1
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De S, Sahu R, Palei S, Narayan Nanda L. Synthesis, SAR, and application of JQ1 analogs as PROTACs for cancer therapy. Bioorg Med Chem 2024; 112:117875. [PMID: 39178586 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2024.117875] [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: 06/17/2024] [Revised: 08/12/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/26/2024]
Abstract
JQ1 is a wonder therapeutic molecule that selectively inhibits the BRD4 signaling pathway and is thus widely used in the anticancer drug discovery program. Due to its unique selective BRD4 binding property, its applications are further extended in the design and synthesis of bi-functional PROTAC molecules. This BRD4 targeting PROTAC molecule selectively degrades the protein by proteolysis. There are several modifications of JQ1 known to date and extensively explored for their applications in PROTAC technology by several research groups in academia as well as industry for targeting oncogenic genes. In this review, we have covered the discovery and synthesis of the JQ1 molecule. The SAR of the JQ1 analogs will help researchers develop potent JQ1 compounds with improved inhibitory properties against malignant cells. Furthermore, we explored the potential application of JQ1 analogs in PROTAC technology. The brief history of the bromodomain family of proteins, as well as the obstacles connected with PROTAC technology, can help comprehend the context of the current research, which has the potential to improve the drug development process. Overall, this review comprehensively appraises JQ1 molecules and their prior implementation in PROTAC technology and cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Soumik De
- School of Chemical Sciences, National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER), Bhubaneswar, An OCC of Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), Khurda, Odisha 752050, India
| | - Raghaba Sahu
- College of Pharmacy, Seoul National University, Seoul 08826, Republic of Korea
| | - Shubhendu Palei
- Department of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, West Bengal 721302, India
| | - Laxmi Narayan Nanda
- Chemical Biology and Therapeutics Science, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Harvard Medical School, Cambridge 02142, United States; P.G. Department of Chemistry, Government Autonomous College, Utkal University, Angul 759143, Odisha, India.
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2
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Sievers J, Voget R, Lu F, Garchitorena KM, Ng YLD, Chau CH, Steinebach C, Figg WD, Krönke J, Gütschow M. Revisiting the antiangiogenic mechanisms of fluorinated thalidomide derivatives. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2024; 110:129858. [PMID: 38917956 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2024.129858] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/19/2024] [Revised: 06/20/2024] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
Introduction of fluorine into bioactive molecules has attracted much attention in drug development. For example, tetrafluorination of the phthalimide moiety of immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) has a strong beneficial effect on the ability to inhibit angiogenesis. The neomorphic activity of E3 ligase complexes is induced by the binding of IMiDs to cereblon. We investigated that a set of eight thalidomide analogs, comprising non- and tetrafluorinated counterparts, did not induce the degradation of neomorphic substrates (IKZF3, GSPT1, CK1α, SALL4). Hence, the antiangiogenic activity of fluorinated IMiDs was not triggered by neosubstrate degradation features. A fluorine scanning of non-traditional IMiDs of the benzamido glutarimide chemotype was performed. By measuring the endothelial cell tube formation, no angiogenesis inhibitors were identified, confirming the narrow structure-activity window of IMiD-induced antiangiogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes Sievers
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Rabea Voget
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - Feiteng Lu
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Cancer Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, D-12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Kathleen M Garchitorena
- Molecular Pharmacology Section, Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Yuen Lam Dora Ng
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Cancer Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, D-12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Cindy H Chau
- Molecular Pharmacology Section, Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Christian Steinebach
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, D-53121 Bonn, Germany
| | - William D Figg
- Molecular Pharmacology Section, Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jan Krönke
- Department of Hematology, Oncology, and Cancer Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, D-12203 Berlin, Germany
| | - Michael Gütschow
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, D-53121 Bonn, Germany.
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3
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Brodermann MH, Henderson EK, Sellar RS. The emerging role of targeted protein degradation to treat and study cancer. J Pathol 2024; 263:403-417. [PMID: 38886898 DOI: 10.1002/path.6301] [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: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
The evolution of cancer treatment has provided increasingly targeted strategies both in the upfront and relapsed disease settings. Small-molecule inhibitors and immunotherapy have risen to prominence with chimeric antigen receptor T-cells, checkpoint inhibitors, kinase inhibitors, and monoclonal antibody therapies being deployed across a range of solid organ and haematological malignancies. However, novel approaches are required to target transcription factors and oncogenic fusion proteins that are central to cancer biology and have generally eluded successful drug development. Thalidomide analogues causing protein degradation have been a cornerstone of treatment in multiple myeloma, but a lack of in-depth mechanistic understanding initially limited progress in the field. When the protein cereblon (CRBN) was found to mediate thalidomide analogues' action and CRBN's neo-targets were identified, existing and novel drug development accelerated, with applications outside multiple myeloma, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndrome, and acute leukaemias. Critically, transcription factors were the first canonical targets described. In addition to broadening the application of protein-degrading drugs, resistance mechanisms are being overcome and targeted protein degradation is widening the scope of druggable proteins against which existing approaches have been ineffective. Examples of targeted protein degraders include molecular glues and proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs): heterobifunctional molecules that bind to proteins of interest and cause proximity-induced ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation via a linked E3 ligase. Twenty years since their inception, PROTACs have begun progressing through clinical trials, with early success in targeting the oestrogen receptor and androgen receptor in breast and prostate cancer respectively. This review explores important developments in targeted protein degradation to both treat and study cancer. It also considers the potential advantages and challenges in the translational aspects of developing new treatments. © 2024 The Author(s). The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elizabeth K Henderson
- Department of Haematology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Rob S Sellar
- Department of Haematology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK
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4
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Zhang S, Nie S, Ma G, Shen M, Kong L, Zuo Z, Li Y. Identification of novel GSPT1 degraders by virtual screening and bioassay. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 273:116524. [PMID: 38795517 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116524] [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: 04/08/2024] [Revised: 05/11/2024] [Accepted: 05/20/2024] [Indexed: 05/28/2024]
Abstract
GSPT1 plays crucial physiological functions, such as terminating protein translation, overexpressed in various tumors. It is a promising anti-tumor target, but is also considered as an "undruggable" protein. Recent studies have found that a class of small molecules can degrade GSPT1 through the "molecular glue" mechanism with strong antitumor activity, which is expected to become a new therapy for hematological malignancies. Currently available GSPT1 degraders are mostly derived from the scaffold of immunomodulatory imide drug (IMiD), thus more active compounds with novel structure remain to be found. In this work, using computer-assisted multi-round virtual screening and bioassay, we identified a non-IMiD acylhydrazone compound, AN5782, which can reduce the protein level of GPST1 and obviously inhibit the proliferation of tumor cells. Some analogs were obtained by a substructure search of AN5782. The structure-activity relationship analysis revealed possible interactions between these compounds and CRBN-GSPT1. Further biological mechanistic studies showed that AN5777 decreased GSPT1 remarkably through the ubiquitin-proteasome system, and its effective cytotoxicity was CRBN- and GSPT1-dependent. Furthermore, AN5777 displayed good antiproliferative activities against U937 and OCI-AML-2 cells, and dose-dependently induced G1 phase arrest and apoptosis. The structure found in this work could be good start for antitumor drug development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuqun Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Natural Medicines, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China
| | - Shiyun Nie
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Research and Development for Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Guangchao Ma
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Research and Development for Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Meiling Shen
- Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Natural Medicines, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Lingmei Kong
- Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Research and Development for Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China
| | - Zhili Zuo
- Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Natural Medicines, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China.
| | - Yan Li
- Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Natural Medicines, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, 650201, China; Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemistry for Natural Resource, Yunnan Key Laboratory of Research and Development for Natural Products, School of Pharmacy, Ministry of Education, Yunnan University, Kunming, 650500, China.
