1
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Zhou H, Hu M, Jie H, Li Y, Tang K, Pan L, Liu C, Liu Z, Chen W, Chen Y, Luo Y, Gong Y, Xie Y. Discovery of orally bioavailable ALK PROTACs based ceritinib against ALK positive cancers. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 279:116827. [PMID: 39288596 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2024] [Revised: 08/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/31/2024] [Indexed: 09/19/2024]
Abstract
Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion genes promote a variety of human malignancies. Although several ALK inhibitors have significantly improved disease prognosis in patients with ALK positive cancers, the persistent emergence of acquired drug-resistant mutations remain the major problem in clinic treatment. Adoption of new therapeutic strategies such as proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) to overcome drug resistance in BTK/AR-related cancers have shown promising prospect. Herein, we reported the integrate ALK PROTACs through overall optimization of linker, revealed that subtle structural differences can lead to significant activity difference, indicating the key role of conformation of PROTACs in inducing the formation of E3-PROTAC-target protein ternary complexes. A series of rigid ALK PROTACs were developed through conjugation of Ceritinib and thalidomide, orally bioavailable PROTAC 4B (F = 14.22 %) was obtained by overall optimization of molecular properties. 4B effectively induced long lasting degradation of ALK fusion proteins and strong repression of downstream pathway in Karpas 299 cells (DC50 = 119.33 nM, Dmax = 97.1 %) and showed comparable anti-proliferative activity to Ceritinib (IC50 = 3.11 ± 0.08 nM vs IC50 = 1.31 ± 0.43 nM). Furthermore, 4B significantly inhibited the growth of Karpas 299 xenografts in vivo with TGI of 49.5 % and showed superior anti-proliferative activity against G1202R mutation to Ceritinib (IC50 = 52.82 nM vs IC50 = 109.5 nM). Overall, 4B is expected to be a potential treatment for ALK-driven malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoxuan Zhou
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Clinical Nuclear Medicine Research Lab, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Mingxing Hu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Clinical Nuclear Medicine Research Lab, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Hui Jie
- Department of Thoracic Surgery and Institute of Thoracic Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yujue Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610072, China
| | - Kexin Tang
- Department of Biology, Emory University, Atlanta, 30322, USA
| | - LiLi Pan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Clinical Nuclear Medicine Research Lab, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Chengyali Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Clinical Nuclear Medicine Research Lab, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Zi Liu
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Clinical Nuclear Medicine Research Lab, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Wei Chen
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and Clinical Nuclear Medicine Research Lab, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yuanwei Chen
- Hinova Pharmaceuticals Inc., Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yi Luo
- Department of Orthopedics and Orthopaedic Research Institute, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Youling Gong
- Department of Thoracic Oncology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Yongmei Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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2
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Wang S, Feng Z, Qu C, Yu S, Zhang H, Deng R, Luo D, Pu C, Zhang Y, Li R. Novel Amphiphilic PROTAC with Enhanced Pharmacokinetic Properties for ALK Protein Degradation. J Med Chem 2024; 67:9842-9856. [PMID: 38839424 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02340] [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: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Advancements in anticancer strategies spotlight proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology, yet it is hindered by poor water solubility and bioavailability. This study introduces a novel amphiphilic PROTAC, B1-PEG, synthesized through PEGylation of an optimized PROTAC molecule, B1, to enhance its properties. B1-PEG is engineered to self-organize into micelles in water and releases its active form in response to the tumor-specific high GSH environment. Comparative pharmacokinetic analysis revealed B1-PEG's superior bioavailability at 84.8%, outperforming the unmodified PROTAC molecule B1. When tested in a H3122 xenograft mouse model, B1-PEG significantly regressed tumors, underscoring its potential as a formidable candidate in targeted cancer therapy. Our findings offer a promising direction for overcoming bioavailability limitations in PROTAC drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirui Wang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Zhanzhan Feng
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Can Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Su Yu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Hongjia Zhang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Rui Deng
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Dan Luo
- Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610031, China
| | - Chunlan Pu
- Medical Research Center, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, The Second Chengdu Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University, Chengdu 610031, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
- Lung Cancer Center/Lung Cancer Institute, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Rui Li
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
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Poei D, Ali S, Ye S, Hsu R. ALK inhibitors in cancer: mechanisms of resistance and therapeutic management strategies. CANCER DRUG RESISTANCE (ALHAMBRA, CALIF.) 2024; 7:20. [PMID: 38835344 PMCID: PMC11149099 DOI: 10.20517/cdr.2024.25] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/29/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/06/2024]
Abstract
Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene rearrangements have been identified as potent oncogenic drivers in several malignancies, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The discovery of ALK inhibition using a tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) has dramatically improved the outcomes of patients with ALK-mutated NSCLC. However, the emergence of intrinsic and acquired resistance inevitably occurs with ALK TKI use. This review describes the molecular mechanisms of ALK TKI resistance and discusses management strategies to overcome therapeutic resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Darin Poei
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Sana Ali
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Southern California Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Shirley Ye
- Department of Internal Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
| | - Robert Hsu
- Division of Medical Oncology, University of Southern California Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles, CA 90033, USA
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Yokoo H, Tsuji G, Inoue T, Naito M, Demizu Y, Ohoka N. Expansion of targeted degradation by Gilteritinib-Warheaded PROTACs to ALK fusion proteins. Bioorg Chem 2024; 145:107204. [PMID: 38377822 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 01/13/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024]
Abstract
Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) induce the ubiquitination and subsequent proteasomal degradation of targeted proteins. Numerous PROTACs have emerged as promising drug candidates for various disease-related proteins. This study investigates PROTACs targeted to degrade anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusion proteins, which are implicated in diseases such as anaplastic large cell lymphoma and non-small cell lung cancer. We recently reported the development of a gilteritinib-warheaded PROTAC to target and degrade the Fms-like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) protein. Gilteritinib is a tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets FLT3, and recent studies have revealed that it also functions as an ALK inhibitor. We conducted a structure-activity relationship (SAR) study and expanded the range of target proteins for gilteritinib-warheaded PROTACs to include echinoderm microtubule-associated protein-like 4 (EML4)-ALK and nucleophosmin (NPM)-ALK, in addition to FLT3. Our SAR study utilized three types of ligands for E3 ligase- inhibitor of apoptosis protein (IAP), cereblon (CRBN), and von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)- in the PROTAC designs and we observed varied efficacy in the degradation of target proteins. The CRBN-based PROTAC effectively reduced the protein expression of FLT3, EML4-ALK, and NPM-ALK. The IAP-based PROTAC reduced expression of both FLT3 and EML4-ALK proteins but not that of NPM-ALK, while the VHL-based PROTAC was ineffective against all target proteins. Several ALK-targeted PROTACs have already been developed using CRBN or VHL as E3 ligase, but this is the first report of an IAP-based ALK degrader. The length of the linker structure utilized in PROTAC also had a significant effect on their efficacy and activity. PROTACs formed with shorter linkers demonstrated an enhanced degradation activity to target proteins compared with those formed with longer linkers. These findings provide valuable insight for the development of effective PROTACs to target and degrade ALK fusion proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hidetomo Yokoo
- National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-9501, Japan
| | - Genichiro Tsuji
- National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-9501, Japan
| | - Takao Inoue
- National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-9501, Japan
| | - Mikihiko Naito
- Laboratory of Targeted Protein Degradation, Graduate School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo 110-0033, Japan
| | - Yosuke Demizu
- National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-9501, Japan; Graduate School of Medical Life Science, Yokohama City University, 1-7-29 Yokohama, Kanagawa, 230-0045, Japan; Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Division of Pharmaceutical Science of Okayama University, 1-1-1 Tsushimanaka, Kita 700-8530, Japan
| | - Nobumichi Ohoka
- National Institute of Health Sciences, 3-25-26 Tonomachi, Kawasaki-ku, Kawasaki 210-9501, Japan.
