1
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Dedden D, Nitsche J, Schneider EV, Thomsen M, Schwarz D, Leuthner B, Grädler U. Cryo-EM Structures of CRAF 2/14-3-3 2 and CRAF 2/14-3-3 2/MEK1 2 Complexes. J Mol Biol 2024; 436:168483. [PMID: 38331211 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2024.168483] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 12/22/2023] [Accepted: 02/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
RAF protein kinases are essential effectors in the MAPK pathway and are important cancer drug targets. Structural understanding of RAF activation is so far based on cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) and X-ray structures of BRAF in different conformational states as inactive or active complexes with KRAS, 14-3-3 and MEK1. In this study, we have solved the first cryo-EM structures of CRAF2/14-3-32 at 3.4 Å resolution and CRAF2/14-3-32/MEK12 at 4.2 Å resolution using CRAF kinase domain expressed as constitutively active Y340D/Y341D mutant in insect cells. The overall architecture of our CRAF2/14-3-32 and CRAF2/14-3-32/MEK12 cryo-EM structures is highly similar to corresponding BRAF structures in complex with 14-3-3 or 14-3-3/MEK1 and represent the activated dimeric RAF conformation. Our CRAF cryo-EM structures provide additional insights into structural understanding of the activated CRAF2/14-3-32/MEK12 complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dirk Dedden
- Proteros biostructures GmbH, Bunsenstraße 7a, D-82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Julius Nitsche
- Proteros biostructures GmbH, Bunsenstraße 7a, D-82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | | | - Maren Thomsen
- Proteros biostructures GmbH, Bunsenstraße 7a, D-82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Daniel Schwarz
- The Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Birgitta Leuthner
- The Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Ulrich Grädler
- The Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany.
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2
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Grädler U, Schwarz D, Wegener A, Eichhorn T, Bandeiras TM, Freitas MC, Lammens A, Ganichkin O, Augustin M, Minguzzi S, Becker F, Bomke J. Biophysical and structural characterization of the impacts of MET phosphorylation on tepotinib binding. J Biol Chem 2023; 299:105328. [PMID: 37806493 PMCID: PMC10654029 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2023.105328] [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] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/24/2023] [Revised: 08/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/07/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
The receptor tyrosine kinase MET is activated by hepatocyte growth factor binding, followed by phosphorylation of the intracellular kinase domain (KD) mainly within the activation loop (A-loop) on Y1234 and Y1235. Dysregulation of MET can lead to both tumor growth and metastatic progression of cancer cells. Tepotinib is a highly selective, potent type Ib MET inhibitor and approved for treatment of non-small cell lung cancer harboring METex14 skipping alterations. Tepotinib binds to the ATP site of unphosphorylated MET with critical π-stacking contacts to Y1230 of the A-loop, resulting in a high residence time. In our study, we combined protein crystallography, biophysical methods (surface plasmon resonance, differential scanning fluorimetry), and mass spectrometry to clarify the impacts of A-loop conformation on tepotinib binding using different recombinant MET KD protein variants. We solved the first crystal structures of MET mutants Y1235D, Y1234E/1235E, and F1200I in complex with tepotinib. Our biophysical and structural data indicated a linkage between reduced residence times for tepotinib and modulation of A-loop conformation either by mutation (Y1235D), by affecting the overall Y1234/Y1235 phosphorylation status (L1195V and F1200I) or by disturbing critical π-stacking interactions with tepotinib (Y1230C). We corroborated these data with target engagement studies by fluorescence cross-correlation spectroscopy using KD constructs in cell lysates or full-length receptors from solubilized cellular membranes as WT or activated mutants (Y1235D and Y1234E/1235E). Collectively, our results provide further insight into the MET A-loop structural determinants that affect the binding of the selective inhibitor tepotinib.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Grädler
- The Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - Daniel Schwarz
- The Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Ansgar Wegener
- The Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Tiago M Bandeiras
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Micael C Freitas
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Jörg Bomke
- The Healthcare Business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany
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3
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Paiva ACF, Lemos AR, Busse P, Martins MT, Silva DO, Freitas MC, Santos SP, Freire F, Barrey EJ, Manival X, Koetzner L, Heinrich T, Wegener A, Grädler U, Bandeiras TM, Schwarz D, Sousa PMF. Extract2Chip-Bypassing Protein Purification in Drug Discovery Using Surface Plasmon Resonance. Biosensors (Basel) 2023; 13:913. [PMID: 37887106 PMCID: PMC10605449 DOI: 10.3390/bios13100913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Modern drug discovery relies on combinatorial screening campaigns to find drug molecules targeting specific disease-associated proteins. The success of such campaigns often relies on functional and structural information of the selected therapeutic target, only achievable once its purification is mastered. With the aim of bypassing the protein purification process to gain insights on the druggability, ligand binding, and/or characterization of protein-protein interactions, herein, we describe the Extract2Chip method. This approach builds on the immobilization of site-specific biotinylated proteins of interest, directly from cellular extracts, on avidin-coated sensor chips to allow for the characterization of molecular interactions via surface plasmon resonance (SPR). The developed method was initially validated using Cyclophilin D (CypD) and subsequently applied to other drug discovery projects in which the targets of interest were difficult to express, purify, and crystallize. Extract2Chip was successfully applied to the characterization of Yes-associated protein (YAP): Transcriptional enhancer factor TEF (TEAD1) protein-protein interaction inhibitors, in the validation of a ternary complex assembly composed of Dyskerin pseudouridine synthase 1 (DKC1) and RuvBL1/RuvBL2, and in the establishment of a fast-screening platform to select the most suitable NUAK family SNF1-like kinase 2 (NUAK2) surrogate for binding and structural studies. The described method paves the way for a potential revival of the many drug discovery campaigns that have failed to deliver due to the lack of suitable and sufficient protein supply.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ana C. F. Paiva
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (A.C.F.P.); (A.R.L.); (P.B.); (M.T.M.); (D.O.S.); (M.C.F.); (S.P.S.); (F.F.); (T.M.B.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Ana R. Lemos
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (A.C.F.P.); (A.R.L.); (P.B.); (M.T.M.); (D.O.S.); (M.C.F.); (S.P.S.); (F.F.); (T.M.B.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Philipp Busse
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (A.C.F.P.); (A.R.L.); (P.B.); (M.T.M.); (D.O.S.); (M.C.F.); (S.P.S.); (F.F.); (T.M.B.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Madalena T. Martins
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (A.C.F.P.); (A.R.L.); (P.B.); (M.T.M.); (D.O.S.); (M.C.F.); (S.P.S.); (F.F.); (T.M.B.)
