1
|
Pastwińska J, Karwaciak I, Karaś K, Bachorz RA, Ratajewski M. RORγT agonists as immune modulators in anticancer therapy. Biochim Biophys Acta Rev Cancer 2023; 1878:189021. [PMID: 37951483 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbcan.2023.189021] [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: 08/01/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/04/2023] [Indexed: 11/14/2023]
Abstract
RORγT is a transcription factor that directs the development of Th17 lymphocytes and other IL-17-expressing cells (e.g., Tc17 and ILC3 cells). These cells are involved in the body's defense against pathogenic bacteria and fungi, but they also participate in maintaining the proinflammatory environment in some autoimmune diseases and play a role in the immune system's response to cancer. Similar to other members of the nuclear receptor superfamily, the activity of RORγT is regulated by low-molecular-weight ligands. Therefore, extensive efforts have been dedicated to identifying inverse agonists that diminish the activity of this receptor and subsequently inhibit the development of autoimmune diseases. Unfortunately, in the pursuit of an ideal inverse agonist, the development of agonists has been overlooked. It is important to remember that these types of compounds, by stimulating lymphocytes expressing RORγT (Th17 and Tc17), can enhance the immune system's response to tumors. In this review, we present recent advancements in the biology of RORγT agonists and their potential application in anticancer therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joanna Pastwińska
- Laboratory of Epigenetics, Institute of Medical Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lodowa 106, 93-232 Lodz, Poland
| | - Iwona Karwaciak
- Laboratory of Epigenetics, Institute of Medical Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lodowa 106, 93-232 Lodz, Poland
| | - Kaja Karaś
- Laboratory of Epigenetics, Institute of Medical Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lodowa 106, 93-232 Lodz, Poland
| | - Rafał A Bachorz
- Laboratory of Molecular Modeling, Institute of Medical Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lodowa 106, 93-232 Lodz, Poland
| | - Marcin Ratajewski
- Laboratory of Epigenetics, Institute of Medical Biology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Lodowa 106, 93-232 Lodz, Poland.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Lu L, Sun N, Wang Y. Development and therapeutic potential of allosteric retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor γt (RORγt) inverse agonists for autoimmune diseases. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 258:115574. [PMID: 37336069 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/12/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/21/2023]
Abstract
The transcription factor retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor γt (RORγt) is an attractive drug target for some autoimmune diseases owing to its roles in the differentiation of human T helper 17 (Th17) cells which produce pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin (IL)-17. RORγt agonists and inverse agonists are classically targeted to the hydrophobic and highly conserved orthosteric binding pocket of RORγt ligand binding domain (LBD). Although successful, this approach also brings some challenges, including off-target effects due to lack of selectivity over other nuclear receptors (NRs). Allosteric regulation of RORγt by synthetic small molecules has recently emerged as novel research interests for its interesting modes of action (MOA), satisfying bioactivity profile and improved selectivity. In this review, we delineated the discovery and identification of the allosteric pocket of RORγt. Subsequently, we focused on examples of small molecules that allosterically inhibit RORγt, with a central attention on structural-activity-relationship (SAR) information, biological activity, pharmacokinetic (PK) property, and the ligand binding mode of these compounds. We also discussed the potential role of RORγt allosteric inverse agonists as small molecule therapeutics for autoimmune diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lixue Lu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Nannan Sun
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yonghui Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zhang J, Chen B, Zhang C, Sun N, Huang X, Wang W, Fu W. Modes of action insights from the crystallographic structures of retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor-γt (RORγt). Eur J Med Chem 2023; 247:115039. [PMID: 36566711 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.115039] [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: 10/26/2022] [Revised: 11/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
RORγt plays an important role in mediating IL-17 production and some tumor cells. It has four functional domains, of which the ligand-binding domain (LBD) is responsible for binding agonists to recruit co-activators or inverse agonists to prevent co-activator recruiting the agonists. Thus, potent ligands targeting the LBD of this protein could provide novel treatments for cancer and autoimmune diseases. In this perspective, we summarized and discussed various modes of action (MOA) of RORγt-ligand binding structures. The ligands can bind with RORγt at either orthosteric site or the allosteric site, and the binding modes at these two sites are different for agonists and inverse agonist. At the orthosteric site, the binding of agonist is to stabilize the H479-Y502-F506 triplet interaction network of RORγt. The binding of inverse agonist features as these four apparent ways: (1) blocking the entrance of the agonist pocket in RORγt; (2) directly breaking the H479-Y502 pair interactions; (3) destabilizing the triplet H479-Y502-F506 interaction network through perturbing the conformation of the side chain in M358 at the bottom of the binding pocket; (4) and destabilizing the triplet H479-Y502-F506 through changing the conformation of the side chain of residue W317 side chain. At the allosteric site of RORγt, the binding of inverse agonist was found recently to inhibit the activation of protein by interacting directly with H12, which results in unfolding of helix 11' and orientation of H12 to directly block cofactor peptide binding. This overview of recent advances in the RORγt structures is expected to provide a guidance of designing more potent drugs to treat RORγt-related diseases.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Junjie Zhang
- School of Pharmacy & Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201301, PR China
| | - Baiyu Chen
- School of Pharmacy & Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201301, PR China
| | - Chao Zhang
- School of Pharmacy & Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201301, PR China
| | - Nannan Sun
- School of Pharmacy & Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201301, PR China
| | - Xiaoqin Huang
- Center for Research Computing, Office of Information Technology, Center for Theoretical Biological Physics, Rice University, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | - Wuqing Wang
- School of Pharmacy & Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201301, PR China
| | - Wei Fu
- School of Pharmacy & Minhang Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201301, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Pham B, Cheng Z, Lopez D, Lindsay RJ, Foutch D, Majors RT, Shen T. Statistical Analysis of Protein-Ligand Interaction Patterns in Nuclear Receptor RORγ. Front Mol Biosci 2022; 9:904445. [PMID: 35782874 PMCID: PMC9240913 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2022.904445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
