Structure-Based Optimization of Naphthyridones into Potent ATAD2 Bromodomain Inhibitors

Identification of novel bromodomain inhibitors of Trypanosoma cruzi bromodomain factor 2 (TcBDF2) using a fluorescence polarization-based high-throughput assay

Bromodomains are structural folds present in all eukaryotic cells that bind to other proteins recognizing acetylated lysines. Most proteins with bromodomains are part of nuclear complexes that interact with acetylated histone residues and regulate DNA replication, transcription, and repair through chromatin structure remodeling. Bromodomain inhibitors are small molecules that bind to the hydrophobic pocket of bromodomains, interfering with the interaction with acetylated histones. Using a fluorescent probe, we have developed an assay to select inhibitors of the bromodomain factor 2 of Trypanosoma cruzi (TcBDF2) using fluorescence polarization. Initially, a library of 28,251 compounds was screened in an endpoint assay. The top 350-ranked compounds were further analyzed in a dose-response assay. From this analysis, seven compounds were obtained that had not been previously characterized as bromodomain inhibitors. Although these compounds did not exhibit significant trypanocidal activity, all showed bona fide interaction with TcBDF2 with dissociation constants between 1 and 3 µM validating these assays to search for bromodomain inhibitors.

Bioisoteres for carboxylic acids: From ionized isosteres to novel unionized replacements

Carboxylic acids are key pharmacophoric elements in many molecules. They can be seen as a problem by some, due to perceived permeability challenges, potential for high plasma protein binding and the risk of forming reactive metabolites due to acyl-glucuronidation. By others they are viewed more favorably as they can decrease lipophilicity by adding an ionizable center which can be beneficial for solubility, and can add enthalpic interactions with the target protein. However, there are many instances where the replacement of a carboxylic acid with a bioisosteric group is required. This has led to the development of a number of ionizable groups which sufficiently mimic the carboxylic acid functionality whilst improving, for example, the metabolic profile of the molecule in question. An alternative strategy involves replacement of the carboxylate by neutral functional groups. This review initially details carefully selected examples whereby tetrazoles, acyl sulfonamides or isoxazolols have been beneficially utilized as carboxylic acid bioisosteres altering physicohemical properties, interactions with the target and metabolism and/or pharmacokinetics, before delving further into the binding mode of carboxylic acid derivatives with their target proteins. This analysis highlights new ways to consider the replacement of carboxylic acids by neutral bioisosteric groups which either rely on hydrogen bonds or cation-π interactions. It should serve as a useful guide for scientists working in drug discovery.

A high-throughput molecular dynamics screening (HTMDS) approach to the design of novel cyclopeptide inhibitors of ATAD2B based on the non-canonical combinatorial library

Cyclic peptides (CPs) are a promising class of drugs because of their high biological activity and specificity. However, the design of CP remains challenging due to their conformational flexibility and difficulties in designing stable binding conformation. Herein, we present a high-throughput MD screening (HTMDS) process for the iterative design of stable CP binders with a combinatorial CP library composed of canonical and non-canonical amino acids. As a proof of concept, we apply our methods to design CP inhibitors for the bromodomain (BrD) of ATAD2B. 698,800 CP candidates with a total of 25,570 ns MD simulations were performed to study the protein-ligand binding interactions. The binding free energies (ΔGbind) estimated by MM/PBSA approach for eight lead CP designs were found to be low. CP-1st.43 was the best CP candidate with an estimated ΔGbind of -28.48 kcal/mol when compared to the standard inhibitor C-38 which has been experimentally validated and shown to exhibit ΔGbind of -17.11 kcal/mol. The major contribution of binding sites for BrD of ATAD2B involved the hydrogen-bonding anchor within the Aly-binding pocket, salt bridging, and hydrogen-bonding mediated stabilization of the ZA loop and BC loop, and the complementary Van der Waals attraction. Our methods demonstrate encouraging results by yielding conformationally stable and high-potential CP binders that should have potential applicability in future CP drug development.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.

Bromodomain inhibitors and therapeutic applications

The bromodomain acts to recognize acetylated lysine in histones and transcription proteins and plays a fundamental role in chromatin-based cellular processes including gene transcription and chromatin remodeling. Many bromodomain proteins, particularly the bromodomain and extra terminal domain (BET) protein BRD4 have been implicated in cancers and inflammatory disorders and recognized as attractive drug targets. Although clinical studies of many BET bromodomain inhibitors have made substantial progress toward harnessing the therapeutic potential of targeting the bromodomain proteins, the development of this new class of epigenetic drugs is met with challenges, especially on-target dose-limiting toxicity. In this review, we highlight the current development of new-generation small molecule inhibitors for the BET and non-BET bromodomain proteins and discuss the research strategies used to target different bromodomain proteins for a wide array of human diseases including cancers and inflammatory disorders.

