Issue 36, 2012

Development of a novel class of B-RafV600E-selective inhibitors through virtual screening and hierarchical hit optimization

Abstract

Oncogenic mutations in critical nodes of cellular signaling pathways have been associated with tumorigenesis and progression. The B-Raf protein kinase, a key hub in the canonical MAPK signaling cascade, is mutated in a broad range of human cancers and especially in malignant melanoma. The most prevalent B-RafV600E mutant exhibits elevated kinase activity and results in constitutive activation of the MAPK pathway, thus making it a promising drug target for cancer therapy. Herein, we describe the development of novel B-RafV600E selective inhibitors via multi-step virtual screening and hierarchical hit optimization. Nine hit compounds with low micromolar IC50 values were identified as B-RafV600E inhibitors through virtual screening. Subsequent scaffold-based analogue searching and medicinal chemistry efforts significantly improved both the inhibitor potency and oncogene selectivity. In particular, compounds 22f and 22q possess nanomolar IC50 values with selectivity for B-RafV600Ein vitro and exclusive cytotoxicity against B-RafV600E harboring cancer cells.

Graphical abstract: Development of a novel class of B-RafV600E-selective inhibitors through virtual screening and hierarchical hit optimization

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
05 Jun 2012
Accepted
10 Jul 2012
First published
13 Jul 2012

Org. Biomol. Chem., 2012,10, 7402-7417

Development of a novel class of B-RafV600E-selective inhibitors through virtual screening and hierarchical hit optimization

X. Kong, J. Qin, Z. Li, A. Vultur, L. Tong, E. Feng, G. Rajan, S. Liu, J. Lu, Z. Liang, M. Zheng, W. Zhu, H. Jiang, M. Herlyn, H. Liu, R. Marmorstein and C. Luo, Org. Biomol. Chem., 2012, 10, 7402 DOI: 10.1039/C2OB26081F

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