1
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Surmiak E, Ząber J, Plewka J, Wojtanowicz G, Kocik-Krol J, Kruc O, Muszak D, Rodríguez I, Musielak B, Viviano M, Castellano S, Skalniak L, Magiera-Mularz K, Holak TA, Kalinowska-Tłuścik J. Solubilizer Tag Effect on PD-L1/Inhibitor Binding Properties for m-Terphenyl Derivatives. ACS Med Chem Lett 2024; 15:36-44. [PMID: 38229762 PMCID: PMC10788941 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00306] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Although heavily studied, the subject of anti-PD-L1 small-molecule inhibitors is still elusive. Here we present a systematic overview of the principles behind successful anti-PD-L1 small-molecule inhibitor design on the example of the m-terphenyl scaffold, with a particular focus on the neglected influence of the solubilizer tag on the overall affinity toward PD-L1. The inhibitor developed according to the proposed guidelines was characterized through its potency in blocking PD-1/PD-L1 complex formation in homogeneous time-resolved fluorescence and cell-based assays. The affinity is also explained based on the crystal structure of the inhibitor itself and its costructure with PD-L1 as well as a molecular modeling study. Our results structuralize the knowledge related to the strong pharmacophore feature of the m-terphenyl scaffold preferential geometry and the more complex role of the solubilizer tag in PD-L1 homodimer stabilization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ewa Surmiak
- Faculty
of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Cracow, Poland
| | - Julia Ząber
- Faculty
of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Cracow, Poland
- Doctoral
School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Jagiellonian
University, Łojasiewicza 11, 30-348 Cracow, Poland
| | - Jacek Plewka
- Faculty
of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Cracow, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Wojtanowicz
- Faculty
of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Cracow, Poland
| | - Justyna Kocik-Krol
- Faculty
of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Cracow, Poland
- Doctoral
School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Jagiellonian
University, Łojasiewicza 11, 30-348 Cracow, Poland
| | - Oskar Kruc
- Faculty
of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Cracow, Poland
- Doctoral
School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Jagiellonian
University, Łojasiewicza 11, 30-348 Cracow, Poland
| | - Damian Muszak
- Faculty
of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Cracow, Poland
| | - Ismael Rodríguez
- Faculty
of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Cracow, Poland
- Doctoral
School of Exact and Natural Sciences, Jagiellonian
University, Łojasiewicza 11, 30-348 Cracow, Poland
| | - Bogdan Musielak
- Faculty
of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Cracow, Poland
| | - Monica Viviano
- Department
of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84085 Fisciano, Italy
| | - Sabrina Castellano
- Department
of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84085 Fisciano, Italy
| | - Lukasz Skalniak
- Faculty
of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Cracow, Poland
| | | | - Tad A. Holak
- Faculty
of Chemistry, Jagiellonian University, Gronostajowa 2, 30-387 Cracow, Poland
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2
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Krutzek F, Donat CK, Ullrich M, Zarschler K, Ludik MC, Feldmann A, Loureiro LR, Kopka K, Stadlbauer S. Design and Biological Evaluation of Small-Molecule PET-Tracers for Imaging of Programmed Death Ligand 1. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:cancers15092638. [PMID: 37174103 PMCID: PMC10177516 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15092638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Noninvasive molecular imaging of the PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint is of high clinical relevance for patient stratification and therapy monitoring in cancer patients. Here we report nine small-molecule PD-L1 radiotracers with solubilizing sulfonic acids and a linker-chelator system, designed by molecular docking experiments and synthesized according to a new, convergent synthetic strategy. Binding affinities were determined both in cellular saturation and real-time binding assay (LigandTracer), revealing dissociation constants in the single digit nanomolar range. Incubation in human serum and liver microsomes proved in vitro stability of these compounds. Small animal PET/CT imaging, in mice bearing PD-L1 overexpressing and PD-L1 negative tumors, showed moderate to low uptake. All compounds were cleared primarily through the hepatobiliary excretion route and showed a long circulation time. The latter was attributed to strong blood albumin binding effects, discovered during our binding experiments. Taken together, these compounds are a promising starting point for further development of a new class of PD-L1 targeting radiotracers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fabian Krutzek
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Bautzner Landstraße 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Cornelius K Donat
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Bautzner Landstraße 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Martin Ullrich
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Bautzner Landstraße 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Kristof Zarschler
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Bautzner Landstraße 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Marie-Charlotte Ludik
