Chemogenomic approach to identifying nematode chemoreceptor drug targets in the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis bacteriophora.

Parasitic nematodes constitute one of the major threats to human health, causing diseases of major socioeconomic importance worldwide. Recent estimates indicate that more than 1 billion people are infected with parasitic nematodes around the world. Current measures to combat parasitic nematode infections include anthelmintic drugs. However, heavy exposure to anthelmintics has selected populations of livestock parasitic nematodes that are no longer susceptible to the drugs, rendering several anthelmintics useless for parasitic nematode control in many areas of the world. The rapidity with which anthelmintic resistance developed in response to these drugs suggests that increasing the selective pressure on human parasitic nematodes will also rapidly generate resistant worm populations. Therefore, development of new anthelmintics is of major importance before resistance becomes widespread in human parasitic nematode populations. G-Protein Coupled Receptors (GPCRs) represent an important target for many pharmacological interventions due to their ubiquitous expression in various cell types. GPCRs contribute to numerous physiological processes, and their ligand binding sites located on cell surfaces make them accessible targets and attractive substrates in terms of druggability. In fact, ∼35 % of Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and European Medicines Agency (EMA) approved drugs target GPCRs and their associated proteins, with over 300 additional drugs targeting GPCRs at the clinical trial stage. Nematode Chemosensory GPCRs (NemChRs) are unique to nematodes, and therefore represent ideal substrates for target-based drug discovery. Here we set out to identify NemChRs that are transcriptionally active inside the host, and to use these NemChRs in a reverse pharmacological screen to impede parasitic development. Our data identified several NemChRs, and we focused on one that was expressed in neuronal cells and exhibited the highest fold change in transcription after host activation. Next, we performed homology modelling and molecular dynamics simulations of this NemChR in order to conduct a virtual screening campaign to identify candidate drug targets which were ranked and selected for experimental testing in bioassays. Taken together, our results identify and characterize a candidate NemChR drug target, and provide a chemogenomic pipeline for identifying nematicide substrates.

Synthetic Kavalactone Analogues with Increased Potency and Selective Anthelmintic Activity against Larvae of Haemonchus contortus In Vitro.

Kava extract, an aqueous rhizome emulsion of the plant Piper methysticum, has been used for centuries by Pacific Islanders as a ceremonial beverage, and has been sold as an anxiolytic agent for some decades. Kavalactones are a major constituent of kava extract. In a previous investigation, we had identified three kavalactones that inhibit larval development of Haemonchus contortus in an in vitro-bioassay. In the present study, we synthesized two kavalactones, desmethoxyyangonin and yangonin, as well as 17 analogues thereof, and evaluated their anthelmintic activities using the same bioassay as employed previously. Structure activity relationship (SAR) studies showed that a 4-substituent on the pendant aryl ring was required for activity. In particular, compounds with 4-trifluoromethoxy, 4-difluoromethoxy, 4-phenoxy, and 4-N-morpholine substitutions had anthelmintic activities (IC50 values in the range of 1.9 to 8.9 µM) that were greater than either of the parent natural products-desmethoxyyangonin (IC50 of 37.1 µM) and yangonin (IC50 of 15.0 µM). The synthesized analogues did not exhibit toxicity on HepG2 human hepatoma cells in vitro at concentrations of up to 40 µM. These findings confirm the previously-identified kavalactone scaffold as a promising chemotype for new anthelmintics and provide a basis for a detailed SAR investigation focused on developing a novel anthelmintic agent.

Small Molecule Inhibitors of Metabolic Enzymes Repurposed as a New Class of Anthelmintics.

The enormous prevalence of infections caused by parasitic nematodes worldwide, coupled to the rapid emergence of their resistance to commonly used anthelmintic drugs, presents an urgent need for the discovery of new drugs. Herein, we have identified several classes of small molecules with broad spectrum activity against these pathogens. Previously, we reported the identification of carnitine palmitoyltransferases (CPTs) as a representative class of enzymes as potential targets for metabolic chokepoint intervention that was elucidated from a combination of chemogenomic screening and experimental testing in nematodes. Expanding on these previous findings, we have discovered that several chemical classes of known small molecule inhibitors of mammalian CPTs have potent activity as anthelmintics. Cross-clade efficacy against a broad spectrum of adult parasitic nematodes was demonstrated for multiple compounds from different series. Several analogs of these initial hit compounds were designed and synthesized. The compounds we report represent a good starting point for further lead identification and optimization for development of new anthelmintic drugs with broad spectrum activity and a novel mechanism of action.

Toward the Synthesis and Pharmacological Screening of a Natural Cycloheptapeptide of Plant Origin.

