Pharmacomodulation of a ligand targeting the HBV capsid hydrophobic pocket.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is a small enveloped retrotranscribing DNA virus and an important human pathogen. Its capsid-forming core protein (Cp) features a hydrophobic pocket proposed to be central notably in capsid envelopment. Indeed, mutations in and around this pocket can profoundly modulate, and even abolish, secretion of enveloped virions. We have recently shown that Triton X-100, a detergent used during Cp purification, binds to the hydrophobic pocket with micromolar affinity. We here performed pharmacomodulation of pocket binders through systematic modifications of the three distinct chemical moieties composing the Triton X-100 molecule. Using NMR and ITC, we found that the flat aromatic moiety is essential for binding, while the number of atoms of the aliphatic chain modulates binding affinity. The hydrophilic tail, in contrast, is highly tolerant to changes in both length and type. Our data provide essential information for designing a new class of HBV antivirals targeting capsid-envelope interactions.

Spectral data for the synthesis of (E)-alkenylboronic acid pinacol esters via hydroboration of alkynes.

This data article is related to a research paper entitled "Solvent- and metal-free hydroboration of alkynes under microwave irradiation" (Gioia et al. TETL-D-19-01698) [1]. Herein we present the spectral data acquired from the synthesis of (E)-alkenyl boronic acid pinacol esters. The data include the general information and the synthetic procedure affording the target derivatives, which were fully characterized by Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (1H and 13C NMR) and, for the most part, by Electrospray Ionization High Resolution Mass (ESI-MS). Proton and carbon NMR spectra and ESI-MS spectra were provided which will be useful for further organic chemists if they are interested in the synthesis of these building blocks.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of zinc chelating compounds as metallo-ß-lactamase inhibitors.

The syntheses of metallo-ß-lactamase inhibitors comprising chelating moieties, with varying zinc affinities, and peptides partly inspired from bacterial peptide sequences, have been undertaken. The zinc chelator strength was varied using the following chelators, arranged in order of ascending binding affinity: dipicolylamine (DPA, tridentate), dipicolyl-1,2,3-triazolylmethylamine (DPTA, tetradentate) dipicolyl ethylenediamine (DPED, tetradentate) and trispicolyl ethylenediamine (TPED, pentadentate). The chosen peptides were mainly based on the known sequence of the C-terminus of the bacterial peptidoglycan precursors. Biological evaluation on clinical bacterial isolates, harbouring either the NDM-1 or VIM-2 metallo-ß-lactamase, showed a clear relationship between the zinc chelator strength and restoration of meropenem activity. However, evaluation of toxicity on different cancer cell lines demonstrated a similar trend, and thus inclusion of the bacterial peptides did possess rather high toxicity towards eukaryotic cells.

Synthesis and Preclinical Evaluation of TPA-Based Zinc Chelators as Metallo-ß-lactamase Inhibitors.

The rise of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) worldwide and the increasing spread of multi-drug-resistant organisms expressing metallo-ß-lactamases (MBL) require the development of efficient and clinically available MBL inhibitors. At present, no such inhibitor is available, and research is urgently needed to advance this field. We report herein the development, synthesis, and biological evaluation of chemical compounds based on the selective zinc chelator tris-picolylamine (TPA) that can restore the bactericidal activity of Meropenem (MEM) against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae expressing carbapenemases Verona integron-encoded metallo-ß-lactamase (VIM-2) and New Delhi metallo-ß-lactamase 1 (NDM-1), respectively. These adjuvants were prepared via standard chemical methods and evaluated in biological assays for potentiation of MEM against bacteria and toxicity (IC50) against HepG2 human liver carcinoma cells. One of the best compounds, 15, lowered the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of MEM by a factor of 32-256 at 50 µM within all tested MBL-expressing clinical isolates and showed no activity toward serine carbapenemase expressing isolates. Biochemical assays with purified VIM-2 and NDM-1 and 15 resulted in inhibition kinetics with kinact/ KI of 12.5 min-1 mM-1 and 0.500 min-1 mM-1, respectively. The resistance frequency of 15 at 50 µM was in the range of 10-7 to 10-9. 15 showed good tolerance in HepG2 cells with an IC50 well above 100 µM, and an in vivo study in mice showed no acute toxic effects even at a dose of 128 mg/kg.

N,N'-disubstituted cinnamamide derivatives potentiate ciprofloxacin activity against overexpressing NorA efflux pump Staphylococcus aureus 1199B strains.

A multi-step procedure has been described which afforded satisfactory yields of N,N'-disubstituted cinnamamides derived from N-Boc-protected amino acids (Boc-Gly, Boc-Val, Boc-Phe). The key step of this synthesis was a regioselective RedAl reduction of an amide function in presence of a carbamate group. Next, these cinnamamides were evaluated in co-admnistration with ciprofloxacin as efflux pump inhibitors against two S. aureus strains, NorA overexpressing SA1199B and wild type SA1199. In parallel, their intrinsic toxicity was appreciated on human lung fibroblast MRC5 cells. Therefore, the cinnamamide combining both carbamate and indol-3-yl groups, was found to be the most active and one of the less toxic EPI and constituted a promising hit.

