Design, Synthesis, and Pharmacological Evaluation of Analogues Derived from the PLEV Tetrapeptide as Protein-Protein Interaction Modulators of Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel 1.6

J Med Chem. 2020 Oct 22;63(20):11522-11547. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00531. Epub 2020 Oct 15.

Abstract

The voltage-gated Na+ (Nav) channel is the molecular determinant of excitability. Disruption of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) between Nav1.6 and fibroblast growth factor 14 (FGF14) leads to impaired excitability of neurons in clinically relevant brain areas associated with channelopathies. Here, we designed, synthesized, and pharmacologically characterized new peptidomimetics based on a PLEV tetrapeptide scaffold derived from the FGF14:Nav1.6 PPI interface. Addition of an N-terminal 1-adamantanecarbonyl pharmacophore significantly improved peptidomimetic inhibitory potency. Surface plasmon resonance studies revealed that while this moiety was sufficient to confer binding to FGF14, altering the C-terminal moiety from methoxy (21a) to π bond-containing (23a and 23b) or cycloalkane substituents (23e) abrogated the binding to Nav1.6. Whole-cell patch-clamp electrophysiology subsequently revealed that 21a had functionally relevant interactions with both the C-terminal tail of Nav1.6 and FGF14. Collectively, these findings support that 21a (PW0564) may serve as a promising lead to develop target-selective neurotherapeutics by modulating protein-channel interactions.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Drug Design*
  • Fibroblast Growth Factors / metabolism*
  • Genetic Complementation Test
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • Ion Channel Gating / drug effects
  • Ligands
  • Luciferases / genetics
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • NAV1.6 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel / metabolism*
  • Neurons / drug effects
  • Neurons / metabolism
  • Oligopeptides / chemical synthesis*
  • Oligopeptides / chemistry
  • Oligopeptides / pharmacology
  • Patch-Clamp Techniques
  • Peptidomimetics / chemical synthesis*
  • Peptidomimetics / chemistry
  • Peptidomimetics / pharmacology
  • Protein Binding
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Ligands
  • NAV1.6 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel
  • Oligopeptides
  • Peptidomimetics
  • fibroblast growth factor 14
  • Fibroblast Growth Factors
  • Luciferases