The solution-phase synthesis of a proline and glycine-rich plant-derived cyclic heptapeptide, gypsophin E (8), is reported via coupling of a tetrapeptide unit Glycyl-L-leucyl-L-valyl-L-proline-OMe with a tripeptide unit Boc-L-isoleucyl-glycyl-L-proline-OH, followed by cyclization of the linear fragment having seven amino acid units. The structure of the newly synthesized cycloheptapeptide was confirmed by means of chemical and spectroscopic methods. The newly synthesized cyclopolypeptide displayed potent antifungal and anthelmintic activities against the pathogenic yeast Candida albicans, the dermatophytes Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Microsporum audouinii at the 6 µg/mL level, and the earthworms Megascoplex konkanensis, Pontoscotex corethruses and - - Eudrilus eugeniea at a concentration of 2 mg/mL.

[ANTHELMINTIC SUBSTANCES: MAIN CLASSES, PROBLEMS, TRENDS IN DEVELOPMENT AND PROSPECTS].

The review chronologically considers the main classes of the currently available anthelminthic substances: early anthelmintic compounds, benzimidazoles, imidazolthiazoles, tetrahydropyrimidines, avermectins and milbemycins, and salicylanilides. Great attention is paid to novel substances (emodepside, monepantel, derquantel, tribendimidine) and promising developments. Some aspects of the molecular mechanisms of action of anthelmintics, their resistance, and alternative dehelmintization methods are discussed.

Isolation and anticancer, anthelminthic, and antiviral (HIV) activity of acylphloroglucinols, and regioselective synthesis of empetrifranzinans from Hypericum roeperianum.

From the ethno-medicinally used leaves of Hypericum roeperianum we isolated a new tricyclic acylphloroglucinol (1), a new tetracyclic acylphloroglucinol (2), and a new prenylated bicyclic acylphloroglucinol (3) together with four known prenylated (4-7) and three known tetracyclic acylphloroglucinol derivatives (8-10). Structure elucidation was based on UV, IR, [α]D(25), 1D- and 2D-NMR experiments. Furthermore, empetrifranzinans A (8) and C (9) were synthesized regioselectively in only two steps. The isolated compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxicity against PC-3 and HT-29 cancer cell lines as well as antibacterial and anthelmintic activities. They were also tested in cell-based assays for cytotoxicity against MT-4 cells and for anti-HIV activity in infected MT-4 cells. Significant anthelmintic activity against Caenorhabditis elegans was exhibited by compound 7 (3-geranyl-1-(2'-methylbutanoyl)-phloroglucinol), which might provide a new lead.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of some novel 2-phenyl benzimidazole-1-acetamide derivatives as potential anthelmintic agents.

The present study describes synthesis of a series of 2-phenyl benzimidazole-1-acetamide derivatives and their evaluation for anthelmintic activity using Indian adult earthworms, Pheretima posthuma. The structure of the title compounds was elucidated by elemental analysis and spectral data. The compounds 4-({[2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl]acetyl}amino) benzoic acid (3a), N-ethyl-2-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl] acetamide (3c), N-benzyl-2-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl] acetamide (3d), N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-2-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl] acetamide (3f), 2-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl]-N-phenyl acetamide (3h), 2-[2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl]-N'-phenylacetohydrazide (3k), 2-[2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl]-N-(4-nitrophenyl) acetamide (3n) and 2-[2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl]-N-phenyl acetamide (3q) were found better to paralyze worms whereas N-ethyl-2-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl] acetamide (3c), N-(4-nitrophenyl)-2-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl] acetamide (3e), 4-({[2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl] acetyl}amino) benzoic acid (3j), 2-[2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl]-N-ethyl acetamide (31) and 2-[2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-benzimidazol-1-yl]-N-phenyl acetamide (3q) were better to cause death of worms compared to the anthelmintic drug albendazole.

Novel dihydropyrimidines and its pyrazole derivatives: synthesis and pharmacological screening.

In the present study, we have synthesized novel dihydropyrimidines (1a-j), their dimethylated adducts (2a-j), and hydrazine derivatives (3a-j) of 2a-j and subsequently their pyrazole derivatives (4a-j). Elemental analysis, IR, 1H NMR and mass spectral data elucidated structure of newly synthesized compounds. Some of these novel derivatives showed moderate to potent in vitro antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal and anthelmintic activity.

Synthesis and pharmacological investigation of segetalin C as a novel antifungal and cytotoxic agent.

In present study, a natural phenylalanine-rich cycloheptapeptide segetalin C (compound VIII) was synthesized by coupling and cyclization of peptide units Boc-gly-L-leu-L-his-OH and L-Phe-L-alaL-phe-L-pro-OMe and examined for different bioactivities. The structure of compound VIII was elucidated by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, mass spectral data and elemental analysis. It was demonstrated that the newly synthesized cyclopeptide has good activity against pathogenic fungi Candida albicans and dermatophytes, in addition to high cytotoxicityagainst Dalton's lymphoma ascites (DLA) and Ehrlich's ascites carcinoma (EAC) cell lines with CTC50 values of 3.35 and 5.72 micromol/L.

Total synthesis of (-)-minquartynoic acid: an anti-cancer, anti-HIV natural product.

