Slow-binding Inhibitor Research Articles

Thymidylate synthase-catalyzed, tetrahydrofolate-dependent self-inactivation by 5-FdUMP

In view of previous crystallographic studies, N4-hydroxy-dCMP, a slow-binding thymidylate synthase inhibitor apparently caused “uncoupling” of the two thymidylate synthase-catalyzed reactions, including the N5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate one-carbon group transfer and reduction, suggesting the enzyme's capacity to use tetrahydrofolate as a cofactor reducing the pyrimidine ring C(5) in the absence of the 5-methylene group. Testing the latter interpretation, a possibility was examined of a TS-catalyzed covalent self-modification/self-inactivation with certain pyrimidine deoxynucleotides, including 5-fluoro-dUMP and N4-hydroxy-dCMP, that would be promoted by tetrahydrofolate and accompanied with its parallel oxidation to dihydrofolate. Electrophoretic analysis showed mouse recombinant TS protein to form, in the presence of tetrahydrofolate, a covalently bound, electrophoretically separable 5-fluoro-dUMP-thymidylate synthase complex, similar to that produced in the presence of N5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate. Further studies of the mouse enzyme binding with 5-fluoro-dUMP/N4-hydroxy-dCMP by TCA precipitation of the complex on filter paper showed it to be tetrahydrofolate-promoted, as well as to depend on both time in the range of minutes and the enzyme molecular activity, indicating thymidylate synthase-catalyzed reaction to be responsible for it. Furthermore, the tetrahydrofolate- and time-dependent, covalent binding by thymidylate synthase of each 5-fluoro-dUMP and N4-hydroxy-dCMP was shown to be accompanied by the enzyme inactivation, as well as spectrophotometrically confirmed dihydrofolate production, the latter demonstrated to depend on the reaction time, thymidylate synthase activity and temperature of the incubation mixture, further documenting its catalytic character.

Kinetic Tuning of HDAC Inhibitors Affords Potent Inducers of Progranulin Expression.

Histone deacetylases (HDACs) are enzymes involved in the epigenetic control of gene expression. A handful of HDAC inhibitors have been approved for the treatment of cancer, and HDAC inhibition has also been proposed as a novel therapeutic strategy for neurodegenerative disorders. These disorders include progranulin (PGRN)-deficient forms of frontotemporal dementia caused by mutations in the GRN gene that lead to haploinsufficiency. Hydroxamic-acid-based inhibitors of HDACs 1-3, reported to have fast-on/fast-off binding kinetics, induce increased expression of PGRN in human neuronal models, while the benzamide class of slow-binding HDAC inhibitors does not produce this effect. These observations indicate that the kinetics of HDAC inhibitor binding can be tuned for optimal induction of human PGRN expression in neurons. Here, we further expand on these findings using human cortical-like, glutamatergic neurons. We provide evidence that two prototypical, potent hydroxamic acid HDAC inhibitors that induce PGRN (panobinostat and trichostatin A) exhibit an initial fast-binding step followed by a second, slower step, referred to as mechanism B of slow binding, rather than simpler fast-on/fast-off binding kinetics. In addition, we show that trapoxin A, a macrocyclic, epoxyketone-containing class I HDAC inhibitor, exhibits slow binding with high, picomolar potency and also induces PGRN expression in human neurons. Finally, we demonstrate induction of PGRN expression by fast-on/fast-off, highly potent, macrocyclic HDAC inhibitors with ethyl ketone or ethyl ester Zn2+ binding groups. Taken together, these data expand our understanding of HDAC1-3 inhibitor binding kinetics, and further delineate the specific combinations of structural and kinetic features of HDAC inhibitors that are optimal for upregulating PGRN expression in human neurons and thus may have translational relevance in neurodegenerative disease.

Slow-Binding Inhibition of Tyrosinase by Ecklonia cava Phlorotannins.