Enhancement of iodinin solubility by encapsulation into cyclodextrin nanoparticles.

Phenazine is known to regroup planar nitrogen-containing heterocyclic compounds. It was used here to enhance the bioavailability of the biologically important compound iodinin, which is near insoluble in aqueous solutions. Its water solubility has led to the development of new formulations using diverse amphiphilic α-cyclodextrins (CDs). With the per-[6-desoxy-6-(3-perfluorohexylpropanethio)-2,3-di-O-methyl]-α-CD, we succeeded to get iodinin-loaded nanoformulations with good parameters such as a size of 97.9 nm, 62% encapsulation efficiency and efficient control release. The study presents an interesting alternative to optimizing the water solubility of iodinin by chemical modifications of iodinin.

Deoxycholic acid derivatives as inhibitors of P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug efflux.

Deoxycholic acid derivatives were designed as P-glycoprotein (Pgp, ABCB1) inhibitors. Thus the synthesis and the biological activity of methyl deoxycholate derivatives 5-10 and their ether analogs 15-20 have been reported. The potency of these compounds to modulate Pgp-mediated MDR was evaluated through daunorubicin accumulation and potentiation of doxorubicin cytotoxicity in K562/R7 multidrug resistant cells overexpressing Pgp. In parallel, their intrinsic toxicity was appreciated on K562 sensitive cells. Methyl 12α-[(2R or 2S) tetrahydro-2H-pyran-2-yloxy]-3-oxo-5ß-cholan-24-oate 9b has shown a good efficiency as a Pgp inhibitor and a low intrinsic toxicity. Therefore, this derivative constitutes a new lead compound which can be used as a starting point to improve the design of non-toxic Pgp modulators.

Progesterone-adenine hybrids as bivalent inhibitors of P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug efflux: design, synthesis, characterization and biological evaluation.

Bivalent ligands were designed on the basis of the described close proximity of the ATP-site and the putative steroid-binding site of P-glycoprotein (ABCB1). The syntheses of 19 progesterone-adenine hybrids are described. Their abilities to inhibit P-glycoprotein-mediated daunorubicin efflux in K562/R7 human leukemic cells overexpressing P-glycoprotein were evaluated versus progesterone. The hybrid with a hexamethylene linker chain showed the best inhibitory potency. The efficiency of these progesterone-adenine hybrids depends on two main factors: (i) the nature of the linker and (ii) its attachment point on the steroid skeleton.

Design, synthesis and evaluation of progesterone-adenine hybrids as bivalent inhibitors of P-glycoprotein-mediated multidrug efflux.

Steroidal bivalent ligands were designed on the basis of the described closer proximity of the ATP-site and the putative steroid-binding site of P-glycoprotein (ABCB1). The syntheses of seven progesterone-adenine hybrids were described. Their abilities to inhibit P-glycoprotein-mediated daunorubicin efflux in K562/R7 human leukemic cells overexpressing P-glycoprotein were evaluated versus progesterone.

Synthesis and modulation properties of imidazo[4,5-b]pyridin-7-one and indazole-4,7-dione derivatives towards the Cryptosporidium parvum CpABC3 transporter.

The syntheses of new N-polysubstituted imidazo[4,5-b]pyridine-7-one (IP, 5 and 8a-8f) and indazole-4,7-dione (ID, 9 and 10) derivatives are described. The binding affinity of IP and ID towards the recombinant Nucleotide Binding Domain NBD1 of Cryptosporidium parvum CpABC3 was evaluated by intrinsic fluorescence quenching. IP induced a moderate quenching of the intrinsic fluorescence of H6-NBD1 whereas IDs 9 and 10 showed a binding affinity comparable to the ATP analogue TNP-ATP. In addition, 8d, 8e and 10 were shown to be competitive inhibitors of the ATPase activity, but with low affinity. These compounds could thus act like some flavonoid derivatives, which can partly overlap both the nucleotide-binding site and the adjacent hydrophobic steroid-binding region of mammalian P-glycoproteins.

Synthesis of [6,n] cis-fused ring compounds via Cr-mediated dearomatisation-ring-closing metathesis.

cis-Fused [6,8], [6,7], [6,6] and [6,5] ring systems containing a cyclohexadiene ring unit, a cycloenone ring and a quaternary carbon at the ring junction were obtained in only two steps from [Cr(CO)3(eta6-p-methoxyphenyl oxazoline)]. The sequence proceeds via diastereoselective addition of three C-substituents across an arene double bond, followed by allylation and ring closing metathesis (RCM). RAMP-hydrazone and (R)-isopropyloxazoline were used as chiral auxiliaries to provide, after removal of the auxiliaries, the enantiomerically highly enriched [6,7] cis-fused system.