1
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Rinaldi S, Moroni E, Rozza R, Magistrato A. Frontiers and Challenges of Computing ncRNAs Biogenesis, Function and Modulation. J Chem Theory Comput 2024; 20:993-1018. [PMID: 38287883 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jctc.3c01239] [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: 01/31/2024]
Abstract
Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), generated from nonprotein coding DNA sequences, constitute 98-99% of the human genome. Non-coding RNAs encompass diverse functional classes, including microRNAs, small interfering RNAs, PIWI-interacting RNAs, small nuclear RNAs, small nucleolar RNAs, and long non-coding RNAs. With critical involvement in gene expression and regulation across various biological and physiopathological contexts, such as neuronal disorders, immune responses, cardiovascular diseases, and cancer, non-coding RNAs are emerging as disease biomarkers and therapeutic targets. In this review, after providing an overview of non-coding RNAs' role in cell homeostasis, we illustrate the potential and the challenges of state-of-the-art computational methods exploited to study non-coding RNAs biogenesis, function, and modulation. This can be done by directly targeting them with small molecules or by altering their expression by targeting the cellular engines underlying their biosynthesis. Drawing from applications, also taken from our work, we showcase the significance and role of computer simulations in uncovering fundamental facets of ncRNA mechanisms and modulation. This information may set the basis to advance gene modulation tools and therapeutic strategies to address unmet medical needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Rinaldi
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR) - Institute of Chemistry of OrganoMetallic Compounds (ICCOM), c/o Area di Ricerca CNR di Firenze Via Madonna del Piano 10, 50019 Sesto Fiorentino, Florence, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Moroni
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR) - Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies (SCITEC), via Mario Bianco 9, 20131 Milano, Italy
| | - Riccardo Rozza
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR) - Institute of Material Foundry (IOM) c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Via Bonomea, 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
| | - Alessandra Magistrato
- National Research Council of Italy (CNR) - Institute of Material Foundry (IOM) c/o International School for Advanced Studies (SISSA), Via Bonomea, 265, 34136 Trieste, Italy
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2
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Castelli M, Magni A, Bonollo G, Pavoni S, Frigerio F, Oliveira ASF, Cinquini F, Serapian SA, Colombo G. Molecular mechanisms of chaperone-directed protein folding: Insights from atomistic simulations. Protein Sci 2023; 33:e4880. [PMID: 38145386 PMCID: PMC10895457 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4880] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2023] [Revised: 12/06/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 12/26/2023]
Abstract
Molecular chaperones, a family of proteins of which Hsp90 and Hsp70 are integral members, form an essential machinery to maintain healthy proteomes by controlling the folding and activation of a plethora of substrate client proteins. This is achieved through cycles in which Hsp90 and Hsp70, regulated by task-specific co-chaperones, process ATP and become part of a complex network that undergoes extensive compositional and conformational variations. Despite impressive advances in structural knowledge, the mechanisms that regulate the dynamics of functional assemblies, their response to nucleotides, and their relevance for client remodeling are still elusive. Here, we focus on the glucocorticoid receptor (GR):Hsp90:Hsp70:co-chaperone Hop client-loading and the GR:Hsp90:co-chaperone p23 client-maturation complexes, key assemblies in the folding cycle of glucocorticoid receptor (GR), a client strictly dependent upon Hsp90/Hsp70 for activity. Using a combination of molecular dynamics simulation approaches, we unveil with unprecedented detail the mechanisms that underpin function in these chaperone machineries. Specifically, we dissect the processes by which the nucleotide-encoded message is relayed to the client and how the distinct partners of the assemblies cooperate to (pre)organize partially folded GR during Loading and Maturation. We show how different ligand states determine distinct dynamic profiles for the functional interfaces defining the interactions in the complexes and modulate their overall flexibility to facilitate progress along the chaperone cycle. Finally, we also show that the GR regions engaged by the chaperone machinery display peculiar energetic signatures in the folded state, which enhance the probability of partial unfolding fluctuations. From these results, we propose a model where a dynamic cross-talk emerges between the chaperone dynamics states and remodeling of client-interacting regions. This factor, coupled to the highly dynamic nature of the assemblies and the conformational heterogeneity of their interactions, provides the basis for regulating the functions of distinct assemblies during the chaperoning cycle.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Andrea Magni
- Dipartimento di Chimica, Università di Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | | | - Silvia Pavoni
- Department of Physical Chemistry, R&D Eni SpA, San Donato Milanese, Italy
| | - Francesco Frigerio
