Structure-based drug design of catechol-O-methyltransferase inhibitors for CNS disorders

Catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) is of great importance in pharmacology because it catalyzes the metabolism (methylation) of endogenous and xenobiotic catechols. Moreover, inhibition of COMT is the drug target in the management of central nervous system (CNS) disorders such as Parkinson's disease due to its role in regulation of the dopamine level in the brain. The X-ray crystal structures for COMT have been available since 1994. The active sites for cofactor and substrate/inhibitor binding are well resolved to an atomic level, providing valuable insights into the catalytic mechanisms as well as the role of magnesium ions in catalysis. Determination of how the substrates/inhibitors bind to the protein leads to a structure-based approach that has resulted in potent and selective inhibitors. This review focuses on the design of two types of inhibitors (nitrocatechol-type and bisubstrate inhibitors) for COMT using the protein structures.