Design, synthesis and enzymatic evaluation of 6-bridged imidazolyluracil derivatives as inhibitors of human thymidine phosphorylase

A series of novel imidazolyluracil conjugates were rationally designed and synthesised to probe the active site constraints of the angiogenic enzyme, thymidine phosphorylase (TP, E.C. 2.4.2.4). The lead compound in the series, 15d, showed good binding in the active site of human TP with an inhibition in the low muM range. The absence of a methylene bridge between the uracil and the imidazolyl subunits (series 16) decreased potency (up to 3-fold). Modelling suggested that active site residues Arg202, Ser217 and His116 are important for inhibitor binding.