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Wang Z, Lu X, Liu C, Huang F, Lu T, Chen Y, Liu L, Lu S. Discovery of FLT3-targeting PROTACs with potent antiproliferative activity against acute myeloid leukemia cells harboring FLT3 mutations. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 268:116237. [PMID: 38387337 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2024] [Revised: 02/02/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients harboring Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) mutations often suffer from poor prognosis and relapse. Targeted protein degradation utilizing proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) is considered as a novel therapeutic strategy in drug discovery and may be a promising modality to target FLT3 mutations for the development of potent anti-AML drugs. Herein, a kind of FLT3-targeting PROTACs was rationally developed based on a FLT3 inhibitor previously reported by us. The representative compound 35 showed potent and selective antiproliferative activities against AML cells harboring FLT3 mutations. Western blot assay demonstrated that compound 35 effectively induced the degradation of FLT3-ITD and decreased the phosphorylation levels of FLT3-ITD, AKT, STAT5 and ERK in MV4-11 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Flow cytometry analysis illustrated that compound 35 strongly induced apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in MV4-11 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, compound 35 displayed favorable metabolic stability in in-vitro liver microsomes studies. Comparative molecular dynamic (MD) simulation studies further elucidated the underlying mechanism of compound 35 to stabilize the dynamic ensemble of the FLT3-compound 35-cereblon (CRBN) ternary complex. Taken together, compound 35 could serve as a lead molecule for developing FLT3 degraders against AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijie Wang
- ShenZhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, 518000, PR China; School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Xun Lu
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Canlin Liu
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Fei Huang
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Tao Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Yadong Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Design and Drug Discovery, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China.
| | - Lifei Liu
- Department of Infectious Disease, Children's Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 210008, PR China.
| | - Shuai Lu
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China.
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2
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Wang X, DeFilippis RA, Weldemichael T, Gunaganti N, Tran P, Leung YK, Shah NP, Li HY. An imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-pyridine derivative potently inhibits FLT3-ITD and FLT3-ITD secondary mutants, including gilteritinib-resistant FLT3-ITD/F691L. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 264:115977. [PMID: 38056299 PMCID: PMC11590664 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115977] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/18/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
FLT3 activating mutations are detected in approximately 30 % of newly diagnosed acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cases, most commonly consisting of internal tandem duplication (ITD) mutations in the juxtamembrane region. Recently, several FLT3 inhibitors have demonstrated clinical activity and three are currently approved - midostaurin, quizartinib, and gilteritinib. Midostaurin is a first-generation FLT3 inhibitor with minimal activity as monotherapy. Midostaurin lacks selectivity and is only approved by the USFDA for use in combination with other chemotherapy agents. The second-generation inhibitors quizartinib and gilteritinib display improved specificity and selectivity, and have been approved for use as monotherapy. However, their clinical efficacies are limited in part due to the emergence of drug-resistant FLT3 secondary mutations in the tyrosine kinase domain at positions D835 and F691. Therefore, in order to overcome drug resistance and further improve outcomes, new compounds targeting FLT3-ITD with secondary mutants are urgently needed. In this study, through the structural modification of a reported compound Ling-5e, we identified compound 24 as a FLT3 inhibitor that is equally potent against FLT3-ITD and the clinically relevant mutants FLT3-ITD/D835Y, and FLT3-ITD/F691L. Its inhibitory effects were demonstrated in both cell viability assays and western blots analyses. When tested against cell lines lacking activating mutations in FLT3, no non-specific cytotoxicity effect was observed. Interestingly, molecular docking results showed that compound 24 may adopt different binding conformations with FLT3-F691L compared to FLT3, which may explain its retained activity against FLT3-ITD/F691L. In summary, compound 24 has inhibition potency on FLT3 comparable to gilteritinib, but a more balanced inhibition on FLT3 secondary mutations, especially FLT3-ITD/F691L which is gilteritinib resistant. Compound 24 may serve as a promising lead for the drug development of either primary or relapsed AML with FLT3 secondary mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuqi Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Rosa Anna DeFilippis
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Tsigereda Weldemichael
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Naresh Gunaganti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Phuc Tran
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Yuet-Kin Leung
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Medicine, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA
| | - Neil P Shah
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Hong-Yu Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.
