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Yan S, Zhang G, Luo W, Xu M, Peng R, Du Z, Liu Y, Bai Z, Xiao X, Qin S. PROTAC technology: From drug development to probe technology for target deconvolution. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 276:116725. [PMID: 39083982 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2024] [Revised: 07/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/27/2024] [Indexed: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
Drug development remains a critical focus within the global pharmaceutical industry. To date, more than 80 % of disease targets are considered difficult to target. The emergence of PROTAC technology has, to some extent, alleviated this challenge. Since introduction, PROTAC technology has evolved through the peptide E3 ligase ligand phase and the small molecule E3 ligase ligand phase. Currently, multiple PROTAC molecules are in the clinical research phase, showing promising potential for addressing drug resistance, disease recurrence, and intractable targets. Target deconvolution is a crucial step in the drug discovery and development process. Due to the exceptional targeting ability and specificity of PROTAC, it is widely used and promoted as an innovative technology for discovering new drug targets, leading to significant breakthroughs. The use of PROTAC probe requires only a catalytic dose and weak interaction with the target protein to achieve target degradation. Thus, it offers substantial advantages over traditional probes, particularly in identifying new targets that are low-abundance or difficult to target. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the advancements made by PROTAC technology in drug development and drug target discovery, while also systematically reviewing the workflow of PROTAC probe. With the ongoing development of PROTAC technology, PROTAC probe is poised to become a key research area in future drug target deconvolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Si Yan
- National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Research Center for Precision Medication of Chinese Medicine, FuRong Laboratory, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, PR China; Hubei Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine of South Hubei Province, School of Pharmacy, Xianning Medical College, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, PR China; Department of Hepatology, China Military Institute of Chinese Materia, The Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, PR China
| | - Guangshuai Zhang
- National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Research Center for Precision Medication of Chinese Medicine, FuRong Laboratory, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, PR China; Hubei Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine of South Hubei Province, School of Pharmacy, Xianning Medical College, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, PR China; Department of Hepatology, China Military Institute of Chinese Materia, The Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, PR China
| | - Wei Luo
- National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Research Center for Precision Medication of Chinese Medicine, FuRong Laboratory, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, PR China; Hubei Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine of South Hubei Province, School of Pharmacy, Xianning Medical College, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, PR China
| | - Mengwei Xu
- National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Research Center for Precision Medication of Chinese Medicine, FuRong Laboratory, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, PR China; Hubei Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine of South Hubei Province, School of Pharmacy, Xianning Medical College, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, PR China
| | - Rui Peng
- National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Research Center for Precision Medication of Chinese Medicine, FuRong Laboratory, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, PR China; Hubei Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine of South Hubei Province, School of Pharmacy, Xianning Medical College, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, PR China
| | - Ziwei Du
- Hubei Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine of South Hubei Province, School of Pharmacy, Xianning Medical College, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, PR China
| | - Yan Liu
- National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Research Center for Precision Medication of Chinese Medicine, FuRong Laboratory, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, PR China; Hubei Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine of South Hubei Province, School of Pharmacy, Xianning Medical College, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, PR China
| | - Zhaofang Bai
- National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Research Center for Precision Medication of Chinese Medicine, FuRong Laboratory, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, PR China; Department of Hepatology, China Military Institute of Chinese Materia, The Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, PR China.
| | - Xiaohe Xiao
- National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Research Center for Precision Medication of Chinese Medicine, FuRong Laboratory, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, PR China; Department of Hepatology, China Military Institute of Chinese Materia, The Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, PR China.
| | - Shuanglin Qin
- National Engineering Research Center of Personalized Diagnostic and Therapeutic Technology, Research Center for Precision Medication of Chinese Medicine, FuRong Laboratory, Hunan University of Chinese Medicine, Changsha, PR China; Hubei Engineering Research Center of Traditional Chinese Medicine of South Hubei Province, School of Pharmacy, Xianning Medical College, Hubei University of Science and Technology, Xianning, PR China; Department of Hepatology, China Military Institute of Chinese Materia, The Fifth Medical Center of PLA General Hospital, Beijing, PR China.
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Pierri M, Liu X, Kroupova A, Rutter Z, Hallatt AJ, Ciulli A. Stereochemical inversion at a 1,4-cyclohexyl PROTAC linker fine-tunes conformation and binding affinity. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2024; 110:129861. [PMID: 38942127 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2024.129861] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/24/2024] [Revised: 06/16/2024] [Accepted: 06/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/30/2024]
Abstract
Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are heterobifunctional small-molecule degraders made of a linker connecting a target-binding moiety to a ubiquitin E3 ligase-binding moiety. The linker unit is known to influence the physicochemical and pharmacokinetic properties of PROTACs, as well as the properties of ternary complexes, in turn impacting on their degradation activity in cells and in vivo. Our LRRK2 PROTAC XL01126, bearing a trans-cyclohexyl group in the linker, is a better and more cooperative degrader than its corresponding cis- analogue despite its much weaker binary binding affinities. Here, we investigate how this subtle stereocenter alteration in the linker affects the ligand binding affinity to the E3 ligase VHL. We designed a series of molecular matched pairs, truncating from the full PROTACs down to the VHL ligand, and find that across the series the trans-cyclohexyl compounds showed consistently weaker VHL-binding affinity compared to the cis- counterparts. High-resolution co-crystal structures revealed that the trans linker exhibits a rigid stick-out conformation, while the cis linker collapses into a folded-back conformation featuring a network of intramolecular contacts and long-range interactions with VHL. These observations are noteworthy as they reveal how a single stereochemical inversion within a PROTAC linker impacts conformational rigidity and binding mode, in turn fine-tuning differentiated propensity to binary and ternary complex formation, and ultimately cellular degradation activity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Martina Pierri
- Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, 1 James Lindsay Place, DD1 5JJ Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Xingui Liu
- Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, 1 James Lindsay Place, DD1 5JJ Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Alena Kroupova
- Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, 1 James Lindsay Place, DD1 5JJ Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Zoe Rutter
- Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, 1 James Lindsay Place, DD1 5JJ Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Alex J Hallatt
- Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, 1 James Lindsay Place, DD1 5JJ Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Alessio Ciulli
- Centre for Targeted Protein Degradation, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee, 1 James Lindsay Place, DD1 5JJ Dundee, United Kingdom.
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Mi D, Li C, Li Y, Yao M, Li Y, Hong K, Xie C, Chen Y. Discovery of novel BCL6-Targeting PROTACs with effective antitumor activities against DLBCL in vitro and in vivo. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 277:116789. [PMID: 39208743 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116789] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/14/2024] [Revised: 08/09/2024] [Accepted: 08/19/2024] [Indexed: 09/04/2024]
Abstract
The transcriptional repressor B cell lymphoma 6 (BCL6) plays a critical role in driving tumorigenesis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). However, the therapeutic potential of inhibiting or degrading BCL6 for DLBCL has not been thoroughly understood. Herein, we reported the discovery of a series of novel BCL6-targeting PROTACs based on our previously reported N-phenyl-4-pyrimidinamine BCL6 inhibitors. The optimal compound DZ-837 degraded BCL6 with DC50 values around 600 nM and effectively inhibited the proliferation of several DLBCL cell lines. Further study indicated that DZ-837 induced significant G1 phase arrest and exhibited sustained reactivation of BCL6 downstream genes. In the SU-DHL-4 xenograft model, DZ-837 significantly inhibited tumor growth with TGI of 71.8 % at 40 mg/kg once daily. Furthermore, the combination of DZ-837 with BTK inhibitor Ibrutinib showed synergistic effects and overcame acquired resistance against DLBCL cells. Overall, our findings demonstrate that DZ-837 is an effective BCL6 degrader for DLBCL treatment as a monotherapy or in combination with Ibrutinib.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dazhao Mi
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Cheng Li
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China
| | - Yuzhan Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | | | - Yan Li
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200062, China
| | - Keyu Hong
- School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China; Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, 200031, China
| | - Chengying Xie
- Shanghai Institute for Advanced Immunochemical Studies, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China; School of Life Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University, Shanghai, 201210, China; Lingang Laboratory, Shanghai, 200031, China.
| | - Yihua Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Pharmacology for Natural Products, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunna, 650500, China; Yunnan College of Modern Biomedical Industry, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650500, China.
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Chen Y, Liu F, Pal S, Hu Q. Proteolysis-targeting drug delivery system (ProDDS): integrating targeted protein degradation concepts into formulation design. Chem Soc Rev 2024. [PMID: 39171633 DOI: 10.1039/d4cs00411f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation (TPD) has emerged as a revolutionary paradigm in drug discovery and development, offering a promising avenue to tackle challenging therapeutic targets. Unlike traditional drug discovery approaches that focus on inhibiting protein function, TPD aims to eliminate proteins of interest (POIs) using modular chimeric structures. This is achieved through the utilization of proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), which redirect POIs to E3 ubiquitin ligases, rendering them for degradation by the cellular ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). Additionally, other TPD technologies such as lysosome-targeting chimeras (LYTACs) and autophagy-based protein degraders facilitate the transportation of proteins to endo-lysosomal or autophagy-lysosomal pathways for degradation, respectively. Despite significant growth in preclinical TPD research, many chimeras fail to progress beyond this stage in the drug development. Various factors contribute to the limited success of TPD agents, including a significant hurdle of inadequate delivery to the target site. Integrating TPD into delivery platforms could surmount the challenges of in vivo applications of TPD strategies by reshaping their pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamic profiles. These proteolysis-targeting drug delivery systems (ProDDSs) exhibit superior delivery performance, enhanced targetability, and reduced off-tissue side effects. In this review, we will survey the latest progress in TPD-inspired drug delivery systems, highlight the importance of introducing delivery ideas or technologies to the development of protein degraders, outline design principles of protein degrader-inspired delivery systems, discuss the current challenges, and provide an outlook on future opportunities in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Chen
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
- Carbone Cancer Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
- Wisconsin Center for NanoBioSystems, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
| | - Fengyuan Liu
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
| | - Samira Pal
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
| | - Quanyin Hu
- Pharmaceutical Sciences Division, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA.
