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Malone CF, Mabe NW, Forman AB, Alexe G, Engel KL, Chen YJC, Soeung M, Salhotra S, Basanthakumar A, Liu B, Dent SYR, Stegmaier K. The KAT module of the SAGA complex maintains the oncogenic gene expression program in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma. SCIENCE ADVANCES 2024; 10:eadm9449. [PMID: 38820154 PMCID: PMC11141635 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.adm9449] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/14/2023] [Accepted: 04/29/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Pediatric cancers are frequently driven by genomic alterations that result in aberrant transcription factor activity. Here, we used functional genomic screens to identify multiple genes within the transcriptional coactivator Spt-Ada-Gcn5-acetyltransferase (SAGA) complex as selective dependencies for MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma, a disease of dysregulated development driven by an aberrant oncogenic transcriptional program. We characterized the DNA recruitment sites of the SAGA complex in neuroblastoma and the consequences of loss of SAGA complex lysine acetyltransferase (KAT) activity on histone acetylation and gene expression. We demonstrate that loss of SAGA complex KAT activity is associated with reduced MYCN binding on chromatin, suppression of MYC/MYCN gene expression programs, and impaired cell cycle progression. Further, we showed that the SAGA complex is pharmacologically targetable in vitro and in vivo with a KAT2A/KAT2B proteolysis targeting chimeric. Our findings expand our understanding of the histone-modifying complexes that maintain the oncogenic transcriptional state in this disease and suggest therapeutic potential for inhibitors of SAGA KAT activity in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Clare F Malone
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Nathaniel W Mabe
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Alexandra B Forman
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Gabriela Alexe
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Kathleen L Engel
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Ying-Jiun C Chen
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
- The Center for Cancer Epigenetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Melinda Soeung
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Silvi Salhotra
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Allen Basanthakumar
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Bin Liu
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
- The Center for Cancer Epigenetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Sharon Y R Dent
- Department of Epigenetics and Molecular Carcinogenesis, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
- The Center for Cancer Epigenetics, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, USA
| | - Kimberly Stegmaier
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
- Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA, USA
- Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
- Division of Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
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Lucas SCC, Ahmed A, Ashraf SN, Argyrou A, Bauer MR, De Donatis GM, Demanze S, Eisele F, Fusani L, Hock A, Kadamur G, Li S, Macmillan-Jones A, Michaelides IN, Phillips C, Rehnström M, Richter M, Rodrigo-Brenni MC, Shilliday F, Wang P, Storer RI. Optimization of Potent Ligands for the E3 Ligase DCAF15 and Evaluation of Their Use in Heterobifunctional Degraders. J Med Chem 2024; 67:5538-5566. [PMID: 38513086 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02136] [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: 03/23/2024]
Abstract
Unlocking novel E3 ligases for use in heterobifunctional PROTAC degraders is of high importance to the pharmaceutical industry. Over-reliance on the current suite of ligands used to recruit E3 ligases could limit the potential of their application. To address this, potent ligands for DCAF15 were optimized using cryo-EM supported, structure-based design to improve on micromolar starting points. A potent binder, compound 24, was identified and subsequently conjugated into PROTACs against multiple targets. Following attempts on degrading a number of proteins using DCAF15 recruiting PROTACs, only degradation of BRD4 was observed. Deconvolution of the mechanism of action showed that this degradation was not mediated by DCAF15, thereby highlighting both the challenges faced when trying to expand the toolbox of validated E3 ligase ligands for use in PROTAC degraders and the pitfalls of using BRD4 as a model substrate.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon C C Lucas
- Hit Discovery, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K
| | - Afshan Ahmed
- Discovery Biology, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K
| | - S Neha Ashraf
- Discovery Biology, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K
| | - Argyrides Argyrou
- Discovery Biology, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K
| | - Matthias R Bauer
- Hit Discovery, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K
| | | | - Sylvain Demanze
- Oncology Chemistry, Oncology R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K
| | - Frederik Eisele
- Mechanistic and Structural Biology, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg SE-431 83,Sweden
| | - Lucia Fusani
- Hit Discovery, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K
| | - Andreas Hock
- Discovery Biology, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K
| | - Ganesh Kadamur
- Mechanistic and Structural Biology, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K
| | - Shuyou Li
- Pharmaron Beijing Co., Ltd., 6 Taihe Road BDA, Beijing 100176, People's Republic of China
| | | | | | - Christopher Phillips
- Mechanistic and Structural Biology, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K
| | - Marie Rehnström
- Discovery Biology, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Gothenburg SE-431 83, Sweden
| | - Magdalena Richter
- Discovery Biology, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K
| | - Monica C Rodrigo-Brenni
- Safety Innovation and PROTAC Safety, Clinical Pharmacology & Safety Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K
| | - Fiona Shilliday
- Mechanistic and Structural Biology, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K
| | - Peng Wang
- Pharmaron Beijing Co., Ltd., 6 Taihe Road BDA, Beijing 100176, People's Republic of China
| | - R Ian Storer
- Hit Discovery, Discovery Sciences, R&D, AstraZeneca, Cambridge CB2 0AA, U.K
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Kumar Tiwari P, Reddy Doda S, Vannam R, Hudlikar M, Harrison DA, Ojeda S, Rai S, Koglin AS, Nguyen Gilbert A, Ott CJ. Exploration of bromodomain ligand-linker conjugation sites for efficient CBP/p300 heterobifunctional degrader activity. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2024; 102:129676. [PMID: 38408512 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2024.129676] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/15/2023] [Revised: 02/13/2024] [Accepted: 02/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/28/2024]
Abstract
Synthesis of proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) involves conjugation of an E3 ligase binding ligand to a ligand targeting a protein of interest via a rigid or flexible chemical linker. The choice of linker conjugation site on these ligands can be informed by structural analysis of ligand-target binding modes, the feasibility of synthetic procedures to access specific sites, and computational modeling of predicted ternary complex formations. Small molecules that target bromodomains - epigenetic readers of lysine acetylation - typically offer several potential options for linker conjugation sites. Here we describe how varying the linker attachment site (exit vector) on a CBP/p300 bromodomain ligand along with linker length affects PROTAC degradation activity and ternary complex formation. Using kinetic live cell assays of endogenous CBP and p300 protein abundance and bead-based proximity assays for ternary complexes, we describe the structure-activity relationships of a diverse library of CBP/p300 degraders (dCBPs).
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Affiliation(s)
- Praveen Kumar Tiwari
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Sai Reddy Doda
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Raghu Vannam
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Manish Hudlikar
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Drew A Harrison
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Samuel Ojeda
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Sumit Rai
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Ann-Sophie Koglin
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | | | - Christopher J Ott
- Krantz Family Center for Cancer Research, Massachusetts General Hospital, Charlestown, MA, USA; Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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Runa F, Ortiz-Soto G, de Barros NR, Kelber JA. Targeting SMAD-Dependent Signaling: Considerations in Epithelial and Mesenchymal Solid Tumors. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2024; 17:326. [PMID: 38543112 PMCID: PMC10975212 DOI: 10.3390/ph17030326] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Revised: 02/19/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 04/01/2024] Open
Abstract
SMADs are the canonical intracellular effector proteins of the TGF-β (transforming growth factor-β). SMADs translocate from plasma membrane receptors to the nucleus regulated by many SMAD-interacting proteins through phosphorylation and other post-translational modifications that govern their nucleocytoplasmic shuttling and subsequent transcriptional activity. The signaling pathway of TGF-β/SMAD exhibits both tumor-suppressing and tumor-promoting phenotypes in epithelial-derived solid tumors. Collectively, the pleiotropic nature of TGF-β/SMAD signaling presents significant challenges for the development of effective cancer therapies. Here, we review preclinical studies that evaluate the efficacy of inhibitors targeting major SMAD-regulating and/or -interacting proteins, particularly enzymes that may play important roles in epithelial or mesenchymal compartments within solid tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Farhana Runa
- Department of Biology, California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA 91330, USA
| | | | | | - Jonathan A Kelber
- Department of Biology, California State University Northridge, Northridge, CA 91330, USA
- Department of Biology, Baylor University, Waco, TX 76706, USA
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5
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Liang X, Ren H, Han F, Liang R, Zhao J, Liu H. The new direction of drug development: Degradation of undruggable targets through targeting chimera technology. Med Res Rev 2024; 44:632-685. [PMID: 37983964 DOI: 10.1002/med.21992] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 06/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/29/2023] [Indexed: 11/22/2023]
Abstract
Imbalances in protein and noncoding RNA levels in vivo lead to the occurrence of many diseases. In addition to the use of small molecule inhibitors and agonists to restore these imbalances, recently emerged targeted degradation technologies provide a new direction for disease treatment. Targeted degradation technology directly degrades target proteins or RNA by utilizing the inherent degradation pathways, thereby eliminating the functions of pathogenic proteins (or RNA) to treat diseases. Compared with traditional therapies, targeted degradation technology which avoids the principle of traditional inhibitor occupation drive, has higher efficiency and selectivity, and widely expands the range of drug targets. It is one of the most promising and hottest areas for future drug development. Herein, we systematically introduced the in vivo degradation systems applied to degrader design: ubiquitin-proteasome system, lysosomal degradation system, and RNA degradation system. We summarized the development progress, structural characteristics, and limitations of novel chimeric design technologies based on different degradation systems. In addition, due to the lack of clear ligand-binding pockets, about 80% of disease-associated proteins cannot be effectively intervened with through traditional therapies. We deeply elucidated how to use targeted degradation technology to discover and design molecules for representative undruggable targets including transcription factors, small GTPases, and phosphatases. Overall, this review provides a comprehensive and systematic overview of targeted degradation technology-related research advances and a new guidance for the chimeric design of undruggable targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xuewu Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Hairu Ren
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Fengyang Han
- School of Pharmacy, Fudan University, Shanghai, China
| | - Renwen Liang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Jiayan Zhao
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
| | - Hong Liu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
- School of Pharmaceutical Science and Technology, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, China
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6
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White J, Derheimer FA, Jensen-Pergakes K, O'Connell S, Sharma S, Spiegel N, Paul TA. Histone lysine acetyltransferase inhibitors: an emerging class of drugs for cancer therapy. Trends Pharmacol Sci 2024; 45:243-254. [PMID: 38383216 DOI: 10.1016/j.tips.2024.01.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2024] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/22/2024] [Indexed: 02/23/2024]
Abstract
Lysine acetyltransferases (KATs) are a family of epigenetic enzymes involved in the regulation of gene expression; they represent a promising class of emerging drug targets. The frequent molecular dysregulation of these enzymes, as well as their mechanistic links to biological functions that are crucial to cancer, have led to exploration around the development of small-molecule inhibitors against KATs. Despite early challenges, recent advances have led to the development of potent and selective enzymatic and bromodomain (BRD) KAT inhibitors. In this review we discuss the discovery and development of new KAT inhibitors and their application as oncology therapeutics. Additionally, new chemically induced proximity approaches are presented, offering opportunities for unique target selectivity profiles and tissue-specific targeting of KATs. Emerging clinical data for CREB binding protein (CREBBP)/EP300 BRD inhibitors and KAT6 catalytic inhibitors indicate the promise of this target class in cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jeffrey White
- Pfizer Inc., Oncology Research Unit, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | | | | | - Shawn O'Connell
- Pfizer Inc., Oncology Research Unit, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Shikhar Sharma
- Pfizer Inc., Oncology Research Unit, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Noah Spiegel
- Pfizer Inc., Oncology Research Unit, San Diego, CA 92121, USA
| | - Thomas A Paul
- Pfizer Inc., Oncology Research Unit, San Diego, CA 92121, USA.
