Structure-Based Design and Pharmacophore-Based Virtual Screening of Combinatorial Library of Triclosan Analogues Active against Enoyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Reductase of Plasmodium falciparum with Favourable ADME Profiles.

Cost-effective therapy of neglected and tropical diseases such as malaria requires everlasting drug discovery efforts due to the rapidly emerging drug resistance of the plasmodium parasite. We have carried out computational design of new inhibitors of the enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (ENR) of Plasmodium falciparum (PfENR) using computer-aided combinatorial and pharmacophore-based molecular design. The Molecular Mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann Surface Area (MM-PBSA) complexation QSAR model was developed for triclosan-based inhibitors (TCL) and a significant correlation was established between the calculated relative Gibbs free energies of complex formation (∆∆Gcom) between PfENR and TCL and the observed inhibitory potencies of the enzyme (IC50exp) for a training set of 20 known TCL analogues. Validation of the predictive power of the MM-PBSA QSAR model was carried out with the generation of 3D QSAR pharmacophore (PH4). We obtained a reasonable correlation between the relative Gibbs free energy of complex formation ∆∆Gcom and IC50exp values, which explained approximately 95% of the PfENR inhibition data: pIC50exp=-0.0544×∆∆Gcom+6.9336,R2=0.95. A similar agreement was established for the PH4 pharmacophore model of the PfENR inhibition (pIC50exp=0.9754×pIC50pre+0.1596, R2=0.98). Analysis of enzyme-inhibitor binding site interactions suggested suitable building blocks to be used in a virtual combinatorial library of 33,480 TCL analogues. Structural information derived from the complexation model and the PH4 pharmacophore guided us through in silico screening of the virtual combinatorial library of TCL analogues to finally identify potential new TCL inhibitors effective at low nanomolar concentrations. Virtual screening of the library by PfENR-PH4 led to a predicted IC50pre value for the best inhibitor candidate as low as 1.9 nM. Finally, the stability of PfENR-TCLx complexes and the flexibility of the active conformation of the inhibitor for selected top-ranking TCL analogues were checked with the help of molecular dynamics. This computational study resulted in a set of proposed new potent inhibitors with predicted antimalarial effects and favourable pharmacokinetic profiles that act on a novel pharmacological target, PfENR.

Virtual design of novel Plasmodium falciparum cysteine protease falcipain-2 hybrid lactone-chalcone and isatin-chalcone inhibitors probing the S2 active site pocket.

We report computer-aided design of new lactone-chalcone and isatin-chalcone (HLCIC) inhibitors of the falcipain-2 (PfFP-2). 3D models of 15 FP-2:HLCIC1-15 complexes with known observed activity (IC50exp) were prepared to establish a quantitative structure-activity (QSAR) model and linear correlation between relative Gibbs free energy of enzyme:inhibitor complex formation (ΔΔGcom) and IC50exp: pIC50exp = -0.0236 × ΔΔGcom+5.082(#); R2 = 0.93. A 3D pharmacophore model (PH4) derived from the QSAR directed our effort to design novel HLCIC analogues. During the design, an initial virtual library of 2621440 HLCIC was focused down to 18288 drug-like compounds and finally, PH4 screened to identify 81 promising compounds. Thirty-three others were added from an intuitive substitution approach intended to fill better the enzyme S2 pocket. One hundred and fourteen theoretical IC50 (IC50pre) values were predicted by means of (#) and their pharmacokinetics (ADME) profiles. More than 30 putative HLCICs display IC50pre 100 times superior to that of the published most active training set inhibitor HLCIC1.

Structure-Based Design and in Silico Screening of Virtual Combinatorial Library of Benzamides Inhibiting 2-trans Enoyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Reductase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with Favorable Predicted Pharmacokinetic Profiles.

