A method for the second-site screening of K-Ras in the presence of a covalently attached first-site ligand

Switching It up with New KRAS Inhibitors

Alongside significant recent advancements in drugging an historically notorious oncogene, scientists continue to uncover new ways to target KRAS. This viewpoint summarizes the newly reported discovery of a novel chemical template that features the ability to tailor inhibition to different activation states of nucleotide-bound KRAS from the same scaffold.

Drugging Challenging Cancer Targets Using Fragment-Based Methods

There are many highly validated cancer targets that are difficult or impossible to drug due to the absence of suitable pockets that can bind small molecules. Fragment-based methods have been shown to be a useful approach for identifying ligands to proteins that were previously thought to be undruggable. In this review, I will give an overview of fragment-based ligand discovery and provide examples from our own work on how fragment-based methods were used to discover high affinity ligands for challenging cancer drug targets.

A New Dawn for Targeted Cancer Therapy: Small Molecule Covalent Binding Inhibitor Targeting K-Ras (G12C)

K-Ras is a frequently mutated oncogene in human malignancies, and the development of inhibitors targeting various oncogenic K-Ras mutant proteins is a major challenge in targeted cancer therapy, especially K-Ras(G12C) is the most common mutant, which occurs in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), colorectal cancer (CRC) and other highly prevalent malignancies. In recent years, significant progress has been made in developing small molecule covalent inhibitors targeting K-Ras(G12C), thanks to the production of nucleophilic cysteine by the G12C mutant, breaking the "spell" that K-Ras protein cannot be used as a drug target. With the successful launch of sotorasib and adagrasib, the development of small molecule inhibitors targeting various K-Ras mutants has continued to gain momentum. In recent years, with the popularization of highly sensitive surface plasmon resonance (SPR) technology, fragment-based drug design strategies have shown great potential in the development of small molecule inhibitors targeting K-Ras(G12C), but with the increasing number of clinically reported acquired drug resistance, addressing inhibitor resistance has gradually become the focus of this field, indirectly indicating that such small molecule inhibitors still the potential for the development of these small molecule inhibitors are also indirectly indicated. This paper traces the development of small molecule covalent inhibitors targeting K-Ras(G12C), highlighting and analyzing the structural evolution and optimization process of each series of inhibitors and the previous inhibitor design methods and strategies, as well as their common problems and general solutions, in order to provide inspiration and help to the subsequent researchers.

From bench to bedside: current development and emerging trend of KRAS-targeted therapy

Kirsten rat sarcoma 2 viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) is the most frequently mutated oncogene in human cancers with mutations predominantly occurring in codon 12. These mutations disrupt the normal function of KRAS by interfering with GTP hydrolysis and nucleotide exchange activity, making it prone to the GTP-bound active state, thus leading to sustained activation of downstream pathways. Despite decades of research, there has been no progress in the KRAS drug discovery until the groundbreaking discovery of covalently targeting the KRASG12C mutation in 2013, which led to revolutionary changes in KRAS-targeted therapy. So far, two small molecule inhibitors sotorasib and adagrasib targeting KRASG12C have received accelerated approval for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) harboring KRASG12C mutations. In recent years, rapid progress has been achieved in the KRAS-targeted therapy field, especially the exploration of KRASG12C covalent inhibitors in other KRASG12C-positive malignancies, novel KRAS inhibitors beyond KRASG12C mutation or pan-KRAS inhibitors, and approaches to indirectly targeting KRAS. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview of the molecular and mutational characteristics of KRAS and summarize the development and current status of covalent inhibitors targeting the KRASG12C mutation. We also discuss emerging promising KRAS-targeted therapeutic strategies, with a focus on mutation-specific and direct pan-KRAS inhibitors and indirect KRAS inhibitors through targeting the RAS activation-associated proteins Src homology-2 domain-containing phosphatase 2 (SHP2) and son of sevenless homolog 1 (SOS1), and shed light on current challenges and opportunities for drug discovery in this field.

