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Mamedov VA, Mamedova VL, Syakaev VV, Voronina JK, Mahrous EM, Khikmatova GZ, Korshin DE, Shamsutdinova LR, Rizvanov IK. Synthesis of 3-benzylquinoxalin-2(1H)-ones and 4-formyl-3-benzyl-3,4-dihydroquinoxalin-2(1H)-ones from 3-aryloxirane-2-carboxamides via 5-arylidene-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-oxazolidin-4-ones. Tetrahedron 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.tet.2022.132963] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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2
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Poreba M, Szalek A, Kasperkiewicz P, Rut W, Salvesen GS, Drag M. Small Molecule Active Site Directed Tools for Studying Human Caspases. Chem Rev 2015; 115:12546-629. [PMID: 26551511 DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.5b00434] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Caspases are proteases of clan CD and were described for the first time more than two decades ago. They play critical roles in the control of regulated cell death pathways including apoptosis and inflammation. Due to their involvement in the development of various diseases like cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, or autoimmune disorders, caspases have been intensively investigated as potential drug targets, both in academic and industrial laboratories. This review presents a thorough, deep, and systematic assessment of all technologies developed over the years for the investigation of caspase activity and specificity using substrates and inhibitors, as well as activity based probes, which in recent years have attracted considerable interest due to their usefulness in the investigation of biological functions of this family of enzymes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcin Poreba
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Technology , Wyb. Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Szalek
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Technology , Wyb. Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Paulina Kasperkiewicz
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Technology , Wyb. Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Wioletta Rut
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Technology , Wyb. Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
| | - Guy S Salvesen
- Program in Cell Death and Survival Networks, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute , La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Marcin Drag
- Department of Bioorganic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Wroclaw University of Technology , Wyb. Wyspianskiego 27, 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland
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3
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Płóciennik A, Prendecki M, Zuba E, Siudzinski M, Dorszewska J. Activated Caspase-3 and Neurodegeneration and Synaptic Plasticity in Alzheimer’s Disease. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2015. [DOI: 10.4236/aad.2015.43007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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4
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Kaplan A, Stockwell BR. Therapeutic approaches to preventing cell death in Huntington disease. Prog Neurobiol 2012; 99:262-80. [PMID: 22967354 PMCID: PMC3505265 DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2012.08.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/01/2012] [Revised: 07/20/2012] [Accepted: 08/17/2012] [Indexed: 12/01/2022]
Abstract
Neurodegenerative diseases affect the lives of millions of patients and their families. Due to the complexity of these diseases and our limited understanding of their pathogenesis, the design of therapeutic agents that can effectively treat these diseases has been challenging. Huntington disease (HD) is one of several neurological disorders with few therapeutic options. HD, like numerous other neurodegenerative diseases, involves extensive neuronal cell loss. One potential strategy to combat HD and other neurodegenerative disorders is to intervene in the execution of neuronal cell death. Inhibiting neuronal cell death pathways may slow the development of neurodegeneration. However, discovering small molecule inhibitors of neuronal cell death remains a significant challenge. Here, we review candidate therapeutic targets controlling cell death mechanisms that have been the focus of research in HD, as well as an emerging strategy that has been applied to developing small molecule inhibitors-fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD). FBDD has been successfully used in both industry and academia to identify selective and potent small molecule inhibitors, with a focus on challenging proteins that are not amenable to traditional high-throughput screening approaches. FBDD has been used to generate potent leads, pre-clinical candidates, and has led to the development of an FDA approved drug. This approach can be valuable for identifying modulators of cell-death-regulating proteins; such compounds may prove to be the key to halting the progression of HD and other neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna Kaplan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, Northwest Corner Building, MC4846, 550 West 120 Street, New York, NY 10027, USA
| | - Brent R. Stockwell
