Autotaxin inhibition: development and application of computational tools to identify site-selective lead compounds

Synthesis and evaluation of the antiproliferative activity of new heterylmethylidene derivatives of imidazothiazolotriazinones

Two series of regioisomeric heterylmethylidene derivatives of imidazo[4,5-e]thiazolo[3,2-b]-1,2,4-triazines and imidazo[4,5-e]thiazolo[2,3-c]-1,2,4-triazines were synthesized. Several compounds exhibiting high antiproliferative activity were found.

Collaborative drug discovery and the Tres Cantos Antimalarial Set (TCAMS)

Malaria affects a population of over 200 million people worldwide. New drugs are needed because of widespread resistance, and the hunt for such drugs involves a coordinated research effort from the scientific community. The release of the Tres Cantos Antimalarial Set (TCAMS) in 2010 represented a landmark in the field of collaborative drug discovery for malaria. This set of >13 000 molecules with confirmed activity against several strains of Plasmodium falciparum was publicly released with the goal of fostering additional research beyond the GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) network of collaborators. Here, we examine the outcomes realized from TCAMS over the past 8 years and whether the expectations surrounding this initiative have become a reality.

Skeletal rearrangement of arylmethylideneimidazo[4,5-e]thiazolo[3,2-b]-1,2,4-triazine-2,7-diones in the synthesis of the corresponding imidazo[4,5-e]thiazolo[2,3-c]-1,2,4-triazine-2,8-diones

The synthesis of benzylideneimidazo[4,5-e]thiazolo[2,3-c]- 1,2,4-triazines via an alkali-induced skeletal rearrangement of imidazo[4,5-e]thiazolo[3,2-b]-1,2,4-triazines is reported.

The influence of substituents on the reactivity and cytotoxicity of imidazothiazolotriazinones

A series of tetrahydroimidazo[4,5-e]thiazolo[3,2-b]-1,2,4-triazine-2,7(1H, 6H)-diones were synthesized via the reaction of imidazotriazinethiones and bromoacetic acid followed by condensation with isatins. Amidine skeletal rearrangement of 3,3a,9,9a-tetrahydroimidazo[4,5-e]thiazolo[3,2-b]-1,2,4-triazine-2,7 (1H, 6H)-diones into 1,3a,4,9a-tetrahydroimidazo[4,5-e]thiazolo[2,3-c]-1,2,4-triazine-2,8 (3H, 7H)-diones under KOH treatment has been studied. The influence of substituents at positions 1,3,3a,6,9a of imidazothiazolotriazine on the ability to undergo rearrangement was analyzed based on experimental data and theoretical calculations. Both imidazothiazolo[3,2-b]triazines and their rearrangement products were evaluated for their cytotoxic activity against rhabdomyosarcoma, A549, HCT116 and MCF7 human cancer cell lines by MTT assay. Among the derivatives, 1,3-diethyl-6-[1-(2-propyl)-2-oxoindolin-3-ylidene]-3,3a,9,9a-tetrahydroimidazo [4,5-e]thiazolo[3,2-b]-1,2,4-triazine-2,7(1H, 6H)-dione 4i was found to have the highest antiproliferative activity toward the tested cell lines (4i: [Formula: see text], 2.29, 0.47 and [Formula: see text], respectively). The [Formula: see text] value of compound 4i against normal human embryonic kidney cells HEK293 was [Formula: see text], which appeared to be 6-41-fold higher than [Formula: see text] values of 4i against human cancer cells.

Highly Potent Non-Carboxylic Acid Autotaxin Inhibitors Reduce Melanoma Metastasis and Chemotherapeutic Resistance of Breast Cancer Stem Cells

Autotaxin (ATX, aka. ENPP2) is the main source of the lipid mediator lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) in biological fluids. This study reports on inhibitors of ATX derived by lead optimization of the benzene-sulfonamide in silico hit compound 3. The new analogues provide a comprehensive structure-activity relationship of the benzene-sulfonamide scaffold that yielded a series of highly potent ATX inhibitors. The three most potent analogues (3a, IC50 ∼ 32 nM; 3b, IC50 ∼ 9 nM; and 14, IC50 ∼ 35 nM) inhibit ATX-dependent invasion of A2058 human melanoma cells in vitro. Two of the most potent compounds, 3b and 3f (IC50 ∼ 84 nM), lack inhibitory action on ENPP6 and ENPP7 but possess weak antagonist action specific to the LPA1 G protein-coupled receptor. In particular, compound 3b potently reduced in vitro chemotherapeutic resistance of 4T1 breast cancer stem-like cells to paclitaxel and significantly reduced B16 melanoma metastasis in vivo.

Enzyme Tunnels and Gates As Relevant Targets in Drug Design

Many enzymes contain tunnels and gates that are essential to their function. Gates reversibly switch between open and closed conformations and thereby control the traffic of small molecules-substrates, products, ions, and solvent molecules-into and out of the enzyme's structure via molecular tunnels. Many transient tunnels and gates undoubtedly remain to be identified, and their functional roles and utility as potential drug targets have received comparatively little attention. Here, we describe a set of general concepts relating to the structural properties, function, and classification of these interesting structural features. In addition, we highlight the potential of enzyme tunnels and gates as targets for the binding of small molecules. The different types of binding that are possible and the potential pharmacological benefits of such targeting are discussed. Twelve examples of ligands bound to the tunnels and/or gates of clinically relevant enzymes are used to illustrate the different binding modes and to explain some new strategies for drug design. Such strategies could potentially help to overcome some of the problems facing medicinal chemists and lead to the discovery of more effective drugs.

