Drug Repositioning

Identification of novel transmembrane Protease Serine Type 2 drug candidates for COVID-19 using computational studies

Mon, 2021-09-13 06:00

Inform Med Unlocked. 2021;26:100725. doi: 10.1016/j.imu.2021.100725. Epub 2021 Sep 7.

ABSTRACT

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) emergence has resulted in a global health crisis. As a consequence, discovering an effective therapy that saves lives and slows the spread of the pandemic is a global concern currently. In silico drug repurposing is highly regarded as a precise computational method for obtaining fast and reliable results. Transmembrane serine-type 2 (TMPRSS2) is a SARS CoV-2 enzyme that is essential for viral fusion with the host cell. Inhibition of TMPRSS2 may block or lessen the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study, we aimed to perform an in silico drug repurposing to identify drugs that can effectively inhibit SARS-CoV-2 TMPRSS2. As there is no 3D structure of TMPRSS2 available, homology modeling was performed to build the 3D structure of human TMPRSS2. 3848 world-approved drugs were screened against the target. Based on docking scores and visual outcomes, the best-fit drugs were chosen. Molecular dynamics (MD) and density functional theory (DFT) studies were also conducted. Five potential drugs (Amikacin, isepamicin, butikacin, lividomycin, paromomycin) exhibited promising binding affinities. In conclusion, these findings empower purposing these agents.

PMID:34514079 | PMC:PMC8421083 | DOI:10.1016/j.imu.2021.100725

Categories: Literature Watch

Drug repurposing against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19): A review

Mon, 2021-09-13 06:00

J Pharm Anal. 2021 Sep 4. doi: 10.1016/j.jpha.2021.09.001. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Since December 2019, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has been found to be the culprit in the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), causing a global pandemic. Despite the existence of many vaccine programs, the number of confirmed cases and fatalities due to COVID-19 is still increasing. Furthermore, a number of variants have been reported. Because of the absence of approved anti-coronavirus drugs, the treatment and management of COVID-19 has become a global challenge. Under these circumstances, drug repurposing is an effective method to identify candidate drugs with a shorter cycle of clinical trials. Here, we summarize the current status of the application of drug repurposing in COVID-19, including drug repurposing based on virtual computer screening, network pharmacology, and bioactivity, which may be beneficial COVID-19 treatment.

PMID:34513115 | PMC:PMC8416689 | DOI:10.1016/j.jpha.2021.09.001

Categories: Literature Watch

Safety and Efficacy of High-Dose Vitamin B6 as an Adjunctive Treatment for Antipsychotic-Induced Hyperprolactinemia in Male Patients With Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia

Mon, 2021-09-13 06:00

Front Psychiatry. 2021 Aug 26;12:681418. doi: 10.3389/fpsyt.2021.681418. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

This study aimed to investigate the safety and efficacy of high-dose vitamin B6 (vB6) as an adjunct treatment for antipsychotic-induced hyperprolactinemia (AIHP) in male patients with treatment-resistant schizophrenia (TRS). In this randomized double-blinded controlled study, patients were randomized (1:1) into a control group given aripiprazole (ARI; 10 mg/day; n = 100) or an intervention group given vB6 (300 mg/12 h for 16 weeks; n = 100). Prolactin levels, psychotic symptoms [Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS)], cognitive function [MATRICS Consensus Cognitive Battery (MCCB)], liver function, kidney function, growth hormone level, micronutrient levels, blood lipids, and adverse secondary effects (ASEs)[Treatment Emergent Symptom Scale (TESS) and Barnes-Akathisia scale] were monitored. After a 16-week treatment period, the vB6 group showed a 68.1% reduction in serum prolactin levels (from 95.52 ± 6.30 μg/L to 30.43 ± 18.65 μg/L) while the ARI group showed only a 37.4% reduction (from 89.07 ± 3.59 μg/L to 55.78 ± 7.39 μg/L). During weeks 1-4, both treatments reduced prolactin similarly. Subsequently, the ARI effect plateaued, while the vB6 effect remained robust. The vB6 group showed better alleviation of psychotic symptoms and cognitive impairment. No serious ASEs were observed; ASEs were more frequent in the ARI group. AIHP reduction efficacy of vB6 was associated with baseline prolactin and triglyceride levels, total vB6 dosage, and education level. In conclusion, compared with the ARI group, TRS patients given vB6 showed better attenuation of AIHP, lower ASE scores, and greater improvements in clinical symptoms and cognitive impairments. These results support further consideration of vB6 as a putative treatment for AIHP. Trial Registration: ChiCTR1800014755.