Tyrosinase inhibitors improve skin whitening by inhibiting the formation of melanin precursors in the skin. The inhibitory activity of seven phlorotannins (1–7), triphlorethol A (1), eckol (2), 2-phloroeckol (3), phlorofucofuroeckol A (4), 2-O-(2,4,6-trihydroxyphenyl)-6,6′-bieckol (5), 6,8′-bieckol (6), and 8,8′-bieckol (7), from Ecklonia cava was tested against tyrosinase, which converts tyrosine into dihydroxyphenylalanine. Compounds 3 and 5 had IC50 values of 7.0 ± 0.2 and 8.8 ± 0.1 μM, respectively, in competitive mode, with Ki values of 8.2 ± 1.1 and 5.8 ± 0.8 μM. Both compounds showed the characteristics of slow-binding inhibitors over the time course of the enzyme reaction. Compound 3 had a single-step binding mechanism and compound 5 a two-step-binding mechanism. With stable AutoDock scores of −6.59 and −6.68 kcal/mol, respectively, compounds 3 and 5 both interacted with His85 and Asn260 at the active site.

Voltage Dependent Inhibitor Binding to Plasma-Membrane Glutamate Transporters

Plasma-membrane glutamate transporters of the excitatory amino acid transporter (EAAT) family are important for maintaining a low glutamate concentration in the extracellular space of the mammalian brain. Glutamate is believed to be transported in its negatively-charged form, energetically driven by the co-transport of three sodium ions. At least two of these sodium ions are bound within the dielectric of the membrane, resulting in voltage dependent association and dissociation kinetics. It was speculated that glutamate binding is also electrogenic because the binding site of the transported substrate, glutamate, is located somewhat close to the center of the membrane. Furthermore, it was hypothesized that competitive inhibitor binding is voltage dependent for the same reason. Here, we rapidly applied a low-affinity competitive inhibitor, kainate, to the glutamate transporter subtype EAAT2, resulting in outward transient current caused by movement of net negative charge of the inhibitor into the low dielectric of the protein/membrane. Consistently, inhibitor dissociation kinetics are voltage dependent, accelerating with increasingly negative transmembrane potential. In contrast, binding kinetics of a high-affinity, slow binding inhibitor, TFB-TBOA, showed the opposite voltage dependence compared to dissociation. Consistent with previous studies, our results show that the substrate and inhibitor binding site is located within the membrane environment with low dielectric constant. This work was supported by the National Science Foundation Grant 1515028 awarded to C.G.

Molecular insights into the mechanism of 4-hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase inhibition: enzyme kinetics, X-ray crystallography and computational simulations.

Slow-binding inhibitors with long residence time on the target often display superior efficacy invivo. Rationally designing inhibitors with low off-target rates is restricted by a limited understanding of the structural basis of slow-binding inhibition kinetics in enzyme-drug interactions. 4-Hydroxyphenylpyruvate dioxygenase (HPPD) is an important target for drug and herbicide development. Although the time-dependent behavior of HPPD inhibitors has been studied for decades, its structural basis and mechanism remain unclear. Herein, we report a detailed experimental and computational study that explores structures for illustrating the slow-binding inhibition kinetics of HPPD. We observed the conformational change of Phe428 at the C-terminal α-helix in the inhibitor-bound structures and further identified that the inhibition kinetics of drugs are related to steric hindrance of Phe428. These detailed structural and mechanistic insights illustrate that steric hindrance is highly associated with the time-dependent behavior of HPPD inhibitors. These findings may enable rational design of new potent HPPD-targeted drugs or herbicides with longer target residence time and improved properties. DATABASE: Structure data are available in the PDB under the accession numbers 5CTO (released), 5DHW (released), and 5YWG (released).

Effect of Pentacyclic Guanidine Alkaloids from the Sponge Monanchora pulchra on Activity of α-Glycosidases from Marine Bacteria.

