1
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Singh VP, Hirose S, Takemoto M, Farrag AMAS, Sato SI, Honjo T, Chamoto K, Uesugi M. Chemoproteomic Identification of Spermidine-Binding Proteins and Antitumor-Immunity Activators. J Am Chem Soc 2024. [PMID: 38848460 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c14615] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2024]
Abstract
Cancer immune therapies, particularly programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) blockade immunotherapy, falter in aged individuals due to compromised T-cell immunity. Spermidine, a biogenic polyamine that declines along with aging, shows promise in restoring antitumor immunity by enhancing mitochondrial fatty acid oxidation (FAO). Herein, we report a spermidine-based chemoproteomic probe (probe 2) that enables profiling of spermidine-binding proteins and screening for small-molecule enhancers of mitochondrial FAO. Chemoproteomic profiling by the probe revealed 140 proteins engaged in cellular interaction with spermidine, with a significant majority being mitochondrial proteins. Hydroxyl coenzyme A (CoA) dehydrogenase subunits α (HADHA) and other lipid metabolism-linked proteins are among the mitochondrial proteins that have attracted considerable interest. Screening spermidine analogs with the probe led to the discovery of compound 13, which interacts with these lipid metabolism-linked proteins and activates HADHA. This simple and biostable synthetic compound we named "spermimic" mirrors spermidine's ability to enhance mitochondrial bioenergetics and displays similar effectiveness in augmenting PD-1 blockade therapy in mice. This study lays the foundation for developing small-molecule activators of antitumor immunity, offering potential in combination cancer immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vaibhav Pal Singh
- Division of Biochemistry, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Shuhei Hirose
- Division of Immunology and Genomic Medicine, Center for Cancer Immunotherapy and Immunobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Misao Takemoto
- Division of Biochemistry, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Asmaa M A S Farrag
- Division of Biochemistry, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichi Sato
- Division of Biochemistry, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
| | - Tasuku Honjo
- Division of Immunology and Genomic Medicine, Center for Cancer Immunotherapy and Immunobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Kenji Chamoto
- Division of Immunology and Genomic Medicine, Center for Cancer Immunotherapy and Immunobiology, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Department of Immuno-Oncology PDT, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
| | - Motonari Uesugi
- Division of Biochemistry, Institute for Chemical Research, Kyoto University, Uji, Kyoto 611-0011, Japan
- Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto 606-8501, Japan
- Institute for Integrated Cell-Material Sciences (WPI-iCeMS), Kyoto University, Kyoto, Kyoto 606-8372, Japan
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2
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Hillebrand L, Liang XJ, Serafim RAM, Gehringer M. Emerging and Re-emerging Warheads for Targeted Covalent Inhibitors: An Update. J Med Chem 2024; 67:7668-7758. [PMID: 38711345 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01825] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/08/2024]
Abstract
Covalent inhibitors and other types of covalent modalities have seen a revival in the past two decades, with a variety of new targeted covalent drugs having been approved in recent years. A key feature of such molecules is an intrinsically reactive group, typically a weak electrophile, which enables the irreversible or reversible formation of a covalent bond with a specific amino acid of the target protein. This reactive group, often called the "warhead", is a critical determinant of the ligand's activity, selectivity, and general biological properties. In 2019, we summarized emerging and re-emerging warhead chemistries to target cysteine and other amino acids (Gehringer, M.; Laufer, S. A. J. Med. Chem. 2019, 62, 5673-5724; DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.8b01153). Since then, the field has rapidly evolved. Here we discuss the progress on covalent warheads made since our last Perspective and their application in medicinal chemistry and chemical biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Hillebrand
- Department of Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Xiaojun Julia Liang
- Department of Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image-Guided & Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Ricardo A M Serafim
- Department of Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
| | - Matthias Gehringer
- Department of Pharmaceutical/Medicinal Chemistry, Eberhard Karls University Tübingen, Auf der Morgenstelle 8, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
- Cluster of Excellence iFIT (EXC 2180) "Image-Guided & Functionally Instructed Tumor Therapies", University of Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany
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3
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Kirschner T, Müller MP, Rauh D. Targeting KRAS Diversity: Covalent Modulation of G12X and Beyond in Cancer Therapy. J Med Chem 2024; 67:6044-6051. [PMID: 38621359 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02403] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 04/17/2024]
Abstract
The GTPase KRAS acts as a switch in cellular signaling, transitioning between inactive GDP-bound and active GTP-bound states. In about 20% of human cancers, oncogenic RAS mutations disrupt this balance, favoring the active form and promoting proliferative signaling, thus rendering KRAS an appealing target for precision medicine in oncology. In 2013, Shokat and co-workers achieved a groundbreaking feat by covalently targeting a previously undiscovered allosteric pocket (switch II pocket (SWIIP)) of KRASG12C. This breakthrough led to the development and approval of sotorasib (AMG510) and adagrasib (MRTX849), revolutionizing the treatment of KRASG12C-dependent lung cancer. Recent achievements in targeting various KRASG12X mutants, using SWIIP as a key binding pocket, are discussed. Insights from successful KRASG12C targeting informed the design of molecules addressing other mutations, often in a covalent manner. These findings offer promise for innovative approaches in addressing commonly occurring KRAS mutations such as G12D, G12V, G12A, G12S, and G12R in various cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tonia Kirschner
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 4a, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
- Drug Discovery Hub Dortmund (DDHD) am Zentrum für integrierte Wirkstoffforschung (ZIW), 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Matthias P Müller
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 4a, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
- Drug Discovery Hub Dortmund (DDHD) am Zentrum für integrierte Wirkstoffforschung (ZIW), 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Daniel Rauh
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 4a, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
- Drug Discovery Hub Dortmund (DDHD) am Zentrum für integrierte Wirkstoffforschung (ZIW), 44227 Dortmund, Germany
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4
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Xuan W, Ma JA. Pinpointing Acidic Residues in Proteins. ChemMedChem 2024; 19:e202300623. [PMID: 38303683 DOI: 10.1002/cmdc.202300623] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2023] [Revised: 12/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
It is of great importance to pinpoint specific residues or sites of a protein in biological contexts to enable desired mechanism of action for small molecules or to precisely control protein function. In this regard, acidic residues including aspartic acid (Asp) and glutamic acid (Glu) hold great potential due to their great prevalence and unique function. To unlock the largely untapped potential, great efforts have been made recently by synthetic chemists, chemical biologists and pharmacologists. Herein, we would like to highlight the remarkable progress and particularly introduce the electrophiles that exhibit reactivity to carboxylic acids, the light-induced reactivities to carboxylic acids and the genetically encoded noncanonical amino acids that allow protein manipulations at acidic residues. We also comment on certain unresolved challenges, hoping to draw more attention to this rapidly developing area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weimin Xuan
- Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Function and Application of Biological Macromolecular Structures, School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Jun-An Ma
- Department of Chemistry, Frontiers Science Center for Synthetic Biology, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, P. R. China
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5
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Hocking B, Armstrong A, Mann DJ. Covalent fragment libraries in drug discovery-Design, synthesis, and screening methods. PROGRESS IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY 2023; 62:105-146. [PMID: 37981350 DOI: 10.1016/bs.pmch.2023.10.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2023]
Abstract
As the development of drugs with a covalent mode of action is becoming increasingly popular, well-validated covalent fragment-based drug discovery (FBDD) methods have been comparatively slow to keep up with the demand. In this chapter the principles of covalent fragment reactivity, library design, synthesis, and screening methods are explored in depth, focussing on literature examples with direct applications to practical covalent fragment library design and screening. Further, questions about the future of the field are explored and potential useful advances are proposed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Brad Hocking
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Alan Armstrong
- Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, London, United Kingdom
| | - David J Mann
- Department of Life Sciences, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom.
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6
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Yu Z, He X, Wang R, Xu X, Zhang Z, Ding K, Zhang ZM, Tan Y, Li Z. Simultaneous Covalent Modification of K-Ras(G12D) and K-Ras(G12C) with Tunable Oxirane Electrophiles. J Am Chem Soc 2023; 145:20403-20411. [PMID: 37534597 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c05899] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 08/04/2023]
Abstract
Owing to their remarkable pharmaceutical properties compared to those of noncovalent inhibitors, the development of targeted covalent inhibitors (TCIs) has emerged as a powerful method for cancer treatment. The K-Ras mutant, which is prevalent in multiple cancers, has been confirmed to be a crucial drug target in the treatment of various malignancies. However, although the K-Ras(G12D) mutation is present in up to 33% of K-Ras mutations, no covalent inhibitors targeting K-Ras(G12D) have been developed to date. The relatively weak nucleophilicity of the acquired aspartic acid (12D) residue in K-Ras may be the reason for this. Herein, we present the first compound capable of covalently engaging both K-Ras(G12D) and K-Ras(G12C) mutants. Proteome profiling revealed that this compound effectively conjugates with G12C and G12D residues, modulating the protein functions in situ. These findings offer a unique pathway for the development of novel dual covalent inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhongtang Yu
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development (MOE), Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
- School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xiaoqiang He
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development (MOE), Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
- School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Ruiliu Wang
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development (MOE), Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
- School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xinxin Xu
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development (MOE), Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
- School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Zhang Zhang
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development (MOE), Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
- School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Ke Ding
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development (MOE), Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
- School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Zhi-Min Zhang
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development (MOE), Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
- School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Yi Tan
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development (MOE), Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
- School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Zhengqiu Li
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development (MOE), Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
- MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
- Guangzhou City Key Laboratory of Precision Chemical Drug Development, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
- School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, 601 Huangpu Avenue West, Guangzhou 510632, China
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7
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Quanrud GM, Lyu Z, Balamurugan SV, Canizal C, Wu HT, Genereux JC. Cellular Exposure to Chloroacetanilide Herbicides Induces Distinct Protein Destabilization Profiles. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:1661-1676. [PMID: 37427419 PMCID: PMC10367052 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.3c00338] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/08/2023] [Accepted: 06/23/2023] [Indexed: 07/11/2023]
Abstract
Herbicides in the widely used chloroacetanilide class harbor a potent electrophilic moiety, which can damage proteins through nucleophilic substitution. In general, damaged proteins are subject to misfolding. Accumulation of misfolded proteins compromises cellular integrity by disrupting cellular proteostasis networks, which can further destabilize the cellular proteome. While direct conjugation targets can be discovered through affinity-based protein profiling, there are few approaches to probe how cellular exposure to toxicants impacts the stability of the proteome. We apply a quantitative proteomics methodology to identify chloroacetanilide-destabilized proteins in HEK293T cells based on their binding to the H31Q mutant of the human Hsp40 chaperone DNAJB8. We find that a brief cellular exposure to the chloroacetanilides acetochlor, alachlor, and propachlor induces misfolding of dozens of cellular proteins. These herbicides feature distinct but overlapping profiles of protein destabilization, highly concentrated in proteins with reactive cysteine residues. Consistent with the recent literature from the pharmacology field, reactivity is driven by neither inherent nucleophilic nor electrophilic reactivity but is idiosyncratic. We discover that propachlor induces a general increase in protein aggregation and selectively targets GAPDH and PARK7, leading to a decrease in their cellular activities. Hsp40 affinity profiling identifies a majority of propachlor targets identified by competitive activity-based protein profiling (ABPP), but ABPP can only identify about 10% of protein targets identified by Hsp40 affinity profiling. GAPDH is primarily modified by the direct conjugation of propachlor at a catalytic cysteine residue, leading to global destabilization of the protein. The Hsp40 affinity strategy is an effective technique to profile cellular proteins that are destabilized by cellular toxin exposure. Raw proteomics data is available through the PRIDE Archive at PXD030635.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guy M. Quanrud
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Ziqi Lyu
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Sunil V. Balamurugan
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Carolina Canizal
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Hoi-Ting Wu
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
| | - Joseph C. Genereux
- Department of Chemistry, University of California, Riverside, California 92521, United States
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8
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Liu Y, Liu J, Zhang X, Guo C, Xing X, Zhang ZM, Ding K, Li Z. Oxidant-Induced Bioconjugation for Protein Labeling in Live Cells. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:112-122. [PMID: 36543757 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00740] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Chemical proteomics is a powerful technology that can be used in the studies of the functions of uncharacterized proteins in the human proteome. It relies on a suitable bioconjugation strategy for protein labeling. This could be either a UV-responsive photo-crosslinker or an electrophilic warhead embedded in chemical probes that can form covalent bonds with target proteins. Here, we report a new protein-labeling strategy in which a nitrile oxide, a highly reactive intermediate that reacts with proteins, can be efficiently generated by the treatment of oximes with a water-soluble and a minimally toxic oxidant, phenyliodine bis (trifluoroacetate) (PIFA). The resulting intermediate can rapidly bioconjugate with amino acid residues of target proteins, thus enabling target identification of oxime-containing bioactive molecules. Excellent chemoselectivity of cysteine residues by the nitrile oxide was observed, and over 4000 reactive and/or accessible cysteines, including KRAS G12C, have been successfully characterized by quantitative chemical proteomics. Some of these residues could not be detected by conventional cysteine reagents, thus demonstrating the complementary utility of this method.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yue Liu
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development (MOE), MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology, School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Jiacong Liu
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development (MOE), MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology, School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xianfang Zhang
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Cuiping Guo
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development (MOE), MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology, School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Xiwen Xing
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Bioengineering Medicine, Department of Cell Biology, College of Life Science and Technology, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Zhi-Min Zhang
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development (MOE), MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology, School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Ke Ding
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development (MOE), MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology, School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
| | - Zhengqiu Li
- International Cooperative Laboratory of Traditional Chinese Medicine Modernization and Innovative Drug Development (MOE), MOE Key Laboratory of Tumor Molecular Biology, School of Pharmacy, Jinan University, Guangzhou 510632, China
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9
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Covalent Warheads Targeting Cysteine Residue: The Promising Approach in Drug Development. Molecules 2022; 27:molecules27227728. [PMID: 36431829 PMCID: PMC9694382 DOI: 10.3390/molecules27227728] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/07/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Cysteine is one of the least abundant amino acids in proteins of many organisms, which plays a crucial role in catalysis, signal transduction, and redox regulation of gene expression. The thiol group of cysteine possesses the ability to perform nucleophilic and redox-active functions that are not feasible for other natural amino acids. Cysteine is the most common covalent amino acid residue and has been shown to react with a variety of warheads, especially Michael receptors. These unique properties have led to widespread interest in this nucleophile, leading to the development of a variety of cysteine-targeting warheads with different chemical compositions. Herein, we summarized the various covalent warheads targeting cysteine residue and their application in drug development.
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