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5
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Rana S, Dranchak P, Dahlin JL, Lamy L, Li W, Oliphant E, Shrimp JH, Rajacharya GH, Tharakan R, Holland DO, Whitten AS, Wilson KM, Singh PK, Durum SK, Tao D, Rai G, Inglese J. Methotrexate-based PROTACs as DHFR-specific chemical probes. Cell Chem Biol 2024; 31:221-233.e14. [PMID: 37875111 PMCID: PMC10922102 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2023.09.014] [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: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/31/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/26/2023]
Abstract
Methotrexate (MTX) is a tight-binding dihydrofolate reductase (DHFR) inhibitor, used as both an antineoplastic and immunosuppressant therapeutic. MTX, like folate undergoes folylpolyglutamate synthetase-mediated γ-glutamylation, which affects cellular retention and target specificity. Mechanisms of MTX resistance in cancers include a decrease in MTX poly-γ-glutamylation and an upregulation of DHFR. Here, we report a series of potent MTX-based proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) to investigate DHFR degradation pharmacology and one-carbon biochemistry. These on-target, cell-active PROTACs show proteasome- and E3 ligase-dependent activity, and selective degradation of DHFR in multiple cancer cell lines. By comparison, treatment with MTX increases cellular DHFR protein expression. Importantly, these PROTACs produced distinct, less-lethal phenotypes compared to MTX. The chemical probe set described here should complement conventional DHFR inhibitors and serve as useful tools for studying one-carbon biochemistry and dissecting complex polypharmacology of MTX and related drugs. Such compounds may also serve as leads for potential autoimmune and antineoplastic therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sandeep Rana
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Patricia Dranchak
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Jayme L Dahlin
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Laurence Lamy
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Wenqing Li
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Erin Oliphant
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Jonathan H Shrimp
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Girish H Rajacharya
- Department of Oncology Science, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Ravi Tharakan
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - David O Holland
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Apryl S Whitten
- Department of Oncology Science, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Kelli M Wilson
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Pankaj K Singh
- Department of Oncology Science, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA; OU Health Stephenson Center, University of Oklahoma Health Science Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, USA
| | - Scott K Durum
- Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, NIH, Frederick, MD, USA
| | - Dingyin Tao
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, MD 20850, USA
| | - Ganesha Rai
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, MD 20850, USA.
| | - James Inglese
- Division of Preclinical Innovation, National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, NIH, Rockville, MD 20850, USA; Metabolic Medicine Branch, National Human Genome Research Institute, NIH, Bethesda, MD 20892, USA.
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6
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Chen D, Lin S, Zeng Z, An J, Yan W, Gu Z, Chen L, He B. Serendipitous discovery of Class I HDAC inhibitors from rational design of molecular glue degraders targeting HDAC. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 263:115926. [PMID: 37995564 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115926] [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: 04/05/2023] [Revised: 10/28/2023] [Accepted: 10/30/2023] [Indexed: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Zinc-dependent histone deacetylases (HDACs) play an essential role as epigenetic regulators and are becoming increasingly important drug targets for the treatment of cancer. Although five HDAC inhibitors have been approved for treating several cancers, only one of them is a Class I HDAC inhibitor, which may have advantages over pan-HDAC inhibitors due to the various side effects associated with the latter. On the other hand, the emerging strategy of molecular glue degraders offers a unique advantage for targeting therapeutic proteins. In this study, we synthesized a series of candidate compounds based on the molecule glue, pomalidomide, using a "merger principle", initially aiming to obtain molecular glue degraders that can target HDAC degradation. However, we serendipitously discovered that compounds 2f and 3f may be potent Class I HDAC selective inhibitors. After further evaluation, we found that compounds 2f and 3f exhibit selective inhibitory effects on Class I HDAC in cancer cells. Moreover, they showed the robust antiproliferative activities against various hematological tumor cells, comparable to that of the approved Class I HDAC inhibitor, Chidamide. These results suggest that pomalidomide-derivatized compounds have promising potential as Class I HDAC inhibitors with therapeutic applications in cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Di Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM (Ministry of Education), Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Shuxian Lin
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM (Ministry of Education), Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China; Department of Pharmacy, Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, 550002, China
| | - Ziwei Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM (Ministry of Education), Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Jianxiong An
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM (Ministry of Education), Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Wanli Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM (Ministry of Education), Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Zhicheng Gu
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM (Ministry of Education), Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Lei Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM (Ministry of Education), Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China
| | - Bin He
- State Key Laboratory of Functions and Applications of Medicinal Plants, Engineering Research Center for the Development and Application of Ethnic Medicine and TCM (Ministry of Education), Guizhou Provincial Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmacy, Guizhou Medical University, Guiyang, 550004, China.
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7
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Cassidy K, Zhao H. Redefining the Scope of Targeted Protein Degradation: Translational Opportunities in Hijacking the Autophagy-Lysosome Pathway. Biochemistry 2023; 62:580-587. [PMID: 34569233 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.1c00330] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
The advent of multi-specific targeted protein degradation (TPD) therapies has made it possible to drug targets that have long been considered to be inaccessible. For this reason, the foremost TPD modalities - molecular glues and proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) -have been widely adopted and developed in therapeutic programs across the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries. While there are many clear advantages to these two approaches, there are also blind spots. Specifically, PROTACs and molecular glues are inherently mechanistically analogous in that targets of both are degraded via the 26s proteasome; however, not all disease-relevant targets are suitable for ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS)-mediated degradation. The alternative mammalian protein degradation pathway, the autophagy-lysosome system (or ALS), is capable of degrading targets that elude the UPS such as long-lived proteins, insoluble protein aggregates, and even abnormal organelles. Emerging TPD strategies- such as ATTEC, AUTAC, and LYTAC- take advantage of the substrate diversity of the ALS to greatly expand the clinical utility of TPD. In this Perspective, we will discuss the array of current TPD modalities, with a focus on critical evaluation of these novel ALS-mediated degradation techniques.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katelyn Cassidy
- Discovery Biology, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
| | - Heng Zhao
- Discovery Biology, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, Waltham, Massachusetts 02451, United States
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8
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Palomba T, Baroni M, Cross S, Cruciani G, Siragusa L. ELIOT: A platform to navigate the E3 pocketome and aid the design of new PROTACs. Chem Biol Drug Des 2023; 101:69-86. [PMID: 35857806 DOI: 10.1111/cbdd.14123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2022] [Revised: 07/11/2022] [Accepted: 07/17/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are novel therapeutics for the treatment of human disease. They exploit the enormous potential of the E3 ligases, a class of proteins that mark a target protein for degradation via the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Despite the existence of several E3 ligase-related databases, the choice of the functioning ligase is limited to only 1.6% of those available, probably due to the fragmentary understanding of their structures and their known ligands; in fact, none of the existing databases report detailed studies covering their 3D structure or their pockets. Here, we report ELIOT (E3 LIgase pocketOme navigaTor), an accurate and complete platform containing the E3 ligase pocketome to enable navigation and selection of new E3 ligases and new ligands for the design of new PROTACs. All E3 ligase pockets were characterized with innovative 3D descriptors including their PROTAC-ability score, and similarity analyses between E3 pockets are presented. Tissue specificity and their degree of involvement in patients with specific cancer types are also annotated for each E3 ligase, enabling appropriate selection for the design of a PROTAC with improved specificity. All data are available at https://eliot.moldiscovery.com.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tommaso Palomba
- Laboratory for Chemometrics and Molecular Modeling, Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Massimo Baroni
- Molecular Discovery Ltd., The Kinetic Centre, Hertfordshire, UK
| | - Simon Cross
- Molecular Discovery Ltd., The Kinetic Centre, Hertfordshire, UK
| | - Gabriele Cruciani
- Laboratory for Chemometrics and Molecular Modeling, Department of Chemistry, Biology, and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Lydia Siragusa
- Molecular Discovery Ltd., The Kinetic Centre, Hertfordshire, UK.,Molecular Horizon Srl, Bettona, Italy
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9
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Licciardello MP, Workman P. The era of high-quality chemical probes. RSC Med Chem 2022; 13:1446-1459. [PMID: 36545432 PMCID: PMC9749956 DOI: 10.1039/d2md00291d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 11/11/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Small-molecule chemical probes are among the most important tools to study the function of proteins in cells and organisms. Regrettably, the use of weak and non-selective small molecules has generated an abundance of erroneous conclusions in the scientific literature. More recently, minimal criteria have been outlined for investigational compounds, encouraging the selection and use of high-quality chemical probes. Here, we briefly recall the milestones and key initiatives that have paved the way to this new era, illustrate examples of recent high-quality chemical probes and provide our perspective on future challenges and developments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marco P. Licciardello
- Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer ResearchLondonUK
| | - Paul Workman
- Centre for Cancer Drug Discovery, Division of Cancer Therapeutics, The Institute of Cancer ResearchLondonUK,The Chemical Probes PortalUK
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10
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Sialana F, Roumeliotis TI, Bouguenina H, Chan Wah Hak L, Wang H, Caldwell J, Collins I, Chopra R, Choudhary JS. SimPLIT: Simplified Sample Preparation for Large-Scale Isobaric Tagging Proteomics. J Proteome Res 2022; 21:1842-1856. [PMID: 35848491 PMCID: PMC9361352 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jproteome.2c00092] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Large scale proteomic profiling of cell lines can reveal molecular signatures attributed to variable genotypes or induced perturbations, enabling proteogenomic associations and elucidation of pharmacological mechanisms of action. Although isobaric labeling has increased the throughput of proteomic analysis, the commonly used sample preparation workflows often require time-consuming steps and costly consumables, limiting their suitability for large scale studies. Here, we present a simplified and cost-effective one-pot reaction workflow in a 96-well plate format (SimPLIT) that minimizes processing steps and demonstrates improved reproducibility compared to alternative approaches. The workflow is based on a sodium deoxycholate lysis buffer and a single detergent cleanup step after peptide labeling, followed by quick off-line fractionation and MS2 analysis. We showcase the applicability of the workflow in a panel of colorectal cancer cell lines and by performing target discovery for a set of molecular glue degraders in different cell lines, in a 96-sample assay. Using this workflow, we report frequently dysregulated proteins in colorectal cancer cells and uncover cell-dependent protein degradation profiles of seven cereblon E3 ligase modulators (CRL4CRBN). Overall, SimPLIT is a robust method that can be easily implemented in any proteomics laboratory for medium-to-large scale TMT-based studies for deep profiling of cell lines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fernando
J. Sialana
- Functional
Proteomics Group, The Institute of Cancer Research, Chester Beatty Laboratories, London SW3 6JB, U.K.
