Discovery of vimseltinib (DCC-3014), a highly selective CSF1R switch-control kinase inhibitor, in clinical development for the treatment of Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumor (TGCT).

Based on knowledge of kinase switch-control inhibition and using a combination of structure-based drug design and standard medicinal chemistry principles, we identified a novel series of dihydropyrimidone-based CSF1R kinase inhibitors displaying exquisite selectivity for CSF1R versus a large panel of kinases and non-kinase protein targets. Starting with lead compound 3, an SAR optimization campaign led to the discovery of vimseltinib (DCC-3014; compound 20) currently undergoing clinical evaluation for the treatment of Tenosynovial Giant Cell Tumor (TGCT), a locally aggressive benign tumor associated with substantial morbidity. 2021 Elsevier ltd. All rights reserved.

Discovery of acyl ureas as highly selective small molecule CSF1R kinase inhibitors.

Based on the structure of an early lead identified in Deciphera's proprietary compound collection of switch control kinase inhibitors and using a combination of medicinal chemistry guided structure activity relationships and structure-based drug design, a novel series of potent acyl urea-based CSF1R inhibitors was identified displaying high selectivity for CSF1R versus the other members of the Type III receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family members (KIT, PDGFR-α, PDGFR-ß, and FLT3), VEGFR2 and MET. Based on in vitro biology, in vitro ADME and in vivo PK/PD studies, compound 10 was selected as an advanced lead for Deciphera's CSF1R research program.

Ripretinib (DCC-2618) Is a Switch Control Kinase Inhibitor of a Broad Spectrum of Oncogenic and Drug-Resistant KIT and PDGFRA Variants.

Ripretinib (DCC-2618) was designed to inhibit the full spectrum of mutant KIT and PDGFRA kinases found in cancers and myeloproliferative neoplasms, particularly in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs), in which the heterogeneity of drug-resistant KIT mutations is a major challenge. Ripretinib is a "switch-control" kinase inhibitor that forces the activation loop (or activation "switch") into an inactive conformation. Ripretinib inhibits all tested KIT and PDGFRA mutants, and notably is a type II kinase inhibitor demonstrated to broadly inhibit activation loop mutations in KIT and PDGFRA, previously thought only achievable with type I inhibitors. Ripretinib shows efficacy in preclinical cancer models, and preliminary clinical data provide proof-of-concept that ripretinib inhibits a wide range of KIT mutants in patients with drug-resistant GISTs.

Optimization of Phenyl Indole Inhibitors of the AAA+ ATPase p97.

Optimization of the side-chain of a phenyl indole scaffold identified from a high-throughput screening campaign for inhibitors of the AAA+ ATPase p97 is reported. The addition of an N-alkyl piperazine led to high potency of this series in a biochemical assay, activity in cell-based assays, and excellent pharmaceutical properties. Molecular modeling based on a subsequently obtained cryo-EM structure of p97 in complex with a phenyl indole was used to rationalize the potency of these allosteric inhibitors.

A threonine turnstile defines a dynamic amphiphilic binding motif in the AAA ATPase p97 allosteric binding site.

The turnstile motion of two neighboring threonines sets up a dynamic side chain interplay that can accommodate both polar and apolar ligands in a small molecule allosteric protein binding site. A computational model based on SAR data and both X-ray and cryo-EM structures of the AAA ATPase p97 was used to analyze the effects of paired threonines at the inhibitor site. Specifically, the Thr side chain hydroxyl groups form a hydrogen bonding network that readily accommodates small, highly polar ligand substituents. Conversely, diametric rotation of the χ1 torsion by 150-180° orients the side chain ß-methyl groups into the binding cleft, creating a hydrophobic pocket that can accommodate small, apolar substituents. This motif was found to be critical for rationalizing the affinities of a structurally focused set of inhibitors of p97 covering a > 2000-fold variation in potencies, with a preference for either small-highly polar or small-apolar groups. The threonine turnstile motif was further validated by a PDB search that identified analogous binding modes in ligand interactions in PKB, as well as by an analysis of NMR structures demonstrating additional gear-like interactions between adjacent Thr pairs. Combined, these data suggest that the threonine turnstile motif may be a general feature of interest in protein binding pockets.

p97 Disease Mutations Modulate Nucleotide-Induced Conformation to Alter Protein-Protein Interactions.

