1
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Ji W, Du G, Jiang J, Lu W, Mills CE, Yuan L, Jiang F, He Z, Bradshaw GA, Chung M, Jiang Z, Byun WS, Hinshaw SM, Zhang T, Gray NS. Discovery of bivalent small molecule degraders of cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7). Eur J Med Chem 2024; 276:116613. [PMID: 39004018 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116613] [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: 05/31/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/19/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 7, along with cyclin H and MAT1, forms the CDK-activating complex (CAK), which directs cell cycle progression via T-loop phosphorylation of cell cycle CDKs. Pharmacological inhibition of CDK7 leads to selective anti-cancer effects in cellular and in vivo models, motivating several ongoing clinical investigations of this target. Current CDK7 inhibitors are either reversible or covalent inhibitors of its catalytic activity. We hypothesized that small molecule targeted protein degradation (TPD) might result in differentiated pharmacology due to the loss of scaffolding functions. Here, we report the design and characterization of a potent CDK7 degrader that is comprised of an ATP-competitive CDK7 binder linked to a CRL2VHL recruiter. JWZ-5-13 effectively degrades CDK7 in multiple cancer cells and leads to a potent inhibition of cell proliferation. Additionally, compound JWZ-5-13 displayed bioavailability in a pharmacokinetic study conducted in mice. Therefore, JWZ-5-13 is a useful chemical probe to investigate the pharmacological consequences of CDK7 degradation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wenzhi Ji
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H, and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Guangyan Du
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Jie Jiang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Wenchao Lu
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H, and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Caitlin E Mills
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Linjie Yuan
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H, and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Fen Jiang
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H, and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Zhixiang He
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Gary A Bradshaw
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Mirra Chung
- Laboratory of Systems Pharmacology, Department of Systems Biology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, 02115, USA
| | - Zixuan Jiang
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H, and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Woong Sub Byun
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H, and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Stephen M Hinshaw
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H, and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA
| | - Tinghu Zhang
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H, and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
| | - Nathanael S Gray
- Department of Chemical and Systems Biology, Chem-H, and Stanford Cancer Institute, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford University, Stanford, CA, 94305, USA.
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2
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Ma H, Qu J, Pang Z, Luo J, Yan M, Xu W, Zhuang H, Liu L, Qu Q. Super-enhancer omics in stem cell. Mol Cancer 2024; 23:153. [PMID: 39090713 PMCID: PMC11293198 DOI: 10.1186/s12943-024-02066-z] [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: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 07/12/2024] [Indexed: 08/04/2024] Open
Abstract
The hallmarks of stem cells, such as proliferation, self-renewal, development, differentiation, and regeneration, are critical to maintain stem cell identity which is sustained by genetic and epigenetic factors. Super-enhancers (SEs), which consist of clusters of active enhancers, play a central role in maintaining stemness hallmarks by specifically transcriptional model. The SE-navigated transcriptional complex, including SEs, non-coding RNAs, master transcriptional factors, Mediators and other co-activators, forms phase-separated condensates, which offers a toggle for directing diverse stem cell fate. With the burgeoning technologies of multiple-omics applied to examine different aspects of SE, we firstly raise the concept of "super-enhancer omics", inextricably linking to Pan-omics. In the review, we discuss the spatiotemporal organization and concepts of SEs, and describe links between SE-navigated transcriptional complex and stem cell features, such as stem cell identity, self-renewal, pluripotency, differentiation and development. We also elucidate the mechanism of stemness and oncogenic SEs modulating cancer stem cells via genomic and epigenetic alterations hijack in cancer stem cell. Additionally, we discuss the potential of targeting components of the SE complex using small molecule compounds, genome editing, and antisense oligonucleotides to treat SE-associated organ dysfunction and diseases, including cancer. This review also provides insights into the future of stem cell research through the paradigm of SEs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongying Ma
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No.87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
- Institute for Rational and Safe Medication Practices, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian Qu
- Department of Pharmacy, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, People's Republic of China
- Hunan key laboratory of the Research and Development of Novel Pharmaceutical Preparations, Changsha Medical University, Changsha, 410219, China
| | - Zicheng Pang
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No.87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
- Department of Medical Genetics, School of Basic Medical Sciences, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China
| | - Jian Luo
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No.87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
- Institute for Rational and Safe Medication Practices, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Min Yan
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No.87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
- Institute for Rational and Safe Medication Practices, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China
| | - Weixin Xu
- Department of Pharmacy, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, People's Republic of China
| | - Haihui Zhuang
- Department of Pharmacy, the Second Xiangya Hospital, Institute of Clinical Pharmacy, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, People's Republic of China
| | - Linxin Liu
- Department of Hematology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, People's Republic of China
| | - Qiang Qu
- Department of Pharmacy, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, No.87 Xiangya Road, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China.
- Institute for Rational and Safe Medication Practices, National Clinical Research Center for Geriatric Disorders, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410008, People's Republic of China.
- Department of Hematology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, 410011, People's Republic of China.
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3
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Chen J, Wei J, Xia P, Liu Y, Belew MD, Toohill R, Wu BJ, Cheng Z. Inhibition of cyclin-dependent kinase 7 mitigates doxorubicin cardiotoxicity and enhances anticancer efficacy. Cardiovasc Res 2024; 120:1024-1036. [PMID: 38646672 PMCID: PMC11288736 DOI: 10.1093/cvr/cvae084] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/04/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 02/29/2024] [Indexed: 04/23/2024] Open
Abstract
AIMS The anthracycline family of anticancer agents such as doxorubicin (DOX) can induce apoptotic death of cardiomyocytes and cause cardiotoxicity. We previously reported that DOX-induced apoptosis is accompanied by cardiomyocyte cell cycle re-entry. Cell cycle progression requires cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7)-mediated activation of downstream cell cycle CDKs. This study aims to determine whether CDK7 can be targeted for cardioprotection during anthracycline chemotherapy. METHODS AND RESULTS DOX exposure induced CDK7 activation in mouse heart and isolated cardiomyocytes. Cardiac-specific ablation of Cdk7 attenuated DOX-induced cardiac dysfunction and fibrosis. Treatment with the covalent CDK7 inhibitor THZ1 also protected against DOX-induced cardiomyopathy and apoptosis. DOX treatment induced activation of the proapoptotic CDK2-FOXO1-Bim axis in a CDK7-dependent manner. In response to DOX, endogenous CDK7 directly bound and phosphorylated CDK2 at Thr160 in cardiomyocytes, leading to full CDK2 kinase activation. Importantly, inhibition of CDK7 further suppressed tumour growth when used in combination with DOX in an immunocompetent mouse model of breast cancer. CONCLUSION Activation of CDK7 is necessary for DOX-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and cardiomyopathy. Our findings uncover a novel proapoptotic role for CDK7 in cardiomyocytes. Moreover, this study suggests that inhibition of CDK7 attenuates DOX-induced cardiotoxicity but augments the anticancer efficacy of DOX. Therefore, combined administration of CDK7 inhibitor and DOX may exhibit diminished cardiotoxicity but superior anticancer activity.
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MESH Headings
- Animals
- Doxorubicin/toxicity
- Myocytes, Cardiac/drug effects
- Myocytes, Cardiac/enzymology
- Myocytes, Cardiac/pathology
- Myocytes, Cardiac/metabolism
- Cardiotoxicity
- Cyclin-Dependent Kinases/metabolism
- Cyclin-Dependent Kinases/antagonists & inhibitors
- Apoptosis/drug effects
- Protein Kinase Inhibitors/pharmacology
- Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2/metabolism
- Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 2/antagonists & inhibitors
- Mice, Inbred C57BL
- Cyclin-Dependent Kinase-Activating Kinase
- Female
- Phenylenediamines/pharmacology
- Signal Transduction/drug effects
- Phosphorylation
- Mice, Knockout
- Cardiomyopathies/chemically induced
- Cardiomyopathies/enzymology
- Cardiomyopathies/prevention & control
- Cardiomyopathies/pathology
- Cardiomyopathies/metabolism
- Antibiotics, Antineoplastic/toxicity
- Pyrimidines/pharmacology
- Humans
- Fibrosis
- Cell Line, Tumor
- Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/drug therapy
- Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/pathology
- Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/enzymology
- Mammary Neoplasms, Experimental/metabolism
- Ventricular Function, Left/drug effects
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingrui Chen
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, 412 E. Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane, WA 99202-2131, USA
| | - Jing Wei
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, 412 E. Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane, WA 99202-2131, USA
| | - Peng Xia
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, 412 E. Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane, WA 99202-2131, USA
| | - Yuening Liu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, 412 E. Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane, WA 99202-2131, USA
| | - Mahder Dawit Belew
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, 412 E. Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane, WA 99202-2131, USA
| | - Ryan Toohill
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, 412 E. Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane, WA 99202-2131, USA
| | - Boyang Jason Wu
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, 412 E. Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane, WA 99202-2131, USA
| | - Zhaokang Cheng
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Washington State University, 412 E. Spokane Falls Blvd., Spokane, WA 99202-2131, USA
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4
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Velychko T, Mohammad E, Ferrer-Vicens I, Parfentev I, Werner M, Studniarek C, Schwalb B, Urlaub H, Murphy S, Cramer P, Lidschreiber M. CDK7 kinase activity promotes RNA polymerase II promoter escape by facilitating initiation factor release. Mol Cell 2024; 84:2287-2303.e10. [PMID: 38821049 DOI: 10.1016/j.molcel.2024.05.007] [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: 12/02/2022] [Revised: 02/01/2024] [Accepted: 05/08/2024] [Indexed: 06/02/2024]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7), part of the general transcription factor TFIIH, promotes gene transcription by phosphorylating the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II (RNA Pol II). Here, we combine rapid CDK7 kinase inhibition with multi-omics analysis to unravel the direct functions of CDK7 in human cells. CDK7 inhibition causes RNA Pol II retention at promoters, leading to decreased RNA Pol II initiation and immediate global downregulation of transcript synthesis. Elongation, termination, and recruitment of co-transcriptional factors are not directly affected. Although RNA Pol II, initiation factors, and Mediator accumulate at promoters, RNA Pol II complexes can also proceed into gene bodies without promoter-proximal pausing while retaining initiation factors and Mediator. Further downstream, RNA Pol II phosphorylation increases and initiation factors and Mediator are released, allowing recruitment of elongation factors and an increase in RNA Pol II elongation velocity. Collectively, CDK7 kinase activity promotes the release of initiation factors and Mediator from RNA Pol II, facilitating RNA Pol II escape from the promoter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taras Velychko
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Eusra Mohammad
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Ivan Ferrer-Vicens
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Iwan Parfentev
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Marcel Werner
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Cecilia Studniarek
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Björn Schwalb
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Henning Urlaub
- Bioanalytical Mass Spectrometry, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany; Institute of Clinical Chemistry, University Medical Center Göttingen, 37075 Göttingen, Germany
| | - Shona Murphy
- Sir William Dunn School of Pathology, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 3RE, UK
| | - Patrick Cramer
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
| | - Michael Lidschreiber
- Department of Molecular Biology, Max Planck Institute for Multidisciplinary Sciences, Am Fassberg 11, 37077 Göttingen, Germany.
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5
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Chiang SK, Chang WC, Chen SE, Chang LC. CDK7/CDK9 mediates transcriptional activation to prime paraptosis in cancer cells. Cell Biosci 2024; 14:78. [PMID: 38858714 PMCID: PMC11163730 DOI: 10.1186/s13578-024-01260-2] [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: 01/05/2024] [Accepted: 05/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Paraptosis is a programmed cell death characterized by cytoplasmic vacuolation, which has been explored as an alternative method for cancer treatment and is associated with cancer resistance. However, the mechanisms underlying the progression of paraptosis in cancer cells remain largely unknown. METHODS Paraptosis-inducing agents, CPYPP, cyclosporin A, and curcumin, were utilized to investigate the underlying mechanism of paraptosis. Next-generation sequencing and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis revealed significant changes in gene and protein expressions. Pharmacological and genetic approaches were employed to elucidate the transcriptional events related to paraptosis. Xenograft mouse models were employed to evaluate the potential of paraptosis as an anti-cancer strategy. RESULTS CPYPP, cyclosporin A, and curcumin induced cytoplasmic vacuolization and triggered paraptosis in cancer cells. The paraptotic program involved reactive oxygen species (ROS) provocation and the activation of proteostatic dynamics, leading to transcriptional activation associated with redox homeostasis and proteostasis. Both pharmacological and genetic approaches suggested that cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 7/9 drive paraptotic progression in a mutually-dependent manner with heat shock proteins (HSPs). Proteostatic stress, such as accumulated cysteine-thiols, HSPs, ubiquitin-proteasome system, endoplasmic reticulum stress, and unfolded protein response, as well as ROS provocation primarily within the nucleus, enforced CDK7/CDK9-Rpb1 (RNAPII subunit B1) activation by potentiating its interaction with HSPs and protein kinase R in a forward loop, amplifying transcriptional regulation and thereby exacerbating proteotoxicity leading to initiate paraptosis. The xenograft mouse models of MDA-MB-231 breast cancer and docetaxel-resistant OECM-1 head and neck cancer cells further confirmed the induction of paraptosis against tumor growth. CONCLUSIONS We propose a novel regulatory paradigm in which the activation of CDK7/CDK9-Rpb1 by nuclear proteostatic stress mediates transcriptional regulation to prime cancer cell paraptosis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shih-Kai Chiang
- Department of Animal Science, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan
| | - Wei-Chao Chang
- Center for Molecular Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, 406040, Taiwan
- Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical University, Taichung, 406040, Taiwan
- Cancer Biology and Precision Therapeutics Center, China Medical University, Taichung, 406040, Taiwan
| | - Shuen-Ei Chen
- Department of Animal Science, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan.
