Molecules (Jun 2021)

Search for Non-Protein Protease Inhibitors Constituted with an Indole and Acetylene Core

  • Marco A. Almaraz-Girón,
  • Ernesto Calderón-Jaimes,
  • Adrián Sánchez Carrillo,
  • Erik Díaz-Cervantes,
  • Edith Castañón Alonso,
  • Alejandro Islas-Jácome,
  • Armando Domínguez-Ortiz,
  • Sandra L. Castañón-Alonso

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26133817
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 26, no. 13
p. 3817

Abstract

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A possible inhibitor of proteases, which contains an indole core and an aromatic polar acetylene, was designed and synthesized. This indole derivative has a molecular architecture kindred to biologically relevant species and was obtained through five synthetic steps with an overall yield of 37% from the 2,2′-(phenylazanediyl)di(ethan-1-ol). The indole derivative was evaluated through docking assays using the main protease (SARS-CoV-2-Mpro) as a molecular target, which plays a key role in the replication process of this virus. Additionally, the indole derivative was evaluated as an inhibitor of the enzyme kallikrein 5 (KLK5), which is a serine protease that can be considered as an anticancer drug target.

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