Structure-activity relationship studies of tolfenpyrad reveal subnanomolar inhibitors of haemonchus contortus development
- Authors: Le, Thuy , Kundu, Abhijit , Ghoshal, Atanu , Nguyen, Nghi , Preston, Sarah , Jiao, Yaqing , Ruan, Banfeng , Xue, Lian , Huang, Fei , Keiser, Jennifer , Hofmann, Andreas , Chang, Bill , Garcia-Bustos, Jose , Wells, Timothy , Palmer, Michael , Jabbar, Abdul , Gasser, Robin , Baell, Jonathan
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Medicinal Chemistry Vol. 62, no. 2 (2019), p. 1036-1053
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- Description: Recently, we have discovered that the registered pesticide, tolfenpyrad, unexpectedly and potently inhibits the development of the L4 larval stage of the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus with an IC50 value of 0.03 mu M while displaying good selectivity, with an IC50 of 37.9 mu M for cytotoxicity. As a promising molecular template for medicinal chemistry optimization, we undertook anthelmintic structure-activity relationships for this chemical. Modifications of the left-hand side (LHS), right-hand side (RHS), and middle section of the scaffold were explored to produce a set of 57 analogues. Analogues 25, 29, and 33 were shown to be the most potent compounds of the series, with IC50 values at a subnanomolar level of potency against the chemotherapeutically relevant fourth larval (L4) stage of H. contortus. Selected compounds from the series also showed promising activity against a panel of other different parasitic nematodes, such as hookworms and whipworms.
Arylpyrrole and fipronil analogues that inhibit the motility and/or development of Haemonchus contortus in vitro
- Authors: Herath, Dilrukshi , Song, Hongjian , Preston, Sarah , Jabbar, Abdul , Wang, Tao , McGee, Sean , Hofmann, Andreas , Garcia-Bustos, Jose , Chang, Bill , Koehler, Anson , Liu, Yuxiu , Ma, Qiaoqiao , Zhang, Penqxiang , Zhao, Qiqi , Wang, Qingmin , Gasser, Robin
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal for Parasitology: Drugs and Drug Resistance Vol. 8, no. 3 (2018), p. 379-385
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- Description: Due to widespread drug resistance in parasitic nematodes, there is a need to develop new anthelmintics. Given the cost and time involved in developing a new drug, the repurposing of known chemicals can be a promising, alternative approach. In this context, we tested a library (n = 600) of natural product-inspired pesticide analogues against exsheathed third stage-larvae (xL3s) of Haemonchus contortus (barber's pole worm) using a whole-organism, phenotypic screening technique that measures the inhibition of motility and development in treated larvae. In the primary screen, we identified 32 active analogues derived from chemical scaffolds of arylpyrrole or fipronil. The seven most promising compounds, selected based on their anthelmintic activity and/or limited cytotoxicity, are arylpyrroles that reduced the motility of fourth-stage larvae (L4s) with significant potency (IC 50 values ranged from 0.04 ± 0.01
Deguelin exerts potent nematocidal activity via the mitochondrial respiratory chain
- Authors: Preston, Sarah , Korhonen, Pasi , Mouchiroud, Laurent , Cornaglia, Matteo , McGee, Sean , Young, Neil , Davis, Rohan , Crawford, Simon , Nowell, Cameron , Ansell, Brendan , Fisher, Gillian , Andrews, Katherine , Chang, Bill , Gijs, Martin , Sternberg, Paul , Auwerx, Johan , Baell, Jonathan , Hofmann, Andreas , Jabbar, Abdul , Gasser, Robin
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: FASEB Journal Vol. 31, no. 10 (2017), p. 4515-4532
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- Description: As a result of limited classes of anthelmintics and an over-reliance on chemical control, there is a great need to discover new compounds to combat drug resistance in parasitic nematodes. Here, we show that deguelin, a plant-derived rotenoid, selectively and potently inhibits the motility and development of nematodes, which supports its potential as a lead candidate for drug development. Furthermore, we demonstrate that deguelin treatment significantly increases gene transcription that is associated with energy metabolism, particularly oxidative phosphorylation and mitoribosomal protein production before inhibiting motility. Mitochondrial tracking confirmed enhanced oxidative phosphorylation. In accordance, real-time measurements of oxidative phosphorylation in response to deguelin treatment demonstrated an immediate decrease in oxygen consumption in both parasitic (Haemonchus contortus) and free-living (Caenorhabditis elegans) nematodes. Consequently, we hypothesize that deguelin is exerting its toxic effect on nematodes as a modulator of oxidative phosphorylation. This study highlights the dynamic biologic response of multicellular organisms to deguelin perturbation. © FASEB.
