Scaffolds for blocking protein-protein interactions

Curr Top Med Chem. 2007;7(10):928-42. doi: 10.2174/156802607780906726.

Abstract

Due to the pivotal roles that protein-protein interactions play in a plethora of biological processes, the design of therapeutic agents targeting these interactions has become an attractive and important area of research. The development of such agents is faced with a variety of challenges. Nevertheless, considerable progress has been made in the design of proteomimetics capable of disrupting protein-protein interactions. Those inhibitors based on molecular scaffold designs hold considerable interest because of the ease of variation in regard to their displayed functionality. In particular, protein surface mimetics, alpha-helical mimetics, beta-sheet/beta-strand mimetics, as well as beta-turn mimetics have successfully modulated protein-protein interactions involved in such diseases as cancer and HIV. In this review, current progress in the development of molecular scaffolds designed for the disruption of protein-protein interactions will be discussed with an emphasis on those active against biological targets.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Drug Design*
  • Humans
  • Ligands
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Mimicry
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Folding
  • Protein Interaction Mapping
  • Proteins* / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Proteins* / chemistry
  • Proteins* / genetics
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / chemistry
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins / genetics

Substances

  • Ligands
  • Proteins
  • Recombinant Fusion Proteins