In silico identification of essential proteins in Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis based on protein-protein interaction networks

Background Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis (Cp) is a gram-positive bacterium that is classified into equi and ovis serovars. The serovar ovis is the etiological agent of caseous lymphadenitis, a chronic infection affecting sheep and goats, causing economic losses due to carcass condemnation and decreased production of meat, wool, and milk. Current diagnosis or treatment protocols are not fully effective and, thus, require further research of Cp pathogenesis. Results Here, we mapped known protein-protein interactions (PPI) from various species to nine Cp strains to reconstruct parts of the potential Cp interactome and to identify potentially essential proteins serving as putative drug targets. On average, we predict 16,669 interactions for each of the nine strains (with 15,495 interactions shared among all strains). An in silico sanity check suggests that the potential networks were not formed by spurious interactions but have a strong biological bias. With the inferred Cp networks we identify 181 essential proteins, among which 41 are non-host homologous. Conclusions The list of candidate interactions of the Cp strains lay the basis for developing novel hypotheses and designing according wet-lab studies. The non-host homologous essential proteins are attractive targets for therapeutic and diagnostic proposes. They allow for searching of small molecule inhibitors of binding interactions enabling modern drug discovery. Overall, the predicted Cp PPI networks form a valuable and versatile tool for researchers interested in Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis

Ortho-nitrobenzyl derivatives as potential anti-schistosomal agents

In the search for new anti-schistosomal agents, a series of fifteen ortho-nitrobenzyl derivatives was assayed in vitro against both the schistosomulum (somule) and adult forms of Schistosoma mansoni. Compounds 8 and 12 showed significant activity against somules at low micromolar concentrations, but none was active against adults. The SAR demonstrated that the compounds most active against the parasite were mutagenic to the human cell line RKO-AS45-1 only at concentrations 10- to 40-fold higher than the worm-killing dose. Given their electrophilicity, compounds were also screened as inhibitors of the S. mansoni cysteine protease (cathepsin B1) in vitro. Amides 5 and 15 exhibited a modest inhibition activity with values of 55.7 and 50.6 % at 100 µM, respectively. The nitrobenzyl compounds evaluated in this work can be regarded as hits in the search for more active and safe anti-schistosomal agents

2-Pyridyl thiazoles as novel anti-Trypanosoma cruzi agents: structural design, synthesis and pharmacological evaluation

The present work reports on the synthesis, anti-Trypanosoma cruzi activities and docking studies of a novel series of 2-(pyridin-2-yl)-1,3- thiazoles derived from 2-pyridine thiosemicarbazone. The majority of these compounds are potent cruzain inhibitors and showed excellent inhibition on the trypomastigote form of the parasite, and the resulting structure-activity relationships are discussed. Together, these data present a novel series of thiazolyl hydrazones with potential effects against Chagas disease and they could be important leads in continuing development against Chagas disease

Rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART): Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is associated with high in-hospital mortality. Alveolar recruitment followed by ventilation at optimal titrated PEEP may reduce ventilator-induced lung injury and improve oxygenation in patients with ARDS, but the effects on mortality and other clinical outcomes remain unknown. This article reports the rationale, study design, and analysis plan of the Alveolar Recruitment for ARDS Trial (ART). Methods/Design: ART is a pragmatic, multicenter, randomized (concealed), controlled trial, which aims to determine if maximum stepwise alveolar recruitment associated with PEEP titration is able to increase 28-day survival in patients with ARDS compared to conventional treatment (ARDSNet strategy). We will enroll adult patients with ARDS of less than 72 h duration. The intervention group will receive an alveolar recruitment maneuver, with stepwise increases of PEEP achieving 45 cmH(2)O and peak pressure of 60 cmH2O, followed by ventilation with optimal PEEP titrated according to the static compliance of the respiratory system. In the control group, mechanical ventilation will follow a conventional protocol (ARDSNet). In both groups, we will use controlled volume mode with low tidal volumes (4 to 6 mL/kg of predicted body weight) and targeting plateau pressure <= 30 cmH2O. The primary outcome is 28-day survival, and the secondary outcomes are: length of ICU stay; length of hospital stay; pneumothorax requiring chest tube during first 7 days; barotrauma during first 7 days; mechanical ventilation-free days from days 1 to 28; ICU, in-hospital, and 6-month survival. ART is an event-guided trial planned to last until 520 events (deaths within 28 days) are observed. These events allow detection of a hazard ratio of 0.75, with 90% power and two-tailed type I error of 5%. All analysis will follow the intention-to-treat principle. Discussion: If the ART strategy with maximum recruitment and PEEP titration improves 28-day survival, this will represent a notable advance to the care of ARDS patients. Conversely, if the ART strategy is similar or inferior to the current evidence-based strategy (ARDSNet), this should also change current practice as many institutions routinely employ recruitment maneuvers and set PEEP levels according to some titration method.Hospital do Coracao (HCor) as part of the Program 'Hospitais de Excelencia a Servico do SUS (PROADI-SUS)'Brazilian Ministry of Healt

