Crystal structures of cholesteryl ester transfer protein in complex with inhibitors.

Human plasma cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) transports cholesteryl ester from the antiatherogenic high-density lipoproteins (HDL) to the proatherogenic low-density and very low-density lipoproteins (LDL and VLDL). Inhibition of CETP has been shown to raise human plasma HDL cholesterol (HDL-C) levels and is potentially a novel approach for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. Here, we report the crystal structures of CETP in complex with torcetrapib, a CETP inhibitor that has been tested in phase 3 clinical trials, and compound 2, an analog from a structurally distinct inhibitor series. In both crystal structures, the inhibitors are buried deeply within the protein, shifting the bound cholesteryl ester in the N-terminal pocket of the long hydrophobic tunnel and displacing the phospholipid from that pocket. The lipids in the C-terminal pocket of the hydrophobic tunnel remain unchanged. The inhibitors are positioned near the narrowing neck of the hydrophobic tunnel of CETP and thus block the connection between the N- and C-terminal pockets. These structures illuminate the unusual inhibition mechanism of these compounds and support the tunnel mechanism for neutral lipid transfer by CETP. These highly lipophilic inhibitors bind mainly through extensive hydrophobic interactions with the protein and the shifted cholesteryl ester molecule. However, polar residues, such as Ser-230 and His-232, are also found in the inhibitor binding site. An enhanced understanding of the inhibitor binding site may provide opportunities to design novel CETP inhibitors possessing more drug-like physical properties, distinct modes of action, or alternative pharmacological profiles.

Crystal structure of cholesteryl ester transfer protein reveals a long tunnel and four bound lipid molecules.

Cholesteryl ester transfer protein (CETP) shuttles various lipids between lipoproteins, resulting in the net transfer of cholesteryl esters from atheroprotective, high-density lipoproteins (HDL) to atherogenic, lower-density species. Inhibition of CETP raises HDL cholesterol and may potentially be used to treat cardiovascular disease. Here we describe the structure of CETP at 2.2-A resolution, revealing a 60-A-long tunnel filled with two hydrophobic cholesteryl esters and plugged by an amphiphilic phosphatidylcholine at each end. The two tunnel openings are large enough to allow lipid access, which is aided by a flexible helix and possibly also by a mobile flap. The curvature of the concave surface of CETP matches the radius of curvature of HDL particles, and potential conformational changes may occur to accommodate larger lipoprotein particles. Point mutations blocking the middle of the tunnel abolish lipid-transfer activities, suggesting that neutral lipids pass through this continuous tunnel.

Development and Optimization of a Machine-Learning Prediction Model for Acute Desquamation After Breast Radiation Therapy in the Multicenter REQUITE Cohort.

Purpose: Some patients with breast cancer treated by surgery and radiation therapy experience clinically significant toxicity, which may adversely affect cosmesis and quality of life. There is a paucity of validated clinical prediction models for radiation toxicity. We used machine learning (ML) algorithms to develop and optimise a clinical prediction model for acute breast desquamation after whole breast external beam radiation therapy in the prospective multicenter REQUITE cohort study. Methods and Materials: Using demographic and treatment-related features (m = 122) from patients (n = 2058) at 26 centers, we trained 8 ML algorithms with 10-fold cross-validation in a 50:50 random-split data set with class stratification to predict acute breast desquamation. Based on performance in the validation data set, the logistic model tree, random forest, and naïve Bayes models were taken forward to cost-sensitive learning optimisation. Results: One hundred and ninety-two patients experienced acute desquamation. Resampling and cost-sensitive learning optimisation facilitated an improvement in classification performance. Based on maximising sensitivity (true positives), the "hero" model was the cost-sensitive random forest algorithm with a false-negative: false-positive misclassification penalty of 90:1 containing m = 114 predictive features. Model sensitivity and specificity were 0.77 and 0.66, respectively, with an area under the curve of 0.77 in the validation cohort. Conclusions: ML algorithms with resampling and cost-sensitive learning generated clinically valid prediction models for acute desquamation using patient demographic and treatment features. Further external validation and inclusion of genomic markers in ML prediction models are worthwhile, to identify patients at increased risk of toxicity who may benefit from supportive intervention or even a change in treatment plan.

