Signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a cancer-driving proto-oncoprotein that represents a novel target for the development of chemotherapeutics. In this study, the functional requirements to furnish a potent STAT3 inhibitor was investigated. First, a series of peptidomimetic inhibitors were rationally designed from lead parent peptides. Prepared peptidomimetics overcame the limitations normally associated with peptide agents and displayed improved activity in biophysical evaluations. Notably, lead peptidomimetic agents possessed micromolar cellular activity which was unobserved in both parent peptides. Peptidomimetic design relied on computational methods that were also employed in the design of purine based STAT3 inhibitory molecules. Docking studies with lead STAT3-SH2 domain inhibitory molecules identified key structural and chemical information required for the construction of a pharmacophore model. 2,6,9-heterotrisubstituted purines adequately fulfilled the pharmacophore model and a library of novel purine-based STAT3 inhibitory molecules was prepared utilizing Mitsunobu chemistry. Several agents from this new library displayed high affinity for the STAT3 protein and effectively disrupted the STAT3:STAT3-DNA complex. Furthermore, these agents displayed cancer-cell specific toxicity through a STAT3 dependant mechanism. While purine agents elicited cellular effects, the dose required for cellular efficacy was much higher than those observed for in vitro STAT3 dimer disruption. The diminished cellular activity could be attributed to the apparent poor cell permeability of the first generation purine library; thus, a second library of purine molecules was constructed to improve cell penetration. Unfortunately, iii 2nd generation purine inhibitors failed to disrupt phosphorylated STAT3 activity and suffered from poor cell permeability. However, a lead sulfamate agent was discovered that showed potent activity against multiple myeloma cancer cells. Investigations revealed potential kinase inhibitory activity as the source of the sulfamate purine’s biological effect. Explorations into the development of a potent STAT3 SH2 domain binder, including the creation of salicylic purine and constrained pyrimidine molecules, are ongoing. Finally, progress towards the creation of a macrocyclic purine combinatorial library has been pursued and is reported herein.

Submitted by Ricardo Cedraz Duque Moliterno (ricardo.moliterno@uefs.br) on 2016-01-13T23:50:52Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE-FINAL-FRANCO-HENRIQUE-CORRIGIDO-V4.pdf: 27152448 bytes, checksum: 7d448c937bb21040514eedeaa37f689f (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-01-13T23:50:52Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE-FINAL-FRANCO-HENRIQUE-CORRIGIDO-V4.pdf: 27152448 bytes, checksum: 7d448c937bb21040514eedeaa37f689f (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-11-06 / Conselho Nacional de Pesquisa e Desenvolvimento Cient?fico e Tecnol?gico - CNPq / According to WHO, Leishmaniasis is the second most important disease caused by protozoans. However, the available therapeutic arsenal for its treatment is limited and has low efficacy and safety profile. Once Leishmania ssp. are pteridine auxotrophs key enzymes of the folate metabolism have been targeted to circumvent this dilemma. However, Dihydrofolate Reductase-Thymidylate Synthase (DHFR-TS) inhibitors are ineffective against Leishmania major due to an alternative folate pathway regulated by Pteridine Reductase 1 (PTR1). Thus, identifying molecules that act on both enzymes is crucial to develop new leishmanicidal drugs. For that reason, the main goal of this study is to identify, through in silico approaches, (pharmacophore models), putative PTR1 inhibitors that also show structural requirements for L. major DHFR-TS inhibition. The pharmacophore models 10 and 20, PTR1 (2 H-bond donors, 4 