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Rosenthal ZC, Fass DM, Payne NC, She A, Patnaik D, Hennig KM, Tesla R, Werthmann GC, Guhl C, Reis SA, Wang X, Chen Y, Placzek M, Williams NS, Hooker J, Herz J, Mazitschek R, Haggarty SJ. Epigenetic modulation through BET bromodomain inhibitors as a novel therapeutic strategy for progranulin-deficient frontotemporal dementia. Sci Rep 2024; 14:9064. [PMID: 38643236 PMCID: PMC11032351 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-59110-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 04/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Frontotemporal dementia (FTD) is a debilitating neurodegenerative disorder with currently no disease-modifying treatment options available. Mutations in GRN are one of the most common genetic causes of FTD, near ubiquitously resulting in progranulin (PGRN) haploinsufficiency. Small molecules that can restore PGRN protein to healthy levels in individuals bearing a heterozygous GRN mutation may thus have therapeutic value. Here, we show that epigenetic modulation through bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) inhibitors (BETi) potently enhance PGRN protein levels, both intracellularly and secreted forms, in human central nervous system (CNS)-relevant cell types, including in microglia-like cells. In terms of potential for disease modification, we show BETi treatment effectively restores PGRN levels in neural cells with a GRN mutation known to cause PGRN haploinsufficiency and FTD. We demonstrate that BETi can rapidly and durably enhance PGRN in neural progenitor cells (NPCs) in a manner dependent upon BET protein expression, suggesting a gain-of-function mechanism. We further describe a CNS-optimized BETi chemotype that potently engages endogenous BRD4 and enhances PGRN expression in neuronal cells. Our results reveal a new epigenetic target for treating PGRN-deficient forms of FTD and provide mechanistic insight to aid in translating this discovery into therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zachary C Rosenthal
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Precision Therapeutics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Daniel M Fass
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Precision Therapeutics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - N Connor Payne
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Angela She
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Precision Therapeutics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Debasis Patnaik
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Precision Therapeutics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Krista M Hennig
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Precision Therapeutics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rachel Tesla
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Gordon C Werthmann
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Charlotte Guhl
- Faculty of Chemistry and Earth Sciences, Institute of Organic Chemistry and Macromolecular Chemistry, Friedrich Schiller University Jena, Jena, Germany
| | - Surya A Reis
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Precision Therapeutics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xiaoyu Wang
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Yueting Chen
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Michael Placzek
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Noelle S Williams
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jacob Hooker
- Department of Radiology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Joachim Herz
- Department of Molecular Genetics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Center for Translational Neurodegeneration Research, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Neuroscience, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Department of Neurology and Neurotherapeutics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Ralph Mazitschek
- Center for Systems Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Stephen J Haggarty
- Chemical Neurobiology Laboratory, Precision Therapeutics Unit, Center for Genomic Medicine, Departments of Neurology and Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
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2
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Summa CM, Langford DP, Dinshaw SH, Webb J, Rick SW. Calculations of Absolute Free Energies, Enthalpies, and Entropies for Drug Binding. J Chem Theory Comput 2024; 20:2812-2819. [PMID: 38538531 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.4c00057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Computer simulation methods can aid in the rational design of drugs aimed at a specific target, typically a protein. The affinity of a drug for its target is given by the free energy of binding. Binding can be further characterized by the enthalpy and entropy changes in the process. Methods exist to determine exact free energies, enthalpies, and entropies that are dependent only on the quality of the potential model and adequate sampling of conformational degrees of freedom. Entropy and enthalpy are roughly an order of magnitude more difficult to calculate than the free energy. This project combines a replica exchange method for enhanced sampling, designed to be efficient for protein-sized systems, with free energy calculations. This approach, replica exchange with dynamical scaling (REDS), uses two conventional simulations at different temperatures so that the entropy can be found from the temperature dependence of the free energy. A third replica is placed between them, with a modified Hamiltonian that allows it to span the temperature range of the conventional replicas. REDS provides temperature-dependent data and aids in sampling. It is applied to the bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) system. We find that for the force fields used, the free energies are accurate but the entropies and enthalpies are not, with the entropic contribution being too positive. Reproducing the entropy and enthalpy of binding appears to be a more stringent test of the force fields than reproducing the free energy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher M Summa
- Department of Computer Science, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana 70148, United States
| | - Dillon P Langford
- Department of Chemistry, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana 70148, United States
| | - Sam H Dinshaw
- Department of Chemistry, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana 70148, United States
| | - Jennifer Webb
- Department of Chemistry, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana 70148, United States
| | - Steven W Rick
- Department of Chemistry, University of New Orleans, New Orleans, Louisiana 70148, United States
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3
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Bai M, Huang Y, Suo X, Wang L, Han W, Zhang W. BET bromodomain inhibitors PFI-1 and CPI-203 suppress the development of follicular lymphoma via regulating Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Heliyon 2024; 10:e27149. [PMID: 38463851 PMCID: PMC10920712 DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e27149] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/25/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Objective Follicular lymphoma (FL) is an indolent B-cell lymphoproliferative disorder, characterized by a lymphoid follicular pattern of growth. PFI-1 or CPI-203 has been known to effectively promote the inhibition of primary effusion lymphoma progression. This study aimed at investigating the anti-tumor properties of PFI-1 and CPI-203 on FL cells and uncover the underlying mechanism of action. Methods FL cells were treated with PFI-1 and CPI-203, and the treated cells were evaluated for their cell viability, cell cycle and apoptosis using CCK8, flow cytometry, and Western blot assays. A xenograft mouse model was used for assessing the in vivo effects of CPI-203 on tumorigenesis. Results PFI-1 or CPI-203 showed potential inhibitory effects on the cell viability of DOHH2 and RL cells in a dose-response-dependent manner. Furthermore, PFI-1 and CPI-203 inhibited cell growth, induced apoptosis of FL cells in vitro, and facilitated the translocation of β-catenin into cytoplasm both in vitro and in vivo. After engrafted with FL cells, CPI-203-treated mice got a longer duration of survival and a smaller tumor size than control mice. Mechanistically, PFI-1 and CPI-203 impede the activity of β-catenin and its downstream molecules by regulating the DVL2/GSK3β axis. Conclusion In conclusion, PFI-1 and CPI-203 may serve as potential anti-tumor inhibitors for the therapy of FL.
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Affiliation(s)
- Min Bai
- Hematology department, Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030013, China
| | - Yunpeng Huang
- Hematology department, Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030013, China
| | - Xinrui Suo
- Department of Prevention and Health, Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030013, China
| | - Lieyang Wang
- Hematology department, Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030013, China
| | - Weie Han
- Hematology department, Cancer Hospital Affiliated to Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030013, China
| | - Weihua Zhang
- Hematology Department, The First Hospital, Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan, 030001, China
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Risheh A, Rebel A, Nerenberg PS, Forouzesh N. Calculation of protein-ligand binding entropies using a rule-based molecular fingerprint. Biophys J 2024:S0006-3495(24)00182-6. [PMID: 38481102 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpj.2024.03.017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 12/21/2023] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 03/28/2024] Open
Abstract
The use of fast in silico prediction methods for protein-ligand binding free energies holds significant promise for the initial phases of drug development. Numerous traditional physics-based models (e.g., implicit solvent models), however, tend to either neglect or heavily approximate entropic contributions to binding due to their computational complexity. Consequently, such methods often yield imprecise assessments of binding strength. Machine learning models provide accurate predictions and can often outperform physics-based models. They, however, are often prone to overfitting, and the interpretation of their results can be difficult. Physics-guided machine learning models combine the consistency of physics-based models with the accuracy of modern data-driven algorithms. This work integrates physics-based model conformational entropies into a graph convolutional network. We introduce a new neural network architecture (a rule-based graph convolutional network) that generates molecular fingerprints according to predefined rules specifically optimized for binding free energy calculations. Our results on 100 small host-guest systems demonstrate significant improvements in convergence and preventing overfitting. We additionally demonstrate the transferability of our proposed hybrid model by training it on the aforementioned host-guest systems and then testing it on six unrelated protein-ligand systems. Our new model shows little difference in training set accuracy compared to a previous model but an order-of-magnitude improvement in test set accuracy. Finally, we show how the results of our hybrid model can be interpreted in a straightforward fashion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali Risheh
- Department of Computer Science, California State University, Los Angeles, California
| | - Alles Rebel
- Department of Computer Science, California State University, Los Angeles, California
| | - Paul S Nerenberg
- Kravis Department of Integrated Sciences, Claremont McKenna College, Claremont, California
| | - Negin Forouzesh
- Department of Computer Science, California State University, Los Angeles, California.
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5
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Hsia O, Hinterndorfer M, Cowan AD, Iso K, Ishida T, Sundaramoorthy R, Nakasone MA, Imrichova H, Schätz C, Rukavina A, Husnjak K, Wegner M, Correa-Sáez A, Craigon C, Casement R, Maniaci C, Testa A, Kaulich M, Dikic I, Winter GE, Ciulli A. Targeted protein degradation via intramolecular bivalent glues. Nature 2024; 627:204-211. [PMID: 38383787 PMCID: PMC10917667 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-024-07089-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation is a pharmacological modality that is based on the induced proximity of an E3 ubiquitin ligase and a target protein to promote target ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. This has been achieved either via proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs)-bifunctional compounds composed of two separate moieties that individually bind the target and E3 ligase, or via molecular glues that monovalently bind either the ligase or the target1-4. Here, using orthogonal genetic screening, biophysical characterization and structural reconstitution, we investigate the mechanism of action of bifunctional degraders of BRD2 and BRD4, termed intramolecular bivalent glues (IBGs), and find that instead of connecting target and ligase in trans as PROTACs do, they simultaneously engage and connect two adjacent domains of the target protein in cis. This conformational change 'glues' BRD4 to the E3 ligases DCAF11 or DCAF16, leveraging intrinsic target-ligase affinities that do not translate to BRD4 degradation in the absence of compound. Structural insights into the ternary BRD4-IBG1-DCAF16 complex guided the rational design of improved degraders of low picomolar potency. We thus introduce a new modality in targeted protein degradation, which works by bridging protein domains in cis to enhance surface complementarity with E3 ligases for productive ubiquitination and degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Oliver Hsia
- Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Matthias Hinterndorfer
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Angus D Cowan
- Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Kentaro Iso
- Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
- Tsukuba Research Laboratory, Eisai Co., Ibaraki, Japan
| | - Tasuku Ishida
- Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
- Tsukuba Research Laboratory, Eisai Co., Ibaraki, Japan
| | | | - Mark A Nakasone
- Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Hana Imrichova
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Caroline Schätz
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Andrea Rukavina
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Koraljka Husnjak
- Institute of Biochemistry II, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Martin Wegner
- Institute of Biochemistry II, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Alejandro Correa-Sáez
- Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Conner Craigon
- Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Ryan Casement
- Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Chiara Maniaci
- Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
- Medical Research Council (MRC) Protein Phosphorylation and Ubiquitylation Unit, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
| | - Andrea Testa
- Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK
- Amphista Therapeutics, Cambridge, UK
| | - Manuel Kaulich
- Institute of Biochemistry II, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Ivan Dikic
- Institute of Biochemistry II, Faculty of Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Georg E Winter
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Alessio Ciulli
- Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Dundee, UK.
