Pac Symp Biocomput. 2025;30:441-456. doi: 10.1142/9789819807024_0032.

ABSTRACT

Given the complexity and multifactorial nature of Alzheimer's disease, investigating potential drug-gene targets is imperative for developing effective therapies and advancing our understanding of the underlying mechanisms driving the disease. We present an explainable ML model that integrates the role and impact of gene interactions to drive the genomic variant feature selection. The model leverages both the Alzheimer's knowledge base and the Drug-Gene interaction database (DGIdb) to identify a list of biologically plausible novel gene-drug targets for further investigation. Model validation is performed on an ethnically diverse study sample obtained from the Alzheimer's Disease Sequencing Project (ADSP), a multi-ancestry multi-cohort genomic study. To mitigate population stratification and spurious associations from ML analysis, we implemented novel data curation methods. The study outcomes include a set of possible gene targets for further functional follow-up and drug repurposing.

PMID:40299608 | DOI:10.1142/9789819807024_0032

Biomedicines. 2025 Mar 31;13(4):839. doi: 10.3390/biomedicines13040839.

ABSTRACT

Background: Although mTOR has long been regarded as a promising target for cancer treatment, the efficacy of mTOR inhibitors in most clinical trials has been rather limited. Nevertheless, their favorable safety profile has opened up opportunities for drug repurposing, even as their potential applications across various diseases remain largely unexplored. Methods: We performed an MR-PheWAS analysis across 1431 phenotypes to explore drug repurposing opportunities. We analyzed GWAS data of 452 plasma metabolites, 731 immune traits, and 412 gut microbiota to uncover potential mechanisms for the causal link between the mTOR gene and body mass index (BMI). Results: A causal link between mTOR gene expression and BMI has been established. Additionally, mTOR-related vulnerabilities associated with BMI, including alterations in metabolites, immune traits, and gut microbiota, were identified. Conclusions: The identified causal relationship between mTOR and BMI suggests novel potential non-cancer applications for mTOR inhibitors.

PMID:40299431 | DOI:10.3390/biomedicines13040839

J Proteome Res. 2025 Apr 29. doi: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.4c00885. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Cisplatin-based chemotherapy is a cornerstone in treating cervical cancer, yet the efficacy is frequently limited by the rapid onset of drug resistance, a major challenge in clinical management. To investigate this, we employed HPV16+ human cervix squamous carcinoma cells, SiHa (CIS/S), and their cisplatin-resistant subline (CIS/R) as a model. Using DIA-based proteomics, we identified 5152 protein groups and over 50,000 peptides with a global FDR <1%. Comparative analysis revealed 123 differentially expressed proteins. Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) highlighted proteins involved in DNA damage, metabolism, and repair pathways (RFC4, RFC3, RFC2, DUT, DDX54, CDCA8, CDK7, CHAF1B, and GTF2F1), suggesting a role in developing acquired cisplatin resistance. Pathways related to mitotic spindle assembly and P53 signaling were found to be perturbed in resistant cells. Next, we screened a library of approx. 240 FDA-approved drugs against three protein targets and found four small-molecular ligands as potential hits for further in vitro validation. Cabozantinib and sorafenib gave us positive results in terms of increasing the cisplatin sensitivity of CIS/R cells. In conclusion, our findings provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underpinning cisplatin resistance in cervical cancer and propose novel strategies for combating this resistance through targeted therapies and drug repurposing.

PMID:40298920 | DOI:10.1021/acs.jproteome.4c00885

Antioxidants (Basel). 2025 Mar 27;14(4):396. doi: 10.3390/antiox14040396.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: All the processes leading to neurodegeneration cannot be addressed with just one medication. Combinations of drugs affecting various disease mechanisms concurrently could demonstrate improved effect in slowing the course of Parkinson's disease (PD).

OBJECTIVE: This was a drug-repurposing experiment designed to assess several combinations of nine drugs for possible added or synergistic efficacy using in vitro models of PD.

