Improvement of Asparagine Ethylenediamines as Anti-malarial Plasmodium-Selective Proteasome Inhibitors

J Med Chem. 2019 Jul 11;62(13):6137-6145. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b00363. Epub 2019 Jun 20.

Abstract

The Plasmodium proteasome (Pf20S) emerged as a target for antimalarials. Pf20S inhibitors are active at multiple stages of the parasite life cycle and synergize with artemisinins, suggesting that Pf20S inhibitors have potential to be prophylactic, therapeutic, and transmission blocking as well as are useful for combination therapy. We recently reported asparagine ethylenediamines (AsnEDAs) as immunoproteasome inhibitors and modified AsnEDAs as selective Pf20S inhibitors. Here, we report further a structure-activity relationship study of AsnEDAs for selective inhibition of Pf20S over human proteasomes. Additionally, we show new mutation that conferred resistance to AsnEDAs and collateral sensitivity to an inhibitor of the Pf20S β2 subunit, the same as previously identified resistant mutation. This resistance could be overcome through the use of the structure-guided inhibitor design. Collateral sensitivity to inhibitors among respective proteasome subunits underscores the potential value of treating malaria with combinations of inhibitors of different proteasome subunits to minimize the emergence of drug resistance.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antimalarials / chemistry
  • Antimalarials / metabolism
  • Antimalarials / pharmacology*
  • Asparagine / chemistry
  • Asparagine / metabolism
  • Drug Resistance / drug effects
  • Drug Resistance / genetics
  • Ethylenediamines / chemistry
  • Ethylenediamines / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Malaria, Falciparum / metabolism
  • Malaria, Falciparum / parasitology
  • Malaria, Falciparum / prevention & control*
  • Mutation
  • Plasmodium falciparum / drug effects*
  • Plasmodium falciparum / genetics
  • Plasmodium falciparum / physiology
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex / genetics
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex / metabolism*
  • Proteasome Inhibitors / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Antimalarials
  • Ethylenediamines
  • Proteasome Inhibitors
  • Asparagine
  • Proteasome Endopeptidase Complex