Indomethacin amides as a novel molecular scaffold for targeting Trypanosoma cruzi sterol 14alpha-demethylase

J Med Chem. 2009 May 14;52(9):2846-53. doi: 10.1021/jm801643b.

Abstract

Trypanosoma cruzi (TC) causes Chagas disease, which in its chronic stage remains incurable. We have shown recently that specific inhibition of TC sterol 14alpha-demethylase (TCCYP51) with imidazole derivatives is effective in killing both extracellular and intracellular human stages of TC. An alternative set of TCCYP51 inhibitors has been identified using optical high throughput screening followed by web-database search for similar structures. The best TCCYP51 inhibitor from this search was found to have structural similarity to a class of cyclooxygenase-2-selective inhibitors, the indomethacin-amides. A number of indomethacin-amides were found to bind to TCCYP51, inhibit its activity in vitro, and produce strong antiparasitic effects in the cultured TC cells. Analysis of TC sterol composition indicated that the mode of action of the compounds is by inhibition of sterol biosynthesis in the parasite.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Amides / chemistry*
  • Amides / pharmacology*
  • Animals
  • Antiparasitic Agents / chemistry
  • Antiparasitic Agents / pharmacology
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme Inhibitors*
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Extracellular Space / drug effects
  • Extracellular Space / enzymology
  • Indomethacin / analogs & derivatives*
  • Intracellular Space / drug effects
  • Intracellular Space / enzymology
  • Ligands
  • Sterol 14-Demethylase
  • Sterols / chemistry
  • Sterols / metabolism
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / cytology
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / drug effects
  • Trypanosoma cruzi / enzymology*

Substances

  • Amides
  • Antiparasitic Agents
  • CYP51A1 protein, human
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Ligands
  • Sterols
  • Sterol 14-Demethylase
  • Indomethacin