1
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Wang Y, Xu C, Jiang Y, Tu Z, Yan J, Guo L, Dong C, Liu J, Yang X, Wang Z, Lu T, Feng J, Chen Y. Advanced Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Highly Selective Wee1 Inhibitors: Enhancing Pharmacokinetics and Antitumor Efficacy. J Med Chem 2024; 67:9927-9949. [PMID: 38847373 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02434] [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: 06/28/2024]
Abstract
Wee1 is a kinase that regulates cell cycle arrest in response to DNA damage. Wee1 inhibition is a potential strategy to suppress the growth of tumors with defective p53 or DNA repair pathways. However, the development of Wee1 inhibitors faces some challenges. AZD1775, the first-in-class Wee1 inhibitor, has poor kinase selectivity and dose-limiting toxicity. Here, we report the discovery of 12h, a highly selective and potent Wee1 inhibitor with a favorable pharmacokinetic profile. 12h showed strong antiproliferative effects against Lovo cells, a colorectal cancer cell line, both in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, 12h showed a clean kinase profile and effectively induced cell apoptosis. Our results suggest that 12h is a promising drug candidate for further development as a novel anticancer agent.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Wang
- School of Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing 211198, P.R. China
| | - Chunyue Xu
- School of Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing 211198, P.R. China
| | - Yiqing Jiang
- School of Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing 211198, P.R. China
| | - Zhenlin Tu
- School of Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing 211198, P.R. China
| | - Jingxue Yan
- School of Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing 211198, P.R. China
| | - Leyi Guo
- School of Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing 211198, P.R. China
| | - Chao Dong
- School of Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing 211198, P.R. China
| | - Jiaqi Liu
- School of Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing 211198, P.R. China
| | - Xiulong Yang
- School of Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing 211198, P.R. China
| | - Ziyi Wang
- Schcool of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing 211198, P.R. China
| | - Tao Lu
- School of Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing 211198, P.R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, P.R. China
| | - Jie Feng
- School of Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing 211198, P.R. China
| | - Yadong Chen
- School of Sciences, China Pharmaceutical University, 639 Longmian Avenue, Nanjing 211198, P.R. China
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, 24 Tongjiaxiang, Nanjing 210009, P.R. China
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2
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Qi X, Li G, Liu J, Mou L, Zhang Y, Guo S, Chen X, Li W. Structural and energetic insights into the selective inhibition of PKMYT1 against WEE1. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2024; 42:3010-3018. [PMID: 37345529 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2225106] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/30/2023] [Indexed: 06/23/2023]
Abstract
Protein kinase, membrane-associated tyrosine/threonine 1 (PKMYT1), a member of the WEE family and responsible for the regulation of CDK1 phosphorylation, has been considered a promising therapeutic target for cancer therapy. However, the highly structural conservation of the ATP-binding sites of the WEE family poses a challenge to the design of selective inhibitors for PKMYT1. Here, molecular docking, multiple microsecond-length molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and end-point free energy calculations were performed to uncover the molecular mechanism of the binding selectivity of RP-6306 toward PKMYT1 over its highly homologous kinase WEE1. The binding specificity of RP-6306 reported in previous experimental bioassays was clarified by MD simulations and binding free energy calculations. Further, the binding free energy prediction indicated that the binding selectivity of RP-6306 largely derived from the difference in the protein-ligand electrostatic interactions. The per-residue free energy decomposition suggested that the non-conserved gatekeeper residue in the hinge domain of PKMYT1/WEE1, Thr187/Asn376, is the critical factor responsible for the binding selectivity of RP-6306 toward PKMYT1. In addition, a water-mediated hydrogen bond was formed between RP-6306 and Gly191 at the hinge domain in the PKMYT1/RP-6306 complex, which was absent in the WEE1/RP-6306 complex. This study is expected to offer useful information for the design of more potent and selective PKMYT1 inhibitors.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuesen Qi
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Guozhen Li
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Jiahai Liu
- Department of Gastrointestinal and Anal Diseases Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Linkai Mou
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Yusheng Zhang
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Shilin Guo
- Department of Urology, The Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Xiangyu Chen
- School of Medical Laboratory, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, China
| | - Wenxing Li
- Pathology Department, The Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University, Weifang Medical University, Weifang, Shandong, China
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3
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Mattson NM, Chan AKN, Miyashita K, Mukhaleva E, Chang WH, Yang L, Ma N, Wang Y, Pokharel SP, Li M, Liu Q, Xu X, Chen R, Singh P, Zhang L, Elsayed Z, Chen B, Keen D, Pirrotte P, Rosen ST, Chen J, LaBarge MA, Shively JE, Vaidehi N, Rockne RC, Feng M, Chen CW. A novel class of inhibitors that disrupts the stability of integrin heterodimers identified by CRISPR-tiling-instructed genetic screens. Nat Struct Mol Biol 2024; 31:465-475. [PMID: 38316881 PMCID: PMC10948361 DOI: 10.1038/s41594-024-01211-y] [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: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 01/02/2024] [Indexed: 02/07/2024]
Abstract
The plasma membrane is enriched for receptors and signaling proteins that are accessible from the extracellular space for pharmacological intervention. Here we conducted a series of CRISPR screens using human cell surface proteome and integrin family libraries in multiple cancer models. Our results identified ITGAV (integrin αV) and its heterodimer partner ITGB5 (integrin β5) as the essential integrin α/β pair for cancer cell expansion. High-density CRISPR gene tiling further pinpointed the integral pocket within the β-propeller domain of ITGAV for integrin αVβ5 dimerization. Combined with in silico compound docking, we developed a CRISPR-Tiling-Instructed Computer-Aided (CRISPR-TICA) pipeline for drug discovery and identified Cpd_AV2 as a lead inhibitor targeting the β-propeller central pocket of ITGAV. Cpd_AV2 treatment led to rapid uncoupling of integrin αVβ5 and cellular apoptosis, providing a unique class of therapeutic action that eliminates the integrin signaling via heterodimer dissociation. We also foresee the CRISPR-TICA approach to be an accessible method for future drug discovery studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nicole M Mattson
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Anthony K N Chan
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
- Division of Epigenetic and Transcriptional Engineering, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Kazuya Miyashita
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Elizaveta Mukhaleva
- Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Wen-Han Chang
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Lu Yang
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
- Division of Epigenetic and Transcriptional Engineering, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Ning Ma
- Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Yingyu Wang
- Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Sheela Pangeni Pokharel
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
- Division of Epigenetic and Transcriptional Engineering, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Mingli Li
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Qiao Liu
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Xiaobao Xu
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Renee Chen
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Priyanka Singh
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Leisi Zhang
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Zeinab Elsayed
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Bryan Chen
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Denise Keen
- City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Patrick Pirrotte
- Integrated Mass Spectrometry Shared Resource, City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA
- Cancer and Cell Biology Division, Translational Genomics Research Institute, Phoenix, AZ, USA
| | - Steven T Rosen
- City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Jianjun Chen
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
- City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Mark A LaBarge
- City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA
- Department of Population Sciences, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - John E Shively
- City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA
- Department of Immunology and Theranostics, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Nagarajan Vaidehi
- Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
- City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Russell C Rockne
- Department of Computational and Quantitative Medicine, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
- City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Mingye Feng
- City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA
- Department of Immuno-Oncology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
| | - Chun-Wei Chen
- Department of Systems Biology, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA.
- Division of Epigenetic and Transcriptional Engineering, Beckman Research Institute, City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA.
- City of Hope Comprehensive Cancer Center, Duarte, CA, USA.
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4
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Tomović Pavlović K, Kocić G, Šmelcerović A. Myt1 kinase inhibitors - Insight into structural features, offering potential frameworks. Chem Biol Interact 2024; 391:110901. [PMID: 38331334 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbi.2024.110901] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/27/2023] [Revised: 01/26/2024] [Accepted: 02/05/2024] [Indexed: 02/10/2024]
Abstract
The cell cycle includes two checkpoint arrests allowing to repair of damaged DNA. Many cancer cell lines exhibit weak G1 checkpoint mechanisms relying significantly more on the G2 checkpoint than do healthy cells. Inhibition of Myt1 kinase (PKMYT1), a forgotten member of the Wee family, cyclin-dependent kinase 1 (Cdk1) inhibitory kinase, target for G2 checkpoint abrogation, whose inhibition forces cells into premature unchecked mitosis resulting in cell death, is a promising concept for anticancer therapy. There are not many inhibitors of this emerging, potentially clinically important kinase. Herein, the valuable insight into structural features and binding mechanisms of diaminopyrimidines, aminoquinolines, quinazolines, pyrido[2,3-d]pyrimidines, pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidines, and pyrrolo[2,3-b]quinoxalines, as well as finally made a general scheme of fragmented structures of Myt1 inhibitors with the enzyme, offer potential frameworks useful for future directions, for further chemical optimizations, in the discovery and the design of novel effective structures, potential therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katarina Tomović Pavlović
- Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Bulevar Dr Zorana Đinđića 81, 18000, Niš, Serbia.
| | - Gordana Kocić
- Department of Biochemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Bulevar Dr Zorana Đinđića 81, 18000, Niš, Serbia
| | - Andrija Šmelcerović
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Medicine, University of Niš, Bulevar Dr Zorana Đinđića 81, 18000, Niš, Serbia.
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5
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Wang Y, Wang C, Liu T, Qi H, Chen S, Cai X, Zhang M, Aliper A, Ren F, Ding X, Zhavoronkov A. Discovery of Tetrahydropyrazolopyrazine Derivatives as Potent and Selective MYT1 Inhibitors for the Treatment of Cancer. J Med Chem 2024; 67:420-432. [PMID: 38146659 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
Breast and gynecological cancers are among the leading causes of death in women worldwide, illustrating the urgent need for innovative treatment options. We identified MYT1 as a promising new therapeutic target for breast and gynecological cancer using PandaOmics, an AI-driven target discovery platform. The synthetic lethal relationship of MYT1 in tumor cell lines with CCNE1 amplification enhanced this rationale. Through structure-based drug design, we developed a series of novel, potent, and highly selective inhibitors specifically targeting MYT1. Importantly, our lead compound, featuring a tetrahydropyrazolopyrazine ring, exhibits remarkable selectivity over WEE1, a related kinase associated with bone marrow suppression upon inhibition. Optimization of potency and physical properties resulted in the discovery of compound 21, a novel MYT1 inhibitor, exhibiting optimal pharmacokinetic properties and promising in vivo antitumor efficacy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yazhou Wang
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd, Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Chao Wang
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd, Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Tingting Liu
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd, Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Hongyun Qi
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd, Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Shan Chen
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd, Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xin Cai
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd, Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Man Zhang
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd, Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Alex Aliper
- Insilico Medicine AI Limited, Masdar City 145748, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
| | - Feng Ren
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd, Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xiao Ding
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd, Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Alex Zhavoronkov
- Insilico Medicine Shanghai Ltd, Suite 901, Tower C, Changtai Plaza, 2889 Jinke Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai 201203, China
- Insilico Medicine AI Limited, Masdar City 145748, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
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6
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Wang M, Zhang C, Ying Y, Hua M, Meng F, Wang Z, Liu A, Zeng S, Zhang Z, Xu C. PKMYT1 induced by YAP/TEAD1 gives rise to the progression and worse prognosis of bladder cancer. Mol Carcinog 2024; 63:160-172. [PMID: 37787394 DOI: 10.1002/mc.23643] [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: 05/26/2023] [Revised: 09/11/2023] [Accepted: 09/21/2023] [Indexed: 10/04/2023]
Abstract
Protein kinase, membrane-associated tyrosine/threonine 1 (PKMYT1), which is associated with progression of tumor, is upregulated in a variety of cancers. However, its expression and the underlying molecular mechanisms in the context of bladder cancer (BLCA) remain elusive. Here we found that PKMYT1 expression was markedly higher expression in BLCA, which was correlated with poorer prognosis compared with low expression. Knockdown of PKMYT1 significantly inhibited the BLCA cells proliferation in vivo and in vitro, and migration and invasion, reduced G2/M phase in cell cycle and induced apoptosis. Mechanically, YAP and TEAD1 knockdown suppressed PKMYT1 expression in BLCA cells, whereas overexpression of YAP upregulated PKMYT1 expression and YAP prompted PKMYT1 transcriptional expression via TEAD1-mediated direct binding to PKMYT1 promotor. Collectively, these findings suggest that PKMYT1, functioning as a direct gene target regulated by YAP/TEAD1, could serve as a potential indicator of progression and prognosis in BLCA. Further, PKMYT1 could serve as a novel therapeutic target for BLCA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maoyu Wang
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chen Zhang
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Yidie Ying
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Meimian Hua
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Fang Meng
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Ziwei Wang
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Anwei Liu
- Department of Critical Care Medicine, Hospital of Southern Theatre Command of PLA, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shuxiong Zeng
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Zhensheng Zhang
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
| | - Chuanliang Xu
- Department of Urology, Shanghai Changhai Hospital, Naval Medical University, Shanghai, China
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7
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Jin T, Xu W, Chen R, Shen L, Gao J, Xu L, Chi X, Lin N, Zhou L, Shen Z, Zhang B. Discovery of potential WEE1 inhibitors via hybrid virtual screening. Front Pharmacol 2023; 14:1298245. [PMID: 38143493 PMCID: PMC10740156 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2023.1298245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023] Open
Abstract
G2/M cell cycle checkpoint protein WEE1 kinase is a promising target for inhibiting tumor growth. Although various WEE1 inhibitors have entered clinical investigations, their therapeutic efficacy and safety profile remain unsatisfactory. In this study, we employed a comprehensive virtual screening workflow, which included Schrödinger-Glide molecular docking at different precision levels, as well as the utilization of tools such as MM/GBSA and Deepdock to predict the binding affinity between targets and ligands, in order to identify potential WEE1 inhibitors. Out of ten molecules screened, 50% of these molecules exhibited strong inhibitory activity against WEE1. Among them, compounds 4 and 5 showed excellent inhibitory activity with IC50 values of 1.069 and 3.77 nM respectively, which was comparable to AZD1775. Further investigations revealed that compound 4 displayed significant anti-proliferative effects in A549, PC9, and HuH-7 cells and could also induce apoptosis and G1 phase arrest in PC9 cells. Additionally, molecular dynamics simulations unveiled the binding details of compound 4 with WEE1, notably the crucial hydrogen bond interactions formed with Cys379. In summary, this comprehensive virtual screening workflow, combined with in vitro testing and computational modeling, holds significant importance in the development of promising WEE1 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Jin
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Roufen Chen
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Liteng Shen
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Jian Gao
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lei Xu
- School of Electrical and Information Engineering, Institute of Bioinformatics and Medical Engineering, Jiangsu University of Technology, Changzhou, China
| | - Xinglong Chi
- Key Laboratory of Neuropsychiatric Drug Research of Zhejiang Province, School of Pharmacy, Hangzhou Medical College, Hangzhou, China
| | - Nengming Lin
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Lixin Zhou
- Department of Hepatopancreatobiliary Surgery, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
| | - Zheyuan Shen
- College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Hangzhou Institute of Innovative Medicine, Institute of Drug Discovery and Design, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Bo Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Clinical Cancer Pharmacology and Toxicology Research of Zhejiang Province, Department of Clinical Pharmacology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou, China
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8
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Guo H, Wu H, Yan Z, Yin M, Wu L, Li B. Novel WEE2 homozygous mutations c.1346C>T and c.949A>T identified in primary infertile women due to unexplained fertilization failure. Clin Genet 2023; 104:700-704. [PMID: 37772619 DOI: 10.1111/cge.14429] [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: 05/18/2023] [Revised: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 09/15/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023]
Abstract
The occurrence of unexplained fertilization failure can have profound psychological and financial consequences for couples struggling with infertility, and its pathogenesis remains unclear. Increasing evidence highlights genetic basis of unexplained fertilization failure occurrence. Here, we identified one novel homozygous nonsense mutation (c.949A>T), one novel homozygous missense mutation (c.1346C>T), and three reported homozygous mutations (c.585G>C, c.1006_1007insTA, c.1221G>A) in six unrelated probands, showing similar manifestations of unexplained fertilization failure. This finding expands the spectrum of WEE2 mutations, highlighting the critical role of WEE2 in fertilization process, and provides a basis for the prognostic value of testing for WEE2 mutations in primary infertile couples with unexplained fertilization failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haiyan Guo
- Department of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Haibo Wu
- Department of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Zheng Yan
- Department of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Mingru Yin
- Department of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Ling Wu
- Department of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
| | - Bin Li
- Department of Assisted Reproduction, Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
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9
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Sokhi S, Lewis CW, Bukhari AB, Hadfield J, Xiao EJ, Fung J, Yoon YJ, Hsu WH, Gamper AM, Chan GK. Myt1 overexpression mediates resistance to cell cycle and DNA damage checkpoint kinase inhibitors. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1270542. [PMID: 38020882 PMCID: PMC10652759 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1270542] [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: 07/31/2023] [Accepted: 10/11/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell cycle checkpoint kinases serve as important therapeutic targets for various cancers. When they are inhibited by small molecules, checkpoint abrogation can induce cell death or further sensitize cancer cells to other genotoxic therapies. Particularly aberrant Cdk1 activation at the G2/M checkpoint by kinase inhibitors causing unscheduled mitotic entry and mitotic arrest was found to lead to DNA damage and cell death selectively in cancer cells. Promising drugs inhibiting kinases like Wee1 (Adavosertib), Wee1+Myt1 (PD166285), ATR (AZD6738) and Chk1 (UCN-01) have been developed, but clinical data has shown variable efficacy for them with poorly understood mechanisms of resistance. Our lab recently identified Myt1 as a predictive biomarker of acquired resistance to the Wee1 kinase inhibitor, Adavosertib. Here, we investigate the role of Myt1 overexpression in promoting resistance to inhibitors (PD166285, UCN-01 and AZD6738) of other kinases regulating cell cycle progression. We demonstrate that Myt1 confers resistance by compensating Cdk1 inhibition in the presence of these different kinase inhibitors. Myt1 overexpression leads to reduced premature mitotic entry and decreased length of mitosis eventually leading to increased survival rates in Adavosertib treated cells. Elevated Myt1 levels also conferred resistance to inhibitors of ATR or Chk1 inhibitor. Our data supports that Myt1 overexpression is a common mechanism by which cancer cells can acquire resistance to a variety of drugs entering the clinic that aim to induce mitotic catastrophe by abrogating the G2/M checkpoint.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sargun Sokhi
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Cody W. Lewis
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Amirali B. Bukhari
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Joanne Hadfield
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Edric J. Xiao
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Jeremy Fung
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Yea Jin Yoon
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Wen-Hsin Hsu
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Armin M. Gamper
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
| | - Gordon K. Chan
- Department of Oncology, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Experimental Oncology, Cross Cancer Institute, Edmonton, AB, Canada
- Cancer Research Institute of Northern Alberta, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada
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10
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Chandrasekaran J, Sivakumaresan Y, Shankar K, Dickson M, Laya Saravana Kumar S, Ramanathan L, Ahmad I, Patel H. Broadening the scope of WEE1 inhibitors: identifying novel drug candidates via computational approaches and drug repurposing. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2023:1-11. [PMID: 37632319 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2023.2251070] [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: 03/29/2023] [Accepted: 08/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/27/2023]
Abstract
The protein kinase Wee1 plays a vital role in the G2/M cell cycle checkpoint activation, triggered by double-stranded DNA disruptions. It fulfills this task by phosphorylating and consequently deactivating the cyclin B linked to Cdk1/Cdc2 at the Tyr15 residue, leading to a G2 cell cycle halt and subsequent delay of mitosis post DNA damage. Despite advancements, only the Wee1 inhibitor MK1775 has made it to Phase II clinical trials, presenting a challenge in innovative chemical structure development for small molecule discovery. To navigate this challenge, we employed an e-pharmacophore model of the MK1775-WEE1 complex (PDB ID: 5V5Y), using in silico screening of FDA-approved drugs. We chose six drugs for analog creation, guided by docking scores, key residue interactions, and ligand occupancy. Utilizing the 'DrugSpaceX' database, we generated 2,776 analogues via expert-defined transformations. Our findings identified DE90612 as the top-ranked analogue, followed by DE363106, DE489678, DE395383, DE90548, DE689343, DE395019, and DE538066. These analogues introduced unique structures not found in other databases. A t-SNE structurally diversified distribution map unveiled promising transformations linked to Temozolomide for WEE1 inhibitor development. Simulations of the WEE1-DE90612 complex (a Temozolomide analogue) for 200 nanoseconds demonstrated stability, with DE90612 forging robust bonds with active site residues and sustaining vital contacts at ASN376 and CYS379. These results underscore DE90612's potential inhibitory properties at the WEE1 binding site, warranting additional in vitro and in vivo exploration for its anticancer activity. Our approach outlines a promising pathway for creating diverse WEE1 inhibitors with suitable biological properties for potential oncology therapeutics.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaikanth Chandrasekaran
- Department of Pharmacology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher education and Research (Deemed to be University), Chennai, India
| | - Yogeetha Sivakumaresan
- Department of Pharmacology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher education and Research (Deemed to be University), Chennai, India
| | - Keerthika Shankar
- Department of Pharmacology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher education and Research (Deemed to be University), Chennai, India
| | - Melphiya Dickson
- Department of Pharmacology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher education and Research (Deemed to be University), Chennai, India
| | - Shruthi Laya Saravana Kumar
- Department of Pharmacology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher education and Research (Deemed to be University), Chennai, India
| | - Lalitha Ramanathan
- Department of Pharmacology, Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher education and Research (Deemed to be University), Chennai, India
| | - Iqrar Ahmad
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Prof. Ravindra Nikam College of Pharmacy, Dhule, India
- Division of Computer Aided Drug Design, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, R. C. Patel Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Shirpur, India
| | - Harun Patel
- Division of Computer Aided Drug Design, Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, R. C. Patel Institute of Pharmaceutical Education and Research, Shirpur, India
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11
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Nozawa K, Liao Z, Satouh Y, Geng T, Ikawa M, Monsivais D, Matzuk MM. Oocyte-specific Wee1-like protein kinase 2 is dispensable for fertility in mice. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0289083. [PMID: 37527245 PMCID: PMC10393137 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0289083] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2023] [Accepted: 07/10/2023] [Indexed: 08/03/2023] Open
Abstract
Wee1-like protein kinase 2 (WEE2) is an oocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase involved in the regulation of oocyte meiotic arrest in humans. As such, it has been proposed as a candidate for non-hormonal female contraception although pre-clinical models have not been reported. Therefore, we developed two novel knockout mouse models using CRISPR/Cas9 to test loss-of-function of Wee2 on female fertility. A frameshift mutation at the Wee2 translation start codon in exon 2 had no effect on litter size, litter production, or the ability of oocytes to maintain prophase I arrest. Because of the lack of a reproductive phenotype, we additionally generated a Wee2 allele with a large deletion by removing all coding exons. While there was no difference in the total number of litters produced, homozygous Wee2 female knockout mice with the larger deletion produced fewer pups than heterozygous littermates. Furthermore, there was no difference for key reproductive parameters measured in the mouse models, including ovarian weight, number of ovulated oocytes, or oocytes that underwent in vitro maturation. Therefore, as loss of Wee2 in mice shows only minor effects on overall fecundity, contraceptive development with WEE2 should consider exploiting alternative properties such as gain-of-function or protein-protein interactions, as Wee2 loss-of-function is likely complicated by biological redundancies with other proteins co-expressed in oocytes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaori Nozawa
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Zian Liao
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Yuhkoh Satouh