H-bond acceptors and 3 hydrophobic centers) and DHFR-TS inhibitors (2 H-bond acceptors and 2 hydrophobic centers) respectively, show high performance to differentiate true-binders from decoys (AUCPTR1=0.90; AUCDHFR-TS=0.86) and to explain the structure-activity relationships for the inhibitors under study. Thus, these models were employed sequentially to select 10 molecules whose effect over the thermal stability of LmPTR1 was investigated by ThermoFluor?. According to this assay, two molecules stabilize LmPTR1: Z80393 (?Tm = 1.02?C) and Z33165 (?Tm = 0.9?C). Binding displacement assays with biopterin or NADPH showed that Z80393 binds within the substrate binding site, whereas Z33165 binds in the cofactor binding site. Z80303 effect over the catalytic activity of PTR1 was investigated by fluorimetry. This approach allowed us to determine the inhibitor?s potency (IC50=32.31 ? 1.18 ?M). Finally, Z80303 putative binding profile was generated by molecular docking and analyzed by Molecular Dynamics (productive phase= 15 ns). The results show that during 70% of the simulation, Z80393 H-bonds to Ser-111 and Arg-17 residues. Therefore, this study not only led to identification of a new class of LmPTR1 inhibitors, but also allowed us to determine its potency, mode of inhibition and binding profile towards its therapeutic target. / A leishmaniose tem sido indicada pela OMS como a segunda protozoose mais importante em termos de mortalidade e preval?ncia. Entretanto, o repert?rio de f?rmacos dispon?veis ? limitado e apresenta, na maioria dos casos, baixos ?ndices de efic?cia e seguran?a. Embora os protozo?rios do g?nero Leishmania sejam auxotr?ficos para folatos, inibidores da Diidrofolato Redutase-Timidilato Sintase (DHFR-TS) s?o pouco eficazes contra esse parasito. A baixa suscetibilidade se explica pela presen?a da Pteridina Redutase 1 (PTR1) que atua como via alternativa para a redu??o de ?cido f?lico ou de pteridinas n?o conjugadas, quando DHFR-TS est? inibida. Diante desse cen?rio, mol?culas que atuam sobre PTR1 e DHFR-TS de Leishmania ssp. parecem ser promissoras para o desenvolvimento de f?rmacos contra a leishmaniose. Por essa raz?o, o objetivo desse trabalho foi identificar, por triagem in silico (modelo farmacof?rico), potenciais inibidores de PTR1 que apresentem os requisitos estruturais m?nimos para inibir tamb?m DHFR de L. major. Os modelos farmacof?ricos 10 e 20, baseados em inibidores de PTR1 (2 doadores de lig. H, 4 aceitadores de lig. H e 3 centros hidrof?bicos) e DHFR-TS (2 aceitadores de lig. H e 2 centros hidrof?bicos) respectivamente, mostraram desempenho satisfat?rio em discriminar inibidores verdadeiros de falsos positivos (AUCPTR1=0,90; AUCDHFR-TS=0,86), al?m de explicarem a rela??o entre a estrutura qu?mica e a atividade biol?gica. Esses modelos foram usados sequencialmente para selecionar 10 mol?culas que tiveram seu efeito sobre a estabilidade t?rmica de LmPTR1 investigado por ThermoFluor?. Nesse ensaio foram identificadas duas mol?culas que estabilizaram LmPTR1: Z80393 (?Tm = 1,02?C) e Z33165 (?Tm = 0,9?C). Ensaios de deslocamento com biopterina ou NADPH mostraram que Z80393 compete com o substrato, enquanto Z33165 interage no s?tio do cofator. O efeito de Z80393 sobre a atividade catal?tica de LmPTR1 foi investigado por fluorimetria, permitindo determinar a pot?ncia desse inibidor (IC50=32,31 ? 1,18 ?M). Por fim, um modelo de intera??o para esse inibidor foi gerado por acoplamento molecular e a pose obtida foi analisada atrav?s de uma Din?mica Molecular com fase produtiva de 15 ns. Os resultados obtidos mostram que durante 70% da simula??o, Z80393 faz liga??es de H com os res?duos Ser-111 e Arg-17. Portanto, o presente trabalho n?o s? levou a identifica??o de uma nova classe de inibidores de LmPTR1, mas tamb?m permitiu caracterizar sua pot?ncia, modalidade de inibi??o e perfil de intera??o com seu alvo terap?utico.

No description available.

