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Clayton J, Romany A, Matenoglou E, Gavathiotis E, Poulikakos PI, Shen J. Mechanism of Dimer Selectivity and Binding Cooperativity of BRAF Inhibitors. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.12.12.571293. [PMID: 38168366 PMCID: PMC10760002 DOI: 10.1101/2023.12.12.571293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/05/2024]
Abstract
Aberrant signaling of BRAFV600E is a major cancer driver. Current FDA-approved RAF inhibitors selectively inhibit the monomeric BRAFV600E and suffer from tumor resistance. Recently, dimer-selective and equipotent RAF inhibitors have been developed; however, the mechanism of dimer selectivity is poorly understood. Here, we report extensive molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the monomeric and dimeric BRAFV600E in the apo form or in complex with one or two dimer-selective (PHI1) or equipotent (LY3009120) inhibitor(s). The simulations uncovered the unprecedented details of the remarkable allostery in BRAFV600E dimerization and inhibitor binding. Specifically, dimerization retrains and shifts the αC helix inward and increases the flexibility of the DFG motif; dimer compatibility is due to the promotion of the αC-in conformation, which is stabilized by a hydrogen bond formation between the inhibitor and the αC Glu501. A more stable hydrogen bond further restrains and shifts the αC helix inward, which incurs a larger entropic penalty that disfavors monomer binding. This mechanism led us to propose an empirical way based on the co-crystal structure to assess the dimer selectivity of a BRAFV600E inhibitor. Simulations also revealed that the positive cooperativity of PHI1 is due to its ability to preorganize the αC and DFG conformation in the opposite protomer, priming it for binding the second inhibitor. The atomically detailed view of the interplay between BRAF dimerization and inhibitor allostery as well as cooperativity has implications for understanding kinase signaling and contributes to the design of protomer selective RAF inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joseph Clayton
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
- Division of Applied Regulatory Science, Office of Clinical Pharmacology, Office of Translational Sciences, Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, United States Food and Drug Administration, Silver Spring, MD 20993, United States
| | - Aarion Romany
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
| | - Evangelia Matenoglou
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Medicine, Department of Oncology, Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, United States
| | - Evripidis Gavathiotis
- Department of Biochemistry, Department of Medicine, Department of Oncology, Montefiore Einstein Comprehensive Cancer Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, NY 10461, United States
| | - Poulikos I Poulikakos
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY 10029, United States
| | - Jana Shen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, Baltimore, MD 21201, United States
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2
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Hanrahan AJ, Chen Z, Rosen N, Solit DB. BRAF - a tumour-agnostic drug target with lineage-specific dependencies. Nat Rev Clin Oncol 2024; 21:224-247. [PMID: 38278874 DOI: 10.1038/s41571-023-00852-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2024]
Abstract
In June 2022, the FDA granted Accelerated Approval to the BRAF inhibitor dabrafenib in combination with the MEK inhibitor trametinib for the treatment of adult and paediatric patients (≥6 years of age) with unresectable or metastatic BRAFV600E-mutant solid tumours, except for BRAFV600E-mutant colorectal cancers. The histology-agnostic approval of dabrafenib plus trametinib marks the culmination of two decades of research into the landscape of BRAF mutations in human cancers, the biochemical mechanisms underlying BRAF-mediated tumorigenesis, and the clinical development of selective RAF and MEK inhibitors. Although the majority of patients with BRAFV600E-mutant tumours derive clinical benefit from BRAF inhibitor-based combinations, resistance to treatment develops in most. In this Review, we describe the biochemical basis for oncogenic BRAF-induced activation of MAPK signalling and pan-cancer and lineage-specific mechanisms of intrinsic, adaptive and acquired resistance to BRAF inhibitors. We also discuss novel RAF inhibitors and drug combinations designed to delay the emergence of treatment resistance and/or expand the population of patients with BRAF-mutant cancers who benefit from molecularly targeted therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aphrothiti J Hanrahan
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
| | - Ziyu Chen
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Physiology, Biophysics & Systems Biology, Weill Cornell Graduate School of Medical Sciences, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - Neal Rosen
- Molecular Pharmacology Program, Sloan Kettering Institute for Cancer Research, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA
- Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA
| | - David B Solit
- Human Oncology and Pathogenesis Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
- Weill Cornell Medical College, Cornell University, New York, NY, USA.
- Marie-Josée and Henry R. Kravis Center for Molecular Oncology, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, USA.