| | - Diana O. Silva
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (A.C.F.P.); (A.R.L.); (P.B.); (M.T.M.); (D.O.S.); (M.C.F.); (S.P.S.); (F.F.); (T.M.B.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Micael C. Freitas
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (A.C.F.P.); (A.R.L.); (P.B.); (M.T.M.); (D.O.S.); (M.C.F.); (S.P.S.); (F.F.); (T.M.B.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Sandra P. Santos
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (A.C.F.P.); (A.R.L.); (P.B.); (M.T.M.); (D.O.S.); (M.C.F.); (S.P.S.); (F.F.); (T.M.B.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Filipe Freire
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (A.C.F.P.); (A.R.L.); (P.B.); (M.T.M.); (D.O.S.); (M.C.F.); (S.P.S.); (F.F.); (T.M.B.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Evelyne J. Barrey
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany; (E.J.B.); (L.K.); (T.H.); (A.W.); (U.G.)
| | - Xavier Manival
- IMoPA, CNRS, Université de Lorraine, F-54000 Nancy, France;
| | - Lisa Koetzner
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany; (E.J.B.); (L.K.); (T.H.); (A.W.); (U.G.)
| | - Timo Heinrich
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany; (E.J.B.); (L.K.); (T.H.); (A.W.); (U.G.)
| | - Ansgar Wegener
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany; (E.J.B.); (L.K.); (T.H.); (A.W.); (U.G.)
| | - Ulrich Grädler
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany; (E.J.B.); (L.K.); (T.H.); (A.W.); (U.G.)
| | - Tiago M. Bandeiras
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (A.C.F.P.); (A.R.L.); (P.B.); (M.T.M.); (D.O.S.); (M.C.F.); (S.P.S.); (F.F.); (T.M.B.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Daniel Schwarz
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany; (E.J.B.); (L.K.); (T.H.); (A.W.); (U.G.)
| | - Pedro M. F. Sousa
- iBET, Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Apartado 12, 2781-901 Oeiras, Portugal; (A.C.F.P.); (A.R.L.); (P.B.); (M.T.M.); (D.O.S.); (M.C.F.); (S.P.S.); (F.F.); (T.M.B.)
- Instituto de Tecnologia Química e Biológica António Xavier, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Av. da República, 2780-157 Oeiras, Portugal
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4
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Blum A, Dorsch D, Linde N, Brandstetter S, Buchstaller HP, Busch M, Glaser N, Grädler U, Ruff A, Petersson C, Schieferstein H, Sherbetjian E, Esdar C. Identification of M4205─A Highly Selective Inhibitor of KIT Mutations for Treatment of Unresectable Metastatic or Recurrent Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors. J Med Chem 2023; 66:2386-2395. [PMID: 36728508 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
The treatment of gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) driven by activating mutations in the KIT gene is a prime example of targeted therapy for treatment of cancer. The approval of the tyrosine kinase inhibitor imatinib has significantly improved patient survival, but emerging resistance under treatment and relapse is observed. Several additional KIT inhibitors have been approved; still, there is a high unmet need for KIT inhibitors with high selectivity and broad coverage of all clinically relevant KIT mutants. An imidazopyridine hit featuring excellent kinase selectivity was identified in a high-throughput screen (HTS) and optimized to the clinical candidate M4205 (IDRX-42). This molecule has a superior profile compared to approved drugs, suggesting a best-in-class potential for recurrent and metastatic GISTs driven by KIT mutations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andreas Blum
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Dieter Dorsch
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Nina Linde
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | | | - Michael Busch
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Nina Glaser
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Ulrich Grädler
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Aaron Ruff
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Carl Petersson
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Eva Sherbetjian
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Christina Esdar
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293Darmstadt, Germany
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5
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Schröder M, Leiendecker M, Grädler U, Braun J, Blum A, Wanior M, Berger BT, Krämer A, Müller S, Esdar C, Knapp S, Heinrich T. MSC-1186, a Highly Selective Pan-SRPK Inhibitor Based on an Exceptionally Decorated Benzimidazole-Pyrimidine Core. J Med Chem 2023; 66:837-854. [PMID: 36516476 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01705] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 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
The highly conserved catalytic sites in protein kinases make it difficult to identify ATP competitive inhibitors with kinome-wide selectivity. Serendipitously, during a dedicated fragment campaign for the focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a scaffold that had lost its initial FAK affinity showed remarkable potency and selectivity for serine-arginine-protein kinases 1-3 (SRPK1-3). Non-conserved interactions with the uniquely structured hinge region of the SRPK family were the key drivers of the exclusive selectivity of the discovered fragment hit. Structure-guided medicinal chemistry efforts led to the SRPK inhibitor MSC-1186, which fulfills all hallmarks of a reversible chemical probe, including nanomolar cellular potency and excellent kinome-wide selectivity. The combination of MSC-1186 with CDC2-like kinase (CLK) inhibitors showed additive attenuation of SR-protein phosphorylation compared to the single agents. MSC-1186 and negative control (MSC-5360) are chemical probes available via the Structural Genomics Consortium chemical probe program (https://www.sgc-ffm.uni-frankfurt.de/).