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7
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Basu B, Kal S, Karmakar S, Basu M, Ghosh MK. E3 ubiquitin ligases in lung cancer: Emerging insights and therapeutic opportunities. Life Sci 2024; 336:122333. [PMID: 38061537 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2023.122333] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 11/29/2023] [Accepted: 12/04/2023] [Indexed: 12/18/2023]
Abstract
Aim In this review, we have attempted to provide the readers with an updated account of the role of a family of proteins known as E3 ligases in different aspects of lung cancer progression, along with insights into the deregulation of expression of these proteins during lung cancer. A detailed account of the therapeutic strategies involving E3 ligases that have been developed or currently under development has also been provided in this review. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The review article employs extensive literature search, along with differential gene expression analysis of lung cancer associated E3 ligases using the DESeq2 package in R, and the Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) database (http://gepia.cancer-pku.cn/). Protein expression analysis of CPTAC lung cancer samples was carried out using the UALCAN webtool (https://ualcan.path.uab.edu/index.html). Assessment of patient overall survival (OS) in response to high and low expression of selected E3 ligases was performed using the online Kaplan-Meier plotter (https://kmplot.com/analysis/index.php?p=background). KEY FINDINGS: SIGNIFICANCE: The review provides an in-depth understanding of the role of E3 ligases in lung cancer progression and an up-to-date account of the different therapeutic strategies targeting oncogenic E3 ligases for improved lung cancer management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bhaskar Basu
- Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorder Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (CSIR-IICB), TRUE Campus, CN-6, Sector-V, Salt Lake, Kolkata- 700091 & 4, Raja S.C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Satadeepa Kal
- Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorder Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (CSIR-IICB), TRUE Campus, CN-6, Sector-V, Salt Lake, Kolkata- 700091 & 4, Raja S.C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Subhajit Karmakar
- Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorder Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (CSIR-IICB), TRUE Campus, CN-6, Sector-V, Salt Lake, Kolkata- 700091 & 4, Raja S.C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India
| | - Malini Basu
- Department of Microbiology, Dhruba Chand Halder College, Dakshin Barasat, South 24 Parganas, PIN -743372, India
| | - Mrinal K Ghosh
- Cancer Biology and Inflammatory Disorder Division, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Indian Institute of Chemical Biology (CSIR-IICB), TRUE Campus, CN-6, Sector-V, Salt Lake, Kolkata- 700091 & 4, Raja S.C. Mullick Road, Jadavpur, Kolkata 700032, India.
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8
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Wang AF, Ayyar VS. Pharmacodynamic Models of Indirect Effects and Irreversible Inactivation with Turnover: Applicability to Mechanism-Based Modeling of Gene Silencing and Targeted Protein Degradation. J Pharm Sci 2024; 113:191-201. [PMID: 37884193 DOI: 10.1016/j.xphs.2023.10.027] [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: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 10/18/2023] [Accepted: 10/18/2023] [Indexed: 10/28/2023]
Abstract
Indirect response (IDR) and turnover with inactivation (TI) comprise two arrays of mechanism-based pharmacodynamic (PD) models widely used to describe delayed drug effects. IDR Model-IV (stimulation of response loss) and TI (irreversible loss) have been described with discerning "signature" profiles; classical IDR-IV response-time profiles display slow declines where peak response shifts later with increasing dose, whereas TI profiles feature steep response declines with earlier-shifting nadirs. Herein, we demonstrate mathematical convergence of IDR-IV and TI models upon implementation with identical linear versus nonlinear pharmacologic effect terms. Time of peak response in IDR-IV can in fact shift earlier or later depending on PK or PD parameters (e.g., kel, Smax) and effect type. A generalized dynamic model linking mRNA and protein turnover is proposed. Applicability of IDR-IV and TI, with either linear or nonlinear terms acting on degradation/catabolism/loss of response, is demonstrated through model-fitting PK-PD effects of three proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) and two ligand-conjugated small interfering RNAs (siRNA). This work clarifies mathematical properties, convergence, and expected responses of IDR-IV and TI, demonstrates their applicability for targeted gene-silencing and protein-degrading agents, and illustrates how well-designed in vivo studies covering broad dose ranges with richly sampled time-points can influence PK-PD model structure and parameter resolution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angelia F Wang
- Clinical Pharmacology & Pharmacometrics, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA
| | - Vivaswath S Ayyar
- Clinical Pharmacology & Pharmacometrics, Janssen Research and Development, Spring House, PA, USA.
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Ru J, Wang Y, Li Z, Wang J, Ren C, Zhang J. Technologies of targeting histone deacetylase in drug discovery: Current progress and emerging prospects. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 261:115800. [PMID: 37708798 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2023] [Revised: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 09/06/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023]
Abstract
Histone deacetylases (HDACs) catalyze the hydrolysis of acetyl-l-lysine side chains in histones and non-histones, which are key to epigenetic regulation in humans. Targeting HDACs has emerged as a promising strategy for treating various types of cancer, including myeloma and hematologic malignancies. At present, numerous small molecule inhibitors targeting HDACs are actively being investigated in clinical trials. Despite their potential efficacy in cancer treatment, HDAC inhibitors suffer from multi-directional selectivity and preclinical resistance issues. Hence, developing novel inhibitors based on cutting-edge medicinal chemistry techniques is essential to overcome these limitations and improve clinical outcomes. This manuscript presents an extensive overview of the properties and biological functions of HDACs in cancer, provides an overview of the current state of development and limitations of clinical HDAC inhibitors, and analyzes a range of innovative medicinal chemistry techniques that are applied. These techniques include selective inhibitors, dual-target inhibitors, proteolysis targeting chimeras, and protein-protein interaction inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinxiao Ru
- Department of Neurology, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China
| | - Yuxi Wang
- Department of Neurology, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China; Frontiers Medical Center, Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, Chengdu, 610212, Sichuan, China
| | - Zijia Li
- Department of Neurology, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, 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, USA
| | - Changyu Ren
- Department of Pharmacy, Chengdu Fifth People's Hospital, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Jifa Zhang
- Department of Neurology, Joint Research Institution of Altitude Health and National Clinical Research Center for Geriatrics, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, Sichuan, China; Frontiers Medical Center, Tianfu Jincheng Laboratory, Chengdu, 610212, Sichuan, China.
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Pichlak M, Sobierajski T, Błażewska KM, Gendaszewska-Darmach E. Targeting reversible post-translational modifications with PROTACs: a focus on enzymes modifying protein lysine and arginine residues. J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem 2023; 38:2254012. [PMID: 37667522 PMCID: PMC10481767 DOI: 10.1080/14756366.2023.2254012] [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: 06/14/2023] [Revised: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 08/27/2023] [Indexed: 09/06/2023] Open
Abstract
PROTACs represent an emerging field in medicinal chemistry, which has already led to the development of compounds that reached clinical studies. Posttranslational modifications contribute to the complexity of proteomes, with 2846 disease-associated sites. PROTAC field is very advanced in targeting kinases, while its use for enzymes mediating posttranslational modifications of the basic amino acid residues, started to be developed recently. Therefore, we bring together this less popular class of PROTACs, targeting lysine acetyltransferases/deacetylases, lysine and arginine methyltransferases, ADP-ribosyltransferases, E3 ligases, and ubiquitin-specific proteases. We put special emphasis on structural aspects of PROTAC elements to facilitate the lengthy experimental endeavours directed towards developing PROTACs. We will cover the period from the inception of the field, 2017, to April 2023.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marta Pichlak
- Institute of Molecular and Industrial Biotechnology, Lodz University of Technology, Łódź, Poland
| | - Tomasz Sobierajski
- Institute of Organic Chemistry, Lodz University of Technology, Łódź, Poland
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11
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Xiao HT, Jin J, Zheng ZG. Emerging role of GCN5 in human diseases and its therapeutic potential. Biomed Pharmacother 2023; 165:114835. [PMID: 37352700 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2023.114835] [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: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 04/18/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/25/2023] Open
Abstract
As the first histone acetyltransferase to be cloned and identified in yeast, general control non-depressible 5 (GCN5) plays a crucial role in epigenetic and chromatin modifications. It has been extensively studied for its essential role in regulating and causing various diseases. There is mounting evidence to suggest that GCN5 plays an emerging role in human diseases and its therapeutic potential is promising. In this paper, we begin by providing an introduction GCN5 including its structure, catalytic mechanism, and regulation, followed by a review of the current research progress on the role of GCN5 in regulating various diseases, such as cancer, diabetes, osteoporosis. Thus, we delve into the various aspects of GCN5 inhibitors, including their types, characteristics, means of discovery, activities, and limitations from a medicinal chemistry perspective. Our analysis highlights the importance of identifying and creating inhibitors that are both highly selective and effective inhibitors, for the future development of novel therapeutic agents aimed at treating GCN5-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hai-Tao Xiao
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 210009 Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Jing Jin
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 210009 Nanjing, Jiangsu, China
| | - Zu-Guo Zheng
- State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, 210009 Nanjing, Jiangsu, China.
