1
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Papadopoulou D, Mavrikaki V, Charalampous F, Tzaferis C, Samiotaki M, Papavasileiou KD, Afantitis A, Karagianni N, Denis MC, Sanchez J, Lane JR, Faidon Brotzakis Z, Skretas G, Georgiadis D, Matralis AN, Kollias G. Discovery of the First-in-Class Inhibitors of Hypoxia Up-Regulated Protein 1 (HYOU1) Suppressing Pathogenic Fibroblast Activation. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202319157. [PMID: 38339863 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202319157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/09/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024]
Abstract
Fibroblasts are key regulators of inflammation, fibrosis, and cancer. Targeting their activation in these complex diseases has emerged as a novel strategy to restore tissue homeostasis. Here, we present a multidisciplinary lead discovery approach to identify and optimize small molecule inhibitors of pathogenic fibroblast activation. The study encompasses medicinal chemistry, molecular phenotyping assays, chemoproteomics, bulk RNA-sequencing analysis, target validation experiments, and chemical absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity (ADMET)/pharmacokinetic (PK)/in vivo evaluation. The parallel synthesis employed for the production of the new benzamide derivatives enabled us to a) pinpoint key structural elements of the scaffold that provide potent fibroblast-deactivating effects in cells, b) discriminate atoms or groups that favor or disfavor a desirable ADMET profile, and c) identify metabolic "hot spots". Furthermore, we report the discovery of the first-in-class inhibitor leads for hypoxia up-regulated protein 1 (HYOU1), a member of the heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) family often associated with cellular stress responses, particularly under hypoxic conditions. Targeting HYOU1 may therefore represent a potentially novel strategy to modulate fibroblast activation and treat chronic inflammatory and fibrotic disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dimitra Papadopoulou
- Institute for Bioinnovation, Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming", 16672, Vari, Greece
| | - Vasiliki Mavrikaki
- Institute for Bioinnovation, Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming", Vari, 16672, Athens, Greece
- Department of Chemistry, Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784, Athens, Greece
| | - Filippos Charalampous
- Institute for Bioinnovation, Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming", 16672, Vari, Greece
| | - Christos Tzaferis
- Institute for Bioinnovation, Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming", 16672, Vari, Greece
| | - Martina Samiotaki
- Institute for Bioinnovation, Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming", 16672, Vari, Greece
| | - Konstantinos D Papavasileiou
- Department of ChemoInformatics, Novamechanics Ltd., 1070, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Department of Chemoinformatics, Novamechanics MIKE, 18545, Piraeus, Greece
- Division of Data Driven Innovation, Entelos Institute, 6059, Larnaca, Cyprus
| | - Antreas Afantitis
- Department of ChemoInformatics, Novamechanics Ltd., 1070, Nicosia, Cyprus
- Department of Chemoinformatics, Novamechanics MIKE, 18545, Piraeus, Greece
- Division of Data Driven Innovation, Entelos Institute, 6059, Larnaca, Cyprus
| | | | | | - Julie Sanchez
- Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, NG7 2UH, Nottingham, U.K
- Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors, Universities of Birmingham and Nottingham, NG2 7AG, Midlands, U.K
| | - J Robert Lane
- Division of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, School of Life Sciences, Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, NG7 2UH, Nottingham, U.K
- Centre of Membrane Proteins and Receptors, Universities of Birmingham and Nottingham, NG2 7AG, Midlands, U.K
| | - Zacharias Faidon Brotzakis
- Centre for Misfolding Diseases, Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, U.K
- Institute for Bioinnovation, Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming", 16672, Vari, Greece
| | - Georgios Skretas
- Institute for Bioinnovation, Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming", 16672, Vari, Greece
- Institute of Chemical Biology, National Hellenic Research Foundation, 11635, Athens, Greece
| | - Dimitris Georgiadis
- Department of Chemistry, Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 15784, Athens, Greece
| | - Alexios N Matralis
- Institute for Bioinnovation, Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming", 16672, Vari, Greece
| | - George Kollias
- Institute for Bioinnovation, Biomedical Sciences Research Center "Alexander Fleming", 16672, Vari, Greece
- Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527, Athens, Greece
- Research Institute of New Biotechnologies and Precision Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11527, Athens, Greece
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Abstract
