1
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Tan Z, Guo N, Cao Z, Liu S, Zhang J, Ma D, Zhang J, Lv W, Jiang N, Zang L, Wang L, Zhai X. Discovery of first-in-class DOT1L inhibitors against the R231Q gain-of-function mutation in the catalytic domain with therapeutic potential of lung cancer. Acta Pharm Sin B 2024; 14:3605-3623. [PMID: 39220866 PMCID: PMC11365375 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2024.03.018] [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: 01/19/2024] [Revised: 02/18/2024] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024] Open
Abstract
Recent research certified that DOT1L and its mutations represented by R231Q were potential targets for the treatment of lung cancer. Herein, a series of adenosine-containing derivatives were identified with DOT1LR231Q inhibition through antiproliferation assay and Western blot analysis in the H460R231Q cell. The most promising compound 37 significantly reduced DOT1LR231Q mediated H3K79 methylation and effectively inhibited the proliferation, self-renewal, migration, and invasion of lung cancer cell lines at low micromolar concentrations. The cell permeability and cellular target engagement of 37 were verified by both CETSA and DARTS assays. In the H460R231Q OE cell-derived xenograft (CDX) model, 37 displayed pronounced tumor growth inhibition after intraperitoneal administration at 20 mg/kg dose for 3 weeks (TGI = 54.38%), without obvious toxicities. A pharmacokinetic study revealed that 37 possessed tolerable properties (t 1/2 = 1.93 ± 0.91 h, F = 97.2%) after intraperitoneal administration in rats. Mechanism study confirmed that 37 suppressed malignant phenotypes of lung cancer carrying R231Q gain-of-function mutation via the MAPK/ERK signaling pathway. Moreover, analysis of the binding modes between molecules and DOT1LWT/R231Q proteins put forward the "Induced-fit" allosteric model in favor to the discovery of potent DOT1L candidates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zehui Tan
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Ning Guo
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Zhi Cao
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Shuyu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Jiayu Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Deyi Ma
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Jiahao Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Wencai Lv
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Nan Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Linghe Zang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Lihui Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Xin Zhai
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
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2
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Grenier D, Audebert S, Preto J, Guichou JF, Krimm I. Linkers in fragment-based drug design: an overview of the literature. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2023; 18:987-1009. [PMID: 37466331 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2023.2234285] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/05/2023] [Indexed: 07/20/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION In fragment-based drug design, fragment linking is a popular strategy where two fragments binding to different sub-pockets of a target are linked together. This attractive method remains challenging especially due to the design of ideal linkers. AREAS COVERED The authors review the types of linkers and chemical reactions commonly used to the synthesis of linkers, including those utilized in protein-templated fragment self-assembly, where fragments are directly linked in the presence of the protein. Finally, they detail computational workflows and software including generative models that have been developed for fragment linking. EXPERT OPINION The authors believe that fragment linking offers key advantages for compound design, particularly for the design of bivalent inhibitors linking two distinct pockets of the same or different subunits. On the other hand, more studies are needed to increase the potential of protein-templated approaches in FBDD. Important computational tools such as structure-based de novo software are emerging to select suitable linkers. Fragment linking will undoubtedly benefit from developments in computational approaches and machine learning models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dylan Grenier
- Team Small Molecules for Biological Targets, Centre de Recherche En Cancérologie (CRCL) - INSERM 1052 - CNRS 5286 - Centre Léon Bérard - Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Institut Convergence Plascan, Lyon, France
| | - Solène Audebert
- Centre de Biologie Structurale, CNRS, INSERM, Univ. Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Jordane Preto
- Team Small Molecules for Biological Targets, Centre de Recherche En Cancérologie (CRCL) - INSERM 1052 - CNRS 5286 - Centre Léon Bérard - Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Institut Convergence Plascan, Lyon, France
| | - Jean-François Guichou
- Centre de Biologie Structurale, CNRS, INSERM, Univ. Montpellier, Montpellier, France
| | - Isabelle Krimm
- Team Small Molecules for Biological Targets, Centre de Recherche En Cancérologie (CRCL) - INSERM 1052 - CNRS 5286 - Centre Léon Bérard - Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1, Institut Convergence Plascan, Lyon, France
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3
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Alexandrova E, Salvati A, Pecoraro G, Lamberti J, Melone V, Sellitto A, Rizzo F, Giurato G, Tarallo R, Nassa G, Weisz A. Histone Methyltransferase DOT1L as a Promising Epigenetic Target for Treatment of Solid Tumors. Front Genet 2022; 13:864612. [PMID: 35495127 PMCID: PMC9043692 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.864612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2022] [Accepted: 03/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The histone lysine methyltransferase DOT1L (DOT1-like histone lysine methyltransferase) is responsible for the epigenetic regulation of gene expression through specific methylation of lysine79 residue of histone H3 (H3K79) in actively transcribed genes. Its normal activity is crucial for embryonic development and adult tissues functions, whereas its aberrant functioning is known to contribute to leukemogenesis. DOT1L is the only lysine methyltransferase that does not contain a SET domain, which is a feature that allowed the development of selective DOT1L inhibitors that are currently investigated in Phase I clinical trials for cancer treatment. Recently, abnormal expression of this enzyme has been associated with poor survival and increased aggressiveness of several solid tumors. In this review evidences of aberrant DOT1L expression and activity in breast, ovarian, prostate, colon, and other solid tumors, and its relationships with biological and clinical behavior of the disease and response to therapies, are summarized. Current knowledge of the structural basis of DOT1L ability to regulate cell proliferation, invasion, plasticity and stemness, cell cycle progression, cell-to-cell signaling, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and chemoresistance, through cooperation with several molecular partners including noncoding RNAs, is also reviewed. Finally, available options for the treatment of therapeutically challenging solid tumors by targeting DOT1L are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elena Alexandrova
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Annamaria Salvati
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
- Medical Genomics Program and Division of Oncology, AOU “S. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona”, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
| | - Giovanni Pecoraro
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Jessica Lamberti
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Viola Melone
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Assunta Sellitto
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Francesca Rizzo
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
