Discovery of selective small-molecule HDAC6 inhibitor for overcoming proteasome inhibitor resistance in multiple myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM) has proven clinically susceptible to modulation of pathways of protein homeostasis. Blockade of proteasomal degradation of polyubiquitinated misfolded proteins by the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib (BTZ) achieves responses and prolongs survival in MM, but long-term treatment with BTZ leads to drug-resistant relapse in most patients. In a proof-of-concept study, we previously demonstrated that blocking aggresomal breakdown of polyubiquitinated misfolded proteins with the histone deacetylase 6 (HDAC6) inhibitor tubacin enhances BTZ-induced cytotoxicity in MM cells in vitro.

The cytoplasmic prolyl-tRNA synthetase of the malaria parasite is a dual-stage target of febrifugine and its analogs.

The emergence of drug resistance is a major limitation of current antimalarials. The discovery of new druggable targets and pathways including those that are critical for multiple life cycle stages of the malaria parasite is a major goal for developing next-generation antimalarial drugs. Using an integrated chemogenomics approach that combined drug resistance selection, whole-genome sequencing, and an orthogonal yeast model, we demonstrate that the cytoplasmic prolyl-tRNA (transfer RNA) synthetase (PfcPRS) of the malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum is a biochemical and functional target of febrifugine and its synthetic derivative halofuginone.

Design and synthesis of a crosslinker for studying intracellular steroid trafficking pathways.

A crosslinker was designed and synthesized as a molecular tool for potential use in probing the intracellular trafficking pathways of steroids. The design was guided by computational modeling based upon a model for the transfer of cholesterol between two proteins, NPC1 and NPC2. These proteins play critical roles in the transport of low-density lipoprotein-derived cholesterol from the lumen of lysosomes to other subcellular compartments.

A molecular mechanism of artemisinin resistance in Plasmodium falciparum malaria.

Artemisinins are the cornerstone of anti-malarial drugs. Emergence and spread of resistance to them raises risk of wiping out recent gains achieved in reducing worldwide malaria burden and threatens future malaria control and elimination on a global level. Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have revealed parasite genetic loci associated with artemisinin resistance.

Characterization of the Anopheles gambiae octopamine receptor and discovery of potential agonists and antagonists using a combined computational-experimental approach.

Background: Octopamine receptors (OARs) perform key functions in the biological pathways of primarily invertebrates, making this class of G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs) a potentially good target for insecticides. However, the lack of structural and experimental data for this insect-essential GPCR family has promoted the development of homology models that are good representations of their biological equivalents for in silico screening of small molecules.

Methods: Two Anopheles gambiae OARs were cloned, analysed and functionally characterized using a heterologous cell reporter system.