Discovery of N-β-l-Fucosyl Amides as High-Affinity Ligands for the Pseudomonas aeruginosa Lectin LecB

J Med Chem. 2022 Oct 27;65(20):14180-14200. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01373. Epub 2022 Oct 18.

Abstract

The Gram-negative pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa causes severe infections mainly in immunocompromised or cystic fibrosis patients and is able to resist antimicrobial treatments. The extracellular lectin LecB plays a key role in bacterial adhesion to the host and biofilm formation. For the inhibition of LecB, we designed and synthesized a set of fucosyl amides, sulfonamides, and thiourea derivatives. Then, we analyzed their binding to LecB in competitive and direct binding assays. We identified β-fucosyl amides as unprecedented high-affinity ligands in the two-digit nanomolar range. X-ray crystallography of one α- and one β-anomer of N-fucosyl amides in complex with LecB revealed the interactions responsible for the high affinity of the β-anomer at atomic level. Further, the molecules showed good stability in murine and human blood plasma and hepatic metabolism, providing a basis for future development into antibacterial drugs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amides / metabolism
  • Amides / pharmacology
  • Animals
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / metabolism
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents / pharmacology
  • Biofilms
  • Humans
  • Lectins* / metabolism
  • Ligands
  • Mice
  • Pseudomonas aeruginosa* / metabolism
  • Sulfonamides / metabolism
  • Thiourea / metabolism

Substances

  • Lectins
  • Ligands
  • Amides
  • Anti-Bacterial Agents
  • Sulfonamides
  • Thiourea