- Genome Research Center for Health—CRGS, Campus of Medicine of the University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Giorgio Giurato
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
- Genome Research Center for Health—CRGS, Campus of Medicine of the University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Roberta Tarallo
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
- Genome Research Center for Health—CRGS, Campus of Medicine of the University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
| | - Giovanni Nassa
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
- Genome Research Center for Health—CRGS, Campus of Medicine of the University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
- *Correspondence: Giovanni Nassa, ; Alessandro Weisz,
| | - Alessandro Weisz
- Laboratory of Molecular Medicine and Genomics, Department of Medicine, Surgery and Dentistry “Scuola Medica Salernitana”, University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
- Medical Genomics Program and Division of Oncology, AOU “S. Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona”, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
- Genome Research Center for Health—CRGS, Campus of Medicine of the University of Salerno, Baronissi, Italy
- *Correspondence: Giovanni Nassa, ; Alessandro Weisz,
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4
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Feoli A, Viviano M, Cipriano A, Milite C, Castellano S, Sbardella G. Lysine methyltransferase inhibitors: where we are now. RSC Chem Biol 2022; 3:359-406. [PMID: 35441141 PMCID: PMC8985178 DOI: 10.1039/d1cb00196e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 12/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein lysine methyltransferases constitute a large family of epigenetic writers that catalyse the transfer of a methyl group from the cofactor S-adenosyl-l-methionine to histone- and non-histone-specific substrates. Alterations in the expression and activity of these proteins have been linked to the genesis and progress of several diseases, including cancer, neurological disorders, and growing defects, hence they represent interesting targets for new therapeutic approaches. Over the past two decades, the identification of modulators of lysine methyltransferases has increased tremendously, clarifying the role of these proteins in different physio-pathological states. The aim of this review is to furnish an updated outlook about the protein lysine methyltransferases disclosed modulators, reporting their potency, their mechanism of action and their eventual use in clinical and preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Feoli
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno via Giovanni Paolo II 132 I-84084 Fisciano SA Italy +39-089-96-9602 +39-089-96-9770
| | - Monica Viviano
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno via Giovanni Paolo II 132 I-84084 Fisciano SA Italy +39-089-96-9602 +39-089-96-9770
| | - Alessandra Cipriano
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno via Giovanni Paolo II 132 I-84084 Fisciano SA Italy +39-089-96-9602 +39-089-96-9770
| | - Ciro Milite
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno via Giovanni Paolo II 132 I-84084 Fisciano SA Italy +39-089-96-9602 +39-089-96-9770
| | - Sabrina Castellano
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno via Giovanni Paolo II 132 I-84084 Fisciano SA Italy +39-089-96-9602 +39-089-96-9770
| | - Gianluca Sbardella
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno via Giovanni Paolo II 132 I-84084 Fisciano SA Italy +39-089-96-9602 +39-089-96-9770
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5
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Menna M, Fiorentino F, Marrocco B, Lucidi A, Tomassi S, Cilli D, Romanenghi M, Cassandri M, Pomella S, Pezzella M, Del Bufalo D, Zeya Ansari MS, Tomašević N, Mladenović M, Viviano M, Sbardella G, Rota R, Trisciuoglio D, Minucci S, Mattevi A, Rotili D, Mai A. Novel non-covalent LSD1 inhibitors endowed with anticancer effects in leukemia and solid tumor cellular models. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 237:114410. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114410] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Revised: 04/20/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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6
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Yi Y, Ge S. Targeting the histone H3 lysine 79 methyltransferase DOT1L in MLL-rearranged leukemias. J Hematol Oncol 2022; 15:35. [PMID: 35331314 PMCID: PMC8944089 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-022-01251-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2021] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Disrupting the methylation of telomeric silencing 1-like (DOT1L)-mediated histone H3 lysine 79 has been implicated in MLL fusion-mediated leukemogenesis. Recently, DOT1L has become an attractive therapeutic target for MLL-rearranged leukemias. Rigorous studies have been performed, and much progress has been achieved. Moreover, one DOT1L inhibitor, EPZ-5676, has entered clinical trials, but its clinical activity is modest. Here, we review the recent advances and future trends of various therapeutic strategies against DOT1L for MLL-rearranged leukemias, including DOT1L enzymatic activity inhibitors, DOT1L degraders, protein-protein interaction (PPI) inhibitors, and combinatorial interventions. In addition, the limitations, challenges, and prospects of these therapeutic strategies are discussed. In summary, we present a general overview of DOT1L as a target in MLL-rearranged leukemias to provide valuable guidance for DOT1L-associated drug development in the future. Although a variety of DOT1L enzymatic inhibitors have been identified, most of them require further optimization. Recent advances in the development of small molecule degraders, including heterobifunctional degraders and molecular glues, provide valuable insights and references for DOT1L degraders. However, drug R&D strategies and platforms need to be developed and preclinical experiments need to be performed with the purpose of blocking DOT1L-associated PPIs. DOT1L epigenetic-based combination therapy is worth considering and exploring, but the therapy should be based on a thorough understanding of the regulatory mechanism of DOT1L epigenetic modifications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Yi
- Departments of Hematology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China
| | - Shenglei Ge
- Departments of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, 139 Renmin Middle Street, Changsha, 410011, Hunan, People's Republic of China.
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7
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Khirsariya P, Pospíŝil P, Maier L, Boudný M, Babáŝ M, Kroutil OE, Mráz M, Vácha R, Paruch K. Synthesis and Profiling of Highly Selective Inhibitors of Methyltransferase DOT1L Based on Carbocyclic C-Nucleosides. J Med Chem 2022; 65:5701-5723. [PMID: 35302777 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c02228] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Histone methyltransferase DOT1L is an attractive therapeutic target for the treatment of hematological malignancies. Here, we report the design, synthesis, and profiling of new DOT1L inhibitors based on nonroutine carbocyclic C-nucleoside scaffolds. The experimentally observed SAR was found to be nontrivial as seemingly minor changes of individual substituents resulted in significant changes in the affinity to DOT1L. Molecular modeling suggested that these trends could be related to significant conformational changes of the protein upon interaction with the inhibitors. The compounds 22 and (-)-53 (MU1656), carbocyclic C-nucleoside analogues of the natural nucleoside derivative EPZ004777, and the clinical candidate EPZ5676 (pinometostat) potently and selectively inhibit DOT1L in vitro as well as in the cell. The most potent compound MU1656 was found to be more metabolically stable and significantly less toxic in vivo than pinometostat itself.
