Pre-clinical evaluation of quinoxaline-derived chalcones in tuberculosis

PLoS One. 2018 Aug 16;13(8):e0202568. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0202568. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

New effective compounds for tuberculosis treatment are needed. This study evaluated the effects of a series of quinoxaline-derived chalcones against laboratorial strains and clinical isolates of M. tuberculosis. Six molecules, namely N5, N9, N10, N15, N16, and N23 inhibited the growth of the M. tuberculosis H37Rv laboratorial strain. The three compounds (N9, N15 and N23) with the lowest MIC values were further tested against clinical isolates and laboratory strains with mutations in katG or inhA genes. From these data, N9 was selected as the lead compound for further investigation. Importantly, this chalcone displayed a synergistic effect when combined with moxifloxacin. Noteworthy, the anti-tubercular effects of N9 did not rely on inhibition of mycolic acids synthesis, circumventing important mechanisms of resistance. Interactions with cytochrome P450 isoforms and toxic effects were assessed in silico and in vitro. The chalcone N9 was not predicted to elicit any mutagenic, genotoxic, irritant, or reproductive effects, according to in silico analysis. Additionally, N9 did not cause mutagenicity or genotoxicity, as revealed by Salmonella/microsome and alkaline comet assays, respectively. Moreover, N9 did not inhibit the cytochrome P450 isoforms CYP3A4/5, CYP2C9, and CYP2C19. N9 can be considered a potential lead molecule for development of a new anti-tubercular therapeutic agent.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antitubercular Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / genetics
  • Catalase / genetics
  • Chalcones / pharmacology*
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C19 / genetics
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C9 / genetics
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A / genetics
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / genetics
  • Humans
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Mutation
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / drug effects*
  • Mycobacterium tuberculosis / pathogenicity
  • Mycolic Acids / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Oxidoreductases / genetics
  • Quinoxalines / pharmacology
  • Tuberculosis / drug therapy*
  • Tuberculosis / genetics
  • Tuberculosis / microbiology
  • Tuberculosis / pathology

Substances

  • Antitubercular Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Chalcones
  • Mycolic Acids
  • Quinoxalines
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System
  • Oxidoreductases
  • Catalase
  • katG protein, Mycobacterium tuberculosis
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C9
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP2C19
  • Cytochrome P-450 CYP3A
  • InhA protein, Mycobacterium

Grants and funding

This work was supported by Banco Nacional de Desenvolvimento Econômico e Social (BNDES) [grant number 14.2.0914.1], National Institute of Science and Technology on Tuberculosis (Decit/SCTIE/MS-MCT-CNPq-FNDCT-CAPES), FINEP [research grant “Implantação, Modernização e Qualificação de Estrutura de Pesquisa da PUCRS” – PUCRSINFRA - # 01.11.0014-00], and National Council for Scientific and Technological Development of Brazil (CNPq) [grant number 441720/2014-5 to A.D.V., and grant number 404440/2016-9 to V.S.R.-J.]. L.A.B. and M.M.C. are research career awardees of the CNPq. H.R.M. is Principal Investigator of CIUNR (Consejo de Investigaciones de la Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Argentina).