New effective experimental techniques in medicinal chemistry and pharmacology have resulted in a vast increase in the number of pharmacologically interesting compounds. However, the number of new drugs undergoing clinical trial has not augmented at the same pace, which in part has been attributed to poor absorption of the compounds. The main objective of this thesis was to investigate whether computer-based models devised from calculated molecular descriptors can be used to predict aqueous drug solubility, an important property influencing the absorption process. For this purpose, both experimental and computational studies were performed. A new small-scale shake flask method for experimental solubility determination of crystalline compounds was devised. This method was used to experimentally determine solubility values used for the computational model development and to investigate the pH-dependent solubility of drugs. In the computer-based studies, rapidly calculated molecular descriptors were used to predict aqueous solubility and the melting point, a solid state characteristic of importance for the solubility. To predict the absorption process, drug permeability across the intestinal epithelium was also modeled. The results show that high quality solubility data of crystalline compounds can be obtained by the small-scale shake flask method in a microtiter plate format. The experimentally determined pH-dependent solubility profiles deviated largely from the profiles predicted by a traditionally used relationship, highlighting the risk of data extrapolation. The in silico solubility models identified the non-polar surface area and partitioned total surface areas as potential new molecular descriptors for solubility. General solubility models of high accuracy were obtained when combining the surface area descriptors with descriptors for electron distribution, connectivity, flexibility and polarity. The used descriptors proved to be related to the solvation of the molecule rather than to solid state properties. The surface area descriptors were also valid for permeability predictions, and the use of the solubility and permeability models in concert resulted in an excellent theoretical absorption classification. To summarize, the experimental and computational models devised in this thesis are improved absorption screening tools applicable to the lead optimization in the drug discovery process.

Con el fin de relacionar la estructura y la actividad de series de compuestos, es importante usar descriptores moleculares relevantes. Los descriptores GRIND y VolSurf pertenecen a una nueva familia de descriptores llamado libre de alineamiento. Es decir, que no necesitan alinear los compuestos con el fin de comparar sus campos de interacciones molecular. En este estudio se ha aplicado esos descriptores para la selección de reactivos químicos a partir de una amplia base de datos. La selección se ha echo mediante un protocolo que permite maximizar la diversidad de la muestra y así obtener unos compuestos muy informativos. También se ha desarrollado nuevos descriptores de forma que están basado en los cambios de curvatura de la superficie molecular. Los resultados obtenidos indican que los nuevos descriptores de forma se integran muy bien en los descriptores GRIND originales y que permiten identificar los efectos de forma tanto favorable como desfavorable. Además, se ha desarrollado nuevos descriptores libre de alineamiento llamado 'anchor-GRIND' que usan un átomo de cada molécula como punto de referencia para la comparación de los campos de interacciones molecular. Los descriptores 'anchor-GRIND' permiten una descripción mas precisa y mas sencilla que los descriptores GRIND lo que los hace mas relevante para el análisis de ciertas familias de compuestos. / In order to correlate the differences of structure with the differences of activity of series of compounds, it is important to use relevant molecular descriptors. The GRIND and VolSurf descriptors belong to the so-called alignment-free descriptors family. In other words, they do not require to align the compounds in order to compare its molecular interaction fields. In this study, we applied these descriptors to the selection of chemical reagent from a database of compounds. The selection has been done following a protocol which allows to maximize the diversity of the sample and so to obtain some compounds highly informative. In addition we developed new shape descriptors which are based on the changes of curvature of the molecular surface. The results obtained show that the new shape descriptors are well integrated in the original GRIND descriptors. Furthermore, we designed new alignment-free descriptors called 'anchor-GRIND' which use one atom of each molecule as a reference point for the comparison of the molecular interaction fields. The 'anchor-GRIND' descriptors allow a more precise and more simple description than the GRIND descriptors, which makes them more relevant for the analysis of some families of compounds.