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- Institute for Molecular and Cellular Regulation, Gunma University, Maebashi, Gunma, Japan
| | - Ting Geng
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Masahito Ikawa
- Department of Experimental Genome Research, Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Suita, Osaka, Japan
- The Institute of Medical Science, The University of Tokyo, Minato-ku, Tokyo, Japan
| | - Diana Monsivais
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
| | - Martin M Matzuk
- Center for Drug Discovery, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Department of Pathology & Immunology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, United States of America
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12
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Alli VJ, Yadav P, Suresh V, Jadav SS. Synthetic and Medicinal Chemistry Approaches Toward WEE1 Kinase Inhibitors and Its Degraders. ACS OMEGA 2023; 8:20196-20233. [PMID: 37323408 PMCID: PMC10268025 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.3c01558] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2023] [Accepted: 05/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
WEE1 is a checkpoint kinase critical for mitotic events, especially in cell maturation and DNA repair. Most cancer cells' progression and survival are linked with elevated levels of WEE1 kinase. Thus, WEE1 kinase has become a new promising druggable target. A few classes of WEE1 inhibitors are designed by rationale or structure-based techniques and optimization approaches to identify selective acting anticancer agents. The discovery of the WEE1 inhibitor AZD1775 further emphasized WEE1 as a promising anticancer target. Therefore, the current review provides a comprehensive data on medicinal chemistry, synthetic approaches, optimization methods, and the interaction profile of WEE1 kinase inhibitors. In addition, WEE1 PROTAC degraders and their synthetic procedures, including a list of noncoding RNAs necessary for regulation of WEE1, are also highlighted. From the standpoint of medicinal chemistry, the contents of this compilation serve as an exemplar for the further design, synthesis, and optimization of promising WEE1-targeted anticancer agents.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vidya Jyothi Alli
- Department
of Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology Tarnaka, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500037, India
| | - Pawan Yadav
- Department
of Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology Tarnaka, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500037, India
| | - Vavilapalli Suresh
- Department
of Organic Synthesis and Process Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology Tarnaka, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500037, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
| | - Surender Singh Jadav
- Department
of Natural Products and Medicinal Chemistry, CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology Tarnaka, Uppal Road, Hyderabad 500037, India
- Academy
of Scientific and Innovative Research (AcSIR), Ghaziabad 201002, India
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13
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Guler S, DiPoto MC, Crespo A, Caldwell R, Doerfel B, Grossmann N, Ho K, Huck B, Jones CCV, Lan R, Musil D, Potnick J, Schilke H, Sherer B, Simon S, Sirrenberg C, Zhang Z, Liu-Bujalski L. Selective Wee1 Inhibitors Led to Antitumor Activity In Vitro and Correlated with Myelosuppression. ACS Med Chem Lett 2023; 14:566-576. [PMID: 37197456 PMCID: PMC10184160 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.2c00481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2022] [Accepted: 04/04/2023] [Indexed: 05/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Wee1 is a tyrosine kinase that is highly expressed in several cancer types. Wee1 inhibition can lead to suppression of tumor cell proliferation and sensitization of cells to the effects of DNA-damaging agents. AZD1775 is a nonselective Wee1 inhibitor for which myelosuppression has been observed as a dose-limiting toxicity. We have applied structure-based drug design (SBDD) to rapidly generate highly selective Wee1 inhibitors that demonstrate better selectivity than AZD1775 against PLK1, which is known to cause myelosuppression (including thrombocytopenia) when inhibited. While selective Wee1 inhibitors described herein still achieved in vitro antitumor efficacy, thrombocytopenia was still observed in vitro.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satenig Guler
- EMD
Serono, Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States
| | | | | | | | | | | | - Kevin Ho
- EMD
Serono, Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States
| | - Bayard Huck
- EMD
Serono, Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States
| | | | - Ruoxi Lan
- EMD
Serono, Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States
| | | | - Justin Potnick
- EMD
Serono, Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States
| | | | - Brian Sherer
- EMD
Serono, Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States
| | | | | | - Zhuo Zhang
- EMD
Serono, Billerica, Massachusetts 01821, United States
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14
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Dehghankelishadi P, Badiee P, Maritz MF, Dmochowska N, Thierry B. Bosutinib high density lipoprotein nanoformulation has potent tumour radiosensitisation effects. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:102. [PMID: 36945003 PMCID: PMC10028769 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-01848-9] [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: 11/26/2022] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Disruption of the cell cycle is among the most effective approach to increase tumour cells' radio-sensitivity. However, the presence of dose-limiting side effects hampers the clinical use of tyrosine kinase inhibitors targeting the cell cycle. Towards addressing this challenge, we identified a bosutinib nanoformulation within high density lipoprotein nanoparticles (HDL NPs) as a promising radiosensitiser. Bosutinib is a kinase inhibitor clinically approved for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia that possesses radiosensitising properties through cell cycle checkpoint inhibition. We found that a remarkably high bosutinib loading (> 10%) within HDL NPs could be reliably achieved under optimal preparation conditions. The radiosensitisation activity of the bosutinib-HDL nanoformulation was first assessed in vitro in UM-SCC-1 head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells, which confirmed efficient disruption of the radiation induced G2/M cell cycle arrest. Interestingly, the bosutinib nanoformulation out-performed free bosutinib, likely because of the specific affinity of HDL NPs with tumour cells. The combination of bosutinib-HDL NPs and radiotherapy significantly controlled tumour growth in an immunocompetent murine HNSCC model. The bosutinib-HDL nanoformulation also enhanced the radiation induced immune response through the polarisation of tumour associated macrophages towards proinflammatory phenotypes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pouya Dehghankelishadi
- Future Industries Institute and ARC Centre of Excellence Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, Adelaide, SA, 5095, Australia
- UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, City West Campus, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Parisa Badiee
- Future Industries Institute and ARC Centre of Excellence Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, Adelaide, SA, 5095, Australia
- UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, City West Campus, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia
| | - Michelle F Maritz
- Future Industries Institute and ARC Centre of Excellence Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, Adelaide, SA, 5095, Australia
| | - Nicole Dmochowska
- Future Industries Institute and ARC Centre of Excellence Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, Adelaide, SA, 5095, Australia
| | - Benjamin Thierry
- Future Industries Institute and ARC Centre of Excellence Convergent Bio-Nano Science and Technology, University of South Australia, Mawson Lakes Campus, Adelaide, SA, 5095, Australia.
- UniSA Clinical and Health Sciences, University of South Australia, City West Campus, Adelaide, SA, 5000, Australia.
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15
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Bieberich AA, Asquith CRM. Utilization of Supervised Machine Learning to Understand Kinase Inhibitor Toxophore Profiles. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065088. [PMID: 36982163 PMCID: PMC10049021 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065088] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/17/2023] [Revised: 03/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/02/2023] [Indexed: 03/09/2023] Open
Abstract
There have been more than 70 FDA-approved drugs to target the ATP binding site of kinases, mainly in the field of oncology. These compounds are usually developed to target specific kinases, but in practice, most of these drugs are multi-kinase inhibitors that leverage the conserved nature of the ATP pocket across multiple kinases to increase their clinical efficacy. To utilize kinase inhibitors in targeted therapy and outside of oncology, a narrower kinome profile and an understanding of the toxicity profile is imperative. This is essential when considering treating chronic diseases with kinase targets, including neurodegeneration and inflammation. This will require the exploration of inhibitor chemical space and an in-depth understanding of off-target interactions. We have developed an early pipeline toxicity screening platform that uses supervised machine learning (ML) to classify test compounds’ cell stress phenotypes relative to a training set of on-market and withdrawn drugs. Here, we apply it to better understand the toxophores of some literature kinase inhibitor scaffolds, looking specifically at a series of 4-anilinoquinoline and 4-anilinoquinazoline model libraries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew A. Bieberich
- AsedaSciences Inc., 1281 Win Hentschel Boulevard, West Lafayette, IN 47906, USA
| | - Christopher R. M. Asquith
- School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, 70211 Kuopio, Finland
- Structural Genomics Consortium and Division of Chemical Biology and Medicinal Chemistry, UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +358-50-400-3138; Fax: +358-82-944-4091
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16
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Wang S, Liu X, Zhou T, Li J, Lin Y, Zhou A, Huang J, Zhao J, Cai J, Cai X, Huang Y, Li X. PKMYT1 inhibits lung adenocarcinoma progression by abrogating AKT1 activity. Cell Oncol (Dordr) 2023; 46:195-209. [PMID: 36350496 DOI: 10.1007/s13402-022-00744-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 10/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/11/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE AKT hyperactivation drives malignant phenotypes in lung cancer via promoting tumor cell proliferation and survival. However, the relationship between dysregulation of cell cycle progression and AKT1 kinase activity is still not clear. METHODS Following the expression level of PKMYT1 in lung cancer, we performed cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and xenograft assays to determine the function of PKMYT1. We used RNA-seq to explore the anti-tumor mechanism of PKMYT1 and examined the effect of PKMYT1 on AKT1 activity. RESULTS In this study, we report that PKMYT1 is downregulated in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) tissues and its low expression predicts a poor prognosis in LUAD patients. PKMYT1 exerts potent tumor-suppressive functions in LUAD cells by inhibiting AKT1 activation and thereby repressing cell cycle progression, which depends on its tyrosine and threonine protein kinase activity. Interestingly, PKMYT1 could directly bind AKT1 to abrogate AKT1 activation. Moreover, silencing AKT1 and inhibitors targeting the AKT pathway effectively reverse the promoting effects of PKMYT1 knockdown on proliferation, migration and invasion of LUAD cells. CONCLUSION This work reveals the anti-tumor effect of PKMYT1 in LUAD and provides evidence to clarify the dual roles of PKMYT1 in tumor progression. Moreover, our findings broaden the current understandings on AKT1 activation and identify PKMYT1 as a potential negative regulator of AKT1 kinase activity, providing further insights into targeting the AKT pathway in LUAD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shuang Wang
- Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Ximeng Liu
- Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Ting Zhou
- Department of Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen University Zhongshan School of Medicine, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jinling Li
- Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Ying Lin
- Department of Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen University Zhongshan School of Medicine, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Anni Zhou
- Department of Pharmacology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jiamin Huang
- Department of Microbiology, Zhongshan School of Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Jingjing Zhao
- Department of Cardiac Surgery Center, The First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Junchao Cai
- Department of Immunology, Sun Yat-Sen University Zhongshan School of Medicine, Guangzhou, 510080, China
| | - Xiuyu Cai
- Department of General Internal Medicine, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, 510060, China
| | - Yongbo Huang
- State Key Laboratory of Respiratory Diseases and Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health, The First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
| | - Xu Li
- State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, 651 Dongfeng Road East, Guangzhou, 510060, China.
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17
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Liu M, Zhang Y, Zhang A, Deng Y, Gao X, Wang J, Wang Y, Wang S, Liu J, Chen S, Yao W, Liu X. Compound K is a potential clinical anticancer agent in prostate cancer by arresting cell cycle. PHYTOMEDICINE : INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF PHYTOTHERAPY AND PHYTOPHARMACOLOGY 2023; 109:154584. [PMID: 36610114 DOI: 10.1016/j.phymed.2022.154584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/26/2022] [Revised: 11/25/2022] [Accepted: 12/04/2022] [Indexed: 06/17/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Ginsenosides, phenolic compounds, and polysaccharides are the bioactive constituents of Panax ginseng Meyer. Compound K (CK) is a secondary ginsenoside with better bioavailability. It is also a promising anticancer agent. PURPOSE We aimed to evaluate the effect of CK on prostate cancer (PCa) and its potential mechanisms. STUDY DESIGN The proliferation, migration and cell cycle of PCa cells after CK treatment were assessed in various PCa cell lines. Docetaxel was used as a positive control drug. Unlike other published studies, the potential mechanisms of CK (50 μM) were investigated by an unbiased global transcriptome sequencing in the current study. METHODS Key CK related genes (CRGs) with prognostic significance were identified and verified by bioinformatic methods using data from the TCGA dataset and GSE21034 dataset. The role of CDK1 in the effect of CK treatment on PCa cells was investigated by overexpression of CDK1. RESULTS CK inhibited the proliferation and migration of PCa cells at concentrations (less than 25 μM) without obvious cytotoxicity. Five key CRGs with prognostic significance were identified, including CCNA2, CCNB2, CCNE2, CDK1, and PKMYT1, which are involved in cell cycle pathways. CK inhibited the expression of these 5 genes and the cell cycle of PCa cells. According to the results of bioinformatic analysis, the expression of the five key CRGs was strongly associated with poor prognosis and advanced pathological stage and grade of PCa. In addition, CK could restore androgen sensitivity in castration-resistant PCa cells, probably by inhibiting the expression of CDK1. After CDK1 overexpression, the inhibition of proliferation and migration of PCa cells by CK was decreased. The inhibition on the phosphorylation of AKT by CK was also reduced. CONCLUSION CK can inhibit PCa cells, and the mechanisms may be associated with the inhibition of cell cycle pathways through CDK1. CK is also a potential clinical anticancer agent for treating PCa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Man Liu
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China; Department of Geriatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yucong Zhang
- Department of Geriatrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - An Zhang
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yuxuan Deng
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xintao Gao
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jiaxin Wang
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Yi Wang
- Pharmaceutical Informatics Institute, College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China; Innovation Institute for Artificial Intelligence in Medicine of Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China
| | - Shaogang Wang
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Jihong Liu
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Shaoyong Chen
- Hematology-Oncology Division, Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Weimin Yao
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China
| | - Xiaming Liu
- Department of Urology, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, China.
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Temporal phosphoproteomics reveals WEE1-dependent control of 53BP1 pathway. iScience 2022; 26:105806. [PMID: 36632060 PMCID: PMC9827073 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2022.105806] [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: 07/05/2022] [Revised: 08/29/2022] [Accepted: 12/09/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Wee1-like protein kinase (WEE1) restrains activities of cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) in S and G2 phase. Inhibition of WEE1 evokes drastic increase in CDK activity, which perturbs replication dynamics and compromises cell cycle checkpoints. Notably, WEE1 inhibitors such as adavosertib are tested in cancer treatment trials; however, WEE1-regulated phosphoproteomes and their dynamics have not been systematically investigated. In this study, we identified acute time-resolved alterations in the cellular phosphoproteome following WEE1 inhibition with adavosertib. These treatments acutely elevated CDK activities with distinct phosphorylation dynamics revealing more than 600 potential uncharacterized CDK sites. Moreover, we identified a major role for WEE1 in controlling CDK-dependent phosphorylation of multiple clustered sites in the key DNA repair factors MDC1, 53BP1, and RIF1. Functional analysis revealed that WEE1 fine-tunes CDK activities to permit recruitment of 53BP1 to chromatin. Thus, our findings uncover WEE1-controlled targets and pathways with translational potential for the clinical application of WEE1 inhibitors.