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Affiliation(s)
- Prashant Khirsariya
- Department of Chemistry, CZ Openscreen, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.,International Clinical Research Center, Center for Biomolecular and Cellular Engineering, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Patrik Pospíŝil
- Department of Chemistry, CZ Openscreen, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Lukáŝ Maier
- Department of Chemistry, CZ Openscreen, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.,International Clinical Research Center, Center for Biomolecular and Cellular Engineering, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Miroslav Boudný
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Jihlavska 20, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Babáŝ
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Ondr Ej Kroutil
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Marek Mráz
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.,Department of Internal Medicine, Hematology and Oncology, University Hospital Brno and Faculty of Medicine, Masaryk University, Jihlavska 20, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Robert Vácha
- Central European Institute of Technology, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic
| | - Kamil Paruch
- Department of Chemistry, CZ Openscreen, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, Kamenice 5, 625 00 Brno, Czech Republic.,International Clinical Research Center, Center for Biomolecular and Cellular Engineering, St. Anne's University Hospital in Brno, 602 00 Brno, Czech Republic
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8
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Dammann M, Kramer M, Zimmermann MO, Boeckler FM. Quadruple Target Evaluation of Diversity-Optimized Halogen-Enriched Fragments (HEFLibs) Reveals Substantial Ligand Efficiency for AP2-Associated Protein Kinase 1 (AAK1). Front Chem 2022; 9:815567. [PMID: 35186897 PMCID: PMC8847695 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.815567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Fragment-based drug discovery is one of the most utilized approaches for the identification of novel weakly binding ligands, by efficiently covering a wide chemical space with rather few compounds and by allowing more diverse binding modes to be found. This approach has led to various clinical candidates and approved drugs. Halogen bonding, on the other hand, has gained traction in molecular design and lead optimization, but could offer additional benefits in early drug discovery. Screening halogen-enriched fragments (HEFLibs) could alleviate problems associated with the late introduction of such a highly geometry dependent interaction. Usually, the binding mode is then already dominated by other strong interactions. Due to the fewer competing interactions in fragments, the halogen bond should more often act as an anchor point for the binding mode. Previously, we proposed a fragment library with a focus on diverse binding modes that involve halogens for gaining initial affinity and selectivity. Herein, we demonstrate the applicability of these HEFLibs with a small set of diverse enzymes: the histone-lysine N-methyltransferase DOT1L, the indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1), the AP2-associated protein kinase 1 (AAK1), and the calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase type 1G (CAMK1G). We were able to identify various binding fragments via STD-NMR. Using ITC to verify these initial hits, we determined affinities for many of these fragments. The best binding fragments exhibit affinities in the one-digit micromolar range and ligand efficiencies up to 0.83 for AAK1. A small set of analogs was used to study structure-affinity relationships and hereby analyze the specific importance of each polar interaction. This data clearly suggests that the halogen bond is the most important interaction of fragment 9595 with AAK1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcel Dammann
- Lab for Molecular Design and Pharmaceutical Biophysics, Department of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Markus Kramer
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Markus O. Zimmermann
- Lab for Molecular Design and Pharmaceutical Biophysics, Department of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Frank M. Boeckler
- Lab for Molecular Design and Pharmaceutical Biophysics, Department of Pharmacy and Biochemistry, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- Interfaculty Institute for Biomedical Informatics (IBMI), Eberhard Karls Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- *Correspondence: Frank M. Boeckler,
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9
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Talukdar A, Mukherjee A, Bhattacharya D. Fascinating Transformation of SAM-Competitive Protein Methyltransferase Inhibitors from Nucleoside Analogues to Non-Nucleoside Analogues. J Med Chem 2022; 65:1662-1684. [PMID: 35014841 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The abnormal expression of protein methyltransferase (PMT) has been linked with many diseases such as diabetes, neurological disorders, and cancer. S-Adenyl-l-methionine (SAM) is a universal methyl donor and gets converted to S-adenyl-l-homocysteine (SAH), an endogenous competitive inhibitor of SAM. Initially developed SAM/SAH mimetic nucleoside analogues were pan methyltransferase inhibitors. The gradual understanding achieved through ligand-receptor interaction paved the way for various rational approaches of drug design leading to potent and selective nucleoside inhibitors. The present perspective is based on the systematic evolution of selective SAM-competitive heterocyclic non-nucleoside inhibitors from nucleoside inhibitors. This fascinating transition has resolved several issues inherent to nucleoside analogues such as poor pharmacokinetics leading to poor in vivo efficacy. The perspective has brought together various concepts and strategies of drug design that contributed to this rational transition. We firmly believe that the strategies described herein will serve as a template for the future development of drugs in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Arindam Talukdar
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, WB, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Ayan Mukherjee
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, WB, India.,Academy of Scientific and Innovative Research, Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Debomita Bhattacharya
- Department of Organic and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, 4 Raja S. C. Mullick Road, Kolkata 700032, WB, India
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10
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Shi Y, El-Deeb IM, Masic V, Hartley-Tassell L, Maggioni A, Itzstein MV, Ve T. Discovery of Cofactor Competitive Inhibitors against the Human Methyltransferase Fibrillarin. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 15:26. [PMID: 35056083 PMCID: PMC8779173 DOI: 10.3390/ph15010026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Revised: 12/17/2021] [Accepted: 12/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Fibrillarin (FBL) is an essential and evolutionarily highly conserved S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) dependent methyltransferase. It is the catalytic component of a multiprotein complex that facilitates 2'-O-methylation of ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), a modification essential for accurate and efficient protein synthesis in eukaryotic cells. It was recently established that human FBL (hFBL) is critical for Nipah, Hendra, and respiratory syncytial virus infections. In addition, overexpression of hFBL contributes towards tumorgenesis and is associated with poor survival in patients with breast cancer, suggesting that hFBL is a potential target for the development of both antiviral and anticancer drugs. An attractive strategy to target cofactor-dependent enzymes is the selective inhibition of cofactor binding, which has been successful for the development of inhibitors against several protein methyltransferases including PRMT5, DOT1L, and EZH2. In this work, we solved crystal structures of the methyltransferase domain of hFBL in apo form and in complex with the cofactor SAM. Screening of a fluorinated fragment library, via X-ray crystallography and 19F NMR spectroscopy, yielded seven hit compounds that competed with cofactor binding, two of which resulted in co-crystal structures. One of these structures revealed unexpected conformational variability in the cofactor binding site, which allows it to accommodate a compound significantly different from SAM. Our structural data provide critical information for the design of selective cofactor competitive inhibitors targeting hFBL, and preliminary elaboration of hit compounds has led to additional cofactor site binders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Shi