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Columbia University, Northwest Corner Building, MC4846, 550 West 120 Street, New York, NY 10027, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Columbia University, Northwest Corner Building, MC4846, 550 West 120 Street, New York, NY 10027, USA
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, Northwest Corner Building, MC4846, 550 West 120 Street, New York, NY 10027, USA
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5
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Wang SL, Ding J, Jiang B, Gao Y, Tu SJ. Microwave-assisted solvent-dependent reaction: chemoselective synthesis of quinoxalin-2(1H)-ones, benzo[d]imidazoles and dipeptides. ACS COMBINATORIAL SCIENCE 2011; 13:572-7. [PMID: 21815688 DOI: 10.1021/co2001247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A microwave-assisted solvent-dependent chemoselective reaction dealing with 4-arylidene-2-phenyloxazol-5-ones and diverse ortho-diamines to achieve three types of molecular scaffolds, 3-benzylquinoxalin-2(1H)-ones, benzimidazole and β-amino dipeptides is reported. The procedures feature short reaction time, good to excellent yields, operational simplicity, as well as easily available starting materials. These compounds are of importance for organic chemistry and medicinal chemistry research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shu-Liang Wang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Synthetic Chemistry for Functional Materials, Xuzhou Normal University, Xuzhou, 221116, P. R. China
| | - Jie Ding
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Synthetic Chemistry for Functional Materials, Xuzhou Normal University, Xuzhou, 221116, P. R. China
| | - Bo Jiang
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Synthetic Chemistry for Functional Materials, Xuzhou Normal University, Xuzhou, 221116, P. R. China
| | - Yuan Gao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shenzhen University, P. R. China
| | - Shu-Jiang Tu
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Key Laboratory of Green Synthetic Chemistry for Functional Materials, Xuzhou Normal University, Xuzhou, 221116, P. R. China
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6
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Pérez-Payá E, Orzáez M, Mondragón L, Wolan D, Wells JA, Messeguer A, Vicent MJ. Molecules that modulate Apaf-1 activity. Med Res Rev 2010; 31:649-75. [PMID: 20099266 DOI: 10.1002/med.20198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
Programmed cell death, apoptosis, is a highly regulated cellular pathway, responsible for the elimination of cells in the organism that are no longer needed or extensively damaged. Defects in the regulation of apoptosis could be at the molecular basis of different diseases, either when it is insufficient or excessive. The formation of the macromolecular complex, apoptosome, is a key event in this pathway, which has also been defined as the intrinsic apoptosis pathway. The apoptosome is a holoenzyme multiprotein complex formed by cytochrome c-activated apoptotic protease-activating factor (Apaf-1), dATP, and procaspase-9. Recent studies have produced a wealth of information about the regulation and functions of Apaf-1, but additional studies aimed at elucidating its role as a signaling device at the crosstalk between different signaling pathways are needed to take advantage for the development of modulators of apoptosis pathways and possible therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Enrique Pérez-Payá
- Peptide and Protein Laboratory, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Centro de Investigación Príncipe Felipe, Avda Autopista del Saler, Valencia, Spain.
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7
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Sharma BK, Pilania P, Singh P, Prabhakar YS. Combinatorial protocol in multiple linear regression/partial least-squares directed rationale for the caspase-3 inhibition activity of isoquinoline-1,3,4-trione derivatives. SAR AND QSAR IN ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2010; 21:169-185. [PMID: 20373219 DOI: 10.1080/10629360903570545] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The caspase-3 inhibition activity of isoquinoline-1,3,4-trione derivatives has been analysed with the topological and molecular features from Dragon software. Analysis of the structural features in conjunction with the biological endpoints in combinatorial protocol in multiple linear regression (CP-MLR) led to the identification of 45 descriptors for modelling the activity. The study clearly suggested the role of rotatable bonds, mean information on the distance degree equality, radial centricity, bond and structural information content of five-order neighbourhood symmetry, atomic van der Waals volumes and the presence or absence of certain structural fragments to optimise the caspase-3 inhibitory activity of titled compounds. The models developed and the participating descriptors advocate that the substituent groups of the isoquinoline moiety hold scope for further modification in the optimization of the caspase-3 inhibitory activity. Analysis of these descriptors in partial least squares (PLS) highlighted their relative significance in modulating the biological response. The selected descriptors are enriched with information corresponding to the activity when compared to the remaining ones.
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Affiliation(s)
- B K Sharma
- Department of Chemistry, SK Government College, Sikar 332 001, India.
