Targeting the Protein Tunnels of the Urease Accessory Complex: A Theoretical Investigation.

Urease is a nickel-containing enzyme that is essential for the survival of several and often deadly pathogenic bacterial strains, including Helicobacter pylori. Notwithstanding several attempts, the development of direct urease inhibitors without side effects for the human host remains, to date, elusive. The recently solved X-ray structure of the HpUreDFG accessory complex involved in the activation of urease opens new perspectives for structure-based drug discovery. In particular, the quaternary assembly and the presence of internal tunnels for nickel translocation offer an intriguing possibility to target the HpUreDFG complex in the search of indirect urease inhibitors. In this work, we adopted a theoretical framework to investigate such a hypothesis. Specifically, we searched for putative binding sites located at the protein-protein interfaces on the HpUreDFG complex, and we challenged their druggability through structure-based virtual screening. We show that, by virtue of the presence of tunnels, some protein-protein interfaces on the HpUreDFG complex are intrinsically well suited for hosting small molecules, and, as such, they possess good potential for future drug design endeavors.

Structure-Based Virtual Screening Allows the Identification of Efficient Modulators of E-Cadherin-Mediated Cell-Cell Adhesion.

Cadherins are a large family of transmembrane calcium-dependent cell adhesion proteins that orchestrate adherens junction formation and are crucially involved in tissue morphogenesis. Due to their important role in cancer development and metastasis, cadherins can be considered attractive targets for drug discovery. A recent crystal structure of the complex of a cadherin extracellular portion and a small molecule inhibitor allowed the identification of a druggable interface, thus providing a viable strategy for the design of cadherin dimerization modulators. Here, we report on a structure-based virtual screening approach that led to the identification of efficient and selective modulators of E-cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion. Of all the putative inhibitors that were identified and experimentally tested by cell adhesion assays using human pancreatic tumor BxPC-3 cells expressing both E-cadherin and P-cadherin, two compounds turned out to be effective in inhibiting stable cell-cell adhesion at micromolar concentrations. Moreover, at the same concentrations, one of them also showed anti-invasive properties in cell invasion assays. These results will allow further development of novel and selective cadherin-mediated cell-cell adhesion modulators for the treatment of a variety of cadherin-expressing solid tumors and for improving the efficiency of drug delivery across biological barriers.

Development of a multisite model for Ni(II) ion in solution from thermodynamic and kinetic data.

Force-field parameters are developed for a multisite model of Ni(II) ions to be used in molecular dynamics simulations combined to enhanced sampling methods. The performances of two charge-partitioning schemes are validated by taking into account structural, thermodynamic, and kinetic observables. One of the two models, featuring partial charges on the dummy atoms only, matches both Ni(II) free energy of solvation and water exchange rates. Such model is particularly suited to study complexation events at a fully dynamic description. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Kernel-Based, Partial Least Squares Quantitative Structure-Retention Relationship Model for UPLC Retention Time Prediction: A Useful Tool for Metabolite Identification.

We propose a new QSRR model based on a Kernel-based partial least-squares method for predicting UPLC retention times in reversed phase mode. The model was built using a combination of classical (physicochemical and topological) and nonclassical (fingerprints) molecular descriptors of 1383 compounds, encompassing different chemical classes and structures and their accurately measured retention time values. Following a random splitting of the data set into a training and a test set, we tested the ability of the model to predict the retention time of all the compounds. The best predicted/experimental R2 value was higher than 0.86, while the best Q2 value we observed was close to 0.84. A comparison of our model with traditional and simpler MLR and PLS regression models shows that KPLS better performs in term of correlation (R2), prediction (Q2), and support to MetID peak assignment. The KPLS model succeeded in two real-life MetID tasks by correctly predicting elution order of Phase I metabolites, including isomeric monohydroxylated compounds. We also show in this paper that the model's predictive power can be extended to different gradient profiles, by simple mathematical extrapolation using a known equation, thus offering very broad flexibility. Moreover, the current study includes a deep investigation of different types of chemical descriptors used to build the structure-retention relationship.

Synthesis of natural urolithin M6, a galloflavin mimetic, as a potential inhibitor of lactate dehydrogenase A.