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3
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Singh A, Sonawane P, Kumar A, Singh H, Naumovich V, Pathak P, Grishina M, Khalilullah H, Jaremko M, Emwas AH, Verma A, Kumar P. Challenges and Opportunities in the Crusade of BRAF Inhibitors: From 2002 to 2022. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:27819-27844. [PMID: 37576670 PMCID: PMC10413849 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c00332] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 02/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/15/2023]
Abstract
Serine/threonine-protein kinase B-Raf (BRAF; RAF = rapidly accelerated fibrosarcoma) plays an important role in the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascade. Somatic mutations in the BRAF gene were first discovered in 2002 by Davies et al., which was a major breakthrough in cancer research. Subsequently, three different classes of BRAF mutants have been discovered. This class includes class I monomeric mutants (BRAFV600), class II BRAF homodimer mutants (non-V600), and class III BRAF heterodimers (non-V600). Cancers caused by these include melanoma, thyroid cancer, ovarian cancer, colorectal cancer, nonsmall cell lung cancer, and others. In this study, we have highlighted the major binding pockets in BRAF protein, their active and inactive conformations with inhibitors, and BRAF dimerization and its importance in paradoxical activation and BRAF mutation. We have discussed the first-, second-, and third-generation drugs approved by the Food and Drug Administration and drugs under clinical trials with all four different binding approaches with DFG-IN/OUT and αC-IN/OUT for BRAF protein. We have investigated particular aspects and difficulties with all three generations of inhibitors. Finally, this study has also covered recent developments in synthetic BRAF inhibitors (from their discovery in 2002 to 2022), their unique properties, and importance in inhibiting BRAF mutants.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ankit
Kumar Singh
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab, Ghudda, Bathinda 151401, India
| | - Pankaj Sonawane
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab, Ghudda, Bathinda 151401, India
| | - Adarsh Kumar
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab, Ghudda, Bathinda 151401, India
| | - Harshwardhan Singh
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab, Ghudda, Bathinda 151401, India
| | - Vladislav Naumovich
- Laboratory
of Computational Modeling of Drugs, Higher Medical and Biological
School, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk 454008, Russia
| | - Prateek Pathak
- Laboratory
of Computational Modeling of Drugs, Higher Medical and Biological
School, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk 454008, Russia
| | - Maria Grishina
- Laboratory
of Computational Modeling of Drugs, Higher Medical and Biological
School, South Ural State University, Chelyabinsk 454008, Russia
| | - Habibullah Khalilullah
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Pharmacognosy, Unaizah College of
Pharmacy, Qassim University, Unayzah 51911, Saudi Arabia
| | - Mariusz Jaremko
- Smart-Health
Initiative and Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and
Environmental Sciences and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdul-Hamid Emwas
- Core
Laboratories, King Abdullah University of
Science and Technology, Thuwal 23955-6900, Saudi
Arabia
| | - Amita Verma
- Bioorganic
and Medicinal Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Pharmaceutical
Sciences, Sam Higginbottom University of
Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, Prayagraj 211007, India
| | - Pradeep Kumar
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab, Ghudda, Bathinda 151401, India
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4
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Barresi E, Baldanzi C, Roncetti M, Roggia M, Baglini E, Lepori I, Vitiello M, Salerno S, Tedeschi L, Da Settimo F, Cosconati S, Poliseno L, Taliani S. A cyanine-based NIR fluorescent Vemurafenib analog to probe BRAF V600E in cancer cells. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 256:115446. [PMID: 37182332 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115446] [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: 11/11/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/16/2023]
Abstract
BRAF represents one of the most frequently mutated protein kinase genes and BRAFV600E mutation may be found in many types of cancer, including hairy cell leukemia (HCL), anaplastic thyroid cancer (ATC), colorectal cancer and melanoma. Herein, a fluorescent probe, based on the structure of the highly specific BRAFV600E inhibitor Vemurafenib (Vem, 1) and featuring the NIR fluorophore cyanine-5 (Cy5), was straightforwardly synthesized and characterized (Vem-L-Cy5, 3), showing promising spectroscopic properties. Biological validation in BRAFV600E-mutated cancer cells evidenced the ability of 3 to penetrate inside the cells, specifically binding to its elective target BRAFV600E with high affinity, and inhibiting MEK phosphorylation and cell growth with a potency comparable to that of native Vem 1. Taken together, these data highlight Vem-L-Cy5 3 as a useful tool to probe BRAFV600E mutation in cancer cells, and suitable to acquire precious insights for future developments of more informed BRAF inhibitors-centered therapeutic strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisabetta Barresi
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126, Pisa, Italy; Center for Instrument Sharing of the University of Pisa (CISUP), University of Pisa, Lungarno Pacinotti 43/44, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Caterina Baldanzi
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, CNR, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy; Oncogenomics Unit, Core Research Laboratory, ISPRO, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Marta Roncetti
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, CNR, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy; Oncogenomics Unit, Core Research Laboratory, ISPRO, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy; University of Siena, Siena, Italy
| | - Michele Roggia
- DiSTABiF, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via Vivaldi 43, 81100, Caserta, Italy
| | - Emma Baglini
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Irene Lepori
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, CNR, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy; Oncogenomics Unit, Core Research Laboratory, ISPRO, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy; Department of Microbiology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA, USA
| | - Marianna Vitiello
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, CNR, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy; Oncogenomics Unit, Core Research Laboratory, ISPRO, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Silvia Salerno
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126, Pisa, Italy; Center for Instrument Sharing of the University of Pisa (CISUP), University of Pisa, Lungarno Pacinotti 43/44, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Lorena Tedeschi
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, CNR, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy
| | - Federico Da Settimo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126, Pisa, Italy; Center for Instrument Sharing of the University of Pisa (CISUP), University of Pisa, Lungarno Pacinotti 43/44, 56126, Pisa, Italy
| | - Sandro Cosconati
- DiSTABiF, University of Campania "Luigi Vanvitelli", Via Vivaldi 43, 81100, Caserta, Italy
| | - Laura Poliseno
- Institute of Clinical Physiology, CNR, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy; Oncogenomics Unit, Core Research Laboratory, ISPRO, Via Moruzzi 1, 56124, Pisa, Italy.
| | - Sabrina Taliani
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126, Pisa, Italy; Center for Instrument Sharing of the University of Pisa (CISUP), University of Pisa, Lungarno Pacinotti 43/44, 56126, Pisa, Italy.