- Carbone Cancer Center, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
- Wisconsin Center for NanoBioSystems, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI 53705, USA
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Zhang J, Chen X, Chen C, Li F, Song X, Liu C, Liao K, Su MY, Tan CSH, Fang L, Rao H. Distinct Amino Acid-Based PROTACs Target Oncogenic Kinases for Degradation in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). J Med Chem 2024; 67:13666-13680. [PMID: 39114932 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00208] [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: 08/23/2024]
Abstract
Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) selectively eliminate detrimental proteins by exploiting the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), representing a promising therapeutic strategy against various diseases. Effective adaptations of degradation signal sequences and E3 ligases for PROTACs remain limited. Here, we employed three amino acids─Gly, Pro, and Lys─as the ligand to recruit the corresponding E3 ligases: CRL2ZYG11B/ZER1, GID4, and UBRs, to degrade EML4-ALK and mutant EGFR, two oncogenic drivers in NSCLC. We found that the extent of EML4-ALK and EGFR reduction can be easily fine-tuned by using different degradation signals. These amino acid-based PROTACs, termed AATacs, hindered proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis of NSCLC cells in vitro. Compared to other PROTACs, AATacs are small, interchangeable but with different degradation efficiency. Our study further expands the repertoire of E3 ligases and their ligands for PROTAC application, improving the versatility and utility of targeted protein degradation for therapeutic purposes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jianchao Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xiao Chen
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Congli Chen
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine, CAS-HK Joint Lab of Biomaterials, CAS Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging Science and System, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Fengming Li
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Xiaoxiao Song
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Chaowei Liu
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Kefan Liao
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Ming-Yuan Su
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Key University Laboratory of Metabolism and Health of Guangdong, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Institute for Biological Electron Microscopy, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Chris Soon Heng Tan
- Department of Chemistry, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Lijing Fang
- Guangdong Key Laboratory of Nanomedicine, CAS-HK Joint Lab of Biomaterials, CAS Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging Science and System, Institute of Biomedicine and Biotechnology, Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology (SIAT), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Hai Rao
- Department of Biochemistry, School of Medicine, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Key University Laboratory of Metabolism and Health of Guangdong, Southern University of Science and Technology, Shenzhen 518055, China
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Wu M, Wu Y, Jin Y, Mao X, Zeng S, Yu H, Zhang J, Jin Y, Wu Y, Xu T, Chen Y, Wang Y, Yao X, Che J, Huang W, Dong X. Discovery of an Exceptionally Orally Bioavailable and Potent HPK1 PROTAC with Enhancement of Antitumor Efficacy of Anti-PD-L1 Therapy. J Med Chem 2024; 67:13852-13878. [PMID: 39084610 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00644] [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: 08/02/2024]
Abstract
HPK1, a well-known negative regulator of T cell receptors, can cause T cell dysfunction when abnormally activated. In this study, a PROTAC C3 was designed and synthesized by optimizing the physicochemical properties of the warhead, linker, and CRBN ligand. C3 demonstrated significant HPK1 degradation with a DC50 of 21.26 nM, excellent oral absorption with a Cmax of 10,899.92 ng/mL, and a bioavailability (F %) of 81.7%. C3 also showed degradation selectivity and potent immune activation effects. Proteomic and WB analyses revealed that immune-activating effect of C3 is attributed to the inhibition of SLP76 and NF-κB signaling pathways, as well as the enhancement of MAPK signaling pathway transduction. In vivo efficacy study demonstrated that oral administration of C3 in combination with anti-PDL1 antibody significantly inhibited tumor growth (tumor growth inhibition = 65.58%). These findings suggest that C3, a novel HPK1 PROTAC, holds promise as a therapeutic agent for tumor immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingfei Wu
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Yiquan Wu
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Yuyuan Jin
- Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Xinfei Mao
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Shenxin Zeng
- Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Hengyuan Yu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery Systems of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Jingyu Zhang
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Yuheng Jin
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Yizhe Wu
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Tengfei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery Systems of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Yong Chen
- Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery Systems of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Yuwei Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712046, P. R. China
| | - Xiaojun Yao
- Centre for Artificial Intelligence Driven Drug Discovery, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, Macau 999078, P. R. China
| | - Jinxin Che
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Wenhai Huang
- Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Xiaowu Dong
- Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
- Cancer Center, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Second Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310009, P. R. China
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Feng Y, Hu X, Wang X. Targeted protein degradation in hematologic malignancies: clinical progression towards novel therapeutics. Biomark Res 2024; 12:85. [PMID: 39169396 PMCID: PMC11340087 DOI: 10.1186/s40364-024-00638-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2024] [Accepted: 08/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/23/2024] Open
Abstract
Targeted therapies, such as small molecule kinase inhibitors, have made significant progress in the treatment of hematologic malignancies by directly modulating protein activity. However, issues such as drug toxicity, drug resistance due to target mutations, and the absence of key active sites limit the therapeutic efficacy of these drugs. Targeted protein degradation (TPD) presents an emergent and rapidly evolving therapeutic approach that selectively targets proteins of interest (POI) based on endogenous degradation processes. With an event-driven pharmacology of action, TPD achieves efficacy with catalytic amounts, avoiding drug-related toxicity. Furthermore, TPD has the unique mode of degrading the entire POI, such that resistance derived from mutations in the targeted protein has less impact on its degradation function. Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) and molecular glue degraders (MGDs) are the most maturely developed TPD techniques. In this review, we focus on both preclinical experiments and clinical trials to provide a comprehensive summary of the safety and clinical effectiveness of PROTACs and MGDs in hematologic malignancies over the past two decades. In addition, we also delineate the challenges and opportunities associated with these burgeoning degradation techniques. TPD, as an approach to the precise degradation of specific proteins, provides an important impetus for its future application in the treatment of patients with hematologic malignancies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yupiao Feng
- Department of Hematology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, No.324, Jingwu Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, China
| | - Xinting Hu
- Department of Hematology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, No.324, Jingwu Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, China.
- Department of Hematology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, No.324, Jingwu Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, China.
| | - Xin Wang
- Department of Hematology, Shandong Provincial Hospital, Shandong University, No.324, Jingwu Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, China.
- Department of Hematology, Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong First Medical University, No.324, Jingwu Road, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, China.
- Taishan Scholars Program of Shandong Province, Jinan, Shandong, 250021, China.
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Martin PL, Pérez-Areales FJ, Rao SV, Walsh SJ, Carroll JS, Spring DR. Towards the Targeted Protein Degradation of PRMT1. ChemMedChem 2024; 19:e202400269. [PMID: 38724444 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202400269] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
Targeting the protein arginine methyltransferase 1 (PRMT1) has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy in cancer treatment. The phase 1 clinical trial for GSK3368715, the first PRMT1 inhibitor to enter the clinic, was terminated early due to a lack of clinical efficacy, extensive treatment-emergent effects, and dose-limiting toxicities. The incidence of the latter two events may be associated with inhibition-driven pharmacology as a high and sustained concentration of inhibitor is required for therapeutic effect. The degradation of PRMT1 using a proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) may be superior to inhibition as proceeds via event-driven pharmacology where a PROTAC acts catalytically at a low dose. PROTACs containing the same pharmacophore as GSK3368715, combined with a motif that recruits the VHL or CRBN E3-ligase, were synthesised. Suitable cell permeability and target engagement were shown for selected candidates by the detection of downstream effects of PRMT1 inhibition and by a NanoBRET assay for E3-ligase binding, however the candidates did not induce PRMT1 degradation. This paper is the first reported investigation of PRMT1 for targeted protein degradation and provides hypotheses and insights to assist the design of PROTACs for PRMT1 and other novel target proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poppy L Martin
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | | | - Shalini V Rao
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CH2 ORE, United Kingdom
| | - Stephen J Walsh
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
| | - Jason S Carroll
- Cancer Research UK, Cambridge Institute, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CH2 ORE, United Kingdom
| | - David R Spring
- Yusuf Hamied Department of Chemistry, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 1EW, United Kingdom
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Brodermann MH, Henderson EK, Sellar RS. The emerging role of targeted protein degradation to treat and study cancer. J Pathol 2024; 263:403-417. [PMID: 38886898 DOI: 10.1002/path.6301] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2024] [Revised: 04/18/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/20/2024]
Abstract
The evolution of cancer treatment has provided increasingly targeted strategies both in the upfront and relapsed disease settings. Small-molecule inhibitors and immunotherapy have risen to prominence with chimeric antigen receptor T-cells, checkpoint inhibitors, kinase inhibitors, and monoclonal antibody therapies being deployed across a range of solid organ and haematological malignancies. However, novel approaches are required to target transcription factors and oncogenic fusion proteins that are central to cancer biology and have generally eluded successful drug development. Thalidomide analogues causing protein degradation have been a cornerstone of treatment in multiple myeloma, but a lack of in-depth mechanistic understanding initially limited progress in the field. When the protein cereblon (CRBN) was found to mediate thalidomide analogues' action and CRBN's neo-targets were identified, existing and novel drug development accelerated, with applications outside multiple myeloma, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, myelodysplastic syndrome, and acute leukaemias. Critically, transcription factors were the first canonical targets described. In addition to broadening the application of protein-degrading drugs, resistance mechanisms are being overcome and targeted protein degradation is widening the scope of druggable proteins against which existing approaches have been ineffective. Examples of targeted protein degraders include molecular glues and proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs): heterobifunctional molecules that bind to proteins of interest and cause proximity-induced ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation via a linked E3 ligase. Twenty years since their inception, PROTACs have begun progressing through clinical trials, with early success in targeting the oestrogen receptor and androgen receptor in breast and prostate cancer respectively. This review explores important developments in targeted protein degradation to both treat and study cancer. It also considers the potential advantages and challenges in the translational aspects of developing new treatments. © 2024 The Author(s). The Journal of Pathology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of The Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Elizabeth K Henderson
- Department of Haematology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK
| | - Rob S Sellar
- Department of Haematology, UCL Cancer Institute, University College London, London, UK
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Ning Y, Zhu Z, Wang Y, Fan X, Wang J, Qian H, Qiu X, Wang Y. Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of RSL3-based GPX4 degraders with hydrophobic tags. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 277:116719. [PMID: 39094276 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/12/2024] [Revised: 07/17/2024] [Accepted: 07/25/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024]
Abstract
Ferroptosis is a new type of programmed cell death characterized by iron-dependent lipid peroxidation, during which glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) plays an essential role and is well-recognized as a promising therapeutic target for cancer treatment. Although some GPX4 degradation molecules have been developed to induce ferroptosis, the discovery of GPX4 degraders with hydrophobic tagging (HyT) as an innovative approach is more challenging. Herein, we designed and synthesized a series of HyT degraders by linking the GPX4 inhibitor RSL3 with a hydrophobic and bulky group of adamantane. Among them, compound R8 is a potent degrader (DC50, 24h = 0.019 μM) which can effectively degrade GPX4 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, compound R8 exhibited superior in vitro antitumor potency against HT1080 and MDA-MB-231 cell lines with IC50 values of 24 nM and 32 nM respectively, which are 4 times more potent than parental compound RSL3. Mechanistic investigation evidenced that R8 consumes GPX4 protein mainly through the ubiquitin proteasome (UPS) and enables to induce the accumulation of LPO, thereby triggering ferroptosis. Our work presented the novel GPX4 degrader of R8 by HyT strategy, and provided a promising pathway of degradation agents for the treatment of ferroptosis relevant diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yao Ning
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, 266237, PR China
| | - Zeqi Zhu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, 266237, PR China
| | - Yicheng Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, 266237, PR China
| | - Xuejing Fan
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, 266237, PR China
| | - Jing Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, 266237, PR China
| | - Huimei Qian
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, 266237, PR China
| | - Xue Qiu
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, 266237, PR China
| | - Yong Wang
- Key Laboratory of Marine Drugs, Chinese Ministry of Education, School of Medicine and Pharmacy, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266003, Shandong, PR China; Laboratory for Marine Drugs and Bioproducts, Qingdao Marine Science and Technology Center, Qingdao, 266237, PR China.
