RESUMEN
Protein lysine methyltransferases (KMTs) have emerged as important regulators of epigenetic signaling. These enzymes catalyze the transfer of donor methyl groups from the cofactor S-adenosylmethionine to specific acceptor lysine residues on histones, leading to changes in chromatin structure and transcriptional regulation. These enzymes also methylate an array of nonhistone proteins, suggesting additional mechanisms by which they influence cellular physiology. SMYD2 is reported to be an oncogenic methyltransferase that represses the functional activity of the tumor suppressor proteins p53 and RB. HTS screening led to identification of five distinct substrate-competitive chemical series. Determination of liganded crystal structures of SMYD2 contributed significantly to "hit-to-lead" design efforts, culminating in the creation of potent and selective inhibitors that were used to understand the functional consequences of SMYD2 inhibition. Taken together, these results have broad implications for inhibitor design against KMTs and clearly demonstrate the potential for developing novel therapies against these enzymes.
Asunto(s)
Diseño de Fármacos , Inhibidores Enzimáticos/farmacología , N-Metiltransferasa de Histona-Lisina/antagonistas & inhibidores , Línea Celular Tumoral , Proliferación Celular/efectos de los fármacos , Relación Dosis-Respuesta a Droga , Inhibidores Enzimáticos/síntesis química , Inhibidores Enzimáticos/química , Células HCT116 , N-Metiltransferasa de Histona-Lisina/metabolismo , Humanos , Estructura Molecular , Relación Estructura-ActividadRESUMEN
Protein lysine methyltransferases are important regulators of epigenetic signaling. These enzymes catalyze the transfer of donor methyl groups from S-adenosylmethionine to specific acceptor lysines on histones, leading to changes in chromatin structure and transcriptional regulation. These enzymes also methylate nonhistone protein substrates, revealing an additional mechanism to regulate cellular physiology. The oncogenic protein SMYD2 represses the functional activities of the tumor suppressor proteins p53 and Rb, making it an attractive drug target. Here we report the discovery of AZ505, a potent and selective inhibitor of SMYD2 that was identified from a high throughput chemical screen. We also present the crystal structures of SMYD2 with p53 substrate and product peptides, and notably, in complex with AZ505. This substrate competitive inhibitor is bound in the peptide binding groove of SMYD2. These results have implications for the development of SMYD2 inhibitors, and indicate the potential for developing novel therapies targeting this target class.