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Bell LE, Bardelle C, Packer MJ, Kastl J, Holdgate GA, Davies G. Characterisation of high throughput screening outputs for small molecule degrader discovery. SLAS DISCOVERY : ADVANCING LIFE SCIENCES R & D 2024; 29:100162. [PMID: 38797285 DOI: 10.1016/j.slasd.2024.100162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/09/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation is an important mechanism carried out by the cellular machinery, one that is gaining momentum as an exploitable strategy for the development of drug-like compounds. Molecules which are able to induce proximity between elusive therapeutic targets of interest and E3 ligases which subsequently leads to proteasomal degradation of the target are beginning to decrease the percentage of the human proteome described as undruggable. Therefore, having the ability to screen for, and understand the mechanism of, such molecules is becoming an increasingly attractive scientific focus. We have established a number of cascade experiments including cell-based assays and orthogonal triage steps to provide annotation to the selectivity and mechanism of action for compounds identified as putative degraders from a primary high throughput screen against a high value oncology target. We will describe our current position, using PROTACs as proof-of-concept, on the analysis of these novel outputs and highlight challenges encountered.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lillie E Bell
- Research Institute of Molecular Pathology (IMP), Vienna BioCenter (VBC), Campus-Vienna-BioCenter 1, 1030 Vienna, Austria; Vienna BioCenter PhD Program, Doctoral School of the University of Vienna and Medical University of Vienna, 1030, Vienna, Austria
| | - Catherine Bardelle
- Hit Discovery, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Alderley Park, Macclesfield, UK
| | | | - Johanna Kastl
- Assay.Works GmbH, Am Biopark 11, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Geoffrey A Holdgate
- Hit Discovery, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Alderley Park, Macclesfield, UK.
| | - Gareth Davies
- Hit Discovery, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Alderley Park, Macclesfield, UK
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Li Z, Ma B, Gong M, Guo L, Wang L, Xu H, Xie J. Sensitive Detection and Differentiation of Biologically Active Ricin and Abrin in Complex Matrices via Specific Neutralizing Antibody-Based Cytotoxicity Assay. Toxins (Basel) 2024; 16:237. [PMID: 38922132 PMCID: PMC11209497 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16060237] [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: 04/23/2024] [Revised: 05/17/2024] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Ricin and abrin are highly potent plant-derived toxins, categorized as type II ribosome-inactivating proteins. High toxicity, accessibility, and the lack of effective countermeasures make them potential agents in bioterrorism and biowarfare, posing significant threats to public safety. Despite the existence of many effective analytical strategies for detecting these two lethal toxins, current methods are often hindered by limitations such as insufficient sensitivity, complex sample preparation, and most importantly, the inability to distinguish between biologically active and inactive toxin. In this study, a cytotoxicity assay was developed to detect active ricin and abrin based on their potent cell-killing capability. Among nine human cell lines derived from various organs, HeLa cells exhibited exceptional sensitivity, with limits of detection reaching 0.3 ng/mL and 0.03 ng/mL for ricin and abrin, respectively. Subsequently, toxin-specific neutralizing monoclonal antibodies MIL50 and 10D8 were used to facilitate the precise identification and differentiation of ricin and abrin. The method provides straightforward and sensitive detection in complex matrices including milk, plasma, coffee, orange juice, and tea via a simple serial-dilution procedure without any complex purification and enrichment steps. Furthermore, this assay was successfully applied in the unambiguous identification of active ricin and abrin in samples from OPCW biotoxin exercises.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Hua Xu
- Laboratory of Toxicant Analysis, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China
| | - Jianwei Xie
- Laboratory of Toxicant Analysis, Academy of Military Medical Sciences, Beijing 100850, China
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Bortolotti M, Biscotti F, Zanello A, Polito L, Bolognesi A. Heterophyllin: A New Adenia Toxic Lectin with Peculiar Biological Properties. Toxins (Basel) 2023; 16:1. [PMID: 38276525 PMCID: PMC10820617 DOI: 10.3390/toxins16010001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/10/2023] [Revised: 12/07/2023] [Accepted: 12/15/2023] [Indexed: 01/27/2024] Open
Abstract
Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are plant toxins that were identified for their ability to irreversibly damage ribosomes, thereby causing arrest of protein synthesis and induction of cell death. The RIPs purified from Adenia plants are the most potent ones. Here, we describe a novel toxic lectin from Adenia heterophylla caudex, which has been named heterophyllin. Heterophyllin shows the enzymatic and lectin properties of type 2 RIPs. Interestingly, in immunoreactivity experiments, heterophyllin poorly cross-reacts with sera against all other tested RIPs. The cytotoxic effects and death pathways triggered by heterophyllin were investigated in three human-derived cell lines: NB100, T24, and MCF7, and compared to ricin, the most known and studied type 2 RIP. Heterophyllin was able to completely abolish cell viability at nM concentration. A strong induction of apoptosis, but not necrosis, and the involvement of oxidative stress and necroptosis were observed in all the tested cell lines. Therefore, the enzymatic, immunological, and biological activities of heterophyllin make it an interesting molecule, worthy of further in-depth analysis to verify its possible pharmacological application.
