Synthesis of metallo-B-lactamases inhibitors to fight the bacterial resistance to B-lactam antibiotics

La propagation de bactéries à Gram négatif multirésistantes aux antibiotiques représente un problème de santé publique majeur urgent à résoudre car le risque d’un retour à l’ère pré-antibiotique est réel. Parmi les modes de résistance existant, la production de métallo-B-lactamases (MBLs) responsables de l’inactivation des B-lactamines, la famille d’antibiotiques la plus utilisée, représente un challenge thérapeutique.Les travaux décrits dans ce manuscrit concernent la synthèse, la caractérisation et l’évaluation biologique de composés construits autour d’un cœur 2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thione substitués en deux positions. En se basant sur des études de criblage in silico et des études cristallographiques ayant permis d’identifier ce noyau comme un bon candidat dans le développement d’inhibiteurs de MBLs, la synthèse de différentes séries d’analogues a été entreprise afin d’identifier de nouveaux inhibiteurs pouvant potentiellement atteindre les tests cliniques.Dans un premier temps, une série de composés 4-amino-1,2,4-triazole-3-thione substitués en position 5 a été préparée en suivant des voies de synthèse classiques. Différentes séries ont ensuite été développées en introduisant une diversité structurale et fonctionnelle en position 4. Ces composés ont ensuite été testés sur des enzymes représentatives des 3 sous-classes de MBLs et les plus intéressants ont été évalués sur bactéries résistantes recombinantes.Afin de réaliser une évaluation rapide des produits synthétisés au sein du laboratoire, une méthode de criblage à moyen débit en plaque 96 puits sur cinq MBLs représentatives a été mise au point et validée grâce à l’appui de nos collaborateurs spécialistes des MBLs.The spread of multiresistant Gram negative bacteria is a growing threat to public health and the risk of return to the pre-antibiotic era is real. Among existing resistance modes, the production of metallo-B-lactamases (MBLs) responsible of the inactivation of B-lactams, the most used family of antibiotics, represents a therapeutical challenge.This manuscript describes the synthesis, characterization and biological evaluation of compounds built on a 2,4-dihydro-3H-1,2,4-triazole-3-thione scaffold substituted on two positions. Based on previous in silico screening and crystallographic studies, which identified this structure as a good candidate for MBLs inhibition, several series have been developed to found new inhibitors that could potentially be amenable to clinical development.First, 1,2,4-triazole-3-thione compounds substituted at position 5 have been prepared following classical pathways. Then, several series have been developed where the structural and functional diversity was introduced at position 4. Compounds have been tested on representative MBLs of the three sub-classes and the most interesting ones on recombinant resistant bacteria.To perform a rapid screening of compounds in the laboratory, a method of medium throughput screening inhibition tests on five MBLs performed in 96-wells plate has also been developed and validated during this study with the help of our collaborators specialists of MBL

1,2,4-Triazole-3-thione analogues with an arylakyl group at position 4 as metallo-β-lactamase inhibitors

International audienceMetallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) represent an increasingly serious threat to public health because of their increased prevalence worldwide in relevant opportunistic Gram-negative pathogens. MBLs efficiently inactivate widely used and most valuable β-lactam antibiotics, such as oxyiminocephalosporins (ceftriaxone, ceftazidime) and the last-resort carbapenems. To date, no MBL inhibitor has been approved for therapeutic applications. We are developing inhibitors characterized by a 1,2,4-triazole-3-thione scaffold as an original zinc ligand and few promising series were already reported. Here, we present the synthesis and evaluation of a new series of compounds characterized by the presence of an arylalkyl substituent at position 4 of the triazole ring. The alkyl link was mainly an ethylene, but a few compounds without alkyl or with an alkyl group of various lengths up to a butyl chain were also synthesized. Some compounds in both sub-series were micromolar to submicromolar inhibitors of tested VIM-type MBLs. A few of them were broad-spectrum inhibitors, as they showed significant inhibitory activity on NDM-1 and, to a lesser extent, IMP-1. Among these, several inhibitors were able to significantly reduce the meropenem MIC on VIM-1- and VIM-4- producing clinical isolates by up to 16-fold. In addition, ACE inhibition was absent or moderate and one promising compound did not show toxicity toward HeLa cells at concentrations up to 250 μM. This series represents a promising basis for further exploration. Finally, molecular modelling of representative compounds in complex with VIM-2 was performed to study their binding mode

1,2,4-Triazole-3-Thione Analogues with a 2-Ethylbenzoic Acid at Position 4 as VIM-type Metallo-β-Lactamase Inhibitors

peer reviewedMetallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) are increasingly involved as a major mechanism of resistance to carbapenems in relevant opportunistic Gram-negative pathogens. Unfortunately, clinically efficient MBL inhibitors still represent an unmet medical need. We previously reported several series of compounds based on the 1,2,4-triazole-3-thione scaffold. In particular, Schiff bases formed between diversely 5-substituted-4-amino com pounds and 2-carboxybenzaldehyde were broad-spectrum inhibitors of VIM-type, NDM-1 and IMP-1 MBLs. Unfortunately, these compounds were unable to restore antibiotic suscepti bility of MBL-producing bacteria, probably because of poor penetration and/or susceptibility to hydrolysis. To improve their microbiological activity, we synthesized and characterized compounds where the hydrazone-like bond of the Schiff base analogues was replaced by a stable ethyl link. This small change resulted in a narrower inhibition spectrum, as all compounds were poorly or not inhibiting NDM-1 and IMP-1, but showed a significantly better activity on VIM-type enzymes, with Ki values in the μM to sub-μM range. The resolution of the crystallo graphic structure of VIM-2 in complex with one of the best inhibitors yielded valuable information about their binding mode. Interestingly, several compounds were shown to restore the β-lactam susceptibility of VIM-type-producing E. coli labo ratory strains and also of K. pneumoniae clinical isolates. In addition, selected compounds were found to be devoid of toxicity toward human cancer cells at high concentration, thus showing promising safety