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11
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Xu M, Fu J, Pei Y, Li M, Kan W, Yan R, Xia C, Ma J, Wang P, Zhang Y, Gao Y, Yang Y, Zhou Y, Li J, Zhou B. Discovery of a Highly Potent, Selective and Efficacious USP7 Degrader for the Treatment of Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. J Med Chem 2024. [PMID: 39028938 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c01134] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/21/2024]
Abstract
USP7 is an attractive therapeutic target for cancers, especially for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) with wild-type p53. Herein, we report the discovery of XM-U-14 as a highly potent, selective and efficacious USP7 proteolysis-targeting chimera degrader. XM-U-14 achieves DC50 values of 0.74 nM and Dmax of 93% in inducing USP7 degradation in RS4;11 cell lines, and also significantly inhibits ALL cell growth. XM-U-14 even at 5 mg/kg dosed daily effectively inhibits RS4;11 tumor growth with 64.7% tumor regressions and causes no signs of toxicity in mice. XM-U-14 is a promising USP7 degrader for further optimization for ALL treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Miaomiao Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jingfeng Fu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yuan Pei
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Mengna Li
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Weijuan Kan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Ruyu Yan
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Chaoyue Xia
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Jingkun Ma
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
- Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsuihang New District, Zhongshan, Guangdong 528400, China
| | - Peipei Wang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yue Gao
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yaxi Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong 264117, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Yubo Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
- Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsuihang New District, Zhongshan, Guangdong 528400, China
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jia Li
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong 264117, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
- Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsuihang New District, Zhongshan, Guangdong 528400, China
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing 210023, China
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Bing Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 555 Zu Chong Zhi Road, Shanghai 201203, China
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai, Shandong 264117, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310024, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
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12
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Duan H, Zhang J, Gui R, Lu Y, Pang A, Chen B, Shen L, Yu H, Li J, Xu T, Wang Y, Yao X, Zhang B, Lin N, Dong X, Zhou Y, Che J. Discovery of a Highly Potent and Selective BRD9 PROTAC Degrader Based on E3 Binder Investigation for the Treatment of Hematological Tumors. J Med Chem 2024; 67:11326-11353. [PMID: 38913763 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.4c00883] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/26/2024]
Abstract
BRD9 is a pivotal epigenetic factor involved in cancers and inflammatory diseases. Still, the limited selectivity and poor phenotypic activity of targeted agents make it an atypically undruggable target. PROTAC offers an alternative strategy for overcoming the issue. In this study, we explored diverse E3 ligase ligands for the contribution of BRD9 PROTAC degradation. Through molecular docking, binding affinity analysis, and structure-activity relationship study, we identified a highly potent PROTAC E5, with excellent BRD9 degradation (DC50 = 16 pM) and antiproliferation in MV4-11 cells (IC50 = 0.27 nM) and OCI-LY10 cells (IC50 = 1.04 nM). E5 can selectively degrade BRD9 and induce cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Moreover, the therapeutic efficacy of E5 was confirmed in xenograft tumor models, accompanied by further RNA-seq analysis. Therefore, these results may pave the way and provide the reference for the discovery and investigation of highly effective PROTAC degraders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiting Duan
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Jingyu Zhang
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, P. R. China
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Hangzhou Geriatric Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, P. R. China
| | - Renzhao Gui
- Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsuihang New District, Zhongshan, Guangdong 528400, P. R. China
- School of Pharmacy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, P. R. China
| | - Yang Lu
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Ao Pang
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Beijing Chen
- Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsuihang New District, Zhongshan, Guangdong 528400, P. R. China
| | - Liteng Shen
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Hengyuan Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery Systems of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Jia Li
- Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsuihang New District, Zhongshan, Guangdong 528400, P. R. China
- School of Pharmacy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, P. R. China
- National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
- Shandong Laboratory of Yantai Drug Discovery, Bohai Rim Advanced Research Institute for Drug Discovery, Yantai 264117, P. R. China
| | - Tengfei Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery Systems of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Yuwei Wang
- College of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xianyang 712000, P. R. China
| | - Xiaojun Yao
- Centre for Artificial Intelligence Driven Drug Discovery, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Macao Polytechnic University, Macao 999078, P. R. China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, P. R. China
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Hangzhou Geriatric Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, P. R. China
| | - Nengming Lin
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou First People's Hospital, Cancer Center of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310006, P. R. China
- Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Hangzhou Geriatric Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, P. R. China
| | - Xiaowu Dong
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery Systems of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
| | - Yubo Zhou
- Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Tsuihang New District, Zhongshan, Guangdong 528400, P. R. China
- School of Pharmacy, Zunyi Medical University, Zunyi 563000, P. R. China
- National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, P. R. China
| | - Jinxin Che
- Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Delivery Systems of Zhejiang Province, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, P. R. China
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13
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Yan KN, Nie YQ, Wang JY, Yin GL, Liu Q, Hu H, Sun X, Chen XH. Accelerating PROTACs Discovery Through a Direct-to-Biology Platform Enabled by Modular Photoclick Chemistry. ADVANCED SCIENCE (WEINHEIM, BADEN-WURTTEMBERG, GERMANY) 2024; 11:e2400594. [PMID: 38689503 PMCID: PMC11234393 DOI: 10.1002/advs.202400594] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 04/02/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) have emerged as a promising strategy for drug discovery and exploring protein functions, offering a revolutionary therapeutic modality. Currently, the predominant approach to PROTACs discovery mainly relies on an empirical design-synthesis-evaluation process involving numerous cycles of labor-intensive synthesis-purification and bioassay data collection. Therefore, the development of innovative methods to expedite PROTAC synthesis and exploration of chemical space remains highly desired. Here, a direct-to-biology strategy is reported to streamline the synthesis of PROTAC libraries on plates, enabling the seamless transfer of reaction products to cell-based bioassays without the need for additional purification. By integrating amide coupling and light-induced primary amines and o-nitrobenzyl alcohols cyclization (PANAC) photoclick chemistry into a plate-based synthetic process, this strategy produces PROTAC libraries with high efficiency and structural diversity. Moreover, by employing this platform for PROTACs screening, we smoothly found potent PROTACs effectively inhibit triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell growth and induce rapid, selective targeted degradation of cyclin-dependent kinase 9 (CDK9). The study introduces a versatile platform for assembling PROTACs on plates, followed by direct biological evaluation. This approach provides a promising opportunity for high-throughput synthesis of PROTAC libraries, thereby enhancing the efficiency of exploring chemical space and accelerating the discovery of PROTACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke-Nian Yan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Yong-Qiang Nie
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang, 330013, China
| | - Jia-Yu Wang
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
| | - Guang-Liang Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
| | - Qia Liu
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, China
| | - Hao Hu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
| | - Xiaoxia Sun
- Jiangxi Key Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Jiangxi Science and Technology Normal University, Nanchang, 330013, China
| | - Xiao-Hua Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100049, China
- School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, 310024, China
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14
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Wang S, Feng Z, Qu C, Yu S, Zhang H, Deng R, Luo D, Pu C, Zhang Y, Li R. Novel Amphiphilic PROTAC with Enhanced Pharmacokinetic Properties for ALK Protein Degradation. J Med Chem 2024; 67:9842-9856. [PMID: 38839424 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02340] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2024]
Abstract
Advancements in anticancer strategies spotlight proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology, yet it is hindered by poor water solubility and bioavailability. This study introduces a novel amphiphilic PROTAC, B1-PEG, synthesized through PEGylation of an optimized PROTAC molecule, B1, to enhance its properties. B1-PEG is engineered to self-organize into micelles in water and releases its active form in response to the tumor-specific high GSH environment. Comparative pharmacokinetic analysis revealed B1-PEG's superior bioavailability at 84.8%, outperforming the unmodified PROTAC molecule B1. When tested in a H3122 xenograft mouse model, B1-PEG significantly regressed tumors, underscoring its potential as a formidable candidate in targeted cancer therapy. Our findings offer a promising direction for overcoming bioavailability limitations in PROTAC drug design.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shirui Wang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Zhanzhan Feng
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Can Qu
- State Key Laboratory of Southwestern Chinese Medicine Resources, School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu 611137, China
| | - Su Yu
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Hongjia Zhang
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Rui Deng
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Dan Luo
- Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital of Sichuan University, Chengdu 610031, China
| | - Chunlan Pu
- Medical Research Center, The Third People's Hospital of Chengdu, The Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Jiaotong University, The Second Chengdu Hospital Affiliated to Chongqing Medical University, Chengdu 610031, China
| | - Yan Zhang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
- Lung Cancer Center/Lung Cancer Institute, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, China
| | - Rui Li
- Department of Biotherapy, Cancer Center and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, China
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15
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Su LY, Tian Y, Zheng Q, Cao Y, Yao M, Wang S, Xu W, Xi C, Clocchiatti A, Nie G, Zhou H. Anti-tumor immunotherapy using engineered bacterial outer membrane vesicles fused to lysosome-targeting chimeras mediated by transferrin receptor. Cell Chem Biol 2024; 31:1219-1230.e5. [PMID: 38309277 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2024.01.002] [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: 07/17/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 02/05/2024]
Abstract
The lysosome-targeting chimera (LYTAC) approach has shown promise for the targeted degradation of secreted and membrane proteins via lysosomes. However, there have been challenges in design, development, and targeting. Here, we have designed a genetically engineered transferrin receptor (TfR)-mediated lysosome-targeting chimera (TfR-LYTAC) that is efficiently internalized via TfR-mediate endocytosis and targets PD-L1 for lysosomal degradation in cultured cells but not in vivo due to short half-life and poor tumor targeting. A delivery platform was developed by fusing TfR-LYTAC to the surface of bacterial outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). The engineered OMV-LYTAC combines PD-1/PD-L1 pathway inhibition with LYTAC and immune activation by bacterial OMVs. OMV-LYTAC significantly reduced tumor growth in vivo. We have provided a modular and simple genetic strategy for lysosomal degradation as well as a delivery platform for in vivo tumor targeting. The study paves the way for the targeting and degradation of extracellular proteins using the TfR-LYTAC system.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ling-Yan Su
- College of Food Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, No. 452 Fengyuan Road, Kunming 650000, China; Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Nutrition and Personalized Food Manufacturing, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650000, China
| | - Yang Tian
- College of Food Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, No. 452 Fengyuan Road, Kunming 650000, China; Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Nutrition and Personalized Food Manufacturing, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650000, China
| | - Qiang Zheng
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The First People Hospital of Yunnan Province, Xishan District, No.157 Jinbi Road, Kunming 650032, China
| | - Yu Cao
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The First People Hospital of Yunnan Province, Xishan District, No.157 Jinbi Road, Kunming 650032, China
| | - Mengyu Yao
- Department of Cardiovascular Surgery, The First People Hospital of Yunnan Province, Xishan District, No.157 Jinbi Road, Kunming 650032, China
| | - Shuangping Wang
- College of Food Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, No. 452 Fengyuan Road, Kunming 650000, China
| | - Wen Xu
- College of Food Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, No. 452 Fengyuan Road, Kunming 650000, China
| | - Chuyu Xi
- College of Food Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, No. 452 Fengyuan Road, Kunming 650000, China
| | - Andrea Clocchiatti
- Department of Dermatology, Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, USA
| | - Guangjun Nie
- CAS Key Laboratory for Biomedical Effects of Nanomaterials and Nanosafety & CAS Center for Excellence in Nanoscience, National Center for Nanoscience and Technology of China, 11 Beiyitiao, Zhongguancun, Beijing 100190, China; Center of Materials Science and Optoelectronics Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Hejiang Zhou
- College of Food Science and Technology, Yunnan Agricultural University, No. 452 Fengyuan Road, Kunming 650000, China; Yunnan Provincial Key Laboratory of Precision Nutrition and Personalized Food Manufacturing, Yunnan Agricultural University, Kunming 650000, China.
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16
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Su Y, Ngea GLN, Wang K, Lu Y, Godana EA, Ackah M, Yang Q, Zhang H. Deciphering the mechanism of E3 ubiquitin ligases in plant responses to abiotic and biotic stresses and perspectives on PROTACs for crop resistance. PLANT BIOTECHNOLOGY JOURNAL 2024. [PMID: 38864414 DOI: 10.1111/pbi.14407] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/27/2024] [Indexed: 06/13/2024]
Abstract
With global climate change, it is essential to find strategies to make crops more resistant to different stresses and guarantee food security worldwide. E3 ubiquitin ligases are critical regulatory elements that are gaining importance due to their role in selecting proteins for degradation in the ubiquitin-proteasome proteolysis pathway. The role of E3 Ub ligases has been demonstrated in numerous cellular processes in plants responding to biotic and abiotic stresses. E3 Ub ligases are considered a class of proteins that are difficult to control by conventional inhibitors, as they lack a standard active site with pocket, and their biological activity is mainly due to protein-protein interactions with transient conformational changes. Proteolysis-targeted chimeras (PROTACs) are a new class of heterobifunctional molecules that have emerged in recent years as relevant alternatives for incurable human diseases like cancer because they can target recalcitrant proteins for destruction. PROTACs interact with the ubiquitin-proteasome system, principally the E3 Ub ligase in the cell, and facilitate proteasome turnover of the proteins of interest. PROTAC strategies harness the essential functions of E3 Ub ligases for proteasomal degradation of proteins involved in dysfunction. This review examines critical advances in E3 Ub ligase research in plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. It highlights how PROTACs can be applied to target proteins involved in plant stress response to mitigate pathogenic agents and environmental adversities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingying Su
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Guillaume Legrand Ngolong Ngea
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
- Institute of Fisheries Sciences, University of Douala, Douala, Cameroon
| | - Kaili Wang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Yuchun Lu
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Esa Abiso Godana
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Michael Ackah
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Qiya Yang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Hongyin Zhang
- School of Food and Biological Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
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17
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Yao X, Mao J, Zhang H, Xiao Y, Wang Y, Liu H. Development of novel N-aryl-2,4-bithiazole-2-amine-based CYP1B1 degraders for reversing drug resistance. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 272:116488. [PMID: 38733885 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116488] [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: 01/25/2024] [Revised: 05/07/2024] [Accepted: 05/07/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024]
Abstract
Extrahepatic cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1), which is highly expressed in non-small cell lung cancer, is an attractive target for cancer prevention, therapy, and overcoming drug resistance. Historically, CYP1B1 inhibition has been the primary therapeutic approach for treating CYP1B1-related malignancies, but its success has been limited. This study introduced CYP1B1 degradation as an alternative strategy to counter drug resistance and metastasis in CYP1B1-overexpressing non-small cell lung cancer A549/Taxol cells via a PROTAC strategy. Our investigation revealed that the identification of the potent CYP1B1 degrader PV2, achieving DC50 values of 1.0 nM and inducing >90 % CYP1B1 degradation at concentrations as low as 10 nM in A549/Taxol cells. Importantly, PV2 enhanced the sensitivity of the A549/Taxol subline to Taxol, possibly due to its stronger inhibitory effects on P-gp through CYP1B1 degradation. Additionally, compared to the CYP1B1 inhibitor A1, PV2 effectively suppressed the migration and invasion of A549/Taxol cells by inhibiting the FAK/SRC and EMT pathways. These findings hold promise for a novel therapy targeting advanced CYP1B1+ non-small cell lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiaoxuan Yao
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, 110016, Liaoning, PR China
| | - Jianping Mao
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, 110016, Liaoning, PR China
| | - Haoyu Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, 110016, Liaoning, PR China
| | - Yi Xiao
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, 110016, Liaoning, PR China
| | - Yongjun Wang
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, 110016, Liaoning, PR China.
| | - Hongzhuo Liu
- Wuya College of Innovation, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, 103 Wenhua Road, Shenhe District, Shenyang, 110016, Liaoning, PR China.
