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Gitlin-Domagalska A, Dębowski D, Maciejewska A, Samsonov S, Maszota-Zieleniak M, Ptaszyńska N, Łęgowska A, Rolka K. Cyclic Peptidic Furin Inhibitors Developed by Combinatorial Chemistry. ACS Med Chem Lett 2023; 14:458-465. [PMID: 37077382 PMCID: PMC10107917 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Furin is a human serine protease responsible for activating numerous physiologically relevant cell substrates and is also involved in the development of various pathological conditions, including inflammatory diseases, cancers, and viral and bacterial infections. Therefore, compounds with the ability to inhibit furin's proteolytic action are regarded as potential therapeutics. Here we took the combinatorial chemistry approach (library consisting of 2000 peptides) to obtain new, strong, and stable peptide furin inhibitors. The extensively studied trypsin inhibitor SFTI-1 was used as a leading structure. A selected monocylic inhibitor was further modified to finally yield five mono- or bicyclic furin inhibitors with values of K i in the subnanomolar range. Inhibitor 5 was the most active (K i = 0.21 nM) and significantly more proteolytically resistant than the reference furin inhibitor described in the literature. Moreover, it reduced furin-like activity in PANC-1 cell lysate. Detailed analysis of furin-inhibitor complexes using molecular dynamics simulations is also reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agata Gitlin-Domagalska
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Dawid Dębowski
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Aleksandra Maciejewska
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Sergey Samsonov
- Department of Theoretical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Martyna Maszota-Zieleniak
- Department of Theoretical Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Natalia Ptaszyńska
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Anna Łęgowska
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Krzysztof Rolka
- Department of Molecular Biochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
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2
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Abstract
Analysis of the SARS-CoV-2 sequence revealed a multibasic furin cleavage site at the S1/S2 boundary of the spike protein distinguishing this virus from SARS-CoV. Furin, the best-characterized member of the mammalian proprotein convertases, is an ubiquitously expressed single pass type 1 transmembrane protein. Cleavage of SARS-CoV-2 spike protein by furin promotes viral entry into lung cells. While furin knockout is embryonically lethal, its knockout in differentiated somatic cells is not, thus furin provides an exciting therapeutic target for viral pathogens including SARS-CoV-2 and bacterial infections. Several peptide-based and small-molecule inhibitors of furin have been recently reported, and select cocrystal structures have been solved, paving the way for further optimization and selection of clinical candidates. This perspective highlights furin structure, substrates, recent inhibitors, and crystal structures with emphasis on furin's role in SARS-CoV-2 infection, where the current data strongly suggest its inhibition as a promising therapeutic intervention for SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Essam
Eldin A. Osman
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Cairo University, Cairo 11562, Egypt
| | - Alnawaz Rehemtulla
- Department
of Radiation Oncology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Nouri Neamati
- Department
of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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Lewandowska-Goch MA, Kwiatkowska A, Łepek T, Ly K, Navals P, Gagnon H, Dory YL, Prahl A, Day R. Design and Structure-Activity Relationship of a Potent Furin Inhibitor Derived from Influenza Hemagglutinin. ACS Med Chem Lett 2021; 12:365-372. [PMID: 33738063 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.0c00386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Furin plays an important role in various pathological states, especially in bacterial and viral infections. A detailed understanding of the structural requirements for inhibitors targeting this enzyme is crucial to develop new therapeutic strategies in infectious diseases, including an urgent unmet need for SARS-CoV-2 infection. Previously, we have identified a potent furin inhibitor, peptide Ac-RARRRKKRT-NH 2 (CF1), based on the highly pathogenic avian influenza hemagglutinin. The goal of this study was to determine how its N-terminal part (the P8-P5 positions) affects its activity profile. To do so, the positional-scanning libraries of individual peptides modified at the selected positions with natural amino acids were generated. Subsequently, the best substitutions were combined together and/or replaced by unnatural residues to expand our investigations. The results reveal that the affinity of CF1 can be improved (2-2.5-fold) by substituting its P5 position with the small hydrophobic residues (Ile or Val) or a basic Lys.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monika A. Lewandowska-Goch
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Anna Kwiatkowska
- Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Quebec J1H 5N4, Canada
- Département de Chirurgie/Urologie, Faculté de Médecine et Sciences de la Santé, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, 3001 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Quebec J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Teresa Łepek
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Kévin Ly
- PhenoSwitch Bioscience Inc., 975 rue Léon-Trépanier, Sherbrooke, Quebec J1G 5J6, Canada
| | - Pauline Navals
- Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Quebec J1H 5N4, Canada
- Département de Chirurgie/Urologie, Faculté de Médecine et Sciences de la Santé, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, 3001 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Quebec J1H 5N4, Canada
- Département de Chimie, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Quebec J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Hugo Gagnon
- PhenoSwitch Bioscience Inc., 975 rue Léon-Trépanier, Sherbrooke, Quebec J1G 5J6, Canada
| | - Yves L. Dory
- Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Quebec J1H 5N4, Canada
- Département de Chimie, Faculté des Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Quebec J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Adam Prahl
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Gdańsk, Wita Stwosza 63, 80-308 Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Robert Day
- Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Quebec J1H 5N4, Canada
- Département de Chirurgie/Urologie, Faculté de Médecine et Sciences de la Santé, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Sherbrooke, 3001 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Quebec J1H 5N4, Canada