- Department of Physical Chemistry, R&D Eni SpA, San Donato Milanese, Italy
| | - A Sofia F Oliveira
- Centre for Computational Chemistry, School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Bristol, UK
| | - Fabrizio Cinquini
- Upstream & Technical Services - TECS/STES - Eni Spa, San Donato Milanese, Italy
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3
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Castelli M, Bhattacharya K, Abboud E, Serapian SA, Picard D, Colombo G. Phosphorylation of the Hsp90 Co-Chaperone Hop Changes its Conformational Dynamics and Biological Function. J Mol Biol 2023; 435:167931. [PMID: 36572238 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmb.2022.167931] [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: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 12/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/16/2022] [Indexed: 12/25/2022]
Abstract
The molecular chaperones Hsp90 and Hsp70 and their regulatory co-chaperone Hop play a key role at the crossroads of the folding pathways of numerous client proteins by forming fine-tuned multiprotein complexes. Alterations of the biomolecules involved may functionally impact the chaperone machinery: here, we integrate simulations and experiments to unveil how Hop conformational fitness and interactions can be controlled by the perturbation of just one residue. Specifically, we unveil how mechanisms mediated by Hop residue Y354 control Hop open and closed states, which affect binding of Hsp70/Hsp90. Phosphorylation or mutation of Hop-Y354 are shown to favor structural ensembles that are indeed not optimal for stable interactions with Hsp90 and Hsp70. This disfavors cellular accumulation of the stringent Hsp90 clients glucocorticoid receptor and the viral tyrosine kinase v-Src, with detrimental effects on v-Src activity. Our results show how the post-translational modification of a specific residue in Hop provides a regulation mechanism for the larger chaperone complex of which it is part. In this framework, the effects of one single alteration are amplified at the cellular level through the perturbation of protein-interaction networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Castelli
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, Via Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy. https://twitter.com/mat_castelli
| | - Kaushik Bhattacharya
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Université de Genève, Sciences III, 1211 Genève 4, Switzerland. https://twitter.com/kaushik34371359
| | - Ernest Abboud
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Université de Genève, Sciences III, 1211 Genève 4, Switzerland
| | - Stefano A Serapian
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, Via Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Didier Picard
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Université de Genève, Sciences III, 1211 Genève 4, Switzerland.
| | - Giorgio Colombo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, Via Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy.
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4
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Kuzuoglu-Ozturk D, Aksoy O, Schmidt C, Lea R, Larson JD, Phelps RRL, Nasholm N, Holt M, Contreras A, Huang M, Wong-Michalak S, Shao H, Wechsler-Reya R, Phillips JJ, Gestwicki JE, Ruggero D, Weiss WA. N-myc-Mediated Translation Control Is a Therapeutic Vulnerability in Medulloblastoma. Cancer Res 2023; 83:130-140. [PMID: 36264168 PMCID: PMC9812901 DOI: 10.1158/0008-5472.can-22-0945] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2022] [Revised: 08/17/2022] [Accepted: 10/18/2022] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Abstract
Deregulation of neuroblastoma-derived myc (N-myc) is a leading cause of malignant brain tumors in children. To target N-myc-driven medulloblastoma, most research has focused on identifying genomic alterations or on the analysis of the medulloblastoma transcriptome. Here, we have broadly characterized the translatome of medulloblastoma and shown that N-myc unexpectedly drives selective translation of transcripts that promote protein homeostasis. Cancer cells are constantly exposed to proteotoxic stress associated with alterations in protein production or folding. It remains poorly understood how cancers cope with proteotoxic stress to promote their growth. Here, our data revealed that N-myc regulates the expression of specific components (∼5%) of the protein folding machinery at the translational level through the major cap binding protein, eukaryotic initiation factor eIF4E. Reducing eIF4E levels in mouse models of medulloblastoma blocked tumorigenesis. Importantly, targeting Hsp70, a protein folding chaperone translationally regulated by N-myc, suppressed tumor growth in mouse and human medulloblastoma xenograft models. These findings reveal a previously hidden molecular program that promotes medulloblastoma formation and identify new therapies that may have impact in the clinic. SIGNIFICANCE Translatome analysis in medulloblastoma shows that N-myc drives selective translation of transcripts that promote protein homeostasis and that represent new therapeutic vulnerabilities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Duygu Kuzuoglu-Ozturk
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Ozlem Aksoy
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Christin Schmidt
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Robin Lea
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Jon D Larson
- Tumor Initiation & Maintenance Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California
| | - Ryan R L Phelps
