Design, syntheses, and evaluation of Taspase1 inhibitors. Academic Article uri icon

Overview

abstract

  • Taspase1 is a threonine protease responsible for cleaving MLL (Mixed-Lineage Leukemia) to achieve proper HOX gene expression. Subsequent studies identified additional Taspase1 substrates including Transcription Factor IIA (TFIIA) and Drosophila HCF. Taspase1 is essential for cell proliferation and is overexpressed in many cancer cell lines. Currently no small molecule inhibitors of this enzyme have been described. Here, we report the synthesis and evaluation of vinyl sulfone, vinyl ketone, epoxy ketone, and boronic acid inhibitors designed based on the preferred Taspase1 cleavage site (Ac-Ile-Ser-Gln-Leu-Asp). Specifically, we evaluated compounds in which the reactive warhead is positioned in place of the P1 aspartic acid side chain as well as at the C-terminus of the peptide. Interestingly, both classes of inhibitors were effective and vinyl ketones and vinyl sulfones showed the greatest potency for the target protease. These results suggest that Taspase1 has unique substrate recognition properties that could potentially be exploited in the design of potent and selective inhibitors of this enzyme.

publication date

  • July 10, 2009

Research

keywords

  • Boronic Acids
  • Endopeptidases
  • Ketones
  • Protease Inhibitors
  • Sulfones

Identity

PubMed Central ID

  • PMC3513416

Scopus Document Identifier

  • 68349148051

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

  • 10.1016/j.bmcl.2009.07.045

PubMed ID

  • 19631530

Additional Document Info

volume

  • 19

issue

  • 17