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Dreier MR, Walia J, de la Serna IL. Targeting SWI/SNF Complexes in Cancer: Pharmacological Approaches and Implications. Epigenomes 2024; 8:7. [PMID: 38390898 PMCID: PMC10885108 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes8010007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/29/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
SWI/SNF enzymes are heterogeneous multi-subunit complexes that utilize the energy from ATP hydrolysis to remodel chromatin structure, facilitating transcription, DNA replication, and repair. In mammalian cells, distinct sub-complexes, including cBAF, ncBAF, and PBAF exhibit varying subunit compositions and have different genomic functions. Alterations in the SWI/SNF complex and sub-complex functions are a prominent feature in cancer, making them attractive targets for therapeutic intervention. Current strategies in cancer therapeutics involve the use of pharmacological agents designed to bind and disrupt the activity of SWI/SNF complexes or specific sub-complexes. Inhibitors targeting the catalytic subunits, SMARCA4/2, and small molecules binding SWI/SNF bromodomains are the primary approaches for suppressing SWI/SNF function. Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) were generated by the covalent linkage of the bromodomain or ATPase-binding ligand to an E3 ligase-binding moiety. This engineered connection promotes the degradation of specific SWI/SNF subunits, enhancing and extending the impact of this pharmacological intervention in some cases. Extensive preclinical studies have underscored the therapeutic potential of these drugs across diverse cancer types. Encouragingly, some of these agents have progressed from preclinical research to clinical trials, indicating a promising stride toward the development of effective cancer therapeutics targeting SWI/SNF complex and sub-complex functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Megan R Dreier
- Department of Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, 3000 Arlington Ave, Toledo 43614, OH, USA
| | - Jasmine Walia
- Department of Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, 3000 Arlington Ave, Toledo 43614, OH, USA
| | - Ivana L de la Serna
- Department of Cell and Cancer Biology, University of Toledo College of Medicine and Life Sciences, 3000 Arlington Ave, Toledo 43614, OH, USA
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Barman S, Sahoo SS, Padhan J, Sudhamalla B. Identification of novel natural product inhibitors of BRD4 using high throughput virtual screening and MD simulation. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023; 41:10569-10581. [PMID: 36524430 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2155346] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Bromodomains are evolutionarily conserved structural motifs that recognize acetylated lysine residues on histone tails. They play a crucial role in shaping chromatin architecture and regulating gene expression in various biological processes. Mutations in bromodomains containing proteins lead to multiple human diseases, which makes them attractive target for therapeutic intervention. Extensive studies have been done on BRD4 as a target for several cancers, such as Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Burkitt Lymphoma. Several potential inhibitors have been identified against the BRD4 bromodomain. However, most of these inhibitors have drawbacks such as non-specificity and toxicity, decreasing their appeal and necessitating the search for novel non-toxic inhibitors. This study aims to address this need by virtually screening natural compounds from the NPASS database against the Kac binding site of BRD4-BD1 using high throughput molecular docking followed by similarity clustering, pharmacokinetic screening, MD simulation and MM-PBSA binding free energy calculations. Using this approach, we identified five natural product inhibitors having a similar or better binding affinity to the BRD4 bromodomain compared to JQ1 (previously reported inhibitor of BRD4). Further systematic analysis of these inhibitors resulted in the top three hits: NPC268484 (Palodesangren-B), NPC295021 (Candidine) and NPC313112 (Buxifoliadine-D). Collectively, our in silico results identified some promising natural products that have the potential to act as potent BRD4-BD1 inhibitors and can be considered for further validation through future in vitro and in vivo studies.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumen Barman
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Nadia, West Bengal, India
| | - Snehasudha Subhadarsini Sahoo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Nadia, West Bengal, India
| | - Jyotirmayee Padhan
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Nadia, West Bengal, India
| | - Babu Sudhamalla
- Department of Biological Sciences, Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Kolkata, Nadia, West Bengal, India
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8
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Abstract
The bromodomain acts to recognize acetylated lysine in histones and transcription proteins and plays a fundamental role in chromatin-based cellular processes including gene transcription and chromatin remodeling. Many bromodomain proteins, particularly the bromodomain and extra terminal domain (BET) protein BRD4 have been implicated in cancers and inflammatory disorders and recognized as attractive drug targets. Although clinical studies of many BET bromodomain inhibitors have made substantial progress toward harnessing the therapeutic potential of targeting the bromodomain proteins, the development of this new class of epigenetic drugs is met with challenges, especially on-target dose-limiting toxicity. In this review, we highlight the current development of new-generation small molecule inhibitors for the BET and non-BET bromodomain proteins and discuss the research strategies used to target different bromodomain proteins for a wide array of human diseases including cancers and inflammatory disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bharath Kumar Gajjela
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10029, United States
| | - Ming-Ming Zhou
- Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, 1425 Madison Avenue, New York, NY, 10029, United States.
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9
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Pan Z, Zhao Y, Wang X, Xie X, Liu M, Zhang K, Wang L, Bai D, Foster LJ, Shu R, He G. Targeting bromodomain-containing proteins: research advances of drug discovery. Mol Biomed 2023; 4:13. [PMID: 37142850 PMCID: PMC10159834 DOI: 10.1186/s43556-023-00127-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bromodomain (BD) is an evolutionarily conserved protein module found in 46 different BD-containing proteins (BCPs). BD acts as a specific reader for acetylated lysine residues (KAc) and serves an essential role in transcriptional regulation, chromatin remodeling, DNA damage repair, and cell proliferation. On the other hand, BCPs have been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of a variety of diseases, including cancers, inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, and viral infections. Over the past decade, researchers have brought new therapeutic strategies to relevant diseases by inhibiting the activity or downregulating the expression of BCPs to interfere with the transcription of pathogenic genes. An increasing number of potent inhibitors and degraders of BCPs have been developed, some of which are already in clinical trials. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of recent advances in the study of drugs that inhibit or down-regulate BCPs, focusing on the development history, molecular structure, biological activity, interaction with BCPs and therapeutic potentials of these drugs. In addition, we discuss current challenges, issues to be addressed and future research directions for the development of BCPs inhibitors. Lessons learned from the successful or unsuccessful development experiences of these inhibitors or degraders will facilitate the further development of efficient, selective and less toxic inhibitors of BCPs and eventually achieve drug application in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoping Pan
- Department of Dermatology & Venerology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
- Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology (CIII), Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yuxi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, Department of Orthodontics and Pediatrics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xiaoyun Wang
- Department of Dermatology & Venerology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
- Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology (CIII), Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xin Xie
- College of Medical Technology and School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Mingxia Liu
- Department of Dermatology & Venerology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Kaiyao Zhang
- Department of Dermatology & Venerology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Lian Wang
- Department of Dermatology & Venerology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Ding Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, Department of Orthodontics and Pediatrics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Leonard J Foster
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Rui Shu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, Department of Orthodontics and Pediatrics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Gu He
- Department of Dermatology & Venerology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
- Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology (CIII), Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Caligiuri M, Williams GL, Castro J, Battalagine L, Wilker E, Yao L, Schiller S, Toms A, Li P, Pardo E, Graves B, Azofeifa J, Chicas A, Herbertz T, Lai M, Basken J, Wood KW, Xu Q, Guichard SM. FT-6876, a Potent and Selective Inhibitor of CBP/p300, is Active in Preclinical Models of Androgen Receptor-Positive Breast Cancer. Target Oncol 2023. [PMID: 36826464 DOI: 10.1007/s11523-023-00949-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 01/30/2023] [Indexed: 02/25/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Patients with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) expressing the androgen receptor (AR) respond poorly to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, although AR antagonists have shown promising clinical activity, suggesting these tumors are AR-dependent. cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB)-binding protein (CBP) and p300 are transcriptional co-activators for the AR, a key driver of AR+ breast and prostate cancer, and may provide a novel therapeutic target in AR+ TNBC. OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to determine the therapeutic potential of FT-6876, a new CBP/p300 bromodomain inhibitor, in breast cancer models with a range of AR levels in vitro and in vivo. METHODS Effects of FT-6876 on the CBP/p300 pathway were determined by combining chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) with precision run-on sequencing (PRO-seq) complemented with H3K27 acetylation (Ac) and transcriptional profiling. The antiproliferative effect of FT-6876 was also measured in vitro and in vivo. RESULTS We describe the discovery of FT-6876, a potent and selective CBP/p300 bromodomain inhibitor. The combination of ChIP and PRO-seq confirmed the reduction in H3K27Ac at specific promoter sites concurrent with a decrease in CBP/p300 on the chromatin and a reduction in nascent RNA and enhancer RNA. This was associated with a time- and concentration-dependent reduction in H3K37Ac associated with a decrease in AR and estrogen receptor (ER) target gene expression. This led to a time-dependent growth inhibition in AR+ models, correlated with AR expression. Tumor growth inhibition was also observed in AR+ tumor models of TNBC and ER+ breast cancer subtypes with consistent pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics. CONCLUSION Our findings demonstrate FT-6876 as a promising new CBP/p300 bromodomain inhibitor, with efficacy in preclinical models of AR+ breast cancer.
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11
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Bugide S, Edwards YJK, Gupta R, Green MR, Wajapeyee N. CBX5 loss drives EGFR inhibitor resistance and results in therapeutically actionable vulnerabilities in lung cancer. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2023; 120:e2218118120. [PMID: 36652476 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2218118120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Although epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFRi) are approved for treating EGFR-mutant lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD), emergence of acquired resistance limits their clinical benefits. Several mechanisms for acquired resistance to EGFRi in LUAD have been identified; however, the molecular basis for this resistance remains unknown in ~30% of LUAD. Chromatin and DNA modifiers and their regulators play important roles in determining response to anticancer therapies. Therefore, to identify nongenetic mechanisms of EGFRi resistance in LUAD, we performed an epigenome-wide shRNA screen targeting 363 human epigenetic regulator genes. This screen identified loss of the transcriptional repressor chromobox homolog 5 (CBX5) as a driver of EGFRi resistance in EGFR-mutant LUAD. Loss of CBX5 confers resistance to multiple EGFRi in both cell culture and mice. We found that CBX5 loss in EGFR-mutant LUAD cells leads to increased expression of the transcription factor E2F1, which in turn stimulates expression of the antiapoptotic gene BIRC5 (survivin). This E2F1-mediated upregulation of BIRC5 in CBX5-knockdown LUAD cells attenuates apoptosis induction following EGFRi treatment. Consistent with these results, knockdown of E2F1 or BIRC5 partly rescues CBX5-knockdown-induced EGFRi resistance in cell culture and mice. EGFRi-resistant LUAD cell lines show reduced CBX5 expression compared to parental lines; however, bromo- and extra-terminal (BET)-domain inhibitors (BETi) restore CBX5 expression in these cells and sensitize them to EGFRi/BETi combination therapy. Similarly, treatment with a BIRC5 inhibitor suppresses growth of EGFRi-resistant LUAD cells. Collectively, these studies identify CBX5 loss as a driver of EGFRi resistance and reveal therapeutic opportunities for treating EGFRi-resistant LUAD.
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12
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Wang Q, Pan Y, Luo H, Zhang Y, Gao F, Wang J, Zheng J. Novel Approaches for the Solid-Phase Synthesis of Dihydroquinazoline-2(1 H)-One Derivatives and Biological Evaluation as Potential Anticancer Agents. Molecules 2022; 27:8577. [PMID: 36500678 PMCID: PMC9737648 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27238577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/02/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In the design of antineoplastic drugs, quinazolinone derivatives are often used as small molecule inhibitors for kinases or receptor kinases, such as the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor gefitinib, p38MAP kinase inhibitor DQO-501, and BRD4 protein inhibitor PFI-1. A novel and convenient approach for the solid-phase synthesis of dihydroquinazoline-2(1H)-one derivatives was proposed and 19 different compounds were synthesized. Cytotoxicity tests showed that most of the target compounds had anti-proliferative activity against HepG-2, A2780 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines. Among them, compounds CA1-e and CA1-g had the most potent effect on A2780 cells, with IC50 values of 22.76 and 22.94 μM, respectively. In addition, in an antioxidant assay, the IC50 of CA1-7 was 57.99 μM. According to bioinformatics prediction, ERBB2, SRC, TNF receptor, and AKT1 were predicted to be the key targets and play an essential role in cancer treatment. ADMET prediction suggested 14 of the 19 compounds had good pharmacological properties, i.e., these compounds displayed clinical potential. The correct structure of the final compounds was confirmed based on LC/MS, 1H NMR, and 13C NMR.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiong Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou 515041, China
- National Cancer Center/National Clinical Research Center for Cancer/Cancer Hospital &
- Shenzhen Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Shenzhen 518116, China
| | - Ying Pan
- Department of Chemistry, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Hongjun Luo
- Bio-Analytical Laboratory, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Yanmei Zhang
- Department of Pharmacology, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Fenfei Gao
- Department of Pharmacology, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Jinzhi Wang
- Department of Chemistry, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou 515041, China
| | - Jinhong Zheng
- Department of Chemistry, Shantou University Medical College, 22 Xinling Road, Shantou 515041, China
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13
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Yatchang MF, Mathew B, Srivastava RK, Khan J, Muzaffar S, Zhang S, Wu M, Zhai L, Ruiz P, Agarwal A, Bostwick JR, Suto MJ, Athar M, Augelli-Szafran CE. Development of BRD4 inhibitors as anti-inflammatory agents and antidotes for arsenicals. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2022; 64:128696. [PMID: 35318165 PMCID: PMC9017782 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2022.128696] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Arsenicals belong to the class of chemical warfare agents known as vesicants, which are highly reactive, toxic and cause robust inflammatory response. Cutaneous exposure to arsenicals causes a wide range of systemic organ damage, beginning with cutaneous injuries, and later manifest multi-organ damage and death. Thus, the development of suitable antidotes that can effectively block injury following exposure to these agents is of great importance. Bromodomain 4 (BRD4), a member of the bromodomain and extra terminal domain (BET) family, plays crucial role in regulating transcription of inflammatory, proliferation and cell cycle genes. In this context, the development of potent small molecule inhibitors of BRD4 could serve as potential antidotes for arsenicals. Herein, we describe the synthesis and biological evaluation of a series of compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marina Fosso Yatchang
- Scientific Platforms, Southern Research, 2000 Ninth Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA
| | - Bini Mathew
- Scientific Platforms, Southern Research, 2000 Ninth Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA
| | - Ritesh K Srivastava
- UAB Research Center of Excellence in Arsenicals, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Jasim Khan
- UAB Research Center of Excellence in Arsenicals, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Suhail Muzaffar
- UAB Research Center of Excellence in Arsenicals, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Sixue Zhang
- Scientific Platforms, Southern Research, 2000 Ninth Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA
| | - Mousheng Wu
- Scientific Platforms, Southern Research, 2000 Ninth Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA
| | - Ling Zhai
- Scientific Platforms, Southern Research, 2000 Ninth Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA
| | - Pedro Ruiz
- Scientific Platforms, Southern Research, 2000 Ninth Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA
| | - Anupam Agarwal
- UAB Research Center of Excellence in Arsenicals, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA; Department of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - James R Bostwick
- Scientific Platforms, Southern Research, 2000 Ninth Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA
| | - Mark J Suto
- Scientific Platforms, Southern Research, 2000 Ninth Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35205, USA
| | - Mohammad Athar
- UAB Research Center of Excellence in Arsenicals, School of Medicine, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA.
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14
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Huggins DJ. Comparing the Performance of Different AMBER Protein Forcefields, Partial Charge Assignments, and Water Models for Absolute Binding Free Energy Calculations. J Chem Theory Comput 2022; 18:2616-2630. [PMID: 35266690 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.1c01208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Identifying chemical starting points is a vital first step in small molecule drug discovery and can take significant time and money. For this reason, computational approaches to virtual screening are of great interest as they can lower the cost and shorten timeframes. However, simple approaches such as molecular docking and pharmacophore screening are of limited accuracy and provide a low probability of success. Alchemical binding free energies represent a promising approach for virtual screening as they naturally incorporate the key effects of water molecules, protein flexibility, and binding entropy. However, the calculations are technically very challenging, with performance depending on the specific forcefield used. For this reason, it is important that the community has access to benchmark test sets to assess prediction accuracy. In this paper, we present an approach to alchemical binding free energies using OpenMM. We identify effective simulation parameters using an existing BRD4(1) test set and present two new benchmark sets (cMET and PDE2A) that can be used in the community for validation purposes. Our findings also highlight the effectiveness of some AMBER forcefields, in particular, AMBER ff15ipq.
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Affiliation(s)
- David J Huggins
- Tri-Institutional Therapeutics Discovery Institute, New York, New York 10021, United States.,Department of Physiology and Biophysics, Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University, New York, New York 10065, United States
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15
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Zhang MF, Luo XY, Zhang C, Wang C, Wu XS, Xiang QP, Xu Y, Zhang Y. Design, synthesis and pharmacological characterization of N-(3-ethylbenzo[d]isoxazol-5-yl) sulfonamide derivatives as BRD4 inhibitors against acute myeloid leukemia. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2022. [PMID: 35264812 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-022-00881-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Accepted: 01/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
BRD4 plays a key role in the regulation of gene transcription and has been identified as an attractive target for cancer treatment. In this study, we designed 26 new compounds by modifying 3-ethyl-benzo[d]isoxazole core with sulfonamides. Most compounds exhibited potent BRD4 binding activities with ΔTm values exceeding 6 °C. Two crystal structures of 11h and 11r in complex with BRD4(1) were obtained to characterize the binding patterns. Compounds 11h and 11r were effective for BRD4(1) binding and showed remarkable anti-proliferative activity against MV4-11 cells with IC50 values of 0.78 and 0.87 μM. Furthermore, 11r (0.5−10 μM) concentration-dependently inhibited the expression levels of oncogenes including c-Myc and CDK6 in MV4-11 cells. Moreover, 11r (0.5−10 μM) concentration-dependently blocked cell cycle in MV4-11 cells at G0/G1 phase and induced cell apoptosis. Compound 11r may serve as a new lead compound for further drug development.
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16
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Cai M, Dong J, Li H, Qin JJ. Recent Developments in Targeting Bromodomain and Extra Terminal Domain Proteins for Cancer Therapeutics. Curr Med Chem 2022; 29:4391-4409. [PMID: 35152859 DOI: 10.2174/0929867329666220211091806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/22/2021] [Revised: 12/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/14/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Abstract:
Bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) proteins are a well-studied family of proteins associated with a variety of diseases including malignancy and chronic inflammation. Currently, numerous pan BET inhibitors have exhibited potent efficacy in several in vivo preclinical models and entered clinical trials, but have largely stalled due to their adverse events. Therefore, the development of new selective inhibitors and PROTACs (Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras) targeting BET is urgently needed. In the present review, we summarize the BET protein structure, the recent development of BET inhibitors, focusing mainly on BRD4-selective inhibitors and PROTAC degraders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maohua Cai
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institutes of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310022, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China
| | - Jinyun Dong
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institutes of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310022, China
| | - Haobin Li
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institutes of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310022, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China
| | - Jiang-Jiang Qin
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institutes of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310022, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, China
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17
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Gundelach L, Fox T, Tautermann CS, Skylaris CK. BRD4: quantum mechanical protein–ligand binding free energies using the full-protein DFT-based QM-PBSA method. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2022; 24:25240-25249. [PMID: 36222107 DOI: 10.1039/d2cp03705j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Fully quantum mechanical approaches to calculating protein–ligand free energies of binding have the potential to reduce empiricism and explicitly account for all physical interactions responsible for protein–ligand binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lennart Gundelach
- University of Southampton, Faculty of Engineering Science and Mathematics, Chemistry, University Road, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
| | - Thomas Fox
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co KG, Medicinal Chemistry, Birkendorfer Str 65, 88397, Biberach, Germany
| | - Christofer S. Tautermann
- Boehringer Ingelheim Pharma GmbH & Co KG, Medicinal Chemistry, Birkendorfer Str 65, 88397, Biberach, Germany
| | - Chris-Kriton Skylaris
- University of Southampton, Faculty of Engineering Science and Mathematics, Chemistry, University Road, Southampton, SO17 1BJ, UK
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18
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Jiang W, Wang X, Shu C, Hou Q, Yang K, Wu X. Design, synthesis, and evaluation of novel pyridone derivatives as potent BRD4 inhibitors for the potential treatment of prostate cancer. Bioorg Chem 2021; 119:105575. [PMID: 34995979 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.105575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Since androgen receptor (AR) can bind to BRD4 protein and this binding can be blocked by BRD4 inhibitors, targeting BRD4 has emerged as a promising approach for the treatment of prostate cancer (PC). Herein, we designed and synthesized a series of 5-(1-benzyl-1H-indazol-6-yl)-4-ethoxy-1-methylpyridin-2(1H)-one derivatives as novel BRD4 inhibitors for prostate cancer. Among them, compound 13 displayed the most robust BRD4 inhibitory activity with an IC50 value of 18 nM. Furthermore, 13 showed potent anti-proliferative activity against enzalutamide-resistant 22RV1 cells. The mechanism of action studies demonstrated that 13 induced cell apoptosis by regulating Bcl-2/Bax proteins and activating caspase-3 signaling pathway. In addition, the c-Myc level was significantly reduced in 22RV1 cells on the western blot assay. These findings collectively suggested that compound 13 might find potential use for the treatment of prostate cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenhua Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Chengxia Shu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Qiangqiang Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Kexin Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China
| | - Xiaoxing Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, China.
