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Graham K, Lienau P, Bader B, Prechtl S, Naujoks J, Lesche R, Weiske J, Kuehnlenz J, Brzezinka K, Potze L, Zanconato F, Nicke B, Montebaur A, Bone W, Golfier S, Kaulfuss S, Kopitz C, Pilari S, Steuber H, Hayat S, Kamburov A, Steffen A, Schlicker A, Buchgraber P, Braeuer N, Font NA, Heinrich T, Kuhnke L, Nowak-Reppel K, Stresemann C, Steigemann P, Walter AO, Blotta S, Ocker M, Lakner A, von Nussbaum F, Mumberg D, Eis K, Piccolo S, Lange M. Discovery of YAP1/TAZ pathway inhibitors through phenotypic screening with potent anti-tumor activity via blockade of Rho-GTPase signaling. Cell Chem Biol 2024; 31:1247-1263.e16. [PMID: 38537632 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2024.02.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 01/08/2024] [Accepted: 02/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
This study describes the identification and target deconvolution of small molecule inhibitors of oncogenic Yes-associated protein (YAP1)/TAZ activity with potent anti-tumor activity in vivo. A high-throughput screen (HTS) of 3.8 million compounds was conducted using a cellular YAP1/TAZ reporter assay. Target deconvolution studies identified the geranylgeranyltransferase-I (GGTase-I) complex as the direct target of YAP1/TAZ pathway inhibitors. The small molecule inhibitors block the activation of Rho-GTPases, leading to subsequent inactivation of YAP1/TAZ and inhibition of cancer cell proliferation in vitro. Multi-parameter optimization resulted in BAY-593, an in vivo probe with favorable PK properties, which demonstrated anti-tumor activity and blockade of YAP1/TAZ signaling in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith Graham
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Nuvisan ICB GmbH, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Philip Lienau
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Benjamin Bader
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Nuvisan ICB GmbH, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Prechtl
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Nuvisan ICB GmbH, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Jan Naujoks
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Nuvisan ICB GmbH, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ralf Lesche
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Nuvisan ICB GmbH, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Joerg Weiske
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Nuvisan ICB GmbH, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Julia Kuehnlenz
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Krzysztof Brzezinka
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Nuvisan ICB GmbH, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Lisette Potze
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Francesca Zanconato
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Via Gabelli 63, 35121 Padua, Italy
| | - Barbara Nicke
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Nuvisan ICB GmbH, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Anna Montebaur
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Wilhelm Bone
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Nuvisan ICB GmbH, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sven Golfier
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Nuvisan ICB GmbH, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefan Kaulfuss
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Nuvisan ICB GmbH, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Charlotte Kopitz
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Nuvisan ICB GmbH, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sabine Pilari
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Holger Steuber
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Nuvisan ICB GmbH, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Sikander Hayat
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Atanas Kamburov
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Steffen
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Andreas Schlicker
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Philipp Buchgraber
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nico Braeuer
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Nuvisan ICB GmbH, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Nuria Aiguabella Font
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Tobias Heinrich
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Lara Kuhnke
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Katrin Nowak-Reppel
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Nuvisan ICB GmbH, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Carlo Stresemann
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Nuvisan ICB GmbH, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Patrick Steigemann
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Nuvisan ICB GmbH, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Annette O Walter
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Simona Blotta
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Matthias Ocker
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Ashley Lakner
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Franz von Nussbaum
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Nuvisan ICB GmbH, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Dominik Mumberg
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Knut Eis
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany
| | - Stefano Piccolo
- Department of Molecular Medicine, University of Padua, Via Gabelli 63, 35121 Padua, Italy; IFOM, the FIRC Institute of Molecular Oncology, Via Adamello 16, 20139 Milan, Italy
| | - Martin Lange
- Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals, Research & Development, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany; Nuvisan ICB GmbH, Muellerstr. 178, 13353 Berlin, Germany.
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Pieniążek B, Cencelewicz K, Bździuch P, Młynarczyk Ł, Lejman M, Zawitkowska J, Derwich K. Neuroblastoma-A Review of Combination Immunotherapy. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:7730. [PMID: 39062971 PMCID: PMC11276848 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25147730] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2024] [Revised: 07/05/2024] [Accepted: 07/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor found in childhood and is responsible for 15% of deaths among children with cancer. Although multimodal therapies focused on surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and stem cell transplants have favorable results in many cases, the use of conventional therapies has probably reached the limit their possibility. Almost half of the patients with neuroblastoma belong to the high-risk group. Patients in this group require a combination of several therapeutic approaches. It has been shown that various immunotherapies combined with conventional methods can work synergistically. Due to the development of such therapeutic methods, we present combinations and forms of combining immunotherapy, focusing on their mechanisms and benefits but also their limitations and potential side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Barbara Pieniążek
- Student Scientific Society of Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (B.P.); (K.C.); (P.B.)
| | - Katarzyna Cencelewicz
- Student Scientific Society of Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (B.P.); (K.C.); (P.B.)
| | - Patrycja Bździuch
- Student Scientific Society of Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantology, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland; (B.P.); (K.C.); (P.B.)
| | - Łukasz Młynarczyk
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Transplantology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-572 Poznań, Poland; (Ł.M.); (K.D.)
| | - Monika Lejman
- Independent Laboratory of Genetic Diagnostics, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland;
| | - Joanna Zawitkowska
- Department of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Transplantation, Medical University of Lublin, 20-093 Lublin, Poland
| | - Katarzyna Derwich
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Hematology and Transplantology, Poznan University of Medical Sciences, 60-572 Poznań, Poland; (Ł.M.); (K.D.)