BACKGROUND: During the previous decade a new class of benzamide-based inhibitors of 2-trans enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (InhA) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mt) with unusual binding mode have emerged. Here we report in silico design and evaluation of novel benzamide InhA-Mt inhibitors with favorable predicted pharmacokinetic profiles. METHODS: By using in situ modifications of the crystal structure of N-benzyl-4-((heteroaryl)methyl) benzamide (BHMB)-InhA complex (PDB entry 4QXM), 3D models of InhA-BHMBx complexes were prepared for a training set of 19 BHMBs with experimentally determined inhibitory potencies (half-maximal inhibitory concentrations IC50exp). In the search for active conformation of the BHMB1-19, linear QSAR model was prepared, which correlated computed gas phase enthalpies of formation (∆∆HMM) of InhA-BHMBx complexes with the IC50exp. Further, taking into account the solvent effect and entropy changes upon ligand, binding resulted in a superior QSAR model correlating computed complexation Gibbs free energies (∆∆Gcom). The successive pharmacophore model (PH4) generated from the active conformations of BHMBs served as a virtual screening tool of novel analogs included in a virtual combinatorial library (VCL) of compounds containing benzamide scaffolds. The VCL filtered by Lipinski's rule-of-five was screened by the PH4 model to identify new BHMB analogs. RESULTS: Gas phase QSAR model: -log10(IC50exp) = pIC50exp = -0.2465 × ∆∆HMM + 7.95503, R2 = 0.94; superior aqueous phase QSAR model: pIC50exp = -0.2370 × ∆∆Gcom + 7.8783, R2 = 0.97 and PH4 pharmacophore model: p IC 50 exp = 1.0013 × p IC 50 exp - 0.0085, R2 = 0.95. The VCL of more than 114 thousand BHMBs was filtered down to 73,565 analogs Lipinski's rule. The five-point PH4 screening retained 90 new and potent BHMBs with predicted inhibitory potencies IC50pre up to 65 times lower than that of BHMB1 (IC50exp = 20 nM). Predicted pharmacokinetic profile of the new analogs showed enhanced cell membrane permeability and high human oral absorption compared to current anti-tuberculotics. CONCLUSIONS: Combined use of QSAR models that considered binding of the BHMBs to InhA, pharmacophore model, and ADME properties helped to recognize bound active conformation of the benzamide inhibitors, permitted in silico screening of VCL of compounds sharing benzamide scaffold and identification of new analogs with predicted high inhibitory potencies and favorable pharmacokinetic profiles.

Computer-Aided Design of Orally Bioavailable Pyrrolidine Carboxamide Inhibitors of Enoyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Reductase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis with Favorable Pharmacokinetic Profiles.

We have carried out a computational structure-based design of new potent pyrrolidine carboxamide (PCAMs) inhibitors of enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (InhA) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTb). Three-dimensional (3D) models of InhA-PCAMx complexes were prepared by in situ modification of the crystal structure of InhA-PCAM1 (Protein Data Bank (PDB) entry code: 4U0J), the reference compound of a training set of 20 PCAMs with known experimental inhibitory potencies (IC50(exp)). First, we built a gas phase quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) model, linearly correlating the computed enthalpy of the InhA-PCAM complex formation and the IC50(exp). Further, taking into account the solvent effect and loss of inhibitor entropy upon enzyme binding led to a QSAR model with a superior linear correlation between computed Gibbs free energies (ΔΔGcom) of InhA-PCAM complex formation and IC50(exp) (pIC50(exp) = -0.1552·ΔΔGcom + 5.0448, R² = 0.94), which was further validated with a 3D-QSAR pharmacophore model generation (PH4). Structural information from the models guided us in designing of a virtual combinatorial library (VL) of more than 17 million PCAMs. The VL was adsorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion (ADME) focused and reduced down to 1.6 million drug like orally bioavailable analogues and PH4 in silico screened to identify new potent PCAMs with predicted IC50(pre) reaching up to 5 nM. Combining molecular modeling and PH4 in silico screening of the VL resulted in the proposed novel potent antituberculotic agent candidates with favorable pharmacokinetic profiles.

Cameroonian medicinal plants: a bioactivity versus ethnobotanical survey and chemotaxonomic classification.

BACKGROUND: In Cameroon herbs are traditionally used to meet health care needs and plans are on the way to integrate traditional medicine in the health care system, even though the plans have not been put into action yet. The country however has a rich biodiversity, with ~8,620 plant species, some of which are commonly used in the treatment of several microbial infections and a range of diseases (malaria, trypanosomiasis, leishmaniasis, diabetes and tuberculosis). METHODS: Our survey consisted in collecting published data from the literature sources, mainly from PhD theses in Cameroonian university libraries and also using the author queries in major natural product and medicinal chemistry journals. The collected data includes plant sources, uses of plant material in traditional medicine, plant families, region of collection of plant material, isolated metabolites and type (e.g. flavonoid, terpenoid, etc.), measured biological activities of isolated compounds, and any comments on significance of isolated metabolites on the chemotaxonomic classification of the plant species. This data was compiled on a excel sheet and analysed. RESULTS: In this study, a literature survey led to the collection of data on 2,700 secondary metabolites, which have been previously isolated or derived from Cameroonian medicinal plants. This represents distinct phytochemicals derived from 312 plant species belonging to 67 plant families. The plant species are investigated in terms of chemical composition with respect to the various plant families. A correlation between the known biological activities of isolated compounds and the ethnobotanical uses of the plants is also attempted. Insight into future direction for natural product search within the Cameroonian forest and Savanna is provided. CONCLUSIONS: It can be verified that a phytochemical search of active secondary metabolites, which is inspired by knowledge from the ethnobotanical uses of medicinal plants could be very vital in a drug discovery program from plant-derived bioactive compounds.

CamMedNP: building the Cameroonian 3D structural natural products database for virtual screening.

BACKGROUND: Computer-aided drug design (CADD) often involves virtual screening (VS) of large compound datasets and the availability of such is vital for drug discovery protocols. We present CamMedNP - a new database beginning with more than 2,500 compounds of natural origin, along with some of their derivatives which were obtained through hemisynthesis. These are pure compounds which have been previously isolated and characterized using modern spectroscopic methods and published by several research teams spread across Cameroon. DESCRIPTION: In the present study, 224 distinct medicinal plant species belonging to 55 plant families from the Cameroonian flora have been considered. About 80 % of these have been previously published and/or referenced in internationally recognized journals. For each compound, the optimized 3D structure, drug-like properties, plant source, collection site and currently known biological activities are given, as well as literature references. We have evaluated the "drug-likeness" of this database using Lipinski's "Rule of Five". A diversity analysis has been carried out in comparison with the ChemBridge diverse database. CONCLUSION: CamMedNP could be highly useful for database screening and natural product lead generation programs.

Lateral Deformation of Human Red Blood Cells by Optical Tweezers.

In this paper, we studied the lateral deformation of human red blood cells (RBCs) during lateral indentation by an optically trapped silica bead with a diameter of 4.5 µm (Bangs Laboratories, Inc. Fishers, IN, USA). The images were captured using a CCD camera and the Boltzmann statistics method was used for force calibration. Using the Hertz model, we calculated and compared the elastic stiffness resulting from the lateral force, showing that the differences are important and that the force should be considered. Besides the lateral component, this setup also allowed us to examine the lateral cell-bead interaction. The mean values of the cell shear stiffness measured during indentation were 3.37 ± 0.40 µN/m for biconcave RBCs, 3.48 ± 0.23 µN/m for spherical RBCs, and 3.80 ± 0.22 µN/m for crenelated RBCs, respectively. These results show that this approach can be used as a routine method for RBC study, because it enabled us to manipulate the cell without contact with the wall.

Targeting Cysteine Proteases from Plasmodium falciparum: A General Overview, Rational Drug Design and Computational Approaches for Drug Discovery.

