Biomolecular study of human thymidylate synthase conformer-selective inhibitors: New chemotherapeutic approach

PLoS One. 2018 Mar 14;13(3):e0193810. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0193810. eCollection 2018.

Abstract

Thymidylate synthase (TS) is a well-validated target for the therapy of adult cancers. Propane-1,3-diphosphonic acid (PDPA) has significant inhibitory properties against human thymidylate synthase (hTS) relative to mouse TS which is not predicted to adopt an inactive conformer. The current research aims to identify novel, lead inhibitors of hTS and examine the prediction that they bind selectively to hTS enzymes existing in different conformational equilibria. Conformer-selectivity was evaluated through performing activity inhibition studies, as well as intrinsic fluorescence (IF) studies in comparison to the known orthosteric inhibitor raltitrexed (RTX). Human TS was isolated from recombinant bacteria expressing either native hTS, capable of conformational switching, or an actively stabilized mutant (R163K-hTS). The examined test compounds were rationally or virtually predicted to have inhibitory activity against hTS. Among these compounds, glutarate, N-(4-carboxyphenyl) succinamic acid, and diglycolic anhydride showed higher selectivity towards native hTS as compared to R163K-hTS. The active site inhibitor RTX showed significantly higher inhibition of R163K-hTS relative to hTS. Targeting hTS via conformational selectivity represents a future approach for overcoming reported resistance towards active-state TS analogs.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology*
  • Catalytic Domain / drug effects
  • Catalytic Domain / genetics
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Discovery
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Escherichia coli
  • Humans
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Mutation
  • Pregnadienes / chemistry
  • Pregnadienes / pharmacology
  • Protein Conformation / drug effects
  • Quinazolines / chemistry
  • Quinazolines / pharmacology
  • Thiophenes / chemistry
  • Thiophenes / pharmacology
  • Thymidylate Synthase / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Thymidylate Synthase / genetics
  • Thymidylate Synthase / metabolism

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Pregnadienes
  • Quinazolines
  • Thiophenes
  • pregna-1,4-dien-3-on-20-al
  • Thymidylate Synthase
  • raltitrexed

Grants and funding

This work was funded by USC and MIU (University of South Carolina-Misr International University) Scholar Exchange Program.