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19
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Zhong F, Wu X, Yang R, Li X, Wang D, Fu Z, Liu X, Wan X, Yang T, Fan Z, Zhang Y, Luo X, Chen K, Zhang S, Jiang H, Zheng M. Drug target inference by mining transcriptional data using a novel graph convolutional network framework. Protein Cell 2021. [PMID: 34677780 DOI: 10.1007/s13238-021-00885-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 09/08/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
A fundamental challenge that arises in biomedicine is the need to characterize compounds in a relevant cellular context in order to reveal potential on-target or off-target effects. Recently, the fast accumulation of gene transcriptional profiling data provides us an unprecedented opportunity to explore the protein targets of chemical compounds from the perspective of cell transcriptomics and RNA biology. Here, we propose a novel Siamese spectral-based graph convolutional network (SSGCN) model for inferring the protein targets of chemical compounds from gene transcriptional profiles. Although the gene signature of a compound perturbation only provides indirect clues of the interacting targets, and the biological networks under different experiment conditions further complicate the situation, the SSGCN model was successfully trained to learn from known compound-target pairs by uncovering the hidden correlations between compound perturbation profiles and gene knockdown profiles. On a benchmark set and a large time-split validation dataset, the model achieved higher target inference accuracy as compared to previous methods such as Connectivity Map. Further experimental validations of prediction results highlight the practical usefulness of SSGCN in either inferring the interacting targets of compound, or reversely, in finding novel inhibitors of a given target of interest.
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20
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Vaidergorn MM, da Silva Emery F, Ganesan A. From Hit Seeking to Magic Bullets: The Successful Union of Epigenetic and Fragment Based Drug Discovery (EPIDD + FBDD). J Med Chem 2021; 64:13980-14010. [PMID: 34591474 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00787] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
We review progress in the application of fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) to epigenetic drug discovery (EPIDD) targeted at epigenetic writer and eraser enzymes as well as reader domains over the last 15 years. The greatest successes to date are in prospecting for bromodomain binding ligands. From a diverse array of fragment hits, multiple potent and selective compounds ensued, including the oncology clinical candidates mivebresib, ABBV-744, pelabresib, and PLX51107.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miguel M Vaidergorn
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14040-903, Brazil
| | - Flavio da Silva Emery
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo 14040-903, Brazil
| | - A Ganesan
- School of Pharmacy, University of East Anglia, Norwich NR4 7TJ, United Kingdom
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21
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Feng L, Wang G, Chen Y, He G, Liu B, Liu J, Chiang CM, Ouyang L. Dual-target inhibitors of bromodomain and extra-terminal proteins in cancer: A review from medicinal chemistry perspectives. Med Res Rev 2021; 42:710-743. [PMID: 34633088 DOI: 10.1002/med.21859] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2021] [Revised: 07/14/2021] [Accepted: 09/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4), as the most studied member of the bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) family, is a chromatin reader protein interpreting epigenetic codes through binding to acetylated histones and non-histone proteins, thereby regulating diverse cellular processes including cell cycle, cell differentiation, and cell proliferation. As a promising drug target, BRD4 function is closely related to cancer, inflammation, cardiovascular disease, and liver fibrosis. Currently, clinical resistance to BET inhibitors has limited their applications but synergistic antitumor effects have been observed when used in combination with other tumor inhibitors targeting additional cellular components such as PLK1, HDAC, CDK, and PARP1. Therefore, designing dual-target inhibitors of BET bromodomains is a rational strategy in cancer treatment to increase potency and reduce drug resistance. This review summarizes the protein structures and biological functions of BRD4 and discusses recent advances of dual BET inhibitors from a medicinal chemistry perspective. We also discuss the current design and discovery strategies for dual BET inhibitors, providing insight into potential discovery of additional dual-target BET inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Guan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Yi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center and Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, and Collaborative Innovation Center for Biotherapy, Chengdu, China
| | - Gu He
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Bo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Jie Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Cheng-Ming Chiang
- Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA
| | - Liang Ouyang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Innovation Center of Nursing Research, Nursing Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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22
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Blasl AT, Schulze S, Qin C, Graf LG, Vogt R, Lammers M. Post-translational lysine ac(et)ylation in health, ageing and disease. Biol Chem 2021; 403:151-194. [PMID: 34433238 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2021-0139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The acetylation/acylation (ac(et)ylation) of lysine side chains is a dynamic post-translational modification (PTM) regulating fundamental cellular processes with implications on the organisms' ageing process: metabolism, transcription, translation, cell proliferation, regulation of the cytoskeleton and DNA damage repair. First identified to occur on histones, later studies revealed the presence of lysine ac(et)ylation in organisms of all kingdoms of life, in proteins covering all essential cellular processes. A remarkable finding showed that the NAD+-dependent sirtuin deacetylase Sir2 has an impact on replicative lifespan in Saccharomyces cerevisiae suggesting that lysine acetylation has a direct role in the ageing process. Later studies identified sirtuins as mediators for beneficial effects of caloric/dietary restriction on the organisms' health- or lifespan. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are only incompletely understood. Progress in mass-spectrometry, structural biology, synthetic and semi-synthetic biology deepened our understanding of this PTM. This review summarizes recent developments in the research field. It shows how lysine ac(et)ylation regulates protein function, how it is regulated enzymatically and non-enzymatically, how a dysfunction in this post-translational machinery contributes to disease development. A focus is set on sirtuins and lysine acyltransferases as these are direct sensors and mediators of the cellular metabolic state. Finally, this review highlights technological advances to study lysine ac(et)ylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Theresa Blasl
- Department Synthetic and Structural Biochemistry, Institute for Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 4, D-17487Greifswald, Germany
| | - Sabrina Schulze
- Department Synthetic and Structural Biochemistry, Institute for Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 4, D-17487Greifswald, Germany
| | - Chuan Qin
- Department Synthetic and Structural Biochemistry, Institute for Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 4, D-17487Greifswald, Germany
| | - Leonie G Graf
- Department Synthetic and Structural Biochemistry, Institute for Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 4, D-17487Greifswald, Germany
| | - Robert Vogt
- Department Synthetic and Structural Biochemistry, Institute for Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 4, D-17487Greifswald, Germany
| | - Michael Lammers
- Department Synthetic and Structural Biochemistry, Institute for Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 4, D-17487Greifswald, Germany
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23
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Cui H, Carlson AS, Schleiff MA, Divakaran A, Johnson JA, Buchholz CR, Zahid H, Vail NR, Shi K, Aihara H, Harki DA, Miller GP, Topczewski JJ, Pomerantz WCK. 4-Methyl-1,2,3-Triazoles as N-Acetyl-Lysine Mimics Afford Potent BET Bromodomain Inhibitors with Improved Selectivity. J Med Chem 2021; 64:10497-10511. [PMID: 34236185 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00933] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The bromodomain and extra terminal (BET) protein family recognizes acetylated lysines within histones and transcription factors using two N-terminal bromodomains, D1 and D2. The protein-protein interactions between BET bromodomains, acetylated histones, and transcription factors are therapeutic targets for BET-related diseases, including inflammatory disease and cancer. Prior work demonstrated that methylated-1,2,3-triazoles are suitable N-acetyl lysine mimetics for BET inhibition. Here we describe a structure-activity relationship study of triazole-based inhibitors that improve affinity, D1 selectivity, and microsomal stability. These outcomes were accomplished by targeting a nonconserved residue, Asp144 and a conserved residue, Met149, on BRD4 D1. The lead inhibitors DW34 and 26 have a BRD4 D1 Kd of 12 and 6.4 nM, respectively. Cellular activity was demonstrated through suppression of c-Myc expression in MM.1S cells and downregulation of IL-8 in TNF-α-stimulated A549 cells. These data indicate that DW34 and 26 are new leads to investigate the anticancer and anti-inflammatory activity of BET proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huarui Cui
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Angela S Carlson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Mary A Schleiff
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham Street, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, United States
| | - Anand Divakaran
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 2231 Sixth Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Jorden A Johnson
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Caroline R Buchholz
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 2231 Sixth Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Huda Zahid
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Nora R Vail
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Ke Shi
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, 321 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Hideki Aihara
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Biophysics, University of Minnesota, 321 Church Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Daniel A Harki
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 2231 Sixth Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Grover P Miller
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, 4301 W. Markham Street, Little Rock, Arkansas 72205, United States
| | - Joseph J Topczewski
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - William C K Pomerantz
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States.,Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 2231 Sixth Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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24
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Quinlan RBA, Brennan PE. Chemogenomics for drug discovery: clinical molecules from open access chemical probes. RSC Chem Biol 2021; 2:759-795. [PMID: 34458810 PMCID: PMC8341094 DOI: 10.1039/d1cb00016k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years chemical probes have proved valuable tools for the validation of disease-modifying targets, facilitating investigation of target function, safety, and translation. Whilst probes and drugs often differ in their properties, there is a belief that chemical probes are useful for translational studies and can accelerate the drug discovery process by providing a starting point for small molecule drugs. This review seeks to describe clinical candidates that have been inspired by, or derived from, chemical probes, and the process behind their development. By focusing primarily on examples of probes developed by the Structural Genomics Consortium, we examine a variety of epigenetic modulators along with other classes of probe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert B A Quinlan
- Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Old Road Campus Oxford OX3 7FZ UK
| | - Paul E Brennan
- Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Old Road Campus Oxford OX3 7FZ UK
- Alzheimer's Research (UK) Oxford Drug Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Oxford OX3 7FZ UK
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25
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Tong JB, Luo D, Feng Y, Bian S, Zhang X, Wang TH. Structural modification of 4, 5-dihydro-[1, 2, 4] triazolo [4, 3-f] pteridine derivatives as BRD4 inhibitors using 2D/3D-QSAR and molecular docking analysis. Mol Divers 2021; 25:1855-1872. [PMID: 33392965 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-020-10172-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2020] [Accepted: 12/11/2020] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Cancer treatment continues to be one of the most serious public health issues in the world. The overexpression of BRD4 protein has led to a series of malignant tumors, hence the development of small molecule BRD4 protease inhibitors has always been a hot spot in the field of medical research. In this study, a series of 4,5-dihydro-[1, 2, 4] triazolo [4, 3-f] pteridine derivatives were used to establish 3D/2D-QSAR models and to discuss the relationship between inhibitor structure and activity. Four ideal models were established, including the comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA: [Formula: see text] = 0.574, [Formula: see text] = 0.947) model, comparative molecular similarity index analysis (CoMSIA: [Formula: see text]= 0.622, [Formula: see text] = 0.916) model, topomer CoMFA ([Formula: see text] = 0.691, [Formula: see text]= 0.912) model and hologram quantitative structure-activity relationship (HQSAR: [Formula: see text]= 0.759, [Formula: see text] = 0.963) model. They show quite good external predictive power for the test set, with [Formula: see text] values of 0.602, 0.624, 0.671 and 0.750, respectively. In addition, the contour and color code map given by the 2D/3D-QSAR model with the results of molecular docking analyzed to chalk up modification methods for improving inhibitory activity, which was verified by designing novel compounds. The analysis results are helpful to promote the modification of the inhibitor framework and to provide a reference for the construction of new and promising BRD4 inhibitor compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Bo Tong
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710021, China.
