Synergistic Lethality of a Binary Inhibitor of Mycobacterium tuberculosis KasA.

TitleSynergistic Lethality of a Binary Inhibitor of Mycobacterium tuberculosis KasA.
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2018
AuthorsKumar P, Capodagli GC, Awasthi D, Shrestha R, Maharaja K, Sukheja P, Li S-G, Inoyama D, Zimmerman M, Liang HPin Ho, Sarathy J, Mina M, Rasic G, Russo R, Perryman AL, Richmann T, Gupta A, Singleton E, Verma S, Husain S, Soteropoulos P, Wang Z, Morris R, Porter G, Agnihotri G, Salgame P, Ekins S, Rhee KY, Connell N, Dartois V, Neiditch MB, Freundlich JS, Alland D
JournalmBio
Volume9
Issue6
Date Published2018 12 18
ISSN2150-7511
Keywords3-Oxoacyl-(Acyl-Carrier-Protein) Synthase, Animals, Antitubercular Agents, Cell Line, Crystallography, Drug Discovery, Drug Synergism, Female, Gene Expression Profiling, Isoniazid, Mice, Mice, Inbred BALB C, Models, Molecular, Molecular Chaperones, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Oxidoreductases, Tuberculosis
Abstract

We report GSK3011724A (DG167) as a binary inhibitor of β-ketoacyl-ACP synthase (KasA) in Mycobacterium tuberculosis Genetic and biochemical studies established KasA as the primary target. The X-ray crystal structure of the KasA-DG167 complex refined to 2.0-Å resolution revealed two interacting DG167 molecules occupying nonidentical sites in the substrate-binding channel of KasA. The binding affinities of KasA to DG167 and its analog, 5g, which binds only once in the substrate-binding channel, were determined, along with the KasA-5g X-ray crystal structure. DG167 strongly augmented the in vitro activity of isoniazid (INH), leading to synergistic lethality, and also synergized in an acute mouse model of M. tuberculosis infection. Synergistic lethality correlated with a unique transcriptional signature, including upregulation of oxidoreductases and downregulation of molecular chaperones. The lead structure-activity relationships (SAR), pharmacokinetic profile, and detailed interactions with the KasA protein that we describe may be applied to evolve a next-generation therapeutic strategy for tuberculosis (TB).IMPORTANCE Cell wall biosynthesis inhibitors have proven highly effective for treating tuberculosis (TB). We discovered and validated members of the indazole sulfonamide class of small molecules as inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis KasA-a key component for biosynthesis of the mycolic acid layer of the bacterium's cell wall and the same pathway as that inhibited by the first-line antitubercular drug isoniazid (INH). One lead compound, DG167, demonstrated synergistic lethality in combination with INH and a transcriptional pattern consistent with bactericidality and loss of persisters. Our results also detail a novel dual-binding mechanism for this compound as well as substantial structure-activity relationships (SAR) that may help in lead optimization activities. Together, these results suggest that KasA inhibition, specifically, that shown by the DG167 series, may be developed into a potent therapy that can synergize with existing antituberculars.

DOI10.1128/mBio.02101-17
Alternate JournalmBio
PubMed ID30563908
PubMed Central IDPMC6299220
Grant ListT32 AI007640 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
U19 AI109713 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
S10 OD023524 / OD / NIH HHS / United States
R41 AI134561 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States
R21 AI111647 / AI / NIAID NIH HHS / United States