Therapeutic agents for treating and preventing autoimmune diseases and cancer and a screening method

Abstract

A method for treating and preventing autoimmune diseases and cancer can include administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of a pharmaceutical composition comprising an Arid5a inhibitor and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. A screening method can include identifying candidate Arid5a inhibitors through in silico predicted binding to Arid5a target domains (Pocket X) and confirming Arid5a inhibition through in vitro by binding and luciferase assays.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A method of treating and preventing a disease, comprising:
 administering to a subject in need thereof a therapeutically effective amount of an Arid5a inhibitor, wherein the Arid5a inhibitor comprises a compound having the formula:   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, and
 the disease comprises at least one of an autoimmune disease and a cancer. 
 
     
     
         2 . An Arid5a inhibitor comprising a compound having a chemical structure according to the general formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein each of R 1  and R 2  is independently selected from the group consisting of H, alkyl, phenyl, substituted phenyl, a 5-membered heteroaryl, and a 6-membered heteroaryl; 
       
       each of X and Y is independently selected from the group consisting of S, O, and NH; and n is an integer selected from 0, 1, and 2. 
     
     
         3 . The Arid5a inhibitor of  claim 2 , wherein the Arid5a inhibitor comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. 
       
     
     
         4 . A method of treating or preventing a disease, comprising administering to a subject in need thereof an effective amount of one or more Arid5a inhibitors of  claim 2 , wherein the disease comprises at least one of an autoimmune disease and a cancer. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the Arid5a inhibitor comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. 
       
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein the autoimmune disease is a disease associated with chronic inflammation. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the autoimmune disease is selected from the group consisting of multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein treating or preventing cancer comprises inhibition of cancer cell proliferation. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the cancer cells are selected from the group consisting of breast cancer cells, prostate cancer cells, or lung cancer cells.