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12
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Li J, Ye F, Xu X, Xu P, Wang P, Zheng G, Ye G, Yu W, Su Z, Lin J, Che Y, Liu Z, Feng P, Cao Q, Li D, Xie Z, Wu Y, Shen H. Targeting macrophage M1 polarization suppression through PCAF inhibition alleviates autoimmune arthritis via synergistic NF-κB and H3K9Ac blockade. J Nanobiotechnology 2023; 21:280. [PMID: 37598147 PMCID: PMC10439630 DOI: 10.1186/s12951-023-02012-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2023] [Accepted: 07/17/2023] [Indexed: 08/21/2023] Open
Abstract
Sustained inflammatory invasion leads to joint damage and progressive disability in several autoimmune rheumatic diseases. In recent decades, targeting M1 macrophage polarization has been suggested as a promising therapeutic strategy for autoimmune arthritis. P300/CBP-associated factor (PCAF) is a histone acetyltransferase (HAT) that exhibits a strong positive relationship with the proinflammatory microenvironment. However, whether PCAF mediates M1 macrophage polarization remains poorly studied, and whether targeting PCAF can protect against autoimmune arthritis in vivo remains unclear. Commonly used drugs can cause serious side effects in patients because of their extensive and nonspecific distribution in the human body. One strategy for overcoming this challenge is to develop drug nanocarriers that target the drug to desirable regions and reduce the fraction of drug that reaches undesirable targets. In this study, we demonstrated that PCAF inhibition could effectively inhibit M1 polarization and alleviate arthritis in mice with collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) via synergistic NF-κB and H3K9Ac blockade. We further designed dextran sulfate (DS)-based nanoparticles (DSNPs) carrying garcinol (a PCAF inhibitor) to specifically target M1 macrophages in inflamed joints of the CIA mouse model via SR-A-SR-A ligand interactions. Compared to free garcinol, garcinol-loaded DSNPs selectively targeted M1 macrophages in inflamed joints and significantly improved therapeutic efficacy in vivo. In summary, our study indicates that targeted PCAF inhibition with nanoparticles might be a promising strategy for treating autoimmune arthritis via M1 macrophage polarization inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jinteng Li
- Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ankylosing Spondylitis, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
- Guangdong Orthopedic Clinical Research Center, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Feng Ye
- Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Xiaojun Xu
- Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Peitao Xu
- Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Peng Wang
- Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ankylosing Spondylitis, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
- Guangdong Orthopedic Clinical Research Center, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Guan Zheng
- Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ankylosing Spondylitis, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
- Guangdong Orthopedic Clinical Research Center, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Guiwen Ye
- Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ankylosing Spondylitis, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
- Guangdong Orthopedic Clinical Research Center, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Wenhui Yu
- Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Zepeng Su
- Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Jiajie Lin
- Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Yunshu Che
- Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Zhidong Liu
- Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Pei Feng
- Center for Biotherapy, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Qian Cao
- Center for Biotherapy, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Dateng Li
- 121 Westmoreland Ave, 10606 White Plains, NY USA
| | - Zhongyu Xie
- Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ankylosing Spondylitis, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
- Guangdong Orthopedic Clinical Research Center, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Yanfeng Wu
- Center for Biotherapy, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ankylosing Spondylitis, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
- Guangdong Orthopedic Clinical Research Center, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
| | - Huiyong Shen
- Department of Orthopedics, The Eighth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Ankylosing Spondylitis, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
- Guangdong Orthopedic Clinical Research Center, 518003 Shenzhen, PR China
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13
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Zhao C, Wang H, Zhan W, Lv X, Ma X. Exploitation of Proximity-Mediated Effects in Drug Discovery: An Update of Recent Research Highlights in Perturbing Pathogenic Proteins and Correlated Issues. J Med Chem 2023; 66:10122-10149. [PMID: 37489834 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c00079] [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: 07/26/2023]
Abstract
The utilization of proximity-mediated effects to perturb pathogenic proteins of interest (POIs) has emerged as a powerful strategic alternative to conventional drug design approaches based on target occupancy. Over the past three years, the burgeoning field of targeted protein degradation (TPD) has witnessed the expansion of degradable POIs to membrane-associated, extracellular, proteasome-resistant, and even microbial proteins. Beyond TPD, researchers have achieved the proximity-mediated targeted protein stabilization, the recruitment of intracellular immunophilins to disturb undruggable targets, and the nonphysiological post-translational modifications of POIs. All of these strides provide new avenues for innovative drug discovery aimed at battling human malignancies and other major diseases. This perspective presents recent research highlights and discusses correlated issues in developing therapeutic modalities that exploit proximity-mediated effects to modulate pathogenic proteins, thereby guiding future academic and industrial efforts in this field.
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Affiliation(s)
- Can Zhao
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Henian Wang
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
| | - Wenhu Zhan
- iCarbonX (Shenzhen) Co., Ltd., Shenzhen, 518000, China
| | - Xiaoqing Lv
- College of Medicine, Jiaxing University, Jiaxing 314001, China
| | - Xiaodong Ma
- School of Pharmacy, Anhui University of Chinese Medicine, Hefei 230012, China
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14
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Xie L, Xie L. Elucidation of genome-wide understudied proteins targeted by PROTAC-induced degradation using interpretable machine learning. PLoS Comput Biol 2023; 19:e1010974. [PMID: 37590332 PMCID: PMC10464998 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010974] [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: 02/22/2023] [Revised: 08/29/2023] [Accepted: 07/27/2023] [Indexed: 08/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are hetero-bifunctional molecules that induce the degradation of target proteins by recruiting an E3 ligase. PROTACs have the potential to inactivate disease-related genes that are considered undruggable by small molecules, making them a promising therapy for the treatment of incurable diseases. However, only a few hundred proteins have been experimentally tested for their amenability to PROTACs, and it remains unclear which other proteins in the entire human genome can be targeted by PROTACs. In this study, we have developed PrePROTAC, an interpretable machine learning model based on a transformer-based protein sequence descriptor and random forest classification. PrePROTAC predicts genome-wide targets that can be degraded by CRBN, one of the E3 ligases. In the benchmark studies, PrePROTAC achieved a ROC-AUC of 0.81, an average precision of 0.84, and over 40% sensitivity at a false positive rate of 0.05. When evaluated by an external test set which comprised proteins from different structural folds than those in the training set, the performance of PrePROTAC did not drop significantly, indicating its generalizability. Furthermore, we developed an embedding SHapley Additive exPlanations (eSHAP) method, which extends conventional SHAP analysis for original features to an embedding space through in silico mutagenesis. This method allowed us to identify key residues in the protein structure that play critical roles in PROTAC activity. The identified key residues were consistent with existing knowledge. Using PrePROTAC, we identified over 600 novel understudied proteins that are potentially degradable by CRBN and proposed PROTAC compounds for three novel drug targets associated with Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Xie
- Department of Computer Science, Hunter College, The City University of New York, New York City, New York, United States of America
| | - Lei Xie
- Department of Computer Science, Hunter College, The City University of New York, New York City, New York, United States of America
- Ph.D. Program in Computer Science, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, New York City, New York, United States of America
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer’s Disease Research Institute, Feil Family Brain & Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York City, New York, United States of America
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15
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Zahid H, Costello JP, Li Y, Kimbrough JR, Actis M, Rankovic Z, Yan Q, Pomerantz WCK. Design of Class I/IV Bromodomain-Targeting Degraders for Chromatin Remodeling Complexes. ACS Chem Biol 2023; 18:1278-1293. [PMID: 37260298 PMCID: PMC10698694 DOI: 10.1021/acschembio.2c00902] [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] [Indexed: 06/02/2023]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation is an emerging technology that can be used for modulating the activity of epigenetic protein targets. Among bromodomain-containing proteins, a number of degraders for the BET family have been developed, while non-BET bromodomains remain underexplored. Several of these proteins are subunits in chromatin remodeling complexes often associated with oncogenic roles. Here, we describe the design of class I (BPTF and CECR2) and IV (BRD9) bromodomain-targeting degraders based on two scaffolds derived from pyridazinone and pyrimidine-based heterocycles. We evaluate various exit vectors and linkers to identify analogues that demonstrate selectivity within these families. We further use an in-cell NanoBRET assay to demonstrate that these heterobifunctional molecules are cell-permeable, form ternary complexes, and can degrade nanoluciferase-bromodomain fusions. As a first example of a CECR2 degrader, we observe that our pyrimidine-based analogues degrade endogenous CECR2 while showing a smaller effect on BPTF levels. The pyridazinone-based compounds did not degrade BPTF when observed through Western blotting, further supporting a more challenging target for degradation and a goal for future optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huda Zahid
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Jeff P Costello
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Yao Li
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - Jennifer R Kimbrough
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
| | - Marisa Actis
- Department of Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Zoran Rankovic
- Department of Chemical Biology & Therapeutics, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, Tennessee 38105, United States
| | - Qin Yan
- Department of Pathology, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
- Yale Cancer Center, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520, United States
| | - William C K Pomerantz
- Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 207 Pleasant St. SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, University of Minnesota, 308 Harvard Street SE, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, United States
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16
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Shibahara D, Akanuma N, Kobayashi IS, Heo E, Ando M, Fujii M, Jiang F, Prin PN, Pan G, Wong K, Costa DB, Bararia D, Tenen DG, Watanabe H, Kobayashi SS. TIP60 is required for tumorigenesis in non-small cell lung cancer. Cancer Sci 2023; 114:2400-2413. [PMID: 36916958 PMCID: PMC10236639 DOI: 10.1111/cas.15785] [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: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/15/2023] Open
Abstract
Histone modifications play crucial roles in transcriptional activation, and aberrant epigenetic changes are associated with oncogenesis. Lysine (K) acetyltransferases 5 (TIP60, also known as KAT5) is reportedly implicated in cancer development and maintenance, although its function in lung cancer remains controversial. Here we demonstrate that TIP60 knockdown in non-small cell lung cancer cell lines decreased tumor cell growth, migration, and invasion. Furthermore, analysis of a mouse lung cancer model with lung-specific conditional Tip60 knockout revealed suppressed tumor formation relative to controls, but no apparent effects on normal lung homeostasis. RNA-seq and ChIP-seq analyses of inducible TIP60 knockdown H1975 cells relative to controls revealed transglutaminase enzyme (TGM5) as downstream of TIP60. Investigation of a connectivity map database identified several candidate compounds that decrease TIP60 mRNA, one that suppressed tumor growth in cell culture and in vivo. In addition, TH1834, a TIP60 acetyltransferase inhibitor, showed comparable antitumor effects in cell culture and in vivo. Taken together, suppression of TIP60 activity shows tumor-specific efficacy against lung cancer, with no overt effect on normal tissues. Our work suggests that targeting TIP60 could be a promising approach to treating lung cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Daisuke Shibahara
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Naoki Akanuma
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of PathologyUniversity of California San FranciscoSan FranciscoCaliforniaUSA
| | - Ikei S. Kobayashi
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Eunyoung Heo
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Department of Internal MedicineSMG‐SNU Boramae Medical CenterSeoulSouth Korea
| | - Mariko Ando
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Masanori Fujii
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Feng Jiang
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Genetics and Genomic SciencesTisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - P. Nicholas Prin
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Gilbert Pan
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Kwok‐Kin Wong
- Perlmutter Cancer CenterNYU Langone Medical CenterNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Daniel B. Costa
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Deepak Bararia
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
| | - Daniel G. Tenen
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Cancer Science Institute of SingaporeNational University of SingaporeSingaporeSingapore
| | - Hideo Watanabe
- Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine, Department of Medicine, Department of Genetics and Genomic SciencesTisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount SinaiNew YorkNew YorkUSA
| | - Susumu S. Kobayashi
- Department of Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical CenterHarvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Harvard Medical SchoolBostonMassachusettsUSA
- Division of Translational Genomics, Exploratory Oncology Research and Clinical Trial CenterNational Cancer CenterKashiwaJapan
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17
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Tong Y, Lee Y, Liu X, Childs-Disney JL, Suresh BM, Benhamou RI, Yang C, Li W, Costales MG, Haniff HS, Sievers S, Abegg D, Wegner T, Paulisch TO, Lekah E, Grefe M, Crynen G, Van Meter M, Wang T, Gibaut QMR, Cleveland JL, Adibekian A, Glorius F, Waldmann H, Disney MD. Programming inactive RNA-binding small molecules into bioactive degraders. Nature 2023; 618:169-179. [PMID: 37225982 PMCID: PMC10232370 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06091-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 04/17/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Target occupancy is often insufficient to elicit biological activity, particularly for RNA, compounded by the longstanding challenges surrounding the molecular recognition of RNA structures by small molecules. Here we studied molecular recognition patterns between a natural-product-inspired small-molecule collection and three-dimensionally folded RNA structures. Mapping these interaction landscapes across the human transcriptome defined structure-activity relationships. Although RNA-binding compounds that bind to functional sites were expected to elicit a biological response, most identified interactions were predicted to be biologically inert as they bind elsewhere. We reasoned that, for such cases, an alternative strategy to modulate RNA biology is to cleave the target through a ribonuclease-targeting chimera, where an RNA-binding molecule is appended to a heterocycle that binds to and locally activates RNase L1. Overlay of the substrate specificity for RNase L with the binding landscape of small molecules revealed many favourable candidate binders that might be bioactive when converted into degraders. We provide a proof of concept, designing selective degraders for the precursor to the disease-associated microRNA-155 (pre-miR-155), JUN mRNA and MYC mRNA. Thus, small-molecule RNA-targeted degradation can be leveraged to convert strong, yet inactive, binding interactions into potent and specific modulators of RNA function.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yuquan Tong
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute & The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Yeongju Lee
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute & The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Xiaohui Liu
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute & The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Jessica L Childs-Disney
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute & The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Blessy M Suresh
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute & The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Raphael I Benhamou
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute & The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Chunying Yang
- Department of Tumor Biology, Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Weimin Li
- Department of Tumor Biology, Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Matthew G Costales
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute & The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Hafeez S Haniff
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute & The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Sonja Sievers
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany
- Compound Management and Screening Center, Dortmund, Germany
| | - Daniel Abegg
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute & The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Tristan Wegner
- Organisch-Chemisches Institut, University of Münster, Münster, Germany
| | | | - Elizabeth Lekah
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute & The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Maison Grefe
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute & The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Gogce Crynen
- Bioinformatics and Statistics Core, The Scripps Research Institute and The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Montina Van Meter
- Histology Core, The Scripps Research Institute and The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Tenghui Wang
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute & The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Quentin M R Gibaut
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute & The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - John L Cleveland
- Department of Tumor Biology, Moffitt Cancer Center & Research Institute, Tampa, FL, USA
| | - Alexander Adibekian
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute & The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA
| | - Frank Glorius
- Organisch-Chemisches Institut, University of Münster, Münster, Germany.
