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Pala D, Clark DE. Caught between a ROCK and a hard place: current challenges in structure-based drug design. Drug Discov Today 2024; 29:104106. [PMID: 39029868 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.104106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/11/2024] [Revised: 06/27/2024] [Accepted: 07/13/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
The discipline of structure-based drug design (SBDD) is several decades old and it is tempting to think that the proliferation of experimental structures for many drug targets might make computer-aided drug design (CADD) straightforward. However, this is far from true. In this review, we illustrate some of the challenges that CADD scientists face every day in their work, even now. We use Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK), and public domain structures and data, as an example to illustrate some of the challenges we have experienced during our project targeting this protein. We hope that this will help to prevent unrealistic expectations of what CADD can accomplish and to educate non-CADD scientists regarding the challenges still facing their CADD colleagues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniele Pala
- Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design Technologies Department, Chiesi Farmaceutici S.p.A, Research Center, Largo Belloli 11/a, 43122 Parma, Italy
| | - David E Clark
- Charles River, 6-9 Spire Green Centre, Flex Meadow, Harlow CM19 5TR, UK.
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2
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Moree LK, Faulkner LAV, Crowley JD. Heterometallic cages: synthesis and applications. Chem Soc Rev 2024; 53:25-46. [PMID: 38037385 DOI: 10.1039/d3cs00690e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2023]
Abstract
High symmetry metallosupramolecular architectures (MSAs) have been exploited for a range of applications including molecular recognition, catalysis and drug delivery. Recently there have been increasing efforts to enhance those applications by generating reduced symmetry MSAs. While there are several emerging methods for generating lower symmetry MSAs, this tutorial review examines the general methods used for synthesizing heterometallic MSAs with a particular focus on heterometallic cages. Additionally, the intrinsic properties of the cages and their potential emerging applications as host-guest systems and reaction catalysts are described.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lana K Moree
- Department of Chemistry, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
| | - Logan A V Faulkner
- Department of Chemistry, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
| | - James D Crowley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand.
- MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wellington 6140, New Zealand
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3
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Marciniak B, Kciuk M, Mujwar S, Sundaraj R, Bukowski K, Gruszka R. In Vitro and In Silico Investigation of BCI Anticancer Properties and Its Potential for Chemotherapy-Combined Treatments. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:4442. [PMID: 37760412 PMCID: PMC10526149 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15184442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2023] [Revised: 08/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND DUSP6 phosphatase serves as a negative regulator of MAPK kinases involved in numerous cellular processes. BCI has been identified as a potential allosteric inhibitor with anticancer activity. Our study was designed to test the anticancer properties of BCI in colon cancer cells, to characterize the effect of this compound on chemotherapeutics such as irinotecan and oxaliplatin activity, and to identify potential molecular targets for this inhibitor. METHODS BCI cytotoxicity, proapoptotic activity, and cell cycle distribution were investigated in vitro on three colon cancer cell lines (DLD1, HT-29, and Caco-2). In silico investigation was prepared to assess BCI drug-likeness and identify potential molecular targets. RESULTS The exposure of colorectal cancer cells with BCI resulted in antitumor effects associated with cell cycle arrest and induction of apoptosis. BCI exhibited strong cytotoxicity on DLD1, HT-29, and Caco-2 cells. BCI showed no significant interaction with irinotecan, but strongly attenuated the anticancer activity of oxaliplatin when administered together. Analysis of synergy potential further confirmed the antagonistic interaction between these two compounds. In silico investigation indicated CDK5 as a potential new target of BCI. CONCLUSIONS Our studies point to the anticancer potential of BCI but note the need for a precise mechanism of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beata Marciniak
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Genetics, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Lodz, Poland; (M.K.); (K.B.); (R.G.)
| | - Mateusz Kciuk
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Genetics, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Lodz, Poland; (M.K.); (K.B.); (R.G.)
- Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, University of Lodz, 90-237 Lodz, Poland
| | - Somdutt Mujwar
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Rajpura 140401, Punjab, India;
| | - Rajamanikandan Sundaraj
- Centre for Drug Discovery, Department of Biochemistry, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Coimbatore 641021, Tamil Nadu, India;
| | - Karol Bukowski
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Genetics, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Lodz, Poland; (M.K.); (K.B.); (R.G.)
| | - Renata Gruszka
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Genetics, University of Lodz, Banacha 12/16, 90-237 Lodz, Poland; (M.K.); (K.B.); (R.G.)
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4
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Zhang Y, Li G, Zhao Y. Advances in the development of Rho GTPase inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem 2023; 90:117337. [PMID: 37253305 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2023.117337] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 05/09/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 06/01/2023]
Abstract
Rho guanosine triphosphatases (Rho GTPases), as members of the Ras superfamily, are GDP/GTP binding proteins that behave as molecular switches for the transduction of signals from external stimuli. Rho GTPases play essential roles in a number of cellular processes including cell cycle, cell polarity as well as cell migration. The dysregulations of Rho GTPases are related with various diseases, especially with cancers. Accumulating evidence supports that Rho GTPases play important roles in cancer development and progression. Rho GTPases become potential therapeutic targets for cancer therapy. And a number of inhibitors targeting Rho GTPases have been developed. In this review, we discuss their structural features, summarize their roles in cancer, and focus on the recent progress of their inhibitors, which are beneficial for the drug discovery targeting Rho GTPases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yijing Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Guanyi Li
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Yaxue Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 800 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200240, China.
