & Functionally Instructed
Tumor Therapies”, University of Tübingen,
Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Nadine Krüger
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate
Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research Göttingen,
Kellnerweg 4, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - Haixia Su
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, and Stake Key
Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Laura Schäkel
- PharmaCenter Bonn, Pharmaceutical Institute,
Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn,
An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
| | - Elany Barbosa Da Silva
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
92093, United States
| | - Olga Eppler
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal
Chemistry and Tübingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery, Eberhard Karls
University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) “Image-Guided & Functionally Instructed
Tumor Therapies”, University of Tübingen,
Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Thales Kronenberger
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal
Chemistry and Tübingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery, Eberhard Karls
University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) “Image-Guided & Functionally Instructed
Tumor Therapies”, University of Tübingen,
Tübingen 72076, Germany
| | - Tianqing Nie
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, and Stake Key
Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Stephanie Luedtke
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
92093, United States
| | - Cheila Rocha
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate
Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research Göttingen,
Kellnerweg 4, Göttingen 37077, Germany
| | - Katharina Sylvester
- PharmaCenter Bonn, Pharmaceutical Institute,
Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn,
An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
| | - Marvin R.I. Petry
- PharmaCenter Bonn, Pharmaceutical Institute,
Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn,
An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
92093, United States
| | - Antti Poso
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal
Chemistry and Tübingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery, Eberhard Karls
University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) “Image-Guided & Functionally Instructed
Tumor Therapies”, University of Tübingen,
Tübingen 72076, Germany
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences,
University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio 70211,
Finland
| | - Stefan Pöhlmann
- Infection Biology Unit, German Primate
Center, Leibniz Institute for Primate Research Göttingen,
Kellnerweg 4, Göttingen 37077, Germany
- Faculty of Biology and Psychology,
University Göttingen,Göttingen 37073,
Germany
| | - Michael Gütschow
- PharmaCenter Bonn, Pharmaceutical Institute,
Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn,
An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
| | - Anthony J. O’Donoghue
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
92093, United States
| | - Yechun Xu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Receptor Research, and Stake Key
Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese
Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Christa E. Müller
- PharmaCenter Bonn, Pharmaceutical Institute,
Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn,
An der Immenburg 4, Bonn D-53121, Germany
| | - Stefan A. Laufer
- Institute of Pharmacy, Pharmaceutical/Medicinal
Chemistry and Tübingen Center for Academic Drug Discovery, Eberhard Karls
University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany.
Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) “Image-Guided & Functionally Instructed
Tumor Therapies”, University of Tübingen,
Tübingen 72076, Germany
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7
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Bernatchez JA, Kil YS, Barbosa da Silva E, Thomas D, McCall LI, Wendt KL, Souza JM, Ackermann J, McKerrow JH, Cichewicz RH, Siqueira-Neto JL. Identification of Leucinostatins from Ophiocordyceps sp. as Antiparasitic Agents against Trypanosoma cruzi. ACS Omega 2022; 7:7675-7682. [PMID: 35284725 PMCID: PMC8908367 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.1c06347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2021] [Accepted: 01/13/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
Safe and effective treatments for Chagas disease, a potentially fatal parasitic infection associated with cardiac and gastrointestinal pathology and caused by the kinetoplastid parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, have yet to be developed. Benznidazole and nifurtimox, which are currently the only available drugs against T. cruzi, are associated with severe adverse effects and questionable efficacy in the late stage of the disease. Natural products have proven to be a rich source of new chemotypes for other infectious agents. We utilized a microscopy-based high-throughput phenotypic screen to identify inhibitors of T. cruzi from a library of natural product samples obtained from fungi procured through a Citizen Science Soil Collection Program (https://whatsinyourbackyard.org/) and the Great Lakes (USA) benthic environment. We identified five leucinostatins (A, B, F, NPDG C, and NPDG D) as potent inhibitors of the intracellular amastigote form of T. cruzi. Leucinostatin B also showed in vivo suppression of T. cruzi in a mouse model of Chagas disease. Given prior reports that leucinostatins A and B have antiparasitic activity against the related kinetoplastid Trypanosoma brucei, our findings suggest a potential cross-trypanocidal compound class and provide a platform for the further chemical derivatization of a potent chemical scaffold against T. cruzi.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jean A. Bernatchez
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Center
for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Yun-Seo Kil
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of Oklahoma, 101 Stephenson Parkway, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United
States
- Natural
Products Discovery Group, University of
Oklahoma, 101 Stephenson
Parkway, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
- Institute
for Natural Products Applications and Research Technologies, University of Oklahoma, 101 Stephenson Parkway, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Elany Barbosa da Silva
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Center
for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Diane Thomas
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Center
for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Laura-Isobel McCall
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of Oklahoma, 101 Stephenson Parkway, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United
States
- Department
of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University
of Oklahoma, 101 Stephenson
Parkway, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
- Laboratories
of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, 101 Stephenson Parkway, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United
States
| | - Karen L. Wendt
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of Oklahoma, 101 Stephenson Parkway, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United
States
- Natural
Products Discovery Group, University of
Oklahoma, 101 Stephenson
Parkway, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
- Institute
for Natural Products Applications and Research Technologies, University of Oklahoma, 101 Stephenson Parkway, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Julia M. Souza
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Center
for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Research
Group on Natural Products, Center for Research in Sciences and Technology, University of Franca, Avenida Dr. Armando Salles de Oliveira 201, Franca, São Paulo CEP 14404-600, Brazil
| | - Jasmin Ackermann
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Center
for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Athena
Institute, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, HV Amsterdam 1081, The Netherlands
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Center
for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Robert H. Cichewicz
- Department
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University
of Oklahoma, 101 Stephenson Parkway, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United
States
- Natural
Products Discovery Group, University of
Oklahoma, 101 Stephenson
Parkway, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
- Institute
for Natural Products Applications and Research Technologies, University of Oklahoma, 101 Stephenson Parkway, Norman, Oklahoma 73019, United States
| | - Jair L. Siqueira-Neto
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Center
for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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8
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Ashhurst A, Tang AH, Fajtová P, Yoon MC, Aggarwal A, Bedding MJ, Stoye A, Beretta L, Pwee D, Drelich A, Skinner D, Li L, Meek TD, McKerrow JH, Hook V, Tseng CT, Larance M, Turville S, Gerwick WH, O’Donoghue AJ, Payne RJ. Potent Anti-SARS-CoV-2 Activity by the Natural Product Gallinamide A and Analogues via Inhibition of Cathepsin L. J Med Chem 2022; 65:2956-2970. [PMID: 34730959 PMCID: PMC8577376 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Cathepsin L is a key host cysteine protease utilized by coronaviruses for cell entry and is a promising drug target for novel antivirals against SARS-CoV-2. The marine natural product gallinamide A and several synthetic analogues were identified as potent inhibitors of cathepsin L with IC50 values in the picomolar range. Lead molecules possessed selectivity over other cathepsins and alternative host proteases involved in viral entry. Gallinamide A directly interacted with cathepsin L in cells and, together with two lead analogues, potently inhibited SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro, with EC50 values in the nanomolar range. Reduced antiviral activity was observed in cells overexpressing transmembrane protease, serine 2 (TMPRSS2); however, a synergistic improvement in antiviral activity was achieved when combined with a TMPRSS2 inhibitor. These data highlight the potential of cathepsin L as a COVID-19 drug target as well as the likely need to inhibit multiple routes of viral entry to achieve efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anneliese
S. Ashhurst
- School
of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia
- School
of Medical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia
| | - Arthur H. Tang
- School
of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia
| | - Pavla Fajtová
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California92093, United States
- Institute
of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy
of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 16610Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Michael C. Yoon
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California92093, United States
| | - Anupriya Aggarwal
- Kirby
Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW2052, Australia
| | - Max J. Bedding
- School
of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia
| | - Alexander Stoye
- School
of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia
| | - Laura Beretta
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California92093, United States
| | - Dustin Pwee
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California92093, United States
| | - Aleksandra Drelich
- Department
of Microbiology and Immunology, University
of Texas, Medical Branch, 3000 University Boulevard, Galveston, Texas77755-1001, United States
| | - Danielle Skinner
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California92093, United States
| | - Linfeng Li
- Department
of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M
University, 301 Old Main
Drive, College Station, Texas77843, United States
| | - Thomas D. Meek
- Department
of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M
University, 301 Old Main
Drive, College Station, Texas77843, United States
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California92093, United States
| | - Vivian Hook
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California92093, United States
| | - Chien-Te Tseng
- Department
of Microbiology and Immunology, University
of Texas, Medical Branch, 3000 University Boulevard, Galveston, Texas77755-1001, United States
| | - Mark Larance
- Charles
Perkins Centre and School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia
| | - Stuart Turville
- Kirby
Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW2052, Australia
| | - William H. Gerwick
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California92093, United States
- Center
for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California92093, United States
| | - Anthony J. O’Donoghue
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California92093, United States
| | - Richard J. Payne
- School
of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia
- Australian
Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and
Protein Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW2006, Australia
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9
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Barbosa Da Silva E, Sharma V, Hernandez-Alvarez L, Tang AH, Stoye A, O’Donoghue AJ, Gerwick WH, Payne RJ, McKerrow JH, Podust LM. Intramolecular Interactions Enhance the Potency of Gallinamide A Analogues against Trypanosoma cruzi. J Med Chem 2022; 65:4255-4269. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c02063] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Elany Barbosa Da Silva
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Vandna Sharma
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Lilian Hernandez-Alvarez
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Departamento de Física, Instituto de Biociências, Letras e Ciências Exatas, Universidade Estadual Paulista Julio de Mesquita Filho, São José do Rio Preto, São Paulo, CEP 15054-000, Brazil
| | - Arthur H. Tang
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Alexander Stoye
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - Anthony J. O’Donoghue
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - William H. Gerwick
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Center for Marine Biotechnology and Biomedicine, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Richard J. Payne
- School of Chemistry, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Innovations in Peptide and Protein Science, The University of Sydney, Sydney, New South Wales 2006, Australia
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Larissa M. Podust
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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10
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Santos LH, Kronenberger T, Almeida RG, Silva EB, Rocha REO, Oliveira JC, Barreto LV, Skinner D, Fajtová P, Giardini MA, Woodworth B, Bardine C, Lourenço AL, Craik CS, Poso A, Podust LM, McKerrow JH, Siqueira-Neto JL, O'Donoghue AJ, da Silva Júnior EN, Ferreira RS. Structure-based identification of naphthoquinones and derivatives as novel inhibitors of main protease Mpro and papain-like protease PLpro of SARS-CoV-2. bioRxiv 2022:2022.01.05.475095. [PMID: 35018373 PMCID: PMC8750648 DOI: 10.1101/2022.01.05.475095] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The worldwide COVID-19 pandemic caused by the coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 urgently demands novel direct antiviral treatments. The main protease (Mpro) and papain-like protease (PLpro) are attractive drug targets among coronaviruses due to their essential role in processing the polyproteins translated from the viral RNA. In the present work, we virtually screened 688 naphthoquinoidal compounds and derivatives against Mpro of SARS-CoV-2. Twenty-four derivatives were selected and evaluated in biochemical assays against Mpro using a novel fluorogenic substrate. In parallel, these compounds were also assayed with SARS-CoV-2 PLpro. Four compounds inhibited Mpro with half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC 50 ) values between 0.41 µM and 66 µM. In addition, eight compounds inhibited PLpro with IC 50 ranging from 1.7 µM to 46 µM. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest stable binding modes for Mpro inhibitors with frequent interactions with residues in the S1 and S2 pockets of the active site. For two PLpro inhibitors, interactions occur in the S3 and S4 pockets. In summary, our structure-based computational and biochemical approach identified novel naphthoquinonal scaffolds that can be further explored as SARS-CoV-2 antivirals.
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11
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Shing B, Balen M, McKerrow JH, Debnath A. Acanthamoeba Keratitis: an update on amebicidal and cysticidal drug screening methodologies and potential treatment with azole drugs. Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther 2021; 19:1427-1441. [PMID: 33929276 PMCID: PMC8551003 DOI: 10.1080/14787210.2021.1924673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Introduction: Acanthamoeba encompasses several species of free-living ameba encountered commonly throughout the environment. Unfortunately, these species of ameba can cause opportunistic infections that result in Acanthamoeba keratitis, granulomatous amebic encephalitis, and occasionally systemic infection.Areas covered: This review discusses relevant literature found through PubMed and Google scholar published as of January 2021. The review summarizes current common Acanthamoeba keratitis treatments, drug discovery methodologies available for screening potential anti-Acanthamoeba compounds, and the anti-Acanthamoeba activity of various azole antifungal agents.Expert opinion: While several biguanide and diamidine antimicrobial agents are available to clinicians to effectively treat Acanthamoeba keratitis, no singular treatment can effectively treat every Acanthamoeba keratitis case.Efforts to identify new anti-Acanthamoeba agents include trophozoite cell viability assays, which are amenable to high-throughput screening. Cysticidal assays remain largely manual and would benefit from further automation development. Additionally, the existing literature on the effectiveness of various azole antifungal agents for treating Acanthamoeba keratitis is incomplete or contradictory, suggesting the need for a systematic review of all azoles against different pathogenic Acanthamoeba strains.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Shing
- Biomedical Sciences Graduate Division, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0685, La Jolla, CA 92093-0756, USA
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0756, La Jolla, CA 92093-0756, USA
| | - Mina Balen
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0756, La Jolla, CA 92093-0756, USA
- Division of Biological Sciences, University of California San Diego, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0346, La Jolla, CA 92093-0756, USA
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0756, La Jolla, CA 92093-0756, USA
| | - Anjan Debnath
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC 0756, La Jolla, CA 92093-0756, USA
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12
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Dean DA, Gautham G, Siqueira-Neto JL, McKerrow JH, Dorrestein PC, McCall LI. Spatial metabolomics identifies localized chemical changes in heart tissue during chronic cardiac Chagas Disease. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2021; 15:e0009819. [PMID: 34606502 PMCID: PMC8516257 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0009819] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 10/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease (CD), caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is one of nineteen neglected tropical diseases. CD is a vector-borne disease transmitted by triatomines, but CD can also be transmitted through blood transfusions, organ transplants, T. cruzi-contaminated food and drinks, and congenital transmission. While endemic to the Americas, T. cruzi infects 7–8 million people worldwide and can induce severe cardiac symptoms including apical aneurysms, thromboembolisms and arrhythmias during the chronic stage of CD. However, these cardiac clinical manifestations and CD pathogenesis are not fully understood. Using spatial metabolomics (chemical cartography), we sought to understand the localized impact of chronic CD on the cardiac metabolome of mice infected with two divergent T. cruzi strains. Our data showed chemical differences in localized cardiac regions upon chronic T. cruzi infection, indicating that parasite infection changes the host metabolome at specific sites in chronic CD. These sites were distinct from the sites of highest parasite burden. In addition, we identified acylcarnitines and glycerophosphocholines as discriminatory chemical families within each heart region, comparing infected and uninfected samples. Overall, our study indicated global and positional metabolic differences common to infection with different T. cruzi strains and identified select infection-modulated pathways. These results provide further insight into CD pathogenesis and demonstrate the advantage of a systematic spatial perspective to understand infectious disease tropism. Chagas disease (CD) is a tropical disease caused by the parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. CD originated in the Americas but is now found globally due to population movements. CD is transmitted through a triatomine vector, organ transplants, blood transfusions, T. cruzi-contaminated food and drinks, and congenitally. It occurs in two stages, an acute stage (usually asymptomatic) and a chronic stage. Twenty to thirty percent of chronic stage cases present severe cardiac symptoms such as heart failure, localized aneurysms and cardiomyopathy. Unfortunately, what causes severe cardiac symptoms in some individuals in chronic CD is not fully understood. Therefore, we used liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to analyze the heart tissue of chronically T. cruzi-infected and uninfected mice, to understand the impact of infection on the tissue metabolome. We identified discriminatory small molecules related to T. cruzi infection and determined that regions with the highest parasite burden are distinct from the regions with the largest changes in overall metabolite profile. These locations of high metabolic perturbation provide a molecular mechanism to explain why localized cardiac symptoms occur in CD, particularly at the heart apex. Overall, our work gives insight into chronic cardiac CD symptom development and shapes a framework for novel CD treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danya A. Dean
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America
| | - Gautham Gautham
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America
- Department of Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America
| | - Jair L. Siqueira-Neto
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Pieter C. Dorrestein
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Laura-Isobel McCall
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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13
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Parab AR, Thomas D, Lostracco-Johnson S, Siqueira-Neto JL, McKerrow JH, Dorrestein PC, McCall LI. Dysregulation of Glycerophosphocholines in the Cutaneous Lesion Caused by Leishmania major in Experimental Murine Models. Pathogens 2021; 10:593. [PMID: 34068119 PMCID: PMC8152770 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10050593] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2021] [Revised: 05/06/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 01/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is the most common disease form caused by a Leishmania parasite infection and considered a neglected tropical disease (NTD), affecting 700,000 to 1.2 million new cases per year in the world. Leishmania major is one of several different species of the Leishmania genus that can cause CL. Current CL treatments are limited by adverse effects and rising resistance. Studying disease metabolism at the site of infection can provide knowledge of new targets for host-targeted drug development. In this study, tissue samples were collected from mice infected in the ear or footpad with L. major and analyzed by untargeted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Significant differences in overall metabolite profiles were noted in the ear at the site of the lesion. Interestingly, lesion-adjacent, macroscopically healthy sites also showed alterations in specific metabolites, including selected glycerophosphocholines (PCs). Host-derived PCs in the lower m/z range (m/z 200-799) showed an increase with infection in the ear at the lesion site, while those in the higher m/z range (m/z 800-899) were decreased with infection at the lesion site. Overall, our results expanded our understanding of the mechanisms of CL pathogenesis through host metabolism and may lead to new curative measures against infection with Leishmania.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adwaita R. Parab
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA;
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
| | - Diane Thomas
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (D.T.); (S.L.-J.); (J.L.S.-N.); (J.H.M.); (P.C.D.)
| | - Sharon Lostracco-Johnson
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (D.T.); (S.L.-J.); (J.L.S.-N.); (J.H.M.); (P.C.D.)
| | - Jair L. Siqueira-Neto
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (D.T.); (S.L.-J.); (J.L.S.-N.); (J.H.M.); (P.C.D.)
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (D.T.); (S.L.-J.); (J.L.S.-N.); (J.H.M.); (P.C.D.)
| | - Pieter C. Dorrestein
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA; (D.T.); (S.L.-J.); (J.L.S.-N.); (J.H.M.); (P.C.D.)
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093, USA
| | - Laura-Isobel McCall
- Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA;
- Laboratories of Molecular Anthropology and Microbiome Research, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK 73019, USA
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14
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Silva LR, Guimarães AS, do Nascimento J, do Santos Nascimento IJ, da Silva EB, McKerrow JH, Cardoso SH, da Silva-Júnior EF. Computer-aided design of 1,4-naphthoquinone-based inhibitors targeting cruzain and rhodesain cysteine proteases. Bioorg Med Chem 2021; 41:116213. [PMID: 33992862 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2021.116213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Chagas disease and Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) are caused by Trypanosoma cruzi and T. brucei parasites, respectively. Cruzain (CRZ) and Rhodesain (RhD) are cysteine proteases that share 70% of identity and play vital functions in these parasites. These macromolecules represent promising targets for designing new inhibitors. In this context, 26 CRZ and 5 RhD 3D-structures were evaluated by molecular redocking to identify the most accurate one to be utilized as a target. Posteriorly, a virtual screening of a library containing 120 small natural and nature-based compounds was performed on both of them. In total, 14 naphthoquinone-based analogs were identified, synthesized, and biologically evaluated. In total, five compounds were active against RhD, being three of them also active on CRZ. A derivative of 1,4-naphthoquinonepyridin-2-ylsulfonamide was found to be the most active molecule, exhibiting IC50 values of 6.3 and 1.8 µM for CRZ and RhD, respectively. Dynamic simulations at 100 ns demonstrated good stability and do not alter the targets' structures. MM-PBSA calculations revealed that it presents a higher affinity for RhD (-25.3 Kcal mol-1) than CRZ, in which van der Waals interactions were more relevant. A mechanistic hypothesis (via C3-Michael-addition reaction) involving a covalent mode of inhibition for this compound towards RhD was investigated by covalent molecular docking and DFT B3LYP/6-31 + G* calculations, exhibiting a low activation energy (ΔG‡) and providing a stable product (ΔG), with values of 7.78 and - 39.72 Kcal mol-1, respectively; similar to data found in the literature. Nevertheless, a reversibility assay by dilution revealed that JN-11 is a time-dependent and reversible inhibitor. Finally, this study applies modern computer-aided techniques to identify promising inhibitors from a well-known chemical class of natural products. Then, this work could inspire other future studies in the field, being useful for designing potent naphthoquinones as RhD inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leandro Rocha Silva
- Chemistry and Biotechnology Institute, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió 57072-970, Brazil; Laboratory of Organic and Medicinal Synthesis, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus Arapiraca, Manoel Severino Barbosa Avenue, Arapiraca 57309-005, Brazil
| | - Ari Souza Guimarães
- Chemistry and Biotechnology Institute, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió 57072-970, Brazil; Laboratory of Organic and Medicinal Synthesis, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus Arapiraca, Manoel Severino Barbosa Avenue, Arapiraca 57309-005, Brazil
| | - Jadiely do Nascimento
- Laboratory of Organic and Medicinal Synthesis, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus Arapiraca, Manoel Severino Barbosa Avenue, Arapiraca 57309-005, Brazil
| | - Igor José do Santos Nascimento
- Chemistry and Biotechnology Institute, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió 57072-970, Brazil
| | - Elany Barbosa da Silva
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - James H McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sílvia Helena Cardoso
- Laboratory of Organic and Medicinal Synthesis, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus Arapiraca, Manoel Severino Barbosa Avenue, Arapiraca 57309-005, Brazil
| | - Edeildo Ferreira da Silva-Júnior
- Chemistry and Biotechnology Institute, Federal University of Alagoas, Campus A.C. Simões, Lourival Melo Mota Avenue, Maceió 57072-970, Brazil.
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15
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Mellott DM, Tseng CT, Drelich A, Fajtová P, Chenna BC, Kostomiris DH, Hsu J, Zhu J, Taylor ZW, Kocurek KI, Tat V, Katzfuss A, Li L, Giardini MA, Skinner D, Hirata K, Yoon MC, Beck S, Carlin AF, Clark AE, Beretta L, Maneval D, Hook V, Frueh F, Hurst BL, Wang H, Raushel FM, O’Donoghue AJ, de Siqueira-Neto JL, Meek TD, McKerrow JH. A Clinical-Stage Cysteine Protease Inhibitor blocks SARS-CoV-2 Infection of Human and Monkey Cells. ACS Chem Biol 2021; 16:642-650. [PMID: 33787221 PMCID: PMC8029441 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.0c00875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 60] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 03/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Host-cell cysteine proteases play an essential role in the processing of the viral spike protein of SARS coronaviruses. K777, an irreversible, covalent inactivator of cysteine proteases that has recently completed phase 1 clinical trials, reduced SARS-CoV-2 viral infectivity in several host cells: Vero E6 (EC50< 74 nM), HeLa/ACE2 (4 nM), Caco-2 (EC90 = 4.3 μM), and A549/ACE2 (<80 nM). Infectivity of Calu-3 cells depended on the cell line assayed. If Calu-3/2B4 was used, EC50 was 7 nM, but in the ATCC Calu-3 cell line without ACE2 enrichment, EC50 was >10 μM. There was no toxicity to any of the host cell lines at 10-100 μM K777 concentration. Kinetic analysis confirmed that K777 was a potent inhibitor of human cathepsin L, whereas no inhibition of the SARS-CoV-2 cysteine proteases (papain-like and 3CL-like protease) was observed. Treatment of Vero E6 cells with a propargyl derivative of K777 as an activity-based probe identified human cathepsin B and cathepsin L as the intracellular targets of this molecule in both infected and uninfected Vero E6 cells. However, cleavage of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein was only carried out by cathepsin L. This cleavage was blocked by K777 and occurred in the S1 domain of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein, a different site from that previously observed for the SARS-CoV-1 spike protein. These data support the hypothesis that the antiviral activity of K777 is mediated through inhibition of the activity of host cathepsin L and subsequent loss of cathepsin L-mediated viral spike protein processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drake M. Mellott
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and
Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M
University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843,
United States
| | - Chien-Te Tseng
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology,
University of Texas, Medical Branch, 3000 University
Boulevard, Galveston, Texas 77755-1001, United States
| | - Aleksandra Drelich
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology,
University of Texas, Medical Branch, 3000 University
Boulevard, Galveston, Texas 77755-1001, United States
| | - Pavla Fajtová
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
92093, United States
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry,
Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 16610 Prague,
Czech Republic
| | - Bala C. Chenna
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and
Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M
University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843,
United States
| | - Demetrios H. Kostomiris
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and
Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M
University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843,
United States
| | - Jason Hsu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology,
University of Texas, Medical Branch, 3000 University
Boulevard, Galveston, Texas 77755-1001, United States
| | - Jiyun Zhu
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and
Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M
University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843,
United States
| | - Zane W. Taylor
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and
Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M
University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843,
United States
| | - Klaudia I. Kocurek
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and
Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M
University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843,
United States
| | - Vivian Tat
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology,
University of Texas, Medical Branch, 3000 University
Boulevard, Galveston, Texas 77755-1001, United States
| | - Ardala Katzfuss
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and
Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M
University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843,
United States
| | - Linfeng Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and
Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M
University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843,
United States
| | - Miriam A. Giardini
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
92093, United States
| | - Danielle Skinner
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
92093, United States
| | - Ken Hirata
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
92093, United States
| | - Michael C. Yoon
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
92093, United States
| | - Sungjun Beck
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
92093, United States
| | - Aaron F. Carlin
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious
Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California San
Diego, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Alex E. Clark
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
92093, United States
| | - Laura Beretta
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
92093, United States
| | - Daniel Maneval
- Selva Therapeutics and Institute for Antiviral
Research, Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State
University, 5600 Old Main Hill, Logan, Utah 84322, United
States
| | - Vivian Hook
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
92093, United States
| | - Felix Frueh
- Selva Therapeutics and Institute for Antiviral
Research, Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State
University, 5600 Old Main Hill, Logan, Utah 84322, United
States
| | - Brett L. Hurst
- Selva Therapeutics and Institute for Antiviral
Research, Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State
University, 5600 Old Main Hill, Logan, Utah 84322, United
States
| | - Hong Wang
- Selva Therapeutics and Institute for Antiviral
Research, Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, Utah State
University, 5600 Old Main Hill, Logan, Utah 84322, United
States
| | - Frank M. Raushel
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and
Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M
University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843,
United States
| | - Anthony J. O’Donoghue
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
92093, United States
| | - Jair Lage de Siqueira-Neto
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
92093, United States
| | - Thomas D. Meek
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and
Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M
University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843,
United States
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences,
University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California
92093, United States
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16
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Tyagi R, Bulman CA, Cho-Ngwa F, Fischer C, Marcellino C, Arkin MR, McKerrow JH, McNamara CW, Mahoney M, Tricoche N, Jawahar S, Janetka JW, Lustigman S, Sakanari J, Mitreva M. An Integrated Approach to Identify New Anti-Filarial Leads to Treat River Blindness, a Neglected Tropical Disease. Pathogens 2021; 10:71. [PMID: 33466870 PMCID: PMC7830784 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens10010071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 01/05/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Filarial worms cause multiple debilitating diseases in millions of people worldwide, including river blindness. Currently available drugs reduce transmission by killing larvae (microfilariae), but there are no effective cures targeting the adult parasites (macrofilaricides) which survive and reproduce in the host for very long periods. To identify effective macrofilaricides, we carried out phenotypic screening of a library of 2121 approved drugs for clinical use against adult Brugia pahangi and prioritized the hits for further studies by integrating those results with a computational prioritization of drugs and associated targets. This resulted in the identification of 18 hits with anti-macrofilaricidal activity, of which two classes, azoles and aspartic protease inhibitors, were further expanded upon. Follow up screening against Onchocerca spp. (adult Onchocerca ochengi and pre-adult O. volvulus) confirmed activity for 13 drugs (the majority having IC50 < 10 μM), and a counter screen of a subset against L. loa microfilariae showed the potential to identify selective drugs that prevent adverse events when co-infected individuals are treated. Stage specific activity was also observed. Many of these drugs are amenable to structural optimization, and also have known canonical targets, making them promising candidates for further optimization that can lead to identifying and characterizing novel anti-macrofilarial drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rahul Tyagi
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 4523 Clayton Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110, USA;
| | - Christina A. Bulman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, 1700 4th Street, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; (C.A.B.); (C.F.); (M.R.A.)
| | - Fidelis Cho-Ngwa
- ANDI Centre of Excellence for Onchocerciasis Drug Research, Biotechnology Unit, Faculty of Science, University of Buea, Buea CM-00237, Cameroon;
| | - Chelsea Fischer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, 1700 4th Street, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; (C.A.B.); (C.F.); (M.R.A.)
| | - Chris Marcellino
- Division of Neurocritical Care and Hospital Neurology, Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA;
| | - Michelle R. Arkin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, 1700 4th Street, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; (C.A.B.); (C.F.); (M.R.A.)
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA;
| | - Case W. McNamara
- Calibr, a Division of The Scripps Research Institute, 11119 Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA;
| | - Matthew Mahoney
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (M.M.); (J.W.J.)
| | - Nancy Tricoche
- Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York City, NY 10065, USA; (N.T.); (S.J.); (S.L.)
| | - Shabnam Jawahar
- Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York City, NY 10065, USA; (N.T.); (S.J.); (S.L.)
| | - James W. Janetka
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110, USA; (M.M.); (J.W.J.)
| | - Sara Lustigman
- Lindsley F. Kimball Research Institute, New York City, NY 10065, USA; (N.T.); (S.J.); (S.L.)
| | - Judy Sakanari
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, 1700 4th Street, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; (C.A.B.); (C.F.); (M.R.A.)
| | - Makedonka Mitreva
- Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Washington University School of Medicine, 4523 Clayton Ave., St. Louis, MO 63110, USA;
- McDonnell Genome Institute, Washington University School of Medicine, 4444 Forest Park Ave., St. Louis, MO 63108, USA
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17
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Ashhurst AS, Tang AH, Fajtová P, Yoon M, Aggarwal A, Stoye A, Larance M, Beretta L, Drelich A, Skinner D, Li L, Meek TD, McKerrow JH, Hook V, Tseng CTK, Turville S, Gerwick WH, O'Donoghue AJ, Payne RJ. Potent in vitro anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity by gallinamide A and analogues via inhibition of cathepsin L. bioRxiv 2020. [PMID: 33398273 DOI: 10.1101/2020a.10.23.350348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in late 2019, and the subsequent COVID-19 pandemic, has led to substantial mortality, together with mass global disruption. There is an urgent need for novel antiviral drugs for therapeutic or prophylactic application. Cathepsin L is a key host cysteine protease utilized by coronaviruses for cell entry and is recognized as a promising drug target. The marine natural product, gallinamide A and several synthetic analogues, were identified as potent inhibitors of cathepsin L activity with IC 50 values in the picomolar range. Lead molecules possessed selectivity over cathepsin B and other related human cathepsin proteases and did not exhibit inhibitory activity against viral proteases Mpro and PLpro. We demonstrate that gallinamide A and two lead analogues potently inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro , with EC 50 values in the nanomolar range, thus further highlighting the potential of cathepsin L as a COVID-19 antiviral drug target.
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18
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Ashhurst AS, Tang AH, Fajtová P, Yoon M, Aggarwal A, Stoye A, Larance M, Beretta L, Drelich A, Skinner D, Li L, Meek TD, McKerrow JH, Hook V, Tseng CTK, Turville S, Gerwick WH, O'Donoghue AJ, Payne RJ. Potent in vitro anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity by gallinamide A and analogues via inhibition of cathepsin L. bioRxiv 2020. [PMID: 33398273 DOI: 10.1101/2020.12.23.424111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in late 2019, and the subsequent COVID-19 pandemic, has led to substantial mortality, together with mass global disruption. There is an urgent need for novel antiviral drugs for therapeutic or prophylactic application. Cathepsin L is a key host cysteine protease utilized by coronaviruses for cell entry and is recognized as a promising drug target. The marine natural product, gallinamide A and several synthetic analogues, were identified as potent inhibitors of cathepsin L activity with IC 50 values in the picomolar range. Lead molecules possessed selectivity over cathepsin B and other related human cathepsin proteases and did not exhibit inhibitory activity against viral proteases Mpro and PLpro. We demonstrate that gallinamide A and two lead analogues potently inhibit SARS-CoV-2 infection in vitro , with EC 50 values in the nanomolar range, thus further highlighting the potential of cathepsin L as a COVID-19 antiviral drug target.
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19
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Mellott DM, Tseng CT, Drelich A, Fajtová P, Chenna BC, Kostomiris DH, Hsu J, Zhu J, Taylor ZW, Tat V, Katzfuss A, Li L, Giardini MA, Skinner D, Hirata K, Beck S, Carlin AF, Clark AE, Beretta L, Maneval D, Frueh F, Hurst BL, Wang H, Kocurek KI, Raushel FM, O’Donoghue AJ, de Siqueira-Neto JL, Meek TD, McKerrow JH. A cysteine protease inhibitor blocks SARS-CoV-2 infection of human and monkey cells. bioRxiv 2020:2020.10.23.347534. [PMID: 33140046 PMCID: PMC7605553 DOI: 10.1101/2020.10.23.347534] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
K777 is a di-peptide analog that contains an electrophilic vinyl-sulfone moiety and is a potent, covalent inactivator of cathepsins. Vero E6, HeLa/ACE2, Caco-2, A549/ACE2, and Calu-3, cells were exposed to SARS-CoV-2, and then treated with K777. K777 reduced viral infectivity with EC50 values of inhibition of viral infection of: 74 nM for Vero E6, <80 nM for A549/ACE2, and 4 nM for HeLa/ACE2 cells. In contrast, Calu-3 and Caco-2 cells had EC50 values in the low micromolar range. No toxicity of K777 was observed for any of the host cells at 10-100 μM inhibitor. K777 did not inhibit activity of the papain-like cysteine protease and 3CL cysteine protease, encoded by SARS-CoV-2 at concentrations of ≤ 100 μM. These results suggested that K777 exerts its potent anti-viral activity by inactivation of mammalian cysteine proteases which are essential to viral infectivity. Using a propargyl derivative of K777 as an activity-based probe, K777 selectively targeted cathepsin B and cathepsin L in Vero E6 cells. However only cathepsin L cleaved the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and K777 blocked this proteolysis. The site of spike protein cleavage by cathepsin L was in the S1 domain of SARS-CoV-2 , differing from the cleavage site observed in the SARS CoV-1 spike protein. These data support the hypothesis that the antiviral activity of K777 is mediated through inhibition of the activity of host cathepsin L and subsequent loss of viral spike protein processing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Drake M. Mellott
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843
| | - Chien-Te Tseng
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas, Medical Branch, 3000 University Boulevard, Galveston, Texas, 77755-1001
| | - Aleksandra Drelich
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas, Medical Branch, 3000 University Boulevard, Galveston, Texas, 77755-1001
| | - Pavla Fajtová
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, 16610 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Bala C. Chenna
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843
| | - Demetrios H. Kostomiris
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843
| | - Jason Hsu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas, Medical Branch, 3000 University Boulevard, Galveston, Texas, 77755-1001
| | - Jiyun Zhu
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843
| | - Zane W. Taylor
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843
- Current address: Biological Sciences Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 902 Battelle Blvd, Richland, WA 99353
| | - Vivian Tat
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of Texas, Medical Branch, 3000 University Boulevard, Galveston, Texas, 77755-1001
| | - Ardala Katzfuss
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843
| | - Linfeng Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843
| | - Miriam A. Giardini
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Danielle Skinner
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Ken Hirata
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Sungjun Beck
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Aaron F. Carlin
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases and Global Public Health, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
| | - Alex E. Clark
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Laura Beretta
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | - Daniel Maneval
- Selva Therapeutics, Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, 5600 Old Main Hill, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, 84322
| | - Felix Frueh
- Selva Therapeutics, Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, 5600 Old Main Hill, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, 84322
| | - Brett L. Hurst
- Institute for Antiviral Research, Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, 5600 Old Main Hill, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, 84322
| | - Hong Wang
- Institute for Antiviral Research, Department of Animal, Dairy, and Veterinary Sciences, 5600 Old Main Hill, Utah State University, Logan, Utah, 84322
| | - Klaudia I. Kocurek
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843
| | - Frank M. Raushel
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843
| | - Anthony J. O’Donoghue
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
| | | | - Thomas D. Meek
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA
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20
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Calvet CM, Silva TA, Thomas D, Suzuki B, Hirata K, Siqueira-Neto JL, McKerrow JH. Long term follow-up of Trypanosoma cruzi infection and Chagas disease manifestations in mice treated with benznidazole or posaconazole. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0008726. [PMID: 32970692 PMCID: PMC7561097 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0008726] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2020] [Revised: 10/15/2020] [Accepted: 08/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas' Disease, caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi, is responsible for up to 41% of the heart failures in endemic areas in South America and is an emerging infection in regions of North America, Europe, and Asia. Treatment is suboptimal due to two factors. First, the lack of an adequate biomarker to predict disease severity and response to therapy; and second, up to 120-days treatment course coupled with a significant incidence of adverse effects from the drug currently used. Because the disease can manifest itself clinically a few years to decades after infection, controversy remains concerning the suitability of current drug treatment (benznidazole), and the efficacy of alternative drugs (e.g. posaconazole). We therefore followed the clinical course, and PCR detection of parasite burden, in a mouse model of infection for a full year following treatment with benznidazole or posaconazole. Efficacy of the two drugs depended on whether the treatment was performed during the acute model or the chronic model of infection. Posaconazole was clearly superior in treatment of acute disease whereas only benznidazole had efficacy in the chronic model. These results have important implications for the design and analysis of human clinical trials, and the use of specific drugs in specific clinical settings. Chagas disease is a parasitic infection that can be incapacitating, leading to heart failure with risk of sudden death. Currently, only one drug treatment is available, Benznidazole, but it demands a long period of treatment, has variable efficacy and leads to serious side effects that can lead to discontinuation of the treatment. An alternative therapy, the anti-fungal drug, Posaconazole, was repurposed for treatment of Chagas disease, but its use has been controversial with conflicting results in studies from different groups. In our approach, we followed the parasitic infection, disease symptoms and persistence of the pathogen in mice for a full year after treatment with Benznidazole or Posaconazole. Posaconazole treatment was more effective in the early infection (acute disease) whereas only Benznidazole had efficacy in the chronic model. This information can have important implications for the design and analysis of human clinical trials, and the use of specific drugs in specific clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Magalhães Calvet
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, California, United States of America
- Cellular Ultrastructure Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Araújo Silva
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, California, United States of America
- Cellular Ultrastructure Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Diane Thomas
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Brian Suzuki
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Ken Hirata
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - Jair Lage Siqueira-Neto
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, California, United States of America
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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21
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Wozniak JM, Silva TA, Thomas D, Siqueira-Neto JL, McKerrow JH, Gonzalez DJ, Calvet CM. Molecular dissection of Chagas induced cardiomyopathy reveals central disease associated and druggable signaling pathways. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2020; 14:e0007980. [PMID: 32433643 PMCID: PMC7279607 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0007980] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 06/08/2020] [Accepted: 03/25/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Chagas disease, the clinical presentation of T. cruzi infection, is a major human health concern. While the acute phase of Chagas disease is typically asymptomatic and self-resolving, chronically infected individuals suffer numerous sequelae later in life. Cardiomyopathies in particular are the most severe consequence of chronic Chagas disease and cannot be reversed solely by parasite load reduction. To prioritize new therapeutic targets, we unbiasedly interrogated the host signaling events in heart tissues isolated from a Chagas disease mouse model using quantitative, multiplexed proteomics. We defined the host response to infection at both the proteome and phospho-proteome levels. The proteome showed an increase in the immune response and a strong repression of several mitochondrial proteins. Complementing the proteome studies, the phospho-proteomic survey found an abundance of phospho-site alterations in plasma membrane and cytoskeletal proteins. Bioinformatic analysis of kinase activity provided substantial evidence for the activation of NDRG2 and JNK/p38 kinases during Chagas disease. A significant activation of DYRK2 and AMPKA2 and the inhibition of casein family kinases were also predicted. We concluded our analyses by linking the diseased heart proteome profile to known therapeutic interventions, uncovering a potential to target mitochondrial proteins, secreted immune effectors and core kinases for the treatment of chronic Chagas disease. Together, this study provides molecular insight into host proteome and phospho-proteome responses to T. cruzi infection in the heart for the first time, highlighting pathways that can be further validated for functional contributions to disease and suitability as drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob M. Wozniak
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; University of California San Diego; La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology; University of California San Diego; La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Tatiana Araújo Silva
- Cellular Ultrastructure Laboratory; Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ; Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
| | - Diane Thomas
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; University of California San Diego; La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - Jair L. Siqueira-Neto
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; University of California San Diego; La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; University of California San Diego; La Jolla, CA, United States of America
| | - David J. Gonzalez
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; University of California San Diego; La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- Department of Pharmacology; University of California San Diego; La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- * E-mail: (DJG); (CMC)
| | - Claudia M. Calvet
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; University of California San Diego; La Jolla, CA, United States of America
- Cellular Ultrastructure Laboratory; Oswaldo Cruz Institute, FIOCRUZ; Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil
- * E-mail: (DJG); (CMC)
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22
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Chenna BC, Li L, Mellott DM, Zhai X, Siqueira-Neto JL, Calvet Alvarez C, Bernatchez JA, Desormeaux E, Alvarez Hernandez E, Gomez J, McKerrow JH, Cruz-Reyes J, Meek TD. Peptidomimetic Vinyl Heterocyclic Inhibitors of Cruzain Effect Antitrypanosomal Activity. J Med Chem 2020; 63:3298-3316. [PMID: 32125159 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b02078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Cruzain, an essential cysteine protease of the parasitic protozoan, Trypanosoma cruzi, is an important drug target for Chagas disease. We describe here a new series of reversible but time-dependent inhibitors of cruzain, composed of a dipeptide scaffold appended to vinyl heterocycles meant to provide replacements for the irreversible reactive "warheads" of vinyl sulfone inactivators of cruzain. Peptidomimetic vinyl heterocyclic inhibitors (PVHIs) containing Cbz-Phe-Phe/homoPhe scaffolds with vinyl-2-pyrimidine, vinyl-2-pyridine, and vinyl-2-(N-methyl)-pyridine groups conferred reversible, time-dependent inhibition of cruzain (Ki* = 0.1-0.4 μM). These cruzain inhibitors exhibited moderate to excellent selectivity versus human cathepsins B, L, and S and showed no apparent toxicity to human cells but were effective in cell cultures of Trypanosoma brucei brucei (EC50 = 1-15 μM) and eliminated T. cruzi in infected murine cardiomyoblasts (EC50 = 5-8 μM). PVHIs represent a new class of cruzain inhibitors that could progress to viable candidate compounds to treat Chagas disease and human sleeping sickness.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bala C Chenna
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Linfeng Li
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Drake M Mellott
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Xiang Zhai
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Jair L Siqueira-Neto
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California-San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Claudia Calvet Alvarez
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California-San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Jean A Bernatchez
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California-San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Emily Desormeaux
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Elizabeth Alvarez Hernandez
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Jana Gomez
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - James H McKerrow
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California-San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Jorge Cruz-Reyes
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Thomas D Meek
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, Texas A&M University, 301 Old Main Drive, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
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23
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Shi D, Chahal KK, Oto P, Nothias LF, Debnath A, McKerrow JH, Podust LM, Abagyan R. Identification of Four Amoebicidal Nontoxic Compounds by a Molecular Docking Screen of Naegleria fowleri Sterol Δ8-Δ7-Isomerase and Phenotypic Assays. ACS Infect Dis 2019; 5:2029-2038. [PMID: 31583882 PMCID: PMC7085920 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.9b00227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [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] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Naegleria fowleri is a free-living amoeba causing primary amoebic meningoencephalitis, a rapid-onset brain infection in humans with over 97% mortality rate. Despite some progress in the treatment of the disease, there is no single, proven, evidence-based treatment with a high probability of cure. Here we report the chemical library screening and experimental identification of four new compounds with amoebicidal effects against N. fowleri. The chemical library was screened by molecular docking against a homology model of sterol Δ8-Δ7 isomerase (NfERG2). Thirty top-ranking hits were then tested in a cell-based assay for antiproliferative/amoebicidal activities. Eight chemicals exhibited nearly 100% inhibition of N. fowleri at 50 μM, with the EC50 values ranging from 6 to 25 μM. A cell toxicity assay using human HEK-293 cells was also performed. Four of the compounds preferentially kill amoeba cells with no apparent human cell toxicities. These compounds fall into two distinct chemical scaffolds with druglike properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Da Shi
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, University of California San Diego,9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California, 92093, United States of America
| | - Kirti Kandhwal Chahal
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, University of California San Diego,9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California, 92093, United States of America
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and Technology, Hisar-Delhi Bypass Road, Hisar, Haryana 125001, India
| | - Patricia Oto
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, University of California San Diego,9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California, 92093, United States of America
| | - Louis-Felix Nothias
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, University of California San Diego,9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California, 92093, United States of America
| | - Anjan Debnath
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, University of California San Diego,9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California, 92093, United States of America
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, University of California San Diego,9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California, 92093, United States of America
| | - Larissa M. Podust
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, University of California San Diego,9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California, 92093, United States of America
| | - Ruben Abagyan
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, University of California San Diego,9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California, 92093, United States of America
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24
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Reed SL, McKerrow JH. Why Funding for Neglected Tropical Diseases Should Be a Global Priority. Clin Infect Dis 2019; 67:323-326. [PMID: 29688342 DOI: 10.1093/cid/ciy349] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Neglected tropical diseases affect >1 billion of the world's poorest persons. Control programs range from near-elimination (dracunculiasis) to increasing prevalence (dengue and cutaneous leishmaniasis). These are some of the most cost-effective public health interventions and should be a global priority.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sharon L Reed
- Departments of Pathology and Medicine, UC San Diego Health
| | - James H McKerrow
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, University of California, San Diego
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25
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Setzer WN, Stokes SL, Bansal A, Haber WA, Caffrey CR, Hansell E, McKerrow JH. Chemical Composition and Cruzain Inhibitory Activity of Croton draco Bark Essential Oil from Monteverde, Costa Rica. Nat Prod Commun 2019. [DOI: 10.1177/1934578x0700200613] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
American trypanosomiasis, Chagas disease, is a great cause of human morbidity and mortality in the Neotropics. Although there is currently no effective treatment for this parasitic disease, a number of potential biochemical targets have been identified, including the cysteine protease cruzain. Croton draco Cham. & Schldl. (Euphorbiaceae), commonly known as sangre de drago, is used in traditional medicine for a number of maladies. In this study, Croton draco bark essential oil has been shown to inhibit the activity of cruzain. The bark oil has been analyzed by GC-MS and the major components found to be β-caryophyllene (31.9%), caryophyllene oxide (22.0%), 1,8-cineole (6.2%), and α-humulene (5.6%). The major components have been tested for cruzain inhibitory activity, but show minimal activity, so it is not clear if the activity of Croton draco bark oil is due to a synergistic effect of the essential oil components or due to very active minor components. Croton draco bark oil has also been tested for cytotoxic activity against a panel of human tumor cell lines, but shows little activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- William N. Setzer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in HuntsvilleHuntsville, Alabama 35899, USA
| | - Sean L. Stokes
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in HuntsvilleHuntsville, Alabama 35899, USA
| | - Anita Bansal
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in HuntsvilleHuntsville, Alabama 35899, USA
| | - William A. Haber
- Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Missouri 63166, USA Apdo. 50-5655, Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Central America
| | - Conor R. Caffrey
- Tropical Disease Research Unit, Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, VAMC, 4150 Clement Street-113B, San Francisco, California 94121, USA
| | - Elizabeth Hansell
- Tropical Disease Research Unit, Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, VAMC, 4150 Clement Street-113B, San Francisco, California 94121, USA
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Tropical Disease Research Unit, Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, VAMC, 4150 Clement Street-113B, San Francisco, California 94121, USA
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26
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Setzer WN, Stokes SL, Penton AF, Takaku S, Haber WA, Hansell E, Caffrey CR, McKerrow JH. Cruzain Inhibitory Activity of Leaf Essential Oils of Neotropical Lauraceae and Essential Oil Components. Nat Prod Commun 2019. [DOI: 10.1177/1934578x0700201202] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The leaf essential oils of twenty-three species of Lauraceae from Monteverde, Costa Rica, have been screened for inhibition of the cysteine protease cruzain. Of these, nine showed promising cruzain inhibitory activity (IC50 < 100 μg/mL), six showed marginal activity (IC50, 100–500 μg/mL), and eight were inactive (IC50 > 500 μg/mL). The cruzain inhibitory activities of the essential oils can be attributed to active sesquiterpenoid components as well as synergistic effects between two or more components. The sesquiterpenes α-copaene, β-caryophyllene, α-humulene, and germacrene D are active (IC50 ~5–30 μg/mL) alone, but also show increased activity in combination with other essential oil components.
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Affiliation(s)
- William N. Setzer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama 35899, USA
| | - Sean L. Stokes
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama 35899, USA
| | - Ashley F. Penton
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama 35899, USA
| | - Sayaka Takaku
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama 35899, USA
| | - William A. Haber
- Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Missouri 63166, USA Apdo. 50-5655, Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica, Central America
| | - Elizabeth Hansell
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
| | - Conor R. Caffrey
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, California 94143, USA
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27
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Agius BR, Vogler B, Stokes SL, Setzer WN, Caffrey CR, Hansell E, McKerrow JH. Inhibition of Cruzain by Triterpenoids Isolated from a Salacia Species from Monteverde, Costa Rica. Nat Prod Commun 2019. [DOI: 10.1177/1934578x0700201105] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The crude chloroform bark extract of an undescribed species of Salacia from Monteverde, Costa Rica, showed cruzain inhibitory activity (IC50 = 11.4 ± 0.6 μg/mL). Activity-directed chromatographic separation led to isolation of four active friedelane triterpenoids, 25,28-dihydroxyfriedelin, canophyllol, tingenone, and the novel 29-hydroxyfriedelan-3-on-28-al.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brittany R. Agius
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA
| | - Bernhard Vogler
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA
| | - Sean L. Stokes
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA
| | - William N. Setzer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, AL 35899, USA
| | - Conor R. Caffrey
- Tropical Disease Research Unit, Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, VAMC, 4150 Clement Street-113B, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA
| | - Elizabeth Hansell
- Tropical Disease Research Unit, Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, VAMC, 4150 Clement Street-113B, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Tropical Disease Research Unit, Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, VAMC, 4150 Clement Street-113B, San Francisco, CA 94121, USA
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28
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Richter LR, Vogler B, Penton AF, Setzer WN, Haber WA, Caffrey CR, Hansell E, McKerrow JH. 3-O-(3′-Hydroxytetradecanoyl)lupeol from Sorocea trophoides Inhibits Cruzain. Nat Prod Commun 2019. [DOI: 10.1177/1934578x0700200902] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The crude chloroform extract from the stem bark of Sorocea trophoides (Moraceae) showed in-vitro inhibition of the cysteine protease cruzain. Activity-directed fractionation led to isolation of the novel 3- O-(3′-hydroxytetradecanoyl)lupeol as the inhibitory agent. The structure was elucidated by analysis of NMR spectra.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lori R. Richter
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama 35899, USA
| | - Bernhard Vogler
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama 35899, USA
| | - Ashley F. Penton
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama 35899, USA
| | - William N. Setzer
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama in Huntsville, Huntsville, Alabama 35899, USA
| | - William A. Haber
- Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, Missouri 63166, USA Apdo. 50–5655, Monteverde, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
| | - Conor R. Caffrey
- Tropical Disease Research Unit, Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, VAMC, 4150 Clement Street-113B, San Francisco, California 94121, USA
| | - Elizabeth Hansell
- Tropical Disease Research Unit, Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, VAMC, 4150 Clement Street-113B, San Francisco, California 94121, USA
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Tropical Disease Research Unit, Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, VAMC, 4150 Clement Street-113B, San Francisco, California 94121, USA
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29
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Rebello KM, McKerrow JH, Mota EM, O´Donoghue AJ, Neves-Ferreira AGC. Activity profiling of peptidases in Angiostrongylus costaricensis first-stage larvae and adult worms. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2018; 12:e0006923. [PMID: 30379807 PMCID: PMC6231675 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2018] [Revised: 11/12/2018] [Accepted: 10/15/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Angiostrongylus costaricensis is a relatively uncharacterized nematode that causes abdominal angiostrongyliasis in Latin America, a human parasitic disease. Currently, no effective pharmacological treatment for angiostrongyliasis exists. Peptidases are known to be druggable targets for a variety of diseases and are essential for several biological processes in parasites. Therefore, this study aimed to systematically characterize the peptidase activity of A. costaricensis in different developmental stages of this parasitic nematode. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A library of diverse tetradecapeptides was incubated with cellular lysates from adult worms and from first-stage larvae (L1) and cleaved peptide products were identified by mass spectrometry. Lysates were also treated with class specific peptidase inhibitors to determine which enzyme class was responsible for the proteolytic activity. Peptidase activity from the four major mechanistic classes (aspartic, metallo, serine and cysteine) were detected in adult worm lysate, whereas aspartic, metallo and serine-peptidases were found in the larval lysates. In addition, the substrate specificity profile was found to vary at different pH values. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The proteolytic activities in adult worm and L1 lysates were characterized using a highly diversified library of peptide substrates and the activity was validated using a selection of fluorescent substrates. Taken together, peptidase signatures for different developmental stages of this parasite has improved our understanding of the disease pathogenesis and may be useful as potential drug targets or vaccine candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina M. Rebello
- Laboratory of Toxinology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Ester M. Mota
- Laboratory of Pathology, Oswaldo Cruz Institute, Fiocruz, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Anthony J. O´Donoghue
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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30
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White Bear J, Long T, Skinner D, McKerrow JH. Predictions of novel Schistosoma mansoni - human protein interactions consistent with experimental data. Sci Rep 2018; 8:13092. [PMID: 30166569 PMCID: PMC6117258 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-31272-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/20/2018] [Accepted: 08/14/2018] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Infection by the human blood fluke, Schistosoma mansoni involves a variety of cross-species protein- protein interactions. The pathogen expresses a diverse arsenal of proteins that facilitate the breach of physical and biochemical barriers present in skin evasion of the immune system, and digestion of human plasma proteins including albumin and hemoglobin, allowing schistosomes to reside in the host for years. However, only a small number of specific interactions between S. mansoni and human proteins have been identified. We present and apply a protocol that generates testable predictions of S. mansoni-human protein interactions. In this study, we have preliminary predictions of novel interactions between schistosome and human proteins relevant to infection and the ability of the parasite to evade the immune system. We applied a computational whole-genome comparative approach to predict potential S. mansoni-human protein interactions based on similarity to known protein complexes. We first predict S. mansoni -human protein interactions based on similarity to known protein complexes. Putative interactions were then scored and assessed using several contextual filters, including the use of annotation automatically derived from literature using a simple natural language processing methodology. Next, in vitro experiments were carried out between schistosome and host proteins to validate several prospective predictions. Our method predicted 7 out of the 10 previously known cross-species interactions involved in pathogenesis between S. mansoni and its human host. Interestingly, two novel putative interactions involving Schistosoma proteins, the cercarial elastase SmCE, and the adult tegument surface protein Sm29, were also predicted and experimentally characterized. Preliminary data suggest that elafin, a host endogenous serine protease inhibitor, may be a novel substrate for SmCE. Additionally, CD59, an inhibitor of the membrane attack complex, could interact with Sm29. Furthermore, the application framework provides an integrated methodology for investigation of host-pathogen interactions and an extensive source of orthogonal data for experimental analysis. We have made the predictions available for community perusal.