PMID:34512411 | PMC:PMC8426548 | DOI:10.3389/fpsyt.2021.681418

Categories: Literature Watch

Therapeutic Targeting of Hepatic ACSL4 Ameliorates Non-alcoholic Steatohepatitis in Mice

Sun, 2021-09-12 06:00

Hepatology. 2021 Sep 12. doi: 10.1002/hep.32148. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Globally, NAFLD is one of the most common liver disorders, with an estimated prevalence rate of more than 30% in men and 15% in women, and an even higher prevalence in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Optimal pharmacologic therapeutic approaches for NAFLD are an urgent necessity. In this study, we showed that compared to healthy controls, hepatic ACSL4 levels in NAFLD patients were found to be elevated. Suppression of ACSL4 expression promoted mitochondrial respiration, thereby enhancing the capacity of hepatocytes to mediate β-oxidation of fatty acids and to minimize lipid accumulation by up-regulating PGC1α. Moreover, we found that abemaciclib is a potent and selective ACSL4 inhibitor, low-dose of abemaciclib significantly ameliorated most of the NAFLD symptoms in multiple NAFLD mice models. Therefore, inhibition of ACSL4 is a potential alternative therapeutic approach for NAFLD.

PMID:34510514 | DOI:10.1002/hep.32148

Categories: Literature Watch

Candidate antiviral drugs for COVID-19 and their environmental implications: a comprehensive analysis

Sun, 2021-09-12 06:00

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2021 Sep 12. doi: 10.1007/s11356-021-16096-3. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Emerging from Wuhan, China, SARS-CoV-2 is the new global threat that killed millions of people, and many are still suffering. This pandemic has not only affected people but also caused economic crisis throughout the world. Researchers have shown good progress in revealing the molecular insights of SARS-CoV-2 pathogenesis and developing vaccines, but effective treatment against SARS-CoV-2-infected patients are yet to be found. Several vaccines are available and used in many countries, while many others are still in clinical or preclinical studies. However, this involves a long-term process, considering the safety procedures and requirements and their long-term protection capacity and in different age groups are still questionable. Therefore, at present, the drug repurposing of the existing therapeutics previously designed against other viral diseases seems to be the only practical approach to mitigate the current situation. The safety of most of these therapeutic agents has already been tested. Recent clinical reports revealed promising therapeutic efficiency of several drugs such as remdesivir, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, azithromycin, lopinavir/ritonavir, chloroquine, baricitinib, and cepharanthine. Besides, plasma therapies were used to treat patients and prevent fatal outcomes. Thus, in this article, we have summarized the epidemiological and clinical data from several clinical trials conducted since the beginning of the pandemic, emphasizing the efficiency of the known agents against SARS-CoV-2 and their harmful side effects on the human body as well as their environmental implications. This review shows a clear overview of the current pharmaceutical perspective on COVID-19 treatment.

PMID:34510341 | DOI:10.1007/s11356-021-16096-3

Categories: Literature Watch

Potential antiviral properties of antiplatelet agents against SARS-CoV-2 infection: an in silico perspective

Sun, 2021-09-12 06:00

J Thromb Thrombolysis. 2021 Sep 12. doi: 10.1007/s11239-021-02558-5. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

SARS-CoV-2 represents the causative agent of the current pandemic (COVID-19). The drug repurposing technique is used to search for possible drugs that can bind to SARS-CoV-2 proteins and inhibit viral replication. In this study, the FDA-approved antiplatelets are tested against the main protease and spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 using in silico methods. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation are used in the current study. The results suggest the effectiveness of vorapaxar, ticagrelor, cilostazol, cangrelor, and prasugrel in binding the main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2. At the same time, vorapaxar, ticagrelor, and cilostazol are the best binders of the spike protein. Therefore, these compounds could be successful candidates against COVID-19 that need to be tested experimentally.