The oxetane ring is an emergent, underexplored motif in drug discovery that shows attractive properties such as low molecular weight, high polarity, and marked three-dimensionality. Oxetanes have garnered further interest as isosteres of carbonyl groups and as molecular tools to fine-tune physicochemical properties of drug compounds such as pKa, LogD, aqueous solubility, and metabolic clearance. This perspective highlights recent applications of oxetane motifs in drug discovery campaigns (2017-2022), with emphasis on the effect of the oxetane on medicinally relevant properties and on the building blocks used to incorporate the oxetane ring. Based on this analysis, we provide an overview of the potential benefits of appending an oxetane to a drug compound, as well as potential pitfalls, challenges, and future directions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juan J. Rojas
- Department of Chemistry,
Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences
Research Hub, White City
Campus, Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
| | - James A. Bull
- Department of Chemistry,
Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences
Research Hub, White City
Campus, Wood Lane, London W12 0BZ, U.K.
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3
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Manevski N, Umehara K, Parrott N. Drug Design and Success of Prospective Mouse In Vitro-In Vivo Extrapolation (IVIVE) for Predictions of Plasma Clearance (CL p) from Hepatocyte Intrinsic Clearance (CL int). Mol Pharm 2023. [PMID: 37235687 DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.2c01001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocyte intrinsic clearance (CLint) and methods of in vitro-in vivo extrapolation (IVIVE) are often used to predict plasma clearance (CLp) in drug discovery. While the prediction success of this approach is dependent on the chemotype, specific molecular properties and drug design features that govern these outcomes are poorly understood. To address this challenge, we investigated the success of prospective mouse CLp IVIVE across 2142 chemically diverse compounds. Dilution scaling, which assumes that the free fraction in hepatocyte incubations (fu,inc) is governed by binding to the 10% of serum in the incubation medium, was used as our default CLp IVIVE approach. Results show that predictions of CLp are better for smaller (molecular weight (MW) < 500 Da), less polar (total polar surface area (TPSA) < 100 Å2, hydrogen bond donor (HBD) ≤1, hydrogen bond acceptor (HBA) ≤ 6), lipophilic (log D > 3), and neutral compounds, with low HBD count playing the key role. If compounds are classified according to their chemical space, predictions were good for compounds resembling central nervous system (CNS) drugs [average absolute fold error (AAFE) of 2.05, average fold error (AFE) of 0.90], moderate for classical druglike compounds (according to Lipinski, Veber, and Ghose guidelines; AAFE of 2.55; AFE of 0.68), and poor for nonclassical "beyond the rule of 5" compounds (AAFE of 3.31; AFE of 0.41). From the perspective of measured druglike properties, predictions of CLp were better for compounds with moderate-to-high hepatocyte CLint (>10 μL/min/106 cells), high passive cellular permeability (Papp > 100 nm/s), and moderate observed CLp (5-50 mL/min/kg). Influences of plasma protein binding (fu,p) and P-glycoprotein (Pgp) apical efflux ratio (AP-ER) were less pronounced. If the extended clearance classification system (ECCS) is applied, predictions were good for class 2 (Papp > 50 nm/s; neutral or basic; AAFE of 2.35; AFE of 0.70) and acceptable for class 1A compounds (AAFE of 2.98; AFE of 0.70). Classes 1B, 3 A/B, and 4 showed poor outcomes (AAFE > 3.80; AFE < 0.60). Functional groups trending toward weaker CLp IVIVE were esters, carbamates, sulfonamides, carboxylic acids, ketones, primary and secondary amines, primary alcohols, oxetanes, and compounds liable to aldehyde oxidase metabolism, likely due to multifactorial reasons. Multivariate analysis showed that multiple properties are relevant, combining together to define the overall success of CLp IVIVE. Our results indicate that the current practice of prospective CLp IVIVE is suitable only for CNS-like compounds and well-behaved classical druglike space (e.g., high permeability or ECCS class 2) without challenging functional groups. Unfortunately, based on existing mouse data, prospective CLp IVIVE for complex and nonclassical chemotypes is poor and hardly better than random guessing. This is likely due to complexities such as extrahepatic metabolism and transporter-mediated disposition which are poorly captured by this methodology. With small-molecule drug discovery increasingly evolving toward nonclassical and complex chemotypes, existing CLp IVIVE methodology will require improvement. While empirical correction factors may bridge the gap in the near future, improved and new in vitro assays, data integration models, and machine learning (ML) methods are increasingly needed to address this challenge and reduce the number of nonclinical pharmacokinetic (PK) studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nenad Manevski
- Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Roche Innovation Center Basel, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Kenichi Umehara
- Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Roche Innovation Center Basel, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
| | - Neil Parrott
- Roche Pharmaceutical Research and Early Development (pRED), Roche Innovation Center Basel, 4070 Basel, Switzerland
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4
