1
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Bagchi A, Stayrook SE, Xenaki KT, Starbird CA, Doulkeridou S, El Khoulati R, Roovers RC, Schmitz KR, van Bergen En Henegouwen PMP, Ferguson KM. Structural insights into the role and targeting of EGFRvIII. Structure 2024; 32:1367-1380.e6. [PMID: 38908376 PMCID: PMC11380598 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2024.05.018] [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: 11/03/2023] [Revised: 04/06/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/24/2024]
Abstract
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a well-known oncogenic driver in lung and other cancers. In glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), the EGFR deletion variant III (EGFRvIII) is frequently found alongside EGFR amplification. Agents targeting the EGFR axis have shown limited clinical benefits in GBM and the role of EGFRvIII in GBM is poorly understood. To shed light on the role of EGFRvIII and its potential as a therapeutic target, we determined X-ray crystal structures of a monomeric EGFRvIII extracellular region (ECR). The EGFRvIII ECR resembles the unliganded conformation of EGFR, including the orientation of the C-terminal region of domain II. Domain II is mostly disordered, but the ECR structure is compact. We selected a nanobody with preferential binding to EGFRvIII relative to EGFR and structurally defined an epitope on domain IV that is occluded in the unliganded intact EGFR. These findings suggest new avenues for EGFRvIII targeting in GBM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Atrish Bagchi
- Graduate Group in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
| | - Steven E Stayrook
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Yale University West Campus, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Katerina T Xenaki
- Division of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Science Faculty, Utrecht University, Utrecht 3584CH, the Netherlands
| | - Chrystal A Starbird
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Yale University West Campus, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Sofia Doulkeridou
- Division of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Science Faculty, Utrecht University, Utrecht 3584CH, the Netherlands
| | - Rachid El Khoulati
- Division of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Science Faculty, Utrecht University, Utrecht 3584CH, the Netherlands
| | - Rob C Roovers
- Division of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Science Faculty, Utrecht University, Utrecht 3584CH, the Netherlands
| | - Karl R Schmitz
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
| | - Paul M P van Bergen En Henegouwen
- Division of Cell Biology, Neurobiology and Biophysics, Department of Biology, Science Faculty, Utrecht University, Utrecht 3584CH, the Netherlands
| | - Kathryn M Ferguson
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Yale University West Campus, West Haven, CT 06516, USA.
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2
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Chan C, Jansen JHM, Hendriks IST, van der Peet IC, Verdonschot MEL, Passchier EM, Tsioumpekou M, Nederend M, Klomp SA, Valerius T, Peipp M, Leusen JHW, Olofsen PA. Enhancing Neutrophil Cytotoxicity of a Panel of Clinical EGFR Antibodies by Fc Engineering to IgA3.0. Mol Cancer Ther 2024; 23:1317-1331. [PMID: 38958494 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-24-0217] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/26/2024] [Revised: 05/23/2024] [Accepted: 06/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/04/2024]
Abstract
EGFR plays an essential role in cellular signaling pathways that regulate cell growth, proliferation, and survival and is often dysregulated in cancer. Several monoclonal IgG antibodies have been clinically tested over the years, which exert their function via blocking the ligand binding domain (thereby inhibiting downstream signaling) and inducing Fc-related effector functions, such as antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP). However, these IgG antibodies do not optimally recruit neutrophils, which are the most abundant white blood cell population in humans. Therefore, we reformatted six therapeutic EGFR antibodies (cetuximab, panitumumab, nimotuzumab, necitumumab, zalutumumab, and matuzumab) into the IgA3.0 format, which is an IgA2 isotype adapted for clinical application. Reformatting these antibodies preserved Fab-mediated functions such as EGFR binding, growth inhibition, and ligand blockade. In addition, whole leukocyte ADCC was significantly increased when using this panel of IgA3.0 antibodies compared with their respective IgG counterparts, with no major differences between IgA3.0 antibodies. In vivo, IgA3.0 matuzumab outperformed the other antibodies, resulting in the strongest suppression of tumor outgrowth in a long intraperitoneal model. We showed that neutrophils are important for the suppression of tumor outgrowth. IgA3.0 matuzumab exhibited reduced receptor internalization compared with the other antibodies, possibly accounting for its superior in vivo Fc-mediated tumor cell killing efficacy. In conclusion, reformatting EGFR antibodies into an IgA3.0 format increased Fc-mediated killing while retaining Fab-mediated functions and could therefore be a good alternative for the currently available antibody therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chilam Chan
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - J H Marco Jansen
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Ilona S T Hendriks
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Ida C van der Peet
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Meggy E L Verdonschot
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Elsemieke M Passchier
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Maria Tsioumpekou
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Maaike Nederend
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Sharon A Klomp
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Thomas Valerius
- Division of Stem Cell Transplantation and Immunotherapy, Department of Medicine II, Christian-Al-brechts University Kiel and University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Matthias Peipp
- Division of Antibody-Based Immunotherapy, Department of Medicine II, Christian Albrechts University Kiel and University Medical Center Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany
| | - Jeanette H W Leusen
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
| | - Patricia A Olofsen
- Center for Translational Immunology, University Medical Center Utrecht, Utrecht, the Netherlands
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3
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Kreplin LZ, Arumugam S. The physical basis of analog-to-digital signal processing in the EGFR system-Delving into the role of the endoplasmic reticulum. Bioessays 2024; 46:e2400026. [PMID: 38991978 DOI: 10.1002/bies.202400026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2024] [Revised: 06/29/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/13/2024]
Abstract
Receptor tyrosine kinases exhibit ligand-induced activity and uptake into cells via endocytosis. In the case of epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor (EGFR), the resulting endosomes are trafficked to the perinuclear region, where dephosphorylation of receptors occurs, which are subsequently directed to degradation. Traveling endosomes bearing phosphorylated EGFRs are subjected to the activity of cytoplasmic phosphatases as well as interactions with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). The peri-nuclear region harbors ER-embedded phosphatases, a component of the EGFR-bearing endosome-ER contact site. The ER is also emerging as a central player in spatiotemporal control of endosomal motility, positioning, tubulation, and fission. Past studies strongly suggest that the physical interaction between the ER and endosomes forms a reaction "unit" for EGFR dephosphorylation. Independently, endosomes have been implicated to enable quantization of EGFR signals by modulation of the phosphorylation levels. Here, we review the distinct mechanisms by which endosomes form the logistical means for signal quantization and speculate on the role of the ER.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Zoe Kreplin
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton/Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- European Molecular Biological Laboratory Australia (EMBL Australia), Monash University, Clayton/Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
| | - Senthil Arumugam
- Monash Biomedicine Discovery Institute, Faculty of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences, Monash University, Clayton/Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
- European Molecular Biological Laboratory Australia (EMBL Australia), Monash University, Clayton/Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
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4
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Lam D, Arroyo B, Liberchuk AN, Wolfe AL. Effects of N361 Glycosylation on Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Biological Function. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2024.07.12.603279. [PMID: 39071333 PMCID: PMC11275927 DOI: 10.1101/2024.07.12.603279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/30/2024]
Abstract
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a transmembrane tyrosine kinase that is frequently modified by glycosylation post-translationally. In cancer, EGFR amplifications and hotspot mutations such as L858R that promote proliferation have been detected in a significant fraction of non-small cell lung carcinomas and breast adenocarcinomas. Molecular dynamic simulations suggested that glycosylation at asparagine residue 361 (N361) promotes dimerization and ligand binding. We stably expressed glycosylation-deficient mutant EGFR N361A, with or without the oncogenic mutation L858R. Immunofluorescence and flow cytometry demonstrated that the mutants were each well expressed at the cell membrane. N361A decreased proliferation relative to wild-type EGFR as well as decreased sensitivity to ligands. Proximity ligation assays measuring co-localization of EGFR with its binding partner HER2 in cells revealed that N361A mutations increased co-localization. N361A, located near the binding interface for the EGFR inhibitor necitumumab, desensitized cells expressing the oncogenic EGFR L858R to antibody-based inhibition. These findings underline the critical relevance of post-translational modifications on oncogene function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dennis Lam
- Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College of the City University of New York
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine
| | - Brandon Arroyo
- Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College of the City University of New York
- Maximizing Access to Research Careers Program, Hunter College of the City University of New York
| | - Ariel N. Liberchuk
- Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College of the City University of New York
- Macaulay Honors College, Hunter College of the City University of New York
| | - Andrew L. Wolfe
- Department of Biological Sciences, Hunter College of the City University of New York
- Department of Pharmacology, Weill Cornell Medicine
- Biochemistry Ph.D. Program, Graduate Center of the City University of New York
- Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Ph.D. Subprogram, Graduate Center of the City University of New York
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5
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High P, Guernsey C, Subramanian S, Jacob J, Carmon KS. The Evolving Paradigm of Antibody-Drug Conjugates Targeting the ErbB/HER Family of Receptor Tyrosine Kinases. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:890. [PMID: 39065587 PMCID: PMC11279420 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16070890] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 06/30/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
Current therapies targeting the human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER) family, including monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) and tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), are limited by drug resistance and systemic toxicities. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are one of the most rapidly expanding classes of anti-cancer therapeutics with 13 presently approved by the FDA. Importantly, ADCs represent a promising therapeutic option with the potential to overcome traditional HER-targeted therapy resistance by delivering highly potent cytotoxins specifically to HER-overexpressing cancer cells and exerting both mAb- and payload-mediated antitumor efficacy. The clinical utility of HER-targeted ADCs is exemplified by the immense success of HER2-targeted ADCs including trastuzumab emtansine and trastuzumab deruxtecan. Still, strategies to improve upon existing HER2-targeted ADCs as well as the development of ADCs against other HER family members, particularly EGFR and HER3, are of great interest. To date, no HER4-targeting ADCs have been reported. In this review, we extensively detail clinical-stage EGFR-, HER2-, and HER3-targeting monospecific ADCs as well as novel clinical and pre-clinical bispecific ADCs (bsADCs) directed against this receptor family. We close by discussing nascent trends in the development of HER-targeting ADCs, including novel ADC payloads and HER ligand-targeted ADCs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peyton High
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (P.H.); (C.G.); (S.S.); (J.J.)
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and UTHealth Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Cara Guernsey
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (P.H.); (C.G.); (S.S.); (J.J.)
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and UTHealth Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Shraddha Subramanian
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (P.H.); (C.G.); (S.S.); (J.J.)
- Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and UTHealth Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Joan Jacob
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (P.H.); (C.G.); (S.S.); (J.J.)
| | - Kendra S. Carmon
- Center for Translational Cancer Research, The Brown Foundation Institute of Molecular Medicine, The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston, Houston, TX 77030, USA; (P.H.); (C.G.); (S.S.); (J.J.)
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6
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Singh PK, Stan RC. Self-inhibition of HER2 and HER3 at fever temperatures may prevent their hetero-dimerization. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:5470-5473. [PMID: 37342980 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2227700] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2023] [Accepted: 06/14/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
HER2 and HER3 receptors dimerize into potent pro-oncogenic complexes involved in various aggressive and recurrent tumors. The role of febrile temperatures on the formation of HER2:HER3 complexes is unknown. To this end, molecular dynamics simulations of HER2 and HER3 were performed in the 37 °C-40 °C range. HER2 and ligand-free HER32 display inactive conformers that cannot form complexes at 40 °C, while maintaining their extended conformations able to dimerize in the 37 °C-39 °C range. Thermal therapy at particular fever points may complement existing therapy options for HER2-relevant cancers.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Puneet Kumar Singh
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
| | - Razvan C Stan
- Department of Basic Medical Science, Chonnam National University, Gwangju, Republic of Korea
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7
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Arimori T, Mihara E, Suzuki H, Ohishi T, Tanaka T, Kaneko MK, Takagi J, Kato Y. Locally misfolded HER2 expressed on cancer cells is a promising target for development of cancer-specific antibodies. Structure 2024; 32:536-549.e5. [PMID: 38460519 DOI: 10.1016/j.str.2024.02.007] [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: 08/20/2023] [Revised: 01/10/2024] [Accepted: 02/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/11/2024]
Abstract
Overexpression of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) in breast and gastric cancers is associated with a poor prognosis, making it an important therapeutic target. Here, we establish a novel cancer-specific anti-HER2 antibody, H2Mab-214. H2Mab-214 reacts with HER2 on cancer cells, but unlike the therapeutic antibody trastuzumab, it does not react with HER2 on normal cells in flow cytometry measurements. A crystal structure suggests that H2Mab-214 recognizes a structurally disrupted region in the HER2 domain IV, which normally forms a β-sheet. We show that this misfolding is inducible by site-directed mutagenesis mimicking the disulfide bond defects that also may occur in cancer cells, indicating that the local misfolding in the Cys-rich domain IV governs the cancer-specificity of H2Mab-214. Furthermore, we show that H2Mab-214 effectively suppresses tumor growth in xenograft mouse models. Our findings offer a potential strategy for developing cancer-specific therapeutic antibodies that target partially misfolded cell surface receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Takao Arimori
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, 3-2. Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan.
| | - Emiko Mihara
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, 3-2. Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Suzuki
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan; Department of Antibody Drug Development, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Tomokazu Ohishi
- Institute of Microbial Chemistry (BIKAKEN), Numazu, Microbial Chemistry Research Foundation, 18-24, Miyamoto, Numazu, Shizuoka 410-0301, Japan; Institute of Microbial Chemistry (BIKAKEN), Laboratory of Oncology, Microbial Chemistry Research Foundation, 3-14-23, Kamiosaki, Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo 141-0021, Japan
| | - Tomohiro Tanaka
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Mika K Kaneko
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan; Department of Antibody Drug Development, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan
| | - Junichi Takagi
- Institute for Protein Research, Osaka University, 3-2. Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
| | - Yukinari Kato
- Department of Molecular Pharmacology, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan; Department of Antibody Drug Development, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2-1, Seiryo-machi, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8575, Japan.
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8
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Merin Rinky K, Gayathri Devi D, Priya VK. Fagopyrin F fraction from Fagopyrum tataricum demonstrates photodynamic inactivation of skin infecting bacterium and squamous cell carcinoma (A431) cells. Photochem Photobiol Sci 2024; 23:1011-1029. [PMID: 38753286 DOI: 10.1007/s43630-024-00571-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Accepted: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 06/11/2024]
Abstract
Photodynamic therapy (PDT) stands out as a noteworthy development as an alternative targeted treatment against skin ailments. While PDT has advanced significantly, research into photo-activatable "Green drugs" derived from plants which are less toxic than the synthetic drugs has not kept pace. This study investigates the potential of Fagopyrin F Containing Fraction (FCF) derived from Fagopyrum tataricum in mediating PDT against Staphylococcus aureus and skin cancer cells (A431). FCF was isolated from the plant extract using thin-layer chromatography, followed by identification of the compound through high-performance liquid chromatography and high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. FCF was tested to determine its antibacterial and anticancer efficacy. Results revealed that FCF-mediated PDT exhibited potent action against S. aureus, significantly reducing bacterial viability (MIC 19.5 μg/100 μL). Moreover, FCF-mediated PDT showed good efficacy against A431 cells, resulting in a notable reduction in cell viability (IC50 29.08 μg/mL). Given the known association between S. aureus and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC), FCF shows the potential to effectively target and eradicate both SCC and the related S. aureus present within the lesions. In silico study reveals that Fagopyrin F effectively binds with the epidermal growth factor (EGFR), one among the highly expressed proteins in the A431 cells, with a binding energy of - 9.6 kcal/mol. The affinity of Fagopyrin F for EGFR on A431 cancer cells along with its cytotoxicity against skin cancer cells while safeguarding the normal cells (L929) plays a major part in the way it targets cancer cells. However, its safety, efficacy, and long-term advantages in treating skin conditions require more investigation, including in vivo investigations and clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Merin Rinky
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Calicut, Malappuram, Kerala, 673635, India
| | - D Gayathri Devi
- Department of Life Sciences, University of Calicut, Malappuram, Kerala, 673635, India.
| | - V K Priya
- School of Biosciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, 686560, India
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9
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Grozdanić M, Sobotič B, Biasizzo M, Sever T, Vidmar R, Vizovišek M, Turk B, Fonović M. Cathepsin L-mediated EGFR cleavage affects intracellular signalling pathways in cancer. Biol Chem 2024; 405:283-296. [PMID: 37889671 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2023-0213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/12/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023]
Abstract
Proteolytic activity in the tumour microenvironment is an important factor in cancer development since it can also affect intracellular signalling pathways via positive feedback loops that result in either increased tumour growth or resistance to anticancer mechanisms. In this study, we demonstrated extracellular cathepsin L-mediated cleavage of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and identified the cleavage site in the extracellular domain after R224. To further evaluate the relevance of this cleavage, we cloned and expressed a truncated version of EGFR, starting at G225, in HeLa cells. We confirmed the constitutive activation of the truncated protein in the absence of ligand binding and determined possible changes in intracellular signalling. Furthermore, we determined the effect of truncated EGFR protein expression on HeLa cell viability and response to the EGFR inhibitors, tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) erlotinib and monoclonal antibody (mAb) cetuximab. Our data reveal the nuclear localization and phosphorylation of EGFR and signal trancducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) in cells that express the truncated EGFR protein and suggest that these phenomena cause resistance to EGFR inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marija Grozdanić
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- International Postgraduate School Jožef Stefan, Jamova cesta 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Barbara Sobotič
- Kymab Ltd, The Bennet Building (B930), Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge CB22 3AT, UK
| | - Monika Biasizzo
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- International Postgraduate School Jožef Stefan, Jamova cesta 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Tilen Sever
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- International Postgraduate School Jožef Stefan, Jamova cesta 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Robert Vidmar
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Matej Vizovišek
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Boris Turk
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Technology, University of Ljubljana, Večna pot 113, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Marko Fonović
- Department of Biochemistry, Molecular and Structural Biology, Jozef Stefan Institute, Jamova cesta 39, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
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10
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Fujitani N, Uehara Y, Ariki S, Hashimoto U, Mukai J, Hasegawa Y, Takahashi M. Site-specific glycosylation analysis of epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (ErbB2): exploring structure and function toward therapeutic targeting. Glycobiology 2024; 34:cwad100. [PMID: 38109791 PMCID: PMC10987295 DOI: 10.1093/glycob/cwad100] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/20/2023] Open
Abstract
Glycans found on receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) have emerged as promising targets for cancer chemotherapy, aiming to address issues such as drug resistance. However, to effectively select the target glycans, it is crucial to define the structure and function of candidate glycans in advance. Through mass spectrometric analysis, this study presents a "glycoform atlas" of epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (ErbB2), an RTK targeted for the treatment of ErbB2-positive cancers. Our analysis provides an in-depth and site-specific glycosylation profile, including both asparagine- and serine/threonine-linked glycosylation. Molecular dynamics simulations of N-glycosylated ErbB2 incorporating the identified glycan structures suggested that the N-glycan at N124 on the long flexible loop in the N-terminal region plays a role in stabilizing the ErbB2 structure. Based on the model structures obtained from the simulations, analysis employing an ErbB2 mutant deficient in N-glycosylation at N124 exhibited a significantly shorter intracellular half-life and suppressed autophosphorylation compared to wild-type ErbB2. Moreover, a structural comparison between the N-glycosylated forms of ErbB2 and its structurally homologous receptor, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), demonstrated distinct variations in the distribution and density of N-glycans across these two molecules. These findings provide valuable insights into the structural and functional implications of ErbB2 glycosylation and will contribute to facilitating the establishment of glycan-targeted therapeutic strategies for ErbB2-positive cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoki Fujitani
- Department of Biochemistry, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S1W17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan
| | - Yasuaki Uehara
- Department of Biochemistry, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S1W17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S1W17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan
| | - Shigeru Ariki
- Department of Biochemistry, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S1W17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan
- Department of Chemistry, Sapporo Medical University Center for Medical Education, S1W17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan
| | - Ukichiro Hashimoto
- Department of Biochemistry, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S1W17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan
| | - Jo Mukai
- Department of Biochemistry, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S1W17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan
| | - Yoshihiro Hasegawa
- Department of Biochemistry, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S1W17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Allergology, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S1W17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan
| | - Motoko Takahashi
- Department of Biochemistry, Sapporo Medical University School of Medicine, S1W17, Chuo-ku, Sapporo 060-8556, Japan
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11
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Iyer RS, Needham SR, Galdadas I, Davis BM, Roberts SK, Man RCH, Zanetti-Domingues LC, Clarke DT, Fruhwirth GO, Parker PJ, Rolfe DJ, Gervasio FL, Martin-Fernandez ML. Drug-resistant EGFR mutations promote lung cancer by stabilizing interfaces in ligand-free kinase-active EGFR oligomers. Nat Commun 2024; 15:2130. [PMID: 38503739 PMCID: PMC10951324 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-46284-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/20/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) is frequently found to be mutated in non-small cell lung cancer. Oncogenic EGFR has been successfully targeted by tyrosine kinase inhibitors, but acquired drug resistance eventually overcomes the efficacy of these treatments. Attempts to surmount this therapeutic challenge are hindered by a poor understanding of how and why cancer mutations specifically amplify ligand-independent EGFR auto-phosphorylation signals to enhance cell survival and how this amplification is related to ligand-dependent cell proliferation. Here we show that drug-resistant EGFR mutations manipulate the assembly of ligand-free, kinase-active oligomers to promote and stabilize the assembly of oligomer-obligate active dimer sub-units and circumvent the need for ligand binding. We reveal the structure and assembly mechanisms of these ligand-free, kinase-active oligomers, uncovering oncogenic functions for hitherto orphan transmembrane and kinase interfaces, and for the ectodomain tethered conformation of EGFR. Importantly, we find that the active dimer sub-units within ligand-free oligomers are the high affinity binding sites competent to bind physiological ligand concentrations and thus drive tumor growth, revealing a link with tumor proliferation. Our findings provide a framework for future drug discovery directed at tackling oncogenic EGFR mutations by disabling oligomer-assembling interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- R Sumanth Iyer
- Central Laser Facility, UKRI-STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire, UK
- Immunocore Limited, 92 Park Drive, Milton Park, Abingdon, UK
| | - Sarah R Needham
- Central Laser Facility, UKRI-STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Ioannis Galdadas
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
- ISPSO, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland
| | - Benjamin M Davis
- Central Laser Facility, UKRI-STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Selene K Roberts
- Central Laser Facility, UKRI-STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Rico C H Man
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, UK
| | | | - David T Clarke
- Central Laser Facility, UKRI-STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire, UK
| | - Gilbert O Fruhwirth
- Imaging Therapies and Cancer Group, Comprehensive Cancer Centre, School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Peter J Parker
- Protein Phosphorylation Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK
- School of Cancer and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Guy's Campus, King's College London, London, UK
| | - Daniel J Rolfe
- Central Laser Facility, UKRI-STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Didcot, Oxfordshire, UK.
| | - Francesco L Gervasio
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
- ISPSO, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
- Chemistry Department, University College London, London, UK.
- Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland.
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12
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Trenker R, Diwanji D, Bingham T, Verba KA, Jura N. Structural dynamics of the active HER4 and HER2/HER4 complexes is finely tuned by different growth factors and glycosylation. eLife 2024; 12:RP92873. [PMID: 38498590 PMCID: PMC10948148 DOI: 10.7554/elife.92873] [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] [Indexed: 03/20/2024] Open
Abstract
Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 4 (HER4 or ERBB4) carries out essential functions in the development and maintenance of the cardiovascular and nervous systems. HER4 activation is regulated by a diverse group of extracellular ligands including the neuregulin (NRG) family and betacellulin (BTC), which promote HER4 homodimerization or heterodimerization with other HER receptors. Important cardiovascular functions of HER4 are exerted via heterodimerization with its close homolog and orphan receptor, HER2. To date structural insights into ligand-mediated HER4 activation have been limited to crystallographic studies of HER4 ectodomain homodimers in complex with NRG1β. Here, we report cryo-EM structures of near full-length HER2/HER4 heterodimers and full-length HER4 homodimers bound to NRG1β and BTC. We show that the structures of the heterodimers bound to either ligand are nearly identical and that in both cases the HER2/HER4 heterodimer interface is less dynamic than those observed in structures of HER2/EGFR and HER2/HER3 heterodimers. In contrast, structures of full-length HER4 homodimers bound to NRG1β and BTC display more large-scale dynamics mirroring states previously reported for EGFR homodimers. Our structures also reveal the presence of multiple glycan modifications within HER4 ectodomains, modeled for the first time in HER receptors, that distinctively contribute to the stabilization of HER4 homodimer interfaces over those of HER2/HER4 heterodimers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Trenker
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Devan Diwanji
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Tanner Bingham
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Kliment A Verba
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
| | - Natalia Jura
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California, San FranciscoSan FranciscoUnited States
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13
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Macdonald-Obermann JL, Pike LJ. Extracellular domain mutations of the EGF receptor differentially modulate high-affinity and low-affinity responses to EGF receptor ligands. J Biol Chem 2024; 300:105763. [PMID: 38367671 PMCID: PMC10945275 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2024.105763] [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: 12/18/2023] [Revised: 02/06/2024] [Accepted: 02/12/2024] [Indexed: 02/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The EGF receptor is mutated in a number of cancers. In most cases, the mutations occur in the intracellular tyrosine kinase domain. However, in glioblastomas, many of the mutations are in the extracellular ligand binding domain. To determine what changes in receptor function are induced by such extracellular domain mutations, we analyzed the binding and biological response to the seven different EGF receptor ligands in three common glioblastoma mutants-R84K, A265V, and G574V. Our data indicate that all three mutations significantly increase the binding affinity of all seven ligands. In addition, the mutations increase the potency of all ligands for stimulating receptor autophosphorylation, phospholipase Cγ, Akt, and MAP kinase activity. In all mutants, the rank order of ligand potency seen at the wild-type receptor was retained, suggesting that the receptors still discriminate among the different ligands. However, the low-affinity ligands, EPR and EPG, did show larger than average enhancements of potency for stimulating Akt and MAPK but not receptor autophosphorylation and phospholipase Cγ activation. Relative to the wild-type receptor, these changes lead to an increase in the responsiveness of these mutants to physiological concentrations of ligands and an alteration in the ratio of activation of the different pathways. This may contribute to their oncogenic potential. In the context of recent findings, our data also suggest that so-called "high"-affinity biological responses arise from activation by isolated receptor dimers, whereas "low"-affinity biological responses require clustering of receptors which occurs at higher concentrations of ligand.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Linda J Pike
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics, Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri.
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14
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Li R, Wilderotter S, Stoddard M, Van Egeren D, Chakravarty A, Joseph-McCarthy D. Computational identification of antibody-binding epitopes from mimotope datasets. FRONTIERS IN BIOINFORMATICS 2024; 4:1295972. [PMID: 38463209 PMCID: PMC10920257 DOI: 10.3389/fbinf.2024.1295972] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/17/2023] [Accepted: 01/24/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: A fundamental challenge in computational vaccinology is that most B-cell epitopes are conformational and therefore hard to predict from sequence alone. Another significant challenge is that a great deal of the amino acid sequence of a viral surface protein might not in fact be antigenic. Thus, identifying the regions of a protein that are most promising for vaccine design based on the degree of surface exposure may not lead to a clinically relevant immune response. Methods: Linear peptides selected by phage display experiments that have high affinity to the monoclonal antibody of interest ("mimotopes") usually have similar physicochemical properties to the antigen epitope corresponding to that antibody. The sequences of these linear peptides can be used to find possible epitopes on the surface of the antigen structure or a homology model of the antigen in the absence of an antigen-antibody complex structure. Results and Discussion: Herein we describe two novel methods for mapping mimotopes to epitopes. The first is a novel algorithm named MimoTree that allows for gaps in the mimotopes and epitopes on the antigen. More specifically, a mimotope may have a gap that does not match to the epitope to allow it to adopt a conformation relevant for binding to an antibody, and residues may similarly be discontinuous in conformational epitopes. MimoTree is a fully automated epitope detection algorithm suitable for the identification of conformational as well as linear epitopes. The second is an ensemble approach, which combines the prediction results from MimoTree and two existing methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rang Li
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Sabrina Wilderotter
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, United States
| | | | - Debra Van Egeren
- Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, CA, United States
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15
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Jia J, Zhu L, Yue X, Tang S, Jing S, Tan C, Du Y, Gao J, Lee I, Qian Y. Crosstalk between KDEL receptor and EGF receptor mediates cell proliferation and migration via STAT3 signaling. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:140. [PMID: 38378560 PMCID: PMC10880305 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01517-w] [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: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 02/07/2024] [Indexed: 02/22/2024] Open
Abstract
Hostile microenvironment of cancer cells provoke a stressful condition for endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and stimulate the expression and secretion of ER chaperones, leading to tumorigenic effects. However, the molecular mechanism underlying these effects is largely unknown. In this study, we reveal that the last four residues of ER chaperones, which are recognized by KDEL receptor (KDELR), is required for cell proliferation and migration induced by secreted chaperones. By combining proximity-based mass spectrometry analysis, split venus imaging and membrane yeast two hybrid assay, we present that EGF receptor (EGFR) may be a co-receptor for KDELR on the surface. Prior to ligand addition, KDELR spontaneously oligomerizes and constantly undergoes recycling near the plasma membrane. Upon KDEL ligand binding, the interactions of KDELR with itself and with EGFR increase rapidly, leading to augmented internalization of KDELR and tyrosine phosphorylation in the C-terminus of EGFR. STAT3, which binds the phosphorylated tyrosine motif on EGFR, is subsequently activated by EGFR and mediates cell growth and migration. Taken together, our results suggest that KDELR serves as a bona fide cell surface receptor for secreted ER chaperones and transactivates EGFR-STAT3 signaling pathway.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jie Jia
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Pudong, Shanghai, China
| | - Lianhui Zhu
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Pudong, Shanghai, China
| | - Xihua Yue
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Pudong, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuocheng Tang
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Pudong, Shanghai, China
| | - Shuaiyang Jing
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Pudong, Shanghai, China
- Present address: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen, China
| | - Chuanting Tan
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Pudong, Shanghai, China
| | - Yulei Du
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Pudong, Shanghai, China
| | - Jingkai Gao
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Pudong, Shanghai, China
| | - Intaek Lee
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Pudong, Shanghai, China.
| | - Yi Qian
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Pudong, Shanghai, China.
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16
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Waye AA, Ticiani E, Veiga-Lopez A. Chemical mixture that targets the epidermal growth factor pathway impairs human trophoblast cell functions. Toxicol Appl Pharmacol 2024; 483:116804. [PMID: 38185387 PMCID: PMC11212468 DOI: 10.1016/j.taap.2024.116804] [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: 06/10/2023] [Revised: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/09/2024]
Abstract
Pregnant women are exposed to complex chemical mixtures, many of which reach the placenta. Some of these chemicals interfere with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation, a receptor tyrosine kinase that modulates several placenta cell functions. We hypothesized that a mixture of chemicals (Chem-Mix) known to reduce EGFR activation (polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB)-126, PCB-153, atrazine, trans-nonachlor, niclosamide, and bisphenol S) would interfere with EGFR-mediated trophoblast cell functions. To test this, we determined the chemicals' EGFR binding ability, EGFR and downstream effectors activation, and trophoblast functions (proliferation, invasion, and endovascular differentiation) known to be regulated by EGFR in extravillous trophoblasts (EVTs). The Chem-Mix competed with EGF for EGFR binding, however only PCB-153, niclosamide, trans-nonachlor, and BPS competed for binding as single chemicals. The effects of the Chem-Mix on EGFR phosphorylation were tested by exposing the placental EVT cell line, HTR-8/SVneo to control (0.1% DMSO), Chem-Mix (1, 10, or 100 ng/ml), EGF (30 ng/ml), or Chem-Mix + EGF. The Chem-Mix - but not the individual chemicals - reduced EGF-mediated EGFR phosphorylation in a dose dependent manner, while no effect was observed in its downstream effectors (AKT and STAT3). None of the individual chemicals affected EVT cell invasion, but the Chem-Mix reduced EVT cell invasion independent of EGF. In support of previous studies that have explored chemicals targeting a specific pathway (estrogen/androgen receptor), current findings indicate that exposure to a chemical mixture that targets the EGFR pathway can result in a greater impact compared to individual chemicals in the context of placental cell functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita A Waye
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Elvis Ticiani
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Almudena Veiga-Lopez
- Department of Pathology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; The Chicago Center for Health and Environment, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA.
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17
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Vincenzi M, Mercurio FA, Leone M. Virtual Screening of Peptide Libraries: The Search for Peptide-Based Therapeutics Using Computational Tools. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:1798. [PMID: 38339078 PMCID: PMC10855943 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25031798] [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: 12/22/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 01/30/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Over the last few decades, we have witnessed growing interest from both academic and industrial laboratories in peptides as possible therapeutics. Bioactive peptides have a high potential to treat various diseases with specificity and biological safety. Compared to small molecules, peptides represent better candidates as inhibitors (or general modulators) of key protein-protein interactions. In fact, undruggable proteins containing large and smooth surfaces can be more easily targeted with the conformational plasticity of peptides. The discovery of bioactive peptides, working against disease-relevant protein targets, generally requires the high-throughput screening of large libraries, and in silico approaches are highly exploited for their low-cost incidence and efficiency. The present review reports on the potential challenges linked to the employment of peptides as therapeutics and describes computational approaches, mainly structure-based virtual screening (SBVS), to support the identification of novel peptides for therapeutic implementations. Cutting-edge SBVS strategies are reviewed along with examples of applications focused on diverse classes of bioactive peptides (i.e., anticancer, antimicrobial/antiviral peptides, peptides blocking amyloid fiber formation).
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Marilisa Leone
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, Via Pietro Castellino 111, 80131 Naples, Italy; (M.V.); (F.A.M.)
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18
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Mudumbi KC, Burns EA, Schodt DJ, Petrova ZO, Kiyatkin A, Kim LW, Mangiacapre EM, Ortiz-Caraveo I, Rivera Ortiz H, Hu C, Ashtekar KD, Lidke KA, Lidke DS, Lemmon MA. Distinct interactions stabilize EGFR dimers and higher-order oligomers in cell membranes. Cell Rep 2024; 43:113603. [PMID: 38117650 PMCID: PMC10835193 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2023.113603] [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: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 09/23/2023] [Accepted: 12/05/2023] [Indexed: 12/22/2023] Open
Abstract
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a receptor tyrosine kinase with important roles in many cellular processes as well as in cancer and other diseases. EGF binding promotes EGFR dimerization and autophosphorylation through interactions that are well understood structurally. How these dimers relate to higher-order EGFR oligomers seen in cell membranes, however, remains unclear. Here, we used single-particle tracking (SPT) and Förster resonance energy transfer imaging to examine how each domain of EGFR contributes to receptor oligomerization and the rate of receptor diffusion in the cell membrane. Although the extracellular region of EGFR is sufficient to drive receptor dimerization, we find that the EGF-induced EGFR slowdown seen by SPT requires higher-order oligomerization-mediated in part by the intracellular tyrosine kinase domain when it adopts an active conformation. Our data thus provide important insight into the interactions required for higher-order EGFR assemblies involved in EGF signaling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna C Mudumbi
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Yale University West Campus, West Haven, CT 06516, USA.
| | - Eric A Burns
- Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - David J Schodt
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA
| | - Zaritza O Petrova
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Yale University West Campus, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Anatoly Kiyatkin
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Yale University West Campus, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Lucy W Kim
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Yale University West Campus, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Emma M Mangiacapre
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Yale University West Campus, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Irais Ortiz-Caraveo
- Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA
| | - Hector Rivera Ortiz
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Yale University West Campus, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Chun Hu
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Yale University West Campus, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Kumar D Ashtekar
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Yale University West Campus, West Haven, CT 06516, USA
| | - Keith A Lidke
- Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87106, USA
| | - Diane S Lidke
- Department of Pathology, University of New Mexico School of Medicine, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA; Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of New Mexico Health Sciences Center, Albuquerque, NM 87131, USA.
| | - Mark A Lemmon
- Department of Pharmacology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT 06520, USA; Yale Cancer Biology Institute, Yale University West Campus, West Haven, CT 06516, USA.
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19
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Trenker R, Diwanji D, Bingham T, Verba KA, Jura N. Structural dynamics of the active HER4 and HER2/HER4 complexes is finely tuned by different growth factors and glycosylation. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2024:2023.10.06.561161. [PMID: 38260342 PMCID: PMC10802258 DOI: 10.1101/2023.10.06.561161] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
Human Epidermal growth factor Receptor 4 (HER4 or ERBB4) carries out essential functions in the development and maintenance of the cardiovascular and nervous systems. HER4 activation is regulated by a diverse group of extracellular ligands including the neuregulin (NRG) family and betacellulin (BTC), which promote HER4 homodimerization or heterodimerization with other HER receptors. Important cardiovascular functions of HER4 are exerted via heterodimerization with its close homolog and orphan receptor, HER2. To date structural insights into ligand-mediated HER4 activation have been limited to crystallographic studies of HER4 ectodomain homodimers in complex with NRG1β. Here we report cryo-EM structures of near full-length HER2/HER4 heterodimers and full-length HER4 homodimers bound to NRG1β and BTC. We show that the structures of the heterodimers bound to either ligand are nearly identical and that in both cases the HER2/HER4 heterodimer interface is less dynamic than those observed in structures of HER2/EGFR and HER2/HER3 heterodimers. In contrast, structures of full-length HER4 homodimers bound to NRG1β and BTC display more large-scale dynamics mirroring states previously reported for EGFR homodimers. Our structures also reveal the presence of multiple glycan modifications within HER4 ectodomains, modeled for the first time in HER receptors, that distinctively contribute to the stabilization of HER4 homodimer interfaces over those of HER2/HER4 heterodimers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Raphael Trenker
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Devan Diwanji
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Medical Scientist Training Program, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Tanner Bingham
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Kliment A. Verba
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Natalia Jura
- Cardiovascular Research Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
- Quantitative Biosciences Institute, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
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20
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Bhanja KK, Sharma M, Patra N. Uncovering the Structural and Binding Insights of Dual Inhibitors Simultaneously Targeting Two Distinct Sites on EGFR Kinase. J Phys Chem B 2023; 127:10749-10765. [PMID: 38055900 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.3c04337] [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: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is the first growth factor receptor identified in normal cells that is related to the receptor tyrosine kinase, which causes regular cell division. A point mutation in EGFR intracellular kinase domain forces the abnormal cell divisions throughout time, leading to non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) transformation. Thus, competitive inhibitors that bind to the ATP binding pocket have been developed as a targeted therapy for NSCLC. The third-generation kinase inhibitor Osimertinib is currently playing a very vital role in the treatment of NSCLC. However, it is not effective toward the C797S kinase domain mutation. For this reason, fourth-generation kinase noncompetitive inhibitors are introduced which work through binding to an allosteric pocket near the ATP binding region and act as a better binding agent for this mutated kinase domain. However, the problem is that these single fourth-generation kinase inhibitors may not be as effective as a single agent. The aim of this work was to apply combinations of these two inhibitors together in different binding regions of EGFR without overlapping the resistance mechanism to obtain the key direct and indirect interactions occurring between them. Moreover, the free energy of dissociation of an inhibitor from its binding sites in the presence of a second inhibitor immobilized in another binding site was also the focus of the study. To realize this aim, we performed conventional molecular dynamics simulations and principal component analysis and dynamic cross-correlation matrices along with umbrella sampling. Our results demonstrated that binding of dual inhibitors triggered conformational changes of the protein more toward the inactive state. Furthermore, allosteric inhibitors bound more strongly to protein kinase EGFR than the orthosteric inhibitors in the presence of dual inhibitors. Finally, the binding mechanism and important hydrogen-bonding residues during unbinding of the inhibitors were fully elucidated. This study provides insight into the binding of the receptor-orthosteric inhibitor-allosteric inhibitor, which can be helpful for further design of novel inhibitors that have a better inhibitory action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kousik K Bhanja
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Indian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad, Dhanbad 826004, India
| | - Madhur Sharma
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Indian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad, Dhanbad 826004, India
| | - Niladri Patra
- Department of Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Indian Institute of Technology (ISM) Dhanbad, Dhanbad 826004, India
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21
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Chakraborty J, Chakraborty S, Chakraborty S, Narayan MN. Entanglement of MAPK pathways with gene expression and its omnipresence in the etiology for cancer and neurodegenerative disorders. BIOCHIMICA ET BIOPHYSICA ACTA. GENE REGULATORY MECHANISMS 2023; 1866:194988. [PMID: 37739217 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbagrm.2023.194988] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2023] [Revised: 09/14/2023] [Accepted: 09/18/2023] [Indexed: 09/24/2023]
Abstract
Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) is one of the most well characterized cellular signaling pathways that controls fundamental cellular processes including proliferation, differentiation, and apoptosis. These cellular functions are consequences of transcription of regulatory genes that are influenced and regulated by the MAP-Kinase signaling cascade. MAP kinase components such as Receptor Tyrosine Kinases (RTKs) sense external cues or ligands and transmit these signals via multiple protein complexes such as RAS-RAF, MEK, and ERKs and eventually modulate the transcription factors inside the nucleus to induce transcription and other regulatory functions. Aberrant activation, dysregulation of this signaling pathway, and genetic alterations in any of these components results in the developmental disorders, cancer, and neurodegenerative disorders. Over the years, the MAPK pathway has been a prime pharmacological target, to treat complex human disorders that are genetically linked such as cancer, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The current review re-visits the mechanism of MAPK pathways in gene expression regulation. Further, a current update on the progress of the mechanistic understanding of MAPK components is discussed from a disease perspective.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joydeep Chakraborty
- Institute for Advancing Health through Agriculture, Texas A&M Agrilife, College Station, TX, USA
| | - Sayan Chakraborty
- Department of Anesthesiology, Weill Cornell School of Medicine, New York, USA
| | - Sohag Chakraborty
- Human Oncology & Pathogenesis Program (HOPP), Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA
| | - Mahesh N Narayan
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Texas, El Paso, TX, USA.
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22
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Androutsopoulos G, Styliara I, Zarogianni E, Lazurko N, Valasoulis G, Michail G, Adonakis G. The ErbB Signaling Network and Its Potential Role in Endometrial Cancer. EPIGENOMES 2023; 7:24. [PMID: 37873809 PMCID: PMC10594534 DOI: 10.3390/epigenomes7040024] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/17/2023] [Revised: 09/24/2023] [Accepted: 09/26/2023] [Indexed: 10/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Endometrial cancer (EC) is the second most common malignancy of the female reproductive system worldwide. The updated EC classification emphasizes the significant role of various signaling pathways such as PIK3CA-PIK3R1-PTEN and RTK/RAS/β-catenin in EC pathogenesis. Some of these pathways are part of the EGF system signaling network, which becomes hyperactivated by various mechanisms and participates in cancer pathogenesis. In EC, the expression of ErbB receptors is significantly different, compared with the premenopausal and postmenopausal endometrium, mainly because of the increased transcriptional activity of ErbB encoding genes in EC cells. Moreover, there are some differences in ErbB-2 receptor profile among EC subgroups that could be explained by the alterations in pathophysiology and clinical behavior of various EC histologic subtypes. The fact that ErbB-2 receptor expression is more common in aggressive EC histologic subtypes (papillary serous and clear cell) could indicate a future role of ErbB-targeted therapies in well-defined EC subgroups with overexpression of ErbB receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georgios Androutsopoulos
- Gynaecological Oncology Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Rion, Greece
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Rion, Greece; (I.S.); (E.Z.); (N.L.); (G.M.); (G.A.)
| | - Ioanna Styliara
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Rion, Greece; (I.S.); (E.Z.); (N.L.); (G.M.); (G.A.)
| | - Evgenia Zarogianni
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Rion, Greece; (I.S.); (E.Z.); (N.L.); (G.M.); (G.A.)
| | - Nadia Lazurko
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Rion, Greece; (I.S.); (E.Z.); (N.L.); (G.M.); (G.A.)
| | - George Valasoulis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Medical School, University of Thessaly, 41334 Larisa, Greece;
- Hellenic National Public Health Organization—ECDC, 15123 Athens, Greece
| | - Georgios Michail
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Rion, Greece; (I.S.); (E.Z.); (N.L.); (G.M.); (G.A.)
| | - Georgios Adonakis
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, School of Medicine, University of Patras, 26504 Rion, Greece; (I.S.); (E.Z.); (N.L.); (G.M.); (G.A.)
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23
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Schultz DF, Billadeau DD, Jois SD. EGFR trafficking: effect of dimerization, dynamics, and mutation. Front Oncol 2023; 13:1258371. [PMID: 37752992 PMCID: PMC10518470 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2023.1258371] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 08/21/2023] [Indexed: 09/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Spontaneous dimerization of EGF receptors (EGFR) and dysregulation of EGFR signaling has been associated with the development of different cancers. Under normal physiological conditions and to maintain homeostatic cell growth, once EGFR signaling occurs, it needs to be attenuated. Activated EGFRs are rapidly internalized, sorted through early endosomes, and ultimately degraded in lysosomes by a process generally known as receptor down-regulation. Through alterations to EGFR trafficking, tumors develop resistance to current treatment strategies, thus highlighting the necessity for combination treatment strategies that target EGFR trafficking. This review covers EGFR structure, trafficking, and altered surface expression of EGFR receptors in cancer, with a focus on how therapy targeting EGFR trafficking may aid tyrosine kinase inhibitor treatment of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Daniel D. Billadeau
- Department of Immunology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
- Division of Oncology Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, United States
| | - Seetharama D. Jois
- Department of Pathobiological Sciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, United States
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24
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Leonard TA, Loose M, Martens S. The membrane surface as a platform that organizes cellular and biochemical processes. Dev Cell 2023; 58:1315-1332. [PMID: 37419118 DOI: 10.1016/j.devcel.2023.06.001] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/23/2023] [Revised: 04/22/2023] [Accepted: 06/08/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Membranes are essential for life. They act as semi-permeable boundaries that define cells and organelles. In addition, their surfaces actively participate in biochemical reaction networks, where they confine proteins, align reaction partners, and directly control enzymatic activities. Membrane-localized reactions shape cellular membranes, define the identity of organelles, compartmentalize biochemical processes, and can even be the source of signaling gradients that originate at the plasma membrane and reach into the cytoplasm and nucleus. The membrane surface is, therefore, an essential platform upon which myriad cellular processes are scaffolded. In this review, we summarize our current understanding of the biophysics and biochemistry of membrane-localized reactions with particular focus on insights derived from reconstituted and cellular systems. We discuss how the interplay of cellular factors results in their self-organization, condensation, assembly, and activity, and the emergent properties derived from them.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas A Leonard
- Max Perutz Labs, Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 9, 1030, Vienna, Austria; Medical University of Vienna, Center for Medical Biochemistry, Dr. Bohr-Gasse 9, 1030, Vienna, Austria.
| | - Martin Loose
- Institute of Science and Technology Austria, Am Campus 1, 3400 Klosterneuburg, Austria.
| | - Sascha Martens
- Max Perutz Labs, Vienna Biocenter Campus (VBC), Dr. Bohr-Gasse 9, 1030, Vienna, Austria; University of Vienna, Center for Molecular Biology, Department of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Dr. Bohr-Gasse 9, 1030, Vienna, Austria.
