Exploring the PROTAC degron candidates: OBHSA with different side chains as novel selective estrogen receptor degraders (SERDs)

Abstract

As the mutant estrogen receptor (ER) continues to be characterized, breast cancer is becoming increasingly difficult to cure when treated with hormone therapy. In this regard, a strategy to selectively and effectively degrade the ER might be an effective alternative to endocrine therapy for breast cancer. In a previous study, we identified a novel series of 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptene sulfonamide (OBHSA) compounds as full ER antagonists while lacking the prototypical ligand side chain that has been widely used to induce antagonism of ERα. Further crystal structure studies and phenotypic assays revealed that these compounds are selective estrogen receptor degraders (SERDs) with a new mechanism of action. However, from a drug discovery point of view, there still is room to improve the potency of these OBHSA compounds. In this study, we have developed new classes of SERDs that contain the OBHSA core structure and different side chains, e.g., basic side chains, long alkyl acid side chains, and glycerol ether side chains, to simply mimic the degrons of proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) and then investigated the structure-activity relationships of these PROTAC-like hybrid compounds. These novel SERDs could effectively inhibit MCF-7 cell proliferation and demonstrated good ERα degradation efficacy. Among the SERDs, compounds 17d, 17e and 17g containing a basic side chain with a N-trifluoroethyl substituent and a para methoxyl group at the phenyl group of the sulfonamide turned out to be the best candidates for ER degraders. A further docking study of these compounds with ERα elucidates their structure-activity relationships, which provides guidance to design new PROTAC degrons targeting ER for breast cancer therapy. Lastly, easy modification of these PROTAC-like SERDs enables further fine-tuning of their pharmacokinetic properties, including oral availability.