Cyclic acid anhydrides as a new class of potent, selective and non-peptidic inhibitors of geranylgeranyl transferase

Platelet dense-granule secretion plays a critical role in thrombosis and subsequent vascular remodeling in atherosclerotic mice

BACKGROUND

Platelet aggregation plays a critical role in myocardial infarction and stroke; however, the role of platelet secretion in atherosclerotic vascular disease is poorly understood. Therefore, we examined the hypothesis that platelet dense-granule secretion modulates thrombosis, inflammation, and atherosclerotic vascular remodeling after injury.

METHODS AND RESULTS

Functional deletion of the Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome 3 gene (HPS3(-/-)) markedly reduces platelet dense-granule secretion. HPS3(-/-) mice have normal platelet counts, platelet morphology, and alpha-granule number, as well as maximal secretion of the alpha-granule marker P-selectin; however, their capacity to form platelet-leukocyte aggregates is significantly reduced (P<0.05). To examine the role of platelet dense-granule secretion in these processes, atherosclerosis-prone mice with combined genetic deficiency of apolipoprotein E and HPS3 (ApoE(-/-), HPS3(-/-)) were compared with congenic, atherosclerosis-prone mice with normal platelet secretion (ApoE(-/-), HPS3(+/+)). After 16 to 18 weeks on a high-fat diet, both groups of mice had similar fasting cholesterol levels and body weight. Carotid arteries of ApoE(-/-), HPS3(+/+) mice thrombosed rapidly after FeCl(3) injury, but ApoE(-/-), HPS3(-/-) mice were completely resistant to thrombotic arterial occlusion (P<0.01). Three weeks after injury, neointimal hyperplasia (from alpha-smooth muscle actin-positive cells) was significantly less (P<0.001) in arteries from ApoE(-/-), HPS3(-/-) mice. In ApoE(-/-), HPS3(-/-) mice, there were also pronounced reductions in arterial inflammation, as indicated by a 74% decrease in CD45-positive leukocytes (P<0.01) and a 73% decrease in Mac-3-positive macrophages (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

In atherosclerotic mice, reduced platelet dense-granule secretion is associated with marked protection against the development of arterial thrombosis, inflammation, and neointimal hyperplasia after vascular injury.

Synthesis of stable analogues of geranylgeranyl diphosphate possessing a (Z,E,E)-geranylgeranyl side chain, docking analysis, and biological assays for prenyl protein transferase inhibition

Herein, we report the synthesis of novel stable analogues of geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP), in which the "natural" all-trans geranylgeranyl portion has been replaced by a (Z,E,E)-geranylgeranyl chain. The change in configuration and consequent change in the relative position of the polar portion with the lipophilic side chain did not improve the properties of the E,E,E analogues in their inhibition of geranylgeranyl protein transferase I (GGTase I). However, a significant level of GGTase I inhibition and selectivity for GGTase I over farnesyl transferase (FTase) was maintained the unsubstituted phosphonoacetamidoxy derivative 4 a. This has shed light on the relative importance of the configuration at the C2=C3 double bond among GGPP derivatives. Moreover, the biological activities of all the compounds reported herein, in particular the preferential FTase inhibitory activity shown by compound 6, were in good agreement with the results of docking analysis.

Phosphonomethylphosphorylmethyl(oxy)-analogues of geranylgeranyl diphosphate as stable and selective geranylgeranyl protein transferase inhibitors

The diphosphate moiety of geranylgeranyldiphosphate (GGdP) was replaced with metabolically and hydrolytically stable analogous polar portions, in an attempt to obtain new geranylgeranyltransferase (GGTase) inhibitors, which could also be selective over congener enzyme farnesyltransferase (FTase). In particular, the phosphonomethylphosphorylmethoxy derivative showed the highest inhibition potency, accompanied by a satisfactory GGTase/FTase selectivity.

A combinatorial approach toward the generation of ambiphilic peptide-based inhibitors of protein:geranylgeranyl transferase-1

A combinatorial synthesis of oligopeptide analogues and their evaluation as protein:geranylgeranyl transferase inhibitors is presented. The combinatorial strategy is based on the random mutation, in each new generation, of one of any of the four amino acid building blocks of which the most effective compounds of the previous generation are assembled. In this way, a progressive improvement of the average inhibitory activity was observed until the fifth generation. The most active inhibitors were found to inhibit PGGT-1 in the low micromolar range (IC(50): 3.8-8.1 microM).

Stereodefined and polyunsaturated inhibitors of histone deacetylase based on (2E,4E)-5-arylpenta-2,4-dienoic acid hydroxyamides

Syntheses of (2E,4E)-5-arylpenta-2,4-dienoic acid hydroxyamides are described, some of which are potent inhibitors of histone deacetylase, a double bond conferring more than a 10-fold increase in potency compared with the triple bond analogue oxamflatin. Variation of substituents on the aromatic ring has a marked effect on potency, in vitro IC(50) values down to 50 nM being obtained.

Stable propylphosphonic acid analogues of geranylgeranyl diphosphate possessing inhibitory activity on geranylgeranyl protein transferase

Stable analogues of geranylgeranyl diphosphate, possessing 3-(phosphono)propionamido moieties in the place of the metabolically unstable diphosphate portion, were prepared and submitted to prenyltransferase (GGTase and FTase) inhibition assays. In one case, an excellent GGTase inhibitory activity was obtained (IC(50) = 39 nM), accompanied by a certain degree of GGTase vs. FTase selectivity.

Stable analogues of geranylgeranyl diphosphate possessing improved geranylgeranyl versus farnesyl protein transferase inhibitory selectivity

Phosphonoacetamido(oxy) groups have proven to be good mimics of the diphosphate portion in geranylgeranyl protein transferase I (GGTase I) inhibitors. The introduction of small alkyl groups (Me, Et) into the diphosphate mimic moiety caused a further decrease in collateral farnesyl protein transferase (FTase) inhibitory activity, thereby improving GGTase I over FTase selectivity.

Pyrazino[1,2- a ]indole-1,4-diones, simple analogues of gliotoxin, as selective inhibitors of geranylgeranyltransferase I

Some pyrazino[1,2-a]indole-1,4-diones, structurally simplified analogues of the natural mycotoxin gliotoxin, have been synthesised and investigated as inhibitors of prenyltransferases; one compound, 3-acetylthio-9-methoxy-2-methyl-2,3-dihydropyrazino[1,2-a]indole-1,4-dione 10 shows slightly greater selectivity (8-fold) for geranylgeranyltransferase type I (GGTase I) than gliotoxin itself.