1
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Viviano M, Cipriano A, Fabbrizi E, Feoli A, Castellano S, Sbardella G, Mai A, Milite C, Rotili D. Successes and challenges in the development of BD1-selective BET inhibitors: a patent review. Expert Opin Ther Pat 2024; 34:529-545. [PMID: 38465537 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2024.2327300] [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: 10/31/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Bromodomain and ExtraTerminal (BET) domain proteins are transcriptional cofactors that, recognizing acetylated lysines of histone and non-histone proteins, can modulate gene expression. The BET family consists of four members, each of which contains two bromodomains (BD1 and BD2) able to recognize the acetylated mark. Pan-BET inhibitors (BETi) have shown a promising anticancer potential in many clinical trials; however, their further development has been in part hampered by the side effects due to their lack of selectivity. Mounting evidence suggests that BD1 is primarily involved in cancer and that its selective inhibition can phenocopy the anticancer effects of pan-BETi with increased tolerability. Therefore, the development of BD1 selective inhibitors is highly pursed in both academia and industry. AREAS COVERED This review aims at giving an overview of the patent literature of BD1-selective BETi between 2014 and 2023. WIPO, USPTO, EPO, and SciFinder® databases were used for the search of patents. EXPERT OPINION The development of BD1-selective BETi, despite challenging, is highly desirable as it could have a great impact on the development of new safer anticancer therapeutics. Several strategies could be applied to discover potent and selective compounds with limited side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Monica Viviano
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Alessandra Cipriano
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Emanuele Fabbrizi
- Department of Drug Chemistry & Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandra Feoli
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Sabrina Castellano
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Gianluca Sbardella
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Antonello Mai
- Department of Drug Chemistry & Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
| | - Ciro Milite
- Department of Pharmacy, Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, University of Salerno, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Dante Rotili
- Department of Drug Chemistry & Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy
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2
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Chen PH, Guo XS, Zhang HE, Dubey GK, Geng ZZ, Fierke CA, Xu S, Hampton JT, Liu WR. Leveraging a Phage-Encoded Noncanonical Amino Acid: A Novel Pathway to Potent and Selective Epigenetic Reader Protein Inhibitors. ACS CENTRAL SCIENCE 2024; 10:782-792. [PMID: 38680566 PMCID: PMC11046469 DOI: 10.1021/acscentsci.3c01419] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/14/2024] [Indexed: 05/01/2024]
Abstract
Epigenetic reader proteins interpret histone epigenetic marks to regulate gene expression. Given their vital roles and the link between their dysfunction and various diseases, these proteins present compelling targets for therapeutic interventions. Nevertheless, designing selective inhibitors for these proteins poses significant challenges, primarily due to their unique properties such as shallow binding sites and similarities with homologous proteins. To overcome these challenges, we propose an innovative strategy that uses phage display with a genetically encoded noncanonical amino acid (ncAA) containing an epigenetic mark. This ncAA guides binding to the reader protein's active site, allowing the identification of peptide inhibitors with enhanced affinity and selectivity. In this study, we demonstrate this novel approach's effectiveness by identifying potent inhibitors for the ENL YEATS domain that plays a critical role in leukemogenesis. Our strategy involved genetically incorporating Nε-butyryl-l-lysine (BuK), known for its binding to ENL YEATS, into a phage display library for enriching the pool of potent inhibitors. One resultant hit was further optimized by substituting BuK with other pharmacophores to exploit a unique π-π-π stacking interaction with ENL YEATS. This led to the creation of selective ENL YEATS inhibitors with a KD value of 2.0 nM and a selectivity 28 times higher for ENL YEATS than its close homologue AF9 YEATS. One such inhibitor, tENL-S1f, demonstrated robust cellular target engagement and on-target effects to inhibit leukemia cell growth and suppress the expression of ENL target genes. As a pioneering study, this work opens up extensive avenues for the development of potent and selective peptidyl inhibitors for a broad spectrum of epigenetic reader proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peng-Hsun
Chase Chen
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Center and Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Xuejiao Shirley Guo
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Center and Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Hanyuan Eric Zhang