Recent advances in the development of inhibitors targeting KRAS-G12C and its related pathways

The RAS gene, also known as the mouse sarcoma virus, includes three genes (KRAS, HRAS, and NRAS) that are associated with human tumors. Among them, KRAS has the highest incidence of mutations in cancer, accounting for around 80% of cases. At the molecular level, the RAS gene plays a regulatory role in transcription and translation, while at the cellular level, it affects cell proliferation and migration, making it crucial for cancer development. In 2021, the FDA approved AMG510, the first direct inhibitor targeting the KRAS-G12C mutation, which has shown tumor regression, prolonged survival, and low off-target activity. However, with the increase of drug resistance, a single inhibitor is no longer sufficient to achieve the desired effect on tumors. Therefore, a large number of other highly efficient inhibitors are being developed at different stages. This article provides an overview of the mechanism of action targeting KRAS-G12C in the KRASGTP-KRASGDP cycle pathway, as well as the structure-activity relationship, structure optimization, and biological activity effects of inhibitors that target the upstream and downstream pathways, or combination therapy.

Robust Strategy for Hit-to-Lead Discovery: NMR for SAR

Establishing robust structure-activity relationships (SARs) is key to successful drug discovery campaigns, yet it often remains elusive due to screening and hit validation artifacts (false positives and false negatives), which frequently result in unproductive downstream expenditures of time and resources. To address this issue, we developed an integrative biophysics-driven strategy that expedites hit-to-lead discovery, mitigates false positives/negatives and common hit validation errors, and provides a robust approach to obtaining accurate binding and affinity measurements. The advantage of this method is that it vastly improves the clarity and reproducibility for affinity-driven SAR by monitoring and eliminating confounding factors. We demonstrate the ease at which high-quality micromolar binders can be generated from the initial millimolar fragment screening hits against an "undruggable" protein target, HRas.

Covalent fragment mapping of KRasG12C revealed novel chemotypes with in vivo potency

G12C mutant KRas is considered druggable by allele-specific covalent inhibitors due to the nucleophilic character of the oncogenic mutant cysteine at position 12. Discovery of these inhibitors requires the optimization of both covalent and noncovalent interactions. Here, we report covalent fragment screening of our electrophilic fragment library of diverse non-covalent scaffolds equipped with 40 different electrophilic functionalities to identify fragments as suitable starting points targeting Cys12. Screening the library against KRas^G12C using Ellman's free thiol assay, followed by protein NMR and cell viability assays, resulted in two potential inhibitor chemotypes. Characterization of these scaffolds in in vitro cellular- and in vivo xenograft models revealed them as promising starting points for covalent drug discovery programs.

Fesik S. Fragment Optimization of Reversible Binding to the Switch II Pocket on KRAS Leads to a Potent, In Vivo Active KRASG12C Inhibitor

Activating mutations in KRAS are the most frequent oncogenic alterations in cancer. The oncogenic hotspot position 12, located at the lip of the switch II pocket, offers a covalent attachment point for KRASG12C inhibitors. To date, KRASG12C inhibitors have been discovered by first covalently binding to the cysteine at position 12 and then optimizing pocket binding. We report on the discovery of the in vivo active KRASG12C inhibitor BI-0474 using a different approach, in which small molecules that bind reversibly to the switch II pocket were identified and then optimized for non-covalent binding using structure-based design. Finally, the Michael acceptor containing warhead was attached. Our approach offers not only an alternative approach to discovering KRASG12C inhibitors but also provides a starting point for the discovery of inhibitors against other oncogenic KRAS mutants.

Reactivity of Covalent Fragments and Their Role in Fragment Based Drug Discovery

Fragment based drug discovery has long been used for the identification of new ligands and interest in targeted covalent inhibitors has continued to grow in recent years, with high profile drugs such as osimertinib and sotorasib gaining FDA approval. It is therefore unsurprising that covalent fragment-based approaches have become popular and have recently led to the identification of novel targets and binding sites, as well as ligands for targets previously thought to be 'undruggable'. Understanding the properties of such covalent fragments is important, and characterizing and/or predicting reactivity can be highly useful. This review aims to discuss the requirements for an electrophilic fragment library and the importance of differing warhead reactivity. Successful case studies from the world of drug discovery are then be examined.

