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Xu C. CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout strategies for enhancing immunotherapy in breast cancer. NAUNYN-SCHMIEDEBERG'S ARCHIVES OF PHARMACOLOGY 2024:10.1007/s00210-024-03208-2. [PMID: 38907847 DOI: 10.1007/s00210-024-03208-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
Breast cancer, a prevalent disease with significant mortality rates, often presents treatment challenges due to its complex genetic makeup. This review explores the potential of combining Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein 9 (Cas9) gene knockout strategies with immunotherapeutic approaches to enhance breast cancer treatment. The CRISPR/Cas9 system, renowned for its precision in inducing genetic alterations, can target and eliminate specific cancer cells, thereby minimizing off-target effects. Concurrently, immunotherapy, which leverages the immune system's power to combat cancer, has shown promise in treating breast cancer. By integrating these two strategies, we can potentially augment the effectiveness of immunotherapies by knocking out genes that enable cancer cells to evade the immune system. However, safety considerations, such as off-target effects and immune responses, necessitate careful evaluation. Current research endeavors aim to optimize these strategies and ascertain the most effective methods to stimulate the immune response. This review provides novel insights into the integration of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout strategies and immunotherapy, a promising avenue that could revolutionize breast cancer treatment as our understanding of the immune system's interplay with cancer deepens.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenchen Xu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Changzhou Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital, Changzhou Medical Center, Nanjing Medical University, Changzhou, 213000, China.
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2
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Zamani MR, Hadzima M, Blažková K, Šubr V, Ormsby T, Celis-Gutierrez J, Malissen B, Kostka L, Etrych T, Šácha P, Konvalinka J. Polymer-based antibody mimetics (iBodies) target human PD-L1 and function as a potent immune checkpoint blocker. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:107325. [PMID: 38685532 PMCID: PMC11154707 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.107325] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) using monoclonal antibodies against programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) or programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) is the treatment of choice for cancer immunotherapy. However, low tissue permeability, immunogenicity, immune-related adverse effects, and high cost could be possibly improved using alternative approaches. On the other hand, synthetic low-molecular-weight (LMW) PD-1/PD-L1 blockers have failed to progress beyond in vitro studies, mostly due to low binding affinity or poor pharmacological characteristics resulting from their limited solubility and/or stability. Here, we report the development of polymer-based anti-human PD-L1 antibody mimetics (α-hPD-L1 iBodies) by attaching the macrocyclic peptide WL12 to a N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide copolymer. We characterized the binding properties of iBodies using surface plasmon resonance, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, flow cytometry, confocal microscopy, and a cellular ICB model. We found that the α-hPD-L1 iBodies specifically target human PD-L1 (hPD-L1) and block the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction in vitro, comparable to the atezolizumab, durvalumab, and avelumab licensed monoclonal antibodies targeting PD-L1. Our findings suggest that iBodies can be used as experimental tools to target hPD-L1 and could serve as a platform to potentiate the therapeutic effect of hPD-L1-targeting small molecules by improving their affinity and pharmacokinetic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Reza Zamani
- Faculty of Science, Department of Cell Biology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic; Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Martin Hadzima
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, Department of Organic Chemistry, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Kristýna Blažková
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Vladimír Šubr
- Department of Biomedical polymers, Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tereza Ormsby
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Javier Celis-Gutierrez
- Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM, CNRS, Marseille, France
| | - Bernard Malissen
- Centre d'Immunologie de Marseille-Luminy, Aix-Marseille Université, INSERM, CNRS, Marseille, France
| | - Libor Kostka
- Department of Biomedical polymers, Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Tomáš Etrych
- Department of Biomedical polymers, Institute of Macromolecular Chemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Pavel Šácha
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic.
| | - Jan Konvalinka
- Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic; Faculty of Science, Department of Biochemistry, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.
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3
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Xu C, Sun Z, Zhang X, Zang Q, Yang Z, Li L, Yang X, He Y, Ma Z, Chen J. Discovery of 4-phenyl-1H-indazole derivatives as novel small-molecule inhibitors targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction. Bioorg Chem 2024; 147:107376. [PMID: 38640722 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107376] [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: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 03/30/2024] [Accepted: 04/14/2024] [Indexed: 04/21/2024]
Abstract
The inhibition of the programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathway with small molecules is a promising approach for cancer immunotherapy. Herein, novel small molecules compounds bearing various scaffolds including thiophene, thiazole, tetrahydroquinoline, benzimidazole and indazole were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their inhibitory activity against the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction. Among them, compound Z13 exhibited the most potent activity with IC50 of 189.6 nM in the homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence (HTRF) binding assay. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) assay demonstrated that Z13 bound to PD-L1 with high affinity (KD values of 231 nM and 311 nM for hPD-L1 and mPD-L1, respectively). In the HepG2/Jurkat T co-culture cell model, Z13 decreased the viability rate of HepG2 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. In addition, Z13 showed significant in vivo antitumor efficacy (TGI = 52.6 % at 40 mg/kg) without obvious toxicity in the B16-F10 melanoma model. Furthermore, flow cytometry analysis demonstrated that Z13 inhibited tumor growth in vivo by activating the tumor immune microenvironment. These findings indicate that Z13 is a promising PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor deserving further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chenglong Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Zhiqiang Sun
