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Azmi MB, Yu H, Sohail A, Asif U, Ahmed SDH, Qureshi SA, Abdalla M. In silico analysis to explore the therapeutic potential of propolis-derived small molecules as matriptase inhibitors to suppress breast cancer growth and metastasis. PLoS One 2025; 20:e0321687. [PMID: 40367141 PMCID: PMC12077683 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0321687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2024] [Accepted: 03/10/2025] [Indexed: 05/16/2025] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer is a major cause of death in women, and various drug therapies are used for its treatment. However, current therapies have many side effects and limitations. Propolis, a resinous product of bee hives, possesses a variety of biological activities, including anticancer and chemo-protective properties. The present study aimed to investigate the potential suitability of propolis-derived compounds to inhibit matriptase (MT-SP1), a potential protein target for breast cancer treatment, through comprehensive computational analysis. The MT-SP1 protein structure (PDB ID: 1EAX) was retrieved, energy-minimized, and validated. Five propolis-derived compounds with the highest binding energies to MT-SP1 were selected after virtual screening. Molecular docking of these selected ligands revealed binding energies ranging from -8.4 to -9.1 kcal/mol. Stable complex formation was validated by an additional 250 ns of molecular dynamics simulations. The HOMO-LUMO and DFT characteristics provided further evidence of the chemical reactivity and stability of these five ligands at the MT-SP1 active site. Screening of compounds for drug-likeness, pharmacokinetics (ADMET profiles), and toxicity identified two promising small molecules (PubChem IDs of ligands 72307 and 129827386) as potential drug candidates for inhibiting MT-SP1. However, experimental validation through in vitro or in vivo studies is necessary to confirm these computational findings and explore their therapeutic potential for breast cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Bilal Azmi
- Computational Biochemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Han Yu
- Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Jinan Children’s Hospital, Jinan, China
- Department of Computational Biology, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Arisha Sohail
- Computational Biochemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | - Uzma Asif
- Department of Biochemistry, Medicine Program, Batterjee Medical College, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Syed Danish Haseen Ahmed
- Computational Biochemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Biochemistry, Dow Medical College, Dow University of Health Sciences, Karachi, Pakistan
| | | | - Mohnad Abdalla
- Children’s Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, Jinan, China
- Jinan Children’s Hospital, Jinan, China
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Ye F, Yuan Z, Tang Y, Li J, Liu X, Sun X, Chen S, Ye X, Zeng Z, Zhang XK, Zhou H. Endocytic activation and exosomal secretion of matriptase stimulate the second wave of EGF signaling to promote skin and breast cancer invasion. Cell Rep 2024; 43:114002. [PMID: 38547126 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2024.114002] [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: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 10/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The dysfunction of matriptase, a membrane-anchored protease, is highly related to the progression of skin and breast cancers. Epidermal growth factor (EGF)-induced matriptase activation and cancer invasion are known but with obscure mechanisms. Here, we demonstrate a vesicular-trafficking-mediated interplay between matriptase and EGF signaling in cancer promotion. We found that EGF induces matriptase to undergo endocytosis together with the EGF receptor, followed by acid-induced activation in endosomes. Activated matriptase is then secreted extracellularly on exosomes to catalyze hepatocyte growth factor precursor (pro-HGF) cleavage, resulting in autocrine HGF/c-Met signaling. Matriptase-induced HGF/c-Met signaling represents the second signal wave of EGF, which promotes cancer cell scattering, migration, and invasion. These findings demonstrate a role of vesicular trafficking in efficient activation and secretion of membrane matriptase and a reciprocal regulation of matriptase and EGF signaling in cancer promotion, providing insights into the physiological functions of vesicular trafficking and the molecular pathological mechanisms of skin and breast cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fang Ye
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Zhikang Yuan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Ying Tang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Jiamei Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Xingxing Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Xuedi Sun
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Shuang Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Xiaohong Ye
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China; High Throughput Drug Screening Platform, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Zhiping Zeng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China; High Throughput Drug Screening Platform, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Xiao-Kun Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China; High Throughput Drug Screening Platform, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China
| | - Hu Zhou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Innovative Drug Target Research, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China; High Throughput Drug Screening Platform, Xiamen University, Xiamen, Fujian 361102, China.