PMID:34510337 | DOI:10.1007/s11239-021-02558-5

Categories: Literature Watch

Targeting PP2A with lomitapide suppresses colorectal tumorigenesis through the activation of AMPK/Beclin1-mediated autophagy

Sun, 2021-09-12 06:00

Cancer Lett. 2021 Sep 9:S0304-3835(21)00458-4. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2021.09.010. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies worldwide, and effective therapy remains a challenge. In this study, we take advantage of a drug repurposing strategy to screen small molecules with novel anticancer activities in a small-molecule library consisting of 1056 FDA-approved drugs. We show, for the first time, that lomitapide, a lipid-lowering agent, exhibits antitumor properties in vitro and in vivo. Activated autophagy is characterized as a key biological process in lomitapide-induced CRC repression. Mechanistically, lomitapide stimulated mitochondrial dysfunction-mediated AMPK activation, resulting in increased AMPK phosphorylation and enhanced Beclin1/Atg14/Vps34 interactions, provoking autophagy induction. Autophagy inhibition or AMPK silencing significantly abrogated lomitapide-induced cell death, indicating the significance of AMPK-regulated autophagy in the antitumor activities of lomitapide. More importantly, PP2A was identified as a direct target of lomitapide by limited proteolysis-mass spectrometry (LiP-SMap), and the bioactivity of lomitapide was attenuated in PP2A-deficient cells, suggesting that the anticancer effect of lomitapide occurs in a PP2A-dependent manner. Taken together, the results of the study reveal that lomitapide can be repositioned as a potential therapeutic drug for CRC treatment.

PMID:34509534 | DOI:10.1016/j.canlet.2021.09.010

Categories: Literature Watch

Computational repurposing of benzimidazole anthelmintic drugs as potential colchicine binding site inhibitors

Fri, 2021-09-10 06:00

Future Med Chem. 2021 Sep 10. doi: 10.4155/fmc-2020-0273. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Background: Although some benzimidazole-based anthelmintic drugs are found to possess anticancer activity, their modes of binding interactions have not been reported. Methodology: Therefore, in this study, we aimed to investigate the binding interactions and electronic configurations of nine benzimidazole-based anthelmintics against one of the well-known cancer targets (tubulin protein). Results: Binding affinities of docked benzimidazole drugs into colchicine-binding site were calculated where flubendazole > oxfendazole > nocodazole > mebendazole. Flubendazole was found to bind more efficiently with tubulin protein than other drugs. Quantum mechanics studies revealed that the electron density of HOMO of flubendazole and mebendazole together with their molecular electrostatic potential map are closely similar to that of nocodazole. Conclusion: Our study has ramifications for considering repurposing of flubendazole as a promising anticancer candidate.

PMID:34505541 | DOI:10.4155/fmc-2020-0273

Categories: Literature Watch

Identification of potential therapeutic targets and mechanisms of COVID-19 through network analysis and screening of chemicals and herbal ingredients

Fri, 2021-09-10 06:00

Brief Bioinform. 2021 Sep 9:bbab373. doi: 10.1093/bib/bbab373. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

After experiencing the COVID-19 pandemic, it is widely acknowledged that a rapid drug repurposing method is highly needed. A series of useful drug repurposing tools have been developed based on data-driven modeling and network pharmacology. Based on the disease module, we identified several hub proteins that play important roles in the onset and development of the COVID-19, which are potential targets for repositioning approved drugs. Moreover, different network distance metrics were applied to quantify the relationship between drug targets and COVID-19 disease targets in the protein-protein-interaction (PPI) network and predict COVID-19 therapeutic effects of bioactive herbal ingredients and chemicals. Furthermore, the tentative mechanisms of candidates were illustrated through molecular docking and gene enrichment analysis. We obtained 15 chemical and 15 herbal ingredient candidates and found that different drugs may play different roles in the process of virus invasion and the onset and development of the COVID-19 disease. Given pandemic outbreaks, our method has an undeniable immense advantage in the feasibility analysis of drug repurposing or drug screening, especially in the analysis of herbal ingredients.

