Novel Inhibitory Site Revealed by Mode of Action on the Metabotropic Glutamate 7 Receptor Venus Flytrap Domain

Metabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors play a key role in modulating most synapses in the brain. The mGlu7 receptors inhibit presynaptic neurotransmitter release and offer therapeutic possibilities for post-traumatic stress disorders or epilepsy. Screening campaigns provided mGlu7-specific allosteric modulators as the inhibitor XAP044 (Gee et al. J. Biol. Chem. 2014). In contrast to other mGlu receptor allosteric modulators, XAP044 does not bind in the transmembrane domain but to the extracellular domain of the mGlu7 receptor and not at the orthosteric site. Here, we identified the mode of action of XAP044, combining synthesis of derivatives, modeling and docking experiments, and mutagenesis. We propose a unique mode of action of these inhibitors, preventing the closure of the Venus flytrap agonist binding domain. While acting as a noncompetitive antagonist of L-AP4, XAP044 and derivatives act as apparent competitive antagonists of LSP4-2022. These data revealed more potent XAP044 analogues and new possibilities to target mGluRs.

NIBR-LTSi is a selective LATS kinase inhibitor activating YAP signaling and expanding tissue stem cells in vitro and in vivo

The YAP/Hippo pathway is an organ growth and size regulation rheostat safeguarding multiple tissue stem cell compartments. LATS kinases phosphorylate and thereby inactivate YAP, thus representing a potential direct drug target for promoting tissue regeneration. Here, we report the identification and characterization of the selective small-molecule LATS kinase inhibitor NIBR-LTSi. NIBR-LTSi activates YAP signaling, shows good oral bioavailability, and expands organoids derived from several mouse and human tissues. In tissue stem cells, NIBR-LTSi promotes proliferation, maintains stemness, and blocks differentiation in vitro and in vivo. NIBR-LTSi accelerates liver regeneration following extended hepatectomy in mice. However, increased proliferation and cell dedifferentiation in multiple organs prevent prolonged systemic LATS inhibition, thus limiting potential therapeutic benefit. Together, we report a selective LATS kinase inhibitor agonizing YAP signaling and promoting tissue regeneration in vitro and in vivo, enabling future research on the regenerative potential of the YAP/Hippo pathway.

Discovery of the TLR7/8 Antagonist MHV370 for Treatment of Systemic Autoimmune Diseases

Toll-like receptor (TLR) 7 and TLR8 are endosomal sensors of the innate immune system that are activated by GU-rich single stranded RNA (ssRNA). Multiple genetic and functional lines of evidence link chronic activation of TLR7/8 to the pathogenesis of systemic autoimmune diseases (sAID) such as Sjögren's syndrome (SjS) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This makes targeting TLR7/8-induced inflammation with small-molecule inhibitors an attractive approach for the treatment of patients suffering from systemic autoimmune diseases. Here, we describe how structure-based optimization of compound 2 resulted in the discovery of 34 (MHV370, (S)-N-(4-((5-(1,6-dimethyl-1H-pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridin-4-yl)-3-methyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydro-1H-pyrazolo[4,3-c]pyridin-1-yl)methyl)bicyclo[2.2.2]octan-1-yl)morpholine-3-carboxamide). Its in vivo activity allows for further profiling toward clinical trials in patients with autoimmune disorders, and a Phase 2 proof of concept study of MHV370 has been initiated, testing its safety and efficacy in patients with Sjögren's syndrome and mixed connective tissue disease.

Structure-Based Optimization of a Fragment-like TLR8 Binding Screening Hit to an In Vivo Efficacious TLR7/8 Antagonist

Inappropriate activation of TLR7 and TLR8 is linked to several autoimmune diseases, such as lupus erythematosus. Here we report on the efficient structure-based optimization of the inhibition of TLR8, starting from a co-crystal structure of a small screening hit. Further optimization of the physicochemical properties for cellular potency and expansion of the structure-activity relationship for dual potency finally resulted in a highly potent TLR7/8 antagonist with demonstrated in vivo efficacy after oral dosing.

