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Leth JM, Newcombe EA, Grønnemose AL, Jørgensen JT, Qvist K, Clausen AS, Knudsen LBS, Kjaer A, Kragelund BB, Jørgensen TJD, Ploug M. Targeted imaging of uPAR expression in vivo with cyclic AE105 variants. Sci Rep 2023; 13:17248. [PMID: 37821532 PMCID: PMC10567728 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-43934-w] [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: 08/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/30/2023] [Indexed: 10/13/2023] Open
Abstract
A comprehensive literature reports on the correlation between elevated levels of urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR) and the severity of diseases with chronic inflammation including solid cancers. Molecular imaging is widely used as a non-invasive method to locate disease dissemination via full body scans and to stratify patients for targeted treatment. To date, the only imaging probe targeting uPAR that has reached clinical phase-II testing relies on a high-affinity 9-mer peptide (AE105), and several studies by positron emission tomography (PET) scanning or near-infra red (NIR) fluorescence imaging have validated its utility and specificity in vivo. While our previous studies focused on applying various reporter groups, the current study aims to improve uPAR-targeting properties of AE105. We successfully stabilized the small uPAR-targeting core of AE105 by constraining its conformational landscape by disulfide-mediated cyclization. Importantly, this modification mitigated the penalty on uPAR-affinity typically observed after conjugation to macrocyclic chelators. Cyclization did not impair tumor targeting efficiency of AE105 in vivo as assessed by PET imaging and a trend towards increased tracer uptake was observed. In future studies, we predict that this knowledge will aid development of new fluorescent AE105 derivatives with a view to optical imaging of uPAR to assist precision guided cancer surgery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julie Maja Leth
- Finsen Laboratory, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Estella Anne Newcombe
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- REPIN, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- The Linderstrøm Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaloes Vej 5, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Anne Louise Grønnemose
- Finsen Laboratory, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Southern Denmark, 5230, Odense M, Denmark
| | - Jesper Tranekjær Jørgensen
- Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine and Cluster for Molecular Imaging, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Katrine Qvist
- Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine and Cluster for Molecular Imaging, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Anne Skovsbo Clausen
- Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine and Cluster for Molecular Imaging, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Line Bruhn Schneider Knudsen
- Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine and Cluster for Molecular Imaging, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Andreas Kjaer
- Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine and Cluster for Molecular Imaging, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | - Birthe Brandt Kragelund
- Structural Biology and NMR Laboratory, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- REPIN, Copenhagen N, Denmark
- The Linderstrøm Lang Centre for Protein Science, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Ole Maaloes Vej 5, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark
| | | | - Michael Ploug
- Finsen Laboratory, Copenhagen University Hospital - Rigshospitalet, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark.
- Biotech Research and Innovation Centre (BRIC), University of Copenhagen, 2200, Copenhagen N, Denmark.
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Zhou Y, Song M, Xie D, Yan S, Yu S, Xie S, Cai M, Li H, Shang L, Jiang L, Yuan C, Huang M, Li J, Xu P. Structural Dynamics-Driven Discovery of Anticancer and Antimetastatic Effects of Diltiazem and Glibenclamide Targeting Urokinase Receptor. J Med Chem 2023; 66:5415-5426. [PMID: 36854648 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.2c01663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/02/2023]
Abstract
Diltiazem and glibenclamide are commonly used hypotensive and antidiabetic drugs. This study reports the discovery of the potential antitumor and antimetastatic effects of these two drugs using a structural dynamics-driven virtual screening targeting urokinase receptor (uPAR). Owing to uPAR's high flexibility, currently resolved crystal structures of uPAR, all in ligand-bound states, provide limited representations of its physiological conformation. To improve the accuracy of screening, we performed a long-timescale molecular dynamics simulation and obtained the representative conformations of apo-uPAR as the targets for our screening. Experimentally, we demonstrated that diltiazem and glibenclamide bound uPAR with KD values in the micromolar range. In addition, both compounds effectively suppressed tumor growth and metastasis in a uPAR-dependent manner in vitro and in vivo. This work not only provides two potent uPAR inhibitors but also reports a proof-of-concept study on the potential off-label antitumor and antimetastatic uses of diltiazem and glibenclamide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Zhou
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, P. R. China.,College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, P. R. China
| | - Meiru Song