A data science approach for early-stage prediction of Patient's susceptibility to acute side effects of advanced radiotherapy.

The prediction by classification of side effects incidence in a given medical treatment is a common challenge in medical research. Machine Learning (ML) methods are widely used in the areas of risk prediction and classification. The primary objective of such algorithms is to use several features to predict dichotomous responses (e.g., disease positive/negative). Similar to statistical inference modelling, ML modelling is subject to the class imbalance problem and is affected by the majority class, increasing the false-negative rate. In this study, seventy-nine ML models were built and evaluated to classify approximately 2000 participants from 26 hospitals in eight different countries into two groups of radiotherapy (RT) side effects incidence based on recorded observations from the international study of RT related toxicity "REQUITE". We also examined the effect of sampling techniques and cost-sensitive learning methods on the models when dealing with class imbalance. The combinations of such techniques used had a significant impact on the classification. They resulted in an improvement in incidence status prediction by shifting classifiers' attention to the minority group. The best classification model for RT acute toxicity prediction was identified based on domain experts' success criteria. The Area Under Receiver Operator Characteristic curve of the models tested with an isolated dataset ranged from 0.50 to 0.77. The scale of improved results is promising and will guide further development of models to predict RT acute toxicities. One model was optimised and found to be beneficial to identify patients who are at risk of developing acute RT early-stage toxicities as a result of undergoing breast RT ensuring relevant treatment interventions can be appropriately targeted. The design of the approach presented in this paper resulted in producing a preclinical-valid prediction model. The study was developed by a multi-disciplinary collaboration of data scientists, medical physicists, oncologists and surgeons in the UK Radiotherapy Machine Learning Network.

Spen links RNA-mediated endogenous retrovirus silencing and X chromosome inactivation.

The Xist lncRNA mediates X chromosome inactivation (XCI). Here we show that Spen, an Xist-binding repressor protein essential for XCI , binds to ancient retroviral RNA, performing a surveillance role to recruit chromatin silencing machinery to these parasitic loci. Spen loss activates a subset of endogenous retroviral (ERV) elements in mouse embryonic stem cells, with gain of chromatin accessibility, active histone modifications, and ERV RNA transcription. Spen binds directly to ERV RNAs that show structural similarity to the A-repeat of Xist, a region critical for Xist-mediated gene silencing. ERV RNA and Xist A-repeat bind the RRM domains of Spen in a competitive manner. Insertion of an ERV into an A-repeat deficient Xist rescues binding of Xist RNA to Spen and results in strictly local gene silencing in cis. These results suggest that Xist may coopt transposable element RNA-protein interactions to repurpose powerful antiviral chromatin silencing machinery for sex chromosome dosage compensation.

The genetic material inside cells is often packaged into thread-like structures called chromosomes. In humans, mice and other mammals, a pair of sex chromosomes determines the genetic or chromosomal sex of each individual. Those who inherit two "X" chromosomes are said to be chromosomally female, while chromosomal males have one "X" and one "Y" chromosome. This means females have twice as many copies of genes on the X chromosome as a male does, which turns out to be double the number that the body needs. To solve this problem, mammals have developed a strategy known as dosage compensation. The second X chromosome in females becomes "silent": its DNA remains unchanged, but none of the genes are active. A long noncoding RNA molecule called Xist is responsible for switching off the extra X genes in female cells. It does this by coating the entirety of the second X chromosome. Normally, RNA molecules transmit the coded instructions in genes to the cellular machinery that manufactures proteins. "Noncoding" RNAs like Xist, however, are RNAs that have taken on different jobs inside the cell. Researchers believe that the ancestral Xist gene may have once encoded a protein but changed over time to produce only a noncoding RNA. Carter, Xu et al. therefore set out to find out how exactly this might have happened, and also how Xist might have acquired its ability to switch genes off. Initial experiments used mouse cells grown in the laboratory, in which a protein called Spen was deleted. Spen is known to help Xist silence the X chromosome. In female cells lacking Spen, the second X chromosome remained active. Other chromosomes in male and female cells also had stretches of DNA that became active upon Spen's removal. These DNA sequences, termed endogenous retroviruses, were remnants of ancestral viral infections. In other words, Spen normally acted as an antiviral defense. Analysis of genetic sequences showed that Spen recognized endogenous retrovirus sequences resembling a key region in Xist, a region which was needed for Xist to work properly. Inserting fragments of endogenous retroviruses into a defective version of Xist lacking this region also partially restored its ability to inactivate genes, suggesting that X chromosome silencing might work by hijacking cellular defenses against viruses. That is, female cells essentially 'pretend' there is a viral infection on the second X chromosome by coating it with Xist (which mimics endogenous retroviruses), thus directing Spen to shut it down. This research is an important step towards understanding how female cells carry out dosage compensation in mammals. More broadly, it sheds new light on how ancient viruses may have shaped the evolution of noncoding RNAs in the human genome.

Characterization of the active site of S. aureus monofunctional glycosyltransferase (Mtg) by site-directed mutation and structural analysis of the protein complexed with moenomycin.

Bacterial cell wall transglycosylases (TGs) and transpeptidases (TPs) are ideal drug targets due to their essentiality, accessibility and lack of mammalian homologs. Although antibacterial therapy using the beta-lactam family of TP inhibitors has been successful for decades, potent TG inhibitors which are suitable for development into antibiotics for human use have yet to be identified. We sought to further understand the molecular interactions required to inhibit bacterial transglycosylation by characterizing the active site of Staphylococcus aureus (Sa) monofunctional transglycosylase (Mtg). Ten mutants were tested for their ability to polymerize Lipid II and to crystallize in the presence of moenomycin. Five of six putative active site mutants (E100Q, D101N, Q136E, E156T, and Y176F) were found to be catalytically inactive whereas a F104Y mutation did not affect activity. Four mutants generated to enhance crystal formation (F143T, V154T, L157T, and F158T) also retained activity. Here we also report the crystal structure of Sa Mtg E100Q mutant in complex with the inhibitor moenomycin to 2.1A resolution. The co-crystal structure revealed detailed interactions between the protein and inhibitor including portions of the polycarbon tail of moenomycin. The structure also contained an ordered phosphate ion which helped to identify the Lipid II binding site.

Sulfoximine-substituted trifluoromethylpyrimidine analogs as inhibitors of proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PYK2) show reduced hERG activity.

The synthesis, in vitro properties, and in vivo pharmacokinetics for a series of sulfoximine-substituted trifluoromethylpyrimidines as inhibitors of proline-rich tyrosine kinase, a target for the possible treatment of osteoporosis, are described. These compounds were prepared as surrogates of the corresponding sulfone compound 1. Sulfone 1 was an attractive PYK2 lead compound; however, subsequent studies determined this compound possessed high dofetilide binding, which is an early indicator of cardiovascular safety. Surprisingly, the corresponding sulfoximine analogs displayed significantly lower dofetilide binding, which, for N-methylsulfoximine (S)-14a, translated to lower activity in a patch clamp hERG K(+) ion channel screen. In addition, compound (S)-14a shows good oral exposure in a rat pharmacokinetic model.

Trifluoromethylpyrimidine-based inhibitors of proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PYK2): structure-activity relationships and strategies for the elimination of reactive metabolite formation.

The synthesis and SAR for a series of diaminopyrimidines as PYK2 inhibitors are described. Using a combination of library and traditional medicinal chemistry techniques, a FAK-selective chemical series was transformed into compounds possessing good PYK2 potency and 10- to 20-fold selectivity against FAK. Subsequent studies found that the majority of the compounds were positive in a reactive metabolite assay, an indicator for potential toxicological liabilities. Based on the proposed mechanism for bioactivation, as well as a combination of structure-based drug design and traditional medicinal chemistry techniques, a follow-up series of PYK2 inhibitors was identified that maintained PYK2 potency, FAK selectivity and HLM stability, yet were negative in the RM assay.

Redesigning and characterizing the substrate specificity and activity of Vibrio fluvialis aminotransferase for the synthesis of imagabalin.