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Li X, Wang Z, Chen C, Yang F, Liu P, Fang S, Wang B, Chen S, Li X. A small-molecule degrader selectively inhibits the growth of ALK-rearranged lung cancer with ceritinib resistance. iScience 2024; 27:109015. [PMID: 38327793 PMCID: PMC10847737 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 11/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) is a highly responsive therapeutic target for ALK-rearranged non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, patients with this cancer invariably relapse because of the development of ALK inhibitor resistance resulting from mutations within the ALK tyrosine kinase domain. Herein, we report the discovery of dEALK1, a small-molecule degrader of EML4-ALK fusion proteins, with capability of overcoming resistance to ALK inhibitor ceritinib. dEALK1 induces rapid and selective degradation of wild-type (WT) EML4-ALK and mutated EML4-ALKs acquiring resistance to ceritinib, leading to inhibition of cell proliferation and increase of apoptosis in NSCLC cells expressing WT EML4-ALK or ceritinib-resistant EML4-ALK mutants in vitro. Furthermore, dEALK1 also exerts a potent antitumor activity against EML4-ALK-positive xenograft tumors without or with harboring ceritinib-resistant EML4-ALK mutations in vivo. Our study suggests that dEALK1-induced degradation of EML4-ALK fusion proteins is a promising therapeutic strategy for treatment of ALK-rearranged lung cancer with ceritinib resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Li
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetic Regulation and Intervention, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Zixiong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetic Regulation and Intervention, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chao Chen
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetic Regulation and Intervention, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Fan Yang
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetic Regulation and Intervention, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Ping Liu
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetic Regulation and Intervention, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
| | - Shu Fang
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetic Regulation and Intervention, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Bin Wang
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetic Regulation and Intervention, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Shi Chen
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Department of General Surgery, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Colorectal and Pelvic Floor Diseases, The Sixth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510655, China
| | - Xinjian Li
- Key Laboratory of Epigenetic Regulation and Intervention, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- College of Life Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
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6
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Chen S, Cui J, Chen H, Yu B, Long S. Recent progress in degradation of membrane proteins by PROTACs and alternative targeted protein degradation techniques. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 262:115911. [PMID: 37924709 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115911] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2023] [Revised: 10/15/2023] [Accepted: 10/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/06/2023]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation (TPD) is one of the key strategies of current targeted cancer therapy, and it can eliminate some of the root causes of cancer, and effectively avoid drug resistance caused by traditional drugs. Proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) is a hot branch of the TPD strategy, and it has been shown to induce the degradation of target proteins by activating the inherent ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) in tumor cells. PROTACs have been developed for more than two decades, and some of them have been clinically evaluated. Although most of the proteins degraded by PROTACs are intracellular, degradation of some typical membrane proteins has also been reported, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK), programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1), and G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). In addition, some other effective membrane protein-degrading strategies have also emerged, such as antibody-based PROTAC (AbTAC), lysosome targeting chimera (LYTAC), molecular glue, and nanoparticle-based PROTAC (Nano-PROTAC). Herein, we discussed the advantages, disadvantages and potential applications of several important membrane protein degradation techniques. These techniques that we have summarized are insightful in paving the way for future development of more general strategies for membrane protein degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Siyu Chen
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Novel Reactor and Green Chemical Technology, Hubei Engineering Research Center for Advanced Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, 206 1st Rd Optics Valley, East Lake New Technology Development District, Wuhan, Hubei, 430205, China
| | - Jingliang Cui
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Novel Reactor and Green Chemical Technology, Hubei Engineering Research Center for Advanced Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, 206 1st Rd Optics Valley, East Lake New Technology Development District, Wuhan, Hubei, 430205, China
| | - Haiyan Chen
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Novel Reactor and Green Chemical Technology, Hubei Engineering Research Center for Advanced Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, 206 1st Rd Optics Valley, East Lake New Technology Development District, Wuhan, Hubei, 430205, China
| | - Bo Yu
- Tongji Hospital, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science & Technology, 1095 Jiefang Ave, Wuhan, 430030, China.
| | - Sihui Long
- Key Laboratory for Green Chemical Process of Ministry of Education, Hubei Key Laboratory of Novel Reactor and Green Chemical Technology, Hubei Engineering Research Center for Advanced Fine Chemicals, School of Chemical Engineering and Pharmacy, Wuhan Institute of Technology, 206 1st Rd Optics Valley, East Lake New Technology Development District, Wuhan, Hubei, 430205, China.
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7
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Chen X, Zhou Y, Zhao Y, Tang W. Targeted degradation of extracellular secreted and membrane proteins. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2023; 44:762-775. [PMID: 37758536 PMCID: PMC10591793 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2023.08.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2023] [Revised: 08/26/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation (TPD) involving chimeric molecules has emerged as one of the most promising therapeutic modalities in recent years. Among various reported TPD strategies, proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) stand out as a significant breakthrough in small-molecule drug discovery and have garnered the most attention to date. However, PROTACs are mainly capable of depleting intracellular proteins. Given that many important therapeutic targets such as cytokines, growth factors, and numerous receptors are membrane proteins or secreted extracellularly, there is interest in the development of novel strategies to degrade these protein categories. We review advances in this emerging area and provide insights to enhance the development of novel TPDs targeting extracellular proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuankun Chen
- Lachman Institute for Pharmaceutical Development, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Yaxian Zhou
- Lachman Institute for Pharmaceutical Development, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Yuan Zhao
- Lachman Institute for Pharmaceutical Development, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Weiping Tang
- Lachman Institute for Pharmaceutical Development, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI 53705, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, WI 53706, USA.
