1
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Larsen O, Schuermans S, Walser A, Louka S, Lillethorup IA, Våbenø J, Qvortrup K, Proost P, Rosenkilde MM. Chemokine N-terminal-derived peptides differentially regulate signaling by the receptors CCR1 and CCR5. FEBS Lett 2023; 597:3049-3060. [PMID: 37994578 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 10/19/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/24/2023]
Abstract
Inflammatory chemokines are often elevated in disease settings, where the largest group of CC-chemokines are the macrophage inflammatory proteins (MIP), which are promiscuous for the receptors CCR1 and CCR5. MIP chemokines, such as CCL3 and CCL5 are processed at the N terminus, which influences signaling in a highly diverse manner. Here, we investigate the signaling capacity of peptides corresponding to truncated N termini. These 3-10-residue peptides displayed weak potency but, surprisingly, retained their signaling on CCR1. In contrast, none of the peptides generated a signal on CCR5, but a CCL3-derived tetrapeptide was a positive modulator boosting the signal of several chemokine variants on CCR5. In conclusion, chemokine N termini can be mimicked to produce small CCR1-selective agonists, as well as CCR5-selective modulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olav Larsen
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Sara Schuermans
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Anna Walser
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Stavroula Louka
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | | | - Jon Våbenø
- Helgeland Hospital Trust, Sandnessjøen, Norway
| | - Katrine Qvortrup
- Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, Kgs Lyngby, Denmark
| | - Paul Proost
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, Belgium
| | - Mette M Rosenkilde
- Laboratory of Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Denmark
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2
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Våbenø J, Oliva-Santiago M, Jørgensen AS, Karlshøj S, Rosenkilde MM. Identification of a Salt Bridge That Is Functionally Important for Chemokine Receptor CXCR1 but not CXCR2. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2023; 6:1120-1128. [PMID: 37588755 PMCID: PMC10425996 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.3c00070] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
CXC chemokine receptors 1 (CXCR1) and 2 (CXCR2) have high sequence similarity and overlapping chemokine ligand profiles. Residue positions 3.32 and 7.39 are critical for signal transduction in the related CXCR4, and in these positions CXCR1 and CXCR2 contain oppositely charged residues (Lys3.32 and Glu7.39). Experimental and computed receptor structures reveal the possible formation of a salt bridge between transmembrane (TM) helices 3 and 7 via these two residues. To investigate the functional importance of Lys1173.32 and Glu2917.39 in CXCR1, along with the flanking Glu1183.33, we performed a signaling study on 16 CXCR1 mutants using two different CXCL8 isoforms. While single Ala-mutation (K1173.32A, E2917.39A) and charge reversal (K1173.32E, E2917.39K) resulted in nonfunctional receptors, double (K1173.32E-E2917.39K) and triple (K1173.32E-E1183.33A-E2917.39K) mutants rescued CXCR1 function. In contrast, the corresponding mutations did not affect the CXCR2 function to the same extent. Our findings show that the Lys3.32-Glu7.39 salt bridge between TM3 and -7 is functionally important for CXCR1 but not for CXCR2, meaning that signal transduction for these highly homologous receptors is not conserved.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon Våbenø
- Helgeland
Hospital Trust, Prestmarkveien
1, 8800 Sandnessjøen, Norway
| | - Marta Oliva-Santiago
- Laboratory
for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty
of Health and Medical Sciences, University
of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Astrid S. Jørgensen
- Laboratory
for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty
of Health and Medical Sciences, University
of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Stefanie Karlshøj
- Laboratory
for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty
of Health and Medical Sciences, University
of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Mette M. Rosenkilde
- Laboratory
for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty
of Health and Medical Sciences, University
of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
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3
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Berg C, Wedemeyer MJ, Melynis M, Schlimgen RR, Hansen LH, Våbenø J, Peterson FC, Volkman BF, Rosenkilde MM, Lüttichau HR. The non-ELR CXC chemokine encoded by human cytomegalovirus UL146 genotype 5 contains a C-terminal β-hairpin and induces neutrophil migration as a selective CXCR2 agonist. PLoS Pathog 2022; 18:e1010355. [PMID: 35271688 PMCID: PMC8939814 DOI: 10.1371/journal.ppat.1010355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2021] [Revised: 03/22/2022] [Accepted: 02/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a major pathogen in immunocompromised patients. The UL146 gene exists as 14 diverse genotypes among clinical isolates, which encode 14 different CXC chemokines. One genotype (vCXCL1GT1) is a known agonist for CXCR1 and CXCR2, while two others (vCXCL1GT5 and vCXCL1GT6) lack the ELR motif considered crucial for CXCR1 and CXCR2 binding, thus suggesting another receptor targeting profile. To determine the receptor target for vCXCL1GT5, the chemokine was probed in a G protein signaling assay on all 18 classical human chemokine receptors, where CXCR2 was the only receptor being activated. In addition, vCXCL1GT5 recruited β-arrestin in a BRET-based assay and induced migration in a chemotaxis assay through CXCR2, but not CXCR1. In contrast, vCXCL1GT1 stimulated G protein signaling, recruited β-arrestin and induced migration through both CXCR1 and CXCR2. Both vCXCL1GT1 and vCXCL1GT5 induced equally potent and efficacious migration of neutrophils, and ELR