METHODS: We evaluated 44 combinations of the nine medications (sodium phenylbutyrate, terazosin, exenatide, ambroxol, deferiprone, coenzyme-Q10, creatine, dasatinib and tauroursodeoxycholic acid) selected for their previously demonstrated evidence of their impact on different targets, showing neuroprotective properties in preclinical models of PD. We utilized wild-type induced pluripotent stem-cell-derived human dopaminergic neurons treated with 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium for initial screening. We retested some combinations using an idiopathic PD patient-derived induced pluripotent stem cell line and alpha-synuclein triplication line. We assessed anti-neuroinflammatory effects using human microglia cells. As metrics, we evaluated neurite length, number of branch points per mm2, the number of live neurons, neurofilament heavy chain and pro-inflammatory cytokines.

RESULTS: We have identified four combinations of two to three drugs that showed an additive protective effect in some endpoints. Only the combination of sodium phenylbutyrate, exenatide and tauroursodeoxycholic acid showed improvement in four endpoints studied.

CONCLUSIONS: We demonstrated that some of the medications, used in combination, can exert an additive neuroprotective effect in preclinical models of PD that is superior to that of each of the compounds individually. This project can lead to the development of the first treatment for PD that can slow or prevent its progression.

PMID:40298667 | DOI:10.3390/antiox14040396

Antibiotics (Basel). 2025 Apr 14;14(4):402. doi: 10.3390/antibiotics14040402.

ABSTRACT

Background/Objectives: Antibiotic therapy faces challenges from rising acquired and biofilm-related antibiotic resistance rates. High resistance levels to commonly used antibiotics have been observed in methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains among cystic fibrosis (CF) patients, indicating an urgent need for new antibacterial agents. This study aimed to identify potential novel therapeutics with antibacterial and antibiofilm activities against an MRSA CF strain by screening, for the first time, the Drug Repurposing Compound Library (MedChem Express). Methods/Results: Among the 3386 compounds, a high-throughput screening-based spectrophotometric approach identified 2439 (72%), 654 (19.3%), and 426 (12.6%) drugs active against planktonic cells, biofilm formation, and preformed biofilm, respectively, although to different extents. The most active hits were 193 (5.7%), against planktonic cells, causing a 100% growth inhibition; 5 (0.14%), with excellent activity against biofilm formation (i.e., reduction ≥ 90%); and 4, showing high activity (i.e., 60% ≤ biofilm reduction < 90%) against preformed biofilms. The potential hits belonged to several primary research areas, with "cancer" being the most prevalent. After performing a literature review to identify other, already published biological properties that could be relevant to the CF lung environment (i.e., activity against other CF pathogens, and anti-inflammatory and anti-virulence potential), the most interesting hits were the following: 5-(N,N-Hexamethylene)-amiloride (diuretic), Toremifene (anticancer), Zafirlukast (antiasthmatic), Fenretide (anticancer), and Montelukast (antiasthmatic) against planktonic S. aureus cells; Hemin against biofilm formation; and Heparin, Clemastine (antihistaminic), and Bromfenac (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory) against established biofilms. Conclusions: These findings warrant further in vitro and in vivo studies to confirm the potential of repurposing these compounds for managing lung infections caused by S. aureus in CF patients.

PMID:40298549 | DOI:10.3390/antibiotics14040402

Hum Mol Genet. 2025 Apr 29:ddaf061. doi: 10.1093/hmg/ddaf061. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The copper ionophore disulfiram (DSF) is commonly used to treat chronic alcoholism and has potential anti-cancer activity. Using a yeast-based screening assay of FDA-approved compounds, DSF was herein identified for its ability to improve oxidative phosphorylation-dependent growth of various yeast models of mitochondrial diseases caused by a wide range of defects in ATP synthase, complexes III and IV, cardiolipin remodeling, maintenance and translation of the mitochondrial genome. This compound also showed beneficial effects in cells derived from patients suffering from Barth or MELAS syndromes, two mitochondrial diseases associated respectively with a lack in cardiolipin remodeling and protein synthesis inside the organelle. We provide evidence that the rescuing activity of DSF results from its ability to transport copper ions across biological membranes. Indeed, other copper ionophores (pyrithione and elesclomol) and supplementation of the growth media with copper ions had also beneficial effects in yeast and human cells with dysfunctional mitochondria. Our data suggest that the copper-dependent rescuing activity in these cells results from a better capacity to assemble cytochrome c oxidase. Altogether, our findings hold promise for the development of new therapeutic strategies for mitochondrial disorders.

