Discovery of the first dual inhibitor of the 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein and soluble epoxide hydrolase using pharmacophore-based virtual screening

Leukotrienes (LTs) are pro-inflammatory lipid mediators derived from arachidonic acid (AA) with roles in inflammatory and allergic diseases. The biosynthesis of LTs is initiated by transfer of AA via the 5-lipoxygenase-activating protein (FLAP) to 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO). FLAP inhibition abolishes LT formation exerting anti-inflammatory effects. The soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) converts AA-derived anti-inflammatory epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) to dihydroxyeicosatetraenoic acids (di-HETEs). Its inhibition consequently also counteracts inflammation. Targeting both LT biosynthesis and the conversion of EETs with a dual inhibitor of FLAP and sEH may represent a novel, powerful anti-inflammatory strategy. We present a pharmacophore-based virtual screening campaign that led to 20 hit compounds of which 4 targeted FLAP and 4 were sEH inhibitors. Among them, the first dual inhibitor for sEH and FLAP was identified, N-[4-(benzothiazol-2-ylmethoxy)-2-methylphenyl]-N’-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)urea with IC₅₀ values of 200 nM in a cell-based FLAP test system and 20 nM for sEH activity in a cell-free assay.