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5
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Xie Y, Yue L, Shi Y, Su X, Gan C, Liu H, Xue T, Ye T. Application and Study of ROCK Inhibitors in Pulmonary Fibrosis: Recent Developments and Future Perspectives. J Med Chem 2023; 66:4342-4360. [PMID: 36940432 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01753] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/22/2023]
Abstract
Rho-associated coiled-coil-containing kinases (ROCKs), serine/threonine protein kinases, were initially identified as downstream targets of the small GTP-binding protein Rho. Pulmonary fibrosis (PF) is a lethal disease with limited therapeutic options and a particularly poor prognosis. Interestingly, ROCK activation has been demonstrated in PF patients and in animal PF models, making it a promising target for PF treatment. Many ROCK inhibitors have been discovered, and four of these have been approved for clinical use; however, no ROCK inhibitors are approved for the treatment of PF patients. In this article, we describe ROCK signaling pathways and the structure-activity relationship, potency, selectivity, binding modes, pharmacokinetics (PKs), biological functions, and recently reported inhibitors of ROCKs in the context of PF. We will also focus our attention on the challenges to be addressed when targeting ROCKs and discuss the strategy of ROCK inhibitor use in the treatment of PF.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuting Xie
- Sichuan University-Oxford University Huaxi Gastrointestinal Cancer Centre, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Lin Yue
- Sichuan University-Oxford University Huaxi Gastrointestinal Cancer Centre, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Yaojie Shi
- Sichuan University-Oxford University Huaxi Gastrointestinal Cancer Centre, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Xingping Su
- Sichuan University-Oxford University Huaxi Gastrointestinal Cancer Centre, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Cailing Gan
- Sichuan University-Oxford University Huaxi Gastrointestinal Cancer Centre, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Hongyao Liu
- Sichuan University-Oxford University Huaxi Gastrointestinal Cancer Centre, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Taixiong Xue
- Sichuan University-Oxford University Huaxi Gastrointestinal Cancer Centre, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Tinghong Ye
- Sichuan University-Oxford University Huaxi Gastrointestinal Cancer Centre, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
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Hardy M, Tessarolo J, Holstein JJ, Struch N, Wagner N, Weisbarth R, Engeser M, Beck J, Horiuchi S, Clever GH, Lützen A. A Family of Heterobimetallic Cubes Shows Spin-Crossover Behaviour Near Room Temperature. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:22562-22569. [PMID: 34382295 PMCID: PMC8519129 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202108792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Using 4-(4'-pyridyl)aniline as a simple organic building block in combination with three different aldehyde components together with metal(II) salts gave three different Fe8 Pt6 -cubes and their corresponding Zn8 Pt6 analogues by employing the subcomponent self-assembly approach. Whereas the use of zinc(II) salts gave rise to diamagnetic cages, iron(II) salts yielded metallosupramolecular cages that show spin-crossover behaviour in solution. The spin-transition temperature T1/2 depends on the incorporated aldehyde component, giving a construction kit for the deliberate synthesis of spin-crossover compounds with tailored transition properties. Incorporation of 4-thiazolecarbaldehyde or N-methyl-2-imidazole-carbaldehyde yielded cages that undergo spin-crossover around room temperature whereas the cage obtained using 1H-4-imidazolecarbaldehyde shows a spin-transition at low temperatures. Three new structures were characterized by synchrotron X-ray diffraction and all structures were characterized by mass spectrometry, NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Hardy
- Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität BonnKekulé-Institut für Organische Chemie und BiochemieGerhard-Domagk-Str. 153121BonnGermany
- Current address: BASF SESpeyerer Str. 267117LimburgerhofGermany
| | - Jacopo Tessarolo
- Technische Universität DortmundOtto-Hahn-Str. 644227DortmundGermany
| | | | - Niklas Struch
- Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität BonnKekulé-Institut für Organische Chemie und BiochemieGerhard-Domagk-Str. 153121BonnGermany
- Current address: Arlanxeo (Deutschland) GmbHAlte Heerstraße 241540DormagenGermany
| | - Norbert Wagner
- Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität BonnInstitut für Anorganische ChemieGerhard-Domagk-Str. 153121BonnGermany
| | - Ralf Weisbarth
- Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität BonnInstitut für Anorganische ChemieGerhard-Domagk-Str. 153121BonnGermany
| | - Marianne Engeser
- Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität BonnKekulé-Institut für Organische Chemie und BiochemieGerhard-Domagk-Str. 153121BonnGermany
| | - Johannes Beck
- Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität BonnInstitut für Anorganische ChemieGerhard-Domagk-Str. 153121BonnGermany
| | - Shinnosuke Horiuchi
- Technische Universität DortmundOtto-Hahn-Str. 644227DortmundGermany
- Division of Chemistry and Materials ScienceGraduate School of EngineeringNagasaki University, Bunkyo-machiNagasaki852-8521Japan
| | - Guido H. Clever
- Technische Universität DortmundOtto-Hahn-Str. 644227DortmundGermany
| | - Arne Lützen
- Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität BonnKekulé-Institut für Organische Chemie und BiochemieGerhard-Domagk-Str. 153121BonnGermany
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7
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Hardy M, Tessarolo J, Holstein JJ, Struch N, Wagner N, Weisbarth R, Engeser M, Beck J, Horiuchi S, Clever GH, Lützen A. Eine Familie von Heterobimetallischen Würfeln zeigt Spin‐Crossover‐Verhalten nahe Raumtemperatur. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202108792] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Hardy
- Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn Kekulé-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie Gerhard-Domagk-Str. 1 53121 Bonn Deutschland
- Derzeitige Adresse: BASF SE Speyerer Str. 2 67117 Limburgerhof Deutschland
| | - Jacopo Tessarolo
- Technische Universität Dortmund Otto-Hahn-Str. 6 44227 Dortmund Deutschland
| | - Julian J. Holstein
- Technische Universität Dortmund Otto-Hahn-Str. 6 44227 Dortmund Deutschland
| | - Niklas Struch
- Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn Kekulé-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie Gerhard-Domagk-Str. 1 53121 Bonn Deutschland
- Derzeitige Adresse: Arlanxeo (Deutschland) GmbH Alte Heerstraße 2 41540 Dormagen Deutschland
| | - Norbert Wagner
- Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn Institut für Anorganische Chemie Gerhard-Domagk-Str. 1 53121 Bonn Deutschland
| | - Ralf Weisbarth
- Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn Institut für Anorganische Chemie Gerhard-Domagk-Str. 1 53121 Bonn Deutschland
| | - Marianne Engeser
- Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn Kekulé-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie Gerhard-Domagk-Str. 1 53121 Bonn Deutschland
| | - Johannes Beck
- Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn Institut für Anorganische Chemie Gerhard-Domagk-Str. 1 53121 Bonn Deutschland
| | - Shinnosuke Horiuchi
- Technische Universität Dortmund Otto-Hahn-Str. 6 44227 Dortmund Deutschland
- Division of Chemistry and Materials Science Graduate School of Engineering Nagasaki University, Bunkyo-machi Nagasaki 852-8521 Japan
| | - Guido H. Clever
- Technische Universität Dortmund Otto-Hahn-Str. 6 44227 Dortmund Deutschland
| | - Arne Lützen
- Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn Kekulé-Institut für Organische Chemie und Biochemie Gerhard-Domagk-Str. 1 53121 Bonn Deutschland
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8
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Martín-Cámara O, Cores Á, López-Alvarado P, Menéndez JC. Emerging targets in drug discovery against neurodegenerative diseases: Control of synapsis disfunction by the RhoA/ROCK pathway. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 225:113742. [PMID: 34388381 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Revised: 07/28/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Synaptic spine morphology is controlled by the activity of Rac1, Cdc42 and RhoA, which need to be finely balanced, and in particular RhoA/ROCK prevents the formation of new protrusions by stabilizing actin formation. These processes are crucial to the maturation process, slowing the de novo generation of new spines. The RhoA/ROCK also influences plasticity processes, and selective modulation by ROCK1 of MLC-dependent actin dynamics leads to neurite retraction, but not to spine retraction. ROCK1 is also responsible for the reduction of the readily releasable pool of synaptic vesicles. These and other evidences suggest that ROCK1 is the main isoform acting on the presynaptic neuron. On the other hand, ROCK2 seems to have broad effects on LIMK/cofilin-dependent plasticity processes such as cofilin-dependent PSD changes. The RhoA/ROCK pathway is an important factor in several different brain-related pathologies via both downstream and upstream pathways. In the aggregate, these evidences show that the RhoA/ROCK pathway has a central role in the etiopathogenesis of a large group of CNS diseases, which underscores the importance of the pharmacological modulation of RhoA/ROCK as an important pathway to drug discovery in the neurodegenerative disease area. This article aims at providing the first review of the role of compounds acting on the RhoA/ROCK pathway in the control of synaptic disfunction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olmo Martín-Cámara
- Unidad de Química Orgánica y Farmacéutica, Departamento de Química en Ciencias Farmacéuticas. Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Ángel Cores
- Unidad de Química Orgánica y Farmacéutica, Departamento de Química en Ciencias Farmacéuticas. Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - Pilar López-Alvarado
- Unidad de Química Orgánica y Farmacéutica, Departamento de Química en Ciencias Farmacéuticas. Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense, 28040, Madrid, Spain
| | - J Carlos Menéndez
- Unidad de Química Orgánica y Farmacéutica, Departamento de Química en Ciencias Farmacéuticas. Facultad de Farmacia, Universidad Complutense, 28040, Madrid, Spain.