BACKGROUND: The Plasmodium falciparum cysteine proteases, also known as falcipains, are involved in different erythrocytic cycle processes of the malaria parasite, e.g. hydrolysis of host haemoglobin, erythrocyte invasion, and erythrocyte rupture. With the biochemical characterization of four falcipains so far, FP-2 (falcipain-2) and FP-3 (falcipain-3), members of the papain-like CAC1 family, are essential haemoglobinases. They could therefore be referred to as potential anti-malarial drug targets in the search for novel therapies, which could ease the burden caused by the increasing resistance to current antimalarial drugs. OBJECTIVES: This review provides a summary of the most important results, highlighting the drug design approaches essential for the understanding of the mechanism of inhibition and discovery of inhibitors against cysteine proteases from P. falciparum. RESULTS: Rational and computer-aided drug discovery approaches for the design of promising falcipain inhibitors are described herein, with a focus on a variety of structure-based and ligand-based modeling approaches. Moreover, the key features of ligand recognition against these targets are emphasized. CONCLUSION: This review would be of interest to scientists engaged in the development of drug design strategies to target the cysteine proteases, FP-2 and FP-3.

Virtually Designed Triclosan-Based Inhibitors of Enoyl-Acyl Carrier Protein Reductase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and of Plasmodium falciparum.

We report here new chemical structures of predicted nanomolar triclosan-based inhibitors (TCLs) of Mycobacterium tuberculosis enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase (InhA) virtually proposed by computer-assisted molecular design. 3D models of InhA-TCL complexes were prepared by in situ modifications of the reference crystal structure (PDB entry 1P45) for a training set of 15 TCLs with known InhA inhibitory activities. A QSAR model was built leading to linear correlation between the calculated free energies of complexation (ΔΔGcom ) and experimental values IC50 (exp) : pIC50 =-0.0657×ΔΔGcom +3.0502, R(2) =0.96. In addition, ligand-based quantitative pharmacophore model (PH4) was built from bound conformations of the training set compounds and confirmed the correlation between molecular models and observed activities: pIC50 (exp=) 0.8929×pIC50 (pre) -0.441, R(2) =0.95. Structural information from both models helped us to propose new TCL analogues. A virtual library of TCLs with known predicted activities against enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase of Plasmodium falciparum (PfENR) was evaluated, revealing dual target TCLs. Moreover, analysis of binding site interactions suggested enriching substitutions, which led to more potent TCLs with predicted pIC50 (pre) as low as 7 nM. The computational approach, which used both free energy estimated from molecular modeling and 3D-QSAR pharmacophore model, was helpful in virtually proposing the dual-targeted drugs and provided valuable information for the design of novel potential antituberculotic agents.

Perspectives on tuberculosis pathogenesis and discovery of anti- tubercular drugs.

Based on the global burden of tuberculosis and resistant strains that have recently emerged, not responding to existing therapies, it has become urgent to search for new remedies against this global human plague that has been compounded by HIV co-infection. Thus, the search for new drugs against the disease-causing agent, Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB), is an ongoing effort. This review discusses the state-of-the-art in anti-tuberculosis pathogenesis and anti-TB drug research, identifying some of the challenges being faced by researchers in the field and sheds light on possible ways forward, particularly in low-income countries.

Binding of pyrazole-based inhibitors to Mycobacterium tuberculosis pantothenate synthetase: docking and MM-GB(PB)SA analysis.

Recently, the search for new drugs against tuberculosis (TB) has been a hot topic and the search for new inhibitors against validated drug targets and pathways other than those currently targeted by known drugs is suggested to be the most promising way forward. Mycobacterium tuberculosis pantothenate synthetase (MTBPS) happens to be one of such targets. In a quest to carry out virtual screening for active inhibitors against MTBPS and to get ideas for the design of new inhibitors against this target, we have docked a set of pyrazole-based inhibitors to the active site of this enzyme. The docking solutions were post processed using the MM-PB(GB)SA method and molecular dynamic simulations in order to analyze and validate the two previously proposed binding modes. The results show that both the MM-PBSA and MM-GBSA were able to discriminate between active and inactive compounds. Moreover, the pharmacophore-based scoring method proved efficient in discriminating the active compounds from inactives. From this work a protocol for screening of potential inhibitors of the enzyme from commercially available databases has been devised.

