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Mukherjee N, Dart CR, Amato CM, Honig-Frand A, Lambert JR, Lambert KA, Robinson WA, Tobin RP, McCarter MD, Couts KL, Fujita M, Norris DA, Shellman YG. Expression Differences in BCL2 Family Members between Uveal and Cutaneous Melanomas Account for Varying Sensitivity to BH3 Mimetics. J Invest Dermatol 2022; 142:1912-1922.e7. [PMID: 34942200 PMCID: PMC9635014 DOI: 10.1016/j.jid.2021.11.035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2021] [Revised: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Uveal melanoma (UM) is a subtype of melanoma. Although they share a melanocytic origin with cutaneous melanoma (CM), patients with UM have few treatment options. BCL2 homologous 3 mimetics are small-molecule drugs that mimic proapoptotic BCL2 family members. We compared BCL2 family member expression between UM and CM using immunoblot and The Cancer Genome Atlas transcriptomic analysis. UM has a unique signature of low BFL1 and high PUMA proteins compared with CM and 30 other cancer types, making them an attractive candidate for BCL2 homologous 3 protein mimetics. We tested the efficacy of a BCL2 inhibitor and MCL1 inhibitor (MCL1i) in UM, with viability assays, live-cell imaging, sphere assays, and mouse xenograft models. UM had a higher sensitivity to MCL1i than CM. Overexpression of BFL1 or knockdown of PUMA made the UM more resistant to MCL1i. In contrast, MAPK/extracellular signal‒regulated kinase inhibitor treatment in CM made them more sensitive to MCL1i. However, MCL1i-alone treatment was not very effective to reduce the UM initiating cells; to overcome this, we employed a combination of MCL1i with BCL2 inhibitor that synergistically inhibited UM initiating cell's capacity to expand. Overall, we identify a distinct expression profile of BCL2 family members for UM that makes them susceptible to BCL2 homologous 3 mimetics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nabanita Mukherjee
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Chiara R Dart
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA; Division of Medical Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Carol M Amato
- Division of Medical Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Adam Honig-Frand
- Division of Medical Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - James R Lambert
- Department of Pathology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Karoline A Lambert
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - William A Robinson
- Division of Medical Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Richard P Tobin
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Martin D McCarter
- Division of Surgical Oncology, Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Denver Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Kasey L Couts
- Division of Medical Oncology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - Mayumi Fujita
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA; Dermatology Section, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Denver, Colorado, USA; Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA
| | - David A Norris
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA; Dermatology Section, U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Denver, Colorado, USA
| | - Yiqun G Shellman
- Department of Dermatology, School of Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA; Gates Center for Regenerative Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, Colorado, USA.
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Removal of BFL-1 sensitises some melanoma cells to killing by BH3 mimetic drugs. Cell Death Dis 2022; 13:301. [PMID: 35379799 PMCID: PMC8980089 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-022-04776-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 03/16/2022] [Accepted: 03/25/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
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Chen T, Sun T, Bian Y, Pei Y, Feng F, Chi H, Li Y, Tang X, Sang S, Du C, Chen Y, Chen Y, Sun H. The Design and Optimization of Monomeric Multitarget Peptides for the Treatment of Multifactorial Diseases. J Med Chem 2022; 65:3685-3705. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01456] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Tingkai Chen
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tianyu Sun
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yaoyao Bian
- College of Acupuncture and Massage, College of Regimen and Rehabilitation, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuqiong Pei
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, People’s Republic of China
| | - Feng Feng
- Food and Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Jiangsu Food and Pharmaceuticals Science College, Huaian 223003, People’s Republic of China
| | - Heng Chi
- Food and Pharmaceutical Research Institute, Jiangsu Food and Pharmaceuticals Science College, Huaian 223003, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yuan Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Jiangsu Food and Pharmaceuticals Science College, Huaian 223005, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xu Tang
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, People’s Republic of China
| | - Shenghu Sang
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, People’s Republic of China
| | - Chenxi Du
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, People’s Republic of China
| | - Ying Chen
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yao Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, People’s Republic of China
| | - Haopeng Sun
- School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 211198, People’s Republic of China
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Fairlie WD, Lee EF. Targeting the BCL-2-regulated apoptotic pathway for the treatment of solid cancers. Biochem Soc Trans 2021; 49:2397-2410. [PMID: 34581776 PMCID: PMC8589438 DOI: 10.1042/bst20210750] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2021] [Revised: 08/31/2021] [Accepted: 09/02/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The deregulation of apoptosis is a key contributor to tumourigenesis as it can lead to the unwanted survival of rogue cells. Drugs known as the BH3-mimetics targeting the pro-survival members of the BCL-2 protein family to induce apoptosis in cancer cells have achieved clinical success for the treatment of haematological malignancies. However, despite our increasing knowledge of the pro-survival factors mediating the unwanted survival of solid tumour cells, and our growing BH3-mimetics armamentarium, the application of BH3-mimetic therapy in solid cancers has not reached its full potential. This is mainly attributed to the need to identify clinically safe, yet effective, combination strategies to target the multiple pro-survival proteins that typically mediate the survival of solid tumours. In this review, we discuss current and exciting new developments in the field that has the potential to unleash the full power of BH3-mimetic therapy to treat currently recalcitrant solid malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- W. Douglas Fairlie
- Cell Death and Survival Laboratory, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia
- Cell Death and Survival Laboratory, School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3086, Australia
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
| | - Erinna F. Lee
- Cell Death and Survival Laboratory, Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, Victoria 3084, Australia
- Cell Death and Survival Laboratory, School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3086, Australia
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Victoria 3086, Australia
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The Stress-Inducible BCL2A1 Is Required for Ovarian Cancer Metastatic Progression in the Peritoneal Microenvironment. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13184577. [PMID: 34572804 PMCID: PMC8469659 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13184577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 09/05/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Emerging evidence indicates that hypoxia plays a critical role in governing the transcoelomic metastasis of ovarian cancer. Hence, targeting hypoxia may be a promising approach to prevent the metastasis of ovarian cancer. Here, we report that BCL2A1, a BCL2 family member, acts as a hypoxia-inducible gene for promoting tumor progression in ovarian cancer peritoneal metastases. We demonstrated that BCL2A1 was induced not only by hypoxia but also other physiological stresses through NF-κB signaling and then was gradually reduced by the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway in ascites-derived ovarian cancer cells. The upregulated BCL2A1 was frequently found in advanced metastatic ovarian cancer cells, suggesting its clinical relevance in ovarian cancer metastatic progression. Functionally, BCL2A1 enhanced the foci formation ability of ovarian cancer cells in a stress-conditioned medium, colony formation in an ex vivo omental tumor model, and tumor dissemination in vivo. Under stress conditions, BCL2A1 accumulated and colocalized with mitochondria to suppress intrinsic cell apoptosis by interacting with the BH3-only subfamily BCL2 members HRK/BAD/BID in ovarian cancer cells. These findings indicate that BCL2A1 is an early response factor that maintains the survival of ovarian cancer cells in the harsh tumor microenvironment.
