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Xu H, Ohoka N, Inoue T, Yokoo H, Demizu Y. Photo-regulated PROTACs: A novel tool for temporal control of targeted protein degradation. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2024:129778. [PMID: 38702019 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2024.129778] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
PROTACs (Proteolysis targeting chimeras) are chimeric molecules designed to induce targeted protein degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome system. These molecules catalytically degrade target proteins and sustainably inhibit their function. Therefore, PROTAC's unique mechanism of action is not only beneficial in medicine but also serves as a valuable tool for molecular biological analysis in fields like chemical biology, biochemistry, and drug discovery. This study presents a novel turn-off (ON-OFF) type PROTAC development strategy utilizing a photocleavable linker. The inclusion of this linker enables temporal control of the degradation activity targeting BRD4 protein upon UV light exposure. PROTAC-2 demonstrated the most potent degradation activity against BRD4 among the other synthesized PROTACs with varying linker lengths. The UV light-induced cleavage of PROTAC-2 was confirmed, leading to a reduction in its BRD4 degradation activity. Notably, this study introduces a novel linker capable of nullifying degradation activity of PROTACs which is activated by light irradiation. These findings offer a promising strategy for the development of turn-off type PROTACs, providing enhanced temporal control over protein degradation. The approach holds significant potential for applications in molecular function studies and drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanqiao Xu
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan; Division of Organic Chemistry, National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26, Tonomachi, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 210-9501, Japan
| | - Nobumichi Ohoka
- Division of Molecular Target and Gene Therapy Products, National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26, Tonomachi, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 210-9501, Japan.
| | - Takao Inoue
- Division of Molecular Target and Gene Therapy Products, National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26, Tonomachi, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 210-9501, Japan
| | - Hidetomo Yokoo
- Division of Organic Chemistry, National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26, Tonomachi, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 210-9501, Japan.
| | - Yosuke Demizu
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan; Division of Organic Chemistry, National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26, Tonomachi, Kawasaki, Kanagawa 210-9501, Japan; Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmaceutical Science of Okayama University, 1-1-1 Tsushimanaka, Kita, Okayama 700-8530, Japan.
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2
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Liu H, Xiong H, Li C, Xu M, Yun Y, Ruan Y, Tang L, Zhang T, Su D, Sun X. 131I Induced In Vivo Proteolysis by Photoswitchable azoPROTAC Reinforces Internal Radiotherapy. Small 2024:e2310865. [PMID: 38678537 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202310865] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2023] [Revised: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Photopharmacology, incorporating photoswitches such as azobenezes into drugs, is an emerging therapeutic method to realize spatiotemporal control of pharmacological activity by light. However, most photoswitchable molecules are triggered by UV light with limited tissue penetration, which greatly restricts the in vivo application. Here, this study proves that 131I can trigger the trans-cis photoisomerization of a reported azobenezen incorporating PROTACs (azoPROTAC). With the presence of 50 µCi mL-1 131I, the azoPROTAC can effectively down-regulate BRD4 and c-Myc levels in 4T1 cells at a similar level as it does under light irradiation (405 nm, 60 mW cm-2). What's more, the degradation of BRD4 can further benefit the 131I-based radiotherapy. The in vivo experiment proves that intratumoral co-adminstration of 131I (300 µCi) and azoPROTC (25 mg kg-1) via hydrogel not only successfully induce protein degradation in 4T1 tumor bearing-mice but also efficiently inhibit tumor growth with enhanced radiotherapeutic effect and anti-tumor immunological effect. This is the first time that a radioisotope is successfully used as a trigger in photopharmacology in a mouse model. It believes that this study will benefit photopharmacology in deep tissue.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huihui Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
- NHC Key Laboratory of Nuclear Technology Medical Transformation (Mianyang Central Hospital), Mianyang, 621000, China
| | - Hehua Xiong
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Changjun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Mengxia Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yuyang Yun
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yiling Ruan
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Lijun Tang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Guangzhou Road 300, Nanjing, 210029, China
| | - Tao Zhang
- Department of Radiopharmaceuticals, Nuclear Medicine Clinical Translation Center, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, 211166, China
| | - Dan Su
- Key Laboratory of Drug Safety Evaluation and Research of Zhejiang Province, Department of Clinical Medicine, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Xiaolian Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
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Xu MY, Zeng N, Liu CQ, Sun JX, An Y, Zhang SH, Xu JZ, Zhong XY, Ma SY, He HD, Hu J, Xia QD, Wang SG. Enhanced cellular therapy: revolutionizing adoptive cellular therapy. Exp Hematol Oncol 2024; 13:47. [PMID: 38664743 PMCID: PMC11046957 DOI: 10.1186/s40164-024-00506-6] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 03/31/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Enhanced cellular therapy has emerged as a novel concept following the basis of cellular therapy. This treatment modality applied drugs or biotechnology to directly enhance or genetically modify cells to enhance the efficacy of adoptive cellular therapy (ACT). Drugs or biotechnology that enhance the killing ability of immune cells include immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) / antibody drugs, small molecule inhibitors, immunomodulatory factors, proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC), oncolytic virus (OV), etc. Firstly, overcoming the inhibitory tumor microenvironment (TME) can enhance the efficacy of ACT, which can be achieved by blocking the immune checkpoint. Secondly, cytokines or cytokine receptors can be expressed by genetic engineering or added directly to adoptive cells to enhance the migration and infiltration of adoptive cells to tumor cells. Moreover, multi-antigen chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) can be designed to enhance the specific recognition of tumor cell-related antigens, and OVs can also stimulate antigen release. In addition to inserting suicide genes into adoptive cells, PROTAC technology can be used as a safety switch or degradation agent of immunosuppressive factors to enhance the safety and efficacy of adoptive cells. This article comprehensively summarizes the mechanism, current situation, and clinical application of enhanced cellular therapy, describing potential improvements to adoptive cellular therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meng-Yao Xu
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Na Zeng
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Chen-Qian Liu
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jian-Xuan Sun
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Ye An
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Si-Han Zhang
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jin-Zhou Xu
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Xing-Yu Zhong
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Si-Yang Ma
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Hao-Dong He
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Jia Hu
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Qi-Dong Xia
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Shao-Gang Wang
- Department and Institute of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, No.1095 Jiefang Avenue, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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Zou ZF, Yang L, Nie HJ, Gao J, Lei SM, Lai Y, Zhang F, Wagner E, Yu HJ, Chen XH, Xu ZA. Tumor-targeted PROTAC prodrug nanoplatform enables precise protein degradation and combination cancer therapy. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2024:10.1038/s41401-024-01266-z. [PMID: 38609561 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-024-01266-z] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/23/2023] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) have emerged as revolutionary anticancer therapeutics that degrade disease-causing proteins. However, the anticancer performance of PROTACs is often impaired by their insufficient bioavailability, unsatisfactory tumor specificity and ability to induce acquired drug resistance. Herein, we propose a polymer-conjugated PROTAC prodrug platform for the tumor-targeted delivery of the most prevalent von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)- and cereblon (CRBN)-based PROTACs, as well as for the precise codelivery of a degrader and conventional small-molecule drugs. The self-assembling PROTAC prodrug nanoparticles (NPs) can specifically target and be activated inside tumor cells to release the free PROTAC for precise protein degradation. The PROTAC prodrug NPs caused more efficient regression of MDA-MB-231 breast tumors in a mouse model by degrading bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) or cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) with decreased systemic toxicity. In addition, we demonstrated that the PROTAC prodrug NPs can serve as a versatile platform for the codelivery of a PROTAC and chemotherapeutics for enhanced anticancer efficiency and combination benefits. This study paves the way for utilizing tumor-targeted protein degradation for precise anticancer therapy and the effective combination treatment of complex diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Feng Zou
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemistry Biology & Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Lei Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemistry Biology & Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Hui-Jun Nie
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Jing Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemistry Biology & Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.
| | - Shu-Min Lei
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Yi Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Chemistry Biology & Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Fan Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Fudan University, Shanghai, 20043, China
| | - Ernst Wagner
- Department of Pharmacy, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, 81377, München, Germany
| | - Hai-Jun Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemistry Biology & Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China.
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China.
| | - Xiao-Hua Chen
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China.
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, China.
| | - Zhi-Ai Xu
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
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Yokoo H, Tsuji G, Inoue T, Naito M, Demizu Y, Ohoka N. Expansion of targeted degradation by Gilteritinib-Warheaded PROTACs to ALK fusion proteins. Bioorg Chem 2024; 145:107204. [PMID: 38377822 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107204] [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: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) induce the ubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation of targeted proteins. Numerous PROTACs have emerged as promising drug candidates for various disease-related proteins. This study investigates PROTACs targeted to degrade anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion proteins, which are implicated in diseases such as anaplastic large cell lymphoma and non-small cell lung cancer. We recently reported the development of a gilteritinib-warheaded PROTAC to target and degrade the Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) protein. Gilteritinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets FLT3, and recent studies have revealed that it also functions as an ALK inhibitor. We conducted a structure-activity relationship (SAR) study and expanded the range of target proteins for gilteritinib-warheaded PROTACs to include echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 (EML4)-ALK and nucleophosmin (NPM)-ALK, in addition to FLT3. Our SAR study utilized three types of ligands for E3 ligase- inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP), cereblon (CRBN), and von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)- in the PROTAC designs and we observed varied efficacy in the degradation of target proteins. The CRBN-based PROTAC effectively reduced the protein expression of FLT3, EML4-ALK, and NPM-ALK. The IAP-based PROTAC reduced expression of both FLT3 and EML4-ALK proteins but not that of NPM-ALK, while the VHL-based PROTAC was ineffective against all target proteins. Several ALK-targeted PROTACs have already been developed using CRBN or VHL as E3 ligase, but this is the first report of an IAP-based ALK degrader. The length of the linker structure utilized in PROTAC also had a significant effect on their efficacy and activity. PROTACs formed with shorter linkers demonstrated an enhanced degradation activity to target proteins compared with those formed with longer linkers. These findings provide valuable insight for the development of effective PROTACs to target and degrade ALK fusion proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidetomo Yokoo
- National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-9501, Japan
| | - Genichiro Tsuji
- National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-9501, Japan
| | - Takao Inoue
- National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-9501, Japan
| | - Mikihiko Naito
- Laboratory of Targeted Protein Degradation, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 110-0033, Japan
| | - Yosuke Demizu
- National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-9501, Japan; Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29 Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan; Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmaceutical Science of Okayama University, 1-1-1 Tsushimanaka, Kita 700-8530, Japan
| | - Nobumichi Ohoka
- National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-9501, Japan.
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Xu M, Yun Y, Li C, Ruan Y, Muraoka O, Xie W, Sun X. Radiation responsive PROTAC nanoparticles for tumor-specific proteolysis enhanced radiotherapy. J Mater Chem B 2024; 12:3240-3248. [PMID: 38437473 DOI: 10.1039/d3tb03046f] [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: 03/06/2024]
Abstract
Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) is a promising strategy for cancer therapy. However, the always-on bioactivity of PROTACs may lead to non-target toxicity, which restricts their antitumor performance. Here, we developed an X-ray radiation responsive PROTAC nanomicelle (RCNprotac) by covalently conjugating a reported small molecule PROTAC (MZ1) to hydrophilic PEG via a diselenide bond-containing carbon chain, which then self-assembled into a 141.80 ± 5.66 nm nanomicelle. The RCNprotac displayed no bioactivity during circulation due to the occupation of the hydroxyl group on the E3 ubiquitin ligand component and could effectively accumulate at the tumor site owing to the enhanced permeability and retention effect. Upon exposure to X-ray radiation, the radiation-sensitive diselenide bonds were broken to specifically release MZ1 for tumor BRD4 protein degradation. Furthermore, the reduction in the BRD4 protein level could increase the tumor's sensitivity to radiation. RCNprotac showed a synergistic enhancement of antitumor effects both in vitro and in vivo. We believe that this X-ray-responsive PROTAC nanomicelle could provide a new strategy for the X-ray-activated spatiotemporally controlled protein degradation and for the BRD4 proteolysis enhanced tumor radiosensitivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengxia Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Yuyang Yun
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Changjun Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Yiling Ruan
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Osamu Muraoka
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Kinki University, Higashiosaka, Osaka 577-8502, Japan
| | - Weijia Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
| | - Xiaolian Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Key Laboratory of Drug Quality Control and Pharmacovigilance, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, China.
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Zhang R, Xie S, Ran J, Li T. Restraining the power of Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras in the cage: A necessary and important refinement for therapeutic safety. J Cell Physiol 2024. [PMID: 38501341 DOI: 10.1002/jcp.31255] [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: 01/22/2024] [Revised: 03/02/2024] [Accepted: 03/06/2024] [Indexed: 03/20/2024]
Abstract
Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) represent a significant advancement in therapeutic drug development by leveraging the ubiquitin-proteasome system to enable targeted protein degradation, particularly impacting oncology. This review delves into the various types of PROTACs, such as peptide-based, nucleic acid-based, and small molecule PROTACs, each addressing distinct challenges in protein degradation. It also discusses innovative strategies like bridged PROTACs and conditional switch-activated PROTACs, offering precise targeting of previously "undruggable" proteins. The potential of PROTACs extends beyond oncology, with ongoing research and technological advancements needed to maximize their therapeutic potential. Future progress in this field relies on interdisciplinary collaboration and the integration of advanced computational tools to open new treatment avenues across various diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Renshuai Zhang
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Center for Cell Structure and Function, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Songbo Xie
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Center for Cell Structure and Function, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Jie Ran
- Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Center for Cell Structure and Function, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China
| | - Te Li
- Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
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Cheng J, Zhang J, He S, Li M, Dong G, Sheng C. Photoswitchable PROTACs for Reversible and Spatiotemporal Regulation of NAMPT and NAD . Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202315997. [PMID: 38282119 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202315997] [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: 10/25/2023] [Revised: 01/25/2024] [Accepted: 01/25/2024] [Indexed: 01/30/2024]
Abstract
Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+ ) is an essential coenzyme with diverse biological functions in DNA synthesis. Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (NAMPT) is a key rate-limiting enzyme involved in NAD+ biosynthesis in mammals. We developed the first chemical tool for optical control of NAMPT and NAD+ in biological systems using photoswitchable proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PS-PROTACs). An NAMPT activator and dimethylpyrazolazobenzene photoswitch were used to design highly efficient PS-PROTACs, enabling up- and down-reversible regulation of NAMPT and NAD+ in a light-dependent manner and reducing the toxicity associated with inhibitor-based PS-PROTACs. PS-PROTAC was activated under 620 nm irradiation, realizing in vivo optical manipulation of antitumor activity, NAMPT, and NAD+ .
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Affiliation(s)
- Junfei Cheng
- Center for Basic Research and Innovation of Medicine and Pharmacy (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai, 200433, China
- Nautical Medicine Experimental Teaching Demonstration Center of Educational Institutions, Faculty of Naval Medicine, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Pathology, Changzheng Hospital, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Shipeng He
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China
| | - Minyong Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (MOE), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, Shandong, 250012, China
| | - Guoqiang Dong
- Center for Basic Research and Innovation of Medicine and Pharmacy (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Chunquan Sheng
- Center for Basic Research and Innovation of Medicine and Pharmacy (MOE), School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University (Naval Medical University), Shanghai, 200433, China
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Liang X, Ren H, Han F, Liang R, Zhao J, Liu H. The new direction of drug development: Degradation of undruggable targets through targeting chimera technology. Med Res Rev 2024; 44:632-685. [PMID: 37983964 DOI: 10.1002/med.21992] [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: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Imbalances in protein and noncoding RNA levels in vivo lead to the occurrence of many diseases. In addition to the use of small molecule inhibitors and agonists to restore these imbalances, recently emerged targeted degradation technologies provide a new direction for disease treatment. Targeted degradation technology directly degrades target proteins or RNA by utilizing the inherent degradation pathways, thereby eliminating the functions of pathogenic proteins (or RNA) to treat diseases. Compared with traditional therapies, targeted degradation technology which avoids the principle of traditional inhibitor occupation drive, has higher efficiency and selectivity, and widely expands the range of drug targets. It is one of the most promising and hottest areas for future drug development. Herein, we systematically introduced the in vivo degradation systems applied to degrader design: ubiquitin-proteasome system, lysosomal degradation system, and RNA degradation system. We summarized the development progress, structural characteristics, and limitations of novel chimeric design technologies based on different degradation systems. In addition, due to the lack of clear ligand-binding pockets, about 80% of disease-associated proteins cannot be effectively intervened with through traditional therapies. We deeply elucidated how to use targeted degradation technology to discover and design molecules for representative undruggable targets including transcription factors, small GTPases, and phosphatases. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive and systematic overview of targeted degradation technology-related research advances and a new guidance for the chimeric design of undruggable targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuewu Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Hairu Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fengyang Han
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Renwen Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiayan Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
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10
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Zhang S, Lai Y, Pan J, Saeed M, Li S, Zhou H, Jiang X, Gao J, Zhu Y, Yu H, Zhang W, Xu Z. PROTAC Prodrug-Integrated Nanosensitizer for Potentiating Radiation Therapy of Cancer. Adv Mater 2024:e2314132. [PMID: 38353332 DOI: 10.1002/adma.202314132] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/25/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Radiation therapy (RT) is one of the primary options for clinical cancer therapy, in particular advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Herein, the crucial role of bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4)-RAD51 associated protein 1 (RAD51AP1) axis in sensitizing RT of HNSCC is revealed. A versatile nanosensitizer (RPB7H) is thus innovatively engineered by integrating a PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras (PROTAC) prodrug (BPA771) and hafnium dioxide (HfO2 ) nanoparticles to downregulate BRD4-RAD51AP1 pathway and sensitize HNSCC tumor to RT. Upon intravenous administration, the RPB7H nanoparticles selectively accumulate at the tumor tissue and internalize into tumor cells by recognizing neuropilin-1 overexpressed in the tumor mass. HfO2 nanoparticles enhance RT effectiveness by amplifying X-ray deposition, intensifying DNA damage, and boosting oxidative stress. Meanwhile, BPA771 can be activated by RT-induced H2 O2 secretion to degrade BRD4 and inactivate RAD51AP1, thus impeding RT-induced DNA damage repair. This versatile nanosensitizer, combined with X-ray irradiation, effectively regresses HNSCC tumor growth in a mouse model. The findings introduce a PROTAC prodrug-based radiosensitization strategy by targeting the BRD4-RAD51AP1 axis, may offer a promising avenue to augment RT and more effective HNSCC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shunan Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yi Lai
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Jiaxing Pan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- Department of Gastroenterology, Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai Jiaotong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 2000092, China
| | - Madiha Saeed
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Shiqin Li
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Huiling Zhou
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xingyu Jiang
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Jing Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Yun Zhu
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial-Head and Neck Oncology, Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200011, China
| | - Haijun Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology and Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Wen Zhang
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Zhiai Xu
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
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11
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Wang F, Dong G, Ding M, Yu N, Sheng C, Li J. Dual-Programmable Semiconducting Polymer NanoPROTACs for Deep-Tissue Sonodynamic-Ferroptosis Activatable Immunotherapy. Small 2024; 20:e2306378. [PMID: 37817359 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202306378] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/27/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 10/12/2023]
Abstract
Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) can provide promising opportunities for cancer treatment, while precise regulation of their activities remains challenging to achieve effective and safe therapeutic outcomes. A semiconducting polymer nanoPROTAC (SPNFeP ) is reported that can achieve ultrasound (US) and tumor microenvironment dual-programmable PROTAC activity for deep-tissue sonodynamic-ferroptosis activatable immunotherapy. SPNFeP is formed through a nano-precipitation of a sonodynamic semiconducting polymer, a ferroptosis inducer, and a newly synthesized PROTAC molecule. The semiconducting polymers work as sonosensitizers to produce singlet oxygen (1 O2 ) via sonodynamic effect under US irradiation, and ferroptosis inducers react with intratumoral hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ) to generate hydroxyl radical (·OH). Such a dual-programmable reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation not only triggers ferroptosis and immunogenic cell death (ICD), but also induces on-demand activatable delivery of PROTAC molecules into tumor sites. The effectively activated nanoPROTACs degrade nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (NAMPT) to suppress tumor infiltration of myeloid-derived suppressive cells (MDSCs), thus promoting antitumor immunity. In such a way, SPNFeP mediates sonodynamic-ferroptosis activatable immunotherapy for entirely inhibiting tumor growths in both subcutaneous and 2-cm tissue-covered deep tumor mouse models. This study presents a dual-programmable activatable strategy based on PROTACs for effective and precise cancer combinational therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fengshuo Wang
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Guoqiang Dong
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Mengbin Ding
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Ningyue Yu
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
| | - Chunquan Sheng
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Jingchao Li
- State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Biological Science and Medical Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, China
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12
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Zhu Y, Yan X, Shi Y, Liu B, Huang W, Chu L. Near-infrared light controlled protein degradation by photo-caged lenalidomide and pomalidomide. Bioorg Chem 2024; 143:107050. [PMID: 38163423 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.107050] [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: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Immunomodulatory drugs (e.g. thalidomide, lenalidomide and pomalidomide) have been proven highly successful in clinical treatment of multiple myeloma. However, systematic degradation of zinc finger transcriptional factors induced by these drugs could lead to severe systematic toxicity in patients. Previous reports of NVOC caged pomalidomide attempted to regulate its activity using UVA irradiation, but their application was limited by high cytotoxicity and low tissue penetration. Here, we reported red-shifted BODIPY caged lenalidomide and pomalidomide that enabled red-light controlled protein degradation with spatiotemporal precision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaoji Zhu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Xiaosa Yan
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, National-Regional Key Technology Engineering Laboratory for Medical Ultrasound, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Medical School, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Yinan Shi
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Baohua Liu
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Genome Stability and Human Disease Prevention, Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Weiren Huang
- State Engineering Laboratory of Medical Key Technologies Application of Synthetic Biology, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital, the First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
| | - Ling Chu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.
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13
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Leon RG, Bassham DC. PROTAC for agriculture: learning from human medicine to generate new biotechnological weed control solutions. Pest Manag Sci 2024; 80:262-266. [PMID: 37612249 DOI: 10.1002/ps.7741] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 08/18/2023] [Accepted: 08/24/2023] [Indexed: 08/25/2023]
Abstract
Weed control has relied on the use of organic and inorganic molecules that interfere with druggable targets, especially enzymes, for almost a century. This approach, although effective, has resulted in multiple cases of herbicide resistance. Furthermore, the rate of discovery of new druggable targets that are selective and with favorable environmental profiles has slowed down, highlighting the need for innovative control tools. The arrival of the biotechnology and genomics era gave hope to many that all sorts of new control tools would be developed. However, the reality is that most efforts have been limited to the development of transgenic crops with resistance to a few existing herbicides, which in fact is just another form of selectivity. Proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) is a new technology developed to treat human diseases but that has potential for multiple applications in agriculture. This technology uses a small bait molecule linked to an E3 ligand. The 3-dimensional structure of the bait favors physical interaction with a binding site in the target protein in a manner that allows E3 recruitment, ubiquitination and then proteasome-mediated degradation. This system makes it possible to circumvent the need to find druggable targets because it can degrade structural proteins, transporters, transcription factors, and enzymes without the need to interact with the active site. PROTAC can help control herbicide-resistant weeds as well as expand the number of biochemical targets that can be used for weed control. In the present article, we provide an overview of how PROTAC works and describe the possible applications for weed control as well as the challenges that this technology might face during development and implementation for field uses. © 2023 The Authors. Pest Management Science published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ramon G Leon
- Professor and University Faculty Scholar, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Diane C Bassham
- Distinguished Professor and Walter E. and Helen Parke Loomis Professor of Plant Physiology, Department of Genetics, Development and Cell Biology, Iowa State University, Ames, IA, USA
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14
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Dai XJ, Ji SK, Fu MJ, Liu GZ, Liu HM, Wang SP, Shen L, Wang N, Herdewijn P, Zheng YC, Wang SQ, Chen XB. Degraders in epigenetic therapy: PROTACs and beyond. Theranostics 2024; 14:1464-1499. [PMID: 38389844 PMCID: PMC10879860 DOI: 10.7150/thno.92526] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/21/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024] Open
Abstract
Epigenetics refers to the reversible process through which changes in gene expression occur without changing the nucleotide sequence of DNA. The process is currently gaining prominence as a pivotal objective in the treatment of cancers and other ailments. Numerous drugs that target epigenetic mechanisms have obtained approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the therapeutic intervention of diverse diseases; many have drawbacks, such as limited applicability, toxicity, and resistance. Since the discovery of the first proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) in 2001, studies on targeted protein degradation (TPD)-encompassing PROTACs, molecular glue (MG), hydrophobic tagging (HyT), degradation TAG (dTAG), Trim-Away, a specific and non-genetic inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP)-dependent protein eraser (SNIPER), antibody-PROTACs (Ab-PROTACs), and other lysosome-based strategies-have achieved remarkable progress. In this review, we comprehensively highlight the small-molecule degraders beyond PROTACs that could achieve the degradation of epigenetic proteins (including bromodomain-containing protein-related targets, histone acetylation/deacetylation-related targets, histone methylation/demethylation related targets, and other epigenetic targets) via proteasomal or lysosomal pathways. The present difficulties and forthcoming prospects in this domain are also deliberated upon, which may be valuable for medicinal chemists when developing more potent, selective, and drug-like epigenetic drugs for clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xing-Jie Dai
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China; State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment; Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation; Institute of Drug Discovery and Development; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Shi-Kun Ji
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China; State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment; Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation; Institute of Drug Discovery and Development; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Meng-Jie Fu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China; State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment; Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation; Institute of Drug Discovery and Development; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Gao-Zhi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China; State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment; Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation; Institute of Drug Discovery and Development; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hui-Min Liu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China; State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment; Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation; Institute of Drug Discovery and Development; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Shao-Peng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China; State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment; Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation; Institute of Drug Discovery and Development; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Liang Shen
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China; State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment; Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation; Institute of Drug Discovery and Development; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Ning Wang
- The School of Chinese Medicine, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, China
| | - Piet Herdewijn
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China; State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment; Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation; Institute of Drug Discovery and Development; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- XNA platform, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Rega Institute for Medical Research, Medicinal Chemistry, KU Leuven, Herestraat 49-Box 1041, 3000 Leuven, Belgium
| | - Yi-Chao Zheng
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, China; State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment; Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation; Institute of Drug Discovery and Development; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- XNA platform, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Sai-Qi Wang
- Department of Oncology, the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Department of Oncology, the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Henan Engineering Research Center of Precision Therapy of Gastrointestinal Cancer & Zhengzhou Key Laboratory for Precision Therapy of Gastrointestinal Cancer, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Xiao-Bing Chen
- Department of Oncology, the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, China
- Department of Oncology, the Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University & Henan Cancer Hospital, Henan Engineering Research Center of Precision Therapy of Gastrointestinal Cancer & Zhengzhou Key Laboratory for Precision Therapy of Gastrointestinal Cancer, Zhengzhou, China
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15
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Tague N, Coriano-Ortiz C, Sheets MB, Dunlop MJ. Light-inducible protein degradation in E. coli with the LOVdeg tag. eLife 2024; 12:RP87303. [PMID: 38270583 PMCID: PMC10945698 DOI: 10.7554/elife.87303] [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] [Indexed: 01/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Molecular tools for optogenetic control allow for spatial and temporal regulation of cell behavior. In particular, light-controlled protein degradation is a valuable mechanism of regulation because it can be highly modular, used in tandem with other control mechanisms, and maintain functionality throughout growth phases. Here, we engineered LOVdeg, a tag that can be appended to a protein of interest for inducible degradation in Escherichia coli using blue light. We demonstrate the modularity of LOVdeg by using it to tag a range of proteins, including the LacI repressor, CRISPRa activator, and the AcrB efflux pump. Additionally, we demonstrate the utility of pairing the LOVdeg tag with existing optogenetic tools to enhance performance by developing a combined EL222 and LOVdeg system. Finally, we use the LOVdeg tag in a metabolic engineering application to demonstrate post-translational control of metabolism. Together, our results highlight the modularity and functionality of the LOVdeg tag system and introduce a powerful new tool for bacterial optogenetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nathan Tague
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston UniversityBostonUnited States
- Biological Design Center, Boston UniversityBostonUnited States
| | - Cristian Coriano-Ortiz
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston UniversityBostonUnited States
- Biological Design Center, Boston UniversityBostonUnited States
| | - Michael B Sheets
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston UniversityBostonUnited States
- Biological Design Center, Boston UniversityBostonUnited States
| | - Mary J Dunlop
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston UniversityBostonUnited States
- Biological Design Center, Boston UniversityBostonUnited States
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16
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Wang S, He F, Tian C, Sun A. From PROTAC to TPD: Advances and Opportunities in Targeted Protein Degradation. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:100. [PMID: 38256933 PMCID: PMC10818447 DOI: 10.3390/ph17010100] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/07/2024] [Accepted: 01/08/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
PROTAC is a rapidly developing engineering technology for targeted protein degradation using the ubiquitin-proteasome system, which has promising applications for inflammatory diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and malignant tumors. This paper gives a brief overview of the development and design principles of PROTAC, with a special focus on PROTAC-based explorations in recent years aimed at achieving controlled protein degradation and improving the bioavailability of PROTAC, as well as TPD technologies that use other pathways such as autophagy and lysosomes to achieve targeted protein degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China; (S.W.); (F.H.)
| | - Fuchu He
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China; (S.W.); (F.H.)
- Research Unit of Proteomics Dirven Cancer Precision Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100050, China
| | - Chunyan Tian
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China; (S.W.); (F.H.)
| | - Aihua Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Proteomics, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Proteome Research Center, Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing 102206, China; (S.W.); (F.H.)
- Research Unit of Proteomics Dirven Cancer Precision Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing 100050, China
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17
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Zhou Z, Fan H, Yu D, Shi F, Li Q, Zhang Z, Wang X, Zhang X, Dong C, Sun H, Mi W. Glutathione-responsive PROTAC for targeted degradation of ERα in breast cancer cells. Bioorg Med Chem 2023; 96:117526. [PMID: 38008041 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2023.117526] [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] [Received: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
ERα (estrogen receptor-α)-targeting PROTACs (PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras) have emerged as a novel and promising modality for breast cancer therapeutics. However, ERα PROTACs-induced degradation in normal tissues raises concerns about potential off-tissue toxicity. Tumor microenvironment-responsive strategy provides potential for specific control of the PROTAC's on-target degradation activity. The glutathione (GSH) level has been reported to be significantly increased in tumor cells. Here, we designed a GSH-responsive ERα PROTAC, which is generated by conjugating an o-nitrobenzenesulfonyl group to the hydroxyl group of VHL-based ERα PROTAC through a nucleophilic substitution reaction. The o-nitrobenzenesulfonyl group as a protecting group blocks the bioactivity of ERα PROTAC (ER-P1), and that can be specifically recognized and removed by highly abundant GSH in cancer cells. Consequently, the GSH-responsive ERα PROTAC (GSH-ER-P1) exhibits significantly enhanced degradation of ERα in cancer cells compared to that in normal cells, leading to a remarkable inhibition of breast cancer cell proliferation and less toxic effects on normal cells. This study provides a potentially valuable strategy for breast cancer treatment using tumor microenvironment-responsive PROTACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhili Zhou
- Tianjin Institute of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Ministry of Education, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China
| | - Heli Fan
- Department of Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China
| | - Dehao Yu
- Department of Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China
| | - Fengying Shi
- Tianjin Institute of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Ministry of Education, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China
| | - Qianqian Li
- Tianjin Institute of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Ministry of Education, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China
| | - Zhenjian Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Ministry of Education, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China
| | - Xiaolu Wang
- Tianjin Institute of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Ministry of Education, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China
| | - Xuejun Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Ministry of Education, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China
| | - Cheng Dong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China.
| | - Huabing Sun
- Department of Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China.
| | - Wenyi Mi
- Tianjin Institute of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Ministry of Education, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China.
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18
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Julio AR, Shikwana F, Truong C, Burton NR, Dominguez E, Turmon AC, Cao J, Backus K. Pervasive aggregation and depletion of host and viral proteins in response to cysteine-reactive electrophilic compounds. bioRxiv 2023:2023.10.30.564067. [PMID: 38014036 PMCID: PMC10680658 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.30.564067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2023]
Abstract
Protein homeostasis is tightly regulated, with damaged or misfolded proteins quickly eliminated by the proteasome and autophagosome pathways. By co-opting these processes, targeted protein degradation technologies enable pharmacological manipulation of protein abundance. Recently, cysteine-reactive molecules have been added to the degrader toolbox, which offer the benefit of unlocking the therapeutic potential of 'undruggable' protein targets. The proteome-wide impact of these molecules remains to be fully understood and given the general reactivity of many classes of cysteine-reactive electrophiles, on- and off-target effects are likely. Using chemical proteomics, we identified a cysteine-reactive small molecule degrader of the SARS-CoV-2 non- structural protein 14 (nsp14), which effects degradation through direct modification of cysteines in both nsp14 and in host chaperones together with activation of global cell stress response pathways. We find that cysteine-reactive electrophiles increase global protein ubiquitylation, trigger proteasome activation, and result in widespread aggregation and depletion of host proteins, including components of the nuclear pore complex. Formation of stress granules was also found to be a remarkably ubiquitous cellular response to nearly all cysteine-reactive compounds and degraders. Collectively, our study sheds light on complexities of covalent target protein degradation and highlights untapped opportunities in manipulating and characterizing proteostasis processes via deciphering the cysteine-centric regulation of stress response pathways.