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9
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Benn CL, Dawson LA. Clinically Precedented Protein Kinases: Rationale for Their Use in Neurodegenerative Disease. Front Aging Neurosci 2020; 12:242. [PMID: 33117143 PMCID: PMC7494159 DOI: 10.3389/fnagi.2020.00242] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 07/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Kinases are an intensively studied drug target class in current pharmacological research as evidenced by the large number of kinase inhibitors being assessed in clinical trials. Kinase-targeted therapies have potential for treatment of a broad array of indications including central nervous system (CNS) disorders. In addition to the many variables which contribute to identification of a successful therapeutic molecule, drug discovery for CNS-related disorders also requires significant consideration of access to the target organ and specifically crossing the blood-brain barrier (BBB). To date, only a small number of kinase inhibitors have been reported that are specifically designed to be BBB permeable, which nonetheless demonstrates the potential for success. This review considers the potential for kinase inhibitors in the context of unmet medical need for neurodegenerative disease. A subset of kinases that have been the focus of clinical investigations over a 10-year period have been identified and discussed individually. For each kinase target, the data underpinning the validity of each in the context of neurodegenerative disease is critically evaluated. Selected molecules for each kinase are identified with information on modality, binding site and CNS penetrance, if known. Current clinical development in neurodegenerative disease are summarized. Collectively, the review indicates that kinase targets with sufficient rationale warrant careful design approaches with an emphasis on improving brain penetrance and selectivity.
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10
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Cheng KJ, Hsieh CM, Nepali K, Liou JP. Ocular Disease Therapeutics: Design and Delivery of Drugs for Diseases of the Eye. J Med Chem 2020; 63:10533-10593. [PMID: 32482069 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The ocular drug discovery field has evidenced significant advancement in the past decade. The FDA approvals of Rhopressa, Vyzulta, and Roclatan for glaucoma, Brolucizumab for wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD), Luxturna for retinitis pigmentosa, Dextenza (0.4 mg dexamethasone intracanalicular insert) for ocular inflammation, ReSure sealant to seal corneal incisions, and Lifitegrast for dry eye represent some of the major developments in the field of ocular therapeutics. A literature survey also indicates that gene therapy, stem cell therapy, and target discovery through genomic research represent significant promise as potential strategies to achieve tissue repair or regeneration and to attain therapeutic benefits in ocular diseases. Overall, the emergence of new technologies coupled with first-in-class entries in ophthalmology are highly anticipated to restructure and boost the future trends in the field of ophthalmic drug discovery. This perspective focuses on various aspects of ocular drug discovery and the recent advances therein. Recent medicinal chemistry campaigns along with a brief overview of the structure-activity relationships of the diverse chemical classes and developments in ocular drug delivery (ODD) are presented.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kuei-Ju Cheng
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing Street, Taipei 11031, Taiwan.,Department of Pharmacy, Taipei Municipal Wanfang Hospital, Taipei Medical University, No. 111, Section 3, Xing-Long Road, Taipei 11696, Taiwan
| | - Chien-Ming Hsieh
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing Street, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Kunal Nepali
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing Street, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
| | - Jing-Ping Liou
- School of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taipei Medical University, 250 Wuxing Street, Taipei 11031, Taiwan
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11
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Arya H, Yadav CS, Lin SY, Syed SB, Charles MRC, Kannadasan S, Hsieh HP, Singh SS, Gajurel PR, Coumar MS. Design of a potent anticancer lead inspired by natural products from traditional Indian medicine. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2019; 38:3563-3577. [PMID: 31526250 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2019.1664326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Among the plant constituents of Clerodendrum colebrookianum Walp., acteoside, martinoside, and osmanthuside β6 interact with ROCK, a drug target for cancer. In this study, aglycone fragments of these plant constituents (caffeic acid, ferulic acid, and p-coumaric acid) along with the homopiperazine ring of fasudil (standard ROCK inhibitor) were used to design hybrid molecules. The designed molecules interact with the key hinge region residue Met156/Met157 of ROCK I/II in a stable manner according to our docking and molecular dynamics simulations. These compounds were synthesized and tested in vitro in SW480, MDA-MB-231, and A-549 cancer cell lines. The most promising compound was chemically optimized to obtain a thiourea analog, 6a (IC50 = 25 µM), which has >3-fold higher antiproliferative activity than fasudil (IC50 = 87 µM) in SW480 cells. Treatment with this molecule also inhibits the migration of colon cancer cells and induces cell apoptosis. Further, SPR experiments suggests that the binding affinity of 6a with ROCK I protein is better than that of fasudil. Hence, the drug-like natural product analog 6a constitutes a highly promising new anticancer lead.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hemant Arya
- Centre for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Kalapet, Puducherry, India
| | - C Suresh Yadav
- Department of Chemistry, School of Advanced Sciences, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Shu-Yu Lin
- Division of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli County, Taiwan R.O.C
| | - Safiulla Basha Syed
- Centre for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Kalapet, Puducherry, India.,DBT- Interdisciplinary Program in Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Kalapet, Puducherry, India
| | | | - Sathananthan Kannadasan
- Department of Chemistry, School of Advanced Sciences, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Hsing-Pang Hsieh
- Division of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Research, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Miaoli County, Taiwan R.O.C
| | - Sorokhaibam Sureshkumar Singh
- Department of Forestry, North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (Deemed University), Nirjuli, India
| | - Padma Raj Gajurel
- Department of Forestry, North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (Deemed University), Nirjuli, India
| | - Mohane Selvaraj Coumar
- Centre for Bioinformatics, School of Life Sciences, Pondicherry University, Kalapet, Puducherry, India
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12
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Discovery of (S)-6-methoxy-chroman-3-carboxylic acid (4-pyridin-4-yl-phenyl)-amide as potent and isoform selective ROCK2 inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem 2019; 27:1382-1390. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2019.02.047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2019] [Revised: 02/15/2019] [Accepted: 02/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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13
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Loirand G. Rho Kinases in Health and Disease: From Basic Science to Translational Research. Pharmacol Rev 2016; 67:1074-95. [PMID: 26419448 DOI: 10.1124/pr.115.010595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 131] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Rho-associated kinases ROCK1 and ROCK2 are key regulators of actin cytoskeleton dynamics downstream of Rho GTPases that participate in the control of important physiologic functions, S including cell contraction, migration, proliferation, adhesion, and inflammation. Several excellent review articles dealing with ROCK function and regulation have been published over the past few years. Although a brief overview of general molecular, biochemical, and functional properties of ROCKs is included, an effort has been made to produce an original work by collecting and synthesizing recent studies aimed at translating basic discoveries from cell and experimental models into knowledge of human physiology, pathophysiological mechanisms, and medical therapeutics. This review points out the specificity and distinct roles of ROCK1 and ROCK2 isoforms highlighted in the last few years. Results obtained from genetically modified mice and genetic analysis in humans are discussed. This review also addresses the involvement of ROCKs in human diseases and the potential use of ROCK activity as a biomarker or a pharmacological target for specific inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gervaise Loirand
- Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale UMR1087, Université de Nantes, CHU Nantes, l'institut du thorax, Nantes, France
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14
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Waldschmidt HV, Homan KT, Cruz-Rodríguez O, Cato MC, Waninger-Saroni J, Larimore KL, Cannavo A, Song J, Cheung JY, Koch WJ, Tesmer JJG, Larsen SD, Larsen SD. Structure-Based Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of Highly Selective and Potent G Protein-Coupled Receptor Kinase 2 Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2016; 59:3793-807. [PMID: 27050625 PMCID: PMC4890168 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b02000] [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] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) are central to many physiological processes. Regulation of this superfamily of receptors is controlled by GPCR kinases (GRKs), some of which have been implicated in heart failure. GSK180736A, developed as a Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase 1 (ROCK1) inhibitor, was identified as an inhibitor of GRK2 and co-crystallized in the active site. Guided by its binding pose overlaid with the binding pose of a known potent GRK2 inhibitor, Takeda103A, a library of hybrid inhibitors was developed. This campaign produced several compounds possessing high potency and selectivity for GRK2 over other GRK subfamilies, PKA, and ROCK1. The most selective compound, 12n (CCG-224406), had an IC50 for GRK2 of 130 nM, >700-fold selectivity over other GRK subfamilies, and no detectable inhibition of ROCK1. Four of the new inhibitors were crystallized with GRK2 to give molecular insights into the binding and kinase selectivity of this class of inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Helen V. Waldschmidt