vCXCL1GT4 and non-ELR vCXCL1GT6 activated only CXCR2. In contrast to most human chemokines, the 14 UL146 genotypes have remarkably long C-termini. Comparative modeling using Rosetta showed that each genotype could adopt the classic chemokine core structure, and predicted that the extended C-terminal tail of several genotypes (including vCXCL1GT1, vCXCL1GT4, vCXCL1GT5, and vCXCL1GT6) forms a novel β-hairpin not found in human chemokines. Secondary NMR shift and TALOS+ analysis of vCXCL1GT1 supported the existence of two stable β-strands. C-terminal deletion of vCXCL1GT1 resulted in a non-functional protein and in a shift to solvent exposure for tryptophan residues likely due to destabilization of the chemokine fold. The results demonstrate that non-ELR chemokines can activate CXCR2 and suggest that the UL146 chemokines have unique C-terminal structures that stabilize the chemokine fold. Increased knowledge of the structure and interaction partners of the chemokine variants encoded by UL146 is key to understanding why circulating HCMV strains sustain 14 stable genotypes. Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a prevalent herpesvirus infecting an estimated 60% of the human population worldwide. It is commonly transmitted during early childhood and leads to life-long latency, where viral reactivation can cause severe complications in case of host immune suppression. Furthermore, HCMV is the leading cause of congenital infections. Circulating HCMV strains exhibit great genetic diversity unusual for DNA viruses. One of its most diverse genes is UL146, which encodes a chemokine that facilitates viral dissemination by exploiting the human immune system through mimicry of key immunity components. In this study, we investigate how the diversity of UL146 affects its signaling and structural properties to understand why its genetic diversity is maintained across human populations. We find that certain genotypes that lack key structural domains present in the human homologs nonetheless exert similar functions in the virus-host relationship. Furthermore, many of the UL146 genotypes contain novel structural elements critical for correct protein folding and with the potential to provide HCMV with additional immune modulatory and evasive features. Together, our data highlight a considerable degree of host-adaptation by HCMV and propose novel structural interactions with implications for the virus-host interplay.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Berg
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Unit for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Herlev-Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Michael J. Wedemeyer
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Motiejus Melynis
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Roman R. Schlimgen
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Lasse H. Hansen
- Department of Clinical Biochemistry, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Copenhagen Center for Glycomics, Department of Cellular and Molecular Medicine, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Jon Våbenø
- Helgeland Hospital Trust, Sandnessjøen, Norway
| | - Francis C. Peterson
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Brian F. Volkman
- Department of Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA
| | - Mette M. Rosenkilde
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- * E-mail: (MMR); (HRL)
| | - Hans R. Lüttichau
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Unit for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Herlev-Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev, Denmark
- * E-mail: (MMR); (HRL)
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4
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Larsen O, van der Velden WJC, Mavri M, Schuermans S, Rummel PC, Karlshøj S, Gustavsson M, Proost P, Våbenø J, Rosenkilde MM. Identification of a conserved chemokine receptor motif that enables ligand discrimination. Sci Signal 2022; 15:eabg7042. [PMID: 35258997 DOI: 10.1126/scisignal.abg7042] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Extensive ligand-receptor promiscuity in the chemokine signaling system balances beneficial redundancy and specificity. However, this feature poses a major challenge to selectively modulate the system pharmacologically. Here, we identified a conserved cluster of three aromatic receptor residues that anchors the second extracellular loop (ECL2) to the top of receptor transmembrane helices (TM) 4 and 5 and enables recognition of both shared and specific characteristics of interacting chemokines. This cluster was essential for the activation of several chemokine receptors. Furthermore, characteristic motifs of the ß1 strand and 30s loop make the two main CC-chemokine subgroups-the macrophage inflammatory proteins (MIPs) and monocyte chemoattractant proteins (MCPs)-differentially dependent on this cluster in the promiscuous receptors CCR1, CCR2, and CCR5. The cluster additionally enabled CCR1 and CCR5 to discriminate between closely related MIPs based on the N terminus of the chemokine. G protein signaling and β-arrestin2 recruitment assays confirmed the importance of the conserved cluster in receptor discrimination of chemokine ligands. This extracellular site may facilitate the development of chemokine-related therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olav Larsen
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.,Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Wijnand J C van der Velden
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Maša Mavri
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.,Institute of Preclinical Sciences, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Gerbičeva 60, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Sara Schuermans
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark.,Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Pia C Rummel
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Stefanie Karlshøj
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Martin Gustavsson
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Paul Proost
