Homozygous COQ7 mutation: a new cause of potentially treatable distal hereditary motor neuropathy.

Distal hereditary motor neuropathy represents a group of motor inherited neuropathies leading to distal weakness. We report a family of two brothers and a sister affected by distal hereditary motor neuropathy in whom a homozygous variant c.3G>T (p.1Met?) was identified in the COQ7 gene. This gene encodes a protein required for coenzyme Q10 biosynthesis, a component of the respiratory chain in mitochondria. Mutations of COQ7 were previously associated with severe multi-organ disorders characterized by early childhood onset and developmental delay. Using patient blood samples and fibroblasts derived from a skin biopsy, we investigated the pathogenicity of the variant of unknown significance c.3G>T (p.1Met?) in the COQ7 gene and the effect of coenzyme Q10 supplementation in vitro. We showed that this variation leads to a severe decrease in COQ7 protein levels in the patient's fibroblasts, resulting in a decrease in coenzyme Q10 production and in the accumulation of 6-demethoxycoenzyme Q10, the COQ7 substrate. Interestingly, such accumulation was also found in the patient's plasma. Normal coenzyme Q10 and 6-demethoxycoenzyme Q10 levels were restored in vitro by using the coenzyme Q10 precursor 2,4-dihydroxybenzoic acid, thus bypassing the COQ7 requirement. Coenzyme Q10 biosynthesis deficiency is known to impair the mitochondrial respiratory chain. Seahorse experiments showed that the patient's cells mainly rely on glycolysis to maintain sufficient ATP production. Consistently, the replacement of glucose by galactose in the culture medium of these cells reduced their proliferation rate. Interestingly, normal proliferation was restored by coenzyme Q10 supplementation of the culture medium, suggesting a therapeutic avenue for these patients. Altogether, we have identified the first example of recessive distal hereditary motor neuropathy caused by a homozygous variation in the COQ7 gene, which should thus be included in the gene panels used to diagnose peripheral inherited neuropathies. Furthermore, 6-demethoxycoenzyme Q10 accumulation in the blood can be used to confirm the pathogenic nature of the mutation. Finally, supplementation with coenzyme Q10 or derivatives should be considered to prevent the progression of COQ7-related peripheral inherited neuropathy in diagnosed patients.

Discovery of Bis-Imidazoline Derivatives as New CXCR4 Ligands.

The chemokine receptor CXCR4 and its ligand CXCL12 regulate leukocyte trafficking, homeostasis and functions and are potential therapeutic targets in many diseases such as HIV-1 infection and cancers. Here, we identified new CXCR4 ligands in the CERMN chemical library using a FRET-based high-throughput screening assay. These are bis-imidazoline compounds comprising two imidazole rings linked by an alkyl chain. The molecules displace CXCL12 binding with submicromolar potencies, similarly to AMD3100, the only marketed CXCR4 ligand. They also inhibit anti-CXCR4 mAb 12G5 binding, CXCL12-mediated chemotaxis and HIV-1 infection. Further studies with newly synthesized derivatives pointed out to a role of alkyl chain length on the bis-imidazoline properties, with molecules with an even number of carbons equal to 8, 10 or 12 being the most potent. Interestingly, these differ in the functions of CXCR4 that they influence. Site-directed mutagenesis and molecular docking predict that the alkyl chain folds in such a way that the two imidazole groups become lodged in the transmembrane binding cavity of CXCR4. Results also suggest that the alkyl chain length influences how the imidazole rings positions in the cavity. These results may provide a basis for the design of new CXCR4 antagonists targeting specific functions of the receptor.

Glucose fluctuation promotes mitochondrial dysfunctions in the cardiomyocyte cell line HL-1.

AIMS: Glycemic variability has been suggested as a risk factor for diabetes complications but the precise deleterious mechanisms remain poorly understood. Since mitochondria are the main source of energy in heart and cardiovascular diseases remain the first cause of death in patients with diabetes, the aim of the study was to evaluate the impact of glucose swings on mitochondrial functions in the cardiomyocyte cell line HL-1. METHODS: HL-1 cells were exposed to low (LG, 2.8 mmol/l), normal (NG, 5.5 mmol/l), high (HG, 25 mmol/l) or intermittent high glucose (IHG, swing between low and high) every 2h during 12h (short-time treatment) or every 12h during 72h (long-time treatment). Anaerobic catabolism of glucose was evaluated by measuring glucose consumption and lactate production, oxidative phosphorylation was evaluated by polarography and ATP measurement, mitochondrial superoxide anions and the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) were analysed using fluorescent probes, and the protein oxidation was measured by oxyblot. RESULTS: IHG and HG increased glucose consumption and lactate production compared to LG and NG but without any difference between short- and long-time treatments. After 72h and unlike to LG, NG and HG, we didn't observe any increase of the mitochondrial respiration in the presence of succinate upon IHG treatment. IHG, and to a lesser extent HG, promoted a time-dependent decrease of the mitochondrial membrane potential compared to LG and NG treatments. HG and IHG also increased superoxide anion production compared to LG and NG both at 12 and 72h but with a higher increase for IHG at 72h. At last, both HG and IHG stimulated protein oxidation at 72h compared to LG and NG treatments. CONCLUSIONS: Our results demonstrated that exposure of HL-1 cells to glucose swings promoted time-dependent mitochondrial dysfunctions suggesting a deleterious effect of such condition in patients with diabetes that could contribute to diabetic cardiomyopathy.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of new N-acyl-homoserine-lactone analogues, based on triazole and tetrazole scaffolds, acting as LuxR-dependent quorum sensing modulators.

