Calculation of the binding affinity of beta-secretase inhibitors using the linear interaction energy method.

It has been shown that the rate-limiting step in the production of beta-amyloid peptide (Abeta) is the proteolytric cleavage of the membrane-bound beta-amyloid precursor protein (APP) by beta-secretase (BACE). Since the accumulation of Abeta has been implicated as one of the key events in the progression of Alzheimer's disease, BACE has become an important therapeutic target. Recently, two crystal structures of BACE cocrystallized with the inhibitors OM99-2 and OM00-3 were published by Tang and co-workers. In addition, the Ghosh group has published binding data on a series of inhibitors based on their initial lead, OM99-2. Using this set as a basis, we have developed a model for the binding affinity of these ligands to BACE using the linear interaction energy method. The best binding affinity model for the full set of ligands had a RMSD of 1.10 kcal/mol. The best model excluding the two charged ligands had a RMSD of 0.87 kcal/mol.