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Xuewen Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Qinru Zang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Zichao Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Ling Li
- The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat sen University, Shenzhen 518033, China
| | - Xixiang Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yueyu He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Zeli Ma
- Department of Stomatology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Jianjun Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
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4
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Yang Z, Liu Z, Xu C, Xu J, Liu T, He H, Li L, Ren Y, Chen J. Discovery of novel resorcinol biphenyl ether-based macrocyclic small molecules as PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors with favorable pharmacokinetics for cancer immunotherapy. Bioorg Chem 2023; 139:106740. [PMID: 37478546 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106740] [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: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 07/08/2023] [Accepted: 07/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
Programmed death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed death protein ligand 1 (PD-L1) is one of the most promising immune checkpoints (ICs) in tumor immunology and has been actively pursued as a target for anticancer drug discovery. Based on our previous research in small molecule PD-1/PD-L1 modulators, we designed and synthesized a series of resorcinol biphenyl ether-bearing macrocyclic compounds and evaluated their anti-PD-1/PD-L1 activities. Among them, compound 8d exhibited the highest inhibitory activity against PD-1/PD-L1 interaction with IC50 of 259.7 nM in the homogenous time-resolved fluorescence (HTRF) assay. In addition, 8d displayed in vitro immunomodulatory effects by promoting HepG2 cell death in a HepG2/Jurkat cell co-culture model. Furthermore, 8d effectively inhibited tumor growth (TGI = 74.6% at 40 mg/kg) in a melanoma tumor model in mice without causing obvious toxicity. Moreover, 8d exhibited favorable pharmacokinetics [e.g. high stability, reasonable half-life, and good oral bioavailability (F = 21.5%)]. Finally, molecular modeling studies showed that 8d bound to PD-L1 with high affinity. These results suggest that 8d may serve as a starting point for further development of macrocyclic small molecule-based PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zichao Yang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Ziqing Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Chenglong Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Jianwei Xu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Ting Liu
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Haiqi He
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Ling Li
- The Eighth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat sen University, Shenzhen 518033, China
| | - Yichang Ren
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Jianjun Chen
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, NMPA Key Laboratory for Research and Evaluation of Drug Metabolism, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
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5
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Ding Z, Wang S, Shi Y, Fei X, Cheng B, Lu Y, Chen J. Discovery of Novel d-(+)-Biotin-Conjugated Resorcinol Dibenzyl Ether-Based PD-L1 Inhibitors for Targeted Cancer Immunotherapy. J Med Chem 2023; 66:10364-10380. [PMID: 37480153 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00479] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
In this work, we rationally designed, synthesized, and evaluated a series of novel d-(+)-biotin-conjugated PD-L1 inhibitors for targeted cancer therapy. Among them, SWS1 exhibited the highest anti-PD-1/PD-L1 activity with an IC50 of 1.8 nM. In addition, SWS1 dose-dependently promoted tumor cell death in a HepG2/Jurkat cell co-culture model. Importantly, SWS1 displayed high antitumor efficacy in a B16-F10 mouse model with tumor growth inhibition of 66.1%, which was better than that of P18 (44.3%). Furthermore, SWS1 exerted antitumor effects by increasing the number of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and reducing the expression of PD-L1 in tumor tissues. Moreover, tissue distribution studies revealed a substantial accumulation of SWS1 in tumors (404.1 ng/mL). Lastly, the safety profiles of SWS1 were better (e.g., less immune-mediated colitis) than those of P18, indicating the advantages of biotin-enabled tumor targeting capability. Taken together, our results suggest that these novel tumor-targeted PD-L1 inhibitors are worthy of further investigation as potential anticancer agents for targeted cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zongbao Ding
- Department of Bioengineering, Zhuhai Campus of Zunyi Medical University, Zhuhai 519041, P. R. China
| | - Shuanghu Wang
- The Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, The People's Hospital of Lishui, Lishui, Zhejiang 323000, China
| | - Yaru Shi
- The Laboratory of Clinical Pharmacy, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, The People's Hospital of Lishui, Lishui, Zhejiang 323000, China
| | - Xiaoting Fei
- School of Medicine, Hubei Polytechnic University, Hubei Key Laboratory for Kidney Disease Pathogenesis and Intervention, Huangshi 435003, China
| | - Binbin Cheng
- School of Medicine, Hubei Polytechnic University, Hubei Key Laboratory for Kidney Disease Pathogenesis and Intervention, Huangshi 435003, China
| | - Yiyu Lu
- Oncology Department, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, School of Medicine, South China University of Technology, Foshan 528200, China
| | - Jianjun Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
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6
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Bianconi E, Riccio A, Ruta L, Bigiotti C, Carotti A, Moretti S, Cerra B, Gioiello A, Ferlin S, Puxeddu E, Macchiarulo A. Turning a Tumor Microenvironment Pitfall into Opportunity: Discovery of Benzamidoxime as PD-L1 Ligand with pH-Dependent Potency. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065535. [PMID: 36982608 PMCID: PMC10054428 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065535] [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: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023] Open
Abstract
PD-1/PD-L1 protein complex is attracting a great deal of interest as a drug target for the design of immune therapies able to block its assembly. Although some biologic drugs have entered clinical use, their poor response rate in patients are demanding further efforts to design small molecule inhibitors of PD-1/PD-L1 complex with higher efficacy and optimal physicochemical properties. Dysregulation of pH in the tumor microenvironment is indeed one of the key mechanisms promoting drug resistance and lack of response in cancer therapy. Integrating computational and biophysical approaches, herein we report a screening campaign that has led to identifying VIS310 as a novel ligand of PD-L1, with physicochemical properties enabling a pH-dependent binding potency. Additional optimization efforts by analogue-based screening have been instrumental to disclosing VIS1201, which exhibits improved binding potency against PD-L1 and is able to inhibit PD-1/PD-L1 complex formation in a ligand binding displacement assay. While providing preliminary structure–activity relationships (SARs) of a novel class of PD-L1 ligands, our results lay the foundation for the discovery of immunoregulatory small molecules resilient to tumor microenvironmental conditions for escaping drug-resistance mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Bianconi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del liceo n.1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Alessandra Riccio
