Institut für Pharmazie und Lebensmittelchemie
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Sonstige beteiligte Institutionen
- Universität Belgrad, Serbien (2)
- ACC GmbH Analytical Clinical Concepts (1)
- Apotheke, Universitätsklinikum Würzburg (1)
- Bayer AG, Research & Development, Pharmaceuticals, Investigational Toxicology (1)
- Bundesinstitut für Arzneimittel und Medizinprodukte (1)
- Friedrich-Schiller-Universität Jena (1)
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Biology (HIRI), Josef-Schneider-Straße 2/D15, DE-9708 Wuerzburg, Germany (1)
- Helmholtz Institute for RNA-based Infection Biology (HIRI), Josef-Schneider-Straße 2/D15, DE-97080 Wuerzburg, Germany (1)
- IBMP - Institut für Biomedizinische und Pharmazeutische Forschung in Nürnberg-Heroldsberg (1)
- Johns Hopkins School of Medicine (1)
EU-Project number / Contract (GA) number
- 26230120009 (1)
- 296679 (1)
- 314911 (1)
- 701983 (1)
The search for new antibiotics against multidrug-resistant (MDR), Gram-negative bacteria is crucial with respect to filling the antibiotics development pipeline, which is subject to a critical shortage of novel molecules. Screening of natural products is a promising approach for identifying antimicrobial compounds hosting a higher degree of novelty. Here, we report the isolation and characterization of four galloylglucoses active against different MDR strains of Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae. A crude acetone extract was prepared from Paeonia officinalis Linnaeus leaves, and bioautography-guided isolation of active compounds from the extract was performed by liquid–liquid extraction, as well as open column, flash, and preparative chromatographic methods. Isolated active compounds were characterized and elucidated by a combination of spectroscopic and spectrometric techniques. In vitro antimicrobial susceptibility testing was carried out on E. coli and K. pneumoniae using 2 reference strains and 13 strains hosting a wide range of MDR phenotypes. Furthermore, in vivo antibacterial activities were assessed using Galleria mellonella larvae, and compounds 1,2,3,4,6-penta-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose, 3-O-digalloyl-1,2,4,6-tetra-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose, 6-O-digalloyl-1,2,3,4-tetra-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose, and 3,6-bis-O-digalloyl-1,2,4-tri-O-galloyl-β-d-glucose were isolated and characterized. They showed minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values in the range of 2–256 µg/mL across tested bacterial strains. These findings have added to the number of known galloylglucoses from P. officinalis and highlight their potential against MDR Gram-negative bacteria.
Formation of the Aurora-A–MYCN complex increases levels of the oncogenic transcription factor MYCN in neuroblastoma cells by abrogating its degradation through the ubiquitin proteasome system. While some small-molecule inhibitors of Aurora-A were shown to destabilize MYCN, clinical trials have not been satisfactory to date. MYCN itself is considered to be `undruggable' due to its large intrinsically disordered regions. Targeting the Aurora-A–MYCN complex rather than Aurora-A or MYCN alone will open new possibilities for drug development and screening campaigns. To overcome the challenges that a ternary system composed of Aurora-A, MYCN and a small molecule entails, a covalently cross-linked construct of the Aurora-A–MYCN complex was designed, expressed and characterized, thus enabling screening and design campaigns to identify selective binders.
Flavonoids are polyphenolic natural products and have shown significant potential as disease-modifying agents against neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease (AD), with activities even in vivo. Hybridization of the natural products taxifolin and silibinin with cinnamic acid led to an overadditive effect of these compounds in several phenotypic screening assays related to neurodegeneration and AD. Therefore, we have exchanged the flavonoid part of the hybrids with different flavonoids, which show higher efficacy than taxifolin or silibinin, to improve the activity of the respective hybrids. Chemical connection between the flavonoid and cinnamic acid was realized by an amide instead of a labile ester bond to improve stability towards hydrolysis. To investigate the influence of a double bond at the C-ring of the flavonoid, the dehydro analogues of the respective hybrids were also synthesized. All compounds obtained show neuroprotection against oxytosis, ferroptosis and ATP-depletion, respectively, in the murine hippocampal cell line HT22. Interestingly, the taxifolin and the quercetin derivatives are the most active compounds, whereby the quercetin derivate shows even more pronounced activity than the taxifolin one in all assays applied. As aimed for, no hydrolysis product was found in cellular uptake experiments after 4 h whereas different metabolites were detected. Furthermore, the quercetin-cinnamic acid amide showed pronounced activity in an in vivo AD mouse model at a remarkably low dose of 0.3 mg/kg.