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Albogami SM, Asiri Y, Asiri A, Alnefaie AA, Alnefaie S. Effects of neoadjuvant therapies on genetic regulation of targeted pathways in ER+ primary ductal breast carcinoma: A meta-analysis of microarray datasets. Saudi Pharm J 2021; 29:656-669. [PMID: 34400859 PMCID: PMC8347676 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsps.2021.04.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer arises as a result of multiple interactions between environmental and genetic factors. Conventionally, breast cancer is treated based on histopathological and clinical features. DNA technologies like the human genome microarray are now partially integrated into clinical practice and are used for developing new "personalized medicines" and "pharmacogenetics" for improving the efficiency and safety of cancer medications. We investigated the effects of four established therapies-for ER+ ductal breast cancer-on the differential gene expression. The therapies included single agent tamoxifen, two-agent docetaxel and capecitabine, or combined three-agents CAF (cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and fluorouracil) and CMF (cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil). Genevestigator 8.1.0 was used to compare five datasets from patients with infiltrating ductal carcinoma, untreated or treated with selected drugs, to those from the healthy control. We identified 74 differentially expressed genes involved in three pathways, i.e., apoptosis (extrinsic and intrinsic), oxidative signaling, and PI3K/Akt signaling. The treatments affected the expression of apoptotic genes (TNFRSF10B [TRAIL], FAS, CASP3/6/7/8, PMAIP1 [NOXA], BNIP3L, BNIP3, BCL2A1, and BCL2), the oxidative stress-related genes (NOX4, XDH, MAOA, GSR, GPX3, and SOD3), and the PI3K/Akt pathway gene (ERBB2 [HER2]). Breast cancer treatments are complex with varying drug responses and efficacy among patients. This necessitates identifying novel biomarkers for predicting the drug response, using available data and new technologies. GSR, NOX4, CASP3, and ERBB2 are potential biomarkers for predicting the treatment response in primary ER+ ductal breast carcinoma.
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Key Words
- BC, breast cancer
- Bax, Bcl-2-associated X
- Bcl2, B-cell lymphoma 2
- CAF, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and fluorouracil
- CASP3
- CMF, cyclophosphamide, methotrexate, and fluorouracil
- Chemotherapy
- DC, docetaxel and capecitabine
- ER+ ductal carcinoma
- ER, estrogen receptor
- ERBB2 (HER2)
- FC, fold-change
- FU, fluorouracil
- GSR
- H2O2, hydrogen peroxide
- HER2, human epidermal growth factor 2
- IGF-1, insulin-like growth factor-1
- NOX4
- OH●, hydroxyl radical
- PI3K/Akt, phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/protein kinase B
- PM, personalized medicine
- PR, progesterone receptor
- PRISMA, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses
- ROS, reactive oxygen species
- TGF-α/β, transforming growth factor alpha/beta
- TMX, tamoxifen
- TS, thymidylate synthase
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah M. Albogami
- Department of Biotechnology, College of Science, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Yousif Asiri
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
| | - Abdulaziz Asiri
- Pharmaceutical Care Division, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, P.O. Box 3354, MBC#11, Riyadh 11211, Saudi Arabia
| | - Alaa A. Alnefaie
- International Medical Center Hospital, P.O. Box 953, Jeddah 21423, Saudi Arabia
| | - Sahar Alnefaie
- Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Taif University, P.O. Box 11099, Taif 21944, Saudi Arabia
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Li X, Dou J, You Q, Jiang Z. Inhibitors of BCL2A1/Bfl-1 protein: Potential stock in cancer therapy. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 220:113539. [PMID: 34034128 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113539] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 04/23/2021] [Accepted: 05/09/2021] [Indexed: 02/09/2023]
Abstract
The Bcl-2 family members rigorously regulate cell endogenous apoptosis, and targeting anti-apoptotic members is a hot topic in design of anti-cancer drugs. At present, FDA and EMA have approved Bcl-2 inhibitor Venetoclax (ABT-199) for treating chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). However, inhibitors of anti-apoptotic protein BCL2A1/Bfl-1 have not been vigorously developed, and no molecule with ideal activity and selectivity has been found yet. Here we review the biological function and protein structure of Bfl-1, discuss the therapeutic potential and list the currently reported inhibitory peptides and small molecules. This will provide a reference for Bfl-1 targeting drug discovery in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xue Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Junwei Dou
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Qidong You
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Zhengyu Jiang
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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Fairlie WD, Lee EF. Co-Operativity between MYC and BCL-2 Pro-Survival Proteins in Cancer. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22062841. [PMID: 33799592 PMCID: PMC8000576 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22062841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2021] [Accepted: 03/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
B-Cell Lymphoma 2 (BCL-2), c-MYC and related proteins are arguably amongst the most widely studied in all of biology. Every year there are thousands of papers reporting on different aspects of their biochemistry, cellular and physiological mechanisms and functions. This plethora of literature can be attributed to both proteins playing essential roles in the normal functioning of a cell, and by extension a whole organism, but also due to their central role in disease, most notably, cancer. Many cancers arise due to genetic lesions resulting in deregulation of both proteins, and indeed the development and survival of tumours is often dependent on co-operativity between these protein families. In this review we will discuss the individual roles of both proteins in cancer, describe cancers where co-operativity between them has been well-characterised and finally, some strategies to target these proteins therapeutically.
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Affiliation(s)
- Walter Douglas Fairlie
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia;
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3084, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3084, Australia
| | - Erinna F. Lee
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC 3084, Australia;
- School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC 3084, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Genetics, La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3084, Australia
- Correspondence:
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Liu SR, Yang X, Qi L, Zhu Z, Ji YZ. SMARCA4 promotes benign skin malignant transformation into melanoma through Adherens junction signal transduction. Clin Transl Oncol 2021; 23:591-600. [PMID: 32720055 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-020-02453-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 07/04/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Melanoma is a malignant skin tumor, and its incidence is rising. To explore the specific differences in benign and malignant melanoma at the genetic level, we performed a series of bioinformatics analyses, including differential gene analysis, co-expression analysis, enrichment analysis, and regulatory prediction. METHODS The microarray data of benign and malignant melanocytes were downloaded from GEO, and 1917 differential genes were obtained by differential analysis (p < 0.05). Weighted gene co-expression network analysis obtained three functional barrier modules. The essential genes of each module are SMARTA4, HECA, and C1R. RESULTS The results of the enrichment analysis showed that the dysfunctional module gene was mainly associated with RNA splicing and Adherens junction. Through the pivotal analysis of ncRNA, it was found that miR-448, miR-152-3p, and miR-302b-3p essentially regulate three modules, which we consider to be critical regulators. In the pivot analysis of TF, more control modules include ARID3A, E2F1, E2F3, and E2F8. CONCLUSIONS We believe that the regulator (miR-448, miR-152-3p, miR-302b-3p) regulates the expression of the core gene SMARCA4, which in turn affects the signal transduction of the Adherens junction. It eventually leads to the deterioration of benign skin spasms into melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- S-R Liu
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, No.218 Ziqiang Street, Nanguan District, Changchun, 130041, Jilin, People's Republic of China
| | - X Yang
- Department of Urology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, Jilin, People's Republic of China
| | - L Qi
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, No.218 Ziqiang Street, Nanguan District, Changchun, 130041, Jilin, People's Republic of China
| | - Z Zhu
- Department of Hand Surgery, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, 130041, Jilin, People's Republic of China
| | - Y-Z Ji
- Department of Dermatology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, No.218 Ziqiang Street, Nanguan District, Changchun, 130041, Jilin, People's Republic of China.