- The iEGG and Animal Biotechnology Center, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan.
- Innovation and Development Center of Sustainable Agriculture (IDCSA), National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan.
- i-Center for Advanced Science and Technology (iCAST), National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, 40227, Taiwan.
| | - Ling-Chu Chang
- Center for Molecular Medicine, China Medical University Hospital, Taichung, 406040, Taiwan.
- Research Center for Cancer Biology, China Medical University, Taichung, 406040, Taiwan.
- Cancer Biology and Precision Therapeutics Center, China Medical University, Taichung, 406040, Taiwan.
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6
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Vyavahare S, Ahluwalia P, Gupta SK, Kolhe R, Hill WD, Hamrick M, Isales CM, Fulzele S. The Role of Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor in Bone Biology. Int J Tryptophan Res 2024; 17:11786469241246674. [PMID: 38757095 PMCID: PMC11097734 DOI: 10.1177/11786469241246674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2023] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-activated transcription factor, is crucial in maintaining the skeletal system. Our study focuses on encapsulating the role of AhR in bone biology and identifying novel signaling pathways in musculoskeletal pathologies using the GEO dataset. The GEO2R analysis identified 8 genes (CYP1C1, SULT6B1, CYB5A, EDN1, CXCR4B, CTGFA, TIPARP, and CXXC5A) involved in the AhR pathway, which play a pivotal role in bone remodeling. The AhR knockout in hematopoietic stem cells showed alteration in several novel bone-related transcriptomes (eg, Defb14, ZNF 51, and Chrm5). Gene Ontology Enrichment Analysis demonstrated 54 different biological processes associated with bone homeostasis. Mainly, these processes include bone morphogenesis, bone development, bone trabeculae formation, bone resorption, bone maturation, bone mineralization, and bone marrow development. Employing Functional Annotation and Clustering through DAVID, we further uncovered the involvement of the xenobiotic metabolic process, p450 pathway, oxidation-reduction, and nitric oxide biosynthesis process in the AhR signaling pathway. The conflicting evidence of current research of AhR signaling on bone (positive and negative effects) homeostasis may be due to variations in ligand binding affinity, binding sites, half-life, chemical structure, and other unknown factors. In summary, our study provides a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms of the AhR pathway in bone biology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sagar Vyavahare
- Department of Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | | | | | - Ravindra Kolhe
- Department of Pathology, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - William D Hill
- Department of Pathology, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA
| | - Mark Hamrick
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
- Center for Healthy Aging, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Carlos M Isales
- Department of Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
- Center for Healthy Aging, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
| | - Sadanand Fulzele
- Department of Medicine, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
- Department of Cell Biology and Anatomy, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
- Center for Healthy Aging, Augusta University, Augusta, GA, USA
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7
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Zhang H, Lin G, Jia S, Wu J, Zhang Y, Tao Y, Huang W, Song M, Ding K, Ma D, Fan M. Design, synthesis and evaluation of thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine derivatives as novel potent CDK7 inhibitors. Bioorg Chem 2024; 148:107456. [PMID: 38761706 DOI: 10.1016/j.bioorg.2024.107456] [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: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 05/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/13/2024] [Indexed: 05/20/2024]
Abstract
The targeting of cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) has become a highly desirable therapeutic approach in the field of oncology due to its dual role in regulating essential biological processes, encompassing cell cycle progression and transcriptional control. We have previously identified a highly selective thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine-based CDK7 inhibitor with demonstrated efficacy and safety in animal model. In this study, we sought to optimize the thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine core to discover a novel series of CDK7 inhibitors with improved potency and pharmacokinetic (PK) properties. Through extensive structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies, compound 20 has emerged as the lead candidate due to its potent inhibitory activity against CDK7 and remarkable efficacy on MDA-MB-453 cells, a representative triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell line. Furthermore, 20 has demonstrated favorable oral bioavailability and exhibited highly desirable pharmacokinetic (PK) properties, making it a promising lead candidate for further structural optimization.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjin Zhang
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine (AMT), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China; Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
| | - Guohao Lin
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China; Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
| | - Suyun Jia
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China; School of Molecular Medicine, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 20032, China
| | - Jianbo Wu
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China; College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China; College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Yanxin Tao
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China; School of Molecular Medicine, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China; Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China; School of of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Weixue Huang
- Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 20032, China
| | - Meiru Song
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China; Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China; Institute of Chemistry, Henan Academy of Sciences, Zhengzhou, Henan 450046, China
| | - Ke Ding
- Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 20032, China.
| | - Dawei Ma
- Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 20032, China.
| | - Mengyang Fan
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China; Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China.
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8
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Niu P, Tao Y, Lin G, Xu H, Meng Q, Yang K, Huang W, Song M, Ding K, Ma D, Fan M. Design and Synthesis of Novel Macrocyclic Derivatives as Potent and Selective Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 7 Inhibitors. J Med Chem 2024; 67:6099-6118. [PMID: 38586950 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.3c01832] [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: 04/09/2024]
Abstract
The duality of function (cell cycle regulation and gene transcription) of cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) makes it an attractive oncology target and the discovery of CDK7 inhibitors has been a long-term pursuit by academia and pharmaceutical companies. However, achieving selective leading compounds is still difficult owing to the similarities among the ATP binding pocket. Herein, we detail the design and synthesis of a series of macrocyclic derivatives with pyrazolo[1,5-a]-1,3,5-triazine core structure as potent and selective CDK7 inhibitors. The diverse manners of macrocyclization led to distinguished selectivity profiles of the CDK family. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation explained the binding difference between 15- and 16-membered macrocyclic compounds. Further optimization generated compound 37 exhibiting good CDK7 inhibitory activity and high selectivity over other CDKs. This work clearly demonstrated macrocyclization is a versatile method to finely tune the selectivity profile of small molecules and MD simulation can be a valuable tool in prioritizing designs of the macrocycle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pengpeng Niu
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine (AMT), Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
| | - Yanxin Tao
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
- School of Molecular Medicine, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- School of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin 300072, China
| | - Guohao Lin
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
| | - Huiqi Xu
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Qingyuan Meng
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
- School of Molecular Medicine, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310024, China
- Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China
| | - Kang Yang
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
- College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310014, China
| | - Weixue Huang
- Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 20032, China
| | - Meiru Song
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
| | - Ke Ding
- Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 20032, China
| | - Dawei Ma
- Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 20032, China
| | - Mengyang Fan
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310018, China
- Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang 310022, China
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9
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Gong Y, Li H. CDK7 in breast cancer: mechanisms of action and therapeutic potential. Cell Commun Signal 2024; 22:226. [PMID: 38605321 PMCID: PMC11010440 DOI: 10.1186/s12964-024-01577-y] [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: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 03/19/2024] [Indexed: 04/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) serves as a pivotal regulator in orchestrating cellular cycle dynamics and gene transcriptional activity. Elevated expression levels of CDK7 have been ubiquitously documented across a spectrum of malignancies and have been concomitantly correlated with adverse clinical outcomes. This review delineates the biological roles of CDK7 and explicates the molecular pathways through which CDK7 exacerbates the oncogenic progression of breast cancer. Furthermore, we synthesize the extant literature to provide a comprehensive overview of the advancement of CDK7-specific small-molecule inhibitors, encapsulating both preclinical and clinical findings in breast cancer contexts. The accumulated evidence substantiates the conceptualization of CDK7 as a propitious therapeutic target in breast cancer management.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Gong
- Key laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Breast Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China
| | - Huiping Li
- Key laboratory of Carcinogenesis and Translational Research (Ministry of Education/Beijing), Department of Breast Oncology, Peking University Cancer Hospital & Institute, Beijing 100142, China.
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10
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Wei X, Liu J, Xu Z, Wang D, Zhu Q, Chen Q, Xu W. Research progress on the pharmacological mechanism, in vivo metabolism and structural modification of Erianin. Biomed Pharmacother 2024; 173:116295. [PMID: 38401517 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2024.116295] [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: 11/28/2023] [Revised: 01/31/2024] [Accepted: 02/17/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024] Open
Abstract
Erianin is an important bibenzyl compound in dendrobium and has a wide spectrum of pharmacological properties. Since Erianin was discovered, abundant results have been achieved in the in vitro synthesis, structural modification, and pharmacological mechanism research. Researchers have developed a series of simple and efficient in vitro synthesis methods to improve the shortcomings of poor water solubility by replacing the chemical structure or coating it in nanomaterials. Erianin has a broad anti-tumor spectrum and significant anti-tumor effects. In addition, Erianin also has pharmacological actions like immune regulation, anti-inflammatory, and anti-angiogenesis. A comprehensive understanding of the synthesis, metabolism, structural modification, and pharmacological action pathways of Erianin is of great value for the utilization of Erianin. Therefore, this review conducts a relatively systematic look back at Erianin from the above four aspects, to give a reference for the evolvement and further appliance of Erianin.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xin Wei
- Institute of Intelligent Machines, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China
| | - Jiajia Liu
- University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China; Department of Geriatrics, Gerontology Institute of Anhui Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, PR China
| | - Ziming Xu
- University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China; Department of Ophthalmology, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, PR China
| | - Dan Wang
- University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China; Department of Geriatrics, Gerontology Institute of Anhui Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, PR China
| | - Qizhi Zhu
- Institute of Intelligent Machines, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China
| | - Qi Chen
- Institute of Intelligent Machines, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China
| | - Weiping Xu
- Institute of Intelligent Machines, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, PR China; University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230026, PR China; Department of Geriatrics, Gerontology Institute of Anhui Province, The First Affiliated Hospital of USTC, Division of Life Sciences and Medicine, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei 230001, PR China; Anhui Provincial Key Laboratory of Tumor Immunotherapy and Nutrition Therapy, Hefei 230001, PR China.
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11
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Yu D, Wagner S, Schütz M, Jeon Y, Seo M, Kim J, Brückner N, Kicuntod J, Tillmanns J, Wangen C, Hahn F, Kaufer BB, Neipel F, Eickhoff J, Klebl B, Nam K, Marschall M. An Antiherpesviral Host-Directed Strategy Based on CDK7 Covalently Binding Drugs: Target-Selective, Picomolar-Dose, Cross-Virus Reactivity. Pharmaceutics 2024; 16:158. [PMID: 38399219 PMCID: PMC10892818 DOI: 10.3390/pharmaceutics16020158] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 01/12/2024] [Accepted: 01/18/2024] [Indexed: 02/25/2024] Open
Abstract
The repertoire of currently available antiviral drugs spans therapeutic applications against a number of important human pathogens distributed worldwide. These include cases of the pandemic severe acute respiratory coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2 or COVID-19), human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1 or AIDS), and the pregnancy- and posttransplant-relevant human cytomegalovirus (HCMV). In almost all cases, approved therapies are based on direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), but their benefit, particularly in long-term applications, is often limited by the induction of viral drug resistance or side effects. These issues might be addressed by the additional use of host-directed antivirals (HDAs). As a strong input from long-term experiences with cancer therapies, host protein kinases may serve as HDA targets of mechanistically new antiviral drugs. The study demonstrates such a novel antiviral strategy by targeting the major virus-supportive host kinase CDK7. Importantly, this strategy focuses on highly selective, 3D structure-derived CDK7 inhibitors carrying a warhead moiety that mediates covalent target binding. In summary, the main experimental findings of this study are as follows: (1) the in vitro verification of CDK7 inhibition and selectivity that confirms the warhead covalent-binding principle (by CDK-specific kinase assays), (2) the highly pronounced antiviral efficacies of the hit compounds (in cultured cell-based infection models) with half-maximal effective concentrations that reach down to picomolar levels, (3) a particularly strong potency of compounds against strains and reporter-expressing recombinants of HCMV (using infection assays in primary human fibroblasts), (4) additional activity against further herpesviruses such as animal CMVs and VZV, (5) unique mechanistic properties that include an immediate block of HCMV replication directed early (determined by Western blot detection of viral marker proteins), (6) a substantial drug synergism in combination with MBV (measured by a Loewe additivity fixed-dose assay), and (7) a strong sensitivity of clinically relevant HCMV mutants carrying MBV or ganciclovir resistance markers. Combined, the data highlight the huge developmental potential of this host-directed antiviral targeting concept utilizing covalently binding CDK7 inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- DongHoon Yu
- Qurient Co., Ltd., C-Dong, 242 Pangyo-ro, C801 Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si 13487, Republic of Korea
| | - Sabrina Wagner
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virolosgy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Martin Schütz
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virolosgy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Yeejin Jeon
- Qurient Co., Ltd., C-Dong, 242 Pangyo-ro, C801 Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si 13487, Republic of Korea
| | - Mooyoung Seo
- Qurient Co., Ltd., C-Dong, 242 Pangyo-ro, C801 Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si 13487, Republic of Korea
| | - Jaeseung Kim
- Qurient Co., Ltd., C-Dong, 242 Pangyo-ro, C801 Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si 13487, Republic of Korea
| | - Nadine Brückner
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virolosgy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jintawee Kicuntod
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virolosgy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Julia Tillmanns
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virolosgy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Christina Wangen
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virolosgy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Friedrich Hahn
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virolosgy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Benedikt B. Kaufer
- Institute of Virology, Freie Universität Berlin, Robert-von-Ostertag-Straße 7–13, 14163 Berlin, Germany
| | - Frank Neipel
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virolosgy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
| | - Jan Eickhoff
- Lead Discovery Center GmbH, Otto-Hahn-Straße 15, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
| | - Bert Klebl
- Lead Discovery Center GmbH, Otto-Hahn-Straße 15, 44227 Dortmund, Germany
- The Norwegian College of Fishery Science UiT, Arctic University of Norway, 9037 Tromsø, Norway
| | - Kiyean Nam
- Qurient Co., Ltd., C-Dong, 242 Pangyo-ro, C801 Bundang-gu, Seongnam-si 13487, Republic of Korea
| | - Manfred Marschall
- Institute for Clinical and Molecular Virolosgy, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), Schlossgarten 4, 91054 Erlangen, Germany
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12
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Zhang H, Lin G, Jia S, Zhang Y, Wu J, Tao Y, Huang W, Song M, Ding K, Ma D, Fan M. Discovery and optimization of thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine derivatives as highly selective inhibitors of cyclin-dependent kinase 7. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 263:115955. [PMID: 38000213 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2023.115955] [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: 11/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/26/2023]
Abstract
Targeting cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) has emerged as a highly sought-after therapeutic strategy in oncology due to its duality of function in regulating biological processes, including cell cycle progression and transcriptional control. Herein, we describe the design, optimization and characterization of a series of thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine derivatives as potent CDK7 inhibitors. The involvement of thiophene as core structure plays critical role in leading to the remarkable selectivity and incorporation of a fluorine atom into the piperidine ring enhances metabolic stability. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) study generated compound 36 as lead compound with potent inhibitory activity against CDK7 and good kinome selectivity in vitro. Compound 36 demonstrated strong efficacy against a triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell line-derived xenograft (CDX) mouse model upon oral administration at 5 mg/kg once daily. Therefore, it exhibits immense potential as a lead candidate for further exploration in the development of cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hongjin Zhang
- Academy of Medical Engineering and Translational Medicine (AMT), Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China; Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310018, China
| | - Guohao Lin
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310018, China; Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China
| | - Suyun Jia
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310018, China; School of Molecular Medicine, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310024, China; Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 20032, China
| | - Ying Zhang
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310018, China; College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
| | - Jianbo Wu
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310018, China; College of Pharmaceutical Science, Zhejiang University of Technology, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310014, China
| | - Yanxin Tao
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310018, China; School of Molecular Medicine, Hangzhou Institute for Advanced Study, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310024, China; Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 201203, China; School of of Life Sciences, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China
| | - Weixue Huang
- Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 20032, China
| | - Meiru Song
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310018, China; Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China
| | - Ke Ding
- Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 20032, China.
| | - Dawei Ma
- Shanghai Institute of Organic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, 20032, China.
| | - Mengyang Fan
- Hangzhou Institute of Medicine (HIM), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310018, China; Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310022, China.
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13
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Pluta AJ, Studniarek C, Murphy S, Norbury CJ. Cyclin-dependent kinases: Masters of the eukaryotic universe. WILEY INTERDISCIPLINARY REVIEWS. RNA 2023; 15:e1816. [PMID: 37718413 PMCID: PMC10909489 DOI: 10.1002/wrna.1816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/05/2023] [Revised: 07/21/2023] [Accepted: 08/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/19/2023]
Abstract
A family of structurally related cyclin-dependent protein kinases (CDKs) drives many aspects of eukaryotic cell function. Much of the literature in this area has considered individual members of this family to act primarily either as regulators of the cell cycle, the context in which CDKs were first discovered, or as regulators of transcription. Until recently, CDK7 was the only clear example of a CDK that functions in both processes. However, new data points to several "cell-cycle" CDKs having important roles in transcription and some "transcriptional" CDKs having cell cycle-related targets. For example, novel functions in transcription have been demonstrated for the archetypal cell cycle regulator CDK1. The increasing evidence of the overlap between these two CDK types suggests that they might play a critical role in coordinating the two processes. Here we review the canonical functions of cell-cycle and transcriptional CDKs, and provide an update on how these kinases collaborate to perform important cellular functions. We also provide a brief overview of how dysregulation of CDKs contributes to carcinogenesis, and possible treatment avenues. This article is categorized under: RNA Interactions with Proteins and Other Molecules > RNA-Protein Complexes RNA Processing > 3' End Processing RNA Processing > Splicing Regulation/Alternative Splicing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Shona Murphy
- Sir William Dunn School of PathologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
| | - Chris J. Norbury
- Sir William Dunn School of PathologyUniversity of OxfordOxfordUK
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14
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Gaur T, Poddutoori R, Khare L, Bagal B, Rashmi S, Patkar N, Tembhare P, Pg S, Shetty D, Dutt A, Zhang Q, Konopleva M, Platzbeckar U, Gupta S, Samajdar S, Ramchandra M, Khattry N, Hasan SK. Novel covalent CDK7 inhibitor potently induces apoptosis in acute myeloid leukemia and synergizes with Venetoclax. J Exp Clin Cancer Res 2023; 42:186. [PMID: 37507802 PMCID: PMC10386772 DOI: 10.1186/s13046-023-02750-w] [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: 05/05/2023] [Accepted: 07/07/2023] [Indexed: 07/30/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The emergence of resistance to the highly successful BCL2-directed therapy is a major unmet need in acute myeloid leukemia (AML), an aggressive malignancy with poor survival rates. Towards identifying therapeutic options for AML patients who progress on BCL2-directed therapy, we studied a clinical-stage CDK7 inhibitor XL102, which is being evaluated in solid tumors (NCT04726332). MATERIALS AND METHODS To determine the anti-proliferative effects of XL102, we performed experiments including time-resolved fluorescence resonance energy transfer, target occupancy, cell cycle and apoptosis-based assays. We also included genetically characterized primary myeloid blasts from de novo and relapsed/refractory AML patients. For mechanistic studies, CRISPR/Cas9 mediated knockout of CDK7 and c-Myc and immunoblotting were performed. NOD/SCID orthotropic and subcutaneous AML xenografts were used to determine anti-leukemic effects. To assess the synergistic effects of XL102 with Venetoclax, we performed RNA sequencing and gene set enrichment analysis using Venetoclax sensitive and resistant model systems. RESULTS XL102, a highly specific, orally bioavailable covalent inhibitor of CDK7. Inhibitory effect on CDK7 by XL102 in primary myeloid blasts (n = 54) was in nanomolar range (mean = 300 nM; range = 4.0-952 nM). XL102 treated AML cells showed a reduction in phosphorylation levels of Serine 2/5/7 at carboxy-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II. T-loop phosphorylation of CDK1(Thr161) and CDK2(Thr160) was inhibited by XL102 in dose-dependent manner leading to cell-cycle arrest. c-Myc downregulation and enhanced levels of p53 and p21 in XL102 treated cells were observed. Increased levels of p21 and activation of p53 by XL102 were mimicked by genetic ablation of CDK7, which supports that the observed effects of XL102 are due to CDK7 inhibition. XL102 treated AML xenografts showed remarkable reduction in hCD45 + marrow cells (mean = 0.60%; range = 0.04%-3.53%) compared to vehicle control (mean = 38.2%; range = 10.1%-78%), with corresponding increase in p53, p21 and decrease in c-Myc levels. The data suggests XL102 induces apoptosis in AML cells via CDK7/c-Myc/p53 axis. RNA-sequencing from paired Venetoclax-sensitive and Venetoclax-resistant cells treated with XL102 showed downregulation of genes involved in proliferation and apoptosis. CONCLUSION Taken together, XL102 with Venetoclax led to synergistic effects in overcoming resistance and provided a strong rationale for clinical evaluation of XL102 as a single agent and in combination with Venetoclax.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tarang Gaur
- Hasan Lab, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Navi, Mumbai, 410210, India
- Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, 400094, India
| | - Ramulu Poddutoori
- Aurigene Oncology Limited, Electronic City Hosur Road, Bangalore, 560100, India
| | - Leena Khare
- Aurigene Oncology Limited, Electronic City Hosur Road, Bangalore, 560100, India
| | - Bhausaheb Bagal
- Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, 400094, India
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, 400014, India
| | - Sonal Rashmi
- Dutt Lab, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Navi, Mumbai, 410210, India
- Present Address: CNAG-CRG, Centre for Genomic Regulation (CRG), Barcelona Institute of Science and Technology (BIST), Barcelona, Spain
| | - Nikhil Patkar
- Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, 400094, India
- Hematopathology Laboratory, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Navi, Mumbai, 410210, India
| | - Prashant Tembhare
- Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, 400094, India
- Hematopathology Laboratory, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Navi, Mumbai, 410210, India
| | - Subramanian Pg
- Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, 400094, India
- Hematopathology Laboratory, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Navi, Mumbai, 410210, India
| | - Dhanlaxmi Shetty
- Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, 400094, India
- Department of Cytogenetics, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Navi, Mumbai, 410210, India
| | - Amit Dutt
- Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, 400094, India
- Dutt Lab, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Navi, Mumbai, 410210, India
| | - Qi Zhang
- Department of Leukemia, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX, 77030, USA
| | | | - Uwe Platzbeckar
- Medical Clinic and Policlinic I, Hematology and Cellular Therapy, University Hospital Leipzig, Johannisallee 32, 04103, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Sudeep Gupta
- Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, 400094, India
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, 400014, India
| | - Susanta Samajdar
- Aurigene Oncology Limited, Electronic City Hosur Road, Bangalore, 560100, India
| | - Murali Ramchandra
- Aurigene Oncology Limited, Electronic City Hosur Road, Bangalore, 560100, India
| | - Navin Khattry
- Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, 400094, India.
- Department of Medical Oncology, Tata Memorial Hospital, Tata Memorial Centre, Mumbai, 400014, India.
| | - Syed K Hasan
- Hasan Lab, Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), Tata Memorial Centre, Navi, Mumbai, 410210, India.
- Homi Bhabha National Institute (HBNI), Anushaktinagar, Mumbai, 400094, India.
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15
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Chowdhury I, Dashi G, Keskitalo S. CMGC Kinases in Health and Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:3838. [PMID: 37568654 PMCID: PMC10417348 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15153838] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2023] [Revised: 07/18/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/13/2023] Open
Abstract
CMGC kinases, encompassing cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs), glycogen synthase kinases (GSKs), and CDC-like kinases (CLKs), play pivotal roles in cellular signaling pathways, including cell cycle regulation, proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis, and gene expression regulation. The dysregulation and aberrant activation of these kinases have been implicated in cancer development and progression, making them attractive therapeutic targets. In recent years, kinase inhibitors targeting CMGC kinases, such as CDK4/6 inhibitors and BRAF/MEK inhibitors, have demonstrated clinical success in treating specific cancer types. However, challenges remain, including resistance to kinase inhibitors, off-target effects, and the need for better patient stratification. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the importance of CMGC kinases in cancer biology, their involvement in cellular signaling pathways, protein-protein interactions, and the current state of kinase inhibitors targeting these kinases. Furthermore, we discuss the challenges and future perspectives in targeting CMGC kinases for cancer therapy, including potential strategies to overcome resistance, the development of more selective inhibitors, and novel therapeutic approaches, such as targeting protein-protein interactions, exploiting synthetic lethality, and the evolution of omics in the study of the human kinome. As our understanding of the molecular mechanisms and protein-protein interactions involving CMGC kinases expands, so too will the opportunities for the development of more selective and effective therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Iftekhar Chowdhury
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (I.C.)
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Giovanna Dashi
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (I.C.)
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
| | - Salla Keskitalo
- Institute of Biotechnology, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland; (I.C.)
- Helsinki Institute of Life Science, University of Helsinki, 00014 Helsinki, Finland
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16
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Constantin TA, Varela-Carver A, Greenland KK, de Almeida GS, Olden E, Penfold L, Ang S, Ormrod A, Leach DA, Lai CF, Ainscow EK, Bahl AK, Carling D, Fuchter MJ, Ali S, Bevan CL. The CDK7 inhibitor CT7001 (Samuraciclib) targets proliferation pathways to inhibit advanced prostate cancer. Br J Cancer 2023; 128:2326-2337. [PMID: 37076563 PMCID: PMC10241923 DOI: 10.1038/s41416-023-02252-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 03/15/2023] [Accepted: 03/21/2023] [Indexed: 04/21/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Current strategies to inhibit androgen receptor (AR) are circumvented in castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) promotes AR signalling, in addition to established roles in cell cycle and global transcription, providing a rationale for its therapeutic targeting in CRPC. METHODS The antitumour activity of CT7001, an orally bioavailable CDK7 inhibitor, was investigated across CRPC models in vitro and in xenograft models in vivo. Cell-based assays and transcriptomic analyses of treated xenografts were employed to investigate the mechanisms driving CT7001 activity, alone and in combination with the antiandrogen enzalutamide. RESULTS CT7001 selectively engages with CDK7 in prostate cancer cells, causing inhibition of proliferation and cell cycle arrest. Activation of p53, induction of apoptosis, and suppression of transcription mediated by full-length and constitutively active AR splice variants contribute to antitumour efficacy in vitro. Oral administration of CT7001 represses growth of CRPC xenografts and significantly augments growth inhibition achieved by enzalutamide. Transcriptome analyses of treated xenografts indicate cell cycle and AR inhibition as the mode of action of CT7001 in vivo. CONCLUSIONS This study supports CDK7 inhibition as a strategy to target deregulated cell proliferation and demonstrates CT7001 is a promising CRPC therapeutic, alone or in combination with AR-targeting compounds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Theodora A Constantin
- Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - Anabel Varela-Carver
- Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - Kyle K Greenland
- Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - Gilberto Serrano de Almeida
- Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - Ellen Olden
- Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - Lucy Penfold
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
| | - Simon Ang
- Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - Alice Ormrod
- Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - Damien A Leach
- Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - Chun-Fui Lai
- Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - Edward K Ainscow
- Carrick Therapeutics, Nova UCD, Bellfield Innovation Park, Dublin, 4, Ireland
| | - Ash K Bahl
- Carrick Therapeutics, Nova UCD, Bellfield Innovation Park, Dublin, 4, Ireland
| | - David Carling
- MRC London Institute of Medical Sciences, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK
| | - Matthew J Fuchter
- Department of Chemistry, Molecular Sciences Research Hub, Imperial College London, White City Campus, London, UK
| | - Simak Ali
- Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK
| | - Charlotte L Bevan
- Imperial Centre for Translational and Experimental Medicine, Department of Surgery and Cancer, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital Campus, London, UK.
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17
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Ford K, Munson BP, Fong SH, Panwala R, Chu WK, Rainaldi J, Plongthongkum N, Arunachalam V, Kostrowicki J, Meluzzi D, Kreisberg JF, Jensen-Pergakes K, VanArsdale T, Paul T, Tamayo P, Zhang K, Bienkowska J, Mali P, Ideker T. Multimodal perturbation analyses of cyclin-dependent kinases reveal a network of synthetic lethalities associated with cell-cycle regulation and transcriptional regulation. Sci Rep 2023; 13:7678. [PMID: 37169829 PMCID: PMC10175263 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-33329-2] [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: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/13/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell-cycle control is accomplished by cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), motivating extensive research into CDK targeting small-molecule drugs as cancer therapeutics. Here we use combinatorial CRISPR/Cas9 perturbations to uncover an extensive network of functional interdependencies among CDKs and related factors, identifying 43 synthetic-lethal and 12 synergistic interactions. We dissect CDK perturbations using single-cell RNAseq, for which we develop a novel computational framework to precisely quantify cell-cycle effects and diverse cell states orchestrated by specific CDKs. While pairwise disruption of CDK4/6 is synthetic-lethal, only CDK6 is required for normal cell-cycle progression and transcriptional activation. Multiple CDKs (CDK1/7/9/12) are synthetic-lethal in combination with PRMT5, independent of cell-cycle control. In-depth analysis of mRNA expression and splicing patterns provides multiple lines of evidence that the CDK-PRMT5 dependency is due to aberrant transcriptional regulation resulting in premature termination. These inter-dependencies translate to drug-drug synergies, with therapeutic implications in cancer and other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kyle Ford
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Brenton P Munson
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Samson H Fong
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Rebecca Panwala
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Wai Keung Chu
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Joseph Rainaldi
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
- Biomedical Sciences Program, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Nongluk Plongthongkum
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | | | | | - Dario Meluzzi
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Jason F Kreisberg
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | | | - Todd VanArsdale
- Pfizer Inc, 10555 Science Center Drive, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Thomas Paul
- Pfizer Inc, 10555 Science Center Drive, San Diego, CA, 92121, USA
| | - Pablo Tamayo
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Kun Zhang
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | | | - Prashant Mali
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
| | - Trey Ideker
- Department of Bioengineering, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
- Department of Medicine, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
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18
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Cui G, Zhou JY, Ge XY, Sun BF, Song GG, Wang X, Wang XZ, Zhang R, Wang HL, Jing Q, Koziol MJ, Zhao YL, Zeng A, Zhang WQ, Han DL, Yang YG, Yang Y. m 6 A promotes planarian regeneration. Cell Prolif 2023; 56:e13481. [PMID: 37084418 DOI: 10.1111/cpr.13481] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Revised: 03/23/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 04/23/2023] Open
Abstract
Regeneration is the regrowth of damaged tissues or organs, a vital process in response to damages from primitive organisms to higher mammals. Planarian possesses active whole-body regenerative capability owing to its vast reservoir of adult stem cells, neoblasts, providing an ideal model to delineate the underlying mechanisms for regeneration. RNA N6 -methyladenosine (m6 A) modification participates in many biological processes, including stem cell self-renewal and differentiation, in particular the regeneration of haematopoietic stem cells and axons. However, how m6 A controls regeneration at the whole-organism level remains largely unknown. Here, we demonstrate that the depletion of m6 A methyltransferase regulatory subunit wtap abolishes planarian regeneration, potentially through regulating genes related to cell-cell communication and cell cycle. Single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq) analysis unveils that the wtap knockdown induces a unique type of neural progenitor-like cells (NP-like cells), characterized by specific expression of the cell-cell communication ligand grn. Intriguingly, the depletion of m6 A-modified transcripts grn, cdk9 or cdk7 partially rescues the defective regeneration of planarian caused by wtap knockdown. Overall, our study reveals an indispensable role of m6 A modification in regulating whole-organism regeneration.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guanshen Cui
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, College of Future Technology, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China
- Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Jia-Yi Zhou
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, College of Future Technology, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China
| | - Xin-Yang Ge
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, College of Future Technology, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China
- Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Bao-Fa Sun
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, College of Future Technology, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China
| | - Ge-Ge Song
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, College of Future Technology, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China
| | - Xing Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, College of Future Technology, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China
| | - Xiu-Zhi Wang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, College of Future Technology, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China
- Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Hai-Lin Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry and Ecotoxicology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Qing Jing
- Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine & CAS Key Laboratory of Tissue Microenvironment and Tumor, Shanghai, Institute of Nutrition and Health, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Magdalena J Koziol
- Chinese Institute for Brain Research (Beijing), Research Unit of Medical Neurobiology, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yong-Liang Zhao
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, College of Future Technology, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China
| | - An Zeng
- The State Key Laboratory of Cell Biology, CAS Center for Excellence in Molecular Cell Science, Shanghai Institute of Biochemistry and Cell Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, China
| | - Wei-Qi Zhang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, College of Future Technology, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China
| | - Da-Li Han
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, College of Future Technology, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China
- Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yun-Gui Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, College of Future Technology, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China
- Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Ying Yang
- CAS Key Laboratory of Genomic and Precision Medicine, Collaborative Innovation Center of Genetics and Development, College of Future Technology, Beijing Institute of Genomics, Chinese Academy of Sciences and China National Center for Bioinformation, Beijing, China
- Sino-Danish College, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
- Institute of Stem Cell and Regeneration, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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19
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D'Aes T, Marlier Q, Verteneuil S, Quatresooz P, Vandenbosch R, Malgrange B. Re-Evaluating the Relevance of the Oxygen-Glucose Deprivation Model in Ischemic Stroke: The Example of Cdk Inhibition. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24087009. [PMID: 37108171 PMCID: PMC10138648 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24087009] [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: 03/16/2023] [Revised: 04/03/2023] [Accepted: 04/06/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Previous research has shown that cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdks) that play physiological roles in cell cycle regulation become activated in post-mitotic neurons after ischemic stroke, resulting in apoptotic neuronal death. In this article, we report our results using the widely used oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) in vitro model of ischemic stroke on primary mouse cortical neurons to investigate whether Cdk7, as part of the Cdk-activating kinase (CAK) complex that activates cell cycle Cdks, might be a regulator of ischemic neuronal death and may potentially constitute a therapeutic target for neuroprotection. We found no evidence of neuroprotection with either pharmacological or genetic invalidation of Cdk7. Despite the well-established idea that apoptosis contributes to cell death in the ischemic penumbra, we also found no evidence of apoptosis in the OGD model. This could explain the absence of neuroprotection following Cdk7 invalidation in this model. Neurons exposed to OGD seem predisposed to die in an NMDA receptor-dependent manner that could not be prevented further downstream. Given the direct exposure of neurons to anoxia or severe hypoxia, it is questionable how relevant OGD is for modeling the ischemic penumbra. Due to remaining uncertainties about cell death after OGD, caution is warranted when using this in vitro model to identify new stroke therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tine D'Aes
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, GIGA-Stem Cells & GIGA-Neurosciences, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Quentin Marlier
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, GIGA-Stem Cells & GIGA-Neurosciences, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
- Dendrogenix, Avenue de l'Hôpital, 1-B34 +3, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Sébastien Verteneuil
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, GIGA-Stem Cells & GIGA-Neurosciences, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
- Division of Histology, Department of Biomedical and Preclinical Sciences, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Pascale Quatresooz
- Division of Histology, Department of Biomedical and Preclinical Sciences, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Renaud Vandenbosch
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, GIGA-Stem Cells & GIGA-Neurosciences, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
- Division of Histology, Department of Biomedical and Preclinical Sciences, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
| | - Brigitte Malgrange
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, GIGA-Stem Cells & GIGA-Neurosciences, University of Liège, 4000 Liège, Belgium
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20
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Prieto S, Dubra G, Camasses A, Aznar AB, Begon‐Pescia C, Simboeck E, Pirot N, Gerbe F, Angevin L, Jay P, Krasinska L, Fisher D. CDK8 and CDK19 act redundantly to control the CFTR pathway in the intestinal epithelium. EMBO Rep 2023; 24:e54261. [PMID: 36545778 PMCID: PMC10549226 DOI: 10.15252/embr.202154261] [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: 11/02/2021] [Revised: 11/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/28/2022] [Indexed: 12/24/2022] Open
Abstract
CDK8 and CDK19 form a conserved cyclin-dependent kinase subfamily that interacts with the essential transcription complex, Mediator, and also phosphorylates the C-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II. Cells lacking either CDK8 or CDK19 are viable and have limited transcriptional alterations, but whether the two kinases redundantly control cell proliferation and differentiation is unknown. Here, we find in mice that CDK8 is dispensable for regulation of gene expression, normal intestinal homeostasis, and efficient tumourigenesis, and is largely redundant with CDK19 in the control of gene expression. Their combined deletion in intestinal organoids reduces long-term proliferative capacity but is not lethal and allows differentiation. However, double-mutant organoids show mucus accumulation and increased secretion by goblet cells, as well as downregulation of expression of the cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) and functionality of the CFTR pathway. Pharmacological inhibition of CDK8/19 kinase activity in organoids and in mice recapitulates several of these phenotypes. Thus, the Mediator kinases are not essential for cell proliferation and differentiation in an adult tissue, but they cooperate to regulate specific transcriptional programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Susana Prieto
- IGMMUniversity of Montpellier, CNRS, InsermMontpellierFrance
- Equipe Labellisée LIGUE 2018, Ligue Nationale Contre le CancerParisFrance
| | - Geronimo Dubra
- IGMMUniversity of Montpellier, CNRS, InsermMontpellierFrance
- Equipe Labellisée LIGUE 2018, Ligue Nationale Contre le CancerParisFrance
| | - Alain Camasses
- IGMMUniversity of Montpellier, CNRS, InsermMontpellierFrance
- Equipe Labellisée LIGUE 2018, Ligue Nationale Contre le CancerParisFrance
| | - Ana Bella Aznar
- IGMMUniversity of Montpellier, CNRS, InsermMontpellierFrance
- Equipe Labellisée LIGUE 2018, Ligue Nationale Contre le CancerParisFrance
| | - Christina Begon‐Pescia
- IGMMUniversity of Montpellier, CNRS, InsermMontpellierFrance
- Present address:
LPHIUniversity of MontpellierMontpellierFrance
| | - Elisabeth Simboeck
- IGMMUniversity of Montpellier, CNRS, InsermMontpellierFrance
- Equipe Labellisée LIGUE 2018, Ligue Nationale Contre le CancerParisFrance
- Present address:
UAS Technikum WienViennaAustria
| | - Nelly Pirot
- IRCM, University of Montpellier, ICM, INSERMMontpellierFrance
- BioCampus, RHEMUniversity of Montpellier, CNRS, INSERMMontpellierFrance
| | - François Gerbe
- Equipe Labellisée LIGUE 2018, Ligue Nationale Contre le CancerParisFrance
- IGFUniversity of Montpellier, CNRS, InsermMontpellierFrance
| | - Lucie Angevin
- IGMMUniversity of Montpellier, CNRS, InsermMontpellierFrance
- Equipe Labellisée LIGUE 2018, Ligue Nationale Contre le CancerParisFrance
| | - Philippe Jay
- Equipe Labellisée LIGUE 2018, Ligue Nationale Contre le CancerParisFrance
- IGFUniversity of Montpellier, CNRS, InsermMontpellierFrance
| | - Liliana Krasinska
- IGMMUniversity of Montpellier, CNRS, InsermMontpellierFrance
- Equipe Labellisée LIGUE 2018, Ligue Nationale Contre le CancerParisFrance
| | - Daniel Fisher
- IGMMUniversity of Montpellier, CNRS, InsermMontpellierFrance
- Equipe Labellisée LIGUE 2018, Ligue Nationale Contre le CancerParisFrance
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21
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D'costa M, Bothe A, Das S, Udhaya Kumar S, Gnanasambandan R, George Priya Doss C. CDK regulators—Cell cycle progression or apoptosis—Scenarios in normal cells and cancerous cells. ADVANCES IN PROTEIN CHEMISTRY AND STRUCTURAL BIOLOGY 2023; 135:125-177. [PMID: 37061330 DOI: 10.1016/bs.apcsb.2022.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/08/2023]
Abstract
Serine/threonine kinases called cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) interact with cyclins and CDK inhibitors (CKIs) to control the catalytic activity. CDKs are essential controllers of RNA transcription and cell cycle advancement. The ubiquitous overactivity of the cell cycle CDKs is caused by a number of genetic and epigenetic processes in human cancer, and their suppression can result in both cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. This review focused on CDKs, describing their kinase activity, their role in phosphorylation inhibition, and CDK inhibitory proteins (CIP/KIP, INK 4, RPIC). We next compared the role of different CDKs, mainly p21, p27, p57, p16, p15, p18, and p19, in the cell cycle and apoptosis in cancer cells with respect to normal cells. The current work also draws attention to the use of CDKIs as therapeutics, overcoming the pharmacokinetic barriers of pan-CDK inhibitors, analyze new chemical classes that are effective at attacking the CDKs that control the cell cycle (cdk4/6 or cdk2). It also discusses CDKI's drawbacks and its combination therapy against cancer patients. These findings collectively demonstrate the complexity of cancer cell cycles and the need for targeted therapeutic intervention. In order to slow the progression of the disease or enhance clinical outcomes, new medicines may be discovered by researching the relationship between cell death and cell proliferation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Maria D'costa
- Laboratory of Integrative Genomics, Department of Integrative Biology, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Anusha Bothe
- Laboratory of Integrative Genomics, Department of Integrative Biology, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Soumik Das
- Laboratory of Integrative Genomics, Department of Integrative Biology, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - S Udhaya Kumar
- Laboratory of Integrative Genomics, Department of Integrative Biology, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - R Gnanasambandan
- Laboratory of Integrative Genomics, Department of Integrative Biology, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
| | - C George Priya Doss
- Laboratory of Integrative Genomics, Department of Integrative Biology, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Vellore, Tamil Nadu, India.