The receptor RORγ belongs to the nuclear receptor superfamily that senses small signaling molecules and regulates at the gene transcription level. Since RORγ has a high basal activity and plays an important role in immune responses, inhibitors targeting this receptor have been a focus for many studies. The receptor-ligand interaction is complex, and often subtle differences in ligand structure can determine its role as an inverse agonist or an agonist. We examined more than 130 existing RORγ crystal structures that have the same receptor complexed with different ligands. We reported the features of receptor-ligand interaction patterns and the differences between agonist and inverse agonist binding. Specific changes in the contact interaction map are identified to distinguish active and inactive conformations. Further statistical analysis of the contact interaction patterns using principal component analysis reveals a dominant mode which separates allosteric binding vs. canonical binding and a second mode which may indicate active vs. inactive structures. We also studied the nature of constitutive activity by performing a 100-ns computer simulation of apo RORγ. Using constitutively active nuclear receptor CAR as a comparison, we identified a group of conserved contacts that have similar contact strength between the two receptors. These conserved contact interactions, especially a couple key contacts in H11–H12 interaction, can be considered essential to the constitutive activity of RORγ. These protein-ligand and internal protein contact interactions can be useful in the development of new drugs that direct receptor activity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Bill Pham
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Ziju Cheng
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Daniel Lopez
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Richard J. Lindsay
- UT-ORNL Graduate School of Genome Science and Technology, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - David Foutch
- UT-ORNL Graduate School of Genome Science and Technology, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Rily T. Majors
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
| | - Tongye Shen
- Department of Biochemistry and Cellular and Molecular Biology, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN, United States
- *Correspondence: Tongye Shen,
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Suri C, Awasthi A, Asthana S. Crystallographic landscape provides molecular insights into the modes of action of diverse ROR-γt modulators. Drug Discov Today 2021; 27:652-663. [PMID: 34838728 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2021.11.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2021] [Revised: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
ROR-γt, the master regulator of Th-17 cells, is activated by the binding of small molecules at its orthosteric site, followed by the recruitment of co-activators or co-repressors in the ligand binding domain (LBD). Th-17 cells provide immune-dependent protection against cancers and pathogens. Their dysregulation causes inflammation and is therefore implicated in various autoimmune diseases such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis. Consequently, there is enormous interest in the development of ROR-γt modulators, both agonist and inverse-agonists. Here, we review advances in the development of ROR-γt modulators that have been made over the past decade, focusing on the rich crystallography landscape for ROR-γt co-crystals that has delineated the relationship between the binding patterns of modulators and the resulting biological activities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Charu Suri
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Haryana 121001, India.
| | - Amit Awasthi
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Haryana 121001, India.
| | - Shailendra Asthana
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Haryana 121001, India.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Zaienne D, Willems S, Schierle S, Heering J, Merk D. Development and Profiling of Inverse Agonist Tools for the Neuroprotective Transcription Factor Nurr1. J Med Chem 2021; 64:15126-15140. [PMID: 34633810 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The ligand-sensing transcription factor nuclear receptor related 1 (Nurr1) evolves as an appealing target to treat neurodegenerative diseases. Despite its therapeutic potential observed in various rodent models, potent modulators for Nurr1 are lacking as pharmacological tools. Here, we report the structure-activity relationship and systematic optimization of indole-based inverse Nurr1 agonists. Optimized analogues decreased the receptor's intrinsic transcriptional activity by up to more than 90% and revealed preference for inhibiting Nurr1 monomer activity. In orthogonal cell-free settings, we detected displacement of NCoRs and disruption of the Nurr1 homodimer as molecular modes of action. The inverse Nurr1 agonists reduced the expression of Nurr1-regulated genes in T98G cells, and treatment with an inverse Nurr1 agonist mimicked the effect of Nurr1 silencing on interleukin-6 release from LPS-stimulated human astrocytes. The indole-based inverse Nurr1 agonists valuably extend the toolbox of Nurr1 modulators to further probe the role of Nurr1 in neuroinflammation, cancer, and beyond.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Zaienne
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Sabine Willems
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Simone Schierle
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jan Heering
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, D-60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Daniel Merk
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, D-60438 Frankfurt, Germany.,Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, D-81377 Munich, Germany
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Aicher TD, Van Huis CA, Hurd AR, Skalitzky DJ, Taylor CB, Beleh OM, Glick G, Toogood PL, Yang B, Zheng T, Huo C, Gao J, Qiao C, Tian X, Zhang J, Demock K, Hao LY, Lesch CA, Morgan RW, Moisan J, Wang Y, Scatina J, Paulos CM, Zou W, Carter LL, Hu X. Discovery of LYC-55716: A Potent, Selective, and Orally Bioavailable Retinoic Acid Receptor-Related Orphan Receptor-γ (RORγ) Agonist for Use in Treating Cancer. J Med Chem 2021; 64:13410-13428. [PMID: 34499493 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00731] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
Retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor γ (RORc, RORγ, or NR1F3) is the nuclear receptor master transcription factor that drives the function and development of IL-17-producing T helper cells (Th17), cytotoxic T cells (Tc17), and subsets of innate lymphoid cells. Activation of RORγ+ T cells in the tumor microenvironment is hypothesized to render immune infiltrates more effective at countering tumor growth. To test this hypothesis, a family of benzoxazines was optimized to provide LYC-55716 (37c), a potent, selective, and orally bioavailable small-molecule RORγ agonist. LYC-55716 decreases tumor growth and enhances survival in preclinical tumor models and was nominated as a clinical development candidate for evaluation in patients with solid tumors.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thomas D Aicher
- Department of Chemistry, Lycera Corp., 1350 Highland Drive, Suite A, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, United States
| | - Chad A Van Huis
- Department of Chemistry, Lycera Corp., 1350 Highland Drive, Suite A, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, United States
| | - Alexander R Hurd
