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Sobierajski T, Małolepsza J, Pichlakb M, Gendaszewska-Darmach E, Błażewska KM. The impact of E3 ligase choice on PROTAC effectiveness in protein kinase degradation. Drug Discov Today 2024:104032. [PMID: 38789027 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2024.104032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2024] [Revised: 04/30/2024] [Accepted: 05/15/2024] [Indexed: 05/26/2024]
Abstract
Proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTACs) provide a novel therapeutic approach that is revolutionizing drug discovery. The success of PROTACs largely depends on the combination of their three fragments: E3 ligase ligand, linker and protein of interest (POI)-targeting ligand. We summarize the pivotal significance of the precise combination of the E3 ligase ligand with the POI-recruiting warhead, which is crucial for the successful execution of cellular processes and achieving the desired outcomes. Therefore, the key to selection was the use of at least two ligands recruiting two different ligases. This approach enables a direct comparison of the impacts of the specific ligases on target degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tomasz Sobierajski
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, Łódź, Poland
| | - Joanna Małolepsza
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, Łódź, Poland
| | - Marta Pichlakb
- Institute of Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology, Lodz University of Technology, Łódź, Poland
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2
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Tsai JM, Nowak RP, Ebert BL, Fischer ES. Targeted protein degradation: from mechanisms to clinic. Nat Rev Mol Cell Biol 2024:10.1038/s41580-024-00729-9. [PMID: 38684868 DOI: 10.1038/s41580-024-00729-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/21/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation refers to the use of small molecules to induce the selective degradation of proteins. In its most common form, this degradation is achieved through ligand-mediated neo-interactions between ubiquitin E3 ligases - the principal waste disposal machines of a cell - and the protein targets of interest, resulting in ubiquitylation and subsequent proteasomal degradation. Notable advances have been made in biological and mechanistic understanding of serendipitously discovered degraders. This improved understanding and novel chemistry has not only provided clinical proof of concept for targeted protein degradation but has also led to rapid growth of the field, with dozens of investigational drugs in active clinical trials. Two distinct classes of protein degradation therapeutics are being widely explored: bifunctional PROTACs and molecular glue degraders, both of which have their unique advantages and challenges. Here, we review the current landscape of targeted protein degradation approaches and how they have parallels in biological processes. We also outline the ongoing clinical exploration of novel degraders and provide some perspectives on the directions the field might take.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan M Tsai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Radosław P Nowak
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Institute of Structural Biology, Medical Faculty, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Benjamin L Ebert
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Eric S Fischer
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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3
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Alugubelli Y, Xiao J, Khatua K, Kumar S, Sun L, Ma Y, Ma XR, Vulupala VR, Atla S, Blankenship LR, Coleman D, Xie X, Neuman BW, Liu WR, Xu S. Discovery of First-in-Class PROTAC Degraders of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease. J Med Chem 2024; 67:6495-6507. [PMID: 38608245 PMCID: PMC11056980 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 04/03/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
We have witnessed three coronavirus (CoV) outbreaks in the past two decades, including the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. Main protease (MPro), a highly conserved protease among various CoVs, is essential for viral replication and pathogenesis, making it a prime target for antiviral drug development. Here, we leverage proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology to develop a new class of small-molecule antivirals that induce the degradation of SARS-CoV-2 MPro. Among them, MPD2 was demonstrated to effectively reduce MPro protein levels in 293T cells, relying on a time-dependent, CRBN-mediated, and proteasome-driven mechanism. Furthermore, MPD2 exhibited remarkable efficacy in diminishing MPro protein levels in SARS-CoV-2-infected A549-ACE2 cells. MPD2 also displayed potent antiviral activity against various SARS-CoV-2 strains and exhibited enhanced potency against nirmatrelvir-resistant viruses. Overall, this proof-of-concept study highlights the potential of targeted protein degradation of MPro as an innovative approach for developing antivirals that could fight against drug-resistant viral variants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yugendar
R. Alugubelli
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Center, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Jing Xiao
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Center, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Kaustav Khatua
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Center, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Sathish Kumar
- Department
of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Long Sun
- Department
of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
| | - Yuying Ma
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Center, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Xinyu R. Ma
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Center, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Veerabhadra R. Vulupala
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Center, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Sandeep Atla
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Center, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Lauren R. Blankenship
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Center, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Demonta Coleman
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Center, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Xuping Xie
- Department
of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, The University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas 77555, United States
| | - Benjamin W. Neuman
- Department
of Biology, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
- Texas
A&M Global Health Research Complex, Texas A&M University, College
Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Wenshe Ray Liu
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Center, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
- Department
of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M
University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
- Institute
of Biosciences and Technology and Department of Translational Medical
Sciences, College of Medicine, Texas A&M
University, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
- Department
of Molecular and Cellular Medicine, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Shiqing Xu
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Center, Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Irma Lerma Rangel College of Pharmacy, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
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4
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Liu J, Hu X, Luo K, Xiong Y, Chen L, Wang Z, Inuzuka H, Qian C, Yu X, Xie L, Muneer A, Zhang D, Paulo JA, Chen X, Jin J, Wei W. USP7-Based Deubiquitinase-Targeting Chimeras Stabilize AMPK. J Am Chem Soc 2024. [PMID: 38597345 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c02373] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Deubiquitinase-targeting chimeras (DUBTACs) have been recently developed to stabilize proteins of interest, which is in contrast to targeted protein degradation (TPD) approaches that degrade disease-causing proteins. However, to date, only the OTUB1 deubiquitinase has been utilized to develop DUBTACs via an OTUB1 covalent ligand, which could unexpectedly compromise the endogenous function of OTUB1 owing to its covalent nature. Here, we show for the first time that deubiquitinase USP7 can be harnessed for DUBTAC development. Based on a noncovalent ligand of USP7, we developed USP7-based DUBTACs that stabilized the ΔF508-CFTR mutant protein as effectively as the previously reported OTUB1-based DUBTAC. Importantly, using two different noncovalent ligands of USP7, we developed the first AMPK DUBTACs that appear to selectively stabilize different isoforms of AMPKβ, leading to elevated AMPK signaling. Overall, these results highlight that, in addition to OTUB1, USP7 can be leveraged to develop DUBTACs, thus significantly expanding the limited toolbox for targeted protein stabilization and the development of novel AMPK DUBTACs as potential therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Liu
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China
| | - Xiaoping Hu
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Kaixiu Luo
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Yan Xiong
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Li Chen
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Zhen Wang
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Hiroyuki Inuzuka
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Chao Qian
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Xufen Yu
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Ling Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Adil Muneer
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Dingpeng Zhang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Joao A Paulo
- Department of Cell Biology, Blavatnik Institute at Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02115, United States
| | - Xian Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Jian Jin
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Wenyi Wei
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
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5
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Shen J, Chen L, Liu J, Li A, Zheng L, Chen S, Li Y. EGFR degraders in non-small-cell lung cancer: Breakthrough and unresolved issue. Chem Biol Drug Des 2024; 103:e14517. [PMID: 38610074 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14517] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2023] [Revised: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024]
Abstract
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been well validated as a therapeutic target for anticancer drug discovery. Osimertinib has become the first globally accessible third-generation EGFR inhibitor, representing one of the most advanced developments in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) therapy. However, a tertiary Cys797 to Ser797 (C797S) point mutation has hampered osimertinib treatment in patients with advanced EGFR-mutated NSCLC. Several classes of fourth-generation EGFR inhibitors were consequently discovered with the aim of overcoming the EGFRC797S mutation-mediated resistance. However, no clinical efficacy data of the fourth-generation EGFR inhibitors were reported to date, and EGFRC797S mutation-mediated resistance remains an "unmet clinical need." Proteolysis-targeting chimeric molecules (PROTACs) obtained from EGFR-TKIs have been developed to target drug resistance EGFR in NSCLC. Some PROTACs are from nature products. These degraders compared with EGFR inhibitors showed better efficiency in their cellular potency, inhibition, and toxicity profiles. In this review, we first introduce the structural properties of EGFR, the resistance, and mutations of EGFR, and then mainly focus on the recent advances of EGFR-targeting degraders along with its advantages and outstanding challenges.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayi Shen
- Key Laboratory of Organo-Pharmaceutical Chemistry of Jiangxi Province, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Liping Chen
- Key Laboratory of Organo-Pharmaceutical Chemistry of Jiangxi Province, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Jihu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Organo-Pharmaceutical Chemistry of Jiangxi Province, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Anzhi Li
- Key Laboratory of Organo-Pharmaceutical Chemistry of Jiangxi Province, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Lüyin Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Organo-Pharmaceutical Chemistry of Jiangxi Province, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Sheng Chen
- Jiangxi Chiralsyn Biological Medicine Co., Ltd, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
| | - Yongdong Li
- Key Laboratory of Organo-Pharmaceutical Chemistry of Jiangxi Province, Gannan Normal University, Ganzhou, Jiangxi, China
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6
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Wang Z, Zhang D, Qiu X, Inuzuka H, Xiong Y, Liu J, Chen L, Chen H, Xie L, Kaniskan HÜ, Chen X, Jin J, Wei W. Structurally Specific Z-DNA Proteolysis Targeting Chimera Enables Targeted Degradation of Adenosine Deaminase Acting on RNA 1. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:7584-7593. [PMID: 38469801 PMCID: PMC10988290 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c13646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Given the prevalent advancements in DNA- and RNA-based PROTACs, there remains a significant need for the exploration and expansion of more specific DNA-based tools, thus broadening the scope and repertoire of DNA-based PROTACs. Unlike conventional A- or B-form DNA, Z-form DNA is a configuration that exclusively manifests itself under specific stress conditions and with specific target sequences, which can be recognized by specific reader proteins, such as ADAR1 or ZBP1, to exert downstream biological functions. The core of our innovation lies in the strategic engagement of Z-form DNA with ADAR1 and its degradation is achieved by leveraging a VHL ligand conjugated to Z-form DNA to recruit the E3 ligase. This ingenious construct engendered a series of Z-PROTACs, which we utilized to selectively degrade the Z-DNA-binding protein ADAR1, a molecule that is frequently overexpressed in cancer cells. This meticulously orchestrated approach triggers a cascade of PANoptotic events, notably encompassing apoptosis and necroptosis, by mitigating the blocking effect of ADAR1 on ZBP1, particularly in cancer cells compared with normal cells. Moreover, the Z-PROTAC design exhibits a pronounced predilection for ADAR1, as opposed to other Z-DNA readers, such as ZBP1. As such, Z-PROTAC likely elicits a positive immunological response, subsequently leading to a synergistic augmentation of cancer cell death. In summary, the Z-DNA-based PROTAC (Z-PROTAC) approach introduces a modality generated by the conformational change from B- to Z-form DNA, which harnesses the structural specificity intrinsic to potentiate a selective degradation strategy. This methodology is an inspiring conduit for the advancement of PROTAC-based therapeutic modalities, underscoring its potential for selectivity within the therapeutic landscape of PROTACs to target undruggable proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhen Wang
