Identification of the Histidine Residue in Vitamin D Receptor That Covalently Binds to Electrophilic Ligands

J Med Chem. 2018 Jul 26;61(14):6339-6349. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00774. Epub 2018 Jul 11.

Abstract

We designed and synthesized vitamin D analogues with an electrophile as covalent modifiers for the vitamin D receptor (VDR). Novel vitamin D analogues 1-4 have an electrophilic enone group at the side chain for conjugate addition to His301 or His393 in the VDR. All compounds showed specific VDR-binding potency and agonistic activity. Covalent bond formations of 1-4 with the ligand-binding domain (LBD) of VDR were evaluated by electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. All compounds were shown to covalently bind to the VDR-LBD, and the abundance of VDR-LBD corresponding conjugate adducts of 1-4 increased with incubation time. Enone compounds 1 and 2 showed higher reactivity than the ene-ynone 3 and dienone 4 compounds. Furthermore, we successfully obtained cocrystals of VDR-LBD with analogues 1-4. X-ray crystallographic analysis showed a covalent bond with His301 in VDR-LBD. We successfully synthesized vitamin D analogues that form a covalent bond with VDR-LBD.

MeSH terms

  • Drug Design*
  • Histidine*
  • Humans
  • Ligands
  • Models, Molecular
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Domains
  • Receptors, Calcitriol / chemistry*
  • Receptors, Calcitriol / metabolism*

Substances

  • Ligands
  • Receptors, Calcitriol
  • Histidine