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Schröder
- SGC Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt, Buchmann Institute for Life Sciences (BMLS), Riedberg Campus, Max-von-Laue-Str. 15, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Riedberg Campus, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | - Ulrich Grädler
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Juliane Braun
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Andreas Blum
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Marek Wanior
- SGC Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt, Buchmann Institute for Life Sciences (BMLS), Riedberg Campus, Max-von-Laue-Str. 15, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Benedict-Tilman Berger
- SGC Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt, Buchmann Institute for Life Sciences (BMLS), Riedberg Campus, Max-von-Laue-Str. 15, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Riedberg Campus, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Andreas Krämer
- SGC Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt, Buchmann Institute for Life Sciences (BMLS), Riedberg Campus, Max-von-Laue-Str. 15, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Riedberg Campus, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Susanne Müller
- SGC Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt, Buchmann Institute for Life Sciences (BMLS), Riedberg Campus, Max-von-Laue-Str. 15, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Riedberg Campus, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Christina Esdar
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Stefan Knapp
- SGC Frankfurt, Goethe University Frankfurt, Buchmann Institute for Life Sciences (BMLS), Riedberg Campus, Max-von-Laue-Str. 15, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt, Riedberg Campus, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Timo Heinrich
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
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Grädler U, Busch M, Leuthner B, Raba M, Burgdorf L, Lehmann M, Linde N, Esdar C. Corrigendum to "Biochemical, cellular and structural characterization of novel and selective ERK3 inhibitors" [Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. 30 (2020) 127551]. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2021; 49:128262. [PMID: 34352662 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2021.128262] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Grädler
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - Michael Busch
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Michael Raba
- Crelux GmbH - a WuXi AppTec Company, Am Klopferspitz 19 a, D-82152 München, Germany
| | - Lars Burgdorf
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Martin Lehmann
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Nina Linde
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Christina Esdar
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
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7
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Dao VTV, Elbatreek MH, Fuchß T, Grädler U, Schmidt HHHW, Shah AM, Wallace A, Knowles R. Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibitors into the Clinic at Last. Handb Exp Pharmacol 2021; 264:169-204. [PMID: 32797331 DOI: 10.1007/164_2020_382] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The 1998 Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology for the discovery of nitric oxide, a nitrogen containing reactive oxygen species (also termed reactive nitrogen or reactive nitrogen/oxygen species) stirred great hopes. Clinical applications, however, have so far pertained exclusively to the downstream signaling of cGMP enhancing drugs such as phosphodiesterase inhibitors and soluble guanylate cyclase stimulators. All clinical attempts, so far, to inhibit NOS have failed even though preclinical models were strikingly positive and clinical biomarkers correlated perfectly. This rather casts doubt on our current way of target identification in drug discovery in general and our way of patient stratification based on correlating but not causal biomarkers or symptoms. The opposite, NO donors, nitrite and enhancing NO synthesis by eNOS/NOS3 recoupling in situations of NO deficiency, are rapidly declining in clinical relevance or hold promise but need yet to enter formal therapeutic guidelines, respectively. Nevertheless, NOS inhibition in situations of NO overproduction often jointly with enhanced superoxide (or hydrogen peroxide production) still holds promise, but most likely only in acute conditions such as neurotrauma (Stover et al., J Neurotrauma 31(19):1599-1606, 2014) and stroke (Kleinschnitz et al., J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 1508-1512, 2016; Casas et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 116(14):7129-7136, 2019). Conversely, in chronic conditions, long-term inhibition of NOS might be too risky because of off-target effects on eNOS/NOS3 in particular for patients with cardiovascular risks or metabolic and renal diseases. Nitric oxide synthases (NOS) and their role in health (green) and disease (red). Only neuronal/type 1 NOS (NOS1) has a high degree of clinical validation and is in late stage development for traumatic brain injury, followed by a phase II safety/efficacy trial in ischemic stroke. The pathophysiology of NOS1 (Kleinschnitz et al., J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 1508-1512, 2016) is likely to be related to parallel superoxide or hydrogen peroxide formation (Kleinschnitz et al., J Cereb Blood Flow Metab 1508-1512, 2016; Casas et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 114(46):12315-12320, 2017; Casas et al., Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 116(14):7129-7136, 2019) leading to peroxynitrite and protein nitration, etc. Endothelial/type 3 NOS (NOS3) is considered protective only and its inhibition should be avoided. The preclinical evidence for a role of high-output inducible/type 2 NOS (NOS2) isoform in sepsis, asthma, rheumatic arthritis, etc. was high, but all clinical development trials in these indications were neutral despite target engagement being validated. This casts doubt on the role of NOS2 in humans in health and disease (hence the neutral, black coloring).
