Progress curve analysis of the kinetics of slow-binding anticancer drug inhibitors of the 20S proteasome

Bortezomib, carfilzomib, ixazomib, oprozomib, and delanzomib are anticancer drugs that target the proteasomal system. Carfilzomib and oprozomib are epoxyketones that form an irreversible covalent bond with the 20S proteasome, whereas bortezomib, ixazomib, and delanzomib are boronic acids that form slowly reversible adducts. The binding kinetics of some of these drugs have either not been well characterized, or have been studied under a variety of different conditions. Utilizing a fluorogenic substrate the kinetics of the slow-binding inhibition of the chymotrypsin-like proteasomal activity of human 20S proteasome was determined under a standard set of conditions in order to compare the kinetic and equilibrium properties of these drugs. Progress curve analysis was used to obtain second order “on” and first-order “off” rate constants, and equilibrium- and kinetically-determined inhibitor dissociation constants. Oprozomib inhibited the 20S proteasome with a second-order binding “on” rate constant that was 60-fold slower than for ixazomib, the fastest binding drug. Delanzomib dissociated from its complex with the 20S proteasome with a half-time that was more than 20-fold slower than for ixazomib, the fastest dissociating drug. The differences in the binding and the dissociation of these drugs may, in part, explain some of their pharmacological and toxicological properties.