- Department of Chemistry, Lycera Corp., 1350 Highland Drive, Suite A, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, United States
| | - Donald J Skalitzky
- Department of Chemistry, Lycera Corp., 1350 Highland Drive, Suite A, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, United States
| | - Clarke B Taylor
- Department of Chemistry, Lycera Corp., 1350 Highland Drive, Suite A, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, United States
| | - Omar M Beleh
- Department of Chemistry, Lycera Corp., 1350 Highland Drive, Suite A, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, United States
| | - Gary Glick
- Chief Scientific Officer, Lycera Corp., 1350 Highland Drive, Suite A, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, United States
| | - Peter L Toogood
- Department of Chemistry, Lycera Corp., 1350 Highland Drive, Suite A, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, United States
| | - Bing Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Pharmaron Beijing, Co. Ltd., Beijing 100176, P. R. China
| | - Tao Zheng
- Department of Chemistry, Pharmaron Beijing, Co. Ltd., Beijing 100176, P. R. China
| | - Changxin Huo
- Department of Chemistry, Pharmaron Beijing, Co. Ltd., Beijing 100176, P. R. China
| | - Jie Gao
- Department of Chemistry, Pharmaron Beijing, Co. Ltd., Beijing 100176, P. R. China
| | - Chenxi Qiao
- Department of Chemistry, Pharmaron Beijing, Co. Ltd., Beijing 100176, P. R. China
| | - Xiaolong Tian
- Department of Chemistry, Pharmaron Beijing, Co. Ltd., Beijing 100176, P. R. China
| | - Junping Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Pharmaron Beijing, Co. Ltd., Beijing 100176, P. R. China
| | - Kellie Demock
- Department of Biology, Lycera Corp., 1350 Highland Drive, Suite A, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, United States
| | - Ling-Yang Hao
- Department of Biology, Lycera Corp., 1350 Highland Drive, Suite A, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, United States
| | - Charles A Lesch
- Department of Biology, Lycera Corp., 1350 Highland Drive, Suite A, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, United States
| | - Rodney W Morgan
- Department of Biology, Lycera Corp., 1350 Highland Drive, Suite A, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, United States
| | - Jacques Moisan
- Department of Biology, Lycera Corp., 1350 Highland Drive, Suite A, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, United States
| | - Yahong Wang
- Department of Biology, Lycera Corp., 1350 Highland Drive, Suite A, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, United States
| | - JoAnn Scatina
- Department of Preclinical Development, Lycera Corp., 620 Germantown Pike, Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania 19462, United States
| | - Chrystal M Paulos
- Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, 173 Ashley Avenue, MSC 509, Room 203, Charleston, South Carolina 29425, United States
| | - Weiping Zou
- School of Medicine, Department of Surgery, University of Michigan, 2101 Taubman Center, 1500 E. Medical Center Drive, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Laura L Carter
- Department of Biology, Lycera Corp., 1350 Highland Drive, Suite A, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, United States
| | - Xiao Hu
- Department of Biology, Lycera Corp., 1350 Highland Drive, Suite A, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108, United States
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Sun N, Xie Q, Dang Y, Wang Y. Agonist Lock Touched and Untouched Retinoic Acid Receptor-Related Orphan Receptor-γt (RORγt) Inverse Agonists: Classification Based on the Molecular Mechanisms of Action. J Med Chem 2021; 64:10519-10536. [PMID: 34264059 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c02178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor-gamma-t (RORγt) is a potential drug target for autoimmune diseases with a clear biological mechanism in the Th17/IL-17 pathway. The "agonist lock", which is formed by residues His479-Tyr502-Phe506 in RORγt, makes H12 tightly contact H11 in a suitable conformation for coactivator binding and, thus, is related to RORγt transcriptional activation. The inverse agonism of RORγt is complex because not all RORγt inverse agonists directly break the agonist lock to interfere with coactivator recruitment and the transcription of RORγt. Here, we analyze the complex structures, binding modes, and biological activities of various RORγt inverse agonists and classify them as "agonist lock touched" and "agonist lock untouched" RORγt inverse agonists according to whether they infringe on the agonist lock directly or not. We aim at providing a comprehensive review and insights into drug discovery of RORγt inverse agonists.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nannan Sun
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China.,Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, the Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.,Fudan Zhangjiang Institute, Shanghai 201203, China.,Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Qiong Xie
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China.,Fudan Zhangjiang Institute, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yongjun Dang
- Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, the Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai 200032, China.,Centre for Novel Target and Therapeutic Intervention, Chongqing Medical University, No. 1 Yixueyuan Road, Yuzhong District, Chongqing, 400016, China
| | - Yonghui Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ma X, Sun N, Li X, Fu W. Discovery of novel N-sulfonamide-tetrahydroisoquinolines as potent retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor γt agonists. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 222:113585. [PMID: 34118722 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 05/22/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy has become a research hotspot in recent years. A variety of targets were developed for small molecule immuno-oncology agents, including retinoic acid-related orphan receptor gamma t (RORγt), chemokine receptor, stimulator of interferon genes (Sting), indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO), toll-like receptors (TLR), etc. Among them, the retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor γt (RORγt) has gradually attracted more attention in these years. In particular, LYC-55716 (cintirorgon), a small molecule RORγt agonist developed by Lycera, has entered the phase II clinical study. In this work, starting from compound 7, compound 28 was obtained after 4 rounds of compound design, synthesis and SAR studies, which had an EC50 of 0.021 ± 0.002 μM in dual Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (dual-FRET) assay and an EC50 of 0.021 ± 0.002 μM in mouse Th17 cell differentiation assay. It indicated that compound 28 had excellent RORγt agonistic activity and was expected to be developed as a new type of small molecule drug for cancer immunotherapy. The molecular dynamic simulation revealed that the agonist 28 formed a strong HYF triplet intramolecular interaction to stabilize H12, which helped RORγt to form the protein-binding site and therefore made the receptor ready to recruit coactivator. When the inverse agonist s27 bound with RORγt, the steric hindrance between s27 and H479 caused the destruction of the HYF triplet, leading to the collapse of H12, thus the transcription function of RORγt was interrupted due to the failure of recruiting a coactivator molecule. The triplet HYF in RORγt and the rigidity of 28 and s27 were identified to be the structural determinants for the functional switch of RORγt.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiaojun Ma
