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Dötsch L, Davies C, Hennes E, Schönfeld J, Kumar A, Guita CDC, Ehrler JH, Hiesinger K, Thavam S, Janning P, Sievers S, Knapp S, Proschak E, Ziegler S, Waldmann H. Discovery of the sEH Inhibitor Epoxykynin as a Potent Kynurenine Pathway Modulator. J Med Chem 2024; 67:4691-4706. [PMID: 38470246 PMCID: PMC10983002 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c02245] [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: 11/29/2023] [Revised: 02/20/2024] [Accepted: 02/23/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024]
Abstract
Disease-related phenotypic assays enable unbiased discovery of novel bioactive small molecules and may provide novel insights into physiological systems and unprecedented molecular modes of action (MMOA). Herein, we report the identification and characterization of epoxykynin, a potent inhibitor of the soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH). Epoxykynin was discovered by means of a cellular assay monitoring modulation of kynurenine (Kyn) levels in BxPC-3 cells upon stimulation with the cytokine interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and subsequent target identification employing affinity-based chemical proteomics. Increased Kyn levels are associated with immune suppression in the tumor microenvironment and, thus, the Kyn pathway and its key player indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) are appealing targets in immuno-oncology. However, targeting IDO1 directly has led to limited success in clinical investigations, demonstrating that alternative approaches to reduce Kyn levels are in high demand. We uncover a cross-talk between sEH and the Kyn pathway that may provide new opportunities to revert cancer-induced immune tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lara Dötsch
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 11, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Technical University
of Dortmund, Otto-Hahn-Strasse
6, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Caitlin Davies
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 11, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Elisabeth Hennes
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 11, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Julia Schönfeld
- Goethe
University Frankfurt, Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, Frankfurt 60438, Germany
| | - Adarsh Kumar
- Goethe
University Frankfurt, Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, Frankfurt 60438, Germany
- Structural
Genomics Consortium, Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, Frankfurt 60438, Germany
| | - Celine Da Cruz
Lopes Guita
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 11, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Johanna H.M. Ehrler
- Goethe
University Frankfurt, Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, Frankfurt 60438, Germany
| | - Kerstin Hiesinger
- Goethe
University Frankfurt, Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, Frankfurt 60438, Germany
| | - Sasikala Thavam
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 11, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Petra Janning
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 11, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Sonja Sievers
- Compound
Management and Screening Center (COMAS), Otto-Hahn-Strasse 15, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Stefan Knapp
- Goethe
University Frankfurt, Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, Frankfurt 60438, Germany
- Structural
Genomics Consortium, Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 15, Frankfurt 60438, Germany
| | - Ewgenij Proschak
- Goethe
University Frankfurt, Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Max-von-Laue-Strasse 9, Frankfurt 60438, Germany
| | - Slava Ziegler
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 11, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Herbert Waldmann
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn-Strasse 11, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Technical University
of Dortmund, Otto-Hahn-Strasse
6, Dortmund 44227, Germany
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H M Ehrler J, Brunst S, Tjaden A, Kilu W, Heering J, Hernandez-Olmos V, Krommes A, Kramer JS, Steinhilber D, Schubert-Zsilavecz M, Müller-Knapp S, Merk D, Proschak E. Compilation and Evaluation of Fatty Acid Mimetics Screening Library. Biochem Pharmacol 2022; 204:115191. [PMID: 35907497 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2022.115191] [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: 05/30/2022] [Revised: 07/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/02/2022]
Abstract
Focused compound libraries are well-established tools for hit identification in drug discovery and chemical probe development. We present the compilation and application of a focused screening library of fatty acid mimetics (FAMs), which are compounds designed to bind the orthosteric site proteins that endogenously accommodate natural fatty acids and lipid metabolites. This set complies with chemical properties of FAM and was found suitable for use also in cellular setting. Several hits were retrieved in screening the focused library against diverse fatty acid binding targets including the enzymes soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) and leukotriene A4 hydrolase (LTA4H), the nuclear receptors peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) and retinoid X receptor α (RXRα), the carrier proteins fatty acid binding protein 4 and 5 (FABP4 and FABP5), as well as the G-protein coupled receptors leukotriene B4 receptor 1 (BLT1) and free-fatty acid receptor 1 (FFAR1). Thus, the focused FAM library is suitable to obtain chemical starting matter for fatty acid binding proteins and valuable extends available screening collections.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna H M Ehrler
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Steffen Brunst
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Amelie Tjaden
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences and Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC), Max-von-Laue-Str. 15, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Whitney Kilu
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Jan Heering
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Victor Hernandez-Olmos
- Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Andrè Krommes
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Jan S Kramer
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Dieter Steinhilber
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60596 Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Manfred Schubert-Zsilavecz
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Susanne Müller-Knapp
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Buchmann Institute for Molecular Life Sciences and Structural Genomics Consortium (SGC), Max-von-Laue-Str. 15, 60438, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | - Daniel Merk
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München, Department of Pharmacy, Butenandtstr. 5-13, 81377 Munich, Germany
| | - Ewgenij Proschak
- Institute of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Goethe-University, Max-von-Laue-Str. 9, D-60438 Frankfurt am Main, Germany; Fraunhofer Institute for Translational Medicine and Pharmacology ITMP, Theodor-Stern-Kai 7, D-60596 Frankfurt, Germany.
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