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Ma C, Cui S, Xu R. Developments of Fms-like Tyrosine Kinase 3 Inhibitors as Anticancer Agents for AML Treatment. Curr Med Chem 2024; 31:4657-4686. [PMID: 38204232 DOI: 10.2174/0109298673277543231205072556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 10/01/2023] [Accepted: 10/25/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) is a commonly mutated gene in acute myeloid leukemia. As a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK), FLT3 plays a role in the proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells. As the most frequent molecular alteration in AML, FLT3 has drawn the attention of many researchers, and a lot of small molecule inhibitors targeting FLT3 have been intensively investigated as potential drugs for AML therapy. METHODS In this paper, PubMed and SciFinder® were used as a tool; the publications about "FLT3 inhibitor" and "Acute myeloid leukemia" were surveyed from 2014 to the present with an exclusion of those published as patents. RESULTS In this study, the structural characterization and biological activities of representative FLT3 inhibitors were summarized. The major challenges and future directions for further research are discussed. CONCLUSION Recently, numerous FLT3 inhibitors have been discovered and employed in FLT3-mutated AML treatment. In order to overcome the drug resistance caused by FLT3 mutations, screening multitargets FLT3 inhibitors has become the main research direction. In addition, the emergence of irreversible FLT3 inhibitors also provides new ideas for discovering new FLT3 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenchen Ma
- College of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, China
- Central Laboratory of Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, China
- Shandong Key Laboratory of Dominant Diseases of traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Siyuan Cui
- Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250014, China
| | - Ruirong Xu
- Department of Hematology, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250014, China
- Institute of Hematology, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, 250014, China
- Shandong Provincial Health Commission Key Laboratory of Hematology of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Affiliated Hospital of Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan, China
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4
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Wang Z, Wu D, Zhao X, Liu C, Jia S, He Q, Huang F, Cheng Z, Lu T, Chen Y, Chen Y, Yang P, Lu S. Rational discovery of dual FLT3/HDAC inhibitors as a potential AML therapy. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 260:115759. [PMID: 37659198 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115759] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/23/2023] [Indexed: 09/04/2023]
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients often experience poor therapeutic outcomes and relapse after treatment with single-target drugs, representing the urgent need of new therapies. Simultaneous inhibition of multiple oncogenic signals is a promising strategy for tumor therapy. Previous studies have reported that concomitant inhibition of Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) and histone deacetylases (HDACs) can significantly improve the therapeutic efficacy for AML. Herein, a series of novel dual FLT3/HDAC inhibitors were developed through a rational structure-based drug design strategy for the first time. Among them, multiple compounds showed potent and equivalent inhibitory activities against FLT3-ITD and HDAC1, with the representative compound 63 selectively inhibiting HDAC class I (HDAC1/2/3/8) and IIB isoforms (HDAC6) related to tumorigenesis, and intensively blocking proliferation of MV4-11 cells. The antiproliferation activity was proven to depend on the dual inhibition of FLT3 and HDAC1. Mechanism assays demonstrated that 63 prohibited both FLT3 and HDAC pathways, induced apoptosis and arrested cell cycle in MV4-11 cells in a dose-dependent manner. In summary, this study validated the therapeutic potential of a kind of dual FLT3/HDAC inhibitors for AML and provided novel compounds for further biological investigation on concomitant inhibition of FLT3/HDAC pathways. Additionally, the structure-based drug design strategy described herein may provide profound enlightenment for developing superior anti-AML drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijie Wang
- ShenZhen Hospital, Southern Medical University, Shenzhen, 518000, PR China; School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Donglin Wu
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Xiaofei Zhao
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Canlin Liu
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Siming Jia
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Qindi He
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Fei Huang
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Zitian Cheng
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Tao Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Yadong Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Design and Drug Discovery, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China.
| | - Yun Chen
- Edmond H. Fischer Translational Medical Research Laboratory, Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, PR China.
| | - Pei Yang
- Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China.
| | - Shuai Lu
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China.