| | - Herbert Waldmann
- Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, Germany.
- Compound Management and Screening Center, Dortmund, Germany.
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Dortmund, Germany.
| | - Matthew D Disney
- Department of Chemistry, The Scripps Research Institute & The Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, Jupiter, FL, USA.
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18
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Pan Z, Zhao Y, Wang X, Xie X, Liu M, Zhang K, Wang L, Bai D, Foster LJ, Shu R, He G. Targeting bromodomain-containing proteins: research advances of drug discovery. MOLECULAR BIOMEDICINE 2023; 4:13. [PMID: 37142850 PMCID: PMC10159834 DOI: 10.1186/s43556-023-00127-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/16/2023] [Accepted: 04/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Bromodomain (BD) is an evolutionarily conserved protein module found in 46 different BD-containing proteins (BCPs). BD acts as a specific reader for acetylated lysine residues (KAc) and serves an essential role in transcriptional regulation, chromatin remodeling, DNA damage repair, and cell proliferation. On the other hand, BCPs have been shown to be involved in the pathogenesis of a variety of diseases, including cancers, inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, and viral infections. Over the past decade, researchers have brought new therapeutic strategies to relevant diseases by inhibiting the activity or downregulating the expression of BCPs to interfere with the transcription of pathogenic genes. An increasing number of potent inhibitors and degraders of BCPs have been developed, some of which are already in clinical trials. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of recent advances in the study of drugs that inhibit or down-regulate BCPs, focusing on the development history, molecular structure, biological activity, interaction with BCPs and therapeutic potentials of these drugs. In addition, we discuss current challenges, issues to be addressed and future research directions for the development of BCPs inhibitors. Lessons learned from the successful or unsuccessful development experiences of these inhibitors or degraders will facilitate the further development of efficient, selective and less toxic inhibitors of BCPs and eventually achieve drug application in the clinic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhaoping Pan
- Department of Dermatology & Venerology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
- Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology (CIII), Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Yuxi Zhao
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, Department of Orthodontics and Pediatrics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xiaoyun Wang
- Department of Dermatology & Venerology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
- Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology (CIII), Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Xin Xie
- College of Medical Technology and School of Pharmacy, Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Chengdu, 611137, China
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Mingxia Liu
- Department of Dermatology & Venerology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Kaiyao Zhang
- Department of Dermatology & Venerology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Lian Wang
- Department of Dermatology & Venerology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China
| | - Ding Bai
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, Department of Orthodontics and Pediatrics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China
| | - Leonard J Foster
- Michael Smith Laboratories, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Rui Shu
- State Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases, National Clinical Research Center for Oral Disease, Department of Orthodontics and Pediatrics, West China Hospital of Stomatology, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
| | - Gu He
- Department of Dermatology & Venerology and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan, 610041, China.
- Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology (CIII), Frontiers Science Center for Disease-Related Molecular Network, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, 610041, China.
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19
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Wang C, Zhang Y, Deng J, Liang B, Xing D. Developments of PROTACs technology in immune-related diseases. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 249:115127. [PMID: 36724631 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115127] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2022] [Revised: 01/04/2023] [Accepted: 01/14/2023] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
Traditional chemotherapy and immunotherapy are primary disease-treatment strategies. However, they face numerous challenges, including limited therapeutic benefits, off-target effects, serious adverse effects, drug resistance, long half-life time, poor oral bioavailability, and drugging undruggable proteins. Proteolytic targeted chimeras (PROTACs) were suggested to solve these problems. PROTACs are heterogeneous functional molecules linked by a chemical linker and contain a binding ligand for the protein of interest and a recruiting ligand for the E3 ligand. The binding of a PROTAC to a target protein brings the E3 ligand enzyme into proximity, initiating polyubiquitination of the target protein, followed by protease-mediated degradation. To date, PROTACs against dozens of immunological targets have been successfully developed, many of which have been clinically validated drug targets, and several have entered clinical trials for immune-related diseases. This article reviews the role of PROTACs-mediated degradation of critical proteins in immune disorders and cancer immunotherapy. Chemical structures, cellular and in vivo activities, and pharmacodynamics of these PROTACs are summarized. Lastly, we also discuss the prospects and potential limitations that PROTACs face.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, China; Cancer Institute, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, China.
| | - Yujing Zhang
- The Affiliated Cardiovascular Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, China.
| | - Junwen Deng
- The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, China; Cancer Institute, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, China
| | - Bing Liang
- The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, China; Cancer Institute, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, China
| | - Dongming Xing
- The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, China; Cancer Institute, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, China; School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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20
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Xie L, Xie L. Elucidation of Genome-wide Understudied Proteins targeted by PROTAC-induced degradation using Interpretable Machine Learning. BIORXIV : THE PREPRINT SERVER FOR BIOLOGY 2023:2023.02.23.529828. [PMID: 36865212 PMCID: PMC9980153 DOI: 10.1101/2023.02.23.529828] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/03/2023]
Abstract
Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are hetero-bifunctional molecules. They induce the degradation of a target protein by recruiting an E3 ligase to the target. The PROTAC can inactivate disease-related genes that are considered as understudied, thus has a great potential to be a new type of therapy for the treatment of incurable diseases. However, only hundreds of proteins have been experimentally tested if they are amenable to the PROTACs. It remains elusive what other proteins can be targeted by the PROTAC in the entire human genome. For the first time, we have developed an interpretable machine learning model PrePROTAC, which is based on a transformer-based protein sequence descriptor and random forest classification to predict genome-wide PROTAC-induced targets degradable by CRBN, one of the E3 ligases. In the benchmark studies, PrePROTAC achieved ROC-AUC of 0.81, PR-AUC of 0.84, and over 40% sensitivity at a false positive rate of 0.05, respectively. Furthermore, we developed an embedding SHapley Additive exPlanations (eSHAP) method to identify positions in the protein structure, which play key roles in the PROTAC activity. The key residues identified were consistent with our existing knowledge. We applied PrePROTAC to identify more than 600 novel understudied proteins that are potentially degradable by CRBN, and proposed PROTAC compounds for three novel drug targets associated with Alzheimer's disease. Author Summary Many human diseases remain incurable because disease-causing genes cannot by selectively and effectively targeted by small molecules. Proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC), an organic compound that binds to both a target and a degradation-mediating E3 ligase, has emerged as a promising approach to selectively target disease-driving genes that are not druggable by small molecules. Nevertheless, not all of proteins can be accommodated by E3 ligases, and be effectively degraded. Knowledge on the degradability of a protein will be crucial for the design of PROTACs. However, only hundreds of proteins have been experimentally tested if they are amenable to the PROTACs. It remains elusive what other proteins can be targeted by the PROTAC in the entire human genome. In this paper, we propose an intepretable machine learning model PrePROTAC that takes advantage of powerful protein language modeling. PrePROTAC achieves high accuracy when evaluated by an external dataset which comes from different gene families from the proteins in the training data, suggesting the generalizability of PrePROTAC. We apply PrePROTAC to the human genome, and identify more than 600 understudied proteins that are potentially responsive to the PROTAC. Furthermore, we design three PROTAC compounds for novel drug targets associated with Alzheimer's disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Li Xie
- Department of Computer Science, Hunter College, The City University of New York, New York, 10065, USA
| | - Lei Xie
- Department of Computer Science, Hunter College, The City University of New York, New York, 10065, USA
- Ph.D. Program in Computer Science, The Graduate Center, The City University of New York, New York, 10016, USA
- Helen and Robert Appel Alzheimer’s Disease Research Institute, Feil Family Brain & Mind Research Institute, Weill Cornell Medicine, Cornell University, New York, 10021, USA
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21
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Liu M, Zhang K, Li Q, Pang H, Pan Z, Huang X, Wang L, Wu F, He G. Recent Advances on Small-Molecule Bromodomain-Containing Histone Acetyltransferase Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2023; 66:1678-1699. [PMID: 36695774 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01638] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/26/2023]
Abstract
In recent years, substantial research has been conducted on molecular mechanisms and inhibitors targeting bromodomains (BRDs) and extra-terminal (BET) family proteins. On this basis, non-BET BRD is gradually becoming a research hot spot. BRDs are abundant in histone acetyltransferase (HAT)-associated activating transcription factors, and BRD-containing HATs have been linked to cancer, inflammation, and viral replication. Therefore, the development of BRD-containing HATs as chemical probes is useful for understanding the specific biological roles of BRDs in diseases and drug discovery. Several types of BRD-containing HATs, including CBP/P300, PCAF/GCN5, and TAF1, are discussed in this context in terms of their structures, functions, and small-molecule inhibitors. Additionally, progress in BRD inhibitors/chemical probes and proteolysis targeting chimeras in terms of drug design, biological activity, and disease application are summarized. These findings provide insights into the development of BRD inhibitors as potential drug candidates for various diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mingxia Liu
- Department of Dermatology and Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. China.,Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology (CIII), Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Kaiyao Zhang
- Department of Dermatology and Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. China.,Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology (CIII), Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Qinjue Li
- West China School of Public Health, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. China
| | - Haiying Pang
- Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology (CIII), Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China
| | - Zhaoping Pan
- Department of Dermatology and Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. China
| | - Xiaowei Huang
- Department of Dermatology and Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. China
| | - Lian Wang
- Department of Dermatology and Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. China
| | - Fengbo Wu
- Department of Dermatology and Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. China
| | - Gu He
- Department of Dermatology and Department of Pharmacy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610041, P. R. China.,Laboratory of Dermatology, Clinical Institute of Inflammation and Immunology (CIII), Frontiers Science Center for Disease-related Molecular Network and State Key Laboratory of Biotherapy, West China Hospital, Sichuan University and Collaborative Innovation Center of Biotherapy, Chengdu 610041, China
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22
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Wang YW, Lan L, Wang M, Zhang JY, Gao YH, Shi L, Sun LP. PROTACS: A technology with a gold rush-like atmosphere. Eur J Med Chem 2023; 247:115037. [PMID: 36566716 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.115037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2022] [Revised: 12/03/2022] [Accepted: 12/18/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Abnormally expressed or malfunctioning proteins may affect or even damage cells, leading to the onset of diseases. Proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) technology has been proven to be a fresh therapeutic strategy, superior to conventional small molecule inhibitors for the treatment of diseases caused by pathogenic proteins. Unlike conventional small molecule inhibitors that are occupancy-driven, PROTACs are heterobifunctional small molecules with catalytic properties. They combine with E3 ligases and target proteins to form a ternary complex, rendering the target protein ubiquitous and subsequently degraded by the proteasome. This paper focuses first on significant events in the development of PROTAC technology from 2001 to 2022, followed by a brief overview of various PROTACs categorized by target proteins. In addition, the applications of PROTACs in the treatment of diseases and fundamental biology are also under discussion.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu-Wei Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design & Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Li Lan
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design & Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Min Wang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design & Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Jin-Yang Zhang
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design & Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Yu-Hui Gao
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design & Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Lei Shi
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design & Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China
| | - Li-Ping Sun
- Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Drug Design & Optimization, Department of Medicinal Chemistry, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, PR China.
