The surge of antimicrobial resistance threatens efficacy of current antibiotics, particularly against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a highly resistant gram-negative pathogen. The asymmetric outer membrane (OM) of P. aeruginosa combined with its array of efflux pumps provide a barrier to xenobiotic accumulation, thus making antibiotic discovery challenging. We adapted PROSPECT, a target-based, whole-cell screening strategy, to discover small molecule probes that kill P. aeruginosa mutants depleted for essential proteins localized at the OM. We identified BRD1401, a small molecule that has specific activity against a P. aeruginosa mutant depleted for the essential lipoprotein, OprL. Genetic and chemical biological studies identified that BRD1401 acts by targeting the OM β-barrel protein OprH to disrupt its interaction with LPS and increase membrane fluidity. Studies with BRD1401 also revealed an interaction between OprL and OprH, directly linking the OM with peptidoglycan. Thus, a whole-cell, multiplexed screen can identify species-specific chemical probes to reveal pathogen biology.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chembiol.2024.12.001 | DOI Listing |
Ann Transl Med
December 2024
Institute for Tumor Immunology, Center for Tumor Biology and Immunology, Philipps-University Marburg, Marburg, Germany.
One of the most important targets for natural killer (NK) cell-mediated therapy is the induction of natural killer group 2D ligand (NKG2D-L) expression. APTO253 is a small molecule that selectively kills acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells, and it has been reported that APTO253 can induce Krüppel-like factor 4 (KLF4) expression and downregulate c-MYC expression. Recently, we discovered a novel role of APTO253 in modulating the NK cell response by inducing surface expression of NKG2D-Ls, especially MHC class I polypeptide-related sequence A (MICA), in AML cells.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAnn Transl Med
December 2024
Division of Medical Genetics, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC, USA.
World J Diabetes
January 2025
State Key Laboratory of Bioactive Molecules and Druggability Assessment, Guangdong Basic Research Center of Excellence for Natural Bioactive Molecules and Discovery of Innovative Drugs, College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 511436, Guangdong Province, China.
Ma recently reported in the that ferroptosis occurs in osteoblasts under high glucose conditions, reflecting diabetes pathology. This condition could be protected by the upregulation of the gene encoding polycytosine RNA-binding protein 1 (PCBP1). Additionally, Ma used a lentivirus infection system to express PCBP1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFront Parasitol
April 2024
Institut für Parasitologie, Biomedizinisches Forschungszentrum Seltersberg (BFS), Justus Liebig Universitaet Giessen, Giessen, Germany.
Introduction: Schistosomiasis has for many years relied on a single drug, praziquantel (PZQ) for treatment of the disease. Immense efforts have been invested in the discovery of protein kinase (PK) inhibitors; however, given that the majority of PKs are still not targeted by an inhibitor with a useful level of selectivity, there is a compelling need to expand the chemical space available for synthesizing new, potent, and selective PK inhibitors. Small-molecule inhibitors targeting the ATP pocket of the catalytic domain of PKs have the potential to become drugs devoid of (major) side effects, particularly if they bind selectively.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWorld J Gastrointest Oncol
January 2025
The First School of Clinical Medicine, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, Gansu Province, China.
Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an inflammation-associated tumor with a dismal prognosis. Immunotherapy has become an important treatment strategy for HCC, as immunity is closely related to inflammation in the tumor microenvironment. Inflammation regulates the expression of programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) in the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment and affects immunotherapy efficacy.
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