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Dingpeng Zhang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Xing Qiu
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Hiroyuki Inuzuka
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Yan Xiong
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Jing Liu
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Li Chen
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - He Chen
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Ling Xie
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599 United States
| | - H Ümit Kaniskan
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Xian Chen
- Department of Biochemistry & Biophysics, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599 United States
| | - Jian Jin
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Wenyi Wei
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
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7
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Hu X, Li E, Zhou Y, You Q, Jiang Z. Casitas b cell lymphoma‑B (Cbl-b): A new therapeutic avenue for small-molecule immunotherapy. Bioorg Med Chem 2024; 102:117677. [PMID: 38457911 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2024.117677] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2024] [Revised: 02/25/2024] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 03/10/2024]
Abstract
Immunotherapy has revolutionized the area of cancer treatment. Although most immunotherapies now are antibodies targeting membrane checkpoint molecules, there is an increasing demand for small-molecule drugs that address intracellular pathways. The E3 ubiquitin ligase Casitas B cell lymphoma‑b (Cbl-b) has been regarded as a promising intracellular immunotherapy target. Cbl-b regulates the downstream proteins of multiple membrane receptors and co-receptors, restricting the activation of the innate and adaptive immune system. Recently, Cbl-b inhibitors have been reported with promising effects on immune surveillance activation and anti-tumor efficacy. Several molecules have entered phase Ⅰ clinical trials. In this review, the biological rationale of Cbl-b as a promising target for cancer immunotherapy and the latest research progress of Cbl-b are summarized, with special emphasis on the allosteric small-molecule inhibitors of Cbl-b.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuqi Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, and Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Erdong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, and Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Yangguo Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, and Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China
| | - Qidong You
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, and Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Zhengyu Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, and Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
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8
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Scardaci R, Berlinska E, Scaparone P, Vietti Michelina S, Garbo E, Novello S, Santamaria D, Ambrogio C. Novel RAF-directed approaches to overcome current clinical limits and block the RAS/RAF node. Mol Oncol 2024. [PMID: 38362705 DOI: 10.1002/1878-0261.13605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/24/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Mutations in the RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK pathway are frequent alterations in cancer and RASopathies, and while RAS oncogene activation alone affects 19% of all patients and accounts for approximately 3.4 million new cases every year, less frequent alterations in the cascade's downstream effectors are also involved in cancer etiology. RAS proteins initiate the signaling cascade by promoting the dimerization of RAF kinases, which can act as oncoproteins as well: BRAFV600E is the most common oncogenic driver, mutated in the 8% of all malignancies. Research in this field led to the development of drugs that target the BRAFV600-like mutations (Class I), which are now utilized in clinics, but cause paradoxical activation of the pathway and resistance development. Furthermore, they are ineffective against non-BRAFV600E malignancies that dimerize and could be either RTK/RAS independent or dependent (Class II and III, respectively), which are still lacking an effective treatment. This review discusses the recent advances in anti-RAF therapies, including paradox breakers, dimer-inhibitors, immunotherapies, and other novel approaches, critically evaluating their efficacy in overcoming the therapeutic limitations, and their putative role in blocking the RAS pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rossella Scardaci
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, Italy
| | - Ewa Berlinska
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, Italy
| | - Pietro Scaparone
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, Italy
| | - Sandra Vietti Michelina
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, Italy
| | - Edoardo Garbo
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, San Luigi Hospital, Orbassano, Italy
| | - Silvia Novello
- Department of Oncology, University of Torino, San Luigi Hospital, Orbassano, Italy
| | - David Santamaria
- Centro de Investigación del Cáncer, CSIC-Universidad de Salamanca, Spain
| | - Chiara Ambrogio
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Health Sciences, Molecular Biotechnology Center, University of Torino, Italy
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9
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Nguyen TM, Sreekanth V, Deb A, Kokkonda P, Tiwari PK, Donovan KA, Shoba V, Chaudhary SK, Mercer JAM, Lai S, Sadagopan A, Jan M, Fischer ES, Liu DR, Ebert BL, Choudhary A. Proteolysis-targeting chimeras with reduced off-targets. Nat Chem 2024; 16:218-228. [PMID: 38110475 PMCID: PMC10913580 DOI: 10.1038/s41557-023-01379-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2021] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023]
Abstract
Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are molecules that induce proximity between target proteins and E3 ligases triggering target protein degradation. Pomalidomide, a widely used E3 ligase recruiter in PROTACs, can independently degrade other proteins, including zinc-finger (ZF) proteins, with vital roles in health and disease. This off-target degradation hampers the therapeutic applicability of pomalidomide-based PROTACs, requiring development of PROTAC design rules that minimize off-target degradation. Here we developed a high-throughput platform that interrogates off-target degradation and found that reported pomalidomide-based PROTACs induce degradation of several ZF proteins. We generated a library of pomalidomide analogues to understand how functionalizing different positions of the phthalimide ring, hydrogen bonding, and steric and hydrophobic effects impact ZF protein degradation. Modifications of appropriate size on the C5 position reduced off-target ZF degradation, which we validated through target engagement and proteomics studies. By applying these design principles, we developed anaplastic lymphoma kinase oncoprotein-targeting PROTACs with enhanced potency and minimal off-target degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tuan M Nguyen
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Divisions of Renal Medicine and Engineering, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Vedagopuram Sreekanth
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Divisions of Renal Medicine and Engineering, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Arghya Deb
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Praveen Kokkonda
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Praveen K Tiwari
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Divisions of Renal Medicine and Engineering, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Katherine A Donovan
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Veronika Shoba
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Santosh K Chaudhary
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jaron A M Mercer
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sophia Lai
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ananthan Sadagopan
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Max Jan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eric S Fischer
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - David R Liu
- Merkin Institute of Transformative Technologies in Healthcare, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Benjamin L Ebert
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Amit Choudhary
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
- Divisions of Renal Medicine and Engineering, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
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10
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Ichikawa S, Payne NC, Xu W, Chang CF, Vallavoju N, Frome S, Flaxman HA, Mazitschek R, Woo CM. The cyclimids: Degron-inspired cereblon binders for targeted protein degradation. Cell Chem Biol 2024:S2451-9456(24)00039-4. [PMID: 38320555 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2024.01.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 11/02/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/08/2024]
Abstract
Cereblon (CRBN) is an E3 ligase substrate adapter widely exploited for targeted protein degradation (TPD) strategies. However, achieving efficient and selective target degradation is a preeminent challenge with ligands that engage CRBN. Here, we report that the cyclimids, ligands derived from the C-terminal cyclic imide degrons of CRBN, exhibit distinct modes of interaction with CRBN and offer a facile approach for developing potent and selective bifunctional degraders. Quantitative TR-FRET-based characterization of 60 cyclimid degraders in binary and ternary complexes across different substrates revealed that ternary complex binding affinities correlated strongly with cellular degradation efficiency. Our studies establish the unique properties of the cyclimids as versatile warheads in TPD and a systematic biochemical approach for quantifying ternary complex formation to predict their cellular degradation activity, which together will accelerate the development of ligands that engage CRBN.
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Affiliation(s)
- Saki Ichikawa
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - N Connor Payne
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Wenqing Xu
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Chia-Fu Chang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Nandini Vallavoju
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Spencer Frome
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Hope A Flaxman
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Ralph Mazitschek
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA 02114, USA; Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA 02115, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
| | - Christina M Woo
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA.
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11
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Chen S, Cui J, Chen H, Yu B, Long S. Recent progress in degradation of membrane proteins by PROTACs and alternative targeted protein degradation techniques. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 262:115911. [PMID: 37924709 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation (TPD) is one of the key strategies of current targeted cancer therapy, and it can eliminate some of the root causes of cancer, and effectively avoid drug resistance caused by traditional drugs. Proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) is a hot branch of the TPD strategy, and it has been shown to induce the degradation of target proteins by activating the inherent ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) in tumor cells. PROTACs have been developed for more than two decades, and some of them have been clinically evaluated. Although most of the proteins degraded by PROTACs are intracellular, degradation of some typical membrane proteins has also been reported, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), and G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). In addition, some other effective membrane protein-degrading strategies have also emerged, such as antibody-based PROTAC (AbTAC), lysosome targeting chimera (LYTAC), molecular glue, and nanoparticle-based PROTAC (Nano-PROTAC). Herein, we discussed the advantages, disadvantages and potential applications of several important membrane protein degradation techniques. These techniques that we have summarized are insightful in paving the way for future development of more general strategies for membrane protein degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Chen
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Novel Reactor and Green Chemical Technology, Hubei Engineering Research Center for Advanced Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, 206 1st Rd Optics Valley, East Lake New Technology Development District, Wuhan, Hubei, 430205, China
| | - Jingliang Cui
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Novel Reactor and Green Chemical Technology, Hubei Engineering Research Center for Advanced Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, 206 1st Rd Optics Valley, East Lake New Technology Development District, Wuhan, Hubei, 430205, China
| | - Haiyan Chen
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Novel Reactor and Green Chemical Technology, Hubei Engineering Research Center for Advanced Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, 206 1st Rd Optics Valley, East Lake New Technology Development District, Wuhan, Hubei, 430205, China
| | - Bo Yu
- Tongji Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, 1095 Jiefang Ave, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Sihui Long
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Novel Reactor and Green Chemical Technology, Hubei Engineering Research Center for Advanced Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, 206 1st Rd Optics Valley, East Lake New Technology Development District, Wuhan, Hubei, 430205, China.
