1
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Martin PL, Pérez-Areales FJ, Rao SV, Walsh SJ, Carroll JS, Spring DR. Towards the Targeted Protein Degradation of PRMT1. ChemMedChem 2024; 19:e202400269. [PMID: 38724444 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202400269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
Targeting the protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy in cancer treatment. The phase 1 clinical trial for GSK3368715, the first PRMT1 inhibitor to enter the clinic, was terminated early due to a lack of clinical efficacy, extensive treatment-emergent effects, and dose-limiting toxicities. The incidence of the latter two events may be associated with inhibition-driven pharmacology as a high and sustained concentration of inhibitor is required for therapeutic effect. The degradation of PRMT1 using a proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) may be superior to inhibition as proceeds via event-driven pharmacology where a PROTAC acts catalytically at a low dose. PROTACs containing the same pharmacophore as GSK3368715, combined with a motif that recruits the VHL or CRBN E3-ligase, were synthesised. Suitable cell permeability and target engagement were shown for selected candidates by the detection of downstream effects of PRMT1 inhibition and by a NanoBRET assay for E3-ligase binding, however the candidates did not induce PRMT1 degradation. This paper is the first reported investigation of PRMT1 for targeted protein degradation and provides hypotheses and insights to assist the design of PROTACs for PRMT1 and other novel target proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poppy L Martin
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | | | - Shalini V Rao
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CH2 ORE, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen J Walsh
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Jason S Carroll
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CH2 ORE, United Kingdom
| | - David R Spring
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
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2
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Jiang Y, Lin Y, Tetlow AM, Pan R, Ji C, Kong XP, Congdon EE, Sigurdsson EM. Single-domain antibody-based protein degrader for synucleinopathies. Mol Neurodegener 2024; 19:44. [PMID: 38816762 PMCID: PMC11140919 DOI: 10.1186/s13024-024-00730-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Synucleinopathies are a group of neurodegenerative diseases characterized by the accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn) in the brain, leading to motor and neuropsychiatric symptoms. Currently, there are no known cures for synucleinopathies, and treatments mainly focus on symptom management. In this study, we developed a single-domain antibody (sdAb)-based protein degrader with features designed to enhance proteasomal degradation of α-syn. This sdAb derivative targets both α-syn and Cereblon (CRBN), a substrate-receptor for the E3-ubiquitin ligase CRL4CRBN, and thereby induces α-syn ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation. Our results indicate that this therapeutic candidate enhances proteasomal degradation of α-syn, in addition to the endogenous lysosomal degradation machinery. By promoting proteasomal degradation of α-syn, we improved clearance of α-syn in primary culture and mouse models of synucleinopathy. These findings indicate that our sdAb-based protein degrader is a promising therapeutic candidate for synucleinopathies. Considering that only a small percentage of antibodies enter the brain, more potent sdAbs with greater brain entry than whole antibodies could enhance clinical benefits of antibody-based therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yixiang Jiang
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, and Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Yan Lin
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, and Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Amber M Tetlow
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, and Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Ruimin Pan
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Changyi Ji
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, and Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Xiang-Peng Kong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Erin E Congdon
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, and Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA
| | - Einar M Sigurdsson
- Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, and Neuroscience Institute, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
- Department of Psychiatry, New York University Grossman School of Medicine, New York, NY, 10016, USA.
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3
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Brennan PJ, Saunders RE, Spanou M, Serafini M, Sun L, Heger GP, Konopacka A, Beveridge RD, Gordon L, Bunally SB, Saudemont A, Benowitz AB, Martinez-Fleites C, Queisser MA, An H, Deane CM, Hann MM, Brayshaw LL, Conway SJ. Orthogonal IMiD-Degron Pairs Induce Selective Protein Degradation in Cells. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.03.15.585309. [PMID: 38559242 PMCID: PMC10979945 DOI: 10.1101/2024.03.15.585309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Immunomodulatory imide drugs (IMiDs) including thalidomide, lenalidomide, and pomalidomide, can be used to induce degradation of a protein of interest that is fused to a short zinc finger (ZF) degron motif. These IMiDs, however, also induce degradation of endogenous neosubstrates, including IKZF1 and IKZF3. To improve degradation selectivity, we took a bump-and-hole approach to design and screen bumped IMiD analogs against 8380 ZF mutants. This yielded a bumped IMiD analog that induces efficient degradation of a mutant ZF degron, while not affecting other cellular proteins, including IKZF1 and IKZF3. In proof-of-concept studies, this system was applied to induce efficient degradation of TRIM28, a disease-relevant protein with no known small molecule binders. We anticipate that this system will make a valuable addition to the current arsenal of degron systems for use in target validation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrick J. Brennan
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford; Oxford, UK
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles; Los Angeles, USA
| | | | | | - Marta Serafini
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford; Oxford, UK
| | - Liang Sun
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; New York, USA
| | | | | | - Ryan D. Beveridge
- Virus Screening Facility, Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, University of Oxford; Oxford, UK
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Heeseon An
- Chemical Biology Program, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center; New York, USA
| | | | | | | | - Stuart J. Conway
- Department of Chemistry, Chemistry Research Laboratory, University of Oxford; Oxford, UK
- Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of California, Los Angeles; Los Angeles, USA
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4
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Oleinikovas V, Gainza P, Ryckmans T, Fasching B, Thomä NH. From Thalidomide to Rational Molecular Glue Design for Targeted Protein Degradation. Annu Rev Pharmacol Toxicol 2024; 64:291-312. [PMID: 37585660 DOI: 10.1146/annurev-pharmtox-022123-104147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/18/2023]
Abstract
Thalidomide and its derivatives are powerful cancer therapeutics that are among the best-understood molecular glue degraders (MGDs). These drugs selectively reprogram the E3 ubiquitin ligase cereblon (CRBN) to commit target proteins for degradation by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. MGDs create novel recognition interfaces on the surface of the E3 ligase that engage in induced protein-protein interactions with neosubstrates. Molecular insight into their mechanism of action opens exciting opportunities to engage a plethora of targets through a specific recognition motif, the G-loop. Our analysis shows that current CRBN-based MGDs can in principle recognize over 2,500 proteins in the human proteome that contain a G-loop. We review recent advances in tuning the specificity between CRBN and its MGD-induced neosubstrates and deduce a set of simple rules that govern these interactions. We conclude that rational MGD design efforts will enable selective degradation of many more proteins, expanding this therapeutic modality to more disease areas.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Nicolas H Thomä
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland;
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5
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Mao W, Vandecan NM, Bingham CR, Tsang PK, Ulintz P, Sexton R, Bochar DA, Merajver SD, Soellner MB. Selective and Potent PROTAC Degraders of c-Src Kinase. ACS Chem Biol 2024; 19:110-116. [PMID: 38113191 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00548] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2023]
Abstract
Using dasatinib linked to E3 ligase ligands, we identified a potent and selective dual Csk/c-Src PROTAC degrader. We then replaced dasatinib, the c-Src-directed ligand, with a conformation-selective analogue that stabilizes the αC-helix-out conformation of c-Src. Using the αC-helix-out ligand, we identified a PROTAC that is potent and selective for c-Src. We demonstrated a high degree of catalysis with our c-Src PROTACs. Using our c-Src PROTACs, we identified pharmacological advantages of c-Src degradation compared to inhibition with respect to cancer cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wuxiang Mao
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, 930 N. University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Nathalie M Vandecan
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, 930 N. University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Christopher R Bingham
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, 930 N. University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Pui Ki Tsang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, 930 N. University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Peter Ulintz
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, 1500 E. Medical Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Rachel Sexton
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, 930 N. University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Daniel A Bochar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, 930 N. University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Sofia D Merajver
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, 1500 E. Medical Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Matthew B Soellner
- Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan, 930 N. University Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Michigan, 1500 E. Medical Avenue, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
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6
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Steinebach C, Bricelj A, Murgai A, Sosič I, Bischof L, Ng YLD, Heim C, Maiwald S, Proj M, Voget R, Feller F, Košmrlj J, Sapozhnikova V, Schmidt A, Zuleeg MR, Lemnitzer P, Mertins P, Hansen FK, Gütschow M, Krönke J, Hartmann MD. Leveraging Ligand Affinity and Properties: Discovery of Novel Benzamide-Type Cereblon Binders for the Design of PROTACs. J Med Chem 2023; 66:14513-14543. [PMID: 37902300 PMCID: PMC10641816 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 10/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/31/2023]
Abstract
Immunomodulatory imide drugs (IMiDs) such as thalidomide, pomalidomide, and lenalidomide are the most common cereblon (CRBN) recruiters in proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) design. However, these CRBN ligands induce the degradation of IMiD neosubstrates and are inherently unstable, degrading hydrolytically under moderate conditions. In this work, we simultaneously optimized physiochemical properties, stability, on-target affinity, and off-target neosubstrate modulation features to develop novel nonphthalimide CRBN binders. These efforts led to the discovery of conformationally locked benzamide-type derivatives that replicate the interactions of the natural CRBN degron, exhibit enhanced chemical stability, and display a favorable selectivity profile in terms of neosubstrate recruitment. The utility of the most potent ligands was demonstrated by their transformation into potent degraders of BRD4 and HDAC6 that outperform previously described reference PROTACs. Together with their significantly decreased neomorphic ligase activity on IKZF1/3 and SALL4, these ligands provide opportunities for the design of highly selective and potent chemically inert proximity-inducing compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aleša Bricelj
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Arunima Murgai
- Department
of Hematology, Oncology, and Cancer Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin
Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Izidor Sosič
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Luca Bischof
- Max
Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Yuen Lam Dora Ng
- Department
of Hematology, Oncology, and Cancer Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin
Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Christopher Heim
- Max
Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Samuel Maiwald
- Max
Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Matic Proj
- Faculty
of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Rabea Voget
- Pharmaceutical
Institute, University of Bonn, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Felix Feller
- Pharmaceutical
Institute, University of Bonn, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Janez Košmrlj
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University
of Ljubljana, SI 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Valeriia Sapozhnikova
- Department
of Hematology, Oncology, and Cancer Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin
Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-12203 Berlin, Germany
- Max
Delbrück
Center for Molecular Medicine, D-13125 Berlin, Germany
- German
Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Berlin, DKFZ, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Annika Schmidt