PMID:40298238 | DOI:10.1093/hmg/ddaf061

medRxiv [Preprint]. 2025 Apr 8:2025.04.07.25325038. doi: 10.1101/2025.04.07.25325038.

ABSTRACT

The urgent need for safe and effective therapies for Alzheimer's disease (AD) has spurred a growing interest in repurposing existing drugs to treat or prevent AD. In this study, we combined multi-omics and clinical data to investigate possible repurposing opportunities for AD. We performed transcriptome-wide association studies (TWAS) to construct gene expression signatures of AD from publicly available GWAS summary statistics, using both transcriptome prediction models for 49 tissues from the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project and microglia-specific models trained on eQTL data from the Microglia Genomic Atlas (MiGA). We then identified compounds capable of reversing the AD-associated changes in gene expression observed in these signatures by querying the Connectivity Map (CMap) drug perturbation database. Out of >2,000 small-molecule compounds in CMap, aspirin emerged as the most promising AD repurposing candidate. To investigate the longitudinal effects of aspirin use on AD, we collected drug exposure and AD coded diagnoses from three independent sources of real-world data: electronic health records (EHRs) from Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) and the National Institutes of Health All of Us Research Program, along with national healthcare claims from the MarketScan Research Databases. In meta-analysis of EHR data from VUMC and All of Us , we found that aspirin use before age 65 was associated with decreased risk of incident AD (hazard ratio=0.76, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.64-0.89, P =0.001). Consistent with the findings utilizing EHR data, analysis of claims data from MarketScan revealed significantly lower odds of aspirin exposure among AD cases compared to matched controls (odds ratio=0.32, 95% CI: 0.28-0.38, P <0.001). Our results demonstrate the value of integrating genetic and clinical data for drug repurposing studies and highlight aspirin as a promising repurposing candidate for AD, warranting further investigation in clinical trials.

PMID:40297415 | PMC:PMC12036415 | DOI:10.1101/2025.04.07.25325038

Anticancer Res. 2025 May;45(5):1981-1995. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.17574.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/AIM: SH003, a novel herbal mixture consisting of Astragalus membranaceus, Angelica gigas, and Trichosanthes kirilowii Maximowicz, has shown promising anti-cancer effects in various cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which comprises approximately 85% of all lung cancer cases. Characterized by high mortality rates due to late-stage diagnosis and frequent development of resistance to traditional therapies, NSCLC is a significant clinical challenge. This study investigated the anti-cancer effects of SH003 on NSCLC cells, focusing on its role in modulating receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling pathways.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: NSCLC cell lines (A549, H460, HCC827) were treated with SH003 to evaluate cell viability (MTT assay), colony formation, apoptosis (Annexin V/7-AAD staining, western blot), and cell cycle distribution (PI staining). Phosphorylation of RTKs and related signaling molecules was analyzed using a phospho-RTK array and western blot. In vivo anti-tumor effects were assessed using an A549 xenograft mouse model treated orally with SH003.

RESULTS: NSCLC cell lines A549, H460, and HCC827 treated with SH003 showed significant, dose-dependent cell viability and colony formation reductions. SH003 induced apoptosis, evidenced by increased cleaved PARP and caspase-8 levels, and caused G1/S cell cycle arrest. Additionally, SH003 treatment decreased phosphorylation of multiple receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), including ErbB4, FGFR1, FGFR3, and PDGFRβ, as confirmed by an RTK array. In an A549 xenograft mouse model, SH003 inhibited tumor growth without affecting body weight, indicating low systemic toxicity.

CONCLUSION: SH003 is a promising multi-target therapeutic agent for NSCLC, offering a novel strategy to improve patient outcomes.