- Laboratory of Molecular Immunology, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Transplantation, Rega Institute for Medical Research, KU Leuven, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Jon Våbenø
- Helgeland Hospital Trust, Prestmarkveien 1, 8800 Sandnessjøen, Norway
| | - Mette M Rosenkilde
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, 2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
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5
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Kjær VMS, Ieremias L, Daugvilaite V, Lückmann M, Frimurer TM, Ulven T, Rosenkilde MM, Våbenø J. Discovery of GPR183 Agonists Based on an Antagonist Scaffold. ChemMedChem 2021; 16:2623-2627. [PMID: 34270165 PMCID: PMC8518411 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202100301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2021] [Revised: 06/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
The G protein-coupled receptor GPR183/EBI2, which is activated by oxysterols, is a therapeutic target for inflammatory and metabolic diseases where both antagonists and agonists are of potential interest. Using the piperazine diamide core of the known GPR183 antagonist (E)-3-(4-bromophenyl)-1-(4-(4-methoxybenzoyl)piperazin-1-yl)prop-2-en-1-one (NIBR189) as starting point, we identified and sourced 79 structurally related compounds that were commercially available. In vitro screening of this compound collection using a Ca2+ mobilization assay resulted in the identification of 10 compounds with agonist properties. To enable establishment of initial structure-activity relationship trends, these were supplemented with five in-house compounds, two of which were also shown to be GPR183 agonists. Taken together, our findings suggest that the agonist activity of this compound series is dictated by the substitution pattern of one of the two distal phenyl rings, which functions as a molecular efficacy-switch.
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Affiliation(s)
- Viktoria M. S. Kjær
- Department of Biomedical SciencesFaculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenBlegdamsvej 3B2200CopenhagenDenmark
| | - Loukas Ieremias
- Department of Drug Design and PharmacologyFaculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenJagtvej 1622100CopenhagenDenmark
| | - Viktorija Daugvilaite
- Department of Biomedical SciencesFaculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenBlegdamsvej 3B2200CopenhagenDenmark
| | - Michael Lückmann
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic ResearchUniversity of Copenhagen Maersk TowerBlegdamsvej 3B2200CopenhagenDenmark
| | - Thomas M. Frimurer
- Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic ResearchUniversity of Copenhagen Maersk TowerBlegdamsvej 3B2200CopenhagenDenmark
| | - Trond Ulven
- Department of Drug Design and PharmacologyFaculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenJagtvej 1622100CopenhagenDenmark
| | - Mette M. Rosenkilde
- Department of Biomedical SciencesFaculty of Health and Medical SciencesUniversity of CopenhagenBlegdamsvej 3B2200CopenhagenDenmark
| | - Jon Våbenø
- Helgeland Hospital TrustPrestmarkveien 18800SandnessjøenNorway
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6
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Jørgensen AS, Daugvilaite V, De Filippo K, Berg C, Mavri M, Benned-Jensen T, Juzenaite G, Hjortø G, Rankin S, Våbenø J, Rosenkilde MM. Biased action of the CXCR4-targeting drug plerixafor is essential for its superior hematopoietic stem cell mobilization. Commun Biol 2021; 4:569. [PMID: 33980979 PMCID: PMC8115334 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-021-02070-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 03/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/14/2023] Open
Abstract
Following the FDA-approval of the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) mobilizer plerixafor, orally available and potent CXCR4 antagonists were pursued. One such proposition was AMD11070, which was orally active and had superior antagonism in vitro; however, it did not appear as effective for HSC mobilization in vivo. Here we show that while AMD11070 acts as a full antagonist, plerixafor acts biased by stimulating β-arrestin recruitment while fully antagonizing G protein. Consequently, while AMD11070 prevents the constitutive receptor internalization, plerixafor allows it and thereby decreases receptor expression. These findings are confirmed by the successful transfer of both ligands' binding sites and action to the related CXCR3 receptor. In vivo, plerixafor exhibits superior HSC mobilization associated with a dramatic reversal of the CXCL12 gradient across the bone marrow endothelium, which is not seen for AMD11070. We propose that the biased action of plerixafor is central for its superior therapeutic effect in HSC mobilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Astrid S Jørgensen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Viktorija Daugvilaite
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Katia De Filippo
- Department of Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI), Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Christian Berg
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Unit for Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Herlev-Gentofte Hospital, University of Copenhagen, Herlev, Denmark
| | - Masa Mavri
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Institute of Preclinical Sciences, Veterinary Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tau Benned-Jensen
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Lundbeck A/S, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Goda Juzenaite
- Department of Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI), Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Gertrud Hjortø
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Sara Rankin
- Department of Medicine, National Heart and Lung Institute (NHLI), Imperial College, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jon Våbenø
- Helgeland Hospital Trust, Sandnessjøen, Norway.
