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Liu Y, Li D, Zhang X, Xia S, Qu Y, Ling X, Li Y, Kong X, Zhang L, Cui CP, Li D. A protein sequence-based deep transfer learning framework for identifying human proteome-wide deubiquitinase-substrate interactions. Nat Commun 2024; 15:4519. [PMID: 38806474 PMCID: PMC11133436 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-48446-3] [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: 07/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/30/2024] Open
Abstract
Protein ubiquitination regulates a wide range of cellular processes. The degree of protein ubiquitination is determined by the delicate balance between ubiquitin ligase (E3)-mediated ubiquitination and deubiquitinase (DUB)-mediated deubiquitination. In comparison to the E3-substrate interactions, the DUB-substrate interactions (DSIs) remain insufficiently investigated. To address this challenge, we introduce a protein sequence-based ab initio method, TransDSI, which transfers proteome-scale evolutionary information to predict unknown DSIs despite inadequate training datasets. An explainable module is integrated to suggest the critical protein regions for DSIs while predicting DSIs. TransDSI outperforms multiple machine learning strategies against both cross-validation and independent test. Two predicted DUBs (USP11 and USP20) for FOXP3 are validated by "wet lab" experiments, along with two predicted substrates (AR and p53) for USP22. TransDSI provides new functional perspective on proteins by identifying regulatory DSIs, and offers clues for potential tumor drug target discovery and precision drug application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Dianke Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China
- State Key Laboratory of Farm Animal Biotech Breeding, College of Biological Sciences, China Agricultural University, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Xin Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Simin Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China
- School of Basic Medical Sciences, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230032, China
| | - Yingjie Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Xinping Ling
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China
- College of Life Sciences, Hebei University, Baoding, 071002, China
| | - Yang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Xiangren Kong
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Lingqiang Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China
| | - Chun-Ping Cui
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China.
| | - Dong Li
- State Key Laboratory of Medical Proteomics, Beijing Proteome Research Center, National Center for Protein Sciences (Beijing), Beijing Institute of Lifeomics, Beijing, 102206, China.
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King HR, Bycroft M, Nguyen TB, Kelly G, Vinogradov AA, Rowling PJE, Stott K, Ascher DB, Suga H, Itzhaki LS, Artavanis-Tsakonas K. Targeting the Plasmodium falciparum UCHL3 ubiquitin hydrolase using chemically constrained peptides. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2024; 121:e2322923121. [PMID: 38739798 PMCID: PMC11126973 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2322923121] [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: 01/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/18/2024] [Indexed: 05/16/2024] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitin-proteasome system is essential to all eukaryotes and has been shown to be critical to parasite survival as well, including Plasmodium falciparum, the causative agent of the deadliest form of malarial disease. Despite the central role of the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway to parasite viability across its entire life-cycle, specific inhibitors targeting the individual enzymes mediating ubiquitin attachment and removal do not currently exist. The ability to disrupt P. falciparum growth at multiple developmental stages is particularly attractive as this could potentially prevent both disease pathology, caused by asexually dividing parasites, as well as transmission which is mediated by sexually differentiated parasites. The deubiquitinating enzyme PfUCHL3 is an essential protein, transcribed across both human and mosquito developmental stages. PfUCHL3 is considered hard to drug by conventional methods given the high level of homology of its active site to human UCHL3 as well as to other UCH domain enzymes. Here, we apply the RaPID mRNA display technology and identify constrained peptides capable of binding to PfUCHL3 with nanomolar affinities. The two lead peptides were found to selectively inhibit the deubiquitinase activity of PfUCHL3 versus HsUCHL3. NMR spectroscopy revealed that the peptides do not act by binding to the active site but instead block binding of the ubiquitin substrate. We demonstrate that this approach can be used to target essential protein-protein interactions within the Plasmodium ubiquitin pathway, enabling the application of chemically constrained peptides as a novel class of antimalarial therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harry R. King
- Department of Pathology, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1QP, United Kingdom
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1PD, United Kingdom
| | - Mark Bycroft
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1PD, United Kingdom
| | - Thanh-Binh Nguyen
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, BrisbaneQLD 4067, Australia
| | - Geoff Kelly
- NMR Centre, Francis Crick Institute, LondonNW1 1AT, United Kingdom
| | - Alexander A. Vinogradov
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo113-0033, Japan
| | - Pamela J. E. Rowling
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1PD, United Kingdom
| | - Katherine Stott
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1GA, United Kingdom
| | - David B. Ascher
- School of Chemistry and Molecular Biosciences, University of Queensland, BrisbaneQLD 4067, Australia
| | - Hiroaki Suga
- Department of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, University of Tokyo, Tokyo113-0033, Japan
| | - Laura S. Itzhaki
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Cambridge, CambridgeCB2 1PD, United Kingdom
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Kuang X, Salinger A, Benavides F, Muller WJ, Dent SYR, Koutelou E. USP22 overexpression fails to augment tumor formation in MMTV-ERBB2 mice but loss of function impacts MMTV promoter activity. PLoS One 2024; 19:e0290837. [PMID: 38236941 PMCID: PMC10796002 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0290837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/16/2023] [Accepted: 08/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2024] Open
Abstract
The Ubiquitin Specific Peptidase 22 (USP22), a component of the Spt-Ada-Gcn5 Acetyltransferase (SAGA) histone modifying complex, is overexpressed in multiple human cancers, but how USP22 impacts tumorigenesis is not clear. We reported previously that Usp22 loss in mice impacts execution of several signaling pathways driven by growth factor receptors such as erythroblastic oncogene B b2 (ERBB2). To determine whether changes in USP22 expression affects ERBB2-driven tumorigenesis, we introduced conditional overexpression or deletion alleles of Usp22 into mice bearing the Mouse mammary tumor virus-Neu-Ires-Cre (MMTV-NIC) transgene, which drives both rat ERBB2/NEU expression and Cre recombinase activity from the MMTV promoter resulting in mammary tumor formation. We found that USP22 overexpression in mammary glands did not further enhance primary tumorigenesis in MMTV-NIC female mice, but increased lung metastases were observed. However, deletion of Usp22 significantly decreased tumor burden and increased survival of MMTV-NIC mice. These effects were associated with markedly decreased levels of both Erbb2 mRNA and protein, indicating Usp22 loss impacts MMTV promoter activity. Usp22 loss had no impact on ERBB2 expression in other settings, including MCF10A cells bearing a Cytomegalovirus (CMV)-driven ERBB2 transgene or in human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)+ human SKBR3 and HCC1953 cells. Decreased activity of the MMTV promoter in MMTV-NIC mice correlated with decreased expression of known regulatory factors, including the glucocorticoid receptor (GR), the progesterone receptor (PR), and the chromatin remodeling factor Brahma-related gene-1 (BRG1). Together our findings indicate that increased expression of USP22 does not augment the activity of an activated ERBB2/NEU transgene but impacts of Usp22 loss on tumorigenesis cannot be assessed in this model due to unexpected effects on MMTV-driven Erbb2/Neu expression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xianghong Kuang
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Center for Cancer Epigenetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Andrew Salinger
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Center for Cancer Epigenetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Fernando Benavides
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Center for Cancer Epigenetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - William J. Muller
- Rosalind and Morris Goodman Cancer Institute, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
- Faculty of Medicine, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
| | - Sharon Y. R. Dent
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Center for Cancer Epigenetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center/UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Evangelia Koutelou
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Center for Cancer Epigenetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, United States of America
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Zhang Y, Song J, Zhou Y, Jia H, Zhou T, Sun Y, Gao Q, Zhao Y, Pan Y, Sun Z, Chu P. Discovery of selective and potent USP22 inhibitors via structure-based virtual screening and bioassays exerting anti-tumor activity. Bioorg Chem 2023; 141:106842. [PMID: 37769523 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106842] [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: 07/03/2023] [Revised: 08/20/2023] [Accepted: 09/05/2023] [Indexed: 10/03/2023]
Abstract
Ubiquitin-specific protease 22 (USP22) plays a prominent role in tumor development, invasion, metastasis and immune reprogramming, which has been proposed as a potential therapeutic target for cancer. Herein, we employed a structure-based discovery and biological evaluation and discovered that Rottlerin (IC50 = 2.53 μM) and Morusin (IC50 = 8.29 μM) and as selective and potent USP22 inhibitors. Treatment of HCT116 cells and A375 cells with each of the two compounds resulted in increased monoubiquitination of histones H2A and H2B, as well as reduced protein expression levels of Sirt1 and PD-L1, all of which are known as USP22 substrates. Additionally, our study demonstrated that the administration of Rottlerin or Morusin resulted in an increase H2Bub levels, while simultaneously reducing the expression of Sirt1 and PD-L1 in a manner dependent on USP22. Furthermore, Rottlerin and Morusin were found to enhance the degradation of PD-L1 and Sirt1, as well as increase the polyubiquitination of endogenous PD-L1 and Sirt1 in HCT116 cells. Moreover, in an in vivo syngeneic tumor model, Rottlerin and Morusin exhibited potent antitumor activity, which was accompanied by an enhanced infiltration of T cells into the tumor tissues. Using in-depth molecular dynamics (MD) and binding free energy calculation, conserved residue Leu475 and non-conserved residue Arg419 were proven to be crucial for the binding affinity and inhibitory function of USP22 inhibitors. In summary, our study established a highly efficient approach for USP22-specific inhibitor discovery, which lead to identification of two selective and potent USP22 inhibitors as potential drugs in anticancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Jiankun Song
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Yuanzhang Zhou
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Huijun Jia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Tianyu Zhou
- College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Yingbo Sun
- College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Qiong Gao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Yue Zhao
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Yujie Pan
- College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China
| | - Zhaolin Sun
- College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China; Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China.