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22
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Donovan MG, Galbraith MD, Espinosa JM. Multi-omics investigation reveals functional specialization of transcriptional cyclin dependent kinases in cancer biology. Sci Rep 2022; 12:22505. [PMID: 36577800 PMCID: PMC9797569 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-022-26860-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 12/21/2022] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Transcriptional addiction is recognized as a valid therapeutic target in cancer, whereby the dependency of cancer cells on oncogenic transcriptional regulators may be pharmacologically exploited. However, a comprehensive understanding of the key factors within the transcriptional machinery that might afford a useful therapeutic window remains elusive. Herein, we present a cross-omics investigation into the functional specialization of the transcriptional cyclin dependent kinases (tCDKs) through analysis of high-content genetic dependency, gene expression, patient survival, and drug response datasets. This analysis revealed specialization among tCDKs in terms of contributions to cancer cell fitness, clinical prognosis, and interaction with oncogenic signaling pathways. CDK7 and CDK9 stand out as the most relevant targets, albeit through distinct mechanisms of oncogenicity and context-dependent contributions to cancer survival and drug sensitivity. Genetic ablation of CDK9, but not CDK7, mimics the effect on cell viability the loss of key components of the transcriptional machinery. Pathway analysis of genetic co-dependency and drug sensitivity data show CDK7 and CDK9 have distinct relationships with major oncogenic signatures, including MYC and E2F targets, oxidative phosphorylation, and the unfolded protein response. Altogether, these results inform the improved design of therapeutic strategies targeting tCDKs in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Micah G Donovan
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Matthew D Galbraith
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
- Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA
| | - Joaquin M Espinosa
- Department of Pharmacology, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
- Linda Crnic Institute for Down Syndrome, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora, CO, USA.
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23
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Li ZM, Liu G, Gao Y, Zhao MG. Targeting CDK7 in oncology: The avenue forward. Pharmacol Ther 2022; 240:108229. [PMID: 35700828 DOI: 10.1016/j.pharmthera.2022.108229] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/02/2022] [Revised: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 06/07/2022] [Indexed: 12/14/2022]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 7 is best characterized for the ability to regulate biological processes, including the cell cycle and gene transcription. Abnormal CDK7 activity is observed in various tumours and represents a driving force for tumourigenesis. Therefore, CDK7 may be an appealing target for cancer treatment. Whereas, the enthusiasm for CDK7-targeted therapeutic strategy is mitigated due to the widely possessed belief that this protein is essential for normal cells. Indeed, the fact confronts the consensus. This is the first review to introduce the role of CDK7 in pan-cancers via a combined analysis of comprehensive gene information and (pre)clinical research results. We also discuss the recent advances in protein structure and summarize the understanding of mechanisms underlying CDK7 function. These endeavours highlight the pivotal roles of CDK7 in tumours and may contribute to the development of effective CDK7 inhibitors within the strategy of structure-based drug discovery for cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Mei Li
- Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Guan Liu
- Department of General Surgery, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xinsi Road 1, Xi'an 710038, Shaanxi, PR China
| | - Ya Gao
- State Key Laboratory of Esophageal Cancer Prevention and Treatment, Key Laboratory of Advanced Drug Preparation Technologies, Ministry of Education of China, Key Laboratory of Henan Province for Drug Quality and Evaluation, Institute of Drug Discovery and Development, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Zhengzhou University, 100 Kexue Avenue, Zhengzhou 450001, Henan, PR China.
| | - Ming-Gao Zhao
- Institute of Medical Research, Northwestern Polytechnical University, Xi'an 710072, Shaanxi, PR China; Department of Pharmacy, Tangdu Hospital, Fourth Military Medical University, Xinsi Road 1, Xi'an 710038, Shaanxi, PR China.
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24
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Dion V, Schumacher N, Masar N, Pieltain A, Tocquin P, Lesoinne P, Malgrange B, Vandenbosch R, Franzen R. Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 contributes to myelin maintenance in the adult central nervous system and promotes myelin gene expression. Glia 2022; 70:1652-1665. [PMID: 35488490 DOI: 10.1002/glia.24186] [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: 05/05/2021] [Revised: 04/08/2022] [Accepted: 04/21/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Abstract
Mechanisms regulating oligodendrocyte differentiation, developmental myelination and myelin maintenance in adulthood are complex and still not completely described. Their understanding is crucial for the development of new protective or therapeutic strategies in demyelinating pathologies such as multiple sclerosis. In this perspective, we have investigated the role of Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (Cdk7), a kinase involved in cell-cycle progression and transcription regulation, in the oligodendroglial lineage. We generated a conditional knock-out mouse model in which Cdk7 is invalidated in post-mitotic oligodendrocytes. At the end of developmental myelination, the number and diameter of myelinated axons, as well as the myelin structure, thickness and protein composition, were normal. However, in young adult and in aged mice, there was a higher number of small caliber myelinated axons associated with a decreased mean axonal diameter, myelin sheaths of large caliber axons were thinner, and the level of some major myelin-associated proteins was reduced. These defects were accompanied by the appearance of an abnormal clasping phenotype. We also used an in vitro oligodendroglial model and showed that Cdk7 pharmacological inhibition led to an altered myelination-associated morphological modification combined with a decreased expression of myelin-specific genes. Altogether, we identified novel functions for Cdk7 in CNS myelination.
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Affiliation(s)
- Valérie Dion
- Laboratory of Nervous System Disorders and Therapies, GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Nathalie Schumacher
- Laboratory of Nervous System Disorders and Therapies, GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Nathalie Masar
- Laboratory of Nervous System Disorders and Therapies, GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Alexandra Pieltain
- Laboratory of Nervous System Disorders and Therapies, GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Pierre Tocquin
- CARE PhytoSYSTEMS, Integrative Biological Sciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Pierre Lesoinne
- Laboratory of Nervous System Disorders and Therapies, GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Brigitte Malgrange
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, GIGA Stem Cells & GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Renaud Vandenbosch
- Laboratory of Developmental Neurobiology, GIGA Stem Cells & GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium.,Division of Histology, Department of Biomedical and Preclinical Sciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
| | - Rachelle Franzen
- Laboratory of Nervous System Disorders and Therapies, GIGA Neurosciences, University of Liège, Liège, Belgium
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25
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Shi Z, Tian L, Qiang T, Li J, Xing Y, Ren X, Liu C, Liang C. From Structure Modification to Drug Launch: A Systematic Review of the Ongoing Development of Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitors for Multiple Cancer Therapy. J Med Chem 2022; 65:6390-6418. [PMID: 35485642 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.1c02064] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Herein, we discuss more than 50 cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors that have been approved or have undergone clinical trials and their therapeutic application in multiple cancers. This review discusses the design strategies, structure-activity relationships, and efficacy performances of these selective or nonselective CDK inhibitors. The theoretical basis of early broad-spectrum CDK inhibitors is similar to the scope of chemotherapy, but because their toxicity is greater than the benefit, there is no clinical therapeutic window. The notion that selective CDK inhibitors have a safer therapeutic potential than pan-CDK inhibitors has been widely recognized during the research process. Four CDK4/6 inhibitors have been approved for the treatment of breast cancer or for prophylactic administration during chemotherapy to protect bone marrow and immune system function. Furthermore, the emerging strategies in the field of CDK inhibitors are summarized briefly, and CDKs continue to be widely pursued as emerging anticancer drug targets for drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhenfeng Shi
- Department of Urology Surgery Center, The People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830002, P. R. China
| | - Lei Tian
- College of Bioresources Chemical and Materials Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an 710021, P. R. China.,Faculty of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an 710021, P. R. China
| | - Taotao Qiang
- College of Bioresources Chemical and Materials Engineering, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an 710021, P. R. China
| | - Jingyi Li
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an 710021, P. R. China
| | - Yue Xing
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an 710021, P. R. China
| | - Xiaodong Ren
- Medical College, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, P. R. China
| | - Chang Liu
- Zhuhai Jinan Selenium Source Nanotechnology Co., Ltd., Zhuhai 519030, P. R. China
| | - Chengyuan Liang
- Faculty of Pharmacy, Shaanxi University of Science & Technology, Xi'an 710021, P. R. China
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26
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Chen Y, Fernandez EA, Roger C, Lopez-Mejia IC, Fajas Coll L, Ji H. Adipocyte-Specific CDK7 Ablation Leads to Progressive Loss of Adipose Tissue and Metabolic Dysfunction. FEBS Lett 2022; 596:1434-1444. [PMID: 35294049 DOI: 10.1002/1873-3468.14335] [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: 01/24/2022] [Revised: 03/01/2022] [Accepted: 03/04/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022]
Abstract
Adipose tissue regulates whole-body energy homeostasis. Both lipodystrophy and obesity, the extreme and opposite aspects of adipose tissue dysfunction, result in metabolic disorders: insulin resistance and hepatic steatosis. Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) have been reported to be involved in adipose tissue development and functions. Using adipose tissue-specific knockout mice, here we demonstrate that the deletion of CDK7 in adipose tissue results in progressive lipodystrophy, insulin resistance, impaired adipokine secretion and down-regulation of fat-specific genes, which are aggravated on high-fat diet and during aging. Our studies suggest that CDK7 is a key regulatory component of adipose tissue maintenance and systemic energy homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yizhe Chen
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Eric Aria Fernandez
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Catherine Roger
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | - Lluis Fajas Coll
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm), Languedoc Roussillon, France
| | - Honglei Ji
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Institute for Diabetes and Cancer, Helmholtz Center Munich, Neuherberg, Germany
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27
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Gao Y, Volegova M, Nasholm N, Das S, Kwiatkowski N, Abraham BJ, Zhang T, Gray NS, Gustafson C, Krajewska M, George RE. Synergistic Anti-Tumor Effect of Combining Selective CDK7 and BRD4 Inhibition in Neuroblastoma. Front Oncol 2022; 11:773186. [PMID: 35198433 PMCID: PMC8859926 DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2021.773186] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/09/2021] [Accepted: 12/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
PURPOSE Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) that have critical roles in RNA polymerase II (Pol II)-mediated gene transcription are emerging as therapeutic targets in cancer. We have previously shown that THZ1, a covalent inhibitor of CDKs 7/12/13, leads to cytotoxicity in MYCN-amplified neuroblastoma through the downregulation of super-enhancer-associated transcriptional upregulation. Here we determined the effects of YKL-5-124, a novel covalent inhibitor with greater selectivity for CDK7 in neuroblastoma cells. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We tested YKL-5-124 in MYCN-amplified and nonamplified neuroblastoma cells individually and in combination with other inhibitors in cell line and animal models. Cell viability, target validation, effects on cell cycle and transcription were analyzed. RESULTS CDK7 inhibition with YKL-5-124 did not lead to significant cell death, but resulted in aberrant cell cycle progression especially in MYCN-amplified cells. Unlike THZ1, YKL-5-124 had minimal effects on Pol II C-terminal domain phosphorylation, but significantly inhibited that of the CDK1 and CDK2 cell cycle kinases. Combining YKL-5-124 with the BRD4 inhibitor JQ1 resulted in synergistic cytotoxicity. A distinct MYCN-gene expression signature associated with resistance to BRD4 inhibition was suppressed with the combination. The synergy between YKL-5-124 and JQ1 translated into significant tumor regression in cell line and patient-derived xenograft mouse models of neuroblastoma. CONCLUSIONS The combination of CDK7 and BRD4 inhibition provides a therapeutic option for neuroblastoma and suggests that the addition of YKL-5-124 could improve the therapeutic efficacy of JQ1 and delay resistance to BRD4 inhibition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Gao
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Marina Volegova
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nicole Nasholm
- Department of Pediatrics, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Sanjukta Das
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nicholas Kwiatkowski
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Brian J Abraham
- Department of Computational Biology, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Memphis, TN, United States
| | - Tinghu Zhang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Nathanael S Gray
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Clay Gustafson
- Department of Pediatrics, Helen Diller Family Comprehensive Cancer Center, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
| | - Malgorzata Krajewska
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
| | - Rani E George
- Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, United States.,Department of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, United States
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28
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Cyclin-Dependent Kinases and CTD Phosphatases in Cell Cycle Transcriptional Control: Conservation across Eukaryotic Kingdoms and Uniqueness to Plants. Cells 2022; 11:cells11020279. [PMID: 35053398 PMCID: PMC8774115 DOI: 10.3390/cells11020279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/01/2021] [Revised: 01/08/2022] [Accepted: 01/10/2022] [Indexed: 02/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Cell cycle control is vital for cell proliferation in all eukaryotic organisms. The entire cell cycle can be conceptually separated into four distinct phases, Gap 1 (G1), DNA synthesis (S), G2, and mitosis (M), which progress sequentially. The precise control of transcription, in particular, at the G1 to S and G2 to M transitions, is crucial for the synthesis of many phase-specific proteins, to ensure orderly progression throughout the cell cycle. This mini-review highlights highly conserved transcriptional regulators that are shared in budding yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), Arabidopsis thaliana model plant, and humans, which have been separated for more than a billion years of evolution. These include structurally and/or functionally conserved regulators cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs), RNA polymerase II C-terminal domain (CTD) phosphatases, and the classical versus shortcut models of Pol II transcriptional control. A few of CDKs and CTD phosphatases counteract to control the Pol II CTD Ser phosphorylation codes and are considered critical regulators of Pol II transcriptional process from initiation to elongation and termination. The functions of plant-unique CDKs and CTD phosphatases in relation to cell division are also briefly summarized. Future studies towards testing a cooperative transcriptional mechanism, which is proposed here and involves sequence-specific transcription factors and the shortcut model of Pol II CTD code modulation, across the three eukaryotic kingdoms will reveal how individual organisms achieve the most productive, large-scale transcription of phase-specific genes required for orderly progression throughout the entire cell cycle.
