1
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Rosenblum SL, Soueid DM, Giambasu G, Vander Roest S, Pasternak A, DiMauro EF, Simov V, Garner AL. Live cell screening to identify RNA-binding small molecule inhibitors of the pre-let-7-Lin28 RNA-protein interaction. RSC Med Chem 2024; 15:1539-1546. [PMID: 38784453 PMCID: PMC11110735 DOI: 10.1039/d4md00123k] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2024] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 05/25/2024] Open
Abstract
Dysregulation of the networking of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and RNAs drives many human diseases, including cancers, and the targeting of RNA-protein interactions (RPIs) has emerged as an exciting area of RNA-targeted drug discovery. Accordingly, methods that enable the discovery of cell-active small molecule modulators of RPIs are needed to propel this emerging field forward. Herein, we describe the application of live-cell assay technology, RNA interaction with protein-mediated complementation assay (RiPCA), for high-throughput screening to identify small molecule inhibitors of the pre-let-7d-Lin28A RPI. Utilizing a combination of RNA-biased small molecules and virtual screening hits, we discovered an RNA-binding small molecule that can disrupt the pre-let-7-Lin28 interaction demonstrating the potential of RiPCA for advancing RPI-targeted drug discovery.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sydney L Rosenblum
- Program in Chemical Biology, University of Michigan 210 Washtenaw Avenue Ann Arbor MI 48109 USA
| | - Dalia M Soueid
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan 1600 Huron Parkway, NCRC B520 Ann Arbor MI 48109 USA
| | - George Giambasu
- Computational Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc. Boston MA 02115 USA
| | - Steve Vander Roest
- Center for Chemical Genomics, Life Sciences Institute, University of Michigan 210 Washtenaw Avenue Ann Arbor MI 48109 USA
| | | | - Erin F DiMauro
- Discovery Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc. Boston MA 02115 USA
| | - Vladimir Simov
- Discovery Chemistry, Merck & Co., Inc. Boston MA 02115 USA
| | - Amanda L Garner
- Program in Chemical Biology, University of Michigan 210 Washtenaw Avenue Ann Arbor MI 48109 USA
- Department of Medicinal Chemistry, College of Pharmacy, University of Michigan 1600 Huron Parkway, NCRC B520 Ann Arbor MI 48109 USA
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2
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Cocchi S, Greco V, Sidarovich V, Vigna J, Broso F, Corallo D, Zasso J, Re A, Rosatti EF, Longhi S, Defant A, Ladu F, Sanna V, Adami V, D’Agostino VG, Sturlese M, Sechi M, Aveic S, Mancini I, Sighel D, Quattrone A. EGCG Disrupts the LIN28B/Let-7 Interaction and Reduces Neuroblastoma Aggressiveness. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:4795. [PMID: 38732012 PMCID: PMC11084668 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25094795] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/21/2024] [Revised: 04/17/2024] [Accepted: 04/25/2024] [Indexed: 05/13/2024] Open
Abstract
Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most commonly diagnosed extracranial solid tumor in children, accounting for 15% of all childhood cancer deaths. Although the 5-year survival rate of patients with a high-risk disease has increased in recent decades, NB remains a challenge in pediatric oncology, and the identification of novel potential therapeutic targets and agents is an urgent clinical need. The RNA-binding protein LIN28B has been identified as an oncogene in NB and is associated with a poor prognosis. Given that LIN28B acts by negatively regulating the biogenesis of the tumor suppressor let-7 miRNAs, we reasoned that selective interference with the LIN28B/let-7 miRNA interaction would increase let-7 miRNA levels, ultimately leading to reduced NB aggressiveness. Here, we selected (-)-epigallocatechin 3-gallate (EGCG) out of 4959 molecules screened as the molecule with the best inhibitory activity on LIN28B/let-7 miRNA interaction and showed that treatment with PLC/PLGA-PEG nanoparticles containing EGCG (EGCG-NPs) led to an increase in mature let-7 miRNAs and a consequent inhibition of NB cell growth. In addition, EGCG-NP pretreatment reduced the tumorigenic potential of NB cells in vivo. These experiments suggest that the LIN28B/let-7 miRNA axis is a good therapeutic target in NB and that EGCG, which can interfere with this interaction, deserves further preclinical evaluation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simona Cocchi
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (S.C.); (V.G.); (V.S.); (V.G.D.)
| | - Valentina Greco
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (S.C.); (V.G.); (V.S.); (V.G.D.)
| | - Viktoryia Sidarovich
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (S.C.); (V.G.); (V.S.); (V.G.D.)
| | - Jacopo Vigna
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (S.C.); (V.G.); (V.S.); (V.G.D.)
- Department of Physics, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (A.D.)
| | - Francesca Broso
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (S.C.); (V.G.); (V.S.); (V.G.D.)
| | - Diana Corallo
- Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica Fondazione Città della Speranza, 35127 Padova, Italy
| | - Jacopo Zasso
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (S.C.); (V.G.); (V.S.); (V.G.D.)
| | - Angela Re
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (S.C.); (V.G.); (V.S.); (V.G.D.)
| | - Emanuele Filiberto Rosatti
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (S.C.); (V.G.); (V.S.); (V.G.D.)
| | - Sara Longhi
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (S.C.); (V.G.); (V.S.); (V.G.D.)
| | - Andrea Defant
- Department of Physics, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (A.D.)
| | - Federico Ladu
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (F.L.); (M.S.)
| | | | - Valentina Adami
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (S.C.); (V.G.); (V.S.); (V.G.D.)
| | - Vito G. D’Agostino
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (S.C.); (V.G.); (V.S.); (V.G.D.)
| | - Mattia Sturlese
- Molecular Modeling Section, Department of Pharmaceutical and Pharmacological Sciences, University of Padua, 35127 Padova, Italy;
| | - Mario Sechi
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Pharmacy, University of Sassari, 07100 Sassari, Italy; (F.L.); (M.S.)
| | - Sanja Aveic
- Istituto di Ricerca Pediatrica Fondazione Città della Speranza, 35127 Padova, Italy
| | - Ines Mancini
- Department of Physics, University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (A.D.)
| | - Denise Sighel
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (S.C.); (V.G.); (V.S.); (V.G.D.)
| | - Alessandro Quattrone
- Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), University of Trento, 38123 Trento, Italy; (S.C.); (V.G.); (V.S.); (V.G.D.)
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3
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Raja R, Sundararaj R, Kandasamy R. Identification of small molecule inhibitors against Lin28/let-7 to suppress tumor progression and its alleviation role in LIN28-dependent glucose metabolism. Med Oncol 2024; 41:118. [PMID: 38630184 DOI: 10.1007/s12032-024-02350-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/04/2024] [Indexed: 04/19/2024]
Abstract
The reciprocal suppression of an RNA-binding protein LIN28 (human abnormal cell lineage 28) and miRNA Let-7 (Lethal 7) is considered to have a prime role in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Though targeting this inhibition interaction is effective for therapeutics, it causes other unfavorable effects on glucose metabolism and increased insulin resistance. Hence, this study aims to identify small molecules targeting Lin28/let-7 interaction along with additional potency to improve insulin sensitivity. Of 22,14,996 small molecules screened by high throughput virtual screening, 6 molecules, namely 41354, 1558, 12437, 23837, 15710, and 8319 were able to block the LIN28 interaction with let-7 and increase the insulin sensitivity via interacting with PPARγ (peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors γ). MM-GBSA (Molecular Mechanics-Generalized Born Surface Area) analysis is used to re-score the binding affinity of docked complexes. Upon further analysis, it is also seen that these molecules have superior ADME (Absorption, Distribution, Metabolism, and Excretion) properties and form stable complexes with the targets for a significant period in a biologically simulated environment (Molecular Dynamics simulation) for 100 ns. From our results, we hypothesize that these identified 6 small molecules can be potential candidates for HCC treatment and the glucose metabolic disorder caused by the HCC treatment.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rachanaa Raja
- Centre for Excellence in Nanobio Translational Research, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University College of Engineering, Anna University (BIT Campus), Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Rajamanikandan Sundararaj
- Centre for Drug Discovery, Department of Biochemistry, Karpagam Academy of Higher Education, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
| | - Ruckmani Kandasamy
- Centre for Excellence in Nanobio Translational Research, Department of Pharmaceutical Technology, University College of Engineering, Anna University (BIT Campus), Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India.