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Department of Neurological Surgery, Stanford University, Stanford, California
| | - Nicole Nasholm
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Megan Holt
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Adrian Contreras
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Miller Huang
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Children's Center for Cancer and Blood Diseases, Division of Hematology, Oncology and Blood & Marrow Transplantation, and The Saban Research Institute, Los Angeles, California
- Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California
| | - Shannon Wong-Michalak
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, California
| | - Hao Shao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Robert Wechsler-Reya
- Tumor Initiation & Maintenance Program, NCI-Designated Cancer Center, Sanford Burnham Prebys Medical Discovery Institute, La Jolla, California
- Department of Neurology and Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, New York
| | - Joanna J Phillips
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Division of Neuropathology, Department of Pathology, University of California, San Francisca, San Francisco, California
| | - Jason E Gestwicki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
- Institute for Neurodegenerative Diseases, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - Davide Ruggero
- Department of Urology, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
| | - William A Weiss
- Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Department of Neurology, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California
- Department of Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, California
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5
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Shao H, Taguwa S, Gilbert L, Shkedi A, Sannino S, Guerriero CJ, Gale-Day ZJ, Young ZT, Brodsky JL, Weissman J, Gestwicki JE, Frydman J. A campaign targeting a conserved Hsp70 binding site uncovers how subcellular localization is linked to distinct biological activities. Cell Chem Biol 2022; 29:1303-1316.e3. [PMID: 35830852 PMCID: PMC9513760 DOI: 10.1016/j.chembiol.2022.06.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/30/2021] [Revised: 02/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/20/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
The potential of small molecules to localize within subcellular compartments is rarely explored. To probe this question, we measured the localization of Hsp70 inhibitors using fluorescence microscopy. We found that even closely related analogs had dramatically different distributions, with some residing predominantly in the mitochondria and others in the ER. CRISPRi screens supported this idea, showing that different compounds had distinct chemogenetic interactions with Hsp70s of the ER (HSPA5/BiP) and mitochondria (HSPA9/mortalin) and their co-chaperones. Moreover, localization seemed to determine function, even for molecules with conserved binding sites. Compounds with distinct partitioning have distinct anti-proliferative activity in breast cancer cells compared with anti-viral activity in cellular models of Dengue virus replication, likely because different sets of Hsp70s are required in these processes. These findings highlight the contributions of subcellular partitioning and chemogenetic interactions to small molecule activity, features that are rarely explored during medicinal chemistry campaigns.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Shao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Southwest University, Chongqing 400716, China
| | - Shuhei Taguwa
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA; Laboratory of Virus Control, Center for Infectious Disease Education and Research, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan; Research Institute for Microbial Diseases, Osaka University, Osaka, Japan
| | - Luke Gilbert
- Department of Urology and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Arielle Shkedi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Sara Sannino
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | | | - Zachary J Gale-Day
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Zapporah T Young
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jeffrey L Brodsky
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA
| | - Jonathan Weissman
- Department of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jason E Gestwicki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
| | - Judith Frydman
- Department of Biology, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305, USA.
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6
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Rinaldi S, Colombo G, Paladino A. The dynamics of t1 adenosine binding on human Argonaute 2: Understanding recognition with conformational selection. Protein Sci 2022; 31:e4377. [PMID: 35900022 PMCID: PMC9278005 DOI: 10.1002/pro.4377] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/18/2022] [Revised: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 06/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