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, P. R. China.,Henan Academy of Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan 450046, P. R. China
| | - Daoqing Xie
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, P. R. China
| | - Shufeng Yan
- Sanming University, Sanming, Fujian 365004, P. R. China
| | - Shujuan Yu
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, P. R. China
| | - Song Xie
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, P. R. China
| | - Meiqin Cai
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, P. R. China
| | - Hanlin Li
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, P. R. China
| | - Le Shang
- Fujian Institute of Research on the Structure of Matter, Chinese Academy of Science, Fuzhou, Fujian 350109, P. R. China
| | - Longguang Jiang
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, P. R. China
| | - Cai Yuan
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, P. R. China
| | - Mingdong Huang
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, P. R. China.,College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, P. R. China
| | - Jinyu Li
- College of Chemistry, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, P. R. China
| | - Peng Xu
- College of Biological Science and Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, P. R. China.,Fujian Key Laboratory of Marine Enzyme Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou, Fujian 350108, P. R. China
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Therapeutic Strategies Targeting Urokinase and Its Receptor in Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14030498. [PMID: 35158766 PMCID: PMC8833673 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14030498] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/18/2021] [Revised: 01/11/2022] [Accepted: 01/15/2022] [Indexed: 01/19/2023] Open
Abstract
Several studies have ascertained that uPA and uPAR do participate in tumor progression and metastasis and are involved in cell adhesion, migration, invasion and survival, as well as angiogenesis. Increased levels of uPA and uPAR in tumor tissues, stroma and biological fluids correlate with adverse clinic-pathologic features and poor patient outcomes. After binding to uPAR, uPA activates plasminogen to plasmin, a broad-spectrum matrix- and fibrin-degrading enzyme able to facilitate tumor cell invasion and dissemination to distant sites. Moreover, uPAR activated by uPA regulates most cancer cell activities by interacting with a broad range of cell membrane receptors. These findings make uPA and uPAR not only promising diagnostic and prognostic markers but also attractive targets for developing anticancer therapies. In this review, we debate the uPA/uPAR structure-function relationship as well as give an update on the molecules that interfere with or inhibit uPA/uPAR functions. Additionally, the possible clinical development of these compounds is discussed.
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Urokinase plasminogen activator as an anti-metastasis target: inhibitor design principles, recent amiloride derivatives, and issues with human/mouse species selectivity. Biophys Rev 2022; 14:277-301. [PMID: 35340592 PMCID: PMC8921380 DOI: 10.1007/s12551-021-00921-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/29/2021] [Accepted: 11/18/2021] [Indexed: 01/09/2023] Open
Abstract
The urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) is a widely studied anticancer drug target with multiple classes of inhibitors reported to date. Many of these inhibitors contain amidine or guanidine groups, while others lacking these groups show improved oral bioavailability. Most of the X-ray co-crystal structures of small molecule uPA inhibitors show a key salt bridge with the side chain carboxylate of Asp189 in the S1 pocket of uPA. This review summarises the different classes of uPA inhibitors, their binding interactions and experimentally measured inhibitory potencies and highlights species selectivity issues with attention to recently described 6-substituted amiloride and 5‑N,N-(hexamethylene)amiloride (HMA) derivatives.
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The Urokinase Receptor: A Multifunctional Receptor in Cancer Cell Biology. Therapeutic Implications. Int J Mol Sci 2021; 22:ijms22084111. [PMID: 33923400 PMCID: PMC8073738 DOI: 10.3390/ijms22084111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/16/2021] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 04/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Proteolysis is a key event in several biological processes; proteolysis must be tightly controlled because its improper activation leads to dramatic consequences. Deregulation of proteolytic activity characterizes many pathological conditions, including cancer. The plasminogen activation (PA) system plays a key role in cancer; it includes the serine-protease urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA). uPA binds to a specific cellular receptor (uPAR), which concentrates proteolytic activity at the cell surface, thus supporting cell migration. However, a large body of evidence clearly showed uPAR involvement in the biology of cancer cell independently of the proteolytic activity of its ligand. In this review we will first describe this multifunctional molecule and then we will discuss how uPAR can sustain most of cancer hallmarks, which represent the biological capabilities acquired during the multistep cancer development. Finally, we will illustrate the main data available in the literature on uPAR as a cancer biomarker and a molecular target in anti-cancer therapy.
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