Identification of Novel Fused Heteroaromatics-Based MALT1 Inhibitors by High-Throughput Screening to Treat B Cell Lymphoma

J Med Chem. 2021 Jul 8;64(13):9217-9237. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00466. Epub 2021 Jun 28.

Abstract

Development of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue lymphoma translocation protein 1 (MALT1) inhibitors is of great value and significance in the treatment of neoplastic disorders and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. However, there is a lack of effective MALT1 inhibitors in clinic. Herein, a novel class of potent 5-oxo-1-thioxo-4,5-dihydro-1H-thiazolo[3,4-a]quinazoline-based MALT1 inhibitors and their covalent derivatives were first identified and designed through high-throughput screening. We demonstrated that compounds 15c, 15e, and 20c effectively inhibited the MALT1 protease and displayed selective cytotoxicity to activated B cell-like diffuse large B cell lymphoma with low single-digit micromolar potency. Furthermore, compound 20c specifically repressed NF-κB signaling and induced cell apoptosis in MALT1-dependent TMD8 cells in a dose-dependent manner. More importantly, 20c showed good pharmacokinetic properties and antitumor efficacy with no significant toxicity in the TMD8 xenograft tumor model. Collectively, this study provides valuable lead compounds of MALT1 inhibitors for further structural optimization and antitumor mechanism study.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Proliferation / drug effects
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Screening Assays, Antitumor
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemical synthesis
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • High-Throughput Screening Assays*
  • Humans
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / drug therapy*
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / metabolism
  • Lymphoma, Large B-Cell, Diffuse / pathology
  • Molecular Structure
  • Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma Translocation 1 Protein / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma Translocation 1 Protein / metabolism
  • NF-kappa B / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • NF-kappa B
  • MALT1 protein, human
  • Mucosa-Associated Lymphoid Tissue Lymphoma Translocation 1 Protein