1
|
Kamaraj R, Ghosh S, Das S, Sen S, Kumar P, Majumdar M, Dasgupta R, Mukherjee S, Das S, Ghose I, Pavek P, Raja Karuppiah MP, Chuturgoon AA, Anand K. Targeted Protein Degradation (TPD) for Immunotherapy: Understanding Proteolysis Targeting Chimera-Driven Ubiquitin-Proteasome Interactions. Bioconjug Chem 2024. [PMID: 38990186 DOI: 10.1021/acs.bioconjchem.4c00253] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 07/12/2024]
Abstract
Targeted protein degradation or TPD, is rapidly emerging as a treatment that utilizes small molecules to degrade proteins that cause diseases. TPD allows for the selective removal of disease-causing proteins, including proteasome-mediated degradation, lysosome-mediated degradation, and autophagy-mediated degradation. This approach has shown great promise in preclinical studies and is now being translated to treat numerous diseases, including neurodegenerative diseases, infectious diseases, and cancer. This review discusses the latest advances in TPD and its potential as a new chemical modality for immunotherapy, with a special focus on the innovative applications and cutting-edge research of PROTACs (Proteolysis TArgeting Chimeras) and their efficient translation from scientific discovery to technological achievements. Our review also addresses the significant obstacles and potential prospects in this domain, while also offering insights into the future of TPD for immunotherapeutic applications.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Rajamanikkam Kamaraj
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University in Prague, Heyrovskeho 1203, 50005 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Subhrojyoti Ghosh
- Department of Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai 600036, India
| | - Souvadra Das
- Department of Biotechnology, Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata 700107, India
| | - Shinjini Sen
- Department of Biotechnology, Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata 700107, India
| | - Priyanka Kumar
- Department of Biotechnology, Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata 700107, India
| | - Madhurima Majumdar
- Department of Biotechnology, Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata 700107, India
| | - Renesa Dasgupta
- Department of Biotechnology, Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata 700107, India
| | - Sampurna Mukherjee
- Department of Biotechnology, Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata 700107, India
| | - Shrimanti Das
- Department of Biotechnology, Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata 700107, India
| | - Indrilla Ghose
- Department of Biotechnology, Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata 700107, India
| | - Petr Pavek
- Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Faculty of Pharmacy, Charles University in Prague, Heyrovskeho 1203, 50005 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
| | - Muruga Poopathi Raja Karuppiah
- Department of Chemistry, School of Physical Sciences, Central University of Kerala, Tejaswini Hills, Periye, Kasaragod District, Kerala 671320, India
| | - Anil A Chuturgoon
- Discipline of Medical Biochemistry, School of Laboratory Medicine and Medical Sciences, College of Health Sciences, Howard College Campus, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4041, South Africa
| | - Krishnan Anand
- Department of Chemical Pathology, School of Pathology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Free State, Bloemfontein, Free State 9300, South Africa
| |
Collapse
|
2
|
Marin JJG, Macias RIR, Asensio M, Romero MR, Temprano AG, Pereira OR, Jimenez S, Mauriz JL, Di Giacomo S, Avila MA, Efferth T, Briz O. Strategies to enhance the response of liver cancer to pharmacological treatments. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 2024; 327:C11-C33. [PMID: 38708523 DOI: 10.1152/ajpcell.00176.2024] [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: 03/25/2024] [Revised: 04/26/2024] [Accepted: 04/26/2024] [Indexed: 05/07/2024]
Abstract
In contrast to other types of cancers, there is no available efficient pharmacological treatment to improve the outcomes of patients suffering from major primary liver cancers, i.e., hepatocellular carcinoma and cholangiocarcinoma. This dismal situation is partly due to the existence in these tumors of many different and synergistic mechanisms of resistance, accounting for the lack of response of these patients, not only to classical chemotherapy but also to more modern pharmacological agents based on the inhibition of tyrosine kinase receptors (TKIs) and the stimulation of the immune response against the tumor using immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). This review summarizes the efforts to develop strategies to overcome this severe limitation, including searching for novel drugs derived from synthetic, semisynthetic, or natural products with vectorial properties against therapeutic targets to increase drug uptake or reduce drug export