The effect of monanchomycalin B, monanhocicidin A, and normonanhocidin A isolated from the Northwest Pacific sample of the sponge Monanchora pulchra was investigated on the activity of α-galactosidase from the marine γ-proteobacterium Pseudoalteromonas sp. KMM 701 (α-PsGal), and α-N-acetylgalactosaminidase from the marine bacterium Arenibacter latericius KMM 426T (α-NaGa). All compounds are slow-binding irreversible inhibitors of α-PsGal, but have no effect on α-NaGa. A competitive inhibitor d-galactose protects α-PsGal against the inactivation. The inactivation rate (kinact) and equilibrium inhibition (Ki) constants of monanchomycalin B, monanchocidin A, and normonanchocidin A were 0.166 ± 0.029 min−1 and 7.70 ± 0.62 μM, 0.08 ± 0.003 min−1 and 15.08 ± 1.60 μM, 0.026 ± 0.000 min−1, and 4.15 ± 0.01 μM, respectively. The 2D-diagrams of α-PsGal complexes with the guanidine alkaloids were constructed with “vessel” and “anchor” parts of the compounds. Two alkaloid binding sites on the molecule of α-PsGal are shown. Carboxyl groups of the catalytic residues Asp451 and Asp516 of the α-PsGal active site interact with amino groups of “anchor” parts of the guanidine alkaloid molecules.

Bisphosphonate Inhibitors of Mammalian Glycolytic Aldolase.

The glycolytic enzyme aldolase is an emerging drug target in diseases such as cancer and protozoan infections which are dependent on a hyperglycolytic phenotype to synthesize adenosine 5'-triphosphate and metabolic precursors for biomass production. To date, structural information for the enzyme in complex with phosphate-derived inhibitors has been lacking. Thus, we determined the crystal structure of mammalian aldolase in complex with naphthalene 2,6-bisphosphate (1) that served as a template for the design of bisphosphonate-based inhibitors, namely, 2-phosphate-naphthalene 6-bisphosphonate (2), 2-naphthol 6-bisphosphonate (3), and 1-phosphate-benzene 4-bisphosphonate (4). All inhibitors targeted the active site, and the most promising lead, 2, exhibited slow-binding inhibition with an overall inhibition constant of ∼38 nM. Compound 2 inhibited proliferation of HeLa cancer cells, whereas HEK293 cells expressing a normal phenotype were not inhibited. The crystal structures delineated the essential features of high-affinity phosphate-derived inhibitors and provide a template for the development of inhibitors with prophylaxis potential.

Revisiting the binding kinetics and inhibitory potency of cardiac glycosides on Na+,K+-ATPase (α1β1): Methodological considerations

IntroductionOuabain and digoxin are classical inhibitors of the Na+,K+-ATPase. In addition to their conventional uses as therapeutic agents or experimental tools there is renewed interest due to evidence suggesting they could be endogenous hormones. Somewhat surprisingly, different publications show large discrepancies in potency for inhibiting Na+,K+-ATPase activity (IC50), particularly for the slow binding inhibitors, ouabain and digoxin. MethodsUsing purified pig kidney Na+,K+-ATPase (α1β1FXYD2) and purified detergent-soluble recombinant human Na+,K+-ATPase (α1β1FXYD1) we have re-evaluated binding and inhibition kinetics and effects of K+ concentration for ouabain, digoxin, ouabagenin and digoxigenin. ResultsWe demonstrate unequivocally that for slow binding inhibitors, ouabain and digoxin, long incubation times (≥60 min at 37 °C) are required to avoid under-estimation of potency and correctly determine inhibition (IC50 around 100–200 nM at 5 mM K+) contrary to what occurs when pre-incubation of the drugs without ATP is followed by a short incubation time. By contrast, for the rapidly bound inhibitors, ouabagenin and digoxigenin, short incubation times suffice (<10 min). The strong reduction of inhibitory potency observed at high un-physiological K+ concentrations (≥5 mM) also explained the low potency reported by some authors. DiscussionThe data resolve discrepancies in the literature attributable to sub-optimal assay conditions. Similar IC50 values are obtained for pig kidney and recombinant human Na+,K+-ATPase, showing that inhibitory potencies are not determined by the species difference (pig versus human) or environment (membrane-bound versus detergent-soluble) of the Na+,K+-ATPase. The present methodological considerations are especially relevant for drug development of slow binding inhibitors.

Campylobacter jejuni KDO8P Synthase, Its Inhibition by KDO8P Oxime, and Control of the Residence Time of Slow-Binding Inhibition.