The control of expression in genetic regulation is a fundamental process for cell life. In RNA‐mediated silencing, human Argonaute‐2 protein (hAgo2) uses sequence information encoded in small RNAs (guide) to identify complementary sites in messenger RNAs (target) for repression. The specificity of this molecular recognition lies at the basis of the mechanisms that control the expression of thousands of genes, which necessarily requires a fine tuning of complex events. Among these, the binding of the first nucleotide of the target RNA (t1) is emerging as an important modulator of hAgo2‐mediated machinery. Using atomistic molecular dynamics‐derived analyses, we address the mechanism behind t1‐dependent regulation and study the impact of different t1 nucleotides (t1A, t1C, t1G, t1U) on the conformational dynamics of both hAgo2 and guide–target RNAs. Only when an adenine is found at this position, t1 directly interacts with a specific hAgo2 binding pocket, favoring the stabilization of target binding. Our findings show that hAgo2 exploits a dynamic recognition mechanism of the t1‐target thanks to a modulation of RNA conformations. Here, t1‐adenine is the only nucleobase endowed with a dual binding mode: a T‐shape and a co‐planar conformation, respectively, orthogonal and parallel to the following base‐pairs of guide–target duplex. This triggers a composite set of molecular interactions that stabilizes distinctive conformational ensembles. Our comparative analyses show characteristic traits of local and global dynamic interplay between hAgo2 and the RNA molecules and highlight how t1A binding acts as a molecular switch for target recognition and complex stabilization. Implications for future mechanistic studies are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Silvia Rinaldi
- CNR‐ Institute of Chemistry of OrganoMetallic Compounds (ICCOM) Sesto Fiorentino (FI) Italy
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7
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Sabbadini R, Pesce E, Parodi A, Mustorgi E, Bruzzone S, Pedemonte N, Casale M, Millo E, Cichero E. Probing Allosteric Hsp70 Inhibitors by Molecular Modelling Studies to Expedite the Development of Novel Combined F508del CFTR Modulators. Pharmaceuticals (Basel) 2021; 14:ph14121296. [PMID: 34959696 PMCID: PMC8709398 DOI: 10.3390/ph14121296] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/05/2021] [Revised: 12/07/2021] [Accepted: 12/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Cystic fibrosis (CF) is caused by different mutations related to the cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator protein (CFTR), with F508del being the most common. Pioneering the development of CFTR modulators, thanks to the development of effective correctors or potentiators, more recent studies deeply encouraged the administration of triple combination therapeutics. However, combinations of molecules interacting with other proteins involved in functionality of the CFTR channel recently arose as a promising approach to address a large rescue of F508del-CFTR. In this context, the design of compounds properly targeting the molecular chaperone Hsp70, such as the allosteric inhibitor MKT-077, proved to be effective for the development of indirect CFTR modulators, endowed with ability to amplify the accumulation of the rescued protein. Herein we performed structure-based studies of a number of allosteric HSP70 inhibitors, considering the recent X-ray crystallographic structure of the human enzyme. This allowed us to point out the main interaction supporting the binding mode of MKT-077, as well as of the related analogues. In particular, cation-π and π-π stacking with the conserve residue Tyr175 deeply stabilized inhibitor binding at the HSP70 cavity. Molecular docking studies had been followed by QSAR analysis and then by virtual screening of aminoaryl thiazoles (I-IIIa) as putative HSP70 inhibitors. Their effectiveness as CFTR modulators has been verified by biological assays, in combination with VX-809, whose positive results confirmed the reliability of the whole applied computational method. Along with this, the "in-silico" prediction of absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion (ADME) properties highlighted, once more, that AATs may represent a chemical class to be further investigated for the rational design of novel combination of compounds for CF treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roberto Sabbadini
- Department of Pharmacy, Section of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV, 3, 16132 Genoa, Italy;
| | - Emanuela Pesce
- UOC Genetica Medica, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via Gerolamo Gaslini, 5, 16147 Genova, Italy; (E.P.); (N.P.)
| | - Alice Parodi
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Biochemistry, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 1, 16132 Genoa, Italy; (A.P.); (S.B.)
| | - Eleonora Mustorgi
- Department of Pharmacy, Section of Chemistry and Food and Pharmaceutical Technologies, University of Genoa, Viale Cembrano, 4, 16148 Genoa, Italy; (E.M.); (M.C.)
| | - Santina Bruzzone
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Biochemistry, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 1, 16132 Genoa, Italy; (A.P.); (S.B.)
| | - Nicoletta Pedemonte
- UOC Genetica Medica, IRCCS Istituto Giannina Gaslini, Via Gerolamo Gaslini, 5, 16147 Genova, Italy; (E.P.); (N.P.)
| | - Monica Casale
- Department of Pharmacy, Section of Chemistry and Food and Pharmaceutical Technologies, University of Genoa, Viale Cembrano, 4, 16148 Genoa, Italy; (E.M.); (M.C.)
| | - Enrico Millo
- Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Biochemistry, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV 1, 16132 Genoa, Italy; (A.P.); (S.B.)
- Correspondence: (E.M.); (E.C.); Tel.: +10-335-3032-3033 (E.M.); +39-010-353-8350 (E.C.)
| | - Elena Cichero
- Department of Pharmacy, Section of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Medical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Genoa, Viale Benedetto XV, 3, 16132 Genoa, Italy;
- Correspondence: (E.M.); (E.C.); Tel.: +10-335-3032-3033 (E.M.); +39-010-353-8350 (E.C.)
