Small-molecule WNK inhibition regulates cardiovascular and renal function.

The With-No-Lysine (K) (WNK) kinases play a critical role in blood pressure regulation and body fluid and electrolyte homeostasis. Herein, we introduce the first orally bioavailable pan-WNK-kinase inhibitor, WNK463, that exploits unique structural features of the WNK kinases for both affinity and kinase selectivity. In rodent models of hypertension, WNK463 affects blood pressure and body fluid and electro-lyte homeostasis, consistent with WNK-kinase-associated physiology and pathophysiology.

Identification of a PCSK9-LDLR disruptor peptide with in vivo function.

Proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 (PCSK9) regulates plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels by promoting hepatic LDL receptor (LDLR) degradation. Therapeutic antibodies that disrupt PCSK9-LDLR binding reduce LDL-C concentrations and cardiovascular disease risk. The epidermal growth factor precursor homology domain A (EGF-A) of the LDLR serves as a primary contact with PCSK9 via a flat interface, presenting a challenge for identifying small molecule PCSK9-LDLR disruptors. We employ an affinity-based screen of 1013in vitro-translated macrocyclic peptides to identify high-affinity PCSK9 ligands that utilize a unique, induced-fit pocket and partially disrupt the PCSK9-LDLR interaction. Structure-based design led to molecules with enhanced function and pharmacokinetic properties (e.g., 13PCSK9i). In mice, 13PCSK9i reduces plasma cholesterol levels and increases hepatic LDLR density in a dose-dependent manner. 13PCSK9i functions by a unique, allosteric mechanism and is the smallest molecule identified to date with in vivo PCSK9-LDLR disruptor function.

Flipped out: structure-guided design of selective pyrazolylpyrrole ERK inhibitors.

The Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signal transduction is a key oncogenic pathway implicated in a variety of human cancers. We have identified a novel series of pyrazolylpyrroles as inhibitors of ERK. Aided by the discovery of two distinct binding modes for the pyrazolylpyrrole scaffold, structure-guided optimization culminated in the discovery of 6p, a potent and selective inhibitor of ERK.

VX-322: a novel dual receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor for the treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia.

In acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), the FLT3 receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) is highly expressed with 30% of patients expressing a mutated, constitutively active form of this protein. To inhibit this receptor, VX-322 was developed and found to be very potent against both the FLT3 and c-KIT RTKs with enzyme K(i) values of <1 nM and a cellular IC(50) between 1 and 5 nM. It was efficacious in a FLT3-ITD dependent myeloproliferative mouse model, doubling survival compared to other FLT3 inhibitors, with 25% of the mice cured. Upon treatment of primary AML patient blast cells, the dual inhibition of FLT3 and c-KIT was superior to inhibitors targeting a single RTK. Thus, this compound may represent an improved pharmacologic and selectivity profile that could be effective in the treatment of AML.

Design, synthesis, and evaluation of a novel dual FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3/stem cell factor receptor (FLT3/c-KIT) inhibitor for the treatment of acute myelogenous leukemia.

A high-throughput screen of our compound archive revealed a novel class of dual FMS-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3)/c-KIT inhibitors. With the help of molecular modeling, this class was rapidly optimized for both potency against FLT3 and FLT3/c-KIT and excellent potency in cell-based assays, leading to dose-dependent cell death in acute myelogenous leukemia (AML) patient blast samples. Ultimately, the AML patient blast data defined the preferred target profile as we designed and evaluated a set of FLT3 selective and FLT3/c-KIT dual molecules. Further optimization for pharmacokinetic properties resulted in the selection of the dual FLT3/c-KIT inhibitor, N(3)-(4-(trans-4-morpholinocyclohexyl)phenyl)-1-(pyridin-2-yl)-1H-1,2,4-triazole-3,5-diamine, VX-322 (compound 37), to move forward to preclinical evaluation.

Structure-guided design of potent and selective pyrimidylpyrrole inhibitors of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) using conformational control.

The Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK signal transduction, an oncogenic pathway implicated in a variety of human cancers, is a key target in anticancer drug design. A novel series of pyrimidylpyrrole ERK inhibitors has been identified. Discovery of a conformational change for lead compound 2, when bound to ERK2 relative to antitarget GSK3, enabled structure-guided selectivity optimization, which led to the discovery of 11e, a potent, selective, and orally bioavailable inhibitor of ERK.

Function of the signal peptide and N- and C-terminal propeptides in the leucine aminopeptidase from Aeromonas proteolytica.

