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Zhuo L, Guo M, Zhang S, Wu J, Wang M, Shen Y, Peng X, Wang Z, Jiang W, Huang W. Structure-activity relationship study of 1,6-naphthyridinone derivatives as selective type II AXL inhibitors with potent antitumor efficacy. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 265:116090. [PMID: 38169272 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.116090] [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: 10/30/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/20/2023] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
The role of AXL in various oncogenic processes has made it an attractive target for cancer therapy. Currently, kinase selectivity profiles, especially circumventing MET inhibition, remain a scientific issue of great interest in the discovery of selective type II AXL inhibitors. Starting from a dual MET/AXL-targeted lead structure from our previous work, we optimized a 1,6-naphthyridinone series using molecular modeling-assisted compound design to improve AXL potency and selectivity over MET, resulting in the potent and selective type II AXL-targeted compound 25c. This showed excellent AXL inhibitory activity (IC50 = 1.1 nM) and 343-fold selectivity over the highly homologous kinase MET in biochemical assays. Moreover, compound 25c significantly inhibited AXL-driven cell proliferation, dose-dependently suppressed 4T1 cell migration and invasion, and induced apoptosis. Compound 25c also showed noticeable antitumor efficacy in a BaF3/TEL-AXL xenograft model at well-tolerated doses. Overall, this study presented a potent and selective type II AXL-targeted lead compound for further drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Linsheng Zhuo
- Postdoctoral Station for Basic Medicine, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China; School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China.
| | - Mengqin Guo
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430071, China
| | - Siyi Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Junbo Wu
- Department of Colorectal Surgery, Hengyang Central Hospital, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Mingshu Wang
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China
| | - Yang Shen
- Postdoctoral Station for Basic Medicine, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Xue Peng
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Zhen Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China
| | - Weifan Jiang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan, 421001, China.
| | - Wei Huang
- Key Laboratory of Pesticide & Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, International Joint Research Center for Intelligent Biosensor Technology and Health, College of Chemistry, Central China Normal University, Wuhan, 430079, China.
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Fang F, Dai Y, Wang H, Ji Y, Liang X, Peng X, Li J, Zhao Y, Li C, Wang D, Li Y, Zhang D, Zhang D, Geng M, Liu H, Ai J, Zhou Y. Structure-based drug discovery of novel fused-pyrazolone carboxamide derivatives as potent and selective AXL inhibitors. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023; 13:4918-4933. [PMID: 38045061 PMCID: PMC10692477 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.10.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2023] [Revised: 08/02/2023] [Accepted: 09/25/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
As a novel and promising antitumor target, AXL plays an important role in tumor growth, metastasis, immunosuppression and drug resistance of various malignancies, which has attracted extensive research interest in recent years. In this study, by employing the structure-based drug design and bioisosterism strategies, we designed and synthesized in total 54 novel AXL inhibitors featuring a fused-pyrazolone carboxamide scaffold, of which up to 20 compounds exhibited excellent AXL kinase and BaF3/TEL-AXL cell viability inhibitions. Notably, compound 59 showed a desirable AXL kinase inhibitory activity (IC50: 3.5 nmol/L) as well as good kinase selectivity, and it effectively blocked the cellular AXL signaling. In turn, compound 59 could potently inhibit BaF3/TEL-AXL cell viability (IC50: 1.5 nmol/L) and significantly suppress GAS6/AXL-mediated cancer cell invasion, migration and wound healing at the nanomolar level. More importantly, compound 59 oral administration showed good pharmacokinetic profile and in vivo antitumor efficiency, in which we observed significant AXL phosphorylation suppression, and its antitumor efficacy at 20 mg/kg (qd) was comparable to that of BGB324 at 50 mg/kg (bid), the most advanced AXL inhibitor. Taken together, this work provided a valuable lead compound as a potential AXL inhibitor for the further antitumor drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Yang Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Hao Wang
- Drug Discovery & Development Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yinchun Ji
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xuewu Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xia Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Jiyuan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yangrong Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Chunpu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Danyi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yazhou Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Dong Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Dan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Meiyu Geng
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai 264117, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Hong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Jing Ai
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Yu Zhou
- Drug Discovery & Development Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, UCAS, Hangzhou 310024, China
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Tsukamoto S, Sugi NH, Nishibata K, Nakazawa Y, Ito D, Fukushima S, Nakagawa T, Ichikawa K, Kato Y, Kakiuchi D, Goto A, Itoh-Yagi M, Aota T, Inoue S, Yamane Y, Murai N, Azuma H, Nagao S, Sasai K, Akagi T, Imai T, Matsui J, Matsushima T. ER-851, a Novel Selective Inhibitor of AXL, Overcomes Resistance to Antimitotic Drugs. Mol Cancer Ther 2023; 22:12-24. [PMID: 36279567 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-21-0879] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 10/19/2022] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Innate and adaptive resistance to cancer therapies, such as chemotherapies, molecularly targeted therapies, and immune-modulating therapies, is a major issue in clinical practice. Subpopulations of tumor cells expressing the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL become enriched after treatment with antimitotic drugs, causing tumor relapse. Elevated AXL expression is closely associated with drug resistance in clinical samples, suggesting that AXL plays a pivotal role in drug resistance. Although several molecules with AXL inhibitory activity have been developed, none have sufficient activity and selectivity to be clinically effective when administered in combination with a cancer therapy. Here, we report a novel small molecule, ER-851, which is a potent and highly selective AXL inhibitor. To investigate resistance mechanisms and identify driving molecules, we conducted a comprehensive gene expression analysis of chemoresistant tumor cells in mouse xenograft models of genetically engineered human lung cancer and human triple-negative breast cancer. Consistent with the effect of AXL knockdown, cotreatment of ER-851 and antimitotic drugs produced an antitumor effect and prolonged relapse-free survival in the mouse xenograft model of human triple-negative breast cancer. Importantly, when orally administered to BALB/c mice, this compound did not induce retinal toxicity, a known side effect of chronic MER inhibition. Together, these data strongly suggest that AXL is a therapeutic target for overcoming drug resistance and that ER-851 is a promising candidate therapeutic agent for use against AXL-expressing antimitotic-resistant tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuntaro Tsukamoto
