Identification of chemical scaffolds for targeting ubiquitin-specific protease 11 (USP11) through high-throughput virtual screening.

Abstract

USP11 is a promising therapeutic target implicated in Alzheimer's disease and various cancers; however, no specific inhibitors are currently available, with the only known inhibitor being mitoxantrone, which primarily targets topoisomerase II. To identify novel chemical starting points, we conducted high-throughput virtual screening using a USP11 homology model. Screening over 600,000 compounds yielded five structurally distinct hits with significant inhibitory activity. Biochemical validation highlighted two promising scaffolds: benzoxadiazole derivatives and pyrrolo-phenylamidine analogues, both demonstrating structure-dependent inhibition and tractable SAR profiles. Docking studies further characterised their binding modes, supporting their potential for optimisation. Hydroxyphenyl hydrazone analogues raised PAINS-related concerns, while compounds such as squalamine were deprioritized due to weak binding affinity and structural complexity. Overall, this study provides valuable scaffolds and mechanistic insights that can inform future development of potent, selective USP11 inhibitors.