Industrial chemicals in European Union produced or imported in volumes above 1 tonne annually, necessitate a registration within REACH. A common problem, concerning these chemicals, is deficient information and lack of data for assessing the hazards posed to human health and the environment. Animal studies for the type of toxicological information needed are both expensive and time consuming, and to that an ethical aspect is added. Alternative methods to animal testing are thereby requested. REACH have called for an increased use of in silico tools for non-testing data as structure-activity relationships (SARs), quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSARs), and read-across. The main objective of the studies underlying this thesis is related to explore and refine the use of in silico tools in a risk assessment context of industrial chemicals. In particular, try to relate properties of the molecular structure to the toxic effect of the chemical substance, by using principles and methods of computational chemistry. The initial study was a survey of all industrial chemicals; the Industrial chemical map was created. A part of this map was identified including chemicals of potential concern. Secondly, the environmental pollutants, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) were examined and in particular the non-dioxin-like PCBs (NDL-PCBs). A set of 20 NDL-PCBs was selected to represent the 178 PCB congeners with three to seven chlorine substituents. The selection procedure was a combined process including statistical molecular design for a representative selection and expert judgements to be able to include congeners of specific interest. The 20 selected congeners were tested in vitro in as much as 17 different assays. The data from the screening process was turned into interpretable toxicity profiles with multivariate methods, used for investigation of potential classes of NDL-PCBs. It was shown that NDL-PCBs cannot be treated as one group of substances with similar mechanisms of action. Two groups of congeners were identified. A group including in general lower chlorinated congeners with a higher degree of ortho substitution showed a higher potency in more assays (including all neurotoxic assays). A second group included abundant congeners with a similar toxic profile that might contribute to a common toxic burden. To investigate the structure-activity pattern of PCBs effect on DAT in rat striatal synaptosomes, ten additional congeners were selected and tested in vitro. NDL-PCBs were shown to be potent inhibitors of DAT binding. The congeners with highest DAT inhibiting potency were tetra- and penta-chlorinated with 2-3 chlorine atoms in ortho-position. The model was not able to distinguish the congeners with activities in the lower μM range, which could be explained by a relatively unspecific response for the lower ortho chlorinated PCBs. / Den europeiska kemikalielagstiftningen REACH har fastställt att kemikalier som produceras eller importeras i en mängd över 1 ton per år, måste registreras och riskbedömmas. En uppskattad siffra är att detta gäller för 30 000 kemikalier. Problemet är dock att data och information ofta är otillräcklig för en riskbedömning. Till stor del har djurförsök använts för effektdata, men djurförsök är både kostsamt och tidskrävande, dessutom kommer den etiska aspekten in. REACH har därför efterfrågat en undersökning av möjligheten att använda in silico verktyg för att bidra med efterfrågad data och information. In silico har en ungefärlig betydelse av i datorn, och innebär beräkningsmodeller och metoder som används för att få information om kemikaliers egenskaper och toxicitet. Avhandlingens syfte är att utforska möjligheten och förfina användningen av in silico verktyg för att skapa information för riskbedömning av industrikemikalier. Avhandlingen beskriver kvantitativa modeller framtagna med kemometriska metoder för att prediktera, dvs förutsäga specifika kemikaliers toxiska effekt. I den första studien (I) undersöktes 56 072 organiska industrikemikalier. Med multivariata metoder skapades en karta över industrikemikalierna som beskrev dess kemiska och fysikaliska egenskaper. Kartan användes för jämförelser med kända och potentiella miljöfarliga kemikalier. De mest kända miljöföroreningarna visade sig ha liknande principal egenskaper och grupperade i kartan. Genom att specialstudera den delen av kartan skulle man kunna identifiera fler potentiellt farliga kemiska substanser. I studie två till fyra (II-IV) specialstuderades miljögiftet PCB. Tjugo PCBs valdes ut så att de strukturellt och fysiokemiskt representerade de 178 PCB kongenerna med tre till sju klorsubstituenter. Den toxikologiska effekten hos dessa 20 PCBs undersöktes i 17 olika in vitro assays. De toxikologiska profilerna för de 20 testade kongenerna fastställdes, dvs vilka som har liknande skadliga effekter och vilka som skiljer sig åt. De toxicologiska profilerna användes för klassificering av PCBs. Kvantitativa modeller utvecklades för prediktioner, dvs att förutbestämma effekter hos ännu icke testade PCBs, och för att få ytterligare kunskap om strukturella egenskaper som ger icke önskvärda effekter i människa och natur. Information som kan användas vid en framtida riskbedömning av icke-dioxinlika PCBs. Den sista studien (IV) är en struktur-aktivitets studie som undersöker de icke-dioxinlika PCBernas hämmande effekt av signalsubstansen dopamin i hjärnan.

Submitted by Maike Costa (maiksebas@gmail.com) on 2017-09-13T11:59:49Z No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 7758959 bytes, checksum: db745d41b196978192ebc789e25f442b (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-09-13T11:59:49Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 7758959 bytes, checksum: db745d41b196978192ebc789e25f442b (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-02-26 / The use of plants for medicinal purposes is one of the oldest forms of medical practice of mankind, emphasizing the alkaloids because they present rich structural and pharmacological properties extensive variety. The drug design is aided by computer based strategies based on linkers or target. When developing new compounds, the structure-based techniques, such as docking, can be applied to study of certain receptor and its corresponding ligand, evaluating bindingprotein interactions. Whereas in the ligand-based methods, a database of known ligands is used, looking for ways to evaluate parameters (molecular descriptors) that can assist in the development of compounds with higher power. This study aimed to perform in silico studies to investigate drug-target interactions with alkaloids derived from natural products and their analogues with relevant pharmacological activity. Different molecular descriptors and methodologies were used in the studies developed. In chapter 2, the interaction of alkaloid bisindolic caulerpine (CLP) was evaluated with the enzyme involved in Alzheimer's disease (AD) monoamine oxidase B (MAO-B), and a database with 109 analogs. It was possible to observe a chemical parameter of inhibition of PLC analogues where the replacement of the radicals must be asymmetric with different polarity. The studies based on the linker and the structure associated with the classification drug-like chemical skeleton suggest that the PLC has potential use in the treatment of AD. In chapter 3, 8 alkaloids isolated Cissampelos sympodialis and 101 derivatives, had their inhibitory potential against enzyme (BACE, GSK-3β and MAO-A) involved in degenerative diseases assessed by in silico methods. consensual analysis showed affinity alkaloids bisbenzilisoquinolinics by BACE, incluindos the roraimine natural alkaloids and simpodialine-β-N-oxide, supporting interest in investigating this skeleton as an antagonist of this enzyme. In Chapter 4 we evaluated the multi-target potential of 148 aphorphinics alkaloids Annonaceae against Leishmania donovani. Six were selected enzymes of this neglected disease for theoretical study, which was associated with experimental four alkaloids available data and integrating the bank, which had pIC50 value inferior to 5.26. The xyloguyelline alkaloid was named as a potential multi-agent target, demonstrating activity against 5 of 6 enzymes evaluated, likely to activity of over 60%. fragment descriptors were used to create model-based binder in a parallel approach with molecular docking to predict the cytotoxic and against topoisomerase II activity azaphenantrene alkaloids in chapter 5. The cytotoxic activity of this skeleton alkaloids are well described in the literature, molecules having activity against several tumor cell lines. The IMB 6 analog and 23 IMB showed interesting activity and selectivity, with MolDock energy similar to liriodenine composed characterized by potent anti-tumor action, but with high toxicity. Important structural information is provided by spectroscopy nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and Chapter 6 aimed to discuss the importance of this technique for generating molecular descriptors. Studies that applied successfully in drug design NMR descriptors assisted by