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Naoko Hata Sugi
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Kyoko Nishibata
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Youya Nakazawa
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Daisuke Ito
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Sayo Fukushima
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Takayuki Nakagawa
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Kenji Ichikawa
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yu Kato
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Dai Kakiuchi
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Aya Goto
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan
| | | | - Tomoki Aota
- hhc Data Creation Center, Eisai Co., Ltd., Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Satoshi Inoue
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Yoshinobu Yamane
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Norio Murai
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Azuma
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Satoshi Nagao
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Ken Sasai
- KAN Research Institute, Inc., Kobe-shi, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Akagi
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan.,KAN Research Institute, Inc., Kobe-shi, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Toshio Imai
- KAN Research Institute, Inc., Kobe-shi, Hyogo, Japan
| | - Junji Matsui
- Tsukuba Research Laboratories, Eisai Co., Ltd., Tsukuba-shi, Ibaraki, Japan
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Two-Front War on Cancer-Targeting TAM Receptors in Solid Tumour Therapy. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14102488. [PMID: 35626092 PMCID: PMC9140196 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14102488] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/17/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary In recent years, many studies have shown the importance of TAM kinases in both normal and neoplastic cells. In this review, we present and discuss the role of the TAM family (AXL, MERTK, TYRO3) of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) as a dual target in cancer, due to their intrinsic roles in tumour cell survival, migration, chemoresistance, and their immunosuppressive roles in the tumour microenvironment. This review presents the potential of TAMs as emerging therapeutic targets in cancer treatment, focusing on the distinct structures of TAM receptor tyrosine kinases. We analyse and compare different strategies of TAM inhibition, for a full perspective of current and future battlefields in the war with cancer. Abstract Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) are transmembrane receptors that bind growth factors and cytokines and contain a regulated kinase activity within their cytoplasmic domain. RTKs play an important role in signal transduction in both normal and malignant cells, and their encoding genes belong to the most frequently affected genes in cancer cells. The TAM family proteins (TYRO3, AXL, and MERTK) are involved in diverse biological processes: immune regulation, clearance of apoptotic cells, platelet aggregation, cell proliferation, survival, and migration. Recent studies show that TAMs share overlapping functions in tumorigenesis and suppression of antitumour immunity. MERTK and AXL operate in innate immune cells to suppress inflammatory responses and promote an immunosuppressive tumour microenvironment, while AXL expression correlates with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, metastasis, and motility in tumours. Therefore, TAM RTKs represent a dual target in cancer due to their intrinsic roles in tumour cell survival, migration, chemoresistance, and their immunosuppressive roles in the tumour microenvironment (TME). In this review, we discuss the potential of TAMs as emerging therapeutic targets in cancer treatment. We critically assess and compare current approaches to target TAM RTKs in solid tumours and the development of new inhibitors for both extra- and intracellular domains of TAM receptor kinases.
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Fragment-based lead discovery of indazole-based compounds as AXL kinase inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem 2021; 49:116437. [PMID: 34600239 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2021.116437] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 09/16/2021] [Accepted: 09/19/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
AXL is a member of the TAM (TYRO3, AXL, MER) subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases. It is upregulated in a variety of cancers and its overexpression is associated with poor disease prognosis and acquired drug resistance. Utilizing a fragment-based lead discovery approach, a new indazole-based AXL inhibitor was obtained. The indazole fragment hit 11, identified through a high concentration biochemical screen, was expeditiously improved to fragment 24 by screening our in-house expanded library of fragments (ELF) collection. Subsequent fragment optimization guided by docking studies provided potent inhibitor 54 with moderate exposure levels in mice. X-ray crystal structure of analog 50 complexed with the I650M mutated kinase domain of Mer revealed the key binding interactions for the scaffold. The good potency coupled with reasonable kinase selectivity, moderate in vivo exposure levels, and availability of structural information for the series makes it a suitable starting point for further optimization efforts.
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Discovery of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydropyrido[3,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives as novel selective Axl inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2021; 48:128247. [PMID: 34271070 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2021.128247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 07/01/2021] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Axl and Mer are members of the TAM (Tyro3-Axl-Mer) family of receptor tyrosine kinases. Previously, we reported that enzyme-mediated inhibition of Mer by an Axl/Mer dual inhibitor led to retinal toxicity in mice, whereas selective Axl inhibition by compound 1 did not. On the other hand, compound 1 showed low membrane permeability. Here, we designed and synthesized a novel series of 5,6,7,8-tetrahydropyrido[3,4-d]pyrimidine derivatives and evaluated their Axl and Mer inhibitory activities, leading to identification of ER-001259851-000 as a potent and selective Axl inhibitor with drug-likeness and a promising pharmacokinetic profile in mice.
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