Potent memapsin 2 (beta-secretase) inhibitors: design, synthesis, protein-ligand X-ray structure, and in vivo evaluation

Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2008 Feb 1;18(3):1031-6. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2007.12.028. Epub 2008 Jan 3.

Abstract

Structure-based design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of a series of peptidomimetic beta-secretase inhibitors incorporating hydroxyethylamine isosteres are described. We have identified inhibitor 24 which has shown exceedingly potent activity in memapsin 2 enzyme inhibitory (K(i) 1.8 nM) and cellular (IC(50)=1 nM in Chinese hamster ovary cells) assays. Inhibitor 24 has also shown very impressive in vivo properties (up to 65% reduction of plasma A beta) in transgenic mice. The X-ray structure of protein-ligand complex of memapsin 2 revealed critical interactions in the memapsin 2 active site.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Alzheimer Disease / drug therapy
  • Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases / chemistry
  • Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases / metabolism
  • Animals
  • Aspartic Acid / analogs & derivatives*
  • Aspartic Acid / chemical synthesis
  • Aspartic Acid / chemistry
  • Aspartic Acid / pharmacology
  • Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / chemistry
  • Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / metabolism
  • Cricetinae
  • Cricetulus
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Dipeptides / chemical synthesis
  • Dipeptides / chemistry
  • Dipeptides / pharmacology
  • Drug Design
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Structure
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Sulfonamides / chemical synthesis*
  • Sulfonamides / chemistry
  • Sulfonamides / pharmacology

Substances

  • Dipeptides
  • Sulfonamides
  • Aspartic Acid
  • leucyl-alanine
  • Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases
  • Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases
  • Bace1 protein, mouse