The AAA+ ATPase p97/VCP adopts at least three conformations that depend on the binding of ADP and ATP and alter the orientation of the N-terminal protein-protein interaction (PPI) domain into "up" and "down" conformations. Point mutations that cause multisystem proteinopathy 1 (MSP1) are found at the interface of the N domain and D1-ATPase domain and potentially alter the conformational preferences of p97. Additionally, binding of "adaptor" proteins to the N-domain regulates p97's catalytic activity. We propose that p97/adaptor PPIs are coupled to p97 conformational states. We evaluated the binding of nucleotides and the adaptor proteins p37 and p47 to wild-type p97 and MSP1 mutants. Notably, p47 and p37 bind 8-fold more weakly to the ADP-bound conformation of wild-type p97 compared to the ATP-bound conformation. However, MSP1 mutants lose this nucleotide-induced conformational coupling because they destabilize the ADP-bound, "down" conformation of the N-domain. Loss in conformation coupling to PPIs could contribute to the mechanism of MSP1.

Allosteric Indole Amide Inhibitors of p97: Identification of a Novel Probe of the Ubiquitin Pathway.

A high-throughput screen to discover inhibitors of p97 ATPase activity identified an indole amide that bound to an allosteric site of the protein. Medicinal chemistry optimization led to improvements in potency and solubility. Indole amide 3 represents a novel uncompetitive inhibitor with excellent physical and pharmaceutical properties that can be used as a starting point for drug discovery efforts.

2.3 Å resolution cryo-EM structure of human p97 and mechanism of allosteric inhibition.

p97 is a hexameric AAA+ adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) that is an attractive target for cancer drug development. We report cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) structures for adenosine diphosphate (ADP)-bound, full-length, hexameric wild-type p97 in the presence and absence of an allosteric inhibitor at resolutions of 2.3 and 2.4 angstroms, respectively. We also report cryo-EM structures (at resolutions of ~3.3, 3.2, and 3.3 angstroms, respectively) for three distinct, coexisting functional states of p97 with occupancies of zero, one, or two molecules of adenosine 5'-O-(3-thiotriphosphate) (ATPγS) per protomer. A large corkscrew-like change in molecular architecture, coupled with upward displacement of the N-terminal domain, is observed only when ATPγS is bound to both the D1 and D2 domains of the protomer. These cryo-EM structures establish the sequence of nucleotide-driven structural changes in p97 at atomic resolution. They also enable elucidation of the binding mode of an allosteric small-molecule inhibitor to p97 and illustrate how inhibitor binding at the interface between the D1 and D2 domains prevents propagation of the conformational changes necessary for p97 function.

Structure-Activity Study of Bioisosteric Trifluoromethyl and Pentafluorosulfanyl Indole Inhibitors of the AAA ATPase p97.

Exploratory SAR studies of a new phenyl indole chemotype for p97 inhibition revealed C-5 indole substituent effects in the ADPGlo assay that did not fully correlate with either electronic or steric factors. A focused series of methoxy-, trifluoromethoxy-, methyl-, trifluoromethyl-, pentafluorosulfanyl-, and nitro-analogues was found to exhibit IC50s from low nanomolar to double-digit micromolar. Surprisingly, we found that the trifluoromethoxy-analogue was biochemically a better match of the trifluoromethyl-substituted lead structure than a pentafluorosulfanyl-analogue. Moreover, in spite of their almost equivalent strongly electron-depleting effect on the indole core, pentafluorosulfanyl- and nitro-derivatives were found to exhibit a 430-fold difference in p97 inhibitory activities. Conversely, the electronically divergent C-5 methyl- and nitro-analogues both showed low nanomolar activities.

Altered cofactor regulation with disease-associated p97/VCP mutations.

Dominant mutations in p97/VCP (valosin-containing protein) cause a rare multisystem degenerative disease with varied phenotypes that include inclusion body myopathy, Paget's disease of bone, frontotemporal dementia, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. p97 disease mutants have altered N-domain conformations, elevated ATPase activity, and altered cofactor association. We have now discovered a previously unidentified disease-relevant functional property of p97 by identifying how the cofactors p37 and p47 regulate p97 ATPase activity. We define p37 as, to our knowledge, the first known p97-activating cofactor, which enhances the catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) of p97 by 11-fold. Whereas both p37 and p47 decrease the Km of ATP in p97, p37 increases the kcat of p97. In contrast, regulation by p47 is biphasic, with decreased kcat at low levels but increased kcat at higher levels. By deleting a region of p47 that lacks homology to p37 (amino acids 69-92), we changed p47 from an inhibitory cofactor to an activating cofactor, similar to p37. Our data suggest that cofactors regulate p97 ATPase activity by binding to the N domain. Induced conformation changes affect ADP/ATP binding at the D1 domain, which in turn controls ATPase cycling. Most importantly, we found that the D2 domain of disease mutants failed to be activated by p37 or p47. Our results show that cofactors play a critical role in controlling p97 ATPase activity, and suggest that lack of cofactor-regulated communication may contribute to p97-associated disease pathogenesis.

A Fragment-Based Ligand Screen Against Part of a Large Protein Machine: The ND1 Domains of the AAA+ ATPase p97/VCP.

