Nerve agents are organophosphates (OPs) that act as potent inhibitors of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), the enzyme responsible for the hydrolysis of acetylcholine. After inhibition, a dealkylation reaction of the phosphorylated serine, known as the aging of AChE, can occur. When aged, reactivators of OP-inhibited AChE are no longer effective. Therefore, the realkylation of aged AChE may offer a pathway to reverse AChE aging. In this study, molecular modeling was conducted to propose new ligands as realkylators of aged AChE. We applied a methodology involving docking and quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics (QM/MM) calculations to evaluate the resurrection kinetic constants and ligand interactions with OP-aged AChE, comparing them to data found in the literature. The results obtained confirm that this method is suitable for predicting kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of ligands, which can be useful in the design and selection of new and more effective ligands for AChE realkylation.

• Klíčová slova
• acetylcholinesterase, mechanistic studies, nerve agents, realkylation, resurrection,
• MeSH
• acetylcholinesterasa * chemie   metabolismus   MeSH
• cholinesterasové inhibitory * chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• indolochinony * chemie   MeSH
• kinetika MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• ligandy MeSH
• molekulární modely MeSH
• simulace molekulární dynamiky MeSH
• simulace molekulového dockingu MeSH
• termodynamika MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• acetylcholinesterasa * MeSH
• cholinesterasové inhibitory * MeSH
• indolochinony * MeSH
• ligandy MeSH
• quinone methide MeSH Prohlížeč

To date, the only treatments developed for poisoning by organophosphorus compounds, the most toxic chemical weapons of mass destruction, have exhibited limited efficacy and versatility. The available causal antidotes are based on reactivation of the enzyme acetylcholinesterase (AChE), which is rapidly and pseudo-irreversibly inhibited by these agents. In this study, we developed a novel series of monoquaternary reactivators combining permanently charged moieties tethered to position 6- of 3-hydroxypyridine-2-aldoxime reactivating subunit. Highlighted representatives (21, 24, and 27; also coded as K1371, K1374, and K1375, respectively) that contained 1-phenylisoquinolinium, 7-amino-1-phenylisoquinolinium and 4-carbamoylpyridinium moieties as peripheral anionic site ligands, respectively, showed efficacy superior or comparable to that of the clinically used standards. More importantly, these reactivators exhibited wide-spectrum efficacy and were minutely investigated via determination of their reactivation kinetics in parallel with molecular dynamics simulations to study their mechanisms of reactivation of the tabun-inhibited AChE conjugate. To further confirm the potential applicability of these candidates, a mouse in vivo assay was conducted. While K1375 had the lowest acute toxicity and the most suitable pharmacokinetic profile, the oxime K1374 with delayed elimination half-life was the most effective in ameliorating the signs of tabun toxicity. Moreover, both in vitro and in vivo, the versatility of the agents was substantially superior to that of clinically used standards. Their high efficacy and broad-spectrum capability make K1374 and K1375 promising candidates that should be further investigated for their potential as nerve agents and insecticide antidotes.

• Klíčová slova
• Acetylcholinesterase, Butyrylcholinesterase, Insecticides, Nerve agents, Organophosphates, Organophosphorus compounds, Oxime reactivator,
• MeSH
• acetylcholinesterasa účinky léků   metabolismus   MeSH
• antidota chemická syntéza   chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• myši inbrední BALB C MeSH
• myši MeSH
• oximy chemická syntéza   chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• reaktivátory cholinesterázy chemická syntéza   chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• simulace molekulární dynamiky MeSH
• vztahy mezi strukturou a aktivitou MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• myši MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• acetylcholinesterasa MeSH
• antidota MeSH
• oximy MeSH
• reaktivátory cholinesterázy MeSH

Poisoning with organophosphorus compounds used as pesticides or misused as chemical weapons remains a serious threat to human health and life. Their toxic effects result from irreversible blockade of the enzymes acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase, which causes overstimulation of the cholinergic system and often leads to serious injury or death. Treatment of organophosphorus poisoning involves, among other strategies, the administration of oxime compounds. Oximes reactivate cholinesterases by breaking the covalent bond between the serine residue from the enzyme active site and the phosphorus atom of the organophosphorus compound. Although the general mechanism of reactivation has been known for years, the exact molecular aspects determining the efficiency and selectivity of individual oximes are still not clear. This hinders the development of new active compounds. In our research, using relatively simple and widely available molecular docking methods, we investigated the reactivation of acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase blocked by sarin and tabun. For the selected oximes, their binding modes at each step of the reactivation process were identified. Amino acids essential for effective reactivation and those responsible for the selectivity of individual oximes against inhibited acetyl- and butyrylcholinesterase were identified. This research broadens the knowledge about cholinesterase reactivation and demonstrates the usefulness of molecular docking in the study of this process. The presented observations and methods can be used in the future to support the search for new effective reactivators.