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5
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Gunderwala A, Cope N, Wang Z. Mechanism and inhibition of BRAF kinase. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2022; 71:102205. [PMID: 36067564 PMCID: PMC10396080 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2022.102205] [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: 06/03/2022] [Revised: 07/29/2022] [Accepted: 07/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
The role of BRAF in tumor initiation has been established, however, the precise mechanism of autoinhibition has only been illustrated recently by several structural studies. These structures uncovered the basis by which the regulatory domains engage in regulating the activity of BRAF kinase domain, which lead to a more complete picture of the regulation cycle of RAF kinases. Small molecule BRAF inhibitors developed specifically to target BRAFV600E have proven effective at inhibiting the most dominant BRAF mutant in melanomas, but are less potent against other BRAF mutants in RAS-driven diseases due to paradoxical activation of the MAPK pathway. A variety of new generation inhibitors that do not show paradoxical activation have been developed. Alternatively, efforts have begun to develop inhibitors targeting the dimer interface of BRAF. A deeper understanding of BRAF regulation together with more diverse BRAF inhibitors will be beneficial for drug development in RAF or RASdriven cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amber Gunderwala
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, USA
| | - Nicholas Cope
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, USA
| | - Zhihong Wang
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, College of Science and Mathematics, Rowan University, Glassboro, NJ, USA.
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6
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Miller DSJ, Voell SA, Sosič I, Proj M, Rossanese OW, Schnakenburg G, Gütschow M, Collins I, Steinebach C. Encoding BRAF inhibitor functions in protein degraders. RSC Med Chem 2022; 13:731-736. [PMID: 35814929 PMCID: PMC9215127 DOI: 10.1039/d2md00064d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2022] [Accepted: 05/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Various BRAF kinase inhibitors were developed to treat cancers carrying the BRAFV600E mutation. First-generation BRAF inhibitors could lead to paradoxical activation of the MAPK pathway, limiting their clinical usefulness. Here, we show the development of two series of BRAFV600E-targeting PROTACs and demonstrate that the exchange of the inhibitor scaffold from vemurafenib to paradox-breaker ligands resulted in BRAFV600E degraders that did not cause paradoxical ERK activation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel S J Miller
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit at The Institute of Cancer Research London SW7 3RP UK
| | - Sabine A Voell
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn D-53121 Bonn Germany
| | - Izidor Sosič
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana SI-1000 Ljubljana Slovenia
| | - Matic Proj
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana SI-1000 Ljubljana Slovenia
| | - Olivia W Rossanese
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit at The Institute of Cancer Research London SW7 3RP UK
| | | | - Michael Gütschow
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn D-53121 Bonn Germany
| | - Ian Collins
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit at The Institute of Cancer Research London SW7 3RP UK
| | - Christian Steinebach
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn D-53121 Bonn Germany
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7
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Porcelli L, Di Fonte R, Pierri CL, Fucci L, Saponaro C, Armenio A, Serratì S, Strippoli S, Fasano R, Volpicella M, Daprile R, Tommasi S, Ressa CM, Guida M, Azzariti A. BRAF V600E;K601Q metastatic melanoma patient-derived organoids and docking analysis to predict the response to targeted therapy. Pharmacol Res 2022; 182:106323. [PMID: 35752358 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2022.106323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 05/31/2022] [Accepted: 06/19/2022] [Indexed: 10/17/2022]
Abstract
The V600E mutation in BRAF is associated with increased phosphorylation of Erk1/2 and high sensitivity to BRAFi/MEKi combination in metastatic melanoma. In very few patients, a tandem mutation in BRAF, V600 and K601, causes a different response to BRAFi/MEKi combination. BRAFV600E;K601Q patient-derived organoids (PDOs) were generated to investigate targeted therapy efficacy and docking analysis was used to assess BRAFV600E;K601Q interactions with Vemurafenib. PDOs were not sensitive to Vemurafenib and Cobimetinib given alone and sensitive to their combination, although not as responsive as BRAFV600E PDOs. The docking analysis justified such a result showing that the tandem mutation in BRAF reduced the affinity for Vemurafenib. Tumor analysis showed that BRAFV600E;K601Q displayed both increased phosphorylation of Erk1/2 at cytoplasmic level and activation of Notch resistance signaling. This prompted us to inhibit Notch signaling with Nirogacestat, achieving a greater antitumor response and providing PDOs-based evaluation of treatment efficacy in such rare metastatic melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Letizia Porcelli
- IRCCS Istituto Tumori Giovanni Paolo II, V.le O. Flacco, 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Roberta Di Fonte
- IRCCS Istituto Tumori Giovanni Paolo II, V.le O. Flacco, 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Ciro L Pierri
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, Biopharmaceutics, University "Aldo Moro" of Bari, Via E. Orabona, 4, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Livia Fucci
- IRCCS Istituto Tumori Giovanni Paolo II, V.le O. Flacco, 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Concetta Saponaro
- IRCCS Istituto Tumori Giovanni Paolo II, V.le O. Flacco, 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Andrea Armenio
- IRCCS Istituto Tumori Giovanni Paolo II, V.le O. Flacco, 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Simona Serratì
- IRCCS Istituto Tumori Giovanni Paolo II, V.le O. Flacco, 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Sabino Strippoli
- IRCCS Istituto Tumori Giovanni Paolo II, V.le O. Flacco, 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Rossella Fasano
- IRCCS Istituto Tumori Giovanni Paolo II, V.le O. Flacco, 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Mariateresa Volpicella
- Department of Biosciences, Biotechnologies, Biopharmaceutics, University "Aldo Moro" of Bari, Via E. Orabona, 4, 70126 Bari, Italy
| | - Rossana Daprile
- IRCCS Istituto Tumori Giovanni Paolo II, V.le O. Flacco, 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Stefania Tommasi
- IRCCS Istituto Tumori Giovanni Paolo II, V.le O. Flacco, 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Cosmo M Ressa
- IRCCS Istituto Tumori Giovanni Paolo II, V.le O. Flacco, 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Michele Guida
- IRCCS Istituto Tumori Giovanni Paolo II, V.le O. Flacco, 65, 70124 Bari, Italy
| | - Amalia Azzariti
- IRCCS Istituto Tumori Giovanni Paolo II, V.le O. Flacco, 65, 70124 Bari, Italy.
