Rationally designed selective inhibitors of trypanothione reductase: Phenothiazines and related tricyclics as lead structures

T. J. Benson, J. H. McKie, J. Garforth, A. Borges, A. H. Fairlamb, K. T. Douglas

    Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

    166 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Trypanothione reductase, an essential component of the anti-oxidant defences of parasitic trypanosomes and Leishmania, differs markedly from the equivalent host enzyme, glutathione reductase, in the binding site for the disulphide substrate. Molecular modelling of this region suggested that certain tricyclic compounds might bind selectively to trypanothione reductase without inhibiting host glutathione reductase. This was confirmed by testing 30 phenothiazine and tricyclic antidepressants, of which clomipramine was found to be the most potent, with a K1 of 6 μM, competitive with respect to trypanothione. Many of these compounds have been noted previously to have anti-trypanosomal and anti-leishmanial activity and thus they can serve as lead structures for rational drug design.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)9-11
    Number of pages3
    JournalBiochemical Journal
    Volume286
    Issue number1
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1992

    ASJC Scopus subject areas

    • Biochemistry
    • Molecular Biology
    • Cell Biology

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