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4
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Oyejobi GK, Yan X, Sliz P, Wang L. Regulating Protein-RNA Interactions: Advances in Targeting the LIN28/Let-7 Pathway. Int J Mol Sci 2024; 25:3585. [PMID: 38612395 PMCID: PMC11011352 DOI: 10.3390/ijms25073585] [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: 02/26/2024] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/20/2024] [Indexed: 04/14/2024] Open
Abstract
Originally discovered in C. elegans, LIN28 is an evolutionarily conserved zinc finger RNA-binding protein (RBP) that post-transcriptionally regulates genes involved in developmental timing, stem cell programming, and oncogenesis. LIN28 acts via two distinct mechanisms. It blocks the biogenesis of the lethal-7 (let-7) microRNA (miRNA) family, and also directly binds messenger RNA (mRNA) targets, such as IGF-2 mRNA, and alters downstream splicing and translation events. This review focuses on the molecular mechanism of LIN28 repression of let-7 and current strategies to overcome this blockade for the purpose of cancer therapy. We highlight the value of the LIN28/let-7 pathway as a drug target, as multiple oncogenic proteins that the pathway regulates are considered undruggable due to their inaccessible cellular location and lack of cavities for small molecule binding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Greater Kayode Oyejobi
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; (G.K.O.); (X.Y.)
| | - Xiaodan Yan
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; (G.K.O.); (X.Y.)
| | - Piotr Sliz
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02115, USA
| | - Longfei Wang
- Key Laboratory of Combinatorial Biosynthesis and Drug Discovery (Ministry of Education), School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430072, China; (G.K.O.); (X.Y.)
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5
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Borgelt L, Hohnen L, Pallesen JS, Hommen P, Goebel GL, Bosica F, Liu Y, O’Mahony G, Wu P. N-Biphenyl Pyrrolinones and Dibenzofurans as RNA-Binding Protein LIN28 Inhibitors Disrupting the LIN28- Let-7 Interaction. ACS Med Chem Lett 2023; 14:1707-1715. [PMID: 38116413 PMCID: PMC10726440 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.3c00341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2023] [Revised: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 11/08/2023] [Indexed: 12/21/2023] Open
Abstract
The RNA-binding protein LIN28 is a regulator of miRNA let-7 biogenesis. Inhibitors of LIN28 are highly sought after given the central role that LIN28 plays in tumorigenesis and development of cancer stem cells as well as LIN28's association with poor clinical prognosis. Although LIN28 inhibitors of different scaffolds have been reported, the potential of most LIN28 inhibiting small molecules was not fully explored since very limited structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies have been performed. We previously identified trisubstituted pyrrolinones as a new class of LIN28 inhibitors disrupting the LIN28-let-7 interaction. Here, we performed extensive SAR by evaluating 95 small molecules and identified new trisubstituted pyrrolinones featuring either an N-biphenyl or N-dibenzofuran substituent, overthrowing the existing conclusion that a salicylic acid moiety is indispensable for activity. Exchange of the negatively charged salicylic acid moiety in LIN28 inhibitors with a heterocyclic substituent is beneficial for membrane permeability, leading to increased activity in a cellular assay, and will potentially reduce toxicity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Borgelt
- Chemical
Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of
Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 15, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund
University, Otto-Hahn
Str. 6, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Lisa Hohnen
- Chemical
Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of
Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 15, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr-University
Bochum, Universitätsstr.
150, Bochum 44801, Germany
| | - Jakob S. Pallesen
- Medicinal
Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and
Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Pascal Hommen
- Chemical
Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of
Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 15, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund
University, Otto-Hahn
Str. 6, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Georg L. Goebel
- Chemical
Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of
Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 15, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund
University, Otto-Hahn
Str. 6, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Francesco Bosica
- Medicinal
Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and
Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Yang Liu
- Chemical
Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of
Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 15, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Faculty
of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund
University, Otto-Hahn
Str. 6, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Gavin O’Mahony
- Medicinal
Chemistry, Research and Early Development, Cardiovascular, Renal and
Metabolism, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca, SE-431 83 Mölndal, Sweden
| | - Peng Wu
- Chemical
Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of
Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 15, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund 44227, Germany
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6
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Borgelt L, Huang F, Hohnen L, Qiu X, Goebel GL, Hommen P, Wu P. Spirocyclic Chromenopyrazole Inhibitors Disrupting the Interaction between the RNA-Binding Protein LIN28 and Let-7. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300168. [PMID: 37129525 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2023] [Revised: 04/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
Small-molecule inhibitors of the RNA-binding and regulating protein LIN28 have the potential to be developed as chemical probes for biological perturbation and as therapeutic candidates. Reported small molecules disrupting the interaction between LIN28 and let-7 miRNA suffer from moderate to weak inhibitory activity and flat structure-activity relationship, which hindered the development of next-generation LIN28 inhibitors that warrant further evaluations. We report herein the identification of new LIN28 inhibitors utilizing a spirocyclization strategy based on a chromenopyrazole scaffold. Representative compounds 2-5 showed potent in vitro inhibitory activity against LIN28-let-7 interaction and single-digit micromolar potency in inhibiting the proliferation of LIN28-expressing JAR cancer cells. The spirocyclic compound 5 incorporated a position that is amenable for functional group appendage and further structural modifications. The binding mode of compound 5 with the LIN28 cold shock domain was rationalized via a molecular docking analysis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Borgelt
- Chemical Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 15, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn Str. 6, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
| | - Fubao Huang
- Chemical Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 15, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
| | - Lisa Hohnen
- Chemical Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 15, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, Bochum, 44780, Germany
| | - Xiaqiu Qiu
- Chemical Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 15, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn Str. 6, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
| | - Georg L Goebel
- Chemical Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 15, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn Str. 6, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
| | - Pascal Hommen
- Chemical Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 15, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn Str. 6, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
| | - Peng Wu
- Chemical Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 15, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
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7
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Hommen P, Hwang J, Huang F, Borgelt L, Hohnen L, Wu P. Chromenopyrazole-Peptide Conjugates as Small-Molecule Based Inhibitors Disrupting the Protein-RNA Interaction of LIN28-let-7. Chembiochem 2023; 24:e202300376. [PMID: 37224100 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202300376] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2023] [Accepted: 05/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/26/2023]
Abstract
Targeting the protein-RNA interaction of LIN28 and let-7 is a promising strategy for the development of novel anticancer therapeutics. However, a limited number of small-molecule inhibitors disrupting the LIN28-let-7 interaction with potent efficacy are available. Herein, we developed a novel LIN28-inhibiting strategy by targeting selective hotspot amino acids at the LIN28-let-7 binding interface with small-molecule-based bifunctional conjugates. Starting from reported small-molecule LIN28 inhibitors, we identified a feasible linker-attachment position after performing a structure-activity relationship exploration based on the LIN28-targeting chromenopyrazoles. In parallel, a virtual alanine scan identified hotspot residues at the protein-RNA binding interface, based on which we designed a set of peptides to enhance the interaction with the identified hotspot residues. Conjugation of the tailor-designed peptides with linker-attached chromenopyrazoles yielded a series of bifunctional small-molecule-peptide conjugates, represented by compound 83 (PH-223), as a new LIN28-targeting chemical modality. Our result demonstrated an unexplored rational design approach using bifunctional conjugates to target protein-RNA interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pascal Hommen