- Cancer
Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The
Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, U.K.
| | - Theodoros I. Roumeliotis
- Functional
Proteomics Group, The Institute of Cancer Research, Chester Beatty Laboratories, London SW3 6JB, U.K.
| | - Habib Bouguenina
- Cancer
Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The
Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, U.K.
| | - Laura Chan Wah Hak
- Cancer
Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The
Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, U.K.
| | - Hannah Wang
- Cancer
Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The
Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, U.K.
| | - John Caldwell
- Cancer
Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The
Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, U.K.
| | - Ian Collins
- Cancer
Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The
Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, U.K.
| | - Rajesh Chopra
- Cancer
Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The
Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, U.K.
| | - Jyoti S. Choudhary
- Functional
Proteomics Group, The Institute of Cancer Research, Chester Beatty Laboratories, London SW3 6JB, U.K.
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11
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Structure-activity relationship analysis of novel GSPT1 degraders based on benzotriazinone scaffold and its antitumor effect on xenograft mouse model. Bioorg Chem 2022; 127:105923. [PMID: 35717803 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.105923] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2022] [Accepted: 05/30/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Molecular glue degraders, such as lenalidomide and pomalidomide, bind to cereblon (CRBN) E3 ligase and subsequently recruit neosubstrate proteins, Ikaros (IKZF1) and Aiolos (IKZF3), for the ubiquitination-proteasomal degradation process. In this study, we explored structure-activity relationship analysis for novel GSPT1 degraders utilizing a benzotriazinone scaffold previously discovered as a novel CRBN binder. In particular, we focused on the position of the ureido group on the benzotriazinone scaffold, substituent effect on the phenylureido group, and methyl substitution on the benzylic position of benzotriazinone. As a result, we identified 34f (TD-522), which exhibits strong anti-proliferative effects in both KG-1 (EC50 = 0.5 nM) and TMD-8 (EC50 = 5.2 nM) cell lines. Compound 34f effectively induced GSPT1 degradation with a DC50 of 0.269 nM and Dmax of >95 % at 10 nM concentration in KG-1 cells. An in vivo xenograft study showed that compound 34f effectively suppressed TMD8-driven tumor growth, suggesting a potential role in the development of novel GSPT1 degraders.
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12
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Luo X, Archibeque I, Dellamaggiore K, Smither K, Homann O, Lipford JR, Mohl D. Profiling of diverse tumor types establishes the broad utility of VHL-based ProTaCs and triages candidate ubiquitin ligases. iScience 2022; 25:103985. [PMID: 35295813 PMCID: PMC8919295 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.103985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2019] [Revised: 11/01/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The success of small molecule therapeutics that promotes degradation of critical cancer targets has fueled an intense effort to mimic this activity with bispecific molecules called PROTACs (proteolysis targeting chimeras). The simultaneous binding of PROTACs to a ligase and target can induce proximity-driven ubiquitination and degradation. VHL and CRBN are the two best characterized PROTAC ligases, but the rules governing their cellular activities remain unclear. To establish these requirements and extend them to new ligases, we screened a panel of 56 cell lines with two potent PROTACs that utilized VHL, MZ1, or CRBN, dBET1 to induce degradation of BRD4. With notable exceptions, MZ1 was broadly active in the panel whereas dBET1 was frequently inactive. A search for predictive biomarkers of PROTAC activity found that expression and mutation of VHL and CRBN were themselves predictors of PROTAC activity in the cell line panel. Profiling of diverse tumor types establishes the broad utility of VHL-based PROTACs CRBN-dependent dBET1 activity is frequently suppressed in cancer cell lines Copy loss and mRNA expression predict the activity of VHL and CRBN-dependent PROTACs
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Luo
- AMGEN Research, Amgen Inc, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | | | | | - Kate Smither
- AMGEN Research, Amgen Inc, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
| | - Oliver Homann
- AMGEN Research, Amgen Inc, South San Francisco, CA 94080, USA
| | | | - Dane Mohl
- AMGEN Research, Amgen Inc, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320, USA
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13
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Roles of Cullin-RING Ubiquitin Ligases in Cardiovascular Diseases. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12030416. [PMID: 35327608 PMCID: PMC8946067 DOI: 10.3390/biom12030416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2022] [Revised: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Maintenance of protein homeostasis is crucial for virtually every aspect of eukaryotic biology. The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) represents a highly regulated quality control machinery that protects cells from a variety of stress conditions as well as toxic proteins. A large body of evidence has shown that UPS dysfunction contributes to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. This review highlights the latest findings regarding the physiological and pathological roles of cullin-RING ubiquitin ligases (CRLs), an essential player in the UPS, in the cardiovascular system. To inspire potential therapeutic invention, factors regulating CRL activities are also discussed.
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14
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Müller S, Ackloo S, Al Chawaf A, Al-Lazikani B, Antolin A, Baell JB, Beck H, Beedie S, Betz UAK, Bezerra GA, Brennan PE, Brown D, Brown PJ, Bullock AN, Carter AJ, Chaikuad A, Chaineau M, Ciulli A, Collins I, Dreher J, Drewry D, Edfeldt K, Edwards AM, Egner U, Frye SV, Fuchs SM, Hall MD, Hartung IV, Hillisch A, Hitchcock SH, Homan E, Kannan N, Kiefer JR, Knapp S, Kostic M, Kubicek S, Leach AR, Lindemann S, Marsden BD, Matsui H, Meier JL, Merk D, Michel M, Morgan MR, Mueller-Fahrnow A, Owen DR, Perry BG, Rosenberg SH, Saikatendu KS, Schapira M, Scholten C, Sharma S, Simeonov A, Sundström M, Superti-Furga G, Todd MH, Tredup C, Vedadi M, von Delft F, Willson TM, Winter GE, Workman P, Arrowsmith CH. Target 2035 - update on the quest for a probe for every protein. RSC Med Chem 2022; 13:13-21. [PMID: 35211674 PMCID: PMC8792830 DOI: 10.1039/d1md00228g] [Citation(s) in RCA: 36] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 01/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Twenty years after the publication of the first draft of the human genome, our knowledge of the human proteome is still fragmented. The challenge of translating the wealth of new knowledge from genomics into new medicines is that proteins, and not genes, are the primary executers of biological function. Therefore, much of how biology works in health and disease must be understood through the lens of protein function. Accordingly, a subset of human proteins has been at the heart of research interests of scientists over the centuries, and we have accumulated varying degrees of knowledge about approximately 65% of the human proteome. Nevertheless, a large proportion of proteins in the human proteome (∼35%) remains uncharacterized, and less than 5% of the human proteome has been successfully targeted for drug discovery. This highlights the profound disconnect between our abilities to obtain genetic information and subsequent development of effective medicines. Target 2035 is an international federation of biomedical scientists from the public and private sectors, which aims to address this gap by developing and applying new technologies to create by year 2035 chemogenomic libraries, chemical probes, and/or biological probes for the entire human proteome.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susanne Müller
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt Frankfurt 60438 Germany
- Structural Genomics Consortium, BMLS, Goethe University Frankfurt Frankfurt 60438 Germany
| | - Suzanne Ackloo
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto Toronto Ontario M5G 1L7 Canada
| | | | - Bissan Al-Lazikani
- Department of Data Science, The Institute of Cancer Research London SM2 5NG UK
- CRUK ICR/Imperial Convergence Science Centre London SM2 5NG UK
| | - Albert Antolin