PMID:34505138 | DOI:10.1093/bib/bbab373

Categories: Literature Watch

Cascade Deep Forest With Heterogeneous Similarity Measures for Drug-Target Interaction Prediction

Fri, 2021-09-10 06:00

Front Genet. 2021 Aug 24;12:702259. doi: 10.3389/fgene.2021.702259. eCollection 2021.

ABSTRACT

Drug repositioning is a method of systematically identifying potential molecular targets that known drugs may act on. Compared with traditional methods, drug repositioning has been extensively studied due to the development of multi-omics technology and system biology methods. Because of its biological network properties, it is possible to apply machine learning related algorithms for prediction. Based on various heterogeneous network model, this paper proposes a method named THNCDF for predicting drug-target interactions. Various heterogeneous networks are integrated to build a tripartite network, and similarity calculation methods are used to obtain similarity matrix. Then, the cascade deep forest method is used to make prediction. Results indicate that THNCDF outperforms the previously reported methods based on the 10-fold cross-validation on the benchmark data sets proposed by Y. Yamanishi. The area under Precision Recall curve (AUPR) value on the Enzyme, GPCR, Ion Channel, and Nuclear Receptor data sets is 0.988, 0.980, 0.938, and 0.906 separately. The experimental results well illustrate the feasibility of this method.

PMID:34504515 | PMC:PMC8421679 | DOI:10.3389/fgene.2021.702259

Categories: Literature Watch

Editorial: Drug Repurposing for COVID-19 Therapy

Fri, 2021-09-10 06:00

Front Pharmacol. 2021 Aug 24;12:748886. doi: 10.3389/fphar.2021.748886. eCollection 2021.

NO ABSTRACT

PMID:34504433 | PMC:PMC8421721 | DOI:10.3389/fphar.2021.748886

Categories: Literature Watch

Identifying FDA-approved drugs with multimodal properties against COVID-19 using a data-driven approach and a lung organoid model of SARS-CoV-2 entry

Fri, 2021-09-10 06:00

Mol Med. 2021 Sep 9;27(1):105. doi: 10.1186/s10020-021-00356-6.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Vaccination programs have been launched worldwide to halt the spread of COVID-19. However, the identification of existing, safe compounds with combined treatment and prophylactic properties would be beneficial to individuals who are waiting to be vaccinated, particularly in less economically developed countries, where vaccine availability may be initially limited.

METHODS: We used a data-driven approach, combining results from the screening of a large transcriptomic database (L1000) and molecular docking analyses, with in vitro tests using a lung organoid model of SARS-CoV-2 entry, to identify drugs with putative multimodal properties against COVID-19.

RESULTS: Out of thousands of FDA-approved drugs considered, we observed that atorvastatin was the most promising candidate, as its effects negatively correlated with the transcriptional changes associated with infection. Atorvastatin was further predicted to bind to SARS-CoV-2's main protease and RNA-dependent RNA polymerase, and was shown to inhibit viral entry in our lung organoid model.

CONCLUSIONS: Small clinical studies reported that general statin use, and specifically, atorvastatin use, are associated with protective effects against COVID-19. Our study corroborrates these findings and supports the investigation of atorvastatin in larger clinical studies. Ultimately, our framework demonstrates one promising way to fast-track the identification of compounds for COVID-19, which could similarly be applied when tackling future pandemics.

PMID:34503440 | DOI:10.1186/s10020-021-00356-6

Categories: Literature Watch

Multilevel Approach for the Treatment of Giardiasis by Targeting Arginine Deiminase

Fri, 2021-09-10 06:00

Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Aug 31;22(17):9491. doi: 10.3390/ijms22179491.

