Hydrophobic Derivatives of Glycopeptide Antibiotics as Inhibitors of Protein Kinases.

As key regulators of cell signaling, protein kinases (PKs) are attractive targets for therapeutic intervention in a variety of diseases. Herein, we report for the first time the inhibitory activity of polycyclic peptides, particularly, derivatives of glycopeptide antibiotics teicoplanin and eremomycin, against a panel of 12 recombinant human protein kinases and two protein kinases (CK1 and CK2) isolated from rat liver. Several of the investigated compounds inhibited various PKs with IC50 values below 10 µM and caused >90% suppression of the enzyme activity at 10 µM concentration. Kinetic analysis of the protein kinase CK2α inhibition by the teicoplanin aglycon analogue (7) demonstrated the non-competitive mechanism of inhibition (with regard to ATP). Interestingly, the inhibitory activity of some investigated compounds correlated with the earlier described antiviral activity against HIV, HCV, and other corona- and flaviviruses.

[Design of Novel Carboxamides of Eremomycin and Vancomycin with 4- or 3-Amino Methyl Phenyl Boric Acid and Their Investigation].

Amidation of the end carboxyl group of eremomycin and vancomycin by pinacolinic 4- or 3-amino methyl phenyl boron acids esters in the presence of the condensing reagent PyBOP resulted in formation of novel carboxamides of the antibiotics (IIIa-VIa). After elimination of the pinacolinic group under mild hydrolysis in weak acid aqueous medium there formed the respective derivatives with a residue of the nonprotected boric acid (III-VI). It was shown that the activity of the 4-substituted derivatives of the borole-containing eremomycin and vancomycin practically was the same as that of the initial antibiotics, while higher than that of the respective 3-substituted derivatives of the borole-containing derivatives against 8 strains of grampositive bacteria.

Synthesis and study of antibacterial activities of antibacterial glycopeptide antibiotics conjugated with benzoxaboroles.

BACKGROUND: The ability of boron-containing compounds to undergo a number of novel binding interactions with drug target functional groups has recently been described. In an extension of this work, we have incorporated a boron-containing scaffold, the benzoxaborole, into several glycopeptides antibiotics. The aim of this work is to exploit the inherent reactivity of boron to gain additional interactions with the bacterial cell wall components to improve binding affinity and to thereby overcome resistance. RESULTS: Three antibacterial glycopeptides (vancomycin, eremomycin and teicoplanin aglycone) have been selected for the construction of a series of 12 new benzoxaborole-glycopeptide conjugates. The hybrid antibiotics, in which the benzoxaborole and glycopeptide moieties were separated by a linker, exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, including those with intermediate susceptibility to glycopeptides. Some analogs also demonstrated activity against vancomycin-resistant enterococci. CONCLUSION: Conjugation of antibiotics with benzoxaborole derivatives provides antibiotics with new and useful properties. Teicoplanin aglycone-benzoxaborole derivatives overcome resistance of Gram-positive bacteria to vancomycin.

Synthesis of hydrophobic N'-mono and N',N"-double alkylated eremomycins inhibiting the transglycosylation stage of bacterial cell wall biosynthesis.

A series of hydrophobic N'-mono and N',N"-double alkylated derivatives of the glycopeptide antibiotic eremomycin were synthesized by reductive alkylation after preliminary protection of the N-terminal amino group of the peptide backbone. The investigation of the antibacterial activity in vitro showed that N'-C10H21- and N'-p-(p-chlorophenyl)benzyl derivatives of eremomycin are the most active against vancomycin-resistant enterococci among the compounds obtained though they are less effective than the corresponding lipophilic derivatives of vancomycin. The introduction of two hydrophobic substituents led to a decrease in activity against both susceptible and resistant bacteria. The biochemical evaluation of the mode of action revealed that in addition to binding to D-Ala-D-Ala these compounds also have an alternative mechanism of action that does not require substrate binding.

Structure-activity relationships in the series of eremomycin carboxamides.

A series of new carboxamides of the glycopeptide antibiotic eremomycin was synthesized and investigated in vitro. The goal of the study was the comparison of the influence of the substituents introduced onto the eremomycin skeleton on the activity of these compounds against vancomycin susceptible and resistant bacterial strains. Eremomycin amides derived from amines with small substituents (C0 approximately C4) demonstrated antibacterial activity against vancomycin susceptible strains similar to that of the parent antibiotic and were inactive against vancomycin resistant strains. The derivatives of alkylamines with linear lipophilic substituents (like C10H21) were active against VanA and VanB enterococci strains with the scope of activity similar to that of N'-decyl or 7d-CH2NH-decyl eremomycins described earlier. Eremomycin amides of 5-methoxy- and 5-benzyloxytryptamine were active both against vancomycin susceptible and resistant strains. The introduction of a spacer (lysine or piperazine) between the decyl and antibiotic moieties did not seriously influence antibacterial properties of the compounds in comparison with the corresponding derivatives without a spacer. The most active carboxamides are of interest for secondary modifications of the antibiotic.

Chemical modification of antibiotic eremomycin at the asparagine side chain.