3-Deoxy-d- manno-2-octulosonate-8-phosphate (KDO8P) synthase catalyzes the first step of lipopolysaccharide biosynthesis, namely condensation of phosphoenolpyruvate (PEP) with arabinose 5-phosphate (A5P), to produce KDO8P. We have characterized Campylobacter jejuni KDO8P synthase and its inhibition by KDO8P oxime. It was metal-dependent and homotetrameric and followed a rapid equilibrium sequential ordered ter ter kinetic mechanism in which Mn2+ bound first, followed by PEP and then A5P. It was inhibited by KDO8P oxime, an analogue of 3-deoxy-d- arabino-heptulosonate 7-phosphate (DAHP) oxime, a transition-state mimic of DAHP synthase. Inhibition was uncompetitive-like with respect to Mn2+ and competitive with respect to PEP and A5P. It displayed both fast-binding inhibition ( Ki = 10 μM) and slow-binding inhibition ( Ki* = 0.57 μM). The residence times on the enzyme ( tR) ranged from 27 min in the absence of free inhibitor to 69 h with excess inhibitor. The dependence of tR on the free inhibitor concentration suggested intersubunit communication within the homotetramer between high- and low-affinity sites. This confirms the generality of the oxime functional group, a small, neutral phosphate bioisostere, as an α-carboxyketose synthase inhibitor and highlights the challenge that intersubunit communication poses to effective inhibition.

Slow-Binding Inhibition of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Shikimate Kinase by Manzamine Alkaloids.

Tuberculosis represents a significant public health crisis. There is an urgent need for novel molecular scaffolds against this pathogen. We screened a small library of marine-derived compounds against shikimate kinase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis ( MtSK), a promising target for antitubercular drug development. Six manzamines previously shown to be active against M. tuberculosis were characterized as MtSK inhibitors: manzamine A (1), 8-hydroxymanzamine A (2), manzamine E (3), manzamine F (4), 6-deoxymanzamine X (5), and 6-cyclohexamidomanzamine A (6). All six showed mixed noncompetitive inhibition of MtSK. The lowest KI values were obtained for 6 across all MtSK-substrate complexes. Time-dependent analyses revealed two-step, slow-binding inhibition. The behavior of 1 was typical; initial formation of an enzyme-inhibitor complex (EI) obeyed an apparent KI of ∼30 μM with forward ( k5) and reverse ( k6) rate constants for isomerization to an EI* complex of 0.18 and 0.08 min-1, respectively. In contrast, 6 showed a lower KI for the initial encounter complex (∼1.5 μM), substantially faster isomerization to EI* ( k5 = 0.91 min-1), and slower back conversion of EI* to EI ( k6 = 0.04 min-1). Thus, the overall inhibition constants, KI*, for 1 and 6 were 10 and 0.06 μM, respectively. These findings were consistent with docking predictions of a favorable binding mode and a second, less tightly bound pose for 6 at MtSK. Our results suggest that manzamines, in particular 6, constitute a new scaffold from which drug candidates with novel mechanisms of action could be designed for the treatment of tuberculosis by targeting MtSK.

Abstract 1878: Molecular mechanisms of the cardiotoxicity of the proteasomal-targeted anticancer drugs bortezomib, carfilzomib, ixazomib, oprozomib, and delanzomib