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8
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Kabakov AE, Gabai VL. HSP70s in Breast Cancer: Promoters of Tumorigenesis and Potential Targets/Tools for Therapy. Cells 2021; 10:cells10123446. [PMID: 34943954 PMCID: PMC8700403 DOI: 10.3390/cells10123446] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/28/2021] [Revised: 11/25/2021] [Accepted: 12/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The high frequency of breast cancer worldwide and the high mortality among women with this malignancy are a serious challenge for modern medicine. A deeper understanding of the mechanisms of carcinogenesis and emergence of metastatic, therapy-resistant breast cancers would help development of novel approaches to better treatment of this disease. The review is dedicated to the role of members of the heat shock protein 70 subfamily (HSP70s or HSPA), mainly inducible HSP70, glucose-regulated protein 78 (GRP78 or HSPA5) and GRP75 (HSPA9 or mortalin), in the development and pathogenesis of breast cancer. Various HSP70-mediated cellular mechanisms and pathways which contribute to the oncogenic transformation of mammary gland epithelium are reviewed, as well as their role in the development of human breast carcinomas with invasive, metastatic traits along with the resistance to host immunity and conventional therapeutics. Additionally, intracellular and cell surface HSP70s are considered as potential targets for therapy or sensitization of breast cancer. We also discuss a clinical implication of Hsp70s and approaches to targeting breast cancer with gene vectors or nanoparticles downregulating HSP70s, natural or synthetic (small molecule) inhibitors of HSP70s, HSP70-binding antibodies, HSP70-derived peptides, and HSP70-based vaccines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexander E. Kabakov
- Department of Radiation Biochemistry, A. Tsyb Medical Radiological Research Center—Branch of the National Medical Research Radiological Center of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation, Koroleva 4, 249036 Obninsk, Russia;
| | - Vladimir L. Gabai
- CureLab Oncology Inc., Dedham, MA 02026, USA
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +1-617-319-7314
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9
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Castelli M, Serapian SA, Marchetti F, Triveri A, Pirota V, Torielli L, Collina S, Doria F, Freccero M, Colombo G. New perspectives in cancer drug development: computational advances with an eye to design. RSC Med Chem 2021; 12:1491-1502. [PMID: 34671733 PMCID: PMC8459323 DOI: 10.1039/d1md00192b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/09/2021] [Accepted: 07/06/2021] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Computational chemistry has come of age in drug discovery. Indeed, most pharmaceutical development programs rely on computer-based data and results at some point. Herein, we discuss recent applications of advanced simulation techniques to difficult challenges in drug discovery. These entail the characterization of allosteric mechanisms and the identification of allosteric sites or cryptic pockets determined by protein motions, which are not immediately evident in the experimental structure of the target; the study of ligand binding mechanisms and their kinetic profiles; and the evaluation of drug-target affinities. We analyze different approaches to tackle challenging and emerging biological targets. Finally, we discuss the possible perspectives of future application of computation in drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Matteo Castelli
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia via Taramelli 12 27100 Pavia Italy
| | - Stefano A Serapian
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia via Taramelli 12 27100 Pavia Italy
| | - Filippo Marchetti
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia via Taramelli 12 27100 Pavia Italy
| | - Alice Triveri
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia via Taramelli 12 27100 Pavia Italy
| | - Valentina Pirota
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia via Taramelli 12 27100 Pavia Italy
| | - Luca Torielli
- Department of Drug Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology Section, University of Pavia via Taramelli 12 27100 Pavia Italy
| | - Simona Collina
- Department of Drug Sciences, Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Technology Section, University of Pavia via Taramelli 12 27100 Pavia Italy
| | - Filippo Doria
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia via Taramelli 12 27100 Pavia Italy
| | - Mauro Freccero
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia via Taramelli 12 27100 Pavia Italy
| | - Giorgio Colombo
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia via Taramelli 12 27100 Pavia Italy
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10
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Marchetti F, Moroni E, Pandini A, Colombo G. Machine Learning Prediction of Allosteric Drug Activity from Molecular Dynamics. J Phys Chem Lett 2021; 12:3724-3732. [PMID: 33843228 PMCID: PMC8154828 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.1c00045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/06/2021] [Accepted: 04/05/2021] [Indexed: 05/13/2023]
Abstract
Allosteric drugs have been attracting increasing interest over the past few years. In this context, it is common practice to use high-throughput screening for the discovery of non-natural allosteric drugs. While the discovery stage is supported by a growing amount of biological information and increasing computing power, major challenges still remain in selecting allosteric ligands and predicting their effect on the target protein's function. Indeed, allosteric compounds can act both as inhibitors and activators of biological responses. Computational approaches to the problem have focused on variations on the theme of molecular docking coupled to molecular dynamics with the aim of recovering information on the (long-range) modulation typical of allosteric proteins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filippo Marchetti