- Department
of Hematology, Oncology, and Cancer Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin
Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Maximilian Rudolf Zuleeg
- Department
of Hematology, Oncology, and Cancer Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin
Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Patricia Lemnitzer
- Department
of Hematology, Oncology, and Cancer Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin
Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Philipp Mertins
- Max
Delbrück
Center for Molecular Medicine, D-13125 Berlin, Germany
- Berlin
Institute of Health, D-10178 Berlin, Germany
| | - Finn K. Hansen
- Pharmaceutical
Institute, University of Bonn, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Michael Gütschow
- Pharmaceutical
Institute, University of Bonn, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Jan Krönke
- Department
of Hematology, Oncology, and Cancer Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin
Berlin, corporate member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, D-12203 Berlin, Germany
- German
Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Berlin, DKFZ, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Marcus D. Hartmann
- Max
Planck Institute for Biology Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Interfaculty
Institute of Biochemistry, University of
Tübingen, D-72076 Tübingen, Germany
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7
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Wang J, Ehehalt LE, Huang Z, Beleh OM, Guzei IA, Weix DJ. Formation of C(sp 2)-C(sp 3) Bonds Instead of Amide C-N Bonds from Carboxylic Acid and Amine Substrate Pools by Decarbonylative Cross-Electrophile Coupling. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:9951-9958. [PMID: 37126234 PMCID: PMC10175239 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c11552] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/02/2023]
Abstract
Carbon-heteroatom bonds, most often amide and ester bonds, are the standard method to link together two complex fragments because carboxylic acids, amines, and alcohols are ubiquitous and the reactions are reliable. However, C-N and C-O linkages are often a metabolic liability because they are prone to hydrolysis. While C(sp2)-C(sp3) linkages are preferable in many cases, methods to make them require different starting materials or are less functional-group-compatible. We show here a new, decarbonylative reaction that forms C(sp2)-C(sp3) bonds from the reaction of activated carboxylic acids (via 2-pyridyl esters) with activated alkyl groups derived from amines (via N-alkyl pyridinium salts) and alcohols (via alkyl halides). Key to this process is a remarkably fast, reversible oxidative addition/decarbonylation sequence enabled by pyridone and bipyridine ligands that, under reaction conditions that purge CO(g), lead to a selective reaction. The conditions are mild enough to allow coupling of more complex fragments, such as those used in drug development, and this is demonstrated in the coupling of a typical Proteolysis Targeting Chimera (PROTAC) anchor with common linkers via C-C linkages.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Zhidao Huang
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Omar M. Beleh
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Ilia A. Guzei
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
| | - Daniel J. Weix
- Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, Wisconsin 53706, United States
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8
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Rishfi M, Krols S, Martens F, Bekaert SL, Sanders E, Eggermont A, De Vloed F, Goulding JR, Risseeuw M, Molenaar J, De Wilde B, Van Calenbergh S, Durinck K. Targeted AURKA degradation: Towards new therapeutic agents for neuroblastoma. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 247:115033. [PMID: 36549117 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.115033] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2022] [Revised: 12/15/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Aurora kinase A (AURKA) is a well-established target in neuroblastoma (NB) due to both its catalytic functions during mitosis and its kinase-independent functions, including stabilization of the key oncoprotein MYCN. We present a structure-activity relationship (SAR) study of MK-5108-derived PROTACs against AURKA by exploring different linker lengths and exit vectors on the thalidomide moiety. PROTAC SK2188 induces the most potent AURKA degradation (DC50,24h 3.9 nM, Dmax,24h 89%) and shows an excellent binding and degradation selectivity profile. Treatment of NGP neuroblastoma cells with SK2188 induced concomitant MYCN degradation, high replication stress/DNA damage levels and apoptosis. Moreover, SK2188 significantly outperforms the parent inhibitor MK-5108 in a cell proliferation screen and patient-derived organoids. Furthermore, altering the attachment point of the PEG linker to the 5-position of thalidomide allowed us to identify a potent AURKA degrader with a linker as short as 2 PEG units. With this, our SAR-study provides interesting lead structures for further optimization and validation of AURKA degradation as a potential therapeutic strategy in neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Muhammad Rishfi
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Simon Krols
- Laboratory for medicinal chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Fien Martens
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Sarah-Lee Bekaert
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Ellen Sanders
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Aline Eggermont
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Fanny De Vloed
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Joshua Robert Goulding
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Martijn Risseeuw
- Laboratory for medicinal chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium
| | - Jan Molenaar
- Princess Máxima Center for Pediatric Oncology, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Bram De Wilde
- Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium; Department of Internal Medicine and Pediatrics, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium
| | - Serge Van Calenbergh
- Laboratory for medicinal chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium.
| | - Kaat Durinck
- Department of Biomolecular Medicine, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium; Cancer Research Institute Ghent (CRIG), Ghent, Belgium.
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9
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Murakami Y, Osawa H, Kurohara T, Yanase Y, Ito T, Yokoo H, Shibata N, Naito M, Aritake K, Demizu Y. Structure-activity relationship study of PROTACs against hematopoietic prostaglandin D 2 synthase. RSC Med Chem 2022; 13:1495-1503. [PMID: 36561070 PMCID: PMC9749925 DOI: 10.1039/d2md00284a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Degradation of hematopoietic prostaglandin D2 synthase (H-PGDS) by proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) is expected to be important in the treatment of allergic diseases and Duchenne's muscular dystrophy. We recently reported that PROTAC(H-PGDS)-7 (PROTAC1), which is composed of H-PGDS inhibitor (TFC-007) and cereblon (CRBN) E3 ligase ligand (pomalidomide), showed potent H-PGDS degradation activity. Here, we investigated the structure-activity relationships of PROTAC1, focusing on the C4- or C5-conjugation of pomalidomide, in addition, the H-PGDS ligand exchanging from TFC-007 with the biaryl ether to TAS-205 with the pyrrole. Three new PROTACs were evaluated for H-PGDS affinity, H-PGDS degrading activity, and inhibition of prostaglandin D2 production. All compounds showed high H-PGDS degrading activities, but PROTAC(H-PGDS)-4-TAS-205 (PROTAC3) was slightly less active than the other compounds. Molecular dynamics simulations suggested that the decrease in activity of PROTAC3 may be due to the lower stability of the CRBN-PROTAC-H-PGDS ternary complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuki Murakami
- Division of Organic Chemistry, National Institute of Health Sciences 3-25-26, Tonomachi Kawasaki Kanagawa 210-9501 Japan
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University 1-7-29 Yokohama Kanagawa 230-0045 Japan
| | - Hinata Osawa
- 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 700-8530 Japan
| | - Takashi Kurohara
- Division of Organic Chemistry, National Institute of Health Sciences 3-25-26, Tonomachi Kawasaki Kanagawa 210-9501 Japan
| | - Yuta Yanase
- Division of Organic Chemistry, National Institute of Health Sciences 3-25-26, Tonomachi Kawasaki Kanagawa 210-9501 Japan
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University 1-7-29 Yokohama Kanagawa 230-0045 Japan
| | - Takahito Ito
- Division of Organic Chemistry, National Institute of Health Sciences 3-25-26, Tonomachi Kawasaki Kanagawa 210-9501 Japan
- Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University 1-7-29 Yokohama Kanagawa 230-0045 Japan
| | - Hidetomo Yokoo
- Division of Organic Chemistry, National Institute of Health Sciences 3-25-26, Tonomachi Kawasaki Kanagawa 210-9501 Japan
- Medical Chemistry, Graduate School of Medical Science, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine Kyoto 606-0823 Japan
| | - Norihito Shibata
- Division of Biochemistry, National Institute of Health Sciences 3-25-26, Tonomachi Kawasaki Kanagawa 210-9501 Japan
| | - Mikihiko Naito
- Laboratory of Targeted Protein Degradation, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo Tokyo 113-0033 Japan
| | - Kosuke Aritake
- Laboratory of Chemical Pharmacology, Daiichi University of Pharmacy Fukuoka 815-8511 Japan
| | - Yosuke Demizu
- Division of Organic Chemistry, National Institute of Health Sciences 3-25-26, Tonomachi Kawasaki Kanagawa 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
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10
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Lee J, Lee Y, Jung YM, Park JH, Yoo HS, Park J. Discovery of E3 Ligase Ligands for Target Protein Degradation. MOLECULES (BASEL, SWITZERLAND) 2022; 27:molecules27196515. [PMID: 36235052 PMCID: PMC9573645 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27196515] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 09/22/2022] [Accepted: 09/30/2022] [Indexed: 12/02/2022]
Abstract
Target protein degradation has emerged as a promising strategy for the discovery of novel therapeutics during the last decade. Proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) harnesses a cellular ubiquitin-dependent proteolysis system for the efficient degradation of a protein of interest. PROTAC consists of a target protein ligand and an E3 ligase ligand so that it enables the target protein degradation owing to the induced proximity with ubiquitin ligases. Although a great number of PROTACs has been developed so far using previously reported ligands of proteins for their degradation, E3 ligase ligands have been mostly limited to either CRBN or VHL ligands. Those PROTACs showed their limitation due to the cell type specific expression of E3 ligases and recently reported resistance toward PROTACs with CRBN ligands or VHL ligands. To overcome these hurdles, the discovery of various E3 ligase ligands has been spotlighted to improve the current PROTAC technology. This review focuses on currently reported E3 ligase ligands and their application in the development of PROTACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaeseok Lee
- Department of Chemistry, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
| | - Youngjun Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of California, San Diego, CA 92093, USA
| | - Young Mee Jung
- Department of Chemistry, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
- Kangwon Radiation Convergence Research Support Center, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
- Kangwon Institute of Inclusive Technology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
| | - Ju Hyun Park
- Kangwon Institute of Inclusive Technology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
| | - Hyuk Sang Yoo
- Kangwon Radiation Convergence Research Support Center, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
- Kangwon Institute of Inclusive Technology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
- Department of Biomedical Science, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
| | - Jongmin Park
- Department of Chemistry, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
- Kangwon Institute of Inclusive Technology, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +82-33-250-8482
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11
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Yamamoto J, Ito T, Yamaguchi Y, Handa H. Discovery of CRBN as a target of thalidomide: a breakthrough for progress in the development of protein degraders. Chem Soc Rev 2022; 51:6234-6250. [PMID: 35796627 DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00116k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Progress in strategies aimed at breaking down therapeutic target proteins has led to a paradigm shift in drug discovery. Thalidomide and its derivatives are the only protein degraders currently used in clinical practice. Our understanding of the molecular mechanism of action of thalidomide and its derivatives has advanced dramatically since the identification of cereblon (CRBN) as their direct target. The binding of thalidomide derivatives to CRBN, a substrate recognition receptor for Cullin 4 RING E3 ubiquitin ligase (CRL4), induces the recruitment of non-native substrates to CRL4CRBN and their subsequent degradation. This discovery was a breakthrough in the current rapid development of protein-degrading agents because clarification of the mechanism of action of thalidomide derivatives has demonstrated the clinical value of these compounds. This review provides an overview of the mechanism of action of thalidomide and its derivatives and describes perspectives for protein degraders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junichi Yamamoto
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Takumi Ito
- Institute of Medical Science, Tokyo Medical University, Shinjuku, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan
| | - Yuki Yamaguchi
- School of Life Science and Technology, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8501, Japan
| | - Hiroshi Handa
- Center for Future Medical Research, Tokyo Medical University, Shinjuku, Tokyo 160-8402, Japan.
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12
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A multi-step continuous flow synthesis of pomalidomide. J Flow Chem 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s41981-022-00223-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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13
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Sosič I, Bricelj A, Steinebach C. E3 ligase ligand chemistries: from building blocks to protein degraders. Chem Soc Rev 2022; 51:3487-3534. [PMID: 35393989 DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00148a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), capable of achieving targeted protein degradation, have proven their great therapeutic potential and usefulness as molecular biology tools. These heterobifunctional compounds are comprised of a protein-targeting ligand, an appropriate linker, and a ligand binding to the E3 ligase of choice. A successful PROTAC induces the formation of a ternary complex, leading to the E3 ligase-mediated ubiquitination of the targeted protein and its proteasomal degradation. In over 20 years since the concept was first demonstrated, the field has grown substantially, mainly due to the advancements in the discovery of non-peptidic E3 ligase ligands. Development of small-molecule E3 binders with favourable physicochemical profiles aided the design of PROTACs, which are known for breaking the rules of established guidelines for discovering small molecules. Synthetic accessibility of the ligands and numerous successful applications led to the prevalent use of cereblon and von Hippel-Lindau as the hijacked E3 ligase. However, the pool of over 600 human E3 ligases is full of untapped potential, which is why expanding the artillery of E3 ligands could contribute to broadening the scope of targeted protein degradation. In this comprehensive review, we focus on the chemistry aspect of the PROTAC design process by providing an overview of liganded E3 ligases, their chemistries, appropriate derivatisation, and synthetic approaches towards their incorporation into heterobifunctional degraders. By covering syntheses of both established and underexploited E3 ligases, this review can serve as a chemistry blueprint for PROTAC researchers during their future ventures into the complex field of targeted protein degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Izidor Sosič
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Aleša Bricelj
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Christian Steinebach
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
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14
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Min J, Mayasundari A, Keramatnia F, Jonchere B, Yang SW, Jarusiewicz J, Actis M, Das S, Young B, Slavish J, Yang L, Li Y, Fu X, Garrett SH, Yun M, Li Z, Nithianantham S, Chai S, Chen T, Shelat A, Lee RE, Nishiguchi G, White SW, Roussel MF, Potts PR, Fischer M, Rankovic Z. Phenyl‐Glutarimides: Alternative Cereblon Binders for the Design of PROTACs. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202108848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jaeki Min
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Anand Mayasundari
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Fatemeh Keramatnia
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Barbara Jonchere
- Department of Tumor Cell Biology St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Seung Wook Yang
- Department of Cell & Molecular Biology St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Jamie Jarusiewicz
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Marisa Actis
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Sourav Das
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Brandon Young
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Jake Slavish
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Lei Yang
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Xiang Fu
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Shalandus H. Garrett
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Mi‐Kyung Yun
- Department of Structural Biology St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Zhenmei Li
- Department of Structural Biology St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Stanley Nithianantham
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Sergio Chai
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Taosheng Chen
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Anang Shelat
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Richard E. Lee
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Gisele Nishiguchi
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Stephen W. White
- Department of Structural Biology St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Martine F. Roussel
- Department of Tumor Cell Biology St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Patrick Ryan Potts
- Department of Cell & Molecular Biology St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Marcus Fischer
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
- Department of Structural Biology St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
| | - Zoran Rankovic
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics St. Jude Children's Research Hospital Memphis TN 38105 USA
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15
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Min J, Mayasundari A, Keramatnia F, Jonchere B, Yang SW, Jarusiewicz J, Actis M, Das S, Young B, Slavish J, Yang L, Li Y, Fu X, Garrett SH, Yun MK, Li Z, Nithianantham S, Chai S, Chen T, Shelat A, Lee RE, Nishiguchi G, White SW, Roussel MF, Potts PR, Fischer M, Rankovic Z. Phenyl-Glutarimides: Alternative Cereblon Binders for the Design of PROTACs. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:26663-26670. [PMID: 34614283 PMCID: PMC8648984 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202108848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Targeting cereblon (CRBN) is currently one of the most frequently reported proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) approaches, owing to favorable drug-like properties of CRBN ligands, immunomodulatory imide drugs (IMiDs). However, IMiDs are known to be inherently unstable, readily undergoing hydrolysis in body fluids. Here we show that IMiDs and IMiD-based PROTACs rapidly hydrolyze in commonly utilized cell media, which significantly affects their cell efficacy. We designed novel CRBN binders, phenyl glutarimide (PG) analogues, and showed that they retained affinity for CRBN with high ligand efficiency (LE >0.48) and displayed improved chemical stability. Our efforts led to the discovery of PG PROTAC 4 c (SJ995973), a uniquely potent degrader of bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) proteins that inhibited the viability of human acute myeloid leukemia MV4-11 cells at low picomolar concentrations (IC50 =3 pM; BRD4 DC50 =0.87 nM). These findings strongly support the utility of PG derivatives in the design of CRBN-directed PROTACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaeki Min
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Anand Mayasundari
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Fatemeh Keramatnia
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Barbara Jonchere
- Department of Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Seung Wook Yang
- Department of Cell & Molecular Biology, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Jamie Jarusiewicz
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Marisa Actis
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Sourav Das
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Brandon Young
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Jake Slavish
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Lei Yang
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Yong Li
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Xiang Fu
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Shalandus H. Garrett
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Mi-Kyung Yun
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Zhenmei Li
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Stanley Nithianantham
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Sergio Chai
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Taosheng Chen
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Anang Shelat
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Richard E. Lee
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Gisele Nishiguchi
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Stephen W. White
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Martine F. Roussel
- Department of Tumor Cell Biology, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Patrick Ryan Potts
- Department of Cell & Molecular Biology, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Marcus Fischer
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
- Department of Structural Biology, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Zoran Rankovic