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Chemical Additives for Industry, Xi'an, 710021, China.
| | - Ding Luo
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710021, China
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Chemical Additives for Industry, Xi'an, 710021, China
| | - Yi Feng
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710021, China
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Chemical Additives for Industry, Xi'an, 710021, China
| | - Shuai Bian
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710021, China
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Chemical Additives for Industry, Xi'an, 710021, China
| | - Xing Zhang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710021, China
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Chemical Additives for Industry, Xi'an, 710021, China
| | - Tian-Hao Wang
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science and Technology, Xi'an, 710021, China
- Shaanxi Key Laboratory of Chemical Additives for Industry, Xi'an, 710021, China
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26
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Muddassir M, Soni K, Sangani CB, Alarifi A, Afzal M, Abduh NAY, Duan Y, Bhadja P. Bromodomain and BET family proteins as epigenetic targets in cancer therapy: their degradation, present drugs, and possible PROTACs. RSC Adv 2021; 11:612-636. [PMID: 35746919 PMCID: PMC9133982 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra07971e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Alteration in the pattern of epigenetic marking leads to cancer, neurological disorders, inflammatory problems etc. These changes are due to aberration in histone modification enzymes that function as readers, writers and erasers. Bromodomains (BDs) and BET proteins that recognize acetylation of chromatin regulate gene expression. To block the function of any of these BrDs and/or BET protein can be a controlling agent in disorders such as cancer. BrDs and BET proteins are now emerging as targets for new therapeutic development. Traditional drugs like enzyme inhibitors and protein–protein inhibitors have many limitations. Recently Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) have become an advanced tool in therapeutic intervention as they remove disease causing proteins. This review provides an overview of the development and mechanisms of PROTACs for BRD and BET protein regulation in cancer and advanced possibilities of genetic technologies in therapeutics. Alteration in the pattern of epigenetic marking leads to cancer, neurological disorders, inflammatory problems etc.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohd. Muddassir
- Department of Chemistry
- College of Science
- King Saud University
- Riyadh 11451
- KSA
| | - Kunjal Soni
- Shri Maneklal M. Patel Institute of Sciences and Research
- Kadi Sarva Vishwavidyalaya University
- Gandhinagar
- India
| | - Chetan B. Sangani
- Shri Maneklal M. Patel Institute of Sciences and Research
- Kadi Sarva Vishwavidyalaya University
- Gandhinagar
- India
| | - Abdullah Alarifi
- Department of Chemistry
- College of Science
- King Saud University
- Riyadh 11451
- KSA
| | - Mohd. Afzal
- Department of Chemistry
- College of Science
- King Saud University
- Riyadh 11451
- KSA
| | - Naaser A. Y. Abduh
- Department of Chemistry
- College of Science
- King Saud University
- Riyadh 11451
- KSA
| | - Yongtao Duan
- Henan Provincial Key Laboratory of Children's Genetics and Metabolic Diseases
- Zhengzhou Children's Hospital
- Zhengzhou University
- Zhengzhou 450018
- China
| | - Poonam Bhadja
- Arthropod Ecology and Biological Control Research Group
- Ton Duc Thang University
- Ho Chi Minh City
- Vietnam
- Faculty of Environment and Labour Safety
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27
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Bokale-Shivale S, Amin MA, Sawant RT, Stevens MY, Turanli L, Hallberg A, Waghmode SB, Odell LR. Synthesis of substituted 3,4-dihydroquinazolinones via a metal free Leuckart-Wallach type reaction. RSC Adv 2020; 11:349-353. [PMID: 35423044 PMCID: PMC8691039 DOI: 10.1039/d0ra10142g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The 3,4-dihydroquinazolinone (DHQ) moiety is a highly valued scaffold in medicinal chemistry due to the vast number of biologically-active compounds based on this core structure. Current synthetic methods to access these compounds are limited in terms of diversity and flexibility and often require the use of toxic reagents or expensive transition-metal catalysts. Herein, we describe the discovery and development of a novel cascade cyclization/Leuckart-Wallach type strategy to prepare substituted DHQs in a modular and efficient process using readily-available starting materials. Notably, the reaction requires only the addition of formic acid or acetic acid/formic acid and produces H2O, CO2 and methanol as the sole reaction byproducts. Overall, the reaction provides an attractive entry point into this important class of compounds and could even be extended to isotopic labelling via the site-selective incorporation of a deuterium atom.
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Affiliation(s)
- Suvarna Bokale-Shivale
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala Biomedical Center, Uppsala University P. O. Box 574 SE-751 23 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Mohammad A Amin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala Biomedical Center, Uppsala University P. O. Box 574 SE-751 23 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Rajiv T Sawant
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala Biomedical Center, Uppsala University P. O. Box 574 SE-751 23 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Marc Y Stevens
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala Biomedical Center, Uppsala University P. O. Box 574 SE-751 23 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Lewend Turanli
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala Biomedical Center, Uppsala University P. O. Box 574 SE-751 23 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Adam Hallberg
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala Biomedical Center, Uppsala University P. O. Box 574 SE-751 23 Uppsala Sweden
| | - Suresh B Waghmode
- Department of Chemistry, Savitribai Phule Pune University (formerly Pune University) Ganeshkhind Pune 411 007 India
| | - Luke R Odell
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Uppsala Biomedical Center, Uppsala University P. O. Box 574 SE-751 23 Uppsala Sweden
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28
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Xu Y, Zhang XJ, Li WB, Wang XR, Wang S, Qiao XP, Chen SW. Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of indole-2-one derivatives as potent BRD4 inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 208:112780. [PMID: 32883643 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112780] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/19/2020] [Revised: 08/16/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
Bromodomain protein 4 (BRD4) plays a crucial role in transcriptional regulation and is considered to be a viable drug target for cancer treatment. Herein, we designed and synthesized a series of indole-2-one derivatives through scaffold hopping drug design. Most of the compounds showed potent BRD4 inhibitory activities and anti-proliferation activities in cancer cell lines. Especially, compound 12j exhibited excellent BRD4 inhibitory activities (BD1 IC50 = 19 nM, BD2 IC50 = 28 nM) and anti-proliferation potency with IC50 values of 4.75 μM and 1.35 μM in HT-29 and HL-60 cells, respectively. Additionally, docking studies showed that the hydrophobic pocket next to KAc region and WPF shelf were critical to the activity of the compound. Compound 12j could arrest the cell-cycle progression of HT-29 cells into the G1 phase and reduce the expression of c-Myc. Moreover, compound 12j exhibited favorable oral pharmacokinetic properties. All the results demonstrated that compound 12j was a potent BRD4 inhibitor and had merely potential for colon cancer treatment.