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23
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O’Herin C, Moriuchi YW, Bemis TA, Kohlbrand AJ, Burkart MD, Cohen SM. Development of Human Carbonic Anhydrase II Heterobifunctional Degraders. J Med Chem 2023; 66:2789-2803. [PMID: 36735827 PMCID: PMC9969396 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01843] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Human carbonic anhydrase II (hCAII) is a metalloenzyme essential to critical physiological processes in the body. hCA inhibitors are used clinically for the treatment of indications ranging from glaucoma to epilepsy. Targeted protein degraders have emerged as a promising means of inducing the degradation of disease-implicated proteins by using the endogenous quality control mechanisms of a cell. Here, a series of heterobifunctional degrader candidates targeting hCAII were developed from a simple aryl sulfonamide fragment. Degrader candidates were functionalized to produce either cereblon E3 ubiquitin ligase (CRBN) recruiting proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) or adamantyl-based hydrophobic tags (HyTs). Screens in HEK293 cells identified two PROTAC small-molecule degraders of hCA. Optimization of linker length and composition yielded a degrader with sub-nanomolar potency and sustained depletion of hCAII over prolonged treatments. Mechanistic studies suggest that this optimized degrader depletes hCAII through the same mechanism as previously reported CRBN-recruiting heterobifunctional degraders.
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24
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Koroleva OA, Dutikova YV, Trubnikov AV, Zenov FA, Manasova EV, Shtil AA, Kurkin AV. PROTAC: targeted drug strategy. Principles and limitations. Russ Chem Bull 2022; 71:2310-2334. [PMID: 36569659 PMCID: PMC9762658 DOI: 10.1007/s11172-022-3659-z] [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: 04/15/2022] [Revised: 06/08/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The PROTAC (PROteolysis TArgeting Chimera) technology is a method of targeting intracellular proteins previously considered undruggable. This technology utilizes the ubiquitin-proteasome system in cells to specifically degrade target proteins, thereby offering significant advantages over conventional small-molecule inhibitors of the enzymatic function. Preclinical and preliminary clinical trials of PROTAC-based compounds (degraders) are presented. The review considers the general principles of the design of degraders. Advances and challenges of the PROTAC technology are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- O. A. Koroleva
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Build. 3, 1 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - Yu. V. Dutikova
- Patent & Law Firm “A. Zalesov and Partners”, Build. 9, 2 ul. Marshala Rybalko, 123060 Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - A. V. Trubnikov
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Build. 3, 1 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - F. A. Zenov
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Build. 3, 1 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - E. V. Manasova
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Build. 3, 1 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - A. A. Shtil
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Build. 3, 1 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russian Federation
- N. N. Blokhin National Medical Research Center of Oncology, Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Build. 15, 24 Kashirskoe shosse, 115478 Moscow, Russian Federation
| | - A. V. Kurkin
- Department of Chemistry, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Build. 3, 1 Leninskie Gory, 119991 Moscow, Russian Federation
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25
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Bhat SA, Vasi Z, Adhikari R, Gudur A, Ali A, Jiang L, Ferguson R, Liang D, Kuchay S. Ubiquitin proteasome system in immune regulation and therapeutics. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2022; 67:102310. [PMID: 36288660 PMCID: PMC10163937 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2022.102310] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/05/2022] [Revised: 08/03/2022] [Accepted: 09/20/2022] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is a proteolytic machinery for the degradation of protein substrates that are post-translationally conjugated with ubiquitin polymers through the enzymatic action of ubiquitin ligases, in a process termed ubiquitylation. Ubiquitylation of substrates precedes their proteolysis via proteasomes, a hierarchical feature of UPS. E3-ubiquitin ligases recruit protein substrates providing specificity for ubiquitylation. Innate and adaptive immune system networks are regulated by ubiquitylation and substrate degradation via E3-ligases/UPS. Deregulation of E3-ligases/UPS components in immune cells is involved in the development of lymphomas, neurodevelopmental abnormalities, and cancers. Targeting E3-ligases for therapeutic intervention provides opportunities to mitigate the unintended broad effects of 26S proteasome inhibition. Recently, bifunctional moieties such as PROTACs and molecular glues have been developed to re-purpose E3-ligases for targeted degradation of unwanted aberrant proteins, with a potential for clinical use. Here, we summarize the involvement of E3-ligases/UPS components in immune-related diseases with perspectives.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sameer Ahmed Bhat
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60607, USA
| | - Zahra Vasi
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60607, USA
| | - Ritika Adhikari
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60607, USA
| | - Anish Gudur
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60607, USA
| | - Asceal Ali
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60607, USA
| | - Liping Jiang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60607, USA
| | - Rachel Ferguson
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60607, USA
| | - David Liang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60607, USA
| | - Shafi Kuchay
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics, University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC), Chicago, IL, 60607, USA.
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26
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Recent Advances in PROTACs for Drug Targeted Protein Research. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms231810328. [PMID: 36142231 PMCID: PMC9499226 DOI: 10.3390/ijms231810328] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2022] [Revised: 09/04/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Proteolysis-targeting chimera (PROTAC) is a heterobifunctional molecule. Typically, PROTAC consists of two terminals which are the ligand of the protein of interest (POI) and the specific ligand of E3 ubiquitin ligase, respectively, via a suitable linker. PROTAC degradation of the target protein is performed through the ubiquitin–proteasome system (UPS). The general process is that PROTAC binds to the target protein and E3 ligase to form a ternary complex and label the target protein with ubiquitination. The ubiquitinated protein is recognized and degraded by the proteasome in the cell. At present, PROTAC, as a new type of drug, has been developed to degrade a variety of cancer target proteins and other disease target proteins, and has shown good curative effects on a variety of diseases. For example, PROTACs targeting AR, BR, BTK, Tau, IRAK4, and other proteins have shown unprecedented clinical efficacy in cancers, neurodegenerative diseases, inflammations, and other fields. Recently, PROTAC has entered a phase of rapid development, opening a new field for biomedical research and development. This paper reviews the various fields of targeted protein degradation by PROTAC in recent years and summarizes and prospects the hot targets and indications of PROTAC.
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27
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Němec V, Schwalm MP, Müller S, Knapp S. PROTAC degraders as chemical probes for studying target biology and target validation. Chem Soc Rev 2022; 51:7971-7993. [PMID: 36004812 DOI: 10.1039/d2cs00478j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 26] [Impact Index Per Article: 13.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
Small molecule degraders such as PROTACs (PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras) have emerged as new promising pharmacological modalities and the first PROTAC drug candidates are now studied clinically. The catalytic properties of PROTACs, acting as chemical degraders of a protein of interest (POI), represent an attractive new strategy for drug development. The development and characterization of PROTACs requires an array of additional assay systems that track the degradation pathway leading ultimately to degradation of the POI, identifying critical steps for PROTAC optimization. In addition to their exciting translational potential, PROTACs represent versatile chemical tools that considerably expanded our chemical biology toolbox and significantly enlarged the proteome that can be modulated by small molecules. Similar to conventional chemical probes, PROTACs used as chemical probes in target validation require comprehensive characterization. As a consequence, PROTAC-specific quality criteria should be defined by the chemical biology community. These criteria need to comprise additional or alternative parameters compared to those for conventional occupancy-driven chemical probes, such as the maximum level of target degradation (Dmax), confirmation of a proteasome dependent degradation mechanism and, importantly, also kinetic parameters of POI degradation. The kinetic aspects are particularly relevant for PROTACs that harbor covalent binding moieties. Here, we review recent progress in the development of assay systems for PROTAC characterization and suggest a set of criteria for PROTACs as high quality chemical probes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Václav Němec
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Chemie, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Biozentrum, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. .,Structural Genomics Consortium, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Buchmann Institute for Life Sciences, Max-von-Laue-Str. 15, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Martin P Schwalm
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Chemie, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Biozentrum, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. .,Structural Genomics Consortium, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Buchmann Institute for Life Sciences, Max-von-Laue-Str. 15, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Susanne Müller
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Chemie, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Biozentrum, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. .,Structural Genomics Consortium, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Buchmann Institute for Life Sciences, Max-von-Laue-Str. 15, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Stefan Knapp
- Institut für Pharmazeutische Chemie, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Biozentrum, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany. .,Structural Genomics Consortium, Goethe-University Frankfurt, Buchmann Institute for Life Sciences, Max-von-Laue-Str. 15, 60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany.,German Cancer Consortium (DKTK)/German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), DKTK site Frankfurt-Mainz, 69120 Heidelberg, Germany
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28
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Xi JY, Zhang RY, Chen K, Yao L, Li MQ, Jiang R, Li XY, Fan L. Advances and perspectives of proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) in drug discovery. Bioorg Chem 2022; 125:105848. [DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2022.105848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/08/2021] [Revised: 04/18/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
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29
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Tan SYX, Zhang J, Tee WW. Epigenetic Regulation of Inflammatory Signaling and Inflammation-Induced Cancer. Front Cell Dev Biol 2022; 10:931493. [PMID: 35757000 PMCID: PMC9213816 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2022.931493] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2022] [Accepted: 05/23/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Epigenetics comprise a diverse array of reversible and dynamic modifications to the cell’s genome without implicating any DNA sequence alterations. Both the external environment surrounding the organism, as well as the internal microenvironment of cells and tissues, contribute to these epigenetic processes that play critical roles in cell fate specification and organismal development. On the other hand, dysregulation of epigenetic activities can initiate and sustain carcinogenesis, which is often augmented by inflammation. Chronic inflammation, one of the major hallmarks of cancer, stems from proinflammatory cytokines that are secreted by tumor and tumor-associated cells in the tumor microenvironment. At the same time, inflammatory signaling can establish positive and negative feedback circuits with chromatin to modulate changes in the global epigenetic landscape. In this review, we provide an in-depth discussion of the interconnected crosstalk between epigenetics and inflammation, specifically how epigenetic mechanisms at different hierarchical levels of the genome control inflammatory gene transcription, which in turn enact changes within the cell’s epigenomic profile, especially in the context of inflammation-induced cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shawn Ying Xuan Tan
- Chromatin Dynamics and Disease Epigenetics Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore
| | - Jieqiong Zhang
- Chromatin Dynamics and Disease Epigenetics Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Wee-Wei Tee
- Chromatin Dynamics and Disease Epigenetics Laboratory, Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, Agency for Science, Technology and Research (ASTAR), Singapore, Singapore.,Department of Physiology, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore.,NUS Centre for Cancer Research, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
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30
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Abstract
Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are heterobifunctional molecules consisting of one ligand that binds to a protein of interest (POI) and another that can recruit an E3 ubiquitin ligase. The chemically-induced proximity between the POI and E3 ligase results in ubiquitination and subsequent degradation of the POI by the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS). The event-driven mechanism of action (MOA) of PROTACs offers several advantages compared to traditional occupancy-driven small molecule inhibitors, such as a catalytic nature, reduced dosing and dosing frequency, a more potent and longer-lasting effect, an added layer of selectivity to reduce potential toxicity, efficacy in the face of drug-resistance mechanisms, targeting nonenzymatic functions, and expanded target space. Here, we highlight important milestones and briefly discuss lessons learned about targeted protein degradation (TPD) in recent years and conjecture on the efforts still needed to expand the toolbox for PROTAC discovery to ultimately provide promising therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ke Li
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA.
| | - Craig M Crews
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA. .,Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut 06511, USA
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31
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The state of the art of PROTAC technologies for drug discovery. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 235:114290. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2022.114290] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/06/2021] [Revised: 03/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/11/2022] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
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32
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Pei H, Guo W, Peng Y, Xiong H, Chen Y. Targeting key proteins involved in transcriptional regulation for cancer therapy: Current strategies and future prospective. Med Res Rev 2022; 42:1607-1660. [PMID: 35312190 DOI: 10.1002/med.21886] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/12/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2022] [Accepted: 02/22/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The key proteins involved in transcriptional regulation play convergent roles in cellular homeostasis, and their dysfunction mediates aberrant gene expressions that underline the hallmarks of tumorigenesis. As tumor progression is dependent on such abnormal regulation of transcription, it is important to discover novel chemical entities as antitumor drugs that target key tumor-associated proteins involved in transcriptional regulation. Despite most key proteins (especially transcription factors) involved in transcriptional regulation are historically recognized as undruggable targets, multiple targeting approaches at diverse levels of transcriptional regulation, such as epigenetic intervention, inhibition of DNA-binding of transcriptional factors, and inhibition of the protein-protein interactions (PPIs), have been established in preclinically or clinically studies. In addition, several new approaches have recently been described, such as targeting proteasomal degradation and eliciting synthetic lethality. This review will emphasize on accentuating these developing therapeutic approaches and provide a thorough conspectus of the drug development to target key proteins involved in transcriptional regulation and their impact on future oncotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haixiang Pei
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University and Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China.,Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Weikai Guo
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.,Joint National Laboratory for Antibody Drug Engineering, School of Basic Medical Science, Henan University, Kaifeng, China
| | - Yangrui Peng
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Hai Xiong
- Institute for Advanced Study, Shenzhen University and Guangdong Key Laboratory for Biomedical Measurements and Ultrasound Imaging, School of Biomedical Engineering, Shenzhen University Health Science Center, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yihua Chen
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Regulatory Biology, The Institute of Biomedical Sciences, School of Life Sciences, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
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33
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Conery AR, Rocnik JL, Trojer P. Small molecule targeting of chromatin writers in cancer. Nat Chem Biol 2021; 18:124-133. [PMID: 34952934 DOI: 10.1038/s41589-021-00920-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/13/2020] [Accepted: 10/13/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
More than a decade after the launch of DNA methyltransferase and histone deacetylase inhibitors for the treatment of cancer, 2020 heralded the approval of the first histone methyltransferase inhibitor, revitalizing the concept that targeted manipulation of the chromatin regulatory landscape can have profound therapeutic impact. Three chromatin regulatory pathways-DNA methylation, histone acetylation and methylation-are frequently implicated in human cancer but hundreds of potentially druggable mechanisms complicate identification of key targets for therapeutic intervention. In addition to human genetics and functional screening, chemical biology approaches have proven critical for the discovery of key nodes in these pathways and in an ever-increasing complexity of molecularly defined human cancer contexts. This review introduces small molecule targeting approaches, showcases chemical probes and drug candidates for epigenetic writer enzymes, illustrates molecular features that may represent epigenetic dependencies and suggests translational strategies to maximize their impact in cancer therapy.
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Yu X, Xu J, Xie L, Wang L, Shen Y, Cahuzac KM, Chen X, Liu J, Parsons RE, Jin J. Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of Potent, Selective, and Bioavailable AKT Kinase Degraders. J Med Chem 2021; 64:18054-18081. [PMID: 34855399 PMCID: PMC8819633 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c01476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 23] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The serine/threonine kinase AKT functions as a critical node of the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT/mammalian target of rapamycin (m-TOR) signaling pathway. Aberrant activation and overexpression of AKT are strongly correlated with numerous human cancers. To date, only two AKT degraders with no structure-activity relationship (SAR) results have been reported. Through extensive SAR studies on various linkers, E3 ligase ligands, and AKT binding moieties, we identified two novel and potent AKT proteolysis targeting chimera (PROTAC) degraders: von Hippel-Lindau (VHL)-recruiting degrader 13 (MS98) and cereblon (CRBN)-recruiting degrader 25 (MS170). These two compounds selectively induced robust AKT protein degradation, inhibited downstream signaling, and suppressed cancer cell proliferation. Moreover, these two degraders exhibited good plasma exposure levels in mice through intraperitoneal injection. Overall, our comprehensive SAR studies led to the discovery of degraders 13 and 25, which are potentially useful chemical tools to investigate biological and pathogenic functions of AKT in vitro and in vivo.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Ling Xie
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Li Wang
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Yudao Shen
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States; Department of Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Kaitlyn M. Cahuzac
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Xian Chen
- Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27599, United States
| | - Jing Liu
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States; Department of Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Ramon E. Parsons
- Department of Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
| | - Jian Jin
- Mount Sinai Center for Therapeutics Discovery, Department of Pharmacological Sciences, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States; Department of Oncological Sciences, Tisch Cancer Institute, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York 10029, United States
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Limorenko G, Lashuel HA. Revisiting the grammar of Tau aggregation and pathology formation: how new insights from brain pathology are shaping how we study and target Tauopathies. Chem Soc Rev 2021; 51:513-565. [PMID: 34889934 DOI: 10.1039/d1cs00127b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 48] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Converging evidence continues to point towards Tau aggregation and pathology formation as central events in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease and other Tauopathies. Despite significant advances in understanding the morphological and structural properties of Tau fibrils, many fundamental questions remain about what causes Tau to aggregate in the first place. The exact roles of cofactors, Tau post-translational modifications, and Tau interactome in regulating Tau aggregation, pathology formation, and toxicity remain unknown. Recent studies have put the spotlight on the wide gap between the complexity of Tau structures, aggregation, and pathology formation in the brain and the simplicity of experimental approaches used for modeling these processes in research laboratories. Embracing and deconstructing this complexity is an essential first step to understanding the role of Tau in health and disease. To help deconstruct this complexity and understand its implication for the development of effective Tau targeting diagnostics and therapies, we firstly review how our understanding of Tau aggregation and pathology formation has evolved over the past few decades. Secondly, we present an analysis of new findings and insights from recent studies illustrating the biochemical, structural, and functional heterogeneity of Tau aggregates. Thirdly, we discuss the importance of adopting new experimental approaches that embrace the complexity of Tau aggregation and pathology as an important first step towards developing mechanism- and structure-based therapies that account for the pathological and clinical heterogeneity of Alzheimer's disease and Tauopathies. We believe that this is essential to develop effective diagnostics and therapies to treat these devastating diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Galina Limorenko
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
| | - Hilal A Lashuel
- Laboratory of Molecular and Chemical Biology of Neurodegeneration, Brain Mind Institute, École Polytechnique Federal de Lausanne (EPFL), CH-1015 Lausanne, Switzerland.
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Wang C, Zhang Y, Wu Y, Xing D. Developments of CRBN-based PROTACs as potential therapeutic agents. Eur J Med Chem 2021; 225:113749. [PMID: 34411892 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.113749] [Citation(s) in RCA: 61] [Impact Index Per Article: 20.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Revised: 08/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
Protease-targeted chimeras (PROTACs) are a new technology that is receiving much attention in the treatment of diseases. The mechanism is to inhibit protein function by hijacking the ubiquitin E3 ligase for protein degradation. Heterogeneous bifunctional PROTACs contain a ligand for recruiting E3 ligase, a linker, and another ligand to bind to the target protein for degradation. A variety of small-molecule PROTACs (CRBN, VHL, IAPs, MDM2, DCAF15, DCAF16, and RNF114-based PROTACs) have been identified so far. In particular, CRBN-based PROTACs (e.g., ARV-110 and ARV-471) have received more attention for their promising therapeutic intervention. To date, CRBN-based PRTOACs have been extensively explored worldwide and have excelled not only in cancer diseases but also in cardiovascular diseases, immune diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and viral infections. In this review, we will provide a comprehensive update on the latest research progress in CRBN-based PRTOACs area. Following the criteria, such as disease area and drug target class, we will present the degradants in alphabetical order by target. We also provide our own perspective on the future prospects and potential challenges facing PROTACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao Cancer Institute, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, China.
| | - Yujing Zhang
- The Affiliated Cardiovascular Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, China.
| | - Yudong Wu
- The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao Cancer Institute, Qingdao, 266071, Shandong, China.
| | - Dongming Xing
- School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China.
