Design, Synthesis and Biological Evaluation of Arylpyridin-2-yl Guanidine Derivatives and Cyclic Mimetics as Novel MSK1 Inhibitors. An Application in an Asthma Model

Molecules. 2021 Jan 13;26(2):391. doi: 10.3390/molecules26020391.

Abstract

Mitogen- and Stress-Activated Kinase 1 (MSK1) is a nuclear kinase, taking part in the activation pathway of the pro-inflammatory transcription factor NF-kB and is demonstrating a therapeutic target potential in inflammatory diseases such as asthma, psoriasis and atherosclerosis. To date, few MSK1 inhibitors were reported. In order to identify new MSK1 inhibitors, a screening of a library of low molecular weight compounds was performed, and the results highlighted the 6-phenylpyridin-2-yl guanidine (compound 1a, IC50~18 µM) as a starting hit for structure-activity relationship study. Derivatives, homologues and rigid mimetics of 1a were designed, and all synthesized compounds were evaluated for their inhibitory activity towards MSK1. Among them, the non-cytotoxic 2-aminobenzimidazole 49d was the most potent at inhibiting significantly: (i) MSK1 activity, (ii) the release of IL-6 in inflammatory conditions in vitro (IC50~2 µM) and (iii) the inflammatory cell recruitment to the airways in a mouse model of asthma.

Keywords: MSK1; Pyridine-2-yl guanidine; asthma; inflammation; kinase inhibitors.

MeSH terms

  • Cells, Cultured
  • Drug Design*
  • Guanidines / chemical synthesis
  • Guanidines / chemistry
  • Guanidines / pharmacology*
  • Humans
  • Molecular Structure
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemical synthesis
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 90-kDa / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 90-kDa / metabolism

Substances

  • Guanidines
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Ribosomal Protein S6 Kinases, 90-kDa
  • mitogen and stress-activated protein kinase 1