Beta-adrenergic receptor kinase 1 (betaARK1) and cyclic adenosine 5'-monophosphate-dependent protein kinase A (PKA) have structurally similar adenine-binding pockets but have different physiologic functions. To obtain specific betaARK1 inhibitors, a two step rational drug design process was used. First, a search was conducted on three-dimensional models of commercially available compounds to find compounds that fit the adenine-binding pocket of betaARK1. Second, a comparative docking study that focused on the differences between the adenine-binding pockets of the two enzymes was used to evaluate the binding specificity of each compound that inhibited betaARK1 activity. The results of these analyses yielded three betaARK1-selective inhibitor leads from 11 candidates, a hit rate for selectivity of 27%. Although the IC50 values of these compounds for betaARK1 ranged from only 1.3 x 10(-4) M to 5.6 x 10(-4) M, the compounds did not inhibit PKA at concentrations up to 1.0 x 10(-3) M. Thus, the present study shows the usefulness of a rational drug design strategy in finding specific kinase inhibitors for proteins with similar drug target binding sites.

Our exploratory study was based on the concept that a non-amidine factor Xa (fXa) inhibitor is suitable for an orally available anticoagulant. We synthesized and evaluated a series of N-(6-chloronaphthalen-2-yl)sulfonylpiperazine derivatives incorporating various fused-bicyclic rings containing an aliphatic amine expected to be S4 binding element. Among this series, 5-methyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrothiazolo[5,4-c]pyridine type 61 displayed orally potent anti-fXa activity and evident prolongation of prothrombin time (PT) with the moderate bioavailability in rats. The X-ray crystal analysis afforded an obvious binding mode that 5-methyl-4,5,6,7-tetrahydrothiazolo[5,4-c]pyridine and 6-chloronaphthalene respectively bound to S4 and S1 subsites. In this X-ray study, we discovered a novel intramolecular S-O close contact. Ab initio energy calculations of model compounds deduced that conformers with the most close S-O proximity were most stable. The Mulliken population analysis proposed that this energy profile was caused by both of electrostatic S-O affinity and N-O repulsion. The results of these calculations and X-ray analysis suggested a possibility that the restricted conformation effected the affinity to S4 subsite of fXa.

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Pyrazine derivatives Pyrazine derivatives R 0550Orally Active Factor Xa Inhibitors: 4,5,6,7-Tetrahydrothiazolo[5,4-c]pyridine Derivatives. -Bicyclic heterocyle structures, able to satisfy the three-dimensional requirements in the active site of factor Xa, are synthesized as factor Xa inhibitors. The title derivatives display potent and highly specific inhibitory activity for factor Xa. The carbamoyl groups on the piperazine ring are responsible for a marked improvement of in vivo activity without causing substantial change in anti-f Xa activity. CompoundsVIII) display anti-f Xa activity and anticoagulation activity in ex vivo test after oral administration. -(HAGINOYA*, N.; KOBAYASHI, S.; KOMORIYA, S.; HIROKAWA, Y.; FURUGORI, T.; NAGAHARA, T.; Bioorg. Med.