Targeting bromodomain-containing proteins: research advances of drug discovery

Bromodomain (BD) is an evolutionarily conserved protein module found in 46 different BD-containing proteins (BCPs). BD acts as a specific reader for acetylated lysine residues (KAc) and serves an essential role in transcriptional regulation, chromatin remodeling, DNA damage repair, and cell proliferation. On the other hand, BCPs have been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of a variety of diseases, including cancers, inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, and viral infections. Over the past decade, researchers have brought new therapeutic strategies to relevant diseases by inhibiting the activity or downregulating the expression of BCPs to interfere with the transcription of pathogenic genes. An increasing number of potent inhibitors and degraders of BCPs have been developed, some of which are already in clinical trials. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of recent advances in the study of drugs that inhibit or down-regulate BCPs, focusing on the development history, molecular structure, biological activity, interaction with BCPs and therapeutic potentials of these drugs. In addition, we discuss current challenges, issues to be addressed and future research directions for the development of BCPs inhibitors. Lessons learned from the successful or unsuccessful development experiences of these inhibitors or degraders will facilitate the further development of efficient, selective and less toxic inhibitors of BCPs and eventually achieve drug application in the clinic.

Ligand-Promoted [Pd]-Catalyzed α-Alkylation of Ketones through a Borrowing-Hydrogen Approach

A new class of palladium complexes bearing bidentate 2-hydroxypyridine based ligands have been prepared and fully characterized. The applications of these new complexes towards ketone alkylation reactions with alcohols through a metal-ligand cooperative borrowing-hydrogen (BH) process were demonstrated.

Tumor-Promoting ATAD2 and Its Preclinical Challenges

ATAD2 has received extensive attention in recent years as one prospective oncogene with tumor-promoting features in many malignancies. ATAD2 is a highly conserved bromodomain family protein that exerts its biological functions by mainly AAA ATPase and bromodomain. ATAD2 acts as an epigenetic decoder and transcription factor or co-activator, which is engaged in cellular activities, such as transcriptional regulation, DNA replication, and protein modification. ATAD2 has been reported to be highly expressed in a variety of human malignancies, including gastrointestinal malignancies, reproductive malignancies, urological malignancies, lung cancer, and other types of malignancies. ATAD2 is involved in the activation of multiple oncogenic signaling pathways and is closely associated with tumorigenesis, progression, chemoresistance, and poor prognosis, but the oncogenic mechanisms vary in different cancer types. Moreover, the direct targeting of ATAD2’s bromodomain may be a very challenging task. In this review, we summarized the role of ATAD2 in various types of malignancies and pointed out the pharmacological direction.

Cosolvent Simulations with Fragment-Bound Proteins Identify Hot Spots to Direct Lead Growth

In drug design, chemical groups are sequentially added to improve a weak-binding fragment into a tight-binding lead molecule. Often, the direction to make these additions is unclear, and there are numerous chemical modifications to choose. Lead development can be guided by crystal structures of the fragment-bound protein, but this alone is unable to capture structural changes like closing or opening of the binding site and any side-chain movements. Accounting for adaptation of the site requires a dynamic approach. Here, we use molecular dynamics calculations of small organic solvents with protein-fragment pairs to reveal the nearest "hot spots". These close hot spots show the direction to make appropriate additions and suggest types of chemical modifications that could improve binding affinity. Mixed-solvent molecular dynamics (MixMD) is a cosolvent simulation technique that is well established for finding binding "hot spots" in active sites and allosteric sites of proteins. We simulated 20 fragment-bound and apo forms of key pharmaceutical targets to map out hot spots for potential lead space. Furthermore, we analyzed whether the presence of a fragment facilitates the probes' binding in the lead space, a type of binding cooperativity. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first use of cosolvent MD conducted with bound inhibitors in the simulation. Our work provides a general framework to extract molecular features of binding sites to choose chemical groups for growing lead molecules. Of the 20 systems, 17 systems were well mapped by MixMD. For the three not-mapped systems, two had lead growth out into solution away from the protein, and the third had very small modifications which indicated no nearby hot spots. Therefore, our lack of mapping in three systems was appropriate given the experimental data (true-negative cases). The simulations are run for very short time scales, making this method tractable for use in the pharmaceutical industry.

Discovery of a Potent and Selective ATAD2 Bromodomain Inhibitor with Antiproliferative Activity in Breast Cancer Models

ATAD2 is an epigenetic bromodomain-containing target which is overexpressed in many cancers and has been suggested as a potential oncology target. While several small molecule inhibitors have been described in the literature, their cellular activity has proved to be underwhelming. In this work, we describe the identification of a novel series of ATAD2 inhibitors by high throughput screening, confirmation of the bromodomain region as the site of action, and the optimization campaign undertaken to improve the potency, selectivity, and permeability of the initial hit. The result is compound 5 (AZ13824374), a highly potent and selective ATAD2 inhibitor which shows cellular target engagement and antiproliferative activity in a range of breast cancer models.

