Interactions of quinoline antimalarial drugs with ferrihaem : structural and kinetic insights into the inhibition of malaria pigment formation

Thesis (PhD)--Stellenbosch University, 2013.ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The work in this dissertation provides structural and kinetic insight into the mechanism of action of quinoline antimalarial drugs which may aid rational drug design. Quinoline antimalarial drug-ferrihaem (Fe(III)PPIX) complexes were investigated. Single crystal Xray diffraction (SCD) structures of the complexes formed between Fe(III)PPIX and the quinoline methanol antimalarials quinine, quinidine and mefloquine have been determined, and are the first observed structures of complexes formed between free Fe(III)PPIX and quinoline antimalarial compounds. Quinine, quinidine and mefloquine are shown to have a three-point binding mode to Fe(III)PPIX, which comprises direct coordination of the drug to the Fe(III) centre through its benzylic alcohol functionality, π-stacking between the drug and porphyrin aromatic systems, and intramolecular hydrogen bond formation between the porphyrin propionate group and the protonated quinuclidine nitrogen atom of the drug in the case of quinine and quinidine, and formation of an intramolecular hydrogen bonding network in the case of mefloquine. Extended X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) was use to elucidate structural information of Fe(III)PPIX-drug complexes in solution, and indicates that coordination persists in solution. The protocol for lipid-mediated formation of β-haematin, where monopalmitic glycerol was used as a model lipid, was successfully modified to incorporate antimalarial drugs into the aqueous layer in order to investigate drug activity under biologically-relevant conditions. Four compounds were chosen, namely chloroquine and amodiaquine, both 4- aminoquinolines and quinine and quinidine. IC50 values for the inhibition of β-haematin formation show good correlation with biological activities determined against a chloroquine-sensitive Plasmodium falciparum strain. The lipid-water interface system was further used to investigate the effects of quinine, quinidine chloroquine and amodiaquine on the kinetics of β-haematin formation. The results led to the development of a kinetic model based on the Avrami equation and the Langmuir isotherm. The data strongly support a mechanism of antimalarial drug action by adsorption to the growing face of haemozoin, with precipitation of Fe(III)PPIX at high drug concentrations accounting for decreased yields. Adsorptions constants (log Kads) determined for each drug show a strong correlation with biological activity. Finally, the first SCD structure of the μ-propionato dimer of Fe(III)PPIX, the structural unit of haemozoin, has been determined as its DMSO solvate. EXAFS suggests that this species is only formed upon nucleation, with the π-π dimer species being favoured in solution.AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die werk in die dissertasie verleen struktuur en kinetiese insig in the meganisme van aktiwiteit vir kinolien antimalariamiddels wat kan bydra tot die ontwikkeling van nuwe medisyne. Kinolien antimalariamiddel-ferriheem (Fe(III)PPIX) komplekse was ondersoek. Navorsing is gedoen op die enkelkristal X-straaldiffraksie strukture van die komplekse gevorm tussen Fe(III)PPIX en die kinolien metanol antimalaria middels kinien, kinidien en mefloquine. Die strukture is die eerste komplekse wat waargeneem is tussen vrye Fe(III)PPIX en kinolien antimalariamiddels. Kinien, kinidien en mefloquine het ʼn driepunt bindingsvorm, direkte koördinasie met die Fe(III) deur die bensielalkohol groep, ʼn π- stapel tussen die middel en die porfirien aromatiese sisteem, ʼn intramolekulêre waterstofbinding tussen the porfirienpropionaat funksie en die geprotoneerde kinuklidien stikstofatoom (kinien en kinidien) en ʼn netwerk van intramolekulêre waterstof bindings (mefloquine) insluit. Uitgebreide X-straal absorpsie fyn struktuur spektroskopie (EXAFS) is gebruik om inligting oor Fe(III)PPIX-middel komplekse in oplossing te verkry en het aangedui dat die koördinasie in oplossing voorkom. Deur gebruik te maak van monopalmitiengliserol as die lipid in the lipid-water interfase sisteem, waar antimalariamiddels suksesvol in die buffer geïnkorporeer was, was die middel se aktiwiteit onder biologiese kondisies geondersoek. Vier middels was gekies naamlik, chloroquine en amodiaquine, albei 4-aminokinoliene en kinien en kinidien om die IC50-waarde vir inhibisie van β-hematien vorming te bepaal. Die IC50 waardes het ʼn goeie korrelasie met biologiese aktiwiteite teen die chloroquine-sensitiewe Plasmodium falciparum stam gewys. Die lipid-water interfase-sisteem was ook gebruik om die effek van kinien, kinidien, chloroquine en amodiaquine op die kineties effek op die vorming van β-hematien te ondersoek. Die resultate het gelei to die ontwikkeling van die kinetiese model gebaseer op die Avrami vergelyking en die Langmuir isoterm. Die data ondersteun ʼn meganisme van middel aksie waar die middel teen die groeiende vlak van hemosoïen kristal adsorbeer. Die neerslag van Fe(III)PPIX wat vorm by hoë konsentrasies, het gelei tot laer opbrengste. Die adsorpsiekonstante (log Kads) bepaal vir elke middel, het goeie korrelasie met biologiese aktiwiteit getoon. Enkelkristal X-straaldiffraksie strukture van μ- propionatodimeer van Fe(III)PPIX, die struktuur eenheid van hemosoïen, was bepaal as ʼn DMSO solvaat. EXAFS het aangedui dat die spesie slegs by kernvorming ontstaan en dat die π-π dimeerspesie in oplossing voorkom