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25
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Hosseini SM, Mohammadnejad J, Yousefnia H, Alirezapour B, Rezayan AH. Development of 177Lu-Cetuximab-PAMAM dendrimeric nanosystem: a novel theranostic radioimmunoconjugate. J Cancer Res Clin Oncol 2023; 149:7779-7791. [PMID: 37029816 DOI: 10.1007/s00432-023-04724-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/22/2023] [Indexed: 04/09/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE Epidermal growth factor receptors (EGFRs) are overexpressed in a wide range of tumors and are attractive candidates to target in targeted therapies. This study aimed to introduce a novel radiolabeled compound, 177Lu-cetuximab-PAMAM G4, for the treatment of EGFR-expressing tumors. METHODS In this study, the cetuximab mAb was bound to PAMAM G4 and labeled with 177Lu via DTPA-CHX chelator. The synthesized nanosystem was confirmed by different analyses such as DLS, FT-IR, TEM, and RT-LC. Cell viability of the radioimmunoconjugate was assessed over the EGFR-expressing cell line of SW480. The biodistribution of 177Lu-Cetuximab-PAMAMG4 was determined in different intervals after injection of the radiolabeled compound in normal and tumoral nude mice via scarification and SPECT images. RESULTS The average size of PAMAM G4 and PAMAM-Cetuximab-DTPA-CHX nanoparticles were 2 and 70 nm, respectively. 177Lu-Cetuximab-PAMAMG4 was prepared with radiochemical purity of more than 98%. The survival rates of SW480 cells at 24, 48, and 72 h post-treatment with177Lu-Cetuximab-PAMAMG4 (500 nM) were 18%, 15%, and 14%, respectively. The biodistribution studies showed a significant accumulation of 177Lu-Cetuximab-PAMAM in the EGFR-expressing tumor. CONCLUSION According to the results, this new agent can be considered as an efficient therapeutic complex for tumors expressing EGFR receptors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seyed Mohammad Hosseini
- Department of Life Science Engineering, Faculty of Modern Science and Technology, Nano Biotechnology Group, University of Tehran, Tehran, 1439957131, Iran
- Radiation Application Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute (NSTRI), Tehran, 14155-1339, Iran
| | - Javad Mohammadnejad
- Department of Life Science Engineering, Faculty of Modern Science and Technology, Nano Biotechnology Group, University of Tehran, Tehran, 1439957131, Iran
| | - Hassan Yousefnia
- Radiation Application Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute (NSTRI), Tehran, 14155-1339, Iran.
| | - Behrouz Alirezapour
- Radiation Application Research School, Nuclear Science and Technology Research Institute (NSTRI), Tehran, 14155-1339, Iran
| | - Ali Hossein Rezayan
- Department of Life Science Engineering, Faculty of Modern Science and Technology, Nano Biotechnology Group, University of Tehran, Tehran, 1439957131, Iran
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26
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Shi H, Panjikar S, Li C, Ou X, Zhou Y, Zhang K, Song L, Yu R, Sun L, Zhu J. Characterization of a novel recombinant calcium-binding protein from Arca subcrenata and its anti-hepatoma activities in vitro and in vivo. Int J Biol Macromol 2023; 245:125513. [PMID: 37353116 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2023.125513] [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: 02/08/2023] [Revised: 06/15/2023] [Accepted: 06/20/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023]
Abstract
Previous studies demonstrated that ASP-3 was a novel calcium-binding protein from Arca subcrenata that effectively inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells. To further study the antitumor activity and mechanism of ASP-3, the cytotoxic effects of recombinant ASP-3 were evaluated in HepG2 cells. The results demonstrated that ASP-3 inhibited the proliferation of HepG2 cells by competitively binding to the EGF binding pocket of EGFR and inhibiting the JAK-STAT, RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK, and PI3K-Akt-mTOR signaling pathways mediated by EGFR. ASP-3 significantly inhibited tumor growth in a HepG2 cell subcutaneous xenograft nude mouse model, and its (25 mg/kg and 75 mg/kg) tumor inhibition rates were 46.92 % and 60.28 %, respectively. Furthermore, the crystal structure of ASP-3 was resolved at 1.4 Å. ASP-3 formed as a stable dimer and folded as an EF-Hand structure. ASP-3 stably bound to domain I and domain III of the EGFR extracellular region by using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulation analysis. Compared with the endogenous ligand EGF, ASP-3 displayed a stronger interaction with EGFR. These experimental results indicated that recombinant ASP-3 possessed an effective anti-hepatoma effect. So, it might be a potential molecule for liver cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Shi
- Biotechnological Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Institute of Drug Metabolism and Pharmaceutical Analysis, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China; Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jinan 250101, China
| | | | - Chunlei Li
- Biotechnological Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xiaozheng Ou
- Biotechnological Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Yun Zhou
- Institute of Drug Metabolism and Pharmaceutical Analysis, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
| | - Kunhao Zhang
- Department of Life Science, Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, Shanghai Advanced Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201204, China
| | - Liyan Song
- Biotechnological Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Rongmin Yu
- Biotechnological Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jinan 250101, China.
| | - Lianli Sun
- Institute of Drug Metabolism and Pharmaceutical Analysis, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China.
| | - Jianhua Zhu
- Biotechnological Institute of Chinese Materia Medica, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China; Shandong Academy of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Jinan 250101, China.
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27
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Kciuk M, Alam M, Ali N, Rashid S, Głowacka P, Sundaraj R, Celik I, Yahya EB, Dubey A, Zerroug E, Kontek R. Epigallocatechin-3-Gallate Therapeutic Potential in Cancer: Mechanism of Action and Clinical Implications. Molecules 2023; 28:5246. [PMID: 37446908 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28135246] [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: 05/09/2023] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cellular signaling pathways involved in the maintenance of the equilibrium between cell proliferation and apoptosis have emerged as rational targets that can be exploited in the prevention and treatment of cancer. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) is the most abundant phenolic compound found in green tea. It has been shown to regulate multiple crucial cellular signaling pathways, including those mediated by EGFR, JAK-STAT, MAPKs, NF-κB, PI3K-AKT-mTOR, and others. Deregulation of the abovementioned pathways is involved in the pathophysiology of cancer. It has been demonstrated that EGCG may exert anti-proliferative, anti-inflammatory, and apoptosis-inducing effects or induce epigenetic changes. Furthermore, preclinical and clinical studies suggest that EGCG may be used in the treatment of numerous disorders, including cancer. This review aims to summarize the existing knowledge regarding the biological properties of EGCG, especially in the context of cancer treatment and prophylaxis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Kciuk
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Genetics, University of Lodz, Banacha Street 12/16, 90-237 Lodz, Poland
- Doctoral School of Exact and Natural Sciences, University of Lodz, Banacha Street 12/16, 90-237 Lodz, Poland
| | - Manzar Alam
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi 110025, India
| | - Nemat Ali
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia
| | - Summya Rashid
- Department of Pharmacology & Toxicology, College of Pharmacy, Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 173, Al-Kharj 11942, Saudi Arabia
| | - Pola Głowacka
- Department of Medical Biochemistry, Medical University of Lodz, Mazowiecka 6/8, 90-001 Lodz, Poland
- Doctoral School of Medical University of Lodz, Hallera 1 Square, 90-700 Lodz, Poland
| | - Rajamanikandan Sundaraj
- Department of Biochemistry, Centre for Drug Discovery, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Coimbatore 641021, India
| | - Ismail Celik
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Erciyes University, Kayseri 38280, Turkey
| | - Esam Bashir Yahya
- Bioprocess Technology Division, School of Industrial Technology, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang 11800, Malaysia
| | - Amit Dubey
- Computational Chemistry and Drug Discovery Division, Quanta Calculus, Greater Noida 201310, India
- Department of Pharmacology, Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences, Saveetha Dental College and Hospital, Chennai 600077, India
| | - Enfale Zerroug
- LMCE Laboratory, Group of Computational and Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of Biskra, Biskra 07000, Algeria
| | - Renata Kontek
- Department of Molecular Biotechnology and Genetics, University of Lodz, Banacha Street 12/16, 90-237 Lodz, Poland
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28
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Friedman N, Weinstein-Fudim L, Mostinski Y, Elia J, Cohen S, Steinberg E, Frankenburg S, Peretz T, Eisenberg G, Lotem M, Benny O, Merims S. Preventing skin toxicities induced by EGFR inhibitors by topically blocking drug-receptor interactions. Sci Transl Med 2023; 15:eabo0684. [PMID: 37285403 DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.abo0684] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/18/2023] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors are used to treat many advanced-stage epithelial cancers but induce severe skin toxicities in most treated patients. These side effects lead to a deterioration in the quality of life of the patients and compromise the anticancer treatment. Current treatment strategies for these skin toxicities focus on symptom reduction rather than preventing the initial trigger that causes the toxicity. In this study, we developed a compound and method for treating "on-target" skin toxicity by blocking the drug at the site of toxicity without reducing the systemic dose reaching the tumor. We first screened for small molecules that effectively blocked the binding of anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies to EGFR and identified a potential candidate, SDT-011. In silico docking predicted that SDT-011 interacted with the same residues on EGFR found to be important for the binding of EGFR inhibitors cetuximab and panitumumab. Binding of SDT-011 to EGFR reduced the binding affinity of cetuximab to EGFR and could reactivate EGFR signaling in keratinocyte cell lines, ex vivo cetuximab-treated whole human skin, and A431-injected mice. Specific small molecules were topically applied and were delivered via a slow-release system derived from biodegradable nanoparticles that penetrate the hair follicles and sebaceous glands, within which EGFR is highly expressed. Our approach has the potential to reduce skin toxicity caused by EGFR inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nethanel Friedman
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Liza Weinstein-Fudim
- Sharett Institute of Oncology, Hadassah Medical Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
- Laboratory of Teratology, Department of Medical Neurobiology, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Yelena Mostinski
- Sharett Institute of Oncology, Hadassah Medical Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Jhonatan Elia
- Department of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Hadassah Medical Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Sherri Cohen
- Sharett Institute of Oncology, Hadassah Medical Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Eliana Steinberg
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Shoshana Frankenburg
- Sharett Institute of Oncology, Hadassah Medical Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
- Wohl Institute for Translational Medicine, Hadassah Medical Organization, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
- Hadassah Cancer Research Institute (HCRI), Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Tamar Peretz
- Sharett Institute of Oncology, Hadassah Medical Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Galit Eisenberg
- Sharett Institute of Oncology, Hadassah Medical Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
- Wohl Institute for Translational Medicine, Hadassah Medical Organization, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
- Hadassah Cancer Research Institute (HCRI), Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Michal Lotem
- Sharett Institute of Oncology, Hadassah Medical Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
- Wohl Institute for Translational Medicine, Hadassah Medical Organization, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
- Hadassah Cancer Research Institute (HCRI), Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Ofra Benny
- Institute for Drug Research, School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
| | - Sharon Merims
- Sharett Institute of Oncology, Hadassah Medical Center, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Faculty of Medicine, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
- Wohl Institute for Translational Medicine, Hadassah Medical Organization, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
- Hadassah Cancer Research Institute (HCRI), Jerusalem 91120, Israel
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29
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Mori Y, Mizukami T, Segawa S, Roder H, Maki K. Folding of Staphylococcal Nuclease Induced by Binding of Chemically Modified Substrate Analogues Sheds Light on Mechanisms of Coupled Folding/Binding Reactions. Biochemistry 2023; 62:1670-1678. [PMID: 37227385 PMCID: PMC10583223 DOI: 10.1021/acs.biochem.3c00094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Several proteins have been shown to undergo a shift in the mechanism of ligand binding-induced folding from conformational selection (CS; folding precedes binding) to induced fit (IF; binding precedes folding) with increasing ligand concentration. In previous studies of the coupled folding/binding reaction of staphylococcal nuclease (SNase) in the presence of a substrate analogue, adenosine-3',5'-diphosphate (prAp), we found that the two phosphate groups make important energetic contributions toward stabilizing its complex with the native protein as well as transient conformational states encountered at high ligand concentrations favoring IF. However, the structural contributions of each phosphate group during the reaction remain unclear. To address this question, we relied on fluorescence, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), absorption, and isothermal titration calorimetry to study the effects of deletion of the phosphate groups of prAp on the kinetics of ligand-induced folding, using a strategy analogous to mutational ϕ-value analysis to interpret the results. Kinetic measurements over a wide range of ligand concentrations, together with structural characterization of a transient protein-ligand encounter complex using 2D NMR, indicated that, at high ligand concentrations favoring IF, (i) the 5'-phosphate group interacts weakly with denatured SNase during early stages of the reaction, resulting in loose docking of the two domains of SNase, and (ii) the 3'-phosphate group engages in some specific contacts with the polypeptide in the transition state prior to formation of the native SNase-prAp complex.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yujiro Mori
