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Magrassi L, Pinton G, Luzzi S, Comincini S, Scravaglieri A, Gigliotti V, Bernardoni BL, D’Agostino I, Juretich F, La Motta C, Garavaglia S. A New Vista of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1A3 (ALDH1A3): New Specific Inhibitors and Activity-Based Probes Targeting ALDH1A3 Dependent Pathways in Glioblastoma, Mesothelioma and Other Cancers. Cancers (Basel) 2024; 16:2397. [PMID: 39001459 PMCID: PMC11240489 DOI: 10.3390/cancers16132397] [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: 04/26/2024] [Revised: 06/25/2024] [Accepted: 06/27/2024] [Indexed: 07/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Aldehyde dehydrogenases of the subfamily 1A (ALDH1A) are enzymes necessary for the oxidation of all-trans or 9-cis retinal to retinoic acid (RA). Retinoic acid and its derivatives are important for normal development and maintenance of epithelia, reproduction, memory, and immune function in adults. Moreover, in recent years, it has been demonstrated that ALDH1A members are also expressed and functional in several human cancers where their role is not limited to the synthesis of RA. Here, we review the current knowledge about ALDH1A3, one of the 1A isoforms, in cancers with an emphasis on two of the deadliest tumors that affect humans: glioblastoma multiforme and mesothelioma. In both tumors, ALDH1A3 is considered a negative prognostic factor, and its level correlates with excessive proliferation, chemoresistance, and invasiveness. We also review the recent attempts to develop both ALDH1A3-selective inhibitors for cancer therapy and ALDH1A3-specific fluorescent substrates for fluorescence-guided tumor resection.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Magrassi
- Neurosurgery, Dipartimento di Scienze Clinico-Chirurgiche e Pediatriche, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (S.L.); (A.S.)
- Istituto di Genetica Molecolare—CNR, 27100 Pavia, Italy
| | - Giulia Pinton
- Department of Scienze del Farmaco, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via Bovio 6, 28100 Novara, Italy; (G.P.); (V.G.); (S.G.)
| | - Sabino Luzzi
- Neurosurgery, Dipartimento di Scienze Clinico-Chirurgiche e Pediatriche, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (S.L.); (A.S.)
| | - Sergio Comincini
- Dipartimento di Biologia e Biotecnologie, Università di Pavia, 27100 Pavia, Italy;
| | - Andrea Scravaglieri
- Neurosurgery, Dipartimento di Scienze Clinico-Chirurgiche e Pediatriche, Università degli Studi di Pavia, Fondazione IRCCS Policlinico S. Matteo, 27100 Pavia, Italy; (S.L.); (A.S.)
| | - Valentina Gigliotti
- Department of Scienze del Farmaco, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via Bovio 6, 28100 Novara, Italy; (G.P.); (V.G.); (S.G.)
| | - Bianca Laura Bernardoni
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (B.L.B.); (I.D.); (C.L.M.)
| | - Ilaria D’Agostino
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (B.L.B.); (I.D.); (C.L.M.)
| | - Francesca Juretich
- Department of Scienze del Farmaco, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via Bovio 6, 28100 Novara, Italy; (G.P.); (V.G.); (S.G.)
| | - Concettina La Motta
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, Via Bonanno 6, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (B.L.B.); (I.D.); (C.L.M.)
| | - Silvia Garavaglia
- Department of Scienze del Farmaco, University of Piemonte Orientale, Via Bovio 6, 28100 Novara, Italy; (G.P.); (V.G.); (S.G.)
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Walczak J, Iwaszkiewicz-Grześ D, Cholewiński G. Approaches Towards Better Immunosuppressive Agents. Curr Top Med Chem 2024; 24:1230-1263. [PMID: 38561615 DOI: 10.2174/0115680266292661240322072908] [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: 11/13/2023] [Revised: 03/12/2024] [Accepted: 03/12/2024] [Indexed: 04/04/2024]
Abstract
Several classes of compounds are applied in clinics due to their immunosuppressive properties in transplantology and the treatment of autoimmune diseases. Derivatives of mycophenolic acid, corticosteroids and chemotherapeutics bearing heterocyclic moieties like methotrexate, azathioprine, mizoribine, and ruxolitinib are active substances with investigated mechanisms of action. However, improved synthetic approaches of known drugs and novel derivatives are still being reported to attempt better accessibility and therapeutic properties. In this review article, we present the synthesis of the designed chemical structures based on recent literature reports concerning novel compounds as promising immunosuppressive drugs. Moreover, some of the discussed derivers revealed also other types of activities with prospective medicinal potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Juliusz Walczak
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, G. Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Dorota Iwaszkiewicz-Grześ
- Department of Medical Immunology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University of Gdansk, ul. Dębinki 7, 80-210, Gdańsk, Poland
| | - Grzegorz Cholewiński
- Department of Organic Chemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Gdańsk University of Technology, G. Narutowicza 11/12, 80-233, Gdańsk, Poland
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Curcumin-based-fluorescent probes targeting ALDH1A3 as a promising tool for glioblastoma precision surgery and early diagnosis. Commun Biol 2022; 5:895. [PMID: 36050388 PMCID: PMC9437101 DOI: 10.1038/s42003-022-03834-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most aggressive primary brain tumour for which both effective treatments and efficient tools for an early-stage diagnosis are lacking. Herein, we present curcumin-based fluorescent probes that are able to bind to aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A3 (ALDH1A3), an enzyme overexpressed in glioma stem cells (GSCs) and associated with stemness and invasiveness of GBM. Two compounds are selective versus ALDH1A3, without showing any appreciable interaction with other ALDH1A isoenzymes. Indeed, their fluorescent signal is detectable only in our positive controls in vitro and absent in cells that lack ALDH1A3. Remarkably, in vivo, our Probe selectively accumulate in glioblastoma cells, allowing the identification of the growing tumour mass. The significant specificity of our compounds is the necessary premise for their further development into glioblastoma cells detecting probes to be possibly used during neurosurgical operations. Curcumin-based fluorescent probes are presented that are able to selectively bind to aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A3 (ALDH1A3), an enzyme overexpressed in glioma stem cells and specifically identify glioblastoma cells in vitro and in vivo.