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del liceo n.1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Luana Ruta
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del liceo n.1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Carlo Bigiotti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del liceo n.1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Andrea Carotti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del liceo n.1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Sonia Moretti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le L. Severi, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Bruno Cerra
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del liceo n.1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Antimo Gioiello
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del liceo n.1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Simone Ferlin
- Sterling S.p.A., Via della Carboneria n.30, 06073 Corciano, Italy
| | - Efisio Puxeddu
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le L. Severi, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Antonio Macchiarulo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del liceo n.1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-075-5855131
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7
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Jiao L, Dong Q, Zhai W, Zhao W, Shi P, Wu Y, Zhou X, Gao Y. A PD-L1 and VEGFR2 dual targeted peptide and its combination with irradiation for cancer immunotherapy. Pharmacol Res 2022; 182:106343. [DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2022] [Revised: 06/03/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
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Mittal L, Tonk RK, Awasthi A, Asthana S. Targeting cryptic-orthosteric site of PD-L1 for inhibitor identification using structure-guided approach. Arch Biochem Biophys 2021; 713:109059. [PMID: 34673001 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2021.109059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Approved mAbs that block the protein-protein interaction (PPI) interface of the PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint axis have led to significant improvements in cancer treatment. Despite having drawbacks of mAbs only few a compounds are reported till date against this axis. Inhibiting PPIs using small molecules has emerged as a significant therapeutic opportunity, demanding for the identification of drug-like molecules at an accelerated pace under the hit-to-lead campaigns. Due to the PD-L1's cross-talk with PD-1/CD80 and its overexpression on cancer cells, as well as the availability of its crystal structures with small molecules, it is an enticing therapeutic target for structure-assisted small molecule design. Furthermore, the selection of chemical databases enriched with focused designing for PPI interfaces is crucial. Therefore, in this study we have utilized the Asinex signature library for structure-assisted virtual screening to find the potential PD-L1 inhibitors by targeting the cryptic PD-L1 interface, followed by induced fit docking for pose refinements in the pocket. The obtained hits were then subjected to interaction fingerprinting and ligand-based drug-likeness investigations in order to evaluate and analyze their drug-like qualities (ADME). Twelve compounds qualified for molecular dynamics simulations, followed by thermodynamic calculations for evaluation of their stability and energetics inside the pocket. Two novel compounds with different chemical moieties have been identified that are consistent throughout the simulation, mimicking the interactions and binding energies with BMS-1166. These compounds appear as potential therapeutic candidates to be explored experimentally, thereby paving the way for the development of novel leads as immunomodulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lovika Mittal
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, Haryana, India; Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University (DPSRU), New Delhi, India
| | - Rajiv K Tonk
- Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University (DPSRU), New Delhi, India
| | - Amit Awasthi
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Shailendra Asthana
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, Haryana, India.
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9
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Xiao Y, Chen P, Luo C, Xu Z, Li X, Liu L, Zhao L. Discovery of a novel anti PD-L1 X TIGIT bispecific antibody for the treatment of solid tumors. Cancer Treat Res Commun 2021; 29:100467. [PMID: 34598062 DOI: 10.1016/j.ctarc.2021.100467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2021] [Revised: 09/21/2021] [Accepted: 09/22/2021] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
The emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), mainly based on PD-1/PD-L1 blockade has revolutionized the therapeutic landscape of cancer. Despite the huge clinical success ICIs have achieved, about 70% of patients still showed de novo and adaptive resistance. Exploring novel and complementary immune checkpoint molecules in addition to PD-1/PD-L1 is in great urgency. T cell immunoglobulin and ITIM domain (TIGIT) is a co-inhibitory molecule containing an immunoreceptor tyrosine-based inhibition motif (ITIM) within its cytoplasmic tail, and is highly expressed on regulatory T cells and activated CD4+ T, CD8+ T, and NK cells. We generated a novel single chain Fab heterodimeric bispecific IgG antibody format targeting PD-L1 and TIGIT with one binding site for each target antigen. The bispecifc antibody BiAb-1 is based on "knob-into-hole" technology for heavy chain heterodimerization with a glycine serine linker connecting the 3' end of Cκand the 5' end of VH to prevent wrong pairing of light chains. BiAb-1 was produced with high expression yields and show simultaneous binding to PD-L1 and TIGIT with high affinity. Importantly, cytokine production was enhanced by BiAb-1 from staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) stimulated PBMCs. BiAb-1 also demonstrated potent anti-tumor efficacy in multiple tumor models and superior activity to PD-1/PD-L1 blockade molecules. In conclusion, we have applied rational antibody engineering technology to develop a monovalent heterodimeric bispecifc antibody, which combines the blockade of both PD-1/PD-L1 and TIGIT/CD155 pathways simultaneously and results in superior anti-tumor efficacy in multiple tumor models over existing anti PD-1/PD-L1 molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Xiao
- Nanjing Sanhome Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Nanjing 221116, China.
