唾液酸转移酶抑制剂的设计与发现

糖缀合物末端的唾液酸化修饰参与了很多重要的生理及病理过程,尤其是肿瘤细胞表面唾液酸过度表达,能够通过多种途径和机制促进肿瘤转移。唾液酸转移酶是人体内负责唾液酸化修饰的合成酶,良好的唾液酸转移酶抑制剂不仅能够充当糖生物学研究的探针分子,而且有望成为临床治疗中亟需的抑制肿瘤转移的药物。本文综述了近年来唾液酸转移酶抑制剂设计及发现的研究进展,重点介绍了不同类型抑制剂的设计思路及构效关系。此外,对该研究领域当前面临的一些挑战进行了探讨,并对其发展趋势进行了展望。     

新型小分子抗凝血药物的合成、作用机制及构效关系研究进展

以达比加群酯为代表的Ⅱa因子抑制剂和以利伐沙班为代表的Xa因子抑制剂在抗凝血药物中起到了重要作用。本文综述了已上市的新型小分子抗凝血药物的的合成、作用机制及其构效关系,并对其进行了深入分析,同时对此类药物的发展趋势和前景进行了展望。     

Small Molecule Microarray Based Discovery of PARP14 Inhibitors

Poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerases (PARPs) are key enzymes in a variety of cellular processes. Most small‐molecule PARP inhibitors developed to date have been against PARP1, and suffer from poor selectivity. PARP14 has recently emerged as a potential therapeutic target, but its inhibitor development has trailed behind. Herein, we describe a small molecule microarray‐based strategy for high‐throughput synthesis, screening of >1000 potential bidentate inhibitors of PARPs, and the successful discovery of a potent PARP14 inhibitor H10 with >20‐fold selectivity over PARP1. Co‐crystallization of the PARP14/ H10 complex indicated H10 bound to both the nicotinamide and the adenine subsites. Further structure–activity relationship studies identified important binding elements in the adenine subsite. In tumor cells, H10 was able to chemically knockdown endogenous PARP14 activities.     

Barriers to Small Molecule Drug Discovery for Systemic Amyloidosis

Inhibition of amyloid fibril formation could benefit patients with systemic amyloidosis. In this group of diseases, deposition of amyloid fibrils derived from normally soluble proteins leads to progressive tissue damage and organ failure. Amyloid formation is a complex process, where several individual steps could be targeted. Several small molecules have been proposed as inhibitors of amyloid formation. However, the exact mechanism of action for a molecule is often not known, which impedes medicinal chemistry efforts to develop more potent molecules. Furthermore, commonly used assays are prone to artifacts that must be controlled for. Here, potential mechanisms by which small molecules could inhibit aggregation of immunoglobulin light-chain dimers, the precursor proteins for amyloid light-chain (AL) amyloidosis, are studied in assays that recapitulate different aspects of amyloidogenesis in vitro. One molecule reduced unfolding-coupled proteolysis of light chains, but no molecules inhibited aggregation of light chains or disrupted pre-formed amyloid fibrils. This work demonstrates the challenges associated with drug development for amyloidosis, but also highlights the potential to combine therapies that target different aspects of amyloidosis.     

Small Molecule Inhibitors for Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Advances and Challenges

Highlights:

• Multi tyrosine kinase inhibitors licensed for HCC treatment.
• Multi kinase inhibitors not licensed for HCC treatment.
• Inhibitors of Growth Factor Receptors.
• Small molecules acting as immunomodulators.
• Small molecules inhibiting crucial HCC pathways.
• Small molecules targeting various molecular targets.

Simple SummaryLiver cancer is one of the most common types of cancer globally. Its treatment options have been limited. Sorafenib was the most commonly used drug with patients that have advanced liver cancer. Recently, multiple new target proteins and pathways, which play a major role in the disease, have been discovered. Accordingly, researchers have designed and revealed new drugs. Some of them are FDA approved and others are under investigation in clinical trials. The aim of our systematic review is to provide an overview of these recently reported targets and compounds. This review will be useful in identifying unpopular or underrated targets, as well as designing new combination treatment strategies.AbstractAccording to data provided by World Health Organization, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the sixth most common cause of deaths due to cancer worldwide. Tremendous progress has been achieved over the last 10 years developing novel agents for HCC treatment, including small-molecule kinase inhibitors. Several small molecule inhibitors currently form the core of HCC treatment due to their versatility since they would be more easily absorbed and have higher oral bioavailability, thus easier to formulate and administer to patients. In addition, they can be altered structurally to have greater volumes of distribution, allowing them to block extravascular molecular targets and to accumulate in a high concentration in the tumor microenvironment. Moreover, they can be designed to have shortened half-lives to control for immune-related adverse events. Most importantly, they would spare patients, healthcare institutions, and society as a whole from the burden of high drug costs. The present review provides an overview of the pharmaceutical compounds that are licensed for HCC treatment and other emerging compounds that are still investigated in preclinical and clinical trials. These molecules are targeting different molecular targets and pathways that are proven to be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease.     

基于虚拟筛选策略发现新型潜在JAK3小分子抑制剂

利用已知活性的分子采用基于配体的策略构建药效团模型,通过基于类药规则、药效团模型、多种精度的分子对接算法、MM/GBSA结合能预测以及ADMET筛选手段对含约250万个分子的数据库进行虚拟筛选。发现5种JAK3抑制剂的新型骨架,其中6个以1-苯基咪唑烷-2-酮为骨架的分子在与JAK3激酶的结合能以及分子的ADMET性质评价方面均表现优异,具备高JAK3抑制剂潜力,被认为是虚拟筛选的命中分子。     

通过FGF401的构效关系研究发现一种新颖的FGFR4选择性抑制剂

设计并合成了一系列FGF401类似物以研究其FGFR4抑制、抗肿瘤活性及其构效关系.研究发现了N-(5-氰基-4-(2-甲氧基乙基氨基)吡啶-2-基)-7-甲酰基-6-(N-甲基四氢吡喃-4-甲酰胺)甲基-1,2,3,4-四氢-1,8-萘啶-1-甲酰胺(8ac)不仅在酶和细胞学水平上对FGFR4具有强效的的抑制活性,并表现出了出色的选择性.其活性及选择性优于阳性对照FGF401,并且在HCC (hepatocellular carcinoma)动物移植瘤模型中显著抑制肿瘤生长,还引起了肿瘤萎缩.     

Substrate Activity Screening with Kinases: Discovery of Small‐Molecule Substrate‐Competitive c‐Src Inhibitors

Substrate‐competitive kinase inhibitors represent a promising class of kinase inhibitors, however, there is no methodology to selectively identify this type of inhibitor. Substrate activity screening was applied to tyrosine kinases. By using this methodology, the first small‐molecule substrates for any protein kinase were discovered, as well as the first substrate‐competitive inhibitors of c‐Src with activity in both biochemical and cellular assays. Characterization of the lead inhibitor demonstrates that substrate‐competitive kinase inhibitors possess unique properties, including cellular efficacy that matches biochemical potency and synergy with ATP‐competitive inhibitors.     

Marine Antimicrobial Peptides-Based Strategies for Tackling Bacterial Biofilm and Biofouling Challenges

An assemblage nexus of microorganisms enclosed in a composite extracellular polymeric matrix is called as a biofilm. The main factor causing biological fouling, or biofouling, is biofilms. Biofilm-mediated biofouling is a significant detrimental issue in several industries, including the maritime environment, industrial facilities, water treatment facilities, and medical implants. Conventional antibacterial remedies cannot wholly eradicate bacterial species owing to the structural rigidity of biofilm and the eventual growth of antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. Consequently, several approaches to disrupt the biofilm have been investigated to address this particular phenomenon. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) have emerged as a promising contender in this category, offering several advantages over traditional solutions, including broad-spectrum action and lack of antibiotic resistance. Because biofouling significantly impacts the marine industry, AMPs derived from marine sources may be suitable natural inhibitors of bacterial proliferation. In this article, we discuss the range of physicochemical and structural diversity and the model of action seen in marine AMPs. This makes them an appealing strategy to mitigate biofilm and biofilm-mediated biofouling. This review also systematically summarizes recent research on marine AMPs from vertebrates and invertebrates and their industrial significance, shedding light on developing even better anti-biofouling materials shortly.     