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18
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Guan T, Zhang Y, Li S, Zhang W, Song Y, Li Y, He Y, Chen Y. Discovery of an efficacious KDM5B PROTAC degrader GT-653 up-regulating IFN response genes in prostate cancer. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 272:116494. [PMID: 38749268 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2024] [Revised: 05/09/2024] [Accepted: 05/09/2024] [Indexed: 05/27/2024]
Abstract
Epigenetic alterations promote cancer development by regulating the expression of various oncogenes and anti-oncogenes. Histone methylation modification represents a pivotal area in epigenetic research and numerous publications have demonstrated that aberrant histone methylation is highly correlated with tumorigenesis and development. As a key histone demethylase, lysine-specific demethylase 5B (KDM5B) demethylates lysine 4 of histone 3 (H3K4) and serves as a transcriptional repressor of certain tumor suppressor genes. Meanwhile, KDM5B inhibits STING-induced intrinsic immune response of tumor cells or recruits SETDB1 through non-enzymatic function to silence reverse transcription elements to promote immune escape. The conventional small molecule inhibitors can only inhibit the enzymatic function of KDM5B with no effect on the non-enzymatic function. In the article, we present the development of the first series of KDM5B degraders based on CPI-455 to inhibit the non-enzymatic function. Among them, GT-653 showed optimal KDM5B degradation efficiency in a ubiquitin proteasome-dependent manner. GT-653 efficiently reduced KDM5B protein levels without affecting KDM5B transcription. Interestingly, GT-653 increased H3K4me3 levels and activated the type-I interferon signaling pathway in 22RV1 cells without significant phenotypic response on cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian Guan
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yingshuang Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Shen Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Wenbao Zhang
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yuxuan Song
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yuzhan Li
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yundong He
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
| | - Yihua Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China; School of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Yunnan Key Laboratory of Pharmacology for Natural Products, Kunming Medical University, Kunming, Yunnan, 650500, China.
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19
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Tian Y, Seifermann M, Bauer L, Luchena C, Wiedmann JJ, Schmidt S, Geisel A, Afonin S, Höpfner J, Brehm M, Liu X, Hopf C, Popova AA, Levkin PA. High-Throughput Miniaturized Synthesis of PROTAC-Like Molecules. SMALL (WEINHEIM AN DER BERGSTRASSE, GERMANY) 2024; 20:e2307215. [PMID: 38258390 DOI: 10.1002/smll.202307215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2023] [Revised: 01/03/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024]
Abstract
The development of miniaturized high-throughput in situ screening platforms capable of handling the entire process of drug synthesis to final screening is essential for advancing drug discovery in the future. In this study, an approach based on combinatorial solid-phase synthesis, enabling the efficient synthesis of libraries of proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) in an array format is presented. This on-chip platform allows direct biological screening without the need for transfer steps. UV-induced release of target molecules into individual droplets facilitates further on-chip experimentation. Utilizing a mitogen-activated protein kinase kinases (MEK1/2) degrader as a template, a series of 132 novel PROTAC-like molecules is synthesized using solid-phase Ugi reaction. These compounds are further characterized using various methods, including matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI-MS) imaging, while consuming only a few milligrams of starting materials in total. Furthermore, the feasibility of culturing cancer cells on the modified spots and quantifying the effect of MEK suppression is demonstrated. The miniaturized synthesis platform lays a foundation for high-throughput in situ biological screening of potent PROTACs for potential anticancer activity and offers the potential for accelerating the drug discovery process by integrating miniaturized synthesis and biological steps on the same array.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Tian
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Wenhuaxi Road 44, Jinan, 250012, China
- Department of Immunology, Key Laboratory for Experimental Teratology of Ministry of Education, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Infection & Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Shandong University, Wenhuaxi Road 44, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Maximilian Seifermann
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Liana Bauer
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Charlotte Luchena
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Janne J Wiedmann
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Stefan Schmidt
- Center for Mass Spectrometry and Optical Spectroscopy (CeMOS), University of Applied Sciences Mannheim, Paul-Wittsack-Straße 10, 68163, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Alexander Geisel
- Center for Mass Spectrometry and Optical Spectroscopy (CeMOS), University of Applied Sciences Mannheim, Paul-Wittsack-Straße 10, 68163, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Sergii Afonin
- Institute of Biological Interfaces (IBG-2), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), POB 3640, 76021, Karlsruhe, Germany
| | - Julius Höpfner
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Marius Brehm
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Xinyong Liu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Shandong University, Wenhuaxi Road 44, Jinan, 250012, China
| | - Carsten Hopf
- Center for Mass Spectrometry and Optical Spectroscopy (CeMOS), University of Applied Sciences Mannheim, Paul-Wittsack-Straße 10, 68163, Mannheim, Germany
- Medical Faculty, Heidelberg University, Im Neuenheimer Feld 280, 69117, Heidelberg, Germany
- Mannheim Center for Translational Neuroscience (MCTN), Medical Faculty Mannheim, Heidelberg University, Theodor Kutzer-Ufer 1-3, 68167, Mannheim, Germany
| | - Anna A Popova
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
| | - Pavel A Levkin
- Institute of Biological and Chemical Systems-Functional Molecular Systems (IBCS-FMS), Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT), Hermann-von Helmholtz-Platz 1, 76344, Eggenstein-Leopoldshafen, Germany
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20
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Bricelj A, Dora Ng YL, Gobec M, Kuchta R, Hu W, Javornik Š, Rožič M, Gütschow M, Zheng G, Krönke J, Steinebach C, Sosič I. Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of BCL-2 Targeting PROTACs. Chemistry 2024:e202400430. [PMID: 38818652 DOI: 10.1002/chem.202400430] [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: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 05/26/2024] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
BCL-2, a member of the BCL-2 protein family, is an antiapoptotic factor that regulates the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis. Due to its aberrant activity, it is frequently implicated in haematopoietic cancers and represents an attractive target for the development of therapeutics that antagonize its activity. A selective BCL-2 inhibitor, venetoclax, was approved for treating chronic lymphocytic leukaemia, acute myeloid leukemia, and other haematologic malignancies, validating BCL-2 as an anticancer target. Since then, alternative therapeutic approaches to modulate the activity of BCL-2 have been explored, such as antibody-drug conjugates and proteolysis-targeting chimeras. Despite numerous research groups focusing on developing degraders of BCL-2 family member proteins, selective BCL-2 PROTACs remain elusive, as disclosed compounds only show dual BCL-xL/BCL-2 degradation. Herein, we report our efforts to develop BCL-2 degraders by incorporating two BCL-2 binding moieties into chimeric compounds that aim to hijack one of three E3 ligases: CRBN, VHL, and IAPs. Even though our project did not result in obtaining a potent and selective BCL-2 PROTAC, our research will aid in understanding the narrow chemical space of BCL-2 degraders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleša Bricelj
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva cesta 7, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Yuen Lam Dora Ng
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Cancer Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, D-12203, Berlin, Germany
| | - Martina Gobec
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva cesta 7, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Robert Kuchta
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, D-53121, Bonn, Germany
| | - Wanyi Hu
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, 32610, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Špela Javornik
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva cesta 7, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Miha Rožič
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva cesta 7, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Michael Gütschow
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, D-53121, Bonn, Germany
| | - Guangrong Zheng
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Florida, 32610, Gainesville, FL, USA
| | - Jan Krönke
- Department of Hematology, Oncology and Cancer Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Hindenburgdamm 30, D-12203, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Steinebach
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Department of Pharmaceutical & Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, An der Immenburg 4, D-53121, Bonn, Germany
| | - Izidor Sosič
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Aškerčeva cesta 7, SI-1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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21
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Wang J, Wang Y, Yang F, Luo Q, Hou Z, Xing Y, Lu F, Li Z, Yin F. A Novel Lysosome Targeting Chimera for Targeted Protein Degradation via Split-and-Mix Strategy. ACS Chem Biol 2024; 19:1161-1168. [PMID: 38662199 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.4c00092] [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: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation is becoming more and more important in the field of drug development. Compared with proteasomal-based degraders, lysosomal-based degraders have a broader target spectrum of targets, which have been demonstrated to have great potential, especially in degrading undruggable proteins. Recently, we developed a programmable and facile screening PROTAC development platform based on peptide self-assembly termed split-and-mix PROTAC (SM-PROTAC). In this study, we applied this technology for the development of lysosome-based degraders, named a split-and-mix chaperone-mediated autophagy-based degrader (SM-CMAD). We successfully demonstrated SM-CMAD as a universal platform by degrading several targets, including ERα, AR, MEK1/2, and BCR-ABL. Different from other lysosomal-based degraders, SM-CMAD was capable of facile screening with programmable ligand ratios. We believe that our work will promote the development of other multifunctional molecules and clinical translation for lysosomal-based degraders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinpeng Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yuechen Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | | | - Qinhong Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Department of Pharmacy, Shenzhen Second People's Hospital (Shenzhen Institute of Translational Medicine), Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen 518060, China
| | - Zhanfeng Hou
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Yun Xing
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Fei Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
| | - Zigang Li
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518118, China
| | - Feng Yin
- State Key Laboratory of Chemical Oncogenomics, School of Chemical Biology and Biotechnology, Peking University Shenzhen Graduate School, Shenzhen 518055, China
- Pingshan Translational Medicine Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen 518118, China
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22
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Liu L, Parolia A, Liu Y, Hou C, He T, Qiao Y, Eyunni S, Luo J, Li C, Wang Y, Zhou F, Huang W, Ren X, Wang Z, Chinnaiyan AM, Ding K. Discovery of LLC0424 as a Potent and Selective in Vivo NSD2 PROTAC Degrader. J Med Chem 2024; 67:6938-6951. [PMID: 38687638 PMCID: PMC11094793 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01765] [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: 09/22/2023] [Revised: 04/13/2024] [Accepted: 04/19/2024] [Indexed: 05/02/2024]
Abstract
Nuclear receptor-binding SET domain-containing 2 (NSD2), a methyltransferase that primarily installs the dimethyl mark on lysine 36 of histone 3 (H3K36me2), has been recognized as a promising therapeutic target against cancer. However, existing NSD2 inhibitors suffer from low activity or inferior selectivity, and none of them can simultaneously remove the methyltransferase activity and chromatin binding function of NSD2. Herein we report the discovery of a novel NSD2 degrader LLC0424 by leveraging the proteolysis-targeting chimera technology. LLC0424 potently degraded NSD2 protein with a DC50 value of 20 nM and a Dmax value of 96% in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) RPMI-8402 cells. Mechanistic studies revealed LLC0424 to selectively induce NSD2 degradation in a cereblon- and proteasome-dependent fashion. LLC0424 also caused continuous downregulation of H3K36me2 and growth inhibition of ALL cell lines with NSD2 mutation. Importantly, intravenous or intraperitoneal injection of LLC0424 showed potent NSD2 degradation in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lianchao Liu
- State
Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai
Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, no. 345 Lingling Road., Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China
| | - Abhijit Parolia
- Michigan
Center for Translational Pathology, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department
of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Rogel
Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department
of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Yihan Liu
- Michigan
Center for Translational Pathology, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Cancer
Biology
Program, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Caiyun Hou
- International
Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization
and Innovative Drug Discovery of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE),
Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development,
College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 855 Xingye Avenue East, Guangzhou 511400, People’s Republic of China
| | - Tongchen He
- Michigan
Center for Translational Pathology, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Yuanyuan Qiao
- Michigan
Center for Translational Pathology, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department
of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Sanjana Eyunni
- Michigan
Center for Translational Pathology, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department
of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Molecular
and Cellular Pathology Program, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Jie Luo
- Michigan
Center for Translational Pathology, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department
of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Chungen Li
- State
Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai
Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, no. 345 Lingling Road., Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China
| | - Yongxing Wang
- Livzon
Research Institute, Livzon Pharmaceutical
Group Inc., no. 38 Chuangye North Road, Jinwan District, Zhuhai 519000, China
| | - Fengtao Zhou
- International
Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization
and Innovative Drug Discovery of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE),
Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development,
College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 855 Xingye Avenue East, Guangzhou 511400, People’s Republic of China
| | - Weixue Huang
- State
Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai
Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, no. 345 Lingling Road., Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China
| | - Xiaomei Ren
- State
Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai
Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, no. 345 Lingling Road., Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China
| | - Zhen Wang
- State
Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai
Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, no. 345 Lingling Road., Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China
| | - Arul M. Chinnaiyan
- Michigan
Center for Translational Pathology, University
of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department
of Pathology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Rogel
Cancer Center, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Department
of Urology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
- Howard
Hughes Medical Institute, University of
Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48109, United States
| | - Ke Ding
- State
Key Laboratory of Chemical Biology, Shanghai
Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, no. 345 Lingling Road., Shanghai 200032, People’s Republic of China
- International
Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization
and Innovative Drug Discovery of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE),
Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development,
College of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 855 Xingye Avenue East, Guangzhou 511400, People’s Republic of China
- Hangzhou Institute
of Medicine (HlM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
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23
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Mslati H, Gentile F, Pandey M, Ban F, Cherkasov A. PROTACable Is an Integrative Computational Pipeline of 3-D Modeling and Deep Learning To Automate the De Novo Design of PROTACs. J Chem Inf Model 2024; 64:3034-3046. [PMID: 38504115 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01878] [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: 03/21/2024]
Abstract
Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) that engage two biological targets at once are a promising technology in degrading clinically relevant protein targets. Since factors that influence the biological activities of PROTACs are more complex than those of a small molecule drug, we explored a combination of computational chemistry and deep learning strategies to forecast PROTAC activity and enable automated design. A new method named PROTACable was developed for the de novo design of PROTACs, which includes a robust 3-D modeling workflow to model PROTAC ternary complexes using a library of E3 ligase and linker and an SE(3)-equivariant graph transformer network to predict the activity of newly designed PROTACs. PROTACable is available at https://github.com/giaguaro/PROTACable/.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hazem Mslati
