Covalent inhibitors of interleukin-2 inducible T cell kinase (itk) with nanomolar potency in a whole-blood assay

J Med Chem. 2012 Nov 26;55(22):10047-63. doi: 10.1021/jm301190s. Epub 2012 Nov 12.

Abstract

We wish to report a strategy that targets interleukin-2 inducible T cell kinase (Itk) with covalent inhibitors. Thus far, covalent inhibition of Itk has not been disclosed in the literature. Structure-based drug design was utilized to achieve low nanomolar potency of the disclosed series even at high ATP concentrations. Kinetic measurements confirmed an irreversible binding mode with off-rate half-lives exceeding 24 h and moderate on-rates. The analogues are highly potent in a cellular IP1 assay as well as in a human whole-blood (hWB) assay. Despite a half-life of approximately 2 h in resting primary T cells, the covalent inhibition of Itk resulted in functional silencing of the TCR pathway for more than 24 h. This prolonged effect indicates that covalent inhibition is a viable strategy to target the inactivation of Itk.

MeSH terms

  • Drug Design
  • Half-Life
  • Humans
  • Interleukin-2 / pharmacology*
  • Kinetics
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Structure
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / blood*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemical synthesis
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • T-Lymphocytes / enzymology*

Substances

  • Interleukin-2
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Receptors, Antigen, T-Cell
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases
  • emt protein-tyrosine kinase

Associated data

  • PDB/4HCT
  • PDB/4HCU
  • PDB/4HCV