Discovery of a First-in-Class Protein Arginine Methyltransferase 6 (PRMT6) Covalent Inhibitor

J Med Chem. 2020 May 28;63(10):5477-5487. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00406. Epub 2020 May 14.

Abstract

Protein arginine methyltransferase 6 (PRMT6) plays important roles in several biological processes associated with multiple cancers. Well-characterized potent, selective, and cell-active PRMT6 inhibitors are invaluable tools for testing biological and therapeutic hypotheses. Although there are several known reversible PRMT6 inhibitors, covalent PRMT6 inhibitors have not been reported. Based on a cocrystal structure of PRMT6-MS023 (a type I PRMT inhibitor), we discovered the first potent and cell-active irreversible PRMT6 inhibitor, 4 (MS117). The covalent binding mode of compound 4 to PRMT6 was confirmed by mass spectrometry and kinetic studies and by a cocrystal structure. Compound 4 did not covalently modify other closely related PRMTs, potently inhibited PRMT6 in cells, and was selective for PRMT6 over other methyltransferases. We also developed two structurally similar control compounds, 5 (MS167) and 7 (MS168). We provide these valuable chemical tools to the scientific community for further studying PRMT6 physiological and pathophysiological functions.

Publication types

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

MeSH terms

  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Discovery / methods*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / metabolism
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Humans
  • MCF-7 Cells
  • Nuclear Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Nuclear Proteins / chemistry*
  • Nuclear Proteins / metabolism
  • Protein Structure, Secondary
  • Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases / chemistry*
  • Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases / metabolism

Substances

  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Nuclear Proteins
  • PRMT6 protein, human
  • Protein-Arginine N-Methyltransferases