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Medina JI, Cruz-Collazo A, Maldonado MDM, Matos Gascot T, Borrero-Garcia LD, Cooke M, Kazanietz MG, Hernandez O'Farril E, Vlaar CP, Dharmawardhane S. Characterization of Novel Derivatives of MBQ-167, an inhibitor of the GTP-binding proteins Rac/Cdc42. Cancer Res Commun 2022; 2:1711-1726. [PMID: 36861094 PMCID: PMC9970268 DOI: 10.1158/2767-9764.crc-22-0303] [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: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Rac and Cdc42, are homologous GTPases that regulate cell migration, invasion, and cell cycle progression; thus, representing key targets for metastasis therapy. We previously reported on the efficacy of MBQ-167, which blocks both Rac1 and Cdc42 in breast cancer cells and mouse models of metastasis. To identify compounds with increased activity, a panel of MBQ-167 derivatives was synthesized, maintaining its 9-ethyl-3-(1H-1,2,3-triazol-1-yl)-9H-carbazole core. Similar to MBQ-167, MBQ-168 and EHop-097, inhibit activation of Rac and Rac1B splice variant and breast cancer cell viability, and induce apoptosis. MBQ-167 and MBQ-168 inhibit Rac and Cdc42 by interfering with guanine nucleotide binding, and MBQ-168 is a more effective inhibitor of PAK (1,2,3) activation. EHop-097 acts via a different mechanism by inhibiting the interaction of the guanine nucleotide exchange factor (GEF) Vav with Rac. MBQ-168 and EHop-097 inhibit metastatic breast cancer cell migration, and MBQ-168 promotes loss of cancer cell polarity to result in disorganization of the actin cytoskeleton and detachment from the substratum. In lung cancer cells, MBQ-168 is more effective than MBQ-167 or EHop-097 at reducing ruffle formation in response to EGF. Comparable to MBQ-167, MBQ-168 significantly inhibits HER2+ tumor growth and metastasis to lung, liver, and spleen. Both MBQ-167 and MBQ-168 inhibit the cytochrome P450 (CYP) enzymes 3A4, 2C9, and 2C19. However, MBQ-168 is ~10X less potent than MBQ-167 at inhibiting CYP3A4, thus demonstrating its utility in relevant combination therapies. In conclusion, the MBQ-167 derivatives MBQ-168 and EHop-097 are additional promising anti metastatic cancer compounds with similar and distinct mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julia I. Medina
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Ailed Cruz-Collazo
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Maria del Mar Maldonado
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Tatiana Matos Gascot
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | | | - Mariana Cooke
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Marcelo G. Kazanietz
- Department of Systems Pharmacology and Translational Therapeutics, Perelman School of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Eliud Hernandez O'Farril
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- MBQ Pharma, Inc., San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Cornelis P. Vlaar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- MBQ Pharma, Inc., San Juan, Puerto Rico
| | - Suranganie Dharmawardhane
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, University of Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico
- MBQ Pharma, Inc., San Juan, Puerto Rico
- Corresponding Author: Suranganie Dharmawardhane, University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, School of Medicine, PO Box 365067, San Juan, PR 00936-5067. Phone: 787-758-2525, ext. 1623; E-mail:
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