PMID:40295074 | DOI:10.21873/anticanres.17574

Anticancer Res. 2025 May;45(5):1965-1980. doi: 10.21873/anticanres.17573.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND/AIM: Colon cancer is the most prevalent type of gastrointestinal cancer, characterized by high incidence and mortality rates despite advancements in diagnosis and treatment. Although chemotherapy is the standard treatment for advanced cases, survival benefits are often limited, highlighting the need for innovative therapeutic strategies. SH003, an herbal mixture composed of Astragalus membranaceus, Angelica gigas, and Trichosanthes kirilowii Maximowicz, has demonstrated anticancer properties across various cancer types. This study aimed to explore the anticancer effects of SH003 on colon cancer through in vitro and in vivo experiments.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In vitro studies were conducted using human colon cancer cell lines, including HCT116, HT29, SW480, SW620, LoVo, LS174T, H508, and LS1034. Cell viability assays were performed to determine IC50 values over time. Apoptosis induction was assessed through Western blot analysis. Cell cycle progression was analyzed by examining the expression of cell cycle-related proteins. The disruption of the RTK-STAT3 signaling pathway was evaluated by measuring the phosphorylation of ALK using RTK-array. In vivo experiments involved establishing an HCT116 xenograft mouse model to assess tumor growth inhibition and systemic toxicity following SH003 administration.

RESULTS: SH003 significantly reduced cell viability in all tested colon cancer cell lines, with IC50 values decreasing over time, indicating a time-dependent cytotoxic effect. Apoptosis induction was confirmed by increased levels of cleaved PARP, caspase-3, caspase-8, and caspase-9. SH003 also induced G1/S phase cell cycle arrest, as evidenced by decreased expression of p-Rb, CDK2, CDK4, and Cyclin D1. Furthermore, SH003 disrupted the RTK-STAT3 signaling pathway by reducing ALK phosphorylation and decreasing the levels of p-STAT3, c-Myc, and cyclin D1. In vivo, SH003 significantly suppressed tumor growth in the HCT116 xenograft mouse model, reducing tumor volumes without causing notable systemic toxicity.

CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that SH003 possesses robust anticancer effects against colon cancer by inducing apoptosis, causing cell cycle arrest, and disrupting RTK-STAT3 signaling. The in vivo results further confirm SH003's efficacy and safety, supporting its potential as a promising therapeutic option for colon cancer treatment. Further studies are warranted to elucidate its mechanisms and clinical applicability.

PMID:40295067 | DOI:10.21873/anticanres.17573

In Silico Pharmacol. 2025 Apr 24;13(2):70. doi: 10.1007/s40203-025-00355-z. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

Marburg Virus (MARV) presents a significant threat to human health, highlighting the urgent need for effective therapeutics. The MARV genome encodes a multifunctional 'large' L protein that plays a crucial role in polymerase, capping, and methyltransferase activities. Within this protein, the 2'-O-methyltransferase (2'-O-MTase) domain is essential for viral replication and immune evasion, making it a promising therapeutic target. However, the lack of structural data on this domain limits drug discovery efforts. To address this challenge, we utilized AlphaFold2 to predict a 3D structure of the MARV 2'-O-MTase domain. Molecular docking with its natural ligand, S-adenosyl methionine (SAM), allowed us to identify key active-site residues involved in ligand binding. We then screened 62 known inhibitors against this domain and identified four promising candidates: Lifirafenib (- 9.5 kcal/mol), Dolutegravir (- 8.5 kcal/mol), BRD3969 (- 8.3 kcal/mol), and JFD00244 (- 8.2 kcal/mol). Further, we assessed the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties of these compounds to evaluate their drug-likeness. Molecular dynamics simulations, along with MM/GBSA free energy calculations, confirmed stable interactions between the selected inhibitors and the target domain. While these findings highlight promising candidates for MARV, experimental validation through in vitro and in vivo assays is essential to assess their safety and efficacy.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40203-025-00355-z.

PMID:40291443 | PMC:PMC12018677 | DOI:10.1007/s40203-025-00355-z

ACS Omega. 2025 Feb 22;10(15):14980-14993. doi: 10.1021/acsomega.4c10338. eCollection 2025 Apr 22.