- Department
of Chemistry, Università Degli Studi
di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Università
Degli Studi di Milano, Via C. Golgi, 19, I-20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Elisabetta Moroni
- Istituto
di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Via Mario Bianco 9, 20131 Milano, Italy
| | | | - Giorgio Colombo
- Department
of Chemistry, Università Degli Studi
di Pavia, Viale Taramelli 12, 27100 Pavia, Italy
- Istituto
di Scienze e Tecnologie Chimiche, Via Mario Bianco 9, 20131 Milano, Italy
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11
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Dutta T, Singh H, Gestwicki JE, Blatch GL. Exported plasmodial J domain protein, PFE0055c, and PfHsp70-x form a specific co-chaperone-chaperone partnership. Cell Stress Chaperones 2021; 26:355-366. [PMID: 33236291 PMCID: PMC7925779 DOI: 10.1007/s12192-020-01181-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/18/2020] [Revised: 11/06/2020] [Accepted: 11/13/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum is a unicellular protozoan parasite and causative agent of a severe form of malaria in humans, accounting for very high worldwide fatality rates. At the molecular level, survival of the parasite within the human host is mediated by P. falciparum heat shock proteins (PfHsps) that provide protection during febrile episodes. The ATP-dependent chaperone activity of Hsp70 relies on the co-chaperone J domain protein (JDP), with which it forms a chaperone-co-chaperone complex. The exported P. falciparum JDP (PfJDP), PFA0660w, has been shown to stimulate the ATPase activity of the exported chaperone, PfHsp70-x. Furthermore, PFA0660w has been shown to associate with another exported PfJDP, PFE0055c, and PfHsp70-x in J-dots, highly mobile structures found in the infected erythrocyte cytosol. Therefore, the present study aims to conduct a structural and functional characterization of the full-length exported PfJDP, PFE0055c. Recombinant PFE0055c was successfully expressed and purified and found to stimulate the basal ATPase activity of PfHsp70-x to a greater extent than PFA0660w but, like PFA0660w, did not significantly stimulate the basal ATPase activity of human Hsp70. Small-molecule inhibition assays were conducted to determine the effect of known inhibitors of JDPs (chalcone, C86) and Hsp70 (benzothiazole rhodacyanines, JG231 and JG98) on the basal and PFE0055c-stimulated ATPase activity of PfHsp70-x. In this study, JG231 and JG98 were found to inhibit both the basal and PFE0055c-stimulated ATPase activity of PfHsp70-x. C86 only inhibited the PFE0055c-stimulated ATPase activity of PfHsp70-x, consistent with PFE0055c binding to PfHsp70-x through its J domain. This research has provided further insight into the molecular basis of the interaction between these exported plasmodial chaperones, which could inform future antimalarial drug discovery studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tanima Dutta
- The Vice Chancellery, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, WA, Australia
- The Institute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia
| | - Harpreet Singh
- Department of Bioinformatics, Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya, Jalandhar, Punjab, India
| | - Jason E Gestwicki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Gregory L Blatch
- The Vice Chancellery, The University of Notre Dame Australia, Fremantle, WA, Australia.
- The Institute for Immunology and Infectious Diseases, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA, Australia.
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12
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Role of the J Domain Protein Family in the Survival and Pathogenesis of Plasmodium falciparum. ADVANCES IN EXPERIMENTAL MEDICINE AND BIOLOGY 2021; 1340:97-123. [PMID: 34569022 DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-78397-6_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Plasmodium falciparum has dedicated an unusually large proportion of its genome to molecular chaperones (2% of all genes), with the heat shock protein 40 (Hsp40) family (now called J domain proteins, JDPs) exhibiting evolutionary radiation into 49 members. A large number of the P. falciparum JDPs (PfJDPs) are predicted to be exported, with certain members shown experimentally to be present in the erythrocyte cytosol (PFA0660w and PFE0055c) or erythrocyte membrane (ring-infected erythrocyte surface antigen, RESA). PFA0660w and PFE0055c are associated with an exported plasmodial Hsp70 (PfHsp70-x) within novel mobile structures called J-dots, which have been proposed to be dedicated to the trafficking of key membrane proteins such as erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP1). Well over half of the PfJDPs appear to be essential, including the J-dot PfJDP, PFE0055c, while others have been found to be required for growth under febrile conditions (e.g. PFA0110w, the ring-infected erythrocyte surface antigen protein [RESA]) or involved in pathogenesis (e.g. PF10_0381 has been shown to be important for protrusions of the infected red blood cell membrane, the so-called knobs). Here we review what is known about those PfJDPs that have been well characterised, and may be directly or indirectly involved in the survival and pathogenesis of the malaria parasite.