| | - Mette M Rosenkilde
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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7
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Berg C, Daugvilaite V, Steen A, Jørgensen AS, Våbenø J, Rosenkilde MM. Inhibition of HIV Fusion by Small Molecule Agonists through Efficacy-Engineering of CXCR4. ACS Chem Biol 2018; 13:881-886. [PMID: 29461034 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.8b00061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/21/2023]
Abstract
CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) is involved in multiple physiological and pathological processes, notably as a coreceptor for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) cell entry. Its broad expression pattern and vital biological importance make CXCR4 a troublesome drug target, as disruption of the interaction with its endogenous ligand, CXC chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12), has severe consequences. In fact, only one CXCR4 drug, the bicyclam antagonist and HIV entry inhibitor AMD3100 (Plerixafor/Mozobil), has been approved for clinical use, however only for stem cell mobilization-a consequence of CXCR4 antagonism. Here, we report the engineering of an efficacy switch mutation in CXCR4-F292A7.43 in the middle of transmembrane helix 7-that converted the antagonists AMD3100 and AMD11070 into partial agonists. As agonists on F292A CXCR4, AMD3100 and AMD11070 were less disruptive to CXCR4 signaling while they remained efficient inhibitors of HIV fusion. This demonstrates that small molecule CXCR4 agonists can have a therapeutic potential as HIV entry inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Berg
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Infectious Diseases Unit, Department of Medicine, Herlev−Gentofte Hospital, Herlev Ringvej 75, 2730 Herlev, Denmark
| | - Viktorija Daugvilaite
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Anne Steen
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Astrid Sissel Jørgensen
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Jon Våbenø
- Helgeland Hospital Trust, Prestmarkveien 1, 8800 Sandnessjøen, Norway
| | - Mette Marie Rosenkilde
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3B, 2200 Copenhagen N, Denmark
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8
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di Cagno MP, Clarelli F, Våbenø J, Lesley C, Rahman SD, Cauzzo J, Franceschinis E, Realdon N, Stein PC. Experimental Determination of Drug Diffusion Coefficients in Unstirred Aqueous Environments by Temporally Resolved Concentration Measurements. Mol Pharm 2018; 15:1488-1494. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.molpharmaceut.7b01053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Massimiliano Pio di Cagno
- Drug Transport and Delivery Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, University of Tromsø, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø 9037, Norway
| | - Fabrizio Clarelli
- Computational Pharmacology Group, Department of Pharmacy, University of Tromsø, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø 9037, Norway
| | - Jon Våbenø
- Helgeland Hospital Trust, 8800 Sandnessjøen, Norway
| | - Christina Lesley
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Sokar Darsim Rahman
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
| | - Jennifer Cauzzo
- Drug Transport and Delivery Research Group, Department of Pharmacy, University of Tromsø, The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø 9037, Norway
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Padova, 35122 Padova, Italy
| | - Erica Franceschinis
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Padova, 35122 Padova, Italy
| | - Nicola Realdon
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Padova, 35122 Padova, Italy
| | - Paul C. Stein
- Department of Physics, Chemistry and Pharmacy, University of Southern Denmark, 5230 Odense, Denmark
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9
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Zachariassen ZG, Karlshøj S, Haug BE, Rosenkilde MM, Våbenø J. Probing the Molecular Interactions between CXC Chemokine Receptor 4 (CXCR4) and an Arginine-Based Tripeptidomimetic Antagonist (KRH-1636). J Med Chem 2015; 58:8141-53. [PMID: 26397724 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.5b00987] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
We here report an experimentally verified binding mode for the known tripeptidomimetic CXCR4 antagonist KRH-1636 (1). A limited SAR study based on the three functionalities of 1 was first conducted, followed by site-directed mutagenesis studies. The receptor mapping showed that both the potency and affinity of 1 were dependent on the transmembrane residues His(113), Asp(171), Asp(262), and His(281) and also suggested the involvement of Tyr(45) and Gln(200) (potency) and Tyr(116) and Glu(288) (affinity). Molecular docking of 1 to an X-ray structure of CXCR4 showed that the l-Arg guanidino group of 1 forms polar interactions with His(113) and Asp(171) and the (pyridin-2-ylmethyl)amino moiety is anchored by Asp(262) and His(281), whereas the naphthalene ring is tightly packed in a hydrophobic subpocket formed by the aromatic side chains of Trp(94), Tyr(45), and Tyr(116). The detailed picture of ligand-receptor interactions provided here will assist in structure-based design and further development of small-molecule peptidomimetic CXCR4 antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zack G Zachariassen