Oral antineoplastic drugs are an important component in the treatment of solid tumour diseases, haematological and immunological malignancies. Oral drug administration is associated with positive features (e.g., non-invasive drug administration, outpatient care with a high level of independence for the patient and reduced costs for the health care system). The systemic exposure after oral intake however is prone to high IIV as it strongly depends on gastrointestinal absorption processes, which are per se characterized by high inter-and intraindividual variability. Disease and patient-specific characteristics (e.g., disease state, concomitant diseases, concomitant medication, patient demographics) may additionally contribute to variability in plasma concentrations between individual patients. In addition, many oral antineoplastic drugs show complex PK, which has not yet been fully investigated and elucidated for all substances. All this may increase the risk of suboptimal plasma exposure (either subtherapeutic or toxic), which may ultimately jeopardise the success of therapy, either through a loss of efficacy or through increased, intolerable adverse drug reactions. TDM can be used to detect suboptimal plasma levels and prevent permanent under- or overexposure. It is essential in the treatment of ACC with mitotane, a substance with unfavourable PK and high IIV. In the current work a HPLC-UV method for the TDM of mitotane using VAMS was developed. A low sample volume (20 µl) of capillary blood was used in the developed method, which facilitates dense sampling e.g., at treatment initiation. However, no reference ranges for measurements from capillary blood are established so far and a simple conversion from capillary concentrations to plasma concentrations was not possible. To date the therapeutic range is established only for plasma concentrations and observed capillary concentrations could not be reliable interpretated.The multi-kinase inhibitor cabozantinib is also used for the treatment of ACC. However, not all PK properties, like the characteristic second peak in the cabozantinib concentration-time profile have been fully understood so far. To gain a mechanistic understanding of the compound, a PBPK model was developed and various theories for modelling the second peak were explored, revealing that EHC of the compound is most plausible. Cabozantinib is mainly metabolized via CYP3A4 and susceptible to DDI with e.g., CYP3A4 inducers. The DDI between cabozantinib and rifampin was investigated with the developed PBPK model and revealed a reduced cabozantinib exposure (AUC) by 77%. Hence, the combination of cabozantinib with strong CYP inducers should be avoided. If this is not possible, co administration should be monitored using TDM. The model was also used to simulate cabozantinib plasma concentrations at different stages of liver injury. This showed a 64% and 50% increase in total exposure for mild and moderate liver injury, respectively.Ruxolitinib is used, among others, for patients with acute and chronic GvHD. These patients often also receive posaconazole for invasive fungal prophylaxis leading to CYP3A4 mediated DDI between both substances. Different dosing recommendations from the FDA and EMA on the use of ruxolitinib in combination with posaconazole complicate clinical use. To simulate the effect of this relevant DDI, two separate PBPK models for ruxolitinib and posaconazole were developed and combined. Predicted ruxolitinib exposure was compared to observed plasma concentrations obtained in GvHD patients. The model simulations showed that the observed ruxolitinib concentrations in these patients were generally higher than the simulated concentrations in healthy individuals, with standard dosing present in both scenarios. According to the developed model, EMA recommended RUX dose reduction seems to be plausible as due to the complexity of the disease and intake of extensive co-medication, RUX plasma concentration can be higher than expected.
