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Larsson P, De Rosa MC, Righino B, Olsson M, Florea BI, Forssell-Aronsson E, Kovács A, Karlsson P, Helou K, Parris TZ. Integrated transcriptomics- and structure-based drug repositioning identifies drugs with proteasome inhibitor properties. Sci Rep 2024; 14:18772. [PMID: 39138277 PMCID: PMC11322189 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-69465-6] [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: 12/23/2022] [Accepted: 08/05/2024] [Indexed: 08/15/2024] Open
Abstract
Computational pharmacogenomics can potentially identify new indications for already approved drugs and pinpoint compounds with similar mechanism-of-action. Here, we used an integrated drug repositioning approach based on transcriptomics data and structure-based virtual screening to identify compounds with gene signatures similar to three known proteasome inhibitors (PIs; bortezomib, MG-132, and MLN-2238). In vitro validation of candidate compounds was then performed to assess proteasomal proteolytic activity, accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins, cell viability, and drug-induced expression in A375 melanoma and MCF7 breast cancer cells. Using this approach, we identified six compounds with PI properties ((-)-kinetin-riboside, manumycin-A, puromycin dihydrochloride, resistomycin, tegaserod maleate, and thapsigargin). Although the docking scores pinpointed their ability to bind to the β5 subunit, our in vitro study revealed that these compounds inhibited the β1, β2, and β5 catalytic sites to some extent. As shown with bortezomib, only manumycin-A, puromycin dihydrochloride, and tegaserod maleate resulted in excessive accumulation of ubiquitinated proteins and elevated HMOX1 expression. Taken together, our integrated drug repositioning approach and subsequent in vitro validation studies identified six compounds demonstrating properties similar to proteasome inhibitors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter Larsson
- Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
- Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
| | - Maria Cristina De Rosa
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies "Giulio Natta" (SCITEC)-CNR, Rome, Italy
| | - Benedetta Righino
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies "Giulio Natta" (SCITEC)-CNR, Rome, Italy
| | - Maxim Olsson
- Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Bogdan Iulius Florea
- Gorlaeus Laboratories, Leiden Institute of Chemistry and Netherlands Proteomics Center, Leiden, The Netherlands
| | - Eva Forssell-Aronsson
- Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Medical Radiation Sciences, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anikó Kovács
- Department of Clinical Pathology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Per Karlsson
- Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Department of Oncology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Khalil Helou
- Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Toshima Z Parris
- Department of Oncology, Institute of Clinical Sciences, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Sahlgrenska Center for Cancer Research, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
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La Sorda M, Fossati M, Graffeo R, Ferraironi M, De Rosa MC, Buzzonetti A, Righino B, Zampetti N, Fattorossi A, Nucera E, Aruanno A, Ferrandina G, Apostol AI, Buonomo A, Scambia G, Sanguinetti M, Battaglia A. A Modified Basophil Activation Test for the Clinical Management of Immediate Hypersensitivity Reactions to Paclitaxel: A Proof-of-Concept Study. Cancers (Basel) 2023; 15:5818. [PMID: 38136365 PMCID: PMC10741873 DOI: 10.3390/cancers15245818] [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: 11/02/2023] [Revised: 12/01/2023] [Accepted: 12/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/24/2023] Open
Abstract
Immediate hypersensitivity reactions (iHSRs) to taxanes are observed in 6% and 4% of gynecologic and breast cancer patients, respectively. Drug desensitization is the only option, as no comparable alternative therapy is available. Surfactants in the taxane formulation have been implicated in the immunopathogenesis of iHSRs, although sporadic skin test (ST) positivity and iHSRs to nab-paclitaxel have suggested the involvement of the taxane moiety and/or IgE-mediated pathomechanisms. In vitro diagnostic tests might offer insights into mechanisms underlying iHSRs to taxanes. The aim of the present study was to address this unmet need by developing a novel basophil activation test (BAT). The study included patients (n = 31) undergoing paclitaxel/carboplatin therapy. Seventeen patients presented with iHSRs to paclitaxel (iHSR-Taxpos), and eleven were tolerant (iHSR-Taxneg). Fourteen patients presented with iHSRs to carboplatin (iHSR-Plpos), and fourteen were tolerant (iHSR-Plneg). The BAT median stimulation index (SI) values were 1.563 (range, 0.02-4.11; n = 11) and -0.28 (range -4.88-0.07, n = 11) in iHSR-Taxpos and iHSR-Taxneg, respectively. The BAT median SI values were 4.45 (range, 0.1-26.7; n = 14) and 0 (range, -0.51-1.65; n = 12) in iHSR-Plpos and iHSR-Plneg, respectively. SI levels were not associated with iHSR severity grading. Comparing BAT results in iHSR-Taxpos and iHSR-Taxneg showed the area under the receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve to be 0.9752 (p = 0.0002). The cutoff calculated by the maximized likelihood ratio identified 90.91% of iHSR-Taxpos patients and 90.91% of iHSR-Taxneg patients. Comparing BAT results for iHSR-Plpos and iHSR-Plneg showed the area under the ROC curve to be 0.9286 (p = 0.0002). The cutoff calculated by the maximized likelihood ratio identified 78.57% of iHSR-Plpos patients and 91.67% of iHSR-Plneg patients. Most iHSR-Taxpos patients for which ST was available (10/11) scored ST-negative and BAT-positive, whereas most iHSR-Plpos patients for which ST was available (14/14) scored both BAT- and ST-positive. This suggested the intervention of non-IgE-mediated mechanisms in iHSR-Taxpos patients. Consistent with this view, an in silico molecular docking analysis predicted the high affinity of paclitaxel to the degranulation-competent MRGPRX2 receptor. This hypothesis warrants further in vitro investigations. In conclusion, the present study provides preliminary proof-of-concept evidence that this novel BAT has potential utility in understanding mechanisms underlying iHSRs to taxanes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marilena La Sorda
- Microbiology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (M.L.S.); (R.G.); (M.S.)
| | - Marco Fossati
- Cytometry Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (M.F.); (A.B.); (N.Z.); (A.F.)
| | - Rosalia Graffeo
- Microbiology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (M.L.S.); (R.G.); (M.S.)
| | - Manuela Ferraironi
- Microbiology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (M.L.S.); (R.G.); (M.S.)
| | - Maria Cristina De Rosa
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies ‘‘Giulio Natta’’ (SCITEC)-CNR, 00168 Rome, Italy; (M.C.D.R.); (B.R.)
