In vitro activity of LK-157, a novel tricyclic carbapenem as broad-spectrum {beta}-lactamase inhibitor.

LK-157 is a novel tricyclic carbapenem with potent activity against class A and class C beta-lactamases. When tested against the purified TEM-1 and SHV-1 enzymes, LK-157 exhibited 50% inhibitory concentrations (IC(50)s) in the ranges of the clavulanic acid and tazobactam IC(50)s (55 nM and 151 nM, respectively). Moreover, LK-157 significantly inhibited AmpC beta-lactamase (IC(50), 62 nM), as LK-157 was >2,000-fold more potent than clavulanic acid and approximately 28-fold more active than tazobactam. The in vitro activities of LK-157 in combination with amoxicillin, piperacillin, ceftazidime, cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, cefepime, cefpirome, and aztreonam against an array of Ambler class A (TEM-, SHV-, CTX-M-, KPC-, PER-, BRO-, and PC-type)- and class C-producing bacterial strains derived from clinical settings were evaluated in synergism experiments and compared with those of clavulanic acid, tazobactam, and sulbactam. In vitro MICs against ESBL-producing strains (except CTX-M-containing strains) were reduced 2- to >256-fold, and those against AmpC-producing strains were reduced even up to >32-fold. The lowest MICs (< or =0.025 to 1.6 microg/ml) were observed for the combination of cefepime and cefpirome with a constant LK-157 concentration of 4 microg/ml, thus raising an interest for further development. LK-157 proved to be a potent beta-lactamase inhibitor, combining activity against class A and class C beta-lactamases, which is an absolute necessity for use in the clinical setting due to the worldwide increasing prevalence of bacterial strains resistant to beta-lactam antibiotics.

In silico fragment-based discovery of indolin-2-one analogues as potent DNA gyrase inhibitors.

We describe here the fragment-based design of potent DNA gyrase inhibitors. Using the tools of virtual screening and NMR spectroscopy we identified the binding of two low-molecular weight fragments (2-aminobenzimidazole and indolin-2-one) to the 24kDa N-terminal fragment of DNA gyrase B. Further in silico optimization of indolin-2-one led to the discovery of potent DNA gyrase inhibitors.

Novel non-covalent thrombin inhibitors incorporating P(1) 4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzothiazole arginine side chain mimetics.

The design, synthesis and biological activity of a series of novel non-covalent D-Phe-Pro-Arg motif-based thrombin inhibitors incorporating 4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzothiazol-2-amine as a novel arginine surrogate are described. Compound 9, the most potent in the series of thrombin inhibitors, exhibited an in vitro K(i) of 128 nM and 342-fold selectivity against trypsin. The binding mode of this novel class of thrombin inhibitors in the enzyme active site, based on the X-ray crystal structure of compound 9 co-crystallized with human alpha-thrombin, is discussed.

Thrombin inhibitors built on an azaphenylalanine scaffold.

A series of azaphenylalanine derivatives were investigated as novel thrombin inhibitors based on the prodrug principle. By systematic structural modifications we have identified optimal groups for this series that led us to potent inhibitors of thrombin incorporating the benzamidine fragment at the P1 position, and their potentially orally active benzamidoxime prodrugs. The binding modes in the thrombin active site of two representative compounds were identified by X-ray crystallographic analysis.

Quantitative structure-activity relationships of alpha1 adrenergic antagonists.

A quantitative structure-activity relationship study with respect to selectivity for alpha1 adrenoreceptor subtypes (alpha1a, alpha1b and alpha1d) of a wide series of structurally heterogeneous alpha1 adrenoreceptor antagonists has been performed. A large variety of molecular descriptors have been calculated and then analyzed by a heuristic method. The orthogonalization of the descriptors has been applied to build the QSAR equations. Ad hoc defined shape descriptors calculated by the Connolly algorithm with respect to reference supermolecules have also been considered in the rationalization of the mechanism of the activity of the ligands acting as antagonists on all three subtypes of alpha1 adrenoreceptors.

Selective 3-amino-2-pyridinone acetamide thrombin inhibitors incorporating weakly basic partially saturated heterobicyclic P1-arginine mimetics.

Novel, highly selective and potent thrombin inhibitors were identified as a result of combing the 3-benzylsulfonylamino-2-pyridinone acetamide P(2)-P(3) surrogate with weakly basic partially saturated heterobicyclic P(1)-arginine mimetics 1-8. The design, synthesis, biological activity, and the binding modes of non-covalent thrombin inhibitors featuring P(1)-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindazole, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinazoline, and 4,5,6,7-tetrahydrobenzothiazole moieties are described.

Characterization of quercetin binding site on DNA gyrase.

Gyrases are DNA topology modifying enzymes present only in prokaryotes which makes them an attractive target for antibacterial drugs. Quercetin, one of the most abundant natural flavonoids, inhibits supercoiling activity of bacterial gyrase and induces DNA cleavage. It has been generally assumed that the mechanism of flavonoid inhibition is based on interaction with DNA. We show that quercetin binds to the 24 kDa fragment of gyrase B of Escherichia coli with a K(D) value of 15 microM and inhibits ATPase activity of gyrase B. Its binding site overlaps with ATP binding pocket and could be competitively replaced by either ATP or novobiocin. The structural model of quercetin-gyrase complex was prepared, based on the close similarity with ATP and quercetin binding sites of the src family tyrosine kinase Hck. We propose that quercetin inhibits gyrases through two different mechanisms based either on interaction with DNA or with ATP binding site of gyrase.

Novel thrombin inhibitors incorporating non-basic partially saturated heterobicyclic P1-arginine mimetics.

The design, synthesis and biological activity of non-covalent thrombin inhibitors incorporating 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindazole, 2-methyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydroindazole, 4,5,6,7-tetrahydroisoindole, 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinazoline and 5,6,7,8-tetrahydroquinazolin-2-amine as novel, partially saturated, heterobicyclic P(1)-arginine side-chain mimetics is described. The binding mode of the most potent candidate in the series co-crystallized with human alpha-thrombin, which exhibited an in vitro K(i) of 140nM and more that 478-fold selectivity against trypsin, is discussed.

Thermolysis of 2,4,6-trichlorophenol chemisorbed on aluminium oxides as example of fly ash mediated surface catalysis reaction in PCDD/PCDF formation.

The influence of aluminium cation as a strong electrophilic centre on the thermolysis of chlorophenols chemisorbed on Al(OH)3 surface was investigated. If thermolysis is carried out at 300 degrees C the spontaneous rupture of the bond between aluminium and oxygen of phenol takes place in the temperature range of 260-280 degrees C. The thermolysis of chlorophenoxy aluminium compounds occurs through homolytic and heterolytic bond cleavage. In the case of heterolytic cleavage the leaving chlorophenoxy anion causes a simultaneous formation of the aluminium cation, which is the driving force for the rearrangement of the unstable intermediate. By homolytic cleavage of the Al-O bond the chlorophenoxy radical is formed. The isolation of reaction products of the thermolysis of the system AI(OH)3/2,4,6-trichlorophenol gave five isomers of dimeric compounds of resonance stabilised 2,4,6-trichlorophenoxy radical. The compounds are stable in nonaqueous, aprotic solution, but they are very sensitive to acid catalysis. They quickly transform into aromatic hydroxydiphenyl ethers. The process of dechlorination and aromatisation of cyclohexadienone dimers gives PCDD/PCDF.