from cancer cells. Besides, immunotherapy is a promising line of research that is already starting to be implemented in clinical practice. Although less successful than in other cancers, the foreseen future for this strategy in treating liver cancers is considerable. Similarly, the pharmacological inhibition of epigenetic targets is highly promising. Many novel "epidrugs," able to act on "writer," "reader," and "eraser" epigenetic players, are currently being evaluated in preclinical and clinical studies. Finally, gene therapy is a broad field of research in the fight against liver cancer chemoresistance, based on the impressive advances recently achieved in gene manipulation. In sum, although the present is still dismal, there is reason for hope in the non-too-distant future.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jose J G Marin
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Rocio I R Macias
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Maitane Asensio
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Marta R Romero
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| | - Alvaro G Temprano
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
| | - Olívia R Pereira
- Centro de Investigação de Montanha (CIMO), Laboratório Associado para a Sustentabilidade e Tecnologia em Regiões de Montanha (SusTEC), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal
- Research Centre for Active Living and Wellbeing (LiveWell), Instituto Politécnico de Bragança, Bragança, Portugal
| | - Silvia Jimenez
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
- Servicio de Farmacia Hospitalaria, Hospital de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain
| | - Jose L Mauriz
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
- Institute of Biomedicine (IBIOMED), University of Leon, Leon, Spain
| | - Silvia Di Giacomo
- Department of Food Safety, Nutrition and Veterinary Public Health, National Institute of Health, Rome, Italy
| | - Matias A Avila
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
- Hepatology Laboratory, Solid Tumors Program, Centro de Investigación Médica Aplicada (CIMA), Universidad de Navarra, Instituto de Investigaciones Sanitarias de Navarra (IdisNA), Pamplona, Spain
| | - Thomas Efferth
- Department of Pharmaceutical Biology, Institute of Pharmaceutical and Biomedical Sciences, Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz, Germany
| | - Oscar Briz
- Experimental Hepatology and Drug Targeting (HEVEPHARM) Group, University of Salamanca, Instituto de Investigación Biomédica de Salamanca (IBSAL), Salamanca, Spain
- Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Hepáticas y Digestivas (CIBERehd), Carlos III National Institute of Health, Madrid, Spain
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Zhou L, Yu CW. Epigenetic modulations in triple-negative breast cancer: Therapeutic implications for tumor microenvironment. Pharmacol Res 2024; 204:107205. [PMID: 38719195 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2024.107205] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 06/01/2024]
Abstract
Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype lacking estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors and lacks HER2 overexpression. This absence of critical molecular targets poses significant challenges for conventional therapies. Immunotherapy, remarkably immune checkpoint blockade, offers promise for TNBC treatment, but its efficacy remains limited. Epigenetic dysregulation, including altered DNA methylation, histone modifications, and imbalances in regulators such as BET proteins, plays a crucial role in TNBC development and resistance to treatment. Hypermethylation of tumor suppressor gene promoters and the imbalance of histone methyltransferases such as EZH2 and histone deacetylases (HDACs) profoundly influence tumor cell proliferation, survival, and metastasis. In addition, epigenetic alterations critically shape the tumor microenvironment (TME), including immune cell composition, cytokine signaling, and immune checkpoint expression, ultimately contributing to immune evasion. Targeting these epigenetic mechanisms with specific inhibitors such as EZH2 and HDAC inhibitors in combination with immunotherapy represents a compelling strategy to remodel the TME, potentially overcoming immune evasion and enhancing therapeutic outcomes in TNBC. This review aims to comprehensively elucidate the current understanding of epigenetic modulation in TNBC, its influence on the TME, and the potential of combining epigenetic therapies with immunotherapy to overcome the challenges posed by this aggressive breast cancer subtype.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Linlin Zhou
- Institute of Immunotherapy, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China; School of Basic Medical Sciences, Fujian Medical University, Fuzhou, China
| | - Chen-Wei Yu
- Department of Statistics and Information Science, Fu Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan.