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Affiliation(s)
- Vu Thao-Vi Dao
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, University Hospital Frankfurt, Goethe University, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Mahmoud H Elbatreek
- Department of Pharmacology and Personalised Medicine, MeHNS, FHML, Maastricht, The Netherlands.,Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
| | - Thomas Fuchß
- Takeda GmbH (former Nycomed/Altana Pharma), Konstanz, Germany
| | - Ulrich Grädler
- Takeda GmbH (former Nycomed/Altana Pharma), Konstanz, Germany
| | - Harald H H W Schmidt
- Department of Pharmacology and Personalised Medicine, MeHNS, FHML, Maastricht, The Netherlands
| | - Ajay M Shah
- King's College London British Heart Foundation Centre, School of Cardiovascular Medicine and Sciences, London, UK
| | - Alan Wallace
- Health and Life Sciences, Coventry University, Coventry, UK
| | - Richard Knowles
- Knowles Consulting Ltd., The Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, Stevenage, UK.
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8
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Grädler U, Busch M, Leuthner B, Raba M, Burgdorf L, Lehmann M, Linde N, Esdar C. Biochemical, cellular and structural characterization of novel and selective ERK3 inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2020; 30:127551. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2020.127551] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2020] [Revised: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 09/07/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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9
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Schindler CEM, Baumann H, Blum A, Böse D, Buchstaller HP, Burgdorf L, Cappel D, Chekler E, Czodrowski P, Dorsch D, Eguida MKI, Follows B, Fuchß T, Grädler U, Gunera J, Johnson T, Jorand Lebrun C, Karra S, Klein M, Knehans T, Koetzner L, Krier M, Leiendecker M, Leuthner B, Li L, Mochalkin I, Musil D, Neagu C, Rippmann F, Schiemann K, Schulz R, Steinbrecher T, Tanzer EM, Unzue Lopez A, Viacava Follis A, Wegener A, Kuhn D. Large-Scale Assessment of Binding Free Energy Calculations in Active Drug Discovery Projects. J Chem Inf Model 2020; 60:5457-5474. [PMID: 32813975 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.0c00900] [Citation(s) in RCA: 117] [Impact Index Per Article: 29.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Accurate ranking of compounds with regards to their binding affinity to a protein using computational methods is of great interest to pharmaceutical research. Physics-based free energy calculations are regarded as the most rigorous way to estimate binding affinity. In recent years, many retrospective studies carried out both in academia and industry have demonstrated its potential. Here, we present the results of large-scale prospective application of the FEP+ method in active drug discovery projects in an industry setting at Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany. We compare these prospective data to results obtained on a new diverse, public benchmark of eight pharmaceutically relevant targets. Our results offer insights into the challenges faced when using free energy calculations in real-life drug discovery projects and identify limitations that could be tackled by future method development. The new public data set we provide to the community can support further method development and comparative benchmarking of free energy calculations.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Hannah Baumann
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Andreas Blum
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Dietrich Böse
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Lars Burgdorf
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Eugene Chekler
- EMD Serono Research and Development Institute Inc., 45A Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States
| | - Paul Czodrowski
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Dieter Dorsch
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Bruce Follows
- EMD Serono Research and Development Institute Inc., 45A Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States
| | - Thomas Fuchß
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Ulrich Grädler
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Jakub Gunera
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Theresa Johnson
- EMD Serono Research and Development Institute Inc., 45A Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States
| | - Catherine Jorand Lebrun
- EMD Serono Research and Development Institute Inc., 45A Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States
| | - Srinivasa Karra
- EMD Serono Research and Development Institute Inc., 45A Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States
| | - Markus Klein
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Tim Knehans
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Lisa Koetzner
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Mireille Krier
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | | | - Liwei Li
- EMD Serono Research and Development Institute Inc., 45A Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States
| | - Igor Mochalkin
- EMD Serono Research and Development Institute Inc., 45A Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States
| | - Djordje Musil
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Constantin Neagu
- EMD Serono Research and Development Institute Inc., 45A Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States
| | | | - Kai Schiemann
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Robert Schulz
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany.,Institute of Pharmacy, Freie Universität Berlin, Königin-Luise-Straße 2+4, 14195 Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Eva-Maria Tanzer
- EMD Serono Research and Development Institute Inc., 45A Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States
| | | | - Ariele Viacava Follis
- EMD Serono Research and Development Institute Inc., 45A Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States
| | - Ansgar Wegener
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Daniel Kuhn
- Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
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10
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Grädler U, Schwarz D, Blaesse M, Leuthner B, Johnson TL, Bernard F, Jiang X, Marx A, Gilardone M, Lemoine H, Roche D, Jorand-Lebrun C. Discovery of novel Cyclophilin D inhibitors starting from three dimensional fragments with millimolar potencies. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2019; 29:126717. [PMID: 31635932 PMCID: PMC7195332 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2019.126717] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2019] [Revised: 09/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
6 Cyclophilin D crystal structures with SPR binding confirmed fragment hits having millimolar potencies were discovered. One fragment was merged with a potent reference Cyclophilin D inhibitor resulting in single-digit nanomolar potency. A second fragment provided the basis for replacing the urea linker in the reference inhibitor scaffold by an oxalyl group. Two fragment hits bound in the S1′ and S2 pockets were linked via an amide group resulting in submicromolar potencies.
