Design and synthesis of novel and potent inhibitors of the type II transmembrane serine protease, matriptase, based upon the sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1

J Med Chem. 2007 Nov 29;50(24):5976-83. doi: 10.1021/jm0704898. Epub 2007 Nov 7.

Abstract

Matriptase, initially isolated from human breast cancer cells in culture, is a member of the emerging class of type II transmembrane serine proteases. Matriptase blockade could potentially modulate tumorigenesis and metastasis in vivo. Sunflower trypsin inhibitor-1 (1, SFTI-1), isolated from sunflower seeds, exhibits very potent matriptase inhibitory activity. On the basis of these findings, we designed and synthesized 13 analogues of the naturally occurring peptide 1 with the intention to explore the structure-activity relationships of this type of bicyclic peptides and to improve inhibitory selectivity and metabolic stability of the disulfide-bridge-containing peptide 1. We discovered that the methylenedithioether-bridged compound 14 demonstrates very potent binding affinity to matriptase. Compound 8 exhibits much better selectivity for inhibition of matriptase versus thrombin, whereas compound 2 becomes a more potent thrombin inhibitor, which can be potentially used as an anticoagulant for prophylaxis and therapy of thromboembolism.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Intramural

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemical synthesis*
  • Antineoplastic Agents / chemistry
  • Binding Sites
  • Drug Design
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Models, Molecular
  • Peptides, Cyclic / chemical synthesis*
  • Peptides, Cyclic / chemistry
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Conformation
  • Serine Endopeptidases / chemistry*
  • Serine Proteinase Inhibitors / chemical synthesis*
  • Serine Proteinase Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Peptides, Cyclic
  • SFTI-1 peptide, sunflower
  • Serine Proteinase Inhibitors
  • Serine Endopeptidases
  • matriptase