Discovery of a Potent Glutathione Peroxidase 4 Inhibitor as a Selective Ferroptosis Inducer

J Med Chem. 2021 Sep 23;64(18):13312-13326. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00569. Epub 2021 Sep 10.

Abstract

Potent and selective ferroptosis regulators promote an intensive understanding of the regulation and mechanisms underlying ferroptosis, which is highly associated with various diseases. In this study, through a stepwise structure optimization, a potent and selective ferroptosis inducer was developed targeting to inhibit glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4), and the structure-activity relationship (SAR) of these compounds was uncovered. Compound 26a exhibited outstanding GPX4 inhibitory activity with a percent inhibition up to 71.7% at 1.0 μM compared to 45.9% of RSL-3. At the cellular level, 26a could significantly induce lipid peroxide (LPO) increase and effectively induce ferroptosis with satisfactory selectivity (the value of 31.5). The morphological analysis confirmed the ferroptosis induced by 26a. Furthermore, 26a significantly restrained tumor growth in a mouse 4T1 xenograft model without obvious toxicity.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetanilides / chemical synthesis
  • Acetanilides / therapeutic use*
  • Acetanilides / toxicity
  • Animals
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / toxicity
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemical synthesis
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / toxicity
  • Ferroptosis / drug effects*
  • Lipid Peroxidation / drug effects
  • Mice
  • Molecular Structure
  • Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Neoplasms / pathology
  • Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Tumor Burden / drug effects
  • Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays

Substances

  • Acetanilides
  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Phospholipid Hydroperoxide Glutathione Peroxidase