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4
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Van Lam van T, Ivanova T, Hardes K, Heindl MR, Morty RE, Böttcher-Friebertshäuser E, Lindberg I, Than ME, Dahms SO, Steinmetzer T. Design, Synthesis, and Characterization of Macrocyclic Inhibitors of the Proprotein Convertase Furin. ChemMedChem 2019; 14:673-685. [PMID: 30680958 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201800807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2018] [Revised: 01/18/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
The activation of viral glycoproteins by the host protease furin is an essential step in the replication of numerous pathogenic viruses. Thus, effective inhibitors of furin could serve as broad-spectrum antiviral drugs. A crystal structure of an inhibitory hexapeptide derivative in complex with furin served as template for the rational design of various types of new cyclic inhibitors. Most of the prepared derivatives are relatively potent furin inhibitors with inhibition constants in the low nanomolar or even sub-nanomolar range. For seven derivatives the crystal structures in complex with furin could be determined. In three complexes, electron density was found for the entire inhibitor. In the other cases the structures could be determined only for the P6/P5-P1 segments, which directly interact with furin. The cyclic derivatives together with two non-cyclic reference compounds were tested as inhibitors of the proteolytic activation and replication of respiratory syncytial virus in cells. Significant antiviral activity was found for both linear reference inhibitors, whereas a negligible efficacy was determined for the cyclic derivatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thuy Van Lam van
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps University, Marbacher Weg 6, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Teodora Ivanova
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps University, Marbacher Weg 6, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Kornelia Hardes
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps University, Marbacher Weg 6, 35032, Marburg, Germany
| | - Miriam Ruth Heindl
- Institute of Virology, Philipps University, Hans-Meerwein-Str. 2, 35043, Marburg, Germany
| | - Rory E Morty
- Department of Lung Development and Remodelling, Max Planck Institute for Heart and Lung Research, Bad Nauheim, Germany
| | | | - Iris Lindberg
- Department of Anatomy and Neurobiology, University of Maryland Medical School, Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA
| | - Manuel E Than
- Protein Crystallography Group, Leibniz Institute on Aging-Fritz Lipmann Institute, Beutenbergstr. 11, 07745, Jena, Germany
| | - Sven O Dahms
- Department of Biosciences, University of Salzburg, Billrothstrasse 11, 5020, Salzburg, Austria
| | - Torsten Steinmetzer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Philipps University, Marbacher Weg 6, 35032, Marburg, Germany
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Enhanced anti-tumor activity of the Multi-Leu peptide PACE4 inhibitor transformed into an albumin-bound tumor-targeting prodrug. Sci Rep 2019; 9:2118. [PMID: 30765725 PMCID: PMC6376031 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-37568-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2018] [Accepted: 11/23/2018] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
The proprotein convertase PACE4 has been validated as a potential target to develop new therapeutic interventions in prostate cancer (PCa). So far, the most effective compound blocking the activity of this enzyme has been designed based on the structure of a small peptide Ac-LLLLRVKR-NH2 known as the Multi-Leu (ML) peptide. Optimization of this scaffold led to the synthesis of compound C23 (Ac-[DLeu]LLLRVK-amidinobenzylamide) with a potent in vivo inhibitory effect on the tumor growth. However, further developments of PACE4 inhibitors may require additional improvements to counter their rapid renal clearance and to increase their tumor targeting efficiency. Herein, we explored the transformation of the ML-peptide into an albumin-binding prodrug containing a tumor specific release mechanism based on the prostate-specific antigen. Our data confirms that intravenous treatment using the ML-peptide alone has little effect on tumor growth, whereas by using the ML-prodrug in LNCaP xenograft-bearing mice it was significantly reduced. Additionally, excellent in vivo stability and tumor-targeting efficiency was demonstrated using a radiolabelled version of this compound. Taken together, these results provide a solid foundation for further development of targeted PACE4 inhibition in PCa.
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Dianati V, Kwiatkowska A, Couture F, Desjardins R, Dory YL, Day R. Increasing C-Terminal Hydrophobicity Improves the Cell Permeability and Antiproliferative Activity of PACE4 Inhibitors against Prostate Cancer Cell Lines. J Med Chem 2018; 61:8457-8467. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b01144] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vahid Dianati
- Département de Chimie, Faculté des Sciences, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001, 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Anna Kwiatkowska
- Département de Chirurgie/Urologie, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001, 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Frédéric Couture
- Département de Chirurgie/Urologie, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001, 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Roxane Desjardins
- Département de Chirurgie/Urologie, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001, 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Yves L. Dory
- Département de Chimie, Faculté des Sciences, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001, 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada
| | - Robert Day
- Département de Chirurgie/Urologie, Institut de Pharmacologie de Sherbrooke, Université de Sherbrooke, 3001, 12e Avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Québec J1H 5N4, Canada
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Couture F, Jansen AM, Taghert P, Brix K. EJCB - Molecular basis of protein fates in the secretory and endocytic pathways, and beyond. Eur J Cell Biol 2017; 96:369-371. [PMID: 28754257 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejcb.2017.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Couture
- University of Sherbrooke, 3001, 12e avenue Nord, Sherbrooke, Québec, J1H 5N4, Canada.
| | | | - Paul Taghert
- Washington University Medical School, 660 S Euclid Avenue, St Louis MO 63110, USA.
| | - Klaudia Brix
- Jacobs University Bremen gGmbH, Campus Ring 1, 28759 Bremen, Germany.
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