Several protein engineering approaches were combined to optimize the selectivity and activity of Vibrio fluvialis aminotransferase (Vfat) for the synthesis of (3S,5R)-ethyl 3-amino-5-methyloctanoate; a key intermediate in the synthesis of imagabalin, an advanced candidate for the treatment of generalized anxiety disorder. Starting from wild-type Vfat, which had extremely low activity catalyzing the desired reaction, we engineered an improved enzyme with a 60-fold increase in initial reaction velocity for transamination of (R)-ethyl 5-methyl 3-oxooctanoate to (3S,5R)-ethyl 3-amino-5-methyloctanoate. To achieve this, <450 variants were screened, which allowed accurate assessment of enzyme performance using a low-throughput ultra performance liquid chromatography assay. During the course of this work, crystal structures of Vfat wild type and an improved variant (Vfat variant r414) were solved and they are reported here for the first time. This work also provides insight into the critical residues for substrate specificity for the transamination of (R)-ethyl 5-methyl 3-oxooctanoate and structurally related ß-ketoesters.

Structural characterization of proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PYK2) reveals a unique (DFG-out) conformation and enables inhibitor design.

Proline-rich tyrosine kinase 2 (PYK2) is a cytoplasmic, non-receptor tyrosine kinase implicated in multiple signaling pathways. It is a negative regulator of osteogenesis and considered a viable drug target for osteoporosis treatment. The high-resolution structures of the human PYK2 kinase domain with different inhibitor complexes establish the conventional bilobal kinase architecture and show the conformational variability of the DFG loop. The basis for the lack of selectivity for the classical kinase inhibitor, PF-431396, within the FAK family is explained by our structural analyses. Importantly, the novel DFG-out conformation with two diarylurea inhibitors (BIRB796, PF-4618433) reveals a distinct subclass of non-receptor tyrosine kinases identifiable by the gatekeeper Met-502 and the unique hinge loop conformation of Leu-504. This is the first example of a leucine residue in the hinge loop that blocks the ATP binding site in the DFG-out conformation. Our structural, biophysical, and pharmacological studies suggest that the unique features of the DFG motif, including Leu-504 hinge-loop variability, can be exploited for the development of selective protein kinase inhibitors.

The design and synthesis of human branched-chain amino acid aminotransferase inhibitors for treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.

The inhibition of the cytosolic isoenzyme BCAT that is expressed specifically in neuronal tissue is likely to be useful for the treatment of neurodegenerative and other neurological disorders where glutamatergic mechanisms are implicated. Compound 2 exhibited an IC50 of 0.8 microM in the hBCATc assays; it is an active and selective inhibitor. Inhibitor 2 also blocked calcium influx into neuronal cells following inhibition of glutamate uptake, and demonstrated neuroprotective efficacy in vivo. SAR, pharmacology, and the crystal structure of hBCATc with inhibitor 2 are described.

Phosphorylation of serine residues in histidine-tag sequences attached to recombinant protein kinases: a cause of heterogeneity in mass and complications in function.

High-level recombinant expression of protein kinases in eukaryotic cells or Escherichia coli commonly gives products that are phosphorylated by autocatalysis or by the action of endogenous kinases. Here, we report that phosphorylation occurred on serine residues adjacent to hexahistidine affinity tags (His-tags) derived from several commercial expression vectors and fused to overexpressed kinases. The result was observed with a variety of recombinant kinases expressed in either insect cells or E. coli. Multiple phosphorylations of His-tagged full-length Aurora A, a protein serine/threonine kinase, were detected by mass spectrometry when it was expressed in insect cells in the presence of okadaic acid, a protein phosphatase inhibitor. Peptide mapping by liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry detected phosphorylations on all three serine residues in an N-terminal tag, alpha-N-acetyl-MHHHHHHSSGLPRGS. The same sequence was also phosphorylated, but only at a low level, when a His-tagged protein tyrosine kinase, Pyk2 was expressed in insect cells and activated in vitro. When catalytic domains of Aurora A and several other protein serine/threonine kinases were expressed in E. coli, serines in the affinity tag sequence GSSHHHHHHSSGLVPRGS were also variably phosphorylated. His-Aurora A with hyperphosphorylation of the serine residues in the tag aggregated and resisted thrombin-catalyzed removal of the tag. Treatment with alkaline phosphatase partly restored sensitivity to thrombin. The same His-tag sequence was also detected bearing alpha-N-d-gluconoylation in addition to multiple phosphorylations. The results show that histidine-tag sequences can receive complicated posttranslational modification, and that the hyperphosphorylation and resulting heterogeneity of the recombinant fusion proteins can interfere with downstream applications.