- Chemical Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn Str. 6, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
| | - Jimin Hwang
- Chemical Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn Str. 6, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
| | - Fubao Huang
- Chemical Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
| | - Lydia Borgelt
- Chemical Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund University, Otto-Hahn Str. 6, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
| | - Lisa Hohnen
- Chemical Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstr. 150, Bochum, 44780, Germany
| | - Peng Wu
- Chemical Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
- Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Otto-Hahn Str. 11, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
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8
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Lekka E, Kokanovic A, Mosole S, Civenni G, Schmidli S, Laski A, Ghidini A, Iyer P, Berk C, Behera A, Catapano CV, Hall J. Pharmacological inhibition of Lin28 promotes ketogenesis and restores lipid homeostasis in models of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Nat Commun 2022; 13:7940. [PMID: 36572670 PMCID: PMC9792516 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-35481-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2021] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Lin28 RNA-binding proteins are stem-cell factors that play key roles in development. Lin28 suppresses the biogenesis of let-7 microRNAs and regulates mRNA translation. Notably, let-7 inhibits Lin28, establishing a double-negative feedback loop. The Lin28/let-7 axis resides at the interface of metabolic reprogramming and oncogenesis and is therefore a potential target for several diseases. In this study, we use compound-C1632, a drug-like Lin28 inhibitor, and show that the Lin28/let-7 axis regulates the balance between ketogenesis and lipogenesis in liver cells. Hence, Lin28 inhibition activates synthesis and secretion of ketone bodies whilst suppressing lipogenesis. This occurs at least partly via let-7-mediated inhibition of nuclear receptor co-repressor 1, which releases ketogenesis gene expression mediated by peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-alpha. In this way, small-molecule Lin28 inhibition protects against lipid accumulation in multiple cellular and male mouse models of hepatic steatosis. Overall, this study highlights Lin28 inhibitors as candidates for the treatment of hepatic disorders of abnormal lipid deposition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evangelia Lekka
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Aleksandra Kokanovic
- Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapeutics, Institute of Oncology Research (IOR), Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI), Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Simone Mosole
- Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapeutics, Institute of Oncology Research (IOR), Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI), Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Gianluca Civenni
- Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapeutics, Institute of Oncology Research (IOR), Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI), Bellinzona, Switzerland
| | - Sandro Schmidli
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Artur Laski
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alice Ghidini
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Pavithra Iyer
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Christian Berk
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Alok Behera
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Carlo V Catapano
- Tumor Biology and Experimental Therapeutics, Institute of Oncology Research (IOR), Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI), Bellinzona, Switzerland.
| | - Jonathan Hall
- Department of Chemistry and Applied Biosciences, Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, ETH Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
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9
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Rosenblum SL, Garner AL. Optimization of RiPCA for the Live-Cell Detection of Pre-MicroRNA-Protein Interactions. Chembiochem 2022; 23:e202200508. [PMID: 36322053 PMCID: PMC9831681 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.202200508] [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: 08/31/2022] [Revised: 10/31/2022] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Advancements in methods for identifying RNA-protein interactions (RPIs) on a large scale has necessitated the development of assays for validation of these interactions, particularly in living cells. We previously reported the development of RiPCA (RNA interaction with protein-mediated complementation assay) to enable the cellular detection of the well-characterized interaction between the pre-microRNA, pre-let-7, and its RNA-binding protein (RBP) partner Lin28. In this study, the applicability of RiPCA for the detection of putative pre-miRNA-protein interactions was explored using an improved RiPCA protocol, termed RiPCA 2.0. RiPCA 2.0 was adapted to detect the sequence specificity of the RBPs hnRNP A1, Msi1, and Msi2 for reported pre-microRNA binding partners. Additionally, the ability of RiPCA 2.0 to detect site-specific binding was explored. Collectively, this work highlights the versatility of RiPCA 2.0 in detecting cellular RPIs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Amanda L. Garner
- Department of Medicinal ChemistryUniversity of MichiganAnn ArborMichigan48109USA
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10
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Mehta M, Raguraman R, Ramesh R, Munshi A. RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and their role in DNA damage and radiation response in cancer. Adv Drug Deliv Rev 2022; 191:114569. [PMID: 36252617 PMCID: PMC10411638 DOI: 10.1016/j.addr.2022.114569] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/24/2022] [Revised: 09/27/2022] [Accepted: 09/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/24/2023]
Abstract
Traditionally majority of eukaryotic gene expression is influenced by transcriptional and post-transcriptional events. Alterations in the expression of proteins that act post-transcriptionally can affect cellular signaling and homeostasis. RNA binding proteins (RBPs) are a family of proteins that specifically bind to RNAs and are involved in post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression and important cellular processes such as cell differentiation and metabolism. Deregulation of RNA-RBP interactions and any changes in RBP expression or function can lead to various diseases including cancer. In cancer cells, RBPs play an important role in regulating the expression of tumor suppressors and oncoproteins involved in various cell-signaling pathways. Several RBPs such as HuR, AUF1, RBM38, LIN28, RBM24, tristetrapolin family and Musashi play critical roles in various types of cancers and their aberrant expression in cancer cells makes them an attractive therapeutic target for cancer treatment. In this review we provide an overview of i). RBPs involved in cancer progression and their mechanism of action ii). the role of RBPs, including HuR, in breast cancer progression and DNA damage response and iii). explore RBPs with emphasis on HuR as therapeutic target for breast cancer therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghna Mehta
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73013, USA; Stephenson Cancer Center, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73013, USA
| | - Rajeswari Raguraman
- Department of Pathology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73013, USA; Stephenson Cancer Center, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73013, USA
| | - Rajagopal Ramesh
- Department of Pathology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73013, USA; Stephenson Cancer Center, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73013, USA
| | - Anupama Munshi
- Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73013, USA; Stephenson Cancer Center, The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Oklahoma City, OK 73013, USA.
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11
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Discovery of Novel Lin28 Inhibitors to Suppress Cancer Cell Stemness. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:cancers14225687. [PMID: 36428779 PMCID: PMC9688808 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14225687] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2022] [Revised: 11/14/2022] [Accepted: 11/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/22/2022] Open
Abstract
Lin28 is a pluripotency factor that regulates cancer cell stem-like phenotypes to promote cancer development and therapy-resistant tumor progression. It acts through its cold shock domain and zinc knuckle domain (ZKD) to interact with the Let-7 pre-microRNA and block Let-7 biosynthesis. Chemical inhibition of Lin28 from interacting with Let-7 presents a therapeutic strategy for cancer therapy. Herein, we present the computer-aided development of small molecules by in silico screening 18 million compounds from the ZINC20 library, followed by the biological validation of 163 predicted compounds to confirm 15 new Lin28 inhibitors. We report three lead compounds, Ln7, Ln15, and Ln115, that target the ZKD of both Lin28A and Lin28B isoforms and block Lin28 from binding Let-7. They restore Let-7 expression and suppress tumor oncogenes such as SOX2 in cancer cells and show strong inhibitory effects on cancer cell stem-like phenotypes. However, minimal impacts of these compounds were observed on Lin28-negative cells, confirming the on-target effects of these compounds. We conclude from this study the discovery of several new Lin28 inhibitors as promising candidate compounds that warrant further drug development into potential anticancer therapies.
