1
|
Zhang J, Yu J, Liu M, Xie Z, Lei X, Yang X, Huang S, Deng X, Wang Z, Tang G. Small-molecule modulators of tumor immune microenvironment. Bioorg Chem 2024; 145:107251. [PMID: 38442612 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107251] [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: 12/13/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/28/2024] [Indexed: 03/07/2024]
Abstract
In recent years, tumor immunotherapy, aimed at increasing the activity of immune cells and reducing immunosuppressive effects, has attracted wide attention. Among them, immune checkpoint blocking (ICB) is the most commonly explored therapeutic approach. All approved immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are clinically effective monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). Compared with biological agents, small-molecule drugs have many unique advantages in tumor immunotherapy. Therefore, they also play an important role. Immunosuppressive signals such as PD-L1, IDO1, and TGF-β, etc. overexpressed in tumor cells form the tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment. In addition, the efficacy of multi-pathway combined immunotherapy has also been reported and verified. Here, we mainly reviewed the mechanism of tumor immunotherapy, analyzed the research status of small-molecule modulators, and discussed drug candidates' structure-activity relationship (SAR). It provides more opportunities for further research to design more immune small-molecule modulators with novel structures.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jing Zhang
- Institute of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment Responsive Drug Research, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
| | - Jia Yu
- Institute of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment Responsive Drug Research, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
| | - Meijing Liu
- Institute of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment Responsive Drug Research, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
| | - Zhizhong Xie
- Institute of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment Responsive Drug Research, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
| | - Xiaoyong Lei
- Institute of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment Responsive Drug Research, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
| | - Xiaoyan Yang
- Institute of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment Responsive Drug Research, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China
| | - Sheng Huang
- Jiuzhitang Co., Ltd, Changsha, Hunan 410007, China
| | - Xiangping Deng
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Department of Pharmacy, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, Hunan, China.
| | - Zhe Wang
- The Second Affiliated Hospital, Department of Pharmacy, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang 421001, Hunan, China.
| | - Guotao Tang
- Institute of Pharmacy and Pharmacology, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Microenvironment Responsive Drug Research, Hengyang Medical School, University of South China, Hengyang, Hunan 421001, China.
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Strašek Benedik N, Dolšak A, Švajger U, Sosič I, Gobec S, Sova M. Structural Optimization and Biological Evaluation of Isoxazolo[5,4 -d]pyrimidines as Selective Toll-Like Receptor 7 Agonists. ACS OMEGA 2024; 9:2362-2382. [PMID: 38250345 PMCID: PMC10795023 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c06343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/23/2024]
Abstract
Toll-like receptors (TLRs) are components of innate immunity that play a crucial role in several diseases, including chronic inflammatory and infectious diseases, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. In particular, TLR7 has been identified as a key player in the innate immune response against viral infections and small-molecule TLR7 agonists have shown potential for vaccine therapy, for treatment of asthma and allergies, and as anticancer drugs. Inspired by our previous discovery of selective TLR7 agonists, our goal was to develop and introduce a new chemotype of TLR7 agonists by replacing the quinazoline ring with a new heterocycle isoxazolo[5,4-d]pyrimidine. Here, we report design, optimized synthesis, and structure-activity relationship studies of a novel class of TLR7 agonists based on the 6-(trifluoromethyl)isoxazolo[5,4-d]pyrimidine-4-amine scaffold that demonstrate high selectivity and low micromolar potencies. The best-in-class agonist 21a, with an EC50 value of 7.8 μM, also proved to be noncytotoxic and induced secretion of cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-12p70, IL-8, and TNF-α, indicating its potential to modulate the immune response.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nika Strašek Benedik
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Ana Dolšak
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Urban Švajger
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
- Blood
Transfusion Centre of Slovenia, Šlajmerjeva 6, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Izidor Sosič
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Stanislav Gobec
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | - Matej Sova
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Stone TW, Williams RO. Modulation of T cells by tryptophan metabolites in the kynurenine pathway. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2023; 44:442-456. [PMID: 37248103 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2023.04.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 27.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/31/2023]
Abstract
Lymphocytes maturing in the thymus (T cells) are key factors in adaptive immunity and the regulation of inflammation. The kynurenine pathway of tryptophan metabolism includes several enzymes and compounds that can modulate T cell function, but manipulating these pharmacologically has not achieved the expected therapeutic activity for the treatment of autoimmune disorders and cancer. With increasing knowledge of other pathways interacting with kynurenines, the expansion of screening methods, and the application of virtual techniques to understanding enzyme structures and mechanisms, details of interactions between kynurenines and other pathways are being revealed. This review surveys some of these alternative approaches to influence T cell function indirectly via the kynurenine pathway and summarizes the most recent work on the development of compounds acting directly on the kynurenine pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Trevor W Stone
- The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK
| | - Richard O Williams
