Triphenilphosphonium Analogs of Chloramphenicol as Dual-Acting Antimicrobial and Antiproliferating Agents

Abstract

Activitat antibiòtica; Ribosoma bacterià; Simulacions de dinàmica molecular

Actividad antibiótica; Ribosoma bacteriano; Simulaciones de dinámica molecular

Antibiotic activity; Bacterial ribosome; Molecular dynamics simulations

In the current work, in continuation of our recent research, we synthesized and studied new chimeric compounds, including the ribosome-targeting antibiotic chloramphenicol (CHL) and the membrane-penetrating cation triphenylphosphonium (TPP), which are linked by alkyl groups of different lengths. Using various biochemical assays, we showed that these CAM-Cn-TPP compounds bind to the bacterial ribosome, inhibit protein synthesis in vitro and in vivo in a way similar to that of the parent CHL, and significantly reduce membrane potential. Similar to CAM-C4-TPP, the mode of action of CAM-C10-TPP and CAM-C14-TPP in bacterial ribosomes differs from that of CHL. By simulating the dynamics of CAM-Cn-TPP complexes with bacterial ribosomes, we proposed a possible explanation for the specificity of the action of these analogs in the translation process. CAM-C10-TPP and CAM-C14-TPP more strongly inhibit the growth of the Gram-positive bacteria, as compared to CHL, and suppress some CHL-resistant bacterial strains. Thus, we have shown that TPP derivatives of CHL are dual-acting compounds targeting both the ribosomes and cellular membranes of bacteria. The TPP fragment of CAM-Cn-TPP compounds has an inhibitory effect on bacteria. Moreover, since the mitochondria of eukaryotic cells possess qualities similar to those of their prokaryotic ancestors, we demonstrate the possibility of targeting chemoresistant cancer cells with these compounds.

This research was funded by RFBR [grants 20-04-00873 to N.V.S. (synthesis of analogs, binding assays, in vitro translation), 20-015-00537 to P.A.N. (potential measurement, screening of TolC-containing transporters), and 20-54-76002 to I.A.O. (toeprinting and in vitro translation)], President grant MD 2626.2021.1.4 to I.A.O. (bacteria inhibition assays), grants from the Instituto de Salud Carlos III: PI17/02087 to A.L. (cancer cell proliferation assays) by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of the Russian Federation [grant FENU-2020-0019 to G.I.M. (molecular dynamics simulations)] and by the Government of the Russian Federation [No. AAAA-A17-117120570004-6 to A.A.B.].