scholarly journals Inhibition of Antiapoptotic BCL-XL, BCL-2, and MCL-1 Proteins by Small Molecule Mimetics

2010 ◽  
Vol 9 ◽  
pp. CIN.S5065 ◽  
Author(s):  
D.S. Dalafave ◽  
G. Prisco
Keyword(s):  
Small Molecules ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Molecular Design ◽  
Poor Response ◽  
Computational Design ◽  
Antiapoptotic Proteins ◽  
Drug Candidates ◽  
Preclinical Trials ◽  
Computer Based ◽  
Stress Signals

Informatics and computational design methods were used to create new molecules that could potentially bind antiapoptotic proteins, thus promoting death of cancer cells. Apoptosis is a cellular process that leads to the death of damaged cells. Its malfunction can cause cancer and poor response to conventional chemotherapy. After being activated by cellular stress signals, proapoptotic proteins bind antiapoptotic proteins, thus allowing apoptosis to go forward. An excess of antiapoptotic proteins can prevent apoptosis. Designed molecules that mimic the roles of proapoptotic proteins can promote the death of cancer cells. The goal of our study was to create new putative mimetics that could simultaneously bind several antiapoptotic proteins. Five new small molecules were designed that formed stable complexes with BCL-2, BCL-XL, and MCL-1 antiapoptotic proteins. These results are novel because, to our knowledge, there are not many, if any, small molecules known to bind all three proteins. Drug-likeness studies performed on the designed molecules, as well as previous experimental and preclinical studies on similar agents, strongly suggest that the designed molecules may indeed be promising drug candidates. All five molecules showed “drug-like” properties and had overall drug-likeness scores between 81% and 96%. A single drug based on these mimetics should cost less and cause fewer side effects than a combination of drugs each aimed at a single protein. Computer-based molecular design promises to accelerate drug research by predicting potential effectiveness of designed molecules prior to laborious experiments and costly preclinical trials.

Molecular Design of Peptide-Fc Fusion Drugs

2019 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 203-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lin Ning ◽  
Bifang He ◽  
Peng Zhou ◽  
Ratmir Derda ◽  
Jian Huang
Keyword(s):  
Rational Design ◽  
Molecular Design ◽  
Computational Design ◽  
Fusion Technology ◽  
Computational Tools ◽  
Open Questions ◽  
Biological Therapeutics ◽  
Key Steps ◽  
Computational Resources ◽  
Tools And Methods

Background:Peptide-Fc fusion drugs, also known as peptibodies, are a category of biological therapeutics in which the Fc region of an antibody is genetically fused to a peptide of interest. However, to develop such kind of drugs is laborious and expensive. Rational design is urgently needed.Methods:We summarized the key steps in peptide-Fc fusion technology and stressed the main computational resources, tools, and methods that had been used in the rational design of peptide-Fc fusion drugs. We also raised open questions about the computer-aided molecular design of peptide-Fc.Results:The design of peptibody consists of four steps. First, identify peptide leads from native ligands, biopanning, and computational design or prediction. Second, select the proper Fc region from different classes or subclasses of immunoglobulin. Third, fuse the peptide leads and Fc together properly. At last, evaluate the immunogenicity of the constructs. At each step, there are quite a few useful resources and computational tools.Conclusion:Reviewing the molecular design of peptibody will certainly help make the transition from peptide leads to drugs on the market quicker and cheaper.

Recent Updates in the Alzheimer’s Disease Etiopathology and Possible Treatment Approaches: A Narrative Review of Current Clinical Trials

2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 273-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elahe Zarini-Gakiye ◽  
Javad Amini ◽  
Nima Sanadgol ◽  
Gholamhassan Vaezi ◽  
Kazem Parivar
Keyword(s):  
Alzheimer’S Disease ◽  
Alzheimer's Disease ◽  
Clinical Trials ◽  
Small Molecules ◽  
Clinical Trial Design ◽  
Treatment Approaches ◽  
Drug Candidates ◽  
Novel Treatments ◽  
Approved Drugs ◽  
Tau Aggregation

Background: Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is the most frequent subtype of incurable neurodegenerative dementias and its etiopathology is still not clearly elucidated. Objective: Outline the ongoing clinical trials (CTs) in the field of AD, in order to find novel master regulators. Methods: We strictly reviewed all scientific reports from Clinicaltrials.gov and PubMed databases from January 2010 to January 2019. The search terms were “Alzheimer's disease” or “dementia” and “medicine” or “drug” or “treatment” and “clinical trials” and “interventions”. Manuscripts that met the objective of this study were included for further evaluations. Results: Drug candidates have been categorized into two main groups including antibodies, peptides or hormones (such as Ponezumab, Interferon β-1a, Solanezumab, Filgrastim, Levemir, Apidra, and Estrogen), and naturally-derived ingredients or small molecules (such as Paracetamol, Ginkgo, Escitalopram, Simvastatin, Cilostazo, and Ritalin-SR). The majority of natural candidates acted as anti-inflammatory or/and anti-oxidant and antibodies exert their actions via increasing amyloid-beta (Aβ) clearance or decreasing Tau aggregation. Among small molecules, most of them that are present in the last phases act as specific antagonists (Suvorexant, Idalopirdine, Intepirdine, Trazodone, Carvedilol, and Risperidone) or agonists (Dextromethorphan, Resveratrol, Brexpiprazole) and frequently ameliorate cognitive dysfunctions. Conclusion: The presences of a small number of candidates in the last phase suggest that a large number of candidates have had an undesirable side effect or were unable to pass essential eligibility for future phases. Among successful treatment approaches, clearance of Aβ, recovery of cognitive deficits, and control of acute neuroinflammation are widely chosen. It is predicted that some FDA-approved drugs, such as Paracetamol, Risperidone, Escitalopram, Simvastatin, Cilostazoand, and Ritalin-SR, could also be used in off-label ways for AD. This review improves our ability to recognize novel treatments for AD and suggests approaches for the clinical trial design for this devastating disease in the near future.