Drug discovery for epigenetics targets

Dysregulation of the epigenome is associated with the onset and progression of several diseases, including cancer, autoimmune, cardiovascular, and neurological disorders. Members from the three families of epigenetic proteins (readers, writers, and erasers) have been shown to be druggable using small-molecule inhibitors. Increasing knowledge of the role of epigenetics in disease and the reversibility of these modifications explain why pharmacological intervention is an attractive strategy for tackling epigenetic-based disease. In this review, we provide an overview of epigenetics drug targets, focus on approaches used for initial hit identification, and describe the subsequent role of structure-guided chemistry optimisation of initial hits to clinical candidates. We also highlight current challenges and future potential for epigenetics-based therapies.

From Hit Seeking to Magic Bullets: The Successful Union of Epigenetic and Fragment Based Drug Discovery (EPIDD + FBDD)

We review progress in the application of fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) to epigenetic drug discovery (EPIDD) targeted at epigenetic writer and eraser enzymes as well as reader domains over the last 15 years. The greatest successes to date are in prospecting for bromodomain binding ligands. From a diverse array of fragment hits, multiple potent and selective compounds ensued, including the oncology clinical candidates mivebresib, ABBV-744, pelabresib, and PLX51107.

Selectively targeting individual bromodomain: Drug discovery and molecular mechanisms

Bromodomain-containing proteins include bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) and non-BET families. Due to the conserved bromodomain (BD) module between BD-containing proteins, and especially BETs with each member having two BDs (BD1 and BD2), the high degree of structural similarity makes BD-selective inhibitors much difficult to be designed. However, increasing evidences emphasized that individual BDs had distinct functions and different cellular phenotypes after pharmacological inhibition, and selectively targeting one of the BDs could result in a different efficacy and tolerability profile. This review is to summarize the pioneering progress of BD-selective inhibitors targeting BET and non-BET proteins, focusing on their structural features, biological activity, therapeutic application and experimental/theoretical mechanisms. The present proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTAC) degraders targeting BDs, and clinical status of BD-selective inhibitors were also analyzed, providing a new insight into future direction of bromodomain-selective drug discovery.

Optimization of Naphthyridones into Selective TATA-Binding Protein Associated Factor 1 (TAF1) Bromodomain Inhibitors

Bromodomain containing proteins and the acetyl-lysine binding bromodomains contained therein are increasingly attractive targets for the development of novel epigenetic therapeutics. To help validate this target class and unravel the complex associated biology, there has been a concerted effort to develop selective small molecule bromodomain inhibitors. Herein we describe the structure-based efforts and multiple challenges encountered in optimizing a naphthyridone template into selective TAF1(2) bromodomain inhibitors which, while unsuitable as chemical probes themselves, show promise for the future development of small molecules to interrogate TAF1(2) biology. Key to this work was the introduction and modulation of the basicity of a pendant amine which had a substantial impact on not only bromodomain selectivity but also cellular target engagement.

Functional Roles of Bromodomain Proteins in Cancer

Histone acetylation is generally associated with an open chromatin configuration that facilitates many cellular processes including gene transcription, DNA repair, and DNA replication. Aberrant levels of histone lysine acetylation are associated with the development of cancer. Bromodomains represent a family of structurally well-characterized effector domains that recognize acetylated lysines in chromatin. As part of their fundamental reader activity, bromodomain-containing proteins play versatile roles in epigenetic regulation, and additional functional modules are often present in the same protein, or through the assembly of larger enzymatic complexes. Dysregulated gene expression, chromosomal translocations, and/or mutations in bromodomain-containing proteins have been correlated with poor patient outcomes in cancer. Thus, bromodomains have emerged as a highly tractable class of epigenetic targets due to their well-defined structural domains, and the increasing ease of designing or screening for molecules that modulate the reading process. Recent developments in pharmacological agents that target specific bromodomains has helped to understand the diverse mechanisms that bromodomains play with their interaction partners in a variety of chromatin processes, and provide the promise of applying bromodomain inhibitors into the clinical field of cancer treatment. In this review, we explore the expression and protein interactome profiles of bromodomain-containing proteins and discuss them in terms of functional groups. Furthermore, we highlight our current understanding of the roles of bromodomain-containing proteins in cancer, as well as emerging strategies to specifically target bromodomains, including combination therapies using bromodomain inhibitors alongside traditional therapeutic approaches designed to re-program tumorigenesis and metastasis.

Optimization of a Series of 2,3-Dihydrobenzofurans as Highly Potent, Second Bromodomain (BD2)-Selective, Bromo and Extra-Terminal Domain (BET) Inhibitors

Herein, a series of 2,3-dihydrobenzofurans have been developed as highly potent bromo and extra-terminal domain (BET) inhibitors with 1000-fold selectivity for the second bromodomain (BD2) over the first bromodomain (BD1). Investment in the development of two orthogonal synthetic routes delivered inhibitors that were potent and selective but had raised in vitro clearance and suboptimal solubility. Insertion of a quaternary center into the 2,3-dihydrobenzofuran core blocked a key site of metabolism and improved the solubility. This led to the development of inhibitor 71 (GSK852): a potent, 1000-fold-selective, highly soluble compound with good in vivo rat and dog pharmacokinetics.