- Department of Data Science, The Institute of Cancer Research London SM2 5NG UK
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research London SM2 5NG UK
| | - Jonathan B Baell
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University Parkville Victoria 3052 Australia
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nanjing Tech University No. 30 South Puzhu Road Nanjing 211816 People's Republic of China
| | - Hartmut Beck
- Research and Development, Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals 42103 Wuppertal Germany
| | - Shaunna Beedie
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive Oxford OX3 7DQ UK
| | | | - Gustavo Arruda Bezerra
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive Oxford OX3 7DQ UK
| | - Paul E Brennan
- Alzheimer's Research UK Oxford Drug Discovery Institute, Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford Oxford OX3 7FZ UK
| | - David Brown
- Institut Recherches de Servier 125 Chemin de Ronde 78290 Croissy France
| | - Peter J Brown
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto Toronto Ontario M5G 1L7 Canada
| | - Alex N Bullock
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive Oxford OX3 7DQ UK
| | - Adrian J Carter
- Discovery Research, Boehringer Ingelheim 55216 Ingelheim am Rhein Germany
| | - Apirat Chaikuad
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt Frankfurt 60438 Germany
- Structural Genomics Consortium, BMLS, Goethe University Frankfurt Frankfurt 60438 Germany
| | - Mathilde Chaineau
- Early Drug Discovery Unit (EDDU), Montreal Neurological Institute-Hospital, McGill University Montreal QC Canada
| | - Alessio Ciulli
- School of Life Sciences, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, University of Dundee James Black Centre Dundee UK
| | - Ian Collins
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research London SM2 5NG UK
| | - Jan Dreher
- Research and Development, Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals 42103 Wuppertal Germany
| | - David Drewry
- Structural Genomics Consortium, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy Chapel Hill NC USA
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill NC 27599 USA
| | - Kristina Edfeldt
- Structural Genomics Consortium, Department of Medicine, Karolinska University Hospital and Karolinska Institutet Stockholm Sweden
| | - Aled M Edwards
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto Toronto Ontario M5G 1L7 Canada
| | - Ursula Egner
- Nuvisan Innovation Campus Berlin GmbH Müllerstraße 178 13353 Berlin Germany
| | - Stephen V Frye
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill NC 27599 USA
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill NC 27599 USA
| | | | - Matthew D Hall
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health Rockville Maryland 20850 USA
| | - Ingo V Hartung
- Medicinal Chemistry, Global R&D, Merck Healthcare KGaA Frankfurter Straße 250 64293 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Alexander Hillisch
- Research and Development, Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals 42103 Wuppertal Germany
| | | | - Evert Homan
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Oncology-Pathology Karolinska Institutet Stockholm Sweden
| | - Natarajan Kannan
- Institute of Bioinformatics and Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Georgia Athens GA USA
| | - James R Kiefer
- Genentech, Inc. 1 DNA Way South San Francisco California 94080 USA
| | - Stefan Knapp
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt Frankfurt 60438 Germany
- Structural Genomics Consortium, BMLS, Goethe University Frankfurt Frankfurt 60438 Germany
| | - Milka Kostic
- Department of Cancer Biology and Chemical Biology Program, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute 450 Brookline Ave Boston MA 02215 USA
| | - Stefan Kubicek
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences Vienna Austria
| | - Andrew R Leach
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton Cambridgeshire CB10 1SD UK
| | - Sven Lindemann
- Strategic Innovation, Global R&D, Merck Healthcare KGaA Frankfurter Straße 250 64293 Darmstadt Germany
| | - Brian D Marsden
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive Oxford OX3 7DQ UK
- Kennedy Institute of Rheumatology, NDORMS, University of Oxford UK
| | - Hisanori Matsui
- Neuroscience Drug Discovery Unit, Research, Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited Fujisawa Kanagawa Japan
| | - Jordan L Meier
- Chemical Biology Laboratory, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health Frederick MD USA
| | - Daniel Merk
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt Frankfurt 60438 Germany
- LMU Munich, Department of Pharmacy, Chair of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry 81377 Munich Germany
| | - Maurice Michel
- Science for Life Laboratory, Department of Oncology-Pathology Karolinska Institutet Stockholm Sweden
| | - Maxwell R Morgan
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto Toronto Ontario M5G 1L7 Canada
| | | | - Dafydd R Owen
- Discovery Network Group, Pfizer Medicine Design Cambridge MA 02139 USA
| | - Benjamin G Perry
- Drugs for Neglected Diseases initiative 15 Chemin Camille Vidart Geneva 1202 Switzerland
| | | | - Kumar Singh Saikatendu
- Global Research Externalization, Takeda California, Inc. 9625 Towne Center Drive San Diego CA 92121 USA
| | - Matthieu Schapira
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto Toronto Ontario M5G 1L7 Canada
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto Toronto Ontario M5S 1A8 Canada
| | - Cora Scholten
- Research and Development, Bayer AG, Pharmaceuticals 13353 Berlin Germany
| | - Sujata Sharma
- Structural & Protein Sciences, Discovery Sciences, Janssen Research & Development 1400 McKean Rd Spring House PA 19477 USA
| | - Anton Simeonov
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health Rockville Maryland 20850 USA
| | - Michael Sundström
- Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine Solna, Karolinska University Hospital and Karolinska Institutet Stockholm Sweden
| | - Giulio Superti-Furga
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences Vienna Austria
- Center for Physiology and Pharmacology, Medical University of Vienna Vienna Austria
| | - Matthew H Todd
- School of Pharmacy, University College London London WC1N 1AX UK
| | - Claudia Tredup
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt Frankfurt 60438 Germany
- Structural Genomics Consortium, BMLS, Goethe University Frankfurt Frankfurt 60438 Germany
| | - Masoud Vedadi
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto Toronto Ontario M5G 1L7 Canada
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, University of Toronto Toronto Ontario M5S 1A8 Canada
| | - Frank von Delft
- Centre for Medicines Discovery, University of Oxford Old Road Campus Research Building, Roosevelt Drive Oxford OX3 7DQ UK
- Diamond Light Source Ltd Harwell Science and Innovation Campus Didcot OX11 0QX UK
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Johannesburg Auckland Park 2006 South Africa
- Research Complex at Harwell Harwell Science and Innovation Campus Didcot OX11 0FA UK
| | - Timothy M Willson
- Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, Department of Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill NC 27599 USA
| | - Georg E Winter
- CeMM Research Center for Molecular Medicine of the Austrian Academy of Sciences Vienna Austria
| | - Paul Workman
- CRUK ICR/Imperial Convergence Science Centre London SM2 5NG UK
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research London SM2 5NG UK
| | - Cheryl H Arrowsmith
- Structural Genomics Consortium, University of Toronto Toronto Ontario M5G 1L7 Canada
- Princess Margaret Cancer Centre Toronto Ontario M5G 1L7 Canada
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15
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Abstract
RAS proteins represent critical drivers of tumor development and thus are the focus of intense efforts to pharmacologically inhibit these proteins in human cancer. Although recent success has been attained in developing clinically efficacious inhibitors to KRASG12C, there remains a critical need for developing approaches to inhibit additional mutant RAS proteins. A number of anti-RAS biologics have been developed which reveal novel and potentially therapeutically targetable vulnerabilities in oncogenic RAS. This review will discuss the growing field of anti-RAS biologics and potential development of these reagents into new anti-RAS therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael Whaby
- Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - Imran Khan
- Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States; Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC, United States
| | - John P O'Bryan
- Department of Cell and Molecular Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Hollings Cancer Center, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, United States; Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC, United States.