Fragment-based screening by SPR enabled the discovery of chemical diverse fragment hits with millimolar binding affinities to the peptidyl-prolyl isomerase Cyclophilin D (CypD). The CypD protein crystal structures of 6 fragment hits provided the basis for subsequent medicinal chemistry optimization by fragment merging and linking yielding three different chemical series with either urea, oxalyl or amide linkers connecting millimolar fragments in the S1′ and S2 pockets. We successfully improved the in vitro CypD potencies in the biochemical FP and PPIase assays and in the biophysical SPR binding assay from millimolar towards the low micromolar and submicromolar range by >1000-fold for some fragment derivatives. The initial SAR together with the protein crystal structures of our novel CypD inhibitors provide a suitable basis for further hit-to-lead optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Grädler
- Merck Healthcare, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - Daniel Schwarz
- Merck Healthcare, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Michael Blaesse
- Proteros Biostructures GmbH, Bunsenstraße 7a, D-82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Birgitta Leuthner
- Merck Healthcare, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Theresa L Johnson
- Merck Healthcare, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Frederic Bernard
- EMD Serono Research & Development Institute Inc., 45A Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, MA 01821, USA
| | - Xuliang Jiang
- EMD Serono Research & Development Institute Inc., 45A Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, MA 01821, USA
| | - Andreas Marx
- Merck Healthcare, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Str. 250, D-64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | | | - Didier Roche
- Edelris, 115 Avenue, Lacassagne, F-69003 Lyon, France
| | - Catherine Jorand-Lebrun
- EMD Serono Research & Development Institute Inc., 45A Middlesex Turnpike, Billerica, MA 01821, USA
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11
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Kokh DB, Amaral M, Bomke J, Grädler U, Musil D, Buchstaller HP, Dreyer MK, Frech M, Lowinski M, Vallee F, Bianciotto M, Rak A, Wade RC. Estimation of Drug-Target Residence Times by τ-Random Acceleration Molecular Dynamics Simulations. J Chem Theory Comput 2018; 14:3859-3869. [PMID: 29768913 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.8b00230] [Citation(s) in RCA: 134] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Drug-target residence time (τ), one of the main determinants of drug efficacy, remains highly challenging to predict computationally and, therefore, is usually not considered in the early stages of drug design. Here, we present an efficient computational method, τ-random acceleration molecular dynamics (τRAMD), for the ranking of drug candidates by their residence time and obtaining insights into ligand-target dissociation mechanisms. We assessed τRAMD on a data set of 70 diverse drug-like ligands of the N-terminal domain of HSP90α, a pharmaceutically important target with a highly flexible binding site, obtaining computed relative residence times with an accuracy of about 2.3τ for 78% of the compounds and less than 2.0τ within congeneric series. Analysis of dissociation trajectories reveals features that affect ligand unbinding rates, including transient polar interactions and steric hindrance. These results suggest that τRAMD will be widely applicable as a computationally efficient aid to improving drug residence times during lead optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daria B Kokh
- Molecular and Cellular Modeling Group , Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies , Heidelberg 69118 , Germany
| | - Marta Amaral
- Molecular Interactions and Biophysics , Merck KGaA , Darmstadt 64293 , Germany.,Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras 2780-157 , Portugal
| | - Joerg Bomke
- Molecular Pharmacology , Merck KGaA , Darmstadt 64293 , Germany
| | - Ulrich Grädler
- Molecular Interactions and Biophysics , Merck KGaA , Darmstadt 64293 , Germany
| | - Djordje Musil
- Molecular Interactions and Biophysics , Merck KGaA , Darmstadt 64293 , Germany
| | | | - Matthias K Dreyer
- R&D Integrated Drug Discovery , Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland GmbH , Frankfurt am Main 65926 , Germany
| | - Matthias Frech
- Molecular Interactions and Biophysics , Merck KGaA , Darmstadt 64293 , Germany
| | - Maryse Lowinski
- Integrated Drug Discovery , Sanofi R&D , Vitry-sur-Seine F-94403 , France
| | - Francois Vallee
- Integrated Drug Discovery , Sanofi R&D , Vitry-sur-Seine F-94403 , France
| | - Marc Bianciotto
- Integrated Drug Discovery , Sanofi R&D , Vitry-sur-Seine F-94403 , France
| | - Alexey Rak
- Integrated Drug Discovery , Sanofi R&D , Vitry-sur-Seine F-94403 , France
| | - Rebecca C Wade
- Molecular and Cellular Modeling Group , Heidelberg Institute for Theoretical Studies , Heidelberg 69118 , Germany.,Center for Molecular Biology (ZMBH), DKFZ-ZMBH Alliance , Heidelberg University , Heidelberg 69120 , Germany.,Interdisciplinary Center for Scientific Computing (IWR) , Heidelberg University , Heidelberg 69120 , Germany
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12
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Schuetz DA, Richter L, Amaral M, Grandits M, Grädler U, Musil D, Buchstaller HP, Eggenweiler HM, Frech M, Ecker GF. Ligand Desolvation Steers On-Rate and Impacts Drug Residence Time of Heat Shock Protein 90 (Hsp90) Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2018; 61:4397-4411. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Doris A. Schuetz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Vienna, UZA 2, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Lars Richter
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Vienna, UZA 2, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Marta Amaral
- Discovery Technologies, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Straße 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
- Instituto de Biologia Experimental e Tecnológica, Oeiras, Portugal
| | - Melanie Grandits
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Vienna, UZA 2, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
| | - Ulrich Grädler
- Discovery Technologies, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Straße 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Djordje Musil
- Discovery Technologies, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Straße 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | | | - Matthias Frech
- Discovery Technologies, Merck KGaA, Frankfurter Straße 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Gerhard F. Ecker
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Vienna, UZA 2, Althanstrasse 14, 1090 Vienna, Austria
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13
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Wucherer-Plietker M, Merkul E, Müller TJ, Esdar C, Knöchel T, Heinrich T, Buchstaller HP, Greiner H, Dorsch D, Finsinger D, Calderini M, Bruge D, Grädler U. Discovery of novel 7-azaindoles as PDK1 inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2016; 26:3073-3080. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2016.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2016] [Revised: 05/02/2016] [Accepted: 05/03/2016] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
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14
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Dorsch D, Schadt O, Stieber F, Meyring M, Grädler U, Bladt F, Friese-Hamim M, Knühl C, Pehl U, Blaukat A. Identification and optimization of pyridazinones as potent and selective c-Met kinase inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2015; 25:1597-602. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2015.02.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2014] [Revised: 01/30/2015] [Accepted: 02/02/2015] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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15
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Grädler U, Czodrowski P, Tsaklakidis C, Klein M, Werkmann D, Lindemann S, Maskos K, Leuthner B. Structure-based optimization of non-peptidic Cathepsin D inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2014; 24:4141-50. [PMID: 25086681 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2014.07.054] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2014] [Revised: 07/15/2014] [Accepted: 07/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
We discovered a novel series of non-peptidic acylguanidine inhibitors of Cathepsin D as target for osteoarthritis. The initial HTS-hits were optimized by structure-based design using CatD X-ray structures resulting in single digit nanomolar potency in the biochemical CatD assay. However, the most potent analogues showed only micromolar activities in an ex vivo glycosaminoglycan (GAG) release assay in bovine cartilage together with low cellular permeability and suboptimal microsomal stability. This new scaffold can serve as a starting point for further optimization towards in vivo efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Grädler
- Merck KGaA, Merck Serono Research, Small Molecule Platform, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany.
| | - Paul Czodrowski
- Merck KGaA, Merck Serono Research, Small Molecule Platform, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Christos Tsaklakidis
- Merck KGaA, Merck Serono Research, Small Molecule Platform, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Markus Klein
- Merck KGaA, Merck Serono Research, Small Molecule Platform, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Daniela Werkmann
- Merck KGaA, Merck Serono Research, Small Molecule Platform, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Sven Lindemann
- Merck KGaA, Merck Serono Research, Small Molecule Platform, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Klaus Maskos
- Proteros Biostructures GmbH, Bunsenstrasse 7a, 82152 Martinsried, Germany
| | - Birgitta Leuthner
- Merck KGaA, Merck Serono Research, Small Molecule Platform, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
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16
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Grädler U, Bomke J, Musil D, Dresing V, Lehmann M, Hölzemann G, Greiner H, Esdar C, Krier M, Heinrich T. Fragment-based discovery of focal adhesion kinase inhibitors. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2013; 23:5401-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2013.07.050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2013] [Revised: 07/17/2013] [Accepted: 07/23/2013] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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17
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Bladt F, Faden B, Friese-Hamim M, Knuehl C, Wilm C, Fittschen C, Grädler U, Meyring M, Dorsch D, Jaehrling F, Pehl U, Stieber F, Schadt O, Blaukat A. EMD 1214063 and EMD 1204831 constitute a new class of potent and highly selective c-Met inhibitors. Clin Cancer Res 2013; 19:2941-51. [PMID: 23553846 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-12-3247] [Citation(s) in RCA: 94] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [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: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (c-Met) receptor, also known as hepatocyte growth factor receptor (HGFR), controls morphogenesis, a process that is physiologically required for embryonic development and tissue repair. Aberrant c-Met activation is associated with a variety of human malignancies including cancers of the lung, kidney, stomach, liver, and brain. In this study, we investigated the properties of two novel compounds developed to selectively inhibit the c-Met receptor in antitumor therapeutic interventions. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN The pharmacologic properties, c-Met inhibitory activity, and antitumor effects of EMD 1214063 and EMD 1204831 were investigated in vitro and in vivo, using human cancer cell lines and mouse xenograft models. RESULTS EMD 1214063 and EMD 1204831 selectively suppressed the c-Met receptor tyrosine kinase activity. Their inhibitory activity was potent [inhibitory 50% concentration (IC50), 3 nmol/L and 9 nmol/L, respectively] and highly selective, when compared with their effect on a panel of 242 human kinases. Both EMD 1214063 and EMD 1204831 inhibited c-Met phosphorylation and downstream signaling in a dose-dependent fashion, but differed in the duration of their inhibitory activity. In murine xenograft models, both compounds induced regression of human tumors, regardless of whether c-Met activation was HGF dependent or independent. Both drugs were well tolerated and induced no substantial weight loss after more than 3 weeks of treatment. CONCLUSIONS Our results indicate selective c-Met inhibition by EMD 1214063 and EMD 1204831 and strongly support clinical testing of these compounds in the context of molecularly targeted anticancer strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Friedhelm Bladt
- EMD Serono and Merck Serono Research and Development, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany.
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18
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Heinrich T, Seenisamy J, Emmanuvel L, Kulkarni SS, Bomke J, Rohdich F, Greiner H, Esdar C, Krier M, Grädler U, Musil D. Fragment-based discovery of new highly substituted 1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]- and 3H-imidazolo[4,5-b]-pyridines as focal adhesion kinase inhibitors. J Med Chem 2013; 56:1160-70. [PMID: 23294348 DOI: 10.1021/jm3016014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 49] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is considered as an attractive target for oncology, and small-molecule inhibitors are reported to be in clinical testing. In a surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-mediated fragment screening campaign, we discovered bicyclic scaffolds like 1H-pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines binding to the hinge region of FAK. By an accelerated knowledge-based fragment growing approach, essential pharmacophores were added. The establishment of highly substituted unprecedented 1H-pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine derivatizations provided compounds with submicromolar cellular FAK inhibition potential. The combination of substituents on the bicyclic templates and the nature of the core structure itself have a significant impact on the compounds FAK selectivity. Structural analysis revealed that the appropriately substituted pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine induced a rare helical DFG-loop conformation. The discovered synthetic route to introduce three different substituents independently paves the way for versatile applications of the 7-azaindole core.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timo Heinrich
- Merck Serono Research, Merck KGaA , 64271 Darmstadt, Germany.