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Ibrahim M El-Deeb
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Veronika Masic
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | | | - Andrea Maggioni
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Mark von Itzstein
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
| | - Thomas Ve
- Institute for Glycomics, Griffith University, Southport, QLD 4222, Australia
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11
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Vaidergorn MM, da Silva Emery F, Ganesan A. From Hit Seeking to Magic Bullets: The Successful Union of Epigenetic and Fragment Based Drug Discovery (EPIDD + FBDD). J Med Chem 2021; 64:13980-14010. [PMID: 34591474 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel M Vaidergorn
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14040-903, Brazil
| | - Flavio da Silva Emery
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14040-903, Brazil
| | - A Ganesan
- School of Pharmacy, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
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12
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An update on allosteric modulators as a promising strategy targeting histone methyltransferase. Pharmacol Res 2021; 172:105865. [PMID: 34474102 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105865] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 08/27/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Histone methylation is a vital post-translational modification process in epigenetic regulation. The perturbation of histone methylation accounts for many diseases, including malignant cancers. Although achieving significant advances over past decades, orthosteric inhibitors targeting histone methyltransferases still suffer from challenges on subtype selectivity and acquired drug-resistant mutations. As an alternative, new compounds targeting the evolutionarily less conserved allosteric sites, exemplified by HKMTs and PRMTs inhibitors, offer a promising strategy to address this quandary. Herein, we highlight the allosteric sites and mechanisms in histone methyltransferases along with representative allosteric modulators, expecting to facilitate the discovery of allosteric modulators in favor of epigenetic therapy.
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13
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Synthesis and Biological Activity of a Cytostatic Inhibitor of MLLr Leukemia Targeting the DOT1L Protein. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26175300. [PMID: 34500733 PMCID: PMC8434109 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26175300] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Revised: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 08/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Histone methyltransferase DOT1L catalyzes mono-, di- and trimethylation of histone 3 at lysine residue 79 (H3K79) and hypermethylation of H3K79 has been linked to the development of acute leukemias characterized by the MLL (mixed-lineage leukemia) rearrangements (MLLr cells). The inhibition of H3K79 methylation inhibits MLLr cells proliferation, and an inhibitor specific for DOT1L, pinometostat, was in clinical trials (Phase Ib/II). However, the compound showed poor pharmacological properties. Thus, there is a need to find new potent inhibitors of DOT1L for the treatment of rearranged leukemias. Here we present the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a small molecule that inhibits in the nM level the enzymatic activity of hDOT1L, H3K79 methylation in MLLr cells with comparable potency to pinometostat, associated with improved metabolic stability and a characteristic cytostatic effect.
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14
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Siklos M, Kubicek S. Therapeutic targeting of chromatin: status and opportunities. FEBS J 2021; 289:1276-1301. [PMID: 33982887 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15966] [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: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The molecular characterization of mechanisms underlying transcriptional control and epigenetic inheritance since the 1990s has paved the way for the development of targeted therapies that modulate these pathways. In the past two decades, cancer genome sequencing approaches have uncovered a plethora of mutations in chromatin modifying enzymes across tumor types, and systematic genetic screens have identified many of these proteins as specific vulnerabilities in certain cancers. Now is the time when many of these basic and translational efforts start to bear fruit and more and more chromatin-targeting drugs are entering the clinic. At the same time, novel pharmacological approaches harbor the potential to modulate chromatin in unprecedented fashion, thus generating entirely novel opportunities. Here, we review the current status of chromatin targets in oncology and describe a vision for the epigenome-modulating drugs of the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marton Siklos
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan Kubicek
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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15
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Bhat KP, Ümit Kaniskan H, Jin J, Gozani O. Epigenetics and beyond: targeting writers of protein lysine methylation to treat disease. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2021; 20:265-286. [PMID: 33469207 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-020-00108-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 128] [Impact Index Per Article: 42.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Protein lysine methylation is a crucial post-translational modification that regulates the functions of both histone and non-histone proteins. Deregulation of the enzymes or 'writers' of protein lysine methylation, lysine methyltransferases (KMTs), is implicated in the cause of many diseases, including cancer, mental health disorders and developmental disorders. Over the past decade, significant advances have been made in developing drugs to target KMTs that are involved in histone methylation and epigenetic regulation. The first of these inhibitors, tazemetostat, was recently approved for the treatment of epithelioid sarcoma and follicular lymphoma, and several more are in clinical and preclinical evaluation. Beyond chromatin, the many KMTs that regulate protein synthesis and other fundamental biological processes are emerging as promising new targets for drug development to treat diverse diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kamakoti P Bhat
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - H Ümit Kaniskan
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.,Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.,Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA
| | - Jian Jin
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. .,Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. .,Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA. .,Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY, USA.