scholarly journals Arginine Methyltransferase PRMT1 Regulates p53 Activity in Breast Cancer

Life ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 789
Author(s):  
Li-Ming Liu ◽  
Qiang Tang ◽  
Xin Hu ◽  
Jing-Jing Zhao ◽  
Yuan Zhang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Cell Growth ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Breast Cancer Cells ◽  
Asymmetric Dimethylarginine ◽  
Human Cancer ◽  
Specific Inhibitor ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Breast Tumorigenesis ◽  
Stress Signals

The protein p53 is one of the most important tumor suppressors, responding to a variety of stress signals. Mutations in p53 occur in about half of human cancer cases, and dysregulation of the p53 function by epigenetic modifiers and modifications is prevalent in a large proportion of the remainder. PRMT1 is the main enzyme responsible for the generation of asymmetric-dimethylarginine, whose upregulation or aberrant splicing has been observed in many types of malignancies. Here, we demonstrate that p53 function is regulated by PRMT1 in breast cancer cells. PRMT1 knockdown activated the p53 signal pathway and induced cell growth-arrest and senescence. PRMT1 could directly bind to p53 and inhibit the transcriptional activity of p53 in an enzymatically dependent manner, resulting in a decrease in the expression levels of several key downstream targets of the p53 pathway. We were able to detect p53 asymmetric-dimethylarginine signals in breast cancer cells and breast cancer tissues from patients, and the signals could be significantly weakened by silencing of PRMT1 with shRNA, or inhibiting PRMT1 activity with a specific inhibitor. Furthermore, PRMT1 inhibitors significantly impeded cell growth and promoted cellular senescence in breast cancer cells and primary tumor cells. These results indicate an important role of PRMT1 in the regulation of p53 function in breast tumorigenesis.

scholarly journals Controlled drug release to cancer cells from modular one-photon visible light-responsive micellar system

2016 ◽  
Vol 52 (69) ◽  
pp. 10525-10528 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saemi O. Poelma ◽  
Seung Soo Oh ◽  
Sameh Helmy ◽  
Abigail S. Knight ◽  
G. Leslie Burnett ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Drug Release ◽  
Visible Light ◽  
Small Molecules ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Controlled Drug Release ◽  
Micellar System ◽  
On Demand ◽  
System P

We present a one-photon visible light-responsive micellar system for efficient, on-demand delivery of small molecules.

scholarly journals Bioactive Secondary Metabolites of the Genus Diaporthe and Anamorph Phomopsis from Terrestrial and Marine Habitats and Endophytes: 2010–2019

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 217
Author(s):  
Tang-Chang Xu ◽  
Yi-Han Lu ◽  
Jun-Fei Wang ◽  
Zhi-Qiang Song ◽  
Ya-Ge Hou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Small Molecules ◽  
Host Plants ◽  
Plant Pathogens ◽  
Bioactive Metabolites ◽  
Drug Candidates ◽  
The Past ◽  
Marine Habitats ◽  
Bioactive Secondary Metabolites ◽  
Unidentified Species

The genus Diaporthe and its anamorph Phomopsis are distributed worldwide in many ecosystems. They are regarded as potential sources for producing diverse bioactive metabolites. Most species are attributed to plant pathogens, non-pathogenic endophytes, or saprobes in terrestrial host plants. They colonize in the early parasitic tissue of plants, provide a variety of nutrients in the cycle of parasitism and saprophytism, and participate in the basic metabolic process of plants. In the past ten years, many studies have been focused on the discovery of new species and biological secondary metabolites from this genus. In this review, we summarize a total of 335 bioactive secondary metabolites isolated from 26 known species and various unidentified species of Diaporthe and Phomopsis during 2010–2019. Overall, there are 106 bioactive compounds derived from Diaporthe and 246 from Phomopsis, while 17 compounds are found in both of them. They are classified into polyketides, terpenoids, steroids, macrolides, ten-membered lactones, alkaloids, flavonoids, and fatty acids. Polyketides constitute the main chemical population, accounting for 64%. Meanwhile, their bioactivities mainly involve cytotoxic, antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-algae, phytotoxic, and enzyme inhibitory activities. Diaporthe and Phomopsis exhibit their potent talents in the discovery of small molecules for drug candidates.

