Solid-phase synthesis of diamine and polyamine amino acid derivatives as HIV-1 tat-TAR binding inhibitors.

A series of diamine and polyamine derivatives, either free amines or salts (HCl or TFA), of aspartic and glutamic acid were prepared in excellent yields using Rink Amide solid-phase synthesis. The asparagine and glutamine derivatives were all evaluated for their ability to inhibit Tat-TAR binding using a FIGS cellular assay, with the polyamine derivatives exhibiting the most promising binding activity.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of s-triazine substituted polyamines as potential new anti-trypanosomal drugs.

The P2 transporter is a nucleoside transporter which is unique to the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei, the causative organism of Human African Trypanosomasis. The transporter has been shown to bind some structural motifs not recognized by other transporters. In this paper we describe the use of the melamine motif, a substrate of the P2 transporter, as a potential tool to selectively deliver polyamine analogues to the parasites. The synthesis of a number of polyamine analogues attached to a variety of melamine analogues is described. Many of the compounds were shown to competitively inhibit uptake of adenosine, indicating that they are recognized by the transporter. Some of the compounds showed good in vitro activity against the parasites.

Rapid and sensitive quantitation of antibiotics in fermentations by electrospray mass spectrometry.

Electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ESI-MS) has been used for the determination and quantitation of a broad range of 24 antibiotics, from groups including aminoglycosides, beta-lactams, tetracyclines, antifungals and glycopeptides. Spectra have been acquired for all 24 antibiotics derived from pure samples dissolved in acetonitrile/water, along with samples extracted from complex fermentation liquor. Quantitation was carried out by the detection of the protonated molecules, using time-scheduled single-ion monitoring (SIM). ESI-MS was used to detect and quantify to 5-microM levels. A one-step extraction of antibiotics with an organic solvent (methanol) was used for this rapid and simple procedure. Specificity is not matched by other methods and antibiotic analogues (e.g. the five forms of erythromycin) can be determined within minutes.

Novel inhibitors of Trypanosoma cruzi dihydrofolate reductase.

There is an urgent need for the development of new drugs to treat Chagas' disease, which is caused by the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma cruzi. The enzyme dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) has been a very successful drug target in a number of diseases and we decided to investigate it as a potential drug target for Chagas' disease. A homology model of the enzyme was used to search the Cambridge Structural Database using the program DOCK 3.5. Compounds were then tested against the enzyme and the whole parasite. Compounds were also screened against the related parasite, Trypanosoma brucei.

Selective inhibition of 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase from Trypanosoma brucei.

A number of triphenylmethane derivatives have been screened against 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase from Trypanosoma brucei and sheep liver. Some of these compounds show good inhibition of the enzymes and also selectivity towards the parasite enzyme. Modelling was undertaken to dock the compounds into the active sites of both enzymes. Using a combination of DOCK 3.5 and FLEXIDOCK a correlation was obtained between docking score and both activity for the enzymes and selectivity. Visualisation of the docked structures of the inhibitors in the active sites of the enzymes yielded a possible explanation of the selectivity for the parasite enzyme.

Novel inhibitors of Leishmanial dihydrofolate reductase.

The program DOCK3.5 was used to search the Cambridge Structural Database for novel inhibitors of Leishmanial dihydrofolate reductase. A number of compounds were obtained and screened against the enzyme and against the intact parasite Leishmania donovani and the related organisms Trypanosoma brucei and Trypanosoma cruzi. The compounds screened showed weak activity in both the enzyme assays and the in vitro assays.

Molecular dynamics simulations of wild-type and point mutation human prion protein at normal and elevated temperature.

This paper describes molecular dynamics simulations of prion protein at 300 and 500 K. This was undertaken to gain insight into the factors involved in the stability of prion protein. Simulations were done using the Particle Mesh Ewald (PME) method using a homology model of the C-terminal fragment of human prion protein and the NMR structure of the human prion protein. The simulations at both 300 and 500 K were stable. Simulations were also undertaken with a mutant known to be associated with prion disease: Asp178Asn. The Asp178Asn simulation trajectory was observed to be much less stable than for the wild-type protein trajectory. Significant breakdown in secondary structure was observed for Asp178Asn at 500 K.

A QSAR study investigating the effect of L-alanine ester variation on the anti-HIV activity of some phosphoramidate derivatives of d4T.

A QSAR study, involving the use of calculated physical properties (TSAR), and the use of a neural network approach (TSAR), has been performed concerning the anti-HIV activity and cytotoxic effects of a series of d4T phosphoramidate derivatives with varying L-alanine esters. Models were obtained which allow reliable predictions for the anti-HIV activity, and cytotoxicity, of these derivatives.

Squalamine analogues as potential anti-trypanosomal and anti-leishmanial compounds.

This paper concerns the synthesis of various simplified analogues of the novel anti-microbial agent, squalamine. The compounds were then investigated for activity against Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of African trypanosomiasis, Trypanosoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas disease and Leishmania donovani, the causative agent of visceral leishmaniasis. Several compounds showed in vitro activity, especially against T. brucei and L. donovani. However, one compound showed poor in vivo activity.

Solid phase synthesis of purines from pyrimidines.