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6H 3Z6, Canada
| | - Francesco Gentile
- Department of Chemistry and Biomolecular Sciences, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
- Ottawa Institute of Systems Biology, Ottawa, Ontario K1N 6N5, Canada
| | - Mohit Pandey
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6H 3Z6, Canada
| | - Fuqiang Ban
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6H 3Z6, Canada
| | - Artem Cherkasov
- Vancouver Prostate Centre, The University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia V6H 3Z6, Canada
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24
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Giardina SF, Valdambrini E, Singh PK, Bacolod MD, Babu-Karunakaran G, Peel M, Warren JD, Barany F. Combinatorial Ubiquitination REal-time PROteolysis (CURE-PROs): A Modular Platform for Generating Reversible, Self-Assembling Bifunctional Targeted Degraders. J Med Chem 2024; 67:5473-5501. [PMID: 38554135 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02097] [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: 04/01/2024]
Abstract
Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) are bifunctional molecules that bring a target protein and an E3 ubiquitin ligase into proximity to append ubiquitin, thus directing target degradation. Although numerous PROTACs have entered clinical trials, their development remains challenging, and their large size can produce poor drug-like properties. To overcome these limitations, we have modified our Coferon platform to generate Combinatorial Ubiquitination REal-time PROteolysis (CURE-PROs). CURE-PROs are small molecule degraders designed to self-assemble through reversible bio-orthogonal linkers to form covalent heterodimers. By modifying known ligands for Cereblon, MDM2, VHL, and BRD with complementary phenylboronic acid and diol/catechol linkers, we have successfully created CURE-PROs that direct degradation of BRD4 both in vitro and in vivo. The combinatorial nature of our platform significantly reduces synthesis time and effort to identify the optimal linker length and E3 ligase partner to each target and is readily amenable to screening for new targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah F Giardina
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Elena Valdambrini
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Pradeep K Singh
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Manny D Bacolod
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | | | - Michael Peel
- MRP Pharma LLC, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514, United States
| | - J David Warren
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10065, United States
| | - Francis Barany
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, New York, New York 10065, United States
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25
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Begovich K, Schoolmeesters A, Rajapakse N, Martinez-Terroba E, Kumar M, Shakya A, Lai C, Greene S, Whitefield B, Okano A, Mali V, Huang S, Chourasia AH, Fung L. Cereblon-based Bifunctional Degrader of SOS1, BTX-6654, Targets Multiple KRAS Mutations and Inhibits Tumor Growth. Mol Cancer Ther 2024; 23:407-420. [PMID: 38224565 DOI: 10.1158/1535-7163.mct-23-0513] [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: 08/07/2023] [Revised: 10/12/2023] [Accepted: 01/11/2024] [Indexed: 01/17/2024]
Abstract
Mutations within the oncogene KRAS drive an estimated 25% of all cancers. Only allele-specific KRAS G12C inhibitors are currently available and are associated with the emergence of acquired resistance, partly due to upstream pathway reactivation. Given its upstream role in the activation of KRAS, son of sevenless homolog 1 (SOS1), has emerged as an attractive therapeutic target. Agents that target SOS1 for degradation could represent a potential pan-KRAS modality that may be capable of circumventing certain acquired resistance mechanisms. Here, we report the development of two SOS1 cereblon-based bifunctional degraders, BTX-6654 and BTX-7312, cereblon-based bifunctional SOS1 degraders. Both compounds exhibited potent target-dependent and -specific SOS1 degradation. BTX-6654 and BTX-7312 reduced downstream signaling markers, pERK and pS6, and displayed antiproliferative activity in cells harboring various KRAS mutations. In two KRAS G12C xenograft models, BTX-6654 degraded SOS1 in a dose-dependent manner correlating with tumor growth inhibition, additionally exhibiting synergy with KRAS and MEK inhibitors. Altogether, BTX-6654 provided preclinical proof of concept for single-agent and combination use of bifunctional SOS1 degraders in KRAS-driven cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Chon Lai
- BioTheryx, Inc., San Diego, California
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Leah Fung
- BioTheryx, Inc., San Diego, California
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26
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Guo Y, Li X, Xie Y, Wang Y. What influences the activity of Degrader-Antibody conjugates (DACs). Eur J Med Chem 2024; 268:116216. [PMID: 38387330 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116216] [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: 12/12/2023] [Revised: 01/23/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 02/24/2024]
Abstract
The targeted protein degradation (TPD) technology employing proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) has been widely applied in drug chemistry and chemical biology for the treatment of cancer and other diseases. PROTACs have demonstrated significant advantages in targeting undruggable targets and overcoming drug resistance. However, despite the efficient degradation of targeted proteins achieved by PROTACs, they still face challenges related to selectivity between normal and cancer cells, as well as issues with poor membrane permeability due to their substantial molecular weight. Additionally, the noteworthy toxicity resulting from off-target effects also needs to be addressed. To solve these issues, Degrader-Antibody Conjugates (DACs) have been developed, leveraging the targeting and internalization capabilities of antibodies. In this review, we elucidates the characteristics and distinctions between DACs, and traditional Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Meanwhile, we emphasizes the significance of DACs in facilitating the delivery of PROTACs and delves into the impact of various components on DAC activity. These components include antibody targets, drug-antibody ratio (DAR), linker types, PROTACs targets, PROTACs connections, and E3 ligase ligands. The review also explores the suitability of different targets (antibody targets or PROTACs targets) for DACs, providing insights to guide the design of PROTACs better suited for antibody conjugation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaolin Guo
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China; Frontiers Medical Center, Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, Chengdu, 610212, Sichuan, China
| | - Xiaoxue Li
- Department of Dermatology, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yang Xie
- Frontiers Medical Center, Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, Chengdu, 610212, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuxi Wang
- Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China; Frontiers Medical Center, Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, Chengdu, 610212, Sichuan, China.
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27
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Zhu W, Zhang W, Chen J, Tong Y, Xu F, Pang J. Discovery of Effective Dual PROTAC Degraders for Neurodegenerative Disease-Associated Aggregates. J Med Chem 2024; 67:3448-3466. [PMID: 38356330 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01719] [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: 02/16/2024]
Abstract
The aggregation of specific proteins is a histopathological hallmark in various neurodegenerative diseases (NDs), among which Alpha-synuclein (α-Syn) and tau have received increased attention. The targeted protein degradation (TPD) strategy has been studied in the treatment of NDs, but multitarget bifunctional molecules have been ignored. Herein, a series of effective dual PROTAC degraders were developed, which could degrade α-Syn aggregates and total tau simultaneously. The degradation effects were evaluated in vitro, and the results showed that T3 could significantly knockdown α-Syn aggregates and total tau in the degradation efficiency with DC50 of 1.57 ± 0.55 and 4.09 ± 0.90 μM, respectively. Further mechanistic exploration showed that the degradation effect was mediated by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). Additionally, the therapeutic efficacy of T3 was confirmed in an MPTP-induced PD mouse model. Our results suggest that these dual PROTACs may provide a potential therapeutic strategy for NDs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wentao Zhu
- School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wenqian Zhang
- School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jian Chen
- School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Yichen Tong
- School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Fang Xu
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization & Innovative Drug Development of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE) & Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jiyan Pang
- School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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28
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Cheng-Sánchez I, Gosselé KA, Palaferri L, Kirillova MS, Nevado C. Discovery and Characterization of Active CBP/EP300 Degraders Targeting the HAT Domain. ACS Med Chem Lett 2024; 15:355-361. [PMID: 38505842 PMCID: PMC10945562 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00490] [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: 11/07/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/13/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
Proteolysis Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) are bifunctional molecules that simultaneously bind an E3 ligase and a protein of interest, inducing degradation of the latter via the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Here we present the development of degraders targeting CREB-binding protein (CBP) and E1A-associated protein (EP300)-two homologous multidomain enzymes crucial for enhancer-mediated transcription. Our PROTAC campaign focused on CPI-1612, a reported inhibitor of the histone acetyltransferase (HAT) domain of these two proteins. A novel asymmetric synthesis of this ligand was devised, while PROTAC-SAR was explored by measuring degradation, target engagement, and ternary complex formation in cellulo. Our study demonstrates that engagement of Cereblon (CRBN) and a sufficiently long linker between the E3 and CBP/EP300 binders (≥21 atoms) are required for PROTAC-mediated degradation using CPI-1612 resulting in a new active PROTAC dCE-1. Lessons learned from this campaign, particularly the importance of cell-based assays to understand the reasons underlying PROTAC performance, are likely applicable to other targets to assist the development of degraders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iván Cheng-Sánchez
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Katherine A. Gosselé
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Leonardo Palaferri
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Mariia S. Kirillova
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Cristina Nevado
- Department
of Chemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, CH-8057 Zurich, Switzerland
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29
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Liang X, Ren H, Han F, Liang R, Zhao J, Liu H. The new direction of drug development: Degradation of undruggable targets through targeting chimera technology. Med Res Rev 2024; 44:632-685. [PMID: 37983964 DOI: 10.1002/med.21992] [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: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Imbalances in protein and noncoding RNA levels in vivo lead to the occurrence of many diseases. In addition to the use of small molecule inhibitors and agonists to restore these imbalances, recently emerged targeted degradation technologies provide a new direction for disease treatment. Targeted degradation technology directly degrades target proteins or RNA by utilizing the inherent degradation pathways, thereby eliminating the functions of pathogenic proteins (or RNA) to treat diseases. Compared with traditional therapies, targeted degradation technology which avoids the principle of traditional inhibitor occupation drive, has higher efficiency and selectivity, and widely expands the range of drug targets. It is one of the most promising and hottest areas for future drug development. Herein, we systematically introduced the in vivo degradation systems applied to degrader design: ubiquitin-proteasome system, lysosomal degradation system, and RNA degradation system. We summarized the development progress, structural characteristics, and limitations of novel chimeric design technologies based on different degradation systems. In addition, due to the lack of clear ligand-binding pockets, about 80% of disease-associated proteins cannot be effectively intervened with through traditional therapies. We deeply elucidated how to use targeted degradation technology to discover and design molecules for representative undruggable targets including transcription factors, small GTPases, and phosphatases. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive and systematic overview of targeted degradation technology-related research advances and a new guidance for the chimeric design of undruggable targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuewu Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Hairu Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fengyang Han
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Renwen Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiayan Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
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30
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Errani F, Invernizzi A, Herok M, Bochenkova E, Stamm F, Corbeski I, Romanucci V, Di Fabio G, Zálešák F, Caflisch A. Proteolysis Targeting Chimera Degraders of the METTL3-14 m 6A-RNA Methyltransferase. JACS AU 2024; 4:713-729. [PMID: 38425900 PMCID: PMC10900215 DOI: 10.1021/jacsau.4c00040] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 02/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/02/2024]
Abstract
Methylation of adenine N6 (m6A) is the most frequent RNA modification. On mRNA, it is catalyzed by the METTL3-14 heterodimer complex, which plays a key role in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and other types of blood cancers and solid tumors. Here, we disclose the first proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) for an epitranscriptomics protein. For designing the PROTACs, we made use of the crystal structure of the complex of METTL3-14 with a potent and selective small-molecule inhibitor (called UZH2). The optimization of the linker started from a desfluoro precursor of UZH2 whose synthesis is more efficient than that of UZH2. The first nine PROTAC molecules featured PEG- or alkyl-based linkers, but only the latter showed cell penetration. With this information in hand, we synthesized 26 PROTACs based on UZH2 and alkyl linkers of different lengths and rigidity. The formation of the ternary complex was validated by a FRET-based biochemical assay and an in vitro ubiquitination assay. The PROTACs 14, 20, 22, 24, and 30, featuring different linker types and lengths, showed 50% or higher degradation of METTL3 and/or METTL14 measured by Western blot in MOLM-13 cells. They also showed substantial degradation on three other AML cell lines and prostate cancer cell line PC3.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Errani
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
| | - Annalisa Invernizzi
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
| | - Marcin Herok
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
| | - Elena Bochenkova
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
| | - Fiona Stamm
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
| | - Ivan Corbeski
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
| | - Valeria Romanucci
- Università
degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Cintia 4, Napoli I-80126, Italia
| | - Giovanni Di Fabio
- Università
degli Studi di Napoli Federico II, Via Cintia 4, Napoli I-80126, Italia
| | - František Zálešák
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
| | - Amedeo Caflisch
- Department
of Biochemistry, University of Zurich, Winterthurerstrasse 190, Zurich CH-8057, Switzerland
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31
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Setia N, Almuqdadi HTA, Abid M. Journey of Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) E3 ligase in PROTACs design: From VHL ligands to VHL-based degraders. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 265:116041. [PMID: 38199162 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.116041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/02/2023] [Revised: 12/08/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2024]
Abstract
The scientific community has shown considerable interest in proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) in the last decade, indicating their remarkable potential as a means of achieving targeted protein degradation (TPD). Not only are PROTACs seen as valuable tools in molecular biology but their emergence as a modality for drug discovery has also garnered significant attention. PROTACs bind to E3 ligases and target proteins through respective ligands connected via a linker to induce proteasome-mediated protein degradation. The discovery of small molecule ligands for E3 ligases has led to the prevalent use of various E3 ligases in PROTAC design. Furthermore, the incorporation of different types of linkers has proven beneficial in enhancing the efficacy of PROTACs. By far more than 3300 PROTACs have been reported in the literature. Notably, Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)-based PROTACs have surfaced as a propitious strategy for targeting proteins, even encompassing those that were previously considered non-druggable. VHL is extensively utilized as an E3 ligase in the advancement of PROTACs owing to its widespread expression in various tissues and well-documented binders. Here, we review the discovery of VHL ligands, the types of linkers employed to develop VHL-based PROTACs, and their subsequent modulation to design advanced non-conventional degraders to target various disease-causing proteins. Furthermore, we provide an overview of other E3 ligases recruited in the field of PROTAC technology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nisha Setia
- Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, 110025, India
| | | | - Mohammad Abid
- Medicinal Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Biosciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi, 110025, India.