Abstract Bortezomib, carfilzomib, ixazomib, oprozomib, and delanzomib are anticancer drugs that target the proteasomal system. Bortezomib, carfilzomib, and ixazomib, which are approved for clinical use, have shown some cardiotoxicity. Carfilzomib and oprozomib are epoxyketones that form an irreversible bond with the 20S proteasome, whereas bortezomib, ixazomib, and delanzomib are boronic acids that form slowly reversible adducts. A primary neonatal rat myocyte model was used to study these cardiotoxic mechanisms. Using LDH release as a measure of damage in the myocyte model, after drug treatments of either 1, 4 and 72 hr all these drugs induced myocyte damage at low- to sub-micromolar concentrations. Oprozomib induced significantly less myocyte damage than any of the other drugs. Utilizing a fluorogenic substrate the kinetics of the slow-binding inhibition of the chymotrypsin-like proteasomal activity of human 20S proteasome were also determined in order to see if differences in the binding kinetics could explain the degree of myocyte damage. Oprozomib inhibited the 20S proteasome with a second-order binding “on” rate constant that was 60-fold slower than for ixazomib, the fastest binding drug. The first-order dissociation “off” rate constants for the three boronic acids were also determined. Delanzomib dissociated from its complex with the 20S proteasome with a half-time that was more than 20-fold slower than for ixazomib, the fastest dissociating drug. In conclusion, while all these drugs were potently toxic to myocytes at submicromolar concentrations, oprozomib was considerably less toxic than any of the other drugs. As a group the boronic acid drugs were not significantly more toxic than the epoxyketone drugs. The dissociation half-times of the boronic acid complexes were also not correlated with myocyte damage. The fact that oprozomib bound to the 20S proteasome more slowly than any of the other drugs may be the reason, in part, that it is less toxic. Support: CIHR; a Canada Research Chair in Drug Development. Citation Format: Brian B. Hasinoff. Molecular mechanisms of the cardiotoxicity of the proteasomal-targeted anticancer drugs bortezomib, carfilzomib, ixazomib, oprozomib, and delanzomib [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1878.

Isolation and identification of α-glucosidase inhibitory constituents from the seeds of Vigna nakashimae: Enzyme kinetic study with active phytochemical

The α-glucosidase inhibition effects of the 80% ethanol extracts in the seeds of five Vigna species (V. nakashimae, V. nipponensis, V. umbellate, V. radiate, and V. angularis) were evaluated and their half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values showed considerable differences (p < 0.05) ranging from 7.3 to >900 μg/ml. V. nakashimae exhibited the most potent inhibition with IC50 value of 7.3 ± 1.1 μg/ml, followed by V. nipponensis (184.0 ± 9.5 μg/ml) and V. umbellata (520.0 ± 8.1 μg/ml). Bioactivity-guided fractionation of V. nakashimae seeds yielded three phenolics by silica gel chromatography and their structures were elucidated as gambiriin D (1), luteoliflavan-7-O-glucopyranoside (2), and catechin-7-O-glucopyranoside (3) using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. In particular, gambiriin D (1) possessed strong inhibition activity with IC50 of 36.8 ± 2.3 μM through simple reversible slow-binding inhibition (kinetic parameters: k4 = 0.0048 μM−1s−1; Kiapp = 48 μM). Furthermore, this compound inhibited recombinant human aldose reductase with IC50 value of 12.0 ± 0.7 μM. Results suggest that V. nakashimae may be a potent α-glucosidase inhibition for health products.

Synthesis of Avibactam Derivatives and Activity on β-Lactamases and Peptidoglycan Biosynthesis Enzymes of Mycobacteria.

There is a renewed interest for β-lactams for treating infections due to Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. abscessus because their β-lactamases are inhibited by classical (clavulanate) or new generation (avibactam) inhibitors, respectively. Here, access to an azido derivative of the diazabicyclooctane (DBO) scaffold of avibactam for functionalization by the Huisgen-Sharpless cycloaddition reaction is reported. The amoxicillin-DBO combinations were active, indicating that the triazole ring is compatible with drug penetration (minimal inhibitory concentration of 16 μg mL-1 for both species). Mechanistically, β-lactamase inhibition was not sufficient to account for the potentiation of amoxicillin by DBOs. Thus, the latter compounds were investigated as inhibitors of l,d-transpeptidases (Ldts), which are the main peptidoglycan polymerases in mycobacteria. The DBOs acted as slow-binding inhibitors of Ldts by S-carbamoylation indicating that optimization of DBOs for Ldt inhibition is an attractive strategy to obtain drugs selectively active on mycobacteria.