| | - Alexia Buzzonetti
- Cytometry Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (M.F.); (A.B.); (N.Z.); (A.F.)
| | - Benedetta Righino
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies ‘‘Giulio Natta’’ (SCITEC)-CNR, 00168 Rome, Italy; (M.C.D.R.); (B.R.)
| | - Nicole Zampetti
- Cytometry Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (M.F.); (A.B.); (N.Z.); (A.F.)
| | - Andrea Fattorossi
- Cytometry Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (M.F.); (A.B.); (N.Z.); (A.F.)
| | - Eleonora Nucera
- Allergy Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (E.N.); (A.A.); (A.B.)
| | - Arianna Aruanno
- Allergy Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (E.N.); (A.A.); (A.B.)
| | - Gabriella Ferrandina
- Gynecology Oncology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (G.F.); (G.S.)
| | - Adriana Ionelia Apostol
- Department of Woman, Child and Public Health, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy;
| | - Alessandro Buonomo
- Allergy Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168 Rome, Italy; (E.N.); (A.A.); (A.B.)
| | - Giovanni Scambia
- Gynecology Oncology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (G.F.); (G.S.)
| | - Maurizio Sanguinetti
- Microbiology Unit, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy; (M.L.S.); (R.G.); (M.S.)
| | - Alessandra Battaglia
- Department of Life Science and Public Health, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168 Rome, Italy
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Joseph BB, Naslavsky N, Binti S, Conquest S, Robison L, Bai G, Homer RO, Grant BD, Caplan S, Fay DS. Conserved NIMA kinases regulate multiple steps of endocytic trafficking. PLoS Genet 2023; 19:e1010741. [PMID: 37099601 PMCID: PMC10166553 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgen.1010741] [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: 12/22/2022] [Revised: 05/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 04/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Human NIMA-related kinases have primarily been studied for their roles in cell cycle progression (NEK1/2/6/7/9), checkpoint-DNA-damage control (NEK1/2/4/5/10/11), and ciliogenesis (NEK1/4/8). We previously showed that Caenorhabditis elegans NEKL-2 (NEK8/9 homolog) and NEKL-3 (NEK6/7 homolog) regulate apical clathrin-mediated endocytosis (CME) in the worm epidermis and are essential for molting. Here we show that NEKL-2 and NEKL-3 also have distinct roles in controlling endosome function and morphology. Specifically, loss of NEKL-2 led to enlarged early endosomes with long tubular extensions but showed minimal effects on other compartments. In contrast, NEKL-3 depletion caused pronounced defects in early, late, and recycling endosomes. Consistently, NEKL-2 was strongly localized to early endosomes, whereas NEKL-3 was localized to multiple endosomal compartments. Loss of NEKLs also led to variable defects in the recycling of two resident cargoes of the trans-Golgi network (TGN), MIG-14/Wntless and TGN-38/TGN38, which were missorted to lysosomes after NEKL depletion. In addition, defects were observed in the uptake of clathrin-dependent (SMA-6/Type I BMP receptor) and independent cargoes (DAF-4/Type II BMP receptor) from the basolateral surface of epidermal cells after NEKL-2 or NEKL-3 depletion. Complementary studies in human cell lines further showed that siRNA knockdown of the NEKL-3 orthologs NEK6 and NEK7 led to missorting of the mannose 6-phosphate receptor from endosomes. Moreover, in multiple human cell types, depletion of NEK6 or NEK7 disrupted both early and recycling endosomal compartments, including the presence of excess tubulation within recycling endosomes, a defect also observed after NEKL-3 depletion in worms. Thus, NIMA family kinases carry out multiple functions during endocytosis in both worms and humans, consistent with our previous observation that human NEKL-3 orthologs can rescue molting and trafficking defects in C. elegans nekl-3 mutants. Our findings suggest that trafficking defects could underlie some of the proposed roles for NEK kinases in human disease.
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Affiliation(s)
- Braveen B. Joseph
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Agriculture Life Sciences, and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, United States of America
| | - Naava Naslavsky
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
- The Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - Shaonil Binti
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Agriculture Life Sciences, and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, United States of America
| | - Sylvia Conquest
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Agriculture Life Sciences, and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, United States of America
| | - Lexi Robison
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Agriculture Life Sciences, and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, United States of America
| | - Ge Bai
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Rafael O. Homer
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Agriculture Life Sciences, and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, United States of America
| | - Barth D. Grant
- Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry, Rutgers University, Piscataway, New Jersey, United States of America
| | - Steve Caplan
- Department of Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
- The Fred and Pamela Buffett Cancer Center, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America
| | - David S. Fay
- Department of Molecular Biology, College of Agriculture Life Sciences, and Natural Resources, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming, United States of America
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Panchal NK, Evan Prince S. The NEK family of serine/threonine kinases as a biomarker for cancer. Clin Exp Med 2023; 23:17-30. [PMID: 35037094 DOI: 10.1007/s10238-021-00782-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/04/2021] [Accepted: 12/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Cancer is defined by unrestrained cell proliferation due to impaired protein activity. Cell cycle-related proteins are likely to play a role in human cancers, including proliferation, invasion, and therapeutic resistance. The serine/threonine NEK kinases are the part of Never In Mitosis A Kinases (NIMA) family, which are less explored kinase family involved in the cell cycle, checkpoint regulation, and cilia biology. They comprise of eleven members, namely NEK1, NEK2, NEK3, NEK4, NEK5, NEK6, NEK7, NEK8, NEK9, NEK10, and NEK11, located in different cellular regions. Recent research has shown the role of NEK family in various cancers by perversely expressing. Therefore, this review aimed to provide a systematic account of our understanding of NEK kinases; structural details; and its role in the cell cycle regulation. Furthermore, we have comprehensively reviewed the NEK kinases in terms of their expression and regulation in different cancers. Lastly, we have emphasized on some of the potential NEK inhibitors reported so far.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nagesh Kishan Panchal
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632 014, India
| | - Sabina Evan Prince
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632 014, India.