Glycolysis is the main route for energy production in tumors. LDH-A is a key enzyme of this process and its inhibition represents an attractive strategy to hamper cancer cell metabolism. Galloflavin is a reliable LDH-A inhibitor as previously identified by us; however, its poor physicochemical properties and chemical tractability render it unsuitable for further development. Therefore, a rational design was undertaken with the aim to reproduce the pharmacophore of galloflavin on simpler, potentially more soluble and synthetic accessible scaffolds. Following a process of structural simplification, natural urolithin M6 (UM6), which is an ellagitannin metabolite produced by gut microbiota, was identified as a putative galloflavin mimetic. In the present study, the synthesis of UM6 is described for the first time. An efficient synthetic pathway has been developed, which involved five steps from readily accessible starting materials. The key reaction steps, a Suzuki coupling and an intramolecular C-H oxygenation, have been optimized to improve the synthetic feasibility and provide the best conditions in terms of reaction time and yield. Moreover, this route would be suitable to obtain other analogs for SAR studies. Preliminary biological tests revealed that UM6 was able to smoothly reproduce the behavior of galloflavin, confirming that our approach was successful in providing a new and accessible structure in the search for new LDH-A inhibitors.

From AChE to BACE1 inhibitors: The role of the amine on the indanone scaffold.

In recent years, a progressive increase in age-related disorders could be observed in most western countries, among which Alzheimer's disease (AD) is one of the most challenging. BACE1 could be seen as an attractive target to develop disease-modifying compounds, and in this context, a new series of hybrid molecules was designed and synthesized, based on a previously identified multitarget lead compound. In particular, the amino side chain was appropriately modified to fit BACE1 as additional target. In vitro testing results pointed out compound 8 (IC50=2.49±0.08 µM), bearing the bulky bis(4-fluorophenyl)methyl)piperazine substituent, as the most potent BACE1 inhibitor of the series.

Probing allosteric communication with combined molecular dynamics simulations and network analysis.

Understanding the allosteric mechanisms within biomolecules involved in diseases is of paramount importance for drug discovery. Indeed, characterizing communication pathways and critical hotspots in signal transduction can guide a rational approach to leverage allosteric modulation for therapeutic purposes. While the atomistic signatures of allosteric processes are difficult to determine experimentally, computational methods can be a remarkable resource. Network analysis built on Molecular Dynamics simulation data is particularly suited in this respect and is gradually becoming of routine use. Herein, we collect the recent literature in the field, discussing different aspects and available options for network construction and analysis. We further highlight interesting refinements and extensions, eventually providing our perspective on this topic.

Correction to "Novel Antiproliferative Chimeric Compounds with Marked Histone Deacetylase Inhibitory Activity".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1021/ml5000959.].

Collecting and assessing human lactate dehydrogenase-A conformations for structure-based virtual screening.

Human lactate dehydrogenase-A (LDHA) is emerging as a promising anticancer target. Up to now, structure-based investigations for identifying inhibitors of this enzyme have not explicitly accounted for active site flexibility. In the present study, by combining replica exchange molecular dynamics with network and cluster analyses, we identified reliable LDHA conformations for structure-based ligand design. The selected conformations were challenged and validated by retrospective virtual screening simulations.

Innovative Strategy toward Mutant CFTR Rescue in Cystic Fibrosis: Design and Synthesis of Thiadiazole Inhibitors of the E3 Ligase RNF5.

In cystic fibrosis (CF), deletion of phenylalanine 508 (F508del) in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) is associated to misfolding and defective gating of the mutant channel. One of the most promising CF drug targets is the ubiquitin ligase RNF5, which promotes F508del-CFTR degradation. Recently, the first ever reported inhibitor of RNF5 was discovered, i.e., the 1,2,4-thiadiazol-5-ylidene inh-2. Here, we designed and synthesized a series of new analogues to explore the structure-activity relationships (SAR) of this class of compounds. SAR efforts ultimately led to compound 16, which showed a greater F508del-CFTR corrector activity than inh-2, good tolerability, and no toxic side effects. Analogue 16 increased the basal level of autophagy similar to what has been described with RNF5 silencing. Furthermore, co-treatment with 16 significantly improved the F508del-CFTR rescue induced by the triple combination elexacaftor/tezacaftor/ivacaftor in CFBE41o- cells. These findings validate the 1,2,4-thiadiazolylidene scaffold for the discovery of novel RNF5 inhibitors and provide evidence to pursue this unprecedented strategy for the treatment of CF.

Discovery of the first small molecule inhibitor of human DDX3 specifically designed to target the RNA binding site: towards the next generation HIV-1 inhibitors.

Efficacy of currently approved anti-HIV drugs is hampered by mutations of the viral enzymes, leading invariably to drug resistance and chemotherapy failure. Recent data suggest that cellular co-factors also represent useful targets for anti-HIV therapy. Here we describe the identification of the first small molecules specifically designed to inhibit the HIV-1 replication by targeting the RNA binding site of the human DEAD-Box RNA helicase DDX3. Optimization of a easily synthetically accessible hit (1) identified by application of a high-throughput docking approach afforded the promising compounds 6 and 8 which proved to inhibit both the helicase and ATPase activity of DDX3 and to reduce the viral load of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) infected with HIV-1.

