ACS Medicinal Chemistry Letters最新文献

The invention in this patent relates to the use of phosphodiesterase-7 (PDE7) inhibitors with a spiro[[1,3]oxazolo[5,4-f]quinazoline-9,1′-cyclohexan]-7-one scaffold for the treatment and prevention of diseases and syndromes associated with chronic fatigue, exhaustion, and exertional intolerance.

The invention in this patent relates to the use of phosphodiesterase-7 (PDE7) inhibitors with a spiro[[1,3]oxazolo[5,4-f]quinazoline-9,1'-cyclohexan]-7-one scaffold for the treatment and prevention of diseases and syndromes associated with chronic fatigue, exhaustion, and exertional intolerance.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.4c00423.].

Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K), an atypical Ser/Thr-protein kinase that regulates neuronal protein synthesis homeostasis via an inhibitory phosphorylation of eEF2, has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for several diseases, including Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In this study, we employed molecular docking with an in-house natural product library of 4270 compounds, containing 2177 novel compounds and 603 new structural frameworks, to identify eEF2K inhibitors. Following virtual screening, 25 natural products were selected for in-vitro evaluation of eEF2 phosphorylation inhibition as well as protein synthesis promotion. Our findings identified that compounds 17 and 23 potently suppress eEF2K activity, increase protein synthesis, and concurrently induce neuritogenesis. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that 17 and 23 may stably bind to the eEF2K protein. Our findings highlighted 17 and 23 as new natural eEF2K inhibitors and promising candidates for promoting neural differentiation, providing potential therapeutic leads for the treatment of AD.

Eukaryotic elongation factor 2 kinase (eEF2K), an atypical Ser/Thr-protein kinase that regulates neuronal protein synthesis homeostasis via an inhibitory phosphorylation of eEF2, has emerged as a promising therapeutic target for several diseases, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). In this study, we employed molecular docking with an in-house natural product library of 4270 compounds, containing 2177 novel compounds and 603 new structural frameworks, to identify eEF2K inhibitors. Following virtual screening, 25 natural products were selected for in-vitro evaluation of eEF2 phosphorylation inhibition as well as protein synthesis promotion. Our findings identified that compounds 17 and 23 potently suppress eEF2K activity, increase protein synthesis, and concurrently induce neuritogenesis. Molecular dynamics simulations suggest that 17 and 23 may stably bind to the eEF2K protein. Our findings highlighted 17 and 23 as new natural eEF2K inhibitors and promising candidates for promoting neural differentiation, providing potential therapeutic leads for the treatment of AD.

The use of Targeted Covalent Inhibitors (TCIs) is an expanding strategy for the development of innovative drugs. It is driven by two fundamental steps: (1) recognition of the target site by the molecule and (2) establishment of the covalent interaction by its reactive group. The development of new TCIs depends on the development of new warheads. Here, we propose the use of Morita–Baylis–Hillman adducts (MBHAs) to covalently bind Lys strategically placed inside a lipophilic pocket. A human cellular retinoic acid binding protein II mutant (M2) was selected as a test bench for a library of 19 MBHAs. The noncovalent interaction step was investigated by molecular docking studies, while experimentally the entire library was incubated with M2 and crystallized to confirm covalent binding with the target lysine. The results, rationalized through covalent docking analysis, support our hypothesis of MBHAs as reactive scaffolds for the design of lysine-TCIs.

Small molecules that bind the Son of Sevenless 1 protein (SOS1), thereby preventing activation of RAS, have been widely pursued as a means for cell proliferation inhibition and antitumor activity. Guided by free-energy perturbation (FEP+) simulations, we discovered that two acidic residues on the perimeter of a known small molecule binding site on SOS1, E906 and E909, constitute a potency handle that can improve inhibitor affinity by as much as 750-fold when targeted with basic groups to form salt bridges, despite being solvent exposed. Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) and X-ray crystallographic studies demonstrate that this effect is attributable to the electrostatic interaction between the protein and ligand. This interaction could be repurposed to create new SOS1 inhibitors, documenting its general utility for core exploration. Additional recent examples in the literature suggest that this phenomenon may be applicable to a number of target classes and are highlighted herein.

Small molecules that bind the Son of Sevenless 1 protein (SOS1), thereby preventing activation of RAS, have been widely pursued as a means for cell proliferation inhibition and antitumor activity. Guided by free-energy perturbation (FEP+) simulations, we discovered that two acidic residues on the perimeter of a known small molecule binding site on SOS1, E906 and E909, constitute a potency handle that can improve inhibitor affinity by as much as 750-fold when targeted with basic groups to form salt bridges, despite being solvent exposed. Structure–Activity Relationship (SAR) and X-ray crystallographic studies demonstrate that this effect is attributable to the electrostatic interaction between the protein and ligand. This interaction could be repurposed to create new SOS1 inhibitors, documenting its general utility for core exploration. Additional recent examples in the literature suggest that this phenomenon may be applicable to a number of target classes and are highlighted herein.