PF-04217903 Mechanism
c-Met is an α–β heterodimer with an extracellular α-chain disulfide linked to the membrane-spanning chain harboring the intracellular tyrosine kinase domain. The β-chain consists of the remainder of the Met ectodomain, the transmembrane helix and the cytoplasmic portion. The cytoplasmic portion contains the juxtamembrane domain, kinase domain and a C-terminal tail. [1] C-terminal region is essential for downstream signaling and contains two crucial tyrosines (Tyr1349 and Tyr1356). On activation, Tyr1349 and Tyr1356 become auto-phosphorylated and serve as docking sites for a wide spectrum of transducers and adaptors. [2]
The crystal structure indicates that PF-04217903 binds to the ATP binding site of non-phosphorylated c-MET kinase domain. PF-04217903 possesses a strong interaction with the activation loop in an auto-inhibitory conformation via a π-π interaction of Tyr1230 with a triazolopyrazine ring, which is characteristic for c-Met. In addition, triazolopyrazine ring is anchored with Tyr1230 and Met1211, and the pyrazole moiety forms hydrogen bonds with a water molecule which interacts with C=O of Tyr1230 and N-H of Arg1086. The ethanolic group on the pyrazole produces the interaction with the activation loop by hydrogen bonds formed by the hydroxyl group to Asp1231 and a water molecule. Besides, a hydrogen bond is also formed between N-3 on the triazolopyrazine ring and the N-H of the DFG Asp1222. Simultaneously, the quinoline group of PF-04217903 is docked into the hinge through a hydrogen bond with Met1160 and hydrophobic interactions with Ile1084, Val1092, Ala1108, and Met1211. The interaction stabilizes the c-MET kinase domain in an unactivated conformation by enhancing the affinity and selectivity of PF-04217903 binding to c-Met. [3]
References
[1] Birchmeier C, et al. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol. 2003, (12), 915-925.
[2] Schiering N, et al. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2003, 100(22), 12654-12659.
[3] Cui JJ, et al. J Med Chem. 2012, 55(18), 8091-8109.