Structural Investigation of Anti-Trypanosoma cruzi 2‑Iminothiazolidin-4-ones Allows the Identification of Agents with Efficacy in Infected Mice

• Published in: Journal of medicinal chemistry Vol. 55; no. 24; pp. 10918 - 10936
• Main Authors: Moreira, Diogo Rodrigo Magalhaes, Costa, Salvana Priscylla Manso, Hernandes, Marcelo Zaldini, Rabello, Marcelo Montenegro, de Oliveira Filho, Gevanio Bezerra, de Melo, Cristiane Moutinho Lagos, da Rocha, Lucas Ferreira, de Simone, Carlos Alberto, Ferreira, Rafaela Salgado, Fradico, Jordana Rodrigues Barbosa, Meira, Cássio Santana, Guimarães, Elisalva Teixeira, Srivastava, Rajendra Mohan, Pereira, Valéria Rêgo Alves, Soares, Milena Botelho Pereira, Leite, Ana Cristina Lima
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: WASHINGTON American Chemical Society 27.12.2012; Amer Chemical Soc
• Subjects: Animals; Cell Proliferation - drug effects; Chagas Disease - drug therapy; Chemistry, Medicinal; Computer Simulation; Cysteine Endopeptidases - metabolism; Female; Imines - chemical synthesis; Imines - chemistry; Imines - pharmacology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Mice; Mice, Inbred BALB C; Models, Molecular; Pharmacology & Pharmacy; Protein Binding; Protozoan Proteins - antagonists & inhibitors; Protozoan Proteins - metabolism; Science & Technology; Spleen - cytology; Stereoisomerism; Structure-Activity Relationship; Thiazolidines - chemical synthesis; Thiazolidines - chemistry; Thiazolidines - pharmacology; Trypanocidal Agents - chemical synthesis; Trypanocidal Agents - chemistry; Trypanocidal Agents - pharmacology; Trypanosoma cruzi - drug effects; Trypanosoma cruzi - metabolism; IN-VITRO; ACTIVATION; VIVO; THIOSEMICARBAZONES; CYSTEINE PROTEASE INHIBITORS; COMPLEXES; CHAGAS-DISEASE; MODEL; DERIVATIVES; BENZNIDAZOLE
• ISSN: 0022-2623; 1520-4804
• DOI: 10.1021/jm301518v

We modified the thiazolidinic ring at positions N3, C4, and C5, yielding compounds 6–24. Compounds with a phenyl at position N3, 15–19, 22–24, exhibited better inhibitory properties for cruzain and against the parasite than 2-iminothiazolidin-4-one 5. We were able to identify one high-efficacy trypanocidal compound, 2-minothiazolidin-4-one 18, which inhibited the activity of cruzain and the proliferation of epimastigotes and was cidal for trypomastigotes but was not toxic for splenocytes. Having located some of the structural determinants of the trypanocidal properties, we subsequently wished to determine if the exchange of the thiazolidine for a thiazole ring leaves the functional properties unaffected. We therefore tested thiazoles 26–45 and observed that they did not inhibit cruzain, but they exhibited trypanocidal effects. Parasite development was severely impaired when treated with 18, thus reinforcing the notion that this class of heterocycles can lead to useful cidal agents for Chagas disease.