ABSTRACT

Giardiasis represents a latent problem in public health due to the exceptionally pathogenic strategies of the parasite Giardia lamblia for evading the human immune system. Strains resistant to first-line drugs are also a challenge. Therefore, new antigiardial therapies are urgently needed. Here, we tested giardial arginine deiminase (GlADI) as a target against giardiasis. GlADI belongs to an essential pathway in Giardia for the synthesis of ATP, which is absent in humans. In silico docking with six thiol-reactive compounds was performed; four of which are approved drugs for humans. Recombinant GlADI was used in enzyme inhibition assays, and computational in silico predictions and spectroscopic studies were applied to follow the enzyme's structural disturbance and identify possible effective drugs. Inhibition by modification of cysteines was corroborated using Ellman's method. The efficacy of these drugs on parasite viability was assayed on Giardia trophozoites, along with the inhibition of the endogenous GlADI. The most potent drug against GlADI was assayed on Giardia encystment. The tested drugs inhibited the recombinant GlADI by modifying its cysteines and, potentially, by altering its 3D structure. Only rabeprazole and omeprazole decreased trophozoite survival by inhibiting endogenous GlADI, while rabeprazole also decreased the Giardia encystment rate. These findings demonstrate the potential of GlADI as a target against giardiasis.

PMID:34502400 | DOI:10.3390/ijms22179491

Categories: Literature Watch

The Antihypertensive Drug Telmisartan Protects Oligodendrocytes from Cholesterol Accumulation and Promotes Differentiation by a PPAR-gamma-Mediated Mechanism

Fri, 2021-09-10 06:00

Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Aug 30;22(17):9434. doi: 10.3390/ijms22179434.

ABSTRACT

Our previous studies have demonstrated that specific peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ (PPAR-γ) agonists play a fundamental role in oligodendrocyte progenitor (OP) differentiation, protecting them against oxidative and inflammatory damage. The antihypertensive drug Telmisartan (TLM) was shown to act as a PPAR-γ modulator. This study investigates the TLM effect on OP differentiation and validates its capability to restore damage in a pharmacological model of Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) disease through a PPAR-γ-mediated mechanism. For the first time in purified OPs, we demonstrate that TLM-induced PPAR-γ activation downregulates the type 1 angiotensin II receptor (AT1), the level of which naturally decreases during differentiation. Like other PPAR-γ agonists, we show that TLM promotes peroxisomal proliferation and promotes OP differentiation. Furthermore, TLM can offset the OP maturation arrest induced by a lysosomal cholesterol transport inhibitor (U18666A), which reproduces an NPC1-like phenotype. In the NPC1 model, TLM also reduces cholesterol accumulation within peroxisomal and lysosomal compartments and the contacts between lysosomes and peroxisomes, revealing that TLM can regulate intracellular cholesterol transport, crucial for myelin formation. Altogether, these data indicate a new potential use of TLM in hypomyelination pathologies such as NPC1, underlining the possible repositioning of the drug already used in other pathologies.

PMID:34502342 | DOI:10.3390/ijms22179434

Categories: Literature Watch

Peptide Derivatives of the Zonulin Inhibitor Larazotide (AT1001) as Potential Anti SARS-CoV-2: Molecular Modelling, Synthesis and Bioactivity Evaluation

Fri, 2021-09-10 06:00

Int J Mol Sci. 2021 Aug 30;22(17):9427. doi: 10.3390/ijms22179427.

ABSTRACT

A novel coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has been identified as the pathogen responsible for the outbreak of a severe, rapidly developing pneumonia (Coronavirus disease 2019, COVID-19). The virus enzyme, called 3CLpro or main protease (Mpro), is essential for viral replication, making it a most promising target for antiviral drug development. Recently, we adopted the drug repurposing as appropriate strategy to give fast response to global COVID-19 epidemic, by demonstrating that the zonulin octapeptide inhibitor AT1001 (Larazotide acetate) binds Mpro catalytic domain. Thus, in the present study we tried to investigate the antiviral activity of AT1001, along with five derivatives, by cell-based assays. Our results provide with the identification of AT1001 peptide molecular framework for lead optimization step to develop new generations of antiviral agents of SARS-CoV-2 with an improved biological activity, expanding the chance for success in clinical trials.