Muscarinic acetylcholine receptors (mAChRs) are involved in signal transmission at the synapses of the parasympathetic nervous system. The five subtypes of mAChRs regulate various body functions such as heart function, gland secretion, memory, and learning. For the development of drugs with the least side-effects possible, the molecular causes of subtype selectivity and signalling bias are under investigation. In this context, the study of dualsteric ligands binding simultaneously to the orthosteric and the allosteric binding sites of the receptor is of high interest.
To date, dualsteric ligands were synthesised as hybrids of full agonists or superagonists being the orthosteric element, linked to known subtype selective allosteric fragments. In this work, the existing library was expanded to hybrid ligands based on the partial agonist pilocarpine. A suitable linker attachment point to pilocarpine was investigated.
For this aim, pilocarpine (2), isopilocarpine (15), pilosinine (16) and desmethyl pilosinine (35) were synthesised as orthosteric ligands and orthosteric fragments for the construction of the hybrid molecules (Figure 42). Pilocarpine was liberated from the commercial hydrochloride or nitrate salt and isopilocarpine was generated by epimerisation of pilocarpine. Pilosinine was synthesised in a Michael addition reaction of a dithiane carrying the imidazole moiety 82 onto the lactone precursor furan-2(5H)-one (83) followed by complete deprotection (Figure 43a).[133] The desmethyl pilosinine (35) was obtained in a newly developed synthetic route based on a Horner-Wadsworth-Emmons (HWE) reaction to build the methylene bridge between the imidazole aldehyde and the precursor of the lactone moiety 57 (Figure 43b). All four orthosters were converted to the respective dualsteric compounds with a naphmethonium fragment as allosteric moiety.
The four orthosteric fragments and the four hybrid molecules with a linker length of six methylene units were tested for their dose dependent G protein recruitment at the receptor subtypes M1–5 using a mini-G nanoBRET assay. The study of the orthosteric ligands revealed that pilocarpine has the highest ability of all four orthosters to induce activity at all receptor subtypes. A change of the cis- to a trans-configuration of the lactone substituents or a complete removal of the ethyl substituent provoked a significant reduction of activity. Removal of the methyl substituent of the imidazole moiety led to improved receptor activation.
The efficacies of the hybrid ligands show that the linker attachment at the imidazole moiety of pilocarpine and its analogues does not abolish activity and hybrid formation of isopilocarpine even improved receptor activation. Thus, the linker attachment point seems a valid choice, but linker length might not be optimum. In contrast to the orthosters, the trans-substitution of the lactone was advantageous for receptor activation of the hybrid ligands. The hybrid without a methyl substituent at the imidazole (69) had an increased efficacy. Additionally, the naphmethonium fragment lowered the maximum effect of pilocarpine, whereas the activity of isopilocarpine was increased. The intensity of both effects was influenced by the subtype selectivity produced by naphmethonium leading, in the case of the pilocarpine hybrid, to less decreased responses or, in the case of the isopilocarpine hybrid, to more increased responses at the M2 and M4 receptors. The results generally lead to the assumption that the allosteric moiety strongly influences the binding poses of the hybrid ligands so that the orthosteric fragments do not interact with the binding site in the same way as the orthosters alone.
A second project was based on molecular dynamics simulations of the binding pose of pilocarpine,[73] leading to the hypothesis that the partial agonism of pilocarpine results from an equilibrium between an agonistic and an antagonistic binding pose at the orthosteric binding site of the receptor. The ratio of occupancy of both binding poses determines the observed efficacy of pilocarpine. The orthosteric binding site provides more space for the ethyl substituent in the supposed antagonistic pose than in the agonistic binding pose. This hypothesis was tested by the synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of pilocarpine analogues with alkyl substituents of different sizes at the lactone (16, 31a, c, d) (Figure 44). The analogues with larger alkyl residues are expected to shift the equilibrium towards the antagonistic binding pose, the analogues with smaller residues should have the inverse effect.
