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Structure-based Virtual Screening Protocol for in silico Identification of Potential Thyroid Disrupting Chemicals Targeting Transthyretin
Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry.
Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry.
Umeå University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics.
Umeå University, Faculty of Science and Technology, Department of Chemistry.
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2016 (English)In: Environmental Science and Technology, ISSN 0013-936X, E-ISSN 1520-5851, Vol. 50, no 21, p. 11984-11993Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Thyroid disruption by xenobiotics is associated with a broad spectrum of severe adverse outcomes. One possible molecular target of thyroid hormone disrupting chemicals (THDCs) is transthyretin (TTR), a thyroid hormone transporter in vertebrates. To better understand the interactions between TTR and THDCs, we determined the crystallographic structures of human TTR in complex with perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and 2,2',4,4'-tetrahydroxybenzophenone (BP2). The molecular interactions between the ligands and TTR were further characterized using molecular dynamics simulations. A structure-based virtual screening (VS) protocol was developed with the intention of providing an efficient tool for the discovery of novel TTR-binders from the Tox21 inventory. Among the 192 predicted binders, 12 representatives were selected, and their TTR binding affinities were studied with isothermal titration calorimetry, of which seven compounds had binding affinities between 0.26 and 100 mu M. To elucidate structural details in their binding to TTR, crystal structures were determined of TTR in complex with four of the identified compounds including 2,6-dinitro-p-cresol, bisphenol S, clonixin, and triclopyr. The compounds were found to bind in the TTR hormone binding sites as predicted. Our results show that the developed VS protocol is able to successfully identify potential THDCs, and we suggest that it can be used to propose THDCs for future toxicological evaluations.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
2016. Vol. 50, no 21, p. 11984-11993
National Category
Pharmacology and Toxicology Chemical Sciences
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-125630DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.6b02771ISI: 000386991100063PubMedID: 27668830Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-84994222319OAI: oai:DiVA.org:umu-125630DiVA, id: diva2:968913
Available from: 2016-09-13 Created: 2016-09-13 Last updated: 2023-03-23Bibliographically approved
In thesis
1. In silico Identification of Thyroid Disrupting Chemicals: among industrial chemicals and household dust contaminants
Open this publication in new window or tab >>In silico Identification of Thyroid Disrupting Chemicals: among industrial chemicals and household dust contaminants
2016 (English)Doctoral thesis, comprehensive summary (Other academic)
Abstract [en]

Thyroid disruptions by xenobiotics have been associated with a broad spectrum of severe adverse human health effects, such as impaired brain development and metabolic syndrome. Ingestion of indoor dust and contact with industrial chemicals are two significant human exposure routes of thyroid hormone disrupting chemicals (THDCs), raising serious concerns for human health. However, it is a laborious and costly process to identify THDCs using conventional experimental methods, due to the number of chemicals in commerce and the varieties of potential disruption mechanisms.

In this thesis, we are aimed at in silico identification of novel THDCs targeting transthyretin (TTR) and thyroid hormone receptor (THR) among dust contaminants and commonly used industrial chemicals. In vitro assays were used to validate the in silico prediction results. Co-crystallization and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were applied to reveal binding modes of THDCs at the studied biological targets and to explain their intermolecular recognition.

The main findings presented in this thesis are:

1. Over 144 environmental pollutants have been confirmed as TTR-binders in vitro and these cover a wide range of environmental pollutants and show distinct chemical profiles including a large group of halogenated aromatic compounds and a second group of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. (Paper I)

2. In total 485 organic contaminants have been reported to be detected in household dust. The developed QSAR classification model predicted 7.6% of these dust contaminants and 53.1% of their metabolites as potential TTR-binders, which emphasizes the importance of metabolic bioactivation. After in vitro validation, four novel TTR binders with IC50 ≤ 10 µM were identified, i.e. perfluoroheptanesulfonic acid, 2,4,2',4'-tetrahydroxybenzophenone (BP2), 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid, and 3,5,6-trichloro-2-pyridinol. (Paper II)

3. The development of a robust structure-based virtual screening (VS) protocol resulted in the prediction of 31 dust contaminants as potential binders to THRβ1 including musk compounds, PFASs, and bisphenol A derivatives. The in vitro experiments confirmed four compounds as weak binders to THRβ1, i.e. 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid, bisphenol A (3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl) (2,3-dihydroxypropyl) ether, 2,4,2',4'-tetrahydroxybenzophenone, and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid. (Paper III)

4. We revealed the binding conformations of perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, perfluorooctanoic acid, and BP2 in the thyroxine binding sites (TBSs) of TTR by co-crystallizing TTR with the three compounds. A VS protocol was developed based on the TTR complex structures that predicted 192 industrial chemicals as potential binders to TTR. Seven novel TTR binders were confirmed by in vitro experiments including clonixin, 2,6-dinitro-p-cresol (DNPC), triclopyr, fluroxypyr, bisphenol S, picloram, and mesotrione. We further co-crystallized TTR with PBS, clonixin, DNPC, and triclopyr, and their complex structures showed that the compounds bind in the TBSs as proposed by the VS protocol.

In summary, 13 indoor dust contaminants and industrial chemicals were identified as THDCs using a combination of in silico and in vitro approaches. To the best of our knowledge, none of these compounds has previously been reported to bind to TTR or THR. The identifications of these THDCs improve our understanding on the structure-activity relationships of THDCs. The crystal structures of TTR-THDC complexes and the information on THDC-Target intermolecular interactions provide a better understanding on the mechanism-of-actions behind thyroid disruption. The dataset compiled and in silico methods developed serve as a basis for identification of more diverse THDCs in the future and a tool for guiding de novo design of safer replacements.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Umeå: Umeå University, 2016. p. 54
Keywords
Thyroid disruption chemicals, virtual screening, tranthyretin, thyroid hormone receptor, QSAR modeling, molecular docking, molecular dynamics
National Category
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Identifiers
urn:nbn:se:umu:diva-125631 (URN)978-91-7601-551-3 (ISBN)
Public defence
2016-10-07, KB3B1, KBC-huset, Umeå, 10:00 (English)
Opponent
Supervisors
Funder
Swedish Research Council Formas, 210-2012-131Swedish Research Council, 521-2011-6427
Available from: 2016-09-16 Created: 2016-09-13 Last updated: 2018-06-07Bibliographically approved

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Zhang, JinBegum, AfshanBrännström, KristofferGrundström, ChristinIakovleva, IrinaOlofsson, AndersSauer-Eriksson, A. ElisabethAndersson, Patrik L.

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