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Bautzner Landstraße 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Anja Feldmann
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Bautzner Landstraße 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Liliana R Loureiro
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Bautzner Landstraße 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany
| | - Klaus Kopka
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Bautzner Landstraße 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany
- School of Science, Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Technische Universität Dresden, Mommsenstraße 4, 01069 Dresden, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium (DKTK), Partner Site Dresden, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
- National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT) Dresden, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Fetscherstraße 74, 01307 Dresden, Germany
| | - Sven Stadlbauer
- Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf, Institute of Radiopharmaceutical Cancer Research, Bautzner Landstraße 400, 01328 Dresden, Germany
- School of Science, Faculty of Chemistry and Food Chemistry, Technische Universität Dresden, Mommsenstraße 4, 01069 Dresden, Germany
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3
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Boisgerault N, Bertrand P. Inside PD-1/PD-L1,2 with their inhibitors. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 256:115465. [PMID: 37196547 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023]
Abstract
This review summarizes current knowledge in the development of immune checkpoint inhibitors, including antibodies and small molecules.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicolas Boisgerault
- Nantes Université, Inserm UMR 1307, CNRS UMR 6075, Université D'Angers, CRCI2NA, LabEx IGO, F-44000, Nantes, France
| | - Philippe Bertrand
- University of Poitiers, IC2MP UMR 7285 CNRS, 4 Rue Michel Brunet B27, TSA 51106, 86073 Poitiers Cedex 9, France.
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4
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Bianconi E, Riccio A, Ruta L, Bigiotti C, Carotti A, Moretti S, Cerra B, Gioiello A, Ferlin S, Puxeddu E, Macchiarulo A. Turning a Tumor Microenvironment Pitfall into Opportunity: Discovery of Benzamidoxime as PD-L1 Ligand with pH-Dependent Potency. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065535. [PMID: 36982608 PMCID: PMC10054428 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065535] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 03/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023] Open
Abstract
PD-1/PD-L1 protein complex is attracting a great deal of interest as a drug target for the design of immune therapies able to block its assembly. Although some biologic drugs have entered clinical use, their poor response rate in patients are demanding further efforts to design small molecule inhibitors of PD-1/PD-L1 complex with higher efficacy and optimal physicochemical properties. Dysregulation of pH in the tumor microenvironment is indeed one of the key mechanisms promoting drug resistance and lack of response in cancer therapy. Integrating computational and biophysical approaches, herein we report a screening campaign that has led to identifying VIS310 as a novel ligand of PD-L1, with physicochemical properties enabling a pH-dependent binding potency. Additional optimization efforts by analogue-based screening have been instrumental to disclosing VIS1201, which exhibits improved binding potency against PD-L1 and is able to inhibit PD-1/PD-L1 complex formation in a ligand binding displacement assay. While providing preliminary structure–activity relationships (SARs) of a novel class of PD-L1 ligands, our results lay the foundation for the discovery of immunoregulatory small molecules resilient to tumor microenvironmental conditions for escaping drug-resistance mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Bianconi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del liceo n.1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Alessandra Riccio
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del liceo n.1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Luana Ruta
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del liceo n.1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Carlo Bigiotti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del liceo n.1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Andrea Carotti
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del liceo n.1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Sonia Moretti
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le L. Severi, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Bruno Cerra
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del liceo n.1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Antimo Gioiello
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del liceo n.1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Simone Ferlin
- Sterling S.p.A., Via della Carboneria n.30, 06073 Corciano, Italy
| | - Efisio Puxeddu
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Perugia, P.le L. Severi, 06132 Perugia, Italy
| | - Antonio Macchiarulo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Perugia, Via del liceo n.1, 06123 Perugia, Italy
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-075-5855131
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5
