Computational methods in the discovery and design of BACE-1 inhibitors.
BACE-1 is a membrane associated aspartyl protease and is one of the enzymes responsible for the hydrolysis of the amyloid precursor protein. Due to its central role in the generation of the amyloid-β peptide, it is considered as a primary drug target for Alzheimer's disease. BACE-1 has been the focus of many drug discovery programs aimed at identifying inhibitors that effectively block this enzyme and trigger the sought therapeutic effects. Thanks to the availability of a large number of crystal structures of the catalytic domain of this enzyme, computational methods, ranging from molecular dynamics simulations, quantum mechanical calculations and ligand docking, have played a fundamental role in almost every hit discovery and hit optimization campaign performed on this target. The present article reviews the latest computational modeling and drug discovery efforts that have been carried out on this target.
Department of Drug Discovery and Development, Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia, via Morego 30, 16163 Genova-Italy.
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P
Kacker
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G
Bottegoni
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A
Cavalli
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D053829:Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D015195:Drug Design; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D006801:Humans; D008958:Models, Molecular; D011480:Protease Inhibitors / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism; D011485:Protein Binding; D013329:Structure-Activity Relationship
D011480:Protease Inhibitors; D053829:Amyloid Precursor Protein Secretases; D016282:Aspartic Acid Endopeptidases; C509280:BACE1 protein, human