In this paper the solid phase synthesis of various substituted purines is described starting from 4,6-dichloro-5-nitropyrimidine. The 4,6-dichloro-5-nitropyrimidine was coupled to Rink amide resin followed by displacement of the second chloride by an amino compound. Reduction of the nitro compound proved to be problematic but was achieved using lithium aluminum hydride/aluminum trichloride. The diamines (13) were then elaborated to purines by three different routes.

Screening Congo Red and its analogues for their ability to prevent the formation of PrP-res in scrapie-infected cells.

Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) are incurable, fatal diseases. The dye Congo Red (CR) can cure cells infected with agents of the sheep TSE, scrapie, but is not used as a therapeutic or prophylactic agent in vivo, as its effects are small, possibly due to low blood-brain barrier permeability, and complicated by its intrinsic carcinogenicity. In this paper, the development is described of a structure-activity profile for CR by testing a series of analogues of this dye for their ability to inhibit the formation of the protease-resistant prion protein, PrP-res, a molecular marker for the infectious agent, in the scrapie-infected, SMB cell line. It was found that the central benzidine unit in CR, which gives the molecule potential carcinogenicity, can be replaced by other, less toxic moieties and that the sulphonate groups on the core molecule can be replaced by carboxylic acids, which should improve the brain permeability of these compounds. However, detailed dose-response curves were generated for several derivatives and they revealed that, while some compounds showed inhibition of PrP-res accumulation at high concentrations, at low concentrations they actually stimulated levels of PrP-res above control values.

Design, synthesis, and evaluation of inhibitors of trypanosomal and leishmanial dihydrofolate reductase.

This paper concerns the design, synthesis, and evaluation of inhibitors of leishmanial and trypanosomal dihydrofolate reductase. Initially study was made of the structures of the leishmanial and human enzyme active sites to see if there were significant differences which could be exploited for selective drug design. Then a series of compounds were synthesized based on 5-benzyl-2, 4-diaminopyrimidines. These compounds were assayed against the protozoan and human enzymes and showed selectivity for the protozoan enzymes. The structural data was then used to rationalize the enzyme assay data. Compounds were also tested against the clinically relevant forms of the intact parasite. Activity was seen against the trypanosomes for a number of compounds. The compounds were in general less active against Leishmania. This latter result may be due to uptake problems. Two of the compounds also showed some in vivo activity in a model of African trypanosomiasis.

Design and synthesis of lipophilic phosphoramidate d4T-MP prodrugs expressing high potency against HIV in cell culture: structural determinants for in vitro activity and QSAR.

A series of new substituted-aryl phosphoramidate derivatives of the anti-HIV drug d4T were synthesized as membrane-soluble nucleotide prodrugs, to extend and quantify the SAR observed for an earlier series of related derivatives. All of the compounds were found to be significantly more potent against HIV in cell culture than the nucleoside analogue d4T, and most were also found to be significantly more potent than the parent phosphoramidate. A Hansch type QSAR analysis was applied to the combined series of 21 compounds. The results of this analysis revealed anti-HIV activity to be principally dependent on lipophilicity in a quadratic manner, with terms representing substituent steric bulk and electronic effects having a minimal significance.

The structure-based design and synthesis of selective inhibitors of Trypanosoma cruzi dihydrofolate reductase.

This paper describes the design and synthesis of potential inhibitors of Trypanosoma cruzi dihydrofolate reductase using a structure-based approach. A model of the structure of the T. cruzi enzyme was compared with the structure of the human enzyme. The differences were used to design modifications of methotrexate to produce compounds which should be selective for the parasite enzyme. The derivatives of methotrexate were synthesised and tested against the enzyme and intact parasites.

Dihydrofolate reductase: a potential drug target in trypanosomes and leishmania.

Dihydrofolate reductase has successfully been used as a drug target in the area of anti-cancer, anti-bacterial and anti-malarial chemotherapy. Little has been done to evaluate it as a drug target for treatment of the trypanosomiases and leishmaniasis. A crystal structure of Leishmania major dihydrofolate reductase has been published. In this paper, we describe the modelling of Trypanosoma cruzi and Trypanosoma brucei dihydrofolate reductases based on this crystal structure. These structures and models have been used in the comparison of protozoan, bacterial and human enzymes in order to highlight the different features that can be used in the design of selective anti-protozoan agents. Comparison has been made between residues present in the active site, the accessibility of these residues, charge distribution in the active site, and the shape and size of the active sites. Whilst there is a high degree of similarity between protozoan, human and bacterial dihydrofolate reductase active sites, there are differences that provide potential for selective drug design. In particular, we have identified a set of residues which may be important for selective drug design and identified a larger binding pocket in the protozoan than the human and bacterial enzymes.

An approach to use an unusual adenosine transporter to selectively deliver polyamine analogues to trypanosomes.

In this paper we describe an approach to selectively deliver compounds to trypanosomes using an adenosine transporter which is unique to the trypanosome. Various polyamine analogues have been attached to known substrates of this adenosine transporter. The compounds prepared interact specifically with the adenosine transporter, some with a similar efficiency to berenil, a known substrate.

Design and synthesis of bio-isosteres of thymidine triphosphate.

This paper describes the design and synthesis of potential isosteres of triphosphates which should show enhanced metabolic stability and lipophilicity compared to triphosphates. The triphosphate isosteres were then linked to nucleosides and evaluated for their inhibitory activity against HIV infection.