From PARP1 to TNKS2 Inhibition: A Structure-Based Approach.
Tomassi, S., Pfahler, J., Mautone, N., Rovere, A., Esposito, C., Passeri, D., Pellicciari, R., Novellino, E., Pannek, M., Steegborn, C., Paiardini, A., Mai, A., Rotili, D.(2020) ACS Med Chem Lett 11: 862-868
- PubMed: 32435397 
- DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsmedchemlett.9b00654
- Primary Citation of Related Structures:  
6XVW - PubMed Abstract: 
Tankyrases (TNKSs) have recently gained great consideration as potential targets in Wnt/β-catenin pathway-dependent solid tumors. Previously, we reported the 2-mercaptoquinazolin-4-one MC2050 as a micromolar PARP1 inhibitor. Here we show how the resolution of the X-ray structure of PARP1 in complex with MC2050, combined with the computational investigation of the structural differences between TNKSs and PARP1/2 active sites, provided the rationale for a structure-based drug design campaign that with a limited synthetic effort led to the discovery of the bis-quinazolinone 5 as a picomolar and selective TNKS2 inhibitor, endowed with antiproliferative effects in a colorectal cancer cell line (DLD-1) where the Wnt pathway is constitutively activated.
Organizational Affiliation: 
Department of Pharmacy, University of Naples, "Federico II", 80131 Naples, Italy.