| | - Peng Chu
- College of Pharmacy, Dalian Medical University, Dalian 116044, China.
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Zhang K, Sun T, Li W, Guo Y, Li A, Hsieh M, Wang J, Wu J, Arvanitis L, Raz DJ. Inhibition of USP7 upregulates USP22 and activates its downstream cancer-related signaling pathways in human cancer cells. Cell Commun Signal 2023; 21:319. [PMID: 37946202 PMCID: PMC10634000 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-023-01320-z] [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: 08/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/14/2023] [Indexed: 11/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Deubiquitinases (DUBs) play important roles in various human cancers and targeting DUBs is considered as a novel anticancer therapeutic strategy. Overexpression of ubiquitin specific protease 7 and 22 (USP7 and USP22) are associated with malignancy, therapy resistance, and poor prognosis in many cancers. Although both DUBs are involved in the regulation of similar genes and signaling pathways, such as histone H2B monoubiquitination (H2Bub1), c-Myc, FOXP3, and p53, the interdependence of USP22 and USP7 expression has never been described. In the study, we found that targeting USP7 via either siRNA-mediated knockdown or pharmaceutical inhibitors dramatically upregulates USP22 in cancer cells. Mechanistically, the elevated USP22 occurs through a transcriptional pathway, possibly due to desuppression of the transcriptional activity of SP1 via promoting its degradation upon USP7 inhibition. Importantly, increased USP22 expression leads to significant activation of downstream signal pathways including H2Bub1 and c-Myc, which may potentially enhance cancer malignancy and counteract the anticancer efficacy of USP7 inhibition. Importantly, targeting USP7 further suppresses the in vitro proliferation of USP22-knockout (USP22-Ko) A549 and H1299 lung cancer cells and induces a stronger activation of p53 tumor suppressor signaling pathway. In addition, USP22-Ko cancer cells are more sensitive to a combination of cisplatin and USP7 inhibitor. USP7 inhibitor treatment further suppresses in vivo angiogenesis and tumor growth and induced more apoptosis in USP22-Ko cancer xenografts. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that USP7 inhibition can dramatically upregulate USP22 in cancer cells; and targeting USP7 and USP22 may represent a more effective approach for targeted cancer therapy, which warrants further study. Video Abstract.