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Center and Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Gopal K. Dubey
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Center and Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Zhi Zachary Geng
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Center and Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Carol A. Fierke
- Department
of Biochemistry, Brandeis University, Waltham, Massachusetts 02453, United States
| | - Shiqing Xu
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Center and Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Texas A&M
University, College
Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - J. Trae Hampton
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Center and Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
| | - Wenshe Ray Liu
- Texas
A&M Drug Discovery Center and Department of Chemistry, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
- Department
of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Texas A&M
University, College
Station, Texas 77843, United States
- Institute
of Biosciences and Technology and Department of Translational Medical
Sciences, College of Medicine, Texas A&M
University, Houston, Texas 77030, United States
- Department
of Biochemistry and Biophysics, Texas A&M
University, College
Station, Texas 77843, United States
- Department
of Cell Biology and Genetics, College of Medicine, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas 77843, United States
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3
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Barbosa K, Deshpande A, Perales M, Xiang P, Murad R, Pramod AB, Minkina A, Robertson N, Schischlik F, Lei X, Sun Y, Brown A, Amend D, Jeremias I, Doench JG, Humphries RK, Ruppin E, Shendure J, Mali P, Adams PD, Deshpande AJ. Transcriptional control of leukemogenesis by the chromatin reader SGF29. Blood 2024; 143:697-712. [PMID: 38048593 PMCID: PMC10900139 DOI: 10.1182/blood.2023021234] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2023] [Revised: 11/15/2023] [Accepted: 11/27/2023] [Indexed: 12/06/2023] Open
Abstract
ABSTRACT Aberrant expression of stem cell-associated genes is a common feature in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and is linked to leukemic self-renewal and therapy resistance. Using AF10-rearranged leukemia as a prototypical example of the recurrently activated "stemness" network in AML, we screened for chromatin regulators that sustain its expression. We deployed a CRISPR-Cas9 screen with a bespoke domain-focused library and identified several novel chromatin-modifying complexes as regulators of the TALE domain transcription factor MEIS1, a key leukemia stem cell (LSC)-associated gene. CRISPR droplet sequencing revealed that many of these MEIS1 regulators coordinately controlled the transcription of several AML oncogenes. In particular, we identified a novel role for the Tudor-domain-containing chromatin reader protein SGF29 in the transcription of AML oncogenes. Furthermore, SGF29 deletion impaired leukemogenesis in models representative of multiple AML subtypes in multiple AML subtype models. Our studies reveal a novel role for SGF29 as a nononcogenic dependency in AML and identify the SGF29 Tudor domain as an attractive target for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina Barbosa
- Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA
| | - Anagha Deshpande
- Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA
| | - Marlenne Perales
- Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA
| | - Ping Xiang
- British Columbia Cancer Agency, Vancouver, BC, Canada
| | - Rabi Murad
- Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA
| | - Akula Bala Pramod
- Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA
| | - Anna Minkina
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Neil Robertson
- Institute of Cancer Sciences, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, United Kingdom
| | - Fiorella Schischlik
- Cancer Data Science Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Xue Lei
- Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA
| | - Younguk Sun
- Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA
| | - Adam Brown
- Research Unit Apoptosis in Hematopoietic Stem Cells, Helmholtz Center Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Diana Amend
- Research Unit Apoptosis in Hematopoietic Stem Cells, Helmholtz Center Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Irmela Jeremias
- Research Unit Apoptosis in Hematopoietic Stem Cells, Helmholtz Center Munich, Munich, Germany
| | | | | | - Eytan Ruppin
- Cancer Data Science Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Jay Shendure
- Department of Genome Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, WA
| | - Prashant Mali
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California, San Diego, San Diego, CA
| | - Peter D. Adams
- Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA
| | - Aniruddha J. Deshpande
- Cancer Genome and Epigenetics Program, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, CA
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4