Screening of a small, well-curated natural product-based library identifies two rotenoids with potent nematocidal activity against Haemonchus contortus
- Authors: Herath, Dilrukshi , Preston, Sarah , Hofmann, Andreas , Davis, Rohan , Koehler, Anson , Chang, Bill , Jabbar, Abdul , Gasser, Robin
- Date: 2017
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Veterinary Parasitology Vol. 244, no. (2017), p. 172-175
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- Description: The control of parasitic roundworms (nematodes) is heavily reliant on the use of a limited number of anthelmintic drugs. However, drug resistance is now very widespread and no vaccines are available, such that the discovery of new chemical entities is crucial. Within this context, we screened a library of pure natural products (n = 400) against exsheathed third-stage (xL3) larvae of the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus using a whole-organism screening method. We identified two plant-derived rotenoids, deguelin and rotenone, with inhibitory activity on xL3 motility. Rotenone was not investigated further, because of its toxicity to some vertebrates. The dose response and cytotoxicity studies showed potent and selective inhibitory activity of deguelin on motility of xL3 larvae of H. contortus. Detailed future work needs to be conducted to explore the mode of action of this compound on H. contortus and related nematodes, and to assess its potential as an anthelmintic candidate. © 2017 Elsevier B.V.
Selected alpha-pyrones from the plants Cryptocarya novoguineensis (Lauraceae) and Piper methysticum (Piperaceae) with activity against Haemonchus contortus in vitro
- Authors: Herath, Dilrukshi , Preston, Sarah , Jabbar, Abdul , Garcia-Bustos, Jose , Addison, Russell , Hayes, Sasha , Rali, Topul , Wang, Tao , Koehler, Anson , Chang, Bill , Hofmann, Andreas , Davis, Rohan , Gasser, Robin
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: International Journal for Parasitology-Drugs and Drug Resistance Vol. 9, no. (2019), p. 72-79
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- Description: Due to the widespread occurrence and spread of anthelmintic resistance, there is a need to develop new drugs against resistant parasitic nematodes of livestock animals. The Nobel Prize-winning discovery and development of the anti-parasitic drugs avermectin and artemisinin has renewed the interest in exploring natural products as anthelmintics. In the present study, we screened 7500 plant extracts for in vitro-activity against the barber's pole worm, Haemonchus contortus, a highly significant pathogen of ruminants. The anthelmintic extracts from two plants, Cryptocarya novoguineensis and Piper methysticum, were fractionated by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Subsequently, compounds were purified from fractions with significant biological activity. Four alpha-pyrones, namely goniothalamin (GNT), dihydrokavain (DHK), desmethoxyyangonin (DMY) and yangonin (YGN), were purified from fractions from the two plants, GNT from C. novoguineensis, and DHK, DMY and YGN (= kavalactones) from P. methysticum. The three kavalactones induced a lethal, eviscerated (Evi) phenotype in treated exsheathed third-stage larvae (xL3s), and DMY and YGN had moderate potencies (IC50 values of 31.7 +/- 0.23 mu M and 23.7 +/- 2.05 mu M, respectively) at inhibiting the development of xL3s to fourth-stage larvae (L4s). Although GNT had limited potency (IC50 of 200-300 mu M) at inhibiting L4 development, it was the only compound that reduced L4 motility (IC50 of 6.25-12.50 mu M). The compounds purified from each plant affected H. contortus in an irreversible manner. These findings suggest that structure-activity relationship studies of alpha-pyrones should be pursued to assess their potential as anthelmintics.
Novel 1-Methyl-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxamide derivatives with potent anthelmintic activity
- Authors: Le, Thuy , Kundu, Abhijit , Ghoshal, Atanu , Nguyen, Nghi , Preston, Sarah , Jiao, Yaqing , Ruan, Banfeng , Xue, Lian , Huang, Fei , Keiser, Jennifer , Hofmann, Andreas , Chang, Bill , Garcia-Bustos, Jose , Wells, Timothy , Palmer, Michael , Jabbar, Abdul , Gasser, Robin , Baell, Jonathan
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Medicinal Chemistry Vol. 62, no. 7 (2019), p. 3367-3380
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- Description: A phenotypic screen of two different libraries of small molecules against the motility and development of the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus led to the identification of two 1-methyl-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxamide derivatives. Medicinal chemistry optimization targeted modifications of the left-hand side, middle section, and right-hand side of the hybrid structure of these two hits to elucidate the structure-activity relationship (SAR). Initial SAR around these hits allowed for the iterative and directed assembly of a focused set of 30 analogues of their hybrid structure. Compounds 10, 17, 20, and 22 were identified as the most potent compounds, inhibiting the development of the fourth larval (L4) stage of H. contortus at sub-nanomolar potencies while displaying strong selectivity toward the parasite when tested in vitro against the human MCF10A cell line. In addition, compounds 9 and 27 showed promising activity against a panel of other parasitic nematodes, including hookworms and whipworms.
A perspective on the discovery of selected compounds with anthelmintic activity against the barber's pole worm—Where to from here?