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, No. 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Nannan Sun
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, No. 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xinwei Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, No. 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Wei Fu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, No. 826 Zhangheng Road, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Xia Y, Yu M, Zhao Y, Xia L, Huang Y, Sun N, Song M, Guo H, Zhang Y, Zhu D, Xie Q, Wang Y. Discovery of tetrahydroquinolines and benzomorpholines as novel potent RORγt agonists. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 211:113013. [PMID: 33272782 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.113013] [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: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 10/24/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor γt (RORγt) is an important nuclear receptor that regulates the differentiation of Th17 cells and production of interleukin 17(IL-17). RORγt agonists increase basal activity of RORγt and could provide a potential approach to cancer immunotherapy. Herein, hit compound 1 was identified as a weak RORγt agonist during in-house library screening. Changes in LHS core of 1 led to the identification of tetrahydroquinoline compound 6 as a partial RORγt agonist (max. act. = 39.3%). Detailed structure-activity relationship on substituent of the LHS core, amide linker and RHS arylsulfonyl moiety was explored and a novel series of tetrahydroquinolines and benzomorpholines was discovered as potent RORγt agonists. Tetrahydroquinoline compound 8g (EC50 = 8.9 ± 0.4 nM, max. act. = 104.5%) and benzomorpholine compound 9g (EC50 = 7.5 ± 0.6 nM, max. act. = 105.8%) were representative compounds with high RORγt agonistic activity in dual FRET assay, and they showed good activity in cell-based Gal4 reporter gene assay and Th17 cell differentiation assay (104.5% activation at 300 nM of 8g; 59.4% activation at 300 nM of 9g). The binding modes of 8g and 9g as well as the two RORγt inverse agonists accidentally discovered were also discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yuehan Xia
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 ZhanghengRoad, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Mingcheng Yu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 ZhanghengRoad, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yunpeng Zhao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 ZhanghengRoad, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Li Xia
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 ZhanghengRoad, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yafei Huang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 ZhanghengRoad, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Nannan Sun
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 ZhanghengRoad, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China; Key Laboratory of Metabolism and Molecular Medicine, The Ministry of Education, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Meiqi Song
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 ZhanghengRoad, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Huimin Guo
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 ZhanghengRoad, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yunyi Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 ZhanghengRoad, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Di Zhu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 ZhanghengRoad, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Qiong Xie
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 ZhanghengRoad, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China; Fudan Zhangjiang Institute, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Yonghui Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 ZhanghengRoad, Pudong, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| |
Collapse
|
11
|
Huang M, Bolin S, Miller H, Ng HL. RORγ Structural Plasticity and Druggability. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21155329. [PMID: 32727079 PMCID: PMC7432406 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21155329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor γ (RORγ) is a transcription factor regulating the expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-17 in human T helper 17 (Th17) cells. Activating RORγ can induce multiple IL-17-mediated autoimmune diseases but may also be useful for anticancer therapy. Its deep immunological functions make RORɣ an attractive drug target. Over 100 crystal structures have been published describing atomic interactions between RORɣ and agonists and inverse agonists. In this review, we focus on the role of dynamic properties and plasticity of the RORɣ orthosteric and allosteric binding sites by examining structural information from crystal structures and simulated models. We discuss the possible influences of allosteric ligands on the orthosteric binding site. We find that high structural plasticity favors the druggability of RORɣ, especially for allosteric ligands.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mian Huang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA; (M.H.); (H.M.)
| | - Shelby Bolin
- Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA;
| | - Hannah Miller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA; (M.H.); (H.M.)
| | - Ho Leung Ng
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, USA; (M.H.); (H.M.)
- Correspondence:
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Atomistic simulations shed new light on the activation mechanisms of RORγ and classify it as Type III nuclear hormone receptor regarding ligand-binding paths. Sci Rep 2019; 9:17249. [PMID: 31754232 PMCID: PMC6872664 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-52319-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2019] [Accepted: 10/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
The molecular recognition of the RORγ nuclear hormone receptor (NHR) ligand-binding domain (LBD) has been extensively studied with numerous X-ray crystal structures. However, the picture afforded by these complexes is static and does not fully explain the functional behavior of the LBD. In particular, the apo structure of the LBD seems to be in a fully active state, with no obvious differences to the agonist-bound structure. Further, several atypical in vivo inverse agonists have surprisingly been found to co-crystallize with the LBD in agonist mode (with co-activator), leading to a disconnection between molecular recognition and functional activity. Moreover, the experimental structures give no clues on how RORγ LBD binders access the interior of the LBD. To address all these points, we probe here, with a variety of simulation techniques, the fine structural balance of the RORγ LBD in its apo vs. holo form, the differences in flexibility and stability of the LBD in complex with agonists vs. inverse agonists and how binders diffuse in and out of the LBD in unbiased simulations. Our data conclusively point to the stability afforded by the so-called “agonist lock” between H479 and Y502 and the precise location of Helix 12 (H12) for the competence of the LBD to bind co-activator proteins. We observe the “water trapping” mechanism suggested previously for the atypical inverse agonists and discover a different behavior for the latter when co-activator is present or absent, which might help explain their conflicting data. Additionally, we unveil the same entry/exit path for agonists and inverse agonist into and out of the LBD for RORγ, suggesting it belongs to the type III NHR sub-family.
