Designed nanomolar small-molecule inhibitors of Ena/VASP EVH1 interaction impair invasion and extravasation of breast cancer cells

Battling metastasis through inhibition of cell motility is considered a promising approach to support cancer therapies. In this context, Ena/VASP-depending signaling pathways, in particular interactions with their EVH1 domains, are promising targets for pharmaceutical intervention. However, protein-protein interactions involving proline-rich segments are notoriously difficult to address by small molecules. Hence, structure-based design efforts in combination with the chemical synthesis of additional molecular entities are required. Building on a previously developed nonpeptidic micromolar inhibitor, we determined 22 crystal structures of ENAH EVH1 in complex with inhibitors and rationally extended our library of conformationally defined prolinederived modules (ProMs) to succeed in developing a nanomolar inhibitor (K-d = 120 nM, MW = 734 Da). In contrast to the previous inhibitor, the optimized compounds reduced extravasation of invasive breast cancer cells in a zebrafish model. This study represents an example of successful, structure-guided development of low molecular weight inhibitors specifically and selectively addressing a proline-rich sequence-recognizing domain that is characterized by a shallow epitope lacking defined binding pockets. The evolved high-affinity inhibitor may now serve as a tool in validating the basic therapeutic concept, i.e., the sup pression of cancer metastasis by inhibiting a crucial protein- protein interaction involved in actin filament processing and cell migration

Palladium-Catalyzed Cyanomethylation of Aryl Halides through Domino Suzuki Coupling-Isoxazole Fragmentation.

A one-pot protocol for the cyanomethylation of aryl halides through a palladium-catalyzed reaction with isoxazole-4-boronic acid pinacol ester was developed. Mechanistically, the reaction proceeds through (1) Suzuki coupling, (2) base-induced fragmentation, and (3) deformylation as shown by characterization of all postulated intermediates. Under optimized conditions (PdCl(2)dppf, KF, DMSO/H(2)O, 130 °C) a broad spectrum of aryl bromides could be converted into arylacetonitriles with up to 88% yield

Design and Synthesis of Building Blocks for PPII-Helix Secondary-Structure Mimetics: A Stereoselective Entry to 4-Substituted 5-Vinylprolines (vol 2018, pg 455, 2018)

In the course of our studies towards the synthesis of proline-based secondary-structure mimetics, we developed a straightforward methodology for the diastereoselective preparation of 4-alkyl-5-vinyl-substituted proline derivatives. Starting from N-Boc-protected tert-butyl pyroglutamate, -alkylation, lactam reduction and acid-catalyzed methanolysis afforded 4-alkyl-5-methoxyproline derivatives. After BF3-induced formation of an N-acyl-iminium intermediate, the introduction of the 5-vinyl side chain was achieved with high diastereoselectivity by using vinylmagnesium bromide in the presence of AlCl3 or CuBrSMe2 to afford either the cis- or the trans-product, respectively. The utility of the method was demonstrated in the rapid and efficient construction of new diproline mimetics rigidified in a polyproline-type II helix (PPII) conformation