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5
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El-Nassan HB, Al-Qadhi MA. Recent advances in the discovery of tropomyosin receptor kinases TRKs inhibitors: A mini review. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 258:115618. [PMID: 37413881 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115618] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Revised: 06/23/2023] [Accepted: 06/30/2023] [Indexed: 07/08/2023]
Abstract
The tropomyosin receptor tyrosine kinases (TRKs) control the cell proliferation mainly in the nervous system and are encoded by NTRK genes. Fusion and mutation of NTRK genes were detected in various types of cancers. Many small molecules TRK inhibitors have been discovered during the last two decades and some of them have entered clinical trials. Moreover, two of these inhibitors; larotrectinib and entrectinib; were approved by FDA for the treatment of TRK-fusion positive solid tumors. However, mutation of TRK enzymes resulted in resistance to both drugs. Therefore, next generation TRK inhibitors were discovered to overcome the acquired drug resistance. Additionally, the off-target and on-target adverse effects on the brain initiated the need for selective TRK subtype inhibitors. Indeed, some molecules were recently reported as selective TRKA or TRKC inhibitors with minimal CNS side effects. The current review highlighted the efforts done during the last three years in the design and discovery of novel TRK inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hala B El-Nassan
- Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, 11562, Egypt.
| | - Mustafa A Al-Qadhi
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo, 11562, Egypt
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6
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Shaldam MA, Hendrychová D, El-Haggar R, Vojáčková V, Majrashi TA, Elkaeed EB, Masurier N, Kryštof V, Tawfik HO, Eldehna WM. 2,4-Diaryl-pyrimido[1,2-a]benzimidazole derivatives as novel anticancer agents endowed with potent anti-leukemia activity: Synthesis, biological evaluation and kinase profiling. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 258:115610. [PMID: 37437350 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115610] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 06/10/2023] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/14/2023]
Abstract
Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) stands as one of the most aggressive type of human cancer that can develop rapidly and thus requires immediate management. In the current study, the development of novel derivatives of pyrimido[1,2-a]benzimidazole (5a-p) as potential anti-AML agents is reported. The prepared compounds 5a-p were inspected for their in vitro anti-tumor activity at NCI-DTP and subsequently 5h was selected for full panel five-dose screening to assess its TGI, LC50 and GI50 values. Compound 5h showed effective anti-tumor activity at low micromolar concentration on all tested human cancer cell lines with GI50 range from 0.35 to 9.43 μM with superior sub-micromolar activity towards leukemia. Furthermore, pyrimido[1,2-a]benzimidazoles 5e-l were tested on a panel ofhuman acute leukemia cell lines, namely HL60, MOLM-13, MV4-11, CCRF-CEM and THP-1, where 5e-h reached single-digit micromolar GI50 values for all the tested cell lines. All prepared compounds were first tested for inhibitory action against the leukemia-associated mutant FLT3-ITD, as well as against ABL, CDK2, and GSK3 kinases, in order to identify the kinase target for the herein described pyrimido[1,2-a]benzimidazoles. However, the examined molecules disclosed non-significant activity against these kinases. Thereafter, a kinase profiling on a panel of 338 human kinases was then used to discover the potential target. Interestingly, pyrimido[1,2-a]benzimidazoles 5e and 5h significantly inhibited BMX kinase. Further investigation for the effect on cell cycle of HL60 and MV4-11 cells and caspase 3/7 activity was also performed. In addition, the changes in selected proteins (PARP-1, Mcl-1, pH3-Ser10) associated with cell death and viability were analyzed in HL60 and MV4-11 cells by immunoblotting.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moataz A Shaldam
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, 33516, Egypt
| | - Denisa Hendrychová
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, 78371, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Radwan El-Haggar
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, Helwan University, 11795, Ain Helwan, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Veronika Vojáčková
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, 78371, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Taghreed A Majrashi
- Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Khalid University, Asir, 61421, Saudi Arabia
| | - Eslam B Elkaeed
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, AlMaarefa University, Riyadh, 13713, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Vladimír Kryštof
- Department of Experimental Biology, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, Šlechtitelů 27, 78371, Olomouc, Czech Republic; Institute of Molecular and Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, Palacký University Olomouc, Hněvotínská 5, 77900, Olomouc, Czech Republic
| | - Haytham O Tawfik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Tanta University, Tanta, 31527, Egypt
| | - Wagdy M Eldehna
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Kafrelsheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, 33516, Egypt.