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29
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Altenburg B, Frings M, Schöbel JH, Goßen J, Pannen K, Vanderliek K, Rossetti G, Koschmieder S, Chatain N, Bolm C. Chiral Analogues of PFI-1 as BET Inhibitors and Their Functional Role in Myeloid Malignancies. ACS Med Chem Lett 2020; 11:1928-1934. [PMID: 33062175 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.9b00625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Structural analogues of PFI-1 varying at the sulfur core were prepared, and their activities as BET inhibitors in myeloid cell lines and primary cells from patients with acute myeloid leukemia were studied. Docking calculations followed by molecular dynamics simulations revealed the binding mode of the newly prepared inhibitors, suggesting explanations for the observed high enantiospecificity of the inhibitory activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca Altenburg
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Marcus Frings
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Jan-Hendrik Schöbel
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Jonas Goßen
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-9)/Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-5), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Faculty of Mathematics, Computer Science and Natural Sciences, RWTH Aachen University, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Kristina Pannen
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Kim Vanderliek
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Giulia Rossetti
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
- Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-9)/Institute for Advanced Simulation (IAS-5), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52425 Jülich, Germany
- Jülich Supercomputing Centre (JSC), Forschungszentrum Jülich, Wilhelm-Johnen-Straße, 52425 Jülich, Germany
| | - Steffen Koschmieder
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Nicolas Chatain
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, Hemostaseology, and Stem Cell Transplantation, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Pauwelsstr. 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany
| | - Carsten Bolm
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, RWTH Aachen University, Landoltweg 1, 52074 Aachen, Germany
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30
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Shi Y, Liu J, Zhao Y, Cao J, Li Y, Guo F. Bromodomain-Containing Protein 4: A Druggable Target. Curr Drug Targets 2020; 20:1517-1536. [PMID: 31215391 DOI: 10.2174/1574885514666190618113519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2019] [Revised: 05/28/2019] [Accepted: 05/30/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) belongs to the bromodomain and extraterminal family. BRD4 inhibitors can regulate acetylated lysine and form protein complexes that initiate transcriptional programs as an epigenetic regulator of the histone code. BRD4 was initially considered to be one of the most promising targets for combating malignant tumors. However, many recent studies have shown that BRD4 plays a crucial role in various kinds of diseases, including cancer, coronary heart disease, neurological disorder, and obesity. Currently, several BRD4 inhibitors are undergoing clinical trials. A search for new BRD4 inhibitors appears to be of great utility for developing novel drugs. In this mini-review, we highlight the inhibitors of BRD4 from natural products and synthesized sources, as well as their applications in cancer, glucolipid metabolism, inflammation, neuronal stimulation activation, human immunodeficiency virus and renal fibrosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Shi
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Jingwen Liu
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yuanyuan Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Jiaoxian Cao
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yiming Li
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Fujiang Guo
- School of Pharmacy, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1200 Cailun Road, Shanghai, 201203, China
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31
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Prieto-Martínez FD, Medina-Franco JL. Current advances on the development of BET inhibitors: insights from computational methods. Adv Protein Chem Struct Biol 2020; 122:127-180. [PMID: 32951810 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2020.06.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Epigenetics was coined almost 70 years ago for the description of heritable phenotype without altering DNA sequences. Research on the field has uncovered significant roles of such mechanisms, that account for the biogenesis of several diseases. Further studies have led the way for drug development which targets epi-enzymes, mainly for cancer treatment. Of the numerous epi-targets involved with histone acetylation, bromodomains have captured the spotlight of drug discovery focused on novel therapies. However, due to high sequence identity, the development of potent and selective inhibitors poses a significant challenge. Herein, we discuss recent computational developments on BET inhibitors and other methods that may be applied for drug discovery in general. As a proof-of-concept, we discuss a virtual screening to identify novel BET inhibitors based on coumarin derivatives. From public data, we identified putative structure-activity relationships of coumarin scaffold and propose R-group modifications for BET selectivity. Results showed that the optimization and design of novel coumarins could be further explored.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando D Prieto-Martínez
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Chemistry, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - José L Medina-Franco
- Department of Pharmacy, School of Chemistry, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, Mexico
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32
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Wellaway CR, Bamborough P, Bernard SG, Chung CW, Craggs PD, Cutler L, Demont EH, Evans JP, Gordon L, Karamshi B, Lewis AJ, Lindon MJ, Mitchell DJ, Rioja I, Soden PE, Taylor S, Watson RJ, Willis R, Woolven JM, Wyspiańska BS, Kerr WJ, Prinjha RK. Structure-Based Design of a Bromodomain and Extraterminal Domain (BET) Inhibitor Selective for the N-Terminal Bromodomains That Retains an Anti-inflammatory and Antiproliferative Phenotype. J Med Chem 2020; 63:9020-9044. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00566] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Christopher R. Wellaway
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Paul Bamborough
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Sharon G. Bernard
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Chun-wa Chung
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Peter D. Craggs
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Leanne Cutler
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Emmanuel H. Demont
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - John P. Evans
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Laurie Gordon
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Bhumika Karamshi
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Antonia J. Lewis
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Matthew J. Lindon
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Darren J. Mitchell
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Inmaculada Rioja
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Peter E. Soden
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Simon Taylor
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Robert J. Watson
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Rob Willis
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - James M. Woolven
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Beata S. Wyspiańska
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - William J. Kerr
- Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, WestCHEM, University of Strathclyde, 295 Cathedral Street, Glasgow G1 1XL, United Kingdom
| | - Rab K. Prinjha
- GSK, Medicines Research Centre, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
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33
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Hall J, Foley TL, Chen Q, Israel DI, Xu Y, Ford KK, Xie P, Fan J, Wan J. A simple method for determining compound affinity and chemical yield from DNA-encoded library selections. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2020; 527:250-256. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.04.024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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34
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Hilton-proctor J, Ilyichova O, Zheng Z, Jennings I, Johnstone R, Shortt J, Mountford S, Scanlon M, Thompson P. Substituted 1-methyl-4-phenylpyrrolidin-2-ones – Fragment-based design of N-methylpyrrolidone-derived bromodomain inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 191:112120. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2019] [Revised: 01/16/2020] [Accepted: 02/03/2020] [Indexed: 01/12/2023]
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Zhang Z, Huang W, Zheng X, Li C, Shen Z. Drug Discovery of Acetophenone Derivatives as BRD4 Inhibitors. LETT DRUG DES DISCOV 2020. [DOI: 10.2174/1570180816666190329223559] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Background:
The bromodomain and extra-terminal proteins (BET), in particular BRD4,
has recently emerged as a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of many human disorders
such as cancer, inflammation, obesity and cardiovascular disease, which draw more and more
attention to discover potent BRD4 inhibitors in the past years. In this article, we described the
discovery process of an entirely new chemotype of BRD4 inhibitors.
Methods:
A fragment-based drug discovery strategy was employed in attempting to find a novel
chemotype of BRD4 inhibitors. Thus, the potential hits were firstly identified by docking study with
KAc binding pocket and AlphaScreen assay. Then the elected hit was further structurally optimized
based on the interaction revealed by the docking study and the Structure-Activity Relationship
(SAR).
Results:
A 1-(2-hydroxyphenyl)ethan-1-one fragment was first identified as an efficient hit to BRD4
with a weak inhibition activity and high ligand efficiency (IC50 = 8.9 μM, LE > 0.5) based on
virtual screening and biochemical assay. Then, two-rounds optimization of the hit by a fragmentbased
drug discovery approach enabled the discovery of a potent BRD4 inhibitor 9, which exhibit
nanomolar potency in biochemical assays (IC50 = 0.18 μM).
Conclusion:
The title compounds displayed potent inhibitory activity to BRD4, implying
acetophenone core is an effective KAc residue mimic, suggesting acetophenone derivatives as a new
chemotype may be promising for developing novel BRD4 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhimin Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Materia Medica, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou 310013, China
| | - Wenhai Huang
- Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Materia Medica, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou 310013, China
| | - Xiaoliang Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Materia Medica, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou 310013, China
| | - Chuansheng Li
- Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Materia Medica, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou 310013, China
| | - Zhengrong Shen
- Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province, Institute of Materia Medica, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences, Hangzhou 310013, China
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Lines KE, Filippakopoulos P, Stevenson M, Müller S, Lockstone HE, Wright B, Knapp S, Buck D, Bountra C, Thakker RV. Effects of epigenetic pathway inhibitors on corticotroph tumour AtT20 cells. Endocr Relat Cancer 2020; 27:163-174. [PMID: 31935194 PMCID: PMC7040567 DOI: 10.1530/erc-19-0448] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Medical treatments for corticotrophinomas are limited, and we therefore investigated the effects of epigenetic modulators, a new class of anti-tumour drugs, on the murine adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH)-secreting corticotrophinoma cell line AtT20. We found that AtT20 cells express members of the bromo and extra-terminal (BET) protein family, which bind acetylated histones, and therefore, studied the anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of two BET inhibitors, referred to as (+)-JQ1 (JQ1) and PFI-1, using CellTiter Blue and Caspase Glo assays, respectively. JQ1 and PFI-1 significantly decreased proliferation by 95% (P < 0.0005) and 43% (P < 0.0005), respectively, but only JQ1 significantly increased apoptosis by >50-fold (P < 0.0005), when compared to untreated control cells. The anti-proliferative effects of JQ1 and PFI-1 remained for 96 h after removal of the respective compound. JQ1, but not PFI-1, affected the cell cycle, as assessed by propidium iodide staining and flow cytometry, and resulted in a higher number of AtT20 cells in the sub G1 phase. RNA-sequence analysis, which was confirmed by qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses, revealed that JQ1 treatment significantly altered expression of genes involved in apoptosis, such as NFκB, and the somatostatin receptor 2 (SSTR2) anti-proliferative signalling pathway, including SSTR2. JQ1 treatment also significantly reduced transcription and protein expression of the ACTH precursor pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC) and ACTH secretion by AtT20 cells. Thus, JQ1 treatment has anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects on AtT20 cells and reduces ACTH secretion, thereby indicating that BET inhibition may provide a novel approach for treatment of corticotrophinomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- K E Lines
- OCDEM, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | | | - M Stevenson
- OCDEM, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, UK
| | - S Müller
- Structural Genomics Consortium, Buchmann Institute for Life Sciences, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - H E Lockstone
- Oxford Genomics Centre, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - B Wright
- Oxford Genomics Centre, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - S Knapp