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12
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Yu X, Li D, Kottur J, Kim HS, Herring LE, Yu Y, Xie L, Hu X, Chen X, Cai L, Liu J, Aggarwal AK, Wang GG, Jin J. Discovery of Potent and Selective WDR5 Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras as Potential Therapeutics for Pancreatic Cancer. J Med Chem 2023; 66:16168-16186. [PMID: 38019706 PMCID: PMC10872723 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01521] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/01/2023]
Abstract
As a core chromatin-regulatory scaffolding protein, WDR5 mediates numerous protein-protein interactions (PPIs) with other partner oncoproteins. However, small-molecule inhibitors that block these PPIs exert limited cell-killing effects. Here, we report structure-activity relationship studies in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) cells that led to the discovery of several WDR5 proteolysis-targeting chimer (PROTAC) degraders, including 11 (MS132), a highly potent and selective von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)-recruiting WDR5 degrader, which displayed positive binding cooperativity between WDR5 and VHL, effectively inhibited proliferation in PDAC cells, and was bioavailable in mice and 25, a cereblon (CRBN)-recruiting WDR5 degrader, which selectively degraded WDR5 over the CRBN neo-substrate IKZF1. Furthermore, by conducting site-directed mutagenesis studies, we determined that WDR5 K296, but not K32, was involved in the PROTAC-induced WDR5 degradation. Collectively, these studies resulted in a highly effective WDR5 degrader, which could be a potential therapeutic for pancreatic cancer and several potentially useful tool compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xufen Yu
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
- Departments of Pharmacological Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Dongxu Li
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Jithesh Kottur
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
- Departments of Pharmacological Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Huen Suk Kim
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
- Departments of Pharmacological Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Laura E Herring
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Yao Yu
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710, United States
- Department of Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710, United States
| | - Ling Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Xiaoping Hu
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
- Departments of Pharmacological Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Xian Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Ling Cai
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710, United States
- Department of Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710, United States
| | - Jing Liu
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
- Departments of Pharmacological Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Aneel K Aggarwal
- Departments of Pharmacological Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Gang Greg Wang
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Duke Cancer Institute, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710, United States
- Department of Pathology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Cancer Biology, Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, North Carolina 27710, United States
| | - Jian Jin
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
- Departments of Pharmacological Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
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13
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Koide E, Mohardt ML, Doctor ZM, Yang A, Hao M, Donovan KA, Kuismi CC, Nelson AJ, Abell K, Aguiar M, Che J, Stokes MP, Zhang T, Aguirre AJ, Fischer ES, Gray NS, Jiang B, Nabet B. Development and Characterization of Selective FAK Inhibitors and PROTACs with In Vivo Activity. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300141. [PMID: 37088717 PMCID: PMC10590827 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is an attractive drug target due to its overexpression in cancer. FAK functions as a non-receptor tyrosine kinase and scaffolding protein, coordinating several downstream signaling effectors and cellular processes. While drug discovery efforts have largely focused on targeting FAK kinase activity, FAK inhibitors have failed to show efficacy as single agents in clinical trials. Here, using structure-guided design, we report the development of a selective FAK inhibitor (BSJ-04-175) and degrader (BSJ-04-146) to evaluate the consequences and advantages of abolishing all FAK activity in cancer models. BSJ-04-146 achieves rapid and potent FAK degradation with high proteome-wide specificity in cancer cells and induces durable degradation in mice. Compared to kinase inhibition, targeted degradation of FAK exhibits pronounced improved activity on downstream signaling and cancer cell viability and migration. Together, BSJ-04-175 and BSJ-04-146 are valuable chemical tools to dissect the specific consequences of targeting FAK through small-molecule inhibition or degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eriko Koide
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mikaela L. Mohardt
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zainab M. Doctor
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Annan Yang
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Mingfeng Hao
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Katherine A. Donovan
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Jianwei Che
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Tinghu Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Andrew J. Aguirre
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Cancer Program, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Eric S. Fischer
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nathanael S. Gray
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Baishan Jiang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Behnam Nabet
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
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14
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Kumarasamy V, Gao Z, Zhao B, Jiang B, Rubin SM, Burgess K, Witkiewicz AK, Knudsen ES. PROTAC-mediated CDK degradation differentially impacts cancer cell cycles due to heterogeneity in kinase dependencies. Br J Cancer 2023; 129:1238-1250. [PMID: 37626264 PMCID: PMC10575895 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02399-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/09/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) inhibition yields differential cellular responses in multiple tumor models due to redundancy in cell cycle. We investigate whether the differential requirements of CDKs in multiple cell lines function as determinant of response to pharmacological agents that target these kinases. METHODS We utilized proteolysis-targeted chimeras (PROTACs) that are conjugated with palbociclib (Palbo-PROTAC) to degrade both CDK4 and CDK6. FN-POM was synthesized by chemically conjugating pomalidomide moiety with a multi-kinase inhibitor, FN-1501. Patient derived PDAC organoids and PDX model were utilized to investigate the effect of FN-POM in combination with palbociclib. RESULTS Palbo-PROTAC mediates differential impact on cell cycle in different tumor models, indicating that the dependencies to CDK4 and 6 kinases are heterogenous. Cyclin E overexpression uncouples cell cycle from CDK4/6 and drives resistance to palbo-PROTAC. Elevated expression of P16INK4A antagonizes PROTAC-mediated degradation of CDK4 and 6. FN-POM degrades cyclin E and CDK2 and inhibits cell cycle progression in P16INK4A-high tumor models. Combination of palbociclib and FN-POM cooperatively inhibit tumor cell proliferation via RB activation. CONCLUSION Resistance to CDK4/6 inhibition could be overcome by pharmacologically limiting Cyclin E/CDK2 complex and proves to be a potential therapeutic approach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vishnu Kumarasamy
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Zhe Gao
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, Box 30012, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Bosheng Zhao
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, Box 30012, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Baishan Jiang
- Department of Radiation and Medical Oncology, Medical Research Institute, Frontier Science Center of Immunology and Metabolism, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Seth M Rubin
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
| | - Kevin Burgess
- Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, Box 30012, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Agnieszka K Witkiewicz
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Erik S Knudsen
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY, USA.
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15
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Alugubelli YR, Xiao J, Khatua K, Kumar S, Ma Y, Ma XR, Vulupala VR, Atla SR, Blankenship L, Coleman D, Neuman BW, Liu WR, Xu S. Discovery of First-in-Class PROTAC Degraders of SARS-CoV-2 Main Protease. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.09.29.560163. [PMID: 37808777 PMCID: PMC10557696 DOI: 10.1101/2023.09.29.560163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/10/2023]
Abstract
We have witnessed three coronavirus (CoV) outbreaks in the past two decades, including the COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2. Main protease (M Pro ) is a highly conserved and essential protease that plays key roles in viral replication and pathogenesis among various CoVs, representing one of the most attractive drug targets for antiviral drug development. Traditional antiviral drug development strategies focus on the pursuit of high-affinity binding inhibitors against M Pro . However, this approach often suffers from issues such as toxicity, drug resistance, and a lack of broad-spectrum efficacy. Targeted protein degradation represents a promising strategy for developing next-generation antiviral drugs to combat infectious diseases. Here we leverage the proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology to develop a new class of small-molecule antivirals that induce the degradation of SARS-CoV-2 M Pro . Our previously developed M Pro inhibitors MPI8 and MPI29 were used as M Pro ligands to conjugate a CRBN E3 ligand, leading to compounds that can both inhibit and degrade SARS-CoV-2 M Pro . Among them, MDP2 was demonstrated to effectively reduce M Pro protein levels in 293T cells (DC 50 = 296 nM), relying on a time-dependent, CRBN-mediated, and proteasome-driven mechanism. Furthermore, MPD2 exhibited remarkable efficacy in diminishing M Pro protein levels in SARS-CoV-2-infected A549-ACE2 cells, concurrently demonstrating potent anti-SARS-CoV-2 activity (EC 50 = 492 nM). This proof-of-concept study highlights the potential of PROTAC-mediated targeted protein degradation of M Pro as an innovative and promising approach for COVID-19 drug discovery.
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16
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Pu C, Liu Y, Deng R, Xu Q, Wang S, Zhang H, Luo D, Ma X, Tong Y, Li R. Development of PROTAC degrader probe of CDK4/6 based on DCAF16. Bioorg Chem 2023; 138:106637. [PMID: 37276679 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2023] [Revised: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 05/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Treatment of breast cancer has greatly evolved during the last decades, but triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) with a higher degree of malignancy cannot be directly and effectively treated. Abnormal cell cycle is generally found in human breast cancer and other malignant tumors, and cyclin-dependent kinases (CDK) 4/6, a cell cycle-related regulatory nuclear protein, is deemed as an effective target for breast cancer treatment so far. Since DCAF16 E3 ligase is also mainly distributed in the nucleus, in this study, by combining Palbociclib and DCAF16 E3 ligase ligand KB02 with different linkers, a series of DCAF16 based CDK4/6 degraders were designed and synthesized. Among them, compound A4 showed potent inhibitory activity against CDK4/6, and decreased the level of CDK4/6 protein in MDA-MB-231 cells in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Moreover, the toxicity of A4 in normal cells showed 7 times lower than that of Palbociclib, and A4 exhibits therapeutic potential in MDA-MB-231 xenograft models in vivo. These findings indicate that A4, as a novel CDK4/6 degrader based on DCAF16, is worthy of further investigating for the treatment of TNBC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunlan Pu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Medical Research Center, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031, China
| | - Yuanyuan Liu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China; Sichuan Center of Medical Product Technical Inspection, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Rui Deng
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Qingjia Xu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Shirui Wang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Hongjia Zhang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Dan Luo
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Xinyu Ma
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Yu Tong
- West China Second University Hospital, Sichuan University, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children Sichuan University, Ministry of Education, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, China.
| | - Rui Li
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China.