Fragment-based drug discovery-the importance of high-quality molecule libraries

Fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) is now established as a complementary approach to high-throughput screening (HTS). Contrary to HTS, where large libraries of drug-like molecules are screened, FBDD screens involve smaller and less complex molecules which, despite a low affinity to protein targets, display more 'atom-efficient' binding interactions than larger molecules. Fragment hits can, therefore, serve as a more efficient start point for subsequent optimisation, particularly for hard-to-drug targets. Since the number of possible molecules increases exponentially with molecular size, small fragment libraries allow for a proportionately greater coverage of their respective 'chemical space' compared with larger HTS libraries comprising larger molecules. However, good library design is essential to ensure optimal chemical and pharmacophore diversity, molecular complexity, and physicochemical characteristics. In this review, we describe our views on fragment library design, and on what constitutes a good fragment from a medicinal and computational chemistry perspective. We highlight emerging chemical and computational technologies in FBDD and discuss strategies for optimising fragment hits. The impact of novel FBDD approaches is already being felt, with the recent approval of the covalent KRASG12C inhibitor sotorasib highlighting the utility of FBDD against targets that were long considered undruggable.

Early-stage structure-based drug discovery for small GTPases by NMR spectroscopy

Small GTPase or Ras superfamily, including Ras, Rho, Rab, Ran and Arf, are fundamental in regulating a wide range of cellular processes such as growth, differentiation, migration and apoptosis. They share structural and functional similarities for binding guanine nucleotides and hydrolyzing GTP. Dysregulations of Ras proteins are involved in the pathophysiology of multiple human diseases, however there is still a stringent need for effective treatments targeting these proteins. For decades, small GTPases were recognized as 'undruggable' targets due to their complex regulatory mechanisms and lack of deep pockets for ligand binding. NMR has been critical in deciphering the structural and dynamic properties of the switch regions that are underpinning molecular switch functions of small GTPases, which pave the way for developing new effective inhibitors. The recent progress of drug or lead molecule development made for small GTPases profoundly delineated how modern NMR techniques reshape the field of drug discovery. In this review, we will summarize the progress of structural and dynamic studies of small GTPases, the NMR techniques developed for structure-based drug screening and their applications in early-stage drug discovery for small GTPases.

Conformational transformation of switch domains in GDP/K-Ras induced by G13 mutants: An investigation through Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics simulations and principal component analysis

Mutations in K-Ras are involved in a large number of all human cancers, thus, K-Ras is regarded as a promising target for anticancer drug design. Understanding the target roles of K-Ras is important for providing insights on the molecular mechanism underlying the conformational transformation of the switch domains in K-Ras due to mutations. In this study, multiple replica Gaussian accelerated molecular (MR-GaMD) simulations and principal component analysis (PCA) were applied to probe the effect of G13A, G13D and G13I mutations on conformational transformations of the switch domains in GDP-associated K-Ras. The results suggest that G13A, G13D and G13I enhance the structural flexibility of the switch domains, change the correlated motion modes of the switch domains and strengthen the total motion strength of K-Ras compared with the wild-type (WT) K-Ras. Free energy landscape analyses not only show that the switch domains of the GDP-bound inactive K-Ras mainly exist as a closed state but also indicate that mutations evidently alter the free energy profile of K-Ras and affect the conformational transformation of the switch domains between the closed and open states. Analyses of hydrophobic interaction contacts and hydrogen bonding interactions show that the mutations scarcely change the interaction network of GDP with K-Ras and only disturb the interaction of GDP with the switch (SW1). In summary, two newly introduced mutations, G13A and G13I, play similar adjustment roles in the conformational transformations of two switch domains to G13D and are possibly utilized to tune the activity of K-Ras and the binding of guanine nucleotide exchange factors.