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16
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Fang Y, He Q, Cao J. Targeted protein degradation and regulation with molecular glue: past and recent discoveries. Curr Med Chem 2021; 29:2490-2503. [PMID: 34365941 DOI: 10.2174/0929867328666210806113949] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/15/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The evolution in research and clinical settings of targeted therapies has been inspired by the progress of cancer chemotherapy to use small molecules and monoclonal antibodies for targeting specific disease-associated genes and proteins for noninfectious chronic diseases. In addition to conventional protein inhibition and activation strategies as drug discovery modalities, new methods of targeted protein degradation and regulation using molecular glues have become an attractive approach for drug discovery. Mechanistically, molecular glues trigger interactions between the proteins that originally did not interact by forming ternary complexes as protein-protein interaction (PPI) modulators. New molecular glues and their mechanisms of action have been actively investigated in the past decades. An immunomodulatory imide drug, thalidomide, and its derivatives have been used in the clinic and are a class of molecular glue that induces degradation of several neo-substrates. In this review, we summarize the development of molecular glues and share our opinions on the identification of novel molecular glues in an attempt to promote the concept and inspire further investigations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizheng Fang
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing. China
| | - Qiaojun He
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou. China
| | - Ji Cao
- The Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou. China
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17
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Dong G, Ding Y, He S, Sheng C. Molecular Glues for Targeted Protein Degradation: From Serendipity to Rational Discovery. J Med Chem 2021; 64:10606-10620. [PMID: 34319094 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00895] [Citation(s) in RCA: 143] [Impact Index Per Article: 47.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation is a promising area in the discovery and development of innovative therapeutics. Molecular glues mediate proximity-induced protein degradation and have intrinsic advantages over heterobifunctional proteolysis-targeting chimeras, including unprecedented mechanisms, distinct biological activities, and favorable physicochemical properties. Classical molecular glue degraders have been identified serendipitously, but rational discovery and design strategies are emerging rapidly. In this review, we aim to highlight the recent advances in molecular glues for targeted protein degradation and discuss the challenges in developing molecular glues into therapeutic agents. In particular, discovery strategies, action mechanisms, and representative case studies will be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guoqiang Dong
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, 325 Guohe Road, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Yu Ding
- Neurology Department at Huashan Hospital, State Key Laboratory of Medical Neurobiology and MOE Frontiers Center for Brain Science, Institutes of Brain Science, School of Life Sciences, Fudan University, 220 Handan Road, Shanghai 200433, China
| | - Shipeng He
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, 99 Shangda Road, Shanghai 200444, China
| | - Chunquan Sheng
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, 325 Guohe Road, Shanghai 200433, China
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18
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Miao Y, Gao Q, Mao M, Zhang C, Yang L, Yang Y, Han D. Bispecific Aptamer Chimeras Enable Targeted Protein Degradation on Cell Membranes. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.202102170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Miao
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes Renji Hospital School of Medicine Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai 200127 China
| | - Qianqian Gao
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes Renji Hospital School of Medicine Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai 200127 China
| | - Menghan Mao
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes Renji Hospital School of Medicine Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai 200127 China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes Renji Hospital School of Medicine Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai 200127 China
| | - Liqun Yang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes Renji Hospital School of Medicine Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai 200127 China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital Tongji University School of Medicine Shanghai 200433 China
| | - Da Han
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes Renji Hospital School of Medicine Shanghai Jiao Tong University Shanghai 200127 China
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19
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Torres C, Dumas S, Palacio-Castañeda V, Descroix S, Brock R, Verdurmen WPR. A Computational Investigation of In Vivo Cytosolic Protein Delivery for Cancer Therapy. Pharmaceutics 2021; 13:pharmaceutics13040562. [PMID: 33921165 PMCID: PMC8071550 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics13040562] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2021] [Revised: 04/02/2021] [Accepted: 04/06/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The ability to specifically block or degrade cytosolic targets using therapeutic proteins would bring tremendous therapeutic opportunities in cancer therapy. Over the last few years, significant progress has been made with respect to tissue targeting, cytosolic delivery, and catalytic inactivation of targets, placing this aim within reach. Here, we developed a mathematical model specifically built for the evaluation of approaches towards cytosolic protein delivery, involving all steps from systemic administration to translocation into the cytosol and target engagement. Focusing on solid cancer tissues, we utilized the model to investigate the effects of microvascular permeability, receptor affinity, the cellular density of targeted receptors, as well as the mode of activity (blocking/degradation) on therapeutic potential. Our analyses provide guidance for the rational optimization of protein design for enhanced activity and highlight the importance of tuning the receptor affinity as a function of receptor density as well as the receptor internalization rate. Furthermore, we provide quantitative insights into how enzymatic cargoes can enhance the distribution, extent, and duration of therapeutic activity, already at very low catalytic rates. Our results illustrate that with current protein engineering approaches, the goal of delivery of cytosolic delivery of proteins for therapeutic effects is well within reach.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilo Torres
- Department of Biochemistry, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein 28, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (C.T.); (V.P.-C.); (R.B.)
| | - Simon Dumas
- Physico-Chemistry Curie, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR168, Sorbonne University, 75005 Paris, France; (S.D.); (S.D.)
| | - Valentina Palacio-Castañeda
- Department of Biochemistry, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein 28, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (C.T.); (V.P.-C.); (R.B.)
| | - Stéphanie Descroix
- Physico-Chemistry Curie, Institut Curie, PSL Research University, CNRS UMR168, Sorbonne University, 75005 Paris, France; (S.D.); (S.D.)
| | - Roland Brock
- Department of Biochemistry, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein 28, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (C.T.); (V.P.-C.); (R.B.)
| | - Wouter P. R. Verdurmen
- Department of Biochemistry, Radboud Institute for Molecular Life Sciences (RIMLS), Radboud University Medical Center, Geert Grooteplein 28, 6525 GA Nijmegen, The Netherlands; (C.T.); (V.P.-C.); (R.B.)
- Correspondence:
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20
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Guan I, Williams K, Pan J, Liu X. New Cysteine Covalent Modification Strategies Enable Advancement of Proteome‐wide Selectivity of Kinase Modulators. ASIAN J ORG CHEM 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/ajoc.202100036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Ivy Guan
- School of Chemistry The Heart Research Institute The University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
| | - Kayla Williams
- School of Chemistry The University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
| | - Jolyn Pan
- Faculty of Science & Engineering The University of Waikato 124 Hillcrest Road, Hillcrest Hamilton 3216 New Zealand
| | - Xuyu Liu
- School of Chemistry The Heart Research Institute The University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales 2006 Australia
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21
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Miao Y, Gao Q, Mao M, Zhang C, Yang L, Yang Y, Han D. Bispecific Aptamer Chimeras Enable Targeted Protein Degradation on Cell Membranes. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2021; 60:11267-11271. [PMID: 33634555 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202102170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The ability to regulate membrane protein abundance offers great opportunities for developing therapeutic sites for various diseases. Herein, we describe a platform for the targeted degradation of membrane-associated proteins using bispecific aptamer chimeras that bind both the cell-surface lysosome-shuttling receptor (IGFIIR) and the targeted membrane-bound proteins of interest. We demonstrate that the aptamer chimeras can efficiently and quickly shuttle the therapeutically relevant membrane proteins of Met and PTK-7 to lysosomes and degrade them through the lysosomal protein degradation machinery. We anticipate that our method will provide a universal platform for the use of readily synthesized aptamer materials for biochemical research and potential therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yanyan Miao
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Qianqian Gao
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Menghan Mao
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Chao Zhang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Liqun Yang
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
| | - Yang Yang
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital, Tongji University School of Medicine, Shanghai, 200433, China
| | - Da Han
- Institute of Molecular Medicine and Shanghai Key Laboratory for Nucleic Acid Chemistry and Nanomedicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncogenes and Related Genes, Renji Hospital, School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, 200127, China
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22
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Huang DZ, Baber JC, Bahmanyar SS. The challenges of generalizability in artificial intelligence for ADME/Tox endpoint and activity prediction. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2021; 16:1045-1056. [PMID: 33739897 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2021.1901685] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Artificial intelligence (AI) has seen a massive resurgence in recent years with wide successes in computer vision, natural language processing, and games. The similar creation of robust and accurate AI models for ADME/Tox endpoint and activity prediction would be revolutionary to drug discovery pipelines. There have been numerous demonstrations of successful applications, but a key challenge remains: how generalizable are these predictive models? AREAS COVERED The authors present a summary of current promising components of AI models in the context of early drug discovery where ADME/Tox endpoint and activity prediction is the main driver of the iterative drug design process. Following that is a review of applicability domains and dataset construction considerations which determine generalizability bottlenecks for AI deployment. Further reviewed is the role of promising learning frameworks - multitask, transfer, and meta learning - which leverage auxiliary data to overcome issues of generalizability. EXPERT OPINION The authors conclude that the most promising direction toward integrating reliable and informative AI models into the drug discovery pipeline is a conjunction of learned feature representations, deep learning, and novel learning frameworks. Such a solution would address the sparse and incomplete datasets that are available for key endpoints related to drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - J Christian Baber
- Scientific Informatics, Global Head of Scientific Informatics, Scientific Informatics, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Sogole Sami Bahmanyar
- Computational Chemistry, Director of Computational Sciences, Computational Chemistry, Takeda Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, USA
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23
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Łukasik P, Baranowska-Bosiacka I, Kulczycka K, Gutowska I. Inhibitors of Cyclin-Dependent Kinases: Types and Their Mechanism of Action. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22062806. [PMID: 33802080 PMCID: PMC8001317 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22062806] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2021] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/05/2021] [Indexed: 12/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Recent studies on cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors have revealed that small molecule drugs have become very attractive for the treatment of cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. Most CDK inhibitors have been developed to target the ATP binding pocket. However, CDK kinases possess a very similar catalytic domain and three-dimensional structure. These features make it difficult to achieve required selectivity. Therefore, inhibitors which bind outside the ATP binding site present a great interest in the biomedical field, both from the fundamental point of view and for the wide range of their potential applications. This review tries to explain whether the ATP competitive inhibitors are still an option for future research, and highlights alternative approaches to discover more selective and potent small molecule inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Paweł Łukasik
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Powstancow Wlkp. 72 Av., 70-111 Szczecin, Poland;
| | - Irena Baranowska-Bosiacka
- Department of Biochemistry, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Powstancow Wlkp. 72 Av., 70-111 Szczecin, Poland;
| | - Katarzyna Kulczycka
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Powstancow Wlkp. 72 Av., 70-111 Szczecin, Poland;
| | - Izabela Gutowska
- Department of Medical Chemistry, Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Powstancow Wlkp. 72 Av., 70-111 Szczecin, Poland;
- Correspondence:
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24
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Kaur R, Chaudhary G, Kaur A, Singh P, Longowal GD, Sapkale GP, Arora S. PROTACs: A Hope for Breast Cancer Patients? Anticancer Agents Med Chem 2021; 22:406-417. [PMID: 33687888 DOI: 10.2174/1871520621666210308100327] [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: 10/10/2020] [Revised: 12/04/2020] [Accepted: 01/04/2021] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Breast Cancer (BC) is the most widely recognized disease in women. A massive number of women are diagnosed with breast cancer and many lost their lives every year. Cancer is the subsequent driving reason for dying, giving rise to it one of the current medication's most prominent difficulties. OBJECTIVES The main objective of the study is to examine and explore novel therapy (PROTAC) and its effectiveness against breast cancer. METHODS The literature search was done across Medline, Cochrane, ScienceDirect, Wiley Online, Google Scholar, PubMed, Bentham Sciences from 2001 to 2020. The articles were collected; screened, segregated, and selected papers were included for writing the review article. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION A novel innovation emerged around two decades ago that has great potential to not only overcome the limitations but also can provide future direction for the treatment of many diseases which has presently not many therapeutic options available and regarded as incurable with traditional techniques; that innovation is called PROTAC (Proteolysis Targeting Chimera) and able to efficaciously ubiquitinate and debase cancer encouraging proteins by noncovalent interaction. PROTACs are constituted of two active regions isolated by a linker and equipped for eliminating explicit undesirable protein. It is empowering greater sensitivity to "drug-resistant targets" as well as a more prominent opportunity to influence non-enzymatic function. PROTACs have been demonstrated to show better target selectivity contrasted with traditional small-molecule inhibitors. So far, the most investigation into PROTACs possesses particularly concentrated on applications to cancer treatment including breast cancer, the treatment of different ailments may profit from this blossoming innovation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rajwinder Kaur
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab. India
| | - Gaurav Chaudhary
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab. India
| | - Amritpal Kaur
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab. India
| | - Pargat Singh
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab. India
| | | | - Gayatri P Sapkale
- Fortis Flt. Lt. Rajan Dhall Hospital, Aruna Asaf Ali Marg, Pocket 1, Sector B, Vasant Kunj, New Delhi-110070. India
| | - Sandeep Arora
- Chitkara College of Pharmacy, Chitkara University, Punjab. India
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25
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Fuchs O, Bokorova R. Preclinical Studies of PROTACs in Hematological Malignancies. Cardiovasc Hematol Disord Drug Targets 2021; 21:7-22. [PMID: 33687890 DOI: 10.2174/1871529x21666210308111546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Revised: 01/01/2021] [Accepted: 01/23/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
Incorrectly expressed or mutated proteins associated with hematologic malignancies have been generally targeted by chemotherapy using small-molecule inhibitors or monoclonal antibodies. But the majority of these intracellular proteins are without active sites and antigens. PROTACs, proteolysis targeting chimeras, are bifunctional molecules designed to polyubiquitinate and degrade specific pathological proteins of interest (POIs) by hijacking the activity of E3-ubiquitin ligases for POI polyubiquitination and subsequent degradation by the proteasome. This strategy utilizes the ubiquitin-proteasome system for the degradation of specific proteins in the cell. In many cases, including hematologic malignancies, inducing protein degradation as a therapeutic strategy offers therapeutic benefits over classical enzyme inhibition connected with resistance to inhibitors. Limitations of small-molecule inhibitors are shown. PROTACs can polyubiquitinate and mark for degradation of "undruggable"proteins, e.g. transcription factor STAT3 and scaffold proteins. Today, this technology is used in preclinical studies in various hematologic malignancies, mainly for targeting drug-resistant bromodomain and extraterminal proteins and Bruton tyrosine kinase. Several mechanisms limiting selectivity and safety of PROTAC molecules function are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ota Fuchs
- Department of Genomics, Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Radka Bokorova
- Department of Genomics, Institute of Hematology and Blood Transfusion, Prague, Czech Republic
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26
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Sanchez TW, Owens A, Martinez NJ, Wallgren E, Simeonov A, Henderson MJ. High-Throughput Detection of Ligand-Protein Binding Using a SplitLuc Cellular Thermal Shift Assay. Methods Mol Biol 2021; 2365:21-41. [PMID: 34432237 PMCID: PMC9502016 DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-1665-9_2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
The confirmation of a small molecule binding to a protein target can be challenging when switching from biochemical assays to physiologically relevant cellular models. The cellular thermal shift assay (CETSA) is an approach to validate ligand-protein binding in a cellular environment by examining a protein's melting profile which can shift to a higher or lower temperature when bound by a small molecule. Traditional CETSA uses SDS-PAGE and Western blotting to quantify protein levels, a process that is both time consuming and low-throughput when screening multiple compounds and concentrations. Herein, we outline the reagents and methods to implement split Nano Luciferase (SplitLuc) CETSA, which is a reporter-based target engagement assay designed for high-throughput screening in 384- or 1536-well plate formats.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tino W Sanchez
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Ashley Owens
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Natalia J Martinez
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Eric Wallgren
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Anton Simeonov
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA
| | - Mark J Henderson
- National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences, National Institutes of Health, Rockville, MD, USA.
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27
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Heim C, Maiwald S, Steinebach C, Collins MK, Strope J, Chau CH, Figg WD, Gütschow M, Hartmann MD. On the correlation of cereblon binding, fluorination and antiangiogenic properties of immunomodulatory drugs. Biochem Biophys Res Commun 2021; 534:67-72. [PMID: 33310190 PMCID: PMC7815984 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbrc.2020.11.117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2020] [Accepted: 11/27/2020] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Abstract
Cereblon (CRBN), the substrate receptor of an E3 ubiquitin ligase complex, is a target of thalidomide and thalidomide-derived immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs). The binding of these IMiDs to CRBN alters the substrate specificity of the ligase, thereby mediating multiple effects that are exploited in cancer therapy. However, to date, it is not clear which other possible targets might be involved in the efficacy of IMiDs. One especially prominent effect of a number of thalidomide analogs is their ability to inhibit angiogenesis, which is typically enhanced in fluorinated analogs. So far, the involvement of CRBN in antiangiogenic effects is under debate. Here, starting from a systematic set of thalidomide analogs and employing a quantitative in vitro CRBN-binding assay, we study the correlation of fluorination, CRBN binding and antiangiogenic effects. We clearly identify fluorination to correlate both with CRBN binding affinity and with antiangiogenic effects, but do not find a correlation between the latter two phenomena, indicating that the main target for the antiangiogenic effects of thalidomide analogs still remains to be identified.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christopher Heim
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | - Samuel Maiwald
- Max Planck Institute for Developmental Biology, Tübingen, Germany
| | | | - Matthew K Collins
- Molecular Pharmacology Section, Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Jonathan Strope
- Molecular Pharmacology Section, Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - Cindy H Chau
- Molecular Pharmacology Section, Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
| | - William D Figg
- Molecular Pharmacology Section, Genitourinary Malignancies Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA
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28
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Bartlett DW, Gilbert AM. A kinetic proofreading model for bispecific protein degraders. J Pharmacokinet Pharmacodyn 2020; 48:149-163. [PMID: 33090299 DOI: 10.1007/s10928-020-09722-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 09/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Bispecific protein degraders (BPDs) engage the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) to catalytically degrade intracellular proteins through the formation of ternary complexes with the target protein and E3 ubiquitin ligases. Here, we describe the development of a mechanistic modeling framework for BPDs that includes the reaction network governing ternary complex formation and degradation via the UPS. A critical element of the model framework is a multi-step process that results in a time delay between ternary complex formation and protein degradation, thereby balancing ternary complex stability against UPS degradation rates akin to the kinetic proofreading concept that has been proposed to explain the accuracy and specificity of biological processes including protein translation and T cell receptor signal transduction. Kinetic proofreading likely plays a central role in the cell's ability to regulate substrate recognition and degradation by the UPS, and the model presented here applies this concept in the context of a quantitative pharmacokinetic (PK)-pharmacodynamic (PD) framework to inform the design of potent and selective BPDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Derek W Bartlett
- Pharmacokinetics, Dynamics, & Metabolism, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc., San Diego, CA, USA.
| | - Adam M Gilbert
- Discovery Sciences, Pfizer Worldwide Research and Development, Pfizer Inc., Groton, CT, USA
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29
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Goracci L, Desantis J, Valeri A, Castellani B, Eleuteri M, Cruciani G. Understanding the Metabolism of Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs): The Next Step toward Pharmaceutical Applications. J Med Chem 2020; 63:11615-11638. [PMID: 33026811 PMCID: PMC8015227 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 67] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Hetero-bifunctional PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras (PROTACs) represent a new emerging class of small molecules designed to induce polyubiquitylation and proteasomal-dependent degradation of a target protein. Despite the increasing number of publications about the synthesis, biological evaluation, and mechanism of action of PROTACs, the characterization of the pharmacokinetic properties of this class of compounds is still minimal. Here, we report a study on the metabolism of a series of 40 PROTACs in cryopreserved human hepatocytes at multiple time points. Our results indicated that the metabolism of PROTACs could not be predicted from that of their constituent ligands. Their linkers' chemical nature and length resulted in playing a major role in the PROTACs' liability. A subset of compounds was also tested for metabolism by human cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) and human aldehyde oxidase (hAOX) for more in-depth data interpretation, and both enzymes resulted in active PROTAC metabolism.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Goracci
- Department
of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Jenny Desantis
- Department
of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | | | - Beatrice Castellani
- Department
of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
| | - Michela Eleuteri
- Montelino
Therapeutics, LLC, 7
Powdermill Lane, Southborough, Massachusetts 01772 Unites States
| | - Gabriele Cruciani
- Department
of Chemistry, Biology and Biotechnology, University of Perugia, 06123 Perugia, Italy
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30
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Si J, Shi X, Sun S, Zou B, Li Y, An D, Lin X, Gao Y, Long F, Pang B, Liu X, Liu T, Chi W, Chen L, Dimitrov DS, Sun Y, Du X, Yin W, Gao G, Min J, Wei L, Liao X. Hematopoietic Progenitor Kinase1 (HPK1) Mediates T Cell Dysfunction and Is a Druggable Target for T Cell-Based Immunotherapies. Cancer Cell 2020; 38:551-566.e11. [PMID: 32860752 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2020.08.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 21.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2019] [Revised: 05/17/2020] [Accepted: 07/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
Ameliorating T cell exhaustion and enhancing effector function are promising strategies for the improvement of immunotherapies. Here, we show that the HPK1-NFκB-Blimp1 axis mediates T cell dysfunction. High expression of MAP4K1 (which encodes HPK1) correlates with increased T cell exhaustion and with worse patient survival in several cancer types. In MAP4K1KO mice, tumors grow slower than in wild-type mice and infiltrating T cells are less exhausted and more active and proliferative. We further show that genetic depletion, pharmacological inhibition, or proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC)-mediated degradation of HPK1 improves the efficacy of CAR-T cell-based immunotherapies in diverse preclinical mouse models of hematological and solid tumors. These strategies are more effective than genetically depleting PD-1 in CAR-T cells. Thus, we demonstrate that HPK1 is a mediator of T cell dysfunction and an attractive druggable target to improve immune therapy responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingwen Si
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China; Joint Graduate Program of Peking-Tsinghua-NIBS, School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Xiangjun Shi
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Shuhao Sun
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Bin Zou
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060 Guangzhou, China
| | - Yaopeng Li
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Dongjie An
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Xingyu Lin
- Zhuhai Yufan Biotechnologies Co., Ltd, Zhuhai, 519000 Guangdong, China
| | - Yan Gao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China; Department of Central Laboratory, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Capital Medical University, 100026 Beijing, China
| | - Fei Long
- Xi'an Yufan Biotechnologies Co., Ltd, Xi'an, 710032 Shaanxi, China
| | - Bo Pang
- Department of Clinical Laboratory, Guang'an Men Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences, 100053 Beijing, China
| | - Xing Liu
- Department of Anesthesiology, Third Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410013 Hunan, China
| | - Tian Liu
- Department of Plastic Surgery, General Hospital of Southern Theater Command, PLA, Guangdong, 510010 Guangzhou, China
| | - Wenna Chi
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Ligong Chen
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China
| | - Dimiter S Dimitrov
- Center for Antibody Therapeutics, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15216, USA
| | - Yan Sun
- Lanzhou Institute of Husbandry and Pharmaceutical Science of CAAS, Lanzhou, 730050 Gansu, China
| | - Xinru Du
- Department of Orthopaedics, Beijing Chao-Yang Hospital, Capita Medical University, 100020 Beijing, China
| | - Wen Yin
- Department of Transfusion Medicine, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032 Shaanxi, China
| | - Guangxun Gao
- Department of Hematology, Xijing Hospital, Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an, 710032 Shaanxi, China
| | - Junxia Min
- The First Affiliated Hospital, Institute of Translational Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310058 Zhejiang, China
| | - Lai Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Ophthalmic Center, Sun Yat-sen University, 510060 Guangzhou, China.
| | - Xuebin Liao
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry and Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), Beijing Advanced Innovation Center for Human Brain Protection, Tsinghua University, 100084 Beijing, China.
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31
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Słabicki M, Kozicka Z, Petzold G, Li YD, Manojkumar M, Bunker RD, Donovan KA, Sievers QL, Koeppel J, Suchyta D, Sperling AS, Fink EC, Gasser JA, Wang LR, Corsello SM, Sellar RS, Jan M, Gillingham D, Scholl C, Fröhling S, Golub TR, Fischer ES, Thomä NH, Ebert BL. The CDK inhibitor CR8 acts as a molecular glue degrader that depletes cyclin K. Nature 2020; 585:293-297. [PMID: 32494016 PMCID: PMC7486275 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-020-2374-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 224] [Impact Index Per Article: 56.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2019] [Accepted: 04/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022]
Abstract
Molecular glue compounds induce protein-protein interactions that, in the context of a ubiquitin ligase, lead to protein degradation1. Unlike traditional enzyme inhibitors, these molecular glue degraders act substoichiometrically to catalyse the rapid depletion of previously inaccessible targets2. They are clinically effective and highly sought-after, but have thus far only been discovered serendipitously. Here, through systematically mining databases for correlations between the cytotoxicity of 4,518 clinical and preclinical small molecules and the expression levels of E3 ligase components across hundreds of human cancer cell lines3-5, we identify CR8-a cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitor6-as a compound that acts as a molecular glue degrader. The CDK-bound form of CR8 has a solvent-exposed pyridyl moiety that induces the formation of a complex between CDK12-cyclin K and the CUL4 adaptor protein DDB1, bypassing the requirement for a substrate receptor and presenting cyclin K for ubiquitination and degradation. Our studies demonstrate that chemical alteration of surface-exposed moieties can confer gain-of-function glue properties to an inhibitor, and we propose this as a broader strategy through which target-binding molecules could be converted into molecular glues.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mikołaj Słabicki
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Translational Medical Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Zuzanna Kozicka
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Georg Petzold
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Yen-Der Li
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Manisha Manojkumar
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Translational Medical Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Richard D Bunker
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
- Monte Rosa Therapeutics, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Katherine A Donovan
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Quinlan L Sievers
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jonas Koeppel
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Translational Medical Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Dakota Suchyta
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
- Faculty of Science, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Adam S Sperling
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Emma C Fink
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jessica A Gasser
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Li R Wang
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Steven M Corsello
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Rob S Sellar
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Haematology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Max Jan
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Claudia Scholl
- Division of Applied Functional Genomics, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Stefan Fröhling
- Division of Translational Medical Oncology, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ) and National Center for Tumor Diseases (NCT), Heidelberg, Germany
- German Cancer Consortium, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Todd R Golub
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Eric S Fischer
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nicolas H Thomä
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.
| | - Benjamin L Ebert
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA.
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
- Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA.
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32
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Kozicka Z, Petzold G, Thomä NH. Taking the Brakes Off Targeted Protein Degradation. Cell Chem Biol 2020; 27:16-18. [PMID: 31951816 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2019.12.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
Abstract
PCSK9 heightens LDL cholesterol levels by chaperoning the liver LDL receptor to lysosomes for degradation. In this issue of Cell Chemical Biology, Petrilli et al. (2020) identify novel PCSK9 ligands and convert them into a proof-of-concept degrader, offering a unique way to modulate this key protein-protein interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zuzanna Kozicka
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland; University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Georg Petzold
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland
| | - Nicolas H Thomä
- Friedrich Miescher Institute for Biomedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.
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The current state of drug repurposing and rare diseases: an interview with Paul Trippier. FUTURE DRUG DISCOVERY 2020. [DOI: 10.4155/fdd-2019-0037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Paul Tripper is an Associate Professor of Medicinal Chemistry at the University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC, NE, USA) and an Editorial Board member of Future Drug Discovery. Here, he speaks to Managing Editor Francesca Lake about drug repurposing, focusing on the key challenges, its application to rare diseases and what we can look forward to in the future.
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Steinebach C, Ng YLD, Sosič I, Lee CS, Chen S, Lindner S, Vu LP, Bricelj A, Haschemi R, Monschke M, Steinwarz E, Wagner KG, Bendas G, Luo J, Gütschow M, Krönke J. Systematic exploration of different E3 ubiquitin ligases: an approach towards potent and selective CDK6 degraders. Chem Sci 2020; 11:3474-3486. [PMID: 33133483 PMCID: PMC7552917 DOI: 10.1039/d0sc00167h] [Citation(s) in RCA: 78] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) is an important regulator of the cell cycle. Together with CDK4, it phosphorylates and inactivates retinoblastoma (Rb) protein.
Cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) is an important regulator of the cell cycle. Together with CDK4, it phosphorylates and inactivates retinoblastoma (Rb) protein. In tumour cells, CDK6 is frequently upregulated and CDK4/6 kinase inhibitors like palbociclib possess high activity in breast cancer and other malignancies. Besides its crucial catalytic function, kinase-independent roles of CDK6 have been described. Therefore, targeted degradation of CDK6 may be advantageous over kinase inhibition. Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) structurally based on the cereblon (CRBN) ligand thalidomide have recently been described to degrade the targets CDK4/6. However, CRBN-based PROTACs have several limitations including the remaining activity of immunomodulatory drugs (IMiDs) on Ikaros transcription factors as well as CRBN inactivation as a resistance mechanism in cancer. Here, we systematically explored the chemical space of CDK4/6 PROTACs by addressing different E3 ligases and connecting their respective small-molecule binders via various linkers to palbociclib. The spectrum of CDK6-specific PROTACs was extended to von Hippel Lindau (VHL) and cellular inhibitor of apoptosis protein 1 (cIAP1) that are essential for most cancer cells and therefore less likely to be inactivated. Our VHL-based PROTAC series included compounds that were either specific for CDK6 or exhibited dual activity against CDK4 and CDK6. IAP-based PROTACs caused a combined degradation of CDK4/6 and IAPs resulting in synergistic effects on cancer cell growth. Our new degraders showed potent and long-lasting degrading activity in human and mouse cells and inhibited proliferation of several leukemia, myeloma and breast cancer cell lines. In conclusion, we show that VHL- and IAP-based PROTACs are an attractive approach for targeted degradation of CDK4/6 in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Christian Steinebach
- Pharmaceutical Institute , Department of Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry , University of Bonn , An der Immenburg 4 , 53121 Bonn , Germany .
| | - Yuen Lam Dora Ng
- Department of Internal Medicine III , University Hospital Ulm , Albert-Einstein-Allee 23 , 89081 Ulm , Germany .
| | - Izidor Sosič
- Faculty of Pharmacy , University of Ljubljana , Aškerčeva cesta 7 , 1000 Ljubljana , Slovenia
| | - Chih-Shia Lee
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics , Center for Cancer Research , National Cancer Institute , Bethesda , MD 20892 , USA
| | - Sirui Chen
- Department of Internal Medicine III , University Hospital Ulm , Albert-Einstein-Allee 23 , 89081 Ulm , Germany .
| | - Stefanie Lindner
- Department of Internal Medicine III , University Hospital Ulm , Albert-Einstein-Allee 23 , 89081 Ulm , Germany .
| | - Lan Phuong Vu
- Pharmaceutical Institute , Department of Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry , University of Bonn , An der Immenburg 4 , 53121 Bonn , Germany .
| | - Aleša Bricelj
- Faculty of Pharmacy , University of Ljubljana , Aškerčeva cesta 7 , 1000 Ljubljana , Slovenia
| | - Reza Haschemi
- Pharmaceutical Institute , Department of Pharmaceutical & Cell Biological Chemistry , University of Bonn , An der Immenburg 4 , 53121 Bonn , Germany
| | - Marius Monschke
- Pharmaceutical Institute , Pharmaceutical Technology , University of Bonn , Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 3 , 53121 Bonn , Germany
| | - Elisabeth Steinwarz
- Pharmaceutical Institute , Department of Pharmaceutical & Cell Biological Chemistry , University of Bonn , An der Immenburg 4 , 53121 Bonn , Germany
| | - Karl G Wagner
- Pharmaceutical Institute , Pharmaceutical Technology , University of Bonn , Gerhard-Domagk-Straße 3 , 53121 Bonn , Germany
| | - Gerd Bendas
- Pharmaceutical Institute , Department of Pharmaceutical & Cell Biological Chemistry , University of Bonn , An der Immenburg 4 , 53121 Bonn , Germany
| | - Ji Luo
- Laboratory of Cancer Biology and Genetics , Center for Cancer Research , National Cancer Institute , Bethesda , MD 20892 , USA
| | - Michael Gütschow
- Pharmaceutical Institute , Department of Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry , University of Bonn , An der Immenburg 4 , 53121 Bonn , Germany .
| | - Jan Krönke
- Department of Internal Medicine III , University Hospital Ulm , Albert-Einstein-Allee 23 , 89081 Ulm , Germany .
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Testa A, Hughes SJ, Lucas X, Wright JE, Ciulli A. Structure-Based Design of a Macrocyclic PROTAC. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020; 59:1727-1734. [PMID: 31746102 PMCID: PMC7004083 DOI: 10.1002/anie.201914396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 126] [Impact Index Per Article: 31.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Constraining a molecule in its bioactive conformation via macrocyclization represents an attractive strategy to rationally design functional chemical probes. While this approach has been applied to enzyme inhibitors or receptor antagonists, to date it remains unprecedented for bifunctional molecules that bring proteins together, such as PROTAC degraders. Herein, we report the design and synthesis of a macrocyclic PROTAC by adding a cyclizing linker to the BET degrader MZ1. A co-crystal structure of macroPROTAC-1 bound in a ternary complex with VHL and the second bromodomain of Brd4 validated the rational design. Biophysical studies revealed enhanced discrimination between the second and the first bromodomains of BET proteins. Despite a 12-fold loss of binary binding affinity for Brd4, macroPROTAC-1 exhibited cellular activity comparable to MZ1. Our findings support macrocyclization as an advantageous strategy to enhance PROTAC degradation potency and selectivity between homologous targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Testa
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDow StreetDundeeDD1 5EHScotlandUK
| | - Scott J. Hughes
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDow StreetDundeeDD1 5EHScotlandUK
| | - Xavier Lucas
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDow StreetDundeeDD1 5EHScotlandUK
- Current address: Roche Pharma Research and Early DevelopmentRoche Innovation Center BaselF. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd.Grenzacherstrasse 124CH-4070BaselSwitzerland
| | - Jane E. Wright
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDow StreetDundeeDD1 5EHScotlandUK
| | - Alessio Ciulli
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug DiscoverySchool of Life SciencesUniversity of DundeeDow StreetDundeeDD1 5EHScotlandUK
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Testa A, Hughes SJ, Lucas X, Wright JE, Ciulli A. Structure‐Based Design of a Macrocyclic PROTAC. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/ange.201914396] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Testa
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery School of Life Sciences University of Dundee Dow Street Dundee DD1 5EH Scotland UK
| | - Scott J. Hughes
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery School of Life Sciences University of Dundee Dow Street Dundee DD1 5EH Scotland UK
| | - Xavier Lucas
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery School of Life Sciences University of Dundee Dow Street Dundee DD1 5EH Scotland UK
- Current address: Roche Pharma Research and Early Development Roche Innovation Center Basel F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. Grenzacherstrasse 124 CH-4070 Basel Switzerland
| | - Jane E. Wright
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery School of Life Sciences University of Dundee Dow Street Dundee DD1 5EH Scotland UK
| | - Alessio Ciulli
- Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery School of Life Sciences University of Dundee Dow Street Dundee DD1 5EH Scotland UK
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Foley CA, Potjewyd F, Lamb KN, James LI, Frye SV. Assessing the Cell Permeability of Bivalent Chemical Degraders Using the Chloroalkane Penetration Assay. ACS Chem Biol 2020; 15:290-295. [PMID: 31846298 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.9b00972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 53] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Bivalent chemical degraders provide a catalytic route to selectively degrade disease-associated proteins. By linking target-specific ligands with E3 ubiquitin ligase recruiting ligands, these compounds facilitate targeted protein ubiquitination and degradation by the proteasome. Due to the complexity of this multistep mechanism, the development of effective degrader molecules remains a difficult, lengthy, and unpredictable process. Since degraders are large heterobifunctional molecules, the efficacy of these compounds may be limited by poor cell permeability, and an efficient and reliable method to quantify the cell permeability of these compounds is lacking. Herein, we demonstrate that by the addition of a chloroalkane tag on the BRD4 specific degrader, MZ1, cell permeability can be quantified via the chloroalkane penetration assay. By extending this analysis to individual components of the degrader molecule, we have obtained structure-permeability relationships that will be informative for future degrader development, particularly as degraders move into the clinic as potential therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline A. Foley
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Frances Potjewyd
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Kelsey N. Lamb
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Lindsey I. James
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Stephen V. Frye
- Center for Integrative Chemical Biology and Drug Discovery, Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
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Ciulli A, Farnaby W. Protein degradation for drug discovery. DRUG DISCOVERY TODAY. TECHNOLOGIES 2019; 31:1-3. [PMID: 31200853 DOI: 10.1016/j.ddtec.2019.04.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alessio Ciulli
- Professor of Chemical & Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, James Black Centre, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
| | - William Farnaby
- Professor of Chemical & Structural Biology, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, Division of Biological Chemistry and Drug Discovery, James Black Centre, Dow Street, Dundee DD1 5EH, United Kingdom
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