Insight into the Binding of DFG-out Allosteric Inhibitors to B-Raf Kinase Using Molecular Dynamics and Free Energy Calculations

Curr Comput Aided Drug Des. 2015;11(2):124-36. doi: 10.2174/1573409911666150702100245.

Abstract

B-Raf mutations are identified in 40-50% of patients with melanoma and among them, the substitution of valine for glutamic acid at position 600 ((V600E)B-Raf) is the most frequent. Treatment of these patients with B-Raf inhibitors has been associated with a clear clinical benefit. Unfortunately, multiple resistance mechanisms have been identified and new potent and selective inhibitors are currently needed. In this work, five different type II inhibitors, which bind (V600E)B-Raf in its DFG-out conformation, have been studied using molecular dynamics, free energy calculations and energy decomposition analysis. The ranking of calculated MM-PB/GBSA binding affinities is in good agreement with the experimentally measured ones. The per-residue decomposition of ΔGbinding, within the MM-GBSA approach, has been used to identify the key residues governing the allosteric binding of the studied compounds to the (V600E)B-Raf protein kinase. Results indicate that although van der Waals interactions are key determinants for binding, hydrogen bonds also play an important role. This work also provides a better structural understanding of the binding of DFG-out inhibitors to (V600E)B-Raf, which can be used in a further step for rational design of a new class of B-Raf potent inhibitors.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Allosteric Regulation / drug effects*
  • Animals
  • Computer-Aided Design
  • Databases, Protein
  • Drug Design*
  • Humans
  • Hydrogen Bonding
  • Melanoma / drug therapy*
  • Melanoma / enzymology*
  • Melanoma / genetics
  • Molecular Dynamics Simulation
  • Point Mutation
  • Protein Binding
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / chemistry*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / chemistry
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / genetics
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf / metabolism
  • Thermodynamics

Substances

  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • Proto-Oncogene Proteins B-raf