| |
Collapse
|
4
|
Vicente ATS, Salvador JAR. PROteolysis-Targeting Chimeras (PROTACs) in leukemia: overview and future perspectives. MedComm (Beijing) 2024; 5:e575. [PMID: 38845697 PMCID: PMC11154823 DOI: 10.1002/mco2.575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2024] [Revised: 04/23/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 06/09/2024] Open
Abstract
Leukemia is a heterogeneous group of life-threatening malignant disorders of the hematopoietic system. Immunotherapy, radiotherapy, stem cell transplantation, targeted therapy, and chemotherapy are among the approved leukemia treatments. Unfortunately, therapeutic resistance, side effects, relapses, and long-term sequelae occur in a significant proportion of patients and severely compromise the treatment efficacy. The development of novel approaches to improve outcomes is therefore an unmet need. Recently, novel leukemia drug discovery strategies, including targeted protein degradation, have shown potential to advance the field of personalized medicine for leukemia patients. Specifically, PROteolysis-TArgeting Chimeras (PROTACs) are revolutionary compounds that allow the selective degradation of a protein by the ubiquitin-proteasome system. Developed against a wide range of cancer targets, they show promising potential in overcoming many of the drawbacks associated with conventional therapies. Following the exponential growth of antileukemic PROTACs, this article reviews PROTAC-mediated degradation of leukemia-associated targets. Chemical structures, in vitro and in vivo activities, pharmacokinetics, pharmacodynamics, and clinical trials of PROTACs are critically discussed. Furthermore, advantages, challenges, and future perspectives of PROTACs in leukemia are covered, in order to understand the potential that these novel compounds may have as future drugs for leukemia treatment.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- André T. S. Vicente
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical ChemistryFaculty of PharmacyUniversity of CoimbraCoimbraPortugal
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell BiologyUniversity of CoimbraCoimbraPortugal
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB)University of CoimbraCoimbraPortugal
| | - Jorge A. R. Salvador
- Laboratory of Pharmaceutical ChemistryFaculty of PharmacyUniversity of CoimbraCoimbraPortugal
- Center for Neuroscience and Cell BiologyUniversity of CoimbraCoimbraPortugal
- Center for Innovative Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB)University of CoimbraCoimbraPortugal
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Andrikopoulou A, Bletsa G, Rouvalis A, Tsakogiannis D, Kaparelou M, Papatheodoridi A, Haidopoulos D, Liontos M, Dimopoulos MA, Zagouri F. The Prognostic Role of BRD4 Expression in High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:1962. [PMID: 38893083 PMCID: PMC11171195 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16111962] [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: 04/20/2024] [Revised: 05/12/2024] [Accepted: 05/17/2024] [Indexed: 06/21/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) domain proteins that bind to acetylated lysine residues of histones serve as the "readers" of DNA acetylation. BRD4 is the most thoroughly studied member of the BET family and regulates the expression of key oncogenes. BRD4 gene amplification has been identified in ovarian cancer (~18-19%) according to The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) analysis. BET inhibitors are novel small molecules that displace BET proteins from acetylated histones and are currently tested in Phase I/II trials. We here