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12
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Lin Z, Radaeva M, Cherkasov A, Dong X. Lin28 Regulates Cancer Cell Stemness for Tumour Progression. Cancers (Basel) 2022; 14:4640. [PMID: 36230562 PMCID: PMC9564245 DOI: 10.3390/cancers14194640] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/19/2022] [Revised: 09/15/2022] [Accepted: 09/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumours develop therapy resistance through complex mechanisms, one of which is that cancer stem cell (CSC) populations within the tumours present self-renewable capability and phenotypical plasticity to endure therapy-induced stress conditions and allow tumour progression to the therapy-resistant state. Developing therapeutic strategies to cope with CSCs requires a thorough understanding of the critical drivers and molecular mechanisms underlying the aforementioned processes. One such hub regulator of stemness is Lin28, an RNA-binding protein. Lin28 blocks the synthesis of let-7, a tumour-suppressor microRNA, and acts as a global regulator of cell differentiation and proliferation. Lin28also targets messenger RNAs and regulates protein translation. In this review, we explain the role of the Lin28/let-7 axis in establishing stemness, epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition, and glucose metabolism reprogramming. We also highlight the role of Lin28 in therapy-resistant prostate cancer progression and discuss the emergence of Lin28-targeted therapeutics and screening methods.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhuohui Lin
- Department of Microbiology and Immunology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
- Faculty of Food and Land Systems, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - Mariia Radaeva
- The Vancouver Prostate Centre, Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H 3Z6, Canada
| | - Artem Cherkasov
- The Vancouver Prostate Centre, Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H 3Z6, Canada
| | - Xuesen Dong
- The Vancouver Prostate Centre, Department of Urologic Sciences, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC V6H 3Z6, Canada
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13
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Tan Y, Sun X, Xu Y, Tang B, Xu S, Lu D, Ye Y, Luo X, Diao X, Li F, Wang T, Chen J, Xu Q, Wu X. Small molecule targeting CELF1 RNA-binding activity to control HSC activation and liver fibrosis. Nucleic Acids Res 2022; 50:2440-2451. [PMID: 35234905 PMCID: PMC8934652 DOI: 10.1093/nar/gkac139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/08/2021] [Revised: 01/21/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
CUGBP Elav-like family member 1 (CELF1), an RNA-binding protein (RBP), plays important roles in the pathogenesis of diseases such as myotonic dystrophy, liver fibrosis and cancers. However, targeting CELF1 is still a challenge, as RBPs are considered largely undruggable. Here, we discovered that compound 27 disrupted CELF1-RNA binding via structure-based virtual screening and biochemical assays. Compound 27 binds directly to CELF1 and competes with RNA for binding to CELF1. Compound 27 promotes IFN-γ secretion and suppresses TGF-β1-induced hepatic stellate cell (HSC) activation by inhibiting CELF1-mediated IFN-γ mRNA decay. In vivo, compound 27 attenuates CCl4-induced murine liver fibrosis. Furthermore, the structure-activity relationship analysis was performed and compound 841, a derivative of compound 27, was identified as a selective CELF1 inhibitor. In conclusion, targeting CELF1 RNA-binding activity with small molecules was achieved, which provides a novel strategy for treating liver fibrosis and other CELF1-mediated diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yang Tan
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Xueqing Sun
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Yizhu Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Bingjie Tang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Shuaiqi Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Dong Lu
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Yan Ye
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
| | - Xiaomin Luo
- Drug Discovery and Design Center, State Key Laboratory of Drug Research, Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai 201203, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, 19 Yuquan Road, Beijing 100049, China
| | - Xu Diao
- Department of Pharmacology, Jiangsu Simovay Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Nanjing, Jiangsu 210042, China
| | - Fulong Li
- Department of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, Jiangsu Simovay Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Nanjing, Jiangsu 210042, China
| | - Tianyi Wang
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Jiayu Chen
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Chemistry and Biomedicine Innovation Center (ChemBIC), Nanjing University, Nanjing210023, China
| | - Qiang Xu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
| | - Xingxin Wu
- State Key Laboratory of Pharmaceutical Biotechnology, School of Life Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, Jiangsu 210023, China
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14
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Goebel GL, Hohnen L, Borgelt L, Hommen P, Qiu X, Lightfoot H, Wu P. Small molecules with tetrahydroquinoline-containing Povarov scaffolds as inhibitors disrupting the Protein-RNA interaction of LIN28-let-7. Eur J Med Chem 2022; 228:114014. [PMID: 34883291 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2021.114014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2021] [Revised: 11/15/2021] [Accepted: 11/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Inhibition of the RNA-binding protein LIN28 and disruption of the protein-RNA interaction of LIN28-let-7 with small molecules holds great potential to develop new anticancer therapeutics. Herein, we report the LIN28 inhibitory activities of a series of 30 small molecules with a tricyclic tetrahydroquinoline (THQ)-containing scaffold obtained from a Povarov reaction. The THQ molecules were structurally optimized by varying the 2-benzoic acid substituent, the fused ring at 3- and 4-positions, and the substituents at the phenyl moiety of the tetrahydroquinoline core. Among the tested compounds, GG-43 showed dose-dependent inhibition in an EMSA validation assay and low micromolar inhibitory activity in a fluorescence polarization-based assay measuring disruption of LIN28-let-7 interaction. Binding mode between GG-43 and the cold shock domain of LIN28 was proposed via a molecular docking analysis. The study provides one of the first systematic analyses on structural features that are required for LIN28 inhibition, and indicates the necessity to develop small molecules with new scaffolds as LIN28-targeting probes and therapeutic candidates. In parallel, this study demonstrates the polypharmacological nature of tricyclic THQ-containing scaffolds accessible through Povarov reactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Georg L Goebel
- Chemical Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, 44227, Germany; Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, 44227, Germany; Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund, Otto-Hahn Strasse 6, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
| | - Lisa Hohnen
- Chemical Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, 44227, Germany; Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, 44227, Germany; Faculty of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätstr. 150, Bochum, 44780, Germany
| | - Lydia Borgelt
- Chemical Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, 44227, Germany; Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, 44227, Germany; Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund, Otto-Hahn Strasse 6, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
| | - Pascal Hommen
- Chemical Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, 44227, Germany; Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, 44227, Germany; Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund, Otto-Hahn Strasse 6, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
| | - Xiaqiu Qiu
- Chemical Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, 44227, Germany; Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, 44227, Germany; Faculty of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, TU Dortmund, Otto-Hahn Strasse 6, Dortmund, 44227, Germany
| | - Helen Lightfoot
- Safety & Mechanistic Pharmacology, Clinical Pharmacology and Safety Sciences, AstraZeneca, Cambridge, UK
| | - Peng Wu
- Chemical Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, 44227, Germany; Department of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund, 44227, Germany.