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32
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Chen QH, Munoz E, Ashong D. Insight into Recent Advances in Degrading Androgen Receptor for Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:663. [PMID: 38339414 PMCID: PMC10854644 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16030663] [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: 12/30/2023] [Revised: 01/28/2024] [Accepted: 02/03/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Induced protein degradation has emerged as an innovative drug discovery approach, complementary to the classical method of suppressing protein function. The androgen receptor signaling pathway has been identified as the primary driving force in the development and progression of lethal castration-resistant prostate cancer. Since androgen receptor degraders function differently from androgen receptor antagonists, they hold the promise to overcome the drug resistance challenges faced by current therapeutics. Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), monomeric degraders, hydrophobic tagging, molecular glues, and autophagic degradation have demonstrated their capability in downregulating intracellular androgen receptor concentrations. The potential of these androgen receptor degraders to treat castration-resistant prostate cancer is substantiated by the advancement of six PROTACs and two monomeric androgen receptor degraders into phase I or II clinical trials. Although the chemical structures, in vitro and in vivo data, and degradation mechanisms of androgen receptor degraders have been reviewed, it is crucial to stay updated on recent advances in this field as novel androgen receptor degraders and new strategies continue to emerge. This review thus provides insight into recent advancements in this paradigm, offering an overview of the progress made since 2020.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qiao-Hong Chen
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, California State University, Fresno, CA 93740, USA; (E.M.); (D.A.)
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33
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Bonjorno AF, Pavan AR, Fernandes GFS, Scarim CB, Castagnolo D, Dos Santos JL. BacPROTACs targeting Clp protease: a promising strategy for anti-mycobacterial drug discovery. Front Chem 2024; 12:1358539. [PMID: 38357296 PMCID: PMC10864484 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2024.1358539] [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: 12/19/2023] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Tuberculosis (TB) has claimed more lives over the course of two millennia than any other infectious disease worldwide. In 2021, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 10.6 million people were diagnosed with TB, resulting in the deaths of 1.4 million HIV-negative individuals. The emergence of multidrug-resistant TB (MDR-TB), defined as resistance to at least rifampicin (RIF) and isoniazid (INH), and extensively drug-resistant TB (XDR-TB), poses the primary challenge to overcome in the coming years. We have recently conducted an extensive analysis of investments and research endeavours in the field, with the overarching objective of achieving the established milestone of TB eradication by the year 2030. Over the past several years, there has been notable progress in advancing a multitude of promising compounds, each possessing distinct mechanisms of action, into clinical phases of development. However, it is worth noting that strains of mycobacteria resistant to current antitubercular drugs have already emerged for some of these compounds The exploration of the innovative Proteolytic Target Chimeras (PROTACs) protein degradation approach has emerged as a viable avenue for the discovery of novel antimicrobials. While the ubiquitin system is exclusive to eukaryotic cells, certain bacteria use a similar degradation system that relies on the recognition of phosphorylated arginine residues (pArg) by the ClpC:ClpP (ClpCP) protease, thereby leading to protein degradation. In this opinion article, we have described and analized the advances in the use of PROTACs that leverage bacterial proteolytic machinery (BacPROTACs) to design new antitubercular agents. Scope Statement. The development of novel pharmaceuticals for tuberculosis treatment is deemed urgently necessary due to the emergence of resistant strains. In this context, the introduction of new technologies capable of alleviating the disease and attaining the objectives outlined by the World Health Organization is imperative. Among the innovative strategies, the degradation of proteins that are crucial for the survival of the bacillus holds promise for generating new medications, particularly those that are effective at treating latent (non-replicating) Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Within this perspective, we present the advancements and obstacles encountered in the exploration of new BacPROTAC compounds, with the intention of encouraging research and illuminating challenges associated with the implementation of BacPROTACs to address to the global tuberculosis crisis.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Aline Renata Pavan
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, Brazil
- Institute of Chemistry, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, Brazil
| | | | - Cauê Benito Scarim
- School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara, Brazil
| | - Daniele Castagnolo
- Department of Chemistry, University College London, London, United Kingdom
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Joshi M, Dey P, De A. Recent advancements in targeted protein knockdown technologies-emerging paradigms for targeted therapy. EXPLORATION OF TARGETED ANTI-TUMOR THERAPY 2023; 4:1227-1248. [PMID: 38213543 PMCID: PMC10776596 DOI: 10.37349/etat.2023.00194] [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: 05/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/26/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024] Open
Abstract
A generalized therapeutic strategy for various disease conditions, including cancer, is to deplete or inactivate harmful protein targets. Various forms of protein or gene silencing molecules, e.g., small molecule inhibitors, RNA interference (RNAi), and microRNAs (miRNAs) have been used against druggable targets. Over the past few years, targeted protein degradation (TPD) approaches have been developed for direct degradation of candidate proteins. Among the TPD approaches, proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) have emerged as one of the most promising approaches for the selective elimination of proteins via the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Other than PROTACs, TPD methods with potential therapeutic use include intrabody-mediated protein knockdown and tripartite motif-21 (TRIM-21) mediated TRIM-Away. In this review, protein knockdown approaches, their modes of action, and their advantages over conventional gene knockdown approaches are summarized. In cancers, disease-associated protein functions are often executed by specific post-translational modifications (PTMs). The role of TRIM-Away is highlighted in the direct knockdown of PTM forms of target proteins. Moreover, the application challenges and the prospective clinical use of TPD approaches in various diseases are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mansi Joshi
- Molecular Functional Imaging Lab, Advanced Centre for Treatment Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai 410210, India
- Life Science, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai 400094, India
| | - Pranay Dey
- Molecular Functional Imaging Lab, Advanced Centre for Treatment Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai 410210, India
- Life Science, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai 400094, India
| | - Abhijit De
- Molecular Functional Imaging Lab, Advanced Centre for Treatment Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Kharghar, Navi Mumbai 410210, India
- Life Science, Homi Bhabha National Institute, Mumbai 400094, India
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35
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Tang X, Kokot J, Waibl F, Fernández-Quintero ML, Kamenik AS, Liedl KR. Addressing Challenges of Macrocyclic Conformational Sampling in Polar and Apolar Solvents: Lessons for Chameleonicity. J Chem Inf Model 2023; 63:7107-7123. [PMID: 37943023 PMCID: PMC10685455 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jcim.3c01123] [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: 07/23/2023] [Revised: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 11/10/2023]
Abstract
We evaluated a workflow to reliably sample the conformational space of a set of 47 peptidic macrocycles. Starting from SMILES strings, we use accelerated molecular dynamics simulations to overcome high energy barriers, in particular, the cis-trans isomerization of peptide bonds. We find that our approach performs very well in polar solvents like water and dimethyl sulfoxide. Interestingly, the protonation state of a secondary amine in the ring only slightly influences the conformational ensembles of our test systems. For several of the macrocycles, determining the conformational distribution in chloroform turns out to be considerably more challenging. Especially, the choice of partial charges crucially influences the ensembles in chloroform. We address these challenges by modifying initial structures and the choice of partial charges. Our results suggest that special care has to be taken to understand the configurational distribution in apolar solvents, which is a key step toward a reliable prediction of membrane permeation of macrocycles and their chameleonic properties.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuechen Tang
- Department
of General, Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Janik Kokot
- Department
of General, Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Franz Waibl
- Department
of General, Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
- Department
of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, ETH
Zürich, 8093 Zürich, Switzerland
| | | | - Anna S. Kamenik
- Department
of General, Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
| | - Klaus R. Liedl
- Department
of General, Inorganic and Theoretical Chemistry, University of Innsbruck, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria
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36
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Danishuddin, Jamal MS, Song KS, Lee KW, Kim JJ, Park YM. Revolutionizing Drug Targeting Strategies: Integrating Artificial Intelligence and Structure-Based Methods in PROTAC Development. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:1649. [PMID: 38139776 PMCID: PMC10747325 DOI: 10.3390/ph16121649] [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: 10/24/2023] [Revised: 11/20/2023] [Accepted: 11/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
PROteolysis TArgeting Chimera (PROTAC) is an emerging technology in chemical biology and drug discovery. This technique facilitates the complete removal of the target proteins that are "undruggable" or challenging to target through chemical molecules via the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System (UPS). PROTACs have been widely explored and outperformed not only in cancer but also in other diseases. During the past few decades, several academic institutes and pharma companies have poured more efforts into PROTAC-related technologies, setting the stage for several major degrader trial readouts in clinical phases. Despite their promising results, the formation of robust ternary orientation, off-target activity, poor permeability, and binding affinity are some of the limitations that hinder their development. Recent advancements in computational technologies have facilitated progress in the development of PROTACs. Researchers have been able to utilize these technologies to explore a wider range of E3 ligases and optimize linkers, thereby gaining a better understanding of the effectiveness and safety of PROTACs in clinical settings. In this review, we briefly explore the computational strategies reported to date for the formation of PROTAC components and discuss the key challenges and opportunities for further research in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Danishuddin
- Department of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea;
| | | | - Kyoung-Seob Song
- Department of Medical Science, Kosin University College of Medicine, 194 Wachi-ro, Yeongdo-gu, Busan 49104, Republic of Korea;
| | - Keun-Woo Lee
- Division of Life Science, Department of Bio & Medical Big-Data (BK4 Program), Research Institute of Natural Science (RINS), Gyeongsang National University (GNU), 501 Jinju-daero, Jinju 52828, Republic of Korea
- Angel i-Drug Design (AiDD), 33-3 Jinyangho-ro 44, Jinju 52650, Republic of Korea
| | - Jong-Joo Kim
- Department of Biotechnology, Yeungnam University, Gyeongsan 38541, Republic of Korea;
| | - Yeong-Min Park
- Department of Integrative Biological Sciences and Industry, Sejong University, 209, Neugdong-ro, Gwangjin-gu, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea
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37
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He Q, Zhao X, Wu D, Jia S, Liu C, Cheng Z, Huang F, Chen Y, Lu T, Lu S. Hydrophobic tag-based protein degradation: Development, opportunity and challenge. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 260:115741. [PMID: 37607438 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2023] [Revised: 08/07/2023] [Accepted: 08/16/2023] [Indexed: 08/24/2023]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation (TPD) has emerged as a promising approach for drug development, particularly for undruggable targets. TPD technology has also been instrumental in overcoming drug resistance. While some TPD molecules utilizing proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTACs) or molecular glue strategies have been approved or evaluated in clinical trials, hydrophobic tag-based protein degradation (HyT-PD) has also gained significant attention as a tool for medicinal chemists. The increasing number of reported HyT-PD molecules possessing high efficiency in degrading protein and good pharmacokinetic (PK) properties, has further fueled interest in this approach. This review aims to present the design rationale, hydrophobic tags in use, and diverse mechanisms of action of HyT-PD. Additionally, the advantages and disadvantages of HyT-PD in protein degradation are discussed. This review may help inspire the development of more HyT-PDs with superior drug-like properties for clinical evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qindi He
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Xiaofei Zhao
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Donglin Wu
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Siming Jia
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Canlin Liu
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Zitian Cheng
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Fei Huang
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China
| | - Yadong Chen
- Laboratory of Molecular Design and Drug Discovery, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China.
| | - Tao Lu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
| | - Shuai Lu
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 211198, PR China.
