The p110δ structure: mechanisms for selectivity and potency of new PI(3)K inhibitors

Upregulation of PI(3)K signaling pathways is implicated in many diseases, and a number of inhibitors are currently in clinical development. The structure of a PI(3)Kδ kinase domain, along with co-complexes with a diverse range of inhibitors, reveals new insights into mechanisms of inhibition and suggests isoform-selective design strategies. Deregulation of the phosphoinositide-3-OH kinase (PI(3)K) pathway has been implicated in numerous pathologies including cancer, diabetes, thrombosis, rheumatoid arthritis and asthma. Recently, small-molecule and ATP-competitive PI(3)K inhibitors with a wide range of selectivities have entered clinical development. In order to understand the mechanisms underlying the isoform selectivity of these inhibitors, we developed a new expression strategy that enabled us to determine to our knowledge the first crystal structure of the catalytic subunit of the class IA PI(3)K p110δ. Structures of this enzyme in complex with a broad panel of isoform- and pan-selective class I PI(3)K inhibitors reveal that selectivity toward p110δ can be achieved by exploiting its conformational flexibility and the sequence diversity of active site residues that do not contact ATP. We have used these observations to rationalize and synthesize highly selective inhibitors for p110δ with greatly improved potencies.