Steric hindrance as a basis for structure-based design of selective inhibitors of protein-tyrosine phosphatases

Loss of low-molecular-weight protein tyrosine phosphatase shows limited improvement in glucose tolerance but causes mild cardiac hypertrophy in mice

Insulin resistance is a major public health burden that often results in other comorbidities including type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and cardiovascular disease. An insulin sensitizer has the potential to become a disease-modifying therapy. It remains an unmet medical need to identify therapeutics that target the insulin signaling pathway to treat insulin resistance. Low-molecular-weight protein tyrosine phosphatase (LMPTP) negatively regulates insulin signaling and has emerged as a potential therapeutic target for insulin sensitization. Genetic studies have demonstrated that LMPTP is positively associated with obesity in humans and promotes insulin resistance in rodents. A recent study showed that pharmacological inhibition or genetic deletion of LMPTP protects mice from high-fat diet-induced insulin resistance and diabetes. Here, we show that loss of LMPTP by genetic deletion has no significant effects on improving glucose tolerance in lean or diet-induced obese mice. Furthermore, our data demonstrate that LMPTP deficiency potentiates cardiac hypertrophy that leads to mild cardiac dysfunction. Our findings suggest that the development of LMPTP inhibitors for the treatment of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes should be reevaluated, and further studies are needed to characterize the molecular and pathophysiological role of LMPTP.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Inhibition of LMPTP with a small-molecule inhibitor, Cmpd23, improves glucose tolerance in mice as reported earlier. However, genetic deficiency of the LMPTP-encoding gene, Acp1, has limited effects on glucose metabolism but leads to mild cardiac hypertrophy in mice. The findings suggest the potential off-target effects of Cmpd23 and call for reevaluation of LMPTP as a therapeutic target for the treatment of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

Discovery of inhibitors targeting protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B using a combined virtual screening approach

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) acts as a therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes. However, the major challenges of PTP1B drug discovery are the poor selectivity and the weak oral bioavailability. In this study, we performed a combined virtual screening approach including multicomplex pharmacophore, molecular docking-based screening, van der Waals energy normalization, pose scaling factor, ADMET evaluation, and molecular dynamics simulation to select PTP1B inhibitors from three databases (PubChem, ChEMBL, and ZINC). We identified three potential PTP1B inhibitors, compounds 1, 4, and 5, with favorable binding energy and good oral bioavailability. The energetic and geometrical analyses show that the three compounds are stably bound to PTP1B, via occupying both the catalytic site (site A) and the proximal noncatalytic site (site B or C). Such occupancy may improve the selectivity. This work not only provided a feasible virtual screening protocol, but also suggested three potential PTP1B inhibitors for the treatment of type 2 diabetes.

Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases: A new paradigm in an old signaling system?

Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases reverse cellular signals initiated by growth factors receptors and other tyrosine kinases by dephosphorylating phosphotyrosine on target proteins. The activity of these enzymes is crucial for maintaining cell homeostasis, yet these enzymes have been often dismissed as humble house-keeping proteins. Understandably, mutations and changes in expression patterns of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases are implicated in tumorigenesis and various carcinomas. The conserved nature of their catalytic domains makes drug discovery a challenging pursuit. In this review, we focus on describing the various classes of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases and their catalytic domains. We also summarize their role in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases using specific members as the model system. Finally, we explain the dichotomy in the biological role of catalytically active vs the pseudoenzyme forms of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatases in the context of their membrane bound receptor forms. This chapter aims to provide a current understanding of these proteins, in the background of their foundational past research.

Inhibitor Binding Sites in the Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase SHP-2

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 2 (SHP-2) has long been proposed as a cancer drug target. Several small-molecule compounds with different mechanisms of SHP-2 inhibition have been reported, but none are commercially available. Pool selectivity over protein tyrosine phosphatase 1 (SHP-1) and a lack of cellular activity have hindered the development of selective SHP-2 inhibitors. In this review, we describe the binding modes of existing inhibitors and SHP-2 binding sites, summarize the characteristics of the sites involved in selectivity, and identify the suitable groups for interaction with the binding sites.

Tyrosine phosphatase SHP2 inhibitors in tumor-targeted therapies

Src homology containing protein tyrosine phosphatase 2 (SHP2) represents a noteworthy target for various diseases, serving as a well-known oncogenic phosphatase in cancers. As a result of the low cell permeability and poor bioavailability, the traditional inhibitors targeting the protein tyrosine phosphate catalytic sites are generally suffered from unsatisfactory applied efficacy. Recently, a particularly large number of allosteric inhibitors with striking inhibitory potency on SHP2 have been identified. In particular, few clinical trials conducted have made significant progress on solid tumors by using SHP2 allosteric inhibitors. This review summarizes the development and structure–activity relationship studies of the small-molecule SHP2 inhibitors for tumor therapies, with the purpose of assisting the future development of SHP2 inhibitors with improved selectivity, higher oral bioavailability and better physicochemical properties.

