A coumarin-labeled vinyl sulfone as tripeptidomimetic activity-based probe for cysteine cathepsins.

A coumarin-tetrahydroquinoline hydride 8 was synthesized as a chemical tool for fluorescent labeling. The rigidified tricyclic coumarin structure was chosen for its suitable fluorescence properties. The connection of 8 with a vinyl sulfone building block was accomplished by convergent synthesis thereby leading to the coumarin-based, tripeptidomimetic activity-based probe 10, containing a Gly-Phe-Gly motif. Probe 10 was evaluated as inactivator of the therapeutically relevant human cysteine cathepsins S, L, K, and B: it showed particularly strong inactivation of cathepsin S. The detection of recombinant and native cathepsin S was demonstrated by applying 10 to in-gel fluorescence imaging.