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15
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Borgelt L, Li F, Hommen P, Lampe P, Hwang J, Goebel GL, Sievers S, Wu P. Trisubstituted Pyrrolinones as Small-Molecule Inhibitors Disrupting the Protein-RNA Interaction of LIN28 and Let-7. ACS Med Chem Lett 2021; 12:893-898. [PMID: 34136077 PMCID: PMC8201479 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.0c00546] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2020] [Accepted: 02/23/2021] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Modulation of protein-RNA interaction (PRI) using small molecules is a promising strategy to develop therapeutics. LIN28 is an RNA-binding protein that blocks the maturation of the tumor suppressor let-7 microRNAs. Herein, we performed a fluorescence polarization-based screening and identified trisubstituted pyrrolinones as small-molecule inhibitors disrupting the LIN28-let-7 interaction. The most potent compound C902 showed dose-dependent inhibition in an EMSA validation assay, enhanced thermal stability of the cold shock domain of LIN28, and increased mature let-7 levels in JAR cells. The structure-activity relationship study revealed key structural features contributing to either PRI inhibition or stabilization of protein-protein interaction (PPI). The pyrrolinones identified in this study not only represent a new class of LIN28-binding molecules that diversify the limited available LIN28 inhibitors but also represent the first examples of small molecules that showed substituent-dependent PRI inhibitory and PPI activating activities.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lydia Borgelt
- Chemical
Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of
Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Fu Li
- Chemical
Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of
Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Pascal Hommen
- Chemical
Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of
Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Philipp Lampe
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Compound
Management and Screening Center, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Jimin Hwang
- Chemical
Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of
Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Georg L. Goebel
- Chemical
Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of
Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Sonja Sievers
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Compound
Management and Screening Center, Dortmund 44227, Germany
| | - Peng Wu
- Chemical
Genomics Centre, Max Planck Institute of
Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
- Department
of Chemical Biology, Max Planck Institute
of Molecular Physiology, Dortmund 44227, Germany
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16
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Julio AR, Backus KM. New approaches to target RNA binding proteins. Curr Opin Chem Biol 2021; 62:13-23. [PMID: 33535093 PMCID: PMC8823266 DOI: 10.1016/j.cbpa.2020.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 37] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/31/2020] [Revised: 12/15/2020] [Accepted: 12/29/2020] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
Abstract
RNA binding proteins (RBPs) are a large and diverse class of proteins that regulate all aspects of RNA biology. As RBP dysregulation has been implicated in a number of human disorders, including cancers and neurodegenerative disease, small molecule chemical probes that target individual RBPs represent useful tools for deciphering RBP function and guiding the production of new therapeutics. While RBPs are often thought of as tough-to-drug, the discovery of a number of small molecules that target RBPs has spurred considerable recent interest in new strategies for RBP chemical probe discovery. Here we review current and emerging technologies for high throughput RBP-small molecule screening that we expect will help unlock the full therapeutic potential of this exciting protein class.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ashley R Julio
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA
| | - Keriann M Backus
- Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, College of Arts and Sciences, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA; Department of Biological Chemistry, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA; Molecular Biology Institute, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA; DOE Institute for Genomics and Proteomics, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA; Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA; Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regenerative Medicine and Stem Cell Research, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA.
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17
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Weiße J, Rosemann J, Krauspe V, Kappler M, Eckert AW, Haemmerle M, Gutschner T. RNA-Binding Proteins as Regulators of Migration, Invasion and Metastasis in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:E6835. [PMID: 32957697 PMCID: PMC7555251 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21186835] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/26/2020] [Revised: 09/14/2020] [Accepted: 09/17/2020] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Nearly 7.5% of all human protein-coding genes have been assigned to the class of RNA-binding proteins (RBPs), and over the past decade, RBPs have been increasingly recognized as important regulators of molecular and cellular homeostasis. RBPs regulate the post-transcriptional processing of their target RNAs, i.e., alternative splicing, polyadenylation, stability and turnover, localization, or translation as well as editing and chemical modification, thereby tuning gene expression programs of diverse cellular processes such as cell survival and malignant spread. Importantly, metastases are the major cause of cancer-associated deaths in general, and particularly in oral cancers, which account for 2% of the global cancer mortality. However, the roles and architecture of RBPs and RBP-controlled expression networks during the diverse steps of the metastatic cascade are only incompletely understood. In this review, we will offer a brief overview about RBPs and their general contribution to post-transcriptional regulation of gene expression. Subsequently, we will highlight selected examples of RBPs that have been shown to play a role in oral cancer cell migration, invasion, and metastasis. Last but not least, we will present targeting strategies that have been developed to interfere with the function of some of these RBPs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jonas Weiße
- Junior Research Group ‘RNA Biology and Pathogenesis’, Medical Faculty, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany; (J.W.); (J.R.); (V.K.)
| | - Julia Rosemann
- Junior Research Group ‘RNA Biology and Pathogenesis’, Medical Faculty, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany; (J.W.); (J.R.); (V.K.)
| | - Vanessa Krauspe
- Junior Research Group ‘RNA Biology and Pathogenesis’, Medical Faculty, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany; (J.W.); (J.R.); (V.K.)
| | - Matthias Kappler
- Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Plastic Surgery, Medical Faculty, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle (Saale), Germany;
| | - Alexander W. Eckert
- Department of Cranio Maxillofacial Surgery, Paracelsus Medical University, 90471 Nuremberg, Germany;
| | - Monika Haemmerle
- Institute of Pathology, Section for Experimental Pathology, Medical Faculty, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany;
| | - Tony Gutschner
- Junior Research Group ‘RNA Biology and Pathogenesis’, Medical Faculty, Martin-Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, 06120 Halle/Saale, Germany; (J.W.); (J.R.); (V.K.)
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18
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Abstract
Protein-RNA interactions have crucial roles in various cellular activities, which, when dysregulated, can lead to a range of human diseases. The identification of small molecules that target the interaction between RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) and RNA is progressing rapidly and represents a novel strategy for the discovery of chemical probes that facilitate understanding of the cellular functions of RBPs and of therapeutic agents with new mechanisms of action. In this Review, I present a current overview of targeting emerging RBPs using small-molecule inhibitors and recent progress in this burgeoning field. Small-molecule inhibitors that were reported for three representative emerging classes of RBPs, the microRNA-binding protein LIN28, the single-stranded or double-stranded RNA-binding Toll-like receptors and the CRISPR-associated (Cas) proteins, are highlighted from a medicinal-chemistry and chemical-biology perspective. However, although this field is burgeoning, challenges remain in the discovery and characterization of small-molecule inhibitors of RBPs.
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19
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RNA-Targeted Therapies and High-Throughput Screening Methods. Int J Mol Sci 2020; 21:ijms21082996. [PMID: 32340368 PMCID: PMC7216119 DOI: 10.3390/ijms21082996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/31/2020] [Revised: 04/20/2020] [Accepted: 04/21/2020] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are involved in regulating all aspects of RNA metabolism, including processing, transport, translation, and degradation. Dysregulation of RNA metabolism is linked to a plethora of diseases, such as cancer, neurodegenerative diseases, and neuromuscular disorders. Recent years have seen a dramatic shift in the knowledge base, with RNA increasingly being recognised as an attractive target for precision medicine therapies. In this article, we are going to review current RNA-targeted therapies. Furthermore, we will scrutinise a range of drug discoveries targeting protein-RNA interactions. In particular, we will focus on the interplay between Lin28 and let-7, splicing regulatory proteins and survival motor neuron (SMN) pre-mRNA, as well as HuR, Musashi, proteins and their RNA targets. We will highlight the mechanisms RBPs utilise to modulate RNA metabolism and discuss current high-throughput screening strategies. This review provides evidence that we are entering a new era of RNA-targeted medicine.
