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Bompiani KM, Caglič D, Krutein MC, Benoni G, Hrones M, Lairson LL, Bian H, Smith GR, Dickerson TJ. High-Throughput Screening Uncovers Novel Botulinum Neurotoxin Inhibitor Chemotypes. ACS COMBINATORIAL SCIENCE 2016; 18:461-74. [PMID: 27314875 DOI: 10.1021/acscombsci.6b00033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Botulism is caused by potent and specific bacterial neurotoxins that infect host neurons and block neurotransmitter release. Treatment for botulism is limited to administration of an antitoxin within a short time window, before the toxin enters neurons. Alternatively, current botulism drug development targets the toxin light chain, which is a zinc-dependent metalloprotease that is delivered into neurons and mediates long-term pathology. Several groups have identified inhibitory small molecules, peptides, or aptamers, although no molecule has advanced to the clinic due to a lack of efficacy in advanced models. Here we used a homogeneous high-throughput enzyme assay to screen three libraries of drug-like small molecules for new chemotypes that modulate recombinant botulinum neurotoxin light chain activity. High-throughput screening of 97088 compounds identified numerous small molecules that activate or inhibit metalloprotease activity. We describe four major classes of inhibitory compounds identified, detail their structure-activity relationships, and assess their relative inhibitory potency. A previously unreported chemotype in any context of enzyme inhibition is described with potent submicromolar inhibition (Ki = 200-300 nM). Additional detailed kinetic analyses and cellular cytotoxicity assays indicate the best compound from this series is a competitive inhibitor with cytotoxicity values around 4-5 μM. Given the potency and drug-like character of these lead compounds, further studies, including cellular activity assays and DMPK analysis, are justified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kristin M. Bompiani
- Department
of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Dejan Caglič
- Department
of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Michelle C. Krutein
- Department
of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Galit Benoni
- Department
of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Morgan Hrones
- Department
of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Luke L. Lairson
- Department
of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Haiyan Bian
- Fox Chase Chemical Diversity Center, 3805 Old Easton Road, Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18902, United States
| | - Garry R. Smith
- Fox Chase Chemical Diversity Center, 3805 Old Easton Road, Doylestown, Pennsylvania 18902, United States
| | - Tobin J. Dickerson
- Department
of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute, 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
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Farrow B, Wong M, Malette J, Lai B, Deyle KM, Das S, Nag A, Agnew HD, Heath JR. Epitope targeting of tertiary protein structure enables target-guided synthesis of a potent in-cell inhibitor of botulinum neurotoxin. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2015; 54:7114-9. [PMID: 25925721 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201502451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2015] [Revised: 04/09/2015] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Botulinum neurotoxin (BoNT) serotype A is the most lethal known toxin and has an occluded structure, which prevents direct inhibition of its active site before it enters the cytosol. Target-guided synthesis by in situ click chemistry is combined with synthetic epitope targeting to exploit the tertiary structure of the BoNT protein as a landscape for assembling a competitive inhibitor. A substrate-mimicking peptide macrocycle is used as a direct inhibitor of BoNT. An epitope-targeting in situ click screen is utilized to identify a second peptide macrocycle ligand that binds to an epitope that, in the folded BoNT structure, is active-site-adjacent. A second in situ click screen identifies a molecular bridge between the two macrocycles. The resulting divalent inhibitor exhibits an in vitro inhibition constant of 165 pM against the BoNT/A catalytic chain. The inhibitor is carried into cells by the intact holotoxin, and demonstrates protection and rescue of BoNT intoxication in a human neuron model.
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Affiliation(s)
- Blake Farrow
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125 (USA).,Department of Applied Physics and Materials Science, California Institute of Technology (USA)
| | - Michelle Wong
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125 (USA)
| | - Jacquie Malette
- Indi Molecular, 6162 Bristol Parkway, Culver City, CA 90230 (USA)
| | - Bert Lai
- Indi Molecular, 6162 Bristol Parkway, Culver City, CA 90230 (USA)
| | - Kaycie M Deyle
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125 (USA)
| | - Samir Das
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125 (USA)
| | - Arundhati Nag
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125 (USA)
| | - Heather D Agnew
- Indi Molecular, 6162 Bristol Parkway, Culver City, CA 90230 (USA)
| | - James R Heath
- Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1200 E. California Blvd, Pasadena, CA 91125 (USA).
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Caglič D, Krutein MC, Bompiani KM, Barlow DJ, Benoni G, Pelletier JC, Reitz AB, Lairson LL, Houseknecht KL, Smith GR, Dickerson TJ. Identification of clinically viable quinolinol inhibitors of botulinum neurotoxin A light chain. J Med Chem 2014; 57:669-76. [PMID: 24387280 PMCID: PMC3983388 DOI: 10.1021/jm4012164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Botulinum neurotoxins (BoNT) are the most potent toxins known and a significant bioterrorist threat. Few small molecule compounds have been identified that are active in cell-based or animal models, potentially due to toxin enzyme plasticity. Here we screened commercially available quinolinols, as well as synthesized hydroxyquinolines. Seventy-two compounds had IC50 values below 10 μM, with the best compound exhibiting submicromolar inhibition (IC50 = 0.8 μM). Structure-activity relationship trends showed that the enzyme tolerates various substitutions at R1 but has a clear preference for bulky aryl amide groups at R2, while methylation at R3 increased inhibitor potency. Evaluation of the most potent compounds in an ADME panel showed that these compounds possess poor solubility at pH 6.8, but display excellent solubility at low pH, suggesting that oral dosing may be possible. Our data show the potential of quinolinol compounds as BoNT therapeutics due to their good in vitro potencies and favorable ADME properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dejan Caglič
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute , 10550 North Torrey Pines Road, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
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