Target-Based Identification and Optimization of 5-Indazol-5-yl Pyridones as Toll-like Receptor 7 and 8 Antagonists Using a Biochemical TLR8 Antagonist Competition Assay

Inappropriate activation of endosomal TLR7 and TLR8 occurs in several autoimmune diseases, in particular systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Herein, the development of a TLR8 antagonist competition assay and its application for hit generation of dual TLR7/8 antagonists are reported. The structure-guided optimization of the pyridone hit 3 using this biochemical assay in combination with cellular and TLR8 cocrystal structural data resulted in the identification of a highly potent and selective TLR7/8 antagonist (27) with in vivo efficacy. The two key steps for optimization were (i) a core morph guided by a TLR7 sequence alignment to achieve a dual TLR7/8 antagonism profile and (ii) introduction of a fluorine in the piperidine ring to reduce its basicity, resulting in attractive oral pharmacokinetic (PK) properties and improved TLR8 binding affinity.

The Crystal Structure of Cancer Osaka Thyroid Kinase Reveals an Unexpected Kinase Domain Fold

Macrophages are important cellular effectors in innate immune responses and play a major role in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Cancer Osaka thyroid (COT) kinase, also known as mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase 8 (MAP3K8) and tumor progression locus 2 (Tpl-2), is a serine-threonine (ST) kinase and is a key regulator in the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines in macrophages. Due to its pivotal role in immune biology, COT kinase has been identified as an attractive target for pharmaceutical research that is directed at the discovery of orally available, selective, and potent inhibitors for the treatment of autoimmune disorders and cancer. The production of monomeric, recombinant COT kinase has proven to be very difficult, and issues with solubility and stability of the enzyme have hampered the discovery and optimization of potent and selective inhibitors. We developed a protocol for the production of recombinant human COT kinase that yields pure and highly active enzyme in sufficient yields for biochemical and structural studies. The quality of the enzyme allowed us to establish a robust in vitro phosphorylation assay for the efficient biochemical characterization of COT kinase inhibitors and to determine the x-ray co-crystal structures of the COT kinase domain in complex with two ATP-binding site inhibitors. The structures presented in this study reveal two distinct ligand binding modes and a unique kinase domain architecture that has not been observed previously. The structurally versatile active site significantly impacts the design of potent, low molecular weight COT kinase inhibitors.

Blocking metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 7 (mGlu7) via the Venus flytrap domain (VFTD) inhibits amygdala plasticity, stress, and anxiety-related behavior

The metabotropic glutamate receptor subtype 7 (mGlu7) is an important presynaptic regulator of neurotransmission in the mammalian CNS. mGlu7 function has been linked to autism, drug abuse, anxiety, and depression. Despite this, it has been difficult to develop specific blockers of native mGlu7 signaling in relevant brain areas such as amygdala and limbic cortex. Here, we present the mGlu7-selective antagonist 7-hydroxy-3-(4-iodophenoxy)-4H-chromen-4-one (XAP044), which inhibits lateral amygdala long term potentiation (LTP) in brain slices from wild type mice with a half-maximal blockade at 88 nm. There was no effect of XAP044 on LTP of mGlu7-deficient mice, indicating that this pharmacological effect is mGlu7-dependent. Unexpectedly and in contrast to all previous mGlu7-selective drugs, XAP044 does not act via the seven-transmembrane region but rather via a binding pocket localized in mGlu7's extracellular Venus flytrap domain, a region generally known for orthosteric agonist binding. This was shown by chimeric receptor studies in recombinant cell line assays. XAP044 demonstrates good brain exposure and wide spectrum anti-stress and antidepressant- and anxiolytic-like efficacy in rodent behavioral paradigms. XAP044 reduces freezing during acquisition of Pavlovian fear and reduces innate anxiety, which is consistent with the phenotypes of mGlu7-deficient mice, the results of mGlu7 siRNA knockdown studies, and the inhibition of amygdala LTP by XAP044. Thus, we present an mGlu7 antagonist with a novel molecular mode of pharmacological action, providing significant application potential in psychiatry. Modeling the selective interaction between XAP044 and mGlu7's Venus flytrap domain, whose three-dimensional structure is already known, will facilitate future drug development supported by computer-assisted drug design.