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Scaramboni C, Campos MLAM, Dorta DJ, de Oliveira DP, de Medeiros SRB, de Oliveira Galvão MF, Dreij K. Reactive oxygen species-dependent transient induction of genotoxicity by retene in human liver HepG2 cells. Toxicol In Vitro 2023:105628. [PMID: 37302535 DOI: 10.1016/j.tiv.2023.105628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2023] [Revised: 05/24/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Retene is a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) emitted mainly by biomass combustion, and despite its ubiquity in atmospheric particulate matter (PM), studies concerning its potential hazard to human health are still incipient. In this study, the cytotoxicity and genotoxicity of retene were investigated in human HepG2 liver cells. Our data showed that retene had minimal effect on cell viability, but induced DNA strand breaks, micronuclei formation, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Stronger effects were observed at earlier time points than at longer, indicating transient genotoxicity. Retene activated phosphorylation of Checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1), an indicator of replication stress and chromosomal instability, which was in accordance with increased formation of micronuclei. A protective effect of the antioxidant N-acetylcysteine (NAC) towards ROS generation and DNA damage signaling was observed, suggesting oxidative stress as a key mechanism of the observed genotoxic effects of retene in HepG2 cells. Altogether our results suggest that retene may contribute to the harmful effects caused by biomass burning PM and represent a potential hazard to human health.
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Affiliation(s)
- Caroline Scaramboni
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP 14040-903, Brazil; Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Box 210, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
| | - Maria Lucia Arruda Moura Campos
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP 14040-903, Brazil
| | - Daniel Junqueira Dorta
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Philosophy, Sciences and Letters of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP 14040-903, Brazil; National Institute for Alternative Technologies of Detection, Toxicological Evaluation and Removal of Micropollutants and Radioactives (INCT-DATREM), Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | - Danielle Palma de Oliveira
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, SP 14040-903, Brazil; National Institute for Alternative Technologies of Detection, Toxicological Evaluation and Removal of Micropollutants and Radioactives (INCT-DATREM), Araraquara, SP, Brazil
| | | | | | - Kristian Dreij
- Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Box 210, SE-171 77 Stockholm, Sweden.