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8
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Potential of Withaferin-A, Withanone and Caffeic Acid Phenethyl ester as ATP-competitive inhibitors of BRAF: A bioinformatics study. Curr Res Struct Biol 2022; 3:301-311. [PMID: 35028596 PMCID: PMC8714769 DOI: 10.1016/j.crstbi.2021.11.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2021] [Revised: 11/09/2021] [Accepted: 11/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Serine/threonine-protein kinase B-raf (BRAF) plays a significant role in regulating cell division and proliferation through MAPK/ERK pathway. The constitutive expression of wild-type BRAF (BRAFWT) and its mutant forms, especially V600E (BRAFV600E), has been linked to multiple cancers. Various synthetic drugs have been approved and are in clinical trials, but most of them are reported to become ineffective within a short duration. Therefore, combinational therapy involving multiple drugs are often recruited for cancer treatment. However, they lead to toxicity and adverse side effects. In this computational study, we have investigated three natural compounds, namely Withaferin-A (Wi-A), Withanone (Wi-N) and Caffeic Acid Phenethyl ester (CAPE) for anti-BRAFWT and anti-BRAFV600E activity. We found that these compounds could bind stably at ATP-binding site in both BRAFWT and BRAFV600E proteins. In-depth analysis revealed that these compounds maintained the active conformation of wild-type BRAF protein by inducing αC-helix-In, DFG-In, extended activation segment and well-aligned R-spine residues similar to already known drugs Vemurafenib (VEM), BGB283 and Ponatinib. In terms of binding energy, among the natural compounds, CAPE showed better affinity towards both wild-type and V600E mutant proteins than the other two compounds. These data suggested that CAPE, Wi-A and Wi-N have potential to block constitutive autophosphorylation of BRAF and hence warrant in vitro and in vivo experimental validation. Out of all the human cancers approximately 8% involve BRAF mutations. The 40–50% of the commercialized drugs in the market are from the natural sources or inspired by it. Three natural compounds Withaferin-A , Withanone and Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) have been studied against BRAF. CAPE binds with higher binding affinity with BRAF wild type protein and BRAF V600E mutant protein than other natural compounds.
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9
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Dai X, Zhang X, Yin Q, Hu J, Guo J, Gao Y, Snell AH, Inuzuka H, Wan L, Wei W. Acetylation-dependent regulation of BRAF oncogenic function. Cell Rep 2022; 38:110250. [PMID: 35045286 PMCID: PMC8813213 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2021.110250] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2019] [Revised: 11/02/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Aberrant BRAF activation, including the BRAFV600E mutation, is frequently observed in human cancers. However, it remains largely elusive whether other types of post-translational modification(s) in addition to phosphorylation and ubiquitination-dependent regulation also modulate BRAF kinase activity. Here, we report that the acetyltransferase p300 activates the BRAF kinase by promoting BRAF K601 acetylation, a process that is antagonized by the deacetylase SIRT1. Notably, K601 acetylation facilitates BRAF dimerization with RAF proteins and KSR1. Furthermore, K601 acetylation promotes melanoma cell proliferation and contributes to BRAFV600E inhibitor resistance in BRAFV600E harboring melanoma cells. As such, melanoma patient-derived K601E oncogenic mutation mimics K601 acetylation to augment BRAF kinase activity. Our findings, therefore, uncover a layer of BRAF regulation and suggest p300 hyperactivation or SIRT1 deficiency as potential biomarkers to determine ERK activation in melanomas. In tumor cells, hyperactivation of the BRAF protein kinase propels uncontrolled cell proliferation. BRAF hyperactivation is also achieved through several post-translational mechanisms. Dai et al. present an acetylation-dependent regulation of BRAF kinase function in melanoma cells, which serves to enhance BRAF oncogenic function and contributes to BRAF inhibitor resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangpeng Dai
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Laboratory of Organ Regeneration & Transplantation of the Ministry of Education, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130061, PR China; National-local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, Changchun, Jilin 130061, PR China.
| | - Xiaoling Zhang
- Laboratory of Organ Regeneration & Transplantation of the Ministry of Education, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun 130061, PR China; National-local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Animal Models for Human Diseases, Changchun, Jilin 130061, PR China
| | - Qing Yin
- Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 USF Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Jia Hu
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Liberalization Avenue, No. 1095, Wuhan 430030, PR China
| | - Jianping Guo
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; The First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, PR China
| | - Yang Gao
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Urology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, PR China
| | - Aidan H Snell
- Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 USF Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL 33612, USA
| | - Hiroyuki Inuzuka
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Lixin Wan
- Department of Molecular Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute, 12902 USF Magnolia Drive, Tampa, FL 33612, USA.