- Vahlteich Medicinal Chemistry Core, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109,Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109,Departments of Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109
| | - Kristoff T. Homan
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109,Departments of Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109
| | - Osvaldo Cruz-Rodríguez
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109,PhD Program in Chemical Biology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109,Departments of Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109
| | - Marilyn C. Cato
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109,Departments of Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109
| | - Jessica Waninger-Saroni
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109,Departments of Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109,Medical Scientist Training Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109
| | - Kelly L. Larimore
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109,Departments of Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109
| | - Alessandro Cannavo
- Center for Translational Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19140
| | - Jianliang Song
- Center for Translational Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19140
| | - Joseph Y. Cheung
- Center for Translational Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19140
| | - Walter J. Koch
- Center for Translational Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19140
| | - John J. G. Tesmer
- Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109,Departments of Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109
| | - Scott D. Larsen
- Vahlteich Medicinal Chemistry Core, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109,Departments of Medicinal Chemistry, Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109,Corresponding Author: Scott D. Larsen, , (734) 615 - 0454
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15
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Wei D, Chen L, Yan X, Li Y, Li J, Wang D. A Scalable and Facile Process for the Preparation of N-(Pyridin-4-yl) Piperazine-1-Carboxamide Hydrochloride. JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL RESEARCH 2016. [DOI: 10.3184/174751916x14546711471143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
A scalable and facile synthetic process for N-(pyridin-4-yl)piperazine-1-carboxamide hydrochloride, a novel Rho kinase inhibitor with an unsymmetrical urea structure currently under investigation for the treatment of central nervous system disorders, was established. After optimisation of the reaction conditions, N-(pyridin-4-yl)piperazine-1-carboxamide hydrochloride was synthesised from 4-aminopyridine and N,N′-carbonyldiimidazole through acylation, deprotection and salt formation. This new procedure affords the product in 53% overall yield with high purity and it can be easily scaled up for production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daiyan Wei
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P.R. China
| | - Ligong Chen
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P.R. China
| | - Xilong Yan
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P.R. China
| | - Yang Li
- School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P.R. China
| | - Jianye Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P.R. China
| | - Donghua Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, P.R. China
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16
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Donegan RK, Lieberman RL. Discovery of Molecular Therapeutics for Glaucoma: Challenges, Successes, and Promising Directions. J Med Chem 2016; 59:788-809. [PMID: 26356532 PMCID: PMC5547565 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b00828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Glaucoma, a heterogeneous ocular disorder affecting ∼60 million people worldwide, is characterized by painless neurodegeneration of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs), resulting in irreversible vision loss. Available therapies, which decrease the common causal risk factor of elevated intraocular pressure, delay, but cannot prevent, RGC death and blindness. Notably, it is changes in the anterior segment of the eye, particularly in the drainage of aqueous humor fluid, which are believed to bring about changes in pressure. Thus, it is primarily this region whose properties are manipulated in current and emerging therapies for glaucoma. Here, we focus on the challenges associated with developing treatments, review the available experimental methods to evaluate the therapeutic potential of new drugs, describe the development and evaluation of emerging Rho-kinase inhibitors and adenosine receptor ligands that offer the potential to improve aqueous humor outflow and protect RGCs simultaneously, and present new targets and approaches on the horizon.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rebecca K Donegan
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology , 901 Atlantic Drive NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0400, United States
| | - Raquel L Lieberman
- School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology , 901 Atlantic Drive NW, Atlanta, Georgia 30332-0400, United States
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17
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Wei L, Surma M, Shi S, Lambert-Cheatham N, Shi J. Novel Insights into the Roles of Rho Kinase in Cancer. Arch Immunol Ther Exp (Warsz) 2016; 64:259-78. [PMID: 26725045 PMCID: PMC4930737 DOI: 10.1007/s00005-015-0382-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 140] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2015] [Accepted: 11/24/2015] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Rho-associated coiled-coil kinase (ROCK) is a major downstream effector of the small GTPase RhoA. The ROCK family, consisting of ROCK1 and ROCK2, plays a central role in the organization of the actin cytoskeleton, and is involved in a wide range of fundamental cellular functions such as contraction, adhesion, migration, proliferation, and apoptosis. Since the discovery of effective inhibitors such as fasudil and Y27632, the biological roles of ROCK have been extensively explored in numerous diseases, including cancer. Accumulating evidence supports the concept that ROCK plays important roles in tumor development and progression through regulating many key cellular functions associated with malignancy, including tumorigenicity, tumor growth, metastasis, angiogenesis, tumor cell apoptosis/survival and chemoresistance as well. This review focuses on the new advances of the most recent 5 years from the studies on the roles of ROCK in cancer development and progression; the discussion is mainly focused on the potential value of ROCK inhibitors in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lei Wei
- Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University, School of Medicine, R4 Building, Room 332, 1044 West Walnut Street, Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5225, USA. .,Department of Cellular and Integrative Physiology, Indiana University, School of Medicine, 1044 West Walnut Street, R4-370, Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5225, USA.
| | - Michelle Surma
- Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University, School of Medicine, R4 Building, Room 332, 1044 West Walnut Street, Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5225, USA
| | - Stephanie Shi
- Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University, School of Medicine, R4 Building, Room 332, 1044 West Walnut Street, Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5225, USA
| | - Nathan Lambert-Cheatham
- Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University, School of Medicine, R4 Building, Room 332, 1044 West Walnut Street, Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5225, USA
| | - Jianjian Shi
- Riley Heart Research Center, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Department of Pediatrics, Indiana University, School of Medicine, R4 Building, Room 332, 1044 West Walnut Street, Indianapolis, IN, 46202-5225, USA.
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18
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Mandal P, Malviya N, Guedes da Silva MFC, Dhankhar SS, Nagaraja CM, Mobin SM, Mukhopadhyay S. Fine tuning through valence bond tautomerization of ancillary ligands in ruthenium(ii) arene complexes for better anticancer activity and enzyme inhibition properties. Dalton Trans 2016; 45:19277-19289. [DOI: 10.1039/c6dt02969h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Novel valence tautomerized ancillary ligand induce antiproliferative activity in ruthenium complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poulami Mandal
- Department of Chemistry
- School of Basic Sciences
- Indian Institute of Technology Indore
- Indore 453552
- India
| | - Novina Malviya
- Department of Chemistry
- School of Basic Sciences
- Indian Institute of Technology Indore
- Indore 453552
- India
| | | | | | - C. M. Nagaraja
- Department of Chemistry
- Indian Institute of Technology Ropar
- Rupnagar 140001
- India
| | - Shaikh M. Mobin
- Department of Chemistry
- School of Basic Sciences
- Indian Institute of Technology Indore
- Indore 453552
- India
| | - Suman Mukhopadhyay
- Department of Chemistry
- School of Basic Sciences
- Indian Institute of Technology Indore
- Indore 453552
- India
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19
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Tu YL, Chen QH, Wang SN, Uri A, Yang XH, Chu JQ, Chen JK, Luo BL, Chen XH, Wen SJ, Pi RB. Discovery of lipoic acid-4-phenyl-1H-pyrazole hybrids as novel bifunctional ROCK inhibitors with antioxidant activity. RSC Adv 2016. [DOI: 10.1039/c6ra12081d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
A potently selective ROCK2 inhibitor with antioxidative properties.
