Traceability and authentication in agri-food production: A multivariate approach to the characterization ofthe Italian food excellence elephant garlic (Allium ampeloprasum L.), a vasoactive nutraceutical.

A research platform for food authentication was set up by combining stable isotope ratio analysis, metabolomics by gas and liquid mass-spectrometry and NMR investigations, chemometric analyses for food excellences. This multi-analytical approach was tested on samples of elephant garlic (Allium ampeloprasum L.), a species belonging to the same genus of common garlic (Allium ampeloprasum L.), mainly produced in southern Tuscany-(Allium ampeloprasum). The isotopic composition allowed the product to be geographically characterized. Flavonoids, like (+)-catechin, cinnamic acids, quercetin glycosides were identified. The samples showed also a significant amount of dipeptides, sulphur-containing metabolites and glutathione, the latter of which could be considered a molecular marker of the analyzed elephant garlic. For nutraceutical profiling to reach quality labels, extracts were investigated in specific biological assays, displaying interesting vasorelaxant properties in rat aorta by mediating nitric oxide release from the endothelium and exhibited positive inotropic and negative chronotropic effects in rat perfused heart.

Pioneering first-in-class FAAH-HDAC inhibitors as potential multitarget neuroprotective agents.

Aiming to simultaneously modulate the endocannabinoid system (ECS) functions and the epigenetic machinery, we selected the fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH) and histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes as desired targets to develop potential neuroprotective multitarget-directed ligands (MTDLs), expecting to achieve an additive or synergistic therapeutic effect in oxidative stress-related conditions. We herein report the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of the first-in-class FAAH-HDAC multitarget inhibitors. A pharmacophore merging strategy was applied, yielding 1-phenylpyrrole-based compounds 4a-j. The best-performing compounds (4c, 4f, and 4h) were tested for their neuroprotective properties in oxidative stress models, employing 1321N1 human astrocytoma cells and SHSY5 human neuronal cells. In our preliminary studies, compound 4h stood out, showing a balanced nanomolar inhibitory activity against the selected targets and outperforming the standard antioxidant N-acetylcysteine in vitro. Together with 4f, 4h was also able to protect 1321N1 cells from tert-butyl hydroperoxide or glutamate insult. Our study may provide the basis for the development of novel MTDLs targeting the ECS and epigenetic enzymes.

Crystal structures of Schistosoma mansoni histone deacetylase 8 reveal a novel binding site for allosteric inhibitors.

Parasitic diseases cause significant global morbidity and mortality particularly in the poorest regions of the world. Schistosomiasis, one of the most widespread neglected tropical diseases, affects more than 200 million people worldwide. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are prominent epigenetic drugs that are being investigated in the treatment of several diseases, including cancers and parasitic diseases. Schistosoma mansoni HDAC8 (SmHDAC8) is highly expressed in all life cycle stages of the parasite, and selective inhibition is required in order to avoid undesirable off-target effects in the host. Herein, by X-ray crystal structures of SmHDAC8-inhibitor complexes, biochemical and phenotypic studies, we found two schistosomicidal spiroindoline derivatives binding a novel site, next to Trp198, on the enzyme surface. We determined that by acting on this site, either by mutation of the Trp198 or by compound binding, a decrease in the activity of the enzyme is achieved. Remarkably, this allosteric site differs from the human counterpart; rather, it is conserved in all Schistosoma species, as well as Rhabidoptera and Trematoda classes, thus paving the way for the design of HDAC8-selective allosteric inhibitors with improved properties.

Optimization of Potent and Specific Trypanothione Reductase Inhibitors: A Structure-Based Drug Discovery Approach.

Leishmania spp. are responsible for up to 1 million new cases each year. The current therapeutic arsenal against Leishmania is largely inadequate, and there is an urgent need for better drugs. Trypanothione reductase (TR) represents a druggable target since it is essential for the parasite and not shared by the human host. Here, we report the optimization of a novel class of potent and selective LiTR inhibitors realized through a concerted effort involving X-ray crystallography, synthesis, structure-activity relationship (SAR) investigation, molecular modeling, and in vitro phenotypic assays. 5-Nitrothiophene-2-carboxamides 3, 6e, and 8 were among the most potent and selective TR inhibitors identified in this study. 6e and 8 displayed leishmanicidal activity in the low micromolar range coupled to SI > 50. Our studies could pave the way for the use of TR inhibitors not only against leishmaniasis but also against other trypanosomatidae due to the structural similarity of TR enzymes.

Azetidin-2-one-based small molecules as dual hHDAC6/HDAC8 inhibitors: Investigation of their mechanism of action and impact of dual inhibition profile on cell viability.