Aldose reductase and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitors as a promising therapeutic approach for diabetes mellitus

Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disease characterized by high blood glucose levels and usually associated with several chronic pathologies. Aldose reductase and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B enzymes have identified as two novel molecular targets associated with the onset and progression of type II diabetes and related comorbidities. Although many inhibitors against these enzymes have already found in the field of diabetic mellitus, the research for discovering more effective and selective agents with optimal pharmacokinetic properties continues. In addition, dual inhibition of these target proteins has proved as a promising therapeutic approach. A variety of diverse scaffolds are presented in this review for the future design of potent and selective inhibitors of aldose reductase and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B based on the most important structural features of both enzymes. The discovery of novel dual aldose reductase and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitors could be effective therapeutic molecules for the treatment of insulin-resistant type II diabetes mellitus. The methods used comprise a literature survey and X-ray crystal structures derived from Protein Databank (PDB). Despite the available therapeutic options for type II diabetes mellitus, the inhibitors of aldose reductase and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B could be two promising approaches for the effective treatment of hyperglycemia and diabetes-associated pathologies. Due to the poor pharmacokinetic profile and low in vivo efficacy of existing inhibitors of both targets, the research turned to more selective and cell-permeable agents as well as multi-target molecules.

The development of protein tyrosine phosphatase1B inhibitors defined by binding sites in crystalline complexes

Protein tyrosine phosphatase1B (PTP1B), a significant negative regulator in insulin and leptin signaling pathways, has emerged as a promising drug target for Type II diabetes mellitus and obesity. Numerous potent PTP1B inhibitors have been discovered within both academia and pharmaceutical industry. However, nearly all medicinal chemistry efforts have been severely hindered because a vast majority of them demonstrate poor membrane permeability and low-selectivity, especially over T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TCPTP). To search the rules about the selectivity over TCPTP and membrane permeability of PTP1B inhibitors, based on the PTP1B/inhibitor crystal complexes, the development PTP1B inhibitors defined as AB, AC, ABC and ADC types have been concluded in the review.

Multiple machine learning based descriptive and predictive workflow for the identification of potential PTP1B inhibitors

In insulin and leptin signaling pathway, Protein-Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) plays a crucial controlling role as a negative regulator, which makes it an attractive therapeutic target for both Type-2 Diabetes (T2D) and obesity. In this work, we have generated classification models by using the inhibition data set of known PTP1B inhibitors to identify new inhibitors of PTP1B utilizing multiple machine learning techniques like naïve Bayesian, random forest, support vector machine and k-nearest neighbors, along with structural fingerprints and selected molecular descriptors. Several models from each algorithm have been constructed and optimized, with the different combination of molecular descriptors and structural fingerprints. For the training and test sets, most of the predictive models showed more than 90% of overall prediction accuracies. The best model was obtained with support vector machine approach and has Matthews Correlation Coefficient of 0.82 for the external test set, which was further employed for the virtual screening of Maybridge small compound database. Five compounds were subsequently selected for experimental assay. Out of these two compounds were found to inhibit PTP1B with significant inhibitory activity in in-vitro inhibition assay. The structural fragments which are important for PTP1B inhibition were identified by naïve Bayesian method and can be further exploited to design new molecules around the identified scaffolds. The descriptive and predictive modeling strategy applied in this study is capable of identifying PTP1B inhibitors from the large compound libraries.

Druggability analysis and classification of protein tyrosine phosphatase active sites

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTP) play important roles in the pathogenesis of many diseases. The fact that no PTP inhibitors have reached the market so far has raised many questions about their druggability. In this study, the active sites of 17 PTPs were characterized and assessed for its ability to bind drug-like molecules. Consequently, PTPs were classified according to their druggability scores into four main categories. Only four members showed intermediate to very druggable pocket; interestingly, the rest of them exhibited poor druggability. Particularly focusing on PTP1B, we also demonstrated the influence of several factors on the druggability of PTP active site. For instance, the open conformation showed better druggability than the closed conformation, while the tight-bound water molecules appeared to have minimal effect on the PTP1B druggability. Finally, the allosteric site of PTP1B was found to exhibit superior druggability compared to the catalytic pocket. This analysis can prove useful in the discovery of new PTP inhibitors by assisting researchers in predicting hit rates from high throughput or virtual screening and saving unnecessary cost, time, and efforts via prioritizing PTP targets according to their predicted druggability.

Suggestion of suitable animal models for in vivo studies of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1b (PTP1B) inhibitors using computational approaches

PTP1B is a prototypic enzyme of the superfamily protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) which are critical regulators of tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent signaling events. It is a highly plausible candidate for designing therapeutic inhibitors of obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D). In this study, a detailed comparative analysis to reveal the evolutionary relationship of human PTP1B among related vertebrates has been addressed.

The phylogenetic trees were constructed with maximum likelihood algorithm by PhyML package on the basis of multiple sequence alignment (MSA) by ClustalΩ and T-coffee. Mutational variability of the sequences corresponding to the 3D structure (pdb: 2vev) was analyzed with Consurf software. The comparative analysis by inhibitor docking to different models was made to confirm the suitability of models.

As a result, the PTP1B or PTP non-receptor type 1 homologies show high conservativity where about 70% positions on primary structures are conserved. Within PTP domain (3–277), the most variable positions are 12, 13, 19 and 24 which is a part of the second aryl binding site. Moreover, there are important evolutional mutations that can change the conformation of the proteins, for instance, hydrophilic N139 changed to hydrophobic Gly (mPTP1B); E132 to proline in the hydrophobic core structure or Y46 to cystein in pTyr recognition loop. These variations/differences should be taken into account for rational inhibitor design and in choosing suitable animal models for drug testing and evaluation. Moreover, our study suggests critically potential models which are Heterocephalus glaber, Tupaia chinensis, Sus scrofa, and Rattus norvegicus in addition to the best one Macaca fascicularis. Among these models, the H.glaber and R.norvegicus are preferable over M.musculus thanks to their similarity in binding affinity and binding modes to investigated PTP1B inhibitors.