L'objectif de ces travaux est de découvrir et de valoriser des petites molécules organiques inhibant l'influx de l'iode dans les cellules thyroïdiennes. Ces composés présentent en effet un double intérêt : à court terme, ils peuvent être dérivés en biosondes afin de mieux caractériser les protéines impliquées dans les mécanismes de transport d'iode par génétique chimique directe. A plus long terme, ces inhibiteurs représentent des candidats-médicaments potentiels pour le traitement de pathologies thyroïdiennes et/ou pour la protection de populations exposées aux radioisotopes de l'iode. Pour chacune des deux familles d'inhibiteurs considérées, nous avons donc tout d'abord synthétisé une chimiothèque d'une centaine d'analogues ; puis ces derniers ont été évalués biologiquement afin de fournir un ensemble de relations structure-activité. Par ailleurs, la configuration absolue des centres stéréogènes nécessaire à l'activité biologique a été déterminée : dans chacun des cas, une stéréochimie particulière est responsable du pouvoir inhibiteur des composés. A partir de ces informations, une dizaine d'analogues " de seconde génération " a été synthétisée dans chaque famille, en combinant plusieurs modifications structurales contribuant à l'activité biologique. Après évaluation biologique, neuf d'entre eux possèdent des IC50 < 6 nM et des propriétés physico-chimiques satisfaisantes pour des candidats-médicaments. Enfin, dans chaque famille, une biosonde photoactivable biotinylée a été synthétisée et utilisée en photomarquage d'affinité. Plusieurs protéines marquées spécifiquement ont été repérées, qui correspondraient à des protéines-cibles de chacun des inhibiteurs et dont l'identification reste à achever.

Submitted by Ricardo Cedraz Duque Moliterno (ricardo.moliterno@uefs.br) on 2017-08-08T21:31:24Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE_Odailson Paz - com ficha.pdf: 4071411 bytes, checksum: 033f0c18eb721e7010e1ddd7ec27e10c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2017-08-08T21:31:24Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TESE_Odailson Paz - com ficha.pdf: 4071411 bytes, checksum: 033f0c18eb721e7010e1ddd7ec27e10c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2017-05-25 / Coordena??o de Aperfei?oamento de Pessoal de N?vel Superior - CAPES / Adenosine receptors are considered as potential targets for the development of drugs against different pathologies because they are involved in several physiological pathways. Due to the role of adenosine receptors of subtype 2B (RA2B) in the process of sickling cell, antagonists capable of blocking RA2B may be lead compounds for the development of new therapeutic alternatives to treatment of patients with sickle cell anemia. Then, the objective of this work was to identify anti-sickle cell agents capable of blocking RA2B activity. To achieve this goal, was built a pharmacophore model (model 04) capable of differentiating true ligands false-positive (area under the ROC curve = 0.94) and to classify RA2B antagonists, not used in the calibration of the model, regarding their Biological activities pKi = 7.5-9.3 (high potency), 5.5-7.4 (intermediate potency) and 5.4-4.0 (low potency). This pharmacophore model allowed the selection of 33 lead-like compounds from the ZINC database, between them12 compounds presented anti-sickle cell activity. In vitro cell assay with an agonist (NECA) and a RA2B antagonist (MRS1754), suggest that the anti-sickle cell activity is related to modulation of RA2B. Compounds Z1139491704 (pEC50= 7,77?0,17), Z168278894 (pEC50= 7,64?0,09) e Z847449186 (pEC50= 7,66?0,21) have anti-sickling activity Higher than MRS1754 (pEC50= 7,63?0,12) and do not present cytotoxic activity at micromolar range. In sum, it can be concluded that the in silico strategy used succeeded in identifying compounds with probable action antagonists of RA2B that can be considered as prototypes for the development of drugs useful in the treatment of patients with sickle cell anemia. / Os receptores de adenosina s?o considerados como alvos potenciais para o desenvolvimento de f?rmacos