- Integrated Synthetic, Biophysical, and Computational Investigations of Covalent Inhibitors of Prolyl Oligopeptidase and Fibroblast Activation Protein α
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Over the past decade, there has been increasing interest in covalent inhibition as a drug design strategy. Our own interest in the development of prolyl oligopeptidase (POP) and fibroblast activation protein α (FAP) covalent inhibitors has led us to question whether these two serine proteases were equal in terms of their reactivity toward electrophilic warheads. To streamline such investigations, we exploited both computational and experimental methods to investigate the influence of different reactive groups on both potency and binding kinetics using both our own series of POP inhibitors and others' discovered hits. A direct correlation between inhibitor reactivity and residence time was demonstrated through quantum mechanics methods and further supported by experimental studies. This computational method was also successfully applied to FAP, as an overview of known FAP inhibitors confirmed our computational predictions that more reactive warheads (e.g., boronic acids) must be employed to inhibit FAP than for POP.
- Plescia, Jessica,De Cesco, Stéphane,Patrascu, Mihai Burai,Kurian, Jerry,Di Trani, Justin,Dufresne, Caroline,Wahba, Alexander S.,Janmamode, Na?la,Mittermaier, Anthony K.,Moitessier, Nicolas
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p. 7874 - 7884
(2019/10/11)
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- Synthesis and Cytotoxicity of Octahydroepoxyisoindole-7-carboxylic Acids and Norcantharidin–Amide Hybrids as Norcantharidin Analogues
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Octahydroepoxyisoindole analogues of norcantharidin were accessed through a Diels–Alder reaction of an amine-substituted furan with maleic anhydride and subsequent reduction of the bicyclo[2.2.1]heptene olefin. Despite retention of the carboxylate and the ether bridgehead known to impart cytotoxic activity to norcantharidin, none of these analogues displayed notable cytotoxicity against the 11 cell lines examined: HT29 (colon), MCF-7 (breast), A2780 (ovarian), H460 (lung), A431 (skin), Du145 (prostate), BE2-C (neuroblastoma), SJ-G2 and U87 (glioblastoma), MIA (pancreatic), and SMA (spontaneous murine astrocytoma). The incorporation of an amino-substituted system post-synthesis of norcantharidin afforded facile access to 14 acid/amide-substituted norcantharidin analogues. Of these, only four displayed sufficient activity at the initial 25 μm compound screening dose to warrant full evaluation of growth inhibition. Common to these analogues was the presence of a 4-biphenyl moiety, and in particular 3-(2-(furan-2-ylmethyl)-3-(4-biphenylamino)-3-oxopropylcarbamoyl)-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2-carboxylic acid (13 c) and 3-(2-(pyrrole-2-ylmethyl)-3-(4-biphenylamino)-3-oxopropylcarbamoyl)-7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane-2-carboxylic acid (24) displayed high levels of cytotoxicity, returning GI50 values of 15 nm (HT29) to 2.9 μm (U87) and 17 nm (SMA) to 2.8 μm (U87), respectively. These are the most cytotoxic norcantharidin analogues reported to date.
- Hizartzidis, Lacey,Gilbert, Jayne,Gordon, Christopher P.,Sakoff, Jennette A.,McCluskey, Adam
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p. 1152 - 1161
(2019/05/24)
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- Virtual screening and computational optimization for the discovery of covalent prolyl oligopeptidase inhibitors with activity in human cells
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Our docking program, Fitted, implemented in our computational platform, Forecaster, has been modified to carry out automated virtual screening of covalent inhibitors. With this modified version of the program, virtual screening and further docking-based optimization of a selected hit led to the identification of potential covalent reversible inhibitors of prolyl oligopeptidase activity. After visual inspection, a virtual hit molecule together with four analogues were selected for synthesis and made in one-five chemical steps. Biological evaluations on recombinant POP and FAPα enzymes, cell extracts, and living cells demonstrated high potency and selectivity for POP over FAPα and DPPIV. Three compounds even exhibited high nanomolar inhibitory activities in intact living human cells and acceptable metabolic stability. This small set of molecules also demonstrated that covalent binding and/or geometrical constraints to the ligand/protein complex may lead to an increase in bioactivity.
- De Cesco, Stéphane,Deslandes, Sébastien,Therrien, Eric,Levan, David,Cueto, Micka?l,Schmidt, Ralf,Cantin, Louis-David,Mittermaier, Anthony,Juillerat-Jeanneret, Lucienne,Moitessier, Nicolas
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p. 6306 - 6315
(2012/09/22)
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