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Li JK, Qu G, Li X, Tian Y, Cui C, Zhang FG, Zhang W, Ma JA, Reetz MT, Sun Z. Rational enzyme design for enabling biocatalytic Baldwin cyclization and asymmetric synthesis of chiral heterocycles. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7813. [PMID: 36535947 PMCID: PMC9763437 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35468-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2022] [Accepted: 12/05/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Chiral heterocyclic compounds are needed for important medicinal applications. We report an in silico strategy for the biocatalytic synthesis of chiral N- and O-heterocycles via Baldwin cyclization modes of hydroxy- and amino-substituted epoxides and oxetanes using the limonene epoxide hydrolase from Rhodococcus erythropolis. This enzyme normally catalyzes hydrolysis with formation of vicinal diols. Firstly, the required shutdown of the undesired natural water-mediated ring-opening is achieved by rational mutagenesis of the active site. In silico enzyme design is then continued with generation of the improved mutants. These variants prove to be versatile catalysts for preparing chiral N- and O-heterocycles with up to 99% conversion, and enantiomeric ratios up to 99:1. Crystal structural data and computational modeling reveal that Baldwin-type cyclizations, catalyzed by the reprogrammed enzyme, are enabled by reshaping the active-site environment that directs the distal RHN and HO-substituents to be intramolecular nucleophiles.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jun-Kuan Li
- grid.33763.320000 0004 1761 2484Department of Chemistry, Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 China ,grid.9227.e0000000119573309Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308 China
| | - Ge Qu
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308 China ,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308 China
| | - Xu Li
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308 China ,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308 China
| | - Yuchen Tian
- grid.33763.320000 0004 1761 2484Department of Chemistry, Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 China
| | - Chengsen Cui
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308 China ,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308 China
| | - Fa-Guang Zhang
- grid.33763.320000 0004 1761 2484Department of Chemistry, Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 China
| | - Wuyuan Zhang
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308 China ,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308 China
| | - Jun-An Ma
- grid.33763.320000 0004 1761 2484Department of Chemistry, Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology (Ministry of Education), Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072 China
| | - Manfred T. Reetz
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308 China ,grid.419607.d0000 0001 2096 9941Biocatalysis Section, Max-Planck-Institut für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470 Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | - Zhoutong Sun
- grid.9227.e0000000119573309Tianjin Institute of Industrial Biotechnology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tianjin, 300308 China ,National Technology Innovation Center of Synthetic Biology, Tianjin, 300308 China
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5
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Landry ML, Trager R, Broccatelli F, Crawford JJ. When Cofactors Aren't X Factors: Functional Groups That Are Labile in Human Liver Microsomes in the Absence of NADPH. ACS Med Chem Lett 2022; 13:727-733. [PMID: 35450376 PMCID: PMC9014494 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.2c00071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
The metabolic stability of compounds is often assessed at an early stage in drug discovery programs by profiling with hepatic microsomes. Exclusion of the reduced form of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) in these assays provides insight into non-cytochrome P450 (CYP)-mediated metabolism. This report uses a matched molecular pair (MMP) application to assess which chemical substituents are commonly susceptible to non-NADPH-mediated metabolism by microsomes. The analysis found the overall prevalence of metabolism in the absence of NADPH to be low, with esters, amides, aldehydes, and oxetanes being among the most commonly susceptible functional groups. Given that non-CYP enzymes, such as esterases, may be expressed extrahepatically and lead to lower confidence in predicted pharmacokinetic profiles, an awareness of the functional groups that commonly undergo non-NADPH-mediated metabolism-as well as options for their replacement based on experimental MMP data-may help researchers derisk metabolic stability issues at an earlier stage in drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthew L. Landry
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Richard Trager
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - Fabio Broccatelli
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
| | - James J. Crawford
- Genentech, Inc., 1 DNA Way, South San Francisco, California 94080, United States
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6