[structure: see text] The tetraacetylenic compound, (S)-minquartynoic acid (1), is synthesized in seven linear steps and 17% overall yield from commercially available azelaic acid monomethyl ester. The key step is a one-pot three-component Cadiot-Chodkiewicz reaction to construct the tetrayne unit without using either a diyne or a triyne intermediate.

Synthesis and anthelmintic activity of 3,6-disubstituted-7H-s-triazolo(3,4-b)(1,3,4)thiadiazines.

A series of 3,6-disubstituted-7H-s-triazolo(3,4-b)(1,3,4)thiadiazines was synthesized by the condensation of the appropriate 3-substituted-4-amino-5-mercapto (1,2,4) triazoles with substituted phenacyl bromides in alcoholic medium. These compounds have been studied for their in vivo anthelmintic activity in albino mice. A number of compounds showed promising activity when given by the oral route.

Identification of a cyclohexylcarbonyl CoA biosynthetic gene cluster and application in the production of doramectin.

The side chain of the antifungal antibiotic ansatrienin A from Streptomyces collinus contains a cyclohexanecarboxylic acid (CHC)-derived moiety. This moiety is also observed in trace amounts of omega-cyclohexyl fatty acids (typically less than 1% of total fatty acids) produced by S. collinus. Coenzyme A-activated CHC (CHC-CoA) is derived from shikimic acid through a reductive pathway involving a minimum of nine catalytic steps. Five putative CHC-CoA biosynthetic genes in the ansatrienin biosynthetic gene cluster of S. collinus have been identified. Plasmid-based heterologous expression of these five genes in Streptomyces avermitilis or Streptomyces lividans allows for production of significant amounts of omega-cyclohexyl fatty acids (as high as 49% of total fatty acids). In the absence of the plasmid these organisms are dependent on exogenously supplied CHC for omega-cyclohexyl fatty acid production. Doramectin is a commercial antiparasitic avermectin analog produced by fermenting a bkd mutant of S. avermitilis in the presence of CHC. Introduction of the S. collinus CHC-CoA biosynthetic gene cassette into this organism resulted in an engineered strain able to produce doramectin without CHC supplementation. The CHC-CoA biosynthetic gene cluster represents an important genetic tool for precursor-directed biosynthesis of doramectin and has potential for directed biosynthesis in other important polyketide-producing organisms.

[The technology for manufacturing antiparasitic preparations. 8. The preparation rilanid and its use for treating fascioliasis and intestinal nematodiases]. / Tekhnologiia proizvodstva protivoparazitarnykh preparatov. 8. Preparat rilanid i ego primenenie dlia lecheniia fastsioleza i kishechnykh nematodozov.

A procedure has been developed to prepare the anthelminthic Rilanide as a fine-dispersed formulation. The therapeutical dose of the agent in fascioliasis and intestinal nematodiasis is 60 mg/kg (for sheep), if given alone, and 100 mg/kg, if added to feed.

[The technology for manufacturing antiparasitic preparations. 1. The development of a technology for producing the anthelmintic triklazan in finely dispersed form and the evaluation of its antinematodal, anticestodal and antitrematodal activities]. / Tekhnologiia proizvodstva protivoparazitarnykh preparatov. Soobshchenie 1. Razrabotka tekhnologii polucheniia antigel'mintika triklazana v melkodispersnoi forme i otsenka ego protivonematodnoi, protivotsestodnoi i protivotrematodnoi aktivnosti.

The authors describe the technology of preparing a new anthelmintic agent triclazan, N-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-2-[(benzo-2,1,3-thiadiazole-4-sulfonyl)amino]-5- chlorobenzamide, finely dispersed (the particles size 4-8 mu). Triclazan is highly effective not only in hymenolepiasis and trichocephaliasis, as was shown previously, but in fascioliasis, monieziasis and intestinal nematodiasis of sheep as well.

Studies in potential filaricides. 18. Synthesis of 2,2'-disubstituted 5,5'-dibenzimidazolyl ketones and related compounds as potential anthelmintics.

A series of 2,2'-disubstituted 5,5'-dibenzimidazolyl ketones and related compounds have been synthesized of which 2,2'-bis(carbomethoxyamino)-5,5'-dibenzimidazolyl ketone exhibited a broad spectrum of anthelmintic activity in experimental animals. At doses of 10-50 mg/kg given intraperitoneally, 5 killed 100% of the adult worms of Litomosoides carinii, Dipetalonema viteae, and Brugia malayi. By the oral route the macrofilaricidal efficacy of 5 was 97-100% at 100-200 mg/kg X 5 days. The treated animals showed gradual disappearance of microfilariae and before autopsy they became amicrofilariaemic. Some of the compounds also showed 100% efficacy against the human hookworms and tapeworm, Ancylostoma ceylanicum in hamsters, and Hymenolepis nana in rats at a single oral dose of 50-250 mg/kg. Compound 5 was also effective against Syphacia obvelata in mice at a single oral dose of 100 mg/kg and was found to be well tolerated by mice up to an oral dose of 2500 mg/kg.