The ubiquitous AAA+ ATPase p97 functions as a dynamic molecular machine driving several cellular processes. It is essential in regulating protein homeostasis, and it represents a potential drug target for cancer, particularly when there is a greater reliance on the endoplasmic reticulum-associated protein degradation pathway and ubiquitin-proteasome pathway to degrade an overabundance of secreted proteins. Here, we report a case study for using fragment-based ligand design approaches against this large and dynamic hexamer, which has multiple potential binding sites for small molecules. A screen of a fragment library was conducted by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and followed up by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), two complementary biophysical techniques. Virtual screening was also carried out to examine possible binding sites for the experimental hits and evaluate the potential utility of fragment docking for this target. Out of this effort, 13 fragments were discovered that showed reversible binding with affinities between 140 µM and 1 mM, binding stoichiometries of 1:1 or 2:1, and good ligand efficiencies. Structural data for fragment-protein interactions were obtained with residue-specific [U-(2)H] (13)CH3-methyl-labeling NMR strategies, and these data were compared to poses from docking. The combination of virtual screening, SPR, and NMR enabled us to find and validate a number of interesting fragment hits and allowed us to gain an understanding of the structural nature of fragment binding.

Specific inhibition of p97/VCP ATPase and kinetic analysis demonstrate interaction between D1 and D2 ATPase domains.

The p97 AAA (ATPase associated with diverse cellular activities), also called VCP (valosin-containing protein), is an important therapeutic target for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. p97 forms a hexamer composed of two AAA domains (D1 and D2) that form two stacked rings and an N-terminal domain that binds numerous cofactor proteins. The interplay between the three domains in p97 is complex, and a deeper biochemical understanding is needed in order to design selective p97 inhibitors as therapeutic agents. It is clear that the D2 ATPase domain hydrolyzes ATP in vitro, but whether D1 contributes to ATPase activity is controversial. Here, we use Walker A and B mutants to demonstrate that D1 is capable of hydrolyzing ATP and show for the first time that nucleotide binding in the D2 domain increases the catalytic efficiency (kcat/Km) of D1 ATP hydrolysis 280-fold, by increasing kcat 7-fold and decreasing Km about 40-fold. We further show that an ND1 construct lacking D2 but including the linker between D1 and D2 is catalytically active, resolving a conflict in the literature. Applying enzymatic observations to small-molecule inhibitors, we show that four p97 inhibitors (DBeQ, ML240, ML241, and NMS-873) have differential responses to Walker A and B mutations, to disease-causing IBMPFD mutations, and to the presence of the N domain binding cofactor protein p47. These differential effects provide the first evidence that p97 cofactors and disease mutations can alter p97 inhibitor potency and suggest the possibility of developing context-dependent inhibitors of p97.

Crystal structure of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Aro8, a putative α-aminoadipate aminotransferase.

α-Aminoadipate aminotransferase (AAA-AT) catalyzes the amination of 2-oxoadipate to α-aminoadipate in the fourth step of the α-aminoadipate pathway of lysine biosynthesis in fungi. The aromatic aminotransferase Aro8 has recently been identified as an AAA-AT in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This enzyme displays broad substrate selectivity, utilizing several amino acids and 2-oxo acids as substrates. Here we report the 1.91Å resolution crystal structure of Aro8 and compare it to AAA-AT LysN from Thermus thermophilus and human kynurenine aminotransferase II. Inspection of the active site of Aro8 reveals asymmetric cofactor binding with lysine-pyridoxal-5-phosphate bound within the active site of one subunit in the Aro8 homodimer and pyridoxamine phosphate and a HEPES molecule bound to the other subunit. The HEPES buffer molecule binds within the substrate-binding site of Aro8, yielding insights into the mechanism by which it recognizes multiple substrates and how this recognition differs from other AAA-AT/kynurenine aminotransferases.

Crystal structure of homoisocitrate dehydrogenase from Schizosaccharomyces pombe.

Homoisocitrate dehydrogenase (HICDH) catalyzes the conversion of homoisocitrate to 2-oxoadipate, the third enzymatic step in the α-aminoadipate pathway by which lysine is synthesized in fungi and certain archaebacteria. This enzyme represents a potential target for anti-fungal drug design. Here, we describe the first crystal structures of a fungal HICDH, including structures of an apoenzyme and a binary complex with a glycine tri-peptide. The structures illustrate the homology of HICDH with other ß-hydroxyacid oxidative decarboxylases and reveal key differences with the active site of Thermus thermophilus HICDH that provide insights into the differences in substrate specificity of these enzymes.

Application of a high-throughput fluorescent acetyltransferase assay to identify inhibitors of homocitrate synthase.