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20
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A nanobody targeting the LIN28:let-7 interaction fragment of TUT4 blocks uridylation of let-7. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2020; 117:4653-4663. [PMID: 32060122 PMCID: PMC7060709 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1919409117] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Terminal uridylyltransferases are writers of poly(U) tails in diverse RNA uridylation pathways. In the let-7 pathway, the LIN28:pre-let-7:TUTase ribonucleoprotein complex regulates the processing and maturation of the let-7 microRNA, and plays an important role in both physiology and disease. The presence of redundant TUTase orthologs and the diverse pathways poses challenges to revealing the molecular mechanisms of TUTases. We developed a precise tool to identify nanobodies that inhibited the LIN28:pre-let-7:TUTase interaction. The nanobody Nb-S2A4 specifically interacted with the LIN28:let-7 interaction fragment in TUT4, which is critical for oligouridylation and monouridylation of let-7. Our data illustrate that the nanobody tool is effective in distinguishing functions among protein orthologs and diverse pathways. The LIN28:pre-let-7:TUTase ternary complex regulates pluripotency and oncogenesis by controlling processing of the let-7 family of microRNAs. The complex oligouridylates the 3′ ends of pre-let-7 molecules, leading to their degradation via the DIS3L2 exonuclease. Previous studies suggest that components of this complex are potential therapeutic targets in malignancies that aberrantly express LIN28. In this study we developed a functional epitope selection approach to identify nanobody inhibitors of the LIN28:pre-let-7:TUT4 complex. We demonstrate that one of the identified nanobodies, Nb-S2A4, targets the 106-residue LIN28:let-7 interaction (LLI) fragment of TUT4. Nb-S2A4 can effectively inhibit oligouridylation and monouridylation of pre-let-7g in vitro. Expressing Nb-S2A4 allows maturation of the let-7 species in cells expressing LIN28, highlighting the therapeutic potential of targeting the LLI fragment.
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21
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Van Meter EN, Onyango JA, Teske KA. A review of currently identified small molecule modulators of microRNA function. Eur J Med Chem 2020; 188:112008. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2019.112008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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22
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Byun WG, Lim D, Park SB. Discovery of Small-Molecule Modulators of Protein-RNA Interactions by Fluorescence Intensity-Based Binding Assay. Chembiochem 2019; 21:818-824. [PMID: 31587454 DOI: 10.1002/cbic.201900467] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2019] [Revised: 10/04/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Protein-RNA interactions mediate various cellular processes, the dysregulation of which has been associated with a list of diseases. Thus, novel experimental tools for monitoring protein-RNA interactions are highly desirable to identify new chemical modulators of these therapeutic targets. In this study, we constructed simple fluorescence intensity-based protein-RNA binding assays by testing multiple environment-sensitive organic fluorophores. We selected the oncogenic interaction between Lin28 and the let-7 microRNA and the important immunomodulatory Roquin-Tnf CDE interaction as representative targets. We adapted this assay to high-throughput screening for the identification of pyrazolyl thiazolidinedione-type molecules as potent small-molecule inhibitors of protein-microRNA interactions. We clearly showed the structure-activity relationships of this new class of Lin28-let-7 interaction inhibitors, and confirmed that cellular mature let-7 microRNAs and their target genes could be modulated upon treatment with the pyrazolyl thiazolidinedione-type inhibitor. We expect that our simple and adaptable screening approach can be applied for the development of various assay systems aimed at the identification of bioactive small molecules targeting protein-RNA interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wan Gi Byun
- CRI Center for Chemical Proteomics, Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, South Korea
| | - Donghyun Lim
- Department of Biophysics and Chemical Biology, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, South Korea
| | - Seung Bum Park
- CRI Center for Chemical Proteomics, Department of Chemistry, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, South Korea.,Department of Biophysics and Chemical Biology, Seoul National University, 1 Gwanak-ro Gwanak-gu, Seoul, 08826, South Korea
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23
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de Almeida BC, dos Anjos LG, Uno M, da Cunha IW, Soares FA, Baiocchi G, Baracat EC, Carvalho KC. Let-7 miRNA's Expression Profile and Its Potential Prognostic Role in Uterine Leiomyosarcoma. Cells 2019; 8:cells8111452. [PMID: 31744257 PMCID: PMC6912804 DOI: 10.3390/cells8111452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/14/2019] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
The lethal-7 (let-7) family is an important microRNA (miRNA) group that usually exerts functions as a tumor suppressor. We aimed to evaluate the expression profile of let-7a, let-7b, let-7c, let-7d, let-7e, let-7f, let-7g, and let-7i and to assess their value as prognostic markers in uterine leiomyosarcoma (LMS) patients. The miRNAs expression profile was assessed in 34 LMS and 13 normal myometrium (MM) paraffin-embedded samples. All let-7 family members showed downregulation in LMS. Our findings showed that patients with let-7e downregulation had worse overall survival (OS) and is an independent prognostic factor (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.24). In addition, almost half the patients had distant metastasis. LMS patients with downregulated let-7b and let-7d had worse disease-free survival (DFS); they are not independent prognostic factors (HR = 2.65). Patients’ ages were associated with let-7d, let-7e and let-7f (p = 0.0160) downregulation. In conclusion, all the let-7 family members were downregulated in LMS patients, and the greater the loss of expression of these molecules, the greater their relationship with worse prognosis of patients. Let-7e expression might influence the OS, while let-7b and le-7d might influence the DFS. The lowest expression levels of let-7d, let-7e, and let-7f were associated with the oldest patients. Our findings indicate strong evidence of let-7’s role as a potential prognostic biomarker in LMS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bruna Cristine de Almeida
- Laboratório de Ginecologia Estrutural e Molecular (LIM 58), Disciplina de Ginecologia, Departamento de Obstetricia e Ginecologia, Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, HCFMUSP, SP, BR Av. Dr Arnaldo 455, sala 4121, Cerqueira Cesar, São Paulo 05403-010, Brazil; (B.C.d.A.); (L.G.d.A.); (E.C.B.)
| | - Laura Gonzalez dos Anjos
- Laboratório de Ginecologia Estrutural e Molecular (LIM 58), Disciplina de Ginecologia, Departamento de Obstetricia e Ginecologia, Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, HCFMUSP, SP, BR Av. Dr Arnaldo 455, sala 4121, Cerqueira Cesar, São Paulo 05403-010, Brazil; (B.C.d.A.); (L.G.d.A.); (E.C.B.)
| | - Miyuki Uno
- Centro de Investigação Translacional em Oncologia (LIM 24), Instituto do Câncer do Estado de São Paulo (CTO/ICESP) Av Dr Arnaldo 251 sala 23 8 andar, São Paulo 01246000, Brazil;
| | - Isabela Werneck da Cunha
- Department of Pathology, Rede D’OR-São Luiz, Rua das Perobas, 344-Jabaquara, São Paulo 04321-120, Brazil; (I.W.d.C.); (F.A.S.)
- Hospital A C Camargo Cancer Center, SP, BR R. Tamandaré, 753 Liberdade, São Paulo 05403-010, Brazil
- National Institute for Science and Technology in Oncogenomics and Therapeutic Innovation, SP, BR R. Tamandaré, 753 Liberdade, São Paulo 05403-010, Brazil
| | - Fernando Augusto Soares
- Department of Pathology, Rede D’OR-São Luiz, Rua das Perobas, 344-Jabaquara, São Paulo 04321-120, Brazil; (I.W.d.C.); (F.A.S.)
