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Tin G, Cigler M, Hinterndorfer M, Dong KD, Imrichova H, Gygi SP, Winter GE. Discovery of a DCAF11-dependent cyanoacrylamide-containing covalent degrader of BET-proteins. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2024; 107:129779. [PMID: 38729317 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2024.129779] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 04/08/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/12/2024]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation is mediated by small molecules that induce or stabilize protein-protein interactions between targets and the ubiquitin-proteasome machinery. Currently, there remains a need to expand the repertoire of viable E3 ligases available for hijacking. Notably, covalent chemistry has been employed to engage a handful of E3 ligases, including DCAF11. Here, we disclose a covalent PROTAC that enables DCAF11-dependent degradation, featuring a cyanoacrylamide warhead. Our findings underscore DCAF11 as an interesting candidate with a capacity to accommodate diverse electrophilic chemistries compatible with targeted protein degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gary Tin
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Marko Cigler
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Matthias Hinterndorfer
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Kevin D Dong
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Hana Imrichova
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Steven P Gygi
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA
| | - Georg E Winter
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.
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2
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Wang B, Cao S, Zheng N. Emerging strategies for prospective discovery of molecular glue degraders. Curr Opin Struct Biol 2024; 86:102811. [PMID: 38598983 DOI: 10.1016/j.sbi.2024.102811] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2024] [Revised: 03/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024]
Abstract
Molecular glue (MG) degraders are monovalent small molecule compounds that co-opt E3 ubiquitin ligases to target neo-substrates for proteasomal degradation. Here, we provide a concise review of recent advances in rational MG discovery, which are categorized into two major strategies, ligand modification and de novo discovery. We also highlight the structural mechanisms underlying the formation of MG-enabled ternary complexes and their thermodynamic properties. Finally, we summarize the broader category of proximity inducers including MGs, proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), peptides, and viral proteins. MGs are specified as a unique class of proximity inducers with chemical simplicity and a requirement of pre-existing weak protein-protein interactions. We propose that leveraging the weak basal interaction provides a starting point to prospectively develop MGs to degrade high-value therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baiyun Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, Box 357280, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Shiyun Cao
- Department of Pharmacology, Box 357280, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA
| | - Ning Zheng
- Department of Pharmacology, Box 357280, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
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3
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Razumkov H, Jiang Z, Baek K, You I, Geng Q, Donovan KA, Tang MT, Metivier RJ, Mageed N, Seo P, Li Z, Byun WS, Hinshaw SM, Sarott RC, Fischer ES, Gray NS. Discovery of CRBN-dependent WEE1 Molecular Glue Degraders from a Multicomponent Combinatorial Library. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.05.04.592550. [PMID: 38746375 PMCID: PMC11092764 DOI: 10.1101/2024.05.04.592550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/16/2024]
Abstract
Small molecules promoting protein-protein interactions produce a range of therapeutic outcomes. Molecular glue degraders exemplify this concept due to their compact drug-like structures and ability to engage targets without reliance on existing cognate ligands. While Cereblon molecular glue degraders containing glutarimide scaffolds have been approved for treatment of multiple myeloma and acute myeloid leukemia, the design of new therapeutically relevant monovalent degraders remains challenging. We report here an approach to glutarimide-containing molecular glue synthesis using multicomponent reactions as a central modular core-forming step. Screening the resulting library identified HRZ-01 derivatives that target casein kinase 1 alpha (CK1α) and Wee-like protein kinase (WEE1). Further medicinal chemistry efforts led to identification of selective monovalent WEE1 degraders that provide a potential starting point for the eventual development of a selective chemical degrader probe. The structure of the hit WEE1 degrader complex with CRBN-DDB1 and WEE1 provides a model of the protein-protein interface and a rationale for the observed kinase selectivity. Our findings suggest that modular synthetic routes combined with in-depth structural characterization give access to selective molecular glue degraders and expansion of the CRBN-degradable proteome.