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
| | - Takuya Mizukami
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111
| | - Saho Segawa
- School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi, 464-8602 Japan
| | - Heinrich Roder
- Molecular Therapeutics Program, Fox Chase Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19111
| | - Kosuke Maki
- Graduate School of Science, Nagoya University, Nagoya, Aichi 464-8602, Japan
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30
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Serrano-Rivero Y, Salazar-Uribe J, Rubio-Carrasquilla M, Camacho-Casanova F, Sánchez-Ramos O, González-Pose A, Moreno E. Selecting Nanobodies Specific for the Epidermal Growth Factor from a Synthetic Nanobody Library. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28104043. [PMID: 37241784 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28104043] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2023] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/09/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
The epidermal growth factor (EGF) is one of the most critical ligands of the EGF receptor (EGFR), a well-known oncogene frequently overexpressed in cancerous cells and an important therapeutic target in cancer. The EGF is the target of a therapeutic vaccine aimed at inducing an anti-EGF antibody response to sequester this molecule from serum. However, strikingly, very few investigations have focused on EGF immunotargeting. Since the use of nanobodies (Nbs) for EGF neutralization may be an effective therapeutic strategy in several types of cancer, in this study, we decided to generate anti-EGF Nbs from a recently constructed, phage-displaying synthetic nanobody library. To our knowledge, this is the first attempt to obtain anti-EGF Nbs from a synthetic library. By applying a selection strategy that uses four different sequential elution steps along with three rounds of selection, we obtained four different EGF-specific Nb clones, and also tested their binding capabilities as recombinant proteins. The obtained results are very encouraging and demonstrate the feasibility of selecting nanobodies against small antigens, such as the EGF, from synthetic libraries.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Frank Camacho-Casanova
- Pharmacology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of Concepcion, Concepcion 4070386, Chile
| | - Oliberto Sánchez-Ramos
- Pharmacology Department, School of Biological Sciences, University of Concepcion, Concepcion 4070386, Chile
| | - Alaín González-Pose
- Faculty of Basic Sciences, University of Medellin, Medellin 050026, Colombia
| | - Ernesto Moreno
- Faculty of Basic Sciences, University of Medellin, Medellin 050026, Colombia
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31
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Sugiyama MG, Brown AI, Vega-Lugo J, Borges JP, Scott AM, Jaqaman K, Fairn GD, Antonescu CN. Confinement of unliganded EGFR by tetraspanin nanodomains gates EGFR ligand binding and signaling. Nat Commun 2023; 14:2681. [PMID: 37160944 PMCID: PMC10170156 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-38390-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2023] [Indexed: 05/11/2023] Open
Abstract
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a central regulator of cell physiology. EGFR is activated by ligand binding, triggering receptor dimerization, activation of kinase activity, and intracellular signaling. EGFR is transiently confined within various plasma membrane nanodomains, yet how this may contribute to regulation of EGFR ligand binding is poorly understood. To resolve how EGFR nanoscale compartmentalization gates ligand binding, we developed single-particle tracking methods to track the mobility of ligand-bound and total EGFR, in combination with modeling of EGFR ligand binding. In comparison to unliganded EGFR, ligand-bound EGFR is more confined and distinctly regulated by clathrin and tetraspanin nanodomains. Ligand binding to unliganded EGFR occurs preferentially in tetraspanin nanodomains, and disruption of tetraspanin nanodomains impairs EGFR ligand binding and alters the conformation of the receptor's ectodomain. We thus reveal a mechanism by which EGFR confinement within tetraspanin nanodomains regulates receptor signaling at the level of ligand binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Michael G Sugiyama
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Aidan I Brown
- Department of Physics, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jesus Vega-Lugo
- Department of Biophysics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Jazlyn P Borges
- Program in Neuroscience and Mental Health, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Andrew M Scott
- Olivia Newton-John Cancer Research Institute, La Trobe University, Melbourne, VIC, Australia
| | - Khuloud Jaqaman
- Department of Biophysics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
- Lyda Hill Department of Bioinformatics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX, USA
| | - Gregory D Fairn
- Department of Pathology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Costin N Antonescu
- Department of Chemistry and Biology, Toronto Metropolitan University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
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32
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Mudumbi KC, Burns EA, Schodt DJ, Petrova ZO, Kiyatkin A, Kim LW, Mangiacapre EM, Ortiz-Caraveo I, Ortiz HR, Hu C, Ashtekar KD, Lidke KA, Lidke DS, Lemmon MA. Distinct interactions stabilize EGFR dimers and higher-order oligomers in cell membranes. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.04.10.536273. [PMID: 37090557 PMCID: PMC10120646 DOI: 10.1101/2023.04.10.536273] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/25/2023]
Abstract
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) with important roles in many cellular processes as well as cancer and other diseases. EGF binding promotes EGFR dimerization and autophosphorylation through interactions that are well understood structurally. However, it is not clear how these dimers relate to higher-order EGFR oligomers detected at the cell surface. We used single-particle tracking (SPT) and Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) imaging to examine how each domain within EGFR contributes to receptor dimerization and the rate of its diffusion in the cell membrane. We show that the EGFR extracellular region is sufficient to drive receptor dimerization, but that the EGF-induced EGFR slow-down seen by SPT requires formation of higher order oligomers, mediated in part by the intracellular tyrosine kinase domain - but only when in its active conformation. Our data thus provide important insight into higher-order EGFR interactions required for EGF signaling.
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Nisticò N, Aloisio A, Lupia A, Zimbo AM, Mimmi S, Maisano D, Russo R, Marino F, Scalise M, Chiarella E, Mancuso T, Fiume G, Omodei D, Zannetti A, Salvatore G, Quinto I, Iaccino E. Development of Cyclic Peptides Targeting the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor in Mesenchymal Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Subtype. Cells 2023; 12:cells12071078. [PMID: 37048151 PMCID: PMC10093212 DOI: 10.3390/cells12071078] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/17/2023] [Revised: 03/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/29/2023] [Indexed: 04/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive malignancy characterized by the lack of expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors and amplification of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Being the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) highly expressed in mesenchymal TNBC and correlated with aggressive growth behavior, it represents an ideal target for anticancer drugs. Here, we have applied the phage display for selecting two highly specific peptide ligands for targeting the EGFR overexpressed in MDA-MB-231 cells, a human TNBC cell line. Molecular docking predicted the peptide-binding affinities and sites in the extracellular domain of EGFR. The binding of the FITC-conjugated peptides to human and murine TNBC cells was validated by flow cytometry. Confocal microscopy confirmed the peptide binding specificity to EGFR-positive MDA-MB-231 tumor xenograft tissues and their co-localization with the membrane EGFR. Further, the peptide stimulation did not affect the cell cycle of TNBC cells, which is of interest for their utility for tumor targeting. Our data indicate that these novel peptides are highly specific ligands for the EGFR overexpressed in TNBC cells, and thus they could be used in conjugation with nanoparticles for tumor-targeted delivery of anticancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nancy Nisticò
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Annamaria Aloisio
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Antonio Lupia
- Department of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Cagliari, Cittadella Universitaria di Monserrato, Monserrato, 09042 Cagliari, Italy
- Net4Science srl, University “Magna Græcia”, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Anna Maria Zimbo
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Selena Mimmi
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Domenico Maisano
- Department of Medical Oncology, Jerome Lipper Multiple Myeloma Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Rossella Russo
- Department of Pharmacy, Health and Nutritional Sciences, University of Calabria, 87036 Rende, Italy
| | - Fabiola Marino
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Mariangela Scalise
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Emanuela Chiarella
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Teresa Mancuso
- “Annunziata” Regional Hospital Cosenza, 87100 Cosenza, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Fiume
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Daniela Omodei
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, National Research Council, IBB-CNR, 80145 Naples, Italy
| | - Antonella Zannetti
- Institute of Biostructures and Bioimaging, National Research Council, IBB-CNR, 80145 Naples, Italy
| | - Giuliana Salvatore
- Dipartimento di Scienze Motorie e del Benessere, Università degli studi di Napoli “Parthenope”, 80133 Naples, Italy
- CEINGE- Biotecnologie Avanzate S.C.A.R.L., 80145 Naples, Italy
| | - Ileana Quinto
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
| | - Enrico Iaccino
- Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, Magna Graecia University of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
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Ahmad M, Ha JH, Mayse LA, Presti MF, Wolfe AJ, Moody KJ, Loh SN, Movileanu L. A generalizable nanopore sensor for highly specific protein detection at single-molecule precision. Nat Commun 2023; 14:1374. [PMID: 36941245 PMCID: PMC10027671 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-36944-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/24/2022] [Accepted: 02/23/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Protein detection has wide-ranging implications in molecular diagnostics. Substantial progress has been made in protein analytics using nanopores and the resistive-pulse technique. Yet, a long-standing challenge is implementing specific interfaces for detecting proteins without the steric hindrance of the pore interior. Here, we formulate a class of sensing elements made of a programmable antibody-mimetic binder fused to a monomeric protein nanopore. This way, such a modular design significantly expands the utility of nanopore sensors to numerous proteins while preserving their architecture, specificity, and sensitivity. We prove the power of this approach by developing and validating nanopore sensors for protein analytes that drastically vary in size, charge, and structural complexity. These analytes produce unique electrical signatures that depend on their identity and quantity and the binder-analyte assembly at the nanopore tip. The outcomes of this work could impact biomedical diagnostics by providing a fundamental basis for biomarker detection in biofluids.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad Ahmad
- Department of Physics, Syracuse University, 201 Physics Building, Syracuse, NY, 13244-1130, USA
| | - Jeung-Hoi Ha
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, State University of New York-Upstate Medical University, 4249 Weiskotten Hall, 766 Irving Avenue, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Lauren A Mayse
- Department of Physics, Syracuse University, 201 Physics Building, Syracuse, NY, 13244-1130, USA
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, 329 Link Hall, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA
| | - Maria F Presti
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, State University of New York-Upstate Medical University, 4249 Weiskotten Hall, 766 Irving Avenue, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Aaron J Wolfe
- Department of Physics, Syracuse University, 201 Physics Building, Syracuse, NY, 13244-1130, USA
- Ichor Life Sciences, Inc., 2561 US Route 11, LaFayette, NY, 13084, USA
- Lewis School of Health Sciences, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, Potsdam, NY, 13699, USA
- Department of Chemistry, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Kelsey J Moody
- Department of Physics, Syracuse University, 201 Physics Building, Syracuse, NY, 13244-1130, USA
- Ichor Life Sciences, Inc., 2561 US Route 11, LaFayette, NY, 13084, USA
- Lewis School of Health Sciences, Clarkson University, 8 Clarkson Avenue, Potsdam, NY, 13699, USA
- Department of Chemistry, College of Environmental Science and Forestry, State University of New York, 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Stewart N Loh
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, State University of New York-Upstate Medical University, 4249 Weiskotten Hall, 766 Irving Avenue, Syracuse, NY, 13210, USA
| | - Liviu Movileanu
- Department of Physics, Syracuse University, 201 Physics Building, Syracuse, NY, 13244-1130, USA.
- Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering, Syracuse University, 329 Link Hall, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA.
- The BioInspired Institute, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY, 13244, USA.