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19
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Grädler U, Schwarz D, Dresing V, Musil D, Bomke J, Frech M, Greiner H, Jäkel S, Rysiok T, Müller-Pompalla D, Wegener A. Structural and biophysical characterization of the Syk activation switch. J Mol Biol 2012; 425:309-33. [PMID: 23154170 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2012.11.007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/15/2012] [Revised: 11/05/2012] [Accepted: 11/06/2012] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Syk is an essential non-receptor tyrosine kinase in intracellular immunological signaling, and the control of Syk kinase function is considered as a valuable target for pharmacological intervention in autoimmune or inflammation diseases. Upon immune receptor stimulation, the kinase activity of Syk is regulated by binding of phosphorylated immune receptor tyrosine-based activating motifs (pITAMs) to the N-terminal tandem Src homology 2 (tSH2) domain and by autophosphorylation with consequences for the molecular structure of the Syk protein. Here, we present the first crystal structures of full-length Syk (fl-Syk) as wild type and as Y348F,Y352F mutant forms in complex with AMP-PNP revealing an autoinhibited conformation. The comparison with the crystal structure of the truncated Syk kinase domain in complex with AMP-PNP taken together with ligand binding studies by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) suggests conformational differences in the ATP sites of autoinhibited and activated Syk forms. This hypothesis was corroborated by studying the thermodynamic and kinetic interaction of three published Syk inhibitors with isothermal titration calorimetry and SPR, respectively. We further demonstrate the modulation of inhibitor binding affinities in the presence of pITAM and discuss the observed differences of thermodynamic and kinetic signatures. The functional relevance of pITAM binding to fl-Syk was confirmed by a strong stimulation of in vitro autophosphorylation. A structural feedback mechanism on the kinase domain upon pITAM binding to the tSH2 domain is discussed in analogy of the related family kinase ZAP-70 (Zeta-chain-associated protein kinase 70). Surprisingly, we observed distinct conformations of the tSH2 domain and the activation switch including Tyr348 and Tyr352 in the interdomain linker of Syk in comparison to ZAP-70.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Grädler
- Merck KGaA, Merck Serono Research, Small Molecule Platform/MIB, Frankfurter Str. 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany.
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20
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Buchstaller HP, Eggenweiler HM, Sirrenberg C, Grädler U, Musil D, Hoppe E, Zimmermann A, Schwartz H, März J, Bomke J, Wegener A, Wolf M. Fragment-based discovery of hydroxy-indazole-carboxamides as novel small molecule inhibitors of Hsp90. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2012; 22:4396-403. [PMID: 22632933 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2012.04.121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [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] [Received: 04/02/2012] [Revised: 04/26/2012] [Accepted: 04/29/2012] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Inhibitors of the Hsp90 molecular chaperone are showing considerable promise as potential molecular therapeutic agents for the treatment of cancer. Here we describe the identification of novel small molecular weight inhibitors of Hsp90 using a fragment based approach. Fragments were selected by docking, tested in a biochemical assay and the confirmed hits were crystallized. Information gained from X-ray structures of these fragments and other chemotypes was used to drive the fragment evolution process. Optimization of these high μM binders resulted in 3-benzylindazole derivatives with significantly improved affinity and anti-proliferative effects in different human cancer cell lines.
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21
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Grädler U, Fuchss T, Ulrich WR, Boer R, Strub A, Hesslinger C, Anézo C, Diederichs K, Zaliani A. Novel nanomolar imidazo[4,5-b]pyridines as selective nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) inhibitors: SAR and structural insights. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2011; 21:4228-32. [PMID: 21684157 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2011.05.073] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2011] [Revised: 05/18/2011] [Accepted: 05/20/2011] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Inducible arginine oxidation and subsequent NO production by correspondent synthase (iNOS) are important cellular answers to proinflammatory signals. Prolonged NO production has been proved in higher organisms to cause stroke or septic shock. Several classes of potent NOS inhibitors have been reported, most of them targeting the arginine binding site of the oxygenase domain. Here we disclose the SAR and the rational design of potent and selective iNOS inhibitors which may be useful as anti-inflammatory drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Grädler
- Nycomed GmbH, Byk-Gulden-Str. 2, D-78467 Konstanz, Germany.
