Publications (93) View all
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Article: PARP inhibitors: polypharmacology vs selective inhibition.
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ABSTRACT: Inhibition of members of the ADP-ribosyltransferases with diphtheria toxin homology (ARTD), widely known as the poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) family, is a strategy under development for treatment of various conditions, including cancers and ischemia. Here, we give a brief summary of ARTD enzyme functions and the implications for their potential as therapeutic targets. We present an overview of the PARP inhibitors that have been enrolled in clinical trials. Finally, we summarize recent insights from structural biology, and discuss the molecular aspects of PARP inhibitors in terms of broad-range vs. selective inhibition of ARTD-family enzymes. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.FEBS Journal 04/2013; · 3.79 Impact Factor -
Article: Chiral mobile phase in ligand-exchange chromatography of amino acids: Exploring the copper(II) salt anion effect with a computational approach.
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ABSTRACT: With the use of a chiral ligand-exchange chromatography (CLEC) system operating with the O-benzyl-(S)-serine [(S)-OBS] [1,2] as the chiral mobile phase (CMP) additive to the eluent, the effect of the copper(II) anion type on retention (k) and separation (α) factors was evaluated, by rationally changing the following experimental conditions: salt concentration and temperature. The CLEC-CMP analysis was carried out on ten amino acidic racemates and with nine different cupric salts. While the group of analytes comprised both aliphatic (leucine, isoleucine, nor-leucine, proline, valine, nor-valine, and α-methyl-valine) and aromatic (1-aminoindan-1,5-dicarboxylic acid, phenylglycine, and tyrosine) species, representative organic (formate, methanesulfonate, and trifluoroacetate) and inorganic (bromide, chloride, fluoride, nitrate, perchlorate, and sulfate) Cu(II) salts were selected as the metal source into the eluent. This route of investigation was pursued with the aim of identifying analogies among the employed Cu(II) salts, by observing the variation profile of the selected chromatographic parameters, upon a change of the above experimental conditions. All the data were collected and analyzed through a statistical approach (PCA and k-means clustering) that revealed the presence of two behavioral classes of cupric salts, sharing the same variation profile for k and α values. Interestingly, this clustering can be explained in terms of ESP (electrostatic surface potential) balance (ESP(bal)) values, obtained by an ab initio calculation operated on the cupric salts. The results of this appraisal could aid the rational choice of the most suitable eluent system, to succeed in the enantioseparation of difficult-to-resolve compounds, along with the eventual scale-up to a semi-preparative level.Journal of chromatography. A 08/2012; · 4.19 Impact Factor -
Article: Identification by virtual screening and in vitro testing of human DOPA decarboxylase inhibitors.
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ABSTRACT: Dopa decarboxylase (DDC), a pyridoxal 5'-phosphate (PLP) enzyme responsible for the biosynthesis of dopamine and serotonin, is involved in Parkinson's disease (PD). PD is a neurodegenerative disease mainly due to a progressive loss of dopamine-producing cells in the midbrain. Co-administration of L-Dopa with peripheral DDC inhibitors (carbidopa or benserazide) is the most effective symptomatic treatment for PD. Although carbidopa and trihydroxybenzylhydrazine (the in vivo hydrolysis product of benserazide) are both powerful irreversible DDC inhibitors, they are not selective because they irreversibly bind to free PLP and PLP-enzymes, thus inducing diverse side effects. Therefore, the main goals of this study were (a) to use virtual screening to identify potential human DDC inhibitors and (b) to evaluate the reliability of our virtual-screening (VS) protocol by experimentally testing the "in vitro" activity of selected molecules. Starting from the crystal structure of the DDC-carbidopa complex, a new VS protocol, integrating pharmacophore searches and molecular docking, was developed. Analysis of 15 selected compounds, obtained by filtering the public ZINC database, yielded two molecules that bind to the active site of human DDC and behave as competitive inhibitors with K(i) values ≥10 µM. By performing in silico similarity search on the latter compounds followed by a substructure search using the core of the most active compound we identified several competitive inhibitors of human DDC with K(i) values in the low micromolar range, unable to bind free PLP, and predicted to not cross the blood-brain barrier. The most potent inhibitor with a K(i) value of 500 nM represents a new lead compound, targeting human DDC, that may be the basis for lead optimization in the development of new DDC inhibitors. To our knowledge, a similar approach has not been reported yet in the field of DDC inhibitors discovery.PLoS ONE 01/2012; 7(2):e31610. · 4.09 Impact Factor -
Article: Expanding the horizon of chemotherapeutic targets: From MDM2 to MDMX (MDM4)
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ABSTRACT: Alterations of p53 signalling pathway is the most frequent event in human cancers. About 50% of these, albeit showing wild-type p53, have flaws in the control mechanisms of p53 levels and activity. MDM2 and MDMX (MDM4) are the main negative regulators of p53. The relevance of MDM2 on the regulation of p53 levels and activity has fostered the development of strategies aimed at restoring p53 functions by blocking the physical interaction between MDM2 and p53. As a consequence, a number of different small molecules and peptidomimetics have been disclosed in the last decade as inhibitors of MDM2/p53 interaction. Recent studies, however, have thrust MDMX into the limelight as an additional chemotherapeutic target, suggesting the presence of a more complex relationship between MDM2, MDMX and p53. In this review article, we report key aspects of MDMX-mediated regulation of p53, recent advances in the structural characterization of the protein, and the progress made so far in the medicinal chemistry of MDMX ligands.MedChemComm - Rapid communication of research in medicinal chemistry. 02/2011; 2(2040-25031):455-465. -
Article: Puzzling over MDM4-p53 network.
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ABSTRACT: MDM4 (also called MDMX) has been initially identified as p53 inhibitor. Subsequent data have reinforced this role pointing to the requirement for MDM4 repressive activity on p53 for mouse embryo development. Molecular studies have shown that MDM4 exerts different activities by controlling both p53 transcriptional function and protein levels. On the basis of these data, therapeutic strategies aiming at releasing p53 from MDM4 inhibition are under development. However, recent studies suggest a more complex relationship between MDM4 and p53. These have evidenced heterogeneity of MDM4 function under different growth conditions and particularly positive activity exerted by MDM4 on stress-activated p53 levels and pro-apoptotic function. This review summarizes the different facets of MDM4-mediated regulation of p53 and the modifications able to modulate MDM4 localization and function.The international journal of biochemistry & cell biology 07/2010; 42(7):1080-3. · 4.89 Impact Factor
