Novel Terminal Bipheny-Based Diapophytoene Desaturases (CrtN) Inhibitors as Anti-MRSA/VISR/LRSA Agents with Reduced hERG Activity

J Med Chem. 2018 Jan 11;61(1):224-250. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b01300. Epub 2017 Dec 28.

Abstract

CrtN has been identified as an attractive and druggable target for treating pigmented Staphylococcus aureus infections. More than 100 new compounds were synthesized, which target the overwhelming the defects of the CrtN inhibitor 1. Analogues 23a and 23b demonstrated a significant activity against pigmented S. aureus Newman and 13 MRSA strains (IC50 = 0.02-10.5 nM), along with lower hERG inhibition (IC50 > 30 μM, ∼10-fold decrease in comparison with 1). Furthermore, 23a and 23b were confirmed to reduce the staphylococcal load in the kidney and heart in a mouse model with normal treatment deeper than pretreatment ones, comparable even with vancomycin and linezolid. Remarkably, 23a could strongly block the pigment biosynthesis of these nine multidrug-resistant MRSA strains, including excellent activity against LRSA strains and VISA strains in vivo, and all of which demonstrated that 23a has a huge potential against intractable MRSA, VISA, and LRSA issues as a therapeutic drug.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Drug Design*
  • ERG1 Potassium Channel / metabolism*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / adverse effects
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacokinetics
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • Humans
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects*
  • Mice
  • Oxidoreductases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Rats
  • Safety
  • Solubility
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Water / chemistry

Substances

  • ERG1 Potassium Channel
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • KCNH2 protein, human
  • Water
  • Oxidoreductases
  • phytoene dehydrogenase