Combinatorial synthesis and biological evaluation of library of small-molecule Ser/Thr-protein phosphatase inhibitors

Bioorg Med Chem. 1997 Jan;5(1):165-77. doi: 10.1016/s0968-0896(96)00199-x.

Abstract

In eukaryotes, phosphorylation of serine, threonine, and tyrosine residues on proteins is a fundamental posttranslational regulatory process for such functions as signal transduction, gene transcription, RNA splicing, cellular adhesion, apoptosis, and cell cycle control. Based on functional groups present in natural product serine/threonine protein phosphatase (PSTPase) inhibitors, we have designed pharmacophore model 1 and demonstrated the feasibility of a combinatorial chemistry approach for the preparation of functional analogues of 1. Preliminary biological testing of 18 structural variants of 1 has identified two compounds with growth inhibitory activity against cultured human breast cancer cells. In vitro inhibition of the PSTPase PP2A was demonstrated with compound 1d. Using flow cytometry we observed that compound f1 caused prominent inhibition in the G1 phase of the cell cycle. Thus, the combinatorial modifications of the minimal pharmacophore 1 can generate biologically interesting antiproliterative agents.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology
  • Cell Cycle / drug effects
  • Cell Division / drug effects
  • Drug Design
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemical synthesis*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy
  • Marine Toxins
  • Mass Spectrometry
  • Oxazoles / chemistry
  • Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Phosphoprotein Phosphatases / chemistry
  • Serine / chemistry
  • Threonine / chemistry
  • Tumor Cells, Cultured

Substances

  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Marine Toxins
  • Oxazoles
  • Threonine
  • Serine
  • calyculin A
  • Phosphoprotein Phosphatases