| | - Or Gozani
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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16
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Gibbons GS, Chakraborty A, Grigsby SM, Umeano AC, Liao C, Moukha-Chafiq O, Pathak V, Mathew B, Lee YT, Dou Y, Schürer SC, Reynolds RC, Snowden TS, Nikolovska-Coleska Z. Identification of DOT1L inhibitors by structure-based virtual screening adapted from a nucleoside-focused library. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 189:112023. [PMID: 31978781 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.112023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 12/29/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Disruptor of Telomeric Silencing 1-Like (DOT1L), the sole histone H3 lysine 79 (H3K79) methyltransferase, is required for leukemogenic transformation in a subset of leukemias bearing chromosomal translocations of the Mixed Lineage Leukemia (MLL) gene, as well as other cancers. Thus, DOT1L is an attractive therapeutic target and discovery of small molecule inhibitors remain of high interest. Herein, we are presenting screening results for a unique focused library of 1200 nucleoside analogs originally produced under the aegis of the NIH Pilot Scale Library Program. The complete nucleoside set was screened virtually against DOT1L, resulting in 210 putative hits. In vitro screening of the virtual hits resulted in validation of 11 compounds as DOT1L inhibitors clustered into two distinct chemical classes, adenosine-based inhibitors and a new chemotype that lacks adenosine. Based on the developed DOT1L ligand binding model, a structure-based design strategy was applied and a second-generation of non-nucleoside DOT1L inhibitors was developed. Newly synthesized compound 25 was the most potent DOT1L inhibitor in the new series with an IC50 of 1.0 μM, showing 40-fold improvement in comparison with hit 9 and exhibiting reasonable on target effects in a DOT1L dependent murine cell line. These compounds represent novel chemical probes with a unique non-nucleoside scaffold that bind and compete with the SAM binding site of DOT1L, thus providing foundation for further medicinal chemistry efforts to develop more potent compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Garrett S Gibbons
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA; Molecular and Cellular Pathology Graduate Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Amarraj Chakraborty
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Alabama, 250 Hackberry Lane, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, USA
| | - Sierrah M Grigsby
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA; Molecular and Cellular Pathology Graduate Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Afoma C Umeano
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
| | - Chenzhong Liao
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Omar Moukha-Chafiq
- Southern Research Institute, Drug Discovery Division, Birmingham, AL, 35205, USA
| | - Vibha Pathak
- Southern Research Institute, Drug Discovery Division, Birmingham, AL, 35205, USA
| | - Bini Mathew
- Southern Research Institute, Drug Discovery Division, Birmingham, AL, 35205, USA
| | - Young-Tae Lee
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Yali Dou
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA
| | - Stephan C Schürer
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Pharmacology, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, 33136, USA; Center for Computational Science, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, 33136, USA; Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, Miami, FL, 33136, USA
| | - Robert C Reynolds
- Division of Hematology and Oncology, The University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, 35294, USA
| | - Timothy S Snowden
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The University of Alabama, 250 Hackberry Lane, Tuscaloosa, AL, 35487, USA.
| | - Zaneta Nikolovska-Coleska
- Department of Pathology, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA; Molecular and Cellular Pathology Graduate Program, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA; Rogel Cancer Center at University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109, USA.
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17
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Stauffer F, Weiss A, Scheufler C, Möbitz H, Ragot C, Beyer KS, Calkins K, Guthy D, Kiffe M, Van Eerdenbrugh B, Tiedt R, Gaul C. New Potent DOT1L Inhibitors for in Vivo Evaluation in Mouse. ACS Med Chem Lett 2019; 10:1655-1660. [PMID: 31857842 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.9b00452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/01/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
In MLL-rearranged cancer cells, disruptor of telomeric silencing 1-like protein (DOT1L) is aberrantly recruited to ectopic loci leading to local hypermethylation of H3K79 and consequently misexpression of leukemogenic genes. A structure-guided optimization of a HTS hit led to the discovery of DOT1L inhibitors with subnanomolar potency, allowing testing of the therapeutic principle of DOT1L inhibition in a preclinical mouse tumor xenograft model. Compounds displaying good exposure in mouse and nanomolar inhibition of target gene expression in cells were obtained and tested in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Frédéric Stauffer
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Weiss
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Clemens Scheufler
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Henrik Möbitz
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Ragot
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kim S. Beyer
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Keith Calkins
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Guthy
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michael Kiffe
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Ralph Tiedt
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Gaul
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4056 Basel, Switzerland
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18
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Ferreira de Freitas R, Ivanochko D, Schapira M. Methyltransferase Inhibitors: Competing with, or Exploiting the Bound Cofactor. Molecules 2019; 24:E4492. [PMID: 31817960 PMCID: PMC6943651 DOI: 10.3390/molecules24244492] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2019] [Revised: 12/03/2019] [Accepted: 12/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein methyltransferases (PMTs) are enzymes involved in epigenetic mechanisms, DNA repair, and other cellular machineries critical to cellular identity and function, and are an important target class in chemical biology and drug discovery. Central to the enzymatic reaction is the transfer of a methyl group from the cofactor S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) to a substrate protein. Here we review how the essentiality of SAM for catalysis is exploited by chemical inhibitors. Occupying the cofactor binding pocket to compete with SAM can be hindered by the hydrophilic nature of this site, but structural studies of compounds now in the clinic revealed that inhibitors could either occupy juxtaposed pockets to overlap minimally, but sufficiently with the bound cofactor, or induce large conformational remodeling leading to a more druggable binding site. Rather than competing with the cofactor, other inhibitors compete with the substrate and rely on bound SAM, either to allosterically stabilize the substrate binding site, or for direct SAM-inhibitor interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renato Ferreira de Freitas
- Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC, Rua Arcturus 3, São Bernardo do Campo, SP 09606-070, Brazil
| | - Danton Ivanochko
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, MaRS Centre, South Tower, 101 College St., Suite 700, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre and Department of Medical Biophysics, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 2M9, Canada
| | - Matthieu Schapira
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, MaRS Centre, South Tower, 101 College St., Suite 700, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, 1 King’s College Circle, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada
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19
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Shi Y, Wang Q, Rong J, Ren J, Song X, Fan X, Shen M, Xia Y, Wang N, Liu Z, Hu Q, Ye T, Yu L. Synthesis and biological evaluation of (1,2,4)triazole[4,3-a]pyridine derivatives as potential therapeutic agents for concanavalin A-induced hepatitis. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 179:182-195. [PMID: 31254920 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.06.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/22/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/08/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
A series of (1,2,4)triazole[4,3-a]pyridine (TZP) derivatives have been designed and synthesized. Compound 8d was identified as having the most potent inhibitory activity on NO release in response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) stimulation and inhibition of the migration induced by MCP-1 protein on RAW264.7 macrophages. Based on the screening data, an immunofluorescence assay and a real-time qPCR assay were conducted, indicating that compound 8d suppressed NF-κB p65 translocation and expression of inflammatory genes by concanavalin A (Con A)-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. More importantly, 8d also exhibited potent efficacy, alleviating Con A-induced hepatitis by downregulating the levels of plasma alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST) and inflammatory infiltration in a mouse autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) model. In addition, the flow cytometry (FCM) data showed that compound 8d inhibited the accumulation of MDSCs in the liver of Con A-induced mice. These findings raise the possibility that compound 8d might serve as a potential agent for the treatment of AIH.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaojie Shi