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Feoli A, Sarno G, Castellano S, Sbardella G. DMSO-Related Effects on Ligand-Binding Properties of Lysine Methyltransferases G9a and SETD8. Chembiochem 2024; 25:e202300809. [PMID: 38205880 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300809] [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: 11/30/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
Being the standard solvent for preparing stock solutions of compounds for drug discovery, DMSO is always present in assay buffers in concentrations ranging from 0.1 % to 5 % (v/v). Even at the lowest concentrations, DMSO-containing solutions can have significant effects on individual proteins and possible pitfalls cannot be eliminated. Herein, we used two protein systems, the lysine methyltransferases G9a/KMT1 C and SETD8/KMT5 A, to study the effects of DMSO on protein stability and on the binding of the corresponding inhibitors, using different biophysical methods such as nano Differential Scanning Fluorimetry (nanoDSF), Differential Scanning Fluorimetry (DSF), microscale thermophoresis (MST), and surface plasmon resonance (SPR), all widely used in drug discovery screening campaigns. We demonstrated that the effects of DMSO are protein- and technique-dependent and cannot be predicted or extrapolated on the basis of previous studies using different proteins and/or different assays. Moreover, we showed that the application of orthogonal biophysical methods can lead to different binding affinity data, thus confirming the importance of using at least two different orthogonal assays in screening campaigns. This variability should be taken into account in the selection and characterization of hit compounds, in order to avoid data misinterpretation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Feoli
- Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Giuliana Sarno
- Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084, Fisciano, SA, Italy
- PhD Program in Drug Discovery and Development, University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, I-84084, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Sabrina Castellano
- Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084, Fisciano, SA, Italy
| | - Gianluca Sbardella
- Epigenetic Med Chem Lab, Department of Pharmacy, University of Salerno, via Giovanni Paolo II 132, 84084, Fisciano, SA, Italy
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5
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Wahi A, Manchanda N, Jain P, Jadhav HR. Targeting the epigenetic reader "BET" as a therapeutic strategy for cancer. Bioorg Chem 2023; 140:106833. [PMID: 37683545 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106833] [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: 07/04/2023] [Revised: 08/22/2023] [Accepted: 08/30/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
Bromodomain and extraterminal (BET) proteins have the ability to bind to acetylated lysine residues present in both histones and non-histone proteins. This binding is facilitated by the presence of tandem bromodomains. The regulatory role of BET proteins extends to chromatin dynamics, cellular processes, and disease progression. The BET family comprises of BRD 2, 3, 4 and BRDT. The BET proteins are a class of epigenetic readers that regulate the transcriptional activity of a multitude of genes that are involved in the pathogenesis of cancer. Thus, targeting BET proteins has been identified as a potentially efficacious approach for the treatment of cancer. BET inhibitors (BETis) are known to interfere with the binding of BET proteins to acetylated lysine residues of chromatin, thereby leading to the suppression of transcription of several genes, including oncogenic transcription factors. Here in this review, we focus on role of Bromodomain and extra C-terminal (BET) proteins in cancer progression. Furthermore, numerous small-molecule inhibitors with pan-BET activity have been documented, with certain compounds currently undergoing clinical assessment. However, it is apparent that the clinical effectiveness of the present BET inhibitors is restricted, prompting the exploration of novel technologies to enhance their clinical outcomes and mitigate undesired adverse effects. Thus, strategies like development of selective BET-BD1, & BD2 inhibitors, dual and acting BET are also presented in this review and attempts to cover the chemistry needed for proper establishment of designed molecules into BRD have been made. Moreover, the review attempts to summarize the details of research till date and proposes a space for future development of BET inhibitor with diminished side effects. It can be concluded that discovery of isoform selective BET inhibitors can be a way forward in order to develop BET inhibitors with negligible side effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Wahi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University, Govt. of NCT of Delhi, Delhi, New Delhi 110017, India
| | - Namish Manchanda
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University, Govt. of NCT of Delhi, Delhi, New Delhi 110017, India
| | - Priti Jain
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University, Govt. of NCT of Delhi, Delhi, New Delhi 110017, India.