Discovery of Small‐Molecule Interleukin‐2 Inhibitors from a DNA‐Encoded Chemical Library

Libraries of chemical compounds individually coupled to encoding DNA tags (DNA‐encoded chemical libraries) hold promise to facilitate exceptionally efficient ligand discovery. We constructed a high‐quality DNA‐encoded chemical library comprising 30 000 drug‐like compounds; this was screened in 170 different affinity capture experiments. High‐throughput sequencing allowed the evaluation of 120 million DNA codes for a systematic analysis of selection strategies and statistically robust identification of binding molecules. Selections performed against the tumor‐associated antigen carbonic anhydrase IX (CA IX) and the pro‐inflammatory cytokine interleukin‐2 (IL‐2) yielded potent inhibitors with exquisite target specificity. The binding mode of the revealed pharmacophore against IL‐2 was confirmed by molecular docking. Our findings suggest that DNA‐encoded chemical libraries allow the facile identification of drug‐like ligands principally to any protein of choice, including molecules capable of disrupting high‐affinity protein–protein interactions.     

Squalenyl Hydrogen Sulfate Nanoparticles for Simultaneous Delivery of Tobramycin and an Alkylquinolone Quorum Sensing Inhibitor Enable the Eradication of P. aeruginosa Biofilm Infections

Elimination of pulmonary Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) infections is challenging to accomplish with antibiotic therapies, mainly due to resistance mechanisms. Quorum sensing inhibitors (QSIs) interfering with biofilm formation can thus complement antibiotics. For simultaneous and improved delivery of both active agents to the infection sites, self‐assembling nanoparticles of a newly synthesized squalenyl hydrogen sulfate (SqNPs) were prepared. These nanocarriers allowed for remarkably high loading capacities of hydrophilic antibiotic tobramycin (Tob) and a novel lipophilic QSI at 30 % and circa 10 %, respectively. The drug‐loaded SqNPs showed improved biofilm penetration and enhanced efficacy in relevant biological barriers (mucin/human tracheal mucus, biofilm), leading to complete eradication of PA biofilms at circa 16‐fold lower Tob concentration than Tob alone. This study offers a viable therapy optimization and invigorates the research and development of QSIs for clinical use.     

Revisiting Polyarenes and Related Molecules: An Update of Synthetic Approaches and Structure‐Activity‐Mechanistic Correlation for Carcinogenesis

A major proportion of basic cause for human cancer has been linked to widespread environmental pollutants including analogs of polyarenes. Search of an effective therapy can be started with the understanding of the generation of such “carcinogens” and their biological interactions. This review is to discuss the syntheses, structural activities, mechanistic and biological studies of polyarenes such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polycyclic azaarenes (PAAs) and their thia‐analogs (PASH). It also summarizes the mechanism of mutagenicity and tumorigenicity via metabolic interventions producing diol epoxide complexes and eventually formation of DNA adducts. It suggests that inhibition of oxidative reactions and formation of diols and epoxides and unspecific intracellular activation of cytochrome P450 enzymes could be approaches in therapy against such mutagenicity and tumorigenicity. Thus, this review reflects that understanding of molecular mechanisms and activations along with a clinical and translational medicine approach would require achieving both prevention and treatment of this atrocity.     

抗流感病毒抑制剂Nucleozin衍生物的设计合成及抗病毒活性评价

小分子化合物Nucleozin作为靶向流感病毒核蛋白的抑制剂具有良好的抑制活性。本文围绕Nucleozin分子中与哌嗪环直接相连的芳环部分进行研究。通过钯催化偶联反应合成了一系列Nucleozin衍生物,通过检测所合成化合物对流感病毒H1N1的抑制活性,明确了Nucleozin分子中该部分的构效关系。利用甲基在药物分子设计中的作用,设计将分子中的氯原子替换为甲基,发现与原型分子Nucleozin相比其抑制活性有了明显的提高。本文的结果对该类分子成药性的提高具有积极意义。     