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Mancarella C, Morrione A, Scotlandi K. PROTAC-Based Protein Degradation as a Promising Strategy for Targeted Therapy in Sarcomas. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:16346. [PMID: 38003535 PMCID: PMC10671294 DOI: 10.3390/ijms242216346] [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: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 11/11/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Sarcomas are heterogeneous bone and soft tissue cancers representing the second most common tumor type in children and adolescents. Histology and genetic profiling discovered more than 100 subtypes, which are characterized by peculiar molecular vulnerabilities. However, limited therapeutic options exist beyond standard therapy and clinical benefits from targeted therapies were observed only in a minority of patients with sarcomas. The rarity of these tumors, paucity of actionable mutations, and limitations in the chemical composition of current targeted therapies hindered the use of these approaches in sarcomas. Targeted protein degradation (TPD) is an innovative pharmacological modality to directly alter protein abundance with promising clinical potential in cancer, even for undruggable proteins. TPD is based on the use of small molecules called degraders or proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), which trigger ubiquitin-dependent degradation of protein of interest. In this review, we will discuss major features of PROTAC and PROTAC-derived genetic systems for target validation and cancer treatment and focus on the potential of these approaches to overcome major issues connected to targeted therapies in sarcomas, including drug resistance, target specificity, and undruggable targets. A deeper understanding of these strategies might provide new fuel to drive molecular and personalized medicine to sarcomas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caterina Mancarella
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
| | - Andrea Morrione
- Sbarro Institute for Cancer Research and Molecular Medicine, Center for Biotechnology, Department of Biology, College of Science and Technology, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA 19122, USA;
| | - Katia Scotlandi
- Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Rizzoli, 40136 Bologna, Italy
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Bi T, Liang P, Zhou Y, Wang H, Huang R, Sun Q, Shen H, Yang S, Ren W, Liu Z. Rational Design of Bioorthogonally Activatable PROTAC for Tumor-Targeted Protein Degradation. J Med Chem 2023; 66:14843-14852. [PMID: 37871321 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01423] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 10/25/2023]
Abstract
Protein degradation mediated by the proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) has emerged as an efficient strategy to accurately control intracellular protein levels. However, the development of PROTACs is limited by their systemic toxicity. Herein, we report a bioorthogonally activatable prodrug (BT-PROTAC) strategy to accurately control the activity of PROTACs. As a proof of concept, we introduced the highly reactive trans-cyclooctene into PROTAC molecule MZ1, the structure-acitivity relationships of which were well characterized previously, to construct the bioorthogonally activatable prodrug BT-PROTAC. Compared with MZ1, BT-PROTAC is incapable of degradation of BRD4 protein. However, BT-PROTAC can be activated by highly active tetrazine compound BODIPY-TZ in vitro. Furthermore, we could selectively degrade BRD4 protein in tumor tissue enabled by tumor-targeted tetrazine compound IR808-TZ. This strategy may represent an alternative to existing strategies and may be widely applied in the design of BT-PROTAC targeting other proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tao Bi
- National Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Base and Drug Research Center of the Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Chunhui Road, Luzhou 646000, China
- Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Southwest Medical University, Chunhui Road, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Pan Liang
- National Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Base and Drug Research Center of the Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Chunhui Road, Luzhou 646000, China
- Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Southwest Medical University, Chunhui Road, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Yanan Zhou
- National Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Base and Drug Research Center of the Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Chunhui Road, Luzhou 646000, China
- Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Southwest Medical University, Chunhui Road, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Hong Wang
- National Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Base and Drug Research Center of the Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Chunhui Road, Luzhou 646000, China
- Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Southwest Medical University, Chunhui Road, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Rui Huang
- National Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Base and Drug Research Center of the Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Chunhui Road, Luzhou 646000, China
- Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Southwest Medical University, Chunhui Road, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Qin Sun
- National Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Base and Drug Research Center of the Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Chunhui Road, Luzhou 646000, China
- Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Southwest Medical University, Chunhui Road, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Hongping Shen
- National Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Base and Drug Research Center of the Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Chunhui Road, Luzhou 646000, China
- Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Southwest Medical University, Chunhui Road, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Sijin Yang
- National Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Base and Drug Research Center of the Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Chunhui Road, Luzhou 646000, China
- Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Southwest Medical University, Chunhui Road, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Wei Ren
- National Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Base and Drug Research Center of the Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Chunhui Road, Luzhou 646000, China
- Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Southwest Medical University, Chunhui Road, Luzhou 646000, China
| | - Zengjin Liu
- National Traditional Chinese Medicine Clinical Research Base and Drug Research Center of the Affiliated Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Chunhui Road, Luzhou 646000, China
- Institute of Integrated Chinese and Western Medicine Southwest Medical University, Chunhui Road, Luzhou 646000, China
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21
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Fan H, Zhou Z, Yu D, Sun J, Wang L, Jia Y, Tian J, Mi W, Sun H. Selective degradation of BRD4 suppresses lung cancer cell proliferation using GSH-responsive PROTAC precursors. Bioorg Chem 2023; 140:106793. [PMID: 37683536 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106793] [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: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
BRD4,as a transcriptional and epigenetic regulator to mediate cellular functions, plays an important role in cancer development.Targeting BRD4 with conventional inhibitors in cancer therapy requires high doses, which often leads to off-target and adverse effects. BRD4-targeted proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) can catalytically degrade BRD4 utilizing the endogenous proteasome system, and exhibit promising anti-tumor activity. However, most of the developed PROTACs are non-cancer specific and relatively toxic towards normal cells, limiting their practical applications in cancer treatment. By taking advantage of higher glutathione (GSH) levels in cancer cells than that in normal cells, we developed several GSH-responsive PROTAC precursors 1a-c via the attachment of a GSH-trigger unit on the hydroxyl group of the VHL (von Hippel-Lindau) ligand for the recruitment of E3 ligase. Among the precursors, 1a can be efficiently activated by the innately higher concentrations of GSH in lung cancer cells (A549 and H1299) to release active PROTAC 1, degrading intracellular BRD4 and resulting in cytotoxicity, which is confirmed by mechanistic investigation. On the other hand, 1a cannot be efficiently triggered in normal lung cells (WI38 and HULEC-5a) containing lower levels of GSH, therefore reducing the adverse effects on normal cells. This work provides an alternative proof of concept approach for developing stimuli-responsive PROTAC precursors, and affords a novel insight to improve the selectivity and minimize the adverse effects of current PROTACs, hence enhancing their clinical potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heli Fan
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China
| | - Zhili Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China
| | - Dehao Yu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China
| | - Jing Sun
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China
| | - Luo Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China
| | - Yuanyuan Jia
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China
| | - Junyu Tian
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China
| | - Wenyi Mi
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China; The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China.
| | - Huabing Sun
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China; The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China.
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Yang Z, Pang Q, Zhou J, Xuan C, Xie S. Leveraging aptamers for targeted protein degradation. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2023; 44:776-785. [PMID: 37380531 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2023.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [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: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation (TPD) technologies, particularly proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), have emerged as a significant advancement in drug discovery. However, several hurdles - such as the difficulty of identifying suitable ligands for traditionally undruggable proteins, poor solubility and impermeability, nonspecific biodistribution, and on-target off-tissue toxicity - present challenges to their clinical applications. Aptamers are promising ligands for broad-ranging molecular recognition. Utilizing aptamers in TPD has shown potential advantages in overcoming these challenges. Here, we provide an overview of recent developments in aptamer-based TPD, emphasizing their potential to achieve targeted delivery and their promise for the spatiotemporal degradation of undruggable proteins. We also discuss the challenges and future directions of aptamer-based TPD with the goal of facilitating their clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihao Yang
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Qiuxiang Pang
- School of Life Sciences and Medicine, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, China
| | - Jun Zhou
- Center for Cell Structure and Function, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cell Biology in Universities of Shandong, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China; Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Chenghao Xuan
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
| | - Songbo Xie
- School of Life Sciences and Medicine, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, China; Center for Cell Structure and Function, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cell Biology in Universities of Shandong, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China.
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23
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Liang LJ, Wang Y, Hua X, Yuan R, Xia Q, Wang R, Li C, Chu GC, Liu L, Li YM. Cell-Permeable Stimuli-Responsive Ubiquitin Probe for Time-Resolved Monitoring of Substrate Ubiquitination in Live Cells. JACS Au 2023; 3:2873-2882. [PMID: 37885572 PMCID: PMC10598832 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.3c00421] [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] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2023] [Revised: 09/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Dynamic monitoring of intracellular ubiquitin (Ub) conjugates is instrumental to understanding the Ub regulatory machinery. Although many biochemical approaches have been developed to characterize protein ubiquitination, chemical tools capable of temporal resolution probing of ubiquitination events remain to be developed. Here, we report the development of the first cell-permeable and stimuli-responsive Ub probe and its application for the temporal resolution profiling of ubiquitinated substrates in live cells. The probe carrying the photolabile group N-(2-nitrobenzyl)-Gly (Nbg) on the amide bond between Ub Gly75 and Gly76 is readily prepared through chemical synthesis and can be delivered to live cells by conjugation via a disulfide bond with the cyclic cell-penetrating peptide cR10D (i.e., 4-((4-(dimethylamino)phenyl)-azo)-benzoic acid-modified cyclic deca-arginine). Both in vitro and in vivo experiments showed that Ub-modifying enzymes (E1, E2s, and E3s) could not install the Ub probe onto substrate proteins prior to removal of the nitrobenzyl group, which was easily accomplished via photoirradiation. The utility and practicality of this probe were exemplified by the time-resolved biochemical and proteomic investigation of ubiquitination events in live cells during a H2O2-mediated oxidative stress response. This work shows a conceptually new family of chemical Ub tools for the time-resolved studies on dynamic protein ubiquitination in different biological processes and highlights the utility of modern chemical protein synthesis in obtaining custom-designed tools for biological studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lu-Jun Liang
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory of Physical Science at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Yu Wang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Bio-process, Ministry of Education, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Xiao Hua
- Department of Chemistry, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Rujing Yuan
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Bio-process, Ministry of Education, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Qiong Xia
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Bio-process, Ministry of Education, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Rongtian Wang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Bio-process, Ministry of Education, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
| | - Chuntong Li
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory of Physical Science at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Guo-Chao Chu
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Bio-process, Ministry of Education, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Lei Liu
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, Ministry of Education Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Center for Synthetic and Systems Biology, Department of Chemistry, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
- Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory of Physical Science at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Yi-Ming Li
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Engineering Research Center of Bio-process, Ministry of Education, Hefei University of Technology, Hefei 230009, China
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Noblejas-López MDM, Tébar-García D, López-Rosa R, Alcaraz-Sanabria A, Cristóbal-Cueto P, Pinedo-Serrano A, Rivas-García L, Galán-Moya EM. TACkling Cancer by Targeting Selective Protein Degradation. Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:2442. [PMID: 37896202 PMCID: PMC10610449 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15102442] [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: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/04/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation has emerged as an alternative therapy against cancer, offering several advantages over traditional inhibitors. The new degrader drugs provide different therapeutic strategies: they could cross the phospholipid bilayer membrane by the addition of specific moieties to extracellular proteins. On the other hand, they could efficiently improve the degradation process by the generation of a ternary complex structure of an E3 ligase. Herein, we review the current trends in the use of TAC-based technologies (TACnologies), such as PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras (PROTAC), PHOtochemically TArgeting Chimeras (PHOTAC), CLIck-formed Proteolysis TArgeting Chimeras (CLIPTAC), AUtophagy TArgeting Chimeras (AUTAC), AuTophagosome TEthering Compounds (ATTEC), LYsosome-TArgeting Chimeras (LYTAC), and DeUBiquitinase TArgeting Chimeras (DUBTAC), in experimental development and their progress towards clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- María del Mar Noblejas-López
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CRIB), Campus de Albacete, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 02008 Albacete, Spain; (M.d.M.N.-L.); (D.T.-G.); (R.L.-R.); (A.A.-S.); (P.C.-C.); (A.P.-S.)
- Unidad de Investigación, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, 02008 Albacete, Spain
| | - David Tébar-García
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CRIB), Campus de Albacete, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 02008 Albacete, Spain; (M.d.M.N.-L.); (D.T.-G.); (R.L.-R.); (A.A.-S.); (P.C.-C.); (A.P.-S.)
- Unidad de Investigación, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, 02008 Albacete, Spain
| | - Raquel López-Rosa
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CRIB), Campus de Albacete, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 02008 Albacete, Spain; (M.d.M.N.-L.); (D.T.-G.); (R.L.-R.); (A.A.-S.); (P.C.-C.); (A.P.-S.)
- Unidad de Investigación, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, 02008 Albacete, Spain
| | - Ana Alcaraz-Sanabria
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CRIB), Campus de Albacete, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 02008 Albacete, Spain; (M.d.M.N.-L.); (D.T.-G.); (R.L.-R.); (A.A.-S.); (P.C.-C.); (A.P.-S.)
- Unidad de Investigación, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, 02008 Albacete, Spain
| | - Pablo Cristóbal-Cueto
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CRIB), Campus de Albacete, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 02008 Albacete, Spain; (M.d.M.N.-L.); (D.T.-G.); (R.L.-R.); (A.A.-S.); (P.C.-C.); (A.P.-S.)
| | - Alejandro Pinedo-Serrano
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CRIB), Campus de Albacete, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 02008 Albacete, Spain; (M.d.M.N.-L.); (D.T.-G.); (R.L.-R.); (A.A.-S.); (P.C.-C.); (A.P.-S.)
| | - Lorenzo Rivas-García
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CRIB), Campus de Albacete, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 02008 Albacete, Spain; (M.d.M.N.-L.); (D.T.-G.); (R.L.-R.); (A.A.-S.); (P.C.-C.); (A.P.-S.)
| | - Eva M. Galán-Moya
- Centro Regional de Investigaciones Biomédicas (CRIB), Campus de Albacete, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 02008 Albacete, Spain; (M.d.M.N.-L.); (D.T.-G.); (R.L.-R.); (A.A.-S.); (P.C.-C.); (A.P.-S.)
- Unidad de Investigación, Complejo Hospitalario Universitario de Albacete, 02008 Albacete, Spain
- Facultad de Enfermería, Campus de Albacete, Universidad de Castilla-La Mancha, 02006 Albacete, Spain
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Yao R, Luo T, Wang M. Delivering on Cell-Selective Protein Degradation Using Chemically Tailored PROTACs. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300413. [PMID: 37496112 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300413] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [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: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 07/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
PROTACs (Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras) have emerged as a groundbreaking class of chemical tools that facilitate the degradation of target proteins by leveraging the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). However, the effective utilization of PROTACs in chemical biology studies and therapeutics encounters significant challenges when it comes to achieving cell-selective protein degradation and in vivo applications. This review article aims to shed light on recent advancements in the development of Pro-PROTACs, which exhibit controlled protein degradation capabilities in response to external stimuli or disease-related endogenous biochemical signals. The article delves into the specific chemical strategies employed to regulate the interaction between PROTACs and E3 ubiquitin ligases or target proteins. These strategies enable spatial and temporal control over the protein degradation potential of Pro-PROTACs. Furthermore, the review summarizes recent investigations regarding the delivery of PROTACs using biodegradable nanoparticles for in vivo applications and targeted protein degradation. Such delivery systems hold great promise for enabling efficient and selective protein degradation in vivo. Lastly, the article provides a perspective on the future design of multifunctional PROTACs and their intracellular delivery mechanisms, with a particular focus on achieving cell-selective protein degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rui Yao
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100490, China
| | - Tianli Luo
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100490, China
| | - Ming Wang
- Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Living Biosystems, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100190, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100490, China
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26
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Yu D, Fan H, Zhou Z, Zhang Y, Sun J, Wang L, Jia Y, Tian J, Campbell A, Mi W, Sun H. Hydrogen Peroxide-Inducible PROTACs for Targeted Protein Degradation in Cancer Cells. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300422. [PMID: 37462478 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300422] [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: 06/04/2023] [Revised: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023]
Abstract
Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) provide a powerful technique to degrade targeted proteins utilizing the cellular ubiquitin-proteasome system. The major concern is the host toxicity resulting from their poor selectivity. Inducible PROTACs responding to exogenous stimulus, such as light, improve their specificity, but it is difficult for photo-activation in deep tissues. Herein, we develop H2 O2 -inducible PROTAC precursors 2/5, which can be activated by endogenous H2 O2 in cancer cells to release the active PROTACs 1/4 to effectively degrade targeted proteins. This results in the intended cytotoxicity towards cancer cells while targeted protein in normal cells remains almost unaffected. The higher Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) degradation activity and cytotoxicity of 2 towards cancer cells is mainly due to the higher endogenous concentration of H2 O2 in cancer cells (A549 and H1299), characterized by H2 O2 -responsive fluorescence probe 3. Western blot assays and cytotoxicity experiments demonstrate that 2 degrades BRD4 more effectively and is more cytotoxic in H2 O2 -rich cancer cells than in H2 O2 -deficient normal cells. This method is also extended to estrogen receptor (ER)-PROTAC precursor 5, showing H2 O2 -dependent ER degradation ability. Thus, we establish a novel strategy to induce targeted protein degradation in a H2 O2 -dependent way, which has the potential to improve the selectivity of PROTACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dehao Yu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center, for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Heli Fan
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center, for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Zhili Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease, Ministry of Education), Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease, Ministry of Education), Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Jing Sun
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center, for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Luo Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center, for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Yuanyuan Jia
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center, for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Junyu Tian
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center, for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Anahit Campbell
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53211, USA
| | - Wenyi Mi
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease, Ministry of Education), Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Huabing Sun
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center, for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
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Zhao C, Wang H, Zhan W, Lv X, Ma X. Exploitation of Proximity-Mediated Effects in Drug Discovery: An Update of Recent Research Highlights in Perturbing Pathogenic Proteins and Correlated Issues. J Med Chem 2023; 66:10122-10149. [PMID: 37489834 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00079] [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: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
The utilization of proximity-mediated effects to perturb pathogenic proteins of interest (POIs) has emerged as a powerful strategic alternative to conventional drug design approaches based on target occupancy. Over the past three years, the burgeoning field of targeted protein degradation (TPD) has witnessed the expansion of degradable POIs to membrane-associated, extracellular, proteasome-resistant, and even microbial proteins. Beyond TPD, researchers have achieved the proximity-mediated targeted protein stabilization, the recruitment of intracellular immunophilins to disturb undruggable targets, and the nonphysiological post-translational modifications of POIs. All of these strides provide new avenues for innovative drug discovery aimed at battling human malignancies and other major diseases. This perspective presents recent research highlights and discusses correlated issues in developing therapeutic modalities that exploit proximity-mediated effects to modulate pathogenic proteins, thereby guiding future academic and industrial efforts in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Henian Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Wenhu Zhan
- iCarbonX (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - Xiaoqing Lv
- College of Medicine, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing 314001, China
| | - Xiaodong Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
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He Q, Zhou L, Yu D, Zhu R, Chen Y, Song M, Liu X, Liao Y, Ding T, Fan W, Yu W. Near-Infrared-Activatable PROTAC Nanocages for Controllable Target Protein Degradation and On-Demand Antitumor Therapy. J Med Chem 2023; 66:10458-10472. [PMID: 37279091 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00587] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [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: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
As a novel protein knockdown tool, proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) can induce potent degradation of target proteins by hijacking E3 ubiquitin ligases. However, the uncontrollable protein disruption of PROTACs is prone to cause "off-target" toxicity after systemic administration. Herein, we designed a photocaged-PROTAC (phoBET1) and loaded it in UCNPs-based mesoporous silica nanoparticles (UMSNs) to construct a NIR light-activatable PROTAC nanocage (UMSNs@phoBET1) for controllable target protein degradation. Upon NIR light (980 nm) irradiation, UMSNs@phoBET1 nanocages could be activated to release active PROTAC via a controlled pattern for degrading bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) and inducing MV-4-11 cancer cell apoptosis. In vivo experiments demonstrated that UMSNs@phoBET1 nanocages were capable of responding to NIR light in tumor tissues to achieve BRD4 degradation and effectively suppress tumor growth. This NIR light-activatable PROTAC nanoplatform compensates for the current shortcomings of short-wavelength light-controlled PROTACs and presents a paradigm for the precise regulation of PROTACs in living tissues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi He
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Liming Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Diseases, Center of Advanced Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Daxin Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Ren Zhu
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Novel Reactor and Green Chemical Technology, Hubei Engineering Research Center for Advanced Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, 206 1st Rd Optics Valley, East Lake New Technology Development District, Wuhan, Hubei 430205, People's Republic of China
| | - Yue Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Diseases, Center of Advanced Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Mingbo Song
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Xintong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Yixian Liao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Tong Ding
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenpei Fan
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Discovery for Metabolic Diseases, Center of Advanced Pharmaceuticals and Biomaterials, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China
| | - Wenying Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, People's Republic of China
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Wang W, Zhu C, Zhang B, Feng Y, Zhang Y, Li J. Self-Assembled Nano-PROTAC Enables Near-Infrared Photodynamic Proteolysis for Cancer Therapy. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:16642-16649. [PMID: 37477624 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c04109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [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: 07/22/2023]
Abstract
Confining the protein degradation activity of proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) to cancer lesions ensures precision treatment. However, it still remains challenging to precisely control PROTAC function in tumor regions in vivo. We herein describe a near-infrared (NIR) photoactivatable nano-PROTAC (NAP) for remote-controllable proteolysis in tumor-bearing mice. NAP is formed by molecular self-assembly from an amphiphilic conjugate of PROTAC linked with an NIR photosensitizer through a singlet oxygen (1O2)-cleavable linker. The activity of PROTAC is initially silenced but can be remotely switched on upon NIR photoirradiation to generate 1O2 by the photosensitizer. We demonstrated that NAP enabled tumor-specific degradation of bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) in an NIR light-instructed manner. This in combination with photodynamic therapy (PDT) elicited an effective suppression of tumor growth. This work thus presents a novel approach for spatiotemporal control over targeted protein degradation by PROTAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weishan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Chenghong Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Bin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yi Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jinbo Li
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Sciences, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
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Abstract