aim to explore the prognostic role of the BRD4 gene and protein expression in the ascitic fluid of patients with advanced FIGO III/IV high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSC). METHODS Ascitic fluid was obtained from 28 patients with advanced stage (FIGO III/IV) HGSC through diagnostic/therapeutic paracentesis or laparoscopy before the initiation of chemotherapy. An amount of ~200 mL of ascitic fluid was collected from each patient and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated. Each sample was evaluated for BRD4 and GAPDH gene expression through RT-qPCR and BRD4 protein levels through enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Alexandra University Hospital and the Committee on Ethics and Good Practice (CEGP) of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA). RESULTS Low BRD4 gene expression was associated with worse prognosis at 12 months compared to intermediate/high expression (95% CI; 1.75-30.49; p = 0.008). The same association was observed at 24 months although this association was not statistically significant (95% CI; 0.96-9.2; p = 0.065). Progression-free survival was shorter in patients with low BRD4 gene expression at 12 months (5.6 months; 95% CI; 2.6-8.6) compared to intermediate/high expression (9.8 months; 95% CI; 8.3-11.3) (95% CI; 1.2-16.5; p = 0.03). The same association was confirmed at 24 months (6.9 months vs. 13.1 months) (95% CI; 1.1-8.6; p = 0.048). There was a trend for worse prognosis in patients with high BRD4 protein levels versus intermediate/low BRD4 protein expression both at 12 months (9.8 months vs. 7.6 months; p = 0.3) and at 24 months (14.2 months vs. 16.6 months; p = 0.56) although not statistically significant. Again, there was a trend for shorter PFS in patients with high BRD4 protein expression although not statistically significant both at 12 months (p = 0.29) and at 24 months (p = 0.47). CONCLUSIONS There are contradictory data in the literature over the prognostic role of BRD4 gene expression in solid tumors. In our study, intermediate/high BRD4 gene expression was associated with a favorable prognosis in terms of overall survival and progression-free survival compared to low BRD4 gene expression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Angeliki Andrikopoulou
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece; (M.K.); (A.P.); (M.L.); (M.-A.D.); (F.Z.)
| | - Garyfalia Bletsa
- Research Center, Hellenic Anticancer Institute, 10680 Athens, Greece; (G.B.); (D.T.)
| | - Angeliki Rouvalis
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1st Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10509 Athens, Greece; (A.R.); (D.H.)
| | - Dimitris Tsakogiannis
- Research Center, Hellenic Anticancer Institute, 10680 Athens, Greece; (G.B.); (D.T.)
| | - Maria Kaparelou
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece; (M.K.); (A.P.); (M.L.); (M.-A.D.); (F.Z.)
| | - Alkistis Papatheodoridi
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece; (M.K.); (A.P.); (M.L.); (M.-A.D.); (F.Z.)
| | - Dimitrios Haidopoulos
- Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1st Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 10509 Athens, Greece; (A.R.); (D.H.)
| | - Michalis Liontos
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece; (M.K.); (A.P.); (M.L.); (M.-A.D.); (F.Z.)
| | - Meletios-Athanasios Dimopoulos
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece; (M.K.); (A.P.); (M.L.); (M.-A.D.); (F.Z.)
| | - Flora Zagouri
- Department of Clinical Therapeutics, Alexandra Hospital, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, 11528 Athens, Greece; (M.K.); (A.P.); (M.L.); (M.-A.D.); (F.Z.)