The synthesis of the pilocarpine analogues was first attempted as a mixture of stereoisomers which were supposed to be separated at the end of the synthetic route. The racemic mixture of the thermodynamically more stable trans-isomers of the target compounds was prepared in a one-pot Michael-addition–alkylation reaction of a dithiane imidazole onto furan-2(5H)-one similarly to the synthesis of pilosinine (Figure 45). The resulting enolate was quenched by an iodoalkane to achieve alkylation of the lactone and subsequent complete deprotection yielded the racemic trans-analogues of pilocarpine.[133] After unsuccessful attempts of chiral resolution, the mixture of trans-isomers was converted to a mixture of all four possible diastereomers in a kinetic epimerisation reaction.[95] A separation of the stereoisomers was not possible in this project so only the racemic molecule 16 (pilosinine, R = H) was obtained from this synthetic route.
For the selective synthesis of the cis-isomers following a patent from Reimann,[146] both stereocenters of the target molecules were produced in the last synthetic step by a syn-hydrogenation of the α,β-unsaturated precursor (Figure 46). The racemic pilocarpine analogues, except the butyl derivative (31d), were purified by crystallisation as their nitrate salts. This provided the racemic mixtures with less than 8% of the trans-isomers as impurity. The racemic pilocarpine (2), itself, was obtained with 15% trans-impurity and was used as reference compound. Additionally, the possibility of chiral resolution by chromatographic methods was demonstrated in the case of the methyl derivative (31a). The pharmacological testing of the desired enantiomer of 31a is in progress.
This dissertation focuses on Mip (macrophage infectivity potentiator protein) inhibitors in response to increasing antibiotic resistance. The study follows an antivirulence approach, which aims to inhibit the non-essential Mip protein without exerting too much selective pressure. Three focus areas were (1) development and synthesis of a fluorescent probe for screening Mip inhibitors via fluorescence polarization; (2) design and synthesis of broad spectrum Mip inhibitors bearing a side chain; and (3) understanding the metabolism of Mip inhibitors and identification of active metabolites.
A sub-study addressed the biotinylation of anti-leishmanial compounds from Valeriana wallichii rhizomes, with three tracer molecules synthesized for future pull-down experiments.
In all the projects presented, it is evident that the selection of suitable separation conditions is only one side of the coin. Equally crucial in the development of methods for the quality assessment of APIs/drugs is the right detection system.
The application of CAD as an alternative to UV detection at low wavelength of the two weak chromophore main degradation products of the very polar, zwitterionic API carbocisteine requires the volatility of the mobile phase. Therefore, as a substitute for the non-volatile ion pairing reagent tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAOH), six different volatile alkylamines as well as a RP/SAX mixed-mode column were evaluated. The best selectivity and separation performance comparable to TBAOH was achieved with the RP/SAX column and a mixture of formic acid and trifluoroacetic acid. For the simultaneous optimisation of the evaporation temperature of the CAD as a function of two chromatographic parameters, a central composite design was chosen and the “desirability function” was subsequently applied for modelling. In addition, column bleeding was investigated with a second RP/SAX column (different batch) with the result that the acetonitrile percentage had to be adjusted and preconditioning by injection of concentrated samples is essential. The final mixed-mode method was finally validated with both columns according to the ICH Q2 (R1) guideline.
Based on this, an MS-compatible method was developed with little effort using an identical RP/SAX column in UPLC dimension for the untargeted analysis by HRMS of two carbocisteine-containing prototype syrup formulations. For a comprehensive characterisation, HRMS and MS/HRMS data were recorded simultaneously by information dependent acquisition mode. Based on the exact masses, isotope patterns and an in silico plausibility check of the fragment spectra, the prediction of the structures of the unknown impurities was possible. In both syrup samples, which had been stored for nine months at 40 °C and 75 % r.h., two additional impurities of carbocisteine (i.e. lactam of the sulfoxides and disulphide between cysteine and thioglycolic acid) were identified by comparison with the corresponding prototype placebo samples using general unknown comparative screening. In addition, the formation of Maillard products by binary mixtures with 13C-labelled sugars was revealed in the sucrose-containing formulation.