Discovery and synthetic optimization of a novel scaffold for hydrophobic tunnel-targeted autotaxin inhibition

Autotaxin (ATX) is a ubiquitous ectoenzyme that hydrolyzes lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) to form the bioactive lipid mediator lysophosphatidic acid (LPA). LPA activates specific G-protein coupled receptors to elicit downstream effects leading to cellular motility, survival, and invasion. Through these pathways, upregulation of ATX is linked to diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular disease. Recent crystal structures confirm that the catalytic domain of ATX contains multiple binding regions including a polar active site, hydrophobic tunnel, and a hydrophobic pocket. This finding is consistent with the promiscuous nature of ATX hydrolysis of multiple and diverse substrates and prior investigations of inhibitor impacts on ATX enzyme kinetics. The current study used virtual screening methods to guide experimental identification and characterization of inhibitors targeting the hydrophobic region of ATX. An initially discovered inhibitor, GRI392104 (IC50 4μM) was used as a lead for synthetic optimization. In total twelve newly synthesized inhibitors of ATX were more potent than GRI392104 and were selective for ATX as they had no effect on other LPC-specific NPP family members or on LPA1-5 GPCR.

Autotaxin, a lysophospholipase D with pleomorphic effects in oncogenesis and cancer progression

The ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase type 2, more commonly known as autotaxin (ATX), is an ecto-lysophospholipase D encoded by the human ENNP2 gene. ATX is expressed in multiple tissues and participates in numerous key physiologic and pathologic processes, including neural development, obesity, inflammation, and oncogenesis, through the generation of the bioactive lipid, lysophosphatidic acid. Overwhelming evidence indicates that altered ATX activity leads to oncogenesis and cancer progression through the modulation of multiple hallmarks of cancer pathobiology. Here, we review the structural and catalytic characteristics of the ectoenzyme, how its expression and maturation processes are regulated, and how the systemic integration of its pleomorphic effects on cells and tissues may contribute to cancer initiation, progression, and therapy. Additionally, the up-to-date spectrum of the most frequent ATX genomic alterations from The Cancer Genome Atlas project is reported for a subset of cancers.

Vinyl sulfone analogs of lysophosphatidylcholine irreversibly inhibit autotaxin and prevent angiogenesis in melanoma

Autotaxin (ATX) is an enzyme discovered in the conditioned medium of cultured melanoma cells and identified as a protein that strongly stimulates motility. This unique ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase and phosphodiesterase facilitates the removal of a choline headgroup from lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC) to yield lysophosphatidic acid (LPA), which is a potent lipid stimulator of tumorigenesis. Thus, ATX has received renewed attention because it has a prominent role in malignant progression with significant translational potential. Specifically, we sought to develop active site-targeted irreversible inhibitors as anti-cancer agents. Herein we describe the synthesis and biological activity of an LPC-mimetic electrophilic affinity label that targets the active site of ATX, which has a critical threonine residue that acts as a nucleophile in the lysophospholipase D reaction to liberate choline. We synthesized a set of quaternary ammonium derivative-containing vinyl sulfone analogs of LPC that function as irreversible inhibitors of ATX and inactivate the enzyme. The analogs were tested in cell viability assays using multiple cancer cell lines. The IC50 values ranged from 6.74 to 0.39 μM, consistent with a Ki of 3.50 μM for inhibition of ATX by the C16H33 vinyl sulfone analog CVS-16 (10b). A phenyl vinyl sulfone control compound, PVS-16, lacking the choline-like quaternary ammonium mimicking head group moiety, had little effect on cell viability and did not inhibit ATX. Most importantly, CVS-16 (10b) significantly inhibited melanoma progression in an in vivo tumor model by preventing angiogenesis. Taken together, this suggests that CVS-16 (10b) is a potent and irreversible ATX inhibitor with significant biological activity both in vitro and in vivo.

Promising pharmacological directions in the world of lysophosphatidic Acid signaling

Lysophosphatidic acid (LPA) is a signaling lipid that binds to six known lysophosphatidic acid receptors (LPARs), named LPA₁-LPA₆. These receptors initiate signaling cascades relevant to development, maintenance, and healing processes throughout the body. The diversity and specificity of LPA signaling, especially in relation to cancer and autoimmune disorders, makes LPA receptor modulation an attractive target for drug development. Several LPAR-specific analogues and small molecules have been synthesized and are efficacious in attenuating pathology in disease models. To date, at least three compounds have passed phase I and phase II clinical trials for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and systemic sclerosis. This review focuses on the promising therapeutic directions emerging in LPA signaling toward ameliorating several diseases, including cancer, fibrosis, arthritis, hydrocephalus, and traumatic injury.