AA3-Carboxyeremomycin 2, obtained by selective hydrolysis of antibiotic eremomycin was used as a starting compound for the eremomycin chemical modifications at the asparagine side chain to be transformed into eremomycin AA3, AA7 bis-amides (3a-c). Bis-benzylamide 3b displayed an activity (8 microg/ml) against an E. faecium VanA strain.

Substitution of amino acids 1 and 3 in teicoplanin aglycon: synthesis and antibacterial activity of three first non-natural dalbaheptides.

The replacement of amino acids 1 and 3 of glycopeptide antibiotics (dalbaheptides) with new amino acids or other chemical entities suitable to interact with both glycopeptide-resistant (D-Ala-D-Lactate) and susceptible (D-Ala-D-Ala) targets is one of the chemical strategies currently followed to pursue activity against highly glycopeptide-resistant VanA enterococci while maintaining activity against glycopeptide-susceptible Gram-positive bacteria, particularly methicillin-resistant staphylococci. As a preliminary approach, the substitution of amino acid 1 of deglucoteicoplanin (TD) with D-lysine or D-methylleucine and of its amino acid 3 with L-phenylalanine or L-lysine was investigated. In this paper, the synthesis and in vitro antibacterial activities of first non-natural dalbaheptide methyl ester aglycons MDL 63,166 (D-Lys1-Phe-3-TD-DHP-Me), MDL 64,945 (D-Lys1-Lys3-TD-DHP-Me), and MDL 64,468 (D-MeLeu1-Lys3-TD-DHP-Me) are described. These compounds, which were obtained from intermediate TD-derived tetrapeptide methyl ester (TDTP-Me) according to a 9-step overall procedure, had excellent anti-staphylococcal activity. The most active derivative against staphylococci, MDL 64,945 (MIC: 0.063 microgram/ml for S. aureus, S. epidermidis and S. haemolyticus) was inactive against VanA enterococci, while MDL 63,166 and MDL 64,468 were somewhat active against VanA strains of E. faecalis; MDL 64,468 was also moderately active against one VanA isolate of E. faecium and had marginal activity as TD against E. coli.

A modification of the N-terminal amino acid in the eremomycin aglycone.

An Edman degradation of the antibiotic eremomycin aglycone produced the corresponding hexapeptide, which was aminoacylated with D-lysine, D-histidine or D-tryptophan derivatives to give new heptapeptide analogs of the eremomycin aglycone. The aminoacylation of the eremomycin aglycone produced an octapeptide analog. The substitution of D-lysine for the N-terminal N-methyl-D-leucine does not seriously affect the in vitro antibacterial properties of the eremomycin aglycone whereas the heptapeptides with the N-terminal D-tryptophan or D-histidine moieties and the octapeptide with the N-terminal D-lysine are practically devoid of the antibacterial properties.

Carboxamides and hydrazide of glycopeptide antibiotic eremomycin. Synthesis and antibacterial activity.

Carboxamides and hydrazide of glycopeptide antibiotic eremomycin were obtained by a direct reaction of the carboxy group of eremomycin with an appropriate amine or hydrazine using diphenyl phosphorazidate as a condencing agent. Eremomycin hydrazide was also obtained by hydrazinolysis of the eremomycin methyl ester. Use of dicyclohexylcarbodiimide or 1-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)-3-ethylcarbodiimide for amidation led to the corresponding eremomycin ureides. The ESI-MS data indicate that eremomycin and its amides exist as dimers. The carboxamide, methylamide and benzylamide of eremomycin were as active against Gram-positive bacteria as the parent antibiotic, and the methylamide, benzylamide and hydrazide were almost an order of magnitude more active than eremomycin against Staphylococcus epidermidis clinical isolates in vitro. Amide of eremomycin as well as ureides were devoid of histamine liberating properties, which demonstrates that protection of the carboxyl group leads to a decrease in the allergenic properties.

Modification of glycopeptide antibiotic eremomycin by the action of alkyl halides and study on antibacterial activity of the compounds obtained.

Alkylation of glycopeptide antibiotic eremomycin by the action of different alkyl halides leads, depending on the structure of alkyl halides used, to eremomycin derivatives of six types; alkylated at the N-terminus, quaternary compounds at the N-terminus, eremomycin esters, esters of eremocycin alkylated at the N-terminus, esters of eremomycin quaternised at the N-terminus, esters of eremomycin alkylated both at the N-terminus and at the aminogroup of disaccharide branch. Five compounds demonstrated high antibacterial activity in vitro, N-allyleremomycin and methyl ester of N,N-dimethyleremomycin being at least as good as the parent eremomycin.

Synthesis and biological activity of derivatives of glycopeptide antibiotics eremomycin and vancomycin nitrosated, acylated or carbamoylated at the N-terminal.

Nitrosation, carbamoylation or acylation of the glycopeptide antibiotics eremomycin or vancomycin produced series of derivatives substituted at the N-terminus of the peptides. Though the modified amino group in these derivatives is not capable of protonation, N-nitroso derivatives retain antibacterial activity in vitro and in vivo. N-Carbamoyleremomycin has low activity, and N-Cbz-eremomycin and N-Boc-eremomycin are devoid of antibacterial activity, both in vitro and in vivo.