| |
Collapse
|
6
|
Di Marco T, Mazzoni M, Greco A, Cassinelli G. Non-oncogene dependencies: Novel opportunities for cancer therapy. Biochem Pharmacol 2024:116254. [PMID: 38704100 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116254] [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: 02/07/2024] [Revised: 04/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/30/2024] [Indexed: 05/06/2024]
Abstract
Targeting oncogene addictions have changed the history of subsets of malignancies and continues to represent an excellent therapeutic opportunity. Nonetheless, alternative strategies are required to treat malignancies driven by undruggable oncogenes or loss of tumor suppressor genes and to overcome drug resistance also occurring in cancers addicted to actionable drivers. The discovery of non-oncogene addiction (NOA) uncovered novel therapeutically exploitable "Achilles' heels". NOA refers to genes/pathways not oncogenic per sé but essential for the tumor cell growth/survival while dispensable for normal cells. The clinical success of several classes of conventional and molecular targeted agents can be ascribed to their impact on both tumor cell-associated intrinsic as well as microenvironment-related extrinsic NOA. The integration of genetic, computational and pharmacological high-throughput approaches led to the identification of an expanded repertoire of synthetic lethality interactions implicating NOA targets. Only a few of them have been translated into the clinics as most NOA vulnerabilities are not easily druggable or appealing targets. Nonetheless, their identification has provided in-depth knowledge of tumor pathobiology and suggested novel therapeutic opportunities. Here, we summarize conceptual framework of intrinsic and extrinsic NOA providing exploitable vulnerabilities. Conventional and emerging methodological approaches used to disclose NOA dependencies are reported together with their limits. We illustrate NOA paradigmatic and peculiar examples and outline the functional/mechanistic aspects, potential druggability and translational interest. Finally, we comment on difficulties in exploiting the NOA-generated knowledge to develop novel therapeutic approaches to be translated into the clinics and to fully harness the potential of clinically available drugs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tiziana Di Marco
- Integrated Biology of Rare Tumors Unit, Experimental Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Mara Mazzoni
- Integrated Biology of Rare Tumors Unit, Experimental Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Angela Greco
- Integrated Biology of Rare Tumors Unit, Experimental Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, 20133 Milan, Italy
| | - Giuliana Cassinelli
- Molecular Pharmacology Unit, Experimental Oncology Department, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori, Via Amadeo 42, 20133 Milan, Italy.
| |
Collapse
|
7
|
Zhang Q, Wu Q, Huan XJ, Song SS, Bao XB, Miao ZH, Wang YQ. Co-inhibition of BET and NAE enhances BIM-dependent apoptosis with augmented cancer therapeutic efficacy. Biochem Pharmacol 2024; 223:116198. [PMID: 38588830 DOI: 10.1016/j.bcp.2024.116198] [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: 12/28/2023] [Revised: 03/22/2024] [Accepted: 04/05/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Agents that inhibit bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) proteins have been actively tested in the clinic as potential anticancer drugs. NEDD8-activating enzyme (NAE) inhibitors, represented by MLN4924, target the only activation enzyme in the neddylation pathway that has been identified as an attractive target for cancer therapy. In this study, we focus on the combination of BET inhibitors (BETis) and NAE inhibitors (NAEis) as a cancer therapeutic strategy and investigate its underlying mechanisms to explore and expand the application scope of both types of drugs. The results showed that this combination synergistically inhibited the proliferative activity of tumor cells from different tissues. Compared to a single drug, combination therapy had a weak effect on cycle arrest but significantly enhanced cell apoptosis. Furthermore, the growth of NCI-H1975 xenografts in nude mice was significantly inhibited by the combination without obvious body weight loss. Research on the synergistic mechanism demonstrated that combination therapy significantly increased the mRNA and protein levels of the proapoptotic gene BIM. The inhibition and knockout of BIM significantly attenuated the apoptosis induced by the combination, whereas the re-expression of BIM restored the synergistic effects, indicating that BIM induction plays a critical role in mediating the enhanced apoptosis induced by the co-inhibition of BET and NAE. Together, the enhanced transcription mediated by miR-17-92 cluster inhibition and reduced degradation promoted the increase in BIM levels, resulting in a synergistic effect. Collectively, these findings highlight the need for further clinical investigation into the combination of BETi and NAEi as a promising strategy for cancer therapy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Qian Zhang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Cancer Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Qian Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Cancer Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xia-Juan Huan
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Cancer Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Shan-Shan Song
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Cancer Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xu-Bin Bao
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Cancer Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Ze-Hong Miao
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Cancer Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
| | - Ying-Qing Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Cancer Research Center, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 501 Haike Road, Shanghai 201203, China; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No. 19A Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China.
