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Zhang W, Wang J, Shan C. The eEF1A protein in cancer: Clinical significance, oncogenic mechanisms, and targeted therapeutic strategies. Pharmacol Res 2024; 204:107195. [PMID: 38677532 DOI: 10.1016/j.phrs.2024.107195] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2024] [Revised: 04/09/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 04/29/2024]
Abstract
Eukaryotic elongation factor 1A (eEF1A) is among the most abundant proteins in eukaryotic cells. Evolutionarily conserved across species, eEF1A is in charge of translation elongation for protein biosynthesis as well as a plethora of non-translational moonlighting functions for cellular homeostasis. In malignant cells, however, eEF1A becomes a pleiotropic driver of cancer progression via a broad diversity of pathways, which are not limited to hyperactive translational output. In the past decades, mounting studies have demonstrated the causal link between eEF1A and carcinogenesis, gaining deeper insights into its multifaceted mechanisms and corroborating its value as a prognostic marker in various cancers. On the other hand, an increasing number of natural and synthetic compounds were discovered as anticancer eEF1A-targeting inhibitors. Among them, plitidepsin was approved for the treatment of multiple myeloma whereas metarrestin was currently under clinical development. Despite significant achievements in these two interrelated fields, hitherto there lacks a systematic examination of the eEF1A protein in the context of cancer research. Therefore, the present work aims to delineate its clinical implications, molecular oncogenic mechanisms, and targeted therapeutic strategies as reflected in the ever expanding body of literature, so as to deepen mechanistic understanding of eEF1A-involved tumorigenesis and inspire the development of eEF1A-targeted chemotherapeutics and biologics.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weicheng Zhang
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, People's Republic of China.
| | - Jiyan Wang
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, People's Republic of China
| | - Changliang Shan
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, People's Republic of China.
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Zhang H, Xie F, Yuan XY, Dai XT, Tian YF, Sun MM, Yu SQ, Cai JY, Sun B, Zhang WC, Shan CL. Discovery of a nitroaromatic nannocystin with potent in vivo anticancer activity against colorectal cancer by targeting AKT1. Acta Pharmacol Sin 2024; 45:1044-1059. [PMID: 38326625 PMCID: PMC11053100 DOI: 10.1038/s41401-024-01231-w] [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: 09/13/2023] [Accepted: 01/19/2024] [Indexed: 02/09/2024] Open
Abstract
The development of targeted chemotherapeutic agents against colorectal cancer (CRC), one of the most common cancers with a high mortality rate, is in a constant need. Nannocystins are a family of myxobacterial secondary metabolites featuring a 21-membered depsipeptide ring. The in vitro anti-CRC activity of natural and synthetic nannocystins was well documented, but little is known about their in vivo efficacy and if positive, the underlying mechanism of action. In this study we synthesized a nitroaromatic nannocystin through improved preparation of a key fragment, and characterized its in vitro activity and in vivo efficacy against CRC. We first described the total synthesis of compounds 2-4 featuring Heck macrocyclization to forge their 21-membered macrocycle. In a panel of 7 cancer cell lines from different tissues, compound 4 inhibited the cell viability with IC values of 1-6 nM. In particular, compound 4 (1, 2, 4 nM) inhibited the proliferation of CRC cell lines (HCT8, HCT116 and LoVo) in both concentration and time dependent manners. Furthermore, compound 4 concentration-dependently inhibited the colony formation and migration of CRC cell lines. Moreover, compound 4 induced cell cycle arrest at sub-G1 phase, apoptosis and cellular senescence in CRC cell lines. In three patient-derived CRC organoids, compound 4 inhibited the PDO with IC values of 3.68, 28.93 and 11.81 nM, respectively. In a patient-derived xenograft mouse model, injection of compound 4 (4, 8 mg/kg, i.p.) every other day for 12 times dose-dependently inhibited the tumor growth without significant change in body weight. We conducted RNA-sequencing, molecular docking and cellular thermal shift assay to elucidate the anti-CRC mechanisms of compound 4, and revealed that it exerted its anti-CRC effect at least in part by targeting AKT1.
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Affiliation(s)
- Han Zhang
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300353, China
| | - Fei Xie
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300353, China
| | - Xiao-Ya Yuan
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300353, China
| | - Xin-Tong Dai
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300353, China
| | - Yun-Feng Tian
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300353, China
| | - Ming-Ming Sun
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300353, China
| | - Si-Qi Yu
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300353, China
| | - Jia-You Cai
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300353, China
| | - Bin Sun
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300353, China
| | - Wei-Cheng Zhang
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300353, China.
| | - Chang-Liang Shan
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, and Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin, 300353, China.
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Cai J, Sun B, Yu S, Zhang H, Zhang W. Heck Macrocyclization in Forging Non-Natural Large Rings including Macrocyclic Drugs. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24098252. [PMID: 37175956 PMCID: PMC10179193 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24098252] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/09/2023] [Revised: 05/01/2023] [Accepted: 05/03/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023] Open
Abstract
The intramolecular Heck reaction is a well-established strategy for natural product total synthesis. When constructing large rings, this reaction is also referred to as Heck macrocyclization, which has proved a viable avenue to access diverse naturally occurring macrocycles. Less noticed but likewise valuable, it has created novel macrocycles of non-natural origin that neither serve as nor derive from natural products. This review presents a systematic account of the title reaction in forging this non-natural subset of large rings, thereby addressing a topic rarely covered in the literature. Walking through two complementary sections, namely (1) drug discovery research and (2) synthetic methodology development, it demonstrates that beyond the well-known domain of natural product synthesis, Heck macrocyclization also plays a remarkable role in forming synthetic macrocycles, in particular macrocyclic drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiayou Cai
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Bin Sun
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Siqi Yu
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Han Zhang
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
| | - Weicheng Zhang
- The State Key Laboratory of Medicinal Chemical Biology, College of Pharmacy, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Molecular Drug Research, Nankai University, Tianjin 300071, China
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Zhang H, Cai J, Yu S, Sun B, Zhang W. Anticancer Small-Molecule Agents Targeting Eukaryotic Elongation Factor 1A: State of the Art. Int J Mol Sci 2023; 24:ijms24065184. [PMID: 36982256 PMCID: PMC10049629 DOI: 10.3390/ijms24065184] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/16/2023] [Revised: 03/05/2023] [Accepted: 03/07/2023] [Indexed: 03/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Eukaryotic elongation factor 1A (eEF1A) canonically delivers amino acyl tRNA to the ribosomal A site during the elongation stage of protein biosynthesis. Yet paradoxically, the oncogenic nature of this instrumental protein has long been recognized. Consistently, eEF1A has proven to be targeted by a wide assortment of small molecules with excellent anticancer activity, among which plitidepsin has been granted approval for the treatment of multiple myeloma. Meanwhile, metarrestin is currently under clinical development for metastatic cancers. Bearing these exciting advances in mind, it would be desirable to present a systematic up-to-date account of the title topic, which, to the best of our knowledge, has thus far been unavailable in the literature. The present review summarizes recent advances in eEF1A-targeting anticancer agents, both naturally occurring and synthetically crafted, with regard to their discovery or design, target identification, structure–activity relationship, and mode of action. Their structural diversity and differential eEF1A-targeting mechanisms warrant continuing research in pursuit of curing eEF1A-driven malignancy.
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