Fragment-based Scaffold Hopping: Identification of Potent, Selective, and Highly Soluble Bromo and Extra Terminal Domain (BET) Second Bromodomain (BD2) Inhibitors

The profound efficacy of pan-BET inhibitors is well documented, but these epigenetic agents have shown pharmacology-driven toxicity in oncology clinical trials. The opportunity to identify inhibitors with an improved safety profile by selective targeting of a subset of the eight bromodomains of the BET family has triggered extensive medicinal chemistry efforts. In this article, we disclose the identification of potent and selective drug-like pan-BD2 inhibitors such as pyrazole 23 (GSK809) and furan 24 (GSK743) that were derived from the pyrrole fragment 6. We transpose the key learnings from a previous pyridone series (GSK620 2 as a representative example) to this novel class of inhibitors, which are characterized by significantly improved solubility relative to our previous research.

Discovery of a Highly Selective BET BD2 Inhibitor from a DNA-Encoded Library Technology Screening Hit

Second-generation bromodomain and extra terminal (BET) inhibitors, which selectively target one of the two bromodomains in the BET proteins, have begun to emerge in the literature. These inhibitors aim to help determine the roles and functions of each domain and assess whether they can demonstrate an improved safety profile in clinical settings compared to pan-BET inhibitors. Herein, we describe the discovery of a novel BET BD2-selective chemotype using a structure-based drug design from a hit identified by DNA-encoded library technologies, showing a structural differentiation from key previously reported greater than 100-fold BD2-selective chemotypes GSK620, GSK046, and ABBV-744. Following a structure-based hypothesis for the selectivity and optimization of the physicochemical properties of the series, we identified 60 (GSK040), an in vitro ready and in vivo capable BET BD2-inhibitor of unprecedented selectivity (5000-fold) against BET BD1, excellent selectivity against other bromodomains, and good physicochemical properties. This novel chemical probe can be added to the toolbox used in the advancement of epigenetics research.

Identification of a Series of N-Methylpyridine-2-carboxamides as Potent and Selective Inhibitors of the Second Bromodomain (BD2) of the Bromo and Extra Terminal Domain (BET) Proteins

Domain-specific BET bromodomain ligands represent an attractive target for drug discovery with the potential to unlock the therapeutic benefits of antagonizing these proteins without eliciting the toxicological aspects seen with pan-BET inhibitors. While we have reported several distinct classes of BD2 selective compounds, namely, GSK620, GSK549, and GSK046, only GSK046 shows high aqueous solubility. Herein, we describe the lead optimization of a further class of highly soluble compounds based upon a picolinamide chemotype. Focusing on achieving >1000-fold selectivity for BD2 over BD1 ,while retaining favorable physical chemical properties, compound 36 was identified as being 2000-fold selective for BD2 over BD1 (Brd4 data) with >1 mg/mL solubility in FaSSIF media. 36 represents a valuable new in vivo ready molecule for the exploration of the BD2 phenotype.

AAA ATPases as therapeutic targets: Structure, functions, and small-molecule inhibitors

ATPases Associated with Diverse Cellular Activity (AAA ATPase) are essential enzymes found in all organisms. They are involved in various processes such as DNA replication, protein degradation, membrane fusion, microtubule serving, peroxisome biogenesis, signal transduction, and the regulation of gene expression. Due to the importance of AAA ATPases, several researchers identified and developed small-molecule inhibitors against these enzymes. We discuss six AAA ATPases that are potential drug targets and have well-developed inhibitors. We compare available structures that suggest significant differences of the ATP binding pockets among the AAA ATPases with or without ligand. The distances from ADP to the His20 in the His-Ser-His motif and the Arg finger (Arg353 or Arg378) in both RUVBL1/2 complex structures bound with or without ADP have significant differences, suggesting dramatically different interactions of the binding site with ADP. Taken together, the inhibitors of six well-studied AAA ATPases and their structural information suggest further development of specific AAA ATPase inhibitors due to difference in their structures. Future chemical biology coupled with proteomic approaches could be employed to develop variant specific, complex specific, and pathway specific inhibitors or activators for AAA ATPase proteins.