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Hong H, Lu Y, Zhu X, Wu Q, Jin L, Jin Z, Wei X, Ma G, Yu H. Cytotoxicity of nitrogenous disinfection byproducts: A combined experimental and computational study. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2023; 856:159273. [PMID: 36209887 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.159273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Revised: 10/02/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
Nitrogenous disinfection byproducts (N-DBPs), such as halocetamides (HAcAms), haloacetonitriles (HANs) and halonitromethanes (HNMs), are emerging DBPs in drinking water. They are more toxic than currently regulated DBPs, attracting more attention to their toxic effects and mechanism. In this study, human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293T cells were employed to explore the cytotoxicity of 29 N-DBPs. The influence of molecular structures and different halogenations on cytotoxicity has been comparatively analyzed. As toxicity is the downstream of chemico-biological interactions, the thiol reactivity of 29 N-DBPs has thus been evaluated by using glutathione (GSH) as a model nucleophile, which is the most prevalent cellular thiol and acts as an antioxidant to protect cells by detoxifying electrophilic compounds. Results show that the cytotoxicity of N-DBPs follows by the order of HAcAms > HANs > HNMs, which is different from their reactivity with GSH (the median of kGSH ranks as HNMs > HAcAms > HANs). However, a significant correlation (p < 0.001) between log kGSH and log IC50 (concentration causing 50% inhibition) has been respectively observed for HAcAms and HANs subset and HNMs subset, indicating such chemical reaction is a probable trigger for these DBPs to result in cytotoxicity. Finally, two separate quantitative structure - activity relationship (QSAR) models based on HANs & HAcAms subset and HNMs subset have been developed for estimating IC50 values. The good statistical performance makes the models possible to quickly and accurately predict IC50 values of other N-DBPs, providing basic data for their health risk assessment and greatly reducing in vivo and in vitro experiments.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huachang Hong
- College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Yingbin Avenue 688, 321004 Jinhua, China
| | - Yuchen Lu
- College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Yingbin Avenue 688, 321004 Jinhua, China
| | - Xiaoyan Zhu
- College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Yingbin Avenue 688, 321004 Jinhua, China
| | - Qiang Wu
- College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Yingbin Avenue 688, 321004 Jinhua, China
| | - Lingmin Jin
- College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Yingbin Avenue 688, 321004 Jinhua, China
| | - Zhigang Jin
- College of Chemistry and Life Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Yingbin Avenue 688, 321004 Jinhua, China
| | - Xiaoxuan Wei
- College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Yingbin Avenue 688, 321004 Jinhua, China
| | - Guangcai Ma
- College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Yingbin Avenue 688, 321004 Jinhua, China
| | - Haiying Yu
- College of Geography and Environmental Sciences, Zhejiang Normal University, Yingbin Avenue 688, 321004 Jinhua, China.
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Iglesias R, Russo R, Landi N, Valletta M, Chambery A, Di Maro A, Bolognesi A, Ferreras JM, Citores L. Structure and Biological Properties of Ribosome-Inactivating Proteins and Lectins from Elder (Sambucus nigra L.) Leaves. Toxins (Basel) 2022; 14:toxins14090611. [PMID: 36136551 PMCID: PMC9503024 DOI: 10.3390/toxins14090611] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2022] [Revised: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Ribosome-inactivating proteins (RIPs) are a group of proteins with rRNA N-glycosylase activity that catalyze the removal of a specific adenine located in the sarcin–ricin loop of the large ribosomal RNA, which leads to the irreversible inhibition of protein synthesis and, consequently, cell death. The case of elderberry (Sambucus nigra L.) is unique, since more than 20 RIPs and related lectins have been isolated and characterized from the flowers, seeds, fruits, and bark of this plant. However, these kinds of proteins have never been isolated from elderberry leaves. In this work, we have purified RIPs and lectins from the leaves of this shrub, studying their main physicochemical characteristics, sequences, and biological properties. In elderberry leaves, we found one type 2 RIP and two related lectins that are specific for galactose, four type 2 RIPs that fail to agglutinate erythrocytes, and one type 1 RIP. Several of these proteins are homologous to others found elsewhere in the plant. The diversity of RIPs and lectins in the different elderberry tissues, and the different biological activities of these proteins, which have a high degree of homology with each other, constitute an excellent source of proteins that are of great interest in diagnostics, experimental therapy, and agriculture.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rosario Iglesias
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Valladolid, E-47011 Valladolid, Spain
| | - Rosita Russo
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DiSTABiF), University of Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Nicola Landi
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DiSTABiF), University of Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Mariangela Valletta
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DiSTABiF), University of Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Angela Chambery
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DiSTABiF), University of Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Antimo Di Maro
- Department of Environmental, Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences and Technologies (DiSTABiF), University of Campania ‘Luigi Vanvitelli’, Via Vivaldi 43, 81100 Caserta, Italy
| | - Andrea Bolognesi
- Department of Experimental, Diagnostic and Specialty Medicine-DIMES, Alma Mater Studiorum-University of Bologna, Via S. Giacomo 14, 40126 Bologna, Italy
| | - José M. Ferreras
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Valladolid, E-47011 Valladolid, Spain
- Correspondence: (J.M.F.); (L.C.)
| | - Lucía Citores
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Sciences, University of Valladolid, E-47011 Valladolid, Spain
- Correspondence: (J.M.F.); (L.C.)
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