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17
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Anderson B, Rosston P, Ong HW, Hossain MA, Davis-Gilbert ZW, Drewry DH. How many kinases are druggable? A review of our current understanding. Biochem J 2023; 480:1331-1363. [PMID: 37642371 PMCID: PMC10586788 DOI: 10.1042/bcj20220217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/04/2023] [Revised: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/31/2023]
Abstract
There are over 500 human kinases ranging from very well-studied to almost completely ignored. Kinases are tractable and implicated in many diseases, making them ideal targets for medicinal chemistry campaigns, but is it possible to discover a drug for each individual kinase? For every human kinase, we gathered data on their citation count, availability of chemical probes, approved and investigational drugs, PDB structures, and biochemical and cellular assays. Analysis of these factors highlights which kinase groups have a wealth of information available, and which groups still have room for progress. The data suggest a disproportionate focus on the more well characterized kinases while much of the kinome remains comparatively understudied. It is noteworthy that tool compounds for understudied kinases have already been developed, and there is still untapped potential for further development in this chemical space. Finally, this review discusses many of the different strategies employed to generate selectivity between kinases. Given the large volume of information available and the progress made over the past 20 years when it comes to drugging kinases, we believe it is possible to develop a tool compound for every human kinase. We hope this review will prove to be both a useful resource as well as inspire the discovery of a tool for every kinase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brian Anderson
- Structural Genomics Consortium, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, U.S.A
| | - Peter Rosston
- Structural Genomics Consortium, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, U.S.A
- Department of Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, U.S.A
| | - Han Wee Ong
- Structural Genomics Consortium, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, U.S.A
| | - Mohammad Anwar Hossain
- Structural Genomics Consortium, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, U.S.A
| | - Zachary W. Davis-Gilbert
- Structural Genomics Consortium, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, U.S.A
| | - David H. Drewry
- Structural Genomics Consortium, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, U.S.A
- UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, U.S.A
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18
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Xie S, Zhu J, Li J, Zhan F, Yao H, Xu J, Xu S. Small-Molecule Hydrophobic Tagging: A Promising Strategy of Druglike Technology for Targeted Protein Degradation. J Med Chem 2023; 66:10917-10933. [PMID: 37535706 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00736] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/05/2023]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation (TPD) technologies have catalyzed a paradigm shift in therapeutic strategies and offer innovative avenues for drug design. Hydrophobic tags (HyTs) are bifunctional TPD molecules consisting of a ″lipophilic small-molecule tags″ group and a small-molecule ligand for the target protein. Despite the vast potential of HyTs, they have received relatively limited attention as a promising frontier. Leveraging their lower molecular weight and reduced numbers of hydrogen bond donors/acceptors (HBDs/HBAs) in comparison with proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), HyTs present a compelling approach for enhancing druglike properties. In this Perspective, we explore the diverse range of HyT structures and their corresponding degradation mechanisms, thereby illuminating their broad applicability in targeting a diverse array of proteins, including previously elusive targets. Moreover, we scrutinize the challenges and opportunities entailed in developing this technology as a viable and fruitful strategy for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaowen Xie
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Jingjie Zhu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Junda Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Feiyan Zhan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Hong Yao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Jinyi Xu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
| | - Shengtao Xu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211198, China
- Department of Hepatobiliary Surgery, The First People's Hospital of Kunshan, Suzhou 215300, China
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19
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Zhao C, Wang H, Zhan W, Lv X, Ma X. Exploitation of Proximity-Mediated Effects in Drug Discovery: An Update of Recent Research Highlights in Perturbing Pathogenic Proteins and Correlated Issues. J Med Chem 2023; 66:10122-10149. [PMID: 37489834 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
The utilization of proximity-mediated effects to perturb pathogenic proteins of interest (POIs) has emerged as a powerful strategic alternative to conventional drug design approaches based on target occupancy. Over the past three years, the burgeoning field of targeted protein degradation (TPD) has witnessed the expansion of degradable POIs to membrane-associated, extracellular, proteasome-resistant, and even microbial proteins. Beyond TPD, researchers have achieved the proximity-mediated targeted protein stabilization, the recruitment of intracellular immunophilins to disturb undruggable targets, and the nonphysiological post-translational modifications of POIs. All of these strides provide new avenues for innovative drug discovery aimed at battling human malignancies and other major diseases. This perspective presents recent research highlights and discusses correlated issues in developing therapeutic modalities that exploit proximity-mediated effects to modulate pathogenic proteins, thereby guiding future academic and industrial efforts in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Henian Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Wenhu Zhan
- iCarbonX (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - Xiaoqing Lv
- College of Medicine, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing 314001, China
| | - Xiaodong Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
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20
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Yang L, Tu W, Huang L, Miao B, Kaneshige A, Jiang W, Leng L, Wang M, Wen B, Sun D, Wang S. Discovery of SMD-3040 as a Potent and Selective SMARCA2 PROTAC Degrader with Strong in vivo Antitumor Activity. J Med Chem 2023; 66:10761-10781. [PMID: 37523716 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00953] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
SMARCA2 is an attractive synthetic lethality target for human cancers with SMARCA4 deficiency. Herein, we report the design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of selective SMARCA2 protein degraders developed using the proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology. Our efforts have led to the discovery of a series of potent and selective SMARCA2 degraders, exemplified by SMD-3040. SMD-3040 degrades SMARCA2 protein with a low nanomolar DC50 and Dmax > 90% and demonstrates an excellent degradation selectivity for SMARCA2 protein over SMARCA4 protein. It displays potent cell growth inhibitory activity in a panel of SMARCA4-deficient cancer cell lines and has much weaker activity in SMARCA4 wild-type cancer cell lines. SMD-3040 achieves strong tumor growth inhibition in two SMARCA4-deficient xenograft models at well-tolerated dose schedules. Further optimization of SMD-3040 may lead to the discovery of new therapies for the treatment of human cancers with SMARCA4 deficiency.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Yang
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Wenbin Tu
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Liyue Huang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Bukeyan Miao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Atsunori Kaneshige
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Wei Jiang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Lingying Leng
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Meilin Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Bo Wen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Duxin Sun
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Shaomeng Wang
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Rogel Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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21
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Lin R, Yang J, Liu T, Wang M, Ke C, Luo C, Lin J, Li J, Lin H. Discovery of HyT-Based Degraders of CDK9-Cyclin T1 Complex. Chem Biodivers 2023; 20:e202300769. [PMID: 37349855 DOI: 10.1002/cbdv.202300769] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/24/2023]
Abstract
Direct modulation of the non-kinase functions of cyclin and CDK-cyclin complexes poses challenges. We utilize hydrophobic tag (HyT) based small-molecule degraders induced degradation of cyclin T1 and its corresponding kinase partner CDK9. LL-CDK9-12 demonstrated the most potent and selective degradation ability, with DC50 values of 0.362 μM against CDK9 and 0.680 μM against cyclin T1. In prostate cancer cells, LL-CDK9-12 showed enhanced anti-proliferative activity than its parental molecule SNS032 and LL-K9-3, the previous reported CDK9-cyclin T1 degrader. Moreover, LL-CDK9-12 suppressed the downstream signaling of CDK9 and AR efficiently. Altogether, LL-CDK9-12 was an effective dual degrader of CDK9-cyclin T1 and helped study the unknown function of CDK9-cyclin T1. These results suggest that HyT-based degraders could be used as a strategy to induce the degradation of protein complexes, providing insights for the design of protein complexes' degraders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongkun Lin
- School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China
| | - Jie Yang
- Biomedical Research Center of South China, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350117, China
| | - Ting Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China
| | - Mingyu Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Chongrong Ke
- National and Local United Engineering Research Center of Industrial Microbiology and Fermentation Technology, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350117, Fujian, China
| | - Cheng Luo
- School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, 528437, China
- Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, China
| | - Jin Lin
- School of Pharmacy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, 350122, China
| | - Jiacheng Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Hua Lin
- Biomedical Research Center of South China, College of Life Sciences, Fujian Normal University, Fuzhou, 350117, China
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22
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Saleban M, Harris EL, Poulter JA. D-Type Cyclins in Development and Disease. Genes (Basel) 2023; 14:1445. [PMID: 37510349 PMCID: PMC10378862 DOI: 10.3390/genes14071445] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
D-type cyclins encode G1/S cell cycle checkpoint proteins, which play a crucial role in defining cell cycle exit and progression. Precise control of cell cycle exit is vital during embryonic development, with defects in the pathways regulating intracellular D-type cyclins resulting in abnormal initiation of stem cell differentiation in a variety of different organ systems. Furthermore, stabilisation of D-type cyclins is observed in a wide range of disorders characterized by cellular over-proliferation, including cancers and overgrowth disorders. In this review, we will summarize and compare the roles played by each D-type cyclin during development and provide examples of how their intracellular dysregulation can be an underlying cause of disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mostafa Saleban
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Leeds Institute of Medical Research, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - Erica L Harris
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Leeds Institute of Medical Research, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
| | - James A Poulter
- Division of Molecular Medicine, Leeds Institute of Medical Research, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, UK
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23
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Alli VJ, Yadav P, Suresh V, Jadav SS. Synthetic and Medicinal Chemistry Approaches Toward WEE1 Kinase Inhibitors and Its Degraders. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:20196-20233. [PMID: 37323408 PMCID: PMC10268025 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c01558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
WEE1 is a checkpoint kinase critical for mitotic events, especially in cell maturation and DNA repair. Most cancer cells' progression and survival are linked with elevated levels of WEE1 kinase. Thus, WEE1 kinase has become a new promising druggable target. A few classes of WEE1 inhibitors are designed by rationale or structure-based techniques and optimization approaches to identify selective acting anticancer agents. The discovery of the WEE1 inhibitor AZD1775 further emphasized WEE1 as a promising anticancer target. Therefore, the current review provides a comprehensive data on medicinal chemistry, synthetic approaches, optimization methods, and the interaction profile of WEE1 kinase inhibitors. In addition, WEE1 PROTAC degraders and their synthetic procedures, including a list of noncoding RNAs necessary for regulation of WEE1, are also highlighted. From the standpoint of medicinal chemistry, the contents of this compilation serve as an exemplar for the further design, synthesis, and optimization of promising WEE1-targeted anticancer agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vidya Jyothi Alli
- Department
of Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology Tarnaka, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500037, India
| | - Pawan Yadav
- Department
of Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology Tarnaka, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500037, India
| | - Vavilapalli Suresh
- Department
