High-throughput screening of the Plasmodium falciparum cGMP-dependent protein kinase identified a thiazole scaffold which kills erythrocytic and sexual stage parasites

Sci Rep. 2019 May 7;9(1):7005. doi: 10.1038/s41598-019-42801-x.

Abstract

Antimalarial drug resistance compels the quest for new compounds that target alternative pathways to current drugs. The Plasmodium cyclic GMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) has essential functions in all of the major life cycle developmental stages. An imidazopyridine PKG inhibitor scaffold was previously shown to clear P. falciparum infection in a rodent model in vivo and blocked transmission to mosquitoes providing proof of concept for this target. To find new classes of PKG inhibitors to serve as alternative chemical starting points, we performed a high-throughput screen of the GSK Full Diversity Collection using recombinant P. falciparum PKG. We developed a robust enzymatic assay in a 1536-well plate format. Promising compounds were then tested for activity against P. falciparum asexual blood stage growth, selectivity and cytotoxicity. By using a scoring system we selected the 66 most promising PKG inhibitors (comprising nine clusters and seven singletons). Among these, thiazoles were the most potent scaffold with mid-nanomolar activity on P. falciparum blood stage and gamete development. Using Kinobeads profiling we identified additional P. falciparum protein kinases targeted by the thiazoles that mediate a faster speed of the kill than PKG-selective compounds. This scaffold represents a promising starting point to develop a new antimalarial.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases / metabolism*
  • Erythrocytes / drug effects
  • Erythrocytes / parasitology
  • Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / drug effects
  • Hep G2 Cells
  • High-Throughput Screening Assays
  • Humans
  • Life Cycle Stages / drug effects
  • Molecular Structure
  • Parasitic Sensitivity Tests
  • Plasmodium falciparum / drug effects
  • Plasmodium falciparum / enzymology
  • Plasmodium falciparum / growth & development*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Protozoan Proteins / metabolism
  • Thiazoles / chemistry
  • Thiazoles / pharmacology*

Substances

  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Protozoan Proteins
  • Thiazoles
  • Cyclic GMP-Dependent Protein Kinases