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Trisciuoglio D, Del Bufalo D. New insights into the roles of antiapoptotic members of the Bcl-2 family in melanoma progression and therapy. Drug Discov Today 2021; 26:1126-1135. [PMID: 33545382 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2021.01.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2020] [Revised: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 01/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Prosurvival and antiapoptotic B cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2) family proteins are often overexpressed in cutaneous melanoma, one of the most aggressive types of human cancer. They are also implicated in resistance to therapy and participate in melanoma progression by regulating various processes, including cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and crosstalk with the tumor microenvironment. In this review, we summarize recent findings related to prosurvival members of the Bcl-2 family beyond their canonical functions in the apoptotic pathway, mainly focusing on their potential roles as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in cutaneous melanoma. We also provide an overview of different approaches used to inhibit Bcl-2 proteins in preclinical and clinical studies, which are mainly based on the inhibition of protein expression or the disruption of their antiapoptotic functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniela Trisciuoglio
- Preclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Via Elio Chianesi 53, Rome, Italy; Institute of Molecular Biology and Pathology, National Research Council, via degli Apuli 4, 00185, Rome, Italy.
| | - Donatella Del Bufalo
- Preclinical Models and New Therapeutic Agents Unit, IRCCS Regina Elena National Cancer Institute, Via Elio Chianesi 53, Rome, Italy.
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Targeting Bfl-1 via acute CDK9 inhibition overcomes intrinsic BH3-mimetic resistance in lymphomas. Blood 2020; 137:2947-2957. [PMID: 33259592 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2020008528] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
BH3 mimetics like venetoclax target prosurvival Bcl-2 family proteins and are important therapeutics in the treatment of hematological malignancies. We demonstrate that endogenous Bfl-1 expression can render preclinical lymphoma tumor models insensitive to Mcl-1 and Bcl-2 inhibitors. However, suppression of Bfl-1 alone was insufficient to fully induce apoptosis in Bfl-1-expressing lymphomas, highlighting the need for targeting additional prosurvival proteins in this context. Importantly, we demonstrated that cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) inhibitors rapidly downregulate both Bfl-1 and Mcl-1, inducing apoptosis in BH3-mimetic-resistant lymphoma cell lines in vitro and driving in vivo tumor regressions in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patient-derived xenograft models expressing Bfl-1. These data underscore the need to clinically develop CDK9 inhibitors, like AZD4573, for the treatment of lymphomas using Bfl-1 as a selection biomarker.
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12
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Selective Covalent Targeting of Anti-apoptotic BFL-1 by a Sulfonium-Tethered Peptide. Chembiochem 2020; 22:340-344. [PMID: 32790056 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202000473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2020] [Revised: 08/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Anti-apoptotic B cell lymphoma 2 (BCL-2) family proteins are proven targets for human cancers. Targeting the BH3-binding pockets of these anti-apoptotic proteins could reactivate apoptosis in BCL-2-depedent cancers. BFL-1 is a BCL-2 family protein overexpressed in various chemoresistant cancers. A unique cysteine at the binding interface of the BH3 and BFL-1 was previously proven to be an intriguing targeting site to irreversibly inhibit BFL-1 functions with stabilized cyclic peptide bearing a covalent warhead. Recently, we developed a sulfonium-tethered peptide cyclization strategy to construct peptide ligands that could selectively and efficiently react with the cysteine(s) of target proteins near the interacting interface. Using this method, we constructed a BFL-1 peptide inhibitor, B4-MC, that could selectively conjugate with BFL-1 both in vitro and in cell. B4-MC showed good cellular uptake, colocalized with BFL-1 on mitochondria, and showed obvious growth inhibition of BFL-1 over-expressed cancer cell lines.
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13
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Proto MC, Fiore D, Forte G, Cuozzo P, Ramunno A, Fattorusso C, Gazzerro P, Pascale M, Franceschelli S. Tetra-substituted pyrrole derivatives act as potent activators of p53 in melanoma cells. Invest New Drugs 2020; 38:634-649. [PMID: 31240514 DOI: 10.1007/s10637-019-00813-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2019] [Accepted: 06/06/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023]
Abstract
Cutaneous melanoma, the most aggressive form of skin cancer, is characterized by activating BRAF mutations. Despite the initial success of selective BRAF inhibitors, only few patients exhibited complete responses, whereas many showed disease progression. Melanoma is one of the few types of cancer in which p53 is not frequently mutated, but p53 inactivation can be indirectly achieved by a stable activation of MDM2 induced by a deletion in CDKN2A (Cyclin Dependent Kinase Inhibitor 2A) locus, encoding for p16INK4A and p14ARF, two tumor suppressor genes. In this study, we tested the efficacy of the previously synthesized tetra-substituted pyrrole derivatives, 8 g, 8 h and 8i, in melanoma cell lines, and we compared the effects of the most active of these, the 8i compound, with that exerted by Nutlin 3, a well-known inhibitor of p53-MDM2 interaction. The obtained results showed that 8i potentiates the inhibitory effect of Nutlin 3 and the combined use of 8i and Nutlin 3 triggers apoptosis and significantly impairs melanoma viability. Finally, the 8i compound reduces p53-MDM2 interaction and induces p53-HSP90 complex formation, suggesting that the observed raise in p53 transcriptional activity could be mediated by HSP90. Because the main feature of melanoma is the resistance to most chemotherapeutics, our studies suggest that the 8i tetra-substituted pyrrole derivative, restoring p53 functions and its transcriptional activities, may have potential application, at least as adjuvant, in the treatment of human melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Donatella Fiore
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Giovanni Forte
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Paola Cuozzo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Anna Ramunno
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | | | | | - Maria Pascale
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, Fisciano, SA, Italy
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14
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Tseng HY, Dreyer J, Emran AA, Gunatilake D, Pirozyan M, Cullinane C, Dutton-Regester K, Rizos H, Hayward NK, McArthur G, Hersey P, Tiffen J, Gallagher S. Co-targeting bromodomain and extra-terminal proteins and MCL1 induces synergistic cell death in melanoma. Int J Cancer 2020; 147:2176-2189. [PMID: 32249419 DOI: 10.1002/ijc.33000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The treatment of melanoma has been markedly improved by the introduction of targeted therapies and checkpoint blockade immunotherapy. Unfortunately, resistance to these therapies remains a limitation. Novel anticancer therapeutics targeting the MCL1 anti-apoptotic protein have shown impressive responses in haematological cancers but are yet to be evaluated in melanoma. To assess the sensitivity of melanoma to new MCL1 inhibitors, we measured the response of 51 melanoma cell lines to the novel MCL1 inhibitor, S63845. Additionally, we assessed combination of this drug with inhibitors of the bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) protein family of epigenetic readers, which we postulated would assist MCL1 inhibition by downregulating anti-apoptotic targets regulated by NF-kB such as BCLXL, BCL2A1 and XIAP, and by upregulating pro-apoptotic proteins including BIM and NOXA. Only 14% of melanoma cell lines showed sensitivity to S63845, however, combination of S63845 and I-BET151 induced highly synergistic apoptotic cell death in all melanoma lines tested and in an in vivo xenograft model. Cell death was dependent on caspases and BAX/BAK. Although the combination of drugs increased the BH3-only protein, BIM, and downregulated anti-apoptotic proteins such as BCL2A1, the importance of these proteins in inducing cell death varied between cell lines. ABT-199 or ABT-263 inhibitors against BCL2 or BCL2 and BCLXL, respectively, induced further cell death when combined with S63845 and I-BET151. The combination of MCL1 and BET inhibition appears to be a promising therapeutic approach for metastatic melanoma, and presents opportunities to add further BCL2 family inhibitors to overcome treatment resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hsin-Yi Tseng
- Melanoma Immunology and Oncology, The Centenary Institute, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.,Melanoma Institute Australia, Wollstonecraft, New South Wales, Australia.,Central Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jan Dreyer
- Melanoma Immunology and Oncology, The Centenary Institute, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Abdullah Al Emran
- Melanoma Immunology and Oncology, The Centenary Institute, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.,Melanoma Institute Australia, Wollstonecraft, New South Wales, Australia.,Central Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Dilini Gunatilake
- Melanoma Immunology and Oncology, The Centenary Institute, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.,Melanoma Institute Australia, Wollstonecraft, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Mehdi Pirozyan
- Melanoma Immunology and Oncology, The Centenary Institute, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.,Melanoma Institute Australia, Wollstonecraft, New South Wales, Australia.,Central Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Carleen Cullinane
- Translational Research Laboratory, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.,Oncogenic Signalling and Growth Control Program, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Ken Dutton-Regester
- Melanoma Institute Australia, Wollstonecraft, New South Wales, Australia.,Oncogenomics Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Helen Rizos
- Melanoma Institute Australia, Wollstonecraft, New South Wales, Australia.,Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Macquarie University, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Nicholas K Hayward
- Melanoma Institute Australia, Wollstonecraft, New South Wales, Australia.,Oncogenomics Laboratory, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | - Grant McArthur
- Department of Cancer Medicine, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Peter Hersey
- Melanoma Immunology and Oncology, The Centenary Institute, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.,Melanoma Institute Australia, Wollstonecraft, New South Wales, Australia.,Central Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Jessamy Tiffen
- Melanoma Immunology and Oncology, The Centenary Institute, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.,Melanoma Institute Australia, Wollstonecraft, New South Wales, Australia.,Central Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Stuart Gallagher
- Melanoma Immunology and Oncology, The Centenary Institute, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia.,Melanoma Institute Australia, Wollstonecraft, New South Wales, Australia.,Central Clinical School, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, New South Wales, Australia
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15
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Kump KJ, Miao L, Mady ASA, Ansari NH, Shrestha UK, Yang Y, Pal M, Liao C, Perdih A, Abulwerdi FA, Chinnaswamy K, Meagher JL, Carlson JM, Khanna M, Stuckey JA, Nikolovska-Coleska Z. Discovery and Characterization of 2,5-Substituted Benzoic Acid Dual Inhibitors of the Anti-apoptotic Mcl-1 and Bfl-1 Proteins. J Med Chem 2020; 63:2489-2510. [PMID: 31971799 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01442] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins are overexpressed in a wide spectrum of cancers and have become well validated therapeutic targets. Cancer cells display survival dependence on individual or subsets of anti-apoptotic proteins that could be effectively targeted by multimodal inhibitors. We designed a 2,5-substituted benzoic acid scaffold that displayed equipotent binding to Mcl-1 and Bfl-1. Structure-based design was guided by several solved cocrystal structures with Mcl-1, leading to the development of compound 24, which binds both Mcl-1 and Bfl-1 with Ki values of 100 nM and shows appreciable selectivity over Bcl-2/Bcl-xL. The selective binding profile of 24 was translated to on-target cellular activity in model lymphoma cell lines. These studies lay a foundation for developing more advanced dual Mcl-1/Bfl-1 inhibitors that have potential to provide greater single agent efficacy and broader coverage to combat resistance in several types of cancer than selective Mcl-1 inhibitors alone.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Andrej Perdih
- National Institute of Chemistry, Ljubljana 1000, Slovenia
| | | | | | | | - Jacob M Carlson
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85724, United States.,Center for Innovation in Brain Science, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
| | - May Khanna
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Medicine, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85724, United States.,Center for Innovation in Brain Science, Tucson, Arizona 85721, United States
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16
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Baggio C, Udompholkul P, Gambini L, Jossart J, Salem AF, Håkansson M, Perry JJP, Pellecchia M. N-locking stabilization of covalent helical peptides: Application to Bfl-1 antagonists. Chem Biol Drug Des 2020; 95:412-426. [PMID: 31898401 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.13661] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2019] [Revised: 12/16/2019] [Accepted: 12/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Recently, it was reported that tetrapeptides cyclized via lactam bond between the amino terminus and a glutamic residue in position 4 (termed here N-lock) can nucleate helix formation in longer peptides. We applied such strategy to derive N-locked covalent BH3 peptides that were designed to selectively target the anti-apoptotic protein Bfl-1. The resulting agents were soluble in aqueous buffer and displayed a remarkable (low nanomolar) affinity for Bfl-1 and cellular activity. The crystal structure of the complex between such N-locked covalent peptide and Bfl-1 provided insights on the geometry of the N-locking strategy and of the covalent bond between the agent and Bfl-1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Baggio
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Parima Udompholkul
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Luca Gambini
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Jennifer Jossart
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Ahmed F Salem
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | | | - J Jefferson P Perry
- Department of Biochemistry, College of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
| | - Maurizio Pellecchia
- Division of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, USA
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17
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Leverson JD. A New Staple: Peptide-Targeted Covalent Inhibitors. Cell Chem Biol 2019; 23:1043-1044. [PMID: 27662249 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2016.09.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Huhn et al. (2016) unveil a clever strategy for selectively and irreversibly inhibiting an anti-apoptotic protein, BFL-1. The authors describe stapled peptides bearing carefully placed electrophiles that target a unique cysteine residue in BFL-1 via covalent modification, thus representing an extension of the stapled peptide concept into the covalent inhibitor space.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel D Leverson
- Oncology Development, AbbVie, Inc., 1 Waukegan Road, North Chicago, IL 60064, USA.