Collapse
|
13
|
Sato A, Fukase Y, Kono M, Ochida A, Oda T, Sasaki Y, Ishii N, Tomata Y, Fukumoto S, Imai YN, Uga K, Shibata A, Yamasaki M, Nakagawa H, Shirasaki M, Skene R, Hoffman I, Sang B, Snell G, Shirai J, Yamamoto S. Design and Synthesis of Conformationally Constrained RORγt Inverse Agonists. ChemMedChem 2019; 14:1917-1932. [DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201900416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2019] [Revised: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ayumu Sato
- Pharmaceutical Research DivisionTakeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-8555 Japan
- Axcelead Drug Discovery Partners, Inc. 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-Chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-0012 Japan
| | - Yoshiyuki Fukase
- Pharmaceutical Research DivisionTakeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-8555 Japan
- Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute, Inc. 413 East 69th Street New York NY 10021 USA
| | - Mitsunori Kono
- Pharmaceutical Research DivisionTakeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-8555 Japan
| | - Atsuko Ochida
- Pharmaceutical Research DivisionTakeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-8555 Japan
| | - Tsuneo Oda
- Pharmaceutical Research DivisionTakeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-8555 Japan
| | - Yusuke Sasaki
- Pharmaceutical Research DivisionTakeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-8555 Japan
| | - Naoki Ishii
- Pharmaceutical Research DivisionTakeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-8555 Japan
| | - Yoshihide Tomata
- Pharmaceutical Research DivisionTakeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-8555 Japan
| | - Shoji Fukumoto
- Pharmaceutical Research DivisionTakeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-8555 Japan
- Japan Tobacco Inc.Central Pharmaceutical Research Institute 1-1 Murasaki-cho Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1125 Japan
| | - Yumi N. Imai
- Pharmaceutical Research DivisionTakeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-8555 Japan
- Chordia Therapeutics Inc. 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-Chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-0012 Japan
| | - Keiko Uga
- Pharmaceutical Research DivisionTakeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-8555 Japan
- Axcelead Drug Discovery Partners, Inc. 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-Chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-0012 Japan
| | - Akira Shibata
- Pharmaceutical Research DivisionTakeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-8555 Japan
| | - Masashi Yamasaki
- Pharmaceutical Research DivisionTakeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-8555 Japan
- Axcelead Drug Discovery Partners, Inc. 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-Chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-0012 Japan
| | - Hideyuki Nakagawa
- Pharmaceutical Research DivisionTakeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-8555 Japan
| | - Mikio Shirasaki
- Pharmaceutical Research DivisionTakeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-8555 Japan
- Axcelead Drug Discovery Partners, Inc. 26-1, Muraoka-Higashi 2-Chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-0012 Japan
| | - Robert Skene
- Takeda California, Inc.10410 Science Center Drive San Diego CA 92121 USA
| | - Isaac Hoffman
- Takeda California, Inc.10410 Science Center Drive San Diego CA 92121 USA
| | - Bi‐Ching Sang
- Takeda California, Inc.10410 Science Center Drive San Diego CA 92121 USA
| | - Gyorgy Snell
- Takeda California, Inc.10410 Science Center Drive San Diego CA 92121 USA
| | - Junya Shirai
- Pharmaceutical Research DivisionTakeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-8555 Japan
- Cardurion Pharmaceuticals K.K. 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-8555 Japan
| | - Satoshi Yamamoto
- Pharmaceutical Research DivisionTakeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd. 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa Kanagawa 251-8555 Japan
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Zhu Y, Sun N, Yu M, Guo H, Xie Q, Wang Y. Discovery of aryl-substituted indole and indoline derivatives as RORγt agonists. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 182:111589. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.111589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2019] [Revised: 07/25/2019] [Accepted: 08/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
|
15
|
Yuan CM, Chen HH, Sun NN, Ma XJ, Xu J, Fu W. Molecular dynamics simulations on RORγt: insights into its functional agonism and inverse agonism. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2019; 40:1480-1489. [PMID: 31316175 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-019-0259-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
The retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor (ROR) γt receptor is a member of nuclear receptors, which is indispensable for the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-17. RORγt has been established as a drug target to design and discover novel treatments for multiple inflammatory and immunological diseases. It is important to elucidate the molecular mechanisms of how RORγt is activated by an agonist, and how the transcription function of RORγt is interrupted by an inverse agonist. In this study we performed molecular dynamics simulations on four different RORγt systems, i.e., the apo protein, protein bound with agonist, protein bound with inverse agonist in the orthosteric-binding pocket, and protein bound with inverse agonist in the allosteric-binding pocket. We found that the orthosteric-binding pocket in the apo-form RORγt was mostly open, confirming that apo-form RORγt was constitutively active and could be readily activated (ca. tens of nanoseconds scale). The tracked data from MD simulations supported that RORγt could be activated by an agonist binding at the orthosteric-binding pocket, because the bound agonist helped to enhance the triplet His479-Tyr502-Phe506 interactions and stabilized H12 structure. The stabilized H12 helped RORγt to form the protein-binding site, and therefore made the receptor ready to recruit a coactivator molecule. We also showed that transcription function of RORγt could be interrupted by the binding of inverse agonist at the orthosteric-binding pocket or at the allosteric-binding site. After the inverse agonist was bound, H12 either structurally collapsed, or reorientated to a different position, at which the presumed protein-binding site was not able to be formed.
Collapse
|
16
|
Sun N, Guo H, Wang Y. Retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor gamma-t (RORγt) inhibitors in clinical development for the treatment of autoimmune diseases: a patent review (2016-present). Expert Opin Ther Pat 2019; 29:663-674. [DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2019.1655541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Nannan Sun
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Huimin Guo
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yonghui Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
17
|
Strutzenberg TS, Garcia-Ordonez RD, Novick SJ, Park H, Chang MR, Doebellin C, He Y, Patouret R, Kamenecka TM, Griffin PR. HDX-MS reveals structural determinants for RORγ hyperactivation by synthetic agonists. eLife 2019; 8:47172. [PMID: 31172947 PMCID: PMC6579513 DOI: 10.7554/elife.47172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2019] [Accepted: 06/01/2019] [Indexed: 01/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Members of the nuclear receptor (NR) superfamily regulate both physiological and pathophysiological processes ranging from development and metabolism to inflammation and cancer. Synthetic small molecules targeting NRs are often deployed as therapeutics to correct aberrant NR signaling or as chemical probes to explore the role of the receptor in physiology. Nearly half of NRs do not have specific cognate ligands (termed orphan NRs) and it’s unclear if they possess ligand dependent activities. Here we demonstrate that ligand-dependent action of the orphan RORγ can be defined by selectively disrupting putative endogenous—but not synthetic—ligand binding. Furthermore, the characterization of a library of RORγ modulators reveals that structural dynamics of the receptor assessed by HDX-MS correlate with activity in biochemical and cell-based assays. These findings, corroborated with X-ray co-crystallography and site-directed mutagenesis, collectively reveal the structural determinants of RORγ activation, which is critical for designing RORγ agonists for cancer immunotherapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Timothy S Strutzenberg
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, United States
| | - Ruben D Garcia-Ordonez
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, United States
| | - Scott J Novick
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, United States
| | - HaJeung Park
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, United States
| | - Mi Ra Chang
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, United States
| | - Christelle Doebellin
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, United States
| | - Yuanjun He
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, United States
| | - Rémi Patouret
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, United States
| | - Theodore M Kamenecka
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, United States
| | - Patrick R Griffin
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, Jupiter, United States
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Sun N, Yuan C, Ma X, Wang Y, Gu X, Fu W. Molecular Mechanism of Action of RORγt Agonists and Inverse Agonists: Insights from Molecular Dynamics Simulation. Molecules 2018; 23:molecules23123181. [PMID: 30513894 PMCID: PMC6321388 DOI: 10.3390/molecules23123181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2018] [Revised: 11/25/2018] [Accepted: 11/26/2018] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
As an attractive drug-target, retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor-gamma-t (RORγt) has been employed widely to develop clinically relevant small molecular modulators as potent therapy for autoimmune disease and cancer, but its molecular mechanism of action (MOA) remains unclear. In the present study, we designed and discovered two novel RORγt ligands that are similar in structure, but different in efficacy. Using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) assay, compound 1 was identified as an agonist with an EC50 of 3.7 μM (max. act.: 78%), while compound 2 as an inverse agonist with an IC50 value of 2.0 μM (max. inh.: 61%). We performed molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and elucidated the MOA of RORγt agonist and inverse agonist. Through the analyses of our MD results, we found that, after RORγt is bound with the agonist 1, the side chain of Trp317 stays in the gauche- conformation, and thus helps to form the hydrogen bond, His479-Trp502, and a large hydrophobic network among H11, H11′, and H12. All these interactions stabilize the H12, and helps the receptor recruit the coactivator. When the RORγt is bound with the inverse agonist 2, the side chain of Trp317 is forced to adopt the trans conformation, and these presumed interactions are partially destroyed. Taken together, the critical role of residue Trp317 could be viewed as the driving force for the activation of RORγt.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nannan Sun
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China.
| | - Congmin Yuan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China.
| | - Xiaojun Ma
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China.
| | - Yonghui Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China.
| | - Xianfeng Gu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China.
| | - Wei Fu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Key Laboratory of Smart Drug Delivery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, China.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Noby N, Saeed H, Embaby AM, Pavlidis IV, Hussein A. Cloning, expression and characterization of cold active esterase (EstN7) from Bacillus cohnii strain N1: A novel member of family IV. Int J Biol Macromol 2018; 120:1247-1255. [PMID: 30063933 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2018.07.169] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2018] [Revised: 07/25/2018] [Accepted: 07/26/2018] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
Esterases and lipases from extremophiles have attracted great attention due to their unique characteristics and wide applications. In the present study, an open reading frame (ORF) encoding a novel cold active esterase (EstN7) from Bacillus cohnii strain N1 was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. The full-length esterase gene encoding a protein of 320 amino acids with estimated molecular weight of 37.0 kDa. Amino acid sequence analysis revealed that the EstN7 belongs to family IV lipases with a characteristic penta-peptide motif (GXSXG), the catalytic triad Ser, Asp, His and the conserved HGGG motif of the family IV. The recombinant enzyme was purified to apparent homogeneity using nickel-affinity chromatography with a purification fold of 5 and recovery 94.5%. The specific activity of the purified enzyme was 336.89 U/mg. The recombinant EstN7 showed optimal activity at 5 °C moreover, EstN7 displayed full robust stability in the presence of wide range of organic solvents. The purified enzyme had Km and Vmax of 45 ± 0.019 μM and 1113 μmol min-1 mg-1, respectively on p-NP-acetate. These promising characteristics of the recombinant EstN7 would underpin its possible usage with high potential in the synthesis of fragile compounds in pharmaceutical industries.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nehad Noby
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Graduate Studies and Research, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
| | - Hesham Saeed
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Graduate Studies and Research, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt.
| | - Amira M Embaby
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Graduate Studies and Research, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| | | | - Ahmed Hussein
- Department of Biotechnology, Institute of Graduate Studies and Research, Alexandria University, Alexandria, Egypt
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Qiu R, Wang Y. Retinoic Acid Receptor-Related Orphan Receptor γt (RORγt) Agonists as Potential Small Molecule Therapeutics for Cancer Immunotherapy. J Med Chem 2018; 61:5794-5804. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b01314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ruomeng Qiu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, 201203 Shanghai, China
| | - Yonghui Wang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, 826 Zhangheng Road, 201203 Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Fukase Y, Sato A, Tomata Y, Ochida A, Kono M, Yonemori K, Koga K, Okui T, Yamasaki M, Fujitani Y, Nakagawa H, Koyama R, Nakayama M, Skene R, Sang BC, Hoffman I, Shirai J, Yamamoto S. Identification of novel quinazolinedione derivatives as RORγt inverse agonist. Bioorg Med Chem 2017; 26:721-736. [PMID: 29342416 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2017.12.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 12/22/2017] [Accepted: 12/24/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Novel small molecules were synthesized and evaluated as retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor-gamma t (RORγt) inverse agonists for the treatment of inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. A hit compound, 1, was discovered by high-throughput screening of our compound library. The structure-activity relationship (SAR) study of compound 1 showed that the introduction of a chlorine group at the 3-position of 4-cyanophenyl moiety increased the potency and a 3-methylpentane-1,5-diamide linker is favorable for the activity. The carbazole moiety of 1 was also optimized; a quinazolinedione derivative 18i suppressed the increase of IL-17A mRNA level in the lymph node of a rat model of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) upon oral administration. These results indicate that the novel quinazolinedione derivatives have great potential as orally available small-molecule RORγt inverse agonists for the treatment of Th17-driven autoimmune diseases. A U-shaped bioactive conformation of this chemotype with RORγt protein was also observed.
Collapse
MESH Headings
- Administration, Oral
- Animals
- Binding Sites
- Drug Inverse Agonism
- Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/drug therapy
- Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/pathology
- Encephalomyelitis, Autoimmune, Experimental/veterinary
- Female
- Humans
- Inhibitory Concentration 50
- Interleukin-17/genetics
- Interleukin-17/metabolism
- Jurkat Cells
- Molecular Docking Simulation
- Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3/agonists
- Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3/genetics
- Nuclear Receptor Subfamily 1, Group F, Member 3/metabolism
- Protein Binding/drug effects
- Protein Structure, Tertiary
- Quinazolinones/administration & dosage
- Quinazolinones/chemistry
- Quinazolinones/metabolism
- Quinazolinones/pharmacology
- Rats
- Rats, Inbred Lew
- Solubility
- Structure-Activity Relationship
- Th17 Cells/cytology
- Th17 Cells/drug effects
- Th17 Cells/metabolism
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yoshiyuki Fukase
- Pharmaceutical Research Division, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
| | - Ayumu Sato
- Pharmaceutical Research Division, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan.