- Authors: Jiao, Yaqing , Preston, Sarah , Hofmann, Andreas , Taki, Aya , Baell, Jonathan , Chang, Bill , Jabbar, Abdul , Gasser, Robin
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Book chapter
- Relation: Advances in Parasitology p. 1-45
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- Description: Parasitic roundworms (nematodes) cause substantial morbidity and mortality in animals worldwide. Anthelmintic treatment is central to controlling these worms, but widespread resistance to most of the commercially available anthelmintics for veterinary and agricultural use is compromising control, such that there is an urgency to discover new and effective drugs. The purpose of this article is to review information on parasitic nematodes, the treatment and control of parasitic nematode infections and aspects of discovering new anthelmintics in the context of anthelmintic resistance problems, and then to discuss some progress that our group has made in identifying selected compounds with activity against nematodes. The focus of our recent work has been on discovering new chemical entities and known drugs with anthelmintic activities against Haemonchus contortus as well as other socioeconomically important parasitic nematodes for subsequent development. Using whole worm-based phenotypic assays, we have been screening compound collections obtained via product-development-partnerships and/or collaborators, and active compounds have been assessed for their potential as anthelmintic candidates. Following the screening of 15,333 chemicals from five distinct compound collections against H. contortus, we have discovered one new chemical entity (designated SN00797439), two human kinase inhibitors (SNS-032 and AG-1295), 14 tetrahydroquinoxaline analogues, one insecticide (tolfenpyrad) and two tolfenpyrad (pyrazole-5-carboxamide) derivatives (a-15 and a-17) with anthelmintic activity in vitro. Some of these 20 ‘hit’ compounds have selectivity against H. contortus in vitro when compared to particular human cell lines. In our opinion, some of these compounds could represent starting points for ‘lead’ development. Accordingly, the next research steps to be pursued include: (i) chemical optimisation of representative chemicals via structure-activity relationship (SAR) evaluations; (ii) assessment of the breadth of spectrum of anthelmintic activity on a range of other parasitic nematodes, such as strongyloids, ascaridoids, enoplids and filarioids; (iii) detailed investigations of the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity (ADMET) of optimised chemicals with broad nematocidal or nematostatic activity; and (iv) establishment of the modes of action of lead candidates. © 2020 Elsevier Ltd
Identification of fromiamycalin and halaminol A from Australian marine sponge extracts with anthelmintic activity against haemonchus contortus
- Authors: Herath, Dilrukshi , Preston, Sarah , Jabbar, Abdul , Garcia-Bustos, Jose , Taki, Aya , Addison, Russell , Hayes, Sasha , Beattie, Karren , McGee, Sean , Martin, Sheree , Ekin, Merrick , Hooper, John , Chang, Bill , Hofmann, Andreas , Davis, Rohan , Gasser, Robin
- Date: 2019
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Marine Drugs Vol. 17, no. 11 (Nov 2019), p. 14
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- Description: There is an urgent need to discover and develop new anthelmintics for the treatment of parasitic nematodes of veterinary importance to circumvent challenges linked to drug resistant parasites. Being one of the most diverse natural ecosystems, the marine environment represents a rich resource of novel chemical entities. This study investigated 2000 extracts from marine invertebrates, collected from Australian waters, for anthelmintic activity. Using a well-established in vitro bioassay, these extracts were screened for nematocidal activity against Haemonchus contortus - a socioeconomically important parasitic nematode of livestock animals. Extracts (designated Mu-1, Ha-1 and Ha-2) from two marine sponges (Monanchora unguiculata and Haliclona sp.) each significantly affected larvae of H. contortus. Individual extracts displayed a dose-dependent inhibition of both the motility of exsheathed third-stage larvae (xL3s) and the development of xL3s to fourth-stage larvae (L4s). Active fractions in each of the three extracts were identified using bioassay-guided fractionation. From the active fractions from Monanchora unguiculata, a known pentacyclic guanidine alkaloid, fromiamycalin (1), was purified. This alkaloid was shown to be a moderately potent inhibitor of L4 development (half-maximum inhibitory concentration (IC50) = 26.6 +/- 0.74 mu M) and L4 motility (IC50 = 39.4 +/- 4.83 mu M), although it had a relatively low potency at inhibiting of xL3 motility (IC50 >= 100 mu M). Investigation of the active fractions from the two Haliclona collections led to identification of a mixture of amino alcohol lipids, and, subsequently, a known natural product halaminol A (5). Anthelmintic profiling showed that 5 had limited potency at inhibiting larval development and motility. These data indicate that fromiamycalin, other related pentacyclic guanidine alkaloids and/or halaminols could have potential as anthelmintics following future medicinal chemistry efforts.
Optimization of novel 1-Methyl-1H-Pyrazole-5-carboxamides leads to high potency larval development inhibitors of the Barber's pole worm
- Authors: Le, Thuy , Kunda, Abhijit , Ghoshal, Atanu , Preston, Sarah , Jiao, Yaqing , Ruan, Banfeng , Xue, Lian , Huang, Fei , Keiser, Jennifer , Hofmann, Andreas , Chang, Bill , Garcia-Bustos, Jose , Jabbar, Abdul , Wells, Timothy , Palmer, Michael , Gasser, Robin , Baell, Jonathan
- Date: 2018
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Journal of Medicinal Chemistry Vol. 61, no. 23 (2018), p. 10875-10894
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- Description: A phenotypic screen of a diverse library of small molecules for inhibition of the development of larvae of the parasitic nematode Haemonchus contortus led to the identification of a 1-methyl-1H-pyrazole-5-carboxamide derivative with an IC