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Lopez V, Schuh HJM, Mirza S, Vaaßen VJ, Schmidt MS, Sylvester K, Idris RM, Renn C, Schäkel L, Pelletier J, Sévigny J, Naggi A, Scheffler B, Lee SY, Bendas G, Müller CE. Heparins are potent inhibitors of ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase/phospho-diesterase-1 (NPP1) - a promising target for the immunotherapy of cancer. Front Immunol 2023; 14:1173634. [PMID: 37711611 PMCID: PMC10497752 DOI: 10.3389/fimmu.2023.1173634] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 07/03/2023] [Indexed: 09/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Heparins, naturally occurring glycosaminoglycans, are widely used for thrombosis prevention. Upon application as anticoagulants in cancer patients, heparins were found to possess additional antitumor activities. Ectonucleotidases have recently been proposed as novel targets for cancer immunotherapy. Methods and results In the present study, we discovered that heparin and its derivatives act as potent, selective, allosteric inhibitors of the poorly investigated ectonucleotidase NPP1 (nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase-1, CD203a). Structure-activity relationships indicated that NPP1 inhibition could be separated from the compounds' antithrombotic effect. Moreover, unfractionated heparin (UFH) and different low molecular weight heparins (LMWHs) inhibited extracellular adenosine production by the NPP1-expressing glioma cell line U87 at therapeutically relevant concentrations. As a consequence, heparins inhibited the ability of U87 cell supernatants to induce CD4+ T cell differentiation into immunosuppressive Treg cells. Discussion NPP1 inhibition likely contributes to the anti-cancer effects of heparins, and their specific optimization may lead to improved therapeutics for the immunotherapy of cancer.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vittoria Lopez
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - H. J. Maximilian Schuh
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical and Cell Biological Chemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Salahuddin Mirza
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Victoria J. Vaaßen
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Michael S. Schmidt
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical and Cell Biological Chemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Katharina Sylvester
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Riham M. Idris
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Christian Renn
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Laura Schäkel
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Julie Pelletier
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
| | - Jean Sévigny
- Centre de Recherche du CHU de Québec-Université Laval, Québec, QC, Canada
- Départment de Microbiologie-Infectiologie et d’Immunologie, Faculté de Médecine, Université Laval, Quebec, QC, Canada
| | - Annamaria Naggi
- Institute for Chemical and Biochemical Research “G. Ronzoni”, Milan, Italy
| | - Björn Scheffler
- DKFZ Division Translational Neurooncology at the West German Cancer Center (WTZ), DKTK Partner site, University Hospital Essen and German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Sang-Yong Lee
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Gerd Bendas
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical and Cell Biological Chemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
| | - Christa E. Müller
- Pharmaceutical Institute, Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
- PharmaCenter Bonn, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany
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Pham NTH, Létourneau M, Fortier M, Bégin G, Al-Abdul-Wahid MS, Pucci F, Folch B, Rooman M, Chatenet D, St-Pierre Y, Lagüe P, Calmettes C, Doucet N. Perturbing dimer interactions and allosteric communication modulates the immunosuppressive activity of human galectin-7. J Biol Chem 2021; 297:101308. [PMID: 34673030 PMCID: PMC8592873 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2021.101308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2021] [Revised: 10/10/2021] [Accepted: 10/11/2021] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
The design of allosteric modulators to control protein function is a key objective in drug discovery programs. Altering functionally essential allosteric residue networks provides unique protein family subtype specificity, minimizes unwanted off-target effects, and helps avert resistance acquisition typically plaguing drugs that target orthosteric sites. In this work, we used protein engineering and dimer interface mutations to positively and negatively modulate the immunosuppressive activity of the proapoptotic human galectin-7 (GAL-7). Using the PoPMuSiC and BeAtMuSiC algorithms, mutational sites and residue identity were computationally probed and predicted to either alter or stabilize the GAL-7 dimer interface. By designing a covalent disulfide bridge between protomers to control homodimer strength and stability, we demonstrate the importance of dimer interface perturbations on the allosteric network bridging the two opposite glycan-binding sites on GAL-7, resulting in control of induced apoptosis in Jurkat T cells. Molecular investigation of G16X GAL-7 variants using X-ray crystallography, biophysical, and computational characterization illuminates residues involved in dimer stability and allosteric communication, along with discrete long-range dynamic behaviors involving loops 1, 3, and 5. We show that perturbing the protein-protein interface between GAL-7 protomers can modulate its biological function, even when the overall structure and ligand-binding affinity remains unaltered. This study highlights new avenues for the design of galectin-specific modulators influencing both glycan-dependent and glycan-independent interactions.
