Synthesis and structural characterization of a monocarboxylic inhibitor for GRB2 SH2 domain
Tao Xiao1, Luxin Sun1, Min Zhang1
1Drug Discovery Department, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL 33612, United States.
Abstract:
A monocarboxylic inhibitor was designed and synthesized to disrupt the protein-protein interaction (PPI) between GRB2 and phosphotyrosine-containing proteins. Biochemical characterizations show compound 7 binds with the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain of GRB2 and is more potent than EGFR1068 phosphopeptide 14-mer. X-ray crystallographic studies demonstrate compound 7 occupies the GRB2 binding site for phosphotyrosine-containing sequences and reveal key structural features for GRB2-inhibitor binding. This compound with a -1 formal charge offers a new direction for structural optimization to generate cell-permeable inhibitors for this key protein target of the aberrant Ras-MAPK signaling cascade.


