Discovery of 2-(3-(3-Carbamoylpiperidin-1-yl)phenoxy)acetic Acid Derivatives as Novel Small-Molecule Inhibitors of the β-Catenin/B-Cell Lymphoma 9 Protein-Protein Interaction

J Med Chem. 2021 May 13;64(9):5886-5904. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00046. Epub 2021 Apr 26.

Abstract

The β-catenin/B-cell lymphoma 9 (BCL9) protein-protein interaction (PPI) is a potential target for the suppression of hyperactive Wnt/β-catenin signaling that is vigorously involved in cancer initiation and development. Herein, we describe the medicinal chemistry optimization of a screening hit to yield novel small-molecule inhibitors of the β-catenin/BCL9 interaction. The best compound 30 can disrupt the β-catenin/BCL9 interaction with a Ki of 3.6 μM in AlphaScreen competitive inhibition assays. Cell-based experiments revealed that 30 selectively disrupted the β-catenin/BCL9 PPI, while leaving the β-catenin/E-cadherin PPI unaffected, dose-dependently suppressed Wnt signaling transactivation, downregulated oncogenic Wnt target gene expression, and on-target selectively inhibited the growth of cancer cells harboring aberrant Wnt signaling. This compound with a new chemotype can serve as a lead compound for further optimization of inhibitors for β-catenin/BCL9 PPI.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Binding Sites
  • Cadherins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cadherins / metabolism
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Down-Regulation
  • Drug Design*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Piperidines / chemistry*
  • Piperidines / metabolism
  • Piperidines / pharmacology
  • Protein Interaction Maps / drug effects
  • Small Molecule Libraries / chemistry*
  • Small Molecule Libraries / metabolism
  • Small Molecule Libraries / pharmacology
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Transcription Factors / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Transcription Factors / metabolism*
  • Wnt Signaling Pathway / drug effects
  • beta Catenin / antagonists & inhibitors
  • beta Catenin / metabolism*

Substances

  • BCL9 protein, human
  • Cadherins
  • Piperidines
  • Small Molecule Libraries
  • Transcription Factors
  • beta Catenin