NMR in integrated biophysical drug discovery for RAS: past, present, and future

Mutations in RAS oncogenes occur in ~ 30% of human cancers, with KRAS being the most frequently altered isoform. RAS proteins comprise a conserved GTPase domain and a C-terminal lipid-modified tail that is unique to each isoform. The GTPase domain is a 'switch' that regulates multiple signaling cascades that drive cell growth and proliferation when activated by binding GTP, and the signal is terminated by GTP hydrolysis. Oncogenic RAS mutations disrupt the GTPase cycle, leading to accumulation of the activated GTP-bound state and promoting proliferation. RAS is a key target in oncology, however it lacks classic druggable pockets and has been extremely challenging to target. RAS signaling has thus been targeted indirectly, by harnessing key downstream effectors as well as upstream regulators, or disrupting the proper membrane localization required for signaling, by inhibiting either lipid modification or 'carrier' proteins. As a small (20 kDa) protein with multiple conformers in dynamic equilibrium, RAS is an excellent candidate for NMR-driven characterization and screening for direct inhibitors. Several molecules have been discovered that bind RAS and stabilize shallow pockets through conformational selection, and recent compounds have achieved substantial improvements in affinity. NMR-derived insight into targeting the RAS-membrane interface has revealed a new strategy to enhance the potency of small molecules, while another approach has been development of peptidyl inhibitors that bind through large interfaces rather than deep pockets. Remarkable progress has been made with mutation-specific covalent inhibitors that target the thiol of a G12C mutant, and these are now in clinical trials. Here we review the history of RAS inhibitor development and highlight the utility of NMR and integrated biophysical approaches in RAS drug discovery.

Making NSCLC Crystal Clear: How Kinase Structures Revolutionized Lung Cancer Treatment

The parallel advances of different scientific fields provide a contemporary scenario where collaboration is not a differential, but actually a requirement. In this context, crystallography has had a major contribution on the medical sciences, providing a “face” for targets of diseases that previously were known solely by name or sequence. Worldwide, cancer still leads the number of annual deaths, with 9.6 million associated deaths, with a major contribution from lung cancer and its 1.7 million deaths. Since the relationship between cancer and kinases was unraveled, these proteins have been extensively explored and became associated with drugs that later attained blockbuster status. Crystallographic structures of kinases related to lung cancer and their developed and marketed drugs provided insight on their conformation in the absence or presence of small molecules. Notwithstanding, these structures were also of service once the initially highly successful drugs started to lose their effectiveness in the emergence of mutations. This review focuses on a subclassification of lung cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and major oncogenic driver mutations in kinases, and how crystallographic structures can be used, not only to provide awareness of the function and inhibition of these mutations, but also how these structures can be used in further computational studies aiming at addressing these novel mutations in the field of personalized medicine.

Targeting the Small GTPase Superfamily through Their Regulatory Proteins

The Ras superfamily of small GTPases are guanine-nucleotide-dependent switches essential for numerous cellular processes. Mutations or dysregulation of these proteins are associated with many diseases, but unsuccessful attempts to target the small GTPases directly have resulted in them being classed as "undruggable". The GTP-dependent signaling of these proteins is controlled by their regulators; guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), GTPase activating proteins (GAPs), and in the Rho and Rab subfamilies, guanine nucleotide dissociation inhibitors (GDIs). This review covers the recent small molecule and biologics strategies to target the small GTPases through their regulators. It seeks to critically re-evaluate recent chemical biology practice, such as the presence of PAINs motifs and the cell-based readout using compounds that are weakly potent or of unknown specificity. It highlights the vast scope of potential approaches for targeting the small GTPases in the future through their regulatory proteins.

Covalent fragment libraries in drug discovery

Targeted covalent inhibitors and chemical probes have become integral parts of drug discovery approaches. Given the advantages of fragment-based drug discovery, screening electrophilic fragments emerged as a promising alternative to discover and validate novel targets and to generate viable chemical starting points even for targets that are barely tractable. In this review, we present recent principles and considerations in the design of electrophilic fragment libraries from the selection of the appropriate covalent warhead through the design of the covalent fragment to the compilation of the library. We then summarize recent screening methodologies of covalent fragments against surrogate models, proteins, and the whole proteome, or living cells. Finally, we highlight recent drug discovery applications of covalent fragment libraries.

The current understanding of KRAS protein structure and dynamics

One of the most common drivers in human cancer is the mutant KRAS protein. Not so long ago KRAS was considered as an undruggable oncoprotein. After a long struggle, however, we finally see some light at the end of the tunnel as promising KRAS targeted therapies are in or approaching clinical trials. In recent years, together with the promising progress in RAS drug discovery, our understanding of KRAS has increased tremendously. This progress has been accompanied with a resurgence of publicly available KRAS structures, which were limited to nine structures less than ten years ago. Furthermore, the ever-increasing computational capacity has made biologically relevant timescales accessible, enabling molecular dynamics (MD) simulations to study the dynamics of KRAS protein in more detail at the atomistic level. In this minireview, my aim is to provide the reader an overview of the publicly available KRAS structural data, insights to conformational dynamics revealed by experiments and what we have learned from MD simulations. Also, I will discuss limitations of the current data and provide suggestions for future research related to KRAS, which would fill out the existing gaps in our knowledge and provide guidance in deciphering this enigmatic oncoprotein.

Molecular Basis for Allosteric Inhibition of GTP-Bound H-Ras Protein by a Small-Molecule Compound Carrying a Naphthalene Ring

The ras oncogene products (H-Ras, K-Ras, and N-Ras) have been regarded as some of the most promising targets for anticancer drug discovery because their activating mutations are frequently found in human cancers. Nonetheless, molecular targeted therapy for them is currently unavailable. Here, we report the discovery of a small-molecule compound carrying a naphthalene ring, named KBFM123, which binds to the GTP-bound form of H-Ras. The solution structure of its complex with the guanosine 5'-(β,γ-imide) triphosphate-bound form of H-RasT35S (H-RasT35S·GppNHp) indicates that the naphthalene ring of KBFM123 interacts directly with a hydrophobic pocket located between switch I and switch II and allosterically inhibits the effector interaction by inducing conformational changes in switch I and its flanking region in strand β2, which are directly involved in recognition of the effector molecules, including c-Raf-1. In particular, Asp38 of H-Ras, a crucial residue for the interaction with c-Raf-1 via the formation of a salt bridge with Arg89 of the Ras-binding domain (RBD) of c-Raf-1, shows a drastic conformational change: its side chain orients toward the opposite direction. Consistent with these results, KBFM123 exhibits an activity to inhibit, albeit weakly, the association of H-RasG12V·GppNHp with the c-Raf-1 RBD. The binding of the naphthalene ring to the hydrophobic pocket of H-RasT35S·GppNHp is further supported by nuclear magnetic resonance analyses showing that two other naphthalene-containing compounds with distinct structures also exhibit similar binding properties with KBFM123. These results indicate that the naphthalene ring could become a promising scaffold for the development of Ras inhibitors.

Efforts to Develop KRAS Inhibitors

The high prevalence of KRAS mutations in human cancers and the lack of effective treatments for patients ranks KRAS among the most highly sought-after targets for preclinical oncologists. Pharmaceutical companies and academic laboratories have tried for decades to identify small molecule inhibitors of oncogenic KRAS proteins, but little progress has been made and many have labeled KRAS undruggable. However, recent progress in in silico screening, fragment-based drug design, disulfide tethered screening, and some emerging themes in RAS biology have caused the field to reconsider previously held notions about targeting KRAS. This review will cover some of the historical efforts to identify RAS inhibitors, and some of the most promising efforts currently being pursued.

Allosteric Activation of GDP-Bound Ras Isoforms by Bisphenol Derivative Plasticisers

The protein family of small GTPases controls cellular processes by acting as a binary switch between an active and an inactive state. The most prominent family members are H-Ras, N-Ras, and K-Ras isoforms, which are highly related and frequently mutated in cancer. Bisphenols are widespread in modern life because of their industrial application as plasticisers. Bisphenol A (BPA) is the best-known member and has gained significant scientific as well as public attention as an endocrine disrupting chemical, a fact that eventually led to its replacement. However, compounds used to replace BPA still contain the molecular scaffold of bisphenols. BPA, BPAF, BPB, BPE, BPF, and an amine-substituted BPAF-derivate all interact with all GDP-bound Ras-Isoforms through binding to a common site on these proteins. NMR-, SOS^cat-, and GDI- assay-based data revealed a new bisphenol-induced, allosterically activated GDP-bound Ras conformation that define these plasticisers as Ras allosteric agonists.

eRepo-ORP: Exploring the Opportunity Space to Combat Orphan Diseases with Existing Drugs