Although proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) have become promising therapeutic modalities, important concerns exist about the potential toxicity of the approach owing to uncontrolled degradation of proteins and undesirable ligase-mediated off-target effects. Precision manipulation of degradation activity of PROTACs could minimize potential toxicity and side effects. As a result, extensive efforts have been devoted to developing cancer biomarker activating prodrugs of PROTACs. In this investigation, we developed a bioorthogonal on-demand prodrug strategy (termed click-release "crPROTACs") that enables on-target activation of PROTAC prodrugs and release of PROTACs in cancer cells selectively. Inactive PROTAC prodrugs TCO-ARV-771 and TCO-DT2216 are rationally designed by conjugating a bioorthogonal trans-cyclooctenes (TCO) group into the ligand of the VHL E3 ubiquitin ligase. The tetrazine (Tz)-modified RGD peptide, c(RGDyK)-Tz, which targets integrin αvβ3 biomarker in cancer cells, serves as the activation component for click-release of the PROTAC prodrugs to achieve targeted degradation of proteins of interest (POIs) in cancer cells versus noncancerous normal cells. The results of studies accessing the viability of this strategy show that the PROTAC prodrugs are selectively activated in an integrin αvβ3-dependent manner to produce PROTACs, which degrade POIs in cancer cells. The crPROTAC strategy might be a general, abiotic approach to induce selective cancer cell death through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengyang Chang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
| | - Feng Gao
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
| | - Devin Pontigon
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
| | - Giri Gnawali
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
| | - Hang Xu
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
- BIO5 Institute, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
- University of Arizona Cancer Center, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
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Abstract
Proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) is an emerging technique for degrading disease-related proteins. However, the current PROTACs suffer from inadequate solubility and lack of organ targeting, which has hampered their druggability. Herein, we report direct and sustained delivery of PROTACs using microneedle patches to the diseased tissues. In this study, we use an estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-degrading PROTAC, ERD308, to treat ER-positive breast cancer. A pH-sensitive micelle, MPEG-poly(β-amino ester) (MPEG-PAE), is used to encapsulate ERD308 along with an FDA-approved CDK4/6 inhibitor, Palbociclib (Pal), before loading into biodegradable microneedle patches. These patches enable prolonged drug release into deep tumors, maintaining therapeutic levels for at least 4 days, with an excellent drug retention rate of over 87% in tumors. ERD308 released from the microneedle patches can sufficiently degrade ERα in MCF7 cells. Co-administration of ERD308 and Palbociclib exhibits excellent efficacy by over 80% tumor reduction as well as a good safety profile. Our work demonstrates the feasibility and proof-of-concept therapeutic potential of using microneedle patches to directly deliver PROTACs into tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiao Cheng
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States, and North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, United States
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27607, United States
| | - Shiqi Hu
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States, and North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, United States
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27607, United States
| | - Ke Cheng
- Joint Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States, and North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27606, United States
- Department of Molecular Biomedical Sciences and Comparative Medicine Institute, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27607, United States
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32
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Gao J, Yang L, Lei S, Zhou F, Nie H, Peng B, Xu T, Chen X, Yang X, Sheng C, Rao Y, Pu K, Jin J, Xu Z, Yu H. Stimuli-activatable PROTACs for precise protein degradation and cancer therapy. Sci Bull (Beijing) 2023; 68:1069-1085. [PMID: 37169612 DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2023.04.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [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: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 04/21/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
The proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) approach has attracted extensive attention in the past decade, which represents an emerging therapeutic modality with the potential to tackle disease-causing proteins that are historically challengeable for conventional small molecular inhibitors. PROTAC harnesses the endogenic E3 ubiquitin ligase to degrade protein of interest (POI) via ubiquitin-proteasome system in a cycle-catalytic manner. The event-driven pharmacology of PROTAC is poised to pursue those targets that are conventionally undruggable, which enormously extends the space of drug development. Furthermore, PROTAC has the potential to address drug resistance of small molecular inhibitors by degrading the whole POI. Nevertheless, PROTACs display high-efficiency and always-on properties to degrade POI, they may cause severe side effects due to an "on-target but off-tissue" protein degradation profile at the undesirable tissues and cells. Given that, the stimuli-activatable PROTAC prodrugs have been recently exploited to confine precise protein degradation of the favorable targets, which may conquer the adverse effects of PROTAC due to uncontrollable protein degradation. Herein, we summarized the cutting-edge advances of the stimuli-activatable PROTAC prodrugs. We also overviewed the progress of PROTAC prodrug-based nanomedicine to improve PROTAC delivery to the tumors and precise POI degradation in the targeted cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Gao
- Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Lei Yang
- Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Shumin Lei
- Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Feng Zhou
- Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Huijun Nie
- Center of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Bo Peng
- Information Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Tianfeng Xu
- Center of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xiaohua Chen
- Center of Medicinal Chemistry, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
| | - Xiaobao Yang
- Gluetacs Therapeutics (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. Shanghai 201306, China
| | - Chunquan Sheng
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yu Rao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Kanyi Pu
- School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore 639798, Singapore
| | - Jian Jin
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Departments of Pharmacological Sciences, Oncological Sciences and Neuroscience, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York NY 10029, USA
| | - Zhiai Xu
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai 200241, China.
| | - Haijun Yu
- Center of Pharmaceutics, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China.
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33
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Sarabando SN, Palmeira A, Sousa ME, Faustino MAF, Monteiro CJP. Photomodulation Approaches to Overcome Antimicrobial Resistance. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:ph16050682. [PMID: 37242465 DOI: 10.3390/ph16050682] [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: 04/01/2023] [Revised: 04/24/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Photopharmacology is an approach that aims to be an alternative to classical chemotherapy. Herein, the different classes of photoswitches and photocleavage compounds and their biological applications are described. Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) containing azobenzene moieties (PHOTACs) and photocleavable protecting groups (photocaged PROTACs) are also mentioned. Furthermore, porphyrins are referenced as successful photoactive compounds in a clinical context, such as in the photodynamic therapy of tumours as well as preventing antimicrobial resistance, namely in bacteria. Porphyrins combining photoswitches and photocleavage systems are highlighted, taking advantage of both photopharmacology and photodynamic action. Finally, porphyrins with antibacterial activity are described, taking advantage of the synergistic effect of photodynamic treatment and antibiotic therapy to overcome bacterial resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sofia N Sarabando
- Laboratory of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Chemical Sciences Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- LAQV-Requimte and Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3010-193 Aveiro, Portugal
| | - Andreia Palmeira
- Laboratory of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Chemical Sciences Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal
| | - Maria Emília Sousa
- Laboratory of Organic and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Chemical Sciences Department, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Porto, 4050-313 Porto, Portugal
- CIIMAR-Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, 4450-208 Porto, Portugal
| | | | - Carlos J P Monteiro
- LAQV-Requimte and Department of Chemistry, University of Aveiro, 3010-193 Aveiro, Portugal
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Wang Y, Morisseau C, Takamura A, Wan D, Li D, Sidoli S, Yang J, Wolan DW, Hammock BD, Kitamura S. PROTAC-Mediated Selective Degradation of Cytosolic Soluble Epoxide Hydrolase Enhances ER Stress Reduction. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:884-896. [PMID: 36947831 PMCID: PMC10586715 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00017] [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] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/24/2023]
Abstract
Soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) is a bifunctional enzyme responsible for lipid metabolism and is a promising drug target. Here, we report the first-in-class PROTAC small-molecule degraders of sEH. Our optimized PROTAC selectively targets the degradation of cytosolic but not peroxisomal sEH, resulting in exquisite spatiotemporal control. Remarkably, our sEH PROTAC molecule has higher potency in cellular assays compared to the parent sEH inhibitor as measured by the significantly reduced ER stress. Interestingly, our mechanistic data indicate that our PROTAC directs the degradation of cytosolic sEH via the lysosome, not through the proteasome. The molecules presented here are useful chemical probes to study the biology of sEH with the potential for therapeutic development. Broadly, our results represent a proof of concept for the superior cellular potency of sEH degradation over sEH enzymatic inhibition, as well as subcellular compartment-selective modulation of a protein by PROTACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuxin Wang
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Christophe Morisseau
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Akihiro Takamura
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037 USA
| | - Debin Wan
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Dongyang Li
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Simone Sidoli
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461 USA
| | - Jun Yang
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Dennis W. Wolan
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037 USA
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037 USA
| | - Bruce D. Hammock
- Department of Entomology and Nematology, and UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California Davis, One Shields Avenue, Davis, CA 95616, United States
| | - Seiya Kitamura
- Department of Molecular Medicine, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037 USA
- Department of Integrative Structural and Computational Biology, The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, CA 92037 USA
- Department of Biochemistry, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461 USA
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Arp CJ, Reynders M, Sreekanth V, Kokkonda P, Pagano M, Choudhary A, Trauner D. Photoswitchable Molecular Glues Enable Optical Control of Transcription Factor Degradation. bioRxiv 2023:2023.04.09.536172. [PMID: 37066279 PMCID: PMC10104231 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.09.536172] [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] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/18/2023]
Abstract
Immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs), which include thalidomide and its derivatives, have emerged as the standard of care against multiple myeloma. They function as molecular glues that bind to the E3 ligase cereblon (CRBN) and induce protein interactions with neosubstrates, including the transcription factors Ikaros (IKZF1) and Aiolos (IKZF3). The subsequent ubiquitylation and degradation of these transcription factors underlies the antiproliferative activity of IMiDs. Here, we introduce photoswitchable immunomodulatory drugs (PHOIMiDs) that can be used to degrade Ikaros and Aiolos in a light-dependent fashion. Our lead compound shows minimal activity in the dark and becomes an active degrader upon irradiation with violet light. It shows high selectivity over other transcription factors, regardless of its state, and could therefore be used to control the levels of Ikaros and Aiolos with high spatiotemporal precision.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher J Arp
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, 100 Washington Sq E, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Martin Reynders
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, 100 Washington Sq E, New York, New York 10003, United States
| | - Vedagopuram Sreekanth
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main St, Cambridge, MA 02142, United States
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, United States
- Divisions of Renal Medicine and Engineering, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | - Praveen Kokkonda
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main St, Cambridge, MA 02142, United States
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | - Michele Pagano
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States
- Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, United States
| | - Amit Choudhary
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, 415 Main St, Cambridge, MA 02142, United States
- Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, United States
- Divisions of Renal Medicine and Engineering, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA 02115, United States
| | - Dirk Trauner
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, College of Arts and Sciences, 231 South 34 Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6323, United States
- Department of Chemistry, New York University, 100 Washington Sq E, New York, New York 10003, United States
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Dzobo K, Dandara C. The Extracellular Matrix: Its Composition, Function, Remodeling, and Role in Tumorigenesis. Biomimetics (Basel) 2023; 8:146. [PMID: 37092398 PMCID: PMC10123695 DOI: 10.3390/biomimetics8020146] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [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: 02/03/2023] [Revised: 03/31/2023] [Accepted: 04/03/2023] [Indexed: 04/25/2023] Open
Abstract
The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a ubiquitous member of the body and is key to the maintenance of tissue and organ integrity. Initially thought to be a bystander in many cellular processes, the extracellular matrix has been shown to have diverse components that regulate and activate many cellular processes and ultimately influence cell phenotype. Importantly, the ECM's composition, architecture, and stiffness/elasticity influence cellular phenotypes. Under normal conditions and during development, the synthesized ECM constantly undergoes degradation and remodeling processes via the action of matrix proteases that maintain tissue homeostasis. In many pathological conditions including fibrosis and cancer, ECM synthesis, remodeling, and degradation is dysregulated, causing its integrity to be altered. Both physical and chemical cues from the ECM are sensed via receptors including integrins and play key roles in driving cellular proliferation and differentiation and in the progression of various diseases such as cancers. Advances in 'omics' technologies have seen an increase in studies focusing on bidirectional cell-matrix interactions, and here, we highlight the emerging knowledge on the role played by the ECM during normal development and in pathological conditions. This review summarizes current ECM-targeted therapies that can modify ECM tumors to overcome drug resistance and better cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kevin Dzobo
- Medical Research Council, SA Wound Healing Unit, Hair and Skin Research Laboratory, Division of Dermatology, Department of Medicine, Groote Schuur Hospital, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
| | - Collet Dandara
- Division of Human Genetics and Institute of Infectious Disease and Molecular Medicine, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
- The South African Medical Research Council-UCT Platform for Pharmacogenomics Research and Translation, Department of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, Anzio Road, Observatory, Cape Town 7925, South Africa
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37
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Yang F, Luo Q, Wang Y, Liang H, Wang Y, Hou Z, Wan C, Wang Y, Liu Z, Ye Y, Zhu L, Wu J, Yin F, Li Z. Targeted Biomolecule Regulation Platform: A Split-and-Mix PROTAC Approach. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:7879-7887. [PMID: 37001133 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c12824] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/03/2023]
Abstract
The development of bifunction al molecules, which can enable targeted RNA degradation, targeted protein acetylation, or targeted protein degradation, remains a time-consuming process that requires tedious optimization. We propose a split-and-mix nanoplatform that serves as a self-adjustable platform capable of facile screening, programmable ligand ratios, self-optimized biomolecule spatial recognition, and multifunctional applications. Herein, we demonstrate the potential of our proposed nanoplatform by showcasing proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), namely, split-and-mix PROTAC (SM-PROTAC). We highlight the scope of our platform through the targeted disruption of intracellular therapeutic targets involving ERα, CDK4/6, AR, MEK1/2, BRD2/4, BCR-ABL, etc. These studies confirm the effectiveness and universality of the SM-PROTAC platform for proximity-induced applications. This platform is programmable, with significant potential applications to biomolecule regulation, including the fields of epigenetics, gene editing, and biomolecule modification regulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fenfang Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Qinhong Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital (Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine), Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Yuechen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Huiting Liang
- Department of Pharmacy, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital (Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine), Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518118, China
| | - Yaqi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zhanfeng Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518118, China
| | - Chuan Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yuena Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518118, China
| | - Zhihong Liu
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518118, China
| | - Yuxin Ye
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518118, China
| | - Lizhi Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital (Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine), Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Jianlong Wu
- Department of Pharmacy, Department of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital (Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine), Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Feng Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518118, China
| | - Zigang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518118, China
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Chernov KG, Manoilov KY, Oliinyk OS, Shcherbakova DM, Verkhusha VV. Photodegradable by Yellow-Orange Light degFusionRed Optogenetic Module with Autocatalytically Formed Chromophore. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:6526. [PMID: 37047499 PMCID: PMC10095432 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24076526] [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: 03/01/2023] [Revised: 03/26/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Optogenetic systems driven by yellow-orange light are required for the simultaneous regulation of several cellular processes. We have engineered the red fluorescent protein FusionRed into a 26 kDa monomeric optogenetic module, called degFusionRed. Unlike other fluorescent protein-based optogenetic domains, which exhibit light-induced self-inactivation by generating reactive oxygen species, degFusionRed undergoes proteasomal degradation upon illumination with 567 nm light. Similarly to the parent protein, degFusionRed has minimal absorbance at 450 nm and above 650 nm, making it spectrally compatible with blue and near-infrared-light-controlled optogenetic tools. The autocatalytically formed chromophore provides degFusionRed with an additional advantage over most optogenetic tools that require the binding of the exogenous chromophores, the amount of which varies in different cells. The degFusionRed efficiently performed in the engineered light-controlled transcription factor and in the targeted photodegradation of the protein of interest, demonstrating its versatility as the optogenetic module of choice for spectral multiplexed interrogation of various cellular processes.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Kyrylo Yu. Manoilov
- Department of Genetics and Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Olena S. Oliinyk
- Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Daria M. Shcherbakova
- Department of Genetics and Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
| | - Vladislav V. Verkhusha
- Medicum, Faculty of Medicine, University of Helsinki, 00290 Helsinki, Finland
- Department of Genetics and Gruss-Lipper Biophotonics Center, Albert Einstein College of Medicine, Bronx, NY 10461, USA
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Jin Y, Fan J, Wang R, Wang X, Li N, You Q, Jiang Z. Ligation to Scavenging Strategy Enables On-Demand Termination of Targeted Protein Degradation. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:7218-7229. [PMID: 36971523 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c12809] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/29/2023]
Abstract
Event-driven bifunctional molecules, typified by proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology, have been successfully applied in degrading many proteins of interest (POI). Due to the unique catalytic mechanism, PROTACs will induce multiple cycles of degradation until the elimination of the target protein. Here, we propose a versatile "Ligation to scavenging" approach to terminate event-driven degradation for the first time. Ligation to the scavenging system consists of a TCO-modified dendrimer (PAMAM-G5-TCO) and tetrazine-modified PROTACs (Tz-PROTACs). PAMAM-G5-TCO can rapidly scavenge intracellular free PROTACs via an inverse electron demand Diels-Alder reaction and terminate the degradation of certain proteins in living cells. Thus, this work proposes a flexible chemical knockdown approach to adjust the levels of POI on-demand in living cells, which paves the way for controlled target protein degradation.
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Cheng W, Li S, Han S, Miao R, Wang S, Liu C, Wei H, Tian X, Zhang X. Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of the tumor hypoxia-activated PROTACs bearing caged CRBN E3 ligase ligands. Bioorg Med Chem 2023; 82:117237. [PMID: 36906965 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2023.117237] [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: 01/18/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Tumor hypoxia-activated proteolysis targeting chimeras (ha-PROTACs) 9 and 10 were designed and synthesized by incorporating the hypoxia-activated leaving group (1-methyl-2-nitro-1H-imidazol-5-yl)methyl or 4‑nitrobenzyl into the structure of the cereblon (CRBN) E3 ligand of an epidermal growth factor receptor 19 deletions (EGFRDel19-based PROTAC 8. The in vitro protein degradation assay demonstrated that 9 and 10 could effectively and selectively degrade EGFRDel19 in tumor hypoxia. Meanwhile, these two compounds showed higher potency in inhibiting cell viability and migration, as well as in promoting cells apoptosis in tumor hypoxia. Moreover, nitroreductase reductive activation assay indicated that prodrugs 9 and 10 could successfully release the active compound 8. This study confirmed the feasibility to develop ha-PROTACs to enhance the selectivity of PROTACs by caging CRBN E3 ligase ligand.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiyan Cheng
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
| | - Shasha Li
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Siyuan Han
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Ruoyang Miao
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Suhua Wang
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Chunxia Liu
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Han Wei
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China
| | - Xin Tian
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
| | - Xiaojian Zhang
- Department of Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, Henan, China; Henan Key Laboratory of Precision Clinical Pharmacy, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450052, China.
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Abstract
Despite recent advances in molecular therapeutics, lung cancer is still a leading cause of cancer deaths. Currently, limited targeted therapy options and acquired drug resistance present significant barriers in the treatment of patients with lung cancer. New strategies in drug development, including those that take advantage of the intracellular ubiquitin-proteasome system to induce targeted protein degradation, have the potential to advance the field of personalized medicine for patients with lung cancer. Specifically, small molecule proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs), consisting of two ligands connected by a linker that bind to a target protein and an E3 ubiquitin ligase, have been developed against many cancer targets, providing promising opportunities for advanced lung cancer. In this review, we focus on the rationale for PROTAC therapy as a new targeted therapy and the current status of PROTAC development in lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer W Li
- Department of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Guangrong Zheng
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; UF Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Frederic J Kaye
- UF Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
| | - Lizi Wu
- UF Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
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42
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Shade O, Ryan A, Deiters A. Targeted protein degradation through light-activated E3 ligase recruitment. Methods Enzymol 2023; 681:265-286. [PMID: 36764761 DOI: 10.1016/bs.mie.2022.10.001] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Optical control of protein function through proteasomal degradation benefits from the noninvasive nature and spatiotemporal precision of light as a trigger. In this chapter, light activation of protein degradation with an optically controlled degron, termed optoDeg, is discussed. This method utilizes genetic code expansion to insert a photocaged analog of lysine at the N-terminal position of a protein of interest for spatial and temporal control of the N-end pathway, inducing proteasomal degradation. Methods for the use of optoDeg for degradation of the fluorescent reporter EGFP and the kinase MEK1 are described. The system is fast, with complete degradation of proteins within minutes following irradiation, and highly specific, with genetically directed introduction of the light-activated degron.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olivia Shade
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Amy Ryan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States
| | - Alexander Deiters
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, United States.
