Design, synthesis, and structure-activity-relationship of a novel series of CXCR4 antagonists

Eur J Med Chem. 2018 Apr 10:149:30-44. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2018.02.042. Epub 2018 Feb 16.

Abstract

The important roles of the CXCL12/CXCR4 axis in numerous pathogenic pathways involving HIV infection and cancer metastasis make the CXCR4 receptor an attractive target for the development of therapeutic agents. Through scaffold hybridization of a few known CXCR4 antagonists, a series of novel aminopyrimidine derivatives was developed. Compound 3 from this new scaffold demonstrates excellent binding affinity with CXCR4 receptor (IC50 = 54 nM) and inhibits CXCL12 induced cytosolic calcium increase (IC50 = 2.3 nM). Furthermore, compound 3 possesses good physicochemical properties (MW 353, clogP 2.0, PSA 48, pKa 6.7) and exhibits minimal hERG and CYP isozyme (e.g. 3A4, 2D6) inhibition. Collectively, these results strongly support further optimization of this novel scaffold to develop better CXCR4 antagonists.

Keywords: Antagonist; CXCR4; Chemokine; GPCR; Scaffold hybridization; Therapy.

MeSH terms

  • Calcium / metabolism
  • Chemokine CXCL12 / physiology
  • Drug Design*
  • Humans
  • Protein Binding
  • Pyrimidines / chemical synthesis
  • Pyrimidines / chemistry*
  • Pyrimidines / pharmacology
  • Receptors, CXCR4 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • CXCR4 protein, human
  • Chemokine CXCL12
  • Pyrimidines
  • Receptors, CXCR4
  • 2-aminopyrimidine
  • Calcium