Identifying novel targets in renal cell carcinoma: design and synthesis of affinity chromatography reagents

Two novel scaffolds, 4-pyridylanilinothiazoles (PAT) and 3-pyridylphenylsulfonyl benzamides (PPB), previously identified as selective cytotoxins for von Hippel-Lindau-deficient Renal Carcinoma cells, were used as templates to prepare affinity chromatography reagents to aid the identification of the molecular targets of these two classes. Structure-activity data and computational models were used to predict possible points of attachment for linker chains. In the PAT class, Click coupling of long chain azides with 2- and 3-pyridylanilinothiazoleacetylenes gave triazole-linked pyridylanilinothiazoles which did not retain the VHL-dependent selectivity of parent analogues. For the PPB class, Sonagashira coupling of 4-iodo-(3-pyridylphenylsulfonyl)benzamide with a propargyl hexaethylene glycol carbamate gave an acetylene which was reduced to the corresponding alkyl 3-pyridylphenylsulfonylbenzamide. This reagent retained the VHL-dependent selectivity of the parent analogues and was successfully utilized as an affinity reagent.