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Nikitushkin V, Shleeva M, Loginov D, Dyčka F. F, Sterba J, Kaprelyants A. Shotgun proteomic profiling of dormant, ‘non-culturable’ Mycobacterium tuberculosis. PLoS One 2022; 17:e0269847. [PMID: 35944020 PMCID: PMC9362914 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0269847] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2021] [Accepted: 05/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Dormant cells of Mycobacterium tuberculosis, in addition to low metabolic activity and a high level of drug resistance, are characterized by ‘non-culturability’–a specific reversible state of the inability of the cells to grow on solid media. The biochemical characterization of this physiological state of the pathogen is only superficial, pending clarification of the metabolic processes that may exist in such cells. In this study, applying LC-MS proteomic profiling, we report the analysis of proteins accumulated in dormant, ‘non-culturable’ M. tuberculosis cells in an in vitro model of self-acidification of mycobacteria in the post-stationary phase, simulating the in vivo persistence conditions—the raw data are available via ProteomeXchange with identifier PXD028849. This approach revealed the preservation of 1379 proteins in cells after 5 months of storage in dormancy; among them, 468 proteins were statistically different from those in the actively growing cells and bore a positive fold change (FC). Differential analysis revealed the proteins of the pH-dependent regulatory system PhoP and allowed the reconstruction of the reactions of central carbon/glycerol metabolism, as well as revealing the salvaged pathways of mycothiol and UMP biosynthesis, establishing the cohort of survival enzymes of dormancy. The annotated pathways mirror the adaptation of the mycobacterial metabolic machinery to life within lipid-rich macrophages: especially the involvement of the methyl citrate and glyoxylate pathways. Thus, the current in vitro model of M. tuberculosis self-acidification reflects the biochemical adaptation of these bacteria to persistence in vivo. Comparative analysis with published proteins displaying antigenic properties makes it possible to distinguish immunoreactive proteins among the proteins bearing a positive FC in dormancy, which may include specific antigens of latent tuberculosis. Additionally, the biotransformatory enzymes (oxidoreductases and hydrolases) capable of prodrug activation and stored up in the dormant state were annotated. These findings may potentially lead to the discovery of immunodiagnostic tests for early latent tuberculosis and trigger the discovery of efficient drugs/prodrugs with potency against non-replicating, dormant populations of mycobacteria.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vadim Nikitushkin
- A.N. Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Federal Research Centre ‘Fundamentals of Biotechnology’ of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
- * E-mail: (VN); (FDF)
| | - Margarita Shleeva
- A.N. Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Federal Research Centre ‘Fundamentals of Biotechnology’ of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
| | - Dmitry Loginov
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská, Czech Republic
- BioCeV—Institute of Microbiology of the CAS, Vestec, Czech Republic
- Orekhovich Institute of Biomedical Chemistry, Moscow, Russia
| | - Filip Dyčka F.
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská, Czech Republic
- * E-mail: (VN); (FDF)
| | - Jan Sterba
- Faculty of Science, University of South Bohemia, Branišovská, Czech Republic
| | - Arseny Kaprelyants
- A.N. Bach Institute of Biochemistry, Federal Research Centre ‘Fundamentals of Biotechnology’ of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow, Russia
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Colombo G, Gelardi ELM, Balestrero FC, Moro M, Travelli C, Genazzani AA. Insight Into Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide Homeostasis as a Targetable Metabolic Pathway in Colorectal Cancer. Front Pharmacol 2021; 12:758320. [PMID: 34880756 PMCID: PMC8645963 DOI: 10.3389/fphar.2021.758320] [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: 08/13/2021] [Accepted: 11/02/2021] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Tumour cells modify their cellular metabolism with the aim to sustain uncontrolled proliferation. Cancer cells necessitate adequate amounts of NAD and NADPH to support several enzymes that are usually overexpressed and/or overactivated. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) is an essential cofactor and substrate of several NAD-consuming enzymes, such as PARPs and sirtuins, while NADPH is important in the regulation of the redox status in cells. The present review explores the rationale for targeting the key enzymes that maintain the cellular NAD/NADPH pool in colorectal cancer and the enzymes that consume or use NADP(H).