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29
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Control of Expression of Key Cell Cycle Enzymes Drives Cell Line-Specific Functions of CDK7 in Human PDAC Cells. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23020812. [PMID: 35054996 PMCID: PMC8775745 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23020812] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/26/2021] [Revised: 12/30/2021] [Accepted: 01/08/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Inhibition of the dual function cell cycle and transcription kinase CDK7 is known to affect the viability of cancer cells, but the mechanisms underlying cell line-specific growth control remain poorly understood. Here, we employed a previously developed, highly specific small molecule inhibitor that non-covalently blocks ATP binding to CDK7 (LDC4297) to study the mechanisms underlying cell line-specific growth using a panel of genetically heterogeneous human pancreatic tumor lines as model system. Although LDC4297 diminished both transcription rates and CDK T-loop phosphorylation in a comparable manner, some PDAC lines displayed significantly higher sensitivity than others. We focused our analyses on two well-responsive lines (Mia-Paca2 and Panc89) that, however, showed significant differences in their viability upon extended exposure to limiting LDC4297 concentrations. Biochemical and RNAseq analysis revealed striking differences in gene expression and cell cycle control. Especially the downregulation of a group of cell cycle control genes, among them CDK1/2 and CDC25A/C, correlated well to the observed viability differences in Panc89 versus Mia-Paca2 cells. A parallel downregulation of regulatory pathways supported the hypothesis of a feedforward programmatic effect of CDK7 inhibitors, eventually causing hypersensitivity of PDAC lines.
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Abstract
PURPOSE OF REVIEW In this article, we aimed to summarize the recent progress being made in treatment of small cell lung cancer (SCLC). RECENT FINDINGS SCLC is characterized by strong invasiveness, easy recurrence and early metastasis. In recent years, the emergence of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) therapy has broken the deadlock in the treatment field of SCLC. Combination strategies, such as the addition of ICIs to chemotherapy and radiotherapy, are actively underway. Some of these strategies have yielded significant survival benefits and tolerable adverse events, whereas several of them have failed with no significant improvement. In addition, the new classification of SCLC based on genomic analysis has deepened the understanding of SCLC and suggested new therapeutic directions. Similarly, the discovery of some new therapeutic targets, such as DDL3, CDK7 and PARP, also brings new hope for improving the survival of patients with SCLC. SUMMARY In this article, we will review the recent advances of therapeutic regimen for patients with SCLC. Following the revolutionary success of adding ICIs to chemotherapy, more varieties of combination strategies have been explored in recent trials. In addition, therapeutic drug research and efficacy evaluation against for new targets are under investigation. Altogether, progress on genomic analysis, investigation of biological pathways and treatment regimen combination are providing renewed hope for patients with SCLC.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xiangling Chu
- Department of Medical Oncology, Shanghai Pulmonary Hospital & Thoracic Cancer Institute, School of Medicine, Tongji University, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
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31
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Naro C, Bielli P, Sette C. Oncogenic dysregulation of pre-mRNA processing by protein kinases: challenges and therapeutic opportunities. FEBS J 2021; 288:6250-6272. [PMID: 34092037 PMCID: PMC8596628 DOI: 10.1111/febs.16057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/09/2021] [Revised: 05/13/2021] [Accepted: 06/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Alternative splicing and polyadenylation represent two major steps in pre-mRNA-processing, which ensure proper gene expression and diversification of human transcriptomes. Deregulation of these processes contributes to oncogenic programmes involved in the onset, progression and evolution of human cancers, which often result in the acquisition of resistance to existing therapies. On the other hand, cancer cells frequently increase their transcriptional rate and develop a transcriptional addiction, which imposes a high stress on the pre-mRNA-processing machinery and establishes a therapeutically exploitable vulnerability. A prominent role in fine-tuning pre-mRNA-processing mechanisms is played by three main families of protein kinases: serine arginine protein kinase (SRPK), CDC-like kinase (CLK) and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK). These kinases phosphorylate the RNA polymerase, splicing factors and regulatory proteins involved in cleavage and polyadenylation of the nascent transcripts. The activity of SRPKs, CLKs and CDKs can be altered in cancer cells, and their inhibition was shown to exert anticancer effects. In this review, we describe key findings that have been reported on these topics and discuss challenges and opportunities of developing therapeutic approaches targeting splicing factor kinases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chiara Naro
- Department of NeuroscienceSection of Human AnatomyCatholic University of the Sacred HeartRomeItaly
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. GemelliIRCCSRomeItaly
| | - Pamela Bielli
- Department of Biomedicine and PreventionUniversity of Rome Tor VergataItaly
- Fondazione Santa LuciaIRCCSRomeItaly
| | - Claudio Sette
- Department of NeuroscienceSection of Human AnatomyCatholic University of the Sacred HeartRomeItaly
- Fondazione Santa LuciaIRCCSRomeItaly
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32
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Chen X, Li Y, Dai H, Zhang H, Wan D, Zhou X, Situ C, Zhu H. Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 is essential for spermatogenesis by regulating retinoic acid signaling pathways and the STAT3 molecular pathway. IUBMB Life 2021; 73:1446-1459. [PMID: 34717033 DOI: 10.1002/iub.2574] [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: 07/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/20/2021] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
Spermatogenesis is a complex process that requires precise regulation. Phosphorylation plays a role in spermatogenesis by regulating protein structure and activity. This study focused on cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7), and explored its function and molecular mechanisms in spermatogenesis in vitro in a cell line and in vivo in a mouse model. Inhibition of CDK7 activity affected spermatogonia proliferation and differentiation, and we found that CDK7 regulates retinoic acid (RA)-mediated c-KIT expression to play a role in spermatogonia. Then, we demonstrated that inhibition of CDK7 affected meiosis initiation, DNA repair, and synaptonemal complex formation in meiosis progression, and CDK7 played this role by regulating RA-mediated STRA8 and REC8 signaling pathways. Moreover, inhibition of CDK7 impacted spermatid differentiation and resulted in decreased counts, decreased motility, and increased head deformity of sperm. We demonstrated that CDK7 affects germ cell apoptosis and sperm motility by activating STAT3 and that STAT3 further regulates Cortactin expression to influence the nuclear elongation, chromatin condensation, and acrosome formation of sperm. Additionally, EP300 was identified as another potential target phosphorylated by CDK7 that participates in chromatin condensation. Our results demonstrated the important role of CDK7 in all key aspects of spermatogenesis, potentially providing an effective target for clinical diagnosis and pathogenesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Yan Li
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Haiqian Dai
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hao Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Danyang Wan
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Xinli Zhou
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Chenghao Situ
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
| | - Hui Zhu
- State Key Laboratory of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Histology and Embryology, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing, China
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33
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Choi YJ, Lee H, Kim DS, Kim DH, Kang MH, Cho YH, Choi CM, Yoo J, Lee KO, Choi EK, Lee JC, Rho JK. Discovery of a novel CDK7 inhibitor YPN-005 in small cell lung cancer. Eur J Pharmacol 2021; 907:174298. [PMID: 34224696 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejphar.2021.174298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/08/2021] [Revised: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 06/29/2021] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
In contrast to non-small cell lung cancer, there has been no significant progress in the development of therapies for the small cell lung cancer (SCLC) in recent decades. Although various targeted agents, including immunotherapies, have recently been developed for testing in clinical trials, novel therapeutic agents are still needed for SCLC. We developed a potent inhibitor of cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7), designated YPN-005, and sought to determine whether it showed any anticancer effects in SCLC cells, cisplatin or etoposide-resistant cells, or organoids derived from SCLC patients. In a panel of kinases assay, YPN-005 was highly selective for CDK7 and showed antiproliferative effects in SCLC and cells with acquired resistance to conventional anticancer drugs. Similar to other CDK7 inhibitors, YPN-005 treatment significantly decreased the phosphorylation of the carboxyl-terminal domain of RNA polymerase II. Consistent with the in vitro results, YPN-005 treatment showed a significant inhibition of tumor growth through the suppression of RNA polymerase II phosphorylation. Finally, YPN-005 showed potent anticancer effects in organoids derived from SCLC patients compared to another CDK7 inhibitor, THZ1. Therapeutic targeting of CDK7 in SCLC might be suitable for clinical investigation, and YPN-005 may be a promising therapeutic option for primary SCLC and SCLC with acquired resistance to conventional therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Jung Choi
- Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, South Korea
| | - Hyeonjeong Lee
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Asan Medical Center, AMIST, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, South Korea
| | - Da-Som Kim
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Asan Medical Center, AMIST, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, South Korea
| | - Dong Ha Kim
- Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, South Korea
| | - Myoung-Hee Kang
- Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, South Korea
| | - Yong-Hee Cho
- Asan Institute for Life Sciences, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, South Korea
| | - Chang-Min Choi
- Department of Pulmonology and Critical Care Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, South Korea; Department of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, South Korea
| | - Jakyung Yoo
- R&D Institute, Yungjin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, 109, Suwon 16229, South Korea
| | - Kwang-Ok Lee
- R&D Institute, Yungjin Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, 109, Suwon 16229, South Korea
| | - Eun Kyung Choi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, South Korea
| | - Jae Cheol Lee
- Department of Oncology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, South Korea.
| | - Jin Kyung Rho
- Department of Convergence Medicine, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Seoul 05505, South Korea.