scholarly journals GENETIC INVOLVEMENT OF INTERLEUKIN 4 FOR ASTHMA AND IDENTIFICATION OF POTENTIAL PHYTOCHEMICAL SCAFFOLD THROUGH MOLECULAR DOCKING STUDIES

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 43 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Sarithamol ◽  
Divya V. ◽  
Sunitha V. R. ◽  
Suchitra Surendran ◽  
V. L. Pushpa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Molecular Docking ◽  
Small Molecules ◽  
In Silico ◽  
Mutational Analysis ◽  
Chromosome Region ◽  
Specific Treatment ◽  
Docking Studies ◽  
Interleukin 4 ◽  
Receptor Interaction ◽  
Drug Candidates

Objective: Interleukin 4, an important cytokine, has the major role in the immunomodulatory responses associated with asthma. The present study focused on the involvement of single nucleotide polymorphism variation (SNP) of interleukin 4 (IL4) in the development of disease, asthma and designing small molecules for the inhibition of IL4 through in silico strategy.Methods: Identification of disease causing SNP will be a wise approach towards the phenotype specific treatment. A human origin deleterious no synonymous SNP of IL4 were found out in the chromosome region 5q31-q33 (rs199929962) (T/C). Proteins of the corresponding nucleotide variation were identified and were subjected to characterization studies for selecting the most appropriate one for further mutational analysis and molecular docking studies.Results: Influence of microbes on SNP variation of IL4 gene leading to asthma was found to be insignificant by metagenomic studies. Gene responsive drugs were identified through environmental factor analysis. The drug candidates including corticosteroids were subjected to protein interaction studies by in silico means. The pharmacophoric feature derived from drug receptor interaction was utilized for virtual screening on a dataset of anti-inflammatory phytomolecules. The scaffolds of ellagic acid and quercetin were identified as potential nonsteroidal entities which can shield the asthmatic activities.Conclusion: Developing small molecules using these scaffolds taking interleukin 4 as a target will be an adequate solution for steroid resistant asthma.

scholarly journals Synthetic Heterocyclic Derivatives as Kinase Inhibitors Tested for the Treatment of Neuroblastoma

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (23) ◽  
pp. 7069
Author(s):  
Francesca Musumeci ◽  
Annarita Cianciusi ◽  
Ilaria D’Agostino ◽  
Giancarlo Grossi ◽  
Anna Carbone ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Small Molecules ◽  
Pediatric Cancer ◽  
Kinase Inhibitors ◽  
Severe Disease ◽  
Chemotherapeutic Agents ◽  
Cytotoxic Agents ◽  
Specific Mechanism ◽  
Drug Candidates ◽  
Heterocyclic Derivatives ◽  
Tumor In Childhood

In the last few years, small molecules endowed with different heterocyclic scaffolds have been developed as kinase inhibitors. Some of them are being tested at preclinical or clinical levels for the potential treatment of neuroblastoma (NB). This disease is the most common extracranial solid tumor in childhood and is responsible for 10% to 15% of pediatric cancer deaths. Despite the availability of some treatments, including the use of very toxic cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents, high-risk (HR)-NB patients still have a poor prognosis and a survival rate below 50%. For these reasons, new pharmacological options are urgently needed. This review focuses on synthetic heterocyclic compounds published in the last five years, which showed at least some activity on this severe disease and act as kinase inhibitors. The specific mechanism of action, selectivity, and biological activity of these drug candidates are described, when established. Moreover, the most remarkable clinical trials are reported. Importantly, kinase inhibitors approved for other diseases have shown to be active and endowed with lower toxicity compared to conventional cytotoxic agents. The data collected in this article can be particularly useful for the researchers working in this area.

Targeting the phosphoinositide 3-kinase/AKT pathways by small molecules and natural compounds as a therapeutic approach for breast cancer cells

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (5) ◽  
pp. 4809-4816 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amin Soltani ◽  
Samira Torki ◽  
Milad Sabzevary Ghahfarokhi ◽  
Mohammad Saied Jami ◽  
Mahdi Ghatrehsamani
Keyword(s):  
Breast Cancer ◽  
Small Molecules ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Therapeutic Approach ◽  
Breast Cancer Cells ◽  
Natural Compounds ◽  
Phosphoinositide 3 Kinase

Biological applications of synthetic anion transporters

2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (91) ◽  
pp. 14137-14153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nasim Akhtar ◽  
Oindrila Biswas ◽  
Debasis Manna
Keyword(s):  
Small Molecules ◽  
Cancer Cells ◽  
Transmembrane Transport ◽  
Biological Applications ◽  
Bacterial Strains ◽  
Antibiotic Resistant ◽  
Anion Transporters

Transmembrane transport of anions by small molecules has recently been used to reduce the viability of cancer cells and fight against antibiotic-resistant and clinically relevant bacterial strains.

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