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22
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Merkul E, Klukas F, Dorsch D, Grädler U, Greiner HE, Müller TJJ. Rapid preparation of triazolyl substituted NH-heterocyclic kinase inhibitors via one-pot Sonogashira coupling–TMS-deprotection–CuAAC sequence. Org Biomol Chem 2011; 9:5129-36. [DOI: 10.1039/c1ob05586k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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Heinrich T, Grädler U, Böttcher H, Blaukat A, Shutes A. Allosteric IGF-1R Inhibitors. ACS Med Chem Lett 2010; 1:199-203. [PMID: 24900194 DOI: 10.1021/ml100044h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/25/2010] [Accepted: 05/10/2010] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeting allosteric protein sites is a promising approach to interfere selectively with cellular signaling cascades. We have discovered a novel class of allosteric insulin-like growth factor-I receptor (IGF-1R) inhibitors. 3-Cyano-1H-indole-7-carboxylic acid {1-[4-(5-cyano-1H-indol-3-yl)butyl]piperidin-4-yl}amide (10) was found with nanomolar biochemical, micromolar, cellular IGF-1R activity and no relevant interference with cellular insulin receptor signaling up to 30 μM. The allosteric binding site was characterized by X-ray crystallographic studies, and the structural information was used to explain the unique mode of action of this new class of inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Timo Heinrich
- Merck Serono, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Ulrich Grädler
- Merck Serono, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | | | - Andree Blaukat
- Merck Serono, Frankfurter Strasse 250, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Adam Shutes
- EMD Serono Research Institute, One Technology Place, Rockland, Massachusetts 02370
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Klebe G, Grädler U, Grüneberg S, Krämer O, Gohlke H. Understanding Receptor‐Ligand Interactions as a Prerequisite for—Virtual Screening. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2008. [DOI: 10.1002/9783527613083.ch10] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
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Brenk R, Naerum L, Grädler U, Gerber HD, Garcia GA, Reuter K, Stubbs MT, Klebe G. Virtual screening for submicromolar leads of tRNA-guanine transglycosylase based on a new unexpected binding mode detected by crystal structure analysis. J Med Chem 2003; 46:1133-43. [PMID: 12646024 DOI: 10.1021/jm0209937] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [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: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Eubacterial tRNA-guanine transglycosylase (TGT) is involved in the hypermodification of cognate tRNAs, leading to the exchange of G34 by preQ1 at the wobble position in the anticodon loop. Mutation of the tgt gene in Shigella flexneri results in a significant loss of pathogenicity of the bacterium due to inefficient translation of a virulence protein mRNA. Herein, we describe the discovery of a ligand with an unexpected binding mode. On the basis of this binding mode, three slightly deviating pharmacophore hypotheses have been derived. Virtual screening based on this composite pharmacophore model retrieved a set of potential TGT inhibitors belonging to several compound classes. All nine tested inhibitors being representatives of these classes showed activity in the micromolar range, two of them even in the submicromolar range.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Brenk
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Chemie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Marbacher Weg 6, 35032 Marburg, Germany
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Grädler U, Gerber HD, Goodenough-Lashua DM, Garcia GA, Ficner R, Reuter K, Stubbs MT, Klebe G. A new target for shigellosis: rational design and crystallographic studies of inhibitors of tRNA-guanine transglycosylase. J Mol Biol 2001; 306:455-67. [PMID: 11178905 DOI: 10.1006/jmbi.2000.4256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 63] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [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: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Eubacterial tRNA-guanine transglycosylase (TGT) is involved in the hyper-modification of cognate tRNAs leading to the exchange of G34 at the wobble position in the anticodon loop by preQ1 (2-amino-5-(aminomethyl)pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-4(3H)-one) as part of the biosynthesis of queuine (Q). Mutation of the tgt gene in Shigella flexneri results in a significant loss of pathogenicity of the bacterium, revealing TGT as a new target for the design of potent drugs against Shigellosis. The X-ray structure of Zymomonas mobilis TGT in complex with preQ1 was used to search for new putative inhibitors with the computer program LUDI. An initial screen of the Available Chemical Directory, a database compiled from commercially available compounds, suggested several hits. Of these, 4-aminophthalhydrazide (APH) showed an inhibition constant in the low micromolar range. The 1.95 A crystal structure of APH in complex with Z. mobilis TGT served as a starting point for further modification of this initial lead.
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Affiliation(s)
- U Grädler
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Chemie, Marbacher Weg 6, Philipps-Universität Marburg, 35032, Germany
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Grädler U, Ficner R, Garcia GA, Stubbs MT, Klebe G, Reuter K. Mutagenesis and crystallographic studies of Zymomonas mobilis tRNA-guanine transglycosylase to elucidate the role of serine 103 for enzymatic activity. FEBS Lett 1999; 454:142-6. [PMID: 10413112 DOI: 10.1016/s0014-5793(99)00793-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [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] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The tRNA modifying enzyme tRNA-guanine transglycosylase (TGT) is involved in the exchange of guanine in the first position of the anticodon with preQ1 as part of the biosynthesis of the hypermodified base queuine (Q). Mutation of Ser90 to an alanine in Escherichia coli TGT leads to a dramatic reduction of enzymatic activity (Reuter, K. et al. (1994) Biochemistry 33, 7041-7046). To further clarify the role of this residue in the catalytic center, we have mutated the corresponding Ser103 of the crystallizable Zymomonas mobilis TGT into alanine. The crystal structure of a TGT(S103A)/preQ1 complex combined with biochemical data presented in this paper suggest that Ser103 is essential for substrate orientation in the TGT reaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- U Grädler
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Chemie, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Germany
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Grädler U, Weller AS, Welch AJ, Reed D. Synthesis, characterisation and molecular structures of the closo and pseudocloso heptamethylindenyl carbarhodaboranes 1-Ph-3-(η-C9Me7)-3,1,2-closo-RhC2B9H10and 1,2-Ph2-3-(η-C9Me7)-3,1,2-pseudocloso-RhC2B9H9. Experimental assignment of the11B NMR spectrum of a pseudocloso carbametallaborane. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 1996. [DOI: 10.1039/dt9960000335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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