- Laboratory of Liver Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Qianqian Wang
- Laboratory of Liver Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Juan Rong
- Laboratory of Liver Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Jing Ren
- Laboratory of Liver Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Xuejiao Song
- Research Center for Public Health & Preventive Medicine, West China School of Public Health & Healthy Food Evaluation Research Center/No.4 West China Teaching Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Xiaoli Fan
- Division of Digestive Diseases, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Mengyi Shen
- Division of Digestive Diseases, West China Hospital, West China Medical School, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yong Xia
- Laboratory of Liver Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Ningyu Wang
- School of Life Science and Engineering, Southwest JiaoTong University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 611756, China
| | - Zhihao Liu
- Laboratory of Liver Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Quanfang Hu
- Laboratory of Liver Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Tinghong Ye
- Laboratory of Liver Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
| | - Luoting Yu
- Laboratory of Liver Surgery, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
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20
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Chen J, Park HJ. Computer-Aided Discovery of Massonianoside B as a Novel Selective DOT1L Inhibitor. ACS Chem Biol 2019; 14:873-881. [PMID: 30951287 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.8b00933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Protein methyltransferases (PMTs) are involved in numerous biological processes and have been studied as a promising target class in the field of oncology and other diseases. Disruptor of telomeric silencing 1-like (DOT1L), a histone H3 lysine 79 (H3K79) methyltransferase, plays an important role in the progressions of mixed-lineage leukemia (MLL)-rearranged leukemias and has been validated as a potential therapeutic target. Here we report the discovery and characterization of a novel DOT1L inhibitor, massonianoside B (MA), by pharmacophore-based in silico screening and biological studies. MA is a structurally unique natural product inhibitor of DOT1L with an IC50 value of 399 nM. The compound displays high selectivity for DOT1L over other S-adenosylmethionine (SAM)-dependent PMTs. Treatment of MLL-rearranged leukemia cells with MA gives a dose-dependent reduction in cellular levels of histone lysine 79 mono- and dimethylation without affecting the methylation of other histone sites. Moreover, MA selectively inhibits proliferation and causes apoptosis in MLL-rearranged leukemia cells and downregulates the expression of MLL fusion target genes, including HOXA9 and MEIS1. Molecular docking analysis revealed that MA may bind to the SAM-binding site of DOT1L. We identified MA as not only a novel DOT1L inhibitor with antileukemic activity but also a DOT1L-targeted molecular probe that may serve as a useful chemical tool for investigating the role of DOT1L in biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 16419, South Korea
| | - Hyun-Ju Park
- School of Pharmacy, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, Gyeonggi-do 16419, South Korea
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21
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Worden EJ, Hoffmann NA, Hicks CW, Wolberger C. Mechanism of Cross-talk between H2B Ubiquitination and H3 Methylation by Dot1L. Cell 2019; 176:1490-1501.e12. [PMID: 30765112 PMCID: PMC6498860 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 157] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2018] [Revised: 01/22/2019] [Accepted: 02/01/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Methylation of histone H3 K79 by Dot1L is a hallmark of actively transcribed genes that depends on monoubiquitination of H2B K120 (H2B-Ub) and is an example of histone modification cross-talk that is conserved from yeast to humans. We report here cryo-EM structures of Dot1L bound to ubiquitinated nucleosome that show how H2B-Ub stimulates Dot1L activity and reveal a role for the histone H4 tail in positioning Dot1L. We find that contacts mediated by Dot1L and the H4 tail induce a conformational change in the globular core of histone H3 that reorients K79 from an inaccessible position, thus enabling this side chain to insert into the active site in a position primed for catalysis. Our study provides a comprehensive mechanism of cross-talk between histone ubiquitination and methylation and reveals structural plasticity in histones that makes it possible for histone-modifying enzymes to access residues within the nucleosome core.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evan J Worden
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Niklas A Hoffmann
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Chad W Hicks
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA
| | - Cynthia Wolberger
- Department of Biophysics and Biophysical Chemistry, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD 21205, USA.
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22
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Zhang L, Chen Y, Liu N, Li L, Xiao S, Li X, Chen K, Luo C, Chen S, Chen H. Design, synthesis and anti leukemia cells proliferation activities of pyrimidylaminoquinoline derivatives as DOT1L inhibitors. Bioorg Chem 2018; 80:649-654. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2018.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Revised: 05/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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23
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Hirano T, Mori S, Kagechika H. Recent Advances in Chemical Tools for the Regulation and Study of Protein Lysine Methyltransferases. CHEM REC 2018; 18:1745-1759. [DOI: 10.1002/tcr.201800034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/17/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tomoya Hirano
- Institute of Biomaterials and BioengineeringTokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 2-3-10 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 101-0062 Japan
| | - Shuichi Mori
- Institute of Biomaterials and BioengineeringTokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 2-3-10 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 101-0062 Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Kagechika
- Institute of Biomaterials and BioengineeringTokyo Medical and Dental University (TMDU), 2-3-10 Kanda-Surugadai, Chiyoda-ku Tokyo 101-0062 Japan
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24
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Abstract
Protein lysine methylation is a distinct posttranslational modification that causes minimal changes in the size and electrostatic status of lysine residues. Lysine methylation plays essential roles in regulating fates and functions of target proteins in an epigenetic manner. As a result, substrates and degrees (free versus mono/di/tri) of protein lysine methylation are orchestrated within cells by balanced activities of protein lysine methyltransferases (PKMTs) and demethylases (KDMs). Their dysregulation is often associated with neurological disorders, developmental abnormalities, or cancer. Methyllysine-containing proteins can be recognized by downstream effector proteins, which contain methyllysine reader domains, to relay their biological functions. While numerous efforts have been made to annotate biological roles of protein lysine methylation, limited work has been done to uncover mechanisms associated with this modification at a molecular or atomic level. Given distinct biophysical and biochemical properties of methyllysine, this review will focus on chemical and biochemical aspects in addition, recognition, and removal of this posttranslational mark. Chemical and biophysical methods to profile PKMT substrates will be discussed along with classification of PKMT inhibitors for accurate perturbation of methyltransferase activities. Semisynthesis of methyllysine-containing proteins will also be covered given the critical need for these reagents to unambiguously define functional roles of protein lysine methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Minkui Luo
- Chemical Biology Program , Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center , New York , New York 10065 , United States.,Program of Pharmacology, Weill Graduate School of Medical Science , Cornell University , New York , New York 10021 , United States
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25
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Hauser AT, Robaa D, Jung M. Epigenetic small molecule modulators of histone and DNA methylation. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2018; 45:73-85. [PMID: 29579619 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2018.03.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2017] [Revised: 03/05/2018] [Accepted: 03/07/2018] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
DNA and histone methylation belong to the key regulatory components in the epigenetic machinery, and dysregulations of these processes have been associated with various human diseases. Small molecule modulators of these epigenetic targets are highly valuable both as chemical probes to study the biological roles of the target proteins, and as potential therapeutics. Indeed, recent years have seen the discovery of chemical modulators of several epigenetic targets, some of which are already marketed drugs or undergoing clinical trials. In this review, we will focus on small molecule modulators of DNA and histone methylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander-Thomas Hauser
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Freiburg, Albertstraße 25, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany
| | - Dina Robaa
- Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther-University Halle-Wittenberg, Wolfgang-Langenbeck-Straße 4, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany
| | - Manfred Jung
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Freiburg, Albertstraße 25, 79104 Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany.
