Total Synthesis of Xanthoangelol B and Its Various Fragments: Toward Inhibition of Virulence Factor Production of Staphylococcus aureus

J Med Chem. 2018 Dec 13;61(23):10473-10487. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b01012. Epub 2018 Nov 14.

Abstract

As an alternative strategy to fight antibiotic resistance, two-component systems (TCSs) have emerged as novel targets. Among TCSs, master virulence regulators that control the expression of multiple virulence factors are considered as excellent antivirulence targets. In Staphylococcus aureus, virulence factor expression is tightly regulated by a few master regulators, including the SaeRS TCS. In this study, we used a SaeRS GFP-reporter system to screen natural compound inhibitors of SaeRS, and identified xanthoangelol B 1, a prenylated chalcone from Angelica keiskei as a hit. We have synthesized 1 and its derivative PM-56 and shown that 1 and PM-56 both had excellent inhibitory potency against the SaeRS TCS, as demonstrated by various in vitro and in vivo experiments. As a mode of action, 1 and PM-56 were shown to bind directly to SaeS and inhibit its histidine kinase activity, which suggests a possibility of a broad spectrum inhibitor of histidine kinases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Chalcone / analogs & derivatives*
  • Chalcone / chemical synthesis
  • Chalcone / chemistry
  • Chalcone / pharmacology
  • Chemistry Techniques, Synthetic
  • Drug Design*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects*
  • Staphylococcus aureus / metabolism*
  • Virulence Factors / biosynthesis*

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Virulence Factors
  • Chalcone
  • xanthoangelol