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Affiliation(s)
- Keqiang Zhang
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
| | - Ting Sun
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
- Faculty of Health Science, University of Macau, Macau, China
| | - Wendong Li
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Yuming Guo
- Division of Comparative Medicine, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Aimin Li
- Pathology Core of Shared Resources, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Marcus Hsieh
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Jinghan Wang
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, East Hospital, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, China
| | - Jun Wu
- Division of Comparative Medicine, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Leonidas Arvanitis
- Department of Pathology, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Dan J Raz
- Division of Thoracic Surgery, City of Hope National Medical Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
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6
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Gao H, Yin J, Ji C, Yu X, Xue J, Guan X, Zhang S, Liu X, Xing F. Targeting ubiquitin specific proteases (USPs) in cancer immunotherapy: from basic research to preclinical application. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:225. [PMID: 37658402 PMCID: PMC10472646 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02805-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Tumors have evolved in various mechanisms to evade the immune system, hindering the antitumor immune response and facilitating tumor progression. Immunotherapy has become a potential treatment strategy specific to different cancer types by utilizing multifarious molecular mechanisms to enhance the immune response against tumors. Among these mechanisms, the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is a significant non-lysosomal pathway specific to protein degradation, regulated by deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) that counterbalance ubiquitin signaling. Ubiquitin-specific proteases (USPs), the largest DUB family with the strongest variety, play critical roles in modulating immune cell function, regulating immune response, and participating in antigen processing and presentation during tumor progression. According to recent studies, the expressions of some USP family members in tumor cells are involved in tumor immune escape and immune microenvironment. This review explores the potential of targeting USPs as a new approach for cancer immunotherapy, highlighting recent basic and preclinical studies investigating the applications of USP inhibitors. By providing insights into the structure and function of USPs in cancer immunity, this review aims at assisting in developing new therapeutic approaches for enhancing the immunotherapy efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongli Gao
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China
| | - Jianqiao Yin
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China
| | - Ce Ji
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China
| | - Xiaopeng Yu
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China
| | - Jinqi Xue
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China
| | - Xin Guan
- Department of Gastroenterology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China
| | - Shuang Zhang
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China
| | - Xun Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China.
| | - Fei Xing
- Department of Oncology, Shengjing Hospital of China Medical University, Shenyang, 110004, China.
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7
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Saha A, Suga H, Brik A. Combining Chemical Protein Synthesis and Random Nonstandard Peptides Integrated Discovery for Modulating Biological Processes. Acc Chem Res 2023; 56:1953-1965. [PMID: 37312234 PMCID: PMC10357587 DOI: 10.1021/acs.accounts.3c00178] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/23/2023] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
Chemical manipulation of naturally occurring peptides offers a convenient route for generating analogs to screen against different therapeutic targets. However, the limited success of the conventional chemical libraries has urged chemical biologists to adopt alternative methods such as phage and mRNA displays and create libraries of a large number of variants for the screening and selection of novel peptides. Messenger RNA (mRNA) display provides great advantages in terms of the library size and the straightforward recovery of the selected polypeptide sequences. Importantly, the integration of the flexible in vitro translation (FIT) system with the mRNA display provides the basis of the random nonstandard peptides integrated discovery (RaPID) approach for the introduction of diverse nonstandard motifs, such as unnatural side chains and backbone modifications. This platform allows the discovery of functionalized peptides with tight binding against virtually any protein of interest (POI) and therefore shows great potential in the pharmaceutical industry. However, this method has been limited to targets generated by recombinant expression, excluding its applications to uniquely modified proteins, particularly those with post-translational modifications.Chemical protein synthesis allows a wide range of changes to the protein's chemical composition to be performed, including side chain and backbone modifications and access to post-translationally modified proteins, which are often inaccessible or difficult to achieve via recombinant expression methods. Notably, d-proteins can be prepared via chemical synthesis, which has been used in mirror image phase display for the discovery of nonproteolytic d-peptide binders.Combining chemical protein synthesis with the RaPID system allows the production of a library of trillions of cyclic peptides and subsequent selection for novel cyclic peptide binders targeting a uniquely modified protein to assist in studying its unexplored biology and possibly the discovery of new drug candidates.Interestingly, the small post-translational modifier protein ubiquitin (Ub), with its various polymeric forms, regulates directly or indirectly many biochemical processes, e.g., proteasomal degradation, DNA damage repair, cell cycle regulation, etc. In this Account, we discuss combining the RaPID approach against various synthetic Ub chains for selecting effective and specific macrocyclic peptide binders. This offers an advancement in modulating central Ub pathways and provides opportunities in drug discovery areas associated with Ub signaling. We highlight experimental approaches and conceptual adaptations required to design and modulate the activity of Lys48- and Lys63-linked Ub chains by macrocyclic peptides. We also present the applications of these approaches to shed light on related biological activities and ultimately their activity against cancer. Finally, we contemplate future developments still pending in this exciting multidisciplinary field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abhishek Saha
