Small-molecule protein-protein interaction inhibitors: Therapeutic potential in light of molecular size, chemical space, and ligand binding efficiency considerations

IUBMB Life ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 62 (10) ◽  
pp. 724-731 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter Buchwald
Keyword(s):  
Ligand Binding ◽  
Small Molecule ◽  
Protein Interaction ◽  
Therapeutic Potential ◽  
Chemical Space ◽  
Molecular Size ◽  
Protein Protein Interaction

Small-Molecule In Vitro Inhibitors of the Coronavirus Spike – ACE2 Protein-Protein Interaction as Blockers of Viral Attachment and Entry for SARS-CoV-2

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Damir Bojadzic ◽  
Oscar Alcazar ◽  
Jinshui Chen ◽  
Peter Buchwald
Keyword(s):  
Small Molecule ◽  
Protein Interaction ◽  
Organic Dyes ◽  
Chemical Space ◽  
Dependent Manner ◽  
Sunset Yellow ◽  
Concentration Dependent Manner ◽  
Viral Attachment ◽  
Protein Protein Interaction

ABSTRACTInhibitors of the protein-protein interaction (PPI) between the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein and ACE2, which acts as a ligand-receptor pair that initiates the viral attachment and cellular entry of this coronavirus causing the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, are of considerable interest as potential antiviral agents. While blockade of such PPIs with small molecules is more challenging than with antibodies, small-molecule inhibitors (SMIs) might offer alternatives that are less strain- and mutation-sensitive, suitable for oral or inhaled administration, and more controllable / less immunogenic. Here, we report the identification of SMIs of this PPI by screening our compound-library that is focused on the chemical space of organic dyes. Among promising candidates identified, several dyes (Congo red, direct violet 1, Evans blue) and novel drug-like compounds (DRI-C23041, DRI-C91005) inhibited the interaction of hACE2 with the spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 as well as SARS-CoV with low micromolar activity in our cell-free ELISA-type assays (IC50s of 0.2-3.0 μM); whereas, control compounds, such as sunset yellow FCF, chloroquine, and suramin, showed no activity. Protein thermal shift assays indicated that the SMIs identified here bind SARS-CoV-2-S and not ACE2. Selected promising compounds inhibited the entry of a SARS-CoV-2-S expressing pseudovirus into ACE2-expressing cells in concentration-dependent manner with low micromolar IC50s (6-30 μM). This provides proof-of-principle evidence for the feasibility of small-molecule inhibition of PPIs critical for coronavirus attachment/entry and serves as a first guide in the search for SMI-based alternative antiviral therapies for the prevention and treatment of diseases caused by coronaviruses in general and COVID-19 in particular.

scholarly journals Development of a Novel High-Throughput Screen and Identification of Small-Molecule Inhibitors of the Gα–RGS17 Protein–Protein Interaction Using AlphaScreen

2011 ◽  
Vol 16 (8) ◽  
pp. 869-877 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duncan I. Mackie ◽  
David L. Roman
Keyword(s):  
Small Molecule ◽  
High Throughput ◽  
Protein Interaction ◽  
High Throughput Screening ◽  
Drug Targets ◽  
Screening Method ◽  
Fold Increase ◽  
Rgs Proteins ◽  
High Throughput Screen ◽  
Protein Protein Interaction

In this study, the authors used AlphaScreen technology to develop a high-throughput screening method for interrogating small-molecule libraries for inhibitors of the Gαo–RGS17 interaction. RGS17 is implicated in the growth, proliferation, metastasis, and the migration of prostate and lung cancers. RGS17 is upregulated in lung and prostate tumors up to a 13-fold increase over patient-matched normal tissues. Studies show RGS17 knockdown inhibits colony formation and decreases tumorigenesis in nude mice. The screen in this study uses a measurement of the Gαo–RGS17 protein–protein interaction, with an excellent Z score exceeding 0.73, a signal-to-noise ratio >70, and a screening time of 1100 compounds per hour. The authors screened the NCI Diversity Set II and determined 35 initial hits, of which 16 were confirmed after screening against controls. The 16 compounds exhibited IC50 <10 µM in dose–response experiments. Four exhibited IC50 values <6 µM while inhibiting the Gαo–RGS17 interaction >50% when compared to a biotinylated glutathione-S-transferase control. This report describes the first high-throughput screen for RGS17 inhibitors, as well as a novel paradigm adaptable to many other RGS proteins, which are emerging as attractive drug targets for modulating G-protein-coupled receptor signaling.

Probing the Small-Molecule Inhibition of an Anticancer Therapeutic Protein-Protein Interaction Using a Solid-State Nanopore

2016 ◽  
Vol 128 (19) ◽  
pp. 5807-5811 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dong-Kyu Kwak ◽  
Hongsik Chae ◽  
Mi-Kyung Lee ◽  
Ji-Hyang Ha ◽  
Gaurav Goyal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Solid State ◽  
Small Molecule ◽  
Protein Interaction ◽  
Therapeutic Protein ◽  
Protein Protein Interaction ◽  
Small Molecule Inhibition
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