Tetrahydroisoquinoline-3-carboxylate based matrix-metalloproteinase inhibitors: design, synthesis and structure–activity relationship Original Research Article

The design, synthesis and structure–activity relationship (SAR) of a series of nonpeptidic 2-arylsulfonyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-isoquinoline-3-carboxylates and-hydroxamates as inhibitors of the matrix metalloproteinase human neutrophil collagenase (MMP-8) is described here. Based on available X-ray structures of MMP-8/inhibitor complexes, our structure-based design strategy was directed to complement major protein-ligand interaction regions mainly in the S1′ hydrophobic specificity pocket close to the catalytic zinc ion. Here, the rigid 1,2,3,4-tetrahydroisoquinoline scaffold (Tic) provides ideal geometry to combine hydroxamates and carboxylates as typical zinc complexing functionalities, with a broad variety of S1′ directed mono- and biaryl substituents consisting of aromatic rings perfectly accommodated within this more hydrophobic region of the MMP-8 inhibitor binding site. The effect of different S1′ directed substituents, zinc-complexing groups, chirality and variations of the tetrahydroisoquinoline ring-system is investigated by systematic studies. X-ray structure analyses in combination with 3D-QSAR studies provided an additional understanding of key determinants for MMP-8 affinity in this series. The hypothetical binding mode for a typical molecule as basis for our inhibitor design was found in good agreement with a 1.7 Å X-ray structure of this candidate in complex with the catalytic domain of human MMP-8. After analysis of all systematic variations, 3D-QSAR and X-ray structure analysis, novel S1′ directed substituents were designed and synthesized and biologically evaluated. This finally results in inhibitors, which do not only show high biological affinity for MMP-8, but also exhibit good oral bioavailability in several animal species.