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Introduction: The identification of chemical compounds that interfere with SARS-CoV-2 replication continues to be a priority in several academic and pharmaceutical laboratories. Computational tools and approaches have the power to integrate, process and analyze multiple data in a short time. However, these initiatives may yield unrealistic results if the applied models are not inferred from reliable data and the resulting predictions are not confirmed by experimental evidence. Methods: We undertook a drug discovery campaign against the essential major protease (MPro) from SARS-CoV-2, which relied on an in silico search strategy -performed in a large and diverse chemolibrary- complemented by experimental validation. The computational method comprises a recently reported ligand-based approach developed upon refinement/learning cycles, and structure-based approximations. Search models were applied to both retrospective (in silico) and prospective (experimentally confirmed) screening. Results: The first generation of ligand-based models were fed by data, which to a great extent, had not been published in peer-reviewed articles. The first screening campaign performed with 188 compounds (46 in silico hits and 100 analogues, and 40 unrelated compounds: flavonols and pyrazoles) yielded three hits against MPro (IC50 ≤ 25 µM): two analogues of in silico hits (one glycoside and one benzo-thiazol) and one flavonol. A second generation of ligand-based models was developed based on this negative information and newly published peer-reviewed data for MPro inhibitors. This led to 43 new hit candidates belonging to different chemical families. From 45 compounds (28 in silico hits and 17 related analogues) tested in the second screening campaign, eight inhibited MPro with IC50 = 0.12-20 µM and five of them also impaired the proliferation of SARS-CoV-2 in Vero cells (EC50 7-45 µM). Discussion: Our study provides an example of a virtuous loop between computational and experimental approaches applied to target-focused drug discovery against a major and global pathogen, reaffirming the well-known "garbage in, garbage out" machine learning principle.
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Six new ether phospholipid analogues encompassing constituents from cashew nut shell liquid as the lipid portion were synthesized in an effort to valorize byproducts of the cashew industry toward the generation of potent compounds against Chagas disease. Anacardic acids, cardanols, and cardols were used as the lipid portions and choline as the polar headgroup. The compounds were evaluated for their in vitro antiparasitic activity against different developmental stages of Trypanosoma cruzi. Compounds 16 and 17 were found to be the most potent against T. cruzi epimastigotes, trypomastigotes, and intracellular amastigotes exhibiting selectivity indices against the latter 32-fold and 7-fold higher than current drug benznidazole, respectively. Hence, four out of six analogues can be considered as hit-compounds toward the sustainable development of new treatments for Chagas disease, based on inexpensive agro-waste material.
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Anacardium , Doença de Chagas , Tripanossomicidas , Desenvolvimento Sustentável , Nozes , Doença de Chagas/tratamento farmacológico , Doença de Chagas/parasitologia , LipídeosRESUMO
Phospholipids are the main component of membranes and are responsible for cell integrity. Alkylphospholipid analogues (APs) were first designed as antitumoral agents and were later tested against different cell types. Trypanosoma cruzi, the Chagas disease etiological agent, is sensitive to APs (edelfosine, miltefosine and ilmofosine) in vitro. We investigated the effect of synthetic ring substituted AP against epimastigotes, amastigotes and trypomastigotes. TCAN26, could inhibit the in vitro growth of epimastigotes and amastigotes with the 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC50) in the nanomolar range. Trypomastigotes lysis was also induced with 24-h treatment and a LC50 of 2.3⯵M. Ultrastructural analysis by electron microscopy demonstrated that TCAN26 mainly affected the parasite's membranes leading to mitochondrial and Golgi cisternae swelling, membrane blebs, and autophagic figures in the different parasite developmental stages. While the Golgi of the parasites was significantly affected, the Golgi complex of the host cells remained normal suggesting a specific mechanism of action. In summary, our results suggest that TCAN 26 is a potent and selective inhibitor of T. cruzi growth probably due to disturbances of phospholipid biosynthesis.
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Adamantano/farmacologia , Fosforilcolina/análogos & derivados , Fosforilcolina/farmacologia , Tripanossomicidas/farmacologia , Trypanosoma cruzi/efeitos dos fármacos , Adamantano/química , Animais , Antiprotozoários/química , Antiprotozoários/farmacologia , Autofagia/efeitos dos fármacos , Membrana Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Doença de Chagas/tratamento farmacológico , Doença de Chagas/parasitologia , Relação Dose-Resposta a Droga , Citometria de Fluxo , Complexo de Golgi/efeitos dos fármacos , Concentração Inibidora 50 , Dose Letal Mediana , Macrófagos Peritoneais/efeitos dos fármacos , Camundongos , Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura , Microscopia Eletrônica de Transmissão , Microscopia de Fluorescência , Microscopia Imunoeletrônica , Mitocôndrias/efeitos dos fármacos , Fosforilcolina/química , Tripanossomicidas/química , Trypanosoma cruzi/crescimento & desenvolvimento , Trypanosoma cruzi/ultraestruturaRESUMO
According to the World Health Organization, more than 1 billion people are at risk of or are affected by neglected tropical diseases. Examples of such diseases include trypanosomiasis, which causes sleeping sickness; leishmaniasis; and Chagas disease, all of which are prevalent in Africa, South America, and India. Our aim within the New Medicines for Trypanosomatidic Infections project was to use (1) synthetic and natural product libraries, (2) screening, and (3) a preclinical absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion-toxicity (ADME-Tox) profiling platform to identify compounds that can enter the trypanosomatidic drug discovery value chain. The synthetic compound libraries originated from multiple scaffolds with known antiparasitic activity and natural products from the Hypha Discovery MycoDiverse natural products library. Our focus was first to employ target-based screening to identify inhibitors of the protozoan Trypanosoma brucei pteridine reductase 1 ( TbPTR1) and second to use a Trypanosoma brucei phenotypic assay that made use of the T. brucei brucei parasite to identify compounds that inhibited cell growth and caused death. Some of the compounds underwent structure-activity relationship expansion and, when appropriate, were evaluated in a preclinical ADME-Tox assay panel. This preclinical platform has led to the identification of lead-like compounds as well as validated hits in the trypanosomatidic drug discovery value chain.
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Descoberta de Drogas/métodos , Tripanossomicidas/análise , Tripanossomicidas/farmacologia , Tripanossomíase/tratamento farmacológico , Produtos Biológicos/química , Humanos , Relação Estrutura-Atividade , Tripanossomicidas/uso terapêuticoRESUMO
Sporotrichosis is the most frequent subcutaneous mycosis in the world and its increasing incidence has led to the search for new therapeutic options for its treatment. In this study, we demonstrated that three structural analogues of miltefosine (TCAN26, TC19, and TC70) showed inhibitory activity against Sporothrix schenckii sensu stricto and that TCAN26 was more active in vitro than miltefosine against several isolates. Scanning electron microscopy showed that S. schenckii exposure to TCAN26 resulted in cells that were slightly more elongated than untreated cells. Transmission electron microscopy showed that TCAN26 treatment induced loss of the regular cytoplasmic electron-density and altered the cell envelope (disruption of the cell membrane and cell wall, and increased cell wall thickness). Additionally, TCAN26 concentrations required to kill S. schenckii cells were lower than concentrations that were cytotoxic in mammalian cells, and TCAN26 was more selective than miltefosine. Thus, the adamantylidene-substituted alkylphosphocholine TCAN26 is a promising molecule for the development of novel antifungal compounds, although further investigations are required to elucidate the mode of action of TCAN26 in S. schenckii cells.
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Adamantano/farmacocinética , Antifúngicos/farmacologia , Fosforilcolina/análogos & derivados , Sporothrix/efeitos dos fármacos , Adamantano/química , Antifúngicos/química , Membrana Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Substituição de Medicamentos , Humanos , Testes de Sensibilidade Microbiana , Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura , Microscopia Eletrônica de Transmissão , Fosforilcolina/química , Fosforilcolina/farmacologia , Sporothrix/classificação , Sporothrix/ultraestruturaRESUMO
Sporotrichosis is the most frequent subcutaneous mycosis in the world and its increasing incidence has led to the search for new therapeutic options for its treatment. In this study, we demonstrated that three structural analogues of miltefosine (TCAN26, TC19, and TC70) showed inhibitory activity against Sporothrix schenckii sensu stricto and that TCAN26 was more active in vitro than miltefosine against several isolates. Scanning electron microscopy showed that S. schenckii exposure to TCAN26 resulted in cells that were slightly more elongated than untreated cells. Transmission electron microscopy showed that TCAN26 treatment induced loss of the regular cytoplasmic electron-density and altered the cell envelope (disruption of the cell membrane and cell wall, and increased cell wall thickness). Additionally, TCAN26 concentrations required to kill S. schenckii cells were lower than concentrations that were cytotoxic in mammalian cells, and TCAN26 was more selective than miltefosine. Thus, the adamantylidene-substituted alkylphosphocholine TCAN26 is a promising molecule for the development of novel antifungal compounds, although further investigations are required to elucidate the mode of action of TCAN26 in S. schenckii cells.
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Humanos , Adamantano/farmacocinética , Antifúngicos/farmacologia , Fosforilcolina/análogos & derivados , Sporothrix/efeitos dos fármacos , Adamantano/química , Antifúngicos/química , Membrana Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Substituição de Medicamentos , Testes de Sensibilidade Microbiana , Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura , Microscopia Eletrônica de Transmissão , Fosforilcolina/química , Fosforilcolina/farmacologia , Sporothrix/classificação , Sporothrix/ultraestruturaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The search for novel chemical entities targeting essential and parasite-specific pathways is considered a priority for neglected diseases such as trypanosomiasis and leishmaniasis. The thiol-dependent redox metabolism of trypanosomatids relies on bis-glutathionylspermidine [trypanothione, T(SH)2], a low molecular mass cosubstrate absent in the host. In pathogenic trypanosomatids, a single enzyme, trypanothione synthetase (TryS), catalyzes trypanothione biosynthesis, which is indispensable for parasite survival. Thus, TryS qualifies as an attractive drug target candidate. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDING: A library composed of 144 compounds from 7 different families and several singletons was screened against TryS from three major pathogen species (Trypanosoma brucei, Trypanosoma cruzi and Leishmania infantum). The screening conditions were adjusted to the TryS´ kinetic parameters and intracellular concentration of substrates corresponding to each trypanosomatid species, and/or to avoid assay interference. The screening assay yielded suitable Z' and signal to noise values (≥0.85 and ~3.5, respectively), and high intra-assay reproducibility. Several novel chemical scaffolds were identified as low µM and selective tri-tryp TryS inhibitors. Compounds displaying multi-TryS inhibition (N,N'-bis(3,4-substituted-benzyl) diamine derivatives) and an N5-substituted paullone (MOL2008) halted the proliferation of infective Trypanosoma brucei (EC50 in the nM range) and Leishmania infantum promastigotes (EC50 = 12 µM), respectively. A bis-benzyl diamine derivative and MOL2008 depleted intracellular trypanothione in treated parasites, which confirmed the on-target activity of these compounds. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Novel molecular scaffolds with on-target mode of action were identified as hit candidates for TryS inhibition. Due to the remarkable species-specificity exhibited by tri-tryp TryS towards the compounds, future optimization and screening campaigns should aim at designing and detecting, respectively, more potent and broad-range TryS inhibitors.
