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Wild M, Hahn F, Brückner N, Schütz M, Wangen C, Wagner S, Sommerer M, Strobl S, Marschall M. Cyclin-Dependent Kinases (CDKs) and the Human Cytomegalovirus-Encoded CDK Ortholog pUL97 Represent Highly Attractive Targets for Synergistic Drug Combinations. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23052493. [PMID: 35269635 PMCID: PMC8910733 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23052493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2022] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) is a pathogenic human herpesvirus associated with serious, potentially life-threatening symptoms in the immunocompromised or immunonaïve host. The limitations encountered by antiviral therapy options currently available include a narrow panel of accessible targets, the induction of viral drug resistance as well as severe drug dosage-mediated side-effects. Improved drug-targeting strategies to resolve these issues are the focus of our investigations. In particular, pharmaceutical kinase inhibitors (PKIs), either directed to host kinases or directed to the viral protein kinase pUL97, have been considered to overcome these restrictions. Recently, we reported the identification of a synergistic combination of two PKIs directed to host cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) and viral CDK ortholog pUL97. Here, we substantiate these findings with the following results: (i) true drug synergy was exhibited by various chemical classes of PKI pairs directed to pUL97 and CDK7; (ii) no putative amplification of cytotoxicity by these drug combinations was observed; (iii) a reduction in drug dosage levels for synergistic combinations was defined on a quantitative basis and compared to monotreatments; (iv) the quantities of target proteins CDK7 and pUL97 expressed in HCMV-infected cells were assessed by confocal imaging, indicating a strong down-modulation of CDK7 levels as a result of synergistic drug treatment; (v) the functional importance of these target kinases, both binding to cyclin H, was illustrated by assessing HCMV replication under the viral genomic deletion of ORF-UL97 or cellular cyclin knock-out; (vi) new combinations of HCMV-specific drug synergy were demonstrated for solely host-directed treatments using PKIs against CDK2, CDK7, CDK8 and/or CDK9 and (vii) a triple PKI combination provided further support for the synergy approach. With these combined findings, this study highlights the potential of therapeutic drug combinations of approved, developmental and preclinical PKIs for expanding future options for anti-HCMV therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Markus Wild
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (M.W.); (F.H.); (N.B.); (M.S.); (C.W.); (S.W.); (M.S.)
| | - Friedrich Hahn
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (M.W.); (F.H.); (N.B.); (M.S.); (C.W.); (S.W.); (M.S.)
| | - Nadine Brückner
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (M.W.); (F.H.); (N.B.); (M.S.); (C.W.); (S.W.); (M.S.)
| | - Martin Schütz
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (M.W.); (F.H.); (N.B.); (M.S.); (C.W.); (S.W.); (M.S.)
| | - Christina Wangen
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (M.W.); (F.H.); (N.B.); (M.S.); (C.W.); (S.W.); (M.S.)
| | - Sabrina Wagner
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (M.W.); (F.H.); (N.B.); (M.S.); (C.W.); (S.W.); (M.S.)
| | - Mona Sommerer
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (M.W.); (F.H.); (N.B.); (M.S.); (C.W.); (S.W.); (M.S.)
| | - Stefan Strobl
- 4SC AG/4SC Discovery GmbH, Fraunhoferstraße 22, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany;
- BioNTech SE, Am Klopferspitz 19a, 82152 Planegg-Martinsried, Germany
| | - Manfred Marschall
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virology, Friedrich-Alexander Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany; (M.W.); (F.H.); (N.B.); (M.S.); (C.W.); (S.W.); (M.S.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +49-9131-8526089
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Rahoui N, Jiang B, Taloub N, Huang YD. Spatio-temporal control strategy of drug delivery systems based nano structures. J Control Release 2017; 255:176-201. [DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2017.04.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2017] [Revised: 03/30/2017] [Accepted: 04/03/2017] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
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