Protein tyrosine phosphatases: Ligand interaction analysis and optimisation of virtual screening

Docking-based virtual screening is an established component of structure-based drug discovery. Nevertheless, scoring and ranking of computationally docked ligand libraries still suffer from many false positives. Identifying optimal docking parameters for a target protein prior to virtual screening can improve experimental hit rates. Here, we examine protocols for virtual screening against the important but challenging class of drug target, protein tyrosine phosphatases. In this study, common interaction features were identified from analysis of protein-ligand binding geometries of more than 50 complexed phosphatase crystal structures. It was found that two interactions were consistently formed across all phosphatase inhibitors: (1) a polar contact with the conserved arginine residue, and (2) at least one interaction with the P-loop backbone amide. In order to investigate the significance of these features on phosphatase-ligand binding, a series of seeded virtual screening experiments were conducted on three phosphatase enzymes, PTP1B, Cdc25b and IF2. It was observed that when the conserved arginine and P-loop amide interactions were used as pharmacophoric constraints during docking, enrichment of the virtual screen significantly increased in the three studied phosphatases, by up to a factor of two in some cases. Additionally, the use of such pharmacophoric constraints considerably improved the ability of docking to predict the inhibitor's bound pose, decreasing RMSD to the crystallographic geometry by 43% on average. Constrained docking improved enrichment of screens against both open and closed conformations of PTP1B. Incorporation of an ordered water molecule in PTP1B screening was also found to generally improve enrichment. The knowledge-based computational strategies explored here can potentially inform structure-based design of new phosphatase inhibitors using docking-based virtual screening.

Integrating virtual and biochemical screening for protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor discovery

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) represent an important class of enzymes that mediate signal transduction and control diverse aspects of cell behavior. The importance of their activity is exemplified by their significant contribution to disease etiology with over half of all human PTP genes implicated in at least one disease. Small molecule inhibitors targeting individual PTPs are important biological tools, and are needed to fully characterize the function of these enzymes. Moreover, potent and selective PTP inhibitors hold the promise to transform the treatment of many diseases. While numerous methods exist to develop PTP-directed small molecules, we have found that complimentary use of both virtual (in silico) and biochemical (in vitro) screening approaches expedite compound identification and drug development. Here, we summarize methods pertinent to our work and others. Focusing on specific challenges and successes we have experienced, we discuss the considerable caution that must be taken to avoid enrichment of inhibitors that function by non-selective oxidation. We also discuss the utility of using "open" PTP structures to identify active-site directed compounds, a rather unconventional choice for virtual screening. When integrated closely, virtual and biochemical screening can be used in a productive workflow to identify small molecules targeting PTPs.

The Gewald multicomponent reaction

The Gewald reaction of sulfur, cyanoacetic acid derivatives, and oxo-component (G-3CR) yielding highly substituted 2-aminothiophene derivatives has seen diverse applications in combinatorial and medicinal chemistry. Its products are of great use in pharmaceutical industry mainly as small molecular weight inhibitors. We herein review synthetic scope and variations, usage, and structural biology of Gewald products.

Knowledge-based characterization of similarity relationships in the human protein-tyrosine phosphatase family for rational inhibitor design

Tyrosine phosphorylation, controlled by the coordinated action of protein-tyrosine kinases (PTKs) and protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs), is a fundamental regulatory mechanism of numerous physiological processes. PTPs are implicated in a number of human diseases, and their potential as prospective drug targets is increasingly being recognized. Despite their biological importance, until now no comprehensive overview has been reported describing how all members of the human PTP family are related. Here we review the entire human PTP family and present a systematic knowledge-based characterization of global and local similarity relationships, which are relevant for the development of small molecule inhibitors. We use parallel homology modeling to expand the current PTP structure space and analyze the human PTPs based on local three-dimensional catalytic sites and domain sequences. Furthermore, we demonstrate the importance of binding site similarities in understanding cross-reactivity and inhibitor selectivity in the design of small molecule inhibitors.

Rationalizing protein-ligand interactions for PTP1B inhibitors using computational methods

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitors were reported to have anti-diabetic properties and hence this enzyme has become interesting drug target in the recent time. Huge amount of data is available in public domain about the PTP1B inhibitors in the form of X-ray structures. This study is an attempt to transform this data into useful knowledge which can be directly used to design more effective protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors. In this study, we have built quantitative models for activity of co-crystallized protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors using two new approaches developed in our group, i.e. receptor-ligand interaction and Structure-based compound optimization, prioritization and evolution based on receptor-ligand interaction descriptors and residue-wise interaction energies as descriptors, respectively. These models have given insights into the receptor-ligand interactions essential for modulating the activity of PTP1B inhibitors. An external validation set of 22 molecules was used to test predictive power of these models on external set molecules.

Molecular dynamics studies on the interactions of PTP1B with inhibitors: from the first phosphate-binding site to the second one

Protein tyrosine phosphatases 1B (PTP1B) is a major negative regulator of both insulin and leptin signaling pathways. In view of this, it becomes an important target for drug development against cancers, diabetes and obesity. The aim of the current study is to use the long time-scale molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to investigate the structural and dynamic factors that cause its inhibition by INTA and INTB, the two most potent and highly selective PTP1B inhibitors known so far. In order to investigate the mode of collective motions that is vitally important to the biological function, the covariance matrix of C(alpha) atoms was introduced for performing the dynamic analysis of the inhibition systems. It has been observed that the conformational and dynamic features of WPD-Loop, R-Loop and S-Loop play a key role in providing a smooth entrance for the inhibitors moving into the binding pocket as well as a favorable microenvironment to stabilize them. Furthermore, the hydrogen bonding networks formed around the active site with INTA and INTB may be the main reason of why the inhibition of PTP1B by the two ligands is so potent and selective. All these findings might provide useful insights for developing novel and effective drugs to treat cancer, diabetes and obesity.