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4
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Wang Y, Wei T, Zhao M, Huang A, Sun F, Chen L, Lin R, Xie Y, Zhang M, Xu S, Sun Z, Hong L, Wang R, Tian R, Li G. Alkenyl oxindole is a novel PROTAC moiety that recruits the CRL4DCAF11 E3 ubiquitin ligase complex for targeted protein degradation. PLoS Biol 2024; 22:e3002550. [PMID: 38768083 PMCID: PMC11104598 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.3002550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 04/17/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Alkenyl oxindoles have been characterized as autophagosome-tethering compounds (ATTECs), which can target mutant huntingtin protein (mHTT) for lysosomal degradation. In order to expand the application of alkenyl oxindoles for targeted protein degradation, we designed and synthesized a series of heterobifunctional compounds by conjugating different alkenyl oxindoles with bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) inhibitor JQ1. Through structure-activity relationship study, we successfully developed JQ1-alkenyl oxindole conjugates that potently degrade BRD4. Unexpectedly, we found that these molecules degrade BRD4 through the ubiquitin-proteasome system, rather than the autophagy-lysosomal pathway. Using pooled CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) screening, we revealed that JQ1-alkenyl oxindole conjugates recruit the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex CRL4DCAF11 for substrate degradation. Furthermore, we validated the most potent heterobifunctional molecule HL435 as a promising drug-like lead compound to exert antitumor activity both in vitro and in a mouse xenograft tumor model. Our research provides new employable proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) moieties for targeted protein degradation, providing new possibilities for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Tianzi Wei
- Key University Laboratory of Metabolism and Health of Guangdong, Department of Medical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Man Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Aima Huang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Fan Sun
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lu Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Risheng Lin
- Key University Laboratory of Metabolism and Health of Guangdong, Department of Medical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yubao Xie
- School of Pharmacy, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Ming Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Shiyu Xu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhihui Sun
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Liang Hong
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Rui Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
- Institute of Materia Medica and Research Unit of Peptide Science, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China
| | - Ruilin Tian
- Key University Laboratory of Metabolism and Health of Guangdong, Department of Medical Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Guofeng Li
- School of Pharmacy, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
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5
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Ma F, Li Y, Cai M, Yang W, Wu Z, Dong J, Qin JJ. ML162 derivatives incorporating a naphthoquinone unit as ferroptosis/apoptosis inducers: Design, synthesis, anti-cancer activity, and drug-resistance reversal evaluation. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 270:116387. [PMID: 38593589 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2024] [Revised: 04/01/2024] [Accepted: 04/01/2024] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Activating apoptosis has long been viewed as an anti-cancer process, but recently increasing evidence has accumulated that induction of ferroptosis has emerged as a promising strategy for cancer therapeutics. Glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) is one of the pivotal factors regulating ferroptosis that targeted inhibition or degradation of GPX4 could effectively trigger ferroptosis. In this study, a series of ML162-quinone conjugates were constructed by using pharmacophore hybridization and bioisosterism strategies, with the aim of obtaining more active anticancer agents via the ferroptosis and apoptosis dual cell death processes. Of these compounds, GIC-20 was identified as the most active one that exhibited promising anticancer activity both in vitro and in vivo via ferroptosis and apoptosis dual-targeting processes, without obvious toxicity compared with ML162. On one hand, GIC-20 could trigger ferroptosis in cells by inducing intracellular lipid peroxide and ROS accumulation, and destroying mitochondrial structure. In addition to GPX4 inhibition, GIC-20 can also trigger ferroptosis via proteasomal-mediated degradation of GPX4, suggesting GIC-20 may function as a molecule glue degrader. On the other hand, GIC-20 can also induce apoptosis via upregulating the level of apoptotic protein Bax and downregulating the level of anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 in HT1080 cells. Furthermore, GIC-20 also enhanced the sensitivity of resistant MIA-PaCa-2-AMG510R cells to AMG510, suggesting the great potential of GIC-20 in overcoming the acquired resistance of KRASG12C inhibitors. Overall, GIC-20 represents a novel dual ferroptosis/apoptosis inducer warranting further development for cancer therapeutics and overcoming drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Furong Ma
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhoum, 310053, China; Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, China
| | - Yulong Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhoum, 310053, China; Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, China
| | - Maohua Cai
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhoum, 310053, China; Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, China
| | - Wenyan Yang
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, China; College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, 310032, China
| | - Zumei Wu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhoum, 310053, China; Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, China
| | - Jinyun Dong
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, China.
| | - Jiang-Jiang Qin
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, China.