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43
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Abstract
Targeted protein degradation (TPD) technology is based on a unique pharmacological mechanism that has profoundly revolutionized medicinal research by overcoming limitations associated with traditional small-molecule drugs. Autophagy, a mechanism for intracellular waste disposal and recovery, is an important biological process in medicinal research. Recently, studies have demonstrated that several emerging autophagic degraders can treat human diseases. Herein we summarize the progress in medicinal research on autophagic degraders, including autophagosome-tethering compounds (ATTEC), autophagy-targeting chimeras (AUTAC), and AUTOphagy-TArgeting chimeras (AUTOTAC), for treating human diseases. These autophagic degraders exhibit excellent potential for treating neurodegenerative diseases. Our research on autophagic degraders provides a new avenue for medicinal research on TPD via autophagy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy and College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Qian Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy and College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Xin Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy and College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Cheng Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy and College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Qiwen Pang
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy and College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Bo Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Bo Han
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy and College of Medical Technology, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
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44
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Chen M, Zhou P, Kong Y, Li J, Li Y, Zhang Y, Ran J, Zhou J, Chen Y, Xie S. Inducible Degradation of Oncogenic Nucleolin Using an Aptamer-Based PROTAC. J Med Chem 2023; 66:1339-1348. [PMID: 36608275 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01557] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [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] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
While proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are showing promise for targeting previously undruggable molecules, their application has been limited by difficulties in identifying suitable ligands and undesired on-target toxicity. Aptamers can virtually recognize any protein through their unique and switchable conformations. Here, by exploiting aptamers as targeting warheads, we developed a novel strategy for inducible degradation of undruggable proteins. As a proof of concept, we chose oncogenic nucleolin (NCL) as the target and generated a series of NCL degraders, and demonstrated that dNCL#T1 induced NCL degradation in a ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent manner, thereby inhibiting NCL-mediated breast cancer cell proliferation. To reduce on-target toxicity, we further developed a light-controllable PROTAC, opto-dNCL#T1, by introducing a photolabile complementary oligonucleotide to hybridize with dNCL#T1. UVA irradiation liberated dNCL#T1 from caged opto-dNCL#T1, leading to dNCL#T1 activation and NCL degradation. These results indicate that aptamer-based PROTACs are a viable alternative approach to degrade proteins of interest in a highly tunable manner.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miao Chen
- School of Life Sciences and Medicine, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255000, China
| | - Ping Zhou
- Center for Cell Structure and Function, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cell Biology in Universities of Shandong, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Yun Kong
- Center for Cell Structure and Function, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cell Biology in Universities of Shandong, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Jingrui Li
- School of Life Sciences and Medicine, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255000, China
| | - Yan Li
- Center for Cell Structure and Function, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cell Biology in Universities of Shandong, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Yao Zhang
- Center for Cell Structure and Function, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cell Biology in Universities of Shandong, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Jie Ran
- Center for Cell Structure and Function, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cell Biology in Universities of Shandong, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Jun Zhou
- Center for Cell Structure and Function, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cell Biology in Universities of Shandong, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China.,College of Life Sciences, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Yan Chen
- Center for Cell Structure and Function, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cell Biology in Universities of Shandong, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China
| | - Songbo Xie
- School of Life Sciences and Medicine, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo 255000, China.,Center for Cell Structure and Function, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cell Biology in Universities of Shandong, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan 250014, China
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45
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Liu X, Wang A, Shi Y, Dai M, Liu M, Cai HB. PROTACs in Epigenetic Cancer Therapy: Current Status and Future Opportunities. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28031217. [PMID: 36770884 PMCID: PMC9919707 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28031217] [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] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2022] [Revised: 12/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The epigenetic regulation of gene functions has been proven to be strongly associated with the development and progression of cancer. Reprogramming the cancer epigenome landscape is one of the most promising target therapies in both treatments and in reversing drug resistance. Proteolytic targeted chimeras (PROTACs) are an emerging therapeutic modality for selective degradation via the native ubiquitin-proteasome system. Rapid advances in PROTACs have facilitated the exploration of targeting epigenetic proteins, a lot of PROTAC degraders have already been designed in the field of epigenetic cancer therapy, and PROTACs targeting epigenetic proteins can better exploit target druggability and improve the mechanistic understanding of the epigenetic regulation of cancer. Thus, this review focuses on the progress made in the development of PROTAC degraders and PROTAC drugs targeting epigenetics in cancer and discusses challenges and future opportunities for the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuelian Liu
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors, Wuhan 430071, China
- Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Anjin Wang
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors, Wuhan 430071, China
- Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yuying Shi
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors, Wuhan 430071, China
- Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Mengyuan Dai
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors, Wuhan 430071, China
- Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, Wuhan 430071, China
- Correspondence: (M.D.); (H.-B.C.)
| | - Miao Liu
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Hong-Bing Cai
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Tumor Biological Behaviors, Wuhan 430071, China
- Hubei Cancer Clinical Study Center, Wuhan 430071, China
- Correspondence: (M.D.); (H.-B.C.)
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Abstract
Proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) is an emerging protein degradation strategy, which shows excellent advantages in targeting those so-called "undruggable" proteins. However, the potential systemic toxicity of PROTACs caused by undesired off-tissue protein degradation may limit the application of PROTACs in clinical practice. Here we reported a radiotherapy-triggered PROTAC prodrug (RT-PROTAC) activation strategy to precisely and spatiotemporally control protein degradation through X-ray radiation. We demonstrated this concept by incorporating an X-ray inducible phenyl azide-cage to a bromodomain (BRD)-targeting PROTAC to form the first RT-PROTAC. The RT-PROTAC prodrug exhibits little activity but can be activated by X-ray radiation in vitro and in vivo. Activated RT-PROTAC degrades BRD4 and BRD2 with a comparable effect to the PROTAC degrader and shows a synergistic antitumor potency with radiotherapy in the MCF-7 xenograft model. Our work provides an alternative strategy to spatiotemporally control protein degradation in vivo and points to an avenue for reducing the undesired systemic toxicity of PROTACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chunrong Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Bioanalytical Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yuchen Yang
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Bioanalytical Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Yujie Li
- Center for Bioanalytical Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory of Physical Science at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
| | - Qiankun Ni
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Bioanalytical Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Jinghong Li
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Bioanalytical Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China.,Center for Bioanalytical Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory of Physical Science at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, China
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47
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Heitel P. Emerging TACnology: Heterobifunctional Small Molecule Inducers of Targeted Posttranslational Protein Modifications. Molecules 2023; 28. [PMID: 36677746 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28020690] [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] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2022] [Revised: 01/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Posttranslational modifications (PTMs) play an important role in cell signaling and they are often deregulated in disease. This review addresses recent advances in the development of heterobifunctional small molecules that enable targeting or hijacking PTMs. This emerging field is spearheaded by proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), that induce ubiquitination of their targets and, thus, tag them for degradation by the proteasome. Within the last decade, several improvements have been made to enhance spatiotemporal control of PROTAC-induced degradation as well as cell permeability. Inspired by the success story of PROTACs, additional concepts based on chimeric small molecules have emerged such as phosphatase-recruiting chimeras (PhoRCs). Herein, an overview of strategies causing (de-)phosphorylation, deubiquitination as well as acetylation is provided, and the opportunities and challenges of heterobifunctional molecules for drug discovery are highlighted. Although significant progress has been achieved, a plethora of PTMs have not yet been covered and PTM-inducing chimeras will be helpful tools for chemical biology and could even find application in pharmacotherapy.
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48
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Zhao HY, Xin M, Zhang SQ. Progress of small molecules for targeted protein degradation: PROTACs and other technologies. Drug Dev Res 2023; 84:337-394. [PMID: 36606428 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.22026] [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] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Recent years have witnessed the rapid development of targeted protein degradation (TPD), especially proteolysis targeting chimeras. These degraders have manifested many advantages over small molecule inhibitors. To date, a huge number of degraders have been excavated against over 70 disease-related targets. In particular, degraders against estrogen receptor and androgen receptor have crowded into phase II clinical trial. TPD technologies largely expand the scope of druggable targets, and provide powerful tools for addressing intractable problems that can not be tackled by traditional small molecule inhibitors. In this review, we mainly focus on the structures and biological activities of small molecule degraders as well as the elucidation of mechanisms of emerging TPD technologies. We also propose the challenges that exist in the TPD field at present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Yi Zhao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Minhang Xin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - San-Qi Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
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49
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Wang R, Zhong T, Bian Q, Zhang S, Ma X, Li L, Xu Y, Gu Y, Yuan A, Hu W, Qin C, Gao J. PROTAC Degraders of Androgen Receptor-Integrated Dissolving Microneedles for Androgenetic Alopecia and Recrudescence Treatment via Single Topical Administration. Small Methods 2023; 7:e2201293. [PMID: 36538748 DOI: 10.1002/smtd.202201293] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2022] [Revised: 11/26/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
Androgenetic alopecia (AGA) is a transracial and cross-gender disease worldwide with a youth-oriented tendency, but it lacks effective treatment. The binding of androgen receptor (AR) and androgen plays an essential role in the occurrence and progression of AGA. Herein, novel proteolysis targeting chimera degrader of AR (AR-PROTAC) is synthesized and integrated with dissolving microneedles (PROTAC-MNs) to achieve AR destruction in hair follicles for AGA treatment. The PROTAC-MNs possess adequate mechanical capabilities for precise AR-PROTAC delivery into the hair follicle-residing regions for AR degradation. After applying only once topically, the PROTAC-MNs achieve an accelerated onset of hair regeneration as compared to the daily application of the first-line topical drug minoxidil. Intriguingly, PROTAC-MNs via single administration still realize superior hair regeneration in AGA recrudescence, which is the major drawback of minoxidil in clinical practice. With the degradation of AR, the PROTAC-MNs successfully regulate the signaling cascade related to hair growth and activate hair follicle stem cells. Furthermore, the PROTAC-MNs do not cause systemic toxicity or androgen deficiency-related chaos in vivo. Collectively, these AR-degrading dissolving microneedles with long-lasting efficacy, one-step administration, and high biocompatibility provide a great therapeutic potential for AGA treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ruxuan Wang
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Tengjiang Zhong
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
- Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Qingdao, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Qiong Bian
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- College of Pharmacy, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot, 010000, China
| | - Sai Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
- Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Qingdao, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Xiaolu Ma
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Liming Li
- Rehabilitation Sciences and Engineering, University of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Yihua Xu
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Yueting Gu
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Anran Yuan
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Weitong Hu
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
| | - Chong Qin
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, China
- Marine Biomedical Research Institute of Qingdao, Qingdao, 266071, China
| | - Jianqing Gao
- Institute of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058, China
- Jiangsu Engineering Research Center for New-type External and Transdermal Preparations, Changzhou, 213149, China
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50
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Shaheer M, Singh R, Sobhia ME. Protein degradation: a novel computational approach to design protein degrader probes for main protease of SARS-CoV-2. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:10905-10917. [PMID: 34328382 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2021.1953601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has afflicted many lives and led to approvals of drugs and vaccines for emergency use. Even though vaccines have emerged, the high mortality of COVID-19 and its insurgent proliferation throughout the masses commands an innovative therapeutic proposition for the treatment. Targeted protein degradation has been applied to various disease domains and we propose that it could be incredibly beneficial to tackle the current pandemic. In this study, we have attempted to furnish insights on the design of suitable PROTACs for the main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2, a protein that is considered to be an essential target for viral replication. We have employed protein-protein docking to predict the possible complementarity between a cereblon E3 ligase and Mpro of SARS-CoV-2, and estimate possible linker length. Molecular Dynamic simulation and analysis on generated ternary complexes demonstrated stable interactions that suggested that designed PROTAC has a potential to cause degradation. The superior characteristics rendered by PROTACS led us to propose them as possibly the next-generation antiviral drugs for SARS-CoV-2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammed Shaheer
- Department of Pharmacoinformatics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - Ravi Singh
- Department of Pharmacoinformatics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, Punjab, India
| | - M Elizabeth Sobhia
- Department of Pharmacoinformatics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Mohali, Punjab, India
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