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18
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Lee EF, Harris TJ, Tran S, Evangelista M, Arulananda S, John T, Ramnac C, Hobbs C, Zhu H, Gunasingh G, Segal D, Behren A, Cebon J, Dobrovic A, Mariadason JM, Strasser A, Rohrbeck L, Haass NK, Herold MJ, Fairlie WD. BCL-XL and MCL-1 are the key BCL-2 family proteins in melanoma cell survival. Cell Death Dis 2019; 10:342. [PMID: 31019203 PMCID: PMC6482196 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-019-1568-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 109] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/12/2018] [Revised: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 04/02/2019] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Malignant melanoma is one of the most difficult cancers to treat due to its resistance to chemotherapy. Despite recent successes with BRAF inhibitors and immune checkpoint inhibitors, many patients do not respond or become resistant to these drugs. Hence, alternative treatments are still required. Due to the importance of the BCL-2-regulated apoptosis pathway in cancer development and drug resistance, it is of interest to establish which proteins are most important for melanoma cell survival, though the outcomes of previous studies have been conflicting. To conclusively address this question, we tested a panel of established and early passage patient-derived cell lines against several BH3-mimetic drugs designed to target individual or subsets of pro-survival BCL-2 proteins, alone and in combination, in both 2D and 3D cell cultures. None of the drugs demonstrated significant activity as single agents, though combinations targeting MCL-1 plus BCL-XL, and to a lesser extent BCL-2, showed considerable synergistic killing activity that was elicited via both BAX and BAK. Genetic deletion of BFL-1 in cell lines that express it at relatively high levels only had minor impact on BH3-mimetic drug sensitivity, suggesting it is not a critical pro-survival protein in melanoma. Combinations of MCL-1 inhibitors with BRAF inhibitors also caused only minimal additional melanoma cell killing over each drug alone, whilst combinations with the proteasome inhibitor bortezomib was more effective in multiple cell lines. Our data show for the first time that therapies targeting specific combinations of BCL-2 pro-survival proteins, namely MCL-1 plus BCL-XL and MCL-1 plus BCL-2, could have significant benefit for the treatment of melanoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Erinna F Lee
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia. .,Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia. .,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia.
| | - Tiffany J Harris
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia
| | - Sharon Tran
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Marco Evangelista
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia
| | - Surein Arulananda
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Thomas John
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Celeste Ramnac
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Chloe Hobbs
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Haoran Zhu
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.,Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC, 3000, Australia
| | - Gency Gunasingh
- The University of Queensland, The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - David Segal
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Andreas Behren
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Jonathan Cebon
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Alexander Dobrovic
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - John M Mariadason
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia
| | - Andreas Strasser
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - Leona Rohrbeck
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.,Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nikolas K Haass
- The University of Queensland, The University of Queensland Diamantina Institute, Translational Research Institute, Woolloongabba, Brisbane, QLD, 4102, Australia
| | - Marco J Herold
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC, 3052, Australia
| | - W Douglas Fairlie
- La Trobe Institute for Molecular Science, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia. .,Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Heidelberg, VIC, 3084, Australia. .,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, 3086, Australia.
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19
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García-Aranda M, Pérez-Ruiz E, Redondo M. Bcl-2 Inhibition to Overcome Resistance to Chemo- and Immunotherapy. Int J Mol Sci 2018; 19:E3950. [PMID: 30544835 PMCID: PMC6321604 DOI: 10.3390/ijms19123950] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2018] [Revised: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/06/2018] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Abstract: According to the World Health Organization (WHO), cancer is a leading cause of death worldwide. The identification of novel targets for cancer treatment is an area of intense work that has led Bcl-2 over-expression to be proposed as one of the hallmarks of cancer and Bcl-2 inhibition as a promising strategy for cancer treatment. In this review, we describe the different pathways related to programmed cell death, the role of Bcl-2 family members in apoptosis resistance to anti-cancer treatments, and the potential utility of Bcl-2 inhibitors to overcome resistance to chemo- and immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilina García-Aranda
- Research Unit, REDISSEC, Hospital Costa del Sol, Autovía A-7, km 187, 29603 Marbella, Málaga, Spain.
| | - Elisabet Pérez-Ruiz
- Oncology Department, Hospital Costa del Sol, Autovía A-7, km 187, 29603 Marbella, Málaga, Spain.
| | - Maximino Redondo
- Research Unit, REDISSEC, Hospital Costa del Sol, Universidad de Málaga, Autovía A-7 km 187, 29603 Marbella, Málaga, Spain.
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20
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BH3 mimetics induce apoptosis independent of DRP-1 in melanoma. Cell Death Dis 2018; 9:907. [PMID: 30185782 PMCID: PMC6125485 DOI: 10.1038/s41419-018-0932-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2018] [Revised: 06/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/19/2018] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
Despite the recent advancement in treating melanoma, options are still limited for patients without BRAF mutations or in relapse from current treatments. BH3 mimetics against members of the BCL-2 family have gained excitement with the recent success in hematological malignancies. However, single drug BH3 mimetic therapy in melanoma has limited effectiveness due to escape by the anti-apoptotic protein MCL-1 and/or survival of melanoma-initiating cells (MICs). We tested the efficacy of the BH3 mimetic combination of A-1210477 (an MCL-1 inhibitor) and ABT-263 (a BCL-2/BCL-XL/BCL-W inhibitor) in killing melanoma, especially MICs. We also sought to better define Dynamin-Related Protein 1 (DRP-1)'s role in melanoma; DRP-1 is known to interact with members of the BCL-2 family and is a possible therapeutic target for melanoma treatment. We used multiple assays (cell viability, apoptosis, bright field, immunoblot, and sphere formation), as well as the CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing techniques. For clinical relevance, we employed patient samples of different mutation status, including some relapsed from current treatments such as anti-PD-1 immunotherapy. We found the BH3 mimetic combination kill both the MICs and non-MICs (bulk of melanoma) in all cell lines and patient samples irrespective of the mutation status or relapsed state (p < 0.05). Unexpectedly, the major pro-apoptotic proteins, NOXA and BIM, are not necessary for the combination-induced cell death. Furthermore, the combination impedes the activation of DRP-1, and inhibition of DRP-1 further enhances apoptosis (p < 0.05). DRP-1 effects in melanoma differ from those seen in other cancer cells. These results provide new insights into BCL-2 family's regulation of the apoptotic pathway in melanoma, and suggest that inhibiting the major anti-apoptotic proteins is sufficient to induce cell death even without involvement from major pro-apoptotic proteins. Importantly, our study also indicates that DRP-1 inhibition is a promising adjuvant for BH3 mimetics in melanoma treatment.
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21
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TRIM17 and TRIM28 antagonistically regulate the ubiquitination and anti-apoptotic activity of BCL2A1. Cell Death Differ 2018; 26:902-917. [PMID: 30042493 DOI: 10.1038/s41418-018-0169-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2018] [Revised: 06/28/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
BCL2A1 is an anti-apoptotic member of the BCL-2 family that contributes to chemoresistance in a subset of tumors. BCL2A1 has a short half-life due to its constitutive processing by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. This constitutes a major tumor-suppressor mechanism regulating BCL2A1 function. However, the enzymes involved in the regulation of BCL2A1 protein stability are currently unknown. Here, we provide the first insight into the regulation of BCL2A1 ubiquitination. We present evidence that TRIM28 is an E3 ubiquitin-ligase for BCL2A1. Indeed, endogenous TRIM28 and BCL2A1 bind to each other at the mitochondria and TRIM28 knock-down decreases BCL2A1 ubiquitination. We also show that TRIM17 stabilizes BCL2A1 by blocking TRIM28 from binding and ubiquitinating BCL2A1, and that GSK3 is involved in the phosphorylation-mediated inhibition of BCL2A1 degradation. BCL2A1 and its close relative MCL1 are thus regulated by common factors but with opposite outcome. Finally, overexpression of TRIM28 or knock-out of TRIM17 reduced BCLA1 protein levels and restored sensitivity of melanoma cells to BRAF-targeted therapy. Therefore, our data describe a molecular rheostat in which two proteins of the TRIM family antagonistically regulate BCL2A1 stability and modulate cell death.
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22
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Jiang H, Zhu R, Liu H, Bao C, Liu J, Eltahir A, Langford PR, Sun D, Liu Z, Sun C, Gu J, Han W, Feng X, Lei L. Transcriptomic analysis of porcine PBMCs in response to Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae reveals the dynamic changes of differentially expressed genes related to immuno-inflammatory responses. Antonie van Leeuwenhoek 2018; 111:2371-2384. [DOI: 10.1007/s10482-018-1126-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2018] [Accepted: 07/06/2018] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
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23
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Tuzlak S, Haschka MD, Mokina A, Rülicke T, Cory S, Labi V, Villunger A. Differential effects of Vav-promoter-driven overexpression of BCLX and BFL1 on lymphocyte survival and B cell lymphomagenesis. FEBS J 2018; 285:1403-1418. [PMID: 29498802 PMCID: PMC5947286 DOI: 10.1111/febs.14426] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 02/19/2018] [Accepted: 02/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Overexpression of BCLX and BFL1/A1 has been reported in various human malignancies and is associated with poor prognosis and drug resistance, identifying these prosurvival BCL2 family members as putative drug targets. We have generated transgenic mice that express human BFL1 or human BCLX protein throughout the haematopoietic system under the control of the Vav gene promoter. Haematopoiesis is normal in both the Vav-BFL1 and Vav-BCLX transgenic (TG) mice and susceptibility to spontaneous haematopoietic malignancies is not increased. Lymphoid cells from Vav-BCLX TG mice exhibit increased resistance to apoptosis in vitro while most blood cell types form Vav-BFL1 TG mice were poorly protected. Both transgenes significantly accelerated lymphomagenesis in Eμ-MYC TG mice and, surprisingly, the Vav-BFL1 transgene was the more potent. Unexpectedly, expression of transgenic BFL1 RNA and protein is significantly elevated in B lymphoid cells of Vav-BFL1/Eμ-MYC double-transgenic compared to Vav-BFL1 mice, even during the preleukaemic phase, providing a rationale for the potent synergy. In contrast, Vav-BCLX expression was not notably different. These mouse models of BFL1 and BCLX overexpression in lymphomas should be useful tools for the testing the efficacy of novel human BFL1- and BCLX-specific inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Selma Tuzlak
- Division of Developmental ImmunologyBiocenterMedical University of InnsbruckAustria
| | - Manuel D. Haschka
- Division of Developmental ImmunologyBiocenterMedical University of InnsbruckAustria
| | - Anna‐Maria Mokina
- Division of Developmental ImmunologyBiocenterMedical University of InnsbruckAustria
| | - Thomas Rülicke
- Institute of Laboratory Animal ScienceUniversity of Veterinary Medicine ViennaAustria
| | - Suzanne Cory
- Molecular Genetics of Cancer DivisionThe Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical ResearchMelbourneVic.Australia
- Department of Medical BiologyThe University of MelbourneVic.Australia
| | - Verena Labi
- Division of Developmental ImmunologyBiocenterMedical University of InnsbruckAustria
| | - Andreas Villunger
- Division of Developmental ImmunologyBiocenterMedical University of InnsbruckAustria
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24
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D de Araujo A, Lim J, Wu KC, Xiang Y, Good AC, Skerlj R, Fairlie DP. Bicyclic Helical Peptides as Dual Inhibitors Selective for Bcl2A1 and Mcl-1 Proteins. J Med Chem 2018; 61:2962-2972. [PMID: 29584430 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b00010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
A 26-residue peptide BimBH3 binds indiscriminately to multiple oncogenic Bcl2 proteins that regulate apoptosis of cancer cells. Specific inhibition of the BimBH3-Bcl2A1 protein-protein interaction was obtained in vitro and in cancer cells by shortening the peptide to 14 residues, inserting two cyclization constraints to stabilize a water-stable α-helix, and incorporating an N-terminal acrylamide electrophile for selective covalent bonding to Bcl2A1. Mass spectrometry of trypsin-digested bands on electrophoresis gels established covalent bonding of an electrophilic helix to just one of the three cysteines in Bcl2A1, the one (Cys55) at the BimBH3-Bcl2A1 protein-protein interaction interface. Optimizing the helix-inducing constraints and the sequence subsequently enabled electrophile removal without loss of inhibitor potency. The bicyclic helical peptides were potent, cell permeable, plasma-stable, dual inhibitors of Bcl2A1 and Mcl-1 with high selectivity over other Bcl2 proteins. One bicyclic peptide was shown to inhibit the interaction between a pro-apoptotic protein (Bim) and either endogenous Bcl2A1 or Mcl-1, to induce apoptosis of SKMel28 human melanoma cells, and to sensitize them for enhanced cell death by the anticancer drug etoposide. These approaches look promising for chemically silencing intracellular proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline D de Araujo
- Division of Chemistry and Structural Biology, ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging , Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Queensland 4072 , Australia
| | - Junxian Lim
- Division of Chemistry and Structural Biology, ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging , Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Queensland 4072 , Australia
| | - Kai-Chen Wu
- Division of Chemistry and Structural Biology, ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging , Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Queensland 4072 , Australia
| | - Yibin Xiang
- Noliva Therapeutics LLC , Newton , Massachusetts 02465 , United States
| | - Andrew C Good
- Noliva Therapeutics LLC , Newton , Massachusetts 02465 , United States
| | - Renato Skerlj
- Noliva Therapeutics LLC , Newton , Massachusetts 02465 , United States
| | - David P Fairlie
- Division of Chemistry and Structural Biology, ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging , Institute for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland , Brisbane , Queensland 4072 , Australia
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25
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Tian K, Qi W, Yan Q, Zhang F, Song D, Zhang H, Lv M. Combined analysis of ChIP-seq and gene microarray datasets identify the E2-mediated genes in ERα-dependent manner in osteosarcoma. Oncol Rep 2017; 38:2335-2342. [PMID: 28849169 DOI: 10.3892/or.2017.5914] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2017] [Accepted: 08/11/2017] [Indexed: 11/05/2022] Open
Abstract
Osteosarcoma is a common bone tumor which is affected by E2, the most representative estrogen. Gene regulation function of E2 is highly dependent on estrogen receptor. The purpose of this study was to explore the gene regulation patterns of E2 through estrogen receptor α (ESR1) in osteosarcoma based on the combined analysis of ChIP-seq and gene microarray. All of the datasets were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Differential expression genes (DEGs) in E2 treated U2OS cells expressing ESR1 (U2OS-ERα) compared with those treated with vehicle were obtained based on R programming software. ESR1-specific binding sites (peaks) in E2 treated U2OS cells were identified through MACS. Overlaps between DEGs and ESR1 target genes which contained peaks in promoters were considered as reliable E2-mediated genes through ESR1 in osteosarcoma. Moreover, we conducted miRNA-Gene regulation analysis for those genes through miRWalk database to identify potential therapeutic targets for the genes. Functional enrichment analysis of DEGs indicated their potential involvement in cancer, and cell activity-related processes. Fifteen overlaps were identified between DEGs and target genes of ESR1, of which 12 were found to be regulated by miRNA. Several known estrogen response genes and novel genes were obtained in this study and they might provide potential therapeutic targets for osteosarcoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kangsong Tian
- Trauma Department of Orthopedics, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, Shandong 255036, P.R. China
| | - Wei Qi
- Trauma Department of Orthopedics, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, Shandong 255036, P.R. China
| | - Qian Yan
- Trauma Department of Orthopedics, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, Shandong 255036, P.R. China
| | - Feng Zhang
- Trauma Department of Orthopedics, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, Shandong 255036, P.R. China
| | - Delei Song
- Trauma Department of Orthopedics, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, Shandong 255036, P.R. China
| | - Haiyang Zhang
- Microscopic Department of Orthopedics, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, Shandong 255036, P.R. China
| | - Ming Lv
- Trauma Department of Orthopedics, Zibo Central Hospital, Zibo, Shandong 255036, P.R. China
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26
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Barile E, Marconi GD, De SK, Baggio C, Gambini L, Salem AF, Kashyap MK, Castro JE, Kipps TJ, Pellecchia M. hBfl-1/hNOXA Interaction Studies Provide New Insights on the Role of Bfl-1 in Cancer Cell Resistance and for the Design of Novel Anticancer Agents. ACS Chem Biol 2017; 12:444-455. [PMID: 28026162 PMCID: PMC5320539 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.6b00962] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Upregulation of antiapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins in certain tumors confers cancer cell resistance to chemotherapy or radiations. Members of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 proteins, including Bcl-2, Mcl-1, Bcl-xL, Bcl-w, and Bfl-1, inhibit apoptosis by selectively binding to conserved α-helical regions, named BH3 domains, of pro-apoptotic proteins such as Bim, tBid, Bad, or NOXA. Five antiapoptotic proteins have been identified that interact with various selectivity with BH3 containing pro-apoptotic counterparts. Cancer cells present various and variable levels of these proteins, making the design of effective apoptosis based therapeutics challenging. Recently, BH3 profiling was introduced as a method to classify cancer cells based on their ability to resist apoptosis following exposure to selected BH3 peptides. However, these studies were based on binding affinities measured with model BH3 peptides and Bcl-2-proteins taken from mouse sequences. While the majority of these interactions are conserved between mice and humans, we found surprisingly that human NOXA binds to human Bfl-1 potently and covalently via conserved Cys residues, with over 2 orders of magnitude increased affinity over hMcl-1. Our data suggest that some assumptions of the original BH3 profiling need to be revisited and that perhaps further targeting efforts should be redirected toward Bfl-1, for which no suitable specific inhibitors or pharmacological tools have been reported. In this regard, we also describe the initial design and characterizations of novel covalent BH3-based agents that potently target Bfl-1. These molecules could provide a novel platform on which to design effective Bfl-1 targeting therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elisa Barile
- Division of Biomedical
Sciences, School of Medicine, University
of California, Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Guya D. Marconi
- Division of Biomedical
Sciences, School of Medicine, University
of California, Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Surya K. De
- Division of Biomedical
Sciences, School of Medicine, University
of California, Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Carlo Baggio
- Division of Biomedical
Sciences, School of Medicine, University
of California, Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Luca Gambini
- Division of Biomedical
Sciences, School of Medicine, University
of California, Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Ahmed F. Salem
- Division of Biomedical
Sciences, School of Medicine, University
of California, Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Manoj K. Kashyap
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- CLL Research
Consortium, and Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Januario E. Castro
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- CLL Research
Consortium, and Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Thomas J. Kipps
- Moores Cancer Center, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
- CLL Research
Consortium, and Department of Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California 92093, United States
| | - Maurizio Pellecchia
- Division of Biomedical
Sciences, School of Medicine, University
of California, Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, California 92521, United States
- Phone: (951)-827-7829. E-mail:
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27
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de Araujo AD, Lim J, Good AC, Skerlj RT, Fairlie DP. Electrophilic Helical Peptides That Bond Covalently, Irreversibly, and Selectively in a Protein-Protein Interaction Site. ACS Med Chem Lett 2017; 8:22-26. [PMID: 28105269 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.6b00395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2016] [Accepted: 11/15/2016] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions mediate most physiological and disease processes. Helix-constrained peptides potently mimic or inhibit these interactions by making multiple contacts over large surface areas. However, despite high affinities, they typically have short lifetimes bound to the protein. Here we insert both a helix-inducing constraint and an adjacent electrophile into the native peptide ligand BIM to target the oncogenic protein Bcl2A1. The modified BIM peptide bonds covalently and irreversibly to one cysteine within the helix-binding groove of Bcl2A1, but not to two other exposed cysteines on its surface, and shows no covalent bonding to other Bcl2 proteins. It also penetrates cell membranes and bonds covalently to Bcl2A1 inside cells. This innovative approach to increasing receptor residence time of helical peptides demonstrates the potential to selectively silence a PPI inside cells, with selectivity over other nucleophilic sites on proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aline Dantas de Araujo
- Division of Chemistry
and Structural Biology, Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research
and ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Institute
for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Junxian Lim
- Division of Chemistry
and Structural Biology, Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research
and ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Institute
for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Andrew C. Good
- Noliva Therapeutics, Newton, Massachusetts 02465, United States
| | | | - David P. Fairlie
- Division of Chemistry
and Structural Biology, Centre for Inflammation and Disease Research
and ARC Centre of Excellence in Advanced Molecular Imaging, Institute
for Molecular Bioscience, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia
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28
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Jenson JM, Ryan JA, Grant RA, Letai A, Keating AE. Epistatic mutations in PUMA BH3 drive an alternate binding mode to potently and selectively inhibit anti-apoptotic Bfl-1. eLife 2017; 6:e25541. [PMID: 28594323 PMCID: PMC5464773 DOI: 10.7554/elife.25541] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2017] [Accepted: 05/16/2017] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Overexpression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins contributes to cancer progression and confers resistance to chemotherapy. Small molecules that target Bcl-2 are used in the clinic to treat leukemia, but tight and selective inhibitors are not available for Bcl-2 paralog Bfl-1. Guided by computational analysis, we designed variants of the native BH3 motif PUMA that are > 150-fold selective for Bfl-1 binding. The designed peptides potently trigger disruption of the mitochondrial outer membrane in cells dependent on Bfl-1, but not in cells dependent on other anti-apoptotic homologs. High-resolution crystal structures show that designed peptide FS2 binds Bfl-1 in a shifted geometry, relative to PUMA and other binding partners, due to a set of epistatic mutations. FS2 modified with an electrophile reacts with a cysteine near the peptide-binding groove to augment specificity. Designed Bfl-1 binders provide reagents for cellular profiling and leads for developing enhanced and cell-permeable peptide or small-molecule inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Justin M Jenson
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
| | - Jeremy A Ryan
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, United States
| | - Robert A Grant
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States
| | - Anthony Letai
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, United States
| | - Amy E Keating
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States,Department of Biology, Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, United States,
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29
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Berger S, Procko E, Margineantu D, Lee EF, Shen BW, Zelter A, Silva DA, Chawla K, Herold MJ, Garnier JM, Johnson R, MacCoss MJ, Lessene G, Davis TN, Stayton PS, Stoddard BL, Fairlie WD, Hockenbery DM, Baker D. Computationally designed high specificity inhibitors delineate the roles of BCL2 family proteins in cancer. eLife 2016; 5. [PMID: 27805565 PMCID: PMC5127641 DOI: 10.7554/elife.20352] [Citation(s) in RCA: 58] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/04/2016] [Accepted: 11/01/2016] [Indexed: 01/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Many cancers overexpress one or more of the six human pro-survival BCL2 family proteins to evade apoptosis. To determine which BCL2 protein or proteins block apoptosis in different cancers, we computationally designed three-helix bundle protein inhibitors specific for each BCL2 pro-survival protein. Following in vitro optimization, each inhibitor binds its target with high picomolar to low nanomolar affinity and at least 300-fold specificity. Expression of the designed inhibitors in human cancer cell lines revealed unique dependencies on BCL2 proteins for survival which could not be inferred from other BCL2 profiling methods. Our results show that designed inhibitors can be generated for each member of a closely-knit protein family to probe the importance of specific protein-protein interactions in complex biological processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stephanie Berger
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Erik Procko
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, United States.,Department of Biochemistry, University of Illinois, Urbana, United States
| | - Daciana Margineantu
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States.,Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States
| | - Erinna F Lee
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, LaTrobe Institute for Molecular Science, Melbourne, Australia.,Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre, Heidelberg, Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.,The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Betty W Shen
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States
| | - Alex Zelter
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Daniel-Adriano Silva
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, United States.,Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Kusum Chawla
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States.,Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States
| | - Marco J Herold
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Jean-Marc Garnier
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Richard Johnson
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Michael J MacCoss
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Guillaume Lessene
- The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia.,Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - Trisha N Davis
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Patrick S Stayton
- Department of Bioengineering, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
| | - Barry L Stoddard
- Basic Sciences Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States
| | - W Douglas Fairlie
- Department of Chemistry and Physics, LaTrobe Institute for Molecular Science, Melbourne, Australia.,Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre, Heidelberg, Australia.,School of Cancer Medicine, La Trobe University, Melbourne, Australia.,The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, Australia.,Department of Medical Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, Australia
| | - David M Hockenbery
- Clinical Research Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States.,Human Biology Division, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, Seattle, United States
| | - David Baker
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, United States.,Institute for Protein Design, University of Washington, Seattle, United States.,Howard Hughes Medical Institute, University of Washington, Seattle, United States
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30
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Huhn AJ, Guerra RM, Harvey EP, Bird GH, Walensky LD. Selective Covalent Targeting of Anti-Apoptotic BFL-1 by Cysteine-Reactive Stapled Peptide Inhibitors. Cell Chem Biol 2016; 23:1123-1134. [PMID: 27617850 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2016.07.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2016] [Revised: 07/01/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Anti-apoptotic BCL-2 family proteins block cell death by trapping the critical α-helical BH3 domains of pro-apoptotic members in a surface groove. Cancer cells hijack this survival mechanism by overexpressing a spectrum of anti-apoptotic members, mounting formidable apoptotic blockades that resist chemotherapeutic treatment. Drugging the BH3-binding pockets of anti-apoptotic proteins has become a highest-priority goal, fueled by the clinical success of ABT-199, a selective BCL-2 inhibitor, in reactivating apoptosis in BCL-2-dependent cancers. BFL-1 is a BCL-2 homolog implicated in melanoma, lymphoma, and other cancers, and remains undrugged. A natural juxtaposition of two unique cysteines at the binding interface of the NOXA BH3 helix and BFL-1 pocket informed the development of stapled BH3 peptides bearing acrylamide warheads to irreversibly inhibit BFL-1 by covalent targeting. Given the frequent proximity of native cysteines to regulatory binding surfaces, covalent stapled peptide inhibitors provide a new therapeutic strategy for targeting pathologic protein interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annissa J Huhn
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and the Linde Program in Cancer Chemical Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Rachel M Guerra
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and the Linde Program in Cancer Chemical Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Edward P Harvey
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and the Linde Program in Cancer Chemical Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Gregory H Bird
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and the Linde Program in Cancer Chemical Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Loren D Walensky
- Department of Pediatric Oncology and the Linde Program in Cancer Chemical Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
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31
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Lee M, Wiedemann T, Gross C, Leinhäuser I, Roncaroli F, Braren R, Pellegata NS. Targeting PI3K/mTOR Signaling Displays Potent Antitumor Efficacy against Nonfunctioning Pituitary Adenomas. Clin Cancer Res 2015; 21:3204-15. [DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-15-0288] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/04/2015] [Accepted: 03/27/2015] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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32
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Correia C, Lee SH, Meng XW, Vincelette ND, Knorr KLB, Ding H, Nowakowski GS, Dai H, Kaufmann SH. Emerging understanding of Bcl-2 biology: Implications for neoplastic progression and treatment. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA-MOLECULAR CELL RESEARCH 2015; 1853:1658-71. [PMID: 25827952 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbamcr.2015.03.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 112] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2015] [Revised: 03/20/2015] [Accepted: 03/22/2015] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Bcl-2, the founding member of a family of apoptotic regulators, was initially identified as the protein product of a gene that is translocated and overexpressed in greater than 85% of follicular lymphomas (FLs). Thirty years later we now understand that anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members modulate the intrinsic apoptotic pathway by binding and neutralizing the mitochondrial permeabilizers Bax and Bak as well as a variety of pro-apoptotic proteins, including the cellular stress sensors Bim, Bid, Puma, Bad, Bmf and Noxa. Despite extensive investigation of all of these proteins, important questions remain. For example, how Bax and Bak breach the outer mitochondrial membrane remains poorly understood. Likewise, how the functions of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 family members such as eponymous Bcl-2 are affected by phosphorylation or cancer-associated mutations has been incompletely defined. Finally, whether Bcl-2 family members can be successfully targeted for therapeutic advantage is only now being investigated in the clinic. Here we review recent advances in understanding Bcl-2 family biology and biochemistry that begin to address these questions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cristina Correia
- Division of Oncology Research, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Sun-Hee Lee
- Division of Oncology Research, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - X Wei Meng
- Division of Oncology Research, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Nicole D Vincelette
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Katherine L B Knorr
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Husheng Ding
- Division of Oncology Research, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Grzegorz S Nowakowski
- Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA
| | - Haiming Dai
- Division of Oncology Research, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
| | - Scott H Kaufmann
- Division of Oncology Research, Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA; Division of Hematology, Department of Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
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