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6
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Schröder M, Renatus M, Liang X, Meili F, Zoller T, Ferrand S, Gauter F, Li X, Sigoillot F, Gleim S, Stachyra TM, Thomas JR, Begue D, Khoshouei M, Lefeuvre P, Andraos-Rey R, Chung B, Ma R, Pinch B, Hofmann A, Schirle M, Schmiedeberg N, Imbach P, Gorses D, Calkins K, Bauer-Probst B, Maschlej M, Niederst M, Maher R, Henault M, Alford J, Ahrne E, Tordella L, Hollingworth G, Thomä NH, Vulpetti A, Radimerski T, Holzer P, Carbonneau S, Thoma CR. DCAF1-based PROTACs with activity against clinically validated targets overcoming intrinsic- and acquired-degrader resistance. Nat Commun 2024; 15:275. [PMID: 38177131 PMCID: PMC10766610 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-44237-4] [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: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 01/06/2024] Open
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation (TPD) mediates protein level through small molecule induced redirection of E3 ligases to ubiquitinate neo-substrates and mark them for proteasomal degradation. TPD has recently emerged as a key modality in drug discovery. So far only a few ligases have been utilized for TPD. Interestingly, the workhorse ligase CRBN has been observed to be downregulated in settings of resistance to immunomodulatory inhibitory drugs (IMiDs). Here we show that the essential E3 ligase receptor DCAF1 can be harnessed for TPD utilizing a selective, non-covalent DCAF1 binder. We confirm that this binder can be functionalized into an efficient DCAF1-BRD9 PROTAC. Chemical and genetic rescue experiments validate specific degradation via the CRL4DCAF1 E3 ligase. Additionally, a dasatinib-based DCAF1 PROTAC successfully degrades cytosolic and membrane-bound tyrosine kinases. A potent and selective DCAF1-BTK-PROTAC (DBt-10) degrades BTK in cells with acquired resistance to CRBN-BTK-PROTACs while the DCAF1-BRD9 PROTAC (DBr-1) provides an alternative strategy to tackle intrinsic resistance to VHL-degrader, highlighting DCAF1-PROTACS as a promising strategy to overcome ligase mediated resistance in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martin Schröder
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Martin Renatus
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
- Ridgeline Discovery, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Xiaoyou Liang
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Fabian Meili
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Thomas Zoller
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Francois Gauter
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Xiaoyan Li
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Scott Gleim
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Jason R Thomas
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Damien Begue
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Peggy Lefeuvre
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - BoYee Chung
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Renate Ma
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Benika Pinch
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Andreas Hofmann
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Markus Schirle
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | | | - Patricia Imbach
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Delphine Gorses
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Keith Calkins
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Matt Niederst
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Rob Maher
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Martin Henault
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - John Alford
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Erik Ahrne
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Luca Tordella
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | | | - Nicolas H Thomä
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
- Swiss Institute for Experimental Cancer Research (ISREC), École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Anna Vulpetti
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Thomas Radimerski
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
- Ridgeline Discovery, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Holzer
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Seth Carbonneau
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Claudio R Thoma
- Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Ridgeline Discovery, Basel, Switzerland.
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7
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Julio AR, Shikwana F, Truong C, Burton NR, Dominguez E, Turmon AC, Cao J, Backus K. Pervasive aggregation and depletion of host and viral proteins in response to cysteine-reactive electrophilic compounds. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.10.30.564067. [PMID: 38014036 PMCID: PMC10680658 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.30.564067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Protein homeostasis is tightly regulated, with damaged or misfolded proteins quickly eliminated by the proteasome and autophagosome pathways. By co-opting these processes, targeted protein degradation technologies enable pharmacological manipulation of protein abundance. Recently, cysteine-reactive molecules have been added to the degrader toolbox, which offer the benefit of unlocking the therapeutic potential of 'undruggable' protein targets. The proteome-wide impact of these molecules remains to be fully understood and given the general reactivity of many classes of cysteine-reactive electrophiles, on- and off-target effects are likely. Using chemical proteomics, we identified a cysteine-reactive small molecule degrader of the SARS-CoV-2 non- structural protein 14 (nsp14), which effects degradation through direct modification of cysteines in both nsp14 and in host chaperones together with activation of global cell stress response pathways. We find that cysteine-reactive electrophiles increase global protein ubiquitylation, trigger proteasome activation, and result in widespread aggregation and depletion of host proteins, including components of the nuclear pore complex. Formation of stress granules was also found to be a remarkably ubiquitous cellular response to nearly all cysteine-reactive compounds and degraders. Collectively, our study sheds light on complexities of covalent target protein degradation and highlights untapped opportunities in manipulating and characterizing proteostasis processes via deciphering the cysteine-centric regulation of stress response pathways.
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