1
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Scianò F, Terrana F, Pecoraro C, Parrino B, Cascioferro S, Diana P, Giovannetti E, Carbone D. Exploring the therapeutic potential of focal adhesion kinase inhibition in overcoming chemoresistance in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. Future Med Chem 2024; 16:271-289. [PMID: 38269431 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2023-0234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is among the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a nonreceptor tyrosine kinase often overexpressed in PDAC. FAK has been linked to cell migration, survival, proliferation, angiogenesis and adhesion. This review first highlights the chemoresistant nature of PDAC. Second, the role of FAK in PDAC cancer progression and resistance is carefully described. Additionally, it discusses recent developments of FAK inhibitors as valuable drugs in the treatment of PDAC, with a focus on diamine-substituted-2,4-pyrimidine-based compounds, which represent the most potent class of FAK inhibitors in clinical trials for the treatment of PDAC disease. To conclude, relevant computational studies performed on FAK inhibitors are reported to highlight the key structural features required for interaction with the protein, with the aim of optimizing this novel targeted therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabio Scianò
- Department of Biological, Chemical & Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, Palermo, 90123, Italy
| | - Francesca Terrana
- Department of Biological, Chemical & Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, Palermo, 90123, Italy
| | - Camilla Pecoraro
- Department of Biological, Chemical & Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, Palermo, 90123, Italy
| | - Barbara Parrino
- Department of Biological, Chemical & Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, Palermo, 90123, Italy
| | - Stella Cascioferro
- Department of Biological, Chemical & Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, Palermo, 90123, Italy
| | - Patrizia Diana
- Department of Biological, Chemical & Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, Palermo, 90123, Italy
| | - Elisa Giovannetti
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC, VU University Medical Center (VUmc) De Boelelaan 1117, Amsterdam, 1081HV, The Netherlands
- Cancer Pharmacology Lab, Fondazione Pisana per la Scienza, Via Ferruccio Giovannini 13, San Giuliano Terme, Pisa, 56017, Italy
| | - Daniela Carbone
- Department of Biological, Chemical & Pharmaceutical Sciences & Technologies (STEBICEF), University of Palermo, Via Archirafi 32, Palermo, 90123, Italy
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2
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Vimalraj S, Hariprabu KNG, Rahaman M, Govindasami P, Perumal K, Sekaran S, Ganapathy D. Vascular endothelial growth factor-C and its receptor-3 signaling in tumorigenesis. 3 Biotech 2023; 13:326. [PMID: 37663750 PMCID: PMC10474002 DOI: 10.1007/s13205-023-03719-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2022] [Accepted: 07/13/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The cancer-promoting ligand vascular endothelial growth factor-C (VEGF-C) activates VEGF receptor-3 (VEGFR-3). The VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 axis is expressed by a range of human tumor cells in addition to lymphatic endothelial cells. Activating the VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 signaling enhances metastasis by promoting lymphangiogenesis and angiogenesis inside and around tumors. Stimulation of VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 signaling promotes tumor metastasis in tumors, such as ovarian, renal, pancreatic, prostate, lung, skin, gastric, colorectal, cervical, leukemia, mesothelioma, Kaposi sarcoma, and endometrial carcinoma. We discuss and update the role of VEGF-C/VEGFR-3 signaling in tumor development and the research is still needed to completely comprehend this multifunctional receptor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selvaraj Vimalraj
- Department of Applied Mechanics and Biomedical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, Chennai, India
| | | | - Mostafizur Rahaman
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451 Saudi Arabia
| | - Periyasami Govindasami
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science, King Saud University, P. O. Box 2455, Riyadh, 11451 Saudi Arabia
| | - Karthikeyan Perumal
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, The Ohio State University, 151 W. Woodruff Ave, Columbus, OH 43210 USA
| | - Saravanan Sekaran
- Department of Prosthodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600 077 India
| | - Dhanraj Ganapathy
- Department of Prosthodontics, Saveetha Dental College and Hospital, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences (SIMATS), Saveetha University, Chennai, Tamil Nadu 600 077 India
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3
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Qin Q, Wang R, Fu Q, Zhang G, Wu T, Liu N, Lv R, Yin W, Sun Y, Sun Y, Zhao D, Cheng M. Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of potent FAK-degrading PROTACs. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2022; 37:2241-2255. [PMID: 35978496 PMCID: PMC9455338 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2022.2100886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
