Sulfonamide Inhibitors of Human Carbonic Anhydrases Designed through a Three-Tails Approach: Improving Ligand/Isoform Matching and Selectivity of Action

J Med Chem. 2020 Jul 9;63(13):7422-7444. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00733. Epub 2020 Jun 22.

Abstract

The "tail approach" has become a milestone in human carbonic anhydrase inhibitor (hCAI) design for various therapeutics, including antiglaucoma agents. Besides the classical hydrophobic/hydrophilic division of hCAs active site, several subpockets have been identified at the middle/outer active sites rim, which could be targeted to increase the CAI isoform selectivity. This postulate is explored here by three-tailed benzenesulfonamide CAIs (TTI) to fully exploit such amino acid differences among hCAs. In this proof-of-concept study, an extensive structure-activity relationship (SAR) study was carried out with 32 such benzenesulfonamides differing in tails combination that were assayed for hCAs I, II, IV, and XII inhibition. A structural study was undertaken by X-ray crystallography and in silico tools to assess the ligand/target interaction mode. The most active and selective inhibitors against isoforms implicated in glaucoma were assessed in a rabbit model of the disease achieving an intraocular pressure-lowering action comparable to the clinically used dorzolamide.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Carbonic Anhydrases / chemistry
  • Carbonic Anhydrases / metabolism
  • Computer Simulation
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / methods
  • Glaucoma / drug therapy
  • Humans
  • Intraocular Pressure / drug effects
  • Ligands
  • Male
  • Proof of Concept Study
  • Rabbits
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Sulfonamides / chemistry*
  • Sulfonamides / pharmacology

Substances

  • Carbonic Anhydrase Inhibitors
  • Ligands
  • Sulfonamides
  • Carbonic Anhydrases