磷酰胺酯前药策略及ProTide技术在抗病毒药物研发中的应用

Antiviral drug is a powerful weapon for humans to defeat the virus. The spread of 2019 novel coronavirus pneumonia (COVID-19) outbreak has a serious impact on the world. At the same time, it also makes people aware of the importance of antiviral drug development. This article reviews the application of the phosphoramidate prodrug strategy and the application of ProTide technology in the development of antiviral drugs. The synthesis methods of nucleoside-phosphoramidate prodrugs are introduced. The application of nucleoside-phosphoramidate in different antiviral drugs is also summarized. This review can provide a reference for the development of new antiviral drugs in the future.     

Small Molecule Tools to Study Cellular Target Engagement for the Intracellular Allosteric Binding Site of GPCRs

A conserved intracellular allosteric binding site (IABS) has recently been identified at several G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). Ligands targeting the IABS, so-called intracellular allosteric antagonists, are highly promising compounds for pharmaceutical intervention and currently evaluated in several clinical trials. Beside co-crystal structures that laid the foundation for the structure-based development of intracellular allosteric GPCR antagonists, small molecule tools that enable an unambiguous identification and characterization of intracellular allosteric GPCR ligands are of utmost importance for drug discovery campaigns in this field. Herein, we discuss recent approaches that leverage cellular target engagement studies for the IABS and thus play a critical role in the evaluation of IABS-targeted ligands as potential therapeutic agents.     

苯并咪唑类缓蚀剂的HQSAR研究及分子设计

采用分子全息定量构效关系(HQSAR)方法, 构建苯并咪唑衍生物在酸性环境中的缓蚀性能与结构之间的定量构效关系模型, 研究不同碎片区分参数及碎片大小对模型质量的影响, 寻找最优HQSAR模型, 并对其稳定性及预测能力进行评价. 结果显示: 选取碎片区分参数为原子类型(A)、化学键类型(B)、连接性(C)、氢原子(H)、手性(Ch)、氢键给体和受体(D&;A), 碎片大小为1-3 建模时, 得到的HQSAR 模型(r²(非交叉验证系数)=0.996, q²(交叉验证系数)=0.960, SE_cv(交叉验证标准误差)=3.709)具有良好的统计学稳定性及预测能力. 根据最优HQSAR模型图设计出的38种苯并咪唑类化合物理论上均具有较好的缓蚀性能. 本研究为油气田新型高效缓蚀剂研发提供可靠的理论依据.     

Inhibition of the Quorum Sensing System,Elastase Production and Biofilm Formation in Pseudomonas aeruginosa by Psammaplin A and Bisaprasin

Natural products derived from marine sponges have exhibited bioactivity and, in some cases, serve as potent quorum sensing inhibitory agents that prevent biofilm formation and attenuate virulence factor expression by pathogenic microorganisms. In this study, the inhibitory activity of the psammaplin-type compounds, psammaplin A (1) and bisaprasin (2), isolated from the marine sponge, Aplysinella rhax, are evaluated in quorum sensing inhibitory assays based on the Pseudomonas aeruginosa PAO1 lasB-gfp(ASV) and rhlA-gfp(ASV) biosensor strains. The results indicate that psammaplin A (1) showed moderate inhibition on lasB-gfp expression, but significantly inhibited the QS-gene promoter, rhlA-gfp, with IC₅₀ values at 14.02 μM and 4.99 μM, respectively. In contrast, bisaprasin (2) displayed significant florescence inhibition in both biosensors, PAO1 lasB-gfp and rhlA-gfp, with IC₅₀ values at 3.53 μM and 2.41 μM, respectively. Preliminary analysis suggested the importance of the bromotyrosine and oxime functionalities for QSI activity in these molecules. In addition, psammaplin A and bisaprasin downregulated elastase expression as determined by the standard enzymatic elastase assay, although greater reduction in elastase production was observed with 1 at 50 μM and 100 μM. Furthermore, the study revealed that bisaprasin (2) reduced biofilm formation in P. aeruginosa.