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Yan J, Zhuang L, Wang Y, Jiang Y, Tu Z, Dong C, Chen Y, Zhu Y. Inhibitors of cell cycle checkpoint target Wee1 kinase - a patent review (2003-2022). Expert Opin Ther Pat 2022; 32:1217-1244. [PMID: 36620912 DOI: 10.1080/13543776.2022.2166827] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION DNA damage repair in most malignancies with mutation of p53 is more dependent on the G2/M checkpoint. Wee1 kinase is a key regulator of the G2/M checkpoint. If Wee1 is inhibited, it results in cells with unrepaired DNA damage entering mitosis prematurely, leading to mitotic catastrophe and subsequent cell death via the apoptotic program. Therefore, inhibition of Wee1 kinase which overexpressed in several cancer cell lines has emerged as a promising therapy for cancer treatment. AREAS COVERED This review summarizes for the first time the structures of small-molecule inhibitors of Wee1 reported in patents published from 2003 to 2022 and the recent clinical developments. It also provides perspectives on the challenges and the future directions. We used different methods to search different databases (PubMed, Reaxys, clinicaltrials.gov)for the literature we needed. EXPERT OPINION Although the small-molecule inhibitors of Wee1, Adavosertib, and ZN-C3 have entered the clinical phase II, the clinical toxicity exhibited by Adavosertib remains the subject of greater concern. The use of Wee1 inhibitors as monotherapy or in combination therapy remains the main trend in Wee1 inhibitors at present.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingxue Yan
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, P.R. China
| | - Lili Zhuang
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, P.R. China
| | - Yong Wang
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, P.R. China
| | - Yiqing Jiang
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, P.R. China
| | - Zhenlin Tu
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, P.R. China
| | - Chao Dong
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, P.R. China
| | - Yadong Chen
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, P.R. China
| | - Yong Zhu
- School of Science, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, P.R. China
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20
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Chen C, Wang Y, Hu MQ, Li H, Chen X, Qiang G, Sun Y, Zhu Y, Li B. Discovery of pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine-based molecules as a Wee1 inhibitor template. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2022; 75:128973. [PMID: 36075370 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2022.128973] [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: 05/04/2022] [Revised: 08/12/2022] [Accepted: 08/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
In the past decade, Wee1 inhibition has received widespread attention as a cancer therapy. Our research aims to discover effective, selective and drug-like Wee1 inhibitors. Herein, a series of compounds with pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine-based heterocycles were designed, synthesized and confirmed to inhibit Wee1 kinase. The inhibitors afforded good potency in Wee1 Kinase inhibitory activity in enzymatic assays. These compounds showed strong proliferation inhibition against NCI-1299 cell lines and had acceptable pharmacokinetic properties. These derivatives are promising inhibitors that warrant further evaluation, towards the development of potential anticancer drug.
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Affiliation(s)
- Changjun Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China; Medicinal Chemistry Department, Shouyao Holdings (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Yeliu Wang
- Medicinal Chemistry Department, Shouyao Holdings (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Min-Qi Hu
- Medicinal Chemistry Department, Shouyao Holdings (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Hongjuan Li
- Discovery Biology Department, Shouyao Holdings (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Xi Chen
- Medicinal Chemistry Department, Shouyao Holdings (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Gan Qiang
- School of Mechatronical Engineering, Beijing Institute of Technology, Beijing,China
| | - Yinghui Sun
- Discovery Biology Department, Shouyao Holdings (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing, China
| | - Yan Zhu
- Medicinal Chemistry Department, Shouyao Holdings (Beijing) Co., Ltd., Beijing, China.
| | - Binghui Li
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Capital Medical University, Beijing, China
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21
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Zhu S, Liu J, Xiao D, Wang P, Ma J, Hu X, Fu J, Zhou Y, Li J, Lu W. Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation of Wee1 kinase degraders. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 243:114786. [PMID: 36170799 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114786] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/14/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 09/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Abstract
Proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology has received widespread attention in recent years as a promising strategy for drug development. Herein, we report a series of novel Wee1 degraders, which were designed and synthesized based on PROTAC technology by linking AZD1775 with CRBN ligands through linkers of different lengths and types. All degraders could effectively and completely degrade cellular Wee1 protein in MV-4-11 cell line at IC50 concentrations. Preliminary assessments identified 42a as the most active degrader, which possessed potent antiproliferative activity and induced CRBN- and proteasome-dependent degradation of Wee1. Moreover, 42a also exhibited a time- and concentration-dependent depletion manner and inducing cell cycle arrest in G0/G1 phase and cancer cell apoptosis. More importantly, 42a showed acceptable in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetic properties and displayed rapid and sustained Wee1 degradation ability in vivo. Taken together, these findings contribute to understanding the development of PROTACs and demonstrate that our Wee1-targeting PROTAC strategy has potential novel applications in cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shulei Zhu
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai, 200062, PR China
| | - Jieyu Liu
- National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Donghuai Xiao
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai, 200062, PR China
| | - Peipei Wang
- National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, PR China; School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China
| | - Jingkun Ma
- National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Xiaobei Hu
- National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, PR China; Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, 528400, PR China
| | - Jingfeng Fu
- National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, PR China
| | - Yubo Zhou
- National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, PR China; Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, 528400, PR China; School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China.
| | - Jia Li
- National Center for Drug Screening, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, PR China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing, 100049, PR China; Zhongshan Institute for Drug Discovery, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Zhongshan, 528400, PR China; School of Chinese Materia Medica, Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine, Nanjing, 210023, PR China.
| | - Wei Lu
- Shanghai Engineering Research Center of Molecular Therapeutics and New Drug Development, School of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering, East China Normal University, 3663 North Zhongshan Road, Shanghai, 200062, PR China.
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22
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Mohammadi Ziarani G, Roshankar S, Mohajer F, Badiei A, Karimi-Maleh H, Gaikwad SV. Molecular docking and optical sensor studies based on 2,4-diamino pyrimidine-5-carbonitriles for detection of Hg 2. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2022; 212:113245. [PMID: 35398086 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2022.113245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/16/2021] [Revised: 02/03/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
An organic chemical sensor based on pyrimidine was successfully produced through the green reaction between aromatic aldehyde, malononitrile, and guanidine carbonate using SBA-Pr-SO3H. This fluorescence intensity of chemosensor (2,4-diamino-6-(phenyl)pyrimidine-5-carbonitrile) decreases by the addition of Hg2+ and its detection limit is about 14.89 × 10-5 M, in fact, through the green synthesis, the ligand was yielded to detect Hg2+ and the importance of ligand was considered in docking studies. The molecular docking of 2,4-diamino-6-(phenyl)pyrimidine-5-carbonitrile compound has been done with the protein selective estrogen receptor 5ACC complexed with (Azd9496), Human Anaplastic Lymphoma Kinase Pdb; 2xp2 complex with crizotinib (PF-02341066) and human wee1 kinase Pdb; 5vc3 complexed with bosutinib. The ligands 2,4-diamino-6-(phenyl)pyrimidine-5-carbonitrile generate very good docking results with the protein Pdb; 2xp2, which is responsible for effective tumor growth inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Shima Roshankar
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Physics and Chemistry, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Fatemeh Mohajer
- Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Physics and Chemistry, Alzahra University, Tehran, Iran
| | - Alireza Badiei
- School of Chemistry, College of Science, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran
| | - Hassan Karimi-Maleh
- School of Resources and Environment, University of Electronics Science and Technology of China (UESTC), 611731, China; Department of Chemical Engineering, Quchan University of Technology, Quchan, Iran; Department of Chemical Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Doornfontein Campus, 2028, Johannesburg, P.O. Box 17011, South Africa.
| | - Sunil V Gaikwad
- Department of Chemistry, Dr. D. Y. Patil ACS Women's College, Pimpri Pune, MH, 411018, India
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23
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Xie F, Zhou L, Ge C, Song X, Yan H. Development of pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-one scaffold as novel CDK2 inhibitors: Design, synthesis, and biological evaluation. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2022; 70:128803. [PMID: 35598793 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2022.128803] [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: 03/26/2022] [Revised: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 05/16/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
A series of pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-one scaffold were designed and synthesized as novel CDK2 inhibitors. By analyzing the common motifs of various known inhibitors, the designed compounds 1 were virtually screen for their inhibitory activity by docking into the active pocket of CDK2. The influence of different substitutes on the docking results was investigated. A total of 15 pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-ones 1 were synthesized by Paal-Knorr reaction, pyrimidine ring closure, bromination, Suzuki coupling reaction, amide formation and Knoevenagel condensation. The Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) was used to evaluate the inhibitory activity of pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidin-4-ones 1 in the breast cancer cell line MCF-7 in vitro using Etoposide as a reference control substance. The screening results demonstrated that the designed compounds have significant antiproliferative activity, and compounds 1e and 1j were the most active compounds with IC50 values of 10.79 μM and 10.88 μM, respectively, being better than that of Etoposide (IC50 = 18.75 μM). The enzyme inhibition assay was carried out against CDK2, the results indicated that the compounds 1e and 1j significantly inhibited CDK2 with IC50 values of 1.71 μM and 1.60 μM.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fan Xie
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental and Viral Oncology, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China
| | - Liying Zhou
- Beijing Tide Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, No. 8 East Rongjing Street, Beijing Economic Technological Development Area (BDA), Beijing 100176, PR China
| | - Changwei Ge
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental and Viral Oncology, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China
| | - Xiuqing Song
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental and Viral Oncology, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China.
| | - Hong Yan
- Beijing Key Laboratory of Environmental and Viral Oncology, College of Life Science and Bioengineering, Beijing University of Technology, Beijing 100124, PR China.
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24
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Zhang J, Zhang L, Wang J, Ouyang L, Wang Y. Polo-like Kinase 1 Inhibitors in Human Cancer Therapy: Development and Therapeutic Potential. J Med Chem 2022; 65:10133-10160. [PMID: 35878418 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c00614] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Polo-like kinase 1 (PLK1) plays an important role in a variety of cellular functions, including the regulation of mitosis, DNA replication, autophagy, and the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). PLK1 overexpression is often associated with cell proliferation and poor prognosis in cancer patients, making it a promising antitumor target. To date, at least 10 PLK1 inhibitors (PLK1i) have been entered into clinical trials, among which the typical kinase domain (KD) inhibitor BI 6727 (volasertib) was granted "breakthrough therapy designation" by the FDA in 2013. Unfortunately, many other KD inhibitors showed poor specificity, resulting in dose-limiting toxicity, which has greatly impeded their development. Researchers recently discovered many PLK1i with higher selectivity, stronger potency, and better absorption, distribution, metabolism, and elimination (ADME) characteristics. In this review, we emphasize the structure-activity relationships (SARs) of PLK1i, providing insights into new drugs targeting PLK1 for antitumor clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jifa Zhang
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China.,State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Lele Zhang
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China.,State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Jiaxing Wang
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Tennessee Health Science Center, Memphis 38163, Tennessee, United States
| | - Liang Ouyang
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China.,State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuxi Wang
- Targeted Tracer Research and Development Laboratory, Institute of Respiratory Health, Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China.,State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy and Cancer Center, Department of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610041, Sichuan, China
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25
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Aublette MC, Harrison TA, Thorpe EJ, Gadd MS. Selective Wee1 degradation by PROTAC degraders recruiting VHL and CRBN E3 ubiquitin ligases. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2022; 64:128636. [PMID: 35231578 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2022.128636] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 02/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The Ser/Thr protein kinase Wee1 plays a regulatory role at the G2/M checkpoint by phosphorylating CDK1 when DNA is damaged to allow time for DNA to repair, disruption of which is a key approach to sensitise cancer cells to DNA-damaging therapies. The main selective inhibitor for Wee1 undergoing development in clinical trials, AZD1775, however, has been shown to have off target effects towards other protein kinases with similar potency. Here we describe the synthesis and assessment of a series of Wee1-degrading PROTACs using AZD1775 linked to either the VHL ligand VH032 or to the CRBN ligand pomalidomide using different types and lengths of linkers. The conversion of AZD1775 into a PROTAC induces selective Wee1 degradation for compounds of both series depending on the nature of the linker.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marine C Aublette
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YG, United Kingdom
| | - Tom A Harrison
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YG, United Kingdom
| | - Elizabeth J Thorpe
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YG, United Kingdom
| | - Morgan S Gadd
- Division of Biomedical and Life Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, Lancaster University, Lancaster LA1 4YG, United Kingdom.
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26
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Shi M, Wang L, Liu K, Chen Y, Hu M, Yang L, He J, Chen L, Xu D. Molecular Dynamics Simulations of the Conformational Plasticity in the Active Pocket of Salt-Inducible Kinase 2 (SIK2) Multi-State Binding with Bosutinib. Comput Struct Biotechnol J 2022; 20:2574-2586. [PMID: 35685353 PMCID: PMC9160496 DOI: 10.1016/j.csbj.2022.05.039] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Revised: 05/18/2022] [Accepted: 05/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
Abstract
The kinase domain is highly conserved among protein kinases 'in terms of both sequence and structure. Conformational rearrangements of the kinase domain are affected by the phosphorylation of residues and the binding of kinase inhibitors. Interestingly, the conformational rearrangement of the active pocket plays an important role in kinase activity and can be used to design novel kinase inhibitors. We characterized the conformational plasticity of the active pocket when bosutinib was bound to salt-inducible kinase 2 (SIK2) using homology modeling and molecular dynamics simulations. Ten different initial complex models were constructed using the Morph server, ranging from open to closed conformations of SIK2 binding with bosutinib. Our simulation showed that bosutinib binds SIK2 with up or down conformations of the P-loop and with all the conformations of the activation loop. In addition, the αC-helix conformation was induced by the conformation of the activation loop, and the salt bridge formed only with its open conformation. The binding affinity of the models was also determined using the molecular mechanics generalized Born surface area method. Bosutinib was found to form a strong binding model with SIK2 and hydrophobic interactions were the dominant factor. This discovery may help guide the design of novel SIK2 inhibitors.
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27
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Maresca L, Stecca B, Carrassa L. Novel Therapeutic Approaches with DNA Damage Response Inhibitors for Melanoma Treatment. Cells 2022; 11:1466. [PMID: 35563772 PMCID: PMC9099918 DOI: 10.3390/cells11091466] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2022] [Revised: 04/22/2022] [Accepted: 04/25/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Targeted therapies against components of the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway and immunotherapies, which block immune checkpoints, have shown important clinical benefits in melanoma patients. However, most patients develop resistance, with consequent disease relapse. Therefore, there is a need to identify novel therapeutic approaches for patients who are resistant or do not respond to the current targeted and immune therapies. Melanoma is characterized by homologous recombination (HR) and DNA damage response (DDR) gene mutations and by high replicative stress, which increase the endogenous DNA damage, leading to the activation of DDR. In this review, we will discuss the current experimental evidence on how DDR can be exploited therapeutically in melanoma. Specifically, we will focus on PARP, ATM, CHK1, WEE1 and ATR inhibitors, for which preclinical data as single agents, taking advantage of synthetic lethal interactions, and in combination with chemo-targeted-immunotherapy, have been growing in melanoma, encouraging the ongoing clinical trials. The overviewed data are suggestive of considering DDR inhibitors as a valid therapeutic approach, which may positively impact the future of melanoma treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Luisa Maresca
- Tumor Cell Biology Unit, Core Research Laboratory, Institute for Cancer Research and Prevention (ISPRO), Viale Gaetano Pieraccini 6, 50139 Florence, Italy;
| | - Barbara Stecca
- Tumor Cell Biology Unit, Core Research Laboratory, Institute for Cancer Research and Prevention (ISPRO), Viale Gaetano Pieraccini 6, 50139 Florence, Italy;
| | - Laura Carrassa
- Fondazione Cesalpino, Arezzo Hospital, USL Toscana Sud-Est, Via Pietro Nenni 20, 52100 Arezzo, Italy
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28
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Regulatory spine RS3 residue of protein kinases: a lipophilic bystander or a decisive element in the small-molecule kinase inhibitor binding? Biochem Soc Trans 2022; 50:633-648. [PMID: 35226061 PMCID: PMC9022976 DOI: 10.1042/bst20210837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/22/2021] [Revised: 02/15/2022] [Accepted: 02/17/2022] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
In recent years, protein kinases have been one of the most pursued drug targets. These determined efforts have resulted in ever increasing numbers of small-molecule kinase inhibitors reaching to the market, offering novel treatment options for patients with distinct diseases. One essential component related to the activation and normal functionality of a protein kinase is the regulatory spine (R-spine). The R-spine is formed of four conserved residues named as RS1–RS4. One of these residues, RS3, located in the C-terminal part of αC-helix, is usually accessible for the inhibitors from the ATP-binding cavity as its side chain is lining the hydrophobic back pocket in many protein kinases. Although the role of RS3 has been well acknowledged in protein kinase function, this residue has not been actively considered in inhibitor design, even though many small-molecule kinase inhibitors display interactions to this residue. In this minireview, we will cover the current knowledge of RS3, its relationship with the gatekeeper, and the role of RS3 in kinase inhibitor interactions. Finally, we comment on the future perspectives how this residue could be utilized in the kinase inhibitor design.
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29
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A review on the treatment of multiple myeloma with small molecular agents in the past five years. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 229:114053. [PMID: 34974338 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.114053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/23/2021] [Revised: 11/30/2021] [Accepted: 12/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Multiple myeloma is currently incurable, and the incidence rate is increasing year by year worldwide. Although in recent years the combined treatment plan based on proteasome inhibitors and immunomodulatory drugs has greatly improved the treatment effect of multiple myeloma, most patients still relapse and become resistant to current treatments. To solve this problem, scientists are committed to developing drugs with higher specificity, such as iberdomide, which is highly specific to ikaros and aiolos. This review aims to focus on the small molecular agents that are being researched/clinically used for the treatment of multiple myeloma, including the target mechanism, structure-activity relationship and application prospects of small molecular agents.
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30
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Li Y, Liu X, Zhang S, Wang L, Zhang L, Zuo Z. Computational simulation studies on the binding selectivity of Wee1 and Checkpoint kinase 1 by molecular dynamics simulation combined with free energy calculations. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022; 40:1172-1181. [PMID: 33016857 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2020.1823882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/23/2022]
Abstract
Wee1 kinase and Checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1) kinase, which are well known to be involved in cancer, are promising targets for cancer therapy. Most of developed Wee1 inhibitors can inhibit activity of Chk1 kinase to different degrees as well. The poor selectivity brought side effects and selective inhibitor is needed. However, the selective mechanisms of Wee1 versus Chk1 are not clear. Therefore, the design of selective Wee1 and Chk1 inhibitors would provide a meaningful starting for the development of anticancer drugs with optimal efficacy. In this study, Wee1 inhibitors with different selectivity over Chk1 were chosen to analyze the selectivity mechanism by means of molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations and binding free energy calculations. Two key residues of Wee1 kinase and two critical residues of Chk1 were mutated to detect their effect on ligand binding into protein. The results indicated that these residues play a pivotal role in the binding interactions of ligands to receptors through hydrogen bond and hydrophobic interaction with inhibitors. This may provide a better understanding of the selective mechanism of Wee1 and Chk1. It would be beneficial to the discovery and optimization of selective Wee1 and Chk1 inhibitors.Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yaping Li
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Zigong, China.,State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, PR China.,Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming, PR China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, PR China
| | - Xingyong Liu
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Zigong, China
| | - Shuqun Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, PR China.,Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming, PR China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, PR China
| | - Liangliang Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, PR China.,Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming, PR China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, PR China
| | - Li Zhang
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Zigong, China
| | - Zhili Zuo
- School of Chemical Engineering, Sichuan University of Science & Engineering, Zigong, China.,State Key Laboratory of Phytochemistry and Plant Resources in West China, Kunming Institute of Botany, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Kunming, PR China.,Yunnan Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry, Kunming, PR China.,University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, PR China
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31
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Lopez BGC, Kohale IN, Du Z, Korsunsky I, Abdelmoula WM, Dai Y, Stopka SA, Gaglia G, Randall EC, Regan MS, Basu SS, Clark AR, Marin BM, Mladek AC, Burgenske DM, Agar JN, Supko JG, Grossman SA, Nabors LB, Raychaudhuri S, Ligon KL, Wen PY, Alexander B, Lee EQ, Santagata S, Sarkaria J, White FM, Agar NYR. Multimodal platform for assessing drug distribution and response in clinical trials. Neuro Oncol 2022; 24:64-77. [PMID: 34383057 PMCID: PMC8730776 DOI: 10.1093/neuonc/noab197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Response to targeted therapy varies between patients for largely unknown reasons. Here, we developed and applied an integrative platform using mass spectrometry imaging (MSI), phosphoproteomics, and multiplexed tissue imaging for mapping drug distribution, target engagement, and adaptive response to gain insights into heterogeneous response to therapy. METHODS Patient-derived xenograft (PDX) lines of glioblastoma were treated with adavosertib, a Wee1 inhibitor, and tissue drug distribution was measured with MALDI-MSI. Phosphoproteomics was measured in the same tumors to identify biomarkers of drug target engagement and cellular adaptive response. Multiplexed tissue imaging was performed on sister sections to evaluate spatial co-localization of drug and cellular response. The integrated platform was then applied on clinical specimens from glioblastoma patients enrolled in the phase 1 clinical trial. RESULTS PDX tumors exposed to different doses of adavosertib revealed intra- and inter-tumoral heterogeneity of drug distribution and integration of the heterogeneous drug distribution with phosphoproteomics and multiplexed tissue imaging revealed new markers of molecular response to adavosertib. Analysis of paired clinical specimens from patients enrolled in the phase 1 clinical trial informed the translational potential of the identified biomarkers in studying patient's response to adavosertib. CONCLUSIONS The multimodal platform identified a signature of drug efficacy and patient-specific adaptive responses applicable to preclinical and clinical drug development. The information generated by the approach may inform mechanisms of success and failure in future early phase clinical trials, providing information for optimizing clinical trial design and guiding future application into clinical practice.
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Affiliation(s)
- Begoña G C Lopez
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ishwar N Kohale
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ziming Du
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Ilya Korsunsky
- Center for Data Sciences, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Divisions of Genetics and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Walid M Abdelmoula
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Yang Dai
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sylwia A Stopka
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Giorgio Gaglia
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Elizabeth C Randall
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Michael S Regan
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sankha S Basu
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Amanda R Clark
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Bianca-Maria Marin
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Ann C Mladek
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | | | - Jeffrey N Agar
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Northeastern University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jeffrey G Supko
- Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Stuart A Grossman
- Brain Cancer Program, Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland, USA
| | - Louis B Nabors
- University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA
| | - Soumya Raychaudhuri
- Center for Data Sciences, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Divisions of Genetics and Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Biomedical Informatics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Program in Medical and Population Genetics, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Keith L Ligon
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Patrick Y Wen
- Center for Neuro-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Brian Alexander
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Center for Neuro-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Eudocia Q Lee
- Center for Neuro-Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Sandro Santagata
- Department of Pathology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Jann Sarkaria
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA
| | - Forest M White
- Department of Biological Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
- Center for Precision Cancer Medicine, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
| | - Nathalie Y R Agar
- Department of Neurosurgery, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA
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Wang M, Chen S, Ao D. Targeting DNA repair pathway in cancer: Mechanisms and clinical application. MedComm (Beijing) 2021; 2:654-691. [PMID: 34977872 PMCID: PMC8706759 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/06/2021] [Revised: 11/21/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Over the last decades, the growing understanding on DNA damage response (DDR) pathways has broadened the therapeutic landscape in oncology. It is becoming increasingly clear that the genomic instability of cells resulted from deficient DNA damage response contributes to the occurrence of cancer. One the other hand, these defects could also be exploited as a therapeutic opportunity, which is preferentially more deleterious in tumor cells than in normal cells. An expanding repertoire of DDR-targeting agents has rapidly expanded to inhibitors of multiple members involved in DDR pathways, including PARP, ATM, ATR, CHK1, WEE1, and DNA-PK. In this review, we sought to summarize the complex network of DNA repair machinery in cancer cells and discuss the underlying mechanism for the application of DDR inhibitors in cancer. With the past preclinical evidence and ongoing clinical trials, we also provide an overview of the history and current landscape of DDR inhibitors in cancer treatment, with special focus on the combination of DDR-targeted therapies with other cancer treatment strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Manni Wang
- Department of BiotherapyCancer CenterWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Siyuan Chen
- Department of BiotherapyCancer CenterWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduChina
| | - Danyi Ao
- Department of BiotherapyCancer CenterWest China HospitalSichuan UniversityChengduChina
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Russi M, Marson D, Fermeglia A, Aulic S, Fermeglia M, Laurini E, Pricl S. The fellowship of the RING: BRCA1, its partner BARD1 and their liaison in DNA repair and cancer. Pharmacol Ther 2021; 232:108009. [PMID: 34619284 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2021.108009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/14/2021] [Revised: 08/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
The breast cancer type 1 susceptibility protein (BRCA1) and its partner - the BRCA1-associated RING domain protein 1 (BARD1) - are key players in a plethora of fundamental biological functions including, among others, DNA repair, replication fork protection, cell cycle progression, telomere maintenance, chromatin remodeling, apoptosis and tumor suppression. However, mutations in their encoding genes transform them into dangerous threats, and substantially increase the risk of developing cancer and other malignancies during the lifetime of the affected individuals. Understanding how BRCA1 and BARD1 perform their biological activities therefore not only provides a powerful mean to prevent such fatal occurrences but can also pave the way to the development of new targeted therapeutics. Thus, through this review work we aim at presenting the major efforts focused on the functional characterization and structural insights of BRCA1 and BARD1, per se and in combination with all their principal mediators and regulators, and on the multifaceted roles these proteins play in the maintenance of human genome integrity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria Russi
- Molecular Biology and Nanotechnology Laboratory (MolBNL@UniTs), DEA, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Domenico Marson
- Molecular Biology and Nanotechnology Laboratory (MolBNL@UniTs), DEA, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Alice Fermeglia
- Molecular Biology and Nanotechnology Laboratory (MolBNL@UniTs), DEA, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Suzana Aulic
- Molecular Biology and Nanotechnology Laboratory (MolBNL@UniTs), DEA, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Maurizio Fermeglia
- Molecular Biology and Nanotechnology Laboratory (MolBNL@UniTs), DEA, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Erik Laurini
- Molecular Biology and Nanotechnology Laboratory (MolBNL@UniTs), DEA, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy
| | - Sabrina Pricl
- Molecular Biology and Nanotechnology Laboratory (MolBNL@UniTs), DEA, University of Trieste, Trieste, Italy; Department of General Biophysics, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz, Poland.