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Affiliation(s)
- J White Bear
- Department of Bioengineering and Therapeutic Sciences, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, and California Institute for Quantitative Biosciences, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
- Graduate Group in Bioinformatics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
- MIT Lincoln Laboratory 244 Wood St, Lexington, MA, USA.
| | - Thavy Long
- Department of Pathology and Sandler Center for Basic Research in Parasitic Diseases, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, 94158, USA
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- INRA - InTheRes - UMR 1436, Equipe Transporteurs Membranaires et Résistance, 180, Chemin de Tournefeuille, Toulouse, France
| | - Danielle Skinner
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - James H McKerrow
- Department of Pathology and Sandler Center for Basic Research in Parasitic Diseases, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, California, 94158, USA
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego 9500 Gilman Dr, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
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Affiliation(s)
- James H. McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Affiliation(s)
- James H. McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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Corvo I, Ferraro F, Merlino A, Zuberbühler K, O'Donoghue AJ, Pastro L, Pi-Denis N, Basika T, Roche L, McKerrow JH, Craik CS, Caffrey CR, Tort JF. Substrate Specificity of Cysteine Proteases Beyond the S 2 Pocket: Mutagenesis and Molecular Dynamics Investigation of Fasciola hepatica Cathepsins L. Front Mol Biosci 2018; 5:40. [PMID: 29725596 PMCID: PMC5917446 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2018.00040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [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: 01/29/2018] [Accepted: 04/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Cysteine proteases are widespread in all life kingdoms, being central to diverse physiological processes based on a broad range of substrate specificity. Paralogous Fasciola hepatica cathepsin L proteases are essential to parasite invasion, tissue migration and reproduction. In spite of similarities in their overall sequence and structure, these enzymes often exhibit different substrate specificity. These preferences are principally determined by the amino acid composition of the active site's S2 subsite (pocket) of the enzyme that interacts with the substrate P2 residue (Schetcher and Berger nomenclature). Although secreted FhCL1 accommodates aliphatic residues in the S2 pocket, FhCL2 is also efficient in cleaving proline in that position. To understand these differences, we engineered the FhCL1 S2 subsite at three amino acid positions to render it identical to that present in FhCL2. The substitutions did not produce the expected increment in proline accommodation in P2. Rather, they decreased the enzyme's catalytic efficiency toward synthetic peptides. Nonetheless, a change in the P3 specificity was associated with the mutation of Leu67 to Tyr, a hinge residue between the S2 and S3 subsites that contributes to the accommodation of Gly in S3. Molecular dynamic simulations highlighted changes in the spatial distribution and secondary structure of the S2 and S3 pockets of the mutant FhCL1 enzymes. The reduced affinity and catalytic efficiency of the mutant enzymes may be due to a narrowing of the active site cleft that hinders the accommodation of substrates. Because the variations in the enzymatic activity measured could not be exclusively allocated to those residues lining the active site, other more external positions might modulate enzyme conformation, and, therefore, catalytic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ileana Corvo
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Florencia Ferraro
- Laboratorio de Química Teórica y Computacional, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Alicia Merlino
- Laboratorio de Química Teórica y Computacional, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Kathrin Zuberbühler
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Anthony J O'Donoghue
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA, United States
| | - Lucía Pastro
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Natalia Pi-Denis
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Tatiana Basika
- Departamento de Biología Celular y Molecular, Unidad de Biología Parasitaria, Facultad de Ciencias, Instituto de Higiene, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Leda Roche
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - James H McKerrow
- Department of Pathology, Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Charles S Craik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pharmacology, Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Conor R Caffrey
- Department of Pathology, Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - José F Tort
- Departamento de Genética, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay
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Chaparro JD, Cheng T, Tran UP, Andrade RM, Brenner SBT, Hwang G, Cohn S, Hirata K, McKerrow JH, Reed SL. Two key cathepsins, TgCPB and TgCPL, are targeted by the vinyl sulfone inhibitor K11777 in in vitro and in vivo models of toxoplasmosis. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0193982. [PMID: 29565998 PMCID: PMC5863946 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193982] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2017] [Accepted: 02/19/2018] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Although toxoplasmosis is one of the most common parasitic infections worldwide, therapeutic options remain limited. Cathepsins, proteases that play key roles in the pathogenesis of toxoplasmosis and many other protozoan infections, are important potential therapeutic targets. Because both TgCPB and TgCPL play a role in T. gondii invasion, we evaluated the efficacy of the potent, irreversible vinyl sulfone inhibitor, K11777 (N-methyl-piperazine-Phe-homoPhe-vinylsulfone-phenyl). The inhibitor’s toxicity and pharmacokinetic profile have been well-studied because of its in vitro and in vivo activity against a number of parasites. We found that it inhibited both TgCPB (EC50 = 114 nM) and TgCPL (EC50 = 71 nM) in vitro. K11777 also inhibited invasion of human fibroblasts by RH tachyzoites by 71% (p = 0.003) and intracellular replication by >99% (p<0.0001). In vivo, a single dose of K11777 led to 100% survival of chicken embryos in an model of acute toxoplasmosis (p = 0.015 Cox regression analysis). Therefore, K11777 shows promise as a novel therapeutic agent in the treatment of toxoplasmosis, and may prove to be a broadly effective anti-parasitic agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan D. Chaparro
- Department of Pediatrics, Division of Infectious Diseases, Rady Children's Hospital, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Timmy Cheng
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Uyen Phuong Tran
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Rosa M. Andrade
- Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, University of California, Irvine School of Medicine, Irvine, California, United States of America
| | - Sara B. T. Brenner
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Grace Hwang
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Shara Cohn
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Ken Hirata
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Department of Pharmacy, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Sharon L. Reed
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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Zyserman I, Mondal D, Sarabia F, McKerrow JH, Roush WR, Debnath A. Identification of cysteine protease inhibitors as new drug leads against Naegleria fowleri. Exp Parasitol 2018; 188:36-41. [PMID: 29551628 DOI: 10.1016/j.exppara.2018.03.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
Primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a rapidly fatal infection caused by the free-living ameba Naegleria fowleri. PAM occurs principally in healthy children of less than 13 years old with a history of recent exposure to warm fresh water. While as yet not a reportable disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) documents a total of 143 cases in the United States. Only four patients have survived. Infection results from water containing N. fowleri entering the nose, followed by migration of the amebae to the brain. Within the brain, N. fowleri infection results in extensive necrosis, leading to death in 3-7 days. Mortality among patients with PAM is greater than 95%. The drugs of choice in treating PAM are the antifungal amphotericin B, and the antileishmanial, miltefosine. However neither drug is FDA-approved for this indication and the use of amphotericin B is associated with severe adverse effects. Moreover, very few patients treated with amphotericin B have survived PAM. Therefore, development of new, safe and effective drugs is a critical unmet need to avert future deaths of children. The molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of PAM are poorly understood but it is known that cysteine proteases of N. fowleri play a role in the progression of PAM. We therefore assessed the in vitro activity of the synthetic vinyl sulfone cysteine protease inhibitor, K11777, and 33 analogs with valine, phenylalanine or pyridylalanine at P2 position, against cysteine protease activity in the lysate of N. fowleri. Inhibitors with phenylalanine or pyridylalanine at P2 position were particularly effective in inhibiting the cysteine protease activity of N. fowleri cell lysate with IC50 ranging between 3 nM and 6.6 μM. Three of the 34 inhibitors also showed inhibitory activity against N. fowleri in a cell viability assay and were 1.6- to 2.5-fold more potent than the standard of care drug miltefosine. Our study provides the first evidence of the activity of synthetic, small molecule cysteine protease inhibitors against N. fowleri.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ingrid Zyserman
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC0755, La Jolla, CA 92093-0755, USA
| | - Deboprosad Mondal
- The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, 130 Scripps Way #3A2, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Francisco Sarabia
- The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, 130 Scripps Way #3A2, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - James H McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC0755, La Jolla, CA 92093-0755, USA
| | - William R Roush
- The Scripps Research Institute, Scripps Florida, 130 Scripps Way #3A2, Jupiter, FL 33458, USA
| | - Anjan Debnath
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, MC0755, La Jolla, CA 92093-0755, USA.