The search of new therapeutic tools for the treatment of cancer is being a challenge for medicinal chemists. Due to their role in different pathological conditions, histone deacetylase (HDAC) enzymes are considered valuable therapeutic targets. HDAC6 is a well-investigated HDAC-class IIb enzyme mainly characterized by a cytoplasmic localization; HDAC8 is an epigenetic eraser, unique HDAC-class I member that displays some aminoacidic similarity to HDAC6. New polypharmacological agents for cancer treatment, based on a dual hHDAC6/hHDAC8 inhibition profile were developed. The dual inhibitor design investigated the diphenyl-azetidin-2-one scaffold, typified in three different structural families, that, combined to a slender benzyl linker (6c, 6i, and 6j), displays nanomolar inhibition potency against hHDAC6 and hHDAC8 isoforms. Notably, their selective action was also corroborated by measuring their low inhibitory potency towards hHDAC1 and hHDAC10. Selectivity of these compounds was further demonstrated in human cell-based western blots experiments, by testing the acetylation of the non-histone substrates alpha-tubulin and SMC3. Furthermore, the compounds reduced the proliferation of colorectal HCT116 and leukemia U937 cells, after 48 h of treatment. The toxicity of the compounds was evaluated in rat perfused heart and in zebrafish embryos. In this latter model we also validated the efficacy of the dual hHDAC6/hHDAC8 inhibitors against their common target acetylated-alpha tubulin. Finally, the metabolic stability was verified in rat, mouse, and human liver microsomes.

Design and synthesis of multifunctional microtubule targeting agents endowed with dual pro-apoptotic and anti-autophagic efficacy.

Autophagy is a lysosome dependent cell survival mechanism and is central to the maintenance of organismal homeostasis in both physiological and pathological situations. Targeting autophagy in cancer therapy attracted considerable attention in the past as stress-induced autophagy has been demonstrated to contribute to both drug resistance and malignant progression and recently interest in this area has re-emerged. Unlocking the therapeutic potential of autophagy modulation could be a valuable strategy for designing innovative tools for cancer treatment. Microtubule-targeting agents (MTAs) are some of the most successful anti-cancer drugs used in the clinic to date. Scaling up our efforts to develop new anti-cancer agents, we rationally designed multifunctional agents 5a-l with improved potency and safety that combine tubulin depolymerising efficacy with autophagic flux inhibitory activity. Through a combination of computational, biological, biochemical, pharmacokinetic-safety, metabolic studies and SAR analyses we identified the hits 5i,k. These MTAs were characterised as potent pro-apoptotic agents and also demonstrated autophagy inhibition efficacy. To measure their efficacy at inhibiting autophagy, we investigated their effects on basal and starvation-mediated autophagic flux by quantifying the expression of LC3II/LC3I and p62 proteins in oral squamous cell carcinoma and human leukaemia through western blotting and by immunofluorescence study of LC3 and LAMP1 in a cervical carcinoma cell line. Analogues 5i and 5k, endowed with pro-apoptotic activity on a range of hematological cancer cells (including ex-vivo chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) cells) and several solid tumor cell lines, also behaved as late-stage autophagy inhibitors by impairing autophagosome-lysosome fusion.

Extra Virgin Olive Oil Extracts of Indigenous Southern Tuscany Cultivar Act as Anti-Inflammatory and Vasorelaxant Nutraceuticals.

Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) is the typical source of fats in the Mediterranean diet. While fatty acids are essential for the EVOO nutraceutical properties, multiple biological activities are also due to the presence of polyphenols. In this work, autochthonous Tuscany EVOOs were chemically characterized and selected EVOO samples were extracted to obtain hydroalcoholic phytocomplexes, which were assayed to establish their anti-inflammatory and vasorelaxant properties. The polar extracts were characterized via 1H-NMR and UHPLC-HRMS to investigate the chemical composition and assayed in CaCo-2 cells exposed to glucose oxidase or rat aorta rings contracted by phenylephrine. Apigenin and luteolin were found as representative flavones; other components were pinoresinol, ligstroside, and oleuropein. The extracts showed anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties via modulation of NF-κB and Nrf2 pathways, respectively, and good vasorelaxant activity, both in the presence and absence of an intact endothelium. In conclusion, this study evaluated the nutraceutical properties of autochthonous Tuscany EVOO cv., which showed promising anti-inflammatory and vasorelaxant effects.

Total Synthesis of the Natural Chalcone Lophirone E, Synthetic Studies toward Benzofuran and Indole-Based Analogues, and Investigation of Anti-Leishmanial Activity.

