Matrix-Based Activity Pattern Classification as a Novel Method for the Characterization of Enzyme Inhibitors Derived from High-Throughput Screening

One of the central questions in the characterization of enzyme inhibitors is determining the mode of inhibition (MOI). Classically, this is done with a number of low-throughput methods in which inhibition models are fitted to the data. The ability to rapidly characterize the MOI for inhibitors arising from high-throughput screening in which hundreds to thousands of primary inhibitors may need to be characterized would greatly help in lead selection efforts. Here we describe a novel method for determining the MOI of a compound without the need for curve fitting of the enzyme inhibition data. We provide experimental data to demonstrate the utility of this new high-throughput MOI classification method based on nonparametric analysis of the activity derived from a small matrix of substrate and inhibitor concentrations (e.g., from a 4_S × 4_I matrix). Lists of inhibitors from four different enzyme assays are studied, and the results are compared with the previously described IC₅₀-shift method for MOI classification. The MOI results from this method are in good agreement with the known MOI and compare favorably with those from the IC₅₀-shift method. In addition, we discuss some advantages and limitations of the method and provide recommendations for utilization of this MOI classification method.