Emerging oncogene ATAD2: Signaling cascades and therapeutic initiatives

ATAD2 is a promising oncoprotein with tumor-promoting functions in many cancers. It is a valid cancer drug-target and a potential cancer-biomarker for multiple malignancies. As a cancer/testis antigen (CTA), ATAD2 could also be a probable candidate for immunotherapy. It is a unique CTA that belongs to both AAA+ ATPase and bromodomain family proteins. Since 2007, several research groups have been reported on the pleiotropic oncogenic functions of ATAD2 in diverse signaling pathways, including Rb/E2F-cMyc pathway, steroid hormone signaling pathway, p53 and p38-MAPK-mediated apoptotic pathway, AKT pathway, hedgehog signaling pathway, HIF1α signaling pathway, and Epithelial to Mesenchymal Transition (EMT) pathway in various cancers. In all these pathways, ATAD2 participates in chromatin dynamics, DNA replication, and gene transcription, demonstrating its role as an epigenetic reader and transcription factor or coactivator to promote tumorigenesis. However, despite the progress, an overall mechanism of ATAD2-mediated oncogenesis in diverse origin is elusive. In this review, we summarize the accumulated evidence to envision the overall ATAD2 signaling networks during carcinogenesis and highlight the area where missing links await further research. Besides, the structure-function aspect of ATAD2 is also discussed. Since the efforts have already been initiated to explore targeted drug molecules and RNA-based therapeutic alternatives against ATAD2, their potency and prospects have been elucidated. Together, we believe this is a well-rounded review on ATAD2, facilitating a new drift in ATAD2 research, essential for its clinical implication as a biomarker and/or cancer drug-target.

Discovery of novel ATAD2 bromodomain inhibitors that trigger apoptosis and autophagy in breast cells by structure-based virtual screening

ATAD2 has been reported to play an important role in the processes of numerous cancers and validated to be a potential therapeutic target. This work is to discover potent ATAD2 inhibitors and elucidate the underlying mechanisms in breast cancer. A novel ATAD2 bromodomain inhibitor (AM879) was discovered by combining structure-based virtual screening with biochemical analyses. AM879 presents potent inhibitory activity towards ATAD2 bromodomain (IC₅₀ = 3565 nM), presenting no inhibitory activity against BRD2-4. Moreover, AM879 inhibited MDA-MB-231 cells proliferation with IC₅₀ value of 2.43 µM, suppressed the expression of c-Myc, and induced significant apoptosis. Additionally, AM978 could induce autophagy via PI3K-AKT-mTOR signalling in MDA-MB-231 cells. This study demonstrates the development of potent ATAD2 inhibitors with novel scaffolds for breast cancer therapy.

Structural Insights into the Recognition of Mono- and Diacetylated Histones by the ATAD2B Bromodomain

Bromodomains exhibit preferences for specific patterns of post-translational modifications on core and variant histone proteins. We examined the ligand specificity of the ATAD2B bromodomain and compared it to its closely related paralogue in ATAD2. We show that the ATAD2B bromodomain recognizes mono- and diacetyllysine modifications on histones H4 and H2A. A structure-function approach was used to identify key residues in the acetyllysine-binding pocket that dictate the molecular recognition process, and we examined the binding of an ATAD2 bromodomain inhibitor by ATAD2B. Our analysis demonstrated that critical contacts required for bromodomain inhibitor coordination are conserved between the ATAD2/B bromodomains, with many residues playing a dual role in acetyllysine recognition. We further characterized an alternative splice variant of ATAD2B that results in a loss of function. Our results outline the structural and functional features of the ATAD2B bromodomain and identify a novel mechanism regulating the interaction of the ATAD2B protein with chromatin.

Domino Synthetic Strategy for Tetrahydrothiopyran Derivatives from Benzaldehydes, 2-Acetylfuran/2-Acetylthiophene, and Sodium Sulfide

A novel domino reaction from benzaldehydes and 2-acetylfuran/2-acetylthiophene with sodium sulfide was developed to synthesize a series of tetrahydrothiopyran (THTP) derivatives. The reaction proceeded well to construct a tetrahydrothiopyran ring and five new bonds in one step. A mechanism is proposed, involving a stepwise Aldol/double Michael addition/Aldol (AMMA) reaction cascade. In this transformation, sodium sulfide acts as a nucleophile and base. This method is characterized by transition-metal-free, commercially available starting materials and mild reaction conditions.

A Qualified Success: Discovery of a New Series of ATAD2 Bromodomain Inhibitors with a Novel Binding Mode Using High-Throughput Screening and Hit Qualification

The bromodomain of ATAD2 has proved to be one of the least-tractable proteins within this target class. Here, we describe the discovery of a new class of inhibitors by high-throughput screening and show how the difficulties encountered in establishing a screening triage capable of finding progressible hits were overcome by data-driven optimization. Despite the prevalence of nonspecific hits and an exceptionally low progressible hit rate (0.001%), our optimized hit qualification strategy employing orthogonal biophysical methods enabled us to identify a single active series. The compounds have a novel ATAD2 binding mode with noncanonical features including the displacement of all conserved water molecules within the active site and a halogen-bonding interaction. In addition to reporting this new series and preliminary structure-activity relationship, we demonstrate the value of diversity screening to complement the knowledge-based approach used in our previous ATAD2 work. We also exemplify tactics that can increase the chance of success when seeking new chemical starting points for novel and less-tractable targets.