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Bojko M, Węgrzyn K, Sikorska E, Kocikowski M, Parys M, Battin C, Steinberger P, Kogut MM, Winnicki M, Sieradzan AK, Spodzieja M, Rodziewicz-Motowidło S. Design, synthesis and biological evaluation of PD-1 derived peptides as inhibitors of PD-1/PD-L1 complex formation for cancer therapy. Bioorg Chem 2022; 128:106047. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.106047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2022] [Revised: 07/04/2022] [Accepted: 07/19/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
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6
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Mittal L, Tonk RK, Awasthi A, Asthana S. Targeting cryptic-orthosteric site of PD-L1 for inhibitor identification using structure-guided approach. Arch Biochem Biophys 2021; 713:109059. [PMID: 34673001 DOI: 10.1016/j.abb.2021.109059] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2021] [Revised: 09/30/2021] [Accepted: 10/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Approved mAbs that block the protein-protein interaction (PPI) interface of the PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint axis have led to significant improvements in cancer treatment. Despite having drawbacks of mAbs only few a compounds are reported till date against this axis. Inhibiting PPIs using small molecules has emerged as a significant therapeutic opportunity, demanding for the identification of drug-like molecules at an accelerated pace under the hit-to-lead campaigns. Due to the PD-L1's cross-talk with PD-1/CD80 and its overexpression on cancer cells, as well as the availability of its crystal structures with small molecules, it is an enticing therapeutic target for structure-assisted small molecule design. Furthermore, the selection of chemical databases enriched with focused designing for PPI interfaces is crucial. Therefore, in this study we have utilized the Asinex signature library for structure-assisted virtual screening to find the potential PD-L1 inhibitors by targeting the cryptic PD-L1 interface, followed by induced fit docking for pose refinements in the pocket. The obtained hits were then subjected to interaction fingerprinting and ligand-based drug-likeness investigations in order to evaluate and analyze their drug-like qualities (ADME). Twelve compounds qualified for molecular dynamics simulations, followed by thermodynamic calculations for evaluation of their stability and energetics inside the pocket. Two novel compounds with different chemical moieties have been identified that are consistent throughout the simulation, mimicking the interactions and binding energies with BMS-1166. These compounds appear as potential therapeutic candidates to be explored experimentally, thereby paving the way for the development of novel leads as immunomodulators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lovika Mittal
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, Haryana, India; Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University (DPSRU), New Delhi, India
| | - Rajiv K Tonk
- Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University (DPSRU), New Delhi, India
| | - Amit Awasthi
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, Haryana, India
| | - Shailendra Asthana
- Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), Faridabad, Haryana, India.
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7
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Zhu W, Bai Y, Zhang N, Yan J, Chen J, He Z, Sun Q, Pu Y, He B, Ye X. A tumor extracellular pH-sensitive PD-L1 binding peptide nanoparticle for chemo-immunotherapy of cancer. J Mater Chem B 2021; 9:4201-4210. [PMID: 33997867 DOI: 10.1039/d1tb00537e] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Chemo-immunotherapy is a promising model for the combination treatment of cancer. Many solid tumors overexpress programmed cell death ligand (PD-L1) for immune suppression. In this study, a PD-L1 binding peptide conjugate (DCS) nanoparticle with tumor extracellular pH-responsiveness was developed for efficient chemo-immunotherapy of colon cancer. A hydrophilic D-type polypeptide (D-PPA) and two hydrophobic stearyl chains were linked with a pH-sensitive linker to obtain amphiphilic DCS, which could self-assemble into nanoparticles (NPs). Anticancer agent doxorubicin (DOX) was loaded to obtain DOX@DCS NPs, which could accumulate at the tumor site by enhanced permeability and retention effect and release D-PPA at tumor extracellular pH. The release of D-PPA could not only lead to instability and aggregation of NPs for enhanced tumor retention but also block PD-1/PD-L1 to avoid immune escape and elicit enhanced immune response. In addition, DOX could induce immunogenic cell death (ICD) of cancer cells and promote anti-tumor immune response with the combination of PD-1/PD-L1 blocking. DOX@DCS showed efficient inhibition of CT26 tumors and induced immune response both in vitro and in vivo. Overall, our study reported a facile yet robust nanosystem based on an immune blocking peptide and a chemotherapeutic ICD inducer for efficient chemo-immunotherapy of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wangwei Zhu
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Yun Bai
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Nan Zhang
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Jianqing Yan
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Jun Chen
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Ziyun He
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Qiqi Sun
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Yuji Pu
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Bin He
- National Engineering Research Center for Biomaterials, College of Biomedical Engineering, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, China
| | - Xueting Ye
- Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou 325000, China.
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