About 7000 rare, or orphan, diseases affect more than 350 million people worldwide. Although these conditions collectively pose significant health care problems, drug companies seldom develop drugs for orphan diseases due to extremely limited individual markets. Consequently, developing new treatments for often life-threatening orphan diseases is primarily contingent on financial incentives from governments, special research grants, and private philanthropy. Computer-aided drug repositioning is a cheaper and faster alternative to traditional drug discovery offering a promising venue for orphan drug research. Here, we present eRepo-ORP, a comprehensive resource constructed by a large-scale repositioning of existing drugs to orphan diseases with a collection of structural bioinformatics tools, including eThread, eFindSite, and eMatchSite. Specifically, a systematic exploration of 320,856 possible links between known drugs in DrugBank and orphan proteins obtained from Orphanet reveals as many as 18,145 candidates for repurposing. In order to illustrate how potential therapeutics for rare diseases can be identified with eRepo-ORP, we discuss the repositioning of a kinase inhibitor for Ras-associated autoimmune leukoproliferative disease. The eRepo-ORP data set is available through the Open Science Framework at https://osf.io/qdjup/.

Uncoupling conformational states from activity in an allosteric enzyme

ATP-phosphoribosyltransferase (ATP-PRT) is a hexameric enzyme in conformational equilibrium between an open and seemingly active state and a closed and presumably inhibited form. The structure-function relationship of allosteric regulation in this system is still not fully understood. Here, we develop a screening strategy for modulators of ATP-PRT and identify 3-(2-thienyl)-l-alanine (TIH) as an allosteric activator of this enzyme. Kinetic analysis reveals co-occupancy of the allosteric sites by TIH and l-histidine. Crystallographic and native ion-mobility mass spectrometry data show that the TIH-bound activated form of the enzyme closely resembles the inhibited l-histidine-bound closed conformation, revealing the uncoupling between ATP-PRT open and closed conformations and its functional state. These findings suggest that dynamic processes are responsible for ATP-PRT allosteric regulation and that similar mechanisms might also be found in other enzymes bearing a ferredoxin-like allosteric domain.

Active and inactive state ATP-phosphoribosyltransferases (ATP-PRTs) are believed to have different conformations. Here the authors show that in both states, ATP-PRT has a similar structural arrangement, suggesting that dynamic alterations are involved in ATP-PRT regulation by allosteric modulators.

Multivalent Small-Molecule Pan-RAS Inhibitors

Design of small molecules that disrupt protein-protein interactions, including the interaction of RAS proteins and their effectors, may provide chemical probes and therapeutic agents. We describe here the synthesis and testing of potential small-molecule pan-RAS ligands, which were designed to interact with adjacent sites on the surface of oncogenic KRAS. One compound, termed 3144, was found to bind to RAS proteins using microscale thermophoresis, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and isothermal titration calorimetry and to exhibit lethality in cells partially dependent on expression of RAS proteins. This compound was metabolically stable in liver microsomes and displayed anti-tumor activity in xenograft mouse cancer models. These findings suggest that pan-RAS inhibition may be an effective therapeutic strategy for some cancers and that structure-based design of small molecules targeting multiple adjacent sites to create multivalent inhibitors may be effective for some proteins.

Drugging Ras GTPase: a comprehensive mechanistic and signaling structural view

Ras proteins are small GTPases, cycling between inactive GDP-bound and active GTP-bound states. Through these switches they regulate signaling that controls cell growth and proliferation. Activating Ras mutations are associated with approximately 30% of human cancers, which are frequently resistant to standard therapies. Over the past few years, structural biology and in silico drug design, coupled with improved screening technology, led to a handful of promising inhibitors, raising the possibility of drugging Ras proteins. At the same time, the invariable emergence of drug resistance argues for the critical importance of additionally honing in on signaling pathways which are likely to be involved. Here we overview current advances in Ras structural knowledge, including the conformational dynamic of full-length Ras in solution and at the membrane, therapeutic inhibition of Ras activity by targeting its active site, allosteric sites, and Ras-effector protein-protein interfaces, Ras dimers, the K-Ras4B/calmodulin/PI3Kα trimer, and targeting Ras with siRNA. To mitigate drug resistance, we propose signaling pathways that can be co-targeted along with Ras and explain why. These include pathways leading to the expression (or activation) of YAP1 and c-Myc. We postulate that these and Ras signaling pathways, MAPK/ERK and PI3K/Akt/mTOR, act independently and in corresponding ways in cell cycle control. The structural data are instrumental in the discovery and development of Ras inhibitors for treating RAS-driven cancers. Together with the signaling blueprints through which drug resistance can evolve, this review provides a comprehensive and innovative master plan for tackling mutant Ras proteins.

