Enhanced fungal specificity and<i>in vivo</i>therapeutic efficacy of a C-22 modified FK520 analog against<i>C. neoformans</i>

Abstract Fungal infections are of mounting global concern, and the current limited treatment arsenal poses challenges when treating such infections. In particular, infections byCryptococcus neoformansare associated with high mortality, emphasizing the need for novel therapeutic options. Calcineurin is a protein phosphatase that mediates fungal stress responses, and calcineurin inhibition by the natural product FK506 blocksC. neoformansgrowth at 37°C. Calcineurin is also required for pathogenesis. However, because calcineurin is conserved in humans, and inhibition with FK506 results in immunosuppression, the use of FK506 as an anti-infective agent is precluded. We previously elucidated the structures of multiple fungal calcineurin-FK506-FKBP12 complexes and implicated the C-22 position on FK506 as a key point for differential modification of ligand inhibition of the mammalian versus fungal target proteins. Throughin vitroantifungal and immunosuppressive testing of FK520 (a natural analog of FK506) derivatives, we identified JH-FK-08 as a lead candidate for further antifungal development. JH-FK-08 exhibited significantly reduced immunosuppressive activity and both reduced fungal burden and prolonged survival of infected animals. JH-FK-08 exhibited additive activity in combination with fluconazolein vivo. These findings further advance calcineurin inhibition as an antifungal therapeutic approach.Importance Fungal infections cause significant morbidity and mortality globally. The therapeutic armamentarium against these infections is limited and development of antifungal drugs has been hindered by the evolutionary conservation between fungi and the human host. With rising resistance to the current antifungal arsenal and an increasing at-risk population, there is an urgent need for the development of new antifungal compounds. The FK520 analogs described in this study display potent antifungal activity as a novel class of antifungals centered on modifying an existing orally-active FDA approved therapy. This research advances the development of much needed newer antifungal treatment options with novel mechanisms of action..

Medienart:

Preprint

Erscheinungsjahr:

2024

Erschienen:

2024

Enthalten in:

bioRxiv.org - (2024) vom: 23. Apr. Zur Gesamtaufnahme - year:2024

Sprache:

Englisch

Beteiligte Personen:

Rivera, Angela [VerfasserIn]
Lim, Won Young [VerfasserIn]
Park, Eunchong [VerfasserIn]
Dome, Patrick A. [VerfasserIn]
Hoy, Michael J. [VerfasserIn]
Spasojevic, Ivan [VerfasserIn]
Sun, Sheng [VerfasserIn]
Averette, Anna Floyd [VerfasserIn]
Pina-Oviedo, Sergio [VerfasserIn]
Juvvadi, Praveen R. [VerfasserIn]
Steinbach, William J. [VerfasserIn]
Ciofani, Maria [VerfasserIn]
Hong, Jiyong [VerfasserIn]
Heitman, Joseph [VerfasserIn]

Links:

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Themen:

570
Biology

doi:

10.1101/2023.06.05.543712

funding:

Förderinstitution / Projekttitel:

PPN (Katalog-ID):

XBI039816486