Ligand- and structure-based virtual screening for clathrodin-derived human voltage-gated sodium channel modulators

J Chem Inf Model. 2013 Dec 23;53(12):3223-32. doi: 10.1021/ci400505e. Epub 2013 Nov 19.

Abstract

Voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSC) are attractive targets for drug discovery because of the broad therapeutic potential of their modulators. On the basis of the structure of marine alkaloid clathrodin, we have recently discovered novel subtype-selective VGSC modulators I and II that were used as starting points for two different ligand-based virtual screening approaches for discovery of novel VGSC modulators. Similarity searching in the ZINC database of drug-like compounds based on compound I resulted in five state-dependent Na(v)1.3 and Na(v)1.7 modulators with improved activity compared to I (IC₅₀ < 20 μM). Compounds 2 and 16 that blocked sodium permeation in Na(v)1.7 with IC₅₀ values of 7 and 9 μM, respectively, are among the most potent clathrodin analogs discovered so far. In the case of compound II, 3D similarity searching in the same database was followed by docking of an enriched compound library into our human Na(v)1.4 open-pore homology model. Although some of the selected compounds, e.g., 31 and 32 displayed 21% and 22% inactivated state I(peak) block of Na(v)1.4 at 10 μM, respectively, none showed better Na(v)1.4 modulatory activity than compound II. Taken together, virtual screening yielded compounds 2 and 16, which represent novel scaffolds for the discovery of human Na(v)1.7 modulators.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Binding Sites
  • Databases, Chemical
  • Drug Design
  • Drug Discovery
  • High-Throughput Screening Assays
  • Humans
  • Ligands
  • Molecular Docking Simulation
  • NAV1.3 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel / chemistry*
  • NAV1.4 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel / chemistry*
  • NAV1.7 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel / chemistry*
  • Protein Binding
  • Pyrroles / chemistry*
  • Sodium / metabolism
  • Sodium Channel Blockers / chemistry*
  • Sodium Channels / chemistry*
  • Structural Homology, Protein
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • User-Computer Interface*

Substances

  • Ligands
  • NAV1.3 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel
  • NAV1.4 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel
  • NAV1.7 Voltage-Gated Sodium Channel
  • Pyrroles
  • SCN3A protein, human
  • SCN4A protein, human
  • SCN9A protein, human
  • Sodium Channel Blockers
  • Sodium Channels
  • clathrodin
  • Sodium