- Hospital A C Camargo Cancer Center, SP, BR R. Tamandaré, 753 Liberdade, São Paulo 05403-010, Brazil
- National Institute for Science and Technology in Oncogenomics and Therapeutic Innovation, SP, BR R. Tamandaré, 753 Liberdade, São Paulo 05403-010, Brazil
| | - Glauco Baiocchi
- Department of Gynecology Oncology, A.C.Camargo Cancer Center, Rua Prof Antonio Prudente 211, São Paulo 01509-001, Brazil;
| | - Edmund Chada Baracat
- Laboratório de Ginecologia Estrutural e Molecular (LIM 58), Disciplina de Ginecologia, Departamento de Obstetricia e Ginecologia, Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, HCFMUSP, SP, BR Av. Dr Arnaldo 455, sala 4121, Cerqueira Cesar, São Paulo 05403-010, Brazil; (B.C.d.A.); (L.G.d.A.); (E.C.B.)
| | - Katia Candido Carvalho
- Laboratório de Ginecologia Estrutural e Molecular (LIM 58), Disciplina de Ginecologia, Departamento de Obstetricia e Ginecologia, Hospital das Clinicas da Faculdade de Medicina da Universidade de Sao Paulo, HCFMUSP, SP, BR Av. Dr Arnaldo 455, sala 4121, Cerqueira Cesar, São Paulo 05403-010, Brazil; (B.C.d.A.); (L.G.d.A.); (E.C.B.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +55-011-3061-7486
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24
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Wang L, Rowe RG, Jaimes A, Yu C, Nam Y, Pearson DS, Zhang J, Xie X, Marion W, Heffron GJ, Daley GQ, Sliz P. Small-Molecule Inhibitors Disrupt let-7 Oligouridylation and Release the Selective Blockade of let-7 Processing by LIN28. Cell Rep 2019; 23:3091-3101. [PMID: 29874593 PMCID: PMC6511231 DOI: 10.1016/j.celrep.2018.04.116] [Citation(s) in RCA: 79] [Impact Index Per Article: 15.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/09/2017] [Revised: 02/27/2018] [Accepted: 04/26/2018] [Indexed: 12/29/2022] Open
Abstract
LIN28 is an RNA-binding protein that regulates the maturation of the let-7 family of microRNAs by bipartite interactions with let-7 precursors through its two distinct cold shock and zinc-knuckle domains. Through inhibition of let-7 biogenesis, LIN28 functions as a pluripotency factor, as well as a driver of tumorigenesis. Here, we report a fluorescence polarization assay to identify small-molecule inhibitors for both domains of LIN28 involved in let-7 interactions. Of 101,017 compounds screened, six inhibit LIN28:let-7 binding and impair LIN28-mediated let-7 oligouridylation. Upon further characterization, we demonstrate that the LIN28 inhibitor TPEN destabilizes the zinc-knuckle domain of LIN28, while LI71 binds the cold shock domain to suppress LIN28's activity against let-7 in leukemia cells and embryonic stem cells. Our results demonstrate selective pharmacologic inhibition of individual domains of LIN28 and provide a foundation for therapeutic inhibition of the let-7 biogenesis pathway in LIN28-driven diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Longfei Wang
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - R Grant Rowe
- Stem Cell Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology, Boston Children's Hospital and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Adriana Jaimes
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Chunxiao Yu
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Yunsun Nam
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | | | - Jin Zhang
- Stem Cell Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Xiangyu Xie
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - William Marion
- Stem Cell Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Gregory J Heffron
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - George Q Daley
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Stem Cell Program, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Harvard Stem Cell Institute, Cambridge, MA, USA; Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Boston, MA, USA; Division of Hematology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA; Manton Center for Orphan Disease Research, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Piotr Sliz
- Department of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA; Department of Pediatrics, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.
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25
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Crystal structure of the Lin28-interacting module of human terminal uridylyltransferase that regulates let-7 expression. Nat Commun 2019; 10:1960. [PMID: 31036859 PMCID: PMC6488673 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-09966-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/10/2018] [Accepted: 04/10/2019] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Lin28-dependent oligo-uridylylation of precursor let-7 (pre-let-7) by terminal uridylyltransferase 4/7 (TUT4/7) represses let-7 expression by blocking Dicer processing, and regulates cell differentiation and proliferation. The interaction between the Lin28:pre-let-7 complex and the N-terminal Lin28-interacting module (LIM) of TUT4/7 is required for pre-let-7 oligo-uridylylation by the C-terminal catalytic module (CM) of TUT4/7. Here, we report crystallographic and biochemical analyses of the LIM of human TUT4. The LIM consists of the N-terminal Cys2His2-type zinc finger (ZF) and the non-catalytic nucleotidyltransferase domain (nc-NTD). The ZF of LIM adopts a distinct structural domain, and its structure is homologous to those of double-stranded RNA binding zinc fingers. The interaction between the ZF and pre-let-7 stabilizes the Lin28:pre-let-7:TUT4 ternary complex, and enhances the oligo-uridylylation reaction by the CM. Thus, the ZF in LIM and the zinc-knuckle in the CM, which interacts with the oligo-uridylylated tail, together facilitate Lin28-dependent pre-let-7 oligo-uridylylation.
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26
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D'Agostino VG, Sighel D, Zucal C, Bonomo I, Micaelli M, Lolli G, Provenzani A, Quattrone A, Adami V. Screening Approaches for Targeting Ribonucleoprotein Complexes: A New Dimension for Drug Discovery. SLAS DISCOVERY 2019; 24:314-331. [PMID: 30616427 DOI: 10.1177/2472555218818065] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) are pleiotropic factors that control the processing and functional compartmentalization of transcripts by binding primarily to mRNA untranslated regions (UTRs). The competitive and/or cooperative interplay between RBPs and an array of coding and noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) determines the posttranscriptional control of gene expression, influencing protein production. Recently, a variety of well-recognized and noncanonical RBP domains have been revealed by modern system-wide analyses, underlying an evolving classification of ribonucleoproteins (RNPs) and their importance in governing physiological RNA metabolism. The possibility of targeting selected RNA-protein interactions with small molecules is now expanding the concept of protein "druggability," with new implications for medicinal chemistry and for a deeper characterization of the mechanism of action of bioactive compounds. Here, taking SF3B1, HuR, LIN28, and Musashi proteins as paradigmatic case studies, we review the strategies applied for targeting RBPs, with emphasis on the technological advancements to study protein-RNA interactions and on the requirements of appropriate validation strategies to parallel high-throughput screening (HTS) efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vito Giuseppe D'Agostino
- 1 University of Trento, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), Trento, Italy
| | - Denise Sighel
- 1 University of Trento, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), Trento, Italy
| | - Chiara Zucal
- 1 University of Trento, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), Trento, Italy
| | - Isabelle Bonomo
- 1 University of Trento, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), Trento, Italy
| | - Mariachiara Micaelli
- 1 University of Trento, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), Trento, Italy
| | - Graziano Lolli
- 1 University of Trento, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), Trento, Italy
| | - Alessandro Provenzani
- 1 University of Trento, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), Trento, Italy
| | - Alessandro Quattrone
- 1 University of Trento, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), Trento, Italy
| | - Valentina Adami
- 2 University of Trento, HTS Core Facility, Department of Cellular, Computational and Integrative Biology (CIBIO), Trento, Italy
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27
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Kato M. Noncoding RNAs as therapeutic targets in early stage diabetic kidney disease. Kidney Res Clin Pract 2018; 37:197-209. [PMID: 30254844 PMCID: PMC6147183 DOI: 10.23876/j.krcp.2018.37.3.197] [Citation(s) in RCA: 41] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Revised: 07/18/2018] [Accepted: 07/18/2018] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a major renal complication of diabetes that leads to renal dysfunction and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Major features of DKD include accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins and glomerular hypertrophy, especially in early stage. Transforming growth factor-β plays key roles in regulation of profibrotic genes and signal transducers such as Akt kinase and MAPK as well as endoplasmic reticulum stress, oxidant stress, and autophagy related to hypertrophy in diabetes. Many drugs targeting the pathogenic signaling in DKD (mostly through protein-coding genes) are under development. However, because of the limited number of protein-coding genes, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) including microRNAs (miRNAs) and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are attracting more attention as potential new drug targets for human diseases. Some miRNAs and lncRNAs regulate each other (by hosting, enhancing transcription from the neighbor, hybridizing each other, and changing chromatin modifications) and create circuits and cascades enhancing the pathogenic signaling in DKD. In this short and focused review, the functional significance of ncRNAs (miRNAs and lncRNAs) in the early stages of DKD and their therapeutic potential are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mitsuo Kato
- Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope, Duarte, CA, USA
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28
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MiRAR-miRNA Activity Reporter for Living Cells. Genes (Basel) 2018; 9:genes9060305. [PMID: 29921790 PMCID: PMC6027049 DOI: 10.3390/genes9060305] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/06/2018] [Revised: 06/08/2018] [Accepted: 06/15/2018] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
microRNA (miRNA) activity and regulation are of increasing interest as new therapeutic targets. Traditional approaches to assess miRNA levels in cells rely on RNA sequencing or quantitative PCR. While useful, these approaches are based on RNA extraction and cannot be applied in real-time to observe miRNA activity with single-cell resolution. We developed a green fluorescence protein (GFP)-based reporter system that allows for a direct, real-time readout of changes in miRNA activity in live cells. The miRNA activity reporter (MiRAR) consists of GFP fused to a 3′ untranslated region containing specific miRNA binding sites, resulting in miRNA activity-dependent GFP expression. Using qPCR, we verified the inverse relationship of GFP fluorescence and miRNA levels. We demonstrated that this novel optogenetic reporter system quantifies cellular levels of the tumor suppressor miRNA let-7 in real-time in single Human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK 293) cells. Our data shows that the MiRAR can be applied to detect changes in miRNA levels upon disruption of miRNA degradation pathways. We further show that the reporter could be adapted to monitor another disease-relevant miRNA, miR-122. With trivial modifications, this approach could be applied across the miRNome for quantification of many specific miRNA in cell cultures, tissues, or transgenic animal models.
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29
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Lorenz DA, Kaur T, Kerk SA, Gallagher EE, Sandoval J, Garner AL. Expansion of cat-ELCCA for the Discovery of Small Molecule Inhibitors of the Pre-let-7-Lin28 RNA-Protein Interaction. ACS Med Chem Lett 2018; 9:517-521. [PMID: 29937975 PMCID: PMC6004563 DOI: 10.1021/acsmedchemlett.8b00126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 33] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
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Dysregulation of
microRNA (miRNA) expression has been linked to
many human diseases; however, because of the challenges associated
with RNA-targeted drug discovery, additional approaches are needed
for probing miRNA biology. The emerging regulatory role of miRNA-binding
proteins in miRNA maturation presents such an alternative strategy.
Exploiting our laboratory’s click chemistry-based high-throughput
screening (HTS) technology, catalytic enzyme-linked click chemistry
assay or cat-ELCCA, we have designed a modular method by which to
discover new chemical tools for manipulating pre-miRNA–miRNA–binding
protein interactions. Using the pre-let-7d–Lin28 interaction
as proof-of-concept, the results presented demonstrate how HTS using
cat-ELCCA can enable the discovery of small molecules targeting RNA–protein
interactions.
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30
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Mukohyama J, Shimono Y, Minami H, Kakeji Y, Suzuki A. Roles of microRNAs and RNA-Binding Proteins in the Regulation of Colorectal Cancer Stem Cells. Cancers (Basel) 2017; 9:cancers9100143. [PMID: 29064439 PMCID: PMC5664082 DOI: 10.3390/cancers9100143] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/26/2017] [Revised: 10/17/2017] [Accepted: 10/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Colorectal cancer stem cells (CSCs) are responsible for the initiation, progression and metastasis of human colorectal cancers, and have been characterized by the expression of cell surface markers, such as CD44, CD133, CD166 and LGR5. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are differentially expressed between CSCs and non-tumorigenic cancer cells, and play important roles in the maintenance and regulation of stem cell properties of CSCs. RNA binding proteins (RBPs) are emerging epigenetic regulators of various RNA processing events, such as splicing, localization, stabilization and translation, and can regulate various types of stem cells. In this review, we summarize current evidences on the roles of miRNA and RBPs in the regulation of colorectal CSCs. Understanding the epigenetic regulation of human colorectal CSCs will help to develop biomarkers for colorectal cancers and to identify targets for CSC-targeting therapies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Junko Mukohyama
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0017, Japan.
- Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0017, Japan.
- Department of Pathology and Cell Biology, Department of Medicine (Division of Digestive and Liver Diseases) and Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center (HICCC), Columbia University, New York, NY 10032, USA.
| | - Yohei Shimono
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0017, Japan.
- Division of Medical Oncology/Hematology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 6500017, Japan.
| | - Hironobu Minami
- Division of Medical Oncology/Hematology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 6500017, Japan.
| | - Yoshihiro Kakeji
- Division of Gastrointestinal Surgery, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0017, Japan.
| | - Akira Suzuki
- Division of Molecular and Cellular Biology, Kobe University Graduate School of Medicine, Kobe, Hyogo 650-0017, Japan.
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31
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Balzeau J, Menezes MR, Cao S, Hagan JP. The LIN28/let-7 Pathway in Cancer. Front Genet 2017; 8:31. [PMID: 28400788 PMCID: PMC5368188 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2017.00031] [Citation(s) in RCA: 325] [Impact Index Per Article: 46.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/02/2017] [Accepted: 02/27/2017] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Among all tumor suppressor microRNAs, reduced let-7 expression occurs most frequently in cancer and typically correlates with poor prognosis. Activation of either LIN28A or LIN28B, two highly related RNA binding proteins (RBPs) and proto-oncogenes, is responsible for the global post-transcriptional downregulation of the let-7 microRNA family observed in many cancers. Specifically, LIN28A binds the terminal loop of precursor let-7 and recruits the Terminal Uridylyl Transferase (TUTase) ZCCHC11 that polyuridylates pre-let-7, thereby blocking microRNA biogenesis and tumor suppressor function. For LIN28B, the precise mechanism responsible for let-7 inhibition remains controversial. Functionally, the decrease in let-7 microRNAs leads to overexpression of their oncogenic targets such as MYC, RAS, HMGA2, BLIMP1, among others. Furthermore, mouse models demonstrate that ectopic LIN28 expression is sufficient to drive and/or accelerate tumorigenesis via a let-7 dependent mechanism. In this review, the LIN28/let-7 pathway is discussed, emphasizing its role in tumorigenesis, cancer stem cell biology, metabolomics, metastasis, and resistance to ionizing radiation and several chemotherapies. Also, emerging evidence will be presented suggesting that molecular targeting of this pathway may provide therapeutic benefit in cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julien Balzeau
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Houston, TX, USA
| | - Miriam R Menezes
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Houston, TX, USA
| | - Siyu Cao
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Houston, TX, USA
| | - John P Hagan
- Department of Neurosurgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston Houston, TX, USA
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32
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Approaches for the Discovery of Small Molecule Ligands Targeting microRNAs. TOPICS IN MEDICINAL CHEMISTRY 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/7355_2017_3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
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