High-affinity small molecule inhibitors of T cell costimulation: compounds for immunotherapy

Chem Biol. 2004 Dec;11(12):1651-8. doi: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2004.09.011.

Abstract

Costimulatory molecules are important regulators of T cell activation and thus favored targets for therapeutic manipulation of immune responses. One of the key costimulatory receptors is CD80, which binds the T cell ligands, CD28, and CTLA-4. We describe a set of small compounds that bind with high specificity and low nanomolar affinity to CD80. The compounds have relatively slow off-rates and block both CD28 and CTLA-4 binding, implying that they occlude the shared ligand binding site. The compounds inhibit proinflammatory cytokine release in T cell assays with submicromolar potency, and as such, they represent promising leads for the development of novel therapeutics for immune-mediated inflammatory disease. Our results also suggest that other predominantly beta proteins, such as those that dominate the cell surface, may also be accessible as potentially therapeutic targets.

MeSH terms

  • Antigens, CD
  • Antigens, Differentiation / drug effects
  • Antigens, Differentiation / immunology
  • B7-1 Antigen / drug effects*
  • B7-1 Antigen / immunology
  • CD28 Antigens / drug effects
  • CD28 Antigens / immunology
  • CTLA-4 Antigen
  • Cell Line
  • Cytokines / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Humans
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / chemistry
  • Immunosuppressive Agents / pharmacology*
  • Immunotherapy / methods*
  • Interferon-gamma / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Interleukin-2 / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Ligands
  • Lymphocyte Activation / drug effects
  • Molecular Structure
  • Molecular Weight
  • Protein Binding / drug effects
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes / immunology*
  • Time Factors
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / antagonists & inhibitors

Substances

  • Antigens, CD
  • Antigens, Differentiation
  • B7-1 Antigen
  • CD28 Antigens
  • CTLA-4 Antigen
  • CTLA4 protein, human
  • Cytokines
  • Immunosuppressive Agents
  • Interleukin-2
  • Ligands
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • Interferon-gamma