Fragment-based and structure-guided discovery of perforin inhibitors.

Perforin is a pore-forming protein whose normal function enables cytotoxic T and natural killer (NK) cells to kill virus-infected and transformed cells. Conversely, unwanted perforin activity can also result in auto-immune attack, graft rejection and aberrant responses to pathogens. Perforin is critical for the function of the granule exocytosis cell death pathway and is therefore a target for drug development.

Indole-3-acetic acid antagonists of the prostaglandin D2 receptor CRTH2.

Prostaglandin D2 (PGD2) acting at the CRTH2 receptor (chemoattractant receptor-homologous molecule expressed on Th2 cells) has been linked with a variety of allergic and other inflammatory diseases. We describe a family of indole-1-sulfonyl-3-acetic acids that are potent and selective CRTH2 antagonists that possess good oral bioavailability. The compounds may serve as novel starting points for the development of treatments of inflammatory disease such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, and atopic dermatitis.