Synthesis and mechanism of action of novel thiocarbamate inhibitors of human leukocyte elastase

Several peptidyl thiocarbamate inhibitors of human leukocyte elastase were synthesized in the molecular weight range of 700-800. Two different sequences with lysine at the P3 and ornithine at the P4 positions were synthesized. Most of the inhibitors with large molecular weights showed high inhibitory capacity with Ki values as low as 10(-8)M. Compounds immobilized on poly,alpha,beta-[N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-D,L-aspartamide] (PHEA) polymers with an average molecular weight of 36,000 showed higher inhibitory capacity than their free forms.     

Trifluoroacetyl tripeptides as potent inhibitors of human leukocyte elastase

Trifluoroacetylated peptides are much more potent inhibitors of human leukocyte elastase than the corresponding unblocked, acylated or benzyloxycarbonylated peptides. The most active compound was trifluoroacetyl-Val-Tyr-Val (Ki = 1.3 micron). A number of free and NH2-terminal-substituted peptides exhibited similar affinities for porcine pancreatic and human leukocyte elastase, indicating that these two enzymes must have similar specificity sites.     

Coumarinic derivatives as mechanism-based inhibitors of alpha-chymotrypsin and human leukocyte elastase

Novel coumarinic derivatives were synthesized and tested for their inhibitory potency toward alpha-CT and HLE. Cycloalkyl esters and amides were found to be essentially inactive on both enzymes. On the opposite, aromatic esters strongly inactivated alpha-CT whereas HLE was less efficiently inhibited with dichlorophenyl ester derivatives (kinact/K(I) = 4000 M(-1) s(-1) for 36). Representative examples of amide, ester, thioester and ketone derivatives were prepared in order to evaluate the influence of the link between the coumarinic ring and the phenyl side chain. The irreversible inactivation of alpha-CT by 6-chloromethyl derivatives should be due to alkylation of a histidine residue as suggested by the amino acid analysis of the modified chymotrypsin. Conversely the inhibition of HLE was transient. Intrinsic reactivity of coumarins has been calculated using a model of a nucleophilic reaction between the ligand and the couple methanol-water. From this calculation, it appears that differences in the inhibitory potency expressed by these molecules cannot only be explained by differences in the reactivity of the lactonic carbonyl group toward the nucleophilic attack.     

白细胞弹性蛋白酶抑制剂

人白细胞弹性蛋白酶广泛参与体内的组织损伤反应,与炎症反应、自身免疫、肿瘤形成和转移等有密切关系。目前人白细胞弹性蛋白酶抑制剂已成为新药开发的热点,具有很高的应用价值,其中西维来司钠已经成功进入市场。本文对近几年发现的人白细胞弹性蛋白酶抑制剂的结构及其作用进行综述。     

Synthesis and evaluation of delta-lactams (piperazones) as elastase inhibitors

A series of monocyclic delta-lactams (piperazones) was prepared and analysed as inhibitors of porcine pancreatic elastase and human neutrophil elastase.     

Synthesis and in vitro evaluation of pseudosaccharinamine derivatives as potential elastase inhibitors

Pseudosaccharinamine derivatives were evaluated for elastase inhibitory activity. Ester derivatives of pseudosaccharinamine displayed reversible and high inhibition of human leukocyte elastase (HLE) as compared to porcine pancreatic elastase (PPE). Cyanomethyl (2S,3S)-2-(1,1-dioxobenzo[d]isothiazol-3-ylamino)-3-methylpentanoate was found to inhibit HLE at Ki=0.8 microM.     

