Structure-activity relationship study of novel necroptosis inhibitors.

Necroptosis is a regulated caspase-independent cell death mechanism that results in morphological features resembling necrosis. It can be induced in a FADD-deficient variant of human Jurkat T cells treated with TNF-alpha. 5-(1H-Indol-3-ylmethyl)-2-thiohydantoins and 5-(1H-indol-3-ylmethyl)hydantoins were found to be potent necroptosis inhibitors (called necrostatins). A SAR study revealed that several positions of the indole were intolerant of substitution, while small substituents at the 7-position resulted in increased inhibitory activity. The hydantoin ring was also quite sensitive to structural modifications. A representative member of this compound class demonstrated moderate pharmacokinetic characteristics and readily entered the central nervous system upon intravenous administration.