Identification, design and biological evaluation of bisaryl quinolones targeting Plasmodium falciparum type II NADH:quinone oxidoreductase (PfNDH2)

A program was undertaken to identify hit compounds against NADH:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (PfNDH2), a dehydrogenase of the mitochondrial electron transport chain of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. PfNDH2 has only one known inhibitor, hydroxy-2-dodecyl-4-(1H)-quinolone (HDQ), and this was used along with a range of chemoinformatics methods in the rational selection of 17?000 compounds for high-throughput screening. Twelve distinct chemotypes were identified and briefly examined leading to the selection of the quinolone core as the key target for structure-activity relationship (SAR) development. Extensive structural exploration led to the selection of 2-bisaryl 3-methyl quinolones as a series for further biological evaluation. The lead compound within this series 7-chloro-3-methyl-2-(4-(4-(trifluoromethoxy)benzyl)phenyl)quinolin-4(1H)-one (CK-2-68) has antimalarial activity against the 3D7 strain of P. falciparum of 36 nM, is selective for PfNDH2 over other respiratory enzymes (inhibitory IC(50) against PfNDH2 of 16 nM), and demonstrates low cytotoxicity and high metabolic stability in the presence of human liver microsomes. This lead compound and its phosphate pro-drug have potent in vivo antimalarial activity after oral administration, consistent with the target product profile of a drug for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria. Other quinolones presented (e.g., 6d, 6f, 14e) have the capacity to inhibit both PfNDH2 and P. falciparum cytochrome bc(1), and studies to determine the potential advantage of this dual-targeting effect are in progress.     

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase inhibitors

Plasmodium falciparum lactate dehydrogenase (pfLDH) is a key enzyme for energy generation of malarial parasites and is a potential antimalarial chemotherapeutic target. It is known that the oxamate moiety, a pyruvate analog, alone shows higher inhibition against pfLDH than human LDHs, suggesting that it can be used for the development of selective inhibitors. Oxamic acid derivatives were designed and synthesized. Derivatives 5 and 7 demonstrated activities against pfLDH with IC50 values of 3.13 and 1.75 muM, respectively, and have 59- and 7-fold selectivity over mammalian LDH, respectively. They also have micromolar range activities against Plasmodium falciparum malate dehydrogenase (pfMDH), which may fill the role of pfLDH when the activity of pfLDH is reduced. Thus, certain members of these oxamic acid derivatives may have dual inhibitory activities against both pfLDH and pfMDH. It is presumed that dual LDH/MDH inhibitors would have enhanced potential as antimalarial drugs.     

Lavendamycin antitumor agents: structure-based design, synthesis, and NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) model validation with molecular docking and biological studies

A 1H69 crystal structure-based in silico model of the NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) active site has been developed to facilitate NQO1-directed lavendamycin antitumor agent development. Lavendamycin analogues were designed as NQO1 substrates utilizing structure-based design criteria. Computational docking studies were performed using the model to predict NQO1 substrate specificity. Designed N-acyllavendamycin esters and amides were synthesized by Pictet-Spengler condensation. Metabolism and cytotoxicity studies were performed on the analogues with recombinant human NQO1 and human colon adenocarcinoma cells (NQO1-deficient BE and NQO1-rich BE-NQ). Docking and biological data were found to be correlated where analogues 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 were categorized as good, poor, poor, poor, and good NQO1 substrates, respectively. Our results demonstrated that the ligand design criteria were valid, resulting in the discovery of two good NQO1 substrates. The observed consistency between the docking and biological data suggests that the model possesses practical predictive power.     

Molecular modeling studies, synthesis and biological evaluation of derivatives of N-phenylbenzamide as Plasmodium falciparum dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (PfDHODH) inhibitors

The search for new antimalarial agents is necessary as current drugs in the market have become vulnerable due to the emergence of resistant strains of Plasmodium falciparum (Pf). The enzyme dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (PfDHODH) is a validated target for development of antimalarial agents. PfDHODH is a crucial enzyme in the de novo pyrimidine biosynthesis pathway and is essential for the growth of the parasite. In this article, we report the design, synthesis and evaluation of benzanilides as inhibitors of PfDHODH. From the pool of molecules designed using molecular modeling techniques, candidates were shortlisted for further evaluation based on docking scores and 3D-QSAR studies. The activities of these shortlisted analogs were predicted from CoMFA and CoMSIA models. The most promising molecules were synthesized using solvent-free microwave-assisted synthesis and their structures characterized by spectroscopic techniques. The molecules were screened for in vitro antimalarial activity by the whole cell assay method. Two molecules viz. KMC-3 and KMC-15 were found to be active at 8.7 and 5.7 μM concentrations, respectively.     