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Pirolli D, Righino B, Camponeschi C, Ria F, Di Sante G, De Rosa MC. Virtual screening and molecular dynamics simulations provide insight into repurposing drugs against SARS-CoV-2 variants Spike protein/ACE2 interface. Sci Rep 2023; 13:1494. [PMID: 36707679 PMCID: PMC9880937 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-28716-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2022] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/28/2023] Open
Abstract
After over two years of living with Covid-19 and hundreds of million cases worldwide there is still an unmet need to find proper treatments for the novel coronavirus, due also to the rapid mutation of its genome. In this context, a drug repositioning study has been performed, using in silico tools targeting Delta Spike protein/ACE2 interface. To this aim, it has been virtually screened a library composed by 4388 approved drugs through a deep learning-based QSAR model to identify protein-protein interactions modulators for molecular docking against Spike receptor binding domain (RBD). Binding energies of predicted complexes were calculated by Molecular Mechanics/Generalized Born Surface Area from docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Four out of the top twenty ranking compounds showed stable binding modes on Delta Spike RBD and were evaluated also for their effectiveness against Omicron. Among them an antihistaminic drug, fexofenadine, revealed very low binding energy, stable complex, and interesting interactions with Delta Spike RBD. Several antihistaminic drugs were found to exhibit direct antiviral activity against SARS-CoV-2 in vitro, and their mechanisms of action is still debated. This study not only highlights the potential of our computational methodology for a rapid screening of variant-specific drugs, but also represents a further tool for investigating properties and mechanisms of selected drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Davide Pirolli
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies ''Giulio Natta'' (SCITEC)-CNR, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Benedetta Righino
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies ''Giulio Natta'' (SCITEC)-CNR, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Camponeschi
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies ''Giulio Natta'' (SCITEC)-CNR, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Francesco Ria
- Department of Translational Medicine and Surgery, Section of General Pathology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, 00168, Rome, Italy
- Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli IRCCS, 00168, Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriele Di Sante
- Department of Medicine and Surgery, Section of Human, Clinic and Forensic Anatomy, University of Perugia, 06132, Perugia, Italy
| | - Maria Cristina De Rosa
- Institute of Chemical Sciences and Technologies ''Giulio Natta'' (SCITEC)-CNR, 00168, Rome, Italy.
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NEK6 Regulates Redox Balance and DNA Damage Response in DU-145 Prostate Cancer Cells. Cells 2023; 12:cells12020256. [PMID: 36672191 PMCID: PMC9856815 DOI: 10.3390/cells12020256] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Revised: 12/08/2022] [Accepted: 12/22/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023] Open
Abstract
NEK6 is a central kinase in developing castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). However, the pathways regulated by NEK6 in CRPC are still unclear. Cancer cells have high reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and easily adapt to this circumstance and avoid cell death by increasing antioxidant defenses. We knocked out the NEK6 gene and evaluated the redox state and DNA damage response in DU-145 cells. The knockout of NEK6 decreases the clonogenic capacity, proliferation, cell viability, and mitochondrial activity. Targeting the NEK6 gene increases the level of intracellular ROS; decreases the expression of antioxidant defenses (SOD1, SOD2, and PRDX3); increases JNK phosphorylation, a stress-responsive kinase; and increases DNA damage markers (p-ATM and γH2AX). The exogenous overexpression of NEK6 also increases the expression of these same antioxidant defenses and decreases γH2AX. The depletion of NEK6 also induces cell death by apoptosis and reduces the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein. NEK6-lacking cells have more sensitivity to cisplatin. Additionally, NEK6 regulates the nuclear localization of NF-κB2, suggesting NEK6 may regulate NF-κB2 activity. Therefore, NEK6 alters the redox balance, regulates the expression of antioxidant proteins and DNA damage, and its absence induces the death of DU-145 cells. NEK6 inhibition may be a new strategy for CRPC therapy.
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Panchal NK, Mohanty S, Prince SE. NIMA-related kinase-6 (NEK6) as an executable target in cancer. CLINICAL & TRANSLATIONAL ONCOLOGY : OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE FEDERATION OF SPANISH ONCOLOGY SOCIETIES AND OF THE NATIONAL CANCER INSTITUTE OF MEXICO 2023; 25:66-77. [PMID: 36074296 DOI: 10.1007/s12094-022-02926-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2022] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Cancer is a disease that develops when cells begin to divide uncontrollably and spreads to other parts of the body. Proliferation and invasion of cancerous cells are generally known to be influenced by cell cycle-related proteins in human malignancies. Therefore, in this review, we have emphasized on the serine/threonine kinase named NEK6. NEK6 is been deliberated to play a critical role in mitosis progression that includes mitotic spindle formation, metaphase to anaphase transition, and centrosome separation. Moreover, it has a mechanistic role in DNA repair and can cause apoptosis when inhibited. Past studies have connected NEK6 protein expression to cancer cell senescence. Besides, there are reports relating NEK6 to a range of malignancies including breast, lung, ovarian, prostate, kidney, liver, and others. Given its significance, this review attempts to describe the structural and functional aspects of NEK6 in various cellular processes, as well as how it is linked to different forms of cancer. Lastly, we have accentuated, on some of the plausible inhibitors that have been explored against NEK6 overexpression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nagesh Kishan Panchal
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632014, India
| | - Shruti Mohanty
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632014, India
| | - Sabina Evan Prince
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, School of Biosciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore, 632014, India.
