Design and synthesis of highly selective, orally active Polo-like kinase-2 (Plk-2) inhibitors

Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2013 May 1;23(9):2743-9. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2013.02.065. Epub 2013 Feb 24.

Abstract

Polo-like kinase-2 (Plk-2) is a potential therapeutic target for Parkinson's disease and this Letter describes the SAR of a series of dihydropteridinone based Plk-2 inhibitors. By optimizing both the N-8 substituent and the biaryl region of the inhibitors we obtained single digit nanomolar compounds such as 37 with excellent selectivity for Plk-2 over Plk-1. When dosed orally in rats, compound 37 demonstrated a 41-45% reduction of pS129-α-synuclein levels in the cerebral cortex.

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Animals
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Cell Cycle Proteins / metabolism
  • Drug Design*
  • HEK293 Cells
  • Half-Life
  • Humans
  • Mice
  • Microsomes, Liver / metabolism
  • Polo-Like Kinase 1
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemical synthesis*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacokinetics
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases / metabolism
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins / metabolism
  • Pteridines / chemical synthesis
  • Pteridines / chemistry
  • Pteridines / pharmacokinetics
  • Rats
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • Cell Cycle Proteins
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins
  • Pteridines
  • PLK2 protein, human
  • Protein Serine-Threonine Kinases