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Identification of Chalcones as Fasciola hepatica Cathepsin L Inhibitors Using a Comprehensive Experimental and Computational Approach.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Increased reports of human infections have led fasciolosis, a widespread disease of cattle and sheep caused by the liver flukes Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica, to be considered an emerging zoonotic disease. Chemotherapy is the main control measure available, and triclabendazole is the preferred drug since is effective against both juvenile and mature parasites. However, resistance to triclabendazole has been reported in several countries urging the search of new chemical entities and target molecules to control fluke infections. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPLE FINDINGS:We searched a library of forty flavonoid derivatives for inhibitors of key stage specific Fasciola hepatica cysteine proteases (FhCL3 and FhCL1). Chalcones substituted with phenyl and naphtyl groups emerged as good cathepsin L inhibitors, interacting more frequently with two putative binding sites within the active site cleft of the enzymes. One of the compounds, C34, tightly bounds to juvenile specific FhCL3 with an IC50 of 5.6 ?M. We demonstrated that C34 is a slow-reversible inhibitor that interacts with the Cys-His catalytic dyad and key S2 and S3 pocket residues, determinants of the substrate specificity of this family of cysteine proteases. Interestingly, C34 induces a reduction in NEJ ability to migrate through the gut wall and a loss of motility phenotype that leads to NEJ death within a week in vitro, while it is not cytotoxic to bovine cells. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:Up to date there are no reports of in vitro screening for non-peptidic inhibitors of Fasciola hepatica cathepsins, while in general these are considered as the best strategy for in vivo inhibition. We have identified chalcones as novel inhibitors of the two main Cathepsins secreted by juvenile and adult liver flukes. Interestingly, one compound (C34) is highly active towards the juvenile enzyme reducing larval ability to penetrate the gut wall and decreasing NEJ´s viability in vitro. These findings open new avenues for the development of novel agents to control fluke infection and possibly other helminthic diseases.

SUBMITTER: Ferraro F

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4962987 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Identification of Chalcones as Fasciola hepatica Cathepsin L Inhibitors Using a Comprehensive Experimental and Computational Approach.

Ferraro Florencia F Merlino Alicia A Dell Oca Nicolás N Gil Jorge J Tort José F JF Gonzalez Mercedes M Cerecetto Hugo H Cabrera Mauricio M Corvo Ileana I

PLoS neglected tropical diseases 20160727 7

<h4>Background</h4>Increased reports of human infections have led fasciolosis, a widespread disease of cattle and sheep caused by the liver flukes Fasciola hepatica and Fasciola gigantica, to be considered an emerging zoonotic disease. Chemotherapy is the main control measure available, and triclabendazole is the preferred drug since is effective against both juvenile and mature parasites. However, resistance to triclabendazole has been reported in several countries urging the search of new chem ...[more]

PMID: 27463369

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Project description:BackgroundFasciola hepatica is the causative agent of fascioliasis, a disease affecting grazing animals, causing economic losses in global agriculture and currently being an important human zoonosis. Overuse of chemotherapeutics against fascioliasis has increased the populations of drug resistant parasites. F. hepatica cathepsin L3 is a protease that plays important roles during the life cycle of fluke. Due to its particular collagenolytic activity it is considered an attractive target against the infective phase of F. hepatica.Methodology/principal findingsStarting with a three dimensional model of FhCL3 we performed a structure-based design of novel inhibitors through a computational study that combined virtual screening, molecular dynamics simulations, and binding free energy (?Gbind) calculations. Virtual screening was carried out by docking inhibitors obtained from the MYBRIDGE-HitFinder database inside FhCL3 and human cathepsin L substrate-binding sites. On the basis of dock-scores, five compounds were predicted as selective inhibitors of FhCL3. Molecular dynamic simulations were performed and, subsequently, an end-point method was employed to predict ?Gbind values. Two compounds with the best ?Gbind values (-10.68 kcal/mol and -7.16 kcal/mol), comparable to that of the positive control (-10.55 kcal/mol), were identified. A similar approach was followed to structurally and energetically characterize the interface of FhCL3 in complex with a peptidic substrate. Finally, through pair-wise and per-residue free energy decomposition we identified residues that are critical for the substrate/ligand binding and for the enzyme specificity.Conclusions/significanceThe present study is the first computer-aided drug design approach against F. hepatica cathepsins. Here we predict the principal determinants of binding of FhCL3 in complex with a natural substrate by detailed energetic characterization of protease interaction surface. We also propose novel compounds as FhCL3 inhibitors. Overall, these results will foster the future rational design of new inhibitors against FhCL3, as well as other F. hepatica cathepsins.

Project description:NIMA related Kinases (NEK7) plays an important role in spindle assembly and mitotic division of the cell. Over expression of NEK7 leads to the progression of different cancers and associated malignancies. It is becoming the next wave of targets for the development of selective and potent anti-cancerous agents. The current study is the first comprehensive computational approach to identify potent inhibitors of NEK7 protein. For this purpose, previously identified anti-inflammatory compound i.e., Phenylcarbamoylpiperidine-1,2,4-triazole amide derivatives by our own group were selected for their anti-cancer potential via detailed Computational studies. Initially, the density functional theory (DFT) calculations were carried out using Gaussian 09 software which provided information about the compounds' stability and reactivity. Furthermore, Autodock suite and Molecular Operating Environment (MOE) software's were used to dock the ligand database into the active pocket of the NEK7 protein. Both software performances were compared in terms of sampling power and scoring power. During the analysis, Autodock results were found to be more reproducible, implying that this software outperforms the MOE. The majority of the compounds, including M7, and M12 showed excellent binding energies and formed stable protein-ligand complexes with docking scores of - 29.66 kJ/mol and - 31.38 kJ/mol, respectively. The results were validated by molecular dynamics simulation studies where the stability and conformational transformation of the best protein-ligand complex were justified on the basis of RMSD and RMSF trajectory analysis. The drug likeness properties and toxicity profile of all compounds were determined by ADMETlab 2.0. Furthermore, the anticancer potential of the potent compounds were confirmed by cell viability (MTT) assay. This study suggested that selected compounds can be further investigated at molecular level and evaluated for cancer treatment and associated malignancies.

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Identification of Chalcones as Fasciola hepatica Cathepsin L Inhibitors Using a Comprehensive Experimental and Computational Approach.

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Identification of Chalcones as Fasciola hepatica Cathepsin L Inhibitors Using a Comprehensive Experimental and Computational Approach.

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