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Gahbauer S, DeLeon C, Braz JM, Craik V, Kang HJ, Wan X, Huang XP, Billesbølle CB, Liu Y, Che T, Deshpande I, Jewell M, Fink EA, Kondratov IS, Moroz YS, Irwin JJ, Basbaum AI, Roth BL, Shoichet BK. Docking for EP4R antagonists active against inflammatory pain. Nat Commun 2023; 14:8067. [PMID: 38057319 PMCID: PMC10700596 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-43506-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 11/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023] Open
Abstract
The lipid prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) mediates inflammatory pain by activating G protein-coupled receptors, including the prostaglandin E2 receptor 4 (EP4R). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) reduce nociception by inhibiting prostaglandin synthesis, however, the disruption of upstream prostanoid biosynthesis can lead to pleiotropic effects including gastrointestinal bleeding and cardiac complications. In contrast, by acting downstream, EP4R antagonists may act specifically as anti-inflammatory agents and, to date, no selective EP4R antagonists have been approved for human use. In this work, seeking to diversify EP4R antagonist scaffolds, we computationally dock over 400 million compounds against an EP4R crystal structure and experimentally validate 71 highly ranked, de novo synthesized molecules. Further, we show how structure-based optimization of initial docking hits identifies a potent and selective antagonist with 16 nanomolar potency. Finally, we demonstrate favorable pharmacokinetics for the discovered compound as well as anti-allodynic and anti-inflammatory activity in several preclinical pain models in mice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Gahbauer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Chelsea DeLeon
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - Joao M Braz
- Department of Anatomy, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Veronica Craik
- Department of Anatomy, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Hye Jin Kang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea
| | - Xiaobo Wan
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Xi-Ping Huang
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - Christian B Billesbølle
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Yongfeng Liu
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
| | - Tao Che
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA
- Center of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Anesthesiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, 63110, USA
| | - Ishan Deshpande
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Madison Jewell
- Department of Anatomy, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Elissa A Fink
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Ivan S Kondratov
- Enamine Ltd., Kyiv, Ukraine
- V.P. Kukhar Institute of Bioorganic Chemistry and Petrochemistry, National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - Yurii S Moroz
- Chemspace LLC, Kyiv, Ukraine
- National Taras Shevchenko University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine
| | - John J Irwin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA
| | - Allan I Basbaum
- Department of Anatomy, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
| | - Bryan L Roth
- Department of Pharmacology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.
- National Institute of Mental Health Psychoactive Drug Screening Program, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.
- Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Eshelman School of Pharmacy, Chapel Hill, NC, 27514, USA.
| | - Brian K Shoichet
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, 94158, USA.
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Olivera I, Luri-Rey C, Teijeira A, Eguren-Santamaria I, Gomis G, Palencia B, Berraondo P, Melero I. Facts and Hopes on Neutralization of Protumor Inflammatory Mediators in Cancer Immunotherapy. Clin Cancer Res 2023; 29:4711-4727. [PMID: 37522874 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-22-3653] [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: 04/26/2023] [Revised: 05/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 08/01/2023]
Abstract
In cancer pathogenesis, soluble mediators are responsible for a type of inflammation that favors the progression of tumors. The mechanisms chiefly involve changes in the cellular composition of the tumor tissue stroma and in the functional modulation of myeloid and lymphoid leukocytes. Active immunosuppression, proangiogenesis, changes in leukocyte traffic, extracellular matrix remodeling, and alterations in tumor-antigen presentation are the main mechanisms linked to the inflammation that fosters tumor growth and metastasis. Soluble inflammatory mediators and their receptors are amenable to various types of inhibitors that can be combined with other immunotherapy approaches. The main proinflammatory targets which can be interfered with at present and which are under preclinical and clinical development are IL1β, IL6, the CXCR1/2 chemokine axis, TNFα, VEGF, leukemia inhibitory factor, CCL2, IL35, and prostaglandins. In many instances, the corresponding neutralizing agents are already clinically available and can be repurposed as a result of their use in other areas of medicine such as autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammatory conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Irene Olivera
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research (IDISNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Carlos Luri-Rey
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research (IDISNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Alvaro Teijeira
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research (IDISNA), Pamplona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Iñaki Eguren-Santamaria
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research (IDISNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Gabriel Gomis
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research (IDISNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Belen Palencia
- Department of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Clínica Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Spain
| | - Pedro Berraondo
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research (IDISNA), Pamplona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain
| | - Ignacio Melero
- Program of Immunology and Immunotherapy, Center for Applied Medical Research (CIMA), Pamplona, Spain
- Navarra Institute for Health Research (IDISNA), Pamplona, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Cáncer (CIBERONC), Madrid, Spain
- Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Oxford, United Kingdom
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Xin P, Wang S, Xu X, Liu Q, Zhang C. Natural fulvic acids inhibit non-small-cell lung cancer through the COX-2/PGE2/EP4 axis: In silico and in vivo assessments. Heliyon 2023; 9:e17080. [PMID: 37484418 PMCID: PMC10361232 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17080] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Purpose Non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a major public health concern with a high incidence worldwide. Coal-derived fulvic acids (FAs) contain functional groups in their chemical structures. Overexpression of cyclooxygenases-2 (COX-2), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), and the PGE2 receptor EP4 subtype (EP4) can have a potential link with the increased tumor incidence and promoted tumor growth and metastasis in NSCLC. This study aimed to assess the biological roles of coal-derived FAs in the growth and development of NSCLC and to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms. Methods A web-based tool for predicting small-molecule pharmacokinetics (pkCSM) was used to analyze the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity (ADMET) properties of FAs. Molecular docking and dynamic simulations were performed to analyze the binding affinities of COX-2 and EP4 to FA. An acute toxicity test and an antitumor study were used to analyze the toxicity and anti-NSCLC effects of FAs. Thirty NSCLC-bearing nude mice were randomly divided into five groups (six mice per group): vehicle control, positive control with 20 mg/kg body weight (BW) 5-fluorouracil, and three treatments with 25, 50, and 100 mg/kg BW FAs. The BW and tumor volume were recorded, and the COX-2, PGE2, and EP4 protein expression were measured and analyzed. Results Using the predictive pkCSM algorithm, we found that FA did not cause developmental toxicity. Molecular simulations revealed that COX-2 and EP4 expression was inhibited by FA. An acute toxicity test conformed that the maximum tolerated FAs dose was >3.0 g/kg BW. The animal study demonstrated that FA treatment significantly downregulated the expression of COX-2, PGE2, and EP4 in NSCLC-bearing mice compared to that in vehicle control mice (p < 0.01). Conclusions Natural FAs may exert anti-NSCLC effects through the COX-2/PGE2/EP4 axis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengfei Xin
- Department of Stomatology, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, China
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Shirui Wang
- Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Taiyuan, 030001, China
| | - Xin Xu
- Shanxi Medical University School and Hospital of Stomatology, Taiyuan, 030001, China
| | - Qingmei Liu
- Department of Stomatology, Shanxi Bethune Hospital, Shanxi Academy of Medical Sciences, Tongji Shanxi Hospital, Third Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030032, China
- Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Caifeng Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Taiyuan Normal University, Humic Acid Engineering and Technology Research Center of Shanxi Province, Jinzhong, 030619, China
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Cheng Z, Wang Y, Zhang Y, Zhang C, Wang M, Wang W, He J, Wang Y, Zhang H, Zhang Q, Ding C, Wu D, Yang L, Liu M, Lu W. Discovery of 2 H-Indazole-3-carboxamide Derivatives as Novel Potent Prostanoid EP4 Receptor Antagonists for Colorectal Cancer Immunotherapy. J Med Chem 2023; 66:6218-6238. [PMID: 36880691 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c02058] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/08/2023]
Abstract
Nowadays, small-molecule drugs have become an indispensable part of tumor immunotherapy. Accumulating evidence has indicated that specifically blocking PGE2/EP4 signaling to induce robust antitumor immune response represents an attractive immunotherapy strategy. Herein, a 2H-indazole-3-carboxamide containing compound 1 was identified as a EP4 antagonist hit by screening our in-house small-molecule library. Systematic structure-activity relationship exploration leads to the discovery of compound 14, which displayed single-nanomolar EP4 antagonistic activity in a panel of cell functional assays, high subtype selectivity, and favorable drug-like profiles. Moreover, compound 14 profoundly inhibited the up-regulation of multiple immunosuppression-related genes in macrophages. Oral administration of compound 14, either as monotherapy or in combination with an anti-PD-1 antibody, significantly impaired tumor growth via enhancing cytotoxic CD8+ T cell-mediated antitumor immunity in a syngeneic colon cancer model. Thus, these results demonstrate the potential of compound 14 as a candidate for developing novel EP4 antagonists for tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhiyuan Cheng
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Yijie Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Yao Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Chan Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Mengru Wang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China
| | - Wei Wang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Jiacheng He
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Yang Wang
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Fifth People's Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Hankun Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Qiansen Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Chunyong Ding
- Targeted Drug Research Center of Digestive Tract Tumor, Pharm-X Center, School of Pharmacy, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
| | - Deyan Wu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou 570228, China.,School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Linlin Yang
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China
| | - Mingyao Liu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
| | - Weiqiang Lu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, 500 Dongchuan Road, Shanghai 200241, China
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