FAK mediated tumour cell migration, invasion, survival, proliferation and regulation of tumour stem cells through its kinase-dependent enzymatic functions and kinase-independent scaffolding functions. At present, the development of FAK PROTACs has become one of the hotspots in current pharmaceutical research to solve above problems. Herein, we designed and synthesised a series of FAK-targeting PROTACs consisted of PF-562271 derivative 1 and Pomalidomide. All compounds showed significant in vitro FAK kinase inhibitory activity, the IC50 value of the optimised PROTAC A13 was 26.4 nM. Further, A13 exhibited optimal protein degradation (85% degradation at 10 nM). Meantime, compared with PF-562271, PROTAC A13 exhibited better antiproliferative activity and anti-invasion ability in A549 cells. More, A13 had excellent plasma stability with T1/2 >194.8 min. There are various signs that PROTAC A13 could be useful as expand tool for studying functions of FAK in biological system and as potential therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiaohua Qin
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Ruifeng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China.,Department of Pharmacy, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, PR China
| | - Qinglin Fu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Guoqi Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Tianxiao Wu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Nian Liu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Ruicheng Lv
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Wenbo Yin
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Yin Sun
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Yixiang Sun
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Dongmei Zhao
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China
| | - Maosheng Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, PR China
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4
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Sun D, Zhang J, Dong G, He S, Sheng C. Blocking Non-enzymatic Functions by PROTAC-Mediated Targeted Protein Degradation. J Med Chem 2022; 65:14276-14288. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Donghuan Sun
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai 200003, China
| | - Guoqiang Dong
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Shipeng He
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Chunquan Sheng
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai 200433, China
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5
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Lorusso G, Wyss CB, Kuonen F, Vannini N, Billottet C, Duffey N, Pineau R, Lan Q, Wirapati P, Barras D, Tancredi A, Lyck R, Lehr HA, Engelhardt B, Delorenzi M, Bikfalvi A, Rüegg C. Connexins orchestrate progression of breast cancer metastasis to the brain by promoting FAK activation. Sci Transl Med 2022; 14:eaax8933. [PMID: 36070364 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aax8933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Brain metastasis is a complication of increasing incidence in patients with breast cancer at advanced disease stage. It is a severe condition characterized by a rapid decline in quality of life and poor prognosis. There is a critical clinical need to develop effective therapies to prevent and treat brain metastases. Here, we describe a unique and robust spontaneous preclinical model of breast cancer metastasis to the brain (4T1-BM2) in mice that has been instrumental in uncovering molecular mechanisms guiding metastatic dissemination and colonization of the brain. Key experimental findings were validated in the additional murine D2A1-BM2 model and in human MDA231-BrM2 model. Gene expression analyses and functional studies, coupled with clinical transcriptomic and histopathological investigations, identified connexins (Cxs) and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) as master molecules orchestrating breast cancer colonization of the brain. Cx31 promoted homotypic tumor cell adhesion, heterotypic tumor-astrocyte interaction, and FAK phosphorylation. FAK signaling prompted NF-κB activation inducing Lamc2 expression and laminin 332 (laminin 5) deposition, α6 integrin-mediated adhesion, and sustained survival and growth within brain parenchyma. In the MDA231-BrM2 model, the human homologous molecules CX43, LAMA4, and α3 integrin were involved. Systemic treatment with FAK inhibitors reduced brain metastasis progression. In conclusion, we report a spontaneous model of breast cancer metastasis to the brain and identified Cx-mediated FAK-NF-κB signaling as a mechanism promoting cell-autonomous and microenvironmentally controlled cell survival for brain colonization. Considering the limited therapeutic options for brain metastatic disease in cancer patients, we propose FAK as a therapeutic candidate to further pursue in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Girieca Lorusso
- Experimental and Translational Oncology, Pathology Unit, Department of Oncology Microbiology and Immunology (OMI), Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg 1700, Switzerland.,Division of Experimental Oncology, Multidisciplinary Oncology Center (CePO), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Faculty of Biology and Medicine, Epalinges 1066, Switzerland.,National Center for Competence in Research (NCCR) Molecular Oncology, Swiss Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (ISREC-EPFL), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Christof B Wyss
- Experimental and Translational Oncology, Pathology Unit, Department of Oncology Microbiology and Immunology (OMI), Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg 1700, Switzerland
| | - François Kuonen