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Huang PQ, Boren BC, Hegde SG, Liu H, Unni AK, Abraham S, Hopkins CD, Paliwal S, Samatar AA, Li J, Bunker KD. Discovery of ZN-c3, a Highly Potent and Selective Wee1 Inhibitor Undergoing Evaluation in Clinical Trials for the Treatment of Cancer. J Med Chem 2021; 64:13004-13024. [PMID: 34423975 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Wee1 inhibition has received great attention in the past decade as a promising therapy for cancer treatment. Therefore, a potent and selective Wee1 inhibitor is highly desirable. Our efforts to make safer and more efficacious Wee1 inhibitors led to the discovery of compound 16, a highly selective Wee1 inhibitor with balanced potency, ADME, and pharmacokinetic properties. The chiral ethyl moiety of compound 16 provided an unexpected improvement of Wee1 potency. Compound 16, known as ZN-c3, showed excellent in vivo efficacy and is currently being evaluated in phase 2 clinical trials.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Q Huang
- Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Brant C Boren
- Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Sayee G Hegde
- Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Hui Liu
- Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Aditya K Unni
- Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Sunny Abraham
- Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Chad D Hopkins
- Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Sunil Paliwal
- Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Ahmed A Samatar
- Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Jiali Li
- Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, California 92121, United States
| | - Kevin D Bunker
- Zentalis Pharmaceuticals, San Diego, California 92121, United States
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Targeting Wee1 kinase as a therapeutic approach in Hematological Malignancies. DNA Repair (Amst) 2021; 107:103203. [PMID: 34390915 DOI: 10.1016/j.dnarep.2021.103203] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2021] [Revised: 06/26/2021] [Accepted: 08/02/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023]
Abstract
Hematologic malignancies include various diseases that develop from hematopoietic stem cells of bone marrow or lymphatic organs. Currently, conventional DNA-damage-based chemotherapy drugs are approved as standard therapeutic regimens for these malignancies. Although many improvements have been made, patients with relapsed or refractory hematological malignancies have a poor prognosis. Therefore, novel and practical therapeutic approaches are required for the treatment of these diseases. Interestingly several studies have shown that targeting Wee1 kinase in the Hematological malignancies, including AML, ALL, CML, CLL, DLBCL, BL, MCL, etc., can be an effective therapeutic strategy. It plays an essential role in regulating the cell cycle process by abrogating the G2-M cell-cycle checkpoint, which provides time for DNA damage repair before mitotic entry. Consistently, Wee1 overexpression is observed in various Hematological malignancies. Also, in healthy normal cells, repairing DNA damages occurs due to G1-S checkpoint function; however, in the cancer cells, which have an impaired G1-S checkpoint, the damaged DNA repair process depends on the G2-M checkpoint function. Thus, Wee1 inhibition could be a promising target in the presence of DNA damage in order to potentiate multiple therapeutic drugs. This review summarized the potentials and challenges of Wee1 inhibition combined with other therapies as a novel effective therapeutic strategy in Hematological malignancies.
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Takebe N, Naqash AR, O'Sullivan Coyne G, Kummar S, Do K, Bruns A, Juwara L, Zlott J, Rubinstein L, Piekarz R, Sharon E, Streicher H, Mittra A, Miller SB, Ji J, Wilsker D, Kinders RJ, Parchment RE, Chen L, Chang TC, Das B, Mugundu G, Doroshow JH, Chen AP. Safety, Antitumor Activity, and Biomarker Analysis in a Phase I Trial of the Once-daily Wee1 Inhibitor Adavosertib (AZD1775) in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 27:3834-3844. [PMID: 33863809 PMCID: PMC8282703 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-21-0329] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/27/2021] [Revised: 03/24/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE The Wee1 kinase inhibitor adavosertib abrogates cell-cycle arrest, leading to cell death. Prior testing of twice-daily adavosertib in patients with advanced solid tumors determined the recommended phase II dose (RPh2D). Here, we report results for once-daily adavosertib. PATIENTS AND METHODS A 3 + 3 dose-escalation design was used, with adavosertib given once daily on days 1 to 5 and 8 to 12 in 21-day cycles. Molecular biomarkers of Wee1 activity, including tyrosine 15-phosphorylated Cdk1/2 (pY15-Cdk), were assessed in paired tumor biopsies. Whole-exome sequencing and RNA sequencing of remaining tumor tissue identified potential predictive biomarkers. RESULTS Among the 42 patients enrolled, the most common toxicities were gastrointestinal and hematologic; dose-limiting toxicities were grade 4 hematologic toxicity and grade 3 fatigue. The once-daily RPh2D was 300 mg. Six patients (14%) had confirmed partial responses: four ovarian, two endometrial. Adavosertib plasma exposures were similar to those from twice-daily dosing. On cycle 1 day 8 (pre-dose), tumor pY15-Cdk levels were higher than baseline in four of eight patients, suggesting target rebound during the day 5 to 8 dosing break. One patient who progressed rapidly had a tumor WEE1 mutation and potentially compensatory PKMYT1 overexpression. Baseline CCNE1 overexpression occurred in both of two responding patients, only one of whom had CCNE1 amplification, and in zero of three nonresponding patients. CONCLUSIONS We determined the once-daily adavosertib RPh2D and observed activity in patients with ovarian or endometrial carcinoma, including two with baseline CCNE1 mRNA overexpression. Future studies will determine whether CCNE1 overexpression is a predictive biomarker for adavosertib.
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Affiliation(s)
- Naoko Takebe
- Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
- Center for Cancer Research, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
| | | | - Geraldine O'Sullivan Coyne
- Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
- Center for Cancer Research, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Shivaani Kummar
- Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
- Center for Cancer Research, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Khanh Do
- Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
- Center for Cancer Research, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Ashley Bruns
- Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Lamin Juwara
- Clinical Monitoring Research Program, Clinical Research Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Jennifer Zlott
- Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Larry Rubinstein
- Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Richard Piekarz
- Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Elad Sharon
- Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Howard Streicher
- Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Arjun Mittra
- Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Sarah B Miller
- Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Jiuping Ji
- Clinical Pharmacodynamic Biomarkers Program, Applied/Developmental Research Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Deborah Wilsker
- Clinical Pharmacodynamic Biomarkers Program, Applied/Developmental Research Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Robert J Kinders
- Clinical Pharmacodynamic Biomarkers Program, Applied/Developmental Research Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Ralph E Parchment
- Clinical Pharmacodynamic Biomarkers Program, Applied/Developmental Research Directorate, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Li Chen
- Molecular Characterization Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Ting-Chia Chang
- Molecular Characterization Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Biswajit Das
- Molecular Characterization Laboratory, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research, Frederick, Maryland
| | - Ganesh Mugundu
- AstraZeneca, Clinical Pharmacology, Waltham, Massachusetts
| | - James H Doroshow
- Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
- Center for Cancer Research, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Alice P Chen
- Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland.
- Center for Cancer Research, NCI, Bethesda, Maryland
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Southekal S, Mishra NK, Guda C. Pan-Cancer Analysis of Human Kinome Gene Expression and Promoter DNA Methylation Identifies Dark Kinase Biomarkers in Multiple Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13061189. [PMID: 33801837 PMCID: PMC8001681 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13061189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/02/2021] [Revised: 03/04/2021] [Accepted: 03/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Kinases are a group of intracellular signaling molecules that play critical roles in various biological processes. Even though kinases comprise one of the most well-known therapeutic targets, many have been understudied and therefore warrant further investigation. DNA methylation is one of the key epigenetic regulators that modulate gene expression. In this study, the human kinome's DNA methylation and gene expression patterns were analyzed using the level-3 TCGA data for 32 cancers. Unsupervised clustering based on kinome data revealed the grouping of cancers based on their organ level and tissue type. We further observed significant differences in overall kinase methylation levels (hyper- and hypomethylation) between the tumor and adjacent normal samples from the same tissue. Methylation expression quantitative trait loci (meQTL) analysis using kinase gene expression with the corresponding methylated probes revealed a highly significant and mostly negative association (~92%) within 1.5 kb from the transcription start site (TSS). Several understudied (dark) kinases (PKMYT1, PNCK, BRSK2, ERN2, STK31, STK32A, and MAPK4) were also identified with a significant role in patient survival. This study leverages results from multi-omics data to identify potential kinase markers of prognostic and diagnostic importance and further our understanding of kinases in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Chittibabu Guda
- Correspondence: (N.K.M.); (C.G.); Tel.: +1-402-559-5954 (C.G.)
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Chen J, Jia X, Li Z, Song W, Jin C, Zhou M, Xie H, Zheng S, Song P. Targeting WEE1 by adavosertib inhibits the malignant phenotypes of hepatocellular carcinoma. Biochem Pharmacol 2021; 188:114494. [PMID: 33684390 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2021.114494] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2021] [Accepted: 02/24/2021] [Indexed: 10/22/2022]
Abstract
Targeting the cell cycle checkpoints and DNA damage response are promising therapeutic strategies for cancer. Adavosertib is a potent inhibitor of WEE1 kinase, which plays a critical role in regulating cell cycle checkpoints. However, the effect of adavosertib on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment, including sorafenib-resistant HCC, has not been thoroughly studied. In this study, we comprehensively investigated the efficacy and pharmacology of adavosertib in HCC therapy. Adavosertib effectively inhibited the proliferation of HCC cells in vitro and suppressed tumor growth in HCC xenografts and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models in vivo. Additionally, adavosertib treatment effectively inhibited the motility of HCC cells by impairing pseudopodia formation. Further, we revealed that adavosertib induced DNA damage and premature mitosis entrance by disturbing the cell cycle. Thus, HCC cells accumulating DNA damage underwent mitosis without G2/M checkpoint arrest, thereby leading to mitotic catastrophe and apoptosis under adavosertib administration. Given that sorafenib resistance is common in HCC in clinical practice, we also explored the efficacy of adavosertib in sorafenib-resistant HCC. Notably, adavosertib still showed a desirable inhibitory effect on the growth of sorafenib-resistant HCC cells. Adavosertib markedly induced G2/M checkpoint arrest and cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner, confirming the similar efficacy of adavosertib in sorafenib-resistant HCC. Collectively, our results highlight the treatment efficacy of adavosertib in HCC regardless of sorafenib resistance, providing insights into exploring novel strategies for HCC therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jian Chen
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou 310003, China; Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou 310003, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Xing Jia
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou 310003, China; Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou 310003, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Zequn Li
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou 310003, China; Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou 310003, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Wenfeng Song
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou 310003, China; Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou 310003, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Cheng Jin
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou 310003, China; Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou 310003, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Mengqiao Zhou
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou 310003, China; Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou 310003, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Haiyang Xie
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou 310003, China; Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou 310003, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310003, China
| | - Shusen Zheng
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou 310003, China; Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou 310003, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310003, China.
| | - Penghong Song
- Division of Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Surgery, Department of Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, Hangzhou 310003, China; NHC Key Laboratory of Combined Multi-organ Transplantation, Hangzhou 310003, China; Key Laboratory of the Diagnosis and Treatment of Organ Transplantation, Research Unit of Collaborative Diagnosis and Treatment For Hepatobiliary and Pancreatic Cancer, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (2019RU019), Hangzhou 310003, China; Key Laboratory of Organ Transplantation, Research Center for Diagnosis and Treatment of Hepatobiliary Diseases, Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou 310003, China.
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Gorecki L, Andrs M, Korabecny J. Clinical Candidates Targeting the ATR-CHK1-WEE1 Axis in Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:795. [PMID: 33672884 PMCID: PMC7918546 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13040795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 44] [Impact Index Per Article: 14.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/19/2021] [Revised: 02/10/2021] [Accepted: 02/11/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Selective killing of cancer cells while sparing healthy ones is the principle of the perfect cancer treatment and the primary aim of many oncologists, molecular biologists, and medicinal chemists. To achieve this goal, it is crucial to understand the molecular mechanisms that distinguish cancer cells from healthy ones. Accordingly, several clinical candidates that use particular mutations in cell-cycle progressions have been developed to kill cancer cells. As the majority of cancer cells have defects in G1 control, targeting the subsequent intra‑S or G2/M checkpoints has also been extensively pursued. This review focuses on clinical candidates that target the kinases involved in intra‑S and G2/M checkpoints, namely, ATR, CHK1, and WEE1 inhibitors. It provides insight into their current status and future perspectives for anticancer treatment. Overall, even though CHK1 inhibitors are still far from clinical establishment, promising accomplishments with ATR and WEE1 inhibitors in phase II trials present a positive outlook for patient survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lukas Gorecki
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic; (L.G.); (M.A.)
| | - Martin Andrs
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic; (L.G.); (M.A.)
- Laboratory of Cancer Cell Biology, Institute of Molecular Genetics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Videnska 1083, 142 00 Prague, Czech Republic
| | - Jan Korabecny
- Biomedical Research Center, University Hospital Hradec Kralove, Sokolska 581, 500 05 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic; (L.G.); (M.A.)
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Al-Sanea MM, Obaidullah AJ, Shaker ME, Chilingaryan G, Alanazi MM, Alsaif NA, Alkahtani HM, Alsubaie SA, Abdelgawad MA. A New CDK2 Inhibitor with 3-Hydrazonoindolin-2-One Scaffold Endowed with Anti-Breast Cancer Activity: Design, Synthesis, Biological Evaluation, and In Silico Insights. Molecules 2021; 26:molecules26020412. [PMID: 33466812 PMCID: PMC7830330 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26020412] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Revised: 01/08/2021] [Accepted: 01/11/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) regulate mammalian cell cycle progression and RNA transcription. Based on the structural analysis of previously reported CDK2 inhibitors, a new compound with 3-hydrazonoindolin-2-one scaffold (HI 5) was well designed, synthesized, and biologically evaluated as a promising anti-breast cancer hit compound. Methods: The potential anti-cancerous effect of HI 5 was evaluated using cytotoxicity assay, flow cytometric analysis of apoptosis and cell cycle distribution, ELISA immunoassay, in vitro CDK2/cyclin A2 activity, and molecular operating environment (MOE) virtual docking studies. Results: The results revealed that HI 5 exhibits pronounced CDK2 inhibitory activity and cytotoxicity in human breast cancer MCF-7 cell line. The cytotoxicity of HI 5 was found to be intrinsically mediated apoptosis, which in turn, is associated with low Bcl-2 expression and high activation of caspase 3 and p53. Besides, HI 5 blocked the proliferation of the MCF-7 cell line and arrested the cell cycle at the G2/M phase. The docking studies did not confirm which one of geometric isomers (syn and anti) is responsible for binding affinity and intrinsic activity of HI 5. However, the molecular dynamic studies have confirmed that the syn-isomer has more favorable binding interaction and thus is responsible for CDK2 inhibitory activity. Discussion: These findings displayed a substantial basis of synthesizing further derivatives based on the 3-hydrazonoindolin-2-one scaffold for favorable targeting of breast cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mohammad M. Al-Sanea
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka 72341, Aljouf Province, Saudi Arabia;
- Correspondence: (M.M.A.-S.); (A.J.O.); Tel.: +966-594076460 (M.M.A.-S.)
| | - Ahmad J. Obaidullah
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (M.M.A.); (N.A.A.); (H.M.A.); (S.A.A.)
- Correspondence: (M.M.A.-S.); (A.J.O.); Tel.: +966-594076460 (M.M.A.-S.)
| | - Mohamed E. Shaker
- Department of Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka, Aljouf 72341, Saudi Arabia;
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Mansoura University, Mansoura 35516, Egypt
| | - Garri Chilingaryan
- Institute of Biomedicine and Pharmacy, Russian-Armenian University, Yerevan 0051, Armenia;
| | - Mohammed M. Alanazi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (M.M.A.); (N.A.A.); (H.M.A.); (S.A.A.)
| | - Nawaf A. Alsaif
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (M.M.A.); (N.A.A.); (H.M.A.); (S.A.A.)
| | - Hamad M. Alkahtani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (M.M.A.); (N.A.A.); (H.M.A.); (S.A.A.)
| | - Sultan A. Alsubaie
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia; (M.M.A.); (N.A.A.); (H.M.A.); (S.A.A.)
| | - Mohamed A. Abdelgawad
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, Jouf University, Sakaka 72341, Aljouf Province, Saudi Arabia;
- Department of Pharmaceutical Organic Chemistry, Beni-Suef University, Beni-Suef 62514, Egypt
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Tian Y, Wang G, Wang J, Mu X, Chen H, Song X, Bai X. Novel compound heterozygous mutation in WEE2 is associated with fertilization failure: case report of an infertile woman and literature review. BMC WOMENS HEALTH 2020; 20:246. [PMID: 33148236 PMCID: PMC7643268 DOI: 10.1186/s12905-020-01111-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2020] [Accepted: 10/26/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Fertilization failure after intracytoplasmic sperm injection continues to affect couples and the etiology is not well-understood. CASE PRESENTATION We characterized a couple with 2-year history of primary unexplained infertility. Three different assisted reproduction attempts (IVF + rescue ICSI, ICSI and ICSI-AOA) showed repeated fertilization failure for MII oocyte retrieval after controlled ovarian hyperstimulation. After whole-exome sequencing and sanger sequencing of the couple and their family members, variant pathogenicity was assessed using SIFT, PolyPhen2, Mutation Taster, and Human Splicing Finder software. We identified novel compound heterozygous mutations, c.1535 + 3A > G and c.946C > T (p. Leu316Phe), in WEE2 in the female proband. Trios analysis of the variations revealed an autosomal recessive pattern. c.1535 + 3A > G in WEE2 was predicted to break the wild-type donor site and affect splicing, and the missense mutation c.946C > T (p. Leu316Phe) of WEE2 was predicted to be pathogenic. CONCLUSION A novel compound heterozygous mutation in WEE2 was identified in an infertile female who experienced repeated fertilization failure even after ICSI-AOA. These novel mutations in WEE2 provided genetic evidence for fertilization failure.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Tian
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Guojie Wang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Jin Wang
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Xiaohuan Mu
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Haixia Chen
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Xueru Song
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, China
| | - Xiaohong Bai
- Reproductive Medicine Center, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, 154, Anshan Road, Heping District, Tianjin, 300052, China.
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Du X, Li J, Luo X, Li R, Li F, Zhang Y, Shi J, He J. Structure-activity relationships of Wee1 inhibitors: A review. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 203:112524. [PMID: 32688199 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2020.112524] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/12/2020] [Revised: 05/28/2020] [Accepted: 06/01/2020] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Wee1 kinase plays an important role in regulating G2/M checkpoint and S phase, and the inhibition of it will lead to mitotic catastrophe in cancer cells with p53 mutation or deletion. Therefore, the mechanism of Wee1 kinase in cancer treatment and the development of its inhibitors have become a research hotspot. However, although a variety of Wee1 inhibitors with different scaffolds and considerable activity have been successfully identified, so far no one has systematically summarized the structure-activity relationships (SARs) of Wee1 inhibitors. Previous reviews mainly focused on its mechanism and clinical application. To facilitate the rational design and development of Wee1 inhibitors in the future, this paper systematically summarizes its structural types, SARs and binding modes according to the Wee1 inhibitors reported in scientific journals, and also summarizes the regulatory effect of Wee1 kinase on cell cycle and the progress of its inhibitors in clinical application.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xingkai Du
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy & Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Jian Li
- Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xiaojiao Luo
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy & Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Rong Li
- West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Feng Li
- West China School of Pharmacy, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yiwen Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy & Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Jianyou Shi
- Personalized Drug Therapy Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Department of pharmacy, Sichuan Academy of Medical Science & Sichuan Provincial People's Hospital, School of Medicine of University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chinese Academy of Sciences Sichuan Translational Medicine Research Hospital, Chengdu, 610072, China.
| | - Jun He
- State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy & Cancer Center, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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Ghelli Luserna di Rorà A, Cerchione C, Martinelli G, Simonetti G. A WEE1 family business: regulation of mitosis, cancer progression, and therapeutic target. J Hematol Oncol 2020; 13:126. [PMID: 32958072 PMCID: PMC7507691 DOI: 10.1186/s13045-020-00959-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 115] [Impact Index Per Article: 28.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/18/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
The inhibition of the DNA damage response (DDR) pathway in the treatment of cancer has recently gained interest, and different DDR inhibitors have been developed. Among them, the most promising ones target the WEE1 kinase family, which has a crucial role in cell cycle regulation and DNA damage identification and repair in both nonmalignant and cancer cells. This review recapitulates and discusses the most recent findings on the biological function of WEE1/PKMYT1 during the cell cycle and in the DNA damage repair, with a focus on their dual role as tumor suppressors in nonmalignant cells and pseudo-oncogenes in cancer cells. We here report the available data on the molecular and functional alterations of WEE1/PKMYT1 kinases in both hematological and solid tumors. Moreover, we summarize the preclinical information on 36 chemo/radiotherapy agents, and in particular their effect on cell cycle checkpoints and on the cellular WEE1/PKMYT1-dependent response. Finally, this review outlines the most important pre-clinical and clinical data available on the efficacy of WEE1/PKMYT1 inhibitors in monotherapy and in combination with chemo/radiotherapy agents or with other selective inhibitors currently used or under evaluation for the treatment of cancer patients.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea Ghelli Luserna di Rorà
- Biosciences Laboratory (Onco-hematology Unit), Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Via P. Maroncelli 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy
| | - Claudio Cerchione
- Biosciences Laboratory (Onco-hematology Unit), Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Via P. Maroncelli 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy
| | - Giovanni Martinelli
- Biosciences Laboratory (Onco-hematology Unit), Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Via P. Maroncelli 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy
| | - Giorgia Simonetti
- Biosciences Laboratory (Onco-hematology Unit), Istituto Scientifico Romagnolo per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori (IRST) IRCCS, Via P. Maroncelli 40, 47014, Meldola, FC, Italy.
