1
|
Xin L, Wang C, Cheng Y, Wang H, Guo X, Deng X, Deng X, Xie B, Hu H, Min C, Dong C, Zhou HB. Discovery of Novel ERα and Aromatase Dual-Targeting PROTAC Degraders to Overcome Endocrine-Resistant Breast Cancer. J Med Chem 2024; 67:8913-8931. [PMID: 38809993 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00196] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
Estrogen receptor α (ERα) plays a pivotal role in the proliferation, differentiation, and migration of breast cancer (BC) cells, and aromatase (ARO) is a crucial enzyme in estrogen synthesis. Hence, it is necessary to inhibit estrogen production or the activity of ERα for the treatment of estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) BC. Herein, we present a new category of dual-targeting PROTAC degraders designed to specifically target ERα and ARO. Among them, compound 18c bifunctionally degrades and inhibits ERα/ARO, thus effectively suppressing the proliferation of MCF-7 cells while showing negligible cytotoxicity to normal cells. In vivo, 18c promotes the degradation of ERα and ARO and inhibits the growth of MCF-7 xenograft tumors. Finally, compound 18c demonstrates promising antiproliferative and ERα degradation activity against the ERαMUT cells. These findings suggest that 18c, being the inaugural dual-targeting degrader for ERα and ARO, warrants further advancement for the management of BC and the surmounting of endocrine resistance.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lilan Xin
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yan Cheng
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Hongli Wang
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Xinyi Guo
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Xiaofei Deng
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Xiangping Deng
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Baohua Xie
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Hankun Hu
- Department of Pharmacy, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Chang Min
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Chune Dong
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Hai-Bing Zhou
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (MOE) and Hubei Province Engineering and Technology Research Center for Fluorinated Pharmaceuticals, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Xiong S, Song K, Xiang H, Luo G. Dual-target inhibitors based on ERα: Novel therapeutic approaches for endocrine resistant breast cancer. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 270:116393. [PMID: 38588626 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116393] [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: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 04/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Estrogen receptor alpha (ERα), a nuclear transcription factor, is a well-validated therapeutic target for more than 70% of all breast cancers (BCs). Antagonizing ERα either by selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) or selective estrogen receptor degraders (SERDs) forms the foundation of endocrine therapy and has achieved great success in the treatment of ERα positive (ERα+) BCs. Unfortunately, despite initial effectiveness, endocrine resistance eventually emerges in up to 30% of ERα+ BC patients and remains a significant medical challenge. Several mechanisms implicated in endocrine resistance have been extensively studied, including aberrantly activated growth factor receptors and downstream signaling pathways. Hence, the crosstalk between ERα and another oncogenic signaling has led to surge of interest to develop combination therapies and dual-target single agents. This review briefly introduces the synergisms between ERα and another anticancer target and summarizes the recent advances of ERα-based dual-targeting inhibitors from a medicinal chemistry perspective. Accordingly, their rational design strategies, structure-activity relationships (SARs) and biological activities are also dissected to provide some perspectives on future directions for ERα-based dual target drug discovery in BC therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shuangshuang Xiong
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Ke Song
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Hua Xiang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Guoshun Luo
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Wang Y, Min J, Deng X, Feng T, Hu H, Guo X, Cheng Y, Xie B, Yang Y, Chen CC, Guo RT, Dong C, Zhou HB. Discovery of novel covalent selective estrogen receptor degraders against endocrine-resistant breast cancer. Acta Pharm Sin B 2023; 13:4963-4982. [PMID: 38045063 PMCID: PMC10692362 DOI: 10.1016/j.apsb.2023.05.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 05/03/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2023] [Indexed: 12/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Endocrine-resistance remains a major challenge in estrogen receptor α positive (ERα+) breast cancer (BC) treatment and constitutively active somatic mutations in ERα are a common mechanism. There is an urgent need to develop novel drugs with new mode of mechanism to fight endocrine-resistance. Given aberrant ERα activity, we herein report the identification of novel covalent selective estrogen receptor degraders (cSERDs) possessing the advantages of both covalent and degradation strategies. A highly potent cSERD 29c was identified with superior anti-proliferative activity than fulvestrant against a panel of ERα+ breast cancer cell lines including mutant ERα. Crystal structure of ERα‒29c complex alongside intact mass spectrometry revealed that 29c disrupted ERα protein homeostasis through covalent targeting C530 and strong hydrophobic interaction collied on H11, thus enforcing a unique antagonist conformation and driving the ERα degradation. These significant effects of the cSERD on ERα homeostasis, unlike typical ERα degraders that occur directly via long side chains perturbing the morphology of H12, demonstrating a distinct mechanism of action (MoA). In vivo, 29c showed potent antitumor activity in MCF-7 tumor xenograft models and low toxicity. This proof-of-principle study verifies that novel cSERDs offering new opportunities for the development of innovative therapies for endocrine-resistant BC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yubo Wang
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Jian Min
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of High-throughput Drug Screening Technology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Xiangping Deng
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Tian Feng
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Hebing Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of High-throughput Drug Screening Technology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Xinyi Guo
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yan Cheng
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Baohua Xie
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Yu Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of High-throughput Drug Screening Technology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Chun-Chi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of High-throughput Drug Screening Technology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Rey-Ting Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of High-throughput Drug Screening Technology, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan 430062, China
| | - Chune Dong
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (MOE) and Hubei Province Engineering and Technology Research Center for Fluorinated Pharmaceuticals, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Hai-Bing Zhou
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (MOE) and Hubei Province Engineering and Technology Research Center for Fluorinated Pharmaceuticals, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
