3D-QSAR Studies on 4-([1,2,4]Triazolo[1,5-α]pyridin-6-yl)-5(3)-(6-methylpyridin-2-yl)imidazole Analogues as Potent Inhibitors of Transforming Growth Factor-β Type Ⅰ Receptor Kinase

The transforming growth factor-β （TGF-β） plays a crucial role in the beginning andprogression of fibrosis in various organ systems such as lung, heart, liver and kidney. TGF-fl type Ireceptor kinase （activin receptor-like kinase 5, ALK5） inhibitors might have potential activity forthe treatment of relevant diseases. In this paper, the three-dimensional quantitativestructure-activity relationship （3D-QSAR） including comparative molecular field analysis （CoMFA）and comparative molecular similarity indices analysis （CoMSIA） were used to analyze thestructural requirements based on a dataset of 123 4-（[1,2,4]Triazolo[1,5-a]pyridine-6-yl）-5（3）-（6-methylpyridin-2-yl）imidazole analogues which acted as ALK5 inhibitors. The obtainedCoMFA model （q2= 0.652, r2= 0.876, r2pred = 0.845） and CoMSIA model （q^2= 0.648, r^2= 0.884,r^2pred = 0.853） were robust and satisfactory. The predictive ability of the derived models wasvalidated using a test set of 28 compounds. Additionally, potentially important structural featuresrequired to enhance activity were also elucidated by the contour maps derived from CoMFA andCoMSIA models. The results will be helpful to guide drug design strategies aimed at obtainingpotent and selective ALK5 inhibitors.

Systemic treatment in EGFR-ALK NSCLC patients:second line therapy and beyond

Lung cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and a leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide, with adenocarcinoma being the most common histological subtype. Deeper understanding of the pathobiology of non-small cell lung cancer(NSCLC) has led to the development of small molecules that target genetic mutations known to play critical roles in progression to metastatic disease and to influence response to targeted therapies. The principle goal of precision medicine is to define those patient populations most likely to respond to targeted therapies. However, the cancer genome landscape is composed of relatively few "mountains" [representing the most commonly mutated genes like KRAS, epidermal growth factor(EGFR), and anaplastic lymphoma kinase(ALK)] and a vast number of "hills"(representing low frequency but potentially actionable mutations). Low-frequency lesions that affect a druggable gene product allow a relatively small population of cancer patients for targeted therapy to be selected.

Ceritinib： From Synthesis to Clinical Applications

Lung cancer is the major cause of cancer-related mortality, accountingfor over one quarter of cancer deaths. Lung cancers are generally divided into two main categories： SCLC （small cell lung cancer） and NSCLC （non-small cell lung cancer）. NSCLC accounts for approximately 85% of all lung cancers. ALK （anaplastic largecell kinase） gene rearrangements are identified and targeted resulting in promising response rates for NSCLC in early studies. Ceritinib is a second-generation ALK inhibitor that has demonstrated activity in crizotinib （the first-generation ALK inhibitor）-resistant patients. In this paper, the synthesis, pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, therapeutic trials, adverse events and drug-drug interactions are briefly overviewed in order to make more scholars, medical workers and patients have a more clear and comprehensive recognition on this drug.

The Role of Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase Receptor in Neuroblastoma

Neuroblastoma(NB),a frequently occurring pediatric disease,is derived from the neural crest cells in the sympathetic ganglia and adrenal medulla.Notably,it is a heterogeneous tumor consisting of many affection factors,such as the diagnosis time within the first year and the diversity of the histology and genetic features.Despite improved outcomes in NB patients,it remains a difficult clinical problem and requires new therapeutic targets and methods.The somatic acquired activation point mutations in the receptor tyrosine kinase anaplastic lymphoma kinase(ALK)represent potential targets for treating NB.Herein,we review the underlying mechanisms of ALK in NB development,the latest available strategies to block ALK constitutive activity to treat NB,and discuss the current clinical challenges of resistance to these therapies and the strategies to overcome them.