Potential Antiosteoporotic Natural Product Lead Compounds That Inhibit 17β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Type 2

J Nat Prod. 2017 Apr 28;80(4):965-974. doi: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.6b00950. Epub 2017 Mar 20.

Abstract

17β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 (17β-HSD2) converts the active steroid hormones estradiol, testosterone, and 5α-dihydrotestosterone into their weakly active forms estrone, Δ4-androstene-3,17-dione, and 5α-androstane-3,17-dione, respectively, thereby regulating cell- and tissue-specific steroid action. As reduced levels of active steroids are associated with compromised bone health and onset of osteoporosis, 17β-HSD2 is considered a target for antiosteoporotic treatment. In this study, a pharmacophore model based on 17β-HSD2 inhibitors was applied to a virtual screening of various databases containing natural products in order to discover new lead structures from nature. In total, 36 hit molecules were selected for biological evaluation. Of these compounds, 12 inhibited 17β-HSD2 with nanomolar to low micromolar IC50 values. The most potent compounds, nordihydroguaiaretic acid (1), IC50 0.38 ± 0.04 μM, (-)-dihydroguaiaretic acid (4), IC50 0.94 ± 0.02 μM, isoliquiritigenin (6), IC50 0.36 ± 0.08 μM, and ethyl vanillate (12), IC50 1.28 ± 0.26 μM, showed 8-fold or higher selectivity over 17β-HSD1. As some of the identified compounds belong to the same structural class, structure-activity relationships were derived for these molecules. Thus, this study describes new 17β-HSD2 inhibitors from nature and provides insights into the binding pocket of 17β-HSD2, offering a promising starting point for further research in this area.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • 17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases / antagonists & inhibitors*
  • Biological Products / chemistry
  • Biological Products / pharmacology*
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / chemistry
  • Enzyme Inhibitors / pharmacology*
  • Etiocholanolone / analogs & derivatives
  • Humans
  • Models, Molecular
  • Molecular Structure
  • Structure-Activity Relationship
  • Testosterone / metabolism

Substances

  • Biological Products
  • Enzyme Inhibitors
  • Testosterone
  • androstane-3,17-dione
  • Etiocholanolone
  • 17-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenases
  • 3 (or 17)-beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase