NMS-P937, a 4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazolo[4,3-h]quinazoline derivative as potent and selective Polo-like kinase 1 inhibitor.

As part of our drug discovery effort, we identified and developed 4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazolo[4,3-h]quinazoline derivatives as PLK1 inhibitors. We now report the optimization of this class that led to the identification of NMS-P937, a potent, selective and orally available PLK1 inhibitor. Also, in order to understand the source of PLK1 selectivity, we determined the crystal structure of PLK1 with NMS-P937.

Targeting the mitotic checkpoint for cancer therapy with NMS-P715, an inhibitor of MPS1 kinase.

MPS1 kinase is a key regulator of the spindle assembly checkpoint (SAC), a mitotic mechanism specifically required for proper chromosomal alignment and segregation. It has been found aberrantly overexpressed in a wide range of human tumors and is necessary for tumoral cell proliferation. Here we report the identification and characterization of NMS-P715, a selective and orally bioavailable MPS1 small-molecule inhibitor, which selectively reduces cancer cell proliferation, leaving normal cells almost unaffected.

Crystal structures of anaplastic lymphoma kinase in complex with ATP competitive inhibitors.

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) is a receptor tyrosine kinase involved in the development of several human cancers and, as a result, is a recognized target for the development of small-molecule inhibitors for the treatment of ALK-positive malignancies. Here, we present the crystal structures of the unphosphorylated human ALK kinase domain in complex with the ATP competitive ligands PHA-E429 and NVP-TAE684. Analysis of these structures provides valuable information concerning the specific characteristics of the ALK active site as well as giving indications about how to obtain selective ALK inhibitors.

Identification of 4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazolo[4,3-h]quinazoline derivatives as a new class of orally and selective Polo-like kinase 1 inhibitors.

Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1) is a fundamental regulator of mitotic progression whose overexpression is often associated with oncogenesis and therefore is recognized as an attractive therapeutic target in the treatment of proliferative diseases. Here we discuss the structure-activity relationship of the 4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazolo[4,3-h]quinazoline class of compounds that emerged from a high throughput screening (HTS) campaign as potent inhibitors of Plk1 kinase. Furthermore, we describe the discovery of 49, 8-{[2-methoxy-5-(4-methylpiperazin-1-yl)phenyl]amino}-1-methyl-4,5-dihydro-1H-pyrazolo[4,3-h]quinazoline-3-carboxamide, as a highly potent and specific ATP mimetic inhibitor of Plk1 (IC(50) = 0.

A covalent modification of NADP+ revealed by the atomic resolution structure of FprA, a Mycobacterium tuberculosis oxidoreductase.

FprA is a mycobacterial oxidoreductase that catalyzes the transfer of reducing equivalents from NADPH to a protein acceptor. We determined the atomic resolution structure of FprA in the oxidized (1.05 A resolution) and NADPH-reduced (1.

Structural studies on the synchronization of catalytic centers in glutamate synthase.

The complex iron-sulfur flavoprotein glutamate synthase (GltS) plays a prominent role in ammonia assimilation in bacteria, yeasts, and plants. GltS catalyzes the formation of two molecules of l-glutamate from 2-oxoglutarate and l-glutamine via intramolecular channeling of ammonia. GltS has the impressive ability of synchronizing its distinct catalytic centers to avoid wasteful consumption of l-glutamine.

Structure of FAD-bound L-aspartate oxidase: insight into substrate specificity and catalysis.

L-Aspartate oxidase (Laspo) catalyzes the conversion of L-Asp to iminoaspartate, the first step in the de novo biosynthesis of NAD(+). This bacterial pathway represents a potential drug target since it is absent in mammals. The Laspo R386L mutant was crystallized in the FAD-bound catalytically competent form and its three-dimensional structure determined at 2.