Fragment-based screening of the bromodomain of ATAD2.

Cellular and genetic evidence suggest that inhibition of ATAD2 could be a useful strategy to treat several types of cancer. To discover small-molecule inhibitors of the bromodomain of ATAD2, we used a fragment-based approach. Fragment hits were identified using NMR spectroscopy, and ATAD2 was crystallized with three of the hits identified in the fragment screen.

Discovery of potent myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl-1) inhibitors using fragment-based methods and structure-based design.

Myeloid cell leukemia 1 (Mcl-1), a member of the Bcl-2 family of proteins, is overexpressed and amplified in various cancers and promotes the aberrant survival of tumor cells that otherwise would undergo apoptosis. Here we describe the discovery of potent and selective Mcl-1 inhibitors using fragment-based methods and structure-based design. NMR-based screening of a large fragment library identified two chemically distinct hit series that bind to different sites on Mcl-1.

Investigating metabotropic glutamate receptor 5 allosteric modulator cooperativity, affinity, and agonism: enriching structure-function studies and structure-activity relationships.

Drug discovery programs increasingly are focusing on allosteric modulators as a means to modify the activity of G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) targets. Allosteric binding sites are topographically distinct from the endogenous ligand (orthosteric) binding site, which allows for co-occupation of a single receptor with the endogenous ligand and an allosteric modulator that can alter receptor pharmacological characteristics. Negative allosteric modulators (NAMs) inhibit and positive allosteric modulators (PAMs) enhance the affinity and/or efficacy of orthosteric agonists.

Continued optimization of the MLPCN probe ML071 into highly potent agonists of the hM1 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor.

This Letter describes the continued optimization of the MLPCN probe molecule ML071. After introducing numerous cyclic constraints and novel substitutions throughout the parent structure, we produced a number of more highly potent agonists of the M(1) mACh receptor. While many novel agonists demonstrated a promising ability to increase soluble APPα release, further characterization indicated they may be functioning as bitopic agonists.

Novel 4,4-disubstituted piperidine-based C-C chemokine receptor-5 inhibitors with high potency against human immunodeficiency virus-1 and an improved human ether-a-go-go related gene (hERG) profile.

We recently described ( J. Med. Chem.

Development of a selective small-molecule inhibitor of Kir1.1, the renal outer medullary potassium channel.

The renal outer medullary potassium (K+) channel, ROMK (Kir1.1), is a putative drug target for a novel class of loop diuretic that would lower blood volume and pressure without causing hypokalemia. However, the lack of selective ROMK inhibitors has hindered efforts to assess its therapeutic potential.

Small-molecule modulators of inward rectifier K+ channels: recent advances and future possibilities.

Inward rectifier potassium (Kir) channels have been postulated as therapeutic targets for several common disorders including hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias and pain. With few exceptions, however, the small-molecule pharmacology of this family is limited to nonselective cardiovascular and neurologic drugs with off-target activity toward inward rectifiers. Consequently, the actual therapeutic potential and 'drugability' of most Kir channels has not yet been determined experimentally.

High-throughput screening reveals a small-molecule inhibitor of the renal outer medullary potassium channel and Kir7.1.

The renal outer medullary potassium channel (ROMK) is expressed in the kidney tubule and critically regulates sodium and potassium balance. The physiological functions of other inward rectifying K(+) (Kir) channels expressed in the nephron, such as Kir7.1, are less well understood in part due to the lack of selective pharmacological probes targeting inward rectifiers.

Discovery of bioavailable 4,4-disubstituted piperidines as potent ligands of the chemokine receptor 5 and inhibitors of the human immunodeficiency virus-1.

We describe robust chemical approaches toward putative CCR5 scaffolds designed in our laboratories. Evaluation of analogues in the (125)I-[MIP-1beta] binding and Ba-L-HOS antiviral assays resulted in the discovery of 64 and 68 in the 4,4-disubstitited piperidine class H, both potent CCR5 ligands (pIC 50 = 8.30 and 9.

seco-C/D ring analogues of ergot alkaloids. Synthesis via intramolecular Heck and ring-closing metathesis reactions.

[reaction: see text] Intramolecular Heck and ring-closing metathesis reactions on key intermediates 10 and 15, respectively, provide efficient entries into seco-C/D ring analogues of Ergot alkaloids 12 and 16, compounds of potential synthetic and biological interest.

Directed Metalation Linked to Transition Metal Catalyzed Cascade Reactions: Two Total Syntheses of Plicadin, the Alleged Coumestan from Psoralea plicata.

The oxygen-rich heterocyclic compound 1-which was proposed to be the structure of plicadin, the alleged naturally occurring coumestan from the herb Psoralea plicata-was synthesized by the rational combinations of directed ortho and remote metalation reactions with cascades of Negishi, Sonogashira, Castro-Stephens, and carbamoyl Baker-Venkataraman reactions.