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Veríssimo GC, Serafim MSM, Kronenberger T, Ferreira RS, Honorio KM, Maltarollo VG. Designing drugs when there is low data availability: one-shot learning and other approaches to face the issues of a long-term concern. Expert Opin Drug Discov 2022; 17:929-947. [PMID: 35983695 DOI: 10.1080/17460441.2022.2114451] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/04/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Modern drug discovery generally is accessed by useful information from previous large databases or uncovering novel data. The lack of biological and/or chemical data tends to slow the development of scientific research and innovation. Here, approaches that may help provide solutions to generate or obtain enough relevant data or improve/accelerate existing methods within the last five years were reviewed. AREAS COVERED One-shot learning (OSL) approaches, structural modeling, molecular docking, scoring function space (SFS), molecular dynamics (MD), and quantum mechanics (QM) may be used to amplify the amount of available data to drug design and discovery campaigns, presenting methods, their perspectives, and discussions to be employed in the near future. EXPERT OPINION Recent works have successfully used these techniques to solve a range of issues in the face of data scarcity, including complex problems such as the challenging scenario of drug design aimed at intrinsically disordered proteins and the evaluation of potential adverse effects in a clinical scenario. These examples show that it is possible to improve and kickstart research from scarce available data to design and discover new potential drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gabriel C Veríssimo
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Mateus Sá M Serafim
- Departamento de Microbiologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Thales Kronenberger
- Department of Medical Oncology and Pneumology, Internal Medicine VIII, University Hospital of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany.,School of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland
| | - Rafaela S Ferreira
- Departamento de Bioquímica e Imunologia, Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
| | - Kathia M Honorio
- Escola de Artes, Ciências e Humanidades, Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, Brazil.,Centro de Ciências Naturais e Humanas, Universidade Federal do ABC (UFABC), Santo André, Brazil
| | - Vinícius G Maltarollo
- Departamento de Produtos Farmacêuticos, Faculdade de Farmácia, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte, Brazil
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Aziz M, Ejaz SA, Rehman HM, Alsubaie ASA, Mahmoud KH, Siddique F, Al-Buriahi MS, Alrowaili ZA. Identification of NEK7 inhibitors: structure based virtual screening, molecular docking, density functional theory calculations and molecular dynamics simulations. J Biomol Struct Dyn 2022:1-15. [PMID: 35983608 DOI: 10.1080/07391102.2022.2113563] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/15/2022]
Abstract
NEK7 is a NIMA related-protein kinase that plays a crucial role in spindle assembly and cell division. Dysregulation of NEK7 protein leads to development and progression of different types of malignancies including colon and breast cancers. Therefore, NEK7 could be considered as an attractive target for anti-cancer drug discovery. However, few efforts have been made for the development of selective inhibitors of NIMA-related kinase but still no FDA approved drug is known to selectively inhibit the NEK7 protein. Dacomitinib and Neratinib are two Enamide derivatives that were approved for treatment against non-small cell lung cancer and breast cancer respectively. Drug repurposing is a time and cost-efficient method for re-evaluating the activities of previously authorized medications. Thus, the present research involves the repurposing of two FDA-approved medications via comprehensive in silico approach including Density functional theory (DFTs) studies which were conducted to determine the electronic properties of the Dacomitinib and Neratinib. Afterward, binding orientation of selected drugs inside NEK7 activation loop was evaluated through molecular docking approach. Selected drugs exhibited potential molecular interactions engaging important amino acid residues of active site. The docking score of Dacomitinib and Neratinib was -30.77 and -26.78 kJ/mol, respectively. The top ranked pose obtained from molecular docking was subjected to Molecular Dynamics (MD) Simulations for investigating the stability of protein-ligand complex. The RMSD pattern revealed the stability of protein-ligand complex throughout simulated trajectory. In conclusion, both drugs displayed inhibitory efficacy against NEK7 protein and provide a prospective therapy option for malignant malignancies linked with NEK7. Communicated by Ramaswamy H. Sarma.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mubashir Aziz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Syeda Abida Ejaz
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmacy, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Pakistan
| | - Hafiz Muzzammel Rehman
- School of Biochemistry and Biotechnology, University of the Punjab, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan.,Alnoorians Group of Institutes, Lahore, Pakistan
| | - A S A Alsubaie
- Department of Physics, College of Khurma University College, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - K H Mahmoud
- Department of Physics, College of Khurma University College, Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia
| | - Farhan Siddique
- Department of Pharmacy, Royal Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Multan, Pakistan.,Department of Science and Technology, Laboratory of Organic Electronics, Linköping University, Norrköping, Sweden
| | - M S Al-Buriahi
- Department of Physics, Sakarya University, Sakarya, Turkey
| | - Z A Alrowaili
- Department of Physics, College of Science, Jouf University, Sakaka, Saudi Arabia
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10
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Mineyeva IV, Faletrov YV, Starovoitova VA, Shkumatov VM. New 1,4-Dihydropyridines. Optimization of the Synthesis and In Silico Analysis of Biological Activity. RUSSIAN JOURNAL OF ORGANIC CHEMISTRY 2022. [DOI: 10.1134/s1070428022030034] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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11
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In Mitosis You Are Not: The NIMA Family of Kinases in Aspergillus, Yeast, and Mammals. Int J Mol Sci 2022; 23:ijms23074041. [PMID: 35409400 PMCID: PMC8999480 DOI: 10.3390/ijms23074041] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2022] [Revised: 03/31/2022] [Accepted: 04/01/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
The Never in mitosis gene A (NIMA) family of serine/threonine kinases is a diverse group of protein kinases implicated in a wide variety of cellular processes, including cilia regulation, microtubule dynamics, mitotic processes, cell growth, and DNA damage response. The founding member of this family was initially identified in Aspergillus and was found to play important roles in mitosis and cell division. The yeast family has one member each, Fin1p in fission yeast and Kin3p in budding yeast, also with functions in mitotic processes, but, overall, these are poorly studied kinases. The mammalian family, the main focus of this review, consists of 11 members named Nek1 to Nek11. With the exception of a few members, the functions of the mammalian Neks are poorly understood but appear to be quite diverse. Like the prototypical NIMA, many members appear to play important roles in mitosis and meiosis, but their functions in the cell go well beyond these well-established activities. In this review, we explore the roles of fungal and mammalian NIMA kinases and highlight the most recent findings in the field.
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12
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MicroRNA-323a-3p Negatively Regulates NEK6 in Colon Adenocarcinoma Cells. JOURNAL OF ONCOLOGY 2022; 2022:7007718. [PMID: 35096064 PMCID: PMC8791743 DOI: 10.1155/2022/7007718] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/21/2021] [Revised: 12/31/2021] [Accepted: 01/05/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
Objective. The activity of NEK6 is enhanced in several cancer cells, including colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) cells. However, there are few reports on the microRNA (miRNA/miR) regulation of NEK6. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effects of miRNAs targeting NEK6 in COAD cells. Methods. Public data and online analysis sites were used to analyze the expression levels of NEK6 and miR-323a-3p in COAD tissues as well as the relationship between NEK6 or miR-323a-3p levels and survival in patients with COAD and to predict miRNAs targeting NEK6. Real-time polymerase chain reaction and western blotting were performed to determine the levels of NEK6 and miR-323a-3p in COAD cells. The targeting of NEK6 by miR-323a-3p was verified using a dual-luciferase reporter assay. The 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay, 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine assay, propidium iodide (PI) staining, annexin V-fluorescein isothiocyanate/PI staining, and transwell assay were employed to test the proliferation, apoptosis, migration ability, and invasiveness of COAD cells. Results. In COAD cells, NEK6 was highly expressed, whereas miR-323a-3p was expressed at low levels and negatively regulated NEK6. Upregulating the level of miR-323a-3p impaired the proliferation, migration, and invasion of COAD cells and promoted apoptosis, whereas supplementing NEK6 alleviated the damage of the proliferation, migration, and invasion of COAD cells caused by miR-323a-3p and inhibited miR-323a-3p-induced apoptosis. These findings indicate that miR-323a-3p regulates the proliferation, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of COAD cells by targeting NEK6. Conclusion. miR-323a-3p downregulates NEK6 in COAD cells; this provides a novel basis for further understanding the occurrence and development of COAD.
