Discovery of Small-Molecule Inhibitors of Receptor Activator of Nuclear Factor-κB Ligand with a Superior Therapeutic Index

J Med Chem. 2020 Oct 22;63(20):12043-12059. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01316. Epub 2020 Oct 2.

Abstract

Receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand (RANKL) constitutes the master mediator of osteoclastogenesis, while its pharmaceutical inhibition by a monoclonal antibody has been approved for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. To date, the pursuit of pharmacologically more favorable approaches using low-molecular-weight inhibitors has been hampered by low specificity and high toxicity issues. This study aimed to discover small-molecule inhibitors targeting RANKL trimer formation. Through a systematic screening of 39 analogues of SPD-304, a dual inhibitor of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and RANKL trimerization, we identified four compounds (1b, 3b, 4a, and 4c) that selectively inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis in a dose-dependent manner, without affecting TNF activity or osteoblast differentiation. Based on structure-activity observations extracted from the most potent and less toxic inhibitors of RANKL-induced osteoclastogenesis, we synthesized a focused set of compounds that revealed three potent inhibitors (19a, 19b, and 20a) with remarkably low cell-toxicity and improved therapeutic indexes as shown by the LC50 to IC50 ratio. These RANKL-selective inhibitors are an excellent starting point for the development of small-molecule therapeutics against osteolytic diseases.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Cell Survival / drug effects
  • Chromans / chemical synthesis
  • Chromans / chemistry
  • Chromans / pharmacology*
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Discovery*
  • Humans
  • Indoles / chemical synthesis
  • Indoles / chemistry
  • Indoles / pharmacology*
  • Ligands
  • Mice
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Molecular Structure
  • Osteogenesis
  • RANK Ligand / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • RANK Ligand / metabolism
  • Small Molecule Libraries / chemical synthesis
  • Small Molecule Libraries / chemistry
  • Small Molecule Libraries / pharmacology*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Therapeutic Index

Substances

  • Chromans
  • Indoles
  • Ligands
  • RANK Ligand
  • SPD-304
  • Small Molecule Libraries
  • TNFSF11 protein, human