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Debnath A, Nelson AT, Silva-Olivares A, Shibayama M, Siegel D, McKerrow JH. In Vitro Efficacy of Ebselen and BAY 11-7082 Against Naegleria fowleri. Front Microbiol 2018; 9:414. [PMID: 29559968 PMCID: PMC5845744 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2018.00414] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [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: 11/27/2017] [Accepted: 02/21/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM) is a fatal infection caused by the free-living ameba Naegleria fowleri, popularly known as the "brain-eating ameba." The drugs of choice in treating PAM are the antifungal amphotericin B and an antileishmanial miltefosine, but these are not FDA-approved for this indication and use of amphotericin B is associated with severe adverse effects. Moreover, very few patients treated with the combination therapy have survived PAM. Therefore, development of efficient drugs is a critical unmet need to avert future deaths of children. Since N. fowleri causes extensive inflammation in the brain it is important to select compounds that can enter brain to kill ameba. In this study, we identified two central nervous system (CNS) active compounds, ebselen and BAY 11-7082 as amebicidal with EC50 of 6.2 and 1.6 μM, respectively. The closely related BAY 11-7085 was also found active against N. fowleri with EC50 similar to BAY 11-7082. We synthesized a soluble ebselen analog, which had amebicidal activity similar to ebselen. Transmission electron microscopy of N. fowleri trophozoites incubated for 48 h with EC50 concentration of ebselen showed alteration in the cytoplasmic membrane, loss of the nuclear membrane, and appearance of electron-dense granules. Incubation of N. fowleri trophozoites with EC50 concentrations of BAY 11-7082 and BAY 11-7085 for 48 h showed the presence of large lipid droplets in the cytoplasm, disruption of cytoplasmic and nuclear membranes and appearance of several vesicles and chromatin residues. Blood-brain barrier permeable amebicidal compounds have potential as new drug leads for Naegleria infection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjan Debnath
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Andrew T Nelson
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - Angélica Silva-Olivares
- Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Mineko Shibayama
- Department of Infectomics and Molecular Pathogenesis, Centro de Investigación y de Estudios Avanzados del Instituto Politécnico Nacional, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Dionicio Siegel
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
| | - James H McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, CA, United States
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Calvet CM, Choi JY, Thomas D, Suzuki B, Hirata K, Lostracco-Johnson S, de Mesquita LB, Nogueira A, Meuser-Batista M, Silva TA, Siqueira-Neto JL, Roush WR, de Souza Pereira MC, McKerrow JH, Podust LM. 4-aminopyridyl-based lead compounds targeting CYP51 prevent spontaneous parasite relapse in a chronic model and improve cardiac pathology in an acute model of Trypanosoma cruzi infection. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0006132. [PMID: 29281643 PMCID: PMC5744913 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0006132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2017] [Accepted: 11/22/2017] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chagas disease, caused by the protozoan Trypanosoma cruzi, is the leading cause of heart failure in Latin America. The clinical treatment of Chagas disease is limited to two 60 year-old drugs, nifurtimox and benznidazole, that have variable efficacy against different strains of the parasite and may lead to severe side effects. CYP51 is an enzyme in the sterol biosynthesis pathway that has been exploited for the development of therapeutics for fungal and parasitic infections. In a target-based drug discovery program guided by x-ray crystallography, we identified the 4-aminopyridyl-based series of CYP51 inhibitors as being efficacious versus T.cruzi in vitro; two of the most potent leads, 9 and 12, have now been evaluated for toxicity and efficacy in mice. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Both acute and chronic animal models infected with wild type or transgenic T. cruzi strains were evaluated. There was no evidence of toxicity in the 28-day dosing study of uninfected animals, as judged by the monitoring of multiple serum and histological parameters. In two acute models of Chagas disease, 9 and 12 drastically reduced parasitemia, increased survival of mice, and prevented liver and heart injury. None of the compounds produced long term sterile cure. In the less severe acute model using the transgenic CL-Brenner strain of T.cruzi, parasitemia relapsed upon drug withdrawal. In the chronic model, parasitemia fell to a background level and, as evidenced by the bioluminescence detection of T. cruzi expressing the red-shifted luciferase marker, mice remained negative for 4 weeks after drug withdrawal. Two immunosuppression cycles with cyclophosphamide were required to re-activate the parasites. Although no sterile cure was achieved, the suppression of parasitemia in acutely infected mice resulted in drastically reduced inflammation in the heart. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The positive outcomes achieved in the absence of sterile cure suggest that the target product profile in anti-Chagasic drug discovery should be revised in favor of safe re-administration of the medication during the lifespan of a Chagas disease patient. A medication that reduces parasite burden may halt or slow progression of cardiomyopathy and therefore improve both life expectancy and quality of life.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudia Magalhaes Calvet
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- Cellular Ultra-Structure Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jun Yong Choi
- Department of Chemistry, Scripps Florida, Jupiter, Florida, United States of America
| | - Diane Thomas
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Brian Suzuki
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Ken Hirata
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Sharon Lostracco-Johnson
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Liliane Batista de Mesquita
- Cellular Ultra-Structure Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Alanderson Nogueira
- Cellular Ultra-Structure Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Marcelo Meuser-Batista
- Department of Pathologic Anatomy, Fernandes Figueira Institute (IFF), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tatiana Araujo Silva
- Cellular Ultra-Structure Laboratory, Oswaldo Cruz Institute (IOC), FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Jair Lage Siqueira-Neto
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - William R. Roush
- Department of Chemistry, Scripps Florida, Jupiter, Florida, United States of America
| | | | - James H. McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Larissa M. Podust
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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McCall LI, Morton JT, Bernatchez JA, de Siqueira-Neto JL, Knight R, Dorrestein PC, McKerrow JH. Mass Spectrometry-Based Chemical Cartography of a Cardiac Parasitic Infection. Anal Chem 2017; 89:10414-10421. [PMID: 28892370 PMCID: PMC6298790 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.7b02423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Trypanosoma cruzi parasites are the causative agents of Chagas disease, a leading infectious form of heart failure whose pathogenesis is still not fully characterized. In this work, we applied untargeted liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to heart sections from T. cruzi-infected and uninfected mice. We combined molecular networking and three-dimensional modeling to generate chemical cartographical heart models. This approach revealed for the first time preferential parasite localization to the base of the heart and regiospecific distributions of nucleoside derivatives and eicosanoids, which we correlated to tissue-damaging immune responses. We further detected novel cardiac chemical signatures related to the severity and ultimate outcome of the infection. These signatures included differential representation of higher- vs lower-molecular-weight carnitine and phosphatidylcholine family members in specific cardiac regions of mice infected with lethal or nonlethal T. cruzi strains and doses. Overall, this work provides new insights into Chagas disease pathogenesis and presents an analytical chemistry approach that can be broadly applied to the study of host-microbe interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura-Isobel McCall
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
- Present address: Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma, 73019-5251
| | - James T. Morton
- Department of Computer Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Jean A. Bernatchez
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Jair Lage de Siqueira-Neto
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Rob Knight
- Department of Computer Science, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
| | - Pieter C. Dorrestein
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
- Center for Microbiome Innovation, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
- Collaborative Mass Spectrometry Innovation Center, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA 92093
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Long T, Rojo-Arreola L, Shi D, El-Sakkary N, Jarnagin K, Rock F, Meewan M, Rascón AA, Lin L, Cunningham KA, Lemieux GA, Podust L, Abagyan R, Ashrafi K, McKerrow JH, Caffrey CR. Phenotypic, chemical and functional characterization of cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase 4 (PDE4) as a potential anthelmintic drug target. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2017; 11:e0005680. [PMID: 28704396 PMCID: PMC5526615 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0005680] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2016] [Revised: 07/25/2017] [Accepted: 06/04/2017] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Reliance on just one drug to treat the prevalent tropical disease, schistosomiasis, spurs the search for new drugs and drug targets. Inhibitors of human cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterases (huPDEs), including PDE4, are under development as novel drugs to treat a range of chronic indications including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and Alzheimer's disease. One class of huPDE4 inhibitors that has yielded marketed drugs is the benzoxaboroles (Anacor Pharmaceuticals). METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS A phenotypic screen involving Schistosoma mansoni and 1,085 benzoxaboroles identified a subset of huPDE4 inhibitors that induced parasite hypermotility and degeneration. To uncover the putative schistosome PDE4 target, we characterized four PDE4 sequences (SmPDE4A-D) in the parasite's genome and transcriptome, and cloned and recombinantly expressed the catalytic domain of SmPDE4A. Among a set of benzoxaboroles and catechol inhibitors that differentially inhibit huPDE4, a relationship between the inhibition of SmPDE4A, and parasite hypermotility and degeneration, was measured. To validate SmPDE4A as the benzoxaborole molecular target, we first generated Caenorhabditis elegans lines that express a cDNA for smpde4a on a pde4(ce268) mutant (hypermotile) background: the smpde4a transgene restored mutant worm motility to that of the wild type. We then showed that benzoxaborole inhibitors of SmPDE4A that induce hypermotility in the schistosome also elicit a hypermotile response in the C. elegans lines that express the smpde4a transgene, thereby confirming SmPDE4A as the relevant target. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The orthogonal chemical, biological and genetic strategies employed identify SmPDE4A's contribution to parasite motility and degeneration, and its potential as a drug target. Transgenic C. elegans is highlighted as a potential screening tool to optimize small molecule chemistries to flatworm molecular drug targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thavy Long
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Liliana Rojo-Arreola
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Da Shi
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Nelly El-Sakkary
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Kurt Jarnagin
- Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Palo Alto, California, United States of America
| | - Fernando Rock
- Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Palo Alto, California, United States of America
| | - Maliwan Meewan
- Anacor Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Palo Alto, California, United States of America
| | - Alberto A. Rascón
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Lin Lin
- Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Katherine A. Cunningham
- Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - George A. Lemieux
- Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Larissa Podust
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Ruben Abagyan
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Kaveh Ashrafi
- Department of Physiology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Conor R. Caffrey
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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40
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Abstract
The “rule of 5” has become a mainstay of decision-making in the pharmaceutical industry as well as in nonindustrial (academic and institutional) drug development. However the authors of the original paper never intended for “double cutoffs” to preclude development of new drug leads for parasitic diseases. “rule of 5” is a mainstay of decision-making in drug screening efforts. Acts as an absorption-permeability alert procedure to guide medicinal chemists. Never intended to apply to parasitic infectious diseases. Should not impede anti-parasitic drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- James H McKerrow
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, United States.
| | - Christopher A Lipinski
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, United States
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41
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Affiliation(s)
- Anjan Debnath
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of CaliforniaSan Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - James H McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of CaliforniaSan Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
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42
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Ottilie S, Goldgof GM, Calvet CM, Jennings GK, LaMonte G, Schenken J, Vigil E, Kumar P, McCall LI, Lopes ESC, Gunawan F, Yang J, Suzuki Y, Siqueira-Neto JL, McKerrow JH, Amaro RE, Podust LM, Durrant JD, Winzeler EA. Rapid Chagas Disease Drug Target Discovery Using Directed Evolution in Drug-Sensitive Yeast. ACS Chem Biol 2017; 12:422-434. [PMID: 27977118 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.6b01037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Recent advances in cell-based, high-throughput phenotypic screening have identified new chemical compounds that are active against eukaryotic pathogens. A challenge to their future development lies in identifying these compounds' molecular targets and binding modes. In particular, subsequent structure-based chemical optimization and target-based screening require a detailed understanding of the binding event. Here, we use directed evolution and whole-genome sequencing of a drug-sensitive S. cerevisiae strain to identify the yeast ortholog of TcCyp51, lanosterol-14-alpha-demethylase (TcCyp51), as the target of MMV001239, a benzamide compound with activity against Trypanosoma cruzi, the etiological agent of Chagas disease. We show that parasites treated with MMV0001239 phenocopy parasites treated with another TcCyp51 inhibitor, posaconazole, accumulating both lanosterol and eburicol. Direct drug-protein binding of MMV0001239 was confirmed through spectrophotometric binding assays and X-ray crystallography, revealing a binding site shared with other antitrypanosomal compounds that target Cyp51. These studies provide a new probe chemotype for TcCyp51 inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sabine Ottilie
- Department
of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Gregory M. Goldgof
- Department
of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Department
of Synthetic Biology and Bioenergy, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Claudia Magalhaes Calvet
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Cellular Ultrastructure Laboratory, IOC, FIOCRUZ, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 21045-360
| | - Gareth K. Jennings
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Greg LaMonte
- Department
of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Jake Schenken
- Department
of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Edgar Vigil
- Department
of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Prianka Kumar
- Department
of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Laura-Isobel McCall
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Eduardo Soares Constantino Lopes
- Department
of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- Department
of Pharmacy, Federal University of Paraná, Curitiba, Paraná, Brazil 80210-170
| | - Felicia Gunawan
- Department
of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Jennifer Yang
- Department
of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Yo Suzuki
- Department
of Synthetic Biology and Bioenergy, J. Craig Venter Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Jair L. Siqueira-Neto
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Rommie E. Amaro
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093-0340, United States
| | - Larissa M. Podust
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Jacob D. Durrant
- Department
of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15260, United States
| | - Elizabeth A. Winzeler
- Department
of Pediatrics, University of California, San Diego, School of Medicine, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
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43
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann E. Eakin
- Departments of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Charles S. Craik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry University of California, San Francisco, California
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44
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Goupil LS, Ivry SL, Hsieh I, Suzuki BM, Craik CS, O’Donoghue AJ, McKerrow JH. Cysteine and Aspartyl Proteases Contribute to Protein Digestion in the Gut of Freshwater Planaria. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004893. [PMID: 27501047 PMCID: PMC4976874 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004893] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2016] [Accepted: 07/11/2016] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteases perform numerous vital functions in flatworms, many of which are likely to be conserved throughout the phylum Platyhelminthes. Within this phylum are several parasitic worms that are often poorly characterized due to their complex life-cycles and lack of responsiveness to genetic manipulation. The flatworm Schmidtea mediterranea, or planaria, is an ideal model organism to study the complex role of protein digestion due to its simple life cycle and amenability to techniques like RNA interference (RNAi). In this study, we were interested in deconvoluting the digestive protease system that exists in the planarian gut. To do this, we developed an alcohol-induced regurgitation technique to enrich for the gut enzymes in S. mediterranea. Using a panel of fluorescent substrates, we show that this treatment produces a sharp increase in proteolytic activity. These enzymes have broad yet diverse substrate specificity profiles. Proteomic analysis of the gut contents revealed the presence of cysteine and metallo-proteases. However, treatment with class-specific inhibitors showed that aspartyl and cysteine proteases are responsible for the majority of protein digestion. Specific RNAi knockdown of the cathepsin B-like cysteine protease (SmedCB) reduced protein degradation in vivo. Immunohistochemistry and whole-mount in situ hybridization (WISH) confirmed that the full-length and active forms of SmedCB are found in secretory cells surrounding the planaria intestinal lumen. Finally, we show that the knockdown of SmedCB reduces the speed of tissue regeneration. Defining the roles of proteases in planaria can provide insight to functions of conserved proteases in parasitic flatworms, potentially uncovering drug targets in parasites.