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13
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Yang ZM, Liao B, Yang SS, Su T, Zhang J, Wang WM. Predictive Role of NEK6 in Prognosis and Immune Infiltration in Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) 2022; 13:943686. [PMID: 35898455 PMCID: PMC9309547 DOI: 10.3389/fendo.2022.943686] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Accepted: 06/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), as one of the common malignant tumors, seriously threatens human health. NEK6 (Never in Mitosis A (NIMA) related kinases 6), as a cyclin, promotes cancer cell proliferation and cancer progression. However, the prognostic value of NEK6 and its correlation with immune cell infiltration in HNSCC remain unclear. In this study, we comprehensively elucidated the prognostic role and potential function of NEK6 expression in HNSCC. The expression of NEK6 was significantly up-regulated by immunohistochemistry in HNSCC. Upregulation of NEK6 expression in gene expression studies predicts poor prognosis in HNSCC patients. The results of Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) and Gene set variation analysis indicated that NEK6 is mainly involved in extracellular matrix metabolism and EMT processes. The expression of NEK6 increased with the level of immune cell infiltration and the expression of various immune checkpoints. In conclusion, NEK6 may serve as a candidate prognostic predictor and may predict the response of HNSCC patients to immunotherapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhi-Min Yang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Center of Stomatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Institute of Oral Precancerous Lesions, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Bing Liao
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Center of Stomatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Institute of Oral Precancerous Lesions, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Si-Si Yang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Center of Stomatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Research Center of Oral and Maxillofacial Tumor, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Tong Su
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Center of Stomatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Jing Zhang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Center of Stomatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Institute of Oral Precancerous Lesions, Central South University, Changsha, China
| | - Wei-Ming Wang
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Center of Stomatology, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China
- Institute of Oral Precancerous Lesions, Central South University, Changsha, China
- *Correspondence: Wei-Ming Wang,
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14
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Yang Y, Hu B, Yang Y, Gong K, Wang H, Guo Q, Tang X, Li Y, Wang J. Rational design of selective HDAC2 inhibitors for liver cancer treatment: computational insights into the selectivity mechanism through molecular dynamics simulations and QM/MM calculations. Phys Chem Chem Phys 2021; 23:17576-17590. [PMID: 34369509 DOI: 10.1039/d1cp02264d] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
The rational design of selective histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2) inhibitors is beneficial for the therapeutic treatment of liver cancer, though HDAC2 is highly homologous to HDAC8, which may lead to undesired side effects due to the pan-inhibition towards HDAC2 and HDAC8. To clarify the structural basis of selective inhibition towards HDAC2 over HDAC8, we utilized multiple in silico strategies, including sequence alignment, structural comparison, molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, free energy calculations, alanine scanning mutagenesis, pharmacophore modeling, protein contacts atlas analysis and QM/MM calculations to study the binding patterns of HDAC2/8 selective inhibitors. Through the whole process described above, it is found that although HDAC2 has conserved GLY154 and PHE210 that also exist within HDAC8, namely GLY151 and PHE208, the two isoforms exhibit diverse binding modes towards their inhibitors. Typically, HDAC2 inhibitors interact with the Zn2+ ions through the core chelate group, while HDAC8 inhibitors adopt a bent conformation within the HDAC8 pocket that inclines to be in contact with the Zn2+ ions through the terminal hydroxamic acid group. In summary, our data comprehensively elucidate the selectivity mechanism towards HDAC2 over HDAC8, which would guide the rational design of selective HDAC2 inhibitors for liver cancer treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ye Yang
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery, Ministry of Education, Shenyang Pharmaceutical University, Shenyang 110016, Liaoning 110016, China.
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15
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Ding YY, Kim H, Madden K, Loftus JP, Chen GM, Allen DH, Zhang R, Xu J, Chen CH, Hu Y, Tasian SK, Tan K. Network Analysis Reveals Synergistic Genetic Dependencies for Rational Combination Therapy in Philadelphia Chromosome-Like Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Clin Cancer Res 2021; 27:5109-5122. [PMID: 34210682 DOI: 10.1158/1078-0432.ccr-21-0553] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 06/25/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
PURPOSE Systems biology approaches can identify critical targets in complex cancer signaling networks to inform new therapy combinations that may overcome conventional treatment resistance. EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN We performed integrated analysis of 1,046 childhood B-ALL cases and developed a data-driven network controllability-based approach to identify synergistic key regulator targets in Philadelphia chromosome-like B-acute lymphoblastic leukemia (Ph-like B-ALL), a common high-risk leukemia subtype associated with hyperactive signal transduction and chemoresistance. RESULTS We identified 14 dysregulated network nodes in Ph-like ALL involved in aberrant JAK/STAT, Ras/MAPK, and apoptosis pathways and other critical processes. Genetic cotargeting of the synergistic key regulator pair STAT5B and BCL2-associated athanogene 1 (BAG1) significantly reduced leukemia cell viability in vitro. Pharmacologic inhibition with dual small molecule inhibitor therapy targeting this pair of key nodes further demonstrated enhanced antileukemia efficacy of combining the BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax with the tyrosine kinase inhibitors ruxolitinib or dasatinib in vitro in human Ph-like ALL cell lines and in vivo in multiple childhood Ph-like ALL patient-derived xenograft models. Consistent with network controllability theory, co-inhibitor treatment also shifted the transcriptomic state of Ph-like ALL cells to become less like kinase-activated BCR-ABL1-rearranged (Ph+) B-ALL and more similar to prognostically favorable childhood B-ALL subtypes. CONCLUSIONS Our study represents a powerful conceptual framework for combinatorial drug discovery based on systematic interrogation of synergistic vulnerability pathways with pharmacologic inhibitor validation in preclinical human leukemia models.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang-Yang Ding
- Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Hannah Kim
- Institute for Genomics and Evolutionary Medicine, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Kellyn Madden
- Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Joseph P Loftus
- Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Gregory M Chen
- Graduate Group in Genomics and Computational Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - David Hottman Allen
- Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Ruitao Zhang
- Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Jason Xu
- Graduate Group in Genomics and Computational Biology, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Chia-Hui Chen
- Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Yuxuan Hu
- School of Computer Science and Technology, Xidian University, Xi'an, Shaanxi, China
| | - Sarah K Tasian
- Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. .,Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
| | - Kai Tan
- Center for Childhood Cancer Research, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. .,Department of Pediatrics, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Department of Biomedical and Health Informatics, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.,Abramson Cancer Center, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
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16
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Baumann G, Meckel T, Böhm K, Shih YH, Dickhaut M, Reichardt T, Pilakowski J, Pehl U, Schmidt B. Illuminating a Dark Kinase: Structure-Guided Design, Synthesis, and Evaluation of a Potent Nek1 Inhibitor and Its Effects on the Embryonic Zebrafish Pronephros. J Med Chem 2021; 65:1265-1282. [DOI: 10.1021/acs.jmedchem.0c02118] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/01/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Georg Baumann
- Clemens Schöpf−Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Tobias Meckel
- Clemens Schöpf−Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Kevin Böhm
- Clemens Schöpf−Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Yung-Hsin Shih
- Clemens Schöpf−Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Mirco Dickhaut
- Clemens Schöpf−Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Torben Reichardt
- Clemens Schöpf−Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Johannes Pilakowski
- Clemens Schöpf−Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Ulrich Pehl
- Merck Healthcare KGaA, Biopharma R&D, Discovery and Development Technologies, 64293 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Boris Schmidt
- Clemens Schöpf−Institute of Organic Chemistry and Biochemistry, Technische Universität Darmstadt, 64287 Darmstadt, Germany
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17
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Pavan ICB, Peres de Oliveira A, Dias PRF, Basei FL, Issayama LK, Ferezin CDC, Silva FR, Rodrigues de Oliveira AL, Alves dos Reis Moura L, Martins MB, Simabuco FM, Kobarg J. On Broken Ne(c)ks and Broken DNA: The Role of Human NEKs in the DNA Damage Response. Cells 2021; 10:507. [PMID: 33673578 PMCID: PMC7997185 DOI: 10.3390/cells10030507] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/08/2021] [Revised: 02/04/2021] [Accepted: 02/22/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
NIMA-related kinases, or NEKs, are a family of Ser/Thr protein kinases involved in cell cycle and mitosis, centrosome disjunction, primary cilia functions, and DNA damage responses among other biological functional contexts in vertebrate cells. In human cells, there are 11 members, termed NEK1 to 11, and the research has mainly focused on exploring the more predominant roles of NEKs in mitosis regulation and cell cycle. A possible important role of NEKs in DNA damage response (DDR) first emerged for NEK1, but recent studies for most NEKs showed participation in DDR. A detailed analysis of the protein interactions, phosphorylation events, and studies of functional aspects of NEKs from the literature led us to propose a more general role of NEKs in DDR. In this review, we express that NEK1 is an activator of ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR), and its activation results in cell cycle arrest, guaranteeing DNA repair while activating specific repair pathways such as homology repair (HR) and DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair. For NEK2, 6, 8, 9, and 11, we found a role downstream of ATR and ataxia telangiectasia mutated (ATM) that results in cell cycle arrest, but details of possible activated repair pathways are still being investigated. NEK4 shows a connection to the regulation of the nonhomologous end-joining (NHEJ) repair of DNA DSBs, through recruitment of DNA-PK to DNA damage foci. NEK5 interacts with topoisomerase IIβ, and its knockdown results in the accumulation of damaged DNA. NEK7 has a regulatory role in the detection of oxidative damage to telomeric DNA. Finally, NEK10 has recently been shown to phosphorylate p53 at Y327, promoting cell cycle arrest after exposure to DNA damaging agents. In summary, this review highlights important discoveries of the ever-growing involvement of NEK kinases in the DDR pathways. A better understanding of these roles may open new diagnostic possibilities or pharmaceutical interventions regarding the chemo-sensitizing inhibition of NEKs in various forms of cancer and other diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isadora Carolina Betim Pavan
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Andressa Peres de Oliveira
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Pedro Rafael Firmino Dias
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Fernanda Luisa Basei
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Luidy Kazuo Issayama
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Camila de Castro Ferezin
- Graduate Program in “Biologia Funcional e Molecular”, Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-857, Brazil;
| | - Fernando Riback Silva
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Ana Luisa Rodrigues de Oliveira
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Lívia Alves dos Reis Moura
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
| | - Mariana Bonjiorno Martins
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
- Graduate Program in “Biologia Funcional e Molecular”, Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-857, Brazil;
| | | | - Jörg Kobarg
- Graduate Program in “Ciências Farmacêuticas”, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), R. Cândido Portinari 200, Prédio 2, Campinas CEP 13083-871, Brazil; (I.C.B.P.); (A.P.d.O.); (P.R.F.D.); (F.L.B.); (L.K.I.); (F.R.S.); (A.L.R.d.O.); (L.A.d.R.M.); (M.B.M.)
- Graduate Program in “Biologia Funcional e Molecular”, Department of Biochemistry and Tissue Biology, Institute of Biology, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas 13083-857, Brazil;
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18
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Wang H, Wang Y, Li C, Wang H, Geng X, Hu B, Wen R, Wang J, Zhang F. Structural basis for tailor-made selective PI3K α/β inhibitors: a computational perspective. NEW J CHEM 2021. [DOI: 10.1039/d0nj04216a] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022]
Abstract
PI3K α and β are Class IA PI3K isoforms that share a highly homologous ATP binding site, differing only in a few residues around the binding site.