- Schulich
Faculty of Chemistry, Technion-Israel Institute
of Technology, Haifa 3200008, Israel
| | - Hiroaki Suga
- Department
of Chemistry, Graduate School of Science, The University of Tokyo, Bunkyo-ku, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan
| | - Ashraf Brik
- Schulich
Faculty of Chemistry, Technion-Israel Institute
of Technology, Haifa 3200008, Israel
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Alam S, Zunic A, Venkat S, Feigin ME, Atanassov BS. Regulation of Cyclin D1 Degradation by Ubiquitin-Specific Protease 27X Is Critical for Cancer Cell Proliferation and Tumor Growth. Mol Cancer Res 2022; 20:1751-1762. [PMID: 36001804 PMCID: PMC9722596 DOI: 10.1158/1541-7786.mcr-22-0259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2022] [Revised: 07/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Cyclin D1 (CCND1) is a critical regulator of cell proliferation and its overexpression has been linked to the development and progression of several malignancies. CCND1 overexpression is recognized as a major mechanism of therapy resistance in several cancers; tumors that rely on CCND1 overexpression to evade cancer therapy are extremely sensitive to its ablation. Therefore, targeting CCND1 is a promising strategy for preventing tumor progression and combating therapy resistance in cancer patients. Although CCND1 itself is not a druggable target, it can be targeted indirectly by inhibiting its regulators. CCND1 steady-state levels are tightly regulated by ubiquitin-mediated degradation, and defects in CCND1 ubiquitination are associated with increased CCND1 protein levels in cancer. Here, we uncover a novel function of ubiquitin-specific protease 27X (USP27X), a deubiquitinating enzyme (DUB), in regulating CCND1 degradation in cancer. USP27X binds to and stabilizes CCND1 in a catalytically dependent manner by negatively regulating its ubiquitination. USP27X expression levels correlate with the levels of CCND1 in several HER2 therapy-resistant breast cancer cell lines, and its ablation leads to a severe reduction of CCND1 protein levels, inhibition of tumor growth, and resensitization to targeted therapy. Together, the results presented in our study are the first to expose USP27X as a major CCND1 deubiquitinase and provide a mechanistic explanation for how this DUB fosters tumor growth. IMPLICATIONS As a deubiquitinating enzyme, USP27X is a druggable target. Our study illuminates new avenues for therapeutic intervention in CCND1-driven cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shamshad Alam
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Amanda Zunic
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Swati Venkat
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Michael E. Feigin
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Boyko S. Atanassov
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA.,Corresponding author: Boyko S. Atanassov, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Elm & Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY,14263, USA.
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Yang J, Zhu Q, Wu Y, Qu X, Liu H, Jiang B, Ge D, Song X. Utilization of macrocyclic peptides to target protein-protein interactions in cancer. Front Oncol 2022; 12:992171. [PMID: 36465350 PMCID: PMC9714258 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.992171] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/12/2022] [Accepted: 10/24/2022] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) play vital roles in normal cellular processes. Dysregulated PPIs are involved in the process of various diseases, including cancer. Thus, these PPIs may serve as potential therapeutic targets in cancer treatment. However, despite rapid advances in small-molecule drugs and biologics, it is still hard to target PPIs, especially for those intracellular PPIs. Macrocyclic peptides have gained growing attention for their therapeutic properties in targeting dysregulated PPIs. Macrocyclic peptides have some unique features, such as moderate sizes, high selectivity, and high binding affinities, which make them good drug candidates. In addition, some oncology macrocyclic peptide drugs have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for clinical use. Here, we reviewed the recent development of macrocyclic peptides in cancer treatment. The opportunities and challenges were also discussed to inspire new perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiawen Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- Shanghai Clinical Research and Trial Center, Shanghai, China
| | - Qiaoliang Zhu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yifan Wu
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Xiaojuan Qu
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Haixia Liu
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Biao Jiang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
- School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
| | - Di Ge
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Xiaoling Song
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, China
