1. Academic Validation
  2. Identification of an indol-based multi-target kinase inhibitor through phenotype screening and target fishing using inverse virtual screening approach

Identification of an indol-based multi-target kinase inhibitor through phenotype screening and target fishing using inverse virtual screening approach

  • Eur J Med Chem. 2019 Apr 1:167:61-75. doi: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.01.066.
Carmine Ostacolo 1 Veronica Di Sarno 2 Gianluigi Lauro 2 Giacomo Pepe 2 Simona Musella 2 Tania Ciaglia 2 Vincenzo Vestuto 2 Giuseppina Autore 2 Giuseppe Bifulco 2 Stefania Marzocco 2 Pietro Campiglia 2 Isabel M Gomez-Monterrey 3 Alessia Bertamino 4
Affiliations

Affiliations

  • 1 Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131, Naples, Italy.
  • 2 Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via G. Paolo II, 84084, Fisciano, SA, Italy.
  • 3 Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples Federico II, Via D. Montesano 49, 80131, Naples, Italy. Electronic address: imgomez@unina.it.
  • 4 Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via G. Paolo II, 84084, Fisciano, SA, Italy. Electronic address: abertamino@unisa.it.
Abstract

A series of 1,3,5-substituted indole derivatives was prepared to explore the anti-proliferative activity against a panel of human tumour cell lines. A 5-carboxamide derivative (27) emerged as the most potent compound of this series, inhibiting the HeLa cell growth at sub-micromolar concentrations. Target fishing of 27 using a combination of inverse virtual screening (IVS) approach and ligand-based shape similarity study identified the top-ranked targets for 27 as belonging to kinome. These results were further confirmed by in vitro binding assays, leading to the identification of 27 as multi-target kinase inhibitor. The compound 27 was further characterized for its antiproliferative activity by in cell studies, showing a mechanism of action involving modification of the cell cycle, increase in ROS release and Caspase 3-expression and decrease in ERK expression.

Keywords

1,3,5-Substituted indole derivatives; In cell studies; Kinase multi-target inhibitor; Target fishing.

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