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Tallant C, Bamborough P, Chung CW, Gamo FJ, Kirkpatrick R, Larminie C, Martín J, Prinjha R, Rioja I, Simola DF, Gabarró R, Calderón F. Expanding Bromodomain Targeting into Neglected Parasitic Diseases. ACS Infect Dis 2021; 7:2953-2958. [PMID: 34612618 DOI: 10.1021/acsinfecdis.1c00387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
This Perspective discusses the published data and recent developments in the research area of bromodomains in parasitic protozoa. Further work is needed to evaluate the tractability of this target class in the context of infectious diseases and launch drug discovery campaigns to identify and develop antiparasite drugs that can offer differentiated mechanisms of action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cynthia Tallant
- Global Health R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, c/ Severo Ochoa 2, 28760 Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - Paul Bamborough
- Molecular Design, GlaxoSmithKline, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Chun-wa Chung
- Protein, Cellular and Structural Sciences, GlaxoSmithKline, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | | | - Robert Kirkpatrick
- GlaxoSmithKline R&D, 1250 S. Collegeville Rd., Collegeville, Pennsylvania 19426, United States
| | - Chris Larminie
- Human Genetics, GlaxoSmithKline, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Julio Martín
- Global Health R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, c/ Severo Ochoa 2, 28760 Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - Rab Prinjha
- Immunology Research Unit, Research, R&D GlaxoSmithKline, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Inmaculada Rioja
- Immunology Research Unit, Research, R&D GlaxoSmithKline, Gunnels Wood Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire SG1 2NY, United Kingdom
| | - Daniel F. Simola
- Human Genetics and Computational Biology, GlaxoSmithKline, 1250 S. Collegeville Rd., Collegeville, Pennsylvania 19426, United States
| | - Raquel Gabarró
- Global Health R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, c/ Severo Ochoa 2, 28760 Tres Cantos, Spain
| | - Félix Calderón
- Global Health R&D, GlaxoSmithKline, c/ Severo Ochoa 2, 28760 Tres Cantos, Spain
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Schneider M, Radoux CJ, Hercules A, Ochoa D, Dunham I, Zalmas LP, Hessler G, Ruf S, Shanmugasundaram V, Hann MM, Thomas PJ, Queisser MA, Benowitz AB, Brown K, Leach AR. The PROTACtable genome. Nat Rev Drug Discov 2021; 20:789-797. [PMID: 34285415 DOI: 10.1038/s41573-021-00245-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 105] [Impact Index Per Article: 35.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 06/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) are an emerging drug modality that may offer new opportunities to circumvent some of the limitations associated with traditional small-molecule therapeutics. By analogy with the concept of the 'druggable genome', the question arises as to which potential drug targets might PROTAC-mediated protein degradation be most applicable. Here, we present a systematic approach to the assessment of the PROTAC tractability (PROTACtability) of protein targets using a series of criteria based on data and information from a diverse range of relevant publicly available resources. Our approach could support decision-making on whether or not a particular target may be amenable to modulation using a PROTAC. Using our approach, we identified 1,067 proteins of the human proteome that have not yet been described in the literature as PROTAC targets that offer potential opportunities for future PROTAC-based efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Melanie Schneider
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
- Open Targets, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
| | - Chris J Radoux
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
- Open Targets, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
- Exscientia, Oxford, UK
| | - Andrew Hercules
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
- Open Targets, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
| | - David Ochoa
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
- Open Targets, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
| | - Ian Dunham
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
- Open Targets, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
| | - Lykourgos-Panagiotis Zalmas
- Open Targets, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
- Wellcome Sanger Institute, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK
| | - Gerhard Hessler
- Integrated Drug Discovery, Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Sven Ruf
- Integrated Drug Discovery, Sanofi-Aventis Deutschland, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | - Michael M Hann
- GlaxoSmithKline, GSK Medicines Research Centre, Stevenage, UK
| | - Pam J Thomas
- GlaxoSmithKline, GSK Medicines Research Centre, Stevenage, UK
| | | | | | - Kris Brown
- GlaxoSmithKline, Collegeville, PA, USA
- Agenus, Lexington, MA, USA
| | - Andrew R Leach
- European Molecular Biology Laboratory, European Bioinformatics Institute (EMBL-EBI), Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK.
- Open Targets, Wellcome Genome Campus, Hinxton, UK.
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Kim HK, Seol JE, Ahn SW, Jeon S, Park CS, Han J. Cereblon: promise and challenges for combating human diseases. Pflugers Arch 2021; 473:1695-1711. [PMID: 34553266 DOI: 10.1007/s00424-021-02624-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/06/2021] [Revised: 09/12/2021] [Accepted: 09/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cereblon (CRBN) is a substrate recognition protein in the E3-ligase ubiquitin complex. The binding target of CRBN varies according to tissues and cells, and the protein regulates various biological functions by regulating tissue-specific targets. As new endogenous targets of CRBN have been identified over the past decade, the physiological and pathological functions of CRBN and its potential as a therapeutic target in various diseases have greatly expanded. For this purpose, in this review article, we introduce the basic principle of the ubiquitin-proteasome system, the regulation of physiological/pathological functions related to the endogenous substrate of CRBN, and the discovery of immunomodulatory imide drug-mediated neo-substrates of CRBN. In addition, the development of CRBN-based proteolysis-targeting chimeras, which has been actively researched recently, and strategies for developing therapeutic agents using them are introduced. These recent updates on CRBN will be useful in the establishment of strategies for disease treatment and utilization of CRBNs in biomedical engineering and clinical medicine.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hyoung Kyu Kim
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Center, Smart Marine Therapeutic Center, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University, 47392, Busan, Korea
| | - Jung Eun Seol
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Center, Smart Marine Therapeutic Center, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University, 47392, Busan, Korea
- Department of Dermatology, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University, 47392, Busan, Korea
| | - Sang Woo Ahn
- Department of Dermatology, Inje University Busan Paik Hospital, Inje University, 47392, Busan, Korea
| | - Seungje Jeon
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Center, Smart Marine Therapeutic Center, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University, 47392, Busan, Korea
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Korea
| | - Chul-Seung Park
- School of Life Sciences, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST), Gwangju, Korea
| | - Jin Han
- Department of Physiology, College of Medicine, Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Center, Smart Marine Therapeutic Center, Department of Health Sciences and Technology, Graduate School, Inje University, 47392, Busan, Korea.
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40
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Wang Q, Shao X, Leung ELH, Chen Y, Yao X. Selectively targeting individual bromodomain: Drug discovery and molecular mechanisms. Pharmacol Res 2021; 172:105804. [PMID: 34450309 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2021.105804] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2021] [Revised: 08/03/2021] [Accepted: 08/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Bromodomain-containing proteins include bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) and non-BET families. Due to the conserved bromodomain (BD) module between BD-containing proteins, and especially BETs with each member having two BDs (BD1 and BD2), the high degree of structural similarity makes BD-selective inhibitors much difficult to be designed. However, increasing evidences emphasized that individual BDs had distinct functions and different cellular phenotypes after pharmacological inhibition, and selectively targeting one of the BDs could result in a different efficacy and tolerability profile. This review is to summarize the pioneering progress of BD-selective inhibitors targeting BET and non-BET proteins, focusing on their structural features, biological activity, therapeutic application and experimental/theoretical mechanisms. The present proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTAC) degraders targeting BDs, and clinical status of BD-selective inhibitors were also analyzed, providing a new insight into future direction of bromodomain-selective drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qianqian Wang
- Chronic Disease Research Center, Medical College, Dalian University, Dalian 116622, China
| | - Xiaomin Shao
- Chronic Disease Research Center, Medical College, Dalian University, Dalian 116622, China
| | - Elaine Lai Han Leung
- Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau(SAR) 999078, China
| | - Yingqing Chen
- Chronic Disease Research Center, Medical College, Dalian University, Dalian 116622, China.
| | - Xiaojun Yao
- Dr. Neher's Biophysics Laboratory for Innovative Drug Discovery, State Key Laboratory of Quality Research in Chinese Medicine, Macau University of Science and Technology, Taipa, Macau(SAR) 999078, China.
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41
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Blasl AT, Schulze S, Qin C, Graf LG, Vogt R, Lammers M. Post-translational lysine ac(et)ylation in health, ageing and disease. Biol Chem 2021; 403:151-194. [PMID: 34433238 DOI: 10.1515/hsz-2021-0139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/18/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
The acetylation/acylation (ac(et)ylation) of lysine side chains is a dynamic post-translational modification (PTM) regulating fundamental cellular processes with implications on the organisms' ageing process: metabolism, transcription, translation, cell proliferation, regulation of the cytoskeleton and DNA damage repair. First identified to occur on histones, later studies revealed the presence of lysine ac(et)ylation in organisms of all kingdoms of life, in proteins covering all essential cellular processes. A remarkable finding showed that the NAD+-dependent sirtuin deacetylase Sir2 has an impact on replicative lifespan in Saccharomyces cerevisiae suggesting that lysine acetylation has a direct role in the ageing process. Later studies identified sirtuins as mediators for beneficial effects of caloric/dietary restriction on the organisms' health- or lifespan. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying these effects are only incompletely understood. Progress in mass-spectrometry, structural biology, synthetic and semi-synthetic biology deepened our understanding of this PTM. This review summarizes recent developments in the research field. It shows how lysine ac(et)ylation regulates protein function, how it is regulated enzymatically and non-enzymatically, how a dysfunction in this post-translational machinery contributes to disease development. A focus is set on sirtuins and lysine acyltransferases as these are direct sensors and mediators of the cellular metabolic state. Finally, this review highlights technological advances to study lysine ac(et)ylation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna-Theresa Blasl
- Department Synthetic and Structural Biochemistry, Institute for Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 4, D-17487Greifswald, Germany
| | - Sabrina Schulze
- Department Synthetic and Structural Biochemistry, Institute for Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 4, D-17487Greifswald, Germany
| | - Chuan Qin
- Department Synthetic and Structural Biochemistry, Institute for Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 4, D-17487Greifswald, Germany
| | - Leonie G Graf
- Department Synthetic and Structural Biochemistry, Institute for Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 4, D-17487Greifswald, Germany
| | - Robert Vogt
- Department Synthetic and Structural Biochemistry, Institute for Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 4, D-17487Greifswald, Germany
| | - Michael Lammers
- Department Synthetic and Structural Biochemistry, Institute for Biochemistry, University of Greifswald, Felix-Hausdorff-Str. 4, D-17487Greifswald, Germany
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42
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The GCN5: its biological functions and therapeutic potentials. Clin Sci (Lond) 2021; 135:231-257. [PMID: 33443284 DOI: 10.1042/cs20200986] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/08/2020] [Revised: 11/09/2020] [Accepted: 11/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
General control non-depressible 5 (GCN5) or lysine acetyltransferase 2A (KAT2A) is one of the most highly studied histone acetyltransferases. It acts as both histone acetyltransferase (HAT) and lysine acetyltransferase (KAT). As an HAT it plays a pivotal role in the epigenetic landscape and chromatin modification. Besides, GCN5 regulates a wide range of biological events such as gene regulation, cellular proliferation, metabolism and inflammation. Imbalance in the GCN5 activity has been reported in many disorders such as cancer, metabolic disorders, autoimmune disorders and neurological disorders. Therefore, unravelling the role of GCN5 in different diseases progression is a prerequisite for both understanding and developing novel therapeutic agents of these diseases. In this review, we have discussed the structural features, the biological function of GCN5 and the mechanical link with the diseases associated with its imbalance. Moreover, the present GCN5 modulators and their limitations will be presented in a medicinal chemistry perspective.