Specific inhibitors of the protein tyrosine phosphatase Shp2 identified by high-throughput docking

The protein tyrosine phosphatase Shp2 is a positive regulator of growth factor signaling. Gain-of-function mutations in several types of leukemia define Shp2 as a bona fide oncogene. We performed a high-throughput in silico screen for small-molecular-weight compounds that bind the catalytic site of Shp2. We have identified the phenylhydrazonopyrazolone sulfonate PHPS1 as a potent and cell-permeable inhibitor, which is specific for Shp2 over the closely related tyrosine phosphatases Shp1 and PTP1B. PHPS1 inhibits Shp2-dependent cellular events such as hepatocyte growth factor/scatter factor (HGF/SF)-induced epithelial cell scattering and branching morphogenesis. PHPS1 also blocks Shp2-dependent downstream signaling, namely HGF/SF-induced sustained phosphorylation of the Erk1/2 MAP kinases and dephosphorylation of paxillin. Furthermore, PHPS1 efficiently inhibits activation of Erk1/2 by the leukemia-associated Shp2 mutant, Shp2-E76K, and blocks the anchorage-independent growth of a variety of human tumor cell lines. The PHPS compound class is therefore suitable for further development of therapeutics for the treatment of Shp2-dependent diseases.

Structure-Based Optimization of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B Inhibitors: From the Active Site to the Second Phosphotyrosine Binding Site

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is a negative regulator of the insulin and leptin receptor pathways and thus an attractive therapeutic target for diabetes and obesity. Starting with a high micromolar lead compound, structure-based optimization of novel PTP1B inhibitors by extension of the molecule from the enzyme active site into the second phosphotyrosine binding site is described. Medicinal chemistry, guided by X-ray complex structure and molecular modeling, has yielded low nanomolar PTP1B inhibitors in an efficient manner. Compounds from this chemical series were found to be actively transported into hepatocytes. This active uptake into target tissues could be one of the possible avenues to overcome the poor membrane permeability of PTP1B inhibitors.

Three-dimensional structure and ligand interactions of the low molecular weight protein tyrosine phosphatase from Campylobacter jejuni

A putative low molecular weight protein tyrosine phosphatase (LMW-PTP) was identified in the genome sequence of the bacterial pathogen, Campylobacter jejuni. This novel gene, cj1258, has sequence homology with a distinctive class of phosphatases widely distributed among prokaryotes and eukaryotes. We report here the solution structure of Cj1258 established by high-resolution NMR spectroscopy using NOE-derived distance restraints, hydrogen bond data, and torsion angle restraints. The three-dimensional structure consists of a central four-stranded parallel beta-sheet flanked by five alpha-helices, revealing an overall structural topology similar to those of the eukaryotic LMW-PTPs, such as human HCPTP-A, bovine BPTP, and Saccharomyces cerevisiae LTP1, and to those of the bacterial LMW-PTPs MPtpA from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and YwlE from Bacillus subtilis. The active site of the enzyme is flexible in solution and readily adapts to the binding of ligands, such as the phosphate ion. An NMR-based screen was carried out against a number of potential inhibitors and activators, including phosphonomethylphenylalanine, derivatives of the cinnamic acid, 2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzaldehyde, cinnamaldehyde, adenine, and hypoxanthine. Despite its bacterial origin, both the three-dimensional structure and ligand-binding properties of Cj1258 suggest that this novel phosphatase may have functional roles close to those of eukaryotic and mammalian tyrosine phosphatases. The three-dimensional structure along with mapping of small-molecule binding will be discussed in the context of developing high-affinity inhibitors of this novel LMW-PTP.

The role of the C-terminal domain of protein tyrosine phosphatase-1B in phosphatase activity and substrate binding

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP-1B) has been implicated in the regulation of the insulin receptor. Dephosphorylation of the insulin receptor results in decreased insulin signaling and thus decreased glucose uptake. PTP-1B-/- mice have increased insulin sensitivity and are resistant to weight gain when fed a high fat diet, validating PTP-1B as a potential target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Many groups throughout the world have been searching for selective inhibitors for PTP-1B, and most of them target inhibitors to PTP-1B-(1-298), the N-terminal catalytic domain of the enzyme. However, the C-terminal domain is quite large and could influence the activity of the enzyme. Using two constructs of PTP-1B and a phosphopeptide as substrate, steady state assays showed that the presence of the C-terminal domain decreased both the Km and the k(cat) 2-fold. Pre-steady state kinetic experiments showed that the presence of the C-terminal domain improved the affinity of the enzyme for a phosphopeptide 2-fold, primarily because the off-rate was slower. This suggests that the C-terminal domain of PTP-1B may contact the phosphopeptide in some manner, allowing it to remain at the active site longer. This could be useful when screening libraries of compounds for inhibitors of PTP-1B. A compound that is able to make contacts with the C-terminal domain of PTP-1B would not only have a modest improvement in affinity but may also provide for specificity over other phosphatases.

MAPK-specific tyrosine phosphatases: new targets for drug discovery?