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Affiliation(s)
- Huibin Wang
- School of Pharmacy
- Shenyang Pharmaceutical University
- Shenyang 110016
- People's Republic of China
| | - Ying Wang
- Wuya College of Innovation
- Shenyang Pharmaceutical University
- Shenyang 110016
- People's Republic of China
| | - Chunshi Li
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education
- Shenyang Pharmaceutical University
- Shenyang 110016
- People's Republic of China
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering
| | - Hanxun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education
- Shenyang Pharmaceutical University
- Shenyang 110016
- People's Republic of China
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering
| | - Xiaohui Geng
- School of Pharmacy
- Shenyang Pharmaceutical University
- Shenyang 110016
- People's Republic of China
| | - Baichun Hu
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education
- Shenyang Pharmaceutical University
- Shenyang 110016
- People's Republic of China
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering
| | - Rui Wen
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education
- Shenyang Pharmaceutical University
- Shenyang 110016
- People's Republic of China
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering
| | - Jian Wang
- Key Laboratory of Structure-Based Drug Design & Discovery of Ministry of Education
- Shenyang Pharmaceutical University
- Shenyang 110016
- People's Republic of China
- School of Pharmaceutical Engineering
| | - Fengjiao Zhang
- Wuya College of Innovation
- Shenyang Pharmaceutical University
- Shenyang 110016
- People's Republic of China
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19
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RBBP6 interactome: RBBP6 isoform 3/DWNN and Nek6 interaction is critical for cell cycle regulation and may play a role in carcinogenesis. INFORMATICS IN MEDICINE UNLOCKED 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.imu.2021.100522] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/21/2022] Open
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20
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PARP Inhibition Increases the Reliance on ATR/CHK1 Checkpoint Signaling Leading to Synthetic Lethality-An Alternative Treatment Strategy for Epithelial Ovarian Cancer Cells Independent from HR Effectiveness. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21249715. [PMID: 33352723 PMCID: PMC7766831 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21249715] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2020] [Revised: 12/14/2020] [Accepted: 12/16/2020] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase inhibitor (PARPi, olaparib) impairs the repair of DNA single-strand breaks (SSBs), resulting in double-strand breaks (DSBs) that cannot be repaired efficiently in homologous recombination repair (HRR)-deficient cancers such as BRCA1/2-mutant cancers, leading to synthetic lethality. Despite the efficacy of olaparib in the treatment of BRCA1/2 deficient tumors, PARPi resistance is common. We hypothesized that the combination of olaparib with anticancer agents that disrupt HRR by targeting ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein (ATR) or checkpoint kinase 1 (CHK1) may be an effective strategy to reverse ovarian cancer resistance to olaparib. Here, we evaluated the effect of olaparib, the ATR inhibitor AZD6738, and the CHK1 inhibitor MK8776 alone and in combination on cell survival, colony formation, replication stress response (RSR) protein expression, DNA damage, and apoptotic changes in BRCA2 mutated (PEO-1) and HRR-proficient BRCA wild-type (SKOV-3 and OV-90) cells. Combined treatment caused the accumulation of DNA DSBs. PARP expression was associated with sensitivity to olaparib or inhibitors of RSR. Synergistic effects were weaker when olaparib was combined with CHK1i and occurred regardless of the BRCA2 status of tumor cells. Because PARPi increases the reliance on ATR/CHK1 for genome stability, the combination of PARPi with ATR inhibition suppressed ovarian cancer cell growth independently of the efficacy of HRR. The present results were obtained at sub-lethal doses, suggesting the potential of these inhibitors as monotherapy as well as in combination with olaparib.
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21
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Structure-based virtual screening to identify novel carnitine acetyltransferase activators. J Mol Graph Model 2020; 100:107692. [PMID: 32759041 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmgm.2020.107692] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/07/2020] [Revised: 06/28/2020] [Accepted: 07/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
Carnitine acetyltransferase (CAT) is an attractive therapeutic target against fibrosis. We have identified few CAT activators through structure-based virtual screening followed by molecular dynamics simulations for assessment of the binding mode. A set of 10,000 drug-like molecules properly filtered from an initial chemical library of 13 M commercially available compounds were docked into the active site. Virtual hits were selected for in vitro experimental testing to validate the computational findings and the stability of the predicted complexes was evaluated by molecular dynamics simulations. Applied protocol led to the identification of three hit compounds showing promising activity, which can serve as potential scaffolds for further structural optimization. This is the first report of successful discovery of CAT activators through the use of structure-based virtual screening.
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22
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Peres de Oliveira A, Kazuo Issayama L, Betim Pavan IC, Riback Silva F, Diniz Melo-Hanchuk T, Moreira Simabuco F, Kobarg J. Checking NEKs: Overcoming a Bottleneck in Human Diseases. Molecules 2020; 25:molecules25081778. [PMID: 32294979 PMCID: PMC7221840 DOI: 10.3390/molecules25081778] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2020] [Revised: 04/02/2020] [Accepted: 04/09/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
In previous years, several kinases, such as phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), and extracellular-signal-regulated kinase (ERK), have been linked to important human diseases, although some kinase families remain neglected in terms of research, hiding their relevance to therapeutic approaches. Here, a review regarding the NEK family is presented, shedding light on important information related to NEKs and human diseases. NEKs are a large group of homologous kinases with related functions and structures that participate in several cellular processes such as the cell cycle, cell division, cilia formation, and the DNA damage response. The review of the literature points to the pivotal participation of NEKs in important human diseases, like different types of cancer, diabetes, ciliopathies and central nervous system related and inflammatory-related diseases. The different known regulatory molecular mechanisms specific to each NEK are also presented, relating to their involvement in different diseases. In addition, important information about NEKs remains to be elucidated and is highlighted in this review, showing the need for other studies and research regarding this kinase family. Therefore, the NEK family represents an important group of kinases with potential applications in the therapy of human diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andressa Peres de Oliveira
- Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Tecidual, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil; (A.P.d.O.); (L.K.I.); (I.C.B.P.); (F.R.S.); (T.D.M.-H.)
| | - Luidy Kazuo Issayama
- Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Tecidual, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil; (A.P.d.O.); (L.K.I.); (I.C.B.P.); (F.R.S.); (T.D.M.-H.)
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-871, Brazil
| | - Isadora Carolina Betim Pavan
- Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Tecidual, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil; (A.P.d.O.); (L.K.I.); (I.C.B.P.); (F.R.S.); (T.D.M.-H.)
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-871, Brazil
- Laboratório Multidisciplinar em Alimentos e Saúde, Faculdade de Ciências Aplicadas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, São Paulo 13484-350, Brazil;
| | - Fernando Riback Silva
- Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Tecidual, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil; (A.P.d.O.); (L.K.I.); (I.C.B.P.); (F.R.S.); (T.D.M.-H.)
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-871, Brazil
| | - Talita Diniz Melo-Hanchuk
- Instituto de Biologia, Departamento de Bioquímica e Biologia Tecidual, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-862, Brazil; (A.P.d.O.); (L.K.I.); (I.C.B.P.); (F.R.S.); (T.D.M.-H.)
