The anti-apoptotic protein MCL-1 is a key regulator of cancer cell survival and a known resistance factor for small-molecule BCL-2 family inhibitors such as ABT-263 (navitoclax), making it an ...attractive therapeutic target. However, directly inhibiting this target requires the disruption of high-affinity protein-protein interactions, and therefore designing small molecules potent enough to inhibit MCL-1 in cells has proven extremely challenging. Here, we describe a series of indole-2-carboxylic acids, exemplified by the compound A-1210477, that bind to MCL-1 selectively and with sufficient affinity to disrupt MCL-1-BIM complexes in living cells. A-1210477 induces the hallmarks of intrinsic apoptosis and demonstrates single agent killing of multiple myeloma and non-small cell lung cancer cell lines demonstrated to be MCL-1 dependent by BH3 profiling or siRNA rescue experiments. As predicted, A-1210477 synergizes with the BCL-2/BCL-XL inhibitor navitoclax to kill a variety of cancer cell lines. This work represents the first description of small-molecule MCL-1 inhibitors with sufficient potency to induce clear on-target cellular activity. It also demonstrates the utility of these molecules as chemical tools for dissecting the basic biology of MCL-1 and the promise of small-molecule MCL-1 inhibitors as potential therapeutics for the treatment of cancer.
Members of the B cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) gene family have a central role in regulating programmed cell death by controlling pro-apoptotic and anti-apoptotic intracellular signals. In cancer, ...apoptosis evasion through dysregulation of specific BCL-2 family genes is a recurring event; accordingly, selective inhibition of specific anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family proteins represents an exciting therapeutic opportunity. A combination of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based screening and structure-based drug design has yielded the first bona fide BCL-2 homology 3 (BH3) mimetics, including the BCL-2 and BCL-X
dual antagonist navitoclax, which is the first BCL-2 family inhibitor to show efficacy in patients with cancer. Clinical experience with navitoclax prompted the generation of the highly selective BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax, which is now approved in the United States for the treatment of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia with 17p deletion who have received at least one prior therapy. Recent advances have also been made in the development of potent and selective inhibitors of BCL-X
and myeloid cell leukaemia 1 (MCL1), which are additional BCL-2 family members with established anti-apoptotic roles in cancer. Here we review the latest progress in direct and selective targeting of BCL-2 family proteins for cancer therapy.
A number of therapeutic targets are currently under investigation for inhibition of hepatic glucose production with small molecules. Antagonists of the glucagon receptor, glycogen phosphorylase, ...11-β- hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase-1 and fructose 1,6-bisphosphatase are, or have been, under evaluation in human clinical trials. Other strategies, including glucocorticoid receptor antagonists and carnitine palmitoyltransferase inhibitors, are supported by proof of principle studies in man as well as rodents. Several potential targets including glucose-6-phosphatase, glucose-6-phosphatase translocase, glycogen synthase kinase-3, adenosine receptor 2B antagonists, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase and pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, have been validated by compounds that are effective in animal models. Other targets like PGC-1a and CREB have initial validation support but no medicinal chemistry has been reported.
As a population, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) cell lines positive for the t(14;18) translocation and/or possessing elevated BCL2 copy number (CN; BCL2(High)) are exquisitely sensitive to navitoclax ...or the B-cell lymphoma protein-2 (BCL-2)-selective inhibitor venetoclax. Despite this, some BCL2(High) cell lines remain resistant to either agent. Here we show that the MCL-1-specific inhibitor A-1210477 sensitizes these cell lines to navitoclax. Chemical segregation of this synergy with the BCL-2-selective inhibitor venetoclax or BCL-XL-selective inhibitor A-1155463 indicated that MCL-1 and BCL-2 are the two key anti-apoptotic targets for sensitization. Similarly, the CDK inhibitor flavopiridol downregulated MCL-1 expression and synergized with venetoclax in BCL2(High) NHL cell lines to a similar extent as A-1210477. A-1210477 also synergized with navitoclax in the majority of BCL2(Low) NHL cell lines. However, chemical segregation with venetoclax or A-1155463 revealed that synergy was driven by BCL-XL inhibition in this population. Collectively these data emphasize that BCL2 status is predictive of venetoclax potency in NHL not only as a single agent, but also in the adjuvant setting with anti-tumorigenic agents that inhibit MCL-1 function. These studies also potentially identify a patient population (BCL2(Low)) that could benefit from BCL-XL (navitoclax)-driven combination therapy.