| | - Peiran Chen
- Nanjing Sanhome Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Nanjing 221116, China; China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Cheng Luo
- Nanjing Sanhome Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Nanjing 221116, China
| | - Ziyang Xu
- Nanjing Sanhome Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Nanjing 221116, China; Nanjing University, Nanjing 210046, China
| | - Xue Li
- Nanjing Sanhome Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Nanjing 221116, China
| | - Liqiong Liu
- Nanjing Sanhome Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Nanjing 221116, China
| | - Liwen Zhao
- Nanjing Sanhome Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Nanjing 221116, China
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10
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Repositioning Azelnidipine as a Dual Inhibitor Targeting CD47/SIRPα and TIGIT/PVR Pathways for Cancer Immuno-Therapy. Biomolecules 2021; 11:biom11050706. [PMID: 34068552 PMCID: PMC8150775 DOI: 10.3390/biom11050706] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2021] [Revised: 05/03/2021] [Accepted: 05/07/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Strategies boosting both innate and adaptive immunity have great application prospects in cancer immunotherapy. Antibodies dual blocking the innate checkpoint CD47 and adaptive checkpoint PD-L1 or TIGIT could achieve durable anti-tumor effects. However, a small molecule dual blockade of CD47/SIRPα and TIGIT/PVR pathways has not been investigated. Here, an elevated expression of CD47 and PVR was observed in tumor tissues and cell lines analyzed with the GEO datasets and by flow cytometry, respectively. Compounds approved by the FDA were screened with the software MOE by docking to the potential binding pockets of SIRPα and PVR identified with the corresponding structural analysis. The candidate compounds were screened by blocking and MST binding assays. Azelnidipine was found to dual block CD47/SIRPα and TIGIT/PVR pathways by co-targeting SIRPα and PVR. In vitro, azelnidipine could enhance the macrophage phagocytosis when co-cultured with tumor cells. In vivo, azelnidipine alone or combined with irradiation could significantly inhibit the growth of MC38 tumors. Azelnidipine also significantly inhibits the growth of CT26 tumors, by enhancing the infiltration and function of CD8+ T cell in tumor and systematic immune response in the tumor-draining lymph node and spleen in a CD8+ T cell dependent manner. Our research suggests that the anti-hypertensive drug azelnidipine could be repositioned for cancer immunotherapy.
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Liu C, Seeram NP, Ma H. Small molecule inhibitors against PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoints and current methodologies for their development: a review. Cancer Cell Int 2021; 21:239. [PMID: 33906641 PMCID: PMC8077906 DOI: 10.1186/s12935-021-01946-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2021] [Accepted: 04/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Programmed death-1/programmed death ligand-1 (PD-1/PD-L1) based immunotherapy is a revolutionary cancer therapy with great clinical success. The majority of clinically used PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors are monoclonal antibodies but their applications are limited due to their poor oral bioavailability and immune-related adverse effects (irAEs). In contrast, several small molecule inhibitors against PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoints show promising blockage effects on PD-1/PD-L1 interactions without irAEs. However, proper analytical methods and bioassays are required to effectively screen small molecule derived PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors. Herein, we summarize the biophysical and biochemical assays currently employed for the measurements of binding capacities, molecular interactions, and blocking effects of small molecule inhibitors on PD-1/PD-L1. In addition, the discovery of natural products based PD-1/PD-L1 antagonists utilizing these screening assays are reviewed. Potential pitfalls for obtaining false leading compounds as PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors by using certain binding bioassays are also discussed in this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chang Liu
- Bioactive Botanical Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Avedisian Hall Lab 440, 7 Greenhouse Road, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA.
| | - Navindra P Seeram
- Bioactive Botanical Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Avedisian Hall Lab 440, 7 Greenhouse Road, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA
| | - Hang Ma
- Bioactive Botanical Research Laboratory, Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Rhode Island, Avedisian Hall Lab 440, 7 Greenhouse Road, Kingston, RI, 02881, USA.
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12
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Zhai W, Zhou X, Zhai M, Li W, Ran Y, Sun Y, Du J, Zhao W, Xing L, Qi Y, Gao Y. Blocking of the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction by a novel cyclic peptide inhibitor for cancer immunotherapy. SCIENCE CHINA. LIFE SCIENCES 2021; 64:548-562. [PMID: 32737851 DOI: 10.1007/s11427-020-1740-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2020] [Accepted: 05/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The interaction of PD-1/PD-L1 allows tumor cells to escape from immune surveillance. Clinical success of the antibody drugs has proven that blockade of PD-1/PD-L1 pathway is a promising strategy for cancer immunotherapy. Here, we developed a cyclic peptide C8 by using Ph.D.-C7C phage display technology. C8 showed high binding affinity with hPD-1 and could effectively interfere the interaction of PD-1/PD-L1. Furthermore, C8 could stimulate CD8+ T cell activation in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). We also observed that C8 could suppress tumor growth in CT26 and B16-OVA, as well as anti-PD-1 antibody resistant B16 mouse model. CD8 T cells infiltration significantly increased in tumor microenvironment, and IFN-γ secretion by CD8+ T cells in draining lymph nodes also increased. Simultaneously, we exploited T cells depletion models and confirmed that C8 exerted anti-tumor effects via activating CD8+ T cells dependent manner. The interaction model of C8 with hPD-1 was simulated and confirmed by alanine scanning. In conclusion, C8 shows anti-tumor capability by blockade of PD-1/PD-L1 interaction, and C8 may provide an alternative candidate for cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenjie Zhai
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Xiuman Zhou
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Mingxia Zhai
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Wanqiong Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Yunhui Ran
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Yixuan Sun
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Jiangfeng Du
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Wenshan Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Lingxiao Xing
- Department of Pathology, Hebei Medical University, Shijiazhuang, 050017, China
| | - Yuanming Qi
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
| | - Yanfeng Gao
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China.
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
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13
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Synthesis and pharmacological evaluation of novel resorcinol biphenyl ether analogs as small molecule inhibitors of PD-1/PD-L1 with benign toxicity profiles for cancer treatment. Biochem Pharmacol 2021; 188:114522. [PMID: 33741334 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2021] [Revised: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Programmed death protein 1 (PD-1)/programmed death protein ligand 1 (PD-L1) pathway is one of the most actively pursued targets in cancer immunotherapy. In a continuation of our research interest in this pathway, we synthesized and evaluated the pharmacological activities of a series of resorcinol biphenyl ether analogs as small molecule PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitors for cancer treatment. Among the 27 newly synthesized compounds, CH1 was found to have the highest inhibitory effect against PD-1/PDL-1 with an IC50 value of 56.58 nM in the HTRF (homogenous time-resolved fluorescence) assay. In addition, CH1 dose-dependently promoted HepG2 cell death in a co-culture model of HepG2/hPD-L1 and Jurkat T cells. Furthermore, molecular modeling study indicated that CH1 binds with high affinity to the binding interface of PD-L1. Moreover, CH1 effectively inhibited tumor growth (TGI of 76.4% at 90 mg/kg) in an immune checkpoint humanized mouse model with no obvious toxicity. Finally, CH1 did not cause in vivo cardiotoxicity and bone marrow suppression (myelosuppression) to BALB/c mice. Taken together, these results suggest that CH1 deserves further investigation as a potent and safe PD-1/PDL-1 inhibitor for cancer treatment.
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14
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Computer-aided design of PVR mutants with enhanced binding affinity to TIGIT. Cell Commun Signal 2021; 19:12. [PMID: 33557880 PMCID: PMC7869511 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-020-00701-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2020] [Accepted: 12/26/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background TIGIT, as a novel immune checkpoint molecule involved in T cell and NK cell anergy, could induce the immune tolerance and escape through binding with its ligand PVR. Blockade of TIGIT/PVR is considered as a promising strategy in cancer immunotherapy. However, to facilitate the design of inhibitors targeting TIGIT/PVR, the structural characteristics and binding mechanism still need to be further studied. Methods In this study, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and in silico mutagenesis were used to analyze the interaction between TIGIT and its ligand PVR. Then, PVR mutants were designed and their activities were determined by using TIGIT overexpressed Jurkat cells. Results The results suggested that the loops of PVR (CC′ loop, C′C″ loop, and FG loop) underwent a large intra-molecular rearrangement, and more hydrogen bond crosslinking between PVR and TIGIT were formed during MD simulations. The potential residues for PVR to interact with TIGIT were identified and utilized to predict high affinity PVR mutants. Through the biological activity evaluation, four PVR mutants (PVRS72W, PVRS72R, PVRG131V and PVRS132Q) with enhanced affinity to TIGIT were discovered, which could elicit more potent inhibitory effects compared with the wild type PVR. Conclusions The MD simulations analysis provided new insights into the TIGIT/PVR interaction model, and the identified PVR mutants (PVRS72W, PVRS72R, PVRG131V and PVRS132Q) could serve as new candidates for immunotherapy to block TIGIT/PVR. Video Abstract
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15
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Cheng B, Wang W, Niu X, Ren Y, Liu T, Cao H, Wang S, Tu Y, Chen J, Liu S, Yang X, Chen J. Discovery of Novel and Highly Potent Resorcinol Dibenzyl Ether-Based PD-1/PD-L1 Inhibitors with Improved Drug-like and Pharmacokinetic Properties for Cancer Treatment. J Med Chem 2020; 63:15946-15959. [PMID: 33264007 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
A series of programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors based on the resorcinol diphenyl ether scaffold were discovered by incorporating hydrophilic moieties into the side chain and converting into the corresponding hydrochloride salt. Among these compounds, P18 showed the highest inhibitory activity against PD-1/PD-L1 with an IC50 value of 9.1 nM in a homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence binding assay. Besides, P18 promoted HepG2 cell death dose dependently in a HepG2/PD-L1 and Jurkat/PD-1 coculture cell model. Further, P18 demonstrated significantly higher water solubility (17.61 mg/mL) and improved pharmacokinetics (e.g., t1/2 of ∼20 h and oral bioavailability of 12%) than the previous analogues. Moreover, P18 was highly effective in suppressing tumor growth in an immune checkpoint humanized mouse model without apparent toxicity. Collectively, these results suggest that compound P18 represents a promising PD-1/PD-L1 inhibitor worthy of further investigation as a potential anticancer agent.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Antineoplastic Agents/chemistry
- Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacokinetics
- Antineoplastic Agents/pharmacology
- Apoptosis
- B7-H1 Antigen/antagonists & inhibitors
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/drug therapy
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/immunology
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/metabolism
- Carcinoma, Hepatocellular/pathology
- Cell Proliferation
- Drug Discovery
- Humans
- Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/chemistry
- Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/pharmacokinetics
- Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors/pharmacology
- Liver Neoplasms/drug therapy
- Liver Neoplasms/immunology
- Liver Neoplasms/metabolism
- Liver Neoplasms/pathology
- Male
- Melanoma, Experimental/drug therapy
- Melanoma, Experimental/immunology
- Melanoma, Experimental/metabolism
- Melanoma, Experimental/pathology
- Mice
- Mice, Inbred BALB C
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Phenyl Ethers/chemistry
- Piperidines/chemistry
- Piperidines/pharmacokinetics
- Piperidines/pharmacology
- Programmed Cell Death 1 Receptor/antagonists & inhibitors
- Rats, Sprague-Dawley
- Resorcinols/chemistry
- Tissue Distribution
- Tumor Cells, Cultured
- Xenograft Model Antitumor Assays
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Affiliation(s)
- Binbin Cheng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Wei Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Xiaoge Niu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yichang Ren
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Ting Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Hao Cao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Shuanghu Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yingfeng Tu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Jingxuan Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Shuwen Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Xuchao Yang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Jianjun Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Drug Screening, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China
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16
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Cheng B, Xiao Y, Xue M, Cao H, Chen J. Recent Advances in the Development of PD-L1 Modulators: Degraders, Downregulators, and Covalent Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2020; 63:15389-15398. [PMID: 33272018 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c01362] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Therapeutic interference of the programmed cell death protein 1(PD-1)/immunosuppressive programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) signaling pathway by monoclonal antibodies has achieved spectacular success for treating various tumors. However, the development of small molecule inhibitors of PD-1/PD-L1 has lagged far behind due to the challenge of targeting the highly hydrophobic and relatively flat binding interface, despite the benefits small molecule can bring over therapeutic antibodies. This technical challenge provokes the adoption of different strategies in searching for small, medium-sized, and large molecule modulators (e.g., degraders, downregulators, and covalent inhibitors) of the PD-1/PD-L1 protein-protein interaction. In this review article, we discuss latest advances in the development of PD-L1 modulators, with a focus on degraders, downregulators, and covalent inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Binbin Cheng
- Drug Design and Discovery Research Innovation Community, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Baiyun District, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Yao Xiao
- Wuchang Hospital Affiliated to Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan Wuchang Hospital, Wuchang 430063, China
| | - Mingming Xue
- Tianjin Tiancheng Chemical Co., Ltd., Chemical Street, Binhai New District, Tianjin 300480, China
| | - Hao Cao
- Drug Design and Discovery Research Innovation Community, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Baiyun District, Guangzhou 510515, China
| | - Jianjun Chen
- Drug Design and Discovery Research Innovation Community, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Baiyun District, Guangzhou 510515, China
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17
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Yang Y, Wang K, Chen H, Feng Z. Design, synthesis, evaluation, and SAR of 4-phenylindoline derivatives, a novel class of small-molecule inhibitors of the programmed cell death-1/ programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-1/PD-L1) interaction. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 211:113001. [PMID: 33272783 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.113001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2020] [Revised: 11/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/04/2020] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Abstract
The blockade of the PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint pathway with small molecules is an emerging immunotherapeutic approach. A novel series of 4-phenylindoline derivatives were synthesized, and their inhibitory activity against the PD-1/PD-L1 protein-protein interaction (PPI) was evaluated through a homogenous time-resolved fluorescence (HTRF) assay. Among them, A20 and A22 exhibited potent activity with IC50 values of 17 nM and 12 nM, respectively. Furthermore, A20 showed the promising inhibitory activity against the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction with the EC50 value of 0.43 μM in a co-culture model of PD-L1/TCR Activator-expressing CHO cells and PD-1-expressing Jurkat cells. Besides, the structure-activity relationships (SAR) of the novel synthesized 4-phenylindoline derivatives was concluded, and the binding mode of A22 with the PD-L1 dimer was analyzed by molecular simulation and docking, demonstrating that the N-atom in the side chain of indoline fragment could interact with the amino acid residue of the PD-L1 protein to lead to the potent inhibitory activity. This study provided a new insight for further drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Yang
- Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Active Substance Discovery and Druggability Evaluation, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China.
| | - Ke Wang
- Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Active Substance Discovery and Druggability Evaluation, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Hao Chen
- Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Active Substance Discovery and Druggability Evaluation, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China
| | - Zhiqiang Feng
- Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China; Beijing Key Laboratory of Active Substance Discovery and Druggability Evaluation, Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100050, China.
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18
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Kim JH, Kim YS, Kim TI, Li W, Mun JG, Jeon HD, Kee JY, Choi JG, Chung HS. Unripe Black Raspberry ( Rubus coreanus Miquel) Extract and Its Constitute, Ellagic Acid Induces T Cell Activation and Antitumor Immunity by Blocking PD-1/PD-L1 Interaction. Foods 2020; 9:foods9111590. [PMID: 33147777 PMCID: PMC7693366 DOI: 10.3390/foods9111590] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Revised: 10/27/2020] [Accepted: 10/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Rubus coreanus Miquel (R. coreanus) is a unripen fruit of black raspberry native to eastern Asia. It is used as traditional oriental medicine and supplementary foods for centuries. Previous studies have shown that the R. coreanus extract (RCE) and its main constitute ellagic acid possess diverse biological activities. However, the effects of RCE on antitumor immunity and T cell function were not fully understood. The present study describes the anti-tumor effect of RCE in humanized PD-1 mice by blocking PD-1/PD-L1 interaction. Competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and pull down assay were performed to elucidate the binding properties of RCE in vitro. Cellular PD-1/PD-L1 blockade activities were measured by T cell receptor (TCR)-induced nuclear factor of activated T cells-luciferase activity in co-cultured cell models with PD-1/NFAT Jurkat and PD-L1/aAPC CHO-K1 cells. The in vivo efficacy of RCE was confirmed in humanized PD-1 mice bearing MC38 colorectal tumor. RCE and ellagic acid dose-dependently block the binding of PD-1 to PD-L1. Moreover, oral administration of RCE showed the potent anti-tumor activity similar to anti-PD-1 antibody. The present study suggests that RCE possesses potent anti-tumor effect via PD-1/PD-L1 blockade, and ellagic acid is the main compound in RCE. Thus, we provide new aspects of RCE as an immunotherapeutic agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Hye Kim
- Korean Medicine (KM)-Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Korea; (J.H.K.); (Y.S.K.); (T.I.K.); (W.L.)
