Pharmacological inhibition of TBK1/IKKε blunts immunopathology in a murine model of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

TANK-binding kinase 1 (TBK1) is a key signalling component in the production of type-I interferons, which have essential antiviral activities, including against SARS-CoV-2. TBK1, and its homologue IκB kinase-ε (IKKε), can also induce pro-inflammatory responses that contribute to pathogen clearance. While initially protective, sustained engagement of type-I interferons is associated with damaging hyper-inflammation found in severe COVID-19 patients. The contribution of TBK1/IKKε signalling to these responses is unknown. Here we find that the small molecule idronoxil inhibits TBK1/IKKε signalling through destabilisation of TBK1/IKKε protein complexes. Treatment with idronoxil, or the small molecule inhibitor MRT67307, suppresses TBK1/IKKε signalling and attenuates cellular and molecular lung inflammation in SARS-CoV-2-challenged mice. Our findings additionally demonstrate that engagement of STING is not the major driver of these inflammatory responses and establish a critical role for TBK1/IKKε signalling in SARS-CoV-2 hyper-inflammation.

Rational Design, Synthesis, and Anti-Proliferative Evaluation of Novel 4-Aryl-3,4-Dihydro-2H-1,4-Benzoxazines.

A synthetic pathway to a novel 4-aryl-3,4-dihydro-2H-1,4-benzoxazine scaffold was developed and a series of compounds based on the scaffold were synthesised as potential anticancer agents. The 4-aryl-substituted compounds were prepared via Buchwald-Hartwig cross-coupling between substituted bromobenzenes and various 1,4-benzoxazines, which in turn were generated from a cascade hydrogenation and reductive amination one-pot reaction. These analogues exhibited moderate to good potency against various cancer cell lines. Structure-activity relationship analysis indicated that the inclusion of hydroxyl groups on ring A and ring B was beneficial to biological activity, while having a para-amino group on ring C significantly enhanced potency. Molecule 14f displayed the most potent anticancer activity (IC50 = 7.84-16.2 µM against PC-3, NHDF, MDA-MB-231, MIA PaCa-2, and U-87 MG cancer cell lines), indicating its potential as a lead compound for further structural optimisation. All the synthesised compounds were fully characterised with NMR, HMRS, and IR. The novel benzoxazine scaffold described in this study holds promise and deserves further in-depth studies.

Inhibitors of bacterial RNA polymerase transcription complex.

A series of hybrid compounds that incorporated anthranilic acid with activated 1H-indoles through a glyoxylamide linker were designed to target bacterial RNA polymerase holoenzyme formation using computational docking. Synthesis, in vitro transcription inhibition assays, and biological testing of the hybrids identified a range of potent anti-transcription inhibitors with activity against a range of pathogenic bacteria with MICs as low as 3.1 µM. A structure activity relationship study identified the key structural components necessary for inhibition of both bacterial growth and transcription. Correlation of in vitro transcription inhibition activity with in vivo mechanism of action was established using fluorescence microscopy and resistance passaging using Gram-positive bacteria showed no resistance development over 30 days. Furthermore, no toxicity was observed from the compounds in a wax moth larvae model, establishing a platform for the development of a series of new antibacterial drugs with an established mode of action.

Natural Product Rottlerin Derivatives Targeting Quorum Sensing.

Rottlerin is a natural product consisting of chalcone and flavonoid scaffolds, both of which have previously shown quorum sensing (QS) inhibition in various bacteria. Therefore, the unique rottlerin scaffold highlights great potential in inhibiting the QS system of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Rottlerin analogues were synthesised by modifications at its chalcone- and methylene-bridged acetophenone moieties. The synthesis of analogues was achieved using an established five-step synthetic strategy for chalcone derivatives and utilising the Mannich reaction at C6 of the chromene to construct morpholine analogues. Several pyranochromene chalcone derivatives were also generated using aldol conditions. All the synthetic rottlerin derivatives were screened for QS inhibition and growth inhibition against the related LasR QS system. The pyranochromene chalcone structures displayed high QS inhibitory activity with the most potent compounds, 8b and 8d, achieving QS inhibition of 49.4% and 40.6% and no effect on bacterial growth inhibition at 31 µM, respectively. Both compounds also displayed moderate biofilm inhibitory activity and reduced the production of pyocyanin.

Design and Synthesis of Lactams Derived from Mucochloric and Mucobromic Acids as Pseudomonas aeruginosa Quorum Sensing Inhibitors.

Bacterial infections, particularly hospital-acquired infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa, have become a global threat with a high mortality rate. Gram-negative bacteria including P. aeruginosa employ N-acyl homoserine lactones (AHLs) as chemical signals to regulate the expression of pathogenic phenotypes through a mechanism called quorum sensing (QS). Recently, strategies targeting bacterial behaviour or QS have received great attention due to their ability to disarm rather than kill pathogenic bacteria, which lowers the evolutionary burden on bacteria and the risk of resistance development. In the present study, we report the design and synthesis of N-alkyl- and N-aryl 3,4 dichloro- and 3,4-dibromopyrrole-2-one derivatives through the reductive amination of mucochloric and mucobromic acid with aliphatic and aromatic amines. The quorum sensing inhibition (QSI) activity of the synthesized compounds was determined against a P. aeruginosa MH602 reporter strain. The phenolic compounds exhibited the best activity with 80% and 75% QSI at 250 µM and were comparable in activity to the positive control compound Fu-30. Computational docking studies performed using the LasR receptor protein of P. aeruginosa suggested the importance of hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions for QSI.

Small molecule inhibitors of bacterial transcription complex formation.

Knoevenagel condensation was employed to generate a set of molecules potentially capable of inhibiting the RNA polymerase-σ70/σA interaction in bacteria. Synthesis was achieved via reactions between a variety of indole-7-carbaldehydes and rhodanine, N-allylrhodanine, barbituric acid or thiobarbituric acid. A library of structurally diverse compounds was examined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) to assess the inhibition of the targeted protein-protein interaction. Inhibition of bacterial growth was also evaluated using Bacillus subtilis and Escherichia coli cultures. The structure-activity relationship studies demonstrated the significance of particular structural features of the synthesized molecules for RNA polymerase-σ70/σA interaction inhibition and antibacterial activity. Docking was investigated as an in silico method for the further development of the compounds.

A study to model the post-mortem stability of 4-MMC, MDMA and BZP in putrefying remains.

There is currently limited data available on the stabilities of the three stimulants 4-methylmethcathinone (4-MMC), 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA) and N-benzylpiperazine (BZP) in a putrefying matrix. A Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) method to determine the concentration of the three drugs in putrefying porcine liver over a three month period was developed and validated. Both 4-MMC and BZP were found to be unstable, becoming undetectable and having an average recovery of 52% respectively after one month at ambient room temperature (20°C). MDMA was found to be moderately stable, with an average recovery of 74% after three months at room temperature. This study indicated that the putrefaction process could have a significant impact on concentrations of 4-MMC and BZP in post-mortem cases involving putrefied remains.