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) have key roles in a diverse range of cellular processes, and their dysregulation is associated with several human diseases. Many PTPs are recognized as potential drug targets; however, inhibitor development has focused only on a small number of enzymes, most notably PTP1B for type II diabetes and obesity, and MKP1 and CDC25 for cancer. The future challenge of selective-inhibitor development for PTPs will be significantly facilitated by the recent rapid progress in the structural biology of the 'PTPome'. In this article, we focus on the family of mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-specific tyrosine phosphatases--PTPN5 [also called striatal-enriched phosphatase (STEP)], PTPN7 (also called hematopoietic PTP) and PTPRR (also called PC12 PTP or STEP-like PTP)--and discuss approaches for achieving selectivity for the MAPK-PTPs at the molecular level using recently determined high-resolution X-ray crystal structures. We believe that the development of specific inhibitors would provide a valuable set of experimental pharmacological tools for investigating the physiological role of these phosphatases and exploring their emerging role in human disease.

A gatekeeper residue for inhibitor sensitization of protein tyrosine phosphatases

Allele-specific enzyme inhibitors are powerful tools in chemical biology. However, few general approaches for the discovery of such inhibitors have been described. Herein is reported a method for the sensitization of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) to small-molecule inhibition. It is shown that mutation of an active-site isoleucine to alanine (I219A) sensitizes PTP1B to inhibition by a class of thiophene-based inhibitors. This sensitization strategy succeeds for both 'orthogonal' inhibitors, designed to be incompatible with wild-type PTP active sites, and previously optimized wild-type PTP inhibitors. The finding that the I219A mutation sensitizes phosphatase domains to a variety of compounds suggests that isoleucine 219 may act as a 'gatekeeper' residue that can be widely exploited for the chemical-genetic analysis of PTP function.

The crystal structure of human receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase kappa phosphatase domain 1

The receptor-type protein tyrosine phosphatases (RPTPs) are integral membrane proteins composed of extracellular adhesion molecule-like domains, a single transmembrane domain, and a cytoplasmic domain. The cytoplasmic domain consists of tandem PTP domains, of which the D1 domain is enzymatically active. RPTPkappa is a member of the R2A/IIb subfamily of RPTPs along with RPTPmu, RPTPrho, and RPTPlambda. Here, we have determined the crystal structure of catalytically active, monomeric D1 domain of RPTPkappa at 1.9 A. Structural comparison with other PTP family members indicates an overall classical PTP architecture of twisted mixed beta-sheets flanked by alpha-helices, in which the catalytically important WPD loop is in an unhindered open conformation. Though the residues forming the dimeric interface in the RPTPmu structure are all conserved, they are not involved in the protein-protein interaction in RPTPkappa. The N-terminal beta-strand, formed by betax association with betay, is conserved only in RPTPs but not in cytosolic PTPs, and this feature is conserved in the RPTPkappa structure forming a beta-strand. Analytical ultracentrifugation studies show that the presence of reducing agents and higher ionic strength are necessary to maintain RPTPkappa as a monomer. In this family the crystal structure of catalytically active RPTPmu D1 was solved as a dimer, but the dimerization was proposed to be a consequence of crystallization since the protein was monomeric in solution. In agreement, we show that RPTPkappa is monomeric in solution and crystal structure.

On the nature of cavities on protein surfaces: Application to the identification of drug-binding sites

In this article we introduce a new method for the identification and the accurate characterization of protein surface cavities. The method is encoded in the program SCREEN (Surface Cavity REcognition and EvaluatioN). As a first test of the utility of our approach we used SCREEN to locate and analyze the surface cavities of a nonredundant set of 99 proteins cocrystallized with drugs. We find that this set of proteins has on average about 14 distinct cavities per protein. In all cases, a drug is bound at one (and sometimes more than one) of these cavities. Using cavity size alone as a criterion for predicting drug-binding sites yields a high balanced error rate of 15.7%, with only 71.7% coverage. Here we characterize each surface cavity by computing a comprehensive set of 408 physicochemical, structural, and geometric attributes. By applying modern machine learning techniques (Random Forests) we were able to develop a classifier that can identify drug-binding cavities with a balanced error rate of 7.2% and coverage of 88.9%. Only 18 of the 408 cavity attributes had a statistically significant role in the prediction. Of these 18 important attributes, almost all involved size and shape rather than physicochemical properties of the surface cavity. The implications of these results are discussed. A SCREEN Web server is available at http://interface.bioc.columbia.edu/screen.

Molecular dynamics simulations of interaction between protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B and a bidentate inhibitor

AIM

To investigate the dynamic properties of protein-tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) 1B and reveal the structural factors responsible for the high inhibitory potency and selectivity of the inhibitor SNA for PTP1B.

METHODS

We performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using a long time-scale for both PTP1B and PTP1B complexed with the inhibitor SNA, the most potent and selective PTP1B inhibitor reported to date. The trajectories were analyzed by using principal component analysis.

RESULTS

Trajectory analyses showed that upon binding the ligand, the flexibility of the entire PTP1B molecule decreases. The most notable change is the movement of the WPD-loop. Our simulation results also indicated that electrostatic interactions contribute more to PTP1B-SNA complex conformation than the van der Waals interactions, and that Lys41, Arg47, and Asp48 play important roles in determining the conformation of the inhibitor SNA and in the potency and selectivity of the inhibitor. Of these, Arg47 contributed most. These results were in agreement with previous experimental results.