- Division of Experimental Oncology, Multidisciplinary Oncology Center (CePO), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Faculty of Biology and Medicine, Epalinges 1066, Switzerland.,National Center for Competence in Research (NCCR) Molecular Oncology, Swiss Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (ISREC-EPFL), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Nicola Vannini
- Ludwig Institute for Cancer Research (LICR), Department of Oncology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Epalinges 1066, Switzerland
| | | | - Nathalie Duffey
- Experimental and Translational Oncology, Pathology Unit, Department of Oncology Microbiology and Immunology (OMI), Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg 1700, Switzerland
| | - Raphael Pineau
- INSERM U1029 and University of Bordeaux, Pessac Cedex 33615, France
| | - Qiang Lan
- Experimental and Translational Oncology, Pathology Unit, Department of Oncology Microbiology and Immunology (OMI), Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg 1700, Switzerland.,Division of Experimental Oncology, Multidisciplinary Oncology Center (CePO), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Faculty of Biology and Medicine, Epalinges 1066, Switzerland.,National Center for Competence in Research (NCCR) Molecular Oncology, Swiss Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (ISREC-EPFL), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Pratyaksha Wirapati
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Swiss Institute for Bioinformatics (SIB), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - David Barras
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Swiss Institute for Bioinformatics (SIB), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Alessandro Tancredi
- Experimental and Translational Oncology, Pathology Unit, Department of Oncology Microbiology and Immunology (OMI), Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg 1700, Switzerland
| | - Ruth Lyck
- Theodor Kocher Institute, University of Bern (UNIBE), Bern 3012, Switzerland
| | - Hans-Anton Lehr
- Institute of Pathology, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Lausanne 1011, Switzerland
| | - Britta Engelhardt
- Theodor Kocher Institute, University of Bern (UNIBE), Bern 3012, Switzerland
| | - Mauro Delorenzi
- Bioinformatics Core Facility, Swiss Institute for Bioinformatics (SIB), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
| | - Andreas Bikfalvi
- INSERM U1029 and University of Bordeaux, Pessac Cedex 33615, France
| | - Curzio Rüegg
- Experimental and Translational Oncology, Pathology Unit, Department of Oncology Microbiology and Immunology (OMI), Faculty of Science and Medicine, University of Fribourg, Fribourg 1700, Switzerland.,Division of Experimental Oncology, Multidisciplinary Oncology Center (CePO), Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CHUV) and University of Lausanne (UNIL), Faculty of Biology and Medicine, Epalinges 1066, Switzerland.,National Center for Competence in Research (NCCR) Molecular Oncology, Swiss Institute of Experimental Cancer Research, Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (ISREC-EPFL), Lausanne 1015, Switzerland
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6
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Zhang Z, Li D, Cao Y, Wang Y, Wang F, Zhang F, Zheng S. Biodegradable Hypocrellin B nanoparticles coated with neutrophil membranes for hepatocellular carcinoma photodynamics therapy effectively via JUNB/ROS signaling. Int Immunopharmacol 2021; 99:107624. [PMID: 34343939 DOI: 10.1016/j.intimp.2021.107624] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Revised: 03/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is an inflammation-induced and chemotherapy-resistant common liver cancer, and a major cause of death. Some natural products have been found to be used as photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy of HCC. Due to its specific molecular structure diversities and biological activities, current status of HCC treatment with nature production remains unsatisfactory, owing largely to the toxicity, side effect and inefficiency to drug targeting. Herein, we show a nanoparticle-based broad-spectrum anti-inflammatory strategy that naïve neutrophil membrane-coated PLGA nanoparticles (NM-HB NPs) were constructed for synchronous nearinfrared fluorescence (NIR FL) imaging and photodynamic therapy (PDT) for HCC. Moreover, NM-HB NPs inhibited the expression of JUNB and promoted the ROS production. JUNB depletion enhanced the anti-HCC effect of NM-HB NPs. Importantly, it was shown that NM-HB NPs are well targeted to the tumor site and overcomes the blood circulation and immune elimination in vivo and vitro. In a mouse model of HCC, the neutrophil membrane-coated nanoparticles (NM-HB NPs) show significant therapeutic efficacy by PDT and suppressing tumor tissue increase. All results demonstrated that NM coated HB NPs representing a viable and effective treatment option for HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiqiang Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Dan Li
- School of Materials and Chemical Engineering, Zhongyuan University of Technology, Zhengzhou 450007, China
| | - Yiming Cao
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250300, China
| | - Yupeng Wang
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Jinan 250300, China
| | - Feixia Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Material of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
| | - Shizhong Zheng
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China; Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Therapeutic Material of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.
