Evaluation of Larger Side-Group Functionalities and the Side/End-Group Interplay in Ritonavir-Like Inhibitors of CYP3A4.

A new series of 13 ritonavir-like inhibitors of human drug-metabolizing CYP3A4 was rationally designed to study the R side-group and R end-group interplay when the R side-group is represented by phenyl. Spectral, functional, and structural characterization showed no improvement in the binding affinity and inhibitory potency of R/R-phenyl inhibitors upon elongation and/or fluorination of R-Boc (tert-butyloxycarbonyl) or its replacement with benzenesulfonyl. When R is pyridine, the impact of R-phenyl-to-indole/naphthalene substitution was multidirectional and highly dependent on side-group stereo configuration.

Mixed Ru(II)-Ir(III) Complexes as Photoactive Inhibitors of the Major Human Drug Metabolizing Enzyme CYP3A4.

Cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) is a crucial enzyme in human drug metabolism. To garner photochemical control over the inhibition of CYP3A4, a potent Ir(III)-based inhibitor of CYP3A4 was complexed with two Ru(II)-based photocaging groups. Chemical, photochemical, and biological properties of the photocaged inhibitors were characterized.

Synthesis and anticancer properties of a hybrid molecule with the testosterone and estradiol head-groups.

This is the first report on a unique hybrid molecule made of estradiol and testosterone (TS). This distinctive hybrid molecule (1) was designed to interact with both the estrogen receptor (ER) and the androgen receptor (AR) found in hormone-dependent female and male cancer cells, and was synthesized using ethynylestradiol (17EE) as the estrogenic component and 7α-(4-azido-but-2-enyl)-4-androsten-17β-ol-3-one as the androgenic counterpart in a seven-step reaction with ∼ 26 % overall yield. We reasoned that the dual receptor binding ability could allow 1 to act as an antihormone.

Interaction of CYP3A4 with the inhibitor cobicistat: Structural and mechanistic insights and comparison with ritonavir.

Cobicistat is a derivative of ritonavir marketed as a pharmacoenhancer for anti-HIV therapy. This study investigated the interaction of cobicistat with the target protein, drug-metabolizing cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4), at the molecular level using spectral, kinetic, functional, and structural approaches. It was found that, similar to ritonavir, cobicistat directly coordinates to the heme via the thiazole nitrogen but its affinity and the binding rate are 2-fold lower: 0.