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-871, Brazil
| | - Fernando Moreira Simabuco
- Laboratório Multidisciplinar em Alimentos e Saúde, Faculdade de Ciências Aplicadas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, São Paulo 13484-350, Brazil;
| | - Jörg Kobarg
- Faculdade de Ciências Farmacêuticas, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, São Paulo 13083-871, Brazil
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-19-3521-8143
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23
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Mu P, Karuppasamy R. Discovery of human autophagy initiation kinase ULK1 inhibitors by multi-directional in silico screening strategies. J Recept Signal Transduct Res 2019; 39:122-133. [PMID: 31311432 DOI: 10.1080/10799893.2019.1638401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
Abstract
Autophagy is a self-catabolic mechanism employed by cancer cells to acquire nutrients and energy in times of stress conditions, thereby leading to its progression and survival. Thus, autophagy inhibition has emerged as a new paradigm in the area of cancer treatment. Here, we leverage multi-dimensional screening campaigns aim to identify potent inhibitors against an early and an essential autophagic kinase, ULK1 from DrugBank database. In particular, receptor-based hypothesis, pharmacophore hypothesis, e-pharmacophore hypothesis and shape similarity-based screening algorithm were employed. Of note, the results of the different algorithm were then integrated to eliminate the false positive prediction. Moreover, the inhibitory activities and PK/PD parameters of the leads were tested by Glide and Qikprop algorithm. This resulted in a set of four hits namely; DB12686, DB08341, DB07936, and DB07163. Finally, molecular dynamics simulation was performed using the GROMACS package, to validate the binding kinetics of the hit compound. The compound activity in vitro was assessed by PASS algorithm, highlights the anti-cancer activities of the hits. The structural insights reveal existence of functional moieties such as piperidine carboxamide, benzenesulfonamide, benzamide, and isoindolone in the resultant hits which plays a major role in the anti-cancer activity. Overall, we strongly believe that these ULK1 antagonists could be novel and potent drug candidates for future cancer therapeutics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Poornimaa Mu
- a Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology , Vellore , Tamil Nadu , India
| | - Ramanathan Karuppasamy
- a Department of Biotechnology, School of Bio Sciences and Technology, Vellore Institute of Technology , Vellore , Tamil Nadu , India
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24
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Han N, Zuo L, Chen H, Zhang C, He P, Yan H. Long non-coding RNA homeobox A11 antisense RNA (HOXA11-AS) promotes retinoblastoma progression via sponging miR-506-3p. Onco Targets Ther 2019; 12:3509-3517. [PMID: 31123409 PMCID: PMC6511239 DOI: 10.2147/ott.s195404] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Accepted: 03/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Long non-coding RNA homeobox A11 antisense RNA (HOXA11-AS) has been reported to be involved in initiation and development of multiple cancers. However, the detailed biological roles and underlying molecular mechanism of HOXA11-AS remain unclear in retinoblastoma (RB). Herein, the goals of this study were to explore the biological function and the potential mechanism of HOXA11-AS in RB. Materials and methods: The expression of HOXA11-AS in RB tissues and cell lines was detected using real-time PCR (qRT-PCR). Cell proliferation, cycle arrest and apoptosis were measured using a cell counting kit 8 and flow cytometry. The target miRNAs of HOXA11-AS was predicted by Starbase2.0 software and was confirmed using a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Result: We found that HOXA11-AS expression was markedly elevated in RB tissues and cell lines compared to normal retina tissues and human retinal epithelial cells, respectively. Functional analysis showed that knockdown of HOXA11-AS in RB cells significantly suppressed cell proliferation, and induced cell cycle arrest at G1/G0 phase and promoted cell apoptosis. We also found that HOXA11-AS could serve as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) that inhibited miR-506-3p expression, which regulated its downstream target NIMA-related kinase 6 (NEK6) in RB. In addition, miR-506-3p inhibitors partially reversed the effect of HOXA11-AS depletion on proliferation, cycle arrest and apoptosis in RB cells. Conclusion: Taken together, these findings demonstrated that HOXA11-AS could promote RB progression by sponging miR-506-3p, suggesting that HOXA-11-AS might be a potential therapeutic target for RB.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ning Han
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130041, People's Republic of China
| | - Ling Zuo
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130041, People's Republic of China
| | - Han Chen
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130041, People's Republic of China
| | - Chunxia Zhang
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130041, People's Republic of China
| | - Pei He
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130041, People's Republic of China
| | - Hongtao Yan
- Department of Ophthalmology, The Second Hospital of Jilin University, Changchun, Jilin 130041, People's Republic of China
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25
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Ria F, Pirolli D, Di Sante G, Righino B, Gremese E, Gervasoni J, Nicolò C, Giardina B, Ferraccioli G, De Rosa MC. Selective Inhibitors of T Cell Receptor Recognition of Antigen-MHC Complexes for Rheumatoid Arthritis. ACS Med Chem Lett 2019; 10:644-649. [PMID: 30996811 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.8b00601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2018] [Accepted: 03/13/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Autoreactive T cells specific to human collagen type II have a crucial role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the context of MHC class II allele HLA-DRB1-*04. The protein-protein interactions between the T cell receptor (TCR) and the type II collagen bound to the allele MHC of class II may thus represent the target for the development of new drugs against RA. In this study, a structure-based pharmacophore model for potential small molecule inhibitors was developed from protein-protein interface structure. The 3D model obtained was used for a virtual screening workflow, which resulted in three hits for experimental follow up. Three compounds have been identified that interfere with the TCR/collagenII-MHCII (K i values below 10 μM) and open up new possibilities in the treatment of RA.
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Affiliation(s)
- Francesco Ria
- Institute of General Pathology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Institute of General Pathology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” − I.R.C.C.S., Rome, Italy
| | - Davide Pirolli
- Institute of Chemistry of Molecular Recognition (ICRM) - CNR, Rome, Italy
| | - Gabriele Di Sante
- Institute of General Pathology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Institute of General Pathology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” − I.R.C.C.S., Rome, Italy
| | - Benedetta Righino
- Institute of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Elisa Gremese
- Institute of Rheumatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Division of Rheumatology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” − I.R.C.C.S., Rome, Italy
| | - Jacopo Gervasoni
- Institute of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- U.O.C. Biochimica Clinica, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” − I.R.C.C.S., Rome, Italy
| | - Chiara Nicolò
- Institute of General Pathology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Bruno Giardina
- Institute of Biochemistry and Clinical Biochemistry, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
| | - Gianfranco Ferraccioli
- Institute of Rheumatology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Rome, Italy
- Division of Rheumatology, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario “A. Gemelli” − I.R.C.C.S., Rome, Italy
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