| | - Wenyi Wei
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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10
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Khormi AY, Farghaly TA, Bayazeed A, Al-Ghamdi YO, Abdulwahab HG, Shaaban MR. Novel thiazole derivatives incorporating phenyl sulphonyl moiety as potent BRAFV600E kinase inhibitors targeting melanoma. RSC Adv 2022; 12:27355-27369. [PMID: 36276003 PMCID: PMC9513682 DOI: 10.1039/d2ra03624j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/11/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Novel thiazole derivatives possessing phenyl sulfonyl moiety were designed and synthesized as B-RAFV600E kinase inhibitors based on the clinically-approved anticancer drug, dabrafenib. All target compounds showed significant inhibition of B-RAFV600E kinase enzyme at nanomolar levels. Compounds 7b and 13a revealed excellent B-RAFV600E inhibitory activity, superior to that of dabrafenib with IC50 values of 36.3 ± 1.9, 23.1 ± 1.2, and 47.2 ± 2.5 nM, respectively. Moreover, the title compounds were much more selective toward B-RAFV600E kinase than B-RAF wild type. In addition, the most potent compounds were further evaluated for their anticancer activity against B-RAFV600E-mutated and wild type melanoma cells. A positive correlation between the cytotoxic activity and selectivity for B-RAF V600E over B-RAF wild type was clearly observed for compounds 7b, 11c, 13a, and 17. All the screened compounds potently inhibited the growth of WM266.4 melanoma cells with IC50 values in the range from 1.24 to 17.1 μM relative to dabrafenib (IC50 = 16.5 ± 0.91 μM). Compounds 7b, 11a and 11c, 13a, and 17 were much more potent than dabrafenib against B-RAFV600E-mutated WM266.4 melanoma cells. Furthermore, compound 7b suppressed the phosphorylation of downstream ERK1/2 from WM266.4 cells. Also, the docking study revealed the proper orientation and well-fitting of the title compounds into the ATP binding site of B-RAFV600E kinase. Thiazole derivatives 7b and 13a were superior to dabrafenib against B-RAFV600E kinase and potently inhibited the growth of WM266.4 melanoma cells. Compound 7b suppressed the phosphorylation of downstream ERK1/2 from WM266.4 cells.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Afaf Y. Khormi
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia
| | - Thoraya. A. Farghaly
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah Almukarramah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abrar Bayazeed
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Applied Science, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah Almukarramah, Saudi Arabia
| | - Youssef O. Al-Ghamdi
- Department of Chemistry, College of Science Al-zulfi, Majmaah University, Al-Majmaah 11952, Saudi Arabia
| | - Hanan Gaber Abdulwahab
- Department of Pharmaceutical Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Design, Faculty of Pharmacy (Girls), Al-Azhar University, Cairo, Egypt
| | - Mohamed R. Shaaban
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza 12613, Egypt
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11
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Grasso M, Bond GJ, Kim YJ, Boyd S, Matson Dzebo M, Valenzuela S, Tsang T, Schibrowsky NA, Alwan KB, Blackburn NJ, Burslem GM, Wittung-Stafshede P, Winkler DD, Marmorstein R, Brady DC. The copper chaperone CCS facilitates copper binding to MEK1/2 to promote kinase activation. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101314. [PMID: 34715128 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/30/2021] [Revised: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Normal physiology relies on the precise coordination of intracellular signal transduction pathways that respond to nutrient availability to balance cell growth and cell death. The canonical MAPK pathway consists of the RAF-MEK-ERK signaling cascade and represents one of the most well-defined axes within eukaryotic cells to promote cell proliferation, which underscores its frequent mutational activation in the majority of human cancers. Our recent studies illuminated a function for the redox-active micronutrient copper (Cu) as an intracellular mediator of signaling by connecting Cu to the amplitude of MAPK signaling via a direct interaction between Cu and the kinases MEK1 and MEK2. Given the large quantities of molecules like glutathione and metallothionein that limit cellular toxicity from free Cu ions, evolutionarily conserved Cu chaperones facilitate the efficient delivery of Cu to cuproenzymes. Thus, a dedicated cellular delivery mechanism of Cu to MEK1/2 is likely to exist. Using surface plasmon resonance and proximity-dependent biotin ligase studies, we report here that the Cu chaperone CCS selectively bound to and facilitated Cu transfer to MEK1. Mutations in CCS that disrupt Cu(I) acquisition and exchange or a CCS small molecule inhibitor were employed and resulted in reduced Cu-stimulated MEK1 kinase activity. Our findings indicate that the Cu chaperone CCS provides fidelity within a complex biological system to achieve appropriate installation of Cu within the MEK1 kinase active site that in turn modulates kinase activity and support the development of novel MEK1/2 inhibitors that target the Cu structural interface or blunt dedicated Cu delivery mechanisms via CCS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Grasso
- Department of Chemistry, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Gavin J Bond
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Biochemistry Major Program, College of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Ye-Jin Kim
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Stefanie Boyd
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Maria Matson Dzebo
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Sebastian Valenzuela
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Tiffany Tsang
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Cell and Molecular Biology Graduate Group, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Natalie A Schibrowsky
- Department of Chemistry, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Katherine B Alwan
- Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - Ninian J Blackburn
- Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR, 97239, USA
| | - George M Burslem
- Department of Cancer Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Pernilla Wittung-Stafshede
- Department of Biology and Biological Engineering, Chalmers University of Technology, 412 96 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Duane D Winkler
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Texas at Dallas, Richardson, TX, 75080, USA
| | - Ronen Marmorstein
- Department of Chemistry, School of Arts and Sciences, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Donita C Brady
- Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA; Department of Cancer Biology, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA.