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Hopkins BT, Bame E, Bajrami B, Black C, Bohnert T, Boiselle C, Burdette D, Burns JC, Delva L, Donaldson D, Grater R, Gu C, Hoemberger M, Johnson J, Kapadnis S, King K, Lulla M, Ma B, Marx I, Magee T, Meissner R, Metrick CM, Mingueneau M, Murugan P, Otipoby KL, Polack E, Poreci U, Prince R, Roach AM, Rowbottom C, Santoro JC, Schroeder P, Tang H, Tien E, Zhang F, Lyssikatos J. Discovery and Preclinical Characterization of BIIB091, a Reversible, Selective BTK Inhibitor for the Treatment of Multiple Sclerosis. J Med Chem 2022; 65:1206-1224. [PMID: 34734694 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00926] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Multiple Sclerosis is a chronic autoimmune neurodegenerative disorder of the central nervous system (CNS) that is characterized by inflammation, demyelination, and axonal injury leading to permeant disability. In the early stage of MS, inflammation is the primary driver of the disease progression. There remains an unmet need to develop high efficacy therapies with superior safety profiles to prevent the inflammation processes leading to disability. Herein, we describe the discovery of BIIB091, a structurally distinct orthosteric ATP competitive, reversible inhibitor that binds the BTK protein in a DFG-in confirmation designed to sequester Tyr-551, an important phosphorylation site on BTK, into an inactive conformation with excellent affinity. Preclinical studies demonstrated BIB091 to be a high potency molecule with good drug-like properties and a safety/tolerability profile suitable for clinical development as a highly selective, reversible BTKi for treating autoimmune diseases such as MS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian T Hopkins
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Eris Bame
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Bekim Bajrami
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Cheryl Black
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Tonika Bohnert
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Carrie Boiselle
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Doug Burdette
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Jeremy C Burns
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Luisette Delva
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Douglas Donaldson
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Richard Grater
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Chungang Gu
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Marc Hoemberger
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Josh Johnson
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Sudarshan Kapadnis
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Kris King
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Mukesh Lulla
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Bin Ma
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Isaac Marx
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Tom Magee
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Robert Meissner
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Claire M Metrick
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Michael Mingueneau
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Paramasivam Murugan
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Kevin L Otipoby
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Evelyne Polack
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Urjana Poreci
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Robin Prince
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Allie M Roach
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Chris Rowbottom
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Joseph C Santoro
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Patricia Schroeder
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Hao Tang
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Eric Tien
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Fengmei Zhang
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
| | - Joseph Lyssikatos
- Research & Development, Biogen, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142, United States
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7
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Ciulli A, Hamann L, Jahnke W, Kalgutkar AS, Magauer T, Ritter T, Steadman V, Williams SD, Winter G, Hoegenauer K, Krawinkler KH, Stepan AF. The 2 nd Alpine Winter Conference on Medicinal and Synthetic Chemistry. ChemMedChem 2021; 16:2417-2423. [PMID: 34114371 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202100372] [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: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
The second biannual Alpine Winter Conference on Medicinal and Synthetic Chemistry (short: Alpine Winter Conference) took place January 19-23, 2020, in St. Anton in western Austria. There were roughly 180 attendees from around the globe, making this mid-sized conference particularly conducive to networking and exchanging ideas over the course of four and a half days. This report summarizes the key events and presentations given by researchers working in both industry and academia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Ciulli
- Biological Chemistry & Drug Discovery, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dow Street, Dundee, DD1 5EH, UK
| | - Lawrence Hamann
- Drug Discovery Sciences, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, 30 Landsdowne Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Wolfgang Jahnke
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Amit S Kalgutkar
- Medicine Design, Pfizer, Inc., 1 Portland Street, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Thomas Magauer
- Department of Chemistry and Pharmacy, Institute of Organic Chemistry, Leopold-Franzens-University Innsbruck, Innrain 80-82, L02.012, 6020, Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Tobias Ritter
