RESUMO
Myo-inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6) is a natural product known to inhibit vascular calcification (VC), but with limited potency and low plasma exposure following bolus administration. Here we report the design of a series of inositol phosphate analogs as crystallization inhibitors, among which 4,6-di-O-(methoxy-diethyleneglycol)-myo-inositol-1,2,3,5-tetrakis(phosphate), (OEG2)2-IP4, displays increased in vitro activity, as well as more favorable pharmacokinetic and safety profiles than IP6 after subcutaneous injection. (OEG2)2-IP4 potently stabilizes calciprotein particle (CPP) growth, consistently demonstrates low micromolar activity in different in vitro models of VC (i.e., human serum, primary cell cultures, and tissue explants), and largely abolishes the development of VC in rodent models, while not causing toxicity related to serum calcium chelation. The data suggest a mechanism of action independent of the etiology of VC, whereby (OEG2)2-IP4 disrupts the nucleation and growth of pathological calcification.
Assuntos
Fosfatos de Inositol/química , Fosfatos de Inositol/farmacologia , Calcificação Vascular/tratamento farmacológico , 6-Fitase/metabolismo , Adenina/efeitos adversos , Animais , Células Cultivadas , Avaliação Pré-Clínica de Medicamentos/métodos , Difusão Dinâmica da Luz , Etilenoglicol/química , Humanos , Injeções Subcutâneas , Fosfatos de Inositol/farmacocinética , Masculino , Músculo Liso Vascular/citologia , Músculo Liso Vascular/efeitos dos fármacos , Ratos Sprague-Dawley , Uremia/tratamento farmacológico , Uremia/fisiopatologia , Calcificação Vascular/induzido quimicamente , Difração de Raios XRESUMO
Clostridium difficile causes increasing numbers of life-threatening intestinal infections. Symptoms associated with C. difficile infection (CDI) are mediated by secreted protein toxins, whose virulence is modulated by intracellular auto-proteolysis following allosteric activation of their protease domains by inositol hexakisphosphate (IP6). Here, we explore the possibility of inactivating the C. difficile toxin B (TcdB) by triggering its auto-proteolysis in the gut lumen prior to cell uptake using gain-of-function small molecules. We anticipated that high calcium concentrations typically found in the gut would strongly chelate IP6, precluding it from pre-emptively inducing toxin auto-proteolysis if administered exogenously. We therefore designed IP6 analogs with reduced susceptibility to complexation by calcium, which maintained allosteric activity at physiological calcium concentrations. We found that oral administration of IP6 analogs attenuated inflammation and promoted survival in mouse models of CDI. Our data provide impetus to further develop small-molecule allosteric triggers of toxin auto-proteolysis as a therapeutic strategy.