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38
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Miao J, Dong J, Miao Y, Bai Y, Qu Z, Jassim BA, Huang B, Nguyen Q, Ma Y, Murray AA, Li J, Low PS, Zhang ZY. Discovery of a selective TC-PTP degrader for cancer immunotherapy. Chem Sci 2023; 14:12606-12614. [PMID: 38020389 PMCID: PMC10646932 DOI: 10.1039/d3sc04541b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 10/22/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
T-cell protein tyrosine phosphatase (TC-PTP), encoded by PTPN2, has emerged as a promising target for cancer immunotherapy. TC-PTP deletion in B16 melanoma cells promotes tumor cell antigen presentation, while loss of TC-PTP in T-cells enhances T-cell receptor (TCR) signaling and stimulates cell proliferation and activation. Therefore, there is keen interest in developing TC-PTP inhibitors as novel immunotherapeutic agents. Through rational design and systematic screening, we discovered the first highly potent and selective TC-PTP PROTAC degrader, TP1L, which induces degradation of TC-PTP in multiple cell lines with low nanomolar DC50s and >110-fold selectivity over the closely related PTP1B. TP1L elevates the phosphorylation level of TC-PTP substrates including pSTAT1 and pJAK1, while pJAK2, the substrate of PTP1B, is unaffected by the TC-PTP degrader. TP1L also intensifies interferon gamma (IFN-γ) signaling and increases MHC-I expression. In Jurkat cells, TP1L activates TCR signaling through increased phosphorylation of LCK. Furthermore, in a CAR-T cell and KB tumor cell co-culture model, TP1L enhances CAR-T cell mediated tumor killing efficacy through activation of the CAR-T cells. Thus, we surmise that TP1L not only provides a unique opportunity for in-depth interrogation of TC-PTP biology but also serves as an excellent starting point for the development of novel immunotherapeutic agents targeting TC-PTP.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinmin Miao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
| | - Jiajun Dong
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
| | - Yiming Miao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
| | - Yunpeng Bai
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
| | - Zihan Qu
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
| | - Brenson A Jassim
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
| | - Bo Huang
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
| | - Quyen Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
| | - Yuan Ma
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
| | - Allison A Murray
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
| | - Jinyue Li
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
| | - Philip S Low
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
- Institute for Cancer Research, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
| | - Zhong-Yin Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
- Institute for Cancer Research, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Purdue University West Lafayette IN 47907 USA
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39
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Yang Z, Pang Q, Zhou J, Xuan C, Xie S. Leveraging aptamers for targeted protein degradation. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2023; 44:776-785. [PMID: 37380531 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2023.05.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/23/2023] [Revised: 05/31/2023] [Accepted: 05/31/2023] [Indexed: 06/30/2023]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation (TPD) technologies, particularly proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), have emerged as a significant advancement in drug discovery. However, several hurdles - such as the difficulty of identifying suitable ligands for traditionally undruggable proteins, poor solubility and impermeability, nonspecific biodistribution, and on-target off-tissue toxicity - present challenges to their clinical applications. Aptamers are promising ligands for broad-ranging molecular recognition. Utilizing aptamers in TPD has shown potential advantages in overcoming these challenges. Here, we provide an overview of recent developments in aptamer-based TPD, emphasizing their potential to achieve targeted delivery and their promise for the spatiotemporal degradation of undruggable proteins. We also discuss the challenges and future directions of aptamer-based TPD with the goal of facilitating their clinical applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihao Yang
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China
| | - Qiuxiang Pang
- School of Life Sciences and Medicine, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, China
| | - Jun Zhou
- Center for Cell Structure and Function, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cell Biology in Universities of Shandong, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China; Department of Genetics and Cell Biology, State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, Haihe Laboratory of Cell Ecosystem, College of Life Sciences, Nankai University, Tianjin, China
| | - Chenghao Xuan
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, China.
| | - Songbo Xie
- School of Life Sciences and Medicine, Shandong University of Technology, Zibo, China; Center for Cell Structure and Function, Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Animal Resistance Biology, Collaborative Innovation Center of Cell Biology in Universities of Shandong, College of Life Sciences, Shandong Normal University, Jinan, China.
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40
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Miao J, Bai Y, Miao Y, Qu Z, Dong J, Zhang RY, Aggarwal D, Jassim BA, Nguyen Q, Zhang ZY. Discovery of a SHP2 Degrader with In Vivo Anti-Tumor Activity. Molecules 2023; 28:6947. [PMID: 37836790 PMCID: PMC10574094 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28196947] [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: 09/04/2023] [Revised: 10/03/2023] [Accepted: 10/04/2023] [Indexed: 10/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Src homology 2 domain-containing phosphatase 2 (SHP2) is an attractive target for cancer therapy due to its multifaceted roles in both tumor and immune cells. Herein, we designed and synthesized a novel series of proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) using a SHP2 allosteric inhibitor as warhead, with the goal of achieving SHP2 degradation both inside the cell and in vivo. Among these molecules, compound P9 induces efficient degradation of SHP2 (DC50 = 35.2 ± 1.5 nM) in a concentration- and time-dependent manner. Mechanistic investigation illustrates that the P9-mediated SHP2 degradation requires the recruitment of the E3 ligase and is ubiquitination- and proteasome-dependent. P9 shows improved anti-tumor activity in a number of cancer cell lines over its parent allosteric inhibitor. Importantly, administration of P9 leads to a nearly complete tumor regression in a xenograft mouse model, as a result of robust SHP2 depletion and suppression of phospho-ERK1/2 in the tumor. Hence, P9 represents the first SHP2 PROTAC molecule with excellent in vivo efficacy. It is anticipated that P9 could serve not only as a new chemical tool to interrogate SHP2 biology but also as a starting point for the development of novel therapeutics targeting SHP2.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinmin Miao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (J.M.); (Y.B.); (Y.M.); (J.D.); (R.-Y.Z.); (D.A.); (B.A.J.)
| | - Yunpeng Bai
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (J.M.); (Y.B.); (Y.M.); (J.D.); (R.-Y.Z.); (D.A.); (B.A.J.)
| | - Yiming Miao
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (J.M.); (Y.B.); (Y.M.); (J.D.); (R.-Y.Z.); (D.A.); (B.A.J.)
| | - Zihan Qu
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (Z.Q.); (Q.N.)
| | - Jiajun Dong
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (J.M.); (Y.B.); (Y.M.); (J.D.); (R.-Y.Z.); (D.A.); (B.A.J.)
| | - Ruo-Yu Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (J.M.); (Y.B.); (Y.M.); (J.D.); (R.-Y.Z.); (D.A.); (B.A.J.)
| | - Devesh Aggarwal
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (J.M.); (Y.B.); (Y.M.); (J.D.); (R.-Y.Z.); (D.A.); (B.A.J.)
| | - Brenson A. Jassim
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (J.M.); (Y.B.); (Y.M.); (J.D.); (R.-Y.Z.); (D.A.); (B.A.J.)
| | - Quyen Nguyen
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (Z.Q.); (Q.N.)
| | - Zhong-Yin Zhang
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (J.M.); (Y.B.); (Y.M.); (J.D.); (R.-Y.Z.); (D.A.); (B.A.J.)
- Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA; (Z.Q.); (Q.N.)
- Institute for Cancer Research, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Institute for Drug Discovery, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
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41
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Li J, Li C, Zhang Z, Zhang Z, Wu Z, Liao J, Wang Z, McReynolds M, Xie H, Guo L, Fan Q, Peng J, Tang W. A platform for the rapid synthesis of molecular glues (Rapid-Glue) under miniaturized conditions for direct biological screening. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 258:115567. [PMID: 37390512 PMCID: PMC10529953 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115567] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/06/2023] [Revised: 05/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/12/2023] [Indexed: 07/02/2023]
Abstract
Molecular glues, functioning via inducing degradation of the target protein while having similar molecular weight as traditional small molecule drugs, are emerging as a promising modality for the development of therapeutic agents. However, the development of molecular glues is limited by the lack of general principles and systematic methods. Not surprisingly, most molecular glues have been identified serendipitously or through phenotypic screening of large libraries. However, the preparation of large and diverse molecular glue libraries is not an easy task and requires extensive resources. We previously developed platforms for rapid synthesis of proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) that can be used directly for biological screening with minimal resources. Herein, we report a platform of rapid synthesis of molecular glues (Rapid-Glue) via a micromolar scale coupling reaction between hydrazide motif on the E3 ligase ligands and commercially available aldehydes with diverse structures. A pilot library of 1520 compounds is generated under miniaturized conditions in a high throughput manner without any further manipulation including purification after the synthesis. Through this platform, we identified two highly selective GSPT1 molecular glues through direct screening in cell-based assays. Three additional analogues were prepared from readily available starting materials by replacing the hydrolytic labile acylhydrazone linker with a more stable amide linker based on the two hits. All three analogues showed significant GSPT1 degradation activity and two of them possess comparable activity to the corresponding hit. The feasibility of our strategy is thus verified. Further studies by increasing the diversity and size of the library followed by appropriate assays will likely yield distinct molecular glues targeting novel neo-substrates.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingyao Li
- Lachman Institute for Pharmaceutical Development, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Chunrong Li
- Lachman Institute for Pharmaceutical Development, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Zhongrui Zhang
- Lachman Institute for Pharmaceutical Development, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Zhen Zhang
- Lachman Institute for Pharmaceutical Development, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Zhiping Wu
- Department of Structural Biology, Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Junzhuo Liao
- Lachman Institute for Pharmaceutical Development, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Zhen Wang
- Department of Structural Biology, Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Meghan McReynolds
- Department of Structural Biology, Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Haibo Xie
- Lachman Institute for Pharmaceutical Development, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Le Guo
- Lachman Institute for Pharmaceutical Development, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Qiuhua Fan
- Lachman Institute for Pharmaceutical Development, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA
| | - Junmin Peng
- Department of Structural Biology, Department of Developmental Neurobiology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, 38105, USA
| | - Weiping Tang
- Lachman Institute for Pharmaceutical Development, School of Pharmacy, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 777 Highland Avenue, Madison, WI, 53705, USA; Department of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1101 University Avenue, Madison, WI, 53706, USA.