新型喹诺酮类化合物的设计合成与生物活性研究

目的设计合成具有抗肿瘤和抗HIV活性的新型喹诺酮类化合物。方法邻苯二胺衍生物和苯甲酰乙酸乙酯衍生物经缩合关环反应得到目标产物。结果与结论共合成5个未见文献报道的喹诺酮类化合物（7～11）,目标化合物的结构经1H—NMR、ESI-MS谱确证。并利用谱学方法解析了此类化合物的互变异构现象。其中,化合物11具有明显的抗肿瘤及抗HIV活性。     

Structure-based design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis type II dehydroquinase

The syntheses by Suzuki cross-coupling of 12 5-aryl analogues of the known inhibitor (1R,3R,4R)-1,3,4-trihydroxycyclohex-5-en-1-carboxylic acid are reported. These compounds were found to be reversible competitive inhibitors against Mycobacterium tuberculosis type II dehydroquinase, the third enzyme of the shikimic acid pathway. The most potent inhibitor, the 3-nitrophenyl derivative, has a K(i) of 54 nM, over 180 times more potent than the reported inhibitor (1R,3R,4R)-5-fluoro-1,3,4-trihydroxycyclohex-5-en-1-carboxylic acid and more than 700 times lower than the K(M) of the substrate, making it the most potent known inhibitor against any type II dehydroquinase. Docking studies using GOLD (version 2.2) indicated a key electrostatic binding interaction between the aromatic rings and Arg19, a residue that has been identified as essential for enzyme activity.     

Role of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (DT diaphorase) in protection against quinone toxicity

NQO1-/- mice, along with Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells, were used to determine the in vivo role of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) in cellular protection against quinone cytotoxicity, membrane damage, DNA damage, and carcinogenicity. CHO cells permanently expressing various levels of cDNA-derived P450 reductase and NQO1 were produced. Treatment of CHO cells overexpressing P450 reductase with menadione, benzo[a]pyrene-3,6-quinone (BPQ), and benzoquinone led to increased cytotoxicity as compared with CHO cells expressing endogenous P450 reductase. In a similar experiment, overexpression of NQO1 significantly protected CHO cells against the cytotoxicity of these quinones. Knockout (NQO1-/-) mice deficient in NQO1 protein and activity had been generated previously in our laboratory and were used in the present studies. Wild-type (NQO1+/+) and knockout (NQO1-/-) mice were given i.p. injections of menadione and BPQ, followed by analysis of membrane damage and DNA damage. Both menadione and BPQ induced lipid peroxidation in hepatic and non-hepatic tissues, indicating increased membrane damage. Exposure to BPQ also resulted in increased hepatic DNA adducts in NQO1-/- mice as compared with NQO1+/+ mice. The skin application of BPQ alone and BPQ + 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) failed to induce papillomas, or other lesions, for up to 50 weeks in either NQO1+/+ or NQO1-/- mice. The various results from CHO cells and NQO1-/- mice indicated that NQO1 protects against quinone-induced cytotoxicity, as well as DNA and membrane damage. The absence of BPQ-induced skin carcinogenicity in NQO1-/- mice may be related to the strain (C57BL/6) of mice used in the present study and/or due to poor BPQ absorption into the skin and/or due to detoxification of BPQ by cytosolic NRH:quinone oxidoreductase 2 (NQO2).     

New fluorescent 2-phenylindolglyoxylamide derivatives as probes targeting the peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor: design, synthesis, and biological evaluation

Fluorescent ligands for the peripheral-type benzodiazepine receptor (PBR) featuring the 7-nitrobenz-2-oxa-1,3-diazol-4-yl moiety were synthesized, based on N,N-dialkyl-2-phenylindol-3-ylglyoxylamides, a potent, selective class of PBR ligands previously described by us. All the new ligands are moderately to highly potent at the PBR, with a complete selectivity over the central benzodiazepine receptor. Results from fluorescence microscopy showed that these probes specifically labeled the PBR at the mitochondrial level in C6 glioma cells.     

Novel inhibitors of NRH:quinone oxidoreductase 2 (NQO2): crystal structures, biochemical activity, and intracellular effects of imidazoacridin-6-ones

Imidazoacridin-6-ones are shown to be potent nanomolar inhibitors of the enzyme NQO2. By use of computational molecular modeling, a reliable QSAR was established, relating inhibitory potency with calculated binding affinity. Further, crystal structures of NQO2 containing two of the imidazoacridin-6-ones have been solved. To generate compounds with reduced off-target (DNA binding) effects, an N-oxide moiety was introduced into the tertiary aminoalkyl side chain of the imidazoacridin-6-ones. This resulted in substantially less toxicity in a panel of eight cancer cell lines, decreased protein binding, and reduced DNA binding and nuclear accumulation. Finally, one of the N-oxides showed potent ability to inhibit the enzymatic function of NQO2 in cells, and therefore, it may be useful as a pharmacological probe to study the properties of the enzyme in vitro and in vivo.     