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway , Breivika, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Stefanie Karlshøj
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen , Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Bengt Erik Haug
- Department of Chemistry and Centre for Pharmacy, University of Bergen , Allégaten 41, NO-5007 Bergen, Norway
| | - Mette M Rosenkilde
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen , Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Jon Våbenø
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway , Breivika, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway
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10
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Thiele S, Mungalpara J, Steen A, Rosenkilde MM, Våbenø J. Determination of the binding mode for the cyclopentapeptide CXCR4 antagonist FC131 using a dual approach of ligand modifications and receptor mutagenesis. Br J Pharmacol 2015; 171:5313-29. [PMID: 25039237 DOI: 10.1111/bph.12842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2014] [Revised: 06/25/2014] [Accepted: 07/08/2014] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The cyclopentapeptide FC131 (cyclo(-L-Arg(1) -L-Arg(2) -L-2-Nal(3) -Gly(4) -D-Tyr(5) -)) is an antagonist at the CXC chemokine receptor CXCR4, which plays a role in human immunodeficiency virus infection, cancer and stem cell recruitment. Binding modes for FC131 in CXCR4 have previously been suggested based on molecular docking guided by structure-activity relationship (SAR) data; however, none of these have been verified by in vitro experiments. EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH Heterologous (125) I-12G5-competition binding and functional assays (inhibition of CXCL12-mediated activation) of FC131 and three analogues were performed on wild-type CXCR4 and 25 receptor mutants. Computational modelling was used to rationalize the experimental data. KEY RESULTS The Arg(2) and 2-Nal(3) side chains of FC131 interact with residues in TM-3 (His(113) , Asp(171) ) and TM-5 (hydrophobic pocket) respectively. Arg(1) forms charge-charge interactions with Asp(187) in ECL-2, while D-Tyr(5) points to the extracellular side of CXCR4. Furthermore, the backbone of FC131 interacts with the chemokine receptor-conserved Glu(288) via two water molecules. Intriguingly, Tyr(116) and Glu(288) form a H-bond in CXCR4 crystal structures and mutation of either residue to Ala abolishes CXCR4 activity. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS Ligand modification, receptor mutagenesis and computational modelling approaches were used to identify the binding mode of FC131 in CXCR4, which was in agreement with binding modes suggested from previous SAR studies. Furthermore, insights into the mechanism for CXCR4 activation by CXCL12 were gained. The combined findings will facilitate future design of novel CXCR4 antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- S Thiele
- Laboratory for Molecular Pharmacology, Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, The Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark
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Zachariassen ZG, Thiele S, Berg EA, Rasmussen P, Fossen T, Rosenkilde MM, Våbenø J, Haug BE. Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of scaffold-based tripeptidomimetic antagonists for CXC chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4). Bioorg Med Chem 2014; 22:4759-69. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2014.07.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2014] [Revised: 06/26/2014] [Accepted: 07/02/2014] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Mungalpara J, Zachariassen ZG, Thiele S, Rosenkilde MM, Våbenø J. Structure-activity relationship studies of the aromatic positions in cyclopentapeptide CXCR4 antagonists. Org Biomol Chem 2013; 11:8202-8. [PMID: 24150741 DOI: 10.1039/c3ob41941j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
The cyclopentapeptide CXCR4 antagonist FC131 (cyclo(-Arg(1)-Arg(2)-2-Nal(3)-Gly(4)-D-Tyr(5)-), 2; 2-Nal = 3-(2-naphthyl)alanine) represents an excellent starting point for development of novel drug-like ligands with therapeutic potential in HIV, cancer, stem-cell mobilization, inflammation, and autoimmune diseases. While the structure-activity relationships for Arg(1), Arg(2), and Gly(4) are well established, less is understood about the roles of the aromatic residues 2-Nal(3) and D-Tyr(5). Here we report further structure-activity relationship studies of these two positions, which showed that (i) the distal aromatic ring of the 2-Nal(3) side chain is required in order to maintain high potency and (ii) replacement of D-Tyr(5) with conformationally constrained analogues results in significantly reduced activity. However, a simplified analogue that contained Gly instead of D-Tyr(5) was only 13-fold less potent than 2, which means that the D-Tyr(5) side chain is dispensable. These findings were rationalized based on molecular docking, and the collective structure-activity data for the cyclopentapeptides suggest that appropriately designed Arg(2)-2-Nal(3) dipeptidomimetics have potential as CXCR4 antagonists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jignesh Mungalpara
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Breivika, NO-9037 Tromsø, Norway.