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7
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Gao H, Wu Y, Sun Y, Yang Y, Zhou G, Rao Y. Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Highly Potent FAK-Targeting PROTACs. ACS Med Chem Lett 2020; 11:1855-1862. [PMID: 33062164 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.9b00372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2019] [Accepted: 10/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Focal adhesion kinase (FAK), a cytoplasmic protein tyrosine kinase, exerts kinase-dependent enzymatic functions and kinase-independent scaffolding functions, both of which are crucial in cancer development, early embryonic development, and reproduction. However, previous efforts for FAK blocking mainly focus on kinase inhibitors. Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are heterobifunctional molecules that allow direct post-translational knockdown of proteins via ubiquitination of a target protein by E3 ubiquitin ligase and subsequent proteasomal degradation. Here, we designed and synthesized a FAK PROTAC library with FAK inhibitor (PF562271 or VS6063) and CRBN E3 ligand. A novel FAK-targeting PROTAC, FC-11, showed a rapid and reversible FAK degradation with a picomolar of DC50 in various cell lines in vitro, which imply that FAK-PROTACs could be useful as expand tools for studying functions of FAK in biological system and as potential therapeutic agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongying Gao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Yue Wu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Yonghui Sun
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Yiqing Yang
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
- Tsinghua University-Peking University Joint Center for Life Sciences, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
| | - Guangbiao Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Molecular Oncology, National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100021, China
| | - Yu Rao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, P. R. China
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8
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Sun X, Gao H, Yang Y, He M, Wu Y, Song Y, Tong Y, Rao Y. PROTACs: great opportunities for academia and industry. Signal Transduct Target Ther 2019; 4:64. [PMID: 31885879 PMCID: PMC6927964 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-019-0101-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 339] [Impact Index Per Article: 67.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/26/2019] [Revised: 11/17/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Although many kinds of therapies are applied in the clinic, drug-resistance is a major and unavoidable problem. Another disturbing statistic is the limited number of drug targets, which are presently only 20-25% of all protein targets that are currently being studied. Moreover, the focus of current explorations of targets are their enzymatic functions, which ignores the functions from their scaffold moiety. As a promising and appealing technology, PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras (PROTACs) have attracted great attention both from academia and industry for finding available approaches to solve the above problems. PROTACs regulate protein function by degrading target proteins instead of inhibiting them, providing more sensitivity to drug-resistant targets and a greater chance to affect the nonenzymatic functions. PROTACs have been proven to show better selectivity compared to classic inhibitors. PROTACs can be described as a chemical knockdown approach with rapidity and reversibility, which presents new and different biology compared to other gene editing tools by avoiding misinterpretations that arise from potential genetic compensation and/or spontaneous mutations. PRTOACs have been widely explored throughout the world and have outperformed not only in cancer diseases, but also in immune disorders, viral infections and neurodegenerative diseases. Although PROTACs present a very promising and powerful approach for crossing the hurdles of present drug discovery and tool development in biology, more efforts are needed to gain to get deeper insight into the efficacy and safety of PROTACs in the clinic. More target binders and more E3 ligases applicable for developing PROTACs are waiting for exploration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiuyun Sun
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 P. R. China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, 100084 P. R. China
| | - Hongying Gao
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 P. R. China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, 100084 P. R. China
| | - Yiqing Yang
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 P. R. China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Beijing, 100084 P. R. China
| | - Ming He
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 P. R. China
| | - Yue Wu
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 P. R. China
| | - Yugang Song
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 P. R. China
| | - Yan Tong
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 P. R. China
| | - Yu Rao
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084 P. R. China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, 450001 China
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9
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Cao X, Hu Y, Luo S, Wang Y, Gong T, Sun X, Fu Y, Zhang Z. Neutrophil-mimicking therapeutic nanoparticles for targeted chemotherapy of pancreatic carcinoma. Acta Pharm Sin B 2019; 9:575-589. [PMID: 31193785 PMCID: PMC6543032 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2018.12.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2018] [Revised: 10/26/2018] [Accepted: 12/20/2018] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to the critical correlation between inflammation and carcinogenesis, a therapeutic candidate with anti-inflammatory activity may find application in cancer therapy. Here, we report the therapeutic efficacy of celastrol as a promising candidate compound for treatment of pancreatic carcinoma via naïve neutrophil membrane-coated poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether-block-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PEG-PLGA) nanoparticles. Neutrophil membrane-coated nanoparticles (NNPs) are well demonstrated to overcome the blood pancreas barrier to achieve pancreas-specific drug delivery in vivo. Using tumor-bearing mice xenograft model, NNPs showed selective accumulations at the tumor site following systemic administration as compared to nanoparticles without neutrophil membrane coating. In both orthotopic and ectopic tumor models, celastrol-loaded NNPs demonstrated greatly enhanced tumor inhibition which significantly prolonged the survival of tumor bearing mice and minimizing liver metastases. Overall, these results suggest that celastrol-loaded NNPs represent a viable and effective treatment option for pancreatic carcinoma.
