Competition NMR for Detection of Hit/Lead Inhibitors of Protein-Protein Interactions

Abstract

Screening for small-molecule fragments that can lead to potent inhibitors of protein-protein interactions (PPIs) is often a laborious step as the fragments cannot dissociate the targeted PPI due to their low M-mM affinities. Here, we describe an NMR competition assay - called w-AIDA-NMR (weak-Antagonist Induced Dissociation Assay-NMR) - that is sensitive to weak M-mM ligand-protein interactions and which can be used in initial fragment screening campaigns. By introducing point mutations in the complexs protein that is not targeted by the inhibitor, we lower the effective affinity of the complex allowing for short fragments to dissociate the complex. We illustrate the method with the compounds that block the Mdm2/X-p53 and PD-1/PD-L1 oncogenic interactions. Targeting the PD-/PD-L1 PPI has profoundly advanced the treatment of different types of cancers.