Sulfonamido-2-arylbenzoxazole GroEL/ES Inhibitors as Potent Antibacterials against Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)

J Med Chem. 2018 Aug 23;61(16):7345-7357. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00989. Epub 2018 Aug 14.

Abstract

Extending from a study we recently published examining the antitrypanosomal effects of a series of GroEL/ES inhibitors based on a pseudosymmetrical bis-sulfonamido-2-phenylbenzoxazole scaffold, here, we report the antibiotic effects of asymmetric analogs of this scaffold against a panel of bacteria known as the ESKAPE pathogens ( Enterococcus faecium, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Enterobacter species). While GroEL/ES inhibitors were largely ineffective against K. pneumoniae, A. baumannii, P. aeruginosa, and E. cloacae (Gram-negative bacteria), many analogs were potent inhibitors of E. faecium and S. aureus proliferation (Gram-positive bacteria, EC50 values of the most potent analogs were in the 1-2 μM range). Furthermore, even though some compounds inhibit human HSP60/10 biochemical functions in vitro (IC50 values in the 1-10 μM range), many of these exhibited moderate to low cytotoxicity to human liver and kidney cells (CC50 values > 20 μM).

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / adverse effects
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / chemistry*
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology*
  • Bacterial Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Calorimetry / methods
  • Cell Line
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Chaperonin 10 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Chaperonin 10 / chemistry
  • Chaperonin 10 / metabolism
  • Chaperonin 60 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / methods
  • Gram-Negative Bacteria / drug effects
  • Gram-Positive Bacteria / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / drug effects*
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Sulfonamides / chemistry
  • Thiophenes / chemistry

Substances

  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Bacterial Proteins
  • Chaperonin 10
  • Chaperonin 60
  • Sulfonamides
  • Thiophenes