Structure Based Design of a Grp94-Selective Inhibitor: Exploiting a Key Residue in Grp94 To Optimize Paralog-Selective Binding

J Med Chem. 2018 Apr 12;61(7):2793-2805. doi: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.7b01608. Epub 2018 Mar 20.

Abstract

Grp94 and Hsp90, the ER and cytoplasmic hsp90 paralogs, share a conserved ATP-binding pocket that has been targeted for therapeutics. Paralog-selective inhibitors may lead to drugs with fewer side effects. Here, we analyzed 1 (BnIm), a benzyl imidazole resorcinylic inhibitor, for its mode of binding. The structures of 1 bound to Hsp90 and Grp94 reveal large conformational changes in Grp94 but not Hsp90 that expose site 2, a binding pocket adjacent to the central ATP cavity that is ordinarily blocked. The Grp94:1 structure reveals a flipped pose of the resorcinylic scaffold that inserts into the exposed site 2. We exploited this flipped binding pose to develop a Grp94-selective derivative of 1. Our structural analysis shows that the ability of the ligand to insert its benzyl imidazole substituent into site 1, a different side pocket off the ATP binding cavity, is the key to exposing site 2 in Grp94.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adenosine Triphosphate / chemistry
  • Animals
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Dogs
  • Drug Design
  • HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins / chemistry*
  • HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Humans
  • Membrane Proteins / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Membrane Proteins / chemistry*
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Conformation
  • Protein Binding
  • Structure-Activity Relationship

Substances

  • HSP70 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • HSP90 Heat-Shock Proteins
  • Membrane Proteins
  • glucose-regulated proteins
  • Adenosine Triphosphate