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Peerzada M, Khan P, Khan NS, Avecilla F, Siddiqui SM, Hassan MI, Azam A. Design and Development of Small-Molecule Arylaldoxime/5-Nitroimidazole Hybrids as Potent Inhibitors of MARK4: A Promising Approach for Target-Based Cancer Therapy. ACS OMEGA 2020; 5:22759-22771. [PMID: 32954123 PMCID: PMC7495461 DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.0c01703] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/14/2020] [Accepted: 07/17/2020] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Microtubule affinity-regulating kinase 4 (MARK4), a member of the serine/threonine kinase family, is an emerging therapeutic target in anticancer drug discovery paradigm due to its involvement in regulation of microtubule dynamics, cell cycle regulation, and cancer progression. Therefore, to identify the novel chemical architecture for the design and development of novel MARK4 inhibitors with concomitant radical scavenging property, a series of small-molecule arylaldoxime/5-nitroimidazole conjugates were designed and synthesized via multistep chemical reactions following the pharmacophoric hybridization approach. Compound 4h was identified as a promising MARK4 inhibitor with high selectivity toward MARK4 inhibition as compared to the panel of screened 30 kinases pertaining to the serine/threonine family, which was validated by molecular docking and fluorescence binding studies. The comprehensive cell-based examination divulged the promising apoptotic, antiproliferative, and antioxidant potential for the chemotype 4h. The compound 4h was endowed with the K a value of 3.6 × 103 M-1 for human serum albumin, which reflects its remarkable transportation and delivery properties to the target site via blood. The present study impedes that in the future, such compounds may stand as optimized pharmacological lead candidates in drug discovery for targeting cancer via MARK4 inhibition with a remarkable anticancer profile.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mudasir
Nabi Peerzada
- Medicinal
Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025, India
| | - Parvez Khan
- Centre
for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025, India
| | - Nashrah Sharif Khan
- Centre
for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025, India
- Department
of Biotechnology, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025, India
| | - Fernando Avecilla
- Grupo
Xenomar, Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas
(CICA), Departamento de Química, Facultade de Ciencias, Universidade da Coruña, Campus A Coruña, 15071 A Coruña, Spain
| | - Shadab Miyan Siddiqui
- Medicinal
Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025, India
| | - Md. Imtaiyaz Hassan
- Centre
for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025, India
| | - Amir Azam
- Medicinal
Chemistry Research Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, Jamia Millia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, New Delhi 110025, India
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45
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Zhang QY, Chen XQ, Liu XC, Wu DM. PKMYT1 Promotes Gastric Cancer Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis Resistance. Onco Targets Ther 2020; 13:7747-7757. [PMID: 32801781 PMCID: PMC7414979 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s255746] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2020] [Accepted: 07/15/2020] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Abnormal expression of protein kinase membrane associated tyrosine/threonine 1 (PKMYT1) is closely associated with multiple types of cancers. In the present study, we examined the roles of PKMYT1 in gastric cancer (GC) progression. Methods We examined the expression status of PKMYT1 in GC tissues and cell lines. Meanwhile, short hairpin RNA (shRNA) was used to inhibit the endogenous expression of PKMYT1 in GC cells. Then we analyzed the effect of PKMYT1 on the malignant biological behavior of GC cells by in vitro and in vivo experiments. Results The findings showed high PKMYT1 expressions in GC tissues as well as a positive correlation between PKMYT1 expression and prognosis of patients with GC. Additional findings also revealed that PKMYT1 silencing significantly enhanced apoptosis and inhibited GC cell proliferation. In vivo, the silence of PKMYT1 inhibits tumor growth. Further analysis showed that the increase in PKMYT1 expressions led to malignant biological behavior through activation of the MAPK signaling pathway. Conclusion Our data suggested that PKMYT1 promotes cell proliferation and apoptosis resistance in GC cells by activating the MAPK signaling pathway, making it a potential therapeutic target for GC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi-Yong Zhang
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First People's Hospital of Lanzhou, Lanzhou City, Gansu 730050, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Qin Chen
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First People's Hospital of Lanzhou, Lanzhou City, Gansu 730050, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiong-Chang Liu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First People's Hospital of Lanzhou, Lanzhou City, Gansu 730050, People's Republic of China
| | - De-Ming Wu
- Department of Gastroenterology, The First People's Hospital of Lanzhou, Lanzhou City, Gansu 730050, People's Republic of China
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Hanna CB, Mudaliar D, John K, Allen CL, Sun L, Hawkinson JE, Schönbrunn E, Georg GI, Jensen JT. Development of WEE2 kinase inhibitors as novel non-hormonal female contraceptives that target meiosis†. Biol Reprod 2020; 103:368-377. [PMID: 32667031 PMCID: PMC7401407 DOI: 10.1093/biolre/ioaa097] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2020] [Revised: 05/26/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022] Open
Abstract
WEE2 oocyte meiosis inhibiting kinase is a well-conserved oocyte specific kinase with a dual regulatory role during meiosis. Active WEE2 maintains immature, germinal vesicle stage oocytes in prophase I arrest prior to the luteinizing hormone surge and facilitates exit from metaphase II arrest at fertilization. Spontaneous mutations at the WEE2 gene locus in women have been linked to total fertilization failure indicating that selective inhibitors to this kinase could function as non-hormonal contraceptives. Employing co-crystallization with WEE1 G2 checkpoint kinase inhibitors, we revealed the structural basis of action across WEE kinases and determined type I inhibitors were not selective to WEE2 over WEE1. In response, we performed in silico screening by FTMap/FTSite and Schrodinger SiteMap analysis to identify potential allosteric sites, then used an allosterically biased activity assay to conduct high-throughput screening of a 26 000 compound library containing scaffolds of known allosteric inhibitors. Resulting hits were validated and a selective inhibitor that binds full-length WEE2 was identified, designated GPHR-00336382, along with a fragment-like inhibitor that binds the kinase domain, GPHR-00355672. Additionally, we present an in vitro testing workflow to evaluate biological activity of candidate WEE2 inhibitors including; (1) enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays measuring WEE2 phosphorylation activity of cyclin dependent kinase 1 (CDK1; also known as cell division cycle 2 kinase, CDC2), (2) in vitro fertilization of bovine ova to determine inhibition of metaphase II exit, and (3) cell-proliferation assays to look for off-target effects against WEE1 in somatic (mitotic) cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carol B Hanna
- Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences OR, USA
- Correspondence: Oregon Health & Science University, 505 NW 185th Ave, Beaverton, OR 97006, USA. Tel: +1-503-346-5000; Fax: +1-503-346-5585; E-mail:
| | - Deepti Mudaliar
- University of Minnesota, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Kristen John
- University of Minnesota, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - C Leigh Allen
- University of Minnesota, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Luxin Sun
- Moffitt Cancer Center, Drug Discovery Department, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Jon E Hawkinson
- University of Minnesota, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Ernst Schönbrunn
- Moffitt Cancer Center, Drug Discovery Department, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Gunda I Georg
- University of Minnesota, Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Minneapolis, MN, USA
| | - Jeffrey T Jensen
- Oregon National Primate Research Center, Beaverton, Division of Reproductive & Developmental Sciences OR, USA
- Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, OR, USA
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47
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Ensemble docking-based virtual screening toward identifying inhibitors against Wee1 kinase. Future Med Chem 2020; 11:1889-1906. [PMID: 31517534 DOI: 10.4155/fmc-2019-0022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Aim: Wee1 kinase plays a key role in the arrest of G2/M checkpoint that prevents mitotic entry in response to DNA damage. This work is to discover potent Wee1 inhibitors which can be considered valuable. Materials & Methods: Herein, Ensemble docking using multiple crystal structures was considered an effective strategy in the virtual screening. The performance of 17 scoring functions obtained from different docking software was evaluated for molecular docking. Results: Two novel compounds B1 and A2 were identified as Wee1 inhibitors with IC50 values of 10.23 ± 0.505 and 8.72 ± 0.323 μM, respectively. Further cell viability assay demonstrated that the two active compounds exhibited good anticancer activities. Conclusion: This provides a meaningful starting point for further structure optimization to discover more potent Wee1 inhibitors.
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48
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Li F, Guo E, Huang J, Lu F, Yang B, Xiao R, Liu C, Wu X, Fu Y, Wang Z, Peng S, Lei Y, Guo Z, Li L, Xi L, Sun C, Liu S, Chen G. mTOR inhibition overcomes primary and acquired resistance to Wee1 inhibition by augmenting replication stress in epithelial ovarian cancers. Am J Cancer Res 2020; 10:908-924. [PMID: 32266099 PMCID: PMC7136919] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/20/2020] [Indexed: 06/11/2023] Open
Abstract
Epithelial ovarian cancer is characterized by universal TP53 mutations, which result in G1/S checkpoint deficiencies. Therefore, it is hypothesized that the abrogation of the G2/M checkpoint with Wee1 inhibitor might preferentially sensitize TP53-defective ovarian cancer cells. Given the extremely high molecular diversity in ovarian cancer, one approach to improving the clinical efficacy is to identify drug combinations that either broaden the applicable spectrum or circumvent resistance. Here, through a high-throughput unbiased proteomic profiling (RPPA), we found the complementary activated mTOR pathway contributes greatly to Wee1 inhibitor resistance. A combination of Wee1 and mTOR inhibits synergistically inhibiting tumor growth in ovarian cancer cell lines and patient-derived xenograft that closely mimic the heterogeneity of patient tumors. Mechanistically, dual Wee1/mTOR inhibition induced massive DNA replication stress, leading to fork stalling and DNA damage. Moreover, we found that the addition of nucleotide metabolic substrate dNTPs alleviated replication stress, restored the cell cycle and reduced apoptosis to some extent, supporting dNTPs depletion is necessary for the synergy between Wee1 and mTOR inhibits. These results suggest that our study opening up a wider therapeutic window of Wee1 inhibitor for the treatment in epithelial ovarian cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Fuxia Li
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan 430030, Hubei, P. R. China
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, First Affiliated Hospital, Shihezi University School of MedicineShihezi 832000, Xinjiang, P. R. China
| | - Ensong Guo
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan 430030, Hubei, P. R. China
| | - Jia Huang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan 430030, Hubei, P. R. China
| | - Funian Lu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan 430030, Hubei, P. R. China
| | - Bin Yang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan 430030, Hubei, P. R. China
| | - Rourou Xiao
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan 430030, Hubei, P. R. China
| | - Chen Liu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan 430030, Hubei, P. R. China
| | - Xue Wu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan 430030, Hubei, P. R. China
| | - Yu Fu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan 430030, Hubei, P. R. China
| | - Zizhuo Wang
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan 430030, Hubei, P. R. China
| | - Shaohua Peng
- Department of CT and MRI, First Affiliated Hospital, Shihezi University School of MedicineShihezi 832000, Xinjiang, P. R. China
| | - Yu Lei
- Shenzhen Dapeng New District Maternity & Child Health Hospital Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen UniversityShenzhen 518038, P. R. China
| | - Zhongzhen Guo
- Shenzhen Dapeng New District Maternity & Child Health Hospital Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen UniversityShenzhen 518038, P. R. China
| | - Lei Li
- Department of Anesthesiology, Department of Gynecology, Shenzhen Second People’s Hospital, The First Affiliated Hospital of Shenzhen UniversityShenzhen 518038, P. R. China
| | - Ling Xi
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan 430030, Hubei, P. R. China
| | - Chaoyang Sun
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan 430030, Hubei, P. R. China
| | - Si Liu
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan 430030, Hubei, P. R. China
| | - Gang Chen
- Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and TechnologyWuhan 430030, Hubei, P. R. China
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WEE1 kinase limits CDK activities to safeguard DNA replication and mitotic entry. Mutat Res 2020; 819-820:111694. [PMID: 32120135 DOI: 10.1016/j.mrfmmm.2020.111694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/12/2019] [Revised: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 02/24/2020] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Precise execution of the cell division cycle is vital for all organisms. The Cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs) are the main cell cycle drivers, however, their activities must be precisely fine-tuned to ensure orderly cell cycle progression. A major regulatory axis is guarded by WEE1 kinase, which directly phosphorylates and inhibits CDK1 and CDK2. The role of WEE1 in the G2/M cell-cycle phase has been thoroughly investigated, and it is a focal point of multiple clinical trials targeting a variety of cancers in combination with DNA-damaging chemotherapeutic agents. However, the emerging role of WEE1 in S phase has so far largely been neglected. Here, we review how WEE1 regulates cell-cycle progression highlighting the importance of this kinase for proper S phase. We discuss how its function is modulated throughout different cell-cycle stages and provide an overview of how WEE1 levels are regulated. Furthermore, we outline recent clinical trials targeting WEE1 and elaborate on the mechanisms behind the anticancer efficacy of WEE1 inhibition. Finally, we consider novel biomarkers that may benefit WEE1-inhibition approaches in the clinic.
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50
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Peerzada MN, Khan P, Khan NS, Gaur A, Avecilla F, Hassan MI, Azam A. Identification of morpholine based hydroxylamine analogues: selective inhibitors of MARK4/Par-1d causing cancer cell death through apoptosis. NEW J CHEM 2020. [DOI: 10.1039/d0nj03474f] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
Interaction of compound32with various active site residues of MARK4.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mudasir Nabi Peerzada
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Laboratory
- Department of Chemistry
- Jamia Millia Islamia
- New Delhi-110025
- India
| | - Parvez Khan
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences
- Jamia Millia Islamia
- New Delhi-110025
- India
| | - Nashrah Sharif Khan
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences
- Jamia Millia Islamia
- New Delhi-110025
- India
- Department of Biotechnology
| | - Aysha Gaur
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Laboratory
- Department of Chemistry
- Jamia Millia Islamia
- New Delhi-110025
- India
| | - Fernando Avecilla
- Grupo Xenomar
- Centro de Investigacións Científicas Avanzadas (CICA)
- Departamento de Química
- Facultade de Ciencias
- Universidade da Coruña
| | - Md. Imtaiyaz Hassan
- Centre for Interdisciplinary Research in Basic Sciences
- Jamia Millia Islamia
- New Delhi-110025
- India
| | - Amir Azam
- Medicinal Chemistry Research Laboratory
- Department of Chemistry
- Jamia Millia Islamia
- New Delhi-110025
- India
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