Synthesis,biological evaluation,and molecular modelling studies of potent human neutrophil elastase (HNE) inhibitors

We report the synthesis and biological evaluation of a new series of 3- or 4-(substituted)phenylisoxazolones as HNE inhibitors. Due to tautomerism of the isoxazolone nucleus, two isomers were obtained as final compounds (2-NCO and 5-OCO) and the 2-NCO derivatives were the most potent with IC₅₀ values in the nanomolar range (20–70?nM). Kinetic experiments indicated that 2-NCO 7d and 5-OCO 8d are both competitive HNE inhibitors. Molecular modelling on 7d and 8d suggests for the latter a more crowded region about the site of the nucleophilic attack, which could explain its lowered activity. In addition molecular dynamics (MD) simulations showed that the isomer 8d appears more prone to form H-bond interactions which, however, keep the reactive sites quite distant for the attack by Ser195. By contrast the amide 7d appears more mobile within the active pocket, since it makes single H-bond interactions affording a favourable orientation for the nucleophilic attack.     

4-alkylidene-azetidin-2-ones: novel inhibitors of leukocyte elastase and gelatinase

In addition to their antibiotic potency, β-lactams have recently been investigated as inhibitors of serine proteinase such as leukocyte elastase (LE), released by inflammatory cells. We describe the synthesis of a series of 4-alkylidene-β-lactams, and investigate how substitutions on C-3, C-4, and N-1 of the β-lactam ring affect the activity of human LE and gelatinases MMP-2 and MMP-9. LE activity was measured using a chromogenic substrate, while gelatin-zymography assay was used to evaluate gelatinase activity. We demonstrate that C-4 unsaturation on the β-lactam ring determines the degree of biological activity, with a selectivity over LE by 3-[1-(tert-butyldimethylsilyloxy)-ethyl] derivatives (lowest IC₅₀ was 4 μM), and over gelatinase MMP-2 by C-3-unsubstituted 4-[1-ethoxycarbonyl]-ethylidene-β-lactams (lowest IC₅₀ was 60 μM). (3S)-3-[(1R)-1-hydroxyethyl]-4-(1-ethoxycarbonyl)-ethylidene-azetidin-2-one inhibits gelatinase MMP-9. The compounds tested showed no cytotoxicity against NIH-3T3 murine fibroblasts. This is the first example of beta-lactams inhibiting metallo-proteinases instrumental in cancer invasion and angiogenesis. These molecules are good candidates for prototype drugs showing selective antibiotic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-invasion properties.     

Synthetic inhibitors of human leukocyte elastase Part 1--Sulphated polysaccharides

Ten dextran sulphates and six chitosan sulphates of variable Mr and extent of sulphate substitution have been examined for their ability to inhibit human leukocyte elastase (HLE). All were potent partial non-competitive inhibitors of this enzyme, highest activity being obtained with compounds of large molecular weight and maximum sulphate incorporation (Ki = 5.0 X 10(-10)M]. In all cases, the dextran sulphates were more effective inhibitors than chitosan sulphates of similar size and charge, but both classes were inactive against bovine trypsin, chymotrypsin and porcine pancreatic elastase at concentrations less than 10(-4)M. The data suggest that drug binding to HLE occurs by stereospecific electrostatic interactions at site(s) removed from the catalytic reaction centre.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of pyrimidine derivatives as novel human Pin1 inhibitors

Pin1 (Protein interacting with NIMA1) is a cis–trans isomerase and promotes the amide bond rotation of phosphoSer/Thr-Pro motifs in its substrates. Inhibition of Pin1 might be a novel strategy for developing anticancer agents. Herein, a series of pyrimidine derivatives were synthesized and their Pin1 inhibitory activities were evaluated. Among them, four compounds (2a, 2f, 2h and 2l) displayed potent inhibitory activities against Pin1 with IC₅₀ values lower than 3?µM. This series of pyrimidine-based inhibitors presented time-dependent inhibition against Pin1. The structure–activity relationships on the 2-, 4- and 5-positions of the pyrimidine ring were analyzed in details, which would facilitate further exploration of new Pin1 inhibitors.     

Design, synthesis and stability of N-acyloxymethyl- and N-aminocarbonyloxymethyl-2-azetidinones as human leukocyte elastase inhibitors

A series of N-acyloxymethyl- and N-aminocarbonyloxymethyl derivatives of 2-azetidinones, 3, with different substituent patterns at the beta-lactam C-3 and C-4 positions, were designed as potential mechanism-based inhibitors for human leukocyte elastase and found to exhibit inhibitory potency and selectivity for the enzyme.     