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20
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Discovery of Novel ROCK1 Inhibitors via Integrated Virtual Screening Strategy and Bioassays. Sci Rep 2015; 5:16749. [PMID: 26568382 PMCID: PMC4645114 DOI: 10.1038/srep16749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2015] [Accepted: 10/19/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Rho-associated kinases (ROCKs) have been regarded as promising drug targets for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, nervous system diseases and cancers. In this study, a novel integrated virtual screening protocol by combining molecular docking and pharmacophore mapping based on multiple ROCK1 crystal structures was utilized to screen the ChemBridge database for discovering potential inhibitors of ROCK1. Among the 38 tested compounds, seven of them exhibited significant inhibitory activities of ROCK1 (IC50 < 10 μM) and the most potent one (compound TS-f22) with the novel scaffold of 4-Phenyl-1H-pyrrolo [2,3-b] pyridine had an IC50 of 480 nM. Then, the structure-activity relationships of 41 analogues of TS-f22 were examined. Two potent inhibitors were proven effective in inhibiting the phosphorylation of the downstream target in the ROCK signaling pathway in vitro and protecting atorvastatin-induced cerebral hemorrhage in vivo. The high hit rate (28.95%) suggested that the integrated virtual screening strategy was quite reliable and could be used as a powerful tool for identifying promising active compounds for targets of interest.
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21
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Feng Y, LoGrasso PV, Defert O, Li R. Rho Kinase (ROCK) Inhibitors and Their Therapeutic Potential. J Med Chem 2015; 59:2269-300. [PMID: 26486225 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b00683] [Citation(s) in RCA: 252] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Rho kinases (ROCKs) belong to the serine-threonine family, the inhibition of which affects the function of many downstream substrates. As such, ROCK inhibitors have potential therapeutic applicability in a wide variety of pathological conditions including asthma, cancer, erectile dysfunction, glaucoma, insulin resistance, kidney failure, neuronal degeneration, and osteoporosis. To date, two ROCK inhibitors have been approved for clinical use in Japan (fasudil and ripasudil) and one in China (fasudil). In 1995 fasudil was approved for the treatment of cerebral vasospasm, and more recently, ripasudil was approved for the treatment of glaucoma in 2014. In this Perspective, we present a comprehensive review of the physiological and biological functions for ROCK, the properties and development of over 170 ROCK inhibitors as well as their therapeutic potential, the current status, and future considerations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Olivier Defert
- Amakem Therapeutics , Agoralaan A bis, 3590 Diepenbeek, Belgium
| | - Rongshi Li
- Center for Drug Discovery and Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, Cancer Genes and Molecular Regulation Program, Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center , 986805 Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska 68198, United States
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22
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Chin VT, Nagrial AM, Chou A, Biankin AV, Gill AJ, Timpson P, Pajic M. Rho-associated kinase signalling and the cancer microenvironment: novel biological implications and therapeutic opportunities. Expert Rev Mol Med 2015; 17:e17. [PMID: 26507949 PMCID: PMC4836205 DOI: 10.1017/erm.2015.17] [Citation(s) in RCA: 43] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
The Rho/ROCK pathway is involved in numerous pivotal cellular processes that have made it an area of intense study in cancer medicine, however, Rho-associated coiled-coil containing protein kinase (ROCK) inhibitors are yet to make an appearance in the clinical cancer setting. Their performance as an anti-cancer therapy has been varied in pre-clinical studies, however, they have been shown to be effective vasodilators in the treatment of hypertension and post-ischaemic stroke vasospasm. This review addresses the various roles the Rho/ROCK pathway plays in angiogenesis, tumour vascular tone and reciprocal feedback from the tumour microenvironment and explores the potential utility of ROCK inhibitors as effective vascular normalising agents. ROCK inhibitors may potentially enhance the delivery and efficacy of chemotherapy agents and improve the effectiveness of radiotherapy. As such, repurposing of these agents as adjuncts to standard treatments may significantly improve outcomes for patients with cancer. A deeper understanding of the controlled and dynamic regulation of the key components of the Rho pathway may lead to effective use of the Rho/ROCK inhibitors in the clinical management of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Venessa T. Chin
- The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Cancer Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, 384 Victoria St, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
| | - Adnan M. Nagrial
- The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Cancer Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, 384 Victoria St, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- The Department of Medical Oncology, Crown Princess Mary Cancer Centre, Westmead Hospital, NSW, Australia
| | - Angela Chou
- The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Cancer Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, 384 Victoria St, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Anatomical Pathology, Sydpath, St Vincent's Hospital, Sydney, Australia
| | - Andrew V. Biankin
- The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Cancer Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, 384 Victoria St, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Department of Surgery, Bankstown Hospital, Eldridge Road, Bankstown, Sydney, NSW 2200, Australia
- Wolfson Wohl Cancer Research Centre, Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Garscube Estate, Switchback Road, Bearsden, Glasgow, Scotland G61 1BD, UK
| | - Anthony J. Gill
- Department of Anatomical Pathology, Royal North Shore Hospital, St Leonards, Sydney, NSW 2065, Australia
- University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia
| | - Paul Timpson
- The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Cancer Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, 384 Victoria St, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, University of NSW, Australia
| | - Marina Pajic
- The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, Cancer Division, Garvan Institute of Medical Research, 384 Victoria St, Darlinghurst, Sydney, NSW 2010, Australia
- Faculty of Medicine, St Vincent's Clinical School, University of NSW, Australia
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23
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Wang P, Yang Y, Shao Q, Zhou W. Selective inhibition of ROCK kinase isoforms to promote neuroregeneration after brain surgery. Med Chem Res 2015. [DOI: 10.1007/s00044-015-1463-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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24
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Rho GTPases are master regulators of actomyosin structure and dynamics and play pivotal roles in a variety of cellular processes including cell morphology, gene transcription, cell cycle progression, and cell adhesion. Because aberrant Rho GTPase signaling activities are widely associated with human cancer, key components of Rho GTPase signaling pathways have attracted increasing interest as potential therapeutic targets. Similar to Ras, Rho GTPases themselves were, until recently, deemed "undruggable" because of structure-function considerations. Several approaches to interfere with Rho GTPase signaling have been explored and show promise as new ways for tackling cancer cells. AREAS COVERED This review focuses on the recent progress in targeting the signaling activities of three prototypical Rho GTPases, that is, RhoA, Rac1, and Cdc42. The authors describe the involvement of these Rho GTPases, their key regulators and effectors in cancer. Furthermore, the authors discuss the current approaches for rationally targeting aberrant Rho GTPases along their signaling cascades, upstream and downstream of Rho GTPases, and posttranslational modifications at a molecular level. EXPERT OPINION To date, while no clinically effective drugs targeting Rho GTPase signaling for cancer treatment are available, tool compounds and lead drugs that pharmacologically inhibit Rho GTPase pathways have shown promise. Small-molecule inhibitors targeting Rho GTPase signaling may add new treatment options for future precision cancer therapy, particularly in combination with other anti-cancer agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Lin
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, USA
| | - Yi Zheng
- Division of Experimental Hematology and Cancer Biology, Children’s Hospital Medical Center, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45229, USA
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25
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Green J, Cao J, Bandarage UK, Gao H, Court J, Marhefka C, Jacobs M, Taslimi P, Newsome D, Nakayama T, Shah S, Rodems S. Design, Synthesis, and Structure–Activity Relationships of Pyridine-Based Rho Kinase (ROCK) Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2015; 58:5028-37. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b00424] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy Green
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals,
Inc., 50 Northern Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, United States
| | - Jingrong Cao
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals,
Inc., 50 Northern Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, United States
| | - Upul K. Bandarage
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals,
Inc., 50 Northern Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, United States
| | - Huai Gao
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals,
Inc., 50 Northern Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, United States
| | - John Court
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals,