- Department of Chemical Biology and Therapeutics, St. Jude
Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
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16
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Abstract
INTRODUCTION Cereblon (CRBN), the substrate receptor of the CRL4CRBN E3 ubiquitin ligase has been extensively studied due to its involvement in many biological processes. It has also been identified as the target for immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs). CRBN ligands are also important components of proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), special bifunctional constructs capable of targeted degradation of aberrantly acting proteins using the cell's ubiquitin-proteasome machinery. AREAS COVERED Due to upsurge of the PROTAC technology, the patenting activity of new CRBN ligands has been on the rise in the last 5 years. The present review covers two broadly defined areas of CRBN ligand design. One covers 'thalidomide-like' molecules representing modifications of various parts of classical IMiDs. The other areas - non-thalidomide-like compounds - are compounds that are structurally distinct from the classical IMiDs. Efforts toward creating new CRBN ligands reflected in non-patent literature are briefly discussed with emphasis on the rational, crystallography-driven approaches. EXPERT OPINION The chemical space of CRBN ligands which is related to the classical IMiDs (thalidomide/lenalidomide/pomalidomide) is comprehensively covered by the current patent literature. The promising area of research is in the identification of non-thalidomide-like chemotypes capable of binding to CRBN. Rational, crystallography-driven approaches currently exploited in academia will significantly aid in this endeavor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander Kazantsev
- Institute of Chemistry, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
| | - Mikhail Krasavin
- Institute of Chemistry, Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russian Federation
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17
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Bricelj A, Steinebach C, Kuchta R, Gütschow M, Sosič I. E3 Ligase Ligands in Successful PROTACs: An Overview of Syntheses and Linker Attachment Points. Front Chem 2021; 9:707317. [PMID: 34291038 PMCID: PMC8287636 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.707317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 85] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) have received tremendous attention as a new and exciting class of therapeutic agents that promise to significantly impact drug discovery. These bifunctional molecules consist of a target binding unit, a linker, and an E3 ligase binding moiety. The chemically-induced formation of ternary complexes leads to ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of target proteins. Among the plethora of E3 ligases, only a few have been utilized for the novel PROTAC technology. However, extensive knowledge on the preparation of E3 ligands and their utilization for PROTACs has already been acquired. This review provides an in-depth analysis of synthetic entries to functionalized ligands for the most relevant E3 ligase ligands, i.e. CRBN, VHL, IAP, and MDM2. Less commonly used E3 ligase and their ligands are also presented. We compare different preparative routes to E3 ligands with respect to feasibility and productivity. A particular focus was set on the chemistry of the linker attachment by discussing the synthetic opportunities to connect the E3 ligand at an appropriate exit vector with a linker to assemble the final PROTAC. This comprehensive review includes many facets involved in the synthesis of such complex molecules and is expected to serve as a compendium to support future synthetic attempts towards PROTACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleša Bricelj
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Robert Kuchta
- Pharmaceutical Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Izidor Sosič
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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18
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Alabi SB, Crews CM. Major advances in targeted protein degradation: PROTACs, LYTACs, and MADTACs. J Biol Chem 2021; 296:100647. [PMID: 33839157 PMCID: PMC8131913 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.100647] [Citation(s) in RCA: 110] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 04/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Of late, targeted protein degradation (TPD) has surfaced as a novel and innovative chemical tool and therapeutic modality. By co-opting protein degradation pathways, TPD facilitates complete removal of the protein molecules from within or outside the cell. While the pioneering Proteolysis-Targeting Chimera (PROTAC) technology and molecular glues hijack the ubiquitin-proteasome system, newer modalities co-opt autophagy or the endo-lysosomal pathway. Using this mechanism, TPD is posited to largely expand the druggable space far beyond small-molecule inhibitors. In this review, we discuss the major advances in TPD, highlight our current understanding, and explore outstanding questions in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shanique B Alabi
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA
| | - Craig M Crews
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA; Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA; Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA.
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19
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Brownsey DK, Rowley BC, Gorobets E, Gelfand BS, Derksen DJ. Rapid synthesis of pomalidomide-conjugates for the development of protein degrader libraries. Chem Sci 2021; 12:4519-4525. [PMID: 34163717 PMCID: PMC8179520 DOI: 10.1039/d0sc05442a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Current methods for the preparation of heterobifunctional pomalidomide-conjugates rely on methods that are often low yielding and produce intractable byproducts. Herein we describe our strategy for the reliable and succinct preparation of pomalidomide-linkers which is essential to the formation of these conjugates. We present the preparation of 18 pomalidomide-linkers in high yield compared to current literature methods. Our findings show that secondary amines consistently afford greater yields than their primary counterparts, a trend that we were able to exploit in the synthesis of several new pomalidomide homo-dimers in enhanced yields compared to similar literature syntheses. This trend was further utilised to develop the first one-pot synthesis of JQ1-pomalidomide conjugates in yields up to 62%, providing a method that is suited to rapid preparation of conjugate libraries as is frequently required for the development of new protein degraders. Current methods for the preparation of heterobifunctional pomalidomide-conjugates rely on methods that are often low yielding and produce intractable byproducts. Herein we describe our strategy for the succinct preparation of pomalidomide-linkers.![]()
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Affiliation(s)
- Duncan K Brownsey
- Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary Calgary T2N 1N4 AB Canada
| | - Ben C Rowley
- Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary Calgary T2N 1N4 AB Canada
| | - Evgueni Gorobets
- Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary Calgary T2N 1N4 AB Canada
| | - Benjamin S Gelfand
- Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary Calgary T2N 1N4 AB Canada
| | - Darren J Derksen
- Department of Chemistry, University of Calgary Calgary T2N 1N4 AB Canada
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20
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Koduri V, Duplaquet L, Lampson BL, Wang AC, Sabet AH, Ishoey M, Paulk J, Teng M, Harris IS, Endress JE, Liu X, Dasilva E, Paulo JA, Briggs KJ, Doench JG, Ott CJ, Zhang T, Donovan KA, Fischer ES, Gygi SP, Gray NS, Bradner J, Medin JA, Buhrlage SJ, Oser MG, Kaelin WG. Targeting oncoproteins with a positive selection assay for protein degraders. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2021; 7:7/6/eabd6263. [PMID: 33547076 PMCID: PMC7864573 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abd6263] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/02/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Most intracellular proteins lack hydrophobic pockets suitable for altering their function with drug-like small molecules. Recent studies indicate that some undruggable proteins can be targeted by compounds that can degrade them. For example, thalidomide-like drugs (IMiDs) degrade the critical multiple myeloma transcription factors IKZF1 and IKZF3 by recruiting them to the cereblon E3 ubiquitin ligase. Current loss of signal ("down") assays for identifying degraders often exhibit poor signal-to-noise ratios, narrow dynamic ranges, and false positives from compounds that nonspecifically suppress transcription or translation. Here, we describe a gain of signal ("up") assay for degraders. In arrayed chemical screens, we identified novel IMiD-like IKZF1 degraders and Spautin-1, which, unlike the IMiDs, degrades IKZF1 in a cereblon-independent manner. In a pooled CRISPR-Cas9-based screen, we found that CDK2 regulates the abundance of the ASCL1 oncogenic transcription factor. This methodology should facilitate the identification of drugs that directly or indirectly degrade undruggable proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vidyasagar Koduri