CONCLUSION

The information presented here suggests that potent and selective PTP1B inhibitors can be designed by targeting the surface residues, for example the region containing Lys41, Arg47, and Asp48, instead of the second phosphate binding site (besides the active phosphate binding site).

Bicyclic and tricyclic thiophenes as protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitors

A novel pyridothiophene inhibitor of PTP1B was discovered by rational screening of phosphotyrosine mimics at high micromolar concentrations. The potency of this lead compound has been improved significantly by medicinal chemistry guided by X-ray crystallography and molecular modeling. Excellent consistency has been observed between structure-activity relationships and structural information from PTP1B-inhibitor complexes.

Engineering non-natural inhibitor sensitivity in protein tyrosine phosphatase H1

Protein tyrosine phosphatase H1, a member of the ubiquitous protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) superfamily of enzymes, is an important signaling molecule, mutant forms of which have been found in human colorectal cancers. Selective PTPH1 inhibitors would be valuable tools for investigating PTPH1's roles in cellular regulation. However, no PTPH1-specific inhibitors are known. To identify target-selective inhibitors of human PTPH1, we have redesigned a PTPH1/inhibitor interface. Structure-based protein design was used to identify two amino-acid residues, isoleucine 846 and methionine 883, that control PTPH1's sensitivity to oxalylaminoindole PTP inhibitors. Mutation of residues 846 and 883 to alanine and glycine, respectively, conferred novel inhibitor sensitivity onto PTPH1. From a small panel of putative inhibitors, compounds that potently and selectively target the inhibitor-sensitized PTPH1 mutants were identified.

Recent advances in protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitors

Type 2 diabetes and obesity are characterised by insulin and leptin resistance. Studies suggest that these may be due to defects in the insulin and leptin signalling pathways. Over the last decade, a considerable body of evidence has been amassed indicating that protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is involved in the downregulation of insulin and leptin signalling. Consequently, compounds that inhibit PTP1B have potential as therapeutics for treating Type 2 diabetes and obesity. This review covers recent advances in PTP1B inhibitors with an emphasis on recent attempts to create potent, selective and cell-permeable small-molecule inhibitors.

Computational analysis of tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor selectivity for the virulence factors YopH and SptP

Bacterial pathogens such as Yersinia and Salmonella represent an important medical concern, causing human diseases ranging from gastrointestinal disease to the plague. The development of novel treatments of these bacterial infections has gained high priority recently due to the emergence of antibiotic resistance in these pathogens and the threat of the use of microbial agents as biological weapons. YopH of Yersinia and SptP of Salmonella are virulence factors that belong to the family of protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). A great challenge remains in the design of selective PTPs inhibitors due to their highly conserved active site. In this paper, we present a comparative docking study to probe the selective inhibition of YopH and SptP with PTP1B in order to better understand their binding interactions with the bacterial tyrosine phosphates. Characterized binding sites in PTP1B were compared with YopH and SptP. Molecular dynamics simulations were used to incorporate ligand-induced conformational changes in the binding sites. These results, together with those binding modes and binding affinities distinguished in individual PTPs, provide insight into the structure-based design of inhibitors for YopH and SptP.

Structure-based Design of Selective and Potent Inhibitors of Protein-tyrosine Phosphatase β

Protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are considered important therapeutic targets because of their pivotal role as regulators of signal transduction and thus their implication in several human diseases such as diabetes, cancer, and autoimmunity. In particular, PTP1B has been the focus of many academic and industrial laboratories because it was found to be an important negative regulator of insulin and leptin signaling, and hence a potential therapeutic target in diabetes and obesity. As a result, significant progress has been achieved in the design of highly selective and potent PTP1B inhibitors. In contrast, little attention has been given to other potential drug targets within the PTP family. Guided by x-ray crystallography, molecular modeling, and enzyme kinetic analyses with wild type and mutant PTPs, we describe the development of a general, low molecular weight, non-peptide, non-phosphorus PTP inhibitor into an inhibitor that displays more than 100-fold selectivity for PTPbeta over PTP1B. Of note, our structure-based design principles, which are based on extensive bioinformatics analyses of the PTP family, are general in nature. Therefore, we anticipate that this strategy, here applied to PTPbeta, in principle can be used in the design and development of selective inhibitors of many, if not most PTPs.

Residue 182 influences the second step of protein-tyrosine phosphatase-mediated catalysis

Previous enzyme kinetic and structural studies have revealed a critical role for Asp181 (PTP1B numbering) in PTP (protein-tyrosine phosphatase)-mediated catalysis. In the E-P (phosphoenzyme) formation step, Asp181 functions as a general acid, while in the E-P hydrolysis step it acts as a general base. Most of our understanding of the role of Asp181 is derived from studies with the Yersinia PTP and the mammalian PTP1B, and to some extent also TC (T-cell)-PTP and the related PTPa and PTPe. The neighbouring residue 182 is a phenylalanine in these four mammalian enzymes and a glutamine in Yersinia PTP. Surprisingly, little attention has been paid to the fact that this residue is a histidine in most other mammalian PTPs. Using a reciprocal single-point mutational approach with introduction of His182 in PTP1B and Phe182 in PTPH1, we demonstrate here that His182-PTPs, in comparison with Phe182-PTPs, have significantly decreased kcat values, and to a lesser degree, decreased kcat/Km values. Combined enzyme kinetic, X-ray crystallographic and molecular dynamics studies indicate that the effect of His182 is due to interactions with Asp181 and with Gln262. We conclude that residue 182 can modulate the functionality of both Asp181 and Gln262 and therefore affect the E-P hydrolysis step of PTP-mediated catalysis.