Homocitrate synthase (HCS) catalyzes the first step of l-lysine biosynthesis in fungi by condensing acetyl-coenzyme A and 2-oxoglutarate to form 3R-homocitrate and coenzyme A. Due to its conservation in pathogenic fungi, HCS has been proposed as a candidate for antifungal drug design. Here we report the development and validation of a robust fluorescent assay for HCS that is amenable to high-throughput screening for inhibitors in vitro. Using this assay, Schizosaccharomyces pombe HCS was screened against a diverse library of approximately 41,000 small molecules. Following confirmation, counter screens, and dose-response analysis, we prioritized more than 100 compounds for further in vitro and in vivo analysis. This assay can be readily adapted to screen for small molecule modulators of other acyl-CoA-dependent acyltransferases or enzymes that generate a product with a free sulfhydryl group, including histone acetyltransferases, aminoglycoside N-acetyltransferases, thioesterases, and enzymes involved in lipid metabolism.

Structural basis for L-lysine feedback inhibition of homocitrate synthase.

The alpha-aminoadipate pathway of lysine biosynthesis is modulated at the transcriptional and biochemical levels by feedback inhibition. The first enzyme in the alpha-aminoadipate pathway, homocitrate synthase (HCS), is the target of the feedback regulation and is strongly inhibited by l-lysine. Here we report the structure of Schizosaccharomyces pombe HCS (SpHCS) in complex with l-lysine. The structure illustrates that the amino acid directly competes with the substrate 2-oxoglutarate for binding within the active site of HCS. Differential recognition of the substrate and inhibitor is achieved via a switch position within the (alpha/beta)(8) TIM barrel of the enzyme that can distinguish between the C5-carboxylate group of 2-oxoglutarate and the epsilon-ammonium group of l-lysine. In vitro and in vivo assays demonstrate that mutations of the switch residues, which interact with the l-lysine epsilon-ammonium group, abrogate feedback inhibition, as do substitutions of residues within the C-terminal domain that were identified in a previous study of l-lysine-insensitive HCS mutants in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Together, these results yield new insights into the mechanism of feedback regulation of an enzyme central to lysine biosynthesis.

Crystal structure and functional analysis of homocitrate synthase, an essential enzyme in lysine biosynthesis.

Homocitrate synthase (HCS) catalyzes the first and committed step in lysine biosynthesis in many fungi and certain Archaea and is a potential target for antifungal drugs. Here we report the crystal structure of the HCS apoenzyme from Schizosaccharomyces pombe and two distinct structures of the enzyme in complex with the substrate 2-oxoglutarate (2-OG). The structures reveal that HCS forms an intertwined homodimer stabilized by domain-swapping between the N- and C-terminal domains of each monomer. The N-terminal catalytic domain is composed of a TIM barrel fold in which 2-OG binds via hydrogen bonds and coordination to the active site divalent metal ion, whereas the C-terminal domain is composed of mixed alpha/beta topology. In the structures of the HCS apoenzyme and one of the 2-OG binary complexes, a lid motif from the C-terminal domain occludes the entrance to the active site of the neighboring monomer, whereas in the second 2-OG complex the lid is disordered, suggesting that it regulates substrate access to the active site through its apparent flexibility. Mutations of the active site residues involved in 2-OG binding or implicated in acid-base catalysis impair or abolish activity in vitro and in vivo. Together, these results yield new insights into the structure and catalytic mechanism of HCSs and furnish a platform for developing HCS-selective inhibitors.

A coupled fluorescent assay for histone methyltransferases.

Histone methyltransferases (HMTs) catalyze the S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet)-dependent methylation of lysines and arginines in the nucleosomal core histones H3 and H4 and the linker histone H1b. Methylation of these residues regulates either transcriptional activation or silencing, depending on the residue modified and its degree of methylation. Despite an intense interest in elucidating the functions of HMTs in transcriptional regulation, these enzymes have remained challenging to quantitatively assay. To characterize the substrate specificity of HMTs, we have developed a coupled-fluorescence-based assay for AdoMet-dependent methyltransferases. This assay utilizes S-adenosylhomocysteine hydrolase (SAHH) to hydrolyze the methyltransfer product S-adenosylhomocysteine (AdoHcy) to homocysteine (Hcy) and adenosine (Ado). The Hcy concentration is then determined through conjugation of its free sulfhydryl moiety to a thiol-sensitive fluorophore. Using this assay, we have determined the kinetic parameters for the methylation of a synthetic histone H3 peptide (corresponding to residues 1-15 of the native protein) by Schizosaccharomyces pombe CLR4, an H3 Lys-9-specific methyltransferase. The fluorescent SAHH-coupled assay allows rapid and facile determination of HMT kinetics and can be adapted to measure the enzymatic activity of a wide variety of AdoMet-dependent methyltransferases.