Optimization of 1,2,4-Triazole-3-thiones toward Broad-Spectrum Metallo-beta-lactamase Inhibitors Showing Potent Synergistic Activity on VIM- and NDM-1-Producing Clinical Isolates.
Legru, A., Verdirosa, F., Vo-Hoang, Y., Tassone, G., Vascon, F., Thomas, C.A., Sannio, F., Corsica, G., Benvenuti, M., Feller, G., Coulon, R., Marcoccia, F., Devente, S.R., Bouajila, E., Piveteau, C., Leroux, F., Deprez-Poulain, R., Deprez, B., Licznar-Fajardo, P., Crowder, M.W., Cendron, L., Pozzi, C., Mangani, S., Docquier, J.D., Hernandez, J.F., Gavara, L.(2022) J Med Chem 65: 16392-16419
- PubMed: 36450011 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01257
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
8A4M, 8A76 - PubMed Abstract: 
Metallo-β-lactamases (MBLs) contribute to the resistance of Gram-negative bacteria to carbapenems, last-resort antibiotics at hospital, and MBL inhibitors are urgently needed to preserve these important antibacterial drugs. Here, we describe a series of 1,2,4-triazole-3-thione-based inhibitors displaying an α-amino acid substituent, which amine was mono- or disubstituted by (hetero)aryl groups. Compounds disubstituted by certain nitrogen-containing heterocycles showed submicromolar activities against VIM-type enzymes and strong NDM-1 inhibition ( K i = 10-30 nM). Equilibrium dialysis, native mass spectrometry, isothermal calorimetry (ITC), and X-ray crystallography showed that the compounds inhibited both VIM-2 and NDM-1 at least partially by stripping the catalytic zinc ions. These inhibitors also displayed a very potent synergistic activity with meropenem (16- to 1000-fold minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) reduction) against VIM-type- and NDM-1-producing ultraresistant clinical isolates, including Enterobacterales and Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Furthermore, selected compounds exhibited no or moderate toxicity toward HeLa cells, favorable absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion (ADME) properties, and no or modest inhibition of several mammalian metalloenzymes.
Organizational Affiliation: 
IBMM, CNRS, Univ Montpellier, ENSCM, 34000 Montpellier, France.