Recent research and development of DYRK1A inhibitors

Structural Dynamics and Network Pharmacology for the Discovery of Inhibitors Targeting DYRK1 A in Neurological Disorders

Neurological disorders, including Down syndrome, Alzheimer's disease, and autism spectrum disorders, involve intricate disruptions in brain function and development. DYRK1A (Dual-Specificity Tyrosine Phosphorylation-Regulated Kinase 1A) has become an essential target in these diseases because it helps neurons grow, differentiate, and change shape. Overexpression of DYRK1A is connected to problems with neurodevelopment, memory loss, and tauopathies, which makes it an essential target for therapy. Therefore, inhibiting the DYRK1A protein aids in maintaining the normal brain molecular mechanism. Herein, we have identified three major natural compounds, ZINC000043552589, ZINC000001562130, and ZINC000059779788, as potential inhibitory candidates. These compounds exhibited a strong binding affinity with the DYRK1A protein during virtual screening and molecular docking. During the virtual screening analysis, the binding scores of these compounds were more than -11.0 kcal/mol. Further, hydrogen and hydrophobic interactions strengthen their binding with the DYRK1A protein. The MD simulation analysis also confirmed the structural dynamic stability of the compounds. Moreover, the total free binding energy calculated via the MM/GBSA method was found to be -54.06 kcal/mol for ZINC000043552589, -39.01 kcal/mol for ZINC000001562130 and -50.26 kcal/mol for ZINC000059779788. These values further confirm the binding affinity strength of the compounds with the target protein. DFT analysis revealed distinct HOMO-LUMO energy gaps and orbital distributions across the compounds, highlighting their varied electronic characteristics and charge-transfer potentials. Network pharmacology analysis further highlighted multiple potential gene targets for the selected compounds, providing insights into their broader therapeutic implications. This analysis suggests these natural compounds may modulate additional pathways relevant to neurodevelopmental and neurodegenerative diseases.

Recent advances in potential enzymes and their therapeutic inhibitors for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD), a chronic neurodegenerative disease, is clinically characterized by loss of memory and learning ability among other neurological deficits. Amyloid plaques, hyperphosphorylated tau protein, and neurofibrillary tangles involve in AD etiology. Meanwhile, enzymes and their inhibitors have become the focus of research in AD treatment. In this review, the molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of AD were overviewed and various enzymes such as acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BuChE), β-secretase, γ-secretase, monoamine oxidase (MAO), and receptor of advanced glycation end products (RAGE) were highlighted as potential targets for AD treatment. Several hybrid molecules with essential substructures derived from various chemotypes have demonstrated desired pharmacological activity. It is envisioned that the development of new drugs that inhibit enzymes involved in AD is a future trend in the management of the disease.

Prospect of targeting lysine methyltransferase NSD3 for tumor therapy

Nuclear receptor binding SET domain protein 3 (NSD3) has recently been recognized as a new epigenetic target in the fight against cancer. NSD3, which is amplified, overexpressed or mutated in a variety of tumors, promotes tumor development by regulating the cell cycle, apoptosis, DNA repair and EMT. Therefore, the inhibition, silencing or knockdown of NSD3 are highly promising antitumor strategies. This paper summarizes the structure and biological functions of NSD3 with an emphasis on its carcinogenic or cancer-promoting activity. The development of NSD3-specific inhibitors or degraders is also discussed and reviewed in this paper.

Straightforward Access to a New Class of Dual DYRK1A/CLK1 Inhibitors Possessing a Simple Dihydroquinoline Core

The DYRK (Dual-specificity tyrosine phosphorylation-regulated kinase) family of protein kinases is involved in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative diseases. Among them, the DYRK1A protein kinase is thought to be implicated in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Down syndrome, and as such, has emerged as an appealing therapeutic target. DYRKs are a subset of the CMGC (CDK, MAPKK, GSK3 and CLK) group of kinases. Within this group of kinases, the CDC2-like kinases (CLKs), such as CLK1, are closely related to DYRKs and have also sparked great interest as potential therapeutic targets for AD. Based on inhibitors previously described in the literature (namely TG003 and INDY), we report in this work a new class of dihydroquinolines exhibiting inhibitory activities in the nanomolar range on hDYRK1A and hCLK1. Moreover, there is overwhelming evidence that oxidative stress plays an important role in AD. Pleasingly, the most potent dual kinase inhibitor 1p exhibited antioxidant and radical scavenging properties. Finally, drug-likeness and molecular docking studies of this new class of DYRK1A/CLK1 inhibitors are also discussed in this article.