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Zahid H, Olson NM, Pomerantz WCK. Opportunity knocks for uncovering the new function of an understudied nucleosome remodeling complex member, the bromodomain PHD finger transcription factor, BPTF. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2021; 63:57-67. [PMID: 33706239 PMCID: PMC8384639 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2021.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2020] [Revised: 01/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Nucleosome remodeling provides access to genomic DNA for recruitment of the transcriptional machinery to mediate gene expression. The aberrant function of nucleosome remodeling complexes has been correlated to human cancer, making them emerging therapeutic targets. The bromodomain PHD finger transcription factor, BPTF, is the largest member of the human nucleosome remodeling factor NURF. Over the last five years, BPTF has become increasingly identified as a protumorigenic factor, prompting investigations into the molecular mechanisms associated with BPTF function. Despite a druggable bromodomain, small molecule discovery is at an early stage. Here we highlight recent investigations into the biology being discovered for BPTF, chemical biology approaches used to study its function, and small molecule inhibitors being designed as future chemical probes and therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huda Zahid
- 207Pleasant St. SE, Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - Noelle M Olson
- 207Pleasant St. SE, Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA
| | - William C K Pomerantz
- 207Pleasant St. SE, Department of Chemistry, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN, 55455, USA.
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Liu J, Peng Y, Wei W. Light-Controllable PROTACs for Temporospatial Control of Protein Degradation. Front Cell Dev Biol 2021; 9:678077. [PMID: 34350175 PMCID: PMC8326567 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2021.678077] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Accepted: 06/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/25/2022] Open
Abstract
PROteolysis-TArgeting Chimeras (PROTACs) is an emerging and promising approach to target intracellular proteins for ubiquitination-mediated degradation, including those so-called undruggable protein targets, such as transcriptional factors and scaffold proteins. To date, plenty of PROTACs have been developed to degrade various disease-relevant proteins, such as estrogen receptor (ER), androgen receptor (AR), RTK, and CDKs. However, the on-target off-tissue and off-target effect is one of the major limitation that prevents the usage of PROTACs in clinic. To this end, we and several other groups have recently developed light-controllable PROTACs, as the representative for the third generation controllable PROTACs, by using either photo-caging or photo-switch approaches. In this review, we summarize the emerging light-controllable PROTACs and the prospective for other potential ways to achieve temporospatial control of PROTACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jing Liu
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Yunhua Peng
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Wenyi Wei
- Department of Pathology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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Samarasinghe KTG, Crews CM. Targeted protein degradation: A promise for undruggable proteins. Cell Chem Biol 2021; 28:934-951. [PMID: 34004187 PMCID: PMC8286327 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2021.04.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 98] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/26/2021] [Revised: 03/29/2021] [Accepted: 04/20/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023]
Abstract
Protein homeostasis, or "proteostasis," is indispensable for a balanced, healthy environment within the cell. However, when natural proteostasis mechanisms are overwhelmed from excessive loads of dysregulated proteins, their accumulation can lead to disease initiation and progression. Recently, the induced degradation of such disease-causing proteins by heterobifunctional molecules, i.e., PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras (PROTACs), is emerging as a potential therapeutic modality. In the 2 decades since the PROTAC concept was proposed, several additional Targeted Protein Degradation (TPD) strategies have also been explored to target previously undruggable proteins, such as transcription factors. In this review, we discuss the progress and evolution of the TPD field, the breadth of the proteins targeted by PROTACs and the biological effects of their degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kusal T G Samarasinghe
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA
| | - Craig M Crews
- Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Department of Chemistry, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA; Department of Pharmacology, Yale University, New Haven, CT 06511, USA.
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Bricelj A, Steinebach C, Kuchta R, Gütschow M, Sosič I. E3 Ligase Ligands in Successful PROTACs: An Overview of Syntheses and Linker Attachment Points. Front Chem 2021; 9:707317. [PMID: 34291038 PMCID: PMC8287636 DOI: 10.3389/fchem.2021.707317] [Citation(s) in RCA: 75] [Impact Index Per Article: 25.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/09/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs) have received tremendous attention as a new and exciting class of therapeutic agents that promise to significantly impact drug discovery. These bifunctional molecules consist of a target binding unit, a linker, and an E3 ligase binding moiety. The chemically-induced formation of ternary complexes leads to ubiquitination and proteasomal degradation of target proteins. Among the plethora of E3 ligases, only a few have been utilized for the novel PROTAC technology. However, extensive knowledge on the preparation of E3 ligands and their utilization for PROTACs has already been acquired. This review provides an in-depth analysis of synthetic entries to functionalized ligands for the most relevant E3 ligase ligands, i.e. CRBN, VHL, IAP, and MDM2. Less commonly used E3 ligase and their ligands are also presented. We compare different preparative routes to E3 ligands with respect to feasibility and productivity. A particular focus was set on the chemistry of the linker attachment by discussing the synthetic opportunities to connect the E3 ligand at an appropriate exit vector with a linker to assemble the final PROTAC. This comprehensive review includes many facets involved in the synthesis of such complex molecules and is expected to serve as a compendium to support future synthetic attempts towards PROTACs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aleša Bricelj
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | | | - Robert Kuchta
- Pharmaceutical Institute, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | | | - Izidor Sosič
- Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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Wang C, Zhang Y, Xing D, Zhang R. PROTACs technology for targeting non-oncoproteins: Advances and perspectives. Bioorg Chem 2021; 114:105109. [PMID: 34175722 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2021.105109] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2021] [Revised: 06/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Proteolysis targeting chimeras (PROTACs) have been developed to be an effective technology for targeted protein degradation. Each PROTAC contains three key components: a protein-of-interest (POI) ligand, an E3 ligase ligand, and a linker. These bifunctional molecules can hijack the intracellular inherent ubiquitin-proteasome system to degrade different POIs. With several advantages over other therapeutic strategies, PROTACs have set off a new upsurge of drug discovery in recent years. PRTOACs have been extensively explored worldwide and have excelled not only in cancer diseases but also in cardiovascular diseases, fatty liver disease, immune diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and viral infections. In this review, we aim to summarize the rapid progress from 2010 to 2021 in PROTACs targeting various non-oncoproteins and elucidate the advantages of PROTACs technology. Finally, the potential challenges of this dynamic field are also discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chao Wang
- The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Cancer Institute, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, China.
| | - Yujing Zhang
- The Affiliated Cardiovascular Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, China.
| | - Dongming Xing
- The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Cancer Institute, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, China; School of Life Sciences, Tsinghua University, Beijing 100084, China
| | - Renshuai Zhang
- The Affiliated Hospital of Qingdao University, Qingdao University, Cancer Institute, Qingdao 266071, Shandong, China.
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48
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LaPlante G, Zhang W. Targeting the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System for Cancer Therapeutics by Small-Molecule Inhibitors. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:3079. [PMID: 34203106 PMCID: PMC8235664 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13123079] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Revised: 06/16/2021] [Accepted: 06/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) is a critical regulator of cellular protein levels and activity. It is, therefore, not surprising that its dysregulation is implicated in numerous human diseases, including many types of cancer. Moreover, since cancer cells exhibit increased rates of protein turnover, their heightened dependence on the UPS makes it an attractive target for inhibition via targeted therapeutics. Indeed, the clinical application of proteasome inhibitors in treatment of multiple myeloma has been very successful, stimulating the development of small-molecule inhibitors targeting other UPS components. On the other hand, while the discovery of potent and selective chemical compounds can be both challenging and time consuming, the area of targeted protein degradation through utilization of the UPS machinery has seen promising developments in recent years. The repertoire of proteolysis-targeting chimeras (PROTACs), which employ E3 ligases for the degradation of cancer-related proteins via the proteasome, continues to grow. In this review, we will provide a thorough overview of small-molecule UPS inhibitors and highlight advancements in the development of targeted protein degradation strategies for cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel LaPlante
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd E, Guelph, ON N1G2W1, Canada;
| | - Wei Zhang
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, College of Biological Science, University of Guelph, 50 Stone Rd E, Guelph, ON N1G2W1, Canada;
- CIFAR Azrieli Global Scholars Program, Canadian Institute for Advanced Research, MaRS Centre West Tower, 661 University Avenue, Toronto, ON M5G1M1, Canada
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Cresser-Brown JO, Marsh GP, Maple HJ. Reviewing the toolbox for degrader development in oncology. Curr Opin Pharmacol 2021; 59:43-51. [PMID: 34058637 DOI: 10.1016/j.coph.2021.04.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/08/2021] [Revised: 04/22/2021] [Accepted: 04/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
The field of targeted protein degradation encompasses a growing number of modalities that achieve potent and selective knockdown of target proteins at the post-translational level. Among the most clinically advanced are bifunctional small-molecule degraders, also referred to as PROteolysis Targeting Chimeras, Degronimids, SNIPERs, or uSMITEs. Although applicable to many disease indications, oncology stands to be the first to benefit from this promising therapeutic approach, with the first investigational new drugs (INDs) filed in 2019 and a proliferation of research specifically focused on harnessing degraders for cancer treatment. In this review, we consider the toolbox of guidelines, reagents, and technologies that has evolved alongside the field to support degrader research and development.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joel O Cresser-Brown
- Bio-Techne (Tocris), The Watkins Building, Atlantic Road, Avonmouth, Bristol, UK
| | - Graham P Marsh
- Bio-Techne (Tocris), The Watkins Building, Atlantic Road, Avonmouth, Bristol, UK
| | - Hannah J Maple
- Bio-Techne (Tocris), The Watkins Building, Atlantic Road, Avonmouth, Bristol, UK.
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50
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Giardina SF, Valdambrini E, Warren JD, Barany F. PROTACs: Promising Approaches for Epigenetic Strategies to Overcome Drug Resistance. Curr Cancer Drug Targets 2021; 21:306-325. [PMID: 33535953 DOI: 10.2174/1568009621666210203110857] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/19/2020] [Revised: 08/26/2020] [Accepted: 12/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
Epigenetic modulation of gene expression is essential for tissue-specific development and maintenance in mammalian cells. Disruption of epigenetic processes, and the subsequent alteration of gene functions, can result in inappropriate activation or inhibition of various cellular signaling pathways, leading to cancer. Recent advancements in the understanding of the role of epigenetics in cancer initiation and progression have uncovered functions for DNA methylation, histone modifications, nucleosome positioning, and non-coding RNAs. Epigenetic therapies have shown some promise for hematological malignancies, and a wide range of epigenetic-based drugs are undergoing clinical trials. However, in a dynamic survival strategy, cancer cells exploit their heterogeneous population which frequently results in the rapid acquisition of therapy resistance. Here, we describe novel approaches in drug discovery targeting the epigenome, highlighting recent advances the selective degradation of target proteins using Proteolysis Targeting Chimera (PROTAC) to address drug resistance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sarah F Giardina
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, Box 62, New York, NY, United States
| | - Elena Valdambrini
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, Box 62, New York, NY, United States
| | - J David Warren
- Department of Biochemistry, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, Box 63, New York, NY, 10065, United States
| | - Francis Barany
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Weill Cornell Medicine, 1300 York Ave, Box 62, New York, NY, United States
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