| | - Yoshihide Tomata
- Pharmaceutical Research Division, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
| | - Atsuko Ochida
- Pharmaceutical Research Division, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
| | - Mitsunori Kono
- Pharmaceutical Research Division, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
| | - Kazuko Yonemori
- Pharmaceutical Research Division, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
| | - Keiko Koga
- Pharmaceutical Research Division, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
| | - Toshitake Okui
- Pharmaceutical Research Division, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
| | - Masashi Yamasaki
- Pharmaceutical Research Division, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
| | - Yasushi Fujitani
- Pharmaceutical Research Division, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
| | - Hideyuki Nakagawa
- Pharmaceutical Research Division, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
| | - Ryoukichi Koyama
- Pharmaceutical Research Division, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
| | - Masaharu Nakayama
- Pharmaceutical Research Division, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
| | - Robert Skene
- Takeda California, Inc., 10410 Science Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92121, United States
| | - Bi-Ching Sang
- Takeda California, Inc., 10410 Science Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92121, United States
| | - Isaac Hoffman
- Takeda California, Inc., 10410 Science Center Drive, San Diego, CA 92121, United States
| | - Junya Shirai
- Pharmaceutical Research Division, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
| | - Satoshi Yamamoto
- Pharmaceutical Research Division, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Ltd, 26-1, Muraokahigashi 2-chome, Fujisawa, Kanagawa 251-8555, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
Toogood PL. Small molecule immuno-oncology therapeutic agents. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2017; 28:319-329. [PMID: 29326017 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2017.12.044] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2017] [Revised: 12/17/2017] [Accepted: 12/20/2017] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Treatment of cancer by activation of an antitumor immune response is now a widely practiced and well-accepted approach to therapy. However, despite dramatic responses in some patients, the high proportion of unresponsive patients points to a considerable unmet medical need. Although antibody therapies have led the way, small molecule immuno-oncology agents are close behind. This perspective provides an overview of some of the many small molecule approaches being explored. It encompasses small molecule modulators of validated targets such as programed cell death 1 (PD-1) as well as novel approaches still to be proven clinically.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Peter L Toogood
- Lycera Corp., 1350 Highland Drive, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Kallen J, Izaac A, Be C, Arista L, Orain D, Kaupmann K, Guntermann C, Hoegenauer K, Hintermann S. Structural States of RORγt: X-ray Elucidation of Molecular Mechanisms and Binding Interactions for Natural and Synthetic Compounds. ChemMedChem 2017; 12:1014-1021. [PMID: 28590087 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.201700278] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2017] [Revised: 06/07/2017] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The T-cell-specific retinoic acid receptor (RAR)-related orphan receptor-γ (RORγt) is a key transcription factor for the production of pro-inflammatory Th17 cytokines, which are implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. Over the years, several structurally diverse RORγt inverse agonists have been reported, but combining high potency and good physicochemical properties has remained a challenging task. We recently reported a new series of inverse agonists based on an imidazopyridine core with good physicochemical properties and excellent selectivity. Herein we report eight new X-ray crystal structures for different classes of natural and synthetic compounds, including examples selected from the patent literature. Analysis of their respective binding modes revealed insight into the molecular mechanisms that lead to agonism, antagonism, or inverse agonism. We report new molecular mechanisms for RORγt agonism and propose a separation of the inverse agonists into two classes: those that act via steric clash and those that act via other mechanisms (for the latter, co-crystallization with a co-activator peptide and helix 12 in the agonist position is still possible). For the non-steric clash inverse agonists, we propose a new mechanism ("water trapping") which can be combined with other mechanisms (e.g., close contacts with H479). In addition, we compare the interactions made for selected compounds in the "back pocket" near S404 and in the "sulfate pocket" near R364 and R367. Taken together, these new mechanistic insights should prove useful for the design and optimization of further RORγt modulators.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Joerg Kallen
- CBT, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Aude Izaac
- CBT, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Celine Be
- CBT, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Luca Arista
- Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - David Orain
- Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Klemens Kaupmann
- ATI, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Christine Guntermann
- ATI, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Klemens Hoegenauer
- Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Samuel Hintermann
- Global Discovery Chemistry, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Novartis Campus, 4002, Basel, Switzerland
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Noguchi M, Nomura A, Murase K, Doi S, Yamaguchi K, Hirata K, Shiozaki M, Hirashima S, Kotoku M, Yamaguchi T, Katsuda Y, Steensma R, Li X, Tao H, Tse B, Fenn M, Babine R, Bradley E, Crowe P, Thacher S, Adachi T, Kamada M. Ternary complex of human RORγ ligand-binding domain, inverse agonist and SMRT peptide shows a unique mechanism of corepressor recruitment. Genes Cells 2017; 22:535-551. [PMID: 28493531 DOI: 10.1111/gtc.12494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2017] [Accepted: 03/28/2017] [Indexed: 12/16/2023]
Abstract
Retinoid-related orphan receptor gamma (RORγ) directly controls the differentiation of Th17 cell and the production of interleukin-17, which plays an integral role in autoimmune diseases. To obtain insight into RORγ, we have determined the first crystal structure of a ternary complex containing RORγ ligand-binding domain (LBD) bound with a novel synthetic inhibitor and a repressor peptide, 22-mer peptide from silencing mediator of retinoic acid and thyroid hormone receptor (SMRT). Comparison of a binary complex of nonliganded (apo) RORγ-LBD with a nuclear receptor co-activator (NCoA-1) peptide has shown that our inhibitor displays a unique mechanism different from those caused by natural inhibitor, ursolic acid (UA). The compound unprecedentedly induces indirect disruption of a hydrogen bond between His479 on helix 11 (H11) and Tyr502 on H12, which is crucial for active conformation. This crystallographic study will allow us to develop novel synthetic compounds for autoimmune disease therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Masato Noguchi
- Pharmaceutical Frontier Research Laboratories, Central Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Japan Tobacco Inc., 1-13-2, Fukuura, Kanazawa-Ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 236-0004, Japan
| | - Akihiro Nomura
- Pharmaceutical Frontier Research Laboratories, Central Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Japan Tobacco Inc., 1-13-2, Fukuura, Kanazawa-Ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 236-0004, Japan
| | - Ken Murase
- Pharmaceutical Frontier Research Laboratories, Central Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Japan Tobacco Inc., 1-13-2, Fukuura, Kanazawa-Ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 236-0004, Japan
| | - Satoki Doi
- Pharmaceutical Frontier Research Laboratories, Central Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Japan Tobacco Inc., 1-13-2, Fukuura, Kanazawa-Ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 236-0004, Japan
| | - Keishi Yamaguchi
- Pharmaceutical Frontier Research Laboratories, Central Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Japan Tobacco Inc., 1-13-2, Fukuura, Kanazawa-Ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 236-0004, Japan
| | - Kazuyuki Hirata
- Chemical Research Laboratories, Central Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Japan Tobacco Inc., 1-1, Murasaki-cho, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1125, Japan
| | - Makoto Shiozaki
- Chemical Research Laboratories, Central Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Japan Tobacco Inc., 1-1, Murasaki-cho, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1125, Japan
| | - Shintaro Hirashima
- Chemical Research Laboratories, Central Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Japan Tobacco Inc., 1-1, Murasaki-cho, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1125, Japan
| | - Masayuki Kotoku
- Chemical Research Laboratories, Central Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Japan Tobacco Inc., 1-1, Murasaki-cho, Takatsuki, Osaka 569-1125, Japan
| | - Takayuki Yamaguchi
- Biological Pharmacological Research Laboratories, Central Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Japan Tobacco Inc., 1-1, Murasaki-cho, Takatsuki, Osaka, 569-1125, Japan
| | - Yoshiaki Katsuda
- Biological Pharmacological Research Laboratories, Central Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Japan Tobacco Inc., 1-1, Murasaki-cho, Takatsuki, Osaka, 569-1125, Japan
| | - Ruo Steensma
- Orphagen Pharmaceuticals, 11558 Sorrento Valley Road, Suite 4, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Xioalin Li
- Orphagen Pharmaceuticals, 11558 Sorrento Valley Road, Suite 4, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Haiyan Tao
- Orphagen Pharmaceuticals, 11558 Sorrento Valley Road, Suite 4, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Bruno Tse
- Orphagen Pharmaceuticals, 11558 Sorrento Valley Road, Suite 4, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Morgan Fenn
- Orphagen Pharmaceuticals, 11558 Sorrento Valley Road, Suite 4, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Robert Babine
- Orphagen Pharmaceuticals, 11558 Sorrento Valley Road, Suite 4, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Erin Bradley
- Orphagen Pharmaceuticals, 11558 Sorrento Valley Road, Suite 4, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Paul Crowe
- Orphagen Pharmaceuticals, 11558 Sorrento Valley Road, Suite 4, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Scott Thacher
- Orphagen Pharmaceuticals, 11558 Sorrento Valley Road, Suite 4, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Tsuyoshi Adachi
- Pharmaceutical Frontier Research Laboratories, Central Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Japan Tobacco Inc., 1-13-2, Fukuura, Kanazawa-Ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 236-0004, Japan
| | - Masafumi Kamada
- Pharmaceutical Frontier Research Laboratories, Central Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Japan Tobacco Inc., 1-13-2, Fukuura, Kanazawa-Ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 236-0004, Japan
| |
Collapse
|
25
|
Li X, Anderson M, Collin D, Muegge I, Wan J, Brennan D, Kugler S, Terenzio D, Kennedy C, Lin S, Labadia ME, Cook B, Hughes R, Farrow NA. Structural studies unravel the active conformation of apo RORγt nuclear receptor and a common inverse agonism of two diverse classes of RORγt inhibitors. J Biol Chem 2017; 292:11618-11630. [PMID: 28546429 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.m117.789024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2017] [Revised: 05/23/2017] [Indexed: 12/31/2022] Open
Abstract
The nuclear receptor retinoid acid receptor-related orphan receptor γt (RORγt) is a master regulator of the Th17/IL-17 pathway that plays crucial roles in the pathogenesis of autoimmunity. RORγt has recently emerged as a highly promising target for treatment of a number of autoimmune diseases. Through high-throughput screening, we previously identified several classes of inverse agonists for RORγt. Here, we report the crystal structures for the ligand-binding domain of RORγt in both apo and ligand-bound states. We show that apo RORγt adopts an active conformation capable of recruiting coactivator peptides and present a detailed analysis of the structural determinants that stabilize helix 12 (H12) of RORγt in the active state in the absence of a ligand. The structures of ligand-bound RORγt reveal that binding of the inverse agonists disrupts critical interactions that stabilize H12. This destabilizing effect is supported by ab initio calculations and experimentally by a normalized crystallographic B-factor analysis. Of note, the H12 destabilization in the active state shifts the conformational equilibrium of RORγt toward an inactive state, which underlies the molecular mechanism of action for the inverse agonists reported here. Our findings highlight that nuclear receptor structure and function are dictated by a dynamic conformational equilibrium and that subtle changes in ligand structures can shift this equilibrium in opposite directions, leading to a functional switch from agonists to inverse agonists.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Li
- Departments of Small Molecule Discovery Research, Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877-0368.
| | - Marie Anderson
- Departments of Small Molecule Discovery Research, Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877-0368
| | - Delphine Collin
- Departments of Small Molecule Discovery Research, Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877-0368
| | - Ingo Muegge
- Departments of Small Molecule Discovery Research, Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877-0368
| | - John Wan
- Departments of Small Molecule Discovery Research, Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877-0368
| | - Debra Brennan
- Departments of Small Molecule Discovery Research, Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877-0368
| | - Stanley Kugler
- Departments of Small Molecule Discovery Research, Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877-0368
| | - Donna Terenzio
- Departments of Small Molecule Discovery Research, Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877-0368
| | - Charles Kennedy
- Departments of Small Molecule Discovery Research, Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877-0368
| | - Siqi Lin
- Departments of Small Molecule Discovery Research, Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877-0368
| | - Mark E Labadia
- Immunology and Respiratory Diseases, Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877-0368
| | - Brian Cook
- Departments of Small Molecule Discovery Research, Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877-0368
| | - Robert Hughes
- Departments of Small Molecule Discovery Research, Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877-0368
| | - Neil A Farrow
- Departments of Small Molecule Discovery Research, Ridgefield, Connecticut 06877-0368
| |
Collapse
|