PMID:34502335 | DOI:10.3390/ijms22179427

Categories: Literature Watch

Targeting the Integrated Stress Response Kinase GCN2 to Modulate Retroviral Integration

Fri, 2021-09-10 06:00

Molecules. 2021 Sep 6;26(17):5423. doi: 10.3390/molecules26175423.

ABSTRACT

Multiple viral targets are now available in the clinic to fight HIV infection. Even if this targeted therapy is highly effective at suppressing viral replication, caregivers are facing growing therapeutic failures in patients due to resistance, with or without treatment-adherence glitches. Accordingly, it is important to better understand how HIV and other retroviruses replicate in order to propose alternative antiviral strategies. Recent studies have shown that multiple cellular factors are implicated during the integration step and, more specifically, that integrase can be regulated through post-translational modifications. We have shown that integrase is phosphorylated by GCN2, a cellular protein kinase of the integrated stress response, leading to a restriction of HIV replication. In addition, we found that this mechanism is conserved among other retroviruses. Accordingly, we developed an in vitro interaction assay, based on the AlphaLISA technology, to monitor the integrase-GCN2 interaction. From an initial library of 133 FDA-approved molecules, we identified nine compounds that either inhibited or stimulated the interaction between GCN2 and HIV integrase. In vitro characterization of these nine hits validated this pilot screen and demonstrated that the GCN2-integrase interaction could be a viable solution for targeting integrase out of its active site.

PMID:34500856 | DOI:10.3390/molecules26175423

Categories: Literature Watch

Scaffold Repurposing of In-House Small Molecule Candidates Leads to Discovery of First-in-Class CDK-1/HER-2 Dual Inhibitors: In Vitro and In Silico Screening

Fri, 2021-09-10 06:00

Molecules. 2021 Sep 1;26(17):5324. doi: 10.3390/molecules26175324.

ABSTRACT

Recently, multitargeted drugs are considered a potential approach in treating cancer. In this study, twelve in-house indole-based derivatives were preliminary evaluated for their inhibitory activities over VEGFR-2, CDK-1/cyclin B and HER-2. Compound 15l showed the most inhibitory activities among the tested derivatives over CDK-1/cyclin B and HER-2. Compound 15l was tested for its selectivity in a small kinase panel. It showed dual selectivity for CDK-1/cyclin B and HER-2. Moreover, in vitro cytotoxicity assay was assessed for the selected series against nine NCI cell lines. Compound 15l showed the most potent inhibitory activities among the tested compounds. A deep in silico molecular docking study was conducted for compound 15l to identify the possible binding modes into CDK-1/cyclin B and HER-2. The docking results revealed that compound 15l displayed interesting binding modes with the key amino acids in the binding sites of both kinases. In vitro and in silico studies demonstrate the indole-based derivative 15l as a selective dual CDK-1 and HER-2 inhibitor. This emphasizes a new challenge in drug development strategies and signals a significant milestone for further structural and molecular optimization of these indole-based derivatives in order to achieve a drug-like property.

PMID:34500757 | DOI:10.3390/molecules26175324

Categories: Literature Watch

Recent Advances in In Silico Target Fishing

Fri, 2021-09-10 06:00

Molecules. 2021 Aug 24;26(17):5124. doi: 10.3390/molecules26175124.

ABSTRACT

In silico target fishing, whose aim is to identify possible protein targets for a query molecule, is an emerging approach used in drug discovery due its wide variety of applications. This strategy allows the clarification of mechanism of action and biological activities of compounds whose target is still unknown. Moreover, target fishing can be employed for the identification of off targets of drug candidates, thus recognizing and preventing their possible adverse effects. For these reasons, target fishing has increasingly become a key approach for polypharmacology, drug repurposing, and the identification of new drug targets. While experimental target fishing can be lengthy and difficult to implement, due to the plethora of interactions that may occur for a single small-molecule with different protein targets, an in silico approach can be quicker, less expensive, more efficient for specific protein structures, and thus easier to employ. Moreover, the possibility to use it in combination with docking and virtual screening studies, as well as the increasing number of web-based tools that have been recently developed, make target fishing a more appealing method for drug discovery. It is especially worth underlining the increasing implementation of machine learning in this field, both as a main target fishing approach and as a further development of already applied strategies. This review reports on the main in silico target fishing strategies, belonging to both ligand-based and receptor-based approaches, developed and applied in the last years, with a particular attention to the different web tools freely accessible by the scientific community for performing target fishing studies.

PMID:34500568 | DOI:10.3390/molecules26175124

Categories: Literature Watch

Recent progress of autophagy signaling in tumor microenvironment and its targeting for possible cancer therapeutics

Thu, 2021-09-09 06:00

Semin Cancer Biol. 2021 Sep 6:S1044-579X(21)00227-3. doi: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.09.003. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

Autophagy, a lysosomal catabolic process, involves degradation of cellular materials, protein aggregate, and dysfunctional organelles to maintain cellular homeostasis. Strikingly, autophagy exhibits a dual-sided role in cancer; on the one hand, it promotes clearance of transformed cells and inhibits tumorigenesis, while cytoprotective autophagy has a role in sustaining cancer. The autophagy signaling in the tumor microenvironment (TME) during cancer growth and therapy is not adequately understood. The review highlights the role of autophagy signaling pathways to support cancer growth and progression in adaptation to the oxidative and hypoxic context of TME. Furthermore, autophagy contributes to regulating the metabolic switch for generating sufficient levels of high-energy metabolites, including amino acids, ketones, glutamine, and free fatty acids for cancer cell survival. Interestingly, autophagy has a critical role in modulating the tumor-associated fibroblast resulting in different cytokines and paracrine signaling mediated angiogenesis and invasion of pre-metastatic niches to secondary tumor sites. Moreover, autophagy promotes immune evasion to inhibit antitumor immunity, and autophagy inhibitors enhance response to immunotherapy with infiltration of immune cells to the TME niche. Furthermore, autophagy in TME maintains and supports the survival of cancer stem cells resulting in chemoresistance and therapy recurrence. Presently, drug repurposing has enabled the use of lysosomal inhibitor-based antimalarial drugs like chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine as clinically available autophagy inhibitors in cancer therapy. We focus on the recent developments of multiple autophagy modulators from pre-clinical trials and the challenges in developing autophagy-based cancer therapy.

PMID:34500075 | DOI:10.1016/j.semcancer.2021.09.003

Categories: Literature Watch

Discovery of re-purposed drugs that slow SARS-CoV-2 replication in human cells

Thu, 2021-09-09 06:00

PLoS Pathog. 2021 Sep 9;17(9):e1009840. doi: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1009840. eCollection 2021 Sep.

ABSTRACT

COVID-19 vaccines based on the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 have been developed that appear to be largely successful in stopping infection. However, therapeutics that can help manage the disease are still required until immunity has been achieved globally. The identification of repurposed drugs that stop SARS-CoV-2 replication could have enormous utility in stemming the disease. Here, using a nano-luciferase tagged version of the virus (SARS-CoV-2-ΔOrf7a-NLuc) to quantitate viral load, we evaluated a range of human cell types for their ability to be infected and support replication of the virus, and performed a screen of 1971 FDA-approved drugs. Hepatocytes, kidney glomerulus, and proximal tubule cells were particularly effective in supporting SARS-CoV-2 replication, which is in-line with reported proteinuria and liver damage in patients with COVID-19. Using the nano-luciferase as a measure of virus replication we identified 35 drugs that reduced replication in Vero cells and human hepatocytes when treated prior to SARS-CoV-2 infection and found amodiaquine, atovaquone, bedaquiline, ebastine, LY2835219, manidipine, panobinostat, and vitamin D3 to be effective in slowing SARS-CoV-2 replication in human cells when used to treat infected cells. In conclusion, our study has identified strong candidates for drug repurposing, which could prove powerful additions to the treatment of COVID.

PMID:34499689 | DOI:10.1371/journal.ppat.1009840

Categories: Literature Watch

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