- Structural Genomics Consortium, Buchmann Institute for Life Sciences, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - D Buck
- Oxford Genomics Centre, Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - C Bountra
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK
| | - R V Thakker
- OCDEM, Radcliffe Department of Medicine, University of Oxford, Churchill Hospital, Oxford, UK
- Correspondence should be addressed to R V Thakker:
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Wellaway CR, Amans D, Bamborough P, Barnett H, Bit RA, Brown JA, Carlson NR, Chung CW, Cooper AWJ, Craggs PD, Davis RP, Dean TW, Evans JP, Gordon L, Harada IL, Hirst DJ, Humphreys PG, Jones KL, Lewis AJ, Lindon MJ, Lugo D, Mahmood M, McCleary S, Medeiros P, Mitchell DJ, O’Sullivan M, Le Gall A, Patel VK, Patten C, Poole DL, Shah RR, Smith JE, Stafford KAJ, Thomas PJ, Vimal M, Wall ID, Watson RJ, Wellaway N, Yao G, Prinjha RK. Discovery of a Bromodomain and Extraterminal Inhibitor with a Low Predicted Human Dose through Synergistic Use of Encoded Library Technology and Fragment Screening. J Med Chem 2020; 63:714-746. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01670] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
| | - Dominique Amans
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | - Paul Bamborough
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | - Heather Barnett
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | - Rino A. Bit
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | - Jack A. Brown
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | - Neil R. Carlson
- GSK, 200 Cambridge Park Drive, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140, United States
| | - Chun-wa Chung
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | | | - Peter D. Craggs
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | - Robert P. Davis
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | - Tony W. Dean
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | - John P. Evans
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | - Laurie Gordon
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | | | - David J. Hirst
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | | | | | | | | | - Dave Lugo
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | - Mahnoor Mahmood
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | - Scott McCleary
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | - Patricia Medeiros
- GSK, 200 Cambridge Park Drive, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140, United States
| | | | | | - Armelle Le Gall
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | | | - Chris Patten
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | - Darren L. Poole
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | - Rishi R. Shah
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | - Jane E. Smith
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | | | | | - Mythily Vimal
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | - Ian D. Wall
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
| | | | | | - Gang Yao
- GSK, 200 Cambridge Park Drive, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02140, United States
| | - Rab K. Prinjha
- GSK, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, U.K
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38
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Alonso VL, Tavernelli LE, Pezza A, Cribb P, Ritagliati C, Serra E. Aim for the Readers! Bromodomains As New Targets Against Chagas’ Disease. Curr Med Chem 2019; 26:6544-6563. [DOI: 10.2174/0929867325666181031132007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2018] [Revised: 10/04/2018] [Accepted: 10/08/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Bromodomains recognize and bind acetyl-lysine residues present in histone and non-histone
proteins in a specific manner. In the last decade they have raised as attractive targets for drug discovery
because the miss-regulation of human bromodomains was discovered to be involved in the development
of a large spectrum of diseases. However, targeting eukaryotic pathogens bromodomains
continues to be almost unexplored. We and others have reported the essentiality of diverse bromodomain-
containing proteins in protozoa, offering a new opportunity for the development of antiparasitic
drugs, especially for Trypansoma cruzi, the causative agent of Chagas’ disease. Mammalian bromodomains
were classified in eight groups based on sequence similarity but parasitic bromodomains are very
divergent proteins and are hard to assign them to any of these groups, suggesting that selective inhibitors
can be obtained. In this review, we describe the importance of lysine acetylation and bromodomains
in T. cruzi as well as the current knowledge on mammalian bromodomains. Also, we summarize
the myriad of small-molecules under study to treat different pathologies and which of them have been
tested in trypanosomatids and other protozoa. All the information available led us to propose that
T. cruzi bromodomains should be considered as important potential targets and the search for smallmolecules
to inhibit them should be empowered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Victoria Lucia Alonso
- Facultad de Ciencias Bioquimicas y Farmaceuticas, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, Rosario, Argentina
| | | | - Alejandro Pezza
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-CONICET), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Pamela Cribb
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-CONICET), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Carla Ritagliati
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-CONICET), Rosario, Argentina
| | - Esteban Serra
- Instituto de Biologia Molecular y Celular de Rosario (IBR-CONICET), Rosario, Argentina
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39
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Schiedel M, Moroglu M, Ascough DMH, Chamberlain AER, Kamps JJAG, Sekirnik AR, Conway SJ. Chemical Epigenetics: The Impact of Chemical and Chemical Biology Techniques on Bromodomain Target Validation. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019; 58:17930-17952. [DOI: 10.1002/anie.201812164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Revised: 01/08/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Schiedel
- Department of ChemistryChemistry Research LaboratoryUniversity of Oxford Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Mustafa Moroglu
- Department of ChemistryChemistry Research LaboratoryUniversity of Oxford Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - David M. H. Ascough
- Department of ChemistryChemistry Research LaboratoryUniversity of Oxford Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Anna E. R. Chamberlain
- Department of ChemistryChemistry Research LaboratoryUniversity of Oxford Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Jos J. A. G. Kamps
- Department of ChemistryChemistry Research LaboratoryUniversity of Oxford Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Angelina R. Sekirnik
- Department of ChemistryChemistry Research LaboratoryUniversity of Oxford Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
| | - Stuart J. Conway
- Department of ChemistryChemistry Research LaboratoryUniversity of Oxford Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA UK
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40
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Schiedel M, Moroglu M, Ascough DMH, Chamberlain AER, Kamps JJAG, Sekirnik AR, Conway SJ. Chemische Epigenetik: der Einfluss chemischer und chemo‐biologischer Techniken auf die Zielstruktur‐Validierung von Bromodomänen. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2019. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201812164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Matthias Schiedel
- Department of ChemistryChemistry Research LaboratoryUniversity of Oxford Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA Großbritannien
| | - Mustafa Moroglu
- Department of ChemistryChemistry Research LaboratoryUniversity of Oxford Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA Großbritannien
| | - David M. H. Ascough
- Department of ChemistryChemistry Research LaboratoryUniversity of Oxford Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA Großbritannien
| | - Anna E. R. Chamberlain
- Department of ChemistryChemistry Research LaboratoryUniversity of Oxford Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA Großbritannien
| | - Jos J. A. G. Kamps
- Department of ChemistryChemistry Research LaboratoryUniversity of Oxford Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA Großbritannien
| | - Angelina R. Sekirnik
- Department of ChemistryChemistry Research LaboratoryUniversity of Oxford Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA Großbritannien
| | - Stuart J. Conway
- Department of ChemistryChemistry Research LaboratoryUniversity of Oxford Mansfield Road Oxford OX1 3TA Großbritannien
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41
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Dilworth D, Barsyte-Lovejoy D. Targeting protein methylation: from chemical tools to precision medicines. Cell Mol Life Sci 2019; 76:2967-2985. [PMID: 31104094 DOI: 10.1007/s00018-019-03147-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/30/2019] [Accepted: 05/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
The methylation of proteins is integral to the execution of many important biological functions, including cell signalling and transcriptional regulation. Protein methyltransferases (PMTs) are a large class of enzymes that carry out the addition of methyl marks to a broad range of substrates. PMTs are critical for normal cellular physiology and their dysregulation is frequently observed in human disease. As such, PMTs have emerged as promising therapeutic targets with several inhibitors now in clinical trials for oncology indications. The discovery of chemical inhibitors and antagonists of protein methylation signalling has also profoundly impacted our general understanding of PMT biology and pharmacology. In this review, we present general principles for drugging protein methyltransferases or their downstream effectors containing methyl-binding modules, as well as best-in-class examples of the compounds discovered and their impact both at the bench and in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- David Dilworth
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5G 1L7, Canada
| | - Dalia Barsyte-Lovejoy
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, M5G 1L7, Canada.
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42
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Elshan NGRD, Rettig MB, Jung ME. Molecules targeting the androgen receptor (AR) signaling axis beyond the AR-Ligand binding domain. Med Res Rev 2019; 39:910-960. [PMID: 30565725 PMCID: PMC6608750 DOI: 10.1002/med.21548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2018] [Revised: 09/21/2018] [Accepted: 10/09/2018] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most common cause of cancer-related mortality in men in the United States. The androgen receptor (AR) and the physiological pathways it regulates are central to the initiation and progression of PCa. As a member of the nuclear steroid receptor family, it is a transcription factor with three distinct functional domains (ligand-binding domain [LBD], DNA-binding domain [DBD], and transactivation domain [TAD]) in its structure. All clinically approved drugs for PCa ultimately target the AR-LBD. Clinically active drugs that target the DBD and TAD have not yet been developed due to multiple factors. Despite these limitations, the last several years have seen a rise in the discovery of molecules that could successfully target these domains. This review aims to present and comprehensively discuss such molecules that affect AR signaling through direct or indirect interactions with the AR-TAD or the DBD. The compounds discussed here include hairpin polyamides, niclosamide, marine sponge-derived small molecules (eg, EPI compounds), mahanine, VPC compounds, JN compounds, and bromodomain and extraterminal domain inhibitors. We highlight the significant in vitro and in vivo data found for each compound and the apparent limitations and/or potential for further development of these agents as PCa therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Matthew B. Rettig
- . Division of Hematology/Oncology, VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System West LA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
- . Departments of Medicine and Urology, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
| | - Michael E. Jung
- . Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, United States
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43
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Wu Q, Heidenreich D, Zhou S, Ackloo S, Krämer A, Nakka K, Lima-Fernandes E, Deblois G, Duan S, Vellanki RN, Li F, Vedadi M, Dilworth J, Lupien M, Brennan PE, Arrowsmith CH, Müller S, Fedorov O, Filippakopoulos P, Knapp S. A chemical toolbox for the study of bromodomains and epigenetic signaling. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1915. [PMID: 31015424 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09672-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2018] [Accepted: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Bromodomains (BRDs) are conserved protein interaction modules which recognize (read) acetyl-lysine modifications, however their role(s) in regulating cellular states and their potential as targets for the development of targeted treatment strategies is poorly understood. Here we present a set of 25 chemical probes, selective small molecule inhibitors, covering 29 human bromodomain targets. We comprehensively evaluate the selectivity of this probe-set using BROMOscan and demonstrate the utility of the set identifying roles of BRDs in cellular processes and potential translational applications. For instance, we discovered crosstalk between histone acetylation and the glycolytic pathway resulting in a vulnerability of breast cancer cell lines under conditions of glucose deprivation or GLUT1 inhibition to inhibition of BRPF2/3 BRDs. This chemical probe-set will serve as a resource for future applications in the discovery of new physiological roles of bromodomain proteins in normal and disease states, and as a toolset for bromodomain target validation. Bromodomains are conserved protein interaction modules that recognize acetyl-lysine modifications. Here the authors present a set of 25 selective small molecule inhibitors covering 29 human bromodomain targets and comprehensively evaluate the selectivity of this probe-set.
