Design, Synthesis, and Structure-Activity Relationship of N-Aryl- N'-(thiophen-2-yl)thiourea Derivatives as Novel and Specific Human TLR1/2 Agonists for Potential Cancer Immunotherapy

J Med Chem. 2021 Jun 10;64(11):7371-7389. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c02266. Epub 2021 May 24.

Abstract

The previous virtual screening of ten million compounds yielded two novel nonlipopeptide-like chemotypes as TLR2 agonists. Herein, we present the chemical optimization of our initial hit, 1-phenyl-3-(thiophen-2-yl)urea, which resulted in the identification of SMU-C80 (EC50 = 31.02 ± 1.01 nM) as a TLR2-specific agonist with a 370-fold improvement in bioactivity. Mechanistic studies revealed that SMU-C80, through TLR1/2, recruits the adaptor protein MyD88 and triggers the NF-κB pathway to release cytokines such as TNF-α and IL-1β from human, but not murine, cells. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first species-specific TLR1/2 agonist reported until now. Moreover, SMU-C80 increased the percentage of T, B, and NK cells ex vivo and activated the immune cells, which suppressed cancer cell growth in vitro. In summary, we obtained a highly efficient and specific human TLR1/2 agonist that acts through the MyD88 and NF-κB pathway, facilitating cytokine release and the simultaneous activation of immune cells that in turn affects the apoptosis of cancer cells.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Apoptosis / drug effects
  • Cytokines / metabolism
  • Drug Design*
  • Humans
  • Immunotherapy
  • Killer Cells, Natural / cytology
  • Killer Cells, Natural / drug effects
  • Killer Cells, Natural / metabolism
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / cytology
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / drug effects
  • Leukocytes, Mononuclear / metabolism
  • Macrophages / cytology
  • Macrophages / drug effects
  • Macrophages / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88 / metabolism
  • NF-kappa B / metabolism
  • Neoplasms / therapy
  • Signal Transduction / drug effects
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • T-Lymphocytes / cytology
  • T-Lymphocytes / drug effects
  • T-Lymphocytes / metabolism
  • Thiourea / analogs & derivatives*
  • Thiourea / metabolism
  • Thiourea / therapeutic use
  • Toll-Like Receptor 1 / agonists*
  • Toll-Like Receptor 1 / metabolism
  • Toll-Like Receptor 2 / agonists*
  • Toll-Like Receptor 2 / metabolism

Substances

  • Cytokines
  • Myeloid Differentiation Factor 88
  • NF-kappa B
  • Toll-Like Receptor 1
  • Toll-Like Receptor 2
  • Thiourea