Isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) is one of the key enzymes in the tricarboxylic acid cycle, catalyzing the conversion of isocitric acid to ?-ketoglutaric acid (?-KG) using NADP+. DNA sequencing of a large number of human gilomas has revealed that ~75% of low - medium grade gliomas and secondary glioblastoma multiforme (GBM, a highly lethal form of brain tumor) carry IDH mutations, with IDH1 R132H mutation being predominant (~90%). Genetic investigations have found that IDH mutations are always heterozygous, suggesting the wild-type enzyme is essential for both normal and tumor cells, and IDH mutation is an early and critical event in the glioma tumorigenesis. Biochemical characterization of the mutant proteins revealed that they are inactive in converting isocitrate to ?-KG. Rather, all of the mutant proteins, e.g., IDH1(R132H), possess a new enzymatic activity: they catalyze the reduction of ?-KG to D-2-hydroxyglutaric acid (2-HG) using NADPH. This neo-function is responsible for the greatly elevated (>100x) level of 2-HG in primary tumor cells bearing IDH mutations. Growing evidence strongly supports 2-HG is an onco-metabolite and mutant IDH a target for intervention. Although it is clear that a high level of 2-HG is very harmfu to human health (especially central nervous system), whether inhibition of mutant IDH blocks the growth or induces apoptosis of this type of tumor cells remains to be answered. This is because there have been no inhibitors of mutant IDH to date. In addition, RNA interference (RNAi) is not appropriate for this study, since it will also knock down the wild-type IDH enzyme, whose function is essential for both normal and tumor cells. The first Specific Aim is to use medicinal chemistry, protein X-ray crystallography and quantitative structure activity relationship (QSAR) to develop potent and selective inhibitors of IDH1(R132H). The second Specific Aim is to test in vitro biological activities of compounds synthesized in Aim 1 as well as pharmacokinetic and toxicological properties of selected compounds. The third Specific Aim is to determine the in vivo antitumor activity of our potent IDH1(R132H) inhibitors in intra-cerebral xenograft mouse models as well as to use molecular and cell biology methods to identify the mechanisms of action of these novel inhibitors.

Public Health Relevance

Genetic investigations have found the majority (~75%) of human gliomas (a major form of brain cancer) carry mutations of a key enzyme called IDH, which play important roles for the initiation of the tumor. The research proposed is designed to lead to new potential therapeutics to treat this type of cancer.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS080963-02
Application #
8551785
Study Section
Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology Study Section (DMP)
Program Officer
Fountain, Jane W
Project Start
2012-09-30
Project End
2017-08-31
Budget Start
2013-09-01
Budget End
2014-08-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2013
Total Cost
$330,928
Indirect Cost
$119,834
Name
Baylor College of Medicine
Department
Pharmacology
Type
Schools of Medicine
DUNS #
051113330
City
Houston
State
TX
Country
United States
Zip Code
77030
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Zhou, Chao; Wu, Fangrui; Lu, Lianghao et al. (2017) Structure activity relationship and modeling studies of inhibitors of lysine specific demethylase 1. PLoS One 12:e0170301
Song, Yongcheng; Wu, Fangrui; Wu, Jingyu (2016) Targeting histone methylation for cancer therapy: enzymes, inhibitors, biological activity and perspectives. J Hematol Oncol 9:49
Wu, Fangrui; Zhou, Chao; Yao, Yuan et al. (2016) 3-(Piperidin-4-ylmethoxy)pyridine Containing Compounds Are Potent Inhibitors of Lysine Specific Demethylase 1. J Med Chem 59:253-263
Feng, Zizhen; Yao, Yuan; Zhou, Chao et al. (2016) Pharmacological inhibition of LSD1 for the treatment of MLL-rearranged leukemia. J Hematol Oncol 9:24
Wu, Fangrui; Jiang, Hong; Zheng, Baisong et al. (2015) Inhibition of Cancer-Associated Mutant Isocitrate Dehydrogenases by 2-Thiohydantoin Compounds. J Med Chem 58:6899-6908
Chowdhury, Pinki; Lin, Gregory E; Liu, Kang et al. (2014) Targeting TopBP1 at a convergent point of multiple oncogenic pathways for cancer therapy. Nat Commun 5:5476
Liu, Zhen; Yao, Yuan; Kogiso, Mari et al. (2014) Inhibition of cancer-associated mutant isocitrate dehydrogenases: synthesis, structure-activity relationship, and selective antitumor activity. J Med Chem 57:8307-18
Zhang, Li; Deng, Lisheng; Chen, Fengju et al. (2014) Inhibition of histone H3K79 methylation selectively inhibits proliferation, self-renewal and metastatic potential of breast cancer. Oncotarget 5:10665-77
Anglin, Justin L; Song, Yongcheng (2013) A medicinal chemistry perspective for targeting histone H3 lysine-79 methyltransferase DOT1L. J Med Chem 56:8972-83

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