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Zhang Z, Gu L, Wang B, Huang W, Zhang Y, Ma Z, Zeng S, Shen Z. Discovery of novel coumarin derivatives as potent and orally bioavailable BRD4 inhibitors based on scaffold hopping. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2019; 34:808-817. [PMID: 30879350 PMCID: PMC6427567 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2019.1587417] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022] Open
Abstract
The bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) bromodomains, particularly BRD4, have been identified as promising therapeutic targets in the treatment of many human disorders such as cancer, inflammation, obesity, and cardiovascular disease. Recently, the discovery of novel BRD4 inhibitors has garnered substantial interest. Starting from scaffold hopping of the reported compound dihydroquinazolinone (PFI-1), a series of coumarin derivatives were designed and synthesised as a new chemotype of BRD4 inhibitors. Interestingly, the representative compounds 13 exhibited potent BRD4 binding affinity and cell proliferation inhibitory activity, and especially displayed a favourable PK profile with high oral bioavailability (F = 49.38%) and metabolic stability (T1/2 = 4.2 h), meaningfully making it as a promising lead compound for further drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhimin Zhang
- a Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province , Institute of Materia Medica, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences , Hangzhou , PR China
| | - Lili Gu
- a Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province , Institute of Materia Medica, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences , Hangzhou , PR China
| | - Beibei Wang
- a Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province , Institute of Materia Medica, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences , Hangzhou , PR China
| | - Wenhai Huang
- a Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province , Institute of Materia Medica, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences , Hangzhou , PR China
| | - Yanmin Zhang
- b School of Basic Science , China Pharmaceutical University , Nanjing , PR China
| | - Zhen Ma
- a Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province , Institute of Materia Medica, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences , Hangzhou , PR China
| | - Shenxin Zeng
- a Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province , Institute of Materia Medica, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences , Hangzhou , PR China
| | - Zhengrong Shen
- a Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province , Institute of Materia Medica, Zhejiang Academy of Medical Sciences , Hangzhou , PR China
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45
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Valenti D, Hristeva S, Tzalis D, Ottmann C. Clinical candidates modulating protein-protein interactions: The fragment-based experience. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 167:76-95. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.01.084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 01/31/2019] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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46
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Ding M, Brengdahl J, Lindqvist M, Gehrmann U, Ericson E, von Berg S, Ripa L, Malhotra R. A Phenotypic Screening Approach Using Human Treg Cells Identified Regulators of Forkhead Box p3 Expression. ACS Chem Biol 2019; 14:543-553. [PMID: 30807094 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.9b00075] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Regulatory T (Treg) cells, expressing the transcription factor forkhead box p3 (FOXP3), are the key cells regulating peripheral autoreactive T lymphocytes by suppressing effector T cells. FOXP3+ Treg cells play essential roles controlling immune responses in autoimmune diseases and cancer. Several clinical approaches (e.g., polyclonal expansion of Treg cells with anti-CD3 and anti-CD28 coated beads in the presence of drugs) are under evaluation. However, expression of FOXP3, recognized as the master regulator of Treg cells, in induced Treg cells have been shown to be instable, and molecular targets involved in regulating FOXP3 expression and Treg cell function have not been well-defined. Thus, new targets directly regulating FOXP3 expression and the expression of its downstream genes (e.g., cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA4)) have the potential to stabilize the Treg cell phenotype and function. This report describes the development of an automated medium-throughput 384-well plate flow cytometry phenotypic assay meauring the protein expression of FOXP3 and CTLA4 in human Treg cells. Screening a library of 4213 structurally diverse compounds allowed us to identify a variety of compounds regulating FOXP3 and CTLA4 expression. Further evaluation of these and related small molecules, followed by confirmation using siRNA-mediated gene knockdown, revealed three targets: euchromatic histone-lysine N-methyltransferase (EHMT2) and glycogen synthase kinase 3 alpha/beta (GSK3α/β) as potent positive regulators of FOXP3 expression, and bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) inhibitors as negative regulators of FOXP3 and CTLA4 expression. These targets have potential implications for establishing novel therapies for autoimmune diseases and cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mei Ding
- Discovery Sciences,
IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, 431 83 Mölndal Sweden
| | - Johan Brengdahl
- Discovery Sciences,
IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, 431 83 Mölndal Sweden
| | - Madelene Lindqvist
- Bioscience, Respiratory,
Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, 431 83 Mölndal Sweden
| | - Ulf Gehrmann
- Target and Translational
Science, Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech
Unit, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, 431 83 Mölndal Sweden
| | - Elke Ericson
- Discovery Sciences,
IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, 431 83 Mölndal Sweden
| | - Stefan von Berg
- Medicinal Chemistry,
Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, 431 83 Mölndal Sweden
| | - Lena Ripa
- Medicinal Chemistry,
Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, 431 83 Mölndal Sweden
| | - Rajneesh Malhotra
- Target and Translational
Science, Respiratory, Inflammation and Autoimmunity, IMED Biotech
Unit, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, 431 83 Mölndal Sweden
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Duan Y, Guan Y, Qin W, Zhai X, Yu B, Liu H. Targeting Brd4 for cancer therapy: inhibitors and degraders. Medchemcomm 2018; 9:1779-1802. [PMID: 30542529 PMCID: PMC6238758 DOI: 10.1039/c8md00198g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 95] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/13/2018] [Accepted: 08/03/2018] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (Brd4) plays an important role in mediating the expression of genes involved in cancers and non-cancer diseases such as inflammatory diseases and acute heart failure. Inactivating Brd4 or downregulating its expression inhibits cancer development, leading to the current interest in Brd4 as a promising anticancer drug target. Numerous Brd4 inhibitors have been studied in recent years and some of them are currently in various phases of clinical trials. Recently, selective degradation of target proteins by small bifunctional molecules (PROTACs) has emerged as an attractive drug discovery approach owing to the advantages it could offer over traditional small-molecule inhibitors. A number of Brd4 degraders have been reported and showed more efficient anticancer activities than just protein inhibition. In this review, we will discuss recent findings in the discovery and development of small-molecule inhibitors and degraders that target Brd4 as a potential anticancer agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingchao Duan
- School of Pharmacy , Xinxiang Medical University , Xinxiang , Henan 453003 , China
| | - Yuanyuan Guan
- School of Pharmacy , Xinxiang Medical University , Xinxiang , Henan 453003 , China
| | - Wenping Qin
- School of Pharmacy , Xinxiang Medical University , Xinxiang , Henan 453003 , China
| | - Xiaoyu Zhai
- School of Pharmacy , Xinxiang Medical University , Xinxiang , Henan 453003 , China
| | - Bin Yu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Pharmaceutical Technology , Ministry of Education of China , Co-innovation Center of Henan Province for New Drug R & D and Preclinical Safety , Institute of Drug Discovery and Development , School of Pharmaceutical Sciences , Zhengzhou University , 100 Kexue Avenue , Zhengzhou , Henan 450001 , China . ;
| | - Hongmin Liu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Pharmaceutical Technology , Ministry of Education of China , Co-innovation Center of Henan Province for New Drug R & D and Preclinical Safety , Institute of Drug Discovery and Development , School of Pharmaceutical Sciences , Zhengzhou University , 100 Kexue Avenue , Zhengzhou , Henan 450001 , China . ;
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Hansson P, Boyd H, Dale IL, Dahl G, Nicolaus F, Bowen W, Doering K, Dunsmore C, Cotton G, Lindmark H. A Comparative Study of Fluorescence Assays in Screening for BRD4. Assay Drug Dev Technol 2018; 16:372-383. [PMID: 30307314 DOI: 10.1089/adt.2018.850] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Fluorescence assay technologies are commonly used in high-throughput screening because of their sensitivity and ease of use. Different technologies have their characteristics and the rationale for choosing one over the other can differ between projects because of factors such as availability of reagents, assay performance, and cost. Another important factor to consider is the assay susceptibility to artifacts, which is almost as important as the ability of the assay to pick up active compounds. Spending time and money on false positives or missing the opportunity to build chemistry around false negatives is something that every drug project tries to avoid. We used a BET family Bromodomain, BRD4(1), to explore the outcome of a screening campaign using three fluorescent assay technologies as primary assays. A diverse 7,038 compound set was screened in fluorescence lifetime, fluorescence polarization, and homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence to look at primary hit rates, compound overlap, and hit confirmation rates. The results show a difference between the fluorescence assay technologies with three separate hit lists and some overlap. The confirmed hits from each assay were further evaluated for translation into cells (NanoBRET™). Most of the actives confirmed in cells originated from compounds that overlapped between the assays. In addition, a well-annotated set of compounds with undesirable mechanism of inhibition was screened against BRD4(1) to compare the ability to discriminate true hits from artifact compounds. The results indicate a difference between the assays in their ability to generate false positives and negatives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pia Hansson
- 1 AstraZeneca R&D, Discovery Biology , Discovery Sciences, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Helen Boyd
- 1 AstraZeneca R&D, Discovery Biology , Discovery Sciences, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Ian L Dale
- 2 AstraZeneca R&D, Discovery Biology , Discovery Sciences, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, United Kingdom
| | - Göran Dahl
- 3 AstraZeneca R&D, Structure and Biophysics , Discovery Sciences, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Felix Nicolaus
- 4 Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Stockholm University , Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | | | | | | | - Helena Lindmark
- 1 AstraZeneca R&D, Discovery Biology , Discovery Sciences, IMED Biotech Unit, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg, Sweden
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Liu S, Yosief HO, Dai L, Huang H, Dhawan G, Zhang X, Muthengi AM, Roberts J, Buckley DL, Perry JA, Wu L, Bradner JE, Qi J, Zhang W. Structure-Guided Design and Development of Potent and Selective Dual Bromodomain 4 (BRD4)/Polo-like Kinase 1 (PLK1) Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2018; 61:7785-7795. [PMID: 30125504 PMCID: PMC6309379 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00765] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The simultaneous inhibition of polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) and BRD4 bromodomain by a single molecule could lead to the development of an effective therapeutic strategy for a variety of diseases in which PLK1 and BRD4 are implicated. Compound 23 has been found to be a potent dual kinase-bromodomain inhibitor (BRD4-BD1 IC50 = 28 nM, PLK1 IC50 = 40 nM). Compound 6 was found to be the most selective PLK1 inhibitor over BRD4 in our series (BRD4-BD1 IC50 = 2579 nM, PLK1 IC50 = 9.9 nM). Molecular docking studies with 23 and BRD4-BD1/PLK1 as well as with 6 corroborate the biochemical assay results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Liu
- Department of Chemistry , University of Massachusetts-Boston , Boston , Massachusetts 02125 , United States
| | - Hailemichael O Yosief
- Department of Chemistry , University of Massachusetts-Boston , Boston , Massachusetts 02125 , United States
| | - Lingling Dai
- Phase I Clinical Trial Center & Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Xiangya Hospital , Central South University , Changsha , Hunan 410008 , P.R. China
| | - He Huang
- Department of Chemistry , Stony Brook University , Stony Brook , New York 11794-3400 , United States
| | - Gagan Dhawan
- Department of Chemistry , University of Massachusetts-Boston , Boston , Massachusetts 02125 , United States
- Department of Biomedical Science, Acharya Narendra Dev College , University of Delhi , New Delhi 110019 , India
| | - Xiaofeng Zhang
- Department of Chemistry , University of Massachusetts-Boston , Boston , Massachusetts 02125 , United States
| | - Alex M Muthengi
- Department of Chemistry , University of Massachusetts-Boston , Boston , Massachusetts 02125 , United States
| | | | | | | | | | - James E Bradner
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research , Cambridge , Massachusetts 02139 , United States
| | - Jun Qi
- Department of Medicine , Harvard Medical School , Boston , Massachusetts 02115 , United States
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Chemistry , University of Massachusetts-Boston , Boston , Massachusetts 02125 , United States
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