contra diferentes patologias por estarem envolvidos em diversas vias fisiol?gicas. Devido ao papel dos receptores de adenosina do subtipo 2B (RA2B) no processo de falciza??o de hem?cias, antagonistas capazes de bloquear RA2B podem ser compostos prot?tipos para o desenvolvimento de novas alternativas terap?uticas para o tratamento de pacientes com anemia falciforme.Diante desse cen?rio, o objetivo desse trabalho foi identificar agentes antifalcizantes capazes de antagonizar a atividade do RA2B. Para alcan?ar esse objetivo foi constru?do um modelo farmacof?rico (modelo 04 - 3 caracter?sticas aceptor e 1 doador de liga??o de hidrog?nio e 3 centros hidrof?bicos) que ? capaz de diferenciar ligantes verdadeiros de falso-positivos (?rea sob a curva ROC= 0,94)e classificar antagonistas de RA2B,n?o utilizados na calibra??o do modelo, quanto as suas atividades biol?gicas(pKi= 7,5-9,3 (alta pot?ncia), 5,5-7,4 (pot?ncia intermedi?ria) e 5,4-4,0 (baixa pot?ncia)). Esse modelo farmacof?rico permitiu a sele??o de 33 compostos lead like do banco de dados ZINC database para avalia??o biol?gica, dos quais 12 apresentaram atividade antifalcizante.Testes in vitro com um agonista (NECA) e um antagonista de RA2B (MRS1754), sugerem que a atividade antifalcizante est? relacionada a modula??o de RA2B.Os compostosZ1139491704(pEC50= 7,77?0,17),Z168278894 (pEC50= 7,64?0,09) e Z847449186 (pEC50= 7,66?0,21)possuem atividade antifalcizante superior ao MRS1754 (pEC50=7,63?0,12)e n?o apresentam atividade citot?xica em concentra??es micromolares. Dessa forma, pode-se concluir que a estrat?gia in silico utilizada logrou sucesso em identificar compostos com prov?vel a??o antagonistas de RA2B que podem ser considerados como prot?tipos para o desenvolvimento de f?rmacos ?teis no tratamento de pacientes com anemia falciforme.

<p>CYP2C9 is one of our major drug metabolising enzymes and belongs to the cytochrome P450 (CYP) super family. The aim of this thesis was to gain an understanding of the quantitative structure–activity relationships (QSAR) of CYP2C9 substrates and inhibitors. This information will be useful in predicting drug metabolism and the potential for drug–drug interactions. To achieve this, a well characterised data set of structurally diverse, competitive CYP2C9 inhibitors was identified in our laboratory. Several computational methodologies, many based on GRID molecular interaction fields, were applied or developed in order to handle issues such as compound alignment and bioactive conformer selection. First, a traditional 3D QSAR was carried out in GOLPE, generating a predictive model. In this model the selection of a bioactive conformer and alignment was based on docking in a homology model of CYP2C9. Secondly, we introduced the concept of alignment independent descriptors from ALMOND. These descriptors were used to generate quantitatively and qualitatively predictive models. We subsequently derived conformation independent descriptors from molecular interaction fields calculated in FlexGRID. This enabled the derivation of 3D QSAR models without taking into account the selection of an alignment or a bioactive conformer. A subsequent programming effort enabled the conversion of this model back to 3D aligned pharmacophores. Similar alignment independent descriptors were also used in the development of the software MetaSite® that predicts the site of metabolism for CYP2C9 ligands. Finally, as crystal information on this isoform emerged, the performance of molecular dynamics simulations and homology models and the flexibility of the protein were evaluated using statistical analyses.</p><p>These modelling efforts have resulted in detailed knowledge of the structural characteristics in ligand interactions with the cytochrome P450 2C9 isoform.</p>