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8
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Vázquez J, García-Jareño A, Mondragón L, Rubio-Martinez J, Pérez-Payá E, Albericio F. Conformationally Restricted Hydantoin-Based Peptidomimetics as Inhibitors of Caspase-3 with Basic Groups Allowed at the S3 Enzyme Subsite. ChemMedChem 2008; 3:979-85. [DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.200800020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
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9
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Goode DR, Sharma AK, Hergenrother PJ. Using peptidic inhibitors to systematically probe the S1' site of caspase-3 and caspase-7. Org Lett 2006; 7:3529-32. [PMID: 16048334 DOI: 10.1021/ol051287d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Fifteen ketone-containing peptides were designed, synthesized, and used to probe the effect of substitution at the P1' position on caspase-3 and -7 inhibition. Even with the large bias of Ac-Asp-Glu-Val-Asp at the P4-P1 positions, certain peptides with cyclic functionality in the P1' position show a dramatically reduced ability to inhibit these caspases. Additionally, trends toward isozyme selectivity were also uncovered for particular P1' substituents. The data indicate that substitution in the P1' position can drastically affect both caspase inhibition and selectivity. [structure: see text]
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Affiliation(s)
- David R Goode
- Roger Adams Laboratory, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801, USA
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10
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Abstract
The pathogenesis of many diseases is most closely connected with aberrantly regulated apoptotic cell death. The past 15 years have witnessed an explosion in the basic knowledge of mechanisms that regulate apoptosis and the mediators that either trigger or inhibit cell death. Consequently, great interest has emerged in devising therapeutic strategies for modulating the key molecules of life-and-death decisions. Numerous novel approaches are currently being followed employing gene therapy and antisense strategies, recombinant biologics or classical organic and combinatorial chemistry in order to target specific apoptotic regulators. Although drug development is still in its infancy, several therapeutics have progressed to clinical testing or have even been approved in record time. This review outlines the recent advances in the field of apoptosis-based therapies and explores some highlights of a very active field of drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- U Fischer
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, Heinrich-Heine-University, Düsseldorf, Germany
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11
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Chen YH, Zhang YH, Zhang HJ, Liu DZ, Gu M, Li JY, Wu F, Zhu XZ, Li J, Nan FJ. Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Isoquinoline-1,3,4-trione Derivatives as Potent Caspase-3 Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2006; 49:1613-23. [PMID: 16509578 DOI: 10.1021/jm050896o] [Citation(s) in RCA: 111] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A series of isoquinoline-1,3,4-trione derivatives were identified as novel and potent inhibitors of caspase-3 through structural modification of the original compound from high-throughput screening. Various analogues (2, 6, 9, 13, and 14) were synthesized and identified as caspase inhibitors, and the introduction of a 6-N-acyl group (compound 13) greatly improved their activity. Some of them showed low nanomolar potency against caspase-3 in vitro (for example, for 6k, IC50 = 40 nM) and significant protection against apoptosis in a model cell system. Additionally, compound 13f demonstrated a dose-dependent decrease in infarct volume in the transient MCA occlusion stroke model. The present small-molecule caspase-3 inhibitor with novel structures different from structures of known caspase inhibitors revealed a new direction for therapeutic strategies directed against diseases involving abnormally up-regulated apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi-Hua Chen
- Chinese National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Shanghai Institutes for Biological Sciences, Graduate School of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, PRC
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12
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Fahr BT, O'Brien T, Pham P, Waal ND, Baskaran S, Raimundo BC, Lam JW, Sopko MM, Purkey HE, Romanowski MJ. Tethering identifies fragment that yields potent inhibitors of human caspase-1. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2006; 16:559-62. [PMID: 16274992 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2005.10.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2005] [Revised: 10/14/2005] [Accepted: 10/17/2005] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Disulfide Tethering was applied to the active site of human caspase-1, resulting in the discovery of a novel, tricyclic molecular fragment that selectively binds in S4. This fragment was developed into a class of potent inhibitors of human caspase-1. Several key analogues determined the optimal distance of the tricycle from the catalytic residues, the relative importance of various features of the tricycle, and the importance of the linker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruce T Fahr
- Department of Chemistry, Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, 341 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA.
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13
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Fischer U, Schulze-Osthoff K. New approaches and therapeutics targeting apoptosis in disease. Pharmacol Rev 2005; 57:187-215. [PMID: 15914467 DOI: 10.1124/pr.57.2.6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 199] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Apoptosis, the major form of cellular suicide, is central to various physiological processes and the maintenance of homeostasis in multicellular organisms. Presumably, even more important is a causative or contributing role of apoptosis to various human diseases. These include situations with unwanted cell accumulation (cancer) and failure to eradicate aberrant cells (autoimmune diseases) or disorders with an inappropriate loss of cells (heart failure, stroke, AIDS, neurodegenerative diseases, and liver injury). The past decade has witnessed a tremendous progress in the knowledge of the molecular mechanisms that regulate apoptosis and the mediators that either prevent or trigger cell death. Consequently, apoptosis regulators have emerged as key targets for the design of therapeutic strategies aimed at modulating cellular life-and-death decisions. Numerous novel approaches are currently being followed employing gene therapy and antisense strategies, recombinant biologics, or classical organic and combinatorial chemistry to target specific apoptotic regulators. Convincing proof-of-principle evidence obtained in several animal models confirms the validity of strategies targeting apoptosis and revealed an enormous potential for therapeutic intervention in a variety of illnesses. Although numerous apoptotic drugs are currently being developed, several therapeutics have progressed to clinical testing or are already approved and marketed. Here we review the recent progress of apoptosis-based therapies and survey some highlights in a very promising field of drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ute Fischer
- Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Düsseldorf, Building 23.12, Universitätsstrasse 1, D-40225 Düsseldorf, Germany
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14
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O’Brien T, Fahr BT, Sopko MM, Lam JW, Waal ND, Raimundo BC, Purkey HE, Pham P, Romanowski MJ. Structural analysis of caspase-1 inhibitors derived from Tethering. Acta Crystallogr Sect F Struct Biol Cryst Commun 2005; 61:451-8. [PMID: 16511067 PMCID: PMC1952309 DOI: 10.1107/s1744309105010109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2005] [Accepted: 03/31/2005] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Abstract
Caspase-1 is a key endopeptidase responsible for the post-translational processing of the IL-1beta and IL-18 cytokines and small-molecule inhibitors that modulate the activity of this enzyme are predicted to be important therapeutic treatments for many inflammatory diseases. A fragment-assembly approach, accompanied by structural analysis, was employed to generate caspase-1 inhibitors. With the aid of Tethering with extenders (small molecules that bind to the active-site cysteine and contain a free thiol), two novel fragments that bound to the active site and made a disulfide bond with the extender were identified by mass spectrometry. Direct linking of each fragment to the extender generated submicromolar reversible inhibitors that significantly reduced secretion of IL-1beta but not IL-6 from human peripheral blood mononuclear cells. Thus, Tethering with extenders facilitated rapid identification and synthesis of caspase-1 inhibitors with cell-based activity and subsequent structural analyses provided insights into the enzyme's ability to accommodate different inhibitor-binding modes in the active site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tom O’Brien
- Department of Biology, Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA
| | - Bruce T. Fahr
- Department of Chemistry, Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA
| | | | - Joni W. Lam
- Department of Biology, Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA
| | - Nathan D. Waal
- Department of Chemistry, Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA
| | | | - Hans E. Purkey
- Department of Computational Chemistry, Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA
| | - Phuongly Pham
- Department of Chemistry, Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA
| | - Michael J. Romanowski
- Department of Structural Biology, Sunesis Pharmaceuticals Inc., USA
- Correspondence e-mail:
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15
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Fattorusso R, Jung D, Crowell KJ, Forino M, Pellecchia M. Discovery of a Novel Class of Reversible Non-Peptide Caspase Inhibitors via a Structure-Based Approach. J Med Chem 2005; 48:1649-56. [PMID: 15743206 DOI: 10.1021/jm0493212] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In this paper, we report a simple structure-based iterative optimizations (SUBITO) strategy to identify and optimize new protein ligands and inhibitors. The approach is based on a combination of NMR-based screening and computational docking methods and enabled the identification of novel chemical leads among hundreds of thousands of commercially available compounds by screening only a few hundred compounds from a scaffold library followed by iterative screening steps where only few dozen compounds are tested. As an application, we report on the discovery of a novel class of non-peptide reversible caspase inhibitors, with IC(50) values in the low micromolar range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Fattorusso
- The Burnham Institute, 10901 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, CA 92037, USA
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16
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Grimm EL, Roy B, Aspiotis R, Bayly CI, Nicholson DW, Rasper DM, Renaud J, Roy S, Tam J, Tawa P, Vaillancourt JP, Xanthoudakis S, Zamboni RJ. Solid phase synthesis of selective caspase-3 peptide inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem 2004; 12:845-51. [PMID: 14980595 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2004.01.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2003] [Revised: 12/23/2003] [Accepted: 01/10/2004] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
A robust method for the solid phase synthesis of a series of selective caspase-3 peptide inhibitors is described. The inhibitors can be obtained after cleavage from the solid support without further purification.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erich L Grimm
- Merck Frosst Centre for Therapeutic Research, Merck Frosst Canada & Co. PO Box 1005, Pointe-Claire-Dorval, Québec, Canada H9R 4P8.
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17
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Erlanson DA, Hansen SK. Making drugs on proteins: site-directed ligand discovery for fragment-based lead assembly. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2004; 8:399-406. [PMID: 15288250 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2004.06.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Rapid progress in genomics and proteomics has provided a wealth of new targets for the pharmaceutical industry, even as many older targets still remain challenging for small-molecule drug discovery. Fragment-based lead discovery, in which leads are built progressively by expanding or combining small fragments, is a rapidly growing field that offers potential advantages over traditional lead-discovery processes. However, identifying and assembling the fragments themselves can be challenging. Here, we review the concept of site-directed ligand discovery, in which a covalent bond is used to stabilize the interaction between a low-affinity fragment and a target protein. We also describe how this technique can facilitate fragment-based lead discovery and help overcome some of the limitations of traditional screening methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Erlanson
- Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 341 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, California 94080, USA.
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18
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Abstract
The genomics revolution has provided a deluge of new targets for drug discovery. To facilitate the drug discovery process, many researchers are turning to fragment-based approaches to find lead molecules more efficiently. One such method, Tethering1, allows for the identification of small-molecule fragments that bind to specific regions of a protein target. These fragments can then be elaborated, combined with other molecules, or combined with one another to provide high-affinity drug leads. In this review we describe the background and theory behind Tethering and discuss its use in identifying novel inhibitors for protein targets including interleukin-2 (IL-2), thymidylate synthase (TS), protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP-1B), and caspases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel A Erlanson
- Sunesis Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 341 Oyster Point Boulevard, South San Francisco, California 94080, USA.
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