Solid-Phase Synthesis of an Oxalic Acid Amide Library

Monoamides of oxalic acid are of interest as bioisosteric replacements for phosphate groups in the design of new enzyme inhibitors. Here, we have demonstrated the use of oxalic acid as a linker to the Wang resin to synthesize individual or libraries of phosphate biosteres. The highly reactive resin-bound acid chloride reacts with arylamines to yield resin-bound N-aryloxamic acids (oxanilic acids). This methodology is especially useful for the rapid synthesis of 2-(oxalylamino)benzoic acids (OBAs), because it can be utilized for library synthesis and eliminates the intermediate purification step necessary in solution-phase reactions. The products are cleaved off the resin with trifluoroacetic acid in dichloromethane in good yields.

Discovery and SAR of novel, potent and selective protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitors

A salicylate second site binder was linked to three classes of phosphotyrosine mimetics to produce potent protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) inhibitors which exhibit significant selectivity against other phosphatases including the most homologous member, TCPTP.

A novel strategy for the development of selective active-site inhibitors of the protein tyrosine phosphatase-like proteins islet-cell antigen 512 (IA-2) and phogrin (IA-2beta)

Islet-cell antigen 512 (IA-2) and phogrin (IA-2beta) are atypical members of the receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) family that are characterized by a lack of activity against conventional PTP substrates. The physiological role(s) of these proteins remain poorly defined, although recent studies indicate that IA-2 may be involved in granule trafficking and exocytosis. To further understand their function, we have embarked upon developing low-molecular-mass inhibitors of IA-2 and IA-2beta. Previously, we have shown that a general PTP inhibitor, 2-(oxalylamino)benzoic acid (OBA), can be developed into highly selective and potent inhibitors of PTP1B. However, since wild-type IA-2 and IA-2beta lack conventional PTP activity, a novel strategy was designed whereby catalytically active species were generated by 'back-mutating' key non-consensus catalytic region residues to those of PTP1B. These mutants were then used as tools with which to test the potency and selectivity of OBA and a variety of its derivatives. Catalytically competent IA-2 and IA-2beta species were generated by 'back-mutation' of only three key residues (equivalent to Tyr(46), Asp(181) and Ala(217) using the human PTP1B numbering) to those of PTP1B. Importantly, enzyme kinetic analyses indicated that the overall fold of both mutant and wild-type IA-2 and IA-2beta was similar to that of classic PTPs. In particular, one derivative of OBA, namely 7-(1,1-dioxo-1 H -benzo[ d ]isothiazol-3-yloxymethyl)-2-(oxalylamino)-4,7-dihydro-5 H -thieno[2,3- c ]pyran-3 -carboxylic acid ('Compound 6 ' shown in the main paper), which inhibited IA-2beta((S762Y/Y898P/D933A)) (IA-2beta in which Ser(762) has been mutated to tyrosine, Tyr(898) to proline, and Asp(933) to alanine) with a K (i) value of approximately 8 microM, appeared ideal for future lead optimization. Thus molecular modelling of this classical, competitive inhibitor in the catalytic site of wild-type IA-2beta identified two residues (Ser(762) and Asp(933)) that offer the possibility for unique interaction with an appropriately modified 'Compound 6 '. Such a compound has the potential to be a highly selective and potent active-site inhibitor of wild-type IA-2beta.

PTP1B: from the sidelines to the front lines!

Although initially viewed as housekeeping enzymes, research over the last 15 years has revealed that the protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are critical regulators of tyrosine phosphorylation-dependent signaling events and may represent novel targets for therapeutic intervention in a variety of human diseases. In this review I will describe some of the key advances in the characterization of the structure, regulation and function of the prototypic PTP, PTP1B, and illustrate how our understanding of the properties of this enzyme has revealed principles that apply to the PTP family as a whole.

Discovery and structure-activity relationship of oxalylarylaminobenzoic acids as inhibitors of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B

Protein Tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) has been implicated as a key negative regulator of both insulin and leptin signaling pathways. Using an NMR-based screening approach with 15N- and 13C-labeled PTP1B, we have identified 2,3-dimethylphenyloxalylaminobenzoic acid (1) as a general, reversible, and competitive PTPase inhibitor. Structure-based approach guided by X-ray crystallography facilitated the development of 1 into a novel series of potent and selective PTP1B inhibitors occupying both the catalytic site and a portion of the noncatalytic, second phosphotyrosine binding site. Interestingly, oral biovailability has been observed in rats for some compounds. Furthermore, we demonstrated in vivo plasma glucose lowering effects with compound 12d in ob/ob mice.

Classification of inhibitors of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B using molecular structure based descriptors

Loss of Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase 1B (PTP 1B) activity is known to enhance insulin sensitivity and resistance to weight gain. So potent and orally active PTP1B inhibitors could be potential pharmacological agents for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes and obesity. Classification models of PTP1B inhibitors are developed using a data set containing 128 compounds. Their inhibitory concentrations ranged from -1.59 to 1.68 log units. Initially a two-class (active, inactive) problem is tackled using a number of different methods. The data set was divided into active and inactive classes on the basis of inhibitory activity of the compounds. Molecular structure-based descriptors were calculated and used in the model development. Descriptors encoding the flexibility of the molecules were investigated. Classification models were generated using k-nearest neighbors (k-NN), linear discriminant analysis (LDA), and radial basis function neural network (RBFNN). All models are tested using an external prediction set, compounds not used anywhere during the model development procedure. A five-descriptor model is developed that produces a classification rate of 85.7% for an external prediction set. Then a three-class (active, moderately active, inactive) problem was explored. This time the data set was divided into highly active, moderate, and inactive classes on the basis of inhibitory activity of the compounds. The best classification rate achieved for an external prediction set was 85%. The classification rates achieved indicate that these models could serve as a screening mechanism, to identify potentially useful PTP 1B inhibitors. In addition multiple linear regression and computational neural network models are also developed for prediction of log IC(50) values. All QSAR models are tested using the same external prediction set.