Genetics and biology of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Ying et al. review pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) genetics and biology, particularly altered cancer cell metabolism, the complexity of immune regulation in the tumor microenvironment, and impaired DNA repair processes.

With 5-year survival rates remaining constant at 6% and rising incidences associated with an epidemic in obesity and metabolic syndrome, pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is on track to become the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths by 2030. The high mortality rate of PDAC stems primarily from the lack of early diagnosis and ineffective treatment for advanced tumors. During the past decade, the comprehensive atlas of genomic alterations, the prominence of specific pathways, the preclinical validation of such emerging targets, sophisticated preclinical model systems, and the molecular classification of PDAC into specific disease subtypes have all converged to illuminate drug discovery programs with clearer clinical path hypotheses. A deeper understanding of cancer cell biology, particularly altered cancer cell metabolism and impaired DNA repair processes, is providing novel therapeutic strategies that show strong preclinical activity. Elucidation of tumor biology principles, most notably a deeper understanding of the complexity of immune regulation in the tumor microenvironment, has provided an exciting framework to reawaken the immune system to attack PDAC cancer cells. While the long road of translation lies ahead, the path to meaningful clinical progress has never been clearer to improve PDAC patient survival.

The Bisphenol A analogue Bisphenol S binds to K-Ras4B--implications for 'BPA-free' plastics

K-Ras4B is a small GTPase that belongs to the Ras superfamily of guanine nucleotide-binding proteins. GTPases function as molecular switches in cells and are key players in intracellular signalling. Ras has been identified as an oncogene and is mutated in more than 20% of human cancers. Here, we report that Bisphenol S binds into a binding pocket of K-Ras4B previously identified for various low molecular weight compounds. Our results advocate for more comprehensive safety studies on the toxicity of Bisphenol S, as it is frequently used for Bisphenol A-free food containers.

Ras Conformational Ensembles, Allostery, and Signaling

Ras proteins are classical members of small GTPases that function as molecular switches by alternating between inactive GDP-bound and active GTP-bound states. Ras activation is regulated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors that catalyze the exchange of GDP by GTP, and inactivation is terminated by GTPase-activating proteins that accelerate the intrinsic GTP hydrolysis rate by orders of magnitude. In this review, we focus on data that have accumulated over the past few years pertaining to the conformational ensembles and the allosteric regulation of Ras proteins and their interpretation from our conformational landscape standpoint. The Ras ensemble embodies all states, including the ligand-bound conformations, the activated (or inactivated) allosteric modulated states, post-translationally modified states, mutational states, transition states, and nonfunctional states serving as a reservoir for emerging functions. The ensemble is shifted by distinct mutational events, cofactors, post-translational modifications, and different membrane compositions. A better understanding of Ras biology can contribute to therapeutic strategies.

Binding hotspots on K-ras: consensus ligand binding sites and other reactive regions from probe-based molecular dynamics analysis

We have used probe-based molecular dynamics (pMD) simulations to search for interaction hotspots on the surface of the therapeutically highly relevant oncogenic K-Ras G12D. Combining the probe-based query with an ensemble-based pocket identification scheme and an analysis of existing Ras-ligand complexes, we show that (i) pMD is a robust and cost-effective strategy for binding site identification, (ii) all four of the previously reported ligand binding sites are suitable for structure-based ligand design, and (iii) in some cases probe binding and expanded sampling of configurational space enable pocket expansion and increase the likelihood of site identification. Furthermore, by comparing the distribution of hotspots in nonpocket-like regions with known protein- and membrane-interacting interfaces, we propose that pMD has the potential to predict surface patches responsible for protein-biomolecule interactions. These observations have important implications for future drug design efforts and will facilitate the search for potential interfaces responsible for the proposed transient oligomerization or interaction of Ras with other biomolecules in the cellular milieu.