| | - Young Soo Kim
- Korean Medicine (KM)-Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Korea; (J.H.K.); (Y.S.K.); (T.I.K.); (W.L.)
| | - Tae In Kim
- Korean Medicine (KM)-Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Korea; (J.H.K.); (Y.S.K.); (T.I.K.); (W.L.)
| | - Wei Li
- Korean Medicine (KM)-Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Korea; (J.H.K.); (Y.S.K.); (T.I.K.); (W.L.)
| | - Jeong-Geon Mun
- Department of Oriental Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Wonkwang-Oriental Medicines Research Institute, Wonkwang University, 460 Iksandae-ro, Iksan, Jeonbuk 54538, Korea; (J.-G.M.); (H.D.J.); (J.-Y.K.)
| | - Hee Dong Jeon
- Department of Oriental Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Wonkwang-Oriental Medicines Research Institute, Wonkwang University, 460 Iksandae-ro, Iksan, Jeonbuk 54538, Korea; (J.-G.M.); (H.D.J.); (J.-Y.K.)
| | - Ji-Ye Kee
- Department of Oriental Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Wonkwang-Oriental Medicines Research Institute, Wonkwang University, 460 Iksandae-ro, Iksan, Jeonbuk 54538, Korea; (J.-G.M.); (H.D.J.); (J.-Y.K.)
| | - Jang-Gi Choi
- Korean Medicine (KM)-Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Korea; (J.H.K.); (Y.S.K.); (T.I.K.); (W.L.)
- Correspondence: (J.-G.C.); (H.-S.C.); Tel.: +82-53-940-3865 (J.-G.C.); +82-53-940-3875 (H.-S.C.)
| | - Hwan-Suck Chung
- Korean Medicine (KM)-Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Korea; (J.H.K.); (Y.S.K.); (T.I.K.); (W.L.)
- Correspondence: (J.-G.C.); (H.-S.C.); Tel.: +82-53-940-3865 (J.-G.C.); +82-53-940-3875 (H.-S.C.)
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19
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Zhou X, Du J, Wang H, Chen C, Jiao L, Cheng X, Zhou X, Chen S, Gou S, Zhao W, Zhai W, Chen J, Gao Y. Repositioning liothyronine for cancer immunotherapy by blocking the interaction of immune checkpoint TIGIT/PVR. Cell Commun Signal 2020; 18:142. [PMID: 32894141 PMCID: PMC7487564 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-020-00638-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 08/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Inhibitors targeting immune checkpoint were proved effective in cancer immunotherapy, such as PD-1/PD-L1 blockade. The novel immune checkpoint TIGIT/PVR plays critical roles in suppressing the anti-tumor effects of CD8+ T and NK cells, and dual blockade of TIGIT/PVR and PD-1/PD-L1 by antibody can elicit synergistic effects in tumor models and clinical trials. However, small molecules for TIGIT/PVR blockade have not been investigated. Methods The expression of PVR in tumors were analyzed by using TCGA, Oncomine and GEO database, and in cancer cell lines examined by flow cytometry. Natural product compounds were docked to PVR for virtual screening by using the software Molecular Operating Environment (MOE). Candidate compounds were further tested by biolayer interferometry-based binding assay, microscale thermophoresis assay and cell based blocking assay. The in vitro activity of the candidate compound was determined by MTT, peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) activation assay and coculture assay. The anti-tumor effects and mechanism were also investigated by using MC38 tumor-bearing mice model and immune cell depletion tumor model. Results PVR was over-expressed in many tumor tissues and cancer cell lines, making it a promising therapeutic target. Through virtual screening, binding, and blocking assay, liothyronine was discovered to bind PVR and block the interaction of TIGIT/PVR. Liothyronine could enhance the function of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in PBMCs. Besides, in the Jurkat-hTIGIT and CHOK1-hPVR coculture assay, liothyronine could reverse the IL-2 secretion inhibition resulted by TIGIT/PVR ligation. Although had no influence on the proliferation of tumor cells in vitro, liothyronine could significantly inhibit tumor growth when administrated in vivo, by enhancing CD8+ T cell infiltration and immune responses in the tumor bearing mice. The immune cell depletion model showed that the anti-tumor effects of liothyronine depends on CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells and NK cells. Conclusions A small molecule liothyronine was discovered to serve as a potential candidate for cancer immunotherapy by blocking the immune checkpoint TIGIT/PVR. Video abstract
Graphical abstract ![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuman Zhou
- Intervention and Cell Therapy Center, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, 518035, China
| | - Jiangfeng Du
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Hongfei Wang
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Chunxia Chen
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Ling Jiao
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Xiangrui Cheng
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Xiaowen Zhou
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Shaomeng Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China
| | - Shanshan Gou
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Wenshan Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Wenjie Zhai
- School of Life Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001, China
| | - Junhui Chen
- Intervention and Cell Therapy Center, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, 518035, China.
| | - Yanfeng Gao
- Intervention and Cell Therapy Center, Peking University Shenzhen Hospital, Shenzhen Peking University-The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Medical Center, Shenzhen, 518035, China. .,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, 518107, China.