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12
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Nudelman A. Dimeric Drugs. Curr Med Chem 2021; 29:2751-2845. [PMID: 34375175 DOI: 10.2174/0929867328666210810124159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2021] [Revised: 06/18/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
This review intends to summarize the structures of an extensive number of symmetrical-dimeric drugs, having two monomers linked via a bridging entity while emphasizing the large versatility of biologically active substances reported to possess dimeric structures. The largest number of classes of these compounds consist of anticancer agents, antibiotics/antimicrobials, and anti-AIDS drugs. Other symmetrical-dimeric drugs include antidiabetics, antidepressants, analgesics, anti-inflammatories, drugs for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, anticholesterolemics, estrogenics, antioxidants, enzyme inhibitors, anti-Parkisonians, laxatives, antiallergy compounds, cannabinoids, etc. Most of the articles reviewed do not compare the activity/potency of the dimers to that of their corresponding monomers. Only in limited cases, various suggestions have been made to justify unexpected higher activity of the dimers vs. the corresponding monomers. These suggestions include statistical effects, the presence of dimeric receptors, binding of a dimer to two receptors simultaneously, and others. It is virtually impossible to predict which dimers will be preferable to their respective monomers, or which linking bridges will lead to the most active compounds. It is expected that the extensive number of articles summarized, and the large variety of substances mentioned, which display various biological activities, should be of interest to many academic and industrial medicinal chemists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abraham Nudelman
- Chemistry Department, Bar Ilan University, Ramat Gan 52900, Israel
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13
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Han XR, Chen L, Wei Y, Yu W, Chen Y, Zhang C, Jiao B, Shi T, Sun L, Zhang C, Xu Y, Lee MR, Luo Y, Plewe MB, Wang J. Discovery of Selective Small Molecule Degraders of BRAF-V600E. J Med Chem 2020; 63:4069-4080. [PMID: 32223235 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b02083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 39] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
BRAF is among the most frequently mutated oncogenes in human cancers. Multiple small molecule BRAF kinase inhibitors have been approved for treating melanoma carrying BRAF-V600 mutations. However, the benefits of BRAF kinase inhibitors are generally short-lived. Small molecule-mediated targeted protein degradation has recently emerged as a novel pharmaceutical strategy to remove disease proteins through hijacking the cellular ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS). In this study, we developed thalidomide-based heterobifunctional compounds that induced selective degradation of BRAF-V600E, but not the wild-type BRAF. Downregulation of BRAF-V600E suppressed the MEK/ERK kinase cascade in melanoma cells and impaired cell growth in culture. Abolishing the interaction between degraders and cereblon or blocking the UPS significantly impaired the activities of these degraders, validating a mechanistic role of UPS in mediating targeted degradation of BRAF-V600E. These findings highlight a new approach to modulate the functions of oncogenic BRAF mutants and provide a framework to treat BRAF-dependent human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao-Ran Han
- Cullgen Inc., 12671 High Bluff Drive, Suite 130, San Diego, California 92130, United States.,Cullgen (Shanghai) Inc., Building 6, 230 ChuanHong Road, Chuansha, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201202, People's Republic of China
| | - Liqun Chen
- Cullgen (Shanghai) Inc., Building 6, 230 ChuanHong Road, Chuansha, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201202, People's Republic of China
| | - Yuanqi Wei
- Cullgen (Shanghai) Inc., Building 6, 230 ChuanHong Road, Chuansha, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201202, People's Republic of China
| | - Weihua Yu
- Cullgen (Shanghai) Inc., Building 6, 230 ChuanHong Road, Chuansha, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201202, People's Republic of China
| | - Yanke Chen
- Cullgen (Shanghai) Inc., Building 6, 230 ChuanHong Road, Chuansha, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201202, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunyan Zhang
- Cullgen (Shanghai) Inc., Building 6, 230 ChuanHong Road, Chuansha, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201202, People's Republic of China
| | - Bingyang Jiao
- Cullgen (Shanghai) Inc., Building 6, 230 ChuanHong Road, Chuansha, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201202, People's Republic of China
| | - Tingting Shi
- Cullgen (Shanghai) Inc., Building 6, 230 ChuanHong Road, Chuansha, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201202, People's Republic of China
| | - Lei Sun
- Cullgen (Shanghai) Inc., Building 6, 230 ChuanHong Road, Chuansha, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201202, People's Republic of China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Cullgen (Shanghai) Inc., Building 6, 230 ChuanHong Road, Chuansha, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201202, People's Republic of China
| | - Yang Xu
- Cullgen (Shanghai) Inc., Building 6, 230 ChuanHong Road, Chuansha, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201202, People's Republic of China
| | - Matthew R Lee
- Cullgen Inc., 12671 High Bluff Drive, Suite 130, San Diego, California 92130, United States
| | - Ying Luo
- Cullgen Inc., 12671 High Bluff Drive, Suite 130, San Diego, California 92130, United States
| | - Michael B Plewe
- Cullgen Inc., 12671 High Bluff Drive, Suite 130, San Diego, California 92130, United States
| | - Jialiang Wang
- Cullgen Inc., 12671 High Bluff Drive, Suite 130, San Diego, California 92130, United States.,Cullgen (Shanghai) Inc., Building 6, 230 ChuanHong Road, Chuansha, Pudong New Area, Shanghai 201202, People's Republic of China
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14
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Cope NJ, Novak B, Liu Z, Cavallo M, Gunderwala AY, Connolly M, Wang Z. Analyses of the oncogenic BRAF D594G variant reveal a kinase-independent function of BRAF in activating MAPK signaling. J Biol Chem 2020; 295:2407-2420. [PMID: 31929109 DOI: 10.1074/jbc.ra119.011536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/19/2019] [Revised: 01/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Class 3 mutations in B-Raf proto-oncogene, Ser/Thr kinase (BRAF), that result in kinase-impaired or kinase-dead BRAF have the highest mutation frequency in BRAF gene in lung adenocarcinoma. Several studies have reported that kinase-dead BRAF variants amplify mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling by dimerizing with and activating WT C-Raf proto-oncogene, Ser/Thr kinase (CRAF). However, the structural and functional principles underlying their activation remain elusive. Herein, using cell biology and various biochemical approaches, we established that variant BRAFD594G, a kinase-dead representative of class 3 mutation-derived BRAF variants, has a higher dimerization potential as compared with WT BRAF. Molecular dynamics simulations uncovered that the D594G substitution orients the αC-helix toward the IN position and extends the activation loop within the kinase domain, shifting the equilibrium toward the active, dimeric conformation, thus priming BRAFD594G as an effective allosteric activator of CRAF. We found that B/CRAF heterodimers are the most thermodynamically stable RAF dimers, suggesting that RAF heterodimers, and not homodimers, are the major players in determining the amplitude of MAPK signaling in cells. Additionally, we show that BRAFD594G:CRAF heterodimers bypass autoinhibitory P-loop phosphorylation, which might contribute to longer duration of MAPK pathway signaling in cancer cells. Last, we propose that the dimer interface of the BRAFD594G:CRAF heterodimer may represent a promising target in the design of novel anticancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas J Cope
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Borna Novak
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Zhiwei Liu
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Maria Cavallo
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Amber Y Gunderwala
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Matthew Connolly
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104
| | - Zhihong Wang
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104.