Bromodomains: a new target class for drug development

Less than a decade ago, it was shown that bromodomains, acetyl lysine 'reader' modules found in proteins with varied functions, were highly tractable small-molecule targets. This is an unusual property for protein-protein or protein-peptide interaction domains, and it prompted a wave of chemical probe discovery to understand the biological potential of new agents that targeted bromodomains. The original examples, inhibitors of the bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) class of bromodomains, showed enticing anti-inflammatory and anticancer activities, and several compounds have since advanced to human clinical trials. Here, we review the current state of BET inhibitor biology in relation to clinical development, and we discuss the next wave of bromodomain inhibitors with clinical potential in oncology and non-oncology indications. The lessons learned from BET inhibitor programmes should affect efforts to develop drugs that target non-BET bromodomains and other epigenetic readers.

Advancements in the Development of non-BET Bromodomain Chemical Probes

The bromodomain and extra terminal (BET) family of bromodomain-containing proteins (BCPs) have been the subject of extensive research over the past decade, resulting in a plethora of high-quality chemical probes for their tandem bromodomains. In turn, these chemical probes have helped reveal the profound biological role of the BET bromodomains and their role in disease, ultimately leading to a number of molecules in active clinical development. However, the BET subfamily represents just 8/61 of the known human bromodomains, and attention has now expanded to the biological role of the remaining 53 non-BET bromodomains. Rapid growth of this research area has been accompanied by a greater understanding of the requirements for an effective bromodomain chemical probe and has led to a number of new non-BET bromodomain chemical probes being developed. Advances since December 2015 are discussed, highlighting the strengths/caveats of each molecule, and the value they add toward validating the non-BET bromodomains as tractable therapeutic targets.

ATAD2 is associated with malignant characteristics of pancreatic cancer cells

Pancreatic cancer is one of the most aggressive human cancers and is associated with a poor prognosis. To develop a novel strategy for pancreatic cancer treatment, it is essential to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the invasion and proliferation of cancer cells. ATPase family AAA domain containing protein 2 (ATAD2) is a highly conserved protein with an AAA+ domain and a bromodomain. Accumulating studies have demonstrated that ATAD2 is associated with the progression of multiple cancers. The present study demonstrated that ATAD2 depletion suppressed cell invasion and migration. In addition, ATAD2 knockdown suppressed anchorage-independent growth of pancreatic cancer cells. Finally, ATAD2 depletion was demonstrated to sensitize pancreatic cancer cells to gemcitabine. The results of the present study indicate that ATAD2 is involved in the malignant characteristics of pancreatic cancer.

Disulfide bridge formation influences ligand recognition by the ATAD2 bromodomain

The ATPase family, AAA domain-containing protein 2 (ATAD2) has a C-terminal bromodomain, which functions as a chromatin reader domain recognizing acetylated lysine on the histone tails within the nucleosome. ATAD2 is overexpressed in many cancers and its expression is correlated with poor patient outcomes, making it an attractive therapeutic target and potential biomarker. We solved the crystal structure of the ATAD2 bromodomain and found that it contains a disulfide bridge near the base of the acetyllysine binding pocket (Cys1057-Cys1079). Site-directed mutagenesis revealed that removal of a free C-terminal cysteine (C1101) residue greatly improved the solubility of the ATAD2 bromodomain in vitro. Isothermal titration calorimetry experiments in combination with the Ellman's assay demonstrated that formation of an intramolecular disulfide bridge negatively impacts the ligand binding affinities and alters the thermodynamic parameters of the ATAD2 bromodomain interaction with a histone H4K5ac peptide as well as a small molecule bromodomain ligand. Molecular dynamics simulations indicate that the formation of the disulfide bridge in the ATAD2 bromodomain does not alter the structure of the folded state or flexibility of the acetyllysine binding pocket. However, consideration of this unique structural feature should be taken into account when examining ligand-binding affinity, or in the design of new bromodomain inhibitor compounds that interact with this acetyllysine reader module.

Aiming to Miss a Moving Target: Bromo and Extra Terminal Domain (BET) Selectivity in Constrained ATAD2 Inhibitors

ATAD2 is a cancer-associated protein whose bromodomain has been described as among the least druggable of its class. In our recent disclosure of the first chemical probe against this bromodomain, GSK8814 (6), we described the use of a conformationally constrained methoxy piperidine to gain selectivity over the BET bromodomains. Here we describe an orthogonal conformational restriction strategy of the piperidine ring to give potent and selective tropane inhibitors and show structural insights into why this was more challenging than expected. Greater understanding of why different rational approaches succeeded or failed should help in the future design of selectivity in the bromodomain family.