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20
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Kim JH, Kim YS, Choi JG, Li W, Lee EJ, Park JW, Song J, Chung HS. Kaempferol and Its Glycoside, Kaempferol 7-O-Rhamnoside, Inhibit PD-1/PD-L1 Interaction In Vitro. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21093239. [PMID: 32375257 PMCID: PMC7247329 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21093239] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 04/27/2020] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Kaempferol (KO) and kaempferol 7-O-rhamnoside (KR) are natural products from various oriental herbs such as Geranii Herba. Previous studies have reported some biological activities of KO and KR; however, their effects on PD-1/PD-L1 interaction have not been reported yet. To elucidate their inhibitory activities on PD-1/PD-L1 protein–protein interaction (PPI), biochemical assays including competitive ELISA and biolayer interferometry (BLI) systems were performed. Cellular PD-1/PD-L1 blocking activity was measured in a co-culture system with PD-1 Jurkat and PD-L1/aAPC CHO-K1 cells by T-cell receptor (TCR) activation-induced nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT)-luciferase reporter assay. The detailed binding mode of action was simulated by an in silico docking study and pharmacophore analysis. Competitive ELISA revealed that KO and its glycoside KR significantly inhibited PD-1/PD-L1 interaction. Cellular PD-1/PD-L1 blocking activity was monitored by KO and KR at non-cytotoxic concentration. Surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and biolayer interferometry (BLI) analysis suggested the binding affinity and direct inhibition of KR against PD-1/PD-L1. An in silico docking simulation determined the detailed mode of binding of KR to PD-1/PD-L1. Collectively, these results suggest that KR could be developed as a potent small molecule inhibitor for PD-1/PD-L1 blockade.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ji Hye Kim
- Korean Medicine (KM)-Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Korea; (J.H.K.); (Y.S.K.); (J.-G.C.); (W.L.); (E.J.L.)
| | - Young Soo Kim
- Korean Medicine (KM)-Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Korea; (J.H.K.); (Y.S.K.); (J.-G.C.); (W.L.); (E.J.L.)
| | - Jang-Gi Choi
- Korean Medicine (KM)-Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Korea; (J.H.K.); (Y.S.K.); (J.-G.C.); (W.L.); (E.J.L.)
| | - Wei Li
- Korean Medicine (KM)-Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Korea; (J.H.K.); (Y.S.K.); (J.-G.C.); (W.L.); (E.J.L.)
| | - Eun Jin Lee
- Korean Medicine (KM)-Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Korea; (J.H.K.); (Y.S.K.); (J.-G.C.); (W.L.); (E.J.L.)
| | - Jin-Wan Park
- New Drug Development Center, Daegu Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation (DGMIF), Dong-gu, Daegu 41061, Korea; (J.-W.P.); (J.S.)
| | - Jaeyoung Song
- New Drug Development Center, Daegu Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation (DGMIF), Dong-gu, Daegu 41061, Korea; (J.-W.P.); (J.S.)
| | - Hwan-Suck Chung
- Korean Medicine (KM)-Application Center, Korea Institute of Oriental Medicine (KIOM), Dong-gu, Daegu 41062, Korea; (J.H.K.); (Y.S.K.); (J.-G.C.); (W.L.); (E.J.L.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-53-940-3875
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Wang Y, Deng S, Xu J. Proteasomal and lysosomal degradation for specific and durable suppression of immunotherapeutic targets. Cancer Biol Med 2020; 17:583-598. [PMID: 32944392 PMCID: PMC7476092 DOI: 10.20892/j.issn.2095-3941.2020.0066] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer immunotherapy harness the body’s immune system to eliminate cancer, by using a broad panel of soluble and membrane proteins as therapeutic targets. Immunosuppression signaling mediated by ligand-receptor interaction may be blocked by monoclonal antibodies, but because of repopulation of the membrane via intracellular organelles, targets must be eliminated in whole cells. Targeted protein degradation, as exemplified in proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) studies, is a promising strategy for selective inhibition of target proteins. The recently reported use of lysosomal targeting molecules to eliminate immune checkpoint proteins has paved the way for targeted degradation of membrane proteins as crucial anti-cancer targets. Further studies on these molecules’ modes of action, target-binding “warheads”, lysosomal sorting signals, and linker design should facilitate their rational design. Modifications and derivatives may improve their cell-penetrating ability and the in vivo stability of these pro-drugs. These studies suggest the promise of alternative strategies for cancer immunotherapy, with the aim of achieving more potent and durable suppression of tumor growth. Here, the successes and limitations of antibody inhibitors in cancer immunotherapy, as well as research progress on PROTAC- and lysosomal-dependent degradation of target proteins, are reviewed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yungang Wang
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Zhongshan-Xuhui Hospital, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.,Department of Laboratory Medicine, The First People's Hospital of Yancheng City, Yancheng 224006, China
| | - Shouyan Deng
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Zhongshan-Xuhui Hospital, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China.,Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200127, China
| | - Jie Xu
- Institutes of Biomedical Sciences, Zhongshan-Xuhui Hospital, and Shanghai Key Laboratory of Medical Epigenetics, Fudan University, Shanghai 200433, China
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