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26
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Disruptor of telomeric silencing 1-like (DOT1L): disclosing a new class of non-nucleoside inhibitors by means of ligand-based and structure-based approaches. J Comput Aided Mol Des 2018; 32:435-458. [PMID: 29335872 DOI: 10.1007/s10822-018-0096-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2017] [Accepted: 01/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
Chemical inhibition of chromatin-mediated signaling involved proteins is an established strategy to drive expression networks and alter disease progression. Protein methyltransferases are among the most studied proteins in epigenetics and, in particular, disruptor of telomeric silencing 1-like (DOT1L) lysine methyltransferase plays a key role in MLL-rearranged acute leukemia Selective inhibition of DOT1L is an established attractive strategy to breakdown aberrant H3K79 methylation and thus overexpression of leukemia genes, and leukemogenesis. Although numerous DOT1L inhibitors have been several structural data published no pronounced computational efforts have been yet reported. In these studies a first tentative of multi-stage and LB/SB combined approach is reported in order to maximize the use of available data. Using co-crystallized ligand/DOT1L complexes, predictive 3-D QSAR and COMBINE models were built through a python implementation of previously reported methodologies. The models, validated by either modeled or experimental external test sets, proved to have good predictive abilities. The application of these models to an internal library led to the selection of two unreported compounds that were found able to inhibit DOT1L at micromolar level. To the best of our knowledge this is the first report of quantitative LB and SB DOT1L inhibitors models and their application to disclose new potential epigenetic modulators.
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Johnson CN, Erlanson DA, Jahnke W, Mortenson PN, Rees DC. Fragment-to-Lead Medicinal Chemistry Publications in 2016. J Med Chem 2017; 61:1774-1784. [PMID: 29087197 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b01298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The popularity of fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) is demonstrated by the number of recent successful fragment-to-lead (F2L) publications. This Miniperspective provides a tabulated summary of the F2L literature published in the year 2016, along with discussion of general trends. It uses the same format as our summary of the 2015 literature and is intended to be a resource for both FBDD practitioners and medicinal chemists in general.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher N Johnson
- Astex Pharmaceuticals , 436 Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road , Cambridge CB4 0QA , United Kingdom
| | - Daniel A Erlanson
- Carmot Therapeutics Inc. , 740 Heinz Avenue , Berkeley , California 94710 , United States
| | - Wolfgang Jahnke
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Chemical Biology and Therapeutics , 4002 Basel , Switzerland
| | - Paul N Mortenson
- Astex Pharmaceuticals , 436 Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road , Cambridge CB4 0QA , United Kingdom
| | - David C Rees
- Astex Pharmaceuticals , 436 Cambridge Science Park, Milton Road , Cambridge CB4 0QA , United Kingdom
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28
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Kaniskan HÜ, Jin J. Recent progress in developing selective inhibitors of protein methyltransferases. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2017; 39:100-108. [PMID: 28662389 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2017.06.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2017] [Accepted: 06/14/2017] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Mounting evidence suggests that protein methyltransferases (PMTs), which catalyze methylation of histones as well as non-histone proteins, play a crucial role in diverse biological pathways and human diseases. In particular, PMTs have been recognized as major players in regulating gene expression and chromatin state. There has been an increasingly growing interest in these enzymes as potential therapeutic targets and over the past two years tremendous progress has been made in the discovery of selective, small molecule inhibitors of protein lysine and arginine methyltransferases. Inhibitors of PMTs have been used extensively in oncology studies as tool compounds, and inhibitors of EZH2, DOT1L and PRMT5 are currently in clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Ümit Kaniskan
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States.
| | - Jian Jin
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States; Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States.