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7
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Ghelli Luserna di Rorà A, Jandoubi M, Martinelli G, Simonetti G. Targeting Proliferation Signals and the Cell Cycle Machinery in Acute Leukemias: Novel Molecules on the Horizon. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28031224. [PMID: 36770891 PMCID: PMC9920029 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28031224] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Uncontrolled proliferative signals and cell cycle dysregulation due to genomic or functional alterations are important drivers of the expansion of undifferentiated blast cells in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) cells. Therefore, they are largely studied as potential therapeutic targets in the field. We here present the most recent advancements in the evaluation of novel compounds targeting cell cycle proteins or oncogenic mechanisms, including those showing an antiproliferative effect in acute leukemia, independently of the identification of a specific target. Several new kinase inhibitors have been synthesized that showed effectiveness in a nanomolar to micromolar concentration range as inhibitors of FLT3 and its mutant forms, a highly attractive therapeutic target due to its driver role in a significant fraction of AML cases. Moreover, we introduce novel molecules functioning as microtubule-depolymerizing or P53-restoring agents, G-quadruplex-stabilizing molecules and CDK2, CHK1, PI3Kδ, STAT5, BRD4 and BRPF1 inhibitors. We here discuss their mechanisms of action, including the downstream intracellular changes induced by in vitro treatment, hematopoietic toxicity, in vivo bio-availability and efficacy in murine xenograft models. The promising activity profile demonstrated by some of these candidates deserves further development towards clinical investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Ghelli Luserna di Rorà
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Via Piero Maroncelli 40, 47014 Meldola, Italy
- Fondazione Pisana per Scienza ONLUS, 56017 San Giuliano Terme, Italy
| | - Mouna Jandoubi
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Via Piero Maroncelli 40, 47014 Meldola, Italy
| | - Giovanni Martinelli
- Scientific Directorate, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Via Piero Maroncelli 40, 47014 Meldola, Italy
- Correspondence:
| | - Giorgia Simonetti
- Biosciences Laboratory, IRCCS Istituto Romagnolo per lo Studio dei Tumori (IRST) “Dino Amadori”, Via Piero Maroncelli 40, 47014 Meldola, Italy
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8
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Wang Z, Ren J, Jia K, Zhao Y, Liang L, Cheng Z, Huang F, Zhao X, Cheng J, Song S, Sheng T, Wan W, Shu Q, Wu D, Zhang J, Lu T, Chen Y, Ran T, Lu S. Identification and structural analysis of a selective tropomyosin receptor kinase C (TRKC) inhibitor. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 241:114601. [PMID: 35872544 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2022] [Revised: 04/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
Tropomyosin receptor kinases (TRKs) are a family of TRKA, TRKB and TRKC isoforms. It has been widely reported that TRKs are implicated in a variety of tumors with several Pan-TRK inhibitors currently being used or evaluated in clinical treatment. However, off-target adverse events frequently occur in the clinical use of Pan-TRK inhibitors, which result in poor patient compliance, even drug discontinuation. Although a subtype-selectivity TRK inhibitor may avert the potential off-target adverse events and can act as a more powerful tool compound in the biochemical studies on TRKs, the high sequence similarities of TRKs hinder the development of subtype-selectivity TRK inhibitors. For example, no selective TRKC inhibitor has been reported. Herein, a selective TRKC inhibitor (L13) was disclosed, with potent TRKC inhibitory activity and 107.5-/34.9-fold selectivity over TRKA/B (IC50 TRKA/B/C = 1400 nM, 454 nM, 13 nM, respectively). Extensive molecular dynamics simulations illustrated that key interactions of L13 with the residues and diversely conserved water molecules in the ribose regions of different TRKs may be the structural basis of selectivity. This will provide inspiring insights into the development of subtype-selectivity TRK inhibitors. Moreover, L13 could serve as a tool compound to investigate the distinct biological functions of TRKC and a starting point for further research on drugs specifically targeting TRKC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijie Wang
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Jiwei Ren
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Kun Jia
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Yuming Zhao
- Edmond H. Fischer Translational Medical Research Laboratory, Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, PR China
| | - Li Liang
- Laboratory of Molecular Design and Drug Discovery, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Zitian Cheng
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Fei Huang
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Xiaofei Zhao
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Jie Cheng
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Shiyu Song
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210038, PR China
| | - Tiancheng Sheng
- School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Weiqi Wan
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Qingqing Shu
- School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Donglin Wu
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Junhao Zhang
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Tao Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Yadong Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Design and Drug Discovery, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China.
