A three-dimensional in silico pharmacophore model for inhibition of Plasmodium falciparum cyclin-dependent kinases and discovery of different classes of novel Pfmrk specific inhibitors.
The cell division cycle is regulated by a family of cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) that are functionally conserved among many eukaryotic species. The characterization of plasmodial CDKs has identified them as a leading antimalarial drug target in our laboratory. We have developed a three-dimensional QSAR pharmacophore model for inhibition of a Plasmodium falciparum CDK, known as Pfmrk, from a set of fifteen structurally diverse kinase inhibitors with a wide range of activity. The model was found to contain two hydrogen bond acceptor functions and two hydrophobic sites including one aromatic-ring hydrophobic site. Although the model was not developed from X-ray structural analysis of the known CDK2 structure, it is consistent with the structure-functional requirements for binding of the CDK inhibitors in the ATP binding pocket. Using the model as a template, a search of the in-house three-dimensional multiconformer database resulted in the discovery of sixteen potent Pfmrk inhibitors. The predicted inhibitory activities of some of these Pfmrk inhibitors from the molecular model agree exceptionally well with the experimental inhibitory values from the in vitro CDK assay.
Bhattacharjee
Apurba K
AK
Division of Experimental Therapeutics, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, Silver Spring, Maryland 20910-7500, USA. apurba.bhattacharjee@na.amedd.army.mil
Geyer
Jeanne A
JA
Woodard
Cassandra L
CL
Kathcart
April K
AK
Nichols
Daniel A
DA
Prigge
Sean T
ST
Li
Zhiyu
Z
Mott
Bryan T
BT
Waters
Norman C
NC
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000737:chemistry*; D001665:Binding Sites; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000737:chemistry; D016208:Databases, Factual; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D057927:Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000201:enzymology*; D011494:Protein Kinases / Q000737:chemistry; D015800:Protozoan Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000737:chemistry; D021281:Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship
D000962:Antimalarials; C484350:PfMrk protein, Plasmodium falciparum; D015800:Protozoan Proteins; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; D011494:Protein Kinases; D018844:Cyclin-Dependent Kinases