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Amida Sintases/antagonistas & inibidores , Antiprotozoários/isolamento & purificação , Inibidores Enzimáticos/isolamento & purificação , Leishmania infantum/efeitos dos fármacos , Trypanosoma brucei brucei/efeitos dos fármacos , Trypanosoma cruzi/efeitos dos fármacos , Antiprotozoários/metabolismo , Avaliação Pré-Clínica de Medicamentos , Inibidores Enzimáticos/metabolismo , Leishmania infantum/enzimologia , Trypanosoma brucei brucei/enzimologia , Trypanosoma cruzi/enzimologiaRESUMO
Parasitic protozoa of the Leishmania genus cause leishmaniasis, an important complex of tropical diseases that affect about 12 million people around the world. The drugs used to treat leishmaniasis are pentavalent antimonials, miltefosine, amphotericin B and pentamidine. In the present study, we evaluated the effect of a novel alkyl phosphocholine-dinitroaniline hybrid molecule, TC95, against Leishmania amazonensis promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes. Antiproliferative assays indicated that TC95 is a potent inhibitor of promastigotes and intracellular amastigotes with IC50 values of 2.6 and 1.2 µM, respectively. Fluorescence microscopy with anti-α-tubulin antibody revealed changes in the cytoskeleton, whilst scanning electron microscopy showed alterations in the shape, plasma membrane, length of the flagellum, and cell cycle. Flow cytometry confirmed the cell cycle arrest mainly in G1 phase, however a significant population appeared in sub G0/G1 and super-G2. The alterations in the plasma membrane integrity were confirmed by fluorometric analysis using Sytox Blue. Transmission electron microscopy also revealed an accumulation of lipid bodies, confirmed by fluorescence microscopy and fluorometric analysis using Nile Red. Important lesions were also observed in organelles such as mitochondrion, endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi complex. In summary, our study suggests that TC95, an alkyl phosphocholine-trifluralin hybrid molecule, is a promising novel compound against L. amazonensis.
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Compostos de Anilina/farmacologia , Antiprotozoários/farmacologia , Leishmania mexicana/efeitos dos fármacos , Fosforilcolina/análogos & derivados , Fosforilcolina/farmacologia , Trifluralina/análogos & derivados , Trifluralina/farmacologia , Compostos de Anilina/química , Compostos de Anilina/toxicidade , Animais , Antiprotozoários/química , Antiprotozoários/toxicidade , Pontos de Checagem do Ciclo Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Membrana Celular/efeitos dos fármacos , Citoesqueleto/efeitos dos fármacos , Citometria de Fluxo , Histocitoquímica , Humanos , Corpos de Inclusão/efeitos dos fármacos , Concentração Inibidora 50 , Leishmania mexicana/citologia , Leishmania mexicana/ultraestrutura , Leishmaniose Tegumentar Difusa/parasitologia , Macrófagos Peritoneais/efeitos dos fármacos , Camundongos , Microscopia Eletrônica de Varredura , Microscopia Eletrônica de Transmissão , Microscopia de Fluorescência , Microscopia de Interferência , Fosforilcolina/química , Fosforilcolina/toxicidade , Trifluralina/química , Trifluralina/toxicidadeRESUMO
OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to evaluate miltefosine and four synthetic compounds (TCAN26, TC19, TC106 and TC117) for their in vitro inhibitory activity against Candida albicans planktonic and biofilm cells and investigate whether these compounds are able to inhibit the biofilm formation and to reduce the viability of mature C. albicans biofilm cells. METHODS: The XTT reduction assay and transmission and scanning electron microscopy were employed to determine the inhibitory effects of the test compounds in comparison with amphotericin B and fluconazole against both planktonic cells and sessile cells in biofilms. RESULTS: C. albicans planktonic cells were susceptible to miltefosine, TCAN26 and TC19, all alkylphospholipid compounds. Miltefosine and TCAN26 present a fungicidal activity with similar values of MIC and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC), ranging from 2 to 8 mg/L. Cell treatment with sub-inhibitory concentrations of alkylphospholipids induced several ultrastructural alterations. In relation to biofilms, miltefosine reduced formation (38%-71%) and mature biofilms viability (32%-44%), at concentrations of 64 mg/L. TCAN26 also reduced biofilm formation (24%-30%) and mature biofilm viability (15%-20%), at concentrations of 64 mg/L. Although amphotericin B reduced biofilm formation similarly to miltefosine (51%-74%), its activity was lower on mature biofilms (24%-30%). Miltefosine antibiofilm activity was significantly higher than amphotericin B, on both formation and mature biofilms (P<0.05 and P<0.0001, respectively). Fluconazole was the least effective compound tested. CONCLUSION: Promising antibiofilm activity was displayed by miltefosine and other alkylphosphocholine compounds, which could be considered a putative option for future treatment of candidaemia associated with biofilm formation, although further evaluation in in vivo systems is required.