Hsp90 is an attractive therapeutic target for the treatment of cancer. Extensive structural modifications to novobiocin, the first Hsp90 C-terminal inhibitor discovered, have produced a library of novobiocin analogues and revealed some structure-activity relationships. Based upon the most potent novobiocin analogues generated from prior studies, a three-dimensional quantitative structure-activity (3D-QSAR) model was built. In addition, a new set of novobiocin analogues containing various structural features supported by the 3D-QSAR model were synthesized and evaluated against two breast cancer cell lines. Several new inhibitors produced anti-proliferative activity at mid nano-molar concentrations, which results through Hsp90 inhibition.
Keywords: 3D-QSAR; Breast cancer; Heat shock protein 90; Hsp90 inhibitors; Novobiocin.