Disease phenotypic screening in neuron-glia cocultures identifies blockers of inflammatory neurodegeneration.

Neuropathology is often mediated by interactions between neurons and glia that cannot be modeled by monocultures. However, cocultures are difficult to use and analyze for high-content screening. Here, we perform compound screening using primary neuron-glia cultures to model inflammatory neurodegeneration, live-cell stains, and automated classification of neurons, astrocytes or microglia using open-source software. Out of 227 compounds with known bioactivities, 29 protected against lipopolysaccharide-induced neuronal loss, including drugs affecting adrenergic, steroid, inflammatory and MAP kinase signaling. The screen also identified physiological compounds, such as noradrenaline and progesterone, that protected and identified neurotoxic compounds, such as a TLR7 agonist, that induced microglial proliferation. Most compounds used here have not been tested in a neuron-glia coculture neurodegeneration assay previously. Thus, combining a complex cellular disease model with high-content screening of known compounds and automated image analysis allows identification of important biology, as well as potential targets and drugs for treatment.

The rational design of ARUK2007145, a dual inhibitor of the α and γ isoforms of the lipid kinase phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate 4-kinase (PI5P4K).

The phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate 4-kinases (PI5P4Ks) are therapeutic targets for diseases such as cancer, neurodegeneration and immunological disorders as they are key components in regulating cell signalling pathways. In an effort to make probe molecules available for further exploring these targets, we have previously reported PI5P4Kα-selective and PI5P4Kγ-selective ligands. Herein we report the rational design of PI5P4Kα/γ dual inhibitors, using knowledge gained during the development of selective inhibitors for these proteins. ARUK2007145 (39) is disclosed as a potent, cell-active probe molecule with ADMET properties amenable to conducting experiments in cells.

Identification of ARUK2002821 as an isoform-selective PI5P4Kα inhibitor.

The phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate 4-kinases (PI5P4Ks) play a central role in regulating cell signalling pathways and, as such, have become therapeutic targets for diseases such as cancer, neurodegeneration and immunological disorders. Many of the PI5P4Kα inhibitors that have been reported to date have suffered from poor selectivity and/or potency and the availability of better tool molecules would facilitate biological exploration. Herein we report a novel PI5P4Kα inhibitor chemotype that was identified through virtual screening. The series was optimised to deliver ARUK2002821 (36), a potent PI5P4Kα inhibitor (pIC50 = 8.0) which is selective vs. other PI5P4K isoforms and has broad selectivity against lipid and protein kinases. ADMET and target engagement data are provided for this tool molecule and others in the series, as well as an X-ray structure of 36 solved in complex with its PI5P4Kα target.

The Identification of Potent, Selective, and Brain Penetrant PI5P4Kγ Inhibitors as In Vivo-Ready Tool Molecules.

Owing to their central role in regulating cell signaling pathways, the phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate 4-kinases (PI5P4Ks) are attractive therapeutic targets in diseases such as cancer, neurodegeneration, and immunological disorders. Until now, tool molecules for these kinases have been either limited in potency or isoform selectivity, which has hampered further investigation of biology and drug development. Herein we describe the virtual screening workflow which identified a series of thienylpyrimidines as PI5P4Kγ-selective inhibitors, as well as the medicinal chemistry optimization of this chemotype, to provide potent and selective tool molecules for further use. In vivo pharmacokinetics data are presented for exemplar tool molecules, along with an X-ray structure for ARUK2001607 (15) in complex with PI5P4Kγ, along with its selectivity data against >150 kinases and a Cerep safety panel.

Development of Selective Phosphatidylinositol 5-Phosphate 4-Kinase γ Inhibitors with a Non-ATP-competitive, Allosteric Binding Mode.

Phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate 4-kinases (PI5P4Ks) are emerging as attractive therapeutic targets in diseases, such as cancer, immunological disorders, and neurodegeneration, owing to their central role in regulating cell signaling pathways that are either dysfunctional or can be modulated to promote cell survival. Different modes of binding may enhance inhibitor selectivity and reduce off-target effects in cells. Here, we describe efforts to improve the physicochemical properties of the selective PI5P4Kγ inhibitor, NIH-12848 (1). These improvements enabled the demonstration that this chemotype engages PI5P4Kγ in intact cells and that compounds from this series do not inhibit PI5P4Kα or PI5P4Kß. Furthermore, the first X-ray structure of PI5P4Kγ bound to an inhibitor has been determined with this chemotype, confirming an allosteric binding mode. An exemplar from this chemical series adopted two distinct modes of inhibition, including through binding to a putative lipid interaction site which is 18 Å from the ATP pocket.

Fragment-Guided Discovery of Pyrazole Carboxylic Acid Inhibitors of the Kelch-like ECH-Associated Protein 1: Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2 Related Factor 2 (KEAP1:NRF2) Protein-Protein Interaction.

The NRF2-mediated cytoprotective response is central to cellular homoeostasis, and there is increasing interest in developing small-molecule activators of this pathway as therapeutics for diseases involving chronic oxidative stress. The protein KEAP1, which regulates NRF2, is a key point for pharmacological intervention, and we recently described the use of fragment-based drug discovery to develop a tool compound that directly disrupts the protein-protein interaction between NRF2 and KEAP1. We now present the identification of a second, chemically distinct series of KEAP1 inhibitors, which provided an alternative chemotype for lead optimization. Pharmacophoric information from our original fragment screen was used to identify new hit matter through database searching and to evolve this into a new lead with high target affinity and cell-based activity. We highlight how knowledge obtained from fragment-based approaches can be used to focus additional screening campaigns in order to de-risk projects through the rapid identification of novel chemical series.

Systematic Investigation of the Permeability of Androgen Receptor PROTACs.

Bifunctional molecules known as PROTACs simultaneously bind an E3 ligase and a protein of interest to direct ubiquitination and clearance of that protein, and they have emerged in the past decade as an exciting new paradigm in drug discovery. In order to investigate the permeability and properties of these large molecules, we synthesized two panels of PROTAC molecules, constructed from a range of protein-target ligands, linkers, and E3 ligase ligands. The androgen receptor, which is a well-studied protein in the PROTAC field was used as a model system. The physicochemical properties and permeability of PROTACs are discussed.

Structure-Activity and Structure-Conformation Relationships of Aryl Propionic Acid Inhibitors of the Kelch-like ECH-Associated Protein 1/Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2-Related Factor 2 (KEAP1/NRF2) Protein-Protein Interaction.

The KEAP1-NRF2-mediated cytoprotective response plays a key role in cellular homoeostasis. Insufficient NRF2 signaling during chronic oxidative stress may be associated with the pathophysiology of several diseases with an inflammatory component, and pathway activation through direct modulation of the KEAP1-NRF2 protein-protein interaction is being increasingly explored as a potential therapeutic strategy. Nevertheless, the physicochemical nature of the KEAP1-NRF2 interface suggests that achieving high affinity for a cell-penetrant druglike inhibitor might be challenging. We recently reported the discovery of a highly potent tool compound which was used to probe the biology associated with directly disrupting the interaction of NRF2 with the KEAP1 Kelch domain. We now present a detailed account of the medicinal chemistry campaign leading to this molecule, which included exploration and optimization of protein-ligand interactions in three energetic "hot spots" identified by fragment screening. In particular, we also discuss how consideration of ligand conformational stabilization was important to its development and present evidence for preorganization of the lead compound which may contribute to its high affinity and cellular activity.

Monoacidic Inhibitors of the Kelch-like ECH-Associated Protein 1: Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2-Related Factor 2 (KEAP1:NRF2) Protein-Protein Interaction with High Cell Potency Identified by Fragment-Based Discovery.

KEAP1 is the key regulator of the NRF2-mediated cytoprotective response, and increasingly recognized as a target for diseases involving oxidative stress. Pharmacological intervention has focused on molecules that decrease NRF2-ubiquitination through covalent modification of KEAP1 cysteine residues, but such electrophilic compounds lack selectivity and may be associated with off-target toxicity. We report here the first use of a fragment-based approach to directly target the KEAP1 Kelch-NRF2 interaction. X-ray crystallographic screening identified three distinct "hot-spots" for fragment binding within the NRF2 binding pocket of KEAP1, allowing progression of a weak fragment hit to molecules with nanomolar affinity for KEAP1 while maintaining drug-like properties. This work resulted in a promising lead compound which exhibits tight and selective binding to KEAP1, and activates the NRF2 antioxidant response in cellular and in vivo models, thereby providing a high quality chemical probe to explore the therapeutic potential of disrupting the KEAP1-NRF2 interaction.

De novo ligand design to partially flexible active sites: application of the ReFlex algorithm to carboxypeptidase A, acetylcholinesterase, and the estrogen receptor.

Reflex is a recent algorithm in the de novo ligand design software, SkelGen, that allows the flexibility of amino acid side chains in a protein to be taken into account during the drug-design process. In this paper the impact of flexibility on the solutions generated by the de novo design algorithm, when applied to carboxypeptidase A, acetylcholinesterase, and the estrogen receptor (ER), is investigated. The results for each of the targets indicate that when allowing side-chain movement in the active site, solutions are generated that were not accessible from the multiple static protein conformations available for these targets. Furthermore, an analysis of structures generated in a flexible versus a static ER active site suggests that these additional solutions are not merely noise but contain many interesting chemotypes.

Small-molecule inhibitors of the MDM2-p53 protein-protein interaction based on an isoindolinone scaffold.

From a set of weakly potent lead compounds, using in silico screening and small library synthesis, a series of 2-alkyl-3-aryl-3-alkoxyisoindolinones has been identified as inhibitors of the MDM2-p53 interaction. Two of the most potent compounds, 2-benzyl-3-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-(3-hydroxypropoxy)-2,3-dihydroisoindol-1-one (76; IC(50) = 15.9 +/- 0.8 microM) and 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzyloxy)-2-propyl-2,3-dihydroisoindol-1-one (79; IC(50) = 5.3 +/- 0.9 microM), induced p53-dependent gene transcription, in a dose-dependent manner, in the MDM2 amplified, SJSA human sarcoma cell line.

Generation and selection of novel estrogen receptor ligands using the de novo structure-based design tool, SkelGen.

A de novo design approach to generating novel estrogen receptor (ER) ligands is described. The SkelGen program was used to generate ligands in the active sites of seven crystal structures of ERalpha. Seventeen high-scoring, diverse structures were selected from the SkelGen output and synthesized without introducing any modifications to the structures. Five ligands, four of which are novel, showed < or = 25 microM affinity, with the best compound displaying an IC50 of 340 nM. SkelGen can, therefore, be a powerful tool for designing active molecules.

Isoindolinone-based inhibitors of the MDM2-p53 protein-protein interaction.

A series of 2-N-alkyl-3-aryl-3-alkoxyisoindolinones has been synthesised and evaluated as inhibitors of the MDM2-p53 interaction. The most potent compound, 3-(4-chlorophenyl)-3-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxybenzyloxy)-2-propyl-2,3-dihydroisoindol-1-one (NU8231), exhibited an IC50 of 5.3 +/- 0.9 microM in an ELISA assay, and induced p53-dependent gene transcription in a dose-dependent manner, in the SJSA human sarcoma cell line.

Receptor flexibility in the in silico screening of reagents in the S1' pocket of human collagenase.

A major difficulty in structure-based molecular design is the prediction of the structure of the protein-ligand complex because of the enormous number of degrees of freedom. Commonly, the target protein is kept rigid in a single low-energy conformation. However, this does not reflect the dynamic nature of protein structures. In this work, we investigate the influence of receptor flexibility in virtual screening of reagents on a common scaffold in the S1' pocket of human collagenase (matrix metalloproteinase-1). We compare screening using a single-crystal structure and multiple NMR structures, both apo and holo forms. We also investigate two computational methods of addressing receptor flexibility that can be used when NMR data are not available. The results from virtual screening using the experimental structures are compared to those obtained using the two computational methods. From the results, we draw conclusions about the impact of target flexibility on the identification of active and diverse reagents in a virtual screening protocol.