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3
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Wu Q, Li S, Zhang X, Dong N. Type II Transmembrane Serine Proteases as Modulators in Adipose Tissue Phenotype and Function. Biomedicines 2023; 11:1794. [PMID: 37509434 PMCID: PMC10376093 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines11071794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2023] [Revised: 06/21/2023] [Accepted: 06/22/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Adipose tissue is a crucial organ in energy metabolism and thermoregulation. Adipose tissue phenotype is controlled by various signaling mechanisms under pathophysiological conditions. Type II transmembrane serine proteases (TTSPs) are a group of trypsin-like enzymes anchoring on the cell surface. These proteases act in diverse tissues to regulate physiological processes, such as food digestion, salt-water balance, iron metabolism, epithelial integrity, and auditory nerve development. More recently, several members of the TTSP family, namely, hepsin, matriptase-2, and corin, have been shown to play a role in regulating lipid metabolism, adipose tissue phenotype, and thermogenesis, via direct growth factor activation or indirect hormonal mechanisms. In mice, hepsin deficiency increases adipose browning and protects from high-fat diet-induced hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and obesity. Similarly, matriptase-2 deficiency increases fat lipolysis and reduces obesity and hepatic steatosis in high-fat diet-fed mice. In contrast, corin deficiency increases white adipose weights and cell sizes, suppresses adipocyte browning and thermogenic responses, and causes cold intolerance in mice. These findings highlight an important role of TTSPs in modifying cellular phenotype and function in adipose tissue. In this review, we provide a brief description about TTSPs and discuss recent findings regarding the role of hepsin, matriptase-2, and corin in regulating adipose tissue phenotype, energy metabolism, and thermogenic responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qingyu Wu
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Prevention, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Shuo Li
- Department of Cancer Biology, Lerner Research Institute, Cleveland Clinic, Cleveland, OH 44195, USA
| | - Xianrui Zhang
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Prevention, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
| | - Ningzheng Dong
- Cyrus Tang Hematology Center, Collaborative Innovation Center of Hematology, State Key Laboratory of Radiation Medicine and Prevention, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Thrombosis and Hemostasis, Jiangsu Institute of Hematology, Soochow University, Suzhou 215006, China
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Yamashita F, Kaieda T, Shimomura T, Kawaguchi M, Lin C, Johnson MD, Tanaka H, Kiwaki T, Fukushima T, Kataoka H. Role of the polycystic kidney disease domain in matriptase chaperone activity and localization of hepatocyte growth factor activator inhibitor‐1. FEBS J 2022; 289:3422-3439. [DOI: 10.1111/febs.16348] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/18/2021] [Revised: 12/16/2021] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Fumiki Yamashita
- Section of Oncopathology and Regenerative Biology Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki Japan
| | - Takashi Kaieda
- Section of Oncopathology and Regenerative Biology Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki Japan
- Chitose Laboratory Corp Kanagawa Japan
| | - Takeshi Shimomura
- Section of Oncopathology and Regenerative Biology Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki Japan
| | - Makiko Kawaguchi
- Section of Oncopathology and Regenerative Biology Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki Japan
| | - Chen‐Yong Lin
- Lambardi Comprehensive Cancer Center Georgetown University, School of Medicine Washington DC USA
| | - Michael D Johnson
- Lambardi Comprehensive Cancer Center Georgetown University, School of Medicine Washington DC USA
| | - Hiroyuki Tanaka
- Section of Oncopathology and Regenerative Biology Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki Japan
| | - Takumi Kiwaki
- Section of Oncopathology and Regenerative Biology Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki Japan
| | - Tsuyoshi Fukushima
- Section of Oncopathology and Regenerative Biology Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki Japan
| | - Hiroaki Kataoka
- Section of Oncopathology and Regenerative Biology Department of Pathology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Miyazaki Japan
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Barndt RB, Lee MJ, Huang N, Lu DD, Lee SC, Du PW, Chang CC, Tsai PFB, Huang YSK, Chang HM, Wang JK, Lai CH, Johnson MD, Lin CY. Targeted HAI-2 deletion causes excessive proteolysis with prolonged active prostasin and depletion of HAI-1 monomer in intestinal but not epidermal epithelial cells. Hum Mol Genet 2021; 30:1833-1850. [PMID: 34089062 PMCID: PMC8444455 DOI: 10.1093/hmg/ddab150] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2021] [Revised: 05/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/26/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Mutations of SPINT2, the gene encoding the integral membrane, Kunitz-type serine inhibitor HAI-2, primarily affect the intestine, while sparing many other HAI-2-expressing tissues, causing sodium loss in patients with syndromic congenital sodium diarrhea. The membrane-bound serine protease prostasin was previously identified as a HAI-2 target protease in intestinal tissues but not in the skin. In both tissues, the highly related inhibitor HAI-1 is, however, the default inhibitor for prostasin and the type 2 transmembrane serine protease matriptase. This cell-type selective functional linkage may contribute to the organ-selective damage associated with SPINT 2 mutations. To this end, the impact of HAI-2 deletion on matriptase and prostasin proteolysis was, here, compared using Caco-2 human colorectal adenocarcinoma cells and HaCaT human keratinocytes. Greatly enhanced prostasin proteolytic activity with a prolonged half-life and significant depletion of HAI-1 monomer were observed with HAI-2 loss in Caco-2 cells but not HaCaT cells. The constitutive, high level prostasin zymogen activation observed in Caco-2 cells, but not in HaCaT cells, also contributes to the excessive prostasin proteolytic activity caused by HAI-2 loss. HAI-2 deletion also caused increased matriptase zymogen activation, likely as an indirect result of increased prostasin proteolysis. This increase in activated matriptase, however, only had a negligible role in depletion of HAI-1 monomer. Our study suggests that the constitutive, high level of prostasin zymogen activation and the cell-type selective functional relationship between HAI-2 and prostasin renders Caco-2 cells more susceptible than HaCaT cells to the loss of HAI-2, causing a severe imbalance favoring prostasin proteolysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert B Barndt
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Oncology Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Mon-Juan Lee
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Oncology Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA
- Department of Bioscience Technology, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan 71101, Taiwan
- Department of Medical Science Industries, Chang Jung Christian University, Tainan 71101, Taiwan
| | - Nanxi Huang
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Oncology Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Dajun D Lu
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Oncology Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - See-Chi Lee
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Oncology Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Po-Wen Du
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Oncology Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA
- Department of Biochemistry National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan
| | - Chun-Chia Chang
- School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan
| | - Ping-Feng B Tsai
- School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan
| | - Yu-Siou K Huang
- School of Medicine, National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan
| | - Hao-Ming Chang
- Department of Surgery, Tri-Service General Hospital, Taipei 114, Taiwan
| | - Jehng-Kang Wang
- Department of Biochemistry National Defense Medical Center, Taipei 114, Taiwan
| | - Chih-Hsin Lai
- Department of Dentistry Renai Branch, Taipei City Hospital, Taipei 106, Taiwan
| | - Michael D Johnson
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Oncology Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA
| | - Chen-Yong Lin
- Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Oncology Georgetown University, Washington, DC 20057, USA
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