Benzimidazoles as Potent and Orally Active mGlu5 Receptor Antagonists with an Improved PK Profile

A focused chemical optimization effort of compound 1 based on metabolite elucidation is described, resulting in 15i, a highly potent and selective mGlu5 receptor antagonist with an improved pharmacokinetic profile compared to 1. Characterization of 15i in vivo in the fear-potentiated startle (FPS) paradigm revealed a robust reduction of conditioned fear behavior. This effect nicely correlates with the rat brain pharmacokinetics.

Piperidyl amides as novel, potent and orally active mGlu5 receptor antagonists with anxiolytic-like activity

High throughput screening led to the identification of nicotinamide derivative 2 as a structurally novel mGluR5 antagonist. Optimization of the modular scaffold led to the discovery of 16m, a compound with high affinity for mGluR5 and excellent selectivity over other glutamate receptors. Compound 16m exhibits a favorable PK profile in rats, robust anxiolytic-like effects in three different animal models of fear and anxiety, as well as a good PK/PD correlation.

Sequentially photocleavable protecting groups in solid-phase synthesis

[reaction: see text] A sequential solid-phase peptide synthesis was developed using both photolabile linker and protecting groups. The chromatic sequential lability between a tert-butyl ketone-derived linker (sensitive to irradiation at 305 nm) and a nitroveratryloxycarbonyl (NVOC) group (sensitive at 360 nm) was exploited to prepare Leu-Enkephalin in a 55% overall yield. This new strategy allows the preparation of peptides in essentially neutral medium, by avoiding the use of common deprotection reagents such as trifluoroacetic acid or piperidine.

Development of an enantioselective synthetic route to neocarzinostatin chromophore and its use for multiple radioisotopic incorporation

A convergent, enantioselective synthetic route to the natural product neocarzinostatin chromophore (1) is described. Synthesis of the chromophore aglycon (2) was targeted initially. Chemistry previously developed for the synthesis of a neocarzinostatin core model (4) failed in the requisite 1,3-transposition of an allylic silyl ether when applied toward the preparation of 2 with use of the more highly oxygenated substrates 27 and 54. An alternative synthetic plan was therefore developed, based upon a proposed reduction of the epoxy alcohol 58 to form the aglycon 2, a transformation that was achieved in a novel manner, using a combination of the reagents triphenylphosphine, iodine, and imidazole. The successful route to 1 and 2 began with the convergent coupling of the epoxydiyne 15, obtained in 9 steps (43% overall yield) from D-glyceraldehyde acetonide, and the cyclopentenone (+)-14, prepared in one step (75-85% yield) from the prostaglandin intermediate (+)-16, affording the alcohol 22 in 80% yield and with > or =20:1 diastereoselectivity. The alcohol 22 was then converted into the epoxy alcohol 58 in 17 steps with an average yield of 92% and an overall yield of 22%. Key features of this sequence include the diastereoselective Sharpless asymmetric epoxidation of allylic alcohol 81 (98% yield); intramolecular acetylide addition within the epoxy aldehyde 82, using Masamune's lithium diphenyltetramethyldisilazide base (85% yield); selective esterification of the diol 84 with the naphthoic acid 13 followed by selective cleavage of the chloroacetate protective group in situ to furnish the naphthoic acid ester 85 in 80% yield; and elimination of the tertiary hydroxyl group within intermediate 88 using the Martin sulfurane reagent (79% yield). Reductive transposition of the product epoxy alcohol (58) then formed neocarzinostatin chromophore aglycon (2, 71% yield). Studies directed toward the glycosylation of 2 focused initially on the preparation of the N-methylamino --> hydroxyl replacement analogue 3, an alpha-D-fucose derivative of neocarzinostatin chromophore, formed in 42% yield by a two-step Schmidt glycosylation-deprotection sequence. For the synthesis of 1, an extensive search for a suitable 2'-N-methylfucosamine glycosyl donor led to the discovery that the reaction of 2 with the trichloroacetimidate 108, containing a free N-methylamino group, formed the alpha-glycoside 114 selectively in the presence of boron trifluoride diethyl etherate. Subsequent deprotection of 114 under mildly acidic conditions then furnished the labile chromophore (1). The synthetic route was readily modified for the preparation of singly and doubly (3)H- and (14)C-labeled 1, compounds unavailable by other means, for studies of the mechanism of action of neocarzinostatin in vivo.