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Wu R, Lim MS. Updates in pathobiological aspects of anaplastic large cell lymphoma. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1241532. [PMID: 37810974 PMCID: PMC10556522 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1241532] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2023] [Accepted: 09/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Anaplastic large cell lymphomas (ALCL) encompass several distinct subtypes of mature T-cell neoplasms that are unified by the expression of CD30 and anaplastic cytomorphology. Identification of the cytogenetic abnormality t(2;5)(p23;q35) led to the subclassification of ALCLs into ALK+ ALCL and ALK- ALCL. According to the most recent World Health Organization (WHO) Classification of Haematolymphoid Tumours as well as the International Consensus Classification (ICC) of Mature Lymphoid Neoplasms, ALCLs encompass ALK+ ALCL, ALK- ALCL, and breast implant-associated ALCL (BI-ALCL). Approximately 80% of systemic ALCLs harbor rearrangement of ALK, with NPM1 being the most common partner gene, although many other fusion partner genes have been identified to date. ALK- ALCLs represent a heterogeneous group of lymphomas with distinct clinical, immunophenotypic, and genetic features. A subset harbor recurrent rearrangement of genes, including TYK2, DUSP22, and TP63, with a proportion for which genetic aberrations have yet to be characterized. Although primary cutaneous ALCL (pc-ALCL) is currently classified as a subtype of primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, due to the large anaplastic and pleomorphic morphology together with CD30 expression in the malignant cells, this review also discusses the pathobiological features of this disease entity. Genomic and proteomic studies have contributed significant knowledge elucidating novel signaling pathways that are implicated in ALCL pathogenesis and represent candidate targets of therapeutic interventions. This review aims to offer perspectives on recent insights regarding the pathobiological and genetic features of ALCL.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Megan S. Lim
- Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, NY, United States
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Sincere NI, Anand K, Ashique S, Yang J, You C. PROTACs: Emerging Targeted Protein Degradation Approaches for Advanced Druggable Strategies. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28104014. [PMID: 37241755 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28104014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
A potential therapeutic strategy to treat conditions brought on by the aberrant production of a disease-causing protein is emerging for targeted protein breakdown using the PROTACs technology. Few medications now in use are tiny, component-based and utilize occupancy-driven pharmacology (MOA), which inhibits protein function for a short period of time to temporarily alter it. By utilizing an event-driven MOA, the proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) technology introduces a revolutionary tactic. Small-molecule-based heterobifunctional PROTACs hijack the ubiquitin-proteasome system to trigger the degradation of the target protein. The main challenge PROTAC's development facing now is to find potent, tissue- and cell-specific PROTAC compounds with favorable drug-likeness and standard safety measures. The ways to increase the efficacy and selectivity of PROTACs are the main focus of this review. In this review, we have highlighted the most important discoveries related to the degradation of proteins by PROTACs, new targeted approaches to boost proteolysis' effectiveness and development, and promising future directions in medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nuwayo Ishimwe Sincere
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Krishnan Anand
- Department of Chemical Pathology, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein 9300, South Africa
| | - Sumel Ashique
- Department of Pharmaceutics, Bharat Institute of Technology (BIT), School of Pharmacy, Meerut 250103, India
| | - Jing Yang
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
| | - Chongge You
- Laboratory Medicine Center, Lanzhou University Second Hospital, The Second Clinical Medical College of Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
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10
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Gao Y, Jiang B, Kim H, Berberich MJ, Che J, Donovan KA, Hatcher JM, Huerta F, Kwiatkowski NP, Liu Y, Liuni PP, Metivier RJ, Murali VK, Nowak RP, Zhang T, Fischer ES, Gray NS, Jones LH. Catalytic Degraders Effectively Address Kinase Site Mutations in EML4-ALK Oncogenic Fusions. J Med Chem 2023; 66:5524-5535. [PMID: 37036171 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01864] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/11/2023]
Abstract
Heterobifunctional degraders, known as proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs), theoretically possess a catalytic mode-of-action, yet few studies have either confirmed or exploited this potential advantage of event-driven pharmacology. Degraders of oncogenic EML4-ALK fusions were developed by conjugating ALK inhibitors to cereblon ligands. Simultaneous optimization of pharmacology and compound properties using ternary complex modeling and physicochemical considerations yielded multiple catalytic degraders that were more resilient to clinically relevant ATP-binding site mutations than kinase inhibitor drugs. Our strategy culminated in the design of the orally bioavailable derivative CPD-1224 that avoided hemolysis (a feature of detergent-like PROTACs), degraded the otherwise recalcitrant mutant L1196M/G1202R in vivo, and commensurately slowed tumor growth, while the third generation ALK inhibitor drug lorlatinib had no effect. These results validate our original therapeutic hypothesis by exemplifying opportunities for catalytic degraders to proactively address binding site resistant mutations in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Gao
- Center for Protein Degradation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Baishan Jiang
- Center for Protein Degradation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Hellen Kim
- Center for Protein Degradation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Matthew J Berberich
- Center for Protein Degradation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Jianwei Che
- Center for Protein Degradation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Katherine A Donovan
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - John M Hatcher
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Fidel Huerta
- Center for Protein Degradation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Nicholas P Kwiatkowski
- Center for Protein Degradation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Yingpeng Liu
- Center for Protein Degradation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Peter P Liuni
- Center for Protein Degradation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Rebecca J Metivier
- Center for Protein Degradation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Vineeth K Murali
- Center for Protein Degradation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Radosław P Nowak
- Center for Protein Degradation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Tinghu Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, ChEM-H, Stanford Cancer Institute, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Eric S Fischer
- Center for Protein Degradation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
| | - Nathanael S Gray
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, ChEM-H, Stanford Cancer Institute, School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305, United States
| | - Lyn H Jones
- Center for Protein Degradation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, United States
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11
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Gong L, Li R, Gong J, Ning X, Sun J, Ma Q, Zhu C, Yang Y, Lin K, Li Y, Zhang Q, Li T, Lin Z. Discovery of a miniaturized PROTAC with potent activity and high selectivity. Bioorg Chem 2023; 136:106556. [PMID: 37105002 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106556] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 04/07/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023]
Abstract
The approved small-molecule inhibitors of anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) have shown remarkable efficacy in some subset of cancer patients. However, the numerous ALK mutants or fusion partners are resistant to such drugs, greatly limiting their application in clinic. Despite the drug design strategy of proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) holds great potential to overcome drug resistance in theory, there are obvious disadvantages for the reported PROTACs that include high molecular weight, long linkers, difficult synthesis routes as well as insufficient evidence in activity for diverse ALK mutants. In this study, we designed and synthesized a miniaturized PROTAC of ALK named AP-1 following the principle of minimalist design. Two simple chemical units of ligands and a minimized linker with only two atoms were selected for synthesis of AP-1. At cellular level, AP-1 successfully degraded three types of ALK mutants including NPM-ALK, EML4-ALK and F1174L mutation ALK form with potent activity, high selectivity in ALK-positive cells. In xenograft mouse model, AP-1 showed the stronger antitumor efficacy than ceritinib as well as ALK degraders reported in literatures. AP-1 with an extremely simple PROTAC structure can be served as an effective candidate drug for therapy of various types of ALK-positive cancers. And the design principle of AP-1 has a good guiding significance for overcoming the disadvantages such as excessive molecular weight and poor solubility of PROTAC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lidong Gong
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PR China
| | - Ridong Li
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PR China
| | - Jingjing Gong
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PR China
| | - Xianling Ning
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PR China
| | - Jiawei Sun
- Department of Pharmaceutics, College of Pharmacy, Inner Mongolia Medical University, Hohhot 010110, PR China
| | - Qiang Ma
- College of Science, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, PR China
| | - Chuanda Zhu
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PR China
| | - Yuanyuan Yang
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PR China
| | - Kerui Lin
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PR China
| | - Yanglonghao Li
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PR China
| | - Qiang Zhang
- Department of Pharmaceutics, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100191, PR China
| | - Tiancheng Li
- Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Peking University First Hospital, Beijing 100034, PR China.
| | - Zhiqiang Lin
- Institute of Systems Biomedicine, Beijing Key Laboratory of Tumor Systems Biology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing 100191, PR China.
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12
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Sobhia ME, Kumar H, Kumari S. Bifunctional robots inducing targeted protein degradation. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 255:115384. [PMID: 37119667 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115384] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2023] [Accepted: 04/14/2023] [Indexed: 05/01/2023]
Abstract
The gaining importance of Targeted Protein Degradation (TPD) and PROTACs (PROteolysis-TArgeting Chimeras) have drawn the scientific community's attention. PROTACs are considered bifunctional robots owing to their avidity for the protein of interest (POI) and E3-ligase, which induce the ubiquitination of POI. These molecules are based on event-driven pharmacology and are applicable in different conditions such as oncology, antiviral, neurodegenerative disease, acne etc., offering tremendous scope to researchers. In this review, primarily, we attempted to compile the recent works available in the literature on PROTACs for various targeted proteins. We summarized the design and development strategies with a focus on molecular information of protein residues and linker design. Rationalization of the ternary complex formation using Artificial Intelligence including machine & deep learning models and traditionally followed computational tools are also included in this study. Moreover, details describing the optimization of PROTACs chemistry and pharmacokinetic properties are added. Advanced PROTAC designs and targeting complex proteins, is summed up to cover the wide spectrum.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Elizabeth Sobhia
- Department of Pharmacoinformatics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sector - 67, S. A. S. Nagar, Mohali, Punjab, 160062, India.
| | - Harish Kumar
- Department of Pharmacoinformatics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sector - 67, S. A. S. Nagar, Mohali, Punjab, 160062, India
| | - Sonia Kumari
- Department of Pharmacoinformatics, National Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (NIPER), Sector - 67, S. A. S. Nagar, Mohali, Punjab, 160062, India
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13
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Zhang X, Chen Y, Yang B, Shao X, Ying M. Driving the degradation of oncofusion proteins for targeted cancer therapy. Drug Discov Today 2023; 28:103584. [PMID: 37061213 DOI: 10.1016/j.drudis.2023.103584] [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: 08/15/2022] [Revised: 12/30/2022] [Accepted: 04/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/17/2023]
Abstract
Oncofusion proteins drive the development of about 16.5% of human cancers {AuQ: Edit OK?}, functioning as the unique pathogenic factor in some cancers. The targeting of oncofusion proteins is an attractive strategy to treat malignant tumors. Recently, triggering the degradation of oncofusion proteins has been shown to hold great promise as a therapeutic strategy. Here, we review the recent findings on the mechanisms that maintain the high stability of oncofusion proteins. Then, we summarize strategies to target the degradation of oncofusion proteins through the ubiquitin-proteasome pathway, the autophagy-lysosomal pathway, and the caspase-dependent pathway. By examining oncofusion protein degradation in cancer, we not only gain better insight into the carcinogenic mechanisms that involve oncofusion proteins, but also raise the possibility of treating oncofusion-driven cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingya Zhang
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Yingqian Chen
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Bo Yang
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Xuejing Shao
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Meidan Ying
- Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Zhejiang Province Key Laboratory of Anti-Cancer Drug Research, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Pediatric Cancer Research Center, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310052, China; Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Westlake Laboratory of Life Sciences and Biomedicine, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China.
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14
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Kelm JM, Pandey DS, Malin E, Kansou H, Arora S, Kumar R, Gavande NS. PROTAC'ing oncoproteins: targeted protein degradation for cancer therapy. Mol Cancer 2023; 22:62. [PMID: 36991452 PMCID: PMC10061819 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-022-01707-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 23.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/23/2022] [Indexed: 03/31/2023] Open
Abstract
Molecularly targeted cancer therapies substantially improve patient outcomes, although the durability of their effectiveness can be limited. Resistance to these therapies is often related to adaptive changes in the target oncoprotein which reduce binding affinity. The arsenal of targeted cancer therapies, moreover, lacks coverage of several notorious oncoproteins with challenging features for inhibitor development. Degraders are a relatively new therapeutic modality which deplete the target protein by hijacking the cellular protein destruction machinery. Degraders offer several advantages for cancer therapy including resiliency to acquired mutations in the target protein, enhanced selectivity, lower dosing requirements, and the potential to abrogate oncogenic transcription factors and scaffolding proteins. Herein, we review the development of proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) for selected cancer therapy targets and their reported biological activities. The medicinal chemistry of PROTAC design has been a challenging area of active research, but the recent advances in the field will usher in an era of rational degrader design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeremy M Kelm
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (EACPHS), Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Deepti S Pandey
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (EACPHS), Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Evan Malin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (EACPHS), Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Hussein Kansou
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (EACPHS), Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA
| | - Sahil Arora
- Laboratory for Drug Design and Synthesis, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, 151401, India
| | - Raj Kumar
- Laboratory for Drug Design and Synthesis, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Natural Products, Central University of Punjab, Bathinda, 151401, India
| | - Navnath S Gavande
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (EACPHS), Wayne State University, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, Wayne State University School of Medicine, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
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15
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Cereblon-Recruiting PROTACs: Will New Drugs Have to Face Old Challenges? Pharmaceutics 2023; 15:pharmaceutics15030812. [PMID: 36986673 PMCID: PMC10053963 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics15030812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2023] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/28/2023] [Indexed: 03/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The classical low-molecular-weight drugs are designed to bind with high affinity to the biological targets endowed with receptor or enzymatic activity, and inhibit their function. However, there are many non-receptor or non-enzymatic disease proteins that seem undruggable using the traditional drug approach. This limitation has been overcome by PROTACs, bifunctional molecules that are able to bind the protein of interest and the E3 ubiquitin ligase complex. This interaction results in the ubiquitination of POI and subsequent proteolysis in the cellular proteasome. Out of hundreds of proteins serving as substrate receptors in E3 ubiquitin ligase complexes, current PROTACs recruit only a few of them, including CRBN, cIAP1, VHL or MDM-2. This review will focus on PROTACs recruiting CRBN E3 ubiquitin ligase and targeting various proteins involved in tumorigenesis, such as transcription factors, kinases, cytokines, enzymes, anti-apoptotic proteins and cellular receptors. The structure of several PROTACs, their chemical and pharmacokinetic properties, target affinity and biological activity in vitro and in vivo, will be discussed. We will also highlight cellular mechanisms that may affect the efficacy of PROTACs and pose a challenge for the future development of PROTACs.
