Identification of small-molecule inhibitors of the JIP-JNK interaction.

Abstract

JNK1 (c-Jun N-terminal kinase 1) plays a crucial role in the regulation of obesity-induced insulin resistance and is implicated in the pathology of Type 2 diabetes. Its partner, JIP1 (JNK-interacting protein 1), serves a scaffolding function that facilitates JNK1 activation by MKK4 [MAPK (mitogen-activated protein kinase) kinase 4] and MKK7 (MAPK kinase 7). For example, reduced insulin resistance and JNK activation are observed in JIP1-deficient mice. On the basis of the in vivo efficacy of a cell-permeable JIP peptide, the JIP-JNK interaction appears to be a potential target for JNK inhibition. The goal of the present study was to identify small-molecule inhibitors that disrupt the JIP-JNK interaction to provide an alternative approach for JNK inhibition to ATP-competitive inhibitors. High-throughput screening was performed by utilizing a fluorescence polarization assay that measured the binding of JNK1 to the JIP peptide. Multiple chemical series were identified, revealing two categories of JIP/JNK inhibitors: 'dual inhibitors' that are ATP competitive and probably inhibit JIP-JNK binding allosterically, and 'JIP-site binders' that block binding through interaction with the JIP site. A series of polychloropyrimidines from the second category was characterized by biochemical methods and explored through medicinal-chemistry efforts. As predicted, these inhibitors also inhibited full-length JIP-JNK binding and were selective against a panel of 34 representative kinases, including ones in the MAPK family. Overall, this work demonstrates that small molecules can inhibit protein-protein interactions in vitro in the MAPK family effectively and provides strategies for similar approaches within other target families.

• Authors: Tracy Chen, Natasha Kablaoui, Jeremy Little, Sergei Timofeevski, William R Tschantz, Ping Chen, Junli Feng, Maura Charlton, Robert Stanton, Paul Bauer
• Journal: The Biochemical journal (Biochem J) Vol. 420 Issue 2 Pg. 283-94 (May 13 2009) ISSN: 1470-8728 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 19243309 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing
• Organic Chemicals
• JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases

Topics

• Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing (chemistry, metabolism)
• Animals
• Humans
• JNK Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases (chemistry, metabolism)
• Models, Molecular
• Molecular Structure
• Organic Chemicals (chemistry, pharmacology)
• Protein Binding (drug effects)
• Protein Structure, Tertiary
• Structure-Activity Relationship