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15
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BRAF Splice Variant Resistance to RAF Inhibitor Requires Enhanced MEK Association. Cell Rep 2019; 25:1501-1510.e3. [PMID: 30404005 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.10.049] [Citation(s) in RCA: 32] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2018] [Revised: 09/11/2018] [Accepted: 10/11/2018] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Expression of aberrantly spliced BRAF V600E isoforms (BRAF V600E ΔEx) mediates resistance in 13%-30% of melanoma patients progressing on RAF inhibitors. BRAF V600E ΔEx confers resistance, in part, through enhanced dimerization. Here, we uncoupled BRAF V600E ΔEx dimerization from maintenance of MEK-ERK1/2 signaling. Furthermore, we show BRAF V600E ΔEx association with its substrate, MEK, is enhanced and required for RAF inhibitor resistance. RAF inhibitor treatment increased phosphorylation at serine 729 (S729) in BRAF V600E ΔEx. Mutation of S729 to a non-phosphorylatable residue reduced BRAF V600E ΔEx-MEK interaction, reduced dimerization or oligomerization, and increased RAF inhibitor sensitivity. Conversely, mutation of the BRAF dimerization domain elicited partial effects on MEK association and RAF inhibitor sensitivity. Our data implicate BRAF S729 in resistance to RAF inhibitor and underscore the importance of substrate association with BRAF V600E ΔEx. These findings may provide opportunities to target resistance driven by aberrantly spliced forms of BRAF V600E.
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16
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Nussinov R, Tsai C, Jang H. Autoinhibition can identify rare driver mutations and advise pharmacology. FASEB J 2019; 34:16-29. [DOI: 10.1096/fj.201901341r] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/28/2019] [Revised: 09/18/2019] [Accepted: 10/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ruth Nussinov
- Computational Structural Biology Section Basic Science Program Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research Frederick MD USA
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler School of Medicine Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv Israel
| | - Chung‐Jung Tsai
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler School of Medicine Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv Israel
| | - Hyunbum Jang
- Department of Human Molecular Genetics and Biochemistry, Sackler School of Medicine Tel Aviv University Tel Aviv Israel
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17
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Cope N, Novak B, Candelora C, Wong K, Cavallo M, Gunderwala A, Liu Z, Li Y, Wang Z. Biochemical Characterization of Full-Length Oncogenic BRAF V600E together with Molecular Dynamics Simulations Provide Insight into the Activation and Inhibition Mechanisms of RAF Kinases. Chembiochem 2019; 20:2850-2861. [PMID: 31152574 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201900266] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The most prevalent BRAF mutation, V600E, occurs frequently in melanoma and other cancers. Although extensive progress has been made toward understanding the biology of RAF kinases, little in vitro characterization of full-length BRAFV600E is available. Herein, we show the successful purification of active, full-length BRAFV600E from mammalian cells for in vitro experiments. Our biochemical characterization of intact BRAFV600E together with molecular dynamics (MD) simulations of the BRAF kinase domain and cell-based assays demonstrate that BRAFV600E has several unique features that contribute to its tumorigenesis. Firstly, steady-state kinetic analyses reveal that purified BRAFV600E is more active than fully activated wild-type BRAF; this is consistent with the notion that elevated signaling output is necessary for transformation. Secondly, BRAFV600E has a higher potential to form oligomers, despite the fact that the V600E substitution confers constitutive kinase activation independent of an intact side-to-side dimer interface. Thirdly, BRAFV600E bypasses inhibitory P-loop phosphorylation to enforce the necessary elevated signaling output for tumorigenesis. Together, these results provide new insight into the biochemical properties of BRAFV600E , complementing the understanding of BRAF regulation under normal and disease conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Cope
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Borna Novak
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Christine Candelora
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Kenneth Wong
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Maria Cavallo
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Amber Gunderwala
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Zhiwei Liu
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Yana Li
- Eukaryotic Tissue Culture Facility, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Zhihong Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
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18
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Man RJ, Zhang YL, Jiang AQ, Zhu HL. A patent review of RAF kinase inhibitors (2010–2018). Expert Opin Ther Pat 2019; 29:675-688. [DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2019.1651842] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ruo-Jun Man
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi University for Nationalities, Nanning, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ya-Liang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ai-Qin Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
| | - Hai-Liang Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, Nanjing University, Nanjing, People’s Republic of China
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19
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Savoia P, Fava P, Casoni F, Cremona O. Targeting the ERK Signaling Pathway in Melanoma. Int J Mol Sci 2019; 20:ijms20061483. [PMID: 30934534 PMCID: PMC6472057 DOI: 10.3390/ijms20061483] [Citation(s) in RCA: 100] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2019] [Revised: 03/17/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2019] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
The discovery of the role of the RAS/RAF/MEK/ERK pathway in melanomagenesis and its progression have opened a new era in the treatment of this tumor. Vemurafenib was the first specific kinase inhibitor approved for therapy of advanced melanomas harboring BRAF-activating mutations, followed by dabrafenib and encorafenib. However, despite the excellent results of first-generation kinase inhibitors in terms of response rate, the average duration of the response was short, due to the onset of genetic and epigenetic resistance mechanisms. The combination therapy with MEK inhibitors is an excellent strategy to circumvent drug resistance, with the additional advantage of reducing side effects due to the paradoxical reactivation of the MAPK pathway. The recent development of RAS and extracellular signal-related kinases (ERK) inhibitors promises to add new players for the ultimate suppression of this signaling pathway and the control of pathway-related drug resistance. In this review, we analyze the pharmacological, preclinical, and clinical trial data of the various MAPK pathway inhibitors, with a keen interest for their clinical applicability in the management of advanced melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paola Savoia
- Department of Health Science, University of Eastern Piedmont, via Solaroli 17, 28100 Novara, Italy.
| | - Paolo Fava
- Section of Dermatology, Department of Medical Science, University of Turin, 10124 Turin, Italy.
| | - Filippo Casoni
- San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Division of Neuroscience, via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milano, Italy.