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34
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Wang Y, Manokaran C, Wu S, Roberts TM. The Mediator captures CDK7, an attractive transcriptional target in cancer. Cancer Cell 2021; 39:1184-1186. [PMID: 34416166 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2021.07.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) is implicated in regulating the expression of cancer-dependent genes, and multiple CDK7-targeted therapies are currently under clinical investigation. Three recent studies elucidate the structure of human transcription machinery, offering vital mechanistic insights into CDK7 function and a potential pharmacodynamic marker of CDK7 activity in tumors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yubao Wang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Departments of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
| | - Cherubin Manokaran
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Departments of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Su Wu
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Departments of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Thomas M Roberts
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Departments of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
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35
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Wang Y, Peng J, Mi X, Yang M. p53-GSDME Elevation: A Path for CDK7 Inhibition to Suppress Breast Cancer Cell Survival. Front Mol Biosci 2021; 8:697457. [PMID: 34490348 PMCID: PMC8417410 DOI: 10.3389/fmolb.2021.697457] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/19/2021] [Accepted: 07/21/2021] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Higher cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK7) expression is a character of breast cancer and indicates poor prognosis. Inhibiting CDK7 exhibited effective cancer cell suppression which implies the potential of CDK7 inhibition to be a method for anti-cancer treatment. Our study aimed to explore a novel mechanism of CDK7 inhibition for suppressing breast cancer cell survival. Here, we proved inhibiting CDK7 repressed breast cancer cell proliferation and colony formation and increased the apoptotic cell rate, with p53 and GSDME protein level elevation. When p53 was suppressed in MCF-7 cells, the decline of GSDME expression and associated stronger proliferation and colony formation could be observed. Since downregulation of GSDME was of benefit to breast cancer cells, p53 inhibition blocked the elevation of GSDME induced by CDK7 inhibition and retrieved cells from the tumor suppressive effect of CDK7 inhibition. Therefore, CDK7 inhibition exerted a negative effect on breast cancer cell proliferation and colony formation in a p53–GSDME dependent manner. These results revealed the CDK7–p53–GSDME axis could be a pathway affecting breast cancer cell survival.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yueyuan Wang
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Jingyu Peng
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
| | - Xuguang Mi
- Tumor Biotherapy Center, Jilin Province People's Hospital, Changchun, China
| | - Ming Yang
- Department of Breast Surgery, The First Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, China
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36
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TGF-β/activin signaling promotes CDK7 inhibitor resistance in triple-negative breast cancer cells through upregulation of multidrug transporters. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101162. [PMID: 34481843 PMCID: PMC8498470 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101162] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/31/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) is a master regulatory kinase that drives cell cycle progression and stimulates expression of oncogenes in a myriad of cancers. Inhibitors of CDK7 (CDK7i) are currently in clinical trials; however, as with many cancer therapies, patients will most likely experience recurrent disease due to acquired resistance. Identifying targets underlying CDK7i resistance will facilitate prospective development of new therapies that can circumvent such resistance. Here we utilized triple-negative breast cancer as a model to discern mechanisms of resistance as it has been previously shown to be highly responsive to CDK7 inhibitors. After generating cell lines with acquired resistance, high-throughput RNA sequencing revealed significant upregulation of genes associated with efflux pumps and transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) signaling pathways. Genetic silencing or pharmacological inhibition of ABCG2, an efflux pump associated with multidrug resistance, resensitized resistant cells to CDK7i, indicating a reliance on these transporters. Expression of activin A (INHBA), a member of the TGF-β family of ligands, was also induced, whereas its intrinsic inhibitor, follistatin (FST), was repressed. In resistant cells, increased phosphorylation of SMAD3, a downstream mediator, confirmed an increase in activin signaling, and phosphorylated SMAD3 directly bound the ABCG2 promoter regulatory region. Finally, pharmacological inhibition of TGF-β/activin receptors or genetic silencing of SMAD4, a transcriptional partner of SMAD3, reversed the upregulation of ABCG2 in resistant cells and phenocopied ABCG2 inhibition. This study reveals that inhibiting the TGF-β/Activin-ABCG2 pathway is a potential avenue for preventing or overcoming resistance to CDK7 inhibitors.
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37
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Li N, Zheng S, Xue Z, Xiong Z, Zou Y, Tang Y, Wei WD, Yang L. Expression and prognostic value of transcription-associated cyclin-dependent kinases in human breast cancer. Aging (Albany NY) 2021; 13:8095-8114. [PMID: 33686962 PMCID: PMC8034920 DOI: 10.18632/aging.202595] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2020] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The expression and prognostic significance of transcription-associated cyclin-dependent kinases (TA-CDKs) in breast cancer have not been systematically investigated. Using Oncomine, GEPIA2, the Human Protein Atlas, the Kaplan-Meier Plotter, cBioPortal, Metascape, and DAVID 6.8, we profiled the expression of TA-CDKs in breast cancer, inferred their biological functions, and assessed their effect on prognosis. The expression of CDK7/10/13/19 mRNAs in breast cancer tissues was significantly higher than in normal breast tissues. Survival analysis of breast cancer patients revealed that increased CDK8 expression was associated with inferior overall survival (OS), higher expression of CDK7 or CDK8 was associated with inferior relapse-free survival (RFS), but higher expression of CDK13 was associated with favorable RFS and OS. In addition, a high genetic alteration rate (56%) in TA-CDKs was associated with shorter OS. On functional enrichment analysis, top GO enrichment items for TA-CDKs and their neighboring genes included cyclin-dependent protein serine/threonine kinase activity and transferase complex. The top KEGG pathways included cell cycle and mismatch repair. These results suggest that CDK7/8/13 are potential prognostic biomarkers for breast cancer patients and provide novel insight for future studies examining their usefulness as therapeutic targets.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Li
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Shaoquan Zheng
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhicheng Xue
- Department of Gastric Surgery, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhenchong Xiong
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yutian Zou
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yuhui Tang
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wei-Dong Wei
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
| | - Lu Yang
- Department of Breast Oncology, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Guangzhou, China
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38
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Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7), along with cyclin H and MAT1, forms the CDK-activating complex (CAK), which directs progression through the cell cycle via T-loop phosphorylation of cell cycle CDKs. CAK is also a component of the general transcription factor, TFIIH. CDK7-mediated phosphorylation of RNA polymerase II (Pol II) at active gene promoters permits transcription. Cell cycle dysregulation is an established hallmark of cancer, and aberrant control of transcriptional processes, through diverse mechanisms, is also common in many cancers. Furthermore, CDK7 levels are elevated in a number of cancer types and are associated with clinical outcomes, suggestive of greater dependence on CDK7 activity, compared with normal tissues. These findings identify CDK7 as a cancer therapeutic target, and several recent publications report selective CDK7 inhibitors (CDK7i) with activity against diverse cancer types. Preclinical studies have shown that CDK7i cause cell cycle arrest, apoptosis and repression of transcription, particularly of super-enhancer-associated genes in cancer, and have demonstrated their potential for overcoming resistance to cancer treatments. Moreover, combinations of CDK7i with other targeted cancer therapies, including BET inhibitors, BCL2 inhibitors and hormone therapies, have shown efficacy in model systems. Four CDK7i, ICEC0942 (CT7001), SY-1365, SY-5609 and LY3405105, have now progressed to Phase I/II clinical trials. Here we describe the work that has led to the development of selective CDK7i, the current status of the most advanced clinical candidates, and discuss their potential importance as cancer therapeutics, both as monotherapies and in combination settings. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT03363893; NCT03134638; NCT04247126; NCT03770494.
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Sheppard HE, Dall’Agnese A, Park WD, Shamim MH, Dubrulle J, Johnson HL, Stossi F, Cogswell P, Sommer J, Levy J, Sharifnia T, Wawer MJ, Nabet B, Gray NS, Clemons PA, Schreiber SL, Workman P, Young RA, Lin CY. Targeted brachyury degradation disrupts a highly specific autoregulatory program controlling chordoma cell identity. CELL REPORTS MEDICINE 2021; 2:100188. [PMID: 33521702 PMCID: PMC7817874 DOI: 10.1016/j.xcrm.2020.100188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2019] [Revised: 08/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/17/2020] [Indexed: 12/31/2022]
Abstract
Chordomas are rare spinal tumors addicted to expression of the developmental transcription factor brachyury. In chordomas, brachyury is super-enhancer associated and preferentially downregulated by pharmacologic transcriptional CDK inhibition, leading to cell death. To understand the underlying basis of this sensitivity, we dissect the brachyury transcription regulatory network and compare the consequences of brachyury degradation with transcriptional CDK inhibition. Brachyury defines the chordoma super-enhancer landscape and autoregulates through binding its super-enhancer, and its locus forms a transcriptional condensate. Transcriptional CDK inhibition and brachyury degradation disrupt brachyury autoregulation, leading to loss of its transcriptional condensate and transcriptional program. Compared with transcriptional CDK inhibition, which globally downregulates transcription, leading to cell death, brachyury degradation is much more selective, inducing senescence and sensitizing cells to anti-apoptotic inhibition. These data suggest that brachyury downregulation is a core tenet of transcriptional CDK inhibition and motivates developing strategies to target brachyury and its autoregulatory feedback loop. Brachyury defines the chordoma super-enhancer landscape Brachyury autoregulates through a transcriptional condensate CDK7/12/13i and brachyury degradation target the brachyury transcriptional condensate Brachyury degradation inhibits chordoma identity genes and induces senescence
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Affiliation(s)
- Hadley E. Sheppard
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | - Woojun D. Park
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - M. Hamza Shamim
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Julien Dubrulle
- Integrated Microscopy Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Hannah L. Johnson
- Integrated Microscopy Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Fabio Stossi
- Integrated Microscopy Core, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | | | | | - Joan Levy
- Chordoma Foundation, Durham, NC 27713, USA
| | - Tanaz Sharifnia
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | | | - Behnam Nabet
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Nathanael S. Gray
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Paul A. Clemons
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
| | - Stuart L. Schreiber
- Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT, Cambridge, MA, 02142, USA
- Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA
| | - Paul Workman
- Cancer Research UK Cancer Therapeutics Unit, The Institute of Cancer Research, London SM2 5NG, UK
| | - Richard A. Young
- Whitehead Institute for Biomedical Research, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
- Department of Biology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA
| | - Charles Y. Lin
- Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Therapeutic Innovation Center, Verna and Marrs McLean Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Corresponding author
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40
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Hui X, Al-Ward H, Shaher F, Liu CY, Liu N. The Role of miR-210 in the Biological System: A Current Overview. Hum Hered 2020; 84:233-239. [PMID: 32906127 DOI: 10.1159/000509280] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/25/2020] [Accepted: 06/08/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND MicroRNAs (miRNAs) represent a group of non-coding RNAs measuring 19-23 nucleotides in length and are recognized as powerful molecules that regulate gene expression in eukaryotic cells. miRNAs stimulate the post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression via direct or indirect mechanisms. SUMMARY miR-210 is highly upregulated in cells under hypoxia, thereby revealing its significance to cell endurance. Induction of this mRNA expression is an important feature of the cellular low-oxygen response and the most consistent and vigorous target of HIF. Key Message: miR-210 is involved in many cellular functions under the effect of HIF-1α, including the cell cycle, DNA repair, immunity and inflammation, angiogenesis, metabolism, and macrophage regulation. It also plays an important regulatory role in T-cell differentiation and stimulation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xu Hui
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jiamusi University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiamusi, China
| | - Hisham Al-Ward
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jiamusi University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiamusi, China,
| | - Fahmi Shaher
- Department of Pathophysiology, Jiamusi University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiamusi, China
| | - Chun-Yang Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jiamusi University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiamusi, China
| | - Ning Liu
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Jiamusi University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Jiamusi, China
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41
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Manevski M, Muthumalage T, Devadoss D, Sundar IK, Wang Q, Singh KP, Unwalla HJ, Chand HS, Rahman I. Cellular stress responses and dysfunctional Mitochondrial-cellular senescence, and therapeutics in chronic respiratory diseases. Redox Biol 2020; 33:101443. [PMID: 32037306 PMCID: PMC7251248 DOI: 10.1016/j.redox.2020.101443] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 9.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2019] [Revised: 01/14/2020] [Accepted: 01/22/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The abnormal inflammatory responses due to the lung tissue damage and ineffective repair/resolution in response to the inhaled toxicants result in the pathological changes associated with chronic respiratory diseases. Investigation of such pathophysiological mechanisms provides the opportunity to develop the molecular phenotype-specific diagnostic assays and could help in designing the personalized medicine-based therapeutic approaches against these prevalent diseases. As the central hubs of cell metabolism and energetics, mitochondria integrate cellular responses and interorganellar signaling pathways to maintain cellular and extracellular redox status and the cellular senescence that dictate the lung tissue responses. Specifically, as observed in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and pulmonary fibrosis, the mitochondria-endoplasmic reticulum (ER) crosstalk is disrupted by the inhaled toxicants such as the combustible and emerging electronic nicotine-delivery system (ENDS) tobacco products. Thus, the recent research efforts have focused on understanding how the mitochondria-ER dysfunctions and oxidative stress responses can be targeted to improve inflammatory and cellular dysfunctions associated with these pathologic illnesses that are exacerbated by viral infections. The present review assesses the importance of these redox signaling and cellular senescence pathways that describe the role of mitochondria and ER on the development and function of lung epithelial responses, highlighting the cause and effect associations that reflect the disease pathogenesis and possible intervention strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marko Manevski
- Department of Immunology and NanoMedicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Thivanka Muthumalage
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Dinesh Devadoss
- Department of Immunology and NanoMedicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Isaac K Sundar
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Qixin Wang
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Kameshwar P Singh
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA
| | - Hoshang J Unwalla
- Department of Immunology and NanoMedicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Hitendra S Chand
- Department of Immunology and NanoMedicine, Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Irfan Rahman
- Department of Environmental Medicine, University of Rochester Medical Center, Rochester, NY, USA.