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise S. Goupil
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Sam L. Ivry
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Ivy Hsieh
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Brian M. Suzuki
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Charles S. Craik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Anthony J. O’Donoghue
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
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45
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Gaspar L, Moraes CB, Freitas-Junior LH, Ferrari S, Costantino L, Costi MP, Coron RP, Smith TK, Siqueira-Neto JL, McKerrow JH, Cordeiro-da-Silva A. Current and Future Chemotherapy for Chagas Disease. Curr Med Chem 2016; 22:4293-312. [PMID: 26477622 DOI: 10.2174/0929867322666151015120804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2015] [Revised: 09/15/2015] [Accepted: 10/15/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Human American trypanosomiasis, commonly called Chagas disease, is one of the most neglected illnesses in the world and remains one of the most prevalent chronic infectious diseases of Latin America with thousands of new cases every year. The only treatments available have been introduced five decades ago. They have serious, undesirable side effects and disputed benefits in the chronic stage of the disease - a characteristic and debilitating cardiomyopathy and/or megavisceras. Several laboratories have therefore focused their efforts in finding better drugs. Although recent years have brought new clinical trials, these are few and lack diversity in terms of drug mechanism of action, thus resulting in a weak drug discovery pipeline. This fragility has been recently exposed by the failure of two candidates; posaconazole and E1224, to sterilely cure patients in phase 2 clinical trials. Such setbacks highlight the need for continuous, novel and high quality drug discovery and development efforts to discover better and safer treatments. In this article we will review past and current findings on drug discovery for Trypanosoma cruzi made by academic research groups, industry and other research organizations over the last half century. We also analyze the current research landscape that is now better placed than ever to deliver alternative treatments for Chagas disease in the near future.
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46
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura-Isobel McCall
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - Jair L. Siqueira-Neto
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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47
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Affiliation(s)
- Louise S Goupil
- University of California, San Francisco .,University of California, San Diego
| | - James H McKerrow
- University of California, San Francisco .,University of California, San Diego
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48
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Parsonage D, Sheng F, Hirata K, Debnath A, McKerrow JH, Reed SL, Abagyan R, Poole LB, Podust LM. X-ray structures of thioredoxin and thioredoxin reductase from Entamoeba histolytica and prevailing hypothesis of the mechanism of Auranofin action. J Struct Biol 2016; 194:180-90. [PMID: 26876147 PMCID: PMC5003402 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsb.2016.02.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [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: 01/05/2016] [Revised: 02/09/2016] [Accepted: 02/11/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
The anti-arthritic gold-containing drug Auranofin is lethal to the protozoan intestinal parasite Entamoeba histolytica, the causative agent of human amebiasis, in both culture and animal models of the disease. A putative mechanism of Auranofin action proposes that monovalent gold, Au(I), released from the drug, can bind to the redox-active dithiol group of thioredoxin reductase (TrxR). Au(I) binding in the active site is expected to prevent electron transfer to the downstream substrate thioredoxin (Trx), thus interfering with redox homeostasis in the parasite. To clarify the molecular mechanism of Auranofin action in more detail, we determined a series of atomic resolution X-ray structures for E. histolytica thioredoxin (EhTrx) and thioredoxin reductase (EhTrxR), the latter with and without Auranofin. Only the disulfide-bonded form of the active site dithiol (Cys(140)-Cys(143)) was invariably observed in crystals of EhTrxR in spite of the addition of reductants in various crystallization trials, and no gold was found associated with these cysteines. Non-catalytic Cys(286) was identified as the only site of modification, but further mutagenesis studies using the C286Q mutant demonstrated that this site was not responsible for inhibition of EhTrxR by Auranofin. Interestingly, we obtained both of the catalytically-relevant conformations of this bacterial-like, low molecular weight TrxR in crystals without requiring an engineered disulfide linkage between Cys mutants of TrxR and Trx (as was originally done with Escherichia coli TrxR and Trx). We note that the -CXXC- catalytic motif, even if reduced, would likely not provide space sufficient to bind Au(I) by both cysteines of the dithiol group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek Parsonage
- Department of Biochemistry, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Fang Sheng
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ken Hirata
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Anjan Debnath
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - James H McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Sharon L Reed
- Department of Pathology, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA; Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Ruben Abagyan
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Leslie B Poole
- Department of Biochemistry, Wake Forest School of Medicine, Winston-Salem, NC, USA
| | - Larissa M Podust
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, Skaggs School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, USA.
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49
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Jones BD, Tochowicz A, Tang Y, Cameron MD, McCall LI, Hirata K, Siqueira-Neto JL, Reed SL, McKerrow JH, Roush WR. Synthesis and Evaluation of Oxyguanidine Analogues of the Cysteine Protease Inhibitor WRR-483 against Cruzain. ACS Med Chem Lett 2016; 7:77-82. [PMID: 26819670 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.5b00336] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [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: 08/14/2015] [Accepted: 12/07/2015] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
A series of oxyguanidine analogues of the cysteine protease inhibitor WRR-483 were synthesized and evaluated against cruzain, the major cysteine protease of the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. Kinetic analyses of these analogues indicated that they have comparable potency to previously prepared vinyl sulfone cruzain inhibitors. Co-crystal structures of the oxyguanidine analogues WRR-666 (4) and WRR-669 (7) bound to cruzain demonstrated different binding interactions with the cysteine protease, depending on the aryl moiety of the P1' inhibitor subunit. Specifically, these data demonstrate that WRR-669 is bound noncovalently in the crystal structure. This represents a rare example of noncovalent inhibition of a cysteine protease by a vinyl sulfone inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian D. Jones
- Department
of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, Florida 33458, United States
| | - Anna Tochowicz
- Department
of Pathology and Sandler Center for Drug Discovery, University of California-San Francisco, 1700 Fourth Street, San
Francisco, California 94158-2250, United States
| | - Yinyan Tang
- Small
Molecule Discovery Center, University of California-San Francisco, 1700 Fourth Street, San Francisco, California 94158-2250, United States
| | - Michael D. Cameron
- Department
of Molecular Therapeutics, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps
Way, Jupiter, Florida 33458, United States
| | - Laura-Isobel McCall
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California-San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Ken Hirata
- Department
of Pathology, University of California-San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Jair L. Siqueira-Neto
- Skaggs
School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of California-San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Sharon L. Reed
- Departments
of Pathology and Medicine, University of California-San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Department
of Pathology and Sandler Center for Drug Discovery, University of California-San Francisco, 1700 Fourth Street, San
Francisco, California 94158-2250, United States
| | - William R. Roush
- Department
of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, Florida 33458, United States
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50
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Long T, Neitz RJ, Beasley R, Kalyanaraman C, Suzuki BM, Jacobson MP, Dissous C, McKerrow JH, Drewry DH, Zuercher WJ, Singh R, Caffrey CR. Structure-Bioactivity Relationship for Benzimidazole Thiophene Inhibitors of Polo-Like Kinase 1 (PLK1), a Potential Drug Target in Schistosoma mansoni. PLoS Negl Trop Dis 2016; 10:e0004356. [PMID: 26751972 PMCID: PMC4709140 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pntd.0004356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2015] [Accepted: 12/13/2015] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Schistosoma flatworm parasites cause schistosomiasis, a chronic and debilitating disease of poverty in developing countries. Praziquantel is employed for treatment and disease control. However, its efficacy spectrum is incomplete (less active or inactive against immature stages of the parasite) and there is a concern of drug resistance. Thus, there is a need to identify new drugs and drug targets. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS We show that RNA interference (RNAi) of the Schistosoma mansoni ortholog of human polo-like kinase (huPLK)1 elicits a deleterious phenotypic alteration in post-infective larvae (schistosomula or somules). Phenotypic screening and analysis of schistosomula and adult S. mansoni with small molecule inhibitors of huPLK1 identified a number of potent anti-schistosomals. Among these was a GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) benzimidazole thiophene inhibitor that has completed Phase I clinical trials for treatment of solid tumor malignancies. We then obtained GSKs Published Kinase Inhibitor Sets (PKIS) 1 and 2, and phenotypically screened an expanded series of 38 benzimidazole thiophene PLK1 inhibitors. Computational analysis of controls and PLK1 inhibitor-treated populations of somules demonstrated a distinctive phenotype distribution. Using principal component analysis (PCA), the phenotypes exhibited by these populations were mapped, visualized and analyzed through projection to a low-dimensional space. The phenotype distribution was found to have a distinct shape and topology, which could be elicited using cluster analysis. A structure-activity relationship (SAR) was identified for the benzimidazole thiophenes that held for both somules and adult parasites. The most potent inhibitors produced marked phenotypic alterations at 1-2 μM within 1 h. Among these were compounds previously characterized as potent inhibitors of huPLK1 in cell assays. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE The reverse genetic and chemical SAR data support a continued investigation of SmPLK1 as a possible drug target and/or the prosecution of the benzimidazole thiophene chemotype as a source of novel anti-schistosomals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thavy Long
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - R. Jeffrey Neitz
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Small Molecule Discovery Center, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Rachel Beasley
- Department of Computer Science, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Chakrapani Kalyanaraman
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Brian M. Suzuki
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Matthew P. Jacobson
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Colette Dissous
- Center of Infection and Immunity of Lille, Université Lille Nord de France, Inserm U1019, CNRS-UMR 8204, Institut Pasteur de Lille, Lille, France
| | - James H. McKerrow
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - David H. Drewry
- Department of Chemical Biology, GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - William J. Zuercher
- Department of Chemical Biology, GlaxoSmithKline, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, United States of America
| | - Rahul Singh
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Computer Science, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, California, United States of America
| | - Conor R. Caffrey
- Center for Discovery and Innovation in Parasitic Diseases, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
- Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California, United States of America
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