| |
Collapse
|
8
|
de Sena Murteira Pinheiro P, Franco LS, Montagnoli TL, Fraga CAM. Molecular hybridization: a powerful tool for multitarget drug discovery. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2024; 19:451-470. [PMID: 38456452 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2024.2322990] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/24/2023] [Accepted: 02/21/2024] [Indexed: 03/09/2024]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION The current drug discovery paradigm of 'one drug, multiple targets' has gained attention from both the academic medicinal chemistry community and the pharmaceutical industry. This is in response to the urgent need for effective agents to treat multifactorial chronic diseases. The molecular hybridization strategy is a useful tool that has been widely explored, particularly in the last two decades, for the design of multi-target drugs. AREAS COVERED This review examines the current state of molecular hybridization in guiding the discovery of multitarget small molecules. The article discusses the design strategies and target selection for a multitarget polypharmacology approach to treat various diseases, including cancer, Alzheimer's disease, cardiac arrhythmia, endometriosis, and inflammatory diseases. EXPERT OPINION Although the examples discussed highlight the importance of molecular hybridization for the discovery of multitarget bioactive compounds, it is notorious that the literature has focused on specific classes of targets. This may be due to a deep understanding of the pharmacophore features required for target binding, making targets such as histone deacetylases and cholinesterases frequent starting points. However, it is important to encourage the scientific community to explore diverse combinations of targets using the molecular hybridization strategy.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Pedro de Sena Murteira Pinheiro
- Laboratório de Avaliação e Síntese de Substâncias Bioativas (LASSBio), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Lucas Silva Franco
- Laboratório de Avaliação e Síntese de Substâncias Bioativas (LASSBio), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tadeu Lima Montagnoli
- Laboratório de Avaliação e Síntese de Substâncias Bioativas (LASSBio), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmacologia e Química Medicinal, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Carlos Alberto Manssour Fraga
- Laboratório de Avaliação e Síntese de Substâncias Bioativas (LASSBio), Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Farmacologia e Química Medicinal, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
9
|
Wu T, Chen Y, You Q, Jiang Z, Chen X. Targeting bromodomian-containing protein 8 (BRD8): An advanced tool to interrogate BRD8. Eur J Med Chem 2024; 268:116271. [PMID: 38401187 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2024.116271] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/11/2024] [Revised: 02/07/2024] [Accepted: 02/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/26/2024]
Abstract
Epigenetic modifications play crucial roles in physiological processes, including cell differentiation, proliferation, and death. Bromodomain/Brd-containing proteins (BCPs) regulate abnormal gene expression in various diseases by recognizing the lysine-ε-N-acetylated residues (KAc) or by acting as transcriptional co-activators. Small molecule inhibitors targeting BCPs offer an attractive strategy for modulating aberrant gene expression. Besides the extensive research on the bromodomain and extra-terminal (BET) domain family proteins, the non-BET proteins have gained increasing attention. Bromodomain containing protein 8 (BRD8), a reader of KAc and co-activator of nuclear receptors (NRs), plays a key role in various cancers. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the structure, disease-related functions, and inhibitor development of BRD8. Opportunities and challenges for future studies targeting BRD8 in disease treatment are discussed.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Tingting Wu
- Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Yali Chen
- Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Qidong You
- Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China
| | - Zhengyu Jiang
- Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| | - Xuetao Chen
- Jiang Su Key Laboratory of Drug Design and Optimization and State Key Laboratory of Natural Medicines, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China; Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, China Pharmaceutical University, Nanjing, 210009, China.
| |
Collapse
|
10
|
Kargbo RB. AI in Pharma: Transforming Drug Discovery and Strategic Management with MYC-Modulating Compounds and BET Protein Inhibitors. ACS Med Chem Lett 2024; 15:334-336. [PMID: 38505845 PMCID: PMC10945536 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.4c00057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/31/2024] [Indexed: 03/21/2024] Open
Abstract
The landscape of pharmaceutical R&D is being reshaped by the synergistic integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and groundbreaking drug discoveries, mainly focusing on MYC-modulating compounds and BET protein inhibitors. This Patent Highlight delves into this convergence, illustrating a transformative shift in the pharmaceutical industry's approach to drug development, strategic management, and treating various diseases, from cancer to inflammatory and fibrotic disorders.