| | - Hemant R Jadhav
- Department of Pharmacy, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani-Pilani Campus, Vidya Vihar Pilani, Rajasthan 333031, India
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6
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Ortiz G, Kutateladze TG, Fujimori DG. Chemical tools targeting readers of lysine methylation. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2023; 74:102286. [PMID: 36948085 PMCID: PMC10264141 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2023.102286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2023] [Indexed: 03/22/2023]
Abstract
Reader domains that recognize methylated lysine and arginine residues on histones play a role in the recruitment, stabilization, and regulation of chromatin regulatory proteins. Targeting reader proteins with small molecule and peptidomimetic inhibitors has enabled the elucidation of the structure and function of specific domains and uncovered their role in diseases. Recent progress towards chemical probes that target readers of lysine methylation, including the Royal family and plant homeodomains (PHD), is discussed here. We highlight recently developed covalent cyclic peptide inhibitors of a plant homeodomain. Additionally, inhibitors targeting previously untargeted Tudor domains and chromodomains are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gloria Ortiz
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Tatiana G Kutateladze
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO 80045, USA.
| | - Danica Galonic Fujimori
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Quantitative Biosciences Institute (QBI), University of California San Francisco San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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7
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Zhang Z, Lin J, Liu Z, Tian G, Li XM, Jing Y, Li X, Li XD. Photo-Cross-Linking To Delineate Epigenetic Interactome. J Am Chem Soc 2022; 144:20979-20997. [DOI: 10.1021/jacs.2c06135] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zhuoyuan Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Jianwei Lin
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
- Greater Bay Biomedical InnoCenter, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zheng Liu
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Gaofei Tian
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Xiao-Meng Li
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
| | - Yihang Jing
- Greater Bay Biomedical InnoCenter, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xin Li
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
- Greater Bay Biomedical InnoCenter, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xiang David Li
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong, China
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8
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Cipriano A, Milite C, Feoli A, Viviano M, Pepe G, Campiglia P, Sarno G, Picaud S, Imaide S, Makukhin N, Filippakopoulos P, Ciulli A, Castellano S, Sbardella G. Discovery of Benzo[d]imidazole-6-sulfonamides as Bromodomain and Extra-Terminal Domain (BET) Inhibitors with Selectivity for the First Bromodomain. ChemMedChem 2022; 17:e202200343. [PMID: 36040095 PMCID: PMC9826262 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202200343] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/27/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/11/2023]
Abstract
The bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) family of proteins includes BRD2, BRD3, BRD4, and the testis-specific protein, BRDT, each containing two N-terminal tandem bromodomain (BRD) modules. Potent and selective inhibitors targeting the two bromodomains are required to elucidate their biological role(s), with potential clinical applications. In this study, we designed and synthesized a series of benzimidazole-6-sulfonamides starting from the azobenzene compounds MS436 (7 a) and MS611 (7 b) that exhibited preference for the first (BD1) over the second (BD2) BRD of BET family members. The most-promising compound (9 a) showed good binding potency and improved metabolic stability and selectivity towards BD1 with respect to the parent compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandra Cipriano
- Department of PharmacyUniversity of Salernovia Giovanni Paolo II 13284084Fisciano (SA)Italy
| | - Ciro Milite
- Department of PharmacyUniversity of Salernovia Giovanni Paolo II 13284084Fisciano (SA)Italy
| | - Alessandra Feoli
- Department of PharmacyUniversity of Salernovia Giovanni Paolo II 13284084Fisciano (SA)Italy
| | - Monica Viviano
- Department of PharmacyUniversity of Salernovia Giovanni Paolo II 13284084Fisciano (SA)Italy
| | - Giacomo Pepe
- Department of PharmacyUniversity of Salernovia Giovanni Paolo II 13284084Fisciano (SA)Italy
| | - Pietro Campiglia
- Department of PharmacyUniversity of Salernovia Giovanni Paolo II 13284084Fisciano (SA)Italy
| | - Giuliana Sarno
- Department of PharmacyUniversity of Salernovia Giovanni Paolo II 13284084Fisciano (SA)Italy
| | - Sarah Picaud
- Nuffield Department of MedicineOxford UniversityOX3 7DQOxfordUK
| | - Satomi Imaide
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDow StreetDundeeDD1 5EH, ScotlandUK,Discovery Technology Research LaboratoriesOno Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.618-8585OsakaJapan
| | - Nikolai Makukhin
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDow StreetDundeeDD1 5EH, ScotlandUK,Oncology R&DTumour Targeted DeliveryAstraZenecaQMB Innovation Centre42 New RoadLondonE1 2AXUK
| | | | - Alessio Ciulli
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDow StreetDundeeDD1 5EH, ScotlandUK
| | - Sabrina Castellano
- Department of PharmacyUniversity of Salernovia Giovanni Paolo II 13284084Fisciano (SA)Italy
| | - Gianluca Sbardella
- Department of PharmacyUniversity of Salernovia Giovanni Paolo II 13284084Fisciano (SA)Italy
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9
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Kalmode H, Podsiadly I, Kabra A, Boulton A, Reddy P, Gao Y, Li C, Bushweller JH. Small-Molecule Inhibitors of the MLL1 CXXC Domain, an Epigenetic Reader of DNA Methylation. ACS Med Chem Lett 2022; 13:1363-1369. [PMID: 35978680 PMCID: PMC9377001 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.2c00198] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The CXXC domain is a reader of DNA methylation which preferentially binds to unmethylated CpG DNA motifs. Chromosomal translocations involving the MLL1 gene produce in-frame fusion proteins in which the N-terminal portion of the MLL1 protein harboring its CXXC domain is fused to the C-terminal portion of multiple partners. For the MLL-AF9 fusion, mutations which disrupt CXXC domain-DNA binding abrogate the ability to cause leukemia in mice. Based on this, we initiated an effort to develop small-molecule inhibitors of the MLL1 CXXC domain as a novel approach to therapy. We developed a fluorescence polarization-based assay for MLL CXXC domain-DNA binding and screened a library of Cys-reactive molecules. For the most potent hit from this screen, we have synthesized a library of analogs to explore the structure-activity relationship, defined the binding site using chemical shift perturbations in NMR spectra, and explored the selectivity of compounds across the CXXC domain family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanuman
P. Kalmode
- Department
of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903, United States
| | - Izabella Podsiadly
- Department
of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903, United States
| | - Ashish Kabra
- Department
of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903, United States
| | - Adam Boulton
- Department
of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903, United States
| | - Prabhakar Reddy
- Department
of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903, United States
| | - Yan Gao
- Department
of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903, United States
| | - Christopher Li
- Department
of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903, United States
| | - John H. Bushweller
- Department
of Molecular Physiology and Biological Physics, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22903, United States
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Virginia 22904, United States
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10
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Guan X, Cheryala N, Karim RM, Chan A, Berndt N, Qi J, Georg GI, Schönbrunn E. Bivalent BET Bromodomain Inhibitors Confer Increased Potency and Selectivity for BRDT via Protein Conformational Plasticity. J Med Chem 2022; 65:10441-10458. [PMID: 35867655 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/16/2023]
Abstract
Bromodomain and extraterminal domain (BET) proteins are important regulators of gene transcription and chromatin remodeling. BET family members BRD4 and BRDT are validated targets for cancer and male contraceptive drug development, respectively. Due to the high structural similarity of the acetyl-lysine binding sites, most reported inhibitors lack intra-BET selectivity. We surmised that protein-protein interactions induced by bivalent inhibitors may differ between BRD4 and BRDT, conferring an altered selectivity profile. Starting from nonselective monovalent inhibitors, we developed cell-active bivalent BET inhibitors with increased activity and selectivity for BRDT. X-ray crystallographic and solution studies revealed unique structural states of BRDT and BRD4 upon interaction with bivalent inhibitors. Varying spacer lengths and symmetric vs unsymmetric connections resulted in the same dimeric states, whereas different chemotypes induced different dimers. The findings indicate that the increased intra-BET selectivity of bivalent inhibitors is due to the differential plasticity of BET bromodomains upon inhibitor-induced dimerization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianghong Guan
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Narsihmulu Cheryala
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Rezaul Md Karim
- Moffitt Cancer Center, Drug Discovery Department, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Alice Chan
- Moffitt Cancer Center, Drug Discovery Department, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Norbert Berndt
- Moffitt Cancer Center, Drug Discovery Department, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Jun Qi
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Gunda I Georg
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Institute for Therapeutics Discovery and Development, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, 717 Delaware Street, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55414, United States
