1
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Wu Y, Tsai HI, Zhu H, Zhang Y, Liu S, Guo P, Zhang Z, Zhang Z, Wen X, Wang D, Sun L. CX-5461 ameliorates disease in lupus-prone mice by triggering B-cell ferroptosis via p53-SLC7A11-ALOX12 pathway. Free Radic Biol Med 2024; 223:325-340. [PMID: 39111584 DOI: 10.1016/j.freeradbiomed.2024.08.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2024] [Revised: 08/02/2024] [Accepted: 08/04/2024] [Indexed: 08/17/2024]
Abstract
CX-5461, a first-in-class compound, is widely recognized as a selective inhibitor of RNA polymerase I. Recently, it has been reported to possess novel immunosuppressive properties with significant therapeutic effects in transplantation immune rejection. However, the potential use of CX-5461 for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) treatment remains unknown. In this study, we elucidated the mechanism underlying the therapeutic efficacy of CX-5461 in lupus. Our findings demonstrated that CX-5461 selectively targets B cells and effectively reduces the proportions of B cells, germinal center B cells, and plasma cells in MRL/MPJ-Faslpr and Resiquimod (R848)-induced lupus mice. Molecular studies revealed that CX-5461 modulates CD36-Acyl-CoA Synthetase Long Chain Family Member 4 (ACSL4)-mediated glycerolipid metabolism in B cells, triggering ferroptosis through the p53- Solute Carrier Family 7 Member 11 (SLC7A11)- Arachidonate 12-Lipoxygenase (ALOX12) pathway, thereby decreasing IgG and Anti-Double-Stranded Deoxyribonucleic Acid (dsDNA) antibody levels and attenuating lupus. Collectively, these results suggest that CX-5461 holds promise as an effective candidate for targeted therapy against lupus.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yingyi Wu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, China Pharmaceutical University Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing, China
| | - Hsiang-I Tsai
- Institute of Medical Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Huiming Zhu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | | | - Shanshan Liu
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Panpan Guo
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Zining Zhang
- Institute of Medical Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Zhengyang Zhang
- Institute of Medical Imaging and Artificial Intelligence, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang, China
| | - Xin Wen
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Dandan Wang
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China
| | - Lingyun Sun
- Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, China Pharmaceutical University Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital, Nanjing, China; Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Affiliated Drum Tower Hospital of Nanjing University Medical School, Nanjing, China; The Second Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China.
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2
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Teng X, Hu D, Dai Y, Jing H, Hu W, Zhang Q, Zhang N, Li J. Discovery of A G-Quadruplex Unwinder That Unleashes the Translation of G-Quadruplex-Containing mRNA without Inducing DNA Damage. Angew Chem Int Ed Engl 2024; 63:e202407353. [PMID: 38953247 DOI: 10.1002/anie.202407353] [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: 04/17/2024] [Revised: 06/28/2024] [Accepted: 07/01/2024] [Indexed: 07/03/2024]
Abstract
To explore the mechanisms and therapeutic strategies for G-quadruplex (G4) mediated diseases, it is crucial to manipulate and intervene in intracellular G4 structures using small molecular tools. While hundreds of G4 stabilizers have been developed, there is a significant gap in the availability of G4 unwinding agents. Here, we propose a strategy to disrupt G-quadruplexes by forming G-C hydrogen bonds with chemically modified cytidine trimers. We validated a good G4 unwinder, the 2'-F cytidine trimer (2'-F C3). 2'-F C3 does not inhibit cell growth nor cause severe DNA damage at a concentration below 10 μM. Moreover, 2'-F C3 does not affect gene transcription nor RNA splicing, while it significantly enhances the translation of G4-containing mRNA and upregulates RNA splicing, RNA processing and cell cycle pathways. The discovery of this G4 unwinder provides a functional tool for the chemical modulation of G4s in living cells.
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Affiliation(s)
- Xucong Teng
- Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518054, China
- Beijing Life Science Academy, Beijing, 102209, China
- Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory of Physical Science at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
| | - Difei Hu
- Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Yicong Dai
- Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Haitao Jing
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China
| | - Wenxuan Hu
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China
| | - Qiushuang Zhang
- Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
| | - Na Zhang
- High Magnetic Field Laboratory, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei, 230031, China
| | - Jinghong Li
- Department of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bioorganic Phosphorus Chemistry & Chemical Biology, Tsinghua University, Beijing, 100084, China
- New Cornerstone Science Laboratory, Shenzhen, 518054, China
- Beijing Life Science Academy, Beijing, 102209, China
- Center for BioAnalytical Chemistry, Hefei National Laboratory of Physical Science at Microscale, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China
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3
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Caramiello AM, Pirota V. Novel Therapeutic Horizons: SNCA Targeting in Parkinson's Disease. Biomolecules 2024; 14:949. [PMID: 39199337 PMCID: PMC11352499 DOI: 10.3390/biom14080949] [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: 07/03/2024] [Revised: 07/29/2024] [Accepted: 08/02/2024] [Indexed: 09/01/2024] Open
Abstract
Alpha-synuclein (αSyn) aggregates are the primary component of Lewy bodies, which are pathological hallmarks of Parkinson's disease (PD). The toxicity of αSyn seems to increase with its elevated expression during injury, suggesting that therapeutic approaches focused on reducing αSyn burden in neurons could be beneficial. Additionally, studies have shown higher levels of SNCA mRNA in the midbrain tissues and substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons of sporadic PD post-mortem brains compared to controls. Therefore, the regulation of SNCA expression and inhibition of αSyn synthesis could play an important role in the pathogenesis of injury, resulting in an effective treatment approach for PD. In this context, we summarized the most recent and innovative strategies proposed that exploit the targeting of SNCA to regulate translation and efficiently knock down cytoplasmatic levels of αSyn. Significant progress has been made in developing antisense technologies for treating PD in recent years, with a focus on antisense oligonucleotides and short-interfering RNAs, which achieve high specificity towards the desired target. To provide a more exhaustive picture of this research field, we also reported less common but highly innovative strategies, including small molecules, designed to specifically bind 5'-untranslated regions and, targeting secondary nucleic acid structures present in the SNCA gene, whose formation can be modulated, acting as a transcription and translation control. To fully describe the efficiency of the reported strategies, the effect of αSyn reduction on cellular viability and dopamine homeostasis was also considered.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Valentina Pirota
- Department of Chemistry, University of Pavia, Viale Taramelli 10, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
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4
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Cameron DP, Sornkom J, Alsahafi S, Drygin D, Poortinga G, McArthur GA, Hein N, Hannan R, Panov KI. CX-5461 Preferentially Induces Top2α-Dependent DNA Breaks at Ribosomal DNA Loci. Biomedicines 2024; 12:1514. [PMID: 39062087 PMCID: PMC11275095 DOI: 10.3390/biomedicines12071514] [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: 05/30/2024] [Revised: 06/21/2024] [Accepted: 06/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/28/2024] Open
Abstract
While genotoxic chemotherapeutic agents are among the most effective tools to combat cancer, they are often associated with severe adverse effects caused by indiscriminate DNA damage in non-tumor tissue as well as increased risk of secondary carcinogenesis. This study builds on our previous work demonstrating that the RNA Polymerase I (Pol I) transcription inhibitor CX-5461 elicits a non-canonical DNA damage response and our discovery of a critical role for Topoisomerase 2α (Top2α) in the initiation of Pol I-dependent transcription. Here, we identify Top2α as a mediator of CX-5461 response in the murine Eµ-Myc B lymphoma model whereby sensitivity to CX-5461 is dependent on cellular Top2α expression/activity. Most strikingly, and in contrast to canonical Top2α poisons, we found that the Top2α-dependent DNA damage induced by CX-5461 is preferentially localized at the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) promoter region, thereby highlighting CX-5461 as a loci-specific DNA damaging agent. This mechanism underpins the efficacy of CX-5461 against certain types of cancer and can be used to develop effective non-genotoxic anticancer drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Donald P. Cameron
- ACRF Department of Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, Division of Genome Sciences and Cancer, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The College of Health and Medicine, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; (D.P.C.); (N.H.)
- Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia; (J.S.); (G.P.)
| | - Jirawas Sornkom
- Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia; (J.S.); (G.P.)
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia;
| | - Sameerh Alsahafi
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK;
| | - Denis Drygin
- Pimera Therapeutics, 7875 Highland Village Place, Suite 412, San Diego, CA 92129, USA;
| | - Gretchen Poortinga
- Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia; (J.S.); (G.P.)
| | - Grant A. McArthur
- Sir Peter MacCallum Department of Oncology, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia;
| | - Nadine Hein
- ACRF Department of Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, Division of Genome Sciences and Cancer, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The College of Health and Medicine, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; (D.P.C.); (N.H.)
| | - Ross Hannan
- ACRF Department of Cancer Biology and Therapeutics, Division of Genome Sciences and Cancer, The John Curtin School of Medical Research, The College of Health and Medicine, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia; (D.P.C.); (N.H.)
- Division of Cancer Research, Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, Melbourne, VIC 3000, Australia; (J.S.); (G.P.)
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3053, Australia
- Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Monash University, Clayton, VIC 3800, Australia
- School of Biomedical Sciences, University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
| | - Konstantin I. Panov
- School of Biological Sciences, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 5DL, UK;
- Patrick G Johnston Centre for Cancer Research, Queen’s University Belfast, Belfast BT9 7AE, UK
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5
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Correll CC, Rudloff U, Schmit JD, Ball DA, Karpova TS, Balzer E, Dundr M. Crossing boundaries of light microscopy resolution discerns novel assemblies in the nucleolus. Histochem Cell Biol 2024; 162:161-183. [PMID: 38758429 PMCID: PMC11330670 DOI: 10.1007/s00418-024-02297-7] [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] [Accepted: 05/03/2024] [Indexed: 05/18/2024]
Abstract
The nucleolus is the largest membraneless organelle and nuclear body in mammalian cells. It is primarily involved in the biogenesis of ribosomes, essential macromolecular machines responsible for synthesizing all proteins required by the cell. The assembly of ribosomes is evolutionarily conserved and accounts for the most energy-consuming cellular process needed for cell growth, proliferation, and homeostasis. Despite the significance of this process, the substructural mechanistic principles of the nucleolar function in preribosome biogenesis have only recently begun to emerge. Here, we provide a new perspective using advanced super-resolution microscopy and single-molecule MINFLUX nanoscopy on the mechanistic principles governing ribosomal RNA-seeded nucleolar formation and the resulting tripartite suborganization of the nucleolus driven, in part, by liquid-liquid phase separation. With recent advances in the cryogenic electron microscopy (cryoEM) structural analysis of ribosome biogenesis intermediates, we highlight the current understanding of the step-wise assembly of preribosomal subunits in the nucleolus. Finally, we address how novel anticancer drug candidates target early steps in ribosome biogenesis to exploit these essential dependencies for growth arrest and tumor control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carl C Correll
- Center for Proteomics and Molecular Therapeutics and Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA
| | - Udo Rudloff
- Rare Tumor Initiative, Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Jeremy D Schmit
- Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS, 66506, USA
| | - David A Ball
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Tatiana S Karpova
- Laboratory of Receptor Biology and Gene Expression, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Eric Balzer
- Nikon Instruments Inc., Melville, NY, 11747, USA
| | - Miroslav Dundr
- Rare Tumor Initiative, Pediatric Oncology Branch, Center for Cancer Research, National Cancer Institute, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
- Center for Cancer Cell Biology, Chicago Medical School, Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine & Science, North Chicago, IL, 60064, USA.