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Key Words
- 5-FU, fluorouracil
- CLT, celastrol
- Celastrol
- DAPI, 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole
- DiD, 1,1′-dioctadecyl-3,3,3′,3′-tetramethylindodicarbocyanine perchlorate
- IKKα, IκB kinase α
- IKKβ, IκB kinase β
- IL-1β, interleukin 1 beta
- IL-6, interleukin 6
- Inflammation
- NF-κB, nuclear factor kappa B
- NIK, NF kappa B inducing kinase
- NNPs, neutrophil membrane-coated nanoparticles
- NPs, nanoparticles without neutrophil membrane coating
- Naïve neutrophils membrane
- PEG-PLGA nanoparticle
- PEG-PLGA, poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether-block-poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)
- PI, propidium iodide
- Pancreatic carcinoma
- TAK1, TGF-β-activated kinase 1
- TEM, transmission electronic microscopy
- TNF-α, tumor necrosis factor alpha
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Yao Fu
- Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting and Drug Delivery Systems, Ministry of Education, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Zhirong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Drug Targeting and Drug Delivery Systems, Ministry of Education, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
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Hsu MC, Pan MR, Hung WC. Two Birds, One Stone: Double Hits on Tumor Growth and Lymphangiogenesis by Targeting Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Receptor 3. Cells 2019; 8:cells8030270. [PMID: 30901976 PMCID: PMC6468620 DOI: 10.3390/cells8030270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2019] [Revised: 03/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (VEGFR3) has been known for its involvement in tumor-associated lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic metastasis. The VEGFR3 signaling is stimulated by its main cognate ligand, vascular endothelial growth factor C (VEGF-C), which in turn promotes tumor progression. Activation of VEGF-C/VEGFR3 signaling in lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs) was shown to enhance the proliferation of LECs and the formation of lymphatic vessels, leading to increased lymphatic metastasis of tumor cells. In the past decade, the expression and pathological roles of VEGFR3 in tumor cells have been described. Moreover, the VEGF-C/VEGFR3 axis has been implicated in regulating immune tolerance and suppression. Therefore, the inhibition of the VEGF-C/VEGFR3 axis has emerged as an important therapeutic strategy for the treatment of cancer. In this review, we discuss the current findings related to VEGF-C/VEGFR3 signaling in cancer progression and recent advances in the development of therapeutic drugs targeting VEGF-C/VEGFR3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming-Chuan Hsu
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan 704, Taiwan.
| | - Mei-Ren Pan
- Institute of Clinical Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
| | - Wen-Chun Hung
- National Institute of Cancer Research, National Health Research Institutes, Tainan 704, Taiwan.
- Institute of Medicine, College of Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung 807, Taiwan.