computer are described and several QSAR and QSPR having as support data chemical shifts. / A utilização de plantas com fins medicinais é uma das mais antigas formas de prática medicinal da humanidade, enfatizando os alcaloides, por apresentarem rica variedade estrutural e extensa propriedade farmacológica. O desenho de drogas auxiliado pelo computador é fundamentado em estratégias baseadas nos ligantes ou no alvo. No desenvolvimento de novos compostos, técnicas baseadas na estrutura, como o docking, podem ser aplicadas no estudo de um determinado receptor e seu respectivo ligante, avaliando as interações ligante-proteína. Ao passo que nos métodos baseados no ligante, um banco de ligantes conhecidos é utilizado, buscando modos de avaliar parâmetros (descritores moleculares) que possam auxiliar no desenvolvimento de compostos com maior potência. Este estudo teve como objetivo realizar estudos in silico para investigar interações fármaco-alvo com alcaloides oriundos de produtos naturais, e respectivos análogos, com relevante atividade farmacológica. Diferentes descritores moleculares e metodologias foram utilizadas nos estudos desenvolvidos. No capítulo 2, foi avaliado a interação do alcaloide bisindolico caulerpina (CLP) com a enzima envolvida na doença de Alzheimer (DA) monoamina oxidase B (MAO-B), além de um banco com 109 análogos. Foi possível observar um parâmetro químico de inibição dos análogos da CLP, onde a substituição dos radicais deve ser assimétrica com polaridade distinta. Os estudos dos baseados no ligante e na estrutura, associado à classificação drug-like, sugerem que o esqueleto químico da CLP tem potencial uso no tratamento da DA. No capítulo 3, 8 alcaloides isolados de Cissampelos sympodialis e 101 derivados, tiveram seu potencial inibitório contra enzimas (BACE, GSK-3β e MAO-A) envolvidas em doenças degenerativas avaliado por metodologias in silico. Análise consensual demonstrou afinidade de alcaloides bisbenzilisoquinolínicos pela BACE, incluindos os alcaloides naturais roraimina e simpodialina- β-N-oxide, suportando interesse em investigar este esqueleto como antagonista desta enzima. No capítulo 4 foi avaliado o potencial multi-target de 148 alcaloides aporfinicos de Annonaceae contra Leishmania donovani. Foram utilizadas seis enzimas desta doença negligenciada para o estudo teórico, que foi associado com dados experimentais de quatro alcaloides disponíveis e que integram o banco, que apresentaram valor pIC50 inferior a 5.26. O alcaloide xyloguyellina foi apontado como potencial agente multitarget, demonstrando atividade contra 5 das 6 enzimas avaliadas, com probabilidade de atividade superior a 60%. Descritores de fragmento foram utilizados para criar modelo baseado no ligante em uma abordagem paralela com docking molecular, para predizer a atividade citotóxica e contra topoisomerase II de azafenantreno alcaloides, no capítulo 5. A atividade citotóxica deste esqueleto de alcaloides está bem descrita na literatura, com diversas moléculas apresentando atividade contra linhagens de células tumorais. Os análogos IMB 6 e IMB 23 apresentaram interessante atividade e com seletividade, apresentando energia MolDock similar à liriodenina, composto caracterizado por potente ação antitumoral, porém com elevada toxicidade. Importantes informações estruturais são fornecidas pela espectroscopia de ressonância magnética nuclear (RMN), sendo o capítulo 6 destinado a discorrer sobre a importância desta técnica para geração de descritores moleculares. Estudos que aplicaram com sucesso descritores RMN em design de drogas assistida pelo computador encontram-se descritos, além de diversos estudos de QSAR e QSPR tendo como amparo dados de deslocamentos químicos.

