1. Academic Validation
  2. Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of dual targeting inhibitors of histone deacetylase 6/8 and bromodomain BRPF1

Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of dual targeting inhibitors of histone deacetylase 6/8 and bromodomain BRPF1

  • Eur J Med Chem. 2020 Aug 15;200:112338. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112338.
Ehab Ghazy 1 Patrik Zeyen 1 Daniel Herp 2 Martin Hügle 2 Karin Schmidtkunz 2 Frank Erdmann 1 Dina Robaa 1 Matthias Schmidt 1 Elizabeth R Morales 3 Christophe Romier 3 Stefan Günther 2 Manfred Jung 2 Wolfgang Sippl 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, 06120, Halle/Saale, Germany.
  • 2 Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Freiburg, 79104, Freiburg, Germany.
  • 3 Département de Biologie Structurale Intégrative, Institut de Génétique et Biologie Moléculaire et Cellulaire (IGBMC), Université de Strasbourg, CNRS, INSERM, 67404, Illkirch Cedex, France.
  • 4 Institute of Pharmacy, Martin-Luther University of Halle-Wittenberg, 06120, Halle/Saale, Germany. Electronic address: Wolfgang.sippl@pharmazie.uni-halle.de.
Abstract

Histone modifying proteins, specifically histone deacetylases (HDACs) and bromodomains, have emerged as novel promising targets for Anticancer therapy. In the current work, based on available crystal structures and docking studies, we designed dual inhibitors of both HDAC6/8 and the bromodomain and PHD finger containing protein 1 (BRPF1). Biochemical and biophysical tests showed that compounds 23a,b and 37 are nanomolar inhibitors of both target proteins. Detailed structure-activity relationships were deduced for the synthesized inhibitors which were supported by extensive docking and molecular dynamics studies. Cellular testing in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) cells showed only a weak effect, most probably because of the poor permeability of the inhibitors. We also aimed to analyse the target engagement and the cellular activity of the novel inhibitors by determining the protein acetylation levels in cells by western blotting (tubulin vs histone acetylation), and by assessing their effects on various Cancer cell lines.

Keywords

Acute myeloid leukemia; BRPF1; Bromodomain; Dual targeting inhibitors; Epigenetics; HDAC6; HDAC8; Hydroxamic acids.

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