Collapse
|
11
|
Nuñez Y, Vera S, Baeza V, Gonzalez-Pecchi V. NSD3 in Cancer: Unraveling Methyltransferase-Dependent and Isoform-Specific Functions. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:944. [PMID: 38256018 PMCID: PMC10815784 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25020944] [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: 12/19/2023] [Revised: 12/29/2023] [Accepted: 01/04/2024] [Indexed: 01/24/2024] Open
Abstract
NSD3 (nuclear receptor-binding SET domain protein 3) is a member of the NSD histone methyltransferase family of proteins. In recent years, it has been identified as a potential oncogene in certain types of cancer. The NSD3 gene encodes three isoforms, the long version (NSD3L), a short version (NSD3S) and the WHISTLE isoforms. Importantly, the NSD3S isoform corresponds to the N-terminal region of the full-length protein, lacking the methyltransferase domain. The chromosomal location of NSD3 is frequently amplified across cancer types, such as breast, lung, and colon, among others. Recently, this amplification has been correlated to a chromothripsis event, that could explain the different NSD3 alterations found in cancer. The fusion proteins containing NSD3 have also been reported in leukemia (NSD3-NUP98), and in NUT (nuclear protein of the testis) midline carcinoma (NSD3-NUT). Its role as an oncogene has been described by modulating different cancer pathways through its methyltransferase activity, or the short isoform of the protein, through protein interactions. Specifically, in this review we will focus on the functions that have been characterized as methyltransferase dependent, and those that have been correlated with the expression of the NSD3S isoform. There is evidence that both the NSD3L and NSD3S isoforms are relevant for cancer progression, establishing NSD3 as a therapeutic target. However, further functional studies are needed to differentiate NSD3 oncogenic activity as dependent or independent of the catalytic domain of the protein, as well as the contribution of each isoform and its clinical significance in cancer progression.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Yanara Nuñez
- Biomedical Science Research Laboratory, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción 4090541, Chile; (Y.N.); (S.V.); (V.B.)
- Biochemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, Universidad de Concepción, Concepción 4070383, Chile
| | - Sebastian Vera
- Biomedical Science Research Laboratory, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción 4090541, Chile; (Y.N.); (S.V.); (V.B.)
| | - Victor Baeza
- Biomedical Science Research Laboratory, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción 4090541, Chile; (Y.N.); (S.V.); (V.B.)
| | - Valentina Gonzalez-Pecchi
- Biomedical Science Research Laboratory, Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Católica de la Santísima Concepción, Concepción 4090541, Chile; (Y.N.); (S.V.); (V.B.)
