{"title":"Identification of novel Piperazine based bisubstrate inhibitors of human nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (hNNMT) with potential anticancer activities","authors":"A.S. Harikrishna , Venkitasamy Kesavan","doi":"10.1016/j.bmc.2025.118368","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Overexpression of human Nicotinamide <em>N</em>-methyltransferase (hNNMT), nictotinamide metabolizing enzyme, is associated with numerous diseases including metabolic disorders and several cancers. Hence, development of novel inhibitors against hNNMT activity would result in New Chemical Entities (NCEs). Further, identification of novel bisubstrate inhibitors which bind to substrate and co-factor binding pockets of hNNMT is more challenging and warranted. In this present study, we methodically investigated piperazine derivatives as novel bisubstrate inhibitors of hNNMT with potential anticancer activities. Initially, studies on the piperazine derivatives were undertaken to determine their binding affinities with hNNMT <em>in silico</em>. The molecules, which displayed potent binding affinity <em>in silico</em>, were synthesized and further subjected to biochemical, biophysical and computational studies. Thus, we have identified a novel bisusbtrate inhibitor of hNNMT with nanomolar IC<sub>50</sub>. Computational studies demonstrated that incorporation of quinolone pharmacophore enables the binding in the pocket of cofactor “SAM” and pyridine moiety at the substrate “nicotinamide”. The MOA studies suggest that compound 7b functions as a bisubstrate competitive inhibitor of hNNMT, exhibiting competitive inhibition with respect to both SAM and quinoline, without altering V<sub>max</sub>. These observations indicate the identification of novel bisubstrate inhibitors which can be further diversified to improve their DMPK properties. Furthermore, cellular assays showed that compounds 7b, 7c, and 7d selectively suppressed the proliferation of U87 and PANC-1 cancer cells, and low cytotoxicity in HEK293 normal cell lines. Notably, compound 7b exhibited the strongest antiproliferative activity, underscoring the therapeutic potential of this scaffold in targeting NNMT-associated cancers.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":255,"journal":{"name":"Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry","volume":"130 ","pages":"Article 118368"},"PeriodicalIF":3.0000,"publicationDate":"2025-08-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry","FirstCategoryId":"3","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0968089625003098","RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q2","JCRName":"BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Overexpression of human Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (hNNMT), nictotinamide metabolizing enzyme, is associated with numerous diseases including metabolic disorders and several cancers. Hence, development of novel inhibitors against hNNMT activity would result in New Chemical Entities (NCEs). Further, identification of novel bisubstrate inhibitors which bind to substrate and co-factor binding pockets of hNNMT is more challenging and warranted. In this present study, we methodically investigated piperazine derivatives as novel bisubstrate inhibitors of hNNMT with potential anticancer activities. Initially, studies on the piperazine derivatives were undertaken to determine their binding affinities with hNNMT in silico. The molecules, which displayed potent binding affinity in silico, were synthesized and further subjected to biochemical, biophysical and computational studies. Thus, we have identified a novel bisusbtrate inhibitor of hNNMT with nanomolar IC50. Computational studies demonstrated that incorporation of quinolone pharmacophore enables the binding in the pocket of cofactor “SAM” and pyridine moiety at the substrate “nicotinamide”. The MOA studies suggest that compound 7b functions as a bisubstrate competitive inhibitor of hNNMT, exhibiting competitive inhibition with respect to both SAM and quinoline, without altering Vmax. These observations indicate the identification of novel bisubstrate inhibitors which can be further diversified to improve their DMPK properties. Furthermore, cellular assays showed that compounds 7b, 7c, and 7d selectively suppressed the proliferation of U87 and PANC-1 cancer cells, and low cytotoxicity in HEK293 normal cell lines. Notably, compound 7b exhibited the strongest antiproliferative activity, underscoring the therapeutic potential of this scaffold in targeting NNMT-associated cancers.
期刊介绍:
Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry provides an international forum for the publication of full original research papers and critical reviews on molecular interactions in key biological targets such as receptors, channels, enzymes, nucleotides, lipids and saccharides.
The aim of the journal is to promote a better understanding at the molecular level of life processes, and living organisms, as well as the interaction of these with chemical agents. A special feature will be that colour illustrations will be reproduced at no charge to the author, provided that the Editor agrees that colour is essential to the information content of the illustration in question.