ABSTRACT

Huntington's disease (HD) and Spinocerebellar Ataxia (SCA) are debilitating neurological disorders triggered by the expansion of CAG sequences within the specific genes (HTT and ATXN, respectively). These are characterized as poly glutamine (polyQ) disorders, which are marked by widespread neurodegeneration and metabolic irregularities across systemic, cellular, and intracellular levels. This study aimed to identify small molecules that specifically interact with and target the toxic CAG repeat RNA. Here, we investigated the neuroprotective effects of Oseltamivir, an antiviral drug, against the HD and SCA-causing CAG repeats, through biophysical, cellular, and Drosophila model-based studies. Using a multidimensional approach encompassing biophysical techniques, cellular assays, and a Drosophila model, we explored Oseltamivir's interaction with toxic CAG repeat RNA. Our comprehensive analyses, including circular dichroism (CD), isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC), electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, demonstrated Oseltamivir's specific binding affinity for AA mismatches and its potential to mitigate the toxicity associated with polyQ aggregation. Moreover, the identified U.S. FDA-approved drug effectively mitigated polyQ-induced toxicity in both HD cells and the Drosophila model of the disease. The results obtained from this drug repurposing approach are indicative of the neuro-shielding role of Oseltamivir in HD and several SCAs, paving the way for its translation into clinical practice to benefit patients afflicted with these devastating diseases.

PMID:40290909 | PMC:PMC12019426 | DOI:10.1021/acsomega.4c10338

EClinicalMedicine. 2025 Mar 25;82:103102. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103102. eCollection 2025 Apr.

ABSTRACT

The kidney disease: Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) guideline recommends assessing kidney function using glomerular filtration rate (GFR) either through direct measurement or through estimation (eGFR) and describes a standardised classification of reduced kidney function. KDIGO guidelines have been adopted by most internal medicine specialities for the assessment and classification of kidney function, but not by cancer medicine. The development of the International Consensus Guideline on Anticancer Drug Dosing in Kidney Dysfunction (ADDIKD) aims to overcome the perceived challenges with KDIGO recommendations by describing their utility in patients with cancer. Two virtual, consensus building workshops were held consecutively, involving international, multidisciplinary participants (Part 1 of ADDIKD development). During these workshops, three consensus recommendations were agreed upon based on KDIGO's principles; to standardise kidney function assessment, classify kidney function, and determine a uniform approach to dose anticancer drugs in patients with reduced kidney function. Cancer clinicians attending the workshops identified issues regarding the adoption of KDIGO's recommendations. These issues were addressed by nephrologists, clinical pharmacologists, and other clinicians with extensive experience in the contemporary assessment of kidney function. The key concern for cancer specialists was a hesitancy to move away from the familiar and long-standing practice of using the Cockcroft-Gault equation to estimate creatinine clearance. The consensus building within the two multidisciplinary workshops allowed a thorough assessment of the evidence and clarified how directly measured GFR and eGFR, rather than creatinine clearance, could be optimally utilised in cancer care. The development of Part 1 of the ADDIKD guideline represents a standardised, contemporary approach to the assessment, classification, and utility of kidney function in the setting of cancer care and it harmonises with the approach used in other areas of medicine internationally.

FUNDING: Development of the ADDIKD guideline is funded by the Cancer Institute NSW as part of the NSW Government and received no funding from external commercial sources.

PMID:40290845 | PMC:PMC12034077 | DOI:10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103102

EClinicalMedicine. 2025 Mar 25;82:103161. doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103161. eCollection 2025 Apr.

ABSTRACT

Part 2 of the International Consensus Guideline on Anticancer Drug Dosing in Kidney Dysfunction (ADDIKD) offers drug-specific consensus recommendations based on both evidence and practical experience. These recommendations build upon the kidney function assessment and classification guidelines established in Part 1 of ADDIKD. Here we illustrate how dosing recommendations differ between ADDIKD and existing guidance for four commonly used drugs: methotrexate, cisplatin, carboplatin and nivolumab. We then describe how the recommendations can be distilled into practice points for methotrexate and cisplatin. While ADDIKD is a significant improvement from previous guidelines, adoption of this new guideline requires further endorsement from key external stakeholders, 'change championing' by clinicians locally and encouraging its integration into existing reference sources, clinical trial protocols and electronic prescribing systems.

FUNDING: Development of the ADDIKD guideline is funded by the NSW Government as part of the Cancer Institute NSW and received no funding from external commercial sources.

PMID:40290844 | PMC:PMC12034076 | DOI:10.1016/j.eclinm.2025.103161

Bioinform Biol Insights. 2025 Apr 12;19:11779322251328269. doi: 10.1177/11779322251328269. eCollection 2025.