Identification of a novel ligand for the ATAD2 bromodomain with selectivity over BRD4 through a fragment growing approach

ATAD2 is an ATPase that is overexpressed in a variety of cancers and associated with a poor patient prognosis. This protein has been suggested to function as a cofactor for a range of transcription factors, including the proto-oncogene MYC and the androgen receptor. ATAD2 comprises an ATPase domain, implicated in chromatin remodelling, and a bromodomain which allows it to interact with acetylated histone tails. Dissection of the functional roles of these two domains would benefit from the availability of selective, cell-permeable pharmacological probes. An in silico evaluation of the 3D structures of various bromodomains suggested that developing small molecule ligands for the bromodomain of ATAD2 is likely to be challenging, although recent reports have shown that ATAD2 bromodomain ligands can be identified. We report a structure-guided fragment-based approach to identify lead compounds for ATAD2 bromodomain inhibitor development. Our findings indicate that the ATAD2 bromodomain can accommodate fragment hits (Mr < 200) that yield productive structure-activity relationships, and structure-guided design enabled the introduction of selectivity over BRD4.

Chemical Space Expansion of Bromodomain Ligands Guided by in Silico Virtual Couplings (AutoCouple)

Expanding the chemical space and simultaneously ensuring synthetic accessibility is of upmost importance, not only for the discovery of effective binders for novel protein classes but, more importantly, for the development of compounds against hard-to-drug proteins. Here, we present AutoCouple, a de novo approach to computational ligand design focused on the diversity-oriented generation of chemical entities via virtual couplings. In a benchmark application, chemically diverse compounds with low-nanomolar potency for the CBP bromodomain and high selectivity against the BRD4(1) bromodomain were achieved by the synthesis of about 50 derivatives of the original fragment. The binding mode was confirmed by X-ray crystallography, target engagement in cells was demonstrated, and antiproliferative activity was showcased in three cancer cell lines. These results reveal AutoCouple as a useful in silico coupling method to expand the chemical space in hit optimization campaigns resulting in potent, selective, and cell permeable bromodomain ligands.

Optimization of a "bump-and-hole" approach to allele-selective BET bromodomain inhibition

Allele-specific chemical genetics enables selective inhibition within families of highly-conserved proteins.

Allele-specific chemical genetics enables selective inhibition within families of highly-conserved proteins. The four BET (bromodomain & extra-terminal domain) proteins – BRD2, BRD3, BRD4 and BRDT bind acetylated chromatin via their bromodomains and regulate processes such as cell proliferation and inflammation. BET bromodomains are of particular interest, as they are attractive therapeutic targets but existing inhibitors are pan-selective. We previously established a bump-&-hole system for the BET bromodomains, pairing a leucine/alanine mutation with an ethyl-derived analogue of an established benzodiazepine scaffold. Here we optimize upon this system with the introduction of a more conservative and less disruptive leucine/valine mutation. Extensive structure–activity-relationships of diverse benzodiazepine analogues guided the development of potent, mutant-selective inhibitors with desirable physiochemical properties. The active enantiomer of our best compound – 9-ME-1 – shows ∼200 nM potency, >100-fold selectivity for the L/V mutant over wild-type and excellent DMPK properties. Through a variety of in vitro and cellular assays we validate the capabilities of our optimized system, and then utilize it to compare the relative importance of the first and second bromodomains to chromatin binding. These experiments confirm the primacy of the first bromodomain in all BET proteins, but also significant variation in the importance of the second bromodomain. We also show that, despite having a minor role in chromatin recognition, BRD4 BD2 is still essential for gene expression, likely through the recruitment of non-histone proteins. The disclosed inhibitor:mutant pair provides a powerful tool for future cellular and in vivo target validation studies.

Mechanistic insights into peptide and ligand binding of the ATAD2-bromodomain via atomistic simulations disclosing a role of induced fit and conformational selection

Atomistic simulations of the ATAD2-bromodomain disclose a role of induced fit and conformational selection upon ligand and peptide binding.

The identification of new ATAD2 bromodomain inhibitors: the application of combined ligand and structure-based virtual screening

Ligand-based virtual screening (LBVS) and structure-based virtual screening (SBVS) approaches were used to identify new inhibitors for ATAD2 bromodomain. The LBVS approach was used to search 23,129,083 clean compounds to identify compounds similar to an active compound with reported pIC₅₀ equal to 7.2. Based on LBVS results, 19 compounds were selected. To perform SBVS, by applying nine filters on 23,129,083 clean compounds, 1,057,060 compounds were selected. After performing SBVS on these selected compounds with idock software, 16 compounds with the lowest binding energies were selected. More accurate molecular docking analysis was performed on these 35 selected compounds by using iGEMDOCK software and six of them with the lowest binding energies were selected as hit compounds. These compounds were zinc36647229, zinc77969074, zinc13637358, zinc77971540, zinc12991296 and zinc19374204.