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16
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Li JW, Zheng G, Kaye FJ, Wu L. PROTAC therapy as a new targeted therapy for lung cancer. Mol Ther 2023; 31:647-656. [PMID: 36415148 PMCID: PMC10014230 DOI: 10.1016/j.ymthe.2022.11.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2022] [Revised: 11/01/2022] [Accepted: 11/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite recent advances in molecular therapeutics, lung cancer is still a leading cause of cancer deaths. Currently, limited targeted therapy options and acquired drug resistance present significant barriers in the treatment of patients with lung cancer. New strategies in drug development, including those that take advantage of the intracellular ubiquitin-proteasome system to induce targeted protein degradation, have the potential to advance the field of personalized medicine for patients with lung cancer. Specifically, small molecule proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs), consisting of two ligands connected by a linker that bind to a target protein and an E3 ubiquitin ligase, have been developed against many cancer targets, providing promising opportunities for advanced lung cancer. In this review, we focus on the rationale for PROTAC therapy as a new targeted therapy and the current status of PROTAC development in lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennifer W Li
- Department of Medicine, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USA
| | - Guangrong Zheng
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; UF Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA
| | - Frederic J Kaye
- UF Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Department of Medicine, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
| | - Lizi Wu
- UF Health Cancer Center, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; UF Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA; Department of Molecular Genetics and Microbiology, College of Medicine, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32610, USA.
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17
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Schneider JL, Lin JJ, Shaw AT. ALK-positive lung cancer: a moving target. NATURE CANCER 2023; 4:330-343. [PMID: 36797503 PMCID: PMC10754274 DOI: 10.1038/s43018-023-00515-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 44.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2023] [Indexed: 02/18/2023]
Abstract
Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) is a potent oncogenic driver in lung cancer. ALK tyrosine kinase inhibitors yield significant benefit in patients with ALK fusion-positive (ALK+) lung cancers; yet the durability of response is limited by drug resistance. Elucidation of on-target resistance mechanisms has facilitated the development of next-generation ALK inhibitors, but overcoming ALK-independent resistance mechanisms remains a challenge. In this Review, we discuss the molecular underpinnings of acquired resistance to ALK-directed therapy and highlight new treatment approaches aimed at inducing long-term remission in ALK+ disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime L Schneider
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Department of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Jessica J Lin
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Department of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alice T Shaw
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Department of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA.
- Novartis Institutes for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA, USA.
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18
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Wang S, Luo D, Pu C, Ma X, Zhang H, Feng Z, Deng R, Yu S, Liu Y, Huang Q, Li R. Discovery of the GSH responsive "Y-PROTACs" targeting ALK and CDK4/6 as a potential treatment for cancer. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 248:115082. [PMID: 36628851 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.115082] [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: 10/21/2022] [Revised: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 12/30/2022] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
Combination of different molecular target inhibitors is an available method to improve the therapeutic effect on tumors. Herein, to achieve both tumor cell targeting and ALK degradation & CDK4/6 inhibition in one molecule, we designed and synthesized a novel GSH responsive "Y-PROTACs", Y5-3, a highly potent molecule with an IC50 value of 90 nM against H3122 cells, which can be cleaved into ALK PROTAC and CDK4/6 inhibitor moieties in tumor cells. Mechanism studies revealed that Y5-3 exert anti-tumor proliferation activity in vitro not only by ALK degradation and CDK4/6 inhibition, but also by ALK/CDK4 dual degradation. These properties make Y5-3 a GSH responsive multifunctional antitumor agent, and our work provide a new strategy for the development of multifunctional PROTACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirui Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610031, China
| | - Dan Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610031, China; Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610031, China
| | - Chunlan Pu
- Medical Research Center, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, The Second Chengdu Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University, Chengdu, 610031, China
| | - Xinyu Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610031, China; Department of Nanomedicine & Drug Targeting, Groningen Research Institute of Pharmacy, University of Groningen, 9713 AV, Groningen, the Netherlands
| | - Hongjia Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610031, China
| | - Zhanzhan Feng
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610031, China
| | - Rui Deng
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610031, China
| | - Su Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610031, China
| | - Yuanyuan Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610031, China
| | - Qing Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610031, China
| | - Rui Li
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610031, China.
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19
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Zhang Q, Yan P, Zhao P, Zhao D, Cao H, Lu J, Mao B. Design, Synthesis, and Biological Evaluation of mTOR-Targeting PROTACs Based on MLN0128 and Pomalidomide. Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 2023; 71:120-128. [PMID: 36436947 DOI: 10.1248/cpb.c22-00576] [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: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
Mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is an effective anti-tumor drug target. Several mTOR kinase inhibitors have entered clinical research, but there are still challenges of potential toxicity. As a new type of targeted drug, proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) have features of low dosage and low toxicity. However, this approach has been rarely reported to involve mTOR degradation. In this study, the mTOR kinase inhibitor MLN0128 was used as the ligand to the protein of interest and conjugated with pomalidomide by diverse intermediate linkage chains. Several potential small molecule PROTACs for the degradation of mTOR were designed and synthesized. PROTAC compounds exhibited mTOR inhibitory activity and suppressed MCF-7 cell proliferation. The representative compound P1 could inhibit the expression of mTOR downstream proteins and the growth of cancer cells by inducing autophagy but not affecting the cell cycle and not inducing apoptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Zhang
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
| | - Peizheng Yan
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
| | - Pan Zhao
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
| | - Dongsheng Zhao
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
| | - Heran Cao
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
| | - Jing Lu
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
| | - Beibei Mao
- College of Pharmacy, Shandong University of Traditional Chinese Medicine
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20
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Zhao HY, Xin M, Zhang SQ. Progress of small molecules for targeted protein degradation: PROTACs and other technologies. Drug Dev Res 2023; 84:337-394. [PMID: 36606428 DOI: 10.1002/ddr.22026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Recent years have witnessed the rapid development of targeted protein degradation (TPD), especially proteolysis targeting chimeras. These degraders have manifested many advantages over small molecule inhibitors. To date, a huge number of degraders have been excavated against over 70 disease-related targets. In particular, degraders against estrogen receptor and androgen receptor have crowded into phase II clinical trial. TPD technologies largely expand the scope of druggable targets, and provide powerful tools for addressing intractable problems that can not be tackled by traditional small molecule inhibitors. In this review, we mainly focus on the structures and biological activities of small molecule degraders as well as the elucidation of mechanisms of emerging TPD technologies. We also propose the challenges that exist in the TPD field at present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hong-Yi Zhao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Minhang Xin
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - San-Qi Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Xi'an Jiaotong University Health Science Center, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
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21
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Liu J, Peng Y, Inuzuka H, Wei W. Targeting micro-environmental pathways by PROTACs as a therapeutic strategy. Semin Cancer Biol 2022; 86:269-279. [PMID: 35798235 PMCID: PMC11000491 DOI: 10.1016/j.semcancer.2022.07.001] [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: 04/29/2022] [Revised: 07/01/2022] [Accepted: 07/01/2022] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Tumor microenvironment (TME) composes of multiple cell types and non-cellular components, which supports the proliferation, metastasis and immune surveillance evasion of tumor cells, as well as accounts for the resistance to therapies. Therefore, therapeutic strategies using small molecule inhibitors (SMIs) and antibodies to block potential targets in TME are practical for cancer treatment. Targeted protein degradation using PROteolysis-TArgeting Chimera (PROTAC) technic has several advantages over traditional SMIs and antibodies, including overcoming drug resistance. Thus many PROTACs are currently under development for cancer treatment. In this review, we summarize the recent progress of PROTAC development that target TME pathways and propose the potential direction of future PROTAC technique to advance as novel cancer treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Liu
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, United States
| | - Yunhua Peng
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, United States
| | - Hiroyuki Inuzuka
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, United States
| | - Wenyi Wei
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, United States.
