Identification of the first non-peptidic small molecule inhibitor of the c-Abl/14-3-3 protein-protein interactions able to drive sensitive and Imatinib-resistant leukemia cells to apoptosis.

An in silico structure-based ligand design approach resulted in the identification of the first non-peptidic small molecule able to inhibit protein-protein interactions between 14-3-3 and c-Abl. This compound shows an anti-proliferative effect on human leukemia cells either sensitive or resistant to Imatinib, in consequence of the T315I mutation. It also mediates c-Abl release from 14-3-3 in a way similar to that found in response to Imatinib treatment.