- The Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7FY, UK.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Konc J, Janežič D. Protein binding sites for drug design. Biophys Rev 2022; 14:1413-1421. [PMID: 36532870 PMCID: PMC9734416 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-022-01028-3] [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: 10/12/2022] [Accepted: 12/01/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Drug development is a lengthy and challenging process that can be accelerated at early stages by new mathematical approaches and modern computers. To address this important issue, we are developing new mathematical solutions for the detection and characterization of protein binding sites that are important for new drug development. In this review, we present algorithms based on graph theory combined with molecular dynamics simulations that we have developed for studying biological target proteins to provide important data for optimizing the early stages of new drug development. A particular focus is the development of new protein binding site prediction algorithms (ProBiS) and new web tools for modeling pharmaceutically interesting molecules-ProBiS Tools (algorithm, database, web server), which have evolved into a full-fledged graphical tool for studying proteins in the proteome. ProBiS differs from other structural algorithms in that it can align proteins with different folds without prior knowledge of the binding sites. It allows detection of similar binding sites and can predict molecular ligands of various types of pharmaceutical interest that could be advanced to drugs to treat a disease, based on the entire Protein Data Bank (PDB) and AlphaFold database, including proteins not yet in the PDB. All ProBiS Tools are freely available to the academic community at http://insilab.org and https://probis.nih.gov.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janez Konc
- Theory Department, National Institute of Chemistry, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Dušanka Janežič
- Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, University of Primorska, Glagoljaška 8, SI-6000 Koper, Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Grabrijan K, Hrast M, Proj M, Dolšak A, Zdovc I, Imre T, Petri L, Ábrányi-Balogh P, Keserű GM, Gobec S. Covalent inhibitors of bacterial peptidoglycan biosynthesis enzyme MurA with chloroacetamide warhead. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 243:114752. [PMID: 36126388 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114752] [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: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
MurA (UDP-N-acetylglucosamine enolpyruvyl transferase) catalyzes the first committed step in the cytoplasmic part of peptidoglycan biosynthesis and is a validated target enzyme for antibacterial drug discovery; the inhibitor fosfomycin has been used clinically for decades. Like fosfomycin, most MurA inhibitors are small heterocyclic compounds that inhibit the enzyme by forming a covalent bond with the active site cysteine. The reactive chloroacetamide group was selected from a series of suitable electrophilic thiol-reactive warheads. The predominantly one-step synthesis led to the construction of the final library of 47 fragment-sized chloroacetamide compounds. Several new E. coli MurA inhibitors were identified, with the most potent compound having an IC50 value in the low micromolar range. The electrophilic reactivity of all chloroacetamide fragments in our library was evaluated by a high-throughput spectrophotometric assay using the reduced Ellman reagent as a surrogate for the cysteine thiol. LC-MS/MS experiments confirmed the covalent binding of the most potent inhibitor to Cys115 of the digested MurA enzyme. The covalent binding was further investigated by a biochemical time-dependent assay and a dilution assay, which confirmed the irreversible and time-dependent mode of action. The efficacy of chloroacetamide derivatives against MurA does not correlate with their thiol reactivity, making the active fragments valuable starting points for fragment-based development of new antibacterial agents targeting MurA.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Grabrijan
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Martina Hrast
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Matic Proj
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Ana Dolšak
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Irena Zdovc
- Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| | - Tímea Imre
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Group, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary; MS Proteomics Research Group, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - László Petri
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Group, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Péter Ábrányi-Balogh
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Group, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary; Department of Organic Chemistry and Technology, Budapest University of Technology, Szt. Gellért tér 4., H-1117, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - György M Keserű
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Group, Research Centre for Natural Sciences, Magyar tudósok krt. 2, H-1117, Budapest, Hungary; Department of Organic Chemistry and Technology, Budapest University of Technology, Szt. Gellért tér 4., H-1117, Budapest, Hungary.
| | - Stanislav Gobec
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva 7, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Konc J, Lešnik S, Škrlj B, Sova M, Proj M, Knez D, Gobec S, Janežič D. ProBiS-Dock: A Hybrid Multitemplate Homology Flexible Docking Algorithm Enabled by Protein Binding Site Comparison. J Chem Inf Model 2022; 62:1573-1584. [PMID: 35289616 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.1c01176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/08/2023]
Abstract
The protein data bank (PDB) is a rich source of protein ligand structures, but ligands are not explicitly used in current docking algorithms. We have developed ProBiS-Dock, a docking algorithm complementary to the ProBiS-Dock Database (J. Chem. Inf. Model. 2021, 61, 4097-4107) that treats small molecules and proteins as fully flexible entities and allows conformational changes in both after ligand binding. A new scoring function is described that consists of a binding site-specific scoring function (ProBiS-Score) and a general statistical scoring function. ProBiS-Dock enables rapid docking of small molecules to proteins and has been successfully validated in silico against standard benchmarks. It enables rapid search for new active ligands by leveraging existing knowledge in the PDB. The potential of the software for drug development has been confirmed in vitro by the discovery of new inhibitors of human indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1, an enzyme that is an attractive target for cancer therapy and catalyzes the first rate-determining step of l-tryptophan metabolism via the kynurenine pathway. The software is freely available to academic users at http://insilab.org/probisdock.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Janez Konc
- National Institute of Chemistry, Theory Department, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Samo Lešnik
- National Institute of Chemistry, Theory Department, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Blaž Škrlj
- National Institute of Chemistry, Theory Department, Hajdrihova 19, SI-1001 Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Jozef Stefan International Postgraduate School, Jamova cesta 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia.,Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Matej Sova
- Faculty of Pharmacy, The Chair of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Aškerčeva cesta 7, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Matic Proj
- Faculty of Pharmacy, The Chair of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Aškerčeva cesta 7, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Damijan Knez
- Faculty of Pharmacy, The Chair of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Aškerčeva cesta 7, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Stanislav Gobec
- Faculty of Pharmacy, The Chair of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Aškerčeva cesta 7, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Dušanka Janežič
- Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies, Glagoljaška ulica 8, SI-6000 Koper, Slovenia
| |
Collapse
|