Inc., 50 Northern Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, United States
| | - Craig Marhefka
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals,
Inc., 50 Northern Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, United States
| | - Marc Jacobs
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals,
Inc., 50 Northern Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, United States
| | - Paul Taslimi
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals,
Inc., 50 Northern Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, United States
| | - David Newsome
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals,
Inc., 50 Northern Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, United States
| | - Tomoko Nakayama
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals,
Inc., 50 Northern Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts 02210, United States
| | - Sundeep Shah
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals,
Inc., 11010 Torreyana Road, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Steve Rodems
- Vertex Pharmaceuticals,
Inc., 11010 Torreyana Road, San Diego, California 92121, United States
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26
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Assessing protein kinase target similarity: Comparing sequence, structure, and cheminformatics approaches. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-PROTEINS AND PROTEOMICS 2015; 1854:1605-16. [PMID: 26001898 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbapap.2015.05.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2015] [Revised: 05/08/2015] [Accepted: 05/11/2015] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
In just over two decades, structure based protein kinase inhibitor discovery has grown from trial and error approaches, using individual target structures, to structure and data driven approaches that may aim to optimize inhibition properties across several targets. This is increasingly enabled by the growing availability of potent compounds and kinome-wide binding data. Assessing the prospects for adapting known compounds to new therapeutic uses is thus a key priority for current drug discovery efforts. Tools that can successfully link the diverse information regarding target sequence, structure, and ligand binding properties now accompany a transformation of protein kinase inhibitor research, away from single, block-buster drug models, and toward "personalized medicine" with niche applications and highly specialized research groups. Major hurdles for the transformation to data driven drug discovery include mismatches in data types, and disparities of methods and molecules used; at the core remains the problem that ligand binding energies cannot be predicted precisely from individual structures. However, there is a growing body of experimental data for increasingly successful focussing of efforts: focussed chemical libraries, drug repurposing, polypharmacological design, to name a few. Protein kinase target similarity is easily quantified by sequence, and its relevance to ligand design includes broad classification by key binding sites, evaluation of resistance mutations, and the use of surrogate proteins. Although structural evaluation offers more information, the flexibility of protein kinases, and differences between the crystal and physiological environments may make the use of crystal structures misleading when structures are considered individually. Cheminformatics may enable the "calibration" of sequence and crystal structure information, with statistical methods able to identify key correlates to activity but also here, "the devil is in the details." Examples from specific repurposing and polypharmacology applications illustrate these points. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Inhibitors of Protein Kinases.
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27
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Discovery of 5-(1H-indol-5-yl)-1,3,4-thiadiazol-2-amines as potent PIM inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2015; 25:775-80. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2014.12.091] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/07/2014] [Revised: 12/23/2014] [Accepted: 12/29/2014] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
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28
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Homan KT, Tesmer JJG. Molecular basis for small molecule inhibition of G protein-coupled receptor kinases. ACS Chem Biol 2015; 10:246-56. [PMID: 24984143 PMCID: PMC4301174 DOI: 10.1021/cb5003976] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Small molecules that inhibit the protein kinase A, G, and C (AGC) family of serine/threonine kinases can exert profound effects on cell homeostasis and thereby regulate fundamental processes such as heart rate, blood pressure, and metabolism, but there is not yet a clinically approved drug in the United States selective for a member of this family. One subfamily of AGC kinases, the G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) kinases (GRKs), initiates the desensitization of active GPCRs. Of these, GRK2 has been directly implicated in the progression of heart failure. Thus, there is great interest in the identification of GRK2-specific chemical probes that can be further developed into therapeutics. Herein, we compare crystal structures of small molecule inhibitors in complex with GRK2 to those of highly selective compounds in complex with Rho-associated coiled-coil containing kinase 1 (ROCK1), a closely related AGC kinase. This analysis suggests that reduced hydrogen-bond formation with the hinge of the kinase domain, occupation of the hydrophobic subsite, and, consequently, higher buried surface area are key drivers of potency and selectivity among GRK inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristoff T. Homan
- Life Sciences Institute,
Departments of Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - John J. G. Tesmer
- Life Sciences Institute,
Departments of Pharmacology and Biological Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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29
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Homan KT, Larimore KM, Elkins JM, Szklarz M, Knapp S, Tesmer JJG. Identification and structure-function analysis of subfamily selective G protein-coupled receptor kinase inhibitors. ACS Chem Biol 2015; 10:310-9. [PMID: 25238254 PMCID: PMC4301037 DOI: 10.1021/cb5006323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Selective inhibitors of individual subfamilies of G protein-coupled receptor kinases (GRKs) would serve as useful chemical probes as well as leads for therapeutic applications ranging from heart failure to Parkinson's disease. To identify such inhibitors, differential scanning fluorimetry was used to screen a collection of known protein kinase inhibitors that could increase the melting points of the two most ubiquitously expressed GRKs: GRK2 and GRK5. Enzymatic assays on 14 of the most stabilizing hits revealed that three exhibit nanomolar potency of inhibition for individual GRKs, some of which exhibiting orders of magnitude selectivity. Most of the identified compounds can be clustered into two chemical classes: indazole/dihydropyrimidine-containing compounds that are selective for GRK2 and pyrrolopyrimidine-containing compounds that potently inhibit GRK1 and GRK5 but with more modest selectivity. The two most potent inhibitors representing each class, GSK180736A and GSK2163632A, were cocrystallized with GRK2 and GRK1, and their atomic structures were determined to 2.6 and 1.85 Å spacings, respectively. GSK180736A, developed as a Rho-associated, coiled-coil-containing protein kinase inhibitor, binds to GRK2 in a manner analogous to that of paroxetine, whereas GSK2163632A, developed as an insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor inhibitor, occupies a novel region of the GRK active site cleft that could likely be exploited to achieve more selectivity. However, neither compound inhibits GRKs more potently than their initial targets. This data provides the foundation for future efforts to rationally design even more potent and selective GRK inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristoff T. Homan
- Life
Sciences Institute and the Departments of Pharmacology and Biological
Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Kelly M. Larimore
- Life
Sciences Institute and the Departments of Pharmacology and Biological
Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Jonathan M. Elkins
- Structural
Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building,
Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - Marta Szklarz
- Structural
Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building,
Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
| | - Stefan Knapp
- Structural
Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Old Road Campus Research Building,
Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7DQ, United Kingdom
- Nuffield
Department of Clinical Medicine, Target Discovery Institute, University of Oxford, NDM Research Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7FZ, United Kingdom
| | - John J. G. Tesmer
- Life
Sciences Institute and the Departments of Pharmacology and Biological
Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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30
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Abstract
Fragment-based drug design has become an important strategy for drug design and development over the last decade. It has been used with particular success in the development of kinase inhibitors, which are one of the most widely explored classes of drug targets today. The application of fragment-based methods to discovering and optimizing kinase inhibitors can be a complicated and daunting task; however, a general process has emerged that has been highly fruitful. Here a practical outline of the fragment process used in kinase inhibitor design and development is laid out with specific examples. A guide to the overall process from initial discovery through fragment screening, including the difficulties in detection, to the computational methods available for use in optimization of the discovered fragments is reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon A Erickson
- Lilly Research Laboratories, Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN, 46285, USA,