ABSTRACT

Drug repositioning holds great promise for reducing the time and cost associated with traditional drug discovery, but it faces significant challenges related to data imbalance and noise in negative samples. In this article, we introduce a novel method leveraging high negative oversampling (HNO) to address these challenges. Our approach integrates HNO with advanced techniques such as network-based graph mining, matrix factorization, and Bayesian inference, specifically designed for imbalanced data scenarios. Constructing high-quality negative samples is crucial to mitigate the detrimental effects of noisy negative data and enhance model performance. Experimental results demonstrate the efficacy of our approach in enhancing the performance of drug discovery models by effectively managing data imbalance and refining the selection of negative samples. This methodology provides a robust framework for improving drug repositioning, with potential applications in broader biomedical domains.

PMID:40290635 | PMC:PMC12033409 | DOI:10.1177/11779322251328269

Acta Derm Venereol. 2025 Apr 28;105:adv40697. doi: 10.2340/actadv.v105.40697.

ABSTRACT

In recent years, molecular target drugs have become integral in treating malignant tumours. Multikinase inhibitors (MKIs) have been associated with serious skin disorders, including hand-foot skin reaction (HFSR), which impair patient quality of life, often disrupting activities of daily living necessitating dose reduction or discontinuation. As the pathogenic mechanisms of these skin disorders are unknown, no effective treatments have been established. Previously, by drug repurposing using an in vitro culture system, certain azole antifungal drugs (AFDs) were identified that prevented sorafenib-induced cell death of normal human epidermal keratinocytes. In this study, topical ketoconazole demonstrated clinical improvement in hyperkeratosis and pain associated with sorafenib-induced HFSR. Investigation of the mechanism using the in vitro culture system revealed sorafenib to be particularly cytotoxic among MKIs. Annexin V and TUNEL staining revealed apoptosis was mainly involved in this cytotoxicity. Antibody arrays and western blot showed increased levels of secretion of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist and macrophage migration inhibitory factor in culture supernatants. AFDs suppressed the secretion of these cytokines and reduced apoptosis in keratinocytes. This study reveals one aspect of the pathogenesis of sorafenib-induced HFSR and demonstrates that AFDs may be an effective treatment.

PMID:40289816 | DOI:10.2340/actadv.v105.40697

Methods. 2025 Apr 25:S1046-2023(25)00109-4. doi: 10.1016/j.ymeth.2025.04.012. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Drug-target interaction (DTI) prediction is critical in drug repositioning and discovery. In current metapath-based prediction methods, attention mechanisms are often used to differentiate the importance of various neighbors, enhancing the model's expressiveness. However, in biological networks with small-scale imbalanced data, attention mechanisms are prone to interference from noise and missing data, leading to instability in weight learning, reduced efficiency, and an increased risk of overfitting. To address these issues, we propose the use of average aggregation to mitigate noise, simplify model complexity, and improve stability. Specifically, we introduce a simplified mean aggregation method for DTI prediction. This approach uses average aggregation, effectively reducing noise interference, lowering model complexity, and preventing overfitting, making it especially suitable for current biological networks. Extensive testing on three heterogeneous biological datasets shows that SNADTI outperforms 12 leading methods across two evaluation metrics, significantly reducing training time and validating its effectiveness in DTI prediction. Complexity analysis reveals that our method offers a substantial computational speed advantage over other methods on the same dataset, highlighting its enhanced efficiency. Experimental results demonstrate that SNADTI excels in prediction accuracy, stability, and reproducibility, confirming its practicality and effectiveness in DTI prediction.

