Structure-guided development of covalent TAK1 inhibitors

Bioorg Med Chem. 2017 Feb 1;25(3):838-846. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2016.11.035. Epub 2016 Dec 9.

Abstract

TAK1 (transforming growth factor-β-activated kinase 1) is an essential intracellular mediator of cytokine and growth factor signaling and a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of immune diseases and cancer. Herein we report development of a series of 2,4-disubstituted pyrimidine covalent TAK1 inhibitors that target Cys174, a residue immediately adjacent to the 'DFG-motif' of the kinase activation loop. Co-crystal structures of TAK1 with candidate compounds enabled iterative rounds of structure-based design and biological testing to arrive at optimized compounds. Lead compounds such as 2 and 10 showed greater than 10-fold biochemical selectivity for TAK1 over the closely related kinases MEK1 and ERK1 which possess an equivalently positioned cysteine residue. These compounds are smaller, more easily synthesized, and exhibit a different spectrum of kinase selectivity relative to previously reported macrocyclic natural product TAK1 inhibitors such as 5Z-7-oxozeanol.

Keywords: 2,4-Disubstituted pyrimidine; Covalent inhibitors; Structure-activity relationship; Structure-based design; TAK1 kinase inhibitors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Humans
  • MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Microsomes, Liver / chemistry
  • Microsomes, Liver / metabolism
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Structure
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemical synthesis
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Pyrimidines / chemical synthesis
  • Pyrimidines / chemistry
  • Pyrimidines / pharmacology*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Pyrimidines
  • MAP Kinase Kinase Kinases
  • MAP kinase kinase kinase 7
  • pyrimidine