of Organic Synthesis and Process Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology Tarnaka, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500037, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Surender Singh Jadav
- Department
of Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology Tarnaka, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500037, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
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24
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Ma L, Li Y, Luo R, Wang Y, Cao J, Fu W, Qian B, Zheng L, Tang L, Lv X, Zheng L, Liang G, Chen L. Discovery of a Selective and Orally Bioavailable FGFR2 Degrader for Treating Gastric Cancer. J Med Chem 2023. [PMID: 37220310 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/25/2023]
Abstract
Abnormal activation of fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) results in the development and progression of human cancers. FGFR2 is frequently amplified or mutated in cancers; therefore, it is an attractive target for tumor therapy. Despite the development of several pan-FGFR inhibitors, their long-term therapeutic efficacy is hindered by acquired mutations and low isoform selectivity. Herein, we report the discovery of an efficient and selective FGFR2 proteolysis-targeting chimeric molecule, LC-MB12, that incorporates an essential rigid linker. LC-MB12 preferentially internalizes and degrades membrane-bound FGFR2 among the four FGFR isoforms; this may promote greater clinical benefits. LC-MB12 exhibits superior potency in FGFR signaling suppression and anti-proliferative activity compared to the parental inhibitor. Furthermore, LC-MB12 is orally bioavailable and shows significant antitumor effects in FGFR2-dependent gastric cancer in vivo. Taken together, LC-MB12 is a candidate FGFR2 degrader for alternative FGFR2-targeting strategies and offers a promising starting point for drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Ma
- Affiliated Yongkang First People's Hospital and School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310012 Zhejiang, China
| | - Yingying Li
- Affiliated Yongkang First People's Hospital and School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310012 Zhejiang, China
| | - Ruixiang Luo
- Affiliated Yongkang First People's Hospital and School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310012 Zhejiang, China
| | - Yuhan Wang
- Affiliated Yongkang First People's Hospital and School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310012 Zhejiang, China
| | - Jiaqi Cao
- Affiliated Yongkang First People's Hospital and School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310012 Zhejiang, China
| | - Weitao Fu
- Department of Computer-Aided Drug Design, Jiangsu Vcare PharmaTech Co. Ltd., Nanjing 211800, China
| | - Bolan Qian
- Affiliated Yongkang First People's Hospital and School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310012 Zhejiang, China
| | - Lei Zheng
- Affiliated Yongkang First People's Hospital and School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310012 Zhejiang, China
| | - Longguang Tang
- International Institutes of Medicine, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Zhejiang 322000, China
| | - Xinting Lv
- Affiliated Yongkang First People's Hospital and School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310012 Zhejiang, China
| | - Lulu Zheng
- Department of Pharmacy, Tongde Hospital of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310000, China
| | - Guang Liang
- Affiliated Yongkang First People's Hospital and School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310012 Zhejiang, China
| | - Lingfeng Chen
- Affiliated Yongkang First People's Hospital and School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310012 Zhejiang, China
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25
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Li Q, Zhou L, Qin S, Huang Z, Li B, Liu R, Yang M, Nice EC, Zhu H, Huang C. Proteolysis-targeting chimeras in biotherapeutics: Current trends and future applications. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 257:115447. [PMID: 37229829 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/12/2023] [Revised: 05/02/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
The success of inhibitor-based therapeutics is largely constrained by the acquisition of therapeutic resistance, which is partially driven by the undruggable proteome. The emergence of proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology, designed for degrading proteins involved in specific biological processes, might provide a novel framework for solving the above constraint. A heterobifunctional PROTAC molecule could structurally connect an E3 ubiquitin ligase ligand with a protein of interest (POI)-binding ligand by chemical linkers. Such technology would result in the degradation of the targeted protein via the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), opening up a novel way of selectively inhibiting undruggable proteins. Herein, we will highlight the advantages of PROTAC technology and summarize the current understanding of the potential mechanisms involved in biotherapeutics, with a particular focus on its application and development where therapeutic benefits over classical small-molecule inhibitors have been achieved. Finally, we discuss how this technology can contribute to developing biotherapeutic drugs, such as antivirals against infectious diseases, for use in clinical practices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Li
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, and West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, PR China
| | - Li Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Molecular Biology for Infectious Diseases (Ministry of Education), Institute for Viral Hepatitis, Department of Infectious Diseases, The Second Affiliated Hospital, Chongqing Medical University, Chongqing, 400016, PR China
| | - Siyuan Qin
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, and West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, PR China
| | - Zhao Huang
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, and West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, PR China
| | - Bowen Li
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, and West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, PR China
| | - Ruolan Liu
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, PR China
| | - Mei Yang
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, and West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, PR China
| | - Edouard C Nice
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC, Australia
| | - Huili Zhu
- Department of Reproductive Medicine, Key Laboratory of Birth Defects and Related Diseases of Women and Children of Ministry of Education, West China Second University Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, PR China.
| | - Canhua Huang
- West China School of Basic Medical Sciences and Forensic Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, and West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, PR China; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, PR China.
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26
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Mi D, Li Y, Gu H, Li Y, Chen Y. Current advances of small molecule E3 ligands for proteolysis-targeting chimeras design. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 256:115444. [PMID: 37178483 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) as an emerging drug discovery modality has been extensively concerned in recent years. Over 20 years development, accumulated studies have demonstrated that PROTACs show unique advantages over traditional therapy in operable target scope, efficacy, and overcoming drug resistance. However, only limited E3 ligases, the essential elements of PROTACs, have been harnessed for PROTACs design. The optimization of novel ligands for well-established E3 ligases and the employment of additional E3 ligases remain urgent challenges for investigators. Here, we systematically summarize the current status of E3 ligases and corresponding ligands for PROTACs design with a focus on their discovery history, design principles, application benefits, and potential defects. Meanwhile, the prospects and future directions for this field are briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dazhao Mi
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yuzhan Li
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Haijun Gu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yan Li
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yihua Chen
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
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27
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Gao X, Wu Y, Chick JM, Abbott A, Jiang B, Wang DJ, Comte-Walters S, Johnson RH, Oberholtzer N, Nishimura MI, Gygi SP, Mehta A, Guttridge DC, Ball L, Mehrotra S, Sicinski P, Yu XZ, Wang H. Targeting protein tyrosine phosphatases for CDK6-induced immunotherapy resistance. Cell Rep 2023; 42:112314. [PMID: 37000627 PMCID: PMC10544673 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.112314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2022] [Revised: 12/20/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2023] [Indexed: 04/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Elucidating the mechanisms of resistance to immunotherapy and developing strategies to improve its efficacy are challenging goals. Bioinformatics analysis demonstrates that high CDK6 expression in melanoma is associated with poor progression-free survival of patients receiving single-agent immunotherapy. Depletion of CDK6 or cyclin D3 (but not of CDK4, cyclin D1, or D2) in cells of the tumor microenvironment inhibits tumor growth. CDK6 depletion reshapes the tumor immune microenvironment, and the host anti-tumor effect depends on cyclin D3/CDK6-expressing CD8+ and CD4+ T cells. This occurs by CDK6 phosphorylating and increasing the activities of PTP1B and T cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TCPTP), which, in turn, decreases tyrosine phosphorylation of CD3ζ, reducing the signal transduction for T cell activation. Administration of a PTP1B and TCPTP inhibitor prove more efficacious than using a CDK6 degrader in enhancing T cell-mediated immunotherapy. Targeting protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs) might be an effective strategy for cancer patients who resist immunotherapy treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xueliang Gao
- Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.
| | - Yongxia Wu
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Joel M Chick
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Andrea Abbott
- Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Baishan Jiang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - David J Wang
- Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Susana Comte-Walters
- Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Roger H Johnson
- Department of Biophysics, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA; Cancer Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Nathaniel Oberholtzer
- Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | | | - Steven P Gygi
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Anand Mehta
- Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Denis C Guttridge
- Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Lauren Ball
- Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Shikhar Mehrotra
- Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Department of Surgery, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Piotr Sicinski
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Genetics, Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Xue-Zhong Yu
- Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA
| | - Haizhen Wang
- Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology & Experimental Therapeutics, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA; Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC 29425, USA.
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Zheng C, Wang C, Sun D, Wang H, Li B, Liu G, Liu Z, Zhang L, Xu P. Structure-activity relationship study of RSL3-based GPX4 degraders and its potential noncovalent optimization. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 255:115393. [PMID: 37098297 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115393] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2023] [Revised: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/27/2023]
Abstract
Ferroptosis is an iron-dependent, non-apoptotic form of cell death involving in various disease processes. Mechanistically, glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) which belongs to the redox enzyme can convert lipid hydroperoxides into innocuous lipid alcohol to protect cells from ferroptosis. Therefore, targeting manipulation of GPX4 may represent a promising strategy for regulating cell redox homeostasis and ferroptosis. In this work, we designed, synthesized and evaluated a series of RSL3-based GPX4 degraders using PROTAC strategy. The structure-activity relationship of these compounds with different E3 ligase ligands, linker lengths and chemical compositions was systematically studied. Compound R17 with carbon chain linker and lenalidomide E3 ligand was selected as the most potent GPX4 degrader for degrading GPX4 protein in nanomolar level either in wild tumor cells or in drug-resistant tumor cells. We also optimized the POI ligand of R17 with chloracetylamine replaced to propionamide to construct noncovalent GPX4 degrader NC-R17. Such noncovalent modification led to a moderate GPX4 degradation activity and represents a promising strategy for the development of noncovalent GPX4 PROTACs. In general, we screened a set of GPX4 degraders to give the compound R17 with excellent protein degradation activity, and further optimization gave the noncovalent degrader NC-R17 with moderate efficacy. These results lay a firm foundation for the discovery of novel anti-tumor drugs targeting GPX4 and offer the proof of concept for the design of noncovalent GPX4 PROTACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cangxin Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Chao Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
| | - Dan Sun
- Department of Geriatrics, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing, China
| | - Han Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Bingru Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Guoquan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Zhenming Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Liangren Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Ping Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural and Biomimetic Drugs, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, China.