Competitive neutrophil elastase inhibitory isoflavones from the roots of Flemingia philippinensis

Flemingia philippinensis has been used throughout history to cure rheumatism associated with neutrophil elastase (NE). In this study, we isolated sixteen NE inhibitory flavonoids (1–16), including the most potent and abundant prenyl isoflavones (1–9), from the F. philippinensis plant. These prenyl isoflavones (2, 3, 5, 7, and 9) competitively inhibited NE, with IC50 values of 1.3–12.0 μM. In addition, they were reversible, simple, slow-binding inhibitors according to their respective parameters. Representative compound 3 had an IC50 = 1.3 μM, k3 = 0.04172 μM−1 min−1, k4 = 0.0064 min−1, and Kiapp = 0.1534 μM. The Kik/Kiv ratios (18.5 ∼ 24.6) for compound 3 were consistent with typical competitive inhibitors. The prenyl functionality of isoflavones significantly affected inhibitory potencies and mechanistic behavior by shifting the competitive mode to a noncompetitive one. The remaining flavonoids (10–16) were confirmed as mixed type I inhibitors that preferred to bind free enzyme rather than the enzyme-substrate complex. Fluorescence quenching analyses indicated that the inhibitory potency (IC50) closely followed the binding affinity (KSV).

ヒドラジノコハク酸によるアスパラギン酸アミノ基転移酵素の Slow-binding inhibition 及び Slow, tight-binding inhibition

ヒドラジノコハク酸によるアスパラギン酸アミノ基転移酵素の Slow-binding inhibition 及び Slow, tight-binding inhibition

Class I HDAC Inhibitors Display Different Antitumor Mechanism in Leukemia and Prostatic Cancer Cells Depending on Their p53 Status.

Previously, we designed and synthesized a series of o-aminobenzamide-based histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors, among which the representative compound 11a exhibited potent inhibitory activity against class I HDACs. In this study, we report the development of more potent hydrazide-based class I selective HDAC inhibitors using 11a as a lead. Representative compound 13b showed a mixed, slow, and tight binding inhibition mechanism for HDAC1, 2, and 3. The most potent compound 13e exhibited low nanomolar IC50s toward HDAC1, 2, and 3 and could down-regulate HDAC6 in acute myeloid leukemia MV4-11 cells. The EC50 of 13e against MV4-11 cells was 34.7 nM, which is 26 times lower than its parent compound 11a. In vitro responses to 13e vary significantly and interestingly based on cell type: in p53 wild-type MV4-11 cells, 13e induced cell death via apoptosis and G1/S cell cycle arrest, which is likely mediated by a p53-dependent pathway, while in p53-null PC-3 cells, 13e caused G2/M arrest and inhibited cell proliferation without inducing caspase-3-dependent apoptosis.

6-Thioguanine is a noncompetitive and slow binding inhibitor of human deubiquitinating protease USP2

Ubiquitin-specific protease 2 (USP2) belongs to the family of deubiquitinases that can rescue protein targets from proteasomal degradation by reversing their ubiquitination. In various cancers, including prostate cancer and ovarian carcinoma, upregulation of USP2 leads to an increase in the levels of deubiquitinated substrates such as fatty acid synthase, MDM2, cyclin D1 and Aurora-A. USP2 thus plays a critical role in tumor cells’ survival and therefore represents a therapeutic target. Here a leukemia drug, 6-thioguanine, was found to be a potent inhibitor of USP2. Enzyme-kinetic and X-ray crystallographic data suggest that 6-thioguanine displays a noncompetitive and slow-binding inhibitory mechanism against USP2. Our study provides a clear rationale for the clinical evaluation of 6-thioguanine for USP2-upregulated cancers.

Chemical Constituents from Apios americana and Their Inhibitory Activity on Tyrosinase.

The goal of this study was to identify phytochemicals with inhibitory activity against tyrosinase. Nine compounds 1–9 were isolated from the tubers of Apios americana. This is the first report of aromadendrin 5-methyl ether (1) being isolated from the Apios species. Among them, compounds 2 and 8 showed inhibitory activity toward tyrosinase. Based on a Dixon plot, the potential Ki values of competitive inhibitors 2 and 8 were calculated as 10.3 ± 0.8 µM and 44.2 ± 1.7 µM, respectively. An IC50 value of 13.2 ± 1.0 µM was calculated for the slow-binding inhibitor 2 after preincubation with tyrosinase. Additionally, the predicted binding sites between the receptor and ligand, as well as secondary structure changes, in the presence of 2 were examined by molecular simulation.