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11
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Zhang H, Zeng J, Tan Y, Lu L, Sun C, Liang Y, Zou H, Yang X, Tan Y. Subgroup analysis reveals molecular heterogeneity and provides potential precise treatment for pancreatic cancers. Onco Targets Ther 2018; 11:5811-5819. [PMID: 30254473 PMCID: PMC6140745 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s163139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/26/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The relationship between molecular heterogeneity and clinical features of pancreatic cancer remains unclear. In this study, pancreatic cancer was divided into different subgroups to explore its specific molecular characteristics and potential therapeutic targets. Patients and methods Expression profiling data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas database and standardized. Bioinformatics techniques such as unsupervised hierarchical clustering was used to explore the optimal molecular subgroups in pancreatic cancer. Clinical pathological features and pathways in each subgroup were also analyzed to find out the potential clinical applications and initial promotive mechanisms of pancreatic cancer. Results Pancreatic cancer was divided into three subgroups based on different gene expression features. Patients included in each subgroup had specific biological features and responded significantly different to chemotherapy. Conclusion Three distinct subgroups of pancreatic cancer were identified, which means that patients in each subgroup might benefit from targeted individual management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heying Zhang
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China,
| | - Juan Zeng
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China,
| | | | - Lin Lu
- Department of Radiology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Cheng Sun
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China,
| | - Yusi Liang
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China,
| | - Huawei Zou
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China,
| | - Xianghong Yang
- Department of Pathology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China
| | - Yonggang Tan
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital, China Medical University, Shenyang, People's Republic of China,
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Begum A, Ewachiw T, Jung C, Huang A, Norberg KJ, Marchionni L, McMillan R, Penchev V, Rajeshkumar NV, Maitra A, Wood L, Wang C, Wolfgang C, DeJesus-Acosta A, Laheru D, Shapiro IM, Padval M, Pachter JA, Weaver DT, Rasheed ZA, Matsui W. The extracellular matrix and focal adhesion kinase signaling regulate cancer stem cell function in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. PLoS One 2017; 12:e0180181. [PMID: 28692661 PMCID: PMC5503247 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0180181] [Citation(s) in RCA: 65] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2016] [Accepted: 06/12/2017] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cancer stem cells (CSCs) play an important role in the clonogenic growth and metastasis of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). A hallmark of PDAC is the desmoplastic reaction, but the impact of the tumor microenvironment (TME) on CSCs is unknown. In order to better understand the mechanisms, we examined the impact of extracellular matrix (ECM) proteins on PDAC CSCs. We quantified the effect of ECM proteins, β1-integrin, and focal adhesion kinase (FAK) on clonogenic PDAC growth and migration in vitro and tumor initiation, growth, and metastasis in vivo in nude mice using shRNA and overexpression constructs as well as small molecule FAK inhibitors. Type I collagen increased PDAC tumor initiating potential, self-renewal, and the frequency of CSCs through the activation of FAK. FAK overexpression increased tumor initiation, whereas a dominant negative FAK mutant or FAK kinase inhibitors reduced clonogenic PDAC growth in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, the FAK inhibitor VS-4718 extended the anti-tumor response to gemcitabine and nab-paclitaxel in patient-derived PDAC xenografts, and the loss of FAK expression limited metastatic dissemination of orthotopic xenografts. Type I collagen enhances PDAC CSCs, and both kinase-dependent and independent activities of FAK impact PDAC tumor initiation, self-renewal, and metastasis. The anti-tumor impact of FAK inhibitors in combination with standard chemotherapy support the clinical testing of this combination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Asma Begum
- Departments of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Theodore Ewachiw
- Departments of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Clinton Jung
- Departments of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ally Huang
- Departments of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - K. Jessica Norberg
- Departments of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Luigi Marchionni
- Departments of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ross McMillan
- Departments of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Vesselin Penchev
- Departments of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - N. V. Rajeshkumar
- Departments of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Anirban Maitra
- Department of Pathology, University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, Texas, United States of America
| | - Laura Wood
- Department of Pathology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Chenguang Wang
- Departments of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Christopher Wolfgang
- Department of Surgery, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Ana DeJesus-Acosta
- Departments of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Daniel Laheru
- Departments of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - Irina M. Shapiro
- Verastem, Inc., Needham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Mahesh Padval
- Verastem, Inc., Needham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | | | - David T. Weaver
- Verastem, Inc., Needham, Massachusetts, United States of America
| | - Zeshaan A. Rasheed
- Departments of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
| | - William Matsui
- Departments of Oncology, The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, Maryland, United States of America
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