• Klíčová slova
• acetylcholinesterase, butyrylcholinesterase, docking studies, molecular modeling, organophosphates, reactivation process, reactivators,
• MeSH
• acetylcholinesterasa metabolismus   MeSH
• aktivace enzymů MeSH
• butyrylcholinesterasa metabolismus   MeSH
• cholinesterasové inhibitory farmakologie   MeSH
• fosfor chemie   MeSH
• katalytická doména MeSH
• konformace proteinů MeSH
• kvantová teorie MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• ligandy MeSH
• molekulární modely MeSH
• myši MeSH
• organofosfáty chemie   MeSH
• oximy chemie   MeSH
• proteosyntéza MeSH
• reaktivátory cholinesterázy farmakologie   MeSH
• sarin chemie   MeSH
• shluková analýza MeSH
• simulace molekulového dockingu * MeSH
• vazba proteinů MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• myši MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• acetylcholinesterasa MeSH
• butyrylcholinesterasa MeSH
• cholinesterasové inhibitory MeSH
• fosfor MeSH
• ligandy MeSH
• organofosfáty MeSH
• oximy MeSH
• reaktivátory cholinesterázy MeSH
• sarin MeSH
• tabun MeSH Prohlížeč

The acetylcholinesterase (AChE) reactivators (e.g., obidoxime, asoxime) became an essential part of organophosphorus (OP) poisoning treatment, together with atropine and diazepam. They are referred to as a causal treatment of OP poisoning, because they are able to split the OP moiety from AChE active site and thus renew its function. In this approach, fifteen novel AChE reactivators were determined. Their molecular design originated from former K-oxime compounds K048 and K074 with remaining oxime part of the molecule and modified part with heteroarenium moiety. The novel compounds were prepared, evaluated in vitro on human AChE (HssAChE) inhibited by tabun, paraoxon, methylparaoxon or DFP and compared to commercial HssAChE reactivators (pralidoxime, methoxime, trimedoxime, obidoxime, asoxime) or previously prepared compounds (K048, K074, K075, K203). Some of presented oxime reactivators showed promising ability to reactivate HssAChE comparable or higher than the used standards. The molecular modelling study was performed with one compound that presented the ability to reactivate GA-inhibited HssAChE. The SAR features concerning the heteroarenium part of the reactivator's molecule are described.

• Klíčová slova
• acetylcholinesterase, in vitro, molecular docking, organophosphate, oxime, reactivation,
• MeSH
• acetylcholinesterasa metabolismus   MeSH
• cholinesterasové inhibitory toxicita   MeSH
• hmotnostní spektrometrie s elektrosprejovou ionizací MeSH
• inhibiční koncentrace 50 MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• magnetická rezonanční spektroskopie s uhlíkem 13C MeSH
• organofosforové sloučeniny toxicita   MeSH
• protonová magnetická rezonanční spektroskopie MeSH
• reaktivátory cholinesterázy chemická syntéza   chemie   farmakologie   MeSH
• rekombinantní proteiny metabolismus   MeSH
• simulace molekulového dockingu * MeSH
• techniky in vitro MeSH
• vztahy mezi strukturou a aktivitou MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• Názvy látek
• acetylcholinesterasa MeSH
• cholinesterasové inhibitory MeSH
• organofosforové sloučeniny MeSH
• reaktivátory cholinesterázy MeSH
• rekombinantní proteiny MeSH

BACKGROUND: Based on in vitro and in vivo rat experiments, the newly developed acetylcholinesterase (AChE) reactivator, K203, appears to be much more effective in the treatment of tabun poisonings than currently fielded oximes. METHODS: To determine if this reactivating efficacy would extend to humans, studies were conducted in vitro using human brain homogenate as the source of AChE. The efficacy of K203 was compared with commercially available oximes; pralidoxime, obidoxime and asoxime (HI-6). RESULTS: Reactivation studies showed that K203 was the most effective reactivator with a second order kinetic constant (kr) of 2142 min- 1. M- 1, which was 51 times higher than that obtained for obidoxime (kr = 42 min- 1. M- 1). Both pralidoxime and asoxime (HI-6) failed to significantly reactivate tabun-inhibited human AChE. DISCUSSION: According to these results and previous studies, using K203, it appears that oxime K203 is the most effective reactivator of tabun-inhibited cholinesterase in several species including humans and should be considered as a possible medical countermeasure to tabun exposure.

• Klíčová slova
• Antidotes, Chemical warfare agents, Oxime, Poisoning, Reactivator, Treatment,
• MeSH
• acetylcholinesterasa metabolismus   MeSH
• antidota metabolismus   MeSH
• cholinesterasové inhibitory metabolismus   MeSH
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mozek enzymologie   MeSH
• organofosfáty metabolismus   MeSH
• oximy metabolismus   MeSH
• pyridinové sloučeniny metabolismus   MeSH
• reaktivátory cholinesterázy metabolismus   MeSH
• simulace molekulového dockingu MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Check Tag
• krysa rodu Rattus MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• zvířata MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH
• Názvy látek
• 1-(4-carbamoylpyridinium)-4-(4-hydroxyiminomethylpyridinium)but-2-ene MeSH Prohlížeč
• acetylcholinesterasa MeSH
• antidota MeSH
• cholinesterasové inhibitory MeSH
• organofosfáty MeSH
• oximy MeSH
• pyridinové sloučeniny MeSH
• reaktivátory cholinesterázy MeSH
• tabun MeSH Prohlížeč