Targeting Bcr-Abl by combining allosteric with ATP-binding-site inhibitors

Nature. 2010 Jan 28;463(7280):501-6. doi: 10.1038/nature08675. Epub 2010 Jan 13.

Abstract

In an effort to find new pharmacological modalities to overcome resistance to ATP-binding-site inhibitors of Bcr-Abl, we recently reported the discovery of GNF-2, a selective allosteric Bcr-Abl inhibitor. Here, using solution NMR, X-ray crystallography, mutagenesis and hydrogen exchange mass spectrometry, we show that GNF-2 binds to the myristate-binding site of Abl, leading to changes in the structural dynamics of the ATP-binding site. GNF-5, an analogue of GNF-2 with improved pharmacokinetic properties, when used in combination with the ATP-competitive inhibitors imatinib or nilotinib, suppressed the emergence of resistance mutations in vitro, displayed additive inhibitory activity in biochemical and cellular assays against T315I mutant human Bcr-Abl and displayed in vivo efficacy against this recalcitrant mutant in a murine bone-marrow transplantation model. These results show that therapeutically relevant inhibition of Bcr-Abl activity can be achieved with inhibitors that bind to the myristate-binding site and that combining allosteric and ATP-competitive inhibitors can overcome resistance to either agent alone.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / metabolism
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols
  • Benzamides
  • Binding Sites
  • Bone Marrow Transplantation
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Crystallization
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / drug effects*
  • Female
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / chemistry*
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / genetics
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / drug therapy
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / enzymology
  • Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / metabolism*
  • Male
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Mice
  • Models, Molecular
  • Mutation / genetics
  • Piperazines / chemistry
  • Piperazines / pharmacology
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Pyrimidines / chemistry
  • Pyrimidines / metabolism
  • Pyrimidines / pharmacology
  • Transplantation, Heterologous

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Benzamides
  • GNF-2 compound
  • Piperazines
  • Pyrimidines
  • abl-bcr fusion protein, human
  • Imatinib Mesylate
  • Fusion Proteins, bcr-abl
  • nilotinib

Associated data

  • PDB/3K5V