Structural Optimization and Anticancer Activity of Polo-like Kinase 1 (Plk1) Polo-Box Domain (PBD) Inhibitors and Their Prodrugs

Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1), a mitotic kinase whose activity is widely upregulated in various human cancers, is considered an attractive target for anticancer drug discovery. Aside from the kinase domain, the C-terminal noncatalytic polo-box domain (PBD), which mediates the interaction with the enzyme's binding targets or substrates, has emerged as an alternative target for developing a new class of inhibitors. Various reported small molecule PBD inhibitors exhibit poor cellular efficacy and/or selectivity. Here, we report structure–activity relationship (SAR) studies on triazoloquinazolinone-derived inhibitors, such as 43 (a 1-thioxo-2,4-dihydrothieno[2,3-e][1,2,4]triazolo[4,3-a]pyrimidin-5(1H)-one) that effectively block Plk1, but not Plk2 and Plk3 PBDs, with improved affinity and drug-like properties. The range of prodrug moieties needed for thiol group masking of the active drugs has been expanded to increase cell permeability and mechanism-based cancer cell (L363 and HeLa) death. For example, a 5-thio-1-methyl-4-nitroimidazolyl prodrug 80, derived from 43, showed an improved cellular potency (GI50 4.1 μM). As expected, 80 effectively blocked Plk1 from localizing to centrosomes and kinetochores and consequently induced potent mitotic block and apoptotic cell death. Another prodrug 78 containing 9-fluorophenyl in place of the thiophene-containing heterocycle in 80 also induced a comparable degree of anti-Plk1 PBD effect. However, orally administered 78 was rapidly converted in the bloodstream to parent drug 15, which was shown be relatively stable toward in vivo oxidation due to its 9-fluorophenyl group in comparison to unsubstituted phenyl. Further derivatization of these inhibitors, particularly to improve the systemic prodrug stability, could lead to a new class of therapeutics against Plk1-addicted cancers.