Hydrophobic Derivatives of Glycopeptide Antibiotics as Inhibitors of Protein Kinases

As key regulators of cell signaling, protein kinases (PKs) are attractive targets for therapeutic intervention in a variety of diseases. Herein, we report for the first time the inhibitory activity of polycyclic peptides, particularly, derivatives of glycopeptide antibiotics teicoplanin and eremomycin, against a panel of 12 recombinant human protein kinases and two protein kinases (CK1 and CK2) isolated from rat liver. Several of the investigated compounds inhibited various PKs with IC50 values below 10 μM and caused >90% suppression of the enzyme activity at 10 μM concentration. Kinetic analysis of the protein kinase CK2α inhibition by the teicoplanin aglycon analogue (7) demonstrated the non-competitive mechanism of inhibition (with regard to ATP). Interestingly, the inhibitory activity of some investigated compounds correlated with the earlier described antiviral activity against HIV, HCV, and other corona- and flaviviruses.