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Ji M, Yu D, Liu X, Wang L, Zhang D, Yang Z, Huang W, Fan H, Wang L, Sun H. Glutathione-dependent degradation of SMARCA2/4 for targeted lung cancer therapy with improved selectivity. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 277:116751. [PMID: 39128328 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116751] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2024] [Revised: 07/20/2024] [Accepted: 08/03/2024] [Indexed: 08/13/2024]
Abstract
SMARCA2 and SMARCA4 are the mutually exclusive catalytic subunits of the mammalian Switch/Sucrose Non-Fermentable (SWI/SNF) chromatin remodeling complex, and have recently been considered as attractive synthetic lethal targets for PROTAC-based cancer therapy. However, the potential off-tissue toxicity towards normal tissues remains a concern. Here, we optimize a GSH-inducible SMARCA2/4-based PROTAC precursor with selective antitumor activity towards lung cancer cells and negligible cytotoxicity towards normal cells in both in vitro and in vivo studies. The precursor is not bioactive or cytotoxic, but preferentially responds to endogenous GSH in GSH-rich lung cancer cells, releasing active PROTAC to degrade SMARCA2/4 via PROTAC-mediated proteasome pathway. Subsequent xenograft model study reveals that selective SMARCA2/4 degradation in lung tumors triggers DNA damage and apoptosis, which significantly inhibits lung cancer cell proliferation without obvious adverse events towards normal tissues. This study exemplifies the targeted degradation of SMARCA2/4 in lung cancer cells by the GSH-responsive PROTAC precursor, highlighting its potential as an encouraging cancer therapeutic strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ming Ji
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, Department of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Dehao Yu
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, Department of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Xinmin Liu
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, Department of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Luo Wang
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, Department of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Dongli Zhang
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, Department of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Zhengduo Yang
- Department of Pathology, Tianjin Union Medical Center, Tianjin, 300121, China
| | - Wanqiao Huang
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, Department of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Heli Fan
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, Department of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China
| | - Lulu Wang
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, Department of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China.
| | - Huabing Sun
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, Department of Chemical Biology, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, China.
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Chai J, Su M, Zhang R, Li N, Jia Y, Zheng W, Tan J, Jia Q, Sun H, Meng Z. Selective anti-tumor activity of glutathione-responsive abasic site trapping agent in anaplastic thyroid carcinoma. BMC Cancer 2024; 24:816. [PMID: 38977966 PMCID: PMC11229194 DOI: 10.1186/s12885-024-12511-3] [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: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/12/2024] [Indexed: 07/10/2024] Open
Abstract
Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is a rare but highly aggressive thyroid cancer with poor prognosis. Killing cancer cells by inducing DNA damage or blockage of DNA repair is a promising strategy for chemotherapy. It is reported that aldehyde-reactive alkoxyamines can capture the AP sites, one of the most common DNA lesions, and inhibit apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease 1(APE1)-mediated base excision repair (BER), leading to cell death. Whether this strategy can be employed for ATC treatment is rarely investigated. The aim of this study is to exploit GSH-responsive AP site capture reagent (AP probe-net), which responses to the elevated glutathione (GSH) levels in the tumor micro-environment (TME), releasing reactive alkoxyamine to trap AP sites and block the APE1-mediated BER for targeted anti-tumor activity against ATC. In vitro experiments, including MTT andγ-H2AX assays, demonstrate their selective cytotoxicity towards ATC cells over normal thyroid cells. Flow cytometry analysis suggests that AP probe-net arrests the cell cycle in the G2/M phase and induces apoptosis. Western blotting (WB) results show that the expression of apoptotic protein increased with the increased concentration of AP probe-net. Further in vivo experiments reveal that the AP probe-net has a good therapeutic effect on subcutaneous tumors of the ATC cells. In conclusion, taking advantage of the elevated GSH in TME, our study affords a new strategy for targeted chemotherapy of ATC with high selectivity and reduced adverse effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinyan Chai
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road No. 154, He ping District, Tianjin, 300052, P.R. China
| | - Mengxue Su
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road No. 154, He ping District, Tianjin, 300052, P.R. China
| | - Ruiguo Zhang
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road No. 154, He ping District, Tianjin, 300052, P.R. China
| | - Ning Li
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road No. 154, He ping District, Tianjin, 300052, P.R. China
| | - Yuanyuan Jia
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, P. R. China
| | - Wei Zheng
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road No. 154, He ping District, Tianjin, 300052, P.R. China
| | - Jian Tan
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road No. 154, He ping District, Tianjin, 300052, P.R. China
| | - Qiang Jia
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road No. 154, He ping District, Tianjin, 300052, P.R. China
| | - Huabing Sun
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin, 300070, P. R. China.
| | - Zhaowei Meng
- Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Anshan Road No. 154, He ping District, Tianjin, 300052, P.R. China.
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Zhang Z, Wei W, Chen S, Yang J, Song D, Chen Y, Zhao Z, Chen J, Wang F, Wang J, Li Z, Liang Y, Yu H. Chemoenzymatic Installation of Site-Specific Chemical Groups on DNA Enhances the Catalytic Activity. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:7052-7062. [PMID: 38427585 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c00484] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2024]
Abstract
Functional DNAs are valuable molecular tools in chemical biology and analytical chemistry but suffer from low activities due to their limited chemical functionalities. Here, we present a chemoenzymatic method for site-specific installation of diverse functional groups on DNA, and showcase the application of this method to enhance the catalytic activity of a DNA catalyst. Through chemoenzymatic introduction of distinct chemical groups, such as hydroxyl, carboxyl, and benzyl, at specific positions, we achieve significant enhancements in the catalytic activity of the RNA-cleaving deoxyribozyme 10-23. A single carboxyl modification results in a 100-fold increase, while dual modifications (carboxyl and benzyl) yield an approximately 700-fold increase in activity when an RNA cleavage reaction is catalyzed on a DNA-RNA chimeric substrate. The resulting dually modified DNA catalyst, CaBn, exhibits a kobs of 3.76 min-1 in the presence of 1 mM Mg2+ and can be employed for fluorescent imaging of intracellular magnesium ions. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal the superior capability of CaBn to recruit magnesium ions to metal-ion-binding site 2 and adopt a catalytically competent conformation. Our work provides a broadly accessible strategy for DNA functionalization with diverse chemical modifications, and CaBn offers a highly active DNA catalyst with immense potential in chemistry and biotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ze Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Wanqing Wei
- State Key Laboratory of Food Science and Resources, Jiangnan University, Wuxi 214122, China
| | - Siqi Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jintao Yang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Dongfan Song
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yinghan Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Zerun Zhao
- School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Jiawen Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Fulong Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Jiahuan Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Zhe Li
- State Key Laboratory of Analytical Chemistry for Life Science, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Yong Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Advanced Organic Materials, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
| | - Hanyang Yu
- State Key Laboratory of Coordination Chemistry, Department of Biomedical Engineering, College of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Artificial Functional Materials, Nanjing University, Nanjing 210023, China
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Zhou Z, Fan H, Yu D, Shi F, Li Q, Zhang Z, Wang X, Zhang X, Dong C, Sun H, Mi W. Glutathione-responsive PROTAC for targeted degradation of ERα in breast cancer cells. Bioorg Med Chem 2023; 96:117526. [PMID: 38008041 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmc.2023.117526] [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: 08/31/2023] [Revised: 11/03/2023] [Accepted: 11/07/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023]
Abstract
ERα (estrogen receptor-α)-targeting PROTACs (PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras) have emerged as a novel and promising modality for breast cancer therapeutics. However, ERα PROTACs-induced degradation in normal tissues raises concerns about potential off-tissue toxicity. Tumor microenvironment-responsive strategy provides potential for specific control of the PROTAC's on-target degradation activity. The glutathione (GSH) level has been reported to be significantly increased in tumor cells. Here, we designed a GSH-responsive ERα PROTAC, which is generated by conjugating an o-nitrobenzenesulfonyl group to the hydroxyl group of VHL-based ERα PROTAC through a nucleophilic substitution reaction. The o-nitrobenzenesulfonyl group as a protecting group blocks the bioactivity of ERα PROTAC (ER-P1), and that can be specifically recognized and removed by highly abundant GSH in cancer cells. Consequently, the GSH-responsive ERα PROTAC (GSH-ER-P1) exhibits significantly enhanced degradation of ERα in cancer cells compared to that in normal cells, leading to a remarkable inhibition of breast cancer cell proliferation and less toxic effects on normal cells. This study provides a potentially valuable strategy for breast cancer treatment using tumor microenvironment-responsive PROTACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhili Zhou
- Tianjin Institute of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Ministry of Education, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China
| | - Heli Fan
- Department of Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China
| | - Dehao Yu
- Department of Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China
| | - Fengying Shi
- Tianjin Institute of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Ministry of Education, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China
| | - Qianqian Li
- Tianjin Institute of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Ministry of Education, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China
| | - Zhenjian Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Ministry of Education, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China
| | - Xiaolu Wang
- Tianjin Institute of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Ministry of Education, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China
| | - Xuejun Zhang
- Tianjin Institute of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Ministry of Education, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China
| | - Cheng Dong
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China.
| | - Huabing Sun
- Department of Chemical Biology, Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China.
| | - Wenyi Mi
- Tianjin Institute of Immunology, Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease of the Ministry of Education, The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070. China.
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5
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Yu D, Wang L, Li J, Zeng X, Jia Y, Tian J, Campbell A, Sun H, Fan H. Dual-responsive probe and DNA interstrand crosslink precursor target the unique redox status of cancer cells. Chem Commun (Camb) 2023; 59:14705-14708. [PMID: 37997159 DOI: 10.1039/d3cc05175g] [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: 11/25/2023]
Abstract
Elevated GSH and H2O2 in cancer cells is sometimes doubted due to their contrary reactivities. Here, we construct a dual-responsive fluorescent probe to confirm the conclusion, and employ this to exploit a redox-inducible DNA interstrand crosslink (ICL) precursor. It crosslinks DNA upon activation by GSH and H2O2, affording an alternative dual-responsive strategy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Dehao Yu
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, P. R. China.
| | - Luo Wang
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, P. R. China.
| | - Jingao Li
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, P. R. China.
| | - Xuanwei Zeng
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, P. R. China.
| | - Yuanyuan Jia
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, P. R. China.
| | - Junyu Tian
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, P. R. China.
| | - Anahit Campbell
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI 53211, USA
| | - Huabing Sun
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, P. R. China.
| | - Heli Fan
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, P. R. China.
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Fan H, Zhou Z, Yu D, Sun J, Wang L, Jia Y, Tian J, Mi W, Sun H. Selective degradation of BRD4 suppresses lung cancer cell proliferation using GSH-responsive PROTAC precursors. Bioorg Chem 2023; 140:106793. [PMID: 37683536 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2023.106793] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2023] [Revised: 08/08/2023] [Accepted: 08/14/2023] [Indexed: 09/10/2023]
Abstract
BRD4,as a transcriptional and epigenetic regulator to mediate cellular functions, plays an important role in cancer development.Targeting BRD4 with conventional inhibitors in cancer therapy requires high doses, which often leads to off-target and adverse effects. BRD4-targeted proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) can catalytically degrade BRD4 utilizing the endogenous proteasome system, and exhibit promising anti-tumor activity. However, most of the developed PROTACs are non-cancer specific and relatively toxic towards normal cells, limiting their practical applications in cancer treatment. By taking advantage of higher glutathione (GSH) levels in cancer cells than that in normal cells, we developed several GSH-responsive PROTAC precursors 1a-c via the attachment of a GSH-trigger unit on the hydroxyl group of the VHL (von Hippel-Lindau) ligand for the recruitment of E3 ligase. Among the precursors, 1a can be efficiently activated by the innately higher concentrations of GSH in lung cancer cells (A549 and H1299) to release active PROTAC 1, degrading intracellular BRD4 and resulting in cytotoxicity, which is confirmed by mechanistic investigation. On the other hand, 1a cannot be efficiently triggered in normal lung cells (WI38 and HULEC-5a) containing lower levels of GSH, therefore reducing the adverse effects on normal cells. This work provides an alternative proof of concept approach for developing stimuli-responsive PROTAC precursors, and affords a novel insight to improve the selectivity and minimize the adverse effects of current PROTACs, hence enhancing their clinical potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Heli Fan
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China
| | - Zhili Zhou
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China
| | - Dehao Yu
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China
| | - Jing Sun
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China
| | - Luo Wang
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China
| | - Yuanyuan Jia
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China
| | - Junyu Tian
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China
| | - Wenyi Mi
- Key Laboratory of Immune Microenvironment and Disease (Ministry of Education), Department of Immunology, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China; The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China.
| | - Huabing Sun
- Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tianjin Medical University General Hospital, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China; The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, PR China.
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Yao S, Li W, Liu S, Cai Y, Zhang Q, Tang L, Yu S, Jing Y, Yin X, Cheng H. Aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 polymorphism is associated with chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment in patients with breast cancer who receive chemotherapy. Cancer Med 2023; 12:5209-5221. [PMID: 36200595 PMCID: PMC10028021 DOI: 10.1002/cam4.5319] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Revised: 09/07/2022] [Accepted: 09/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Chemotherapy-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) is a common but easily overlooked condition that markedly affects the quality of life (QOL) of patients with breast cancer. The rs671 is a common gene polymorphism of aldehyde dehydrogenase 2 (ALDH2) in Asia that is involved in aldehyde metabolism and may be closely related to CRCI. However, no study has yet summarised the association between ALDH2 and CRCI. METHODS This study enrolled one hundred and twenty-four patients diagnosed with breast cancer according to the pathology results, genotyped for ALDH2 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) to explore these. The mini-mental state exam (MMSE), verbal fluency test (VFT), and digit span test (DST) results were compared in these patients before and after chemotherapy (CT). RESULTS We found that patients with ALDH2 gene genotypes of rs671_GG, rs886205_GG, rs4648328_CC, and rs4767944_TT polymorphisms were more likely to suffer from cognitive impairment during chemotherapy. A trend toward statistical significance was observed for rs671_GG of DST (z = 2.769, p = 0.006), VFT (t = 4.624, P<0.001); rs886205_GG of DST (z = 3.663, P<0.001); rs4648328_CC of DST (z = 2.850, p = 0.004), VFT (t = 3.477, p = 0.001); and rs4767944_TT of DST (z = 2.967, p = 0.003), VFT (t = 2.776, p = 0.008). The cognitive indicators of these patients significantly decreased after chemotherapy (p < 0.05). The difference in ALDH2 rs671 was most obvious. CONCLUSION Our results showed what kinds of ALDH2 genotyped patients that are more likely to develop CRCI. In the future, it may be possible to infer the risk of CRCI by detecting the single-nucleotide locus of ALDH2 that is conducive to strengthening clinical interventions for these patients and improving their QOL. More importantly, this study has important implications for Asian women with breast cancer as ALDH2 rs671 is a common polymorphism in Asians.
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Affiliation(s)
- Senbang Yao
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Cancer and Cognition Laboratory, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Wen Li
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Cancer and Cognition Laboratory, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Shaochun Liu
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Cancer and Cognition Laboratory, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yinlian Cai
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Cancer and Cognition Laboratory, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Qianqian Zhang
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Cancer and Cognition Laboratory, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Lingxue Tang
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Cancer and Cognition Laboratory, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Sheng Yu
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Cancer and Cognition Laboratory, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Yanyan Jing
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Cancer and Cognition Laboratory, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Xiangxiang Yin
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Cancer and Cognition Laboratory, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
| | - Huaidong Cheng
- Department of Oncology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
- Cancer and Cognition Laboratory, Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, China
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Xue L, Yu D, Sun J, Guan L, Xie C, Wang L, Jia Y, Tian J, Fan H, Sun H. Rapid GSH detection and versatile peptide/protein labelling to track cell penetration using coumarin-based probes. Analyst 2023; 148:532-538. [PMID: 36349786 DOI: 10.1039/d2an01510b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
Abstract
Biothiols play essential roles in balancing the redox state and modulating cellular functions. Fluorescent probes for monitoring/labelling biothiols often suffer from slow reaction rates, strong background fluorescence and cytotoxic byproduct release. Thus, developing facile and versatile probes to overcome the challenges is still in high demand. Here, we report four coumarin-maleimides as fast responding and fluorogenic probes to detect GSH or label peptides/proteins. The probes quantitatively and selectively react with GSH via Michael addition within 1-2 min, achieving an 11-196-fold increase in fluorescence quantum yield via blockage of the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) process. Optimized probe 4 is applied for the detection of GSH in vitro (A549 cells) and in vivo (zebrafish embryos). Taking advantage of the fast Michael addition between the maleimide moiety and the sulfhydryl group, we expand the application of our method for fluorescent labelling of peptides/proteins and for tracking their cellular uptake process. The labelling strategy works for both Cys-bearing and Cys-free proteins after the introduction of a sulfhydryl group using Traut's reagent. Fluorescence assay reveals that the TAT-peptide can efficiently enter cells, but H3 protein, part of nucleosomes, prefers to bind on the cell membrane by electrostatic interactions, shedding light on the cellular uptake activity of nucleosomes and affording a potential membrane staining strategy. Overall, our study illustrates the broad potential of coumarin-maleimide based dual-functional probes for GSH detection and versatile protein labelling in biochemical research.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Xue
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University; Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, P. R. China. .,School of Pharmacy, Jinzhou Medical University, Jinzhou, Liaoning 121001, P. R. China
| | - Dehao Yu
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University; Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, P. R. China.
| | - Jing Sun
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University; Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, P. R. China.
| | - Liangyu Guan
- BayRay Innovation Center, Shenzhen Bay Laboratory, Shenzhen, Guangdong 518132, P. R. China
| | - Chengzhi Xie
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University; Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, P. R. China.
| | - Luo Wang
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University; Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, P. R. China.
| | - Yuanyuan Jia
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University; Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, P. R. China.
| | - Junyu Tian
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University; Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, P. R. China.
| | - Heli Fan
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University; Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, P. R. China.
| | - Huabing Sun
- The Province and Ministry Co-sponsored Collaborative Innovation Center for Medical Epigenetics, Tianjin Medical University; Tianjin Key Laboratory on Technologies Enabling Development of Clinical Therapeutics and Diagnostics, School of Pharmacy, Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300070, P. R. China.
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