Iron(III) Protoporphyrin IX Complexes of the Antimalarial <i>Cinchona</i> Alkaloids Quinine and Quinidine

The antimalarial properties of the <i>Cinchona</i> alkaloids quinine and quinidine have been known for decades. Surprisingly, 9-epiquinine and 9-epiquinidine are almost inactive. A lack of definitive structural information has precluded a clear understanding of the relationship between molecular structure and biological activity. In the current study, we have determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction the structures of the complexes formed between quinine and quinidine and iron­(III) protoporphyrin IX (Fe­(III)­PPIX). Coordination of the alkaloid to the Fe­(III) center is a key feature of both complexes, and further stability is provided by an intramolecular hydrogen bond formed between a propionate side chain of Fe­(III)­PPIX and the protonated quinuclidine nitrogen atom of either alkaloid. These interactions are believed to be responsible for inhibiting the incorporation of Fe­(III)­PPIX into crystalline hemozoin during its <i>in vivo</i> detoxification. It is also possible to rationalize the greater activity of quinidine compared to that of quinine

The Single Crystal X‑ray Structure of β‑Hematin DMSO Solvate Grown in the Presence of Chloroquine, a β‑Hematin Growth-Rate Inhibitor

Single crystals of solvated β-hematin were grown from a DMSO solution containing the antimalarial drug chloroquine, a known inhibitor of β-hematin formation. In addition, a kinetics study employing biomimetic lipid–water emulsion conditions was undertaken to further investigate the effect of chloroquine and quinidine on the formation of β-hematin. Scanning electron microscopy shows that the external morphology of the β-hematin DMSO solvate crystals is almost indistinguishable from that of malaria pigment (hemozoin), and single crystal X-ray diffraction confirms the presence of μ-propionato coordination dimers of iron­(III) protoporphyrin IX. The free propionic acid functional groups of adjacent dimers hydrogen bond to included DMSO molecules, rather than forming carboxylic acid dimers. The observed exponential kinetics were modeled using the Avrami equation, with an Avrami constant equal to 1. The decreased rate of β-hematin formation observed at low concentrations of both drugs could be accounted for by assuming a mechanism of drug adsorption to sites on the fastest growing face of β-hematin. This behavior was modeled using the Langmuir isotherm. Higher concentrations of drug resulted in decreased final yields of β-hematin, and an irreversible drug-induced precipitation of iron­(III) protoporphyrin IX was postulated to account for this. The model permits determination of the equilibrium adsorption constant (<i>K</i>_ads). The values for chloroquine (log <i>K</i>_ads = 5.55 ± 0.03) and quinidine (log <i>K</i>_ads = 4.92 ± 0.01) suggest that the approach may be useful as a relative probe of the mechanism of action of novel antimalarial compounds

The Effects of Quinoline and Non-Quinoline Inhibitors on the Kinetics of Lipid-Mediated β‑Hematin Crystallization

The throughput of a biomimetic lipid-mediated assay used to investigate the effects of inhibitors on the kinetics of β-hematin formation has been optimized through the use of 24-well microplates. The rate constant for β-hematin formation mediated by monopalmitoyl-<i>rac</i>-glycerol was reduced from 0.17 ± 0.04 min^–1 previously measured in Falcon tubes to 0.019 ± 0.002 min^–1 in the optimized assay. While this necessitated longer incubation times, transferring aliquots from multiple 24-well plates to a single 96-well plate for final absorbance measurements actually improved the overall turnaround time per inhibitor. This assay has been applied to investigate the effects of four clinically relevant antimalarial drugs (chloroquine, amodiaquine, quinidine, and quinine) as well as several short-chain 4-aminoquinoline derivatives and non-quinoline (benzamide) compounds on the kinetics of β-hematin formation. The adsorption strength of these inhibitors to crystalline β-hematin (<i>K</i>_ads) was quantified using a theoretical kinetic model that is based on the Avrami equation and the Langmuir isotherm. Statistically significant linear correlations between lipid-mediated β-hematin inhibitory activity and <i>K</i>_ads values for quinoline (<i>r</i>² = 0.76, <i>P</i>-value = 0.0046) and non-quinoline compounds (<i>r</i>² = 0.99, <i>P</i>-stat = 0.0006), as well as between parasite inhibitory activity (D10) and <i>K</i>_ads values for quinoline antimalarial drugs and short-chain chloroquine derivatives (<i>r</i>² = 0.64, <i>P</i>-value = 0.0098), provide a strong indication that drug action involves adsorption to the surface of β-hematin crystals. Independent support in this regard is provided by experiments that spectrophotometrically monitor the direct adsorption of antimalarial drugs to preformed β-hematin