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Mungalpara J, Thiele S, Eriksen Ø, Eksteen J, Rosenkilde MM, Våbenø J. Rational Design of Conformationally Constrained Cyclopentapeptide Antagonists for C-X-C Chemokine Receptor 4 (CXCR4). J Med Chem 2012; 55:10287-91. [DOI: 10.1021/jm300926y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Stefanie Thiele
- Laboratory for Molecular
Pharmacology,
Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and
Medical Sciences, The Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | | | - Johann Eksteen
- Lytix Biopharma, Tromsø Science Park AS, P.O. Box 6447, NO-9294 Tromsø,
Norway
| | - Mette M. Rosenkilde
- Laboratory for Molecular
Pharmacology,
Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, Faculty of Health and
Medical Sciences, The Panum Institute, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
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Abstract
The finding that the chemokine receptor CXCR4 is involved in T-cell HIV entry has encouraged the development of antiretroviral drugs targeting this receptor. Additional evidence that CXCR4 plays a crucial role in both angiogenesis and metastasis provides further motivation for the development of a CXCR4 inhibitor for therapeutic applications in oncology. To facilitate the design of such ligands, we have investigated the possible binding modes for cyclopentapeptide CXCR4 antagonists by docking 11 high/medium affinity cyclopentapeptides to a developed three-dimensional model of the CXCR4 G-protein-coupled receptor's transmembrane region. These ligands, expected to bind in the same mode to the receptor, were docked in the previously deduced receptor-bound conformation [Våbenøet al., in press; doi 10.1002/bip.20508]. Ligand-receptor complexes were generated using an automated docking procedure that allowed ligand flexibility. By comparing the resulting ligand poses, only two binding modes common for all 11 compounds were identified. Inspection of these two ligand-receptor complexes identified several CXCR4 contact residues shown by mutation to be interaction sites for ligands and important for HIV gp120 binding. Thus, the results provide further insight into the mechanism by which these cyclopentapeptides block HIV entry as well as a basis for rational design of CXCR4 mutants to map potential contacts with small peptide ligands.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon Våbenø
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Center for Computational Biology, Washington University School of Medicine, 700 South Euclid Avenue, St Louis, MO 63110, USA
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Andersen R, Jørgensen FS, Olsen L, Våbenø J, Thorn K, Nielsen CU, Steffansen B. Development of a QSAR Model for Binding of Tripeptides and Tripeptidomimetics to the Human Intestinal Di-/Tripeptide Transporter hPEPT1. Pharm Res 2006; 23:483-92. [PMID: 16489544 DOI: 10.1007/s11095-006-9462-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2005] [Accepted: 11/11/2005] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The aim of this study was to develop a three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model for binding of tripeptides and tripeptidomimetics to hPEPT1 based on a series of 25 diverse tripeptides. METHODS VolSurf descriptors were generated and correlated with binding affinities by multivariate data analysis. The affinities for hPEPT1 of the tripeptides and tripeptidomimetics were determined experimentally by use of Caco-2 cell monolayers. RESULTS The Ki-values of the 25 tripeptides and tripeptidomimetics ranged from 0.15 to 25 mM and the structural diversity of the compounds was described by VolSurf descriptors. A QSAR model that correlated the VolSurf descriptors of the tripeptides with their experimental binding affinity for hPEPT1 was established. CONCLUSION Structural information on tripeptide properties influencing the binding to hPEPT1 was extracted from the QSAR model. This information may contribute to the drug design process of tripeptides and tripeptidomimetics where hPEPT1 is targeted as an absorptive transporter for improvement of intestinal absorption. To our knowledge, this is the first time a correlation between VolSurf descriptors and binding affinities for hPEPT1 has been reported.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rikke Andersen
- Molecular Biopharmaceutics, The Danish University of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2-Universitetsparken, DK-2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
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Abstract
Because of its involvement in HIV entry, the chemokine receptor CXCR4 is an attractive target for antiretroviral drugs. Despite the large number of CXCR4 inhibitors studied, the 3D pharmacophore for binding to CXCR4 remains elusive, mainly as a result of conformational flexibility inherent in the identified ligands. In the present study, an exhaustive systematic exploration of the conformational space for a series of analogs of FC131, a cyclopentapeptide CXCR4 antagonist, has been performed. By comparing the resulting low-energy conformations using different sets of atoms, specific conformational features common only to the high/medium affinity compounds were identified. These features included the spatial arrangement of three pharmacophoric side chains as well as the orientation of a specific backbone amide bond. Together these features represent a minimalistic 3D pharmacophore model for binding of the cyclopentapeptide antagonists to CXCR4. The model enables rationalization of the experimental affinity data for this class of compounds as well as for the peptidomimetic KRH-1636.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon Våbenø