NAD(P)H: quinone oxidoreductase polymorphism and lung cancer in Taiwan

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of death in Taiwan since 1996. Genetic variation in metabolic activation or detoxification enzymes has been associated with the occurrence of lung cancer. NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) enzyme is a cytosolic two-electron reductase thought to be involved in bioactivation and detoxification of environmental carcinogens. The possible association between NQO1 genetic polymorphism and lung cancer risk was examined among 95 male smokers without cancer and 100 male smokers with lung cancer in Taiwan. There was no significant difference in the proportion of wild-type NQO1 among all cancer cases and controls. When cases were stratified according to histological subtypes, the wild-type NQO1 was more common in adenocarcinoma than in controls. The odds ratio was 2.93 (95% confidence interval, 1.23-7.02; p = .02). This is the first observation for the positive association of this locus with lung cancer in an Asian population. These results suggest that NQO1 polymorphism is an important genetic risk factor for lung adenocarcinoma among smokers in Taiwan.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of cyclopropyl analogues of fosmidomycin as potent Plasmodium falciparum growth inhibitors

A series of fosmidomycin analogues featuring restricted conformational mobility has been synthesized and evaluated as inhibitors of 1-deoxy-D-xylulose 5-phosphate (DOXP) reductoisomerase and as growth inhibitors of P. falciparum. The enantiomerically pure trans-cyclopropyl N-acetyl analogue 3b showed comparable inhibitory activity as fosmidomycin toward E. coli DOXP reductoisomerase and proved equally active when tested in vitro for P. falciparum growth inhibition. Conversely, the alpha-phenyl cis-cyclopropyl analogue 4 showed virtually no inhibition of the enzyme.     

Indolequinone antitumor agents: correlation between quinone structure and rate of metabolism by recombinant human NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase. Part 2

A series of indolequinones bearing various functional groups has been synthesized, and the effects of substituents on the metabolism of the quinones by recombinant human NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1) were studied. Indolequinones were selected for study on the basis of the X-ray crystal structure of the human enzyme, and were designed to probe the effect of substituents particularly at N-1. Metabolism of the quinones by NQO1 revealed that, in general, compounds with electron-withdrawing groups at the indole 3-position were among the best substrates, and that groups larger than methyl at N-1 are clearly tolerated. Compounds with a leaving group at the 3-indolyl methyl position generally inactivated the enzyme. The toxicity toward human colon carcinoma cells with either no detectable activity (BE-WT) or high NQO1 activity (BE-NQ) was also studied in representative quinones. The most toxic compounds were those with a leaving group at the C-3 position; these compounds were 1.1-5.3-fold more toxic to the BE-NQ than the BE-WT cells.     

Design,synthesis, and evaluation of new chemosensitizers in multi-drug-resistant Plasmodium falciparum

A series of new chemosensitizers (modulators) against chloroquine-resistant Plasmodium falciparum were designed and synthesized in an attempt to fabricate modulators with enhancing drug-resistant reversing efficacy and minimal side effects. Four aromatic amine ring systems-phenothiazine, iminodibenzyl, iminostilbene, and diphenylamine-were examined. Various tertiary amino groups including either noncyclic or cyclic aliphatic amines were introduced to explore the steric tolerance at the end of the side chain. The new compounds showed better drug-resistant reversing activity in chloroquine-resistant than in mefloquine-resistant cell lines and were generally more effective against chloroquine-resistant P. falciparum isolates from Southeast Asian (W2 and TM91C235) than those from South America (PC49 and RCS). Structure-activity relationship studies revealed that elongation of the alkyl side chain of the molecule retained the chemosensitizing activity, and analogues with four-carbon side chains showed superior activity. Furthermore, new modulators with phenothiazine ring exhibited the best chemosensitizing activity among the four different ring systems examined. Terminal amino function has limited steric tolerance as evidenced by the dramatic lose of the modulating activity, when the size of substituent at the amino group increases. The best new modulator synthesized in this study possesses all three optimized structural features, which consist of a phenothiazine ring and a pyrrolidinyl group joined by a four-carbon alkyl bridge. The fractional inhibitory concentration (FIC) index of the best compound is 0.21, which is superior to that of verapamil (0.51), one of the best-known multi-drug-resistant reversing agents. Some of the analogues displayed moderate intrinsic in vitro antimalarial activity against a W-2 clone of P. falciparum.     

Preparation, characterization and biological evaluation of copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes with cephalexin.

Copper(II) and zinc(II) complexes of cephalexin have been prepared and characterized by microanalysis and by thermogravimetric, magnetic and spectroscopic analysis. The complexes were found to be five-coordinate, monohydrate, and ML2 type. The electron paramagnetic resonance spectral lines revealed rhombic distortion from axial symmetry, with g(parallel) > g(perpendicular) > g(e), in the elongated-tetragonal copper(II) complex. The geometry of the zinc(II) complex seems to be square-pyramidal. On complexation with copper and zinc the antimicrobial activity of cephalexin improved significantly. The copper complex was found to be active against kaolin paw oedema whereas the parent drug was inactive. These results suggest that the metallic elements should be seriously considered during drug design, and that complexes already reported should be subjected to clinical evaluation. Their use could provide an easy way of improving the activity and reducing the toxicity of drug substances.     

Protective role of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) in cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity

Although cisplatin is widely used as an anti-cancer agent, its use is significantly limited because of its tendency to induce nephrotoxicity through poorly understood mechanisms. NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is well known to regulate ROS generation. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether NQO1 modulates cisplatin-induced renal failure associated with NADPH oxidase (NOX)-derived ROS production in an animal model. NQO1^−/− mice were treated with cisplatin (18 mg/kg) and renal function, oxidative stress, and tubular apoptosis were assessed. NQO1^−/− mice showed increased blood urea nitrogen and creatinine levels, tubular damage, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. In accordance with these results, the cellular NADPH/NADP ratio and NOX activity were markedly increased in the kidneys of NQO1^−/− mice compared to NQO1^+/+ mice. In addition, activation of NQO1 by βL treatment significantly improved renal dysfunction and reduced tubular cell damage, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. This study demonstrates that NQO1 protects cells against renal failure induced by cisplatin, and that this effect is mediated by decreased NOX activity via cellular NADPH/NADP modulation. These results provide convincing evidence that NQO1 might be beneficial for ameliorating renal failure induced by cisplatin.     

Role of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 in clofibrate-mediated hepatoprotection from acetaminophen

Mice pretreated with the peroxisome proliferator clofibrate (CFB) are resistant to acetaminophen (APAP) hepatotoxicity. Whereas the mechanism of protection is not entirely known, CFB decreases protein adducts formed by the reactive metabolite of APAP, N-acetyl-p-benzoquinone imine (NAPQI). NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) is an enzyme with antioxidant properties that is responsible for the reduction of cellular quinones. We hypothesized that CFB increases NQO1 activity, which in turn enhances the conversion of NAPQI back to the parent APAP. This could explain the decreases in APAP covalent binding and glutathione depletion produced by CFB without affecting APAP bioactivation to NAPQI. Administration of CFB (500 mg/kg, i.p.) to male CD-1 mice for 5 or 10 days increased NQO1 protein and activity levels. To evaluate the capacity of NQO1 to reduce NAPQI back to APAP, we utilized a microsomal activating system. Cytochrome P450 enzymes present in microsomes bioactivate APAP to NAPQI, which binds the electrophile trapping agent, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC). We analyzed the formation of APAP–NAC metabolite in the presence of human recombinant NQO1. Results indicate that NQO1 is capable of reducing NAPQI. The capacity of NQO1 to amelioriate APAP toxicity was then evaluated in primary hepatocytes. Primary hepatocytes isolated from mice dosed with CFB are resistant to APAP toxicity. These hepatocytes were also exposed to ES936, a high affinity, and irreversible inhibitor of NQO1 in the presence of APAP. Concentrations of ES936 that resulted in over 94% inhibition of NQO1 activity did not increase the susceptibility of hepatocytes from CFB treated mice to APAP. Whereas NQO1 is mechanistically capable of reducing NAPQI, CFB-mediated hepatoprotection does not appear to be dependent upon enhanced expression of NQO1.     

Synthesis and evaluation of 3-aryloxymethyl-1,2-dimethylindole-4,7-diones as mechanism-based inhibitors of NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1) activity

NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase 1 is a proposed target in pancreatic cancer. We describe the synthesis of a series of indolequinones, based on the 5- and 6-methoxy-1,2-dimethylindole-4,7-dione chromophores with a range of phenolic leaving groups at the (indol-3-yl)methyl position. The ability of these indolequinones to function as mechanism-based inhibitors of purified recombinant human NQO1 was evaluated, as was their ability to inhibit both NQO1 and cell growth in human pancreatic MIA PaCa-2 tumor cells. The inhibition of rhNQO1 was related to the pKa of the leaving group: compounds with poorer phenolic leaving groups were poor inhibitors whereas those with more acidic leaving groups were more efficient inhibitors. These inhibition data also correlated with the inhibition NQO1 in MIA PaCa-2 cells. However, the data demonstrate that NQO1 inhibition does not correlate with growth inhibitory activity, at least in the MIA PaCa-2 cell line, suggesting that targets in addition to NQO1 need to be considered to explain the potent growth inhibitory activity of this series of indolequinones in human pancreatic cancer cells.