Structures of complexes of type 5 17β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase with structurally diverse inhibitors: insights into the conformational changes upon inhibitor binding

Type 5 17 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (17 beta-HSD5) is an aldo-keto reductase expressed in the human prostate which catalyzes the conversion of androstenedione to testosterone. Testosterone is converted to 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone, which is present at high concentrations in patients with castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Inhibition of 17 beta-HSD5 is therefore considered to be a promising therapy for treating CRPC. In the present study, crystal structures of complexes of 17 beta-HSD5 with structurally diverse inhibitors derived from high-throughput screening were determined. In the structures of the complexes, various functional groups, including amide, nitro, pyrazole and hydroxyl groups, form hydrogen bonds to the catalytic residues His117 and Tyr55. In addition, major conformational changes of 17 beta-HSD5 were observed following the binding of the structurally diverse inhibitors. These results demonstrate interactions between 17 beta-HSD5 and inhibitors at the atomic level and enable structure-based drug design for anti-CRPC therapy.