X-ray Structure-Guided Discovery of a Potent, Orally Bioavailable, Dual Human Indoleamine/Tryptophan 2,3-Dioxygenase (hIDO/hTDO) Inhibitor That Shows Activity in a Mouse Model of Parkinson's Disease

J Med Chem. 2021 Jun 24;64(12):8303-8332. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00303. Epub 2021 Jun 10.

Abstract

Human indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (hIDO1) and tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (hTDO) have been closely linked to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD); nevertheless, development of dual hIDO1 and hTDO inhibitors to evaluate their potential efficacy against PD is still lacking. Here, we report biochemical, biophysical, and computational analyses revealing that 1H-indazole-4-amines inhibit both hIDO1 and hTDO by a mechanism involving direct coordination with the heme ferrous and ferric states. Crystal structure-guided optimization led to 23, which manifested IC50 values of 0.64 and 0.04 μM to hIDO1 and hTDO, respectively, and had good pharmacokinetic properties and brain penetration in mice. 23 showed efficacy against the 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine-induced mouse motor coordination deficits, comparable to Madopar, an anti-PD medicine. Further studies revealed that different from Madopar, 23 likely has specific anti-PD mechanisms involving lowering IDO1 expression, alleviating dopaminergic neurodegeneration, reducing inflammatory cytokines and quinolinic acid in mouse brain, and increasing kynurenic acid in mouse blood.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine
  • Animals
  • Brain / pathology
  • Cell Line, Tumor
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemical synthesis
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / metabolism
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / therapeutic use*
  • Humans
  • Indazoles / chemical synthesis
  • Indazoles / metabolism
  • Indazoles / therapeutic use*
  • Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C57BL
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • Molecular Structure
  • Neuroprotective Agents / chemical synthesis
  • Neuroprotective Agents / metabolism
  • Neuroprotective Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Parkinson Disease, Secondary / chemically induced
  • Parkinson Disease, Secondary / drug therapy*
  • Parkinson Disease, Secondary / pathology
  • Protein Binding
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Tryptophan Oxygenase / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Tryptophan Oxygenase / metabolism

Substances

  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • IDO1 protein, human
  • Indazoles
  • Indoleamine-Pyrrole 2,3,-Dioxygenase
  • Neuroprotective Agents
  • 1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine
  • Tryptophan Oxygenase