- Max-Planck Institut für Kohlenforschung, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Platz 1, 45470, Muelheim an der Ruhr, Germany
| | | | | | - Georg Winter
- Research Center for Molecular Medicine (CeMM), Austrian Academy of Sciences, 1090, Vienna, Austria
| | | | | | - Antonia F Stepan
- F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd., Grenzacherstrasse 124, 4070, Basel, Switzerland
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8
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Bauer MR, Di Fruscia P, Lucas SCC, Michaelides IN, Nelson JE, Storer RI, Whitehurst BC. Put a ring on it: application of small aliphatic rings in medicinal chemistry. RSC Med Chem 2021; 12:448-471. [PMID: 33937776 PMCID: PMC8083977 DOI: 10.1039/d0md00370k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 148] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Aliphatic three- and four-membered rings including cyclopropanes, cyclobutanes, oxetanes, azetidines and bicyclo[1.1.1]pentanes have been increasingly exploited in medicinal chemistry for their beneficial physicochemical properties and applications as functional group bioisosteres. This review provides a historical perspective and comparative up to date overview of commonly applied small rings, exemplifying key principles with recent literature examples. In addition to describing the merits and advantages of each ring system, potential hazards and liabilities are also illustrated and explained, including any significant chemical or metabolic stability and toxicity risks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matthias R Bauer
- Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca Cambridge UK
| | - Paolo Di Fruscia
- Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca Cambridge UK
| | - Simon C C Lucas
- Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca Cambridge UK
| | | | - Jennifer E Nelson
- Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca Cambridge UK
| | - R Ian Storer
- Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca Cambridge UK
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9
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Barnych B, Singh N, Negrel S, Zhang Y, Magis D, Roux C, Hua X, Ding Z, Morisseau C, Tantillo DJ, Siegel JB, Hammock BD. Development of potent inhibitors of the human microsomal epoxide hydrolase. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 193:112206. [PMID: 32203787 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112206] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2020] [Accepted: 03/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) hydrolyzes a wide range of epoxide containing molecules. Although involved in the metabolism of xenobiotics, recent studies associate mEH with the onset and development of certain disease conditions. This phenomenon is partially attributed to the significant role mEH plays in hydrolyzing endogenous lipid mediators, suggesting more complex and extensive physiological functions. In order to obtain pharmacological tools to further study the biology and therapeutic potential of this enzyme target, we describe the development of highly potent 2-alkylthio acetamide inhibitors of the human mEH with IC50 values in the low nanomolar range. These are around 2 orders of magnitude more potent than previously obtained primary amine, amide and urea-based mEH inhibitors. Experimental assay results and rationalization of binding through docking calculations of inhibitors to a mEH homology model indicate that an amide connected to an alkyl side chain and a benzyl-thio function as key pharmacophore units.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bogdan Barnych
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, UCD Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
| | - Nalin Singh
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, UCD Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
| | - Sophie Negrel
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, UCD Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
| | - Yue Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
| | - Damien Magis
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, UCD Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
| | - Capucine Roux
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, UCD Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
| | - Xiude Hua
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, UCD Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, United States; College of Plant Protection, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing, 210095, China
| | - Zhewen Ding
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, UCD Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
| | - Christophe Morisseau
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, UCD Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
| | - Dean J Tantillo
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
| | - Justin B Siegel
- Department of Chemistry, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, United States; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, United States; Genome Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, United States
| | - Bruce D Hammock
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, UCD Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, Davis, CA, 95616, United States.