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Dong L, Liu C, Sun H, Wang M, Sun M, Zheng J, Yu X, Shi R, Wang B, Zhou Q, Chen Z, Xing B, Wang Y, Yao X, Mei M, Ren Y, Zhou X. Targeting STAT3 potentiates CDK4/6 inhibitors therapy in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. Cancer Lett 2024; 593:216956. [PMID: 38735381 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2024.216956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 05/02/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/14/2024]
Abstract
Anti-CDK4/6 therapy has been employed for the treatment for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with CDK4/6 hyperactivation, but the response rate is relatively low. In this study, we first showed that CDK4 and CDK6 was over-expressed and conferred poor prognosis in HNSCC. Moreover, in RB-positive HNSCC, STAT3 signaling was activated induced by CDK4/6 inhibition and STAT3 promotes RB deficiency by upregulation of MYC. Thirdly, the combination of Stattic and CDK4/6 inhibitor results in striking anti-tumor effect in vitro and in Cal27 derived animal models. Additionally, phospho-STAT3 level negatively correlates with RB expression and predicts poor prognosis in patients with HNSCC. Taken together, our findings suggest an unrecognized function of STAT3 confers to CDK4/6 inhibitors resistance and presenting a promising combination strategy for patients with HNSCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lin Dong
- Department of Maxillofacial and Otorhinolaryngological Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Medicine on Head & Neck Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; National Key Laboratory of Druggability Evaluation and Systematic Translational Medicine, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Chao Liu
- Department of Maxillofacial and Otorhinolaryngological Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Medicine on Head & Neck Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; National Key Laboratory of Druggability Evaluation and Systematic Translational Medicine, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Haoyang Sun
- Department of Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Mo Wang
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Mengyu Sun
- Department of Maxillofacial and Otorhinolaryngological Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Medicine on Head & Neck Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; National Key Laboratory of Druggability Evaluation and Systematic Translational Medicine, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Jianwei Zheng
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Xiaoxue Yu
- Department of Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Rong Shi
- Department of Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Bo Wang
- Department of Maxillofacial and Otorhinolaryngological Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Medicine on Head & Neck Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; National Key Laboratory of Druggability Evaluation and Systematic Translational Medicine, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Qianqian Zhou
- Department of Maxillofacial and Otorhinolaryngological Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Medicine on Head & Neck Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; National Key Laboratory of Druggability Evaluation and Systematic Translational Medicine, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Zhiqiang Chen
- Department of Maxillofacial and Otorhinolaryngological Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Medicine on Head & Neck Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; National Key Laboratory of Druggability Evaluation and Systematic Translational Medicine, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Bofan Xing
- Department of Maxillofacial and Otorhinolaryngological Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Medicine on Head & Neck Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; National Key Laboratory of Druggability Evaluation and Systematic Translational Medicine, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Yu Wang
- Department of Maxillofacial and Otorhinolaryngological Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Medicine on Head & Neck Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; National Key Laboratory of Druggability Evaluation and Systematic Translational Medicine, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Xiaofeng Yao
- Department of Maxillofacial and Otorhinolaryngological Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Medicine on Head & Neck Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; National Key Laboratory of Druggability Evaluation and Systematic Translational Medicine, Tianjin, 300060, China
| | - Mei Mei
- Department of Cell Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China.
| | - Yu Ren
- Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Medicine on Head & Neck Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; National Key Laboratory of Druggability Evaluation and Systematic Translational Medicine, Tianjin, 300060, China; Department of Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China.
| | - Xuan Zhou
- Department of Maxillofacial and Otorhinolaryngological Oncology, Tianjin Medical University Cancer Institute & Hospital, National Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin's Clinical Research Center for Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; Key Laboratory of Basic and Translational Medicine on Head & Neck Cancer, Tianjin, 300060, China; National Key Laboratory of Druggability Evaluation and Systematic Translational Medicine, Tianjin, 300060, China.
