Molecular modeling of human acidic mammalian chitinase in complex with the natural-product cyclopentapeptide chitinase inhibitor argifin

Bioorg Med Chem. 2009 Sep 1;17(17):6270-8. doi: 10.1016/j.bmc.2009.07.045. Epub 2009 Jul 25.

Abstract

Human acidic mammalian chitinase (hAMCase) is an attractive target for developing anti-asthma medications. We used a variety of computational methods to investigate the interaction between hAMCase and the natural-product cyclopentapeptide chitinase inhibitor argifin. The three-dimensional structure of hAMCase was first constructed using homology modeling. The interaction mode and binding free energy between argifin and hAMCase were then examined by the molecular-docking calculation and the molecular mechanics Poisson-Boltzmann surface area method combined with molecular dynamics simulation, respectively. The results suggested that argifin binds to hAMCase in a similar fashion to the interaction mode observed in the crystal structure of argifin-human chitotriosidase complex, and possesses inhibitory activity against hAMCase in the micromolar range. We further designed argifin derivatives expected to be selective for hAMCase.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Amino Acid Sequence
  • Anti-Asthmatic Agents / chemistry*
  • Anti-Asthmatic Agents / pharmacology
  • Chitinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Chitinases / metabolism
  • Computer Simulation
  • Drug Design
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology
  • Humans
  • Models, Chemical
  • Molecular Sequence Data
  • Peptides, Cyclic / chemistry*
  • Peptides, Cyclic / pharmacology
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Sequence Alignment
  • Sequence Homology, Amino Acid
  • Thermodynamics

Substances

  • Anti-Asthmatic Agents
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Peptides, Cyclic
  • argifin
  • Chitinases