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42
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Li B, Ran T, Chen H. 3D based generative PROTAC linker design with reinforcement learning. Brief Bioinform 2023; 24:bbad323. [PMID: 37670499 DOI: 10.1093/bib/bbad323] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2023] [Revised: 08/06/2023] [Accepted: 08/20/2023] [Indexed: 09/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC), has emerged as an effective modality to selectively degrade disease-related proteins by harnessing the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Due to PROTACs' hetero-bifunctional characteristics, in which a linker joins a warhead binding to a protein of interest (POI), conferring specificity and a E3-ligand binding to an E3 ubiquitin ligase, this could trigger the ubiquitination and transportation of POI to the proteasome, followed by degradation. The rational PROTAC linker design is challenging due to its relatively large molecular weight and the complexity of maintaining the binding mode of warhead and E3-ligand in the binding pockets of counterpart. Conventional linker generation method can only generate linkers in either 1D SMILES or 2D graph, without taking into account the information of ternary structures. Here we propose a novel 3D linker generative model PROTAC-INVENT which can not only generate SMILES of PROTAC but also its 3D putative binding conformation coupled with the target protein and the E3 ligase. The model is trained jointly with the RL approach to bias the generation of PROTAC structures toward pre-defined 2D and 3D based properties. Examples were provided to demonstrate the utility of the model for generating reasonable 3D conformation of PROTACs. On the other hand, our results show that the associated workflow for 3D PROTAC conformation generation can also be used as an efficient docking protocol for PROTACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Baiqing Li
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou 510005, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Ting Ran
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou 510005, Guangdong Province, China
| | - Hongming Chen
- Guangzhou Laboratory, Guangzhou 510005, Guangdong Province, China
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43
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Zhou L, Yu B, Gao M, Chen R, Li Z, Gu Y, Bian J, Ma Y. DNA framework-engineered chimeras platform enables selectively targeted protein degradation. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4510. [PMID: 37495569 PMCID: PMC10372072 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-40244-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Accepted: 07/14/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023] Open
Abstract
A challenge in developing proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) is the establishment of a universal platform applicable in multiple scenarios for precise degradation of proteins of interest (POIs). Inspired by the addressability, programmability, and rigidity of DNA frameworks, we develop covalent DNA framework-based PROTACs (DbTACs), which can be synthesized in high-throughput via facile bioorthogonal chemistry and self-assembly. DNA tetrahedra are employed as templates and the spatial position of each atom is defined. Thus, by precisely locating ligands of POI and E3 ligase on the templates, ligand spacings can be controllably manipulated from 8 Å to 57 Å. We show that DbTACs with the optimal linker length between ligands achieve higher degradation rates and enhanced binding affinity. Bispecific DbTACs (bis-DbTACs) with trivalent ligand assembly enable multi-target depletion while maintaining highly selective degradation of protein subtypes. When employing various types of warheads (small molecules, antibodies, and DNA motifs), DbTACs exhibit robust efficacy in degrading diverse targets, including protein kinases and transcription factors located in different cellular compartments. Overall, utilizing modular DNA frameworks to conjugate substrates offers a universal platform that not only provides insight into general degrader design principles but also presents a promising strategy for guiding drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Zhou
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Bin Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Mengqiu Gao
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Rui Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Zhiyu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yueqing Gu
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Jinlei Bian
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Yi Ma
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Engineering, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
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44
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Thomas BAI, Lewis HL, Jones DH, Ward SE. Central Nervous System Targeted Protein Degraders. Biomolecules 2023; 13:1164. [PMID: 37627229 PMCID: PMC10452695 DOI: 10.3390/biom13081164] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2023] [Revised: 07/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/11/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Diseases of the central nervous system, which once occupied a large component of the pharmaceutical industry research and development portfolio, have for many years played a smaller part in major pharma pipelines-primarily due to the well cited challenges in target validation, valid translational models, and clinical trial design. Unfortunately, this decline in research and development interest has occurred in tandem with an increase in the medical need-in part driven by the success in treating other chronic diseases, which then results in a greater overall longevity along with a higher prevalence of diseases associated with ageing. The lead modality for drug agents targeting the brain remains the traditionally small molecule, despite potential in gene-based therapies and antibodies, particularly in the hugely anticipated anti-amyloid field, clearly driven by the additional challenge of effective distribution to the relevant brain compartments. However, in recognition of the growing disease burden, advanced therapies are being developed in tandem with improved delivery options. Hence, methodologies which were initially restricted to systemic indications are now being actively explored for a range of CNS diseases-an important class of which include the protein degradation technologies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bedwyr ab Ion Thomas
- Medicines Discovery Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK (H.L.L.)
| | - H. Lois Lewis
- Medicines Discovery Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK (H.L.L.)
| | - D. Heulyn Jones
- Medicines Discovery Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK (H.L.L.)
- Chemistry Department, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK
| | - Simon E. Ward
- Medicines Discovery Institute, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK (H.L.L.)
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45
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Wurz RP, Rui H, Dellamaggiore K, Ghimire-Rijal S, Choi K, Smither K, Amegadzie A, Chen N, Li X, Banerjee A, Chen Q, Mohl D, Vaish A. Affinity and cooperativity modulate ternary complex formation to drive targeted protein degradation. Nat Commun 2023; 14:4177. [PMID: 37443112 PMCID: PMC10344917 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-39904-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 06/26/2023] [Indexed: 07/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation via "hijacking" of the ubiquitin-proteasome system using proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) has evolved into a novel therapeutic modality. The design of PROTACs is challenging; multiple steps involved in PROTAC-induced degradation make it difficult to establish coherent structure-activity relationships. Herein, we characterize PROTAC-mediated ternary complex formation and degradation by employing von Hippel-Lindau protein (VHL) recruiting PROTACs for two different target proteins, SMARCA2 and BRD4. Ternary-complex attributes and degradation activity parameters are evaluated by varying components of the PROTAC's architecture. Ternary complex binding affinity and cooperativity correlates well with degradation potency and initial rates of degradation. Additionally, we develop a ternary-complex structure modeling workflow to calculate the total buried surface area at the interface, which is in agreement with the measured ternary complex binding affinity. Our findings establish a predictive framework to guide the design of potent degraders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ryan P Wurz
- Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Huan Rui
- Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | | | | | - Kaylee Choi
- Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., South San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Kate Smither
- Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | | | - Ning Chen
- Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Xiaofen Li
- Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | | | - Qing Chen
- Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, USA
| | - Dane Mohl
- Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.
| | - Amit Vaish
- Amgen Research, Amgen Inc., Thousand Oaks, CA, USA.
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46
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Tong Y, Zhu W, Chen J, Wen T, Xu F, Pang J. Discovery of Small-Molecule Degraders for Alpha-Synuclein Aggregates. J Med Chem 2023. [PMID: 37267712 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Alpha-synuclein (αSyn) species, especially the oligomers and fibers, are associated with multiple neurodegenerative diseases and cannot be directly targeted under the conventional pharmacological paradigm. Proteolysis-targeting chimera technology confers degradation of various "undruggable" targets; however, hardly any small-molecule degrader for αSyn aggregates has been reported yet. Herein, by using the probe molecule sery308 as a warhead, a series of small-molecule degraders for αSyn aggregates were designed and synthesized. Their degradation effects on αSyn aggregates were evaluated on a modified pre-formed fibril-seeding cell model. Compound 2b exhibited the highest degradation efficiency (DC50 = 7.51 ± 0.53 μM) with high selectivity. Mechanistic exploration revealed that both proteasomal and lysosomal pathways were involved in this kind of degradation. Moreover, the therapeutic effects of 2b were tested on SH-SY5Y (human neuroblastoma cell line) cells and Caenorhabditis elegans. Our results provided a new class of small-molecule candidates against synucleinopathies and broadened the substrate spectrum of PROTAC-based degraders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yichen Tong
- School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Wentao Zhu
- School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Jian Chen
- School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Tianzhi Wen
- School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
| | - Fang Xu
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization & Innovative Drug Development of Chinese Ministry of Education (MOE) & Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jiyan Pang
- School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510006, China
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Zografou-Barredo NA, Hallatt AJ, Goujon-Ricci J, Cano C. A beginner's guide to current synthetic linker strategies towards VHL-recruiting PROTACs. Bioorg Med Chem 2023; 88-89:117334. [PMID: 37224698 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2023.117334] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 05/12/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Over the last two decades, proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) have been revolutionary in drug development rendering targeted protein degradation (TPD) as an emerging therapeutic modality. These heterobifunctional molecules are comprised of three units: a ligand for the protein of interest (POI), a ligand for an E3 ubiquitin ligase, and a linker that tethers the two motifs together. Von Hippel-Lindau (VHL) is one of the most widely employed E3 ligases in PROTACs development due to its prevalent expression across tissue types and well-characterised ligands. Linker composition and length has proven to play an important role in determining the physicochemical properties and spatial orientation of the POI-PROTAC-E3 ternary complex, thus influencing the bioactivity of degraders. Numerous articles and reports have been published showcasing the medicinal chemistry aspects of the linker design, but few have focused on the chemistry around tethering linkers to E3 ligase ligands. In this review, we focus on the current synthetic linker strategies employed in the assembly of VHL-recruiting PROTACs. We aim to cover a range of fundamental chemistries used to incorporate linkers of varying length, composition and functionality.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nikol A Zografou-Barredo
- Cancer Research UK Newcastle Drug Discovery Unit, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Alex J Hallatt
- Cancer Research UK Newcastle Drug Discovery Unit, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Jennyfer Goujon-Ricci
- Cancer Research UK Newcastle Drug Discovery Unit, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK
| | - Céline Cano
- Cancer Research UK Newcastle Drug Discovery Unit, Newcastle University Centre for Cancer, School of Natural and Environmental Sciences, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK.
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Mi D, Li Y, Gu H, Li Y, Chen Y. Current advances of small molecule E3 ligands for proteolysis-targeting chimeras design. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 256:115444. [PMID: 37178483 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115444] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/29/2023] [Revised: 04/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/01/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) as an emerging drug discovery modality has been extensively concerned in recent years. Over 20 years development, accumulated studies have demonstrated that PROTACs show unique advantages over traditional therapy in operable target scope, efficacy, and overcoming drug resistance. However, only limited E3 ligases, the essential elements of PROTACs, have been harnessed for PROTACs design. The optimization of novel ligands for well-established E3 ligases and the employment of additional E3 ligases remain urgent challenges for investigators. Here, we systematically summarize the current status of E3 ligases and corresponding ligands for PROTACs design with a focus on their discovery history, design principles, application benefits, and potential defects. Meanwhile, the prospects and future directions for this field are briefly discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dazhao Mi
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yuzhan Li
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Haijun Gu
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yan Li
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China
| | - Yihua Chen
- Shanghai Frontiers Science Center of Genome Editing and Cell Therapy, Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences and School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, 200241, China.
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Schaefer D, Cheng X. Recent Advances in Covalent Drug Discovery. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2023; 16:ph16050663. [PMID: 37242447 DOI: 10.3390/ph16050663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2023] [Revised: 04/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/26/2023] [Indexed: 05/28/2023] Open
Abstract
In spite of the increasing number of biologics license applications, the development of covalent inhibitors is still a growing field within drug discovery. The successful approval of some covalent protein kinase inhibitors, such as ibrutinib (BTK covalent inhibitor) and dacomitinib (EGFR covalent inhibitor), and the very recent discovery of covalent inhibitors for viral proteases, such as boceprevir, narlaprevir, and nirmatrelvir, represent a new milestone in covalent drug development. Generally, the formation of covalent bonds that target proteins can offer drugs diverse advantages in terms of target selectivity, drug resistance, and administration concentration. The most important factor for covalent inhibitors is the electrophile (warhead), which dictates selectivity, reactivity, and the type of protein binding (i.e., reversible or irreversible) and can be modified/optimized through rational designs. Furthermore, covalent inhibitors are becoming more and more common in proteolysis, targeting chimeras (PROTACs) for degrading proteins, including those that are currently considered to be 'undruggable'. The aim of this review is to highlight the current state of covalent inhibitor development, including a short historical overview and some examples of applications of PROTAC technologies and treatment of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daniel Schaefer
- Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Chemical Biology, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15. R. 3.652, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Xinlai Cheng
- Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Chemical Biology, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15. R. 3.652, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe University Frankfurt am Main, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Frankfurt Cancer Institute, 60596 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
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Yedla P, Babalghith AO, Andra VV, Syed R. PROTACs in the Management of Prostate Cancer. Molecules 2023; 28:molecules28093698. [PMID: 37175108 PMCID: PMC10179857 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28093698] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Revised: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Cancer treatments with targeted therapy have gained immense interest due to their low levels of toxicity and high selectivity. Proteolysis-Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) have drawn special attention in the development of cancer therapeutics owing to their unique mechanism of action, their ability to target undruggable proteins, and their focused target engagement. PROTACs selectively degrade the target protein through the ubiquitin-proteasome system, which describes a different mode of action compared to conventional small-molecule inhibitors or even antibodies. Among different cancer types, prostate cancer (PC) is the most prevalent non-cutaneous cancer in men. Genetic alterations and the overexpression of several genes, such as FOXA1, AR, PTEN, RB1, TP53, etc., suppress the immune response, resulting in drug resistance to conventional drugs in prostate cancer. Since the progression of ARV-110 (PROTAC for PC) into clinical phases, the focus of research has quickly shifted to protein degraders targeting prostate cancer. The present review highlights an overview of PROTACs in prostate cancer and their superiority over conventional inhibitors. We also delve into the underlying pathophysiology of the disease and explain the structural design and linkerology strategies for PROTAC molecules. Additionally, we touch on the various targets for PROTAC in prostate cancer, including the androgen receptor (AR) and other critical oncoproteins, and discuss the future prospects and challenges in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poornachandra Yedla
- Department of Pharmacogenomics, Institute of Translational Research, Asian Healthcare Foundation, Asian Institute of Gastroenterology Hospitals, Gachibowli, Hyderabad 500082, India
| | - Ahmed O Babalghith
- Department of Medical Genetics, Faculty of Medicine, Umm Al-Qura University, Makkah 21955, Saudi Arabia
| | - Vindhya Vasini Andra
- Department of Medical Oncology, Omega Hospitals, Gachibowli, Hyderabad 500032, India
| | - Riyaz Syed
- Department of Chemiinformatics, Centella Scientific, JHUB, Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University, Hyderabad 500085, India
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