ATAD2 in cancer: a pharmacologically challenging but tractable target

INTRODUCTION

ATAD2 protein is an emerging oncogene that has strongly been linked to the etiology of multiple advanced human cancers. Therapeutically, despite the fact that genetic suppression/knockdown studies have validated it as a compelling drug target for future therapeutic development, recent druggability assessment data suggest that direct targeting of ATAD2's bromodomain (BRD) may be a very challenging task. ATAD2's BRD has been predicted as a 'difficult to drug' or 'least druggable' target due to the concern that its binding pocket, and the areas around it, seem to be unfeasible for ligand binding. Areas covered: In this review, after shedding light on the multifaceted roles of ATAD2 in normal physiology as well as in cancer-etiology, we discuss technical challenges rendered by ATAD2's BRD active site and the recent drug discovery efforts to find small molecule inhibitors against it. Expert opinion: The identification of a novel low-nanomolar semi-permeable chemical probe against ATAD2's BRD by recent drug discovery campaign has demonstrated it to be a pharmacologically tractable target. Nevertheless, the development of high quality bioavailable inhibitors against ATAD2 is still a pending task. Moreover, ATAD2 may also potentially be utilized as a promising target for future development of RNAi-based therapy to treat cancers.

Isoform-Selective ATAD2 Chemical Probe with Novel Chemical Structure and Unusual Mode of Action

ATAD2 (ANCCA) is an epigenetic regulator and transcriptional cofactor, whose overexpression has been linked to the progress of various cancer types. Here, we report a DNA-encoded library screen leading to the discovery of BAY-850, a potent and isoform selective inhibitor that specifically induces ATAD2 bromodomain dimerization and prevents interactions with acetylated histones in vitro, as well as with chromatin in cells. These features qualify BAY-850 as a chemical probe to explore ATAD2 biology.

Fragment-based drug discovery and its application to challenging drug targets

Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) is a technique for identifying low molecular weight chemical starting points for drug discovery. Since its inception 20 years ago, FBDD has grown in popularity to the point where it is now an established technique in industry and academia. The approach involves the biophysical screening of proteins against collections of low molecular weight compounds (fragments). Although fragments bind to proteins with relatively low affinity, they form efficient, high quality binding interactions with the protein architecture as they have to overcome a significant entropy barrier to bind. Of the biophysical methods available for fragment screening, X-ray protein crystallography is one of the most sensitive and least prone to false positives. It also provides detailed structural information of the protein-fragment complex at the atomic level. Fragment-based screening using X-ray crystallography is therefore an efficient method for identifying binding hotspots on proteins, which can then be exploited by chemists and biologists for the discovery of new drugs. The use of FBDD is illustrated here with a recently published case study of a drug discovery programme targeting the challenging protein-protein interaction Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1:nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2.

Protein dynamics and structural waters in bromodomains

Bromodomains are epigenetic readers of acetylated lysines that are integral parts of histone tails. The 61 bromodomains in humans are structurally highly conserved but specifically bind to widely varying recognition motifs, suggesting that dynamic rather than static factors are responsible for recognition selectivity. To test this hypothesis, the dynamics of the binding sites and structural water molecules of four bromodomains (ATAD2, BAZ2B, BRD2(1) and CREBBP) representing four different subtypes is studied with 1 μs MD simulations using the RSFF2 force field. The different dynamics of the ZA-loops and BC-loops between the four bromodomains leads to distinct patterns for the opening and closing of the binding pocket. This in turn determines the structural and energetic properties of the structural waters in the binding pocket, suggesting that these waters are not only important for the recognition itself, as has been proposed previously, but also contribute to the selectivity of different bromodomains.

Patent Highlights June-July 2017

A snapshot of noteworthy recent developments in the patent literature of relevance to pharmaceutical and medical research and development.

The ATAD2 bromodomain binds different acetylation marks on the histone H4 in similar fuzzy complexes

Bromodomains are protein modules adopting conserved helix bundle folds. Some bromodomain-containing proteins, such as ATPase family AAA domain-containing protein 2 (ATAD2), isoform A, have attracted much interest because they are overexpressed in many types of cancer. Bromodomains bind to acetylated lysine residues on histone tails and thereby facilitate the reading of the histone code. Epigenetic regulators in general have been implicated as indicators, mediators, or causes of a large number of diseases and disorders. To interfere with or modulate these processes, it is therefore of fundamental interest to understand the molecular mechanisms by which epigenetic regulation occurs. Here, we present results from molecular dynamics simulations of a doubly acetylated histone H4 peptide bound to the bromodomain of ATAD2 (hereafter referred to as ATAD2A). These simulations revealed how the flexibility of ATAD2A's major loop, the so-called ZA loop, creates an adaptable interface that preserves the disorder of both peptide and loop in the bound state. We further demonstrate that the binding involves an almost identical average pattern of interactions irrespective of which acetyl mark is inserted into the pocket. In conjunction with a likely mechanism of electrostatically driven recruitment, our simulation results highlight how the bromodomain is built toward promiscuous binding with low specificity. In conclusion, the simulations indicate that disorder and electrostatic steering function jointly to recruit ATAD2A to the histone core and that these fuzzy interactions may promote cooperativity between nearby epigenetic marks.