| | - Ernst Schönbrunn
- Moffitt Cancer Center, Drug Discovery Department, 12902 Magnolia Drive, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
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11
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Karim RM, Bikowitz MJ, Chan A, Zhu JY, Grassie D, Becker A, Berndt N, Gunawan S, Lawrence NJ, Schönbrunn E. Differential BET Bromodomain Inhibition by Dihydropteridinone and Pyrimidodiazepinone Kinase Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2021; 64:15772-15786. [PMID: 34710325 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01096] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
BRD4 and other members of the bromodomain and extraterminal (BET) family of proteins are promising epigenetic targets for the development of novel therapeutics. Among the reported BRD4 inhibitors are dihydropteridinones and benzopyrimidodiazepinones originally designed to target the kinases PLK1, ERK5, and LRRK2. While these kinase inhibitors were identified as BRD4 inhibitors, little is known about their binding potential and structural details of interaction with the other BET bromodomains. We comprehensively characterized a series of known and newly identified dual BRD4-kinase inhibitors against all eight individual BET bromodomains. A detailed analysis of 23 novel cocrystal structures of BET-kinase inhibitor complexes in combination with direct binding assays and cell signaling studies revealed significant differences in molecular shape complementarity and inhibitory potential. Collectively, the data offer new insights into the action of kinase inhibitors across BET bromodomains, which may aid the development of drugs to inhibit certain BET proteins and kinases differentially.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rezaul Md Karim
- Drug Discovery Department, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States.,Department of Molecular Medicine, USF Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Melissa J Bikowitz
- Drug Discovery Department, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States.,Department of Molecular Medicine, USF Morsani College of Medicine, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Alice Chan
- Drug Discovery Department, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Jin-Yi Zhu
- Drug Discovery Department, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Dylan Grassie
- Drug Discovery Department, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Andreas Becker
- Chemical Biology Core, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Norbert Berndt
- Drug Discovery Department, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Steven Gunawan
- Drug Discovery Department, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Nicholas J Lawrence
- Drug Discovery Department, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
| | - Ernst Schönbrunn
- Drug Discovery Department, Moffitt Cancer Center, Tampa, Florida 33612, United States
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Li X, Li XD. Integrative Chemical Biology Approaches to Deciphering the Histone Code: A Problem-Driven Journey. Acc Chem Res 2021; 54:3734-3747. [PMID: 34553920 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.1c00463] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/02/2023]
Abstract
The hereditary blueprint of a eukaryotic cell is encoded in its genomic DNA that is tightly compacted into chromatin together with histone proteins. The basic repeating units of chromatin fibers are nucleosomes, in which approximately 1.7 turns of DNA wrap around a proteinaceous octamer consisting of two copies of histones H2A, H2B, H3, and H4. Histones are extensively decorated by a variety of posttranslational modifications (PTMs, e.g., methylation, acetylation, ubiquitylation, phosphorylation, etc.), serving as one of the cellular mechanisms that regulates DNA-templated processes, including but not limited to gene transcription, DNA replication, and DNA damage repair. Most of the histone PTMs exist in dynamic fluctuations, and their on and off states are exquisitely regulated by enzymes known as "writers" and "erasers", respectively. When installed at certain sites, histone PTMs can change the local physicochemical environment and thereby directly influence the nucleosome and chromatin structures. Alternatively, histone PTMs can recruit effectors (or "readers") to signal the downstream events. A "histone code" hypothesis has been proposed in which the combinatory actions of different histone PTMs orchestrate the epigenetic landscape of cells, modulating the activity of the underlying DNA and maintaining the genome stability between generations. Accumulating evidence also suggests that malfunctions of histone PTMs are associated with the pathogenesis of human diseases, such as cancer. It is therefore important to fully decipher the histone code, namely, to dissect the regulatory mechanisms and biological functions of histone PTMs.Owing to the advances in state-of-the-art mass spectrometry, dozens of novel histone modifications have been archived during the past decade. However, most of these newly identified histone PTMs remain poorly explored. To unravel the roles played by these PTMs in histone code, key questions that have driven our study are (i) how to detect the novel histone PTMs; (ii) how to identify the enzymes that catalyze the