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In order to enter and infect human cells HIV must bind to CD4 in addition to either the CXCR4 or the CCR5 chemokine receptor. AMD11070 was the first orally available small molecule antagonist of CXCR4 to enter the clinic. Herein we report the molecular pharmacology of AMD11070 which is a potent inhibitor of X4 HIV-1 replication and the gp120/CXCR4 interaction. Using the CCRF-CEM T cell line that endogenously expresses CXCR4 we have demonstrated that AMD11070 is an antagonist of SDF-1α ligand binding (IC50 = 12.5 ± 1.3 nM), inhibits SDF-1 mediated calcium flux (IC50 = 9.0 ± 2.0 nM) and SDF-1α mediated activation of the CXCR4 receptor as measured by a Eu-GTP binding assay (IC50 =39.8 ± 2.5 nM) or a [(35)S]-GTPγS binding assay (IC50 =19.0 ± 4.1 nM), and inhibits SDF-1α stimulated chemotaxis (IC50 =19.0 ± 4.0 nM). AMD11070 does not inhibit calcium flux of cells expressing CXCR3, CCR1, CCR2b, CCR4, CCR5 or CCR7, or ligand binding to CXCR7 and BLT1, demonstrating selectivity for CXCR4. In addition AMD11070 is able to inhibit the SDF-1β isoform interactions with CXCR4; and N-terminal truncated variants of CXCR4 with equal potency to wild type receptor. Further mechanistic studies indicate that AMD11070 is an allosteric inhibitor of CXCR4.

The viral resistance of marketed antiviral drugs including the emergence of new viral resistance of the only marketed CCR5 entry inhibitor, maraviroc, makes it necessary to develop new CCR5 allosteric inhibitors. A mutagenesis/modeling approach was used (a) to remove the potential hERG liability in an otherwise very promising series of compounds and (b) to design a new class of compounds with an unique mutant fingerprint profile depending on residues in the N-terminus and the extracellular loop 2. On the basis of residues, which were identified by mutagenesis as key interaction sites, binding modes of compounds were derived and utilized for compound design in a prospective manner. The compounds were then synthesized, and in vitro evaluation not only showed that they had good antiviral potency but also fulfilled the requirement of low hERG inhibition, a criterion necessary because a potential approved drug would be administered chronically. This work utilized an interdisciplinary approach including medicinal chemistry, molecular biology, and computational chemistry merging the structural requirements for potency with the requirements of an acceptable in vitro profile for allosteric CCR5 inhibitors. The obtained mutant fingerprint profiles of CCR5 inhibitors were used to translate the CCR5 allosteric binding site into a general pharmacophore, which can be used for discovering new inhibitors.

Gold(III) compounds have been examined for potential anti-cancer activity. It is proposed that the molecular targets of these compounds are thiol-containing biological molecules such as the cathepsin cysteine proteases. These enzymes have been implicated in many diseases including cancer. The catalytic mechanism of the cathepsin cysteine proteases is dependent upon a cysteine at the active site which is accessible to the interaction of thiophilic metals such as gold. The synthesis and biological activity of square-planar six-membered cycloaurated Au(III) compounds with a pyridinyl-phenyl linked backbone and two monodentate or one bidentate leaving group is described. Gold(III) cycloaurated compounds were able to inhibit both cathepsins B and K. Structure/activity was investigated by modifications to the pyridinyl-phenyl backbone, and leaving groups. Optimal activity was seen with substitution at the 6 position of the pyridine ring. The reversibility of inhibition was tested by reactivation in the presence of cysteine with a bidentate thiosalicylate compound being an irreversible inhibitor. Five compounds were evaluated for in vitro cytotoxicity against a panel of human tumor cell lines. The thiosalicylate compound was tested in vivo against the HT29 human colon tumor xenograft model. A modest decrease in tumor growth was observed compared with the untreated control tumor.

The cysteine proteases of the trypanosomatid parasitic protozoa have been validated as targets for chemotherapy of Chagas' disease and leishmaniasis. Metal complexes of gold, platinum, iridium, palladium, rhodium and osmium have been reported to have activity against a variety of trypanosomatids, but the molecular target of these compounds has not been defined. The activity of gold(III) and palladium(II) cyclometallated complexes, and oxorhenium(V) complexes against mammalian and parasitic cysteine proteases was investigated. All gold(III) complexes (1-6) inhibited cathepsin B with IC(50) values in the range of 0.2-1.4 microM. Of the six palladium compounds, aceto[2,6-bis[(butylthio-kappa S)methyl]phenyl-kappa C]-, (SP-4-3)-palladium(II) (11) was the most potent inhibitor of cathepsin B with an IC(50) of 0.4 microM. A clear structure-activity relationship was observed with the oxorhenium(V) complexes with chloro[2,2'-(thio-kappa S)bis[ethanethiolato-kappa S)]] oxorhenium(V) (16) being the most potent inhibitor of cathepsin B with an IC(50) of 0.009 microM. Six complexes were further tested against the parasite cysteine proteases, cruzain from T. cruzi, and cpB from L. major; the most potent inhibitors were the two rhenium complexes (2(1H)-pyridinethionato-kappa S(2))[2,6-bis[(mercapto-kappa S)methyl]pyridine-kappa N(1)] oxorhenium(V) (15) and chloro[2,2'-(thio-kappa S)bis[ethanethiolato-kappa S)]] oxorhenium(V) (16). The compounds were also evaluated in assays for parasite growth. Two oxorhenium(V) compounds ((p-methoxyphenylthiolato-S)[2,6-bis[(mercapto-kappa S)methyl]pyridine-kappa N(1)] oxorhenium(V) (14) and (methanethiolato)[2,2'-(thio-kappa S)bis[ethanethiolato-kappa S)]] oxorhenium (V) (18)) and the palladium compound 11 inhibited T. cruzi intracellular growth, and compound 11 inhibited promastigote growth in three Leishmania species. In conclusion this preliminary data indicates that metal complexes targeted at parasite cysteine proteases show promise for the treatment of both Chagas' disease and leishmaniasis.

CXCR4 is widely expressed in multiple cell types, and is involved in neonatal development, hematopoiesis, and lymphocyte trafficking and homing. Disruption of the CXCL12/CXCR4 interaction has been implicated in stem cell mobilization. Additionally CXCR4 is a co-receptor for HIV. Selective small molecule antagonists of CXCR4 therefore have therapeutic potential. AMD3465 is an N-pyridinylmethylene monocyclam CXCR4 antagonist which can block infection of T-tropic, CXCR4-using HIV. Using the CCRF-CEM T-cell line which expresses CXCR4 we have demonstrated that AMD3465 is an antagonist of SDF-1 ligand binding ( K i of 41.7 ± 1.2 nM), and inhibits SDF-1 mediated signaling as shown by inhibition of GTP binding, calcium flux, and inhibition of chemotaxis. AMD3465 is selective for CXCR4 and does not inhibit chemokine-stimulated calcium flux in cells expressing CXCR3, CCR1, CCR2b, CCR4, CCR5 or CCR7, nor does it inhibit binding of LTB 4 to its receptor, BLT1. The pharmacokinetics of AMD3465 was investigated in mice and dogs. Absorption was rapid following subcutaneous administration. AMD3465 was cleared from dog plasma in a biphasic manner with a terminal half-life of 1.56–4.63 h. Comparison of exposure to the intravenous and subcutaneous doses indicated 100% bioavailability following subcutaneous administration. AMD3465 caused leukocytosis when administered subcutaneously in mice and dogs, with peak mobilization occurring between 0.5 and 1.5 h following subcutaneous dosing in mice and with maximum peak plasma concentration of compound preceding peak mobilization in dogs, indicating that AMD3465 has the potential to mobilize hematopoietic stem cells. These data demonstrate the therapeutic potential for the CXCR4 antagonist AMD3465.

The preparation of a series of [Ru(III)(tacn)(eta(2)-dtc)(eta(1)-dtc)][PF(6)] (tacn = 1,4,7-triazacyclononane; dtc = dimethyldithiocarbamate, diethyldithiocarbamate, pyrrolidinedithiocarbamate, l-prolinedithiocarbamate, l-prolinemethyl ester dithiocarbamate, l-N-methylisoleucinedithiocarbamate) complexes, 5-11, is described. Complex 5 reacts with NO to form the ruthenium nitrosyl complex 12. A series of [Ru(III)(tacn)(pyc)Cl][PF(6)] (pyc = 2-pyridinecarboxylic acid, 2,4- and 2,6-pyridinecarboxylic acid) complexes, 14-16, were prepared along with [Ru(III)(tacn)(mida)][PF(6)] (mida = N-methyliminodiacetic acid), 13, and [Ru(III)(Hnota)Cl], 17, (Hnota = 1-acetic acid-4,7-bismethylcarboxylate-1,4,7-triazacyclononane). Complexes 5-17 were evaluated for use as NO scavengers in an in vitro assay using RAW264 murine macrophage cells. [Ru(III)(tacn)(eta(2)-dtc)(eta(1)-dtc)][PF(6)] complexes 5-11 are very efficient NO scavengers in this assay.

A previous study (S. H. Goh et al., J. Clin. Microbiol. 34:818-823, 1996) demonstrated that a 600-bp region of the chaperonin 60 (Cpn60) genes from various bacterial isolates could be amplified by PCR with a pair of degenerate primers and that the products could be used as species-specific probes for Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis, S. haemolyticus, S. lugdunensis, S. saprophyticus, and S. schleiferi. To further validate the utility of bacterial Cpn60 genes as universal targets for bacterial identification (ID), reverse checkerboard chemiluminescent hybridization experiments were performed with DNA probes from 34 different Staphylococcus species and subspecies. With the exception of probes from the Cpn60 genes of S. intermedius and S. delphini, which cross hybridized, all were species specific. Two subspecies of both S. capitis and S. cohnii were differentiated from one another, while DNAs from the two S. schleiferi subspecies cross hybridized. When 40 known Staphylococcus isolates were tested in a blind experiment by the Cpn60 gene method, 36 strains, representing six species and one subspecies (S. sciuri, S. caseolyticus, S. hominis, S. warneri, S. hyicus, S. haemolyticus, and S. capitis subsp. ureolyticus), were correctly identified. DNA from the four remaining isolates, known to be S. hyicus bovine strains, failed to hybridize to DNA from the S. hyicus target strain or any other Staphylococcus species. However, DNAs from these S. hyicus isolates did cross hybridize with each other. New DNA sequence data and evidence from previous studies suggest some genetic divergence between the two groups of S. hyicus isolates. Our results demonstrate that this Cpn60 gene-based ID method has the potential to be a basic method for bacterial ID. Studies are in progress to further validate the utility of this Cpn60 gene system for ID of Staphylococcus and other genera, including those of slow-growing microorganisms.

Erratum to ‘‘Metal compounds for the treatment of parasitic diseases” [J. Inorg. Biochem. 102 (2008) 1839–1845] Simon P. Fricker *, Renee M. Mosi , Beth R. Cameron , Ian Baird , Youngbao Zhu , Virginia Anastassov , Jennifer Cox , Patricia S. Doyle , Elizabeth Hansell , Gloria Lau , Jonathan Langille , Micki Olsen , Ling Qin , Renato Skerlj , Rebecca S.Y. Wong , Zefferino Santucci , James H. McKerrow c