1,3-Azoles from ortho-naphthoquinones: Synthesis of aryl substituted imidazoles and oxazoles and their potent activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Twenty-three naphthoimidazoles and six naphthoxazoles were synthesised and evaluated against susceptible and rifampicin- and isoniazid-resistant strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Among all the compounds evaluated, fourteen presented MIC values in the range of 0.78 to 6.25 mu g/mL against susceptible and resistant strains of M. tuberculosis, Five structures were solved by X-ray crystallographic analysis. These substances are promising antimycobacterial prototypes. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Structure and antimycobacterial activity of the novel organometallic [Pd(C-bzan)(SCN)(dppp)] compound

The organometallic compound [Pd(C-bzan)(SCN)(dppp)] {bzan = N-benzylideneaniline, dppp = 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane} was synthesized and characterized by elemental analyses, infrared and H-1 and P-31(H-1) NMR spectroscopies. The crystal and molecular structures of the title complex were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. In vitro antimycobacterial evaluation demonstrated that the compound [Pd(C-bzan)(SCN)(dppp)] displayed a MIC of 5.15 mu M, which is superior than those values found for some commonly used anti-TB drugs and other Pd(II) complexes. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Antimycobacterial activity of 2-phenoxy-1-phenylethanone, a synthetic analogue of neolignan, entrapped in polymeric microparticles

Conventional treatment of tuberculosis (TB) demands a long course therapy (6 months), known to originate multiple drug resistant strains (MDR-TB), which emphasizes the urgent need for new antituberculous drugs. The purpose of this study was to investigate a novel treatment for TB meant to improve patient compliance by reducing drug dosage frequency. Polymeric microparticles containing the synthetic analogue of neolignan, 1-phenyl-2-phenoxiethanone (LS-2), were obtained by a method of emulsification and solvent evaporation and chemically characterized. Only representative LS-2-loaded microparticles were considered for further studies involving experimental murine TB induced by Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv ATCC 27294. The LS-2-loaded microparticles were spherical in shape, had a smooth wall and showed an encapsulation efficiency of 93% in addition to displaying sustained release. Chemotherapeutic potential of LS-2 entrapped in microparticles was comparable to control groups. These findings are encouraging and indicate that LS-2-loaded microparticles are a potential alternative to conventional chemotherapy of TB.

Synthesis, Biological Evaluation, And Molecular Modeling of Chalcone Derivatives As Potent Inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases (PtpA and PtpB)

Tuberculosis (TB) is a major infectious disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). According to the World Health Organization (WHO), about 1.8 million people die from TB and 10 million new cases are recorded each year. Recently, a new series of naphthylchalcones has been identified as inhibitors of Mtb protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). In this work, 100 chalcones were designed, synthesized, and investigated for their inhibitory properties against MtbPtps. Structure-activity relationships (SAR) were developed, leading to the discovery of new potent inhibitors with IC50 values in the low-micromolar range. Kinetic studies revealed competitive inhibition and high selectivity toward the Mtb enzymes. Molecular modeling investigations were carried out with the aim of revealing the most relevant structural requirements underlying the binding affinity and selectivity of this series of inhibitors as potential anti-TB drugs.

A DNA vaccine against tuberculosis based on the 65 kDa heat-shock protein differentially activates human macrophages and dendritic cells

Abstract Background A number of reports have demonstrated that rodents immunized with DNA vaccines can produce antibodies and cellular immune responses presenting a long-lasting protective immunity. These findings have attracted considerable interest in the field of DNA vaccination. We have previously described the prophylactic and therapeutic effects of a DNA vaccine encoding the Mycobacterium leprae 65 kDa heat shock protein (DNA-HSP65) in a murine model of tuberculosis. As DNA vaccines are often less effective in humans, we aimed to find out how the DNA-HSP65 stimulates human immune responses. Methods To address this question, we analysed the activation of both human macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs) cultured with DNA-HSP65. Then, these cells stimulated with the DNA vaccine were evaluated regarding the expression of surface markers, cytokine production and microbicidal activity. Results It was observed that DCs and macrophages presented different ability to uptake DNA vaccine. Under DNA stimulation, macrophages, characterized as CD11b+/CD86+/HLA-DR+, produced high levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6 (pro-inflammatory cytokines), and IL-10 (anti-inflammatory cytokine). Besides, they also presented a microbicidal activity higher than that observed in DCs after infection with M. tuberculosis. On the other hand, DCs, characterized as CD11c+/CD86+/CD123-/BDCA-4+/IFN-alpha-, produced high levels of IL-12 and low levels of TNF-alpha, IL-6 and IL-10. Finally, the DNA-HSP65 vaccine was able to induce proliferation of peripheral blood lymphocytes. Conclusion Our data suggest that the immune response is differently activated by the DNA-HSP65 vaccine in humans. These findings provide important clues to the design of new strategies for using DNA vaccines in human immunotherapy.