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6
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Peng H, Zhang Y, Luo Q, Wang X, You H. Unfolding rates of 1:1 and 2:1 complex of CX-5461 and c- MYC promoter G-quadruplexes revealed by single-molecule force spectroscopy. BIOPHYSICS REPORTS 2024; 10:180-189. [PMID: 39027314 PMCID: PMC11252239 DOI: 10.52601/bpr.2024.240018] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2024] [Accepted: 05/22/2024] [Indexed: 07/20/2024] Open
Abstract
CX-5461, also known as pidnarulex, is a strong G4 stabilizer and has received FDA fast-track designation for BRCA1- and BRCA2- mutated cancers. However, quantitative measurements of the unfolding rates of CX-5461-G4 complexes which are important for the regulation function of G4s, remain lacking. Here, we employ single-molecule magnetic tweezers to measure the unfolding force distributions of c-MYC G4s in the presence of different concentrations of CX-5461. The unfolding force distributions exhibit three discrete levels of unfolding force peaks, corresponding to three binding modes. In combination with a fluorescent quenching assay and molecular docking to previously reported ligand-c-MYC G4 structure, we assigned the ~69 pN peak corresponding to the 1:1 (ligand:G4) complex where CX-5461 binds at the G4's 5'-end. The ~84 pN peak is attributed to the 2:1 complex where CX-5461 occupies both the 5' and 3'. Furthermore, using the Bell-Arrhenius model to fit the unfolding force distributions, we determined the zero-force unfolding rates of 1:1, and 2:1 complexes to be (2.4 ± 0.9) × 10-8 s-1 and (1.4 ± 1.0) × 10-9 s-1 respectively. These findings provide valuable insights for the development of G4-targeted ligands to combat c-MYC-driven cancers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Peng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Yashuo Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Qun Luo
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Xinyu Wang
- College of Physics Science and Technology, Yangzhou University, Yangzhou 225009, China
| | - Huijuan You
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
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7
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Pfeifer GP, Jin SG. Methods and applications of genome-wide profiling of DNA damage and rare mutations. Nat Rev Genet 2024:10.1038/s41576-024-00748-4. [PMID: 38918545 DOI: 10.1038/s41576-024-00748-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 05/21/2024] [Indexed: 06/27/2024]
Abstract
DNA damage is a threat to genome integrity and can be a cause of many human diseases, owing to either changes in the chemical structure of DNA or conversion of the damage into a mutation, that is, a permanent change in DNA sequence. Determining the exact positions of DNA damage and ensuing mutations in the genome are important for identifying mechanisms of disease aetiology when characteristic mutations are prevalent and probably causative in a particular disease. However, this approach is challenging particularly when levels of DNA damage are low, for example, as a result of chronic exposure to environmental agents or certain endogenous processes, such as the generation of reactive oxygen species. Over the past few years, a comprehensive toolbox of genome-wide methods has been developed for the detection of DNA damage and rare mutations at single-nucleotide resolution in mammalian cells. Here, we review and compare these methods, describe their current applications and discuss future research questions that can now be addressed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerd P Pfeifer
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA.
