Improvement of SNAr Reaction Rate by an Electron‐Withdrawing Group in the Crosslinking of DNA Cytosine‐5 Methyltransferase by a Covalent Oligodeoxyribonucleotide Inhibitor |
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Authors: | Yukiko Kasai Prof Kousuke Sato Shohei Utsumi Prof Satoshi Ichikawa |
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Affiliation: | 1. Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Japan;2. Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Sciences, University of Hokkaido, Tobetsu, Ishikari-gun, Japan;3. Center for Research and Education on Drug Discovery, Hokkaido University, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Japan |
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Abstract: | DNA cytosine 5‐methyltransferase (DNMT) catalyzes methylation at the C5 position of the cytosine residues in the CpG sequence. Aberrant DNA methylation patterns are found in cancer cells. Therefore, inhibition of human DNMT is an effective strategy for treating various cancers. The inhibitors of DNMT have an electron‐deficient nucleobase because this group facilitates attack by the catalytic Cys residue in DNMTs. Recently, we reported the synthesis and properties of mechanism‐based modified nucleosides, 2‐amino‐4‐halopyridine‐C‐nucleosides (dXP), as inhibitors of DNMT. To develop a more efficient inhibitor of DNMT for oligonucleotide therapeutics, oligodeoxyribonucleotides (ODNs) containing other nucleoside analogues, which react more quickly with DNMT, are needed. Herein, we describe the design, synthesis, and evaluation of the properties of 2‐amino‐3‐cyano‐4‐halopyridine‐C‐nucleosides (dXPCN) and ODNs containing dXPCN, as more reactive inhibitors of DNMTs. Nucleophilic aromatic substitution (SNAr) of the designed nucleosides, dXPCN, was faster than that of dXP, and the ODN containing dXPCN effectively formed a complex with DNMTs. This study suggests that the incorporation of an electron‐withdrawing group would be an effective method to increase reactivity toward the nucleophile of the DNMTs, while maintaining high specificity. |
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Keywords: | DNA methylation epigenetics inhibitors kinetics oligonucleotides |
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