The potential of natural and synthetic chalcones as therapeutic leads against different pathological conditions has been investigated for several years, and this class of compounds emerged as a privileged chemotype due to its interesting anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antiviral, and anticancer properties. The objective of our study was to contribute to the investigation of this class of natural products as anti-leishmanial agents. We aimed at investigating the structure-activity relationships of the natural chalcone lophirone E, characterized by the presence of benzofuran B-ring, and analogues on anti-leishmania activity. Here we describe an effective synthetic strategy for the preparation of the natural chalcone lophirone E and its application to the synthesis of a small set of chalcones bearing different substitution patterns at both the A and heterocyclic B rings. The resulting compounds were investigated for their activity against Leishmania infantum promastigotes disclosing derivatives 1 and 28a,b as those endowed with the most interesting activities (IC50 = 15.3, 27.2, 15.9 µM, respectively). The synthetic approaches here described and the early SAR investigations highlighted the potential of this class of compounds as antiparasitic hits, making this study worthy of further investigation.

Synthesis and biological evaluation of benzhydryl-based antiplasmodial agents possessing Plasmodium falciparum chloroquine resistance transporter (PfCRT) inhibitory activity.

Due to the surge in resistance to common therapies, malaria remains a significant concern to human health worldwide. In chloroquine (CQ)-resistant (CQ-R) strains of Plasmodium falciparum, CQ and related drugs are effluxed from the parasite's digestive vacuole (DV). This process is mediated by mutant isoforms of a protein called CQ resistance transporter (PfCRT). CQ-R strains can be partially re-sensitized to CQ by verapamil (VP), primaquine (PQ) and other compounds, and this has been shown to be due to the ability of these molecules to inhibit drug transport via PfCRT. We have previously developed a series of clotrimazole (CLT)-based antimalarial agents that possess inhibitory activity against PfCRT (4a,b). In our endeavor to develop novel PfCRT inhibitors, and to perform a structure-activity relationship analysis, we synthesized a new library of analogues. When the benzhydryl system was linked to a 4-aminoquinoline group (5a-f) the resulting compounds exhibited good cytotoxicity against both CQ-R and CQ-S strains of P. falciparum. The most potent inhibitory activity against the PfCRT-mediated transport of CQ was obtained with compound 5k. When compared to the reference compound, benzhydryl analogues of PQ (5i,j) showed a similar activity against blood-stage parasites, and a stronger in vitro potency against liver-stage parasites. Unfortunately, in the in vivo transmission blocking assays, 5i,j were inactive against gametocytes.

Setup and Validation of a Reliable Docking Protocol for the Development of Neuroprotective Agents by Targeting the Sigma-1 Receptor (S1R).

Sigma-1 receptor (S1R) is a promising molecular target for the development of novel effective therapies against neurodegenerative diseases. To speed up the discovery of new S1R modulators, herein we report the development of a reliable in silico protocol suitable to predict the affinity of small molecules against S1R. The docking method was validated by comparing the computational calculated Ki values of a test set of new aryl-aminoalkyl-ketone with experimental determined binding affinity. The druggability profile of the new compounds, with particular reference to the ability to cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) was further predicted in silico. Moreover, the selectivity over Sigma-2 receptor (S2R) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, another protein involved in neurodegeneration, was evaluated. 1-([1,1'-biphenyl]-4-yl)-4-(piperidin-1-yl)butan-1-one (12) performed as the best compound and was further investigated for acetylcholinesterase (AchE) inhibitor activity and determination of antioxidant activity mediated by aquaporins (AQPs). With a good affinity against both S1R and NMDA receptor, good selectivity over S2R and favorable BBB penetration potential together with its AChE inhibitory activity and its ability to exert antioxidant effects through modulation of AQPs, 12 represents a viable candidate for further development as a neuroprotective agent.

Modulation of the Innate Immune Response by Targeting Toll-like Receptors: A Perspective on Their Agonists and Antagonists.

Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are a class of proteins that recognize pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and damaged-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs), and they are involved in the regulation of innate immune system. These transmembrane receptors, localized at the cellular or endosomal membrane, trigger inflammatory processes through either myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88) or TIR-domain-containing adapter-inducing interferon-ß (TRIF) signaling pathways. In the last decades, extensive research has been performed on TLR modulators and their therapeutic implication under several pathological conditions, spanning from infections to cancer, from metabolic disorders to neurodegeneration and autoimmune diseases. This Perspective will highlight the recent discoveries in this field, emphasizing the role of TLRs in different diseases and the therapeutic effect of their natural and synthetic modulators, and it will discuss insights for the future exploitation of TLR modulators in human health.