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Tokarski RJ, Sharpe CM, Huntsman AC, Mize BK, Ayinde OR, Stahl EH, Lerma JR, Reed A, Carmichael B, Muthusamy N, Byrd JC, Fuchs JR. Bifunctional degraders of cyclin dependent kinase 9 (CDK9): Probing the relationship between linker length, properties, and selective protein degradation. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 254:115342. [PMID: 37071962 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115342] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2023] [Revised: 04/02/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/08/2023]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) is a promising therapeutic target in multiple cancer types, including acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Protein degraders, also known as proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs), have emerged as tools for the selective degradation of cancer targets, including CDK9, complementing the activity of traditional small-molecule inhibitors. These compounds typically incorporate previously reported inhibitors and a known E3 ligase ligand to induce ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of the target protein. Although many protein degraders have been reported in the literature, the properties of the linker necessary for efficient degradation still require special attention. In this study, a series of protein degraders was developed, employing the clinically tested CDK inhibitor AT7519. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect that linker composition, specifically chain length, would have on potency. In addition to establishing a baseline of activity for various linker compositions, two distinct homologous series, a fully alkyl series and an amide-containing series, were prepared, demonstrating the dependence of degrader potency in these series on linker length and the correlation with predicted physicochemical properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert J Tokarski
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States
| | - Chia M Sharpe
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, United States
| | - Andrew C Huntsman
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States
| | - Brittney K Mize
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States
| | - Oluwatosin R Ayinde
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States
| | - Emily H Stahl
- The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States
| | - James R Lerma
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, United States
| | - Andrew Reed
- CCIC Mass Spectrometry and Proteomics, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States
| | - Bridget Carmichael
- The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States
| | - Natarajan Muthusamy
- The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center, College of Medicine, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States
| | - John C Byrd
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, United States; University of Cincinnati Cancer Center, College of Medicine, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH, 45267, United States
| | - James R Fuchs
- Division of Medicinal Chemistry & Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, 43210, United States.
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30
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Chirnomas D, Hornberger KR, Crews CM. Protein degraders enter the clinic - a new approach to cancer therapy. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2023; 20:265-278. [PMID: 36781982 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-023-00736-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 91.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/25/2023] [Indexed: 02/15/2023]
Abstract
Heterobifunctional protein degraders, such as PROteolysis TArgeting Chimera (PROTAC) protein degraders, constitute a novel therapeutic modality that harnesses the cell's natural protein-degradation machinery - that is, the ubiquitin-proteasome system - to selectively target proteins involved in disease pathogenesis for elimination. Protein degraders have several potential advantages over small-molecule inhibitors that have traditionally been used for cancer treatment, including their event-driven (rather than occupancy-driven) pharmacology, which permits sub-stoichiometric drug concentrations for activity, their capacity to act iteratively and target multiple copies of a protein of interest, and their potential to target nonenzymatic proteins that were previously considered 'undruggable'. Following numerous innovations in protein degrader design and rigorous evaluation in preclinical models, protein degraders entered clinical testing in 2019. Currently, 18 protein degraders are in phase I or phase I/II clinical trials that involve patients with various tumour types, with a phase III trial of one initiated in 2022. The first safety, efficacy and pharmacokinetic data from these studies are now materializing and, although considerably more evidence is needed, protein degraders are showing promising activity as cancer therapies. Herein, we review advances in protein degrader development, the preclinical research that supported their entry into clinical studies, the available data for protein degraders in patients and future directions for this new class of drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Craig M Crews
- Department of Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
- Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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31
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Yang F, Luo Q, Wang Y, Liang H, Wang Y, Hou Z, Wan C, Wang Y, Liu Z, Ye Y, Zhu L, Wu J, Yin F, Li Z. Targeted Biomolecule Regulation Platform: A Split-and-Mix PROTAC Approach. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:7879-7887. [PMID: 37001133 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c12824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
The development of bifunction al molecules, which can enable targeted RNA degradation, targeted protein acetylation, or targeted protein degradation, remains a time-consuming process that requires tedious optimization. We propose a split-and-mix nanoplatform that serves as a self-adjustable platform capable of facile screening, programmable ligand ratios, self-optimized biomolecule spatial recognition, and multifunctional applications. Herein, we demonstrate the potential of our proposed nanoplatform by showcasing proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), namely, split-and-mix PROTAC (SM-PROTAC). We highlight the scope of our platform through the targeted disruption of intracellular therapeutic targets involving ERα, CDK4/6, AR, MEK1/2, BRD2/4, BCR-ABL, etc. These studies confirm the effectiveness and universality of the SM-PROTAC platform for proximity-induced applications. This platform is programmable, with significant potential applications to biomolecule regulation, including the fields of epigenetics, gene editing, and biomolecule modification regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenfang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Qinhong Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital (Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine), Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Yuechen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Huiting Liang
- Department of Pharmacy, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital (Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine), Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518118, China
| | - Yaqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zhanfeng Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518118, China
| | - Chuan Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yuena Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518118, China
| | - Zhihong Liu
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518118, China
| | - Yuxin Ye
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518118, China
| | - Lizhi Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital (Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine), Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Jianlong Wu
- Department of Pharmacy, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital (Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine), Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Feng Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518118, China
| | - Zigang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518118, China
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32
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Zhou Z, Zhou G, Zhou C, Fan Z, Cui R, Li Y, Li R, Gu Y, Li H, Ge Z, Cai X, Jiang B, Wang D, Zheng M, Xu T, Zhang S. Discovery of a Potent, Cooperative, and Selective SOS1 PROTAC ZZ151 with In Vivo Antitumor Efficacy in KRAS-Mutant Cancers. J Med Chem 2023; 66:4197-4214. [PMID: 36897932 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/11/2023]
Abstract
The linker moiety of a proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) molecule plays a critical role in modulating the degradation activity, target selectivity, and physico-chemical properties. However, the basics and underlying mechanisms of chemical modifications of the linker structure causing dramatic changes in the PROTAC degradation activity warrant further investigation. Herein, we report the design and characterization of a highly potent and selective SOS1 PROTAC ZZ151. After systematically modifying the linker length and composition, we observed that subtle modification of just one atom of the linker moiety of ZZ151 resulted in remarkable changes in the formation of the ternary complex and thus dramatically affected the degradation activities. ZZ151 quickly, specifically, and effectively induced SOS1 degradation; displayed potent antiproliferation activities against a broad panel of KRAS mutant-driven cancer cells; and showed superior anticancer activities in the KRASG12D- and G12V-mutant xenografts in mice. ZZ151 is a promising lead for developing new chemotherapies targeting KRAS mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zehui Zhou
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Guizhen Zhou
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Chuan Zhou
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Zisheng Fan
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Rongrong Cui
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yupeng Li
- Masonic Cancer Center & Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Rui Li
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yuejiao Gu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Huajie Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Zhiming Ge
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Xiaojia Cai
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Bing Jiang
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Dan Wang
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Mingyue Zheng
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Tianfeng Xu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Sulin Zhang
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zuchongzhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
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33
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Hope I, Endicott JA, Watt JE. Emerging approaches to CDK inhibitor development, a structural perspective. RSC Chem Biol 2023; 4:146-164. [PMID: 36794018 PMCID: PMC9906319 DOI: 10.1039/d2cb00201a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant activity of the cyclin-dependent kinase family is frequently noted in a number of diseases identifying them as potential targets for drug development. However, current CDK inhibitors lack specificity owing to the high sequence and structural conservation of the ATP binding cleft across family members, highlighting the necessity of finding novel modes of CDK inhibition. The wealth of structural information regarding CDK assemblies and inhibitor complexes derived from X-ray crystallographic studies has been recently complemented through the use of cryo-electron microscopy. These recent advances have provided insights into the functional roles and regulatory mechanisms of CDKs and their interaction partners. This review explores the conformational malleability of the CDK subunit, the importance of SLiM recognition sites in CDK complexes, the progress made in chemically induced CDK degradation and how these studies can contribute to CDK inhibitor design. Additionally, fragment-based drug discovery can be utilised to identify small molecules that bind to allosteric sites on the CDK surface employing interactions which mimic those of native protein-protein interactions. These recent structural advances in CDK inhibitor mechanisms and in chemical probes which do not occupy the orthosteric ATP binding site can provide important insights for targeted CDK therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ian Hope
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Paul O'Gorman Building, Framlington Place Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH UK
| | - Jane A Endicott
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Paul O'Gorman Building, Framlington Place Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH UK
| | - Jessica E Watt
- Translational and Clinical Research Institute, Faculty of Medical Sciences, Newcastle University, Paul O'Gorman Building, Framlington Place Newcastle upon Tyne NE2 4HH UK
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Ji W, Wang ES, Manz TD, Jiang J, Donovan KA, Abulaiti X, Fischer ES, Cantley LC, Zhang T, Gray NS. Development of potent and selective degraders of PI5P4Kγ. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 247:115027. [PMID: 36584631 PMCID: PMC10150581 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.115027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Revised: 12/05/2022] [Accepted: 12/13/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
Phosphatidylinositol 5-phosphate 4-kinases (PI5P4Ks), a family of three members in mammals (α, β and γ), have emerged as potential therapeutic targets due to their role in regulating many important cellular signaling pathways. In comparison to the PI5P4Kα and PI5P4Kβ, which usually have similar expression profiles across cancer cells, PI5P4Kγ exhibits distinct expression patterns, and pathological functions for PI5P4Kγ have been proposed in the context of cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. PI5P4Kγ has very low kinase activity and has been proposed to inhibit the PI4P5Ks through scaffolding function, providing a rationale for developing a selective PI5P4Kγ degrader. Here, we report the development and characterization of JWZ-1-80, a first-in-class PI5P4Kγ degrader. JWZ-1-80 potently degrades PI5P4Kγ via the ubiquitin-proteasome system and exhibits proteome-wide selectivity and is therefore a useful tool compound for further dissecting the biological functions of PI5P4Kγ.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenzhi Ji
- Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Eric S Wang
- Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA, USA
| | - Theresa D Manz
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jie Jiang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Katherine A Donovan
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xianmixinuer Abulaiti
- Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Eric S Fischer
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Lewis C Cantley
- Meyer Cancer Center, Weill Cornell Medicine and New York Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY, USA
| | - Tinghu Zhang
- Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
| | - Nathanael S Gray
- Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H, Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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35
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Li Z, Ma S, Zhang L, Zhang S, Ma Z, Du L, Li M. Targeted Protein Degradation Induced by HEMTACs Based on HSP90. J Med Chem 2023; 66:733-751. [PMID: 36574496 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01648] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation (TPD) strategies open up new avenues for therapeutics and provide powerful tools for biological inquiry. Herein, we present a brand-new approach, termed heat shock protein 90 (HSP90)-mediated targeting chimeras (HEMTACs), to induce intracellular protein degradation by bridging a target protein to HSP90 to drive the downregulation of proteins. We successfully showcase HEMTACs for cyclin-dependent kinase 4 and 6 (CDK4/6) by using a flexible linker to connect the targeting warhead of CDK4/6 with the HSP90 ligand. Overall, our study delivers a series of evidence that HEMTACs can serve as a valuable addition to TPD strategies, most prominently proteolysis-targeting chimera technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenzhen Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Siyue Ma
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Ling Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Shuxin Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Zhao Ma
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Lupei Du
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China
| | - Minyong Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong 250012, China.,Helmholtz International Lab, State Key Laboratory of Microbial Technology, Shandong University, Qingdao, Shandong 266237, China
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36
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Zhao HY, Xin M, Zhang SQ. Progress of small molecules for targeted protein degradation: PROTACs and other technologies. Drug Dev Res 2023; 84:337-394. [PMID: 36606428 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.22026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Recent years have witnessed the rapid development of targeted protein degradation (TPD), especially proteolysis targeting chimeras. These degraders have manifested many advantages over small molecule inhibitors. To date, a huge number of degraders have been excavated against over 70 disease-related targets. In particular, degraders against estrogen receptor and androgen receptor have crowded into phase II clinical trial. TPD technologies largely expand the scope of druggable targets, and provide powerful tools for addressing intractable problems that can not be tackled by traditional small molecule inhibitors. In this review, we mainly focus on the structures and biological activities of small molecule degraders as well as the elucidation of mechanisms of emerging TPD technologies. We also propose the challenges that exist in the TPD field at present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Yi Zhao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Minhang Xin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - San-Qi Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
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37
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Koroleva OA, Dutikova YV, Trubnikov AV, Zenov FA, Manasova EV, Shtil AA, Kurkin AV. PROTAC: targeted drug strategy. Principles and limitations. Russ Chem Bull 2022; 71:2310-2334. [PMID: 36569659 PMCID: PMC9762658 DOI: 10.1007/s11172-022-3659-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The PROTAC (PROteolysis TArgeting Chimera) technology is a method of targeting intracellular proteins previously considered undruggable. This technology utilizes the ubiquitin-proteasome system in cells to specifically degrade target proteins, thereby offering significant advantages over conventional small-molecule inhibitors of the enzymatic function. Preclinical and preliminary clinical trials of PROTAC-based compounds (degraders) are presented. The review considers the general principles of the design of degraders. Advances and challenges of the PROTAC technology are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- O. A. Koroleva
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Build. 3, 1 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Yu. V. Dutikova
- Patent & Law Firm “A. Zalesov and Partners”, Build. 9, 2 ul. Marshala Rybalko, 123060 Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - A. V. Trubnikov
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Build. 3, 1 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - F. A. Zenov
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Build. 3, 1 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - E. V. Manasova
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Build. 3, 1 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - A. A. Shtil
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Build. 3, 1 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russian Federation
- N. N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Build. 15, 24 Kashirskoe shosse, 115478 Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - A. V. Kurkin
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Build. 3, 1 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russian Federation
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Xiong Y, Zhong Y, Yim H, Yang X, Park KS, Xie L, Poulikakos PI, Han X, Xiong Y, Chen X, Liu J, Jin J. Bridged Proteolysis Targeting Chimera (PROTAC) Enables Degradation of Undruggable Targets. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:22622-22632. [PMID: 36448571 PMCID: PMC9772293 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c09255] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/05/2022]
Abstract
Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) are attractive therapeutic modalities for degrading disease-causing proteins. While many PROTACs have been developed for numerous protein targets, current small-molecule PROTAC approaches cannot target undruggable proteins that do not have small-molecule binders. Here, we present a novel PROTAC approach, termed bridged PROTAC, which utilizes a small-molecule binder of the target protein's binding partner to recruit the protein complex into close proximity with an E3 ubiquitin ligase to target undruggable proteins. Applying this bridged PROTAC strategy, we discovered MS28, the first-in-class degrader of cyclin D1, which lacks a small-molecule binder. MS28 effectively degrades cyclin D1, with faster degradation kinetics and superior degradation efficiency than CDK4/6, through recruiting the CDK4/6-cyclin D1 complex to the von Hippel-Lindau E3 ligase. MS28 also suppressed the proliferation of cancer cells more effectively than CDK4/6 inhibitors and degraders. Altogether, the bridged PROTAC strategy could provide a generalizable platform for targeting undruggable proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Xiong
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Yue Zhong
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Hyerin Yim
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Xiaobao Yang
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Kwang-Su Park
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Ling Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Poulikos I Poulikakos
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Xiaoran Han
- Cullgen Inc., San Diego, California 92130, United States
| | - Yue Xiong
- Cullgen Inc., San Diego, California 92130, United States
| | - Xian Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Jing Liu
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Jian Jin
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
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Multiplexed and reproducible high content screening of live and fixed cells using Dye Drop. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6918. [PMID: 36376301 PMCID: PMC9663587 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-34536-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2021] [Accepted: 10/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
High-throughput measurement of cells perturbed using libraries of small molecules, gene knockouts, or different microenvironmental factors is a key step in functional genomics and pre-clinical drug discovery. However, it remains difficult to perform accurate single-cell assays in 384-well plates, limiting many studies to well-average measurements (e.g., CellTiter-Glo®). Here we describe a public domain Dye Drop method that uses sequential density displacement and microscopy to perform multi-step assays on living cells. We use Dye Drop cell viability and DNA replication assays followed by immunofluorescence imaging to collect single-cell dose-response data for 67 investigational and clinical-grade small molecules in 58 breast cancer cell lines. By separating the cytostatic and cytotoxic effects of drugs computationally, we uncover unexpected relationships between the two. Dye Drop is rapid, reproducible, customizable, and compatible with manual or automated laboratory equipment. Dye Drop improves the tradeoff between data content and cost, enabling the collection of information-rich perturbagen-response datasets.
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40
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Liu J, Peng Y, Inuzuka H, Wei W. Targeting micro-environmental pathways by PROTACs as a therapeutic strategy. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:269-279. [PMID: 35798235 PMCID: PMC11000491 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.07.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Tumor microenvironment (TME) composes of multiple cell types and non-cellular components, which supports the proliferation, metastasis and immune surveillance evasion of tumor cells, as well as accounts for the resistance to therapies. Therefore, therapeutic strategies using small molecule inhibitors (SMIs) and antibodies to block potential targets in TME are practical for cancer treatment. Targeted protein degradation using PROteolysis-TArgeting Chimera (PROTAC) technic has several advantages over traditional SMIs and antibodies, including overcoming drug resistance. Thus many PROTACs are currently under development for cancer treatment. In this review, we summarize the recent progress of PROTAC development that target TME pathways and propose the potential direction of future PROTAC technique to advance as novel cancer treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Liu
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, United States
| | - Yunhua Peng
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, United States
| | - Hiroyuki Inuzuka
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, United States
| | - Wenyi Wei
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, United States.
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Du G, Jiang J, Henning NJ, Safaee N, Koide E, Nowak RP, Donovan KA, Yoon H, You I, Yue H, Eleuteri NA, He Z, Li Z, Huang HT, Che J, Nabet B, Zhang T, Fischer ES, Gray NS. Exploring the target scope of KEAP1 E3 ligase-based PROTACs. Cell Chem Biol 2022; 29:1470-1481.e31. [PMID: 36070758 PMCID: PMC9588736 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2022.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2021] [Revised: 06/14/2022] [Accepted: 08/15/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation (TPD) uses small molecules to recruit E3 ubiquitin ligases into the proximity of proteins of interest, inducing ubiquitination-dependent degradation. A major bottleneck in the TPD field is the lack of accessible E3 ligase ligands for developing degraders. To expand the E3 ligase toolbox, we sought to convert the Kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1) inhibitor KI696 into a recruitment handle for several targets. While we were able to generate KEAP1-recruiting degraders of BET family and murine focal adhesion kinase (FAK), we discovered that the target scope of KEAP1 was narrow, as targets easily degraded using a cereblon (CRBN)-recruiting degrader were refractory to KEAP1-mediated degradation. Linking the KEAP1-binding ligand to a CRBN-binding ligand resulted in a molecule that induced degradation of KEAP1 but not CRBN. In sum, we characterize tool compounds to explore KEAP1-mediated ubiquitination and delineate the challenges of exploiting new E3 ligases for generating bivalent degraders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangyan Du
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jie Jiang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nathaniel J Henning
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nozhat Safaee
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eriko Koide
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Radosław P Nowak
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Katherine A Donovan
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Hojong Yoon
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Inchul You
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Hong Yue
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicholas A Eleuteri
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhixiang He
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Zhengnian Li
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Hubert T Huang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jianwei Che
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Behnam Nabet
- Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Tinghu Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA
| | - Eric S Fischer
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Nathanael S Gray
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA.