Synthesis and evaluation of dithiolethiones as novel cyclooxygenase inhibitors

3H-1,2-Dithiole-3-thiones substituted with a 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxyphenyl (DTBHP) or a 3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-methoxyphenyl group at the C5 position were prepared and their ability to inhibit the cyclooxygenase isoenzymes, COX-1 and COX-2 was evaluated. Both compounds were potent inhibitors of COX-2 (relative to rofecoxib), and while the phenol was a weak inhibitor of COX-1, the methyl ether gave no measurable inhibition. Docking studies of the two compounds into the COX-1 and -2 active sites showed that the methyl ether could only fit in the COX-2 active site whereas the phenol could be docked into both COX-1 and -2. This study reports a new mode for inhibitor binding to COX-1 and -2 and a novel structural scaffold for the development of COX-2 selective inhibitors.     

Structure-activity studies of fluoroketone inhibitors of alpha-lytic protease and human leukocyte elastase

We have synthesized a series of peptidyl fluoroketones that reversibly inhibit the serine proteases human leukocyte elastase (HLE) and alpha-lytic protease (alpha-LP). Ac-ambo-AlaCF3 (1) inhibits HLE and alpha-LP with Ki's of 2.4 and 15 mM, respectively. The effects of structural variations on this parent compound on Ki and the kinetics of inhibition were studied. The acetyl group was replaced by the tripeptide Z-L-Ala-L-Ala-L-Pro to yield the tetrapeptide trifluoroketone (TFK) Z-L-Ala-L-Ala-L-Pro-ambo-AlaCF3 (2). This extension reduced Ki 3500-fold for HLE and 3000-fold for alpha-LP. Removal of a fluorine atom from a TFK decreases Ki about 15- to 30-fold with both enzymes. Replacement of one fluorine atom of 2 by a residue (-CH2-CH2-COLeuOMe) (6) which can interact with the S'1 and S'2 subsites decreased Ki 30-fold for HLE and 150-fold for alpha-LP compared to Z-L-Ala-L-Ala-L-Pro-ambo-AlaCF2H (3). The Ki of 6 for HLE is approximately equal to that of trifluoroketone 2. For alpha-LP Ki of 6 is 10-fold lower than that for the trifluoroketone 2. Inhibitors with Ki values less than 10(-7) M exhibit slow binding kinetics. By analogy to cholinesterases and chymotrypsin, it is likely that these enzymes combine with the keto form of the inhibitor to form the enzyme-inhibitor complex. Therefore, kon and Ki were corrected for the ketone concentration. The corrected kon values for the slow binding inhibitors are in most cases less than diffusion controlled, ranging between 8.2 X 10(4) and 4.68 X 10(6) M-1 s-1. An exception is Z-L-Ala-L-Ala-L-Pro-ambo-ValCF3 (8) where kon = 9 X 10(7) M-1 s-1, which is nearly diffusion controlled.     

Synthesis,activity and molecular modeling of a new series of chromones as low molecular weight protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitors

Protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTP) are crucial elements in eukaryotic signal transduction. Several reports suggested that the LMW-PTP family has oncogenic relevance. Moreover, LMW-PTP has been recognized as a negative regulator of insulin-mediated mitotic and metabolic signaling. Thus, inhibition of the LMW-PTP can be considered an attractive approach for the design of new therapeutic agents for the treatment of type II diabetes and for new antitumoral drugs. To date very few (and weak) inhibitors of LMW-PTP have been identified. On the basis of the reported weak activity of some flavonoids on phosphatases, we discovered a lead that originated a new class of highly active LMW-PTP inhibitors; these compounds inhibit also PTP-1B and are active in cellular assays. Docking experiments and SAR highlighted the possible binding mode of these compounds to the enzyme, putting the background for the future optimization of their inhibitory activity and selectivity towards the closely related enzyme PTP-1B.     