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Affiliation(s)
- Giorgia Colombo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università Del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | | | | | - Marianna Moro
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università Del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
| | - Cristina Travelli
- Department of Drug Sciences, Università Degli Studi di Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Armando A. Genazzani
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Università Del Piemonte Orientale, Novara, Italy
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Gelardi ELM, Colombo G, Picarazzi F, Ferraris DM, Mangione A, Petrarolo G, Aronica E, Rizzi M, Mori M, La Motta C, Garavaglia S. A Selective Competitive Inhibitor of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase 1A3 Hinders Cancer Cell Growth, Invasiveness and Stemness In Vitro. Cancers (Basel) 2021; 13:cancers13020356. [PMID: 33478031 PMCID: PMC7835878 DOI: 10.3390/cancers13020356] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2020] [Revised: 01/13/2021] [Accepted: 01/14/2021] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary The aldehyde dehydrogenases enzymes (ALDHs) are promising drug targets in cancer therapy. ALDHs are members of an enzymatic superfamily composed by 19 isoforms involved in the oxidation of aldehydes, with a scavenger role. Among them, the isoform ALDH1A3 is a cancer biomarker since it is highly expressed in cancer stem cells characterized by a marked drug resistance and the capacity to promote self-renewal, clonogenic growth and tumour-initiating capacity. In this paper, we present the first highly potent and selective ALDH1A3 inhibitor able to induce cytotoxic effects and to reduce cell migration and stemness of ALDH1A3-positive cancer cells. We propose the targeting of the ALDH1A3 enzyme as a promising approach for improving the treatments outcomes of patients affected by ALDH1A3-positive cancers. Abstract Aldehyde dehydrogenase 1A3 (ALDH1A3) belongs to an enzymatic superfamily composed by 19 different isoforms, with a scavenger role, involved in the oxidation of a plethora of aldehydes to the respective carboxylic acids, through a NAD+-dependent reaction. Previous clinical studies highlighted the high expression of ALDH1A3 in cancer stem cells (CSCs) correlated to a higher risk of cancer relapses, chemoresistance and a poor clinical outcome. We report on the structural, biochemical, and cellular characterization of NR6, a new selective ALDH1A3 inhibitor derived from an already published ALDH non-selective inhibitor with cytotoxic activity on glioblastoma and colorectal cancer cells. Crystal structure, through X-Ray analysis, showed that NR6 binds a non-conserved tyrosine residue of ALDH1A3 which drives the selectivity towards this isoform, as supported by computational binding simulations. Moreover, NR6 shows anti-metastatic activity in wound healing and invasion assays and induces the downregulation of cancer stem cell markers. Overall, our work confirms the role of ALDH1A3 as an important target in glioblastoma and colorectal cells and propose NR6 as a promising molecule for future preclinical studies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Edoardo L. M. Gelardi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, A. Avogadro, 28100 Novara, Italy; (E.L.M.G.); (G.C.); (D.M.F.); (A.M.); (M.R.)
| | - Giorgia Colombo
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, A. Avogadro, 28100 Novara, Italy; (E.L.M.G.); (G.C.); (D.M.F.); (A.M.); (M.R.)
| | - Francesca Picarazzi
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie, Chimica e Farmacia, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (F.P.); (M.M.)
| | - Davide M. Ferraris
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, A. Avogadro, 28100 Novara, Italy; (E.L.M.G.); (G.C.); (D.M.F.); (A.M.); (M.R.)
| | - Andrea Mangione
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, A. Avogadro, 28100 Novara, Italy; (E.L.M.G.); (G.C.); (D.M.F.); (A.M.); (M.R.)
| | - Giovanni Petrarolo
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (G.P.); (C.L.M.)
| | - Eleonora Aronica
- Department of (Neuro)Pathology, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam, 1105 Amsterdam, The Netherlands;
- Stichting Epilepsie Instellingen Nederland (SEIN), 2103 Heemstede, The Netherlands
| | - Menico Rizzi
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, A. Avogadro, 28100 Novara, Italy; (E.L.M.G.); (G.C.); (D.M.F.); (A.M.); (M.R.)
| | - Mattia Mori
- Dipartimento di Biotecnologie, Chimica e Farmacia, University of Siena, 53100 Siena, Italy; (F.P.); (M.M.)
| | - Concettina La Motta
- Department of Pharmacy, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy; (G.P.); (C.L.M.)
- CISUP—Centre for Instrumentation Sharing, University of Pisa, 56126 Pisa, Italy
| | - Silvia Garavaglia
- Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Piemonte Orientale, A. Avogadro, 28100 Novara, Italy; (E.L.M.G.); (G.C.); (D.M.F.); (A.M.); (M.R.)
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +39-0321375714
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