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22
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Cui Y, Tan Z, Liu S, Cao Z, Shao B, Guo M, Jiang N, Zhai X. Fragment-based discovery of novel phenyltriazolyl derivatives as allosteric type-I 1/2 ALK inhibitors with promising antitumor effects. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2022; 75:128990. [PMID: 36113668 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2022.128990] [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: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 09/05/2022] [Accepted: 09/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Based on the high-throughput screening hit BY-1, a series of phenyltriazolyl derivatives were developed. Satisfyingly, most compounds were detected moderate to excellent antitumor effects against Karpas299 and H2228 cells. Among them, 12k bearing 4‑hydroxypiperidinyl group exhibited the optimal activities against tested cells with IC50 values of 51 nM and 175 nM, as well as promising inhibitory effects on ALKWT (3.7 nM) and ALKL1196M (6.8 nM). Unlike the conventional type-I ALK inhibitors, molecular models identified 12k as an allosteric type-I1/2 inhibitor by forming key interactions in both the ATP binding region and the hydrophobic back pocket of ALK. Intriguingly, 12k could dose-dependently induce apoptosis on H2228 cell and inhibit colony formation and tumor cell migration. Taken together, the rationalization of 12k may shed new light on the identification of novel allosteric type-I1/2 ALK inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Youbao Cui
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Zehui Tan
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Shuyu Liu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Zhi Cao
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Bin Shao
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Mengrao Guo
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Nan Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China
| | - Xin Zhai
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design and Discovery, Ministry of Education, School of Pharmaceutical Engineering, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, China.
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Ruffilli C, Roth S, Rodrigo M, Boyd H, Zelcer N, Moreau K. Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs): A Perspective on Integral Membrane Protein Degradation. ACS Pharmacol Transl Sci 2022; 5:849-858. [PMID: 36268122 PMCID: PMC9578132 DOI: 10.1021/acsptsci.2c00142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation (TPD) is a promising therapeutic modality to modulate protein levels and its application promises to reduce the "undruggable" proteome. Among TPD strategies, Proteolysis TArgeting Chimera (PROTAC) technology has shown a tremendous potential with attractive advantages when compared to the inhibition of the same target. While PROTAC technology has had a significant impact in scientific research, its application to degrade integral membrane proteins (IMPs) is still in its beginnings. Among the 15 compounds having entered clinical trials by the end of 2021, only two targets are membrane-associated proteins. In this review we are discussing the potential reasons which may underlie this, and we are presenting new tools that have been recently developed to solve these limitations and to empower the use of PROTACs to target IMPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camilla Ruffilli
- Safety
Innovation and PROTAC Safety, Clinical Pharmacology & Safety Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0SL, United Kingdom
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry, Amsterdam UMC,
University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1000 GG, The Netherlands
| | - Sascha Roth
- Safety
Innovation and PROTAC Safety, Clinical Pharmacology & Safety Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0SL, United Kingdom
| | - Monica Rodrigo
- Safety
Innovation and PROTAC Safety, Clinical Pharmacology & Safety Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0SL, United Kingdom
| | - Helen Boyd
- Precision
Medicine & Biosamples, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0SL, United Kingdom
| | - Noam Zelcer
- Department
of Medical Biochemistry, Amsterdam UMC,
University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam 1000 GG, The Netherlands
| | - Kevin Moreau
- Safety
Innovation and PROTAC Safety, Clinical Pharmacology & Safety Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0SL, United Kingdom
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24
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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.
