Discovery and Optimization of 2H-1λ2-Pyridin-2-one Inhibitors of Mutant Isocitrate Dehydrogenase 1 for the Treatment of Cancer.

Neomorphic mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) are oncogenic for a number of malignancies, primarily low-grade gliomas and acute myeloid leukemia. We report a medicinal chemistry campaign around a 7,7-dimethyl-7,8-dihydro-2H-1λ2-quinoline-2,5(6H)-dione screening hit against the R132H and R132C mutant forms of isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH1). Systematic SAR efforts produced a series of potent pyrid-2-one mIDH1 inhibitors, including the atropisomer (+)-119 (NCATS-SM5637, NSC 791985). In an engineered mIDH1-U87-xenograft mouse model, after a single oral dose of 30 mg/kg, 16 h post dose, between 16 and 48 h, (+)-119 showed higher tumoral concentrations that corresponded to lower 2-HG concentrations, when compared with the approved drug AG-120 (ivosidenib).

Assessing inhibitors of mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase using a suite of pre-clinical discovery assays.

Isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 (IDH1 and IDH2) are key metabolic enzymes that are mutated in a variety of cancers to confer a gain-of-function activity resulting in the accumulation of an oncometabolite, D-2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG). Accumulation of 2-HG can result in epigenetic dysregulation and a block in cellular differentiation, suggesting these mutations play a role in neoplasia. Based on its potential as a cancer target, a number of small molecule inhibitors have been developed to specifically inhibit mutant forms of IDH (mIDH1 and mIDH2). We present a comprehensive suite of in vitro preclinical drug development assays that can be used as a tool-box to identify lead compounds for mIDH drug discovery programs, as well as what we believe is the most comprehensive publically available dataset on the top mIDH inhibitors. This involved biochemical, cell-based, and tier-one ADME techniques.

Crystal structure of prostate-specific membrane antigen, a tumor marker and peptidase.

Prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is highly expressed in prostate cancer cells and nonprostatic solid tumor neovasculature and is a target for anticancer imaging and therapeutic agents. PSMA acts as a glutamate carboxypeptidase (GCPII) on small molecule substrates, including folate, the anticancer drug methotrexate, and the neuropeptide N-acetyl-l-aspartyl-l-glutamate. Here we present the 3.5-A crystal structure of the PSMA ectodomain, which reveals a homodimer with structural similarity to transferrin receptor, a receptor for iron-loaded transferrin that lacks protease activity. Unlike transferrin receptor, the protease domain of PSMA contains a binuclear zinc site, catalytic residues, and a proposed substrate-binding arginine patch. Elucidation of the PSMA structure combined with docking studies and a proposed catalytic mechanism provides insight into the recognition of inhibitors and the natural substrate N-acetyl-l-aspartyl-l-glutamate. The PSMA structure will facilitate development of chemotherapeutics, cancer-imaging agents, and agents for treatment of neurological disorders.

Spectroscopic and electronic structure studies of protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase: nature of tyrosinate-Fe(III) bonds and their contribution to reactivity.

The geometric and electronic structure of the high-spin ferric active site of protocatechuate 3,4-dioxygenase (3,4-PCD) has been examined by absorption (Abs), circular dichroism (CD), magnetic CD (MCD), and variable-temperature-variable-field (VTVH) MCD spectroscopies. Density functional (DFT) and INDO/S-CI molecular orbital calculations provide complementary insight into the electronic structure of 3,4-PCD and allow an experimentally calibrated bonding scheme to be developed. Abs, CD, and MCD indicate that there are at least seven transitions below 35 000 cm(-1) which arise from tyrosinate ligand-to-metal-charge transfer (LMCT) transitions. VTVH MCD spectroscopy gives the polarizations of these LMCT bands in the principal axis system of the D-tensor, which is oriented relative to the molecular structure from the INDO/S-CI calculations. Three transitions are associated with the equatorial tyrosinate and four with the axial tyrosinate. This large number of transitions per tyrosinate is due to the pi and importantly the sigma overlap of the two tyrosinate valence orbitals with the metal d orbitals and is governed by the Fe-O-C angle and the Fe-O-C-C dihedral angles. The previously reported crystal structure indicates that the Fe-O-C angles are 133 degrees and 148 degrees for the equatorial and axial tyrosinate, respectively. Each tyrosinate has transitions at different energies with different intensities, which correlate with differences in geometry that reflect pseudo-sigma bonding to the Fe(III) and relate to reactivity. These factors reflect the metal-ligand bond strength and indicate that the axial tyrosinate-Fe(III) bond is weaker than the equatorial tyrosinate-Fe(III) bond. Furthermore, it is found that the differences in geometry, and hence electronic structure, are imposed by the protein. The consequences to catalysis are significant because the axial tyrosinate has been shown to dissociate upon substrate binding and the equatorial tyrosinate in the enzyme-substrate complex is thought to influence asymmetric binding of the chelated substrate moiety via a strong trans influence which activates the substrate for reaction with O2.