En bloquant les deux voies majeures de métabolisation de l’acide arachidonique, les inhibiteurs mixtes 5-LOX/COX-2 sont de puissants agents anti-inflammatoires non stéroïdiens minimisant les effets secondaires gastro-intestinaux et allergiques (asthme). Par ailleurs, ils offrent de nouvelles perspectives dans le traitement préventif de certains cancers. Contrairement à la COX-2, déjà largement étudiée, le niveau de connaissances concernant la 5-LOX humaine est beaucoup plus restreint. Notre objectif a donc été de caractériser sa structure ainsi que son mode d’interaction avec des inhibiteurs de type non redox, dans le but d’aider à la conception rationnelle d’inhibiteurs mixtes 5-LOX/COX-2. Dans un premier temps, la comparaison d’inhibiteurs 5-LOX non redox de la littérature a permis de mettre en évidence un modèle de pharmacophore à 5 points. Par ailleurs, la structure 3D de la 5-LOX humaine n’étant pas encore déterminée, nous l’avons modélisée par homologie avec la 15-LOX de lapin cristallisée et nous avons étudié, par docking, le mode d’interaction d’inhibiteurs 5-LOX non redox au sein du site actif. La combinaison des approches centrées, respectivement, sur les ligands et sur la protéine, nous a permis d’affiner l’hypothèse de pharmacophore et de proposer un modèle général d’interaction au sein du site actif 5-LOX./Dual 5-LOX/COX-2 inhibitors, acting on both major arachidonic acid metabolic pathways, are potent non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents, with a reduced gastro-intestinal toxicity and fewer allergic adverse reactions. Moreover, they are promising in the treatment of several cancers. Whereas COX-2 has already been extensively studied, little structural or mechanistic information is available regarding human 5-LOX. Therefore, we focussed on this enzyme and characterized its 3D structure as well as its interaction with non redox inhibitors in order to help the design of dual 5-LOX/COX-2 inhibitors. Firstly, comparison of non redox 5-LOX inhibitors from the literature led to the generation of a five-point pharmacophore model. The 3D structure of human 5-LOX was then modelled based on the crystal structure of rabbit 15-LOX and, the binding modes of representative ligands were investigated through docking studies. Combination of both ligand-based and target-based approaches allowed the refinement of the pharmacophore hypothesis and led to the proposal of an interaction model for non redox inhibitors inside the 5-LOX active site.

CYP2C9 is one of our major drug metabolising enzymes and belongs to the cytochrome P450 (CYP) super family. The aim of this thesis was to gain an understanding of the quantitative structure–activity relationships (QSAR) of CYP2C9 substrates and inhibitors. This information will be useful in predicting drug metabolism and the potential for drug–drug interactions. To achieve this, a well characterised data set of structurally diverse, competitive CYP2C9 inhibitors was identified in our laboratory. Several computational methodologies, many based on GRID molecular interaction fields, were applied or developed in order to handle issues such as compound alignment and bioactive conformer selection. First, a traditional 3D QSAR was carried out in GOLPE, generating a predictive model. In this model the selection of a bioactive conformer and alignment was based on docking in a homology model of CYP2C9. Secondly, we introduced the concept of alignment independent descriptors from ALMOND. These descriptors were used to generate quantitatively and qualitatively predictive models. We subsequently derived conformation independent descriptors from molecular interaction fields calculated in FlexGRID. This enabled the derivation of 3D QSAR models without taking into account the selection of an alignment or a bioactive conformer. A subsequent programming effort enabled the conversion of this model back to 3D aligned pharmacophores. Similar alignment independent descriptors were also used in the development of the software MetaSite® that predicts the site of metabolism for CYP2C9 ligands. Finally, as crystal information on this isoform emerged, the performance of molecular dynamics simulations and homology models and the flexibility of the protein were evaluated using statistical analyses. These modelling efforts have resulted in detailed knowledge of the structural characteristics in ligand interactions with the cytochrome P450 2C9 isoform.

