title: Thrombin inhibitors with novel P1 binding pocket functionality: free energy of binding analysis.
abstract: The high incidence of thrombembolic diseases justifies the development of new antithrombotics. The search for a direct inhibitor has resulted in the synthesis of a considerable number of low molecular weight molecules that inhibit human alpha-thrombin potently. However, efforts to develop an orally active drug remain in progress as the most active inhibitors with a highly basic P1 moiety exhibit an unsatisfactory bioavailability profile. In our previous work we solved several X-ray structures of human alpha-thrombin in complexes with (1) novel bicyclic arginine mimetics attached to the glycylproline amide and pyridinone acetamide scaffold and (2) inhibitors with a novel aza scaffold and with charged or neutral P1 moieties. In the present contribution, we correlate the structures of the complex between these inhibitors and the protein with the calculated free energy of binding. The energy of solvation was calculated using the Poisson-Boltzmann approach. In particular, the requirements for successful recognition of an inhibitor at the protein's active site pocket S1 are discussed.
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Chemistry, POB 660, Hajdrihova 19, 1001, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Mlinsek
authors.forename: Marko
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Oblak
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hodoscek
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Solmajer
mesh_terms: D000991:Antithrombins / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001665:Binding Sites; D002626:Chemistry, Pharmaceutical; D015195:Drug Design; D006801:Humans; D006860:Hydrogen Bonding; D008956:Models, Chemical; D011485:Protein Binding; D055672:Static Electricity; D013816:Thermodynamics; D013917:Thrombin / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000737:chemistry; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000991:Antithrombins; D013917:Thrombin