Type 2 diabetes is a widespread disease where effective pharmacologic therapies can have a profound beneficial public health impact. Increased hepatic glucose production (HGP) is observed in ...diabetics and its moderation by currently available agents provides therapeutic benefits. This review describes the challenges associated with the discovery of small molecules that inhibit HGP. Gluconeogenesis, glycogenolysis, liver architecture, and hepatocyte composition are described to provide background information on hepatic function. Current methods of target validation for drug discovery, HGP measurement, diabetes animal models, as well as current drug therapies are covered. In the accompanying review article the new drug targets being probed to produce the next generation of therapies are described. Significant pharmaceutical and academic efforts to pharmacologically inhibit HGP has the opportunity to provide new therapeutics for type 2 diabetics.
Proteins in the B cell CLL/lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) family are key regulators of the apoptotic process. This family comprises proapoptotic and prosurvival proteins, and shifting the balance toward the ...latter is an established mechanism whereby cancer cells evade apoptosis. The therapeutic potential of directly inhibiting prosurvival proteins was unveiled with the development of navitoclax, a selective inhibitor of both BCL-2 and BCL-2-like 1 (BCL-X(L)), which has shown clinical efficacy in some BCL-2-dependent hematological cancers. However, concomitant on-target thrombocytopenia caused by BCL-X(L) inhibition limits the efficacy achievable with this agent. Here we report the re-engineering of navitoclax to create a highly potent, orally bioavailable and BCL-2-selective inhibitor, ABT-199. This compound inhibits the growth of BCL-2-dependent tumors in vivo and spares human platelets. A single dose of ABT-199 in three patients with refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia resulted in tumor lysis within 24 h. These data indicate that selective pharmacological inhibition of BCL-2 shows promise for the treatment of BCL-2-dependent hematological cancers.
ABT-737 and ABT-263 are potent inhibitors of the BH3 antiapoptotic proteins, Bcl-xL and Bcl-2. This class of putative anticancer agents invariantly contains an acylsulfonamide core. We have designed ...and synthesized a series of novel quinazoline-based inhibitors of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL that contain a heterocyclic alternative to the acylsulfonamide. These compounds exhibit submicromolar, mechanism-based activity in human small-cell lung carcinoma cell lines in the presence of 10% human serum. This comprises the first successful demonstration of a quinazoline sulfonamide core serving as an effective benzoylsulfonamide bioisostere. Additionally, these novel quinazolines comprise only the second known class of Bcl-2 family protein inhibitors to induce mechanism-based cell death.
4-(1-Benzo1,3dioxol-5-ylmethylpiperidine-4-ylmethyl)-6-chlorochromen-2-one (7) is a potent, orally bioavailable melanin concentrating hormone receptor 1 (MCHr1) antagonist that causes dose-dependent ...weight loss in diet-induced obese mice. Further evaluation of 7 in an anesthetized dog model of cardiovascular safety revealed adverse hemodynamic effects at a plasma concentration comparable to the minimally effective therapeutic concentration. These results highlight the need for scrutiny of the cardiovascular safety profile of MCHr1 antagonists.
The design and preparation of a novel class of ligands based on the sulfinyl imine functionality is described. In particular, an efficient and modular synthesis of bis(sulfinyl)imidoamidine (siam) ...ligands is reported. The versatility of the synthetic sequence is demonstrated by the preparation of various analogues to explore the effect of substitution about the ligand framework on catalytic activity. The utility of the siam ligands in asymmetric catalysis is demonstrated in the Cu(II)-catalyzed Diels−Alder reaction where highly enantio- and diastereoselective reactions are reported for a range of N-acyloxazolidinone dienophile and diene substrate combinations. Of particular note is the efficiency of these asymmetric catalysts for reactions involving challenging and relatively unreactive acyclic diene substrates. Finally, structural data are provided for several ligands as well as metal−ligand complexes.
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