Design of Thymidine Analogues Targeting Thymidilate Kinase of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.

We design here new nanomolar antituberculotics, inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis thymidine monophosphate kinase (TMPKmt), by means of structure-based molecular design. 3D models of TMPKmt-inhibitor complexes have been prepared from the crystal structure of TMPKmt cocrystallized with the natural substrate deoxythymidine monophosphate (dTMP) (1GSI) for a training set of 15 thymidine analogues (TMDs) with known activity to prepare a QSAR model of interaction establishing a correlation between the free energy of complexation and the biological activity. Subsequent validation of the predictability of the model has been performed with a 3D QSAR pharmacophore generation. The structural information derived from the model served to design new subnanomolar thymidine analogues. From molecular modeling investigations, the agreement between free energy of complexation (ΔΔG com) and K i values explains 94% of the TMPKmt inhibition (pK i = -0.2924ΔΔG com + 3.234; R (2) = 0.94) by variation of the computed ΔΔG com and 92% for the pharmacophore (PH4) model (pK i = 1.0206 × pK i (pred) - 0.0832, R (2) = 0.92). The analysis of contributions from active site residues suggested substitution at the 5-position of pyrimidine ring and various groups at the 5'-position of the ribose. The best inhibitor reached a predicted K i of 0.155 nM. The computational approach through the combined use of molecular modeling and PH4 pharmacophore is helpful in targeted drug design, providing valuable information for the synthesis and prediction of activity of novel antituberculotic agents.

In silico drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic profiles of natural products from medicinal plants in the Congo basin.

PURPOSE: Drug metabolism and pharmacokinetics (DMPK) assessment has come to occupy a place of interest during the early stages of drug discovery today. The use of computer modelling to predict the DMPK and toxicity properties of a natural product library derived from medicinal plants from Central Africa (named ConMedNP). Material from some of the plant sources are currently employed in African Traditional Medicine. METHODS: Computer-based methods are slowly gaining ground in this area and are often used as preliminary criteria for the elimination of compounds likely to present uninteresting pharmacokinetic profiles and unacceptable levels of toxicity from the list of potential drug candidates, hence cutting down the cost of discovery of a drug. In the present study, we present an in silico assessment of the DMPK and toxicity profile of a natural product library containing ~3,200 compounds, derived from 379 species of medicinal plants from 10 countries in the Congo Basin forests and savannas, which have been published in the literature. In this analysis, we have used 46 computed physico-chemical properties or molecular descriptors to predict the absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination and toxicity (ADMET) of the compounds. RESULTS: This survey demonstrated that about 45% of the compounds within the ConMedNP compound library are compliant, having properties which fall within the range of ADME properties of 95% of currently known drugs, while about 69% of the compounds have ≤ 2 violations. Moreover, about 73% of the compounds within the corresponding "drug-like" subset showed compliance. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to the verified levels of "drug-likeness", diversity and the wide range of measured biological activities, the compounds from medicinal plants in Central Africa show interesting DMPK profiles and hence could represent an important starting point for hit/lead discovery.

Assessing the pharmacokinetic profile of the CamMedNP natural products database: an in silico approach.