| | - Seung-Gi Jin
- Department of Epigenetics, Van Andel Institute, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
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8
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Hwang SP, Denicourt C. The impact of ribosome biogenesis in cancer: from proliferation to metastasis. NAR Cancer 2024; 6:zcae017. [PMID: 38633862 PMCID: PMC11023387 DOI: 10.1093/narcan/zcae017] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/04/2023] [Revised: 02/23/2024] [Accepted: 03/26/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024] Open
Abstract
The dysregulation of ribosome biogenesis is a hallmark of cancer, facilitating the adaptation to altered translational demands essential for various aspects of tumor progression. This review explores the intricate interplay between ribosome biogenesis and cancer development, highlighting dynamic regulation orchestrated by key oncogenic signaling pathways. Recent studies reveal the multifaceted roles of ribosomes, extending beyond protein factories to include regulatory functions in mRNA translation. Dysregulated ribosome biogenesis not only hampers precise control of global protein production and proliferation but also influences processes such as the maintenance of stem cell-like properties and epithelial-mesenchymal transition, contributing to cancer progression. Interference with ribosome biogenesis, notably through RNA Pol I inhibition, elicits a stress response marked by nucleolar integrity loss, and subsequent G1-cell cycle arrest or cell death. These findings suggest that cancer cells may rely on heightened RNA Pol I transcription, rendering ribosomal RNA synthesis a potential therapeutic vulnerability. The review further explores targeting ribosome biogenesis vulnerabilities as a promising strategy to disrupt global ribosome production, presenting therapeutic opportunities for cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sseu-Pei Hwang
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX 77030, USA
| | - Catherine Denicourt
- Department of Integrative Biology and Pharmacology, McGovern Medical School, The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center UTHealth Houston Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences, Houston, TX 77030, USA
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9
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Espinoza JA, Kanellis DC, Saproo S, Leal K, Martinez J, Bartek J, Lindström M. Chromatin damage generated by DNA intercalators leads to degradation of RNA Polymerase II. Nucleic Acids Res 2024; 52:4151-4166. [PMID: 38340348 PMCID: PMC11077059 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkae069] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/13/2023] [Revised: 01/16/2024] [Accepted: 01/23/2024] [Indexed: 02/12/2024] Open
Abstract
In cancer therapy, DNA intercalators are mainly known for their capacity to kill cells by inducing DNA damage. Recently, several DNA intercalators have attracted much interest given their ability to inhibit RNA Polymerase I transcription (BMH-21), evict histones (Aclarubicin) or induce chromatin trapping of FACT (Curaxin CBL0137). Interestingly, these DNA intercalators lack the capacity to induce DNA damage while still retaining cytotoxic effects and stabilize p53. Herein, we report that these DNA intercalators impact chromatin biology by interfering with the chromatin stability of RNA polymerases I, II and III. These three compounds have the capacity to induce degradation of RNA polymerase II and they simultaneously enable the trapping of Topoisomerases TOP2A and TOP2B on the chromatin. In addition, BMH-21 also acts as a catalytic inhibitor of Topoisomerase II, resembling Aclarubicin. Moreover, BMH-21 induces chromatin trapping of the histone chaperone FACT and propels accumulation of Z-DNA and histone eviction, similarly to Aclarubicin and CBL0137. These DNA intercalators have a cumulative impact on general transcription machinery by inducing accumulation of topological defects and impacting nuclear chromatin. Therefore, their cytotoxic capabilities may be the result of compounding deleterious effects on chromatin homeostasis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jaime A Espinoza
- Science for Life Laboratory, Division of Genome Biology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 21 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Dimitris C Kanellis
- Science for Life Laboratory, Division of Genome Biology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 21 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Sheetanshu Saproo
- Science for Life Laboratory, Division of Genome Biology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 21 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Karla Leal
- Science for Life Laboratory, Division of Genome Biology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 21 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johana Fernandez Martinez
- Science for Life Laboratory, Division of Genome Biology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 21 Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jiri Bartek
- Science for Life Laboratory, Division of Genome Biology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 21 Stockholm, Sweden
- Danish Cancer Society Research Center, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
| | - Mikael S Lindström
- Science for Life Laboratory, Division of Genome Biology, Department of Medical Biochemistry and Biophysics, Karolinska Institutet, S-171 21 Stockholm, Sweden
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10
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Figueiredo J, Mergny JL, Cruz C. G-quadruplex ligands in cancer therapy: Progress, challenges, and clinical perspectives. Life Sci 2024; 340:122481. [PMID: 38301873 DOI: 10.1016/j.lfs.2024.122481] [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: 10/26/2023] [Revised: 01/20/2024] [Accepted: 01/29/2024] [Indexed: 02/03/2024]
Abstract
Guanine-rich sequences can form G-quadruplexes (G4) in living cells, making these structures promising anti-cancer targets. Compounds able to recognize these structures have been investigated as potential anticancer drugs; however, no G4 binder has yet been approved in the clinic. Here, we describe G4 ligands structure-activity relationships, in vivo effects as well as clinical trials. Addressing G4 ligand characteristics, targeting challenges, and structure-activity relationships, this review provides insights into the development of potent and selective G4-targeting molecules for therapeutic applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joana Figueiredo
- CICS-UBI - Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal
| | - Jean-Louis Mergny
- Laboratoire d'Optique et Biosciences, Institut Polytechnique de Paris, CNRS, INSERM, Université Paris-Saclay, 91128 Palaiseau cedex, France; Institute of Biophysics of the CAS, v.v.i., Královopolská 135, 612 65 Brno, Czech Republic.