- Center for Computational Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, 660 S. Euclid Avenue, St. Louis, MO 63110, USA
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Våbenø J, Nielsen CU, Steffansen B, Lejon T, Sylte I, Jørgensen FS, Luthman K. Conformational restrictions in ligand binding to the human intestinal di-/tripeptide transporter: implications for design of hPEPT1 targeted prodrugs. Bioorg Med Chem 2005; 13:1977-88. [PMID: 15727852 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2005.01.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/14/2004] [Revised: 01/05/2005] [Accepted: 01/12/2005] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to develop a computational method aiding the design of dipeptidomimetic pro-moieties targeting the human intestinal di-/tripeptide transporter hPEPT1. First, the conformation in which substrates bind to hPEPT1 (the bioactive conformation) was identified by conformational analysis and 2D dihedral driving analysis of 15 hPEPT1 substrates, which suggested that psi(1) approximately 165 degrees , omega(1) approximately 180 degrees , and phi(2) approximately 280 degrees were descriptive of the bioactive conformation. Subsequently, the conformational energy required to change the peptide backbone conformation (DeltaE(bbone)) from the global energy minimum conformation to the identified bioactive conformation was calculated for 20 hPEPT1 targeted model prodrugs with known K(i) values. Quantitatively, an inverse linear relationship (r(2)=0.81, q(2)=0.80) was obtained between DeltaE(bbone) and log1/K(i), showing that DeltaE(bbone) contributes significantly to the experimentally observed affinity for hPEPT1 ligands. Qualitatively, the results revealed that compounds classified as high affinity ligands (K(i)<0.5 mM) all have a calculated DeltaE(bbone)<1 kcal/mol, whereas medium and low-affinity compounds (0.5 mM<K(i)<15 mM) have DeltaE(bbone) values in the range 1-3 kcal/mol. The findings also shed new light on the basis for the experimentally observed stereoselectivity of hPEPT1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon Våbenø
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, University of Tromsø, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway
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Nielsen CU, Våbenø J, Andersen R, Brodin B, Steffansen B. Recent advances in therapeutic applications of human peptide transporters. Expert Opin Ther Pat 2005. [DOI: 10.1517/13543776.15.2.153] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
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Gullbo J, Tullberg M, Våbenø J, Ehrsson H, Lewensohn R, Nygren P, Larsson R, Luthman K. Structure-activity relationship for alkylating dipeptide nitrogen mustard derivatives. Oncol Res 2004; 14:113-32. [PMID: 14760861 DOI: 10.3727/000000003771013071] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The strategy of using small peptides for effective targeting of tumor cells in chemotherapy has proven beneficial. Recently we showed that J1 (L-melphalanyl-p-L-fluorophenylalanine ethyl ester), an alkylating nitrogen mustard-containing dipeptide, exhibited strong cytotoxic activity in fresh human tumor samples in addition to rapid and pronounced inhibition of macromolecular syntheses and cellular respiration in the human tumor lymphoma cell line U-937 GTB. In this study, an additional series of 17 nitrogen mustard-containing dipeptides has been synthesized and analyzed for cytotoxic activity in a panel of 10 human tumor cell lines. The results were compared to the single amino acid mustard derivative melphalan and its ethyl and isopropyl esters. Also P2 (L-prolyl-m-L-sarcolysyl-p-L-fluorophenylalanine ethyl ester), a tripeptide that previously has shown impressive effects in human tumor cells, was used as reference. The tested compounds displayed various activities in the different cell lines but also showed a high correlation, indicating a similar mechanism of action. Factors like amino acid composition, amino acid sequence, modifications of the C- and N-termini, and to a minor extent the lipophilicity of the dipeptide derivatives appear to influence the in vitro activity. The results indicate that the activity of these compounds not only relies on their chemical reactivity, but also on active biological interactions such as transport across membranes and/or enzymatic liberation of reactive molecular entities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joachim Gullbo
- Department of Medical Sciences, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Uppsala University, SE-751 85 Uppsala, Sweden.