PMID:40288620 | DOI:10.1016/j.ymeth.2025.04.012

Int J Pharm. 2025 Apr 24:125639. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2025.125639. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The current research work explored the anti-inflammatory and antifungal activity of loratadine versus Candida albicans for treating vulvovaginal candidiasis (VVC). Loratadine was incorporated into terpene-enriched nanocarrier invasomes (IVS) using a thin-film hydration approach, where a D-optimal design was employed to investigate the lipid amount, terpene percent and type impact on the entrapment efficiency percentage (EE%), particle size (PS), polydispersity index (PDI), and zeta potential (ZP). The optimal formula was assessed regarding morphology, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), in silico study, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Subsequently, the optimal formula was incorporated into a gel base and characterized via ex vivo permeation studies. Lastly, in vivo investigations were performed to evaluate the performance of the loratadine-loaded IVS gel. The selected formula was spherical and had EE% of 91.95 ± 1.5 %, PS of 132.81 ± 2.7 nm, PDI of 0.326 ± 0.08, and ZP of -23.42 ± 0.38 mV. The FTIR and DSC studies verified the successful entrapment of the drug, while the in silico study demonstrated the thermodynamic stability of IVS. The IVS gel showed enhancement in drug deposition within vaginal tissues of 3.8 folds compared to free drug gel. Loratadine-loaded IVS gel showed remarkable improvement in eradicating candida infection by suppression of β-D-glucan. Furthermore, the IVS gel showed a significant anti-inflammatory effect reflected by marked suppression of NO, iNOS, COX-2, TNF-α, IL-1B and down-regulation in NF-κB, Src and Syk gene expressions. These results were confirmed via histopathological and immunohistological examinations. This work highlights the potential of loratadine as a promising therapy for VVC.

PMID:40287073 | DOI:10.1016/j.ijpharm.2025.125639

Drug Discov Today. 2025 Apr 24:104364. doi: 10.1016/j.drudis.2025.104364. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

The human metapneumovirus (hMPV), a member of the Pneumoviridae family, is a significant respiratory pathogen that causes severe infections in infants, children, the elderly, adults with chronic illnesses, and individuals with immunocompromised conditions. Globally, hMPV is recognized as the second leading cause of bronchiolitis and pneumonia among children under five. The absence of targeted antiviral treatments or vaccines for hMPV significantly strains the global health-care system. This review summarizes recent advances and scientific findings on hMPV by reviewing the current literature on its life cycle, structure, function, prevention, and treatment options.

PMID:40286981 | DOI:10.1016/j.drudis.2025.104364

Lancet Psychiatry. 2025 Apr 23:S2215-0366(25)00066-5. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(25)00066-5. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Existing pharmacotherapies and psychotherapies are often inadequate, and discovery for new pharmacological treatments in psychiatry is slow. Existing pharmacotherapies are, however, often inadequate. Few truly novel pharmacotherapies have emerged in the past four decades, largely due to the absence of a known pathophysiology for each disorder. In this Personal View, we describe the platform we have adopted that enables targeted drug repurposing. With this approach, patient-derived stem cells are used to detect transcriptomic targets to identify existing drugs that address these targets. These drugs are then validated in non-human animal models and pharmacoepidemiological studies before being tested in clinical trials. Our targeted drug repurposing platform bypasses the absence of known pathophysiology. Validation steps bring greater scientific rigour and mechanistic insights to drug repurposing to allow only drug candidates with the strongest mechanistic evidence to be tested in clinical trials.

PMID:40286796 | DOI:10.1016/S2215-0366(25)00066-5

Viruses. 2025 Mar 28;17(4):491. doi: 10.3390/v17040491.

ABSTRACT

The SARS-CoV-2 proteases Mpro and PLpro are critical targets for antiviral drug development for the treatment of COVID-19. The 1,2,4-thiadiazole functional group is an inhibitor of cysteine proteases, such as papain and cathepsins. This chemical moiety is also present in ceftaroline fosamil (CF), an FDA-approved fifth-generation cephalosporin antibiotic. This study investigates the interactions between CF, its primary metabolites (M1 is dephosphorylated CF and M2 is an opened β-lactam ring) and derivatives (protonated M1H and M2H), and its open 1,2,4-thiadiazole rings derivatives (open-M1H and open-M2H) with SARS-CoV-2 proteases and evaluates CF's effects on in vitro viral replication. In silico analyses (molecular docking and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations) demonstrated that CF and its metabolites are potential inhibitors of PLpro and Mpro. Docking analysis indicated that the majority of the ligands were more stable with Mpro than PLpro; however, in vitro biochemical analysis indicated PLpro as the preferred target for CF. CF inhibited viral replication in the human Calu-3 cell model at submicromolar concentrations when added to cell culture medium at 12 h. Our results suggest that CF should be evaluated as a potential repurposing agent for COVID-19, considering not only viral proteases but also other viral targets and relevant cellular pathways. Additionally, the reactivity of sulfur in the 1,2,4-thiadiazole moiety warrants further exploration for the development of viral protease inhibitors.

PMID:40284934 | DOI:10.3390/v17040491