Discovery of a potent, selective protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibitor using a linked-fragment strategy

Protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is an enzyme that downregulates the insulin receptor. Inhibition of PTP1B is expected to improve insulin action, and the design of small molecule PTP1B inhibitors to treat type II diabetes has received considerable attention. In this work, NMR-based screening identified a nonselective competitive inhibitor of PTP1B. A second site ligand was also identified by NMR-based screening and then linked to the catalytic site ligand by rational design. X-ray data confirmed that the inhibitor bound with the catalytic site in the native, "open" conformation. The final compound displayed excellent potency and good selectivity over many other phosphatases. The modular approach to drug design described in this work should be applicable for the design of potent and selective inhibitors of other therapeutically relevant protein tyrosine phosphatases.

Crystal structure of PTP1B complexed with a potent and selective bidentate inhibitor

Protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) has been implicated as an important regulator in several signaling pathways including those initiated by insulin and leptin. Potent and specific PTP1B inhibitors could serve as useful tools in elucidating the physiological functions of PTP1B and may constitute valuable therapeutics in the treatment of several human diseases. We have determined the crystal structure of PTP1B in complex with compound 2, the most potent and selective PTP1B inhibitor reported to date. The structure at 2.15-A resolution reveals that compound 2 simultaneously binds to the active site and a unique proximal noncatalytic site formed by Lys-41, Arg-47, and Asp-48. The structural data are further corroborated by results from kinetic analyses of the interactions of PTP1B and its site-directed mutants with compound 2 and several of its variants. Although many of the residues important for interactions between PTP1B and compound 2 are not unique to PTP1B, the combinations of all contact residues differ between PTP isozymes, which provide a structural basis for potent and selective PTP1B inhibition. Our data further suggest that potent, yet highly selective, PTP1B inhibitory agents can be acquired by targeting the area defined by residues Lys-41, Arg-47, and Asp-48, in addition to the previously identified second aryl phosphate-binding pocket.

PTP1B inhibitors as potential therapeutics in the treatment of type 2 diabetes and obesity

Coordinated tyrosine phosphorylation is essential for signalling pathways regulated by insulin and leptin. Type 2 diabetes and obesity are characterised by resistance to hormones insulin and leptin, possibly due to attenuated or diminished signalling from the receptors. Pharmacological agents capable of inhibiting the negative regulator(s) of the signalling pathways are expected to potentiate the action of insulin and leptin and therefore be beneficial for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes and obesity. A large body of data from cellular, biochemical, mouse and human genetic and chemical inhibitor studies have identified protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) as a major negative regulator of both insulin and leptin signalling. In addition, evidence suggests that insulin and leptin action can be enhanced by the inhibition of PTP1B. Consequently, PTP1B has emerged as an attractive novel target for the treatment of both Type 2 diabetes and obesity. The link between PTP1B and diabetes and obesity has led to an avalanche of research dedicated to finding inhibitors of this phosphatase. With the combined use of structure and medicinal chemistry, several groups have demonstrated that it is feasible to obtain small-molecule PTP1B inhibitors with the requisite potency and selectivity. The challenge for the future will be to transform potent and selective small molecule PTP1B inhibitors into orally available drugs with desirable physicochemical properties and in vivo efficacies.

Probing the molecular basis for potent and selective protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B inhibition

Protein-tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) are important for the control of proper cellular tyrosine phosphorylation. Despite the large number of PTPs encoded in the human genome and the emerging roles played by PTPs in human diseases, a detailed understanding of the role played by PTPs in normal physiology and in pathogenic conditions has been hampered by the absence of PTP-specific inhibitors. Such inhibitors could serve as useful tools for determining the physiological functions of PTPs and may constitute valuable therapeutics in the treatment of several human diseases. However, because of the highly conserved nature of the active site, it has been difficult to develop selective PTP inhibitors. By taking an approach to tether together two small ligands that can interact simultaneously with the active site and a unique proximal noncatalytic site, we have recently acquired Compound 2 (see Fig. 1), the most potent and selective PTP1B inhibitor identified to date, which exhibits several orders of magnitude selectivity in favor of PTP1B against a panel of PTPs. We describe an evaluation of the interaction between 2 and its analogs with PTP1B and its site-directed mutants selected based on hydrogen/deuterium exchange of PTP1B backbone amides in the presence and absence of 2. We have established the binding mode of Compound 2 and identified 12 PTP1B residues that are important for the potency and selectivity of Compound 2. Although many of the residues important for Compound 2 binding are not unique to PTP1B, the combinations of all contact residues differ between PTP isozymes, which suggest that the binding surface defined by these residues in individual PTPs determines inhibitor selectivity. Our results provide structural information toward understanding of the molecular basis for potent and selective PTP1B inhibition and further establish the feasibility of acquiring potent, yet highly selective, PTP inhibitory agents.