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42
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Kafer GR, Cesare AJ. A Survey of Essential Genome Stability Genes Reveals That Replication Stress Mitigation Is Critical for Peri-Implantation Embryogenesis. Front Cell Dev Biol 2020; 8:416. [PMID: 32548123 PMCID: PMC7274024 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2020.00416] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2020] [Accepted: 05/05/2020] [Indexed: 12/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Murine development demands that pluripotent epiblast stem cells in the peri-implantation embryo increase from approximately 120 to 14,000 cells between embryonic days (E) 4.5 and E7.5. This is possible because epiblast stem cells can complete cell cycles in under 3 h in vivo. To ensure conceptus fitness, epiblast cells must undertake this proliferative feat while maintaining genome integrity. How epiblast cells maintain genome health under such an immense proliferation demand remains unclear. To illuminate the contribution of genome stability pathways to early mammalian development we systematically reviewed knockout mouse data from 347 DDR and repair associated genes. Cumulatively, the data indicate that while many DNA repair functions are dispensable in embryogenesis, genes encoding replication stress response and homology directed repair factors are essential specifically during the peri-implantation stage of early development. We discuss the significance of these findings in the context of the unique proliferative demands placed on pluripotent epiblast stem cells.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Anthony J. Cesare
- Genome Integrity Unit, Children’s Medical Research Institute, The University of Sydney, Westmead, NSW, Australia
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Ji H, Chen Y, Castillo-Armengol J, Dreos R, Moret C, Niederhäuser G, Delacuisine B, Lopez-Mejia IC, Denechaud PD, Fajas L. CDK7 Mediates the Beta-Adrenergic Signaling in Thermogenic Brown and White Adipose Tissues. iScience 2020; 23:101163. [PMID: 32464595 PMCID: PMC7256631 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/03/2020] [Revised: 03/31/2020] [Accepted: 05/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinases (CDKs) are emerging regulators of adipose tissue metabolism. Here we aimed to explore the role of CDK7 in thermogenic fat. We found that CDK7 brown adipose tissue (BAT)-specific knockout mice (Cdk7bKO) have decreased BAT mass and impaired β3-adrenergic signaling and develop hypothermia upon cold exposure. We found that loss of CDK7 in BAT disrupts the induction of thermogenic genes in response to cold. However, Cdk7bKO mice do not show systemic metabolic dysfunction. Increased expression of genes of the creatine metabolism compensates for the heat generation in the BAT of Cdk7bKO mice in response to cold. Finally, we show that CDK7 is required for beta 3-adrenergic agonist-induced browning of white adipose tissue (WAT). Indeed, Cdk7 ablation in all adipose tissues (Cdk7aKO) has impaired browning in WAT. Together, our results demonstrate that CDK7 is an important mediator of beta-adrenergic signaling in thermogenic brown and beige fat.
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Affiliation(s)
- Honglei Ji
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Yizhe Chen
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | | | - René Dreos
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Catherine Moret
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Guy Niederhäuser
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | | | | | - Pierre-Damien Denechaud
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm), UMR1048, Institute of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases, Toulouse, France
| | - Lluis Fajas
- Center for Integrative Genomics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (Inserm), Languedoc Roussillon, France.
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44
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Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) plays crucial roles in the regulation of cell cycle and transcription that are tightly associated with cancer development and metastasis. The recent identification of the first covalent inhibitor which possesses high specificity against CDK7 prompts intense studies on designing highly selective CDK7 inhibitors and exploring their applications in cancer treatments. This review summarizes the latest biological studies on CDK7 and reviews the development of CDK7 inhibitors in preclinical and clinical evaluations, along with the prospects and potential challenges in this research area. CDK7 is an attractive anticancer target, and the discovery and development of CDK7 inhibitors has received much attention.
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45
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Diab S, Yu M, Wang S. CDK7 Inhibitors in Cancer Therapy: The Sweet Smell of Success? J Med Chem 2020; 63:7458-7474. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.9b01985] [Citation(s) in RCA: 29] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Sarah Diab
- School of Pharmacy, Lebanese American University, P.O. Box 36, Byblos, Lebanon
| | - Mingfeng Yu
- Drug Discovery and Development, University of South Australia Cancer Research Institute, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
| | - Shudong Wang
- Drug Discovery and Development, University of South Australia Cancer Research Institute, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia
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46
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Zhang H, Christensen CL, Dries R, Oser MG, Deng J, Diskin B, Li F, Pan Y, Zhang X, Yin Y, Papadopoulos E, Pyon V, Thakurdin C, Kwiatkowski N, Jani K, Rabin AR, Castro DM, Chen T, Silver H, Huang Q, Bulatovic M, Dowling CM, Sundberg B, Leggett A, Ranieri M, Han H, Li S, Yang A, Labbe KE, Almonte C, Sviderskiy VO, Quinn M, Donaghue J, Wang ES, Zhang T, He Z, Velcheti V, Hammerman PS, Freeman GJ, Bonneau R, Kaelin WG, Sutherland KD, Kersbergen A, Aguirre AJ, Yuan GC, Rothenberg E, Miller G, Gray NS, Wong KK. CDK7 Inhibition Potentiates Genome Instability Triggering Anti-tumor Immunity in Small Cell Lung Cancer. Cancer Cell 2020; 37:37-54.e9. [PMID: 31883968 PMCID: PMC7277075 DOI: 10.1016/j.ccell.2019.11.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 130] [Impact Index Per Article: 32.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2019] [Revised: 09/23/2019] [Accepted: 11/22/2019] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) is a central regulator of the cell cycle and gene transcription. However, little is known about its impact on genomic instability and cancer immunity. Using a selective CDK7 inhibitor, YKL-5-124, we demonstrated that CDK7 inhibition predominately disrupts cell-cycle progression and induces DNA replication stress and genome instability in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) while simultaneously triggering immune-response signaling. These tumor-intrinsic events provoke a robust immune surveillance program elicited by T cells, which is further enhanced by the addition of immune-checkpoint blockade. Combining YKL-5-124 with anti-PD-1 offers significant survival benefit in multiple highly aggressive murine models of SCLC, providing a rationale for new combination regimens consisting of CDK7 inhibitors and immunotherapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hua Zhang
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA.
| | | | - Ruben Dries
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Matthew G Oser
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Jiehui Deng
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Brian Diskin
- S. Arthur Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Fei Li
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Yuanwang Pan
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Xuzhu Zhang
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Yandong Yin
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Eleni Papadopoulos
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Val Pyon
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Cassandra Thakurdin
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Nicholas Kwiatkowski
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Kandarp Jani
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Alexandra R Rabin
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Dayanne M Castro
- Departments of Biology and Computer Science, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - Ting Chen
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Heather Silver
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Qingyuan Huang
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Mirna Bulatovic
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Catríona M Dowling
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Belen Sundberg
- S. Arthur Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Alan Leggett
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Michela Ranieri
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Han Han
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Shuai Li
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Annan Yang
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Kristen E Labbe
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Christina Almonte
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Vladislav O Sviderskiy
- Department of Pathology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Max Quinn
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Jack Donaghue
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Eric S Wang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Tinghu Zhang
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Zhixiang He
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Vamsidhar Velcheti
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Peter S Hammerman
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Gordon J Freeman
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Richard Bonneau
- Departments of Biology and Computer Science, Center for Genomics and Systems Biology, New York University, New York, NY 10010, USA
| | - William G Kaelin
- Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Chevy Chase, MD 20815, USA
| | - Kate D Sutherland
- Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia; Department of Medical Biology, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Ariena Kersbergen
- Cancer Biology and Stem Cells Division, The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute of Medical Research, Parkville, VIC 3052, Australia
| | - Andrew J Aguirre
- Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, Cambridge, MA 02142, USA
| | - Guo-Cheng Yuan
- Department of Pediatric Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA
| | - Eli Rothenberg
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - George Miller
- S. Arthur Localio Laboratory, Department of Surgery, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10016, USA
| | - Nathanael S Gray
- Department of Cancer Biology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA 02215, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02215, USA.
| | - Kwok-Kin Wong
- Laura and Isaac Perlmutter Cancer Center, New York University Langone Medical Center, New York, NY 10016, USA.
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Cho YS, Li S, Wang X, Zhu J, Zhuo S, Han Y, Yue T, Yang Y, Jiang J. CDK7 regulates organ size and tumor growth by safeguarding the Hippo pathway effector Yki/Yap/Taz in the nucleus. Genes Dev 2019; 34:53-71. [PMID: 31857346 PMCID: PMC6938674 DOI: 10.1101/gad.333146.119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2019] [Accepted: 11/25/2019] [Indexed: 01/09/2023]
Abstract
Hippo signaling controls organ size and tumor progression through a conserved pathway leading to nuclear translocation of the transcriptional effector Yki/Yap/Taz. Most of our understanding of Hippo signaling pertains to its cytoplasmic regulation, but how the pathway is controlled in the nucleus remains poorly understood. Here we uncover an evolutionarily conserved mechanism by which CDK7 promotes Yki/Yap/Taz stabilization in the nucleus to sustain Hippo pathway outputs. We found that a modular E3 ubiquitin ligase complex CRL4DCAF12 binds and targets Yki/Yap/Taz for ubiquitination and degradation, whereas CDK7 phosphorylates Yki/Yap/Taz at S169/S128/S90 to inhibit CRL4DCAF12 recruitment, leading to Yki/Yap/Taz stabilization. As a consequence, inactivation of CDK7 reduced organ size and inhibited tumor growth, which could be reversed by restoring Yki/Yap activity. Our study identifies an unanticipated layer of Hippo pathway regulation, defines a novel mechanism by which CDK7 regulates tissue growth, and implies CDK7 as a drug target for Yap/Taz-driven cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yong Suk Cho
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Shuang Li
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Xiaohui Wang
- Department of Developmental Biology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Jian Zhu
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Shu Zhuo
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Yuhong Han
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Tao Yue
- Center for the Genetics and Host Defense, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
| | - Yingzi Yang
- Department of Developmental Biology, Harvard School of Dental Medicine, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA.,Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Boston, Massachusetts 02215, USA
| | - Jin Jiang
- Department of Molecular Biology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA.,Department of Pharmacology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas 75390, USA
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A high-throughput screen identifies that CDK7 activates glucose consumption in lung cancer cells. Nat Commun 2019; 10:5444. [PMID: 31784510 PMCID: PMC6884612 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-13334-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2019] [Accepted: 11/04/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Elevated glucose consumption is fundamental to cancer, but selectively targeting this pathway is challenging. We develop a high-throughput assay for measuring glucose consumption and use it to screen non-small-cell lung cancer cell lines against bioactive small molecules. We identify Milciclib that blocks glucose consumption in H460 and H1975, but not in HCC827 or A549 cells, by decreasing SLC2A1 (GLUT1) mRNA and protein levels and by inhibiting glucose transport. Milciclib blocks glucose consumption by targeting cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) similar to other CDK7 inhibitors including THZ1 and LDC4297. Enhanced PIK3CA signaling leads to CDK7 phosphorylation, which promotes RNA Polymerase II phosphorylation and transcription. Milciclib, THZ1, and LDC4297 lead to a reduction in RNA Polymerase II phosphorylation on the SLC2A1 promoter. These data indicate that our high-throughput assay can identify compounds that regulate glucose consumption and that CDK7 is a key regulator of glucose consumption in cells with an activated PI3K pathway. Many cancer cells have increased glucose consumption compared to normal cells, a feature that can be exploited therapeutically. Here, the authors carry out a chemical screen and identify compounds that selectively blocks glucose metabolism in non-small-cell lung cancer cell lines.
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Keratin 19 regulates cell cycle pathway and sensitivity of breast cancer cells to CDK inhibitors. Sci Rep 2019; 9:14650. [PMID: 31601969 PMCID: PMC6787034 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-019-51195-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2019] [Accepted: 09/20/2019] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Keratin 19 (K19) belongs to the keratin family of proteins, which maintains structural integrity of epithelia. In cancer, K19 is highly expressed in several types where it serves as a diagnostic marker. Despite the positive correlation between higher expression of K19 in tumor and worse patient survival, the role of K19 in breast cancer remains unclear. Therefore, we ablated K19 expression in MCF7 breast cancer cells and found that K19 was required for cell proliferation. Transcriptome analyses of KRT19 knockout cells identified defects in cell cycle progression and levels of target genes of E2F1, a key transcriptional factor for the transition into S phase. Furthermore, proper levels of cyclin dependent kinases (CDKs) and cyclins, including D-type cyclins critical for E2F1 activation, were dependent on K19 expression, and K19-cyclin D co-expression was observed in human breast cancer tissues. Importantly, K19 interacts with cyclin D3, and a loss of K19 resulted in decreased protein stability of cyclin D3 and sensitivity of cells towards CDK inhibitor-induced cell death. Overall, these findings reveal a novel function of K19 in the regulation of cell cycle program and suggest that K19 may be used to predict the efficacy of CDK inhibitors for treatments of breast cancer.
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Folgueras AR, Freitas-Rodríguez S, Velasco G, López-Otín C. Mouse Models to Disentangle the Hallmarks of Human Aging. Circ Res 2019; 123:905-924. [PMID: 30355076 DOI: 10.1161/circresaha.118.312204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 55] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/27/2022]
Abstract
Model organisms have provided fundamental evidence that aging can be delayed and longevity extended. These findings gave rise to a new era in aging research aimed at elucidating the pathways and networks controlling this complex biological process. The identification of 9 hallmarks of aging has established a framework to evaluate the relative contribution of each hallmark and the interconnections among them. In this review, we revisit these hallmarks with the information obtained exclusively through the generation of genetically modified mouse models that have a significant impact on the aging process. We discuss within each hallmark those interventions that accelerate aging or that have been successful at increasing lifespan, with the final goal of identifying the most promising antiaging avenues based on the current knowledge provided by in vivo models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alicia R Folgueras
- From the Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain
| | - Sandra Freitas-Rodríguez
- From the Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain
| | - Gloria Velasco
- From the Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain
| | - Carlos López-Otín
- From the Departamento de Bioquímica y Biología Molecular, Facultad de Medicina, Instituto Universitario de Oncología del Principado de Asturias, Universidad de Oviedo, Spain
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