A combined targeted/phenotypic approach for the identification of new antiangiogenics agents active on a zebrafish model: from in silico screening to cyclodextrin formulation.

A combined targeted/phenotypic approach for the rapid identification of novel antiangiogenics with in vivo efficacy is herein reported. Considering the important role played by the tyrosine kinase c-Src in the regulation of tumour angiogenesis, we submitted our in-house library of c-Src inhibitors to a sequential screening approach: in silico screening on VEGFR2, in vitro screening on HUVEC cells, ADME profiling, formulation and in vivo testing on a zebrafish model. A promising antiangiogenic candidate able to interfere with the vascular growth of a zebrafish model at low micromolar concentration was thus identified.

Proteostasis Regulators in Cystic Fibrosis: Current Development and Future Perspectives.

In cystic fibrosis (CF), the deletion of phenylalanine 508 (F508del) in the CF transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) leads to misfolding and premature degradation of the mutant protein. These defects can be targeted with pharmacological agents named potentiators and correctors. During the past years, several efforts have been devoted to develop and approve new effective molecules. However, their clinical use remains limited, as they fail to fully restore F508del-CFTR biological function. Indeed, the search for CFTR correctors with different and additive mechanisms has recently increased. Among them, drugs that modulate the CFTR proteostasis environment are particularly attractive to enhance therapy effectiveness further. This Perspective focuses on reviewing the recent progress in discovering CFTR proteostasis regulators, mainly describing the design, chemical structure, and structure-activity relationships. The opportunities, challenges, and future directions in this emerging and promising field of research are discussed, as well.

Computational techniques are valuable tools for the discovery of protein-protein interaction inhibitors: the 14-3-3σ case.

Targeting the binding site of 14-3-3 proteins lets the release of partner proteins involved in cell cycle progression, apoptosis, cytoskeletal rearrangement and transcriptional regulation and may therefore be regarded as an alternative strategy to integrate conventional therapeutic approaches against cancer. In the present work, we report the identification of two new small molecule inhibitors of 14-3-3σ/c-Abl protein-protein interaction (BV01 and BV101) discovered by means of computational methods. The most interesting compound (BV01) showed a lethal dose (LD(50)) in the low micromolar range against Ba/F3 murine cell lines expressing the Imatinib (IM)-sensitive wild type Bcr-Abl construct and the IM-resistant Bcr-Abl mutation T315I. BV01 interaction with 14-3-3σ was demonstrated by NMR studies and elucidated by docking. It blocked the binding domain of 14-3-3σ, hence promoting the release of the partner protein c-Abl (the one not involved in Bcr rearrangement), and its translocation to both the nuclear compartment and mitochondrial membranes to induce a pro-apoptotic response. Our results advance BV01 as a confirmed hit compound capable of eliciting apoptotic death of Bcr-Abl-expressing cells by interfering with 14-3-3σ/c-Abl protein-protein interaction.

Divide et impera: An In Silico Screening Targeting HCMV ppUL44 Processivity Factor Homodimerization Identifies Small Molecules Inhibiting Viral Replication.

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a leading cause of severe diseases in immunocompromised individuals, including AIDS patients and transplant recipients, and in congenitally infected newborns. The utility of available drugs is limited by poor bioavailability, toxicity, and emergence of resistant strains. Therefore, it is crucial to identify new targets for therapeutic intervention. Among the latter, viral protein-protein interactions are becoming increasingly attractive. Since dimerization of HCMV DNA polymerase processivity factor ppUL44 plays an essential role in the viral life cycle, being required for oriLyt-dependent DNA replication, it can be considered a potential therapeutic target. We therefore performed an in silico screening and selected 18 small molecules (SMs) potentially interfering with ppUL44 homodimerization. Antiviral assays using recombinant HCMV TB4-UL83-YFP in the presence of the selected SMs led to the identification of four active compounds. The most active one, B3, also efficiently inhibited HCMV AD169 strain in plaque reduction assays and impaired replication of an AD169-GFP reporter virus and its ganciclovir-resistant counterpart to a similar extent. As assessed by Western blotting experiments, B3 specifically reduced viral gene expression starting from 48 h post infection, consistent with the inhibition of viral DNA synthesis measured by qPCR starting from 72 h post infection. Therefore, our data suggest that inhibition of ppUL44 dimerization could represent a new class of HCMV inhibitors, complementary to those targeting the DNA polymerase catalytic subunit or the viral terminase complex.

Searching for New Microbiome-Targeted Therapeutics through a Drug Repurposing Approach.