In Vitro Pharmacokinetic Optimizations of AM2-S31N Channel Blockers Led to the Discovery of Slow-Binding Inhibitors with Potent Antiviral Activity against Drug-Resistant Influenza A Viruses.

Influenza viruses are respiratory pathogens that are responsible for both seasonal influenza epidemics and occasional influenza pandemics. The narrow therapeutic window of oseltamivir, coupled with the emergence of drug resistance, calls for the next-generation of antivirals. With our continuous interest in developing AM2-S31N inhibitors as oral influenza antivirals, we report here the progress of optimizing the in vitro pharmacokinetic (PK) properties of AM2-S31N inhibitors. Several AM2-S31N inhibitors, including compound 10b, were discovered to have potent channel blockage, single to submicromolar antiviral activity, and favorable in vitro PK properties. The antiviral efficacy of compound 10b was also synergistic with oseltamivir carboxylate. Interestingly, binding kinetic studies (Kd, Kon, and Koff) revealed several AM2-S31N inhibitors that have similar Kd values but significantly different Kon and Koff values. Overall, this study identified a potent lead compound (10b) with improved in vitro PK properties that is suitable for the in vivo mouse model studies.

WITHDRAWN: Coptisine, an alkaloid from Rhizoma Coptidis, inhibits Helicobacter pylori urease activity by targeting its active site and maturation process

// Cailan Li 1, * , Ping Huang 2, * , Kambo Wong 3 , Yifei Xu 2 , Lihua Tan 1 , Hanbin Chen 4 , Qiang Lu 5 , Chaodan Luo 1 , Chunlai Tam 3 , Lixiang Zhu 2 , Ziren Su 1, 6 and Jianhui Xie 7 1 Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Development and Research of Chinese Medicine, Mathematical Engineering Academy of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, P. R. China 2 School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, P. R. China 3 School of Life Sciences, Center for Protein Science and Crystallography, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, P. R. China 4 The First Affiliated Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, P. R. China 5 Key Laboratory of Ministry of Education, Research Center of Chinese Herbal Resources and Engineering, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, P. R. China 6 Dongguan Mathematical Engineering Academy of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Dongguan, P. R. China 7 Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Clinical Research on Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Guangzhou University of Chinese Medicine, Guangzhou, P. R. China * These authors have contributed equally to this work Correspondence to: Ziren Su, email: suziren@gzucm.edu.cn Jianhui Xie, email: xiejianhui888@hotmail.com Keywords: coptisine; Helicobacter pylori urease; sulfhydryl group; nickel ion; UreG Received: May 18, 2017 Accepted: January 01, 2018 Published: January 02, 2018 ABSTRACT In this study, we examined the anti- Helicobactor pylori effects of the main protoberberine-type alkaloids in Rhizoma Coptidis. Coptisine exerted varying antibacterial and bactericidal effects against three standard H. pylori strains and eleven clinical isolates, including four drug-resistant strains, with MICs ranging from 25 to 50 μg/mL and MBCs ranging from 37.5 to 125 μg/mL. Coptisine’s anti- H. pylori effects derived from specific inhibition of urease in vivo . In vitro , coptisine inactivated urease in a concentration-dependent manner through slow-binding inhibition and involved binding to the urease active site sulfhydryl group. Coptisine inhibition of H. pylori urease (HPU) was mixed type, while inhibition of jack bean urease (JBU) was non-competitive. Importantly, coptisine also inhibited HPU by binding to its nickel metallocenter. Besides, Coptisine interfered with urease maturation by inhibiting activity of prototypical urease accessory protein UreG and formation of UreG dimers and by promoting dissociation of nickel from UreG dimers. These findings demonstrate that coptisine inhibits urease activity by targeting its active site and inhibiting its maturation, thereby effectively inhibiting H. pylori . Coptisine may thus be an effective anti- H. pylori agent.