Flavonoids as inhibitors of human neutrophil elastase

Elastase is a proteolytic enzyme belonging to the family of hydrolases produced by human neutrophils, monocytes, macrophages, and endothelial cells. Human neutrophil elastase is known to play multiple roles in the human body, but an increase in its activity may cause a variety of diseases. Elastase inhibitors may prevent the development of psoriasis, chronic kidney disease, respiratory disorders (including COVID-19), immune disorders, and even cancers. Among polyphenolic compounds, some flavonoids and their derivatives, which are mostly found in herbal plants, have been revealed to influence elastase release and its action on human cells. This review focuses on elastase inhibitors that have been discovered from natural sources and are biochemically characterised as flavonoids. The inhibitory activity on elastase is a characteristic of flavonoid aglycones and their glycoside and methylated, acetylated and hydroxylated derivatives. The presented analysis of structure–activity relationship (SAR) enables the determination of the chemical groups responsible for evoking an inhibitory effect on elastase. Further study especially of the in vivo efficacy and safety of the described natural compounds is of interest in order to gain better understanding of their health-promoting potential.     

Synthesis and antimicrobial evaluation of cationic low molecular weight amphipathic 1,2,3-triazoles

A library of 28 small cationic 1,4-substituted 1,2,3-triazoles was prepared for studies of antimicrobial activity. The structures addressed the pharmacophore model of small antimicrobial peptides and an amphipathic motif found in marine antimicrobials. Eight compounds showed promising antimicrobial activity, of which the most potent compound 10b displayed minimum inhibitory concentrations of 4–8 μg/mL against Streptococcus agalacticae, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus faecalis. The simple syntheses and low degree of functionalization make these 1,4-substituted 1,2,3-triazoles interesting for further optimizations.     

Synthetic inhibitors of human leukocyte elastase, Part 3. Peptides with alkyl groups at the N- or C-terminus. Non-toxic competitive inhibitors of human leukocyte elastase

A series of carboxy-alkylamidated and N-acetylated amino acids and peptides were synthesized and examined for their ability to inhibit human leukocyte elastase. The Boc-amino acid alkylamides were found to be potent specific and competitive inhibitors of this enzyme. They were found not to or only poorly inhibit several other serine proteinases such as bovine trypsin, alpha-chymotrypsin, porcine pancreatic elastase and human leukocyte cathepsin G at concentrations less than 10(-4) M. Specificity and maximum inhibition of human leukocyte elastase were achieved when the N-terminus of the amino acid was protected by a t-butyloxy-carbonyl (Boc) group, the oligopeptide fragment consisted of valine residues and when the alkyl chain was between 10 and 12 carbon atoms in length and attached to the C-terminus of the peptide fragment. Highest inhibition was obtained with the compound Boc-[Val]3-NH[CH2]11--CH3 (Ki = 0.21 microM). These specific inhibitors were also found to be non-toxic after oral administration to mice and rats (LD50 greater than 3.0 g/kg body weight).     

Discovery of novel low molecular weight inhibitors of IMPDH via virtual needle screening

Novel, low molecular weight inhibitors of IMPDH have been discovered through the application of a validated virtual screening protocol. A series of 21 IMPDH inhibitors were used to validate the docking procedure. Application of this procedure to the selection of compounds for screening from an in-house database resulted in a 50-fold reduction in the size of the screening set (3425 to 74 compounds) and gave a hit-rate of 10% on biological evaluation.     

Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel peptidomimetics as rhodesain inhibitors

Novel rhodesain inhibitors were developed by combining an enantiomerically pure 3-bromoisoxazoline warhead with a 1,4-benzodiazepine scaffold as specific recognition moiety. All compounds were proven to inhibit rhodesain with K_i values in the low-micromolar range. Their activity towards rhodesain was found to be coupled to an in vitro antitrypanosomal activity, with IC₅₀ values ranging from the mid-micromolar to a low-micromolar value for the most active rhodesain inhibitor (R,S,S)-3. All compounds showed a good selectivity against the target enzyme since all of them were proven to be poor inhibitors of human cathepsin L.