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29
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Abstract
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Post-translational
modifications of histones by protein methyltransferases
(PMTs) and histone demethylases (KDMs) play an important role in the
regulation of gene expression and transcription and are implicated
in cancer and many other diseases. Many of these enzymes also target
various nonhistone proteins impacting numerous crucial biological
pathways. Given their key biological functions and implications in
human diseases, there has been a growing interest in assessing these
enzymes as potential therapeutic targets. Consequently, discovering
and developing inhibitors of these enzymes has become a very active
and fast-growing research area over the past decade. In this review,
we cover the discovery, characterization, and biological application
of inhibitors of PMTs and KDMs with emphasis on key advancements in
the field. We also discuss challenges, opportunities, and future directions
in this emerging, exciting research field.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Ümit Kaniskan
- Departments of Pharmacological Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Michael L Martini
- Departments of Pharmacological Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Jian Jin
- Departments of Pharmacological Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai , New York, New York 10029, United States
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Möbitz H, Machauer R, Holzer P, Vaupel A, Stauffer F, Ragot C, Caravatti G, Scheufler C, Fernandez C, Hommel U, Tiedt R, Beyer KS, Chen C, Zhu H, Gaul C. Discovery of Potent, Selective, and Structurally Novel Dot1L Inhibitors by a Fragment Linking Approach. ACS Med Chem Lett 2017; 8:338-343. [PMID: 28337327 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.6b00519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2016] [Accepted: 02/14/2017] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Misdirected catalytic activity of histone methyltransferase Dot1L is believed to be causative for a subset of highly aggressive acute leukemias. Targeting the catalytic domain of Dot1L represents a potential therapeutic approach for these leukemias. In the context of a comprehensive Dot1L hit finding strategy, a knowledge-based virtual screen of the Dot1L SAM binding pocket led to the discovery of 2, a non-nucleoside fragment mimicking key interactions of SAM bound to Dot1L. Fragment linking of 2 and 3, an induced back pocket binder identified in earlier studies, followed by careful ligand optimization led to the identification of 7, a highly potent, selective and structurally novel Dot1L inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Henrik Möbitz
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rainer Machauer
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Holzer
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Vaupel
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Frédéric Stauffer
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christian Ragot
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Giorgio Caravatti
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Clemens Scheufler
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Cesar Fernandez
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ulrich Hommel
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ralph Tiedt
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kim S. Beyer
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Chao Chen
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Hugh Zhu
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Christoph Gaul
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
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31
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Preclinical Pharmacokinetics and Pharmacodynamics of Pinometostat (EPZ-5676), a First-in-Class, Small Molecule S-Adenosyl Methionine Competitive Inhibitor of DOT1L. Eur J Drug Metab Pharmacokinet 2017; 42:891-901. [DOI: 10.1007/s13318-017-0404-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
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32
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Castillo-Aguilera O, Depreux P, Halby L, Arimondo PB, Goossens L. DNA Methylation Targeting: The DNMT/HMT Crosstalk Challenge. Biomolecules 2017; 7:biom7010003. [PMID: 28067760 PMCID: PMC5372715 DOI: 10.3390/biom7010003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 84] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2016] [Revised: 12/08/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Chromatin can adopt a decondensed state linked to gene transcription (euchromatin) and a condensed state linked to transcriptional repression (heterochromatin). These states are controlled by epigenetic modulators that are active on either the DNA or the histones and are tightly associated to each other. Methylation of both DNA and histones is involved in either the activation or silencing of genes and their crosstalk. Since DNA/histone methylation patterns are altered in cancers, molecules that target these modifications are interesting therapeutic tools. We present herein a vast panel of DNA methyltransferase inhibitors classified according to their mechanism, as well as selected histone methyltransferase inhibitors sharing a common mode of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Omar Castillo-Aguilera
- Univ. Lille, ICPAL, EA 7365-GRITA-Groupe de Recherche sur les formes Injectables et les Technologies Associées, 3 rue du Pr. Laguesse, F-59000 Lille, France.
| | - Patrick Depreux
- Univ. Lille, ICPAL, EA 7365-GRITA-Groupe de Recherche sur les formes Injectables et les Technologies Associées, 3 rue du Pr. Laguesse, F-59000 Lille, France.
| | - Ludovic Halby
- FRE3600 Epigenetic Targeting of Cancer, CNRS, 31035 Toulouse, France.
| | - Paola B Arimondo
- FRE3600 Epigenetic Targeting of Cancer, CNRS, 31035 Toulouse, France.
- Churchill College, Cambridge CB3 0DS, UK.
| | - Laurence Goossens
- Univ. Lille, ICPAL, EA 7365-GRITA-Groupe de Recherche sur les formes Injectables et les Technologies Associées, 3 rue du Pr. Laguesse, F-59000 Lille, France.
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33
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Schapira M. Chemical Inhibition of Protein Methyltransferases. Cell Chem Biol 2016; 23:1067-1076. [PMID: 27569753 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2016.07.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2016] [Revised: 07/08/2016] [Accepted: 07/15/2016] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Protein methyltransferases (PMTs) participate in the epigenetic control of cell fate and other signaling pathways that are deregulated in disease, and the first PMT inhibitors have entered clinical trials in oncology. This review discusses structural studies that recently uncovered the mode of action of compounds in the clinic, as well as challenges and opportunities in the development of PMT inhibitors. It examines inhibitors that compete with the highly polar cofactor but preserve cell penetrance, and allosteric modes of inhibition. Vectors of optimization at the substrate-binding site and the potential of fragment screening approaches are discussed. Finally, the review presents strategies focused on targeting non-catalytic domains of PMTs or scaffolding subunits of chromatin complexes. Overall, although targeting PMTs remains a challenge, recent successes in the field are diverse and encouraging.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthieu Schapira
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5G 1L7, Canada; Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 1A8, Canada.
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34
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Chen C, Zhu H, Stauffer F, Caravatti G, Vollmer S, Machauer R, Holzer P, Möbitz H, Scheufler C, Klumpp M, Tiedt R, Beyer KS, Calkins K, Guthy D, Kiffe M, Zhang J, Gaul C. Discovery of Novel Dot1L Inhibitors through a Structure-Based Fragmentation Approach. ACS Med Chem Lett 2016; 7:735-40. [PMID: 27563395 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.6b00167] [Citation(s) in RCA: 47] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/21/2016] [Accepted: 06/01/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Oncogenic MLL fusion proteins aberrantly recruit Dot1L, a histone methyltransferase, to ectopic loci, leading to local hypermethylation of H3K79 and misexpression of HoxA genes driving MLL-rearranged leukemias. Inhibition of the methyltransferase activity of Dot1L in this setting is predicted to reverse aberrant H3K79 methylation, leading to repression of leukemogenic genes and tumor growth inhibition. In the context of our Dot1L drug discovery program, high-throughput screening led to the identification of 2, a weak Dot1L inhibitor with an unprecedented, induced pocket binding mode. A medicinal chemistry campaign, strongly guided by structure-based consideration and ligand-based morphing, enabled the discovery of 12 and 13, potent, selective, and structurally completely novel Dot1L inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Chen
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Hugh Zhu
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Frédéric Stauffer
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Giorgio Caravatti
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Susanne Vollmer
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Rainer Machauer
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Holzer
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Henrik Möbitz
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Clemens Scheufler
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Martin Klumpp
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Ralph Tiedt
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kim S. Beyer
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Keith Calkins
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Daniel Guthy
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Michael Kiffe
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Jeff Zhang
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Christoph Gaul
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, 4002 Basel, Switzerland
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