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Våbenø J, Nielsen CU, Ingebrigtsen T, Lejon T, Steffansen B, Luthman K. Dipeptidomimetic Ketomethylene Isosteres as Pro-moieties for Drug Transport via the Human Intestinal Di-/Tripeptide Transporter hPEPT1: Design, Synthesis, Stability, and Biological Investigations. J Med Chem 2004; 47:4755-65. [PMID: 15341490 DOI: 10.1021/jm040780c] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Five dipeptidomimetic-based model prodrugs containing ketomethylene amide bond replacements were synthesized from readily available alpha,beta-unsaturated gamma-ketoesters. The model drug (BnOH) was attached to the C-terminus or to one of the side chain positions of the dipeptidomimetic. The stability, the affinity for the di-/tripeptide transporter hPEPT1, and the transepithelial transport properties of the model prodrugs were investigated. ValPsi[COCH(2)]Asp(OBn) was the compound with highest chemical stability in buffers at pH 6.0 and 7.4, with half-lives of 190 and 43 h, respectively. All five compounds showed high affinity for hPEPT1 (K(i) values < 1 mM), and PhePsi[COCH(2)]Asp(OBn) and ValPsi[COCH(2)]Asp(OBn) had the highest affinities with K(i) values of 68 and 19 microM, respectively. An hPEPT1-mediated transport component was demonstrated for the transepithelial transport of three compounds, a finding that was corroborated by hPEPT1-mediated intracellular uptake. The results indicate that the stabilized Phe-Asp and Val-Asp derivatives are promising pro-moieties in a prodrug approach targeting hPEPT1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon Våbenø
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, University of Tromsø, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway
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Våbenø J, Lejon T, Nielsen CU, Steffansen B, Chen W, Ouyang H, Borchardt RT, Luthman K. Phe-Gly Dipeptidomimetics Designed for the Di-/Tripeptide Transporters PEPT1 and PEPT2: Synthesis and Biological Investigations. J Med Chem 2004; 47:1060-9. [PMID: 14761208 DOI: 10.1021/jm031022+] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
A series of five Phe-Gly dipeptidomimetics containing different amide bond replacements have been synthesized in a facile way from the readily available unsaturated ketoester 1, and their affinities for the di-/tripeptide transporters hPEPT1 (Caco-2 cells) and rPEPT2 (SKPT cells) were tested. The compounds contained the amide bond isosteres ketomethylene (2a), (R)- and (S)-hydroxyethylidene (3a and 4a), and (R)- and (S)-hydroxyethylene (5a and 6a) to provide information on the conformational and stereochemical requirements for hPEPT1 and rPEPT2 affinity. The affinity studies showed that for rPEPT2 there is no significant difference in affinity between the ketomethylene isostere 2a and the natural substrate Phe-Gly (K(i) values of 18.8 and 14.6 microM, respectively). Also the affinities for hPEPT1 are in the same range (K(i) values of 0.40 and 0.20 mM, respectively). This corroborates earlier findings that the amide bond as such is not essential for binding to PEPTX, but the results also reveal possible differences in the binding of ketomethylene isosteres to hPEPT1 and rPEPT2. The trans-hydroxyethylidene and hydroxyethylene isosteres proved to be poor substrates for PEPTX. These results provide new information about the importance of flexibility and of the stereochemistry at the C(4)-position for this class of compounds. Furthermore, the intracellular uptake of 2a-4a in Caco-2 cells was investigated, showing a 3-fold reduction of the uptake of 2a in the presence of the competetive inhibitor Gly-Pro, indicating contribution from an active transport component. No active uptake of 3a and 4a was observed. Transepithelial transport studies also indicated active transport of 2a across Caco-2 monolayers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon Våbenø
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, University of Tromsø, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway
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Våbenø J, Brisander M, Lejon T, Luthman K. Diastereoselective reduction of a chiral N-Boc-protected delta-amino-alpha,beta-unsaturated gamma-keto ester Phe-Gly dipeptidomimetic. J Org Chem 2002; 67:9186-91. [PMID: 12492319 DOI: 10.1021/jo020442o] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The readily available N-Boc-protected delta-amino alpha,beta-unsaturated gamma-keto ester 1 was diastereoselectively reduced to the corresponding alcohols 2 and 3, using boron- and aluminum-based reducing reagents. Reduction reactions were successful and resulted in anti/syn ratios of alcohols of >95:5 (80% yield), using LiAlH(O-t-Bu)(3) in EtOH at -78 degrees C under chelation control, and 5:95 (98% yield), using NB-Enantride in THF at -78 degrees C under Felkin-Anh control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jon Våbenø
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Institute of Pharmacy, University of Tromsø, N-9037 Tromsø, Norway
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