For the promising hyphenation of the UV detector with the CAD for the simultaneous detection of all UV-active impurities of the cholesterol-lowering drug simvastatin and the only weak chromophore dihydrosimvastatin, the Ph. Eur. method had to be adapted. Besides replacing phosphoric acid with trifluoroacetic acid, the gradient also had to be adjusted and a third critical peak pair was observed. Based on validation experiments (according to the ICH Q2 (R1) guideline), the suitability of the CAD for sensitive detection (LOQ = 0.0175 % m/m) was proven.
To further investigate the robustness of the adapted method and CAD, a Plackett-Burman design was chosen. None of the factors had a statistically significant effect on the S/N of the CAD in the ranges tested. Regarding the three critical peak pairs, on the other hand, the factors to be controlled were statistically established, so that a targeted correction is possible if the system suitability test is not passed. The idea of employing a hyphenated UV-CAD system was finally applied to the structurally closely related lovastatin and its specified impurity dihydrolovastatin. Here, the CAD showed a significantly better S/N compared to the compendial UV detection at 200 nm.
The suitability of CAD for the analysis of non-volatile fatty acids in polysorbate 80 (PS80) as favourable alternative to the Ph. Eur. GC method (no time-consuming, error-prone and toxic derivatisation) has already been demonstrated. The aim of this project was therefore to develop a robust method with a focus on the AQbD principles, which can be used for the analysis of other excipients with similar fatty acid composition. After the definition of the analytical target profile and a risk assessment by means of an Ishikawa diagram, a suitable C18 column and the chromatographic framework conditions (formic acid concentration and initial/final gradient conditions) were selected after only few preliminary runs. The remaining critical method parameters were then investigated with the help of DoE and RSM. Using the obtained model equations, Monte Carlo simulations were performed to create the method operable design region as a region of theoretical robustness. After validation according to ICH Q2 (R1), the fatty acid composition of a magnesium stearate batch was successfully analysed as a further application example in addition to PS80.
The CAD was able to prove its potential in all the issues investigated in the context of this doctoral thesis. As a cost-effective alternative compared to MS instruments, it thus closes a gap in the quality assessment of APIs or excipients without a suitable chromophore. The easy method transfer to (HR)MS instruments also allows for a unique degree of sample characterisation through untargeted approaches in case of new impurities. For resource- and time-efficient work, the possibilities and limitations of software tools for method development and data evaluation as well as the application of risk-based approaches such as AQbD should also be considered.
Amber Light Control of Peptide Secondary Structure by a Perfluoroaromatic Azobenzene Photoswitch
(2023)
The incorporation of photoswitches into the molecular structure of peptides and proteins enables their dynamic photocontrol in complex biological systems. Here, a perfluorinated azobenzene derivative triggered by amber light was site‐specifically conjugated to cysteines in a helical peptide by perfluoroarylation chemistry. In response to the photoisomerization (trans→cis) of the conjugated azobenzene with amber light, the secondary structure of the peptide was modulated from a disorganized into an amphiphilic helical structure.
Azobenzene derivatives with activity against drug‐resistant Candida albicans and Candida auris
(2023)
Increasing resistance against antimycotic drugs challenges anti‐infective therapies today and contributes to the mortality of infections by drug‐resistant Candida species and strains. Therefore, novel antifungal agents are needed. A promising approach in developing new drugs is using naturally occurring molecules as lead structures. In this work, 4,4'‐dihydroxyazobenzene, a compound structurally related to antifungal stilbene derivatives and present in Agaricus xanthodermus (yellow stainer), served as a starting point for the synthesis of five azobenzene derivatives. These compounds prevented the growth of both fluconazole‐susceptible and fluconazole‐resistant Candida albicans and Candida auris strains. Further in vivo studies are required to confirm the potential therapeutic value of these compounds.
