Zoning in on Tankyrases: A Brief Review on the Past, Present and Prospective Studies

2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (16) ◽  
pp. 1920-1934
Author(s):  
Xylia Q. Peters ◽  
Thembeka H. Malinga ◽  
Clement Agoni ◽  
Fisayo A. Olotu ◽  
Mahmoud E.S. Soliman

Background: Tankyrases are known for their multifunctionalities within the poly(ADPribose) polymerases family and playing vital roles in various cellular processes which include the regulation of tumour suppressors. Tankyrases, which exist in two isoforms; Tankyrase 1 and 2, are highly homologous and an integral part of the Wnt β -catenin pathway that becomes overly dysregulated when hijacked by pro-carcinogenic machineries. Methods: In this review, we cover the distinct roles of the Tankyrase isoforms and their involvement in the disease pathogenesis. Also, we provide updates on experimentally and computationally derived antagonists of Tankyrase whilst highlighting the precedence of integrative computer-aided drug design methods towards the discovery of selective inhibitors. Results: Despite the high prospects embedded in the therapeutic targeting and blockade of Tankyrase isoforms, the inability of small molecule inhibitors to achieve selective targeting has remained a major setback, even until date. This explains numerous incessant drug design efforts geared towards the development of highly selective inhibitors of the respective Tankyrase isoforms since they mediate distinct aberrancies in disease progression. Therefore, considering the setbacks of conventional drug design methods, can computer-aided approaches actually save the day? Conclusion: The implementation of computer-aided drug design techniques in Tankyrase research could help complement experimental methods and facilitate ligand/structure-based design and discovery of small molecule inhibitors with enhanced selectivity.

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 97-120
Author(s):  
Shabana Bibi ◽  
Yuan-Bing Wang ◽  
De-Xiang Tang ◽  
Mohammad Amjad Kamal ◽  
Hong Yu

: Some species of Cordyceps sensu lato are famous Chinese herbs with significant biological activities, often used as edible food and traditional medicine in China. Cordyceps represents the largest entomopathogenic group of fungi, including 40 genera and 1339 species in three families and incertae sedis of Hypocreales. Objective: Most of the Cordyceps-derivatives have been approved clinically for the treatment of various diseases such as diabetes, cancers, inflammation, cardiovascular, renal and neurological disorders and are used worldwide as supplements and herbal drugs, but there is still need for highly efficient Cordyceps-derived drugs for fatal diseases with approval of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Methods: Computer-aided drug design concepts could improve the discovery of putative Cordyceps- derived medicine within less time and low budget. The integration of computer-aided drug design methods with experimental validation has contributed to the successful discovery of novel drugs. Results: This review focused on modern taxonomy, active metabolites, and modern drug design techniques that could accelerate conventional drug design and discovery of Cordyceps s. l. Successful application of computer-aided drug design methods in Cordyceps research has been discussed. Conclusion: It has been concluded that computer-aided drug design techniques could influence the multiple target-focused drug design, because each metabolite of Cordyceps has shown significant activities for the various diseases with very few or no side effects.


2020 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 703 ◽  
Author(s):  
Varnavas D. Mouchlis ◽  
Georgia Melagraki ◽  
Lefteris C. Zacharia ◽  
Antreas Afantitis

Aging-associated neurodegenerative diseases, which are characterized by progressive neuronal death and synapses loss in human brain, are rapidly growing affecting millions of people globally. Alzheimer’s is the most common neurodegenerative disease and it can be caused by genetic and environmental risk factors. This review describes the amyloid-β and Tau hypotheses leading to amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles, respectively which are the predominant pathways for the development of anti-Alzheimer’s small molecule inhibitors. The function and structure of the druggable targets of these two pathways including β-secretase, γ-secretase, and Tau are discussed in this review article. Computer-Aided Drug Design including computational structure-based design and ligand-based design have been employed successfully to develop inhibitors for biomolecular targets involved in Alzheimer’s. The application of computational molecular modeling for the discovery of small molecule inhibitors and modulators for β-secretase and γ-secretase is summarized. Examples of computational approaches employed for the development of anti-amyloid aggregation and anti-Tau phosphorylation, proteolysis and aggregation inhibitors are also reported.


2020 ◽  
Vol 95 (4) ◽  
pp. 460-471 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Gentile ◽  
Ahmed H. Elmenoufy ◽  
Gloria Ciniero ◽  
David Jay ◽  
Feridoun Karimi‐Busheri ◽  
...  

Author(s):  
Christina A. Kirby ◽  
Atwood Cheung ◽  
Aleem Fazal ◽  
Michael D. Shultz ◽  
Travis Stams

The crystal structures of tankyrase 1 (TNKS1) in complex with two small-molecule inhibitors, PJ34 and XAV939, both at 2.0 Å resolution, are reported. The structure of TNKS1 in complex with PJ34 reveals two molecules of PJ34 bound in the NAD+donor pocket. One molecule is in the nicotinamide portion of the pocket, as previously observed in other PARP structures, while the second molecule is bound in the adenosine portion of the pocket. Additionally, unlike the unliganded crystallization system, the TNKS1–PJ34 crystallization system has the NAD+donor site accessible to bulk solvent in the crystal, which allows displacement soaking. The TNKS1–PJ34 crystallization system was used to determine the structure of TNKS1 in complex with XAV939. These structures provide a basis for the start of a structure-based drug-design campaign for TNKS1.


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