Design and synthesis of novel p38α MAP kinase inhibitors: discovery of pyrazole-benzyl ureas bearing 2-molpholinopyrimidine moiety

Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2012 Aug 1;22(15):5118-22. doi: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2012.05.095. Epub 2012 Jun 12.

Abstract

The discovery that pyrazole-benzyl urea derivatives bearing a 2-molpholinopyrimidine moiety are novel p38α inhibitors is described. A comparative view of the binding modes of SB-203580 and BIRB-796 by structural alignment of two X-ray co-crystal structures was utilized to identify this novel series. Modification of the benzyl group led to compound 2b, a highly potent p38α inhibitor. In in vivo studies, 2b inhibited the production of tumor necrosis factor-alpha in lipopolysaccharide-treated mouse in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the results of a 5-day repeated oral dose toxicity study suggest that 2b has low hepatotoxicity.

MeSH terms

  • Administration, Oral
  • Animals
  • Binding Sites
  • Crystallography, X-Ray
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System / metabolism
  • Drug Design*
  • Drug Evaluation, Preclinical
  • Humans
  • Imidazoles / chemistry
  • Imidazoles / metabolism
  • Lipopolysaccharides / toxicity
  • Liver / drug effects
  • Liver / metabolism
  • Mice
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 14 / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 14 / metabolism
  • Naphthalenes / chemistry
  • Naphthalenes / metabolism
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemical synthesis*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / toxicity
  • Protein Structure, Tertiary
  • Pyrazoles / chemistry
  • Pyrazoles / metabolism
  • Pyridines / chemistry
  • Pyridines / metabolism
  • Pyrimidines / chemistry*
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / blood
  • Urea / analogs & derivatives*
  • Urea / chemical synthesis
  • Urea / toxicity

Substances

  • Imidazoles
  • Lipopolysaccharides
  • Naphthalenes
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Pyrazoles
  • Pyridines
  • Pyrimidines
  • Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha
  • pyrazole
  • Urea
  • Cytochrome P-450 Enzyme System
  • Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase 14
  • doramapimod
  • pyrimidine
  • SB 203580