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Teuscher KB, Mills JJ, Tian J, Han C, Meyers KM, Sai J, South TM, Crow MM, Van Meveren M, Sensintaffar JL, Zhao B, Amporndanai K, Moore WJ, Stott GM, Tansey WP, Lee T, Fesik SW. Structure-Based Discovery of Potent, Orally Bioavailable Benzoxazepinone-Based WD Repeat Domain 5 Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2023; 66:16783-16806. [PMID: 38085679 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01529] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2023]
Abstract
The chromatin-associated protein WDR5 (WD repeat domain 5) is an essential cofactor for MYC and a conserved regulator of ribosome protein gene transcription. It is also a high-profile target for anti-cancer drug discovery, with proposed utility against both solid and hematological malignancies. We have previously discovered potent dihydroisoquinolinone-based WDR5 WIN-site inhibitors with demonstrated efficacy and safety in animal models. In this study, we sought to optimize the bicyclic core to discover a novel series of WDR5 WIN-site inhibitors with improved potency and physicochemical properties. We identified the 3,4-dihydrobenzo[f][1,4]oxazepin-5(2H)-one core as an alternative scaffold for potent WDR5 inhibitors. Additionally, we used X-ray structural analysis to design partially saturated bicyclic P7 units. These benzoxazepinone-based inhibitors exhibited increased cellular potency and selectivity and favorable physicochemical properties compared to our best-in-class dihydroisoquinolinone-based counterparts. This study opens avenues to discover more advanced WDR5 WIN-site inhibitors and supports their development as novel anti-cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jianhua Tian
- Molecular Design and Synthesis Center, Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-0142, United States
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - William J Moore
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, Frederick, Maryland 21702-1201, United States
| | - Gordon M Stott
- Leidos Biomedical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland 21701-4907, United States
| | | | | | - Stephen W Fesik
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232-0142, United States
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Teuscher KB, Meyers KM, Wei Q, Mills JJ, Tian J, Alvarado J, Sai J, Van Meveren M, South TM, Rietz TA, Zhao B, Moore WJ, Stott GM, Tansey WP, Lee T, Fesik SW. Discovery of Potent Orally Bioavailable WD Repeat Domain 5 (WDR5) Inhibitors Using a Pharmacophore-Based Optimization. J Med Chem 2022; 65:6287-6312. [PMID: 35436124 PMCID: PMC10081510 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
WD repeat domain 5 (WDR5) is a nuclear scaffolding protein that forms many biologically important multiprotein complexes. The WIN site of WDR5 represents a promising pharmacological target in a variety of human cancers. Here, we describe the optimization of our initial WDR5 WIN-site inhibitor using a structure-guided pharmacophore-based convergent strategy to improve its druglike properties and pharmacokinetic profile. The core of the previous lead remained constant while a focused SAR effort on the three pharmacophore units was combined to generate a new in vivo lead series. Importantly, this new series of compounds has picomolar binding affinity, improved cellular antiproliferative activity and selectivity, and increased kinetic aqueous solubility. They also exhibit a desirable oral pharmacokinetic profile with manageable intravenous clearance and high oral bioavailability. Thus, these new leads are useful probes toward studying the effects of WDR5 inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - William J Moore
- Leidos Biomedical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland 21701-4907, United States
| | - Gordon M Stott
- Leidos Biomedical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland 21701-4907, United States
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Tian J, Teuscher KB, Aho ER, Alvarado JR, Mills JJ, Meyers KM, Gogliotti RD, Han C, Macdonald JD, Sai J, Shaw JG, Sensintaffar JL, Zhao B, Rietz TA, Thomas LR, Payne WG, Moore WJ, Stott GM, Kondo J, Inoue M, Coffey RJ, Tansey WP, Stauffer SR, Lee T, Fesik SW. Discovery and Structure-Based Optimization of Potent and Selective WD Repeat Domain 5 (WDR5) Inhibitors Containing a Dihydroisoquinolinone Bicyclic Core. J Med Chem 2020; 63:656-675. [PMID: 31858797 PMCID: PMC6986559 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01608] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
WD repeat domain 5 (WDR5) is a member of the WD40-repeat protein family that plays a critical role in multiple chromatin-centric processes. Overexpression of WDR5 correlates with a poor clinical outcome in many human cancers, and WDR5 itself has emerged as an attractive target for therapy. Most drug-discovery efforts center on the WIN site of WDR5 that is responsible for the recruitment of WDR5 to chromatin. Here, we describe discovery of a novel WDR5 WIN site antagonists containing a dihydroisoquinolinone bicyclic core using a structure-based design. These compounds exhibit picomolar binding affinity and selective concentration-dependent antiproliferative activities in sensitive MLL-fusion cell lines. Furthermore, these WDR5 WIN site binders inhibit proliferation in MYC-driven cancer cells and reduce MYC recruitment to chromatin at MYC/WDR5 co-bound genes. Thus, these molecules are useful probes to study the implication of WDR5 inhibition in cancers and serve as a potential starting point toward the discovery of anti-WDR5 therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianhua Tian
- Chemical Synthesis Core, Vanderbilt Institute of Chemical Biology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - Kevin B. Teuscher
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - Erin R. Aho
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - Joseph R. Alvarado
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - Jonathan J. Mills
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - Kenneth M. Meyers
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - Rocco D. Gogliotti
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - Changho Han
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - Jonathan D. Macdonald
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - Jiqing Sai
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - J. Grace Shaw
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - John L. Sensintaffar
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - Bin Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - Tyson A. Rietz
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - Lance R. Thomas
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - William G. Payne
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - William J. Moore
- Leidos Biomedical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21701, USA
| | - Gordon M. Stott
- Leidos Biomedical Research, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, MD 21701, USA
| | - Jumpei Kondo
- Department of Clinical Bio-resource Research and Development, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
- Department of Biochemistry, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, 541-8567, Japan
| | - Masahiro Inoue
- Department of Clinical Bio-resource Research and Development, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan
- Department of Biochemistry, Osaka International Cancer Institute, Osaka, 541-8567, Japan
| | - Robert J. Coffey
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
- Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - William P. Tansey
- Department of Cell and Developmental Biology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - Shaun R. Stauffer
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - Taekyu Lee
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
| | - Stephen W. Fesik
- Department of Biochemistry, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
- Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37232, USA
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