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Leslie Duplaquet
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Benjamin L Lampson
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Adam C Wang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Amin H Sabet
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Mette Ishoey
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Joshiawa Paulk
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Mingxing Teng
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Isaac S Harris
- Ludwig Cancer Center, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Jennifer E Endress
- Ludwig Cancer Center, Boston, MA 02115, USA
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Xiaoxi Liu
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Linde Program in Chemical Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Ethan Dasilva
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Linde Program in Chemical Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Joao A Paulo
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Kimberly J Briggs
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - John G Doench
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Christopher J Ott
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Tinghu Zhang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Katherine A Donovan
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Eric S Fischer
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Steven P Gygi
- Department of Cell Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Nathanael S Gray
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - James Bradner
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Jeffrey A Medin
- Departments of Pediatrics and Biochemistry, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, WI 53226, USA
| | - Sara J Buhrlage
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Linde Program in Chemical Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Matthew G Oser
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
- Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - William G Kaelin
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
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21
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Heim C, Maiwald S, Steinebach C, Collins MK, Strope J, Chau CH, Figg WD, Gütschow M, Hartmann MD. On the correlation of cereblon binding, fluorination and antiangiogenic properties of immunomodulatory drugs. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 534:67-72. [PMID: 33310190 PMCID: PMC7815984 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.11.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Cereblon (CRBN), the substrate receptor of an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, is a target of thalidomide and thalidomide-derived immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs). The binding of these IMiDs to CRBN alters the substrate specificity of the ligase, thereby mediating multiple effects that are exploited in cancer therapy. However, to date, it is not clear which other possible targets might be involved in the efficacy of IMiDs. One especially prominent effect of a number of thalidomide analogs is their ability to inhibit angiogenesis, which is typically enhanced in fluorinated analogs. So far, the involvement of CRBN in antiangiogenic effects is under debate. Here, starting from a systematic set of thalidomide analogs and employing a quantitative in vitro CRBN-binding assay, we study the correlation of fluorination, CRBN binding and antiangiogenic effects. We clearly identify fluorination to correlate both with CRBN binding affinity and with antiangiogenic effects, but do not find a correlation between the latter two phenomena, indicating that the main target for the antiangiogenic effects of thalidomide analogs still remains to be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Heim
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Samuel Maiwald
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Matthew K Collins
- Molecular Pharmacology Section, Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jonathan Strope
- Molecular Pharmacology Section, Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Cindy H Chau
- Molecular Pharmacology Section, Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - William D Figg
- Molecular Pharmacology Section, Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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22
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Synthesis of pyrrolo[3,4-c]pyridine-1,3-diones (5-azaphthalimides) (microreview). Chem Heterocycl Compd (N Y) 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/s10593-020-02693-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/17/2023]
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23
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Xiao D, Wang YJ, Wang HL, Zhou YB, Li J, Lu W, Jin J. Design and synthesis of new lenalidomide analogs via Suzuki cross-coupling reaction. Arch Pharm (Weinheim) 2020; 353:e1900376. [PMID: 32342558 DOI: 10.1002/ardp.201900376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2019] [Revised: 03/26/2020] [Accepted: 03/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
Lenalidomide is a cereblon modulator known for its antitumor, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory properties in clinical applications. Recently, some reported lenalidomide analogs could exhibit a significant bioactivity through various modifications in the isoindolinone ring. In this study, we designed and synthesized a series of novel lenalidomide analogs on the basis of the installation of a methylene chain at the C-4 position of isoindolinone via the Suzuki cross-coupling reaction. These new compounds were further evaluated for their in vitro antiproliferative activities against two tumor cell lines (MM.1S and Mino). Specifically, compound 4c displayed the strongest antiproliferative activity against the MM.1S (IC50 = 0.27 ± 0.03 μM) and Mino (IC50 = 5.65 ± 0.58 μM) tumor cell lines. In summary, we have developed a new synthetic strategy for C-4 derivatization of lenalidomide, providing a bioactive scaffold that could be used to discover further potential antitumor lead compounds in pharmaceutical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donghuai Xiao
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu-Jie Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Han-Lin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yu-Bo Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, National Center for Drug Screening, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China.,School of Life Science and Technology, Shanghai Tech University, Shanghai, China.,Pilot National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology (Qingdao), Open Studio for Druggability Research of Marine Natural Products, Qingdao, China
| | - Wei Lu
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiyu Jin
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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24
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Burslem GM, Crews CM. Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras as Therapeutics and Tools for Biological Discovery. Cell 2020; 181:102-114. [PMID: 31955850 PMCID: PMC7319047 DOI: 10.1016/j.cell.2019.11.031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 531] [Impact Index Per Article: 132.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2019] [Revised: 11/07/2019] [Accepted: 11/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
New biological tools provide new techniques to probe fundamental biological processes. Here we describe the burgeoning field of proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), which are capable of modulating protein concentrations at a post-translational level by co-opting the ubiquitin-proteasome system. We describe the PROTAC technology and its application to drug discovery and provide examples where PROTACs have enabled novel biological insights. Furthermore, we provide a workflow for PROTAC development and use and discuss the benefits and issues associated with PROTACs. Finally, we compare PROTAC-mediated protein-level modulation with other technologies, such as RNAi and genome editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- George M Burslem
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA
| | - Craig M Crews
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA; Departments of Chemistry and Pharmacology, Yale University, New Haven, CT, USA.