New analogues of N-acyl-homoserine-lactone (AHL), in which the amide was replaced by a triazole or tetrazole ring, were prepared and tested for their activity as LuxR-dependent QS modulators. Several compounds showed a level of antagonistic or agonistic activity, notably some 1,4-triazolic and 1,5-tetrazolic derivatives, whereas the 2,5-tetrazolic compounds were inactive. In 1,5-tetrazoles, substituted with butyrolactone and an alkyl chain, the activity was reversed, depending on the connection between the lactone and the tetrazole. The C-N connected compounds were agonists whereas the C-C connected ones were antagonists.

Is plasma concentration of coenzyme Q10 a predictive marker for left ventricular remodelling after revascularization for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction?

BACKGROUND: Left ventricular remodelling that frequently occurs after acute myocardial infarction is associated with an increased risk of heart failure and cardiovascular death. Although several risk factors have been identified, there is still no marker in clinical use to predict left ventricular remodelling. Plasma concentration of coenzyme Q10, which plays a key role in mitochondrial energy production and as an antioxidant, seems to be negatively correlated with left ventricular function after acute myocardial infarction. OBJECTIVE: The goal of our study was to determine whether the plasma coenzyme Q10 baseline concentrations at time of the ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) could predict left ventricular remodelling at six months' follow-up. METHODS: Sixty-eight patients who were admitted to hospital for STEMI and successfully revascularized with primary percutaneous coronary intervention were recruited. All patients underwent a 3D-echocardiography examination within the first four days after percutaneous coronary intervention and six months later then divided into two groups based on the presence or not of left ventricular remodelling. Plasma coenzyme Q10 concentration at the time of percutaneous coronary intervention was determined using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. RESULTS: While we found similar plasma coenzyme Q10 concentrations compared with other studies, no association was evidenced between coenzyme Q10 concentrations and left ventricular remodelling (P = 0.89). CONCLUSION: We found no evidence for using plasma coenzyme Q10 concentration as an early prediction marker of left ventricular remodelling after STEMI.

LuxR-dependent quorum sensing: computer aided discovery of new inhibitors structurally unrelated to N-acylhomoserine lactones.

A virtual screening, involving flexible docking sequences within the LuxR, TraR and LasR binding sites, was used as a structural binding sites similarity filter to specifically target conserved residues in the proteins of the LuxR family (namely Tyr62, Trp66, Tyr70, Asp79, Trp94 for LuxR). This docking-based screening, employing a genetic algorithm, was performed on a 2344 chemical compounds library, together with empirical binding free energy (DeltaG(bind)) calculations. Docking results were analysed, and the compounds detected with reproducible low DeltaG(bind) values or identified as being in the top 120 for most of the docking sequences, were selected as hits candidates which interact with conserved residues. Biological evaluation with LuxR-dependent quorum sensing led to the discovery of some new inhibitors, namely tamoxifen, sertraline, pimethixene, terfenadine, fendiline and calmidazolium. Notably, calmidazolium was identified as one of the most potent AHL-structurally unrelated inhibitors of LuxR-dependent quorum sensing, with an IC(50) value of 7.0+/-0.2 microM.

Boronic species as promising inhibitors of the Staphylococcus aureus NorA efflux pump: study of 6-substituted pyridine-3-boronic acid derivatives.

In response to the extensive use of antibiotics, bacteria have evolved numerous mechanisms of defense against antimicrobial agents. Among them, extrusion of the antimicrobial agents outside the bacterial cell through efflux pumps is a major cause of concern. At first limited to one or few structurally-related antibiotics, bacterial resistance have then progressed towards cross-resistance between different classes of antibiotics, leading to multidrug-resistant microorganisms. Emergence of these pathogens requires development of novel therapeutic strategies and inhibition of efflux pumps appears to be a promising strategy that could restore the potency of existing antibiotics. NorA is the most studied chromosomal efflux pump of Staphylococcus aureus; it is known to be implied in resistance of Methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strains against a wide range of unrelated substrates, including hydrophilic fluoroquinolones. Starting from 6-benzyloxypyridine-3-boronic acid I that we previously identified as a potential inhibitor of the NorA efflux pump against the NorA-overexpressing S. aureus 1199B strain (SA1199B), we describe here the synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of 6-(aryl)alkoxypyridine-3-boronic acids. 6-(3-Phenylpropoxy)pyridine-3-boronic acid 3i and 6-(4-phenylbutoxy)pyridine-3-boronic acid 3j were found to potentiate ciprofloxacin activity by a 4-fold increase compared to the parent compound I. In addition, it has been shown that both compounds promote Ethidium Bromide (EtBr) accumulation in SA1199B, thus corroborating their potential mode of action as NorA inhibitors.

First identification of boronic species as novel potential inhibitors of the Staphylococcus aureus NorA efflux pump.

Overexpression of efflux pumps is an important mechanism of bacterial resistance that results in the extrusion of antimicrobial agents outside the bacterial cell. Inhibition of such pumps appears to be a promising strategy that could restore the potency of existing antibiotics. The NorA efflux pump of Staphylococcus aureus confers resistance to a wide range of unrelated substrates, such as hydrophilic fluoroquinolones, leading to a multidrug-resistance phenotype. In this work, approximately 150 heterocyclic boronic species were evaluated for their activity against susceptible and resistant strains of S. aureus. Twenty-four hit compounds, although inactive when tested alone, were found to potentiate ciprofloxacin activity by a 4-fold increase at concentrations ranging from 0.5 to 8 µg/mL against S. aureus 1199B, which overexpresses NorA. Boron-free analogues showed no biological activity, thus revealing that the boron atom is crucial for biological activity. This work describes the first reported efflux pump inhibitory activity of boronic acid derivatives.