Die Interaktion des onkogenen Transkriptionsfaktors MYCN mit der Ser/Thr Kinase Aurora-A verhindert
dessen Abbau über das Ubiquitin Proteasomsystem indem die Rekrutierung des SCF FbxW7 Komplexes
verhindert wird. Die Kinase nimmt mit der Bindung an MYCN eine aktive Konformation ein und erhält
somit die Fähigkeit zur Kinaseaktivität ohne die sonst notwendige Phosphorylierung von Thr288 oder
die Anwesenheit eines Aktivators wie TPX2. Da hohe MYCN Konzentrationen Tumore wie
Neuroblastome antreiben, ist die Störung der Komplexbildung mit Aurora-A eine valide Strategie zur
Entwicklung von Chemotherapeutika. Einige Inhibitoren von Aurora-A wie Alisertib (MLN8237) sind in
der Lage, eine Konformationsänderung in der Kinase zu verursachen, die mit der Bindung von MYCN
inkompatibel ist und auf diese Weise den Abbau des Transkriptionsfaktors induziert. Da Aurora-A
wichtige Funktionen in der Mitose übernimmt, könnte eine direkte Adressierung des Komplexes anstelle
einer systemischen Inhibition der Kinase vielversprechender sein.
Ziel des Projektes war die Identifizierung von Molekülen, die selektiv an das Interface des
Aurora-A – MYCN Komplexes binden und weiter optimiert werden können, um einen gezielten Abbau
des Transkriptionsfaktors über einen PROTAC Ansatz zu ermöglichen. Virtuelle Screenings und
molekulardynamische Simulationen wurden durchgeführt, um kommerziell erhältliche Verbindungen zu
identifizieren, welche mit einer Bindetasche des Komplexes interagieren, die nur zustande kommt, wenn
beide Proteine miteinander interagieren. Aus einem ersten Set von zehn potentiellen Liganden wurde
für vier eine selektive Interaktion mit dem Protein – Protein Komplex gegenüber Aurora-A oder MYCN
alleine in STD-NMR Experimenten bestätigt. Zwei der Hits besaßen ein identisches Grundgerüst und
wurden als Ausganspunkt für die Optimierung zu potenteren Liganden genutzt. Das Gerüst wurde
fragmentweise vergrößert und in Richtung besserer in-silico Ergebnisse und Funktionalisierung zur
Anbringung von E3-Ligase-Liganden optimiert. Neun dieser Liganden der zweiten Generation wurden
synthetisiert.
Um quantitative Bindungsdaten zu erhalten, wurde ein kovalent verknüpftes Aurora-A – MYCN
Konstrukt entworfen. Die strukturelle und funktionale Integrität wurde in STD-NMR und BLI
Experimenten mit bekannten Aurora-A Inhibitoren bestätigt, sowie in NMR-basierten ATPase Assays.
Zusätzlich konnte die Kristallstruktur des Konstrukts gelöst und damit die Validität des Designs bestätigt
werden. Quantitative Messungen der synthetisierten Moleküle identifizierten HD19S als Hit mit einer
zehnfach höheren Affinität für das Aurora-A – MYCN Konstrukt im Vergleich zu der Kinase allein.
Zusätzlich wurden in-silico Untersuchungen zu PROTACs der Aurora-A Kinase durchgeführt.
Interaktionen zwischen Aurora-A, der E3-Ligase Cereblon und den Liganden wurden modelliert und für
die Erklärung unterschiedlicher Aktivitäten der eingesetzten PROTACs verwendet. Zudem zeigte das
aktivste PROTAC eine hohe Selektivität für Aurora-A gegenüber Aurora-B, obwohl die verwendete
Erkennungseinheit (Alisertib) an beide Aurora-Proteine bindet. Dieser Umstand konnte durch
energetische Analysen von molekulardynamischen Simulationen der ternären Komplexe erklärt werden.
Optimierungsmöglichkeiten für eine effizientere Degradation von Aurora-A durch die PROTACs wurden
basierend auf modifizierten Erkennungseinheiten und verbesserten Linkern untersucht.