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Singh H, Agrawal DK. Recent advancements in the discovery of cereblon-based protease-targeted chimeras with potential for therapeutic intervention. Future Med Chem 2022; 14:1403-1416. [PMID: 36047364 PMCID: PMC9518005 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2022-0149] [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: 06/27/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Protease-targeted chimeras (PROTACs) have been employed as a novel therapeutic approach, utilizing the ubiquitin-proteasome system for targeted protein degradation. PROTACs are heterobifunctional molecules consisting of an E3 ligase ligand and a small-molecule inhibitor for recruiting a protein of interest. After binding, PROTAC molecules recruit E3 ligase for ubiquitination of the protein of interest, which is followed by its proteasome-mediated degradation. PROTAC molecules have several advantages over traditional small-molecule inhibitors. A number of PROTAC molecules based on small-molecule inhibitors have been developed against various diseases, among which cereblon-based PROTAC molecules have received the greatest interest due to their promising clinical use. This article highlights the current trends in the discovery of cereblon-based PROTAC molecules along with their medicinal chemistry, clinical progression and future outlook in cancers, cardiovascular diseases and neurodegenerative disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Harbinder Singh
- Department of Translational Research, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA
| | - Devendra K Agrawal
- Department of Translational Research, College of Osteopathic Medicine of the Pacific, Western University of Health Sciences, Pomona, CA 91766, USA
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26
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Wang K, Dai X, Yu A, Feng C, Liu K, Huang L. Peptide-based PROTAC degrader of FOXM1 suppresses cancer and decreases GLUT1 and PD-L1 expression. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2022; 41:289. [PMID: 36171633 PMCID: PMC9520815 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-022-02483-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2022] [Accepted: 09/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Peptide proteolysis-targeting chimeras (p-PROTACs) with advantages of high specificity and low toxicity have emerged as a powerful technology of targeted protein degradation for biomedical applications. FOXM1, a proliferation-associated transcription factor, is overexpressed in a variety of human tumors as a key driver of tumorigenesis and cancer progression, and is a potential anticancer therapeutic target. However, FOXM1-targeting p-PROTACs has not been researched. Methods Here, we first analyzed the expression of FOXM1, GLUT1 and PD-L1 in liver cancer through database and clinical samples of patients. FOXM1-targeting peptides, selected by screening phage display library, are verified its targeting effect by immunofluorescence and CCK-8 test. The novel p-PROTAC degrader of FOXM1 is chemically synthesis, named FOXM1-PROTAC, by linking a FOXM1-binding antagonistic peptide, with the E3 ubiquitin ligase recruitment ligand Pomalidomide and with the cell membrane penetrating peptide TAT. Its degradation effect on FOXM1 was detected by Western blotting, qPCR, and we verified its effect on the behavior of cancer cells by flow cytometry, scratch assay, and Transwell in vitro. The tumor xenografted mice model was used for evaluating FOXM1-PROTAC therapeutic response in vivo. Finally, we detected the expression of GLUT1 and PD-L1 after FOXM1-PROTAC degraded FOXM1 by using Western Blotting and hippocampal detectors and dual immunofluorescence. Results We found that the novel FOXM1-PROTAC efficiently entered cells and induced degradation of FOXM1 protein, which strongly inhibits viability as well as migration and invasion in various cancer cell lines, and suppressed tumor growth in HepG2 and MDA-MB-231 cells xenograft mouse models, without detected toxicity in normal tissues. Meanwhile, FOXM1-PROTAC decreased the cancer cells glucose metabolism via downregulating the protein expression levels of glucose transporter GLUT1 and the immune checkpoint PD-L1, which suggests involvement of FOXM1 in cancer cell metabolism and immune regulation. Conclusions Our results indicate that biologically targeted degradation of FOXM1 is an attractive therapeutic strategy, and antagonist peptide-containing FOXM1-PROTACs as both degrader and inhibitor of FOXM1 could be developed as a safe and promising drug for FOXM1-overexpressed cancer therapy. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s13046-022-02483-2.
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He M, Cao C, Ni Z, Liu Y, Song P, Hao S, He Y, Sun X, Rao Y. PROTACs: great opportunities for academia and industry (an update from 2020 to 2021). Signal Transduct Target Ther 2022; 7:181. [PMID: 35680848 PMCID: PMC9178337 DOI: 10.1038/s41392-022-00999-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 91] [Impact Index Per Article: 45.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 03/25/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras (PROTACs) technology is a new protein-degradation strategy that has emerged in recent years. It uses bifunctional small molecules to induce the ubiquitination and degradation of target proteins through the ubiquitin-proteasome system. PROTACs can not only be used as potential clinical treatments for diseases such as cancer, immune disorders, viral infections, and neurodegenerative diseases, but also provide unique chemical knockdown tools for biological research in a catalytic, reversible, and rapid manner. In 2019, our group published a review article "PROTACs: great opportunities for academia and industry" in the journal, summarizing the representative compounds of PROTACs reported before the end of 2019. In the past 2 years, the entire field of protein degradation has experienced rapid development, including not only a large increase in the number of research papers on protein-degradation technology but also a rapid increase in the number of small-molecule degraders that have entered the clinical and will enter the clinical stage. In addition to PROTAC and molecular glue technology, other new degradation technologies are also developing rapidly. In this article, we mainly summarize and review the representative PROTACs of related targets published in 2020-2021 to present to researchers the exciting developments in the field of protein degradation. The problems that need to be solved in this field will also be briefly introduced.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming He
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Chaoguo Cao
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, P. R. China
- Tsinghua-Peking Center for Life Sciences, 100084, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Zhihao Ni
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yongbo Liu
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Peilu Song
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Shuang Hao
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yuna He
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Xiuyun Sun
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, P. R. China
| | - Yu Rao
- Ministry of Education (MOE) Key Laboratory of Protein Sciences, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, MOE Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, 100084, Beijing, P. R. China.
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 450001, Zhengzhou, China.
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28
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Synthesis and biological evaluation of a tumor-selective degrader of PARP1. Bioorg Med Chem 2022; 69:116908. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2022.116908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Revised: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
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29
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Li X, Pu W, Zheng Q, Ai M, Chen S, Peng Y. Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) in cancer therapy. Mol Cancer 2022; 21:99. [PMID: 35410300 PMCID: PMC8996410 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-021-01434-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 49.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 09/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
AbstractProteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are engineered techniques for targeted protein degradation. A bifunctional PROTAC molecule with two covalently-linked ligands recruits target protein and E3 ubiquitin ligase together to trigger proteasomal degradation of target protein by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. PROTAC has emerged as a promising approach for targeted therapy in various diseases, particularly in cancers. In this review, we introduce the principle and development of PROTAC technology, as well as the advantages of PROTACs over traditional anti-cancer therapies. Moreover, we summarize the application of PROTACs in targeting critical oncoproteins, provide the guidelines for the molecular design of PROTACs and discuss the challenges in the targeted degradation by PROTACs.
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30
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Wang C, Zhang Y, Wu Y, Xing D. Developments of CRBN-based PROTACs as potential therapeutic agents. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 225:113749. [PMID: 34411892 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 66] [Impact Index Per Article: 22.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Protease-targeted chimeras (PROTACs) are a new technology that is receiving much attention in the treatment of diseases. The mechanism is to inhibit protein function by hijacking the ubiquitin E3 ligase for protein degradation. Heterogeneous bifunctional PROTACs contain a ligand for recruiting E3 ligase, a linker, and another ligand to bind to the target protein for degradation. A variety of small-molecule PROTACs (CRBN, VHL, IAPs, MDM2, DCAF15, DCAF16, and RNF114-based PROTACs) have been identified so far. In particular, CRBN-based PROTACs (e.g., ARV-110 and ARV-471) have received more attention for their promising therapeutic intervention. To date, CRBN-based PRTOACs have been extensively explored worldwide and have excelled not only in cancer diseases but also in cardiovascular diseases, immune diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and viral infections. In this review, we will provide a comprehensive update on the latest research progress in CRBN-based PRTOACs area. Following the criteria, such as disease area and drug target class, we will present the degradants in alphabetical order by target. We also provide our own perspective on the future prospects and potential challenges facing PROTACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao Cancer Institute, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, China.
| | - Yujing Zhang
- The Affiliated Cardiovascular Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, China.
| | - Yudong Wu
- The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao Cancer Institute, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, China.