Novel and potent ligands to the serotonin7 (5-HT7) receptor have been synthesized. The synthesized compounds include a set of substituted pyrimidines which show high affinity to the 5-HT7 receptor, synthesized by previously described methods [1,2] in high yield. Comparing the affinities of substituted pyrimidines to previously calculated models [3,4] yielded new hypotheses about the nature of interaction between the pyrimidine ligands and the 5-HT7 binding site. Several new series of compounds were synthesized by various methods to validate these hypotheses, including a conjugate addition to vinylpyrimidines [5]. These compounds include benzofurans, oximes, hydrazones, as well as a group of substituted piperazines. All series of compounds show affinity to the 5-HT7 receptor comparable to previously synthesized 5-HT7 ligands. Several of the synthesized ligands show affinity which exceeds that of currently available ligands. The synthesized compounds were evaluated quantitatively by calculating a three-dimensional quantitative structure-affinity relationship (3D-QSAR) for the 5-HT7 receptor. Evaluation of the calculated model validated qualitative assumptions about the data set as well as described regions of interaction in greater detail than previously available. These observations give further insight on the nature of ligand-binding site interactions with highly potent ligands such as 4-(3-furyl)-2-(N-methylpiperazino)pyrimidine which will lead to more potent 5-HT7 receptor ligands. Additionally, a model was calculated for affinity to the 5-HT2a receptor. Comparing this model to that calculated for affinity to the 5-HT7 receptor identified two regions which may be exploited in future sets of ligands to increase selectivity to the 5HT7 receptor.

La thrombose est le plus important processus pathologique sous-jacent à de nombreuses maladies cardiovasculaires, qui sont responsables d’une mortalité élevée dans le monde entier. Dans cette thèse, la conception assistée par ordinateur de nouveaux agents antithrombotiques capables d’inhiber deux types de récepteurs situés à la surface des plaquettes a été appliquée. Le premier - αIIbβ3 - est responsable de l’interaction des plaquettes activées avec le fibrinogène pour former des caillots, tandis que le second – le thromboxane A2 – est responsable de l’activation des plaquettes par l’un des agonistes excrétés par les plaquettes activées. Afin d’atteindre cet objectif, différents types de modèles ont été développés en utilisant les informations expérimentales disponibles et la structure des complexes protéine-ligand, comprenant des modèles QSAR, des pharmacophores 3D basés sur la structure de la protéine ou du ligand, des pharmacophores 2D, des modèles basés sur la forme et sur le champ moléculaire. L’ensemble des modèles développés ont été utilisés en criblage virtuel. Cette étude a abouti sur la suggestion de nouveaux antagonistes potentiels des récepteurs αIIbβ3 et thromboxane A2. Les antagonistes de αIIbβ3 suggérés pouvant se lier soit à la forme ouverte soit à la forme fermée du récepteur ont été synthétisés et testés expérimentalement. L’expérience montre qu’ils font preuve d’une forte activité; de plus, certains des composés conçus théoriquement sont plus efficaces que le Tirofiban, qui est un médicament commercialisé. Les antagonistes recommandés du récepteur thromboxane A2 ont déjà été synthétisés mais les tests biologiques n’ont pas encore été complétés. / Thrombosis is the most important pathological process underlying many cardiovascular diseases, which are responsible for high mortality worldwide. In this theses the computer-aided design of new anti-thrombotic agents able to inhibit two types of receptors located on the surface of the platelets has been applied. The first one - αIIbβ3 - is responsible for the interaction of activated platelets with fibrinogen to form clots, whereas the second one - thromboxane A2 - is responsible for platelet activation by one of agonists excreted by activated platelets. To achieve this, different types of models have been developed using experimentally available information and structure of protein-ligand complexes. This concerns: QSAR models, structure-based and ligand-based 3D pharmacophore models, 2D pharmacophore models, shape-based and molecular field-based models. The ensemble of the developed models were used in virtual screening. This study resulted in suggestion of new potential antagonists of αIIbβ3 and thromboxane A2 receptors. Suggested antagonists of αIIbβ3 able to bind either open or closed form of the receptor have been synthesized and tested experimentally. Experiments show that they display high activity; moreover some of theoretically designed compounds are more efficient than Tirofiban – the commercialized drug molecule. The recommended antagonists of thromboxane A2 receptor have been already synthesized but biological tests have not been completed yet.