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Marani A, Gioacchini H, Paolinelli M, Offidani A, Campanati A. Potential drug-drug interactions with mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK) inhibitors used to treat melanoma. Expert Opin Drug Metab Toxicol 2023; 19:555-567. [PMID: 37659065 DOI: 10.1080/17425255.2023.2255519] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 09/01/2023] [Indexed: 09/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The management of patients with BRAF-mutated advanced melanoma who are undergoing targeted therapy with MEK inhibitors can be complicated by the co-administration of multiple medications, which can give rise to drug-drug interactions of clinical significance. COVERED AREAS Our review presents a comprehensive analysis of the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic interactions of the three approved for advanced melanoma MEK inhibitor drugs - binimetinib, cobimetinib, and trametinib. MEDLINE (PubMed) was utilized for the literature search, comprising clinical studies, observational studies, and preclinical research. The review discusses the impact of these interactions on efficacy and safety of the treatments and differentiates between interactions supported by pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic mechanisms, those encountered in clinical practice, and those observed in preclinical studies. EXPERT OPINION Physicians should be aware about potential benefits, but also increased toxicity caused by drug interactions between MEK inhibitors and other drugs in the management of patients with metastatic melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Marani
- Dermatologic Clinic, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Ancona, Marche, Italy
| | - H Gioacchini
- Dermatologic Clinic, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Ancona, Marche, Italy
| | - M Paolinelli
- Dermatologic Clinic, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Ancona, Marche, Italy
| | - A Offidani
- Dermatologic Clinic, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Ancona, Marche, Italy
| | - A Campanati
- Dermatologic Clinic, Department of Clinical and Molecular Sciences, Ancona, Marche, Italy
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Verteporfin-induced proteotoxicity impairs cell homeostasis and survival in neuroblastoma subtypes independent of YAP/TAZ expression. Sci Rep 2023; 13:3760. [PMID: 36882436 PMCID: PMC9992669 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-29796-2] [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: 10/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/10/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is a highly aggressive extracranial solid tumor in children. Due to its heterogeneity, NB remains a therapeutic challenge. Several oncogenic factors, including the Hippo effectors YAP/TAZ, are associated with NB tumorigenesis. Verteporfin (VPF) is an FDA-approved drug shown to directly inhibit YAP/TAZ activity. Our study aimed to investigate VPF's potential as a therapeutic agent in NB. We show that VPF selectively and efficiently impairs the viability of YAP/TAZ-expressing NB GI-ME-N and SK-N-AS cells, but not of non-malignant fibroblasts. To investigate whether VPF-mediated NB cell killing is YAP-dependent, we tested VPF potency in CRISPR-mediated YAP/TAZ knock-out GI-ME-N cells, and BE(2)-M17 NB cells (a MYCN-amplified, predominantly YAP-negative NB subtype). Our data shows that VPF-mediated NB cell killing is not dependent on YAP expression. Moreover, we determined that the formation of higher molecular weight (HMW) complexes is an early and shared VPF-induced cytotoxic mechanism in both YAP-positive and YAP-negative NB models. The accumulation of HMW complexes, involving STAT3, GM130 and COX IV proteins, impaired cell homeostasis and triggered cell stress and cell death mechanisms. Altogether, our study shows significant in vitro and in vivo VPF-induced suppression of NB growth, making VPF a potential therapeutic candidate against NB.
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Wang H, Chi L, Yu F, Dai H, Si X, Gao C, Wang Z, Liu L, Zheng J, Ke Y, Liu H, Zhang Q. The overview of Mitogen-activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (MEK)-based dual inhibitor in the treatment of cancers. Bioorg Med Chem 2022; 70:116922. [PMID: 35849914 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2022.116922] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Mitogen-activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (MEK1/2) are the critical components of the mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (MAPK/ERK1/2) signaling pathway which is one of the well-characterized kinase cascades regulating cell proliferation, differentiation, growth, metabolism, survival and mobility both in normal and cancer cells. The aberrant activation of MAPK/ERK1/2 pathway is a hallmark of numerous human cancers, therefore targeting the components of this pathway to inhibit its dysregulation is a promising strategy for cancer treatment. Enormous efforts have been done in the development of MEK1/2 inhibitors and encouraging advancements have been made, including four inhibitors approved for clinical use. However, due to the multifactorial property of cancer and rapidly arising drug resistance, the clinical efficacy of these MEK1/2 inhibitors as monotherapy are far from ideal. Several alternative strategies have been developed to improve the limited clinical efficacy, including the dual inhibitor which is a single drug molecule able to simultaneously inhibit two targets. In this review, we first introduced the activation and function of the MAPK/ERK1/2 components and discussed the advantages of MEK1/2-based dual inhibitors compared with the single inhibitors and combination therapy in the treatment of cancers. Then, we overviewed the MEK1/2-based dual inhibitors for the treatment of cancers and highlighted the theoretical basis of concurrent inhibition of MEK1/2 and other targets for development of these dual inhibitors. Besides, the status and results of these dual inhibitors in both preclinical and clinical studies were also the focus of this review.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation of Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Lingling Chi
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation of Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Fuqiang Yu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation of Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Hongling Dai
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation of Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Xiaojie Si
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation of Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Chao Gao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation of Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Zhengjie Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation of Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Limin Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation of Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Jiaxin Zheng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation of Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Yu Ke
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation of Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| | - Hongmin Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation of Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, China; State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention & Treatment, Zhengzhou 450052, China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
| | - Qiurong Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation of Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, Zhengzhou 450001, China.
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