| | - Carla Cruz
- CICS-UBI - Health Sciences Research Centre, University of Beira Interior, Covilhã, Portugal; Departamento de Química, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade da Beira Interior, Rua Marquês de Ávila e Bolama, 6201-001 Covilhã, Portugal.
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11
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Zhang Y, Cheng Y, Luo Q, Wu T, Huo J, Yin M, Peng H, Xiao Y, Tong Q, You H. Distinguishing G-Quadruplexes Stabilizer and Chaperone for c- MYC Promoter G-Quadruplexes through Single-Molecule Manipulation. J Am Chem Soc 2024; 146:3689-3699. [PMID: 38296825 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.3c09074] [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: 02/02/2024]
Abstract
G-quadruplex (G4) selective stabilizing ligands can regulate c-MYC gene expression, but the kinetic basis remains unclear. Determining the effects of ligands on c-MYC promoter G4s' folding/unfolding kinetics is challenging due to the polymorphic nature of G4s and the high energy barrier to unfold c-MYC promoter G4s. Here, we used single-molecule magnetic tweezers to manipulate a duplex hairpin containing a c-MYC promoter sequence to mimic the transiently denatured duplex during transcription. We measured the effects of six commonly used G4s binding ligands on the competition between quadruplex and duplex structures, as well as the folding/unfolding kinetics of G4s. Our results revealed two distinct roles for G4s selective stabilization: CX-5461 is mainly acting as c-MYC G4s stabilizer, reducing the unfolding rate (ku) of c-MYC G4s, whereas PDS and 360A also act as G4s chaperone, accelerating the folding rates (kf) of c-MYC G4s. qRT-PCR results obtained from CA46 and Raji cell lines demonstrated that G4s stabilizing ligands can downregulate c-MYC expression, while G4s stabilizer CX-5461 exhibited the strongest c-MYC gene suppression. These results shed light on the potential of manipulating G4s' folding/unfolding kinetics by ligands for precise regulation of promoter G4-associated biological activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yashuo Zhang
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Yuanlei Cheng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
- Department of Pharmacy, The Central Hospital of Wuhan, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430014, China
| | - Qun Luo
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Tongbo Wu
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Junfeng Huo
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Meng Yin
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Hui Peng
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Yang Xiao
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Qingyi Tong
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
| | - Huijuan You
- Hubei Key Laboratory of Natural Medicinal Chemistry and Resource Evaluation, School of Pharmacy, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430030, China
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12
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Boulton SJ. Extraordinary collateral mutagenesis induced by CX-5461. Nat Genet 2024; 56:12-13. [PMID: 38129540 DOI: 10.1038/s41588-023-01611-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Simon J Boulton
- DSB Repair Metabolism Laboratory, The Francis Crick Institute, London, UK.
- Artios Pharma, Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge, UK.
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