addition (writers) and removal (erasers) of the histone PTMs along with the regulating mechanisms; (iii) what is the biological significance of the histone PTMs and how do they function, by affecting the nucleosome and chromatin dynamics or by recruiting readers; and (iv) how to develop chemical probes to interrogate the histone PTMs or even serve as potential leads for the drug discovery campaigns to treat diseases caused by abnormalities in the regulation of histone PTMs.This Account focuses on our efforts in developing and applying chemical tools and methods to answer the above questions. Specifically, we review the detection of negatively charged histone acylations by developing and applying chemical reporters; preparing homogeneous nucleosomes carrying negatively charged acylations by protein chemistry approaches and the in vitro biophysical analyses of the effects of the acylations on nucleosome structures; investigating the negatively charged acylations' influence on chromatin dynamics in vivo using yeast genetic approaches; identifying and characterizing protein-protein interactions (PPIs) mediated by histone PTMs in different biological contexts (i.e., to identify the readers and erasers) by establishing a chemical proteomics platform that is enabled by photo-cross-linking chemistry and quantitative proteomics strategies; and manipulating PTM-mediated PPIs by the structure-guided design of inhibitors. We also discuss possible future directions in our journey to fully decipher the histone code.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, 999077 China
| | - Xiang David Li
- Department of Chemistry, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam Road, Hong Kong SAR, 999077 China
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13
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Li D, Guo J, Jia R. Histone code reader SPIN1 is a promising target of cancer therapy. Biochimie 2021; 191:78-86. [PMID: 34492335 DOI: 10.1016/j.biochi.2021.09.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 08/07/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
SPIN1 is a histone methylation reader, which can epigenetically control multiple tumorigenesis-associated signaling pathways, including the Wnt, PI3K/AKT, and RET pathways. Considerable evidence has shown that SPIN1 is overexpressed in many cancers, which can promote cell proliferation, transformation, metastasis, and chemical or radiation resistance. With the growing understanding of the SPIN1 protein structure, some inhibitors have been developed to interfere with the recognition between SPIN1 and histone H3K4me3 and H3R8me2a methylation and block the oncogenic functions of SPIN1. Therefore, SPIN1 is a potential target of cancer therapy. However, the mechanism by which SPIN1-transformed cells overcome the significant mitotic spindle defects and the factors promoting SPIN1 overexpression in cancers remain unclear. In this review, we described the current understanding of the SPIN1 protein structure and its expression, functions, and regulatory mechanisms in carcinogenesis, and discussed the challenges faced in the mechanisms of SPIN1 overexpression and oncogenic functions, and the potential application of anti-SPIN1 treatment in human cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Li
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China
| | - Jihua Guo
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China; Department of Endodontics, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
| | - Rong Jia
- The State Key Laboratory Breeding Base of Basic Science of Stomatology (Hubei-MOST) & Key Laboratory of Oral Biomedicine Ministry of Education, School & Hospital of Stomatology, Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
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14
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Wen J, Wang D. Deciphering the PTM codes of the tumor suppressor p53. J Mol Cell Biol 2021; 13:774-785. [PMID: 34289043 PMCID: PMC8782589 DOI: 10.1093/jmcb/mjab047] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The genome guardian p53 functions as a transcription factor that senses numerous cellular stresses and orchestrates the corresponding transcriptional events involved in determining various cellular outcomes, including cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, senescence, DNA repair, and metabolic regulation. In response to diverse stresses, p53 undergoes multiple posttranslational modifications (PTMs) that coordinate with intimate interdependencies to precisely modulate its diverse properties in given biological contexts. Notably, PTMs can recruit ‘reader’ proteins that exclusively recognize specific modifications and facilitate the functional readout of p53. Targeting PTM–reader interplay has been developing into a promising cancer therapeutic strategy. In this review, we summarize the advances in deciphering the ‘PTM codes’ of p53, focusing particularly on the mechanisms by which the specific reader proteins functionally decipher the information harbored within these PTMs of p53. We also highlight the potential applications of intervention with p53 PTM–reader interactions in cancer therapy and discuss perspectives on the ‘PTMomic’ study of p53 and other proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jia Wen
