Development and validation of chemical features-based proton-coupled folate transporter/activity and reduced folate carrier/activity models (pharmacophores)

DOI

10.1016/j.jmgm.2018.02.007

Document Type

Journal Article

Publication Date

5-1-2018

Publication Title

Journal of Molecular Graphics and Modelling

Volume

81

First Page

125

Last Page

133

ISSN

10933263

Abstract

All clinically used antifolates lack transport selectivity for tumors over normal cells resulting in dose-limiting toxicities. There is growing interest in developing novel tumor-targeted cytotoxic antifolates with selective transport into tumors over normal cells via the proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT) over the ubiquitously expressed reduced folate carrier (RFC). A lack of X-ray crystal structures or predictive models for PCFT or RFC has hindered structure-aided drug design for PCFT-selective therapeutics. Four-point validated models (pharmacophores) were generated for PCFT/Activity (HBA, NI, RA, RA) and RFC/Activity (HBD, NI, HBA, HBA) based on inhibition (IC 50 ) of proliferation of isogenic Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells engineered to express only human PCFT or only RFC. Our results revealed substantial differences in structural features required for transport of novel molecules by these transporters which can be utilized for developing transporter-selective antifolates.

Open Access

Green Accepted

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