BACKGROUND: Drug metabolism and pharmacokinetic (DMPK) assessment has come to occupy a place of interest during the early stages of drug discovery today. Computer-based methods are slowly gaining ground in this area and are often used as initial tools to eliminate compounds likely to present uninteresting pharmacokinetic profiles and unacceptable levels of toxicity from the list of potential drug candidates, hence cutting down the cost of the discovery of a drug. RESULTS: In the present study, we present an in silico assessment of the DMPK profile of our recently published natural products database of 1,859 unique compounds derived from 224 species of medicinal plants from the Cameroonian forest. In this analysis, we have used 46 computed physico-chemical properties or molecular descriptors to predict the absorption, distribution, metabolism and elimination (ADME) of the compounds. This survey demonstrated that about 50% of the compounds within the Cameroonian medicinal plant and natural products (CamMedNP) database are compliant, having properties which fall within the range of ADME properties of >95% of currently known drugs, while >73% of the compounds have ≤2 violations. Moreover, about 72% of the compounds within the corresponding 'drug-like' subset showed compliance. CONCLUSIONS: In addition to the previously verified levels of 'drug-likeness' and the diversity and the wide range of measured biological activities, the compounds in the CamMedNP database show interesting DMPK profiles and, hence, could represent an important starting point for hit/lead discovery from medicinal plants in Africa.

Insight into selectivity of peptidomimetic inhibitors with modified statine core for plasmepsin II of Plasmodium falciparum over human cathepsin D.

Plasmepsin II (PlmII), an aspartic protease expressed in the food vacuole of Plasmodium falciparum (pf), cleaves the hemoglobin of the host during the erythrocytic stage of the parasite life cycle. Various peptidomimetic inhibitors of PlmII reported so far discriminate poorly between the drug target and aspartic proteases of the host organism, e.g., human cathepsinD (hCatD). hCatD is a protein digestion enzyme and signaling molecule involved in a variety of physiological processes; therefore, inhibition of hCatD by PlmII inhibitors may lead to pathophysiological conditions. In this study, binding of PlmII inhibitors has been modeled using the crystal structures of pfPlmII and hCatD complexes to gain insight into structural requirements underlying the target selectivity. A series of 26 inhibitors were modeled in the binding clefts of the pfPlmII and hCatD to establish QSAR models of the protease inhibition. In addition, 3D-QSAR pharmacophore models were generated for each enzyme. It was concluded that the contributions of the P(2) and P(3') residues to the inhibitor's binding affinity are responsible for the target selectivity. Based on these findings, new inhibitor candidates were designed with predicted inhibition constants K (pre)(i PlmII) reaching 0.2nm and selectivity index (S.I.)=K(pre)(i PlmII) >1200.

Design of novel dihydroxynaphthoic acid inhibitors of Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase.

We have studied inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (pfLDH) by dihydroxynaphthoic acid (DHNA) analogues derivatives of hemigossypol-sesquiterpene found in cottonseed known to exhibit antimalarial activity. Molecular models of pfLDH-DHNA complexes were prepared from high-resolution crystal structures containing DHNA and azole inhibitors and binding affinities of the inhibitors were computed by molecular mechanics - polarizable continuum model of solvation (MM-PCM) approach. The 3D structures of the pfLDH-DHNA complexes were validated by a QSAR model, which confirmed consistency between the computed binding affinities and experimental inhibition constants for a training set and validation set of twelve DHNA inhibitors obtained from literature. Novel more potent DHNA analogs were identified by structure-based molecular design and predicted to inhibit pfLDH in the low nanomolar concentration range. In addition, the designed DHNA analogs displayed favorable predicted ADME-related profiles and an elevated selectivity for the pfLDH over the human isoform.

Design and in silico screening of combinatorial library of antimalarial analogs of triclosan inhibiting Plasmodium falciparum enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase.

Enoyl-acyl carrier protein reductase of Plasmodium falciparum (PfENR) is an important target for antimalarial agents that interfere with the FAS-II pathway of lipid synthesis, which is specific for the parasite. Recent studies showed that substituted analogs of triclosan (TCL) inhibit the purified PfENR enzyme with IC(50) values below 200 nM when the suboptimal 5-chloro group was replaced by larger hydrophobic moieties. We have used computer-assisted combinatorial techniques to design, focus and in silico screen a virtual library of TCL analogs substituted at positions 5, 4' and 2'. Our study can thus direct synthetic chemists working on the antimalarial FAS-II inhibitors towards the explored subset of the chemical space, which is predicted to contain compounds with PfENR inhibition potencies in the low nanomolar range and favorable ADME properties.