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Guo J, Zhao J, Sun L, Yang C. Role of ubiquitin specific proteases in the immune microenvironment of prostate cancer: A new direction. Front Oncol 2022; 12:955718. [PMID: 35924159 PMCID: PMC9339679 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.955718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/29/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Regulation of ubiquitination is associated with multiple processes of tumorigenesis and development, including regulation of the tumor immune microenvironment. Deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs) can remove ubiquitin chains from substrates, thereby stabilizing target proteins and altering and remodeling biological processes. During tumorigenesis, deubiquitination-altered biological processes are closely related to tumor metabolism, stemness, and the immune microenvironment. Recently, tumor microenvironment (TME) modulation strategies have attracted considerable attention in cancer immunotherapy. Targeting immunosuppressive mechanisms in the TME has revolutionized cancer therapy. Prostate cancer (PC) is one of the most common cancers and the second most common cause of cancer-related death in men worldwide. While immune checkpoint inhibition has produced meaningful therapeutic effects in many cancer types, clinical trials of anti-CTLA4 or anti-PD1 have not shown a clear advantage in PC patients. TME affects PC progression and also enables tumor cell immune evasion by activating the PD-1/PD-L1 axis. Over the past few decades, an increasing number of studies have demonstrated that deubiquitination in PC immune microenvironment may modulate the host immune system’s response to the tumor. As the largest and most diverse group of DUBs, ubiquitin-specific proteases (USPs) play an important role in regulating T cell development and function. According to current studies, USPs exhibit a high expression signature in PC and may promote tumorigenesis. Elevated expression of USPs often indicates poor tumor prognosis, suggesting that USPs are expected to develop as the markers of tumor prognosis and even potential drug targets for anti-tumor therapy. Herein, we first summarized recent advances of USPs in PC and focused on the relationship between USPs and immunity. Additionally, we clarified the resistance mechanisms of USPs to targeted drugs in PC. Finally, we reviewed the major achievement of targeting USPs in cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinhui Guo
- Cancer Center, Institute of clinical medicine, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Jie Zhao
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Litao Sun
- Cancer Center, Department of Ultrasound, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Litao Sun, ; Chen Yang,
| | - Chen Yang
- Cancer Center, Department of Ultrasound, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Litao Sun, ; Chen Yang,
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Zhao J, Guo J, Wang Y, Ma Q, Shi Y, Cheng F, Lu Q, Fu W, Ouyang G, Zhang J, Xu Q, Hu X. Research Progress of DUB Enzyme in Hepatocellular Carcinoma. Front Oncol 2022; 12:920287. [PMID: 35875077 PMCID: PMC9303014 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2022.920287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
According to GLOBOCAN 2021 cancer incidence and mortality statistics compiled by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common malignancy in the human liver and one of the leading causes of cancer death worldwide. Although there have been great advances in the treatment of HCC, such as regofenib, sorafenib, and lomvatinib, which have been developed and approved for the clinical treatment of advanced or metastatic HCC. However, they only prolong survival by a few months, and patients with advanced liver cancer are susceptible to tumor invasion metastasis and drug resistance. Ubiquitination modification is a type of post-translational modification of proteins. It can affect the physiological activity of cells by regulating the localization, stability and activity of proteins, such as: gene transcription, DNA damage signaling and other pathways. The reversible process of ubiquitination is called de-ubiquitination: it is the process of re-releasing ubiquitinated substrates with the participation of de-ubiquitinases (DUBs) and other active substances. There is growing evidence that many dysregulations of DUBs are associated with tumorigenesis. Although dysregulation of deuquitinase function is often found in HCC and other cancers, The mechanisms of action of many DUBs in HCC have not been elucidated. In this review, we focused on several deubiquitinases (DUBs) associated with hepatocellular carcinoma, including their structure, function, and relationship to hepatocellular carcinoma. hepatocellular carcinoma was highlighted, as well as the latest research reports. Among them, we focus on the USP family and OTU family which are more studied in the HCC. In addition, we discussed the prospects and significance of targeting DUBs as a new strategy for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma. It also briefly summarizes the research progress of some DUB-related small molecule inhibitors and their clinical application significance as a treatment for HCC in the future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Zhao
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
- Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jinhui Guo
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Yanan Wang
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiancheng Ma
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yu Shi
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Feng Cheng
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiliang Lu
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | - Wen Fu
- Qingdao Medical College, Qingdao University, Qingdao, China
| | | | - Ji Zhang
- College of Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, China
| | - Qiuran Xu
- Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaoge Hu, ; Qiuran Xu,
| | - Xiaoge Hu
- Department of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical CollegeHangzhou, China
- The Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Diagnosis and Individualized Medicine of Zhejiang Province, Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Affiliated People’s Hospital, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
- *Correspondence: Xiaoge Hu, ; Qiuran Xu,
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Alam S, Atanassov BS. New sheriff in town: Cyclic peptide inhibitors of a DUB module. Cell Chem Biol 2022; 29:541-543. [PMID: 35452621 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2022.04.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Morgan et al. (2021) show that cyclic peptides can be potent and highly specific inhibitors for deubiquitinating enzymes. This study identifies the first selective inhibitors of the cancer-associated ubiquitin-specific protease 22 (USP22).
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Affiliation(s)
- Shamshad Alam
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA
| | - Boyko S Atanassov
- Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, Buffalo, NY, USA.
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