The leucine aminopeptidase from Aeromonas proteolytica (also known as Vibrio proteolyticus) (AAP) is a metalloenzyme with broad substrate specificity. The open reading frame (ORF) for AAP encodes a 54 kDa enzyme, however, the extracellular enzyme has a molecular weight of 43 kDa. This form of AAP is further processed to a mature, thermostable 32 kDa form but the exact nature of this process is unknown. Over-expression of different forms of AAP in Escherichia coli (with AAP's native leader sequence, with and without the N- and/or C-terminal propeptides, and as fusion protein) has allowed a model for the processing of wild-type AAP to be proposed. The role of the A. proteolytica signal peptide in protein secretion as well as comparison to other known signal peptides reveals a close resemblance of the A. proteolytica signal peptide to the outer membrane protein (OmpA) signal peptide. Over-expression of the full 54 kDa AAP enzyme provides an enzyme that is significantly less active, due to a cooperative inhibitory interaction between both propeptides. Over-expression of AAP lacking its C-terminal propeptide provided an enzyme with an identical kcat value to wild-type AAP but exhibited a larger Km value, suggesting competitive inhibition of AAP by the N-terminal propeptide (Ki approximately 0.13 nM). The recombinant 32 kDa form of AAP was characterized by kinetic and spectroscopic methods and was shown to be identical to mature, wild-type AAP. Therefore, the ease of purification and processing of rAAP along with the fact that large quantities can be obtained now allow new detailed mechanistic studies to be performed on AAP through site-directed mutagenesis.

Structurally distinct active sites in the copper(II)-substituted aminopeptidases from Aeromonas proteolytica and Escherichia coli.

The aminopeptidase from Aeromonas proteolytica (AAP) was titrated with copper, which bound sequentially at two distinct sites. Both the mono- and disubstituted forms of AAP exhibited catalytic hyperactivity relative to the native dizinc enzyme. Monosubstituted AAP exhibited an axial Cu(II) EPR spectrum with slight pH dependence: at pH 6.0 g(parallel) = 2.249, g( perpendicular ) = 2.055, and A(parallel)((63/65)Cu) = 1.77 x 10(-)(2) cm(-)(1), whereas at pH 9.65 g(parallel) = 2.245, g( perpendicular ) = 2.056, and A(parallel)((63/65)Cu) = 1.77 x 10(-)(2) cm(-)(1). These data indicate oxygen and nitrogen ligation of Cu. AAP further substituted with copper exhibited a complex signal with features around g approximately 2 and 4. The features at g approximately 4 were relatively weak in the B(0) perpendicular B(1) (perpendicular) mode EPR spectrum but were intense in the B(0) parallel B(1) (parallel) mode spectrum. The g approximately 2 region of the perpendicular mode spectrum exhibited two components, one corresponding to mononuclear Cu(II) with g(parallel) = 2.218, g( perpendicular ) = 2.023, and A(parallel)((63/65)Cu) = 1.55 x 10(-)(2) cm(-)(1) and likely due to adventitious binding of Cu(II) to a site distant from the active site. Excellent simulations were obtained for the second component of the spectrum assuming that two Cu(II) ions experience dipolar coupling corresponding to an inter-copper distance of 5 A with the two Cu(II) g(z)() directions parallel to each other and at an angle of approximately 17 degrees to the inter-copper vector (H = betaB.g(CuA).S(CuA) + betaB.g(CuB).S(CuB) + [S.A.I](CuA) + [S.A.I](CuB) + [S(CuA).J.S(CuB)]; g(parallel(CuA,CuB)) = 2.218, g( perpendicular )((CuA,CuB)) = 2.060; A(parallel(CuA,CuB))((63/65)Cu) = 1.59 x 10(-)(2) cm(-)(1), J(isotropic) = 50 cm(-)(1), r(Cu)(-)(Cu) = 4.93 A, and chi = 17 degrees ). The exchange coupling between the two copper ions was found to be ferromagnetic as the signals exhibited Curie law temperature dependence. The Cu-Cu distance of approximately 5 A indicated by EPR was significantly higher than the inter-zinc distance of 3.5 A in the native enzyme, and the dicopper species therefore represents a novel dinuclear site capable of catalysis of hydrolysis. In contrast to AAP, the related methionyl aminopeptidase from Escherichia coli (EcMetAP) was found to bind only one Cu(II) ion despite possessing a dinuclear binding site motif. A further difference was the marked pH dependence of the signal in EcMetAP, suggestive of a change in ligation. The structural motifs of these two Cu(II)-substituted aminopeptidases provide important insight into the observed catalytic activity.