Isoform-specific phosphoinositide 3-kinase inhibitors from an arylmorpholine scaffold

Phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3-Ks) are an ubiquitous class of signaling enzymes that regulate diverse cellular processes including growth, differentiation, and motility. Physiological roles of PI3-Ks have traditionally been assigned using two pharmacological inhibitors, LY294002 and wortmannin. Although these compounds are broadly specific for the PI3-K family, they show little selectivity among family members, and the development of isoform-specific inhibitors of these enzymes has been long anticipated. Herein, we prepare compounds from two classes of arylmorpholine PI3-K inhibitors and characterize their specificity against a comprehensive panel of targets within the PI3-K family. We identify multiplex inhibitors that potently inhibit distinct subsets of PI3-K isoforms, including the first selective inhibitor of p110beta/p110delta (IC(50) p110beta=0.13 microM, p110delta=0.63 microM). We also identify trends that suggest certain PI3-K isoforms may be more sensitive to potent inhibition by arylmorpholines, thereby guiding future drug design based on this pharmacophore.