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Go YJ, Kalathingal M, Rhee YM. Elucidating activation and deactivation dynamics of VEGFR-2 transmembrane domain with coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0281781. [PMID: 36795710 PMCID: PMC9934429 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0281781] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 02/01/2023] [Indexed: 02/17/2023] Open
Abstract
The vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR-2) is a member of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) and is a dimeric membrane protein that functions as a primary regulator of angiogenesis. As is usual with RTKs, spatial alignment of its transmembrane domain (TMD) is essential toward VEGFR-2 activation. Experimentally, the helix rotations within TMD around their own helical axes are known to participate importantly toward the activation process in VEGFR-2, but the detailed dynamics of the interconversion between the active and inactive TMD forms have not been clearly elucidated at the molecular level. Here, we attempt to elucidate the process by using coarse grained (CG) molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. We observe that inactive dimeric TMD in separation is structurally stable over tens of microseconds, suggesting that TMD itself is passive and does not allow spontaneous signaling of VEGFR-2. By starting from the active conformation, we reveal the mechanism of TMD inactivation through analyzing the CG MD trajectories. We observe that interconversions between a left-handed overlay and a right-handed one are essential for the process of going from an active TMD structure to the inactive form. In addition, our simulations find that the helices can rotate properly when the overlaying structure of the helices interconverts and when the crossing angle of the two helices changes by larger than ~40 degrees. As the activation right after the ligand attachment on VEGFR-2 will take place in the reverse manner of this inactivation process, these structural aspects will also appear importantly for the activation process. The rather large change in helix configuration for activation also explains why VEGFR-2 rarely self-activate and how the activating ligand structurally drive the whole VEGFR-2. This mechanism of TMD activation / inactivation within VEGFR-2 may help in further understanding the overall activation processes of other RTKs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yeon Ju Go
- Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Korea
| | - Mahroof Kalathingal
- Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Korea
- Department of Chemistry, Pohang University of Science and Technology (POSTECH), Pohang, Korea
| | - Young Min Rhee
- Department of Chemistry, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), Daejeon, Korea
- * E-mail:
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Du Z, Sun J, Zhang Y, Hesilaiti N, Xia Q, Cui H, Fan N, Xu X. Structure-Guided Strategies of Targeted Therapies for Patients with EGFR-Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer. Biomolecules 2023; 13:biom13020210. [PMID: 36830579 PMCID: PMC9953181 DOI: 10.3390/biom13020210] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 01/09/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2023] [Indexed: 01/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Oncogenic mutations within the EGFR kinase domain are well-established driver mutations in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Small-molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) specifically targeting these mutations have improved treatment outcomes for patients with this subtype of NSCLC. The selectivity of these targeted agents is based on the location of the mutations within the exons of the EGFR gene, and grouping mutations based on structural similarities has proved a useful tool for conceptualizing the heterogeneity of TKI response. Structure-based analysis of EGFR mutations has influenced TKI development, and improved structural understanding will inform continued therapeutic development and further improve patient outcomes. In this review, we summarize recent progress on targeted therapy strategies for patients with EGFR-mutant NSCLC based on structure and function analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenfang Du
- Department of Genetic and Developmental Biology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210003, China
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +86-025-83792462
| | - Jinghan Sun
- School of Life Science and Technology, Southeast University, Nanjing 210018, China
| | | | - Nigaerayi Hesilaiti
- Department of Genetic and Developmental Biology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Qi Xia
- Department of Genetic and Developmental Biology, School of Medicine, Southeast University, Nanjing 210003, China
| | - Heqing Cui
- Department of Radiotherapy, Nanjing Chest Hospital, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Brain Hospital, Nanjing 210029, China
| | - Na Fan
- Department of Respiratory Medicine and Critical Care Medicine, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi’an Jiaotong University, Xi’an 710004, China
| | - Xiaofang Xu
- Department of Thoracic Surgery, The Cancer Hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang Cancer Hospital), Institute of Basic Medicine and Cancer (IBMC), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310022, China
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Basu D, Pal R, Sarkar M, Barma S, Halder S, Roy H, Nandi S, Samadder A. To Investigate Growth Factor Receptor Targets and Generate Cancer Targeting Inhibitors. Curr Top Med Chem 2023; 23:2877-2972. [PMID: 38164722 DOI: 10.2174/0115680266261150231110053650] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 09/20/2023] [Accepted: 10/02/2023] [Indexed: 01/03/2024]
Abstract
Receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) regulates multiple pathways, including Mitogenactivated protein kinases (MAPKs), PI3/AKT, JAK/STAT pathway, etc. which has a significant role in the progression and metastasis of tumor. As RTK activation regulates numerous essential bodily processes, including cell proliferation and division, RTK dysregulation has been identified in many types of cancers. Targeting RTK is a significant challenge in cancer due to the abnormal upregulation and downregulation of RTK receptors subfamily EGFR, FGFR, PDGFR, VEGFR, and HGFR in the progression of cancer, which is governed by multiple RTK receptor signalling pathways and impacts treatment response and disease progression. In this review, an extensive focus has been carried out on the normal and abnormal signalling pathways of EGFR, FGFR, PDGFR, VEGFR, and HGFR and their association with cancer initiation and progression. These are explored as potential therapeutic cancer targets and therefore, the inhibitors were evaluated alone and merged with additional therapies in clinical trials aimed at combating global cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Debroop Basu
- Cell and Developmental Biology Special, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia, 741235, India
| | - Riya Pal
- Cell and Developmental Biology Special, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia, 741235, IndiaIndia
| | - Maitrayee Sarkar
- Cell and Developmental Biology Special, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia, 741235, India
| | - Soubhik Barma
- Cell and Developmental Biology Special, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia, 741235, India
| | - Sumit Halder
- Cell and Developmental Biology Special, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia, 741235, India
| | - Harekrishna Roy
- Nirmala College of Pharmacy, Vijayawada, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, India
| | - Sisir Nandi
- Global Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research (Affiliated to Uttarakhand Technical University), Kashipur, 244713, India
| | - Asmita Samadder
- Cell and Developmental Biology Special, Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia, 741235, India
- Cytogenetics and Molecular Biology Lab., Department of Zoology, University of Kalyani, Kalyani, Nadia, 741235, India
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38
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Cancer regulator EGFR-ErbB4 heterodimer is stabilized through glycans at the dimeric interface. J Mol Model 2022; 28:399. [DOI: 10.1007/s00894-022-05395-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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Deritei D, Kunšič N, Csermely P. Probabilistic edge weights fine-tune Boolean network dynamics. PLoS Comput Biol 2022; 18:e1010536. [PMID: 36215324 PMCID: PMC9584532 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/07/2022] [Revised: 10/20/2022] [Accepted: 09/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/04/2022] Open
Abstract
Biological systems are noisy by nature. This aspect is reflected in our experimental measurements and should be reflected in the models we build to better understand these systems. Noise can be especially consequential when trying to interpret specific regulatory interactions, i.e. regulatory network edges. In this paper, we propose a method to explicitly encode edge-noise in Boolean dynamical systems by probabilistic edge-weight (PEW) operators. PEW operators have two important features: first, they introduce a form of edge-weight into Boolean models through the noise, second, the noise is dependent on the dynamical state of the system, which enables more biologically meaningful modeling choices. Moreover, we offer a simple-to-use implementation in the already well-established BooleanNet framework. In two application cases, we show how the introduction of just a few PEW operators in Boolean models can fine-tune the emergent dynamics and increase the accuracy of qualitative predictions. This includes fine-tuning interactions which cause non-biological behaviors when switching between asynchronous and synchronous update schemes in dynamical simulations. Moreover, PEW operators also open the way to encode more exotic cellular dynamics, such as cellular learning, and to implementing edge-weights for regulatory networks inferred from omics data.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dávid Deritei
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
- Channing Division of Network Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, United States of America
- * E-mail:
| | - Nina Kunšič
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
| | - Péter Csermely
- Department of Molecular Biology, Institute of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary
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Deciphering the Impact of HER2 Alterations on Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer: From Biological Mechanisms to Therapeutic Approaches. J Pers Med 2022; 12:jpm12101651. [PMID: 36294789 PMCID: PMC9605102 DOI: 10.3390/jpm12101651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2022] [Revised: 09/26/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Despite the recent increase in the number of types of treatments, non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains the major cause of death from cancer worldwide. So, there is an urgent need to develop new therapeutic strategies. The HER2 gene codes for tyrosine kinase receptor whose alterations are known to drive carcinogenesis. HER2 alterations, including amplification, mutations, and overexpression, have been mainly described in breast and gastric cancers, but up to 4% of NSCLC harbor actionable HER2 mutations. HER2-targeted therapy for NSCLC with trastuzumab, pertuzumab, and trastuzumab emtansine has failed to demonstrate an improvement in survival. Nevertheless, recent data from phase II trials have shed light on promising specific therapies for HER2-mutant NSCLC such as trastuzumab deruxtecan. Herein, we aimed to provide an updated review on the biology, epidemiology, molecular testing, and therapeutic strategies for NSCLC with HER2 molecular alterations.
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41
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Pilus NSM, Muhamad A, Shahidan MA, Yusof NYM. Potential of Epidermal Growth Factor-like Peptide from the Sea Cucumber Stichopus horrens to Increase the Growth of Human Cells: In Silico Molecular Docking Approach. Mar Drugs 2022; 20:md20100596. [PMID: 36286420 PMCID: PMC9605497 DOI: 10.3390/md20100596] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 09/19/2022] [Accepted: 09/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The sea cucumber is prominent as a traditional remedy among Asians for wound healing due to its high capacity for regeneration after expulsion of its internal organs. A short peptide consisting of 45 amino acids from transcriptome data of Stichopus horrens (Sh-EGFl-1) shows a convincing capability to promote the growth of human melanoma cells. Molecular docking of Sh-EGFl-1 peptide with human epidermal growth factor receptor (hEGFR) exhibited a favorable intermolecular interaction, where most of the Sh-EGFl-1 residues interacted with calcium binding-like domains. A superimposed image of the docked structure against a human EGF–EGFR crystal model also gave an acceptable root mean square deviation (RMSD) value of less than 1.5 Å. Human cell growth was significantly improved by Sh-EGFl-1 peptide at a lower concentration in a cell proliferation assay. Gene expression profiling of the cells indicated that Sh-EGFl-1 has activates hEGFR through five epidermal growth factor signaling pathways; phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), phospholipase C gamma (PLC-gamma), Janus kinase-signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK-STAT) and Ras homologous (Rho) pathways. All these pathways triggered cells’ proliferation, differentiation, survival and re-organization of the actin cytoskeleton. Overall, this marine-derived, bioactive peptide has the capability to promote proliferation and could be further explored as a cell-growth-promoting agent for biomedical and bioprocessing applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nur Shazwani Mohd Pilus
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia
- Correspondence: (N.S.M.P.); (N.Y.M.Y.)
| | - Azira Muhamad
- Department of Structural Biology and Functional Omics, Malaysia Genome and Vaccine Institute (MGVI), National Institutes of Biotechnology Malaysia (NIBM), Kajang 43000, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Muhammad Ashraf Shahidan
- Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia
| | - Nurul Yuziana Mohd Yusof
- Department of Earth Sciences and Environment, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Bangi 43600, Selangor, Malaysia
- Correspondence: (N.S.M.P.); (N.Y.M.Y.)
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Abstract
Single-pass transmembrane receptors (SPTMRs) represent a diverse group of integral membrane proteins that are involved in many essential cellular processes, including signal transduction, cell adhesion, and transmembrane transport of materials. Dysregulation of the SPTMRs is linked with many human diseases. Despite extensive efforts in past decades, the mechanisms of action of the SPTMRs remain incompletely understood. One major hurdle is the lack of structures of the full-length SPTMRs in different functional states. Such structural information is difficult to obtain by traditional structural biology methods such as X-ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The recent rapid development of single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) has led to an exponential surge in the number of high-resolution structures of integral membrane proteins, including SPTMRs. Cryo-EM structures of SPTMRs solved in the past few years have tremendously improved our understanding of how SPTMRs function. In this review, we will highlight these progresses in the structural studies of SPTMRs by single-particle cryo-EM, analyze important structural details of each protein involved, and discuss their implications on the underlying mechanisms. Finally, we also briefly discuss remaining challenges and exciting opportunities in the field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Cai
- Departments of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75231, USA
| | - Xuewu Zhang
- Departments of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75231, USA
- Departments of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75231, USA
- Corresponding Author: Xuewu Zhang, Department of pharmacology, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA;
| | - Xiao-chen Bai
- Departments of Biophysics, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75231, USA
- Departments of Cell Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75231, USA
- Corresponding Author: Xiao-chen Bai, Department of Biophysics, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX 75390, USA;
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Rogers MA, Campaña MB, Long R, Fantauzzo KA. PDGFR dimer-specific activation, trafficking and downstream signaling dynamics. J Cell Sci 2022; 135:jcs259686. [PMID: 35946433 PMCID: PMC9482349 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.259686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Signaling through the platelet-derived growth factor receptors (PDGFRs) plays a critical role in multiple cellular processes during development. The two PDGFRs, PDGFRα and PDGFRβ, dimerize to form homodimers and/or heterodimers. Here, we overcome previous limitations in studying PDGFR dimer-specific dynamics by generating cell lines stably expressing C-terminal fusions of each PDGFR with bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) fragments corresponding to the N-terminal or C-terminal regions of the Venus fluorescent protein. We find that PDGFRβ receptors homodimerize more quickly than PDGFRα receptors in response to PDGF ligand, with increased levels of autophosphorylation. Furthermore, we demonstrate that PDGFRα homodimers are trafficked and degraded more quickly, whereas PDGFRβ homodimers are more likely to be recycled back to the cell membrane. We show that PDGFRβ homodimer activation results in a greater amplitude of phospho-ERK1/2 and phospho-AKT signaling, as well as increased proliferation and migration. Finally, we demonstrate that inhibition of clathrin-mediated endocytosis leads to changes in cellular trafficking and downstream signaling, particularly for PDGFRα homodimers. Collectively, our findings provide significant insight into how biological specificity is introduced to generate unique responses downstream of PDGFR engagement. This article has an associated First Person interview with the first author of the paper.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Katherine A. Fantauzzo
- Department of Craniofacial Biology, School of Dental Medicine, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO 80045, USA
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44
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Moorthy A, Venugopal DC, Shyamsundar V, Madhavan Y, Ravindran S, Kuppuloganathan M, Krishnamurthy A, Sankarapandian S, Ganapathy V, Ramshankar V. Identification of EGFR as a Biomarker in Saliva and Buccal Cells from Oral Submucous Fibrosis Patients—A Baseline Study. Diagnostics (Basel) 2022; 12:diagnostics12081935. [PMID: 36010285 PMCID: PMC9406318 DOI: 10.3390/diagnostics12081935] [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: 07/21/2022] [Revised: 08/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/03/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Oral Submucous Fibrosis (OSMF) is a chronic debilitating disease more frequently encountered in the South-East Asian population. This disease represents a public health priority as it is grouped within oral potentially malignant disorders, with malignant transformation rates of around 7–19%. Hence, early identification of high-risk OSMF patients is of the utmost importance to prevent malignant transformation. Among various biomarkers, EGFR overexpression has an unfavorable clinical outcome, poor prognosis, and low survival rates in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma (OSCC). The current study aimed to evaluate the expression of EGFR in saliva and exfoliated buccal cells of OSMF. Immunoexpression of EGFR was observed in healthy controls (n = 11), OSCC (n = 106), and OPMD with dysplasia (n = 56), which showed significant expression with increasing grades of dysplasia and OSCC. EGFR expression was evaluated in saliva and exfoliated buccal cells of healthy controls (n = 15), OSMF (n = 24), and OSCC (n = 10) patients using ELISA, which revealed significant expression in OSMF and OSCC. Validation studies were also performed using real-time PCR (RT-PCR) to compare gene expression in healthy controls (n = 9), OSMF (n = 9), and OSCC (n = 25), which showed significant 18-fold upregulation in OSCC and three-fold upregulation in OSMF when compared to healthy controls. Hence, saliva and exfoliated buccal cells could be considered as potential non-invasive diagnostic samples for the evaluation of high-risk patients of OSMF using EGFR as a biomarker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Abirami Moorthy
- Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (DU), Porur, Chennai 600116, India
| | - Divyambika Catakapatri Venugopal
- Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (DU), Porur, Chennai 600116, India
- Correspondence: (D.C.V.); (V.R.)