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology & Department of Medical Genetics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences & School of Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
| | - Donglai Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Molecular Biology & Department of Medical Genetics, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences & School of Basic Medicine, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing 100005, China
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15
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Quinlan RBA, Brennan PE. Chemogenomics for drug discovery: clinical molecules from open access chemical probes. RSC Chem Biol 2021; 2:759-795. [PMID: 34458810 PMCID: PMC8341094 DOI: 10.1039/d1cb00016k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Accepted: 03/25/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In recent years chemical probes have proved valuable tools for the validation of disease-modifying targets, facilitating investigation of target function, safety, and translation. Whilst probes and drugs often differ in their properties, there is a belief that chemical probes are useful for translational studies and can accelerate the drug discovery process by providing a starting point for small molecule drugs. This review seeks to describe clinical candidates that have been inspired by, or derived from, chemical probes, and the process behind their development. By focusing primarily on examples of probes developed by the Structural Genomics Consortium, we examine a variety of epigenetic modulators along with other classes of probe.
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Affiliation(s)
- Robert B A Quinlan
- Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Old Road Campus Oxford OX3 7FZ UK
| | - Paul E Brennan
- Target Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Old Road Campus Oxford OX3 7FZ UK
- Alzheimer's Research (UK) Oxford Drug Discovery Institute, Nuffield Department of Medicine, University of Oxford Oxford OX3 7FZ UK
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16
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Siklos M, Kubicek S. Therapeutic targeting of chromatin: status and opportunities. FEBS J 2021; 289:1276-1301. [PMID: 33982887 DOI: 10.1111/febs.15966] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 05/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The molecular characterization of mechanisms underlying transcriptional control and epigenetic inheritance since the 1990s has paved the way for the development of targeted therapies that modulate these pathways. In the past two decades, cancer genome sequencing approaches have uncovered a plethora of mutations in chromatin modifying enzymes across tumor types, and systematic genetic screens have identified many of these proteins as specific vulnerabilities in certain cancers. Now is the time when many of these basic and translational efforts start to bear fruit and more and more chromatin-targeting drugs are entering the clinic. At the same time, novel pharmacological approaches harbor the potential to modulate chromatin in unprecedented fashion, thus generating entirely novel opportunities. Here, we review the current status of chromatin targets in oncology and describe a vision for the epigenome-modulating drugs of the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marton Siklos
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
| | - Stefan Kubicek
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna, Austria
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17
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Zhang Y, Rong D, Li B, Wang Y. Targeting Epigenetic Regulators with Covalent Small-Molecule Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2021; 64:7900-7925. [PMID: 33599482 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c02055] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic regulation of gene expression plays a critical role in various physiological processes, and epigenetic dysregulation is implicated in a number of diseases, prominently including cancer. Epigenetic regulators have been validated as potential therapeutic targets, and significant progress has been made in the discovery and development of epigenetic-based inhibitors. However, successful epigenetic drug discovery is still facing challenges, including moderate selectivity, limited efficacy, and acquired drug resistance. Inspired by the advantages of covalent small-molecule inhibitors, targeted covalent inhibition has attracted increasing interest in epigenetic drug discovery. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the structure-based design and characterization of covalent inhibitors targeting epigenetic writers, readers, and erasers and highlight their potential benefits in enhancing selectivity across the enzyme family and improving in vivo efficacy. We also discuss the challenges and opportunities of covalent small-molecule inhibitors and hope to shed light on future epigenetic drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yi Zhang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Deqin Rong
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Bingbing Li
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yuanxiang Wang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Chiral Molecule and Drug Discovery, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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