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Lee J, Lee Y, Jung YM, Park JH, Yoo HS, Park J. Discovery of E3 Ligase Ligands for Target Protein Degradation. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27196515. [PMID: 36235052 PMCID: PMC9573645 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27196515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Target protein degradation has emerged as a promising strategy for the discovery of novel therapeutics during the last decade. Proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) harnesses a cellular ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis system for the efficient degradation of a protein of interest. PROTAC consists of a target protein ligand and an E3 ligase ligand so that it enables the target protein degradation owing to the induced proximity with ubiquitin ligases. Although a great number of PROTACs has been developed so far using previously reported ligands of proteins for their degradation, E3 ligase ligands have been mostly limited to either CRBN or VHL ligands. Those PROTACs showed their limitation due to the cell type specific expression of E3 ligases and recently reported resistance toward PROTACs with CRBN ligands or VHL ligands. To overcome these hurdles, the discovery of various E3 ligase ligands has been spotlighted to improve the current PROTAC technology. This review focuses on currently reported E3 ligase ligands and their application in the development of PROTACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaeseok Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
| | - Youngjun Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Young Mee Jung
- Department of Chemistry, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
- Kangwon Radiation Convergence Research Support Center, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
- Kangwon Institute of Inclusive Technology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
| | - Ju Hyun Park
- Kangwon Institute of Inclusive Technology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
| | - Hyuk Sang Yoo
- Kangwon Radiation Convergence Research Support Center, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
- Kangwon Institute of Inclusive Technology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
| | - Jongmin Park
- Department of Chemistry, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
- Kangwon Institute of Inclusive Technology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-33-250-8482
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Pu C, Wang S, Liu L, Feng Z, Zhang H, Gong Q, Sun Y, Guo Y, Li R. Current strategies for improving limitations of proteolysis targeting chimeras. CHINESE CHEM LETT 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.cclet.2022.107927] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
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Verano AL, You I, Donovan KA, Mageed N, Yue H, Nowak RP, Fischer ES, Wang ES, Gray NS. Redirecting the Neo-Substrate Specificity of Cereblon-Targeting PROTACs to Helios. ACS Chem Biol 2022; 17:2404-2410. [PMID: 36007246 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023]
Abstract
Immunomodulatory imide drugs (IMiDs), such as thalidomide and its analogues, are some of the most commonly utilized E3 ligase ligands for the development of proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs). While the canonical neo-substrates of IMiDs (i.e., Ikaros and Aiolos) are often considered to be unwanted targets of PROTACs, maintaining the degradation of these neo-substrates also provides the opportunity to synergistically degrade multiple proteins with a single compound. Here, we report the development of ALV-07-082-03, a CDK4/CDK6/Helios triple degrader that consists of palbociclib, an FDA-approved CDK4/6 inhibitor, conjugated to DKY709, a novel IMiD-based Helios degrader. Pharmacological codegradation of CDK4/6 and Helios resulted in potent suppression of downstream signaling and proliferation in cancer cells, as well as enhanced derepression of IL-2 secretion. Thus, not only do we demonstrate the possibility of rationally redirecting the neo-substrate specificity of PROTACs by incorporating alternative molecular glue molecules as E3 ligase ligands but our findings also suggest that cotargeting CDK4/6 and Helios may have synergistic effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa L Verano
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States.,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Inchul You
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, CHEM-H and SCI, Stanford Medical School, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Katherine A Donovan
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States.,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Nada Mageed
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Hong Yue
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States.,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Radosław P Nowak
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States.,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Eric S Fischer
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States.,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Eric S Wang
- Tumor Initiation and Maintenance Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California 92037, United States
| | - Nathanael S Gray
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, CHEM-H and SCI, Stanford Medical School, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
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Prospect of ULK1 modulators in targeting regulatory T cells. Bioorg Chem 2022; 129:106141. [PMID: 36137312 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.106141] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2022] [Revised: 08/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Regulatory T (Treg) cells play an instrumental role in coordinating immune homeostasis via potent inhibitory effects. Defects in Treg cells lead to autoimmunity, but an overwhelming proportion of Treg cells encourages cancer progression. Hence, targeting Treg cells has emerged as a promising approach for mitigating disease severity. Recent studies have revealed that kinases are a critical component for tuning the fate of Treg cells, but the entire network of Treg-modulating kinases is still unclear. Here, we propose that the autophagy-activating UNC-51-like kinase 1 (ULK1) is a candidate for Treg cell modulation. While accumulating evidence has highlighted the role of autophagy-related kinases in Treg cells, the ULK1-Treg cell axis is yet to be examined. In this review, we predicted the potential role of ULK1 in Treg cell modulation. Furthermore, we summarized current ULK1 activators and inhibitors that can be investigated as Treg-targeting strategies, which might have beneficial outcomes in autoimmunity and cancer.
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Baker SJ, Poulikakos PI, Irie HY, Parekh S, Reddy EP. CDK4: a master regulator of the cell cycle and its role in cancer. Genes Cancer 2022; 13:21-45. [PMID: 36051751 PMCID: PMC9426627 DOI: 10.18632/genesandcancer.221] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
The cell cycle is regulated in part by cyclins and their associated serine/threonine cyclin-dependent kinases, or CDKs. CDK4, in conjunction with the D-type cyclins, mediates progression through the G1 phase when the cell prepares to initiate DNA synthesis. Although Cdk4-null mutant mice are viable and cell proliferation is not significantly affected in vitro due to compensatory roles played by other CDKs, this gene plays a key role in mammalian development and cancer. This review discusses the role that CDK4 plays in cell cycle control, normal development and tumorigenesis as well as the current status and utility of approved small molecule CDK4/6 inhibitors that are currently being used as cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stacey J. Baker
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Levy Place, NY 10029, USA
| | - Poulikos I. Poulikakos
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Levy Place, NY 10029, USA
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Levy Place, NY 10029, USA
| | - Hanna Y. Irie
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Levy Place, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Levy Place, NY 10029, USA
| | - Samir Parekh
- Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Levy Place, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Levy Place, NY 10029, USA
| | - E. Premkumar Reddy
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Levy Place, NY 10029, USA
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, Levy Place, NY 10029, USA
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BMP6 Promotes the Secretion of 17 Beta-Estradiol and Progesterone in Goat Ovarian Granulosa Cells. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12162132. [PMID: 36009721 PMCID: PMC9404746 DOI: 10.3390/ani12162132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 08/15/2022] [Accepted: 08/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of BMP6 on the function of goat ovarian granulosa cells (GCs). The results showed that the exogenous addition of BMP6 did not affect the EdU-positive ratio of ovarian GCs and had no significant effect on the mRNA and protein expression levels of the proliferation-related gene PCNA (p > 0.05). Meanwhile, BMP6 had no significant effect on the cycle phase distribution of GCs but increased the mRNA expression of CDK4 (p < 0.05) and CCND1 (p < 0.01) and decreased the mRNA expression of CCNE1 (p < 0.01). Moreover, BMP6 had no significant effect on the apoptosis rate of GCs and did not affect the mRNA expression levels of apoptosis-related genes BAX, BCL2, and Caspase3 (p > 0.05). Importantly, BMP6 upregulated the secretion of 17 beta-estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P4) in ovarian GCs (p < 0.01). Further studies found that BMP6 inhibited the mRNA expression of 3β-HSD and steroid synthesis acute regulator (StAR) but significantly promoted the mRNA expression of the E2 synthesis rate-limiting enzyme CYP19A1 and the P4 synthesis rate-limiting enzyme CYP11A1 (p < 0.01). Taken together, these results showed that the exogenous addition of BMP6 did not affect the proliferation, cell cycle, and apoptosis of goat ovarian GCs but promoted the secretion of E2 and progesterone P4 in ovarian GCs by upregulating the mRNA expressions of CYP19A1 and CYP11A1.
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Chen S, Li L. Degradation strategy of cyclin D1 in cancer cells and the potential clinical application. Front Oncol 2022; 12:949688. [PMID: 36059670 PMCID: PMC9434365 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.949688] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/28/2022] [Indexed: 02/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclin D1 has been reported to be upregulated in several solid and hematologic tumors, promoting cancer progression. Thus, decreasing cyclin D1 by degradation could be a promising target strategy for cancer therapy. This mini review summarizes the roles of cyclin D1 in tumorigenesis and progression and its degradation strategies. Besides, we proposed an exploration of the degradation of cyclin D1 by FBX4, an F box protein belonging to the E3 ligase SKP-CUL-F-box (SCF) complex, which mediates substrate ubiquitination, as well as a postulate about the concrete combination mode of FBX4 and cyclin D1. Furthermore, we proposed a possible photodynamic therapy strategythat is based on the above concrete combination mode for treating superficial cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuyi Chen
- The Sixth Student Battalion, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
| | - Ling Li
- Department of Cell Biology, National Translational Science Center for Molecular Medicine, Fourth Military Medical University, Xi’an, China
- *Correspondence: Ling Li,
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49
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Cao C, He M, Wang L, He Y, Rao Y. Chemistries of bifunctional PROTAC degraders. Chem Soc Rev 2022; 51:7066-7114. [PMID: 35916511 DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00220e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) technology is a novel and promising therapeutic strategy using small molecules to induce ubiquitin-dependent degradation of proteins. It has received extensive attention from both academia and industry as it can potentially access previously inaccessible targets. However, the design and optimization of PROTACs present big challenges for researchers, and the general strategy for its development and optimization is a lot of trial and error based on experience. This review highlights the important advances in this rapidly growing field and critical limitations of the traditional trial-and-error approach to developing PROTACs by analyzing numerous representative examples of PROTACs development. We summarize and analyze the general principles and strategies for PROTACs design and optimization from the perspective of chemical structure design, and propose potential future pathways to facilitate the development of PROTACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaoguo Cao
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China. .,Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Ming He
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China.
| | - Liguo Wang
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China.
| | - Yuna He
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China.
| | - Yu Rao
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China.
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Meng F, Xu C, Park KS, Kaniskan HÜ, Wang GG, Jin J. Discovery of a First-in-Class Degrader for Nuclear Receptor Binding SET Domain Protein 2 (NSD2) and Ikaros/Aiolos. J Med Chem 2022; 65:10611-10625. [PMID: 35895319 PMCID: PMC9378504 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00807] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Overexpression of nuclear receptor binding SET domain protein 2 (NSD2) is frequent in multiple myeloma (MM). However, existing NSD2 inhibitors are largely ineffective in suppressing MM cell proliferation. Here, we report the discovery of a first-in-class NSD2 proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) degrader, 9 (MS159), and two structurally similar controls, 17 (MS159N1) and 18 (MS159N2), with diminished binding to the cereblon (CRBN) E3 ligase and NSD2, respectively. Compound 9, but not 17 and 18, effectively degraded NSD2 in a concentration-, time-, CRBN-, and proteasome-dependent manner. Compound 9 also effectively degraded CRBN neo-substrates IKZF1 and IKZF3, but not GSPT1. Importantly, compound 9 was much more effective in suppressing the growth in cancer cells than the parent NSD2 binder. Moreover, compound 9 was bioavailable in mice. Altogether, compound 9 and its two controls 17 and 18 are valuable chemical tools for exploring the roles of NSD2 in health and disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fanye Meng
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Chenxi Xu
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Kwang-Su Park
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - H Ümit Kaniskan
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Gang Greg Wang
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Jian Jin
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences and Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
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