The work of this thesis was focused on the development of high-performance algorithms for a new generation of molecular descriptors, with many advantages with respect to its predecessors, suitable for diverse applications in the field of drug design, as well as its implementation in commercial grade scientific software (Pentacle). As a first step, we developed a new algorithm (AMANDA) for discretizing molecular interaction fields which allows extracting from them the most interesting regions in an efficient way. This algorithm was incorporated into a new generation of alignmentindependent molecular descriptors, named GRIND-2. The computing speed and efficiency of the new algorithm allow the application of these descriptors in virtual screening. In addition, we developed a new alignment-independent encoding algorithm (CLACC) producing quantitative structure-activity relationship models which have better predictive ability and are easier to interpret than those obtained with other methods. / El trabajo que se presenta en esta tesis se ha centrado en el desarrollo de algoritmos de altas prestaciones para la obtención de una nueva generación de descriptores moleculares, con numerosas ventajas con respecto a sus predecesores, adecuados para diversas aplicaciones en el área del diseño de fármacos, y en su implementación en un programa científico de calidad comercial (Pentacle). Inicialmente se desarrolló un nuevo algoritmo de discretización de campos de interacción molecular (AMANDA) que permite extraer eficientemente las regiones de máximo interés. Este algoritmo fue incorporado en una nueva generación de descriptores moleculares independientes del alineamiento, denominados GRIND-2. La rapidez y eficiencia del nuevo algoritmo permitieron aplicar estos descriptores en cribados virtuales. Por último, se puso a punto un nuevo algoritmo de codificación independiente de alineamiento (CLACC) que permite obtener modelos cuantitativos de relación estructura-actividad con mejor capacidad predictiva y mucho más fáciles de interpretar que los obtenidos con otros métodos.

Classically it was assumed that the compounds with therapeutic effect exert their action interacting with a single receptor. Nowadays it is widely recognized that the pharmacological effect of most drugs is more complex and involves a set of receptors, some associated to their positive effects and some others to the side effects and toxicity. Antipsychotic drugs are an example of effective compounds characterized by a complex pharmacological profile binding to several receptors (mainly G protein-coupled-receptors, GPCR). In this work we will present a detailed study of known antipsychotic drugs and the receptors potentially involved in their binding profile, in order to understand the molecular mechanisms of the antipsychotic pharmacologic effects.The study started with obtaining homology models for all the receptors putatively involved in the antipsychotic drugs receptorome, suitable for building consistent drug-receptor complexes. These complexes were structurally analyzed and compared using multivariate statistical methods, which in turn allowed the identification of the relationship between the pharmacological properties of the antipsychotic drugs and the structural differences in the receptor targets. The results can be exploited for the design of safer and more effective antipsychotic drugs with an optimum binding profile. / Tradicionalmente se asumía que los fármacos terapéuticamente efectivos actuaban interaccionando con un único receptor. Actualmente está ampliamente reconocido que el efecto farmacológico de la mayoría de los fármacos es más complejo y abarca a un conjunto de receptores, algunos asociados a los efectos terapéuticos y otros a los secundarios y toxicidad. Los fármacos antipsicóticos son un ejemplo de compuestos eficaces que se caracterizan por unirse a varios receptores simultáneamente (principalmente a receptores unidos a proteína G, GPCR). El trabajo de la presente tesis se ha centrado en el estudio de los mecanismos moleculares que determinan el perfil de afinidad de unión por múltiples receptores de los fármacos antipsicóticos.En primer lugar se construyeron modelos de homología para todos los receptores potencialmente implicados en la actividad farmacológica de dichos fármacos, usando una metodología adecuada para construir complejos fármaco-receptor consistentes. La estructura de estos complejos fue analizada y se llevó a cabo una comparación mediante métodos estadísticos multivariantes, que permitió la identificación de asociaciones entre la actividad farmacológica de los fármacos antipsicóticos y diferencias estructurales de los receptores diana. Los resultados obtenidos tienen interés para ser explotados en el diseño de fármacos antipsicóticos con un perfil farmacológico óptimo, más seguros y eficaces.