Strategic Design of Catalytic Lysine-Targeting Reversible Covalent BCR-ABL Inhibitors*.

Targeted covalent inhibitors have re-emerged as validated drugs to overcome acquired resistance in cancer treatment. Herein, by using a carbonyl boronic acid (CBA) warhead, we report the structure-based design of BCR-ABL inhibitors via reversible covalent targeting of the catalytic lysine with improved potency against both wild-type and mutant ABL kinases, especially ABLT315I bearing the gatekeeper residue mutation. We show the evolutionarily conserved lysine can be targeted selectively, and the selectivity depends largely on molecular recognition of the non-covalent pharmacophore in this class of inhibitors, probably due to the moderate reactivity of the warhead. We report the first co-crystal structures of covalent inhibitor-ABL kinase domain complexes, providing insights into the interaction of this warhead with the catalytic lysine. We also employed label-free mass spectrometry to evaluate off-targets of our compounds at proteome-wide level in different mammalian cells.

Stepwise Evolution of Fragment Hits against MAPK Interacting Kinases 1 and 2.

Dysregulation of translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E) activity occurs in various cancers. Mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) interacting kinases 1 and 2 (MNK1 and MNK2) play a fundamental role in activation of eIF4E. Structure-activity relationship-driven expansion of a fragment hit led to discovery of dual MNK1 and MNK2 inhibitors based on a novel pyridine-benzamide scaffold. The compounds possess promising in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetic profiles and show potent on target inhibition of eIF4E phosphorylation in cells.

Optimization of Selective Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Interacting Kinases 1 and 2 Inhibitors for the Treatment of Blast Crisis Leukemia.

Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative disease caused by bcr-abl1, a constitutively active tyrosine kinase fusion gene responsible for an abnormal proliferation of leukemic stem cells (LSCs). Inhibition of BCR-ABL1 kinase activity offers long-term relief to CML patients. However, for a proportion of them, BCR-ABL1 inhibition will become ineffective at treating the disease, and CML will progress to blast crisis (BC) CML with poor prognosis. BC-CML is often associated with excessive phosphorylated eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4E (eIF4E), which renders LSCs capable of proliferating via self-renewal, oblivious to BCR-ABL1 inhibition. In vivo, eIF4E is exclusively phosphorylated on Ser209 by MNK1/2. Consequently, a selective inhibitor of MNK1/2 should reduce the level of phosphorylated eIF4E and re-sensitize LSCs to BCR-ABL1 inhibition, thus hindering the proliferation of BC LSCs. We report herein the structure-activity relationships and pharmacokinetic properties of a selective MNK1/2 inhibitor clinical candidate, ETC-206, which in combination with dasatinib prevents BC-CML LSC self-renewal in vitro and enhances dasatinib antitumor activity in vivo.

Backbone resonance assignments for the SET domain of human methyltransferase NSD3 in complex with its cofactor.

NSD3 is a histone H3 methyltransferase that plays an important role in chromatin biology. A construct containing the methyltransferase domain encompassing residues Q1049-K1299 of human NSD3 was obtained and biochemical activity was demonstrated using histone as a substrate. Here we report the backbone HN, N, Cα, C', and side chain Cß assignments of the construct in complex with S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM). Based on these assignments, secondary structures of NSD3/SAM complex in solution were determined.

Discovery and characterisation of the automethylation properties of PRDM9.

We have previously characterised the histone lysine methyltransferase properties of PRDM9, a member of the PRDM family of putative transcriptional regulators. PRDM9 displays broad substrate recognition and methylates a range of histone substrates, including octamers, core histone proteins, and peptides. In the present study, we show that PRDM9 performs intramolecular automethylation on multiple lysine residues localised to a lysine-rich region on the post-SET (suppressor of variegation 3-9, enhancer of zeste and trithorax) domain. PRDM9 automethylation is abolished by a single active-site mutation, C321P, also known to disrupt interactions with S-adenosylmethionine. We have taken an initial step towards tool compound generation through rational design of a substrate-mimic, peptidic inhibitor of PRDM9 automethylation. The discovery of automethylation in PRDM9 adds a new dimension to our understanding of PRDM9 enzymology.

Identification of covalent active site inhibitors of dengue virus protease.

Dengue virus (DENV) protease is an attractive target for drug development; however, no compounds have reached clinical development to date. In this study, we utilized a potent West Nile virus protease inhibitor of the pyrazole ester derivative class as a chemical starting point for DENV protease drug development. Compound potency and selectivity for DENV protease were improved through structure-guided small molecule optimization, and protease-inhibitor binding interactions were validated biophysically using nuclear magnetic resonance. Our work strongly suggests that this class of compounds inhibits flavivirus protease through targeted covalent modification of active site serine, contrary to an allosteric binding mechanism as previously described.

Characterization of the histone methyltransferase PRDM9 using biochemical, biophysical and chemical biology techniques.

PRDM proteins have emerged as important regulators of disease and developmental processes. To gain insight into the mechanistic actions of the PRDM family, we have performed comprehensive characterization of a prototype member protein, the histone methyltransferase PRDM9, using biochemical, biophysical and chemical biology techniques. In the present paper we report the first known molecular characterization of a PRDM9-methylated recombinant histone octamer and the identification of new histone substrates for the enzyme. A single C321P mutant of the PR/SET domain was demonstrated to significantly weaken PRDM9 activity. Additionally, we have optimized a robust biochemical assay amenable to high-throughput screening to facilitate the generation of small-molecule chemical probes for this protein family. The present study has provided valuable insight into the enzymology of an intrinsically active PRDM protein.