Synthesis and Structure-Activity Relationships of 3,5-Disubstituted-pyrrolo[2,3- b]pyridines as Inhibitors of Adaptor-Associated Kinase 1 with Antiviral Activity

J Med Chem. 2019 Jun 27;62(12):5810-5831. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b00136. Epub 2019 Jun 12.

Abstract

There are currently no approved drugs for the treatment of emerging viral infections, such as dengue and Ebola. Adaptor-associated kinase 1 (AAK1) is a cellular serine-threonine protein kinase that functions as a key regulator of the clathrin-associated host adaptor proteins and regulates the intracellular trafficking of multiple unrelated RNA viruses. Moreover, AAK1 is overexpressed specifically in dengue virus-infected but not bystander cells. Because AAK1 is a promising antiviral drug target, we have embarked on an optimization campaign of a previously identified 7-azaindole analogue, yielding novel pyrrolo[2,3- b]pyridines with high AAK1 affinity. The optimized compounds demonstrate improved activity against dengue virus both in vitro and in human primary dendritic cells and the unrelated Ebola virus. These findings demonstrate that targeting cellular AAK1 may represent a promising broad-spectrum antiviral strategy.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Antiviral Agents / chemical synthesis*
  • Antiviral Agents / chemistry
  • Antiviral Agents / metabolism
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology*
  • Cell Line
  • Chemistry Techniques, Synthetic
  • Humans
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Protein Conformation
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemical synthesis*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / metabolism
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / chemistry
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • Pyridines / chemical synthesis*
  • Pyridines / chemistry
  • Pyridines / metabolism
  • Pyridines / pharmacology*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Pyridines
  • AAK1 protein, human
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases