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Yang Y, Mou Y, Wan LX, Zhu S, Wang G, Gao H, Liu B. Rethinking therapeutic strategies of dual-target drugs: An update on pharmacological small-molecule compounds in cancer. Med Res Rev 2024; 44:2600-2623. [PMID: 38769656 DOI: 10.1002/med.22057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/15/2022] [Revised: 06/06/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/22/2024]
Abstract
Oncogenes and tumor suppressors are well-known to orchestrate several signaling cascades, regulate extracellular and intracellular stimuli, and ultimately control the fate of cancer cells. Accumulating evidence has recently revealed that perturbation of these key modulators by mutations or abnormal protein expressions are closely associated with drug resistance in cancer therapy; however, the inherent drug resistance or compensatory mechanism remains to be clarified for targeted drug discovery. Thus, dual-target drug development has been widely reported to be a promising therapeutic strategy for improving drug efficiency or overcoming resistance mechanisms. In this review, we provide an overview of the therapeutic strategies of dual-target drugs, especially focusing on pharmacological small-molecule compounds in cancer, including small molecules targeting mutation resistance, compensatory mechanisms, synthetic lethality, synergistic effects, and other new emerging strategies. Together, these therapeutic strategies of dual-target drugs would shed light on discovering more novel candidate small-molecule drugs for the future cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yiren Yang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, and Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University/West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Yi Mou
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, and Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University/West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Lin-Xi Wan
- Key Laboratory of Drug-Targeting and Drug Delivery System of the Education Ministry and Sichuan Province, Sichuan Engineering Laboratory for Plant-Sourced Drug and Sichuan Research Center for Drug Precision Industrial Technology, West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Shiou Zhu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, and Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University/West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Guan Wang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, and Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University/West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Huiyuan Gao
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education, School of Traditional Chinese Materia Medica, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang, China
| | - Bo Liu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, and Department of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University/West China School of Nursing, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
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Wu B, Koehler AN, Westcott PMK. New opportunities to overcome T cell dysfunction: the role of transcription factors and how to target them. Trends Biochem Sci 2024:S0968-0004(24)00189-0. [PMID: 39277450 DOI: 10.1016/j.tibs.2024.08.002] [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: 12/20/2023] [Revised: 08/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/14/2024] [Indexed: 09/17/2024]
Abstract
Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapies, which block inhibitory receptors on T cells, can be efficacious in reinvigorating dysfunctional T cell responses. However, most cancers do not respond to these therapies and even in those that respond, tumors can acquire resistance. New strategies are needed to rescue and recruit T cell responses across patient populations and disease states. In this review, we define mechanisms of T cell dysfunction, focusing on key transcription factor (TF) networks. We discuss the complex and sometimes contradictory roles of core TFs in both T cell function and dysfunction. Finally, we review strategies to target TFs using small molecule modulators, which represent a challenging but highly promising opportunity to tune the T cell response toward sustained immunity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bocheng Wu
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
| | - Angela N Koehler
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Cambridge, MA, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA; Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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Wang W, Albadari N, Du Y, Fowler JF, Sang HT, Xian W, McKeon F, Li W, Zhou J, Zhang R. MDM2 Inhibitors for Cancer Therapy: The Past, Present, and Future. Pharmacol Rev 2024; 76:414-453. [PMID: 38697854 PMCID: PMC11068841 DOI: 10.1124/pharmrev.123.001026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/22/2023] [Revised: 11/28/2023] [Accepted: 01/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024] Open
Abstract
Since its discovery over 35 years ago, MDM2 has emerged as an attractive target for the development of cancer therapy. MDM2's activities extend from carcinogenesis to immunity to the response to various cancer therapies. Since the report of the first MDM2 inhibitor more than 30 years ago, various approaches to inhibit MDM2 have been attempted, with hundreds of small-molecule inhibitors evaluated in preclinical studies and numerous molecules tested in clinical trials. Although many MDM2 inhibitors and degraders have been evaluated in clinical trials, there is currently no Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved MDM2 inhibitor on the market. Nevertheless, there are several current clinical trials of promising agents that may overcome the past failures, including agents granted FDA orphan drug or fast-track status. We herein summarize the research efforts to discover and develop MDM2 inhibitors, focusing on those that induce MDM2 degradation and exert anticancer activity, regardless of the p53 status of the cancer. We also describe how preclinical and clinical investigations have moved toward combining MDM2 inhibitors with other agents, including immune checkpoint inhibitors. Finally, we discuss the current challenges and future directions to accelerate the clinical application of MDM2 inhibitors. In conclusion, targeting MDM2 remains a promising treatment approach, and targeting MDM2 for protein degradation represents a novel strategy to downregulate MDM2 without the side effects of the existing agents blocking p53-MDM2 binding. Additional preclinical and clinical investigations are needed to finally realize the full potential of MDM2 inhibition in treating cancer and other chronic diseases where MDM2 has been implicated. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: Overexpression/amplification of the MDM2 oncogene has been detected in various human cancers and is associated with disease progression, treatment resistance, and poor patient outcomes. This article reviews the previous, current, and emerging MDM2-targeted therapies and summarizes the preclinical and clinical studies combining MDM2 inhibitors with chemotherapy and immunotherapy regimens. The findings of these contemporary studies may lead to safer and more effective treatments for patients with cancers overexpressing MDM2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy (W.W., Y.D., J.F.F., H.T.S., R.Z.), Drug Discovery Institute (W.W., R.Z.), Stem Cell Center, Department of Biology and Biochemistry (W.X., F.M.), University of Houston, Houston, Texas; College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee (N.A., W.L.); and Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas (J.Z.)
| | - Najah Albadari
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy (W.W., Y.D., J.F.F., H.T.S., R.Z.), Drug Discovery Institute (W.W., R.Z.), Stem Cell Center, Department of Biology and Biochemistry (W.X., F.M.), University of Houston, Houston, Texas; College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee (N.A., W.L.); and Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas (J.Z.)
| | - Yi Du
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy (W.W., Y.D., J.F.F., H.T.S., R.Z.), Drug Discovery Institute (W.W., R.Z.), Stem Cell Center, Department of Biology and Biochemistry (W.X., F.M.), University of Houston, Houston, Texas; College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee (N.A., W.L.); and Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas (J.Z.)
| | - Josef F Fowler
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy (W.W., Y.D., J.F.F., H.T.S., R.Z.), Drug Discovery Institute (W.W., R.Z.), Stem Cell Center, Department of Biology and Biochemistry (W.X., F.M.), University of Houston, Houston, Texas; College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee (N.A., W.L.); and Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas (J.Z.)
| | - Hannah T Sang
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy (W.W., Y.D., J.F.F., H.T.S., R.Z.), Drug Discovery Institute (W.W., R.Z.), Stem Cell Center, Department of Biology and Biochemistry (W.X., F.M.), University of Houston, Houston, Texas; College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee (N.A., W.L.); and Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas (J.Z.)
| | - Wa Xian
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy (W.W., Y.D., J.F.F., H.T.S., R.Z.), Drug Discovery Institute (W.W., R.Z.), Stem Cell Center, Department of Biology and Biochemistry (W.X., F.M.), University of Houston, Houston, Texas; College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee (N.A., W.L.); and Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas (J.Z.)
| | - Frank McKeon
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy (W.W., Y.D., J.F.F., H.T.S., R.Z.), Drug Discovery Institute (W.W., R.Z.), Stem Cell Center, Department of Biology and Biochemistry (W.X., F.M.), University of Houston, Houston, Texas; College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee (N.A., W.L.); and Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas (J.Z.)
| | - Wei Li
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy (W.W., Y.D., J.F.F., H.T.S., R.Z.), Drug Discovery Institute (W.W., R.Z.), Stem Cell Center, Department of Biology and Biochemistry (W.X., F.M.), University of Houston, Houston, Texas; College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee (N.A., W.L.); and Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas (J.Z.)
| | - Jia Zhou
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy (W.W., Y.D., J.F.F., H.T.S., R.Z.), Drug Discovery Institute (W.W., R.Z.), Stem Cell Center, Department of Biology and Biochemistry (W.X., F.M.), University of Houston, Houston, Texas; College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee (N.A., W.L.); and Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas (J.Z.)
| | - Ruiwen Zhang
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy (W.W., Y.D., J.F.F., H.T.S., R.Z.), Drug Discovery Institute (W.W., R.Z.), Stem Cell Center, Department of Biology and Biochemistry (W.X., F.M.), University of Houston, Houston, Texas; College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis, Tennessee (N.A., W.L.); and Chemical Biology Program, Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston, Texas (J.Z.)
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Tang L, Xia J, Chen Z, Lin F, Shao Z, Wang W, Hong X. Cytotoxic and Antibacterial Meroterpenoids Isolated from the Marine-Derived Fungus Talaromyces sp. M27416. Mar Drugs 2024; 22:186. [PMID: 38667803 PMCID: PMC11051162 DOI: 10.3390/md22040186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2024] [Revised: 04/15/2024] [Accepted: 04/18/2024] [Indexed: 04/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Three novel meroterpenoids, taladrimanins B-D (1-3), were isolated from the marine-derived fungus Talaromyces sp. M27416, alongside three biogenetically related compounds (4-6). We delineated taladrimanin B's (1) structure using HRESIMS and NMR, confirmed its configuration via quantum chemical NMR analysis and DP4+ methodology, and verified it through X-ray crystallography. ECD calculations determined the absolute configuration of compound 1, while comparative NMR and ECD analyses elucidated the absolute configurations of 2 and 3. These compounds are drimane-type meroterpenoids with a C10 polyketide unit (8R-configuration). We proposed a biosynthetic pathway and noted that compound 1 showed cytotoxic activity against MKN-45 and 5637 cell lines and selective antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus CICC 10384.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lingzhi Tang
- Xiamen Key Laboratory of Marine Medicinal Natural Products Resources, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen 361023, China; (L.T.); (Z.C.); (F.L.)
| | - Jinmei Xia
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China; (J.X.); (Z.S.)
| | - Zhongwei Chen
- Xiamen Key Laboratory of Marine Medicinal Natural Products Resources, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen 361023, China; (L.T.); (Z.C.); (F.L.)
| | - Fengjiao Lin
- Xiamen Key Laboratory of Marine Medicinal Natural Products Resources, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen 361023, China; (L.T.); (Z.C.); (F.L.)
| | - Zongze Shao
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China; (J.X.); (Z.S.)
| | - Weiyi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen 361005, China; (J.X.); (Z.S.)
| | - Xuan Hong
- Xiamen Key Laboratory of Marine Medicinal Natural Products Resources, Xiamen Medical College, Xiamen 361023, China; (L.T.); (Z.C.); (F.L.)
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Yao ZX, Tu JH, Liu YL, Xue XF, Qin L. Long Non-coding RNA LINC00342 Promotes the Proliferation, Invasion, and Migration of Primary Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells by Regulating the Expression of miRNA-19a-3p, miRNA-545-5p, and miRNA-203a-3p. Biochem Genet 2024; 62:675-697. [PMID: 37395850 DOI: 10.1007/s10528-023-10420-x] [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: 11/16/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/04/2023]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the role of the long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) LINC00342-207 (LINC00342) in the development and progression of primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Forty-two surgically resected HCC tissues and corresponding paracancerous tissues were collected from October 2019 to December 2020 and examined for lncRNA LINC00342, microRNA (miR)-19a-3p, miR-545-5p, miR-203a-3p, cell cycle protein D1 (CyclinD1/CCND1), murine double minute 2 (MDM2), and fibroblast growth factor 2 (FGF2) expression. The disease-free survival and overall survival of patients with HCC were followed up. HCC cell lines and the normal hepatocyte cell line HL-7702 were cultured and the expression level of LINC00342 was measured. HepG2 cells were transfected with LINC00342 siRNA, LINC00342 overexpression plasmid, miR-19a-3p mimics and their corresponding suppressors, miR-545-5p mimics and their corresponding suppressors, and miR-203a-3p mimics and their corresponding suppressors. The proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion of HepG2 cells were detected. Stably transfected HepG2 cells were inoculated into the left axilla of male BALB/c nude mice, and the volume and quality of transplanted tumors as well as the expression levels of LINC00342, miR-19a-3p, miR-545-5p, miR-203a-3p, CCND1, MDM2, and FGF2 were examined. LINC00342 played an oncogenic role in HCC and exhibited inhibitory effects on proliferation, migration, and invasion, and promoted the apoptosis of HepG2 cells. Moreover, it inhibited the growth of transplanted tumors in vivo in mice. Mechanistically, the oncogenic effect of LINC00342 was associated with the targeted regulation of the miR-19a-3p/CCND1, miR-545-5p/MDM2, and miR-203a-3p/FGF2 axes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zong-Xi Yao
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No. 899, Pinghai Road, Suzhou, 215031, China
- Department of General Surgery, Suzhou Wuzhong People's Hospital, Suzhou, 215128, China
| | - Jun-Hao Tu
- Department of General Surgery, Suzhou Wuzhong People's Hospital, Suzhou, 215128, China
| | - Yu-Lin Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Suzhou Wuzhong People's Hospital, Suzhou, 215128, China
| | - Xiao-Feng Xue
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No. 899, Pinghai Road, Suzhou, 215031, China.
| | - Lei Qin
- Department of General Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University, No. 899, Pinghai Road, Suzhou, 215031, China.
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Li K, Zhang J, Lyu H, Yang J, Wei W, Wang Y, Luo H, Zhang Y, Jiang X, Yi H, Wang M, Zhang C, Wu K, Xiao L, Wen W, Xu H, Li G, Wan Y, Yang F, Yang R, Fu X, Qin B, Zhou Z, Zhang H, Lee M. CSN6-SPOP-HMGCS1 Axis Promotes Hepatocellular Carcinoma Progression via YAP1 Activation. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2306827. [PMID: 38308184 PMCID: PMC11005689 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202306827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/18/2023] [Revised: 01/15/2024] [Indexed: 02/04/2024]
Abstract
Cholesterol metabolism has important roles in maintaining membrane integrity and countering the development of diseases such as obesity and cancers. Cancer cells sustain cholesterol biogenesis for their proliferation and microenvironment reprograming even when sterols are abundant. However, efficacy of targeting cholesterol metabolism for cancer treatment is always compromised. Here it is shown that CSN6 is elevated in HCC and is a positive regulator of hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA synthase 1 (HMGCS1) of mevalonate (MVA) pathway to promote tumorigenesis. Mechanistically, CSN6 antagonizes speckle-type POZ protein (SPOP) ubiquitin ligase to stabilize HMGCS1, which in turn activates YAP1 to promote tumor growth. In orthotopic liver cancer models, targeting CSN6 and HMGCS1 hinders tumor growth in both normal and high fat diet. Significantly, HMGCS1 depletion improves YAP inhibitor efficacy in patient derived xenograft models. The results identify a CSN6-HMGCS1-YAP1 axis mediating tumor outgrowth in HCC and propose a therapeutic strategy of targeting non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases- associated HCC.
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Qi M, Yi X, Yue B, Huang M, Zhou S, Xiong J. S100A6 inhibits MDM2 to suppress breast cancer growth and enhance sensitivity to chemotherapy. Breast Cancer Res 2023; 25:55. [PMID: 37217945 DOI: 10.1186/s13058-023-01657-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/24/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND S100A6 and murine double minute 2 (MDM2) are important cancer-related molecules. A previous study identified an interaction between S100A6 and MDM2 by size exclusion chromatography and surface plasmon resonance experiments. The present study investigated whether S100A6 could bind to MDM2 in vivo and further explored its functional implication. METHODS Co-immunoprecipitation, glutathione-S-transferase pull-down assay, and immunofluorescence were performed to determine the in vivo interaction between S100A6 and MDM2. Cycloheximide pulse-chase assay and ubiquitination assay were performed to clarify the mechanism by which S100A6 downregulated MDM2. In addition, clonogenic assay, WST-1 assay, and flow cytometry of apoptosis and the cell cycle were performed and a xenograft model was established to evaluate the effects of the S100A6/MDM2 interaction on growth and paclitaxel-induced chemosensitivity of breast cancer. The expressions of S100A6 and MDM2 in patients with invasive breast cancer were analyzed by immunohistochemistry. In addition, the correlation between the expression of S100A6 and the response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy was statistically analyzed. RESULTS S100A6 promoted the MDM2 translocation from nucleus to cytoplasm, in which the S100A6 bound to the binding site of the herpesvirus-associated ubiquitin-specific protease (HAUSP) in MDM2, disrupted the MDM2-HAUSP-DAXX interactions, and induced the MDM2 self-ubiquitination and degradation. Furthermore, the S100A6-mediated MDM2 degradation suppressed the growth of breast cancer and enhanced its sensitivity to paclitaxel both in vitro and in vivo. For patients with invasive breast cancer who received epirubicin and cyclophosphamide followed by docetaxel (EC-T), expressions of S100A6 and MDM2 were negatively correlated, and high expression of S100A6 suggested a higher rate of pathologic complete response (pCR). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed that the high expression of S100A6 was an independent predictor of pCR. CONCLUSION These results reveal a novel function for S100A6 in downregulating MDM2, which directly enhances sensitivity to chemotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengxin Qi
- Institute of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Xianglan Yi
- Institute of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Baohui Yue
- Institute of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Mingxiang Huang
- Institute of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China
| | - Sheng Zhou
- Institute of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Jing Xiong
- Institute of Pathology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, 430030, China.
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Shockley KR, Dunnick JK. Gene expression profiling after exposure to a chemical carcinogen, Pentabrominated Diphenyl Ether, at different life stages. FRONTIERS IN TOXICOLOGY 2023; 4:1028309. [PMID: 36687508 PMCID: PMC9847571 DOI: 10.3389/ftox.2022.1028309] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Exposure to environmental hazards occurs at different stages of our lifetime-infant, child, adult. This study integrates recently published toxicogenomics data to examine how exposure to a known rat chemical carcinogen (pentabrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE)) upregulated liver transcriptomic changes at different life cycle stages (PND 4, PND 22, adult). We found that at all three life cycle stages PBDE exposure induced hepatocellular transcriptomic changes in disease pathways including cancer, metabolic, membrane function, and Nrf2 antioxidant pathways, pathways all characteristics of chemical carcinogens. In addition, in the adult rat after a 5-day exposure to the chemical carcinogen, there was upregulation of members of the Ras oncogenic pathway, a specific pathway found to be activated in the PBDE-induced tumors in rats in a previous hazard identification cancer study. The findings of liver transcript changes characteristic of carcinogenic activity after early life exposures and after short-term adult exposures provides data to support the use of transcriptomic data to predict the apical cancer endpoints in model studies. Using data from gene expression profiling studies after neonatal, young, or adult short-term chemical exposure helps to meet the 21st century toxicology goal of developing study designs to reduce, refine, and replace the use of traditional 2-year rodent cancer studies to provide hazard identification information. The studies reported here find that key transcripts associated with carcinogenesis were elevated in neonate (PND 4), young (PND 22) and adult animals after short-term exposure to PBDE, a known experimental chemical carcinogen in model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keith R. Shockley
- Biostatistics and Computational Biology Branch, Division of Intramural Research, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, United States
| | - June K. Dunnick
- Systems Toxicology Branch, Division of Translational Toxicology, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Research Triangle Park, Durham, NC, United States
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Zhao Q, Xiong SS, Chen C, Zhu HP, Xie X, Peng C, He G, Han B. Discovery of spirooxindole-derived small-molecule compounds as novel HDAC/MDM2 dual inhibitors and investigation of their anticancer activity. Front Oncol 2022; 12:972372. [PMID: 35992773 PMCID: PMC9386376 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.972372] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2022] [Accepted: 07/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Simultaneous inhibition of more than one target is considered to be a novel strategy in cancer therapy. Owing to the importance of histone deacetylases (HDACs) and p53-murine double minute 2 (MDM2) interaction in tumor development and their synergistic effects, a series of MDM2/HDAC bifunctional small-molecule inhibitors were rationally designed and synthesized by incorporating an HDAC pharmacophore into spirooxindole skeletons. These compounds exhibited good inhibitory activities against both targets. In particular, compound 11b was demonstrated to be most potent for MDM2 and HDAC, reaching the enzyme inhibition of 68% and 79%, respectively. Compound 11b also showed efficient antiproliferative activity towards MCF-7 cells with better potency than the reference drug SAHA and Nutlin-3. Furthermore, western blot analysis revealed that compound 11b increased the expression of p53 and Ac-H4 in MCF-7 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Our results indicate that dual inhibition of HDAC and MDM2 may provide a novel and efficient strategy for the discovery of antitumor drug in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qian Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Shan-Shan Xiong
- Department of Dermatology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Can Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Chengdu Medical College, Chengdu, China
| | - Hong-Ping Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
- Antibiotics Research and Re-evaluation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Industrial Institute of Antibiotics, Chengdu University, Chengdu, China
| | - Xin Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Cheng Peng
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
| | - Gu He
- Department of Dermatology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, China
| | - Bo Han
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, China
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Terrell JR, Tang S, Faniyi OO, Jeong IH, Yin J, Nijampatnam B, Velu SE, Wang W, Zhang R, Luo M. Structural studies of antitumor compounds that target the RING domain of MDM2. Protein Sci 2022; 31:e4367. [PMID: 35900024 PMCID: PMC9301682 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2022] [Revised: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 08/03/2023]
Abstract
Mouse double minute 2 homolog (MDM2) is an E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase that is involved in the transfer of ubiquitin to p53 and other protein substrates. The expression of MDM2 is elevated in cancer cells and inhibitors of MDM2 showed potent anticancer activities. Many inhibitors target the p53 binding domain of MDM2. However, inhibitors such as Inulanolide A and MA242 are found to bind the RING domain of MDM2 to block ubiquitin transfer. In this report, crystal structures of MDM2 RING domain in complex with Inulanolide A and MA242 were solved. These inhibitors primarily bind in a hydrophobic site centered at the sidechain of Tyr489 at the C-terminus of MDM2 RING domain. The C-terminus of MDM2 RING domain, especially residue Tyr489, is required for ubiquitin discharge induced by MDM2. The binding of these inhibitors at Tyr489 may interrupt interactions between the MDM2 RING domain and the E2-Ubiquitin complex to inhibit ubiquitin transfer, regardless of what the substrate is. Our results suggest a new mechanism of inhibition of MDM2 E3 activity for a broad spectrum of substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- James Ross Terrell
- Center for Diagnostics and TherapeuticsGeorgia State UniversityAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
- Department of ChemistryGeorgia State UniversityAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Sijia Tang
- Institute for Biomedical SciencesGeorgia State UniversityAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Oluwafoyinsola Omobodunde Faniyi
- Center for Diagnostics and TherapeuticsGeorgia State UniversityAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
- Department of ChemistryGeorgia State UniversityAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - In Ho Jeong
- Department of ChemistryGeorgia State UniversityAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | - Jun Yin
- Center for Diagnostics and TherapeuticsGeorgia State UniversityAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
- Department of ChemistryGeorgia State UniversityAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
| | | | - Sadanandan E. Velu
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of Alabama at BirminghamBirminghamAlabamaUSA
| | - Wei Wang
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of PharmacyUniversity of HoustonHoustonTexasUSA
- Drug Discovery InstituteUniversity of HoustonHoustonTexasUSA
| | - Ruiwen Zhang
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of PharmacyUniversity of HoustonHoustonTexasUSA
- Drug Discovery InstituteUniversity of HoustonHoustonTexasUSA
| | - Ming Luo
- Center for Diagnostics and TherapeuticsGeorgia State UniversityAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
- Department of ChemistryGeorgia State UniversityAtlantaGeorgiaUSA
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11
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Lv D, Xia J, Guan X, Lai Q, Zhang B, Lin J, Shao Z, Luo S, Zhangsun D, Qin JJ, Wang W. Indole Diketopiperazine Alkaloids Isolated From the Marine-Derived Fungus Aspergillus chevalieri MCCC M23426. Front Microbiol 2022; 13:950857. [PMID: 35875553 PMCID: PMC9301495 DOI: 10.3389/fmicb.2022.950857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2022] [Accepted: 06/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
Two new indole diketopiperazines (1-2) obtained from the fermentation culture of a deep-sea-derived fungus Aspergillus chevalieri MCCC M23426, were characterized, together with nine biogenetic related compounds (3-11). The structures of 1-2 were assigned based on NMR, MS, NMR calculation, DP4+ analysis, and ECD calculation. The bioactive assay showed that compounds 1, 5-7 significantly inhibited the growth of Staphylococcus aureus. Meanwhile, compound 8 potently reduced the cell viability of gastric cancer cell MKN1 with an IC50 value of 4.6 μM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dongli Lv
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Jinmei Xia
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China
| | - Xiaoqing Guan
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiliang Lai
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China
| | - Beibei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China
| | - Jianhui Lin
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China
| | - Zongze Shao
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China
| | - Sulan Luo
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Dongting Zhangsun
- Key Laboratory of Tropical Biological Resources of Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hainan University, Haikou, China
| | - Jiang-Jiang Qin
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weiyi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China
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12
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Hong X, Guan X, Lai Q, Yu D, Chen Z, Fu X, Zhang B, Chen C, Shao Z, Xia J, Qin JJ, Wang W. Characterization of a bioactive meroterpenoid isolated from the marine-derived fungus Talaromyces sp. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 2022; 106:2927-2935. [PMID: 35416486 DOI: 10.1007/s00253-022-11914-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2022] [Revised: 03/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/02/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
A new meroterpenoid, taladrimanin A (1), was isolated from a marine-derived fungus Talaromyces sp. HM6-1-1, together with eleven biogenetically related compounds (2-12). A plausible biosynthetic pathway for the meroterpenoids (1-4) was proposed. The planar structure of 1 was assigned by HRESIMS and NMR. Its relative configuration was established by quantum chemical NMR calculation of two possible isomers and analyzed by DP4 + method. Finally, X-ray diffraction unambiguously confirmed the relative configuration and revealed the absolute configuration of compound 1. 2-12 were assigned by comparing their NMR data with those reported in the literature. 1 was the first drimane-type meroterpenoid with a C10 polyketide unit bearing an 8R-configuration. In the bioactive assay, 1 exhibited antitumor activity against gastric cancer cells MGC803 and MKN28; it also inhibited the colony formation and induced apoptosis in MGC803 cells both in a concentration-dependent manner. Additionally, 1 displayed selective antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus 6538P, and low activities towards strains of Vibrio parahaemolyticus and Escherichia coli in this study. KEY POINTS: • Twelve compounds were obtained from Talaromyces sp., including four meroterpenoids, one of which was new. • The new compound taladrimanin A (1) inhibits the growth of gastric cancer cells MGC803 and MKN28 as well as the pathogenic bacteria Staphylococcus aureus 6538P. • The biosynthetic pathway of the meroterpenoids was proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuan Hong
- Fujian Universities and Colleges Engineering Research Center of Marine Biopharmaceutical Resources, Xiamen Medical College, 361023, Xiamen, China
| | - Xiaoqing Guan
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qiliang Lai
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, 361005, Xiamen, China
| | - Dehua Yu
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhongwei Chen
- Fujian Universities and Colleges Engineering Research Center of Marine Biopharmaceutical Resources, Xiamen Medical College, 361023, Xiamen, China
| | - Xiaoteng Fu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, 361005, Xiamen, China
| | - Beibei Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, 361005, Xiamen, China
| | - Changkun Chen
- Fujian Universities and Colleges Engineering Research Center of Marine Biopharmaceutical Resources, Xiamen Medical College, 361023, Xiamen, China
| | - Zongze Shao
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, 361005, Xiamen, China
| | - Jinmei Xia
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, 361005, Xiamen, China.
| | - Jiang-Jiang Qin
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Weiyi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, 361005, Xiamen, China.
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13
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Yu D, Qi S, Guan X, Yu W, Yu X, Cai M, Li Q, Wang W, Zhang W, Qin JJ. Inhibition of STAT3 Signaling Pathway by Terphenyllin Suppresses Growth and Metastasis of Gastric Cancer. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:870367. [PMID: 35401187 PMCID: PMC8993145 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.870367] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2022] [Accepted: 03/14/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Gastric cancer is a common type of malignant tumor with a relatively poor prognosis and presents a serious threat to global health. Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription-3 (STAT3) has been strongly implicated in many cancers, and its constitutive activation promotes growth, angiogenesis, inflammation, and immune evasion. Therefore, considerable efforts have been put into developing effective and safe STAT3 inhibitors. In this study, we performed a virtual screening by molecular docking and found that terphenyllin, a marine-derived natural product, directly interacted with STAT3. We further found that terphenyllin inhibited the phosphorylation and activation of STAT3 and decreased the protein levels of STAT3-dependent target genes, including c-Myc and Cyclin D1. Subsequently, we demonstrated that terphenyllin exerted its potent anticancer efficacy against gastric cancer in vitro and in vivo. Terphenyllin concentration-dependently inhibited growth, proliferation, and colony formation and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of gastric cancer cells in vitro. Moreover, terphenyllin treatment suppressed the tumor growth and metastasis in a gastric cancer orthotopic mouse model without notable toxicity in vivo. Taken together, our results indicated that terphenyllin exerts its anticancer activity by inhibiting the STAT3 signaling pathway and may serve as a potent STAT3 inhibitor for gastric cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dehua Yu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China.,The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Simin Qi
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China.,The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiaoqing Guan
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wenkai Yu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China.,The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xuefei Yu
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Maohua Cai
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China.,The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qinglin Li
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weiyi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China
| | - Weidong Zhang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research and Shuguang Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China.,School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiang-Jiang Qin
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China.,The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
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14
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Qi S, Guan X, Zhang J, Yu D, Yu X, Li Q, Yin W, Cheng XD, Zhang W, Qin JJ. Targeting E2 ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme UbcH5c by small molecule inhibitor suppresses pancreatic cancer growth and metastasis. Mol Cancer 2022; 21:70. [PMID: 35272681 PMCID: PMC8908661 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-022-01538-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal cancers worldwide. The IAPs function as E3 ubiquitin ligases and contribute to pancreatic cancer initiation, progression, and metastasis. Although IAP-targeted therapies have been developed and shown anticancer efficacy in preclinical settings, none of them has been approved yet. METHODS Transcriptome data from public datasets were used to analyze the correlation of IAPs and E2s, and the biological function of E2 UbcH5c in pancreatic cancer. A structure-based virtual screen was used to identify UbcH5c inhibitor, and surface plasmon resonance analysis and cellular thermal shift assays were employed to evaluate the binding affinity. The anticancer activities were demonstrated through in vitro and in vivo assays, while the related mechanisms were explored through transcriptomic and proteomic analyses and confirmed by western blot, immunofluorescence, and qRT-PCR. RESULTS UbcH5c is positively correlated with the expression of IAPs in pancreatic cancer. We further found that UbcH5c is overexpressed and associated with a poor prognosis in pancreatic cancer. We identified a small-molecule UbcH5c inhibitor, termed DHPO, which directly bound to UbcH5c protein. DHPO inhibited cell viability and colony formation, induced apoptosis, and suppressed migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells in vitro. The compound inhibited UbcH5c-mediated IκBα degradation and NF-κB activation, which is critical for its anticancer activity. Furthermore, DHPO suppressed the tumor growth and metastasis in two orthotopic pancreatic tumor mouse models. CONCLUSIONS These results indicated that inhibiting UbcH5c is a novel and effective strategy for treating pancreatic cancer and DHPO represents a new class of UbcH5c inhibitor and may be further developed as an anti-pancreatic cancer therapeutic agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simin Qi
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, Zhejiang, China
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Xiaoqing Guan
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, Zhejiang, China
| | - Jia Zhang
- Shanxi Institute of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, 030012, China
| | - Dehua Yu
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, Zhejiang, China
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Xuefei Yu
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, Zhejiang, China
| | - Qinglin Li
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, Zhejiang, China
| | - Wenjuan Yin
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xiang-Dong Cheng
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, Zhejiang, China.
| | - Weidong Zhang
- Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 201203, China.
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China.
| | - Jiang-Jiang Qin
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310022, Zhejiang, China.
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China.
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15
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Kung CP, Weber JD. It’s Getting Complicated—A Fresh Look at p53-MDM2-ARF Triangle in Tumorigenesis and Cancer Therapy. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:818744. [PMID: 35155432 PMCID: PMC8833255 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.818744] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/19/2021] [Accepted: 01/07/2022] [Indexed: 01/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Anti-tumorigenic mechanisms mediated by the tumor suppressor p53, upon oncogenic stresses, are our bodies’ greatest weapons to battle against cancer onset and development. Consequently, factors that possess significant p53-regulating activities have been subjects of serious interest from the cancer research community. Among them, MDM2 and ARF are considered the most influential p53 regulators due to their abilities to inhibit and activate p53 functions, respectively. MDM2 inhibits p53 by promoting ubiquitination and proteasome-mediated degradation of p53, while ARF activates p53 by physically interacting with MDM2 to block its access to p53. This conventional understanding of p53-MDM2-ARF functional triangle have guided the direction of p53 research, as well as the development of p53-based therapeutic strategies for the last 30 years. Our increasing knowledge of this triangle during this time, especially through identification of p53-independent functions of MDM2 and ARF, have uncovered many under-appreciated molecular mechanisms connecting these three proteins. Through recognizing both antagonizing and synergizing relationships among them, our consideration for harnessing these relationships to develop effective cancer therapies needs an update accordingly. In this review, we will re-visit the conventional wisdom regarding p53-MDM2-ARF tumor-regulating mechanisms, highlight impactful studies contributing to the modern look of their relationships, and summarize ongoing efforts to target this pathway for effective cancer treatments. A refreshed appreciation of p53-MDM2-ARF network can bring innovative approaches to develop new generations of genetically-informed and clinically-effective cancer therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Che-Pei Kung
- ICCE Institute, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Division of Molecular Oncology, Department of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
- *Correspondence: Che-Pei Kung, ; Jason D. Weber,
| | - Jason D. Weber
- ICCE Institute, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Division of Molecular Oncology, Department of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
- Alvin J. Siteman Cancer Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO, United States
- *Correspondence: Che-Pei Kung, ; Jason D. Weber,
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16
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Bailly C, Vergoten G. Japonicone A and related dimeric sesquiterpene lactones: molecular targets and mechanisms of anticancer activity. Inflamm Res 2022; 71:267-276. [PMID: 35034149 DOI: 10.1007/s00011-021-01538-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 12/22/2021] [Accepted: 12/27/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
OBJECTIVE AND DESIGN Japonicone A (Jap-A) is a sesquiterpene lactone (SL) dimer isolated from the plant Inula japonica Thunb. and the leading compound in the japonicone series of SL dimers which comprises 25 members (Jap-A to Jap-Y). We have analyzed the anticancer properties of Jap-A and the associated molecular targets. METHODS All literature data on japonicones and related SL dimers, including inulanolide A (Inu-A) and lineariifolianoid A (Lin-A) have been analyzed. Molecular models of the compound/target interactions were constructed to support our analysis. RESULTS Inulae Flos (Xuan Fu Hua) is used in traditional medicine in China and Korea to treat inflammatory diseases. The plant contains diverse japonicones and structurally related SL dimers. The interactions of Jap-A with the two main proteins, the pro-inflammatory cytokine TNF-α and the ubiquitin ligase MDM2, are at the origin of the anti-inflammatory and anticancer effects. Molecular docking analyses suggest that Inu-A is better adapted than Lin-A and Jap-A to form stable complexes with both TNF-α and MDM2. Jap-A exhibits marked capacities to inhibit cancer cell proliferation and dissemination and to trigger apoptosis, both in vitro and in vivo in several tumor models in mice. Its analogue Inu-A is more potent, functioning as a dual inhibitor of the MDM2-NFAT1 pathway. CONCLUSION This review shed some new light on the molecular targets and potential therapeutic benefits of these SL dimers and should help the design of novel anticancer agents derived from these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Gérard Vergoten
- Inserm, INFINITE-U1286, Institut de Chimie Pharmaceutique Albert Lespagnol (ICPAL), Faculté de Pharmacie, University of Lille, 3 rue du Professeur Laguesse, BP-83, 59006, Lille, France
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17
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Wang S, Wang SQ, Teng QX, Lei ZN, Chen ZS, Chen XB, Liu HM, Yu B. Discovery of the Triazolo[1,5- a]Pyrimidine-Based Derivative WS-898 as a Highly Efficacious and Orally Bioavailable ABCB1 Inhibitor Capable of Overcoming Multidrug Resistance. J Med Chem 2021; 64:16187-16204. [PMID: 34723530 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/13/2023]
Abstract
Targeting P-glycoprotein (ABCB1 or P-gp) has been recognized as a promising strategy to overcome multidrug resistance. Here, we reported our medicinal chemistry efforts that led to the discovery of the triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine derivative WS-898 as a highly effective ABCB1 inhibitor capable of reversing paclitaxel (PTX) resistance in drug-resistant SW620/Ad300, KB-C2, and HEK293/ABCB1 cells (IC50 = 5.0, 3.67, and 3.68 nM, respectively), more potent than verapamil and zosuquidar. WS-898 inhibited the efflux function of ABCB1, thus leading to decreased efflux and increased intracellular PTX concentration in SW620/Ad300 cells. The cellular thermal shift assay indicated direct engagement of WS-898 to ABCB1. Furthermore, WS-898 stimulated the ATPase activity of ABCB1 but had minimal effects on cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4). Importantly, WS-898 increased PTX sensitization in vivo without obvious toxicity. The results suggest that WS-898 is a highly effective triazolo[1,5-a]pyrimidine-based ABCB1 inhibitor and shows promise in reversing ABCB1-mediated PTX resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuai Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Sai-Qi Wang
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, Henan Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou 450008, China
| | - Qiu-Xu Teng
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, New York 11439, United States
| | - Zi-Ning Lei
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, New York 11439, United States
| | - Zhe-Sheng Chen
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, New York 11439, United States
| | - Xiao-Bing Chen
- Department of Oncology, The Affiliated Cancer Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Henan Cancer Hospital, Henan Cancer Institute, Zhengzhou 450008, China
| | - Hong-Min Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
| | - Bin Yu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences & Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China
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18
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Advances in understanding the role of P-gp in doxorubicin resistance: Molecular pathways, therapeutic strategies, and prospects. Drug Discov Today 2021; 27:436-455. [PMID: 34624510 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2021.09.020] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 30.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 07/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/29/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
P-glycoprotein (P-gp) is a drug efflux transporter that triggers doxorubicin (DOX) resistance. In this review, we highlight the molecular avenues regulating P-gp, such as Nrf2, HIF-1α, miRNAs, and long noncoding (lnc)RNAs, to reveal their participation in DOX resistance. These antitumor compounds and genetic tools synergistically reduce P-gp expression. Furthermore, ATP depletion impairs P-gp activity to enhance the antitumor activity of DOX. Nanoarchitectures, including liposomes, micelles, polymeric nanoparticles (NPs), and solid lipid nanocarriers, have been developed for the co-delivery of DOX with anticancer compounds and genes enhancing DOX cytotoxicity. Surface modification of nanocarriers, for instance with hyaluronic acid (HA), can promote selectivity toward cancer cells. We discuss these aspects with a focus on P-gp expression and activity.
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19
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NFAT transcription factors are essential and redundant actors for leukemia initiating potential in T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0254184. [PMID: 34234374 PMCID: PMC8263285 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Accepted: 06/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is an aggressive malignancy with few available targeted therapies. We previously reported that the phosphatase calcineurin (Cn) is required for LIC (leukemia Initiating Capacity) potential of T-ALL pointing to Cn as an interesting therapeutic target. Calcineurin inhibitors have however unwanted side effect. NFAT transcription factors play crucial roles downstream of calcineurin during thymocyte development, T cell differentiation, activation and anergy. Here we elucidate NFAT functional relevance in T-ALL. Using murine T-ALL models in which Nfat genes can be inactivated either singly or in combination, we show that NFATs are required for T-ALL LIC potential and essential to survival, proliferation and migration of T-ALL cells. We also demonstrate that Nfat genes are functionally redundant in T-ALL and identified a node of genes commonly deregulated upon Cn or NFAT inactivation, which may serve as future candidate targets for T-ALL.
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20
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Qi SM, Dong J, Xu ZY, Cheng XD, Zhang WD, Qin JJ. PROTAC: An Effective Targeted Protein Degradation Strategy for Cancer Therapy. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:692574. [PMID: 34025443 PMCID: PMC8138175 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.692574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 146] [Impact Index Per Article: 48.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteolysis targeting chimeric (PROTAC) technology is an effective endogenous protein degradation tool developed in recent years that can ubiquitinate the target proteins through the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) to achieve an effect on tumor growth. A number of literature studies on PROTAC technology have proved an insight into the feasibility of PROTAC technology to degrade target proteins. Additionally, the first oral PROTACs (ARV-110 and ARV-471) have shown encouraging results in clinical trials for prostate and breast cancer treatment, which inspires a greater enthusiasm for PROTAC research. Here we focus on the structures and mechanisms of PROTACs and describe several classes of effective PROTAC degraders based on E3 ligases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Min Qi
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jinyun Dong
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhi-Yuan Xu
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiang-Dong Cheng
- The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wei-Dong Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiang-Jiang Qin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China.,The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
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21
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Zhang R. Meet Our Editorial Board Member. Anticancer Agents Med Chem 2021. [DOI: 10.2174/187152062108210128101743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Riuwen Zhang
- Texas Tech University Health Science Center Amarillo, TX,United States
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22
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Yu D, Xu Z, Cheng X, Qin J. The role of miRNAs in MDMX-p53 interplay. J Evid Based Med 2021; 14:152-160. [PMID: 33988919 DOI: 10.1111/jebm.12428] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2021] [Revised: 04/16/2021] [Accepted: 04/16/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are endogenous noncoding RNAs of 19-24 nucleotides in length and are tightly related to tumorigenesis and progression. Recent studies have demonstrated that the tumor suppressor p53 and its negative controller MDMX are regulated by miRNAs in different ways. Some miRNAs directly target p53 and regulate its expression and function, whereas some miRNAs target MDMX and regulate p53's activity indirectly. The overexpression of several miRNAs can restore the activity of p53 by negatively regulating MDMX in cancer cells. Therefore, a better understanding of the miRNAs-MDMX-p53 network will put forward potential research directions for developing anticancer therapeutics. In the present review, we mainly focus on the regulatory effects of miRNAs on the MDMX-p53 interplay as well as the role of the miRNAs-MDMX-p53 network in human cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dehua Yu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhiyuan Xu
- Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiangdong Cheng
- Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiangjiang Qin
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
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23
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Klein AM, de Queiroz RM, Venkatesh D, Prives C. The roles and regulation of MDM2 and MDMX: it is not just about p53. Genes Dev 2021; 35:575-601. [PMID: 33888565 PMCID: PMC8091979 DOI: 10.1101/gad.347872.120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 70] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
In this review, Klein et al. discuss the p53-independent roles of MDM2 and MDMX. First, they review the structural and functional features of MDM2 and MDMX proteins separately and together that could be relevant to their p53-independent activities. Following this, they summarize how these two proteins are regulated and how they can function in cells that lack p53. Most well studied as proteins that restrain the p53 tumor suppressor protein, MDM2 and MDMX have rich lives outside of their relationship to p53. There is much to learn about how these two proteins are regulated and how they can function in cells that lack p53. Regulation of MDM2 and MDMX, which takes place at the level of transcription, post-transcription, and protein modification, can be very intricate and is context-dependent. Equally complex are the myriad roles that these two proteins play in cells that lack wild-type p53; while many of these independent outcomes are consistent with oncogenic transformation, in some settings their functions could also be tumor suppressive. Since numerous small molecules that affect MDM2 and MDMX have been developed for therapeutic outcomes, most if not all designed to prevent their restraint of p53, it will be essential to understand how these diverse molecules might affect the p53-independent activities of MDM2 and MDMX.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alyssa M Klein
- Integrated Program in Cellular, Molecular, and Biomedical Studies, Columbia University, New York, New York 10032, USA
| | | | - Divya Venkatesh
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
| | - Carol Prives
- Department of Biological Sciences, Columbia University, New York, New York 10027, USA
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24
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Desai C, Thomason J, Kohlmeyer JL, Reisetter AC, Ahirwar P, Jahanseir K, Leidinger M, Ofori-Amanfo G, Fritchie K, Velu SE, Breheny P, Quelle DE, Tanas MR. Prognostic and therapeutic value of the Hippo pathway, RABL6A, and p53-MDM2 axes in sarcomas. Oncotarget 2021; 12:740-755. [PMID: 33889298 PMCID: PMC8057271 DOI: 10.18632/oncotarget.27928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Additional prognostic and therapeutic biomarkers effective across different histological types of sarcoma are needed. Herein we evaluate expression of TAZ and YAP, the p53-MDM2 axis, and RABL6A, a novel oncoprotein with potential ties to both pathways, in sarcomas of different histological types. Immunohistochemical staining of a tissue microarray including 163 sarcomas and correlation with clinical data showed that elevated YAP and TAZ independently predict worse overall and progression-free survival, respectively. In the absence of p53 expression, combined TAZ and YAP expression adversely affect overall, progression free, and metastasis free survival more than TAZ or YAP activation alone. RABL6A independently predicted shorter time to metastasis and was positively correlated with p53, MDM2 and YAP expression, supporting a possible functional relationship between the biomarkers. Network analysis further showed that TAZ is positively correlated with MDM2 expression. The data implicate all five proteins as clinically relevant downstream players in the Hippo pathway. Finally, a novel inhibitor of MDM2 (MA242), effectively suppressed the survival of sarcoma cell lines from different histological types regardless of p53 status. These findings suggest both independent and cooperative roles for all five biomarkers across different histological types of sarcoma in predicting patient outcomes and potentially guiding future therapeutic approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chandni Desai
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Carver College of Medicine, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Jon Thomason
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,These authors contributed equally to this work
| | - Jordan L Kohlmeyer
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Anna C Reisetter
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Parmanand Ahirwar
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Khadijeh Jahanseir
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | | | | | - Karen Fritchie
- Department of Laboratory Medicine and Pathology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA
| | - Sadanandan E Velu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA
| | - Patrick Breheny
- Department of Biostatistics, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Dawn E Quelle
- Department of Neuroscience and Pharmacology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
| | - Munir R Tanas
- Department of Pathology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Molecular Medicine Graduate Program, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA.,Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA
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25
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Xu B, Yuan L, Hu Y, Xu Z, Qin JJ, Cheng XD. Synthesis, Characterization, Cellular Uptake, and In Vitro Anticancer Activity of Fullerenol-Doxorubicin Conjugates. Front Pharmacol 2021; 11:598155. [PMID: 33568999 PMCID: PMC7868567 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.598155] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2020] [Accepted: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Doxorubicin (DOX) is one of the most commonly used chemotherapeutic agents for treating human cancer. However, its clinical use has been limited by DOX-induced cardiotoxicity as well as other side effects. In the present study, we designed and synthesized the fullerenol (FU)-DOX conjugates and folic acid (FA)-grafted FU-DOX conjugates for improving the selectivity and activity of DOX in cancer cells. We further characterized the physicochemical properties and examined the release kinetics, cellular uptake, and in vitro anticancer activities of FU-DOX and FA-FU-DOX. The results showed that FU-DOX and FA-FU-DOX had a mean diameter of <200 nm and a low polydispersity. Both FU-DOX and FA-FU-DOX exhibited pH sensitivity and their DOX release rates were higher at pH 5.9 vs. pH 7.4. The cellular uptake studies indicated that FU conjugation enhanced the intracellular accumulation of DOX in human hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines (BEL-7402 and HepG2) and the immortalized normal human hepatocytes (L02). The conjugation of FA to FU-DOX further promoted the drug internalization in an FR-dependent manner and enhanced the cytotoxicity against HCC cells. In conclusion, the newly prepared FA-FU-DOX conjugates can optimize the safety and efficacy profile of DOX.
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Affiliation(s)
- Beihua Xu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li Yuan
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China.,First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Ying Hu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Pharmaceutical College, Ningbo, China
| | - Zhiyuan Xu
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jiang-Jiang Qin
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiang-Dong Cheng
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
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26
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Targeting MDM2 for Neuroblastoma Therapy: In Vitro and In Vivo Anticancer Activity and Mechanism of Action. Cancers (Basel) 2020; 12:cancers12123651. [PMID: 33291373 PMCID: PMC7762001 DOI: 10.3390/cancers12123651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2020] [Revised: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Neuroblastoma is a malignant tumor of the sympathetic nervous system that causes aggressive disease in children. The overall survival rate of high-risk patients is very low, therefore developing effective and safe therapies for neuroblastoma is an urgent unmet medical need. The mouse double minute 2 (MDM2) homolog gene is amplified and overexpressed in neuroblastoma and contributes to the poor response to treatment and poor prognosis in patients with high-risk neuroblastoma. Therefore, targeting MDM2 provides a promising approach to neuroblastoma therapy, especially for advanced disease. In the present study, we tested a unique MDM2 inhibitor, SP141, for its therapeutic efficacy and safety in neuroblastoma tumor models. We found that SP141 has significant anti- neuroblastoma activity in cell culture and inhibits tumor growth in animal models of human neuroblastoma, without any noticeable host toxicity. These results provide the basis for targeting MDM2 to treat high-risk neuroblastoma. Abstract Background: Neuroblastoma is an aggressive pediatric solid tumor with an overall survival rate of <50% for patients with high-risk disease. The majority (>98%) of pathologically-diagnosed neuroblastomas have wild-type p53 with intact functional activity. However, the mouse double minute 2 (MDM2) homolog, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, is overexpressed in neuroblastoma and leads to inhibition of p53. MDM2 also exerts p53-independent oncogenic functions. Thus, MDM2 seems to be an attractive target for the reactivation of p53 and attenuation of oncogenic activity in neuroblastoma. Methods: In this study, we evaluated the anticancer activities and underlying mechanisms of action of SP141, a first-in-class MDM2 inhibitor, in neuroblastoma cell lines with different p53 backgrounds. The findings were confirmed in mouse xenograft models of neuroblastoma. Results: We demonstrate that SP141 reduces neuroblastoma cell viability, induces apoptosis, arrests cells at the G2/M phase, and prevents cell migration, independent of p53. In addition, in neuroblastoma xenograft models, SP141 inhibited MDM2 expression and suppressed tumor growth without any host toxicity at the effective dose. Conclusions: MDM2 inhibition by SP141 results in the inhibition of neuroblastoma growth and metastasis, regardless of the p53 status of the cells and tumors. These findings provide proof-of-concept that SP141 represents a novel treatment option for both p53 wild-type and p53 null neuroblastoma.
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27
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Aburjania Z, Whitt JD, Jang S, Nadkarni DH, Chen H, Rose JB, Velu SE, Jaskula-Sztul R. Synthetic Makaluvamine Analogs Decrease c-Kit Expression and Are Cytotoxic to Neuroendocrine Tumor Cells. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25214940. [PMID: 33114525 PMCID: PMC7663375 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25214940] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2020] [Revised: 10/14/2020] [Accepted: 10/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In an effort to discover viable systemic chemotherapeutic agents for neuroendocrine tumors (NETs), we screened a small library of 18 drug-like compounds obtained from the Velu lab against pulmonary (H727) and thyroid (MZ-CRC-1 and TT) neuroendocrine tumor-derived cell lines. Two potent lead compounds (DHN-II-84 and DHN-III-14) identified from this screening were found to be analogs of the natural product makaluvamine. We further characterized the antitumor activities of these two compounds using pulmonary (H727), thyroid (MZ-CRC-1) and pancreatic (BON) neuroendocrine tumor cell lines. Flow cytometry showed a dose-dependent increase in apoptosis in all cell lines. Induction of apoptosis with these compounds was also supported by the decrease in myeloid cell leukemia-1 (MCL-1) and X-chromosome linked inhibitor of apoptosis (XIAP) detected by Western blot. Compound treatment decreased NET markers chromogranin A (CgA) and achaete-scute homolog 1 (ASCL1) in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, the gene expression analysis showed that the compound treatment reduced c-Kit proto-oncogene expression in the NET cell lines. Induction of apoptosis could also have been caused by the inhibition of c-Kit expression, in addition to the known mechanisms such as damage of DNA by topoisomerase II inhibition for this class of compounds. In summary, makaluvamine analogs DHN-II-84 and DHN-III-14 induced apoptosis, decreased neuroendocrine tumor markers, and showed promising antitumor activity in pulmonary, thyroid, and pancreatic NET cell lines, and hold potential to be developed as an effective treatment to combat neuroendocrine tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zviadi Aburjania
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1824 6th Avenue S., Birmingham, AL 35233, USA; (Z.A.); (J.D.W.); (S.J.); (H.C.); (J.B.R.)
| | - Jason D. Whitt
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1824 6th Avenue S., Birmingham, AL 35233, USA; (Z.A.); (J.D.W.); (S.J.); (H.C.); (J.B.R.)
| | - Samuel Jang
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1824 6th Avenue S., Birmingham, AL 35233, USA; (Z.A.); (J.D.W.); (S.J.); (H.C.); (J.B.R.)
| | - Dwayaja H. Nadkarni
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 901 14th Street S., Birmingham, AL 35294, USA;
| | - Herbert Chen
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1824 6th Avenue S., Birmingham, AL 35233, USA; (Z.A.); (J.D.W.); (S.J.); (H.C.); (J.B.R.)
- O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
| | - J. Bart Rose
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1824 6th Avenue S., Birmingham, AL 35233, USA; (Z.A.); (J.D.W.); (S.J.); (H.C.); (J.B.R.)
| | - Sadanandan E. Velu
- Department of Chemistry, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 901 14th Street S., Birmingham, AL 35294, USA;
- O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Correspondence: (S.E.V.); (R.J.-S.); Tel.: +1-(205)-975-2478 (S.E.V.); +1-(205)-975-3507 (R.J.-S.); Fax: +1-(205)-934-2543 (S.E.V.); +1-(205)-934-0135 (R.J.-S.)
| | - Renata Jaskula-Sztul
- Department of Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1824 6th Avenue S., Birmingham, AL 35233, USA; (Z.A.); (J.D.W.); (S.J.); (H.C.); (J.B.R.)
- O’Neal Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1720 2nd Avenue South, Birmingham, AL 35294, USA
- Correspondence: (S.E.V.); (R.J.-S.); Tel.: +1-(205)-975-2478 (S.E.V.); +1-(205)-975-3507 (R.J.-S.); Fax: +1-(205)-934-2543 (S.E.V.); +1-(205)-934-0135 (R.J.-S.)
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28
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Liu G, Shi A, Wang N, Li M, He X, Yin C, Tu Q, Shen X, Tao Y, Wang Q, Yin H. Polyphenolic Proanthocyanidin-B2 suppresses proliferation of liver cancer cells and hepatocellular carcinogenesis through directly binding and inhibiting AKT activity. Redox Biol 2020; 37:101701. [PMID: 32863234 PMCID: PMC7472926 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2020.101701] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2020] [Revised: 08/18/2020] [Accepted: 08/19/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The well-documented anticarcinogenic properties of natural polyphenolic proanthocyanidins (OPC) have been primarily attributed to their antioxidant and anti-inflammatory potency. Emerging evidence suggests that OPC may target canonical oncogenic pathways, including PI3K/AKT; however, the underlying mechanism and therapeutic potential remain elusive. Here we identify that proanthocyanidin B2 (OPC-B2) directly binds and inhibits AKT activity and downstream signalling, thereby suppressing tumour cell proliferation and metabolism in vitro and in a xenograft and diethyl-nitrosamine (DEN)-induced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) mouse models. We further find that OPC-B2 binds to the catalytic and regulatory PH domains to lock the protein in a closed conformation, similar to the well-studied AKT allosteric inhibitor MK-2206. Molecular docking and dynamic simulation suggest that Lys297 and Arg86 are critical sites of OPC-B2 binding; mutation of Lys297 or Arg86 to alanine completely abolishes the antitumor effects of OPC-B2 but not MK-2206. Together, our study reveals that OPC-B2 is a novel allosteric AKT inhibitor with potent anti-tumour efficacy beyond its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guijun Liu
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nutrition, Metabolism and Food Safety, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health (SINH), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, 200031, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS, Beijing, China
| | - Aimin Shi
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Ningning Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nutrition, Metabolism and Food Safety, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health (SINH), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, 200031, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS, Beijing, China
| | - Min Li
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nutrition, Metabolism and Food Safety, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health (SINH), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, 200031, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS, Beijing, China
| | - Xuxiao He
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nutrition, Metabolism and Food Safety, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health (SINH), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, 200031, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS, Beijing, China
| | - Chunzhao Yin
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS, Beijing, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Qiaochu Tu
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS, Beijing, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Xia Shen
- University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS, Beijing, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Yongzhen Tao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nutrition, Metabolism and Food Safety, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health (SINH), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, 200031, China.
| | - Qiang Wang
- Institute of Food Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences (CAAS), Beijing, 100193, China.
| | - Huiyong Yin
- CAS Key Laboratory of Nutrition, Metabolism and Food Safety, Shanghai Institute of Nutrition and Health (SINH), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Shanghai, 200031, China; University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, CAS, Beijing, China; Key Laboratory of Food Safety Risk Assessment, Ministry of Health, Beijing, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China.
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29
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Targeting the p53-MDM2 pathway for neuroblastoma therapy: Rays of hope. Cancer Lett 2020; 496:16-29. [PMID: 33007410 DOI: 10.1016/j.canlet.2020.09.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 09/22/2020] [Accepted: 09/22/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Despite being the subject of extensive research and clinical trials, neuroblastoma remains a major therapeutic challenge in pediatric oncology. The p53 protein is a central safeguard that protects cells against genome instability and malignant transformation. Mutated TP53 (the gene encoding p53) is implicated in many human cancers, but the majority of neuroblastomas have wild type p53 with intact transcriptional function. In fact, the TP53 mutation rate does not exceed 1-2% in neuroblastomas. However, overexpression of the murine double minute 2 (MDM2) gene in neuroblastoma is relatively common, and leads to inhibition of p53. It is also associated with other non-canonical p53-independent functions, including drug resistance and increased translation of MYCN and VEGF mRNA. The p53-MDM2 pathway in neuroblastoma is also modulated at several different molecular levels, including via interactions with other proteins (MYCN, p14ARF). In addition, the overexpression of MDM2 in tumors is linked to a poorer prognosis for cancer patients. Thus, restoring p53 function by inhibiting its interaction with MDM2 is a potential therapeutic strategy for neuroblastoma. A number of p53-MDM2 antagonists have been designed and studied for this purpose. This review summarizes the current understanding of p53 biology and the p53-dependent and -independent oncogenic functions of MDM2 in neuroblastoma, and also the regulation of the p53-MDM2 axis in neuroblastoma. This review also highlights the use of MDM2 as a molecular target for the disease, and describes the MDM2 inhibitors currently being investigated in preclinical and clinical studies. We also briefly explain the various strategies that have been used and future directions to take in the development of effective MDM2 inhibitors for neuroblastoma.
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30
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Abstract
Tumor necrosis factor receptor (TNFR)-related factors (TRAFs) are important linker molecules in the tumor necrosis factor superfamily (TNFSF) and the Toll-like/interleukin-1 receptor (TLR/ILR) superfamily. There are seven members: TRAF1-TRAF7, among those members, tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) is upregulated in various tumors, which has been related to tumorigenesis and development. With the in-depth study of the relationship between TRAF6 and different types of tumors, TRAF6 has oncogenic characteristics involved in tumorigenesis, tumor development, invasion, and metastasis through various signaling pathways, therefore, targeting TRAF6 has provided a novel strategy for tumor treatment. This review summarizes and analyzes the role of TRAF6 in tumorigenesis and tumor development in combination with the current research on TRAF6 and tumors.
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31
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Wang W, Yang J, Liao YY, Cheng G, Chen J, Mo S, Yuan L, Cheng XD, Qin JJ, Shao Z. Aspeterreurone A, a Cytotoxic Dihydrobenzofuran-Phenyl Acrylate Hybrid from the Deep-Sea-Derived Fungus Aspergillus terreus CC-S06-18. JOURNAL OF NATURAL PRODUCTS 2020; 83:1998-2003. [PMID: 32489099 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jnatprod.0c00189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/11/2023]
Abstract
A new dihydrobenzofuran-phenyl acrylate hybrid, aspeterreurone A (1), was obtained from the culture of the deep-sea-derived fungus Aspergillus terreus CC-S06-18. The relative configuration of 1 was elucidated by HSQMBC NMR, calculated NMR chemical shifts coupled with a statistical procedure (DP4+), and the absolute configuration was established by ECD calculations. 1 exhibited cytotoxicities against the gastric cancer cell lines HGC27, MGC803, BGC823, and AGS, with minimal effects on normal gastric epithelial cell line GES-1. Further studies showed that 1 inhibited cell cycle progression and induced apoptosis of gastric cancer MGC803 cells in a concentration-dependent manner. Western blot analysis indicated that 1 inhibited the phosphorylation of STAT3, which might contribute to its cytotoxic activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiyi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, 184 Daxue Road, Xiamen 361005, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Yang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 548 Binwen Road, Hangzhou 310053, People's Republic of China
| | - Yan-Yan Liao
- Key Laboratory of Urban Environment and Health, Institute of Urban Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 1799 Jimei Road, Xiamen 361021, People's Republic of China
| | - Gang Cheng
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 548 Binwen Road, Hangzhou 310053, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Chen
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 548 Binwen Road, Hangzhou 310053, People's Republic of China
| | - Shaowei Mo
- First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 548 Binwen Road, Hangzhou 310053, People's Republic of China
| | - Li Yuan
- First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 548 Binwen Road, Hangzhou 310053, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiang-Dong Cheng
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Banshan Road 1#, Hangzhou 310022, People's Republic of China
| | - Jiang-Jiang Qin
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, 548 Binwen Road, Hangzhou 310053, People's Republic of China
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Banshan Road 1#, Hangzhou 310022, People's Republic of China
| | - Zongze Shao
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, 184 Daxue Road, Xiamen 361005, People's Republic of China
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32
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Cao H, Chen X, Wang Z, Wang L, Xia Q, Zhang W. The role of MDM2-p53 axis dysfunction in the hepatocellular carcinoma transformation. Cell Death Discov 2020; 6:53. [PMID: 32595984 PMCID: PMC7305227 DOI: 10.1038/s41420-020-0287-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2020] [Revised: 05/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Liver cancer is the second most frequent cause of cancer-related death globally. The main histological subtype is hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), which is derived from hepatocytes. According to the epidemiologic studies, the most important risk factors of HCC are chronic viral infections (HBV, HCV, and HIV) and metabolic disease (metabolic syndrome). Interestingly, these carcinogenic factors that contributed to HCC are associated with MDM2-p53 axis dysfunction, which presented with inactivation of p53 and overactivation of MDM2 (a transcriptional target and negative regulator of p53). Mechanically, the homeostasis of MDM2-p53 feedback loop plays an important role in controlling the initiation and progression of HCC, which has been found to be dysregulated in HCC tissues. To maintain long-term survival in hepatocytes, hepatitis viruses have lots of ways to destroy the defense strategies of hepatocytes by inducing TP53 mutation and silencing, promoting MDM2 overexpression, accelerating p53 degradation, and stabilizing MDM2. As a result, genetic instability, chronic ER stress, oxidative stress, energy metabolism switch, and abnormalities in antitumor genes can be induced, all of which might promote hepatocytes' transformation into hepatoma cells. In addition, abnormal proliferative hepatocytes and precancerous cells cannot be killed, because of hepatitis viruses-mediated exhaustion of Kupffer cells and hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and CD4+T cells by disrupting their MDM2-p53 axis. Moreover, inefficiency of hepatic immune response can be further aggravated when hepatitis viruses co-infected with HIV. Unlike with chronic viral infections, MDM2-p53 axis might play a dual role in glucolipid metabolism of hepatocytes, which presented with enhancing glucolipid catabolism, but promoting hepatocyte injury at the early and late stages of glucolipid metabolism disorder. Oxidative stress, fatty degeneration, and abnormal cell growth can be detected in hepatocytes that were suffering from glucolipid metabolism disorder, and all of which could contribute to HCC initiation. In this review, we focus on the current studies of the MDM2-p53 axis in HCC, and specifically discuss the impact of MDM2-p53 axis dysfunction by viral infection and metabolic disease in the transformation of normal hepatocytes into hepatoma cells. We also discuss the therapeutic avenues and potential targets that are being developed to normalize the MDM2-p53 axis in HCC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Cao
- Department of Liver Diseases, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200030 China
| | - Xiaosong Chen
- Department of Liver Surgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200127 China
| | - Zhijun Wang
- Department of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Putuo People’s Hospital Affiliated to Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Lei Wang
- Department of Liver Diseases, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200030 China
| | - Qiang Xia
- Department of Liver Surgery, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, 200127 China
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Liver Diseases, Longhua Hospital, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, 200030 China
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Two Birds with One Stone: NFAT1-MDM2 Dual Inhibitors for Cancer Therapy. Cells 2020; 9:cells9051176. [PMID: 32397368 PMCID: PMC7291050 DOI: 10.3390/cells9051176] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Revised: 05/07/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The tumor suppressor p53 is believed to be the mostly studied molecule in modern biomedical research. Although p53 interacts with hundreds of molecules to exert its biological functions, there are only a few modulators regulating its expression and function, with murine double minute 2 (MDM2) playing a key role in this regard. MDM2 also contributes to malignant transformation and cancer development through p53-dependent and -independent mechanisms. There is an increasing interest in developing MDM2 inhibitors for cancer prevention and therapy. We recently demonstrated that the nuclear factor of activated T cells 1 (NFAT1) activates MDM2 expression. NFAT1 regulates several cellular functions in cancer cells, such as cell proliferation, migration, invasion, angiogenesis, and drug resistance. Both NFAT isoforms and MDM2 are activated and overexpressed in several cancer subtypes. In addition, a positive correlation exists between NFAT1 and MDM2 in tumor tissues. Our recent clinical study has demonstrated that high expression levels of NFAT1 and MDM2 are independent predictors of a poor prognosis in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma. Thus, inhibition of the NFAT1-MDM2 pathway appears to be a novel potential therapeutic strategy for cancer. In this review, we summarize the potential oncogenic roles of MDM2 and NFAT1 in cancer cells and discuss the efforts of discovery and the development of several newly identified MDM2 and NFAT1 inhibitors, focusing on their potent in vitro and in vivo anticancer activities. This review also highlights strategies and future directions, including the need to focus on the development of more specific and effective NFAT1-MDM2 dual inhibitors for cancer therapy.
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Zhang J, Wang W, Zhou Y, Yang J, Xu J, Xu Z, Xu B, Yan L, Cheng XD, Li M, Qin JJ. Terphenyllin Suppresses Orthotopic Pancreatic Tumor Growth and Prevents Metastasis in Mice. Front Pharmacol 2020; 11:457. [PMID: 32322210 PMCID: PMC7157903 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2020.00457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Pancreatic cancer (PC) is an aggressive and fatal disease with high incidences of metastasis and recurrence. However, there are no effective treatment options for the majority of PC patients, especially for those with locally advanced tumors and metastatic diseases. Therefore, it is urgently needed to develop safe and effective anti-PC therapeutic agents. We have recently identified a novel marine-derived natural product terphenyllin with potent anti-PC activity. The present study was designed to investigate the efficacy and mechanisms of action of terphenyllin in several human PC cell lines and an orthotopic PC mouse model. The results showed that terphenyllin significantly inhibited the viability of all PC cell lines with minimal effects on a normal human pancreatic cell line (HPNE). We next demonstrated the effects of terphenyllin on colony formation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion in both Panc1 and HPAC cell lines in a concentration-dependent manner. Terphenyllin also suppressed the tumor growth and metastasis in the Panc1 orthotopic mouse model. We further showed the profound effects of terphenyllin on the expression of apoptosis-associated proteins, including Bax, Bad, Puma, BimL, Bcl-2, phos-Bcl-2 (Ser70), Bcl-xL, caspase 7, and PARP, which contributed to its anti-PC activity. In summary, terphenyllin suppressed the PC cell growth and metastasis in vitro and in vivo and may be developed as an anti-PC therapeutic agent in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Zhang
- Shanxi Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, China
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Weiyi Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Biogenetic Resources, Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural Resources, Xiamen, China
| | - Yuan Zhou
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jing Yang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jingli Xu
- First Clinical Medical College, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhiyuan Xu
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Beihua Xu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Li Yan
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiang-Dong Cheng
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Minghua Li
- Shanxi Province Academy of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Taiyuan, China
| | - Jiang-Jiang Qin
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
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Qi SM, Cheng G, Cheng XD, Xu Z, Xu B, Zhang WD, Qin JJ. Targeting USP7-Mediated Deubiquitination of MDM2/MDMX-p53 Pathway for Cancer Therapy: Are We There Yet? Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:233. [PMID: 32300595 PMCID: PMC7142254 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00233] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2019] [Accepted: 03/19/2020] [Indexed: 01/13/2023] Open
Abstract
The p53 tumor suppressor protein and its major negative regulators MDM2 and MDMX oncoproteins form the MDM2/MDMX-p53 circuitry, which plays critical roles in regulating cancer cell growth, proliferation, cell cycle progression, apoptosis, senescence, angiogenesis, and immune response. Recent studies have shown that the stabilities of p53, MDM2, and MDMX are tightly controlled by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Ubiquitin specific protease 7 (USP7), one of the most studied deubiquitinating enzymes plays a crucial role in protecting MDM2 and MDMX from ubiquitination-mediated proteasomal degradation. USP7 is overexpressed in human cancers and contributes to cancer initiation and progression. USP7 inhibition promotes the degradation of MDM2 and MDMX, activates the p53 signaling, and causes cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, making USP7 a potential target for cancer therapy. Several small-molecule inhibitors of USP7 have been developed and shown promising efficacy in preclinical settings. In the present review, we focus on recent advances in the understanding of the USP7-MDM2/MDMX-p53 network in human cancers as well as the discovery and development of USP7 inhibitors for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si-Min Qi
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Gang Cheng
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiang-Dong Cheng
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zhiyuan Xu
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
| | - Beihua Xu
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wei-Dong Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China.,Institute of Interdisciplinary Integrative Medicine Research, Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiang-Jiang Qin
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, China.,Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, China
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Dong J, Qin Z, Zhang WD, Cheng G, Yehuda AG, Ashby CR, Chen ZS, Cheng XD, Qin JJ. Medicinal chemistry strategies to discover P-glycoprotein inhibitors: An update. Drug Resist Updat 2020; 49:100681. [PMID: 32014648 DOI: 10.1016/j.drup.2020.100681] [Citation(s) in RCA: 147] [Impact Index Per Article: 36.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
The presence of multidrug resistance (MDR) in malignant tumors is one of the primary causes of treatment failure in cancer chemotherapy. The overexpression of the ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter, P-glycoprotein (P-gp), which significantly increases the efflux of certain anticancer drugs from tumor cells, produces MDR. Therefore, inhibition of P-gp may represent a viable therapeutic strategy to overcome cancer MDR. Over the past 4 decades, many compounds with P-gp inhibitory efficacy (referred to as first- and second-generation P-gp inhibitors) have been identified or synthesized. However, these compounds were not successful in clinical trials due to a lack of efficacy and/or untoward toxicity. Subsequently, third- and fourth-generation P-gp inhibitors were developed but dedicated clinical trials did not indicate a significant therapeutic effect. In recent years, an extraordinary array of highly potent, selective, and low-toxicity P-gp inhibitors have been reported. Herein, we provide a comprehensive review of the synthetic and natural products that have specific inhibitory activity on P-gp drug efflux as well as promising chemosensitizing efficacy in MDR cancer cells. The present review focuses primarily on the structural features, design strategies, and structure-activity relationships (SAR) of these compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyun Dong
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, 310022, China; College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Zuodong Qin
- Research Center of Biochemical Engineering Technology, College of Chemistry and Bioengineering, Hunan University of Science and Engineering, Yongzhou 425199, China
| | - Wei-Dong Zhang
- School of Pharmacy, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Gang Cheng
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China
| | - Assaraf G Yehuda
- The Fred Wyszkowski Cancer Research Laboratory, Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa, 3200003, Israel
| | - Charles R Ashby
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY, 11439, USA
| | - Zhe-Sheng Chen
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, Queens, NY, 11439, USA.
| | - Xiang-Dong Cheng
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, 310022, China.
| | - Jiang-Jiang Qin
- Institute of Cancer and Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, 310022, China; College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou, 310053, China.
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37
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Wang W, Qin JJ, Rajaei M, Li X, Yu X, Hunt C, Zhang R. Targeting MDM2 for novel molecular therapy: Beyond oncology. Med Res Rev 2019; 40:856-880. [PMID: 31587329 DOI: 10.1002/med.21637] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2019] [Revised: 08/20/2019] [Accepted: 08/21/2019] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The murine double minute 2 (MDM2) oncogene exerts major oncogenic activities in human cancers; it is not only the best-documented negative regulator of the p53 tumor suppressor, but also exerts p53-independent activities. There is an increasing interest in developing MDM2-based targeted therapies. Several classes of MDM2 inhibitors have been evaluated in preclinical models, with a few entering clinical trials, mainly for cancer therapy. However, noncarcinogenic roles for MDM2 have also been identified, demonstrating that MDM2 is involved in many chronic diseases and conditions such as inflammation and autoimmune diseases, dementia and neurodegenerative diseases, heart failure and cardiovascular diseases, nephropathy, diabetes, obesity, and sterility. MDM2 inhibitors have been shown to have promising therapeutic efficacy for treating inflammation and other nonmalignant diseases in preclinical evaluations. Therefore, targeting MDM2 may represent a promising approach for treating and preventing these nonmalignant diseases. In addition, a better understanding of how MDM2 works in nonmalignant diseases may provide new biomarkers for their diagnosis, prognostic prediction, and monitoring of therapeutic outcome. In this review article, we pay special attention to the recent findings related to the roles of MDM2 in the pathogenesis of several nonmalignant diseases, the therapeutic potential of its downregulation or inhibition, and its use as a biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Wang
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas.,Drug Discovery Institute, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Jiang-Jiang Qin
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Mehrdad Rajaei
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Xiaoyi Yu
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Courtney Hunt
- Drug Discovery Institute, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
| | - Ruiwen Zhang
- Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston, Houston, Texas.,Drug Discovery Institute, University of Houston, Houston, Texas
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