| |
Collapse
|
12
|
Marchant V, Trionfetti F, Tejedor-Santamaria L, Rayego-Mateos S, Rotili D, Bontempi G, Domenici A, Menè P, Mai A, Martín-Cleary C, Ortiz A, Ramos AM, Strippoli R, Ruiz-Ortega M. BET Protein Inhibitor JQ1 Ameliorates Experimental Peritoneal Damage by Inhibition of Inflammation and Oxidative Stress. Antioxidants (Basel) 2023; 12:2055. [PMID: 38136175 PMCID: PMC10740563 DOI: 10.3390/antiox12122055] [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: 10/21/2023] [Revised: 11/22/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a current replacement therapy for end-stage kidney diseases (ESKDs). However, long-term exposure to PD fluids may lead to damage of the peritoneal membrane (PM) through mechanisms involving the activation of the inflammatory response and mesothelial-to-mesenchymal transition (MMT), leading to filtration failure. Peritoneal damage depends on a complex interaction among external stimuli, intrinsic properties of the PM, and subsequent activities of the local innate-adaptive immune system. Epigenetic drugs targeting bromodomain and extra-terminal domain (BET) proteins have shown beneficial effects on different experimental preclinical diseases, mainly by inhibiting proliferative and inflammatory responses. However the effect of BET inhibition on peritoneal damage has not been studied. To this aim, we have evaluated the effects of treatment with the BET inhibitor JQ1 in a mouse model of peritoneal damage induced by chlorhexidine gluconate (CHX). We found that JQ1 ameliorated the CHX-induced PM thickness and inflammatory cell infiltration. Moreover, JQ1 decreased gene overexpression of proinflammatory and profibrotic markers, together with an inhibition of the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathway. Additionally, JQ1 blocked the activation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF2) and restored changes in the mRNA expression levels of NADPH oxidases (NOX1 and NOX4) and NRF2/target antioxidant response genes. To corroborate the in vivo findings, we evaluated the effects of the BET inhibitor JQ1 on PD patients' effluent-derived primary mesothelial cells and on the MeT-5A cell line. JQ1 inhibited tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-induced proinflammatory gene upregulation and restored MMT phenotype changes, together with the downmodulation of oxidative stress. Taken together, these results suggest that BET inhibitors may be a potential therapeutic option to ameliorate peritoneal damage.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Vanessa Marchant
- Cellular and Molecular Biology in Renal and Vascular Pathology Laboratory, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (V.M.); (L.T.-S.); (S.R.-M.)
- RICORS2040, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (A.O.); (A.M.R.)
| | - Flavia Trionfetti
- Gene Expression Laboratory, National Institute for Infectious Diseases, Lazzaro Spallanzani IRCCS, 00149 Rome, Italy; (F.T.); (G.B.); (R.S.)
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Lucia Tejedor-Santamaria
- Cellular and Molecular Biology in Renal and Vascular Pathology Laboratory, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (V.M.); (L.T.-S.); (S.R.-M.)
- RICORS2040, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (A.O.); (A.M.R.)
| | - Sandra Rayego-Mateos
- Cellular and Molecular Biology in Renal and Vascular Pathology Laboratory, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (V.M.); (L.T.-S.); (S.R.-M.)
- RICORS2040, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (A.O.); (A.M.R.)
| | - Dante Rotili
- Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (D.R.); (A.M.)
| | - Giulio Bontempi
- Gene Expression Laboratory, National Institute for Infectious Diseases, Lazzaro Spallanzani IRCCS, 00149 Rome, Italy; (F.T.); (G.B.); (R.S.)
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Alessandro Domenici
- Renal Unit, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sant’Andrea University Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, 00189 Rome, Italy; (A.D.); (P.M.)
| | - Paolo Menè
- Renal Unit, Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Sant’Andrea University Hospital, Sapienza University of Rome, 00189 Rome, Italy; (A.D.); (P.M.)
| | - Antonello Mai
- Department of Drug Chemistry and Technologies, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy; (D.R.); (A.M.)
| | - Catalina Martín-Cleary
- Laboratory of Nephrology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Alberto Ortiz
- RICORS2040, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (A.O.); (A.M.R.)
- Laboratory of Nephrology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Adrian M. Ramos
- RICORS2040, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (A.O.); (A.M.R.)
- Laboratory of Nephrology, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain;
| | - Raffaele Strippoli
- Gene Expression Laboratory, National Institute for Infectious Diseases, Lazzaro Spallanzani IRCCS, 00149 Rome, Italy; (F.T.); (G.B.); (R.S.)
- Department of Molecular Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, 00161 Rome, Italy
| | - Marta Ruiz-Ortega
- Cellular and Molecular Biology in Renal and Vascular Pathology Laboratory, IIS-Fundación Jiménez Díaz, School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain; (V.M.); (L.T.-S.); (S.R.-M.)
- RICORS2040, 28029 Madrid, Spain; (A.O.); (A.M.R.)
| |
Collapse
|