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13
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Verkhivker GM, Agajanian S, Hu G, Tao P. Allosteric Regulation at the Crossroads of New Technologies: Multiscale Modeling, Networks, and Machine Learning. Front Mol Biosci 2020; 7:136. [PMID: 32733918 PMCID: PMC7363947 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2020.00136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [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: 05/01/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Allosteric regulation is a common mechanism employed by complex biomolecular systems for regulation of activity and adaptability in the cellular environment, serving as an effective molecular tool for cellular communication. As an intrinsic but elusive property, allostery is a ubiquitous phenomenon where binding or disturbing of a distal site in a protein can functionally control its activity and is considered as the "second secret of life." The fundamental biological importance and complexity of these processes require a multi-faceted platform of synergistically integrated approaches for prediction and characterization of allosteric functional states, atomistic reconstruction of allosteric regulatory mechanisms and discovery of allosteric modulators. The unifying theme and overarching goal of allosteric regulation studies in recent years have been integration between emerging experiment and computational approaches and technologies to advance quantitative characterization of allosteric mechanisms in proteins. Despite significant advances, the quantitative characterization and reliable prediction of functional allosteric states, interactions, and mechanisms continue to present highly challenging problems in the field. In this review, we discuss simulation-based multiscale approaches, experiment-informed Markovian models, and network modeling of allostery and information-theoretical approaches that can describe the thermodynamics and hierarchy allosteric states and the molecular basis of allosteric mechanisms. The wealth of structural and functional information along with diversity and complexity of allosteric mechanisms in therapeutically important protein families have provided a well-suited platform for development of data-driven research strategies. Data-centric integration of chemistry, biology and computer science using artificial intelligence technologies has gained a significant momentum and at the forefront of many cross-disciplinary efforts. We discuss new developments in the machine learning field and the emergence of deep learning and deep reinforcement learning applications in modeling of molecular mechanisms and allosteric proteins. The experiment-guided integrated approaches empowered by recent advances in multiscale modeling, network science, and machine learning can lead to more reliable prediction of allosteric regulatory mechanisms and discovery of allosteric modulators for therapeutically important protein targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gennady M. Verkhivker
- Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, United States
- Department of Biomedical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chapman University School of Pharmacy, Irvine, CA, United States
| | - Steve Agajanian
- Graduate Program in Computational and Data Sciences, Schmid College of Science and Technology, Chapman University, Orange, CA, United States
| | - Guang Hu
- Center for Systems Biology, Department of Bioinformatics, School of Biology and Basic Medical Sciences, Soochow University, Suzhou, China
| | - Peng Tao
- Department of Chemistry, Center for Drug Discovery, Design, and Delivery (CD4), Center for Scientific Computation, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, TX, United States
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14
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Shao H, Gestwicki JE. Neutral analogs of the heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) inhibitor, JG-98. Bioorg Med Chem Lett 2020; 30:126954. [PMID: 31952963 DOI: 10.1016/j.bmcl.2020.126954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 01/01/2020] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
The heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) family of molecular chaperones are highly expressed in tumors. Inhibitors containing a pyridinium-modified benzothiazole, such as JG-98, bind to a conserved, allosteric site in Hsp70, showing promising anti-proliferative activity in cancer cells. When bound to Hsp70, the charged pyridinium makes favorable contacts; however, this moiety also increases the inhibitor's fluorescence, giving rise to undesirable interference in biochemical and cell-based assays. Here, we explore whether the pyridinium can be replaced with a neutral pyridine. We report that pyridine-modified benzothiazoles, such as compound 17h (JG2-38), have reduced fluorescence, yet retain promising anti-proliferative activity (EC50 values ~0.1 to 0.07 µM) in breast and prostate cancer cell lines. These chemical probes are expected to be useful in exploring the roles of Hsp70s in tumorigenesis and cell survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Shao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA
| | - Jason E Gestwicki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.