- Università Vita Salute San Raffaele, via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milano, Italy.
| | - Ottavio Cremona
- San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Division of Neuroscience, via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milano, Italy.
- Università Vita Salute San Raffaele, via Olgettina 58, 20132 Milano, Italy.
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20
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Liu T, Wang Z, Guo P, Ding N. Electrostatic mechanism of V600E mutation-induced B-Raf constitutive activation in colorectal cancer: molecular implications for the selectivity difference between type-I and type-II inhibitors. EUROPEAN BIOPHYSICS JOURNAL: EBJ 2018; 48:73-82. [DOI: 10.1007/s00249-018-1334-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Revised: 08/10/2018] [Accepted: 09/06/2018] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
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21
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Cope N, Candelora C, Wong K, Kumar S, Nan H, Grasso M, Novak B, Li Y, Marmorstein R, Wang Z. Mechanism of BRAF Activation through Biochemical Characterization of the Recombinant Full-Length Protein. Chembiochem 2018; 19:1988-1997. [PMID: 29992710 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201800359] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
BRAF kinase plays an important role in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling and harbors activating mutations in about half of melanomas and in a smaller percentage in many other cancers. Despite its importance, few in vitro studies have been performed to characterize the biochemical properties of full-length BRAF. Herein, a strategy to generate an active, intact form of BRAF protein suitable for in vitro enzyme kinetics is described. It is shown that purified, intact BRAF protein autophosphorylates the kinase activation loop and this can be enhanced by binding the MEK protein substrate through an allosteric mechanism. These studies provide in vitro evidence that BRAF selectively binds to active RAS and that the BRAF/CRAF heterodimer is the most active form, relative to their respective homodimers. Full-length BRAF analysis with small-molecule BRAF inhibitors shows that two drugs, dabrafenib and vemurafenib, can modestly enhance kinase activity of BRAF at low concentration. Taken together, this characterization of intact BRAF contributes to a framework for understanding its role in cell signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicholas Cope
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19004, USA
| | - Christine Candelora
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19004, USA
| | - Kenneth Wong
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19004, USA
| | - Sujeet Kumar
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19004, USA
| | - Haihan Nan
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19004, USA
| | - Michael Grasso
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Borna Novak
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19004, USA
| | - Yana Li
- Eukaryotic Tissue Culture Facility, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, 21205, USA
| | - Ronen Marmorstein
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA
| | - Zhihong Wang
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of the Sciences, Philadelphia, PA, 19004, USA
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Grasso M, Estrada MA, Berrios KN, Winkler JD, Marmorstein R. N-(7-Cyano-6-(4-fluoro-3-(2-(3-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)acetamido)phenoxy)benzo[d]thiazol-2-yl)cyclopropanecarboxamide (TAK632) Promotes Inhibition of BRAF through the Induction of Inhibited Dimers. J Med Chem 2018; 61:5034-5046. [PMID: 29727562 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
BRAFV600E is the most common activating mutation in melanoma and patients treated with BRAFV600E inhibitors all develop resistance within one year. A significant resistance pathway is paradoxical activation (transactivation) involving BRAF dimers, whereby an inhibitor bound protein subunit allosterically activates the other subunit. We recently reported on dimeric BRAFV600E -selective vemurafenib inhibitors that stabilize an inactive αC-out/αC-out homodimeric conformation with improved inhibitor potency and selectivity in vitro. We set out to extend this strategy to target RAF homo- and heterodimers with the pan-RAF inhibitor TAK632 in dimeric configuration. Surprisingly, we find that monomeric TAK632 induces an active αC-in/αC-in BRAF dimer conformation, while dimeric TAK inhibitors cannot promote BRAF dimers and have significantly compromised potency in vitro. These studies uncover the intimate connection between BRAF dimerization and TAK632 mode of inhibition and highlight the importance of understanding the impact of BRAF inhibitors on kinase dimerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Grasso
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine , University of Pennsylvania , 421 Curie Boulevard , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States.,Department of Chemistry , University of Pennsylvania , 231 South 34th Street , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States
| | - Michelle A Estrada
- Department of Chemistry , University of Pennsylvania , 231 South 34th Street , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States
| | - Kiara N Berrios
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine , University of Pennsylvania , 421 Curie Boulevard , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States
| | - Jeffrey D Winkler
- Department of Chemistry , University of Pennsylvania , 231 South 34th Street , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States
| | - Ronen Marmorstein
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics and the Abramson Family Cancer Research Institute, Perelman School of Medicine , University of Pennsylvania , 421 Curie Boulevard , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States.,Department of Chemistry , University of Pennsylvania , 231 South 34th Street , Philadelphia , Pennsylvania 19104 , United States
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Wang J, Li W, Wang B, Hu B, Jiang H, Lai B, Li N, Cheng M. In Silicon Approach for Discovery of Chemopreventive Agents. ACTA ACUST UNITED AC 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s40495-017-0094-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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