- Wuhan Research Center for Infectious Diseases and Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Deng X, Deng X, Ning W, Xin L, Li Q, Hu Z, Xie B, Liang K, Min C, Dong C, Huang J, Zhou HB. Identification of Novel Dual-Target Estrogen Receptor α Degraders with Tubulin Inhibitory Activity for the Treatment of Endocrine-Resistant Breast Cancer. J Med Chem 2023; 66:11094-11117. [PMID: 37584263 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/17/2023]
Abstract
Endocrine resistance remains a significant problem in the clinical treatment of estrogen receptor α-positive (ERα+) breast cancer (BC). In this study, we developed a series of novel dual-functional ERα degraders based on a bridged bicyclic scaffold with selenocyano (SeCN) side chains. These compounds displayed potent ERα degradation and tubulin depolymerization activity. Among them, compounds 35s and 35t exhibited the most promising antiproliferative and ERα degradation activity in multiple ERα+ BC cell lines bearing either wild-type or mutant ERα. Meanwhile, compounds 35s and 35t disrupted the microtubule network by restraining tubulin polymerization, evidenced by 35t inducing cell cycle arrest in the G2/M phase. In MCF-7 and LCC2 xenograft models, compounds 35s and 35t remarkably suppressed tumor growth without noticeable poisonousness. Finally, this study provided guidance for developing new dual-target antitumor drug candidates for the ERα+ BC therapy, especially for the resistant variant.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xiangping Deng
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Xiaofei Deng
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Wentao Ning
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Lilan Xin
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Qiuzi Li
- College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Bayi Road, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Zhiye Hu
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Baohua Xie
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Kaiwei Liang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Chang Min
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Chune Dong
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Jian Huang
- College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Bayi Road, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Hai-Bing Zhou
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (MOE) and Hubei Province Engineering and Technology Research Center for Fluorinated Pharmaceuticals, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Xie B, Yin Z, Hu Z, Lv J, Du C, Deng X, Huang Y, Li Q, Huang J, Liang K, Zhou HB, Dong C. Discovery of a Novel Class of PROTACs as Potent and Selective Estrogen Receptor α Degraders to Overcome Endocrine-Resistant Breast Cancer In Vitro and In Vivo. J Med Chem 2023; 66:6631-6651. [PMID: 37161783 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c02032] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/11/2023]
Abstract
The estrogen receptor (ER) is a well-established target for endocrine therapies of ER-positive breast cancer (ER+ BC), but endocrine resistance limits the efficacy of clinical drugs. Using proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology to degrade ERα may be an effective alternative to endocrine therapies. Herein, we disclose a novel series of potent and selective ERα PROTACs based on an oxabicycloheptane sulfonamide (OBHSA) scaffold, with no associated ERβ degradation. These PROTACs showed significant antiproliferation and ERα degradation activities against a broad spectrum of ER+ BC cells including tamoxifen-resistant and ERα mutant cell lines. Genomics analysis confirmed that these PROTACs inhibited the nascent RNA synthesis of ERα target genes and impaired genome-wide ERα binding. Compound ZD12 exhibited excellent antitumor potency and ERα degradation activity in both tamoxifen-sensitive and -resistant BC mice models, which are superior to fulvestrant. This study demonstrates the potential of these PROTACs as novel drug candidates for endocrine-resistant BC treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Baohua Xie
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Zhinang Yin
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Zhiye Hu
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Junhui Lv
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Chuanqian Du
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Xiangping Deng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Yuan Huang
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Qiuzi Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Jian Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Kaiwei Liang
- Department of Pathophysiology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Hai-Bing Zhou
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (MOE) and Hubei Province Engineering and Technology Research Center for Fluorinated Pharmaceuticals, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Chune Dong
- Department of Hematology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
- Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (MOE) and Hubei Province Engineering and Technology Research Center for Fluorinated Pharmaceuticals, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430071, China
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Xin L, Min J, Hu H, Li Y, Du C, Xie B, Cheng Y, Deng X, Deng X, Shen K, Huang J, Chen CC, Guo RT, Dong C, Zhou HB. Structure-guided identification of novel dual-targeting estrogen receptor α degraders with aromatase inhibitory activity for the treatment of endocrine-resistant breast cancer. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 253:115328. [PMID: 37037140 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/30/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/28/2023] [Indexed: 04/12/2023]
Abstract
Drug resistance is a major challenge in conventional endocrine therapy for estrogen receptor (ER) positive breast cancer (BC). BC is a multifactorial disease, in which simultaneous aromatase (ARO) inhibition and ERα degradation may effectively inhibit the signal transduction of both proteins, thus potentially overcoming drug resistance caused by overexpression or mutation of target proteins. In this study, guided by the X-ray structure of a hit compound 30a in complex with ER-Y537S, a structure-based optimization was performed to get a series of multiacting inhibitors targeting both ERα and ARO, and finally a novel class of potent selective estrogen receptor degraders (SERDs) based on a three-dimensional oxabicycloheptene sulfonamide (OBHSA) scaffold equipped with aromatase inhibitor (AI) activity were identified. Of these dual-targeting SERD-AI hybrids, compound 31q incorporating a 1H-1,2,4-triazole moiety showed excellent ERα degradation activity, ARO inhibitory activity and remarkable antiproliferative activity against BC resistant cells. Furthermore, 31q manifested efficient tumor suppression in MCF-7 tumor xenograft models. Taken together, our study reported for the first time the highly efficient dual-targeting SERD-AI hybrid compounds, which may lay the foundation of translational research for improved treatment of endocrine-resistant BC.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lilan Xin
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Jian Min
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China
| | - Hebing Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Chuanqian Du
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Baohua Xie
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Yan Cheng
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Xiaofei Deng
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Xiangping Deng
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Kang Shen
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China
| | - Jian Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430072, China
| | - Chun-Chi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China
| | - Rey-Ting Guo
- State Key Laboratory of Biocatalysis and Enzyme Engineering, Hubei Hongshan Laboratory, Hubei Collaborative Innovation Center for Green Transformation of Bio-Resources, Hubei Key Laboratory of Industrial Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Hubei University, Wuhan, 430062, China.
| | - Chune Dong
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
| | - Hai-Bing Zhou
- Department of Gynecological Oncology, Zhongnan Hospital of Wuhan University, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China; Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, State Key Laboratory of Virology, Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (MOE) and Hubei Province Engineering and Technology Research Center for Fluorinated Pharmaceuticals, Wuhan University, Wuhan, 430071, China.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Bhatia N, Hazra S, Thareja S. Selective Estrogen receptor degraders (SERDs) for the treatment of breast cancer: An overview. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 256:115422. [PMID: 37163948 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115422] [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: 03/14/2023] [Revised: 04/17/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/12/2023]
Abstract
Discovery of SERDs has changed the direction of anticancer research, as more than 70% of breast cancer cases are estrogen receptor positive (ER+). Therapies such as selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERM) and aromatase inhibitors (AI's) have been effective, but due to endocrine resistance, SERDs are now considered essential therapeutics for the treatment of ER+ breast cancer. The present review deliberates the pathophysiology of SERDs from the literature covering various molecules in clinical trials. Estrogen receptors active sites distinguishing characteristics and interactions with currently available FDA-approved drugs have also been discussed. Designing strategy of previously reported SERDs, their SAR analysis, in silico, and the biological efficacy have also been summarized along with appropriate examples.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Neha Bhatia
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, 151401, India
| | - Shreejita Hazra
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, 151401, India
| | - Suresh Thareja
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, Punjab, 151401, India.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
Zhou J, Shen R, Liu J, Deng X, Xin L, Zhou HB, Huang J. A novel selective estrogen receptor degrader induces cell cycle arrest in breast cancer via ERα degradation and the autophagy-lysosome pathway. Bioorg Med Chem 2023; 82:117235. [PMID: 36905762 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2023.117235] [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: 01/12/2023] [Revised: 02/25/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023]
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC), a well-known estrogen-dependent cancer, is the most common cancer among women and the leading cause of cancer deaths. One of the most important therapeutic approaches for BC is endocrine therapy targeting estrogen receptor alpha (ERα) and thus blocking the estrogen receptor signaling pathway. Drugs, such as tamoxifen or fulvestrant, are developed based on this theory and have benefited numerous patients with BC for many years. However, many patients with advanced BC, such as tamoxifen-resistant BC, cannot benefit from these developed drugs anymore. Therefore, new drugs targeting ERα are urgently needed by patients with BC. Recently, elacestrant, a novel selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD), was approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), highlighting the importance of ERα degradation in endocrine therapy. Proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) has been considered a powerful technique for targeting protein degradation (TPD). In this regard, we developed and studied a novel ERα degrader, which is a PROTAC-like SERD named 17e. We found that compound 17e can inhibit the growth of BC both in vitro and in vivo and induce the cell cycle arrest of BC. Importantly, 17e displayed no apparent toxicity toward healthy kidney and liver cells. Moreover, we observed that the presence of 17e led to a dramatic increase in the autophagy-lysosome pathway in an ERα-independent manner. Finally, we revealed that a decrease in MYC, a frequent deregulation oncogene in human cancers, was mediated by both ERα degradation and autophagy activation in the presence of 17e. Collectively, we discovered that compound 17e induced ERα degradation and exerts significant anti-cancer effects on BC mainly through promoting the autophagy-lysosome pathway and decreasing MYC level.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jiawei Zhou
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Bayi Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
| | - Rong Shen
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Bayi Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
| | - Jing Liu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Bayi Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China
| | - Xiangping Deng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Bayi Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China; State Key Laboratory of Virology, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Hubei Province Engineering and Technology Research Center for Fluorinated Pharmaceuticals, Wuhan University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Lilan Xin
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Hubei Province Engineering and Technology Research Center for Fluorinated Pharmaceuticals, Wuhan University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Hai-Bing Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Virology, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Hubei Province Engineering and Technology Research Center for Fluorinated Pharmaceuticals, Wuhan University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Donghu Road, Wuhan 430071, China.
| | - Jian Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Bayi Road, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, China.
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Ye W, Wu X, Wang X, Wei X, Tang Y, Ouyang X, Gong Y. The proteolysis targeting chimera GMB-475 combined with dasatinib for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia with BCR::ABL1 mutants. Front Pharmacol 2022; 13:931772. [PMID: 36263131 PMCID: PMC9574342 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2022.931772] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 08/23/2022] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
Patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) show resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) targeting ABL1 due to the emergence of BCR::ABL1 mutants, especially compound mutants during the treatment, which brings great challenges to clinical practice. Combination therapy is an effective strategy for drug resistance. GMB-475, a proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) targeting the myristoyl pocket of ABL1 in an allosteric manner, degrades the BCR::ABL1 through the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway. In this study, we combined GMB-475 with orthosteric TKIs targeting ABL1 to overcome resistance. We constructed Ba/F3 cells carrying BCR::ABL1 mutants by gene cloning technology and compared the effects of combination therapy with those of monotherapy on the biological characteristics and signaling pathways in CML cells. We found that the effects of ABL1 inhibitors, including imatinib, dasatinib, ponatinib, and ABL001, on growth inhibition and promoting apoptosis of Ba/F3 cells with BCR::ABL1 mutants, especially compound mutants, were weakened. GMB-475 combined with TKIs, especially dasatinib, synergistically inhibited growth, promoted apoptosis, and blocked the cell cycle of Ba/F3 cells carrying BCR::ABL1 mutants and synergistically blocked multiple molecules in the JAK-STAT pathway. In conclusion, dasatinib enhanced the antitumor effect of GMB-475; that is, the combination of PROTAC targeting ABL1 in an allosteric manner and orthosteric TKIs, especially dasatinib, provides a novel idea for the treatment of CML patients with BCR::ABL1 mutants in clinical practice.
Collapse
|
10
|
Tecalco-Cruz AC, Ramírez-Jarquín JO, Macías-Silva M, Sosa-Garrocho M, López-Camarillo C. Novel Breast Cancer Treatment by Targeting Estrogen Receptor-Alpha Stability Using Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) Technology. Breast Cancer 2022. [DOI: 10.36255/exon-publications-breast-cancer-protacs] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
|
11
|
Memon H, Patel BM. PROTACs: Novel approach for cancer breakdown by breaking proteins. Life Sci 2022; 300:120577. [PMID: 35487303 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2022.120577] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Ubiquitination defects have been reported in various diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, metabolic disorders and cancer. Balance between degradation and synthesis of the proteins to treat cancer can be managed by designing a chimeric molecule, known as Proteolysis Targeting Chimeric molecule (Lee, Kim et al. 2021). Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) acts as a tool for conducting therapeutic intervention. It eradicates or reduces the proteins that are responsible for causing diseases. Each PROTAC contains a target warhead, an E3 ligand and a linker. E3 ligases are recruited by these bifunctional molecules, and the Ubiquitin (Ub) Proteasome System (UPS) is used to target the degradation of specific proteins. As compared to inhibition, this degradation offers several advantages in the drug resistance, selectivity, and potency. Thus, numerous small molecule PROTACs are identified so far. In this review, the development of PROTACs, historical milestones, the biological mechanism, advantages and recent progress, and role of PROTAC in prostate cancer, breast cancer, non-hodgkin lymphoma, multiple myeloma, and malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors are summarized.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Humera Memon
- Institute of Pharmacy, Nirma University, Ahmedabad, India
| | | |
Collapse
|
12
|
Zhang S, Li Y, Li T, Zhang Y, Li H, Cheng Z, Peng N, Liu Y, Xu J, He H. Activable Targeted Protein Degradation Platform Based on Light-triggered Singlet Oxygen. J Med Chem 2022; 65:3632-3643. [PMID: 35164509 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c02037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation technologies (e.g., PROTACs) that can selectively degrade intracellular protein are an emerging class of promising therapeutic modalities. Herein, we describe the conjugation of photosensitizers and protein ligands (PS-Degrons), as an activable targeted protein degradation platform. PS-Degrons are capable of degrading protein of interest via light-triggered 1O2, which is orthogonal and complementary to existing technologies. This generalizable platform allows controllable knockdown of the target protein with high spatiotemporal precision. Our lead compound PSDalpha induces a complete degradation of human estrogen receptor α (ERα) under visible light. The high degrading ERα efficacy of PSDalpha enables an excellent anti-proliferation performance on MCF-7 cells. Our results establish a modular strategy for the controllable degradation of target proteins, which can hopefully overcome the systemic toxicity in clinical treatment of PROTACs. We anticipate that PS-Degrons would open a new chapter for biochemical research and for the therapeutics.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Silong Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion and New Carbon Materials of Hubei Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, P. R. China
| | - Yuanyuan Li
- School of Life Science and Technology, Wuhan Polytechnic University, Wuhan 430023, Wuhan 430023, P.R. China
| | - Tao Li
- Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion and New Carbon Materials of Hubei Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, P. R. China
| | - Yu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion and New Carbon Materials of Hubei Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, P. R. China
| | - Haimei Li
- Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion and New Carbon Materials of Hubei Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, P. R. China
| | - Zhengzai Cheng
- Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion and New Carbon Materials of Hubei Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, P. R. China
| | - Na Peng
- Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion and New Carbon Materials of Hubei Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, P. R. China
| | - Yi Liu
- Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion and New Carbon Materials of Hubei Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, P. R. China.,College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering & College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Tiangong University, Tianjin 300378, P. R. China
| | - Juan Xu
- College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hubei Polytechnic University, Huangshi 435003, P. R. China
| | - Huan He
- Key Laboratory of Coal Conversion and New Carbon Materials of Hubei Province, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Institute of Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology, Wuhan University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430081, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
13
|
He S, Dong G, Cheng J, Wu Y, Sheng C. Strategies for designing proteolysis targeting chimaeras (PROTACs). Med Res Rev 2022; 42:1280-1342. [PMID: 35001407 DOI: 10.1002/med.21877] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2021] [Revised: 12/06/2021] [Accepted: 12/16/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Proteolysis targeting chimaeras (PROTACs) is a cutting edge and rapidly growing technique for new drug discovery and development. Currently, the largest challenge in the molecular design and drug development of PROTACs is efficient identification of potent and drug-like degraders. This review aims to comprehensively summarize and analyse state-of-the-art methods and strategies in the design of PROTACs. We provide a detailed illustration of the general principles and tactics for designing potent PROTACs, highlight representative case studies, and discuss the advantages and limitations of these strategies. Particularly, structure-based rational PROTAC design and emerging new types of PROTACs (e.g., homo-PROTACs, multitargeting PROTACs, photo-control PROTACs and PROTAC-based conjugates) will be focused on.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shipeng He
- Institute of Translational Medicine, Shanghai University, Shanghai, China
| | - Guoqiang Dong
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Junfei Cheng
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ying Wu
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China.,Department of Pharmacy, 920th Hospital of Joint Logistics Support Force, Kunming, China
| | - Chunquan Sheng
- School of Pharmacy, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai, China
| |
Collapse
|
14
|
Liu L, Shi L, Wang Z, Zeng J, Wang Y, Xiao H, Zhu Y. Targeting Oncoproteins for Degradation by Small Molecule-Based Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) in Sex Hormone-Dependent Cancers. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:839857. [PMID: 35370971 PMCID: PMC8971670 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.839857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
Abstract
Sex hormone-dependent cancers, including breast, ovary, and prostate cancer, contribute to the high number of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Steroid hormones promote tumor occurrence, development, and metastasis by acting on receptors, such as estrogen receptors (ERs), androgen receptors (ARs), and estrogen-related receptors (ERRs). Therefore, endocrine therapy targeting ERs, ARs, and ERRs represents the potential and pivotal therapeutic strategy in sex hormone-dependent cancers. Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are a novel strategy that can harness the potential of the endogenous ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) to target and degrade specific proteins, rather than simply inhibiting the activity of target proteins. Small molecule PROTACs degrade a variety of proteins in cells, mice, and humans and are an emerging approach for novel drug development. PROTACs targeting ARs, ERs, ERRs, and other proteins in sex hormone-dependent cancers have been reported and may overcome the problem of resistance to existing endocrine therapy and receptor antagonist treatments. This review briefly introduces the PROTAC strategy and summarizes the progress on the development of small molecule PROTACs targeting oncoproteins in sex hormone-dependent cancers, focusing on breast and prostate cancers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Li Liu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- Department of Dermatology, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University, Luzhou, China
| | - Lihong Shi
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Zhaodi Wang
- Department of Gynecology, People’s Hospital of Henan University, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Jun Zeng
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yue Wang
- Department of Gynecology, People’s Hospital of Henan University, Henan Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhengzhou, China
| | - Hongtao Xiao
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
| | - Yongxia Zhu
- Department of Clinical Pharmacy, Sichuan Cancer Hospital & Institute, Sichuan Cancer Center, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China
- *Correspondence: Yongxia Zhu,
| |
Collapse
|
15
|
Hati S, Zallocchi M, Hazlitt R, Li Y, Vijayakumar S, Min J, Rankovic Z, Lovas S, Zuo J. AZD5438-PROTAC: A selective CDK2 degrader that protects against cisplatin- and noise-induced hearing loss. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 226:113849. [PMID: 34560429 PMCID: PMC8608744 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113849] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2021] [Revised: 09/08/2021] [Accepted: 09/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) is a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of hearing loss and cancer. Previously, we identified AZD5438 and AT7519-7 as potent inhibitors of CDK2, however, they also targeted additional kinases, leading to unwanted toxicities. Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) are a new promising class of small molecules that can effectively direct specific proteins to proteasomal degradation. Herein we report the design, synthesis, and characterization of PROTACs of AT7519-7 and AZD5438 and the identification of PROTAC-8, an AZD5438-PROTAC, that exhibits selective, partial CDK2 degradation. Furthermore, PROTAC-8 protects against cisplatin ototoxicity and kainic acid excitotoxicity in zebrafish. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal the structural requirements for CDK2 degradation. Together, PROTAC-8 is among the first-in-class PROTACs with in vivo therapeutic activities and represents a new lead compound that can be further developed for better efficacy and selectivity for CDK2 degradation against hearing loss and cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Santanu Hati
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, 68178, USA
| | - Marisa Zallocchi
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, 68178, USA
| | - Robert Hazlitt
- Department of Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Yuju Li
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, 68178, USA
| | - Sarath Vijayakumar
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, 68178, USA
| | - Jaeki Min
- Department of Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Zoran Rankovic
- Department of Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Sándor Lovas
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, 68178, USA
| | - Jian Zuo
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Medicine, Creighton University, Omaha, NE, 68178, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
16
|
Tecalco-Cruz AC, Zepeda-Cervantes J, Ramírez-Jarquín JO, Rojas-Ochoa A. Proteolysis-targeting chimeras and their implications in breast cancer. EXPLORATION OF TARGETED ANTI-TUMOR THERAPY 2021; 2:496-510. [PMID: 36046115 PMCID: PMC9400758 DOI: 10.37349/etat.2021.00060] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/31/2021] [Accepted: 10/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Breast cancer (BC) is a highly heterogeneous neoplasm of the mammary tissue, causing the deaths of a large number of women worldwide. Nearly 70% and 20% of BC cases are estrogen receptor alpha positive (ERα+) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2-positive (HER2+), respectively; therefore, ER and HER2 targeted therapies have been employed in BC treatment. However, resistance to these therapies has been reported, indicating a need for developing novel therapeutic strategies. Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are new, promising therapeutic tools designed with a bimodular structure: one module allows specific binding to target proteins, and the other module allows efficient degradation of these target proteins. In this paper, PROTACs and their potential in controlling the progression of ERα and HER2+ BC are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angeles C. Tecalco-Cruz
- Posgrado en Ciencias Genómicas, Universidad Autónoma de la Ciudad de México (UACM), CDMX, Mexico City 03100, Mexico
| | - Jesús Zepeda-Cervantes
- Departamento de Microbiología e Inmunología, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), CDMX, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - Josué O. Ramírez-Jarquín
- Instituto de Fisiología Celular, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM), CDMX, Mexico City 04500, Mexico
| | | |
Collapse
|
17
|
Scott JS, Barlaam B. Selective estrogen receptor degraders (SERDs) and covalent antagonists (SERCAs): a patent review (2015-present). Expert Opin Ther Pat 2021; 32:131-151. [PMID: 34763600 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2022.2006185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The estrogen receptor (ER) is a clinically validated oncology target with a pivotal role in hormonally driven breast cancer, the most prevalent form of female cancer. Current treatments which directly modulate ER include antagonists (SERMs), such as tamoxifen, and degraders (SERDs), such as fulvestrant which is administered by intramuscular injection. AREAS COVERED This review covers patent applications that claim estrogen receptor degraders (SERDs) and covalent antagonists (SERCAs) between the period January 2015 to June 2021. A total of 114 patent applications from 23 different applicants are evaluated with stratification into acidic SERDs, basic SERDs and SERCAs. EXPERT OPINION The clinical success of fulvestrant in the treatment of ER+ breast cancer has spurred research over the last decade into the discovery and development of novel SERDs, with a particular focus on the discovery of orally bioavailable drugs. This has resulted in a diverse range of candidates entering clinical trials. Although some have faltered in development, a cohort of oral SERDs has generated encouraging efficacy and safety data that has allowed advancement into late stage clinical trials. Data from these trials is eagerly awaited, with these molecules having the potential to offer significant benefits in the treatment of ER+ breast cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- James S Scott
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB4 0WG, United Kingdom
| | - Bernard Barlaam
- Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB4 0WG, United Kingdom
| |
Collapse
|
18
|
Liang JJ, Xie H, Yang RH, Wang N, Zheng ZJ, Zhou C, Wang YL, Wang ZJ, Liu HM, Shan LH, Ke Y. Designed, synthesized and biological evaluation of proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) as AR degraders for prostate cancer treatment. Bioorg Med Chem 2021; 45:116331. [PMID: 34364224 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2021.116331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/29/2021] [Revised: 07/20/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
As a continuation of our research on developing potent and potentially safe androgen receptor (AR) degrader, a series of novel proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) containing the phthalimide degrons with different linker were designed, synthesized and evaluated for their AR degradation activity against LNCaP (AR+) cell line. Most of the synthesized compounds displayed moderate to satisfactory AR binding affinity and might lead to antagonist activity against AR. Among them, compound A16 exhibited the best AR binding affinity (85%) and degradation activity against AR. Due to the strong fluorescence properties of pomalidomide derivatives, B10 was found to be effectively internalized and visualized in LNCaP (AR + ) cells than PC-3 (AR-) cells. Moreover, the molecular docking of A16 with AR and the active site of DDB1-CRBN E3 ubiquitin ligase complex provides guidance to design new PROTAC degrons targeting AR for prostate cancer therapy. These results represent a step toward the development of novel and improved AR PROTACs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jian-Jia Liang
- School of Pharmacy, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430072, PR China
| | - Hang Xie
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai 201203, PR China
| | - Rui-Hua Yang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, PR China
| | - Ni Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, PR China
| | - Zi-Jun Zheng
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, PR China
| | - Chen Zhou
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, PR China
| | - Ya-Lei Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, PR China
| | - Zhi-Jia Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, PR China
| | - Hong-Min Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, PR China.
| | - Li-Hong Shan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, PR China.
| | - Yu Ke
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450001, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
19
|
Mukhamejanova Z, Tong Y, Xiang Q, Xu F, Pang J. Recent Advances in the Design and Development of Anticancer Molecules based on PROTAC Technology. Curr Med Chem 2021; 28:1304-1327. [PMID: 32164504 DOI: 10.2174/0929867327666200312112412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2019] [Revised: 02/24/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
PROTAC (Proteolysis Targeting Chimera) degraders based on protein knockdown technology are now suggested as a novel option for the treatment of various diseases. Over the last couple of years, the application of PROTAC technology has spread in a wide range of disorders, and plenty of PROTAC molecules with high potency have been reported. Mostly developing for anticancer therapy, these molecules showed high selectivities to target proteins, the ability to significantly induce degradation of oncoproteins, good in vitro and in vivo results. In this review, we summarized the recent development of PROTAC technology in the anticancer therapy field, including molecular design, types of targeted proteins, in vitro and in vivo results. Additionally, we also discuss the prospects and challenges for the application of candidates based on PROTAC strategy in clinical trials.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | - Yichen Tong
- School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| | - Qi Xiang
- Institute of Biomedicine & Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Fang Xu
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE), Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jiyan Pang
- School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
| |
Collapse
|
20
|
Wang Z, Ma Z, Shen Z. Selective degradation of the estrogen receptor in the treatment of cancers. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol 2021; 209:105848. [PMID: 33610801 DOI: 10.1016/j.jsbmb.2021.105848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2020] [Revised: 02/05/2021] [Accepted: 02/07/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Estrogen receptor subtype α (ERα) plays key roles in breast cancers, and has been a target for endocrine therapy for a long time. Unfortunately, long-term treatment by Aromatase Inhibitors (AIs) or Selective Estrogen Receptor Modulators (SERMs) could cause drug resistance and also would increase the risk for uterine cancer. Therefore, novel anti-breast cancer drugs based on different mechanisms of action have received significant attention, especially through the strategies of selective degradation of ER. In this article, the latest research progress of selective targeting ER for degradation, including Selective ER Downregulators (SERDs), Proteolysis Targeting Chimaeras (PROTACs) and other techniques, was reviewed, and the applications and problems to be solved were prospected.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Zunyuan Wang
- Institute of Materia Medica, Hangzhou Medical College, 310013 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhen Ma
- Institute of Materia Medica, Hangzhou Medical College, 310013 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Zhengrong Shen
- Institute of Materia Medica, Hangzhou Medical College, 310013 Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
| |
Collapse
|
21
|
Zhao C, Tang C, Li C, Ning W, Hu Z, Xin L, Zhou HB, Huang J. Novel hybrid conjugates with dual estrogen receptor α degradation and histone deacetylase inhibitory activities for breast cancer therapy. Bioorg Med Chem 2021; 40:116185. [PMID: 33965842 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2021.116185] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/26/2021] [Revised: 04/17/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023]
Abstract
Hormone therapy targeting estrogen receptors is widely used clinically for the treatment of breast cancer, such as tamoxifen, but most of them are partial agonists, which can cause serious side effects after long-term use. The use of selective estrogen receptor down-regulators (SERDs) may be an effective alternative to breast cancer therapy by directly degrading ERα protein to shut down ERα signaling. However, the solely clinically used SERD fulvestrant, is low orally bioavailable and requires intravenous injection, which severely limits its clinical application. On the other hand, double- or multi-target conjugates, which are able to synergize antitumor activity by different pathways, thus may enhance therapeutic effect in comparison with single targeted therapy. In this study, we designed and synthesized a series of novel dual-functional conjugates targeting both ERα degradation and histone deacetylase inhibiton by combining a privileged SERD skeleton 7-oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane sulfonamide (OBHSA) with a histone deacetylase inhibitor side chain. We found that substituents on both the sulfonamide nitrogen and phenyl group of OBHSA unit had significant effect on biological activities. Among them, conjugate 16i with N-methyl and naphthyl groups exhibited potent antiproliferative activity against MCF-7 cells, and excellent ERα degradation activity and HDACs inhibitory ability. A further molecular docking study indicated the interaction patterns of these conjugates with ERα, which may provide guidance to design novel SERDs or PROTAC-like SERDs for breast cancer therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Chenxi Zhao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Chu Tang
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Wuhan University), Ministry of Education, Wuhan University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Changhao Li
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China
| | - Wentao Ning
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Wuhan University), Ministry of Education, Wuhan University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Zhiye Hu
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Wuhan University), Ministry of Education, Wuhan University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Lilan Xin
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Wuhan University), Ministry of Education, Wuhan University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China
| | - Hai-Bing Zhou
- Hubei Provincial Key Laboratory of Developmentally Originated Disease, Frontier Science Center for Immunology and Metabolism, Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Wuhan University), Ministry of Education, Wuhan University School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan 430071, China.
| | - Jian Huang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Cell Homeostasis, College of Life Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China.
| |
Collapse
|
22
|
J. Verheul TC, Trinh VT, Vázquez O, Philipsen S. Targeted Protein Degradation as a Promising Tool for Epigenetic Upregulation of Fetal Hemoglobin. ChemMedChem 2020; 15:2436-2443. [PMID: 33002296 PMCID: PMC7756256 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202000574] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2020] [Revised: 09/28/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
The level of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) is an important disease modifier for β-thalassemia and sickle cell disease patients. Indeed, genetic tinkering with the HbF repression machinery has demonstrated great potential for disease mitigation. Such genetic treatments are costly and the high incidence of β-hemoglobinopathies in low-income countries, therefore, calls for the development of affordable, off-the-shelf, oral treatments. The use of PROTAC (PRoteolysis TArgeting Chimeras) technology to influence the epigenetic mechanisms involved in HbF suppression may provide a solution. In this minireview, we briefly explain the HbF repression network highlighting the epigenetic factors that could be targeted for degradation by PROTACs. We hope that this review will inspire clinicians, molecular and chemical biologists to collaborate and contribute to this fascinating field, which should ultimately deliver drugs that reactivate HbF expression with high specificity and low toxicity.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Thijs C. J. Verheul
- Department of Cell BiologyErasmus University Medical Center RotterdamWytemaweg 803000 CARotterdamThe Netherlands
| | - Van Tuan Trinh
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of MarburgHans-Meerwein-Straβe 435043MarburgGermany
| | - Olalla Vázquez
- SYNMIKRO Research CenterUniversity of Marburg35043MarburgGermany
- Department of ChemistryUniversity of MarburgHans-Meerwein-Straβe 435043MarburgGermany
| | - Sjaak Philipsen
- Department of Cell BiologyErasmus University Medical Center RotterdamWytemaweg 803000 CARotterdamThe Netherlands
| |
Collapse
|
23
|
Lu Y, Liu W. Selective Estrogen Receptor Degraders (SERDs): A Promising Strategy for Estrogen Receptor Positive Endocrine-Resistant Breast Cancer. J Med Chem 2020; 63:15094-15114. [PMID: 33138369 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c00913] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Estrogen receptor (ER) plays important roles in gene transcription and the proliferation of ER positive breast cancers. Selective modulation of ER has been a therapeutic target for this specific type of breast cancer for more than 30 years. Selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) and aromatase inhibitors (AIs) have been demonstrated to be effective therapeutic approaches for ER positive breast cancers. Unfortunately, 30-50% of ER positive tumors become resistant to SERM/AI treatment after 3-5 years. Fulvestrant, the only approved selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD), is currently an important therapeutic approach for the treatment of endocrine-resistant breast cancers. The poor pharmacokinetic properties of fulvestrant have inspired the development of a new generation of oral SERDs to overcome drug resistance. In this review, we describe recent advances in ERα structure, functions, and mechanisms of endocrine resistance and summarize the development of oral SERDs in both academic and industrial areas.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yunlong Lu
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.,Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois 60612, United States
| | - Wukun Liu
- School of Medicine & Holistic Integrative Medicine, Jiangsu Collaborative Innovation Center of Chinese Medicinal Resources Industrialization, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China.,State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China.,State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, P. R. China
| |
Collapse
|
24
|
Discovery of novel anti-angiogenesis agents. Part 11: Development of PROTACs based on active molecules with potency of promoting vascular normalization. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 205:112654. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112654] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2020] [Revised: 07/05/2020] [Accepted: 07/07/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
|
25
|
Wang L, Sharma A. The Quest for Orally Available Selective Estrogen Receptor Degraders (SERDs). ChemMedChem 2020; 15:2072-2097. [PMID: 32916035 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202000473] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Revised: 08/31/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Estrogen receptor-alpha (ERα) is the target of endocrine therapies for the treatment of more than 70 % of ERα-positive breast cancers. Selective estrogen receptor degraders (SERDs) antagonize estrogen binding and target the receptor for degradation, representing the last line of treatment for resistant metastatic breast cancer patients. However, the clinical efficacy of the lone clinically approved SERD (Fulvestrant) is limited by its poor oral bioavailability. Recently, several analogues of GW5638, an acrylic acid-based ERα ligand developed by Glaxo Research Institute in 1994, have been reported as promising orally bioavailable SERDs. Some of these compounds are currently in clinical trials, while various other structurally novel SERDs have also been reported by pharma as well as academic research groups. This review provides a critical analysis of the recent developments in orally available SERDs, with a focus on the structure-activity relationships, binding interactions and pharmacokinetic properties of these compounds.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucia Wang
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey, 07030, USA
| | - Abhishek Sharma
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, New Jersey, 07030, USA
| |
Collapse
|
26
|
de Carvalho Porta L, Fadel V, D'Arc Campeiro J, Oliveira EB, Godinho RO, Hayashi MAF. Biophysical and pharmacological characterization of a full-length synthetic analog of the antitumor polypeptide crotamine. J Mol Med (Berl) 2020; 98:1561-1571. [PMID: 32895732 DOI: 10.1007/s00109-020-01975-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 08/29/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
Crotamine is a polypeptide isolated from the venom of a South American rattlesnake. Among the properties and biological activities of crotamine, the most extraordinary is its ability to enter cells with unique selective affinity and cytotoxic activity against actively proliferating cells, such as tumor cells. This peptide is also a cargo carrier, and anticipating commercial application of this native polypeptide as a potential theranostic compound against cancer, we performed here a side-by-side characterization of a chemically synthesized full-length crotamine compared with its native counterpart. The structural, biophysical, and pharmacological properties were evaluated. Comparative NMR studies showed structural conservation of synthetic crotamine. Moreover, similarly to native crotamine, the synthetic polypeptide was also capable of inhibiting tumor growth in vivo, increasing the survival of mice bearing subcutaneous tumor. We also confirmed the ability of synthetic crotamine to transfect and transport DNA into eukaryotic cells, in addition to the importance of proteoglycans on cell surface for its internalization. This work opens new opportunities for future evaluation of chimeric and/or point-mutated analogs of this snake polypeptide, aiming for improving crotamine properties and applications, as well as possibly diminishing its potential toxic effects. KEY MESSAGES: • Synthetic crotamine showed ex vivo and in vivo activities similar to native peptide. • Synthetic crotamine structure conservation was demonstrated by NMR analysis. • Synthetic crotamine is able to transfect and transport DNA into eukaryotic cells. • Synthetic crotamine shows tumor growth inhibition in vivo. • Synthetic crotamine increases survival of mice bearing tumor.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Lucas de Carvalho Porta
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua 3 de maio 100, Ed. INFAR, 3rd floor, São Paulo, CEP 04044-020, Brazil
| | - Valmir Fadel
- Universidade Estadual de São Paulo (UNESP), São José do Rio Preto, Brazil
| | - Joana D'Arc Campeiro
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua 3 de maio 100, Ed. INFAR, 3rd floor, São Paulo, CEP 04044-020, Brazil
| | - Eduardo Brandt Oliveira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Universidade de São Paulo (USP-FMRP), Ribeirão Preto, Brazil
| | - Rosely Oliveira Godinho
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua 3 de maio 100, Ed. INFAR, 3rd floor, São Paulo, CEP 04044-020, Brazil
| | - Mirian Akemi Furuie Hayashi
- Departamento de Farmacologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina (EPM), Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP), Rua 3 de maio 100, Ed. INFAR, 3rd floor, São Paulo, CEP 04044-020, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
27
|
Kumar N, Gulati HK, Sharma A, Heer S, Jassal AK, Arora L, Kaur S, Singh A, Bhagat K, Kaur A, Singh H, Singh JV, Bedi PMS. Most recent strategies targeting estrogen receptor alpha for the treatment of breast cancer. Mol Divers 2020; 25:603-624. [PMID: 32886304 DOI: 10.1007/s11030-020-10133-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2020] [Accepted: 08/13/2020] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Breast cancer is the most prominent, frequently diagnosed and leading cause of death among women. Estrogen is an agonist of estrogen receptor alpha (ER-α), expressed in mammary glands and is responsible for initiating many signalling pathways that lead to differentiation and development of breast tissue. Any mutations in these signalling pathways result in irregular growth of mammary tissue, leading to the development of tumour or cancer. All these observations attract the attention of researchers to antagonize ER-α receptor either by developing selective estrogen receptor modulators or by selective estrogen receptor degraders. Therefore, this article provides a brief overview of various factors that are responsible for provoking breast cancer in women and design strategies recently used by the various research groups across the world for antagonizing or demodulating ER-α.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Nitish Kumar
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India.,Drug and Pollution Testing Laboratory, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India
| | - Harmandeep Kaur Gulati
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India
| | - Aakriti Sharma
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India
| | - Shilpa Heer
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India
| | - Anupmjot Kaur Jassal
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India
| | - Lovenish Arora
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India
| | - Simranpreet Kaur
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India
| | - Atamjit Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India
| | - Kavita Bhagat
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India
| | - Arshmeet Kaur
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India
| | - Harbinder Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India.
| | - Jatinder Vir Singh
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India.
| | - Preet Mohinder Singh Bedi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India. .,Drug and Pollution Testing Laboratory, Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar, Punjab, 143005, India.
| |
Collapse
|
28
|
Xie H, Liang JJ, Wang YL, Hu TX, Wang JY, Yang RH, Yan JK, Zhang QR, Xu X, Liu HM, Ke Y. The design, synthesis and anti-tumor mechanism study of new androgen receptor degrader. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 204:112512. [PMID: 32736229 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112512] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2020] [Revised: 05/20/2020] [Accepted: 05/24/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation using small molecules is a novel strategy for drug development. In order to solve the problem of drug resistance in the treatment of prostate cancer, proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTAC) was introduced into the design of anti-prostate cancer derivatives. In this work, we synthesized two series of selective androgen receptor degraders (SARDs) containing the hydrophobic degrons with different linker, and then investigated the structure-activity relationships of these hybrid compounds. Most of the synthesized compounds exhibited moderate to good activity against all the cancer cell lines selected. Among them, compound A9 displayed potent inhibitory activity against LNCaP prostate cancer cell line with IC50 values of 1.75 μM, as well as excellent AR degradation activity. Primary mechanism studies elucidated compound A9 arrested cell cycle at G0/G1 phase and induced a mild apoptotic response in LNCaP cells. Further study indicated that the degradation of AR was mediated through proteasome-mediated process. For all these reasons, compound A9 held promising potential as anti-proliferative agent for the development of highly efficient SARDs for drug-resistance prostate cancer therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Hang Xie
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, PR China
| | - Jian-Jia Liang
- School of Pharmacy, Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei, 430072, PR China.
| | - Ya-Lei Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, PR China
| | - Tian-Xing Hu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, PR China
| | - Jin-Yi Wang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, PR China
| | - Rui-Hua Yang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, PR China
| | - Jun-Ke Yan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, PR China
| | - Qiu-Rong Zhang
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, PR China
| | - Xia Xu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China.
| | - Hong-Min Liu
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, PR China.
| | - Yu Ke
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, 450001, PR China; Collaborative Innovation Center of New Drug Research and Safety Evaluation, Henan Province, Zhengzhou 450001, PR China; Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, PR China.
| |
Collapse
|
29
|
Yang J, Wang Q, Feng G, Zeng M. Significance of Selective Protein Degradation in the Development of Novel Targeted Drugs and Its Implications in Cancer Therapy. ADVANCED THERAPEUTICS 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/adtp.201900210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jie Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Cancer MedicineSun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center Guangzhou 510060 China
| | - Qiaoli Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Cancer MedicineSun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center Guangzhou 510060 China
| | - Guo‐Kai Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Cancer MedicineSun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center Guangzhou 510060 China
| | - Mu‐Sheng Zeng
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South ChinaCollaborative Innovation Center for Cancer MedicineSun Yat‐sen University Cancer Center Guangzhou 510060 China
| |
Collapse
|
30
|
Shagufta, Ahmad I, Mathew S, Rahman S. Recent progress in selective estrogen receptor downregulators (SERDs) for the treatment of breast cancer. RSC Med Chem 2020; 11:438-454. [PMID: 33479648 PMCID: PMC7580774 DOI: 10.1039/c9md00570f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 34] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Accepted: 02/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Selective estrogen receptor downregulators (SERDs) are a novel class of compounds capable of reducing the ERα protein level and blocking ER activity. Therefore, SERDs are considered as a significant therapeutic approach to treat ER+ breast cancer in both early stage and more advanced drug-resistant cases. After the FDA approval of a steroidal drug, fulvestrant, as a SERD for the treatment of breast cancer in patients who have progressed on antihormonal agents, several molecules with diverse chemical structures have been rapidly developed, studied and evaluated for selective estrogen receptor downregulation activity. Here we compile the promising SERDs reported in recent years and discuss the chemical structure and pharmacological profile of the most potent compound of the considered series. Because of the availability of only a limited number of effective drugs for the treatment of breast cancer, the quest for a potent SERD with respectable activity and bioavailability is still ongoing. The goal of this article is to make available to the reader an overview of the current progress in SERDs and provide clues for the future discovery and development of novel pharmacological potent SERDs for the treatment of breast cancer.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Shagufta
- Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences , School of Arts and Sciences , American University of Ras Al Khaimah , P. O. Box 10021 , Ras Al Khaimah , United Arab Emirates . ;
| | - Irshad Ahmad
- Department of Mathematics and Natural Sciences , School of Arts and Sciences , American University of Ras Al Khaimah , P. O. Box 10021 , Ras Al Khaimah , United Arab Emirates . ;
| | - Shimy Mathew
- Department of Biotechnology , School of Arts and Sciences , American University of Ras Al Khaimah , P. O. Box 10021 , Ras Al Khaimah , United Arab Emirates
| | - Sofia Rahman
- Department of Biotechnology , School of Arts and Sciences , American University of Ras Al Khaimah , P. O. Box 10021 , Ras Al Khaimah , United Arab Emirates
| |
Collapse
|
31
|
Bashraheel SS, Domling A, Goda SK. Update on targeted cancer therapies, single or in combination, and their fine tuning for precision medicine. Biomed Pharmacother 2020; 125:110009. [PMID: 32106381 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2020.110009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 54] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/07/2019] [Revised: 02/04/2020] [Accepted: 02/12/2020] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Until recently, patients who have the same type and stage of cancer all receive the same treatment. It has been established, however, that individuals with the same disease respond differently to the same therapy. Further, each tumor undergoes genetic changes that cause cancer to grow and metastasize. The changes that occur in one person's cancer may not occur in others with the same cancer type. These differences also lead to different responses to treatment. Precision medicine, also known as personalized medicine, is a strategy that allows the selection of a treatment based on the patient's genetic makeup. In the case of cancer, the treatment is tailored to take into account the genetic changes that may occur in an individual's tumor. Precision medicine, therefore, could be defined in terms of the targets involved in targeted therapy. METHODS A literature search in electronic data bases using keywords "cancer targeted therapy, personalized medicine and cancer combination therapies" was conducted to include papers from 2010 to June 2019. RESULTS Recent developments in strategies of targeted cancer therapy were reported. Specifically, on the two types of targeted therapy; first, immune-based therapy such as the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), immune cytokines, tumor-targeted superantigens (TTS) and ligand targeted therapeutics (LTTs). The second strategy deals with enzyme/small molecules-based therapies, such as the use of a proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC), antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) and antibody-directed enzyme prodrug therapy (ADEPT). The precise targeting of the drug to the gene or protein under attack was also investigated, in other words, how precision medicine can be used to tailor treatments. CONCLUSION The conventional therapeutic paradigm for cancer and other diseases has focused on a single type of intervention for all patients. However, a large literature in oncology supports the therapeutic benefits of a precision medicine approach to therapy as well as combination therapies.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Sara S Bashraheel
- Protein Engineering Unit, Life and Science Research Department, Anti-Doping Lab-Qatar (ADLQ), Doha, Qatar; Drug Design Group, Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Alexander Domling
- Drug Design Group, Department of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Sayed K Goda
- Cairo University, Faculty of Science, Chemistry Department, Giza, Egypt.
| |
Collapse
|
32
|
Hu Z, Li Y, Xie B, Ning W, Xiao Y, Huang Y, Zhao C, Huang J, Dong C, Zhou HB. Novel class of 7-Oxabicyclo[2.2.1]heptene sulfonamides with long alkyl chains displaying improved estrogen receptor α degradation activity. Eur J Med Chem 2019; 182:111605. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.111605] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2019] [Revised: 07/27/2019] [Accepted: 08/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
|