Document Report Card

ID: ALA2176894

Journal: J Med Chem

Title: Cyanobacterial peptides as a prototype for the design of potent β-secretase inhibitors and the development of selective chemical probes for other aspartic proteases.

Authors: Liu Y, Zhang W, Li L, Salvador LA, Chen T, Chen W, Felsenstein KM, Ladd TB, Price AR, Golde TE, He J, Xu Y, Li Y, Luesch H.

Abstract: Inspired by marine cyanobacterial natural products, we synthesized modified peptides with a central statine-core unit, characteristic for aspartic protease inhibition. A series of tasiamide B analogues inhibited BACE1, a therapeutic target in Alzheimer's disease. We probed the stereospecificity of target engagement and determined additional structure-activity relationships with respect to BACE1 and related aspartic proteases, cathepsins D and E. We cocrystallized selected inhibitors with BACE1 to reveal the structural basis for the activity. Hybrid molecules that combine features of tasiamide B and an isophthalic acid moiety-containing sulfonamide showed nanomolar cellular activity. Compounds were screened in a series of rigorous complementary cell-based assays. We measured secreted APP ectodomain (sAPPβ), membrane bound carboxyl terminal fragment (CTF), levels of β-amyloid (Aβ) peptides and selectivity for β-secretase (BACE1) over γ-secretase. Prioritized compounds showed reasonable stability in vitro and in vivo, and our most potent inhibitor showed efficacy in reducing Aβ levels in the rodent brain.

CiteXplore: 23181502

DOI: 10.1021/jm301630s