The progressive development of resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae to almost all available antibiotics has made it crucial to develop novel approaches to tackling multi-drug resistance (MDR). One of the primary causes of antibiotic resistance is the over-expression of the MtrCDE efflux pump protein, making this protein a vital target for fighting against antimicrobial resistance (AMR) in N. gonorrhoeae. This study was aimed at evaluating the potential MtrCDE efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) and their stability in treating gonorrhoea infection. This is significant because finding novel EPIs would allow for the longer maintenance of antibiotics at therapeutic levels, thereby prolonging the susceptibility of currently available antibiotics. A virtual screening of the selected Helichrysum populifolium compounds (4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid, apigeninin-7-glucoside, and carvacrol) was conducted to evaluate their potential EPI activity. An integrated computational framework consisting of molecular docking (MD), molecular mechanics generalized born, and surface area solvation (MMGBSA) analysis, molecular dynamics simulations (MDS), and absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties calculations were conducted. Of the tested compounds, 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid revealed the highest molecular docking binding energies (-8.8 kcal/mol), equivalent MMGBSA binding free energy (-54.82 kcal/mol), indicative of consistent binding affinity with the MtrD protein, reduced deviations and flexibility (root mean square deviation (RMSD) of 5.65 Ã ) and, given by root mean square fluctuation (RMSF) of 1.877 Ã . Carvacrol revealed a docking score of -6.0 kcal/mol and a MMGBSA computed BFE of -16.69 kcal/mol, demonstrating the lowest binding affinity to the MtrD efflux pump compared to the remaining test compounds. However, the average RMSD (4.45 Ã ) and RMSF (1.638 Ã ) of carvacrol-bound MtrD protein showed no significant difference from the unbound MtrD protein, except for the reference compounds, implying consistent MtrD conformation throughout simulations and indicates a desirable feature during drug design. Additionally, carvacrol obeyed the Lipinski rule of five which confirmed the compound's drug-likeness properties making it the most promising EPI candidate based on its combined attributes of a reasonable binding affinity, sustained stability during MDS, its obedience to the Lipinski rule of five and compliance with drug-likeness criteria. An in vitro validation of the potential EPI activities of H. populifolium compounds confirmed that 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid reduced the expulsion of the bis-benzimide dye by MtrCDE pump, while carvacrol showed low accumulation compared to other compounds. While 4,5-dicaffeoylquinic acid demonstrated the highest binding affinity in computational analysis and an EPI activity in vitro, it showed lower stability compared to the other compounds, as indicated in MDS. This leaves carvacrol, as a better EPI candidate for the management of gonorrhoea infection.
Helichrysum populifolium Compounds Inhibit MtrCDE Efflux Pump Transport Protein for the Potential Management of Gonorrhoea Infection.
阅读:2
作者:Mulaudzi Vhangani E, Adeosun Idowu J, Adewumi Adeniyi T, Soliman Mahmoud E S, Cosa Sekelwa
期刊: | International Journal of Molecular Sciences | 影响因子: | 4.900 |
时间: | 2024 | 起止号: | 2024 Dec 11; 25(24):13310 |
doi: | 10.3390/ijms252413310 |
特别声明
1、本文转载旨在传播信息,不代表本网站观点,亦不对其内容的真实性承担责任。
2、其他媒体、网站或个人若从本网站转载使用,必须保留本网站注明的“来源”,并自行承担包括版权在内的相关法律责任。
3、如作者不希望本文被转载,或需洽谈转载稿费等事宜,请及时与本网站联系。
4、此外,如需投稿,也可通过邮箱info@biocloudy.com与我们取得联系。