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25
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Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) as a BTK degraders with improved pharmacokinetic properties. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2019; 30:126877. [PMID: 31879210 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2019.126877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 57] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Revised: 11/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/27/2019] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
A new series of Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) targeting Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase (BTK) was synthesized, with the goal of improving the pharmacokinetic properties of our previously reported PROTAC, MT802. We recently described the ability of MT802 to induce degradation of both wild-type and C481S mutant BTK in immortalized cells and patient-derived B-lymphocytes. However, the pharmacokinetic properties of MT802 were not suitable for further in vivo development. Therefore, we undertook a systematic medicinal chemistry campaign to overcome this issue and made a series of PROTACs with structural modifications to the linker and E3-recruiting ligand; more specifically, the new PROTACs were synthesized with different von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) and cereblon (CRBN) ligands while keeping the BTK ligand and linker length constant. This approach resulted in an equally potent PROTAC, SJF620, with a significantly better pharmacokinetic profile than MT802. This compound may hold promise for further in vivo exploration of BTK degradation.
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26
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Wang B, Wu S, Liu J, Yang K, Xie H, Tang W. Development of selective small molecule MDM2 degraders based on nutlin. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 176:476-491. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.05.046] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2019] [Revised: 05/16/2019] [Accepted: 05/16/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
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27
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de Wispelaere M, Du G, Donovan KA, Zhang T, Eleuteri NA, Yuan JC, Kalabathula J, Nowak RP, Fischer ES, Gray NS, Yang PL. Small molecule degraders of the hepatitis C virus protease reduce susceptibility to resistance mutations. Nat Commun 2019; 10:3468. [PMID: 31371704 PMCID: PMC6672008 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-11429-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 121] [Impact Index Per Article: 24.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation is a promising drug development paradigm. Here we leverage this strategy to develop a new class of small molecule antivirals that induce proteasomal degradation of viral proteins. Telaprevir, a reversible-covalent inhibitor that binds to the hepatitis C virus (HCV) protease active site is conjugated to ligands that recruit the CRL4CRBN ligase complex, yielding compounds that can both inhibit and induce the degradation of the HCV NS3/4A protease. An optimized degrader, DGY-08-097, potently inhibits HCV in a cellular infection model, and we demonstrate that protein degradation contributes to its antiviral activity. Finally, we show that this new class of antiviral agents can overcome viral variants that confer resistance to traditional enzymatic inhibitors such as telaprevir. Overall, our work provides proof-of-concept that targeted protein degradation may provide a new paradigm for the development of antivirals with superior resistance profiles. Targeted protein degradation (TPD) is a promising strategy for drug development. In this proof-of-concept study, the authors use telaprevir, which binds hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3/4A protease, to target the protease for protein degradation, and show inhibition of wildtype as well as drug resistant HCV.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mélissanne de Wispelaere
- Department of Microbiology and Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Guangyan Du
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Katherine A Donovan
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Tinghu Zhang
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Nicholas A Eleuteri
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Jingting C Yuan
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Joann Kalabathula
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Radosław P Nowak
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Eric S Fischer
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Nathanael S Gray
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.,Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, 02215, USA
| | - Priscilla L Yang
- Department of Microbiology and Blavatnik Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA.
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28
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Heim C, Pliatsika D, Mousavizadeh F, Bär K, Hernandez Alvarez B, Giannis A, Hartmann MD. De-Novo Design of Cereblon (CRBN) Effectors Guided by Natural Hydrolysis Products of Thalidomide Derivatives. J Med Chem 2019; 62:6615-6629. [PMID: 31251063 PMCID: PMC6750895 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b00454] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/15/2019] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation via cereblon (CRBN), a substrate receptor of an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, is an increasingly important strategy in various clinical settings, in which the substrate specificity of CRBN is altered via the binding of small-molecule effectors. To date, such effectors are derived from thalidomide and confer a broad substrate spectrum that is far from being fully characterized. Here, we employed a rational and modular approach to design novel and minimalistic CRBN effectors. In this approach, we took advantage of the binding modes of hydrolyzed metabolites of several thalidomide-derived effectors, which we elucidated via crystallography. These yielded key insights for the optimization of the minimal core binding moiety and its linkage to a chemical moiety that imparts substrate specificity. Based on this scaffold, we present a first active de-novo CRBN effector that is able to degrade the neo-substrate IKZF3 in the cell culture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Heim
- Department
of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute
for Developmental Biology, Max-Planck-Ring 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Dimanthi Pliatsika
- Faculty
for Chemistry und Mineralogy, Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 29, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Farnoush Mousavizadeh
- Faculty
for Chemistry und Mineralogy, Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 29, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Kerstin Bär
- Department
of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute
for Developmental Biology, Max-Planck-Ring 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Birte Hernandez Alvarez
- Department
of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute
for Developmental Biology, Max-Planck-Ring 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Athanassios Giannis
- Faculty
for Chemistry und Mineralogy, Institute of Organic Chemistry, University of Leipzig, Johannisallee 29, 04103 Leipzig, Germany
| | - Marcus D. Hartmann
- Department
of Protein Evolution, Max Planck Institute
for Developmental Biology, Max-Planck-Ring 5, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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