| | - Dongming Xing
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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31
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Jarosińska OD, Rüdiger SGD. Molecular Strategies to Target Protein Aggregation in Huntington's Disease. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:769184. [PMID: 34869596 PMCID: PMC8636123 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.769184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2021] [Accepted: 10/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Huntington's disease (HD) is a neurodegenerative disorder caused by the aggregation of the mutant huntingtin (mHTT) protein in nerve cells. mHTT self-aggregates to form soluble oligomers and insoluble fibrils, which interfere in a number of key cellular functions. This leads to cell quiescence and ultimately cell death. There are currently still no treatments available for HD, but approaches targeting the HTT levels offer systematic, mechanism-driven routes towards curing HD and other neurodegenerative diseases. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge of the mRNA targeting approaches such as antisense oligonucleotides and RNAi system; and the novel methods targeting mHTT and aggregates for degradation via the ubiquitin proteasome or the autophagy-lysosomal systems. These methods include the proteolysis-targeting chimera, Trim-Away, autophagosome-tethering compound, autophagy-targeting chimera, lysosome-targeting chimera and approach targeting mHTT for chaperone-mediated autophagy. These molecular strategies provide a knowledge-based approach to target HD and other neurodegenerative diseases at the origin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Olga D. Jarosińska
- Cellular Protein Chemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Science for Life, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
| | - Stefan G. D. Rüdiger
- Cellular Protein Chemistry, Bijvoet Centre for Biomolecular Research, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
- Science for Life, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands
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32
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Kim HK, Seol JE, Ahn SW, Jeon S, Park CS, Han J. Cereblon: promise and challenges for combating human diseases. Pflugers Arch 2021; 473:1695-1711. [PMID: 34553266 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-021-02624-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cereblon (CRBN) is a substrate recognition protein in the E3-ligase ubiquitin complex. The binding target of CRBN varies according to tissues and cells, and the protein regulates various biological functions by regulating tissue-specific targets. As new endogenous targets of CRBN have been identified over the past decade, the physiological and pathological functions of CRBN and its potential as a therapeutic target in various diseases have greatly expanded. For this purpose, in this review article, we introduce the basic principle of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, the regulation of physiological/pathological functions related to the endogenous substrate of CRBN, and the discovery of immunomodulatory imide drug-mediated neo-substrates of CRBN. In addition, the development of CRBN-based proteolysis-targeting chimeras, which has been actively researched recently, and strategies for developing therapeutic agents using them are introduced. These recent updates on CRBN will be useful in the establishment of strategies for disease treatment and utilization of CRBNs in biomedical engineering and clinical medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyoung Kyu Kim
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Center, Smart Marine Therapeutic Center, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University, 47392, Busan, Korea
| | - Jung Eun Seol
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Center, Smart Marine Therapeutic Center, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University, 47392, Busan, Korea
- Department of Dermatology, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University, 47392, Busan, Korea
| | - Sang Woo Ahn
- Department of Dermatology, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University, 47392, Busan, Korea
| | - Seungje Jeon
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Center, Smart Marine Therapeutic Center, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University, 47392, Busan, Korea
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Korea
| | - Chul-Seung Park
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Korea
| | - Jin Han
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Center, Smart Marine Therapeutic Center, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University, 47392, Busan, Korea.
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33
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Xie S, Sun Y, Liu Y, Li X, Li X, Zhong W, Zhan F, Zhu J, Yao H, Yang DH, Chen ZS, Xu J, Xu S. Development of Alectinib-Based PROTACs as Novel Potent Degraders of Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase (ALK). J Med Chem 2021; 64:9120-9140. [PMID: 34176264 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c00270] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
A series of novel anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) degraders were designed and synthesized based on proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology by linking two alectinib analogs (36 and 37) with pomalidomide through linkers of different lengths and types. The most promising degrader 17 possessed a high ALK-binding affinity and potent antiproliferative activity in the ALK-dependent cell lines and did not exhibit obvious cytotoxicity in ALK fusion-negative cells. More importantly, the efficacy of compound 17 in a Karpas 299 xenograft mouse model was further evaluated based on its ALK-sustained degradation ability in vivo. The reduction in tumor weight in the compound 17-treated group (10 mg/kg/day, I.V.) reached 75.82%, while alectinib reduced tumor weight by 63.82% at a dose of 20 mg/kg/day (P.O.). Taken together, our findings suggest that alectinib-based PROTACs associated with the degradation of ALK may have promising beneficial effects for treating ALK-driven malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shaowen Xie
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Yuan Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Yulin Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China.,Department of Organic Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Xinnan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Xinuo Li
- Key Lab of Drug Metabolism & Pharmacokinetics, State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Wenyi Zhong
- Department of Organic Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Feiyan Zhan
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Jingjie Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Hong Yao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Dong-Hua Yang
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, 8000 Utopia Parkway, Queens, New York 11439, United States
| | - Zhe-Sheng Chen
- College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, St. John's University, 8000 Utopia Parkway, Queens, New York 11439, United States
| | - Jinyi Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
| | - Shengtao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines and Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tong Jia Xiang, Nanjing 210009, P. R. China
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34
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Ren C, Sun N, Kong Y, Qu X, Liu H, Zhong H, Song X, Yang X, Jiang B. Structure-based discovery of SIAIS001 as an oral bioavailability ALK degrader constructed from Alectinib. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 217:113335. [PMID: 33751979 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113335] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/17/2020] [Revised: 02/21/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Fusion proteins of the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) are promising therapeutic targets for cancer and other human diseases, especially for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and anaplastic large-cell lymphomas (ALCLs). We described herein a structure-based design, synthesis, and evaluation of ALK PROTACs (proteolysis-targeting chimeras) based on Alectinib as the warhead. We firstly screened CRBN ligands as the E3 ligase moiety, then obtained a series of potent ALK degraders based on different CRBN ligands, exemplified by SIAIS091 and SIAIS001 with lenalidomide/thalidomide-based linkers. Both of them induced effective ALK degradation at low nanomolar concentrations in cells, and showed much better growth inhibition effects than Alectinib. SIAIS091 or SIAIS001 also promoted cell cycle arrest in G1/S phase. Finally, SIAIS001 exhibited good oral bioavailability in Pharmacokinetics study.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chaowei Ren
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Ning Sun
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Ying Kong
- Jing Medicine Technology (Shanghai), Ltd., Y building230 Haike Road, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Xiaojuan Qu
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Haixia Liu
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, China; School of Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Hui Zhong
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, China; Changzhou University, Changzhou, Jiangsu, 213164, China
| | - Xiaoling Song
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, China.
| | - Xiaobao Yang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, China.
| | - Biao Jiang
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, 393 Middle Huaxia Road, Shanghai, 201210, China; CAS Key Laboratory of Synthetic Chemistry of Natural Substances, Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 345 Lingling Road, Shanghai, 200032, China.
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