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Title: Structure-Based Design of Potent Bcl-2/Bcl-xL Inhibitors with Strong in Vivo Antitumor Activity

Journal Article · · Journal of Medicinal Chemistry
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/jm300608w· OSTI ID:1048551

Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL are key apoptosis regulators and attractive cancer therapeutic targets. We have designed and optimized a class of small-molecule inhibitors of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL containing a 4,5-diphenyl-1H-pyrrole-3-carboxylic acid core structure. A 1.4 {angstrom} resolution crystal structure of a lead compound, 12, complexed with Bcl-xL has provided a basis for our optimization. The most potent compounds, 14 and 15, bind to Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL with subnanomolar K{sub i} values and are potent antagonists of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL in functional assays. Compounds 14 and 15 inhibit cell growth with low nanomolar IC{sub 50} values in multiple small-cell lung cancer cell lines and induce robust apoptosis in cancer cells at concentrations as low as 10 nM. Compound 14 also achieves strong antitumor activity in an animal model of human cancer.

Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States). Advanced Photon Source (APS)
Sponsoring Organization:
NIHNCI
OSTI ID:
1048551
Journal Information:
Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Vol. 55, Issue 13; ISSN 0022-2623
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
ENGLISH