Computational drug design strategies applied to the modelling of human immunodeficiency virus-1 reverse transcriptase inhibitors

Reverse transcriptase (RT) is a multifunctional enzyme in the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-1 life cycle and represents a primary target for drug discovery efforts against HIV-1 infection. Two classes of RT inhibitors, the nucleoside RT inhibitors (NRTIs) and the nonnucleoside transcriptase inhibitors are prominently used in the highly active antiretroviral therapy in combination with other anti-HIV drugs. However, the rapid emergence of drug-resistant viral strains has limited the successful rate of the anti-HIV agents. Computational methods are a significant part of the drug design process and indispensable to study drug resistance. In this review, recent advances in computer-aided drug design for the rational design of new compounds against HIV-1 RT using methods such as molecular docking, molecular dynamics, free energy calculations, quantitative structure-activity relationships, pharmacophore modelling and absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity prediction are discussed. Successful applications of these methodologies are also highlighted

Structural basis for the interaction and processing of β-Lactam antibiotics by l,d-transpeptidase 3 (LdtMt3) from mycobacterium tuberculosis

Targeting Mycobacterium tuberculosis peptidoglycans with β-lactam antibiotics represents a strategy to address increasing resistance to antitubercular drugs. β-Lactams inhibit peptidoglycan synthases such as l,d-transpeptidases, a group of carbapenem-sensitive enzymes that stabilize peptidoglycans through 3 → 3 cross-links. M. tuberculosis encodes five l,d-transpeptidases (LdtMt1–5), of which LdtMt3 is one of the less understood. Herein, we structurally characterized the apo and faropenem-acylated forms of LdtMt3 at 1.3 and 1.8 Å resolution, respectively. These structures revealed a fold and catalytic diad similar to those of other LdtsMt enzymes, supporting its involvement in transpeptidation reactions despite divergences in active site size and charges. The LdtMt3–faropenem structure indicated that faropenem is degraded after Cys-246 acylation, and possibly only a β-OH-butyrate or an acetyl group (C2H3O) covalently attached to the enzyme remains, an observation that strongly supports the notion that LdtMt3 is inactivated by β-lactams. Docking simulations with intact β-lactams predicted key LdtMt3 residues that interact with these antibiotics. We also characterized the heat of acylation involved in the binding and reaction of LdtMt3 for ten β-lactams belonging to four different classes, and imipenem had the highest inactivation constant. This work provides key insights into the structure, binding mechanisms, and degradation of β-lactams by LdtMt3, which may be useful for the development of additional β-lactams with potential antitubercular activity

Atividade de detergentes e desinfetantes sobre a evolução dos ovos de Ascaris lumbricoides

A infecção por Ascaris lumbricoides decorre da ingestão de ovos embrionados deste parasita, o que justifica a pesquisa de substâncias que tenham efeito deletério sobre estes ovos. Nosso objetivo foi estudar a ação de 16 produtos detergentes e desinfetantes, de uso doméstico e laboratorial, sobre a embriogênese deste helminto. Crianças portadoras desta infecção foram tratadas com levamisol e os vermes fêmeas expelidos foram recolhidos e dissecados, para obtenção dos ovos intra-uterinos. Os ovos foram postos em contato com os produtos em diversas diluições e tempos, lavados e incubados a 28ºC, por 20 dias, para teste da viabilidade e determinação da porcentagem de embrionamento. Apenas um produto inibiu completamente o embrionamento dos ovos, em todos os tempos e diluições testados. Cinco produtos inibiram o embrionamento dos ovos em mais de 50%, seis inibiram o embrionamento em menos de 50% e três não tiveram efeito sobre o embrionamento dos ovos. Por outro lado, com um produto observou-se aumento da porcentagem de embrionamento dos ovos em relação aos controles