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Affiliation(s)
- N T Hang Pham
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Myriam Létourneau
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marlène Fortier
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Gabriel Bégin
- Département de Biochimie, de Microbiologie et de Bio-informatique and Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada; PROTEO, the Québec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada
| | | | - Fabrizio Pucci
- Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - Benjamin Folch
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marianne Rooman
- Computational Biology and Bioinformatics, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium
| | - David Chatenet
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Yves St-Pierre
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, Laval, Quebec, Canada
| | - Patrick Lagüe
- Département de Biochimie, de Microbiologie et de Bio-informatique and Institut de Biologie Intégrative et des Systèmes (IBIS), Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada; PROTEO, the Québec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Charles Calmettes
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, Laval, Quebec, Canada; PROTEO, the Québec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada
| | - Nicolas Doucet
- Centre Armand-Frappier Santé Biotechnologie, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique (INRS), Université du Québec, Laval, Quebec, Canada; PROTEO, the Québec Network for Research on Protein Function, Engineering, and Applications, Université Laval, Québec, Quebec, Canada.
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Nassir M, Mirza S, Arad U, Lee S, Rafehi M, Yaw Attah I, Renn C, Zimmermann H, Pelletier J, Sévigny J, Müller CE, Fischer B. Adenine-(methoxy)-ethoxy-P α,α-dithio-triphosphate inhibits pathologic calcium pyrophosphate deposition in osteoarthritic human chondrocytes. Org Biomol Chem 2019; 17:9913-9923. [PMID: 31720670 DOI: 10.1039/c9ob02199j] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase-1 (NPP1) inhibitors have been suggested as a potential treatment for calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD) deposition disease. Here, we targeted the development of improved NPP1 inhibitors based on acyclic mimics of Pα,α-phosphorodithioate-substituted adenine nucleotides, 7-10. The latter were obtained in a facile two-step synthesis from adenine-(methoxy)ethanol. Among analogs 7-10, adenine-(methoxy)ethoxy-Pα,α-dithio-triphosphate, 8, was the most potent NPP1 inhibitor both with purified enzyme (IC50 0.645 μM) and in osteoarthritic human chondrocytes (IC50 0.033 μM). Furthermore, it efficaciously (10-fold vs. control) inhibited ATP-induced CPPD in human articular chondrocytes. Importantly, 8 was a highly selective NPP1 inhibitor which showed only minor inhibition of NPP3, CD39 and CD73, and did not inhibit TNAP (tissue nonspecific alkaline phosphatase) activity in human chondrocytes. Furthermore, 8 did not activate P2Y1,2,6 receptors. Analog 8 was not toxic to cultured chondrocytes at 100 μM. Therefore, 8 may be suitable for further development as a drug candidate for the treatment of CPPD arthritis and other NPP1-related diseases.
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Affiliation(s)
- Molhm Nassir
- Department of Chemistry, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat-Gan 52900, Israel. bilha.fischer@ biu.ac.il
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Dabrowski-Tumanski P, Sulkowska JI. The APS-bracket – A topological tool to classify lasso proteins, RNAs and other tadpole-like structures. REACT FUNCT POLYM 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.reactfunctpolym.2018.09.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Gorelik A, Randriamihaja A, Illes K, Nagar B. Structural basis for nucleotide recognition by the ectoenzyme CD203c. FEBS J 2018; 285:2481-2494. [PMID: 29717535 DOI: 10.1111/febs.14489] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Revised: 04/21/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
The ecto-nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase (NPP) enzyme family modulates purinergic signaling by degrading extracellular nucleotides. CD203c (NPP3, ENPP3) regulates the inflammatory response of basophils via ATP hydrolysis and is a marker for allergen sensitivity on the surface of these cells. Multiple other roles and substrates have also been proposed for this protein. In order to gain insight into its molecular functions, we determined the crystal structure of human NPP3 as well as its complex with an ATP analog. The enzyme exhibits little preference for nucleobase type, and forms specific contacts with the alpha and beta phosphate groups of its ligands. Dimerization of the protein does not affect its catalytic activity. These findings expand our understanding of substrate recognition within the NPP family. DATABASE Structural data are available in the Protein Data Bank under the accession numbers 6C01 (human NPP3) and 6C02 (human NPP3 T205A N594S with AMPCPP).
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Affiliation(s)
- Alexei Gorelik
- Department of Biochemistry and Groupe de Recherche Axé sur la Structure des Protéines, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Antsa Randriamihaja
- Department of Biochemistry and Groupe de Recherche Axé sur la Structure des Protéines, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Katalin Illes
- Department of Biochemistry and Groupe de Recherche Axé sur la Structure des Protéines, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Bhushan Nagar
- Department of Biochemistry and Groupe de Recherche Axé sur la Structure des Protéines, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Synthesis and biological evaluation of novel quinazoline-4-piperidinesulfamide derivatives as inhibitors of NPP1. Eur J Med Chem 2018; 147:130-149. [PMID: 29427906 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejmech.2018.01.094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 01/19/2018] [Accepted: 01/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The ecto-nucleotide pyrophosphatase/phosphodiesterase-1 (NPP1) was recently shown to promote mineralization of the aortic valve, hence, its inhibition represents a significant target. A quinazoline-4-piperidine sulfamide compound (QPS1) has been described as a specific and non-competitive inhibitor of NPP1. We report herein the synthesis and in vitro inhibition studies of novel quinazoline-4-piperidine sulfamide analogues using QPS1 as the lead compound. Of the 26 derivatives prepared, four compounds were found to have Ki < 105 nM against human NPP1.
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