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10
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Li XQ, Grönberg G, Bangur EH, Hayes MA, Castagnoli N, Weidolf L. Metabolism of Strained Rings: Glutathione S-transferase-Catalyzed Formation of a Glutathione-Conjugated Spiro-azetidine without Prior Bioactivation. Drug Metab Dispos 2019; 47:1247-1256. [PMID: 31492694 DOI: 10.1124/dmd.119.088658] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2019] [Accepted: 08/28/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
AZD1979 [(3-(4-(2-oxa-6-azaspiro[3.3]heptan-6-ylmethyl)phenoxy)azetidin-1-yl)(5-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl)methanone] is a melanin-concentrating hormone receptor 1 antagonist designed for the treatment of obesity. In this study, metabolite profiles of AZD1979 in human hepatocytes revealed a series of glutathione-related metabolites, including the glutathionyl, cysteinyl, cysteinylglycinyl, and mercapturic acid conjugates. The formation of these metabolites was not inhibited by coincubation with the cytochrome P450 (P450) inhibitor 1-aminobenzotriazole. In efforts to identify the mechanistic features of this pathway, investigations were performed to characterize the structure of the glutathionyl conjugate M12 of AZD1979 and to identify the enzyme system catalyzing its formation. Studies with various human liver subcellular fractions established that the formation of M12 was NAD(P)H-independent and proceeded in cytosol and S9 fractions but not in microsomal or mitochondrial fractions. The formation of M12 was inhibited by ethacrynic acid, an inhibitor of glutathione S-transferases (GSTs). Several human recombinant GSTs, including GSTA1, A2-2, M1a, M2-2, T1-1, and GST from human placenta, were incubated with AZD1979. All GSTs tested catalyzed the formation of M12, with GSTA2-2 being the most efficient. Metabolite M12 was purified from rat liver S9 incubations and its structure elucidated by NMR. These results establish that M12 is the product of the GST-catalyzed glutathione attack on the carbon atom α to the nitrogen atom of the strained spiro-azetidinyl moiety to give, after ring opening, the corresponding amino-thioether conjugate product, a direct conjugation pathway that occurs without the prior substrate bioactivation by P450. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: The investigated compound, AZD1979, contains a 6-substituted-2-oxa-6-azaspiro[3.3]heptanyl derivative that is an example of strained heterocycles, including spiro-fused ring systems, that are widely used in synthetic organic chemistry. An unusual azetidinyl ring-opening reaction involving a nucleophilic attack by glutathione, which does not involve prior cytochrome P450-catalyzed bioactivation of the substrate and which is catalyzed by glutathione transferases, is reported. We propose a mechanism involving the protonated cyclic aminyl intermediate that undergoes nucleophilic attack by glutathione thiolate anion in this reaction, catalyzed by glutathione transferases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue-Qing Li
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Research and Early Development Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (X.-Q.L., E.-H.B., L.W.), Hit Discovery, Discovery Sciences (M.A.H.), and Medicinal Chemistry, Early Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity (G.G.), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden; and Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia (N.C.J.)
| | - Gunnar Grönberg
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Research and Early Development Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (X.-Q.L., E.-H.B., L.W.), Hit Discovery, Discovery Sciences (M.A.H.), and Medicinal Chemistry, Early Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity (G.G.), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden; and Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia (N.C.J.)
| | - Eva-Henriette Bangur
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Research and Early Development Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (X.-Q.L., E.-H.B., L.W.), Hit Discovery, Discovery Sciences (M.A.H.), and Medicinal Chemistry, Early Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity (G.G.), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden; and Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia (N.C.J.)
| | - Martin A Hayes
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Research and Early Development Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (X.-Q.L., E.-H.B., L.W.), Hit Discovery, Discovery Sciences (M.A.H.), and Medicinal Chemistry, Early Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity (G.G.), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden; and Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia (N.C.J.)
| | - Neal Castagnoli
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Research and Early Development Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (X.-Q.L., E.-H.B., L.W.), Hit Discovery, Discovery Sciences (M.A.H.), and Medicinal Chemistry, Early Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity (G.G.), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden; and Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia (N.C.J.)
| | - Lars Weidolf
- Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics, Research and Early Development Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism (X.-Q.L., E.-H.B., L.W.), Hit Discovery, Discovery Sciences (M.A.H.), and Medicinal Chemistry, Early Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity (G.G.), BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden; and Department of Chemistry, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia (N.C.J.)
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Toselli F, Fredenwall M, Svensson P, Li XQ, Johansson A, Weidolf L, Hayes MA. Hip To Be Square: Oxetanes as Design Elements To Alter Metabolic Pathways. J Med Chem 2019; 62:7383-7399. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b00030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Francesca Toselli
- Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Marlene Fredenwall
- Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Peder Svensson
- Integrative Research Laboratories, Arvid Wallgrens Backe 20, Gothenburg 413 46, Sweden
| | - Xue-Qing Li
- Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anders Johansson
- Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Lars Weidolf
- Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Martin A. Hayes
- Discovery Sciences, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
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12
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Khojasteh SC, Miller GP, Mitra K, Rietjens IMCM. Biotransformation and bioactivation reactions - 2017 literature highlights *. Drug Metab Rev 2018; 50:221-255. [PMID: 29954222 DOI: 10.1080/03602532.2018.1473875] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/28/2022]
Abstract
This annual review is the third one to highlight recent advances in the study and assessment of biotransformations and bioactivations ( Table 1 ). We followed the same format as the previous years with selection and authoring each section (see Baillie et al. 2016 ; Khojasteh et al. 2017 ). We acknowledge that many universities no longer train students in mechanistic biotransformation studies reflecting a decline in the investment for those efforts by public funded granting institutions. We hope this work serves as a resource to appreciate the knowledge gained each year to understand and hopefully anticipate toxicological outcomes dependent on biotransformations and bioactivations. This effort itself also continues to evolve. I am pleased that Drs. Rietjens and Miller have again contributed to this annual review. We would like to welcome Kaushik Mitra as an author for this year's issue, and we thank Deepak Dalvie for his contributions to last year's edition. We have intentionally maintained a balance of authors such that two come from an academic setting and two come from industry. As always, please drop us a note if you find this review helpful. We would be pleased to hear your opinions of our commentary, and we extend an invitation to anyone who would like to contribute to a future edition of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Cyrus Khojasteh
- a Department of Drug Metabolism and Pharmacokinetics , Genentech, Inc , South San Francisco , CA , USA
| | - Grover P Miller
- b Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology , University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences , Little Rock , AR , USA
| | - Kaushik Mitra
- c Department of Safety Assessment and Laboratory Animal Resources , Merck Research Laboratories (MRL), Merck & Co., Inc , West Point , PA , USA
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