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31
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Mishra RK, Alokam R, Singhal SM, Srivathsav G, Sriram D, Kaushik-Basu N, Manvar D, Yogeeswari P. Design of novel rho kinase inhibitors using energy based pharmacophore modeling, shape-based screening, in silico virtual screening, and biological evaluation. J Chem Inf Model 2014; 54:2876-86. [PMID: 25254429 DOI: 10.1021/ci5004703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Rho-associated protein kinase (ROCK) plays a key role in regulating a variety of cellular processes, and dysregulation of ROCK signaling or expression is implicated in numerous diseases and infections. ROCK proteins have therefore emerged as validated targets for therapeutic intervention in various pathophysiological conditions such as diabetes-related complications or hepatitis C-associated pathogenesis. In this study, we report on the design and identification of novel ROCK inhibitors utilizing energy based pharmacophores and shape-based approaches. The most potent compound 8 exhibited an IC50 value of 1.5 μM against ROCK kinase activity and inhibited methymercury-induced neurotoxicity of IMR-32 cells at GI50 value of 0.27 μM. Notably, differential scanning fluorometric analysis revealed that ROCK protein complexed with compound 8 with enhanced stability relative to Fasudil, a validated nanomolar range ROCK inhibitor. Furthermore, all compounds exhibited ≥96 μM CC50 (50% cytotoxicity) in Huh7 hepatoma cells, while 6 compounds displayed anti-HCV activity in HCV replicon cells. The identified lead thus constitutes a prototypical molecule for further optimization and development as anti-ROCK inhibitor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ram Kumar Mishra
- Computer-Aided Drug Design Lab, Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology & Science-Pilani, Hyderabad Campus , Jawahar Nagar, Hyderabad-500078, Andhra Pradesh, India
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32
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Vigil D, Der CJ. Inhibitors of the ROCK serine/threonine kinases: key effectors of the RhoA small GTPase. Enzymes 2014; 33 Pt A:193-212. [PMID: 25033806 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-416749-0.00009-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Aberrant activation of the RhoA small GTPase has been implicated in cancer and other human diseases. Therefore, inhibitors of RhoA may have important therapeutic value. However, similar to the Ras small GTPases, RhoA itself is not considered a tractable target and is currently considered to be "undruggable." While recent efforts suggest that direct inhibitors of the Ras oncoprotein may yet be developed, the most promising directions for anti-Ras inhibitors involve inhibitors of protein kinases that are activated downstream of Ras. By analogy, protein kinases activated downstream of RhoA may provide more attractive directions for the development of anti-RhoA inhibitors. Among the multitude of RhoA effectors, the ROCK serine/threonine kinases have emerged as attractive targets for anti-RhoA drug discovery. In this review, we summarize the current status of the development of small molecule inhibitors of ROCK.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dominico Vigil
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA
| | - Channing J Der
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.
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33
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Leigh V, Carleton DJ, Olguin J, Mueller-Bunz H, Wright LJ, Albrecht M. Solvent-Dependent Switch of Ligand Donor Ability and Catalytic Activity of Ruthenium(II) Complexes Containing Pyridinylidene Amide (PYA) N-Heterocyclic Carbene Hybrid Ligands. Inorg Chem 2014; 53:8054-60. [DOI: 10.1021/ic501026k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Vivienne Leigh
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Daniel J. Carleton
- School
of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Juan Olguin
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - Helge Mueller-Bunz
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
| | - L. James Wright
- School
of Chemical Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Martin Albrecht
- School of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland
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34
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Abstract
Rho kinase (ROCK) is a major downstream effector of the small GTPase RhoA. ROCK family, consisting of ROCK1 and ROCK2, plays central roles in the organization of actin cytoskeleton and is involved in a wide range of fundamental cellular functions, such as contraction, adhesion, migration, proliferation, and apoptosis. Due to the discovery of effective inhibitors, such as fasudil and Y27632, the biological roles of ROCK have been extensively explored with particular attention on the cardiovascular system. In many preclinical models of cardiovascular diseases, including vasospasm, arteriosclerosis, hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, stroke, ischemia-reperfusion injury, and heart failure, ROCK inhibitors have shown a remarkable efficacy in reducing vascular smooth muscle cell hypercontraction, endothelial dysfunction, inflammatory cell recruitment, vascular remodeling, and cardiac remodeling. Moreover, fasudil has been used in the clinical trials of several cardiovascular diseases. The continuing utilization of available pharmacological inhibitors and the development of more potent or isoform-selective inhibitors in ROCK signaling research and in treating human diseases are escalating. In this review, we discuss the recent molecular, cellular, animal, and clinical studies with a focus on the current understanding of ROCK signaling in cardiovascular physiology and diseases. We particularly note that emerging evidence suggests that selective targeting ROCK isoform based on the disease pathophysiology may represent a novel therapeutic approach for the disease treatment including cardiovascular diseases.
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35
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Mortenson PN, Berdini V, O'Reilly M. Fragment-based approaches to the discovery of kinase inhibitors. Methods Enzymol 2014; 548:69-92. [PMID: 25399642 DOI: 10.1016/b978-0-12-397918-6.00003-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Protein kinases are one of the most important families of drug targets, and aberrant kinase activity has been linked to a large number of disease areas. Although eminently targetable using small molecules, kinases present a number of challenges as drug targets, not least obtaining selectivity across such a large and relatively closely related target family. Fragment-based drug discovery involves screening simple, low-molecular weight compounds to generate initial hits against a target. These hits are then optimized to more potent compounds via medicinal chemistry, usually facilitated by structural biology. Here, we will present a number of recent examples of fragment-based approaches to the discovery of kinase inhibitors, detailing the construction of fragment-screening libraries, the identification and validation of fragment hits, and their optimization into potent and selective lead compounds. The advantages of fragment-based methodologies will be discussed, along with some of the challenges associated with using this route. Finally, we will present a number of key lessons derived both from our own experience running fragment screens against kinases and from a large number of published studies.
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36
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION The Rho kinase/ROCK is critical in vital signal transduction pathways central to many essential cellular activities. Since ROCK possess multiple substrates, modulation of ROCK activity is useful for treatment of many diseases. AREAS COVERED Significant progress has been made in the development of ROCK inhibitors over the past two years (Jan 2012 to Aug 2013). Patent search in this review was based on FPO IP Research and Communities and Espacenet Patent Search. In this review, patent applications will be classified into four groups for discussions. The grouping is mainly based on structures or scaffolds (groups 1 and 2) and biological functions of ROCK inhibitors (groups 3 and 4). These four groups are i) ROCK inhibitors based on classical structural elements for ROCK inhibition; ii) ROCK inhibitors based on new scaffolds; iii) bis-functional ROCK inhibitors; and iv) novel applications of ROCK inhibitors. EXPERT OPINION Although currently only one ROCK inhibitor (fasudil) is used as a drug, more drugs based on ROCK inhibition are expected to be advanced into market in the near future. Several directions should be considered for future development of ROCK inhibitors, such as soft ROCK inhibitors, bis-functional ROCK inhibitors, ROCK2 isoform-selective inhibitors, and ROCK inhibitors as antiproliferation agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yangbo Feng
- Translational Research Institute, The Scripps Research Institute , Scripps Florida, #2A1, 130 Scripps Way, Jupiter, FL 33458 , USA +1 561 228 2201 ;
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37
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Abstract
Crystallography is a major tool for structure-driven drug design, as it allows knowledge of the 3D structure of protein targets and protein-ligand complexes. However, the route for crystal structure determination involves many steps, some of which may hamper its high-throughput use. Recent efforts have produced significant advances in experimental and computational tools and protocols. They include automatic crystallization tools, faster data collection devices, more efficient phasing methods and improved ligand-fitting procedures. The timescales of drug-discovery processes have been also reduced by using a fragment-based screening approach. Herein, the achievements in protein crystallography over the last 5 years are reviewed, and advantages and disadvantages of the fragment-based approaches to drug discovery that make use of x-ray crystallography as a primary screening method are examined. In particular, in some detail, five recent case studies pertaining to the development of new hits or leads in relevant therapeutic areas, such as cancer, immune response, inflammation, metabolic syndrome and neurology are described.
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38
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Guan R, Xu X, Chen M, Hu H, Ge H, Wen S, Zhou S, Pi R. Advances in the studies of roles of Rho/Rho-kinase in diseases and the development of its inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2013; 70:613-22. [PMID: 24211637 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2013.10.048] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2013] [Revised: 10/14/2013] [Accepted: 10/16/2013] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
RhoA/Rho-kinase pathway plays a pivotal role in numerous fundamental cellular functions including contraction, motility, proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. The pathway is also involved in the development of many diseases such as vasospasm, pulmonary hypertension, cancer and central nervous systems (CNS) disorders. The inhibitors of Rho kinase have been extensively studied since the Rho/Rho-kinase pathway was verified as a target for a number of diseases. Herein, we reviewed the advances in the studies of the roles of Rho/Rho-kinase in diseases and the development of Rho-kinase inhibitors in recent five years.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ronggui Guan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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39
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van Linden OPJ, Kooistra AJ, Leurs R, de Esch IJP, de Graaf C. KLIFS: a knowledge-based structural database to navigate kinase-ligand interaction space. J Med Chem 2013; 57:249-77. [PMID: 23941661 DOI: 10.1021/jm400378w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 205] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Protein kinases regulate the majority of signal transduction pathways in cells and have become important targets for the development of designer drugs. We present a systematic analysis of kinase-ligand interactions in all regions of the catalytic cleft of all 1252 human kinase-ligand cocrystal structures present in the Protein Data Bank (PDB). The kinase-ligand interaction fingerprints and structure database (KLIFS) contains a consistent alignment of 85 kinase ligand binding site residues that enables the identification of family specific interaction features and classification of ligands according to their binding modes. We illustrate how systematic mining of kinase-ligand interaction space gives new insights into how conserved and selective kinase interaction hot spots can accommodate the large diversity of chemical scaffolds in kinase ligands. These analyses lead to an improved understanding of the structural requirements of kinase binding that will be useful in ligand discovery and design studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oscar P J van Linden
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Sciences, Amsterdam Institute for Molecules, Medicines and Systems (AIMMS), VU University Amsterdam , De Boelelaan 1083, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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40
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Identification of pyrrolo[2,3-g]indazoles as new Pim kinase inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2013; 23:2298-301. [PMID: 23499503 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2013.02.074] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2013] [Revised: 02/12/2013] [Accepted: 02/14/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The synthesis and Pim kinase inhibition potency of a new series of pyrrolo[2,3-g]indazole derivatives is described. The results obtained in this preliminary structure-activity relationship study pointed out that sub-micromolar Pim-1 and Pim-3 inhibitory potencies could be obtained in this series, more particularly for compounds 10 and 20, showing that pyrrolo[2,3-g]indazole scaffold could be used for the development of new potent Pim kinase inhibitors. Molecular modeling experiments were also performed to study the binding mode of these compounds in Pim-3 ATP-binding pocket.
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41
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Patel RA, Liu Y, Wang B, Li R, Sebti SM. Identification of novel ROCK inhibitors with anti-migratory and anti-invasive activities. Oncogene 2013; 33:550-5. [PMID: 23396364 PMCID: PMC3977753 DOI: 10.1038/onc.2012.634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2012] [Revised: 11/16/2012] [Accepted: 11/27/2012] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
ROCK1 and ROCK2 mediate important processes such as cell migration, invasion and metastasis; making them good targets for the development of antitumor agents. Recently, using a fragment-based approach and X-ray crystallography, we reported on the design and synthesis of novel Rho-kinase inhibitors (RKIs). Here, we selected a pair of RKIs, the closely-related structural analogues RKI-18 (potent; IC50 values of 397 nM (ROCK1) and 349 nM (ROCK2)) and RKI-11 (weak/inactive; IC50 values of 38 µM (ROCK1) and 45 µM (ROCK2), as chemical probes and determined their effects on cytoskeleton organization, signaling, apoptosis, anchorage-dependent and –independent growth, migration and invasion. RKI-18 but not RKI-11 suppresses potently the phosphorylation of the ROCK substrate MLC2 in intact human breast, lung, colon and prostate cancer cells. Furthermore, RKI-18 is highly selective at decreasing the levels of P-MLC2 over those of P-Akt, P-S6 and P-Erk ½. RKI-18 suppresses ROCK-mediated actin fiber formation following stimulation with LPA as well as PAK-mediated lamelipodia and filopodia formation following bradykinin or PDGF stimulation. Furthermore, RKI-18 but not RKI-11 inhibits migration, invasion and anchorage-independent growth of human breast cancer cells. The fact that the active ROCK inhibitor RKI-18 but not the inactive closely related structural analogue RKI-11 is effective at suppressing malignant transformation suggests that inhibition of ROCK with RKI-18 results in preventing migration, invasion and anchorage-independent growth. The potential of this class of RKIs as anti tumor agents warrants further advanced preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- R A Patel
- Drug Discovery Department, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Y Liu
- Drug Discovery Department, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - B Wang
- Drug Discovery Department, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - R Li
- Drug Discovery Department, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - S M Sebti
- 1] Drug Discovery Department, H Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA [2] Departments of Oncologic Sciences and Molecular Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA
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42
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Rath N, Olson MF. Rho-associated kinases in tumorigenesis: re-considering ROCK inhibition for cancer therapy. EMBO Rep 2012; 13:900-8. [PMID: 22964758 DOI: 10.1038/embor.2012.127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 246] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2012] [Accepted: 08/01/2012] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The Rho-associated (ROCK) serine/threonine kinases have emerged as central regulators of the actomyosin cytoskeleton, their main purpose being to promote contractile force generation. Aided by the discovery of effective inhibitors such as Y27632, their roles in cancer have been extensively explored with particular attention focused on motility, invasion and metastasis. Recent studies have revealed a surprisingly diverse range of functions of ROCK. These insights could change the way ROCK inhibitors might be used in cancer therapy to include the targeting of stromal rather than tumour cells, the concomitant blocking of ROCK and proteasome activity in K-Ras-driven lung cancers and the combination of ROCK with tyrosine kinase inhibitors for treating haematological malignancies such as chronic myeloid leukaemia. Despite initial optimism for therapeutic efficacy of ROCK inhibition for cancer treatment, no compounds have progressed into standard therapy so far. However, by carefully defining the key cancer types and expanding the appreciation of ROCK's role in cancer beyond being a cell-autonomous promoter of tumour cell invasion and metastasis, the early promise of ROCK inhibitors for cancer therapy might still be realized.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicola Rath
- Beatson Institute for Cancer Research, Glasgow, UK
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