Identifying inhibitors of the Leishmania inositol phosphorylceramide synthase with antiprotozoal activity using a yeast-based assay and ultra-high throughput screening platform

Sci Rep. 2018 Mar 2;8(1):3938. doi: 10.1038/s41598-018-22063-9.

Abstract

Leishmaniasis is a Neglected Tropical Disease caused by the insect-vector borne protozoan parasite, Leishmania species. Infection affects millions of the world's poorest, however vaccines are absent and drug therapy limited. Recently, public-private partnerships have developed to identify new modes of controlling leishmaniasis. Drug discovery is a significant part of these efforts and here we describe the development and utilization of a novel assay to identify antiprotozoal inhibitors of the Leishmania enzyme, inositol phosphorylceramide (IPC) synthase. IPC synthase is a membrane-bound protein with multiple transmembrane domains, meaning that a conventional in vitro assay using purified protein in solution is highly challenging. Therefore, we utilized Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a vehicle to facilitate ultra-high throughput screening of 1.8 million compounds. Antileishmanial benzazepanes were identified and shown to inhibit the enzyme at nanomolar concentrations. Further chemistry produced a benzazepane that demonstrated potent and specific inhibition of IPC synthase in the Leishmania cell.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antiprotozoal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Glycosphingolipids / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • High-Throughput Screening Assays / methods
  • Humans
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Leishmania / drug effects*
  • Leishmania / enzymology*
  • Saccharomyces cerevisiae / metabolism*

Substances

  • Antiprotozoal Agents
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Glycosphingolipids
  • inositolphosphorylceramide