| | - Vidyarani Shyamsundar
- Centre for Oral Cancer Prevention and Research, Sree Balaji Dental College and Hospital, Pallikaranai, Chennai 600100, India
| | - Yasasve Madhavan
- Department of Oral Medicine and Radiology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (DU), Porur, Chennai 600116, India
| | - Soundharya Ravindran
- Department of Preventive Oncology (Research), Cancer Institute (WIA), Adyar, Chennai 600020, India
| | | | - Arvind Krishnamurthy
- Department of Surgical Oncology, Cancer Institute (WIA), Adyar, Chennai 600020, India
| | | | - Vani Ganapathy
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Madras, Chennai 600025, India
| | - Vijayalakshmi Ramshankar
- Department of Preventive Oncology (Research), Cancer Institute (WIA), Adyar, Chennai 600020, India
- Correspondence: (D.C.V.); (V.R.)
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Challenges for the application of EGFR-targeting peptide GE11 in tumor diagnosis and treatment. J Control Release 2022; 349:592-605. [PMID: 35872181 DOI: 10.1016/j.jconrel.2022.07.018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/10/2022] [Revised: 07/15/2022] [Accepted: 07/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Abnormal regulation of cell signaling pathways on cell survival, proliferation and migration contributes to the development of malignant tumors. Among them, epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is one of the most important biomarkers in many types of malignant solid tumors. Its over-expression and mutation status can be served as a biomarker to identify patients who can be benifit from EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors and anti-EGFR monocloncal antibody (mAb) therapy. For decades, researches on EGFR targeted ligands were actively carried out to identify potent candidates for cancer therapy. An ideal EGFR ligand can competitively inhibit the binding of endogenous growth factor, such as epidermal growth factor (EGF) and transforming growth factor-α(TGF-α) to EGFR, thus block EGFR signaling pathway and downregulate EGFR expression. Alternatively, conjugation of EGFR ligands on drug delivery systems (DDS) can facilitate targeting delivery of therapeutics or diagnostic agents to EGFR over-expression tumors via EGFR-mediated endocytosis. GE11 peptide is one of the potent EGFR ligand screened from a phage display peptide library. It is a dodecapeptide that can specifically binds to EGFR with high affinity and selectivity. GE11 has been widely used in the diagnosis and targeted delivery of drugs for radiotherapy, genetherapy and chemotherpy against EGFR positive tumors. In this review, the critical factors affecting the in vivo and in vitro targeting performance of GE11 peptide, including ligand-receptor intermolecular force, linker bond properties and physiochemical properties of carrier materials, are detailedly interpreted. This review provides a valuable vision for the rational design and optimization of GE11-based active targeting strategies for cancer treatment, and it will promote the translation studies of GE11 from lab research to clinical application.
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46
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Maeda R, Tamagaki-Asahina H, Sato T, Yanagawa M, Sako Y. Threonine phosphorylation regulates the molecular assembly and signaling of EGFR in cooperation with membrane lipids. J Cell Sci 2022; 135:275916. [PMID: 35791809 DOI: 10.1242/jcs.260355] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/17/2022] [Accepted: 06/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The cytoplasmic domain of the receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) plays roles as a phosphorylation enzyme and a protein scaffold but the allocation of these two functions is not fully understood. We here analyzed assembly of the transmembrane (TM)-juxtamembrane (JM) region of EGFR, one of the best studied species of RTKs, by combining single-pair FRET imaging and a nanodisc technique. The JM domain of EGFR contains a threonine residue (Thr654) that is phosphorylated after ligand association. We observed that the TM-JM peptides of EGFR form anionic lipid-induced dimers and cholesterol-induced oligomers. The two forms involve distinct molecular interactions, with a bias towards oligomer formation upon threonine phosphorylation. We further analyzed the functions and oligomerization of whole EGFR molecules, with or without a substitution of Thr654 to alanine, in living cells. The results suggested an autoregulatory mechanism in which Thr654 phosphorylation causes a switch of the major function of EGFR from kinase activation dimers to scaffolding oligomers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryo Maeda
- Cellular Informatics Laboratory, RIKEN CPR, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | | | - Takeshi Sato
- Kyoto Pharmaceutical University, 5, Misasagi-cho, Yamashina, Kyoto, 607-8414, Japan
| | - Masataka Yanagawa
- Cellular Informatics Laboratory, RIKEN CPR, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan
| | - Yasushi Sako
- Cellular Informatics Laboratory, RIKEN CPR, Wako, Saitama 351-0198, Japan.,CREST JST, 4-1-8, Honcho, Kawaguchi, 332-0012, Japan
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Srinivasan S, Regmi R, Lin X, Dreyer CA, Chen X, Quinn SD, He W, Coleman MA, Carraway KL, Zhang B, Schlau-Cohen GS. Ligand-induced transmembrane conformational coupling in monomeric EGFR. Nat Commun 2022; 13:3709. [PMID: 35794108 PMCID: PMC9259572 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-31299-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2021] [Accepted: 06/13/2022] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Single pass cell surface receptors regulate cellular processes by transmitting ligand-encoded signals across the plasma membrane via changes to their extracellular and intracellular conformations. This transmembrane signaling is generally initiated by ligand binding to the receptors in their monomeric form. While subsequent receptor-receptor interactions are established as key aspects of transmembrane signaling, the contribution of monomeric receptors has been challenging to isolate due to the complexity and ligand-dependence of these interactions. By combining membrane nanodiscs produced with cell-free expression, single-molecule Förster Resonance Energy Transfer measurements, and molecular dynamics simulations, we report that ligand binding induces intracellular conformational changes within monomeric, full-length epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). Our observations establish the existence of extracellular/intracellular conformational coupling within a single receptor molecule. We implicate a series of electrostatic interactions in the conformational coupling and find the coupling is inhibited by targeted therapeutics and mutations that also inhibit phosphorylation in cells. Collectively, these results introduce a facile mechanism to link the extracellular and intracellular regions through the single transmembrane helix of monomeric EGFR, and raise the possibility that intramolecular transmembrane conformational changes upon ligand binding are common to single-pass membrane proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shwetha Srinivasan
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Raju Regmi
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA ,grid.4444.00000 0001 2112 9282Present Address: Institut Curie, CNRS, Laboratoire Physico Chimie Curie, Paris, France
| | - Xingcheng Lin
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Courtney A. Dreyer
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA
| | - Xuyan Chen
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Steven D. Quinn
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA ,grid.5685.e0000 0004 1936 9668Present Address: Department of Physics, University of York, York, UK
| | - Wei He
- grid.250008.f0000 0001 2160 9702Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550 USA
| | - Matthew A. Coleman
- grid.250008.f0000 0001 2160 9702Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94550 USA ,grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Radiation Oncology, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA
| | - Kermit L. Carraway
- grid.27860.3b0000 0004 1936 9684Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine, University of California Davis School of Medicine, Sacramento, CA 95817 USA
| | - Bin Zhang
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
| | - Gabriela S. Schlau-Cohen
- grid.116068.80000 0001 2341 2786Department of Chemistry, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139 USA
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Li X, Sun B, Zhu J, Qian M, Chen Y. Construction of a Mass-Tagged Oligo Probe Set for Revealing Protein Ratiometric Relationship Associated with EGFR-HER2 Heterodimerization in Living Cells. Anal Chem 2022; 94:8838-8846. [PMID: 35709389 DOI: 10.1021/acs.analchem.1c04989] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
Abstract
Protein dimerization, as the most common form of protein-protein interaction, can manifest more significant roles in cellular signaling than individual monomers. For example, excessive formation of EGFR-HER2 dimer has been implicated in cancer development and therapeutic resistance in addition to the overexpression of EGFR and HER2 proteins. Thus, quantitative evaluation of these heterodimers in living cells and revelation of their ratiometric relationship with protein monomers in dimerization may provide insights into clinical cancer management. To achieve this goal, the prerequisite is protein heterodimer quantification. Given the current lack of quantitative methods, we constructed a mass-tagged oligo nanoprobe set for quantification of EGFR-HER2 dimer in living cells. The mass-tagged oligo nanoprobe set contained two targeting probes (nucleic acid aptamers), a connector probe, a hairpin probe, and a photocleavable mass-tagged probe. Two distinct aptamers can recognize target protein monomers and initiate the subsequent hybridization cascade involving binding to the connector probe, formation of an initiator strand, opening of a hairpin probe, and ensuing hybridization with a photocleavable mass-tagged probe. Ultimately, the mass tag was released under ultraviolet light and then subjected to mass spectrometric analysis. In this way, the information regarding the interaction between two protein monomers was successfully converted to the quantitative signal of the mass tag. Using the assay, the expression level of EGFR-HER2 dimer and its relationship with individual protein monomers were determined in four breast cancer cell lines. We are among the first to obtain the absolute level of protein heterodimer, and this quantitative information may be vital in understanding the molecular basis of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxu Li
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Bo Sun
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.,Department of Pharmacy, The First People's Hospital of Lianyungang, Lianyungang 222002, China
| | - Jianhua Zhu
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Moting Qian
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China
| | - Yun Chen
- School of Pharmacy, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, China.,State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Nanjing 210029, China.,Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular & Cerebrovascular Medicine, Nanjing 211166, China
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Target-Based Small Molecule Drug Discovery for Colorectal Cancer: A Review of Molecular Pathways and In Silico Studies. Biomolecules 2022; 12:biom12070878. [PMID: 35883434 PMCID: PMC9312989 DOI: 10.3390/biom12070878] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 06/05/2022] [Accepted: 06/17/2022] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer is one of the most prevalent cancer types. Although there have been breakthroughs in its treatments, a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms and genetic involvement in colorectal cancer will have a substantial role in producing novel and targeted treatments with better safety profiles. In this review, the main molecular pathways and driver genes that are responsible for initiating and propagating the cascade of signaling molecules reaching carcinoma and the aggressive metastatic stages of colorectal cancer were presented. Protein kinases involved in colorectal cancer, as much as other cancers, have seen much focus and committed efforts due to their crucial role in subsidizing, inhibiting, or changing the disease course. Moreover, notable improvements in colorectal cancer treatments with in silico studies and the enhanced selectivity on specific macromolecular targets were discussed. Besides, the selective multi-target agents have been made easier by employing in silico methods in molecular de novo synthesis or target identification and drug repurposing.
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50
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Haist C, Poschinski Z, Bister A, Hoffmann MJ, Grunewald CM, Hamacher A, Kassack M, Wiek C, Scheckenbach K, Hanenberg H. Engineering a single-chain variable fragment of cetuximab for CAR T-cell therapy against head and neck squamous cell carcinomas. Oral Oncol 2022; 129:105867. [DOI: 10.1016/j.oraloncology.2022.105867] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2021] [Revised: 04/07/2022] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 01/14/2023]
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