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15
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Taylor IR, Assimon VA, Kuo SY, Rinaldi S, Li X, Young ZT, Morra G, Green K, Nguyen D, Shao H, Garneau-Tsodikova S, Colombo G, Gestwicki JE. Tryptophan scanning mutagenesis as a way to mimic the compound-bound state and probe the selectivity of allosteric inhibitors in cells. Chem Sci 2020; 11:1892-1904. [PMID: 34123282 PMCID: PMC8148087 DOI: 10.1039/c9sc04284a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2019] [Accepted: 01/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Understanding the selectivity of a small molecule for its target(s) in cells is an important goal in chemical biology and drug discovery. One powerful way to address this question is with dominant negative (DN) mutants, in which an active site residue in the putative target is mutated. While powerful, this approach is less straightforward for allosteric sites. Here, we introduce tryptophan scanning mutagenesis as an expansion of this idea. As a test case, we focused on the challenging drug target, heat shock cognate protein 70 (Hsc70), and its allosteric inhibitor JG-98. Structure-based modelling predicted that mutating Y149W in human Hsc70 or Y145W in the bacterial ortholog DnaK would place an indole side chain into the allosteric pocket normally occupied by the compound. Indeed, we found that the tryptophan mutants acted as if they were engaged with JG-98. We then used DnaK Y145W to suggest that this protein may be an anti-bacterial target. Indeed, we found that DnaK inhibitors have minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values <0.125 μg mL-1 against several pathogens, including multidrug-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains. We propose that tryptophan scanning mutagenesis may provide a distinct way to address the important problem of target engagement.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabelle R Taylor
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California at San Francisco 675 Nelson Rising Lane San Francisco CA 94158 USA
| | - Victoria A Assimon
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California at San Francisco 675 Nelson Rising Lane San Francisco CA 94158 USA
| | - Szu Yu Kuo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California at San Francisco 675 Nelson Rising Lane San Francisco CA 94158 USA
| | - Silvia Rinaldi
- Istituto di Chimica del Riconoscimento Molecolare, CNR Via Mario Bianco 9 20131 Milano Italy
| | - Xiaokai Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California at San Francisco 675 Nelson Rising Lane San Francisco CA 94158 USA
| | - Zapporah T Young
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California at San Francisco 675 Nelson Rising Lane San Francisco CA 94158 USA
| | - Giulia Morra
- Istituto di Chimica del Riconoscimento Molecolare, CNR Via Mario Bianco 9 20131 Milano Italy
| | - Keith Green
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Kentucky Lexington KY 40536-0596 USA
| | - Daniel Nguyen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California at San Francisco 675 Nelson Rising Lane San Francisco CA 94158 USA
| | - Hao Shao
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California at San Francisco 675 Nelson Rising Lane San Francisco CA 94158 USA
| | | | - Giorgio Colombo
- Istituto di Chimica del Riconoscimento Molecolare, CNR Via Mario Bianco 9 20131 Milano Italy
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia V.le Taramelli 12 27100 Pavia Italy
| | - Jason E Gestwicki
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California at San Francisco 675 Nelson Rising Lane San Francisco CA 94158 USA
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16
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Moradi-Marjaneh R, Paseban M, Moradi Marjaneh M. Hsp70 inhibitors: Implications for the treatment of colorectal cancer. IUBMB Life 2019; 71:1834-1845. [PMID: 31441584 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2019] [Accepted: 07/12/2019] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most common malignancies in the world. Despite intensive advances in diagnosis and treatment of CRC, it is yet one of the leading cause of cancer related morbidity and mortality. Therefore, there is an urgent medical need for alternative therapeutic approaches to treat CRC. The 70 kDa heat shock proteins (Hsp70s) are a family of evolutionary conserved heat shock proteins, which play an important role in cell homeostasis and survival. They overexpress in various types of malignancy including CRC and are typically accompanied with poor prognosis. Hence, inhibition of Hsp70 may be considered as a striking chemotherapeutic avenue. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the progress made so far to discover compounds, which target the Hsp70 family, with particular emphasis on their efficacy in treatment of CRC. We also briefly explain the induction of Hsp70 as a strategy to prevent CRC.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Maryam Paseban
- Department of Physiology, School of Medicine, Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran
| | - Mahdi Moradi Marjaneh
- Cancer Division, QIMR Berghofer Medical Research Institute, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
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17
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Zhong M, Lee GM, Sijbesma E, Ottmann C, Arkin MR. Modulating protein-protein interaction networks in protein homeostasis. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2019; 50:55-65. [PMID: 30913483 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2019.02.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2019] [Revised: 02/06/2019] [Accepted: 02/09/2019] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) occur in complex networks. These networks are highly dependent on cellular context and can be extensively altered in disease states such as cancer and viral infection. In recent years, there has been significant progress in developing inhibitors that target individual PPIs either orthosterically (at the interface) or allosterically. These molecules can now be used as tools to dissect PPI networks. Here, we review recent examples that highlight the use of small molecules and engineered proteins to probe PPIs within the complex networks that regulate protein homeostasis. Researchers have discovered multiple mechanisms to modulate PPIs involved in host/viral interactions, deubiquitinases, the ATPase p97/VCP, and HSP70 chaperones. However, few studies have evaluated the effect of such modulators on the target's network or have compared the biological implications of different modulation strategies. Such studies will have an important impact on next generation therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mengqi Zhong
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and the Small Molecule Discovery Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Gregory M Lee
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and the Small Molecule Discovery Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Eline Sijbesma
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Christian Ottmann
- Department of Biomedical Engineering, Laboratory of Chemical Biology, and Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
| | - Michelle R Arkin
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry and the Small Molecule Discovery Center, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
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