| | - Ting Ran
- Drug and Vaccine Research Center, Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou, 510005, PR China.
| | - Shuai Lu
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China.
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9
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Wang Z, Cai J, Ren J, Chen Y, Wu Y, Cheng J, Jia K, Huang F, Cheng Z, Sheng T, Song S, Heng H, Zhu Y, Tang W, Li H, Lu T, Chen Y, Lu S. Discovery of a Potent FLT3 Inhibitor (LT-850-166) with the Capacity of Overcoming a Variety of FLT3 Mutations. J Med Chem 2021; 64:14664-14701. [PMID: 34550682 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Secondary mutations of FLT3 have become the main mechanism of FLT3 inhibitor resistance that presents a significant clinical challenge. Herein, a series of pyrazole-3-amine derivatives were synthesized and optimized to overcome the common secondary resistance mutations of FLT3. The structure-activity relationship and molecular dynamics simulation studies illustrated that the ribose region of FLT3 could be occupied to help address the obstacle of secondary mutations. Among those derivatives, compound 67 exhibited potent and selective inhibitory activities against FLT3-ITD-positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells and possessed equivalent potency against transformed BaF3 cells with a variety of secondary mutations. Besides, cellular mechanism assays demonstrated that 67 strongly inhibited phosphorylation of FLT3 and its downstream signaling factors, as well as induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in MV4-11 cells. In the MV4-11 xenograft models, 67 exhibited potent antitumor potency without obvious toxicity. Taken together, these results demonstrated that 67 might be a drug candidate for the treatment of FLT3-ITD-positive AML.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhijie Wang
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, P. R. China
| | - Jiongheng Cai
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, P. R. China
| | - Jiwei Ren
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, P. R. China
| | - Yun Chen
- Edmond H. Fischer Translational Medical Research Laboratory, Scientific Research Center, The Seventh Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Shenzhen 518107, P. R. China
| | - Yingli Wu
- Chemical Biology Division of Shanghai Universities E-Institutes, Hongqiao International Institute of Medicine, Shanghai Tongren Hospital/Faculty of Basic Medicine, Key Laboratory of Cell Differentiation and Apoptosis of the Chinese Ministry of Education, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai 200025, P. R. China
| | - Jie Cheng
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, P. R. China
| | - Kun Jia
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, P. R. China
| | - Fei Huang
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, P. R. China
| | - Zitian Cheng
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, P. R. China
| | - Tiancheng Sheng
- School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, P. R. China
| | - Shiyu Song
- School of Life Sciences and Technology, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210038, P. R. China
| | - Hao Heng
- Department of Polymer Science & Engineering, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
| | - Yifan Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, P.R. China
| | - Weifang Tang
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, P. R. China
| | - Hongmei Li
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, P. R. China
| | - Tao Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Yadong Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Design and Drug Discovery, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, P. R. China
| | - Shuai Lu
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, P. R. China
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Zhong Y, Qiu RZ, Sun SL, Zhao C, Fan TY, Chen M, Li NG, Shi ZH. Small-Molecule Fms-like Tyrosine Kinase 3 Inhibitors: An Attractive and Efficient Method for the Treatment of Acute Myeloid Leukemia. J Med Chem 2020; 63:12403-12428. [PMID: 32659083 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 62] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) is an important member of the class III receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family, which is involved in the proliferation of hematopoietic cells and lymphocytes. In recent years, increasing evidence have demonstrated that the activation and mutation of FLT3 is closely implicated in the occurrence and development of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The exploration of small-molecule inhibitors targeting FLT3 has aroused wide interest of pharmaceutical chemists and is expected to bring new hope for AML therapy. In this review, we specifically highlighted FLT3 mediated JAK/STAT, RAS/MAPK, and PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling. The structural properties and biological activities of representative FLT3 inhibitors reported from 2014 to the present were also summarized. In addition, the major challenges in the current advance of novel FLT3 inhibitors were further analyzed, with the aim to guide future drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhong
- National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Run-Ze Qiu
- National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Shan-Liang Sun
- National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Chao Zhao
- National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Tian-Yuan Fan
- National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Min Chen
- National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Nian-Guang Li
- National and Local Collaborative Engineering Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization and Formulae Innovative Medicine, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Jiangsu Key Laboratory for High Technology Research of TCM Formulae, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Zhi-Hao Shi
- Department of Organic Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
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Abstract
Fms-like tyrosine kinase-3 (FLT3) mutations occur in approximately 30% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cases, suggesting FLT3 as an attractive target for AML treatment. Early FLT3 inhibitors enhance antileukemia efficacy by inhibiting multiple targets, and thus had stronger off-target activity, increasing their toxicity. Recently, a number of potent and selective FLT3 inhibitors have been developed, many of which are effective against multiple mutations. This review outlines the evolution of AML-targeting FLT3 inhibitors by focusing on their chemotypes, selectivity and activity over FLT3 wild-type and FLT3 mutations as well as new techniques related to FLT3. Compounds that currently enter the late clinical stage or have entered the market are also briefly reported.
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Tolomeo M, Meli M, Grimaudo S. STAT5 and STAT5 Inhibitors in Hematological Malignancies. Anticancer Agents Med Chem 2019; 19:2036-2046. [PMID: 31490767 DOI: 10.2174/1871520619666190906160848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/13/2019] [Revised: 07/09/2019] [Accepted: 07/18/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The JAK-STAT pathway is an important physiologic regulator of different cellular functions including proliferation, apoptosis, differentiation, and immunological responses. Out of six different STAT proteins, STAT5 plays its main role in hematopoiesis and constitutive STAT5 activation seems to be a key event in the pathogenesis of several hematological malignancies. This has led many researchers to develop compounds capable of inhibiting STAT5 activation or interfering with its functions. Several anti-STAT5 molecules have shown potent STAT5 inhibitory activity in vitro. However, compared to the large amount of clinical studies with JAK inhibitors that are currently widely used in the clinics to treat myeloproliferative disorders, the clinical trials with STAT5 inhibitors are very limited. At present, a few STAT5 inhibitors are in phase I or II clinical trials for the treatment of leukemias and graft vs host disease. These studies seem to indicate that such compounds could be well tolerated and useful in reducing the occurrence of resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors in chronic myeloid leukemia. Of interest, STAT5 seems to play an important role in the regulation of hematopoietic stem cell self-renewal suggesting that combination therapies including STAT5 inhibitors can erode the cancer stem cell pool and possibly open the way for the complete cancer eradication. In this review, we discuss the implication of STAT5 in hematological malignancies and the results obtained with the novel STAT5 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manlio Tolomeo
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Maria Meli
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Stefania Grimaudo
- Department of Health Promotion Sciences, Maternal and Infant Care, Internal Medicine and Medical Specialties, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
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