Combining matched molecular pairs with binding pocket analysis to gain new insights into molecular features driving drug binding kinetics

AbstractOver one billion people are currently infected with a parasitic nematode. Symptoms can include anemia, malnutrition, developmental delay, and in severe cases, death. Resistance is emerging to the anthelmintics currently used to treat nematode infection, prompting the need to develop new anthelmintics. Towards this end, we identified a set of kinases that may be targeted in a nematode-selective manner. We first screened 2040 inhibitors of vertebrate kinases for those that impair the model nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. By determining whether the terminal phenotype induced by each kinase inhibitor matched that of the predicted target mutant in C. elegans, we identified 17 druggable nematode kinase targets. Of these, we found that nematode EGFR, MEK1, and PLK1 kinases have diverged from vertebrates within their drug-binding pocket. For each of these targets, we identified small molecule scaffolds that may be further modified to develop nematode-selective inhibitors. Nematode EGFR, MEK1, and PLK1 therefore represent key targets for the development of new anthelmintic medicines.

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Qualitative Prediction of Ligand Dissociation Kinetics from Focal Adhesion Kinase Using Steered Molecular Dynamics

Life ◽

10.3390/life11020074 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 74

Author(s):

Justin Spiriti ◽

Chung F. Wong

Keyword(s):

Molecular Dynamics ◽

Drug Discovery ◽

Focal Adhesion Kinase ◽

Focal Adhesion ◽

Early Stage ◽

Steered Molecular Dynamics ◽

Drug Binding ◽

Binding Kinetics ◽

Dissociation Kinetics ◽

Binding Characteristics

Most early-stage drug discovery projects focus on equilibrium binding affinity to the target alongside selectivity and other pharmaceutical properties. Since many approved drugs have nonequilibrium binding characteristics, there has been increasing interest in optimizing binding kinetics early in the drug discovery process. As focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is an important drug target, we examine whether steered molecular dynamics (SMD) can be useful for identifying drug candidates with the desired drug-binding kinetics. In simulating the dissociation of 14 ligands from FAK, we find an empirical power–law relationship between the simulated time needed for ligand unbinding and the experimental rate constant for dissociation, with a strong correlation depending on the SMD force used. To improve predictions, we further develop regression models connecting experimental dissociation rate with various structural and energetic quantities derived from the simulations. These models can be used to predict dissociation rates from FAK for related compounds.

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Structural basis for subtype-specific inhibition of the P2X7 receptor

eLife ◽

10.7554/elife.22153 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 5 ◽

Cited By ~ 94

Author(s):

Akira Karasawa ◽

Toshimitsu Kawate

Keyword(s):

P2x7 Receptor ◽

Hydrophobic Interactions ◽

Binding Pocket ◽

Drug Binding ◽

Structural Basis ◽

Atp Binding ◽

Allosteric Site ◽

Channel Opening ◽

A Site ◽

Novel Drug

The P2X7 receptor is a non-selective cation channel activated by extracellular adenosine triphosphate (ATP). Chronic activation of P2X7 underlies many health problems such as pathologic pain, yet we lack effective antagonists due to poorly understood mechanisms of inhibition. Here we present crystal structures of a mammalian P2X7 receptor complexed with five structurally-unrelated antagonists. Unexpectedly, these drugs all bind to an allosteric site distinct from the ATP-binding pocket in a groove formed between two neighboring subunits. This novel drug-binding pocket accommodates a diversity of small molecules mainly through hydrophobic interactions. Functional assays propose that these compounds allosterically prevent narrowing of the drug-binding pocket and the turret-like architecture during channel opening, which is consistent with a site of action distal to the ATP-binding pocket. These novel mechanistic insights will facilitate the development of P2X7-specific drugs for treating human diseases.

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Mutation in Abl kinase with altered drug-binding kinetics indicates a novel mechanism of imatinib resistance

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences ◽

10.1073/pnas.2111451118 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 118 (46) ◽

pp. e2111451118

Author(s):

Agatha Lyczek ◽

Benedict-Tilman Berger ◽

Aziz M. Rangwala ◽

YiTing Paung ◽

Jessica Tom ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Binding Site ◽

Kinase Domain ◽

Protein Kinase Inhibitors ◽

Drug Binding ◽

The Body ◽

Binding Kinetics ◽

Wild Type ◽

Resistance Mutations ◽

Imatinib Resistance ◽

Abl Kinase

Protein kinase inhibitors are potent anticancer therapeutics. For example, the Bcr-Abl kinase inhibitor imatinib decreases mortality for chronic myeloid leukemia by 80%, but 22 to 41% of patients acquire resistance to imatinib. About 70% of relapsed patients harbor mutations in the Bcr-Abl kinase domain, where more than a hundred different mutations have been identified. Some mutations are located near the imatinib-binding site and cause resistance through altered interactions with the drug. However, many resistance mutations are located far from the drug-binding site, and it remains unclear how these mutations confer resistance. Additionally, earlier studies on small sets of patient-derived imatinib resistance mutations indicated that some of these mutant proteins were in fact sensitive to imatinib in cellular and biochemical studies. Here, we surveyed the resistance of 94 patient-derived Abl kinase domain mutations annotated as disease relevant or resistance causing using an engagement assay in live cells. We found that only two-thirds of mutations weaken imatinib affinity by more than twofold compared to Abl wild type. Surprisingly, one-third of mutations in the Abl kinase domain still remain sensitive to imatinib and bind with similar or higher affinity than wild type. Intriguingly, we identified three clinical Abl mutations that bind imatinib with wild type–like affinity but dissociate from imatinib considerably faster. Given the relevance of residence time for drug efficacy, mutations that alter binding kinetics could cause resistance in the nonequilibrium environment of the body where drug export and clearance play critical roles.

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