Commonly used non-antibiotic drugs have been associated with changes in gut microbiome composition, paving the way for the possibility of repurposing FDA-approved molecules as next-generation microbiome therapeutics. Herein, we developed and validated an ex vivo high-throughput screening platform─the mini gut model─to underpin human gut microbiome response to molecular modulators. Ten FDA-approved compounds, selected based on maximum structural diversity of molecular fingerprints, were screened against the gut microbiome of five healthy subjects to characterize the ability of human-targeted drugs to modulate the human gut microbiome network. Three compounds, THIP hydrochloride, methenamine, and mesna, have shown promise as novel gut microbiome therapeutics in light of their capability of promoting health-associated features of the gut microbiome. Our findings provide a resource for future research on drug-microbiome interactions and lay the foundation for a new era of more precise gut microbiome modulation through drug repurposing, aimed at targeting specific dysbiotic events.

Synthetic Lethality in Pancreatic Cancer: Discovery of a New RAD51-BRCA2 Small Molecule Disruptor That Inhibits Homologous Recombination and Synergizes with Olaparib.

Synthetic lethality is an innovative framework for discovering novel anticancer drug candidates. One example is the use of PARP inhibitors (PARPi) in oncology patients with BRCA mutations. Here, we exploit a new paradigm based on the possibility of triggering synthetic lethality using only small organic molecules (dubbed "fully small-molecule-induced synthetic lethality"). We exploited this paradigm to target pancreatic cancer, one of the major unmet needs in oncology. We discovered a dihydroquinolone pyrazoline-based molecule (35d) that disrupts the RAD51-BRCA2 protein-protein interaction, thus mimicking the effect of BRCA2 mutation. 35d inhibits the homologous recombination in a human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cell line. In addition, it synergizes with olaparib (a PARPi) to trigger synthetic lethality. This strategy aims to widen the use of PARPi in BRCA-competent and olaparib-resistant cancers, making fully small-molecule-induced synthetic lethality an innovative approach toward unmet oncological needs.

Rad51/BRCA2 disruptors inhibit homologous recombination and synergize with olaparib in pancreatic cancer cells.

Olaparib is a PARP inhibitor (PARPi). For patients bearing BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations, olaparib is approved to treat ovarian cancer and in clinical trials to treat breast and pancreatic cancers. In BRCA2-defective patients, PARPi inhibits DNA single-strand break repair, while BRCA2 mutations hamper double-strand break repair. Recently, we identified a series of triazole derivatives that mimic BRCA2 mutations by disrupting the Rad51-BRCA2 interaction and thus double-strand break repair. Here, we have computationally designed, synthesized, and tested over 40 novel derivatives. Additionally, we designed and conducted novel biological assays to characterize how they disrupt the Rad51-BRCA2 interaction and inhibit double-strand break repair. These compounds synergized with olaparib to target pancreatic cancer cells with functional BRCA2. This supports the idea that small organic molecules can mimic genetic mutations to improve the profile of anticancer drugs for precision medicine. Moreover, this paradigm could be exploited in other genetic pathways to discover innovative anticancer targets and drug candidates.

N-(thiazol-2-yl)-2-thiophene carboxamide derivatives as Abl inhibitors identified by a pharmacophore-based database screening of commercially available compounds.

Suggestions derived from a previous ligand-based ligand design approach and docking calculations aimed at finding compound with affinity toward Abl and molecular scaffolds previously untested as Abl inhibitors, led to the identification of commercially available N-(thiazol-2-yl)-2-thiophene carboxamide derivatives with affinity in a cell-free assay up to low nanomolar concentrations, significantly enhanced with respect to that of their parent compounds previously reported. In particular, among compounds of the Asinex database, molecular docking simulations guided the choice of high-affinity ligands, predicting their binding mode and their interaction pattern with the Abl catalytic binding site. Moreover, affinity of the new compounds was also rationalized in terms of their interactions with the enzyme.

Discovery and SAR of 1,3,4-thiadiazole derivatives as potent Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitors and cytodifferentiating agents.

A series of substituted benzoylamino-2-[(4-benzyl)thio]-1,3,4-thiadiazoles has been discovered as potent Abl tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Molecular docking simulations on the Abl tyrosine kinase were conducted in order to rationalize the SAR of the synthesized inhibitors. The most active compound identified from the enzymatic screening (6a) showed interesting inhibitory activity on Imatinib-sensitive murine myeloid 3B clone and Bcr-Abl-independent Imatinib-resistant leukemia cells. Surprisingly, 6a was also proved to act as differentiating inducers in human promyelocytic leukemia cells (HL-60).